The sun had already disappeared below the horizon as we drove in to Caenarfon for an overnight stay. While arriving late and leaving early meant I had little time for exploring, I walked alongside the town walls and sought out Caenarfon Castle.
Caenarfon CastleThe walls of Caenarfon CastleThe Eagle Tower at Caenarfon Castle
Caenarfon Castle was built in the reign of the English king Edward I for his eldest son Edward of Caernarfon, the first Prince of Wales, to gain a strategic English foothold in Wales. It has since been used for the investiture of Prince Charles, the current Prince of Wales.
Looking out across the River Seiont from Caenarfon Castle
The walk back to the accommodation was peaceful, with a beautiful view over the River Seiont. While disappointed that we hadn’t timed our visit so we could go inside one of the most impressive castles in Wales, I consoled myself with the thought: you can always come back.
The Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch visitor’s centre
What do you do when you’re a sleepy Welsh town looking to increase your tourism numbers? Simple! Just add a few more words to your town’s name so you can become the town with the longest name in Europe.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch – a name so long it is difficult to get it all in one shot!
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (don’t ask me to pronounce it!) translates to The Church of Mary in the Hollow of the White Hazel near the Fierce Whirlpool and the Church of Tysilio by the Red Cave. While the original aim of the 1860s re-christening was to have the train station with the longest name in Britain, “Llanfair PG” also manages to be the third longest place name in the world.
The train station with the longest name in Britain
The marketing ploy is still bringing tourists to the town today – busloads of visitors pose for photos in front of the train station and the visitor’s information centre, where you can buy souvenirs, send postcards with the Llanfair PG postmark, or get a stamp to commemorate your visit!
The obligatory photo in front of the visitor’s centre
You might not get to see a church, a whirlpool, a hazel tree, or a red cave on your visit to the Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch train station, but as you stand in front of buildings with 58 character names on them, just think of how a simple idea and some community determination has turned Llanfair PG into an unlikely tourist destination (or make your own attempt to claim the longest place name crown by brainstorming a new name for your town!).
While driving through Snowdonia National Park, we stopped for a morning tea of coffee and Welsh cakes in the town of Betws-y-Coed. Although it feels small, it is one of the main towns in Snowdonia. Walking down the main road in order to stretch our legs, we passed many of the pretty stone and slate houses that make Betws-y-Coed a picture-perfect town.
The buildings in Betws-y-Coed are all made out of stone and slate, even the hotelsSt Mary’s Church holds regular Welsh Male Choir performancesBeing inside Snowdonia National Park, Betws-y-Coed is surrounded by forestsI fell in love with these row houses – so pretty!
We dropped in to the local bakery Cwmni Cacen Gri (The Welshcake Company) for coffee and one of their renowned traditional Welsh cakes, before heading on to Tŷ Hyll – the Ugly House.
The Ugly House is situated just outside of Betws-y-Coed. Home to the Pot Mêl Tearooms, it is a cosy cottage with a mysterious origin.
Tŷ Hyll (the Ugly House), home to the Pot Mêl Tearooms
To win ownership of the land, you needed to build a house with four walls, a roof and a smoking chimney
Legend has it that if you managed to build a house on common land between sunset and sunrise that consisted of four walls, a roof and a smoking chimney, then you could claim ownership of the land it stood on.
Can you imagine how they could have built the Ugly House in one night using those stones?!
The Ugly House is rumoured to be one of these houses, though how such a quaint cottage could have been christened ‘Ugly’ is debatable – rumours abound as to whether it was named after the ‘ugly’ type of people, such as thieves and outlaws, who may have lived there, a mispronounciation of the Llugwy River which flows nearby, or simply after the rough-hewn boulders that form the walls. One thing is for certain – by the look of those huge stones it’s hard to imagine how many people it took to construct the place within a night!
It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the first time I heard the name of Thomas Telford.
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, the highest and longest aqueduct in Britain
Thomas Telford is a bit of a hero in the British civil engineering scene, and the further I travelled throughout Britain, the more it felt like he was responsible for most of the roads, canals and bridges that I saw.
Looking down: the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct carries the Llangollen Canal over the River Dee
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is one of Telford’s many creations. Standing thirty-eight metres above the River Dee and spanning a width of 300 metres, the aqueduct is the highest and longest aqueduct in Great Britain and has rather appropriately been dubbed the ‘stream in the sky’.
Just look at the views from the top of the aqueduct!
The view from the top of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
You can even walk across the aqueduct yourself – there is a footpath that runs alongside the canal that feels very safe (I was more worried about dropping my camera in to the canal than anything else!), and if you’ve got good timing, you might even see one of the canal boats pass by as they venture across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Get to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct at the right time, and you can watch the canal boats cross it
It feels surreal to be standing in front of Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most recognisable of Scotland’s many hauntingly beautiful castles. Standing on its own island where Loch Duich, Loch Long and Loch Alsh converge, the lone castle shrouded in mist, set against the stunning backdrop of the tree-covered mountains makes for the ideal photograph!
The isolated Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most photographed castles in Scotland
Over the years, Picts, Vikings, Highland clans and Jacobites have all fought over the island, and the castle itself has been constructed and destroyed several times. What you see today is a restoration that took Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae Gilstrap and his Clerk of Works Farquhar MacRae twenty years to turn Eilean Donan from a ruin into a livable castle.
It feels surreal to stand in front of a building that is so iconic. While we didn’t have time to explore the castle, I definitely plan on returning to Eilean Donan Castle one day.
What you need to know:
In Gaelic, Eilean Donan translates to ‘the island of Donan’. Donan was a bishop who was thought to live on the island in the seventh century.
Many films, including Highlander, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, The World is Not Enough, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Made of Honour have used Eilean Donan castle as a setting, helping it to become one of the most recognisable castles in Scotland.
What does a castlephile do when she has a spare couple of hours in Stornoway? Convince her new travelling companions to visit the local castle, of course!
Our target for today was Lews Castle. After consulting the map, it looked like we would have to take the scenic route to get to the castle, which (rather strangely) would take us right through the middle of the local golf course. The golf course was easy enough to find, and with an entrance like this, we thought we were on the right track.
En route to Lews Castle: The entrance to the Stornoway golf club
The signs for Lews Castle pointed into a forest that bordered the golf course, so we left the safety of the sealed road and hit a dirt track. We couldn’t see any sign of a castle. We weren’t even sure in which direction the town was. Should we turn back before we got lost? (And risk the local golfers laughing at the disoriented tourists?)
Almost on the verge of giving up, we noticed groups of university students appearing from somewhere up the hill. We decided to press on a bit further, although the castle was still nowhere to be seen. We heard whirring in the distance. A car engine spluttered. And then the roof of the castle appeared out of the leaves.
The restoration works at Lews Castle
Unfortunately, the castle was closed for renovations. And the fence to keep us out of the workzone made it difficult to take a nice photo of what was a very pretty eighteenth century castle.
Despite the restoration fencing, Lews Castle is very strikingI thought that this was the best photo I was going to get of Lews Castle!
Admitting defeat, our next challenge was getting back to Stornoway. We could go back the way we had come through the golf course, but taking our chances, we decided to follow the students down a path that we hoped would take us safely back to Stornoway.
Five minutes later, we found ourselves back on Stornoway’s main road … only to look back and see this! Finally – the perfect view of Lews Castle from across the bay in Stornoway
What you need to know:
Stornoway is the largest town on the island of Lewis and Harris
An observatory. A set of Greek columns. A tower. Oh, and a Portuguese cannon. I’m sure they all tie together somehow. But when you first make the climb up to the top of Calton Hill, what you’ll find seems all a bit … random.
Calton Hill
Scotland’s National Monument
The National Monument on Calton Hill
Firstly, those Greek columns. While they look like they’ve been transplanted from a mountain in Athens, they actually form the National Monument, a memorial to the Scots who died in the Napoleonic Wars. Designed to be a replica of the Parthenon, the monument was left unfinished when funds ran out.
Nelson Monument
Nelson Monument
Always eager to climb up things, I paid the four pounds entrance fee to climb the tallest monument on Calton Hill – Nelson Monument. After being encouraged all the way up the spiral stairs with messages printed on the wall like “You’re almost to the top!” I came out to the viewing deck. It was a bright and sunny day but taking photos proved challenging due to the fact that a strong wind made me cling to the railing so I wouldn’t fly away.
View from Nelson’s Monument: Holyrood, Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s SeatThe Palace of Holyrood House
It was an unbelievable view. You could look down onto the Palace of Holyroodhouse and its gardens, with Arthur’s Seat towering behind it. You could follow the line of Princes Street up to Edinburgh Castle. You could look over the streets of the New Town, or out to the Firth. (I was glad to get back inside the tower and out of the wind, though!)
The view down Princes StreetThe view of the North Bridge from Nelson’s Monument
The City Observatory and Old Observatory House
The Old Observatory House
Amongst the other monuments on Calton Hill, was the Old Observatory House and the City Observatory. The Old Observatory House is actually available to be rented, with accommodation facilities to sleep eight people.
The Portuguese Cannon
There was no real explanation as to why this was here. It did look cool, though.
The Portuguese Cannon
The Dugald Stewart Monument and the Best View in Edinburgh
Dugald Stewart Monument – the place to take iconic photos of Edinburgh
If you want the perfect guidebook photo of Edinburgh, this is where to take that photo. Position yourself with the Dugald Stewart Monument to your right, focus on Edinburgh Castle in the background, and you’ll be standing in the spot where it seems that most travel brochures of Edinburgh are taken.
Whether it is for the unlikely collection of monuments or for the panoramic views of Edinburgh and beyond, make sure you include Calton Hill on your Edinburgh itinerary!
I had no expectations about the Île de Ré. All I knew was that it was an island to the west of La Rochelle, and to bring my bathers because there would be a beach. As the bus drove across the causeway that links the island to mainland France, the scenery changed. Gone were the quaint villages, green fields and endless forests. Now we were driving past campgrounds perched on the water’s edge, by salt marshes and through seaside towns as the bus made its way towards Saint-Martin-de-Ré.
Looking over the harbour towards Saint-Martin-de-Ré
The French come to the Île de Ré for summer holidays, and there is everything from large camping grounds to fancy hotels to accommodate the holiday-makers. In Saint-Martin, restaurants are clustered together along the harbour, while behind them the laneways lined with souvenir stores, clothes shops and antique sellers lead up the hill to the ruins and bell tower of Église Saint-Martin de Saint-Martin-de-Ré.
Restaurants along the harbourOne of the laneways lined with shops
The Église Saint-Martin de Saint-Martin-de-Ré stands at the top of the hill and looks over the town. Visitors to the church can climb the belfry for a better look over the citadel and fortifications of Saint-Martin-de-Ré (part of the Fortifications of Vauban, a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
The Église Saint-Martin de Saint-Martin-de-Ré
A stroll back down the hill through narrow laneways that shield you from the hot sun brings you back to the water’s edge, where you can walk along the fortifications of Saint-Martin-de-Ré, or make your way back to the harbour.
The narrow laneways shade you from the summer sun!The fortified wall of Saint-Martin-de-Ré
If you find yourself down in the Parc de la Barbette, you might come across a sight unique to the Île de Ré: donkeys who look like they’re wearing striped pyjama bottoms. While now a tourist attraction, the donkeys were originally dressed in trousers to help protect them from mosquito and other insect bites while they were put to work harvesting salt.
A sight unique to the Île de Ré: donkeys wearing trousers
The laid-back atmosphere of Saint-Martin-de-Ré lets you unwind and have a holiday away from your hurried sightseeing of your mainland ventures. Breathe in the salty air, find yourself a spot to gaze at the view and enjoy letting go.
Looking out to sea from the fortifications
What you need to know:
The bus to the Île de Ré leaves from the Place de Verdun in La Rochelle. The bus schedule is posted at the bus stop. Tickets can be purchased from the driver.
The Palais Garnier – home to the Opera Nationale de Paris – may well be one of the most lavish places I have set foot in. Designed by Charles Garnier (who also designed the Casino de Monte Carlo), it is spread over seventeen storeys and contains two ballet companies.
Having read Gaston Leroux’s book The Phantom of the Opera, and being a fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, I was curious to know what the real Paris Opera was like. I booked a guided tour of the Palais Garnier, and was on the lookout for signs of the opera house’s most infamous resident.
The Subscriber’s Rotunda
Guided tours begin in the la rotonde des abonnés. While you are sitting on the circular red velvet chaise, you can imagine men dressed in their finest suits and hats and ladies glancing at their reflections in the mirrors that line the room. On the ceiling, the intermingled letters spell out the name of the architect: CHARLES GARNIER and the dates of construction: 1861 – 1875. The rotunda is impressive by itself, but it is nothing compared with the rooms to come.
The Grand Staircase
The Grand Staircase is almost overwhelming. You have to stand still for a few minutes to take it all in. As you ascend the stairs, it’s hard to know where to look – at the statues and busts that line the doorways, the decorative marble and lamp fittings, or at the painting on the ceiling? Take the time to appreciate the full splendour of the Grand Staircase.
The Grand Staircase at the Palais Garnier
The Grand Foyer
Walking along the Grand Foyer, you feel like you are in a grander version of the Hall of Mirrors at the Chateau de Versailles rather than in an opera house in the middle of the city. They have similar designs – a long room along the side of the building with mirrors along one wall and large windows on the other. The Grand Foyer is decorated in musical motifs and along with the Grand Staircase is one of the most sumptuous rooms open to the public in the Palais Garnier. The Grand Foyer feels like a more opulent version of Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors
The Grand Foyer of the Palais Garnier
The Auditorium
After the splendour of the grand staircase and the grand foyer, passing through the corridor that separates them from the auditorium seems anti-climactic. Dark and plain, it provides a welcome rest for your eyes as you wait to be shown to your seat.
Off to the side, you’ll find Napoleon III’s entrance, which was especially designed for him to limit the risk of assassination. The Emperor’s carriage could be driven up into the Palais. From here, Napoleon III would be mere steps away from the Royal box. The entrance is also plainer than the rest of the theatre – war broke out and Napoleon III was deposed before the entrance could be decorated.
Once you have taken your seat inside the auditorium, your eyes start to wander again from the rows and boxes of red velvet seats, up to the ceiling with the glittering chandelier and Chagall’s painted ceiling insert depicting twelve famous operas.
The sumptuous seats inside the auditoriumThe chandelier suspended under Chagall’s painted ceiling
And as for the Phantom?
While the tour of the Palais Garnier doesn’t take you backstage, or to the fabled underground lake below the building, the Palais Garnier does pay their respects to the legacy and legend of the Phantom of the Opera. The Phantom’s standing request for Box Number 5 is noted with a plaque, marking it as the Loge du Fantôme de l’Opéra. Are you brave enough to book it?
The entrance to Box Number Five: Loge du Fantôme de l’Opéra
I’d be careful if I were you. You never know where the Phantom may lurking!
The Phantom of the Opera is there … ?!
What you need to know:
Closest metro station: Opéra The Opéra station is right in front of the Palais Garnier.
Would you go and see: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera if it was being staged in the Palais Garnier? It hasn’t been done, but I like the idea of watching it in the very theatre where the story is set.
Did you know that you can look over the rooftops of Paris from the top floor viewing deck of the Galeries Lafayette? From here, you can look down over the busy Boulevard Haussmann and the back of the Opera Garnier, across to La Défense in the distance, or at the domes of the Grand Palais and Les Invalides flanking the Eiffel Tower.
Looking down the Boulevard HaussmannThe Opera GarnierView of the Eiffel Tower from Galeries LafayetteLooking over the Opera Garnier towards La Defense
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
The Galeries Lafayette is at 40 Boulevard Haussmann, behind the Opera Garnier
Take the escalator up to the top floor and walk out on to the terrace.
The closest Metro stop to the Galeries Lafayette is: Opera
Do you have a favourite view over Paris? Share it in the comments!
