Llandudno promenade, North Wales, UK by Denis Egan

Llandudno is a relatively small town with just 20,000 residents, but often swells during spring and summer months from visitors that are keen to see what Llandudno is all about. In this article, we’ll give you a few ideas for things to do and see whilst in Llandudno for a day. Whilst we always suggest staying a few days to get the full experience, visiting the town is always worth going to, no matter when or for how long.

Hopefully you will be in the town in the morning, meaning you can start the day with a spot of breakfast in one of the hotels in Llandudno overlooking the bay or one of the towns many friendly café’s. After you’ve stocked up on some energy, it’s time to start enjoying the town.

In the morning, you should get yourselves over to the tram station at the base of the Great Orme. From here, you can jump on the tram which will give you a scenic, easy and pleasant ride up to the summit of the Orme. You can also drive up- or even walk instead, but you must know it can take a while due to the steepness of the hill. Once you reach the top, you can take in the breathtaking views, ramble through the land, visit the Bronze Age Copper Mine and get a bite to eat or something to drink at the Summit Complex. Kids will love the opportunity to play in the park at the summit and with a mini golf course; you can’t go wrong with a visit to the Great Orme.

Llandudno Pier, North Wales, UK by Denis Egan

Heading down the other side of the Orme will take you back to the main town. We’d recommend taking a wander through Happy Valley and visiting the Victorian Pier as the next point of call. The pier is famous and remains a prime attraction of the town and is home to a range of shops, amusement arcades and bars & eateries. After you’ve checked this out, you could take a wander across the promenade, trip to the artificial ski slope and toboggan run, sit on the beach, browse the extensive selection of shops located on Mostyn Street, Parc Llandudno Shopping Complex and the Victoria Shopping Centre. You can even see if there’s something on at Venue Cymru, where an exceptional range of shows take place throughout the year, allowing the locals and visitors of Llandudno is enjoy some world class entertainment.

Llandudno can be seen in a day, but as you can now see, should most definitely be given a little longer. To experience Llandudno properly, book in at a hotel in Llandudno, providing the perfect base to your memorable adventure.

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Panská skála is the best known and most visited geological reserves in the Czech Republic. This natural formation is known also to geologists abroad. The rock is often called the “organ” because the five and six-sided columns of up to 12 meters long look like the structure of organ pipes. Its current appearance got Panská skála by mining, which took place here until 1948. This high quality basalt was exported to the Benelux countries, where they used it to build the dam.

In 1953 Panská skála became National Natural Monument. Under the rock there is a small lake, which was created after the mining and is filled with rainwater. The summit offers a stunning view of the The Lusatian Mountains (in Czech Lužické hory) and of the National Park of Czech Switzerland (České Švýcarsko).

At the foot of the rock there is the Marian Column, which was built in 1739 in memory of two people who froze to death here.

You can find similar formations in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, named Giant’s Causeway.

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The first ascent to the summit took place in 1855, although it was reportedly done in 1834, when Ján Still (teacher in Catholic school in Nová Lesná) got here.

Gerlachovský štít is accessible by two major routes. The first comes from Velická valley from Sliezský dom (house of Silesia). The trip takes about 4 hours. Another route is recommended for the descent. It leads through Batizovská valley, back to Sliezský dom.

Hiking to Gerlachovský štít is permitted only with a mountain guide, who can be ordered in the Association of Mountain Guides in Slovakia.

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Pieniny National Park is one of the smallest Polish National Parks, lying in the southernmost part of the country, on the border with Slovakia. The Pieniny mountain range is divided into three parts:

* Pieniny Spiskie – extends between Dursztyn village and Niedzica, with the highest peak Żar (883 metres above mean sea level (ASL).

* Pieniny Właściwe – extends between Czorsztyn and Szczawnica and culminates with the Okrąglica peak (982 metres ASL) in the Three Crowns massif. By climbing this summit, a splendid, panoramic overview of the vast area can be gained and enjoyed.

* Małe Pieniny – extends between the Dunajec river (in the victinity of Szczawnica) and the Rozdziela pass in the east. The highest peak of Pieniny is the Wysoka mountain (1,050 metres ASL).

The Park’s area is 23.46 km², of which 13.11 km² is forested. One-third (7.5 km²) is strictly protected.

The most attractive part of the mountain range, from both natural and scenic points of view, is the Pieniny Właściwe range. The peaks here are beautifully jagged and the valleys often form rocky gorges. The northern faces slope gently into the valleys; the southern and eastern picturesque limestone cliffs (which are up to 300 metres high) drop down suddenly to the Dunajec river.

Pieniny National Park has its headquarters in the village of Krościenko nad Dunajcem. This national park continues on the Slovakian side of the mountains, called Pieninský národný park.

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The mountain is composed of Old Red Sandstone which dates back to the Devonian Era. The summit peaks are also composed of sandstone, but are much more resilient to erosion than the Old Red variety. As the glaciers in the area receded following the last ice age, the twin peaks of Pen y Fan and Corn Du were formed.

Pen y Fan, Wales, UK by Dave.Dunford

On the side of the mountain slopes along the path that leads from the Storey Arms to the summit of Pen y Fan, you will find an obelisk which was constructed and dedicated in memory of a five year old child who had died on the spot back in August of 1900. The child was the son of a coal miner from Rhondda who was on his way to visit his grandparents who lived near the Cwm Llwch Farmhouse. For twenty nine days the locals searched for the missing child before discovering his body where the memorial obelisk stands today.

Those who visit the mountains may also see military recruits along the paths leading to the top of Pen y Fan. Carrying a standard duffle, rifle plus food rations, those who want to join the UK Special Forces must pass the rigorous test that has become known over the years as the Fan Dance.

In similar fashion to the military training endurance test, a series of annual races are conducted along the same route in the middle of January and July each year. Racers start just south of Cwm Llwch and proceeds up to Pen y Fan as well as Corn Du. The current record for the 5.6 kilometer long race is only 30 minutes. On the same day as the summer race, the Brecon Beacons National Park also holds its annual sixteen kilometer Fan y Big Horseshoe Race.

Those who travel to the peak of Pen y Fan will be rewarded with some of the most awe-inspiring views of the region. It is said that when the day is clear, one can see even the Bristol Channel as well as the islands in the channel, Flat Holm and Steep Holm. You can also see the Swansea Bay, Cardigan Bay, and the Carmarthen Bay from the summit. The peak is the highest in South Wales and as such, you can see the far off Black Mountains, Cambrian Mountains as well as most of Mid and South Wales.

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Lake Bohinj, Slovenia by Nigel Swales

The lake itself is more than 4.2 kilometres in length but only one kilometre in width. It is fed by the Črno jezero via the large stream of Savica. It is also believed that there is a subterranean source of water, which feeds Lake Bohinj. At the easternmost part of the lake, the water flows out via the Jezernica Creek before finally making its way out to sea.

There are many different species of marine life that call Lake Bohinj home. The most common of these include the brown trout, European chub, burbot, minnow as well as the Arctic char. There are also eight different seas of mollusks that live within the lake and a number of different algae species, which can be found along the shores.

Lake Bohinj is a popular destination during the summer months. Countless people make their way to the region every single year in order to swim and partake in a number of different water-based sports. For most visitors, the lake is a popular day trip and a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of city living. It is also a great base for hiking around the area.

Lake Bohinj in winter, Slovenia by Mari (Maria Giovanna Colli)

Of course there are also some interesting aspects along the shores of Lake Bohinj that are a must-see attraction. The most important of these is the legendary statue of Goldhorn chamois who was immortalized in a popular poem authored by Rudolf Baumbach. There are also a number of hiking trails that lead out into the countryside and up into the mountains. If you do not feel like walking, then you can simply take the cable car to the mountains to visit the Savica Waterfall.

There are also a number of festivals and events that take place in the area at a reasonable time of the year. The biggest event around Lake Bohinj is the International Wild Flower Festival, which occurs the last week of May. There are parades, great food, flowers everywhere during the festivals which is definitely an interesting and unique place to visit Slovenia.

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The Low Tatras National Park can be found in the innermost part of Slovakia. It is here where you will find the valley of the Váh, the Hron River as well as the Poprad River. And although not as tall as its larger sibling, the tallest peak that can be found within the Low Tatras, Ďumbier, still stands at more than 2042 meters above sea level. This is followed in close by the summit of Chopok which is 2024 meters above sea level.

Blue trail of Chopok, Low Tatras National Park, Slovakia by Pudelek (Marcin Szala)

Unlike its larger brother, there are a number of excellent caves that can be found within the Low Tatras which are open to the public. Some of the most popular of these caves is that of the Bystrianska Cave, Cave of Dead Bats as well as the ice Cave. As of currently, there are only seven caves in the mountain range which are not open to the public.

For those who prefer canyoning, the largest canyon in the entire mountain range is that of Hučiaky under Salatín which is situated within the Ludrová Valley just outside of Ružomberok. Not too far away is where you will also find the largest waterfall within the mountain range. The 55 meter tall Brankov waterfall can be found at the western part of Low Tatras and is easily reachable thanks to a well marked footpath that runs from the village of Podsuchá.

Dumbier, Low Tatras, Slovakia by milan.kvetko

For the most part, the Low Tatras are protected by the Low Tatras National Park which is a biological reserve that was established back in 1978. Unfortunately, there are sections of the mountain range which are not within the preserve. However, the portions that are within the reserve are home to some of the rarest of alpine animal species, including the extremely rare chamois.

The Low Tatras are known as a popular skiing destination within Slovakia. There are a number of excellent resorts that can be found throughout the mountain range including Mýto pod Ďumbierom, Jasná as well as Tále. Jasná is also one of the largest ski destinations in all of central Europe and is accessed via the town of Liptovsky Mikulas. Of course there is a lot more to do than just skiing in the Low Tatras as there is also kayaking, boating, fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, golf as well as numerous Hot Springs that can be found situated throughout the mountain range. There are two popular thermal parks that you can visit nearby – Tatralandia and Bešeňová.

Vrbické pleso, Low Tatras, Slovakia by Jiri Brozovsky

All in all, the Low Tatras offer lots of attractions, entertainment as well as recreational options to choose from; which is why it is considered to be one of the most popular parks not just in Slovakia, but in all of central Europe.

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