All our reviews

I had the great experience of being stationed on the island of Terceira with the US Air Force March 1958 thru November 1959. I visited the City of Angra on numerous occassions during that time and took hundreds of color photos, of this beautiful City and its people. The city park, the cathedral, the city square and harbor, all provided many hours of interesting exploration and the subjects of great pictures that I enjoy viewing to this day.

This place is hideously disappointing and unattractive. Please don't tell anybody else about it. It would be a shame if the secret got out about the breathtaking fjords, tundra, and coastal lowlands. Please, don't tell anybody about this park. I don't want it to become crowded when I visit there every year from 1700 miles away.

As an englishman and somewhat spoilt for choice in historic castles i was not over excited when my fiance (now wife)from Presov,suggested we visit.

all that changed when Spissky Hrad came into view, it is a truly amazing structure and i do not believe i have seen a castle to match its splendour and sheer presence when viewed from afar.

i have since visited the castle in summer and winter and it is allways breathtaking, i love the place and like an earlier comment show it off at every chance

I visited Mycenae on Saturday, 28th June 2003. A beautiful, altough hot summer afternoon.

It has been a childhood dream for me to visit this veritable cradle of civilization. I can still recall the time when, as a primary-school boy, I used to read about the civilization at Mycenae and it famous and interesting citizens, especially Agammemnon.

And there I was, after hours of drive from Athens, standing emotionally in front of the Lions Gate beside the Cyclopedian walls ! What a sensation it was to pass through that gate as many other people have done before me and where the history of Greece, indeed all Europe, was shaped in such a bygone era!

It was a dream came true on a blazing summer afternoon.

This is the most amazing site, and the most impressive landscape I have seen. The sheer size of the undertaking defies the imagination when one thinks of the tools available in those far off days.

Wear good shoes and take plenty of water, although there is a spring just before you start the last slog up to the Mirador. There is a good small restaurant when you get back down, and it took me about three hours to get to the top and back via the mines. You don't have to go to the top though, just walking through the mines is a visual treat and a great experience. The infrastructure is basic, but that's part of the charm. Entry was free, but the walk through the forrest of giant chestnut trees that have grown over the old mine workings would be well worth paying for. I can only hope that all our abandoned industrial sites will look as beautiful in the distant future.

I cannot imagine anyone being disappointed with their visit or leaving Las Medulas without asking themselves some very profound questions about the history of man.

We were a party of four adults, novices at boating, and one of us (me) didn't like boats or water! We had a marvellous week and I would recommend it to anyone. We decided on the Mediterranean route as this involved less locks (cowards!) but it was what we needed - a leisurely week to appreciate the waterways, food and wine and great weather. We started at Beziers with the plan to reach Aigues Mortes and return - we eventually reached Carnon! Probably because we stayed two nights at Marseillan - a lovely village with really nice restaurants. You need to be aware about lock procedures and also that the bridge at Frontignan only opens three times a day so you need to plan your arrival time to coincide with these openings. For anyone who is not sure whether they can cope with locks, try this route - only 14 to navigate and it's good fun.

I spent a day in Divrigi in May 2003 whilst making a trip from the west to east of Turkey. This place is a marvel and it is a shame that so few tourists come here. Of course the most famous attraction here is the Grand Mosque, but there are quite a few other archtectural remains from pre-Ottoman Turkish times: the ruined castle and the burial chambers (turbe) that bear testament to times when Divrigi was a major settlement. It was prized for its iron ore, which is still the major form of economic activity here today. However, for me as a fan of the genre the old Ottoman town houses were probably the greatest delight. These wonderful half-wood half-brick constructions have almost completely dissapeared from the urban regions of Turkey, their places taken by soulless apartment blocks. For me, Divrigi above all is a living museum of Ottoman architecture. I don't recall seeing a single ugly apartment block. You can roam for hours here through an unspoilt sea of twisting little lanes flanked by traditional Turkish town houses, and a lot of them have been kept in quite good condition. Then there is the natural beauty of the place. A fast flowing river passes just by the town, the railway follows this course. This river has cut a steep ravine in the mountains. Take the path up to the castle from the road leading from the town centre to the railway station and continue round from the castle for …

When visiting Vologda this spring, we asked a local tourist-guide what to see and she recommended a trip to Ferapontov. As it was out of season we had a privat tour of the monastry by the director. What a place; so quiet and peaceful and the paintings in the church are absolutely amazing.

This place is well worth the trouble getting there.

The best way to see the monastry are to arrange with the infocentre in Vologda and it is relatively inexpencive to visit.

During my visit to Ping Yao in 2000, I learned it had just been added to the World Heritage Site-list. It was until then mostly visited by Chinese tourists. In this town I experienced the feel of 'ancient'-China. Hardly any foreign tourists and a walled town-life which seemed to haven't changed during the last century. Bikes were the main transportation within the wall. It is my favourite Chinese town!

To me Huangshan is the most beautiful nature sight in China, I can see why it has been (and probably still is) an inspiration to poets and painters all over China.

Each day can be a different experience because of the weather-conditions. When I climbed its incredible amount of steps in 2000 it was foggy, and that gave a mystical feel to the mountain.

I visited Tiryns last Saturday 14/6/03 and had looked forward to doing so for some years.The size of the citadel site was impressive but as the Olympic Games are in Athens next year and many interesting parts were closed for refurbishment such as the corbelled galleries, stairways and the complete Northern part of the site. They are building a new visitors centre to the NW of the site near the NW wall. Claims that the fortifications make up for its natural defensive deficiencies found at Mycenae seems fully justifiable. Like other Late Helladic IIIc sites the dimensions of the rooms are generally small. Both megaron are small for example. Could these really be throne rooms? Many are rooms are little more than foundations. Beware: the West wall is in shadow early morning and difficult to photograph. Its still worth a visit to relive the grandure of this civilisation. Take an Argos bus from marvellous Napflion for 90c one way for the 5 minute trip. The stop is outside the site. The entrance is a modest 3 euros. Enjoy. Mycenae, however,is still the one to visit. Try to get to see the famous C15th bc suit of armour with boar tooth helmet in the Napflion Museum from the Dhendra chamber tomb. The museum is by the Sygmata Square and entry is free. Shut Mondays of course. Happy archeology finding. David

The visit to Konarak was one of the most memorable experiences in my life. Inspite of the decay over the centuries the beauty of this monument to Sun sparkles. The intricate and complex carving on the stone is mind-boggling. The erotic depiction of human passion is not the only highlight of the sculpture. It seems as if the people have frozen in life and some miracle may bring them back into life any time. This is one of the sites in the world which any one seriously interested in architecture and sculpture must visit.

The hotel maintained by Orissa government's tourism department is cheap and value for money. The nearby beach is a bonus.

I just got back from Brussels yesterday. The Grand Place is absolutely stunning. I found my way there via metro (1.40 euro each way) and followed the green directional signs through the downtown, and through a few cobbled alleys. As you turn your last corner and wonder if you are going the right way you run into it, and it hits you hard! Amazing, just amazing, the sheer size of the buildings and the incredible artwork. The stone somehow looks like lace! It is remarkably clean in the center of all the buildings, so clean in fact that people of all ages laid on the ground to see everything as the towers were so tall. I ate dinner there outside just so I could have more time to take everything in. You can't just leave easily. I walked away and found myself rounding that one corner again to try and double the effect of seeing it for the first time.

For as long as I can remember I have had a fascination with Japan. I still don't know if it was the image of the Otorii (Great Gate), guarding the entrance to the Itsukushima shrine that made me impressed with Japan, or the the Otorii was 'just' the symbol of Japan for me. I always wanted to come here and visit.

Anyway, I visited in October 2000 and from seeing the gate emerge from the mist to returning as dusk fell I thought it wonderful. A spiritual place.

Stunning, wonderful experience to see and experience this unique place.

Tours are well organized and informative; however, you must book a tour in order to enter. Groups are limited to 15; if one is not available in your language, still join--printed information is available, and language shouldn't keep you from this experience.

TUGENDHAT VILLA,Černopolní 45, phone +420 545 212 118, open Wednesdays - Sundays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., last admission at 5.15 p.m. Guided tours only, starting each sharp hour, maximum number of persons per group 15. Advance telephone bookings only!

The trip from Prague can be made by train--out early in the morning; back in evening. This allows some time for exploring the town--you could also spend a couple of days here. G. Mendel, the monk who discovered genetics through his study of peas, lived and worked here-- there is a well done little museum at his monestary.

As a Bolivian I am so proud that Potosi has been declared a World Heritage site. At the height of its splendor it is said to have rivaled London, Paris and Madrid in it's population size. It is also written that for some religious procesion the streets where paved with silver ingots that just poured out of "Cerro Rico" and which later where exported to Spain.

Many of us have forgotten or do not know about the past glory this little city high in the Andes has brought our country. It is truly a world heritage site. It would be wonderful to be able to access more infomation on it, to be able to see the art and read more of the stories about the ostentation the families of the miners lived. Almost like the bubble lived here in the US by the IPO generation :)

I went to visit Oaxaca when i was 16yrs old. My grandmother was born and raised in a small town in Oaxaca, and she is Zapotec. As a matter of fact, Spanish was her second language. We walked through downtown and went to a night festival in one of the squares in front of a church. It was so great. Then when we went to Monte Alban, i just could not believe where i was standing. It was breath taking. To think that people from centuries ago could create something so wonderful, and so strong that it would last until now!i can say that i stood on history. It was almost scary to think of the things that went on when it was habituated by the Mayans. I definetly recommend going to experience it for yourself.

Good Day

I am a tour operator from Windhoek Namibia and visited Tsodilo on 12 May 2003.

We were advised that the road to Tsodilo was extremely bad and sandy and we were warned that it was definitely not safe for two women to travel that distance into the bush to visit "just a few hills"

We were very surprised to find a newly built gravel road leading to the vicinity of the hills. Only the last 5 km was hard sand driving, but anyone with a 4 x 4 vehicle could enter with out much trouble.

There were camp sites on strategic places where you could utmostly enjoy the views around the hills. The ablution blocks were clean and with running water. We had a chat with the camp manager and he informed us that they will have telephone lines and internet ( thus reservation possibilities ) acess by the end of August.

In the morning we were taken onto the Female by a local guide and shown the most interesting paintings and pictures, although he could not speak a word of English, he gave us an insight on the lives of the little Bushmen in the early days. Upon arrival back at camp were visited the museum where some of the artefacts and tools found are on display.

It was a realy wonderful experience to visit the hills, and I will surely return soon for a few days to explore the hills more intensively.

Marianne Breukink

Vienna is one of the greatest cities in the world. I had the privilege to live there for six months and I can say that it was the one of the greatest times in my life. There is so much to do and see in Vienna. For the best tips on what to see, find the Mormon missionaries. They know all of the best places and many of which aren't frequented by tourists.

The climb (long, but not arduous) was exciting due to the monkeys playing beside the paths. The surrounding scenery is gorgeous, with views of Sigiriya in the distance. The cave temples are stunning examples of Buddhist art. The caves are virtually a chronological history of ancient Sri Lankan art, beginning with the first cave which dates to the 1st or 2nd century BCE. The successive caves go through the next many centuries up to about the 15th or 16th century. The paintings and statuary are among the most beautiful in the world of this type. The ceiling painting are so detailed that they appear to be fine cloth billowing overhead. There is a rock cistern that catches water dripping from the ceiling, but it never fills up or overflows. Fascinating experience.