city guides Archives - Page 4 of 6

Tavira travel guide for first time visitors

Historic Tavira offers a dose of authenticity on the Algarve – and an absolutely stunning beach. What makes Tavira unique? At the eastern end of southern Portugal’s perma-sunny Algarve region, Tavira has none of the brashness and concrete overdose that afflicts many of the resort…

Algarve, city guides, Portugal

The Principality Stadium and River Taff in Cardiff.

A Cardiff city guide for first time visitors

The Welsh capital has a cracking castle, plenty of Doctor Who links and some fascinating arcades. What makes Cardiff unique? Once home to a Roman fort, but only becoming a city in 1905, Cardiff’s lack of attachment to the past gives Cardiff a blank slate…

Cardiff, city guides, UK, Wales

Essen city guide for first time visitors

Essen in Germany is rarely on the tourist map, but fans of industrial heritage should have it near the top of their list. What makes Essen unique? For a lot of people, Essen is the largest German city they’ve never heard of. That’s partly because…

city guides, Essen, Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia

Dortmund city guide for first time visitors

The home of hipster football club Borussia Dortmund also has the world’s largest Christmas tree and the German Football Museum. What makes Dortmund unique? In the Ruhrgebeit, Dortmund is one of those cities – like Porto or Liverpool – that gets an awful lot of…

city guides, Dortmund, Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia

The Rhine running through Bonn, Germany.

Bonn city guide for first time visitors

The former capital of West Germany brings Beethoven, Haribo and a lot more charm than you may be expecting. What makes Bonn unique? There must be some kind of invisible transition line running just north of Bonn, because when you arrive in the former capital…

Bonn, city guides, Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia

Liege city guide for first-time travellers

The largest city in Wallonia is surprisingly appealing for visitors, with a solid collection of museums and a distinctive take on meatballs. What is Liege all about? Expectation is a funny thing, and levels of it tend to be low when coming to Liege. Bruges…

Belgium, city guides, Liege

Ljubjljana, Slovenia: Travel guide for first-time visitors

Ljubljana’s castle offers great views, but the unusual architecture makes the Slovenian capital distinctive. What’s Ljubljana all about? Few countries manage to fly under the radar quite like Slovenia. It’s a relatively pocket-sized, prosperous place full of lakes and mountains, with an outdoorsy mindset and…

city guides, Ljubljana, Slovenia

A travel guide to Windsor for first-time visitors

Windsor’s highlight is the castle – but there’s plenty more to see. What’s Windsor all about? Windsor, and the surrounding area, is about as British establishment as it gets. The centrepiece is Windsor Castle, one of the Queen’s official residences. But nearby, there’s also the…

city guides, England, South-East England, UK, Windsor

Karlovy Vary, Czechia: A travel guide for first-time visitors

Bohemia’s spa town is health-driven and defiantly old-fashioned. What is Karlovy Vary all about? Karlovy Vary (formerly known as Carlsbad) in Czechia, has been a spa town for centuries. Huddled around a valley in the west Bohemian hills, Karlovy Vary has made its fortune and…

Bohemia, city guides, Czechia, Karlovy Vary

The best of Mala Strana: Prague neighbourhood guide

Mala Strana is Prague’s prettiest and most enjoyable neighbourhood. It’s made for aimless strolling, but crams in a few unusual attractions, too. What is Mala Strana all about? Prague is sometimes built up as one of the world’s most romantic cities – but the reality…

Bohemia, city guides, Czechia, neighbourhoods, Prague