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Branford

Branford is a city of 28,000 people (2014) in the Greater New Haven region of Connecticut. Branford has six historic districts that are listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places (NRHp). These include buildings in Federal, Arts and Crafts, and Queen Anne styles of architecture. Five NRHP-listed districts are Branford Center Historic District, Branford Point Historic District, Canoe Brook Historic District, Route 146 Historic District, and Stony Creek-Thimble Islands Historic District.

By train
The Branford train station is on the west side of Maple Street and includes a high-level handicapped accessible south side platform for level boarding and bicycle racks. Shore Line East tickets cannot be purchased at this station. Tickets can be purchased on Shore Line East trains in cash with bills no greater than $20. Free parking is available for Shore Line East commuters.

By car
Branford can be reached on I-95. Branford's exits are 53 (only on the northbound side), 54, 55, and 56.

By plane
Branford is only a few miles away from Tweed New Haven Airport.

By boat
Brewer Bruce & Johnson's Marina is near New York City and only a few miles from New Haven. In addition, Brewer Bruce and Johnson's is very close to wonderful weekend cruising destinations. The Thimble Islands, with 30 islands for anchoring, birding and exploring, are only three miles away. Port Jefferson, with its great shops, numerous restaurants and historic houses is a short jaunt across the Sound. Additional sites to see include: Stony Creek's Trolley Trail and the Harrison House Museum. With 20 miles of coastline on Long Island Sound, Branford is an idyllic setting for traveling boaters plus offers endless opportunities for hiking, cycling and kayaking.

Do
Branford also has a number of beaches to spend a lazy day in the sun. There are numerous marinas in the town as well, so bring your boat for a fun day in the water. At night be sure to check out Regal Cinemas. With its easy location right off the highway and showing all the hottest movies, the movie theater is a great way to spend a night out or find something to do on a boring Sunday.
 * Branford Supply Ponds trails. Several scenic forest trails wind around the Branford Supply Ponds.
 * One of the largest events in Branford every year is the Branford Festival on the third weekend in June. It features food, crafts, children's rides, music and a 5-mile (8-km) road race.
 * Branford Supply Ponds trails. Several scenic forest trails wind around the Branford Supply Ponds.
 * One of the largest events in Branford every year is the Branford Festival on the third weekend in June. It features food, crafts, children's rides, music and a 5-mile (8-km) road race.

Eat
There are many places to eat in Branford, ranging from restaurant chain classics to exquisite fine dining. If you're on a tight budget be sure to check out the Gourmet Wok for all of your favorite, yet inexpensive Chinese food. If you don't like Chinese, the Parthenon Diner has a wide variety of food for cheap. It even has some expensive things if you please, but the majority of the food is relatively inexpensive. If you're looking for a good mid-priced bar & grill, be sure to check out Eli's or Humphrey's for good burgers and fun. If you're looking to splurge on some fine dining be sure to check out La Luna for amazing Italian food, or the USS Chowder Pot III, which is home to some of the best seafood in New England.

Sleep
There are numerous places to stay in Branford. While the town does not have any "high class" hotels, they do have some very accommodating chains. A good one to pick from is the Holiday Inn Express on Rt. 1. You can't miss it with its dolphin fountain in front of the lobby. Beware of the places that look dingy, they most likely are. The Branford Motel is a haven for high schooler's parties and drug deals. If possible, Stay away!

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Branson

Branson is in the Ozarks and the southwest region Missouri. Today it is sometimes referred to as a "family-friendly Las Vegas" because of the many shows and attractions, the flashy building decorations, and the neon lights. The "strip", as it has been named, draws people from far and wide.

Understand
Branson was named for Rueben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s. The population was almost 13,000 in 2020.

If shows are not your thing then check out one of the three lakes Branson has to offer. Lake Taneycomo's clear cold waters provide some of the finest trout fishing available anywhere in the world. Table Rock Lake and Bull Shoals Lake offer a variety of recreational activities including hiking, sightseeing, hunting, skin diving, fishing, and water sports such as swimming, boating, and water skiing.

Maybe it is golfing that swings your attention. Branson has an array of golf courses sure to please the newest beginner to the most professional golfer.

By plane

 * M. Graham Clark - Taney County Airport, for private plane traffic, is located adjacent to Branson in Point Lookout, Missouri, next to the College of the Ozarks.
 * Branson Airport, 8 miles (13 km) south of Branson, is Branson's major carrier local airport. Sun Country Airlines is the only scheduled service from this airport as of 1/1/2024, with apparently weekly flights to Minneapolis-St. Paul.
 * Springfield-Branson Regional Airport is about 50 miles (80 km) from Branson, serving the following air travel providers:
 * Allegiant Air - nonstop service to/from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando-Sanford, Phoenix-Mesa, and St. Petersburg-Clearwater.
 * American Eagle - nonstop service to Dallas/Fort Worth.
 * Delta Connection - nonstop service to Atlanta and Memphis.
 * United Express - nonstop service to Chicago-O'Hare and Denver.
 * Boone County Regional Airport in Harrison, Arkansas, is closer (31 miles/50 km), but has only one carrier, Southern Airways Express, with service to Memphis and Dallas.

Other options include NW Arkansas Regional Airport in Bentonville, 97 miles (160 km) or about a 2-hour drive away though the Mark Twain National Forest (includes some steep curves over hilly terrain—this is the only airport whose land route is through the forest). The nearest major airports are Tulsa 216 miles, Kansas City 233 miles, and St. Louis (Lambert) 255 miles. St. Louis has some international flights, as well as some major tourist attractions of its own to see.

By car
From most locations, take I-44 to Springfield, then south on US 65 (exit 82A). From the west, use the US 60/160 connector just before entering Springfield (exit 69).

Get around
In-spite of the mind-numbing number of activities here, and occasional bumper-to-bumper traffic, Branson should not be mistaken for a larger city, as it does not have a regular bus system. With this being said, one who is savvy could get around without their own vehicle.

By car
During the week, the congestion isn't that bad on Highway 76, and could be especially clear in the afternoons. After all, most shows are in the evening. When driving in weekend or evening traffic, be extra vigilant (lights could be distracting, and thus cause a wreck), consider alternate routes, and allow several minutes of leeway with schedules. Branson has special "colored" routes to make driving easier. Knowledge of these can make driving less stressful, and faster.

By train
One could ride the Branson Scenic Train around to out-of-town attractions, which runs on an hourly basis.

By taxi
There are several taxis available, and many different types. On another note, limos may be seen around town as well, although taxis, usually yellow cabs, are the best bet, and are cheaper.

Table Rock Lake
A beautiful stretch of crystal clear blue water, spanning around 50,000 acres (20,000 ha), Table Rock Lake is a reservoir that winds through the Ozark Mountains of northwestern Arkansas and southwestern Missouri. A favorite vacation spot for outdoor lovers of all types of activities, it has become a major tourist attraction of Branson. People from all over the United States come to the area in order to camp, boat, and fish. You can enjoy all sorts of water sports activities, including jet skiing, tubing, scuba diving, and swimming.

Impounded by the Table Rock Dam, which was constructed on the White River by the U.S. Corps of Engineers in 1954 to 1958, the original purpose of the reservoir was to control flooding on the White River, which also flows through Missouri and Arkansas. It had already been established as a prime ground for fishing and recreation as early as the 1930s. However, flooding from the White River had constantly devastated the area. Following the Flood Control Act of 1943, the dam was constructed and the overflow of water from the White River filled the man-made lake now known as Table Rock Lake. The overflow from this reservoir spills downstream into Lake Taneycomo, the cold water of the reservoir creating a trout fishing environment for the lake.

As Table Rock Lake is a big fishing area, a lot of fishermen are attracted to the place. Moreover, the lake boasts a wide variety of fish in abundant supply. Some of these fish include bass, catfish, white bass, crappie, and bluegill. An aggressive fish management program has also been implemented in the area, seeing a resurgence of smallmouth, Kentucky, and largemouth bass of exceptionally large size. This has led to even more fishermen flocking to this site, both professional and recreational fishermen.

Surrounding the lake are lands for public use, which draw many people who enjoy nature and hunting. The scenery is exquisite, and portions of the Mark Twain National Forest are located on these lands. Table Rock State Park also borders the shoreline of Table Rock Lake.

Do

 * The Branson Scenic Railroad operates from the historic Branson Train Depot located downtown. The railroad takes you on a 40-mile (55-km) roundtrip ride through the beautiful Ozark countryside using vintage train engines and cars from the 1930s through 1960s.  It also offers nightly dinner trips and a Polar Express tour during November and December.
 * The Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama is one of the longest-running local attractions. See the events of Harold Bell Wrights classic novel reenacted by a huge cast of actors and stuntmen.  During the day you can also visit a recreation of Old Matt's cabin and travel to the top of Inspiration Tower where you can see all the way into Arkansas on a clear day.
 * Branson has over 50 live entertainment theaters. Shows range from singing (Andy Williams for example) to Chinese acrobats. One of the better and more popular shows is Six, 6 (now only five) brothers who do a variety show including accompanying their songs with the sounds of musical instruments produced by the voices of the brothers.
 * The Branson Belle is a river boat that was built next to Table Rock Lake and has lunch and dinner cruises with entertainment.
 * Riding the Ducks is also very popular. They are World War II amphibious vehicles that take you around town and then into the lake for a short cruise.,
 * - located in Branson
 * The Branson Belle is a river boat that was built next to Table Rock Lake and has lunch and dinner cruises with entertainment.
 * Riding the Ducks is also very popular. They are World War II amphibious vehicles that take you around town and then into the lake for a short cruise.,
 * - located in Branson
 * The Branson Belle is a river boat that was built next to Table Rock Lake and has lunch and dinner cruises with entertainment.
 * Riding the Ducks is also very popular. They are World War II amphibious vehicles that take you around town and then into the lake for a short cruise.,
 * - located in Branson
 * - located in Branson

Buy

There are 3 outlet malls with over 200 stores.

Sleep

 * 1000 Hills Stay a few nights in comfortable Thousand Hills cabins in Branson
 * Branson has a plethora of condos. You can get a nice condo for $100/night or less. There are also many motel rooms generally for $25–40/night during the winter season.

Connect
Branson Missouri is in the 417 area code and the 65616 postal zip code.

Go next

 * Eureka Springs— About 1 hour southeast of Branson, an Arkansas Victorian mountain village. With art, music, fine dining, lodging from rustic to luxurious, night spots, distinctive attractions and worlds of outdoor activities, you'll never have a dull moment.
 * St. Louis— Site of the famous Gateway Arch
 * Springfield (Missouri)—
 * Kansas City— Largest city in Missouri, extends into Kansas
 * St. Joseph—
 * Jefferson City— the state capital

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

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Brantford

Brantford is a former industrial city of 105,000 people (2021) on the Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. "The Telephone City", it is where Alexander Graham Bell said he invented his telephone, and from where he placed the first long-distance call to nearby Paris (Ontario). His Tutela Heights home, south of the city, is an international tourist attraction. For ice hockey fans, it's also famous as the hometown of the legendary Wayne Gretzky.

Brant County surrounds the City of Brantford. It had a population of 37,000 in 2016. It includes the pretty riverside community of Paris. The Brant census division includes the Six Nations Reserve, which has about 13,000 residents, but is not part of the county.

Understand
Brantford is named after Joseph Brant, an important Mohawk First Nations (Aboriginal) chief during the American Revolutionary War and later, who led his people in their first decades in Upper Canada. Many of his descendants, and other First Nations citizens, live on the nearby Reserve of Six Nations of the Grand River, 20 km from Brantford; it is the most populous reserve in Canada.

History
The Iroquoian-speaking Attawandaron, known in English as the Neutral Nation, lived in the Grand River valley area before the 17th century; their main village and seat of the chief, Kandoucho, was identified by 19th-century historians as having been located on the Grand River where present-day Brantford developed. This community, like the rest of their settlements, was destroyed when the Iroquois declared war in 1650 over the fur trade and exterminated the Neutral nation.

In 1784, Captain Joseph Brant and the Mohawk people of the Iroquois Confederacy left New York State for Canada. As a reward for their loyalty to the British Crown, they were given a large land grant, referred to as the Haldimand Tract, on the Grand River. The original Mohawk settlement was on the south edge of the present-day city at a location favourable for landing canoes. Brant's crossing (or fording) of the river gave the original name to the area: Brant's ford.

The area began to grow from a small settlement in the 1820s as the Hamilton and London Road was improved. By the 1830s, Brantford became a stop on the Underground Railroad. From the 1830s to the 1860s, several hundred people of African descent settled in the area around Murray Street, and in Cainsville. In Brantford, they established their own school and church, now known as the S.R. Drake Memorial Church. In 1846, it is estimated 2000 residents lived in the city's core while 5199 lived in the outlying rural areas.

By 1847, Europeans began to settle further up the river at a ford in the Grand River and named their village Brantford. The population increased after 1848 when river navigation to Brantford was opened and again in 1854 with the arrival of the railway to Brantford.

Because of the ease of navigation from new roads and the Grand River, several manufacturing companies could be found in the town by 1869.

Visitor Information

 * City of Brantford Tourism

By car
Brantford is on Highway 403 at Highway 24, 90 minutes from Toronto, 45 minutes from downtown Hamilton, accessible by several major roads. For downtown, exit at King George Rd./Fairview Dr.

From the west, Highway 403 comes from Woodstock.

Highway 24 comes south from Cambridge, and north from Simcoe.

By bus

By train

 * A route operates multiple times daily between Windsor and Toronto including stops in Chatham, London, Ingersoll, Woodstock, Brantford, Burlington, and Oakville. Travel time to Brantford London from from Windsor is 3-3.25 hours, from London is 1-1.25 hours, and from Toronto is 1-1.25 hours.

By plane
Brantford Municipal Airport is west of the city. The John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport in Hamilton is about 35 km east of Brantford. Toronto Pearson International Airport is in Mississauga, about 100 km northeast of Brantford.

Do
Brantford's location along the Grand river makes it an excellent spot for water activities, especially canoeing and Kayaking.

 * Brantford hosts the Annual Gretzky Hockey Tournament in which teams from North America and sometimes Europe come to compete.

 * Brantford has a junior B hockey club called the Brantford Golden Eagles who play at the Civic Center located on Market Street. The senior team for Brantford is called the Brantford Blast; they also play at the Civic Center. You can watch these games for a ticket price ranging from $5–15.

 * Brantford also has a baseball club called the Brantford Red Sox which play at Arnold Anderson Stadium at Cockshutt Park. You can also watch these games for a fair price.

 * Great plays and musicals at the Sanderson Centre on Dalhousie Street, across from Harmony Square.

 * The Ford Plant was founded in 2003, and is Brantford's most popular music venue. Numerous bands have played there, and they continue to put great shows on. The general admission is usually ranging from $5–15 depending on the bands which are performing.

There are also many festivals during certain seasons of the year and a cinema which is on King George Road at the plaza.

The Tourism Centre for Brantford is off of Wayne Gretzky Parkway close to the Lynden Park Mall.

Festivals

 * Brantford Kinsmen Ribfest held in early August at the Civic Centre. Live music, crafts, and most importantly, BBQ ribs, chicken and sauces that compete for awards across North America.
 * Brantford International Villages Festival in July Four Fabulous Days of Culture! Each location/hall is where the various ethnic communities of Brantford are ready to entertain you. Your four-day passports or one day pass gives you access to all villages. Free transportation between Villages enables you to sample and explore the diversified cultures of our community. You will enjoy continuous cultural entertainment including music, dancing, unique cuisine and beverages plus cultural displays of costumes and history.

Drink
There are numerous bars in Brantford where you can go for a drink. The downtown core alone has most of them.

Two bars are side to side and very popular among students in Brantford. The occasional drunken bar fight will happen, but it is generally safe.

Stay safe
Brantford is a dangerous city during the night hours. From the Lorne Bridge down to Stanley Street is where most of the crime takes place. Assaults and robberies are common in these areas, as in Eagle Place which is located east of the downtown core. Police presence is most frequented in these areas; drunken bar fights are an every night thing in Brantford on the weekends, and sometimes week nights. The Brantford downtown has come a long way since the year 2000; the city has put money into the downtown core, and continues to build new buildings and more local friendly attractions. Wilfrid Laurier University is across from the Eaton Square, which is in the downtown core. Police have stepped up and cut down crime since Maclean's magazine ranked Brantford 11th worst city in Canada for its crime rate. If you take the necessary precautions and walk with groups you will unlikely encounter any problems, but if you are alone you may be target for criminals or drug addicts looking for their next fix.

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Brasilia

Brasilia (Portuguese: Brasília), the capital of Brazil and the seat of government of the Distrito Federal, is a planned city in the Central Highlands of Brazil. Inaugurated in 1960, it is a masterpiece of modernist architecture listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and attracts architecture enthusiasts worldwide. Brasilia is also an important transportation hub for travel within Brazil.

Understand

The basic structure of Brasilia was completed in just four years, from 1956 to 1960, under the leadership of President Juscelino Kubitschek, with the slogan "fifty years of progress in five", and the city is in a sense a memorial to him. The cathedral has six columns representing two hands reaching up to almighty heaven.

The city is designed in the shape of a giant bird or airplane, with various separated zones assigned for specific functions such as housing, commerce, hospitals and banking. Running down the center of the "airplane's" fuselage is the thoroughfare called the Eixo Monumental ("Monumental Axis") and at one end lay the government buildings. The arched "wings" are residential zones, with several rows of medium-rise apartment blocks with small commercial districts. The intersection is the commercial and cultural hub, with stores, hotels, and the cathedral. A huge artificial lake serves the city as both a leisure area and to diminish the effects of low humidity in drier months (see Climate below).

Decades after its creation, Brasilia is still developing a culture of its own. The city has often been criticized as a failed utopia where rationalized modernist planning has buried the human element. Yet Brazilians are quite proud of their capital, embodying a vision of a future when Brazil is no longer considered merely a "developing" country.

Orientation and addresses

Getting a grasp of Brasilia's addresses may be a little perplexing at first, as they are usually shortened to acronyms. Here are some useful tips:

The Monumental Axis divides the city into north and south sectors. Acronyms ended in N refer to sectors on the northern side, while those ended in S are on the south.
 * SHS/SHN - Hotel sectors (Setor Hoteleiro)
 * SCS/SCN - Commercial sectors (Setor Comercial)
 * SQS/SQN - Residential sectors (Superquadras)
 * CLS/CLN (or SCLS/SCLN) - Local commerce sectors (Comércio Local) along the wings.
 * SES/SEN - Embassies sector (Setor de Embaixadas)

Climate
Due to its location, on a plateau at an altitude of 1,100 meters, temperatures in Brasília seldom reach extremes during the year. 12°C to 28°C (63 to 82°F) are the average lows and highs, but it can get as low as 1°C (34°F) in winter and get as hot as 34°C (92°F) in September/October.

In Brasilia, there is two seasons: a rainy season, which runs from October to April, and a dry season, which runs from May to September.

In dry season (May–September), rains are practically nonexistent. Between May and June, the relative humidity is around 50%. However, from the months of August and September, the peak of drought begins, with humidity below 20%. The city's landscape, normally very green, becomes desert-like and small forest fires can occur. At that time, it is common for locals to use a humidifier to minimize the effects of drought. If you visit Brasilia in the months of August and September, it is recommended to drink plenty of water to avoid the unpleasant effects of dehydration. Hot and dry air, along with dust, can cause burning eyes, dry skin, nose bleeds and difficulty breathing. On the other hand, during those months the city is blessed with a gorgeous sunset in spectacular shades of orange, pink and red.

In the rainy season (October-April), the rains gradually return in October and the lawns and trees turn green again. From November to January, the rains become more intense and with frequent thunderstorms. December is the rainiest month. In these months, flooding can occur in some parts of the city. Rains begin to decrease gradually from February to April.

Regardless of the time of year, Brasília has very high ultraviolet radiation. It is recommended to use sunscreen, especially during the late morning until late afternoon.

Brasilia climate and weather information is available online at the National Institute of Meteorology (in Portuguese).

Tourist information
Official tourist info can be obtained from State Secretariat of Tourism of the Distrito Federal (in Portuguese). There are also stands in the airport, the new rodoviaria and the Praça dos Três Poderes.

By plane
Due to long distances and falling prices in air travel, flying has become a practical way of getting to Brasilia. The city is a national air travel hub, and there should be plenty of flights. In fact you may find your plane touching down at Brasilia airport even if you're not starting or ending anywhere near, such as Salvador to Belém. On the other hand, despite being a major international capital, getting in directly from abroad is difficult to impossible in most cases. Virtually all flights are domestic, and you will have to go through Brazilian customs and immigration elsewhere and re-board. There are non-stop flights from Lisbon (TAP Portugal), Lima (LATAM and Avianca), Bogotá (Avianca), Miami (LATAM) and (American Airlines), Panamá City (Copa Airlines), Montevideo (Pluna), Atlanta (Delta Air Lines) and Paris (Air France).

There is an Executive Bus from airport to hotel zone and the central region for R$10.

Taxis are another convenient means of getting from the airport into the city. They are relatively expensive for Brazilian standards for the 20-minute drive to the hotel zone. Regular buses number 102 and 102.1 are frequent and significantly cheaper. They link the airport to the main bus terminal at Rodoviária, from where you can catch buses or the subway to other parts of the city.

By bus
Due to its central location, Brasilia is well served by a bus network that connects it with the rest of Brazil. Travel times are about 15 hours from São Paulo, 18 hours from Rio, 10 hours from Belo Horizonte and 3 hours from Goiânia. Buses from other states arrive at a dedicated bus station called rodoferroviaria, that is at the west end of the axis and is connected to the city center by bus (number 131, frequency each 10–20 minutes, from 05:00 to 00:00) and taxis.

By car
Drivers coming from southern and Center-west states will arrive by the Saída Sul entrance. From other states, you'll enter Brasilia by Saída Norte. After you're inside the Federal District, keep following the Brasília indicating traffic signs and Zona Central if you're staying at the hotel sector. The Eixo Rodoviário Road, that crosses the city's south, central, and north sectors, can be identified by the characteristics double strip of yellow raised pavement markers (cat's eye) separating the two lanes of the road.

Get around
Rent a car, ride the buses, take a cab, hitchhike, but whatever you do, don't plan on getting around Brasilia on foot. The city was designed under the assumption that every resident would own an automobile. Obviously things didn't turn out that way, and the city's public transport is a solution to an almost deliberately designed problem. Fortunately it works fairly well. Note that the roads have few crosswalks or traffic lights, so being a pedestrian also requires some caution and patience.

By e-hailing
Notable e-hailing services in the city are:

 * Uber

 * 99Taxi

 * TeLevo (Brazilian service)

It's cheap and convenient.

By bus
Use the app Moovit to find convenient connections.

Most local buses start from or go through the rodoviária, at the precise center of the city, and run along the "wings" - serving the residential zones - or through the Monumental Axis. Some bus lines are very useful for moving around, as they link the central area of Brasilia (Setor Comercial, Setor de Diversões etc.) to Esplanada dos Ministérios, the airport and some of the main avenues (L2 and W3). These used to be stripped red-and-white buses called "zebrinhas" (little zebras) but now they are only distinguished from other bus lines by their numbers.

Unlike many other Brazilian cities, passengers in Brasilia board buses by the front door. Buses must be flagged, otherwise they will only stop when a passenger requests to hop off.

Single fares are R$3.80-5.50 (Feb 2021) for travel within Brasília. You can pay when you board the bus.

In January 2021 it worked to get a public transport card without a CPF. The card is prepaid. Within 3 hours you can use 3 means of public transport. For that you pay only R$5.50 (Feb 2021) altogether.

You can get the card at the BRB service center at the Rodoviaria Plano Piloto. Go downstairs in the direction of the Metro station Estaçio Central and then turn the next left. The BRB service center is at the end of the hallway.

Semob Secretaria de Transporte e Mobilidade, the agency responsible for urban passenger transport in Brasília, oversees bus operations ensuring efficient service across the city. For those looking to plan their journey, the DF no Ponto platform is the official tool for finding bus schedules and line itineraries. This platform offers detailed information on the various routes that traverse the city, making it a valuable resource for navigating Brasília’s extensive bus network.

Additionally, the website horariodeonibus.net is highly reliable and can provide an excellent experience for tourists and foreigners looking to travel around Brasília. It complements the official platform by offering user-friendly access to bus times and routes, ensuring that all visitors have the information they need at their fingertips to explore the city conveniently and efficiently.

By taxi
Taxis usually cannot be hailed on the streets. Taxi stands, however, are close to all tourist attractions and any hotel will be able to call a cab or provide the phone number of the best known dispatch offices. All taxis must have taximeters and can start charging only after the passenger has boarded.

By subway
The Metrô subway system's Y-shaped line starts in the main bus station (Rodoviária de Brasília - "Central" station) and makes its first stop at Setor Comercial Sul ("Galeria" station), which is fairly near some hotels South of Monumental Axis. It runs along the south wing, stopping at blocks 102, 108, 112 and 114, then going through suburbs. The subway runs M-F 06:00-23:30 (some stations stop selling tickets at 22:30), and Sa Su holidays 07:00-19:00. There are different hours on some holidays, like New Year's Eve and the April 21st (city's anniversary).

It's not particularly useful for tourists, as it does not visit the main attractions but does stop at attractions such as the Buddhist Temple (EQS 115/116, access by "114 Sul" Station).

Before going on the subway remember to have pocket money in small bills or coins - the Metro doesn't accept credit cards and won't give change above R$20.

By car
If you are not using "city tour" services, it would be a good idea to have a car available. The urbanistic plan of Brasilia was highly based on individual motorized transportation, so it is not surprising that a visit to the city will be much more pleasing having a car.

Unlike other Brazilian big cities, traffic in Brasilia is not a major problem, although there are some jams during rush hours.

There are public parking lots available at main sites, although it can be hard to find spots sometimes. As in other Brazilian towns, there usually are some "watchers", people that offers to watch your car (supposedly to protect it from robbers), expecting to get some money in return; they usually behave like beggars, although they can turn violent towards the cars if not paid, scratching or chipping the paint job, so it would avoid some trouble to just give a little money, something around R$2. If it bothers you, you can always park your car a little further from the main destinations, where there are no watchers, or in a paid garage, when available.

Also, drivers behave a little differently than in other places in Brazil:
 * Stop at pedestrian crossings - pedestrians will wave a hand before crossing or usually simply start walking. Keep an eye on the sidewalks at all times. Policemen enforce this rule and you can get fined if you disrespect it. Other cities are beginning to enforce this law as well.
 * Use of horns - do not honk unless you really need to for safety reasons. Brasilienses hate it and really appreciate their driving to be as silent as possible.

It is paramount to have a detailed map in hand when driving through the city, especially in the central area. It is far more convenient to have a good GPS system, because the access of some streets can be confusing, as there are lots of elevated interchanges and ramps. Do not expect the signs to be clear and ubiquitous, there are no signs telling you on what avenue you are on and streets rarely intersect. Smaller streets do not have names as they are defined by being between this and that square. This said, once you have understood the logic that rules ramps and intersections, theoretically you can throw your map away.

City center

 * The façade of the Palace of Justice has waterfalls that contrast with its stern geometrical beauty.
 * The façade of the Palace of Justice has waterfalls that contrast with its stern geometrical beauty.

 * Public works of art - Some of the finest Brazilian artists have created works in Brasilia: Burle Marx (landscape design), Athos Bulcão (geometric tile panels), Oscar Niemeyer (buildings and sculptures) Ceschiatti and Bruno Giorgio (sculptures). These can be seen on the streets, open air and for free.
 * Public works of art - Some of the finest Brazilian artists have created works in Brasilia: Burle Marx (landscape design), Athos Bulcão (geometric tile panels), Oscar Niemeyer (buildings and sculptures) Ceschiatti and Bruno Giorgio (sculptures). These can be seen on the streets, open air and for free.
 * Public works of art - Some of the finest Brazilian artists have created works in Brasilia: Burle Marx (landscape design), Athos Bulcão (geometric tile panels), Oscar Niemeyer (buildings and sculptures) Ceschiatti and Bruno Giorgio (sculptures). These can be seen on the streets, open air and for free.
 * Public works of art - Some of the finest Brazilian artists have created works in Brasilia: Burle Marx (landscape design), Athos Bulcão (geometric tile panels), Oscar Niemeyer (buildings and sculptures) Ceschiatti and Bruno Giorgio (sculptures). These can be seen on the streets, open air and for free.
 * Public works of art - Some of the finest Brazilian artists have created works in Brasilia: Burle Marx (landscape design), Athos Bulcão (geometric tile panels), Oscar Niemeyer (buildings and sculptures) Ceschiatti and Bruno Giorgio (sculptures). These can be seen on the streets, open air and for free.
 * Public works of art - Some of the finest Brazilian artists have created works in Brasilia: Burle Marx (landscape design), Athos Bulcão (geometric tile panels), Oscar Niemeyer (buildings and sculptures) Ceschiatti and Bruno Giorgio (sculptures). These can be seen on the streets, open air and for free.
 * Public works of art - Some of the finest Brazilian artists have created works in Brasilia: Burle Marx (landscape design), Athos Bulcão (geometric tile panels), Oscar Niemeyer (buildings and sculptures) Ceschiatti and Bruno Giorgio (sculptures). These can be seen on the streets, open air and for free.
 * Public works of art - Some of the finest Brazilian artists have created works in Brasilia: Burle Marx (landscape design), Athos Bulcão (geometric tile panels), Oscar Niemeyer (buildings and sculptures) Ceschiatti and Bruno Giorgio (sculptures). These can be seen on the streets, open air and for free.

Along the Wings

 * Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) - SCES, Trecho 02, lote 22. Tel +55 61 33107087. Holds all kinds of exhibitions and cultural events. Russian paintings, musical concerts, documentaries, plays, thematic movie festivals, photography, you name it. There are no permanent exhibitions or attractions so you have to check the programme before going or just go there and enjoy what's available. Th-Su 9AM-9PM. Entrance fees may vary greatly (it's usually cheap) or even be free depending on what's going on.
 * Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) - SCES, Trecho 02, lote 22. Tel +55 61 33107087. Holds all kinds of exhibitions and cultural events. Russian paintings, musical concerts, documentaries, plays, thematic movie festivals, photography, you name it. There are no permanent exhibitions or attractions so you have to check the programme before going or just go there and enjoy what's available. Th-Su 9AM-9PM. Entrance fees may vary greatly (it's usually cheap) or even be free depending on what's going on.
 * Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) - SCES, Trecho 02, lote 22. Tel +55 61 33107087. Holds all kinds of exhibitions and cultural events. Russian paintings, musical concerts, documentaries, plays, thematic movie festivals, photography, you name it. There are no permanent exhibitions or attractions so you have to check the programme before going or just go there and enjoy what's available. Th-Su 9AM-9PM. Entrance fees may vary greatly (it's usually cheap) or even be free depending on what's going on.
 * Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB) - SCES, Trecho 02, lote 22. Tel +55 61 33107087. Holds all kinds of exhibitions and cultural events. Russian paintings, musical concerts, documentaries, plays, thematic movie festivals, photography, you name it. There are no permanent exhibitions or attractions so you have to check the programme before going or just go there and enjoy what's available. Th-Su 9AM-9PM. Entrance fees may vary greatly (it's usually cheap) or even be free depending on what's going on.

Outside the wings

 * Brasilia National Park - Cerrado vegetation and fauna, plus natural swimming pools.
 * Poço Azul - A waterfall forming beautiful blue pools on a quartz rock.
 * Poço Azul - A waterfall forming beautiful blue pools on a quartz rock.

Do

 * Cinema Festival - Brasilia hosts one of the most important festivals of Brazilian cinema. The Festival de Cinema Brasileiro takes place late October/early November and screens independent and mainstream movies that will hit the theaters the following year. Both short and feature films are presented, but the movies have no subtitles.
 * State Secretary of Culture of the Distrito Federal | Agenda  - The biggest cultural schedule of Brasilia. It keeps track of all exhibitions and shows playing in the city. You can choose the listings by month or type of attraction or see the complete schedule for the current month.
 * State Secretary of Culture of the Distrito Federal | Agenda  - The biggest cultural schedule of Brasilia. It keeps track of all exhibitions and shows playing in the city. You can choose the listings by month or type of attraction or see the complete schedule for the current month.
 * State Secretary of Culture of the Distrito Federal | Agenda  - The biggest cultural schedule of Brasilia. It keeps track of all exhibitions and shows playing in the city. You can choose the listings by month or type of attraction or see the complete schedule for the current month.
 * State Secretary of Culture of the Distrito Federal | Agenda  - The biggest cultural schedule of Brasilia. It keeps track of all exhibitions and shows playing in the city. You can choose the listings by month or type of attraction or see the complete schedule for the current month.

Sports

 * Basketball - If you happen to be in Brasilia between January and June, you should not miss the games of Brasilia's home team Universo BRB for the national league of basketball. Universo is well known for playing great games and drawing a big audience (for Brazilian standards). The season games happens in 'Clube da CEB' (CEB's club), at SGAS 904. If you want to play basketball, the city's park has plenty of courts available for public use. Your best chance to catch some locals playing is going on the weekends.
 * Jogging - Brasilia's most popular sport by far. There are running tracks in the National Park and in the City's Park. The Eixo Rodoviario road is closed to traffic on Sundays (8h-18h) and can be also used for jogging, cycling and skating. Jogging on weekends in the City's Park is one of the most popular activities among locals. Don't miss the coconut water vendors. Besides that, 5 km and 10 km races happens almost bi-monthly.
 * Wakeboard - Wakescola de Brasília. The only wakeboard school in the city. Tel +55 61 3380-2171, +55 61 9982-3562. Expensive.
 * Wakeboard - Wakescola de Brasília. The only wakeboard school in the city. Tel +55 61 3380-2171, +55 61 9982-3562. Expensive.

Buy
Brasilia's residential wings have many local shops such as groceries, drugstores, bakers, restaurants, hairdressers and so forth, and that is where townspeople do much of their daily shopping. The now somewhat decadent W3 avenue used to be the equivalent of a city's high street and still concentrates a large portion of the city's street commerce. Shopping malls, however, also play an important part when it comes to shopping in town.

 * The Setor de Diversões is a fairly nice shopping area at the center of the city, very close to Rodoviaria. The northern side, called Conjunto Nacional, is a bit more upscale, while the southern side has interesting small shops with books, music, and clothing that appeal to the local skateboard-riding youths. Notice that this southern side at night is very dangerous, being the favorite spot for hookers and drug dealers.
 * On Sundays there is a flea market at the base of the Television Tower. Half of the stands are also open during the week and you can get local crafts and souvenirs hard to find in shopping malls.

Some off-center places can also be of interest for travelers:
 * The imports market (popularly known as Feira do Paraguai) is the place to go for cheap electronics (cameras and replacement accessories, batteries etc.) and other travel items such as backpacks, flashlights and so forth. From Rodoviaria, take bus 124.2 (shorter trip) or bus 124.
 * Records and books - FNAC, at the Parkshopping mall has a good assortment of English-language travel guides and Brazilian music CDs. Livraria Cultura, at the Casa Park mall, has bilingual staff and an extensive collection of Brazilian CDs and foreign-language literature (especially in English, French, Spanish, Italian and German). Both malls are close to each other and can be easily reached by subway through the (almost self-explanatory named) Shopping station.

Eat
Brasilia does not have a typical, regional cuisine. Nevertheless, restaurants serve food from many Brazilian states, as well as international fare.

Self-service (por quilo) restaurants are very common and usually cheaper than their à la carte counterparts.

Most of Brasilia's "real" (table service) restaurants are in the residential wings, usually a bus or taxi ride away from most tourist attractions. One of the most popular streets is the CLS 405 (from rodoviaria, take bus 114), with choices ranging from sushi to Brazilian, Mexican and French food.

Regarding tips, visitors are expected to pay at least 10% of the bill. Such amount is commonly printed on the invoice and most of the time it's OK to include the tip in your credit/debit card since most of the restaurants share the total amount with all employees. Self-service restaurants usually don't charge tips.

North Wing

 * Restaurante Pacífico, Asa Norte Comércio Local Norte 204
 * Restaurante Pacífico, Asa Norte Comércio Local Norte 204

Drink
Despite not being particularly famous for its nightlife, Brasilia has some hangouts that save visitors from night-time boredom. Please observe that smoking on the dance floor is not allowed - all clubs have a smoking area, so people can smoke (or just get some fresh air) without leaving the club.
 * Beirute - CLS 109 Bloco A (near 108 Sul metro station), +55 61 3244-1717. Opens daily, until 2AM. One of the oldest and most traditional bars in town, serves reasonably priced beer and Arab food, and attracts a mixed crowd of students, journalists, gay people and intellectuals. Is also one of the best places to pick up flyers and find out the best parties to go.
 * Club 904 - SGAS 904 - Asa Sul +55 61 3224-5519. It hosts two of the parties that gathers most of the youth in the city. 5uinto on Thursdays, an electronic music party and Play!, on Fridays, a rock music party.
 * Pôr-do-Sol - CLN 408 BL C, s/n lj 24 - Asa Norte. +55 61 8471-4146. Favorite bar of University of Brasília students. It is always crowded, so it is a great place to see different people. The beer doesn't get any cheaper elsewhere. You have to get it on the counter, though. You can see the youth of Brasília over here, drinking beer and talking about anything. Some consider the whole 408 quadra as a sort of "alcoholic set-up", due to the many bars.
 * "Bar Godofredo" CLN 408 Bl C - Asa Norte. A charming bar where you can find good music and many types of beers. It is on a block with plenty of bars that's near the university and is normally frequented by young people.
 * UK Brasil Pub - SCLS 411 BL B Lj. 28 - Asa Sul. +55 61 3257-1993. Live music with local bands, mostly covers of famous bands. Doesn't accept credit cards. There's a separate room where you can smoke. Tu-Sa from 18h.
 * Bonnaparte - SHS Quadra 02 Bloco J, S/N - Setor Hoteleiro Sul - Brasília - DF - Brasil - 70322-901 The bar is in principle like a canteen with 3-4 TV sets. There is a pricey entrance fee.
 * UK Brasil Pub - SCLS 411 BL B Lj. 28 - Asa Sul. +55 61 3257-1993. Live music with local bands, mostly covers of famous bands. Doesn't accept credit cards. There's a separate room where you can smoke. Tu-Sa from 18h.
 * Bonnaparte - SHS Quadra 02 Bloco J, S/N - Setor Hoteleiro Sul - Brasília - DF - Brasil - 70322-901 The bar is in principle like a canteen with 3-4 TV sets. There is a pricey entrance fee.

Although the city's music scene is no longer as vibrant as it was in the 1980s - when it bred some of the greatest pop/rock talents of recent generations with bands like Capital Inicial and Legião Urbana - live shows of local bands are frequent. Daily listings in Portuguese can be found at the local newspapers or the Correio Braziliense and Candango websites.

Sleep
Most of the city's accommodation is at the Hotel Sectors (SHS and SHN), two central areas located on both sides of Eixo Monumental. During weekdays, hotels are usually busy due to the capital's political activity and it is advisable to book in advance. Most of the hotels have an off-price for the weekends.

Splurge

Always remember though, never show off any of your 'splurging'. Not only will this be considered as an insult to less fortunate citizens, you will be an advertising for a mugging.

Stay safe
Brasilia is a safe city, but usual measures should be taken. At night, the area near the central bus station is not considered to be safe (prostitution and drugs). Avoid walking alone at night throughout the city.

There are an increasing number of cases of "flash kidnap". This consists of attacking people near or inside their own car, robbing and getting away with the car, and sometimes driving with the owner to make them withdraw money from automatic cash machines or even committing other kinds of violence. The local police give some advice on how to avoid these crimes:

 * Try to walk with company, avoiding deserted places or those with bad illumination. Be aware of people approaching to ask for information, especially during the night;
 * When coming out of a bank, verify if you are being followed or if there are suspicious people near the vehicle;
 * Approaching your car, have the keys ready, to make it easier to get into the car;
 * Going home (or to your hotel), do not park immediately. Watch the sides of the buildings and corners and only then stop the vehicle. Do not react to any kind of crime, as the criminals do not act alone.

Police officers are usually polite, but as they have to deal with considerable violence they might appear harsh in situations when they have to be alert. Respect is the key for good interaction. In case of police intervention at a crime (i.e. when they withdraw their guns), lay down on the floor and put your hands on your head and don't make any subtle movement. Do not react if searched. Follow instructions and, as it is possible, inform someone of your situation by phone.

To get police assistance, dial 190 in any public or private phone. For medical emergency, dial 192.

Although drug consumption does not lead to incarceration, it is still a crime in Brazil, and being caught with small amounts of illegal substances may lead to bureaucratic complications when leaving the country. Selling or transporting drugs for use of others is considered trafficking, a very serious crime, and will lead to severe consequences. So, do not use or carry drugs of any kind.

Connect
The area code to Brasilia and region is 61 (also add Brazil's 55 if dialing from abroad). All 7-digit telephone numbers have been converted to 8-digit by adding a 3 before the number. To reach a number like 241-0000 from abroad, dial +55 61 3241-0000.

By web

 * Neon Lights cybercafe, SRTVS, Patio Brasil mall - 2nd Floor,, [mailto:webmaster@neonlights.com.br webmaster@neonlights.com.br]- inside a large shopping mall next to the South Hotel Sector. Opens M-Sa 10:00-22:00.
 * Media Cyber  - Brasilia Shopping mall, G1 floor. . Next to the North Hotel Sector. Has printing and scanning services and sells disks and recordable CDs.
 * RedShot , SCLS 409 Bloco D Loja 30 (from rodoviaria, take bus 114).   - This lan house is aimed primarily at gamers, but has cheaper connections. Opens daily from 10:00.

There are also many Wi-fi hotspots scattered around town, including the food court of the airport and various hotels.

Cope
You can extend your visa or visa-free stay in Brazil with the Policia Federal at the airport. The address is Prédio de Engenharia e Manutenção - EPAR Aeroporto Internacional de Brasília Juscelino Kubitschek, DF-047 - Lago Sul, Brasília - DF, 70297-400.

Embassies

 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt
 * 🇫🇮 Finland
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * Georgia
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇳🇴 Norway
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next
Hostels and private rooms are offered in:

 * Pirenópolis – 150 km in the west. An old Portuguese colonial town surrounded by several waterfalls
 * Alto Paraíso de Goiás – 230 km north. It's the main gate to the Chapada dos Veadeiros region. It's also known from its hippies and esoteric communities.
 * Uberlândia – 420 km in the south. A very modern cosmopolitan city, the second largest city in the state of Minas Gerais. It offers its visitors delicious cuisine, historic districts and trips to numerous waterfalls.
 * Chapada Diamantina National Park in the north-east. The hostels are in the Vale do Capão and in Lençóis. From there you can go further east to Salvador.
 * Belo Horizonte and Ouro Preto.

Further destinations are:

 * Itiquira waterfall – 110 km in the north-east. This beautiful 168m-high waterfall is pleasant 2-hour drive going northwest; exit the city through the Ponte do Bragueto and continue on highway BR020 to Planaltina and then Formosa.
 * Chapada dos Veadeiros – 230 km in the north. A national park with plenty of cerrado wildlife and spectacular waterfalls.
 * Cavalcante – 320 km north. It's part of the Chapada dos Veadeiros national park. Also known from the Kalunga communities, descendants of escaped slaves.
 * Caldas Novas – 300 km south. Caldas Novas is popular for its hot springs that attract travelers all year round.

Brasilia has direct low-cost flights to several destinations, for example:
 * Florianópolis and Vitória on the Altlantic coast
 * Belo Horizonte
 * São Paulo
 * Rio de Janeiro

title: Brasilia


text:
Brasilito

Playa Brasilito is a town in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Located on the north Pacific Coast 3 km south of Flamingo Beach and 20 minutes north of Tamarindo Beach Brasilito was a small fishing village which has become a budget location to stay on the Gold Coast. It boasts a long grey sand beach that is largely undeveloped and is a short walk to the famous Conchal Beach. During the Easter and Christmas vacations it is filled with Costa Ricans vacationing in their own country, most of the rest of the year it is an underrated peaceful village.

Get in
Brasilito is 45 minutes south of Liberia International Airport or 5 hours drive by car from San José International Airport. Driving directions: take Highway 21 to the 155 towards Huacas, Brasilito, Flamingo, and Conchal. Follow the signs to Brasilito. Make a right in Huacas. Drive approximately 3 km. To get here by bus you take the Tralapa Bus from San José. This will cost approx. US$8 and takes about 6 hours. Ecotrans.com runs a shuttle bus service from Liberia airport for $20 and Interbus.com runs a shuttle bus from other hotels in different regions of Costa Rica starting at $29.

Get around
Once in the town most things are within walking distance. The local stores and sodas are laid out around the plaza, on the main road going through town are the school, church and many hotels and restaurants. Flamingo Beach is a short bus ride away.

The gorgeous Conchal Beach is a 10-minute walk from the center of town: walk south for 500 m and go over the passage over the point. You can drive on Brasilito Beach to Conchal Beach depending upon tides. Or, take the road to Matapolo, at Matapolo take the signs for Bahia del Piratas, when the road to Bahia del Piratas goes to the left keep straight. You will find yourself at the far end of Conchal Beach where there is a restaurant. This end is called Conchal Viejo.

In addition you can rent cars, scooters, bicycles, horses or ATVs to get around. Taxis and shuttle buses are also available.

See
In Brasilito you can experience the tranquility of a real Costa Rican village, with wonderful sunsets and ocean front dining. Conchal Beach is arguably one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and it is a short walk. Monkeys and other wildlife abound. If you want to venture out of the town it is a short distance to the lovely white sand beaches of Flamingo, Penca and Sugar Beach. The nightlife of Tamarindo is close as is the natural beauty of Rincon de la Vieja.

Do

 * The nearby Conchal Beach is perfect for snorkeling and swimming in lovely warm water. Conchal Beach' is made up of crushed shells instead of sand. Especially at the north end of the beach the white shells cover the beach. Because of this the water is exceptionally clear as the shells are too heavy to be lifted up into the water. Behind the beach is a long thin dirt road used by 4x4 cars and ATVs, it makes for a great shaded nature walk where you can see monkeys, crabs, and other wildlife. At the north end you can rent snorkeling gear and the snorkeling and swimming are great. The bay is very sheltered and safe swimming for young children.  You can rent a hobie cat and sail out on the water, or jet skis, or ride horses up and down the beach, or join an ATV tour.  Or just use the shade of the mangrove trees on the beachfront to relax or work on your tan.
 * As well as body surfing in Brasilito's safe beach break you can also see surfers surfing at the point when the conditions are right.
 * Horse and ATV tours run along the beach and scuba diving, sports fishing and sailing tours leave from nearby Potrero Bay.
 * Canopy tours, wildlife tours and volcano tours can also be done from Brasilito.
 * During the dry season the endangered Leather Back turtles nest at the nearby Las Baulas National Park.

Buy
There are two souvenir stores in town where you can buy local crafts and in addition at Playa Conchal there are many street vendors set up to see local souvenirs. Wandering merchants sell a variety of items including native clay earthenware and jewelry.

The town has four small markets to buy any essentials you may need during your stay.

Eat
Brasilito has a large array of restaurants for such a small town.

In addition there are three small bars that serve food in the evenings.
 * h
 * Il Forno is an Italian restaurant.
 * Happy Snapper, an American style international restaurant and bar.
 * Camaron Dorado, a high end seafood restaurant where you dine on the beach.
 * Soda Brasilito, Soda el Coco and Sol y Luna are three local restaurants which feature traditional Costa Rican cuisine for low prices.
 * Pollos Tropicales is a local fast food restaurant with healthy eating choices.

Many food vendors have stands on Conchal Beach where they sell kabobs and drinks. The closest restaurants are:

Drink

 * The bar at Hotel Brasilito has the best view in town of the sunset, enjoy the sunset with a drink in hand.
 * Happy Snapper's happy hour is a favorite with locals.
 * Kokomo's is open late.

title: Brasilito


text:
Brașov cultural itinerary

The Braşov cultural itinerary is an itinerary of the city of Braşov (in Transylvania, Romania) from a cultural point of view. This will take you to all important sites in Braşov and through an important part of the old town. It takes about 5-7 hours. The first part of this article is a short introduction which will give you an understanding of Braşov in the context of Transylvania and different cultural developments. The sites will be later related to these cultural developments. The itinerary will take into consideration all major ethnic groups that left their mark on Brasov, but there will be a bias towards Romanians, because they now play the most important role in Brasov.

Roots
Eastern Romania and a part of Ukraine have been home to the first urban civilization in Europe: the Cucuteni or Trypillion Culture was contemporary with the Sumerian one and almost just as developed (3,000 - 4,000 BC). In spite of this, the epic of Romanian history is considered to start with the Dacian culture (about 500 BC). This was a conglomerate of tribes that stretched all over what today is Romania and even beyond. The Dacians have been conquered by the Roman Empire around the year 100 AD so that Romanians come out of the mix between Dacians ans Romans.

Medieval
Until the 11th century there is a total lack of documents about what has been going on in the territory of Romania. However in the 12th century Romania was fractured. The historic regions of Moldova and Tara Romaneasca have been consolidated in the 15th century. Transylvania was conquered by Hungary in the 12th century. In the 12th century the Hungarian king settled Transylvania with Germans which are known as Saxons. This way the 12th century is the beginning of the saga of the cohabitation of Romanians, Hungarians and Saxons in Transylvania. Romanians were a majority but they had no rights during Hungarian rule, while the Saxons have been a privileged minority.

Braşov was given the Latin name Corona (crown) in 1235, and for many centuries it was the most important Saxon (German) city in Transylvania. The fortifications were built in the late 14th century; the fortified city was inhabited by the Saxons, while the settlements around it were inhabited by Saxons (Brasovechi), Romanians (Schei), and Hungarians (Blumana) - today these are part of the city. The fortifications have been challenged repeatedly by Tatars and Turks, because Braşov was a border city. In 1477 the construction of the Black Church was finished.

Modern
In the 16th century Brașov was an important cultural centre for all three ethnic groups, and it had two printing presses and a paper mill. The humanist Johannes Honter implemented the Lutheran reform, founded schools, and authored many books.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Transylvania was a semi-independent state, ruled primarily by Hungarian princes. Near the end of the 17th century it became part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. In 1688 the Saxons of Brașov protested against the Austrian occupation, but they were not successful. One year later a huge fire burned down most of the city, and it took about 100 years to rebuild it.

The introduction of street lights in 1804 became a symbol for the cultural illumination of the city. In the second half of the 19th century, Brașov became home of the first credit institution in Transylvania, and it also got a telegraph, train station, public transport, and a telephone line.

The Romanians in Transylvania have been an important part of the creation of unity and fight for a national ideal. In this time intense cultural activities have been going on in Hungarian and Saxon ruling minorities as well. Art, literature and science developed fast, almost to be up to date with western Europe. The 19th century has been a century of intense struggle for the Romanian national ideal and the reunification of the three provinces. In 1848 revolutions took place in all provinces, but they have not been successful, so that the fight has been moved into an intellectual realm in Transylvania.

In 1918, Transylvania was united with the kingdom of Romania, and became Greater Romania. The time between the two world wars is considered to be Romania's greatest time, as it was a flourishing country, and a key player in Europe. After the second world war the Communist regime landed like a dust bomb in Romania to turn everything gray: neighborhoods of historical houses have been destroyed, small business owners (which were mostly Hungarian, Jewish and Saxon) and intellectuals have been imprisoned and killed. Propaganda and oppression of everybody who was against the regime became the norm. In 1987, a precursor of the Romanian anticommunist revolution took place in Brașov. Two years later the Communist regime became history.

Get in
The itinerary starts from Piata Unirii, or Union Square. The name refers to the Great Union, i.e. the unification of all Romanian provinces in 1918 and the birth of modern Romania. You can get here from Livada Postei with line 50, or from the train station, Onix or Mesota with the line 51.

Piata Unirii is in the Schei district, which used to be the Romanian district: Romanian merchants were allowed to enter the fortified city of Brașov only during daytime, and were subject to a fee.

St. Nicholas Church and First Romanian School

 * The St. Nicholas Church is an Orthodox stone church dating from the 16th century, visible from the square. Inside there are beautiful frescoes painted by local artist Mișu Popp.

 * Next to the church there is a small building, the First Romanian School, also dating from the 16th century. It is a place of major importance for Romanian culture because it represents the beginning of preoccupation for writing and reading. It is also home to the first Romanian printing press used by Diaconul Coresi. The school can be visited: you can see an original classroom, and many extraordinary books (first Russian bible, early Romanian books) as well as a demonstration with the printing press. Entrance fee 2 lei for students, 5 lei regular.

If the school is closed, go outside of the church complex and then the first door to the left (it is not directly visible from the exit of the complex because of the curved wall). Here you will find the keeper and the guide of the museum. He is doing the tour with great enthusiasm and it would be nice to buy something or tip him, because this is the only financial source for this great museum. Books are also on sale here, several in English.

The city gates
As you get out of the church complex, go right and walk down on Prundului street. You will pass a yellow building which is the headquarters of the Romanian Information Service. Then you will pass a bigger yellow building, the Andrei Saguna High School (1850), the first Romanian high school of the city. In front of you, you will see two beautiful gates. Walk into the old city through the one on the left (Catherine's Gate) and walk out on the one to the right (Schei Gate), because there is another stop before you will see the old city.

Cathrine's Gate was built in the 16th century so that the Romanians could enter the city from the Schei district. It was suited with 8 canons imported from Praha. Later the gate became unusable and only the tower remained. To compensate for this, the Schei Gate was built in 1827. These are the only two remaining from the city's original 7 gates.

As you exit the old city through the Schei gate, go left up the hill on one of the roads that goes besides the stadium. You can observe the one of the walls of the stadium is the old city wall. The stadium was renovated with the help of the famous Romanian tennis player and manager Ion Tiriac.

Weavers Bastion
Right next to the stadium is a tennis court, and behind it the Weavers Bastion. The Weavers bastion was built in the 15th century, and two more floors have been added in the 16th century. The walls are 4 m wide at the base and 1m wide at the top. Inside it there is a small museum where you can see besides weapons, a very old replica of the city as it was in the 17th century. Entrance fee 1 leu for students, 4 lei normal.

Brasov had 8 bastions, 4 of which still exist, another 2 are in ruins, and 2 have been demolished completely. It also had 36 towers: fortification was very important for Brasov and the locals invested a lot into their safety. Every bastion, tower, and gate was maintained by a guild.

Walk back into the city from where you came, through the Schei gate. Then walk down the Poarta Schei street. Now you are in the old city of Brasov.

Synagogue
After you enter the old city you will soon be able to see the white Beth Israel Synagogue to your left, built in 1899. This is the first temple of 4 you will encounter in just a few hundred meters. Braşov had an important Jewish community, that in 1930 represented 3.8% of the population of the city. Today there are fewer than 150 Jews in Brasov. Entrance fee for visitors is 5 lei.

Continue your stroll on Poarta Schei street, but then go left on Benkner or Roth street.

Black Church
You will reach the courtyard of the German school founded by Johannes Honter in the 16th century. He also introduced one of the first printing presses to Transylvania.

Next to the school the Black Church is giving shadow to travelers. It was built in 1380 as a Catholic church. It became Evangelical after the Reformation. It was partially destroyed by the big fire of 1689. It is the biggest Gothic church in eastern Europe: 89 meters long, 38 meters wide and 42 meters high. It has room for 5,000 people. The organ in the church has about 400 tubes. There are weekly organ concerts held on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. You have to pay to visit it inside: 5 lei.

Continue along the church to the town square.

Town Square
The town square (Piata Sfatului, in English often called Council Square), used to be a huge market place; today many events and festivals take place here. The yellow building in the middle is the former 15th century town hall, now a history museum: if you wish you can visit it now, but it is recommended you visit it only later, if you like. There are two other museums in the square: Museum of Urban Civilisation and Casa Muresenilor (dedicated to the family Mureseanu).

Orthodox Church
Through a Byzantine-style building, you can enter a smaller square to visit the Romanian Orthodox church Dormition of the Mother of God. It was built towards the end of the 19th century and is a symbol for the emancipation of Romanians and improved relations with Germans and Hungarians. It was built after the model of the Greek church in Vienna. You can go inside and be surprised by the atypical interior.

After seeing the synagogue, the German Church and the Romanian Church, it is time to go right as you exit this site and walk down on Muresenilor street to see the Hungarian church.

Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic Church on Muresenilor street was built in 1782 on the site of an older Dominican monastery. It is in a baroque style. You can also visit it inside. Services are usually held in Hungarian, and twice a week in Romanian.

Keep walking down on Muresenilor street and you will reach Livada Postei, an open space where a lot of buses stop. To your left you will see the local Transylvania University headquarters, and in front of you the Ballroom of the Army. Under the hill there is the yellow library, built in a typical Romanian style, the Brancovenescu style. Go left again, pass the bus stop and go left again (passing the library). You will end up in a big parking space. Here, just before the old wall starts is another yellow building: the Hungarian High School Áprily Lajos.

Old wall and the two towers
Keep walking under the hill besides the old town wall. This is part of the original fortification, which used to be a double wall. Today most of the inner wall has been demolished. You will soon reach the Graft Bastion, which used to link the White Tower to the city by a mobile bridge. There is a small museum in the bastion upper floor, usually open only in the summer.

Next to Graft Bastion, up the hill, there is the White Tower. It was built in the 15th century and was the highest tower in Braşov. Go up the stairs to see it and have a great view over the city. From here you can see not only the old walled town, but also the Schei district, the new neighbourhoods to the north, and Tâmpa hill.

As you watch the city from the White tower you will observe a road to the right at the base of the tower. Follow that road through the forest and then go left. You will reach the Black Tower. It was built in the 16th century and had a mobile bridge to communicate with the city by the means of the Blacksmith Bastion.

After admiring a more close-up view from this tower you can venture back into the city. Going down the road will take you back to the wall, where you can continue your way to the right. You will be back in the old center and as you do a 180° turn onto Muresenilor street you will pass the Blacksmith Bastion which houses the National Archives today. The Blacksmith Bastion dates from the beginning of the 16th century, but it was destroyed twice: once by a flood and once by the 1689 fire.

Republicii street
Walk down Muresenilor street, back to the town square; visit the museums if you like. Then proceed through the square on the wide Republicii street, the main shopping street. You can also have a drink here, before you will have a final walk along the other part of the wall.

Republicii street will be a crowded place with lots of cool showcases. However, you will see much more if you look up, over the stores and admire the architecture. It is a crowded place, so take extra precaution to avoid having something stolen.

When you reach the end of Republicii street you will end up in another open space. Before you go right you can admire the large county administration building in front of you, the post service to the left, and town hall further to the left. As you go to the right you will pass the Unirea High School (1897), which still has some bullet holes from the 1989 revolution. Keep going straight, pass the communist mega-store Star and go up the hill.

Under Tâmpa hill
Now you will walk under the hill Tâmpa along the old wall. First you will see the ruin of the Leatherworkers' Bastion (15th century). Immediately after it there is the Drapers' Bastion, which is now a museum. It dates from approximately the same time as the Leatherworkers Bastion, and used to have canons imported from Prague. As you keep walking you might be able to see the former 19th century aqueduct, before you will see the Spinners' Bastion to the right. This is the first bastion to be mentioned in documents and dates from the beginning of the 15th century.

Go next
You can either take the road to the right before the Ropers Bastion, which will eventually take you to the town square, or you can keep on walking along the wall and you will end up at the Weavers Bastion again, from where you can enter the old center again by the Schei Gate or by the Catherine Gate. You can also go up Tâmpa hill from where is a great view over the city (there is a lookout point near the Hollywood-style letters). You can walk (trail marked with red triangle, about 1 hour), or take the cable car (about 2 minutes).

title: Brașov cultural itinerary