Teach Translate Travel Repeat

sightseeing

  • McCaig’s Tower, Oban, Scotland – The Scottish Amphitheatre

    McCaig’s Tower, Oban, Scotland – The Scottish Amphitheatre

    Located in the Scottish Highlands, the port city of Oban is the gateway to the Hebrides. McCaig’s Tower stands tall on Battery Hill overlooking the city and the bay. McCaig’s Tower was the idea of John Stuart McCaig, a banker who wanted to do two things: The result is McCaig’s Tower, which is an open…

  • Zentralfriedhof, Vienna – The same size as Zurich and twice the fun!

    Zentralfriedhof, Vienna – The same size as Zurich and twice the fun!

    The Zentralfriedhof (main cemetary) in Vienna lies on the edge of the city not far from the Vienna airport. With a “population” of over 3 million, it houses twice as many people as currently are alive in the city. But why would you ever want to visit a cemetery when you go to Vienna? Maybe…

  • Ardchattan Priory, Scotland – A garden of contemplation

    Ardchattan Priory, Scotland – A garden of contemplation

    Ardchattan Priory sits approximately 10 miles/16 kilometres outside the port city of Oban in Scotland. Its history dates back to its founding in 1230. History Ardchattan Priory resulted from Duncan MacDougal, the Lord of Argyll, located in Dunollie Castle. He invited the Valliscaulian Order to set up a local priory. They had been given a…

  • Bridge Over The Atlantic, Scotland – Clachan Bridge to the Island of Seil

    Bridge Over The Atlantic, Scotland – Clachan Bridge to the Island of Seil

    Just south of Oban in Scotland lies a bridge built in 1792. Connecting the Island of Seil to mainland Scotland, the bridge is known as Clachan Bridge. It gets its name from the body of water it crosses, which is the Clachan Sound. However it has a second name, which is the “Bridge over the…

  • Falkirk Kelpies, Scotland – A tribute to Scotland and strong horses

    Falkirk Kelpies, Scotland – A tribute to Scotland and strong horses

    Situated between the towns of Falkirk and Grangemouth in Scotland, the Kelpies are an art installation by Andy Scott, an artist of renown famous for his other installations around the UK. This installation is of two “kelpies”. The myth behind the Falkirk Kelpies A kelpie is a mythical creature said to be like a seahorse…

  • Tintinhull Gardens, England – Weekend Paradise

    Tintinhull Gardens, England – Weekend Paradise

    Set amongst the rolling farmland of Somerset, TIntinhull is a house/gardens combination; it sits in the tiny village of the same name. To visit the house you have to rent it from the National Trust and stay there for at least 3 days. As a result it is not open to the general public. The…

  • Zurich, Switzerland – The most expensive city in the world

    Zurich, Switzerland – The most expensive city in the world

    If you are looking for somewhere in Europe with history, Zurich is your one-stop shop. From Roman foundation over 2000 years ago to modern history, Zürich covers it all. If you want to shop, Zürich has one of the best (and most expensive) shopping districts. If you need to deal with finances, Zürich is one…

  • Lytes Cary, England – A bite-size manor in Somerset

    Lytes Cary, England – A bite-size manor in Somerset

    In the backcountry roads in Somerset on a single-track line lined with hedges on both sides winding through farmland lies a couple of houses. Collectively these houses are “Lytes Cary”. It is easy to miss due to the hedges but if you notice the low stone walls on either side of an unassuming (with the…

  • Grutenhäuschen, Trier, Germany – A temple with a view

    Grutenhäuschen, Trier, Germany – A temple with a view

    On the bank of the river Moselle not far upstream from the city of Trier lies a Roman temple with a beautiful view of the Moselle valley just before the Saar and Moselle rivers merge. This Roman temple (Grutenhäuschen) dates back to the 3rd/4th century AD to the time after Trier had become one of…

  • Bismarckturm Schoden, Germany – A silent sentinal

    Bismarckturm Schoden, Germany – A silent sentinal

    Standing on a hill above the Saar River in Germany near the town of Schoden in Rheinland-Pfalz/Rhineland-Palatinate stands a Bismarckturm (Bismarck tower); a standardised monument built to honour Germany’s first chancellor, Otto von Bismarck. These towers were built around the turn of the 20th century to honour him. They conform (more or less) to a…

  • Bohus Fästning, Sweden – Protecting the Old Swedish-Norwegian border

    Bohus Fästning, Sweden – Protecting the Old Swedish-Norwegian border

    Back in February 2016 I visit Sweden for a couple of weeks (Sweden in winter?!? Don’t ask) and I had the opportunity to visit Bohus Fästning (Bohus Fortress), a 14th century fortress on the former Norwegian-Swedish border just north of the city of Gothenburg. History The fortress was built around the year 1308. It was…

  • Stralsund, Germany – The gateway to Scandinavia

    Stralsund, Germany – The gateway to Scandinavia

    Stralsund is a town with a population of just over 60,000 on the coast of northern Germany. It is the fourth largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Stralsund is a Hanseatic city: it was part of the Hanseatic League. It certainly reflects that and the wealth that it in brought from the city’s historical buildings. One of…

  • Eltz Castle, Germany – A Living Castle

    Eltz Castle, Germany – A Living Castle

    Eltz Castle is a majestic little castle. It sits on a rock in a small wooded valley in Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) in Germany. Although definitely among the lesser-known castles (unlike Hohenzollern or Neuschwanstein), it is extremely appropriate for its location and has a few unique features, both physically and as well as features of its history.…

  • Bautzen, Germany – The Land of Mustard

    Bautzen, Germany – The Land of Mustard

    In the former East German state of Saxony lies the town of Bautzen, a medieval town that is famous across Germany for its architecture and its mustard (yes, mustard). The city centre of Bautzen sits up on a hill overlooking the more modern areas of the town as well as the river Spree (the same…

  • The Gardens of Versailles, France – Living Like Kings

    While I have to admit that I usually cannot pass up seeing a garden when I travel (case in point: Parc del laberinth d’Horta in Barcelona), there are those that stand out from the rest. An example that I highly recommend is the Gardens of Versailles. History Much like the palace, Louis XIV expanded and…