text:
Dori

Dori is a town of about 18,000 people (2005) in North Burkina Faso. It is known for its herders and popular livestock markets.

Understand
Dori is located between two very large barrages (stream barriers). There are also other slightly smaller barrages that form all over town during the rainy seasons. They make Dori a difficult place to navigate in the rainy season. Sand is another obstacle encountered when moving around in Dori. It is difficult to ride your bike through the sand during the dry season.

Several languages are spoken in Dori. Most people speak Fulfulde (the language of Africa's Fulani societies), but there is also a lot of Mooré spoken around. Lots of children speak French -- at least well enough to ask white girls for gifts, candy, and/or money. You can also find people of various ethnicities; hence, many other languages are spoken in different neighborhoods (quartiers, in French). There are Peuhls, Mossis, Songrai (Songhay), Bella, Gulmance, Tauregs, people from Mauritania, and others.

Get in

 * To Dori from Ouagadougou There are 3 options: SOGEBAF, TSR, and STMB. SOGEBAF and TSR go from Ouaga to Dori twice daily. SOGEBAF goes to Gorom and Markoye, and will occasionally add more busses for Ouaga if there is a demand. SOGEBAF and TSR leave both from the Sankariare gare (Fr. for “station platform”) de SOGEBAF. The TSR station is next to the SOGEBAF station. They both leave at 07:00 and 16:00. The Ouaga – Dori bus trip costs 5000 CFA. Each Wednesday both companies send a bus to the marché of Gorum-Gorum. This bus leaves at 10:00 and can be very crowded. On Sundays, they send a bus to Markoye, at the same time. STMB goes from Ouaga to Dori, but only once a day. The bus leaves from the main STMB bus station at 15:00. It costs 5000 CFA.
 * From Dori to Ouagadougou: There are the same 3 options, but the times of departure vary slightly. SOGEBAF leaves at 07:00 and 13:30 every day from their gare, which is past the round point on the left, and it costs 5000 CFA. TSR leaves from their gare, which is on the other side of the block from SOGEBAF. They leave at 06:30 and 13:00 and cost 5000 CFA. STMB leaves only once a day, at 08:00, from the gare next to the marché, and it costs 5000 CFA.
 * From Dori to other parts of the Sahel Go to the gare routière (bus station) of Dori. It is actually the same place as the gare de STMB. At the gare you will see lots of bush taxis going to all sorts of destinations. It is uncertain where or when they go. It can be said that they don’t go to other parts of the Sahel that often. Marché day in Dori definitely provides more road transportation options to the Sahel. Good luck.
 * From Dori to Gorom-Gorom Go to the TSR gare and ask about anything going to Gorum. There is almost always at least one camion (“truck”) per day going to Gorum. The rainy season will make the trip a lot more difficult, with fewer vehicles, and, depending on the water level, the road can be impassable in places. Alternatively, as stated earlier, SOGEBAF and maybe TSR go from Ouaga to Gorum on Wednesdays at 10:00 and to Markoye on Sundays at 10:00. The bus goes to Gorum and Markoye, respectively, the night before the Marché day, then leaves and goes back to Ouaga, supposedly the following morning; usually, it takes a little longer before the bus sets off from the Marché.

Buy
Le Marché (the market) is on the left, after the STMB Station. Marché day is Friday, but you can buy almost anything on any day of the week. There is a decent selection of fruits, vegetables, meat, and peanut butter. There are also assorted leaves, rocks and dirt. The blankets are the specialty of the marché in Dori. They are all handmade in a small village near Dori. Also available are turbans, boubous (West African sleeved gowns), and pagnes (loin clothes) of all varieties.

Bathilly’s Boutique is the world-famous Peace Corps boutique in Dori. They provide things much close to our acquired tastes. They are very nice people, who have lots of supplies and own other locations in the Sahel. Theirs is the best selection in Dori -- frozen goods, butter, eggs, oatmeal, and tuna. Bathilly's is past the Marché, on the right. The other boutiques in the vicinity have the standard selection.

Dori has many tailors but not many who can make top quality outfits. There are many tailors, in the middle of the marché, who get curtains or clothes hemmed. However, for more detailed tailoring you should go to Ideal Couture. You pass Bathilly’s on your right, with the marché on your left. Keep going until it seems you get into a neighborhood, and Ideal Couture should be on your left, across from a hardware and construction supply store (quincaillerie, in French). This tailor has made stuff for generations of Peace Corps volunteers.

Almost every Peace Corps volunteer owns a famous Dori blanket. Look for Amadou in the middle of the marché. Also, you can pick up a turban to complete your Tuareg look for the dusty season. No Tuareg look would be complete without the silver jewelry. For authentic Tuareg silver accessories, go straight from the round point towards the marché. Make the next right after passing the end of the marché. The little workshop (basically, a hangar with guys working in it) will be 50 m up on your left.

There are some small sand dunes in the small village of Djamga, at 7 km from Dori. You can bike out there, or you can take camels. If you hire camels, the prices should be in the range of 10,000-15,000 CFA for a half-day trip, and 15,000-20,000 francs for an overnight trip.

Eat

 * Porc au four — best pork in Dori, excellent atmosphere, friendly staff. They make pork almost everyday, but be there early as it goes fast. You can place your order in the morning, but it is usually ready by 10h30m, and the pork supply is finished shortly thereafter. It is directly across the street from the local prison and L'Auberge.
 * Tele poulet — rotisserie chickens, stuffed with couscous. Very good, usually only in the evenings. Again, they go quick, and on certain nights of the week you should order in advance. Turn right at the round point, and it is ahead, on the right.
 * Le Relais — excellent brochettes, fried chicken (Kentucky fried!), French fries, green beans, peas, and a seasonal "salade". Almost always open for lunch and dinner. Turn right at the roundpoint and walk to the end of that road. It's pretty far, but at the end of the road Le Relais will be across the street, to the right.
 * Mouton au four — available between 10:00 and 12:00 at the Ambiance Seno. From the round point walk through the "gare de STMB" and turn right. Walk a while, and the Ambiance will be on the right.
 * Restaurant togolais — FuFu and other West African delicacies. Next to the Ambiance Seno.
 * Crepuscule — a convenient restaurant, next to the "gare de STMB" and across from Ryan’s internet place. They serve rice with a variety of sauces every day. They may also serve a daily special ("plat du jour"). They make an excellent yogurt, have lots of ice cold water on hand, and the people who work there are very nice.
 * L'Auberge- located next to the local prison, provides convenient lunches and dinners, although slightly more expensive than the other restaurants in the area. But you can almost always find something to eat there -- chickens, brochettes, couscous, spaghetti, and rice and sauce. The people there are not the friendliest, but sometimes you've got to eat.

You'll find an excellent street food across the street from L'Auberge -- meat and omelet sandwiches in the morning and through lunch. There is a really nice guy that makes them next to the bakery. At night, they grill excellent chickens, too.

There are lots of options for grilled meat across the street from SOGEBAF.

Drink
Dori attracts many of Ouagadougou's world-renowned rappers, and they come up to give concerts on a pretty regular basis. Also, there are several festivals every year, the end of Ramadan, Tabaski, and the festival of the cows. All bring live music and interesting entertainment options.

 * Rev nightclub is the only place to find dancing in Dori on a regular basis, generally every Friday and Saturday night. Right at the round point, then left at the intersection with the billboard, then take the second right, and it should be some 5 km ahead, on the right.
 * Auberge Populaire, next to the prison. The inmates get especially rowdy at night, and they can put on a show if given the right music.

There is a Satellite TV place where you can watch soccer games and watch VCDs. It is straight down from the round point headed toward the marché, in between the two Internet cafés. Also, there are DVDs available to watch at Ryan house, with rumored surround sound.

Every so often national stars make up the trip to Dori and perform. So, when you go to the internet, look for a poster to see if anyone is stopping through. On Fridays and Saturdays you can go to Le Rêve, the happening nightclub.

The festival of the cow is in December; it celebrate cows for a week.

Post Office
Its hours are 07:30 until 12:00 and 15:00 until 17:00. It takes at least 30 minutes to cash a check, so plan to be there 30 minutes before closing. Straight at the round point past the prison, then turn right. Turn left at the church, then right at the T. The post office should be on the left.

Internet
Internet in Dori is a tricky thing. At both places the customer service is horrible, the computers are old, and it is hard to come by a computer that would read floppy disks and/or CDs.

 * Contact Service: Hours are daily 07:00-22:00. In theory a connection should be possible during the hours of operation, but you never know what might happen. Prices: 500 CFA for each 15 minutes, with price reductions available for multiple users who connect simultaneously.
 * La Colombe: This Internet cafe is much cheaper than Contact Service, but has the Cyber Café monitoring program that restricts your computer use. Besides, the keyboards there are really old, so it's hard to type emails fast and effectively. However, its 250 CFA price for 15 minutes makes it an attractive option. Hours are 08:00-21:00, and it is occasionally closed during the repos.

title: Dori


text:
Dornbirn

Dornbirn is the biggest city in Vorarlberg in Austria. It has almost 50,000 residents (2018) and is an important commercial and shopping centre.

By air
The airport shuttle bus from Friedrichshafen stops at the Messepark on the outskirts of town.

By car
Dornbirn is a few kilometres south of Bregenz and can be reached from the north or south via the A14 expressway.

By foot
From the main station, it is a 5-minute walk to the city centre, which is fairly small. However, many attractions and museums are outside the city centre and you might want to take a bus.

By bus
Dornbirn has great public transport considering its relatively small size. Nine Stadtbus (city bus) lines operate inside the city and several Landbus (countryside) lines connect Dornbirn with neighbouring towns.

Cultural events
During Advent a large Advent market is held on the town square and surrounding streets. In the evenings you can have Glühwein (mulled wine) and the atmosphere gets quite merry and fun. Another great time of year is Fasching, the run up to Lent, when there are often parades and bands on the town square.

Hiking
Most of the land comprising the Dornbirn district is mountainous. The well-developed trails offer numerous hiking opportunities, not only for short outings with children, but also for experienced mountain climbers with a head for heights. The tourist information offers free hiking maps, and an interactive map is available for download.

Zanzenberg
Go for a short hike and visit the Scouts' (Pfadfindergruppe). Offers great views over the Hatlerdorf district of Dornbirn.

Rappenloch
For an interesting trek, take Stadtbus 5 to Rappenloch stop, and then head straight into the (30 min), one of the largest 'chines' (a type of gorge) in central Europe. Pass the, continue to and then up to the , a great natural halfcave, impressive to look at. Continuing toward, you will see strange geologic formations on side. Two cheap restaurants or at least Reststations are on that track. Ebnit is a recreational area and is likewise an excellent starting point for trekking.

Karren
is one of the mountains with great views of Vorarlberg. In good weather the 976m tall mountain offers views extending to the Swiss Alps as well as to the Überlingen part of Lake Constance. The mountain top can be accessed via public transportation (Stadtbus 5, then Minibus 47 to Ebnit), as well as by (Seilbahn). The Panorama Restaurant is located at the top (see listing below). From this point on a network of hiking trails can be accessed; various hikes can be checked out here (German only).

Buy
Dornbirn has a lively city centre with a large pedestrian zone and many shops. If you can't find what you are looking for inside the city, there is also a large mall on the outskirts.

Drink
On those warm summer nights it's great to head to the Marktplatz (town square), the centre of all activity with a number of cozy cafés and more lively venues. Especially Thursdays and Fridays can be recommended.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Dornbirn


text:
Dornie

Dornie is a village in Wester Ross in the Scottish Highlands. It's on A87 the main road to Skye, and is a compulsory photo stop for Eilean Donan Castle perched on an islet. Dornie had a population of 360 in 2006.

The village is at the foot of Loch Long where it joins the broader Loch Duich; Loch Long was first bridged in 1940 and the present bridge opened in 1990. The ancient ferry continued in sporadic use to cross Loch Duich to Totaig on the other bank, but this didn't last. Appropriately then, the bagpipe tune Dornie Ferry is a "Strathspey", a slow, rather melancholy, back-and-forth dance tune.

Get in
Dornie is on A87 nine miles east of Kyle of Lochalsh.

By train: Kyle of Lochalsh is the nearest railway station. It has four trains a day from Inverness, stopping at Dingwall, Achnasheen, Stromeferry and Plockton. Buses to Skye connect with these trains. With a bike on the train, you could also get off at Stromeferry and follow the shorter but hilly A890 over to Dornie.

By bus: Scottish Citylink Bus 915 runs twice daily between Glasgow and Skye, stopping in Dornie. The route north is from Buchanan St Station via Glasgow Airport, Dumbarton, Loch Lomond west bank, Crianlarich, Glencoe, Fort William and Invergarry taking six hours to Dornie. Buses then cross the bridge at Kyle to Skye, through Broadford, Sligachan and Portree to Uig, for ferries to Tarbert on Harris and Lochmaddy on North Uist.

Scottish Citylink Bus 917 runs twice daily from Inverness via Loch Ness, taking two hours to Dornie then onward to Kyle and Portree on Skye as above.

Macrae Kintail Bus 712 runs once in the morning M-F from Corran via Glenelg, Dornie and Kyle of Lochalsh to Plockton. It immediately turns round for the return, so it's no help for day trips.

Get around
It's only five minutes walk between the Castle and the village of Dornie.

See

 * : the lane west from Shiel Bridge divides, drive straight on to go over the hills to Glenelg (for the Kylerhea ferry) and Corran. The right-turn branch keeps to the lochside, passing through Ratagan and Letterfearn to the end of the public road at Totaig. Near here is the iron age broch of Caisteal Grugaig, 16.5 x 9.6 m in extent. It's not to be confused with Dun Grugaig, one of the three brochs near Glenelg.
 * : the lane west from Shiel Bridge divides, drive straight on to go over the hills to Glenelg (for the Kylerhea ferry) and Corran. The right-turn branch keeps to the lochside, passing through Ratagan and Letterfearn to the end of the public road at Totaig. Near here is the iron age broch of Caisteal Grugaig, 16.5 x 9.6 m in extent. It's not to be confused with Dun Grugaig, one of the three brochs near Glenelg.

Do

 * Go hiking and hill-walking - this is an excellent area for walking, see Walkhighlands (Kintail and Lochalsh) walks for suggested routes. There are thirty-some "Munroes" in the area.

Eat

 * There's also a cafe at the castle Visitor Centre, land-side of the bridge to the islet.
 * There's also a cafe at the castle Visitor Centre, land-side of the bridge to the islet.

Drink

 * Fairytale Distillery northwest of the bridge makes gin and rum. No tours, but the shop is open M-Sa 10:00-17:00.
 * And see "Eat" and "Sleep" options.

Sleep

 * A few small B&Bs and self-catering cottages in the village, and another scattering west of the A87 bridge.
 * A few small B&Bs and self-catering cottages in the village, and another scattering west of the A87 bridge.

Connect
As of July 2022, Dornie and the A87 have 4G from all UK carriers. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Plockton is a pretty village, an easy day trip on the train from Kyle of Lochalsh.
 * Skye across the A87 bridge may initially disappoint, as you arrive in low-lying Sleat. Keep going for the Cuillin mountains, and Trotternish the spectacular northeast peninsula.
 * A87 east leads into the Great Glen, joining A82 northeast to Loch Ness and Inverness or southwest to Fort William.

title: Dornie


text:
Dorris

Dorris is a city in the Shasta Cascades region of California.

Get in
Since the town of Dorris is small and remote, by car is the best way to go. Here are directions from Redding:

Take I-5 north to Weed. Take US-97 to the NE until you reach Dorris. If you reach the Oregon border, you have gone too far.

Get around
You can probably walk or drive a car throughout Dorris. There isn't any public transportation, however.

See
If you are into roadside attractions, Dorris has the third-tallest flagpole in the US. There isn't much else, though.

Eat

title: Dorris


text:
Dorset

Dorset is a county on the south coast of England, in the West Country. Most of the county is agricultural with scattered historic villages and market towns with the Bournemouth-Poole-Christchurch conurbation in the county's south-eastern corner.

Towns and villages
Many of Dorset's towns and villages feature in Thomas Hardy's novels under fictitious names.

Towns

 * – county town dating back to pre-Romans times and location of Thomas Hardy's "Casterbridge"
 * - Thomas Hardy's Sandbourne - the largest town in Dorset and a popular holiday resort
 * - Thomas Hardy's Port Bredy, a historic town that was built up on the rope-making trade.
 * - Historic port and home to Mary Anning, geological pioneer who first identified Jurassic marine fossils in the local cliffs.
 * – Thomas Hardy's Budmouth is the beach town that hosted the Olympic sailing in 2012. It is on the doorstep of the Jurassic Coast
 * – famed for its 'chained library'
 * - Historic port and home to Mary Anning, geological pioneer who first identified Jurassic marine fossils in the local cliffs.
 * – Thomas Hardy's Budmouth is the beach town that hosted the Olympic sailing in 2012. It is on the doorstep of the Jurassic Coast
 * – famed for its 'chained library'
 * – Thomas Hardy's Budmouth is the beach town that hosted the Olympic sailing in 2012. It is on the doorstep of the Jurassic Coast
 * – famed for its 'chained library'
 * – Thomas Hardy's Budmouth is the beach town that hosted the Olympic sailing in 2012. It is on the doorstep of the Jurassic Coast
 * – famed for its 'chained library'
 * – famed for its 'chained library'

Villages

 * Originally known as Bridport Harbour - now a popular holiday resort.
 * Originally known as Bridport Harbour - now a popular holiday resort.
 * Originally known as Bridport Harbour - now a popular holiday resort.
 * Originally known as Bridport Harbour - now a popular holiday resort.
 * Originally known as Bridport Harbour - now a popular holiday resort.
 * Originally known as Bridport Harbour - now a popular holiday resort.
 * Originally known as Bridport Harbour - now a popular holiday resort.

Understand
Dorset is mostly rural, with a few large towns and many small villages. The county has a variety of landscapes, from steep chalk hills and wide clay valleys full of small dairy farms to the 50 mile Jurassic Coast world heritage site, popular with tourists and important to science. Over half the county's population live in the Bournemouth-Poole-Christchurch conurbation located in the south-eastern corner of the county.

Dorset has notable lesbian and gay activity in Bournemouth and Weymouth. Other towns have small but developing gay communities. Bournemouth has an annual Pride event.

Visitor information

 * Visit Dorset website

By plane
The only major airport in Dorset is, which provides flights to many cities in Europe.

As does Southampton Airport, to the east and Exeter Airport , to the west. Bristol Airport, to the north, has a wider selection, including New York.

London's Heathrow and Gatwick  airports are both approximately 100 miles to the north-east of Bournemouth.

By train
Dorchester, Poole, Bournemouth, Weymouth and on a separate line Sherborne and Gillingham are connected directly to London Waterloo, taking approximately 2 to 3 hours. Dorchester, Weymouth and Sherborne are connected to Bristol and Bath, about 1½ hours away.

By car
The A303 is the main route from London into the north of the county (and has Stonehenge half-way). The south of the county is connected to London by the M3 and M27, and to the Channel Tunnel by the M27 and A27. Both routes carry on into Devon and Cornwall. The A36 and A37 connect to Bath and Bristol.

The A35 between Dorchester and Bridport has spectacular views over the local countryside, as too does the coastal road (B3157) between Weymouth and Bridport. Both are probably most dramatic at sunset (driving towards Bridport) but are amazing at any time.

By boat
There are ferries from Jersey, Guernsey, Cherbourg, France, to Poole and Weymouth run by Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries.

By bus
Much of Dorset is very rural, and though there are many bus routes, many do not have regular and often services, or may only run on market and pension days. The biggest bus company is called Wilts & Dorset which runs services to most of the major towns. Their main office is at Poole Bus Station, with satellite offices in some of the larger towns.

See

 * Shaftesbury - charming town in north Dorset
 * Corfe Castle ruined Norman castle in village of the same name.
 * Jurassic Coast The of Dorset and East Devon, a World Heritage site
 * Poole Harbour - the second largest natural harbour in the world (second only to Sydney), and the largest in Europe
 * Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Poole - A National Trust site, famous for its large population of red squirrels, and as the birthplace of the Scout Movement
 * Cerne Abbas Giant, a giant figure carved into the side of a hill by removing turf to expose white chalk.
 * The Isle of Portland and Portland Bill
 * Wimborne Minster - a big church in a small town
 * Studland Beach, near Swanage
 * Bovington Tank Museum a very interesting tank museum.
 * Tyneham Village - Deserted village near Corfe
 * Swanage Steam Railway Swanage
 * Abbotsbury Swannery - see the cygnets hatching from mid May to late June.
 * Maiden Castle - the largest and most complex Iron Age hillfort in Britain

Events

 * Great Dorset Steam Fair is held at Tarrant Hinton near Blandford Forum. It's from the Thursday just before August Bank Holiday, to the holiday Monday.
 * From Page to Screen - the UK's only festival celebrating the adaptation of books to film. Annual in April.
 * Melplash Agricultural Show - originated as a ploughing competition in Melplash, the show has since grown into a much wider celebration of rural industry and culture. Held in West Bay, Bridport.
 * Bridport Food Festival - incorporating the Bridport Beer Festival. Annual in June.

Eat
Dorset has a number of local specialities including apple cake, cream teas and blue vinney cheese.

Perhaps the most unlikely local produce are chilli peppers; the Dorset naga variety was bred from the Bangladeshi naga morich and, averaging 1 million Scovilles, is one of the hottest chillies in the world. As well as fresh and dried peppers, local shops and markets sells chilli-based jams, relishes and condiments.

Some of the best local food comes from tea shops, cafes, fish and chip shops and pubs, Not all pubs serve food all of the time and the quality varies considerably.

If you prefer international or exotic flavours the towns of Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth will provide you with a good choice.

Drink
There are many breweries in Dorset. Hall & Woodhouse of Blandford is the largest brewing Badger Best Bitter, Tanglefoot and a variety of flavoured beers. Palmers of Bridport is the biggest brewers in the west of the county. Each of these breweries has a large number of tied pubs within the county.

Other local beers often found in Dorset pubs come from Ringwood Brewery, Fullers, Marstons and Morland along with the well known international lagers.

It is possible to find locally made cider and scrumpy in some of the rural areas.

There is a vineyard at Horton north of Wimborne, but wine production in the county is low volume at best.

Sleep
Dorset is typical of rural English counties in that there are lots of self-catering holiday cottages everywhere. Some of these are in towns, but most are in villages or attached to farms out in the sticks. Housing stock is varied, but many holiday lets use characterful older properties.

The main coastal resorts (Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Lyme Regis...) have dozens of hotels and guesthouses to suit all kinds of budgets and tastes, but these are less common inland and in smaller towns.

Campsites, especially for caravans and campervans, can be found all along the Dorset coast.

Go next
Devon lies to the west, Somerset and Wiltshire to the north, and Hampshire is to the east.

title: Dorset


text:
Dortmund

Dortmund (Low German: Düörpm; Latin: Tremonia) is a city with a population of about 600,000 in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. It is in the middle part of the state and is considered to be the administrative, commercial and cultural centre of the Ruhr area, which has some 5.21 million inhabitants (2017). The city is famous for its beer, football, events and shopping.

Understand
The city pops up first when people think of the Ruhr valley, and that's no surprise. It is the largest Ruhr city, the third largest by population after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the geographical center of the North Rhine-Westphalia state. Worldwide, the city is foremost known for beer (pale export/lager beer called Dortmunder) and the famous sports club Ballspielverein Borussia 09, Borussia Dortmund or BVB for short. But there is another gentler side to this former industrial powerhouse. Modern Dortmund is vibrant and cultural, well-known for excellent shopping, a range of fascinating museums and theaters, one of Germany's most surprising startup scenes (not quite on the same level as Berlin, but ahead of the rest of the Rhine-Ruhr area and even Munich), and with half the city given over to parks and gardens, enough green areas to soothe the senses.

And yes, the city is no classy beauty, and rough at first glance, though pretty honest, adorable and cordial at the second.

History
Founded around the year 882, Dortmund became an Imperial Free City. Throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, it was the "chief city" of the Rhine, Westphalia, and of the Netherlandish Circle of the Hanseatic League. After the Thirty Years' War, the city was destroyed, and decreased in significance until the onset of industrialization; then, it became one of Germany's most important coal, steel and beer centres. Dortmund acquired the nickname Stahlstadt (Steel City) in the 19th century, when it became the world center of steel production. Consequently, the city was one of the most heavily bombed cities in Germany during World War II. The devastating bombing raids of 12 March 1945, with more than 1,110 aircraft, destroyed 98% of buildings in the inner city center, a record to a single target in this war. Much of what you see in the city center was built in the last 50 years. The region has adapted since the collapse of its steel and coal industries, and shifted to high technology, biomedical technology, micro systems technology and also services.

In November 2017, according to a study by data of German National Statistics Office, the National Employment Agency, Mercer, Handelsblatt, Numbeo and Immowelt, Dortmund was ranked as the seventh most livable city in Germany for expats. In September 2017, The New York Times praised the city of Dortmund, which has adapted since the collapse of its century long steel and coal industries and shifted to high technology biomedical technology, micro systems technology and services, as the hidden star of structural change with a good quality of life for employers. According to the 2017 Global Least & Most Stressful Cities Ranking, Dortmund is one of the least stressful cities in the world. It's ranked 27th out of 150 between Copenhagen and Vancouver and highly ranked in the category Traffic & Public Transport, Gender equality and debt per capital.

When to visit
The best times for Dortmund are late spring to early autumn, its peak season for tourism. The summers tend to be sunny and warm around 25°C (77°F), during November and December 5°C.

By plane

 * From and to Central Station: A non-stop shuttle-bus can be found opposite the main railway station Dortmund Hauptbahnhof (also signed as: Dortmund Hbf or DO Hbf). The journey lasts 25 - 30 min and costs €6.5 per passenger (6-14 children €2; younger children free). This bus service is not covered by a travelcard.
 * Via Aplerbeck The municipal 490 bus travels between the Airport and Aplerbeck, where passengers can change to the Stadtbahn U47 (tram) which will go to the Hbf via the two major Stadtbahn hubs, Stadtgarten and Kampstraße. The journey is approximately 45 min. Tickets cost for a single ride, VRR tickets and the Deutschlandticket accepted. This service runs more frequently than the shuttle bus at every 20 minutes M-F, every 30 minutes on weekends and at late hours, no service during midnight-early morning.
 * From Holzwickede Station: A bus service (€3/passenger), runs regularly about every 15 minutes between 05:00 and 23:00. The trip to the terminal building takes approx. 5 minutes. You can walk it in 20 minutes if you are unencumbered by luggage.
 * By taxi: The trip costs around €25 to the City Centre. Drivers operate on the meter; if they don't, get a different taxi!
 * By taxi: The trip costs around €25 to the City Centre. Drivers operate on the meter; if they don't, get a different taxi!

Duesseldorf Airport can also be used and may be a better option, especially for passengers who prefer major carriers. It is a 45-60 minute drive away from Dortmund. Direct train services also run between Dortmund Central Station and Düsseldorf Airport operated by Deutsche Bahn. Düsseldorf Airport serves a variety of long haul destinations in North America and Asia, as well as short haul services throughout Europe.

By train
All tickets will have to be validated before departure. For the trains like Regionalbahn or Regionalexpress there's an orange machine before you go up the stairs to the platform, where you have to stamp your ticket. The Stadtbahn Dortmund (DSW21) tickets for the local Stadtbahn (light rail) and Straßenbahn (tram) service must be validated on the actual trains although you will find stamp boxes at the entrance to the platform as well.

Failure to stamp the ticket in the appropriate machines ("entwerten") will result in either a €40 on-the-spot fine or being brought to a police station by the security where the police will request your I.D. such as your passport for later prosecution. Not being German, not understanding the language or complicated system, or the fact that you have purchased a ticket will not be accepted as excuses: if it is not stamped, it is not valid, and travelling with a non-stamped ticket is considered an offence.

 * Deutsche Bahn

By bus
The bus station "ZOB" is a popular bus station in Dortmund right next to the train station served by FlixBus, ALSA, Buscenter, Agat, Eurolines Madeltrans, Est Lorek, Ecolines, Becker Reisen, Eurolines Poland and Polluzha Tours.

By car
Dortmund can be reached using the motorway (Autobahn) A1, A2, A40, A42, A44 and A45, as well as the (Bundesstraßen) B1, B54 and B236. Those who want to drive in the city center should be aware that it is an "environment zone" similar to that found in many other large German cities. Cars are required to have a sticker declaring the car's pollution category.

Get around

Getting around in Dortmund is easy. The centre of Dortmund is not that big for a city of half a million. It is entirely feasible to walk between both ends of the centre.

By public transport
Dortmund is part of the VRR (Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr), a cooperation of the regional transportation companies, giving easy access to public transportation in the whole Ruhr District in S-Bahn, regional trains, trams, subways and buses. Dortmund's central station (Dortmund Hauptbahnhof or DO Hbf) is a junction of the national railroad system with local, regional and long-distance services all throughout Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany and abroad.

The Stadtbahn is a local hybrid system being partially metro, partially tram, running underground in the city centre. This system has three major trunk tunnels which cross the city centre, branching off to different suburbs and the neighbouring city of Lünen. The three trunk tunnels intersect at three stations, forming a downward pointed triangle between Kampstraße, Reinoldikirche and Stadtgarten stations. Significant portions of this network run on grade-separated tracks in tunnels or next to major roads, ensuring fast trips even on cross-city rides, running at 10-minute frequency during peak times, less frequent off-peak and on Sundays. During matches at the stadium, additional trains will run from the matchday-only Stadion stop. At major stops, the Stadtbahn offers easy transfer to local bus lines, that cover suburbs more broadly, running down residential streets and extending to towns around Dortmund. Service hours are generally 05:00 - 23:00, with some lines running earlier or later. Frequencies on bus lines can range from every 10 minutes to hourly, most running at least half-hourly. The system is laid out so you're in most cases only one transfer away from the city centre.
 * U41 Lünen-Brambauer - Fredenbaum - Leopoldstr. - Hauptbahnhof - Kampstr. - Stadtgarten - Stadthaus - Märkische Str. - Hörde - Clarenberg
 * U42 Grevel - Schulte-Rödding - Brunnenstr. - Reinoldikirche - Stadtgarten - Möllerbrücke - Th.-Fliedner-Heim - Barop - Hombruch
 * U43 Dorstfeld Betriebshof - Kampstr. - Reinoldikirche - Brackel - Wickede
 * U44 Marten - Dorstfeld Betriebshof - Kampstr. - Reinoldikirche - Borsigplatz - Westfalenhütte
 * U45 Fredenbaum - Hauptbahnhof - Kampstraße - Stadtgarten - Stadthaus - Westfalenpark - Westfalenhallen (arrives / continues as U46 at Westfalenhallen)
 * U46 Westfalenhallen - Saarlandstr. - Stadtgarten - Reinoldikirche - Brunnenstraße (arrives / continues as U45 at Westfalenhallen)
 * U47 Westerfilde - Huckarde - Hafen - Leopoldstr. - Hauptbahnhof - Kampstr. - Stadtgarten - Stadthaus - Märkische Str. - Stadtkrone Ost - Aplerbeck
 * U49 Hafen - Leopoldstr. - Hauptbahnhof - Kampstraße - Stadtgarten - Stadthaus - Westfalenpark - Rombergpark - Hacheney

There is night bus (NachtExpress) service on weekends, running from shortly after midnight to the early morning hours on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Night buses have timed transfers at Reinoldikirche stop in the city centre.

Dortmund has an automatic monorail system, the H-Bahn (meaning hanging railway) at the University. It connects the campus with Dortmund-Universität train station and the suburb of Eichlinghofen, where transfer to buses is available. Campus Nord and Technologiezentrum stations are only served Monday - Friday, while Universität, Campus Süd and Eichlinghofen are served Monday - Saturday, no service on Sunday and public holidays.

Tickets can be bought from machines at Stadtbahn stops, on apps or at some selected kiosks, and from bus drivers. You may transfer freely between buses, Stadtbahn, regional trains etc., as long as you are within the permitted travel zone (Preisstufe) and the time limit. Exception to this is the Kurzstrecke ticket for up to 3 stops on Stadtbahn or local buses. Tickets may need to be stamped. There are no ticket gates, but getting caught by inspector teams will land you a fine.

An official interactive system map can be found here.

By e-scooter
Bolt, Voi, Tier and Lime operate in Dortmund

By e-hailing
Uber, Free Now and Sixt Ride cover the city

By bicycle
Dortmund has, like Cologne, Berlin and Frankfurt, a Call A Bike - System called Metropolradruhr. After you register for an account on-line, it will charge your bank card a per minute fee. You can pick up or drop off one of the silver-red bikes anywhere in the city. It is also possible to rent a bike at many share stations, placed at transport hubs and educational or recreational sites; bike is perhaps the best way to go around the city. The bike path network is lackluster at best, and often along major streets, so perhaps don't jump ahead to grab a bike if you're not a regular cyclist.

See

Historical attractions

In and around the old medieval wall are some really interesting churches.

Viertel - City Quarters
Unlike the Dortmund city centre, much of the inner districts (Viertel) around the old medieval centre escaped damage in the second world war and post war redevelopment. The best bars, pubs and restaurants are around the former ramparts of Dortmund.
 * Borsigplatz and Nordmarkt – Borussia Dortmund was founded nearby, north-east of the main railway station.Tram "Borisgplatz"
 * Hafenviertel – This district is one of the hippest places to live, with pubs, restaurants, art galleries with favorable lease for immigrants, students, and original, working-class Harbour inhabitants, U-Bahn "Schützenstraße" or "Hafen"
 * Kaiserviertel – around the Kaiserstreet. The Moltkestreet also known as the Cherry Blossom Street, became famous after photographers started posting pictures of blooming trees. Every spring, usually in April, the street in the Kaiserstraßen district is booming with pink blossoms and attracts tourists - it has preserved a unique, conservative, upscale feel. Stadtbahn "Ostentor"
 * Kreuzviertel – It is known for its many bars, clubs, pubs, and cafes, concentrated in the vicinity of Kreuzstraße and Vinkeplatz and create a day and nightlife atmosphere unique from the rest of the city. The city quarter is also popular by local fans and those visiting of Borussia Dortmund as a last resort for drinking a cheep beer in the numerous Pubs around the Signal Iduna Park in the South of the Kreuzviertel. All of these great places are within a short walk of Möllerbrücke Stadtbahn Station.
 * Saarlandstraßenviertel – A cosy neighbourhood south of the centre - less vibrant than Kreuzviertel, but with great architecture and really cool Cafes, Pubs and Restaurants along the Saarlandstraße. Stadtbahn "Saarlandstraße
 * Unionviertel – Stadtbahn "Unionviertel"

Parks

Do

Events

 * Christmas Market in Dortmund is one of the most visited Christmas markets in Germany with more than 3½ million visitors of 300 stalls around a gigantic Christmas tree creation that stands 45 m tall. Made up of 1,700 fir trees, its 13,000 lights bathe the Christmas proceedings in a seasonal glow. Dortmund Visitor Centre, Max-von-der-Grün-Platz 5-6.
 * Mayday is one of the most highly respected techno parties in the world. Pioneers of underground techno and house music are joined by some big names from across the spectrum, taking the party past a quarter-century of spectacular parties. Having marked its 25th birthday in 2016, Mayday continues to lead the way as its old-school rave atmosphere has expanded to take in a whole new generation of creativity and expression.
 * Salsa Open Airs at Dortmund Westpark in the Westpark is a remarkable community that gathers every Friday in them. Some weeks up to 100 people fill the Westpark’s temporary dance-floor with passion and contagious joy. From June until the end of September everyone is welcome, regardless of whether you’re a professional or a newbie.
 * Salsa Open Airs at Dortmund Westpark in the Westpark is a remarkable community that gathers every Friday in them. Some weeks up to 100 people fill the Westpark’s temporary dance-floor with passion and contagious joy. From June until the end of September everyone is welcome, regardless of whether you’re a professional or a newbie.

Buy

Dortmund is known nationwide as a shopping destination and the shopping center of the entire region, particularly popular with visitors from nearby areas like South Westphalia, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium.

The Westenhellweg is a popular shopping destination, and with nearly 13,000 visitors per hour, it is Germany's most frequented shopping street. Together with the Ostenhellweg this old trading route runs through Dortmund city centre like a pulsing vein. When Dortmund was still a Hanseatic city, wagons rolled along here laden with salt and silk, because back in the Middle Ages, the only free imperial city in Westphalia was already regarded as an important centre of trade. Today some of the most reputed shops, department stores, and labels have their stores here. It is a pedestrian-only area and is bordered by the Reinoldikirche in the east and U-Tower in the west. The Westenhellweg has one of the highest rents for retail and office space in North Rhine-Westphalia. 85 percent of the shops are retail chains such as H&M, Saturn, Esprit, Zara or NewYorker. Thier-Galerie shopping center has 100 stores and chains like Armani, Adidas, Diesel and Hollister.

Three more shopping malls occupy the Thier-Galerie, Galeria Kaufhof and Karstadt as well as large fashion retail clothing stores from Peek & Cloppenburg and C&A. During the month before Christmas, the extended pedestrian-only zone is host to Dortmund Christmas Market, one of the largest and oldest Christmas markets in Germany.

In close proximity to the Dortmund concert hall lies the Brückstraßenviertel, a quarter hub especially for young people. The "Rue de Pommes Frites", which is what the Dortmund citizens have called the Brückstraße for a long time, has turned into a modern, young shopping promenade.

For a long time the Kampstraße had a shadowy existence as a parallel street to the Westenhellweg and Ostenhellweg, but it has now become a grand boulevard which contains specialist stores. Right next to the Kampstraße is the Kleppingstraße, an expensive shopping street with prestigious shops.

Kleppingstraße is a shopping street with a high concentration of gastronomy and expensive, prestigious shops like van Laack, Lindner Fashion, and Marc Cain. It is located between the Ostenhellweg and Neutor to Wallring.

Independent fashion
Those who like trendy fashion should visit the Kreuzviertel, especially Schillingstraße and Liebigstraße. The quarter has turned from a residential to a creative district, offering stores like the trendy ones you will find in Berlin. Also the Kaiserviertel (Kaiserstraße) demonstrate that there is a fashion scene beside international fashion houses.

Eat
Traditional meals in the region are Pfefferpotthast (kind of Goulash with a lot of beef), Balkenbrij, Heaven and Earth (Himmel und Äd; black pudding with stewed apples mixed with mashed potatoes), Currywurst and Pumpernickel with Griebenschmalz (German lard with crispy pieces of pork skin). In summer the people like to eat a Dortmunder Salzkuchen (Bread buns with caraway fruits, salt, meat and onions). Also a special meal in the winter is Reibekuchen (fried potato pancake served with apple sauce).

A wide range of different kind of fast food can be found on "Brückstraße", a lot of vegetarian food, döner kebab, burgers, pizza and so on. On the weekends your best bet for a late night snack.

Street food
All these are in the city centre:

Budget
Along the Brückstraße are a lot of low-priced restaurants.

All these are in the city centre:

Cafes

A quick cappuccino or home-made cake in a pleasant atmosphere are things that you find around the old medieval "Wallring"

Alcoholic drinks
Dortmund had more than 550 years of brewing tradition, some of the oldest breweries in Westphalia are founded around the Old Market in Dortmund. Dortmund is known for its pale lager beer called Dortmunder Export or Dortmunder, it became popular with industrial workers and was responsible for Dortmunder Union becoming Germany's largest brewery and Dortmund having the highest concentration of breweries in Germany. Popular and traditional beer brands are Dortmunder Actien Brauerei, Bergmann Bier, Kronen, Union, Brinkhoff's, Dortmunder Hansa, Hövels, Ritter, Thier and Stifts. Beer as a typical "proletarian" beverage has been connected with the industrial might of Dortmund's past and while the railway enabled sales to faraway lands (the name "Export" is ample testament to this) ultimately consolidation and the decline of heavy industry hit the breweries and today many brands have been abandoned or bought up by large conglomerates.

"Stösschen" is a beer in a small glass "Stösschen" 0.2 litres and can be drunk in about two draughts. The idea of a Stößchen came about in the 19th century when people would have to wait at the level crossing to cross the Nordstadt Railway Line that divided the city centre from the Nordstadt district. A local innkeeper saw the potential of serving quick drinks to people waiting, and a Dortmund tradition began. The Dortmunder Tropfen Schnaps is a type of liqueur that is flavored with herbs or spices and traditionally drunk neat as a digestif.

Bars

The Kreuzviertel in the south of the Downtown with historically architecture, lively pubs and cafes offers a great variety of leisure and free-time activities is a better alternative of Downtown and the trendy neighbourhood in the Ruhr valley. The Kreuzviertel is also popular by local fans and those visiting of Borussia Dortmund as a last resort for drinking a cheep beer in the numerous Pubs around the Signal Iduna Park in the south of the Kreuzviertel.

Stay safe
Dortmund is a relatively safe and welcoming city on the whole. As it is not a big tourist destination, it does not suffer from rampant pickpocket issues. Due to the decline of its prominent heavy industries, Dortmund and most of its neighboring suburbs (Castrop-Rauxel, Waltrop, Witten) are less well-off than other major cities in Germany, and socioeconomic disparities are some of the most glaring in the country. But this has surprisingly not translated to widespread crime. Some poorer neighborhoods in the northern quarters of the city may not look appealing, but being wary of your surroundings will suffice during the day.

However, Dortmund Hauptbahnhof/Central station and its surrounding areas do suffer from lingering gang and drug-related activities. Be careful when in the vicinity of the station.

Football games in Dortmund are known to be some of the friendliest and safest in Europe. Some drunkards might show up but they will not harm you.

Cope

 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇿🇦 South Africa
 * 🇿🇦 South Africa

Go next

 * Bochum
 * Düsseldorf
 * Köln
 * Münster
 * Sauerland

title: Dortmund


text:
Dos Pilas

Dos Pilas is a Mayan ruin in the Peten department of the Northern Lowlands of Guatemala.

Landscape
Jungle

Climate
Hot

Get in
From Guatemala City take a bus to Coban then from Coban take a bus to Sayaxche.

If your coming from Flores take a bus to Libertad and then another bus to Sayaxche.

Once your at Sayaxche head down to the river and ask the guys with the boats.

If you like you can take a boat from Sayaxche to Aguateca or Ceibal also.

title: Dos Pilas


text:
Dothan

Dothan is a city in southeastern Alabama, serving as the county seat of Houston County, and the chief city of the western Wiregrass region, an area encompassing portions of southeastern Alabama, southwestern Georgia, and the panhandle of Florida. Its population in 2018 was about 68,000, making it the largest metropolitan area in southeastern Alabama.

History
Dothan began as "Poplar Head", a stop along the main trail that ran through this portion of the state during the early 19th century. It was incorporated in 1885, and renamed after the village mentioned in Genesis 37:17, which reads "let us go to Dothan". The city quickly became a hub for local agriculture and industry, especially the peanut business, and its annual National Peanut Festival (since 1938) reflects this heritage. Dothan has long proclaimed itself the "Peanut Capital of the World", as approximately one-quarter of the peanuts grown in the U.S. are grown within 75 miles of the city. Movie Gallery, a national movie rental chain, has its national headquarters here.

Climate
Dothan has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, sticky summers and generally mild winters. Snowfall is rare, and when it does come, it seldom accumulates to any great degree or remains for very long. Summer temperatures easily reach or more, while the average winter temperature is.

By plane
Dothan has one commercial airport, northwest of the city in the tiny village of Napier Field. It is served by ExpressJet, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, flying to and from Atlanta International Airport. Dothan Regional Airport offers a full range of airport services and amenities; for further information, visit their website at Dothan Regional Airport.

By train
There is no passenger rail service to Dothan. The nearest Amtrak station is in Birmingham. Chipley, Florida had an Amtrak station prior to the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, but damage to the tracks in northwestern Florida forced its closure. Amtrak has proposed restoring the line, but there is no plan to do so as of March 2019.

By bus
Dothan is served by Greyhound Bus Lines. The station is at 285 S. Foster St., [tel:+1 334-792-1191 +1 334-792-1191]. Further information and hours of operation may be found at Dothan Greyhound Station.

By car
U.S. Highways 231, 431 and 84 all intersect in Dothan, as do several state highways. There is no interstate service in this part of Alabama, but the three highways named above are all four-laned for several miles beyond the Dothan city limits. U.S. 231 is four-laned all the way north to Montgomery, and all the way south to Panama City. The city is encircled by a four-lane bypass, known as the "Ross-Clark Circle."

Get around
There is no public transit system in Dothan, so getting around will require a car or bicycle, or walking. Traffic on the Ross-Clark Circle can be quite heavy, especially during "rush hour" and around lunchtime.

Do

 * Kiwanis Park, on Westgate Park land fronting Whatley at the intersection with Deerpath, has playgrounds and a picnic pavilion with a water fountain and restrooms. There are also walking trails.
 * Solomon Park, in the Garden District at the corner of Choctaw and Redwood streets, has the shadiest playground in Dothan, a real godsend in hot weather.
 * Kiwanis Park, on Westgate Park land fronting Whatley at the intersection with Deerpath, has playgrounds and a picnic pavilion with a water fountain and restrooms. There are also walking trails.
 * Solomon Park, in the Garden District at the corner of Choctaw and Redwood streets, has the shadiest playground in Dothan, a real godsend in hot weather.
 * Kiwanis Park, on Westgate Park land fronting Whatley at the intersection with Deerpath, has playgrounds and a picnic pavilion with a water fountain and restrooms. There are also walking trails.
 * Solomon Park, in the Garden District at the corner of Choctaw and Redwood streets, has the shadiest playground in Dothan, a real godsend in hot weather.
 * Kiwanis Park, on Westgate Park land fronting Whatley at the intersection with Deerpath, has playgrounds and a picnic pavilion with a water fountain and restrooms. There are also walking trails.
 * Solomon Park, in the Garden District at the corner of Choctaw and Redwood streets, has the shadiest playground in Dothan, a real godsend in hot weather.
 * Solomon Park, in the Garden District at the corner of Choctaw and Redwood streets, has the shadiest playground in Dothan, a real godsend in hot weather.

Stay safe
The summertime heat from June through September can be oppressive. It is not unusual for highs to be in the 90s or even the low 100s °F (32-40 °C). Combined with very high humidity levels, it is nearly impossible to stay outdoors for very long. Make sure you have plenty of water!

One by-product of the heat and humidity is near-daily thunderstorms in the summer that can turn severe in an instant. Southeastern Alabama, like other areas of the South, is extremely prone to tornadic activity when weather conditions are right. In the event of severe weather, tune in to local radio or television, and be aware of the appropriate tornado shelter for the particular place you are staying (very few cellars or basements exist in this area, due to its close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the corresponding high water table).

Water Moccasins, a poisonous land snake found throughout the southeastern United States, are common in the Dothan area. While your chances of encountering one are rare, you should nevertheless be aware of your surroundings if walking through any wet or low-lying area, or near any streams, lakes or other water sources. Rattlesnakes, Copperheads and Coral Snakes are also found in this region. Should you be bitten by any of these species, seek medical attention immediately.

Go next

 * Panama City Beach
 * is a beach town an hour and a half south of Dothan, known for its white sandy beaches and emerald green waters.
 * Albany is a town in southern Georgia.
 * Tallahassee is the capital of Florida.
 * Montgomery is the capital of Alabama.

title: Dothan


text:
Douala

Douala is the largest city and the commercial centre of Cameroon. Douala is really quite a hot and sticky place, and the grimy state of the infrastructure in parts leaves a lot to be desired. With more and more people coming here to seek a better life, it is struggling to keep up with issues like pollution and overcrowding. Sadly, it doesn't have a whole lot in the way of tourist attractions either, and prices tend to be elevated because of all the commerce and industry.

Understand
With a metro population over 2.8 million in 2015, Douala is the biggest city in Cameroon and sits on the Wouri River Delta where it hosts a port and some 95% of industrial activity for the country. While originally inhabited by peoples from the Congo River, the rest of its history follows much of the same track as the rest of Cameroon: Portuguese colonists supplanted by Germans supplanted by French and English after WWI, and then lastly independence. From 1940 to 1946, it was the capital of the country, before Buea and then Yaounde finally took that designation. But it has always featured as the center of commerce.

By train
Passenger services are operated by Camrail. There are several daily services from the capital Yaoundé, brand new Intercity trains takes 3 hr 45 min to complete the journey. There's also a slower service from Kumba twice a week. The central station in Douala, (Gare de Bessengue) is located just off Blvd. de la Réunification.

By car
The Route Nationale 3 (N3) from Yaoundé to Limbe and the Route Nationale 5 (N5) from Bafoussam to Douala are the two main roads linking Douala to other cities of the country.

By boat
There are passenger ferries, usually one sailing per week, from Bata and Malabo, both located in Equatorial Guinea.

Get around
Ride-hailing app Yango is available.

See

 * Douala Memorials, Douala water park, Douala shops
 * Rond-Point Deido, historical landmark.
 * Rond-Point Deido, historical landmark.
 * Rond-Point Deido, historical landmark.
 * Rond-Point Deido, historical landmark.
 * Rond-Point Deido, historical landmark.
 * Rond-Point Deido, historical landmark.
 * Rond-Point Deido, historical landmark.
 * Rond-Point Deido, historical landmark.

Do

 * Games Arena 237, recreational center.
 * Games Arena 237, recreational center.

Buy

 * China Mall PK13.

 * Marche PK14.

 * Super U Bonamoussadi, supermarket

 * Santa Lucia Bonamoussadi.

 * Carrefour Supermaket Douala.

 * Terminus St Michel.

 * China Mall Ndokoti.

 * Douala Grand Mall, shopping mall.

Budget

 * |Nice Cream, Bd de la Liberté. A very cozy diner serving pizza and ice cream, just what every traveler needs after melting in the sun. Plus shawarma and milk shakes. +237 6 90 03 03 44

Mid-range

 * |Mediterranee, Bd De Liberte. Greek and pizza, so exciting because it's open 24 hours. +237 6 99 98 09 30
 * Saga Africa, Bd de la Liberte. Regional fare. +237 2 33 42 23 81
 * |Aladdin (Lebanese), +237 2 33 43 28 27
 * La Sorento, Carrefour de l'Air, Bonapriso. Italian pizzas. +237 6 99 91 01 66

Splurge

 * |Le Dernier Comptoir Colonial, Rue de Verdun. Fish, prawns. +237 6 77 76 04 05

Drink

 * Ngodi Bakoko Two Castles, bar.

 * La Casa de Papel Douala 237.

 * Maison Blanche Lendi.

 * Onomo Hotel Douala.

Cope
English and French language broadcasts can be heard on BBC World Service on 101.3MHz.

Consulates

 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * UK

Go next

 * Yaoundé — the capital of Cameroon.
 * Calabar, Nigeria, is 470 km by car, or 9 hours, but you travel through the English-speaking parts of Cameroon, where there has been a successionist guerrilla war underway since 2017.

title: Douala


text:
Dougga

Dougga is a small town in the north of Tunisia that holds the extensive ruins of a Roman town, set on a hilltop, overlooking surrounding valleys with olive plantations, featured on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It also has several other monuments dating from pre-Roman times. Plan to spend about 2 hours here, and if you have a car, couple it with trips to surrounding areas (ask the security guard at the ticket office for recommendations).

Understand
The road to Dougga passes through beautiful rural and scenic landscape. Unlike Roman ruins in Carthage or even in European towns where one or two remaining monuments are isolated in the middle of a modern city, at Dougga, the entire town is preserved, even the Roman streets. Without the barriers and the flocks of tourists, one can take one's time to climb in and out of houses and tunnels, temples and the theatres. As with other sites in Tunis, Dougga's history is not limited to only the Roman period. One finds an old Punic temple here with a cleansing bath and walls from the Phoenician period, which was later transformed and reused by the Romans, and thus has Roman pillars. There is also an obvious funerary monument, the Mausoleum of Ateban, dating to 2nd century BCE, one of three examples of royal Numidian architecture. Its inscription is housed in the British Museum, and the Punic-Libyan bilingual inscription was used to translate Libyan script.

Get in
Get a bus (at least two hours) or louage (80 minutes) to Teboursouk (pronounced Tebsook) from Bab Saadoune louage/bus station (Gare de Routiere Nord) in Tunis. A taxi will take you the short distance to Dougga and then pick you up again at an arranged time. Louage drivers often ring ahead to alert the taxi that a tourist is arriving. It's very convenient and quick but 15-20 DT for only a short distance. If you can't manage to get the price down, remember that Dougga is a memorable place to visit and well worth the money. As of July 2016, there was only one, extremely busy, taxi in Teboursouk that also served as the local bus, so arguing with the driver over the price was pointless.

Use return taxi trip to get to Teboursouk because there will almost certainly be no taxis waiting to pick up passengers leaving Dougga (as it is in the middle of nowhere).

If driving, clear sign posts pointing to the Ruins of Dougga can be followed from Tebersouk.

You could also go as part of an organised tour from Tunis.

Get around
Light sandals might not be the best footwear as the paths are, for the most part, cobbled and can be reasonably steep in places.

See
There are lots of buildings still partially standing. There are also few restrictions as to where you can walk. The following is a suggested route to visit. Entry is 7 DT plus 1 DT for photography (as of 2018).

Do
Take lots of photographs, wander amongst the olive groves, sit and take in the majesty of the place.

Buy
No facilities on site. Don't be surprised if a local farmer/shepherd tries to sell you Roman 'artifacts'.

Eat
Small shady area with tables where you can buy cold drinks, snacks, postcards and use the toilets.

There is also a restaurant just below the south entrance that offers a single option: a prix-fixe meal (91d meal for 2, Feb. 2019) of soup, salad, and couscous. Expensive by local standards but tasty and a nice environment. The meal takes approximately an hour.

Drink
Make sure you have a supply of water but you can buy it - and other drinks - on site. If buying from the local town make sure you get it from a reputable shop - street vendors have been known to refill empty bottled water containers with the local tap variety.

Sleep
One hotel in the town a few miles away.

Go next

 * Tunis

title: Dougga


text:
Douglas (Arizona)

Douglas is a town in Cochise County, Southeast Arizona. While known primarily as a gateway to Mexico, its small downtown core has a few well-preserved examples of early 20th-century architecture. The town is also noted as the temporary residence of Thornton Wilder, who wrote most of his classic 1967 novel The Eighth Day while based here.

Get in
Douglas is most easily reached by driving Highway 80 or Highway 191 south from I-10.

Get around
The town is pedestrian-friendly, and most sights and restaurants are within easy walking distance. There is no public transportation, so a car is needed to go further afield.

Buy
As a gateway to Mexico, many visitors walk across the border to Agua Prieta for the day, which has a number of curio and souvenir shops.

Sleep

Consulates

 * 🇲🇽 Mexico

title: Douglas (Arizona)


text:
Douglas (Isle of Man)

Douglas (Manx: Doolish) is the capital city of the Isle of Man. It has the island's greatest concentration of visitor facilities along its promenade, so it's the main base for tourism. In 2021 Douglas had a population of 26,677.

Understand
In Gaelic dub glais means "dark stream", from peaty waters. The River Douglas is formed here by the confluence of the Dhoo and Glass streams, but those names may be a back-formation. In the Middle Ages it was a fishing hamlet, with only 13 households when first counted in 1511. In early modern times its harbour made it more important for herring fishing, for maritime defence, for trade with England, and above all for smuggling. The British were so irked by this that they took tighter control, with the Revestment Act of 1765 establishing the island's present status under the crown. Better shipping and more avenues for legitimate trade meant that Douglas outgrew Castletown, until in the 1860s the law courts, parliament and executive offices all moved here.

Douglas retained its medieval streets until then, authentically smelly and diseased, but a combination of Victorian civic reformist zeal and the prospect of tourism led to its re-building, with the great sweep of hotels, guest houses and other visitor amenities lining its two-mile promenade. It's the island's ferry port, with the airport 9 miles southwest, within a short drive of the rest of the island, and is the obvious base for a tourist stay on the Isle of Man.

In 2022 Douglas and seven other towns were accorded city status, marking the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth. The flummery formalities of this were not quite complete when the good queen died, but King Charles remedied this on a visit in 2024.

Get in
Isle of Man Airport is in Ronaldsway 9 miles south of Douglas. It has flights to several UK cities and to Dublin, see Isle of Man.

at the south end of town is the landing point for ferries from Britain and Ireland. See Isle of Man for routes, some are seasonal.

Douglas is the hub for all the island's roads and transport. The principal bus routes are #1 and #2 from Port Erin, Port St Mary, Castletown and the airport, #3 from Ramsey and Laxey, and #4, #5 and #6 from  Peel - see individual towns for details.

a block inland from the Sea Terminal is the turnaround point for island buses, which make multiple stops through town. It's just a car park with no passenger facilities.

is the terminus of the narrow-gauge steam-hauled railway from Port Erin via Port St Mary and Castletown, running mid-March to Oct: see Isle of Man.

is the terminus of the electric tramway from Ramsey and Laxey, from where a branch line ascends Snaefell. It too runs mid-March to Oct: see Isle of Man.

Get around
Douglas is easily walkable.

The horse-drawn tram, established in 1876, plods along Douglas promenade April-Oct, originally from Derby Castle in the north to the Sea Terminal and railway station south. However because of road works along the promenade, it only plies the northern half from Broadway to Derby Castle, with no date given for resumption of the southern half.

Buses from north and south of the island traverse the prom and make several stops; those from the south run as far the district of Onchan.

See

 * is the little offshore mock-castle near the ferry terminal. It was built in 1832 on the reef of St Mary's Island (or Conister Rock) after several shipwrecks, notably the mail ship St George. The idea was that survivors cast up on the reef could find shelter until the lifeboat could take them off - there was even a bell to call for assistance and a regularly-replenished loaf of bread to sustain them. The reef is only covered at the highest tides, and at the lowest springs you can wade out to it.
 * near the Sea Terminal commemorates the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria's reign in 1887. This spot was the terminus of the Upper Douglas Cable Tramway, which from 1896 to 1929 hauled people up the stiff gradient to the western neighbourhoods. In the 1970s, the best remaining bits of Trams 72 and 73 were cobbled together as a frankentram 72 / 73 which occasionally has outings on the horse-drawn tramway, and normally lives in Jurby Transport Museum.
 * is a work in progress, or less kindly a bit of a mess. It was completed in 1804 as the Governor General's residence, a castellated square mansion. It became a swanky hotel in 1831, later adding a casino and entertainment complex. From the 1990s it was tatty and lowlife, closing in 2006. It's been acquired by Tevir, an IOM-based property company, who have stripped away some of the tacky modern additions but haven't announced their plans for it.
 * is a work in progress, or less kindly a bit of a mess. It was completed in 1804 as the Governor General's residence, a castellated square mansion. It became a swanky hotel in 1831, later adding a casino and entertainment complex. From the 1990s it was tatty and lowlife, closing in 2006. It's been acquired by Tevir, an IOM-based property company, who have stripped away some of the tacky modern additions but haven't announced their plans for it.
 * is a work in progress, or less kindly a bit of a mess. It was completed in 1804 as the Governor General's residence, a castellated square mansion. It became a swanky hotel in 1831, later adding a casino and entertainment complex. From the 1990s it was tatty and lowlife, closing in 2006. It's been acquired by Tevir, an IOM-based property company, who have stripped away some of the tacky modern additions but haven't announced their plans for it.
 * is a work in progress, or less kindly a bit of a mess. It was completed in 1804 as the Governor General's residence, a castellated square mansion. It became a swanky hotel in 1831, later adding a casino and entertainment complex. From the 1990s it was tatty and lowlife, closing in 2006. It's been acquired by Tevir, an IOM-based property company, who have stripped away some of the tacky modern additions but haven't announced their plans for it.

Further out

 * on Douglas Head was built in the 1890s: it projects a panorama of its surroundings onto the walls of its darkened interior. It remains closed in 2023.
 * The lighthouse just below the camera obscura was built by the Stevensons in 1857, and automated in 1986. There's no public access.
 * is a twee dinky version of Laxey Wheel, part of a Victorian effort to prettify the glen into a tourist spot. The zoo has disappeared but the miniature railway still runs, see below.
 * Murray's Motorcycle Museum: see Castletown, it's on A5 just before Fairy Bridge.
 * Murray's Motorcycle Museum: see Castletown, it's on A5 just before Fairy Bridge.

Do

 * Cinema: Broadway Cinema is midway along the prom. Palace Cinema is north near the Best Western.
 * Villa Marina is the entertainment complex hosting Gaiety Theatre and Broadway Cinema. It also has Dragon's Castle, a children's play area, and hosts tournaments such as darts.
 * TT motorbike races: has the grandstand, paddock and scoreboard. The next TT races are 26 May - 7 June 2025, with practice and qualifying laps over the preceding week.
 * Manx Grand Prix are more races, next held 18-26 Aug 2024.
 * Manx Grand Prix are more races, next held 18-26 Aug 2024.

 * Groudle Glen Railway runs Apr-Oct plus "Santa specials". It's 2 ft / 610 mm gauge, built in 1896 to reach the long-gone zoo and pleasure park. It was scrapped in the 1960s but rebuilt from 1981.
 * Golf: Douglas GC is on Pulrose Rd southwest edge of town. White tees 5922 yards, par 69, visitor round £13.
 * King Edward Bay GC is on Groundle Rd northeast edge of town. White tees 5231 yards, par 67. visitor round £25.
 * Mount Murray GC is at the Comis Hotel southwest along A5, see Sleep.

 * Football:, capacity 3350, is multi-use but mostly for soccer. It's the home ground of FC Isle of Man, who play in the northwest England amateur leagues, and half-a-dozen minor teams. The Isle of Man is regarded as a county within the English FA system and doesn't field a national team, except for occasional beer matches against the likes of Guernsey.
 * Isle of Man Beer & Cider Festival is held in Villa Marina, with the next on 10-12 April 2025.
 * Manx Music Festival is locally known as "The Guild". It's held at Villa Marina, with the next on 26 April - 3 May 2025.
 * Full Moon Festival is a family-friendly music festival, with the next on 27-29 June 2025.
 * Southern Agricultural Show is in July, half a mile south of Fairy Bridge, see Castletown.
 * Food and Drink Festival is in Villa Marina, with the next on 15-16 Sep 2024.
 * Chess tournaments are held at Villa Marina, with the next FIDE event on 20 Oct - 4 Nov 2024.

Buy

 * Tesco is on Lake Rd just south of Douglas Station, open M-Sa 08:00-23:00, Su 09:00-18:00.
 * Farmers Market is held on Regent St, second Saturday of the month Apr-Nov, 10:00-16:00.

Eat

 * Local specialties are Manx Kippers (herring fillets smoked over hot oak chips), Queenies (Manx Queen Scallops) and Loaghtan Lamb (from an unusual horned sheep). Manx Bonnag (or bannock) was traditionally a simple barley bread but is nowadays enriched with dried fruit.

Drink

 * Nag's Head is a trad place just east of Thirsty Pigeon.
 * The Market on Chapel Row near The British is dog-free and food-free.
 * Bar George is a wine bar at 1 Hill St, open M-Th 11:00-23:00, F Sa 11:00-01:30, Su 17:00-23:00.
 * The Original Quids Inn has live music and dancing at 56 Loch Promenade. It's open M-Th 17:00-00:00, F Sa 17:00-01:00, Su 14:30-00:00.
 * Breweries near town are Okells on Old Castletown Rd, Radical Brewing at Fairy Bridge, Bushy's on A5 near Comis Hotel, and Kaneen's on Peel Rd.
 * Distillery: Seven Kingdom is at Banks Circus just south of Douglas Station. They make gin and vodka and offer tours.
 * The Original Quids Inn has live music and dancing at 56 Loch Promenade. It's open M-Th 17:00-00:00, F Sa 17:00-01:00, Su 14:30-00:00.
 * Breweries near town are Okells on Old Castletown Rd, Radical Brewing at Fairy Bridge, Bushy's on A5 near Comis Hotel, and Kaneen's on Peel Rd.
 * Distillery: Seven Kingdom is at Banks Circus just south of Douglas Station. They make gin and vodka and offer tours.
 * Distillery: Seven Kingdom is at Banks Circus just south of Douglas Station. They make gin and vodka and offer tours.

Sleep

 * Booking ahead is always wise, and essential for the TT season.

Further out

 * Pop-up campsites appear for the TT races.
 * Pop-up campsites appear for the TT races.

Stay safe
The Isle of Man is a very safe place but petty crime does occur. Tourists should exercise standard precautions.

Connect
Douglas and its approach roads have 4G from Sure and Manx. As of April 2023, 5G has not rolled out on the Isle of Man.

Go next

 * All of the Isle of Man is within a short drive from Douglas.

 * Castletown the former capital has a castle and the earlier Parliament building.
 * Port St Mary and Port Erin are seaside resorts to the southwest.
 * Peel on the west coast has a castle, cathedral and museums.
 * Laxey has a photogenic waterwheel and is the start of the railway up Snaefell.
 * Ramsey on the northeast coast is a fishing port.

title: Douglas (Isle of Man)


text:
Douglas (North Dakota)

Douglas is a very small town in the Lakes and Gardens area of North Dakota. It has a population of about 64 people. Its elevation is 2,055 feet above sea level.

Understand
Douglas is located north of Lake Sakakawea, about 35 miles south and west of Minot. It is between Max and Ryder on the CPR line.

Get in

 * By car: from Bismarck, travel north on US-83 about 70 miles. About 3 miles past Max, just as you enter Ward County, turn west on two-lane paved road to Douglas, about 9 miles.

Get around
No public transportation is available to, from or in Douglas.

Sleep
There are no public accommodations in Douglas; the nearest are in Minot.

Go next

 * Fort Stevenson State Park is about 20 miles to the south, near Garrison

title: Douglas (North Dakota)


text:
Douglas (Wyoming)

Douglas is a city in Wyoming.

Get in

 * The Converse County Airport

See
Jackalope City. Other attractions of the area are: the Wyoming State Fairgrounds, the Wyoming Pioneer Memorial Museum, Douglas Railroad Interpretive Center, Oregon Trail and Historic Marker, Fort Fetterman, Camp Douglas Prisoner of War Camp, Ayres Natural Bridge, Sir Barton Memorial Statue - the First Triple Crown Winner in the United States, Laramie peak in the medicine Bow National Forest, Esterbrook Recreational Area and Friend Park Campground.

North Platte River provides the perfect backdrop for a number of recreational activities. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the countless canoeing, fishing, swimming and picnicking opportunities afforded in this region. Several scenic hiking and walking trails can also be found nearby.

Do
This area of east central Wyoming is the home of many historic trails rich in their history and rugged scenery. The mountain ranges and foothills offer refuge to elk, bear and deer with herds of antelope foraging on the diverse landscape.

The town of Douglas sits on the banks of the North Platte River, on the path from/to Denver, Colorado, Yellowstone National Park, or the Black Hills of South Dakota.

title: Douglas (Wyoming)


text:
Douglas County

There is more than one place called Douglas County:

United States of America

 * Douglas County (Colorado) - a county in the state of Colorado.
 * Douglas County (Georgia) - a county in the state of Georgia.
 * Douglas County (Illinois) - a county in the state of Illinois.
 * Douglas County (Kansas) - a county in the state of Kansas.
 * Douglas County (Minnesota) - a county in the state of Minnesota.
 * Douglas County (Missouri) - a county in the state of Missouri.
 * Douglas County (Nebraska) - a county in the state of Nebraska.
 * Douglas County (Nevada) - a county in the state of Nevada. See Western Nevada.
 * Douglas County (Oregon) - a county in the state of Oregon.
 * Douglas County (South Dakota) - a county in the state of South Dakota.
 * Douglas County (Washington) - a county in the state of Washington. See Columbia River Plateau.
 * Douglas County (Wisconsin) - a county in the state of Wisconsin.

title: Douglas County


text:
Doune

Doune is a village in Stirlingshire, some 8 miles northwest of Stirling, with a population in 2021 of 2240. The reason to come here is to visit the castle, en route to the Trossachs.

Get in
Dunblane is the nearest railway station, 4½ miles east, but has no onward public transport to Doune - either take a taxi, bike on train, or get off at Stirling for the bus.

McGills Bus 59 runs from Stirling hourly M-Sa (every 2 hours Su) and takes 30 min via Blair Drummond to Doune, continuing to Callander.

Citylink Bus 978 runs daily from Edinburgh, taking 90 min via the airport, Grangemouth and Stirling, and continuing to Callander, Crianlarich, Tyndrum, Dalmally, Taynuilt and Oban. The bus stop for the 978 is by Fir Rd.

Get around
The castle is a short walk from the village.

Taxi: Doune Travel is on +44 7789 430894.

Roots Cycles do sales and repairs but not bike hire. They're at Old Putty Yard near the Coop, open M-W, F Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM.

See

 * or St Aedh's is a picturesque medieval ruin and burial ground. It was run by the priory of Inchmahome on the Lake of Menteith.
 * (pronounced "roo") rises southeast. There's the remains of stone circle and a statue of David Stirling (1915-1990), founder of the SAS.
 * (pronounced "roo") rises southeast. There's the remains of stone circle and a statue of David Stirling (1915-1990), founder of the SAS.

Do

 * Doune and Dunblane Show is an agricultural show and Highland Games, held on the first Saturday in July at Keir Mains, a mile south of Dunblane and 3 miles east of Doune. From M90 terminus jcn 11 take B824 west.
 * Blair Drummond Safari Park is two miles south on A84, see Stirling.
 * Blair Drummond Safari Park is two miles south on A84, see Stirling.

Buy

 * Co-op Food is at the corner of Castlehill Court with Main St. It's open daily 7AM-10PM.

Drink

 * Red Lion is the village pub, see Sleep.

Connect
As of March 2024, Doune and its approach roads have 4G from all UK carriers, though the signal from Three is patchy. 5G has reached the nearby M9 but not the town.

Go next

 * Dunblane for its cathedral.
 * Callander for the Trossachs.
 * Stirling for the imposing castle.

title: Doune


text:
Dourados

Dourados is a city in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, in the Central West region of Brazil.

Get in
Dourados has an airport served by LATAM.

Do

 * Recreational parks and squares

Buy
Dourados has a modern shopping mall with 191 stores and 500 parking spaces.

It is well-served with many other shops, including those selling top Brazilian jeanswear brands such as Forum, Triton and Ellus and the middle-market clothes and homewares store Riachuelo.

On Saturday night and Sunday morning there is a large open-air market (Feira) offering locally produced fruits and vegetables. Pineapples, water melons and bananas are all good and you'll find a wide range of salad and root vegetables alongside Japanese specialities such as radishes and soy cakes.

Eat
There are nightclubs and many restaurants in the city centre which offer a broad range of cuisines including a number of churrascarias (churrasco is most commonly beef, but also lamb and pork, carved at the table from joints on skewers) as well as pizza parlours and numerous places catering to the substantial Japanese community.

At the Feira you will also find restaurants providing Brazilian and Japanese food as well as stalls selling popular local delicacies such as sugar cane juice (caldo de cana), doce de leite (a type of caramel made from milk and sugar and cooked until it is either a thick syrup or it can formed into fudge-like pieces) and cocada (coconut and condensed milk cooked until either sticky or hard).

Go next
Most people come here to organize their trip to the Pantanal.

Many locals make regular trips to the Paraguayan border town of Ponta Porã/Pedro Juan Caballero where they are able to buy relatively low-cost low-duty imported items such as electronic goods, perfumes and designer clothing.

Other options:

 * Campo Grande
 * Corumbá
 * Bonito

title: Dourados


text:
Douro Litoral

Douro Litoral is a subregion in Northern Portugal.

The Douro Litoral is one of the largest and most dynamic Portuguese economic centres, mainly known for wine and the "capital of the North". It is also one of the most cosmopolitan and developed in Portugal.

Cities

 * — a beautiful city on a hill overlooking the bucolic river Tamega
 * — a village with longest suspended pedestrian bridge in the world
 * — a town with several sights of natural beauty
 * — a seaside resort and fishing town
 * — this town used to focus on its port and heavy industry, but now has a popular beach and waterfront, and a fair bit of history
 * — a centre for therapeutic treatments and spas, and has many megalithic monuments, stone settlements and hill forts
 * — Portugal's second city, an industrial hub whose historical centre is a
 * — one of the oldest fishing towns in Portugal, and a beach resort whose large quantities of iodine in the air and seawater are used for healing treatments
 * — an industrial city with an impressive medieval castle
 * — an off-the-beaten-track town long been connected with lace-making
 * — opposite Porto over the Douro river, it is a residential city that is home of cellars of port wine, several shopping centres and some of the best beaches

Understand

Douro Litoral's (DOH-roo lee-too-RAHL, /ˈdo.ɾu ɫi.tu.ˈɾaɫ/) largest population centre is the Porto Metropolitan Area, centred in the city of Porto, an important economic and tourist destination in the country. It includes other important cities such as Matosinhos, Vila Nova de Gaia or Santa Maria da Feira. More inland, the province is sown with small towns and charming villages like Amarante or Arouca and villages forgotten by time, such as Albergaria da Serra, famous for the Frecha da Mizarela Waterfall.

The terrain, as in most of northern Portugal, is generally rugged, including in large cities like Porto, although it is (relatively) flat in some places, such as in the cities of Espinho, Póvoa de Varzim and Vila do Condo.

Get in
Porto is the main hub. Most visitors arrive by plane at Francisco Sá Carneiro International Airport, on the outskirts of Porto in Pedras Rubras. The airport receives frequent flights from the main European cities, as well as from Lisbon and Funchal.

The Express Network is one of the leading companies of short and long distances in Portugal. It serves the entire country, including several cities in the Douro Litoral. You can see schedules on the website. Another useful company is Rodonorte, with connections between several cities in the north and central Portugal.

By car
Several routes lead to the Douro Litoral:
 * Via A1 you can come from Lisbon (Estremadura) to Porto.
 * Via A3 you can come from the Spanish border, in Valença (Minho), to Porto.
 * Via the A4, in a short time, you can come from Bragança (Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro) and Vila Real (Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro) to Matosinhos.
 * Via the A7 you can come from Guimarães (Minho) to Vila do Conde.
 * Via the A11 you can come from Barcelos (Minho), Braga (Minho) and Guimarães (Minho) to Lousada and Vizela.
 * Via the A28 you can come from Viana do Castelo (Minho) to Porto.
 * Via the A29 you can come from Estarreja (Beira Litoral) to Espinho and Vila Nova de Gaia.

By metro
The Metro do Porto is a modern and efficient subway system. It has five lines, which cover the centre of Porto and some neighboring cities, including Vila Nova de Gaia, served by the yellow line, Matosinhos, served by the line blue, Maia, served by the green line, and Vila do Conde/Póvoa de Varzim, served by the orange line.

By train
The Alfa-pendular, coming from Braga, enters the Douro Litoral and stops in the cities of Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia and Espinho. Intercidades, coming from Vizela, stops in Santo Tirso, Trofa, Ermesinde, Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia and Espinho. The Regional has many stops in the Douro Litoral, the most important of which are: Santo Tirso, Penafiel, Paredes, Amarante, Marco de Canaveses, Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Espinho, Santa Maria da Feira and São João da Madeira.

By car
Mmost of the region's roads depart from Porto. All or almost all roads are in good condition. There is only significant traffic in Porto and in some of the larger cities, such as Póvoa de Varzim and Vila do Conde. The rest of the roads and motorways have few cars, and it is easy to get around within the province.

By bus
The STCP (Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto) has several lines in the city of Oporto and lines for Matosinhos, Leca da Palmeira, Maia, Gondomar and Vila Nova de Gaia.

Historical monuments
Throughout the country, with the possible exception of the Algarve, the main attraction is the historical heritage. The Douro Litoral is no exception to the rule, with beautiful historic villages and imposing monuments, most of which are concentrated in the historic center of Porto.

The historic centre of Porto is the most popular historical attraction in this region, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Every year, thousands of visitors come to its numerous attractions such as the Torre and Igreja dos Clérigos, a symbol of the city, famous for its extravagant Baroque style, from the top of which there is an unrivaled view of the city. Other attractions are the Sé do Porto, an imposing Roman-Gothic cathedral with a baroque portal, rising in the heart of the old city of Porto, the Palácio da Bolsa, the city's old stock exchange, with a spectacular mix of styles and famous for its extravagance, and its Arab Hall. The São Francisco Church, the only completely Gothic church in the city, is famous for the 600 kg of gold that decorate its interior. Of the 6 bridges over the Douro River, the most famous are the Ponte D. Luís I and Ponte D. Maria Pia, both built by Théophile Seyrig, Gustave Eiffel's partner, Livraria Lello. It is considered the 3rd most beautiful in the world by the British newspaper The Guardian. Avenida dos Aliados, in downtown Porto, has magnificent neoclassical buildings and is dominated by the Porto City Council. São Bento Station, with its wonderful tiles, has been restored.

Also on the outskirts of Porto you can find some historical attractions, such as the Monastery of Leça do Balio, a beautiful building in Roman-Gothic style, an example of fortified religious architecture. It has one of the most beautiful Roman-Gothic churches in the country.

Other important monuments of the region can be found in the city of Amarante, famous for the Monastery of São Gonçalo, point of pilgrimage, where the tomb of São Gonçalo de Amarante can be found. It is one of the most imposing monuments in the north of the country, founded in 1540 in a mannerist style. Another major attraction of the city is the Ponte de São Gonçalo, over the bucolic River Tâmega, famous for the heroic Defense of the Bridge of Amarante, during the French Invasions.

Santa Maria da Feira is famous for its medieval castle, one of the most famous in Portugal and prior to Portuguese independence. It is considered as one of the most complete examples of Portuguese medieval military architecture, since it contains the wide range of defensive elements used in the period. Every year, on the edge of the castle, there is a busy medieval fair.

After Porto, the largest city in the region is Póvoa de Varzim - Vila do Conde, which despite being separate cities work as one, and it is difficult to say where one begins and another ends. Vila do Conde has a special interest in its historic centre, with very beautiful monuments, such as the Manueline Mother Church, with Gothic and Renaissance elements and beautiful gilded woodwork, and the Santa Clara Convent, a true landmark of the city, of which the imposing Gothic church and part of the convent building, rebuilt in the 18th century.

If you are a fan of the Romanesque, take the Romanesque Route of Vale de Sousa. The route includes 21 monuments, and on the website you can create a route of your own or take a route of 1, 2 or 4 days (complete route). Among the most notable monuments are the Monastery of Santa Maria de Pombeiro de Ribavizela, representative of the way in which the conventual orders were installed at that time, which contains magnificent Romanesque sculptures and a beautiful rose window, the Church of São Vicente de Sousa, consecrated in 1214, with a single nave and a Romanesque steeple, the Torre de Vilar, in the municipality of Lousada, a stately residence of the Domus Fortis type, rare in Portugal, the Monastery of São Pedro de Ferreira, an amazing work of architecture, with ornamental motifs from various regions, the Monastery of São Pedro de Cete, founded in the 10th century and built a little later, the Monastery of Salvador de Paço de Sousa, where Egas Moniz is buried, in whose tomb is recorded the legendary trip to Toledo, in which he offered his life for the lack of fulfillment of the word of King Afonso Henriques, the Church of São Pedro de Abragão, built by D. Mafalda, and the Church of the Saviour of Cabeça Santa, where the relic of Santo Tirso is preserved.

Castros
Castro de Laundos is an old fort at the top of a 200-m-hill, believed to be an outpost of Cividade de Terroso. The discovery that most distinguished the castro was the discovery, inside a house, of a clay cup, which contained two gold collections and a low-grade silver cake. The Castro contains a series of ruins of houses, and has a beautiful view of the region.

Cividade de Terroso, located 153 m high, at the top of Monte da Cividade, is more notable than the Laundos castro, and the ruins of a group of houses and the castro walls can be seen. The city prospered because it was strongly walled and because of the proximity to the sea, which allowed trade with other peoples.

Castro de Monte Mozinho, also known as the Dead City of Penafiel, is an old fortified village of 20 ha that was occupied until the Middle Ages. You can see the collection removed from the site at the Municipal Museum of Penafiel and at the National Museum of Archeology in Lisbon.

Nature
In addition to the historical heritage, another major Portuguese attraction is nature. However, the Douro Litoral, being a very urbanized area, has few natural parks or nature of any kind. An exception to the rule is Frecha da Mizarela, in the parish of Albergaria da Serra, one of the highest waterfalls in Portugal and Europe, at 75 m. It is in the middle of a mountainous landscape, with a peaceful and rural atmosphere. Another natural attraction is the Parque Biológico de Gaia, a protected reserve on the outskirts of Vila Nova de Gaia. It presents an enormous biodiversity, but also organizes a variety of ludic-pedagogical actions, making it popular with children and nature lovers.

Contemporary monuments
The Douro Litoral also contains some modern monuments, concentrated in large urban centres such as Porto. Many are the work of internationally recognized artists, such as the architect Rem Koolhas and the sculpture Janet Echelman.

Porto is where the largest concentration of these monuments. The most famous of these monuments is, without a doubt, the Casa da Música, designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhas. Built for Porto European Capital of Culture 2001, it was completed in 2005, becoming one of the main attractions of the city and internationally acclaimed. It is in one of the busiest roundabouts in the city, Boavista. Still in the city of Porto, another famous monument is She Changes, better known as The Anemone, designed by sculptor Janet Echelman. Designed to reflect the fishing and industrial heritage of the cities of Porto and Matosinhos, it consists of three steel poles, cables, a 20-ton steel ring and a network of various densities and colours. It is located by the sea, in Praça Cidade Salvador.

Outside Porto you can find some more contemporary monuments of interest. One of them is the Mother Church of Marco de Canaveses, designed by the prominent Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. Commissioned in 1990, it is one of the architect's best-known works. It stands out in the landscape, rising, bench and shiny, with its straight lines and smooth surfaces.

Culture
Throughout the province, there are museums, theatres, operas and other cultural facilities. The best known in Porto, and probably in the north too, is the Serralves Foundation, a museum of contemporary art included in a vast park. It is an international reference, with current works, generally since the 1960s, by artists such as Helena Almeida, Eduardo Batarda, René Bértholo, Christian Boltanski, Ana Hatherly, Álvaro Lapa, Cildo Meireles, Gerhard Richter, Richard Serra, Robert Smithson, and Ângelo de Sousa. Equally important is the Soares dos Reis National Museum, with a beautiful collection of sculpture, including "The Desterrado of Soares dos Reis". It also has a great collection of painting and decorative arts. Also of interest are the Carro Eléctrico museums, in the old thermo-electric power station, with a large collection, the Portuguese Photography Centre, near the Torre dos Clérigos in the old building of the Cadeia da Relação, with a good photographic collection, the Museu dos Transportes e Comunicações, in Alfândega Nova, including a beautiful collection that shows the evolution of the car, and the Museum of Port Wine, on the banks of the Douro River, which shows its importance in the development of the city. In addition to museums, you can also enjoy a show at the Coliseu do Porto (with a little bit of everything, including circus, dance, opera, theater, concerts) or at Casa da Música (with a variety of musical shows, from concerts to jazz sessions.

Also in Santa Maria da Feira there are some important museums. One of them is the Santa Maria de Lamas Museum, which contains a huge collection, with art pieces of all kinds, including entire chapels. However, the most famous is without a doubt the Visionarium, in the Europarque. It is an interactive museum, which is part of the Ciência Viva Centers network. With the use of the most varied technologies, its visitors can explore the Discoveries in the domains of Earth, Matter, Universe, Life and Information.

In São João da Madeira you can visit the Museum of Chapelaria, the only one in the Iberian Peninsula dedicated to the hat. It is located in what remains of the most important Portuguese hat factory, with its collection countless industrial machines and tools used in the manufacture of hats, as well as a collection of hats

The main contemporary art museum in the province, after the Serralves Foundation, can be found in the city of Amarante: the Amadeo de Souza-Cardozo Museum, installed in the São Gonçalo monastery. It has a vast collection of drawing, painting and sculpture, including works by the most important Portuguese artists. It also includes some temporary exhibitions.

Other
One of the main attractions of the region are the Port Wine Cellars, in Vila Nova de Gaia. In the Vila Nova de Gaia riverside area there are many wine companies, such as Taylor's, Calem, and Sandeman. It is a good opportunity to learn more about one of the greatest riches in the north of the country, showing you the process that wine goes through, that spends years aging in barrels, what types of wines you can find, and much more. At the end of the visit, many companies offer a wine tasting. Several operators arrange visits, but in some, like those in Calem, you can just show up and buy a ticket.

Events

 * Feasts of St. John: The most popular event in the region is probably São João do Porto, which takes place on 23-24 June. It is one of the great popular festivals in the country, together with Santo António de Lisboa, and attracts thousands of people to the streets of the historic center of Porto. It is a very traditional party, highlighting the famous plastic hammers, used to hit the heads of people passing by and the pots of basil with popular verses, as well as the traditional firework at midnight, next to the Dom Luís bridge I. In addition, there are several popular festivals, in more traditional neighbourhoods such as Miragaia, making the night even more lively. The party lasts until four or five in the morning, when most people return home.
 * One of the most realistic Medieval Fairs in the country takes place in Santa Maria da Feira, in late July and early August. During some days the city goes back in time, and episodes of Portuguese and regional history are often recreated, such as the expulsion of the Templars and the taking of the castle of Santa Maria da Feira. If you want, you can even buy clothes at a "medieval" store.
 * In Amarante, the main festival is the Pilgrimage of São Gonçalo, which takes place on the first weekend of June. The city's visiting card, it is celebrated in honor of São Gonçalo, a matchmaker saint whose cult is associated with fertility and who lived in Amarante. It is customary for single women to embrace the saint and ask him for a husband. At the same time, there is an annual fair, a fest. An annual fair, a folklore festival, a competition for drums, bullfights, livestock competitions, a festival and fireworks are held simultaneously.

Casinos
In this region are two of the most famous Portuguese casinos: Espinho and Póvoa de Varzim. The great advantage of these casinos is the beach, on the edge of which they are located, and the prestige they enjoy. The Espinho Casino is 17 km from the city of Porto. It organizes a wide variety of events: fashion shows, banquets, exhibitions, etc. In addition to the casino games, there are also several shows, with renowned artists such as Mariza and Rui Veloso. 30 km from Porto is Casino da Póvoa, or "Casino do Norte", an old casino from the 1930s full of glamour, with great comfort and security. It has a great restaurant and a variety of games. Like the Casino de Espinho, it presents several shows.

Beaches
There is some kind of beach on almost the entire Douro Litoral coast. Among the most popular is Praia da Granja, located in the parish of São Félix da Marinha , which had great prestige in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, however, it remains one of the best beaches in northern Portugal. Espinho has some of the best beaches on the Portuguese coast, one of its main attractions, along with the casino. The cozy white sand beach is popular with surfers, professionals and amateurs. Also famous are the beaches of Póvoa de Varzim and Vila do Conde, with an extensive sandy area very well organized with typical awnings and several wooden bars. Along the entire beach there is a promenade, perfect for cycling or walking. On the beach there are multiple beach supports for swimmers.

title: Douro Litoral