text:
Serra da Mantiqueira

Serra da Mantiqueira is a geological formation in Brazil dating from the Archeozoic era. Its name originated from 'Amantikir' and means "mountain that cries." It is a massive rock that has large areas of uplands, and nearly three thousand and one thousand meters in altitude in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Sierra Mantiqueira of several conservation units, such as the Environmental Protection Area of the Sierra Mantiqueira, divided among three states, the National Park of Itatiaia, divided between Minas and Rio, and the Serra do Brigadeiro State Parks and the Serra Papagaio (mine) and Campos do Jordão (São Paulo).

10% of the mountain is limited land in Rio de Janeiro, which is where the park is. 30% of the mountain is in São Paulo state, and 60% is in the state of Minas Gerais, which has the largest portion (from the region where the city of Barbacena and it is leaning to the southwest until you find with the border with Rio de Janeiro and soon after, with São Paulo, where it became a natural border with the state of Minas Gerais by the end of mediation Joanópolis/SP and Extreme/MG, and finally it ends in the city de Bragança Paulista.

The closer to the capital of Sierra Mantiqueira is São Paulo, which is the first 90 km of the city in the Serra da Mantiqueira, Bragança Paulista, the second is that Belo Horizonte is 170 km from the first city where the mountains are the Mantiqueira located: and the third is the Barbacena Rio de Janeiro which is 198 km from the nearest town in the Serra Mantiqueira Visconde de Mauá, District of the city of Resende.

Regions
The Serra da Mantiqueira is on the border of the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro and includes many cities, like Campos do Jordão, Santo Antonio do Pinhal, water Lindóia and Serra Negra, São Paulo; Alagoa, Delfim Moreira, Passa Quatro and Pouso Alto, Minas Gerais, and Itatiaia and Resende in Rio de Janeiro.

Cities
In the circuit of the "Serras Verdes do Sul de Minas” (Green Mountains of southern Minas) several cities have low temperatures and in high altitudes. Can be accessed through the BR-381 which connects São Paulo to Belo Horizonte, the city of Camanducaia located in BR. The access road to the other municipalities is done by municipal roads usually not paved.

Gonçalves - MG

At 1250 m altitude, the city is an alternative for those seeking to enjoy the cold winter, but not both as the movida de Campos do Jordão. Goncalves is a typical town of interior, where besides the cold, contact with nature, with people, good food and relaxation are the main programs.

Monte Verde district - MG

Camanducaia is known by the district of Monte Verde, located at 1550 above sea level. The district is known for its cold climate and temperatures below average for the region. Its privileged location in an area of forests, reforestation and mountains, provides training for low temperatures. You can find cooking mineira and European. In Monte Verde, you will find a golf course, The field, the seat and the hole 19 are beautiful. A structure that places the Bristol Monte Verde Golf & Resort as a field of 9 holes best that I have visited. And beyond all, is a cold.

The pioneers of Monte Verde are Verner Grinberg (13/08/2006 died in their 96 years of age) and his wife (also deceased) Mrs. Emilia. The surname of the family gave the name to the city: "grin," Monte, "berg", Verde. Grinberg The family arrived in Brazil in 1913, with many immigrants from Latvia and was living in 1921 in the then newly founded colony VARP, near the city of São Paulo and Paraguaçu formed by its patricians Latvians.

There, to marry Mrs. Emilia Leismeir, decides to spend their honey moon in Campos do Jordao, region similar to their homeland, the young couple is excited about the weather and the mountain landscapes of the Serra da Mantiqueira. In 1936, heard of the camps Jaguari, municipality of Monte Verde Camanducaia today, instead of landscape and climate similar to Campos do Jordao. Imbued with entrepreneurial spirit, rising up to the foot of the Sierra in the Mantiqueira loin of donkey and open bite in the middle of the woods. In 1938, acquired land there and start training for a farm. Over time, many of his friends and acquaintances began to feel attracted by the place. And to the friends and relatives, usually European and supporters of their religion, the Baptist, waived land to build homes and were living on the farm. Today the famous City Monte Verde.

Campos do Jordão is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2003 was 47,903 and the area is 290.27 km². The elevation is 1,628 m.

The city's economy is based mainly in tourism; due to its location at high elevation (on the Mantiqueira mountains) and European-looking architecture. Buildings are mostly German, Swiss or Italian inspired. Many of the richest people from the state of São Paulo build there their winter country houses there and July (the winter season vacations) sees an enormous influx of visitors (more than quadrupling the city's population), due in part to the winter festival of classical music. Its attractions throughout the year include German and Swiss food restaurants, bars and a cable car. There are many pousadas (inns) and chalets. Panoramic view of the Vila Capivari district, from Morro do Elefante, March 2009.

There are numerous outdoor activities for winter residents and tourists. These include hiking, mountain climbing, treetop cable swings (arborismo), horseback riding, ATV riding, and motorbike riding. The mountain ranges provide unique panoramic views and much of the area is still undeveloped. Also, in order to cater to the large number of visitors, several bars, lounges, discos and clubs will open up during the winter months.

The state governor also has his winter residence there, the Boa Vista Castle.

The city, due to its elevation, is relatively cold for Brazilian standards. In summer, maximum temperatures average 24°C/75°F and minimum temperatures average 13°C/55°F. In winter, maximum temperatures average 18°C/64°F and minimum temperatures average 4°C/39°F. Temperatures drop below zero sometimes in winter (lowest ever recorded: -7.3°C/19°F), but snow is very rare. The winter is normally the dry season and the colder weather allows for warm fireplaces and winter foods such as fondue, soups and hot chocolate. In spring and summer, one can see Hydrangea macrophylla blossoming all over the town.

Despite of the high income of many visitors, the HDI (0.820 in 2004) of Campos do Jordão is not very high because the owners of the houses in the best neighbourhoods are not regular inhabitants; these houses are used only during the holidays. The city can be reached from São Paulo mainly by road through the Rodovia Floriano Rodrigues Pinheiro. There is also a picturesque railroad from Pindamonhangaba, used mostly by tourists. At the end of the main road going through Campos do Jordao, there is a state park called Horto Florestal. A shopping mall with the typical Swiss-inspired style common in the city. May 2002.

In the mid-sixteenth century, the donee Martin Afonso de Souza, the Capitania of São Vicente (SP), ordered his men to explore the interior of the country in 1531, after traveling 115 leagues, through virgin forests and transposing the mountains of the Sea Mantiqueira and the first shipment arrived at St. Joseph's Itamonte. The group took a throat da Lapa - Mantiqueira eastern side, between the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, became the High registry, followed the course of the Rio Capivari to the confluence with the river green. Encountered in the path with a mountain, a peak, the Picú that since it is a guide to who comes to the region. The town is now called St. Joseph's Picú, until their emancipation in the 1950s, when has Itamonte (Stone Mountain or the Mount of Stone).

No one knows for sure the top of St. Joseph of Itamonte, but the likelihood is that its origin has been given in the middle of the seventeenth century, when the entries of the flag of the plateau Minas Gerais. Martim Affonso de Souza, the donee captaincy of São Vicente, ordered by the holdings inside the country in 1531. Some of his men crossed the virgin forests and transposed the mountains and the Sea Mantiqueira. Crossed the eastern Mantiqueira in the states of Rio and São Paulo arriving in Upper Registry and followed along the course of the river valley to Capivari by its confluence with the Verde River.

With the discovery of mines intensified the exodus of São Paulo for the regions of gold and putting the river Capivari Picu or become road. On its banks, over time, some landings have become towns and cities.

The landings of these has been the name of Pico Landing, located at the base of the mountain, got this name because of a rock on top of the back of the mountain that is highlighted. The high peak was seen by far, and served as a guidance to the colonial era Bandeirantes. With the passage of time and the language of the people turned to the pronunciation of Pico Picu.

Spot, has developed agriculture and creation, and even after the decline of the mines, the road has lost its importance becomes even more intense. The Pouso Picu won the respect of town with the construction of a chapel with the invocation of St. Joseph With this, the name changed to St. Joseph's Picu, while today the official name is Itamonte which means stone of the hill or mountain stone.

The village belonged to Baependi then to the city of Pouso Alto which belonged to the year of 1923. In this part of the City of Itanhandu.

With the creation of the Parish of Sant'Anna Capivari, São José do Itamonte by Law No. 38 of 3 April 1839 became part of it, which in turn belonged to the diocese of Mariana and Pouso Alegre and finally Campaign.

In 1870, the September 14 provincial law No 2079, with the transfer of the headquarters of Capivari to the village of São José do Picu was elevated to parish.

Other destinations
The National Park of Itatiaia is the oldest national park in Brazil, founded in 1937, with a current area of 30,000 hectares. The park has mountains with nearly 900 m high and has a very diverse fauna and flora due to altitude and climate varied. The park is located on the highest road in Brazil, it reaches 2450 m in altitude. The park is divided into two environments:

 * Headquarters of the Park (Lower part): Starting in Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, followed by the President Dutra Highway (BR 116) to the town of Itatiaia, height of 316 km. The Visitors Center, located in the lower part of the park has a museum with basic information about the flora and fauna of the region, with stuffed animals and a library.
 * Plateau (Upper): Starting in Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, followed by the President Dutra Highway (BR 116) to engineer steps, height of 330 km, followed by highway BR-354.

The National Park of Itatiaia became famous in June 1985, when tourists and climbers were surprised by nine hours of continuous snow. The snow, carried by the wind (drifting), came to collect nearly a meter in some places in the episode (above photo) The temperature was close to -15 °C near the top of Agulhas Negras.

Visconde de Mauá - RJ

Visconde de Mauá is a district of the municipality of Resende, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

More broadly, the name of Viscount Mauá is assigned to all the villages of Mauá, Maringá and Maromba and its different valleys, and the Vale das Cruzes, craggy, Peacock and grass. The region comprises part of the municipalities of Resende and Itatiaia, in Rio, and the state of Minas Bocaina mining. The villages are, on average, 40 km from the headquarters of these districts.

Visconde de Mauá has about six thousand inhabitants. The region's main economic activity is tourism, with over 100 lodging establishments and dozens of restaurants, some specializing in trout and revenue-based pinion.

This region is in area of environmental preservation, in the hills of Mantiqueira, at 1200 meters altitude. Visitors are attracted by the natural beauty of waterfalls and valleys.

The name honors Visconde de Mauá Irineu Evangelista de Sousa, baron and viscount after, he received the lands of the region in 1870, as granting of government for imperial exploitation of timber, which would be transformed into charcoal. In 1889, still in the Empire, his son, Henrique de Souza Irineu, installed on land a colonial core, formed by families of European immigrants. The initiative failed and most of the settlers returned to their countries of origin. In 1908 the federal government purchase the land of Henry and creates the Colonial Center Visconde de Mauá, second attempt to receive European settlers. This core has just ended in 1916.

Some German families remained in Visconde de Mauá and from the 1930s, began to receive relatives and friends from Europe, starting the tourist activity in the region. In the 1970s, the town of Maromba was discovered by hippies, and from the 1980s, started to become one of the favorite destinations of tourists and mountain in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

A curiosity is that Irineu Evangelista, the viscount of Mauá, never been in the region that today takes his name.

Rides The waterfall slide, Visconde de Mauá, RJ, Brazil

In Visconde de Mauá, Resende - RJ:

* Stone Sealed * Waterfall of Smoke

From Visconde de Mauá, by dirt road, there are several natural attractions in the neighboring districts of municipalities Resende:

In Maringá, Valley of Flowers, and Mirantão Bocaina de Minas - MG:

* Play the Fox * Shrine of Cachoeira * Waterfall of Santa Clara * Waterfalls of steep * Rapids of the steep * Two Wheels Museum * Cachoeira das Antas * Waterfalls da Saudade * Waterfalls Plate * Cachoeira do Rio Grande * Cachoeira do Paiol

In Maringá, Itatiaia - RJ:

* Well of Marimbondo * Cachoeira do Marimbondo

In Maromba, Itatiaia - RJ:

* Cachoeira do Escorrega * Waterfall Veil of the Bride * Potion of Maromba

Penedo - RJ

Penedo is a district municipality and the Ecological Park of Itatiaia, located in the southern state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

It is the leading Finnish colony, if not unique, of Brazil, which is still evident in the architecture of homes and commercial buildings as well as local culture.

Pousadas their calm, yet its mild climate, its fauna and topography generous Penedo make an oasis in the midst of growth and disorderly predatory occupation of the region.

Penedo is the currency of Visconde de Mauá district, belonging to the municipality of Resende.

Toivo Uuskallio account, the creator and founder of the colony of Finnish Penedo, in his book In the Journey toward the Tropic Magic, emigrated to the distant south. In mid-1927 embarked for Brazil Toivo and his wife Liisa, with three boys. They wanted to live in the far south, where the climate allowed for a more natural life, enjoying the benefits of sunlight. It was part of its program of life to vegetarianism and abstention from alcohol, tea and coffee. After a period of acclimatization and acculturation in the beginning of Rio de Janeiro, Uuskallio and the group were hired to work on a farm belonging to the Monastery of St. Benedict, in three wells, near Volta Redonda, State of Rio. This work on the farm, and farmers provide the beginning of the Finnish knowledge of crops grown in Brazil, he knew that some properties for optimal deployment of its colony.

Uuskallio returned to Finland in 1928, where he published his book, reporting that their ideas and impressions of travel decisively influenced the implementation of his project to found a colony Finnish vegetarian in Brazil. Helped by Pastor Mikko Pennanen and Airila, he undertook an intense campaign of publicity and recruitment, with articles in the press, especially in newspaper Tyokansa and conferences, to raise resources. He was successful, and on January 28, 1929, he purchased Penedo Farm, in the Paraíba Valley, then district of the city of Resende.

The tourism, real vocation of Penedo, has made the first full pension from turning into a network of 52 hotels and 39 restaurants, cafeterias and bars. But, not being either of two dozen the number of Finns living in Penedo, there is a great concern to preserve the presence Finnish. For this has served the Club Finland, founded in 1943, in which balls of Saturdays presents the Traditional Dance Group, which since 1993 houses the Museum of Finnish Dona Eva, museum where you can see through parts of the ancient and modern art and culture of Finland. The museum has received about 500 visitors per month.

Understand
The Serra da Mantiqueira has approximately 500 km long, over the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, there are seven major peaks in Brazil, its name comes from the Tupi-guarani word "Amantiquira" meaning " Mountain Chora that "due to the large number of springs, waterfalls and streams seen in their slopes.

The name gives an idea of the importance of mountains as a source of drinking water from rivers that supply training a large number of cities in southeastern Brazil, its springs provide the water supply for over half the population.

Its dense forests and high biodiversity, one of the regions in which the Atlantic is more preserved for a long time its rugged topography and high altitude it was now the natural protection and awareness of the local population and the various areas of Environmental Protection preserve this natural heritage.

Flora

True green lung of the Southeast, the region of Serra da Mantiqueira boasts an extensive environmental heritage, dominated by a rich vegetation, the flora is part of the ecosystem of the Atlantic Forest and its forests are full of different species of trees such as angico the Quaresmeira the Ipê the Canela, the pine forests of Araucaria and Bravo, among others.
 * Bromelia: It sets in trees, but is not a parasite, as many think. Cut their food from the rain waters that are accumulated in their leaves and the decomposition of microorganisms, insects and leaves that fall there. Its setting is done in places of shade and heavy rains of summer, many fall, coming to die for lack of food itself.
 * Yellow ipê: Its yellow flowers appear usually at the end of winter when the tree is naked of leaves. In summer, when the leaves offers a soft shadow. Its wood is very strong and noble. Have slow growth and its height varies from 4 to 10 meters.
 * Quaresmeira: Tree of great beauty when presenting their flowers, which is January to March. There is a species that produces intense purple flowers and one that produces soft pink flowers, the look is stunning and the flowers are very intense. The flowers attract bees and butterflies. Have rapid growth and dense canopy and thick.
 * Strong pine (pinho bravo): The Pine-Bravo is not just a tree, is a true ecosystem! Carries in itself a range of plants as it nest as the bromeliad, the beard of goat and orchids. These plants, living on others, without depriving diet, just back of them. The fruit of purple color, sweet and juicy, it is food for the birds, who take their seeds.
 * Araucaria: Known as Pinheiro do Paraná is a forester, accurate processing of oxygen and air purifiers. Braving the cold and wind, their leaves remain green even at the height of winter. Its fruit, the pinion, is rich in starch, proteins and fats, feed and maintain, throughout a rich wildlife.

Fauna

The Serra da Mantiqueira also serves as home to an amazing variety of animals, habitat for rare species of fauna in Brazil, including some endangered. Living in the Mono region, the Capybara, the brocket deer, the Paca, the Jaguatirica, the wolf-Guará, the Squirrel, the Tatu, among others. The region also has many types of birds that have found a safe habitat, especially the Azulão the Seriema the João de Barro, the Bicudo, the Maitaca the Tucano, the Beija-Flor, a crow Blue, etc.
 * Squirrel (esquilo): Popularly known as Brazilian squirrel, animals are graceful and smart. Also called for Caxinguelê is a small rodent, which feeds on seeds and berries, and the habit of hiding food, storing them for winter. They are shy and suspicious, fleeing the fast approach of man. Live up to 15 years, both solitary and in pairs.
 * Paca: Live preferably near a stream, it is a good swimmer and loves the water, which is where she takes refuge when it is in danger. She spends the day in his plays, which has many emergency exits, and hidden by leaves. Quite a big spread, the pacas spend the whole night in search of food. They eat leaves, roots and fruits fallen on the floor.
 * Capybara (capivara): Live near water, as swimming is great, being able to run out of breath for 5 minutes or more. It feeds almost exclusively on grass (in Tupi-guarani his name means "eater of grass'). Live in herds and walking trails in fixed line, with a head on the other hip. The females are docile and good mothers, has two kids per year, experts come in three days now accompany their parents.
 * Wolf-guara (lobo Guará): Looks like a fox, because of their thin and long legs that facilitate the task of climbing hills. His observation is difficult because it is a solitary animal (up to join in pairs), nocturnal and quite shy. Your uivos are heard over long distances, and because of that sound - as interpreted by the Indians "language will, water will", is called maned wolf. Swift and agile, jump away to catch their prey and located away from due to its height.
 * João de Barro: It is a cheerful bird that likes to live with the man. Live in couple, who work together in building the nest and spend the days to sing duets curious. It is the admirable skill with which builds the nest (one year) in the beams of the gates or in the branches of trees. Fed up of insects and their larvae can eat and occasionally seeds.
 * Siriema: Wader size of topping, is a frown and menacing, one of the few birds equipped with eyelashes. Eat insects, rodents, lizards and other small animals. Have to be famous for devouring snakes, but is not immune to the poison. Extremely fast, the jumps up to a meter height. When issuing an angry snarl like that of a dog. His singing is high, can be heard for more than 1 km away.

Do
The region is highly sought by tourists seeking to stay in hotels near the park-farm during the winter and by adventurers who set up in camps close to the peak for the practice of sports such as mountaineering, trekking and rappelling the, what is known as the adventure tourism.

Eat
Varieties of food in the Serra da Mantiqueira are huge, in all cities of the region, you find restaurants and bars of Brazilian and foreign cooking, where you can find Italian cooking, Prtuguesa, German and Swiss.The cities cooler like Campos do Jordão and Monte Verde are of fondue restaurants, chocolate factories and beer. The most famous are Baden and Itaipava.

Sleep
Also hosting will not want to leave. In all the cities of Serra da Mantiqueira you will find a wide range of hotels and inns, from the most luxurious, even the cheapest, there are many varieties of accommodation, location, services, etc.. Many provide a system for booking over the Internet. Some also organize and monitor the guests on some tracks and other activities.

Drink
The manufacture of chocolate, typically produce hot chocolate, which is part of the traditions of the Serra da Mantiqueira

Stay safe
The cities of Serra da Mantiqueira are relatively quiet and low crime. For national parks, trails and climbing ever do without a guide or instructor, since most of the tracks are a bit dangerous due to the geografria park. When light clothes, compass, water, cell phones, GPS or Maps and always from day trekking

title: Serra da Mantiqueira


text:
Serra de Tramuntana

The Serra de Tramuntana is the mountain chain that runs along the north-west coast of Mallorca, reaching from Andratx to the Cap Formentor.

Cities

 * — wonderful scenery and popular with the rich
 * — busiest part of the island, with long and neat beaches, hotels, nightclubs, restaurants and shops
 * — an idyllic landscape with orange and olive groves on steep cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean
 * — an important a place of pilgrimage for Catholics
 * — well-known as a stag-weekend and package-holiday destination for visitors looking for sun, sea and a wild nightlife
 * — in the north-east some call it the second capital of the island
 * — a beautiful and quiet beach resort
 * — one of the most popular destinations on the northern coast of Mallorca
 * Sant Elm/San Telmo — a quiet beach resort north of Andratx
 * — famous for the landmark Royal Charterhouse of Valldemossa, built at the beginning of the 14th century

Other destinations

 * — the northernmost point of Majorca, on the Formentor peninsula, near Pollenca, has several lookout and viewing points

Understand
The Serra de Tramuntana runs along the north-western coast of Mallorca. From Andratx in the west to Cap Formentor in the north-east it has a length of about 50 km and a width of about 7 km. It elevates up to 1,445 m at Puig Major (which is not accessible for the public). The scenery is characterized by bizarre shaped limestone rocks, pine woods and grass, with some partly abandoned fincas in between. The most stunning feature is the many kilometers of dry stone walling, and the gnarled old olive trees some of which may be over 1,000 years old. The coastline is steep and has very few beaches. Limestone walls fall directly into the sea from a height of about 300 to 500 metres. The Serra de Tramuntana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape in 2010.

By car
This is the best option to travel in the Serra de Tramutana. The Ma-10 on its run from Andratx to Pollenca is by far the most scenic drive on Mallorca, although drivers should take care with the steep climbs and sharp bends, and expect to encounter hikers, cyclists and motorcyclists. Many places are only accessible with your own transport.

By bus
Public transport into the Serra de Transmuntana is good along all major arteries via TIB bus. From Palma de Mallorca buses run to Soller and via Andratx, Soller and Lluc to Pollenca on the Ma-10. There are buses from Palma to many destinations in the Traumantana, Esporles, Galilea, Puigpunyent, Valldemossa, Soller etc. It is possible to access the southern part of the coast (Estellence and Banyalbufar) via TIB bus from Palma via Esporles. There are buses to the northern locations (Lluc, Sa Calobra, Puig Major) via Inca and Soller.

By train
A tourist train runs between Palma and Sóller several times a day and is one of the islands main attraction. It's a scenic drive and a nice option for a day-out of Palma.

Get around
As public transport is rare a car will be the best option. Car rental is available at nearly every town and prices are relatively cheap.

See

Take a scenic drive along the R710 with some wonderful views of the rough mountain scenery and the coast. Sa Calobra is probably the island's, if not Spain's, most famous road; do the drive and find out why they built it.

Visit the Monastir de Lluc, and don't forget a visit to Pollenca for a break at the nice market. Puig de Pollenca is religious site from the 14th century, accessed on a wooded hill path with lookout points.

La Granja, near Esporles in the vicinity of Valldemossa, is a 18th-century finca in the mountain. The interior is filled with a beautiful collection of artefacts which recreate the life of the farm at the end of the 19th-century. And eat at the excellent restaurant if you have time.

Hiking
The central point for mountain hikes is the place of pilgrimage named Lluc. Other good places are Soller and Pollenca.

Respect the private property and don't cross grounds if not permitted. If you pass a gate, leave it in the state you have met it, i.e. leave it open if it was open (otherwise the cattle cannot get to their drinking place) and close it, if it was closed (otherwise the cattle will escape.)

Biking
Rent a bicycle and cycle around the island

Aquatic
It is possible to take part in snorkelling and scuba diving from Sant Elm and other locations.

Buy

 * Stop for a coffee at the nice market in Soller.

Market days

 * Wednesday : Andratx, Puerto Pollenca
 * Saturday : Soller
 * Sunday : Pollenca

Eat
Many restaurants offer their services in Andratx, Soller, Valldemossa and Pollenca but cater mostly for the tourists.

Drink
Don't forget to stop for a drink in one of the many cafes at Pollenca's and Soller's market places.

Stay safe
Crime is no problem but the weather is! Keep in mind that weather changes may occur every time so take a jacket and warm clothings with you. The hiking trail along the Torrent de Pareis is especially dangerous after rainfalls so inform yourself about the weather. And don't forget to take something to drink.

Leave no valuables in your car at popular sites such as the view points (Miradors) near Formentor or elsewhere.

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

title: Serra de Tramuntana


text:
Serra dos Órgãos National Park

Serra dos Órgãos is in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in the Southeast of Brazil.

History
Founded 1939.

Landscape
Mountains up to 2.275 m.

By bus
From Petrópolis, it can be easily made as a day trip. To find a suitable bus connection simply use the app Moovit.

You can go for example from near the Rodoviária in Petrópolis Centro with the bus line 700. Check the exact position of the bus stop in Moovit or ask somebody there.

The line 700 goes every 7 minutes to Terminal Corrêas. Change there to the bus line 611. You can go to the final station of the bus and walk from there to the accommodations or the entry of the National Park. The whole trip costs R$8,80 one-way. The last bus connection back to Petropolis is around midnight. The exact time can be checked with Moovit.

Fees and permits
The website of the national park states the detailed fees. As of December 2012 the entrance fee for foreigners is R$22 with an additional fee for using the trails (R$33 for the first day, R$16.50 for additional weekend days or R$3.30 on weekdays.

Do
Travesia da Serra - GPS Coordinates on Wikilog.

Lodging
In Google Maps you can find the accommodations where you can stay in Bonfim near the entrance of the National Park. Some of them can be booked on booking.com

The Eco Lodge Hostel offers dorm rooms for R$80. They are available even though they are neither shown on booking.com or Hostelworld (Dec 2020)

Go next

 * Petrópolis
 * Rio de Janeiro
 * Belo Horizonte
 * Ouro Preto

title: Serra dos Órgãos National Park


text:
Serranía de Ronda

Serranía de Ronda is a region in the Province of Malaga, Andalucia. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty and great geographical diversity that is popular with walkers, birdwatchers, climbers and potholers.

Cities

 * – most important city of the region, set in and around a deep gorge spanned by an impressive bridge
 * — one of the white villages of Andalusia until it was painted in blue as a setting for a Smurfs movie
 * — one of the 'white towns' of the Sierra la Grazalema national park, majestically nestled between two bluffs to the north and south

Understand
It contains both the Sierra de Grazalema - reputedly one of the wettest regions in Spain - and the Sierra de las Nieves. The central town of Ronda is the administrative headquarters, perched on a high plateau, with numerous small, "pueblos blancos" or white villages dotted around the surrounding countryside.

There are limestone escarpments, cork forests and fields of wheat and sunflowers. Numerous small rivers cross the landscape. The climate is generally dry and hot in summer, with mild spring and autumn seasons. Winters can be very cold, particularly at night, and snow is not uncommon at the higher altitudes. Cloudless days in winter can be warm and bright and the light is considered to be good for photography and painting.

Ornithologists value this area as a major migration route and some rare species can be seen.

title: Serranía de Ronda


text:
Serra Talhada

Serra Talhada is a city in Pernambuco Interior in Brazil.

Get in
Serra Talhada is 410 km from Recife. Fly to Recife Gilberto Freyre - Guararapes International Airport. A closer, but much smaller airport, can be found in Caruaru.

By car
From Recife, take interstate highway BR-232 to Serra Talhada.

By bus
From Recife's Bus Terminal (TIP), Auto-Viação Progresso  operates the line Recife-Serra Talhada (tel.: (81) 3452-3079).

title: Serra Talhada


text:
Serre-Chevalier

Serre-Chevalier is a massive French ski-resort. It is situated in the Hautes-Alpes near the Italian border. It is one of the biggest ski resort in Europe with more than 250 km slopes between 1200 and 2800m. The towns included in this resort are:
 * Briançon: Serre Chevalier 1200
 * Saint-Chaffrey - Chantemerle: Serre Chevalier 1350
 * La Salle les Alpes: Serre chevalier 1400
 * Monêtier les Bains: Serre Chevalier 1500

By plane
The closest airports are:
 * Grenoble airport (lowcost airport)[2h45 by car]
 * Lyon [3h by car]
 * Turin
 * Milan (Italy)[2h40 by car]

By train
There is a train station in Briançon.

 * the main line is Marseille-Briançon.
 * A night train comes from Paris, making it easy to reach by train from the UK.

If you want to come by TGV (high speed train) from Lyon or Paris, the most efficient way is to take the Paris-Milan line and to step out at Oulx, Italy. Then there is a bus (30 mn) to Briançon.

By car

 * If you come from Grenoble, you have to take the D1091 and cross the Lautaret pass.
 * If you come from Italy, you have to take the SS24 and cross the Montgenèvre pass.
 * If you come from South (Marseille, Sisteron) you have to take the highway A51/E712, then the N85 to gap and the N94 to Briançon.

By bus
There is a bus from Grenoble to Briançon (2/day) and a bus from Marseille and Gap to Briançon.

Skiing
Serre Chevalier is a world-class resort, with 250km of connected pistes.

title: Serre-Chevalier


text:
Serres

Sérres (Greek: Σέρρες, older form: Σέῤῥαι Sérrai) (Population: 58,287 [2011]) is a city in Macedonia, Greece. It is situated in a fertile plain at an elevation of about 70 m, some 24 km northeast of the Strymon river and 69 km northeast of the Macedonian capital, Thessaloniki. The Rhodope Mountains rise to the north and east of the city. It is the capital of the prefecture of Serres (region) and is situated in the Central Macedonia periphery.

Get around
To the north the hills and the first heights of the Vrondou mountain chain embrace the city which has as its typical landmark the hill of the Acropolis (Koulas), while to the south it overlooks the fertile plain, through which the Strymon River flows some 24 km away.

The city of Serres had to be almost entirely rebuilt after it was set on fire by the retreating Bulgarian army during the Second Balkan War (1913). Modern Serres is a pleasant city, with wide streets, surrounded by abundant woods and luxuriant gardens. The city is typical of the ample width of its road structure, its parks, its squares and in general, with anything that might be a reference point to an integral modern city plan.

From the ruined castle that crowns the round wooded hill to the north, visitors can enjoy the wonderful view and they are invited to explore the pine-filled hills through many picturesque paths.

On the way to this hill, located at Exohon Street, there is one of the most beautiful parks in Serres, the park of Saints' Anargiri valley. Being close to the center of the town it is used as a place of leisure, sports and entertainment by both the young and the old. Lots of clubs and cafes located in this area offer a lot of opportunities for an exciting nightlife during the summer months.

See

 * The city has many parks and protected forests. On the road to Koula hills on Exochon (Exochi) Street, two parks, one is the Agioi Anargyroi Park founded near the downtown area.
 * The area attracts many outdoor tourists due to rugged countryside and splendid trekking paths.
 * The area attracts many outdoor tourists due to rugged countryside and splendid trekking paths.

Further afield

 * Pangaion Hills: Impressive mountainous area with many monasteries and archaeological places
 * Drama: Nice provincial town with impressive caves and landscapes in its area

Do

 * There are Athletic, cultural and folklore associations.
 * The City Cultural Center organizes educational and cultural events.
 * The City Regional Theatre

Buy
When you come to Serres, you should buy its delicious traditional sweets, including “akanes”. It is made from fresh goat butter manufactured in the region of Mt Lailias. It resembles a small Turkish delight and has a strong flavour of well roasted almond. The history of this dessert dates back to the period of the Turkish rule when Mt Lailias served as the holiday resort of Ottoman beys.

The “akanes” sweet was prepared in large cauldrons in which the “retseli” preserve was boiled together with “petimezi”, a Greek wine must syrup, and water from the springs of Mt Lailias. This is why it is called “Akanes Lailia Serron”. In fact, the unique flavour of “akanes” is believed to be due to the special, light and cool water springing from Mt Lailias.

Later, the “retseli” preserve and the “petimezi” syrup were replaced by sugar cane and corn flour. Today, sugar is used instead. As soon as the above-mentioned mixture thickened, fresh butter along with dried fruit and nuts were added to it. When it was ready, it was let to cool before being cut into small pieces.

In modern times, the “akanes” dessert mainly consists of sugar, butter, starch, almonds and corn flour.

Drink

 * There are fabulous cafes in the main square.
 * There are nightclubs available.
 * During the winter, the nightlife is focused on pedestrian streets of the city center. In the city center you can also find bars and pubs, restaurants and patisseries with the famous “akanes”. During the night of “Tsiknopempti”, the street becomes a place for various events and parties, as everyone is drinking, eating and dancing until the morning in the rythmes of the Hallowing.
 * During the summer, the nightlife shifts to the valley of Agious Anargirous.

Go next

 * Drama
 * Kavala
 * Thessaloniki
 * Melnik
 * Pirin National Park
 * Bansko

title: Serres


text:
Serro

Serro is a historic town in Central Minas Gerais.

Understand
In colonial times the city was known by the name Vila do Príncipe (Princeville). Serro is well known for its traditional cheese, cultural richness, colonial influence and unique environment.

By car

 * From Diamantina via BR-367 through Guinda, and then via MG-259 from Datas, for 88 km.
 * From Belo Horizonte via 'BR-381, MG-434, and then 'MG-129 to Itabira, BR-120 to Guanhães, and then BR-259

By bus

 * Rodoviária de Serro, Praça Ângelo Miranda, s/nº, tel. +55 38 3541-1366

See

 * Matriz Nossa Sra. Conceição, Largo do Pelourinho. Built in 1713.
 * Igreja do Bom Jesus do Matozinhos, Praça Cristiano Otoni. Rococo style.
 * Igreja do Rosário, built in 1759.
 * Capela de Santa Rita, highest point of the Historic Center, built in 1745.
 * Pico do Itambé, 40 km distant
 * Malheiros Waterfall
 * Cascatinha Waterfall
 * Pedra Redonda
 * Malheiros Waterfall
 * Cascatinha Waterfall
 * Pedra Redonda

title: Serro


text:
Sesotho phrasebook

Sesotho is the main language of Lesotho and is one of the official languages of South Africa.

Vowels

 * a : as in spa
 * e : as in pit, cafe, or bed
 * i : as in beet
 * o : as in put, French "oiseau", or board
 * u : as in boot

Consonants

 * b : same as English, only fully voiced
 * bj : pronounced as above, followed by either the s as in vision or the j as in yarn
 * d : same as English as an allophone of l that only occurs before i and u
 * f : same as English
 * fj : pronounced as above, followed by sh as in she
 * h : same as English, voiced or unvoiced; it's an allophone, either way
 * j : as in vision or jam
 * k : as in skill, only unaspirated
 * kh : fully aspirated k, which occurs mostly in old loanwords and ideophones
 * l : same in English
 * m : same in English
 * n : same in English
 * ng : as in sing
 * ny : as in onion or Spanish "el niño"
 * p : as in spit, only unaspirated
 * ph : fully aspirated p
 * pj : pronounced as p, followed by sh as in she
 * pjh : aspirated pj
 * s : same as English
 * sh : as in shoe
 * t : as in stalk, only unaspirated
 * th : aspirated t
 * tj : as in which, only unaspirated
 * tjh : aspirated tj
 * ts : as in cats, only unaspirated
 * tsh : aspirated ts
 * w : same in English
 * y : as in yarn

 * Tricky Consonants

 * hl :
 * kg : as in the way the Scottish say loch
 * r : as in French, only soft; originally pronounced as an alveolar rolled lingual
 * tl :
 * tlh : aspirated tl
 * q :
 * qh : aspirated q
 * nq :

Basics
I'm OK or fine (Ke hantle )
 * Hello. : dumela. (doomellah)
 * Hello. (informal) : Khotso. (hotsow)
 * How are you? : U phela joang? (oo-pee-la-jwang)
 * I'm fine. How are you?: Kea phela, wena ujwang (key-ah-pee-la wena-ujwang)
 * What is your name? : Lebitso la hau ke mang? (leh-beet-saw la-how key-mung)
 * My name is ______ . : Lebitso la ka ke ______ . (  _____ .)
 * Nice to meet you. : Ke thabela ho u tseba . ( key-ta-bell-a-who-oo-t-see-ba )
 * Please. : . (Ke kopa o... )
 * Thank you. : Kea leboha. ( )
 * You're welcome. : . ( )
 * Yes. : . (Eea )
 * No. : . (Che )/aowa(awa)
 * Excuse me. (getting attention) : . (A k'u ntšoarele hanyane)
 * Excuse me. (begging pardon) : . ( )
 * I'm sorry
 * Ntšoarele. ( )
 * Goodbye : Sala hantle. ( )
 * Goodbye (informal) : . ( )
 * I can't speak Sesotho [well]. : [ ]. ( [])
 * Do you speak English? : U bua sekhooa ? ( ?)
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? : ? (Hona le motho ea tsebang ho bua Sekhooa?)
 * Help! : Ke kopa thuso! ( !)
 * Look out! : ! (Hlokomela !)
 * Good morning. : . (Lumaka/Khotso )
 * Good evening. : . (dumela/Khotso )
 * Good night. : . (Dumela/Khotso )
 * Good night (to sleep) : Robala hantle. ( )
 * I don't understand. : Ha ke utloisise. ( )
 * Where is the toilet? : ? (Ntloaneng ke kae?)
 * Good night (to sleep) : Robala hantle. ( )
 * I don't understand. : Ha ke utloisise. ( )
 * Where is the toilet? : ? (Ntloaneng ke kae?)

Problems

 * Leave me alone. : ("kgaohana le nna")
 * Don't touch me! : ("se ntshware")
 * I'll call the police. : ("ketla founela mapolesa")
 * Police! : ("mapolesa plr..leponesa sing")
 * Stop! Thief! : ("Ema!leshodu")
 * I need your help. : ke hloka thuso ya hao("...")
 * It's an emergency. : ("ke tshwanyetso")
 * I'm lost. : ke lahlehile ("...")
 * I lost my bag. : ("ke lahlehetswe ke mokotla waka")
 * I lost my wallet. : ("ke lahlehetswe ke sepatjhe saka")
 * I'm sick. : ("ke ya kula")
 * I've been injured. : ("ke lemetse")
 * I need a doctor. : ("ke hloka ngaka")
 * Can I use your phone? : ("Nka sebedisa mohala wa hao wa thekeng")

Numbers

 * 1 : Ngoe
 * 2 : Peli
 * 3 : Tharo
 * 4 : 'Ne
 * 5 : Hlano
 * 6 : Ts'elela
 * 7 : Supa
 * 8 : Robeli
 * 9 : Robong
 * 10 : Leshome
 * 11 : Leshome le motso o mong
 * 12 : Leshome le metso e 'meli
 * 13 : Leshome le metso e meraro
 * 14 : Leshome le metso e mene
 * 15 : Leshome le metso e mehlano
 * 16 : Leshome le metso e ts'eletseng
 * 17 : Leshome le metso e supileng
 * 18 : Leshome le metso e robeli
 * 19 : Leshome le metso e robong
 * 20 : Mashome a mabeli
 * 30 : Mashome a mararo
 * 40 : Mashome a mane
 * 50 : Mashome a mahlano
 * 60 : Mashome a ts'eletseng
 * 70 : Mashome a supileng
 * 80 : Mashome a robeli
 * 90 : Mashome a robong
 * 100 : Lekholo
 * 200 : Makholo a mabeli
 * 300 : Makholo a mararo
 * 400 : Makholo a mane
 * 600 : Makholo a mahlano
 * 600 : Makholo a ts'eletseng
 * 700 : Makholo a supileng
 * 800 : Makholo a robeli
 * 900 : Makholo a robong
 * 1000 : Sekete

Clock time

 * Hour : Hora
 * Hours : Dihora
 * Minute : Motsotso
 * Minutes : Metsotso
 * Second : Motsotswana
 * Seconds : Metsotswana

Days

 * Monday : Mantaha
 * Tuesday : Labobedi
 * Wednesday : Laboraro
 * Thursday : Labone
 * Friday : Labohlano
 * Saturday : Moqebelo
 * Sunday : Sontaha
 * Weekend : Mafelo a beke

Months

 * January : ("pherekgong ")
 * February : ("hlakola")
 * March : ("hlakubele")
 * April : ("mmesa")
 * May : ("motsheanong")
 * June : ("phupu")
 * July : ("phupjane")
 * August : ("phato")
 * September : ("lwetse")
 * October : ("motsheanong")
 * November : ("pudungwane")
 * December : ("tshitswe")

Colors

 * Red : ("kgubedu")
 * Yellow : ("tshehla")
 * Green : ("tala")
 * Blue : ("bolou")
 * Black : ("ntsho")
 * White : ("sweu")
 * Purple : ("perese")
 * Orange : ("...")
 * Brown : ("...")
 * Grey : ("putswa")
 * Pink : ("...")

Bus and train

 * How much is a ticket to _____? : ("...")ke bokaye ticket
 * One ticket to _____, please. : ("...")
 * Where does this train/bus go? : ("...")
 * Where is the train/bus to _____? : ("...")
 * Does this train/bus stop in _____? : ("...")
 * When does the train/bus for _____ leave? : ("...")
 * When will this train/bus arrive in _____? : ("...")

Money
tjhelete Che le te

Eating

 * Eat the food : ("eja dijo")

title: Sesotho phrasebook


text:
Sestri Levante

Sestri Levante is a city of 18,000 people (2011) in Liguria. While nearby Portofino and the Cinque Terre are probably the best-known tourist destinations on the Italian Riviera, Sestri Levante is popular amongst Italians. This once quiet fishing village is turning into a tourist hotspot, developing an old and a new town.

Understand
Sestri Levante is approximately halfway between Genoa and La Spezia. The town has two bays: Baia delle Favole, (Bay of the Fables), and Baia del Silenzio, the (Bay of Silence). The original part of Sestri Levante is on a peninsula, with the Baia del Silenzio (also known as "Portobello") on one side and Baia delle Favole on the other.

History
Sestri Levante has its origins as an ancient maritime and merchant centre. It used to be a small island with a promontory, but was later connected to the mainland. In Roman times, it was known as Segesta Tigullorum (or Tigulliorum) or simply Segesta, but the place was nearly abandoned when the Roman empire collapsed. It seems to have belonged to the Ligurian tribe of the Tigullii. During the Middle Ages, Sestri Levante began to expand, probably giving the fortress appearance that is due to the terrain.

In 1133, the noble family of Lavagna, the Fieschi, attacked Tigullio, the gulf in which Sestri Levante is located, however, they were fought off by the powerful Republic of Genoa, and therefore, Sestri Levante became a part of the republic, for military protection. In

Get in
The closest international airport is Cristoforo Colombo in Genoa, about km of Sestri Levante. It is a rather small airport, but there are direct flights from several Western European capitals as well as plenty of domestic flights.

Get around
Within the Tigullio gulf you can visit also Lavagna, Chiavari, Zoagli, Rapallo, Santa Margherita and Portofino. 30 km south you can visit the Cinqueterre, 5 small towns built on the rocks on the sea. The best way to reach there is by train from Sestri Levante.

See

The Galleria Rizzi houses a precious collection of paintings of the Genovese school (from the 15th to the 18th century). The Convento dei Cappuccini is in an extraordinary panoramic location, and that of San Nicolò in Isola is truly attractive. There are beautiful slate portals and marvelous villas and historic palazzos such as the Palazzo Negretto Cambiaso and the Palazzo Comunale, and the Villa Gualino and the Villa Balbi.

title: Sestri Levante


text:
Setúbal

Setúbal is a city in Estremadura, Portugal, on the northern bank of the Sado River estuary. The city is connected with the nearby Arrábida hills natural park, which offers an unspoiled nature and beautiful beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. A dolphin colony inhabits the Sado River. Across the river on the south bank lies the peninsula of Tróia, a place with vast white/golden sand beaches where several luxury hotels and resorts have been built. The Tróia peninsula can be sighted from the city, across the river. Albarquel, Figueirinha, Galápos, Galapinhos, Creiro and Portinho da Arrábida are some of the city's many beaches, located in the north bank of the estuary, at the very beginning of the Arrábida hills.

Understand

Setúbal (s(ih)-TOO-bahl, /sɨ.ˈtu.baɫ/) is a coastal town, known for its fishing activities, traditions and industrial area. It's the capital of the Setúbal district. You might also want to check out Serra da Arrábida, for the nature part of Setúbal.

Setúbal is notable for the industries of pulp, paper, cement, fertilizers, pesticides, other phytopharmaceutical products, thermal power, shipbuilding and ship repair. There is a lot of automobile assembling industr. The Port of Setúbal was the 4th busiest port in Portugal in 2012, with 7.4% of the cargo throughput in the country.

By plane
The nearest airport is Humberto Delgado Airport (IATA: LIS) in Lisbon.

By train
You can access Setúbal by trains from Lisbon, and most towns in the surrounding area. You also have lots of trains from anywhere to Lisbon, if there is not a direct train to Setúbal, you might want to consider getting one to Lisbon, and then to Setúbal. Also, if you are already downtown in the vicinity of Praça de Comércio, you don't have to backtrack to any of the rail stations, but can instead take a ferry from Terreiro do Paço terminal to Barreiro across the river and pick up a train from there; it's a different branch than the Lisbon-Setúbal line, and the combined travel time would be about the same.

By car
It shouldn't be a problem to find your way, Setúbal is a major town in the area, so, if you are around, you will have signs to point out your way. It is approximately 48 km (30 miles) south of Lisbon.

By bus
There are buses that serve from Lisbon to Setúbal every day and almost every hour a day, if you're in the capital it won't be a problem. There are also buses that serve the surrounding area towns.

By boat
The Tróia is a peninsula near Setúbal, and that is probably the only way to commercially reach Setúbal by boat.

On foot
The historic center of Setúbal, as well as the adjacent Avenida Luisa Todi, are flat and great to walk around, and where you can find a number of attractions, including the Livramento Market, the Convento de Jesus and the Setúbal Museum, on your way. If you can, stop for a meal at one of the many restaurants there.

By car
It is mandatory to take a tour, by car, motorbike or tuk-tuk, through Serra da Arrábida. Start at the end of Avenida Luisa Todi and walk through the Arrábida Natural Park where you will pass by fantastic beaches and stop at the viewpoints with a magnificent view over the Bay, considered one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

By bus
Buses serve the whole town and are generally OK on schedules and quality.

See

Stroll through downtown Setúbal on foot and discover the best of the city. Just ask how you can get to Avenida Luísa Todi, and the rest will work out just fine. You can see some of the nicer monuments, architecture and daily life there. Also, at the end of the venue you will enter Arrábida. And anywhere to the sides is filled with shops and typical streets with humble tascas (small coffee shops) where some of the best seafood in the country is served at cheap prices.

Do

You might want to go to Arrábida to enjoy nature at its best in the Setúbal area, but be careful, it's really not that hard to get lost there. Also, in Avenida Luisa Todi, and if want to experience the typical morning for many people, you can go to the fish market and see things around. Theatre Luisa Todi, if you are a theatre fan; shows will be in Portuguese, though.

You can also go for a walk in Albarquel Urban Park, near the Luisa Todi avenue.

 * Watch football at Vitória FC. In 2020 they fell foul of registration requirements and were double-relegated to Campeonato de Portugal, the third tier of soccer in the country. Their home ground Estádio do Bonfim (capacity 15,000) is next to the park.

Speleology
Tourist caves and dissemination of speleological heritage in Setúbal

Learn
There are several schools in Setúbal, and a polytechnic institute that is becoming nationally famous for its quality. It offers courses on the most varied areas ranging from Sports to Business Administration, Nursing or Mechanical Engineering.

Buy
There are many shops spread around the city, as normal. In the Luisa Todi area you will find many small shops and bigger clothing shops mostly. And there is the Shopping Center Alegro Setúbal, for your bigger needs.

Regional products

 * Regional products that you can also buy in Setúbal: In a patisserie, Tortas de Azeitão and in a delicatessen, Queijo de Azeitão.
 * Regional products that you can also buy in Setúbal: In a patisserie, Tortas de Azeitão and in a delicatessen, Queijo de Azeitão.
 * Regional products that you can also buy in Setúbal: In a patisserie, Tortas de Azeitão and in a delicatessen, Queijo de Azeitão.
 * Regional products that you can also buy in Setúbal: In a patisserie, Tortas de Azeitão and in a delicatessen, Queijo de Azeitão.

Eat
There are many typical restaurants where you can eat good grilled fish and typical food. There's also a good deal of fast-food shops and pizza places. You can also find Indian and Japanese food.

Drink
There's a nice selection of bars in downtown Setúbal.

Sleep
Most hotels and accommodation you can find are probably downtown (once again, Luisa Todi Avenue) and there is also a hotel near the Bonfim, which is near the bus station.

Stay safe
Setúbal is considered a generally safe area but it has some of the major problematic neighbourhoods in the country.

There are some parts of the city you might want to avoid, but the shabbiness will warn you of that. By day even in those parts you shouldn't have any problems, but be cautious. Take the usual precautions, mostly at night, in downtown Setúbal, but usually you won't have a problem. Avoid being alone but if you find yourself in that situation, just walk in very well lit places and with many people around or call/grab a taxi to take you to your destination.

Go next

 * Palmela
 * Grândola
 * Alcácer do Sal
 * Évora
 * Beja

title: Setúbal


text:
Sete Lagoas

Sete Lagoas is a city in Central Minas Gerais.

By plane
The nearest major airport is in Belo Horizonte.

By car

 * BR-040 - north-northwest from Belo Horizonte or southeast from João Pinheiro and Paracatu

Lakes
Sete Lagoas takes its name from the seven lakes in and around town.

Do

 * Paragliding or hang-gliding - The Serra de Santa Helena has a designated ramp and optimal conditions for cross-country. Conditions are best from September to November.

title: Sete Lagoas


text:
Seto

Seto (瀬戸) in Northern Aichi prefecture is synonymous with ceramics in Japan. This city is home to several ceramic artists and companies.

Understand
Seto has a long history of ceramics. In Japan, the term Setomono (瀬戸物. lit. Seto's things) means ceramics.

During the Edo period, Tamikichi Kato (加藤民吉), brought new methods of ceramic production to Seto and founded his own style. Eventually the domain of Owari became his patrons which allowed his style to flourish. As such, he is considered to be the father of Seto ceramics.

Tourist information site
The local tourist association has a partly multilingual guide site.

By train
Seto is home to two train lines, the primary being the Meitetsu-Seto Line. This train is easily recognizable by its bright red paint job. It runs regularly between Owari-Seto and Sakae.

If coming from Nagoya station there are two ways to reach Seto. The first way you start out on the JR Chuo Line to Ozone. At Ozone you change from JR to the Meitetsu and you take the Meitetsu to Seto. The second way is to again take the JR Chuo Line, but instead of disembarking at Ozone continue riding to Kozoji station. At Kozoji change to the Aichi Loop Line and get off at Shin-Seto.

Please note that most of the sites and ceramics shops are located near Owari-Seto station and not Shin-Seto.

Get around
Seto is small enough that you can walk to most of the attractions from either Owari-Seto station or from Shin-Seto station. However there are a variety of buses that will usually run to or near further destinations.

See
Seto was part of the location of the Expo 2005 held in Seto and Nagakute. The attractions are mostly gone, but the grounds are still there and have been converted into a park.

Do

Buy
Ceramics can be found in many of the shops that line the main street of Owari-Seto. Ceramics and glass works can be also purchased in the Seto Ceramics and Glass Center.

Go next

 * Nagakute
 * Toyota
 * Nagoya
 * Nisshin
 * Tajimi
 * Toki
 * Kasugai
 * Owariasahi
 * Mizunami

title: Seto


text:
Seto Inland Sea

The Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海 Seto Naikai) is the body of water between the Japanese islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. With countless islands crisscrossed by bridges and ferries, a warm climate and low rainfall, this is fertile territory for olives and citrus and is often described as "Japan's Mediterranean Sea". The whole surrounding area was designated as one of the first National Parks of Japan in 1934.

Islands
Depending on how you count, there are anywhere between 700 and 3000 islands in the Inland Sea, over 170 of which are inhabited. English naming is quite inconsistent, with the Japanese -shima/jima (島, "island") sometimes includes in the English name, sometimes not. Here are some of the better-known ones.

 * East
 * — Kansai's stepping stone to Shikoku
 * Central
 * — the island of olives
 * — devoted to contemporary art
 * — a new centre of art.
 * — yet another art-island.
 * — quiet beach island with an international villa
 * Megijima — AKA "Ogre Island".
 * Ogijima — picturesque, rocky island.
 * Honjima
 * Takamijima
 * Awashima
 * Ibukijima
 * West -- Geiyo Islands (芸予諸島 Geiyo Shotō)
 * — Japan's Lemon Island, with a famously eccentric temple complex
 * Innoshima — famous for tangerine cultivation.
 * — famous for its shrine and "floating torii" gate
 * Omishima
 * — home to one of Japan's best-preserved yet least-visited historic town districts
 * Suooshima

Understand
Many of Japan's largest cities border the Inland Sea, and the countless small islands in the Sea are perfect for off-the-beaten-track exploration.

By boat
Boats are the natural way to travel around the sea. There are countless services, most running only short distances; check under your destination of interest for details.

By car

After billions of dollars in construction works, the Seto Inland Sea is now crossed by no less than three stupendously huge bridges. From east to west:

 * Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, with the longest suspended span in the world, between Akashi (off Kobe, Honshu) and Awaji
 * Seto-Ōhashi Bridge, a set of ten bridges connected Kurashiki, Okayama (Honshu) to Sakaide, Kagawa (Shikoku)
 * Shimanami Kaido, from Onomichi, Hiroshima (Honshu) to Imabari, Ehime (Shikoku) via seven bridges

By bicycle
The very popular Shimanami Kaido Bikeway crosses the seven bridges of the Shimanami Kaido from Onomichi, Hiroshima (Honshu) to Imabari, Ehime (Shikoku). The 70km route can be covered in a single long day, but most travelers opt to split it in two. Bike rentals are widely available at both ends.

For a more off the beaten track alternative, the nearby Akinada Tobishima Kaido from Kure also hops from island to island. One end can be reached by ferry from Imabari, so the route can be combined with the Shimanami Kaido into a grand tour.

By train
The only train connection across the Inland Sea is via the Seto-Ohashi Bridge from Okayama to Takamatsu and onward. Services are fast and frequent, although no Shinkansen service is available.

Itineraries

 * Shimanami Kaido Bikeway
 * Akinada Tobishima Kaido

title: Seto Inland Sea


text:
Setti Fatma

Setti Fatma is a small village in the Ourika Valley in Morocco. The old original berber village has now been completely centered around tourism with the seven falls being the main attraction.

Get in
Most people will visit Setti Fatma as part of an organised trip along the Ourika Valley.

From Marrakech
Drive south on road P2017 and continue straight at the Oukaimeden exit near Aghbalou. Setti Fatma is at the end of this road, just after Asgaour. Ignore everyone that tries to show you where to park, and settle for a spot along the river.

Do
Climb to the Waterfalls. Although not as impressive as the waterfalls in the Cascade d'Ouzoud these waterfalls are an easy hike up the hill and are worth a visit. Locals will offer to guide you for between 100 dirham and 150 dirham as far as the first waterfall. This is not really necessary as the route is clearly marked with blue arrows once you get into the main part of the village. Cross the river by one of the many bridges and then follow the river (or the tourists) to find the route. The guides are however generally very courteous and will help the less fleet of foot clamber up the rocks and cross the wet stepping stones on the way up.

While the first fall is accessible to most, climbing is necessary in order to reach the remaining falls. If climbing, ignore the numerous faux guides and book the official guides instead who have their office on the main street.

Buy

 * Berber rugs and carpets, trinkets made of alabaster and Berber jewellery.

Eat

 * There are a number of restaurants and cafes along the river offering the usual Moroccan salad and Tagine.

Go next
Setti Fatma can be used as a starting point for treks in the high Atlas mountains to among others Tacheddirt (3892m) and Oukaimeden (2650m).

title: Setti Fatma


text:
Settle

Settle is a village in North Yorkshire in the Yorkshire Dales, with a population of 2714 in 2021.

Visitor information

 * Visit Settle by Vibrant Settle Community Partnership.
 * Settle Town Council.

Get in
Trains from Leeds run every couple of hours, and take an hour to Settle via Shipley, Bingley, Keighley, Skipton, Gargrave, Hellifield and Long Preston. They continue to Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Ribblehead, Dent, Garsdale, Kirkby Stephen, Appleby, Langwathby, Lazonby, Armathwaite and Carlisle, another 1 hr 40 min. Carlisle is on the London Euston - Preston - Glasgow main line.

is central in the village, and has a staffed ticket office and machines. The waiting room is closed until further notice but the toilets are open. There is step free access to Platform 1 towards Leeds. Platform 2 towards Carlisle is reached by a footbridge with no lift, and the level crossing can only be used during staffed hours.

See below for the museum in the old station signal box. Heritage trains sometimes run up this line and make a brief halt, then continue to Ribblehead viaduct and Appleby.

Another service from Leeds diverges at Long Preston and stops at Giggleswick every two hours. These trains continue to Clapham, Bentham, Wennington, Carnforth, Lancaster and Morecambe.

is a mile west of Settle on Brackenber Lane. It's just an unstaffed halt with no toilets, waiting room, ticket office or machines, buy on board or at Settle if your journey starts here. There is step-free access to Platform 1 towards Leeds, but a barrow-crossing to reach Platform 2 towards Lancaster.

Kirkby Lonsdale Bus 580 runs hourly M-F from Skipton, and takes 40 min via Gargrave, Hellifield and Long Preston. Bus 581 runs M-Sa hourly from Kirkby Lonsdale, and takes 40 min via Ingleton, Clapham, Austwick and Giggleswick. Buses make several stops in Settle and turn around in the marketplace.

Dales Bus 11 runs M-Sa every two hours from Clitheroe, taking 80 min via Whitewell, Dunsop Bridge, Slaidburn, Tosside, Wigglesworth and Giggleswick, and continuing to Langcliffe, Stainforth and Horton-in-Ribblesdale.

By road follow A65 from Leeds northwest past Skipton, then B6480 the bypassed old loop of road through the village. These roads are congested on fine summer weekends.

Get around

 * "Settle is the capital of an isolated little kingdom of its own surrounded by barren hills" according to Daniel Defoe (1660-1731)

You need wheels to explore the Dales and reach the trailheads.

Settle Taxi (+44 1729 824824) is erratic, it's a one-man-show covering a scattered area.

See

 * stands on Market Square in village centre. Completed in 1832, it housed the local government until this merged into Craven District in 1974. It's now mixed use.

Do

 * Castleberg is the limestone crag east of the village, a 15 minute ascent.
 * Golf: Settle & Giggleswick GC is two miles northwest on B6480. It's nine holes, twice around off white tees is 5988 yards, par 70.
 * Yorkshire Festival of Story is held in November in Settle, Skipton and online.
 * Yorkshire Festival of Story is held in November in Settle, Skipton and online.

Buy

 * Settle Market is held Tu 9AM-4PM in the square by Town Hall. Settle was granted a market charter by Henry III in 1249.
 * Co-op Food in market square is open daily 7AM-10PM.

Eat

 * Others around the square include Matteo's, Dales Deli, Waffle Cone, Royal Spice, Darling Thai and Bailey's.
 * Ruchee serves Indian and Bangladeshi food on Duke St a block southwest of the square, open daily 5-10:30PM.
 * Others around the square include Matteo's, Dales Deli, Waffle Cone, Royal Spice, Darling Thai and Bailey's.
 * Ruchee serves Indian and Bangladeshi food on Duke St a block southwest of the square, open daily 5-10:30PM.

Drink

 * Millers Bar is at 13 Duke St, open Su M 3-9PM, W Th 3-10PM, F Sa 3-11PM.
 * Settle Brewery produces a range of cask ales.
 * Settle Brewery produces a range of cask ales.

Sleep

 * Dales and Trails Campsite on Blaithwaite Farm near Giggleswick is only available for exclusive hire, with room for 14 tents.
 * Dales and Trails Campsite on Blaithwaite Farm near Giggleswick is only available for exclusive hire, with room for 14 tents.
 * Dales and Trails Campsite on Blaithwaite Farm near Giggleswick is only available for exclusive hire, with room for 14 tents.
 * Dales and Trails Campsite on Blaithwaite Farm near Giggleswick is only available for exclusive hire, with room for 14 tents.
 * Dales and Trails Campsite on Blaithwaite Farm near Giggleswick is only available for exclusive hire, with room for 14 tents.
 * Dales and Trails Campsite on Blaithwaite Farm near Giggleswick is only available for exclusive hire, with room for 14 tents.
 * Dales and Trails Campsite on Blaithwaite Farm near Giggleswick is only available for exclusive hire, with room for 14 tents.

Connect
As of March 2024, Settle and the A65 have 4G from EE and Vodafone but a poor patchy signal from O2 and Three. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * North is Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Ribblehead Viaduct.
 * Northwest on A65 is Clapham; stay on this road for Kirkby Lonsdale and the Lake District.

title: Settle


text:
Settler Country

Settler Country is in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Cities

 * — home of the Aliwal Spa thermal springs resort
 * — the pineapple capital of South Africa is home to a 16.7-m replica of the "excellent fruit"
 * — its nearby Amatola Forest may make you think of the forest of Mirkwood from JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings
 * — renamed "Qonce" in 2021, it was the birthplace of Steve Biko the famous anti-Apartheid activist
 * — farming communities in the valleys of the Eastern Cape Drakensberg

title: Settler Country


text:
Sevan

Sevan is a city in Lake Sevan Region, Armenia, about 3 km from the lake shore.

Understand
Sevan city is barely a tourist destination, as it is not by the shores of the lake, where the string of tired, Soviet-era hotels and amusements can be found. It is a decent spot to load up on groceries however.

By marshrutka
Marshrutkas depart from Yerevan's North Bus Station to Sevan several times a day, taking 1 hr. You can also get relatively close to town by taking minibuses towards Vardenis, Dilijan, Ijevan or Noyemberian and getting off part way, but getting to town might be a little complicated with the latter three. Taxis from Yerevan or elsewhere charge 100 dram/km. Tbilisi looks close on the map, but there are no regular connections: take these between Tbilisi and Vanadzor then a taxi over the hills to Sevan.

By train
Trains from Yerevan to Sevan operate in summer months; see the railways service website for a timetable.

Get around
Walking around the city is easy on foot. Taxis are plentiful if necessary.

See and do
Most sights and activities are spread around the Lake Sevan Region, have a look there to identify your preferences.

Buy
If you live in Yerevan, and are in this area, you can buy fresh fish, crawdads, marinated fish patties that you can take home to barbecue/fry immediately or freeze, and smoked fish.

Eat

 * There are some fast food places in town, and cafes, but most of the good places to eat are on the shores of the lake, a bit north.

Drink
There are no special places to drink here aside from a few cafes, but wherever food is served, alcohol is available. Most places have a limited selection of vodkas, cognac, wine and beer.

Sleep
Although there are some hotel options in the city, your best bet is to find accommodations at one of the lakeside hotels, camp, or stay in Yerevan.

Nevertheless, camping opportunities are endless.

Go next

 * Dilijan — A popular forest resort known as the "Little Switzerland" of Armenia.
 * Shorzha — A village on the eastern shores of Lake Sevan with some very nice views and relaxed, quiet atmosphere.
 * Vardenis — A tucked away city in the southeast corner of the lake. There are a few small monasteries and chapels, mountains and valleys that only those making it this far will have a chance to see.

title: Sevan


text:
Sevastopol

Sevastopol (Russian: Севастополь), also known as Sebastopol, is an important and historical port on the Black Sea in Crimea. It is also a popular seaside resort and tourist destination, mainly for visitors from the Commonwealth of Independent States countries.

Understand
"Легендарный Севастополь, Неприступный для врагов. Севастополь, Севастополь— Гордость русских моряков!

Legendary Sevastopol, Inaccessible to enemies. Sevastopol, Sevastopol— The pride of Russian sailors!"

- Pyotr Gradov

In Graeco-Roman times it was known as Chersonesus Taurica. It is a very important city in Russian history as Vladimir the Great, the first Russian leader to adopt Christianity, was baptized into the Eastern Orthodox Church here in A.D. 988. This settlement was sacked by the Mongol Horde several times in the 13th and 14th centuries, and then totally abandoned, only to be refounded in 1783 as the base of the Black Sea Navy of Russia. It was famously besieged by the British in the Crimean War. The unique geographic location and navigation conditions of the city's harbours make Sevastopol a very significant naval strategic stronghold, not unlike Gibraltar and Halifax. As the historic home port of the Soviet (and later the Russian) Navy's Black Sea Fleet, the city has always had a significant Russian naval presence. Before the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea, the city was home to the headquarters of both the Ukrainian Naval Forces and Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

The population is largely ethnically Russian, so on that basis, some people believe that the population's sympathies lie largely with Russia rather than Ukarine. Some city residents had strongly protested the visit of American naval ships and Ukrainian interest in joining NATO.

There are more than 30 bays within the bounds of the region. The total area of the city is 1079 km². The water area of the inner bays takes 216 km² of the total area.

There are more than 2,000 monuments in the city, a lot of historical places, museums, theatres, numerous parks and boulevards.

The major features of the city are on two streets, ulitsa Lenina and ulitsa Bolshoya Morskaya; there is a hill between them, on which is ulitsa Sovietska; there are numerous steps to get up and across the hill. Marshrutki (mini buses) tend to go up one of these streets and down the other; at the south end of ul. Lenina you can turn left to get to the train station and the bus-station.

By plane

The international airport in Simferopol is much better connected.

By rail
Sevastopol is rather poorly served by long-distance train but the nearby city of Simferopol is well-connected with many major cities in western Russia. With up to 20 connections each day between the two cities, and a journey time of only two hours, it's easy to get here by train. There are a few direct long-distance overnight services. Moscow (24 hours) has one daily train as well as Saint Petersburg (35 hours). Services from Kyiv (16 hours) via Dnipro (9 hours) and Donetsk (11 hours) have been suspended since annexation.

Get around
Getting around Sevastopol, on a day to day basis, can be done by foot, by mini-bus (marshrutka), and by city bus. Given the hilly terrain and circuitous routes created as Sevastopol grew around its bays and shoreline, walking is less likely to be efficient, especially after one leaves the city center.

English maps and schedules for buses are hardly available, and that one may need to depend on the word of citizens, operators, and fellow passengers to find the right route and stop. Buses and marshrutkas are economical, though often crowded, with marshrutkas being faster and slightly more expensive. Some travel sites contain comments recommending boats that will take tourists to beaches and islands. It's much harder to get off boats if you realize you are on the wrong one and it is also difficult to leave a dicey location if the only transport is by boat.

Good road maps of the town (with street names in both Latin and Cyrillic characters) can be obtained from press kiosks.

Renting a car is a great way to experience Crimea without dealing with the often late and uncomfortable public transportation. Car rental is possible at many places, but the cheapest appears to be at Number 43 Proletariarskaya ulitsa at the southern end of the city. Starting from US$10 per day (250 km included) and a refundable US$200 deposit, it is fairly easy to rent a car and enjoy the southern coast this way.

See
Sevastopol is a good jumping-off place to see some of the sites from the Crimean War. There are also many Soviet war memorials - Sevastopol is one of the thirteen Hero Cities of the Great Patriotic War. There is a large statue of Lenin, with soldiers, peasants and workers, on ulitsa Sovietska, which is the spine of the main section of the city. There is a statue of Admiral Nakhimov, who defeated the Turkish fleet and masterminded the defence of Sevastopol at the time of the Crimean War, in a square at the head of the main part of the city.

Do

 * Ride the ferry boats crossing the bay. Common routes include those to a number of locations on the north side of the town, where the best white sand beach and small airfield are.  Locals use these north/south ferries to commute to and from work.  The ferries travel all over the city and it is a good way to get photos of the various landmarks.
 * In the summer, there are numerous tented beer bars on the waterfront. It's great for watching the ships entering the bay.

Buy
There are lots of boutiques on Bolshoy Morskoy Str. if you want fashionable clothes.

Russian domestic debit and credit cards are accepted in most shops in the city, but not accepted in markets, foreign banks are wary to do business due to ongoing sanctions. There are a lot of ATMs.

Budget

 * You should try original and real "Baklava", which is different than the Greek or Turkish versions. European soldiers fighting in the Crimean War coined the term "Baklava" while fighting in Sevastopol and neighbouring Balaklava from the local fried bread coated in honey popular in the region. Hence, the name, Baklava, was imported to the West. It's a thin unleavened fried flour bread covered in honey and sold in small stores and on beaches by vendors.

Drink
This is a major naval port, there are lots of places selling beer and other drinks scattered around the city.

Connect
Places with Wi-Fi in the city center:
 * The main post office in the center of Bolshaya Morskaya has a large Internet café.
 * Restaurant "Ostrov Sushi" in the center of Artillery Bay has wireless
 * The Greenwich Coffee House at Admiral Oktyabraskaya, 15 (~300 m West of Bolshaya Morskaya) also has Wi-Fi in a Starbuck's-like atmosphere.
 * Restaurant "Il Patio" Nakhimova ave, 8, near the sea in Artillery Bay
 * Restaurant "1820" Nakhimova, 10, at the bus stop near Lazareva square
 * The Hotel Crimea (Gostinica Krim) has an Internet café that is open 24 hours a day.

Respect
Sevastopol was a closed city during the Soviet period. Residents, as in other ethnic Russian areas, are not impressed with foreigners who have no appreciation or understanding of their language and culture. Probably fewer than 20 percent of the locals have a working knowledge of English and only about 10 percent of those care to speak English with foreigners who assume that English is widely understood in former Soviet republics. If, on the other hand, you have bothered to master a basic understanding of Russian and show a little humility, Sevastopol locals, like Russians elsewhere, will often go out of their way to communicate with you, most often by adapting their speech as if they were speaking to a five year old or whatever your level is.

Sevastopol, like most any ethnic Russian town, is a challenge, but certainly worth the attempt for all interested in its unique charm and war history.

Go next

 * One of the nicer beaches is located approximately 30 minutes from the city in the village of Lyubimovka. It is a big sandy beach with hundreds of tourists in the summer. Another nice beach is Uchkuyevka. You can get there by taking the ferry (parom in Russian) from the city center to Severnaya and then a short ride by marshrutka. The beaches are relatively crowded but frequented mainly by locals (and Russians who feel like locals too :)
 * The city of Balaklava is approximately 45 minutes away and popular for its underground submarine port that is now a tourist site.

title: Sevastopol


text:
Sevenoaks

Sevenoaks is a town in Kent, in the South East of England. Sevenoaks is a fairly traditional market town, although these days, given its proximity to London, it is known largely as a commuter town. It is the perfect place to explore the Darenth Valley, especially if you like gentle country walks with plenty of rustic pubs along the way.

Understand
Contrary to popular belief the town isn't named after the seven oak trees that stood alongside the cricket pitch (six of which were destroyed in the great storm of 1987); the town's name is instead derived from the Anglo Saxon word seouenaca, the name given to a small chapel in Knole Park around 800 AD.

The district of Sevenoaks consists of 29 villages and small towns including of Chiddingstone, Edenbridge and Hever.

Otford is a quintessential village, nestled in the Kent countryside. It was mentioned in the Domesday book and was the site of an old Saxon battle.

By car
Sevenoaks is very near Junction 5 of the M25 where the M26 meets the M25. The M26 (or A25) leads to Maidstone, and the A21 heads south to Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Hastings.

By train

Fare and timetable information is available from South East Trains or by telephoning +44 8457 484950 (premium number).

Get around
Sevenoaks is not a large town, and the centre can easily be travelled on foot. As with most other towns in England, the town is well serviced by buses and taxis.

By bus
Arriva is the bus company that operates in Sevenoaks. Timetables and fares are available on their website. Buy your ticket from the driver when you board the bus.

By taxi
The main taxi rank is at the train station, although you can order a taxi by telephone to pick you up from anywhere.

For pre-booked journeys, try:

Do

 * Hike: Otford is a waypoint on the North Downs Way, the Pilgrims Way and the Darenth Valley footpath. All of which are highly recommended, especially in summer. Paths get muddy in winter and after heavy rain.
 * Hike: Otford is a waypoint on the North Downs Way, the Pilgrims Way and the Darenth Valley footpath. All of which are highly recommended, especially in summer. Paths get muddy in winter and after heavy rain.

Buy
There are a few antique shops in Otford.

Sleep

 * Hever Castle has rooms, B&B double from £180. Open Mar-Dec, no dogs.

Connect
As of March 2022, Sevenoaks has 4G from EE and Three, and 5G from O2 and Vodafone.

title: Sevenoaks


text:
Severna Park

Severna Park is a town in Anne Arundel County.

Understand
This town is located in central Maryland, located near the major city of Baltimore. It is a suburban town with plenty of retail resources and one of the better public school systems in the state.

By car
From the north- There are quite a few ways to get into Severna Park but the most commonly used route involves taking an exit off of I-97 which will bring you to Ritchie Highway, a central road in Severna Park.

From the south- You will most likely find yourself traveling on I-95 until you pass through the Washington D.C. area, then you'll want to take the US-50 exit towards Annapolis and then the same exit leading to Ritchie Highway

By plane
The airport closest to Severna Park is the Baltimore Washington International Airport. It is located about 25 minutes away from Severna Park, assuming there is no major traffic. Most airports will have direct flights to BWI as it is a major airport. You can also fly into the Washington Dulles International Airport located in Northern Virginia. It is a little over an hour's time away from Severna Park, but is most likely your destination if you are traveling internationally.

Get around
Because the town is so small, the best and most effective way to get around town is by car. There are also buses that circulate through the town. Also, in the summer when the weather is nice you can get most places in town by walking to them.

Do
Kinder Farm Park -

This public park offers free use during the day for anyone who wants to play any type of sporting event or just spend a nice day in the park. Kinder Park is also home to the local Boy Scout meeting halls and to other local events throughout the year.

B&A Bike Trail -

This trail runs throughout the entire town and can be followed all the way through to Annapolis, MD. There are many stops along the way with benches if you need to rest, and the trail lets off at some of the more commercial parts of town. There is also a series of monuments representing the solar system to scale leading from Pluto in West Severna Park all the way to the Sun in Glen Burnie.

Eat
Kyoto Steakhouse, 568 Ritchie Highway - If you are a fan of Japanese cuisine with a western steakhouse mixture than this place is for you. There are two styles of seating. You can sit in an old fashioned Japanese style lounge, or you can get one of the tables that have a grill right on them. It is a great place to have a fun meal and see your food get cooked right in front of your eyes.

Romilos Pizzeria, 478A Ritchie Highway - This old fashioned Greek pizzeria has been a local favorite for over 15 years. There is a large dinning area and also a plentiful takeout menu that includes pizza, pasta, wings, and other traditional Greek dishes. It is the perfect place for Friday night dinners.

Donut Shack, 497 Ritchie Highway - A donut shop selling wonderful donuts, pastries, and other sweet baked goods, as well as coffee and other drinks, hot and cold. A local favorite for over 40 years and a very good place to start a day of exploring.

Sofi's Crepes, 560 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd - A small place with wildly delicious French food and an amazing smell coming out. Their pockets of spinach and cheese, lemon and sugar, ham and Gruyere, or peanut butter and chocolate, among others, are perfect for a large snack or a quick lunch.

Sleep
While there are no hotels or motels in Severna Park there are plenty that are within a few minutes from the town.

title: Severna Park


text:
Severobaikalsk

Severobaikalsk (Russian: Северобайка́льск see-veer-uh-bigh-KAL'SK) is small town in located on the shores of Lake Baikal Buryatia, Russia.

Understand
The town was founded in 1974 and has a population of around 26,000. It is a big railway hub of Baikal-Amur Mainline and has no big industries. The streets have 5-floor apartment houses with unusual outlines as if they were made of cells. You won't see buildings with balconies for the seismic safety precautions. The center of the city is Leningradsky Prospekt that goes from the railway station to the Central square.

By train

The city is a major stop on the Baikal-Amur Mainline. It is a 4.5 day journey from Moscow, with the train making stops in large cities such as Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Bratsk.

By plane
The nearest airport is in Nizhneangarsk 25km away from the city. You can fly to Irkutsk (1 hour 15 min) and Ulan Ude (1 hour 20 min).

By boat
During the summer, there is a hydrofoil service from Irkutsk—an 11-hour journey. Three times a week.

See
Get a local bus south to the picturesque fishing village of Baikalskoe, & hike up the headland, for breathtaking views of Lake Baikal. It's possible to follow the track around the clifftops, & loop around via a camping ground in a bay, back into Baikalskoe.
 * Museum of the BAM builders at 2, Mira st.
 * Art gallery at 40, Druzhby st.

Do
Hire a cutter and go to the hot springs for soaking.

Buy

 * You can visit an exhibition in Dom Kultury and choose a souvenir. There are also paintings and photographs of local artists.

Eat
Try traditional dishes at бузии house.

Go next
By train to Novosibirsk (40 hours), Krasnoyarsk (30 hours), Bratsk (14 hours), Irkutsk (31 hours) and Ulan-Ude (38 hours). By plane to Ulan-Ude from airport in Nizhneangarsk.

title: Severobaikalsk


text:
Severomorsk

Severomorsk is a closed military city and the second largest one in Murmansk Oblast.

Understand

As the administrative base of the Russian Northern Fleet this port town along the Kola Bay is usually out of reach for tourists. However, with 65,000 inhabitants there are still a few activities going on that are not directly related to the military.

Get in
This is the tricky bit, as the military status of the city imposes heavy restrictions. Getting in is a bureaucratic nightmare and you will be denied entrance without a very good reason to visit. Application forms in Russian can be found here. So, don't expect to just hop on the bus and assume things will be fixed on their own when arriving at the checkpoints. They won't.

Russian citizens may visit the city if they join a guided tour, provided the necessary permit is obtained at least 30 days before the start of the tour; your tour company will handle all the necessary paperwork for you. Foreigners are not eligible to join the tours.

The nearest train station is in Murmansk, away, only freight traffic continues all the way to Severomorsk. Night trains arrive in Murmansk from all of northwestern Russia and also Moscow.

Driving is easy since Severomorsk is situated at the very end of the M-18 highway that goes all the way from Saint Petersburg.

See

Sleep
There are only a few accommodations in town, general consensus seems to be that the smaller Flagship Hostel is the better one.

title: Severomorsk


text:
Seversk

Seversk (Russian: Се́верск SYEH-veersk) is a city that lies to the north of Tomsk, Siberia. Seversk was once known as "Tomsk-7", a secret closed city of the Soviet Union. Tomsk-7 was off-limits to non-residents and only became known after the fall of the iron curtain, and remains closed to outsiders to this day. Its main purpose was the production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium, and housing the workers. It is home to the Siberian Chemical Combine.

Get in
The entry pass can be requested from ZATO Seversk (636000 Seversk, Tomsk Region, 51, Kommunistichesky Ave.), stating personal details, the reason and the expected date of entry. Most likely, this means to be a Russian citizen, live in Seversk or have family that lives in Seversk.

Do

 * take a walk along Kommunisticheskiy Avenue and Kalinina Street
 * visit the Museum of the City of Seversk
 * visit the Musical Theater and the Teather for Children and Youth
 * visit the Nature Park with the zoo, the Park of Culture and Rest, the Victory Park
 * visit the Vladimir Church and the Serafim's Church

Eat

 * 1) Restaurant "Rus'": European and Siberian cuisine
 * 2) Food Delivery "MasterMant": Russian, Eastern, International and Siberian cuisine
 * 3) Sushi-bar and food delivery "Fresh": Asian cuisine
 * 4) Sushi-bar and food delivery "Black Sharks": Chinese, Thai and Japanese cuisine
 * 5) Coffee house and food delivery "Oberon": European, Asian and Mixed cuisine
 * 6) Cafe and food delivery "Yaponika - sushi & pizza": American and Japanese cuisine

Drink
Non-alcoholic bar "Yogumi"

title: Seversk


text:
Sevierville

Sevierville is a city in eastern Tennessee. Pronounced "Severe-ville" and named after Colonel John Sevier after his successful campaign in running off the Cherokee inhabitants around 1780, Sevierville was surprisingly anti-secessionist and abolitionist up to and during the Civil War but ended up being pillaged quite badly. Nowadays it is a tourist mecca for those en route to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park or paying homage to Dolly Parton's hometown, or one of the many other attractions.

Do
Living up to its status as a tourist zone, Sevierville has amusement parks and attractions galore, especially along US 441 south of town.

 * , 1545 Parkway.
 * , 1545 Parkway.
 * , 1545 Parkway.

title: Sevierville