text:
Ferndale (Washington)

Ferndale is a city in the North Cascades region of Washington State, North of Bellingham on I-5.

By air
The closest commercial airport is in Bellingham.

By car
Ferndale is right along Interstate 5.

Get around

 * Bus routes serving Ferndale:
 * Route 26 from Bellingham. In Ferndale, it makes a clockwise loop around the city. Operates daily through the day.
 * Route 75, which stops at Ferndale Station, a bus exchange, on its way between Blaine and Bellingham. Operates Monday to Saturday.

title: Ferndale (Washington)


text:
Fernie

Fernie is a town of 5,200 people (2016) in British Columbia that is fully encircled by the Rocky Mountains. It began as a mining town, but its location in the Canadian Rockies has led to the development of the Fernie Alpine Resort (FAR). Fernie is renowned for its powder skiing and snowboarding - the resort receives an average of 875 cm of snow per year!

Understand
Fernie lies on the Elk River, along Canada's southernmost east-west transportation corridor through the Rockies that crosses the range via the Crowsnest Pass, 40 km (25 miles) to the east.

History
The vast Crowsnest Coal Field lies just to the east of the city, and Fernie owes its origins to 19th-century prospector William Fernie, who established the coal industry that continues to exist. Fernie founded the Crows Nest Pass Coal Company in 1897 and established a temporary encampment near Coal Creek. The Canadian Pacific Railway arrived in the valley the following year, and a townsite emerged parallel to the railway line slightly north of the initial encampment, or "Old Town". A war-time internment camp was set up at rented premises in Fernie from June 1915 to October 1918.

Underground coal mines were dug 10 km away from the townsite in the narrow Coal Creek valley and until 1960 a small satellite community was known as Coal Creek stood adjacent to them. A variety of other mines were sunk into the coal fields in a 50-km radius in the following two decades. No mining was ever carried out in Fernie proper; coking of Coal Creek coal was carried out at the townsite, but otherwise, the town developed into an administrative and commercial centre for the burgeoning industry. Forestry played a smaller role in the local economy and a local brewery produced Fernie Beer from Brewery Creek (mountain spring water).

Like most single-industry towns, Fernie endured several boom-and-bust cycles throughout the 20th century, generally tied to the global price of coal. The mines at Coal Creek closed permanently by 1960 and the focus of mining activity shifted to Michel and Natal about 25 km upriver, which sat on a more productive portion of the Crowsnest Coal Field. Fernie would remain an important residential base for mine labour. Today, Teck Resources operates all five open-pit mines, shipping out unit trains (often with more than 100 cars) along the Canadian Pacific Railway through Fernie to the Roberts Bank Superport in Delta on the Pacific coast.

Architectural heritage
After a disastrous fire levelled much of the downtown core in 1904, the municipal government passed an ordinance requiring all buildings in the area to be built of 'fireproof' materials like brick and stone. Consequently, a new city centre rose from the ashes sporting brick buildings along broad avenues. They were short-lived, however, as a second, larger inferno swept through the city on August 1, 1908. Whipped up by sudden winds, a nearby forest fire burnt its way into a lumber yard on the edge of the community and sparked a Dresden-style firestorm that melted brick and mortar and essentially erased the entire city in an afternoon. There were few casualties however and for a second time, a stately brick downtown core rose from the ashes. Today, these historic buildings, most of which still stand, are a treasured and distinctive feature of the community.

Climate
Warm summer days, cool summer nights along with cold and snowy winters. Influenced by chinook winds and being to the west of the continent, Fernie's winters are mild for its latitude in North America, although the climate is a lot more continental than coastal British Columbia.

Get in
The closest airports to Fernie are Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport (YXC) and Calgary (YYC). Cranbrook receives mostly domestic flights (Vancouver, Calgary, Kelowna), but also some international charter flights. Shuttles to Fernie from these airports run regularly but can be expensive.

Get around
Everything in the town is within walking distance. There are a few options for getting from town to the resort and vice versa.

By public transit

 * BC Transit also operates Health Connections trips. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. The trips are open to all members of the public, but as "Health Connections" trips, people traveling to medical appointments receive priority for reservations. Operates trips two days per week between Elkford and Cranbrook with stops in Sparwood and Fernie. Travel time between Cranbrook and Fernie is 1 to 1.25 hours.
 * BC Transit also operates Health Connections trips. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. The trips are open to all members of the public, but as "Health Connections" trips, people traveling to medical appointments receive priority for reservations. Operates trips two days per week between Elkford and Cranbrook with stops in Sparwood and Fernie. Travel time between Cranbrook and Fernie is 1 to 1.25 hours.

By hitchhiking

 * Hitchhiking is an accepted way to get to and from the resort. Getting a ride is usually very easy. For trips up the mountain, wait at the metal post known as the 'hitching post' on the highway past the bridge to West Fernie. For trips down, wait at the intersection below the resort centre. Police are fine with hitching from these areas but dislike people hitching within city limits.

Winter sports
During winter months, skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, telemarking and whatever else takes your fancy are the focus of the entire town.

Hiking
There are numerous hikes in the area. A map is available that shows the area hiking and biking trails.

Budget

 * Camp at Mount Fernie Provincial Park (see listing in "Do" section)

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

title: Fernie


text:
Fernley

Fernley is a city in Nevada located along Interstate 80 about 30 miles east of Reno. Fernley was best known in the United States as "that place most Amazon.com stuff ships from" due to the large depot the town had before Amazon moved their operations to Reno itself.

By car
From Reno: Take the I-80 east.

By plane
is the nearest airport, though it doesn't seem to have commercial flights through to it.

is the nearest major airport with commercial flights available.

Gambling
Fernley has a few opportunities to gamble.

Go next
Reno- 80 West, home to casinos and is the "Biggest Little City In The World." About 35 minutes away.

Carson City- Alt 50 West to 50 West. About 1 hour away.

Fallon- Alt 50 East to 50 East. About 30 minutes away.

title: Fernley


text:
Ferrara

Ferrara is a city in Italy. Together with the nearby delta of the Po river, Ferrara has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Understand

Although it certainly has a thriving tourism industry, Ferrara is not on the typical foreign tourist's itinerary, which makes it perfect for those tourists who want to get off the beaten path of Venice-Florence-Rome and soak in some authentic northern Italian culture. It's characterized by twisting medieval cobblestoned streets, a Duomo (cathedral) with a looming Gothic façade, and—best of all—a castle straight out of storybooks, complete with towers, moat, and drawbridges (that you can cross during the day).

Thanks to the d'Este family of astute art patrons, Ferrara contains many beautiful objects de arte, but the genuine masterpiece is the city itself. Half medieval, half Renaissance, the dual cityscape was the vision of oligarch Ercole d'Este, who hired architect Biagio Rossetti to seamlessly meld the newer section to the old. This careful planning earned Ferrara the title of Italy's first "modern city." Today, its captivating, anachronistic ambience is best explored on foot or by bicycle.

Touring the sites will occupy a day, but after that the best way to experience Ferrara is to relax at one (or several) of its cafes and enjoy la vita italiana going on around you.

By train
The easiest option. Ferrara is on the line that runs from Florence to Bologna to Venice, and thus makes an easy day trip on your travels to the more heavily touristy sites.

By car

 * Autostrada A13 Italia.svg A13 motorway Bologna-Padova, exit Ferrara Nord or Ferrara Sud.
 * Strada Statale 16 Italia.svg highway strada statale 16 Adriatica
 * Strada Statale 64 Italia.svg highway strada statale 64 Porrettana

By coach

 * Flixbus.

Get around
Take your cue from the locals and rent a bike (at the train station, near the Duomo or interurban companies). Everyone bikes in Ferrara—old ladies in fur coats, mothers and fathers each with a babyseat on the back, studentessas in skirts and stillettos, even the police officers themselves. It's really the most convenient way to get around this city made up of a twisting maze of cobblestone streets.

Mi Muovo is an integrated public transport pass for the region. Short-stay visitors might use "Mi Muovo Multibus", a 12-trip bus ticket, see Emilia Romagna.

See
Ferrara is one of a few provincial centres in Italy (along with Lucca, Bergamo and Grosseto) where city walls were remained mostly intact. The most of the attractions of the city are inside its almost 9 km city walls.

Do
Take a stroll or a bike ride around the walls, either on the path that runs on top, or on the sidewalks in the park that runs around nearly the entire circumference. Good access at the end of Corso Ercole d'Este or of Via Quartieri.

Buy

 * Ferrara is a fairly well-to-do northern Italian city and predictably has a good number of clothing shops, ranging from budget-fashion Zara to small, expensive boutiques. The main shopping districts are Via Mazzini (the street leading from Piazza Trento-Trieste where the campanile and Mel Books is) and Via Garibaldi (the street leading from inside the Palazzo Municipio), as well as the whole center of the city around the Castello.
 * Every Saturday morning there is an open-air market set up in Piazza Trento-Trieste with a changing weekly theme—ranging from furniture to antiques to clothes to food and produce. One night a week the same piazza is devoted to an open-air candy market.
 * Stop by Ferrara Frutta (the best one is on the very end of Via Garibaldi), a co-op that sells fresh local produce of excellent quality for very low prices.

Eat
In Italian, a "piadina" is the type of pressed, flatbread sandwich that is known in the United States as the "panini." Actual "panini" (singular "panino") are merely normal sandwiches.
 * Panini and Piadine

In Italy it is customary for each person to order a whole pizza for him or herself. The crusts are thin, so one pizza is almost exactly enough for a filling dinner for one person. Generally cheaper than a full-course meal, perfect for students.
 * Pizza

Do not leave Ferrara without trying its trademark cappellacci di zucca (round pasta stuffed with squash/pumpkin), either "al burro e salvia" (with butter and sage) or "al ragu" (with meat sauce).
 * Pasta

Chinese restaurants are mediocre, but
 * International fare
 * Indian restaurant on Via Garibaldi is in fact quite good, even by non-Italy standards.

Drink

 * The Piazza - If you're in Ferrara on a fair Wednesday night, do yourself a favor and go out to the main piazza. There you will find every young person in the city (and some older ones too) out socializing at the piazza in front of the looming Duomo façade with beer in hand (acquired at Settimo or Bar del Duomo for €2-4). An experience not to be missed.

Sleep

 * Casa degli Artisti - Respectable pensione located at Via Della Vittoria 66, a cobblestoned side street just off Via Mazzini. Clean, serviceable rooms at economic rates (€25-30 per night), but beware of the curfew.  No guests allowed upstairs.
 * Hotel San Girolamo dei Gesuiti - A renovated monastery at Via Madama 40/a, around the corner from the main section of the university, a pleasant 5-10 minute walk from the central piazza. Friendly and available service, complimentary breakfast as well as an attached restaurant, and the rooms are simple but lovely and clean.  Well worth the price at €42/night for a single, €78/night for a double.
 * Hotel San Girolamo dei Gesuiti - A renovated monastery at Via Madama 40/a, around the corner from the main section of the university, a pleasant 5-10 minute walk from the central piazza. Friendly and available service, complimentary breakfast as well as an attached restaurant, and the rooms are simple but lovely and clean.  Well worth the price at €42/night for a single, €78/night for a double.

title: Ferrara


text:
Ferries in the Mediterranean

This page gives an overview of ferry services in the Mediterranean, including associated seas such as the Adriatic, Black Sea and Sea of Marmara. It provides only basic details, with more detail on the "Get in" pages of the relevant ports. Ferry frequencies referred to are for "shoulder season" of late spring / early autumn; obviously there are fewer in winter and more in the summer holiday season. See also the Ferryhopper Aferry, Ferries.gr and Direct Ferry websites, which give operators, times and fares for all but the most local routes.

Lots of people nowadays fly, but ferries remain an important part of Mediterranean life, especially for small islands that can't support an airport. Trucks use them, to shift stuff that is too bulky to fly yet too small for a freighter consignment, and islanders depend upon them. The fastest ferries are hydrofoils for foot-passengers only, but these are prone to cancellation in bad weather, and may not sail in winter. Conventional ships are slower but carry vehicles and sail year-round. Those that sail overnight have restaurants, bars and cabin accommodation, cramped but clean. They're a great way to travel and a link to classical times: Theseus and Ulysses would have disliked the throb and stink of diesel ships, but they would share that feeling of going up on deck in the morning to see a port appearing out of the mist, with its palm trees, towers and public buildings slowly coming into focus, and a new land opening its portals to the wayfarer.

Alboran Sea
The Strait of Gibraltar, which divides Europe from North Africa and connects the Med with the Atlantic, is only 14 km across at its narrowest point. Fast catamaran and hydrofoil ferries cross in 40 min, larger conventional vessels take barely 90 min. On the European side the main port is in Spain: this has sailings every couple of hours to  the Spanish North African exclave, and to  in Morocco, the ferry port for the city of Tangier 40 km west. Ferries also sail from Tarifa (10 km SW of Algeciras) to Tangier city, shown as "Tanger Ville" on timetables.

Gibraltar no longer has ferries to Morocco: better relations with Spain mean it's simpler to cross the land border and sail via Algeciras.

The Med east of the Strait is called the "Alboran Sea", and the Spanish ports are Malaga, and. Ferries sail daily from Malaga and Almeria to the Spanish North African exclave of (6 hr), and also from Almeria to Nador in Morocco 20 km south of Melilla. From Motril they sail to in Morocco (once a week, 6 hr), and to Tanger MED (daily, 8 hr).

There are ferries once a week from Sète near Montpellier in France to Tanger MED (42 hr) and Nador (39 hr).

For Algeria, ferries sail from Almeria to Oran (twice a week, 6 hr), and once a month to Ghazaouet near the Moroccan border (8 hr).

West Med
The Balearic Islands are a Spanish archipelago 100-300 km east of Valencia. Ibiza (Eivissa) lies closest to the mainland, then Mallorca is the largest with its ports at Palma and Alcudia. Furthest east is Menorca with its ports at Mahon and Ciutadella. See the individual island pages for inter-island ferries. The Spanish mainland ferry ports are Dénia, Valencia and Barcelona.

Dénia has daily ferries to Ibiza taking two hours; in summer these continue to the nearby island of Formentera, otherwise travel via Ibiza. Another ferry sails daily from Dénia to Mallorca, 5 hours. Valencia has daily ferries to Ibiza (5-6 hr) which continue to Mallorca (9 hr). In summer there is a weekly ferry from Toulon in France to Menorca (12 hr) and Mallorca (15 hr).

Valencia also has a ferry to Mostaganem in Algeria, 100 km east of Oran (three a week, 15 hr).

Barcelona is a major mainland port, with daily ferries taking 6 hours to Mallorca, 9 hours to Ibiza and 9 hours to Menorca. Other destinations are:
 * - Civitavecchia 40 km north of Rome (daily, 20 hr).
 * - Genoa (twice a week, 20 hr) and occasionally to Savona 30 km west.
 * - Porto Torres on Sardinia (twice a week, 12 hr).
 * - Tanger MED 40 km east of Tangier (three times a week, 29 hr).
 * - Nador in Morocco (once a week, 28 hr).
 * - Oran in Algeria (once a month, 16 hr).

Algiers is the capital city of Algeria. It has ferries to Marseille two or three times a week (21 hr).

Algeria can also be reached via Barcelona-Oran, Valencia-Mostaganem, Almeria-Oran and Almeria-Ghazaouet as above.

North Med and Ligurian Sea
The mainland ports are Sète, Marseille, Toulon and Nice in France, and Savona, Genoa, Livorno and Piombino in Italy.

Sète (near Montpellier) has ferries once a week to Tanger MED (42 hr) and Nador (39 hr) in Morocco.

Marseille is the biggest port on the French Med coast, with ferries to Corsica, Algeria and Tunisia. See that city's page for the little ferries and boat trips that ply to the nearby islands, imaginatively called Les Îles, such as Chateau d'If. The long-distance routes are:
 * - For Corsica, to Ajaccio and Bastia (both daily, 11 hr).
 * - For Algeria, to Algiers (2 or 3 a week, 21 hr) and Oran (once a week, 25 hr), and occasionally to Skikda and Béjaïa.
 * - For Tunisia, to Tunis (twice a week, 23 hr).

Toulon is better known as a naval base, but it also has ferries to Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics.
 * - For Corsica, to Ajaccio and Bastia (both daily, 11 hr) and L'Île-Rousse (once a week, 8 hr).
 * - For Sardinia, to Porto Torres (once a week, 15 hr)
 * - For Mallorca, to Alcudia (twice a week, 15 hr); and for Menorca to Mahon (twice a week, 11 hr).

Nice has ferries to Bastia on Corsica (weekends, 6 hr) and occasionally to Ajaccio or L'Île-Rousse. The advantage of the Nice-Bastia route is that budget flights to Corsica have a short summer season, whereas budget flights to Nice are year-round and then it's a simple daytime crossing to reach Corsica.

Savona has ferries to Barcelona (once a week, 17 hr), Bastia (daily, 9 hr) and Tanger MED (once a week, 23 hr).

Genoa has ferries to Barcelona (twice a week, 21 hr), Olbia and Porto Torres in Sardinia (summer only, 11 hr), Palermo (daily, 19 hr), Tanger MED (twice a week, 49 hr), Tunis (23 hr) and occasionally to Skikda in Algeria.

Livorno has daily ferries to Bastia on Corsica (4 hr) and to Olbia and Golfo Aranci on Sardinia (7-8 hr); and to Palermo (3 a week, 19 hr).

Piombino 70 km south of Livorno has ferries to Elba.

Tyrrhenian Sea
The Tyrrhenian Sea is bounded to the east by mainland Italy, to the west by Corsica and Sardinia, to the north by the Tuscan Isles, and to the south by Sicily.

80 km northwest of Rome has ferries to Barcelona, Sardinia, Palermo, and Tunis.
 * - To Barcelona daily, 20 hr.
 * - For Sardinia to Olbia (daily June-Sept, 8 hr), Cagliari (daily, 13 hr) and Porto Torres (twice a week, 7 hr).
 * - For Sicily to Palermo or to Termini Imerese, 40 km further east (both once a week, 19 hr).
 * - To Tunis twice a week, 19 hr.

has ferries to Ischia, Capri, Sardinia, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands.
 * - Via the island of Procida to Ischia (frequent, 1 hr), also to Sorrento (40 min) and in summer to Positano.
 * - To Capri several daily (45 min), but it's usually reached by the more frequent 20-min ferry from Sorrento.
 * - To Cagliari on Sardinia twice a week (13 hr).
 * - In summer daily to the Aeolian Islands of Stromboli (5 hr) and Lipari (7 hr). These may also call at Panarea, Salina and Vulcano, but no longer continue to Milazzo on Sicily.
 * - To Palermo (daily, 12 hr), also to Termini Imerese once a week.

has ferries to Sicily, Malta and Tunis.
 * - For Sicily daily to Messina (9 hr) and Catania (13 hr), and twice a week to Palermo (10 hr).
 * - To Valletta on Malta (once a week, 26 hr).
 * - To Tunis twice a week (26 hr).

on Sicily has frequent ferries round the clock across the Strait to the toe of Italy, taking under 30 min to Villa San Giovanni and Reggio DC. There's also a daily ferry to Salerno taking 9 hr.

Milazzo 30 km west of Messina is the main port for reaching the Aeolian Islands. Ferries run first to Vulcano and Lipari, then either west to Salina, Filicudi and Alicudi, or north to Panarea and Stromboli; they no longer continue to Naples. At Stromboli make sure to get off in the right place: there's no road between its two ports but a very active volcano.

, the capital of Sicily, has ferries to Ustica, the Aeolian Islands, Sardinia, Civitavecchia, Genoa, Livorno, Naples and Tunis.
 * - To the island of Ustica twice a day (90 min).
 * - In summer a daily circuit of the Aeolian Islands, eg 4 hr to Lipari.
 * - To Cagliari on Sardinia (once a week, 15 hr).
 * - For mainland Italy, to Salerno (twice a week, 10 hr), Naples (daily, 12 hr), Civitavecchia (once a week, 19 hr), Livorno (three a week, 19 hr) and Genoa (daily, 19 hr).
 * - There are also sailings from Termini Imerese 40 km east of Palermo to Civitavecchia and Naples.
 * - To Tunis twice a week (11 hr).

Trapani on the western tip of Sicily has ferries to the islands of Favignana, Marettimo and Pantelleria.

Round the corner: a few ports are convenient to mention here although they're not on the Tyrrhenian Sea, namely Catania and Pozzallo in Sicily, the islands of Linosa, Lampedusa and Malta, and Tunisia. Likewise Sardinia and Corsica have only their east coast on that sea but their other ports' routes are described below.

Catania on Sicily's east coast beneath Mount Etna has ferries to Salerno as above. There's a weekly ferry to Malta taking 7 hr, but it's better to take the daily 90-min ferry from Pozzallo near the south tip of Sicily. This sometimes has a connecting bus to Catania.

Porto Empedocle on the south coast near Agrigento has a ferry three times a week via Linosa to Lampedusa (10 hr).

, the capital of Malta, has ferries to Pozzallo, Catania and Salerno as above. At Cirkewwa at the north tip of Malta, a frequent ferry sails to the smaller island of Gozo, 45 min. There are no ferries from Malta to North Africa.

is the capital of Tunisia and nowadays its only ferry port. Tunis doesn't lie on the Tyrrhenian Sea but the routes cross those waters: to Marseille (twice a week, 23 hr), Livorno (once a week, 23 hr), Civitavecchia (twice a week, 19 hr), Salerno (twice a week, 26 hr) and Palermo (twice a week, 11 hr).

Sfax 240 km south of Tunis no longer has ferries to Europe, just the 90-min ferry to Mellita, linked by causeway to Sharqi and Kraten islands.

, the chief city of Sardinia, has ferries to Palermo (once a week, 13 hr), Civitavecchia (daily, 13 hr) and Naples (twice a week, 15 hr).

Olbia on the northeast coast of Sardinia has ferries to Civitavecchia (daily June-Sept, 8 hr), Genoa (daily, 12 hr) and Livorno (daily, 11 hr).

Porto Torres near Sassari on the northwest coast has ferries to Toulon (once a week, 15 hr) and Genoa (daily, 12 hr), which don't ply the Tyrrhenian Sea. It also has a weekly ferry to Ajaccio on Corsica, and this is the only way you can take a vehicle across. In summer a foot-passenger ferry also crosses the Strait daily between Santa Teresa Gallura on Sardinia and Bonifacio on Corsica, taking an hour.

is the chief city of Corsica. It has ferries to Porto Torres as above, and daily to Marseille (12 hr), Nice (7 hr) and Toulon (9 hr). There are also sailings to Marseille and Porto Torres from Propriano 20 km south of Ajaccio. Porto Vecchio on the southeast coast of Corsica no longer has ferries.

Bastia on the northeast coast of Corsica has ferries to Marseille (daily, 13 hr), Nice (weekends, 6 hr), Genoa (three a week, 10 hr) and Livorno (daily, 4 hr).

L'Île-Rousse 45 km west of Bastia has ferries to Marseille (three a week, 13 hr) and Toulon (weekends, 7 hr). Nearby Calvi no longer has ferries.

Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is bounded to the west by Italy, with the ports of Venice, Cesenatico, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi; Pescara and Trieste no longer have ferry services. It's bounded to the east by Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia (which has a short coastline but no ports) and Albania.

has ferries to Slovenia, Croatia and Greece; see the city page for ferries around the Venetian islands.
 * - for Slovenia, to Piran (once a week, 2 hr 30 min).
 * - for Croatia, to Rovinj (daily 3 hr), Porec (daily 4 hr), Pula (May-Sept, 3 hr 30 min), and Umag (weekends Jun-Aug, 3 hr 30 min).
 * - for Greece, to Igoumenitsa (three a week, 26 hr) which continue to Patras (33 hr).

Cesenatico has occasional summer ferries to Croatia, all taking about 3 hr, to Mali Losinj, Novalja, Rab and Rovinj.

has ferries to Croatia, Albania and Greece.
 * - for Croatia, to Zadar (Jun-Sept two or more a week, 9 hr; https://www.jadrolinija.hr/) and Split (three a week, 11 hr; https://www.jadrolinija.hr/).
 * - for Albania, to Durrës (three a week, 15 hr; https://www.adriaferries.com/).
 * - for Greece, to Corfu (three a week, 15 hr), Igoumenitsa (daily, 17 hr) and Patras (daily, 24 hr).

has ferries to Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Greece.
 * - for Croatia, to Dubrovnik (once a week, 11 hr; https://www.jadrolinija.hr/) and Split (once a week; https://www.jadrolinija.hr/).
 * - for Montenegro, to Bar (once or twice a week, 11 hr).
 * - for Albania, to Durrës (daily, 10 hr; https://www.adriaferries.com/).
 * - for Greece, to Igoumenitsa (daily, 9 hr), Corfu (Jun-Aug daily, 8 hr) and Patras (daily, 17 hr).

has ferries to Greece and Albania.
 * - for Greece, to Igoumenitsa (daily, 8 hr), Corfu (daily July-mid Aug, 6 hr 30 min), Patras (three per week, 16 hr) and Sami (July-Aug two per week, 14 hr).
 * - for Albania, to Vlora (https://www.a-ships.com/).

In Slovenia, has ferries to Venice (once a week, 2 hr 30 min), and in high season there are ferries to Trieste, Porec, and Rovinj.

Croatia's mainland ports are Rovinj, Porec, Pula, Rijeka, Umag, Zadar, Spilt and Dubrovnik. There also occasional summer ferries to Cesenatico in Italy from Mali Losinj, Novalja, Rab and Rovinj.

There are ferries to Venice from Rovinj, (daily, 3 hr), Porec (daily, 4 hr), Pula (May-Sept, 3 hr 30 min) and Umag (weekends Jun-Aug, 3 hr 30 min). Rijeka has ferries to the Croatian islands but no international routes.

has ferries to Ancona (Jun-Sept two or more a week, 9 hr)

has ferries to Ancona (three a week, 11 hr) and Bari.

has ferries to Bari (twice a week, 11 hr).

Croatia's islands lie close to the mainland and are usually reached from Rijeka, Zadar, Split or Dubrovnik. There are several other minor ports along the coast, and inter-island ferries.

In Albania, has ferries to Bari (daily, 10 hr) and Ancona (three a week, 15 hr). has ferries to Brindisi.

Greece and its islands
Greece has the most extensive ferry system in the Med, to connect its scattered islands. These extend from Corfu on the Ionian Sea to the west, south to Crete, and across the Aegean Sea to the east right up to the coast of Turkey. Several islands (such as Chios and Samos) have ferries to the Turkish mainland, so you could travel for instance between İzmir and Athens by two ferries.

has ferries to Ancona (daily, 17 hr), Bari (daily, 9 hr), Brindisi (daily, 8 hr) and Venice (three a week, 26 hr).

Corfu has the same long-distance routes, plus the frequent 90-min ferry to Igoumenitsa, and two or three times a day the 40-min ferry to Saranda in Albania.

has ferries to Ancona (daily, 24 hr), Bari (daily, 17 hr), Brindisi (three per week, 16 hr) and Venice (two or three a week, 32 hr). Some Ancona and Brindisi ferries also call at Sami on Kefalonia, and frequent ferries between Sami and Patras take 3 hours.

the main port of Athens has a huge range of island destinations, mostly daily, but doesn't have international connections. See individual island pages for inter-island ferries. Finding your ferry at Piraeus is no small task: it helps to know the name of the ship, as this is displayed on boards at the harbour gates.
 * - The Peloponnese is the large peninsula linked to the rest of Greece at Corinth. Historically it was easier to reach Athens by boat than by road, and some of these routes remain, to Ermioni, Porto Heli and Methana.
 * - The Saronic Gulf Islands are in the gulf just south of Piraeus, with daily ferries taking little over an hour to Aegina, Agistri, Hydra, Poros and Spetses.
 * - Crete has daily sailings taking 9 hours to Chania, Heraklion and Sitia.
 * - The Cyclades are the first island group southeast of the mainland. Ferries sail to Amorgos, Aegiali, Anafi, Donoussa, Folegandros, Ios, Iraklia, Kimolos, Koufonisia, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos (daily, 3 hr 30 min), Paros, Santorini (daily, 4 hr 30 min), Schinoussa, Serifos, Sifnos, Sikinos and Syros.
 * - The Dodecanese are the southeastern islands close to the Marmaris and Bodrum peninsulas of Turkey. Ferries sail to Astypalea, Chalki, Diafani, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Kastelorizo, Kos (daily, 12 hr), Leros, Lipsi, Nisyros, Patmos (three a week, 8 hr), Rhodes (daily, 15 hr), Symi and Tilos.
 * - The North Aegean Islands are the group north of the Dodecanese. Ferries sail to Chios, Fourni, Ikaria, Limnos, Lesbos, Oinousses, Psara and Samos (twice a week, 10 hr).
 * Kavala on the mainland east of Thessaloniki and the Halkidiki peninsula has a ferry from Piraeus twice a week (23 hr) plus a short ferry to Thasos.

Thessaloniki lost its importance as a port once the railway reached Athens, and doesn't have ferry services.

Black Sea and East Mediterranean
The Sea of Marmara lies south of Istanbul. It's connected north to the Black Sea by the Bosphorus, and south to the Med by the Dardanelles, so it's an important shipping route. Within it are several islands, and around it are mainland ports where it may be more agreeable to take a ferry from Istanbul than to wind around the coast on congested roads.

has ferries to Princes' Islands close to the city, to Yalova (and also from Istanbul's eastern suburb of Pendik), to Güzelyalı and Mudanya near Bursa, to the Marmara Islands, and to Bandırma.

Ferries from Tekirdağ to Marmara Islands and Bandırma remain suspended.

Across the Dardanelles, ferries run frequently between Gelibolu (European side) and Lapseki (Asia side), and between Eceabat (Europe) and Çanakkale (Asia). The latter crossing is signposted on highways as the main route.

On the Aegean side of the Gelibolu peninsula, Gökçeada island is reached by ferries from Kabatepe 6 km west of Eceabat, and from Çanakkale. South of Çanakkale, a ferry plies from the little village of Geyikli to Bozcaada island.

Cyprus: Scandro runs ferries between Pireas, just outside Athens and a few times per week. There also ferries from the Turkish mainland to (Girne) in the Turkish region of Northern Cyprus. In summer for foot-passengers from Alanya (twice a week, 2 hr 30 min), Mersin (three a week, 80 min), and Taşucu (once a week, two hours). The only car ferry and year-round sailing is from Taşucu taking six hours.

Black Sea ferry routes were much curtailed already before the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. , the port for Odesa, used to have ferries to in Georgia (two or three a week, 50 hr), and Karasu on the Black Sea coast east of Istanbul (once a week, 30 hr). They no longer sail to Istanbul itself, and the many other ports ringing the Black Sea have likewise lost their services. The exceptions are the two Bulgarian harbours served by ferry connections with Batumi at the farthest rim of the sea: Burgas (by PB Management) and Varna (by Navibulgar). The target market of these ferries is freight traffic so foot passengers and light vehicles are served on an availability basis, and like many ferry lines on the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, they are infrequent, from twice weekly to once every 10 days.

Very few ferries operate in the Eastern Mediterranean. As of Feb 2020 there were no ferries scheduled for Syria, Lebanon, Israel, or Egypt (though there are Ferries in the Red Sea still sail).

In 2022, there is a ferry by Med Star between in Turkey and  in Lebanon.

In 2023, there is a ferry, the Kevalay Queen, between Misrata and Tripoli in Libya and Istanbul in Turkey.

Cruise ships visit some of those places, for instance in summer 2019 Salamis cruised from Cyprus to Beirut and Haifa. (Louis Line no longer operates.) It may be possible to book a point-to-point ride, but you'd probably have to pay the full cruise fare, and think hard about how you'd get back if the cruise only visits once or twice a year.

title: Ferries in the Mediterranean


text:
Ferries in the Red Sea

This page is an overview of ferry services in the Red Sea. It gives only basic information, see each ferry port or country's "Get in by boat" section for more on times, fares, and other practicalities - especially visas. The Red Sea is a long thin ribbon, so crossing times are short and fares are low; the biggest problem is getting reliable information on whether tomorrow's ferry is actually sailing. During the 21st century some ferries have been suspended for years on end.

There are three main customers for the ferries: tourists, trucks, and pilgrims. The narrow north end of the Red Sea is the best developed for tourist ferries, which may be fast hydrofoils for foot passengers only. These ply between Jordan and Egypt bypassing the 7 km coastline of Israel. Slower ferries carry coaches and trucks, and some pilgrims cross to Aqaba then head south into Saudi Arabia. Ferries on the longer crossings further south may only sail during the Hajj pilgrimage season and are then horribly (indeed dangerously) congested. There has also been ferry traffic from migrant workers going to and from jobs in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, but this labour market has closed down, hence fewer ferries.

Ferry ports

 * is Jordan's port on the Red Sea, with ferries to Nuweiba and Taba Heights. The port is 5 km south of the city, with no ticket facilities, so you need to sort this downtown.
 * Eilat in Israel next to Aqaba has no ferries or other passenger ship routes.
 * in Egypt has ferries to Aqaba; they also sail from nearby Taba Heights.
 * in Egypt has ferries to Hurghada.
 * in Egypt has ferries to Sharm el-Sheikh.
 * in Egypt has ferries to Duba and Yanbu.
 * in Saudi Arabia has ferries to Safaga; the pier is 20 km north of Duba town.
 * in Saudi Arabia has ferries to Safaga.
 * Ferries between Port Sudan and nearby Suakin in Sudan, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, and Suez in Egypt, are suspended.

Ferry routes

 * Arab Bridge Maritime (usually abbreviated to "ABMaritime") run all the ferries in the north Red Sea. These include:
 * - Aqaba-Nuweiba, daily, 3 hours, vehicles carried. You can get an Egyptian visa by this route.
 * - Aqaba-Taba Heights, 3 or 4 a week, one hour, foot passengers only. You can't get an Egyptian visa on this route, but Jordanian visas can be obtained at Aqaba on both routes.
 * - Hurghada-Sharm el-Sheikh, 2 or 3 a week, two hours, foot passengers only. You can't get an Egyptian visa on this route, but travelling from Hurghada to Sharm doesn't terminate a single-entry visa.

 * Namma Shipping run the ferries further south in the Red Sea and their website is in English
 * - It seems that in 2022 the ferry from Jeddah to Suakin is still running

Stay safe
Make sure you are watching your belongings at all times. There are a few hundred people waiting to catch the same ferry as you.

Also, women (and men) should be mindful of dressing appropriately for the local population. .

Go next

 * Aqaba is the way to reach Wadi Rum and fabulous Petra. The border with Saudi Arabia is only 10 km south of the city, but then it's a very long drive to Medina and Mecca.
 * Jerusalem and the Dead Sea can be reached via Jordan, but it's simpler to cross the Taba-Eilat-Aqaba land borders into Israel.
 * Nuweiba and Taba have beaches and water sports, but Dahab and Sharm el-Sheikh further south are much better developed.
 * Cairo can be reached by daily buses from Nuweiba, Taba, Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada.
 * Hurghada is a big beach resort, from where you can travel inland to Luxor and Aswan.

title: Ferries in the Red Sea


text:
Ferry routes to Great Britain

As Britain is an island, ferries were the only way to get into the country prior to the advent of aviation and later the construction of the Channel Tunnel which gave a "dry foot" route from Britain to the continent for the first time since the Ice Ages. See also the Get in section of the Britain article. Below is a list of routes that cross the North Sea, English Channel or Irish Sea. It may not be complete.

Portsmouth and Southampton act as ports for transport to the Isle of Wight; Portsmouth and Poole also have routes to Guernsey and Jersey, provided by Condor Ferries.

'''These routes may be subject to change. It is recommended to contact the ferry operators and book ahead.'''

By coach or bus
If you are booked onto a scheduled international bus route that crosses the Channel, it may either go by ferry or through the Channel Tunnel; you don't get the choice. However, in general FlixBus uses the tunnel, Sindbad and Transmarian use the ferry, and Eurolines use both, depending on route. Schedules can change day-to-day depending on conditions at sea and fluctuations in ticket prices between the ferry companies and Eurotunnel. You can also catch a domestic bus to any Channel port of your choosing and take the ferry as a foot passenger, but this is not possible with the Eurotunnel. If you are going on a package coach holiday, the company will always explain how you are supposed to get to and from your start point.

title: Ferry routes to Great Britain


text:
Festivals and events in the Philippines

The Philippines has 82 provinces, many municipalities, towns and cities, and thousands of barangays. Each one has its own festival, in honor of either a saint, a religious occasion, seasonal change, harvest, or the place itself. Most of the festivals have Hispanic influences. Because of the huge number of festivals, the country is dubbed the "Fiesta Islands". Filipinos are happy people with a joie de vivre, who are satisfied with life, and love to laugh and share humor. Most festivals reflect this, and are vibrant and energetic. Of them all, Christmas is the biggest, running from September to January, perhaps the longest Christmas celebration in the world.

Get in
Inter-island and domestic flights are offered by local carriers such as Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Air Asia.

January
Most of the festivals in honor of Santo Nino (Sto. Nino), the Infant Jesus, and festivals commemorating the end of Christmas are held in January.

in Koronadal on January 10. A feast celebrating the diverse cultures of Koronadal for decades.
 * Bulaklakan Festival in Muntinlupa City, on January 1. Bulaklak(an) literally means flower in Tagalog. This is a parade of flowers and costumes.
 * Feast of Three Kings in Gasan, Marinduque, on the first Sunday of January of the year. The Feast of Three Kings or Epiphany, known as Araw ng tatlong hari in Tagalog, is a festival celebrated during the first Sunday of January, the Epiphany which commemorates the manifestation of the Lord Jesus Christ to the gentiles by the magi; Melchor who brought Gold, Gaspar who brought Frankincense, and Balthazar who brought myrrh as a gift to the infant Jesus. A folk play is en-acted in Gasan, Marinduque based on the story of the Epiphany. The festival also commemorates the end of Christmas in the Philippines.
 * Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan, during the third week of January. In honor of the Sto. Nino or the Infant Jesus, this festival is celebrated. It was first celebrated as a pagan festival in honor of Anitos or Pagan gods of the native people before the Spanish arrived. Today it is celebrated in honor of the Sto. Nino. People cover their bodies or faces with soots to look like Atis or Aetas (native people) and dance streetdances with a holy image of the Sto. Nino. Masses, Novenas and Rosary processions are done also.
 * Bailes De Luces in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, on January 5. Dances of lights in Spanish. Luces or Light in Spanish symbolizes hope. The festival highlights the use of lights in festival presentations. Street dances are done to commemorate the festival, it is celebrated in thanking the past year's blessings and success as well as a hope for a better new year.
 * Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila, on January 9. The festival is a day long feast, celebrated through a procession of the Black Nazarene in the streets of Metro Manila. The Black Nazarene is a wooden statue of Jesus of Nazarene, it is called Black Nazarene because of the statue's color which is black, the statue is over 400 years old and is stored in the Basilica of Black Nazarene or popularly known as Quiapo Church. Devotees flock to streets barefooted and push against each other to get to the statue in belief it would give blessings and miracles.
 * Lingayen Gulf Festival in Lingayen, Pangasinan, on January 9. Festival commemorating the liberation of Lingayen from the Japanese invasion by Gen. Douglas McCarthur of US Pacific command on January 9, 1945.
 * Araw ng Koronadal(Day of Koronadal)/Hinugyaw Festival
 * Binanog Festival in Lambunao, Iloilo, on January 10-16. Binanog Festival is celebrated in honor of the Infant Jesus, ethnic dances are done in the beat of drums to commemorate this feast.
 * Coconut Festival and fair in San Pablo, Laguna, on January 10-13. A grande Mardi-gras that San Pablo commemorates in honor of their crop; coconuts.
 * Sinulog Festival(Kabankalan) in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on January 10-16. The Sinulog of Kabankalan is known to be lively and colorful, people dress in colorful costumes and dance in streets in honor of Señor Santo Niño.
 * Makato Sto. Nino Festival in Makato, Aklan, on January 15. The celebration dates back to the pre-Spanish times, celebrated in honor and for giving thanks to the Sto. Nino. It is similar to Kalibo's Ati-atihan festival.
 * Pasungay Festival in San Joaquin, Iloilo, on the third Saturday of January. Traditions date back in olden times when people witnessed two bulls fighting, it then became an attraction and an entertainment. Catch "Bull Derby", when the where the best bulls of the barangays compete against each other. Pasungay comes from the Hiligaynon word Sungay meaning horn, indicating the horns of the bulls.
 * Kahimunan Festival in Libertad, Butuan City on January 16. See Butuan's local version of Cebu's Sinulog Festival. Just like Sinulog, spectacular and lively dances are held.
 * Pangisdaan Festival in Barangay Tangos, Navotas, on January 16. The People of Brgy. Tangos, celebrates this feast in honor of their fishing industry. Street dancing and float competitions are the main attractions of this festival. "Pangisidaan" literally means "Fishery" in Tagalog.
 * Kinaradto Festival in Buenavista, Guimaras, on January 16. Celebrate the rich culture of the oldest municipality of the province of Guimaras, the whole celebration is celebrated by songs, dances and musicals showcasing the cultures Buenavista has been influenced. The celebration is also celebrated in honor of the Sto. Nino. "Kinaradto" literally mean Going to.
 * Batan Ati-Ati Malakara Festival in Batan, Aklan, on January 16. Join in the thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest and a good new year as well as honoring the Sto. Nino in Batan. Paper Mache prepared costumes are worn by participants and street dances are performed, before the festival commences a Holy Mass is held.
 * Fireworks display and contest in Arevalo, Iloilo City, on January 16. Don't miss this festival when in Iloilo, the skies of the district of Arevalo light up with sparkling and spectacular fireworks.
 * Caracol Festival in Makati City, Metro Manila, on January 16. Caracol Festival displays the campaign for protecting and conserving our ecology, if you're an advocate for the environment don't miss this.
 * Bansudani Festival/Feast of the Divine Savior in Bansud, Mindoro Oriental, on January 17. A thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest, the festival features dances and cultural presentations.
 * Sad-Sad sa Kalye in Janiuay, Iloilo City on January 19. "Sad-Sad sa Kalye" showcases the beliefs, dreams, views of the people of Janiuay based on their cultural heritage, historical experiences and traditions. "Sad-Sad" is a native word for Dance, while "Kalya"(Calle) is a Spanish word for Street, just as its title says; the festival is celebrated through street-dancing.
 * Sinulog Festival in Cebu City, on the 3rd Sunday of January
 * What: One of the most important, biggest and popular festivals of the Philippines, it is celebrated in honor of Señor Santo Niño . Processions of Santo Niños take place and dances are done along with constant beating of the drums.
 * Pandot sa Bacolod in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, on January 20. The Bacoleños (people of Bacolod) celebrate this festival through dramatizing the life of a Catholic during the Spanish colonial times.
 * Binuligay Festival in Jamindan, Capiz on January 20. Join in the cultural presentation of Capiz and go experience fiesta with their people. "Binuligay" literally means Helping each other.
 * Atlavas Sto. Nino Festival in Atlavas, Aklan on January 21-22. This festival celebrates not only in the honor of the Sto. Nino but also the mark of the day when the Filipino-American war ended in Atlavas. It is also celebrated as an annual Thanksgiving festival.
 * Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City on January 22-24. A spectacular festival in honor of the Sto. Nino, also one of the most popular festivals in the Philippines, streets are filled up with people as dancers dance and as music plays and as colors and sound of the festival brighten up the atmosphere.
 * Boracay International Fun Board Cup in Boracay, Malay, Aklan, on January 22-27. The country's biggest windsurfing event, a must catch when staying in Boracay. Peopl from around the world flock and compete in this event.
 * Feast of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in La Carlota City, on January 24. In honor of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, this festival is celebrated, processions, cultural presentations and traditional games are held.
 * Ibajay Ati-Ati Municipal and Devotional Festival in Ibajay, Aklan, on January 24-25. Celebrated in honor of the Sto. Nino, features the transferring of the holy image of the patron of Ibajay from Ibajay Cathedral to St. Peter Parish Church where it was discovered.
 * Dinagsa Ati-Atihan Festival in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, on January 24-30. Rituals are performed by the black soot "Ati" in honor of the Sto. Nino. Procession of the holy image on a boat is held where it is brought to the sea and then back.
 * Sana-Aw Festival in Jordan, Guimaras, on January 28. A festival in honor of artisans and enduring workers which is done through dramatization through dance-drama.
 * Hinirugyaw Festival in Calinog, Iloilo on January 30-February 6. A 9-day celebration in honor of the Sto. Nino, games, a food fest and competitions are held during this festival.
 * Sto. Niño Festival in Malolos, Bulacan on January 30. Featuring week longs exhibits and procession of a hundred caros of drivers Sto. Nino images, this festival is in honor of the Sto. Nino.
 * Balot sa Puti Festival in Pateros on January 31. A town fiesta.
 * Halamanan Festival in Guiguinto, Bulacan on January 23. It's celebrate the beauty and importantance of plants in the entire municipality.

February

 * Salakyan Festival in Miag-ao, Iloilo, on February 1-6. A week long cultural presentation of Miag-ao shown through street dances, ballroom dancing, food fairs, beauty pageants etc.
 * Pabirik Festival in Paracale, Camarines Norte on February 1-2
 * Bicol Arts Festival in Legazpi City on February 1- February 28
 * Festival of Hearts in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental on February 1- February 14
 * Lavandero Festival in Mandaluyong on February 1- February 6
 * Suroy sa Surigao in Jaro, Iloilo, on February 2
 * Pamulinawen in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, on February 2-10
 * International Bamboo Organ Festival in Las Piñas on February 3- February 11
 * Guling-Guling Festival in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, on February 5
 * Kali-Kalihan Harvest Festival in Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental, on February 6
 * Fiesta Tsinoy in Legazpi City on February 6
 * Tinapay Festival in Cuenca, Batangas on February 7- February 13
 * Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Omni Aviation Complex, Clark Field, Pampanga, on February 9-12
 * Fistahan in Davao City on February 9- February 15
 * Chinese New Year, a nationwide festival that follows the lunar calendar
 * Bulang-Bulang Festival in San Enrique, Negros Occidental on February 9
 * Pabalhas sa Tablas in Candoni, Negros Occidental on February 11
 * Tiburin Horse Race in Libertad, Pasay City, Metro Manila, on February 12
 * Panagbenga festival in Baguio, on February 2 & March 4. It includes music, Panagbenga festival dance, food, shopping, street dancing.

March

 * Kaamulan in Malaybalay, Bukidnon, on March 3 - 7. Expect the Bukidnon to go tribal from the first to the second week of March, when the streets of Malaybalay take on that familiar fiesta theme. Banners, banderitas, and beer will be standard, as well as the sweet, haunting sound of native music. An early morning pamuhat ritual kicks off the festivities, to be followed by an ethnic food fest, trade fairs, and a lot of native dancing.
 * Arya Abra in Abra on March 7-10. It celebrates the founding of Abra Province with a variety of events, including raft and horse races.
 * Sandugo in Tagbilaran, Bohol on March 16. A re-enactment of the Blood Compact between Spain's Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna, which helped forge friendly relations between the two countries.
 * Araw ng Dabaw in Davao City on March 10-16. The celebration of Davao's Foundation Day as a chartered city.
 * Pintados de Pasi on March 14-16 depicts the history of the Passi City and how it got its name.
 * Homonhon Landing in Southeastern Samar on March 16. A pageant by the seashore re-enacting the discovery of the Philippines by Ferdinand Magellan.
 * Mt. Manunggal in Central Cebu on March 16-17. A mountain trek, which Darks the anniversary of the tragic death of President Ramon Magsaysay, whose plane crashed on the mountain.
 * Sinigayan Festival in Sagas, Negros Occidental on March 19. Named after the native seashell (sigay). Shell craft art is featured during the festival.
 * First Mass in the Philippines in Limasawa Island, Southern Leyte on March 31. It features a street pageant by the different municipalities.

Easter
 * Moriones in Marinduque on Easter Sunday. The island of Marinduque prides itself in being the "Lenten Capital of the Philippines", and it is easy to understand why. Come the seven days of Holy Week, the people of the island take part in the age-old ritual of the "Moriones". Colorful warrior costumes are worn topped with finely carved masks portraying the violent Roman soldiers of Christ's time. All these are done to show the story of the conversion of Longuinus, the centurion who stabbed Jesus' side - and his subsequent beheading.
 * Lenten Festival of Herbal Preparation on Easter Saturday. Secret rites of herbalists from the Visayas and Mindanao, who gather in San Antonio, Siquijor, for the ceremony known as Tang Alap, the combining of medicinal herbs.
 * Semana Santa in Iguig, Cagayan, during Holy Week. Pilgrims flock to the 11-hectare Calvary Hills to meditate on the passion and death of Jesus Christ.
 * Agoo Semana Santa in Agoo, La Union. Features a parade of carriages and a Penitential Procession of women, dressed in black.
 * Salubong in Angono, Rizal. Celebrates the reunion of the Risen Christ with the Virgin Mary.

May
Magayon Festival in the province of Albay is a month-long festival which celebrates the beauty of the province in honor of the iconic Mayon Volcano.

Bicol Loco Festival in Legazpi City in the province of Albay which is celebrated through flying hot air balloons in old Legazpi Airport. That festival started on May 3-5, 2024.

June
Tabak Festival in Tabaco City, Albay, on June 24. Tabak or bolo is the primary product of the city. Celebrated in honor of the patron saint of the city, Saint John the Baptist San Juan Bautista.

August

 * Kadayawan sa Davao in Davao City in the 3rd week of August.  Kadayawan is the celebration of a bountiful harvest and also celebrates the existence of the indigenous people (IP) in the city. Activities include street dancing (Sayaw sa Da'n) and floral float parade (Pamulak sa Kadalanan), among others. Visit the festival website for more info.
 * Ibalong Festival in Legazpi City, Albay, in August. A non-religious festival that celebrates the Bicolano epic story, Ibalong.
 * Karagumoy Festival in Bacacay, Albay, on August 29-30. It is a festival that features the local handicraft made of leaves from a specie of pandan locally known as Karagumoy. The festival is celebrated in honor of the town's patron saint, Saint Rose of Lima.

September

 * Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City, Bicol Region, every 3rd Sunday of September. It is a religious festival celebrated in honor of the patron saint of Bicol, Our Lady of Peñafrancia.

October

 * Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival in Ciudad Latina de Asia, Ciudad de Las Flores, Orgullo de Mindanao Zamboanga City, on October 12. The Islamic influenced province of Zamboanga which is known because of its colorful vintas, exotic rare fruits and exotic beautiful flowers stands out its Christianization and their hispanic ways. Zamboanga City also known as the "City of Flowers" and "Asia's Latin City" rich culture influenced the lives of the people, but not as much as their devotion to Our Lady of Pilar, or the Nuestra Señora Virgen del Pilar de Zaragoza. Zamboanga La Hermosa Festival or the popularly known as Fiesta Pilar, is held in honor of the miraculous image of Our Lady of the Pilar at the legendary Fort Pila. The people of Zamboanga fervently believe that the lady has served as their unifying cultural and historical symbol. In commemoration of her feast day, Zamboanga displays its devotion and enthusiasm with a nine-night procession, fireworks, an ethnic parade, a cultural show, a regatta, and the Miss Zamboanga parade. This festival runs from October 1 to 12.
 * Awuyon Festival in Baganga, Davao Oriental, during the last week of October.

December

 * SumBingTik Festival in Cainta, Rizal on December 1. A festival about the town's local delicacies, namely Suman (rice cakes), bibingka and latik (coco jam).

title: Festivals and events in the Philippines


text:
Fethiye

Fethiye is a resort town in Lycia on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. It's very much on the international tourist circuit, although nowadays somewhat overshadowed by Ölüdeniz just south. It has ancient sarcophaguses - tombs - in its streets, rock tombs staring down from its cliffs, and an abandoned "ghost village" nearby, but plenty of facilities for the living.

In 2020 the population of Fethiye district was 167,114, although this includes outlying villages such as Ölüdeniz. The town population is about half of that, but greatly boosted in summer by visitors and seasonal workers.

History
This city was first recorded as Kuwalapašša by the Hittites around 1700 BC (or to be precise, as 𒆪𒉿𒆷𒉺𒀸𒊭 in their cuneiform script). A more lasting mark was left by the Lycians, who called it 𐊗𐊁𐊍𐊁𐊂𐊁𐊛𐊆, Telebehi, from maybe 500 BC - they occupied the heights above the modern marina, fortified it as a citadel, and carved tombs into the cliff-face. From around that time, Athens led a confederation of city-states (the Delian League) including Lycia that briefly repulsed the Persians, and Telebehi became the Hellenistic city of Telmessos. Its famous school of diviners prophesied to the likes of King Croesus and Alexander the Great, although never in sufficient military detail to prevent a slew of later conquests. The Romans scooped the lot in the first century AD.

Not much else happened for almost 2000 years. The harbour escaped the silting that was the downfall of others (such as Ephesus) but lacked a hinterland: there was no great agricultural or mineral wealth, or easy inland trade or pilgrimage route. The town became known as Meğri, or Makri, and passed to the Ottomans. After the Great War carve-up of Ottoman lands, it was for a time assigned to Italy, but returned to Turkey at independence in 1923. It was re-named Fethiye in 1934 commemorating Fethi Bey, the pilot killed attempting the first flight from Istanbul to Cairo. It was air transport that changed the face of this coastline: once direct–package holiday flights from Europe became commonplace, Fethiye, along with nearby Ölüdeniz, initially had long airport transfer times, but this reduced to an hour when Dalaman airport was upgraded in 1989.

The spine of town is from the marina east along Atatürk Cd, with the rock tombs set in the cliffs just south. Bars, clubs and budget accommodation are along this strip, with resort hotels further out along the beaches north and west.

Climate
The climate is subtropical and Mediterranean. Summers are hot and dry, averaging 30-35°C but topping 40°C on the hottest days. September-October is a good time to visit as the air temperature has dropped but the sea remains at a balmy 24°C. Winters are mostly mild but with heavy rainfall and strong winds, and many tourist facilities close down. Spring returns in March.

By plane
Dalaman Airport is the usual point of arrival, one hour west on D400. Most visitors are on package flights from Europe, with onward transport included. Havaş bus runs from the airport via Göcek to Fethiye, taking one hour for a fare of 80 TL. It's timed to connect with domestic flights, which are every hour or two from Istanbul.

Antalya Airport is 3 hours drive east.

By bus
Buses from Istanbul (several terminals) take 14 hours and may also stop at Gebze, Bursa, Izmir, Muğla and Dalaman. They run hourly round the clock and in 2023 the adult single fare is 800 TL. From Ankara is 9 hours, from Izmir 5, and from Antalya 3 hr 30 min. Operators on these routes include Metroturizm, Pamukkale and Flixbus.

the bus station is off İnönü Blv, the eastern extension of Atatürk Cd, corner with Ölüdeniz Cd. (İnönü was Atatürk's successor as president.) It has ticket kiosks, snack bars, and pungent toilets. Carrefour supermarket is on its east flank.

By road
From Istanbul follow O-7 and O-5 (toll) south to Izmir, D550 through Aydin and Muğla, then D400 into Fethiye.

D400 continues east, twisting and turning along the rugged coast to Antalya. A scenic alternative (which may even be quicker) is to cut inland on D350 via Korkuteli and Söğüt.

By boat
Sky Marine Ferries sail Apr-Oct daily to Rhodes, taking 1 hr 45 min. Their fast cat leaves Fethiye at 08:30 and sets off back at 16:30, so a day trip from Fethiye gives you six hours in Rhodes, but no reverse day trip is possible. Foot passengers only, and in 2023 the adult fare is €40 single, €55 day-trip, €65 open return.

is the departure / arrival point, east side of the marina.

Ferries no longer sail to other Aegean ports such as Marmaris. Private cruises explore the Lycian coastline but these are round trips not point-to-point ferries.

With your own boat, Fethiye is a Port of Entry into Turkey if you've not already cleared elsewhere.

Get around
Dolmuş minibuses run throughout town; routes you might use are west to Karagözler, north to Çalış, and south to Ölüdeniz. They run frequently until around 23:00. Any later will probably involve a taxi, check the price before getting in.

Car and motor scooter rental is available from Avis, Abalı, Fetcar, Europcar, Atlantic and Eskol.

See

 * straggles along the hillside west of the tombs. It was mostly built by the Knights of St John in the 15th century, but incorporating older structures including rock tombs - Telmessos citadel was probably hereabouts. It's just a few crumbling walls and the earthquakes have taken their toll. In 2023 the area is "temporarily closed", which hasn't prevented folk from using it as a trash dump.
 * Lycian sarcophaguses - carved stone tombs - are seen here and there in town. One good example is on the lane from the Post Office past the governor's office to the seafront, another is at the foot of Kaya Cd the street leading up to the rock tombs.
 * The Roman amphitheatre by the marina has been incompetently restored into something that neither preserves its historic structure nor works as a modern performance venue, so the gigs had better be damn good.
 * Merkez Eski Cami ("downtown old mosque") is just off Çarşı Cd. It was built in 1216 AH / 1801 AD.
 * Fethiye Museum mid-town on 505th Sk remains closed in 2023.
 * , also called Knight Island (Şövalye Adası), shelters the bay. It has accommodation, a couple of restaurants and a shingle beach strip, peaceful compared to the mainland. Water taxis ply from town.
 * , also called Knight Island (Şövalye Adası), shelters the bay. It has accommodation, a couple of restaurants and a shingle beach strip, peaceful compared to the mainland. Water taxis ply from town.

Do

 * Beach: Çalış Plajı is north end of town. It's trash-strewn and mostly shingle, though the northern strip is more sandy. The waves can get rough in the afternoon, as it's not sheltered by Fethiye Island. Most beach activities have migrated south to the calm lagoon of Ölüdeniz.
 * Hiking: Fethiye is the west terminus of the Lycian Way, a 540-km marked hiking trail. The first section is 9 km to the ghost village of Kayaköy, which has accommodation for the living, or hike the extra 5 km to Ölüdeniz. The trail continues east to Faralya and Kabak, and eventually to Antalya.
 * Boat trips ply daily from the marina, with over a dozen operators touting along the waterfront. The standard offering is the "Twelve islands" cruise for eight hours, with one-hour stops at four islets for swimming and snorkelling, and lunch provided; you might pay 800 TL adult, 500 TL child. Check they don't play raucous pop music the whole time - if you wanted that, you'd have gone to Bodrum instead.
 * Boat hire for day trips from Fethiye and longer charter is available from the same operators.
 * Football: Fethiyespor were promoted in 2022 and play soccer in TFF Second League, the third tier. Their home ground İlçe Stadium (capacity 8400) is mid-town off Pürşahbey Cd.
 * Horse-riding: equestrian centres a few km north of town are Cavalier Ranch, Magic Forest and Desperado Ranch. See Ölüdeniz for those south of town.

Buy

 * Lots of little convenience stores. Carrefour supermarket next to the bus station is open daily 08:00-23:00.
 * Farmers Market is held Tuesday and Friday 09:00-21:00 in the square facing the football stadium on Pürşahbey Cd.
 * "Antiques" such as Turkish carpets are most likely made in China. At least you hope so, because it's illegal to export genuine antiques.
 * Mudwill Outfitters is a small hiking store in the hills that sells handcrafted, high quality hammocks pretty cheaply (500 lira in 2024) and gives great service. Can also do leather/ropecrafting if custom stuff is needed.

Eat

 * Kar Şerbeti (snow sorbet) is a refreshing local specialty, a slushy of snow and grape molasses. The snow is allegedly collected from the heights of the Taurus Mountains, and not as you might suppose from that big industrial-grade icer humming in the background.
 * Keçı Coffee Roastery on 504th Sk east of the marina is an excellent coffee shop and roastery, open M-Sa 08:00-00:00, Su 10:00-23:00.
 * Fish Market (Balık Pazarı) is mid-town between 96th and 97th Sk, open daily 08:00-00:00. You buy your own fish then take it to one of the surrounding restaurants to be cooked.
 * Fish Market (Balık Pazarı) is mid-town between 96th and 97th Sk, open daily 08:00-00:00. You buy your own fish then take it to one of the surrounding restaurants to be cooked.

Drink

 * Ayran is a yogurt drink popular across Turkey.
 * Midtown has a handful of bars, including 4Corner, Buzz Bar Downtown, Kum Saati, Deep Blue Bar, Ördek Bar and Boğa Pub.

Sleep

 * Camping: closest to town is Aksazlar, on Fevzi Çakmak Cd heading towards Club Letoonia (below). There's a strip of them north of town along Çalış Beach.
 * Pansiyons are mostly west of the centre, straggling along the hillside in Karagözler.
 * Mara Palace is mid-town on 8th Sk. Comfy enough if you get in, but the reservation system is shambolic and they may not honour the price you booked.
 * Mara Palace is mid-town on 8th Sk. Comfy enough if you get in, but the reservation system is shambolic and they may not honour the price you booked.

Connect
Fethiye and its approach highways have 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of May 2023, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Ölüdeniz is a resort village 14 km south, with the renowned "Blue Lagoon", a tranquil sea inlet.
 * Kayaköy is an abandoned but well-preserved Greek village, reached by either a 9 km hike from Fethiye or by road via Ölüdeniz.
 * Saklıkent Gorge is an impressive but touristy canyon on the Teke Peninsula 40 km southeast of Fethiye. Wear stout shoes.
 * Tlos is a hilltop archaeological site off the road to Saklıkent, with extensive Lycian and Roman ruins. You will likely have it to yourself.
 * Faralya is a village at the foot of Butterfly Valley, and Kabak is the access to a similar canyon, both laid-back places off the beaten track.

title: Fethiye


text:
Fez

Fez (فاس) (French: "Fès") is a city in Morocco famous for being home to the world's oldest university (Qarawiyyin University), dating to 859, and the world's oldest continuously-operating library, dating to 1359. It has an ancient World Heritage listed walled city, which many compare to the walled city of Jerusalem.

Understand
Fez is the medieval capital of Morocco, and a great city of high Islamic civilization. Fez has the best-preserved old city in the Arab world, the sprawling, labyrinthine medina of Fes el-Bali, which is incidentally also the world's largest car-free urban zone. Transport of goods is provided by donkeys, carriages, and motorbikes.

The city has just over 1 million inhabitants.

By plane

Destinations and carriers:
 * Air Arabia flies to/from Amsterdam, Brussels, Barcelona, several airports in France, as well as domestically to/from Agadir and Marrakech
 * Royal Air Maroc offers daily flights from Casablanca and Paris-Orly to Fes-Saiss airport.
 * Ryanair offers flights from Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Alicante, Frankfurt (Hahn), Düsseldorf (Weeze), Milano (Bergamo), Pisa, Bologna, Rome (Ciampino), Charleroi (Brussels), Eindhoven, Marseille and London Stansted to Fez, though not on a daily basis. They also fly domestically to Agadir and Marrakech.
 * Transavia flies from Paris-Orly, Lyon and Rotterdam/The Hague
 * TUI Fly Belgium flies to Brussels.

Getting there and away:
 * By bus – If you do not have too much luggage, you can take the #16 local bus; 4 dirham (as of Apr 2019) and 40-min ride. It goes from the airport to the main train station. The stop is about 100 m right and then 100 m left out of the airport, follow the road, you will see a bus sign. No timetable is available, but it goes about hourly between 06:00–23:00.
 * Going from Fez to the airport, the bus stop is on the left of the entrance to the train station. The stop isn't marked, but look for a crowd of people with suitcases to the left of the train station. You can buy a ticket in advance at the cash desk at the bus stop. Allow plenty of time, as departures can be erratic.

 * By shared taxi – From the bus stop at the airport this should cost 10–20 dirham (per person) depending on your negotiation skills (as of Apr 2019). Many taxis will stop if they see people waiting at the stop; just bargain hard.
 * By taxi – If you are up for a local challenge after your journey, choose a taxi! There is a fixed price for a taxi: 120 dirham from the airport to the city (including the medina and the train station). There is a taxi stand directly outside. An usher will help you to get one, but make sure you confirm the price before you get in and best to only give the exact amount instead of waiting for change.

By train

From specific destinations:
 * Marrakech – There are regular train services along the Marrakech–Oujda and Tangier–Oujda train lines. There are 8 arrivals daily from Marrakech. The train takes about 7 hr (although delays are frequent) and costs exactly 295/195 dirham (first class/second class).
 * Casablanca – The trip takes 3½–4½ hr and runs hourly throughout the day; the cost is 165/110 dirham (1st class/2nd class) in high-speed double-decker trains.
 * Tangier – There are five trains per day arriving after 4½ hr at a cost of 165/110 dirham (1st class/2nd class).
 * Rabat – It takes about 2½-3 hr, and costs 75-105 dirham.

There are hustlers operating on trains into Fez. See the and  sections below.

By bus

From the Gare Routière, you can leave by bus for almost any direction in North Morocco. Buses are usually crappy (old, rusty and without lights), with the exception of CTM company, which offers European-quality service, for a double the price of the Moroccan standard, but usually including the 5–10 dirham required for transporting luggage (malletas), and not being overcrowded. People usually come to the station in the morning to book their ticket for the afternoon or the day after and collect stickers for luggage, so beware about showing up at the last minute and not finding place.

At the station, touts will try to sell you tickets for Chefchaouen if you look like a tourist. Avoid them.

 * CTM leave for the main destinations (Marrakesh, Rabat, Tangier, Tetouan, Oujda, Nador). Going from Fez to Rissani (Merzouga is another 30 km taxi ride after Rissani) there is one CTM bus a day, leaving the Fez bus station at 20:00.
 * Other companies serve these and additional cities (Meknes 13-15 dirham), and towns and villages in north and center Morocco; departing hours are shown over the counters, but may change from one day to another, so ask the employee.

While the gare routière covers more routes more cheaply, many visitors prefer CTM for its reliability and cleanliness. Most CTM buses leaving Fez start from the Gare Routière and make a stop in the CTM terminal after 30 min in the town traffic. CTM bus coming into Fez, at the contrary, will leave you at the CTM terminal.

By car
Fez is a 4-hr drive by car from Casablanca. The stretch of toll highway from Rabat to Fez is in superb condition.

By taxi
Traveling by grand taxi (inter-city taxi), though more expensive than trains, is viable for tourists. Seats in a taxi are sold individually, in order to travel in relative comfort, you may need to purchase more than one seat. A ride between Fez and Casablanca costs approximately 60-80 dirham per seat. Grand taxi fares are regulated and it is worth checking the official rates with the tourist board, as some drivers or hotels will quote inflated prices.

There are a couple of grand taxi stations:

By private taxi or using a touristy transport agency, you will mostly be overcharged: about 1,600 dirham from Casablanca airport to Fez for up to 3 passengers.

Orientation
The main street is the Talaa Kbira, which runs from Bab Boujeloud to the Kairouine mosque in the heart of the medina. The Talaa Sghira also begins at Bab Boujeloud and eventually merges back into the Talaa Kbira. Once you get into the narrow, winding heart of the medina, you can also find your way out again by constantly heading downhill, which will eventually lead to the Place R'cif, a dropoff for buses and taxis, where you can get a petit taxi out of the medina.

For more detailed tours and directions, look for the book Fez from Bab to Bab (Hammad Berrada). It has a complete map of the medina and several well-described walking tours. It can be found in most bookshops, both on the Talaa Sghira or at the large bookstore on the Avenue Hassan II in the ville nouvelle. However, be discreet taking out your map or you will have many offers from false guides.

On foot
Ignore the travel guides that tell you that you will get lost in the medina and that you must hire a guide. One of the easiest ways to get around is to use the red taxis to take you to the nearest gate (bab) and then walk from there until you get your bearings. Gates are all around the city and taxis are cheap. A rough map of where the sights are will help, and a GPS navigation app doesn't hurt either, although GPS readings are sometimes unreliable inside the medina. Be prepared for some wrong turns and confusion your first time in the medina.

On the other hand, if you have a bad sense of direction, are particularly worried, or want to make sure you see all the main sights in the medina in a limited time, a guide can be a good way to make sure you won't get lost. If you do decide to hire one, be sure to arrange a licensed guide through your hotel or the tourism office. They will be able to give you an accurate history and will make fewer shopping stops. The faux-guides in particular will simply take you from shop to shop where you will be pressured to buy goods, which will cost you extra because the seller will be obliged to pay the guide a hidden commission.

There are several well-marked trails through the city: follow the green (Andalusian palaces and gardens), orange (walls and fortifications), or blue signs and you will not get lost in all the narrow twisting streets.

By taxi
Within Fez, a ride in the petits taxis (local taxis) rarely costs more than 15-20 dirham. However, the medina of Fes el-Bali is only accessible from a few points by car. Bab Boujeloud and nearby Place Batha are popular drop-off points, as is Place R'cif—for parking there is spaces at Ain Zleten on the northeast edge of the medina. Another open air parking is situated near Hotel Batha (price 20 dirham/day).

By bus
Buses run within the city and cost 2.50–3 dirham. The bus no. 19 runs from the train station to the central medina place R‘cif, and costs 2.50 dirham. The stop is a bit outside of the train station on Rue Lalla Asmaa, there exists a sign indicating the stop, but no time table.

See

Do
One of the most fascinating activities to do in Fez is a trip in the medina (Old City). The medina is so complex to navigate that sometimes it is easier to simply lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of the various markets, and find your way out once you have had enough of all the sights, sounds, and smells that will overwhelm your senses. You will eventually find your way out via lots of dried fruit, leather goods, ceramics, textiles and food stalls!

Get a shave in the medina, nowhere is it cheaper than here, and they really pay attention, even trimming your hair.

Make sure you find an opportunity to escape from the bustle of the streets and see the medina from one of its rooftops - some shops and restaurants have rooftop terraces (see the food section below for some useful tips). The views are particularly spectacular during sunset and after dark.

 * Football:
 * Football:

Buy
Some may consider Fez to be the handicraft capital of Morocco, but in reality the quality and value of its wares can be hit and miss. Leathergoods, copper and brassware are the bargains, although you may also find good prices on drums and other musical instruments.

As a rough guide, you can expect to pay:
 * Leather satchel: 200-400 dirham depending on quality
 * Drums: 30-150 dirham depending on size and quality
 * 10-20 dirham for a full size tagine dish, plus an extra 10 dirham if it's been glazed or decorated.

If you are interested in the cobalt-blue ceramic, you might go to the potteries where they make it. It is interesting to see them shape the clay into a tagine in 45 seconds. From Bab el-Ftouh, it is a 5-dirham taxi trip. Ask the driver to take you to "Les potteries de Fez". There are 2 big "factories" which both show you the whole process if you want or you could just see the exhibition (and buy). Bargain really hard, prices seem to be fixed, but they are not.

Bargaining is a way of life that has survived for centuries, and shows no sign of changing. Moroccans even bargain among each other for everything except perhaps their utilities. Don't believe anyone (and you will hear it all the time) who tells you prices are being "regulated". Every other souk claims to be a "Government Regulated Co-op".

There is a single, genuine government-regulated fixed price shop in the Ville Nouvelle where all prices are posted, the goods are of decent (if not amazing) quality, and the single bored cashier will just stare incredulously at you if you attempt to bargain with him. Ask any hotel manager or petit taxi driver to take you to the "Artisana." All products sold in Artisanas come directly from the artists who made the products.

Eat
The markets near the 'main' gate of Bab Boujeloud (near to Hotel Cascades) are full of yummy food. It is worth just wandering through them, buying random bits of food. Street food is very cheap and is often safe. Restaurants, even cheap ones, will often be up to twice the cost of street food, and the quality can be the same. In the medina it is difficult to find cheap food other than in the Bab Boujeloud area. There are only a very few tourist restaurants where you will get ripped off and some food stalls down in the food market near the R'cif place.

Drink
Almost all drinking establishments in Fez are hotel bars. The rest are local bars that women and anyone without a good command of Arabic might be uncomfortable entering. In bars of either type, prostitutes are frequent but mostly ignore western travellers. Fes is a much more traditional town than Casablanca or Marrakesh, and it is illegal to drink in public. Purchasing alcohol or seeming intoxicated are sure to draw stern looks from passersby.

 * La Cave at the Centre Commercial Borj Fes. Take a taxi to the Borj shopping centre. Tucked into a small, easily ignored corner near the Carrefour is a small bottle shop called La Cave with a good selection of beer and wine at decent prices.
 * La Cave at the Centre Commercial Borj Fes. Take a taxi to the Borj shopping centre. Tucked into a small, easily ignored corner near the Carrefour is a small bottle shop called La Cave with a good selection of beer and wine at decent prices.
 * La Cave at the Centre Commercial Borj Fes. Take a taxi to the Borj shopping centre. Tucked into a small, easily ignored corner near the Carrefour is a small bottle shop called La Cave with a good selection of beer and wine at decent prices.
 * La Cave at the Centre Commercial Borj Fes. Take a taxi to the Borj shopping centre. Tucked into a small, easily ignored corner near the Carrefour is a small bottle shop called La Cave with a good selection of beer and wine at decent prices.
 * La Cave at the Centre Commercial Borj Fes. Take a taxi to the Borj shopping centre. Tucked into a small, easily ignored corner near the Carrefour is a small bottle shop called La Cave with a good selection of beer and wine at decent prices.
 * La Cave at the Centre Commercial Borj Fes. Take a taxi to the Borj shopping centre. Tucked into a small, easily ignored corner near the Carrefour is a small bottle shop called La Cave with a good selection of beer and wine at decent prices.

Sleep
Most visitors to Fez will want to stay in the Fez El Bali (Old Fez, or Medina) as the main tourist sights are located there and where many local residences operate as guesthouses. Also, the new town is quite a distance from the medina, so you will be relying on taxis to take you in and out every day.

Budget

 * There are a few more hostels near the main gate walking down any of the two parallel main streets, but not many of them. Try to arrive well before dark. The streets beyond the two main ones can be frightening at night.
 * There are a few more hostels near the main gate walking down any of the two parallel main streets, but not many of them. Try to arrive well before dark. The streets beyond the two main ones can be frightening at night.
 * There are a few more hostels near the main gate walking down any of the two parallel main streets, but not many of them. Try to arrive well before dark. The streets beyond the two main ones can be frightening at night.
 * There are a few more hostels near the main gate walking down any of the two parallel main streets, but not many of them. Try to arrive well before dark. The streets beyond the two main ones can be frightening at night.

Splurge
There are beautiful, comfortable guest-houses ("riads") in the medina of Fes el-Bali. They are expensive by Moroccan standards but offer luxury for about the price of a North American chain hotel. Some Moroccan proprietors prey on Westerners' culture-shock to direct business toward favored or overpriced services, so it is worth doing your research before going.

Stay healthy
As of May 2019, one traveler has confirmed two cases of bed bug infestations: one at Riad el Mizan and another very close by at Dar Naima. These are highly unlikely to be isolated incidents. Also, see the general information on riads.

Stay safe
Fez is somewhat safe, but crowded. Take standard precautions against pickpocketing.

If you hear "Belek! Belek!" behind you, stand aside because a heavily-laden donkey is bearing down on you!

Appear to know where you are going, even if you don't, or you will get offers from false guides. False guides are not dangerous but they can be exasperatingly tenacious. Best technique is to not even acknowledge their presence. That is rude and they won't be pleased, but it is better than to have them walk with you for half an hour. If you have to ask directions ask someone that is obviously busy in their own business or a shopkeeper behind a counter, and try to appear as sure as you can of the way you are going ("This way to Bab R'cif, right?"). Getting caught with a faux guide will cost you, but it will cost the faux guide more: they can receive up to 2 days imprisonment if they get caught. Police are often in plain clothes, so be wary! A useful strategy with false guides is to say all the lines they have been taught before they have said them to show you know what you are doing; they all say the same thing so just learn it and repeat.

Due to the maze like alleyways in Fes El Bali (Medina) touts will often attempt to mislead visitors by saying this road is closed further down, then offer to take you to a different direction, obviously with intention to turn quick profit out of the unsuspecting foreigner. This is especially endemic around the tanneries. It's best not to take advice from any locals in touristy areas.

As elsewhere in Morocco, lone women usually experience harassment in alleys.

You should also beware of hustlers (aka con-artists); Fez has far more of them than almost everywhere else and they use more sophisticated techniques. An example of a prominent and rampant scam occurs where you come into Fez by train or bus (even the bus driver) and someone talks to you saying he is coming to visit his relatives, and is actually a respectable outsider (e.g. an owner of a hotel). He will then ask you to come eat with his relatives (their "cousins" or "brothers") and when you get there they will spend most of the time trying to suggest accommodation, offering you tours where they gain commission from all the (especially Carpet) shops, and even organize expensive desert excursions that are actually just you driving in circles just outside the city for three days. Note, especially refrain from handing over your credit card in such situations, you will not get it back. Coming in by plane is the easiest and hassle free way of coming to Fez: there are no touts at the airport and the prices of the taxis are fixed by the government.

There are many other scams and annoyances trying to get you into a shop/restaurant/hotel with various degrees of lying in the stories people make up. If in doubt, be independent and look for yourself e.g. whether the hotel you want to go to is indeed closed or under construction.

This is unfortunately one of the sad things about Morocco, that you get to distrust every one, even those people who are genuinely friendly and hospitable, because sometimes this is only a façade.

Connect
A decent number of restaurants in the medina offer wifi.

SIM cards offering 4G service and one week of data up to 1 gigabyte (abbreviated Go, as in French gigaoctet) are available in many stores. In 2017, a SIM card by provider INWI (there are others) can be obtained for 30 dirham. Keep the credit-card-sized card the SIM comes in, it may have a PIN number you'll need to set up the service.

Cope
For some visitors, Fez requires a real change of outlook or it will be a very high-stress trip. Shopkeepers and guides are very assertive and you will have to get used to saying "no" a lot. On the other hand, they can be genuinely warm and friendly even while trying to sell you something, an idea that is pretty alien to some.

Non-Muslims are not allowed to visit mosques, although they can visit the medrases (religious schools).

Go next

 * A visit to the ancient Roman site of Volubilis is a must. This crumbling yet spectacular city has stunning mosaics on offer, and you can easily spend a couple of hours ambling through the ruins.
 * Casablanca
 * Chefchaouen
 * Marrakech
 * Meknes – Worth a visit, if only due to its calmer and less crowded medina, which has ample shopping opportunities.
 * Rabat
 * Tangier

title: Fez


text:
Fianarantsoa Province

Fianarantsoa is a region of Madagascar.

Cities

 * — renowned for its traditional decorative paper-making, and the centre of Madagascar's wood-carving industry
 * — a city near the Anja Reserve, a forest that is full of ring-tailed lemurs
 * — a gateway city for transportation to many other places in central and southern Madagascar and for the FCE train to Manakara

Other destinations

 * — one of the most biologically diverse and endemic places in all of Madagascar; over 100 species of birds, over 50 species of mammals, and 55 species of frogs are known to inhabit the park
 * — the richest place in Madagascar for lemurs, with 15 species recorded
 * — a rain forest that is home to several lemur species, and a popular place to visit because it is accessible by paved road

title: Fianarantsoa Province


text:
Field

Field is a cozy mountain village located in Yoho National Park within the Canadian Rockies in Canada. The town served as a base for workers on the Canadian Pacific Railway in its early days, and now hosts a small community of about 170, in addition to hosting the Yoho Park administration building and a number of quaint gift shops, restaurants, and small accommodations.

By car
Field is a 2.5 hour drive west of Calgary along Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) through Banff National Park, passing Banff and Lake Louise along the way. Field can also be reached along the Highway 1 from Vancouver to the west.

Sleep
Further options are within Yoho National Park

title: Field


text:
Fier

Fier is a city in Albania. It is a modern and uninteresting city, which serves as a transit point on the way from Tirana and Durres to the southern part of the country. Near Fier is Apollonia, one of the country's main monuments of ancient times.

By bus
There are buses from Tirana every half hour; the journey takes about 2 hours.

Minibuses from Berat go to Fier 1-2 times an hour (1 hour 15 minutes), and the connection with Vlora (30 minutes) is organized through a collective taxi.

Fier is a charismatic example of the Albanian transport mess. All buses and minibuses depart from different places, usually not marked in any way. To top it all off, there is a new bus station, from which you can’t go anywhere at all.

By car
The SH4 highway, the main Albanian highway, runs near Fier, 110 km from Tirana. To the south, the same route continues to Vlora (35 km) and ends there. A local road leads to Berat (50 km) - winding, but not bad.

By plane
There are direct minibuses from Likometaj Aeroport to Tirana airport. There is no exact schedule, minibuses depart when they are full. In Fier, the company's office is located in the central square area.

By bus
Fier has several commuter bus routes, from which travellers will need connections to Pojan, a village near the ancient city of Apollonia. Buses also make stops around the city, and such a trip costs 30-40 lek versus 80-100 lek for a trip to the suburbs (2023). Conductors have two types of tickets, and while city tickets are simply torn off, commuter tickets are carefully written down with a ballpoint pen for a specific flight.

Along the street adjacent to the university building, little red local buses line the street. There is a neat and seemingly new schedule hanging on the poles - like everywhere else in Albania, it is out of date.

On foot
The city centre is small and it's possible to explore it by foot.

By car
It is very comfortable to visit everything, but space is a problem in the city so be prepared for a lot of traffic and parking space pro

By bicycle
This form of transportation comes a lot in hand because it allows you to visit the city really fast by not getting stuck in traffic. There are a lot of shops where people can rent bikes by hour, days, etc. with low cost.

See

 * Public Library of Fier
 * The Puppet Theat
 * Public Library of Fier
 * The Puppet Theat

Further afield

 * St Mary Church — It was built between 1250-1270 upon the remains of an older church and is the part of the Ardenica Monastery.
 * St Mary Church — It was built between 1250-1270 upon the remains of an older church and is the part of the Ardenica Monastery.

 * The ruins of the Church of Saint Mary, in Ballsh
 * The Castle of Gjon Bocari is in the village of Tragjas and was built in the 16–17th centuries. The walls form a rectangle, with a width of 1.25 m and a height of 5.5 m.
 * The Castle of Gjon Bocari is in the village of Tragjas and was built in the 16–17th centuries. The walls form a rectangle, with a width of 1.25 m and a height of 5.5 m.

Apollonia (Illyria)

 * Monastery of Saint Mary at Apollonia
 * Archaeological site of Apollonia
 * Excavations and the Monuments of Apolonia
 * Monument of Agonothetes
 * Library and the Odeon
 * House with Mosaics
 * Fontana
 * Museum of Apollonia

Do

 * Apollon International Theater Festival
 * Fieri International Film Festival

What

 * Petulla - fried pancakes
 * Embelsire me miser - dessert with corn
 * Eat the "pizza in hand" from Pizza Roma, a small pizzeria across the genie.
 * Ice cream and sweets in the sweet shop, "Apollonia".
 * Traditional burek in restaurant "Albes".

Sleep

 * Hotel Shkelzeni has a standard price of 1500 lek per person per night. The rooms each have 2 beds and a terrace and it's clean. You may be able to negotiate a better price with the nice man at the front counter named Mr. Bush (who is very friendly and speaks great English). It's in the city center near the giant ball on Jakov Xoxa street.

Go next

 * Vlorë
 * Durrës
 * Elbasan
 * Tirana
 * Berat

title: Fier


text:
Fiesch

Fiesch is a village in the Swiss Valais. It is the access point for the nearby villages of Fiescheralp, Fieschertal and Bellwald.

Get in
The best way to get there is probably by train - Fiesch is on the railway from Brig to Andermatt. All the timetables for Swiss trains are available online - you can print out a personalised timetable showing all the connections, and even the platform numbers.

Get around
There is a cable car (Luftseilbahn) from Fiesch up to Kuhboden, which is perched on the mountain above the village. There are fantastic walks from here. From the next stop on the railway line, you can get another cable car up to Bellwald, from where there are beautiful views down over the Valais, towards the Matterhorn.

See
The village itself is beautiful, as is all the surrounding area.

Do
There are lots of well-signed footpaths in the area, but it is worth consulting the local tourist office, as some of the paths can turn very tricky without any warning. An easier possibility would be to catch the train up the valley (into the 'Goms') get off at any of the stops up to Oberwald, and then walk back. Munster, half way up the Goms, would be another good place to get off the train - the old wooden houses are worth seeing in their own right.

Catch the cable car to Kuhboden and walk back to Bettmeralp for more stupendous views, and call in at the Alpina restaurant/cafe for refreshments in Bettmeralp. If the weather is good you could continue the footpath down to Riederalp, and then back through the Aletsch Forest, with views of the giant Aletschgletscher. Another incredible fair weather round walk from Kuhboden would be to the Marjelensee - a torch would be useful, as the shorter route is through a tunnel. You can catch another cable car from Kuhboden up to the summit of the Eggishorn, with views over the Aletschgletscher towards the Jungfrau.

A short, but hair-raising, bus ride to Binn would also be an interesting holiday experience - the bus seems to be clinging to a ledge a lot of the way. It will bring you to the Binntal Landscape Park, a nature reserve known for both its natural and cultural landscape.

Camping

 * Camping Eggishorn is a very nice camping to stay. From here, it's only 5 minutes walking to the FiescherAlp shuttle lift.

Go next
If you are driving, and the weather is good, try the local passes - the Furka Pass, Grimsel, Gotthard, Nufenen, Simplon, and even the Susten, are all possible for a day out (not all on the same day!). To make a round trip, you could go over the Grimsel to Interlaken, and back through the Lotschberg car-train tunnel. All the views are incredible (except in the tunnel).

Travelling by train, Zermatt is a comfortable day trip, and you would have time to go up the Gornergrat rack railway, to see the Matterhorn up close. Another round day trip by rail would be to go up to Andermatt, down through incredible twisting tunnels to Goschenen, to catch a fast train to Locarno, then across the Centovalli line to Domodossola, and back via Brig. Although part of this is in Italy, you can use a Swiss Rail Pass on these lines.

 * Andermatt
 * Brig
 * Sion
 * Zermatt

title: Fiesch


text:
Fiesole

Fiesole is a city in Tuscany close to Florence.

Get the number 7 bus from San Marco piazza in Florence - Fiesole is the last stop. Tickets can be purchased from any tabacchi and cost between €1.20 and €2.

Get around
Fiesole is small, so the best way to get around once you're there is on foot.

See

 * Remnants of Etruscan walls.
 * Roman baths.
 * Roman theatre.
 * Palazzo Comunale.
 * The Duomo.
 * The view of Florence.

Eat
Vinandro on the main square serves delicious typical Tuscan food and wine in a rustic ambience, desserts a particular speciality. Part of the Slow Food movement. Book ahead at the weekend.

Nearby

The spectacles include: the ; the Fonte di Giove, whose copy was placed by the Demidoffs at the end of the nineteenth century; the two sponge goals; the chapel designed by Buontalenti, with a hexagonal plan with an external loggia, near which the last princess Demidoff is buried; the Fonte del Mugnone, whose statue was sculpted by Giambologna (1577); the Peschiera della Maschera, also used as a swimming pool and equipped for hot baths; the Great Aviary; the Pheasant; the Grotta di Cupido, built by Buontalenti in 1577; the neoclassical Casino of Montili, built around 1820 by the architect Luigi de Cambray-Digny. Throughout the park there are centuries-old trees, including oaks, English oaks, cedars and horse chestnuts, real natural monuments full of charm.

title: Fiesole