If Guadeloupe itself is not enough of a tropical island paradise for you, I highly recommend you get yourself to the small Îles des Saintes archipelago off Basse-Terre’s southern coast. The Saints’ Islands, which are named after the fact that Columbus ‘discovered’ them on All Saints’ Day, have some of my favourite beaches in the…
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GuadeloupeVisiting the Filming Locations of the BBC’s Death in Paradise in Deshaies, Guadeloupe
During our recent trip to Guadeloupe, we also passed through tiny Deshaies, which is a cute little village by the sea, and the main filming location for the BBC-produced police procedural “Death in Paradise”, in which a cast of oddball detectives has to solve so many crimes of greed and passion, that you kind of…
GuadeloupeWhat to Know About Climbing Soufrière Volcano – The Highest Mountain in the Lesser Antilles
Guadeloupe consists of two very different parts. Grande-Terre is the more developed eastern half, but while we checked out some interesting historical and natural attractions there, the real reason to come to the island for us was to visit Basse-Terre, the wilder and arguably more beautiful western half. The rugged interior of Basse-Terre is dominated…
GuadeloupeThe Complete Guide to La Désirade Island, Guadeloupe
Small La Désirade Island off Guadeloupe’s eastern coast was the first bit of land spotted during Columbus’ Second Voyage to America in 1493. For that reason, it was called “The Desired One” (i.e. La Désirade in French). For centuries, Amerindian settlers didn’t much desire to live permanently on La Désirade, as it’s actually quite hostile…
GuadeloupeThe 5 Best Things to do in Pointe-à-Pitre, the Cultural Capital of Guadeloupe
It might not be Guadeloupe’s capital (that distinction goes to Basse-Terre) but Pointe-à-Pitre is the island’s biggest city and arguably its cultural centre, with the highest concentration of museums, restaurants and bars. It’s also close to the airport and ferry terminal, so it’s likely the city you’ll arrive in when first coming to Guadeloupe (it…
Czech RepublicA Visitor’s Guide to Charming Jablonne v Podjestedi, Czech Republic
This small town in the northernmost part of the Czech Republic is very far off the tourist trail, but there are at least two very good reasons for a stopover: The beautiful baroque-era Basilica of Saints Lawrence and Zdislava and the impressive medieval Lemberk Castle. It’s easy to visit the town on a day-trip from…
GermanyThe Complete Guide to Visiting the Monument to the Battle of the Nations in Leipzig
Beautiful Leipzig is Central Germany’s biggest city and a place I recommend to everyone who’s visiting Germany (not just because I live here:-). It’s the cultural capital of the region and has tons of historical sights, but at the same time it’s much less touristy than other big German cities like Berlin or Munich. One…
GermanyWhat to Know About Visiting Colditz Castle, Germany
I guess that tiny Colditz in western Saxony wouldn’t be on many people’s radars if it weren’t for its Renaissance Castle. It’s certainly beautiful, but the main reason Colditz Castle is known internationally is its infamous role as a Prisoner of War Camp during World War II. That said, unlike many historical sites from that…
JapanA Great One-Day Itinerary for Matsuyama, Japan
Matsuyama was the final stop on our trip through Shikoku and as often was the case during our travels in Japan, we found an interesting mixture of historic sites and wacky newer attractions in the city. For instance, there’s Dogo Onsen, Japan’s oldest public bath, which inspired the bathhouse from ‘Spirited Away’ and Matsuyama-jō, which…
JapanThe Best Things to Do in the Pretty Historical Village of Uchiko, Japan
The cute village of Uchiko in western Shikoku has a beautiful and well-preserved historical centre with loads of traditional wooden buildings from the late Edo and early Meiji Eras (approx. early 18th to late 19th century). Uchiko was originally a centre for the production of silk and paper, and became wealthy in the 18th century…