Germany’s big financial centre is a city of many sides. The central business district, Bankenviertel, captures your attention right away and has all ten of the tallest skyscrapers in the country. Opposite that sci-fi cityscape is the Museumsufer, an entire neighbourhood of museums that could keep you fascinated and entertained for days. Frankfurt also has …
On the Rhine, Cologne (German: Köln) is a cultural capital and university city enriched with more than 2,000 years of history. In Roman times Cologne was in charge of a province, and ancient vestiges bubble through the city’s surface at medieval Romanesque churches and the gripping Romano-Germanic Museum. If you love to lose yourself in …
Since the days of the medieval Hanseatic League Hamburg has been a Free City and port of international status. Hamburg still has the second busiest harbour in Europe, and stands as a City-State in Germany’s Federal Republic. A constant ebb and flow of seafarers has given Hamburg a rakish reputation, which is half the fun …
Bavaria’s capital is a cocktail of beloved sights, opulent Baroque churches and museums of the highest order. Munich’s Kunstareal is a cluster of art museums with so many masterpieces it’s difficult to know where to begin. A week would never be enough to see all of them, and these invaluable collections were assembled by the …
Even though it’s not New York City, upstate Syracuse still holds tons of appeal for those wanting to get away from the actual urban hubbub, and enjoy a little of the super-charming side of another part of the state. Syracuse offers something for every season — the winters are as you would expect in this …
The Norrland city of Gävle is by no means large but punches above its weight for museums, family days out, parks and cultural venues. If you hurry in December you might also catch sight of the Gävle Goat. This big straw Christmas monument rarely survives to the end of the month as it is normally …
While you may have never heard of Paterson, New Jersey, the city holds a distinction that’s quite remarkable — it has the second-highest density of any city in the United States with a population over 100,000, falling only behind New York City. Its story stretches back pretty far, and has some notable dots along the …
Borås is in West Sweden, 45 minutes inland from Gothenburg. In the 19th and 20th centuries Borås was the country’s big textiles manufacturer and that legacy is maintained at the Textilmuseet, where industrial spinning and weaving machines are still in perfect order. One thing that will hit you right away about Borås is its street …
Built in one go in the 17th century, Gothenburg was planned as a trading post when the Swedish Empire was at the peak of its powers. As the largest port in Sweden it became a centre for industries like shipbuilding, and despite its obvious affluence still has an down-to-earth, working character. As a planned city, …
In Central Portugal’s Dão-Lafões region, Mangualde is a quiet, provincial town not far from the city of Viseu. Investigating the town and its surroundings will lead you to a Megalithic monument, Roman remains, splendid Baroque mansions and hermitages posted high on hilltops. The fertile soils in the Dão River Valley are coated with vineyards, apple …