The Orkney Islands - Scotland's Northernmost Islands : Located off the northern tip of Scotland where the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet are the Scottish islands of Orkney. Orkney is an archipelago of 70 or so islands covering an area of 974 square kilometres. The main island, known as the "Mainland of Orkney" takes up more than half of the area and only twenty-one of the islands are inhabited. A World Heritage Site Part of Mainland Orkney is rich in prehistoric sites and as such has … [Read more...]
Piccadilly Circus – London
August 20, 2010 by
There is No Circus at Piccadilly Circus: At the junction of Regent Street and Shaftesbury Avenue lies a trapezoidal area near London's West End known to the world as Piccadilly Circus. It's an odd name, since there's no circus there, but even odder is that 'circus' usually denotes a round city area where several streets meet in a circle, after the Roman plan. But that eccentricity fits Piccadilly, since this area of the great British capital attracts the most diverse set of people in an … [Read more...]
Helsinki – Finland’s Capital City
July 30, 2010 by
Helsinki, A Fascinating Mixture of Historical and Ultra-Modern: Helsinki, the capital of Finland, has the distinction of being the second northern-most capital city in the world. Although its main attractions and monuments are a stark reminder of its past history, Helsinki today is a very modern city. Although Helsinki has been the capital of Finland 'only' since 1809 when the Russians first took dominion of the city from Sweden, it was originally founded as the town of Helsingfors in … [Read more...]
Trafalgar Square – London
July 20, 2010 by
Trafalgar Square - A Place for Rallies, Demonstrations and Tourists: Trafalgar Square is the centre of London in more ways than one. At its south end lies what used to be the Charing Cross memorial, the point from which all distances to London are measured. The original cross, erected by Edward I in 1290 (as a tribute to his wife, Eleanor) has long since been replaced by a statue of Charles I atop a horse. However, outside Charing Cross Station is a replica cross which was made in … [Read more...]
West End – The Entertainment Centre of England
July 5, 2010 by
For Variety, London's West End is the Place to Be: The West End has a high concentration of London's tourist landmarks and attractions and for the London traveller looking for variety, the West End is the place to be. Piccadilly Circus is next door, where antique book shops mix with the latest restaurants and Covent Garden is not far. And, then of course, there's the world-renowned theatre - the rival (some would say tutor) of Broadway. Soho is a short walk away. This long-established … [Read more...]
Sintra – A Favourite Summer Retreat for the Royals
June 30, 2010 by
Sintra - A Favourite Summer Retreat for the Kings and Queens of Portugal: Only half an hour outside Lisbon lies one of the most fascinating sights of this already spectacular area of Portugal: Sintra. Set atop craggy ridges lies the palace that looks down on the town below. Centuries ago the Moors fortified the area leaving the Castelo dos Mouros to overlook the town. The Palácio da Pena with an even loftier view is also not to be missed. But, whether high or low, every vista is … [Read more...]
Reims – A City of Coronations and Champagne
June 12, 2010 by
Reims - a City of Art and History Champagne alone is enough to attract visitors to Reims. This city is home to distinguished champagne brand names like Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Pommery, Mumm, Lanson, Martel, Ruinart, Canard-Duchêne and Piper-Heidsieck. The Champagne City With such a concentration of brand name champagnes, there can be no doubt that Reims is a city with a serious champagne reputation. And for the visitor who's interested in visiting the cellars of Reims, there are … [Read more...]
The Ring of Kerry – Ireland's Most Scenic Route
May 27, 2010 by
Doing the Ring of Kerry Tour: The Ring of Kerry, in County Kerry, is one of Ireland's most scenic drives. This 180 km well-established tourist trail around the Iveragh Peninsula takes visitors through dramatic coastal and mountain scenery, quaint little towns and past slate-roofed fishing villages. The Ring of Kerry is a circular route, so if you're driving, you can start your tour from any of the towns and villages along the route. We were on a coach tour and as the roads are narrow, all … [Read more...]
Interesting and Fun Facts About Berlin
May 25, 2010 by
Some Interesting and Fun Facts about Berlin: Mention 'Berlin' and the Fall of the Berlin Wall comes to mind for many people. But apart from the Berlin Wall, there are many other interesting and fun facts about this dynamic city that most people probably aren't aware of. Here's just a few of them: Berlin, with an area of 892 square kilometres, is nine times bigger than Paris. Berlin has around 1,700 bridges, easily beating even Venice. At 368 metres the Berliner … [Read more...]
