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It is definatly worth a visit here from Krakow. The first time i visited the tour was in Polish and i was left a little disapointed but i went back a few months later and had a tour in English, which i could understand much better!, an i was really impressed. The main Chapple?Cathedral is hugly impresive it looks similar to most cathedrals but the entire thing i carved out of one giant piece of salt! worth the entrance fee alone!.

Krakow is a truley stunning place, the main square and the Wawel are lovely and it is worth the time to wander around the Jewish quater aswell much better than Pragues. The night life here is also astounding (i honestly never thought i would say that about Poland!) try some of the many bars in caves around the main sqaure especially CW Bruwar, which sells beer by the metre!! Krakow also makes a great base for exploring the other nearby sites on the UNESCO list Auschwitz Birkenau, and the Wieleczka Salt mines both a short train ride from the main station.

Petra was the most unexpected delight and one of my all time favorite places. It was more spectacular than I was expected. A local guide took me thru the gate - before offical opening time (he knew some gaurds - and perhaps some money changed hands). We hiked in the dark to the place of high sacrafice - to see the sunrise over the whole site. After going back down into the city in the valley below I explored the entire site - for hours on my own. I loved the color of the rocks, the remoteness and size of the place - and the general lack of hordes of tourists. Well worth a visit.

Carthage is a bit disappointing because not much is left but the trip alone is worth it. Take an electric trolley from Tunis and you can walk to the main part of the site from the Carthage Hannibal trolley stop. The museum is quite good but watch out for "freelancing" guides. The Roman mosaics in the courtyard of the museum are breathtaking and are just casually laying everywhere you look. Also, the view of the sea is fantastic from the hilltop. We tried to find the stadium but never could. Watch your belongings on the trolley!

Uxmal is near Merida on the Yucatan peninsula. Uxmal is less frequently visited than nearby Chichen Itza. This ruin is indicative of the Puuc style of architecture and was built around 300-950 AD. The pyramid of the magician is crisply restored as are many other buildings but others are still in complete ruin. The Palace of the Governors is built on the highest point in the area and has some unusual carving. Look for the grotesque carved masks and chak carvings. Also, don't miss the separate site of Kabah nearby. The arch has some original hand prints on it. Some comfortable hacienda style hotels are nearby. I don't think you can get here on a public bus but you can book a tour from Merida and maybe even from Cancun. The place was deserted when I visited in 2003.

Tlacotalpan is a town that time has passed by. That's a good thing. The town is the most colorful town I've ever seen. It also has the most power lines. The colonial style town is significant simply because it has been forgotten - mostly since it's no longer a port city due to sedimentation. The entire town shuts down for several hours for a siesta in the heat of the afternoon. This makes a perfect time to wander around and take fantastic photographs. The museum is very primitive but the photography in the museum is fascinating. This is a town that you cannot get a feel for by just taking a quick bus tour through. You need to walk, and talk to the locals and just watch the dust settle. Tlacotalpan is about 1.5 very bumpy hrs. south of Veracruz.

Casas Grandes is a 50 mile drive south of the New Mexico, USA border into Chihuahua, Mexico on a good highway. The adobe or mud city is partially restored and provides a good example of how the pueblo native americans settled down. The adjoining museum is excellent. Nuevo Casas Grandes is just 15km down the road with great restaurants and motels. Also, you don't need to speak Spanish to get there. Like other pueblo indian sites, the dwellings are apartment style buildings with everyone living in close quarters.

I was lucky enough to visit in Nov 2003. You must make reservations at least 1 month in advance. Only 45 or so people get to go in per day in groups of 12-15. The Hypogeum is a massive underground series of carved out caverns that contained the remains of more than 7,000 humans. Some red faded rock painting remains. Recent research indicates that this site could be as much as 12,000 years old. The film and informative tour guides insure a thorough understanding of the site but no photos are allowed. They lock up your cameras! Not recommended for claustrophobiacs. The site is a 30 minute bus ride from Valletta. Be sure to visit the archaeological museum in Valletta to round out the experience.

Quebec City is Europe in North America. The city deserves several days to visit thoroughly and wander all the streets. The citadel and the upper town are lined with 200 year old cannons and overlook the Palais Royal or lower town. This is the kind of town to enjoy by sitting in an outdoor cafe and watching the world go by, people watching on the Dufferin Terrace high above the St. Lawrence River and practicing your french with the delightful shopowners and innkeepers.

Miguasha is a remote park on southeastern edge of the Gaspe peninsula in Quebec but right on the border with New Brunswick. There is not much to see in the park but the museum is a visual pre-history lesson with lots of examples of the Devonian era fossils found at the site. Literally thousands of complete sea-life fossils have been found here and you can view the shale and sand cliffs where the fossils have been found but there is really not anything to see there. Most of the fossils are displayed in museums around the world but a few hundred are at the museum on-site. You must pay(C$8.00 in 2004) to visit the museum in order to make a visit to Miguasha worthwhile. Not many places to stay nearby. Drive about 30 km south for some small towns with motels.

Visited in May, 2004 and even though the Visitor's Center was still closed, we were able to tour the huts and wander the coastline. The site in Newfoundland is allegedly where Lief Ericcson landed from Greenland. 2 sod huts have been completely restored and authentically furnished. A blacksmith's hut is also restored. The foundations of 6-8 other huts remain. The coastline is spectacular complete with mammoth icebergs, rocky cliffs and unusual plant life. Lots of reasonable places to stay in St. Anthony and the drive up from Gros Morne while 5 hours is beautiful.

Just visited in May, 2004. More moose than humans. Breathtaking waterfalls and lakes and stunning snow topped mountains. Rocky Harbor has some good hotels all with spectacular sunsets. Don't miss the Western Brook Pond trip and a hike among the rocks from the earth's mantle.

I only spent a few days in Kakadu, but I wish I could have spent a month. This is a truly beautiful place, that should be a must for all visitors to northern Australia.

Hiroshima is one of the most evocative places I have ever visited. The hardest thing with Hiroshima is separating right and wrong. At times, the museum glosses over Japan crimes in WWII - as is true through-out the whole country.

Whatever the other arguements the site is incredibly moving and a compelling arguement against nuclear weapons.

But, I would ask all visitors to say an extra pray at the monument for the Korean victims of the bomb. These people, slave labourers transported from Korea, have been ignored by Japan for far too long - the Governments lack of apology on this matter is inexcusible.

The final thing that I must add about Hiroshima is that the people of the city lift the spirit beyond belief. It is, perhaps, Japans most friendly city.

Despite the high cost of entry (London is the world's 2nd most expensive city), the Tower of London is an excellent experience. It will take you at least half a day to explore the whole site and the incredible history just grabs you from old sides.

I just wish it cost less!

It's great to see this wonderful old building added to the list. To me, it is the symbol of Bombay.

I just wish they'd get rid of the overly politically correct modern name. All of the lccals I have ever spoken to call it VT or Victoria Terminus.

We visited Himeji-jo on a rainy, windy day when a typhoon was carving its way through the middle of Honshu. It is spectacular, set high on a hill easily seen from the train as you pass through Himeji. A 15 minute walk up the hill brings you to what was the middle moat (the outer moat was where the train station now stands!). It is empty of furniture, but contains samurai armour, ancient guns and weapons, writings and paintings of Daimyo.

Actually, it has a very warm feel to it, because of all the timber - a pleasant change to the cold stone castles of europe.

There are spectacular views from the 6th floor - just use your imagination to see all the people living within it's moats and walls.

I and a small group of USAF friends took the time to visit Nemrut while we were staying in Diyarbakir. The drive was long, winding, and rough. There's a small hotel down the mountain--for those who want to really spend some time there. On the way up there is a carving of Antiochus shaking hands with Hercules (sort of a hero endorsement I guess). I made the mistake of wearing slick-soled cowboy boots. We met only a single other explorer, a German, who was on his way down. He looked at my boots with amusement. The climb was easy--more of an uphill walk--but I have a fear of heights and so I was uncomfortable. This was in March. The sky was overcast. As we reached the top, it started to rain cold drops which soon turned to ice/snow. Our time was cut short, but I remember thinking that the religious fanatics who toppled and damaged the statues were at least not lazy. I wish a reconstruction could be attempted before long. I'd like to see things as they were intended, even if some pieces have to be remanufactured. Don't get me started on the Venus de Milo's arms!

I visited Drottningholm in mid-June, and the weather was still quite cold as it was raining. It is easily accessible by bus from the Stockholm city centre, it is closer to the suburb of Bromma.

It is based on Versailles, but is on a smaller scale, of course.

The two main attractions are the Chinese Pavilion (which was a surprise birthday present to Queen Lovisa Ulrika, in 1753!), and the famous 18-century court theatre, where many opera videos and recordings have originated from. The Chinese Pavilion has several beautiful rooms, filled with porcelain, vases and statues. The court theatre, built by Carl Fredrik Adelcrantz, with its pseudo marble, painted fake doors, old thunder machine and wind machine, is a fascinating journey into the opera productions of the early history of the genre.

The palace interior is not very impressive by central European standards, but the lakeside and view of the gardens at the back are stunning. There is also a chapel with a small dome that welcomes a weary traveller after a trek through the vast gardens.

The Palace is included free of charge, on the Stockholm A La Carte pass, issued by Destination Stockholm.