Old Town Square, Praha / Photo by admin

1 – The Alchymist Grand Hotel
Part of a row of Baroque houses, the state of the art Alchymist hotel is decorated in a neo Baroque style. Its suites are also enhanced by spas and restaurant options. Located in the centre of the city, the Alchymist is also an ideal starting point for exploring Prague.

2 – Romantic Hotel U Raka
Sampling the best of medieval and Gothic Prague, the 18th century Romantik Hotel Uk Raka features a winter garden and a courtyard. Located in one of the quieter areas of the central city, the Romantik Hotel Uk Raka is particularly ideal for honeymoon stays.

3 – The Golden Well Hotel
Influenced by Renaissance styles, the Golden Well Hotel has 19 suites, and is located within a short walk of the Old Town Square. The Golden Well Hotel is also distinguished by its restaurant selection.

4 – Old Town Square Hotel
Perhaps the best choice for those wanting to stay in Prague’s historic Old Town Square, this hotel has been recognised as a world heritage site. As well as its luxury suites, the Old Town Square Hotel also includes lounges, cafes, and an international range of wines.

5 – Hotel Yasmin
Distinguished by its bold graphic design, and located at Wenceslas Square, the Hotel Yasmin includes a world class restaurant, as well as the Yasmin garden, which is open from March to October every year. The hotel also includes free WiFi for guests, as well as a health club.

6 – Design Hotel Sax
A retro hotel located near to the Charles Bridges, the Design Hotel Sax is within easy reach of Prague’s leading attractions. The hotel’s 14th century roots are offset by high quality modern facilities.

7 – Savic Hotel
Recently renovated, the Savic Hotel has its own internal courtyard, and an al fresco terrace for outdoor dining.

8 – Ventana Hotel
A converted townhouse in the centre of Prague, the Ventana Hotel’s marble decoration and stone staircases are complemented by richly appointed rooms with built in wardrobes, and by skyloft views over the city.

9 – Hotel Neruda
Found near to Prague castle, the four star Hotel Neruda features high quality room decoration by Borek Sipek. Notable features include large rooms in wood and glass, as well as quotes from the hotel’s namesake Jan Neruda.

10 – Grand Hotel Bohemia
A key feature of Prague’s Old Town, the Grand Hotel Bohemia is ideally placed for exploring the city. The luxury hotel also includes ballroom events. The hotel is also distinguished by its Franz Josef restaurant, which features world class dining from chef Michal Chermak, and an adjoining Bohemia lounge.

Travelling from country to country and visiting Prague, Matt Mynors is a travel enthusiast and freelance copywriter currently writing for UK based company Room For Romance.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by am_

Guimarães, which is reportedly the oldest city in the whole of Portugal, was built in the middle of slightly hilly landscape. In 1139, Alfonso Henriques proclaimed himself king Alfonso I. and chose Guimarães for his royal seat. Although the capital city of Portugal moved quickly to the city of Coimbra and the seat of a king to the city of Porto, Guimarães remained forever a birthplace of the nation. The proof of the city’s importance is the characteristic shape of the local castle, which appears on the Portuguese coat of arms in the middle of the state flag.

The city center is full of the narrow medieval streets that are lined with shops and cafes and invite you to a pleasant walk. The oldest street is Rua de Santa Maria, which is paved with cobblestones and decorated with the old houses with ornate statues. It leads from the main square, Largo da Oliveira, along the palace Paço dos Duques up to the castle. This is the biggest tourist attraction of the city.

Castle Castelo de Sao Miguel is composed of huge square castle tower, which is surrounded by eight smaller towers with battlements. It was built in the 10th century to protect the city against attacks of Moors and Normans. About 200 years later, it was spread thanks to the initiative of Henry of Burgundy. According to the legend, Alfonso I. The chapel inside has a mysterious character because the floor is made of gravestones of the first Portuguese kings and their ancestors.

During your visit you should not miss a visit to the charming church of São Francisco, which was built in 1400 in the Gothic style.

City of Guimarães is also known for its football club Vitória de Guimarães. The stadium is located in the northwestern part of Guimarães and is quite large in comparison with the city. Forests surrounding Guimarães consist mainly of non-native eucalyptus. The current population of the city is more than 52,000 inhabitants.

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City of Carcassonne lies on the river Aude in the southern part of France. Carcassonne has a long history, there was oppidum already in the Iron Age, which was later transformed to the Roman city in the 1st century BC, and in the 11th century AD this Roman city was the strongest one in the county. Because the city was not controlled by church, Carcassonne soon became a haven for medieval intellectual elite.

Carcassonne was very open and tolerant city until 1659, when was conquered by the French and lost its position. Thus began the decline of the city, people left and Carcassonne deteriorated.

The medieval city centre is situated on a hill above the river. In times of decline of this old town there had grown a new town under the hill along a river.

The city centre was saved in the 19th century thanks to the reconstruction led by Viollet le Duc. This controversial architect reconstructed also Cathedral Notre Dame in Paris, which was his first work. Some people admire him for his extensive reconstructions which ensured France a lot of curious tourists that are coming here just to see his work. On the other hand, others disagree with the method of his work. Viollet le Duc just found an original fragment, and repeated it over and over again. The result is that the buildings are far away from the original form. Although the sights have typical signs, but those are not completely correct or at least not in such combination (e.g. respecting the original architect’s intent). But finally it is something unusual and tourists just love it.

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The city centre is surrounded by walls, within which you can find a church, castle, museum and a labyrinth of medieval streets with shops and restaurants.

Sweet France offers visitors lots of different attractions and sights. One of the places worth visiting is the medieval city of Carcassonne. If you are going to the south of France or you are heading for the Pyrenees, do not miss this place, because here you can really feel the Middle Ages.

Once you are around Carcassone do not miss the Canal du Midi. It is a remarkable technical monument, which connects the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. The canal was built to ensure fast and safe transport of goods between ports in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. The project dates from 1662 and its author was Paul Riquet. The canal was completed in less than twenty years after approval of the project and its construction employed 120 000 workers.

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The Romans founded the city in 71AD, naming the fortress town on the banks of the River Ouse Eboracum. It quickly became one of the most important cities in Roman Britain.

The name York came from the Viking word Jorvik, following their capture of the city in AD886. Even beyond the time of the Vikings York’s position by the Ouse and on the key trade route between London and Edinburgh meant is became a major transport hub.

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Although this slowly declined thanks to the rise of Hull to the east and Leeds to the west, the rise of the railways saw a revival in the city’s fortunes in the 1800s and in the modern era tourism and a reflection on its eventful and often grizzly past now dominates its economy.

Tourist attractions include York Minister, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe, which is located in the city’s heart. The labyrinthine York Castle and the city walls also point to its ancient past.

The ‘snickelways’ and ‘shambles’ are two excellently preserved examples of the small, winding medieval streets of yesteryear, containing an array of shops and food places to while away an afternoon or two.

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There are numerous museums and galleries to satisfy your culture fix with the Yorkshire Museum, Jorvik Viking centre, the National Railway Museum and the York Art Gallery amongst others. The Theatre Royal, Grand Opera House and Joseph Rowntree Theatre also mean your evenings are well catered for too.

As it is a town centred on tourism it is no surprise that accommodation-wise York has enough to satisfy all tastes and budgets. This ranges from basic accommodation found at the City’s University to the luxurious Royal York Hotel, comparable with the finest London Hotels or Dubai Hotels.

The kaleidoscopic clientèle from affluent tourist to impoverished student also means there are varied eating options available, from budget cafes, traditional pubs and quaint tea rooms to the height of luxury and fine dining.

Many visitors to England struggle to make it beyond the boundaries of London, and if they do it usually isn’t to venture north. However, those that do head to York will be rewarded with a city that offers all the charm England can offer with the facilities to meet the needs of even the most picky of tourists.

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