Tavistock Travel Guide

Tavistock Town Guide
Despite the beautiful surroundings, the interesting history and the relaxed atmosphere, very few foreign tourists visit Devon and Cornwall in the south west of England in comparison to London and other more known attractions. Tavistock lies in west Devon, near to Cornwall and is best known for its most famous former resident, Sir Francis Drake.

This small market town has a few attractions, but is best used as a hub for visiting nearby villages and attractions on the Dartmoor national park. Tavistock is based on the River Tavy and has been traced back to AD 961 when the Tavistock Abbey was founded. The Abbey ruins still lie in the centre of the town.

The town’s Pannier Market is based centrally and brings visitors from surrounding areas. Tavistock’s market town status dates back to 1105 when Henry 1 granted a Royal Charter to the monks allowing them to run a weekly Pannier Market.

Getting into the town is not simple. From abroad the easiest route is by plane to Bristol International Airport, train to Plymouth, then bus to Tavistock or renting a car from the airport. Bus is the only regular public transport in the town. A car would be an advantage as a number of nearby attractions are not easily accessible by public transport.

Lydford Gorge is near to Tavistock and is a 2.4km long gorge owned and maintained by the National Trust. Included in this is a 30 metre high waterfall known as the White Lady and a series of whirlpools. Another popular nearby venue is Morwellham Quay, an open air Victorian theme park with a conserved village and mine train.

This is one part of a whole region of England which has picturesque views and an interesting history. Its distance from international airports and London makes it more difficult to reach for tourists, but this can add to the attraction. Tavistock is a fantastic town in a fantastic region and should be considered by anyone wanting to visit the lesser known parts of the UK.

Trieste City Guide

This city and port is located on the north-eastern side of Italy within a short distance of Slovenia and Croatia. With a population of over 200,000, Trieste has an ethnic mix from the nearby regions.

Various touristic attractions are scattered around this city with a rich history. Since the 3rd millennium BC, people have settled in the area. The city was ruled by the Roman Republic by 177BC and under this rule, Julio Caesar recorded its name as Tergeste. Much later on, Trieste became a domain of Austria. As an important port and trade hub, it was occupied by French troops on various occasions during the Napoleonic Wars. Following this, Trieste became the capital of the Austrian Littoral region. In 1920, the city became part of Italy.

This picturesque city provides many beautiful views. It definitely benefits from its location as a walk down the coast toward Miramare presents the opportunity of seeing Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. In nearby Miramare stands the Miramare Castle. Built between 1856 and 1860, the castle fits in well to the gardens and is located right next to the sea. It is still in great condition and the gardens have various paths and seats. There are few better places to relax.

Various churches can be found in the city including the Cathedral of San Giusto, the Temple of Holy Trinity and St. Spiridio, the Basilica of San Silvestro, the Church of San Nicolò dei Greci which follows the Austrian late baroque style and the Israelite Temple of Trieste.

Various historical landmarks are scattered through the city including the Arch of Riccardo, built in 33BC and believed to be where king Richard of England crossed on the way back from Crusades. The Roman Theatre is also an important landmark, lying at the foot of the San Giusto hill and mainly made from stone, it was built, exploiting the mild slope where it is situated.

The Piazza dell’ Unita provides part of a nice central point to the city. Whilst public transport is useful for reaching Miramare, the city centre can be walked fairly easily.

Trieste is served by train, bus and plane. The city’s port status has declined as there are better located ports around the area, but the nearby Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport provides international transport. Bus services are available to Slovenia and Croatia and many trains run to Venice, Milan and other areas.

This beautiful city is relaxed and picturesque. It is not a beach location, but the sea adds a lot to the feel of the place. Despite the size, Trieste has much to offer.

Turin City Guide

Located on the River Po in Northern Italy, Turin is a major business and cultural centre in the region. The city is fairly near to Milan, however it is far more satisfying for tourists. With a mixture of urban areas and tranquil parks, Turin provides beautiful buildings, pretty greenery and a mountain backdrop, enough to make any city attractive.

Football plays a large part in the lives of locals here. One of the biggest club rivalries in Italy takes place between Torino and Juventus who both play their home games at the Stadio Olympico. This stadium is worth a visit and on match days and on match days the vibe, typical of any top flight club is contagious.

Many other attractions are situated around the city showing the historical importance of Turin. One of the most known landmarks here is in the Cathedral of John the Baptist. Housed in here is an old linen cloth with the imprint of a man. Many believe it to be that of Jesus Christ. The cloth, however, is not available to see for fear of damage.

The city also contains Museo Egizio, which holds the second most important collection of Egyptian Antiques in the world, the first of course being in Cairo. For a more Italian historical landmark, head over to the Palastine Towers. These are among the best preserved Roman remains in the North of Italy.

For an inspiring view of Turin with a backdrop of the Italian Alps, a walk to the top of the Hill of Superga will suffice. Also situated here is the Basilica of Superga – a church built from 1717 to 1731. Whilst looking over the city, the most recognisable building is the Mole Antonelliana. Origionally built as a Synagogue, this is now home to the National Museum of Cinema and is believed to be the tallest museum in the world. Construction on the building began in 1863 and was designed by the architect Alessandro Antonelli, hence the name.

Whilst many tourists flock to Rome and Venice when visiting Italy, Turin is a beautiful alternative with excellent pizza, interesting architecture, a city atmosphere and nice design. It is surprising to see so much of a large city covered in quiet parks, but this allows Turin to keep a relaxed, tranquil side to this wonderful place.

Zurich City Guide

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland with a population of over 375,000. According to several surveys it is the city with the highest quality of life in the world. It is surprising that it is not the capital of Swizerland, but it is considered the most important culturally.

Located around 30km north of the Alps, the city sits on the river Limmat and Lake Zurich surrounded by hills. With an interesting and attractive layout, the mountains are visible in good weather from some areas.

A number of train stations are situated in the city, the main being the Zurich Hauptbahnhof, which provides transport to and from many major European venues. International travel is also provided by the city’s airport, located 10km north-east in Kloten.

Internally, city is served by the S-Bahn (local trains), bus and tram. Away from dry land, boats operate along the river and lake and the city has a funicular railway as well as a cable car. The transport system is very frequent and efficient, which is not a surprise when looking at the national systems throughout Switzerland.

Whilst in the city, there is the feeling that everything is working perfectly. Generally, Switzerland feels safer than many other European countries and Zurich is no exception. The buildings are not as extravagant as those in other venues like London, Paris or Madrid but Zurich is attractive in the way it is set out.

Various attractions are in the city including a number of churches. The most important of these are the Grossmunster, built in 820, the Fraumunster, built in 874 and renovated in 2004 and the St Peter, which has the largest church clock face in the world.

Lake Zurich is a large attraction. Around this, various parks can be found, creating nice places to relax in, especially if the weather is good. There are also suitable swimming areas, however the water can get cold at times.

Switzerland has a reputation for being expensive, and in places it is. If you buy food in large global chain restaurants, the value is not as good as in local food venues. Despite the higher prices compared to many other cities, it is worth visiting Zurich as this clean city has beautiful views and a friendly vibe – making it a fantastic destination.

Why I love England in Winter

England has never been somewhere people visit for hot weather, in fact recent years have failed to provide a full summer of heat. We Brits get more than our fair share of rain, we get the flooding, we get the ruined events, we get muddy Glastonburys and rained out football matches, yet in July and August, huge numbers of tourists flock across. When I see visitors, walking down the streets, holding cameras and sheltering from the downfall in mid July, it makes me wonder why they came across.

Summer air fares and hotel rates are high and in any other country, it's worth it. If you fly to the south of France in July, you've got a good chance of being able to enjoy the warm beaches. It's far cheaper to travel in the colder months and, without the expectation of sun, there's no disappointment.

England has so much to offer in terms of history, nightlife, sports, architecture and natural beauty and a trek across Dartmoor, through the windy streets of Bath or along the stony beach in Brighton is so much nicer with the crisp cold air than below the grey, late June sky. Yes, the weather can get bad in the winter, but sheltering by the fire in an old country pub with a local ale in hand is something which must be experienced at least once.

A trip to a Southern European hot spot on a rainy day will show that they aren't made for bad weather, but England is made for rain - we're used to it and probably wouldn't survive without it, so it's best to come across expecting some bad weather and make the most of it!

My Top 5 English Places in Winter

5: Oxford - The amazing architecture and interesting buildings in the sandy stone become a little bit special in the cold air.

4: Truro - The city fills up and brims with a buzzing atmosphere during the winter months. South Western shoppers pour into this little place for the packed streets. The cathedral looks great at any time of year too and, although this isn't a great sightseeing place, it's nice for a wonder.

3: Wembley Stadium - There's nothing like watching a match in freezing cold weather, with a scarf wrapped around your face and a hot drink in hand. This isn't limited only to Wembley - any football stadium is worth a visit in winter.

2: Laycock - Whilst the Abbey's opening hours may be limited around this time of year, this little village is great to wonder through. Search for a cosy pub to escape the cold.

1: Bath - There's something about Bath in the rain - the smell is different to other cities. The Christmas Market near the Abbey also adds a festive feeling to the city and the lively highstreet doesn't slow down in winter. I've had great times in Bath at any time of the year, but during winter there's a certain atmosphere around the centre that I haven't noticed anywhere else.