Five Things You Simply Have To See In Norfolk | England, UK

Julius — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:13:27 +0000

The rural county of Norfolk is located in eastern England and is an enchanting place in which to spend a little time. Although many people associate Norfolk with farmland and countryside, the county also boasts a number of vibrant settlements and attractions that are just waiting to be discovered. Here are just a few of Norfolk’s top attractions.

Norwich

This is the main city is Norfolk and features an excellent combination of the old and new. While architecture lovers will be able to marvel at the finest collection of medieval architecture in the whole of the United Kingdom, visitors will also find an excellent range of modern amenities to make use of such as hotels, restaurants and shopping centres. The highlights of Norwich are many and varied and include the 12th century cathedral, the impressive castle and the interesting and informative Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery. Walking along the cobbled streets to browse for bargains in the city’s open-air markets is a popular pastime here, while visitors can get a real feel for the city by taking an atmospheric floodlit river cruise.

Norwich Castle, Norfolk, England, UK by Bluemoose

King’s Lynn

This picturesque town can be found on the banks of the gently flowing River Ouse and is famous for its historic attractions. Some of the highlights here include the renovated merchants’ houses at the waterside Boat Quay, the ornate Customs House and the Town House Museum of Lynn Life. King’s Lynn also boasts a richly varied entertainment and nightlife scene, and a wide range of musical events are regularly held at the Corn Exchange. Lovers of classical music will want to make sure that they catch a performance from the Norfolk Symphony Orchestra, while the town also features a collection of more than 40 pubs to choose from as well as eateries ranging from trendy bistros to cheap and cheerful cafes and just about everything in between.

Town Hall, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England, UK by Elliott Brown

Great Yarmouth

The coastal town of Great Yarmouth is the perfect place to relax and unwind on a sunny day, as it features a number of wide sandy beaches. This destination is particularly popular with families, who tend to divide their time between sprawling on the sand and exploring the amusement arcades located along the promenade. Other highlights here include the Tolhouse Museum and Old Prison, Yarmouth racecourse, Caister Castle and the enchanting Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens.

Regent Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England, UK by mira66

The Norfolk Broads

This unnamed natural zone is a popular place to go hiking and trekking at any time of the year. A large number of trails run through the Norfolk Broads and offer visitors the chance to see a wide range of flora and fauna. Family run pubs and restaurants provide refreshment and occasionally accommodation to visitors and the area’s many preserved areas mean that this is a real haven for creatures such as the swallowtail butterfly and marsh harrier.

Hunsett Mill, Norfolk Broads, England, UK by Acme, Cristobal Palma Photography

Thetford Forest

Nature lovers will also want to take the time to explore this large and lovely forest while they are visiting Norfolk. The forest can be found just to the south of Thetford and offers visitors to take park in all the usual outdoor activities such as nature watching, wandering through the forest and mountain biking, while a whole host of amenities as well as comfortable accommodation options are available at the Centre Parcs holiday centre situated in the heart of the forest.

Thetford Forest, Norfolk, England, UK by Darren Bradnick

Written on behalf Holidays in Norfolk

The post Five Things You Simply Have To See In Norfolk | England, UK appeared first on Best of European Union.

Five Fantastic Towns to Visit in Andalucía, Spain

Julius — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:54:26 +0000

Andalucía has a lot to offer a visitor; it’s the largest of all the regions of Spain, of which there are 17. Based in the south of Spain it enjoys the Mediterranean and the Atlantic seas. It’s neighboured by Portugal and the Spanish provinces of Extremadura, Castile La Mancha and Murcia. Visiting less touristic towns than the large (and more accessible) cities is the ideal way to see this area of Spain therefore given the regions size; it’s a good idea to do it by car. From Granada province, to Malaga then onto Cadiz province each has its own special something.

Las Alpurjarras, Granada

Not one town but a cluster of villages which stretch from Granada province into Almeria province. These very atmospheric small villages feel otherworldly particularly if visited in the winter. The drive from Malaga is breath-taking, it’s a dramatic landscape. Once at the highest village (Travelez), take a moment to eat the Serrano ham from there, it is air dried and is famous for its flavour. It’s a great idea to spend a couple of days driving around these villages, taking in the leisurely way of life and stopping to admire the views of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.

Photo of A typical Alpujarran village, Busquístar, Andalucia, Spain by Stephen Lea

Antequera, Malaga

This grand large town with an impressive castle is an easy drive north of Malaga. It has an impressive bull ring, an imposing dramatic cathedral next to the castle and some good examples of nobleman’s houses. Antequera is next to El Torcal, a national park including a mountain range made of limestone which divides Malaga and Antequera. El Torcal is perfect climbing territory or those who enjoy bird watching and hiking.

Antequera, Malaga, Andalucia, Spain by valderrama

Marbella, Malaga

Heading back to the coast, Marbella offers a charming old town with plenty of places to sit to enjoy the sun and a vino or two. It is thought of as a resort town but Marbella itself is a grand village with typical white houses and narrow streets. In the summer months it does suffer a little from a massive influx of tourists but it has romantic restaurants nestled into the corners of pretty squares like Plaza de Los Naranjas. Alternatively, the hotels in Marbella have restaurants which fold onto the main boulevard, where you can gaze out to sea while enjoying a candle lit meal.

Photo of Marbella, Malaga, Andalucia, Spain by bongo vongo

Vejer de la Frontera, Cadiz

Arguably the most beautiful of the towns on this list (and in Andalucía no less), is Vejer de la Frontera. This grand white washed bohemian town situated on a high rocky outcrop in Cadiz province overlooks rice fields. The landscape around Vejer is characterised by the winds that lap around the land. They say these winds can drive people crazy because they are so relentless but this shouldn’t put the road tripper off. Wind turbines stand tall all through the province and create a different view from the other provinces.

Photo of Vejer de la Frontera, Cadiz, Andalucia, Spain by Thibaut Brix

Tarifa, Cadiz

Set beside the beach, Tarifa is probably the coolest place to hang out particularly if surfing, wind surfing or kite surfing is your type of thing. It’s got an arty bohemian feel too with lots of little independent shops, cafes, restaurants and places generally to chill out. Nightlife wise it all happens out of the town along the coast road where there’s all manner of hip hang outs.

Tarifa, Cadiz, Andalucia, Spain by Kevin Walsh

There are so many towns to visit in Andalucía but to get the most out of a trip to Southern Spain it’s a good idea to choose five interesting and unique ones – each one being different from the last. These offer the variety that is typical of Spain yet are all quintessentially Spanish.

The post Five Fantastic Towns to Visit in Andalucía, Spain appeared first on Best of European Union.

Best of European Union » impressive castle