Believe it or Not Museum in London with a double rainbow by Tom Raftery

A few museums worth mentioning for their curiosity value is the Mental Health Museum, the Museum of Witchcraft and the Dog Collar Museum. In addition, museums like the Pitt Rivers Museum and Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum must surely house some of the strangest museum collections in the country.

The importance of the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford cannot be emphasized too much. This is a museum that contains a variety of curiosities, many of which would appear strange to our modern eyes. Oxford has been a centre of culture and education for centuries and has collected a wide range of anthropological and archaeological artefacts which the museum now contains. The museum focuses on how people all over the world have treated their bodies, from make-up, cosmetics and scents to tattoos and body painting. The museum also discusses the stuffing of dead animals and why and how it is performed.

It is a good idea to plan a stay overnight in Oxford as the place has much more to offer than just the museum. Oxford is home to some of the most beautiful architecture in Britain, as well as beautiful scenery in surrounding Oxfordshire. Hotels to stay in charming Oxford can be easily found for all budgets. There is good dining and convivial atmosphere here, throughout the year.

Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, UK by Jorge Royan / https://www.royan.com.ar / CC-BY-SA-3.0

It is a three hour drive from Oxford to Blackpool, where Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum is located. The museum specialises in outlandish artefacts and contains some extraordinary stories of people and events that surprise every visitor. One of the new exhibits is a wax model of a man called Eric Sparague who tattooed his entire body with green scales, sharpened his teeth and split his tongue in order to resemble a lizard. But this museum isn’t just about weird things; it is also about human creativity and dedication.

After tiring yourself out seeing the amazing and bizarre exhibits, like the two headed calf, the fertility statue, the portrait of Princess Diana made out of pennies, the floating tap, the tallest man in the world, and similar other curiosities, book into a Blackpool seaside hotel, because there is a lot more to do in Blackpool. There is a good zoo, a pleasure garden, a winter garden and the country’s sole surviving tramway! And then again, one can always go back to Ripley’s museum for a second dose of strangeness.

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Although hiking in Wales is irrefutably gratifying, this spellbinding country has lots of attractions, activities and sights to satisfy the yearnings of all its visitors, regardless of age or taste. If you are fortunate enough to be heading off to Wales sometime soon, then you may be interested in reading about some of the top places to visit in this mesmerising nation.

Welsh Hawking Centre and Animal Park

Situated in the town of Barry in South Wales is the Welsh Hawking Centre and Animal Park. This animal centre looks after 200 birds of prey species and includes falcons, buzzards, Hawks, owls and eagles. There are also many other small animals to see, including new born chicks, ducks, rabbits and geese.

National Waterfront Museum

Swansea’s National Waterfront Museum is also a great attraction. With artefacts dating back some 300 years, this fascinating Welsh museum paints a unique picture of Wales’ vast industrial and maritime heritage. Displaying an interesting combination of innovative and interactive technology, with traditional displays, Swansea’s National Waterfront Museum offers a captivating visitor experience.

Anglesey Sea Zoo

Zoom off to the north to Anglesey, where a spectacular coast, winding lanes and friendly hospitality means you can truly relax and indulge in the Welsh way of life. From witnessing submarine wolves, to spotting some amazing invertebrates and taking a peek at the ‘No Bone Zone’, it is easy to understand why Anglesey Sea Zoo is one of Wales’ leading tourist attractions.

You can also get inside the Seven Sisters Shipwreck, walk through shark pool grids and muse past the centre’s Kelp Forrest. This is full of gigantic fish and overall Anglesey Sea Zoo is home to an incredible 150 species of marine life.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Pete

Caerphilly Castle

You cannot go far in Wales before you see some sort of castle dominating the landscape and one of the country’s most imposing and exciting castles has to be Caerphilly Castle. This majestically grand castle is an outstanding verification to Wales’ turbulent medieval times and an ideal tourist attraction.

Touring through Wales in a caravan can be a great way to discover some of these fascinating attractions and, being a ‘caravanning paradise’ you are never too far away from a one of the many caravan sites in Wales.

The following travel information is brought to you by Caravan Club. Caravan Club are dedicated to providing caravan enthusiasts with comprehensive information on caravan parks throughout the UK, including many great caravan sites in Wales. They also provide advice for all aspects of caravanning.

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Chertsey Abbey

Chertsey was built around this abbey and was founded in 666 AD by the Bishop of London of the time. It grew to become of the largest Benedictine abbeys in England. It was rebuilt in 1110 after it was destroyed by the Danes. The building was completely destroyed after 1537 with the bricks being used to make other buildings. The monument is an intriguing historical site despite the lack of the original abbey.

Mercedes Benz World

This is one for all you petrol heads out there. An opportunity to get up close and personal with a plethora of vintage and current models form the luxury car making firm. Visitors over 1.5m tall can take advantage of a track driving experience which is guaranteed to thrill. Even the tinier members of the family can experience a Mercedes with a mini electric race track available. Once hunger calls, have a bite in the Gull Wing cafe which conveniently looks over the main race track. At the end of the day you can take home a souvenir model of a variety of Mercedes cars. Located in Weybridge, it’s a very short drive from Thorpe Park.

Great Cockcrow Railway

Following on from the transport theme, a trip on the Cockcrow Miniature Railway is a must for anyone visiting the area. It’s a 7 ¼ gauge railway and one of the most extensive of its kind. There are two routes you can take, a red route and a green route. Both are 1 mile long and pass through the most breath taking scenery. The Green route makes a stop at Cockcrow Hill for the engine to be turned around. Each route has its own queue designated by the relevant colour so you know which trip you are going on.

Photo by cockcrow.co.uk

Chertsey Museum

The Museum is situated in the centre of Chertsey in the Borough of Runnymead. The museum houses the Oliver Matthews Dress and Textiles Collection which highlights the various stages of British fashion, a history that extends over the last 300 years. Children under 5 years old can come along and meet Charlie the Chimp on the third Friday of every month. Parents are encouraged to participate with their youngsters. The charge is only £4.50 with siblings under 1 admitted for free.

Brooklands Museum

This is a must see. Brooklands was the first motor racing circuit in the world and widely acknowledged as the birth place of aviation. There is so much to see so make sure your digital camera is on full charge. Once here visitors can explore over 30 different aircraft which are housed in the museum and stand back in awe at one of the last remaining Concords on display. There are a multitude of models of all types to see. The museum is just a stone’s throw away from Thorpe Park so don’t miss out!

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This list of things to do (besides go to Thorpe Park) was written by Thorpe Breaks; offering you exclusive deals on all Thorpe breaks hotels and tickets.

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Bouzov castle is also possible birthplace of the Czech King Jiří z Poděbrad (George of Poděbrady), whose family – the lords of Kunštát – owned this castle from 1396 until the end of the 15th century. At the end of the 16th century almost the whole castle was destroyed by fire. The owners of the castle had not fully reconstructed it, but they tried to sell it. But there was nobody who would like to buy such a “ruin” so they forced Grand Master of the Order of the Teutonic Knights to buy it. In the 19th century the castle was rebuilt by a young Grand Master archduke Eugen of Austria in the style of German Neo-gothic. For the reconstruction was responsible Viennese architect Georg Hauberisser who designed the castle as a symbol of medieval traditions and the Teutonic Knights.

He built a new two-storey palace, demolished and restored the old high cylindrical tower. A magnificent furniture, including chairs, beds, tables and even a ceiling, was moved here from various castles. There were built the moat, walls with battlements, drawbridges and great medieval gates. At the same time was also equipped with very modern features, as it had functional bathroom, practical kitchen and phone. However until today it is not electrified.

Bouzov castle is now considered one of the most popular and most visited monuments in the Czech Republic. The castle was a place of several fairy tales, including Arabela, Fantaghirò, and Before the Fall, so if you want to get to the fairy tale for a while, do not wait and come!

The castle is opened from April to October during weekends and holidays only but daily from May to September and the basic admission is around €8. For further information visit official site of the castle (in Czech only).

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I am talking about Vlkolínec, which is now a part of the city of Ružomberok. It lies at an altitude of 718 m in Revúca Valley, south of the rocky mountain massif Sidorovo, also called Žiar (1099 m asl), which belongs to the mountains of Veľká Fatra.

Vlkolínec is in fact a reservation of folk architecture, a kind of outdoor museum of medieval village with wooden houses, that are typical for the mountain areas. This is the best preserved, most complete and most original collection of folk buildings in the Slovak Republic, spreading on an area of ​​797 hectares.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Janos Korom Dr.

Archaeological findings confirm the existence of a fort on the hill Sidorovo already 2,500 years ago. The name of the village is supposedly derived from the ancient presence of wolves in the area (these animals can be still seen here). The first written mention of Vlkolínec dates from 1376, where is mentioned as one of the streets of Ružomberok. Originally, there were just a few houses, although the number of houses and population gradually increased.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Janos Korom Dr.

At present, there are 73 listed buildings, 55 residential houses. Of these, 18 are now permanently settled with 35 inhabitants. Owners of other houses are here just seasonally. Everything is built of wood, including a local landmark – a two-storey wooden belfry from 1770.

Interesting is also a timbered well from 1860, previously the only source of drinking water for the whole village. One of the few brick buildings is a local Classicist-Baroque Church from 1875. Also the local cemetery is worth a visit.

The whole complex is rare also due to the fact that it was not affected by any new constructions. Already in 1977 the village of Vlkolínec was declared the Reservation of Folk Architecture Monuments, and in 1993 inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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The city is mentioned for the first time at the beginning of our era, during the reign of emperor Augustus. The city was the base for Roman troops. Even the Emperor Marcus Aurelius stayed here for 3 years (172-175), during Markoman Wars. The city was destroyed by the Germans in the 4th century and Valentinian I. tried to restore it. But the city has never achieved such fame again and later, in the Middle Ages, was completely destroyed by the Hungarians.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Ulrich Latzenhofer

Now it is possible to visit the Archaeological Park Carnuntum in 3 different parts: Civilian part, Military part and Museum Carnuntinum.

The civilian part
The first is the civilian part, which are the foundations of the former city and several reconstructed buildings, amphitheater and Heidentor (Pagan Gate). Everything is located on the western edge of Petronell. Refurbished buildings – public baths and dwelling house – were reconstructed using the methods that were typical for the Romans. The park area is such an interesting mix of the excavated ruins with renovated Roman buildings.

A few minutes walking from the excavated ruins you can find the amphitheatre, which at that time can serve for up to 15,000 people. Reportedly it was the fourth largest amphitheater in the Roman empire.

Then you can see Heidentor – Pagan Gate. The monumental gate, which was located at the entrance to the fortification of Carnuntum. At the middle of it is a statue of Emperor Constantine II., built between 354 and 361.

The military part
The military part of the city contains only the ruins of the second amphitheatre, located on the outskirts of the town of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg. This amphitheatre was special because it could be filled with water and so there could be even naval battles. There is now also a small gladiator museum.

Museum Carnuntinum
The museum is also in the town of Bad Deutsch-Altenburg, a few meters from the shore of the Danube river. Here you can see the most interesting excavations of the area.

Museum is opened daily from 16 April to 15 November 2011 at 9.00 to 18.00 and the basic admission is €9. For further details visit the official site of Open Air Museum Petronell-Carnuntum.

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Madame Tussauds is a waxwork museum, which is regarded to have the world’s most realistic likenesses in wax of celebrities and historical figures. No matter who your hero is from the world of music, movies or sports, chances are you will be able to get close to a full scale wax model of them here. The models are divided into categories including royalty (all of the British royal family including William and Kate are here), world leaders including Barack Obama, pop stars, including Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and Amy Winehouse and sports stars like David Beckham. Some stars have their waxworks redone every few years, so the look you will see on your favourite A lister is sure to be current and recognisable.

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Tickets cost £28.80 for adults and £24.60 for children under 12, but you can get some great discounts if you buy the tickets in a package with tickets for other London attractions like the London Eye, or if you book online well in advance (at least ten days).

As this is an indoor attraction it is open and busy all year round. You can unfortunately expect long queues to enter Madame Tussauds at busy periods like during any UK school holidays or at weekends.

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Inside you will find around 700,000 items on display, which relate to the history of music both in the Czech Republic, with items belonging to the world famous Czech composers Dvořak and Smetana, and around the world, such as an original score by Mozart. There is a programme of temporary exhibitions passing through the museum throughout the year, so even returning visitors can find something new to see.

A lot of the collection is old manuscripts and recordings, as well as instruments, and there is plenty for the music lover to browse through while also enjoying the beauty of the grand assembly hall.

If you would rather listen to music than learn about it, there is a programme of concerts each year in the assembly hall which take full advantage of the hall’s ambience and fantastic acoustics. These concerts are usually live classical music and opera, and if you are planning to visit Prague it is certainly worth seeing if there are any concerts you could attend during your stay.

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Santa María de León Cathedral was built of golden sandstone, in the Gothic style in the 13th Century. Master Cathedral architect was Enrique. It was built in the place where originally (in the 2nd century BC) stood Roman Spa, which was about 800 years later converted into a palace.

León Cathedral was completed in the 16th century. Today it is a wonderful building and since 1844 it is Spanish National Monument.

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Right at the entrance of the León Cathedral there are three decorated portals. Inside the cathedral there are more than 250 magnificent stained glass windows and a large circular window. Stained glass windows occupy more than 1800 m2.

In León Cathedral you also find cathedral’s museum. You can see there La Virgen Blanca, which is a Gothic statue of the Virgin Mary. Then the treasury of the 16th century and the cloister decorated with frescoes by Nicolás Frances. Cathedral Museum is in the summer (July-September) open from Monday to Friday, from 9:30 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:30. On Saturday it is open from 9:30 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00. Cathedral is closed on Sundays and public holidays.

But the museum is open all year round, however opening hours are changing, it is better to look at the official site of the León Cathedral. Basic admission fee is 4 €.

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Chaillot Palace complex with its gardens and the Champs de Mars are among the most original architectural works of the early 20th century.

Palais de Chaillot is a monumental building that replaced the old Trocadero Palace. It consists of two wings of a length of 80 m, which are directed towards the Seine river from where you can enjoy beautiful view of the Champs de Mars. The complex was constructed for the occasion of the World Exhibition in 1937. It was designed in classicizing “moderne” style by architects Louis-Hippolyte Boileau, Jacques Carlu and Léon Azema. Today it houses museums, theater and other cultural institutions.

Palais de Chaillot as seen from Eiffel Tower, Paris, France by Yoshi

There are two museums in Palais de Chaillot – left part:

• Musée de l’Homme (Museum of Man) contains a rich anthropological collection to familiarize with all the human races and their way of life. In the paleontological department you can see the skeletal findings, Venus of Lespugue carved from mammoth tusk (late Stone Age 15 000-10 000 years BC) and other neolithic monuments. The museum is open daily except Tuesdays and public holidays from 9.45 to 17.15. Admission is €7.
• Musée de la Marine (Maritime Museum, open daily except Tuesdays from 10.00 to 18.00) shows the history of seafaring, technology and developments in shipping. The exhibition includes the models of famous ships, the need for sailors, etc. Admission is €10.

On the right side of the Palais de Chaillot there are:

• Musée des Monuments Français (Museum of French monuments, open daily except Tuesdays and public holidays from 9.45 to 12.30 and from 14.00 to 17.15). It is dedicated to superior French monumental art in the form of castings and the life-size reproductions. Exhibits are divided according to regions, schools and eras, making it possible to monitor the development of styles and themes.
• Musée du Cinéma Henri Langlois (Museum of Cinema, guided tours daily except Tuesdays at 10.00, 11.00, 14.00, 15.00 and 16.00, visit lasts 1.5 hours) – the history of world cinema is demonstrated in almost 60 halls. There are e.g. Reynaud’s optical theater built in 1888, Edison’s Kinetoscope (1894), the device of Lumiere brothers, movie posters, a giant photo, the famous decorations, costumes, etc. Admission is €7-8.
• A large theater Théâtre National de Chaillot with the hall for up to 1,200 visitors.

Place du Trocadéro et du 11-Novembre lies west of the Chaillot Palace and is dominated by a statue of Marshal Foch.

Jardins du Trocadéro (Chaillot Palace Gardens) are pleasant especially during hot summer days, it refreshes the large pool flanked by bronze statues. An interesting spectacle brings many fountains, and especially at night when they are imaginatively lit.

Champ-de-Mars – a large park covers area between the Seine and the military school. Originally a military training ground for high military school was opened to the public in 1780.

Champ de Mars as seen from Eiffel Tower, Paris, France by Olivier Bruchez

Cimetière de Passy from 1850 – Here are the tombs of famous French people (Debussy, Tristan Bernard, Fernandel, etc.).

École Militaire – The military school was founded in 1773 on the initiative of Madame de Pompadour, and was intended for boys from poor families, who received military training there. The building is closed to the public.

Palais de l’UNESCO – The modern building of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Hotel des Invalides – It forms one of the most monumental complexes in Paris

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