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Caspian Iran

Caspian Iran, also known as Northern Iran, is a beautiful region of Iran along the coast of the Caspian Sea. The forested coastal plains rise up quickly into the Alborz Mountains. The region consists of the three provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran and Golestan.

Cities

 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well
 * — sea resort backed by verdant mountains popular with Iranians; offering hot springs as well

Talk
Most people in Caspian Iran speak Persian as a first or second language. The native language of most people of Gilan is Gilaki, and the native language of the people of Mazandaran is Mazanderani (which is called "Gilaki" by native speakers, but is a different language). People in Mazndaran especially tend to speak in their native language, not Persian. In Golestan Province, particularly in Gonbad and Bandar Torkaman, people mostly speak Turkmen, but other people in the rural areas of the province, particularly in Gorgan, speak only Persian.

By plane
There are airports in Rasht, Ramsar , Nowshahr , Sari , Amol, Gorgan , Gonbad, and other cities.

By plane
There are airports in Rasht, Ramsar, Nowshahr, Sari, Amol, Gorgan, Gonbad, and other cities.

By bus
Bus tickets are cheap in Iran. Choose a VIP bus, if available, since ordinary (maamooli) buses stop often because stations are close to each other in this densely populated region of Iran. The ViP buses are also more comfortable.

By taxi
There are many stations for taxis (savari).

By car
If you are driving a car, do not underestimate the chaos of traffic in this densely populated—and highly visited—area. In certain areas, particularly Amol–Babol area, local drivers usually ignore road rules and are known for driving especially aggressively.

See

In the central Province of Mazandaran, There are many things to see, ranging from natural to cultural attractions. Here are a few natural attractions:

 * Safarood Public Forest, located 5 km on the road to Ramsar-Javaherdeh, in the beautiful forest regions of the Alborz mountain range and near the Safarood river. This forest has many recreational centers.
 * Mineral Water Springs. Ramsar is quite famous for its mineral water springs. Some of these are: Nei-Dasht cold mineral water spring another located 12 km south of Ramsar, in a valley near the Safarood river the warm mineral water springs located behind the guesthouse of Ramsar, under the bridge of Ramsar (on the eastern edge of the hotel) and sadat-shahr, Mas-Rash and Tanijan warm mineral water springs in Jannat-Roodbar.
 * Waterfalls: These are numerous waterfalls in the mountainous regions of Ramsar which have created the most beautiful views. These include Dareh-Rashmeh on the northwestern road to Ramsar-Javaherdeh, Laj-o-Mij in Oshkoor, a hamlet near a village by the same name, etc. Kaboudval waterfall which is one of the most beautiful waterfalls of Iran, is located near Aliabad-e Katul, Golestan province. Shirabad Waterfall is located 7 kilometers south of Khanbebin, Golestan.
 * Gonbad-e Qabus tower, the tallest pure-brick tower of the world is located in Gonbad city of Golestan. Listed as an UNESCO World Heritage site
 * Great Wall of Gorgan, located near Gorgan, Golestan. After Great Wall of China, it is the longest defensive wall in existence.
 * Abbasabad Gardens in the town of Abbasabad, Mazandaran. This is one of nine Persian gardens inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
 * Golestan National Park
 * Hyrcanian Forests, a set of forests along the coast of the Caspian Sea in the region that was historically known as Hyrcania, that are listed as a natural world heritage site.

Do
Spend time in the coast of the Caspian Sea, climb mountainous areas, and go to forests. You can smoke qelyoon (hookah) in the many cafes (ghahveh-khooneh) near the beaches, but it is not recommended, as this type of smoking is especially unhealthy.

Eat
Fish is the best way to go. If you are not that keen in eating fish, there are kebab shops scattered all over the region. Don't forget a meal in this part of Iran would not be complete without salads, yogurt, olives, and barbari bread. A famous dish in Mazandaran and Golestan is Akbar Joojeh (اکبر جوجه), offered at restaurants with this name.

Go next

 * Tehran
 * East Azarbaijan (province)
 * Mashhad
 * Semnan (province)

title: Caspian Iran


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Cassadaga

There is more than one place called Cassadaga:

United States of America

 * Cassadaga (Florida)
 * Cassadaga (New York)

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

title: Cassadaga


text:
Cassadaga (Florida)

Cassadaga is a small unincorporated community in Western Volusia County, between Deltona and Lake Helen. "Cassadaga" is a Seneca Indian word meaning "water beneath the rocks."

Understand
Cassadaga is best known for having a large number of psychics and "Spiritualist Mediums", and is sometimes referred to as being the "Psychic Center of the World".

Its founder, George Colby, was led through the wilderness by three spirit guides to what is now the site of the Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp. On that site, the guides instructed him to establish a Spiritualist Camp, which was completed in 1894. It is a place like no other, where, Spiritualist Mediums and Spiritualist Healers can live in peace without interference from the world outside their gates.

The village sits way off Interstate 4 (you won't find it unless you're looking for it) between Orlando and Daytona Beach.

The town is open for visitors, and attracts many thousands a year passing through.

By car
The only way to reach Cassadaga is by car. From I-4, take Exit-114. Turn onto Highway 472 toward Orange City/Deland. At the traffic light, turn right onto Dr. Martin Luther King Parkway. Turn right at the first right onto Cassadaga Road (County Route 4139). Continue to the intersection with Stevens Street. The Camp Bookstore and Information Center is on the right.

See
Parks include, , , and.

Do
One of the main reasons to visit Cassadaga Spiritual Camp, is to have a Spiritualist reading by a camp-certified medium. This a part of their religion and they take it very seriously.

Sleep
The Spanish Mission-style Cassadaga Hotel, which is not an official part of the camp, dominates the landscape at the camp entrance.

Stay safe
Definitely do not sleep in your car.

Go next

 * DeLand
 * Orange City

title: Cassadaga (Florida)


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Casselberry

Casselberry is a city in Seminole County, Greater Orlando, Florida.

Understand
Casselberry is one of many suburbs on the northeastern side of Orlando. It is between two important suburbs of the city: Sanford to the north, which is the location of the Sanford/Orlando Airport and a lakefront, and Winter Park to the south, the location of Rollins College.

Lakewood is a suburban community near Casselberry. Like Casselberry, it is primarily residential and those traveling to Longwood will want to stay in one of the larger local suburbs. However Casselberry's few restaurants and parks are within a few miles of Longwood and there is little to separate these two suburbs.

By car
US-17/92 is the main route through the Longwood/Casselberry area. It connects the towns to the more central parts of the Orlando metro area to the immediate south. I-4 goes just west of the town.

See

Sleep
For a wider selection of hotels, there a number of suburbs in Greater Orlando that provide options. You can try Maitland/Winter Park to the south.

Go next

 * Sanford is one of the primary northern suburbs of Orlando, as is Deltona.
 * Maitland, Winter Park and Orlando are the main cities to the south, with Maitland a smaller city directly south, Winter Park a moderately important travel destination south of Maitland, and Orlando the main city in East Central Florida to the southwest.

title: Casselberry


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Casselman

There is more than one place called Casselman:

United States

 * Casselman (Pennsylvania) - A town in Pennsylvania.
 * Casselman (Maryland) - A town in Maryland.

Canada

 * Casselman (Ontario) - A little village in Ontario.

title: Casselman


text:
Casselton

Casselton is a town of 1,855 people in the Red River Valley of North Dakota.

Understand
Casselton is not quite a suburb of Fargo, but it is close enough for shopping and entertainment. In its early days it was called "the Nursery", "Goose Creek" and "Swan Creek", after the stream that ran through the area. In 1876, the railroad established a station called Casstown, after George Cass, president of the Northern Pacific Railway. The town of Casselton was incorporated and its post office established in 1876.

By car
Exit 331 off I-94 and north on state highway 18.

title: Casselton


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Cassis

Cassis is a city in Provence in southern France. Celebrated for its cliffs and calanques, it is also known for the Cassis wines (white, but also rosé) produced in the region.

Understand
"Qu'a vist Paris, se noun a vist Cassis, pou dire: n'ai rèn vist" ("One who has seen Paris and who has not seen Cassis can say: I saw nothing") — these words, spoken by Nobel-prize winning writer Federique Mistral in the local Provençal language, reflect the great attraction that Cassis exerts on all those who go there.

The little fishing port, tucked between two exceptional natural sites (the celebrated Calanques and the majestic Cap Canaille) offers a concentrated version of Provence and the Mediterranean. The magic begins to work on the little road that leads to the village, winding between vineyards and pine trees. Walk along charming back roads lined with the brightly coloured homes of fishermen. Cassis will be forever remembered by those who see its port, boats and welcoming terraces for the first time.

By bus
There are some bus services to La Ciotat and Marseille.

By plane
The Marseille-Provence Airport is 55 km from Cassis.

By car
Some of the roads around Cassis have many sharp bends.

By foot
You can walk pretty much everywhere, it is a very small town.

By bus

 * Marcouline bus service connects the train station with the town centre (approx. every hour, single €0.80)
 * Navette (shuttle) to the (Jul-Aug)
 * Shuttle service to the free

By taxi
Les Taxis Cassidains: are happy to take tourists on a route which exhibits the charms of the region: a visit to the Calanques, the village of Castellet, the vineyards of Cassis. For all enquiries phone: 04 42 01 78 96

Do

The beaches (remember your swimming costume). These can get very busy in the summer months though.

By far the biggest attraction in Cassis is the Calanques. They are very steep walled inlets and bays along the coast between Marseille and Cassis. You can visit them by boat, or you can hike from bay to bay.

Buy
There are plenty of souvenirs available, ranging from the tacky to the upmarket. Some of them can be quite expensive so do shop around.

Eat
The sea provides a variety of flavours: sardines, tuna, redfish, bass, cuttlefish, sea bream, conger, grey mullet, eel, red mullet, mussels, sea urchins, and squid. The earth provides vegetables coloured by the sun and cut when ripe, honey, herbs, olives....

The seafront is lined with seafood restaurants but they tend to have higher prices than the restaurants away from the waterfront.

Just like Marseille, Cassis is a good place to try bouillabaisse. It's an entire dining experience rather than just a dish. It starts with a thick fish soup and croutons covered in a special sauce, then is followed by a variety of fish and more of the soup. You usually need to book a day ahead because they need to get the right fish in for the meal.

Connect
As of July 2023, Cassis and its approach roads have 5G from all French carriers.

Go next

 * Aix-en-Provence - Open to the world, it is a city of human dimension where the preserved heritage and the city of tomorrow blend perfectly.
 * La Ciotat - another end of the route des Crêtes along the Cap Canaille. A town associated with Lumière Brothers and their first films.

title: Cassis


text:
Cassville (Missouri)

Cassvile is a city in Southwest Missouri.

title: Cassville (Missouri)


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Castaic

Castaic is a rural town at the northern end of the Santa Clarita Valley, north of Los Angeles.

Get in
Castaic is located along Interstate 5, about 40 miles north of Downtown L.A. and 10 miles north of Santa Clarita.

Go next

 * Santa Clarita - Located 10 miles south of Castaic on I-5, Santa Clarita is the home of Six Flags Magic Mountain, an amusement park that is legendary among roller coaster fanatics, with many of the rides having held world records for height or speed.

title: Castaic


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Castelbuono

Castelbuono is a village in Sicily.

Get in
Bus from Cefalù On the train Castelbuono station is the next one east of Cefalù but the station is many uphill miles from the village.

Get around
Walk. Wheelchair users can't get much benefit from the castle but a taxi to it may be worthwhile for the views.

See

 * The castle.
 * The museum.

Eat

 * Going uphill there's a fast food but very friendly place just above the arch on the right.

Sleep
The Hotel Ariston is very economical and you get what you pay for -- that may not include any other human at night.

Go next
The bus from Cefalù goes on into some hilly country in the interior that looks good for walks.

title: Castelbuono


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Castelfranco Veneto

Castelfranco Veneto (Casteo in Veneto dialect) is between three main cities of the Veneto region, Treviso, Padova, and Vicenza, and is a walled city, with its medieval castle still in near-perfect condition.

Understand
Castelfranco was the birthplace of the high-renaissance painter Giorgione and the town's cathedral preserves the painter’s well-known Castelfranco altarpiece ("Madonna on the throne with Saint Liberalis and Saint Francis").

The political crises in Treviso and Padova at the end of the 12th century drove Treviso to build a fortification to counterattacks from Padova. The chosen location was a strategic position in Castelfranco Veneto: in front of where Via Postumia and Via Aurelia intersected and also in between several other fortified structures. In order to entice people to live in the castle, Treviso's government excused those living there from having to pay taxes, the reason why it was called Castelfranco (franco signifying "free" in Italian). The city is also home to an important music conservatory dedicated to the musician and composer Agostino Steffani. The auditorium and academic theatre of the conservatory are jewels of 18th century architecture that were planned by the architect Francesco Maria Preti. The heart of Castelfranco Veneto is enclosed by its medieval wall, one of the best-preserved in Italy. You will be able to feel the atmosphere of this city's rich past just walking through the centre.

See the local tourist board for more information.

By train
Castelfranco Veneto railway station is a junction of three railway lines, the Trento–Venice railway, the Vicenza–Treviso railway, and the Calalzo–Padua railway.
 * Venice is 1 hour away
 * Padua is 30 minutes away
 * Treviso is 20 minutes away
 * Vicenza is 40 minutes away
 * Belluno is 1.5 hours away
 * Trento is 2.5 hours away
 * Calalzo is 2.5 hours away
 * Verona is 1.5 hours away

See Trenitalia for more information.

By plane
Three international airports are nearby:
 * Venice Marco Polo Airport, 56 km. Many destinations throughout Europe. By train: bus to Venezia Mestre station, then train
 * Treviso, 26 km. Low-cost airport with Ryanair and other carriers. By train: bus to Treviso station, then train
 * Verona Valerio Catullo, 110 km. Many domestic flights and some international destinations (also low-cost). By train: bus to Verona Porta Nuova station, then train

By car
Castelfranco is not directly connected to the national highway network. Nevertheless, from Padua's highway exits (A4 - Torino-Milano-Venezia-Trieste and A13 - Bologna-Padova), regional road SR308 leads you to Castelfranco in about 40 minutes (40 km)

By bus
La Marca buses directly connect Castelfranco to Treviso in 45 minutes. During the summer, there is also a daily bus to the seaside resort of Jesolo (the journey takes 1.75 hours approximately). CTM buses directly connect Castelfranco to Padua in 55 minutes.

On foot
Discovering the city on foot is very easy. The historic centre is not very big, so you can easily go negotiate the narrow streets.

By bicycle
Castelfranco is quite a flat city, perfect for biking.

title: Castelfranco Veneto


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Castel Gandolfo

Castel Gandolfo is a city in the province of Rome. It is in the area southeast of Rome known as the Castelli Romani and is mainly known as the summer residence of the Pope. It overlooks the 10-km circumference of Lake Albano, an extinct volcanic crater, which is a popular destination for Romans on summer weekends and has many restaurants. Castel Gandolfo is part of the “Dan Brown” tour, having featured in “The Da Vinci Code”. The two telescopes of the Vatican Observatory were moved from Rome to Castel Gandolfo in 1934 and were still used until the 1980s. However, the lights of Rome now render them pretty useless and the Vatican Observatory is these days hosted by the University of Arizona.

Get in
By road follow the Appia Nuova, which begins at San Giovanni Basilica in Rome. A few kilometers past Ciampino Airport take a left up the hill to Castel Gandolfo.

There are infrequent trains from Rome’s Termini station.

See

Go next

 * Castelli Romani Castel Gandolfo is situated on the northwesterly edge of this area of attractive towns and villages.
 * Frascati, about 10 km away, is famous for its wines and Renaissance villas.

title: Castel Gandolfo


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Castellabate

Placed between Paestum and Velia, the Castellabate town is one of the most important beach centers along the Cilento National Park coast, also rich of many historical and cultural places.

It consists of three main areas: Castellabate medieval centre, Santa Maria and San Marco. Castellabate medieval center, recognized as part of the Unesco World Heritage, is situated at the top of the hill that overviews the enchanting gulf between Punta Licosa and Punta Tresino (natural sea park), where Santa Maria and San Marco are located.

Get in
The nearest train station is Agropoli-Castellabate, there are buses to Santa Maria from there every hour, or you can take a taxi.

See
From Castellabate medieval centre you can see the breathtaking landscape that embraces the entire gulf where the brilliant blue color of the sea is mixed with the deep green of the “Pini di Aleppo” by day, but also when the sun goes down the village seems to go back into the centuries with the magic appearance of narrow streets, stairs, unannounced arches and widenings that let you completely bewitched. The Castle, the Papal Basilica, the XII century’s bell tower, the narrows streets with the medieval buildings and the patrician palaces are the main historical-artistic attractions of this enchanting town.

 * National Park of Cilento

Do
The famous beach centre of Santa Maria is located on the north end of Castellabate bay. Preserved from the international mass tourism, you'll never find here any concrete high building. You'll enjoy the charm of the traditional white houses with their shiny red roofs and the waterfront with its bright and relaxing sandy beaches.

Eat

 * Arlecchino: Just under the medieval tower in Santa Maria you will find the "Arlecchino" restaurant where you can taste fresh fish and traditional pizzas.

Drink

 * Le Gatte: Under the arches of the old Santa Maria harbor there's the "Le Gatte" pub that gets very lively after midnight.

Sleep

 * Villa Virginia: this large villa is located in Santa Maria di Castellabate, with an impressive view of the sea and of the village. The villa has seven rooms with private bathroom, and a large see-view deck with a swimming pool. Villa Virginia website.

title: Castellabate


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Castellammare del Golfo

Castellammare del Golfo is a town in Trapani Province of Sicily.

Understand
Castellammare del Golfo rises at the foot of Mount Inici and gives the name to the homonymous gulf, stretching from capo Rama (on the east) as far as capo San Vito (on the west). Castellammare began as Emporium Segestanorum (the port of the near Segesta). The word empòrion in the ancient Mediterranean denoted a harbour used for the unloading, storing and selling of goods, and until the Arabs’ arrival its history identifies with that of Segesta. The naming “castrum ad mare de gulfo” dates back to the early years of the second millennium, when Castellammare became an important fortress, first of the Normans and later of the Swabians.

When to go
As Castellammare is a sea and tourist resort, the ideal season for having a holiday there is summer. However, thanks to its mild climate, in March you can already profit a vacation under the hot sun of Sicily. Until October you will certainly enjoy beautiful and warm days.

By train
Regular train from Trapani and Palermo, the station is about 3 km from the centre.

By car

 * A29 Motorway Palermo-Mazara del Vallo: exit Castellammare del Golfo
 * National Road (S.S.) 187 km. 42.00

By bus
Regular bus from Palermo, 5 per day excluding Sunday which is not so frequent and Trapani, 2 per day. Russo also has buses leaving for Scopello 5 times a day.

By plane
Look for flights to Palermo or Trapani(Birgi). You can find low cost flights, e.g. Ryanair, then you can rent a car to get Castellammare del Golfo.
 * Airport Palermo Punta Raisi “Falcone e Borsellino” about 50 km far from it. Phone +39 091 591414,+39 091 591400
 * Aereoporto Trapani Birgi “Vincenzo Florio” about 60 km far from it. Phone +39 0923 841130, +39 0923 842502

Get around
You can reach Castellammare through the National Road (S.S.) 187 both from Palermo and Trapani. If you come from Palermo (going through Alcamo Marina and the railway station of Castellammare) you soon enter the town and meet Largo Petrolo with its wonderful view on the Gulf. From here you can go to the centre (on the left) or to the port and the Castle (turning right). If you decide to go to the town centre, it is very easy by going on foot: the Civic Gardens, the Town Hall, the Theatre and Arena delle Rose are at about 500 m. If you come from Trapani, through the same road, after the junctions for San Vito and Scopello you can enter the town trough via Crispi or via Segesta. The main lines of march are three: corso Garibaldi, (which you can enter from via Crispi or via Segesta) will lead you to the town centre. Via Marconi will lead you outside the town, towards the beaches of Playa and Alcamo Marina, and finally via Petrazzi and via Roma, which starting from the port or the gardens (through via Roma), will lead you to the National Road 187 for all destinations and the A29 Motorway.

Events and festivals

Go next

 * The Faraglioni of Scopello
 * Natural Reserve of Zingaro
 * Segesta
 * Erice
 * Alcamo Marina
 * Calatafimi Segesta

title: Castellammare del Golfo


text:
Castellana Grotte

Castellana Grotte is a town in the province of Bari (BA) in the Italian region of Apulia (Puglia), Italy.

Initially, the town was named "Castellana". The settlement itself was born in the 10th century, after a colonization by the monastic order of San Benedetto di Conversano. However, its official foundation as a feud dates back to December 1171. The name "Castellana Grotte" was not given until 1950 after the discovery in 1938 of the iconic cave system by geologists Franco Anelli and Vito Matarrese; this event granted the town a substantial rise in tourism popularity and became one of the most famous destinations in Puglia. One should not be mistaken into thinking caves are the only attraction this town has to offer: throughout the year there are many festivals and events, each with its own origin radicated in the history of Castellana Grotte, such as "Festa delle Fanòve" on January 11 and various musical and cultural festivals scattered through June to September. Like many other typical towns and villages in Puglia, craftmanship and food culture are also not to be overlooked.

By plane
The closest airports to Castellana Grotte are located in Brindisi and Bari, the latter being the closest. Both airports provide intercity transport via Taxi, Bus and rental car, with Bari also offering a connection by train.

From Bari
To get to Castellana Grotte, one must first get on a train from the airport to Bari Centrale train station. According to Ferrotramviaria S.p.A., a single ticket will cost you €5.00, but in case you need it the company also offers different subscription plans. You can also take a bus, car or taxi directly to Castellana Grotte.

From Brindisi
Once landed, the fastest way to get to Castellana Grotte would be to reach the Brindisi train station either by bus, car, or taxi, and then take the train to Castellana Grotte. Alternatively, you can take a bus, car or taxi that takes you straight to Castellana Grotte.

By train
The Castellana Grotte train station is administered by the Ferrovie del Sud Est company, which is the one you should be looking for when buying or booking a ticket.

Get around
The town is quite small, so transiting on foot is the most reliable way to get around the city centre. However it's recommended to rent a car since it is the best way to reach nearby towns with enough autonomy to not rely on public transport's fares and service hours.

See

 * Castellana Caves

title: Castellana Grotte


text:
Castellón

Castellón de la Plana (in Valencian, Castelló de la Plana), often called Castellón, is a city of 171,000 people (2018) in the province of Castellón on the east coast of Spain. It's a calm and friendly seaside city with an historic centre and port (Grau), and orange orchards nearby.

Understand
It is located in the east of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Costa del Azahar by the Mediterranean Sea. The mountain range known as Desert de les Palmes rises inland north of the town.

Climate
Castellón lies far enough north that summers aren't too unbearably hot and far enough south that you won't freeze in the winter either. Its coastal location helps keep the weather mild and pleasant.

Language
The city has two official languages, Valencian and Spanish.

Get in
Castellón lies about north of Valencia and  south of Barcelona from on Spain's Mediterranean coast.

By car
The A-7 motorway links the city to Valencia and Tarragona further north.

By bicycle
The city is so small and flat that one of the best ways to get around is by using the city bike-sharing system, Bicicas. It costs €2 per day, €6 per week, or €10 per month. See bicicas.es to read more details and to sign up.

Do

 * Beaches
 * Sea kayaking

Connect
As of June 2022, Castellón has 4G from MasMovil/Yoigo and Vodafone, and 5G from Movistar and Orange.

Consulates

 * 🇷🇴 Romania

title: Castellón


text:
Castellón (province)

Castellón / Castelló province is the northernmost province of the Valencian Community. It is bordered to the south by Valencia province, to the north by Tarragona, and to the west by Teruel province in Aragon. Its Mediterranean coastline is often referred to as the Costa del Azahar.

Cities

 * (Valencian: Castelló) – the largest city and provincial capital.
 * – an ancient town with photogenic hilltop fortress.
 * (Valencian: Peníscola) – a very popular seaside resort with picturesque castle.Peñiscola (Castellón).jpg
 * (Spanish: Alcocébre) – a seaside resort with excellent beaches.
 * (Valencian: Vila-real)
 * – well known for its olive oil, wine, and annual running of the bulls.
 * – a good base for climbing, hiking, and exploring hot springs.
 * – seaside community
 * – seaside community

Other destinations

 * Costa del Azahar (Valencian: Costa dels Tarongers – 'orange blossom coast') tourist region

Understand
Castellón is one of Spain's most mountainous provinces. About 30% of the population of 600,000 live in the provincial capital and another large percentage live in the coastal region of Costa del Azahar, while the hinterlands are sparsely inhabited.

The official languages are Valencian and Spanish, with Valencian spoken more along the coast and Spanish spoken more inland.

title: Castellón (province)


text:
Castellfollit de la Roca

Castellfollit de la Roca is a town in Catalonia, Spain.

Understand
Castellfollit is a small town West of Besalú and Figueres. Its most striking aspect is that the entire town is constructed on a narrow sliver of a cliff that sticks out in to a valley with the town church at the front of it.

title: Castellfollit de la Roca


text:
Castellina

Castellina in Chianti is a wine region in Italy.

Understand
Castellina dates back to the 7th century B.C.

Get in
Located midway between Florence and Siena in the wonderful Chianti region.

Splurge

 * Hotel Casafrassi The rooms are spacious and luminous, all with a magnificent view over the surrounding vineyards and woods.

title: Castellina


text:
Castelli Romani

Castelli Romani (Roman Castles) is an area of small towns southeast of Rome in Italy.

Understand
The area of the Castelli is volcanic. The former crater is occupied by two lakes, Albano and Nemi. As the area’s altitude is higher than that of Rome the richer Romans used to frequent it for its cooler climate during summer. This tradition was followed by the Popes, who still have their summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. The area is well-known for its wine, particularly that of Frascati although with a few honourable exceptions the quality is not too high. Ariccia is celebrated for its porchetta (roasted pork meat), while Nemi is a berry fruit center. A wide range of mushrooms can also be found in the Castelli.

The Castelli Romani have a number of small, but interesting, museums. They share a web site.

Get in
Several of the towns of the Castelli are connected with Termini station in Rome. There are two lines: one goes to Frascati while the other connects Rome with Marino, Castel Gandolfo and Albano.

The Castelli is also conveniently reached from Ciampino airport (see Rome) now used by a number of the budget airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air. However, you may have trouble finding a taxi willing to take you in the opposite direction to Rome.

The area is easily reached by car. Avoid Sundays between April and September as the area becomes crowded. Leave Rome on the Via Appia Nuova or the Via Tuscolana. If you take the Appia turn left at the end of the Ciampino Airport runway and follow the Via dei Laghi (Road of the Lakes). You will pass Marino on your left and eventually find Lake Albano on your right. Beware that several of the higher Castelli towns have narrow winding roads that are difficult to drive in for the inexperienced.

Get around
There are bus services, but your ability to see all of the Castelli area in one day will be rather limited.

Towns and villages

 * – owes its importance to the construction of the original Appian Way (see Rome/South) which passed nearby and made it possible for affluent Romans to access the area and build summer villas.
 * – is close to Lake Nemi. It has become famous for its "porchetta", which is pork that is slowly roasted with herbs and wild fennel.
 * – Summer home to the Popes. Overlooking Lake Albano, which is a popular summer weekend destination for Romans.
 * – An attractive town with a large number of villas, most notably Villa Aldobrandini which dominates the town. Many places to sample the local white wine.
 * – An interesting town but mainly famous for its "Infiorata" on the Sunday and Monday following Corpus Christus. A whole street is covered with carpets of flowers and a masked parade walks on these, with participants in traditional clothes. Each year the flower designs must conform to a previously agreed theme.
 * – This is the closest of the Castelli Romani towns to Rome. Also well-known for its, fairly average, white wine, Marino was an important town under the Romans and has several interesting buildings. It hosts a Grape festival on the first Sunday of October, when some of the fountains spout wine instead of water. Best avoided on that day as it can get very crowded. Somewhat stranger, on the following Sunday Marino holds a Doughnut Festival.
 * – Overlooks the lake of the same name. It is an important fruit growing area. The town is dominated by the Ruspoli Castle. At Via Diana 15, there is a small museum of the Roman Navy, which houses reconstructions of two ships of the Emperor Caligula, discovered at the lake in the 1930s and then unfortunately destroyed by fire. The museum is reached by road from Genzano and is inaccessible from Nemi itself.
 * – is an important equestrian center and also famous for its roast chestnuts.
 * – At 768 meters, the highest town in the Castelli.
 * – is on the southern edge of the Castelli. Inhabited by the Romans from 500 B.C. it is the largest town in the region and allegedly home of the world's first pawnshop in the 15th Century.

Itineraries
No real need for predetermined itineraries. If you have a car and a good map (buy a map of Lazio, not of Italy, which won't have enough detail) you can plan your own. A quick driving tour around most of the major towns and other sights can be done in a day.

title: Castelli Romani


text:
Castelo Branco

Castelo Branco is a city of 56,000 people (2011) in central Portugal. All its points of interest can be visited in one day. It is also a good base for visiting the International Tagus Natural Park, the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, and Idanha-a-Nova.

Understand

Castelo Branco (kuhsh-TEH-loo BRUHN-koo, /kɐʃ.ˈtɛ.ɫu ˈbɾɐ̃.ku kɐʃ/) is the capital of the Castelo Branco District, which approximately corresponds to the former Beira Baixa province.

Climate
Castelo Branco has a hot-summer mediterranean climate. Its summers are among the hottest of Portugal, influenced by its inland position. Winters are mild with cool nights, but frosts are rare and never severe. Inland areas further south in the country have hotter temperature extremes, although averages are very similar. There is somewhat of a seasonal lag in summer since September is significantly warmer than May in spite of less daylight. Winter temperatures are more consistent with the daylight cycle, since temperatures drop sharply in autumn months.

By train
CP (Portuguese National Railways) offers various daily rail links between Lisbon and Beira Baixa. The Lisbon-Castelo Branco trip time is between 2:40 and 3:15 hours (depending upon class of train). In the Lisbon-Oriente train station there is also a rail link to the south of the country and in the Entroncamento station there is a rail link to the northern reaches, as well as international service to France and Spain. The train is safe, comfortable, and offers the best views of the Tagus River, including the Castle of Almourol and the Portas de Ródão.

By bus
The cheapest way to travel. Bus lines cover all of Portugal. See Rede Expressos.

Sleep

Go next

 * Castelo de Vide
 * Guarda
 * Marvão
 * Monsanto
 * Pinhel
 * Tomar

title: Castelo Branco


text:
Castelo de Vide

Castelo de Vide  is a mountain village in Alentejo. In 2011, it had about 3,400 residents. The romantic character of the village of Castelo de Vide, associated with its gardens, abundance of vegetation, mild climate and proximity to the Serra de São Mamede, made it known as "Sintra do Alentejo" (this designation is attributed to King Pedro V).

Understand

It is unclear when humans settled Castelo de Vide (kush-TEH-loo d(ih) VEE-d(ih), /kɐʃ.ˈtɛ.ɫu dɨ ˈvi.dɨ/), although establishment of a fortification helped fix a new population to the territory and, at the same, functioned as a strategic border fortress. In the 14th century, Afonso Sanches, son of king Afonso III, rebuilt the fortification walls, and his brother King Denis continued the task, with work completed during the reign of King Afonso IV.

Throughout the 14th century the settlement slowly expanded outside the castle walls. The southern flanks, with good southerly exposure and a gentle slope, allowed easy settlement, while the northern and western exposures expanded later due to wind and steep cliff faces. The growth of the settlement occurred along the main road leading to the castle, and followed the expansion of religious buildings outside the walls. This road bisected two sides of the hill and one side was occupied by a Jewish quarter inhabited by Jews expelled from Castile and Aragon.

In the 16th century, the settlement was dedicated to the cultivation of wine grapes, cotton, olives, fruits, and cereals, and raising cattle, while watermills were constructed along the ravines in Vide and Nisa. At the beginning of the 16th century, toward the end of King John III's reign, the wool industry became important in the region.

Get in
Reached by infrequent Rodoviária do Alentejo buses from Portalegre.

See

It's worth spending some hours here. You can see this before walking to Marvão if you are sleeping at the latter village. Alternately it is possible to return to Portalegre and get a bus to Marvão shortly after 18:00.

title: Castelo de Vide


text:
Castiglioncello

Castiglioncello is a city in Tuscany.

Understand
Castiglioncello began as an Etruscan village at the foot of the Livorno hills. The beauty of its hills, bays and pinewood has inspired artists and painters, in particular the painters of the Macchiaioli school. It is known as "the pearl of the Tyrrhenian". Castiglioncello sea has been awarded a blue flag by the European Union.

Sleep

 * Agriturismo De Santis Via Boldini, 5 Castiglioncello (Li). Surrounded by olive groves, orchards, vineyards and wooded hills it enjoys a magnificent panorama of the surrounding countryside and the sea and has a large garden with swimming pool. The few bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, are all furnished in Tuscan style. Mountain bikes are available for relaxing excursions in the surrounding countryside. For booking: +39 347 6240444 - info@agriturismodesantis.it.
 * Agriturismo De Santis Via Boldini, 5 Castiglioncello (Li). Surrounded by olive groves, orchards, vineyards and wooded hills it enjoys a magnificent panorama of the surrounding countryside and the sea and has a large garden with swimming pool. The few bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, are all furnished in Tuscan style. Mountain bikes are available for relaxing excursions in the surrounding countryside. For booking: +39 347 6240444 - info@agriturismodesantis.it.

title: Castiglioncello


text:
Castiglione d'Orcia

Castiglione d’Orcia is a municipality in the Val d'Orcia region of Siena in Tuscany, Italy.

Cities

 * Bagni San Filippo

Understand
The rural area which the territory of Castiglione d'Orcia forms a part of is known as the Val d'Orcia: a sparsely populated area with an almost unaltered agricultural landscape compared to previous centuries. The beauty of this agricultural landscape in Tuscany is the reason for its status, obtained in 2004, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The historic centre of the village, of medieval origin, is 540 m above sea level and allows a marvellous view for kilometres.

In particular, you can look out over an imposing medieval defence tower rising out of the landscape at the Rocca di Tentennano, in the area of the "Rocca d'Orcia", just a stone's throw from the centre of Castiglione d'Orcia.

The village's economy is based on two main activities: agriculture and tourism, and especially an activity which represents a combination of the two: Agriturismo ('agro-tourism,' where farms typically offer rooms and/or meals from their own produce.) Within the boundaries of the municipality there are also some well-known hot springs: Bagni San Filippo. Tempted tourists can choose between private spas, which charge entrance, and the free, public ones.

Eat
Small restaurant specialising in "Pici" - a handmade Tuscan pasta dish; and "bistecca alla fiorentina" - steak from Chianina cattle, which originate in the area and is one of the oldest cattle breeds in the world.

Go next
Nearby is the picturesque town of San Quirico d'Orcia.

title: Castiglione d'Orcia


text:
Castiglion Fiorentino

Castiglion Fiorentino is a town of 13,000 people (2017) in the Italian province of Arezzo. It lies at the centre of a triangle formed by important cities such as Florence, Siena and Perugia. Castiglion Fiorentino was founded as an Etruscan settlement and became a medieval village. It lies close to the famous Valdichiana and Cortona.

Get around
Can be walked on foot.

See
The tower of the ancient castle (Torre del Cassero) dominates the town. This charismatic town has much to offer any visitor including its beautiful medieval walls, beautiful churches, art treasures and numerous Renaissance structures, e.g., the Loggia by Vasari at the Piazza del Comune.

Castiglion Fiorentino also has many festivals throughout the year including the famous "Palio dei Rioni", a horse race among the three ancient Rioni (boroughs) of the town (Porta Fiorentina, orange-green; Cassero, white-blue; Porta Romana, red-yellow) in Piazza Garibaldi, the largest square of the town, held on the 3rd Sunday of June, similar to the Palio of Siena. It includes a colourful and energetic display of the ancient custom of flag-waving dating back to the 13th century (in the weekend preceding the horse race, a spectacular contest between the three groups of flag-wavers is also held). All these are extraordinary shows not to be missed.

A splendid loggia by Vasari looks out onto the beautiful Valle di Chio - or Valle di Dio according to one of the Medici dukes after taking the town for Florence.

Eat

 * Coco Palm, the local gelateria is a must.
 * Coco Palm, the local gelateria is a must.
 * Coco Palm, the local gelateria is a must.

Go next

 * Arezzo
 * Cortona
 * Florence
 * Perugia
 * Siena
 * Valdichiana

title: Castiglion Fiorentino


text:
Castile-La Mancha

Castile-La Mancha or Castilla La Mancha is an arid region of central Spain where the fictional Don Quixote fought imaginary giants, that were in fact windmills. Those windmills can still be seen today. While it occupies the vast plain composing the southern part of the Meseta Central, the region has no shortage of mountain landscapes: the southern slopes of the Sistema Central in the north, the Sistema Ibérico in the northeast, and the Sierra Morena and Montes de Toledo in the south.

Cities

 * — it has a reputation as producer of clasp knives
 * — famous for its Moros y cristianos festival in May, and its Moorish castle
 * — home of the Don Quixote Museum
 * — an outstanding example of a medieval city, built on the steep sides of a mountain, famous for its "hanging houses"
 * — known for the Palacio del Infantado, built in the medieval period for the powerful Mendoza Family
 * — a UNESCO heritage site on the Tagus River near Madrid, known for its swords

Other destinations

 * – a village some 66 km north of Guadalajara, notable for its gay Socialist mayor who pushed back on rural decline of villages like this by promoting it as a destination for non-religious weddings for both same-sex and mixed-sex couples.
 * – a town 62 km southeast of Toledo, commonly known for their windmills, reminiscent of Don Quixote.
 * – a town 62 km southeast of Toledo, commonly known for their windmills, reminiscent of Don Quixote.

Understand
The dialect of Spanish is very similar to the Spanish spoken in Madrid.

Get in
Albacete and Ciudad Real are the only two commercial airports in the region. However, as none of them has scheduled operations at the moment, other nearby airports are commonly used.

Madrid is the main gateway into the region, while tourists heading to Albacete or surrounding areas can also use Valencia, Alicante or Murcia airports.

See

 * The town of Almadén has long traditions of mercury mining and has been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as Heritage of Mercury Almadén and Idrija.
 * Old town of Toledo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
 * The old town of Cuenca and its old quarters, which have grown over centuries, have changed little. Many of their buildings are still used as they were before. There are monasteries that are still alive, churches, mansions and the town hall with its arcades. Also belongs to the world cultural heritage.
 * The castle of Sigüenza
 * The castle of Molina de Aragon
 * The castle and city walls in Palazuelos
 * The Guadalajara Cathedral
 * The cave in La Riba de Saelices
 * is a natural park with woodlands, meadows, rugged hills and wildlife, including Iberian lynxes and imperial eagles. There are hiking trails, dense forests of cork oak and river valleys.
 * A wetland oasis, Tablas de Daimiel National Park is a sanctuary for waterbirds and a testament to the importance of conservation efforts. Meander along elevated walkways to observe thriving ecosystems and delicate water lilies.
 * Visit the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in Castile-La Mancha
 * Mancha Húmeda
 * Valle del Cabriel

Eat
The queso Manchego, the famous cheese of La Mancha, is made here from sheep's milk.

Other traditional Castilian La Mancha specialties are Manchego and Valdepeñas wine, pisto, roast suckling lamb, Toledo marzipan, drunken sponge cakes, and Manchego gazpacho.

Stay safe
As with much of Spain's inland regions, you can feel perfectly safe anywhere in the region if you know where you are going and what you are doing. Some more touristy areas such as Toledo do have their share of pickpocketing, so watch out for your belongings.

The region's inhabitants have a somewhat bizarre reputation for being dour and 'rough around the edges', but saying a few words in Spanish can help ease relations.

title: Castile-La Mancha


text:
Castile and Leon

Castile and León (Spanish: Castilla y León) is an autonomous region of Spain, taking its name from the many medieval castles that it is home to. Castile and León is the largest subnational political division in the European Union. It is formed by the union of two ancient kingdoms: Old Castile (Provinces of Ávila, Burgos, Segovia, Soria, Palencia and Valladolid) and the Kingdom of León (Provinces of León, Zamora and Salamanca), which were separated and reunited several times in the Middle Ages. Castile and León is actually larger than some European countries, such as Portugal, Belgium or the Netherlands.

There are eight World Heritage Sites in the region, which makes it the region with most in the world. Tourists are drawn to it by the historical and cultural value of its cities, as well as the natural and scenic attractiveness of its various mountain ranges.

The World Heritage cities: Ávila, Salamanca and Segovia; the cathedrals in León and Burgos and the Way of St. James, which passes through the provinces of Burgos, Palencia and León, are the mainstays of cultural tourism in Castile and León.

It is a very flat region in its centre, but very mountainous in its borders. It is totally surrounded by several ranges that separate it from the rest of Spain, being the most remarkable mountains the Picos de Europa in the provinces of León and Palencia, Gredos in Ávila and Guadarrama in Segovia. There are two national parks (Picos de Europa and Guadarrama) and seven natural parks, in the provinces of Burgos (2 parks), Palencia, Salamanca, Segovia, Soria and Zamora (2 parks). All of them plenty of hiking routes.

There are several ski resorts, such as La Covatilla in the province of Salamanca, San Isidro in León, and La Pinilla in Segovia.

Castile and León hosts Holy Week celebrations, considered to be of International Tourist Interest, being the most renowned in Zamora, León and Valladolid, holding elaborate processions accompanied by the music of brass bands.

Cities

 * — Spectacularly ringed by ancient walls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 * — Its gothic cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 * — With one of the best Gothic cathedrals in Spain, it has a vast cultural, historical and architectural heritage.
 * — Offers many well-preserved Romanesque monuments and a picturesque main street.
 * — its Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance and Baroque monuments in the historic centre are a UNESCO world heritage site.
 * — Known for its Roman aqueduct, its cathedral, and the castle, which served as one of the templates for Walt Disney's Cinderella castle. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 * — Known for its agri-food industry and cultural heritage.
 * — A mainly industrial city with some interesting buildings in its historic centre..
 * — It is the town with the highest concentration of Romanesque architecture in the world.

Other destinations
The Way of St. James, a traditional pilgrimage and modern hiking route, runs through the region.

La Alberca is worth a visit. It is historical town with a population of about 1000. Only residents are allowed to have vehicles in the historical centre. In the off season, it can be a quiet, sleepy location. Besides being very beautiful, the town is known for the production of ham and other pork products.

Ponferrada, along the Camino, is an easy point to see Las Mèdulas.

Understand
Castile and Leon is an autonomous community of Spain, the country's largest — in fact, it is the largest subnational political division in the European Union. It is formed by the union of two ancient kingdoms: Old Castile (Ávila, Burgos, Segovia and Soria) and the Kingdom of León (León, Zamora, Salamanca, Palencia and Valladolid), which were separated and reunited several times in the Middle Ages.

 * Tourist information

Climate
Castile and León has long, cold winters, with average temperatures between 3 and 6 °C in January, and short, hot summers (average 19 to 22 °C), but with the three or four months of summer aridity characteristic of the Mediterranean climate. Rainfall, with an average of 450–500 mm per year, is scarce, accentuating in the lower lands.

Talk
Spanish is the main language. Everyone in Castile and Leon speaks Spanish, but in the provinces of León, Zamora and Salamanca, Leonese is also spoken by a small minority.

By plane
The most important airport for the region is Madrid-Barajas (MAD), although it is not in Castile-León, but in the neighbouring region of Madrid. From Madrid Airport, you can continue to Segovia and Valladolid by metro and train, or by bus to Salamanca and Burgos.

In Castile-León there are only smaller regional airports: in Valladolid, León (LEN), Salamanca (SLM) and Burgos-Villafria Airport. If you want to go to the north of the region, you can also take a flight to Oviedo (OVD) or Santander (SDR).

By train
High-speed trains connect Madrid with Segovia (journey time approx. 30 minutes), Valladolid (1 hour), Zamora (1½ hours) and León (2:15 hours). From Barcelona there are only a few and also quite slow trains to the region, so a transfer connection via Madrid is often the faster option.

From France, the shortest route is via Hendaye and Irun. From there trains to Burgos, Palencia, Valladolid or León are in regular service.

Get around
The best way to cover the great distances within the region is by train. High-speed trains run several times a day on the Madrid-Segovia-Valladolid-León line, otherwise Media Distancias (MD; corresponds roughly to an Interregio) and Regional Express (RE) are offered.

Castilla y León has an extensive rail network, including the principal lines from Madrid to Cantabria and Galicia. The line from Paris to Lisbon crosses the region, reaching the Portuguese frontier at Fuentes de Oñoro in Salamanca. Astorga, Burgos, León, Miranda de Ebro, Palencia, Ponferrada, Medina del Campo and Valladolid are all important railway junctions.

The region is also crossed by two major ancient routes:
 * The Way of St. James, a hiking trail and a motorway, from east to west.
 * The Roman Via de la Plata ("Silver Way"), a main road through the west of the region.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

 * The gothic cathedral of Burgos.
 * Segovia's old town and aqueduct.
 * Old town and churches outside the city walls of Ávila.
 * Salamanca's old town.
 * Las Médulas, the ancient site of the most important gold mine of the Roman Empire.
 * The archaeological site of Atapuerca, with extraordinary paleontological finds, fossils of Homo antecessor, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapien
 * The prehistoric rock carvings in Siega Verde.

UNESCO World Biosphere Reserves

 * Valle de Laciana
 * Babia
 * Alto de Bernesga
 * Los Valles de Omaña y Luna
 * Alto de Bernesga
 * Los Argüellos
 * Las Sierras de Béjar y Francia
 * Los Ancares Leoneses
 * Real Sitio de San Ildefonso-El Espinar
 * Meseta Ibérica Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (Portugal/Spain)

Do
Hiking around Las Mèdulas.

Stay safe
Castile and Leon is one of Spain's safest regions. Some neighbourhoods in larger cities like Valladolid may be less appealing, but are rarely unwelcoming.

With agriculture being such an important part of the region's culture and economy, animals can be seen roaming everywhere. Avoid walking on farmland and do not disturb livestock.

Go next

 * Beiras – central Portuguese region
 * Extremadura
 * Northern Portugal

title: Castile and Leon


text:
Castillon

Castillon is a pleasant perched village on the road from Menton to Sospel and thence Breil sur Roya.

Understand
It is compact and pretty and the views are spectacular.

Get in

 * A8 Exit Menton. Follow signs for Sospel and Monti (D 2566).
 * From Breil sur Roya go to Sospel and then take the D 2566 to Menton.
 * From Menton it is possible to drive via Castellar instead of taking the D2566 past the A8 interchange.

See

 * The views, especially the viaducts of the old tramway on the way
 * The tidy village

Do
Hike on the various trails around the village especially the trail towards the Col de Castillon.

Buy
Art from the numerous galleries.

title: Castillon


text:
Castine

Castine is a town of 1,300 people (2020) in Maine.

Get in
From U.S. Highway 1, take routes 175 and 166 south from Orland into the town.

Stay safe
For fire and medical emergencies in Castine, dial 911 toll-free from any phone.

For law enforcement emergencies in Castine, call the Sheriff's Department at.

title: Castine


text:
Castlebar

Castlebar is the county town of County Mayo in the west of Ireland. It's an agreeable provincial place but has limited sights within town; places of interest lie some distance out and you'll need your own transport.

Understand

 * 1524: Great inclemency of weather, and mortality of cattle, in the beginning of the year - Annals of the Four Masters

So this, plus a couple of lost battles, was the stuff of legend in Castlebar in the medieval period. The Norman castle is long gone, being replaced by a barracks, in use until 2012 then converted to council offices. For most of its history Castlebar was just a small town with a market and a racecourse, then in 1798 was its moment of fame when the French invaded. The United Irishmen led by Wolfe Tone sought help from republican France to throw off the British; a first invasion fleet in 1796 was beaten back by storms in Bantry Bay. The uprising of 1798 collapsed almost as soon as it began, only gaining control for a time of County Wexford, and utterly defeated by the end of June. So it was already too little, too late when the French landed near Killala on 22 Aug, with 1100 troops under General Humbert. But the area was lightly defended so they swept into Killala and Ballina; Castlebar was obviously next.

The British had time to reinforce Castlebar with 6000 men, but they expected attack to come along the Ballina road from the northeast. The French learned of a path through the bogs and uplands of Nephin, west of Lough Conn, and caught the British off-balance; they came under artillery fire but advanced up a sheltered gully. Their bayonet charge panicked the British, so a numerically superior, better-equipped force turned tail and ran, and ran and ran even though they weren't pursued. It became known as the "Castlebar Races", a legend that outlived the racecourse itself, let alone the brief "Connaught Republic" then proclaimed. It was all over 12 days later as British forces poured into the region, and its Irish supporters paid with their lives.

The town then lapsed back into obscurity, with the standard ups and downs of Victorian Irish country life: occasional "great inclemency of weather, and mortality of cattle", the end of the Penal Laws against Catholics, the terrible famines and mass emigration, the arrival of the railway. There wasn't much industry and Castlebar grew little until the 1990s, with better road links and the opening of a campus of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. In 2022 it had a population of 13,000.

The tourist information centre is in Linenhall in town centre, see Arts Centre below.

By plane
Ireland West Airport Knock, 32 km east, has flights mostly from UK.

You might prefer to fly into Dublin, which has a much better choice of flights, then drive west.

By train
Trains from Dublin Heuston take 3 hours to Castlebar. On the morning service (heading for Galway) you change at Athlone, later in the day three direct trains run via Portarlington, Tullamore, Clara, Athlone, Roscommon, Castlerea, Ballyhaunis, Claremorris and Manulla Junction to Castlebar, continuing to Westport. A branch line from Manulla Junction runs to Ballina, connecting with westbound and eastbound trains. A walk-up single from Dublin is €22, see Irish Rail for timetables, fares and online tickets.

is 1 km southeast of town centre off N84. Ticket office hours are erratic but there are ticket machines and toilets.

By bus
There is no direct bus from Dublin. You'd need to travel via Athlone or Galway, a weary trek by either route. From Galway, Expressway 52 runs every 3 hours daily via Tuam and Claremorris to Castlebar (1 hr 45 min), Foxford and Ballina. The slower Bus 456 runs every 3 hours via Headford, Shrule and Ballinrobe to Westport then Castlebar.

Bus 440 from Westport takes 20 min to Castlebar. It continues to Knock airport and village, Roscommon and Athlone. There are 4 M-Sa and two on Sunday.

Local Link Bus 978 runs twice M-Sa from Belmullet on the Mullet / Erris Peninsula to Bangor Erris, Ballycroy, Newport and Castlebar. It's timed to enable day-trips from the peninsula to Castlebar; a day-trip out to Belmullet is not feasible but it would give you a couple of hours at Ballycroy.

McGrath Coach R3 runs once M-Sa around 10AM from Glenamoy via Bangor Erris to Castlebar and heads back around 5PM.

Bus Éireann 422 runs three times a day from Castlebar to Balintubber, Ballinrobe, Neale, Cong, Cross, Glencorrib and Headford, where it connects with Burkes Bus to Galway.

By car
Driving from Dublin take M4 / N4 to Longford then N5 all the way to Castlebar, and reckon 3 hours.

Get around
Castlebar itself is easy to walk around, but most sights are several km out in the country with scant public transport, so you need a car.

See

 * Town centre is agreeable 19th century low rise, the best of it is along Market St. Traffic there is southbound, eddying clockwise via Upper Chapel St northbound. The castle has completely gone, leaving a green space east side of the centre.
 * (Roman Catholic) is on Upper Chapel St. It was built from 1897 after many set-backs and tribulations, and the spire was never added. The exterior is rather rough-hewn Victorian Gothic but the interior is more successful.
 * naturally caused bitter feuds. It was created in 2008 to commemorate the many local people who died in the two World Wars and other conflicts; but they mostly did so in British uniform under the Union Jack, plus quite a few for the US, what about all our Republican and Fenian deaths, are they not good enough? And then a local online scandal sheet ran a story about homosexual assignations in the park, in less-than-inclusive language, and the story itself became a media story, with legal threats and accusations every which way. The scandal sheet imploded shortly thereafter, there ought to be some kind of monument. The park is a pleasant place to stroll by Lough Lannagh southwest edge of town.
 * Turlough Round Tower is some 500 m north of the museum and may date to 1000 AD. It's a well preserved but unusually stubby specimen.
 * Strade Abbey is next to the Davitt Museum, and he's buried here. It was founded as a Franciscan friary in 1240 but in 1252 switched to Dominican, then burnt down. Rebuilt, it continued until Dissolution in 1578. The best feature of the ruin is the tomb in the chancel.
 * Strade Abbey is next to the Davitt Museum, and he's buried here. It was founded as a Franciscan friary in 1240 but in 1252 switched to Dominican, then burnt down. Rebuilt, it continued until Dissolution in 1578. The best feature of the ruin is the tomb in the chancel.
 * Strade Abbey is next to the Davitt Museum, and he's buried here. It was founded as a Franciscan friary in 1240 but in 1252 switched to Dominican, then burnt down. Rebuilt, it continued until Dissolution in 1578. The best feature of the ruin is the tomb in the chancel.
 * is a small museum of country life in a farm cottage in Catford. It's open M-F 10AM-4PM.
 * is the imposing but teetering shell of an 18th-century mansion. George Moore made his money from the Spanish wine and brandy trade, and his descendants were also notable. The house was torched in 1923 during the Civil War and the ruin is now surrounded by commercial woodland.
 * See Ballina for North Mayo Heritage Museum and other sights around Lough Conn.
 * See Newport for Burrishoole Abbey and other sights north of Clew Bay.
 * See Cong for the county racecourse, and sights around Lough Mask.
 * See Cong for the county racecourse, and sights around Lough Mask.

Do

 * What's on? Listen to CRC FM on 102.9 MHz or read Mayo Advertiser the weekly freesheet for event listings.
 * Linenhall Arts Centre in town centre hosts theatre, music and exhibitions.
 * Royal Theatre is on Old Westport Rd by the hospital.
 * Gaelic football: GAA Mayo county team plays football at MacHale Park (all-seater, nominal capacity 35,360 but reduced in 2019 to 25,360). It's 700 m east of town centre, off N5 Lawn Rd. The town team Castlebar Mitchels also play here. (They might want to rethink that name as Mitchel was a notorious advocate of slavery, see Newry his home town.) The county hurling team also plays here but football is the big sport in Mayo.
 * Mayo Leisure Point has ten pin bowling, laser and arcade games and a toddlers play area. It's on Moneen Rd east side of town centre.
 * Cinema: Mayo Movie World is next to Leisure Point.
 * Leisure Complex at Lough Lannagh is southwest edge of town past the hospital. There's a pool, gym and fitness classes.
 * Golf: Castlebar Golf Club is 2 km south of town. Blue tees 5797 yards, par 71.
 * Great Western Greenway stretches from the Country Life Museum at Turlough to Castlebar and 2 km further west to Lough Mallard. From there it's on-road through the lanes to Westport, where it's again off-road through Newport all the way west to Mulranny and Achill Island.
 * Go to the races but you'll need to set off early. The racecourse is at Ballinrobe 20 km south, see Cong. The town's own racecourse for dogs and horses operated from 1751 to 1887; "Castlebar Races" commemorates the British also-rans of 1798.
 * Blues Music Fest is on the public holiday in May or June.
 * The Four Days Walks are in June and July,.

Buy

 * The main retail park is west side of town centre, with Tesco open M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 8AM-10PM.
 * Farmers Market is in Market Square F 9AM-6PM.

Eat

 * Cafe Rua is a bright deli-cafe on Spencer St, open M-Sa 8AM-6PM, Su 11AM-4PM. They also have a cafe on New Antrim St.
 * Lots of cheap and cheerful places in town centre, which include Italian (Al Muretto), Indian, Chinese, Irish, Cox's and fast food: Cafollas, Danollas, Blue Thunder, and the global chains.

Drink

 * Lots more pubs in town centre along Bridge Street.
 * Castlebar Gin Trail: the town aspires to be Ireland's gin capital. They're content to serve and drink it, Mayo doesn't have a brewing or distilling tradition.
 * Castlebar Gin Trail: the town aspires to be Ireland's gin capital. They're content to serve and drink it, Mayo doesn't have a brewing or distilling tradition.

Sleep

 * Carragh House is a B&B on Knockthomas Rd just north of Ivy Tower.
 * Kenny's Guest House is on Lucan St.
 * Connaught Inn is a little further west, on Spencer St.
 * TF Royal Hotel is southwest near the hospital.
 * The Ellson is also by the hospital.
 * Imperial Hotel is a town landmark, but it closed in 2009 and was sold to the council, who've let it fall derelict.
 * Imperial Hotel is a town landmark, but it closed in 2009 and was sold to the council, who've let it fall derelict.

Connect
As of Feb 2021, Castlebar has 5G from Eir and Three, and 4G from Vodafone.

Go next

 * Westport is the main base for Clew Bay and south of the county, including the pilgrimage mountain of Croagh Patrick.
 * Newport is the largest village along Mayo's bleak northwest coast. A road crosses to Achill Island.
 * Ballina is the base for the north coast, with ruined abbeys and a remarkable prehistoric field system.
 * Knock has the famous shrine. It's quite a small place; continue south for religious sites and ruins around Tuam.

title: Castlebar


text:
Castlecomer

Castlecomer is the largest town in north County Kilkenny in southeast Ireland, with a population in 2016 of 1502. In Irish Caisleán an Chomair is "castle of the confluence", meaning the Norman castle at the confluence of the Dinin, Brocagh and Cloghogue small rivers. The town was industrial through coal mining from medieval times. Coal and castle are gone, but the former colliery has been landscaped into the Discovery Park which is nowadays Castlecomer's main attraction.

Understand
The castle of the town's name was built by the Normans in 1171. In the medieval period the town was in the hands of the Brennan dynasty, and became industrial even at that stage through mining for iron ore and then coal from the "Castlecomer Plateau" strata. This upland area was poor for farming but good for forestry, which provided timber for pit props and charcoal for foundries. During the 17th century Plantations the Brennans were ousted and the land passed to Sir Christopher Wandesford (1592-1640). He ramped up production of coal and timber, brought over 600 workers from Yorkshire, laid out a new town to accommodate them, and built a fortified mansion in which to count his profits. He was promoted to Lord Deputy of Ireland shortly before his early death from a fever: his chances of survival were not improved by the treatment of applying split pigeons to the soles of his feet.

His widow and family had to flee the rebellion of 1641 but the Wandesfords remained in control here for 300 years. The rebellion of 1798 flopped almost everywhere except in nearby County Wexford, close enough for Castlecomer town and mansion to be destroyed in the fighting. They were all rebuilt in the early 19th century, so what you see now is mostly from that era, creating a harmony of style. The mines however continued to disfigure the landscape until they closed in 1969. The replacement mansion also fell derelict then and was demolished. The brownfield colliery site was made over into the Discovery Park, opened in 2007.

Get in
JJ Kavanagh Bus 717 runs daily every two hours from Dublin Airport, Eden Quay and Heuston station to Kilkenny, Callan and Clonmel. One overnight and two daytime buses also stop at Naas, Athy and Castlecomer.

Slieve Bloom Coach 838 runs twice M-Sa from Portlaoise to Castlecomer, Ballyragget and Kilkenny.

Buggy's Coach 890 runs twice M-F between Kilkenny and Castlecomer. Coach 891 from Kilkenny to Ballyragget sometimes runs a triangular route through Castlecomer.

Castlecomer is 16 km north of Kilkenny, the nearest railway station, with six trains a day on the Dublin Heuston to Waterford line.

By road from Dublin follow M7 and M9 to junction 4 near Carlow, then head southwest via R448, N80 and R430 onto N78.

Get around
You can easily walk between the town and Discovery Park.

See

 * is Castlecomer's broad tree-lined main street, ending to the east at the bridge over River Dinin. The buildings are 19th century low-rise, pleasant enough, but it's the main road N78 so there's always traffic. The Norman castle is long gone.
 * Coal Mining Museum commemorates the local industry. This followed the typical colliery timeline, from early open-cast to deep mining, colossal profits for the owners and abject conditions for the workforce, workings scarring the countryside, mechanisation, unionisation and sometimes murderous labour unrest. The twist here was that its later phase was the most lucrative, with the discovery of the Skenaha seam of anthracite - very high grade coal. It was even ground up and mixed by foot with mud to make fuel brickettes, and "Dancing the Churm" was to Castlecomer what grape-treading was to Sicily. Deerpark Mines were sunk to exploit the seam in 1924 and operated to 1969, with its final years again open-cast. The museum is within the Park (don't head for the mine site up R426) and has the same hours, last entry one hour before closing. Adult €5, conc €4, child €3.
 * Two versions of Castlecomer House stood across the road from the entrance to Discovery Park, but all that remains is a derelict gate lodge.
 * Dunmore Cave is 6 km south of Castlecomer, off N78 towards Kilkenny.
 * Heywood Gardens are in Ballinakill off R432 towards Abbeyleix.
 * is a village 10 km west of Castlecomer. It has an attractive central square and 19th century church, and the 15th century turret of Ormond Castle.
 * Dunmore Cave is 6 km south of Castlecomer, off N78 towards Kilkenny.
 * Heywood Gardens are in Ballinakill off R432 towards Abbeyleix.
 * is a village 10 km west of Castlecomer. It has an attractive central square and 19th century church, and the 15th century turret of Ormond Castle.

Do

 * Powley Vale Wellie Race is a 5 km race held on New Year's Day. It's a charity fundraiser, wear fancy dress, drag, starkers, whatever but you must wear wellies. The 2021 race was a virtual event, people anywhere could participate any time over the holiday season. Arrangements for 2022 are TBA.
 * Powley Vale Wellie Race is a 5 km race held on New Year's Day. It's a charity fundraiser, wear fancy dress, drag, starkers, whatever but you must wear wellies. The 2021 race was a virtual event, people anywhere could participate any time over the holiday season. Arrangements for 2022 are TBA.

Buy

 * The main village store is Eurospar (daily 08:00-22:00). There's also a Londis open M-Sa.

Eat

 * Restaurant Lady Anne in town centre is open Th-Sa 18:00-22:00, Su 14:00-17:00.
 * Lil's is within Avalon House Hotel, see Sleep. It's open Th-Sa 17:00-20:30, Su 12:30-15:00, 17:00-20:00.

Drink

 * Balleyragget pubs include Fitzpatrick's Bar, Corner House and The Hogan Stand, all in village centre.
 * Balleyragget pubs include Fitzpatrick's Bar, Corner House and The Hogan Stand, all in village centre.
 * Balleyragget pubs include Fitzpatrick's Bar, Corner House and The Hogan Stand, all in village centre.
 * Balleyragget pubs include Fitzpatrick's Bar, Corner House and The Hogan Stand, all in village centre.

Sleep

 * There isn't a campsite or caravan park in this area. The nearest hostel is in Kilkenny.

Connect
As of March 2021, Castlecomer has a mobile signal from Eir, and 4G from Three and Vodafone. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Kilkenny the county town is a lively small city with many features of its medieval history.
 * Thomastown has Jerpoint Abbey and the upmarket Mount Juliet resort.
 * Carlow has several prehistoric, Georgian and Victorian buildings.

title: Castlecomer


text:
Castle Douglas

Castle Douglas is a town in Dumfries and Galloway in South West Scotland, with a population of 4174 in 2011. The big attractions are Threave Gardens and the castle. This page also describes nearby villages such as Dalbeattie, and the coast of the Solway Firth.

Get in
The nearest railway station is 18 miles east in Dumfries, with trains from Carlisle heading via Sanquhar and Kilmarnock to Glasgow Central.

Stagecoach Bus 500 runs from Dumfries to Castle Douglas (40 min), Newton Stewart, Glenluce and Stranraer, with six M-Sa and three on Sunday.

National Express buses from London via Castle Douglas and Stranraer to Belfast remain suspended in 2022.

By road from the south take M6 past Carlisle onto A75 west. From Glasgow the quickest route is M74 over Beattock then A701 towards Dumfries to join A75.

Get around
Threave Gardens and the castle are both 2 km out of town, within walking distance. You need wheels to explore further.

Taxis in town are Meerkat (+44 7394 997304), Herdsman (+44 1556 502551) and Jan's (+44 1556 502615).

See

 * at the southwest edge of town is a shallow freshwater loch; it and its grassy surrounds have been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). A footpath makes a 3-mile circuit. The islets in the loch were crannogs - prehistoric dwellings on stilts in the water. A canal connects the loch to the river 1.5 miles away: it was used to bring in shell-marl to lime the fields, but it's long disused and now just a ditch. When toxic blue-green algae became troublesome in 2009 the loch was fitted with an expensive aerator, which was ineffective; then they discovered that chucking straw into the water solved the problem.
 * is the shell of a castellated mansion of 1805.
 * is a large earthwork, the remains of a 12th-century motte-and-bailey castle. It was abandoned around 1308 and its wooden palisades were never converted into a stone bastion.
 * is a village five miles east of Castle Douglas, formerly a major source of granite. It has a small museum, eating places and accommodation. Dalbeattie was the birthplace of William McMaster Murdoch, First Officer of the Titanic and in charge when it struck the iceberg; he did not survive. Edingham Castle a mile north of the village on A711 is the crumbling remains of a 16th century tower-house.
 * is the main village south of Dalbeattie, as the River Urr opens into a sea inlet, with its east bank dotted with holiday caravans. You can walk along the coast to Rockcliffe (though by car you have to double back onto A710). Here find the "Mote of Mark" a 5th-century hill fort, an art gallery, and Rough Island a bird sanctuary. You can walk to the island at low tide, but access is closed in May and June when the oystercatchers are nesting.
 * west side of the estuary is the ruin of a late 15th-century tower house. Unusually, it's cylindrical, the prevalent style 200 years earlier but supplanted by rectangular towers.
 * Orchardton Castle a mile south of the Tower is a Baronial cod-castle, for sale in 2022, offers over £1.7 million. Turn up with a Barbour gilet, a clipboard and a plummy accent, they'll probably show you round.
 * is tidal, reached from Almorness Point. You'll want stout boots as the spit exposed at low tide is shingle and mussels. The Stevenson lighthouse has gone, replaced by a functional metal tower. The currents and tides aren't fierce in the bay so you've some flexibility of route and timing, but don't attempt to follow "Daft Anne's Steps", poor lass.

Do

 * The Fullarton (formerly Lochside Theatre) is mainly a cinema but has some live shows, tel +44 1556 504506. It's south side of town towards the loch.
 * CG Swimming Pool is on Market St, open daily.
 * Spot the Red Kite (Milvus milvus), a raptor with a metre-plus wingspan that curves low over the fields in search of mice, small rabbits and carrion. They were once common but unloved in Britain: Shakespeare's King Lear compares his daughter Goneril to a kite, and suggests that the bird's only talent is for stealing panties off drying lines. Kites were harried almost to extinction in Britain, but from the 20th century they were protected then re-introduced. The Dumfries and Galloway region was repopulated in 1992/93 with birds from Germany. So look out for them anywhere, but especially along the Red Kite Trail which has several feeding stations. The suggested route is 24 miles anti-clockwise round Loch Ken in winter, plus 16 miles of forest roads only open in summer.
 * Golf: Castle Douglas GC is west side of town. Further out are Dalbeattie GC, Craigieknowes near Kippford, and New Galloway GC in the hills north on the Ayr road.
 * Knockengorroch music festival in May is away up in the hills above Loch Doon. See Ayr for details, though it's not close to Ayr or anywhere else, that's the point.

Buy
King Street has a little string of shops. Tesco at the north end of town is open daily 7AM-10PM.

Eat

 * There's a line of cheap eateries along King St.

Connect
Castle Douglas and its approach roads have 4G from all UK carriers. As of March 2022, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Dumfries is best known as the poet Robert Burns' last home, but nearby there are also several castles, Sweetheart Abbey, and The Garden of Cosmic Speculation.
 * Kirkcudbright has long been an art colony; it was especially popular with "The Glasgow Boys" such as EA Hornel.
 * Stranraer is a humdrum harbour town — the ferries to Northern Ireland now sail from Cairnryan a few miles north. The peninsula beyond Stranraer is scenic.

title: Castle Douglas


text:
Castlegar

Castlegar is a city of 8,000 people (2016) in British Columbia on the southern tip of the Arrow Lakes chain. It sits at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers, and is a perfect base for a wide range of outdoor activities. The surrounding lakes and mountains offer unlimited outdoor possibilities. There is tremendous fishing on both big rivers and on the Arrow Lakes, and Syringa Creek Provincial Park is nearby.

Understand
The city's population includes a large number of Doukhobors, who were largely responsible for much of Castlegar's early development and growth.

A sizeable Portuguese community grew as workers, mainly from the Azores islands, moved in to take up employment in the area. The area which was to become Castlegar was an important centre for the Sinixt (Lakes) Peoples. Outside the city limits are the small surrounding communities of Ootischenia, Brilliant, Robson, Robson West, Raspberry, Tarrys, Thrums, Glade, Shoreacres, Fairview, Genelle, Pass Creek and Krestova. There are also the much smaller communities of Deer Park, Renata, and Syringa on Lower Arrow Lake.

Taken together, these outlying areas comprise an approximate population of a further 8,000 people.

History
On 5 September 1811, David Thompson arrived at the location where Castlegar now sits, where he camped near the mouth of the Kootenay River. A plaque dedicated to David Thompson can be found on the east bank of the Columbia River overlooking the present day site of Castlegar.

The first settlement in the area was West Waterloo, now known as South Castlegar. There was widespread provincial interest in gold prospecting in the late 19th century, and by 1895 there were 40 houses in Waterloo. The town boomed until the end of the century when interest in the local mines declined.

Castlegar takes its name from Castlegar, County Galway, Ireland, the ancestral home of townsite founder Edward Mahon. (Castlegar is on the eastern boundary of the city of Galway.) The city was planned in 1897. Around 1902, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) built the bridge at Castlegar and laid the wide gauge railway tracks to Trail. There was little in Castlegar until after the completion of the CPR bridge.

First Nations history
Castlegar is in the border area between the Sinixt (Interior Salish) and the Ktunaxa Indian bands. Experts cannot agree where the Ktunaxa range ended, and where the Sinixt began. There was much overlapping of cultural and territorial activity between the two peoples. The Sinixt were the original people in the area, and that the Kootenai arrived several hundred years ago from central Canada.

"Qepitles" was a site on the north side of the Kootenay River, just above the junction with the Columbia River. Native implements (arrowheads, pestles, etc.) have been found along the nearby Arrow Lakes. A reconstructed kekuli dwelling was established on Zuckerberg Island, at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia rivers.

Doukhobor history
The Doukhobors put a ferry into operation near Brilliant on the Kootenay River in 1910 and the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood (CCUB) made an application to the CPR for a railway station and siding to this point. Brilliant was the centre of the CCUB commercial enterprises. Located on the site was the Brilliant Jam Factory, a grain elevator, and a flax seed mill.

Climate
Hot days and cool nights in summer, with moderately dry weather and cold winters with heavy snowfall due to the mediterranean tendencies of high winter precipitation. Castlegar is wetter than most places in the Southern Interior of BC, as the city receives around 400 mm more precipitation than nearby Kelowna, Penticton and Kamloops (which are in the dryer Okanagan region of British Columbia, while Castlegar is in the Kootenay region).

By car

 * Castlegar is about 600 km from Calgary and from Vancouver on Highway 3.

By plane

 * Nearby airports include Trail Airport, which is 40 km to the south. Pacific Coastal Airlines operates flights between Vancouver and Trail. This airport is less prone to flight cancellations caused by fog.
 * Nearby airports include Trail Airport, which is 40 km to the south. Pacific Coastal Airlines operates flights between Vancouver and Trail. This airport is less prone to flight cancellations caused by fog.

By public transit

 * Route 33 travels between Castlegar Community Complex and Selkirk College via West Kootenay Regional Airport (10 minutes). Route operates Monday to Saturday.
 * Route 99 travels between Nelson and Castlegar (40 minutes). From Castlegar Community Complex (the main bus exchange), take bus 33 to Selkirk College (10 minutes) and transfer to route 99. These routes operate from Monday to Saturday.
 * Route 98 travels between Castlegar and Trail (25-30 minutes). Route operates Monday to Saturday.
 * Route 98 travels between Castlegar and Trail (25-30 minutes). Route operates Monday to Saturday.

Summer

 * Climbing: an up-and-coming climbing area with the potential to grow, great rock around try the "waterline" and some other local spots,
 * Hiking and mountain biking: some unreal trails and secret spots that will blow your mind. Locals are friendly and helpful.
 * Golfing:
 * Boating: Great boating and fishing on the Arrow Lake, west of Castlegar.
 * Boating: Great boating and fishing on the Arrow Lake, west of Castlegar.
 * Boating: Great boating and fishing on the Arrow Lake, west of Castlegar.
 * Boating: Great boating and fishing on the Arrow Lake, west of Castlegar.

Winter

 * Downhill skiing near Rossland or Nelson.
 * Cat and heli-skiing:
 * Snowmobiling: Hundreds of kilometres of groomed and ungroomed trails located around Castlegar.
 * Cross-country skiing
 * Snowmobiling: Hundreds of kilometres of groomed and ungroomed trails located around Castlegar.
 * Cross-country skiing

Cope

 * The nearest hospital is in Trail.

Go next
Check out cities of Nelson and Rossland nearby.

title: Castlegar


text:
Castlemaine

Castlemaine is an historic goldmining town the Goldfields region of Victoria popular with travellers from Melbourne. Castlemaine had a population of approximately 7,500 in 2021, and is home to a vibrant arts scene.

Get in
Castlemaine is accessible from Melbourne by the major Calder Freeway, taking the turn-off onto the Pyrenees Highway. The journey is about 120 km, equating to a 90-minute drive. Castlemaine is also reached from surrounding regional cities via the Midland and Pyrenees Highways, of which it is at the crossroads.

The town is well-served by its railway station on the Bendigo line. There are regular trains from Melbourne at least every hour, taking 90 minutes. There are also services from neighbouring towns and cities, including Maryborough, Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat. See Public Transport Victoria for timetable information. A tourist, steam-run railway also operates to nearby Maldon from the station.

Buses and coaches leave frequently to Castlemaine from major regional cities as well, while also serving minor towns and villages without a railway station. See PTV for timetables and routes.

Alternatively, hitchhiking is generally accepted in the entire Central Victorian region. Neighbouring towns and villages such as Chewton, Maldon and often Bendigo can be reached by simply sticking out your thumb and getting a lift from friendly locals and passing farmers.

Get around
There is a taxi rank in front of the station, and another in front of the large supermarket. Prices are standard, and it's normal to book a taxi by phone.

See
Castlemaine boasts a proud automotive history, and is the self-proclaimed 'Hot Rod Capital' of Victoria. There are many small private automotive collections that are open to the public. For more information see Tourism Victoria.

The evidence of the rich gold mining past is still evident in the grand architecture and impressive Victorian-style hotels on most street corners. There are impressively large mullock heaps of shale and occasional open-mine shafts, which can make bushwalking off marked trails at times dicey. One open mine shaft, dubbed 'the Chinaman's hole', is of historic significance. It is believed to be where the bodies of 16 Chinese prospectors who were killed in the 1859 uprising were interred. It is said if you cast a coin into this shaft, and listen closely, you will receive a fortune. It is displayed on the bushwalking map of the area.
 * The Bourke and Wills memorial. A simple obelisk that commemorates the disastrous expedition of Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills. Its objective was the crossing of Australia from Melbourne in the south to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north. It's not that interesting but it's only 5 minutes walk from town.
 * The Old Gaol. Historical British prison that stands on the hill overlooking the train station. There's a private art gallery inside it which of December 2023 isn't open, but most people visit because it's the best viewpoint in town.
 * Information centre. In the historic market building in the center of town, very useful, lots of local maps and information, usually has a free art exhibition.
 * Information centre. In the historic market building in the center of town, very useful, lots of local maps and information, usually has a free art exhibition.

Do
Castlemaine has a proud history including the Theatre Royal, a beacon of the gold rush days and museum.
 * Local markets have become more popular. There are several, and location and time can change. Good place to buy local artesian produce and meet locals.
 * Take the historical steam train to Maldon. The steam train is a real highlight of the region. Departs from the regular train station.
 * The KR Castlemaine abattoir and processing plant servicing supermarkets Australia wide. They provide guided tours every Wednesday from 2-5PM (not for the squeamish)
 * Swim at the indoor swimming pool In a wooden building next to the town hall,or a large outdoor pool between the botanical Gardens/ caravan park and the hospital. Many locals swim at the resevoir (aka. "The res") or other local swimming holes, but these aren't necessity safe.
 * Swim at the indoor swimming pool In a wooden building next to the town hall,or a large outdoor pool between the botanical Gardens/ caravan park and the hospital. Many locals swim at the resevoir (aka. "The res") or other local swimming holes, but these aren't necessity safe.

Buy

 * There are two IGA supermarkets: a large one in the centre of town, and a small one close to the train station. Prices generally higher than in major supermarkets. Locals just call them the "big IGA" and the "small IGA" when giving directions.
 * Shops in the centre of town sell a wide variety of souvenirs, crafts and produce.
 * Khub is the local branch of the chain store Kmart, it sells cheap clothing, plastic containers, household goods. It's located in the main street across the road from the RSL.
 * Selfzserve Laundromat. "Sack'O'Suds". Near the little IGA. Handy if you're having lunch in town. 7 days a week, 7AM to 7PM.

Eat
Please note that the following list is not up to date, check tripadvisor.
 * Fish and chip shops. There are two side by side on the main street: "Blue Seas" and "Papas". Everyone in town has an opinion on which is the best.
 * Local cafes. As Castlemaine is a tourist town, there are many cafes in the centre of town, competition between them is fierce. Safs is expensive but the service is very good, togs is more laid back.
 * Pizza stores. There's a Domino's chain store that that has online ordering and delivery, and there's also a local shop "Big Jim's" which isn't open so many hours.
 * Das Kafehause. Beautifully decorated Viennese coffee house serving light meals, inside the mill complex, next to the botanical Gardens.
 * You can get a Vietnamese bahn mi roll near the pet store, they're good.
 * You can get a Vietnamese bahn mi roll near the pet store, they're good.

Drink
There are several local pubs that serve a variety of drinks, and also several cocktail bars in upmarket restaurants. Don't count on anywhere being busy during the week.

Sleep
Although Castlemaine has more facilities, many visitors choose to stay in the smaller towns nearby.

Connect
Castlemaine has a very good hospital and emergency department.

The public library has public computers for members and printers, wifi.

Go next
If leaving by train be aware that platforms 2 and 3 are not connected to platform 1.

Outside the station there is a tunnel with a staircase to reach platforms 2 and 3. Wheelchair access to performs 2 and 3 is only possible via a path on the platform 1 side.

Bendigo. Regular trains run, tickets checked regularly.

Daylesford

Chewton

Maldon

title: Castlemaine


text:
Castle Rock

Castle Rock is a town of about 81,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the western U.S. state of Colorado. The seat of Douglas County, the town lies 26 mi south-southeast of Denver.

title: Castle Rock


text:
Castleton

Castleton is a small town in the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire. Its two main claims to fame are the 12th-century Peveril Castle and a series of four show caves, where minerals including Blue John, unique to this area, have been mined. To the north lies the gritstone of the Dark Peak; to the south the limestone landscapes of the White Peak. The surrounding countryside has much to offer the walker, rock-climber and potholer.

Get in
Castleton has an excellent bus service from Sheffield and the east (there are no services through Winnats Pass to Chapel-en-le-Frith and the west), and though not directly on the Hope Valley line, train tickets are accepted on the bus between Castleton and Hope Station (which is!).

Do
Castleton is home to the only Blue John mines in the world which tourists can visit, and four major caves/caverns. Each has a very different feel, from the natural splendour of Peak Cavern to the disconcerting underground river trip (and well-rehearsed guides' patter) of Speedwell. The four caverns are as follows:

Connect
As of March 2024, Castleton and its approach roads have a basic mobile signal from Three, and 4G from EE, O2 and (in patches) Vodafone. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Edale
 * Sheffield

title: Castleton


text:
Castletown

Castletown (in Manx Balley Chashtal) is a fishing port in the south of the Isle of Man. For some 800 years it was the island's capital, but in the 19th century government functions moved away to Douglas. Last to migrate was Tynwald, the parliament, in 1874. In 2021 Castletown had a population of 3026.

Get in
is at Ronaldsway, two miles north of Castletown, with year-round flights from the UK and Dublin.

Buses 1, 2 and 11 each run hourly from Douglas to the airport, Castletown (30 min), Port Erin and Port St Mary, so collectively the service is every 20 min. The last bus is around 21:00, with a night bus N1 just after Friday midnight.

is on the IOM Steam Railway, which operates mid-March to end of October. Four trains a day take 40 min from Douglas, and continue to Colby, Port St Mary and Port Erin.

Get around
Town is compact and walkable. The buses run past the motorcycle museum, aviation museum, Ballasalla (for Rushden Abbey and Silverdale Glen) and Balladoole. You need your own wheels for Langness Peninsula.

Taxis are based at the airport, the town operator has folded.

See

 * Old town around the castle is Georgian / Victorian. Old St Mary's, the original Anglican church on Market Square, is nowadays offices.
 * St Mary's on the Harbour is the replacement church, at 9 Hope St. It was opened in 1838 as a school. By 1980 it was the parish hall and in 1989 it was consecrated.
 * St Mary's on the Harbour is the replacement church, at 9 Hope St. It was opened in 1838 as a school. By 1980 it was the parish hall and in 1989 it was consecrated.
 * is about 45 ft in diameter and 6 ft high. It's not been excavated but is probably a Viking pagan burial mound of the 9th / 10th century.
 * St Mary's & St Columba's is the RC church, at 24 Bowling Green Rd. It's small and plain.
 * Derbyhaven is tucked away on the coast east of the airport. It was a significant port into the 18th century, with guns on Fort Island to protect it. It's nowadays just a neighbourhood of Castletown and you only come this way to join the road onto Langness Peninsula.
 * Derbyhaven is tucked away on the coast east of the airport. It was a significant port into the 18th century, with guns on Fort Island to protect it. It's nowadays just a neighbourhood of Castletown and you only come this way to join the road onto Langness Peninsula.
 * Derbyhaven is tucked away on the coast east of the airport. It was a significant port into the 18th century, with guns on Fort Island to protect it. It's nowadays just a neighbourhood of Castletown and you only come this way to join the road onto Langness Peninsula.
 * is a daymark near the south tip of the peninsula. Dreswick Point, with a lighthouse, is the most southerly point on IOM main island.
 * or St Michael's Island is a bird sanctuary connected by road to Langness Peninsula. Ruins here are Derby Fort (an artillery position built in 1645), and St Michael's Chapel from the 12th century.
 * is an archaeological site on a hilltop west of Castletown with millennia of use. It was first excavated in 1944 / 45 by Gerhard Bersu, a German archaeologist interned on IOM during wartime. Elements include a Bronze Age cist, an Iron Age hillfort, Keeill Vael an early Celtic chapel, and a Viking boat burial. The area is free to explore 24 hours.
 * is a genteel parkland and recreational area above Rushen Abbey, owned by the Manx National Trust. There's a boating lake and bosky footpaths.
 * is a genteel parkland and recreational area above Rushen Abbey, owned by the Manx National Trust. There's a boating lake and bosky footpaths.

Do

 * Golf: Castletown Golf Links are on Langness Peninsula near the causeway to St Michael's Island. White tees 6431 yards, par 72.
 * Southern Agricultural Show is late July, half a mile south of Fairy Bridge. The next is 27-28 July 2024.

Buy
The town only has a couple of convenience stores, Coop Food on The Parade by the castle, and Shoprite at 11 Arbory St.

Drink

 * The Sidings is at the railway station, open Su-Th 11:30-23:00, F Sa 11:30-00:00.
 * The Sidings is at the railway station, open Su-Th 11:30-23:00, F Sa 11:30-00:00.

Sleep

 * Knock Rushen House is a B&B south edge of town near the mound.
 * Knock Rushen House is a B&B south edge of town near the mound.

Stay safe
Usual caution over traffic and safeguarding valuables.

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

Go next

 * Douglas the capital is the island's transport hub and has the main concentration of sights.
 * Port St Mary is a small harbour. Boat trips sail to the Calf of Man.

title: Castletown