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Salzburg

Salzburg is a city in Austria, near the border with Germany's Bavaria state, with a population of 157,000 (2020). It was the setting for the 1965 movie The Sound of Music, so you may think you know all there is to see in Salzburg if you have seen the movie. Admittedly, it is difficult not to burst into song when you're walking along the Salzach River, or climbing up to the Hohensalzburg fortress, which looms over the city. But there is a lot more to this compact, courtly city than Julie Andrews and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was born here.

Understand
Salzburg, which has been inhabited since the Neolithic period, is the fourth-largest city in Austria (after Vienna, Graz and Linz) and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. In 45 AD, it was a Roman establishment. The Bavarians took over in the 6th century. At the end of the 16th century, under Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau, the transformation of the medieval town into the "Rome of the North" began, with new buildings following the Italian baroque style. The buildings from this era are mostly in the "Old Town", as it is known today. The old town is one of the best-preserved city centers in the German-speaking world and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Salzburg became part of the Austrian Empire in 1816. It frequently ranks favorably in quality of life rankings.

Origins of name
The name Salzburg, literally "Salt Castle", is derived from the barges carrying salt on the Salzach river, which were subject to a toll in the 8th century.

Early history and medieval period
Traces of human settlements dating to the Neolithic Age and later a Celt camp have been found in the area. Starting from 15 BC, the small communities were grouped into a single town which was named by the Romans as Juvavum. Little remains of the city from this period.

The Hohensalzburg Fortress was built in 1077 and expanded in the following centuries. Independence from Bavaria was secured in the late 14th century.

Independent state
Salzburg was the capital of an independent state from the early 14th century until 1805. It was ruled by prince-archbishops, who became rich by the salt mines in the south of the city. This led to the architectural gem you see today, as materials and architects were imported from Italy and other European countries. This is also why, compared to other Austrian cities, sacral monuments surpass the few secular buildings in every respect. The prince-archbishops were forced to give up their political powers during the French occupation in 1805, when Napoleon Bonaparte introduced the concept of separation of Church and State in all the occupied territories.

Tourist information

 * Salzburg tourism website

By plane

Having arrived at the airport (Flughafen Salzburg), it is very easy to make your way into the town centre by electric trolleybus or other modes of transport. Tickets for these services can be bought easily from the bus driver and you can travel from here to the "Hauptbahnhof" main station where you can reach many destinations, predominantly in Austria, but also across the whole of Europe.

For more international connections, you may prefer flying to Munich and taking the train to Salzburg. Other airports in Austria like Graz or Innsbruck can be of interest if you like scenic journeys through the mountains.

By train
Salzburg's train station, the Hauptbahnhof, is north of the Salzach River within the New Town of Salzburg. The train ride from Munich to Salzburg takes about 1½ hours (Regional trains take about 2 hours), and international trains operate from Zurich, Zagreb, Ljubljana and Budapest and other destinations. Inter-city trains operate very frequently (especially to Vienna where services are almost hourly).

The ÖBB Nightjet runs to Salzburg from Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

The station is operated by the Austrian Federal Railway Company (ÖBB) and by the national German Railway company (DB). Both companies have ticket stalls and machines in the station. The popular train pass for Bavaria sold by DB (in German: Bayern Ticket) covers train rides between Bavaria and Salzburg, but it is only valid for Regional trains (code RE, RB, or M). The rail pass can be brought from DB ticket stalls and from DB ticket selling machines in the station.

Salzburg has direct train connections with Vienna, Linz, Feldkirch (at the Liechtenstein border), Zürich (in Switzerland), etc.

The station has a supermarket which is open 06:00-23:00, lockers (from €2 to €3.50, which are often full), and toilets (€0.50/entry).

To get to the city centre, walk (about 15 min), or use one of the trolley buses.

By bus

 * Budweis-shuttle "http://www.budweis-shuttle.cz" and Czechshuttle.com offers a door-to-door shuttle bus transfer from Česky Krumlov or Česke Budejovice to Salzburg and back for 1,100 Kč per person.
 * From Bosnia, (Banja Luka or Doboj), three times per week, with Boro Bus
 * Bus transfer from/to Budapest with a possible stop in Vienna, from door to door, English-speaking drivers with Eurobusways
 * There are day-trip tour buses that leave from Munich (right outside the main station).
 * The Flixbus stop is in Salzburg Sud, not really near the main train station.

By car
Salzburg is well connected to Vienna (Wien) and Munich (München), Germany via the autobahns A8 (Munich - Salzburg) and A1 (Salzburg - Vienna). There is an Austrian Motorway "Vignette" you have to purchase. The price varies depending on whether you buy a yearly or 10-day vignette.

Driving around Salzburg can be a pain. The road names are small and written in a "traditional" German font which can be hard to read. The best bet is to get into the city, find a parking space, and travel by foot. Several garages are on the edge of the historic center have hourly rates as well as 24-hour rates that range from €14-20. Garage companies include Best in Parking, APCOA, Contipark. Nearby hotels often have arrangements for discounted rates with commercial garages. More budget options include using one of the park-and-ride lots that have promotions for a free transit pass or even free parking during summer months. Be sure that if you are driving in cold weather to be prepared for snow. Snow chains should be recommended, in extreme weather. All cars must have snow tires (Winterreifen) by law from October to April.

Get around
The best way to get around Salzburg is by foot.

There is a network of city buses, the StadtBus, with numbers from 1 to 10, 12 and 14 (O-Buses, electric, trolley-bus) and 20-27 (fuel-powered). From the bus driver, you only get a single A single ticket for €3. The other option is buying a 5-ticket-strip in advance (€10,50). A 24-hr ticket costs €4.50, when bought at the vending machine (all prices from 2023). There are also daily, weekly and monthly passes. The Salzburg Verkehr application allows you to buy these tickets from your mobile phone. Make sure that you do not catch one of the last buses. They will take you several kilometers out of town with your only way back being by walking or taxi. If you need to get somewhere late at night it may be best to take a taxi or walk. The "Lokalbahn" train has a separate train station under the main train station and travels in the direction of Oberndorf and Lamprechtshausen. Tickets can be bought on the train.

Another option for exploring areas around the main city (Bad Ischl, Fuschlsee, etc.) are the POST-BUSes. These also leave from the main train station; tickets can be bought from the driver.

An excellent option is renting a bike. Salzburg has over 100 km of bike paths, and using this mode of transportation is often faster than bus, car or foot. There are also excellent bike paths on either side of the river which you can follow to either Freilassing (35 min), Oberndorf or Hallein (each about an hour away).

Salzburg Card
Depending on how long you want to stay in Salzburg and how much you want to pack into one day, the Salzburg Card could be a good investment, it includes: Salzburg Card 24 hr/adult: €28.00, 48 hours: €37.00, 72 hours: €43.00
 * Free single admission to all the city's attractions.
 * Free use of public transport throughout the city, including fortress funicular, panorama boat & cable car Untersberg.
 * Attractive discounts for cultural events.
 * Discounts for various tours and excursions.

See

Do

 * Chess — Giant chess board painted onto the ground, past the cathedral (travelling away from the river). You'll have to wait your turn, but it's worth it.
 * Football: FC Red Bull Salzburg play soccer in the Austrian Bundesliga, the top tier. They play in Red Bull Arena (capacity 32,000) in Wals-Siezenheim 3 km northwest of city centre.
 * SV Austria Salzburg are a breakaway club formed in 2005 in protest at Red Bull's takeover of FC Salzburg. They play in the minor leagues at Max Aicher Stadium (capacity 1600) just east of the airport.
 * Chess — Giant chess board painted onto the ground, past the cathedral (travelling away from the river). You'll have to wait your turn, but it's worth it.
 * Football: FC Red Bull Salzburg play soccer in the Austrian Bundesliga, the top tier. They play in Red Bull Arena (capacity 32,000) in Wals-Siezenheim 3 km northwest of city centre.
 * SV Austria Salzburg are a breakaway club formed in 2005 in protest at Red Bull's takeover of FC Salzburg. They play in the minor leagues at Max Aicher Stadium (capacity 1600) just east of the airport.

Festivals
For almost a century, Salzburg has hosted the world-famous Salzburg Festival, with operas, concerts, and theater plays in different locations throughout the city. It was founded by Hugo von Hoffmansthal, Max Reinhardt and Richard Strauss in 1920. It takes place in July and August, the most famous piece is the "Jedermann" ("Everyman") by Hugo v. Hoffmansthal, being conducted in front of the Dom (Cathedral) every year.

Festivals also take place during Easter time (with mostly Baroque music), and in autumn.

Buy

 * Mozartkugeln (Mozart balls) are confections of chocolate, marzipan, pistachio and sometimes hazelnut inspired by the famous composer, Salzburg's most famous son, Mozart. Try the original version by Fürst, which are handmade and cannot be purchased outside Fürst's four shops in Salzburg. They're expensive, though, at €1.80 a pop (souvenir boxes cost even more), and comparatively simple with only two layers. The cheaper, more widespread and arguably tastier Mirabell brand is available throughout Austria; you'll get the best prices at regular grocery stores, not souvenir shops. The third big name is Reber, which has three chocolate shops in the Old Town with a wide range of chocolates, Kugeln and pastettes (Alter Markt 5; Griesgasse 3; Getreidegasse 26).  Souvenir shops sell other brands too, which tend to cheap out on their ingredients and are best avoided.
 * The annual Christmas Market (Christkindlmarkt), located at the three squares around the dome (Domplatz, Kapitelplatz, Residenzplatz) features traditional fast food, such as hot potatoes, doughnuts with kraut, and candies, as well as Christmas decorations, winter clothes, and craftmanship. It opens end of November and closes on Christmas.

Eat
A typical dessert from Salzburg is the Salzburg Nockerl, a tasty baked soufflé best served with ice cream, berries and whipped cream. Good places make it to order, which takes at least 30 minutes, and the serving size is huge: one Nockerl is easily enough for four!

Winter season

Mid-range
Many of the beer halls listed under Drink are also great mid-range options.

Beer

Budget

Connect
Salzburg has 4G from all Austrian carriers. As of Sept 2021, 5G has not reached the city.

Wifi is widely available in public places.

Consulates

 * 🇷🇴 Romania

Go next

 * Hallein (22 000 inhabitants) with the Hallein Salt Mine also known as Salzbergwerk Dürrnberg.
 * Bad Reichenhall (Germany) and Berchtesgaden (Germany)
 * If you get tired of the city you can visit the ice caves south of Salzburg
 * Oberndorf, a small city next to Salzburg where Silent Night, Holy Night, the famous Christmas song, was composed and premiered. You can see the Silent Night Chapel there.
 * For people who prefer nature to sights, hiking on the Untersberg , a trip to Salzkammergut or the Königssee (Germany), or a visit to Bad Ischl may be interesting.
 * Hallstatt, a UNESCO world heritage city, can be reached in about 2 hours by bus through Bad Ischl, or 3 hours by train through Attnang-Puchheim.
 * Freilassing (Germany) is a small German town just across the border, 10-15 minutes by train. Some locals prefer to shop here as goods are slightly cheaper than in Austria.
 * Salzburg is about 2 hours from Munich (Germany) and Passau (Germany), 2 hours from Vienna, and is only a stone's throw from the Alps.

title: Salzburg


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Salzburg (state)

Salzburg (German: Salzburg or Salzburgerland) is one of the smaller states of Austria. It has an area of about 7,100 km² and there are 500,000 people. Most of the area is covered by the Alps and only the northern part is flat. There you can find the largest city and capital of the state, Salzburg. The most important forms of income are tourism and agriculture. The arts are an important part of the Salzburger tradition: home to Mozart, the annual Salzburg Festival, and the mystery play Jedermann (Everyman). Salzburg state also shares much of its rural regional culture with neighboring Bavaria and Tyrol. This makes it a wonderful place to experience both the high culture of the Mozart era and the true alpine Austrian culture at its purest.

Cities

 * — capital of the state of Salzburg and largest city in the area
 * — famous for being the place the "Silent Night, Holy Night" carol was first performed
 * and a mountain nearby named where you can enjoy the view of the Dachstein.
 * — famous for being the place the "Silent Night, Holy Night" carol was first performed
 * and a mountain nearby named where you can enjoy the view of the Dachstein.
 * — famous for being the place the "Silent Night, Holy Night" carol was first performed
 * and a mountain nearby named where you can enjoy the view of the Dachstein.
 * — famous for being the place the "Silent Night, Holy Night" carol was first performed
 * and a mountain nearby named where you can enjoy the view of the Dachstein.
 * — famous for being the place the "Silent Night, Holy Night" carol was first performed
 * and a mountain nearby named where you can enjoy the view of the Dachstein.
 * and a mountain nearby named where you can enjoy the view of the Dachstein.
 * and a mountain nearby named where you can enjoy the view of the Dachstein.
 * and a mountain nearby named where you can enjoy the view of the Dachstein.
 * and a mountain nearby named where you can enjoy the view of the Dachstein.

Understand
Salzburg, also known as SalzburgerLand, is one of the nine Austrian states. It lies in the north of Austria and is renowned worldwide as the City of Mozart. The cityscape is characterized by its city mountains, the flowing Salzach River, and the prominent Hohensalzburg Fortress visible from afar. Salzburg borders Freilassing in the Federal Republic of Germany (Bavaria, Berchtesgadener Land district) to the northwest, while the rest of the city area adjoins the district of Salzburg-Umgebung, commonly known as the Flachgau region.

Historically, Salzburg was founded as an episcopal see in 696 and became a seat of the archbishop in 798. It is built on the site of the ancient Roman settlement of Iuvavum.

As of 2020, Salzburg had a population of approximately 156,872. Beyond its association with Mozart and famous festivals, Salzburg boasts historic landmarks, museums, and a vibrant culture that make it a captivating destination for visitors.

By train
Salzburg is served by many national and International railway lines. Most lines meet at Salzburg Main Station. The most important lines are:

Vienna - Salzburg - Munich / Innsbruck (Westbahn)

Graz - Liezen - Bischofshofen - Salzburg (Ennstalbahn)

Klagenfurt - Schwarzach-St.Veit - Bischofshofen - Salzburg

(Hannover -) München - Wörgl - Kitzbühel - Zell am See - Schwarzach-St.Veit

By car
Salzburg is traveressed by teh A10 Tauern Autobahn crossing the state in north-south direction. Additionally there is the east-west connection via B320 (Ennstal) - B311 to Zell am See, where it turns north towards Lofer. Further westwards the B168 runs via Mittersill, where it crosses the north-south running Felbertauern route, till the Gerlospass, where it passes over to Tyrol.

Get around
Salzburg is serviced by the OEBB (Austrian Federal Rail Service). There are Intercity services to all major cities around plus a good network of regonal trains (S-Bahn).

Salzburg City is located at the Westbahn railway line which runs between Vienna and Munich/Innsbruck. On this route also private operator Westbahn operates services bewteen Vienna and Innsbruck at a highly competitive price.

See

 * Rossbrand - the inscription on the summit cross reads "My God, this land is beautiful!" - this refers to the view that Rossbrand has to offer from the height of 1,768 m. Here one can enjoy the view of the Dachstein and the Hochkönig. It's only 2.5 hour hike from Radstadt, or alternatively one can take the bus that runs three times a day from Radstadt Postamt during the summer.
 * Rossbrand - the inscription on the summit cross reads "My God, this land is beautiful!" - this refers to the view that Rossbrand has to offer from the height of 1,768 m. Here one can enjoy the view of the Dachstein and the Hochkönig. It's only 2.5 hour hike from Radstadt, or alternatively one can take the bus that runs three times a day from Radstadt Postamt during the summer.
 * Rossbrand - the inscription on the summit cross reads "My God, this land is beautiful!" - this refers to the view that Rossbrand has to offer from the height of 1,768 m. Here one can enjoy the view of the Dachstein and the Hochkönig. It's only 2.5 hour hike from Radstadt, or alternatively one can take the bus that runs three times a day from Radstadt Postamt during the summer.

Do
Take the Cable car (or walk up!) up to the Festung Salzburg (Salzburg Castle) for a guided tour of the castle offering outstanding 360 degree views of the surrounding countryside as far the over the German border.

Numerous Sound of Music tours are also available as are a variety of coach group tours of various regional sights.

The region is famous for its Alpine Lakes, so do be sure to check them out including the Mondsee near Salzburg City made famous by the "Sound of Music".

Eat
Probably the best address to eat original Austrian food at an adequate price is the restaurant "Goldener Stern" in the Getreidegasse, the former home of W. A. Mozart. It´s the only restaurant which is easy to find and where nobody will try to make you waste your money for junk food. The waiters and waitresses are nice and friendly. Here you can enjoy "Salzburger Nockerln" as well as "Topfenstrudel". If you like to eat for dinner or lunch you won´t be disappointed as well. The atmosphere of the restaurant is beautiful. In the middle of it´s garden full of trees and flowers there´s an old Austrian stagecoach where children can play.

Weblinks

 * Salzburg State Board of Tourism

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

title: Salzburg (state)


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Salzgitter

Salzgitter is a city in Lower Saxony. It us an important industrial city founded in the 1940s as an agglomeration of 7 towns and 29 districts.

Understand
Salzgitter is a large town in the east of Lower Saxony, about 50 km from Hannover, the capital. It was founded in 1942 by the Nazi government, to serve as a new industrial center for steel production during the war, and stands out as one of only a few German cities to be founded in the 20th century, along with Eisenhüttenstadt and Wolfsburg. The town is made up of some 31 boroughs, spread over 25 km north to south and 19 km east to west. The population has stood at over 100,000 since gaining its status as a major town in Germany in the 1950s. Founded on its large deposits of iron ore, it continued producing steel up to the end of the 1980s. One of the shafts, Konrad, is now a major storage of low level radioactive waste.

By car
Salzgitter is easy to reach via the A39 from Braunschweig connecting to all points east and west via the A7 and A2.

By train
Rail connections are via 3 lines at 6 stations in and around the town. Connections available from Halle, Herzberg am Harz, Braunschweig and Hannover.

Go next

 * Wolfenbüttel
 * Braunschweig

title: Salzgitter


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Salzkammergut

Salzkammergut spans the federal states (Bundesland) of Upper Austria (Oberösterreich), Salzburg (Salzburgerland), and Styria (Steiermark). The Styrian part is also called Ausseerland.

Cities

 * Altmünster
 * Bad Ischl
 * Gmunden
 * Hallstatt
 * Mondsee
 * St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut
 * Traunkirchen

Ausseerland:
 * Bad Aussee
 * Bad Mitterndorf
 * Grundlsee with the village Gößl

Understand
The Salzkammergut (literally translated: Property of the Salt Chamber) is one of the most beautiful holiday regions in Austria, with its name coming from its history as the premier spot for salt ("Salz") mining. As salt was and is important, it was under direct control by the Emperors in Vienna - that's where the name "Kammer" came from.

If you have seen the movie The Sound Of Music then you know what that lake region looks like, because that movie was filmed in and around the city of Salzburg and the neighboring Salzkammergut region.

Sparkling clean lakes, green hills, wonderful mountains, romantic towns (like St. Wolfgang and Hallstatt) make up this region that is filled to the rim with scenic beauty and a rich local culture.

If you ever visit the city of Salzburg and don't see this glorious lake region just half an hour by car east of the city then you have truly missed out on the most beautiful part of Austria. The region is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site as "Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape".

Get around
The regional train has a comprehensive service running through the heart of the Salzkammergut and on into Styria. This provides easy access to the region from both Salzburg and Vienna, passing through Gmunden, Bad Ischl, Bad Goisern, Hallstatt and Obertraun.

I would however suggest car hire as the best way in which to explore this fascinating region. This gives you the freedom to explore area such as Gosausee and St Wolfgangsee, not accessible by train.

See

 * Lake Wolfgang (Wolfgangsee) is considered to be the most scenic lake in the Salzkammergut, framed by true mountain personalities. 13.5 km² large and up to 114m deep, Lake Wolfgang has a catchment area of more than 125km². Together with the Mondsee lake, it is the warmest bathing lake in the Salzkammergut (up to 26°C) and freezes shut in front of St. Wolfgang during the cold winter. It really is an experience to glide over the wide ice surface of the lake on skates.
 * Schloss Ort - The TV series "Schlosshotel Orth" is playing there.
 * Hohe Tauern National Park

Do

 * Skiing on the extensive Dachstein West Ski Region - 140km of Intermediate Piste + the         Krippenstein Freeride Arena, for those looking for an exilhorating off-piste experience
 * Swimming in the lakes
 * Mountain Hiking
 * Walking on the Gmunder Promenade
 * Visit Hallstatt a UNESCO World Heritage site, a stunningly beautiful village.
 * The Dachstein Ice Caves at Obertraun, are well worth a visit. From the 1st June until 30th September 2012, travelers can buy a UNESCO World Heritage ticket which costs 31 Euro and can be used for the ice cave and a boat trip across the Lake Hallstatt.
 * Mountain Bike, there are many trails for all levels of biker with stunning scenery around every corner.
 * The Krippenstein is a stunning paragliding site, rising 1500m from the valley floor.

Eat

 * Steckerlfisch - fish on a stick grilled on open fire

Go next

 * Gröbming
 * Vöcklabruck
 * Seewalchen
 * Strobl

title: Salzkammergut


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Samaipata

Samaipata is a small town in the Santa Cruz Department Bolivia at an altitude of 1,600 m.

Understand
Samaipata is popular with tourists for its mild climate, its diverse landscapes, the pretty houses and small town atmosphere, and for its vicinity to the 'Fuerte de Samaipata' world heritage site. While there are some great hiking opportunities around Samaipata, almost all of them require a guide, either as part of a larger tour, or with a private guide.

By road

 * From Santa Cruz it takes 2.5-3 hr. Shared taxis at : Bs. 30 per person, whole taxi will cost Bs. 120 or 130 with pick up, taking private option is recommended as Bolivians can fit an incredible number of people into the small car.
 * Expresso Samaipata (Av. Omar Chavez Ortiz 1147 esquina Soliz de Olguin - Telf. 333-5067). From the terminal, take bus number 8 for Bs. 1.5 to get there, or a taxi for Bs. 10B. They leave with at least 4 passengers. Takes between 2 hours in most cases, but can be as much as 4 with a landslide or some road works.
 * Cooperativa de Transporte "El Fuerte" (2do Anillo Av. Grgota esq. Aruma - Telf. 359-8958), Mini-Buses for Bs. 30 per passenger, you can get there from the Nuevo Terminal in Santa Cruz taking the bus (Bs. 2) to El Torno / La Guardia at the other end of the tunel under the terminal.

On foot
The easiest way to get around the pueblo is on foot.

By taxi
Most day excursions require a taxi. Agree fare before departing, local ride costs Bs. 10, Cuevas return with 2 wait will set you back for Bs. 80.

By moto rental
Martin, a Dutch guy, rents motorbikes, he lives in direction of Zoo, ask around for his number or pay him a visit. Easy to drive and fun for a day trip to Cuevas or El Fuerte.

See

 * Other destinations are Vallegrande, Pucará and La Higuera (where Che Guevara was killed), as well as Laguna Quirusillas. The highway from Santa Cruz city to Samaipata is very scenic.
 * Other destinations are Vallegrande, Pucará and La Higuera (where Che Guevara was killed), as well as Laguna Quirusillas. The highway from Santa Cruz city to Samaipata is very scenic.
 * Other destinations are Vallegrande, Pucará and La Higuera (where Che Guevara was killed), as well as Laguna Quirusillas. The highway from Santa Cruz city to Samaipata is very scenic.

Do

 * Cuevas, easy to visit waterfalls with a beautiful area to discover on your own.
 * Condor Mountain, best to visit on clear days. The hike will take a long day with 4 hr car driving and 4 to 6 hr of hiking. It's considered an alternative to the Colca Canyon in Peru, though the probability to see condors is slightly lower here. Condors often appear around midday, but don't bet on seeing more than some black dots in the sky.
 * La Pajcha waterfall, close to the condor mountain, great for camping. Is often combined with the condor hike on the same day.
 * There´s some great but simple canyoning through spectacular canyons. It's possible as self guided hikes, if you know what you're doing and where you're going, but not in the rainy season December-February.
 * Museo Arqueologico de Samaipata (Calle Bolivar, near Caff'e Art): small museum, Bs. 5

Drink
La Oveja Negra Owned by a Dutch couple and run by friendly youngsters, this bar has a pub feel to it.

Che Wilson Populated by teenagers and open only on the weekends, this place is still one of the only spots in the sleepy village for 'nightlife'.

Budget

 * Residencial Vargas - simple rooms from Bs. 20, Lovely owners.

Cope
There is a Banco Union on Campero with an ATM.

The Cooperativa la Merced will give cash advance on Visa or Mastercard during working hours, you can also get cash advance in nearby Mairana.

Go next

 * A bus to Sucre is about Bs. 70-120. The road is shakey, and the journey can still take a whole day. However, it's a scenic route, and it's also possible to do it over night. There is no bus terminal in Samaipata. There is a laundry shop in Calle Campero (across the street of hostel Andoriña) that sells bus tickets. It might look a bit dodgy but it's working. The owners of the shop will resell you ticket from bus companies of Santa Cruz and will bring you to the pick-up spot. Don't expect a good bus.
 * Alternatively, flights from Santa Cruz to Sucre take only 30 min, but of course you'd first have to go back to Santa Cruz.

 * You can go to Mairana by Taxi/Truffi for Bs. 7. and then get a Bus at 08:00 to Cochabamba (Bs. 40). It will get there around 18:30. The road is approx. 70% not paved, so expect a bumpy ride.

title: Samaipata


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Samani

Samani (様似) is a town of 4,400 people (2017) in Hidaka, Hokkaido. The entire area is designated as a Global Geopark by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as Mt. Apoi Geopark.

Understand
The local economy is dominated by agriculture, including breeding horses for racing, tourism and the harvesting of wild konbu.

Tourist information site
The town's official site has a one-page tourism section.

Get in
There is no rail service to Samani.

JR Hokkaido Bus run a bus from Mukawa station on the Nissho Line (日勝線). The route runs from Shizunai and Urakawa through Samani to Erimo and Hiroo

By road, take national highway Route 336.

See

 * Oyako Rocks (親子岩, Oya-ko iwa) — One of the best known sites in Samani is the Oya-ko rocks that sit just offshore. They are known by this name, meaning Parents-and-Child, because they are a formation of two larger rocks and smaller one. Oya-ko is nesting site for cormorants and other sea birds.
 * Oyako Rocks (親子岩, Oya-ko iwa) — One of the best known sites in Samani is the Oya-ko rocks that sit just offshore. They are known by this name, meaning Parents-and-Child, because they are a formation of two larger rocks and smaller one. Oya-ko is nesting site for cormorants and other sea birds.

Go next

 * Erimo
 * Urakawa
 * Hiroo
 * Taiki
 * Shinhidaka
 * Niikappu
 * Hidaka
 * Sarabetsu
 * Nakasatsunai

title: Samani


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Samar Province

Samar, sometimes unofficially called Western Samar, is one of the three provinces in Samar Island, Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines.

Cities and municipalities

 * — home to many waterfalls
 * — the "Gateway to Samar Region"
 * — famous for its beautiful Sohoton Caves, whose inner chamber features stalactites, stalagmites, and an underground river
 * — famous for the Langun-Gobingob Caves which is the largest cave system in the Philippines
 * — has limestone rock formations off its coast

By plane
Flights to Calbayog City are Philippine Airlines from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, and Cebu Pacific from Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Metro Cebu.

By bus
Major bus companies in Manila plying the Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao route pass through the province since Maharlika Highway runs through the entire length of the province. Travelers to the province of Samar may ride a bus from Metro Manila at the Ali Mall Bus Terminal in Cubao and from the various Pasay City terminals that sprout along EDSA.

Once the bus has reached the southern tip of Luzon Island, you will take a 30-minute ferryboat to the northern end of Samar, after which you can continue your bus trip, or transfer to a myriad of jeepneys, smaller buses, and tricycles to take you to anywhere in Samar.

By ferry
Cokaliong Shipping Lines: has a overnight ferry 3 times a week to/from Calbayog to Cebu city.

Get around
Local mini buses ply from Catbalogan City to Tacloban City in Leyte and vice-versa and from Catbalogan to Calbayog.

On top of these buses, there are a number of passenger vans that ply Catbalogan and Calbayog route almost every half an hour. The vans also run the Catbalogan-Tacloban route almost every quarter of an hour.

Buses from Manila or Mindanao pass through the Maharlika Highway on a 24-hour basis. However, stops are only made either in Catbalogan City or Calbayog City.

From the two urban centers, Catbalogan City and Calbayog City, there are jeepneys that ply from the two localities going to the various towns of Samar.

See

 * Pinipisakan Falls and Cave - San Jorge, Samar. Explore the many waterfalls and caves in the province. Pinipisakan Falls can be found in the town of San Jorge. The river in which the layers or series of waterfalls of Pinipisakan run along upstream, serves as most convenient way to enter the cave at the end of the river. Inside the cave is an underground river that serves as tributary for the Blanca Aurora river.
 * Langun-Gobingob Caves - Calbiga, Samar. The biggest cave system in the Philippines is the town of Calbiga. Underground rivers can also be found inside this cave system. A smaller cave system is the Kanyawa Caves also in the same town.
 * Lulugayan Falls. The upstream of Calbiga river is compose of many waterfalls, famous of which is the Lulugayan falls which looks like little Niagara.
 * Calbayog Waterfalls. The city of Calbayog boasts many waterfalls that are very accessible by motorized transport.
 * Samar Island Nature Park - Paranas, Samar. Commonly known as SINP, this natural park is a protected area managed by the government.

Natural parks & caves
 * Guinog-an Cave
 * Danao Cave
 * Guimit Cave - Talalora
 * Sohoton Natural Bridge and National Park – Basey
 * Calbiga Cave
 * Tinago-an Cave

Waterfalls & hot springs
 * Mapaso Hot Spring
 * Mawacat Slide
 * Bangon-Bugtong Falls
 * Tabokno Falls
 * Pan-as Falls
 * Blanca Aurora Falls - Gandara

Historical spots and museums
 * Samar Archeological Museum and Research Center

Islands & isles
 * Binaliw Isle

Beaches & dives
 * Malajog Beach

Go next
Van to Tacloban city, or ferry to Cebu city, or ferry to Luzon island.

title: Samar Province


text:
Samara

Samara (Russian: Сама́ра suh-MAH-ruh), the sixth largest city in Russia and capital of an eponymous region, lies on the Volga River in European Russia. It is a major economic, industrial and cultural centre and has a population of over 1,164,000.

Understand
Samara was founded in 1586 with the construction of a Russian fortress on the Volga. However, settlement there had been mentioned since at least the 14th century. During World War II, Samara, then named Kuibyshev, was the second capital of USSR. The city's growth was stimulated during the war due to its proximity to Moscow but distance from the war zone; several government offices were evacuated to Kuibyshev when Moscow was under threat. The post-war development of the Volga-Urals oilfield also helped. Kuibyshev reverted to being Samara in 1991.

As a cultural centre, Samara has attracted several famous creative Russians. The likes of writers Tolstoy and Gorky, painters Ilya Repin, Vasily Surikov and Ivan Aivazovsky, and revolutionaries Michael Frunze and Vladimir Lenin have all lived in the city. Even Alexandre Dumas visited in 1858, he describes his whole journey, including his impressions of Samara, in From Paris to Astrakhan.

By train

Almost all trains connecting with Siberia and Russian Far East calls here. There are at least five departures every day from Moscow, including the Zhiguli deluxe train. Journey times varies between 13-20 hours depending on which train. There are daily trains from Saint Petersburg, with the fastest service that runs every second day taking just 18 hours. Overnight trains arrives from Yekaterinburg too.

By car
If traveling by own car, Samara is along the M5 Highway, also known as Ural Highway. Distance from Moscow is just over 1000 km.

By metro
The Samara Metro is a convenient way of zipping across the city. However, it remains underdeveloped and comprises one line that runs east to west. A trip costs ₽23 or ₽21 if you use a transport e-card.

See

 * The beach by Volga in the city center.
 * Visit the space museum.
 * Visit the shopping street Leningradskaya.

Do
Night life in Samara is quite joyful. The main dance clubs are: Beerja (Stock Exchange), KINUP, Zvezda (Star), Aura (The Aura), Postel (The Bed), Long Bar. There are many restaurants and bars in Samara. The pricing for clubbing are the same or even higher than in Europe and Americas, though not so high as in Moscow.
 * Watch football at Cosmos (aka Solidarnost) Arena, built in 2018 to host group games of the FIFA World Cup. It's home to FC Krylia Sovetov Samara, who play soccer in the Russian Premier League, the country's top tier, having won promotion in 2021. The stadium looks like a flying saucer; its capacity is just under 45,000. It's sited on the hills 10 km north of city centre, take tram 5 to Stadium stop. The club formerly played at Metallurg Stadium a little further south: its future main use has not been announced.
 * Watch football at Cosmos (aka Solidarnost) Arena, built in 2018 to host group games of the FIFA World Cup. It's home to FC Krylia Sovetov Samara, who play soccer in the Russian Premier League, the country's top tier, having won promotion in 2021. The stadium looks like a flying saucer; its capacity is just under 45,000. It's sited on the hills 10 km north of city centre, take tram 5 to Stadium stop. The club formerly played at Metallurg Stadium a little further south: its future main use has not been announced.
 * Watch football at Cosmos (aka Solidarnost) Arena, built in 2018 to host group games of the FIFA World Cup. It's home to FC Krylia Sovetov Samara, who play soccer in the Russian Premier League, the country's top tier, having won promotion in 2021. The stadium looks like a flying saucer; its capacity is just under 45,000. It's sited on the hills 10 km north of city centre, take tram 5 to Stadium stop. The club formerly played at Metallurg Stadium a little further south: its future main use has not been announced.
 * Watch football at Cosmos (aka Solidarnost) Arena, built in 2018 to host group games of the FIFA World Cup. It's home to FC Krylia Sovetov Samara, who play soccer in the Russian Premier League, the country's top tier, having won promotion in 2021. The stadium looks like a flying saucer; its capacity is just under 45,000. It's sited on the hills 10 km north of city centre, take tram 5 to Stadium stop. The club formerly played at Metallurg Stadium a little further south: its future main use has not been announced.

Drink
Drink original Zhigulyovskoye beer in Na dne bar or in posh U Vakano restaurant (both in Volzhskiy prospekt, 4, near the old brewery).

Consulates

 * 🇮🇹 Italy

Visa Centers

 * 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇨🇿 Czech Republic 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇬🇷 Greece 🇮🇸 Iceland 🇲🇹 Malta 🇪🇸 Spain

title: Samara


text:
Samara (disambiguation)

There's more than one place called Samara.

 * Samara Oblast - a region near the volga river in Russia.
 * Samara - the capital of Samara Oblast
 * Sámara - a small beach town in Costa Rica
 * Smara (As Samara) - a small village in Western Sahara.

title: Samara (disambiguation)


text:
Samara Oblast

Samara Oblast (Russian: Сама́рская о́бласть suh-MAHR-skuh-yuh OH-bluhst') is a region in the Middle Volga, bordering Ulyanovsk Oblast to the west, Tatarstan to the north, Orenburg Oblast to the east, and Saratov Oblast to the south.

Samara region is located in the southeastern part of the European territory of Russia in the basin of the Volga, the largest river in Europe. The region has the area of 53,600 km² (0.31% of the total territory of Russia). The area stretches from north to south for 335 km and from west to east for 315 km. Samara region is forest-steppe region. In the north it is covered with coniferous and broadleaved woods, and its south and east are mainly steppe areas. The largest mountain range of the area and one of the most beautiful places in Russia are Mountains Zhigulevskie. The main river of the region except Volga, the most significant rivers are Samara, Sok, Kinel', Big Irgiz, Kondurcha.

Cities

 * — the industrial capital with over one million residents; was a closed city under the USSR for its role as a center of the Russian aerospace industry
 * — big oil city
 * — the region's third largest city, founded as a 17th century fortress
 * — very large city named after the Italian communist, and a major automobile producer; most of the city was destroyed in a 1950s flood, but new cultural monuments have since been built, including the massive 2003 Cathedral of the Transfiguration

Other destinations

 * Samara River Bend National Park (Samarskaya Luka)
 * Zhigulevsky Nature Reserve

Understand
Samara Oblast is a heavily industrialized region along the Volga and Samara rivers. The region rose to prominence during WWII when its distance from the war front and abundant petroleum deposits made it an attractive area for a new industrial center. The region has little tourist infrastructure, but that in itself can make for interesting travel. The capital, Samara, is of particular interest since it is one of Russia's largest cities, formerly closed to all foreign visitors, and has lots to see and do.

Talk
In the Samara Oblast, the only official language is Russian. For over 85% of the population of the region it is their native language, and the remaining 15% speak it well as a second language. Over 4% of the population here are Tatars who speak Tatar (Turkic language). Over 2.5% speak Chuvash (also a Turkic language), about 2% speak two Mordovian dialects. There are also many native speakers of Kazakh, Bashkir, Uzbek, Tajik, Eastern Armenian, Kyrgyz, Azerbaijani and Mari languages.

See Russian phrasebook.

By train
There is a daily overnight train from Moscow, which leaves around 14:00 and arrives around 08:00 in Samara. Samara is also a major stop on the South Ural route of the Trans-Siberian Railway.

By plane
Kurumoch International Airport

Go next
The next major stops on the South Ural route of the Trans-Siberian Railway to the west and east are Penza and Ufa respectively.

title: Samara Oblast


text:
Agia Roumeli

Agia Roumeli is a coastal village in southwestern Crete near the southern end of the Samaria Gorge.

Typically hikers travel from Chania to Omalos via coach and then hike the gorge. From Agia Roumeli typically they leave by ferry, usually to Hora Sfakia and then get a coach back to Chania.

Get in
The village is not accessible by road, and can only be accessed on foot or by boat.

On foot
Walking along the coast from Sfakia or down through the Samariá Gorge from Omalos. Get in Sfakia or Omalos by bus from Chania.

By boat
Ferries to Agia Roumeli leave from Sfakia, Sougia and Paleochora. Boat timetable can be found here.

Get around
The village is not big, so everything is within walking distance.

See

 * Samaria-1.jpg

Do
Note that all restaurants and shops are closed from November to March.

Sleep
There is a small 'wild camping' area (no facilities) by the riverside on the coast of Agia Roumeli village. Every public building in the town (all restaurants and even the supermarkets) also rents rooms.

title: Agia Roumeli


text:
Samarinda

Samarinda is the capital of East Kalimantan, on the eastern part of the island of Borneo, 60 km from the Makassar Strait.

By plane

Buses from the airport are cheap ($3) and convenient but slower. One company runs buses from the airport: Damri. Buses travel across Samarinda Botanical Garden (Taman Borneo), one of the largest botanical garden in East Borneo.

Two bus routes run into town from the airport. The most useful for most visitors is Route 2, which runs down Bhayangkara Road to Sungai Kunjang Station. This takes 90 minutes, running every hour 06:00-17:00, fare $3.

Taxis that are available: GrabAirport taxi, Yellow taxis (Aerocab), White taxis (Angkasa), Kilat taxi, Red taxis (Sentra), and Blue taxis (Primkopau)

Do not take illegal taxis, as they charge much more and are not licensed.

The airport has a cafe near Indomaret serving traditional Samarinda Roti Durian with distinctive Melak (West Kutai) durian flavour, and Samarinda fish cracker snacks (amplang).

By bus
There are many buses from Balikpapan. The journey takes 2 hours and costs Rp45,000 (non AC) & Rp55,000 (with AC).

Eat
Buy traditional and other food in market, or amplang (fish crackers) in Surianata next to Islamic Centre.
 * The Muster Station Cafe. Address is No 27 Jalan Pangeran Hidayatuuah. About a 5-minute walk from the Samarinda Central Plaza. Good wifi. Has a food menu.
 * Barbershop Cafe. Near the junction of Jalan Mulawarman and Nahkoda streets. There is a yellow sign pointing the way. About a 3-minute walk from the Samarinda Central Plaza. A small off the main street cafe with Western-style coffee choices, plus a simple menu and wifi.
 * The Muster Station Cafe. Address is No 27 Jalan Pangeran Hidayatuuah. About a 5-minute walk from the Samarinda Central Plaza. Good wifi. Has a food menu.
 * Barbershop Cafe. Near the junction of Jalan Mulawarman and Nahkoda streets. There is a yellow sign pointing the way. About a 3-minute walk from the Samarinda Central Plaza. A small off the main street cafe with Western-style coffee choices, plus a simple menu and wifi.

Go next

 * Derawan, a common short-term destination for locals that is 1.5 hours away by plane (Susi Air). It is one of the world richest areas in marine biodiversity.

 * By bus to Balikpapan

 * By private boat to Pare Pare

title: Samarinda


text:
Samarkand

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the Silk Road(s)? Chances are, you pictured beautiful ornate Islamic architecture with turquoise domes and soaring tiled minarets. The image in your head is Samarkand. Samarkand (or Samarqand) is perhaps the most famous city of modern Uzbekistan, and home to many of that country's historical sites. From before the time of Alexander the Great through the present, Samarkand has been the jewel in Central Asia's resplendent crown. No other city represents the Silk Road quite like Samarkand.

Understand
The name Samarkand is derived from Old Persian asmara ("stone, rock") and from Sogdian qand ("fort", "town"). Samarkand literally means "stone fort" or "rock town." Samarkand had a central position on the Silk Road between China and the West. In the 14th century, Timur (Tamerlane) made Samarkand the capital of his empire. Samarkand is a must-see for all travelers visiting Central Asia. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001 as Samarkand - Crossroad of Cultures.

The modern city was home to 514,000 people in 2019.

Pre-Islamic era
The site of Samarkand was sporadically occupied in the Bronze and Early Iron Ages. A city was founded in pre-Achaemenid times, between 650 and 550 BCE. A wall followed the whole circuit of the plateau (5.5 km), complemented by another one which separates the town from the acropolis. It's in the northern part and includes a citadel raised on an artificial platform. The massive wall, 7-m thick, was made of coarse mud bricks, all of which bear a mark, an indication that labour was strictly organized in groups of workers. Similar building techniques have been noticed at other Sogdian and pre-Sogdian sites during that pre-Achaemenid period.

The city was conquered by Alexander the Great in 329 BCE. It was named Maracanda by the Greeks. Two phases of Greek occupation can be distinguished, the first lasting from Alexander to the second half of the 3rd century BCE and a second period of reconquest under the Greco-Bactrian king Eucratides (171-145 BCE). The pottery differs markedly between these two phases.

The pre-Islamic Sogdian civilization is best documented from excavations at Panjakent, which was the capital at that time; the town is near Samarkand but now across a border in Tajikistan. At Samarkand, the major source of evidence for this period is the aristocratic residence with the famous wall paintings which were commissioned for a reception hall ca. 660 CE, probably by King Varkhuman. Just north of the center of the city lies the remains of the great Sogdian town of Afrasiab (also Afrosiab), where those murals were found.

Islamic period
In the early 8th century CE, Samarkand was conquered by the Arabs and soon became an important center of Muslim culture. Excavations beneath the mosque show a rapid succession of monumental buildings. A massive enclosure, perhaps the temenos of the pre-Islamic temple mentioned in the sources, was razed some time after the Arab conquest of 712. The site was occupied by a large palace (ca 115 x 84 m), which was according to numismatic evidence built in the 740s by the last Umayyad governor Nasar b. Sayyar. Between 765 and 780 the Friday mosque was first built on a square plan, which probably at the beginning of the Samanid period, ca. 820-30 was enlarged and the remaining parts of the palace were levelled.

It subsequently grew as a trade center on the Silk Road, the great trading route between China and the Mediterranean region.

In 1220 Samarkand was almost completely destroyed by the Mongol ruler Genghis Khan. It flourished again when Timur-i-Leng (known as Tamerlane in the West) made it the capital of his empire in 1369. As his capital Timur put Samarkand on the world map and much of the architecture visible today was built by him or his descendants. The empire declined in the 15th century, and nomadic Uzbeks (Shaybanids) took Samarkand in 1500. In 1784 the emirate of Bukhara conquered it. The city was taken by Russia in 1868, and again began to assume importance. From 1924 to 1930, Samarkand was the capital of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.

People
Historically, Samarkand was populated primarily by Persian-speaking Indo-Iranian peoples (like the Sogdians, Achaemenids, etc.), although sizeable non-Iranian peoples lived in and around the region too. When the Mongols conquered the region, they broke Persian political power in the city and introduced more diverse groups into the city through population shuffling. By the time Uzbek forces took the city, the population was ethnically mixed, although Persian (specifically the Samarkandi-Khujandi dialect) remained the language of high society.

When Soviet Central Asia was carved into the five "Stans" we have today, Samarkand was separated from the lands given to the ethnic Persians (the Tajiks) and included in the lands given to the ethnic Uzbeks. But people here still spoke Tajik and Uzbek. With the fall of the Soviet Union, and the realization that now Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are two independent countries, the notion of "Uzbek" and "Tajik" are changing in the city. Tajik still is the dominant language spoken in the city, but not everyone would equate language with national identity. Don't be surprised if you hear very little Uzbek while in Samarkand. However, Uzbek is near-universal on signs and in official publications like the media.

By train
There are a few daily trains to and from Tashkent. Besides the slow local trains there is the super fast Afrosiob and the still fast Sharq train that continues to Bukhara. For Khiva take the night trains to Urgench and hop on a marshrutka, shared taxi or trolleybus. The most popular international route is from Saint Petersburg (76 hr) via Volgograd (57 hr) departing daily at 12:16 and arriving three days later at 18:10. This train bypasses Moscow, nearest stop is on station Ozherelye in the town of Kashira. There is also a weekly connection from Alma-Ata departing every Sunday at 15:50 arriving 19:59 two nights later.

Uzbekistan Railways has schedules and online ticketing. Tickets can also be bought at the station or at the at 18 Amir Temur St. Trains get very crowded so it is advisable to book ahead.

By car
Samarkand is about 4 hours by road from Tashkent; shared taxis leave from Sobir Rahimov bus station.

The distance to Samarkand from Tashkent is 290 km, from Bokhara 270 km, from Khiva 740 km, from Andizhan 610 km, from Fergana 600 km, from Karshi 150 km, from Kokand 500 km, from Nukus 820 km, from Shahrisabz 90 km, from Termez 380 km and from Urgench 700 km.

Get around
The main sights of Samarkand are clustered into two nearby groups: Gur-i Amir and the Registan; and Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Shah-i Zinda, and Afrosiyab. You can walk between all of these, but the section between the Registan and Bibi-Khanym Mosque is far enough that you might prefer to take a vehicle. To get to the Ulugh-Beg Observatory, it's another 2km northeast from Afrosiyab; you can walk this if you want, but vehicles are probably better to use unless you want to get your steps in for the day.

Two light rail lines have been constructed as of November 2023. Perhaps the most useful line runs from the train station to an area just north of the Siyob Bazaar, about 1-1.5 km north of the Registan.

Yellow taxis can be taken all over. 5,000 som is a standard fare pretty much anywhere in the city, an additional two thousand for the outskirts. Some will try to overcharge (as much as 10,000 som), some won't. Don't bother trying for cheaper than 4,000 som but it's quite easy to haggle it down from any higher than that.

The Yandex Taxi app works well in the city center and will offer you a variety of price ranges depending on category selected, local SIM card recommended, as drivers may try to contact you by phone if they can't find you.

City buses (white minibuses) are tired and wheezy. Catching them is a slow and frustrating experience. You can plan your travel using WikiRoutes app, but it is not completely accurate. You might not be able to exit at desired station if the bus is tightly packed. Standard fare is 2000 som which you pay upon leaving.

Do

 * Visit a spa/banya for a Samarkand deep tissue massage.
 * Visit a spa/banya for a Samarkand deep tissue massage.

Buy
ATMs: There are many ATMs ("bankomat") in the city centre and many of them accept Visa, with MasterCard being less widely accepted. Do not confuse the domestic payment terminals with ATMs, although if there are multiple payment terminals in one location, there is usually an ATM in the group. As a standard, ATMs dispense Uzbek som for a processing fee of 1.5%, some also dispense US dollars, altough with lower limits and potential additional fees as well.

 * Samarkand Zeera (black cumin) is famous all over the world for its aroma.
 * Samarkand Pistachio, smaller in size but very popular.
 * Samarkand Shafran (or Zafran) is famous but inferior in quality as compared with Iranian saffron.

Although you may have heard of Samarkand rugs, these rugs did not actually originate in Samarkand, but in the cities of Kashgar, Khotan and Yarkand further east in what is now the Chinese province of Xinjiang. They are widely known as such due to Samarkand's former status as an important city on the Silk Road, where rugs from those three cities had to pass through on their way to Europe.

Eat
The most famous product of Samarkand is their bread, "Samarkand Non". A visitor will rarely find anybody leaving Samarkand without buying Non as a gift. There are so many interesting stories about "Samarkand Non".

If you haven't had your fill of plov by the time you visit Samarkand, the Samarkandi version uses more oil and yellow carrots than other varieties. You can also find plov made with horse meat.

Drink
Samarkand is a conservative city as compared with Tashkent. There are few night clubs and bars. In Afrosiab Hotel there is a night club and bar. In President Hotel guests can have beer in nice environments. Incante Show Club is at a walking distance from Afrosiab Hotel and in the evening visitors can watch pole dance.

Go next

 * Shakhrisabz, 100 km from Samarkand
 * Panjakent (Tajikistan), 60 km from Samarkand
 * Urgut, 30 km southeast of Samarkand, spectacular bazaar
 * To Tashkent, shared taxis leave from Ulughbek bus station. As of April 2019 they should cost no more than 50,000 som and take about 4-5 hours. Bargain hard and ask around, some will take you for 40,000 som.
 * To Bukhara, there is a regular train service that takes between 2 to 3.5 hours from Samarkand. Buy tickets well in advance, as they often sell out (especially in the Taskhent-Samarkand-Bukhara triangle). You can buy them online or at the train station.

title: Samarkand


text:
Samarkand through Bukhara

Samarkand through Bukhara is the most visited and most famous region of the historic Silk Road through Central Asia. It is comprised of the Uzbekistani provinces of Samarkand and Bukhara, naturally, as well as the southern portion of Navoiy Province. It corresponds approximately with the ancient kingdom of Sogdia.

Talk
Tajik is the main language since the a large Tajik minority lives in Samarqand and Bukhara regions. Uzbek and Russian are the second languages.

However, there are no signs in Tajik and few signs in Russian. Most are in Uzbek.

Get in
Bukhara International Airport, Samarkand International Airport.

title: Samarkand through Bukhara


text:
Samarra

Samarra (Arabic:سامَرّاء) is a city in Iraq's Baghdad Belts. In 2007, UNESCO named Samarra one of its World Heritage Sites.

Understand

The region has been inhabited since prehistoric times and has given name to the Late Neolithic Samarra culture, which existed roughly between 5500 and 4800 BCE. The city of Sur-marrati was founded in 690 BC on the opposite bank of the Tigris. Since then the city has been destroyed and rebuilt several times and slightly different locations along the Tigris river.

Samarra in its current iteration was founded in 836 CE by the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mu'tasim. He and his successors built lavish palace complexes; such as al-Mutawakkiliyya, the Great Mosque of Samarra with its famous spiral minaret and the large palace Bulkuwara. Samarra remained the residence of the caliph until 892, when it returned to Baghdad. The city then declined and was largely abandoned starting in 940 CE. During the next millennia the city remained insignificant, but population increased during the 1950s when the Samarra Barrage was built and flooded nearby areas.

Today, Samarra is a city of about 350,000 inhabitants. Being the only remaining Islamic capital that retains its original plan, architecture and artistic relics it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

Climate
Samarra has a hot desert climate. Daily highs in June and July easily reach.

By road
Highway 1 between Baghdad and Mosul passes by Samarra. The road is in acceptable condition, but robberies along the route have been frequent in the late 2010s.

By bus
There are daily buses from Baghdad.

By rail
National operator Iraqi Railways runs a passenger train from Baghdad once per week, on Fridays.

See

Stay safe
See the warning on the Iraq article for information on the security situation.

title: Samarra


text:
Sambalpur

Sambalpur is the biggest city in western Odisha (formerly known as Orissa). It is a historically important place, mainly because of the number of freedom fights against the British, Veer Surendra Sai being one of the many who died fighting the British.

Climate
The climate is generally very extreme, temperature rising to about 45°C in summer and descending about as low as 7°C in winter.

It gets heavy rainfall during the rainy season, very important for the region because its non-irrigated areas depend on the monsoon for agriculture.

The best time to visit Sambalpur is October to March.

By train

There are three quite large railway stations in the city, with Sambalpur Junction being the most important one. Sambalpur is well-connected to major cities in India like Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Vhisakhapatnam.

By road
It is also well connected by road to major cities around Sambalpur with night buses to and from Bhubaneswar, Bhilai, Rourkela, Raipur, Bargadh, Cuttack, etc.

Sambalpur is on National Highways 6 and 122.

See

Sambalpur is well known for its forest reserve. There are many conserved forests.

Eat
There are many restaurants in and around Sambalpur city. You should try "pakhal", made of rice.

Drink
Many bars and restaurants are available within the city limits.

Go next

 * Bhubaneswar
 * Jharsuguda
 * Koraput
 * Raipur
 * Rourkela
 * Simlipal National Park - it is on NH6

title: Sambalpur


text:
Samcheok

Samcheok (삼척) is a city in the southernmost region of Gangwon-do. It reaches out to the east coast, and Uljin in Gyeongsangbuk-do to the south. You can enjoy a romantic time by the blue ocean and mysterious caves.

Understand
Samcheok is located in the southeastern part of Gangwon State. The length of the coastline facing the East Sea reaches 104.5 km. The area is 1186.53㎢, which is 7.03 % of Gangwon State's total area. The population is 69,339 (2017), which is 4.43 % of Gangwon State's total population.

Tourist office
Next to the express bus terminal is an information booth, right on the sidewalk. They are extremely helpful and will give you maps and schedules in English.

By bus
Nonstop buses to Samcheok Express Bus Terminal leave every 40 to 50 minutes from Seoul Express Bus Terminal. On weekdays, the first bus departs at 06:30 and the last at 23:30. There are also 15 services daily from Dong (East) Seoul Bus Terminal to Samcheok between 07:10 and 20:05. Check to make sure the buses are the kind with three seats across instead of four, they are the same price but much more comfortable.

By car
If you’re planning to drive from Seoul, take the Yeongdong Expressway to Gangneung junction, then get onto the Donghae (East Sea) Expressway to Donghae. National Road No. 7 will then take you to Samcheok.

Get around
There are city and regional buses that go to all of the tourist sites and usually leave every hour from a bus stop alongside the back of the city bus terminal. To get to the caves, a ticket must be purchased inside the terminal. For the penis park and Youngwha beach you pay on the bus. Taxis are also plentiful and relatively cheap. The main downtown area is a 10-minute walk from the terminal.

See
Although a number of caves have been discovered throughout Samcheok, their interiors are deceptively fragile, and so only these two, both part of Daei ri County Park, are open to the public. They are ‘Hwanseongul’ and ‘Daegeumgul’.

Eat
There are several raw fish restaurants at the harbor along Sae-chun-nyeo Street. A local speciality is black goat soup, it can be found several places in the city, but outside at Mu-sa-ri village one can find country style goat stew with mountain vegetables.

Sleep
Quite a large number of motels can be found near the bus station. It is worth looking around a bit to find a decent priced room as the prices seem to vary quite a bit (₩50,000-150,000).

title: Samcheok


text:
Samdrup Jongkhar

Samdrup Jongkhar is regional head of Samdrup Jongkhar district and the largest town in east Bhutan.

Understand
Often referred to as Phuentsholing's little sister due to the similarity in architectural style and the fact that both towns are on the border with India, Samdrup Jongkhar has, in fact, little of interest to tourists. Even the dzong is new and lacks the charm and artistic treasures of the traditional dzongs. However, the town is a very clean and pleasant place with an eclectic mixture of Bhutanese and Indian shops, restaurants and hotels, so it is worth a look around if visiting the area.

Get in

 * Via the northern route. S/Jongkhar is a three day bus ride from Thimphu, and the nearest direct services terminate in Trashigang and Mongar, where travelers will need to spend the night before departing on a different bus the next morning (consider purchasing an onward ticket on arrival as buses on the final leg of the journey are often full). Prior to that, there is a one night stop in Jakar, but it is the same bus that continues the next morning. The most comfortable buses are the small Japanese coaster buses, which operate as far as Mongar and Trashigang. If there are no seats available on the coaster buses to either Mongar or Trashigang, consider taking one as far as Jakar (to where there is a more frequent service), and then purchase an onward ticket on an ordinary inter-district bus from there.
 * Via Assam. The border at S/Jongkhar was reopened in 2008, but travelers heading to the Eastern districts must come with passes or visas issued in either Phuentsholing or Thimphu. Guwahati is the nearest airport to S/Jongkhar.

Get around
This compact little town is easily covered on foot.

See

 * Zangtopelri Lhakhang is a new monastery located across from the entrance to the dzong. Even though it is made of cement and lacking the character of older monasteries, Zangtopelri is perhaps S/Jongkhar's only tourist site.

Buy

 * Just past the border gate is an Indian market called Mella Bazaar. Here, there are an array of stalls selling goods and some specializing in Assamese and northern Indian food. The chaos and noise is quite a contrast to the peace and harmony that exists just the other side of the gate in Bhutan.
 * If you are staying long term in Bhutan, S/Jongkhar is the place to purchase Indian made clothes and dry food items. However, these things will be of little interest to tourists. The town does not have any gift shops, even in the hotels.

Eat

 * South Indian cuisine. Hotel Shambhala on the main street offers a simple but authentic selection of South Indian dishes - dosa are a speciality.
 * Cakes and pastries. Pema Bakery located in the bazaar area has a small, but good selection of bakery items.

Sleep
The town has no tourist class hotels.

Connect

 * The area code for S/Jongkhar is 07. When calling from overseas, dial +975-7-XXXXXX

Go next
The road between Darranga and Rangiya which is 55 km from Guwahati is very bad at stretches. During winter do not travel after sunset as the fog is very heavy and night time driving becomes hazardous.
 * Assam and Phuentsholing. Border opens at 7AM to allow vehicles to travel through Assam to Phuentsholing. There are no buses and you'll need to be at the border crossing around 6AM to get a ride (just ask drivers - no need for thumb waving). The journey takes about ten hours. It is necessary to visit the Indian foreign check post at Darranga (5 km from S/Jongkhar) early in the morning or the evening before to get your entry stamp.
 * Deothang A hill station-like town about 18 km from S/Jongkhar.
 *  Bhangtar, an area inhabited by many Bhutanese of Nepalese descent. The clean river and wide valley offer a good place for a picnic and swimming (though not in the rainy season).
 * Guwahati is 110 km (a three hour drive) from S/Jongkhar. There is no direct buses, and due to safety considerations the journey must be made by an Indian registered vehicle, which can be hired for between 1,300Nu to 1,800Nu for the day.

title: Samdrup Jongkhar


text:
Samedan

Samedan is a secluded village in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland but it is well connected with the rest of the country.

By train
Samedan can be reached by train either from Pontresina, St. Moritz, the lower Engadin, or Chur. It takes around 15 minutes to reach Samedan from Pontresina or St. Moritz. The train ride to Chur lasts around 2 hours. Consider the convenience of buying a day rail pass which can be used for both train and bus.

By car
It takes around 1.5 hours to drive from Chur to Samedan. From Poschiavo, you reach Samedan over the Bernina pass and departing from Chiavenna you have to drive over the Maloja pass. There are three spectacular mountain passes by which you can reach Samedan when coming from Zurich. In winter it’s advisable to take a car train from Selfranga near Klosters to get into the Engadin, because the mountain passes are usually very icy.

By taxi
There are a lot of taxis in and around Samedan. But travelling by taxi is rather pricey in Switzerland.

By bus
A cheaper possibility is travelling around by bus. The bus drives from Maloja to Brail and stops in every village. In the high season buses run every 10 minutes.

By car
In and around Samedan you will find a lot of parking areas.

By helicopter
You can take a sightseeing tour by helicopter. You can even determine the course of the flight yourself. A flight of 20 minutes costs Fr. 190 and a flight of 30 minutes is around Fr. 270.

See

 * The Protestant Church - It was built in 1682 and is located in the village centre.
 * The Protestant Church - It was built in 1682 and is located in the village centre.
 * The Protestant Church - It was built in 1682 and is located in the village centre.
 * The Protestant Church - It was built in 1682 and is located in the village centre.
 * The Protestant Church - It was built in 1682 and is located in the village centre.

Do

 * Hiking (visit the restaurant Marguns) in summer.
 * Mountain biking.
 * Camping around the cozy Gravatscha lake.
 * Enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride in winter or a horse-drawn carriage ride in summer (reservations at E.Polin, +41 81 852 51 16).

Buy
The magic of Samedan is the silence and the beauty of the mountains. It is a perfect place to relax and forget about the tedious stress. True shopping is hardly possible there. However, there are a number of cosy bakeries in which you can enjoy homemade pastries. Samedan is only 15 minutes away from St. Moritz, a true shopping paradise with small romantic high-end boutiques.

title: Samedan


text:
Samnaun

Samnaun is a city in Graubünden, in Switzerland.

It is close to the Austrian border and is a separate duty-free area, which means that you might be controlled by the Swiss customs as well when going to or leaving Samnaun. There are four villages inside the Samnaun area, Samnaun-Dorf (at the end of the road going through the area), Compatsch, Laret and Ravaisch.

In the winter Samnaun is a place for snowboarders and skiers, as Samnaun is a part of the ski center in Ischgl at the Austrian side of the border, in the summer people come there mostly for shopping and enjoying the nature. There are many shops selling jewellery, swiss watches, alcohol and tobacco as well as many restaurants and hotels.

Get in
Samnaun might be one of the most remote parts of Switzerland, and getting there will require some patience.

By bus
There is a postal bus with a dozen trips a day from Martina (45 min) and Scuol (1 hr 20 min). From Martina there are buses to Landeck in Austria and Mals in Italy.

By car
Traditionally the only road into Samnaun went through Austria, hence the special status of the valley as a duty free area. Today there are two roads into Samnaun, one via Austria and another one entirely on Swiss territory.

Get around
Walking is the best way to get around inside Samnaun-Dorf.

Do
In the winter Samnaun is excellent place for winter sports. In the summer there are also a variety of sports like hiking, biking or tennis.

Buy
There are many duty-free shops in Samnaun similar to those at major airports. However one has to remember that there are some strict customs regulations. Please pay attention to these otherwise you might get in trouble. Opening hours are in general: M-Sa 09:00–18:00, Su 13:00–18:00.

Eat
There are relatively many restaurants in Samnaun. No fast-food available, but instead more classic restaurants with usual Swiss menus... and prices.

Sleep
For its size, Samnaun has a big number of hotels, many of them are offering wellness services, etc.

title: Samnaun


text:
Sam Neua

Sam Neua (also spelt Xam Neua or Xam Nua) is a city in Hua Phan Province, Laos.

Understand
The Hua Phan region, bordering Vietnam, is one of the remotest areas of Laos. The roads leading there are long and windy (but paved) as you ascend into the mountains. It is one of the most ethnically diverse provinces in Laos.

Sam Neua is the capital of Hua Phan Province, A small town of some 30,000 people, with oversized administrative buildings and quiet streets. There is not too much to see in the town itself, but it can serve as a base for visiting Vieng Xai, and is often a necessary stop-over if coming or going from Vietnam. The surrounding countryside is also beautiful and host to some interesting sites.

Get in
By Bus
 * Phonsavan - daily buses. 8 hours.
 * Luang Prabang - two daily buses: one departing around 08:30 and one in the evening. 130,000 kip. 15 hours. The bus stops in Nong Khiaw and passes through Vieng Thong.
 * Vietnam - via the Nam Soi-Na Meo border crossing. Bus departs from Thanh Hoa daily at 8:00, and takes 9–10 hours. Lao visa on arrival is available for now, but will not be in 2020.

By Air
 * Flights three times a week from Vientiane by Lao Skyway.

Get around

 * The center of town is easily walkable and there is little traffic.
 * There are a few tuk-tuks and taxis around. You might need to take one to get to the Nathong bus station or sights further away from the center.
 * There are two bus stations just outside of Sam Neua: the intra-provincial Nathong station for Vieng Xai and other nearby destinations about four kilometers east of the center and one inter-provincial (for Luang Prabang, Phonsavan, Vietnam, etc.) about 1 kilometer south of the center on top of a hill.
 * Dannao Restaurant is the only place in town renting motorbikes. They only have one or two bikes and charge high prices (225,000 kip for automatic).

See

 * The strange monument at the center of the main roundabout.
 * Two active temples.
 * The wet market on the east side of the river with "exotic" wildlife for sale.
 * Former Pathet Lao Caves in Vieng Xai.
 * Namnoua waterfall just off the road between Sam Neua and Vieng Xai.
 * Hintang Archaeological Park.

Buy

 * Local handicrafts: at specialist local shops or the market. Beware of cheap Chinese and Vietnamese goods at the market.
 * There are around 10 ATMs around town, representing the BCEL, JDB, and LDB banks. Banks advertise currency exchange.

Eat
Cheap pho and various small bites, as well as fresh produce, can be found at the market on the east side of the river. A small night market is set up across the street from the city park each evening, with a variety of grilled and deep-fried options to eat. A couple of Vietnamese restaurants are found east of the bridge.

Drink

 * The streets are generally empty by 21:00, but all restaurants and many guesthouses will sell you Beerlao.
 * Many Coffee and Yuni Coffee both serve good specialty coffees on the main road.

Sleep
Most guest houses are congregated in a couple of blocks between the main road and the southernmost bridge. There are also guest houses and hotels along the main road and on the other side of the river.

Budget

 * Bounhome Guesthouse (near the bridge). Clean, comfortable en suite rooms facing the main road. 80,000 kip.
 * Phasouk Guesthouse (near the bridge, on the sidestreet next to Dannao Restaurant). Well-maintained, clean rooms with friendly owners. 70,000 kip.
 * Bounhome Guesthouse (near the bridge). Clean, comfortable en suite rooms facing the main road. 80,000 kip.
 * Phasouk Guesthouse (near the bridge, on the sidestreet next to Dannao Restaurant). Well-maintained, clean rooms with friendly owners. 70,000 kip.

Connect
There is a helpful provincial Tourist Information Centre in the town, open Monday-Friday. hp_pto@yahoo.com. Phone: 064–312567.

Go next

 * Vieng Xai - rare songthaews from Nathong bus station or take Vietnam-bound buses from main bus station at 8:00 or 10:00. Taxis charge 250K for a day trip. You can either do a day trip to the caves or stay here.
 * Vietnam - buses to Thanh Hoa (180,000 kip) at 8:00 and 10:00. The bus to Thanh Hoa may continue to Hanoi.
 * Luang Prabang - 12–15 hours by local bus - a long but scenic journey. The bus passes through Vieng Thong (Muang Hiam) and Nong Khiaw if you want to stop there.
 * Phonsavan - 8 hours.

title: Sam Neua