World Travellers

General summary of city:

Mechelen is very nearby Brussels, another popular city in Belgium. Mechelen possesses a rich history that can be understood and enjoyed by its existing architecture—Mechelen is a city full of historical cathedrals, towers, parks and site seeing opportunities. Lakenhalle and St. Rombouts Cathedral are noted World Heritage Sites and the museums in Mechelen are sure to please the cultural enthusiast.

Mechelen has been the former home of many famous inhabitants. Famous individuals once heralding from this remarkable city include Michiel van Coxcie and Bernard van Orley, well-known Renaissance painters; Margarete of Austria the daughter of Maximillian I; and Rembert Dodoens, a famous Rennaissance physician. Additionally, the famous composer, Philippe de Monte is also a native of Mechelen.

Mechelen is accessible by car, coach, train, plane or boat. It is a city that provides fine vacationing opportunities year round, travellers can feel comfortable visiting the city any time of year. Peak tourist times are summer and autumn, so for travellers desiring fewer crowds while site seeing, the winter months are more suitable to visit Mechelen. When visiting Mechelen it is important to be prepared for all sorts of weather conditions, rain or shine, as the weather can change within an instant.

Amsterdam is indeed a lovely place to roam around, and has been one of the top choices of foreigners for vacation. Because one can do so many fun-filled activities and visit a lot of tourist attractions there, travelers may find it convenient to rent a car so he can easily get from one site to another.

There are virtually countless places to see in Amsterdam. Museums abound in this city, something that lovers of arts and history will truly appreciate. Some of the most well-known museums in this place include the following “Van Gogh,” the “Rijks,” the “Rembrandt,” and the sex museum.

There are also fine restaurants and plenty of shops that visitors may want to visit for souvenirs. For easy site-hopping, having a vehicle would indeed be a wise idea for travelers.

A caution, however, is that renting a car in this European city is quite expensive. To rent a regular car for a week will cost around $275. Renting a luxury sedan for the same period will cost around $1,000. Nonetheless, if one has the money and is willing to maximize his tour of this lovely place, then he may find it worthwhile to travel in Amsterdam by car.

For many years, Ireland’s chief export was people. They sailed away from Ireland to seek a better life, particularly in the new countries of Australia and America, never to return.

But the unique sound of Irish music traveled with them, circled the world and then returned to its Irish roots, renewed.

Music has never been far from the pulse of Ireland. One of Ireland’s most famous musicians was a blind harpist, Turlough O’Carolan. He was born in West Meath in 1670 and became blind when a teenager after contracting smallpox.

Fortunately, he was taken under the wing of a wealthy local woman, who spotted his obvious talent for music. He was encouraged to take up composition and one of his melodies forms the basis for John Philip Sousa’s stirring American national anthem, “Stars and Stripes Forever”. O’Carolan’s music is as popular today as it was in the seventeenth century, and is appreciated by a world wide audience. Every August, a ten day festival is held for his many fans in County Roscommon.

Wales is a country, bordered by England to its east. This country is a part of United Kingdom. Cardiff is the capital and the largest city of Wales. It is a great travel destination and a hot-spot for the tourists all over the world.

If you are planning your vacations in Wales then there are a number of cottages for accommodation that are not only cheap but convenient too. Wales offers some of the most fantastic array of holiday cottages in the world.

Some of the best holiday cottages in Wales are:

1. Cefn Coch farm holiday cottage

This cottage is placed in a secluded and a stunning location of a hillside which is just a few miles away from Machynlleth. If you are looking for a peaceful, serene and a private location then this cottage would certainly suit you. The cottage offers 4 king size bedrooms and also allows plenty of space for various activities. The cottage is also located nearby the Museum of Modern Art.

2. Ty Cerbyd cottage

Thousands of scholars over the course of time have written countless books on the history on England. England’s history is a long an elaborate one filled with murder, intrigue and fantastic accomplishments. If one was sit down and start to write a history of England they would have to pick just one aspect of the countries history, or they would be writing undoubtedly to the reached their death.

The royal family has always been a point of interest to people. Several novels could and have been written on the monarchy of England, and they way each of those monarchs have chosen to rule over the country. An exciting point in history came when those kings and queens no longer had complete and total control over all of the decisions made in the country, and instead worked along with a parliament to make decisions for the English people.

Just walking through the streets of England you can tell that it is a country enriched with history. Many of the buildings that stood hundreds of years ago are still standing today. Unlike their counterparts England stands true to tradition. Many of their traditional buildings still remain in tact, and are still used for the same purposes that they were used for when they were originally built. You have the opportunity to just walk by, or even stop and walk in a piece of history everywhere that you go.

Greece offers an array of opportunities for a fantastic gay vacation. Gay travel to Greece will naturally include amazing sunrises, relaxing on white, sandy beaches, trekking to historical sites to explore ancient ruins, and ferrying between several of Greece’s breathtakingly beautiful islands. Whether you dream of a vacation that includes family fun like picking olives and exploring museums, a restful respite in a seaside resort with your partner, or a rowdy week of taking in the Athens nightlife with a group of friends, Greece will undoubtedly prove to be an ideal setting for your  travel plans.

Athens has a lively scene with several clubs and bars, as well as LGBT-owned and LGBT-friendly cafés, coffee shops and lodging options. For men interested in partaking in a bit of bathhouse culture during their  vacation to Greece, there are two popular saunas in Athens. Athens Relax caters to a mixed-age clientele and is a large sauna directly across the street from one of Athen’s popular clubs, while the smaller Hera caters to a more mature clientele. There is also an unofficial gay beach area at Limanakia, which is south of Athens and a popular hangout for men.

Travel in Italy, a popular culinary destination, and find some of the world’s best acclaimed foods, wines and pastries. And you won’t be able to resist experiencing every bit of Old World Europe’s legacies known all over the world.

Italy is only partly a Mediterranean country - 3/5ths of it is Alpine too, with the Alps and Dolomites in the North and the Apennines running down the spine. The beautiful city of Torino hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics of course and it reached -30c in Friuli last year. Italy also has several active volcanoes generating geothermal events. Etna, on the eastern tip of the island of Sicily, has been erupting intermittently since 2000.

Rome, the capital city of Italy, is full of places of historical significance from the Forum and the Collosseum of the Roman Empire to St. Other popular destinations for backpackers include, but are not limited to, the art rich cities of Florence, Pisa and Siena, the Grand Canal of Venice, and the ancient ruins of the ash buried town of Pompei. Rome is also the main town of the region known as Lazio. Rome, the Eternal City, is a walking museum of history, art and architecture. Rome is a must see on any tour of Europe but there is much more to Italy than the eternal city. Italy also offers Florence, the home of Michelangelo and Machiavelli, Venice and Pompeii, among other places, and then there is the food. Italian peasant food is one of the world’s great cuisines.

Would you like to know what the real interesting sights in Cologne Germany are? In this two-part article, I am going to let you know about 18 of my good ones.

If you would like to know something about Cologne Germany and its history, visit the Cologne link at the end of this article for information about that. In this two-part article I’ll give you 18 insider tips of Cologne – short and sweet – so that you can print them out and easily scour the sights and restaurants.

First, once you arrive in the city, go to the tourist office. It’s located at Cologne Cathedral in a street called “Unter Fettenhennen” (under fat hen ;-).

Now, shall we get started? Great!

Sightseeing and Culture

1. The city hall (Hansasaal) was built in 1330. Its Renaissance arcade (16th century) and tower (15th century) had been added later. The building complex suffered extensive damage during World War 2 and underwent reconstruction until 1972. It’s located at Alter Markt.