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Sweden: Tanum carvings – World Heritage Site

The Tanum rock carvings are an outstanding example of Bronze Age art. There are an astonishing 1,500 known rock carving sites in western Sweden’s Bohuslän region, including the ones in Tanum, where inhabitants from the Bronze Age have carved images into the smooth rocks of the landscape.

Greece: Meteora Monasteries

The impressive rocks of Meteora rise from the plains of Thessaly making it one of the most amazing places in Greece. Centuries ago monks inspired by this natural wonder started building monasteries high up on the rock pillars, making a fascinating place to visit.

Austria: Vienna – Schönbrunn Palace

At the end of the 17th century Emperor Leopold I commissioned the Baroque architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, to design an imperial hunting lodge for his son, Crown Prince Joseph, later to become Emperor Joseph I. Replacing the château de plaisance built on this site. It was to grow into a palatial imperial residence over the course of the eighteenth century.

Denmark: Helsingør – Kronborg Castle

Kronborg Castle has existed at Helsingør (Elsinore) since 1420. It’s been burned to the ground and rebuilt since, but always maintained its vital position at the head of the Øresund Sound. This is the actual castle that Shakespeare set Hamlet in.

Norway: The old mining town of Røros

The traditional mountain village of Røros in Trøndelag is one of the oldest towns of wooden buildings in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Røros came into existence in 1644, after the first copper discovery in the area. Over the years, it became one of the most important mining towns in Norway.

Sweden: Grimeton Radio Station

Grimeton Radio Station is an early longwave transatlantic wireless telegraphy station built in 1922–1924, that has been preserved as a historical site. In 2004, Grimeton Radio Station was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List of unique natural and cultural heritage sites.

Finland: Suomenlinna or Sveaborg

Suomenlinna or Sveaborg is a sea fortress, which was built gradually from 1748 onwards on a group of eight islands belonging to the district of Helsinki. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and also a suburb of Helsinki with around 800 residents.

UK: Lincoln – Castle and Cathedral

We spent the day exploring the picturesque city of Lincoln, exploring its castle and cathedral. Lincoln is a Cathedral City and the county town of Lincolnshire - one of the UK's largest counties. Part of the East Midlands, Lincolnshire sits on the East coast of England, to the north of Norfolk and the south of Yorkshire - nestled between the Humber and the Wash.

UK: York – 10 great things to do

York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is a historic county town in Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a minster, castle, and city walls.

UK: York – Treasurer’s House

This house was the residence of the treasurers of York Minster from 1100 until the office was abolished by Henry VIII. It belonged to 3 post-Reformation Archbishops of York, the last of whom, Thomas Young, rebuilt it. Further alterations were made in the early 17th century; the building fell into decline during the 19th century by which time Young’s mansion had been split into at least five separate properties. The present garden front with its classical central entrance bay dates from c.1630. It now contains the furniture collection of the wealthy industrialist and aesthete Frank Green, who restored and remodelled the building after acquiring it in 1897. Inside, Green’s architect, Temple Moore, created a huge hall out of the 2-storey central block with a half-timbered gallery supported by classical columns. There is an early 18th-century staircase that has been attributed to the joiner-architect William Thornton, who worked at Beningbrough.

UK: York – National Railway Museum

The museum tells the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society. It is the home of the national collection of historically significant railway vehicles such as Mallard, Stirling Single, Duchess of Hamilton and a Japanese bullet train.

UK: York – Jorvik Viking Centre

At JORVIK Viking Centre you are standing on the site which revealed some of the most astounding discoveries in modern archaeology. Your first experience at JORVIK is an exploration of the Coppergate Dig, with a fully immersive display taking you back to the 1970s. The Jorvik's interactive ride takes you around 10th century York city, experiencing what it was like living in the city. The sights, sounds and even the smells of the Viking Age are brought vividly back to life as you journey back 1,000 years. There is also an exhibit of rare Viking artefacts, from delicate earrings and socks to frying pans and padlocks and even a fossilised Viking poo!

UK: York – The Castle Museum

York Castle Museum was founded by Dr John Kirk, a doctor from Pickering, North Yorkshire, and houses his extraordinary collection of social history, reflecting everyday life in the county. One of its renowned displays is the reconstructed street, Kirkgate, which has been hugely influential in museum displays worldwide. The York Castle Museum is housed in a former debtors’ prison and an adjoining former women’s prison, a Grade I listed building. The museum’s name comes from the fact it stands on the site of the former York Castle.

UK: York – York Minster

Since the 7th century, the Minster has been at the centre of Christianity in the north of England and today remains a thriving church rooted in the daily offering of worship and prayer. The Minster was built for the glory of God. Every aspect of this ancient building – from the exquisite, handcrafted stone through to the unrivalled collection of medieval stained glass – tells the story of Jesus Christ.

UK: Cumbria – Lake District

The 885-square-mile Lake District is a hauntingly beautiful part of northwest England that was voted the nation's favorite national park in 2018. The region seduced Wordsworth and other literary giants, and continues to attract sightseers, walkers and adventurers in search of its fascinating heritage and abundant outdoor activities.

UK: Cheshire – Jodrell Bank

Jodrell Bank Observatory, formerly Nuffield Radio Astronomy Laboratories or Jodrell Bank Experimental Station, location of one of the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescopes, which has a reflector that measures 76 metres (250 feet) in diameter. Immediately after World War II the British astronomer Alfred Charles Bernard Lovell, working at the University of Manchester’s botanical site at Jodrell Bank with war-surplus radar equipment, began research in radio and radar astronomy.

UK: 10 great things to do in Stratford-Upon-Avon

Famed for its ties to William Shakespeare and its romanticized Tudor architecture, Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town packed with history and heritage. Of all the things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace is the star attraction. The renowned poet and playwright lived in the town and you can walk in his footsteps at his childhood residence

UK: Warwickshire – Kenilworth Castle

Once one of the country’s most formidable medieval fortresses, the castle was later transformed into a spectacular Elizabethan palace by Robert Dudley in an effort to impress his queen. Today you can explore the mighty medieval keep, climb up Tudor towers, wander through a unique Elizabethan garden and get hands on with history in the family-friendly exhibition

UK: Warwickshire – Shakespeare’s New Place in Stratford

Shakespeare’s New Place was his family home from 1597 until he died in the house in 1616. The house was demolished in 1759, and a registered garden has been designed on the site where New Place once stood to commemorate the importance of the site and allow visitors to make their own personal connection with Shakespeare.

UK: London – Thames River

On the banks of the River Thames, London has spread out to become one of the biggest financial, entertainment and trade hubs in the world and in part, this is due to the proximity to this large (and famous) river. With many of the city’s biggest tourist sites being dotted along its banks, London’s River Thames has a lot of history.

UK: London – Westminster Abbey & Palace

The Palace of Westminster is a Victorian Gothic masterpiece designed by Sir Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin to replace the medieval parliament buildings, which burnt to the ground in 1834. The result of their work is one of the great buildings of the Victorian era and acts as home to the Houses of Parliament. Westminster Abbey has been the site of coronation for all British monarchs since 1066 and is home to the ancient Coronation Chair, which is found in St George’s Chapel. It is also the final resting place of 30 kings and queens with memorials to Edward the Confessor, Richard II, Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots and more royal tombs found within the abbey.

UK: London – Tower of London

Tower of London, byname the Tower, royal fortress and London landmark. Its buildings and grounds served historically as a royal palace, a political prison, a place of execution, an arsenal, a royal mint, a menagerie, and a public records office. It is located on the north bank of the River Thames.

UK: London – Maritime Greenwich

The ensemble of buildings at Greenwich, an outlying district of London, and the park in which they are set, symbolize English artistic and scientific endeavour in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Queen's House (by Inigo Jones) was the first Palladian building in England, while the complex that was until recently the Royal Naval College was designed by Christopher Wren. The park, laid out on the basis of an original design by André Le Nôtre, contains the Old Royal Observatory, the work of Wren and the scientist Robert Hooke.

UK: London – National Maritime Museum

National Maritime Museum, the world's largest museum dedicated to things nautical, tells the long and complicated history of Britain's relationship to the sea. The museum houses a huge collection of maritime exhibits including maritime art (both British and 17th-century Dutch), cartography, manuscripts including official public records, ship models and plans, scientific and navigational instruments.

UK: Greenwich, London – Cutty Sark

The Cutty Sark is a British clipper ship. Built on the River Leven, Dumbarton, Scotland in 1869 for the Jock Willis Shipping Line, she was one of the last tea clippers to be built and one of the fastest, coming at the end of a long period of design development for this type of vessel, which halted as steamships took over their routes.

France & Belgium: UNESCO listed belfries

The Belfries of Belgium and France are 56 bell-towers, built between the 11th and 20th centuries. They are mostly found in town centres and connected to the local town hall or church. At their time, the Belfries represented the growing importance of cities instead of the feudal system in the Middle Ages.

France: Hauts de France – Amiens cathedral

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Amiens (French: Basilique Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens), or simply Amiens Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic church. The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Amiens. It is situated on a slight ridge overlooking the River Somme. The cathedral was built almost entirely between 1220 and c. 1270, a remarkably short period of time for a Gothic cathedral, giving it an unusual unity of style. The cathedral has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.

France: Paris – A guide to visiting Paris

We have both been to Paris many times and absolutely love visiting this beautiful city. The is something truly special about the 'City of Lights'. Of course, there is plenty to enjoy in the culture, restaurants and bars of Paris, but for the first (or many times) visitor, there are some must-see places.

France: Paris – Château de Fontainebleau

The Château de Fontainebleau is located in the small town bearing the same name and lies 40 miles (65 km) south-southeast of Paris by road. It has been the residence of 34 kings and two emperors, Fontainebleau is the only château that was lived in by every French monarch for almost eight centuries. With 1500 rooms, it is one of the biggest châteaux in France, and the most furnished in Europe.

France: Paris – Palais Garnier, Opera House

The Palais Garnier, also known as Opéra Garnier, is a 1,979-seat opera house at the Place de l'Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was built for the Paris Opera from 1861 to 1875 at the behest of Emperor Napoleon III. It is also famous due to its use as the setting for Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera.

France: Paris – The dome of the Galleries Lafayette

Created by master glassworker Jacques Gruber in the “Art nouveau” or “Art déco” style, the dome ceiling of the Galleries Lafayette is a incredibly beautiful as we as being functional (it lets in lots of light) and has been attracting visitors to the store in its own right for over 100 years.

France: Paris – Sacré-Cœur & the Monmartre

The Sacré-Coeur, consecrated in 1919, is one of the most iconic monuments in Paris. At the top of the Butte Montmarte, it has one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the capital, from 130 metres above the ground. In a Roman-Byzantine style, the Sacré Coeur is recognizable by its white colour. Inside the building, the ceiling is decorated with the largest mosaic in France measuring about 480 m². The crypt is also worth a visit. And to go even higher up, visitors can access the dome where the 360° view of Paris is magnificent.

France: Maison la Roche – Le Corbusier

Designed and built between 1923 and 1925 by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret, the Maison La Roche was widely photographed and admired from the end of the 1920s. Like all the Purist villas, it helped to establish Le Corbusier as the master of modern architecture. The use of new building materials such as reinforced concrete allowed Le Corbusier to implement for the first time what he called in 1927 "the five points of a new architecture": the free facade, the free plan, the long windows, the roof-garden and the pilotis.

France: Paris – Statue of Liberty

The original Statue of Liberty sits prominently in New York Harbour, a gift from the people of France. The American community reciprocated in 1889 by giving a quarter-sized replica of the Statue of Liberty to the city of Paris to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution.

France: Paris – Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles was the principal residence of the French kings from the time of Louis XIV to Louis XVI. Embellished by several generations of architects, sculptors, decorators and landscape architects, it provided Europe with a model of the ideal royal residence for over a century.

France: Paris – Musee D’Orsay

Housed in a train station built for the 1900 World's Fair, the Musée d'Orsay is known throughout the world for its rich collection of Impressionist paintings including masterpieces as iconic as the Bal au Moulin de la galette from Renoir or The room at Arles de Van Gogh. Its collections include works of architecture, decorative arts and photography in addition to traditional artistic fields (painting, sculpture, graphic arts). They thus draw a broad panorama of French and European art from 1848 to 1914.

Netherlands: Amsterdam – Two Day Itinerary

Prague is a fascinating place to visit and there are so many things to do and see. We were lucky enough to be able to spend 2 days exploring this amazing city.  Luckily, the city has survived many of the ravages that have befallen many other cities in Central Europe, so it retains much of its original charm and beauty.

Czech Republic: Prague – Lesser Town; Malá Strana

The Lesser Town, (Mala Strana) also known as the Lesser or Little Quarter, clusters around the foothills of Prague Castle, across the Vltava River from the Old Town. Here you will find delightfully cobbled streets, cosy bars and restaurants and brightly painted stucco buildings. The atmosphere is less phrenetic than the Old Town and if you are looking for some peace and quiet head to Prague's Mala Strana.

Czech Republic: Prague – Prague Castle

Dominating the skyline of Prague is Prague Castle which has been an important symbol of the Czech state for more than a thousand years. It was founded in the 9th century and became the seat of Czech rulers and later presidents. The castle, one of the largest complexes in the world, is made up of historical palaces, offices, church and fortification buildings, gardens and picturesque spots

Czech Republic: Prague – The Franz Kafka museum

Franz Kafka was born in Prague to a middle-class Jewish family, in what was then the Kingdom of Bohemia a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His passion was writing and he penned many novels and short stories in his short life and became widely recognized as a major figure in 20th- century literature. The museum is dedicated to life and works of the legendary Kafka.

10 Great things to do in Barcelona

Barcelona is one of our favourite cities to visit. It has a fascinating history and culture, as well as some of the greatest architecture in Europe, if not the World. We are huge fans of the works of Antoni Gaudi, so we loved visiting Casa Mila, Park Guell and in particular La Sagrada Familia. Beyond Gaudi's works, the city's Gothic Quarter is a great place to wander and explore with its cobbled street, squares and amazing gothic cathedral. Of course, there are the museums, the restaurants, bars and the beach. Something for everyone!

Czech Republic: Prague – Three Day Itinerary

Prague is a fascinating place to visit and there are so many things to do and see. We were lucky enough to be able to spend 2 days exploring this amazing city.  Luckily, the city has survived many of the ravages that have befallen many other cities in Central Europe, so it retains much of its original charm and beauty.

Czech Republic: Prague – Old Town

Prague has many fascinating places to visit, none more so than Old Town Square. Here you will find some incredible buildings from municipal offices to churches to stunning palaces. It is also where you will find the famous astronomical clock. This is the heart of the city, hosting many public events throughout the year.

Spain: Barcelona – Casa Milà (La Pedrera)

UNESCO has recognized the works of the great architect Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926), in particular, seven properties in or near Barcelona, which are a testimony to Gaudí’s exceptional creative contribution to the development of architecture and building technology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Spain: Andalusia – Córdoba

The City of Córdoba is the capital of the province of Córdoba and has a colourful history. It also has the highest temperatures in Spain and Europe, with average high temperatures around 37 °C (99 °F) in July and August. When we were there it was indeed hot, not quite to those levels, but still toasty.

Italy: Rome – A 3 Day Itinerary for the Eternal City

Rome, the "Eternal City" is a fascinating place to visit and there are so many places to visit. We were lucky enough to be able to spend 3 days exploring this amazing city. We loved our time in Rome but there are, as with many of the major cities, multitudes of tourists which makes the main tourist attractions very crowded. It is worth checking out tours that enable to bypass the lines - these can be pricey but if you don't like getting up at the crack of sparrows and camping outside hours ahead then you might want to consider this option.

Iceland: Two day itinerary

Iceland is a land of volcanoes, geysers, glaciers and powerful rivers, all of which have carved the physical and cultural evolution of this Northern land. It is a fabulous place to stop over for a few days on the way to or from Europe to North America - or just make the trip in its own right!

Czech Republic: Prague – Sex Machines Museum

I am always on the lookout for unusual places to visit and in my research, before visiting Prague, the Sex Machines Museum jumped out at me. It was not something I expected to find in Prague, especially with its location in the heart of the Old Town of Prague, close to the main square.

Czech Republic: Prague – The Alphonse Mucha museum

Mucha's artwork can be found in many places in Prague including the Municipal House, the National art gallery, and even his design of a stained-glass window in the St. Vitus’ Cathedral in Prague. But there is no better place to go to see Mucha's famous art than the Mucha museum in the centre of Prague.

Spain: Andalusia – the spectacular Ronda

Perched on an inland plateau riven by the 100m fissure of El Tajo gorge, Ronda is Málaga province’s most spectacular town. It has a superbly dramatic location and owes its name to the encircling Serranía de Ronda. A great place to spend a day or two wandering around!

Spain: Andalusia – The Alhambra

The Alhambra, in Granada, Spain is a large palace and fortress complex that sits high on a hill high above the old city of Granada. It is one, if not the most visited tourist site in the whole of Spain. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the inspiration for many songs and stories.

Czechia: Bohemian Switzerland & Saxony National Parks

After a few days of trudging around the hard pavements of cities, we felt the need to escape to the countryside and get some fresh air and slow down the pace of life somewhat. I had booked for us to take a tour from Prague to the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, which takes about 90 minutes to drive.

Spain: Figueres – Teatre-Museu Dalí; Salvador Dalí museum

Reaching Figueres late morning meant we beat the rush for visiting the Teatre-Museu Dalí, which houses a fabulous collection of his works and is also the site of his burial. The museum itself was originally a theatre that had fallen into ruin after it was burned during the Spanish Civil War. In the 1960 Dalí and the town mayor decided to rebuild it and dedicate it as a museum to the town’s most famous son.

Netherlands: Amsterdam – The canal ring

Amsterdam, has more than one hundred kilometres of grachten (canals), about 90 islands and 1,500 bridges - hence Amsterdam often being called the "Venice of the North". One of the best ways to explore the city is by boat - so we joined a small boat tour to do just that.

Netherlands: Amsterdam – The amazing Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is one of the most renown museums in the World and is a must-see on any visit to Amsterdam. It houses over 8000 exhibits, including works of Rembrandt and Van Gogh, covering the 13th to 21st centuries. Wear some comfortable shoes and be patient when moving through the crowds.

Netherlands: Amsterdam – Sweets Hotel

Having spent two nights in a tramcar at the Hotel Not Hotel in Amsterdam I decided to switch to somewhere else for a night. Truth be known I could only get two nights at the Hotel Not Hotel, so the change was pretty much enforced - but I was glad to try a different place. I had been thinking about stopping on a houseboat - a must-do thing when staying in Amsterdam, but it was really, really expensive. Yet I found the next best thing, which sounded really cool - a bridge house on the canal.

Czech Republic: Prague – U Páva Hotel

For our stay in Prague we wanted to stay close to city centre as we planned to walk everywhere. After looking around on hotel booking websites I decided to book a room at U Páva - which means 'At the Peacock' in Czech. The hotel is ideally placed to explore the surrounding markets, museums and historic buildings of Mala Strana, but it's also just a 15-minute stroll across the bridge to the Old Town. It is only a 10-minute walk to Prague Castle.

Netherlands: Amsterdam – Hotel Not Hotel

In my exploration of unusual places to stay, I was delighted to find, when scouring the hospitality websites, the Hotel Not Hotel. This is a very unique place with just a few rooms but they are all somewhat quirky, ranging from rooms hidden behind bookcases to a VW camper and tramcar

Italy: Rome – Appian Way and the Catacombs

I thought it would be great to escape the hustle and bustle of the centre of Rome and escape to the countryside for a few hours. We took an e-cycle tour following parts of the Appian Way to visit the largest Catacombs in Rome and see the amazing aqueducts feeding the city. This was an amazing day and we loved every minute. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Our guide was fantastic, the people at TopBike were so friendly and helpful and we absolutely loved the e-bikes - in fact Karen is determined to buy one.

Holy See & the Vatican City

Vatican City is an independent walled-off city within Rome that is about 110 acres and has a population in the 800s. Itis an “ecclesiastical” state ruled by the head of the Catholic Church-The Pope. We decided to take a 3-hour tour, to skip the huge lines that form, of the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica.

Italy: Rome – Ops! Vegan Restaurant (Review)

After our first two nights in Rome where we "suspended" our vegan diet to try some traditional Italian dishes (mainly pasta and pizza) we decided that we needed to get back on track. Researching Happy Cow we found a surprisingly limited number of vegan eating options in Central Rome. After bit humming and hawing we decided on trying a restaurant called Ops! which was located about 2.7 km (1.7 miles) from our apartment.

Italy: Rome – The Roman Forum and Colosseum

There are some iconic things to see and do in Rome, one of which is the Colosseum. So, I explored the Internet and found some combination tours of the Colosseum and Roman Forum. So, we settled for a 3 hour guided tour - well worth doing if nothing more than to skip the lines at the entrance!

Monaco

I have always loved the French Riviera, especially the part of the coastline from Cannes to the Italian border. Traveling along this coast, just before hitting Italy, is the tiny independent city-state of Monaco. We were lucky enough to spend a day exploring Monaco and we were fortunate enough to have spectacular weather.

UK: England – Warwick Castle

Of the many castles still around in the UK, Warwick Castle is the closest to my heart. I spent four of my most formative years at the University of Warwick – which is actually closer to the city of Coventry, but still I spent a lot of time in the town of Warwick and the castle was a constant backdrop to many of my happier memories of my youth.

Germany: Neuschwanstein & Hohenschwangau Castles

There are only a few movies that really stuck in my memories when I was a child, one of which was "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", the Disney movie in which the magical car flew over the most amazing castle. This was pre-CGI (the movie was made in 1958) so I knew the castle had to be real. It was many years later as an adult I discovered the name of the castle was Neuschwanstein and that it was located in Germany's Bavaria region.

Belgium: Brussels – Historical Centre

The city of Brussels in Belgium is at the very heart of Europe. It is the seat of the European Parliament. By and large it is a typically modern European city but at it's heart there are some wonderful reminders of it's early ancestry, at the center of which is the spectacular Grand Place. Brussels is certainly a place where you can spend a couple of fun days exploring.

Belgium: Bruges – Historical centre

Known as the Venice of the North, Bruges gets its name from the multiple canals that surround the city centre with more than 80 bridges, making it easy to explore on foot or by bicycle as well as on one of the boat tours.
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