The illuminated work was composed by Monks in 800 AD and is arguably the most famous Celtic manuscript. Named after the Abbey in Kells that housed the manuscript for centuries, the 340 folio work was given to Trinity College in the 17th Century. It was bound in four volumes in 1953 and now resides on permanent display at the Old library.

To get to the illuminated manuscripts, you must enter through Fellow’s Square. There is normally a long line at the entrance and an admission fee of 9 Euros for Adults, 8 Euros for Students and Senior Citizens, and free tickets for children under 12.

The first room past the entrance is dimly lit and framed by warm dark wood. It has large panels entitled, “Turning Darkness into Light,” explaining how the book was made. Only four pages from two volumes are ever displayed at once. The current illuminated pages on display are from the Gospel of St. Luke and Folios on the entombment of the body of Jesus. Text pages are from the Gospel of Saint John. The volumes are under glass, and many visitors will anxiously crowd around to peer at the elaborate lettering and gilded illustrations.

The Book of Armagh is another early manuscript housed in the library. Written mainly in Latin in the 9th century AD, many believed in was produced by Saint Patrick himself. Actually, it was written in part by a scribe named Ferdomnach of Armagh, for a member of Saint Patrick’s family. This book is also very special to the Irish people, and the current pages on display are from the Revelation of Saint John.

The final Celtic Tomb in the collection is the Codex Usserianus Primus, written in Irish. It has been badly damaged and discolored over the years, but it retains its grandeur as the oldest surviving Irish Manuscript.

To leave the Book of Kells exhibit, visitors must walk upstairs through the Long Room. It is more akin to walking through a time machine than onto another floor: The Long room is majestic and antiquated. It is 65 meters long with over 200,000 works of some of the library’s oldest books. The shelves reach two stories high, with exhibitions of beautiful botanical illustrations under glass. Marble busts line the hall, in tribute to great writers and philosophers of the past. The overall experience in the room is reverential and impressive.

Although hassles such as a relatively high admission fee, lines and a predominant gift shop at the entrance may cause a minor annoyance, the Book of Kells and the Long Room are definitely worth a visit during your next trip to Dublin.

Top 5 Dublin Hotels near Trinity College:

• Hotel The Lombard – Townhouse – Double room from €64
• Hotel  O’Donoghue’s – Guesthouse – Double room from €90
• Holiday Inn Dublin City Center – 3-Star Hotel – Double room from €75
• Hotel The Westin Dublin – 5-Star Hotel – Double room from €179
• Maldron Hotel Cardiff Lane – 4-Star Hotel – Double room from €199

Photo of Book of Kells design by Psd

One of the most common criticisms heard about town, and from visitors themselves, is that the museum looks too modern for the antiquities it houses. But to understand this design, one must consider the motivations for building it in the first place: To encourage the British Museum to return the Elgin Marbles to their country of origin. As such, the construction shows off modern engineering designed to protect the statues and metopes from earthquake damage, and the multiple levels of security to support their importance. Be prepared to wait in a number of lines, first for tickets, again to have any handbags x-rayed, and then again for something else (I wouldn’t know for what, as an archaeologist I’m a grateful line jumper). As someone who remembers the old Acropolis museum up on the hill, there is no comparison. The natural light, the high ceilings, the arrangement of the artifacts, as well as the integration of the archaeological site they uncovered during construction make for a relaxed visit and lots to see.

Glass floors at ground level give a top view of the early Christian settlement uncovered during the construction of the museum. As a 3000 year-old cosmopolitan there are few places in Athens where a shovel in the ground is not met with pot sherds and wall stones. The integration of the site to the museum was not in the original conception, but was nicely executed. However, I questioned the social sensibility of the designer as I looked upwards to see more levels of glass floors…my only piece of advice for visiting the museum: don’t wear a skirt.

The organization of the Pathenon marbles on the top floor recreates their original order and relationships, to the best of our knowledge. Included are casts of pieces missing from the collection, with specifications when the original lies in the British Museum. This is done even when the only fragment in the New Acropolis Museum is an arm or a leg from an entire metope or statue. The entire third floor is surrounded by windows looking out to the Acropolis and the surrounding city. This element was probably my favorite, as it allows the visitors to appreciate the marbles in the context of a vibrant city, an effect that simulates being on the actual ancient Acropolis. Enjoying a coffee on the second floor cafe terrace allows one to continue appreciating the parallels of the ancient and modern city.

I won’t open up the debate on whether the Elgin marbles should or will be returned to their country of origin, but the Greeks have fulfilled their part of the deal. They have demonstrated that they can appropriately house the marbles that, in my opinion, rightly belong to them as a unified set. While I agree that the outside design would make for a nice contemporary art museum, the interior flow and light are a beautiful venue for the marbles. As a promotion, admission is only 1 Euro until the beginning of next year.

Athens Hotels with Views of the Acropolis

• Acropolis Museum Boutique Hotel – 3-star hotel – double room from €115
• Hotel Divani Palace Acropolis – 5-star hotel – double room from €148
• Hotel Acropolis View – 2-star hotel – double room from €99

Photo of the New Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece, by Dinstereo

For centuries, Paris has embraced and inspired scores of famous writers, from Molière to Fitzgerald to Wilde to Djuna Barnes. When exploring the city, you can hardly escape the presence of these masters. You might drop into a seemingly ordinary café, only to see a plaque noting that Hemingway wrote “The Sun Also Rises,” there  (Café de la Mairie). Or maybe the hotel you’ve chosen to stay at just happens to be the one in which Henry Miller resided temporarily in 1930 (Hotel St-Germain des Prés). Once you start paying attention, you’ll never stop noticing all the monuments, plaques, museums, restaurants, and street names that honor Paris’s literary giants. Here are just a few of the places you might visit to gain inspiration from or pay homage to some of the finest writers in history.

1. Les Deux Magots.

Of all the literary landmarks in Paris, this is one probably the most famous. Although some people scoff that it’s become nothing but a tourist trap, how could any lover of literature miss visiting the café to which James Baldwin rushed immediately upon arriving in Paris to meet with Richard Wright? The café that hangs a photo of a young Simone de Beauvoir busily scribbling in a notebook in that very place? The favored haunt of Hemingway, Bréton and Camus? Don’t worry about the tasteless salads, if it’s literary ghosts you seek, this is the right place. 6 Place St Germain des Prés, 6th arrondissement.

2. Café de Flore.

Located right next door to Les Deux Magots, the café is equally close in fame. It is particularly known for de Beauvoir and Sartre having virtually lived in the upstairs dining room, but was also regularly enjoyed by writers such as Laurence Durrell , Truman Capote, and, of course Hemingway (who seemed to be everywhere). If you want the true feel of the past, definitely seat yourself in the upstairs dining room. Even today you will find many writers camped there, scribbling or typing away, hoping to absorb the spirit of those that came before them. 172 boulevard St. Germain, 6th arrondissement.

3. Maison Victor Hugo.

On the lovely Place des Vosges, you’ll find a small museum celebrating the life and works of Victor Hugo. The museum isn’t just a museum, however. It is part of the former Hôtel de Roham Guéménée, where Victor Hugo lived for 16 years (1832-1848). The museum/apartment is full of treasures to satisfy any Hugo fan: manuscripts, photos, samples of his handwriting, etchings, and some of his furniture. 6, Place des Vosges, 4th arrondissement.

4. Maison Balzac.

Balzac lovers will appreciate visiting the home-turned-museum in which the great writer penned much of his sequence of plays, novels, and stories, collectively titled “La Comédie Humaine.” The museum features plenty of Balzac memorabilia, including his writing desk, chair, and tea kettle, which famously kept him company through long nights of writing. 47 rue Raynouard, 16th arrondissement.

5. 27, rue des Fleurus, 6th arrondissement.

It’s not a museum, but nonetheless many admirers flock to the address where Gertrude Stein lived first with her brother Leo and then with her partner, Alice B. Toklas. Go there to stand before the plaque to commemorating the famous author’s home on this quiet street, and imagine the fabulous art collection and sparkling salons she held within.

6. 14, rue Monsieur-le-Prince, 6th arrondissement.

Richard Wright lived at this address for some 11 years (1948-1959), with his wife and two daughters. The famed author of Native Son and Black Boy was buddies with Sartre and Camus, and due to their influence, wrote what is known as the first American existentialist novel, The Outsider. Wright loved France so much that upon his death, he became one of the many authors to be buried at the Parisian cemetery, Père Lachaise.

7. 12, rue de l’Odéon, 6th arrondissement.

Site of the original Shakespeare and Company, the lending library and English-language bookstore owned by Sylvia Beach and frequented by the likes of Hemmingway, Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Sherwood Anderson and James Joyce. The shop was more than a library/bookstore, but a haven for struggling writers. In 1941, after 22 years of business, it closed its doors, allegedly because Beach refused to sell her last copy of Finnegan’s Wake to a German official. Ten years later, a new Shakespeare and Company bookstore, named in tribute to the original and serving the same purpose, was opened by George Whitman several blocks away from the one on rue de l’Odéon. It remains a sanctuary for many writers to this day (37, rue de la Bûcherie, 5th arrondissement).

5 Landmark hotels in Literary Paris:

Photo of  Café de Flore, Paris, by Scorbette37

Pompeii is a household name but what about the intriguing ancient harbour city just outside Rome?

Head west from the capital on the SS8 and you’ll be on your way to the Mediterranean and to the town of Ostia. The first thing you need to know is where the confusion sometimes lies in terms of the name Ostia. There is the new town of Ostia, which is also known as Lido di Ostia. This is not far from the larger town of Fiumicino, where the airport is.

Lido di Ostia

The town of Lido Ostia boomed during the middle of the first half of the 20th Century. Thanks to a new and improved railways and roadways, that brought Romans out of the city to the seaside, many people flocked to the beaches and waterfronts for their holidays. Art Nouveau buildings were erected, bathing pools were constructed and it became the place to be seen in the summer months. But sadly the latter half of the century led to poor water quality and then a dramatic decline in tourist numbers. Today the town is almost like a satellite orbiting the ever-expanding city of Rome. The distance between the two is now much less, as Rome gets bigger and bigger. Some fear it will one day be part of the city.

Ostia Antica

Men and women from the 20th Century weren’t the first people to head west from the great city. The ancient remains of the town of Ostia Antica now pay host to some of the country’s most impressive archaeological remains that pays host thousands of tourists into the area every year. But back in the reign of the like of Claudius it was a bustling seaside town and harbour with boats and with goods being brought in and out of the mighty Empire’s capital.

There is proof of remains from as far back as 4th century BC but it’s believed the area is much older. There are military camps, temples and vast banqueting halls. Over the years the site has been something of a target for pirates fresh off their boats and in 68 BC they sacked the town and it had to be built again.

The dizzy heights of the town came in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries AD. Population topped roughly 80,000 and the Emperors Maximan and Constantius Chlorus raised it to become one of the most fashionable and popular city retreats. There is the remains of a very impressive theatre, which dominates much of the site. There are baths, taverns and even a fire station.

If you fancy a visit to the site then get on any train heading that way from Rome – the Metro is only about 1 Euro. Admission is pretty cheap too and is usually around 5 Euros per person so it’s well worth it.

Popular Ostia Hotels on Venere.com:

• Ostia Antica Park Hotel – 3-star Hotel – Double Room from €79
• Il Giardino Pensile – Bed & Breakfast – Double Room from €75
• Residence Rodrigo de Vivar – Farm House – Double Room from €100

Photo of mosaics in Ostia Antica, Rome, by Dane Larsen

The town is situated upon a hill in the Umbria region right in the heart of Italy. It is most known for being St. Francis’ birthplace, a man renowned for his artistic, historical, and religious significance. The city is quite small so exploring on foot is not challenging. There are walking tours and self-guided tours available.

Despite the fact that all the churches and sanctuaries in Assisi are open for tourist visitation, there are certain exceptions and rules that need to be followed. Hours for visiting will vary from one to the next, but all of them forbid tourist visits during Sunday morning mass or services. Additionally, some of these have rather strict dress codes so it is wise to check in advance so that you are not denied admission.

• Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi

Franciscan monastery named after St. Francis and is also a World Heritage Site. It is also the church where St. Francis was canonized in 1228. There is a lower and an upper church with artwork on display in both. The lower church features artwork by two renowned Medieval artists, Cimabue and Giotto, while the upper church features frescos reflecting the life of St. Francis. In September of 1997, the Basilica was severely damaged by an earthquake and was closed two years while it was undergoing restoration activities.

• Basilica of Santa Chiara

Named after Saint Clare, the structure features massive lateral buttresses, the famous “Rose Window”, and has a simple Gothic interior. St. Clare’s tomb is located here as well as some 13th century frescoes and assorted paintings.

• Cathedral of San Rufino

Also known as the Assisi Cathedral, it was named after Saint Rufinus of Assisi. Part of this structure was originally constructed on what was once a Roman cistern. It features a 16th century interior, a Romanesque façade, and three rose windows.

• Eremo delle Carceri

Situated in a canyon above the town of Assisi, this small monastery was a favorite retreat of St. Francis. Supposedly, he would preach to the birds that nested there as he was resting in the garden.

• Santo Stefano (Assisi)

One of the oldest churches built in Assisi. It has no ornate designing but simple stonemasons who built a rustic memento of their faith. This beautiful 12th century Romanesque church is surrounded by fig, walnut and cypress trees which were considered to be outside the town walls in olden days. According to legends, the bells of this church started ringing miraculously the day St. Francis died, on 3rd October 1226.

• Santa Maria Maggiore

The church was named after St. Mary the Greater and is the oldest church still in existence in the city.

There are several other smaller churches and monasteries in the surrounding area worth seeing as well. However, the ones listed above should be included in anyone’s vacation itinerary.

Top 5 Farm Houses in Assisi, Italy

• La Mora Farm House – Santa Maria degli Angeli, Assisi
• Farm House Alla Madonna del Piatto – Pieve San Nicolo’, Assisi
• Farm House Il Noceto Umbro – Petrignano, Assisi
• Farm House La Tavola dei Cavalieri – Armenzano, Assisi
• Mora Relax Farm House – Rivotorto, Assisi

Photo of the Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi, Italy, by Il Noceto Farm House.

1. Live Like Royalty in France

More than 300 chateaux are scattered all over Loire Valley. Although most are privately owned, some of these luxurious structures have been converted into historic museums and plush hotels in one so that tourists can experience and re-live the lavish lifestyle of French Monarchs.

2. Meet Leonardo Da Vinci

Well, not really. But get to know why the “Renaissance man” is the well-known genius that he is. Visit the Château Royal d’Amboise near Clos Lucé where he devoted the last three years of his life dreaming, thinking, and working. DaVinci’s Machine inventions way too ahead for his time are displayed for viewing in Clos Lucé.

3. Experience Japan in France

Right along the edge of Loire Region is the Maulévrier Japanese gardens, the biggest oriental garden in Europe. Don’t be surprised and confused to see Japanese bridges, tall Pagodas, and Japanese plants, you’re still in France!

4. Man-made Machines from the Past

Loire Valley is not all about lush green gardens, good food, great-tasting wines, and extravagant chateaux; pay a visit at the Museum of Maurice Dufresne to see a huge exhibit of vintage cars, airplanes, guns, agricultural machineries, and even a guillotine from the French Revolution! If you get hungry and cold from viewing the displays, there’s a café to fill-up and warm yourself nearby.

5. Visit an Underground City

The Troglodyte caves along the Loire River are made out of soft Tuffeau limestone. This made it easier for artisans and quarrymen in the middle ages to dig and carve using simple tools. At present, the 2000 kilometer cave complex houses restaurants, hotels, shops, museums, and even dwelling places! Why Troglodyte? Troglodyte literally means “cave-dwellers.”

Top 10 Chateau Hotels in the Loire Valley, France:

• Hotel  Chateau de l’Aubrière – La Membrolle-sur-Choisille (Tours) – Double from €120
• Bed & Breakfast Chateu de Terney – Terney – Double from €100
• Hotel Chateau d’Esclimont – Saint-Symphorien-le-Château (Chartres) – Double from €160
• Hotel Chateau de Marçay – Marçay (Chinon) – Double from €295
• Hotel Chateau de la Bourdaisière – Montlouis-sur-Loire (Tours) – Double from €135
• Hotel Chateau de Noizay – Noizay (Amboise) – Double from €150
• Hotel Chateau des Tertres – Onzain – Double from €105
• Guest House Chateau de la Barre – Conflans-sur-Anille (Saint-Calais) – Double from  €180
• Hotel Le Chateau du Breuil – Cheverny – Double from €140
• Hotel Chateau des Muids - La-Ferté-Saint-Aubain – Double from €95

Photo of  the garden of Chateau de Villandry, Loire Valley, France, by Caspermoller

For most people a guide of how to behave when abroad is not necessary, respect for local customs that are different to the ones you are used to at home is natural and acceptance of other ways of life is part of your own.

For others, however, this is not the case. Unfortunately for me, many of the worst offenders are fellow Brits who have a reputation around Europe and even further a field as being drunken, boorish louts. For those of you who need it, here is a guide to behaving when on holiday.

One of, if not the main reason for Brits getting into trouble abroad and bringing the entire nation into disrepute is alcohol. Everyone likes to enjoy themselves while on holiday and for many people this will mean a drink or two. Some Brits, however, seem to believe the enjoyment will come only after the 15th drink and by then they are starting to vomit. I personally see the blame for this in the macho competitive drinking culture which sees alcohol as a challenge and means to prove your superiority rather than a social lubricant. I also realise this is unlikely to change because of this blog post but hope springs eternal.

Readers of both sexes should note that exposing yourselves is never appropriate at home or abroad. There seem to be two varieties of this phenomenon. The first involves men wearing adequate clothing but then removing it and women who aren’t wearing enough to begin with. Tourists should note that if they covered themselves a bit more then less of their skin would turn that violent pink looking colour after exposure to the sun.

Respect for local cultures is another major failing. This can mean so many small but thoughtful acts that demonstrate that visitors are recognising and accepting the prevailing local culture. Most people know that in the Middle East it would be disrespectful to fail to cover up, but this is true of many Catholic countries in Europe as well. There was a case recently of a group of 17 British men who were arrested in Crete for insulting religious symbols since they were all dressed as nuns.

The British attitude to foreign cultures extends to food in ways which are at once bizarre and depressing. While on holiday it is acceptable I suppose to once in a while feel like eating a meal that reminds you of home. However, refusing to eat anything but British food and shunning the local delicacies is narrow-minded and rude. Considering the reputation British food has abroad it is also a source of amazement for the same shop and restaurant owners who are happy to over-charge for the imported swill.

Photo of stag party in Berlin, Germany, by das sabrinchen

The Acropolis

Any archaeological tour of Athens must start with the Acropolis. As if its status was not exalted enough already, in 2007 the Acropolis was declared to be the ‘preeminent monument on the European Cultural Heritage list’. The Acropolis is a great place to visit whether you are interested in archaeology or not, but those who are will be overjoyed by the profusion of evidence from times gone by.

The National Archaeological Museum of Athens

If the Acropolis whet your appetite then head over to the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. This covers the period extending from pre-history through to late-antiquity and has collections from Asia Minor and Egypt as well as an extensive collection of Greek artefacts. Since the museum is so large visitors will be best advised to examine the information available and selecting specific areas of interest rather than try to see everything. If you have no specific tastes then the museum does reward those who simply stroll around and the helpful staff are always on hand to offer advice. The museum is a five minute signposted walk from Viktoria metro station.

The Kerameikos

The Kerameikos area of the city, roughly northwest of the Acropolis, is also very interesting from a historical perspective. It is where the ceramic pots of the ancient city were made, indeed, the name is the etymological root of the word ‘ceramic’. The area also contains the Dipylon Gate and is archaeologically very rich. Visitors should be aware, though, that much of what you can see in the area has been reconstructed. This is a very good way of getting a feel of what the ancient city would have looked like but do not mistake it for original material.

Plaka

Finally, Plaka is an area where archaeology almost seems to come to life. The area hugs the slopes of the Acropolis where houses of various styles have stood since the most ancient times. To maintain the areas charm while balancing this with the needs of local residents, the city authorities have taken the step of banning cars from the area. Many people, while agreeing with this step, were quite amused since cars would be incapable of travelling through most of the streets in the area. Unfortunately the ‘picturesque’ area has become a real tourist hotspot and so visitors may want to think about visiting outside peak times at evenings and not in summer.

This is just a brief sample of the archaeological delights Athens has to offer. If you are interested in seeing more then the staff at the National Archaeological museum or guides around the Acropolis will be more than glad to help.

Photo of Acropolis of Athens, Greece, by jon crel

From celebrities anxious to see its wonderful array of art, hotels and glamorous restaurants, to adventurous young Europeans looking for naughty nightlife, this city seems to have nearly every modern luxury.

Beneath this “new face” of Berlin, however, lies a backbone of decay and cold war history. It is these rare treasures that another kind of traveler comes to Berlin for. In my months living here I’ve been fascinated with the abandoned spaces, relics of the wall and reclaimed spaces, old townhouses turned into clubs; ancient department stores into art spaces. So when I heard there existed an abandoned American radio station at the highest point of the city in the west, I knew I had to go there immediately.

In wintertime, Berlin lies under flat gray skies. Everything is encompassed in the most destitute of light, so the opportunity to take a perfect picture is few and fair between. One day I woke up to a beautiful blue sky, and I knew I needed to take advantage of it, SLR in hand, and begin my long awaited journey to Teufelsberg. My destination stood in Grünewald Forest, a hillside created out of rubble from the Second World War that sits on top of an underground Nazi military college (the infamous building was sealed with cement by Allied forces following the war; it is the source of many urban legends and ghost stories, but has never been uncovered). A short trip on the SBahn would bring me to the edge of the forest, and from there it would just be a quick hike up the hillside to the fence of the radio station on top.

When I, joined by a partner in crime, dismounted the SBahn, it was easy to forget we were only a few minutes from the glamorous parts of Berlin. The forest’s slim trees and pleasant walking paths were worlds away from the shiny modern architecture at Potsdamer Platz, Mitte’s cafes or the bussel of Alexanderplatz. I had reached the edge of the city, and there was nowhere to go but up. Seeing as it was winter, the area was quiet, though I’ve heard that it is a popular destination for joggers, pet owners and families of picnickers. We lavished in the solace, taking the opportunity to shoot a couple silly artistic nudes in the fields of snow, between trees shading us from the light of the setting sun (ahem, note to aspiring exhibitionists: people do jog in wintertime).

After sacrificing some dignity for our art, we hopped back into our thick coats, walked all the way around the fence at the top searching for a way through, then finally found an entryway into the fortress of Teufelsberg. Unfortunately this entryway came in the shape of a 1by4foot hole in a steel fence. We nearly had to get naked again in order to slip through (it wasn’t until the end of the day when I was lodged halfway through this deathtrap that an older woman and her husband came along and told us about the entryway a few feet in the other direction. Oops). Once inside, we were treated to the visual mind explosion we had been hoping for, making the climb well worth the effort.

The history of Teufelsberg (translation: Devil’s Mountain) in itself is something to be admired when visiting the site. Built in the post-war era by the US National Security Association (NSA), the huge, globe-like radio transmitters served to provide 24 hour a day surveillance over East Berlin. The “Big Brother” aspect of the site is chilling it itself, be it in the panoramic overlooking view of Berlin and its citizens, or the rooms full of wires and broken radio equipment. Elaborate surveillance technology has always to me echoed the scariness of totalitarian control and its counterparts. History aside however, the real joy in Teufelsberg, as a photographer and a free-living Berliner, is its post-apocalyptic aesthetic. Walls are missing, glass is shattered everywhere, the walls of the open indoor space have become a graffiti artist’s paradise. The canvas covering of the once immaculate space-like globes has become dilapidated, its holes letting in beams of afternoon light. At the highest point, after climbing six or seven floors of stairs in pitch-black darkness, you can see a mass body of water peeking out of the horizon (the Strandbad Tegeler See) giving way to the urban jungle of Berlin.

As dusk settled and the sky, briefly a brilliant red of sunset, once again became gray, we dismounted Devil’s Hill. A bit of a confrontation with a territorial herd of wild boars aside (do NOT go chasing after these suckers for a photograph, apparently they are very dangerous in packs), the walk back to the train was peaceful and pleasant. We even had the opportunity to satisfy our appetite with some delicious schnitzel and pilsner at a restaurant at the bottom of the hill near to the Sbahn stop. An end to a great day, we were only left thinking: how could a treasure like Teufelsberg remain largely undiscovered when sitting in clear view on top of the city like a victorious trophy? Perhaps it is because most travelers don’t take the time to see the unlikely beauty in the things that have slipped through the cracks of Berlin’s makeover. This cold-war relic in its skeletal and shattered state stands as a reminder of the beauty that can come out of the struggle between victory and defeat and is a precise representation of a period of Berlin’s history many are eager to forget. Teufelsberg is here for all and I would recommend it to any traveler looking to get out of their comfort zone and see an unlikely visual stunner.

Photo of the NSA field station in Teufelsber, Berlin, Germany, by SnaPsi xyzzy

Don’t believe all that travel brochure guff about it having a “warm climate, ideal for sunbathing.” Even the most seasoned sunbather will be unable to spend more than 5 minutes on the beach during the height of summer without being barbecued. Oh, and the humidity often reaches 100%, which in layman’s terms means the maximum amount of water the air can possibly carry while still being air.

2. Less than 20% of the population are actually locals

Exponential immigration has led to the local, Emirati population almost being drowned out. It’s easy for them to feel like strangers in their own land when nearly everyone else hails from a completely different culture. However, everyone gets along as well as they should, with an extremely low crime rate (violent crime is almost unheard of) and little social strife.

3. The population has doubled since 1995

In 1995, the population of the city stood at a bit under 700,000. Now the figure is at around 1.4 million even despite some decline because of the recession. It’s no surprise then that touring around Dubai can sometimes feel like you are inspecting a giant building site, as developers rush to get apartment blocks completed on time to house all the newcomers.

4. It has the world’s best malls

America perhaps invented the mall, but it was Dubai that set the standard. Malls in Dubai are extremely luxurious affairs, with unsullied leather sofas, marble floors, beautiful fountains, and restrooms rivalling those of 5 star hotels. Some even house fake streets in a pastiche of some colourful Renaissance era town, complete with dummy Parisian lampposts. It’s a fact learnt after traversing the world that humans only ever really want something when it isn’t real.

5. It has the world’s most ambitious, well, everything

Tallest Man-Made Structure? Yep. Tallest Hotel? Yep. Biggest Mall? Yep. World’s biggest Aquarium? Yep. Second largest man-made Marina? Yep. It has even broken the record for being the city with the largest number of people named Mohammed.

6. In 1968, there were reportedly only 13 cars in the whole city.

…A reported (if perhaps unverifiable) fact that many residents wish today was still true, as many spend up to 3 hours a day in pile-ups. The problem is so bad, that even double decker roads have been introduced.

7. In 1991, there was 1 skyscraper in the city. Now there are around 400.

Dubai’s Prestigious World Trade Centre cuts a lonely figure, sitting at one end of Sheikh Zayed Road, now the main artery of the city. This road has now been transformed into a majestic Skyscraper Avenue with structures both sides, including the Burj Dubai, the tallest building in the world and as lofty as two Empire State Buildings on top of each other – no joke. The finale of King Kong might have been a bit more impressive if it was filmed in Dubai, wouldn’t it?

Photo of camel in Dubai, UAE, by •●pfaff

Located in the north western region of the country this rural area stretches around thirty four miles across. Numerous eras of glaciations has created this unique geography that has been immortalized in the poems of the Lake Poets, the most famous of whom were William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey. U-shaped valleys that were carved by ice are now lakes bordered by mountains. Its beauty had attracted visitors for ever but organized tourism really began with A Guide to the Lakes by Father Thomas West that was published in 1778 where the Father lists vista points that best showcased the landscape. William Wordsworth’s Guide to the Lakes [later editions were called A Guide through the District of the Lakes in the North of England] published a little more than three decades later made the region even more popular.

Official estimation is that about fourteen million visitors visit the Lake District of England every year, so much so that tourism has become the main contributor to the local economy. The most used guide today, however, is Alfred Wainwright’s Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. There is an unofficial competition among tourists to see who manages to visit the complete list mentioned in Wainwright’s guide. Everywhere you look it is like a living picture postcard. Scenic beauty, abundant and extraordinary wildlife, a rich cultural heritage and numerous small towns are all reasons why the Lake District is the most visited tourist site in the country.

Scenic beauty

A mix of lakes, mountains, forests, woodlands, and farms give this region a diverse landscape. Each valley, with its own distinct visual, has its own unique way of making the tourist’s trip memorable. The Lake District National Park is the largest National Park in England. It includes England’s highest point which is the Scafell Pike mountain and the country’s deepest point in Westwater Lake. Because of its geography the National Park, and in fact the whole Lake District, is high in humidity. This encourages the growth of Atlantic mosses, ferns and lichen. The green of the pastures here is unmatchable. The hills mirrored in the stillness of the lake waters are a sight to behold. The National Park not only has enough to please the eyes but it has so much for the thrill seeker in the tourists. There are great opportunities for trekking and mountaineering. A plethora of guides offer mapped routes through the district along with an elaborate web of public rights of way. The more adventurous tourist can, with unrestricted access to the forests and fells, make their own expeditions. A swim in the lakes isn’t off the list of things to do either. If a dip is not on your cards, how about sailing or fishing? Windermere Lake Steamer rides have become one of the most popular charged rides in England. Dunnerdale or Duddon Valley in the Lake District National Park was Wordsworth’s favorite place.

Flora and Fauna

The Lake District is home to some species which are not found anywhere else in England. The red squirrel, an omnivorous tree rodent, is common here, in spite of its decreasing numbers all over England. Sundew and Butterworth are two carnivorous plants that exist in large colonies here. The Vendace, the Schelly and the Arctic Charr are three species of fish that are on the rare and endangered list. Limestone pavements, mires, lakeshore wetlands, estuaries and dunes are all key habitats.

Cultural Tourism

With so many artists and littérateurs enthralled with the Lake District cultural tourism is the new trend here. People come to visit the place that strengthened Wordsorth’s Nature philosophy, his idea of the one spirit running through man, nature and God. The daffodils blooming on the shores of the lake Ullswater inspired his famous ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud’. The poet’s childhood home in Penrith and his last resting place in the Grasmere churchyard are both important stops in the tourist’s route. Coleridge’s son is also buried nearby. John Ruskin spent his last years in a home in Brantwood. Beatrix Potter lived at Hill Top Farm and used her home and its surroundings as the setting for her famous children’s books, the Peter Rabbit series. Some theories even suggest that the Arthurian legends’ Grail kingdom of Listeneise was also actually the Lake District.

Towns in the Lake District

It isn’t just the mountains and lakes and fells, the quaint little towns in the Lake District of England are great tourist attractions too. Ambleside has some great place to stay in and eat at. Appleby is a great base for a trip to the Eden Valley. The Bewcastle Cross in Bewcastle is a seventh century artifact. Bowness was a site of the Roman army camp and is closest to Hadrian’s Wall’s western end. Keswick with some of the most beautiful landscapes in the whole district is called the Queen of the Lake District. Kendal is often referred to as the Gateway to the Lake District. An ancient market town, Kendal is located in the heart of Cumbria and has several attractions like the Church of Holy Trinity from the thirteenth century and the twelfth century Kendal Castle ruins. With a charming downtown that has shops, restaurants and pubs and also important museums of the Lake District, Kendal is the ideal vacation spot for the wearied tourist.

So whether you are looking for history or literature or just heavenly peace and quiet, this is your place to be.

Photo of Wastwater Lake, Cumbria, UK, by Ennor

Making holiday or vacation arrangements that include one of the historical tours of Scotland will avail you with a myriad of choices when searching the internet for options. Here are examples of some of the more popular historic tours of Scotland:

Edinburgh & Lothians

Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital and an excellent city to start your tour historical in. When you visit Edinburgh Castle, you will enjoy the panoramic views of the Royal Mile as it meanders through Old Town. Edinburgh hosts the world’s largest arts festival and also features a wide array of cafes, galleries, museums, pubs, restaurants, and theaters. Surrounding the city is the Lothians, one of Scotland’s more traditional historical regions with its beaches, historical sites, and quaint little towns.

Kingdom of Fire

The ancient kingdom of Fire affords you with a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy its cathedrals, gardens, palaces, and numerous castles. Additionally, you can enjoy the visiting the delightful little fishing villages situated among the harbors of the Scottish coastline all the way to the renowned home of the game of golf – St Andrews.

Perthshire

Perthshire is situated in the very heart of the country and is the perfect base from which to explore Scotland. If it’s a more active vacation that you desire then there are fishing, golfing, and hill walking. If on the other hand, a more historical and relaxing experience is what you crave then you can take in one of the many castle tours, museums, or theaters in the area.

Angus and Dundee

Dundee is very cosmopolitan and features a nice variety of, cafes, restaurants, and shops as well as some very unique entertainment. Angus surrounds Dundee, and provides the traveler with numerous castles, country houses, mountains, and lochs to explore. There are plenty of adventurous pursuits in the outdoors to engage in while visiting this historical area of Scotland.

Aberdeen and Grampian

The 3rd largest Scottish city is Aberdeen, and it affords the traveler a wide array of entertainment and numerous shopping venues. There are more mountains above 4,000 feet in this region as well as over 100 miles of pristine coastline and hills that tumble down to the seacoast. Additionally, there is an abundance of historic castles and whiskey distilleries to tour.

The Western Isles

A different culture and language as well as very distinctive landscape is offered the visitor when exploring the Western Isles. The beautiful beaches, spectacular landscape, and an abundance of wildlife await your adventure through this historical area of Scotland. Additionally, it is a great place to relax and unwind at the end of your day.

Photo of Edinburgh Castle, Scotland, by g.naharro

Since then the city has been able to successfully detach itself from the dark memories that the name of Hitler evokes and from the reputation of being near the last concentration camp from the infamous historical epoch. However, the cultural epicenter status is no longer a dream. A great place to visit at any time, a trip to Linz this year will be especially rewarding because it has been chosen to be Europe’s cultural host. Linz- the capital of European cultural tourism sitting pretty on the banks of the Danube is a flourishing city which has achieved a unique and rare blend of consciously preserved nature, environment conscious, yet highly successful industrial belts and a thriving cultural scene and as the Capital of Culture 2009 it will showcase all of this. An almost utopic modern urban city it has something for every visitor.

Rarely will the lover of history and culture find a more diverse cultural scene in one city. Interactive art, fine arts, contemporary art, media art, music and theater – every tourist can choose from the riches according to his taste and mood.

Linz Museums

The Lentos Art Museum in Linz opened in May 2003 and put Linz on the map as far as international art museums go. In addition to being the most important museum of modern art in Austria, this long building stretching to a hundred and thirty meters right on the Danube is an architectural marvel too. The transparent glass ceiling not only makes the inside of the museum look incredibly attractive during daytime, it is a most stunning sight at night when it is brilliantly lit. Architecturally a very successful blending of the modern within the old and of extreme functionality within beauty, the OK Offenes Kulturhaus Oberösterreich is an extremely important museum of contemporary art. Its website claims that it is “an experimental laboratory for exploring art.” Visitors can soak in this unique atmosphere which provides mostly young artists with not only a platform to present their art but a workshop-laboratory wherein to develop their art. Several important exhibitions run all through the year.

Cultural, natural and art history is preserved in the Oberösterreichische Landesmuseum. This museum is Austria’s first official institution created to promote contemporary art. Comprising of several important buildings like the Castle Museum and the Biology Center in Linz, the Oberösterreichische Landesmuseumis spread through the city. For the honest art enthusiasts there are specialized tours in which experts and museum curators guide the visitor through the most important exhibits and exhibitions as also tours that allow conversations with the artists. For the more laid back tourist there are special family afternoons.

The Ars Electronica is a museum of interactive art that definitely must not be missed. It focuses on the ever fluid relationship between art, technology and society. Don’t miss the important award ceremony, the Prix Ars Electronica to be held in September this year.

Music and drama in Linz

As the birthplace of Anton Bruckner does it come as any surprise that Linz’s most famous concert hall is called the Brucknerhaus? The Brucknerhaus opened its doors more than three decades ago and since then it has held about two hundred events every year with almost a hundred and eighty thousand visitors regularly walking in to listen to some of the greatest composers. The Bruckner orchestra is famous throughout the world. Depending on the time of your visit don’t forget to experience one of the several concert events held here. Several trendy theaters dot the streets the most famous of which is the Landestheater once much visited by Hitler and friends, mainly to listen to Wagner. Today it holds regular events in all genres including the opera.

Annual Events in Linz

The world’s largest media art festival is held here in Linz every September. Since 1979 Ars Electronica has attracted thousands of visitors to Linz. In 2009 it will be held from the third of September to the eighth. From a mere twenty participants in its first year, last year the event attracted scientists and artists from twenty five countries with the numbers running up to more than four hundred. The digital revolution truly comes into its own here. During Pflasterspektakel the whole city center is converted into a carnival of sorts with music, theater, pantomime, clowns and what not ensuring that no tourist sits in their hotel rooms during those three days in July.

The Brucknerfest promises to be especially grand with Dennis Russel Davies performing Hayden’s “The Creation” and performances by Zubin Mehta and the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. The Trio of concerts called Klangwolken combines music and laser and fireworks show, an especially for children show and a classical music show. This Linz Cloud of Sound festival brings alight the sky atop and the Danube underneath. Danube Park comes alive touching every one of the human senses.

In 2009 a trip to Linz will be unforgettable, guaranteed! Give this Capital of Culture a chance to host you and to show you why it has earned this enviable title.

Photo of Ars ElectronicaCenter and Lentos Art Museum, Linz, Austria, by x-hibit

Boasting a rich historical and architectural heritage, this year’s Europe Capital of Culture offers visitors all they need for an unforgettable weekend break in Eastern Europe: great choice of accommodation, remarkable UNESCO World Heritage sites, interesting museums, excellent traditional and international restaurants, vibrant nightlife, and a lively program of shows, exhibitions, concerts, festivals and special events through the year.

Do not miss the opportunity to enjoy this unique cultural experience. Book your stay in Vilnius on venere.com and get the best hotels deals available till March 24, 2010!

Mikotel – Vilnius

Ideally situated in the beautiful Old Town, the Mikotel is a budget hotel in Vilnius offering double rooms for $65.4 and triple rooms for $79.6 per night (prepaid/not refundable). Free breakfast.

Hotel Comfort – Vilnius

Located in the heart of Vilnius Old Town, Hotel Comfort offers standard double rooms for $84 per night (prepaid/not refundable). Free breakfast.

Panorama Hotel – Vilnius

The modern Panorama Hotel offers comfortable accommodation in Vilnius Old Town from $84 per night (prepaid/not refundable). Free breakfast.

Photo of Vilnius Old Town by erephas

You can pay homage to your favorite painter or marvel at the monumental size of the hundreds of gravestones. These valleys of death tend to be less crowded, which can provide for peace and quiet but can also make it hard to ask for directions, as the walkways within can be labyrinthine. Be sure to find a map at the entrance.As an extended visit to a cemetery will require a great deal of walking, it is recommended that you wear tennis shoes, bring some snack foods, and water. Also be sure to take a bathroom break before entering, since there are no public toilets in the cemeteries. A daytime trip during the summer months can be very romantic and take you back to the days of true love, duels, and the cancan.

I. Pere Lachaise

You could spend a year wandering about the Pere Lachaise cemetery in the northeastern part of the city and still only get through half of all there is to see. The graves of Delacroix, Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, Balzac, Bizet, and Moliere are here, just to name a few. There is something of a feel of power and prestige as you walk under the ancient-looking trees and climb the old and mildly crumbling steps of cobblestones. Even the parts of the cemetery that are eerie and full of mist and shadows soon give way to bright and open expanses of trees and wildflowers. Nature-lovers will find respite here from the mire and mildew of the metropolis.

If you see one thing and one thing only in the Pere Lachaise, make it the grave of Oscar Wilde. The massive sculpture of a flying, winged angel gave me the chills as I walked up to it from a distance, mostly because it was adorned with lipstick kisses and surrounded by a bevy of women. Notes of admiration cover the foot of the grave. You get a true sense of the importance of art in people’s lives and the love that good stories well-told can inspire.

II. Cimetiere du Montparnasse

Less than half the size of the Pere Lachaise, there is a charming cemetery in the southerly region of the city called Montparnasse. With the gravesites of more modern and contemporary literary figures, the feel of this garden of good and evil is rooted more in the artistic environments of the last century. The stone of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir’s joint burial plot is void of any religious monogram, in lieu of the couple’s existentialist views. Nor is the famous Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s grave adorned with a cross or symbol of faith. In a country where more than half of the population is nonbelievers, the cemetery of Montparnasse captures the more recent French interpretation of death and the afterlife that has shaped the literature and the culture. In many ways this is the cemetery of the current Parisian zeitgeist.

III. The Pantheon Crypt

This cemetery is beneath the ground under one of the most famous landmarks in Paris, the Pantheon. The building used to be a church until the political leaders during the Enlightenment felt that it should be used not for the veneration of God but rather of the nation’s greatest thinkers. Laid to rest in exposed tombs in the damp and cave-like crypt of this old house of worship are Voltaire, Rousseau, and Victor Hugo. The long tunnels with walls of stone, lit by dim yellow lamps, have the smell of dust and mist. The tombs are exquisitely carved from wood and limestone, and you can feel the imminent presence of the men deep inside. It is the ultimate capitulation of France’s deep admiration and respect for its writers and artists. In the French value system a great man can be judged not for his vast amount of money but for his vast amount of ideas. This way of thinking is made manifest in the cemeteries of the center of European thought, Paris. They are truly romantic.

Photo of Oscar Wilde’s grave, Père Lachaise cemetery, Paris, by pugetive

1. Museo Guggenheim Bilbao

The main attraction Bilbao is undoubtedly its rather controversial Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, which opened its doors to the public in 1997. This Frank Ghery designed futuristic building which is covered in titanium and resembles a giant metallic flower is both admired and abhorred by the locals. Thousands however flock to the museum annually to take in its magnificent contemporary art exhibits which are spread over three floors and include the works of famed twentieth century artists like Eduardo Chillida, Yves Klein, Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist, Clyfford Still, Antoni Tàpies, and Andy Warhol as well as works of local Basque artists and travelling exhibits from the other Guggenheim collections in New York, Venice and Berlin.

2. Museo de Belle Artes

If contemporary art is not your thing, can always head out to the Museo de Belle Artes which is located in the city’s Doña Casilda Iturrizar park. This nondescript building is a veritable treasure trove of paintings, drawings, engravings and sculptures that date from the 12th to the 20th century. The rich collection at this small museum features works by renowned masters like El Greco, Goya, Paul Gauguin, Picasso and Velazquez amongst others. Though if you are an art aficionado and wish to visit both the Guggenheim and the Museo de Belle Artes , you should invest in a Bono Artean ticket which gives you admission to both museums at a combined reduced rate of 12 Euros. This Bono Artean ticket is available at the box offices of both museums.

3. Museo Taurino

Bilbao is considered to a gateway to the town of Pampalona which is famous for its annual festival that features the‘running of the bulls’. Bilbao, itself has hosted bullfights ever since the seventeenth century. To learn about bullfighting in Bilbao you should visit the main arena in Bilbao, Alegre that has a museum devoted to bullfighting located adjacent to it. At this museum you will have the chance to see displays that highlight the various accouterments of this gory sport like the matador’s richly embellished costumes, capes, swords and ancient posters that were used to advertise the fights.

4. Bilboko Udala- Bilbao City Hall

Bilbao’s stately city hall building was designed by Joaquin Rucoba in 1892. This neo baroque building which is topped by a spire and has a magnificent façade of balconies and columns is located in the Plaza Erkoreka Ernesto. The main attraction of this building is its opulently decorated ‘Salon Arabe’ or Arab room which is used for conducting civil marriage ceremonies. The best way to explore the city hall is to book one of the offered guided tours however these usually have to be booked in advance.

5. Teatro Arriaga

This magnificent building which is the site for theatre in Bilbao was also designed by Joaquin Ruboca in 1890 who fashioned it on the Paris Opera House. The theatre which was named after Juan Crosótomo de Arriaga, a composer from Bilbao was almost destroyed by a devastating fire in December 1914. It was then rebuilt by an architect called Federico de Ugalde who renewed and strengthened the elaborately decorated structure. The theater today hosts a wide range of shows within its sumptuously adorned rich interiors.

Photo of the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain by Nad Renrel

1. Kunstkamera

The first museum to be established in St Petersburg was the Kunstkamera. Part ethnographic world tour and part freak show, this is a museum that few will easily forget. The main display is often disregarded by those seeking more gory thrills but is interesting in its own right. When Peter established the museum he was trying to combat a superstitious and pagan streak that ran through the Russian peasantry. As such he collected a grisly selection of preserved fetuses and bodies with abnormalities with the intention of proving that these were mere medical defects and not the work of devils or sprites. Small children especially will either love this exhibition or hate it, parents can make their own decisions as to whether it is suitable.

2.  Dostoevsky museum

Literature enthusiasts will want to make sure that they see the Dostoevsky museum, which is set in a flat in which the famous author lived just before his death and includes the room in which he wrote The Brothers Karamazov. The museum is quite small but very interesting, perhaps more for aficionados of his work than the general visitor. A map in one of the rooms details locations throughout the city that are contained in the great man’s work, which can be useful for those on a real literary pilgrimage.

3. Cruiser Aurora

In 1917 the first shots of the Revolution were fired from the Cruiser Aurora which was moored in the Neva opposite the Winter Palace. Despite being sunk in the river during WWII, the Aurora is now preserved as a museum to all things revolutionary. The ship houses a large and fun collection of Soviet propaganda as well as restored sections of the ships interior. The Aurora is a must for anyone with an interest in Soviet or naval history and is also very popular with kids.

4. Museum of the Revolution

As the birthplace of several revolutions before the infamous Communist revolution of 1917, St Petersburg has a long and varied political history. This has its own dedicated museum which is set inside the former Bolshevik headquarters and contains Lenin’s study, as well as a balcony from which he frequently gave speeches. The museum itself is fascinating, especially so for anyone who has studied the revolutionary period, although the exhibits stretch right up the present day.

5. Blockade Museum

Anyone attempting to understand the process by which today’s St Petersburg came into being has to visit the Blockade Museum. Known as the 900 days, the blockade was the three year period in which St Petersburg, or Leningrad as it then was, suffered a devastating Nazi siege. Rather than take the city by force Hitler and his Generals decided to simply starve the city until it capitulated, although they had underestimated the sheer strength of will of the inhabitants. The death toll was appalling, with starvation and disease being the biggest killers, but the city never fell. The museum tells the story of those terrible times in an enthralling and moving way.

Photo of Kuntskamera, St Petersburg, Russia by Dominic Sayers

The World Heritage Committee, a branch of UNESCO, maintains a list of what it considers heritage sites. The criterion of selection is such that the site must be of extraordinary cultural or natural importance to the whole world, important enough that it need to be preserved for posterity. Spain owns more such sites than any other county in the world, behind only Italy that has forty three to its name. Spain has forty heritage cities and there are thirteen heritage cities.

1. Cordoba

Cordoba or Cordova is an ancient city which lives and breathes history. Its street still bears testament to all the diverse cultures that have occupied them through history. Such was its diversity that it acted as one of the capitals of the Roman Empire during the ancient times, an important part of the Byzantine Empire and a capital of the medieval Arab Empire under the Umayyad Dynasty later. In 1984 UNESCO declared the city a World Heritage Site. The greatest symbol of its ancient power is the Great Mosque of Cordoba, also sometimes called Cordoba’s Mosque-Cathedral. With its origin going as far back as the Roman and Visigothic period, the main structure of the mosque was built during its time as an Islamic capital. However, after the re-conquest during the Middle Ages the mosque was converted into a cathedral. Thirteenth century churches, a fourteenth century synagogue, and the fifteenth century Walcha Cave are all great architectural examples of their times. Cordoba is also the birth place of Seneca.

2. Ávila

Spain’s highest provincial capital, Ávila received its Heritage City status in 1985. The eleventh century brown granite wall that was built by the Moors is the city’s most famous site. More than eighty towers and nine doors enclose the old part of the city. Though there is much to see outside the walls, inside are some priceless gems from history. The Gothic cathedral that almost looks like a fortress and the Romanesque churches of San Vincente, San Segundo and San Pedro are sites not to be missed. Don’t forget to taste the egg yolk candies called yemas de Santa Teresa named after the patron saint of the city on a visit here.

3. Cuenca

The wealth of monuments in Cuenca include the famous Casas Colgadas or the Hanging Houses so called because of their precarious position on the edge of a gorge and the Basilica and Cathedral of Our Lady of Grace.

4. Cáceres

A part of the historic Silver Route, Cáceres was declared a World Heritage site in 1986 for its Old Town. The ancient walls of the city seem to have managed to keep time outside its boundaries. The result is a medieval town preserved in its authenticity. The mix of Baroque architecture as in the Convento de la Compañía de Jesus, of Gothic architecture as the Cathedral of Santa Maria and the Muslim architecture of the Torre del Bujaco among other styles also present here make this city an ideal contender for the European City of Culture title to be decided in 2016.

5. Salamanca

Salamanca, dating back to the pre-Ancient Roman period is situated in Western Spain. Its Old City received the distinction of being a World Heritage Site in 1988. An impressive example of a Renaissance city, Salamanca’s old sandstone buildings gives it a spectacular golden glow earning it the nickname ‘the Golden City.’ Such is the history of the city that the New Cathedral was begun in 1509. Salamanca is also the designated site of the Spanish Civil War archives.

6. Mérida

Merida is a comparatively recent addition to the list, its Archaeological Ensemble being included in 1993. The Archeological Ensemble includes more Roman monuments than any other city in Spain. The Puento Romano is a bridge still in use. Classical plays are still enacted in the Roman Theater and Amphitheater. Other monuments include the Temple of Diana, the Arch of Trajan and the remains of the Circus Maximus. Museums and the Morerias archeological site, along with the ancient remains make this city a great tourist spot.

7. Segovia

The Old Town and the Aqueducts of Segovia were added to the UNESCO list in 1985. The Roman Aqueduct here is the largest of its kind in the world. A 16th century cathedral is still the highest point of its skyline. The city’s medieval wall and the Alcázar Castle at its northwest end are the other venerable attractions.

8. Santiago de Compostela

Added in 1985 the Old Town of Santiago de Compostela is set around the Cathedral and Raxoi’s Palace. The Cathedral has been, and still is, the final destination of the Camino de Santiago, an important pilgrimage continuing from the medieval age. Winding through narrow streets the tourist is treated to some magnificent old buildings belonging to various architectural styles.

9. Toledo

Toledo’s distinction is not in just being a two thousand year old city but in that it has been an important city in world history throughout those years. It received its Heritage City distinction in 1986. A heterogeneous mix at the crossroads of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Toledo has much to show for its rich history. Situated on top of a mountain and the highest point of the Old Town, the Alcázar of Toledo was once used as a Roman Palace and is an important historical site. The Cathedral, the central marketplace and the Zocodover are other must see stops.

Other heritage cities of Spain include Tarragona, Alcalá de Henares, San Cristóbal de La Laguna and Eivissa/Ibiza, all of them unique and precious in their own right.

Photo of the Mosque of Cordoba, Spain by bongo vongo

Wrap your scarf tight, pull on some warm, water proof shoes, grab a map and take a walk into Mitte. You can get there from any direction as Berlin is shaped like a spiders web and Mitte is in the middle. Head toward ?am Lustgarten? (garden of lust), on the map you can find it sitting between the streets BodeStr. and Karl Liebknecht Str.

At ?Am Lustgarten? one will find a beautiful museum island containing some of Berlin’s most magnificent buildings. I find the most stunning in this area to be ?The Berlin Cathedral? (Berliner Dome) which seems to be a magnet for all the cities grey suited ravens and peppery black birds. At around sunset you can watch as thousands of these birds swim and dance a uniform swarm through the sky then in between the Cathedral spires and pre historic looking construction cranes. As darkness settles they will be hidden amongst the Linden trees in the Cathedral yard making a crazy racket. You will find many spectators standing on the BodeStr. bridge watching, perhaps  even video taping this spectacle and you may even be serenaded by someone with an accordion or some jazz guitar. If you like the song, maybe throw a coin in the hat.

Caddy-corner to the Berliner Dome is the ?Alte Museum? (Old Museum) who?s impressive steps and pillars will be crawling with an international cuisine of tourists manically coming and going. Here is where I recommend not giving any money to young people who may ask ?very convincingly? for some change. Inside this historic building lives the Egyptian Museum and the Pergamon (Ancient Greece) Museum…which you can go see for free on Thursdays between 6pm and 10pm.

I have become kind of an addict of the Berlin Egyptian Museum and can testify it is quite a breathtaking experience to look into the singe eye of Nefertiti for the first time or stroll along the scrolls and hieroglyphs of the Egyptian Netherworld. You will witness busts, sculptures, mummies, tools, masks, toys, jewelry, and even parts of a palace floor preserved in this amazing collection. Unfortunately this part of the museum will be closing February 22, 2009, so catch it while you can. Also mixing in with the Egyptian artifacts is the work of sculpture Alberto Giacometti, a Swiss artist (1901-1966) who became obsessed with the Egyptian Arts figurative form and head sculptures. His work certainly shows a unique view on reality, much like the ancient Egyptian culture.

The friends I have taken to visit the museum say they feel creatively enriched and inspired after spending an evening surrounded by such remnants of the beginning of a civilization. I can?t say much about the Pergamon just yet though, because it has taken me three visits just to digest the Egyptian galleries, but I?ll be sure to get there before February 22.

In the building are free bathrooms and coat checks which is quite helpful since it is sometimes difficult to find a place to relieve yourself while exploring a new city. There is also a cafe and a ?better than average? gift shop. Watch out not to bring your bags or loose clothing into the galleries, use your cell phones or the flash on your camera because the guards will ask you to leave.

After visiting a Museum I am usually fairly exhausted, not sure if it is the air and temperature they use to keep the artifacts from decomposing or the amount of brain power I spend reading the history of the pieces. Either way, it is tiring and can make a person hungry and thirsty, luckily just around the corner is ?Hackescher Markt? where you can relax with some wholesome German food and if you like, a Grosse glass of refreshing German beer.

If your still in the mood for some action walk a little further towards Rosenthaler Str. and you will find a great Kino and several interesting shops and cafe?s. Perhaps a watch a film to end the evening, but it might be a good idea toask first if there are any English subtitles. For more information about the Egyptian Museum visit www.egyptian-museum-berlin.com For information about Berlin Public Transportation visit BVG.de (take U-Bahn 6 for Am Lustgarten and you can also ask a Taxi about the 3 Euro Ride)

Photo of Nefertiti bust, Egyptian Museum, Berlin by okkofi

Even if enjoy isn’t the right word then fascinating certainly would be. As one of the largest concentration camps used during the Second World War, the sheer size is the first thing one notices when arriving.

The camp is split up into three areas, named in short 1, 2 and 3. Auschwitz I is the administrative centre, Auschwitz II is called Birkenau and is perhaps the most infamous part as it’s the extermination area. Then Auschwitz III, also called Monowitz is the work camp. All three areas are vast. They are said to have killed over 1.5 million Jews during the war and housed many thousands more too. It’s a huge and intimidating place to arrive at but you wouldn’t be one your own. It’s a group outing and it’s all very much in the safety of feeling like a school trip.

There are a number of tour operators that take coaches out the both Auschwitz, Krakow and the other camps. The tours are run daily and leave from the major tourist parts of in Krakow. The coach then takes you out to the camps in groups and usually arrives for around 9.30am. The journey to the camp takes roughly an hour and a half. There is an English speaking tour guide onboard to talk you through the journey. Upon arrival at the camp you will usually make a beeline for the museum, which was made part of the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979 and details many aspects of the camp and has plenty of interactive screen and audio and visual footage to make the learning more interesting and easier to digest.

As a group you will then follow your guide to the three different areas of the camp, where there are museums in each. Auschwitz I takes roughly two hours to navigate and then Auschwitz II a little less at 1 hour. The latter is the most emotive and grueling. Here you will see the gas chambers and the so-called medical experiment rooms so an hour is usually quite enough for people. There is a very interesting documentary in the museum that screens throughout the day and is well worth a watch in order to contextualize everything you’ve seen.

Finally the coach leaves at roughly half past three in the afternoon and drops you back at the hotel areas in Krakow. It’s closed for three days a year but open for all the others and will usually charge around 40 Euros admission.

Photo of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp by chany14