Mini Travel Guides

The Estonian capital of Tallinn is a relatively recent find, a city that was pretty much hidden from our travelling radar during the years of the Soviet Union. But when the Cold War ended it certainly sprang to life very quickly and became a hit with tourists, for many reasons – it’s an attractive city with lovely architecture, there are both interesting and unusual things to doi. We’ve collated our tops tips into a Tallinn guide to help you plan you visit.

View over Tallinn’s Old Town by Amanda Kendle

Museums in Tallinn

The Kumu Art Museum in Tallinn is in a very modern building and is just five years old. It covers Estonian art from centuries ago right up to modern times.

Model of the Kumu Art Museum

The Museum of Occupations is worth visiting to understand the tumultuous history Estonia has lived through in the relatively short period between 1940 and 1991. It houses an excellent permanent exhibition but also has interesting temporary exhibitions.

The Estonian Open Air Museum just outside of Tallinn features old-style houses typical to the area – when you see the wooden and stone buildings and imagine how cold they must be in an Estonian winter, you’ll be glad you didn’t have to live in one. There are also some impressive windmills to be seen.

Windmill at the Estonian Open Air Museum

The Kalev Chocolate Museum sounds pretty tempting.

Architecture and Other Sights in Tallinn

Simply wandering through the streets of Tallinn will keep your camera busy – there are numerous interesting buildings and views around the city. For example, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a particularly photogenic building – perched on top of the hill, it’s a Russian orthodox building from 1900 and seeing this is almost as good as going to Russia itself.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral by Amanda Kendle

Nearby, the impressive Toompea Castle houses the Estonian parliament. The castle walls extend from Toompea Hill and include many towers like Pikk Herman. The entire hill and surrounds form part of the UNESCO World Heritage site and you can access several viewing platforms and walk along parts of the Old Town wall.

Towers in Tallinn by Amanda Kendle

The Kadriorg Palace was home to Catherine I of Russia and today includes a branch of the Art Museum of Estonia, and it is housed within an enormous park that’s well worth taking a stroll through.

Kadriorg Palace

Eating and Drinking in Tallinn

There are numerous restaurants and bars across Tallinn and a quick stroll around the Old Town is an easy way to find one, but if you’re after a suitably medieval experience, Sian recommends the Olde Hansa. It’s unashamedly aimed at tourists and ex-pats but the food is good, the theme is well-executed and the whole experience is fun.

Olde Hanse Restaurant by sian

Sian also gave us a tip for a great wine bar in Tallinn – so great that she proclaimed it her favourite wine bar in the world! The Gloria Wine Bar is actually many things: a restaurant, a guest house, a cigar bar, a wine shop and finally a wine bar. It’s beautifully decorated and may just be like no wine bar you’ve ever visited before!

Gloria Wine Bar by sian

And finally, if you’re looking to warm up on a chilly day, try a hot chocolate at the Chocolaterie Pierre. They also have good cakes but even for me, one of those genuine gooey hot chocolates is enough without the cake!

Where to Stay in Tallinn

Sian enjoyed her stay at the Merchant’s House Hotel. Demetrius thought that the Barons Hotels offered great value for half board with free wifi.

View from Baron’s Hotel restaurant

Click here for the lowest prices on Tallin hotels

Day Trips from Tallinn

I recommend a day trip to the city Tartu, the second largest city in Estonia, which can by reached in around two and a half hours by express coach from Tallinn. Here you can visit the crooked Art Museum, the Student’s Lock Up at the University and follow some literary highlights.

Tartu’s crooked Museum of Art by Amanda Kendle

The Finnish capital of Helsinki is a two hour ferry ride across the Baltic sea. As Finland can be pricey, we’ve even some tips for free and cheap things to do in Helsinki.

Your Tips for Tallinn

If you’ve already discovered the pleasures of Tallinn, do leave us your favourite tip in the comments below.

Best of Tallinn Travel Tips

Discover the best places to visit in Europe. Copyrighted content published on Europe a la Carte.

The Belgian capital of Brussels is sometimes overlooked as one of Europe’s less exciting cities but we here at Europe a la Carte definitely think otherwise. Here are some of the great things to do in Brussels from the blogging team, whether your interests are museums, shopping, Art Nouveau architecture or (in my case) Belgian chocolate!

View over Brussels from The Square

Museums in Brussels

On her trip to Brussels, Karen was most impressed by the quality of the museums. She enjoyed the City Museum, located in  on the main Grand Place square. As well as covering the history of the city of Brussels, this museum serves an important role – it’s the place where all the hundreds of costumes of the famous ”Manneken Pis” are stored! (We’ll get to him soon!).

City Museum (on right) in Grand Place

Karen wasn’t sure whether to bother with the Magritte Museum, not being much of fan of surrealism but was glad she gave it a try.

Magritte Museum by ines saraiva

Another very popular museum is the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium, which is actually a collection of several art galleries covering historical art, modern art and ancient art. Brueghel and Bosch are heavily featured and there are also artworks from van Gogh, Matisse and Dali, among many others.

For music fans, the Museum of Musical Instruments is well known internationally for its vast collection of instruments. There are four floors of instruments to explore from Belgium, Europe and beyond.

A gourd instrument by Photo Phiend

The Atomium is a structure that is recognisable to anyone who has passed through Brussels – it was built for the 1958 World Fair and of its nine spheres, several of them are open to the public, including museum-like exhibitions about the World Fair and rotating exhibitions on various scientific themes. However Arwa didn’t rate the Atomium very highly,

The Atomium by saturn

Sculpture and Statue Sightseeing in Brussels

Practically the tourist symbol of Brussels, the small statue of a boy known as the “Manneken Pis” is something you should see (it’s in the centre) but have low expectations – it’s like the Mona Lisa, a bit on the small side! However, he is dressed in different costumes each month so that adds some extra interest.

Mannekin Pis in football strip costume by Abi Skipp

There are plenty of other sculptures and statues around Brussels. One that might be more intriguing (and is less well known) than Manneken Pis is the “Jeanneke Pis” – yes, a peeing girl.  And then there’s the “Zinneke Pis” statue – a dog, lifting its leg – the third member of this family of unusual sculptures which make Brussels unique. (Just why Brussels is full of such statues is a little of a mystery to me.)

Zinneke Pis

Karen liked what she christened the “Happy Kids” sculpture in The Square.

Happy Kids Sculpture

Art Nouveau in Brussels

Brussels is renowned cities for its wealth of Art Nouveau architecture of which the Museum of Musical Instruments is a fine example.

Art Nouveau style Museum of Musical Instruments

Karen loved the Art Nouveau stained glass in the Gresham Building.

Art Nouveau stained glass

Best Shopping Trips in Brussels

The first thing that jumps into my mind when I think of going shopping in Brussels is of course to grab some Belgian chocolates to take home. However, there is a great warning in Arwa’s post suggesting you don’t buy chocolates in the tourist areas, as they are overpriced. Instead, try the markets and only buy them where they are happy to let you taste them first. (I think I’d have to keep tasting all day to decide where to buy!)

Brussels Chocolaterie by erodcust

Another typical Belgian souvenir to take home is Belgian lace, and in particular Brussels is famous for a style known as “needle lace”. The handmade laces are pretty pricey but the machine-made ones are usually affordable.

Lace in Brussels by arwa

If you plan your trip to coincide with Christmas, you’ll be able to explore the Christmas markets of Brussels. A couple of years ago Karen found some unique Christmas gifts in Brussels and there are many different stalls – and even an ice rink! – to enjoy.

Ice Rink at St Catherine’s Christmas Market

And finally, after a long day of sightseeing you might be in search of some famed Belgian beer. While you can certainly browse through specialist beer stores like Beer Mania, you are actually just as well off browsing the beer aisle at any supermarket you stumble across in Brussels, which all stock a variety of Belgian beers. Alternatively, try a brewery tour during the day, perhaps at the Cantillon Brewery which makes beers including Lambic, Guezue and Kriek.

Cantillon Brewery by toddross

Your Brussels Tips

Got any more hot tips on things to do in Brussels? Please leave any extra pieces of advice in the comments below.

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Best of Brussels Tips

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In decades past, the Welsh capital of Cardiff may have been considered an industrial city without much to see, but it’s really changed and is fast becoming one of Britain’s major tourist destinations. Along with a renewed interest in Wales and Welsh culture, it’s also a very green city and is great to visit in summer when there are so many opportunities to eat and drink outdoors. Here are our tips for things to do in Cardiff.

Cardiff Castle

Historic Sites in Cardiff

You can’t miss Cardiff Castle in the middle of the city. Its foundations date back to Roman times and these days you can tour it to see its many unique design elements. You can also see ruins of parts of the original castle.

Cardiff Castle by BoyDisappearing

For another historical stop you can visit the Llandaff Cathedral, one of the oldest religious sites in Europe and with a unique inner nave. There is also a very popular ghost tour running in the Llandaff area of Cardiff.

Inside Llandaff Cathedral by Welsh Icons

The National Museum of Wales in Cardiff is also an interesting stop. It includes archaeological and geological artefacts as well as an art gallery featuring works by numerous renowned Welsh artists.

Fun Sightseeing in Cardiff

For Doctor Who fans (not me, but I know plenty!), you won’t want to miss the Doctor Who Experience when it moves to Cardiff (from London) in 2012. Until April this year, you could visit the Doctor Who Exhibition Cardiff, as the series is filmed there, but that has closed for refurbishment ahead of the new exhibits coming from London next year.

Doctor Who Experience by garybembridge

Football lovers will want to see the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. It will be familiar to many as the venue of the FA Cup Final during the years that Wembley Stadium was being redeveloped and it is now home to Welsh national football and rugby teams. You can take a tour of the stadium or grab tickets to catch a live game.

Millennium Stadium Cardiff by UK Pictures

Getting Outdoors in Cardiff

Bute Park is Cardiff’s answer to Central Park and it covers a large area of the city, from the centre radiating out towards the castle. It includes walk and cycle paths, an arboretum and numerous public artworks.

Bute Park by joncandy

Beyond Bute Park, the Pontcanna Fields and Llandarf Fields are lesser known to tourists but are gorgeous places for walking and cycling.

Pontcanna Fields by bara-koukog

And finally for outdoors lovers, Andy describes the Taff Trail as a must-do on a visit to Cardiff. It runs from Cardiff Bay for over 50 miles towards Brecon and mostly runs along the River Taff.

The Taff Trail by Stuart Herbert

Day Trips from Cardiff

Caerphilly Castle is a short trip away from Cardiff and is the stuff children’s drawings of castles are made of: fantastic circular towers and moats and even a leaning tower. It’s the largest castle in Wales and second only to Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom.

Caerphilly Castle by Rob the moment

For something different, the Big Pit National Coal Museum at Blaenafon is just a short distance from Cardiff, and Karen highly recommended the Underground Tour of the mine which she took a couple of years ago. Apparently the tour guides are all ex-miners who have both the inside knowledge and the right fun personality to make the trip very interesting.

Big Pit National Coal Museum

Also close to Cardiff is the Brecon Beacons National Park which comes heartily recommended by both Karen and by Heather, who says it’s great for numerous outdoor activities and even camping.

Wild ponies in the Brecon Beacons National Park

While you’re in the Brecon Beacons area, consider stopping in at the Penderyn Welsh Whisky Distillery, one of the smallest whisky distilleries in the world!

Your Cardiff Tips

There are lots of other things to do in Cardiff – what are your favourites? Please let us know in the comments.

Click here for the lowest prices on Cardiff hotels

Top Tips for Cardiff, Wales

Discover the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

I’ve recorded a podcast summarising some things of the best things to do in Malta based on my Guide to Malta.

Subscribe to the Europe a la Carte Podcast in itunes or audioboo

There’s more information on the island in these blog posts:

• Walking Around the Streets of Malta
• Three Beautiful Sandy Beaches in Malta
• Review of Soreda Hotela
• Cheap Holiday in Malta: Under £200 per person for flights and half board
• Journey Back 5000 years at the Hypogeum in Malta
• The Barrakka Gardens in Valletta

Cirkewwa Beach with boat to Blue Lagoon Beach

See all our Malta photos on Flickr.

Click here for the lowest prices on hotels in Malta

Tips for Things to Do in Malta

Browse through our travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

While Bristol may not be the city that jumps to your mind when you think of planning a holiday, it is apparently fourth on the list of the most visited cities in England, and when you discover the long list of interesting sights to see in Bristol, you won’t be surprised. As the hometown of  former Europe a la Carte contributor Heather Cowper, we have some very useful inside knowledge and I’ve drawn on Heather’s posts as well as adding some tips of my own to compile this list of top things to do in Bristol.

Bristol Harbour by nicksarabi

Podcast on Things to Do in Bath

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Museums in Bristol

The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, easy to find in a large Edwardian building on Park Street, includes all kinds of artefacts like Egyptian mummies, a biplane and a Romany caravan, and it also features excellent temporary exhibitions (such as the Banksy Exhibition it hosted a couple of years ago) which are also free to see.

Bristol City Museum by Heather Cowper

Coming soon to Bristol, the M Shed looks set to be the key museum attraction in the city. Located at the site of the former Bristol Industrial Museum, the M Shed has been five years in the making and is due to open in June 2011. It will explore life and work in the city of Bristol and as it is located quayside a number of historic vessels moored in front of it will also form part of its exhibitions.

The Georgian House is a restored townhouse turned museum demonstrating life for the wealthy merchant John Pinney and his family back around the year 1800 – and as a bonus, admission is free. Similarly, the Red Lodge, furnished in a mix of Elizabethan, Stuart and Georgian styles also contains exhibitions from its past inhabitants and is also free to enter.

Georgian House drawing room by Heather Cowper

Landmarks in Bristol

The restored SS Great Britain, a ship that dates back to 1843 and has travelled as far and wide as New York and Australia, is now moored in the Harbourside area and is fascinating to visit.

The SS Great Britain by Heather Cowper

The Clifton Suspension Bridge is probably one of the most recognisable sights of Bristol. Designed by famous Bristol Victorian-era engineer Brunel, construction on the bridge started way back in 1836, although it wasn’t complete until 1864. These days it is not only a tourist attraction but a functional bridge carrying thousands of cars daily.

The Clifton Suspension Bridge by Heather Cowper

The Harbourside in Bristol is home to numerous landmarks including Millennium Square, Pero’s Bridge (complete with horns!) and the Steam Train which runs up and down the quay. You can also use the local ferry service to explore the harbour from the water.

Bristol Harbourside ferries by Heather Cowper

And while the Harbourside area of Bristol gets most of the attention these days, the original Old City is also worth a look. The St Nicholas Market, Castle Park, St Peter’s Church and the areas around King Street and Corn Street all include historical buildings mixed with some interesting modern-day shopping and eating.

Old Fish Market in Bristol by tombream07

Family Attractions in Bristol

The Bristol Zoo Gardens once won Britain’s “Zoo of the Year” and is still a quality zoo to visit. It’s 175 years old and some of the animal highlights include red pandas, pygmy hippos and the seal and penguin section. Animal-loving visitors might want to continue the theme at the Blue Reef Aquarium Bristol, an aquarium designed around a large coral reef centrepiece and including various fish and sharks which can be seen from the underwater viewing tunnel.

Pygmy hippo at Bristol Zoo by crabchick

Families will also have plenty of fun (and a little learning!) at At-Bristol, a large science museum which also includes a Planetarium – housed in a particularly cool building!

Planetarium at At-Bristol by Nick Bramhall

Day Trips from Bristol

The lovely town of Bath is only 12 miles from Bristol.

Find Great Deals on Hotels in Bristol

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Your Own Tips for Bristol

Do you have some secret tips for places to see, eat or sleep in Bristol? Do share them with us by leaving a comment below.

The Best of Bristol Tips

Browse through our travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Cologne, or Köln as the locals call it, is one of my favourite German cities – not too big, not too small, lots of interesting stuff to see and do. It also has its own unique culture within German, being famous (or sometimes infamous) for its strong dialect – although I can speak German fluently, “Kölsch” sounds almost like another language to me! This list of things to do in Cologne should enable you to get a taste for this special German city.

Cologne at Night by James Cridland

Sightseeing in Cologne

Easily the most impressive landmark in Cologne is the Cologne Cathedral or Kölner Dom. It’s a UNESCO-listed building dating back to the thirteenth century and it’s one of the largest gothic churches in Europe. Just looking around inside is impressive enough but if you’re feeling fit you can also climb the tower for views over the Rhine River and the city of Cologne.

Cologne Cathedral by Amanda Kendle

Dating back to the times of a Roman governor in Cologne, the Praetorium is an amazing array of Roman ruins found underneath the city – in fact, just under the Town Hall. You can also see parts of the old sewer system and archaeological finds.

Cologne Praetorium by Jen Guttman

Of course, you also can’t forget the fact that Cologne lies on the Rhine River. If you cross the main bridge across the Rhine, you’ll find many thousands of padlocks have been attached to the bridge by couples hoping for good luck for their relationship. You can also cruise the Rhine to various destinations from Cologne using KD boats.

Padlocks on the bridge by Amanda Kendle

Museums in Cologne

In light of Cologne’s deep Roman ties, it’s no surprise that the Roman-Germanic Museum (Römisch-Germanisches Museum) is an impressive one, with numerous Roman artefacts from the Cologne area and along the Rhine River on display. The Praetorium mentioned above is adjacent to this museum.

Roman-Germanic Museum in Cologne by Eoghan OLionnain

For art lovers, the Museum Ludwig, easily found in central Cologne, is a must visit. It’s most famous for its postmodern art collection but it’s actually got a bit of everything from the 20th century. For those who like their art a bit older, the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum features art from between the 1200s and 1800s; both of these museums feature both local German artists and numerous famous international artists, too.

Museum Ludwig by mueritz

And finally, one museum which I’ve often been told of (given my well-known sweet tooth!) but never had the chance to visit, the Chocolate Museum (Schokolade Museum) in Cologne is trying to document the “cultural history of chocolate”. You can also see some great examples of how chocolate is made and importantly, there is a cafe offering (naturally enough) plenty of chocolate-based treats.

Chocolate Museum by Accidental Hedonist

Culture in Cologne

Cologne is famous not only for its historical past but for its modern day culture too, and it’s well known as the gay capital of Germany. Every year, the Cologne Gay Pride parade takes place with up to a million people attending (in 2011, the parade will take place 1-3 July).

Gay Pride Parade by norbert_blech

However, the biggest parade of the year comes with Karneval. Usually held in February, Karneval can attract almost two million people with a very colorful street carnival, plenty of wild costumes, and all kinds of related celebrations.

Crazy costumes for Karneval by avatar-1

And in late November and December, Cologne is one of the best places to come to in Europe for Christmas markets. With no less than half a dozen separate markets, you can easily spend a long weekend there and still not enjoy the Gluhwein from every Christmas market!

Traditional gifts at Cologne Christmas Markets by timo_beil

Last but not least, it’s important that you try the local German beer, named (like the dialect) Kölsch (and sometimes seen as Koelsch). There are several varieties of it, available everywhere and you’ll be well-respected if you drink the local beer rather than some other kind of German beer while in Cologne!

Kölsch beer by sights set

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Your Cologne Tips

Have you spent time enjoying Cologne? Then leave us a tip about your favourite thing to do in Cologne in the comments.

Tips for Things to Do in Cologne

Browse through our travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Bath is known as the oldest tourist destination in Britain and is famous for both its Roman baths and its typical Georgian architecture, and being just 100 miles from London makes it a relatively easy destination for visitors to reach. This compilation of the top things to do in Bath includes the sights dating right back to ancient times, but also has plenty of highlights for Jane Austen fans too!

Bath by jon gos

Podcast on Things to Do in Bath

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Landmarks in Bath

The most famous thing to do in Bath is to visit the Roman baths. They’re on the site of the only hot springs in England and date back two thousand years, and touring the baths includes checking some underground tunnels along with incredible archaeological finds – and you can even taste the water!

The Roman Baths by Amanda Kendle

Just behind the Roman baths you can’t miss seeing Bath Abbey, a thousand year old church which is particularly famous because the first King of England was crowned here. You can see this and the baths by following one of the free walking tours which Heather found.

Bath Abbey by Amanda Kendle

The other sights which pop up most commonly on Bath postcards and tourist paraphernalia are the Georgian style buildings which cover the city. It’s easy enough just to stroll through the main streets and admire the architecture.

Royal Mineral Water Hospital by Amanda Kendle

Museums in Bath

Heather visited The Assembly Rooms and Museum of Costume on her trip to Bath. The Assembly Rooms include the Ballroom and other spots for socialising made famous by Jane Austen’s novels. Downstairs, the Museum of Costume showcases the typical styles from the 1800s – some of which you can even try on!

The Assembly Rooms by Heather Cowper

The Building of Bath Museum is small, but often rated as one of the most interesting museums in Bath. In particular, it looks at the development of the Georgian aspects of Bath and includes some great cross-section models to show what Georgian houses looked like both inside and out back when they were first built.

Heather also recommends visiting No 1 Royal Crescent, a townhouse converted to a museum showcasing the Bath of the late 18th century.

Jane Austen Attractions in Bath

Jane Austen may have only lived in Bath for five years, but her legacy to this city has lasted centuries. Whether you’re a true Jane Austen fan or just have some acquaintance with her work (or the films and TV series derived from it), you’ll definitely encounter some Jane Austen-related attraction while in Bath. Keen fans can take the Jane Austen Walking Tour which includes stops at locations featured in her novels and their film adaptations, with knowledgeable guides throwing in Jane Austen trivia with every step.

The Crescent, by Kimberly Sullivan

You can also visit the Jane Austen Centre, a mock-up of her home which even includes some of her manuscripts and personal articles. They run a documentary film inside and it’s also very nearby the actual house where Jane Austen lived while in Bath.

The Jane Austen Centre by neha

And finally, if you remember the Pump Room featured frequently in Jane Austen’s “Northanger Abbey”, then you can also visit the Pump Room today. These days it is a rather expensive place for a snack but it does make you feel a little bit closer to Jane Austen and her fascinating characters!

The Pump Room by Amanda Kendle

More Tips for Visiting Bath

If you time your visit for Christmas time, then you can take in the Bath Christmas Markets which are held in the main square outside Bath Abbey (and spread further through the city centre as well), with all the features of a European Christmas market like mulled wine, local foods and handmade gifts.

Bath Christmas Markets by Heather Cowper

Find the Best Deals on Hotels in Bath

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Your Tips for things to do in Bath

Please leave a comment describing some of your favourite parts of Bath.

Best of Bath Tips

Browse through our travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.

Munich is probably one of everybody’s favourite German cities (and one of mine, too!). With all the stereotypical Bavarian traditions and plenty of good beer (heard of Oktoberfest?!), it is easily one of Germany’s most-visited cities and it’s easy to spend a few days or a week there enjoying different Munich attractions. This collation of Europe a la Carte’s best tips for things to do in Munich will help both persuade you to add Munich to your must-visit list and give you ideas for planning your trip once you’re there.

Munich’s famous Glockenspiel by Amanda Kendle

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Beer and Oktoberfest in Munich

Munich is certainly well known amongst beer lovers and is synonymous with the excitement of Oktoberfest. Fortunately, if your visit doesn’t coincide with late September and early October for Oktoberfest, you can visit the Hofbrauhaus all year round. It’s an enormous pub in the centre of Munich with plenty of character and, of course, plenty of beer!

Beer at the Hofbrauhaus in Munich by Jeremy Branham

If you are able to time your visit for the Oktoberfest fun, be prepared for Munich to be pretty crowded but for your trip to be memorable (well, depending upon how much beer you consume!). Located on the Theresienwiese, all the major beer companies set up their tents and it’s advisable to get a seat in a tent as early in the day as possible – in many tents you’ll only get served beer if you’ve got a seat. Then sit back and enjoy the traditional costumes, music and good German beer.

Museums in Munich

Munich is particularly rich in interesting museums and their themes are truly many and varied. Perhaps one for the men (or, at least one I’m not particularly intrigued by!) is the BMW Car Museum. However, the museum does sound particularly well put together with interesting and interactive displays on the development of BMWs over the years and just the building it’s housed in is worth a look in itself.

The BMW Museum by arwa

For something totally different, you can try the Munich Toy Museum, located in one of the towers of the Rathaus (Town Hall). There are toys of all kinds from Europe and America from the past two centuries and even an impressive Barbie doll collection.

One of my favourite museums in Munich (or perhaps the world) is the Deutsches Museum. It’s an enormous science and technology museum with excellent interactive displays and exhibitions on a huge range of topics from art to computers to toys – you should certainly allow yourself a good few hours to have a look around.

An old computer in the Deutsches Museum by Amanda Kendle

Landmarks in Munich

It’s not just beer and museums that will keep you busy in Munich. The Tierpark Hellabrunn is the main Munich zoo and it has plenty of natural habitats for its large variety of animals. I’m a bit fussy about zoos but really enjoyed this one!

Zebras in Munich Zoo by Amanda Kendle

You can get right on top of Munich, literally, by climbing the St Peter’s Church Tower near Marienplatz, the heart of Munich. The view really is impressive and it makes the climb up the claustrophobically narrow staircase well worth the effort.

View from St Peter’s by Heather Cowper

Sports fans and lovers of green open space alike will be keen to visit the Munich Olympia Park, constructed for the 1972 Olympic Games. You can go up in the Olympic Tower for more great views over Munich, enter the Olympic Stadium, and look around the park areas too.

View from the Olympic Tower in Munich by arwa

And finally, if you are in Munich in late November or December, you won’t be able to miss the Christmas markets, spread from Marienplatz through to other smaller squares in the town centre. As you’d expect from a German Christmas market, there is Gluhwein and other drinks to warm you up, plenty of traditional gift ideas and some snacks for sustenance as you browse.

Christmas markets in Munich by Heather Cowper

Day Trips from Munich

Inka recommends a day trip to Prien am Chiemsee where you ride on the old steam tramway and visit the Heimatmuseum Folklore Museum, before taking a ferry over to HerrinInsel to visit Schloss Herrenchiemsee, the most lavish castle built for of King Ludwig the 1st of Bavaria.

Schloss Herrenchiemsee by Inka Piegsa-Quischotte

A heavier going but interesting Munich day trip option is Berchtesgaden, where you’ll find the Institute of Contemporary History Muncih-Berlin, home to a permanent exhibition documenting all many aspects of the Nazi period in Germany.

Find Great Deals on Hotels in Munich

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Your Tips for Things to Do in Munich

If you’ve got some recommendations for other great things to do in Munich – or a special tip on enjoying Oktoberfest – then do let us know in the comments below.

Best of Munich Tips

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Here’s my round up of all the Europe a la Carte tips on things to do in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, from our expert Neha.  It’s one of those cities that a lot of people pass through on their way to somewhere else but don’t stop to appreciate – I’m guilty of that too, having spent two or three hours there in the middle of the night while changing buses!  If you are planning a trip to Croatia, then take some time to explore Zagreb with the help of Neha’s insider tips.

Zagreb City Museum by neha

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Landmarks of Zagreb

The main cathedral of Zagreb, the The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Mary, is an impressive neo-gothic building with particularly tall spires, and you can use them to navigate your way around the town centre.

Zagreb’s cathedral by neha

The Croatian National Theatre is also well worth a look, and if you have any interest in opera, ballet or theatre, then check out what will be performed during your visit.

Zagreb’s Old Town is also full of intriguing architecture, including the Lotrščak Tower, which dates back to the 13th century. These days you can climb to the top of the tower for some good views over Zagreb. You should also take a look at the Stone Gate in Zagreb, the only surviving town gate from medieval times.

Zagreb’s stone gate by neha

You will also inevitably come across Illica, the main street of Zagreb. Look out for the cafes in between the numerous buildings; there is also plenty of convenient accommodation along this street and it’s a handy location to stay in.

Zagreb’s main street, Illica by neha

If you’re visiting in December, then the main city landmark becomes the Zagreb Christmas Markets, with a giant Christmas tree being erected on the main square and numerous stalls being set up to sell all kinds of Christmas fare.

Christmas Markets in Zagreb by neha

Museums and Galleries in Zagreb

One of the most visited museums in Zagreb is the Zagreb City Museum, housed in an old convent in the Old Town. Exhibits range from artefacts from the Iron Age through to modern models of the city of Zagreb.

Art lovers will get a lot out of this round-up of five Zagreb galleries, including the Zagreb Museum of Contemporary Art and the Mestrovic Studio where famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic’s works can be found.

In the Old Town you can find the Croatian Museum of Naive Art; there were several famous Croatian artists in the naive style in the 1930s and they popularised this art form, making this museum full of the works of successful local artists.

Naive art by neha

Parks in Zagreb

The planners of Zagreb apparently realised the importance of parks. The largest green area in Zagreb is Maksimir Park. It includes a running track, several cafes, a new zoo and concerts during summer.

Closer to the centre, the Lenuci’s Horseshoe (or Lenucijeva Potkova) is a series of parks and squares running between the main station and the main square in the shape of a horseshoe.

Lenuci’s Horseshoe by neha

And finally, while not quite a park, the tree-lined Strossmayer Promenade is still very green and is also home to the Strossmarte street festival during the summer.

Zagreb Cafes

Neha recommendations for locations in which to sip a coffee include Tkalciceva in the city or slightly further afield at the artificial lakes of Jarun or the Sljeme peak (reachable by cable car).

Zagreb Cafe

Day Trips from Zagreb

If you want to escape winter in Zagreb, Neha recommends heading about two and a half hours away to Volosko, a small fishing village on the coast which has a reputation for warmer weather. It’s famous for its seafood restaurants so take your appetite with you!

Volosko by neha

One of the most obvious day trips from Zagreb is to head to the Plitvice Lakes. This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited and I can’t recommend it highly enough, except to say that rather than making a day trip from Zagreb to Plitvice, try to stay there for a couple of days instead.

Plitvice Lakes by Amanda Kendle

Neha also recommends several other day trips from Zagreb, including Samobor, Veliki Tabor and Trakoscan castles and Krapina.

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Your Tips on Things to Do in Zagreb

If you’ve had any experience visiting Zagreb then we’d love to hear your tips and advice – please add them in the comments below.

Best of Zagreb Tips

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There are plenty of great things to do in Dublin, and they don’t all involve drinking Guinness! Like many Australians, I’ve got a decent chunk of Irish blood in me (my grandmother was a Murphy) and I’m sure that’s why places like Dublin are so attractive to me. I’ve compiled some of the best tips we’ve had on Europe a la Carte to help you plan your trip to Dublin.

Dublin Post Office and Spire

Podcast on Things to Do in Dublin

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Famous Dublin Sights

Dublinia houses an interactive history of Dublin during the age of the Vikings and Medieval times. Marcus visited and suggested it would be an especially good outing for families with children.

Next to Dublinia is the beautiful Christ Church Cathedral. It’s the oldest building in Dublin (dating back to the 11th century) and you can get a combined ticket with Dublinia if you want to save some money.

Christ Church Cathedral by Marcus Cederstrom

I’m always a fan of libraries and was pleased to hear that Karen particularly liked the Chester Beatty Library on her trip to Dublin. It is situated inside the gardens of Dublin Castle (another great place to visit!) and it’s one of Dublin’s free attractions.

Chester Beatty Library

Karen’s favourite Dublin sculpture was Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy Fame.

Phill Lynott sculpture in Dublin

My personal tip for something to do in Dublin is to head to the Dublin Writers Museum – obviously Ireland is home to many famous authors and this museum showcases the lives and literature of writers such as George Bernard Shaw and W. B. Yeats.

Tours in Dublin

For many travellers, visiting Dublin is synonymous with drinking Guinness, and Marcus decided to tour the home of Guinness in Dublin. The tour goes through the Guinness Storehouse and basically covers the history of Guinness (but unfortunately doesn’t show the brewing in progress) – but the highlight comes at the end when all tour participants receive a freshly brewed pint of Guinness.

St James Gate Brewery by Marcus Cederstrom

There are numerous different walking tours to take around Dublin. Marcus took a free walking tour (tips appreciated of course) with a New Europe Tour guide and was impressed that they really ran the tours no matter what the weather, and he considered it a good basic introduction to the city’s sights if you hadn’t been to Dublin before.

Trinity College Dublin

Karen went on the “Original Tour” with a Historic Walking Tours of Dublin guide which cost 12 Euros at the time, but seemed to be well worth it. It takes in sightseeing spots like Old Parliament House, Trinity College, Temple Bar, City Hall and so on and lasts about two hours.

Dublin Ghost Bus Tour by Lindsay Sydenham

For a tour of a rather different kind, you might try the Dublin Ghost Bus Tour. Lindsay took the tour and found it a little more on the silly side than the scary side, but said it was actually a fun way to learn about some of Dublin’s history in a completely different way.

Shopping and Eating in Dublin

Karen has some excellent tips on where to shop in Dublin in her unique shopping venues in Dublin post from her last trip there. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre sounds lovely, as does the Powerscourt Centre, built around an 18th century mansion.

Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre

If you’re looking for a good meal, Karen also wrote up reviews of a couple of good restaurants, including Bewley’s Cafe and Restaurant in Grafton Street and the Church Cafe and Bar near the Jervis Shopping Centre. This photo of the Church’s Irish stew is making me hungry!

Irish stew and soda bread

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On her last trip to Dublin, Karen stayed at the Arlington Hotel near O’Connell Bridge, which has a very central location and friendly staff.

Arlington Hotel entrance

Your Dublin Tips

Before Karen went to Dublin back in 2009 she received a bunch of fantastic Dublin tips from Europe a la Carte readers and Twitter followers, including visiting St Michan’s Church, the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Kilmainham Gaol, the Chester Beatty Library, and trips to Newgrange, Knowth and Howth.

If you’ve got any more tips for things to do in Dublin, we’d love to hear them so please leave us a message in the comments below.

Best of Dublin Tips

Browse through our travel tips to find the best places to visit in Europe. Content published on Europe a la Carte.