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Loudoun County

Loudoun County in the state of Virginia is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States, yet it still offers lots of charm to those who visit. Many visitors touch down in the Dulles International Airport. Eastern Loudoun is a frequent destination for business travelers working with the Department of Defense or one of the many technology companies located in the region.

Cities

 * — the county's largest town, in the heart of the Dulles Technology Corridor, which brags to carry more than half of all traffic on the internets.
 * — right in wine country, with one of Northern Virginia's most popular wineries.
 * — the county seat, and location of the ever popular Leesburg Corner Outlets mall.
 * — a favorite country escape for Washingtonians, and the center of Northern Virginia's horse country.
 * — home to Dulles International Airport; Potomac Falls and Dulles make up part of Sterling.
 * — the historic center is a pretty National Historic Landmark.

Understand
The eastern part of Loudoun County is much more densely populated than western Loudoun County. While eastern Loudoun is filled with sprawling suburban neighborhoods, western Loudoun is still largely farmland. Both eastern and western Loudoun have a rich history.

Get in
Loudoun County is in Northern Virginia, just west of Washington, D.C. in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It borders both West Virginia and Maryland. Home to an international airport, Loudoun is easy to get to from all parts of the globe. It is also accessible via numerous Interstate Highways and US Highways.

By plane

 * Washington Dulles International Airport, +1 703-572-2700. Located in eastern Loudoun County, Washington Dulles International Airport offers a full range of domestic and international flights. Many Loudoun hotels offer free shuttle service to/from Dulles Airport.
 * Leesburg Executive Airport , 1001 Sycolin Rd, SE, +1 703-737-7125. Leesburg Executive Airport is a modern general aviation airport that serves a variety of aircraft including corporate jets. Individuals and groups can charter jet aircraft for domestic and international destinations. Comprehensive services offered. Adjacent to the Dulles Greenway Toll Road (Rte 267).
 * Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, +1 703-417-8000. Located approximately from Loudoun, just outside Washington, DC, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport offers a full range of domestic flights on major, regional, and commuter carriers.
 * Baltimore Washington International Airport, Baltimore, MD, +1-800-435-9294.

By car
All directions lead you to Leesburg, the county seat and largest town in the county.

From the east From the Capital Beltway around Washington, DC (I-495), take Rte 7 (local business route) west or the Dulles Toll Road (Rte 267 - highway; toll) west toward Dulles Airport using the "local lanes." Do not take the airport access road. From the Dulles Toll Road, continue on the Dulles Greenway (extension of Rte 267 - highway; toll) or take Rte 28 north to Rte 7 west (local business route).

From the south Take I-95 north to the Capital Beltway (I-495) north toward Tysons Corner to the Dulles Toll Road (Rte 267 - highway; toll) west. Do not take the airport access road. Continue on the Dulles Greenway (extension of Rte 267 - highway; toll) or take Rte 28 north to Rte 7 west (local business route). Or, take I-81 north to Rte 7 east.

From the north Take I-95 south to the Capital Beltway (I-495) west to the Dulles Toll Road (Rte 267 - highway; toll) west toward Dulles Airport using the "local lanes." Do not take the airport access road. Continue on the Dulles Greenway (extension of Rte 267 - highway; toll) or take Rte 28 north to Rte 7 west (local business route). Or from Baltimore, Maryland, take I-70 west to Frederick, Maryland and take Rte 15 south.

From the west Take I-66 east to Rte 15 north, or from I-81 take Rte 7 east.

By train and bus
There are three WMATA Metrorail Silver Line stations in Loudoun County (with bus routes that connect to them), as well as commuter buses from Arlington and Washington D.C. However, there are no Amtrak stations in the county.

Get around
Public transportation is somewhat limited in the county. Virginia Regional Transit Authority and Loudoun County Transit operate bus service in Loudoun.

The Visitors Center in Leesburg is a good source for maps of the county and its towns & villages.

See

 * Historic Morven Park in Leesburg. This estate, home of World War I-era Virginia Governor Westmoreland Davis, includes history spanning over 200 years. Tours change frequently, highlighting the Confederate camp located here during the Civil War, Davis' contributions during World War I, the 19th-century Winmill Carriage Collection of horse-drawn carriages, and Marguerite Davis' boxwood gardens.
 * Oatlands Plantation, near Leesburg, a National Trust site, encompasses in scenic easements and features a Greek Revival mansion, circa 1804, rare 19th century brick dependencies including America's oldest restored propagation greenhouse, circa 1810, and a magnificent  English terraced garden.
 * George C. Marshall International Center at Dodona Manor in Leesburg offers tours of the restored former home of General George C. Marshall, Architect of Allied Victory for World War II, Special Ambassador to China, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and Nobel Peace Laureate. Ninety percent of the furnishings and memorabilia are original to the Marshall period of residency, from 1941-1959.
 * Loudoun County's wine country is now home to thirty wineries and tasting rooms, featuring rolling hillsides dotted with vines and unique tasting rooms located in historic barns, Mediterranean-like villas, and caves. The best way to experience Loudoun's wine country is along the Wine Trail. Pick up a copy of the brochure at the Loudoun County Visitors Center and spend a day or more traveling along scenic byways as you visit each winery. Look for the grape cluster signs along the roadways to assist you on your wine tour.

Do

 * Visit any of the area's regional parks.
 * Bike or walk on the W&OD Trail, a paved hiking and biking trail that begins (or ends) in Purcellville at one end and Arlington at the other, crossing through Leesburg and Fairfax County along the way.

title: Loudoun County


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Loughborough

Loughborough (pronounced "LUFF-burra") is a market town in Leicestershire.

Understand
Loughborough's fortunes were built on engineering and textiles. Now, however, the largest employer is Loughborough University, this has a dramatic impact on the town. The 14,000 students account for around one in four of the town's population. This gives the town a younger profile than you might expect in term time but makes the place relatively quiet during the summer.

The university has a campus on the mostly residential western side of the town. The campus occupies a band running west from the ring road to the edge of town, splitting the northern estates from the Forest Side in the south-west. The eastern side of the town, close to the canal and the railway lines is generally older, includes the town centre and contains more of the town's industry and industrial heritage.

The university promotes itself as a centre of excellence for sport. It hosts facilities for a number of national associations including the headquarters of the Amateur Swimming Association and the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) National Cricket Performance Centre. Loughborough provided the main camp for 'Team GB' in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics and the university's facilities were used by the Japanese Olympic team.

By plane
East Midlands Airport is  north-west of Loughborough. The town is well-connected to the airport by the Skylink bus service, a more direct link than via East Midlands Parkway railway station.

By train
about a mile north-east of the town centre and is served by East Midland Trains travelling from London St Pancras International to Sheffield and London St Pancras International to Nottingham and by Cross Country Trains to Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, and Birmingham.

By car
Loughborough sits on the main A6 road between Leicester and Derby and adjacent to the M1 motorway (at junction 23).

By bicycle
Loughborough is on National Cycle Route 6.

By narrow-boat
The refurbished Loughborough Wharf at the northern edge of the town centre links to the Grand Union Canal.

By bus
The main bus services within the town are provided by Kinchbus. Services to surrounding areas are provided by Arriva, Trent Barton, South Notts, Centrebus & Paul Winson.

See
A major remodelling of the town centre in the 1930s means that large parts of the centre were built in Art Deco style and many of these building survive. Of note is the foyer of Reel Cinema.

Events

 * The second week of November brings the annual fair to the very centre of the town filling the Market place and surrounding streets for four days.

Buy
There is a twice-weekly market in central Market Place every Thursday & Saturday.

Go next
Notable beauty spots around Loughborough include:

To the west of the town: Garendon Park former deer park with limited public access but containing a number of Listed buildings and monuments such as the Temple of Venus. To the south-west of the town: Beacon Hill and the Outwoods and Jubilee wood which form the eastern edge of The National Forest.

To the south towards Leicester is Bradgate Park; a formerly royal deer park and home to Lady Jane Grey.

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

title: Loughborough


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Lough Key

Lough Key  is in County Roscommon Ireland.

The name Lough Key is derived from Ce', the druid of Nuadha of the silver arm, king of the Tuatha De Danann who, according to legend, was drowned when the waters of the lake burst forth from the earth.

The area around Lough Key and the nearby town of Boyle, in County Roscommon, have been inhabited for thousands of years.

In the park, which surrounds Lough Key, ring forts, are perhaps the oldest evidence of habitation. Five ring forts are within the park, and many more can be seen in adjacent fields and woods.

Fees and permits
There is a fee for the front car park

title: Lough Key


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Louisbourg

Louisbourg is a village of 1,000 people (2011) on the south-east coast of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia.

Understand
Louisbourg's harbour had been used by European mariners since at least the 1590s (as English Port, Havre à l'Anglois); the Fortress of Louisbourg was built by France in 1713, captured by England in 1758 and demolished in 1760. A small fishing village across the harbour from the abandoned fortress accommodated Loyalist settlers in the 1780s. In 1894, the Sydney and Louisburg Railway brought winter coal exports to Louisbourg Harbour's ice-free port. The Town of Louisbourg was incorporated in 1901 and merged into a single tier regional municipality in 1995; the efforts to restore the historic fortress as a pioneer village museum date to the 1960s.

Get in
Louisbourg is 40 km from Sydney along Highway 22, which is the main road in and out of town.

The nearest airport is in Sydney, but flights to Sydney were suspended indefinitely in Jan 2021.

The railway no longer runs here.

title: Louisbourg


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Louisiade Archipelago

Louisiade Archipelago is in Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea. It is a beautiful, peaceful area in the south eastern tip of Papua New Guinea and is renowned for its beautiful coral reefs, a diver's paradise. Apart from passing yachties it receives very few tourists.

Islands

 * Misima Island
 * Deboyne Islands
 * Calvados Chain
 * Duchateau Island Group
 * Sudest Island
 * Rossel Island

Understand
The people of the Louisiade Islands predominately live a subsistence lifestyle. Most families have a garden - a reclaimed section of jungle where they grow fruit and vegetables, a few chickens and pigs, and each village has at least one fisherman with a sailing canoe. In these communities, almost everything is privately owned - including firewood, fruit and vegetables, and even the fish in the lagoon. More importantly, these resources are the only resources and property that these communities have, and they depend on them for survival. Please obtain permission from the locals before fishing or taking anything from the islands. If what you ask for is abundant, they will most likely give it to you, otherwise it would be appropriate to offer to buy or trade for it. The only exception is trolling for pelagic fish such as tuna and mackerel, which are too big and fast for the local fishermen to catch. Pelagic fish are abundant in the islands, and it is appropriate to catch more than you need and donate it to the local villages. For most communities, a trip to the nearest shop is at least a one to two day journey by sailing canoe each way. Although the need for money is increasing in these remote communities (they need money for school fees or to buy fuel for the long boats to reach islands with medical facilities), most trading consists of bartering for goods.

Upon arrival at most islands, be prepared for several canoes to paddle over and offer to trade their local fruit and seafood in exchange for goods such as: Mostly, traders are happy to exchange for second-hand items if they are still fit for their purpose. For advice about the current needs of individual communities, refer to www.louisiades.net which provides up-to-date information about the type of tradegoods sought by various communities.
 * t-shirts
 * fish hooks and fishing line
 * raw sugar
 * hand tools
 * batteries for torches
 * hats
 * sunglasses
 * soap
 * laundry powder

Talk
The indigenous language of the Louisiade Archipelago is Language Misima, however children also learn English at elementary school.

Get in
Milne Bay encompasses some of the most isolated island communities in the world. This isolation contributes significantly to the character and charm of the place, however it comes with the downside of a conspicuous lack of infrastructure. Nevertheless, there is an airfield on Misima Island at the town of Bwagoia. It is serviced regularly by small passenger aircraft run by a local PNG carrier between the mainland and Misima.

Most visitors to the Louisiade Islands arrive by private yacht. The passage to the islands across the Coral Sea from Cairns, Australia is approximately 510 nautical miles. The average cruising yacht can complete this journey in about 4 days under favourable conditions.

Every year, dozens of Australian yachts make the journey to the Louisiade Islands, either independently, or as part of the annual Louisiades Rally. Additional information for and about getting to the Louisiades by yacht can be found at www.louisiades.net

Get around
Throughout the islands, the locals have three modes of transport:
 * canoe (single dugout canoe, or dugout canoe with outrigger)
 * sailing canoe (outrigger canoes with a lateen sail)
 * long boat (open fibreglass "banana boat" powered by an outboard motor)

Misima also has some cars and trucks, however you are unlikely to see any motor vehicles other than the occasional long boat on the other islands of the Louisiade group.

There are also a couple of old fishing boats which dock at Bwagoia Harbour, and appear to serve as ferries and tramp freighters for the region. Nevertheless, most locals from the remote islands make long distance journeys by sailing canoe.

Whilst all of these options would most likely be available to a foreign visitor, they can only be recommended to the extremely adventurous! Canoes and long boats are not subject to the kind of maritime safety regulations you might expect in more developed regions, and the journey from Misima to any other island involves crossing open ocean with no possibility of signalling distress or obtaining help if something goes wrong.

For visitors, the most common and most practical approach is to bring your own transport - i.e. sail your own boat from Australia.

title: Louisiade Archipelago


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Louisiana

Louisiana (French: La Louisiane) is a state in the South of the United States of America that is known for its culture that dominates in the New Orleans part of the state. The state of Louisiana is bordered to the west by Texas, to the north by Arkansas, to the east by the state of Mississippi, and to the south by the Gulf of Mexico.

Cities

 * – the state capital
 * – Near the center of the state
 * – The center of Cajun Country
 * – On the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, across from New Orleans.
 * – The birthplace of Delta Air Lines.
 * – The oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase
 * – the state's largest and most well-known city.
 * – The biggest city of North Louisiana
 * – The biggest city of North Louisiana

Other destinations

 * The flows into the Gulf of Mexico and is among North America's most important and largest rivers.

Understand
Louisiana is known for its unique history; oil, gas, and seafood empires; music, including blues and some of jazz's earliest forms; diverse cultural makeup, including the Cajun culture in the southwest and the once-dominant Creole culture; agriculture; and vast wetlands, swamps, and bayous. Northern Louisiana has a culture similar to that of Mississippi, Arkansas, and East Texas.

Climate
A word to the wise — during the summer months, heat in Louisiana can be unbearable. Humidity, which is common throughout the Southern states, increases perceived temperature. To prevent heat-related illnesses due to high temperatures and humidity, seek shade, wear loose (preferably white) clothes, and remember to drink plenty of water.

This climate type is, on the Koppen scale, known as "subtropical" featuring cool to mild winters in addition to the hot and humid summers.

Religion
Like much of the rest of the South, northern Louisiana is largely Evangelical Protestant (with Southern Baptists forming the largest group). On the other hand, due to the history of French and Spanish influences, Greater New Orleans and Acadiana are largely Roman Catholic. This large concentration of Roman Catholics makes Louisiana unique among the Southern states.

Tourist information

 * Louisiana Travel website

Talk
While English and French are the two languages of the state, English is dominant. Parts of the south of the state and New Orleans have a long French-speaking history; however, in the early 20th century, children were forbidden to speak French at school in an effort to bring about widespread English fluency, and French gradually faded from public life. Today, English is spoken by nearly everyone; however, it is not uncommon to hear conversations in French in the southern and rural parts of the state, and a few elderly people in those parts of the state can still only speak French.

The last decade or so has seen some growth in the movement to preserve and revive the French language in Louisiana: French immersion programs in public schools contain over 4,000 students, French-language radio and television broadcasts are becoming slightly more common, and bilingual signage is being expanded. Local street signs in the French Quarter of New Orleans, and in many downtowns around Acadiana are bilingual in French and English, with French being more visibly prominent in the latter. However, locals still refer to streets by their English names as or more often than their French names. The transportation department and legislature have entertained various plans to implement bilingual highway signage, but beyond the "Welcome to Louisiana/Bienvenue en Louisiane" signs beside highways at border crossings, they have never been implemented.

Louisiana Cajun French is a distinct dialect, difficult to understand for many speakers of conventional (Parisian) French, but similar to the dialect of French spoken in New Brunswick. Louisiana Creole is a French-based creole historically spoken in New Orleans and the surrounding area, though it is now moribund and only spoken by a handful of elderly residents.

Unlike northern and central Louisiana, the Southern "drawl" is very rare in the southern part of the state. The Cajun accent in Acadiana has many distinct sounds due to the people's collective French heritage, while the Creole (or Yat) accent of New Orleans is similar to that of Brooklyn. That said, many residents of the state, including many born-and-bred Louisianians, speak with a general American accent (especially now in Jefferson Parish and New Orleans where the "Yat" accent has been relatively diluted) and shun the local accent due to the stereotypes of rednecks and gator hunters associated with it.

By plane
The largest airports are in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Smaller airports with commercial service are Lafayette, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Shreveport, and Monroe.

By train
New Orleans, Houma-Thibodaux, New Iberia, Lafayette, and Lake Charles are served by Amtrak. For more on fares and schedules see their website.

By bus
Cheapest way to get into the larger cities in Louisiana, but do not serve the smaller cities and towns. Advance purchase tickets are usually significantly cheaper than tickets bought immediately at departure.

By car
The most practical way to get into Louisiana is by car. Interstate 10, 20, 49, 55, and 59 are the easiest and fastest means of driving into Louisiana from other states. Smaller rural highways provide a more scenic entry point, such as Texas Highway 82 / Louisiana Highway 82, entering the state along the Gulf Coast.

By car
The most convenient and practical means to get around Louisiana is by car. Louisiana's roads are not, however, the best maintained and are downright rough in some places. This is mostly noticeable on rural highways and roads, along with city streets. In the cities, the speed limit on the highways and interstates vary between 50 and 65 mph (80-110 km/h). On standard two lane rural highways, whether US or state, the speed limit is almost always 55 mph. Four lane, divided highways, such as Interstate 10, 12, 20, 55, and 59, universally have a speed limit of 65 to 70 mph outside of the major cities. There are two exceptions to the rule:

 * The Atchafalaya Basin Bridge, the 20-mile portion of Interstate 10 between the towns of Henderson and Grosse Tete, has a speed limit of 60 mph all the way across. In addition, there are only two exits along the entire bridge, so have enough gas to get you from one side to the other before attempting the drive.
 * Interstate 49, between Washington in southern Louisiana and Frierson in northern Louisiana, has a speed limit of 75 mph, with the exception of the portion that passes through Alexandria. This is the only place in Louisiana where the speed limit is this fast. This speed limit is strictly enforced throughout the entire 150-mile (250-km) length, and Louisiana State Police will issue citations to drivers going even slightly over the speed limit.

Louisiana is one of only a small handful of states that require you to completely clear the intersection before the traffic signal turns red (without speeding). Always stop at yellow lights if it's safe to do so.

By bus
A cheap means of getting between cities if you do not have access to a car, Greyhound Bus Lines serve all the large cities of Louisiana. Very few of the small towns that are of interest to visitors are served by this means, with the exception of St. Francisville and Ruston. In addition, all larger cities have some form of intracity bus service, such as a public bus system. Examples are MTA Buses in New Orleans, Lafayette Transit System in Lafayette, and SPORTRAN in Shreveport. Information on transit can be found here.

See

 * The is a world-famous destination year round, but especially during Mardi Gras.  Unique architecture, excellent restaurants, and interesting people make this a great destination in the city.
 * The is a world-famous destination year round, but especially during Mardi Gras.  Unique architecture, excellent restaurants, and interesting people make this a great destination in the city.
 * The is a world-famous destination year round, but especially during Mardi Gras.  Unique architecture, excellent restaurants, and interesting people make this a great destination in the city.
 * The is a world-famous destination year round, but especially during Mardi Gras.  Unique architecture, excellent restaurants, and interesting people make this a great destination in the city.

Itineraries

 * Great River Road, the 70-mile stretch between New Orleans and Baton Rouge along the Mississippi River. Along this route are Creole and Antebellum sugar plantations, rural settlements, B&Bs, and Cajun and Creole restaurants. After the French Quarter, plantations on Great River Road represent Louisiana's most visited tourist destination.

Do
There are a lot of great things to do in Louisiana, but the time of year matters when deciding on what to do. A variety of festivals happen almost all year long, the largest among them being Mardi Gras. Around February, Louisiana celebrates Mardi Gras and is one of only a couple states that declare it to be a state holiday. New Orleans is where to want to go for a more active party scene. For a more toned down celebration, many people go to Houma. Most Louisiana cities celebrate Mardi Gras in some fashion, though the New Orleans-style party scene is more prevalent in the larger cities in southern Louisiana.

Eat
Louisiana loves good food. Cuisine includes the famous Cajun cooking of Acadiana and Creole cuisine from New Orleans. Some items that may seem exotic to visitors from elsewhere may appear on menus, including crawfish and alligator.

Some quintessential foodstuffs in Cajun cuisine are:

 * Beignets (Ben-YAYS) - deep-fried dough balls, similar to fritters, covered in powdered sugar and served immediately after frying.
 * Cornbread - while not exclusive to Cajun cuisine and is indeed associated with Southern food by most Americans, cornbread (which is a bread dish made with corn instead of wheat) usually serves the role that wheat products have in other European cuisines, either as a form of dessert, as a sponge for sopping up gumbo, or even used in baked goods.
 * Gumbo - probably the most 'Louisianan' of all foods (and most well-known outside of the state), gumbo is a soup that uses a thick meat- or seafood-based stock, chunks of meat/seafood, a thickener, and the 'holy trinity' (celery, bell peppers, and onions). Gumbo is usually classified based on the type of thickener used (okra or filé powder).
 * Jambalaya - rice, vegetables, and some type of meat (usually but not always andouille sausage) mixed with spices.
 * Roadkill Stew - It is legal in the state of Louisiana to take home and eat any wild animals you (accidentally) kill while driving. Roadkill stew is the catchall name given to any foods made with your victims, and while the average traveler is highly unlikely to come across it, it can be pretty good (and a rare opportunity for you to eat something like a possum, squirrel, or skunk). Some Cajun cookbooks even have entries on Roadkill Stew!

Some ingredients usually found in Cajun cuisine:

 * Alligator - pretty self-explanatory. Rumored to taste quite like chicken.
 * Andouille sausage (ON-du-whee) - a pork sausage of mainland French origin. Most non-seafood meats in Cajun cuisine use andouille sausage. It is usually spicy and has a course texture.
 * Boudin (Boo-DAN) - fresh sausage (often pork) made by mixing the meat with rice and green onions. Sometimes you can find boudin made with seafood, and boudin made with pig's blood is called boudin rouge (lit. 'red boudin').
 * Crawfish/Crawdads - crustaceans that look like shrimp but are larger. They burrow into the ground and leave mounds like tiny termites, and often you can find them in the yard of the place you're staying at.
 * Fish - Given how southern Louisiana is essentially all swampland (bayoux), it's no surprise that seafood has a prominent role in Cajun cuisine.
 * Frog - Frog's legs might be thought of as a stereotypical French meal, but the Cajuns eat it quite often. The rest of the frog can also be used.

Seafood
Louisiana has long been known for its bounty of fresh seafood.

Some visitors have expressed concern about the safety of local seafood due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Seafood that makes it to the markets and restaurants is safe. Oil affected areas are closed to fishing, and catches from unaffected areas are being inspected in even more detail than usual. The oil spill may result in shortages of some species or higher prices in the future.

Drink
The legal drinking age is 21. However in New Orleans and parts of Acadiana, this drinking age is not rigorously enforced. In March 1996, the Supreme Court of Louisiana upheld a previous ruling by Judge Aucoin that the 21-year-old drinking age was unconstitutional, violating the Constitution's equal protection clause. However, it later overturned this ruling. Within hours of the first ruling, the state law enforcement community vowed to enforce the law, until the loophole in the Constitution was closed. That loophole is still there. A rule of thumb for anyone wanting to party in Louisiana, regardless of age: don't drink and drive.

Most alcohol-serving places in Louisiana follow the policy of 'As long as your parent/responsible adult is with you, you can have some alcohol'. In practice this usually means underage guests can have a few sips of a legal person's drink, but some places might serve you. (The logic is that the onus is on the responsible adult if you become drunk, and that they then become legally responsible for your well-being and safety.)

Laws regarding alcohol are more restrictive in parts of northern Louisiana.

Crime
Louisiana has issues with crime, especially in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. However, this is by no means the rule statewide, or even within a whole city. Crime mostly occurs in very poverty-stricken neighborhoods and often involves drugs or alcohol. Areas popular with tourists generally don't have the same issues, though it's wise to be wary of your belongings at all times. Places like the French Quarter may have higher than average levels of drug- or alcohol-related crimes, but the wise traveler will experience no real issues.

Weather
Louisiana's low-lying geography, many rivers, and proximity to the Gulf of Mexico make the state incredibly vulnerable to an array of natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

Louisiana seems to be in constant competition with Florida for which state can attract the most hurricanes in a season, and some of the most destructive hurricanes in American history have made landfall in Louisiana (such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005). Hurricanes are massive, rotating storm systems that can have winds up to and can easily fling large items like vehicles and roofs miles away. They always contain an 'eye', which is an area in the center where there is no storm whatsoever; if you find yourself in the state when a hurricane hits, don't go outside until you are told it is safe by relevant authorities (weather services, FEMA, police, fire departments). Being in the eye can mislead you into thinking the hurricane has already passed, but the storm wall can quickly come up on you and if you're outside, you are in real danger of a host of weather-related injuries. But for the most part, what has the potential to cause the most damage is the possibility of levees bursting when floodwaters overwhelm them.

Northern Louisiana sometimes gets tornadoes, and the Mississippi River occasionally floods. The area in and around the river's delta (the area of the state SE of New Orleans) can quickly change as distributaries reroute themselves, so anyone traveling to the delta region should have some sort of contingency plan in case they find themselves cut off from the rest of the state.

Being both in the Southern United States and having many bayoux and wetlands, humidity and heat pose serious problems, especially to the elderly and young children. Winters in the state can usually reach only as low as the mid-60°s F, and summers can be as high as 120°F. The humidity can exacerbate this problem, as humidity makes perceived heat higher. Take care not to get heatstroke. Thankfully, A/C has made living in Louisiana possible, and most places will have it.

Pollution
Louisiana has some places that are often quite polluted, due to oil/gas industry accidents and runoff, relatively loose environmental protection laws/lack of enforcement of said laws, and detritus left over from hurricanes. These places are usually marked if they are publicly accessible, and if not, you can usually tell. But given the levels of pollution in some places (mainly bodies of water) coupled with the wildlife, it is usually recommended that the swimmer stick with pools.

Wildlife
Louisiana has one of the largest populations (over a million individuals) of American alligators in the state. Be very wary around the state's vast swamps and wetlands. Places considered 'developed' may not even be safe from them, as they like to hang out in ponds and can often be found on golf courses and in neighborhoods that use bodies of water as decoration. Generally, however, alligators do not bother humans so long as they themselves aren't bothered. There are several venomous snakes in Louisiana, including coral snakes, rattlesnakes, copperheads, and water moccasins. Many snakebites occur when snakes "freeze" and are accidentally stepped on, so watch your step in woods and grasslands, especially by the edges of bodies of water. Louisiana also seems to have some of the largest mosquitos in the world, which can carry diseases; they often don't, but will pose a massive nuisance unless you have military-grade insect repellent.

Respect
Louisiana (as much of the rest of the South), is known to display the stereotypical "Southern hospitality". However, the condition is that you give respect back. The pace of life is often more Mediterranean than other parts of the U.S.

Hurricane Katrina, widely regarded as one of the worst natural disasters in American history, is an incredibly sensitive subject in many circles and is very much an open wound in the state's consciousness. Many residents lost their homes and loved ones in the disaster. There's no harm in inquiring more about it, though, but some may not be inclined to talk about it.

New Orleans is a very LGBTQ+ friendly city, and Baton Rouge is pretty accepting as well, but the rest of the state is more culturally conservative; while a majority of Louisianans are accepting of LGBTQ+ people, LGBTQ+ people may not be as openly accepted as in places like California, New York, or even Florida.

Go next

 * Texas — America's second largest state borders Louisiana to the west. It has a rich history and culture.
 * Arkansas — Louisiana's northern neighbor, "The Natural State", is home to the Ozark Mountains in the northwest while the south and east of the state has flatter land and shows more of its agricultural heritage.
 * Mississippi — The state's eastern neighbor has Civil War battlefields, scenic parkways, and antebellum charm.

title: Louisiana


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Louisville

Louisville, the largest city in Kentucky, is known for the Kentucky Derby horserace and as the "gateway to the south" from southern Indiana. It's a lively mid-sized city with an excellent dining scene, ample opportunities for bourbon tasting, and interesting public art. Louisville is also the namesake of the Official Bat of Major League Baseball — the Louisville Slugger.

Understand
A major city on the Ohio River in North Central Kentucky across from Southern Indiana, Louisville exists at the confluence of Southern and Midwestern attitudes and cultures. Known historically as the "Gateway to the South", Louisville has long been a transportation center for the region. It is the largest city in Kentucky, with about one and a half million people living in the metro area.

While it only borders on the region, tourists will probably find a bit of the famous Southern hospitality here, along with its varied cuisine and a relaxed attitude toward life. The city also boasts a vibrant arts and music scene and a world-class municipal parks system.

Louisville's biggest draw are the horse races at Churchill Downs (with the famous Kentucky Derby always the first Saturday in May), but the city is making a concerted effort to draw tourists year round. The architecture in Old Louisville and the Highlands is one-of-a-kind, and the people are very friendly.

The Downtown, Old Louisville, Highlands, and Frankfort Avenue areas are walkable and it is possible to take the city bus between one or all four without much difficulty, with a downtown hotel as base. Outside of this part of town though, you will almost certainly need a car.

Aside from Downtown, a must-see for many is the Highlands shopping district, on Bardstown Road roughly from Broadway to the Douglass Loop. Often described as "bohemian", it includes art galleries, bars, coffeehouses, midrange to upscale restaurants, and is ideally navigated by foot or bike. You can meet some locals on the sidewalks without much trouble, if you are interested. The street life here is particularly active on weekends when the weather is warm.

Louisville was the birthplace of boxer Cassius Clay, later known to the world as Muhammad Ali. He is buried at Cave Hill Cemetery in the Highlands, a couple of miles southeast of downtown, which is also the resting place for many other Kentucky dignitaries.

Climate
Weather in the Ohio Valley is notoriously hard to predict, but this is a general guide.

Spring starts sometime in late March or early April, normally it is very brief and summer-like weather sets in before the trees have had time to grow back their leaves. Generally this leads to pleasant weather for the Kentucky Derby, although torrential rain and (once or twice) even snow, are not unknown.

Summer usually has a few vilely hot and humid weeks, where nobody goes outside much who doesn't have to, but is generally milder and more pleasant than some other parts of the South. Brief but fairly violent thunderstorms are common during the summer.

Fall starts around September, although an "Indian Summer" with warm and sunny days often occurs that month and it gets colder as it approaches November. Fall is widely considered the most pleasant season in Louisville, and many annual events are scheduled for those months.

Winter in Louisville can be just above 32°F (0°C) and drizzling for days on end, or just below with dustings of snow that manage to melt again quickly. Ice storms, where freezing rain builds up on trees and structures and causes damage, are rare but happen occasionally. There is the occasional cold snap where it will stay well below freezing for a week or so at a time, and any snow already on the ground will linger. The last time Louisville had a real blizzard was in 1993, but those are so rare that people still regularly talk about it. Then again, beautiful sunny days where the temperature gets above 65°F are also possible. You really never know what you're going to get.

The Ohio Valley also regularly has the highest pollen counts in the US. If you're very allergic to pollen, you may want to avoid visiting in late spring/early summer.

Tourist information

 * Go to Louisville website

By plane

 * With all of the airlines listed above, direct flights are available to most of their hubs, including Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, New York, Detroit, Philadelphia, and popular tourist destinations such as Orlando and Las Vegas. Allegiant, which does not use the traditional hub-and-spoke model, offers nonstop flights, some seasonal, to popular vacation destinations in the Southeast. Southwest, which also does not use the hub-and-spoke model, offers nonstops to several of its own key cities. The airport is "International" in name only — there are no longer any non-stop passenger flights to any location outside the U.S. Too bad you can't fly with UPS whose huge all-points international "Worldport" cargo hub is in Louisville just south of the passenger terminal.
 * Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is 1.5 hours away by car, and is a focus city for Delta Air Lines and low-cost carriers Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines.

By car
Several Interstates pass through Louisville: I-65, I-64 and I-71.
 * I-71 (North-South) begins in Louisville and heads Northeast to Cincinnati and Cleveland.
 * I-65 (North-South) will carry you from just outside Chicago, through Indianapolis North of Louisville and to the south through Nashville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Alabama, all the way to the coast at Mobile. The Ohio River crossings in both directions are tolled; see § Get around
 * I-64 (East-West) travels east through Lexington, West Virginia, on into Richmond, and ends near the Atlantic Ocean in Chesapeake, Virginia. To the west you'll find its beginning/end in St. Louis, the "Gateway to the West"

By bus
see also: bus travel in North America
 * Greyhound,, services Louisville. Their depot is at 720 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd. near the center of town. Service is frequent, but it is inadvisable to arrive at the bus station late at night unless someone is coming to pick you up or you are taking a taxi. There are many pickpockets and scammers here and nearby.
 * Megabus. Service from Chicago, Indianapolis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta. The bus stop is on the north side of Jefferson St in between Roy Wilkins Ave and S 8th St.

By bus
TARC (Transit Authority of River City) operates bus lines in all parts of Louisville Metro (Jefferson County). Cash fares are $1.75 for adults (does not include transfers). With the MyTARC Card, available for purchase online or at a couple of locations in the city, fares are $1.50 and include a transfer good for two hours from initial boarding. Buses generally run from about 6AM-10PM, some later on weekends, but it is a good idea to check the schedule for each specific route. Timetables are only posted at major stops. Frequency and punctuality leave something to be desired, but the buses are an effective way to get around for a visitor, especially between downtown and major sites like the airport, Churchill Downs, and the trendy areas in the eastern part of the city.

By car
Car rental services are available at the airport. Louisville is encircled by two beltways, I-264 (officially the Henry Watterson Expressway and locally known as "the Watterson") and I-265 (the Gene Snyder Freeway, or unofficially "the Snyder"). Traffic is generally moderate except at peak hours on I-264, downtown, I-64 between the Snyder and Watterson, and the Snyder for about 2 miles in either direction from I-64. In particular, try to avoid "Spaghetti Junction", the downtown freeway interchange, between 7AM and 9AM and 4:30PM and 6:30PM on weekdays.

Three of the five bridges that cross the Ohio in Louisville are now tolled. The Abraham Lincoln Bridge, which opened in 2016, carries I-65 northbound into Indiana, while the older John F. Kennedy Bridge is now southbound only. The new Lewis and Clark Bridge, plus associated freeway segments, also opened in 2016 to connect I-265 between the two states. The I-65 and I-265 crossings are tolled in both directions. Rates depend on whether the vehicle carries a transponder issued by the local tolling authority (or the multi-state E-ZPass consortium), or if the vehicle's license plate has been registered with said authority. For cars, passenger trucks, and motorcycles, current rates per crossing are:
 * $2.10 for vehicles with transponders.
 * $3.16 for vehicles without transponders, but with plates registered with the tolling authority.
 * $4.20 for vehicles that have neither transponders nor plates registered with the tolling authority.

Rates are higher for larger vehicles. Tolling is all-electronic; vehicles without transponders will have pictures of their license plates taken, with a bill sent to the registered owner. The downtown Clark Memorial Bridge (also known as the "Second Street Bridge") and the Sherman Minton Bridge that carries I-64 across the river remain toll-free for now.

The city streets are laid out in a grid pattern in downtown and a wheel-and-spoke system farther out. Frequently, the streets are named after outlying towns they eventually reach (Shelbyville Road, Bardstown Road, Taylorsville Road, etc.) Some of the urban neighborhoods, notably Germantown, Portland, and the neighborhoods surrounding Cherokee Park, can be confusing for non-locals. Fortunately most neighborhoods are quite safe and passers-by will be more than happy to give you directions.

By bike
Bicycling is becoming an increasingly effective way to get around Louisville. Bike lanes are being added on city streets, especially in and around Downtown which is already the most bike-friendly area of the city. In fact, former long-time mayor and Kentucky lieutenant governor Jerry Abramson is an active cyclist.

Every TARC bus in the city is equipped with bike racks, making bicycling a viable option for long-distance trips and trips along major arterial corridors. If you plan your transit route in advance, it is easy to get anywhere in the city using just your bicycle and public transit. Metro Government is also installing more bike racks every day, making it easy to park your bike at your destination.

The Louvelo bikeshare system has 39 stations and offers a "pay as you go" plan.

By scooter
Here, "scooter" refers to electric-powered stand-up scooters, not the small motorbikes also called by that name. Electric scooters have become increasingly popular for short-distance trips in congested areas such as downtown and the Highlands. Four companies offer so-called "dockless" scooter rentals—Bird, Bolt, Lime, and Spin, with HOPR soon to join them. These scooters are rented and activated through each company's mobile app, with payment via the app. Several caveats, however, apply to this transportation mode. First, city ordinances prohibit e-scooter usage at night. Rental scooters are also equipped with geofencing technology that automatically slow them to 10 mph (from a maximum speed of about 15 mph) in downtown, Waterfront Park, the pavilion of the KFC Yum! Center, and Mid City Mall in the Highlands. This same technology also prevents them from being used for many trips in the Frankfort Avenue corridor, as they are deactivated in the vicinity of the Kentucky School for the Blind and the American Printing House for the Blind for the safety of blind people in that area. They are also deactivated at the Kentucky Exposition Center and the Extreme Park. The most significant issue, however, is that current city ordinances only allow them to be used in standard vehicle lanes. Both bicycles and scooters are banned from sidewalks, but scooters are also banned from bike lanes.

Outside
Louisville's park system was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the "Father of American Landscape Architecture." Many consider it to be his greatest achievement. Cherokee Park, Iroquois Park, and Shawnee Park are the Flagship Parks, while more than a dozen smaller parks make up Louisville's own "Emerald Necklace." features a 2.3 mi (3.7 km) "Scenic Loop" with one lane of traffic reserved entirely for cyclists, pedestrians, and other recreational activities. contains what was the tallest hill in Louisville before the city merged with surrounding Jefferson County in 2003; the hill's location gives it a commanding view of downtown, especially on clear days. In addition to the major parks, dozens of smaller ones are spread throughout the city, such as Tyler Park in the Highlands, a favorite of locals, or George Rogers Clark Park in Germantown.

A newer addition,, is arguably one of the greatest things the city has done to improve its image in a decade. Stretching along over a mile of the Ohio River, Waterfront Park offers playgrounds, artistic landscaping, fountains, and open lawns, all with spectacular views of the city skyline and the river. It frequently plays host to concerts and other festivals. The is an old railroad bridge, now pedestrianized, that lets you walk between Waterfront Park and Jeffersonville, Indiana.

Enjoy the view (day or night) of downtown Louisville from Ashland Park, on the Ohio River in neighboring Clarksville, Indiana. Park the car and walk across the street to Widow's Walk, an ice-cream parlor/garden statue shop constructed to look like an old Victorian mansion. Nearby is also the Falls of the Ohio, a state park containing a fossil bed that spans quite a bit of area when the river is low.

Architecture
Old Louisville is an architectural treasure trove. Just south of downtown, it is the third largest National Preservation District in the country and the largest Victorian district in the United States. A particularly beautiful area is St. James Court and Belgravia Court, which plays host each fall to the St. James Court Art Show. Faced with possible demolition in the 1970s, the area is now considered to be one of Louisville's best-kept secrets. A good way to see the neighborhood is to follow a walking tour. It also has a number of locally-beloved bars and restaurants, and a heterogeneous population that gives the neighborhood a particularly eclectic feel.

Main and Market streets downtown contain the second largest collection of 1800s-era iron facade buildings in the United States. Some have been torn down or otherwise destroyed, but also many new developments leave the old facades intact.

Other notable areas include the Cherokee Triangle neighborhood in the Highlands and Butchertown, which is just east of Downtown.

Inside

Market Street has a number of art galleries. If you are in Louisville on the first Friday of the month, there is a free gallery hop around the downtown galleries, including a couple of glass studios. In March 2016, the Speed Art Museum, a more traditional art museum on the campus of the University of Louisville, reopened following a complete rebuilding. 21C Museum Hotel has several art installations open to the public and is open to the public 24 hours a day. There are also a variety of art galleries within walking distance of each other in the Highlands/Bardstown Road area.

For performing arts, there is Actors Theatre, The Louisville Orchestra, The Louisville Ballet, The Kentucky Opera, and The Kentucky Center (in full, the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts). The Kentucky Center also operates the newly opened Old Forester's Paristown Hall east of downtown (see "Music").

If you plan on visiting more than one downtown museum, consider buying the Main Ticket, a pass that provides one admission to the Frazier Museum, Art and Craft Museum, Kentucky Science Center, Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Peerless Distilling, Slugger Museum, and Ali Center. $45.99 ages 13 and up, $29.99 children 6–12; pass valid for one year after purchase. Pass holders must purchase a separate admission to the Science Center for any children 2–5; ages 5 and under are admitted free at all other attractions.

If you have a car, definitely take River Road out of downtown, past Zorn Avenue into the River Road Historic District. Beautiful country estates on the bluffs overlooking the Ohio River are amazing to see, along with all the fields that stretch along the river and great vistas of all the boats going by. The district stops when River Road ends at US Highway 42.

Kentucky Derby Festival
One of the nation's biggest civic events, the Kentucky Derby Festival takes place for the two weeks prior to the first Saturday in May when the Kentucky Derby (usually referred to locally simply as "Derby") is run at Churchill Downs. The biggest events include the following:

Other festivals and events

 * Louisville Trifesta — A series of music festivals held on consecutive weekends in September, all organized by Danny Wimmer Presents and now held at the Kentucky Exposition Center. In order, they are:
 * Louisville Trifesta — A series of music festivals held on consecutive weekends in September, all organized by Danny Wimmer Presents and now held at the Kentucky Exposition Center. In order, they are:
 * Louisville Trifesta — A series of music festivals held on consecutive weekends in September, all organized by Danny Wimmer Presents and now held at the Kentucky Exposition Center. In order, they are:
 * Louisville Trifesta — A series of music festivals held on consecutive weekends in September, all organized by Danny Wimmer Presents and now held at the Kentucky Exposition Center. In order, they are:
 * Louisville Trifesta — A series of music festivals held on consecutive weekends in September, all organized by Danny Wimmer Presents and now held at the Kentucky Exposition Center. In order, they are:

Recreational biking
If you want to bike for recreation, consider biking "the parkways" to the three major parks (Eastern Parkway to Cherokee Park, Southern Parkway to Iroquois Park, and Algonquin/Northwestern/Southwestern Parkway to Shawnee Park). These were designed just for bikers (and other "pleasure craft"), although now, especially Eastern, will require urban cycling skills except perhaps on a Saturday or Sunday. But they still represent the absolute finest the city has to offer in terms of biking - the three parks are magnificent, all have dedicated biking lanes (as in, you get half of or all of the road). Probably about 25-35 miles to see all three, if you're in good shape this can make for the perfect day ride around town, with frequent stops since there's a lot to see. There are minor hills on the parkways, but some moderate hills in Iroquois and Cherokee parks.

A good starting place is Waterfront Park, which has free parking, and also gives you a chance to experience downtown and all three "sides" of Louisville. Beginning at the Waterfront, you can take the Riverwalk to Shawnee Park (in the process of being renovated with a Scenic Loop bike path similar to that in Cherokee Park), and connect via Southwestern and Algonquin Parkways to the Ohio River Levee Trail to the Farnsley-Moreman Landing in the southwest corner of the county; almost a 20-mile ride.

You can also go from the Waterfront along the Beargrass Creek Trail to Cherokee Park (see a Louisville bikeways map for details). Eventually you will be able to bike all the way from Prospect, in the northeast part of the county, to Farnsley-Moreman in the southwest — over 25 miles. Long-term plans will allow you to bike a full hundred miles around the entire city, but the completion date of that project has now been pushed back to around 2020.

The long-abandoned Big Four Bridge has been reopened as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge connecting Waterfront Park with downtown Jeffersonville on the Indiana side.

You can rent bikes at Waterfront Park.

Extreme sports
Younger or more adventurous types who are into skateboarding, aggressive skating, or BMX may want to check out David Armstrong Extreme Park, on the corner of Franklin and Clay Streets just east of I-65 downtown and open 24/7. Among its features are a 24-foot full pipe, seven bowls of different sizes, a street course, ledges and rails, and a 12-foot vert ramp with a 13-foot extension.

Music
Louisville has a large and thriving music scene catering to every possible taste in music. There are many bars that feature standard-issue cover bands but of greater interest to adventurous visitors are the venues featuring original local music and big-name out-of-town acts.

Buy
Support Louisville's impressive number of locally-owned businesses by shopping in areas like the Highlands (Bardstown Road) and Clifton/Frankfort Avenue. Shops displaying "Keep Louisville Weird" signs (a concept originated in Austin, Texas) are members of a coalition of locally-owned businesses.

There are several malls and shopping areas in which to browse, including:
 * and, Shelbyville Rd at I-264. Oxmoor Center is immediately east of 264 (outside the loop) and Mall St. Matthews is immediately west of 264 (inside the loop).

Outlet shopping is available in nearby Simpsonville at (take I-64 east to Exit 28).

Groceries and other basics
The dominant supermarket chain in the Louisville area is Kroger, with over 20 locations in Jefferson County alone, plus many others scattered around the surrounding counties (a few Kroger-owned stores on the Indiana side of the river bear the legacy Jay C nameplate). Several of these are open 24/7. No other supermarket chain has anything close to Kroger's presence, though the local chain ValuMarket and the deep-discounters Aldi and Save-A-Lot have several locations.

In the organic/natural niche, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's each have one location in the area, both near Mall St. Matthews. A smaller national chain, The Fresh Market, has a location in northeast Louisville. Finally, the local chain Rainbow Blossom has four Louisville locations plus one across the river in New Albany.

The real competition for Kroger comes from two major discount chains. Walmart has nine stores in its "Supercenter" (discount store plus supermarket) format, plus three supermarket-only Walmart Neighborhood Markets, in Jefferson County alone. Two of the Supercenters and one Neighborhood Market close overnight; the rest stay open 24/7. Meijer, a Michigan-based chain that in many ways pioneered the concept that Walmart made a cliché, has four stores in Jefferson County, all of which are also open 24/7. Target also has several locations that all offer groceries, but without the specialized counters of a traditional supermarket or the 24/7 hours of Walmart and Meijer.

Both of the major national pharmacy chains, CVS and Walgreens, are also ubiquitous throughout Louisville. Walgreens is absorbing several local locations of the former third major chain, Rite Aid. CVS and Walgreens have many 24/7 locations, though not necessarily in the areas you might expect. Note also that all pharmacies in Target stores throughout the U.S. are now operated by CVS, and include CVS signage.

Eat
Local specialties include the Hot Brown, a broiled open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and Mornay sauce, and derby pie, which is similar to a pecan pie but incorporates chocolate. Kentucky is of course the home of KFC, but, like most Southerners, Kentuckians take fried chicken fairly seriously, and if you want inexpensive, tasty fried chicken, there are better local alternatives. Considering that it's not widely known for it, pizza is surprisingly good in Louisville. There are a lot of outlets and the market is quite competitive.

Louisville has established itself as a major "foodie" destination. Part of the reason is the ready availability of fresh ingredients from around the country, and even the world, thanks to the location of UPS' main hub at Louisville International Airport.

Vegetarians and vegans have a lot of options in Louisville, particularly at the numerous Ethiopian, Indian and Mediterranean restaurants.

Locals usually prefer to dine at one of the local eating establishments below.

Budget

 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.
 * The best bagels in Louisville. Nancy's has two locations. The original in the Clifton neighborhood at 2101 Frankfort Ave. and a downtown location at 651 S. 4th St.

Drink
The mint julep is a local drink, traditionally drunk during the Kentucky Derby. If you want to try this classic Southern drink outside of Derby week, it's difficult to find a bar that can make them, owing to the difficulty of stocking fresh mint and the fact that they aren't often ordered.

Smoking is not permitted in bars in the city of Louisville. While most bars in Kentucky are required to close at 2AM, some Louisville bars are licensed to stay open until 4AM.

Pubs
There are many pubs around the city, with varying styles, prices and crowds. The Highlands, especially around the 900 block of Baxter Ave., is a great place to drink and meet new people.

Bars
Fourth Street Live! (On 4th St, downtown) has plenty of bars, but you'll pay a premium to drink there. Fourth Street is generally only busy on the weekends; it's dead on the weekdays except for 5-7PM or when the after work crowd grabs a drink. Many of the swankier clubs and bars have a dress code, and some have a cover charge, usually about $5. Fourth Street is free to enter. Some other possibilities are below.

 * Pussycat Lounge, adult entertainment, nightclub. 4744 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, 1 1/2 stars.
 * Pussycat Lounge, adult entertainment, nightclub. 4744 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, 1 1/2 stars.
 * Pussycat Lounge, adult entertainment, nightclub. 4744 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, 1 1/2 stars.
 * Pussycat Lounge, adult entertainment, nightclub. 4744 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, 1 1/2 stars.
 * Pussycat Lounge, adult entertainment, nightclub. 4744 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, 1 1/2 stars.

Coffeehouses
There are a plethora of good coffeehouses in Louisville. Local chains include Heine Brothers' Coffee & Java Brewing Company. There are three Heine stores in the Highlands area alone, with nine more scattered around town, one across the river in Jeffersonville, and a vintage Airstream trailer renovated into a mobile branch that travels to local events. Java has a Fourth Street Live! location, a Main St branch, and a store in Crescent Hill where it was founded. (Others are on the east reaches of town, Prospect, Middletown, etc.) Vint (four locations) merged with Heine Brothers in 2011, but remains a separate chain, and sources its coffee separately from its sister chain. Other selections include Highland Coffee at 1140 Bardstown Rd/627 S 4th St and Sunergos Coffee on 2122 S Preston St.

LGBT
Louisville has substantial gay, lesbian and transgender communities, most visibly concentrated in the Highlands neighborhood, in the East End and Downtown. There are numerous venues and events catering to them and those friendly to them.

Sleep
Around Derby weekend, most Louisville hotels will charge at least three times the normal rate, and often more. The only way to avoid this is to stay with friends and family or to stay at hotels at least 100 miles away, such as Cincinnati or Indianapolis. Other significant events that will cause increases in hotel rates, though by a lesser amount, are Thunder Over Louisville (while its crowds are several times those of the Derby, they're more local); the Street Rod Nationals in early August; the Kentucky State Fair, held for 10 days ending with the last Sunday in August; NASCAR races at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta; and home games for some U of L sports, mainly football and sometimes men's basketball. Lexington is a slightly closer alternative apart from Derby weekend (when it fills up just as much as Louisville, especially when graduation at the University of Kentucky is on the same weekend), though it also takes in a large amount of overflow for NASCAR races, and regularly fills up for UK sports and graduations.

There are many other hotels around town and in downtown, but they are rather generic. If you're going to pay more for a hotel, you might as well get character as well. There are also some Bed and Breakfasts in Old Louisville, if you'd like to stay in a more than 120-year-old Victorian mansion, here's your chance. More options can be found across the river in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

Stay safe
Most of Louisville is pretty safe (for a city its size, it has never been featured on the TV show "Cops"). Probably the least safe areas are west of Ninth Street (the Greyhound bus station is unfortunately here). Professional scammers acting as panhandlers are common at the station, and while not terribly aggressive or rude, they are persistent. Pickpockets are also a problem, as they will often snatch belongings from the side pockets of any bags or purses you may have.

In addition, several attempted muggings have occurred directly outside of the terminal, (with station security being shockingly apathetic and unhelpful in these situations, at least until the Metro Police arrive) so be very cautious. However, a daytime drive through this part of town along Portland and then Northwestern Parkway is very interesting and not dangerous at all. Areas around Churchill Downs are also relatively sketchy, but again, simply driving through in the daytime is not a risk.

The crime risk is lower east of the Highlands. Within the Highlands, crime is still low, but use caution exiting bars on Baxter Avenue if you are alone. This same advice applies to Old Louisville, only more so. Other than this, just use common sense like you would anywhere else.

The west end of Louisville is commonly considered the most dangerous due to its gang activity (partly due to how impoverished it is). Don't leave your car unlocked, and don't stare at other people.

Newspapers

 * The Courier-Journal. Local daily newspaper with a mix of national news and Kentucky-specific reporting. Sold at gas stations and Carmichael's Bookstore.
 * LEO. The Louisville Eccentric Observer, the local alt-weekly. The founder, John Yarmuth, now represents Louisville in the U.S. House of Representatives, and his son runs the paper. It's a good source for concert and event listings.
 * Velocity. Weekly, local entertainment guide published by The Courier-Journal.
 * The Voice-Tribune. East end weekly newspaper.

By phone
No overlay area code has yet been imposed on the Kentucky side of the metropolitan area, so 7-digit local dialing from a landline phone is still allowed.

The same is not true on the Indiana side. In September 2014, an overlay code (+1 930) was established throughout the area that had been served by only area code 812. A local or in-state call on the Indiana side now requires all 10 digits of the local number be dialed (omitting just the leading +1 from a local landline call). If a sign on an established business in Indiana displays only a seven-digit number, dial 812 before it.

Consulates

 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇩🇪 Germany

Go next
There are plenty of places to visit outside Louisville. The Indiana towns of New Albany, Clarksville, and Jeffersonville are just across the river and for most visitors' purposes can be considered part of Louisville. You'll hear the phrase "Kentuckiana" used to describe the metro area including the Indiana side, but this expression is mainly used by the media and not something locals frequently say. To the south are Mammoth Cave National Park (longest cave system in the world), Fort Knox (home of the gold bullion and the Patton Museum), the  Abbey of Gethsemani, the historic town of Bardstown, home of  Stephen Foster-The Musical, the Bourbon Trail, the Lincoln Birthplace, the Bernheim Forest Arboretum and Nature Center.

To the east is the state capital at Frankfort, where you'll find some distilleries in the area. Lexington is the home of the Kentucky Horse Park. The Kentucky Speedway, since 2011 home to races in all three of NASCAR's national series (Cup, Xfinity Series, Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series), is off I-71.

To the north is the river town of Madison, Indiana, home of the Madison Regatta. Nashville, Indiana and Brown County are a haven for artists.

To the west, numerous caves are found, including Squire Boone, Wyandotte and Marengo. Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus boasts the Raven, one of the most popular wooden roller coasters in America.

 * Bardstown
 * Brandenburg
 * Clarksville
 * Jeffersontown
 * Jeffersonville
 * New Albany
 * Saint Matthews
 * Shelbyville
 * Shepherdsville

title: Louisville


text:
Louisville (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Louisville

United States of America

 * Louisville - a city in Kentucky
 * Louisville (Colorado) - a city in Colorado
 * Louisville (Georgia) - a city in Georgia
 * Louisville (Mississippi) - a city in Mississippi
 * Louisville (Ohio) - a city in Ohio

title: Louisville (disambiguation)


text:
Louisville (Ohio)

Louisville is a bedroom community in Stark County, Ohio, with beautiful, well maintained homes and parks. In 2019, it had a population of about 9,400 people.

Get in
One of the main roads through Louisville is State Route 44. This road is also known as Ravenna Avenue, or Chapel Street. The other main road is State Route 153, which is known as Louisville Street or Main Street. State Route 62 (Atlantic Boulevard) runs across the northwest side of Louisville.

Get around
Just about everything in Louisville is within walking distance of Louisville/Main Street (SR 153) and Chapel Street/Ravenna Avenue (SR 44). Parking is limited on Main Street, but most businesses have a few spots behind them. There is also parking available in the Giant Eagle parking lot.

 * Stark County Regional Transit Authority (SARTA), tel: +1 330-47-SARTA (330-477-2782). $1.15 Regular fare/ .50 Reduced fare (Seniors, Disabled)/ Children under 6 ride free.  SARTA provides reliable public bus service throughout Stark County. Transfer Centers are located in: Alliance, Massillon, and Canton.  SARTA bus routes 139 and 153 (late night) connect Louisville to Alliance, East Canton, and Canton. There is a bus to the Akron/Canton Airport (Route 115) and an express bus between Canton and Downtown Akron (Route 81).  Buses on main routes generally depart each stop every hour. SARTA buses run 365 days per year. On Holidays, buses run the Sunday schedule. Additionally, Lakefront Lines, a private bus company, operates an office in SARTA's Canton Transfer Center. Lakefront Lines goes through Canton on its route between Cleveland and Charleston, SC.

Do

 * Visit umbrella alley

Eat

 * Gionino's Pizzeria (another Northeast Ohio-based pizza chain) at 2112 E. Main St., and Ermanno's "Three Guys" Pizza at 6322 Louisville St. (just outside city limits) are available for when you've got to have a slice.

Sleep
There are very few places to stay in Louisville. Visitors should probably look into Canton, North Canton, or Alliance for lodging.

Go next

 * Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Located primarily northwest of Louisville, this park follows the course of the Cuyahoga River and the historic Ohio & Erie Canal between Cleveland, Akron and Canton. A number of older buildings are preserved here. The Cuyahoga Scenic Railroad, with train cars from the 1940s and 1950s also runs through the park from Cleveland to Akron and Canton. The Canal Byway extends from Lake Erie in Downtown Cleveland through the southern suburbs past Akron, Canton, New Philadelphia and into rural Bolivar and Historic Zoar.

 * Hartville Marketplace, Hartville. Indoor shops and outdoor flea market.
 * Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton. Houses the largest collection of pro-football memorabilia.

title: Louisville (Ohio)


text:
Loup Valley

The River Loup (pronounced LOO) is in the Alpes Maritimes, France. It is 49 km (30 miles) in length. Its source is a grassy hollow in the Vallon de l'Audibergue. It is fed by streams running down the north face of the Montagne de l'Audibergue. It flows through some of the most beautiful scenery in Provence and passes through the Gorges du Loup, then flows into the Mediterranean Sea at Bouches-du-Loup.

Understand
The word loup is often conceived as meaning wolf, but in the south of France it also means a bass. This is a more likely derivation. Nevertheless, this fish was named after the wolf because of its voracity.

From its source in the Vallon de l'Audibergue the Loup flows through four kinds of scenery.
 * 1, The Upper Loup Valley runs eastwards from its source near Andon with mountains on either side. L'Audibergue (1642 m), Cheiron (1778 m).
 * 2, At Cipières the river turns south and flows through a narrow canyon called the Gorges du Loup.
 * 3, After the village of Pont-du-Loup it turns east, and flows through the broader wooded Gorges Inferieur du Loup towards La Colle-sur-Loup.
 * 4, It finally turns south-east and flows through the plains of Villeneuve-Loubet where it enters the Mediterranean.

Towns and villages beside the Loup are Andon, Thorenc, Gréolières, Cipières, Courmes, Gourdon, Pont-du-Loup, Tourrettes-sur-Loup, Le Bar-sur-Loup, La Colle-sur-Loup, Villeneuve-Loubet and Cagnes-sur-Mer. Also worth visiting nearby, is the very popular St Paul de Vence.

By air
Nearest airport: Nice Côte d'Azur.

To visit the Gorges du Loup
From the A8 autoroute
 * From Aix-en-Provence (eastbound)
 * Either exit 42(Cannes-centre). Turn left towards Grasse, then take the D3 to Valbonne and on to Châteauneuf-de-Grasse, then head for Le Bar-sur-Loup and Pont-du-Loup. To enter the Gorges turn left on the D6 just after the village of Pont-du-Loup.
 * Or exit 47 (Villeneuve-Loubet). Follow the signs to Saint-Paul then La Colle-sur-Loup. At La Colle follow Châteauneuf-de-Grasse/Le Bar-sur-Loup for about 2km then turn right on the D6 towards Gréolières/Pont-du-Loup. At this point, you will enter the Lower Gorges du Loup. To enter the Gorges du Loup itself, continue on the D6 by going straight across the crossroads near the village of Pont du Loup.

 * From Italy, Monaco or Nice (westbound) exit 48 (Cagnes-sur-Mer). Go straight on and head for La Colle-sur-Loup. At La Colle follow Châteauneuf-de-Grasse/Le Bar-sur-Loup for about 2km then turn right on the D6 towards Gréolières/Pont-du-Loup. At this point, you will enter the Lower Gorges du Loup. To enter the Gorges du Loup, continue on the D6 by going straight across the crossroads near the village of Pont du Loup.
 * An alternative route from 'exits 47 or 48 is to head for Vence, then take the D2210 to Tourrettes-sur-Loup. After visiting Tourrettes you can continue towards Pont-du-Loup. To enter the Gorges du Loup, turn right just before the village of Pont-du-Loup.

To visit Villeneuve-Loubet, Cagnes-sur-Me and the beaches
From the A8
 * From Aix-en-Provence (eastbound) exit 46 (Bouches-du-Loup/Villeneuve-Loubet Plage) or exit 47 (Villeneuve-Loubet/Cagnes-sur-Mer).
 * From Italy, Monaco or Nice (westbound) exit 48 ((Cagnes-sur-Mer) or exit 47 (Villeneuve-Loubet).

To visit the Upper Loup Valley and the ski stations
From A8
 * Either exit 42 (Cannes-centre). Follow the N85 to Grasse. The Upper Loup Valley can be accessed either by continuing along the Route Napoleon N85 through St Valier de Thiey.
 * Or via the Gorges du Loup as described above.
 * Or from Vence (exit 47 or 48) via the Col de Vence and Coursegoules.

See

 * Gorges du Loup with its waterfalls Cascade de Courmes, Saut du Loup and Cascades des Demoiselles.
 * Gourdon
 * Tourrettes-sur-Loup
 * St Paul de Vence
 * Haute de Cagnes

Do

 * Cycling:
 * Paragliding:
 * Hang-gliding:
 * Canyoning:
 * Climbing:
 * Fishing:
 * Horseriding:
 * Skiing: There are two ski stations in the Upper Loup Valley, one at Gréolières-les-Neiges and a small one at L'Audibergue.
 * Beaches: at Villeneuve-Loubet Plage and Cagnes-sur-Mer.

Events
March
 * Fête des Violettes at Tourrettes-sur-Loup: Provençale market and a procession with carnival floats.

title: Loup Valley


text:
Lourdes

Lourdes is a town in the Hautes-Pyrénées of France. It is a global centre of Marian pilgrimage, receiving hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Many Catholics believe that the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, appeared 18 times at the Grotto to a young girl, Saint Bernadette Soubirous.

Originally a sleepy market town on the road to the spas of the Pyrenees, Lourdes has grown into the largest Marian pilgrimage centre in the world. The town has two sections: the international portion by the river, consisting of the spiritual area containing the Grotto and churches (known as the Domaine or the Sanctuaries), and the "French" portion, centred around the marketplace & Hotel de Ville.

History
In prehistoric times, assorted nomadic tribes had made Lourdes one of their settlements, of which one of their legacies include the still-standing Château Fort. The castle was then made into an estate jail throughout the 17th century and again during the Napoleon era.

Lourdes was the victim of a number of power struggles. In the 8th century, skirmishes erupt between Mirat, the local leader of the Muslims of Al-Andalus and Charlemagne, King of the Franks. According to legend, an eagle unexpectedly dropped a trout at the feet of Mirat. Seen as a sign of bad omen, Mirat eventually surrendered the fort and converted to Christianity, taking the name Lorus of which was the origin of the name of this city, Lourdes.

In the Middle Ages, for 45 years, Lourdes belonged to England as France surrendered from the Hundred Years War. In 1405, King Charles VI launched an operation to capture the city in an 18-month siege. The next century, the town witnessed another conquest between the Roman Catholics, the Protestants, and the Huguenots; the former of which eventually won and claimed the town in 1592.

Until the apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1858, Lourdes was just a sleepy town of 4,000 residents and a transit town for tourists hiking into the Pyrenees.

The Apparition of Mary
On 11 February 1858, 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous along with her sister, Toinette, and a friend named Jeanne were gathering firewood near the grotto at Massabielle when the former heard the sound of a gushing wind. Lifting her head, she saw a small lady, bathed in light, looking at her and smiling. This would be followed by a near-daily apparition for 17 times until that July. Progressively, the whole town believed the story. The grotto was soon barricaded however, as reportedly 9,000 people witness the 15th apparition, but was reopened by the order of Emperor Louis Napoleon III that October.

The effects of the apparition are certainly enormous, especially after the Catholic Church confirmed the apparitions in 1870. A shrine was built there and was soon designated as one of the pilgrimage destinations of Roman Catholics around the world. People also take home or bathe in its spring water which is believed to have healing effects. The term Immaculate Conception was said by Mary as she introduced herself to Bernadette. As for Bernadette, she entered into a religious order 8 years later, settled in Nevers and is celebrated as one of the saints of the Church.

Climate
Lourdes is mainly mild, especially compared to Paris or northern France, and relatively rainy, regardless of the season. That said sunny or partly cloudy days can be especially easier to be found in the summer. Winter is usually cool though nighttime temperatures below 0°C are not unheard of and can last for a couple days.

Get in
There are several trains and buses connecting Lourdes to other French cities. It is also easily accessible by car, and close to the border with Spain.

By car
Lourdes is about 9 hours from Paris via Toulouse and the A64. Lourdes is easily accessed by car, although the narrow streets around the holy sites can become quite congested at weekends and holy days. Roads from the Southwest of France and from Spain are also good. On your GPS, make sure that you put the silent s with no apostrophe or you may end up in a village far away (there are several of them). Many foreigners make mistakes to the amusement of the other villages.

By train

Several trains travel to Lourdes, including TGV & night train service from Paris (six and nine hours respectively) and Tarbes in addition to intercity trains from Pau, Bayonne/Biarritz, and Toulouse. The small SNCF station offers minimal services, but there are free toilets, a small coffee/pastry counter, vending machines, and an adjacent cafe and quick service restaurant (service can be rather surly, even for France). Accessibility is excellent due to the large number of infirm and disabled pilgrims who visit Lourdes and many trains passing through Lourdes offer special services for the disabled. For information on trains to and from Lourdes, visit the SNCF website.

By coach
Organized tour groups from all around the world may have dedicated coaches (and even priests as tour guides) that take them to town. Coach arrivals from Ireland and the UK to Lourdes are charters, run by specific travel agencies or charity organisations for organised pilgrim groups.

ACROSS organises all-inclusive tours every week between Easter and the end of October for those with special needs in the UK.

By plane
The nearest airport is, approximately twenty minutes' drive from the town itself. Air France and its low-cost subsidiary HOP! operate daily flights from Paris Orly airport, while most other destinations in western and central Europe and the USA's east coast are served by charter flights. During the summer season, Ryanair operates flights from London Stansted and Milan (Bergamo). Public buses run depending on flight schedules for €3 one way, in general 2½ hours before departure time from Lourdes (Gare-SNCF, Cire, and Paradis bus stops) and 45 minutes after arrival from the airport.

There are other nearby airports with more flights, all of which require a transfer by train to Lourdes at the respective cities' train station:

By minivan

 * If you arrive in Toulouse there is also the possibility of a transfer by minivan. Some operators, such as Ophorus and Toursud also organize guided day tours to the city.

Get around
Due to the small area of the town, most destinations can be reached on foot. Some buses do seasonal runs between the train station and some of the biggest or furthest hotels.

Orientation
The Gave de Pau river splits the city into two. The east are where most of the shops and hotels are. The west part contains the Sanctuary complex and a number of high-end hotels a short walk away.

The downtown area is south of the train station and north of Avenue Marechal Juin. Most shops and restaurants can be found south of, and along the Rue de la Grotte, and west of Avenue Général Baron Maransin.

On foot
Lourdes is a pedestrian-friendly city with several pedestrian only streets and it is very easy to get around the town centre. It really is worth walking and exploring. The town is also used to disabled visitors, help is also readily available.

By car
Lourdes has a complicated one-way street system around town and, because many streets are pedestrian only, it can be confusing and time-consuming getting around town. There are many places to park on the outskirts of the city (especially off the rue de Pau) and walking to the grotto is easy so, if possible, park and walk is the easiest way to get around.

By bus
Lourdes has 5 bus lines that connect the center with the suburbs. Routes L4 and L5 are useful for travel within the old town and the Lourdes Sanctuary Complex.

Each ride costs €1.00 regardless of distance.

See
While tourists who come here will usually look for ways to immerse in the religiosity, those that need some time out can certainly seek the rich history of the town.

Lourdes Sanctuary Complex
The compound is open from 5:00 to 00:00 daily.

Do
Keep in mind that many of the activities in the city are only available from April to October, though visitors are of course welcomed all year round.

Don't miss the nightly candlelight procession (buy your candle beforehand from one of the souvenir shops or at the sanctuary) in front of the Basilica and around the main square, with singing, prayer and a rosary recitation in multiple languages. The procession of the sick to the Underground Basilica each afternoon is particularly moving, as well. Other religious activities available include confession (available in French, English, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch), adoration, stations of the cross, candle lighting near the Grotto, and rosary in front of the Grotto each afternoon (in French) and at other times/places in other languages.

If you have a car, spend a day in the wonderful Pyrenees. Roadtrips to Pont d'Espagne, Gavarnie or de Col de Tourmalet offer breathtaking mountain scenery and lots of opportunities for hiking. There is a historic chateau on a hill visible from the town, as well.

Religious events
If you're Catholic (or even if you're not), you can go to a Catholic Mass in any of the churches of the City. Unlike Vatican in which most of the service is held in Italian or Latin, you can find Mass held in some of the major languages of the world. And they are of course, free.

At the Sanctuary Complex, Masses are offered by the church or visiting pilgrimage groups in various languages throughout the day at many locations. Simply look at the TV screens at the main entrance, in front of the information center, and the baths for the schedule.

A mass in English is also held daily at 09:00 and Saturday nights at 18:15 at the Chapel of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, which is on the same building as the Chapel of Reconciliation along the river.

Buy
Lourdes has an enormous number of shops selling all sorts of kitsch and religious souvenirs like statuettes of saints, rosaries, candles, containers for storing the water from the source near the Grotto, mugs and fridge magnets. If items like these are your thing, the large Palais du Rosaire offers an enormous selection and will wrap items for you to take home. Rue de la Grotte is perhaps the most crowded street in Lourdes as that is where most of Lourdes' stores and restaurants are located.

Many shops will close for 1½ – 2 hours around lunch; be prepared to be shooed out of the store or hurried along with your purchases if you are shopping around 12:30. On Sundays, a few shops and supermarkets should remain open, though maybe with reduced hours and staffing, to take a chance on foot traffic to or from the churches.

Shops often have flags or signs outside indicating the languages (besides the obvious French, usually English, Spanish, and Italian, although sometimes German and Dutch) spoken there.

Budget
All these are in the city centre:

Drink
While there are not a whole lot of bars in the city, it is worth noting that despite being an overwhelmingly Catholic city, the religion itself doesn't necessarily prohibit alcohol - even Jesus turns water into wine during a wedding and a couple Benedictine seminaries worldwide brew their own beer! What is frowned upon (and sinful), however, is excessive drinking to the point of being disturbing to everyone else.

Bistros usually offer a wine bar while brasseries would usually offer a full lineup.

The famous water that gushes out from the springs are of course free. People would usually drink it for healing and spiritual purposes. Bring your own bottles, or buy one of the thousands containers or jerrycans (or one of the tasteful plastic bottles in the shape of a Mary statuette) available at almost every shop in town.

Sleep
With both backpacker and suitcase styles, the town offers multiple hotel options that fit almost any budget most of the year. Because of the large supply, extremely cheap accommodation can be found, with double rooms in hotels comparable to hostel prices (for example, €40 for a double room). However, prices can soar during the summer and especially around Christmas and Easter, religious events and the Tour de France.

There is a special youth village on the left side of the Gave River offering accommodation and facilities to young people. There are campsites in or around Lourdes, and these can also be relatively inexpensive.

Stay safe
Being a pious city doesn't mean that there's no crime. Use common sense and street smarts. Pickpockets may be common especially on streets with plenty of pedestrians. Do not leave your stuff unattended.

As many attractions may involve queuing, allow extra time and be patient.

Connect
The code area for Lourdes is 562 with 5 being the code for southwest France. Telephone numbers for the region are usually written as 33 5 62 (the phone number) using two digits after every space.

All of the major French telecom companies are supported within the city proper; coverage may be spotty if you are on the rural area of the Pyrenees. However, if you need to call the emergency number (112), by law your call should go through regardless of the telecom company. If you use an international SIM, check your telecom company to see if it has roaming partnerships with France. Alternatively, use a short term SIM card if you will be here for a while.

The same operator should also provide fast 4G LTE connection for Internet. WiFi (pronounced Wee-Fee, not Wai-Fai) is usually provided by your hotel and at some restaurants (usually indicated with the @ symbol), but hardly ever at churches; however the point being there for most is to pray, immerse in the liturgical events or talk to fellow pilgrims.

Go next

 * Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre
 * Pau
 * Parc National des Pyrénées

title: Lourdes


text:
Lourmarin

Lourmarin is a small town in Vaucluse that is classified among the most beautiful villages in France.

See
Extremely picturesque, the village is a magnet for tourists. Prominent sites are the village itself, the pretty Renaissance castle, the Catholic and Protestant churches and the view from the village of the Proches Bastides, a large fortified farmhouse dating to the Middle Ages. The cemetery is home to two personalities of French literature: The heritage of the town is quite substantial, both religious and civil. Part of this heritage is protected as historical monuments.

title: Lourmarin


text:
Lousã

Lousã is a town of 18,000 people (2011) in Central Portugal.

Understand

Lousã (loh-ZUHN, /ɫo.ˈzɐ̃/)

By train
Lousã is on the line to Serpins from Coimbra Parque station. There are two stations. Lousã A is reached first and is best for walking up into the Serra de Lousã and for seeing the small castle on the edge of the Serra. Lousã station is more central for the town.

By car
Lousã is connected by EN342 to Miranda do Corvo, Vilarinho and Góis, by EN17 (Estrada da Beira) to Coimbra and Vila Nova de Poiares, by EN236 to Castanheira de Pera, and to Ponte Velha in the form of a variant where it enters the EN17. The EN2 enters the municipality for a few hundred metres at one end of it and that there are other municipal roads between the villages.

See

The walk to the castle and the tiny chapel near it is delightful

Do
Enjoy the natural wonder of the Serra da Lousã mountains and natural pools in the hills.

Buy
The village of Lousã is characterized by its mixture of modernity with tradition; artisanal works are: the manufacture of baskets, works in shale, jewellery, work in wood and paper, ceramics and sewing.

In addition to artisanal works, Lousã is also known for its wines, for its liqueurs (the best known at Portuguese level is Licor Beirão), for its honey DOP da Serra, for its sweets, and its plants.

title: Lousã


text:
Louth (England)

Louth is a market town in Lincolnshire, one of the eastern counties of England.

Get around
Louth is a fairly small town, and is largely walk-able, especially all the main points of interest around the Church area. Stagecoach Lincolnshire (formerly RoadCar) run the local bus service, although it can be rather unreliable at times. A 'Nipper' ticket is available to travel around Louth-ask the bus driver about this.

See

 * St James' Church The tallest parish church spire in the UK and also Lincolnshire's top tourist church.
 * Hubbard's Hills a well-loved area of green space in the town, with an ice cream shop, a lake great for paddling and lots of ducks to feed.
 * Westgate Fields nearer the middle of town than Hubbard's Hills, Westgate Fields is a nice location for a picnic or just to see the giant Wooden Leaves there.
 * Louth Art Trail consisting of the Wooden Leaves, three Meridian Line sculptures and a rather disappointing 'Wind Directional Pointer', following the Art Trail is a good way to explore the town.
 * The Meridian Line runs through the town. A plaque outside Moby Dick's Fish and Chip Shop commemorates where East and Western Hemispheres meet.

Do

 * Go up the spire - a rather tiring journey to the top, but on a nice day there are lovely views to be had.
 * Go paddling at Hubbard's Hills - fun for everyone, especially if followed by a picnic or an ice cream.

Buy
Louth's centre isn't large, but has some charming shops on offer. Most of the larger chains (e.g. WHSmiths, HMV, M&S) have stayed out of Louth, and the shops are still mostly local, independently run outfits.
 * Spencer's is a bookseller's, stationer's and newsagent. It also sells a variety of cards and gifts.
 * Eve and Ranshaw proudly states it has been open 'Under 9 Reigns' on a sign by the door, and it is respected as such. A large department store, it is renowned for its homewares, and is where many people in the area buy their tablecloths, generally 'for best' (its history means it can charge a little extra). Sells everything else expected in an English department store, with a rather more refined style than, say, Binns.
 * Dragonfly is four shops - the original, Dragonfly Gifts, Dragonfly 2 and Dragonfly Kitchen. All good for a special gift or home accessory - a great range of unusual items.
 * For Your Walls sells original art and prints as well as offering an excellent framing service. Gift items are also available. Don't forget to take a dog treat for the boys!
 * For Your Walls sells original art and prints as well as offering an excellent framing service. Gift items are also available. Don't forget to take a dog treat for the boys!

Eat

 * Mr Chip's is a legendary (in the area) chip shop, and well worth a visit. Fish and Chips to eat in or take away
 * The Wheatsheaf is a pub on Westagte serving a variety of traditional ales and delicious (mostly locally produced) pub food
 * Chuzzlewits is a fine tea shop on Upgate. Being served afternoon tea by waitresses in Victorian dress is an experiece perfectly suited to the charming surroundings of Louth. Try a Fat Rascal (brilliant scone-type cake) or a more traditional scone with cream and jam for a delightfully English tea.

Drink
Locals will tell you Louth has over fifty pubs - pretty impressive considering its fairly small size. Although fifty might not be altogether accurate, it's not far off, so finding a drinking hole to suit won't be much of a challenge.

Connect
As of Nov 2022, Louth has 4G from all UK carriers, but the signal from Vodafone is patchy. 5G has not reached town.

title: Louth (England)


text:
Loutraki

Loutraki is a seaside resort and spa town in the Corinth Region of the Peloponnese.

The ancient town – Thermae today called Loutraki, is located on the north side of the Corinthian Gulf and it's extended on the foot of the Gerania mountain range, along a pebbled beach of 4 km.

Get in
Loutraki is only 80 km or one hour away from Athens. Suburban trains, known in Greek as "Proastiako" run hourly from Athens International Airport to the nearby Corinth City.

KTEL Intercity Buses depart from Athens station in Kifissou Avenue

Get around
Loutraki Bus Station:Τel.+30 27440 - 22262.

Loutraki Railway Station:Tel.+30 27440 - 61277.

Loutraki Radio-Taxi Service:Tel.+30 27440 - 61000.

Athens KTEL Bus Station:Tel.+30 210 - 5124910.

Athens Railway Station for the Peloponnese: Tel. +30 210 - 5131601 & 1440

See

 * The streets, beachfront, and parks of Loutraki
 * The streets, beachfront, and parks of Loutraki
 * The streets, beachfront, and parks of Loutraki
 * The streets, beachfront, and parks of Loutraki
 * The streets, beachfront, and parks of Loutraki
 * The streets, beachfront, and parks of Loutraki

Do

 * Swim in the blue flag beach.
 * Walk along the main beach pedestrian walk and enjoy the local cafes.
 * Visit the casino.
 * Explore the area till the Blue Lake Vouliagmeni and the ancient temple of Hera
 * Explore the area till the Blue Lake Vouliagmeni and the ancient temple of Hera

Buy
Lots of different products to buy including hilopites, and local sweets Kazino

Eat
Many taverns and cafes around.

Budget restaurants
Look for classic favourites at Kazino. A Loutraki tradition.

Go next

 * Athens
 * Delphi
 * Epidaurus
 * Mycenae
 * Mystras
 * Olympia

title: Loutraki


text:
Loutulim

Loutulim is a town in South Goa.

Go next

 * Ponda
 * Canacona
 * Karwar
 * Gokarna
 * Sirsi

title: Loutulim