Where in the world - Travel Talks Platform

Breath-taking Bariloche in Argentina

Written by Gill Dewar on October 27, 2022. Posted in Where in the world.

Breath-taking Bariloche in Argentina

At the heart of Argentina’s Lake District is the alpine-style town of Bariloche. Its culture is Patagonia-meets-Switzerland – with lakeside log chalets a stone’s throw away from Nahuel Huapi National Park – where adventures in the Andes mountains await.

Bariloche is famous for winter sports like skiing and snowboarding. Every late July to mid-September, Bariloche fills to the brim with both tourists from the southern hemisphere (mostly Brazilians) and northern hemisphere travelers looking for their “endless winter” powder fix.

Located on the shores of Lago Nahuel Huapi, Bariloche’s beautiful setting amongst the foothills of the Andes in northern Patagonia needs to be seen to be believed, such is the natural beauty on show, and consequently, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Argentina. Known for the wonderful skiing, trekking, and rock climbing that it has to offer, San Carlos de Bariloche is a great place from which to explore the surrounding mountains, lakes, glaciers, and forest-coated countryside.

Many visitors head here for the breath-taking views, stupendous scenery, and brilliant ski facilities which make it South America’s premier ski resort. The city is very alpine in appearance due to its lovely Swiss-style chalets.

It is best represented by the delightful Centro Civico and lots of little homely chocolate shops can be found here and there. An amazing place to visit, there is a wealth of things to do in Bariloche for visitors and is well worth checking out when in Argentina.

15. Colonia Suiza

This picturesque village is located around twenty-five kilometers from Bariloche and was founded all the way back in 1895 by the first European families to settle in the region. Colonia Suiza as it is called and looks very much like a Swiss village with its wonderful chalets and mountain setting.

It is now a popular tourist destination with visitors to Bariloche. The best time to visit is either on Sunday or Wednesday when the village hosts an arts and crafts fair. There are also lots of nice trails which snake their way from the village into the surrounding countryside.

14. Centro Civico

Bariloche’s Centro Civico is a lovely place to wander around and is well worth taking the time to explore before or after heading to see the amazing scenery that can be found all around the city. A national historical monument, it is home to loads of lovely architecture and there is a distinctive alpine feel about the place.

It looks and feels very reminiscent of Switzerland and Austria. Loads of restaurants, bars, shops, and cafes can be found here and the building complex was designed all the way back in 1940 to serve as a tourist center and point of interest for visitors to Bariloche.

13. Los Arrayanes National Park

Covering the Quetrihue Peninsula which juts into Lago Nahuel Huapi, Los Arranyanes National Park is named after the beautiful arrayan trees that are endemic to the area, and the park was actually created to protect and preserve their natural habitat.

It is a delightful experience wandering amidst the twisted and gnarled trees, with some of them being remarkably over six hundred years old. Visitors can either take a boat to the park, and hike or mountain bike to where the forest begins. A peaceful place, on occasion deer, pudu, condors, and eagles can be spotted here.

12. Playa Bonita

Lying just outside of the city center, Playa Bonita is located on the south shore of Lago Nahuel Huapi and is a lovely place to visit during the summer when you can sit back, relax, and take in the sun.

Gazing out over the crystal clear waters of the lake, which stretches away endlessly before you, is mesmerizing and there are loads of water sports on offer for visitors to enjoy such as kayaking, paragliding, and windsurfing.

With some delightful little restaurants and cafes nearby, the pebbly beach of Playa Bonita is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking to relax after a busy trip spent sightseeing.

11. Rapa Nui

Nestled away amidst the foothills of the Andes, there is a very Alpine feel about Bariloche and this is mirrored in the wealth of specialty chocolate shops that you can find in the center of town.

The most popular of the lot among both locals and tourists alike is Rapa Nui, where the chocolates are simply to die for. Established by an Italian immigrant and having been around for generations, Rapa Nui is a must for chocolate lovers and is also a great spot to stop by and have anything from a hot chocolate to ice-cream and a pastry in its welcoming cafe.

10. Route of the Seven Lakes

The landscapes on show in Patagonia are breathtakingly beautiful and this wonderful route takes visitors past some of the most stunning parts on offer, with the seven different lakes being just a few of the highlights on show.

Both the Lanin and Nahuel Huapi National Parks are on the Ruta De Los Siete Lagos and the drive takes around a day or more to complete, although the scenery is so wonderful to behold that visitors will find themselves stopping time and time again to take in all of the amazing sights.

Passing by beaches, woods, mountains, and more, this scenic route is the perfect way to explore the wonders of the Patagonian steppe.

9. Isla Victoria

Located within Nahuel Huapi National Park, Isla Victoria is a scenic island to visit that is full of wonderful flora, fauna, and picturesque forests. Wandering along the forest-lined paths is a delightful way to spend an afternoon and the island was once inhabited by indigenous people who left behind cave paintings.

With loads of lovely scenery on show, Isla Victoria is a beautiful place to visit and lies on Lago Nahuel Huapi. It is accessible by boat, although only part of the island is open for visitors to explore.

8. Circuito Chico

Starting out on the outskirts of the city, the sixty-five kilometer long Circuito Chico is a great way to see loads of Bariloche’s beautiful scenery in one go, and the ride will certainly be up there with the best that you have ever done.

Taking you past such splendid sights as Lago Nahuel Huapi, around the wonderful landscapes of the Llao Llao Peninsula and numerous other mountains and lakes; this drive will certainly live long in the memory and there are loads of lovely stop off points and photo opportunities along the way.

Visitors can either hire a car themselves or take a bus and boat excursion that will take them to all of the main sights.

7. Cerro Otto

Located within Nahuel Huapi National Park, Cerro Otto reaches a height of 1,405 meters and the panoramas on offer from its summit are divine, as Lago Nahuel Huapi lies below it and the Andes can be seen off in the distance.

Bariloche itself actually lies on the mountain’s lower slopes and visitors can reach the summit by car, on foot, or by cable car. While there are some lovely mountain biking and hiking trails on offer, as well as skiing and other outdoor activities during winter time, the main reason people visit Cerro Otto is for the incredible views of the surrounding mountains, lakes, and forests.

6. Refugio Frey Hike

One of the most popular trails in Bariloche, the Refugio Frey Hike is perfect for nature lovers and outdoor adventurers as you pass such stupendous scenery and at the end there is a delightful little lodge where you can take a breather or stay for the night.

To reach the beginning of the trail, hikers either take a chairlift up the side of Cerro Catedral or wander along a beautiful forest path before traveling past such incredible sights as the Rucaco Valley and the spectacular Cerro Tronador, which you can see looming off in the distance.

The hike usually takes around two hours to complete and there are various other trails and paths which you can take on the way. Reaching Refugio Frey is very satisfying and the views from the lodge make this hike definitely worth checking out when in Bariloche.

5. Cerro Campanario

With arguably one of the best views in the world available from its summit, Cerro Campanario is a must-see when in Bariloche and visitors will be astounded at the stunning panorama that greets their eyes.

Accessible by either foot or car, visitors can also opt to take the scenic chairlift which lifts them up the mountainside and Cerro Campanario towers 1,050 meters above sea level. The views from the top are simply divine, as perfect blue lakes are dotted amongst forest-clad hills and snow-capped mountains.

Visitors will never tire of gazing out over the wonderful scene. With a cafeteria on offer at the top, simply grab a bite to eat or drink and take in the view to your heart’s content.

4. Parque Municipal Llao Llao

Lying around an hour outside of town, the Parque Municipal Llao Llao is full of wonderful trails and paths that wind their way through forests, meander along lakeshores, and snake their way up mountainsides.

The landscapes are remarkable for the pristine and untouched feel about them and there are seven fantastic viewpoints scattered about the park for guests to find. Wandering along the well-sign-posted paths is a relaxing way to spend the day and visitors are sure to head home tired but happy with all of the amazing sights they’ve seen and there are loads of great photos to be had here.

3. Cerro Tronador

The highest mountain in the region, Cerro Tronador towers to a height of 3,470 meters and is home to eight glaciers which are captivating to explore. Located in Nahuel Huapi National Park, the extinct stratovolcano lies on the border of Argentina and Chile and is a popular tourist destination as it is not too far from Bariloche.

The scenery on show is marvelous as fjords, lakes, and sweeping valleys punctuate its slopes and the areas around it. As such there is loads of great hiking to be had and many people come here for mountaineering or white-water rafting.

With three distinct peaks and numerous lakes and river dotting the area; Cerro Tronador is definitely worth a visit for the wonderful nature on offer.

2. Cerro Catedral

Located inside of Nahuel Huapi National Park, the towering Cerro Catedral is home to Bariloche and South America’s most popular and largest ski resort. One of the main draws to the area is the fantastic skiing that can be had, and from the center of Bariloche it takes no time at all to take to the slopes.

Covering a huge area, the ski resort has loads of pistes and runs dotted about the scenic mountainside and the views of the surrounding area are simply riveting for their beauty. With snow blanketing the mountains and trees, the bright blue lakes stand out all the more delightfully against the winter world around them.

Meaning ‘Mount Cathedral’ in English, Cerro Catedral is so named because its peaks are almost church-like in their appearance, and both locals and tourists alike flock here when the winter season begins.

1. Nahuel Huapi National Park

Breathtakingly beautiful, Nahuel Huapi National Park is simply a must-see when in Bariloche and it is one of the main attractions that the city has to offer. The scenery on show is stunning to behold as snow-capped mountains lie next to perfect blue lakes and their forest-coated shores.

Exploring this natural paradise is an unforgettable experience. With loads of outdoor activities on offer, visitors can hike along the paths that weave their way through the forests, go kayaking on Lago Nahuel Huapi, rock-climbing on the mountainside, or simply relax and take in the unbelievable views from atop of the mountains that dot the area.

The landscapes are simply divine and the rivers, waterfalls, and glaciers that clad the slopes of the Andes only make it all the more beautiful to gaze upon. The oldest national park in Argentina, Nahuel Huapi is a joy to explore and visitors invariably come away impressed and astounded at all of the natural beauty on show.

Book your visit to Argentina

Latest posts

More about our Facebook Group

Click if you want to join

Travel platform to expand your travel knowledge, follow the latest destination news and participate in daily questions, like “Travel Trivia”, “Where in the World” and “Amazing Travel Facts”.

Where in the world Spain

Written by Gill Dewar on August 15, 2022. Posted in Where in the world.

Where in the world Spain

Set on an Andalusian mountain plateau, the town of Ronda is just over an hour – and a world away – from the beach resorts of Spain’s Costa Del Sol. This pueblo blanco (white town) has one of the most beautiful settings around, perched precariously on the edge of a gorge surrounded by rolling hills, whitewashed buildings, orange trees and olive groves.

Ronda is one of Spain’s oldest towns. It was first settled by the Celts and later inhabited by the Romans and Moors, and you can feel its history all around you in its cobbled streets, old mansions and stone churches.

It was a favourite with the 19th century Viajeros Romanticos (romantic travellers) – artists and writers like Orson Welles, Alexander Dumas and Ernest Hemingway who searched for inspiration in Europe’s most unspoilt destinations.

Today Ronda may be a bit more on the tourist trail, but it’s still kept plenty of its original charm. It’s still got that small town feel, with no high-rises or big branded hotels, and if you walk for 20 minutes in any direction you’ll find yourself out in the countryside.

Ronda is close enough to Seville or Málaga for a day trip, but as well as stunning views, there’s more than enough to see and do to make it worth staying a night or two. So if you’re looking for a spot for a relaxed Spanish city break – or an add on to a trip to Seville, Granada or the coast, here are some of my favourite things to do in Ronda.

Spain

Using the space, the visitors of the new wellness centre witness a never-ending dialogue between water and fire, two basic natural elements accentuating the incredible backdrop of the surrounding hill range.

Spain, a country on Europe’s Iberian Peninsula

Including 17 autonomous regions with diverse geography and cultures. Capital city Madrid is home to the Royal Palace and Prado museum, housing works by European masters. Segovia has a medieval castle (the Alcázar) and an intact Roman aqueduct. Catalonia’s capital, Barcelona, is defined by Antoni Gaudí’s whimsical modernist landmarks like the Sagrada Família church.

More about booking travel to Spain

More Where in the World’s

White water rafting – Cajón del Maipo

Written by Gill Dewar on August 3, 2022. Posted in Activity, Where in the world.

White Water Rafting – Cajón del Maipo

Known for its natural attractions, it is also a place especially frequented by travelers and locals looking for experiences, activities with a touch of adrenaline.Just 55 minutes from the hotel, we find a sector of the valley that will allow us to carry out some of the most entertaining excursions: Paintball, Canopy and Rafting on the Maipo River.

In the morning one of the elections is held, and after a delicious country lunch, they will go on to the second excursion option. Below you will find the details of each alternative, being able to carry out 2 activities of the 3 options:

The experience of transforming for a while with your teammates into actors from the movie “Platoon” (but shooting colours instead of ammunition!), Filling you with adrenaline while you play, compete and have fun with your teammates developing strategies to fulfil the mission. Beat the opposing side! We carry out 3 types of dynamics, according to the experience of the participants. Each participant will have 150 bullets that he will have to manage wisely so as not to miss opportunities for his team.

Launching along a cable between one bank of the Maipo River while we cross a pine and eucalyptus forest is one of the most exciting activities that can be enjoyed in the Maipo River. Our canopy and the traditional zip line offer us that exciting spectacle, at the same time that we feel the wonderful sensation of the wind brushing our faces and we observe the snow-capped peaks and the torrent that runs several meters below. A difficult experience to match.

We will enjoy the beauty of the Maipo river valley and the Chilean Andes from the best angle: that of its waters! It is an experience that you can hardly forget. Its waters vary from degree of difficulty 3 in the autumn-winter season, to degree 4 in the spring-summer season, increasing the excitement.

The first priority is your safety at all times. Your guide leader will give you a safety talk and you will be given the basic techniques of how to paddle in order to be prepared for the rapids. He will also teach you some basic signs and specific words and finally he will answer all your doubts and questions. A security team will accompany you on each trip at all times.

Book your visit to Chile

Latest posts

More about our Facebook Group

Click if you want to join

Amazing facts about Angkor Wat in Cambodia

Written by Gill Dewar on March 30, 2022. Posted in Where in the world.

Amazing facts about Angkor Wat in Cambodia

Did you know that the largest religious monument in the world stretches over 162 hectares? The name means “City of Temples” and it is so important, it even features on the official flag of its country.

Amazing, right?

Do you know where we can see this City of Temples?

Angkor Wat is situated in Siem Reap in northwest Cambodia. It is a temple complex and one of the most important religious monuments in the world. It has become the symbol of Cambodia and the pride of its people.

The massive temple site is a must-see when visiting the country and it attracts nearly 2.6 million tourists every year.

It is the largest religious monument in the world stretching over some 162.6 hectares, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park is the largest religious site in the world. Scattered across the park are the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire. These date from the 9th to the 15th century. This includes 72 major temples and many minor temples.

Angkor Wat is an enormous Buddhist temple complex located in northern Cambodia. It was originally built in the first half of the 12th century as a Hindu temple.

Spread across more than 400 acres, Angkor Wat is said to be the largest religious monument in the world. Its name, which translates to “temple city” in the Khmer language of the region, references the fact it was built by Emperor Suryavarman II, who ruled the region from 1113 to 1150, as the state temple and political centre of his empire.

Originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, Angkor Wat became a Buddhist temple by the end of the 12th century.

Although it is no longer an active temple, it serves as an important tourist attraction in Cambodia, despite the fact it sustained significant damage during the autocratic rule of the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s and in earlier regional conflicts.

Where Is Angkor Wat?

Angkor Wat is located roughly five miles north of the modern Cambodian city of Siem Reap, which has a population of more than 200,000 people.

However, when it was built, it served as the capital of the Khmer empire, which ruled the region at the time. The word “Angkor” means “capital city” in the Khmer language, while the word “Wat” means “temple.”

Initially, Angkor Wat was designed as a Hindu temple, as that was the religion of the region’s ruler at the time, Suryavarman II. However, by the end of the 12th century, it was considered a Buddhist site.

As Angkor Wat’s significance within the Buddhist religion of the region increased, so too did the legend surrounding the site. Many Buddhists believe the temple’s construction was ordered by the god Indra, and that the work was accomplished in one night.

However, scholars now know it took several decades to build Angkor Wat, from the design phase to completion.

Angkor Wat’s Design

Although Angkor Wat was no longer a site of political, cultural or commercial significance by the 13th century, it remained an important monument for the Buddhist religion into the 1800s.

Indeed, unlike many historical sites, Angkor Wat was never truly abandoned. Rather, it fell gradually into disuse and disrepair.

Nonetheless, it remained an architectural marvel unlike anything else. It was “rediscovered” in 1840s by the French explorer Henri Mouhot, who wrote that the site was “grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome.”

The compliment can likely be attributed to the temple’s design, which is supposed to represent Mount Meru, the home of the gods, according to tenets of both the Hindu and Buddhist faiths. Its five towers are intended to recreate the five peaks of Mount Meru, while the walls and moat below honour the surrounding mountain ranges and the sea.

The most famous is the Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless sculptural decorations.

More about booking travel to Cambodia

More Where in the World’s

Skyline tour at Croke Park Dublin, Ireland

Written by Gill Dewar on February 16, 2022. Posted in Activity, Destination news, Where in the world.

February 16 2022 – Skyline tour at Croke Park Dublin in Ireland

You will visit the iconic Croke Park Stadium, Europe’s 3rd largest stadium and the home of Gaelic game.

Skyline tour at Croke Park Dublin

The Etihad Skyline tour is a unique that takes place on the roof of the stadium. You will ascend to a specially constructed platform that is 44 metres above ground to take in panoramic views of Dublin and beyond.

Optional: a trip to Croke Park simply wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the treasured GAA Museum. Get ready to immerse yourself in the spine-tingling and completely unique story of Gaelic games from ancient times to the present day.

Located right in the heart of the city, this thrilling rooftop walkway is actually Dublin’s highest open-viewing platform and offers breathtaking panoramic views of Ireland’s vibrant capital from the mountains to the sea.

This Dublin City tour highlights all of the capital’s main landmarks while giving you an insight into its heartfelt history, told in a uniquely charming way by the charismatic Tour Guides. Then of course there’s the sporting highlight – the incredible view from the platform that’s suspended over the Croke Park pitch itself.

More about booking travel to Ireland

Latest posts

More about our Facebook Group

Click if you want to join

Fountain by Chad Knight – 3d artist goes viral and trending

Written by Gill Dewar on February 10, 2022. Posted in Where in the world.

Fountain by Chad Knight- Where in the world USA?

A fountain that is currently going viral and trending – the only thing is, it is neither a fountain, nor is it art in a physical form! This is 3D-artist Chad Knight flirting with the wonderful world of digital art.

The works, which he puts up with amazing regularity on his Instagram Profile, have made him an internet sensation in the world – and the photorealistic nature of a few of his best-known works actually sees people googling to check if that can be their next holiday destination!

Fountain by Chad Knight

Most often focusing on the human body, Knight’s gigantic, surreal forms are seen emerging from natural backdrops, in a way that makes them appear like actual art installations on site! Some emerging from water, or perched atop mountains, or diving into sand – the human figures are compelling, awe-inspiring and incredibly ‘sculptural’.

The three-dimensional effect, the choice of colours and textures, and the play of light on the surfaces, creating shades and shadows – these are primarily responsible for the extremely realistic outcomes.

Based out of Portland in Oregon, USA, Knight – originally a professional skateboarder – now works as a 3D design manager with Nike. His sensational Instagram posts, however, have taken him from the confines of a ‘job’ to being an internet celebrity!

More about booking travel to USA

More Where in the World’s

Where in the world Slovenia

Written by Gill Dewar on January 10, 2022. Posted in Where in the world.

Where in the world Slovenia?

Hotel Plesnik, Slovenia is a boutique family hotel found in the heart of a nature park, boasting a tradition spanning over eighty years. Its exceptional location at the end of a glacial valley offers an unforgettable view of the majestic peaks of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. As Logarska Valley is claimed by many to be one of the most beautiful valleys in Europe, the amazing view of this natural wonder was the obvious choice for one of the leading motifs in the renovation of the hotel’s wellness centre.

Much of the space of the pre-existing wellness centre in the partially cut-in basement of the building was originally taken up by a small, organically shaped pool which opened onto a tanning deck directly in front of the building. To recover the space needed for new programmes, the pool was in part replaced by a large whirlpool, while a section of the former pool shell closer to the view of the valley was repurposed as a sunken circular resting area featuring a fireplace.

The sun deck has been extended with a natural swimming pool, which makes up for and expands on the deleted interior water surface, while the reflection in the water further accents the beautiful view.

Despite natural filtration by means of aquatic plants, the new pool is unequivocally rectilinear in shape and as such designed to be a continuation of the building rather than the surrounding landscape. Referencing the interior resting area with the fireplace, a relaxation area with a fire ring has been placed in the middle of the water surface outside.

Slovenia

More about booking travel to Slovenia

More Where in the World’s

Where in the world Australia

Written by Traveltalksteam on November 11, 2021. Posted in Where in the world.

Where can it be?This amazing picture is Wave Rock. One of Australia’s biggest waves is also the furthest from any ocean rising 15 metres above the outback plain. Over 2,700 million years in the making, today it’s a popular tourist destination.

Located near the Wheatbelt town of Hyden, getting there from Perth is a pleasant 340-kilometre drive (approximately three to four hours) through picturesque rolling farmlands to wide vistas of wheat and canola fields.

This 110-metre long multi-coloured granite cliff is shaped remarkably like a huge wave about to crash onto the bush. Pose on the rock face and surf the giant wave or see it from a different perspective by following the walk trails around the base and over the top.

More about booking travel to Australia

More Where in the World’s

Where in the World France

Written by Gill Dewar on November 2, 2021. Posted in Where in the world, Destination news.

How amazing are these sculptures!

Do you know where they are?

Les Voyageurs by Bruno Catalano is one of the series of displays by Bruno Catalano in Marseilles, France.

All of the sculptures are mesmerizingly beautiful and represent men and women who are travellers. There are different interpretations of these pieces of art. Some think that they are missing a part of themselves and they travel to find it.

Others say the missing pieces are the parts that people lose when they travel around the world. That’s the beauty of art, everybody can look at the same object with different eyes.

Travel to Greece

A Village in Cyprus Is Now Home to This 16-Foot-Tall Potato Statue

Written by Gill Dewar on October 19, 2021. Posted in Destination news, Amazing Facts, Where in the world.

The Belfast Tourist Board recommends that visitors to the Northern Ireland city should try to see “the world’s largest Titanic visitor experience,” the century-old Belfast Cathedral, and The Big Fish, a 32-foot long ceramic statue of a salmon.

When officials in Xylofagou, a village in Cyprus, were trying to figure out what they could do to commemorate their most famous crop, they thought about Belfast’s Big Fish. But instead of a tiled mosaic covered with stories about their city — like that oversized salmon — Xylofagou ended up with, uh, a giant fiberglass potato on a stick.

The newly unveiled 16-foot-tall replica of the ‘spunta’ potato variety cost the village €8,000 ($9,300) to design, build, and install. “The Big Potato” has also been roundly mocked on social media for its unfortunate resemblance to, uh, a very personal body part. (No giggling, please!)

“Xylofagou has a long legacy of potato growing and used to be the main potato grower in Cyprus. This helped the village grow into the 10,000-strong community it is today,” community leader George Tasou told the Cyprus Mail. He also said that he’s “not bothered” by the social media snickering about its shape, because the sculpture has gotten some much-needed publicity for Xylophagou.

Tasou said that the Big Potato will soon be accompanied by more decorative elements and bench seating for people who want to be photographed near the giant spud. There is also a plan to add a “kiosk offering potatoes cooked in many different ways,” and the village may eventually build a potato museum that would show potato-growing tools and pictures of the different varieties of potatoes that are grown in the region. Next year, Xylophagou also wants to set a new Guinness World Record for frying the most French fries at one time; their goal is to cook around 1,760 pounds worth.

Source

Travel to Cyprus

More about our Facebook Group

Click if you want to join

Where in the World Greece

Written by Gill Dewar on September 29, 2021. Posted in Where in the world.

Do you recognise this hilltop monastery?

The site where the monasteries of Meteora, Greece were built, is said to serve perfectly their purpose.

The monasteries stand on some huge natural sandstone pillars that were mould into their bizarre shape by the winds and the time. Up there, the monasteries seem to hover between earth and heaven, an illusion that makes monks and visitors feel close to the celestial world. These cone shaped pillars prove the artistic nature of Nature.

According to the 19th century geologist Alexander Philipson, they were created after huge amounts of material piled up in this area where a huge prehistoric river was flowing towards a vast lake which covered today’s Thessaly.

When the waters drained into the Aegean Sea and the valley of Thessaly was revealed, these rocks emerged and the millennia along with the extreme weather conditions formed them into their today’s shape.

The first evidence of ascetic life in Meteora dates back in the 10th century, when some hermit monks chose the caves and the hollows in the pillars’ walls to lead an ascetic and reclusive lifestyle. In 1160 A.D. the “Scete of Stagoi Dhoupianis” was found, which is considered to be the first attempt of an organized monastic community.

However, it needed more than two centuries for the first monastery to be built. In 1356, Athanasios Meteoritis, a monk from Aghion Oros, came to Meteora and built on the top of the largest cliff the “Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration of Jesus” or “Great Meteoron”. From then on, these huge rocks were named after this exact monastery and took the name “Meteora”, which in Greek means: an object that levitates.

Travel to Greece

Where in the World Russia

Written by Gill Dewar on September 10, 2021. Posted in Where in the world.

Do you know where this interesting looking building is situated?

Ganina Yama Monastery in Russia stands on the site where the bodies of the last Russian tsar and his family were thrown after their execution by the Bolsheviks. It was here in July 1918 that the bodies of the members of the Royal family, as well as their loyal servants, were brought.

The remains of Nicholas II of Russia and his family remained undiscovered for many years because the Bolsheviks quickly transferred them to a second, secret site, known as Porosenkov Ravine.

DNA from living relatives identified the remains as those of the tsar and his family, but the Russian Orthodox Church doubted the validity of the results. Declaring the site holy ground, a monastery was constructed to commemorate the deaths of these political martyrs.

The royal family and their retinue had been canonized in 1981 by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. The grounds were therefore dedicated to honor the family’s humility during capture and their status as political martyrs. With financial assistance from the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, the Church constructed the Monastery of the Holy Imperial Passion-Bearers at the site in 2001. A tall cross marks the edge of the mine shaft, visible as a depression in the ground.

Seven chapels were later constructed at the site, one for each member of the royal family. Each chapel is dedicated to a particular saint or relic. On the anniversary of the murder, a night-long service is held at the Church of All Saints (Church on the Blood) on the site of the Ipatiev House. At daybreak, a procession walks four hours to Ganina Yama for another ceremony. The former mine pit is covered with lily plants for the ceremony.

Travel to Russia

Where in the World France

Written by Gill Dewar on August 26, 2021. Posted in Where in the world.

On which countries coastline would you see these cliffs?

Etratat, France

The cliffs and rock formations steal the show in Etretat, thanks to their exceptional natural beauty and the fact that famous Impressionists painted them so memorably.

Erosion has created extraordinary arches in the chalk either side of the town. There’s also an amazing needle-like structure, known in French as the Aiguille.

A walk up the cliffs to the west of Etretat leads you to an 18-hole golf course with breath-taking views over the Aiguille, while a walk to the east will bring you to the Jardins d’Etretat, a beautiful Asian-inspired garden affording stunning views over Etretat and its bay across to the Aval arch famously immortalised by Claude Monet and Eugène Boudin. Head back down to the seafront as the sun goes down and you can also see Etretat’s cliffs magically light up.

However, there is more to Etretat than the cliff formations and pebble beach. The small town beyond is picturesque and full of pretty restaurants and shops, while the remarkable wooden covered market and 19th-century villa Le Clos Lupin are both worth a visit.

Travel to France

Where in the World Spain

Written by Gill Dewar on August 25, 2021. Posted in Where in the world.

Where is this amazing city?

Barcelona, Spain – Barcelona is widely recognised as one of the most successful cities in the world, internationally acclaimed for its innovative urban planning.

It has survived the economic, environmental, and social changes of the last decades through focusing upon the provision of knowledge-based and information services to place itself in the forefront of a new urban wave, in which city planning provides high-quality opportunities for people to live and work.

In short, Barcelona has been transformed into a city that provides a highly impressive urban environment to all who visit it.

The foundation for Barcelona’s transformation has been the city’s Example district, a garden city expansion of 520 street blocks planned as long ago as 1859. Its high-quality architecture, egalitarian design and ease of access have stood the test of time and it provides the model for modern city developments today.

Travel to Spain

Where in the World Belgium

Written by Gill Dewar on August 24, 2021. Posted in Where in the world.

Where would you find this unreal piece of engineering?

Sart Canal Bridge, Belgium.

Weighing in at a whopping 65,000 tons, the Pont du Sart Aqueduct is located in western Belgium, near the town of Houdeng-Goegnies. This massive structure was built to carry the Centrumkanaal water channel, and is one of the longest of its kind.

For centuries, Belgians have wanted an inland waterway to connect the Meuse and the Scheldt. However, the height difference of about 96 metres (315 ft) between the two rivers would require as many as 32 locks, which was not feasible. In 1879, the Ministry of Public Works adopted a proposal by Edwin Clark which used boat lifts instead of locks. The first lift (Houdeng-Gœgnies) was built between 1885 and 1888. It was inaugurated on June 4, 1888 by King Leopold II.

The three other boat lifts were finally finished in 1917 and put into service in 1919. There were several reasons for this delay. From 1894 to 1911, the economic need for the canal was repeatedly called into question. Then in 1914, when the three lifts were practically finished, World War I began.

The old canal could accommodate boats with a displacement of up to 350 tons. In 1957 the Belgian parliament passed a law providing for a major expansion of the canal, increasing the maximum displacement of a boat that could use the canal to 1,350 tonnes (1,490 tons). In the event, it was decided to alter the course of the canal rather than to enlarge it along the full extent of its existing length. A defining feature of the enlarged canal was the Strépy-Thieu boat lift which replaced the four smaller boat lifts and one or two locks which had been part of the former canal.

The Canal du Centre was opened to boats with a displacement of 1,350 tonnes in September 2002. Between 2000 and 2004 the annual ship transits increased from 1,531 to 4,041 while the tonnage carried increased from 282,000 to 1,513,000.

The lifts on the old parallel canal remain in position, having in 1998 been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Travel to Belgium

Where in the World Portugal

Written by Gill Dewar on August 24, 2021. Posted in Where in the world.

Where, what, how – anyone seen this before?

This amazing island is situated in the Azores in Portugal.

Being the largest island in the Azores, there’s so much to see and do on Sao Miguel such as kayaking, paddleboarding, diving, surfing, canyoning, coasteering, sailing, fishing, hiking, road cycling and mountain biking.

The Azores are also Europe’s number one destination for whale and dolphin watching – whether you’re looking for a dedicated week focussing on sealife or if you’d simply like to add a day-trip to your stay, and our crews are the best in the Azores.

Sao Miguel is one of the more-obviously volcanic islands in the archipelago. To east is Furnas: one of the island’s oldest calderas. There are over thirty geysers and mineral-rich springs in and around Furnas village and on the shores of it’s crater lake. It’s this hot earth and a giddy-mix of aromas from the wild aloe, the ancient cedars and the bubbling aquifers that give Furnas a semi-tropical feel. Nowhere more so than at the 200-year-old Parque Terra Nostra: home to Sao Miguel’s famous geothermal swimming pool.

To the west is the island’s largest caldera Sete Cidades – a must-see destination for most visitors to the islands for it’s extraordinary beauty. For the more energetic, Sete Cidades has an excellent variety of walking trails and cycling routes, and it’s twin-crater-lakes are a breath-taking kayaking spot.

In town, the capital Ponta Delgada is a welcoming, friendly city where everything is accessible on foot, including many of the island’s best restaurants.

Travel to Portugal

Where in the World Germany

Written by Gill Dewar on August 20, 2021. Posted in Where in the world.

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

Where is this beautiful castle?

Eltz Castle in Germany is a medieval castle nestled in the hills above the Moselle between Koblenz and Trier and is still owned by a branch of the same family (the Eltz family) that lived there in the 12th century, thirty-three generations ago.

The castle is surrounded on three sides by the river Elzbach, a tributary on the north side of the Moselle. It is on a 70-metre (230 ft) rock spur, on an important Roman trade route between rich farmlands and their markets. The Eltz Forest has been declared a nature reserve by Flora-Fauna-Habitat and Natura 2000.

It has incomparable architecture and original furnishings from eight centuries. It offers an armory and treasury with world-class gold and silver work. It stands on a rock and still lies in the valley. It is embedded in the Eltz Forest, a nature reserve of great scenic beauty and full of rare plants and animals. It is also located in the middle of an attractive hiking area, with the award-winning dream path “Eltzer Burgpanorama” and other beautiful paths for every requirement.

The greatest attraction of Eltz Castle is its architecture: With its eight up to 35 meter high residential towers, its bay windows, roofs, half-timbered structures and peaks, it is the epitome of a knight’s castle for the spontaneous viewer, yes the “castle par excellence”

Its location is unique: hidden in a side valley of the Moselle, built there on a 70 m high rock, surrounded on three sides by the Elzbach and surrounded by a natural paradise, it alone allows the perfect medieval dream.

Travel to Germany

Where in the World Scotland

Written by Gill Dewar on August 20, 2021. Posted in Where in the world.

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

In which country would you find this amazing cave structure?

Known as Fingal’s Cave, Isle of Staffa, Scotland it bears a history and geology unlike any other cave in the world.

At 72 feet tall and 270 feet deep, what makes this sea cave so visually astoundingly is the hexagonal columns of basalt, shaped in neat six-sided pillars that make up its interior walls. These fractured columns form a crude walkway just above the water level so that visitors can go far inside and explore the cave.

Known to the Celts as Uamh-Binn or “The Cave of Melody,” one Irish legend, in particular, explained the existence of the cave as well as that of the similar Giant’s Causeway in Ireland. As both are made of the same neat basalt columns, the legend holds that they were the end pieces of a bridge built by the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (a.k.a. Finn McCool), so he could make it to Scotland where he was to fight Benandonner, his gigantic rival.

The legend, which connects the two structures, is in effect geologically correct. Both the Giant’s Causeway and Fingal’s Cave were indeed created by the same ancient lava flow, which may have at one time formed a “bridge” between the two sites. Of course, this happened some 60 million years ago, long before people would have been around to see it. Nonetheless, the deductive reasoning of the ancient peoples formed the connection and base of the legend that the two places must be related.

One can visit the cave via cruise (though boats cannot enter the cave, they make regular passes by it) or can travel to the small island of Staffa and hike into the cave by stepping from column to column. By the way, northern shores of Staffa host a puffin colony during the summer months.

Travel to Scotland

Where in the World India

Written by Gill Dewar on August 18, 2021. Posted in Where in the world.

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

Where is this beautiful facade?

Dwarkadhish Temple in Dwarka, India, is believed to have been established more than 2500 years ago by Lord Krishna’s great grandson, Vajranabh.

The ancient temple has been renovated several times, especially leaving imprints of 16th and 19th centuries. The temple stands on a small hill accessed by 50 plus steps, with heavily sculptured walls that cocoon the sanctum with the main Krishna idol. Around the complex lie other smaller shrines. The walls have intricately carved mythical characters and legends. The impressive 43 m high spire is topped with a flag made from 52 yards of cloth that flutters in the soft breeze from the Arabian Sea behind the temple.

It is believed that Lord Krishna arrived in Dwarka from Braj in Uttar Pradesh to build the city. The temple was established by his grandson. It is at the cusp of the Gomti River and the Arabian Sea, providing a scenic backdrop to the spiritual site. It is said that Dwarka was submerged under the sea six times and what we see now is its seventh avatar.

The temple itself has a fascinating legend. The original structure was destroyed by Mahmud Begada in 1472, and subsequently rebuilt in the 15th-16th century. It was also feted by Adi Shankaracharya, the 8th century Hindu theologian and philosopher.

Travel to India

Where in the World Japan

Written by Gill Dewar on August 18, 2021. Posted in Where in the world.

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

Where would you find this huge art work in a field?

As part of a revitalization effort in the early 90s, the village of Inakadate, Japan, decided on a novel way to boost tourism in their town: large-scale rice paddy art.

Now, using seven different kinds of rice as their colour palette, over a thousand local volunteers come together each year to help with the planting process. Over time, the designs have evolved in complexity and now draw in hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.

The city even took the Guinness World Record back in 2015 for creating the world’s largest rice field artwork.

In honour of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, this year’s rice paddy artwork features a depiction of the famous Hokusai ukiyo-e woodblock print ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa’ along with an image of a kabuki actor, similar to the one seen at the Olympic opening ceremony.

Travel to Japan

Breath-taking Bariloche in Argentina

15. Colonia Suiza

14. Centro Civico

13. Los Arrayanes National Park

12. Playa Bonita

11. Rapa Nui

10. Route of the Seven Lakes

9. Isla Victoria

8. Circuito Chico

7. Cerro Otto

6. Refugio Frey Hike

5. Cerro Campanario

4. Parque Municipal Llao Llao

3. Cerro Tronador

2. Cerro Catedral

1. Nahuel Huapi National Park

Latest posts

More about our Facebook Group

Where in the world Spain

Spain, a country on Europe’s Iberian Peninsula

More Where in the World’s

White Water Rafting – Cajón del Maipo

Latest posts

More about our Facebook Group

Amazing facts about Angkor Wat in Cambodia

Where Is Angkor Wat?

Angkor Wat’s Design

More Where in the World’s

Skyline tour at Croke Park Dublin

Latest posts

More about our Facebook Group

Fountain by Chad Knight- Where in the world USA?

More Where in the World’s

Where in the world Slovenia?

More Where in the World’s

More Where in the World’s

More about our Facebook Group

Travel Talks Platform for the travel industry

Submit

Subscribe