The port city of Nafplio on the Argolic Gulf

12 September 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  6 minutes

View from Palamidi Castle © Luu

View from Palamidi Castle © Luu

Nafplio (or Nafplion) is a seaport town in the Peloponnese in Greece that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf. The town was the first capital of modern Greece, from the start of the Greek Revolution in 1821 until 1834. Nafplio is now the capital of the regional unit of Argolis.   read more…

The Hanseatic city of Lüneburg

11 September 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  7 minutes

Am Sande Street © Frank Vincentz

Am Sande Street © Frank Vincentz

Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about 45 km (28 mi) southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg’s inner suburbs. Lüneburg has a population of around 72 000. The district of Lüneburg, which includes the surrounding communities like Adendorf, Bardowick, and Reppenstedt, has a population of around 103 000. Lüneburg has been allowed to use the title “Hansestadt” (Hanseatic Town) in its name since 2007, in recognition of its membership in the former Hanseatic League; it is also a university town. As of December 2007, the town was the 120th largest in Germany.   read more…

Oestrich-Winkel in the Rheingau

10 September 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks Reading Time:  5 minutes

Vinyards and Vollrads Castle © Brühl

Vinyards and Vollrads Castle © Brühl

Oestrich-Winkel is a town in the Rheingau-Taunus district in the Darmstadt region in Hesse and is characterized by winegrowing. The Rheingau Music Festival has its office in Oestrich in a former winery, the presshouse (Kelterhalle) converted to a hall for intimitate concerts and events.   read more…

Aarhus in Midtjylland

7 September 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, European Union, European Capital of Culture Reading Time:  6 minutes

Hotel Royal with Christian X of Denmark statue © trøjborg1

Hotel Royal with Christian X of Denmark statue © trøjborg1

Aarhus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark. Aarhus is the seat of the council of Aarhus municipality with 315,193 inhabitants and 252,213 in the inner urban area. According to Aarhus municipality, the “Greater Aarhus” area has a population of about 1.2 million people. The city claims the unofficial title “Capital of Jutland”.   read more…

Les UX in Paris

5 September 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Paris / Île-de-France Reading Time:  6 minutes

Pantheon in Paris © Manfred Heyde

Pantheon in Paris © Manfred Heyde

The UX (for Urban eXperiment) is an underground organization that improves hidden corners of Paris. Their works have included restoring the Panthéon clock, building a cinema, complete with bar and restaurant, underneath the Trocadéro, restoring medieval crypts, and staging plays and readings in monuments after dark. The group’s membership is largely secret, but its spokespeople include Lazar Kunstmann.   read more…

Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence of the popes

5 September 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Palaces, Castles, Manors, Parks Reading Time:  7 minutes

Castel Gandolfo © Deblu68

Castel Gandolfo © Deblu68

Castel Gandolfo is a small Italian town or comune in Lazio that occupies a height overlooking Lake Albano about 15 miles south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills. It is best known as the summer residence of the Pope. It is an Italian town with the population of 8834. The town was voted one of the most beautiful towns in Italy.   read more…

Avranches in the Basse-Normandie

4 September 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

© Man vyi

© Man vyi

Avranches is a commune in the Manche department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called Avranchinais.   read more…

Växjö in Southern Sweden

3 September 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

Växjö Theatre © Mikael Ekbäck

Växjö Theatre © Mikael Ekbäck

Växjö is a city and the seat of Växjö Municipality, Kronoberg County, with 60,887 inhabitants. It is the administrative, cultural and industrial centre of Kronoberg County. The town is home to Linnaeus University. Växjö houses Sweden’s National Glass Museum and claims to be the capital of the Kingdom of Crystal as well as of the “Kingdom of Furniture”.   read more…

Siciliy’s green diamonds – the pistachios city of Bronte

31 August 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  7 minutes

© SR/Julia Leiendecker

© SR/Julia Leiendecker

Bronte is a town and comune of Sicily. Bronte is located slightly northwest of Mount Etna, on the side of the valley of the Simeto river. It is about 30 kilometers west of the coast.   read more…

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