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…
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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…
Japan14 Amazing Things to Do in Kochi, Japan
With its relaxed vibe and a nice location close to the sea, Kōchi quickly became our favourite city on Shikoku. Apart from that, there are lots of interesting historical sites, many of them connected to national hero Sakamoto Ryōma, who was born here. To see the most important sights in Kōchi, I recommend staying two…
JapanThe Ultimate Guide to the Iya Valley on Shikoku – Including 9 Unique Things to Do
This remote river valley in the mountains of eastern Shikoku’s Tokushima Prefecture was one of our favourite places on the entire island. First of all, the landscapes are beautiful, but there were also enough cute little villages and unusual sights to keep us busy exploring. Apart from that, we found it the perfect spot to…
JapanWhat to Know About Visiting Nagoro, Japan’s Bizarre Doll Village
Japan has plenty of weird and wonderful sights, but we didn’t come across a more unusual place than Nagoro, a small mountain village populated by nearly life-sized dolls. We dropped by while visiting the secluded Iya Valley and it quickly became a highlight of our Shikoku itinerary. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting…