The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre

This great little award-winning and family-friendly Museum contains two fun and fact-packed biographical galleries, the fantabulous interactive Story Centre and a sunny courtyard. Look out for a range of whizzbanging workshops and extra-usual events. Situated in the village where Roald Dahl lived and wrote for 36 years, the Museum was created as a home for the author's unique archive and to inspire a love of stories and creative writing in all our visitors.

Colmar, France

With a charming country-town atmosphere and a strong historical heritage, Colmar is not only “the most Alsatian town in Alsace”, and the wine capital of the region, but also a place for the fairytale believers.

This dreamy place has a very privileged location near Germany and Switzerland, between the Vosges mountains and the Rhine, between Strasburg and Mulhouse. There is also a special TGV route between Colmar and Paris. The best way to explore the Colmar is by taking long walks through the old city center and admiring its well preserved architecture.

Landmarks include the Dominican Church, Maison des Tetes, Unterlinden Museum (featuring historic artifacts and paintings by Renoir and Picasso) , the Bartholdi Museum (dedicated to the sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty and who was born here). Little Venice is a part of the city built on picturesque canals and also a great place to taste the Alsatian cuisine.

Alberobello, Italy

Unesco World Heritage Site Alberobello resembles a mini urban sprawl – for gnomes. The Zona dei Trulli on the western hill of town is a dense mass of 1500 beehive-shaped houses, white-tipped as if dusted by snow. These dry-stone buildings are made from local limestone; none are older than the 14th century. Inhabitants do not wear pointy hats, but they do sell anything a visitor might want, from miniature trulli to woollen shawls.

The town is named after the primitive oak forest Arboris Belli (beautiful trees) that once covered this area.

Burano, Italy

Burano is Italy’s technicolor town, located in the same lagoon as Venice. According to When On Earth, fishermen decided to paint their houses with bright colors so that they would be easily distinguishable through the thick fog. Today, residents can’t paint their houses just any shade — if they want to repaint, they have to send a letter to the government, and officials will reply with a list of acceptable colors.

Bibury, England

Bibury is situated in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds on the River Coln 9 miles from the market town of Burford.

The village was once described by William Morris as 'the most beautiful village in the Cotswolds'.

The village centre clusters around a square near St. Mary's, a Saxon church. Some of the Saxon remains inside the church are replicas as the originals are housed in the British Museum.

One of the village's main tourist spots and overlooking a water meadow and the river is Arlington Row, a group of ancient cottages with steeply pitched roofs dating back to the 16th Century.

Henry Ford thought Arlington Row was an icon of England. On a trip to the Cotswolds he tried to buy the entire row of houses to ship back to Michigan so that he could include them in Greenfield Village.

Bibury has provided the backdrop for blockbuster films including Stardust and Bridget Jones's Diary.

Sandals Grande St. Lucian

Ideally located on its very own peninsula, Sandals Grande St. Lucian is often described as the "closest vacation to a picture-perfect postcard." Cradled to the west by Rodney Bay - boasting the calmest waters in all of Saint Lucia - and to the east by the majestic Atlantic Ocean, this magnificent resort showcases awe-inspiring panoramic views that will linger in your heart forever. Volcanic mountains draped in blankets of green rise majestically from an impossibly clear blue sea. A sheltered mile-long beach extends an open invitation for days of endless water play. This is paradise as it was meant to be, full of natural beauty, rich in history, and resplendent in pure romance.

For a secluded, tranquil hideaway with unparalleled proximity to the beach, immerse yourself in the luxury of a beachfront Rondoval suite. Comprised of spacious, exquisite interiors with natural stone flooring and Roman soaking bathtubs perfect for two, these circular suites also offer unique outdoor opportunities on a private veranda, including alfresco dining, sunbathing and stargazing from your very own hammock, outdoor showers, and access to a private, refreshing pool and whirlpool. Secluded by lush, tropical greenery, these clandestine suites are the ultimate in luxury with extraordinary vistas of the famous Rodney Bay.

Cooper Island Beach Club

Just steps from the beach, our newly renovated guest cottages are nestled amongst palm trees, cactus gardens and tropical flowers. All rooms enjoy fabulous views of The Sir Francis Drake Channel and the islands beyond. A connecting door between balconies can be opened when friends are travelling together. Each open-plan room is bright and airy, featuring recycled teak furniture in driftwood tones.

Shanghai Tunnels

The "Portland Underground" tunnels, more popularly known as the "Shanghai Tunnels", were basements of buildings that connected to other buildings through brick and stone archways that were intersected with tunnels that connected under the streets, linking block to block. These "catacombs" or "tombs", as they were sometimes called, created a unique network of passages and thoroughfares that were used by unscrupulous individuals called "shanghaiiers" or "crimps", in addition to "white slavers" who grabbed women and sold them into prostitution.

These are educational tours of the infamous "Portland Underground" that focuses on the shanghai trade in the City of Portland that survived from 1850-1941, as well as "white slavery", prohibition, and even the turn-of-the-century history of the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) labor movement in the Northwest. In addition, the early history of the Chinese is covered, along with the Japanese and the Gypsies. These tours are operated by the Cascade Geographic Society (CGS) and provide a unique glimpse back into the hidden (or buried) past of the "City of Roses".

The tour takes approximately an hour and a half, and participants are with a guide at all times. The tour-goers receive an above-ground orientation, and then the guide will lead participants into the "Portland Underground", where they will receive the majority of the historical and oral history about this infamous maritime practice that gave Portland a notorious reputation throughout the world. Tour participants must be able to handle stairs that lead to and from this hidden world. In addition, there will be dust, dirt, musty smells, and anything else that would be associated with this type of environment, so if you need a dust mask, please bring one. Also, at each station people will be required to stand for at least 15 minutes at a time in order to receive the necessary information. Also, the "Portland Underground" is constantly in transition as more and more sections are opened or restored, which is why some people have taken this tour several times.

Old Faithful Inn

This historic cabin facility is located near Old Faithful Inn and includes a one-story main lodge built in the 1920's featuring massive logs and stone pillars.

Tremendous views of the Old Faithful Geyser can be seen from the bakery and cafeteria-style food court. The large gift store is also located in the lodge. Basic cabins are equipped with or without bath and grouped nearby.The lobby of the hotel features a 65-foot ceiling, a massive rhyolite fireplace, and railings made of contorted lodgepole pine. Its incredibly large space can be experienced on many different levels and from many different vantage points. The visitor can stand in the middle of the lobby and look up at the exposed structure, or climb up a gnarled log staircase to one of the balconies and look up, down, or across. Wings were added to the hotel in 1915 and 1927, and today there are 327 rooms available to guests in this National Historic Landmark.

The rustic-style lodge, with log and wood shingle exterior is located adjacent to the world famous Old Faithful Geyser. The original part of the Inn, known as the "Old House" was completed in 1904 and includes an immense lobby with a huge stone fireplace.

The East and West Wings were added in the teens and the twenties, with many rooms having been remodeled in recent years. Guest accommodations include rooms with private and shared baths. Additionally, a full service restaurant, deli, gift store and interpretive tours are available at the Inn.

Kalaloch Creek Nature Trail

Tree Root Cave - This incredible tree is easily accessible on the beach at Kalaloch campground.  In fact there are quite a few amazing natural features in this area.

Kalaloch, meaning "a good place to land" in the Quinault language, has no shortage of natural areas to explore. The Pacific shoreline just below provides ample habitat for marine life: tide pools reveal crabs and sea urchins at low tide; sea otters float on the surface of submerged kelp beds; shorebirds nest on beaches; and whales and dolphins occasionally emerge offshore. Beyond the national park's 73 miles of coastline lie three national wildlife refuges and one marine sanctuary.

Near the campground and lodge, trails and steps descend about 40 ft. to the beach. There are several beaches, tide pools, scenic overlooks and trails to explore. The Kalaloch Creek Nature Trail is a mile-long walk through the forest along Kalaloch Creek, which drains into the ocean. There are accessible lookout points at Ruby Beach and Beach Trail 4.

Olympic National Park has much to explore, including temperate rain forests, ocean shores, sub-alpine mountains, lakes and more. The lush Hoh Rain Forest, as well as the towns of Queets, Quinault and Forks are within a 45-minute drive.

Cummins Falls State Park

Cummins Falls State Park is a 211 acre park located nine miles north of Cookeville on the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River. In the rolling hills of Jackson County where Putnam and Jackson counties meet, the stream gives way to a 75 foot drop.

This park is located in the Cordell Hull Watershed. The forest that borders the river includes a variety of oaks, beech, buckeye, sycamore and hemlock. Woodland plants include October’s lady tresses, star chickweed, liverleaf and Allegheny spurge. The property’s long forested streamside protects turkey, quail, eagles and other birds; soft-shell and other turtles; fox, mink, and myriad insects including damselflies and dragonflies.

Cummins Falls was named one of the top 10 best swimming holes in the United States in the “America’s Best Swimming Holes” article in Travel and Leisure magazine.  The article reads “It’s a hard-earned scramble to the bottom that involves hiking to the overlook, wading across the ankle-deep stream, climbing up to the ridge, and using a rope guide to walk yourself down to the water. This is not a swimming hole for lightweights. Translation: expect a younger crowd. But if you’re agile (and sure-footed), the descent into the cavernous pool is worth the effort."

Hallstatt

In midst the mystical Salzkammergut Lake Region lies Hallstatt, Austria’s oldest village, who’s culture dates back to the 8th century B.C. Quite possibly the most photographed Austrian village, Hallstatt is visually framed by the Hallstaettersee and the massive Dachstein mountain range.


Arriving in Hallstatt is quite the experience in itself. With the train station on one side of lake and the village itself on the other, you need to take a ferry across the lake to get there and are thus awarded with a spectacular first impression of this famous Alpine village.

Once there, the local museum shows artifacts found in burial grounds around the area spanning the last 7000 years. A short walk to St. Michael’s chapel reveals one of the more unique objects on display in Hallstatt: hand-painted skulls – neatly arranged in the bone house / ossuary – and yes you read that correctly. Due to its limited available space Hallstatt is the only village in Austria where long buried skulls and bones are often eventually hand painted, stacked neatly, and put on display.

Another local treasure: Salt, over centuries the source of Hallstatt’s wealth. We urge you to visit and to literally slide down deep into the world’s oldest salt mines. Once inside at “Hörnerwerk" cavern you will discover a subterranean salt lake and become acquainted with the tragic fate of the prehistoric miner who became world-famous as the "Man preserved in the salt”

Miskolctapolca

The Cave Bath is a thermal bath in a natural cave in Miskolctapolca, which is part of the city of Miskolc, Hungary, another cave bath is only at Sklene Teplice, Slovakia.

The thermal water (temperature: 30°C/86°F) is reputed to reduce joint pain, and since it has a lower salt content than most thermal waters (around 1000 mg/liter), people can bathe in it for much longer, practically an unlimited amount of time. The Cave Bath can be visited all year long, except for January.

The cave and the thermal spring have been known since ancient times, but Tapolca became a popular bathing place only after the Ottoman occupation of Hungary (16th-17th century). During this time the area belonged to the Greek Orthodox abbey of Görömböly; the development of Tapolca into a bathing place was the idea of the abbot in 1711. He also brought doctors from Kassa, today Košice, Slovakia to examine the beneficial effects of the water. Three pools and an inn were constructed in 1723. The cave itself was not used yet, as the pools were outside. The water was colder than it is now, because the cold water springs of Tapolca (which now play an important role in providing Miskolc with drinking water) were used too. By the mid-18th century, after a short period of popularity, the bath was neglected and by the 19th century the buildings were in ruins.

Ramona Falls

The dazzling, picturesque Ramona Falls stands like a fountain centerpiece at the front of a wooded cathedral. The water appears as if from nowhere a hundred feet above you and fans out like a wedding veil to the creek bed below. As it trickles and ricochets off the basaltic rock-face, it gives it a glowing, almost phosphorescent appearance. This illusion is especially noticeable when the alder canopy allows the evening sun rays to pass through, like a spotlight on a great work of art. Its wooded setting provides a cool escape from the summer heat and is an obvious resting spot before turning around or heading to points beyond.

This is a popular location however. Not only do day-hikers from Portland visit the area, but backpackers traversing the Timberline Trail (or up nearby Bald Mountain or Yocum Ridge) will pass through here, often taking up camp in a nearby site. But don't let the crowds deter you.

On the one hand you wouldn't think to camp here because it's fairly close to the trailhead and is very popular, but there are a lot of places to camp in the vicinity.From Ramona Falls there are two trails - one goes West and the other Northwest. The Northwest immediately splits into two trails that are both going approximately Northwest.The West trail, within about 0.1 miles of the falls has several side trails going to campsites. These are probably the most used. You can get drinking water from below Ramona Falls.Keep going on the West trail about 0.4 miles to a junction, and then take the PCT South down to the river. In about 0.1 mile is a large flat area with a couple campsites. Go uphill on steep trail a short distance to Sandy Guard station and places to camp up there. Or, on the other side of the PCT there's a side trail that leads to some other campsites. Maybe this used to be a main trail? If you keep going a short distance more on the PCT there's a nice clear stream for drinking water.

Tunnel Falls

Tunnel Falls is the traditional turnaround spot for many on the Eagle Creek Trail, and it is indeed a splendid climax. Over the last thousand years, the falls have carved a majestic basin here, plunging 160 feet from towering basalt cliffs to the rushing creek-bed below. While this scene is impressive enough, the most bewildering aspect of the falls in the passageway behind them. Trail builders from the early 1900s blasted a tunnel behind the falls and then across the sheer rock face on their far side, making this area the slickest and perhaps, most precarious section of trail in the Columbia River Gorge. Looking downstream from the falls, you can see were the two forks of Eagle Creek converge, meeting at Grand Union Falls.

Please avoid the temptation to descend to the creek via the large slide on the near side, as so many have done before. Putting aside the obvious danger, the area is eroding before it's time, accelerating mother nature's intentions for the area.

Visitors to this area may choose to continue less than a half-mile ahead to the two-tiered, 200 foot Twister Falls (some guidebooks call it "Eagle Creek Falls"). It is well worth the minimal additional effort if time affords. It is difficult to see the full span of the cataract, but more impressive is the trail to it. Many have referred to this stretch as the "Vertigo Mile".

The Eagle Creek to Tunnel Falls Hike is one of the most popular and magnificent trails in the Columbia River Gorge, and for good reason. You will literally lose count as you pass dozens of spectacular waterfalls through the lush temperate rain forests and tall basalt cliffs. You'll traverse passageways blasted out of the bedrock with dynamite, footbridges over bubbling streams, talus slopes, and unique geologic formations along your journey -- and that's just in the first 2 miles!

Entrance to St. Beatus Caves

The St. Beatus Caves are an extensive cave network located in Switzerland right above Lake Thun. a Legend has it that Saint Beatus killed a dragon who was living in the caves (around the 9th century), there are very impressive waterfalls next to the old Monastery.

St. Beatus is believed to be berried  between the monastery and the cave entrance. a Monastery was established near the openings the caves. Nowadays tourists can access a small part of the caves; the old monastery is no longer operating and instead there is a restaurant and gift shop.

Karijini National Park

Enter Mother Nature's own adventure world, Karijini National Park. Climb, swim or gaze into the depths of its 100 metre chasms, revealing four billion years of the Earth's history and some of the oldest rocks on the planet. Follow the trails, descend into cavernous gorges and cool off in inviting pools beneath plunging waterfalls, or scale Western Australia's second highest peak - Mount Bruce.

Regular flights from Perth land you within easy driving distance of Karijini National Park - it's just two hours from Newman and Paraburdoo, three hours from Port Hedland and four and a half hours from Karratha. You can also join guided tours from Tom Price, Karratha and Port Hedland. Alternatively, doing the journey by road from Perth will take you about three days, heading up the coast via Geraldton or through the outback on the Great Northern Highway.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Karijini, besides being one of the largest and most spectacular national parks in Australia, is the fact that its most iconic scenery is within easy reach. You can pull into a car park, walk 50 metres and see waterfalls rushing down rugged canyons into rock pools.

The waters of Fortescue Falls run all through the year at Dales Gorge, where a cooling dip awaits you at the end of an easy walk to Fern Pool and Circular Pool.

Weano Gorge invites the more adventurous into its winding narrow gorges, the far reaches of which should only be tackled with a guide to enjoy the thrills of jumping down waterfalls and climbing out from the depths of 'The Centre of the Earth'.

Nature lovers will enjoy a walk among the mulga, spinifex, eucalypts, melaleuca and some 50 varieties of acacia, keeping a keen eye out for the euro (rock wallaby), dingoes, 133 species of birds and 92 species of amphibians and reptiles.

Spend the night under a star-filled sky, taking your pick from the camping and glamping options available in the park. For more information on walking, sightseeing, camping, flora and fauna, stop by at the Karijini Visitor Centre.

The Blue Lake

The eyes of the beautiful maiden who died of a broken heart were deep blue. The Blue Lake is also deep blue, in eternal memory of the love of the maiden, which persists beyond death. The small Blausee, steeped in legend, is located in the midst of a small nature park.

Thanks to its very special color and the crystal-clear water, which has its source in subterranean springs, Blausee is one of the best-known mountain lakes in Switzerland. It is located in the midst of a 20 hectare large nature park with a landscape formed by a rock slide that led to the creation of the lake.

The lake and the special forest charmed local inhabitants and tourists early on. In 1885 Blausee was praised in a travel guide as a "jewel of a landscape immersed in magical forest solitude". Today the region is very accessible, thanks to walking paths, picnic spots and bonfire spots. There is a hotel with a spa directly on the shore of the lake, and next to it there is a successful organic trout farm.

Urla-İzmir

İzmir is the third largest city in Turkey with a population of around 3.7 million, the second biggest port after Istanbul, and a very good transport hub. Once the ancient city of Smyrna, it is now a modern, developed, and busy commercial center, set around a huge bay and surrounded by mountains. The broad boulevards, glass-fronted buildings and modern shopping centers are dotted with traditional red-tiled roofs, the 18th century market, and old mosques and churches, although the city has an atmosphere more of Mediterranean Europe than traditional Turkey.

Bath

The city was first established as a spa with the Latin name, Aquae Sulis ("the waters of Sulis") by the Romans sometime in the AD 60s about 20 years after they had arrived in Britain (AD 43), although oral tradition suggests that Bath was known before then. They built baths and a temple on the surrounding hills of Bath in the valley of the River Avon around hot springs. Edgar was crowned king of England at Bath Abbey in 973. Much later, it became popular as a spa town during the Georgian era, which led to a major expansion that left a heritage of exemplary Georgian architecture crafted from Bath Stone.

The City of Bath was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1987. The city has a variety of theatres, museums, and other cultural and sporting venues, which have helped to make it a major centre for tourism, with over one million staying visitors and 3.8 million day visitors to the city each year. The city has two universities and several schools and colleges. There is a large service sector, and growing information and communication technologies and creative industries, providing employment for the population of Bath and the surrounding area.

All significant stages of the history of England are represented within the city, from the Roman Baths (including their significant Celtic presence), to Bath Abbey and the Royal Crescent, to Thermae Bath Spa in the 2000s. The size of the tourist industry is reflected in the almost 300 places of accommodation – including over 80 hotels, and over 180 bed and breakfasts – many of which are located in Georgian buildings.

Apostle Islands

The Apostle Islands are a group of 22 islands in Lake Superior, off the Bayfield Peninsula in northern Wisconsin. The majority of the islands are located in Ashland County—only Sand, York, Eagle, and Raspberry Islands are located in Bayfield County. All the islands except for Madeline Island are part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

The islands are the spiritual home for the Lake Superior Chippewa. The islands were named the Apostle Islands by New France historian Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix, who named them after the 12 apostles (for the 12 largest islands).

Some of the best sea caves of the Great Lakes are located on the shorelines of the Apostle Islands. Many of the best sea caves to visit are located at the following locations: Swallow Point on Sand Island, the North Shore of Devils Island, and near Squaw Bay on the mainland. Arches and delicate chambers are visible . During the winters, visitors can see frozen waterfalls and chambers filled with millions of delicate icicles.

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, or VSOE, is a private luxury train service from London to Venice that is popularly referred to as the Orient Express.

The original company was founded by James Sherwood of Kentucky, USA, in 1982; five years earlier, in 1977, he had bought two of the original carriages at an auction when the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits withdrew from the Orient Express service, passing the service on to the national railways of France, Germany, and Austria. Over the next few years, Sherwood spent a total of $16 million purchasing 35 sleeper, restaurant and Pullman carriages. On 25 May 1982, the first London-Venice run was made.

The VSOE has separate carriages for use in the UK and for continental Europe, but all of the same vintage (mostly dating from the 1920s and 1930s). Passengers are conveyed across the English Channel by coach on the Eurotunnel shuttle through the Channel Tunnel. Whereas restored Pullman carriages are used in the UK, in continental Europe restored dark blue former Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits carriages are used. Note that the service in the UK is called the British Pullman, and it has a brown and cream livery and is a day-only train that serves elaborate teas and brunches and visits such sites as castles and spa towns. The service in Europe is the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and has sleeping carriages for full overnight, luxury service. Both the VSOE and the British Pullman are among the World's Top 25 Trains as listed by The Society of International Railway Travelers for high levels of dining, food, off-train experience and accommodation on board.

Englishman River Falls

Situated along the pristine Englishman River north of Nanaimo, Englishman River Falls Provincial Park features two stunning waterfalls cascading along the descending riverbed into a deep canyon.

This picturesque destination, set amid a lush old-growth and second-growth forest of Douglas fir, cedar, hemlock and maple, is an ideal location from which to explore and appreciate the incredible diversity of south central Vancouver Island, including nearby Cathedral Grove, the Pacific Rim, and the sandy shores of Parksville and Qualicum.

The park has a large day-use area and campground and contains several hiking trails that meander through the forest and along the river. Visitors can expect spectacular views along the way, particularly from two bridges that cross the river where it plunges down the narrow rock canyon toward quieter waters below. The lower falls end in a deep crystal-clear pool - an ideal swimming hole in the summer when river levels are low and a great place to view spawning salmon in the fall.

Cape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope, Africa’s southwesternmost spot, is legendary in seafaring lore. Fifteenth-century Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias (or Portugal’s John II, depending on the account) bestowed its optimistic name because rounding the cape suggested that a feasible sea route existed from Europe, around Africa, to India.

Caño Cristales: The River of Seven Colors

A unique biological wonder, Caño Cristales has been referred as the "river of seven colors," "the river that ran away from paradise," and "the world's most beautiful river."

For most of the year, Caño Cristales is indistinguishable from any other river: a bed of rocks covered in dull green mosses are visible below a cool, clear current.

However, for a brief period of time every year, the river blossoms in a vibrant explosion of colors. During the short span between the wet and dry seasons, when the water level is just right, a unique species of plant that lines the river floor called Macarenia clavigera turns a brilliant red. It is offset by splotches of yellow and green sand, blue water, and a thousand shades in between.

This only happens for a brief period in between seasons. During Colombia's wet season, the water flows too fast and deep, obscuring the bottom of the river and denying the Macarenia clavigera the sun that it needs to turn red. During the dry season there is not enough water to support the dazzling array of life in the river. But for a few weeks from September through November, the river transforms into a veritable living rainbow.
Caño Cristales is located in a remote, isolated area not easily accessible by road. Adventurous tourists can now fly into the nearby town of La Macarena. From there it is a short trip into "Serrania de la Macarena," the national park in which Caño Cristales is located.

The site was effectively closed to tourists for several years because of guerrilla activity in the region along with concerns about the impact of unregulated tourist traffic. It was reopened to visitors in 2009, and today there are several Colombian Tourist Agencies that will fly travelers to La Macarena. From there, they must make their way to the river site on horseback (or donkeyback) and by foot as part of a guided tour. Visitors are not permitted to stay overnight or cook.