Torshavn, Faroes The Vikings discovered these islands over a thousand years ago, and established their main harbour at Tórshavn, naming it after Thor, the Norse god of thunder and lightning. With forts in place to protect the town, it became a major trading centre, although the village remained tiny until the 20th century. Today, Tórshavn is a picturesque town of flagstone
streets, elegant buildings, informative museums, exhibitions, theatres and parks. Many of the older buildings are open to the public. The Reynagarður vicarage dates from the mid-1600s, while Munkastovan, with its heavy stone walls, is part of the medieval fort that protected the town from pirates. Skansin fort, started in 1580 and finished about 200 years later, retains marks of the occupation of the Faroes by nations as diverse as the Danes and (from the Second World War) the British.
Toulon, France With a beautiful natural harbour and surrounding hills topped by forts, Toulon has long been one of France’s main maritime centres. In the old town, close to the harbour, the Romanesque Cathédrale Sainte-Marie- Majeure dates from the 11th and 12th centuries. In front of the town hall and the naval museum, the columns are carved figures of men, known as atlantes or caryatids – it is a style borrowed from Ancient Greece. The naval museum itself is interesting, with models of ships, displays about galley slaves and pirates and equipment ranging from wheels to figureheads. The Toulon Museum has collections of art from the past 500 years. On Cours Lafayette in the Old Town there is a fabulous open-air market selling fresh fruit, vegetables and charcuterie. It’s open every morning apart from Monday and it’s worth visiting just to savour the smell of fresh herbs and lavender that hangs in the air.
Trapani, Sicily Once a Phoenician trading station, Trapani has been owned by Carthage and Rome, conquered by the Saracens and Peter of Aragon – all of whom have left their mark on its amazing architecture. The medieval core is on a short peninsula and is built like a North African Kasbah, with a maze of streets that once lay behind the city walls. The Via Garibaldi is interesting – every other building is either a church or a palace, while the palm-filled central square is a great place to relax. The ornate Santuario dell’Annunziata is a
14th-century church with an eye-catching rose window and a Gothic porchway. Next to the church is the Museo Pepoli, which combines displays of regional art with archaeological finds, including statues and coral carvings. On the headland is the Torre del Ligny, once part of the defences and now a Prehistoric Museum. Villa Margherita are public gardens between the old town and the newer part: they offer a chance to relax among fountains, trees and scented flowers.
Travemunde, Germany A coastal suburb of Lübeck, Travemunde is a short journey from the centre of this magnificent town, the former capital of the Hanseatic League. Here wealthy merchants built wonderful gabled houses, stunning churches and public buildings with massive gates, towers and gilded steeples. The Altstadt – old town – has many ancient buildings: particularly well- preserved is the Koberg area, and the Gänge where tiny passageways lead away from wide streets. The wide variety of different styles makes a walk
through the old town a charming experience. The 13th-century town hall, the stunning Cathedral and the palatial Rantzau Castle are all highlights, while the two remaining city gates – Holstentor and Burgtor – both have interesting museums.
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Tresco, Isles of Scilly The second largest of the Scilly Isles, Tresco is steeped in legend and history – it is said to be the place where King Arthur was laid to rest; its position at the extreme southwest of the UK has made it strategically important. King Charles’ Castle, a medieval fort built in the 1550s was replaced a century later by Cromwell’s Castle, which has a gun tower with two artillery platforms. Tresco is best known for the magnificent Abbey Gardens, in the grounds of what was a medieval monastery although only part of a wall now remains. The Gardens have over 20,000 plants from all over the world, protected by the unique subtropical micro climate at the southern tip of the island. They were created by Augustus Smith, the 19th century Lord Proprietor of the Scillies, who built an environment of immense bio-diversity.
Tripoli, Libya Established by the Phoenicians more than 2,700 years ago, Tripoli has a well-deserved reputation for friendliness and charm and there is plenty to see. The heart of the old town is the medina and its souq, which sit inside the old city walls. Within the medina is the Gurgi Mosque. It’s quite small, but has 16 domes and, unusually, an eight-sided minaret. The arch of Marcus Aurelius is here as well; at one time this served as the entrance to the city. In the souq are many traditional shops selling locally made products, as well as fruit and spices. Tripoli Castle – Assai al-Hamra – was started in the 7th century. Once surrounded by water, it now houses the massive Jamahiriya Museum, which covers the history of Libya in almost 50 galleries. Booking a tour of the local sights is advised to avoid any Libyan visa restrictions.
Tromsø, Norway There’s evidence of human settlement in the Tromsø area dating back 10,000 years; although the town was not founded until 1794, there was a church here in the 13th century. Set well within the Arctic Circle, it is surrounded by snow-capped peaks that rise to 1,800m: from the edge of town a cable car takes visitors up 420m for panoramic views over the city. Visitors are sometimes surprised to find cultural sophistication, good food and a vibrant nightlife – the town sometimes likes to boast of itself as the Paris of the Arctic – and there is plenty to see here. The Arctic Cathedral is a distinctive structure with a highly original glass mosaic that reflects Tromsø’s long religious heritage. Polaria has aquariums with marine- life from the region, as well as multi-media presentations on the Arctic while, at the other end of the scale, Mack’s, the world’s northernmost brewery, offers guided tours finishing with samples of the product.
Trondheim, Norway Founded over a thousand years ago, Trondheim is packed with interesting sights, from the Gothic-style Nidaros Cathedral to an eclectic choice of museums. Best of all, it can be explored easily on foot – most of the historic centre is on a small island reached by a series of bridges. Medieval pilgrims flocked to the Cathedral to
worship at the tomb of St Olaf: it’s also the burial place of medieval Norwegian kings, and much of the original structure remains. Nearby is the Archbishop’s Palace, now a museum displaying artefacts, sculpture and gargoyles from the Cathedral and surrounding area. Elsewhere, the Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum has stunning collections of furniture, textiles and jewellery. The Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum displays over 60 historic buildings, while within the grounds, the Sverresborg Ski Museum traces the history of skiing in Norway from the 17th century to modern times.
Turku, Finland The former capital of Finland, and its oldest town – it was founded around 1229 – the picturesque approach to Turku takes you through countless islands. Turku was a spiritual, secular, and commercial centre until a devastating fire destroyed most of the town’s wooden houses in 1827. It was rebuilt with stone buildings and wide boulevards, and many older buildings, such as the cathedral were completely restored – its 102m west tower has panoramic views over the grid-pattern streets. Turku Castle dates from the 1280s, and has been
carefully renovated. It’s the largest medieval castle in the country, and is packed with interesting exhibits, not least the Museum of Turku, which has a large scale model of the castle in its heyday. In the Rettig Palace are the twin museums of Ars Nova – modern art – and Aboa Vetus. The latter enables visitors to walk through medieval streets, perfectly preserved, that were discovered 7m beneath the town in the 1990s.
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Ullapool, Scotland Founded by the British Fisheries Society in 1788, Ullapool sits on the edge of Lochbroom. It has become an important holiday centre in recent years, with fishing in the sea and the loch, as well as deer stalking, golf and boat hire all on offer. The award-winning Ullapool Museum is in a former church, a Grade A building designed by Thomas Telford. It was built in 1829 following a parliamentary initiative to provide places of worship throughout the Highlands: hence it was called a “Parliamentary Church” before it closed. The town clock is claimed to be the most
photographed in Scotland: cast iron, each four pediment faces decorated with crowns and an urn on top carrying a weathervane. Just outside Ullapool is Rhue, a four-acre Bronze-Age settlement, with the remains of round houses and barns.
Ushuaia, Argentina Another claimant to the title of the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia is one of the best places on earth to catch sight of marine life – penguins, sea lions, seals and every kind of sea-bird – at close quarters and in their natural habitat. The landscape is breath- taking: in one direction is the Beagle Channel, in the other, the snow-covered peaks of the Martial Mounts. The former Ushuaia convict prison, closed in 1947, is fascinating having been kept largely in its original state, with waxworks of famous criminals and memorabilia in the prison cells. This is also a museum of maritime history, telling the story of Tierra del Fuego from the times of early explorers through to the present day, including information on the region’s 200 bird species.
Valletta, Malta The Maltese capital was founded by the Knights Order of St John of Jerusalem, in 1568. They created a late Renaissance city which has hardly changed over the centuries: visitors to this bustling city find churches, palaces, squares and cobbled streets, with plenty of museums in between. It’s compact and can be explored on foot, though it is somewhat hilly. St John’s Co-Cathedral is rather dull-looking on the outside, but the interior is incredible. Chapels line the walls, each outdoing the next in ornateness, while the ceiling is one huge fresco. But it is the floor that takes the eye, entirely covered with the graves of the knights, each inlaid with marble. The Palace of the Grandmaster is now the office of
the President of Malta, but it is open to visitors. The Armoury at the back has a fine collection of medieval and Renaissance weaponry, while the Palace also has tapestries and frescos among its treasures. Look out for various Auberges or palaces built for the groups of knights, or for individuals. Those of Castille, Auberge, Aragon, Provence and Italy are among the best Renaissance buildings in Europe.
Telephone 01473 742424 or contact your travel agent
TORSHAVN – VALLETTA
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