Mini Travel Guides

When Rome sightseeing at the Colosseum, be sure to take the time to cross the street and peer into the area known as the Ludus Magnus. Two thousand years ago, this was the largest and most prestigious of Rome’s gladiatorial training schools.

The Ludus Magnus was built during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96 AD). Ancient records of its construction exist, but it had been built over and its exact location remained a mystery until it was unearthed in an excavation in 1937.

Renderings based on excavations and ancient records are believed to be quite accurate. As the image below illustrates, the Ludus Magnus once boasted s central practice arena where gladiators learned and trained, surrounded by limited seating for spectators. Rooms around the training area contained barracks for the gladiators and storage for the equipment. Underground tunnels connected the Ludus Magnus with the Colosseum.

Rendering courtesy www.livius.org

Today, just over half of the arena and the barracks remain. The brick-work of the present-day ruins would have been covered with marble at the time of Ancient Rome.

Peer down at the remains of the school that once trained Rome’s best gladiators. Better yet, enjoy stunning views of the Ludus Magnus and the Colosseum over a glass of wine from the rooftop terrace of the adjacent Hotel Gladiatori .

If you are visiting the Ludus Magnus, you are just three blocks away from the portico marking the spot where  Pope Joan’s true identity was discovered. Why not enjoy a short stroll in the pretty neighborhood of Celio in order to visit this curious medieval site?

When in Rome: Ludus Magnus – training ground of gladiators

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Delft is a beautiful Dutch city located in between Rotterdam and The Hague in the Netherlands. Well known for the Delft Blue Pottery, this small city has a typically Dutch city center lined by gorgeous canals.

[Photo Credit - sub_lime79]

The city of Delft has a history dating back to more than 750 years, its name derived from the word “delven” in Dutch meaning to dig. Delft has a good connectivity by road and rail with the other major cities in the Netherlands and the Amsterdam Schipol airport is just 45 minutes away.

[Photo Credit - niehoff]

Most of the Delft attractions are concentrated in and around the city center and it is best to walk along the narrow winding paths. Just keep an eye on the traffic.

[Photo Credit - Zemistor]

Start with the Oude Kerk (Old Church) situated on Heilige Geestkerkhof 25. As the name indicates, this is the oldest church in Delft, built in the 13th century. Originally known as the St Hippolyte Church, it was the highest building of its time, characterized by the 5 spires. The famous Dutch Baroque painter Johan Vermeer is buried here.

[Photo Credit - FaceMePLS]

The Markt Square contains the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) built in the 15th century. The church is important since it houses the royal burial chamber. Prince William of Orange (Willem van Oranje) was the first royal to be buried here after being shot in 1584. Since then, the tradition continues.

[Photo Credit - tnarik]

The Stadhuis (City Hall) is also situated in the Markt Square, just opposite the Nieuwe Kerk. It was rebuilt in the 17th century after a fire destroyed the building.

[Photo Credit - Pete]

The city is also home to the Delft Technical University (TU Delft), one of the three universities of technology in the Netherlands. Just behind the university, in Julianalaan, lies the Botanical Garden. Enjoy the rich plant life including tropical, sub tropical, and ornamental plants and herbs in this beautiful green area.

Another one of the things to do in Delft is a trawl around the traditional open markets held in the city center, every Thursdays and Saturdays. Shop till your heart’s content, the next great bargain may be just round the corner!

A tour of the beautiful Dutch city of Delft

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The postcard-perfect town of Kotor in Montenegro is an ideal place to visit. While you are there and wandering the lovely cobblestone streets, you will be certain to notice the ruins of the St. John castle walls that stretch far above the old town. For a small fee, you can climb these walls and enjoy the dizzying, gorgeous views of the Boka kotorska (the Bay of Kotor) and the town far, far below.

Photo courtesy of Photomontenegro.me

Even from the intermediate stops, the view is worth it. You can see the town and the port from panoramic points at the beginning of your hike up the walls.

But if you have a good pair of shoes on and enough energy to see you through, you should continue the journey up the 1,350 steps (yes, you read that right) to get to the very top, where you are certain to catch your breath at the beauty laid out before you.

We were up on top, enjoying the views down to the bay at sunset. While it was wonderfully dramatic, the drama – unfortunately – continued on the hike down. The 15^th century fortifications are crumbling in places and attempting the walk down under spotty  lighting at night with two young children was hardly our finest parenting moment.

We breathed a collective sigh of relief once we were safely back on Kotor’s main square. Here’s a view of the impossibly high castle walls we miraculously descended without injury.

So, by all means, pack a good pair of walking shoes so you can visit this Kotor attraction and get a fantastic workout climbing these spectacular castle walls. Just be sure to bring along extra bottles of water and attempt this hike during the day… that’s what I’ll be doing next time.

Montenegro is a wonderful holiday destination. For more itinerary ideas for this tiny, but interesting, country, see previous posts about Montenegro’s stunning coastlines , its rugged interior, the seaside town of Perast and ideas for a day trip to neighbouring Kosovo .

Enjoy climbing Montenegro’s Kotor castle – during daylight hours!

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Molise is a tiny Italian region, squeezed between Abruzzo to the north and Puglia to the south. The region – not one of Italy’s most visited – is more well-known for its interior, mountainous landscapes, but Molise also has a short coastline on the Adriatic Sea.

My family and I recently visited the coastal town of Termoli. If you are passing by on your trip to southern Italy, its medieval center certainly merits a visit.

Unfortunately, the modern city has sprawled unattractively all around it, but make your way directly to the old town which is perched along the wide, sandy beach and contained within the ancient walls of the castle.  This is where you’ll find some interesting things to do in Termoli.

Most of the center has been renovated and there are colourful buildings, wide streets and charming piazze, with numerous restaurants and cafés offering outdoor tables to enjoy the views and the people-watching.

The beautiful medieval churches are one of the highlights of Termoli sightseeing.

There’s a pleasant walkway along the sea, with pretty views out to the Adriatic over the castle’s thick protective walls.

There’s even one of the remaining castle watchtowers, standing guard along the sea since its construction in the 11^th-12th century.

All in all, it’s a pleasant place to stop for  a stroll and enjoy lunch out along the sea. My Italian travel tip is to plan a stop here if you are driving southward to Puglia. You could extend your visit to head down to the wide, sandy beach for a swim in the Adriatic Sea.

Termoli is also where you can catch ferries going to the lovely Tremiti islands , just off Puglia’s Gargano peninsula.  You can find great deals on hotels in Termoli using the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

Visiting seaside Termoli in Italy’s off-the-beaten-path Molise region

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Provence’s interior has so many lovely hill towns and stunning nature , that visitors are forgiven for not wanting to jeopardize a tranquil holiday with the hustle and bustle of larger towns. Yet Avignon, Arles and Aix-en-Provence make my A-list of Provence towns, as they’re all great European destinations.

Avignon

This monumental city is a joy to discover, starting from its fortress-like city walls. Avignon’s importance derives from its role as the medieval Rome. For a period of 70 years, beginning with Pope Clement V’s flight from Italy in 1309, Avignon served as the seat of the papacy.

The Palais des Papes is a must on any visit to Avignon and there are both guided and self-guided tours through the Provençal Vatican. Tickets also include entrance to the 12^th century bridge, which spans just over half of the Rhône River (damage was a direct result of sieges and flooding) and provides stunning views of the town.

Thomas has already written about the excellent Festival d’Avignon , founded in 1946 and held each year in July.

Arles

Arles is a pleasant town, just at the edge of the interesting Camargue National Park. The city center has enviable Roman ruins, including the best-known, les Arènes. Although this Roman amphitheatre is missing a level, it is still in excellent condition and used for performances during the summer. In addition to the amphitheatre, be sure to also visit the Roman theatre and the Roman baths.

Photo courtesy of Web-provence website

Arles is also famous for its one-time resident, the Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh moved to Arles from Paris in 1888. His was influenced tremendously by the bright colours and strong sunlight in southern France and much of his most beloved paintings were done during this productive period in Arles.

It was to Arles that Van Gogh enticed the artist Paul Gauguin, with the hope of creating a type of artistic fraternity in Provence. Unfortunately, tensions ran high between VanGogh and Gauguin, most notably in the fight between them that led to Van Gogh famously slicing off part of his ear on December 23, 1888, resulting in  his subsequent committal to an asylum in nearby St Rémy de Provence.

Unfortunately, VanGogh’s rented “Yellow House” has survived only in his paintings. The building was bombed and destroyed during World War II. Yet the café immortalized in one of VanGogh’s most recognizable paintings, Café  Terrace at Night, is still active today as the Café VanGogh and attracts numerous visitors. Enjoy a coffee in this lovely spot.

Aix-en-Provence

This pretty, small city is just 25 kilometers north of the seaside city of Marseilles. Its elegant old town is charming and was once home to artist Paul Cézanne and author Emile Zola. There are no must-see museums or sites in this pleasant city, although you can’t help but be enthralled as you wander its lovely streets and relax on one of its perfect little squares. Be sure to note the numerous, picturesque fountains. There are about 40 of them in the old town and the carvings are often whimsical.

Numerous French and foreign students call Aix home. The university was founded in 1409 and the tradition is still going strong; the university also has a popular programme for foreigners studying French. Aix is also the home to a lively weekly market.

Enjoy your visit to these lovely towns – some of the best places to visit in Europe – on your next trip to Provence. Do you have any Provence travel tips to offer readers?

Three A-list towns in Provence: Avignon, Arles, and Aix

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Is Liverpool the birthplace of the modern skyscraper?

The building in the photo above is the Royal Liver Building, built in 1911, an icon of the English city of Liverpool and one of its most recognisable Liverpool attractions. And yes, indeed, in many ways it is at the heart of Liverpool’s foundations as the home of the skyscraper.  You won’t see blistering Dubai-like skylines in Liverpool – actually, much of what is important is what you can’t see.

• Liverpool buildings were the first to use iron to actually support the structure itself.  This was first accomplished in some of the city’s older churches before being put to use inside bigger buildings.
• Older taller buildings had small windows because the walls required the support.  Not so in many Liverpool buildings, which were the first to have large glass windows as walls.
• The Royal Liver was indeed the first to use reinforced concrete to secure its height.  Without it, some of the original tall concrete buildings looked a bit like the leaning tower of Pisa a bit too soon after construction!
• Pre-fabricated building sections were also first used in Liverpool.  These were mostly used in the building of several apartment complexes throughout the city which weren’t architecturally stunning, but it did prove that this concept could increase building speed and reduce the cost.

You can do a walking tour of some of these buildings – the Liverpool architectural society’s architours are a great place to start planning.

Photo by inniebear

Birthplace of the Skyscraper? – Liverpool Architecture

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Have you ever wondered where the ‘quiche Lorraine’ got its name from? It is so named because it originates in the north eastern region of France called Lorraine. The region shares a border with three other European countries, namely Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg. Not surprisingly then Lorraine has often been at the centre of Europe’s turbulent history. Located on a geographical crossroads since Gallo-Roman times, the city of Metz is more a European city than a strictly French one.

This region’s history may have at times been very turbulent, most recently during World War I and the battle of Verdun, but it has also been very colourful, producing a rich cultural heritage. Take, for example, the New Church, illustrated above. This was built between 1901 and 1904 for the area’s protestant community during the annexation of the region by Germany. Modern and striking contrast to the city’s very decorative gothic cathedral, Cathédrale Saint-Étienne (below).

The city of Metz is still producing headline-grabbing as well as eye-catching architecture. In May this year the Centre Pompidou-Metz was opened by President Sarkozy at the start of celebrations that lasted five days. Situated on what was once a Roman Amphitheatre, and at a height of 77 metres (a reference to the year the Centre Pompidou in Prais was opened, 1977), Centre Pompidou-Metz is decidedly futuristic. It has provided the city with a focal point for urban renewal; there has been much restoration of old, adjacent buildings that might otherwise have been bulldozed, and new bars and restaurants have appeared for that ‘café culture’ Europe is famous for.

The Metz Pompidou, like its Parisian counterpart, is a museum to modern art; and the curators of the three galleries will be able to draw on over 65 000 pieces from the collection of Musée National d’Art Moderne. The inaugural exhibition Chef d’Oeuvre?, or Masterpieces?, displays some 700 works of art by such artists as Picasso and Miro in an attempt to explore critically the notion of masterpiece in modern art. The exhibition is on until 25 October 2010.

But what other things are there to do in Metz?.With three national parks in the area and the Vosges Mountains, there is something to do all year round, from hiking in picturesque natural landscapes during summer, to mountain winter sports when it snows in the winter. The Metz Tourist Office’s website shows just how much there is to do and see here. As this is the crossroads of four European nations, Lorraine is certainly one of the best places to visit in Europe.

The photographs in this post were taken from Alexandre Prévot’s Metz set on Flickr.

If you’re planning a visit to Metz, then you’ll find the best deals on hotels in Metz using the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

There’s More to Lorraine than a Good Quiche: The French city of Metz

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Gustave Flaubert famously described the fortified port of St-Malo, on Brittany’s northern coast, as a “stone crown over the waves”. Indeed, the view of St-Malo from the sea is incredibly impressive. It is an extremely pretty and elegant European destination, with its imposing, grey granite walls and charming streets and it is a wonderful place to enjoy a stroll or a few days of exploration.

The first settlement here dates back to the 6th century. Apparently, even these early settlers constructed an impressive defensive wall. But St-Malo’s most famous residents were the corsairs who, for centuries, transformed St-Malo into a famous pirates’ den. The corsairs became rich controlling the Channel and they constructed beautiful homes within the walled city.

Enjoy wandering this former pirate city, its winding streets, pretty churches and picturesque squares. The Saint Vincent Cathedral, begun in the 12^th century, is the oldest surviving church. Walking along the city walls is a must and a beautiful way to enjoy the panorama. Visitors will also want to walk along the beach and along the rocky prominitory to the fortress.

The thing that really strikes a visitor is knowing that this entire city is reconstructed, for St-Malo was virtually destroyed by bombing in World War II. Practically the entire city was slowly and painstakingly reconstructed so that this architectural gem would not be lost forever.

Needless to say, seafood is the speciality in this Breton town. Saint-Malo is close to Cancale, said to have France’s best oysters. It’s a great place to sample some Fruits de Mer.

Since we were traveling with children, we set aside time to visit the small, but excellent Saint-Malo Aquarium , just outside of town. This was an enjoyable way to wrap up our day after visiting beautiful St-Malo.

Photo courtesy of the Saint-Malo Aquarium website

My travel tip is to spend some time in Brittany, exploring inland destinations as well as the pretty coastal towns, such as lovely Saint-Malo.

The Saint-Malo Aquarium is open daily 10:00 – 19:00.  Throughout much of July and August, the aquarium has extended hours and is open until 22:00. Tickets are 15.50 euro for adults/9.50 euro for children (children under 4 are free). Tickets can be purchased online.

If you’re planning a stay in St Malo, you can find the best prices at St Malo hotels using the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

The pirate town of St-Malo, Brittany, France

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Marseille may only be the second largest city in France, but it is the oldest. It was the Greeks from an ancient town of Phocaea (Asia Minor) who in about 600 BC founded the city as a base for their maritime trade on the Mediterranean. And ever since, Marseille has played a prominent role in the cultural development not only of this part of France, Provence, but also the Mediterranean region more generally – so obviously reflected in the striking cosmopolitan feel of this great European city, from its architecture to its gastronomy, the mix of its inhabitants to the diversity of international visitors year-round.

And of course the city gave France her national anthem: there were a number of men from Marseille who marched with the revolutionaries from the Rhine to Paris in 1792, as a result the hymn of the Army of the Rhine was known as La Marseillaise.

Marseille has been selected as the Capital City of Culture for 2013, when it will almost certainly be one of the best places to visit in Europe. This may be a while off yet – but there is nothing like a bit of forward travel planning. Getting to Marseille is as easy now as ever: the city is served by both an International Airport as well as a large Train station, Paris-Marseille is only three hours via TGV.

Once in the city, there are many Marseille attractions on offer are far too numerous to mention. But, with some 22 museums, 17 theatres, an internationally renowned opera house and a stadium that seats 60,000 people, all offering an incredible variety of exhibitions, shows, concerts and events , the over-used saying ‘there is something for everyone’ might very well have been coined for this European city.

But if all this sounds a bit too daunting – especially on the pocket, my travel tip is to get yourself to the tourist office for a  Marseille City Pass, available for one or two days. Marseille is as good for people who live the high-life in luxury boutiques and hotels, but also for those travelling on a budget. The pass allows you freedom to see as many Marseille attraction as you want at your own pace, and includes museums and castles, the tourist trains, and reductions on a range of services.

The photographs in this post have been taken from the Marseille Flickr Group

If you’re planning a trip to this French city, find the lowest prices for Marseille hotels using the HotelsCombined price comparison site.

Marseille, European City of Culture 2013

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I visited the town of Elgin in north east Scotland one evening during my Summer 2010 Scotland Blog Tour.  Elgin Cathedral is an example of Scottish medieval architecture, dating from the 13th century.  It was known as the “Lantern of the North” as it was such a landmark in the surrounding flat terrain.  I didn’t pay to go in Elgin Cathedral, as I thought I could see it quite well from the perimeter fence. I’m already a member of the National Trust for Scotland but Elgin Cathedral is managed by Historic Scotland. I just wish the two organisations would merge, so I could have pay for one membership to get into all Scotland’s historic buildings.

If you visit Elgin Cathedral between May to September do walk across to the Biblical Gardens.

Have you been into Elgin Cathedral, did I miss out by not paying the entry fee?

Elgin Cathedral photos

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