Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09

Ports of Call:

Alicante I Cape Town I Kochi I Singapore I Qingdao I Rio de Janeiro I Boston I Galway I Goteborg I Stockholm I St. Petersburg 

Alicante:

Overview:

Alicante, in the southern part of the Valencian Community of Spain is a historic Mediterranean port.

Alicante is one of the fastest-growing cities in Spain. The local economy is based upon tourism in the beaches from Costa Blanca coast and particularly the second residence construction boom which started in the 1960s and reinvigorated again by the late 1990s. services and public administration also play a major role in the city's economy.

The city has regular ferry services to the Balearic Islands and Algeria, and an international airport is nearby, served by Iberia and other airlines. The city is strongly fortified, with a spacious harbour. Amongst the most notable features of the city are its main castle, the Castle of Santa Barbara, which sits high above the city, and its port, which has recently become the subject of bitter controversy in the city as residents battle to keep it from being changed into an industrial estate.

Port:

The port has been reinventing itself since the industrial decline the city suffered in the 1980s (with most mercantile traffic lost in favour of Valencia's harbour). In recent years, the Port Authority has established it as one of the most important ports in Spain for cruises, with 72 calls to port made by cruises in 2007 bringing some 80,000 cruise passengers and 30,000 crew to the city each year. The moves to develop the port for more tourism have been welcomed by the city and its residents, but the latest plans to develop an industrial estate in the port have caused great controversy.

In mid-October 2007, the "Conselleria" (Environmental Department) of the Autonomous Region of Valencia announced a detailed project to recuperate the maritime facade of Alicante, including the urban facade facing the sea which runs 15 km south along the coast from the old Station of Murcia, passing the extension zone of the port, and continuing through to Urbanova, and Santa Pola.

This project involves the creation of the 'Alicante Southern Coastal Park’ beginning from the zone immediately in front of the port’s reclaimed land, complete with a continuous 'green pedestrian corridor' connecting the city with the wetlands to the south, an area classified as having international natural importance. The Directorate-General for Landscape in Valencia will be in charge of the project, and the zone is officially recognised as being of undoubted natural, cultural and visual interest.

Tourist Tips:

One of the best ways to go sight seeing and enjoying is by a car. The roads are good, and the town can be better explored with the freedom that a car brings.

The sandy beach is popular during the day and fairly busy during the evening when it's illuminated by sodium street lights. These give the beach and breaking waves a surreal effect.

Castle of Santa Barbara:

The castle stands on the mountain called Benacantil, where Bronze Age, Iberian, and Roman artifacts have been found on its slopes. The origins of the castle date to the ninth century at the time of Muslim control of the Iberian Peninsula.

On December 4, 1248, the castle was captured by Castilian forces led by Alfonso de Castilla, later Alfonso X. It was named after Saint Barbara, on whose feast day the castle was captured. It was conquered by the Aragonese in 1296 during the reign of James II of Aragon, who ordered its reconstruction. Peter IV of Aragon, Charles I of Spain, and Philip II of Spain would oversee further reconstructions.

The castle was bombarded in 1691 by a French squadron. During the War of Spanish Succession, it was held by the English (Alicante, along with the rest of Valencia, backed Carlos in the War of Spanish Succession). In 1873, it was bombarded, along with the city, by the cantonalistas from the frigate Numancia.

The castle was sometimes used as a prison. It remained abandoned until 1963, when it was opened to the public. Elevators were installed inside the mountain. 

Cape Town:

Overview:

Cape Town is the third most populous city in South Africa, and is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point.

Often regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities because of its geography, Cape Town is one of the most popular South African destinations for tourism.

Cape Town was originally developed as a supply station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and the Far East more than 200 years before the construction of the Suez Canal in 1869. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa.

Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope. It was the largest city in South Africa until the growth of Johannesburg and Durban.

The centre of Cape Town is located at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula. Table Mountain forms a dramatic backdrop to the city bowl, with its plateau over 1,000 m high; it is surrounded by near-vertical cliffs, Devil's Peak and Lion's Head. Sometimes a thin strip of cloud forms over the mountain, and owing to its appearance, it is colloquially known as the "Tablecloth". The peninsula consists of a dramatic mountainous spine jutting southwards into the Atlantic Ocean, ending at Cape Point.

In addition to starting the second leg of the Volvo Ocean Race the city of Cape Town has vast experience in hosting major national and international sports events.

The Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour is the world's largest individually timed cycle race - and the first event outside Europe to be included in the International Cycling Union's Golden Bike Series. It sees over 35 000 cyclists tackling a 109 km route around Cape Town. The Absa Cape Epic is the largest full-service mountain bike stage race in the world.

Some notable events hosted by Cape Town has been the 1995 Rugby World Cup, 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, and World Championships in various sports such as athletics, fencing, weightlifting, hockey, cycling, canoeing, gymnastics and others.

Cape Town is also a host city to the 2010 FIFA World Cup from 11 June to 11 July 2010, further enhancing its profile as a major events city.

Port:

The Port of Cape Town is situated in Table Bay and lies at 18º 26' E and 33º 54' S. Because of its position along one of the world's busiest trade routes it is one of the busiest ports in South Africa, handling the largest amount of fresh fruit and second only to Durban as a container port.

The port also has a significant repair and maintenance facilities that are used by several large fishing fleets and part of the West African oil industry. Because of the many tourist attractions offered by Cape Town and its surrounding region, many cruise ships also  berth in the port.

The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in the historic heart of Cape Town's working harbour and is one of South Africa's most-visited destinations. Situated between Robben Island and Table Mountain and set against a backdrop of sea and mountain views, it offers a variety of shopping and entertainment options to visitors, intermingled with office locations, hotels such as the historical Breakwater Lodge once a 19th century prison and luxury apartments in the residential marina. It houses the Nelson Mandela Gateway which offers boat trips to Robben Island, as well as the Two Oceans Aquarium.

Tourist Tips:

The city has several well-known natural features that attract tourists, most notably Table Mountain, which forms a large part of the Table Mountain National Park and is the back end of the City Bowl. Reaching the top of the mountain can be achieved either by hiking up, or by taking the Table Mountain Cableway. Cape Point is recognised as the dramatic headland at the end of the Cape Peninsula.

Many tourists also drive along Chapman's Peak Drive, a narrow road that links Noordhoek with Hout Bay, for the views of the Atlantic Ocean and nearby mountains. It is possible to either drive or hike up Signal Hill for closer views of the City Bowl and Table Mountain.

Many tourists also visit Cape Town's beaches, which are popular with local residents. Due to the city's unique geography, it is possible to visit several different beaches in the same day, each with a different setting and atmosphere. Beaches located on the Atlantic Coast tend to have very cold water as the water is mostly glacial melt from Antarctica.

The water at False Bay beaches is often warmer by up to 10 degrees celcius. Both coasts are equally popular, although the beaches in affluent Clifton and elsewhere on the Atlantic Coast are better developed with restaurants and cafés, with a particularly vibrant strip of restaurants and bars accessible to the beach at Camps Bay.

Boulders Beach near Simon's Town is known for its colony of African penguins. Surfing is popular and the city hosts the Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing competition every year.

Cape Town has several notable cultural attractions. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, built on top of part of the docks of the Port of Cape Town, is one of the city's most popular shopping venues, with several hundred shops and the Two Oceans Aquarium. Part of the charm of the V&A, as it is locally known, is that the Port continues to operate and visitors can watch ships enter and leave. It is possible to take a ferry from the V&A to Hout Bay, Simon's Town and the Cape Fur Seal colonies on Seal and Duiker Islands. Several companies offer tours of the Cape Flats, a mostly Coloured township, and Khayelitsha, a mostly black township. An option is to sleep overnight in Cape Town's townships. There are several B&Bs where you can spend a safe and real African night.

Cape Town's transport system links it to the rest of South Africa; it serves as the gateway to other destinations within the province. The Cape Winelands and in particular the towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek are popular day trips from the city for sightseeing and wine tasting.

Whale watching is popular amongst tourists: Southern Right Whales are seen off the coast during the breeding season (August to November) and Bryde's Whales can be seen any time of the year. The nearby town of Hermanus is known for its Whale Festival, but whales can also be seen in False Bay. Heaviside's dolphins are endemic to the area and can be seen from the coast north of Cape Town; dusky dolphins live along the same coast and can occasionally be seen from the ferry to Robben Island.

Kochi:

Overview:

Kochi, formerly known as Cochin, is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city is one of the principal seaports of the country and is located in the district of Ernakulam, about 220 kilometres north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram.

Since 1102 CE, Kochi was the seat of the Kingdom of Cochin, a princely state which traces its lineage to the Kulasekhara empire. Heralded as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian Sea coast from the 14th century onwards.

Ancient travellers and tradesmen referred to Kochi in their writings, variously alluding to it as Cocym, Cochym, Cochin, and Cochi. Occupied by the Portuguese in 1503, Kochi was the site of the first European colonial settlement in India. It remained the capital of Portuguese India until 1530, when Goa became the capital. The city was later occupied by the Dutch, the Mysore and the British. Kochi was the first princely state to willingly join the Indian Union, when India gained independence in 1947.

Kochi experienced decades of economic stagnation from independence until 2003, when it entered a period of economic growth, leading to a spurt in the city's development. A growing centre of information technology, tourism and international trade, Kochi is the commercial hub of Kerala, and one of the fastest growing second-tier metros in India. Successive waves of migration over the course of several millennia have made Kochi a cultural melting pot. Despite the risk of overdevelopment, the city retains its distinct colonial heritage and a blend of tradition and modernity.
 

Port:

Kochi is the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command, the primary training centre of the Indian Navy. The Cochin Shipyard in Kochi is the largest shipbuilding facility in India. The Cochin fishing harbour, located at Thoppumpady is a major fishing port in the state and supplies fish to local and export markets. To further tap the potential of the all-season deep-water harbour at Kochi, an international cruise terminal and several marinas are being constructed.

Exports and allied activities are also important contributors to the city's economy. The Cochin Port currently handles export and import of container cargo at its terminal at Willington Island. Kochi's historical reliance on trade continues into modern times, as the city is a major exporter of spices and is home to the International Pepper Exchange, where black pepper is globally traded. The Spices Board of India is also headquartered in Kochi.

Because it is one of the safest harbours in the Indian Ocean, Kochi ranks among India's major seaports. The port, administered by a statutory autonomous body known as the Cochin Port Trust, offers facilities for bunkering, handling cargo and passenger ships and storage accommodation. It also operates passenger ships to Colombo and Lakshadweep.

Boat services operated by Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation, the State Water Transport Department, and of private ownership are available from various boat jetties in the city. The junkar ferry for the transshipment of vehicles and passengers between the islands are operated between Ernakulam and Vypin, and between Vypin and Fort Kochi. However, with the construction of the Goshree bridges (which links Kochi's islands), ferry transport has become less essential.

Tourist Tips:

Marine Drive is a picturesque promenade in Kochi, built facing the backwaters, and is a popular hangout for the local populace. Ironic to its name, no vehicles are allowed on the walkway. Marine Drive is also an economically thriving part of the city of Kochi. With several shopping malls it is as an important centre of shopping activity in Kochi.

Major fast food joints, including Marrybrown, DiMark, Barista, Coffee Bar are present along the walkway.

The view of the setting and rising sun over the sea mouth, and the gentle breeze from the Vembanad Lake has made Marine Drive an important tourist destination in Kochi. Hundreds of people (both natives, and tourists) throng the walkway during the evenings.

The walkway starts from the High Court Junction and continues until the Rajendra Maidan. There are also several boat jetties along the walkway. The walkway has two contemporarily constructed bridges, the Rainbow bridge and the Chinese Fishing Net Bridge.

Fort Kochi:

Once a fishing village of no significance in the Kingdom of Kochi in the pre-colonial Kerala, the territory that would be later known as Fort Kochi was granted to the Portuguese in 1503 by the Rajah of Kochi, who also gave them permission to build a fort near the waterfront to protect their commercial interests.

A mix of old Portuguese, Dutch and British houses from the colonial periods line the streets of Fort Kochi. St Francis Church, built in 1503 by the Portuguese as a Catholic church and where Vasco da Gama was once buried, is now used by the Church of South India and is one of the national monuments of India.

The Catholic church, Santa Cruz Basilica, also built by the Portuguese in the 1500s, was later destroyed by the British and rebuilt near the end of 19th century.

The landmark that causes perhaps the most public and visitor interest is a series of pre-colonial Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront, believed to have been introduced by Chinese traders in the early 1300s.

Beaches:

Kerala, situated on the lush and tropical Malabar Coast, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Named as one of the "ten paradises of the world" and "50 places of a lifetime" by the National Geographic Traveler magazine, Kerala is especially known for its ecotourism initiatives. Its unique culture and traditions, coupled with its varied demographics, has made Kerala one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Flanked on the western coast by the Arabian Sea, Kerala has a long coastline of 580 km (360.39 miles); all of which is virtually dotted with sandy beaches. It is at the village of Kappkadavu that Vasco Da Gama landed with three vessels and 170 men on 27th May 1498.

Ernakulam, the commercial capital of Kerala, served by an international airport, fine communication facilities, excellent accommodation, modern amenities and a lot of attractive tourist places gives a breathtaking experience for its visitors and settlers.

Other popularly visited beaches in the state include those at Alappuzha Beach, Cherai Beach, Kappad, Kovalam, Marari beach, Fort Kochi and Varkala. The Muzhappilangad Beach beach at Kannur is the only drive-in beach in India.

Other popular attractions in the state include the hill stations of Munnar, Nelliampathi, Ponmudi and Wayanad; and national parks and wildlife sanctuaries at Periyar and Eravikulam National Park.

The "backwaters" region, which comprises an extensive network of interlocking rivers, lakes, and canals that centre on Alleppey, Kumarakom, and Punnamada (where the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race is held in August), also see heavy tourist traffic. Heritage sites, such as the Padmanabhapuram Palace and the Mattancherry Palace, are also visited. Cities such as Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram are popular centres for their shopping and traditional theatrical performances.

Medical tourism, promoted by traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda and Siddha are widely popular in the state, and draws increasing numbers of tourists. A combination of many factors has led to the increase in popularity of medical tourism: high costs of healthcare in industrialised nations, ease and affordability of international travel, improving technology and standards of care.

Singapore:

Overview:

Singapore (sometimes referred to as the Switzerland of Asia) is an island-state connected by bridges to Malaysia. Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, since independence it has become one of the world's most prosperous countries, sporting the world's busiest ship port.

The name Singapura comes from the Sanskrit words singa  ("lion") and pura ("city"). According to the Malay Annals, this name was given by a 14th century Sumatran prince named Sang Nila Utama, who, landing on the island after a thunderstorm, spotted an auspicious beast on the shore that his chief minister identified as a lion. Recent studies of Singapore indicate that lions have never lived there (not even Asiatic lions), and the beast seen by Sang Nila Utama was likely a tiger, most likely the Malayan Tiger.

Since the 1990s, the government has been striving to promote Singapore as a centre for arts and culture, and to transform the country into a cosmopolitan 'gateway between the East and West'.

The highlight of these efforts was the construction of The Esplanade, a centre for performing arts that opened on October 12, 2002.

The Esplanade contains world-class performing spaces, coupled with a wide range of professional support services and facilities. Other than performing venues, the Esplanade also contains meeting venues, as well as other lifestyle and arts related services.

Port:

The Port of Singapore refers to the collective facilities and terminals that conduct maritime trade handling functions in Singapore's harbours and which handle Singapore's shipping.

Currently the world's busiest port in terms of total shipping tonnage, it also handles a quarter of the world's shipping containers as the world's busiest container port, half of the world's annual supply of crude oil, and is the world's busiest transshipment port. It was also the busiest port in terms of total cargo tonnage handled until 2005, when it was surpassed by Shanghai. Thousands of ships drop anchor in the harbour, connecting the port to over 600 other ports in 123 countries and spread over six continents.

The Port of Singapore is not a mere economic boon, but an economic necessity due to the fact that Singapore is lacking in land and natural resources. The Port is critical for importing natural resources, and then later re-exporting them after they have been refined and shaped in some manner, for example wafer fabrication or oil refining to generate revenue. Only then can the service industry such as hospitality services typical of a port of call, for example, restocking a ship's food and water supplies, take their role. The Straits of Johor is currently impassable by all ships as the Johor-Singapore Causeway links Singapore to Malaysia.

The port was documented in a MegaStructures programme of the National Geographic Channel called "World's Busiest Port".

Tourist Tips:

Singapore is a popular travel destination, making tourism one of its largest industries. About 9.7 million tourists visited Singapore in 2006. To attract more tourists, the government decided in 2005 to legalise gambling and to allow two casinos resorts (euphemistically called Integrated Resorts) to be developed at Marina South and Sentosa.

To compete with regional rivals like Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai, the government has announced that the city area would be transformed into a more exciting place by lighting up the civic and commercial buildings. 

Besides the Integrated Resort, other upcoming attractions such as the Singapore Flyer, a 165-metres high ferris wheel, the Botanic Gardens by the Bay and a 280-metres Double Helix Bridge will be built in the Marina Bay area.

Getting around Singapore is effortless: the public transportation system is among the best in the world and taxis are cheap. Very few visitors rent cars.

Since 1987, the heavy rail passenger Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) metro system has been in operation. MRT has been further augmented by the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) light rail system, which provides service to housing estates. Established in 2001, EZ-Link system allows contactless smartcards to serve as stored value tickets for use in the public transport systems in Singapore.

Some suggestions for Sightseeing:

• Raffles Hotel
• Marina Bay
• Orchard Road (for shopping)
• Clarke Quay
• Merlion
• Cavenagh Bridge
• Esplanade Theatres
• Museums
• Temples
• Raffles Statue
• Chinatown
• Carlsberg Tower
• Fort Siloso
• Sentosa Island beaches
  
  

Qingdao:

Overview:

Well-known to the West by its Postal map spelling Tsingtao, Qingdao is a sub-provincial city in eastern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west and Rizhao to the southwest. Lying across the Shandong Peninsula while looking out to the Yellow Sea, Qingdao today is a major seaport, naval base, and industrial centre. It is also the site of the famous Tsingtao Brewery. It was recently named China's 9th-most livable city by China Daily. The name "Qingdao" means "The Green Island".

Unlike many large Chinese cities with a long history, Qingdao is a relative newcomer, being nothing but a fishing village in 1897. The majority of residents are immigrants having migrated from other locations to take advantage of the opportunities Qingdao offers.

The Orient Ferry connects Qingdao with Shimonoseki, Japan. There are two ferry lines connecting Qingdao with South Korea. The New Golden Bridge II operates between Qingdao and Incheon, and the Blue Sea Ferry operates between Qingdao and Gunsan.

The Qingdao Liuting International Airport, 36 kilometres away from the city centre, is served by 13 domestic and international airlines, operating 58 routes of which 10 are international and regional.

Port:

Qingdao hosts one of China's largest seaports. Located in the Yellow River basin and on the western Pacific Rim, Port of Qingdao is an important hub of international trade and sea-going transportation. Being a natural deepwater port, free of silt and freezing, the port has established trade relations with over 450 ports in more than 130 countries and areas. 

By serving as venue for the Olympic sailing regattas 2008, Qingdao will likely set forward further high standards. The city intends to maintain its status as China’s centre for sailing sports and yachting even beyond the year 2008; good news for the Volvo Ocean Race participants and spectators.

In order to help establish yachting well before time Qingdao is cooperating with the city of Kiel, which organises the Kieler Woche, the greatest regatta event in the world, every year.

The plans laid out for the “Qingdao International Sailing Centre” consist of numerous buildings on land, the harbour and the regatta fields extending over an area of 450,000 square metres. On the land the Olympic village, a centre for water sports as well as a quayside is being built in the run-up to the Olympics. All buildings are expected to be further used after the Olympics. The Olympic village for example is intended to be reused later as luxury hotel. The water project includes two new harbours and the stands, as well as other spectacular buildings to be constructed in the sea. There will be plenty of facilities for the Qingdao in-port race.

Tourist Tips:

The unique combination of German and Chinese architecture in the city centre, combined with German demographic roots and a large Korean expat population, gives Qingdao a distinct atmosphere. Qingdao is the host city for several events of the 2008 Olympics, including the sailing competitions which will take place along the shoreline by the city.

The distinctive cuisine is Lu Cai, the Shandong regional style. The area's most famous festival is the Qingdao International Beer Festival, held annually in August since 1991.

Qingdao attracts many tourists due to its seaside setting and temperate weather. Parks, beaches, sculpture and some unique architecture line the shore. For more information head over to the Qingdao Information Centre for International Visitors located on Xiang Gang Zhong Lu.

Qingdao's major attractions include:

• Zhan Qiao (Pier)
• Ba Da Guan (Eight Great Passes), the older area of town with some surviving German and Japanese architecture.
• May Fourth Square Coastal plaza with the Wind of May sculpture
• Lu Xun Park, named after Lu Xun, a famous modern Chinese writer and critic, who lived and taught in 1930s.
• Huadong Winery
• Xiao Yu Shan (Little Fish Hill)
• Jiaozhou Governor's Hall, former seat of the present and previous two governments.
• Laoshan, a famous Taoist mountain.
• Qingdao Beer Museum, on the site of the old Tsingtao brewery.
• Qingdao Naval Museum
• Qingdao International Beer town, the primary site of the annual Qingdao International Beer Festival.
• Qingdao Underwater World
• Polar Ocean World
• St. Michael's Cathedral, a Gothic/Roman cathedral designed by German architect Pepieruch, completed in 1934.
• Underground World of Chinese Mythology, life-size figures and groups depicting scenes from the Chinese mythology
• Zhanshan Temple, Qingdao's only surviving Buddhist temple.

Qingdao has some famous (within China) beaches worthy of visit. Unfortunately, litter is a problem at all of them - ranging from the occasional cigarette butt to having to wade through a flotsom of trash just to get into the ocean itself. Your experience will vary depending on the tides and the time of year you visit. During summer weekends, Qingdao city beaches are very crowded, and slightly less crowded on summer weekdays. Several beaches, including the number one and six and Old Stone Man beaches have very basic shower and changing facilities available for RMB 5; again, these can be packed crowded during the weekends.

Bring sunscreen - while you can buy beach toys, food, drinks, and knick-knacks at any of Qingdao's beaches, suprisingly no one sells suncreen at the beach itself. You can find bathing beaches all along the seaside from the Zhanqiao Pier to the Shilaoren Beach in the eastern suburbs. The best one is Laoshan Beach, just at the entrance to Laoshan National Park, about a 30 minute drive east of the city limits. 

Rio de Janeiro:

Overview:

Rio de Janeiro is a major city and port and the capital of Rio de Janeiro state in Brazil. It is situated on Guanabara Bay, cradled in the outstretched arms of the Christ the Redeemer Statue, which stands atop Corcovado Mountain. At the feet of this magnificent landmark lies one of the world's most magnificent bays. Golden beaches with such alluring names as Copacabana and Ipanema stretch as far as the eye can see. There are close to two dozen such bays, which serve as a playground for some of the world's most beautiful people.

Commonly known as just Rio, the city is also nicknamed A Cidade Maravilhosa - "The Marvellous City". Rio de Janeiro is located at 22 degrees, 54 minutes south latitude, 43 degrees 14 minutes west longitude.

Port:

Guanabara Bay was reached by Portuguese explorers in an expedition led by Portuguese explorer Gaspar de Lemos on January 20, 1502; hence Rio de Janeiro, "January River". There is a legend that the mariners named the place thus because they thought the mouth of the bay was actually the mouth of a river, but no experienced sailor would make that mistake. At the time, river was the general word for any large body of water.

An unofficial European presence in the area began not long after. In 1519 when Ferdinand Magellan resupplied his ships in the bay, French smugglers were already using the bay as a post for smuggling brazilwood. When French naval officer Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon arrived in 1555 with a fleet of two ships and 600 soldiers and colonists, he founded the first permanent European settlement in the area.

After 1720, when the Portuguese found gold and diamonds in the neighboring captaincy of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro became a much more useful port for exporting wealth than Salvador, Bahia, which is much farther to the north. In 1763, the colonial administration in Portuguese America was moved to Rio.

The city remained primarily a colonial capital until 1808, when the Portuguese royal family and most of the associated Lisbon nobles, fleeing from Napoleon's invasion of Portugal, moved to Rio de Janeiro. The kingdom's capital was transferred to the city, which, thus, became the only European capital outside of Europe.

Tourist Tips:

The city is commonly divided into the historic downtown (Centro); the tourist-friendly South Zone (Zona Sul), with its world-famous beaches; the industrial North Zone (Zona Norte); and the West Zone (Zona Oeste), with the newer Barra da Tijuca district.

Downtown:

Centro (or Downtown) is the historic centre of the city, as well as its financial centre. Sites of interest include the Paço Imperial, built during colonial times to serve as a residence for the Portuguese governors of Brazil; many historic churches, such as the Candelária Church, the colonial Cathedral and the modern-style Rio de Janeiro Cathedral. Around the Cinelândia square there are several landmarks of the Belle Époque of Rio, such as the Municipal Theatre and the National Library building.

Among its several museums, the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes (National Museum of Fine Arts) and the Museu Histórico Nacional (National Historical Museum) are the most important.

Other important historical attractions in central Rio include its Passeio Público, an 18th century public garden, as well as the imposing arches of the Arcos da Lapa, a Roman-style aqueduct built around 1750. A bondinho (tram) leaves from a city centre station, crosses the aqueduct (converted to a tram viaduct in 1896) and rambles through the hilly streets of the Santa Teresa neighbourhood nearby.

South Zone:

The South Zone of Rio de Janeiro is composed of several districts, amongst which are São Conrado, Leblon, Ipanema, Arpoador, Copacabana and Leme, which compose Rio's famous Atlantic beach coastline.

Other districts in the South Zone are Glória, Flamengo, Botafogo and Urca, which border Guanabara Bay and Santa Teresa, Cosme Velho, Laranjeiras, Humaitá, Lagoa, Jardim Botânico and Gávea. It is the richest region of the city and the most famous overseas.

The neighbourhood of Copacabana beach hosts one of the world's most spectacular New Year's Eve parties ("Reveillon"), as more than two million revellers crowd onto the sands to watch the fireworks display. As of 2001, the fireworks have been launched from boats, to improve the safety of the event.

To the north of Leme, and at the entrance to Guanabara Bay, is the district of Urca and the Sugarloaf Mountain ('Pão de Açúcar'), whose name describes the famous mountain rising out of the sea.

The summit can be reached via a two-stage cable car trip from Praia Vermelha, with the intermediate stop on Morro da Urca. It offers views second only to Corcovado mountain.

One of the highest hills in the city is the 842 metres high Pedra da Gávea (Crow's nest Rock) near the botanical gardens. On the top of its summit is a huge rock formation (some, such as Erich von Däniken in his 1973 book, "In Search of Ancient Gods", claim it to be a sculpture) resembling a sphinx-like, bearded head that is visible for many kilometres around.

Hang gliding is a popular activity on the nearby Pedra Bonita (Beautiful Rock). After a short flight, gliders land on the Praia do Pepino (Cucumber Beach) in São Conrado. Since 1961, the Tijuca Forest ("Floresta da Tijuca"), the largest city-surrounded urban forest and the second largest urban forest in the world, has been a National Park. The largest urban forest in the world is the Floresta da Pedra Branca (White Rock Forest), which is also located in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Boston:

Overview:

Boston,located in Suffolk County, is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is considered the economic and cultural centre of the entire New England region.

In 1630, Puritan colonists from England founded the city on the Shawmut Peninsula. During the late eighteenth century Boston was the location of several major events during the American Revolution, including the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. Several early battles of the American Revolution, such as the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston, occurred within the city and surrounding areas. After American independence was attained Boston became a major shipping port and manufacturing centre, and its rich history now attracts around 16.3 million visitors annually.

The city was the site of several firsts, including America's first public school, Boston Latin School (1635), and first college, Harvard College (1636), in neighbouring Cambridge. Boston was also home to the first subway system in the United States.

Many consider Boston to have a strong sense of cultural identity, perhaps as a result of its intellectual reputation; much of Boston's culture originates at its universities. The city has several ornate theatres, including the Cutler Majestic Theatre, Boston Opera House, Citi Performing Arts Center, and the Orpheum Theatre.

Because of the city's prominent role in the American Revolution, several historic sites relating to that period are preserved as part of the Boston National Historical Park. Many are found along the Freedom Trail, which is marked by a red line or bricks embedded in the ground.

The city is also home to several prominent art museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. In December 2006 the Institute of Contemporary Art moved from its Back Bay location to a new contemporary building designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro located in the Seaport District.

The University of Massachusetts campus at Columbia Point houses the John F. Kennedy Library. The Boston Athenaeum (one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States), Boston Children's Museum, Bull & Finch Pub (whose building is known from the television show Cheers), Museum of Science, and the New England Aquarium are within the city.

Downtown Boston's streets are not organised on a grid, but grew in a meandering organic pattern beginning early in the seventeenth century. They were created as needed, and as wharves and landfill expanded the area of the small Boston peninsula. Along with several rotaries, roads change names and lose and add lanes seemingly at random. On the other hand, streets in the Back Bay, East Boston, the South End, and South Boston follow a grid system. However, these grids are built around the existing chaos from the city's early growth.

Port:

The Port of Boston is a major seaport located in Boston Harbour and adjacent to the City of Boston. It is the largest port in Massachusetts as well as being one of the principal ports on the east coast of the United States.

The Port of Boston was historically important for the growth of the City of Boston, and was originally located in what is now the downtown area of the city. Land reclamation and conversion to other uses means that downtown area no longer handles commercial traffic, although there is still considerable ferry and leisure usage of the downtown waterfront.

Boston Harbour is a large harbour which constitutes the western extremity of Massachusetts Bay. The harbour is sheltered from Massachusetts Bay and the open Atlantic Ocean by a combination of the Winthrop Peninsula and Deer Island to the north, the hooked Nantasket Peninsula and Point Allerton to the south, and the harbour islands in the middle. The harbour is often described as being split into an inner harbour and an outer harbour. Boston Harbour contains a considerable number of islands, most of which are part of the Boston Harbour Islands National Recreation Area.

The MBTA operates commuter boats between Long Wharf and Rowes Wharf on the downtown Boston waterfront to Hingham, Hull, Quincy, and Logan Airport as well as inner harbour ferries between downtown Boston, Charlestown, and South Boston. Other fast passenger ferries operate to Provincetown and Salem. Several companies operate cruise boats on the harbour, whilst water taxis operate from various points on the downtown Boston waterfront, Logan Airport, Charlestown, East Boston, and South Boston. Ferries are also provided for travel amongst the harbour islands.

Aside from a US Coast Guard facility, the Port of Boston has facilities dedicated to bulk cargo, petroleum, and LNG shipment and storage. These are primarily located on the Mystic River, notably along the city of Everett waterfront as well as the Chelsea River area of East Boston. The Chelsea River depots also contain facilities handling jet fuel for Logan International Airport.

The naval frigate USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides") is berthed at the former Charlestown Navy Yard, now part of the Boston National Historical Park. The park is also home to the USS Cassin Young a World War II museum ship. A World War II era dry dock in the park was used for Constitution's 1992 overhaul. Two other WW II era drydocks in the harbor are still operational (as of 2007), including Dry Dock Number 3 — the largest dry dock on the U.S. East Coast.

Tourist Tips:

One of the most famous sporting events in the city is the Boston Marathon, the 26.2 mile run from Hopkinton to Copley Square in the Back Bay. The Marathon, the world's oldest, is popular and heavily attended. It is run on Patriots' Day in April and always coincides with a Red Sox home baseball game (10:05 beginning in 2007), the only MLB game all year to start before noon local time. Another major event held in the city is the Head of the Charles Regatta rowing competition on the Charles River.

The Boston Red Sox are a founding member of the American League of Major League Baseball and are the 2007 World Series champions. The team plays its home games at Fenway Park, near Kenmore Square in the Fenway section. Built in 1912, it is the oldest sports arena or stadium in active use in the United States among the four major professional sports.

Other suggestions for sightseeing:

• Black Heritage Trail
• Bunker Hill Monument
• Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
• Boston National Historical Park
• Castle Island
• Custom House Tower
• Freedom Trail — marked by a red line or bricks embedded in the ground.
• Boston Common (including Boston Public Garden)
• Faneuil Hall (Quincy Market is adjacent)
• Granary Burying Ground
• Massachusetts State House
• Old State House
• Old North Church
• Paul Revere House
• USS Constitution
• Old City Hall  

Galway:

Overview:

The city of Galway sits on the west coast of Ireland, and takes its name from the Gaillimh river (River Corrib) that formed the western boundary of the earliest settlement, which was called Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe, or the fort at the bottom of the Gaillimh. The word Gaillimh means "stony" as in "stony river".

It has long since been known as "The City of the Tribes" and this title could not be more appropriate these days, given the multicultural vibrancy of present-day Galway.

Galway has a diverse sporting heritage, with a history in sports ranging from horse racing, Gaelic games, soccer and rugby to rowing, motorsport, greyhound racing and others. The Galway Races are known worldwide and are the highlight of the Irish horse racing calendar. Over the years it has grown into an annual festival lasting seven days. In Motorsport, the Galway International Rally was the first international rally to be run from the Republic of Ireland. Sailing on both sea and lake are popular, as is rowing in the River Corrib with five clubs providing the necessary facilities and organising rowing competitions.

Galway, like the whole of Ireland, experiences a year-round mild, moist, balmy and changeable climate, due to the prevailing winds of the Gulf Stream.

The city experiences a lack of temperature extremes, with temperatures below zero degrees celcius and above thirty degrees celcius being rare, though not unheard of.

In 2007, Galway was named as one of the eight "sexiest cities" in the world and is Ireland’s fastest growing city.

Port:

Galway is the most central port on the West Coast of Ireland in the sheltered eastern corner of Galway Bay. The harbour can be used by vessels up to 10,000 metric tons of deadweight (DWT) and the inner dock can accommodate up to nine vessels at any one time. Pending approval, Galway Harbour may see major changes, should the €1.5 billion development plan go ahead.

With Rossaveal and Doolin, it is one of the gateways to the Aran Isalnds.

Waterways:

The River Corrib is by far the most important waterway in Galway and a number of canals and channels were built above and through the city. The purposes of these to divert and control the water from the river, to harness its power and to provide a navigable route to the sea.Of these, there were two major schemes - one between 1848 and 1858 and the other during the 1950s. The canals provided a power source for Galway and were the location of the first industries in the mid-19th century.

The Eglinton Canal provided a navigation from the sea (at the Claddagh Basin) to the navigable part of the river (above the Salmon Weir Bridge). Most of the mills are still used today for various purposes; for instance, NUIG still uses a water turbine for electricity generation for their building on Nun's Island.

Currently, there are four bridges across the Corrib: the William O'Brien Bridge, the Salmon Weir Bridge, the Wolfe Tone Bridge and the Quincentennial Bridge. There are plans for a fifth bridge as part of the Galway City Outer Bypass project.

Tourist Tips:

Galway is nicknamed Ireland's Cultural Heart, and is world renowned for its vibrant lifestyle and numerous festivals, celebrations and events. Galway is a perfect base for seeing the West Ireland, but it is also worth a visit in itself. Although it has only a few typical sightseeing spots what makes it a wonderful place to stay is the atmosphere, the culture, the people, the events.

Hiring a car is a good way to see attractions in the surrounding area. Alternately, day tours of The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher, and of Connemara are available at the tourist office.

The main shopping area runs south from Eyre Square towards the Corrib. This pedestrian zone includes Williams Street, Shop Street, High Street, Mainguard Street and Quay Street. Along it you can find all kinds of shops, pubs and restaurants. The historical buildings and busy atmosphere also make this area one of the attractions of Galway.

Discover Middle Street, which runs parallel to Shop Street, and is the location of a range of inspiring and creative local enterprises. You will find the Irish speaking Theatre "An Taibhearc" across from the designer studio "cocoon", along with Charlie Byrne's bookstore, Kenny's gallery and a Japanese restaurant to make an interesting spectrum.

At the south end of the pedestrian mall, is the Spanish Arch, one of the few remaining parts of the town's ancient defenses. The park adjacent to the arch is a popular place to sit and relax, while watching the Corrib flow out into Galway Bay.

The plot of land that became Eyre Square was officially presented to the city in 1710 by Mayor Edward Eyre, from whom it took its name. In 1965, the square was officially renamed "Kennedy Memorial Park" in honour of US President John F. Kennedy, who visited Galway city shortly before his assassination in 1963.

The Church of Ireland St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church is the largest remaining medieval church still in use in Ireland. It was founded in 1320 and enlarged in the following two centuries. It is a particularly pleasant building in the heart of the old city.

Its Roman Catholic counterpart, the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, which was consecrated in 1965, is a far larger, more imposing building constructed from limestone. It has an eclectic style, with renaissance dome, pillars and round arches, and a Romanesque portico that dominates the main facade — an unusual feature in modern Irish church building.

The Galway Arts Festival takes place in Galway, Ireland every July. It first began in 1978 and since has grown into one of the biggest arts festivals in Ireland. It attracts international artists as well as providing a platform for local and national performers also.

Galway Atlantaquaria:

The Galway Atlantaquaria, Seapoint Promenade, Salthill (Follow the R336 (Griffin Road) southwest from the city centre), is a must see if you are interested in the sea and its inhabitants. It is not the usual tropical fish collection that you might find anywhere, but they have beautifully mirrored the life around the Irish coasts and show the animals and plants in a realistic environment, just as you might find them 50 metres outside of the building in the real sea.

Goteborg:

Overview:

Gothenburg (Swedish: Göteborg) is a city, a municipality, and an urban area on the west-coast of Sweden. Situated where the Gota Alv discharges into the Kattegatt, the river divides Gothenburg in two halves, with the upper part located on the island Hisingen. The inlet of Gota Alv is well suited for a harbour, and Gothenburg has expanded its port to become the largest amongst the Nordic countries.

The city was named after the Geats, the inhabitants of southern weden - "Defense of the Geats". The river on which the city sits is the Gota River. Gota borg is the fort on the Gota River, built to protect the port, which was created to be Sweden's commercial window to the west.

The city was founded in the beginning of the 17th century by the Swedish King, Gustav II Adolf. It was once the centre of the Swedish ship-building industry but with rising competition from foreign ship wharves, many of the dry docks had to close down. Much of the inner harbour area has changed from industrial ship building to high technology and education, representative of the general change in the city. Today Gothenburg has both international sporting events, concerts, and conventions as well as a small town feel.

Gothenburg has a famous network of trams (13 lines) that covers most of the city. With over 150km the Gothenburg tram is the largest light rail network in Scandinavia. The main tram hub is Brunnsparken ('Well Park'), where you can catch trams to all parts of the city. It is located only a couple of stones' throws (one tram stop to be precise, or a 2 minute walk) from the train station. The trams run every 10 minutes during daylight and once every hour at night, at weekends the night-trams run every 30 minutes. This and the boats Paddan (operating from Kungsportsplatsen) is the best way to see the city as they run above ground at a comfortable yet quick pace.

Port:

By its naturally advantageous location, Gothenburg houses the largest harbour installation in Scandinavia. Trade and shipping have always been important businesses and in the 18th century, the city was the home to the Swedish East India Company. Industry developed into an important business, SKF, Volvo, and Ericsson being some examples.

The blue collar industries dominated until the early 1970s when shipyards started to shut down. The traditional industries are still important for the economy, with Volvo Cars being the largest employer not including a significant number of automotive parts suppliers, but high tech industries have grown up alongside them, with a number of smaller computer software vendors. Banking and finance are also important trades as well as the event and tourist industry.

Tourist Tips:

The sea, trade and industrial history of the city is evident in the cultural life of Gothenburg. The biggest attraction in the city is the amusement park Liseberg. Another fact related to the industrial heritage of the city is that many of the cultural institutions, as well as hospitals and the university, were created thanks to donations from rich merchants and industrialists, for example the Rohss Museum.

There are very few houses left from the 17th century when the city was founded, since all but the military and royal houses were built of wood. One example is Skansen Crown.

The first major architecturally interesting period is the 18th century when the East India Company made Gothenburg an important trade city. I

mposing stone houses with a Classical look were erected around the canals. One example from this period is the East India House, which today houses Gothenburg’s City Museum.

In the 19th century the wealthy bourgeoisie begun to move outside the city walls which had protected the city when the Union of Denmark and Norway was still a threat. The style now was an eclectic, academic, somewhat over decorated style which the middle-class favoured. The working class lived in the overcrowded city district Haga, in wooden houses.

Gothenburg, with its location by the sea, is famous for its many fish dishes and varieties of these dishes. Various fish restaurants exist in the city, all from low class shacks to world class eateries. The city also has a number of star chefs – over the past decade, 7 of the Swedish Chef of the Year Awards have been won by Gothenburgers. Four Gothenburg restaurants have a star in the 2006 Michelin Guide: 28 +, Basement, Fond and Sjomagasinet.

Gothenburg has a number of cultural establishments. A new opera house was inaugurated in 1994, the Gothenburg Opera. Museums include art (Gothenburg Museum of Art) and (Goteborgs Konsthall), design and handcrafts (the Rohss Museum), sea history, natural history, science, East India, and the Museum of World Culture inaugurated in 2004.

Kungsportsavenyn, commonly known as just Avenyn, "The Avenue", is the main boulevard. It was created in the 1860s and 1870s as a result of an international town planning competition. With a total length of about one kilometre, it stretches from the old moat at the edge of the older part of Gothenburg, and ends at the Gotaplatsen square, where the Gothenburg Museum of Art and several other cultural institutions are located.  Avenyn passes the Stora teatern, a Neo-Renaissance theatre and opera building from 1859, and has the citys biggest concentration of pubs, discoteques and restaurants.

The Goteborg Botanical Garden is considered to be one of the most important botanical gardens in Europe with three stars in the French Guide Rouge. Next to the botanical garden is Gothenburg's largest park, Slottsskogen, where the Natural History Museum (Naturhistoriska Museet) is located. The park is also home to the city's oldest observatory.

One of Gothenburg's most popular tourist attractions is the archipelago (Southern Gothenburg Archipelago), which can be reached by boat. Alvsborg Fortress, Vinga and Styrso islands are popular places to visit. There's a resident population on most islands, so ferries run all year. Private cars are not allowed. Take tram 11 (or 9 in summer) to Saltholmen, and then one of the ferries to Styrso, Kopstadso or any of the other islands. Here you can swim in the ocean, buy ice cream and maybe eat at the restaurants on Branno, Styrso or Vrango.

The main shopping centre is Nordstan. It's located next to Brunnsparken and it is connected to the central train station. It has many outlets with international companies such as H&M, Esprit, Vero Moda and Swedish companies such as Ahlens City, Rock, and Nordic Design. Close to Nordstan is the smaller shopping centre Arkaden, with a number of fashion boutiques.

Stockholm:

Overview:

Stockholm is the largest city and capital of Sweden. It is the site of the national Swedish government, the parliament, and the official residence of the Swedish monarch.

Its strategic location on several islands on the east coast of Sweden, where Lake Malaren meets the Baltic Sea has been historically important. The central parts of the city consists of fourteen islands, all part of the Stockholm Archipelago. The geographical city centre is virtually situated on the water, in the bay of Riddarfjarden.

Sweden's beautiful capital has a picturesque setting that makes the city unique. The difference between seasons is quite large, the summers green with mild nights, and the winters dark, cold, rainy, sometimes snowy. At the winter solstice in late December, the day lasts about six hours, whereas at the summer solstice in late June, Stockholm's daylight period extends beyond 18 hours.

There is an efficient metro system called the Tunnelbanan (sometimes abbreviated T-Bana or just T on signs). With exactly 100 stations, it is quite extensive for a city of this size and will get you around almost all the downtown places as well as most nearby suburbs. Trains run until almost one AM weeknights and three-thirty AM at weekends.

Port:

The Stockholm Archipelago is the biggest archipelago of Sweden, and one of the biggest archipelagos of the Baltic sea. The archipelago extends from Stockholm roughly sixty kilometres to the east.

In a north-south direction, it mainly follows the coastline of the provinces Sodermanland and Uppland, reaching roughly from Oja island, south of Nynashamn to Vaddo north of Norrtalje.

The shipping routes from the Baltic to Stockholm pass through the archipelago. There are three main entrances suitable for deep-draught craft, namely, those near Landsort, Sandhamn, and Soderarm.

The landscape has been shaped – and is still being shaped – by land elevation. It wasn't until the Viking Age that the archipelago began to assume its present day contours. The islands rise by about five millimetres each year. The Stockholm Archipelago Foundation, dedicated to the preservation of the nature and culture of the archipelago, owns some fifteen percent of its total area.

Several ferry lines and package tours are available. Most ferries are operated by Waxholmsbolaget and depart from Stromkajen, opposite the Royal Palace. During the summer you can also use Stromma Kanalbolaget with faster and more modern ships, departing from Nybrokajen (by Strandvagen). Many will pass the picturesque town of Vaxholm, on the mainland to the northeast of the city, well worth a stopover if you have the time. The islands offer a wide variety of nature, from the lush green of the inner archipelago to the bare cliffs of the more distant outposts. Some islands have restaurants, youth hostels and country stores, while others are entirely deserted islands. If you want to go on a day trip, Grinda is a good alternative; the ride lasts from 75 minutes to nearly 3 hours depending on your choice of boat.

Tourist Tips:

Stockholm has a number of spectacular tourist attractions, ranging from the interesting architecture of the City Hall to the stunning natural beauty of the archipelago. In the Royal Palace and the royal family residenence Drottningholm Palace, visitors can get in close contact with traditions of the Swedish monarchy.

Among the wide range of museums, the Vasa museum with its 17th century warship and the Skansen open air museum are unique experiences. Gamla stan, the picturesque old town, is a major attraction in itself, with narrow streets and houses dating back to medieval times.

(Directions in Stockholm are often accompanied by the name of the closest subway stop, using "T" as an abbreviation for "Tunnelbana" (e.g. "T Gamla Stan". This practice is followed below when appropriate.)

Stockholm's Old Town, Gamla Stan, is the beautifully preserved historical heart of Stockholm. T Gamla Stan station is on the west side of the compact quarter, which is best covered on foot.

Some notable buildings of Gamla Stan are the large German Church (Tyska kyrkan) and several mansions and palaces: the Riddarhuset (the House of Nobles), the Bonde Palace, the Tessin Palace and the Oxenstierna Palace. The oldest building in Stockholm is the Riddarholmskyrkan from the late 13th century. After a fire in 1697 when the original medieval castle was destroyed, Stockholm Palace was erected in a baroque style.

Museums:

Stockholm has more than 70 museums, ranging from those large in size and scope to the very specialised, including the Butterfly Museum, the Army Museum, and the Dance Museum. to name but a few. Among the most popular and spectacular are the Vasa museum (Vasamuseet), with its magnificient and well-preserved 17th century warship, the rather unique open air museum and zoo Skansen and the Museum of History (Historiska museet) featuring an extensive and beautifully presented Viking exhibition. The National Museum (Nationalmuseet) and the Museum of Modern Art (Moderna museet) both hold interesting collections of Swedish and international art.

One of the most renowned museums is the National Museum, with the largest national collection of art: 16,000 paintings and 30,000 objects of art handicraft. The collection dates back to the days of Gustav Vasa in the 16th century, and has since been expanded with works by artists such as Rembrandt, and Antoine Watteau, as well as constituting a main part of Sweden's art heritage, manifested in the works of Alexander Roslin, Anders Zorn, Johan Tobias Sergel, Carl Larsson, Carl Fredrik Hill and Ernst Josephson.

The Museum of Modern Art, or Moderna Museet, is Sweden's national museum of modern art. It has works by famous modern artists such as Picasso and Salvador Dalí.

Other notable museums:

• Stockholm City Museum
• Skansen, the archetype of open air museums, inaugurated 1891.
• Nordic Museum, dedicated to the cultural history and ethnography of Sweden.

Stockholm was the 1998 European City of Culture.

• The Royal Palace: Built between 1697 and 1754and located on the east side of the Old Town, the Royal Palace is open to the public. Tickets to The Royal Apartments, the Tre Kronor Museum, the Treasury, and Gustav III's Museum of Antiquities cost 70 SEK each, with the sumptuous Apartments being the main draw; Open 10-4 daily in the summer, 12-4 and closed Mondays in the winter.
• The Stockholm City Hall: Stadshuset, Hantverkargatan 1 (T T-Centralen). The city hall, where the Nobel Prize Banquet takes place every year, is an imposing brick building in the city centre. Guided tours are held daily, and allow you to see the impressive halls used for the Nobel festivities, the Blue Hall and the Golden Hall.
• The Stockholm Public Library: Stadsbiblioteket, Sveavägen 73 (T Radmansgatan). Built in 1928 and designed by the famous Swedish architect Erik Gunnar Asplund, the interior of the cylinder-shaped main hall is spectacular, with three floors of bookshelves covering 360 degrees of circular wall. Books (both fiction and non-fiction) are available in many different languages, including English and German. On the cliff overlooking it is the old Observatory, which has a fine view of the city to the east. There is a small cafe.
• The Stockholm Globe Arena: Globen, Globentorget (T Globen).  Located just south of Sodermalm, the giant white sphere that is "the Globe" has been one of the most eye-catching features of the Stockholm skyline since its inauguration in 1989. The 16,000-seat arena claims the title as the world’s largest spherical building. It is frequently used for ice hockey games, but is also used for other sporting events, as well as concerts and galas. Guided tours are currently available for groups only, by prior arrangement.

St. Petersburg:

Overview:

Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the east end of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. St. Petersburg's informal name, Piter, is based on how Peter the Great was called by foreigners. The city's other names were Petrograd (1914–1924) and Leningrad (1924–1991).

Founded by Tsar Peter the Great on May 27, 1703, it was the capital of the Russian Empire for more than two hundred years (1713-1728, 1732-1918). St. Petersburg ceased being the capital in 1918 after the Russian Revolution of 1917. It is Russia's second largest and Europe's fourth largest city (by city limit) after Moscow, London and Paris.

St. Petersburg has the image of being the most Western European styled city of Russia. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Russia's political and cultural centre for 200 years, the city is impressive, and is sometimes referred to in Russia as "the Northern Capital" (severnaya stolitsa).

Probably the most familiar symbol of St Petersburg is the equestrian statue of Peter the Great, known as the Bronze Horseman and installed in 1782 on the Senate Square. Considered the greatest masterpiece of the French-born Etienne Maurice Falconet, Aleksandr Pushkin's poem about the statue figures prominently in the Russian literature under the name of The Bronze Horseman.

Port:

Saint Petersburg is built on what originally were more than 100 islands created by a maze of rivers, creeks, canals, gulfs, lakes and ponds and other bodies of water that flow into the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the Neva river.

Peter the Great was designing the city as another Amsterdam and Venice, with canals instead of streets and citizens skillful in sailing. Initially, there were only about ten bridges constructed in the city, mainly across ditches and minor creeks.

By Peter's plans, in the summer months, the citizens were supposed to move around in boats, and in the winter months when the water froze to move in sledges. However, after Peter's death, new bridges were built, as it was a much easier way of transportation.

Today, there are 342 bridges over canals and rivers of various sizes, styles and constructions, built at different periods. Over 800 smaller bridges over smaller ponds and streams are gracing public parks and gardens, the popular places for entertainment and leisure. Thanks to the intricate web of canals, St. Petersburg is often called the "Venice of the North" which is a popular poetic name for the northern capital.

St. Petersburg has three large cargo seaports: Bolshoi Port St. Petersburg, Kronstadt, and Lomonosov. International cruise liners are served at the passenger port at Morskoy Vokzal on the west end of the Vasilevsky Island. A complex system of riverports on both banks of the Neva river are interconnected with the system of seaports, thus making St. Petersburg the main link between the Baltic sea and the rest of Russia through the Volga-Baltic Waterway.

The Volga-Baltic Waterway, formerly known as the Mariinsk Canal System, is a series of canals and rivers in Russia which link the Volga River with the Baltic Sea. Its overall length between Cherepovets and Lake Onega is 368 km.  Originally constructed in the early 19th century, the system was rebuilt for larger vessels in the 1960s, becoming a part of the United Deep Inland Waterway System of European Russia.

Tourist Tips:

The Palace Square is dominated by the unique Alexander Column (1830–1834), the tallest of its kind in the world and so nicely set that no attachment to the base is needed. A striking monument to Generalissimo Suvorov, represented as a youthful god of war, was erected in 1801 on the Field of Mars, formerly used for military parades and popular festivities.

Saint Isaac's Square is graced by the Monument to Nicholas I (1856–1859), which was spared by Bolshevik authorities from destruction as the first equestrian statue in the world with merely two support points (the rear feet of the horse).

Among other things Saint Petersburg is known as the city of palaces.  One of the earliest of these is the Summer Palace, a modest house built for Peter I in the Summer Garden (1710–1714). Much more imposing are the baroque residences of his associates, such as the Kikin Hall and the Menshikov Palace on the Neva Embankment, constructed from designs by Domenico Trezzini over the years 1710 to 1716. A residence adjacent to the Menshikov palace was redesigned for Peter II and now houses the State University.

Probably the most illustrious of imperial palaces is the baroque Winter Palace (1754–1762), a vast stately building with over 600 rooms and dazzlingly luxurious interiors, now housing the Hermitage Museum.

Peterhof:

Peterhof is a series of palaces and gardens, laid out on the orders of Peter the Great, and sometimes called the "Russian Versailles".  It is located about twenty kilometres west and six kilometres south of St. Petersburg, overlooking the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. "Peterhof" may also refer to the adjacent town of 82,000 people.  The palace-ensemble along with the city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Culture:

While many cathedrals and buildings formerly owned by churches and monasteries still belong to the Russian government, since their seizure in 1917, some were eventually returned to congregations. The largest cathedral in the city is St Isaac's Cathedral (1818–1858), it is the biggest gold-plated dome in the world. It was constructed over 40 years under supervision of architects Auguste de Montferrand and Vasily Stasov. 

The Peter and Paul Cathedral (1712–1732), a long-time symbol of the city, contains the sepulchers of Peter the Great and other Russian emperors. The St. Nicholas Cathedral and the Great Choral Synagogue are near the Mariinsky Opera Theatre. Most cathedrals and temples operate today as places of worship as well as museums, and there are numerous other places of worship in all major religions.

Museums:

The ensemble of Peter and Paul Fortress with the Peter and Paul Cathedral takes dominant position on the right bank of the Neva river, across the Winter Palace in the centre of the city. A boardwalk was built along a portion of the fortress wall, giving visitors a clear view of the city across the river to the south.

On the other bank of the Neva, the spit (Strelka) of the Vasilievsky Island is graced by the former Bourse building (1805–1810), an important lanmark in the style of the Greek Revival, is now home of the Museum of Navy. The spit of the Vasilievsky Island is designed as a classic lawn-park on the waterfront, and is highlighted by two tall and colourful Rostral Columns, decorated with statues and prows of battleships. This is a traditional place for music festivals and public events, such as the White Nights Festival.

The most famous of St. Petersburg's museums is the Hermitage, one of the world's largest and richest collections of Western European art.

The Hermitage Museum/The Winter Palace is Saint Petersburg's prime attraction, a massive palace-cum-museum showing the highlights of a collection of over 3,000,000 pieces spanning the globe. The Hermitage is truly one of the world's great museums, with an imposing setting displaying priceless works by Rembrandt, Da Vinci, Michealangelo, Reubens and more. It is recommended, though not required!, to get a tour guide. They can charge as much as $100 but they can tell you more about the building and the items and take you directly to the items you want to see. Ticketing is complex, but the Hermitage itself is 100 rubles for Russians and 350 rubles for foreigners.

Other popular tourist destinations include the State Russian Museum and the Summer Garden, the Ethnography Museum (1900–1911), Stieglitz Museum of Applied Arts (1885–1895), the Suvorov Museum of Military History (1901–1904), and the Political History Museum (1904–06).

Overview of sightseeing delights:

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