Helsingborgs Rådhus
Photo by: borevagen, Creative Commons

Helsingborg is one of the most beautiful places in all of Sweden. It is a coastal city that is close to Denmark. You smell the sea air as you walk down the streets of Helsingborg. The day always seems beautiful when you are in Helsingborg.

The historic part of the city looks untouched by time. Its old buildings are reminiscent of those built in medieval times. You don’t need to pay for anything to enjoy the best parts of Helsingborg. It is like a historical trip back in time.

There are many things to see in Helsingborg. These sights look like they came straight out of a postcard. The Helsingborg waterfront is a marvelous view of the city. When you are on a ferry ride be sure to take a picture of this scene. The architecture of the buildings around Helsingborg is both modern and old fashioned. Be sure to visit the Church of Saint Mary and to take note of Helsingborg city hall. These are some of the most beautiful landmarks in Helsingborg.

Karnan Tower was once part of a castle. While the castle itself is no more, Karnan Tower still stands and is open to the public. When you walk through the doors and up to the stairs you can literally feel history. Once you are on the top of the tower there is a wonderful view of the city.

Because it is close to Denmark it is no surprise that some of their histories and culture are intertwined. You can learn more about the art and culture of Helsingborg by visiting the museums in the vicinity. The Dunkurs Kulturhus is a fine place to view the history and art of this wonderful city.

If you are tired of the indoor museums you can try something new. Fredriskal Museum and Gardens offers the largest outdoor museum in Sweden. Enjoy the sites while breathing the fresh air of Helsingborg.

Gyor
Photo by: Wikimedia, Creative Commons

Are you planning for a travel getaway where all your worries vanish? Start packing your bags and head to Gyor, Hungary! Just what is in Gyor that draws people all year round – mystery, history and fun? The moment you see a replica of Ark of the Covenant, this 26 foot tall monument would make your neck hurt due to its massive height but did you know that it is one of the attractions that had attracted other tourists this Gyor?

While you are at Gyor it is best to also visit the Bishop’s Castle. It is a museum that houses all the artifacts dating the 14th century. Basically, everything in Gyor speaks so much of the past. There are hundreds of churches or even cathedrals that display the Baroque manner of architectural design. Even their art deco will fascinate you all the more. There is this Cathedral of the Virgin Mary that houses paintings and different art collections.

Grab a map to go there but once you are in the place, do ask permission if you could take snapshots of their collections. Keep in mind that in some museums, the taking of photos is prohibited. Not that the flash of lights would deteriorate the painting but the copyright concerns that might harm the ownership of such collections. It might be reproduced and sold at large amounts when the real one is being contained at Gyor.

Are you a little curious about how the currency of Gyor evolved? Well, there is a coin collection museum called the János Xánthus Museum. It is not all coins since inside this beautiful museum are different art collections from different artists. This is a good sign that you will be in touch with the Arts. So you would call your travel to Gyor as an expedition of Art and Culture.

The weather in Gyor is a challenging 0 degrees Celsius so make yourself hot goulash for you to get by. Their temperature ranges from 0 to around 11 degrees Celsius so it would be best if you brought winter clothes.

Laguna de Ipala
Photo by: N3T1O™, Creative Commons

One of the most important places in a country is the capital. In the capital city, you will learn a lot of things about the country’s commercial, political, cultural, and even historical aspects. You will also be in the center of everything. There are bars and restaurants, museums and theatres, shopping centers and markets, commercial and political buildings, and so on. You will never run out of things to do and places to visit in a country’s capital city.

This is true of Guatemala City, Guatemala. Guatemala City is the cosmopolitan capital city of this country. And since this is the capital, this is also the place where you can find the major international airport, La Aurora. Because the place houses the major airport, Guatemala City is considered as the gateway or entry point of Guatemala.

If you love cultural activities, you will surely enjoy your stay in Guatemala City. All throughout the year, the city is teeming with fun and educational cultural events like theatrical plays and exhibition of arts like photography, paintings, sculptures, and engravings. Some cultural centers and museums that you should visit are Palacio Nacional, National Museum of Archeology and Ethnology, and Museo Popol Vuh.

You can also go shopping for local handicrafts in Mercado Central and check out the local flora and fauna in Jardin Botanico and Zoologico Nacional La Aurora.

The place also has several churches and religious sites like La Merced, Iglesia de San Francisco, Union Church of Guatemala, and Mezquita Aldawa Islamica de Guatemala, to name a few.

Castle Garden in Uppsala
Photo by: uitdragerij, Creative Commons

Uppsala is the fourth largest city in Sweden. Relatively quieter than cities such us Stockholm and Gothenburg, Uppsala charms tourists with its simplicity. It is the very center of religion in Sweden as this is where the Archbishop of the Church of Sweden holds seat. Uppsala’s landmarks take you back in time and let you appreciate the rich history of this humble town.

Uppsala is a forty minute train ride from Stockholm. The western part of this city is the historic part containing almost all of its national landmarks. The eastern part of Uppsala is the administrative and commercial areas of the town. The west and the east are divided by the Fyris River.

The Uppsala Domkyrka is the largest church in Sweden. The church is s big that you can see it from most anywhere in the city of Uppsala. Right beside the Church is Uppsula University which is the oldest university in all of the Nordic countries. It dates back to 1477—older than the oldest university in Asia.

The Uppsala University Library is the largest library in Sweden. Its collection is a staggering five million volumes and sixty thousand manuscripts. Visit Gama Uppsala for a trip to the town’s pre-Christian past.

Just like in other parts of Sweden, Uppsala is filled with parks. Numerous outdoor activities are also available for you and your family and/or friends. A popular activity in Uppsala is canoeing. Explore the Fyrisan River via canoe. The Fyrisan River is also a popular place to fish.

If you are bringing children to your trip to Sweden then you should definitely pass by Uppsala. There are many museums catering to every child’s inquisitive minds. Visit Biotopia, the biological museum of Uppsala and Gamla Uppsala Museum for knowledge and visit Fyrishov Water Park and Nicki’s Adventure Play for fun!

Uppsala’s quiet charm attracts tourists from all around the world. Your visit to Sweden is never complete without a visit to Uppsala.

Cathedral along the Rhine River at Cologne
Photo by: phototram, Creative Commons

Located in southwest Germany, Cologne is the fourth-largest city of the country that prides itself in its long but colorful history. But more than being a city of the olden times, it is considered to be an important media center with radio and television stations found in the city. Cologne is indeed the perfect example of how a collision between the past and the future could transform it into a bustling tourism hotspot.

One of the highlights of Cologne is it’s Romanesque churches spread across the city. But one of the most popular among them is the infamous Cologne Cathedral, which is the center of the Catholic Archbishop of Cologne. This cathedral has in fact been inducted into the UNESCO World Heritage List. Indeed, this cathedral, one of the largest churches in the world, is a stunning architecural structure that proves to be one of the most important must-see spot in the city.

With it’s lively and thriving arts scene, the numerous museums that houses ancient works of art raning from paintings to sculptures, are also what makes this city as interesting as it’s history. Several of the most-visited museums in the city are the Museum Ludwig which features important contemporary pieces of art and the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum & Fondation Corboud which is the oldest museum in the city,home to ancient works of art and more. But without a doubt, it’s the city’s Chocolate Museum that somehow honors the country’s chocolate legacy that wins tourists’ hearts every time. It’s modern ship-shaped facade lures visitors in and once they enter the museum, they are greeted by the scent of chocolate in the air.

Of course, Cologne is not just a haven for history nuts, medieval lovers, and art buffs. With the cool weather of Cologne mostly prevalent throughout the year, no tourist visiting Cologne leaves without sampling the beer of choice among the locals, Kölsch. Germany is indeed, also known for its infamous beer festival, Oktoberfest. After you’ve had a sampling of this beer, you can explore the city’s vibrant and fun restaurants, bars, and nightclubs to have a look into the modern culture of the city.

Cologne is a city that is proud of it’s history. It’s architectural wonders that have stood the test of time and modernization are just one of the many attractions that make this city an important part of your Germany tour itinerary.

Sapporo at night
Photo by: Chi King, Creative Commons

Japan’s fifth largest city, Sapporo, was once a small fishing town that has been developed into a significant tourist destination. The world took notice of Sapporo when it hosted the 1972 Olympic Winter Games, the first winter Olympics to be held in Asia. Now, the capital of Hokkaido is famous in the world for three reasons: its beer, fresh seafood, and miso-flavored ramen. Sapporo is also well known for its extreme winter season, which explains the popularity of the snow festival held every year in this city.

Sapporo is a clean and peaceful city that’s full of parks, streets lined with trees, and shopping arcades. Tourists have plenty of attractions to visit and activities to enjoy in Sapporo. One of the major attractions in the city is The Clock Tower (Tokeidai), which is the symbol and major landmark of Sapporo. A very interesting tourist spot in the city is the Sapporo Brewery building where visitors can take a tour of the Beer Museum and taste the world-famous Sapporo beer.

Mount Moiwa, also known as the backyard ski resort of Sapporo, is a favorite skiing venue for tourists. Jozankei Onsen is a unique natural attraction with its hot spring. The century-old botanical garden in the Batchelor Memorial Museum is worthy of visit as well. For families spending their holiday in Sapporo, the Maruyama Zoo offers a fun and memorable travel experience.

Sapporo Snow Festival
This annual event, which draws an increasing number of local and international visitors, is one of the largest winter activities in Japan and is popular internationally. Every February, Sapporo transforms into a winter wonderland with its white snow and crystal-clear ice. Millions of spectators line up in Sapporo to view the numerous lovely ice sculptures and snow statues along the major street in Susukino, Satoland grounds, and Odori Park.

Sapporo has an active nightlife, thanks to the myriad of nightclubs and bars in the entertainment district of Susukino. So if you are in for a night of partying and clubbing, Sapporo won’t disappoint you.

A striking thing about Sapporo is its contrasting temperature between summer and winter. Its winter season runs from December to March, while the wet and hot summer season is from June to September. This city has a higher snowfall than other cities in the world, which peaks to 72 inches in January. Its thick snow makes Sapporo an unbeatable winter sports destination, and visitors usually enjoy skiing and snowboarding in the city.

Irish Town is the home of Chris Blackwell’s spectacular Strawberry Hills. It is a top spot for food and accommodation in the Blue Mountains. It is the place where Bob Marley was brought in for recovery after the failed assassination attempt against him. Other popular musicians like Mick Jagger, U2, and the Rolling Stones have performed in this area as well.

Right above Irish Town is a coffee plantation called Craighton Estate. It produces the Blue Mountain coffee which is a popular gourmet coffee found in Blue Mountain. This estate can be found several places away from Strawberry Hills and is owned by Japan’s largest coffee company, Ushima.

Located in Irish town is a village called New Castle which offers the finest view of Kingston, Jamaica’s capital city. One of the famous spots in New Castle is Catherine’s Peak, a peak named after Lady Catherine Long, the first woman to climb it in 1760.

Attractions

Irish Town is filled with the most romantic spots in the world.

1. Strawberry Hill Resort. It is a romantic and breathtaking sight in the Caribbean. It gives a good view of the Blue Mountains and Kingston. It is regarded as a mountain top oasis and features twelve beautifully, hand made Georgian style cottages. It was originally owned by Horace Walpole which was transferred to him by the British Royal Family and was a coffee plantation before it came into the hands of Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records Label. It is a famous destination for the top music artists and entertainers among many others. It is truly a paradise for relaxation and recreation.
2. Craighton Estate Coffee Farm and Great House. It is considered as one of Jamaica’s most preserved Georgian houses. A national treasure of the country, the Craighton House is a privately owned estate which is a retreat house of the high ranking people of Jamaica.

Sisimiut in 1980
Photo by: Wikimedia, Creative Commons

Sisimiut, known as a coastal pearl on the Arctic Circle, is located immediately north of Arctic Circle. It is a town at the northern tip of Greenland where the harbour stays free from ice in winter seasons and Greenland’s southernmost town at the same time where you can be able to drive a dog sled in spring and winter. In the old quarter of Sisimiut, you can still find buildings that date back from the colonial era’s 1st one hundred years. An example is in the museum vicinity with the portal constructed of huge whale jawbones and a blue church, which is the second oldest church in Greenland dating back to year 1775.

At the base of a landmark in Sisimiut is the 2,572-foot (784 metres) high mountain called Kællingehætten, which literally means old woman’s cowl. The town offers great chances for alpine skiing in spring and winter and is also a primary site for dog sledding. In summer season, you can hike to the peak of the mountain and be returned with an excellent view of the mountains, the sea, the town and the deserted settlement in Assaqutaq. The ice-barren sea about Sisimiut and a number of Greenland’s deep fjords also draw tourists desiring to sail in the waters that are abode to a lot of seals and whales.

The meaning of Sisimiut is “the residents at the foxholes”. The municipality was founded in the year 1756 as a trading station and mission under the name of Holsteinsborg. There are 6000 residents that dwell in the municipality of Sisimiut and settlements of Itilleq, Sarfannguaq and Kangerlussuaq. An advanced factory, where crabs and prawns are processed, is proof of the truth that fishing goes on to be the primary industry in the town of Sisimiut.

How does one arrive at Sisimiut? Air Greenland travels to Sisimiut through the international airport located at Kangerlussuaq. There are customary flights into the other municipalities on the west coast of Greenland from Kangerlussauq. The passenger ship of Arctic Umiaq Line, which has a service scheduled between Ilulissat in the north and Qaqortoq in South Greenland, calls at Sisimiut as well.

Daredevils who have a lot of time on their hands and are physically fit can try the especially well-known hiking road between Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq as well, which takes 8 to 10 days. Throughout the winter season, visitors can track the same course on a snowmobile or dogsled.

World War 2 wreck in one of many bays in Espiritu Santo
Photo by: KirrilyRobert, Creative Commons

The islands of Vanuatu each offer a different kind of adventure. They offer a little piece of paradise for adventure enthusiasts. The archipelago has many islands, its major provinces are: the Torba Province, Sanma Province, Penama Province, Malampa Province, Efate, Tafea Province and Shefa Province, this where Tongoa is located.

Tongoa, also known as Kuwae, is the largest island in the Shefa or Shepherd province of Vanuatu. Nearly 9 kilometers long and 6 kilometers wide, it got its name from an eponymous plant that grows on the large island. The island is covered with thick vegetation and is active with geothermal activity. The island is well known for its numerous ancient volcanic craters and black sand beaches.

It has been found that there had been human settlements on the island as early as 500 B.C. Up to the 13th century AD; Tongoa was the center of the empire of Tonga. Vanuatu was founded again by British and French missionaries during the 19th century, where they called the islands ‘the New Hebrides’. After World War II, there was a power struggle between the foreign colonizers and the indigenous islanders, over interests of political and economic matters of the islands. Eventually, the islands were let go and became fully independent by the year 1980.

The islands have a subtropical climate. Most days are warm, humid and wet, especially during the months of November to April. Rainfall is moderate. Tongoa is part of the geologically active archipelago. The island is filled with a playground of colorful reefs, astounding volcanoes and a lush, green jungle. There are plenty of things you can do while in the islands. Go and visit to the crater of Yasur, which is the most accessible active volcano on Earth. Another fun activity while in Tongoa is kayaking around the islands’ coast line. Or maybe hike or bike through their many tropical rainforests and coconut plantations. If you are more interested in the island’s history, try going underwater and explore the underwater World War II relics.

Those who prefer less action and adventure can still enjoy Tongoa! Relax and catch some sun from the islands’ many beautiful beaches. Sample their multi-cultural cuisine. Charter a boat and hop from one island to another. Tourism is mainly centered on Espiritu Santo, Efate and Tanna, although one can still visit and explore the rest of the islands. Who knows, you might discover something new and exciting!

Ulturoa
Photo by: nilsrinaldi, Creative Commons

Ulturoa, or Uturoa, is the northern municipality of the island of Raiatea. The island itself forms part of the Leeway group of Islands, composed of Tahaa in the north, and Bora-Bora in the northeast. These islands, as well as Moorea and Tahiti to the southeast, comprise the Society Islands of French Polynesia.

Raiatea is the second largest island after Tahiti. Yet, it shares a surrounding coral reef with Tahaa, and geologists speculate that both may have been one island some time in the past. The Tahitian name of the island is Ra’iatea, which means “bright sky.” The designation is not too surprising since it has the Pacific summer most of the year, and coral blue ocean around the islands only brighten up the day.

An interesting thing about Raiatea is that the island is widely considered to be the center of Polynesian and Ma’ohi culture. The natives believe that this is where a number of important Polynesian gods were born. Many ethnologists also believe that Raiatea is the “staging ground” for important mass migrations to the islands east of it, and even Hawaii and New Zealand. In fact, the traditional name of the island is havai’i fanau fenua, or “Hawaii bearer of land.” The Maori in New Zealand have a saying which goes, “That your nose may arrive in Raiatea!” an exhortation to personal excellence. Many of these islands’ ancestors brought rocks from Raiatea for remembrance.

Ulturoa is the largest town of Raiatea and where the central administration of the Leeway Islands is based. A majority of the isle’s tour outfits make their camp here. While Bora-Bora’s tourist attractions are entirely focused on its beaches and lagoons, Raiatea’s tourist industry concentrates more on the island’s historical artifacts and sacred sites. These temple sites, known locally as “marae,” were left by ancient Polynesians as they migrated to other islands. They say this is a Polynesian archaeologists’ paradise. Several tours originate in Ulturoa, and make their way towards the most important site of all, Taputapuatea Marae.

Aside from historical places of significance, a visitor can charter a kayaking or outrigger tour up the island’s river, the Faaroa. It is considered the only navigable river in Polynesia. Plus, if one wishes to, he/she can hire a boat to visit Raiatea’s sea turtle sanctuary grounds.

Additionally, one can arrange a sea trip to encircle the island of Tahaa on the north. There, you will see pearl and vanilla farms, and fish sanctuaries, surrounding what the natives call the “Vanilla Island.”