Streets in Chester, UK by Christopher John SSF

Wander the city walls

When you first get to Chester, one of the best ways to get your bearings is to take the 3km walk around the city walls. Erected during the Roman period for defensive purposes, the city walls give Chester its nickname of “The Walled City”. Although Chester’s walls have been rebuilt during their history, they form the most complete city walls of any British city. As you walk the walls you can be stood in the spot where history was made – for instance, King Charles observed a civil war battle from the walls – and take in the structures incorporated into the walls; you will probably be familiar with pictures of the Eastgate Clock, built to celebrate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee. If you are keen to learn more about Chester’s history, join one of the guided tours of the walls, to find out more about its interesting past. For anyone with limited mobility who would like to see the whole city, a tour aboard the only remaining operating open top vintage bus from 1924 comes well recommended.

Visit Chester’s cathedral

There has been a church on the spot where the cathedral stands for the last 1000 years – initially a Saxon minster before the Benedictine abbey was built. As you walk round this impressive building, you can marvel at the Norman arches, Gothic columns, wood carvings and stained glass windows. Chester’s cathedral is one of the best examples of a Medieval monastery in England and the garden in the cloisters is equally splendid, hosting ferns, exotic bulbs, springtime flowers, majestic trees and herbs. The plants themselves are not the only attraction, but the way in which the cathedral garden is designed and the “Water of Life” sculpture by Stephen Broadbent that is sited there.

Chester’s Cathedral, UK by David Merrett

Sit in the amphitheatre

Located near the River Dee, Chester’s amphitheatre is the largest in Britain. In 2004 and 2005 excavation by English Heritage and Chester City Council uncovered two amphitheatres made of stone. In one, access to the upper seats is by way of stairs at the rear wall, while in the other the seats in higher tiers were reached by vaulted staircases. The two buildings not only differ from each other, but from other British amphitheatres indicating how important Roman Chester was. Various musical and theatrical events are periodically hosted at the amphitheatre, so if you are lucky enough, you might be able to coincide your trip with one of these performances. Discover more about Roman Chester at the Grosvenor Museum, where you can also learn about the local natural history and geology, as well as home life from the seventeenth century to the early twentieth century and art work.

Potter along The Rows

The Rows are unique to Chester. They are part-timbered balconies, which give rise to a second row of shops above those at ground level. You can find these second level shops along Watergate Street, Northgate Street, Eastgate Street and Bridge Street. If you are looking to buy something more unusual for yourself or a gift, you are likely to find exactly what you are after in the many independent stores located in The Rows. Also take the time for a coffee or lunch at one of the cafes in The Rows, before you set off to explore the rest of the city.

Claire writes about city planning and architecture on behalf of a landlord and property advice news site, Pro Buy To Let where thousands of landlords come every month for the latest news on property hot spots around the UK. Chester is surely one of those.

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Tossa del Mar, Costa Brava / Jay Cross

Going Back in Time

The Costa Brava is an ancient region and nowhere is this more evident than in Tossa del Mar, where the Vila Vella is an amazing sight. The name means old town. It’s a well preserved walled city, part of which was constructed in the 12th century. Later additions included the fortifications, completed some time in the 14th century. There are other sights to see nearby (such as the Sant Vincenc Gothic Cathedral and a striking lighthouse) so it’s worth planning a day trip to this area.

Going even further back in time, you can also explore the area’s medieval history. Ulla is worth a look and you can also visit the medieval ramparts of the Torroella de Montgrí in La Bisbal. Summer offers a surreal experience as you listen to the sounds of a modern music festival in this ancient setting. And the time travel experience doesn’t end there. The early Iberians left traces of their passage on the Sant Andreu mound – find out more about these 7th century settlers in the archaeological museum in Ullastret.

La Bisbal d’Empordà (Costa Brava) / Jean Robert Thibault

Exploring Natural Beauty

While there’s plenty of natural beauty on show as you walk or drive along the Costa Brava region, there’s one more must-see for nature lovers – the Santa Clotilde Gardens. These exquisite gardens are done in an Italian Renaissance style with fountains and ornate sculptures set among the beautiful flora. The gardens’ location on a hillside give access to gorgeous views and if you look carefully, you might be able to spot Fenals beach, which makes a nice place to relax after your visit.

There’s lots more to see on the Costa Brava, but these attractions make a good starting point for a memorable and enjoyable visit.

Marian Jaime writes for Suntransfers. She recommends the company’s’ low cost airport transfers from Barcelona to get your holiday off to a wonderful start.

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Vila Vella

Tossa del Mar’s Vila Vella (old town) is one of the most striking sights in this part of the world. Standing 70 metres above sea level and offering great views of the rugged coastline that gives the area its name, it is the best preserved walled city along this coastline. The city dates back to the 12th century but the fortifications continued to be extended until the late 14th century. This area also offers access to other interesting sights, including the ruin of the the Sant Vicenc old Gothic cathedral, the 14th century governor’s house which now houses the Municipal Museum, and the lighthouse. This area is well worth a visit.

Vila Vella, Tossa de Mar, Spain / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Alex Alishevskikh

Dali Museum

If you’re visiting this part of the world, don’t miss the chance to see the Portlligat House-museum where Salvador Dali lived and worked from 1930 to 1982. It started as a fisherman’s hut, but Dali extended it over the years. Now, it’s more like a labyrinth with surprising objects around every corner. Even if you’ve already visited one of the other Dali museums at Figueres and Pubol, this is a must for Dali fans.

Santa Clotilde Gardens

If enjoying nature is your thing, then you will love the Santa Clotilde Gardens. Like many Costa Brava sights, this garden is perched on a rocky hillside with amazing views of the sea and coastline. This is a beautiful Italian-Renaissance style garden which means plenty of sculptures and fountains to accompany the flowers and plants. The gardens provide a relaxing, enjoyable interlude for sun-seekers and when you’re done, head down to the small shingle beach at Fenals – it’s beautiful!

Catalunya Lloret de Mar – Jardins de santa clotilde, Spain / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Jaume Meneses

Medieval Costa Brava

The Costa Brava is a great place to explore the mediaeval period, which was very important to the region’s history. Of particular note are La Bisbal, which boasts a city centre castle, Toroella de Montgri, which has medieval ramparts (and a summer music festival to boot) and the mediaeval village of Ulla, but there are many more – any drive in this part of the world will bring you to one.

Toroella de Montgri, Spain / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Jos Dielis

To go even further back in the region’s history, check out the Iberian settlement on Sant Andreu mound just past Ullastret. You can see signs of how the inhabitants lived in the 7th century and explore the period further in the Ullastret Archaeological Museum.

There’s so much to see in this part of the world that this is only a short introduction. You’ll soon be able to add some favourite Costa Brava attractions of your own.

Ready to see the Costa Brava? Marian Jaime recommends Suntransfers’ taxis from Barcelona Airport to start your holiday right!

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Christopher John SSF

The city was established by the Romans as a first-century military base. It had a larger fortress than those built in York and other parts of the country, which suggests that Chester was meant to be the capital of Roman Britain. In any case, it was certainly a very important place, and some evidence of Roman Chester survives to this day. These include the remains of Britain’s largest Roman amphitheatre, and central Chester’s main street plan, which follows the same pattern that was laid out by its Roman pioneers.

Chester’s medieval past is more immediately visible today. This was a violent period in the city’s history, and the impressive wall surrounding Chester is evidence of this. First the Saxons, then the Normans built up its fortifications. The Normans further strengthened the city by constructing the castle, and they also carried out much of the early work on the cathedral. Today, Chester has one of the most complete city walls in Britain. Apart from a short section, the wall is virtually intact. It creates a certain feeling of calm within, and walking around the city wall is a fantastic ways to see Chester from a different angle.

Whatever aspect of Chester’s long history you’d like to learn more about, the city works hard to bring it to life for you. There are plenty of activities and attractions for children and families. These recreate moments in history, to help better our understanding of Roman and medieval times.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Christopher John SSF

Walking through Chester’s streets, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s entirely built in the middle-ages. The shopping streets are dominated by black and white timber-framed buildings. They create a unique atmosphere. In reality, some of Chester’s buildings are medieval, but most are the product of Victorian reconstruction and revival. Authentic or not, it doesn’t really matter. The city’s streets have a wonderful charm to them.

Shopping in Chester is especially famous for what it calls the Rows. You won’t find anything else quite like these in Britain. The lower two floors of these typical black and white houses are usually commercial in purpose. The bottom floor is below street level, and there are steps leading down to the shops there. The first floor is above street level, and shops are accessed via a walkway. You’ll find all the big high street names in Chester, but the design of the Rows is much better suited to smaller shops. As a result, Chester has a thriving independent retail sector. It’s not just the atmosphere that’s unique, many of the shops are too.

When you’ve had enough of history and shopping, you won’t have to walk too far before finding somewhere to sit and have a bite to eat. Cafes and restaurants are all over the city. Sometimes they’re tucked away in quiet little courtyards, so look out for the signs. It’s also worth getting a map when you visit Chester. It’s a compact city, but it has some hidden gems. If you don’t know where to look, you might miss out on something special.

Written by www.globaltravelblog.co.uk

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The once walled city of Padova was surrounded by the many branches of the Bacchiglione River. With canals throughout the city, there are many old bridges scattered around the now bustling metropolitan region. Today there are more than 1.6 million people living in the Padova metropolitan area.

Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua, Italy by Schnu99i

Many people who have studied English literature have read The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. The city of Padova was the setting of this very famous play.

It is said that Padova is one of the oldest cities in northernmost part of Italy. According to historical records and artifacts uncovered in the area, it has been determined that the city of Padova was founded by Prince Anteno of the Trojans back in 1183 B.C. A sarcophagus which was uncovered back in 1274 belonged to the prince.

By 45 B.C., the city of Padova became part of the Roman Empire and was well-known throughout the empire for their horse breeding. In front of the Basilica di Sant’Antonio da Padova you will even find the famous Donatello statue of Erasmo da Narni which features a General astride a magnificent steed.

Prato della Valle, Padova, Italy by Fabio Macòr

The city is also home to the University of Padua which was founded more than 820 years ago. Galileo Galilee is one of the most famous lecturers to have stood in the halls of the university. There are also a number of other historically important structures and monuments which can be found throughout Padova. The city is even home to the Palazzo della Ragione which is said to have the largest unsupported roof in the whole of Europe.

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