Photo by Bernhard Waldmann

However the first things you notice on your arrival from the south is the sky full of smoking chimneys and gray massive prison. But, the city centre, consisting of a grid of straight streets, hides some gems that are worth your attention.

The dominant feature of Daugavpils’s city centre is three-aisled St. Boris and Gleb Orthodox Cathedral, built in the neo-Russian style. This great structure with a total of ten towers culminating in a gilded dome, rises on a hill along with two other temples. Towers of these sanctuaries create a unique cityscape.

The most notable monument of Daugavpils is a huge fortification built in 1810 by the Russians during the Napoleonic wars. There is also a war memorial, which recalls that during the World War II, the city was a place of a concentration camp Stalag. The fort is considered the largest of its kind in Europe. Museum of Regional History and Art guarded by stone lions is also worth a visit as well as a large sports complex, which is situated in one of the few really modern buildings in the city. Daugavpils is now slowly changing into a friendly town with lots of green areas and a good range of services and recreational facilities for its residents and visitors.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Florin Chelaru

The complex was built in the early 11th century, and was known also as Amras or Omras. Thus, long before the nearby Innsbruck became a city, Ambras Castle was known as a centre of the region. But the original castle has been totally destroyed in 1133.

Some parts of the castle were repaired and later, in 1580, was rebuilt into Renaissance chateau by Prince Ferdinand.

Photo by khm.at

There is a minibus running from the city centre to the castle every half an hour. In the Ambras castle you can see the collection of armor and weapons of Ferdinand II. In the summer months, the castle holds known, very popular Festival of Early Music. Management of the castle emphasis on attracting families with children. Countless surveys made especially for children with the first-class programs will show and describe a world of knights to all young visitors. In the courtyard, the adjacent park or in the surrounding forests you can find lots of benches for rest. All the trails around are accessible also with prams. There is a number of tame squirrels in the park which can be a special attraction for children.

The castle is opened daily from 10am to 5pm and the basic adult ticket costs €10. For further information visit https://www.khm.at/en/plan-your-visit/ambras-castle/

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“If you want to take a shower before you go to bed, make sure to dry your hair, or they can get frozen. Do not drink too much alcohol and do not eat any heavy food. Make sure to change into dry and warm clothes,” says hotel manager Annet van Limburg to the visitors.

The unique hotel was opened in Zwolle on the occasion of the ice sculptures festival on 3rd December last year and will remain in operation until 29th January 2012. There are three rooms, the construction of which lasted ten days. Unlike similar projects, such as those in Canada or Sweden, the hotel is built inside a large freezer warehouse, not in the nature.

The dominant feature of the rooms, which are made of the giant block of ice, is a great double bed, coloured with pink, green and blue light from lamps, installed under the ice. Ice walls which are 1 meter thick, are decorated with abstract patterns. If you are interested in spending the night in such unique ice hotel, prepare €199 for one night with breakfast for two.

How to sleep in six degrees?
The temperature in the room is between six to eight degrees Celsius. “If you are healthy, it is not dangerous,” says Annet van Limburg assuring potential guests. However if the guests during the night change their minds and want to leave the room, they can use the nearby hotels, where the hotel taxi takes them to for free.

Ice Hotel in Zwolle is unique not only in the Netherlands, but it is also the first hotel of its kind, ever opened such a lot on the south of Europe. The greatest ice hotel in Europe and perhaps in the whole world is an ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi in Sweden, which boasts a total of 47 rooms.

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During the reign of Hungarian kings Kremnica was a free royal mining town. Gold and silver were mined here from the 10th century. Kremnica ducats – one of the most valuable coins in Europe were minted here, as well as Czechoslovak and then Slovak coins, but also for many countries around the world.

Mint in Kremnica is significant because it works continuously since its founding in the 14th century until today, as the only one in the world. Mint in Kremnica offers its visitors the opportunity to see the interesting exhibits of coins, and walk through the old mint from 1881-1889. There is a preserved area with part of the historical plant and machinery.

Mint in Kremnica is open from Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 16:00. And on Saturday from 9:00 to 11:30.

Admission for adults is € 2.66 and € 1.49 for children. Museum of coins and medals is managed by the Slovak National Bank

Other sights in Kremnica
Kremnica is really rich in historical monuments. The dominant feature of the town is Kremnica Castle from the 13th century and its defensive system. There you can see also St. Catherine Castle from the mid 15th century, Charnel of St. Andrew from the 13th century (Romanesque rotunda with preserved charnel-house) and a small clock tower from the 14th century.

Since 1970, the castle complex is a national cultural monument. Also noteworthy is the Town Hall of 14th century, Mining bastion, the Immaculata sculpture from the years 1760 – 1765, town house dating back to 1441 and the Roman – Catholic parish from the 14th century.

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