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Benton Harbor-Saint Joseph

Benton Harbor and Saint Joseph ("Benton Harbor-Saint Joe" for short) are two nearby towns in the Lake Michigan Beachtowns region of Michigan.

By train

 * Route stopping in Holland:
 * Pere Marquette operates daily between Grand Rapids and Chicago with stops in Holland, Bangor, and Saint Joseph.
 * Pere Marquette operates daily between Grand Rapids and Chicago with stops in Holland, Bangor, and Saint Joseph.

By car
The towns can be reached from US-31/I-196 or I-94. It's about 1 hour and 45 minutes' drive from Chicago.

Get around
Benton Harbor-St. Joseph is very easy to get around by car, though be cautious of downtown St. Joseph's one-way streets.

See

 * Silver Beach
 * Lighthouse
 * Downtown shopping area
 * Sunset over the lake from the bluff
 * Tiscornia Beach
 * Downtown shopping area
 * Sunset over the lake from the bluff
 * Tiscornia Beach

Do

 * Ice Festival (February)
 * Blossomtime Parade (May)
 * Krasl Art Fair (July)
 * Venetian Festival (July)
 * Chalk the Block (August)

Stay safe
Try to avoid traveling alone in the economically depressed areas of Benton Harbor. The area has experienced an increase in evening crimes.

While walking down the rather thin pier (south of the pier containing the 2 lighthouses), be vigilant of your step as the surface of the pier can be icy, wet and uneven due to both crevices in the cement or bumps. One has to be extremely careful, especially watching kids, near the edges of the pier as some portions have no guard rails. It's best to hold little ones' hands and stay on the center, more elevated part of the pier when walking, which is further away from the unguarded edges. Huge gusts of wind and large waves wash upon the pier: at the very least you and your camera get soaked; at worst, the unsuspecting person too close to the edge could get blown right into the deep, frigid waters of Lake Michigan. Tall, tall waves smashing atop the pier, getting people wet even when they were on the highest part of the pier can be seen at times. The choppy waves and their turbulent crashing can make for an interesting sight, but must be handled carefully.

Go next

 * Coloma

title: Benton Harbor-Saint Joseph


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Bentonville

Bentonville is a city of 51,000 people (2018) in the Northwest region of Arkansas. Widely known as the home to the corporate headquarters of retail giant Walmart, the city was noted by Travel + Leisure magazine as one of the "Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012".

Understand
Tourism is the area is booming, thanks to the corporate traveler during the week and families on the weekends. If you are looking for things to do while in town, visit the local Chamber of Commerce's website, or stop by the Bentonville Convention & Visitors Bureau, which is on the Bentonville square.

Because the majority of the population are "transplants" from other areas of the country (moved here for business), people are open to visitors and very friendly. There is also an air of "southern hospitality."

Get in
There is excellent highway connections to Bentonville from Kansas City, Tulsa, or Little Rock. If driving in is not an option, fly directly into the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA). If airline ticket cost is a factor, consider flying into one of the international airports within a short driving distance, such as Tulsa or Kansas City.

By car
The city is easy to navigate and finding your way around is simple. While there is an abundance of taxi services available in Bentonville, they are expensive. Rent a car if you are going to be in town more than a day.

Do
Websites include details about Bentonville trails and Bentonville parks.

Eat
Among the dozens of fast food and national chain restaurants in Bentonville, there are also many excellent local restaurants to try.

Drink
Bentonville does not have a bar/club scene (Bentonville was in a dry county until November 2012), but there are many great places to have a drink. Here are some suggestions that have consistent good service and pricing:

Sleep
There are diverse hotels in Bentonville, depending on the service quality and/or the amount you want to pay. Midweek room rates are on the high end because of the corporate traveler demand. You will be able to find up to 50% or more off Bentonville hotel rooms on the weekends.

Go next
It is a great central starting place for day trips throughout the region, including Eureka Springs, Tulsa, Branson, the Buffalo River, and the Ozark Mountains.

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

title: Bentonville


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Bentonville (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Bentonville:

United States of America

 * Bentonville (Arkansas) — A town in the Ozarks region of Arkansas.
 * Bentonville (Virginia) — A town in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia.

title: Bentonville (disambiguation)


text:
Bentonville (Virginia)

Bentonville is a small town in the US state of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. It is located near both the George Washington National Forest and the Shenandoah National Park in Warren County.

Get in
Bentonville is located off of State Highway 340, "Stonewall Jackson Highway."

See

 * Raymond R Guest Jr River State Park Hiking, biking, canoeing, and picnicking on over 5 miles of river.

Sleep
Your best bet is in nearby Front Royal.

title: Bentonville (Virginia)


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Bentota

Bentota is a coastal town of 37,000 people in Southern Sri Lanka. Bentota is a tourist town, with a local airport (Bentota River Airport) and a handful of world-class hotels. It is a destination for watersports and is famous for its toddy production, an alcoholic beverage made out of coconut nectar. It also has a turtle hatchery on Induruwa beach.

Understand
Bentota sits on the southern bank of the Bentota River mouth. The name of the town is derived from a mythical story which claims a demon named 'Bem' ruled the tota or river bank.

By bus
There are air-conditioned buses (bus no. 2) that run from Colombo Fort to Galle that will stop at Bentota (2-2½ hour journey) and cost about Rs. 150.

By train
There is a small railway station in Bentota but most of the trains stop at Aluthgama (2 km from Bentota).

See

 * Brief Garden, 11 km (6.8 mi) inland from Bentota, is the house and garden of renowned Sri Lankan landscape architect, Bevis Bawa, the older brother of architect Geoffrey Bawa. Established in 1929 on the grounds of a former rubber plantation Bawa continued to develop the property until his death in 1992.
 * Galapatha Raja Maha Vihare, in Bentota, Buddhist temple with origins that date back to the 12th century ; it contains stone inscriptions, stone carvings, pillars, ponds and troughs from the medieval period.

Do

 * Bentota Beach, long and large
 * Richy Skylark Helipad. This helipad operates helicopter joyrides in Bentota near the estuary operated by Skylark Aviation Helicopters

Buy

 * Some toddy, alcoholic beverage made from coconut nectar.

Splurge

Go next
Trains from Aluthgama station go to Columbo (north), Hikkaduwa, Thiranagama, Dodanduwa, Galle, etc. to Matara.

title: Bentota


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Ben Tre

Ben Tre is the capital of eponymous Ben Tre Province in Southern Vietnam. Although only a 20-min ferry-ride away from bustling My Tho, this seems to be barrier enough to give the town a genuine backwater feeling. Tourists are still a scarce species and locals are open and friendly.

Ben Tre Province provides some of the most beautiful scenery in the Mekong delta. The milk coffee coloured waters wind their way along small channels lined with water palms, thatch, and bamboo houses are nestled in the lush orchards. The famous Vietnamese poet Nguyen Dinh Chieu was born in Ben Tre Province.

By boat
There is a ferry from Vinh Long Province to the northwestern part of the island. Again you may want to hire some sort of transport to cover the remaining distance to Ben Tre town. There is also Bus 8 from the ferry pier to Ben Tre. It seems frequent, costs about 25,000 dong for a 2-hr trip. You will need a taxi (moto ~ 20,000 dong for 10-min ride). Pay attention when arriving in Ben Tre as the bus goes to the outer bus station. Best is to stop at the roundabout after the two big bridges and Mat Kinh Dien Bien Phu optic shop and take a motorbike taxi (20,000 dong) to the town centre.

By bus
Direct minibus services from Ho Chi Minh City are to be found at Cholon and Mien Tay bus station. A bridge connects the city to My Tho so the bus ride is direct, without a ferry. On arrival at the bus station in Ben Tre, a very welcoming man with good English will try to get you to his guesthouse by showing books and stuff. In fact, the ride there takes you back where your bus came from, halfway to My Tho, about 10 km from Ben Tre. Make sure to get from the Ben Tre bus station into the town of Ben Tre, not elsewhere.
 * Bus from Mien Tay: 49,000 dong, 1½ hr, air con, first bus around 06:30

Get around
The town stretches along the river, so a bicycle or a motorbike are the best way to get around.

See
There are no real sights in their own right, but you could have a look at the unspoiled market or visit the rice wine factory on the south bank, 0.5 km west of the old bridge. You can also visit the inevitable coconut candy factory here. It's a must if you haven't been to one yet, since in this "factory" basically everything is done by hand.

Do
Trung Tam Dieu/Ben Tre tour operation centre (closed during lunch) has some private tours in Ben Tre by boat or by bike and homestay tour. It also gives information on the city.

Eat
The usual food stalls are found around the market. Be warned that one of the favourite soups in the delta, hu tieu, contains boiled intestines and liver. There is also a floating restaurant near the old bridge. Sweet bakery for breakfast? Go to the huge Coop Mart (08:00-22:00) just behind street Hai Ba Trung.

Drink
Coldest beer in Ben Tre? Go to the Oasis.

Go next
Buses leave from the outer bus station. There are get a minibus to My Tho or Ho Chi Minh City from inside town.
 * Ho Chi Minh City - 70,000 dong, on Tran Quoc Tuan St north of the lake.
 * My Tho - ~20,000 dong, on Dong Khoi St, bus stop near school
 * Can Tho - 75,000 dong, 3 hr, non air con 30 seater bus, leaves a few times a day with the last one at 13:30 (October 2023)

The boats leave between 08:30 and 09:00 every day. It takes a long time, but it's an adventurous and cheap option (expect to pay between 60,000-120,000 dong per person). They leave from the area east of the new bridge. Boats are light blue and will take you to:
 * Tra Vinh
 * Can Tho
 * Vinh Long

title: Ben Tre


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Benxi

Benxi (本溪; Běnxī) is a city in Liaoning Province, China.

Get in
Train from Shenyang on regular basis. Bus service from both long distance bus stations in Shenyang on fairly regular basis.

Go next
The Benxi Shuidong National Park (本溪水洞国家公园 Běnxī Shuǐdòng Guójiāgōngyuán) is a large system of flooded caves which can be explored by boat. There are minibuses from Benxi Train Station.

title: Benxi


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Benxi Shuidong National Park

Benxi Shuidong National Park (本溪水洞国家公园) is in Liaoning province.

Understand
The Benxi Water Caves are 30 km east of Benxi.

History
Benxi Shuidong was made a national park on January 10, 1994.

Landscape
Forest of stalactites and stalagmites within a cavern system lit by colored lighting. A river 3,000 meters long, 2 meters deep and wide enough for 20-30 boats, is found flowing through a giant 5 million-year old cavern.

Climate
Constant temperature of 10°C in the cavern.

Get in
Direct bus from Shenyang leaves in the morning and returns in the afternoon. Minibuses from Benxi leave regularly from Benxi train station.

Fees and permits
¥120 plus ¥15 for tram from ticket office to cave entrance.

Get around
Boat ride along the "Milky Way", the river that flows through the caverns.

See

 * Rock shapes with names like Ginseng Baby, Tiger's Mouth and Seal playing with Pearl.

title: Benxi Shuidong National Park


text:
Benzilan

Benzilan (奔子栏) is a small town in extreme northwestern Yunnan Province. It lies along a stretch of the Jinsha River (a major headwater stream of the Yangtze River) that forms the border with Sichuan Province, roughly halfway along the road from Zhongdian to Deqin.

Understand
The town, as seen out the window of a bus passing along the Zhongdian-Deqin route, might not seem different from many other small Chinese towns one merely passes through, but get off here and you will be well rewarded. For one, given that it lies on the bank of the Jinsha River, it is at the lowest altitude in the area and is considerably warmer than Deqin or Zhongdian in winter. Stray from the typical modern Chinese architecture of the main road and head down the hill to the river and you will pass many charming traditional houses, friendly locals and yapping guard dogs.

However, if you're coming from the south and felt the old towns of Shangri La, Lijiang and Dali were too commercial, Benzilan is heavily recommended.

By bus
All of the buses from Zhongdian to Deqin pass through the town. In fact the midpoint lunch stop is often taken a mere five minutes south of Benzilan. Tickets can be bought at Zhongdian bus station for ¥15. For some reason no tickets to Benzilan are sold in Deqin, though if you stand just outside the station and get on a bus headed to Zhongdian you should be able to get there for ¥30 or so.

Get around
The town is growing fast and parts of it are not marked on common maps. The main commercial road is located up the hill, going parallel to the highway.

Buy
There are several shops along the main road selling the same silverware and materials that are found elsewhere in the region.

Eat
Most of the restaurants along the main commercial road serve good food. The dishes on offer are the same as can be found in most places in northwest Yunnan.

Sleep
There are a whole bunch of hotels along the main road. A double en-suite should set you back ¥60-80.

Huan Ying Guan Lin has, as of November 2018, excellent double en-suite for ¥100 (during holidays, possible cheaper normally). Take the first road right after walking up from bus stop to get there. Big building with small vegetable field right in front of it. No English spoken.

Go next
There is a bus (though it might be a microvan) that leaves for Zhongdian at 7:30AM. If that does not take your fancy, stand by the side of the road and flag down any of the buses that pass from morning to mid-afternoon.

title: Benzilan


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Beppu

Beppu (別府 Beppu) is a city in Oita prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Famous for its visually stunning hot springs (the Hells of Beppu), Beppu is one of Japan's Three Great Hot Springs.

Understand

It was also once known as the Las Vegas of Japan, a reference more to its extensive sex industry than gambling. The city has been attempting to clean up its image, however. To non-Japanese tourists, the sex industry may not be obvious, or even perceivable.

Beppu is along the coast but pressed by the mountains. As a result the city, while not very large, is rather long. Most of the most well-known onsens and the tourist attractions, including most of the Jigoku or "hells", are in the Kannawa area which is almost on the opposite side of the city from the train station. Buses to and from the Hell areas come around every 30 minutes. Many of the onsen are open very late, so many tourists opt to stay in one of the onsen areas.

No, the city doesn't actually have a "spa theme park". Following a whimsical promotional video back in 2016 which got a million views in just a few days, the city did make some bath-themed modifications to an existing amusement park, but only for 3 days, and the rides were much more sensible and sedate than the ones in the video.

Tourist information
The city has an offcial multilingual guide site. The City Council site also has information about Beppu.

By plane
Oita airport is nearby, from which shuttle buses run to Beppu downtown (¥1450, 40 minutes).

The Fukuoka airport can be also used thanks to the bus service from the airport through the Oita Expressway coming to Kannawa onsen/Beppu downtown (¥2000 in case of 4-coupon ticket, 110 minutes).

By train
is on the JR Nippō Main Line.

The Sonic limited express train runs twice an hour from Fukuoka (Hakata Station) and Kokura, stopping at Beppu before terminating in Oita. From Fukuoka takes 2 hours, and if purchased as an individual one-way costs ¥5,570. For a roundtrip on the Sonic, it's better to buy two tickets (nimai kippu) for ¥6,000 (Fukuoka–Beppu) or ¥5,800 (Kokura–Beppu). For two travellers, it's even better to purchase four tickets (yonmai kippu) for ¥10,000 (Fukuoka–Beppu) or ¥9,800 (Kokura–Beppu).

A faster option from Fukuoka, and the obvious choice from Honshu, is to take the San'yo Shinkansen and transfer to the Sonic at Kokura station. From Kokura, you can reach Beppu in 70-80 minutes at a cost of ¥4,230 each way (free with the Japan Rail Pass). From Fukuoka, this saves 15-20 minutes over taking the Sonic the whole way.

An overnight option from Tokyo is to take the 22:00 Sunrise Izumo/Sunrise Seto to Himeji, take the San'yo Shinkansen to Kokura, then take the Sonic to Beppu (12 hours, ¥23,260, or free with JR Pass except for private compartment fees).

By car
The Oita Expressway runs from the south, passing a few miles to the west of the city. Exit at the Beppu Interchange. National Route 10 runs north-south through the city center, along the shore of Beppu Bay.

By boat
Uwajima-un'yu ferry company operates frequent service from Yawatahama, with about 6 crossings per day, going to Beppu port.

Diamond Ferries runs a service from Kobe to reasonably nearby Oita, with no stops. It also runs a service from Osaka to Oita, stopping in Matsuyama on the way.

Kansai-kisen operates a service from Osaka direct to Beppu. The overnight service takes about 12 hours, departing at 19:05 and arriving at 06:55.

Information office
The Foreign Tourist Information Office has three branches in the city center. Two of them (except Beppu Station) offer free internet access.

On foot
The town is walkable. The Hells may be a bit far for most to find it convenient. Though, walking is a possibility for those who don't mind it, and are not in a hurry.

By bus
The Hells and other sites can be easily reached via the tourist-centered bus system. Departures are outside JR Beppu Station. The Foreign Tourist Information Office inside JR Beppu Station sells one-day bus passes for ¥900 (¥700 students), which is likely the best deal for most.

The office can provide the departure time and number of the next bus going to your destination (if it's the Hells - the next bus will be leaving shortly), as well as maps detailing the route. On the Hells route itself, bus schedules are clearly posted at stops. The longest intervals are ~30 minutes.

If needed, check the "See" section for more specific information on the bus system transversing the Hells area.

Hot spring hells
Beppu's top sight is the eight hells (地獄 Jigoku), multicolored volcanic pits of boiling water and mud, and one geyser. The hells are too hot to be diluted into onsen baths, and they emerge at temperatures ranging from 50 to 99.5 °C (122 to 210 °F). Some of the hells have a natural smell of sulfur — which comes out a bit like rotten eggs.

The eight hells are administered by Combination tickets can be purchased at any of the hells for ¥2100 for visits to all eight; if you first purchase an unlimited bus ticket for ¥900 from the Foreign Tourist Office in Beppu train station, you get a coupon book which includes a ¥200 discount for the combination ticket. If purchased separately, admission to each individual hell is ¥400. Hours for the eight hells are 08:00-17:00, although Tatsumaki-Jigoku doesn't close until its geyser has had its last eruption at the end of the day, so it may be open a little bit later than the rest. All eight hells can be seen at a fairly leisurely pace in about 2½ hours.

Three of the hells are next door to each other, and the others are within a few minutes walk. Take bus #2, #5, #9, #41, or #43 from JR Beppu Station to the Umijigoku-mae stop. The foreign tourist office in Beppu train station can tell you the next bus that is leaving for the area, as well as provide a map of the route.

Two more hells are about 2.5 km away. Either catch a bus back to the Kannawa Onsen bus stop or walk a couple minutes down the main road or Miyuki-zaka to Kannawa Onsen street, and take a left. From the Kannawa Onsen stop, take bus #16 (6 min).

The Tatsumaki-Jigoku is a geyser that goes off every 30–40 minutes for a period of about 5 minutes. One trick in using your time efficiently for the final two hells is to first go to the Tatsumaki-Jigoku and find out when the next eruption occurs. If you just missed the last one, then go see the Chinoike-Jigoku first.

Onsen
Downtown Beppu offers several hot springs to visit. You can't wander too far, though, without seeing the equally promiscuous sex shops, which will usually be quite blatant on the streets. If you're going to visit a hot spring with children, and you're worried about this, plan ahead.

The other hot spring areas in addition to the downtown Beppu are:

 * Kannawa Onsen (鉄輪温泉) (Bus 5, 9, 41, 43 from JR Beppu Station)
 * Yukemuri Observation Platform to see hot springs steam against mountains.
 * Kamegawa Onsen (亀川温泉) (JR Kamegawa Station)
 * Hamada Onsen
 * Kamegawa Onsen (亀川温泉) (JR Kamegawa Station)
 * Hamada Onsen
 * Kamegawa Onsen (亀川温泉) (JR Kamegawa Station)
 * Hamada Onsen
 * Myoban Onsen (明礬温泉) (Bus 5, 9, 24, 41, 43 from JR Beppu Station to Myoban or Jizoyu Mae)
 * Tsukahara Onsen
 * Onsen Hoyoland (Bus 5, 9, 24, 41, 43 to Konya Jigokumae) with a mixed-bathing mud bath.
 * Shibaseki Onsen (柴石温泉) (Bus from JR Kamegawa Station)
 * Kankaiji Onsen (観海寺温泉) (Bus from JR Beppu Station)
 * Horita Onsen (堀田温泉) (Bus from JR Beppu Station)
 * Hamawaki Onsen (浜脇温泉) (JR Higashi Beppu Station)
 * Utopia Hamakawi Onsen
 * Hamawaki Onsen (浜脇温泉) (JR Higashi Beppu Station)
 * Utopia Hamakawi Onsen

Festivals
The international Music Festival: Argerich's Meeting Point in Beppu has been annually held since 1998.

Learn

 * Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University. The Beppu branch of this Kyoto-based university has students from over 80 countries. Take bus #50 or #51 from JR Beppu Station to reach the campus.
 * Beppu University is about two miles west of JR Beppu Daigaku Station.

Buy

 * The mud-yellow Tokiwa Department Store has four floors of high-end and casual clothing shops, a food court in the basement, and other standard Japanese department store fare. It's on Ekimae-dori, at the intersection with Route 10. There is a starbucks on the ground floor.
 * You Me Town Beppu (ゆめタウン別府). Shopping complex on Route 10 near Beppu Tower. There's a large grocery, pharmacy, and beauty shop on the ground level.
 * B-Passage (Beppu Station center)
 * Smaller shops can be found in the Ginza Shopping Arcade and the Yayoi Shopping Arcade between Ekimae-dori and Nagarekawa-dori.

Eat
Try vegetables and seafood placed in small baskets and cooked directly in the hot springs, called jigokumushi (地獄蒸し). Be sure to include shiitake mushroom, for which Beppu is famous. Chicken tempura (とり天 toriten) is another specialty to try.

Sleep
The Kannawa area has many small ryokan and paved streets that make for pleasant evenings walks in yukata.

Go next

 * Yufuin, nearby, offers even more hot springs.
 * Beppu can serve as a resting point before or after a trip to Mount Aso. The Kyushu Oudan Bus departs for Mount Aso from a depot about a block and a half east of JR Beppu Station on Ekimae-dori.
 * Usa - Home to Usa Shrine and the African Safari
 * Oita - Home to Takasakiyama, about half-way between Oita and Beppu, where a colony of over 500 Japanese macaques can be visited in a pleasant surrounding. The macaques walk among you and one of the best sights is feeding time when a frenzy starts. For photos and video the best time to visit is from morning to early afternoon when the sun is behind you. At the base of the mountain is the visitors' center and Oita's Marine Palace, an aquarium with a dolphin show and trained fish. Those going to both can get a discount ticket at the Beppu Tourist Office in Beppu Station.
 * Hiji
 * Kitsuki
 * Kunisaki
 * Bungotakada
 * Usuki
 * Nakatsu

title: Beppu


text:
Bequia

Bequia is a small island connected by ferry to St. Vincent. Admiralty bay is geared towards the sailing boats that frequent its harbour.

Get around
The local bus will take you over most of the island for around 3 EC. You can easily walk to most places; for example Admiralty Bay to Friendship bay should take less than an hour.

Do

 * Partying - There is a regular small party on Thursdays in Frangipani one of the harbour side bar/restaurants.

Buy
There is a beautiful but expensive vegetable market on the main street near the dingy dock. Cheaper vegetables and fruit can be bought on back street stalls.

title: Bequia


text:
Berastagi

Berastagi is a town in North Sumatra, Indonesia. It is home to two famous volcanoes, Sibayak and Sinabung, the latter of which has been erupting quite frequently since 2013.

Understand
A small town in the main road connecting Medan with Karo highland and Lake Toba, it's a popular weekend getaway town for locals from Medan. The town is located in the Barisan mountains (Bukit Barisan), the longest mountain range in Indonesia extending from Aceh to Lampung. With a height of about 1300 meters above sea level, the annual mean level temperature is about 23° C. In the rainy season, fog may occur frequently and wind may get chilly. A light jacket or windbreaker may help. You might check the market for second hand jackets.

Get in
The nearest airport is Medan's Kuala Namu International Airport. A taxi direct from the airport takes around 3 hours. Buses also go right from the airport to Kabanjahe via Berastagi (Rp 40,000).

Berastagi is only 67 km from Medan, but the road is often jammed, particularly on weekends, so travel time is often north of two hours.

Bus Rp20,000 (Mar 2024), duration 1½-2 hr, with Pt. Almasar Indonesia shop (loket), near Citra Garden 2, south of Medan. No bus from Amplas terminal.

Renting a car is expensive, but if you are short of time and plan to continue your journey beyond Berastagi, it's a viable option. Motorbikes are also available to rent in Berastagi.

While bus can stop in Berastagi mostly on-demand, the nearest bus terminal seems to be Kabanjahe. It can be reached via local yellow minibus written Karya from Berastagi main road, south direction. From there, you can take bus to Medan, Lake Toba, and elsewhere.

By public transport
Buses service many of the surrounding villages as is the case in the rest of Indonesia. Prices are similar to those elsewhere in Indonesia. You may get to ride on the roof of local minibuses. Many run along the main road all the time. Central market is main stop.

By foot
Berastagi is a small city and walking around is possible if you stay at the city. You can cover the whole city in less than an hour. Walking to surrounding villages, though, is not recommended.

See
The tourist info is very helpful. However, booking trips is cheaper with local agencies, for example Losmen Sibayak Guesthouse (in the center, next to BRI bank).

Do

There are several waterfalls around, some can be reached with car/motorcycle, but some required trekking for several hours.

If you bring kids, you may want to visit the theme parks.

Buy
If you want to experience a local narcotic, try betelnuts from the market. You buy the leaves, a paste, tobacco and a red nut. All are mixed on the leaf, rolled and chewed. The paste is lime so it has a kick to it.

Karoland coffee is very nice, and may be purchased in shops all over town.

There are two banks with ATMs: Mandiri and BRI.

Eat
Chinese restaurants in the main street have some good eating options and hot food.

Food tents are set up along the side of the main street after dark. Many types of Indonesian foods are available, like 'Ikan Bakar' (Grilled Fish). They also sell a spicy tea called Bandrek, which is perfect on a cold mountain evening. Best with milk (Bandrek susu).

There are now several cafes along the main street. Ask to try the local coffee. Sumatra coffee is world class, and Karoland coffee, though not yet famous, is as good as it gets.

Samudera Bakery on the main street has nice bread.

For an adventure try the local specialty called babi panggang karo or BPK (grilled pork served with spicy pig blood and cooked cassava leaves), saksang (pork/beef/dog meat in a special sauce) or ikan mas arsik (sauteed goldfish with spices).

Drink
Try the palm wine known as tuak at a local tuak house. Don't be surprised if someone breaks out a kecapi and starts singing. You can also snack on snake, monitor lizard, and dog meat.

Very good quality coffee is grown in these highlands, though it's not yet well known outside of local cognoscenti. Ask for it!

Connect
Consult with your hotel if they provide free Wi-Fi hotspot. If you need an internet cafe, Berastagi city center has several. Do not expect blazing speed - you can get by for browsing and e-mail, but streaming movies will need a lot of patience.

Although in mountainous region, cellphone coverage is very good except if you find yourself in the middle of forest! Phone internet may be limited to around town only, with surrounding villages offering only 3G or lower coverage, at best.

Area code for telephone is 628.

Go next

 * Medan
 * Lake Toba

Public transport to Lake Toba/Parapat is possible but involves 3 minivan changes and takes around 5 hours. Easier to charter a taxi/minivan from the guesthouse and get there in 4 hours than whole day or Taxi Trans for Rp 500,000 (private van); like tobatransporter@hotmail.com/+6285261492668. You could also stop at the waterfall on the way; Bukit Lawang seems to be best reached via Medan.

For public transport:

Medan:

Frequent ordinary buses to Simpang Kuala/ Simpang Pos on Jln Ginting in Medan are Rp 20,000. From there you can get minibuses into central Medan for around Rp 7,000.

Samosir:

-Walk to the bus station south of the roundabout in central Berastagi and take the next bus headed towards Kabanjahe - 20 min, Rp 5,000 (you can tell the driver you're going to Parapat and this message may be passed along to the other drivers making it slightly easier to communicate).

-In Kabanjahe grab the next bus going to P. Siantar and ask to be dropped off at Sinpong Dua - 3 hours - Rp 25,000

-When dropped off at the Sinpong Dua junction, you'll need to cross the road and walk south a few minutes (just ask any local where the bus stop to Parapat is) Big bus costs Rp 15,000 and takes about an hour - drops you off right near the ferry to Samosir Island/Lake Toba

Total time takes about five hours or so including transfer time and it's best to leave Berastagi by about 10:00 in order to leave plenty of time to catch the ferry to Samosir (as of August 2015).

July 2012: For transport to Lake Toba (Rp 130,000/person; leaves at 13:30 or 14:00 and arrives in time for last ferry to TukTuk - as of August 2015), Medan and Bukit Lawang, seats in one of the tourist buses (minivan 5-7 persons; PT Bagus Holiday's Taxi) can be arranged through the local tourist agencies. This is much quicker and easier than public transport and just a little bit more expensive.

title: Berastagi


text:
Berat

Berat is a city in Albania. In 2008 it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as it is a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman city. It is one of the country's most beautiful cities, and is known as the "city of a thousand windows".

Understand
Capital of its surrounding eponymous county. The town is known for its well preserved architecture influenced by the Ottomans and Byzantines. There are a variety of Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques in the town reflecting the historical influences of the region and the coexistence of different religious and cultural communities. It is known as the "city of a thousand windows" because of the architectural style whereby buildings are constructed with a multitude of windows on a background of whitewashed walls to make use of daylight. Combined with the hilly nature of the town, the buildings rise above each other on the slopes, making for a striking impression on visitors.

Berat sits beneath the snowcapped Mount Tomorr, a holy mountain for Albanians, along the banks of the River Osum. Berat Castle rises above on a hill on the eastern bank of the river. The combination of a hillside fortified town with a backdrop of mountains and river makes for a picturesque location.

Get in
Berat is 71 km (44 miles) north of Gjirokastër, 70 km (43 miles) west of Korçë, 70 km (43 miles) south of Tirana, 33 km (21 miles) east of Fier, and 67 km (41 miles) from Elbasan.

By bus

Destinations:
 * Tirana – Furgon/Van 500 lek, bus 500 lek as of Oct 2022
 * Fier – 200-250 lek
 * Sarandë – (via Gjirokastër), departs 08:00 and 14:00 daily from Berat, 6 hr, 1,000 lek
 * Elbasan – every 2-3 hr, 400 lek (if by Lushnja)
 * Gjirokastër – daily 08:30 and 09:00 from Gjirokastër, and 13:15 and 14:00 from Berat, 1,000 lek (Jul 2023)

Get around
The old centre of town is small enough to be toured by foot with a significant climb up to the Kala area. Taking a walk on the footpaths of the old town is a must!

See

 * Numerous Byzantine Churches, dating from the 13th century.
 * Several Mosques from the Ottoman era (starting from 1417).
 * The Ethnographic Museum of Berat (House of 'Xhokaxhinjve') 01.jpg
 * Numerous Byzantine Churches, dating from the 13th century.
 * Several Mosques from the Ottoman era (starting from 1417).
 * The Ethnographic Museum of Berat (House of 'Xhokaxhinjve') 01.jpg
 * Several Mosques from the Ottoman era (starting from 1417).
 * The Ethnographic Museum of Berat (House of 'Xhokaxhinjve') 01.jpg
 * Several Mosques from the Ottoman era (starting from 1417).
 * The Ethnographic Museum of Berat (House of 'Xhokaxhinjve') 01.jpg
 * Several Mosques from the Ottoman era (starting from 1417).
 * The Ethnographic Museum of Berat (House of 'Xhokaxhinjve') 01.jpg
 * Several Mosques from the Ottoman era (starting from 1417).
 * The Ethnographic Museum of Berat (House of 'Xhokaxhinjve') 01.jpg
 * Several Mosques from the Ottoman era (starting from 1417).
 * The Ethnographic Museum of Berat (House of 'Xhokaxhinjve') 01.jpg
 * The Ethnographic Museum of Berat (House of 'Xhokaxhinjve') 01.jpg

Do

 * Take a walk on the peculiar footpaths of the Old Town featuring exterior flower and plant decorations, tight paths and unique local hospitality.
 * Horse ride at Gorica Hill.
 * Take a walk along the main Promenade at sunset where locals hang out for some fresh air.
 * Rafting through the gorges around Berat and Permet.

Buy

 * Traditional souvenirs include stone carving, wood chipping, and textile products. You will see women making lace products in the Kala area and this is sold extensively.

Eat
Dishes to try include rice with turkey (pilaf me kaposh deti), Mont Blanc pastry named after the white peak of Mount Tomorri, and the delicious figs and olives of the area.
 * There are also a variety of restaurants within the Kala area offering Albanian cuisine.
 * There are also a variety of restaurants within the Kala area offering Albanian cuisine.
 * There are also a variety of restaurants within the Kala area offering Albanian cuisine.
 * There are also a variety of restaurants within the Kala area offering Albanian cuisine.
 * There are also a variety of restaurants within the Kala area offering Albanian cuisine.
 * There are also a variety of restaurants within the Kala area offering Albanian cuisine.

Drink

 * Try traditional Raki made from walnuts (Raki me arra), and peculiar juice made from roses.

Sleep
Accommodation is mainly in the form of private rooms as many traditional house owners have turned their localities into B&B. Hotels are also available.

Go next

 * Tirana – There are buses.
 * Gjirokastër – Take a bus.
 * Sarandë via Gjirokastër – Bus departs 08:00 and 14:00 daily, 6 hr (1,000 lek)
 * Fier – It is recommended not to take shortcuts as the direct road between Berat and Fier is in a bad condition. Instead, go via Lushnjë.
 * Përmet – Only once a day, 07:15.

title: Berat


text:
Berbera

Berbera is a large city in Somaliland. Popular golden beaches such as Bathaale and Batalaale have earned the city the nickname Beach City.

Understand

Berbera is a port city that lies on the coast of Somaliland, facing the Gulf of Aden. For this reason, it's the economic centre of Somaliland, attracting most of the trade that takes place in the country. The city while also serves Ethiopia's trading needs. In terms of attractions, Berbera doesn't have a whole lot to offer. The primary reason for visiting the city rather is to absorb the culture and lifestyle. Today, much of the city is simply crumbling buildings and mud-thatch houses.

Get in
Most people get to Berbera by travelling overland from Hargeisa, via minibus and 4WD. The journey is 150km, and usually costs $5. You will need an armed security officer to escort you between the cities, which will have to be organised in Hargeisa. Sometimes travellers are able to go independently by organising a letter of permission from the Police Commissioner in Hargeisa. If you leave Berbera by road, you will need an armed security guard again.

Get around
Public transport is limited to taxis or whatever minibuses you can find. If you wish to see the waters, take a Gulf of Aden cruise on a miniature ferry.

See

 * Historic buildings of the different empires in the central city
 * Historic buildings of the different empires in the central city
 * Historic buildings of the different empires in the central city

Do

 * Swim at the very nice Batalaale beach.
 * Go snorkeling in the beautiful Red Sea.

Eat
Enjoy the dinner beach hotel of Xeeb Soor with the sea waves beside you.

Go next

 * Hargeisa — Somaliland's capital is one of the safest places in the country
 * Laas Geel is a series of caves that contain cave paintings dating back to 18,000–20,000 BCE

title: Berbera


text:
Berchtesgaden

 * See also Berchtesgaden National Park.

Berchtesgaden is a small, picturesque and historic town (population 7,700 in 2019) in the southeast of the German state of Bavaria, within a small enclave surrounded on three sides by the Austrian border. The town lies some 30 km south of the Austrian city of Salzburg and some 180 km south-east of Munich.

Understand
The town is located in a valley at 500 to 1100 m altitude in the south-eastern part of the German Alps and is surrounded by high mountains called Untersberg in the North, Obersalzberg in the east and further south by the Watzmann. Berchtesgaden and neighbouring Bad Reichenhall are famous for their salt mines. The production of table salt guaranteed in the medieval ages a safe source of revenue and it still does today. Therefore, a visit to the salt mine of Berchtesgaden is definitely on the to do list.

In the 20th century, the name of Berchtesgaden became well known to the general public for more unfortunate reasons: the Nazi dictator of Germany, Adolf Hitler, had his summer getaway on the peak in a complex of buildings known as the Berghof at Obersalzberg. A house was built for him at the peak of the mountain above Obersalzberg, but he only visited it a couple of times. It is known in German as the Kehlsteinhaus, and was dubbed “The Eagles Nest” by the occupying American forces after the war. All the buildings and bunkers of the Berghof were destroyed at the end of the World War II and nowadays a documentation centre can be found close to the place on the Obersalzberg. The Kehlsteinhaus is accessible via bus from Obersalzberg, and has now been converted to a restaurant.

Berchtesgaden has its fair share of tourism all around the year, and has retained its original charming character. House fronts around the market place, palace and elsewhere in Berchtesgaden are decorated with murals.

Talk
Standard German is well understood in Bavaria; most local people, however, speak their local dialect between themselves. This being a tourist destination, English and French are often understood.

By plane
International travellers wishing to visit Bavaria and Berchtesgaden should have no problems booking a flight to Munich, home to a large international airport. Alternatively, if there is no direct flight to Munich with your airline, you could book a flight via Frankfurt and travel to Munich with the ICE high speed train. Alternatively you can fly to Salzburg in Austria and travel then to Berchtesgaden via train (70 minutes) or bus (~40 minutes), both direct connections. The distances are only 20 km from Salzburg and about 190 km from Munich Airport. Crossing the German-Austrian border is no problem due to the Schengen Treaty.

By train
Berchtesgaden has a train station and is well connected to Munich and Frankfurt. From Austria, a train from Salzburg is likely the best option.

By road
Driving from Munich on the A8 to Salzburg you find Berchtesgaden sign posted shortly before the Austrian border and it is another 20 km from there to Berchtesgaden. (If you travel in a hire car make sure that you pre-order winter equipment since most of the rental car companies in Germany provide you only with “summer wheels” which are most unsuitable in and around Berchtesgaden from October to April). Note also that in order to drive on a motorway in Austria it is necessary to purchase and display a 'vignette', or tax disk. These can be bought from roadside service stations.

Get around
The bus system in Berchtesgaden is as good as in the rest of Bavaria: buses run twice or once an hour and you can reach the outermost places with them. Be sure to get a timetable (”Busfahrplan“). As a guest in Berchtesgaden you have to pay a tourist-tax (”Kurtaxe“) which will give you a tourist-card (”Kurkarte“). With this card you can use most local buses for free and you also get a reduction for some public parking sites.

See

 * The Hintersee is a small lake in nearby Ramsau b. Berchtesgaden.
 * The Hintersee is a small lake in nearby Ramsau b. Berchtesgaden.
 * The Hintersee is a small lake in nearby Ramsau b. Berchtesgaden.
 * The Hintersee is a small lake in nearby Ramsau b. Berchtesgaden.

Do
Despite being in a remote location, Berchtesgaden and nearby Königsee possess world class sport facilities. The bobsleigh run (Bobbahn) at Königssee is regular venue for world-cup races, but tourists also can run it down in guest-bobs. The ice arena (“Eishalle”) in Berchtesgaden is opened half the year and popular among locals and sportsmen from nearby Austria. There's a cheap combi-ticket for ice arena and “Watzmanntherme”. The Therme is just a few meters away and probably unmatched for being embedded in a spectacular scenic landscape, surrounded by mountains and snow caped peaks and features as giant action whirl pool, hydro massage facilities, salt water pools, 80m slide with light and sound effects www.watzmanntherme.de.

Around Berchtesgaden are several slopes for skiing such as Golf and Ski am Obersalzberg, Götschen, Rossfeld and Jenner. First one is fitted for beginners, the Jenner is for advanced skiers. There are also several runs for cross-country skiing and very advanced skiers might be interested in ski touring in the Berchtesgaden Alps. From late January on sunny weather is common but the risk of avalanches is rising.

If you stay in Berchtesgaden you will have significant reduction of most entrance fees via the “Kurtaxe”.

 * Wilderness trail
 * Horse drawn sleigh in Berchtesgaden, Germany 2005

Eat
You will find plenty of nice and original Bavarian restaurants as well as Greek, Chinese, Turkish and Italian restaurants. The pricing in most places is modest by German standards and international visitors will often view that as a bargain. Obviously being in Bavaria and in the middle of the alps you should try the local specialities such as Knödel, Schweinehaxe, wild deer (very seldom), Bratwurst, Leberkase, Weisswurst, Kartoffelsalat, Gulasch Bratkartoffeln, Kaiserschmarn, fish - and lots of more things.

Sweet

 * Café Lockstein Am Lockstein 1 83471 Berchtesgaden +49(0)8652/2122. Probably the best view over Berchtesgaden

Drink
Bavarians love their beer and one of the most beloved is the wheat beer (Weißbier). It is a cloudy, unfiltered beer commonly consumed earlier in the day with a Weißwurst and sweet mustard. In the cold wintertime it is nice to finish your dinner with a local “Schnaps” from the Enzian Brauerei Grassl. It makes you feel nice and warm after a long day out on slopes.

Sleep
There is a good range of accommodation ranging from budget to moderately expensive. Many local people enjoy “bed and breakfast” for a very good price. You can spot those places by searching for the signs that read “Zimmer frei” or “Zimmer zu vermieten”, or use the web link from Berchtesgadener Land. In the last years holiday flats became very popular, you will find them via “Ferienwohnung”.

Mid-range

 * Treff Alpenhotel Kronprinz Berchtesgaden, am Brandholz. Near the city center.

Splurge

 * Hotel InterContinental Resort Berchtesgaden, situated high above Berchtesgaden on the Obersalzberg. The hotel is a modern building and offers rooms and suites for up to €2500/day and is therefore Berchtesgaden's most expensive place to sleep.

Stay safe

 * Berchtesgaden is thankfully largely free of crime, mugging or travel scams.
 * Avalanches can occur in remote areas when the temperature rises in February till April and at steep slopes above 30%. The Lawinenlagebericht will give you detailed information: level 3 and higher is dangerous but you should always have a local guide with you.
 * Having lots of snow on a road with 15% slope can be dangerous.

Go next

 * Schönau a.Königssee
 * Bad Reichenhall
 * Munich (3 hours by train)
 * Salzburg home of Mozart (1 hour by train)
 * Berchtesgaden National Park

title: Berchtesgaden


text:
Berchtesgaden National Park

Berchtesgaden National Park is in the alpine section of Bavaria, south of the town of Berchtesgaden.

History
In 1978, to preserve the beauty of this region of lakes and mountains, the Bavarian government founded the Berchtesgaden National Park, which centres around the lake Königssee. Surrounded by high mountain walls at the end of the valley is the Obersee.

Landscape
The Berchtesgaden National Park is covering an area of 210 km² or 81 sq. miles. It is state property in its entirety. Its high mountain landscapes are characterized by extensive forests and steep rock faces.

By plane
Berchtesgaden National Park is about 30 km from the Salzburg Airport and about 200 km from Munich Airport.

By train
Take a train to Berchtesgaden railway station.

By bus
Take a bus of Regionalverkehr Oberbayern (RVO) to "Königssee".

By boat
Boats run all year round on lake Königsee, unless the lake freezes over in winter.

Lodging
Inns, summer flats and other types of countryside accommodation are abundant in Berchtesgaden and Schönau.

title: Berchtesgaden National Park


text:
Berd

Berd is a city in Northern Armenia.

Understand
Berd lies at the heart of the region known as Shamshadin, and is the only town in that rather remote corner of Armenia. This area is part of the same geographic zone as much of Karabakh, and the rolling green hills of forest and pasture, studded with monasteries much resembles that land, as do the hospitable, proud people.

Get in
Public transportation comes in through Ijevan, which is where you'll want to go if you're trying to catch a minibus or taxi. Otherwise from Yerevan you can head there via Ijevan, and then choose the good, longer road, or the bad shorter one. You can also get there via a beautiful stretch of mountain starting in the valley where Chambarak lies, if you have your own car, or bike.

Get around
Berd is relatively small, but mountainous. Walking around can be fun, but the edges of town might require a car or taxi.

See
There isn't much to see in the town, except for the small fort of Tavush high above the town, but in the rolling hills, there is some incredible scenery and monuments that few tourists have ever made it to.

Nor Varagavank and Khoranashat are the two most impressive monuments in the rolling green hills and mountains of Shamshadin. This corner of Armenia is completely out of the way, and few ever make it out here.

Do
The entire region is a hikers' and bikers' paradise. Camping works anywhere, locals are extremely friendly, and things are quite cheap.

Drink
This is one of the home brew mulberry (and other fruit) vodka capitals of Armenia. You should be able to find some for sale at the Shuka in Berd (or Ijevan), but strangely not usually at places that serve alcohol. Don't leave without trying it, but brace yourself for some seriously strong spirits!

title: Berd


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Berdsk

Berdsk (Russian: Бердск byehrtsk) is a city in Novosibirsk Oblast. Although it is the region's second largest city, Berdsk is less than one tenth the size of the capital Novosibirsk and, accordingly, is far quieter and less polluted. It is also much older, having been founded as a fortress town in 1716. Sadly, none of the historic buildings have survived because the city was moved when the original site was flooded by the Ob Sea, created by the turn of the 19th century hydroelectric dam built nearby.

Get in
Berdsk is on the Turkestani-Siberian Magistral branch line (TurkSib) from the Trans-Siberian Railway junction at Novosibirsk.

Go next
From Berdsk, you can take the Turkestani-Siberian Magistral to the north to Novosibirsk or to the south to Barnaul and onwards to Kazakhstan.

title: Berdsk


text:
Berea (Kentucky)

Berea is a small city in Kentucky's Bluegrass Region in southern Madison County about 15 miles (24 km) south of Richmond and 45 miles (72 km) south of Lexington. The community has experienced major population growth: 38% from 2000 to 2010, and 16% to 2018. It is known for its active arts and crafts scene and as the home of Berea College, a liberal arts school which serves students from the Appalachia region.

Understand
Berea was founded in 1854 by the abolitionist minister John Fee (with help from the former slave owner Cassius Clay, of Whitehall in northern Madison County), as an integrated community founded on the principle that "God has made of one blood all the nations of the earth" and hence slavery and racial segregation were sinful. Fee named the town Berea after a town in Macedonia mentioned in the Book of Acts whose inhabitants were open to accepting Paul's new ideas based on a careful study of the Scriptures. The school Fee established grew into Berea College, which flourished in the late nineteenth century as an interracial institution before the state government forced it to segregate in 1904. Thereafter, the college shifted its focus to the education of poor white people from Appalachia. In the 20th century, a craft movement sprang up in Berea dedicated to preserving traditional mountain arts and crafts. This remains a strong influence on the town's culture, with many artisan workshops scattered around College Square and in "Old Town" about a mile away.

Get in
You'll almost certainly get to Berea by car. Berea is accessible from exits 76 and 77 off of I-75.

When you come in, grab a travel planner pamphlet from either the Traveler's Center just off I-75 exit 77 (see below in Buy) or from the Welcome Center in town.

Berea also has a Greyhound bus station near Oldtown.

Get around
There are two areas that make up the major centers of Berea: Old Town Artisan Village, and College Square. Each is easily traversable by foot.

To get from one end of town to the other, you could walk; it would take about 15 minutes. Parking is easy to come by, though, so you might as well drive.

Do
There are a number of festivals throughout the year, some of which are juried.

Outdoor recreation Performing arts

Spotlight Playhouse.214 Richmond Road. 859-756-0011. Acting school and community theater offering shows nearly every weekend.

Learn
As a historic college town and a center of Appalachian culture and sustainable agriculture, Berea has an unusual number of learning opportunities for a town of its size, most centering on some form of traditional arts and crafts. Besides the opportunities listed below, many of the artisans listed in the "Buy" section offer classes.

 * Christmas Country Dance School. Dec. 26-Jan. 1. This yearly event (cancelled in 2020 and 2021) brings together people from all over the world interested in country dance and other traditional arts. Classes include English country dancing, Morris dancing, Danish folk dance, storytelling, and various forms of vocal and instrumental music.

 * Festival of Learnshops. This weeklong event in July offers classes in a range of traditional arts and crafts. "Learnshops" are sometimes available at other times in the year as well, and the spinoff Singing Bird Music School offers instruction in traditional music.
 * Loyal Jones Appalachian Center offers exhibits on the history of Appalachia as well as hosting various lectures and other cultural events.
 * Carter G. Woodson Center offers lectures and workshops on African-American history.
 * Berea College Planetarium. Closed as of May 2022. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, this arm of Berea College's science program offered weekly shows as well as other educational activities.
 * Sustainable Berea runs the Berea Urban Farm as well as promoting sustainable agriculture in the community through a number of outreach endeavors.

Buy
If you want to see Berea and its artists up close and personal, go downtown and just walk the streets. Many artisans have workshops there, and are open to the public (typically 9AM-5PM).

Old Town Artisan Village

Eat

 * PapaLenos, 108 Center Street, 859-986-4497. This popular and unpretentious Italian restaurant, focusing on pizza, has been open since 1984 and sits just around the corner from Boone Tavern on College Square.
 * Noodle Nirvana, 112 South Main Street, (859) 756-3733. Asian noodle dishes, including soups. Customers can build their own dish by choosing a noodle, a sauce or broth, and a protein, or pick from seven set options. Familiar dishes such as pad thai, pho, drunken noodles, and Thai curry share the menu with lesser known options such as a Thai vegetable soup including potatoes and tomatoes, a spicy lime soup, and a sweet peanut sauce. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are offered, including Thai iced tea and a range of Mexican jarritos. The staff is paid a higher wage than in most restaurants and all tips go to charity.
 * Happy Jack's World Sandwich Bar, 204 Center Street. Same ownership as Noodle Nirvana and shares their website. Sandwiches and salads with an international flavor. Also serves breakfast.
 * Native Bagel Company, 436 Chestnut Street. Made Food & Wine Magazine's 2021 list of the 50 best bagel shops in the country. During the evenings a restaurant/pub operates out of the same space (see under "Drink").
 * Dinner Bell, 127 Plaza Drive. Southern country cooking.
 * Honeysuckle Dining and Bourbon House, 100 Churchill Court.
 * Honeysuckle Dining and Bourbon House, 100 Churchill Court.

Drink
Berea used to be a "dry" community, but since 2015 restaurants have been able to serve alcohol. Bars and the sale of packaged alcohol are still prohibited. The nearest community where alcohol is widely available is Richmond; most of that city is completely "wet" (with package alcohol sales in addition to restaurant sales). If traveling to the south on I-75, the next town that allows alcohol by the drink in restaurants is London, slightly more than a half-hour's drive away, and the next town that allows package sales is Corbin, about 15 minutes further south.

 * Nightjar, 436 Chestnut Street. Serves food as well as alcoholic beverages, in the same building as Native Bagel but during the evening hours.
 * Nightjar, 436 Chestnut Street. Serves food as well as alcoholic beverages, in the same building as Native Bagel but during the evening hours.

Go next

 * Corbin
 * Lexington
 * London
 * Richmond

title: Berea (Kentucky)


text:
Beragala

Beragala is in Sri Lanka, about 175 km (3½ hr drive) from the capital city of Colombo.

Get around
Bambarakanda Waterfall is located 175 km away from Colombo.

Sri Lanka's highest waterfall 790 feet This water fall is situated 4900 feet above the sea level. Waterfall starts from Mahaeliya (Horton Plains) the leading strict reserve in the country. Even though this is the highest waterfall in the country, it receives very few visitors, due to limited amount of water resulting lack of beauty in the waterfall.

See
Belihuloya :Home to the Sabaragamuwa University, is a very picturesque and romantic venue situated 160 km from Colombo in the historical Sabaragamuwa province, midway between the hill country and low country and is an ideal location to be in for few days.

Do

 * Kinchigune Nature Trail: this diverse trail of approximately 5 km begins at the vicinity of Sabaragamuwa University in Belihuloya, running alongside a riverine forest and the “HirikatuOya” river itself. During the trail, you will venture through paddy fields, across rivers and past local village houses with their extensive vegetable plots. It is an ideal opportunity to learn a bit about the local agricultural systems and simple way of village living. Along the way, you will also witness several types of beautiful birds and butterflies and some charming waterfalls. The trail finishes where the Belihuloya river meets the Samanalawewa reservoir. Where you could relax a bit and extend your stay for a while.
 * Canoeing at Samanalawewa: The still calm waters of the Samanalawewa reservoir are perfect for canoeing. Whether you want to take your time and go for a leisurely paddle for a couple of hours, perhaps venturing out to the mouth of the Belihul Oya River or spend an entire day exploring the perimeter of the reservoir, you are sure to have an unforgettable experience. The surrounding mountains add to the idyllic setting of the reservoir. All groups will be supplied with an experienced guide and modern life jackets, and a proper orientation will be offered for those who are new to canoeing.
 * Horton Plains Nature Reserve: Nature walk in Horton Plains Nature Reserve, which is approximately 10,000 ha in extent, is haunted by Elk, Deer, Giant Squirrel, Wild Boar, Wild Hare, Porcupine, and a variety of Migratory birds, unique to this region. If you are very lucky you may get a glimpse of a leopard during your sojourn in the Horton Plains. Total distance of trekking in side the park would be 6 km Packed Lunch at a suitable location during trek
 * Devils Staircase Trail: starting from the Horton Plains entrance. You have two options where you can travel in the vehicle for about 6 km up to “Udaweriya” estate junction and then start trekking or start the trek from the gate entrance itself. On your way if time available visit to Lanka Ella water fall. Distance to the Bambarakanda Falls from the junction is 14 km. Along this trail you will cover Kingslyn estate, West Haputale estate then Bambarakanda Falls. From the falls you can either trek for another 6 km and get in to your vehicle at Kalupahana to be driven to World's End Lodge or get in to the vehicle near the falls.
 * Trail starting from the Nonferil Estate: Other alternative is to track via Pambahinna, and Nonferil Estate. This is again quite a dramatic route covering distance of more than 30 km. On your way you will be able to visit Nonperil waterfall. This is the location where part of world renowned movie Sandesaya was shot by Dr.Lester James Peiris.
 * Bambarakanda Falls: Within a majestic basin-shaped valley bordered by huge steep rocks and dark green forests of pines and tropic trees the highest waterfall of Sri Lanka [240.8m] plunges with two silver ropes over a vertical dark grey wall from the green saddle between Mt. Welihena and Mt. Bambaragala into a deep pool only 500 m walking distance from the trail.
 * World's End — Belihuloya: Continue hiking through lovely scenery of tea plantations, paddy fields and villages to the Bambarakanda Falls - the highest in Sri Lanka. There is the chance to take a dip in the pool at the bottom before continuing to a small village where you enjoy lunch with a local family.

Sleep

 * Cambridge Villa Resort. 40 acres surrounded by tea estates, nestled into the hills. 20 deluxe apartments, conference hall, restaurant, bar, and other features. Nature walks and tours also available. The tariff will be Rs. 4000/ per room on European plan. Check-in time is noon and check-out is 10AM. Breakfast will be Rs. 250, Lunch at Rs. 400 and dinner at Rs. 450.

Go next
Distance from the resort: Nuwaraeliya - 2 hours, Kataragama - 2 hours, Worldsend - 2 hours, Beach resort - 2 hours, Kandy - 4 hours, Bandarawela - 30 minutes, Haputhale - 15 minutes.

title: Beragala


text:
Bergama

Bergama is a city in the Northern Aegean region of Turkey, 120 km north of Izmir and with a population of 104,980 in 2021. It's best known for the extensive ruins of Pergamon, a World Heritage site.

Understand

 * "I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is . . . "
 * - Revelation 2:12-17; St John of Patmos threatens the church of Pergamos.

Bergama or Pergamon / Pergamos (Πέργαμον / -ος) probably derives from a word meaning "hill", like the European "berg". It grew up as a semi-independent Hellenistic city-state under the Attalid dynasty, 281–133 BC. Its ruler Eumenes II beautified and fortified the ramshackle settlement into a fine Acropolis, vying with Athens. He tried to keep on friendly terms with Rome, but in 133 BC came a hostile takeover. However that wasn't the end of the show: Pergamon was only 13 km from the sea and was a trading city, probably with a cosmopolitan population. By 90 AD that included a small Christian community, one of the "Seven Churches of Asia" addressed by St John of Patmos. From around 110 AD Emperors Trajan then Hadrian embellished the Acropolis further, and the best of the ruins are from this period. Some dozen later conflicts didn't do too much damage, nor did modern urbanisation, so they remain the reason to visit and rank as one of the top sights in Turkey.

Get in
Bergama is 7 km from a major highway intersection, which is a stopping point for frequent inter-city buses round the clock. With your own vehicle from Istanbul follow O-5 (toll) to Soma then take D240. From Çanakkale follow the coast road D550. An agreeable side road in good weather is to leave D550 just before Ayvalık and take the scenic lane over Kozak plateau.

Buses from Istanbul take 8-9 hours via Bursa for a single fare in 2022 of about 500 TL.

Buses from Çanakkale take 4 hours for 160 TL. From Ankara they're 9 hours for 420 TL.

Operators on these routes include Metroturizm, Pamukkale and Flixbus. Other bus lines rush past on the highway non-stop.

From Izmir, take the local IZBAN train to its north terminus at Aliağa. Bus 835 runs every 30 min from the IZBAN station to Bergama Otogarı and town centre, and the total journey takes 2 hours. You need an izmirimkart since the train and bus don't accept cash.

is the inter-city bus station, away out west at the junction of D550 and D240. So it's convenient for buses on long-distance routes but is 7 km from downtown and 10 km from the main sights. See below for the local bus onward, or you might take a taxi or dolmuş. In 2022 passengers describe it as a ghost factory: a creeking empty place with no toilets, refreshments or other facilities, and hardly any staff or buses to be seen. Some buses don't turn into the station but drop you besides the seething highway - crossing it safely is simply not their responsibility. Your dilemma will be whether to do so, or to seek onward transport from the drop-off.

is the terminus for all the local Eshot buses, including the 835 from Aliağa.

Get around
Downtown is navigable on foot, including Red Basilica, the Archaeology Museum, the Asklepion and the base station for the Acropolis cable car.

It's a 3 km hike up the lane to the main Acropolis entrance and top cable-car station, so if you've brought a car use it. The cable car starts near the exit gate and brings you to the main entrance. In October 2023 one-way trip is 250 TL and round-trip 300 TL which seems to be overpriced and way more expensive than the short taxi ride to the main entrance.

Bus 835 from Aliağa calls every 30 min at the main Otogarı then heads into town, so this is your budget connection from the inter-city routes. Predatory taxi drivers will claim it's not running today. Their price should drop sharply when you show them the Eshot real-time bus tracker.

Buses 831, 832 and 833 run north to the mountain village of İncecikler.

See

 * Kurtuluş Camii is the mosque in the north rotunda, with a separate entrance.
 * Education Museum (Bergamalı Kadri Eğitim Tarihi Müzesi) is a converted schoolroom on Dede Sk 100 m north of Red Basilica. It's open M-F 09:00-16:00.
 * (Ulu Cami or Yıldırım Cami) was built in 1399 by Sultan Bayezid I - known as "Thunderbolt" (Yıldırım) for his habit of blazing into battles without figuring out how to conduct them. It's had spells of disrepair but has been restored and is still in use.
 * was built in 1550 and restored in 2017. Çukur Han opposite was a 14th century caravanserai, an overnight stop for travelling merchants, but if it's not promptly restored it's going to fall to bits. Taş Han is another caravanserai just south, sadly dilapidated.
 * is the name given to this structure, to distinguish it from the town's other theatres. It's circular and deep, so there would have been a very steep rake to the banks of seating. But nowadays there's no seating, just a few retaining walls, so frankly it looks like a crater.
 * was built in 1550 and restored in 2017. Çukur Han opposite was a 14th century caravanserai, an overnight stop for travelling merchants, but if it's not promptly restored it's going to fall to bits. Taş Han is another caravanserai just south, sadly dilapidated.
 * is the name given to this structure, to distinguish it from the town's other theatres. It's circular and deep, so there would have been a very steep rake to the banks of seating. But nowadays there's no seating, just a few retaining walls, so frankly it looks like a crater.
 * Viran Kapı is a ruined gateway on the street up to the Asklepion.
 * impounds a large irrigation lake. The last 200 m of road is closed so park by the gate and walk on. Nice views if there's a good level of water, but in summer you may encounter only a ribbon of pea soup. No swimming or other water activities are permitted.
 * Allianoi in the hills 18 km northeast was a spa resort in the Grecian era and developed into a miniature Pergamon under the Romans. But don't make a special trip to the ruins, which since 2011 lie deep beneath the Yortanlı irrigation lake.
 * Allianoi in the hills 18 km northeast was a spa resort in the Grecian era and developed into a miniature Pergamon under the Romans. But don't make a special trip to the ruins, which since 2011 lie deep beneath the Yortanlı irrigation lake.

Do

 * Football: Bergama Belediyespor play soccer in TFF 3 Lig, the fourth tier in Turkey. They are without a regular home ground as their 14 Eylül Stadyumu (14 Sept Stadium) has closed.
 * Aquapark 3 km southwest along the main highway gets poor reviews for hygiene and facilities, but if the kids are having hysterics at the prospect of yet more Graeco-Roman ruins . ..
 * Bergama Kermesi is a cultural festival held over a week in mid-June.

Buy

 * Lots of small supermarkets, Şok is the commonest chain.
 * Kınık Cd north side of Red Basilica has shops selling kilims, traditional hand-made woollen carpets.
 * Pine pistachio (cam fistigi) is a specialty of Kozak, the plateau north of town.

Eat

 * Small places line the main street a block west of Red Basilica. Go by how appetising the smell is, not by the decor.

Drink

 * Bars lie a little further south down Cumhuriyet Cd. By the Archaeology Museum are Dostlar Birahanesi and Leyla Meyhanesi.
 * Wine is grown in this region. The closest vineyard is Uysal in Teğelti (Tiyelti) village west of Asclepieion.

Stay safe
The city is safe, you just need usual care of valuables, traffic, and sun-protection on the exposed Acropolis.

The mangy stray dogs sometimes snarl at passers-by but prefer to mutilate each other.

Connect
As of July 2022, Bergama and the main east-west highway have 4G from all Turkish carriers, but coverage is patchy on the road north across the hills. 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

 * Dikili is the nearest beach resort, with a long sandy beach north and attractive rocky coasts south around the headland to Çandarli.
 * Foça and its associated resorts are further south, on the edge of Izmir so they're busy on summer weekends.
 * The other Seven Churches of Asia can be toured by making a loop around Izmir through Akhisar, Sardis, Alaşehir and Denizli, then taking in Ephesus.
 * Izmir is a busy modern city but with lots to see and do. The raucous Aegean tourist strip starts south of the city.
 * Istanbul to Izmir is a long distance itinerary passing through Bergama.

title: Bergama


text:
Bergamo

Bergamo is a city in Lombardy, a region of Italy, and the capital of the namesake province. One of the most scenic cities in Italy, it is located on and around a steep hill, green in the summer and white in the winter, complemented by pastel-coloured architecture, against the backdrop of nearby Alps. Its appeal to tourists is enhanced by the nearby Orio al Serio airport. Looking at its beauty, it is hard to believe Bergamo is also one of Italy's most industrialized cities, from which it derives its relative wealth.

Understand
Bergamo is a pretty town of some 122,000 people (2019) nestling in the foothills of the Alps. Widely acclaimed as a city of rare beauty, Bergamo is famous for its wealth of artistic treasures and enchanting medieval atmosphere. It is a real life tale of two cities: Città Bassa, the busy and modern lower city, and Città Alta, the upper city with its rich heritage of art and history.

By plane
Bergamo airport is the 4th busiest airport in Italy, serving a wider area than just the province of Bergamo. It mostly hosts low-fare airlines, many of whom market it as an alternative to Milan's Malpensa and Linate airports, and therefore call it "Milan Bergamo".

Airlines serving Milan are either point-to-point low-fare carries like Ryanair or Wizz Air, as well as holiday charters going either to Italy from other European countries, or from Bergamo to warmer holiday destinations in the Mediterranean. If you would rather travel on a major airline, your only choice are the two daily flights to Munich Airport, operated by Air Dolomiti, where the Lufthansa-owned carrier connects to the Star Alliance network of European and intercontinental flights. Note that Munich is denoted Monaco in Italian when searching for the flights.

Many passengers get on a coach to Milan right after arrival, skipping Bergamo entirely.

From the airport to Bergamo

Buses can be both unreliable and not punctual. You may want to take this bus then make sure you have 30-45 minutes before the time you actually have to be at the airport. Taxies will take about 15 min but are quite expensive given the length of the journey - cost around €15 (€21 after 21:00 in the evening)

Other bus connections
If you are at the airport and your destination is Milan or Venice, just take one of regular coaches. However be warned that the autostrada connecting Bergamo and Milan carries a lot of trucks and gets easily congested - do not therefore rely on the 'stated' journey time especially on weekdays. An alternative is to take the bus into Bergamo (see above) and take the train.

By train
There are regular trains to Milan (50 min), Lecco and Brescia, where you can change to trains towards Verona and Venice. Up to three high-speed trains in each direction directly link Bergamo to Rome daily, one of which also serves Naples. The bus no. 1 from the airport to Bergamo city, taking around 20 minutes, leaves you just in front of the train station. You can check schedules and fares on the website of the Italian Railways.

By bus
Regular buses to Milan. You can check schedules and fares on the website of Autostradale. The trip takes approximately one hour, depending on traffic conditions. Alternatively, you can take advantage of the direct bus connections to the Orio Al Serio airport from Brescia, Milan, Milan Rho fairgrounds, Milano Malpensa Airport and Turin.

By bus
The city's public transit authority is called ATB (Azienda Trasporti Bergamo) and provides a comprehensive website in English. ATB operates a number of bus lines, two funiculars and a tram line.

ATB's ticketing system is a complicated zone-based affair, with single-ride tickets starting at €1.30 (75 min) for zone 00 (24h card – €3.50). Basically, the whole city centre is included into this zone, but to travel to or from the airport you would need a 3 zone ticket for €2.30 (75 min). There are also "Whole Network" cards: 24 hr for €5.00 and 72 hr for €7.00. These tickets are also valid at the funiculars and tram lines and allow you to travel with luggage.

Tickets can be purchased from automated or manned points of sale throughout the town - most importantly, at the train station, the airport, Porta Nuova and the lower station of the Citta Alta funicular.

Bus line #1 is the most convinient for tourists, as it connects the airport with the railway station, the Citta Alta and several other points of interest. The important stops are: The journey from Aeroporto or Orio Center to Colle Aperto takes not more than 25 min (unless there is major traffic congestion), and within the city all of the stops are not more than 15 min from each other. Buses leave the airport three times an hour from 06:00 until 00:00, which is complemented by two hourly departures from Orio Center on the other side of the Autostrada. Within the city, the intervals are 10 min at daytime. On Saturdays ("Sabato") and holidays ("Festivo") the schedule is slightly less intensive, but still workable.
 * Aeroporto for airport
 * Orio Center for the shopping centre opposite the airport
 * Stazione FS for the main railway station
 * Porta Nuova for the centre of Citta Bassa, some buses stop there and don't go to Citta Alta
 * Stazione Inf. Funicolare for the lower station of Citta Alta funicular
 * Stazione Sup. Funicolare for the upper station of Citta Alta funicular
 * Colle Aperto northwestern terminus for buses doing the full route, at the lower station of the funicular to San Vigilio

Do note that the route has a few variations which do not run to the airport, so check the schedule and look for buses stopping at "Aeroporto". If you end up on a bus heading to Grassobbio, get off at "Orio Center", the shopping centre opposite the airport, and head to the airport via an underground passage under the Autostrada. The stop called "Orio al Serio" is for the village and is on the other side of the airport, from where you cannot get to the terminal, so make sure you do not get off there (wait for "Orio Center"). Buses to "Scanzo" and "Torre de Roveri" do not go anywhere the airport at all.

Lines 2-11 can be useful for getting around between other localities. Lines with numbers over 20 only run during weekdays and are mostly structure to handle peak hour traffic. Do take a look at the pretty extensive and exhaustive information at the ATB website, where you can find maps and schedules for all lines.

By funicular
There are 2 funicular lines in Bergamo:

By bike
Bergamo has a public bike system called La BiGi. It is run by Bicincittà and features 22 stations. It appears to be usable only after paying the yearly fee of €20 and between the hours of 06:00 and 23:00, so it might not be the best option for short visits.

By foot
The town is not large, and most of the sights can be seen comfortably on foot. To get from the Città Bassa up to the Città Alta can be quite tiring on foot, though, due to the steep and winding streets, but there is a funicolare (or cable railway) linking the two parts of the town.

Città Alta

Venetian Walls
The upper town is surrounded by world heritage listed stone walls, built in the 16th century by the Venetians, which survive to a large extent to this day. The four gates that led through the walls to the city do survive as well.

Do

 * Ride a mountain bike in the beautiful Parco dei Colli just behind the old town. You will feel as if you are riding in the mountains.
 * Football: Atalanta BC play soccer in Serie A, Italy's top tier. Their home ground is the Gewiss Stadium (capacity 21,700) two km north of the railway station.
 * Bergamo Lions are an American Football team that used to be among the best in Europe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They are featured in the John Grisham book Playing for Pizza and do in reality also feature American players who get paid, while the bulk of the team literally or figuratively plays for pizza.
 * Ride a mountain bike in the beautiful Parco dei Colli just behind the old town. You will feel as if you are riding in the mountains.
 * Football: Atalanta BC play soccer in Serie A, Italy's top tier. Their home ground is the Gewiss Stadium (capacity 21,700) two km north of the railway station.
 * Bergamo Lions are an American Football team that used to be among the best in Europe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They are featured in the John Grisham book Playing for Pizza and do in reality also feature American players who get paid, while the bulk of the team literally or figuratively plays for pizza.

Budget
All these are in the city center:

Drink

Sleep
As Bergamo is not as popular as some other destinations of Northern Italy, while being a major business hub and domestic tourism destination, it has a well-developed accommodation base at reasonable prices compared to Milan, for example. The latter, being around 1.5 hrs away, can be a target of a day trip - a convenient option if you arrive on a flight to Orio al Serio airport.

Città Bassa (New Town)
There are a number of good hotels in Citta Bassa - many on Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII (The main street from the station to the funicolare).

Stezzano
Stezzano is a commune 8 km south of Bergamo. It is very easily reached both by train and by bus. The train takes approximately five minutes and Milan is also easily reachable.

Connect
As of June 2022, Bergamo has 5G from all Italian carriers.

Go next

 * The Bergamo area is in the foothills of the Alps, and has a handful of ski resorts within a one-hour drive, including Foppolo and Colere.
 * Lake Endine — Glorious natural scenery which ranges from lakes to woods, from high mountaintops to spectacular hills. The well-preserved environment offers a wide range of sporting activities: trekking, mountain climbing, canyoning, mountain biking, canoeing, sailing. The area has a temperate to warm climate without no summer aridity and is only slightly dry in winter. It isn't too hot in summer and the winters aren't too harsh, fog is practically unheard of and there are many cloudless days.
 * Lake Iseo, one of the smallest and less touristy among the Northern Italian lakes. Go by bus from the Bergamo bus station (opposite the train station) to Tavernola. Then take a ferry to Montisola.
 * Como (one of the main cities at the shores of beautiful Lake Como is also accessible by train, but requires almost travelling back to Milan (you change at Monza). It is worth visiting from Bergamo and vice versa. The journey takes 1½-2 hours.
 * Como (one of the main cities at the shores of beautiful Lake Como is also accessible by train, but requires almost travelling back to Milan (you change at Monza). It is worth visiting from Bergamo and vice versa. The journey takes 1½-2 hours.

title: Bergamo


text:
Lombardian Alps and Prealps

The Lombardian Alps and Prealps extend from the northern border of Lombardy, and indeed of Italy, with Switzerland, down to the valley of the river Po, gradually descending from Alpine mountain ranges through hills down to a pretty flat landscape with an Alpine backdrop closer to the river. Administratively, this region encompasses three Lombardian provinces - Bergamo, Brescia and Sondrio.

Cities

 * - the extremely picturesque historic city built on a scenic hill and around it
 * - a medieval town surrounded by the amazing landscape of Stelvio National Park
 * - an industrial powerhouse with rich heritage starting in ancient Roman Empire
 * - the main town on the eponymous lake in the middle of the Prealps
 * - a tax-free, mainly ski-oriented comune.
 * - the gateway to Imagna Valley, known for unspoilt natural landscape and spectacular mountain views
 * - a scenic town on the southern shore of Lake Iseo
 * - the capital of the eponymous Alpine province
 * - a scenic town on the southern shore of Lake Iseo
 * - the capital of the eponymous Alpine province

Other destinations

 * a small village on the Lake Iseo, known for the dish Tinca al Forno
 * a region that is famous for the production of wines
 * sul Garda
 * on Lake Garda
 * sul Garda
 * on Lake Garda
 * on Lake Garda
 * on Lake Garda
 * on Lake Garda
 * on Lake Garda

Understand
Lombardian Alps are not as well advertised as the Sud-Tirol/Bolzano area, yet it is just as scenic and tourist ready. The Sondrio province is a mountainous region with lush green valleys in summer and isolated white gorges in winter.

Talk

 * Italian - In remoter areas, some of the residents may not speak anything else (perhaps except Lombard).
 * German - towards the border with Switzerland
 * Romansch - much of Sondrio borders with the Romansch speaking area of Grisons

Get in
The main airport in the region is the Orio al Serio Il Caravaggio airport in Bergamo, served mostly by low-fare carriers and holiday flights. Milan's Linate and Malpensa airport and Verona Villafranca airport are also within a reasonable distance.

Get around
The southern part of the region is quite densely populated, with larger cities and smaller towns dotting the map and good road and railway connections between them.

The Milan-Venice high-speed railway line has only one major station in the region, in Brescia, all the region's major cities and towns are connected by local railway lines and frequent train connections operated by Trenord, the regional train company of Lombardy. Unfortunately, the services operate in a fragmented fashion between the major cities, requiring changes if your origin and destination are farther apart.

The main regional railway connections in the region are: Brescia and Bergamo also have regional railway connections with Milan, which stop at localities along the way.
 * the Bergamo-Brescia railway line
 * the line from Bergamo to Lecco on Lake Como
 * the line from Tirano through Sondrio to Lecco (getting between Sondrio and the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia requires changing in Lecco)
 * the line from Brescia to Lake Iseo and further north towards Breno and Edolo
 * the line from Brescia towards Verona, with stops at Desenzano on Lake Garda

The Autostrada A4 runs from Milan through Bergamo and Brescia, but getting to the actual Lombardian Alps requires diverting to local roads. Driving to the province of Sondrio might actually be a reasonable option despite the winding mountainous roads, as it may prove quicker than changing trains once or twice. As there is no railway connection to the western shore of Lake Garda, driving or taking a ferry is required.

See

 * Monte San Giorgio — a mountain at the border to Switzerland and that has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Do
With both Alps and picturesque lakes at hand, all kinds of mountain and water sports are the obvious pastime to enjoy. The views encourage a relaxed approach, so a ride on one of the ferries crossing the lakes or hiking up the hills and mountains to enjoy striking vistas could be the best option. The relatively small ski resort cluster around Sondrio still has a low profile, so you may opt to go there in the winter to avoid crowds.

Eat
Regional specialities include casoncelli, a kind of pasta with stuffing (in a way resembling ravioli) and various polentas. Valtellina in the province of Sondrio is known for breasola (air-dried, salted and aged beef) and pizzoccheri, a type of tagliatelle made of buckwheat.

Drink
Sfursat, a DOCG-status wine, is made in the valley of Valtellina.

Go next
Milan and the rest of Lombardy are obviously close by. Venice is not far away either. Switzerland is just over the border and there are many scenic mountain passes to help you get there. You can actually travel to Switzerland along a world heritage listed railway — the Bernina railway branch the Rhaetian Railway departing from Tirano a few kilometers from the Swiss border and going up to St. Moritz.

title: Lombardian Alps and Prealps