One of the great natural wonders of the world, this majestic waterfall is a must-see if you are in the area. Whether you’re in Zimbabwe, Zambia, or Botswana, this is a place you must visit.
Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe
When to go?
The falls are at their greatest at the end of the rainy season, from March to May. That said, due to the enormous water displacement most viewing points are covered by a permanent water curtain, so taking a good picture can be hard. So, at the beginning of the raining season and at the start of the dry season condition or somewhat better, with still lots of water but better chance of seeing the whole waterfall. The end of the dry season will turn this majestic waterfall into a trickling stream so unless that’s what you want to see avoid this time.
Where to go?
The Victoria Falls lie on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and can be seen from both countries. But the best views are definitely from the Zimbabwe side of the falls. Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe has some nice paths along the falls with various viewing spots to get a complete picture of the grandness of the falls. So, if time allows it, go to the Zimbabwean side of the falls. You can cross the Victoria Falls bridge to reach Zambia and vice versa, there are organized tours to visit both sides. On the Zambian side you can go to the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park for views of the falls.
Bridge over the Zambezi
Visit the Victoria falls from Botswana
The easiest way to visit the Victoria Falls from Botswana is from Kasane, there are many organized day trips available for a reasonable price. This is easier than drive their yourself since you don’t have to deal with all the custom declarations for your car. You still must pay over 50 euro/dollar in cash for a one-day visa. Bring hard currencies because they won’t accept any local currencies or (credit) cards.
We conclude our series in Tokyo with two iconic Japanese cultural forces: Studio Ghibli and contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama. If you haven’t watched any of the movies of Studio Ghibli you should change that immediately. Both the movies of Studio Ghibli and the art of Yayoi Kusama explore the magical and surreal so it’s interesting to explore both museums and the same day even though they are quite different there are overlying themes to discover.
Visit Ghibli museum
A visit to the Ghibli museum has to be planned well in advance. There are no tickets available at the door since the museum works with advance reservations only. You can either buy them via the JTB group 3 months in advance or via Lawson on the 10th of the preceding month. Set your alarm clock and have ideally have a somewhat flexible scheduele to get tickets.
Stained-glass Totoro windows
The museum itself is a wonderful magial place for both adults and children alike. All your Ghibli favourites are there from Totoro to the Iron Giant, it’s a fun place to explore and to get an isight into the movie making process.
Yayoi Kusuma museum
The works of Yayoi Kusama can be seen in museums all over the world and in Japan even more. From the famous pumpkins on Naoshima to the modern art museum in her birthtown of Matsumoto. Tokyo was lacking a museum with her art, this changed in 2017 when a museum dedicated to her art opened.
As with the Ghibli museum, the Yayoi Kusuma museum doesn’t sell tickets at the door. The must be ordered in advance via their website.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
View from to Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building with Mount Fuji.
End the day with a view from the observation deck in the towers of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. The observation deck on the 45th floor (202m) is freely accessible for everyone and gives you a great impression of the city. On clear days you can also see Mount Fuji in the distance.
Japan is famous for many things, among which it’s highly stylized gardens. Traditionally there are three gardens seen as the best. These are Kenroku-en in Kanazawa, Koraku-en in Okayama and Kairaku-en in Mito. The first two are too far away from Tokyo for a day trip, but the Kairaku-en in Mito is just one-and-a-half hours away by train, so if you don’t plan on visiting the other gardens make sure to visit this one.
Trip to Mito
Kairaku-en
Since Kairaku-en lies just one-and-a-half hours from Tokyo, it’s a perfect morning trip. You can either go to Kairaku-en station (only open during the plum blossom season) and walk to the garden or go to Mito station and take the bus. There are clear signs as you leave the station for the busses which bus will stop at the garden.
The garden is most famous for its plum blossoms, so a visit at the end of the winter (February or March) will treat you to a flowerly delight. There is also a large bamboo forest to explore and a host of different trees and plants.
Bamboo forrest
Kobuntei house
Kobuntei house now serves as a tea house and hosts poetry events. It’s the perfect place to relax and take in some of the stunning views.
Sakurayama
During the Sakura season you should also visit Sakurayama which is part of the greater park area and which is full of cherry blossom trees.
Once you’re done in Mito take the train back to Tokyo for some culture and history.
Back in Tokyo
Edo Tokyo museum
The Edo Tokyo museum is housed in one of the most bizarre and huge modern buildings ever build. The museum tells the story of Tokyo from it’s origins as a small trading and fishing village to the capital of Japan and one of the largest cities in the world. The museum is full with replica buildings from the different ages, providing you the opportunity to travel through time back to the Shogunate, war time Tokyo and the post-war period.
Sumida Hokusai museum
Just a couple of streets behind the Edo Tokyo museum lies the Sumida Hokusai museum, housed in a stunning modern building in the shape of a huge letter M. Here you can watch some of the most famous and iconic works of Hokusai such as his Great wave off Kanagawa. If you love his work, try to also visit his museum in Obuse.
Tokyo Skytree
Tokyo Skytree
Either take the subway directly to Tokyo Skytree and marvel at the huge building from below and go up to get some great views over Tokyo if you like. Another approach is to take the bus to the Kitajukken river and then take some pictures of the Skytree from a far. Afterwards you can walk towards the Skytree. Not sure if going up is worth the price, the free view from the Tokyo metropolitan building is as good or better. And if you want an alternative to the metropolitan building, we prefer the Tokyo city view in the Mori art building as it provides unhindered open-air views of Tokyo.
Previous articles about Tokyo and its surroundings
Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world and with its ever-sprawling suburbs it feels like a city with no end. So, it can be hard to decide where to start and how to spend your limited time there. We’ll try to help you on your way with our favourite places, great ideas for day trips, some tips and our Tokyo itinerary for a week.
Our favourite places in Tokyo
There are so many great places that it’s hard to come up with a top 5. But here are our favourite places in alphabetical order:
There are many greats sights within 1 or 2 hours of Tokyo. All places can be reached by taking a train from Tokyo station.
Daibatsu in Kamakura
Kamakura
It’s easy to come up with our favourite day trip from Tokyo, that has to be a visit to the stunning temples and shrines of Kamakura.
Nikko
Not that far behind Kamakura comes Nikko. It lies in a beautiful pine forest and the shrine to Tokugawa Ieyasu is stunning. If you can’t make it to Nikko, visit the Tokugawa shrine in Ueno in Tokyo.
Mito
Traditionally listed as one of the top 3 gardens in Japan, we think it’s the least of the three but we visited the garden during the winter with no snow.
Hakone
Go to Hakone for some better views of Mount Fuji and relax and take a bath in the many onsen there.
Tips
Where to stay in Tokyo
Since Tokyo is gigantic travelling from one place to another can take a lot of time. Therefor it’s best to stay close to a subway station and prefereably to a JR Circle line station. (circular Yamanote line) Especially if you have a JR railpass.
Escape the city for a day with the perfect day trip to beautiful Kamakura. In this ancient Japanese capital you’ll find plenty of temples, shrines and a gigantic Buddha in a tranquil environment.
Unwind again by making a day trip to peaceful Nikko. This place is most famous for the shrines of Ieyasu and Iemitsu Tokugawa. But there are many more beautiful religious shrines and temples here. Read our article about Nikko for more information.
Another full day in Tokyo lies ahead. We will explore the darker side of Japanese history and look at some modern and contemporary art. Go on a shopping bonanza and visit the heart of Tokyo. Read the complete article here.
For a change of scenery we’ll go to Mito and one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, Kairaku-en. In the afternoon we’ll visit the interesting Edo Tokyo museum to get an understanding of the history and development of Tokyo. Read our full guide here.
End your visit of Tokyo with two magical museums. But since both museums are only accessible with advance tickets reserve tickets well in advance and be flexible to adjust your schedule.
It’s a beautiful country, the longest stable democracy in southern Africa and it has the biggest population of elephants on the planet. It has a good road network, and it focuses on sustainable tourism. These are just some of the reasons to go here.
Where to start your Botswana safari?
There are several options to start your Botswana safari from. We choose Johannesburg as our starting point, so we could also visit some South-African parks and since renting a 4×4 was significantly cheaper there at the time. Other starting options are Gaborone, Francistown, or Maun, all in Botswana. Depending on your starting point your itinerary will look slightly different.
Itinerary
Khama Rhino sanctuary is a good place to start your safari from, it’s 2 hours from the South African border, 3 hours from Francistown and 4 hours from Gaborone. If you start in Maun you can probably skip the sanctuary depending on your luck with spotting some rhinos in the national parks.
Khama Rhino Sanctuary
Khama Rhino Sanctuary
Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a great place to see some rhinos, there are both white and black rhinos there. Since it’s relatively small it won’t be difficult to find all the different animals by yourself but it’s still large enough to give you the reward of finding the animals. It also gives you the opportunity the practice your off-road skills without the danger of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere.
Ntewetwe salt pans
The salt pans provide an unreal mirror world in the dry season, where it’s easy to lose your sense of direction in the seemingly endless salt plane. A beautiful place to experience the full beauty of this place is Khubu island. This baobab filled island surrounded by the pans provides magical sunrises and sunsets.
Khubu island
Maun
Maun is the gateway to the Okavango delta and a good place to stock up on food, gas, and supplies. It’s also the place to get in an airplane and see the Delta from above. Some people say this is the highlight of their travel experience in Botswana, I wouldn’t go that far, but it certainly is a great addition to any safari.
Moreni National Park
From Maun it’s just a short drive to the south gate of Moreni NP, a good first camp site to explore the park from is Third bridge camp site.
Drive east to Khwai North gate camp site. From there it’s easy to explore both sides of the Khwai part. The Eastern part of Khwai offers great opportunities to watch hippo’s and crocodiles as you ride along the Khwai river.
hippo
Savuti National Park (Chobe National Park)
Exit the park through the north gate and head towards Savuti. It’s a long day’s drive to Savuti camp site at the northern edge of the park. Take the marsh road during the dry season since it crosses more interesting places. Savuti offers a wide array of animals, we saw elephants, jackals, hyenas, lions, giraffes, zebras and many more. Go to Bushman hill for some ancient rock art.
Chobe riverfront
Chobe riverfront is your best chance to see any animal, it’s packed to the brim with animals as all come the drink and feed on the banks of the Chobe river. Expect to see lions, leopards, etc. Best place to stay is Ilaha camp site as it’s situated inside the gates, giving you the freedom to go out whenever you want. But you’ll have to be lucky to get a place here, as places are booked well over a year in advance. The other option is to stay in nearby Kasane, and which is just a 15 min drive away. It’s said that the park doesn’t open for people not staying inside before 9am but we arrived at the gate well before sunrise (6am) and could drive through without any problem.
Leopard
Kasane
Kasane is a great base both for river excursions on the Chobe river, a great way to get up close and personal with the different animals. It’s also the place to book a day trip to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
Nata bird sanctuary
For a change of scenery and the opportunity to spot some birds instead of mammals visit the Nata bird sanctuary. What to expect? Tens of thousands of flamingos and the accompanying smell. Also, ostriches and packs of wildebeest.
1. Magritte Museum / Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
The Magritte Museum is a separate museum in a complex which houses 4 other museums. The Magritte Museum is by far the most interesting of the four but depending on your interests it may be worth it to buy a combination ticket for all four since it’s not that much more expensive than a single ticket.
The Magritte Museum is solely dedicated to the Belgian surrealist artist Rene Magritte. The museum displays his works in chronological order with letters and notes as background information. Magritte’s most iconic works are sadly missing from the collection, but nonetheless there are great works on display and the museum provides a good overall picture of his work. This museum outshines all other museums in Brussels in both the quality of the collection and the clear and helpful information provided
2. Bozar
Bozar is not so much a museum but more of a cultural centre. It has several concert halls, a cinema and large exhibition spaces. The exhibitions on display here are usually the best in Brussels but there is a big difference in the quality of the exhibitions. Some are must see exhibitions others certainly not. Bozar has no collection of its own so, pay a visit to their website to see what’s on and if it’s something that interests you.
3. Royal Museum of Armed Forces and Military History
The Royal Museum of Armed Forces and Millitary History
The Royal Museum of Armed Forces and Millitary History is not for everybody. First you should have an interest in the subject matter. And second, this museum is as much a museum of 19th century museums as it is a military museum. It’s one of the most old fashioned and decrepit museums we have ever visited. The curators have missed out on the maxim of ‘less is more’ and have stuffed each cabinet to the brim with weapons and uniforms.
With these sidenotes given, the collection is extensive and especially the world war one section is broad as is the collection of planes all displayed in a huge exhibition hall. As an added bonus, visitors to the museum get to visit the top of the huge arch which is connected to the museum. The arch provides a nice view over Brussels and the surrounding park.
4. House of European History
The house of European Hisotry is a completely free museum for everyone and tells the history of the European continent and the European Union. The museum is in stark contrast with the Royal Museum of Armed Forces and Millitary History as it is a modern museum with state of the art guidance throughout the place. It’s not so much a museum of objects as it is a museum of the European narrative told by the objects on display. The museum changes exhibitions every half year or so, the exhibitions are on a theme connected to Europe and its history. As this is a free museum, everybody should give it a try.
5. Horta Museum
The Horta Museum is housed in the private house and studio of the Belgian Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta. Horta designed several houses and buildings in Brussels, the four remaining ones are designated as UNESCO World heritage sites, the museum is one of these four. It is also the only one which is always open to the public to visit. Much of the interior and furniture is still in the original state.
Other museums
Brussels has a lot of other museums, some small others big like the Natural history museum, but none stand out in any way. So, if you didn’t find enough to see or if the museums covered are not what you’re looking for, here are a couple of other decent museums in Brussels.
The Museum of the City of Brussels is housed in the Broodhuys on the Grand Place. It’s a beautiful medieval building and it tells the story of the city of Brussels.
Museum of the City of Brussels
The Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium has a large collection of Iguanodon skeletons, most of which are in the faulty 19th century position. But beside that, it has a decent variety of different dinosaur skeletons and is especially fun with young children.
The Art & History Museum also in the Cinquantenaire park, is a huge museum with archeological finds and cultural objects from all over the world. It’s a depressing museum as it lacks good signages and lighting. The huge halls are usually devoid of other people adding to the strange atmosphere in the museum. It has good exhibitions though from time to time.
Also read our list of the best museums in Amsterdam.
Why should you go to Northwest France, while most people take the autoroute du Soleil to the sunnier southern parts of France?
Well there are many reasons, I will list just a few. In Northern France you can find the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in the world. You can enjoy the Atlantic beaches, the nice little harbour towns and go back in history and follow in the footsteps of all the French kings, Jeanne d’Arc, and explore the sparkling wines in the Champagne region. The Great War left innumerable scars to its landscape, villages and cities. And the beaches of Normandy were the starting point for the liberation of Western Europe during the Second World War. North-western France doesn’t fit the stereotypical image people have of France. There are no lavender fields, mountains or Roman Amphitheatres. But this part of France has a lot of other things to offer. To help you explore this part of France and we’ve listed our favourite spots in this itinerary for one week in Northwest France.
North Western France is comprised of three administrative regions: Normandy, Ile-de-France and Hauts-de-France which merges the former regions of Picardy and Pas-de-Calais.
Day one
We start our trip through North-western France in Reims, but the ideal starting point depends on your point of origin. From Paris it takes just an hour to reach Reims by train or 1.5 hour by car. Start in Lille if you come from Belgium, the Netherlands or the United Kingdom.
Stained glass windows by Marc Chagall in Reims cathedral
Reims
The main draw of Reims is its impressive 13th century Gothic Cathedral. This was the place were, from 1027 almost all French kings were coronated. The most famous coronation was probably the coronation of Charles VII in 1429 which was made possible by the actions of Joan of Arc. The cathedral was shelled by the Germans in World War I but has been restored since. One apse contains beautiful stained-glass windows by Marc Chagall.
Abbey of Saint-Remi
The abbey of Saint-Remi was founded in the sixth century, although most of what you can see today stems from the 11th century. Besides the abbey there was an abbey church, which was also replaced in the 11th century by the Basilica of Saint-Remi. Saint Remi baptised Clovis in the earlier church. This was a monumental historic event as it secured the safeguarded the continuation of the Christian faith in France and Western Europe. The remains of Saint Remi and of Carloman, the brother of Charlemagne, are kept in the abbey.
Palace of Tau
The Palace of Tau was the bishop’s palace and the place where the French kings would stay before their coronations. The palace grew out of a Gallo-Roman villa that was converted into a Carolingian palace. The oldest still remaining part is the chapel from 1207. Nowadays the palace houses a museum with tapestries, objects from the cathedral treasury and other objects associated with the coronation of the French kings.
Laon
It’s an hour by car or train to get from Reims to Laon. Laon has been of strategic importance for over 2,000 years. Before the Romans built a fort here, the local tribe used its location to protect against the Belgea. During the First World War it was captured by the Germans and held until the last summer of the war.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Laon
The most prominent building of the city which can be seen from afar is the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Laon. This early Gothic cathedral is special because of its uniformity of style and it has escaped both World Wars unscathed. You can find other medieval buildings in the old town centre which makes for a nice city walk.
Compiegne
Compiegne is mostly known as the site of the armistice between France and Germany at the end of World War I and the reverse armistice between Germany and France after the defeat of France by Hitler in 1940. A copy of the railroad carriage can be seen at the original site of the armistices in the nearby forest of Compiegne. The original carriage was destroyed by Allied bombing after it was taken to Berlin by the Germans.
The Château de Compiègne was one of the three royal residences outside of Paris, the other being Versailles and Fontainebleau. Now it houses three museums, one of the palace itself, one on the second French Empire and an automobile museum.
Compiegne is an hour drive by car from Laon.
Day 2
Beauvais cathedral
The beautiful gothic cathedral with the highest choir of a cathedral in the world. Work on the cathedral started in the beginning of the 13th century and the cathedral was left unfinished when work halted in 1600.
Rouen
This ancient French city was founded by Gaulish tribes and became a major Roman city afterwards. When the Normans invaded France, they made Rouen their capital. During the hundred years war Rouen was in the hands of the English for some 30 years. During this time Joan of Arc was brought to this city to be put on trial and subsequently burnt at the stake at the central market square.
The city centre of Rouen still has a lot of medieval half-timbered houses. Making it a delight to walk the streets and back-alleys. On your way you’ll come across the Gros Horloge an astronomical clock which is decades older than the other famous one in Prague.
The main sight is Rouen cathedral, the Gothic cathedral is built on the site of an earlier Roman church and replaced a later Romanesque cathedral in the 12th century. The cathedral was severely damaged by British and American bombing during the second world war.
Rouen Cathedral
The cathedral was famously painted by Claude Monet in several of his paintings.
Just behind the cathedral lies another beautiful Gothic building, the church of St. Ouen. The church is even bigger than the cathedral and houses an organ by the famous French organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll.
Another church built in the flamboyant Gothic style is the church of Saint-Maclou. It lies on a small square surrounded by beautiful half-timbered houses.
Museums in Rouen
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen
The biggest museum of Rouen is the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen. It has a big collection of paintings from the 15th to the 21st century. Highlights are works by Velazquez, Monet and Modigliani.
If you’re interested in the story of Joan of Arc, a visit to the Historial Jeanne d’Arc is a must. It is an interactive journey which tells the story of Joan with modern means.
And a visit to Rouen is not complete without a visit to its marketplace where Joan was burned. There is a modern church in the middle of the square and a little statue at the site of the stake.
Day three
We follow the river Seine westwards towards the sea. As the river winds slowly through the Parc Naturel Regional de Brotonne we come upon two old abbeys. The Abbaye St-Martin de Boscherville and the romantic ruins of the abbaye de Jumieges which was founded in 654.
Honfleur
The harbour of Honfleur by night.
Where the Seine flows into the Channel lies the quiet little harbour town of Honfleur.
This charming town hasn’t changed in centuries. It’s a good place to get some calvados, the local apple brandy. Stay here or in one of the other seaside towns in the direction of Caen.
Caen
Caen started as a Gallic settlement, but it was during the Norman times that the city really took off. William the Conqueror made it his capital of his duchy, built an enormous castle and churches and abbeys.
Much of medieval Caen was destroyed by the Allies during the liberation of France.
But nowadays the abbeys have been beautifully rebuilt.
Castle of Caen
The best one is the abbaye-aux-Hommes, William started this building in 1066. The abbey is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in Normandy.
Memorial of Caen
If you’re interested in World War II museums or D-day, this museum is a must.
On a hill in the centre of town lies the castle of William the conqueror. He built it before his invasion of England. It served as the powerbase of the Norman Dukes until it was captured by the French King in 1204.
Day four
Bayeux
Bayeux cathedral
In Bayeux are two magnificent souvenirs of William the Conqueror. The greatest is the majestic and unique tapestry of Bayeux, this exquisite tapestry tells the tale of the Norman conquest of England. All the important moments of this history are embroided on this 70-meter-long tapestry.
The other souvenir is the Cathedral Notre Dame, which originally displayed the tapestry. The tapestry and the cathedral were both commissioned by Odo of Bayeux the half-brother of William.
Normandy beaches
Bayeux is close to the Normandy beaches. There are many museums nearby the several beaches, together with memorials and cemeteries.
We went to Omaha beach and the American cemetery there. Here you’ll find a very informative memorial centre free of charge with a good overview of the different events of the invasion.
Utah beach
Nearby lies the Overlord museum, this paid museum has a big collection of vehicles used in the invasion.
Day five
Le Havre
On the other side of the Seine lies a city with a completely different look than the idyllic harbour towns like Honfleur. Le Havre was almost completely destroyed by American bombing during the invasion in 1944. The architect Auguste Perret lead the rebuilding of the city which was recognized as UNESCO World Heritage in 2004. Auguste Perret was a teacher of Le Corbusier, and his style has a lot of similarities, the brutalistic use of concrete.
The most impressive building by Perret is the St. Joseph’s Church near the seaside. The church built in the shape of a lighthouse is an impressive piece of modernist architecture.
Another interesting building is the House of Culture, nicknamed the Volcano.
Le Volcan by Oscar Niemeyer
Etretat
After so much cultural sights it’s time for a change and some naturel wonders. Therefor we go to Etretat and its chalk cliffs and the famous natural arches. So, go for a walk along the cliffside.
Day six
Amiens
We end our day in Amiens, with its famous Gothic cathedral. This cathedral is the biggest cathedral of France, building started in 1220 and the cathedral was finished in relatively short time, only some 50 years, where most other cathedrals took centuries to finish. The beauty of this cathedral lies in its intricate sculptures.
Somme
Near Amiens lay many of the sad battlefields of the First World War. The infamous battle of the Somme was fought here, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers are still remembered as unknown soldiers. The scars of this horrific conflict are still visible in both the graveyards and the landscape. We visit the Thiepval Memorial, this huge memorial building commemorates the more than 70,000 missing Commonwealth service men lost during the battle of the Somme.
Thiepval memorial
Arras
To the north of Thiepval lies the Arras, which grew rich from the wool trade in the Middle ages. It changed hands several times until 1640 when it was ceded to the French crown for good. The city was severely damaged during the first world war but much of its historic centre has been rebuild. The city has two buildings listed as two different UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The belfry of the town is part of the as part of the Belfries of Belgium and France group. The Vauban citadel is part of the Fortifications of Vauban group. The city also has two large squares, La Grand’ Place and La Place des Héros.
Day seven
Lens
Louvre Lens
Lens was a mining town during from the 19t century until the 1980’s when the last mines closed. The surrounding area is still scattered with surreal pyramid like hills from this time. As a way to revitalize this part of France, an annex of the Louvre was opened here. This Louvre Lens is a very interesting museum. It has two parts, a big hall with the free collection and another hall for paid exhibitions. The beauty of the main collection is the fact that all the items are situated in one hall in chronological order.
Lille
Lille or Rijsel the Dutch name was originally part of the county of Flanders. It exchanged hands several times until it finally ended up in French hands at the end of the 19th Century. The shared heritage of this city is still visible in its buildings which have a more northern façade than buildings in most other France cities.
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille
The Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille is one of the oldest museums of France. The large museum has a nice collection of paintings from the Middle Ages upon modern times. The collection includes works by Van Dyck, Rembrandt, Delacroix and Claudel.
Citadelle de Lille
The citadel was built by the military engineer Vauban, who built many similar fortresses along France its border at the order of Louis XIV. Many of his creations can be seen in the unique section of the Palais des Beaux-Arts which houses the models of various border towns.
Art Deco
Lille is a great place to admire some art deco style buildings. Some prime examples are the former fish restaurant ‘a la Huîtrière’ in the Rue des Chats Bossus, the old newspaper building ‘La voix du Nord’ at the place Charles du Gaulle and the bakery ‘ Maison Méert’ in the Rue Esquermoise. Maison Méert is also a great place to eat some waffles.
Roubaix
If you’re really into art nouveau, then make the trip to the neighbouring town of Roubaix. There the art nouveau swimming pool has been converted into a museum and it’s a delight to marvel at the architecture and the art in this building.
Also read our article about Bourges cathedral for more Gothic art!
Trier is the oldest city in Germany, founded somewhere around 400 BCE. It became a prominent Roman border town when the Romans conquered the town and established a roman colony here. It’s heighday came after the Imperial reforms of Diocletian when the city became a residence of the Western Roman emperor. The town housed as much as 100,000 people by then, almost as much as today.
It’s the Roman remains that attract most visitors to Trier. It is by far the best Northern European town to view Roman remains. So most of our listed highlights are connected to the Romans in one way or another.
Porta Nigra
Porta Nigra
The most famous and iconic of all the Roman remains in Trier is the Porta Nigra. This large Roman gate was part of the huge wall around the city and one of the four main entry gates of the city. It was probably built after the Frankish incursion of 275 and likely by Constantine in the early 4th century as the building was left unfinished as were his baths.
A Greek monk lived in the ruins of the Porta Nigra in the 11th century. After his death the gate was transformed into a church in his honor. It was Napoleon who ordered this church to be torn down when he conquered the city and to restore the gate back to its original Roman state.
Dom St. Peter zu Trier
Trier Cathedral is the oldest church of Germany and probably built upon the site of an earlier Roman church. The cathedral was probably started by Constantine, but much of his building was destroyed by the Franks in the 5th century, it was rebuild several times since then but its Roman and Romanesque origins are still visible as are large parts of the original Roman brick walls.
Konstantinbasilika (Aula Palatina)
Konstantinbasilika
The Konstantinbasilika or Aula Palatina was commisioned by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great around 310 CE. The original building was sadly destroyed by an Allied air raid during the second World War. But it has since been rebuild and is one of the best places to give you an idea of what a late Roman basilica would have looked like. Pay special attention to the windows in the apse, they give the optical illusion that the apse is much bigger than it really is. This sophisticated effect is created by lowering the line of the apse windows and making them smaller than the ones in the nave. It’s a good example of the fact that during this period the quality of the architecture of the Roman provinces would surpass that of Rome itself.
Rheinisches Landesmuseum
The Rheinisches Landesmuseum is an archeology museum displaying many of the stunning Roman finds from the city. They have huge mosaics, statues, tombs and much more. But the complete collection spans a wider timeframe. So, there are also artifacts from the prehistory until the late middle ages on display.
Roman Amphitheater
Amphitheater
The Roman amphitheater in Trier was erected during the 2nd century. It could house some 20,000 spectators for gladiator shows and other events. Although the seating is mostly covered by grass now, you can still get a good idea of the whole place. The Arena floor has been rebuild and you can enter the remains of the underground where the gladiators and animals would have been kept.
Kaiserthermen
The Kaiserthermen or the Imperial baths were also commissioned by Constantine in the 4th century. The baths were only later finished as Constantine had to leave to the East where he would found his new capital Constaninople. Valentinian would finish them but on a smaller scale than originally intended. The design is fairly similar to the earlier St Barabara Baths which can be found 1 km to the east.
Roman Bridge
Roman bridge
Just beyond the St Barbara Baths lies the ancient Roman bridge over the river Moselle. This is the oldest standing bridge of Germany. The remaining Roman parts are the pillars of the bridge, these are still the original ones from the second century. The upper part has been restored several times.
Liebfrauenkirche
The only building without Roman links on our list is the Liebfrauenkirche. Although the church is built on top of an earlier Roman double church and some of the Roman foundations are used for the huge Gothic pillars of this building. This early 13th century church is one of the earliest Gothic churches in Germany.
Renting a car has a lot of advantages: It
gives total freedom and flexibility, you can get off the beaten track,
exploring a country’s rural areas and finding hidden gems. We just like to make
our own itinerary, independent of tour organisations, train schedules and
buses. Just the two of us, in a car, and some pins on a map to guide us through
the country. After dozens of car rentals all over the world, we have some tips
to share.
Top-up your credit card before departure
Our best and number one tip is to make sure
you can pay the deposit for your rental car. Sometimes it can be €1,500/$1,500
or more.
So if your card has a spending limit of a
€1.000, you can temporarily increase the limit by either asking for a higher
limit or just top off the card with the amount needed.
When you’re unable to pay for the deposit,
you either can’t get the car, ruining your plans, or you’ll have to buy off the
deposit by taking all the insurances at a premium.
This can easily double your expected
expenses. So be 100% sure there is enough money on your credit card to pay for
the deposit.
Do you plan to cross borders?
Check beforehand if it is possible to cross
borders with your rental car if you’re planning to do so. Also, check if there
are any extra costs to cross country borders. These costs can be very high,
depending on the rental company. So it’s smart to check this before booking
your car because otherwise your cheap car deal can become much more expensive
after all.
Check if there is a limited mileage
Another thing to check is if the car comes
with limited mileage. If so, calculate how much you want to drive and check if
this is within the maximum mileage. If not, think if it’s cheaper to buy
unlimited mileage, just to pay for the extra miles or rent at another company. Take
into account that you always drive a bit more than your itinerary might tell
you, as you might want to be able to take some detours and be flexible, that
was the whole reason to get a car in the first place.
When to arrange an international drivers’ license
(International Driving Permit)
Touring Russia
The simplest way to check is if the country
you’re visiting has the same script. For example, Russia uses a Cyrillian
script where many European and American countries use the Roman script. Another
condition can be the language, is the drivers’ licence in English or does it
has an English translation, then it can be used in most countries with a Roman script.
If these things are not the case or you’re not sure check with your national
automobile association. In most countries, international driving permits are
issued by automobile associations, so get it there.
Add a second driver?
It can be costly to add a second driver
when renting a car. So when we go on a weekend trip, we usually do not add a
second driver. This saves some money that we can spend on an extra museum visit
or diner. When we go on longer trips and have to drive a lot, we always add an extra
driver to share the burden. If you want to do this, check the costs between
different companies as it can add up for longer trips.
Rent a small car
We always rent the smallest and usually the
cheapest car that’s on offer. We even drove off-road in Nordic Iceland in a
tiny city car. It’s just cheaper petrol-wise, easy to park, less chance for
scratches, and better for the environment. So get the smallest car that suits
your needs.
Driving around Iceland
When to take the extra insurance
Did you ever check if your credit card offers
insurance for car rental? Some do! So in that case, don’t take out double insurance
by taking the extra insurance of the rental car organization. Moreover, if
you’re renting a car in Europe, the basic insurance is always included (by
law), so it’s on average just cheaper not to take any other ‘extra’ insurance.
When travelling to non-EU countries, it can make sense to take the basic
insurance. The costs of car accidents can easily sum-up to a LOT of money. To
decide on this, check the costs of the insurance itself, the driving culture of
the country and the general status of the cars to get an indication of the
driving culture. Also, take into account the ‘stress’ it might give you driving
without insecure.
Use a price comparison website
There are several price comparison
websites. Use different ones to find the best deals available. We usually use
carrentals.com or kayak.com.
Use maps.me
We always use Maps.me as navigation. The
big plus is that you can pin the sites you want to visit, you can download offline
maps and you can use it if you don’t have GPS, internet, reception and are in
the middle of nowhere. You just need a phone with a battery. Moreover, it is
quite detailed, even small hiking trails are shown on the maps. Another plus is
that it is open-source software.
Rent an automatic car when driving on the other side of
the road
We always rent an automatic car when
travelling to a country where they drive on the left side. It just saves some
stress not to shift gears every time you need to start driving, take a turn or navigate
a round-about. It’s a nice luxury that
we really enjoy, and it’s often not even that more expensive.
Our small rental car at beautiful Glen Coe
Take pictures before and after renting the car
Take pictures of the car before you start
driving, to make sure that you have your own proof of the state of the car at the
pick-up. Most rental organisations provide an illustration of the damage that
can be on the car, but it’s always nice to have proof of your own as well, to
be independent and safe. We usually take 8 pictures, one from every side and
every corner. However, after travelling in Botswana we learned that it can also
be wise to take a picture of the roof, as we got a big bill for a small dent on
the roof that we honestly did not know about. Also take pictures when returning
your car, to avoid surprises afterwards. This is something you should
especially do if you return the car after office hours.
Car with some dents in Jordan
Clean the inside of your car
Clean the inside of your car before returning it. Besides being the civil thing to do, throwing away your garbage and ensure your car doesn’t look like a garbage dump can also help you avoid a hefty cleaning bill.
Prepare for different audio systems
We like to play music while on the road. Most
modern cars come with a Bluetooth audio system so you can easily pair your
phone to listen to music. Be sure to limit the access to your phone to the
music and delete everything when returning the car. If you have a simpler car,
bring an aux-cable so you can play music from your phone or mp3 player that
way. And before you go, make a nice playlist, the preparation of a journey is
half the fun.
The city of Pavia lies beside the Ticino river and in the shadow
of Milan, which is just a half-hour away. It was an important place under the
Roman Empire. When the Longobards invaded Italy they made Pavia their capital. Unfortunately,
not much remains from this time as the Hungarians burned Pavia down in 924. It
remained the capital of the Italian Kingdom until the 12th century.
Nowadays it’s a peaceful city with its most famous sight situated outside the
city, the Certosa di Pavia. Below, you can find the most impressive historic
sights listed. Just follow our itinerary to get most out of your visit to Pavia!
Certosa di Pavia
The Certosa di Pavia is an extravagant late 14th-century
monastery. The building was commissioned by the powerful Visconti family from
Milan. The highlight is the church with beautiful tombs. The rest of the
monastery can only be visited by guided tour. Check out the website for opening
times, it’s closed on Mondays and for midday mass every day.
Piazza della Vittoria
Start your walk through the town at the Piazza della Vittoria.
This cobblestoned square has a lot of bars and restaurants to get a drink and a
bite to eat. On the southern end of the square stands the Broletto, the
medieval town hall from the 11th century.
Piazza della Vittoria
Duomo di Pavia
South of the Broletto can you find the Duomo
di Pavia, the cathedral of Pavia. Construction started at the end of the 15th
century and the cathedral supplanted two earlier churches located there. Construction
was not finished until the 1930’s and has a history of collapses. First, the
dome collapsed in 1885 just after it was finished. Second, next door Civic
Tower collapsed and killed four people in 1989. The remains of the tower can
still be seen today.
Dome of Duomo di Pavia
San Teodoro
If you head southwest towards the river you walk
along the romanesque San Teodoro church. This small red-bricked building has
some nice frescos inside.
Porta Calcinara
As you reach the river you’ll see one of the
remaining city gates, the Porta Calcinara.
This 12th-century gate is one of the few reminders of the medieval
city walls.
Ponte Coperto
Go down to the banks of the river for a nice view of the medieval
covered bridge, the Ponte Coperto. This bridge is a 20th-century
reconstruction of the medieval bridge as the bridge was heavily damaged by
Allied bombardments during the second world war. The medieval bridge was built
in 1354 to replace the earlier Roman bridge which was also situated at this
crossing point.
Ponte Coperto
Basilica di San Michele Maggiore
Head back northeast into the city, the view the beautiful and
important 11th-century Basilica di San Michele Maggiore. It’s a fine
example of a Lombard style church and it is historically important too. It was
here that the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (Redbeard) was crowned
King of Italy in 1155, and so were many other Italian kings.
Medieval Towers
Continue northwards towards Piazza
Leonardo Da Vinci. Here you’ll find a couple of interesting buildings. Most
photogenic are the three medieval towers standing in the corner of the square.
They give you some idea why Pavia was once called the city of hundred towers,
as the city used to be covered with towers like this. The towers are some 40-50
meters high and date from the 12th century.
Another
interesting site is the remains of the Chiesa di Sant’Eusebio. All that
remains is the 7th-century crypt but this is an early example of
Lombard Christian architecture.
On the northern
end of the square lies the University of Pavia, one of the older
universities in the world as it was founded in 1361.
Castell Visconteo
Castell Visconteo
The castle lies in the northern part of town and houses the city
museums of Pavia (Musei Civici). The castle dates from the end of the 14th
century and served as a palace for the dukes of the Visconti and later the
Sforza families.
How to spend two days in Milan? There is much more to see and do in Milan than fashion shopping. Milan is an ancient city with beautiful churches, squares, museums and private houses. If you’re here for a weekend trip, we’ll have the best itinerary for you, filled with the finest art, ancient culture and impressive history. But you can always pick and choose if you have less time or add some other stuff you would like to visit such as the San Siro football stadium.
Day 1 in Milan
Castello Sforzo
Cortile delle Armi (Ducal Court)
On the northwestern edge of the city center
lies the Castello Sforzo from the 15th century. It was built by the Duke
of Milan Fransesco Sforza on the site of the destroyed castle of the city’s
previous rulers, the Visconti family. The castle is decorated wih several
frescos by Leonardo da Vinci. The castle houses 9 different civic museums
ranging from prehistoric archeology to wooden sculptures and from paintings to
tapestries.
San Maurizo al Monastero
Walk from the castle into the old part of
Milan and after a couple of minute you’ll reach the Chiesa di San Maurizio al Monastero
Maggiore. This beautifully painted church used to be attached to the next door
benedict monastery. The church is a 16th century baroque little gem.
Museo Archeologico
Maximian Roman wall
The cities archaeology museum is housed in the
former monastery which was built on top of and reused many building materials
of the nearby Roman ruins. So it’s an excellent place to explain the different
time periods and how they interlink. The main focus is on the Etruscan and
Roman period, the museum has some nice finds on display. You can also visit an
old polygonal tower which belonged to the Maximian Roman walls.
Leonardo da Vinci
The highlight of many people’s visit to Milan
is Leonardo’s huge fresco painting of the Last Supper. If you also want to see
it make sure to reserve tickets in advance. Tickets are sold out weeks in
advance so plan carefully. If you manage to get tickets, be sure to be on time
for your timeslot of 15 minutes and enjoy. It’s a beautiful work of art and you
can admire it in relative quietness with just 30 other people at the time.
Last Supper by da Vinci
Santa Maria delle Grazie
The last supper is located in the refectory of
the Santa Maria delle Grazie but you’ll need separate tickets for both. The
church served as a burial site for the Sforza family. The church was heavily
damaged by Allied bombing in World War II, but the wall with Da Vinci’s fresco
was protected by sandbags and survived without any major damage.
Basilica Sant Ambrosio
To the southeast lies the Basilica di
Sant’Ambrogio, one of the oldest churches in Milan. Built by St. Ambrose in
379, although almost everything you see today dates from the 12th
century. The basilica is surrounded by a monastery which dates from the 8th
century. The monastery housed two different orders, that division is still
visible today by the two different towers, one from the 9th century
and the other from the 12th century. This church was another victim of
the allied bombing raid of 1943 and has been heavily restored. The crypt houses
the tomb of the Holy Roman Emperor Louis II.
Duomo di Milano
The most famous church of Milan is its duomo
or cathedral. It is the largest church in Italy and took six centuries to
complete. Work started in 1386 and was not completed until 1965. This results
in a very eclectic style of the building, originally a French-style gothic
building, but now a mix of that with all the later styles and whims of the
rulers and builders during the ages. The roof of the cathedral provides
marvelous views over the city but it can be busy, so it’s not ideal for those
with fear of heights.
Duomo
Pinacotea Ambrosiana
Housed in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, the
pinacotea has a good collection of renaissance art with some masterpieces by Da
Vinci, Caravaggio and Rafael. The library houses several manuscripts by Da
Vinci.
Santa Maria presso San Satiro
Santa Maria presso San Satiro is a nice little
church built at the end of the 15th century. The main draw is the
false apse at the backend of the church. Due to a limited amount of space, the
apse is painted by Bramante with a perspective
illusion choir. One of the first examples of trompe l’oeil in the history of
art.
Basillica di Lorenzo Maggio
The Basillica di Lorenzo Maggio is one of the
oldest churches in Milan and its origin dates back to Roman times. The building
of the basilica started somewhere at the end of the 4th century. In
1071 the basilica was ravaged by fire which destroyed most of the original
interior decorations and made new restorations necessary. In 1573 the dome of
the basilica collapsed, which was subsequentially rebuild. It’s a great example
of a Roman basilica church although heavily reconstructed throughout the ages.
It still houses an original 4th century mosaic of Christ the
Lawgiver.
Basillica di Lorenzo Maggio by night
Day 2 in Milan
Pinacoteca di Brera
Start your day early with a visit to the
Pinacoteca di Brera which is housed in the Palazzo Brera. The pinacoteca is the
best gallery to view Italian paintings in Milan. In its collection are works by
the likes of Raphael, Belinni, Tintoretto, Caravagio and Titian.
Pinacoteca di Brera
Villa Reale / Galleria d’Arte Moderna
The Villa Reale houses the Galleria d’Arte
Moderna. This relatively small museum has a collection of 18th until
20th century works. Principal works in the collection include works
by artists like Van Gogh, Picasso and Gauguin.
Also visit the opposite Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea
if you like contemporary art.
Villa Necchi
Villa Necchi is a beautiful villa from the
1930’s. Some of the rooms are still decorated with furniture from this era. The
villa and its surrounding garden form a quiet repose from the busy city. The
villa is part of the 4 Case Museo di Milano network and you can buy one
entrance ticket for all four houses. Depending on the amount you want to visit
this can be a good deal, but beware that Case Boschi de Stefano is free to
enter anyway.
Case Boschi de Stefano
Case Boschi de Stefano is a historical
residence once inhabited by the couple Antonio Boschi and Marieda Di Stefano. They
were huge art collectors and their collection includes more than 2,000 works of
art. Over 300 of those works are on display in this house that is packed with
paintings. No wall is free of art, maybe not the best way to display this many
works of art but it’s a great collection of mainly 20th century
Italian art which you wouldn’t see elsewhere. And since the museum is free,
there is no reason to skip this gem.
Basilica San Nazaro in Brolo
Basilica San Nazaro in Brolo is another church
founded by St. Ambrose. This church was built at the end of the 4th
century but not much remains of the original building. The old façade is
obstructed by the Trivulzio Mausoleum from 1512.
Navigile Grande
The Navigile Grande is the biggest of the canals dug in Milan. Its origin dates back to the time of Frederick Barbarossa and was one of the biggest engineering projects during the Middle Ages in Italy. Nowadays it’s a good place to go for a walk, have a drink and have dinner.
Day trips from Milan
There are a lot of beautiful places around Milan. We can recommend going to Turin to be closer to the mountains, get some royal history, a superb Egyptian museum and several other great museums.
Another good day trip is to Pavia, this city lies just a half hour south of Milan and is very compact and has kept much of its medieval atmosphere. Don’t forget to stop at Certosa de Pavia, this monastery is beautiful..
Iceland is one of our favourite countries for traveling, its spectacular scenery will stay with you for the rest of your life. Are you planning to go to Iceland? Read our tips for getting the most out of your trip
1. Rent a car
Iceland is a perfect country for a road trip, as it gives you the freedom to explore the country at your own pace. Some people bring their own car, which is already possible from €435, but there are many rental companies next to Reykjavik airport. When you plan to leave the ring road – Iceland’s main road that brings you around the whole island – it might be wise to hire a four-wheel-drive, as the road might be unpaved. We managed to make it in an Open Corsa as well. However, take a look at the weather forecasts, as it can be too windy or cold for such a car.
Stay 6 days, or at least 4
Despite what many other travel blogs say, it is possible to do the Iceland round trip in four days. And yes, this includes time for sightseeing, hiking, whale watching and puffin spotting. You can find our itinerary in this article. However, it would be ideal to have a little extra time for some more exploring off the beaten track. We would say it is ideal to stay in Iceland for six days. Of course, the longer the better, as it is an amazing country, but in six days you can get a really good impression of this amazing country and its spectacular nature.
Read the information signs
We always read the information signs along the roads, trails or sites we pass. But in Iceland we really recommend you to do so as well, as it gives a very nice insight in Iceland culture, which includes an incredibly amount of trolls, elves and other magical creatures. Icelanders take fairy tales very seriously. With these (hi)stories in mind, the rock formations can get a totally new dimension, and you inspect all small caves just a bit more extensive.
Don’t bring your umbrella
Don’t bring your umbrella, but wear a wind jacket instead, as it’s not comfortable to keep your umbrella up with the strong winds that pass the island regularly. Sometimes it just feels the wind is blowing from all directions.
Tank at every gas station
There can be a large distance between gas stations in Iceland, so top your tack frequently. We also ran out of gas, when the ring road was blocked due to an accident, and we had to do a detour of 70KM. It were the longest 70 KM of our lives. When you arrive at a gas station, take a closer look at them, as gas stations in Iceland are a strange breed. They can very well be a peculiar combination of retail, grocery, tourist information and community center.
Don’t step on the moss
Moss on a rock
Nature is fragile, especially in the harsh climate of Iceland. Don’t leave the path, stick on the trail, and don’t step on the moss. The moss is easily damaged, and potentially irreparably. Footprints – and tire marks – can take a very long time to heal.
Go in June (or in September)
June is a perfect month for traveling to Iceland, as the melting ice makes the waterfalls impressive. The flowers are blooming, the birds are breeding, and the weather is comfortable. Furthermore, the midnight sun will give you an energy boost, so you will enjoy the island even more! The only downside is that you will not experience the Northern Lights. If these are high on your list, we recommend you to go in September, when the weather is still nice, but the nights are dark enough to see the magical phenomenon.
Bring your bottle
Iceland’s tap water is not only completely
safe to drink, it is probably the tastiest water you have ever had. So don’t
burden the environment (and your wallet) by buying bottled water, just bring
bottles from home and fill them with Iceland’s tap water.
Money-saving tips when going to Iceland
Iceland is worth every penny, as it is such a beautiful country. However, it is one of the most expensive countries in the world. But it does not need to be an expensive holiday if you follow our tips.
Nature is free
The number one reason why Iceland does not need to be extensive is because of its spectacular nature, which will keep you occupied during your whole stay. Hiking through the mountains, watching waterfalls, ice lakes, and glaciers, and looking for puffins is simply free.
Drink water from the tap
Drink water from the tap, it is completely safe and very clean. In fact, it is probably the tastiest water you can get. So don’t burden the environment (and your wallet) by buying bottled water, just bring bottles from home and fill them with Iceland’s tap water.
Buy food at the supermarket (just don’t count on ‘Bonus’
Buy your breakfast and lunch at the supermarket. This will easily save you some money. There are supermarkets in almost every town. ‘Bonus’ is said to be the cheapest supermarket, however it has quite restricted opening hours and it is mostly located close to Reykjavik, which is why we did not manage to shop at Bonus. However, also at other supermarkets, we could shop some bread, hummus, fruits, snacks and Skyr, more than enough to keep us filled for the day, under €10 per day per person. It might be wise to pack a knife and a plate, to conveniently prepare the food.
Book your stay wisely
Hotels in Iceland are not cheap, but you can find nice hotels for €80 per night (two persons). You just have to be a bit creative. Our cheapest stay was a capsule hotel in Akureyri. Our best was a tiny house in Egilsstadir. If you cannot find an affordable stay right away, it can also be worthwile to wait a little longer, as prices may drop closer to the date. Use different booking sites to find the best deal. We always go for Airbnb and booking.com, and also use google to find local
