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Lisse

Lisse is a town in the Bollenstreek of South Holland. Most visitors come here in spring, to admire the blooming flower fields and the flower gardens of the Keukenhof. With over 800,000 visitors during the two months it's open every year, Keukenhof is one of the main tourist attractions in the Netherlands.

Understand
Although you will probably be heading for the Keukenhof when visiting Lisse, the town has a few things to offer beside that famous park.

Lisse and the Keukenhof park are located in Zuid-Holland close to Hillegom and south of Haarlem, southwest of Amsterdam. The Keukenhof is huge, spread over 32 hectares with not only tulips, but also hyacinths, daffodils and other spring flowers on display.

History
With first records mentioning the then village of Lisse in 1198, it has a fairly long history. Consecutive wars caused wide spread poverty in the Middle Ages, and peat harvesting and agricultural activities were the region's main source of income. This changed when the production of flower bulbs gained popularity in the region. The local sandy soils proved very suited for the growth of tulips and other bulbeous flowers, bringing economic growth and wealth to Lisse and the surrounding regions. In late medieval times, the area of Lisse belonged to the gardens and hunting grounds of Slot Teylingen, a castle in nearby Teylingen of which now only ruins remain. Among that castle's most prominent inhabitants was Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut, who lived there in the 15th century. Legend has it that herbs for her kitchen ('keuken', in Dutch) were gathered where the Keukenhof is now, hence the name of the park.

Keukenhof Castle (opposite the Keukenhof park) was built around 1642 by Adriaen Maertensz Block, who had served as a captain and commander for the VOC on the Maluku Islands. In 1840 the castle's park was re-designed by Zocher and son, who also designed the famous Vondelpark in Amsterdam. This design laid the foundations for the current park. The castle was extended in 1865 and has been thoroughly renovated.

The Keukenhof tulip gardens were created in 1949, as a flower exposition initiated by Lisse's mayor and some prominent local flower bulb growers. Since its opening in 1950, visitor numbers rapidly increased.

Get in
Keukenhof is found between Haarlem and Leiden on the N208. There are many routes to Keukenhof.

By car
From Apeldoorn: Follow the A1 to Amsterdam. Follow the signs ‘Schiphol’; you will then reach the A4 heading for The Hague. Take exit 4 and follow the N207 towards Lisse. In Lisse, follow the signs 'Keukenhof'.

From Utrecht: Take the A2 to Amsterdam and then the A4 heading for The Hague. On the A4 take exit 4 and follow the N207 towards Lisse. In Lisse, follow the signs 'Keukenhof'.

From Rotterdam: Follow the A4 to The Hague-Amsterdam and take exit 4 and follow the N207 towards Lisse. In Lisse, follow the signs 'Keukenhof'.

From The Hague: Follow the A44 and take exit 3 Noordwijkerhout/Lisse. Then take the N208 to Lisse and follow signs 'Keukenhof'.

By bus
From Amsterdam centre: From the Leidseplein/Museumplein you can take the red Sternet bus 197 to Schiphol Airport (buses run 5-6 times per hour). At Schiphol Airport you have to change to bus 58.

From Schiphol Airport: Bus 58 runs on Monday till Friday 4 times an hour and in weekends 8 times an hour. The bus leaves Schiphol from platform B1/B3 at the Schiphol Plaza bus station. The journey to Keukenhof takes 35 minutes. The last bus back to Schiphol leaves at 19:22.

From Leiden Central Station: Bus 54 runs on Monday till Friday 4 times an hour and in weekends 8 times an hour. The bus leaves Leiden Central Station (city-centre side) from platform 1 at the bus station. The journey to Keukenhof takes 25 minutes. The last bus back to Leiden Central Station leaves at 19:51.

From The Hague Central Station: Bus 89 runs only from Monday till Friday every 30 minutes. The journey to Keukenhof takes about 50 minutes. In a weekend take a train to Leiden Central Station and change to bus 54 there. This journey from The Hague Central Station to Keukenhof via Leiden Central Station also takes about 50 minutes in total.

By bike
If the weather is good, a recommended alternative is going by bike from Leiden. You will experience the typical Dutch transport and the typical landscape at the same time. Bikes can be rented at the back of Leiden Central Station.

Get around
Lisse is small enough to get around on foot, and the Keukenhof is at walking distance from the centre. However, you can also get around the village easily by car or bike. If you want to rent a bike, try *

Keukenhof
The is the main reason why foreigners come to Lisse, and well-worth it. It is an elaborate park and floral exhibition, and a promotion for the Dutch flower industry. This famous tulip garden is surrounded by some of the largest tulip fields in the Netherlands. The Keukenhof is a seasonal attraction and opened only in the first two months of spring when the flowers are in bloom. The best time is to visit may depend on weather conditions but is usually mid-April. For the nine weeks of opening, hundreds of growers, breeders and product groups, in various product shows, join forces in an effort to present a high quality flower exhibition to the visitors of the Keukenhof.

The park opens as early as 08:00. Be there around that time and enjoy the wonderful combination of a very quiet park with the flowers opening up. Keukenhof can be uncomfortably busy in afternoons. Closing time usually is 19:30.

There is no direct bus or train from Amsterdam. Instead, travel to Schiphol Airport by train or by bus and then take bus 858, €5 with an OV Kart. From Leiden, take bus 54 from Centraal Station, and from Haarlem, take bus 50 or 51 from the train station. Combination tickets for the bus ride and entrance are on sale at the bus ticket offices outside both stations. Additional services are put on during the height of the season, but crowds of tourists at the height of the season can cause near riots.

In 2025 Keukenhof will be open from March 20 up until May 11, including all Sundays and public holidays, from 08:00 till 19:30 daily (ticket office closes at 18:00). Entrance fees for 2024 were: adults €21.50 and children (4–11 years) €9. Parking €6 per vehicle. Tickets can be purchased at the door (but be prepared for a lengthy wait), or online on the Keukenhof website. If you buy your ticket online, you do not have to stand in line at the ticket office, but you can walk straight to the ticket inspector. If you come by car, it is wise to buy a parking ticket online as well.

The easiest way to visit Keukenhof is Connexxion's all-in Combi-ticket. This ticket includes a return bus ticket to Keukenhof and an entrance ticket to the park. By showing your Combi-ticket you can enter Keukenhof directly, so you don't have to worry about traffic jams, parking problems or ticket queues at the park. You can buy this all-in Combi-ticket at Schiphol Airport train station, Leiden Centraal train station, Den Haag Centraal train station and also on their website. Prices for the Combi-ticket in 2024 from Amsterdam are: adults €36.50, and children (4–11 years) €18.

You can also buy an all-in Combi-ticket at the Tourist Information desk at Amsterdam Centraal train station and at the Tourist Information desk at Leidseplein in Amsterdam.

Do
Activities at Keukenhof: For groups you can make reservations in advance.
 * Guided tours,
 * Lectures,
 * Photography workshops,
 * Bicycle tours of the bulb fields,
 * Boat tours of the bulb fields.

Buy
Of course you can also buy many flower bulbs on the spot. Five pre-approved vendors sell bulbs for export. You can visit their pavilions and select bulbs for shipment to you. Bulbs will be shipped in time for fall planting.

Make sure the bulbs you select are approved for your country of export. Major credit cards are accepted.

For a lasting reminder of Keukenhof you can shop at the various souvenir shops spread over the park. Our shops offer a wide variety of Keukenhof and Dutch souvenirs.

Eat
Keukenhof Park has five restaurants, each with a terrace overlooking the park. These are self-service restaurants where you can get coffee, tea, sandwiches and hot meals. If you want to eat in the village of Lisse, there's a number of additional options, many in the centre along the Heereweg and the adjoining streets.

Drink
A little square called "T Vierkant" (which literally means the square) is the centre of the village's simple nightlife, which consists mostly of laid-back cafés. Many double as restaurants or serve at least some small dishes. Some good picks include:

Sleep
Lodging options in Lisse and the directly surrounding villages are a bit limited, but remember that you're a short ride away from Leiden, Amsterdam and Haarlem.

Go next
More bulb fields can be found in the Bollenstreek, the region surrounding Lisse. But the Bollenstreek is not the only region in the Netherlands with these fields. If you're looking for more, try the area between Haarlem and Alkmaar in North Holland. While relatively unknown, the largest tulip fields can actually be found in the Noordoostpolder, and a signed bicycle route is set up every spring to give more prominence to the occasion.

title: Lisse


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Listed

Listed is a city in Bornholm.

Get in
Take bus no 7. Or walk from Svaneke

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

title: Listed


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Chinese provinces and regions

China's system of political geography differs somewhat from that in other countries. In some ways it is more complex and it has undergone considerable change over the last century or so.

There is some ambiguity when one uses place names in China. For example "Chengdu" can mean either the city itself or the entire prefecture-level city which includes significant amounts of countryside, many villages and some "small" towns with population anywhere up to a few hundred thousand. Moreover, when someone says their hometown is Chengdu, it might mean their family and identity papers are from there even if they actually grew up elsewhere.

For some of the history, see Imperial China.

Province-level divisions
Most of the country is broken up into provinces (省) which tend to have their own cultural identities, but there are several other geographic units of the same hierarchical rank as provinces:

 * Various ethnic groups have autonomous regions (自治区), although their autonomy is far from complete. For the traveller, these can generally be thought of as provinces, but in political discussions the distinction may be important. In these regions, the language spoken by the relevant minority ethnic group is typically co-official with Mandarin, and you will often see bilingual road signs.
 * There are four municipalities (市), cities that are not part of any province, and whose leaders report directly to the Central Government in Beijing. The smallest of these, Tianjin, has a population well over 10 million. The largest, Chongqing, has over 30 million residents. The municipalities were created in the modern era and thus still share strong cultural ties to the provinces they were carved out from. Beijing and Tianjin out of Hebei, Shanghai out of Jiangsu, and Chongqing out of Sichuan.
 * Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions (SARs，特别行政区). These are former European colonies — British and Portuguese respectively — that rejoined China in the late 1990s. Both territories were part of Guangdong province prior to colonisation, and continue to share strong cultural and linguistic ties with it. Their economies and distinct political systems are allowed to flourish under separate regulatory regimes from the mainland under the slogan "One country, two systems", an arrangement that the Chinese government has promised to maintain until at least 2047 and 2049 respectively. The SARs have their own currencies, issue their own visas, and have distinct political and legal systems, so for travellers they are effectively like different countries.
 * Taiwan is a special case. The Chinese government considers it to be a province, but from the practical traveller's point of view it is a separate country and has been for decades, ever since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949. Taiwan has its own visas, currency, government and so on. Wikivoyage therefore treats it in a separate article. Taiwan shares close cultural and linguistic ties with Fujian province, and was at one point governed as part of it. We also cover the Taiwan-controlled islands of Kinmen and Matsu here even though they are officially part of Fujian province, as travellers will need Taiwanese visas, use Taiwanese currency and come under Taiwanese jurisdiction when visiting them.

In total, there are 34 official province-level divisions, including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The Chinese government officially uses the term mainland China (中国大陆 Zhōngguó Dàlù) to refer to the entire area claimed by the PRC excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Abbreviations
Each of China's provincial-level sub-divisions has its own single-character abbreviation that is often used as a descriptive marker, and on vehicle license plates. For instance, the single-character abbreviation of Fujian is Mǐn (闽); so Mǐnnán (闽南) refers to South Fujian, and Mǐndōng (闽东) refers to East Fujian. Similarly, the single-character abbreviation for Guangdong is Yuè (粤), so the term Yuècài (粤菜) refers to Cantonese cuisine, and the term Yuèjù (粤剧) refers to Cantonese opera. These are often used in the naming of major roads and railways as well, so as an example, 京 Jīng is the abbreviation for Beijing, 港 Gǎng is the abbreviation for Hong Kong, and 高铁 gāotiě is the Chinese word for high-speed rail, so 京港高铁 refers to the Beijing-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway.

We also include Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan in the table because their abbreviations are often used in railway stations, ferry terminals, airports and the like. This is not an endorsement of any political position regarding these areas.

Lower-level divisions
Some of this structure repeats at a lower level. Provinces and regions are generally broken up into prefecture-level cities. Where a given minority or minorities predominate, it may instead be an Autonomous Prefecture (自治州) for the various ethnic groups. Within prefecture-level cities and autonomous prefectures, there are also Autonomous Counties (自治县) depending on their ethnic composition. Like the autonomous regions, the relevant minority language is usually co-official with Mandarin in these areas.

Within a province or autonomous region political geography can be broken down into:
 * Prefectures (地区) and Prefecture-level Cities ((地级)市) - Although larger, these function similarly to counties in the American political geographic system. At one time most of these units were prefectures, but they have gradually been turned into prefecture-level cities due to rapid urbanization, which are now the main prefecture-level division; only a few prefectures remain in the country. Confusingly, prefecture-level cities are often named after a city or urban area within them, so it can sometimes be unclear whether someone is talking about a prefecture-level city or the urban area that anchors it.
 * Counties (县) and County-level Cities ((县级)市) - these are subdivisions within prefectures or prefecture-level cities. For major urban areas, counties are rural and remote from the city proper. A county-level city will be larger than a township but not major enough to anchor the entire region. Districts (区) are also at this level; these are divisions of the urban or suburban area of a prefecture-level city or province-level municipality.
 * Townships (乡), Towns (镇), and Subdistricts (街道) - In rural areas, the county is divided into townships or towns which are generally small towns that form the economic center for surrounding villages. In Maoist times, each township formed a people's commune (人民公社). Subdistricts are divisions of districts.
 * Villages (村) and Communities (社区) - These are the smallest units of political organization. Don't be misled by the translation – even neighborhoods in urban areas may be referred to with the word 村. Villages are the level for China's experiments with grass-roots democracy since some, under the supervision of the Carter Center, hold elections for their leaders. Many villages have long-since been absorbed by fast-growing cities and townships, becoming urban villages (城中村) that hold a number of migrant workers, and some of them are hotbeds of petty crimes.

For example, in the largest-to-smallest order generally used in China: Guangdong Province - Shenzhen City - Nanshan District - Nantou Subdistrict - Majialong Community.

There are various complications and exceptions to this hierarchy. Not all levels are always used (for instance, some county-level cities are directly administered by the province and not part of any prefecture-level unit), and there are certain unusual special terms for some administrative units (such as leagues 盟, a prefecture-level division used in Inner Mongolia).

Development zones
There are also Special Economic Zones (SEZ, 经济特区) set up to encourage development and foreign investment with tax concessions and other government measures. These began in 1980 as a provincial government initiative supported by Deng Xiaoping as part of his national program of "reform and opening up". SEZs tend to be prosperous, have large expatriate communities, and have more Western restaurants and facilities. They are:
 * The original four: Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Shantou in Guangdong and Xiamen in Fujian
 * The entire island province of Hainan
 * The Pudong district of Shanghai, almost everything east of the river
 * The city of Kashgar in Xinjiang

Development in these areas has been phenomenal. In 1978, Shenzhen (next to Hong Kong) and Zhuhai (next to Macau) were groups of fishing villages, with a population of a few hundred thousand each; in a few years, both were bustling modern cities. In the 2020 census, Shenzhen population was over 17.5 million and Zhuhai well over two million, and both are still growing. The other SEZs have also undergone enormous changes. Pudong was mostly farmland in 1990, but now has more skyscrapers than New York and is one of China's main centers for finance and other business.

There are also many other areas where investment is encouraged. The national government started a program in 1984 that opened up 14 coastal cities, and all the capitals of inland provinces or autonomous regions, for investment. There are also many provincial, city, county and township-level economic development programs. However, the SEZs remain the most developed areas with the most advanced administrative systems for investment and spurring economic development.

City tiers
Chinese cities are often classified into different tiers, with Tier 1 (一线城市) being the highest. Though there is no official government-endorsed classification system, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are generally considered to be the only Tier 1 cities. These cities have the highest number of foreign residents, and are hence considered to be the most expatriate friendly, with Western restaurants and supermarkets to cater to that demographic, albeit at grossly inflated prices, as well as a larger number of English speakers than elsewhere in China. They are also the most expensive cities to live in, with real estate prices in particular rivalling those of major Western cities. That said, there are still bargains to be found food-wise, particularly if you head away from the touristy areas to the residential suburbs. As you move lower down the tiers, the cities become less and less expatriate friendly, with English speakers being increasingly few and far between, and Western food becoming increasingly hard to find, though the cost of living becomes significantly cheaper.

Treaty ports and concessions
When Europeans first came to China by sea, from the late 1500s on, the Emperor strictly controlled their trade and movements. For several centuries, the only Western base was the Portuguese colony of Macau, and trade was permitted only at Canton (Guangzhou) under a variety of restrictions.

After the Chinese defeat in the first Opium War, in 1842, much of that changed. Many of the restrictions were removed and five coastal cities were opened to Western trade — Guangzhou (then called Canton) in Guangdong, Xiamen (Amoy) and Fuzhou in Fujian, Ningbo in Zhejiang, and Shanghai. These were known as treaty ports because it was a treaty that opened them up. By the same treaty, Britain acquired a Far Eastern base of its own, Hong Kong. After the Second Opium War, ending in 1860, other cities were opened to trade, including more coastal cities such as Shantou and Tianjin, and inland cities such as Nanjing and Hankou (one of three cities later amalgamated to form modern Wuhan), while the British colony of Hong Kong was expanded to include what is today Kowloon. Eventually, there were over 80 treaty ports; Wikipedia has a full list.

China lost the first Sino-Japanese War in 1895, forcing it to give up its influence over its vassal state Korea, and resulting in Taiwan being ceded to Japan. In 1898, the British colony of Hong Kong was expanded further to its current size, with the addition of the New Territories on a 99-year lease.

Various Western powers and Japan also took pieces of China, called concessions, and administered them. The treaties or leases provided for extraterritoriality; Chinese law did not apply in these areas which were instead administered under the laws set by the controlling power. To Western powers, this was an obvious precaution since they considered the Chinese system horrendously brutal and hopelessly corrupt. To the Chinese government of the day, it was astounding arrogance, but something the "barbarians" had to be allowed to get away with until China was stronger. The period from the First Opium War (1842) to the establishment of the People's Republic of China (1949) is often called the "Century of Humiliation" in official Chinese historical chronicles. Several nations had concessions in Shanghai; today the old French Concession is one of the more elegant tourist attractions, as is The Bund, which was part of the former British and American concessions. Other areas such as Hankou (part of Wuhan), Shamian Dao in Guangzhou and parts of Tianjin also had concessions for several nations. Today, many of these historic areas have been or are being renovated and are popular tourist attractions for both Chinese and foreigners. Gulangyu in Xiamen is now on the UNESCO World Heritage List, while the former Italian and Austro-Hungarian concessions in Tianjin have been preserved as tourist attractions.

Even in the days of the concessions, most of their population was Chinese and many rich or important Chinese lived there. For example, Shanghai has various historical buildings converted to museums and they are all in foreign concession areas; the French Concession has the homes of the Republic's first President, Sun Yat-sen (Sun Zhongshan), his wife Soong Qing Ling and Premier Zhou Enlai, and the building where the Chinese Communist Party had its first national meeting while the nearby Jing'an district, which was part of the British Concession, has Chairman Mao's Shanghai house. The Austro-Hungarian concession in Tianjin has a residence of Yuan Shih-kai, the second president of the Republic of China.

In some areas, only one nation had a concession. These included:

 * Germans in Qingdao, which is still known for beer, and in nearby Weifang.
 * French in Zhanjiang, near their Vietnamese and Laotian colonies.
 * Russians with a large naval base in Dalian, then called Port Arthur, and Harbin which was a base for their railroad construction.
 * A British naval base in Weihai, just across the bay from Dalian.

This is not a complete list. All these former colonies and concessions retain numerous historical buildings from the colonial era that tourists can see today, usually in a style typical of that colonial power.

title: Chinese provinces and regions


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List of country calling codes

When calling a phone number in another country, there is usually a prefix you have to dial to indicate that you're placing an international call (so that the number isn't confused with a domestic number starting with the same digits); this varies by country, although on mobile phones you usually can use "+" instead. After this international dialling prefix, you must dial the country code for the country you are calling, followed by the local number (including any area prefixes, often with the first digit removed). This is a list of those country codes.

The country code is usually included in the fact box ("quickbar") in the beginning of country articles. Both it and the international dialling prefix are usually told also in the Connect section of the country article.

The entities that are within the North American Numbering Plan – the United States and its possessions, Canada, Bermuda, and several Caribbean nations — share the international "country" code 1, with each state (or parts of states), province, territory, or island nation given its own three-digit "area code". The following list includes the area code for such nations and possessions.

Countries code (E.164)

 * Afghanistan 93
 * Albania 355
 * Algeria 213
 * American Samoa 1 684
 * Andorra 376
 * Angola 244
 * Anguilla 1 264
 * Antarctica (Australian bases) 672 1
 * Antigua and Barbuda 1 268
 * Argentina 54
 * Armenia 374
 * Aruba 297
 * Ascension 247
 * Australia 61
 * Austria 43
 * Azerbaijan 994
 * Bahamas 1 242
 * Bahrain 973
 * Bangladesh 880
 * Barbados 1 246
 * Belarus 375
 * Belgium 32
 * Belize 501
 * Benin 229
 * Bermuda 1 441
 * Bhutan 975
 * Bolivia 591
 * Bonaire 599
 * Bosnia and Herzegovina 387
 * Botswana 267
 * Brazil 55
 * British Virgin Islands 1 284
 * Brunei 673
 * Bulgaria 359
 * Burkina Faso 226
 * Burundi 257
 * Cabo Verde 238
 * Cambodia 855
 * Cameroon 237
 * Canada 1
 * Cayman Islands 1 345
 * Central African Republic 236
 * Chad 235
 * Chile 56
 * China 86
 * Colombia 57
 * Comoros 269
 * Congo, Democratic Republic of the 243
 * Congo, Republic of the 242
 * Cook Islands 682
 * Costa Rica 506
 * Cote d'Ivoire 225
 * Croatia 385
 * Cuba 53
 * Curaçao 599
 * Cyprus 357
 * Czech Republic 420
 * Denmark 45
 * Diego Garcia 246
 * Djibouti 253
 * Dominica 1 767
 * Dominican Republic 1 809, 1 829, and 1 849
 * Ecuador 593
 * Egypt 20
 * El Salvador 503
 * Equatorial Guinea 240
 * Eritrea 291
 * Estonia 372
 * Eswatini 268
 * Ethiopia 251
 * Falkland Islands 500
 * Faroe Islands 298
 * Fiji 679
 * Finland 358
 * France 33
 * French Guiana 594
 * French Polynesia 689
 * Gabon 241
 * Gambia 220
 * Georgia 995
 * Germany 49
 * Ghana 233
 * Gibraltar 350
 * Greece 30
 * Greenland 299
 * Grenada 1 473
 * Guadeloupe 590
 * Guam 1 671
 * Guatemala 502
 * Guinea 224
 * Guinea-Bissau 245
 * Guyana 592
 * Haiti 509
 * Honduras 504
 * Hong Kong 852
 * Hungary 36
 * Iceland 354
 * India 91
 * Indonesia 62
 * Iran 98
 * Iraq 964
 * Ireland (Eire) 353
 * Israel 972
 * Italy 39
 * Jamaica 1 658, 1 876
 * Japan 81
 * Jordan 962
 * Kazakhstan 7
 * Kenya 254
 * Kiribati 686
 * Kosovo 383
 * Kuwait 965
 * Kyrgyzstan 996
 * Laos 856
 * Latvia 371
 * Lebanon 961
 * Lesotho 266
 * Liberia 231
 * Libya 218
 * Liechtenstein 423
 * Lithuania 370
 * Luxembourg 352
 * Macau 853
 * Madagascar 261
 * Malawi 265
 * Malaysia 60
 * Maldives 960
 * Mali 223
 * Malta 356
 * Marshall Islands 692
 * Martinique 596
 * Mauritania 222
 * Mauritius 230
 * Mayotte 262
 * Mexico 52
 * Micronesia, Federated States of 691
 * Moldova 373
 * Monaco 377
 * Mongolia 976
 * Montenegro 382
 * Montserrat 1 664
 * Morocco 212
 * Mozambique 258
 * Myanmar 95
 * Namibia 264
 * Nauru 674
 * Nepal 977
 * Netherlands 31
 * New Caledonia 687
 * New Zealand 64
 * Nicaragua 505
 * Niger 227
 * Nigeria 234
 * Niue 683
 * Norfolk Island 672 3
 * North Korea 850
 * North Macedonia 389
 * Northern Mariana Islands 1 670
 * Norway 47
 * Oman 968
 * Pakistan 92
 * Palau 680
 * Palestine 970
 * Panama 507
 * Papua New Guinea 675
 * Paraguay 595
 * Peru 51
 * Philippines 63
 * Poland 48
 * Portugal 351
 * Puerto Rico 1 787 and 1 939
 * Qatar 974
 * Reunion 262
 * Romania 40
 * Russia 7
 * Rwanda 250
 * Saba 599
 * Saint-Barthelemy 590
 * Saint Helena 290
 * Saint Kitts and Nevis 1 869
 * Saint Lucia 1 758
 * Saint Martin (French side) 590
 * Saint Pierre and Miquelon 508
 * Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1 784
 * Samoa 685
 * San Marino 378
 * Sao Tome and Principe 239
 * Saudi Arabia 966
 * Senegal 221
 * Serbia 381
 * Seychelles 248
 * Sierra Leone 232
 * Singapore 65
 * Sint Eustatius 599
 * Sint Maarten (Dutch side) 1 721
 * Slovakia 421
 * Slovenia 386
 * Solomon Islands 677
 * Somalia 252
 * South Africa 27
 * South Korea 82
 * South Sudan 211
 * Spain 34
 * Sri Lanka 94
 * Sudan 249
 * Suriname 597
 * Sweden 46
 * Switzerland 41
 * Syria 963
 * Taiwan 886
 * Tajikistan 992
 * Tanzania 255
 * Thailand 66
 * Timor-Leste 670
 * Togo 228
 * Tokelau 690
 * Tonga 676
 * Trinidad and Tobago 1 868
 * Tristan da Cunha 290
 * Tunisia 216
 * Turkey 90
 * Turkmenistan 993
 * Turks and Caicos Islands 1 649
 * Tuvalu 688
 * Uganda 256
 * Ukraine 380
 * United Arab Emirates 971
 * United Kingdom 44
 * United States of America 1
 * Uruguay 598
 * Uzbekistan 998
 * Vanuatu 678
 * Vatican City State 39
 * Venezuela 58
 * Vietnam 84
 * U.S. Virgin Islands 1 340
 * Wallis and Futuna 681
 * Yemen 967
 * Zambia 260
 * Zimbabwe 263

International prefix
Before dialling the country code, you usually have to dial an international prefix. This is so that the country code won't be confused with the first few digits of a local or national telephone number. On mobile phones "+" is usually automatically substituted by the international prefix. Here is a list of common international prefixes:

On a mobile phone, you can instead dial the '+' key before the country code, regardless of which country you are calling from.

title: List of country calling codes


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Itineraries

This directory of itineraries on Wikivoyage lists articles about specific journeys. Some traverse continents and could take months to plan and weeks to properly complete, while others demand no more commitment than an afternoon's stroll around a city. You can see the full list at Itineraries index. Click on the ► to see full list of articles on a topic

We normally start new itineraries with a link on the corresponding continent, country, region, or city article in the geographical hierarchy to which the itinerary belongs and then list in sub page of this one. For intercontinental itineraries, start with links at both ends of the route. Guidelines on how to write an itinerary and how to choose a name for it are at Itineraries.

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Phrasebooks

Phrasebooks are works compiling a list of useful words and phrases in a foreign language alongside their translation, used mainly by people travelling abroad. They also provide useful information about the language and culture of the destination area, in order to allow the reader to get by easier in situations that could arise in the destination.

Wikivoyage has dozens of digital phrasebooks that you can use on the internet, download to your favourite device for offline use, or print onto paper.

Understand
Learning a language can take months or years, but real-world travel plans for leisure or business often don't allow you the necessary time. That's where a phrasebook becomes useful.

Phrasebooks are not grammar guides, dictionaries nor language courses. Rather, they are an aid to help you understand and say specific words and phrases, with a focus on everyday conversation and on scenarios that typically occur during a temporary stay in another country or region. They are usually divided into thematic chapters according to the purpose of communication, such as how to greet someone, how to ask for food, how to buy something, and how to ask for help. Sometimes they can be accompanied by a digital support with audio files to practise pronunciation and ease listening comprehension.

Most phrasebooks include an explanatory guide to the language's writing system, phonology and pronunciation. Some also touch on aspects of the native culture, or include an elementary grammar guide or reference index. A good phrasebook will thus allow you to deal with most common situations that arise during temporary travel, without needing to have an interpreter escort you. Electronic phrasebooks have the additional virtue of being as light and easy to carry as your device.

But if your reason for travelling is for longer-term purposes such as studying, working or retiring abroad, your phrasebook will only get you so far. In these situations, it is best to properly learn the local language.

Choosing a suitable phrasebook
First, you have to determine which language you'll be focusing on for your trip; check out the 'Talk' section of the article for your destination country or region. Most likely, the language you'll want a phrasebook for will be the local language (or a variety of that language) spoken in the destination. However, some places have a dominant language that may be non-native or with colonial origins that a large percentage of the local population understands as a second language. Examples of these include Hindi in India, or French in parts of Africa. Such languages are often easier to find complete and useful phrasebooks for, whereas the true native language may be considered "obscure" in your home country. Yet, for a more authentic travel experience, to truly understand the local culture, or if you simply want to leave your comfort zone, it may be better to choose a phrasebook for the local language.

Once you’ve chosen a language, you have to find the most suitable storage format for your phrasebook, according to your trip and destination.

If the place you’re visiting is somewhere a high-speed internet connection is practically taken for granted, it is a good idea to choose the digital format. As long as you have internet, you can access an unlimited number of phrasebooks you want through the device and keep them updated. By contrast, paper books are static and can only become outdated. Digital phrasebooks can even include audio files to practise your listening and speaking skills.

When travelling in countries where the connection is poor, you can still use your device, although it's advisable to download an offline copy of the target phrasebook beforehand. The Kiwix project, a static version of Wikivoyage that can be used offline, is one option.

In very remote destinations without reliable access to power sockets, it is better to bring a phrasebook in paperback format or to print out your digital phrasebook ahead of time.

Practice makes perfect
Before you even leave home, it’s a great idea to read through the phrasebook of your target language. This will allow you to become familiar with its contents and layout, to memorise the most important phrases and to start practising and assimilating the pronunciation, if possible with the help of an audiobook. You’ll also get advance warning of what useful words and phrases are not in the phrasebook, while you still have the opportunity to source additional material.

The earlier you start, the more time you’ll have to learn at an effective pace. It’s much easier to memorise five new words a day for a month than it is to learn a whole phrasebook while sitting in departures. The more prepared you are before you arrive in your destination, the lower the chances you’ll find yourself desperately rummaging through your phrasebook while a local impatiently waits for you to say something intelligible.

Language phrasebooks
The following sections list the foreign language phrasebooks that are available on Wikivoyage. For more general information on language and travel, including tips for where few locals speak your language, see Talk.

A few languages are very widely used throughout the world and are listed first. All other languages are listed under the continent where they are most closely identified. If you are not sure which languages are spoken in the country you plan to visit, see the "Talk" section of the article for that country.

Phrasebooks are coded according to their level of completion and overall quality as outlined at Phrasebook status:

— stub

— outline

— usable

— guide

— star

Phrasebooks marked with an asterisk (*) have been featured on the Main Page as a Featured Travel Topic.

World
style=|1=

Arabic (Modern Standard)

Chinese (Mandarin)*

French*

Portuguese*

Russian*

Spanish (or Castilian)

Africa
style=|1=

Afan Oromo

Afrikaans

Akuapem Twi

Anufo

Arabic (Modern Standard)

Amharic

Bambara (or Bamanankan)

Berber

Buli

Chadian Arabic

Chibemba

Dagbani

Dawro

Dogon

Ebira

Egyptian Arabic

Esan

Ewe

Farefari

French*

Fula

Fulfulde

German

Guinea-Bissau Creole

Hausa

Idoma

Igbo*

Isekiri

Jju

Kanuri

Kasem

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Krio

Lamba

Luganda

Luo

Maa

Malagasy

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Nyanja (or Chewa)

Oromo

Portuguese*

Sango

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Somali

Spanish

Susu

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Swazi

Taita

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Tem

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Tunisian Arabic

Twi

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Asia
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Ainu

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Udmurt

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Yonaguni

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Asian Russia
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Ossetian

Russian*

Tuvan

Yiddish

Central Asia
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Dari

Kazakh

Kyrgyz

Pashto (or Pushtu)

Persian

Russian*

Tajik

Turkmen

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East Asia
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Amdo Tibetan

Cantonese

Chinese (Mandarin)*

Hainanese

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Japanese

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Portuguese

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Middle East
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Arabic (Modern Standard)

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South Asia
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Assamese

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Maithili

Malayalam

Manipuri (or Meitei)

Marathi

Nepali

Odia (or Oriya)

Portuguese*

Punjabi

Sanskrit

Saraiki

Sherpa

Sindhi

Sinhala*

Sylheti

Tamil

Telugu

Tulu

Urdu

Southeast Asia
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Aklanon (or Akeanon)

Balinese

Banjar

Betawi

Bikol (or Central Bikol)

Bugis

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French*

Hiligaynon (or Ilonggo)

Iban

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Ivatan

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Indonesian*

Javanese

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Lao

Madurese

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Malay

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Minangkabau

Musi

Osing (or Using)

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Pangasinan

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Tengger

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Thai

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Europe
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Abkhaz

Albanian

Arberesh

Armenian*

Aromanian

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Bashkir

Basque

Belarusian*

Bosnian

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Bulgarian

Catalan

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Circassian

Corsican

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Danish

Dutch

Dutch Low Saxon

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Finnish*

French*

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Georgian

German

Greek

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Irish

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Polish

Portuguese*

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Spanish

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North America
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Chinese (Mandarin)*

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Tokelauan

Tok Pisin (or New Guinea Pidgin)

Tongan

Torres Strait Creole

Tuvaluan

South America
style=|1=

Brazilian Portuguese

Dutch

French*

Quechua

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Spanish

Yiddish

Special purpose
Some special purpose lists of phrases are also available.
 * Hitchhiking phrasebook

Scriptbooks
These special "phrasebooks" are for people interested in learning to read or write a complex script.

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Devanagari

title: Phrasebooks


text:
Listvyanka

Listvyanka (Листвянка) is a town with less than 2,000 inhabitants in Irkutsk Oblast on the shore of Lake Baikal. It's a gateway to the lake (e.g. starting point for boat trips) and the surrounding region with many natural attractions and the activities offered by both. Aside of the lake views the very town itself, however, isn't that attractive and gets crowded in season. It does have a few things to see and places to eat and sleep.

Understand
The Listvyanka village, on Lake Baikal where the Angara river begins, was mentioned in a 1726 diary from a Tsarist embassy on their way to China. As with all of Siberia at this time, it was just a tiny settlement. Listvyanka would remain so until the late 19th century when a port was established, followed by a shipyard. The Trans-Siberian in its first iterations passed near the town from 1900 onwards; the section from Irkutsk upriver and across the lake to Mysovsk (nowadays Babushkin) was operated by ships. A few years later this section too was passable by railway, from Irkutsk along the river to Port Baikal on the opposite river bank (this section was dismantled in the 1950s) and along what's now the Circum-Baikal Railway on to Kultuk where it meets with the present-day Transsib.

In Soviet times an institute to study the lake was established (now the Baikal Museum), and at that time the first simple tourist facilities were opened. After the fall of Communism the Siberian village has more and more developed into a true tourist resort, one may even compare it to a small Black Sea resort and during the summer months the town may be outright crowded with hikers and other tourists; mostly domestic but some foreigners too. The port is still very alive but instead of cargo ships there are tour boats and private pleasure crafts. Landscapes are really beautiful, though, with the mountains coming down to the lake both here and at the opposite side of the Angara.

Listvyanka and surroundings has one of the most pleasant climates in Siberia; not so hot in the summer, and milder than Irkutsk and east of the lake in the winter. As such, the weather is still pleasant in September, and the place is less crowded than during the height of the summer meaning it could be a good time to visit. For a winter experience, you can visit in February or March to see the frozen over lake.

Orientation

Listvyanka is mostly along the road coming from Irkutsk along the left bank of Angara to the source of the river. Then it continues along the north shore of Lake Baikal. The first 2.5 km or so is known as Krestovka, with many lodgings and museums. Then comes what can be called downtown with the market and other hotels. The road ends at the solar telescope; from here you can continue along the lake on foot along the Great Baikal Trail (Большая Байкальская тропа).

Practical information
The town is easily explored on your own, but to head out on the lake or into the woods a tour operator or rental agency (for bikes, all-terrain vehicles or snowmobiles) can come in handy. There are many of them along the road. Tour operators are often based in Irkutsk, meaning it's possible to plan your excursions already there.

Hikers heading into the Pribaikalsky National Park need a permit to visit, which can be obtained from:

Get in
Listvyanka is at the end of a road coming from the regional capital Irkutsk, 65 km northwest. In addition to driving yourself, you can take a marshrutka (minibus) from the bus station running every hour or so.

In the summer there are also boats along the river from Irkursk - more expensive than the minibus the but the views are worth it. There are also boats from Olkhon Island, and from Port Baikal (the end of the Circum-Baikal Railway) across the river mouth.

Get around
Listvyanka stretches for about 4 km along the river and lake shore, it's walkable but you can also use the marshrutki from Irkutsk to hop across town. For drivers: there are few parking lots (and parking is payable) at the bottom end of town, where most people head. It's better to park earlier along the road where it's free and much more space.

See

Do
In the summer there are many tour operators offering boat tours. Shorter trips like one-hour cruises can be booked on the spot, but longer journeys are better arranged in advance to make sure there's space for you onboard. For a nature excursion, you can take the boat to Bolshie Koty, 20 km north and hike back along the Great Baikal Trail (or vice versa) but you need a permit for the hike.

The lake is cool around the year, but freezes over in early or late January, depending on how cold the winter is. The Baikal ice can have a bluish tone or be transparent, giving it a special look. When the ice is strong enough, there are tours with snowmobiles, terrain vehicles, dog sleds and hovercrafts.

Activities
If you want to dive the world's largest lake, Listvyanka is a good place to start. There's one diving company (Novoya Izmerenie, "New dimension") in town, and another one Baikal Tek based in Irkutsk but operating on Baikal. In the summer there are boat tours with boats with a transparent bottom - the lake water is famous for its clarity so you can see a great deal of underwater life on such trips without diving.

Hiking is also a possibility; northeast along the Great Baikal Trail (permit required, as mentioned before) or if you take the boat across the river mouth to lake Baikal you can hike along the tracks of the Circum-Baikal Railway.

Eat and drink
Fish features prominently on the menus of restaurants and cafes here, especially smoked omul, and the appetizer sagudai which is lightly salted and frozen fish with lemon, onion and spices. As omul fishing has been restricted, you will sometimes get served some other fish even if ordered a dish with omul.

Sleep
For being in the middle of Siberia, Listvyanka is relatively expensive, also when it comes to accommodation. Nevertheless the standards are higher than elsewhere around the lake, for example outdoor toilets are rare. In high season you won't find anything below 1500 ₽/person/night and you need to double that for any amenities. During the winter, prices are lower.

Go next
Nature is a big attraction, so why not head out in the woods surrounding the town, along the Great Baikal Trail or by boat across the river and the nature there. Boat tours can take you north to Bolshiye Koty, to Peschanaya Bay, and all the way to Olkhon island or south along the coast like the Circum-Baikal railway.

You can return to Irkutsk by marshrutka or boat, or cross the river to Port Baikal and board the Circum-Baikal Railway to Slyudyanka. There are no options for getting across the lake to the southern shore, unless a tour company arranges such a trip which they rarely do.

Talzy

title: Listvyanka


text:
Litang

Litang, also Lithang, formally known as Gaocheng Town (Mandarin Chinese: 高城镇), (Tibetan: ལི་ཐང།), is the county seat of Litang County, in western Sichuan Province, south-west China. Litang is a bustling little place with colorful street life thanks to the nomadic shepherds and Tibetan people coming here to sell and buy their products.

Understand
Litang is part of the ancient and historic Tibetan province of Kham. The town sits at the edge of wide grassland valley, surrounded by tall grassy hills populated by yak and nomadic herders, and has a population of about 50,000; it's one of the highest-located places in the world, at an elevation of 4000 m (13,123 ft). This topography offers expansive views from many places in town. Several Dalai Lamas where born here, and lived in the local monastery just outside the town, on a hillside. Its older parts are situated on the hill slopes to the east, while busy construction work is extending the place into the surrounding grassy plains. Many of the new buildings are being constructed in the traditional local style.

The vast majority of the population is ethnically Tibetan and bi-lingual, but most signage is in Mandarin. The closest thing to big city amenities is Kangding, 8-9 hours to the east over several breathtaking and dangerous passes.

By plane
As of May 2010, it is possible to fly from Chengdu to Kangding. This takes only 35 minutes and will save you lots of time and energy. Another possibility is to fly to Daocheng Yading Airport, which is some 4 hr away by bus from Litang.

By public bus
The Bus Station is at the eastern end of town, near the crossroads between Kangding- and Xiangcheng-bound roads. Buses arrive daily from Batang, Kangding (9 hours, ¥92), Xiangcheng (4 hours, ¥61, difficult to get tickets), and Daocheng (3 hours). As of 2023 a bus directly connects Litang with Chengdu (10-12 hr, ¥240-270). The buses tend to arrive between 14:00-15:00. You should try buy your ticket in the morning before you travel as it can get quite busy. Don't be put off by the fact the 'ticket' looks like a scrap of paper.

Private or shared minibuses can be hired in front of the station for ¥100 to Kangding. The price depends on how many other travelers are sharing the minibus with you. Minibuses can also be hired to Xinlong (4 hours) or Ganzi (7 hours).

Minibus is a far more comfortable option. The public bus has no suspension and is horrifically bumpy for 9 hours. As of 2015, the reconstruction of highway 318 (to Kanding/Batang) was largely complete with the exception of two segments where tunnel construction was underway. The first tunnel is about 3 hours into the journey from Kangding (the Gao'er Monastery Mountain Tunnel), which results in a detour over a brutal winding hill road for about 75 minutes. The second is just before one arrives at Litang (once again, a detour over a brutal hill road, though this time only for about 15 minutes). The road to Ganzi through Xinlong had been repaved and was mostly in very good condition. The trip from Kangding to Litang now takes about 8 hours, including two stops (one 10-minute bathroom stop, one 25-minute lunch stop at the station in Yajiang). The buses are packed with locals carrying immense amounts of luggage, so it pays to reach the bus station at Kangding promptly at 05:30, and to have your luggage stored in the luggage hold as soon as possible; otherwise it will end up in the aisle on the bus with 20 other pieces of luggage, and passengers will step on it as they climb on and off the bus.

Get around
You can easily visit the town on foot. Follow the main street to the market, complete with little baby yaks eating garbage and wild nomads on motorbikes.

See

 * Ganden Thubchen Choekhorling Monastery (Lithang Gompa, Litangsi). The monastery is just on the northern edge of town and belongs to the Gelukpa sect of Tibetan Buddhists. In 1956 the monastery came under siege and them bombing from the People's Liberation Army, following resistance to the attempt to impose communist rule and reforms in Kham. This was a critical turning point in the Tibetan uprising, when some Khampa decided as a result to begin guerrilla warfare. Other monasteries in the region may have similar histories- eg at Xiangcheng there a lot of ex-monastic rubble - but where they did not play such an important historical role as a specific site, this is harder to uncover. What you see is therefore substantially reconstructed, as much of the monastery was destroyed. Monasteries were also devastated by the Han during the cultural revolution. As usual, you are not allowed to take photographs of holy relics inside. The friendly monks will guide you through the main buildings, including some breathtaking views from the temple roofs. The monastery was founded in 1580 by the third Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso on the site of an older Bön-monastery. There are three main temples in the compound, of which one is under construction. The oldest seems to be the one on top of the hill, still featuring the wooden construction of the upper rim of the buildings. Inside, you can view several chambers and a bedroom in which the 7th Dalai Lama is said to have resided. Many more famous and influential personal figures were born here, including the 7th Dalai Lama, 10th Dalai Lama, the most influential Zebutsundaba Lama of Mogonia, the 7th Gyamuyang Lama, the 7th, 8th and 9th Pabalha living Buddha of Chamdo monastery and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Xianggen living Buddha.
 * Jiage Shenshan Lamasery. A small temple around 18 km out of town on the road to Daocheng. The lamasery is at the base of a holy cliff which it is possible to walk up. The cliff is supposed to have naturally occurring images of Bodhisattva Guanyin in rock face. It is strewn with prayer flags and contains several caves and passages in which offerings are left. Taxi ¥60 one way.
 * Chorten Karpo (Qudenggabu chorten, white stupa). A busy stupa on the west side of town. Worth a visit to join the locals in turning the circuit of prayer wheels.

Do

 * The annual horse racing festival was banned since the 2008 Tibetan riots, but is back on from 2018 on. In 2018, it took place in the beginning of August. It's an easy hour's walk from town, and there are also free shuttles. In addition to the riding, there's traditional dancing. There appeared to be hundreds of riders there.
 * Hike to the surrounding hills to get a view of the outstretched valley including a visit to the sacred "sky burial" grounds. You will find yourself among the remains of many departed making for a strange and unusual experience. Use utmost respect while visiting the grounds. They are marked by large prayer flags.
 * A popular activity among Chinese tourists is to dress up in traditional Tibetan clothing and have a photographer follow them around the historic part of Litang.
 * A popular activity among Chinese tourists is to dress up in traditional Tibetan clothing and have a photographer follow them around the historic part of Litang.

Buy

 * Typical Tibetan clothing and jewellery and accessories needed by the herdsmen frequenting the town are available in small shops downtown.
 * Supermarkets on main-street sell food and toiletries, you can also buy bottles of beer and decent Chinese wine to make up your own nightlife.
 * In the market you can buy sliced-and-dried apples and pears for a healthy snack.

Eat
Plenty of small restaurants are to be found on the main road, some with English menus. Prices are generally higher than in Chengdu, since everything has to "imported".

 * Closed (Updated May 2023)

Drink
There is an excellent dance club on the same side of the street as the Crane Guesthouse towards the bus station. There is a neon sign lit entrance to a courtyard, where the club is inside and to the right. There are also a number of karaoke-style bars in town, or KTV as they are known locally.

Sleep
During autumn and winter, most of the guesthouses or hotels don't have any heating system or it is limited to electric blankets, rooms will be very cold making the stay uncomfortable. The incessant barking of dogs at night will make sleep challenging. The altitude is very high in this town so a significant number of people will experience some negative side effects as a result.

Budget

 * Peace Guesthouse Opened in 2009, this simple hostel has a helpful English-speaking owner called Longlife. It features clean dorm beds for ¥30 and twin rooms for ¥120 and is 1 minute from the bus station (take a right turn, then left; it's on the left past the Potala inn). Peace Guesthouse has a nice little cafe, hot showers, and internet services. Motorcycle rental is ¥120. Longlife and his friends Khedap and Lobsang are very friendly. They do tours of the local area which have good reviews from many travellers. Contact Longlife at jeegor_zero@yahoo.com or tel. +86 15283 605 821, 18283661882, 13778394687, or 0836-5322051.
 * Potala Inn near the bus station offers dorm rooms (¥35) and private rooms with shared bathrooms (¥100) on the second floor, and rooms with private bathrooms (¥150-180) on the third floor. Some travelers have complained about the cleanliness of the shared bathrooms (with squat toilets), but the private rooms (with Western toilets and a shower right above the toilet) are clean, although a bit run-down.  The hotel serves passable Chinese, Western, and Tibetan food.  Shared computers are available, and free Wi-Fi is available in the bar.  There is one English-speaking staffer named Medok.  A few guests have complained about being shortchanged by the management, especially when arranging tours. +86-836-532-2533 or +86-135-6867-7588.
 * Crane Guesthouse is further down the road from the Potala inn (same side of the road). It is a popular hotel with foreign tourists, possibly because it is highlighted in some travel guides. But the sanitary conditions of the older part of the guesthouse (with shared facilities) are abysmal, with dirty bathrooms (squatting toilets that look like they have never been cleaned, old rickety taps did not always have running water, the 'sink' was just a broken-tiled worktop with a hole in it), old food left for days on stairways, and swarms of flies abounding. The dorm rooms have smears and all kinds of marks ALL over the walls, and lots of rubbish under the beds. The rooms in the new part with private bathrooms (squat toilet) are reasonably clean (priced at ¥100/double). The managers of the building, two Tibetan sisters, have been known to play loud dance music until 01:00 from their lobby. The staff is otherwise friendly and quite helpful. Showers are hot, free if you are staying in a ¥20 dorm, but ¥5 if you are paying for a ¥10 bed, and located next to the main lobby in the courtyard, which means you must walk outside the building to get to them. Be careful when taking a shower though, as the wires from the (rather low) ceiling light are completely exposed, with the plug and socket located directly opposite the shower head.
 * Peace & Happy Hotel Possibly the cheapest option in town. The rooms and toilet are grotty but the shower room is OK with hot water from 10:00 to 22:00. However the family are fairly friendly and one girl speaks some English. Double, twin and triple rooms at ¥15 per person in winter. On the main street, No. 345. 21 January 2008.
 * Safe and Life Hotel (Gaocheng Luguan) is opposite the bus station while the Batang Guesthouse (Ping'An Fandian) is across the street on your right hand side when leaving the bus station.
 * Two buildings right from the bus station is another small hotel.
 * As you follow the main road to the left, there is the Jixiang Binguan hotel on the right side.
 * Nomads Guesthouse2010) is 5 minutes walking from the bus station. From there, walk to the left on the main street, and turn left the first street again. You'll see a blue sign in Chinese, follow it. It's a nice guesthouse, all the rooms are around a courtyard, with attached bathrooms, hot water, free Wi-Fi, and some have TV. The staff doesn't speak English, but they do the effort to understand you. Rooms are new and clean.
 * Nomad Homestay (牧马人民居接待) Clean home stay with Tibetan family in traditional house not too far from the bus station in the old part of the town. You will be welcomed by this friendly friendly family with Yak butter tea. Daughter speaks OK Chinese. Bathing facilities are not great but clean and there is hot water available. Definitely a great choice in Litang! Tel: 13508206651 / 08365322013. Address: 城西河路北二段 (which seems to be an extension of 長青路 (Changqing rd.), there is a clear "Nomad" sign next to the door. 10 minute walk from bus station. ¥100 for a double rooms but you must but be able to haggle that down to ¥30.

Mid-range

 * Gaocheng Binguan, on the main street; rooms ¥220-1111.

Stay safe
Litang is quite a center of Tibetan secessionist activities. Pictures of Dalai Lama are illegal. There is a strong police and military presence due to the tension.

August horse festival has had incidents in the past. Such incidents (with no casualties) happened in 2006 because of a dispute over results and in 2007 over a call for the return of the Dalai Lama. Check out the current situation on some Tibetan news sites like www.phayul.com

As with many towns in the area, Litang is quite dusty, so those who are sensitive to dust should exercise precaution. Locals often wear homemade cloth dust masks, and they are cheaply and easily available in town.

Because of the altitude, travelers should be alert for signs of altitude sickness. Bottled oxygen is sold and mid-range hotels have oxygen generators in the rooms.

Public bus
The bus to Xiangcheng leaves from Kangding in the morning and arrives Litang between 14:00-15:00. It can be cheaper and quicker to hire a minivan, especially because the buses do not always have a place to sit.

Private minibus
You can hire a minibus (van) just outside of the bus station. You won't need to look hard, the drivers will come to you. Hotels can also help arrange a van for the next day. The price is for a full van (7 places), so if you go with an empty van it will cost more for each person. Bargain hard!

title: Litang


text:
Litchfield

There is more than one place called Litchfield:

Australia

 * Litchfield National Park – one of the Northern Territory's best known national parks

United States of America

 * Litchfield (California)
 * Litchfield (Connecticut)
 * Litchfield (Illinois)
 * Litchfield (Maine)
 * Litchfield (Michigan)
 * Litchfield (Minnesota)
 * Litchfield (Ohio)

title: Litchfield


text:
Litchfield (Illinois)

Litchfield is a small city in Central Illinois. Since its founding in 1853, when the Terra Haute, Alton & St. Louis Railroad came through, Litchfield has been a stopover for travelers on the route between the major Midwestern cities of St. Louis and Chicago. First on the rail line, later on the legendary Route 66, and today on Interstate 55, Litchfield remains an oasis of traveler services halfway between Springfield and St. Louis.

Get in
Litchfield is about an hour north-northeast of St. Louis and an hour south of Springfield, along I-55 and the historic routing of Route 66.

title: Litchfield (Illinois)


text:
Litchfield Hills

The Litchfield Hills are in Connecticut.

Litchfield County
Litchfield county extends from the northern half of Candlewood Lake up to the border with Massachusetts and also borders on New York state. This is the least dense part of Connecticut. Many people visit this region to see the changing leaves in the autumn.

Northern Fairfield County
Northern Fairfield County is the rest of western Connecticut, excluding the cities in the shoreline area. This is the area with more shopping opportunities and jobs.

Cities and towns

 * including Falls Village.
 * including Falls Village.
 * including Falls Village.
 * including Falls Village.
 * including Falls Village.

Understand
The Litchfield Hills comprise Litchfield County and Northern Fairfield County. The farther north you go, the less dense and more hilly you will find it.

Climate
This area has a very diverse climate. In the winter, you will find temperatures ranging from 40 degrees to near zero. There will be snow, and on occasion, blizzards and ice storms. In the spring, the temperature will warm up to a range from 40 to 70 degrees. There will be rain every once in a while. In the summer, temperatures have been known to go as low as 40, and as high as 106, but the average is near 75. This is the time for outdoor activities such as hiking and swimming. In the autumn, this area is famous for is colorful trees. The weather is about the same as it is in the spring, except slightly drier.

Talk
The Litchfield hills is populated by mainly English-speaking people. There is no set accent, but many different accents ranging from Boston accent to New York accent.

By plane
There is no major airport in the area, but Bradley International Airport is a large airport, in nearby Hartford County. This airport has flights going worldwide.

By train
Several train stations are located in Western Connecticut.

See

 * The Litchfield Hills region has loads of parks and forests, so explore them and have a good time. The autumn is the best time to see them, due to the changing of the leaves.
 * The Housatonic River cuts through the region, providing opportunities for beautiful viewing, hiking, and boating along some of its stretches. Some people wade or fish on it, too.

Eat
Throughout the region, there is an endless supply on any food you can name. Mexican, Italian, Japanese, Indian, BBQ, Polish, etc. There tends to be more eating opportunity in the south, only because it is more densely populated. There are still plenty of restaurants in Litchfield County.

Crime
The Litchfield Hills have one of the lowest crime rates in the country, especially in rural regions. The main way to stay safe is to follow common sense rules, such as by driving carefully and watching your step when you hike. Waterbury can be dangerous, as are certain parts of Danbury, but overall Litchfield County is not a dangerous destination.

Weather
This region has been known to receive unpredictable weather. Be prepared for anything, but don't let it ruin your stay.

Pests
Strongly consider using an insect repellent and taking other measures against insects and ticks before hiking. Gnats and mosquitoes are particularly plentiful near bodies of water.

Go next
North:

 * Berkshires

West:

 * Hudson Valley

East:

 * Hartford

Southeast:

 * New Haven

Southwest:

 * New York City

title: Litchfield Hills


text:
Litchfield National Park

Litchfield National Park is in the Northern Territory, 69 km south of Darwin. The park's main attractions are the waterfalls and the clear pools of water they cascade into.

During the hot dry season the park is a magnet for people looking for a refreshing swim. Crocodiles do not seem to be as much a threat in Litchfield as they are in other Top End parks, such as Kakadu National Park.

Other features of the park include the termite mounds and the "Lost City", an area of bizarre sandstone block and pillar formations which have been sculpted by wind and rain over thousands of years.

Understand
Litchfield National Park covers approximately 1500 km² and is an important conservation reserve in the Northern Territory. Typical of Top End habitats, there are waterfalls which fall from a sandstone plateau, the Tabletop Range. There are large termite mounds, historical settlement sites, weathered sandstone pillars such as the Lost City, and Aboriginal culture to learn about.

History
The Park’s traditional owners are the Wagait Aboriginal people, many of whom live in the area. The region has a colourful pioneering and pastoral history and places like the ruins of Blyth Homestead, built in 1929 but abandoned in the 1960s, are a reminder of the tough conditions faced by pioneers.

Landscape
For visitors, Litchfield National Park's main attractions are permanent spring-fed waterfalls (Florence, Tolmer and Wangi), cascades at Buley Rockhole, magnetic termite mounds, and a wildlife cruise along the majestic Reynolds River.

Flora and fauna
The Northern Territory supports a wide diversity of native animals including birds, insects, reptiles, marsupials and mammals. This tropical environment is prolific with barramundi and produces the most exciting sportfishing in Australia.

Climate
The Top End, which includes Darwin, Katherine, Kakadu and Arnhem Land, has a tropical climate. Darwin has an average temperature of 32°C all year, with varying humidity. The tropical summer, from December to March, is considered by many to be the region's most beautiful time of year.

The summer rains bring the natural landscape to life and deliver the picturesque storms and sunsets the Northern Territory is renowned for. The dry season, from May to October, has warm, sunny days and cool nights. At the end of the year, the build up, or pre-monsoon season, begins and humidity levels start their rise.

The following chart outlines Darwin's monthly temperature averages as an indicator for the whole northern region.

Get in

There are only three roads into Litchfield National Park. The only paved access road is via the small town of Batchelor off the Stuart Highway between Darwin and Katherine. The other two options are dirt roads, one north to Darwin via Berry Springs, the other along the south edge of the park to Daly River. The north side of the park can be fairly comfortably covered from Darwin in a single day (figure on 300 km), but to enjoy the sights which are 'off the beaten track', a few more days and a 4WD will be necessary.

Fees and permits
Visitors to the NT require a parks pass which costs up to $10 a day. There is no entry fee for NT residents. Camping fees are charged per person per night.

Get around
The National Park has a network of roads, with varying kinds of surfaces. The northern end can be visited by 2WD on bitumen roads. To visit the southern end, it is necessary to have a 4WD due to several river crossings and the variable nature of the road conditions. During the wet season (Dec-Mar) access by road may not be possible as the 4WD tracks are closed due to flooding.

See

 * Florence Falls are a short ride from the termite mounds viewing platform. There's a steep walk down to the bottom, but even if you stay at the top, there's a magnificent view of the forest and the waterfall.
 * Magnetic termite mounds: about 17 km from the eastern boundary of the park is the first major batch of magnetic termite mounds. Built by termites, they are amazing architectural feats complete with arches, tunnels, chimneys, insulation and nursery chambers. Flat and seemingly razor-sharp at the top, the mounds are aligned north to south to warm the nest as much as possible, as the larger faces are to the east and west.
 * Waterfalls and plunge pools: Florence Falls - spectacular double waterfall set amid the monsoon forest, 160 steps lead down to the plunge pool. Buley Rockhole – series of cascading waterfalls and rockholes 80 metres from the car park and Wangi Falls – one of the park's best swimming and picnicking spots, and it's most popular attraction.
 * Lost City (4WD access only): Amazing formations of sandstone rocks.
 * Blyth Homestead (4WD access only): Learn about the hard life of the children of the Sargent family, herding cattle and working in a tin mine, in the early 20th century on their father's cattle station in what is now the National Park.
 * Wildlife
 * Adelaide River Township (outside park) 112 km south of Darwin, was established as a base for the Overland Telegraph Station and became the major military headquarters of North Australia’s World War II effort. It is one of the most significant war cemeteries on Australian soil. The Adelaide River Inn is a popular rest stop serving barra and chips and other pub food.
 * Sandy Creek (Tjaynera) Falls (4WD access only): Not far south beyond Blyth Homestead, one of the best places to swim in Litchfield but harder to get to than Wangi or Florence. Besides being on a 4WD-only track, it's an approximately 2 km walk from the road to get to the plunge pool.
 * Sandy Creek (Tjaynera) Falls (4WD access only): Not far south beyond Blyth Homestead, one of the best places to swim in Litchfield but harder to get to than Wangi or Florence. Besides being on a 4WD-only track, it's an approximately 2 km walk from the road to get to the plunge pool.

Do

 * Walking tracks: before setting out on a bush walk, call into the Park Headquarters at Batchelor (the gateway to Litchfield) for a map and permit information. Walks leave from most popular sites including Florence Falls and Walker Creek. Signs in the car parks and along the tracks will guide you through a range of ecosystems on walks that range from 15 minutes to five days.
 * Picnicing: Wangi Falls has a day picnic area with a kiosk
 * Bush walking: ranging from short strolls to multi-day options
 * Bird & nature watching: large variety of birds to spot plus reptiles, insects, plant life
 * Swimming: in fresh water plunge pools. The popular swimming locations are Wangi Falls (most accessible for those with limited mobility), Buley Rockholes (short 5 minute walk with steps staggered along the route) and Florence Falls (15-20 minute walk along formed path with a long series of steep steps)
 * 4WD driving: off-roading is limited to formed tracks which vary in difficulty. The Lost City would be the most challenging of 4WD drives available.

Itinerary
This three-to-five day bushwalk will allow you to experience the lush woodlands, tumbling waterfalls and swimming holes that make the region a special nature playground. The track is recommended for experienced bushwalkers with a good level of fitness. Obtain a permit prior to your walk from the PWCNT office. Phone: +61 8 8999 4524.

Section 1 Wangi Falls to Walker Creek Enter Tabletop Track from the link walk at Wangi Falls. Allow 7 hours to walk the 18.5-km trail to Walker Creek. There are great views winding up and down along the edge of the escarpment. Walk through open woodland and cross creeks lined with pandanus. To make this section a two-day walk, stop at the bush campsite located at Tjenya Falls. The campsites at Walker Creek offer a beautiful oasis of stepped waterfalls tumbling into deep pools.

Section 2 Walker Creek to Florence Falls There are several shady places to rest beside a creek on the 12.3-km track between Walker Creek and Florence Falls. Over the 5 hours of the walk, cross several rills of water, walk beside tall sandstone formations and through masses of cycads. At the end of the day, you will be rewarded with a swim in the plunge pool at Florence Falls.

Section 3 Florence Falls to Wangi Falls Follow the track from Florence Falls to Wangi Falls and pass beside stringybarks, paperbarks and pandanus. Allow 8 hours to cover this 19.7-km section that crosses broken, rocky ground. If you are staying overnight camp at the small Tabletop campsite located beside a beautiful, terraced cascade. Or, continue on to finish the track at your starting point.

Buy
There is a small kiosk located at Wangi Falls where refreshments can be purchased.

Basic food staples can be purchased at the nearby town of Batchelor.

Eat
There are only two restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the park:

Drink
Drinking water is available at some of the sights.

In Batchelor
The town of Batchelor is approximately 15 km from the park.

Litchfield Park Road, near park entrance
On the Litchfield Park Road, coming from Batchelor, there are a few commercial camping grounds just before the park entrance.

Litchfield Tourism Precinct
The grandly named "Litchfield Tourism Precinct" consists in entirety of the Litchfield Cafe (see Eat) and one place to sleep:

Within the park
In the park, there are a few public camping grounds (fees may apply) with toilets and, for some, showers:

 * Wangi Falls - the only area suitable for caravan access. No power available. Basic flushing toilets, solar showers, dishwashing facilities. Few sites. Campers are expected to share camping sites with a first in - first served basis applying. No prior bookings are possible. National Park camping fees apply with a self-registration, honour box system.
 * Buley Rockhole - basic camping facilities with few sites
 * Florence Falls - basic camping facilities with few sites
 * 4WD camping areas are (dry season only) at:
 * Tjaynera Falls (Sandy Creek)
 * Surprise Creek Falls
 * Florence Falls - downstream
 * Walk-in campings grounds
 * Walker Creek (dry season only)

Stay safe
Drink plenty of water; at least one litre of water for every hour of walking in very warm weather. Ensure you have an adequate fitness level for the bushwalk you plan to undertake.

Avoid walking in the hottest part of the day or walking alone, register with the overnight bushwalking register if you plan an extended walk. Carry a map of the area you're walking or camping in and know how to read it; tell someone your plan and when you expect to return

Bring a DEET based repellant if camping or walking in the evening.

Snakes can be in the long grass, and crocodiles in the waters not declared safe.

Go next

 * Darwin
 * Katherine
 * Kakadu National Park
 * Mary River National Park
 * Berry Springs Nature Park
 * Casuarina Coastal Reserve
 * Territory Wildlife Park

title: Litchfield National Park


text:
Litchfield Park

Litchfield Park is a city in Arizona.

title: Litchfield Park


text:
Literary London

London has had the biggest global influence on English language and world literature of any city in the world. Here are some places in Literary London related to its contribution to literature.

General
One of the best places to develop and refine an appreciation of London's importance to English and world literature is the British Library.

William Shakespeare

His memorial is in Poets' Corner (see below.)

Charles Dickens
He is buried in Poets' Corner (see below.)

Other writers

 * J.K. Rowling: see Harry Potter tourism
 * J.K. Rowling: see Harry Potter tourism
 * J.K. Rowling: see Harry Potter tourism
 * J.K. Rowling: see Harry Potter tourism
 * J.K. Rowling: see Harry Potter tourism

Burials
This part of the Abbey was not intended as a burial place for writers, playwrights and poets; the first poet to be buried here, Geoffrey Chaucer, was laid to rest here on account of his more mundane position as Clerk of Works to the Palace of Westminster - the fact that he had authored the Canterbury Tales was irrelevant at the time.

During the flowering of English literature in the 16th century over 150 years later, however, a more elaborate tomb was erected to Chaucer by Nicholas Brigham and in 1599 Edmund Spenser was laid to rest nearby. These two tombs formed the nucleus of a tradition that developed over succeeding centuries.

In addition to Chaucer and Spenser, Poets' Corner contains the later burials of poets John Dryden, Tennyson, Robert Browning and John Masefield. Writers of prose, including William Camden, Dr Samuel Johnson, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Rudyard Kipling and Thomas Hardy are also buried here.

The grave of Charles Dickens attracts special devotion from many visitors interest: as a writer who drew attention to the hardships born by the socially deprived and who advocated the abolition of the slave trade, he won enduring fame and gratitude and today, more than 110 years later, a wreath is still laid on his tomb on the anniversary of his death each year.

Memorials
Poets' Corner also commemorates the life of literary greats (and quite a few who have faded into obscurity) with memorials: amongst these are the poets John Milton, William Wordsworth, Thomas Gray, John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Robert Burns, William Blake, T.S. Eliot and Gerard Manley Hopkins. Writers such as Samuel Butler, Jane Austen, Oliver Goldsmith, Sir Walter Scott, John Ruskin, Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë, Henry James and Sir John Betjeman have also been given memorials here. Perhaps the greatest English writer, William Shakespeare, also has a memorial here: buried in his home town of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1616, Shakespeare had to wait until 1740 before his monument (designed by William Kent) was placed in the transept. Another late addition was Lord Byron, whose lifestyle caused a scandal although his poetry was much admired: although he died in 1824, he was finally given a memorial only in 1969.

Not all who are buried in Poets' Corner were literary in background: the burial place of the famous composer George Frederic Handel can also be seen here, as well as the graves of David Garrick, the 18th century Shakespearean actor, and Laurence Olivier, actor of our age. A number of Abbey churchmen are also interred amongst the poets.

Literary tours and walks

 * London Walks - very popular guided walks (£10 adults, £8 concessions, children free (Dec 2018)), such as: Shakespeare's London, In the Footsteps of Sherlock Holmes and The London of Oscar Wilde
 * This self-guided tour (free).

Other

 * Charing Cross Road used to be lined with bookshops, although most have closed
 * Fleet Street was home to the large newspapers

title: Literary London