Squeezed in between France, Belgium and Germany, tiny Luxembourg (pop. 655,000) is something of an oddity, yet is arguably also the most European of the continent’s many nations.
31.07.2023 - 15:05 / wanderlust.co.uk
Wedged into a highland valley just east of the altiplano – the Andean plateau stretching across western Bolivia – Sucre is one of the most beautiful cities in South America and a place that confounds expectations. Set at an altitude of 2,810m, it was established in the mid-1500s by Spanish conquistadors on the lands of the indigenous Yampara people and has since been known as Charcas, Chuquisaca, Ciudad de la Plata (City of Silver) and finally Sucre, rightfully earning it the title “The City with Four Names”.
Sucre’s initial success was down to silver. As well as exploiting deposits in the area, it became an administrative hub for the larger reserves in Potosí, 160km to the south, and a centre of Spanish colonial power. Wealth flowed into the city, funding the construction of the grand buildings that would later see it designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After playing a key role in the struggle for independence from Spanish rule, Sucre became the capital of the new Republic of Bolivia in 1825, but political and economic influence gradually drained away. In 1899, following a brief civil war, the presidency, congress and de facto capital status moved north-west to La Paz, though Sucre was allowed to retain the title of constitutional capital.
Today, it has a population of about 360,000, and while the drivers of political, economic and social life lie elsewhere, it has retained a cultured, middleclass air with its tidy streets and relaxed pace of life.
Downtown is a treasure trove of well-preserved 16th- to 19th-century architecture laid out on an orderly grid system. The expansive Plaza 25 de Mayo lies in the centre, surrounded by a Mestizo-Baroque cathedral, Neoclassical town hall and elegant former presidential palace. Surrounding streets are lined with similarly impressive churches, chapels, monasteries, townhouses and university buildings, their brilliant white adobe walls and red-tiled roofs gleaming in the sunshine.
This heritage is taken seriously: historic buildings must be whitewashed each year – a uniformity of colour that has given rise to yet other nickname, the “Ciudad Blanca” (White City) – and modern constructions are resolutely confined to the outskirts. This wealth of history and architectural splendour could easily have turned Sucre into a museum piece, yet the city has a young, cosmopolitan feel thanks to the crowds of students at its universities and a steady stream of gringos. Many historic buildings have been turned into boutique stays and hostels. There is also a proliferation of Spanish-language schools aimed at backpackers, and numerous European migrants have set up travel agencies, restaurants, bars, galleries and other ventures. This has helped to created a thriving
Squeezed in between France, Belgium and Germany, tiny Luxembourg (pop. 655,000) is something of an oddity, yet is arguably also the most European of the continent’s many nations.
Ottawa, the charming capital of Canada, is a cultural destination often seen as the city of museums. This makes perfect sense with so many unique and educational museums and galleries to explore. In fact, Ottawa is home to seven of Canada’s nine national museums and visitors can experience the entire country in one city and immerse themselves in Canadian history while exploring top attractions. Ottawa has now turned popular points of interest into 156 Unofficial Museums across the region to inspire your next trip.
Chaotic schedules, safety issues, and lack of negotiation are a few reasons why aviation unions across Europe are striking.
Bolivia’s tourism reputation is generally as a rugged backpacker destination with a few otherworldly gems for more sophisticated travelers—namely the Uyuni Salt Flats and La Paz’s buzzy culinary scene. But as my kids and I recently discovered on a multi-city road trip in the western part of the country, Bolivia has a diversity of landscapes (caves, deserts, and meteor-crash sites), distinct urban centers (silver mining towns and white-washed World Heritage cities), and colorful boutique hotels.
International dialling code: +41 Currency: Swiss f
Dream tips like sailing around the Greek Islands or along the Amalfi Coast are only for the rich and famous, right? Not anymore.
Travel website, Trippy, has put together an awesome infographic showing prices for food, beer, taxis, and hotels in the most and least expensive countries. And the best part is that it updates daily, so you can see the average price of something when you’re planning a trip or once you’re in the destination.
The average payback for six major hotel chain loyalty programs—the value of what the points will buy, compared to what you pay to earn the points—is near 9 percent. That’s substantially higher than the return from the big three airline programs, which fetch about 4 to 6 percent. Those figures come from IdeaWorks’ 2017 CarTrawler Hotel Reward Payback Survey. Among hotel programs, Wyndham’s payback is highest, at 16.7 percent.
This year UNESCO has added 29 new cultural sites to its World Heritage List. Here are 12 wonders to add to your bucket list.
Solo travel has the power to transform: Think of the memoirs “Eat Pray Love” or “Wild.” But you don’t have to circumnavigate the globe or hike 1,100 miles to see why some people choose to go it alone. The freedom to explore at your own pace, open to connecting with people you meet along the way, can feel as intoxicating as a tropical breeze. But solo travel can be daunting, too, especially when problems arise. And of course, solo travelers need to keep certain safety considerations in mind.
In Willemstad, the capital city on the island of Curaçao, the waterfront is dotted with buildings the color of tropical fruit: mango orange, banana yellow, kiwi green. Paired with the bright blue water in nearby bays, it’s almost a full kaleidoscope of color. Originally, the structures were limestone white, but an 1817 law forbade white facades on buildings to protect islanders’ eyesight from the bright reflections of the Caribbean sun – but locals joke that it was a money-making bid on behalf of the island’s only paint supplier.
“Being able to watch the journey out of the cabin window, seeing France fade away and Spain come into view, you experience the travel and the journey itself as part of the trip, rather than it being a means to an end. We both really love that,” says Katie Nicholson, who recently became a digital nomad, setting sail with Brittany Ferries from the UK to Spain on a new adventure with her partner, Ciaran.