PORT GAZETTEER
PORT GAZETTEER
Venice
TALLINN Estonia Tallinn is a fascinating medieval capital. This multi- faceted jewel of a city and its architecture – a legacy of Teutonic, Polish and Russian rule – will be certain to impress, from the spectacular onion domes of the Nevski Russian Orthodox Cathedral to the baroque Toompea Castle (home of the Estonian Parliament) and the elaborate gothic façade of the 13th century Raekoda, Europe’s oldest town hall. The magnifi cent St. Mary’s Cathedral, with its display of more than 100 coats of arms, is also worth a visit, but it is worth taking time out just to stroll the winding streets and cobbled squares of the city’s atmospheric old town, where you will fi nd exquisite amber jewellery, fi ne lacework and gorgeous woollen jackets at bargain prices.
St Lucia
ST LUCIA St Lucia has a fascinating, if bloody, history with the French and British spending years fi ghting over it. One look at this luscious island will show you why. Cloaked in verdant rainforests, its skyline dominated by the dramatic twin peaks of Les Pitons and its gardens a riot of hibiscus and bougainvillea; St. Lucia is the epitome of a Caribbean paradise. Here you can bask on beautiful beaches, visit charming fi shing villages, view stunning volcanic scenery and glory in the Caribbean’s best botanical gardens.
ST MAARTEN Half French and half Dutch, St. Martin/St. Maarten is one of the Caribbean’s most diverse and interesting islands. The Dutch capital Philipsburg is a delightful warren of narrow streets called steegjies, where you will fi nd interesting shops and leafy courtyard cafés. Start your exploration at Wathey Square, which is home to a fi ne collection of traditional West Indian ‘gingerbread’ houses. If you would prefer to enjoy a little French ‘je ne sais quoi’, take an island tour to the pretty French capital Marigot, worth visiting for its markets, lovely café-lined waterfront and the chic boutiques of Marina Port La Royale.
ST PETER PORT Guernsey A busy port since Roman times and one-time home of Victor Hugo, St. Peter Port, is the prettiest town in the Channel Islands. The best way to discover the true beauty of Guernsey is on foot, exploring the Ruettes – tranquil, quiet lanes that are dedicated to walkers, cyclists and horse riders. And history lovers will be in their element exploring Castle Cornet, the last Royalist stronghold of the English Civil War, now home to several museums and theatrical events. Fort Grey was a bastion against Napoleon and is now a fascinating Shipwreck Museum while the German Occupation Museum gives a vivid account of island life during WWII.
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ST PETERSBURG Russia You’ll have two full days in St. Petersburg; after all the jewel in the Baltic’s crown deserves no less, for here – on the broad banks of the River Neva and in the magnifi cent palaces and churches which characterise the city’s skyline – you will fi nd Russia at its most dramatic, fl amboyant and captivating. Put the Hermitage Museum right at the top of your sightseeing list; its magnifi cent buildings and palaces contain the world’s most comprehensive collection of art and sculpture, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Gaugin, Rembrandt and Matisse. The city’s other treasures include the Yusupov Palace (where ‘the mad monk’ Gregori Rasputin was dramatically murdered in 1916); Catherine the Great’s palace (with its breathtaking 298 metre white, gold and blue façade); St Isaac’s Cathedral (which has marble walls studded with semi-precious stones); the onion-spired Church on Spilled Blood and the battleship Aurora, whose guns signalled the start of the Russian Revolution.
STAVANGER Norway The gateway to Norway’s spectacularly scenic fjordland, Stavanger is also a town with its own rich heritage as it is regarded as the ‘Cradle of the Vikings’. Your ship will dock right next to Gamle Stavanger, the old quarter, with its collection of 200-year-old white wooden houses, markets, craft stores, art galleries and a 12th century cathedral modelled on Winchester Cathedral. Look out, too, for the Three Swords monument in the Hafrsfjord rock recalling the Viking sea battle won by King Harald the Fairhair to create Norway as one kingdom back in the 9th century.
STOCKHOLM Sweden One of the most beautiful cities in Scandinavia, Sweden’s capital, Stockholm – where the Baltic meets lovely Lake Malaren – is approached through a string of 14 islands and myriad small islets. The heart of this famous city is its medieval quarter, Gamla Stan, which dates from the 13th century. Here you can stroll through narrow cobbled streets lined with quirky shops and atmospheric cafés, explore the spooky gothic cathedral of Storkyran, discover the elaborate 17th century Nessin Palace and visit Sweden’s oldest museum, the Livrustkammaren – home to fi ve centuries’ worth of royal carriages, clothes and weaponry (its most unusual exhibit is Streiff – the stuffed stallion which once carried King Gustav II into battle).
TENERIFE Canary Islands Tenerife is blessed with one of the world’s most dramatic and varied landscapes, ranging from verdant valleys to glorious beaches and the volcanic ‘moonscape’ of Mount Teide National Park. Tenerife’s port Santa Cruz has grown from a fi shing village to a splendid city with classy bars and restaurants, varied shops, fi ne architecture and interesting museums. For a family day out, make sure you don’t miss Loro Park, home to many exotic animals including killer whales, sea lions, gorillas, tigers and the world’s largest collection of parrots.
TORTOLA British Virgin Islands If you want to experience the ‘undiscovered’ Caribbean, visit the unspoiled British Virgin Island of Tortola. Rising to 1,709 feet at its highest point and famed for its rugged volcanic landscape, Tortola has proved diffi cult to develop as a major tourist haunt, and so has preserved its charm. Its quaint capital, Road Town, is charming and compact – home to a colourful crafts market and a range of small speciality shops. You will also fi nd some of the loveliest beaches in the Caribbean. At Cane Garden Bay you can tuck into a barbecued fi sh and snorkellers will fi nd the most eye-boggling marine life. While the virgin rainforest at Mount Sage National Park is spectacular to explore.
TROMSØ Norway It is easy to make the most of a day in Norway’s most northerly city, Tromsø, because, in summer, it never gets dark. The best way to see its full glory is to take a cable car 480 metres up to the top of Mount Storsteinen. The launch pad for many Polar expeditions, Tromsø lies just under 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle and, if you are fascinated by the world of snow and ice, the city’s Polaria Science Museum is the place to visit. Within its iceberg-shaped walls you can meet the local wildlife at a vast aquarium, experience an Arctic snowstorm or take a virtual trek through the frozen wilderness to encounter polar bears and see the mystical Northern Lights.
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