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Costa Smeralda

Costa Smeralda is a famous resort area in north-eastern Sardinia.

Understand
This area was developed in the 1960s by the Consorzio Costa Smeralda led by Prince Karim Aga Khan. With white sand beaches, golf clubs, private jet and helicopter services, and exclusive hotels, the area has drawn celebrities, business leaders, and other affluent visitors.

Strictly speaking, the Costa Smeralda is only a 20 km stretch of land in the commune of Arzachena. Tour operators often tend to denote the whole north-eastern coast of Sardinia as Costa Smeralda which isn't quite correct. The nearby villages of Poltu Quatu, Baja Sardinia, Cannigione and Porto Rotondo are sometimes associated with the famous coastal stretch, whilst they are located in its vicinity, they are a part of it.

The heart of the Costa Smeralda is Porto Cervo (Deer’s Port) where the dolce vita reaches its peaks. The other locations include Romazzino, Capriccioli, Cala di Volpe, Pevero Gulf, Pantogia and Liscia di Vacca.

By plane
The nearest airport is in Olbia, Aeroporto Costa Smeralda, one of Sardinia's three international airports. All international flights are seasonal, and they operate to dozens of European cities and even Dubai. Only a handful of domestic flights operate outside of the tourist season.

By boat
Ferries to Olbia from the Italian mainland.

By bus
Regional buses from Olbia, Arzachena, Santa Teresa Gallura (for ferries to Bonifacio in Corsica).

By boat
Ferry connects the Porto Cervo with the Marina Nuova across the harbour: every 1/2 hour from 08:30 (Marina) and 9:00 (Porto Cervo). The last ferry from Porto Cervo is at 22:00.

By car
In order to have access to remote (some say the best of the) beaches you will probably need to hire a car (mopeds are not so good on the bumpy tracks down to the beaches). Driving on the coastal roads gives great views over the yacht lined Costa Smeralda coastline (or it's rather better to hire a yacht then?). There are a number of car rental offices at Olbia Airport where cars can be rented for affordable prices.

See
You can get up close to the super yachts when they come in to Porto Cervo in the evening.

Do
The best of the beaches are Liscia Ruia, Capriccioli, Romazzino and Cala Petra Ruja. The beaches are the area's main leisure attraction and are well worth discovering. The white sand beaches are soft and sheltered and the water changes between extraordinary shades of light blue and green. Some beaches like Capriccioli are easily accessible on foot, but more remote beaches like Petra Ruja lack public transport and must be travelled to by car. Google Maps navigates to this beach well. For parking there are the usual manned parcheggios which charge a few Euro per hour, but if you can park on the side of the road safely, then you may do so.

Buy
If you want to be as stylish as the rich tourists of Costa Smeralda you may go to Porto Cervo for expensive shopping.

Eat
Most restaurants on the Costa Smerelda are overpriced. For authentic Sardinian cuisine try the campsite restaurants where all the locals go.

Sleep
It can be quite difficult finding accommodation in the Costa Smeralda as the area is mainly serviced by Italian tour operators but some local operators provide detailed accommodation information online. If you don't have your own private yacht to stay on and can't afford the £300 per night prices of the exclusive hotels then you might want to hire a villa through a website. Alternatively you can hire bungalows at a number of the campsites on the coast.

Stay safe
No special precautions need to be observed here. Wear sunscreen and find shade during the hottest parts of the day. Drink plenty of water. Do not leave valuables on the beach or in your car when you go for a swim: leave them at the hotel.

Go next

 * Maddalena archipelago -- take a trip from the Sardinian port of Palau. Nice views, great snorkelling.

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

title: Costa Smeralda


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Costa Teguise

Costa Teguise is a beach resort on the east coast of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. It's about 7 km east of the capital Arrecife and 15 km from the island's airport. In 2022 the resident population was 8949, but this is greatly swelled by visitors, as it's a popular spot for budget package holidays. It was built as a planned resort in the 1970s, which must have been exciting times here, as the bedrock is tough lava and the developer was Rio Tinto Explosives.

Get in
Arrecife Airport is  southwest: most visitors are on package flights and are bussed straight to their hotels. By public bus, you need to ride into Arrecife and change. A family group will find it simpler to grab a taxi.

By bus

is how the bus turnaround in Costa Teguise is shown on timetables. It's just a turning loop with no facilities, by the entrance to Paradisus Salinas.

Get around
The village is spread out but level going and walkable. Buses from Arrecife and elsewhere pass through to the Salinas turnaround. The minimum fare in 2023 is €1.40.

Costa Teguise, Arrecife, Puerto del Carmen and Playa Honda are covered by Superpedestrian Link Scooters and can be used with their app. You can take and leave one e-scooter anywhere. Some beach promenade areas excluded them. In 2023 one ride costs €1 to unlock and €0.30 per minute.

Over a dozen car rental firms cluster along the main hotel strips of Av del Jablillo, Av de las Islas Canarias and C las Acacias. There's no need to hire from the airport for a full week if you only plan 2 or 3 days sightseeing round the island.

See

 * Town is a modern sprawl, with no real centre to it.
 * is the best of the town jetties and breakwaters, as it has a broad paved surface - several others are rough rocks. The view is better in morning light, and of course this coast doesn't get the sunset. Two weird towers stand at its end, as if Max Ernst had designed receiver masts for FM Radio from Uranus.
 * is a closely-guarded luxury mansion, so you'll have to make do with a distant view. It was built for King Hussein of Jordan in the 1970s, taking its name from a nearby mareta, a water cistern. Hussein never stayed here himself and in 1989 he gave it to King Juan Carlos I who in turn gave it to Patrimonio Nacional, the body that looks after Spanish heritage buildings. It's still occasionally used by Spanish royalty and other VIPs.
 * is a closely-guarded luxury mansion, so you'll have to make do with a distant view. It was built for King Hussein of Jordan in the 1970s, taking its name from a nearby mareta, a water cistern. Hussein never stayed here himself and in 1989 he gave it to King Juan Carlos I who in turn gave it to Patrimonio Nacional, the body that looks after Spanish heritage buildings. It's still occasionally used by Spanish royalty and other VIPs.

Do

 * Scuba diving is year-round. Centres in town include Daivoon (below), Aquatis, Native Diving, Prodive, Active Scuba Divers, Dive Shop Lanzarote and Calipso. They pick up from town hotels and offer training plus kit hire and dives for all levels.
 * The promenade is a pleasant stroll. Beyond the beaches, sharp-edged lava cliffs make swimming hazardous.
 * and the smaller Playa del Jablillo beneath Grand Teguise Playa are sandy family-friendly beaches, but rocky by the waterline.
 * is the main resort beach, a long sandy stretch with a breakwater midway.
 * is quieter, sandy with stones at the waterline.
 * is quieter, sandy with stones at the waterline.

Buy

 * Supermarkets are found near concentrations of self-catering accommodation and are typically open daily 08:00-22:00. The main chains are Hiperdino and Spar.
 * The handicraft market is held F 17:00-22:00 on Plaza Pueblo Marinero.

Mid-range

 * Indian: the choice includes Masala Lounge, Star India and Spicy Affair all opposite Grand Teguise Playa, Namaste Indian Playa south end of Playa de las Cucharas and Namaste Indian Cucharas at the north end.
 * Chinese: along Av de Jablillo are Golden City, New Century, Tiananmen buffet, Chu Lin and Shanghai. Emperor is west by Playa Bastian and Beijing is north end of Playa de las Cucharas.
 * Mexican: La Hacienda on C las Olas is a Tex-Mex in the Cesar chain. Juanita Mumbai almost next door can only be described as "fusion".

Drink

 * British: Keg & Kilt, The Snug, Abbey Road, The Black Bull, Kitty's (below), The Red Lion and more, all vie to reassure the punters that what they're experiencing is just a hot day in Weatherfield circa 1985.
 * Irish: or a balmy evening in Tallaght, at The Irish Bailey, Claddagh Bar, The Shamrock, Ireland's Eye...
 * Late night: Lively Lady is open M-Sa 20:30-02:00, Nightclub 55 daily 21:00-04:00, Jesters daily 20:00-04:00, and Valhalla Tu-Sa 19:00-03:00.
 * Wine: The island vineyards are west of the mountain where they get more rain.

Connect
As of Oct 2023, Costa Teguise and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.

Go next

 * Arrecife the capital is 15 km west, reached by frequent bus.
 * Puerto del Carmen tourist resort is also linked by bus.

title: Costa Teguise


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Costa Verde (Marina di Arbus)

The Costa Verde, also known as Marina di Arbus, is located in the Province of Medio Campidano, in the south west of Sardinia, and it extends for about 50 km from Portixeddu and Capo Pecora, in the south, to Capo Frasca, in the north.

The Costa Verde lies between the Sea of Sardinia and various hills and mountains, and it includes all the coastline of the municipality of Arbus. In the north, the Costa Verde borders the Gulf of Oristano, in the south it reaches the area of Portixeddu, Fluminimaggiore and Buggerru. The Costa Verde includes several breathtaking beaches such as, from south to north, Portixeddu, Capo Pecora, Scivu, Piscinas, Portu Maga, Gutturu e'Flumini, Funtanazza, Babari, Porto Palma, Torre dei Corsari, Pistis and Capo Frasca.

Get in
The beaches of Costa Verde (Marina di Arbus) can be reached by the town of Arbus, where hotels, bed & breakfast, restaurants and shops can be found.

How to reach Arbus:

By train: It is possible to get a train to S. Gavino from any of the main railway stations of Sardinia (such as Cagliari, Oristano, Sassari, Olbia). Get off at S. Gavino. From S.Gavino, take a bus to Arbus.

By bus: If you are travelling from Cagliari or from Oristano, you can take a bus to Arbus. In Cagliari, the bus station is located next to the railway station, in piazza Matteotti (the big square between via Roma and the harbour area). The bus company which gets to Arbus and to the neighbouring cities is called ARST.

By car: [edit]
 * If you are travelling from Olbia, take the SS 131 D.C.N., take the SS 131 (heading towards Cagliari) onto the exit Marrubiu-Terralba, then take the SS 126 onto Arbus.
 * If you are travelling from Cagliari, take the way SS 131 (heading toward Sassari) until km 46, then choose the exit Sanluri-Guspini-Arbus. Take the SS 197 (heading towards Guspini). When in Guspini, take the SS 126 to Arbus.
 * If you are travelling from Porto Torres-Alghero or Oristano, take the SS 131 (heading towards Cagliari) and continue onto the exit Marrubiu-Terralba. Then, take the SS 126 onto Arbus.

Get around
The beaches of the Costa Verde can be all reached from Arbus by car. This is the distance between the beaches and the town of Arbus (the beaches are listed from south to north):

 * Portixeddu and Capo Pecora (33 km from Arbus)
 * Scivu (27 km)
 * Piscinas (22 km)
 * Gutturu Flumini (24 km from)
 * Funtanazza (24 km)
 * Porto Palma (31 km)
 * Torre dei Corsari (33 km)
 * Pistis (41 km from Arbus, 35 km from Oristano, 20 km from the train station of Marrubiu-Terralba-Arborea in Marrubiu)

See
Pistis is a small village by the sea on the Costa Verde with a long beach, which goes from Pistis to Torre dei Corsari. When you arrive from Oristano, you'll notice the beach starts with a rocky part, which has several little coves where if you're lucky or you arrive early you can enjoy the sun with some privacy. If you follow the coastline for about 400 metres, you can leave your car in the parking lot (for a small fee during the high season). The sandy beach starts from here and it is about one kilometre long, even on crowded days, if you keep walking you'll certainly find your own quiet spot where to relax. The scenery in quite lovely with the dunes at the back and the sandy and golden beach. The Costa Verde has been awarded the 5 flags of Legambiente many times, this certifies its unspoilt and unpolluted nature.

Do
Pistis
 * On windy days, part of the beach can get quite wavy, enough to allow you to pull out your surfboard and try it here.

Buy
In Arbus, like in other cities in Sardinia, there is an artisan production of knives. In Arbus you can get the arburesa

Sleep
House in Pistis - privately owned apartment with three doubles (sleeps 6). Prices starting from per week for the whole apartment all inclusive. http://casamarepistis.blogspot.it/

title: Costa Verde (Marina di Arbus)


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Costinești

Costinești is a summer resort in Romania on the site of the ancient Greek settlement Parthenopolis.

Get in
Costinești is 31 km south of Constanta. You can get there by car using DN 39 (E 87), by train (about 35 minutes from Constanta) or by bus (in the summer there are private buses that leave every 15 minutes from the train station in Constanta).

Get around
You can walk from one end of the city to the other. You can drive in the village but the resort streets are mostly for pedestrians.

See
The raised northern and southern seafronts offer broad views of the beach. In the north you can see the shipwrecked boat Evanghelia that became a symbol for the resort. In the south you can visit Golful Francezului (the Frenchman's Bay), a natural swimming pool created by the sea through the erosion of the limestone shore. The fine sand beach, 800 m long and 10-50 m wide, is crossed by a canal that join the Black Sea with an inner lake.

Do
The resort once was a students' sea resort and has kept its youthful spirit. You will find very large open-air dance-clubs that are open all night long and countless restaurants and bars. On the beach you can rent water sports equipment or take a cruise on a small boat or paddle-boat.

Buy
In the summer the main street leading to the beach is filled with stands offering souvenirs, toys, clothes, food and drinks.

Eat
The only issue you will have will be selecting one of the many beautiful locations to eat you will find. The prices are acceptable and the serving is constantly improving. The foods in the restaurants range from traditional Romanian foods to international cuisine, but you will also want to taste the fresh fried fish, Turkish shaworma or chocolate donuts that tourists queue up for.

Drink
There are bars on the beach but also with the hotels and close to the accommodation facilities.

Sleep
There is a wide range of accommodation on offer from large hotels to seaside villas.

Connect
Internet access is available in internet cafes and wireless hotspots are available in some locations.

Go next
From Costinești you can plan trips to other resorts on the Romanian sea shore that are just a few kilometres away.

title: Costinești


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Cotati

Cotati is a small city in Sonoma County with less than 8,000 people. It neighbors Rohnert Park, and is about 10 miles south of the County Seat, Santa Rosa. It is 10 miles north of Petaluma and less than 50 miles north of San Francisco.

The city is known for its small town charm.

By car
Cotati is easily accessible through Highway 101.

By train
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit, or SMART, connects Cotati with Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Petaluma, Novato, San Rafael, and Larkspur, with connections to the ferry to San Francisco.

By bus
Cotati is served by Golden Gate Transit and Sonoma County Transit.

Get around
There is a bus system and several cabs, however most use personal vehicle. Cotati is a good town for walking and biking.

Do
Cotati has a beautiful, small downtown area which is right near the heart of Cotati, the wonderful La Plaza Park which is home to the annual Jazz Festival, Accordion Festival, and Thursdays Farmer's Market, all of which occur during the summer season.

Drink
Cotati is home to several bars, all within walking distance in the center of town. Thursdays and the weekend are busiest nights, but there is a turn out for the Cotati Crawl all through the week (participants start at one end of downtown and drink their way to the other).

title: Cotati


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Coteaus and Plains

Coteaus & Plains is a region of North Dakota in the United States.

By plane

 * Bismarck Municipal Airport
 * Jamestown Regional Airport

Do

 * Hunting: Whitetail and mule deer, ring-necked pheasants, grouse, partridge, doves, and wild turkeys. Canada geese and many varieties of ducks in season. Hunting info
 * Fishing: Braddock Dam, Nieusma Dam, Rice Lake, Lake Oahe and Beaver Bay (in the Missouri River System), for walleye, sauger, northern pike, bass, catfish, and crappie. ND Game and Fish site

title: Coteaus and Plains


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Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary

Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary is in Canacona, India.

Understand
Goa's second-largest wildlife sanctuary is at Cotigao. It's terrain is fairly plain, with hills in the south and east -- at one very end of Goa. Much of the sanctuary is covered with dense forests, with a few open grass lands. Forest crown density is often over 50%. Some trees, Goa's loftiest, touch 30 metres. If you go with the intention of seeing some of India’s legendary fauna here, then you could be in for a disappointment, as spotting the more famous wild animals is not extremely common. But the expansive forestland is a welcome change.

Get in
Cotigao is near Poinguinim, some 44 km from Margao. Take the Panjim to Margao road (32 km), onto Canacona (36.8 km) and further down for seven km on National Highway 66 (formerly NH 17) up to Poinguinim. At the left is a bold entrance board to the sanctuary. Some two km further is the sanctuary gate at Shristhal. Entry between 7AM and 5:30PM.

See
Expect difficulty in spotting animals due to the dense undergrowth, and the fact that they could be scattered across this sanctuary's 86 sq km. You'll need patience and getting atop one of the watch-towers. Villagers have reported sighting tigers, gaur (Indian bison). Birds are aplenty. Some 200 species could be spotted, given time and patience. These include the Indian pied hornbill, larger golden backed woodpecker and the great Indian woodpecker.

Sleep
Check out the Nature Interpretation Centre, at the entrance of the sanctuary. Accommodation available at the Ecotourism Complex at Hattipal. The Forest Department's scenic but simple rest-house is on the Poinguinim highway, some 4 km away. Contact the Deputy Conservator of Forests (South Goa) at Margao on tel 2735361. This place has a four-bed capacity. If food is needed, you'll need to arrange in advance.

Stay safe
Fill the fuel ( Petrol or Diesel) tank of your automobile before going to sanctuary. Carry drinking water, eatables like fruit, and a torch (flash light) before entering the sanctuary.

Go next

 * Anshi National Park
 * Karwar
 * Dharwad

title: Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary


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Co To Island

Co To Island is in Quang Ninh province in Northern Vietnam.

Undertstand
Co To island is an archipelago located in the Gulf of Tonkin, including a large Co To Island, a small Co islands, the island of Thanh Lam, Tran and countless islands and small island. Besides swimming, visitors travel there to visit natural forests, lighthouses, parks and memorial statues of Ho Chi Minh, wharf, fishing village, the bay, natural rocky

Get in
Most people come to Co To without a tour. Boat is the only way to get in Co To. The boat starts from Cai Rong town (Van Don - Quang Ninh).Boat will run through the Bai Tu Long Bay, to pass to Quan Lan Island and come to Co To island, each trip takes 3-3½ hr depending on the weather.

Due to the military presence on the island, a permit is required to stay on the island. The permit needs to be acquired in Ha Long city beforehand. If you arrive without a permit you will either be expected to pay a fine or be sent back to the mainland. (This information does not apply to Vietnamese nationals.)

See
Rent a motorbike to discover the island.
 * Van Chai beach: white sandy beach, blue sea
 * The light house: On the highest mount in Main Coto island
 * Rock Garden. 1 km from town centre. Most beautiful place in main coto sign.
 * Lion Mount: on the sea. Between Small coto and Xoi island

Do

 * Sightseeing on beach in sunrise & sunset.
 * Fishing
 * Diving
 * Swimming
 * Rock climbing
 * Adventure in forest

Sleep

 * Coto Lodge Mini Hotel. USD20-32. Next to the sea. Seaview restaurant.
 * Homestay in Coto island. About USD20-25/per room/per night
 * Camping with Hai Chau Co To Travel Company on beach.
 * Coto Eco Homestay USD15-25. Staying with local family

title: Co To Island


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Cotonou

Cotonou is the largest city in Benin and the country's primary port of entry for visitors. The city is in the south of the country, on the coastline.

Understand
In the Fon language, the word 'cotonou' means "the mouth of the river of death". The area was settled as a fishing village during the time of the Dahomey Kingdom. The French were given permission to build a trading post, until they were given the region altogether in 1868. The city was used to defend against the British in their conquests.

Cotonou grew to become the largest city in the country, right up to independence. Although the capital is located at Porto-Novo, Cotonou is still the nation's economic and population centre. It also attracts many government institutions and embassies, regardless of Porto-Novo's status, leading to the city being referred as Benin's de-facto capital.

By plane

Taxis are available in the parking lot, but it's best to prearrange transport in advance. Most nicer hotels run airport shuttles for their guests. The parking lot is also somewhere you can buy a Beninese SIM card or change money, but be wary of getting ripped off.

Other options

If you're coming from the Americas, you may want to consider taking the direct Ethiopian Airlines flights from Newark or Sao Paulo to Lomé, a relatively painless 3½-hour drive away, including border formalities. Another option is flying into Lagos, which has a direct flight to Atlanta, though Lagos' airport is likely to be an even more maddening experience and Lagos to Cotonou is not an easy or particularly safe overland journey. Short-haul flights are a popular way of reaching Benin from Lagos, though most nationalities will still need an expensive Nigerian visa to tack on a separate flight to Cotonou.

Because Ghana is a much more conventional destination, taking a flight to Accra shouldn't involve more than one layover. From there you can take a bus. That does mean crossing two borders, though. It is safer than the Lagos option.

By car
From Porto-Novo, head south on RNIE1 and then west for 45 minutes to Cotonou.

By bus
Buses from nearby capitals Accra, Lagos and Lome are plentiful. Amongst others, ABC Transport offers daily services.

There are bus services from Cotonou to every good-sized town in the country. Some run buses in good condition on regular schedules; others manage neither. Book with a skeptical eye, though a bus is likely to be safer than a bush taxi, although it may or may not be any more comfortable.

By bush taxi
Virtually every Beninese town has bush taxi transport to Cotonou, although smaller towns in the north will probably only have one per day or fewer, or may only get you to the next-closest town with bush taxis running to Cotonou. Count on paying about 1000 CFA per hour of travel.

By train
There is no longer train service in Benin.

By zemidjan
Moto taxis - locally called zemidjans or kekenos, are the most common form of transportation for the average Beninese person. These are very popular, and while not unique to Benin, are probably more highly concentrated here than anywhere in the world. Fares are negotiable, and there are no meters. The minimum fare is 100 CFA. Expect to pay about 100 CFA per kilometer. As long as you're staying within central Cotonou, the fare should not exceed 400 CFA. Bring a helmet along or buy one once you get to Cotonou - it's absolutely essential for your safety, and even with a helmet riding a zemidjan (or "zem") is much more dangerous than driving a car. However, many visitors to Benin, especially budget travelers and thrill-seekers, will take a zem at some point - it's simply not practical to avoid using zems without your own car, and the short hail times and door-to-door service make zems a highly functional mode of transport for many.

By taxi
Conventional drop taxis taking you directly to your destination like you might find in New York or London are not the norm in Benin - most taxi drivers wait at fixed intersections for passengers willing to rent the entire vehicle. Dantokpa market, the Étoile Rouge roundabout, or Gare de Jonquet bus station are the most likely places you can find taxis, although other secondary junctions may also have taxi drivers available during the day. Many people know a taxi driver whom they contact by phone or WhatsApp when they need one, so you can get in touch with a driver by asking around. However, they will generally not be interested in short intercity trips - preferring passengers to hire a taxi for several hours at a time. Still, figure about 3000 CFA for a 30 minute voyage, or 10000-15000 CFA to rent a cab for a few hours. Keep in mind that most taxis are in a decrepit condition. The exceptions are taxis available at major hotels (such as the Novotel or Azalaï) or the airport; these are usually late-model compact cars, but figure to pay at least double and up to 4-5 times the above prices.

There are also taxis plying a fixed route - these taxis are often headed to other cities, but can be hailed for voyages within Cotonou. They follow the main national highway out of Cotonou, starting from the Dantokpa market and heading west beyond the Godomey interchange. Count on paying 200 FCFA from the market to Étoile Rouge, and another 200 FCFA to continue to the Stade de l'Amitié. They also head east, crossing the lagoon to Akpakpa. Bush taxis also follow this route. Keep in mind that taxis often cram two passengers in the front and four in the back, though you can double your fare if you want more comfort - so if you have a group of three or more, you may want to negotiate with the driver to take you to your exact destination. Some Cotonois will take the taxis (which are safer than zems, and marginally cheaper) for as much of their way as they can, then hail a zem to the destination.

In 2021, an Uber-like application called Gozem was introduced in Cotonou. With this app you can order a zemidjan or conventional taxi from your phone, and link your credit card to the app to avoid the hassle of negotiation and the potential for getting ripped off. For a 10-minute ride in a taxi with the app, plan to pay around 1700 CFA, or about 200 CFA for a zem. In addition to taxi services, Gozem also offers food and grocery delivery.

On foot
Cotonou is not a particularly attractive city to wander about on foot, but much of it is also based on easily navigable grid system - making foot travel a decent option for those looking to wander or squeamish about hopping on the back of a zemidjan. In particular the easiest area to navigate on foot for visitors stretches from Dantokpa market down to Ganhi, and west to Jonquet. These are the main commercial areas of Cotonou, so shoppers will want to park the car and walk about to check out the shopkeepers and vendors selling anything and everything. Pay attention to your belongings, however, and avoiding walking around after dark is probably your best bet.

The upmarket Haie Vive area is also a good place to explore on foot, as it's concentrated along a single strip - but don't be surprised expats take their SUVs with NGO plates to have another drink a few doors down.

By car
Driving in Cotonou can be harrowing. Most foreign drivers will have never shared the road with this many motorcycles in their life, and rush hour is especially harrowing as motorcycles scoot in and out of traffic. Many vons (narrow side streets) are bumpy at best and underwater at worst. Still, the grid layout makes Cotonou not terribly difficult to navigate, and having your own car is certainly the safest way to travel. Most establishments have parking of some sort, but nobody will bat an eyelash if you pull up onto the sidewalk to park.

See
Cotonou is far from an attractive city, even accounting for the expected sprawl and poor sanitation one expects in urban West Africa. Still, there are a few things to see. For those who prefer to stroll aimlessly, the most interesting scenes will likely come in the Zongo neighborhood, the city's busy Muslim quarter centered around the huge main mosque of Cotonou, a hub of street activity. Wandering on the beach - strictly during the daytime, as it's a spot for crime at night - can also provide great views of the ocean thrashing about. Areas near to central Cotonou are calm, with a few private beaches aimed at exclusive clienteles, but the beachside neighborhood of Fidjirossé has a slew of beachside maquis that attract locals to hang out during the weekend.

Do

 * You can do a boat tour of Ganvie, the stilt village that is known as the Venice of Africa on the other side of Lake Nokoue. It should be possible to take a boat from the Hotel du Lac in Cotonou, where the price may be around 5,000 CFA, then different tours and such are available at the village. Another option is to hire a boat operator at the point of embarkment in Abomey-Calavi for Ganvie. Just don't touch the water, as the lack of any sewer system translates into the lake being a septic tank. Even the Lagune de Cotonou has heaping piles of garbage along the banks, so I'm sure you won't want to.

Learn
It is possible to learn the native Fon language by contacting Vinawamon (2130 0856) or through the.

Eat
In addition to what's listed here, you're likely to find innumerable street stalls and local restaurants in Cotonou. These can range from a woman on the side of the road with a vat of oil to large open-air bars that double as restaurants during the day. Street snacks to look out for include atta (bean flour fritters), doko (small fried donuts, sometimes made with mashed bananas), and igname frite (fried yam slices). Most neighborhoods will also have a blue-awning cafe bar or "Cafette Diallo", serving Nescafé and local variants on spaghetti for less than a dollar, catering to a very working-class crowd. Local maquis are also numerous and serve a basic combination of rice or pâte and meat at dirt-cheap prices.

Drink
Cotonou does not have much nightlife, but all the establishments listed below are recommendable - if a bit expat-oriented. After all, the lion's share of drinking in Benin is done at local buvettes, outdoor bars where all you need for a good time are a few plastic tables and chairs, an oversized speaker, and a large beer: Beninoise, or for the hardy, a Guinness or Awooyo. Anyone seeking local colour should ask around and wander over to the nearest rickety watering hole for the experience. However, Cotonou is not one-dimensional, and those seeking diversity should check out the haunts listed below.

Embassies

 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Day-trips from Cotonou

 * Ouidah - the religious centre of Voudoun in the area and a historic city for the slave trade, at 45-60 minutes car ride from Cotonou.
 * Porto-Novo - official capital city of Benin with several museums, cultural centres, a royal palace and a historic mosque, at 60 minutes car ride from Cotonou.
 * Rivière Noire / Adjarra - calm river near Porto Novo surrounded by lush vegetation. The river can be explored on local boats without an engine, enjoying the calm and green scenery. Can be combined with a trip to Porto Novo to make it into a weekend get-away.
 * Ganvie - lake town with over 30,000 people living in houses on stilts, popular tourist destination.
 * Bab's Dock, lagoon-side restaurant a brief 15 minutes car ride from Cotonou plus a quick boat ride through the mangroves organised by the restaurant. During the weekend, it is possible to stay overnight in one of their rooms.
 * Route des peches - Explore the beach restaurants and bars on the road adjacent to the beach West of Cotonou, including Cali Cali, La Plage by Code Bar and Zone5 Playa.

Weekend trips from Cotonou

 * Check in with a nice resort, at a nice farm or guesthouse - Near Ouidah, the Nature Luxury Lodge offers villas at the lagoon with a shared pool and common area; and the Casa del Papa resort offers bungalows facing the sea or the lagoon, with a pool, restaurant and an activity centre. Near Allada, the Eva Lodge (former Royal Paradise Hotel) offers affordable rooms and bungalows in the countryside with a nice pool and a pool bar. On the way to Allada, the Kalaupapa - Cité Saint Damien offers visitors a quiet weekend with yoga retreats and Sunday brunches offered throughout the year. In Porto Novo, the Art Residence Hotel with its rooftop pool and Saturday night live music, offers a luxurious weekend get away, allowing you to combine a trip to Adjarra / Rivière Noire with a museum tour of Porto Novo.
 * Abomey - UNESCO world heritage site with a number of mud-brick palaces and museums
 * Bohicon - a city in the south of the country housing the underground village, a collection of underground caves used for the defence of Abomey
 * Dassa - a quiet town north-east of Bohicon with granite rock formations that can be hiked or climbed, making it a popular outdoor destination allowing for great views and different scenaries

title: Cotonou


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Cotopaxi

Parque Nacional Cotopaxi is a national park in the central Andes of Ecuador about 50 km southeast of central Quito. It is a popular hiking destination which is known for the active Cotopaxi and the dormant Rumiñahui volcanoes.

Understand
Cotopaxi, the central feature of the national park, is nearly 5,900 m (19,400 ft) in height and is one of the highest active volcanoes on earth. As of February 2023, its present activity includes heavy clouds of ashes, which are not dangerous (although some contain sulfur dioxide) but require appropriate equipment (scarf or mask and sunglasses to cover eyes, mouth and nose). The landscape of the park is typical of active volcanic areas, and there are several peaks in the protected zone well over 4,000 m in altitude.

Flora and fauna
With most of the park well above 3,500 m (11,500 ft) in altitude, the vegetation is typical of the tropical high Andes with scrubby woodlands in protected valley areas and open grasslands covering the lower slopes of Cotopaxi and other peaks. The landscape of the Páramo is an important feature of the park, a natural water filtering system for the streams coming off Cotopaxi's glacial areas. That water is an important part of Quito's water supply.

A number of rare Andean species are protected in the park including infrequently seen condors, spectacled bear, and brocket deer along with more commonly viewed foxes, white tail deer and rabbits.

Climate
Although Cotopaxi is only about 100 km (60 mi) south of the equator, its climate is dictated by altitude and there is perpetual snow about 4,500 m (14,700 ft). In the more popular areas of the park, the highest temperatures rarely exceed 20°C, and night temperatures fall below freezing. The rainy season is Summer, late December to March, although rain is possible at other times as well.

By car
The park is close to the Panamericana between Quito and Latacunga. From the north it can be accessed by leaving the Panamericana in Machachi and passing through Santa Ana del Pedregal. From the south it can be accessed by leaving the Panamericana at Santa Rita.

By bus
Buses between Quito's southern Quitumbe terminal and Latacunga can drop you off in Machachi ($1.50, 1 hour) which is the city closest to the park or directly at the intersection to the park entrance. Bus also stop at this intersection to come back to Quito or Latacunga

Buses leave from Machachi's parque central several times a day to go to Santa Ana del Pedregal ($0.60, 1 hr), the village closest to the park.

There is no public transport option to get into the park but taxis can be readily hired in Machachi for that purpose ($35 to the trail head leading to the refugio) or directly at the intersection to the park entrance where 4WD are waiting clients ($40 four the round trip to the trail head with a stop at the Laguna Limpiopungo).

By day-tour from Quito or Latacunga
Various companies provide day-tour from Quito or Latacunga that drive you to a car park that is a 45-60 minute hike to the hut. Some tours provide mountain bikes so that you can ride from the car park to the main gate. An example price would be $85 per person for a 2-person tour (Jan 2018), less per person for larger groups.

Fees and permits
There are no permits required or fees charged to enter the park or to stay overnight however the park entry must be done between 8:00AM and 3:00PM. By law, Cotopaxi's summit can not be climbed without a registered guide.

Do

Eat
You can eat at the refugio on the hike up Cotopaxi.

Drink
Water at the refuge is polluted by the ashes (Feb 2023), and should not be consumed

Sleep
Most options are outside of the park limits. Only the Refugio and Tambopaxi are within the park.

Budget
There are, as of early 2017, no budget hostels or hotels in the area.

Mid-range

Splurge
All inclusive lodging is available at several quite luxurious haciendas near the park limits.

Stay safe
Cotopaxi is an active volcano. It last erupted from August 2015 to January 2016.

Go next

 * Quito is just a short bus ride north from the city of Machachi.
 * Latacunga in the south is the access point for the Quilotoa Loop.

title: Cotopaxi


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Cotswolds

The Cotswolds are a range of rolling hills spread over parts of south-west and south central England. Designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1966, it has unique features derived from the local golden-coloured limestone known as Cotswold stone. The predominantly rural landscape containing stone-built villages, historical towns, and stately homes and gardens, is known worldwide. Many consider the Cotswolds as representative of the archetypal English landscape.

The area is roughly across and  long, stretching south-west from just below Stratford-upon-Avon to just beyond Bath. It is within easy reach of London and several other English urban centres. The Cotswolds lie across the boundaries of several English counties; mainly Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, but also parts of Wiltshire, Somerset, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The highest point of the region is Cleeve Hill at, just to the north of Cheltenham.

Cities

 * – world-famous Roman and Baroque spa town constructed out of Cotswold stone
 * – known for its Gothic cathedral where the boy king Henry III was crowned
 * – the vibrant and ancient City of Dreaming Spires

Towns

 * – a gateway to the Cotswolds from the east, best known for its wildlife park
 * – elegant spa town with many events throughout the year including literature and jazz festivals, and the equestrian Gold Cup.
 * – market town from where several south Cotswold villages can be accessed
 * – a town with several interesting large houses and gardens
 * – a friendly Oxfordshire market town with access to Blenheim Palace and the Rollright Stones.
 * – Roman heritage and a bustling Saturday market
 * – 9th-century Saxon town close to the source of the River Thames
 * – known for its wool and nearby RAF airfield and airshow
 * – town known for its historic abbey, one of the few English houses with a continual history from the 7th century through to the Dissolution of the Monasteries
 * – yet another pretty town with access to gardens such as Batsford Arboretum
 * – cute cottages, a quaint market square and a "magical door": Stow is selfie central for Instagrammers and Weiboers alike.
 * – a smaller town with a rich industrial heritage based around textile mills which were placed to take advantage of both the local Cotswold sheep and the rivers which run through the five valleys and converge in Stroud. Sometimes considered alternative and nicknamed 'Notting Hill in wellies'.
 * – Charles III's Highgrove House and the fabulous Westonbirt Arboretum
 * – home to Sudeley Castle and Hailes Abbey
 * – market town near Oxford, known historically for its woollen blankets

Villages

 * – attractive riverside village known for having a model village of itself
 * – country retreat of Victorian designer William Morris; a good base for hiking, including up to Broadway Tower
 * – this pretty village has no castle, but it does have a motor racing circuit!
 * – Chedworth Roman villa is a ruin, but does have some impressive 4th-century mosaics

History
During the Middle Ages, the Cotswolds became prosperous from the wool trade with the Continent. Much of this wealth was directed towards the building of churches, the area still preserving a large number of large, handsome Cotswold Stone "wool churches". The area remains affluent and has attracted wealthy Londoners and others who own second homes in the area or have chosen to retire to the Cotswolds.

Typical Cotswold towns are Broadway, Burford, Chipping Norton, Cirencester, Moreton-in-Marsh and Stow-on-the-Wold. The Cotswold town of Chipping Campden is notable for being the home of the Arts and Crafts movement, founded by William Morris at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. William Morris lived, occasionally, in Broadway Tower a folly now in country park.

Geography
The Cotswolds run generally south-west to north-east, the northern and western edges marked by steep escarpments down to the valleys of the rivers Severn and Avon and the city of Gloucester, the eastern boundary by the city of Oxford (the university "city of dreaming spires"), the west by Stroud, and the south by the middle reaches of the Thames Valley and towns such as Cirencester, Lechlade and Fairford. Key physical features of the area, including the characteristic uplift of the 'Cotswold Edge' can be clearly seen as far south as Bath.

The Cotswolds are characterised by attractive small towns and villages built of the underlying rock, known as "Cotswold Stone" (actually, a yellow oolitic limestone).

Visitor information

 * Cotswolds vistor information website

Talk
Due to the regional spread of the Cotswolds you will hear many different accents. Predominantly though, as most of the Cotswolds lies in the county of Gloucestershire, you may find locals speak with a heavy Gloucestershire accent. The area has attracted the Royals and various celebrities, which together with the beauty of the area in general, has attracted residents originating from London and the South East, so this too diversifies the accents you may hear.

Get in
Kemble (near Cirencester), Stroud, Stonehouse, Gloucester and Cheltenham all have train stations on a main line from Swindon and London Paddington. Stagecoach has buses from different areas of the country (cheaper, although slower than the trains).

As you'll find all over Great Britain, the cost of public transport is high (compared to mainland Europe, Asia, Africa, etc.). People under 25 can buy a Young Person's Railcard. This gives you 1/3 off standard rail fares, but costs £25, so it might only be worth it if you're planning to spend a long time in the UK. Railcards can be bought from any train station ticket office. You'll need a passport photo and proof of your age.

By train
Trains exist between some main towns, but the line from Cirencester was axed 30 years ago. The key lines are:
 * Bristol Temple Meads–Filton Abbey Wood–Bristol Parkway–Yate–Cam & Dursley–Gloucester–Cheltenham Spa–Ashchurch for Tewkesbury–Worcester Shrub Hill–Worcester Foregate Street
 * Swindon–Chippenham–Bath Spa–Bristol Temple Meads
 * Swindon–Kemble–Stroud–Stonehouse–Gloucester
 * Oxford–Hanborough–Charlbury–Kingham–Moreton-in-Marsh–Honeybourne–Evesham–Pershore–Worcester Shrub Hill—Worcester Foregate Street

By car
As Bill Bryson said, this is the only option to see the Cotswolds. He was probably right. It's great walking country though - gentle hillsides not mountains.

Note: Take care of the cows on commons (they stand/lie on the roads at night).

By bus
The bus services in the Cotswolds are very limited, although the first time visitor might have some luck exploring the Fosse Way by bus - a Roman road connecting Moreton in Marsh and various market towns to Cirencester. Research is definitely needed. Many villages only get one bus a day, or some only one bus a week. Even larger towns, such as Cirencester and Stroud, only get one bus every hour.

By cycle
The Cotswolds are hilly but there are well-marked cycle routes on quiet roads.

By foot
Perhaps Bill Bryson was wrong - there are lovely walks throughout all the Cotswolds, taking from a couple of hours for a gentle stroll between villages to a week or more on a walking tour. Local companies offer guided and self-guided walks and tours which explore the rich history of the area. The Cotswold Way is a 102-mile long-distance walk, designated as an official National Trail in 1998, running from Chipping Campden to Bath.

See
The Cotswolds attract people with a visual appeal derived from a long history and the charm of hundreds of honey-coloured stone villages spread over an area approximately 100 mi (160 km) north to south and 50 mi east to west. While lacking a single large attraction or theme park, it is a wealthy area that nevertheless retains something of the appeal of a working environment. For visitors, the area is particularly well known for historic gardens, pubs and inns, farm and outdoor attractions and retail – especially book and antique shops. There is a thriving arts and crafts scene, drawing on a legacy that includes William Morris and extends to new artists at work in hotspots such as the Stroud Valleys.

 * Gardens, historic houses and farm attractions. There is a listing at the local tourist board website.
 * Roman villa ruins near Chedworth
 * Cotswold wildlife park

Historical houses
The Cotswolds are home to a number of important historical houses, often set in their own estates and therefore not part of a particular town or village. The local tourist board provides information on houses open to the public, which include Snowshill Manor, Chavanage, William Morris's house at Kelmscott, Sudeley Castle and Berkeley Castle. Some houses are closed but provide the setting for nationally important gardens such as Hidcote Manor, Painswick Rococo or Abbey House Gardens.

 * Chastleton House, Chastleton, near Moreton-in-Marsh

Do

 * Walk some or all of the Cotswold Way. Beautiful views over the Cotswold edge the entire way.

Buy

 * Weekly farmers market in Stroud

Eat
The Cotswolds has a strong food culture with frequent well-established Farmers' Markets, local organic producers and individual businesses such as bakeries and orchard drink producers. Look out for Double and Single Gloucester (and up to 100 other) cheeses, Old Spot Pork and local organic game and venison - plus soft fruits in season. The local food culture is extending to pub noticeboard menus.

Drink
Enjoy a pint at one of the area's excellent pubs.
 * Donington Ale in the north Cotswolds (brewed in Donington, near Stow-on-the-Wold)
 * Hook Norton Ale ('Old Hooky' and the like)
 * Battledown Brewery (Cheltenham Spa Standard, Premium and Porter)
 * Stroud Organic Ale in and around Stroud.

Sleep
The area has a long history of hospitality since being adopted by Londoners with newly available reliable motor cars a hundred years ago and there remains a concentration of high-quality hotels and B&Bs in the area.

Hotels and larger B&Bs are typically expensive in the more picturesque towns and villages. However, smaller B&Bs can be found for a reasonable cost. For a longer stay a cottage, barn or church conversion or other private accommodation can be rented – typically for a weekend up to stays extending several weeks.

Stay safe
The area is very safe, with little crime.

title: Cotswolds


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Cottage Grove

There is more than one place called Cottage Grove:

United States of America

 * Cottage Grove (Minnesota) — A town in Minnesota.
 * Cottage Grove (Oregon) — A town in Oregon.
 * Cottage Grove (Wisconsin) — A town in Wisconsin.

title: Cottage Grove


text:
Cottage Grove (Minnesota)

Cottage Grove is a city of 40,000 people (2021) in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. It is a suburb of the southeast portion of Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

Get in
Cottage Grove lies approximately eight miles southeast of Saint Paul on the banks of the Mississippi River. Cottage Grove is easily accessible by U.S. Route 61 which connects to Interstate 94 and 494.

Get around
As public transit options are essentially nonexistent, you'll need a car when traveling throughout the Cottage Grove area.

Do

 * Cottage Grove's annual Strawberry Fest draws thousands of residents together to celebrate. This event is held at Kingston Park, usually in the second week of June. A parade occurs the Saturday of the festival. There are fireworks on the Saturday of the festival around 10PM. There are many carnival games, rides, and food. Every night of the festival except Sunday, bands play in the Kingston parking lot.
 * Cottage Grove's annual Strawberry Fest draws thousands of residents together to celebrate. This event is held at Kingston Park, usually in the second week of June. A parade occurs the Saturday of the festival. There are fireworks on the Saturday of the festival around 10PM. There are many carnival games, rides, and food. Every night of the festival except Sunday, bands play in the Kingston parking lot.

title: Cottage Grove (Minnesota)


text:
Cottage rentals in Canada

In Canada, cottage rentals are a comfortable way of enjoying the country. Although some refer to them as accommodations, a cottage rental experience can be a vacation itself. The price of cottages is similar to that of hotels (cottages typically range from $500-$1600 a week during summer and about $300-$1000 a week during winter), and they usually include multiple beds and full kitchens. Many cottages are on the shores of lakes; such cottages often include canoes, kayaks, or paddle boats available to renters free of charge. Websites such as CottagesInCanada have comprehensive cottage rental directories.

Understand
A good number of city-dwelling Canadians (especially those from the Toronto area) own cottages in the country which are frequently used as summer colonies and weekend retreats. In order to help cover the cost of mortgage payments on a cottage, many of these Canadians rent their cottages to travelers. Others simply buy cottages and rent them as entrepreneurs.

Most cottages are on a body of water, although some are not. In general, non-waterfront cottage rentals are not very popular and rent for lower prices.

Features
Most cottages include multiple bedrooms, full kitchens, and a large amount of property, although exceptions always exist.

Sleep
The amount and layout of beds in a rented cottage varies from single-room cottages for couples to multiple-bedroom cottages for families or business retreats. Most cottages usually require renters to bring their own sheets, blankets and sometimes pillows, although some will supply bedding for renters. If a cottage renter does not explain what to bring, always ask. The last thing you want is to have to vacation without a bed.

Eat
The vast majority of cottage rentals do not supply food. Always bring your own, and if there is food there already, only eat it if you are absolutely certain it is fresh. Most cottage rentals have a fridge and oven; few cottages have dishwashers.

Bathrooms
Most cottages have indoor bathrooms, although some have outhouses. Always ask the owner.

Electronics and Communication
Most cottage rentals have on-grid electricity and heat, although some cottages appeal to the 'bare necessity' crowd by being off grid and having only a fireplace for heat. Cottages without electricity are cheaper. Most cottages with electricity are on-grid (usually with buried power lines) although some have generators.

Cottages sometimes have landline telephones, although a good number do not. Because of their remoteness, few cottages have cell phone reception, and when they do, it is usually very poor reception that often cuts in and out. As a result, it is good to have some degree of first aid training to handle any medical emergencies that may arise.

Pets
Bringing your pet to the cottage can be a terrific experience. There's nothing like watching your dog jump off the dock into the lake. Check with the private cottage owner prior to renting and make sure that they allow pets...many do not.

Very few cottages have cable television, although a small number have satellite television. Cottages with computers are extremely rare. Ones with internet access are even rarer. Those that do have internet are usually very expensive (over $1500 a week during the summer).

The lack of communication options is often what makes a cottage enjoyable; isolation from our stress-filled world is one of the reasons why many Canadians love their cottages.

Other
Many cottages also have firepits for campfires. Usually wood is supplied, although newspapers and kindling are usually not. Always ask when renting a cottage.

Lakefront cottages often include canoes or paddle boats available free of charge, with rowboats and motor fishing boats sometimes available on request for a fee.

Water
One of the most important things to always ask a cottage owner is the water condition. Poorly installed water systems may have salt and/or sulphur in them, depending on the location. A sulphur-water cottage is a truly unpleasant experience. Drinking this water may make you ill, and the sinks, tubs, and toilets will often have brown stains in them. To complete this negative image, sulphur makes water smell horrifically bad.

As a rule of thumb, be extremely wary of any cottage owner that says "bring your own drinking water".

When getting a waterfront cottage, try to aim for a cottage that is on a rocky lake rather than a sandy lake. Although a sandy lake may sound better for swimming, "sandy bottom" is often used as a cover-up for a quick sand bottom. Also note that the amount of beach or shallow water entry available will vary greatly by waterlevels. Ask the cottage owner or rental agency whether the water level was unusually high or low when the photo was taken.

Pricing
Unlike most other accommodations, cottages typically do not charge based on how many nights you stay; instead they usually charge based on how many weeks you stay. Weekend rates are usually around a third of a weekly rate, with long weekends sometimes having higher rates.

Weekly summer rates can vary from as little as $400 to over $4000. Cottages near the bottom of the price list will often lack basic features.

The price of a cottage rental varies across the country. In general, cottage owners in British Columbia and the Prairie provinces will charge higher than cottage owners in Ontario or Atlantic Canada. In Quebec there is no good rule of thumb; some regions of Quebec (such as the Laurentians) can as expensive as British Columbia, whereas other regions (such as the Nouveau-Quebec area) can be among the cheapest in the country. If a property is an easy day trip from a major city (like Toronto or Vancouver) the price goes up significantly. Northern Canadian rates are typically low, but keep in mind that it is quite expensive to get up there and all supplies (including basic groceries) trade at very inflated prices once there.

Most cottage owners charge significantly more during the summer than other times of the year; a cottage that charges $1000/week in July may charge only $550/week in January. Many cottages are closed during the winter.

You do not usually pay sales tax on a cottage rental payment.

Additional fees
One of the great things about cottaging is that cottage owners rarely charge additional fees and surcharges that are so common in travelling. Usually the only extra fee incurred with renting a cottage is a security deposit, typically around $200-$500, that is returned after checkout if no damage is done to the property. Apart from a security deposit, additional fees are usually only charged if the renter requests additional goods or services such as a fishing boat.

How to get there
Cottages are often in remote locations. 99% of the time, the only way to get a cottage is by car. Cottages are also far from cities; the vast majority of cottages are at least a 90 minute drive from the city; a drive of six hours or more is not unheard of. Also, cottages can be far from gas stations; ask the owner, and if no gas stations are nearby, bring a gas can.

If you are coming from abroad and you don't live near the Canadian border, then the only way to get to a cottage is to get a flight/bus/train to the nearest major city and then rent a car and drive.

Keep in mind that Canada is a huge country. A cottage in one part of Canada may be thousands of kilometres from another Canadian cottage. Always get a cottage in the preferred region (most rental websites have regional breakdowns) and make sure you know where the region is. If you live in upstate New York near the Canadian border, a cottage in Eastern Ontario or Muskoka will probably be only a few hours away by car, but a cottage in BC will be thousands of kilometres away.

Cottage Rental Websites
Cottage rental directories are almost always done online. Few companies publish travel guides that feature cottages.

Nationwide

 * CottagesInCanada - has good regional breakdown
 * CottageCountry - Find thousands of cottage rentals in Canada
 * Canada Rental Cottage - Offers affordable vacation rentals in Northern Ontario
 * CottageMe - Vacation Rentals: cottages, homes and other accommodations in Canada.

Ontario

 * CottageRental.com - website has cottage rentals for the Muskoka, Parry Sound, Kawarthas and Haliburton areas.
 * Clrm.ca - website has cottage rentals for the Muskoka, Kawarthas, Bruce Peninsula, Georgian Bay and Haliburton areas of Ontario, as well as the Tremblant and Laurentians areas of Québec.
 * OntarioRentals.com - website has cottage rentals for the Muskoka, Parry Sound, Haliburton, Kawarthas, Bruce Peninsula and Georgian Bay areas.

title: Cottage rentals in Canada


text:
Cottbus

Cottbus (Sorbian: Chóśebuz) is a city in the southeast of Brandenburg state, in Germany. It is the state's second-largest city and is considered one of the cultural centres of the Sorbs, a Slavic ethnic minority in eastern Germany. Cottbus sits on the southern edge of the famous Spreewald and north of the developing man-made Lusatian Lake District. After the flooding of the Cottbus-Nord surface mine, the city will lie on the shore of Germany's largest artificial lake by surface area. Also to the north is the beautiful Schlaube Valley, which can easily be reached by day trip.

Understand
The name of the city comes from "Chotibuz" from the Sorbian (Wendish) language, which is itself a derivation of Choitische Budky, meaning approximately "pretty little houses".

Modern Cottbus is a small city, in what used to be East Germany (GDR), and due to high unemployment the city has suffered from the "brain drain" to more prosperous German cities. Its proximity to Berlin allows a lot of people to commute between the two cities. Today, it is most associated with coal mining, Communist-era prefabricated buildings, and the nearby Spreewald forest, but the city has much more to offer visitors than drab East German nostalgia.

The city first reached a population of more than 100,000 (the lower limit for the German term Großstadt) in the 1970s and peaked at over 130,000 during the East German period. Cottbus had about 100,000 inhabitants in 2019. While it seemed that after Reunification that it would lose the designation Großstadt once and for all, the population is rising again, fitting a Germany-wide trend of people moving into cities.

The city's history is inexorably linked to its expansion during the industrial revolution. Today, it offers a beautiful and well-preserved medieval core and its surrounding 19th century districts that arose during the city's textile boom. There are many parks in and around the old city centre which give the city a "green" reputation. The Soviet-era suburbs do not have much to interest tourists, but significant efforts to refurbish these districts and make them more attractive are being undertaken.

Historically, Cottbus is renowned for three specialties: cloth, grain and beer, and "Baumkuchen" (lit. tree-cakes), a traditional circular layer cake that resembles tree rings.

Starting in around 1860, the arrival of the industrial revolution granted Cottbus huge economic benefits. The first clothmaking factory and the first military barracks were founded here during that time. Then, in 1865, the railway connecting Berlin to Görlitz was built through Cottbus, which resulted in an industrial and economic boom. Other railway companies eventually connected their lines through the city as well, interconnecting the city with the nearby clothing mill towns of Guben and Forst, as well as Wroclaw.

Dr. Carl-Thiem, the father of trauma surgery in Germany, founded a private clinic in the city in 1885, where it still resides. In 1886, the first telephone system was installed, and after a merger of the three largest German carpet manufacturers, a public textile college was also founded.

By bus
Cottbus can be reached on the regional bus network that serves Brandenburg and the surrounding areas, the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg. The regional bus terminal is now part of the train station.

By car
Cottbus is on the federal Autobahn Route A15 (E36), which runs west to Lübbenau, where is connects with A13 (E55) running northbound to Berlin and southbound to Dresden with a and Spur towards Dresden. Eastbound, the route terminates at the border with Poland and connects on to the Polish highway network. This motorway has two exits to the city Cottbus-West (16), and Cottbus-South (17).

Secondary regional route connecting to Cottbus are B97 from Guben to Spremberg and Hoyerswerda, B115 from Bad Muskau and Görlitz to Lübbenau and Lübben, B122 from Forst, and B169 from Senftenberg

Get around
The Cottbusverkehr GmbH (Cottbus Transit Authority) operates a network of four streetcar lines and eight primary bus routes in the city, in addition to three nighttime bus lines. Late night service runs from 21:00 to 04:30 daily. It's operated by three bus lines (2N, 3N, 4N). They busses always meet at the train station.

Due to the compact size of the city, most destinations are easily reachable by bicycle or on foot.

See

Buy
There is a Saturday market in Oberkirchplatz from 07:00 until about midday. You can buy delicacies from the nearby Spreewald, sold in person by the producer. A slimmed-down version of the market takes place on Wednesdays in front of the city hall and on Thursdays in the Sprem (shopping area near the Old Market). Elsewhere, the Blechen-Carre is a large shopping centre containing the usual retail chains to be found across Germany.

Meanwhile, dedicated shopaholics should explore the old town, where there are many small shops and specialist boutiques.
 * In the hamlet of Hornow at Spremberg (about 20 km south-east of Cottbus) chocaholics are guaranteed to find something in the fine Felicitas confectionery store, which sells real homemade chocolates.

Mid-range

 * {{sleep | name= AHORN - Hotel & Restaurant | address= Bautzener Straße 134/ 135}|url=http://www.ahorn-hotel-cottbus.com/
 * content=}}

Stay safe
Personal safety is generally not a concern, though you may encounter drunk youth on weekend nights and after games of the local football club FC Energie Cottbus. Don't provoke, use common sense and you should be fine.

Being a flat and compact city, many people commute by bike. Watch out for cyclists racing along sidewalks and around blind corners, often in dark clothes and unlit. Don't expect priority to be given to pedestrians even when required by law. Bike theft (or parts thereof) can also be a concern.

Go next
The city of Cottbus is surrounded by a dense network of cycle paths that can quickly take you deep into attractive countryside. For the adventurous, a selection of bicycle tour routes of varying distances can be found in a dedicated German Wikivoyage article.

Only a few kilometres north of the city is the Spreeaue, a 160-ha (400-acre) area along the course of the Spree river has been reclaimed as a nature reserve. Meadows and traditional villages invite you to explore on foot or by bike.

Burg (Spreewald), the southern gateway to the Spreewald, lies about 15 km northwest of Cottbus. The route there runs through the low-lying, rural Spreewald foothills. The Spreewald is very well developed for tourism and offers an ideal starting point for boat, paddle and bike rides. Lübben and Lübbenau are two other major points of departure to visit the Spreewald area.

About 40 km to the north-east in the former hat-making town of Guben you can find the Plastinarium, the demonstration workshop of the internationally renowned/notorious "Body Worlds" exhibitor, Gunther von Hagen. Daily 10:00-18:00 (last entrance 16:00), admission starting from €12 per person, concessions €8. Uferstraße, 03172 Guben,.

About 20 km west of Cottbus in Slawenburg Raddusch you can find a mock castle built as part of an international building exhibition. The model houses a museum and reflects castles of 1000 years ago built by the then Lusizi (ancestors of today's Sorbian/Wendish minority). Opening times from April to October 10:00 to 18:00, November to March 10:00 to 16:00. A15 exit Vetschau.

Further afield lie the fascinating cities of Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin.

title: Cottbus


text:
Cottonera

Cottonera is a group of three adjacent cities in Malta with a population of about 11,000 (2014): Cospicua (aka Bormla), Vittoriosa (aka Birgu)  and Senglea (aka L'Isla). They are collectively also known as the Three Cities.

Understand
Vittoriosa used to be (and still is by the Maltese) called Birgu (Borgo) and, having been a Phoenician/Carthaginian settlement as well as a Greek trading post, is probably older than Mdina. It served throughout Malta's history as its main port town with the fort at the entrance to the bay it protects often being considered more important than, and having rulers different from the rest of the island. When the at the time maritime Knights of St. John were given control of Malta by the Pope and the Holy Roman emperor they, to the relief of the old aristocracy of mixed Catalan, Aragonese, Swabian and Angevin Anjou descent, didn't choose landlocked Mdina as its base but naval Birgu instead. They promptly set out to strengthen the ancient defenses and build an 'Auberge' for each of the different 'Langues' (a Langue is a group of knights sharing a common language, an Auberge a residence for each Langue).

The Turkish Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent decided to try and take Malta in 1565 and sent an armada with 30–40,000 men under the leadership of admiral Turgut_Reis (Torgut Reis, Dragut, Draghouth) with the home of the knights, Birgu and Senglea, as main objective. The siege of Birgu and Senglea lasted several months and culminated in a dramatic episode when the Turks finally breached the defenses. Grand Master of the Knights, Jean de la Vallette, then decided to blow up the bridge linking the town to Fort St. Angelo at the end of the peninsula, so that none of the knights would be able to withdraw and would have to die making a last stand on the central square side by side with the locals of Birgu who had fought with them. Just as the Turks were pouring into the town down the short road to the square a group of Maltese who had ridden down from Mdina set to torching the virtually unguarded Turkish camp giving them the impression that they were being attacked from the rear. The Turks retreated in disarray mere yards from their objective, a victory which would have changed the course of Mediterranean history.

In recognition of this event the name Vittoriosa meaning victory was given to the town. The Knights were hailed in Europe as saviors of the west and acquired huge funds with which they set forth to build Valletta, thus ending Birgu's short spell as capital of Malta.

The area of the Grand Harbour became very important during the 19th century for Malta as it became a stop-over for any British ships between Gibraltar and the Suez canal. In this area, in particular further south around Senglea became the industrial centre of the country with many docks for shipbuilding being constructed. Sadly this made it a main target for an extremely harsh bombing campaign during World War II. The area around the Grand Harbour counts as one of the most intensely bombed in the world which caused incalculable damage to this historic area. As the main industry has moved away from the area, and the tourist areas are concentrated in Sliema and further north the Cottonera is mercifully spared from the unchecked tourist development which has scarred other parts of the country, this area is surprisingly devoid of any tourism. Part of fort St Angelo has been returned to the Sovereign Military and Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (one of the orders which trace their origin to the original Hospitaller order of Knights of St John) and is being conserved and restored.

Tourist activity has increased in Birgu, as restaurants and a marina for magnificent yachts have opened (and some new flats of questionable taste being built near Fort St Angelo).

Get in
The Three Cities are on the opposite side of the Grand Harbour to Valletta, one can see the peninsulas beautifully from anywhere on the south side of the capital facing the water. They can be easily reached by bus from Valletta, the ride takes about 15 minutes.

Get around
The Three Cities is made up of two adjacent peninsulas each about a kilometer in length: Vittoriosa and Senglea, and the area which joins the two; Cospicua.

A car is the best option for getting around as public transport doesn't actually go anywhere onto the peninsulas. If you're visiting just Vittoriosa or Senglea then just parking somewhere at the beginning of the peninsulas rather than trying to navigate the maze-like streets is the best option.

See
The entire area was devastated by Nazi bombers during World War II, and so much of the towns are rebuilt. The place with the most interesting remaining buildings is Vittoriosa, although the tip of Senglea is worth visiting for the view. Birgu has a history going back to pre-Roman times, whereas the other two are more recent. Senglea was founded by Grand Master Claude de la Sengle a few years prior to the Great Siege, and the Bormla mosts dates from after the Great Siege of 1565.

See

 * Birgu (Vittoriosa) The main gate and the walls were manned by groups of Knights from different countries and are labelled as such, it is well worth exploring these interesting fortifications and pondering the difference in size when compared to Valletta.
 * The Church Museum just off the left of the main square is a great little museum in the old style, a collection of artifacts related to Birgu's past all kept in wooden display cabinets, ranging from the mundane to unique items such as de la Vallette's hat and sword and a set of banned 16th century playing cards which have the tarot on the back. Entrance is free (though a donation is appreciated), but do ask caretaker Joseph to give you a guided tour, this wizened old man is a true raconteur and will tell you about his experiences during WWII in the town and will graphically describe Valette's last stand against the Turks just outside on the square in 1565. Opening hours are rather erratic.
 * St Lawrence's Church This was the conventual church of the Knights of St John before the Cathedral in Valletta took over that role. Like most Maltese Churches it is beautiful inside. It has a statue of St Lawrence (Maltese: San Lawrenz) holding the gridiron on which he was crucified, and a politically incorrect statue of the Virgin Mary trampling the crescents of Islam.
 * St Lawrence's Church This was the conventual church of the Knights of St John before the Cathedral in Valletta took over that role. Like most Maltese Churches it is beautiful inside. It has a statue of St Lawrence (Maltese: San Lawrenz) holding the gridiron on which he was crucified, and a politically incorrect statue of the Virgin Mary trampling the crescents of Islam.

 * Central square of Vittoriosa, where in 1565 Jean de la Vallette was to make his last stand when the walls were breached only to see the Turks panic and turn around right before him, one can now have lunch in the modest cafe there.
 * Central square of Vittoriosa, where in 1565 Jean de la Vallette was to make his last stand when the walls were breached only to see the Turks panic and turn around right before him, one can now have lunch in the modest cafe there.

Do

 * Dghajjes, like the related Venetian gondolas, are descendants of Phoenician ships. The dghajjes (pronounced daizas) leave from the old gate at the beginning of the Vittoriosa yacht marina, just look for the group of old men drinking tea. 40 minute round trip of the Grand Harbour or a ride across the harbour back to Valletta.
 * Swim After leaving the Fort turn right instead of left and continue further along the length of the peninsula along a little used path, up some stairs and then through an old little gateway. Virtually no one comes here, swimming at the base of this majestic castle with the stunning view of the Grand Harbour around you is just incredible.

Eat

 * Cafe Brazil
 * ’’’Cafe Rouge’’’
 * ’’’Cafe Rouge’’’

title: Cottonera


text:
Cottonwood (California)

Cottonwood is a city in Shasta County in the Shasta Cascades region of California.

Get in
The only main way to get into Cottonwood is by car.

By car
From the north: On I-5 S, drive down from Redding for 14.4 miles.

From the south: On I-5 N, drive up from Sacramento for 144.7 miles.

Get around
Cottonwood is small, so it is good to walk, bicycle, or drive a car to get around.

Do
The closest fishing access is on the Sacramento River, about 8 miles away. You can also go boating, or combine the two.

Around Cottonwood, you can also go hiking, biking, and horseback riding.

title: Cottonwood (California)


text:
Cottonwood (Idaho)

Cottonwood is a city in North Central Idaho. The city is just outside of Nez Perce National Historical Park.

Get in
Cottonwood is located on I-95, about 20 minutes northwest from Grangeville.

Eat

title: Cottonwood (Idaho)


text:
Cotuit

Cotuit is a village of the town of Barnstable on Cape Cod. Cotuit Oyster Company has been producing oysters in the pretty harbor since 1837. In this quiet residential area with upscale summer retreats, the harbor provides great boating and kayaking and some beautiful views.

Get in
Main Street is off of Route 28 near the intersection of Route 28 and Route 130 (where 130 terminates).

Get around
The village can be walked, but it's advisable to have a car.

Eat
Nearest place to sample the famous oysters are at Sienna Restaurant in Mashpee.

title: Cotuit


text:
Coudersport

Coudersport is a city in Pennsylvania.

title: Coudersport


text:
Coulee City

Coulee City is a city in the Columbia River Plateau.

Understand
Coulee City is not to be confused with Grand Coulee, site of the massive Grand Coulee Dam, roughly 30 miles to the northeast.

title: Coulee City


text:
Coulterville

Coulterville (formerly, Maxwell's Creek) is an unincorporated community in Mariposa County, California. It is located on Maxwell Creek 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Mariposa at an elevation of 1699 feet (518 m).

Understand
It is located at the western foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California, and has an average altitude of 518 m. It was formed as a mining village in the 1850s as California Gold Rush, and has about 115 residents, as of 2020.

Get in
Sacramento is 187 km to the northwest and Mariposa, the county's administrative center, is 43 km to the southeast.

State roads 42 and 132 pass.

Go next

 * Yosemite National Park

title: Coulterville


text:
Council Bluffs

Council Bluffs is a city in Southwest Iowa, just across the Missouri River from Omaha. It is known for its casinos and ties to the transcontinental railroad. It is sometimes called "Iowa's Leading Edge."

By car
Visitors from an easterly city, like Des Moines will continue west on I-80, or from the west through Omaha until crossing over the Missouri River. To the north and south are Sioux City and Kansas City, respectively, which connect to Council Bluffs via I-29/I-680 and I-29/US-59.

By bus
Omaha Metro operates the blue and yellow routes to Council Bluffs. These routes run from 19th street and Douglas in Downtown Omaha to downtown Council Bluffs, Iowa Western Community College, Mall of the Bluffs and Mid America Center. The westbound buses stop on Dodge street before going to the 16th street Mall and 19th street and Douglas in Omaha.

By train
Amtrak serves neighboring Omaha via its California Zephyr route, running between Emeryville (in the San Francisco Bay Area) and Chicago.

By bus
Omaha Metro has two routes that serve Council Bluffs: blue and yellow. The blue route stops at the Iowa Western Community College, Mall of the Bluffs. The yellow route goes to the Mid America Center.

Do
Plenty to do for the gambler. Most of the casinos can be seen along I-80. Since the state of Nebraska doesn't allow gambling, Omaha dwellers cross the state border and do their gambling here.

Go next

 * Loess Hills State Forest, 40 mi north in Pisgah, offers a sort of oasis in the farmlands of Iowa. Camping and fishing are available. This is one the state's most interesting state parks or forests.
 * Elk Horn is 50 mi east and the nation's largest rural Danish settlement from the prairie days. The Danish Windmill is a state treasure.

title: Council Bluffs


text:
County Antrim

County Antrim is one of the six counties of Ulster in Northern Ireland. It's named for its former county town of Antrim (Irish Aontroim, lone ridge) but is no longer a unit of local government, being divided into five Districts. It has Northern Ireland's top visitor attractions, with the city of Belfast, the north coast with Giant's Causeway, and the scenic Nine Glens along its east coast. In 2011 its population was 618,108.

Cities and towns

 * is Northern Ireland's lively capital, rejuvenated after decades of conflict. It has a confident Victorian centre and University quarter, in-your-face history, and its eastern part (in County Down) is focused on its tragic ship Titanic.
 * , named for a prehistoric gambling den, was birthplace of the Irish linen industry.
 * is on the shores of Lough Neagh: its castle burned down but the 17th century gardens remain.
 * is the large market town at the centre of Ulster's "Bible Belt".
 * has Carrick-a-Rede Bridge, cliff-top castles, and the great organ-pipe cliffs of Fair Head.
 * is a commuter town. 8 miles northeast are The Dark Hedges.
 * has the well-known whiskey distillery and must-see Giant's Causeway.
 * has a fine Norman castle.
 * is a village close to the main group of Antrim glens.
 * is a suburb of Belfast.
 * is a drab ferry port, but nearby is Islandmagee and the southern Antrim glens.
 * , named for a prehistoric gambling den, was birthplace of the Irish linen industry.
 * is a large residential area north of Belfast
 * is a beach resort. Nearby Dunluce Castle teeters on the coastal cliffs.

Other destinations

 * , the province's only inhabited island, has sea cliffs and bird life.
 * is the imposing cascade of basalt columns on the north coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 * is the great lake at the heart of Northern Ireland. Ram's Island near its east shore has a ruined monastery with a Round Tower.

Understand
Some 60 million years ago, a great rift developed in the earth's surface that sundered Europe from America and formed the North Atlantic. Lava gushed up from fissures: it was fluid and spread out into vast fiery lakes, rather than heaping up into volcanoes. The lava cooled into a deep layer of basalt, the Thulian Plateau. The Atlantic widened and fractured the plateau into what is now the Scottish Hebrides, County Antrim in Northern Ireland, Iceland, Greenland and maritime Canada. It's still widening and the lava continues to well up from time to time, most obviously in Iceland. The Antrim basalt crops out to the north as Rathlin Island, Giant's Causeway and Fair Head; to the south it forms the Belfast Hills, and in the middle is a plateau flanking the east coast, with nine glens radiating from it.

This part of Ireland thus began with a physical link to Scotland and has always had a cultural link. Finn McCool in legend created a causeway across the channel just to pick a fight with a giant on the other side. In 563 AD St Columba fled Ireland to christianise Scotland, and the cross-channel Kingdom of Dál Riata was formed. This merged into the larger territory of Ulaid - Ulster - to be overthrown by the Normans then the Gaelic Uí Néill dynasty. And when they in turn succumbed to the English Tudors, their domain of Ulster was sliced into the present-day counties and confiscated for "plantations" - colonies of Scots Protestants (especially in County Antrim) to prevent future disloyalty. This laid the seeds of Partition of Ireland, and of the late 20th century "Troubles". Throughout, family ties to the west of Scotland remained strong: folk travelled back and forth for weddings, funerals and Orange parades.

Belfast was badly scarred by the Troubles, but revived with the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, and with the rejuvenation of its docklands, birthplace of Titanic. The area relaunched itself for tourism, with major attractions along Antrim's north coast: Bushmills distillery, Giant's Causeway, and Carrick-a-Rede Bridge, interspersed by castles teetering on dramatic headlands. The "Nine Glens" of the east coast draw fewer international tourists but deserve to be better known. Inland are lowland towns such as Antrim and Ballymena, the "Bible Belt" of Ulster. The county itself is no longer a unit of local government, but roughly corresponds to five Districts.

Get in

 * And see Belfast for rail, bus and road connections from Dublin.

By plane

 * (, aka Aldergrove) is 4 miles south of Antrim town. It's Northern Ireland's main airport, with flights across UK and Europe mostly by Easyjet. It has frequent buses to Belfast, and a bus to Lisburn and Antrim.
 * has flights mostly from UK. It's only two miles east of the city, so by public transport it's better linked to the main bus and railway stations.

By boat

 * Car ferries sail to Belfast from Birkenhead, from Cairnryan near Stranraer, and in summer from Douglas, Isle of Man.
 * is north side of the city so by car you get straight onto the motorway and avoid downtown.

 * Car ferries also sail to Larne from Cairnryan.
 * In summer a ferry for foot passengers runs from Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre to Ballycastle, then continues to Port Ellen on Islay in the Scottish Hebrides.

Get around
See Translink for bus and rail timetables and fares. Trains run hourly from Belfast (which has trains from Dublin) to Antrim town, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine (change for the branch line to Portrush) and Derry. Trains also run from Belfast to Carrickfergus and Larne, and from Bangor via Holywood to Belfast and Lisburn.

Buses link the main towns: they're comparatively slow but one you might take is the 402 / 172 from Coleraine via the major tourist sites on the north coast to Ballycastle.

If you don't have your own transport and limited time, consider taking an organised tour: these run daily from Belfast, and even make day-trips from Dublin.

A network of national cycleways crosses the county, though they're mostly on road.

See

 * Belfast has a confident Victorian centre, the University quarter to the south, and the birthplace of Titanic on its east side.
 * Carrickfergus Castle is a well-preserved Norman bastion.
 * Giant's Causeway is very touristy, but the much-photographed central cascade is just part of a long line of basalt cliffs. The formations continue for miles and miles along the coast, as far as Fair Head beyond Ballycastle and the west cliffs of Rathlin Island.
 * Carrrick-a-Rede Bridge is nowadays steel hawser not rope, but is still a dramatic site, spanning to an islet with a fisherman's hut perched on its far edge.
 * The Nine Glens are on Antrim's east coast. Five are near Cushendall: Glenballyeamon, Glenaan, Glencorp, Glendum and (the most scenic) Glenariff. The northern two near Ballycastle are Glenshesk and Glentaisie. The southern two above Carnlough north of Larne are Glenarm and Glencloy. They are all traversed by through-roads, which for a couple are main roads, but you can escape the traffic on back lanes or hiking trails.
 * The Gobbins south of Larne are Ulster's answer to the via ferrata, a metal walkway along the cliff face.

Do

 * Watch Gaelic games: The County GAA play Gaelic football and hurling, but their usual home ground of Casement Park in Belfast is closed. There are 50-some club teams across the county.
 * Motorcycle racing is a major sport, with several on-road circuits. The premier event is the Ulster Grand Prix, held in August on the Dundrod Circuit west of Belfast towards Crumlin village. However the future of this event was already in doubt before Covid struck, and it isn't happening in 2021. The North West 200, held in May, is a triangle between Coleraine, Portstewart and Portrush; and the Armoy Road Races are in late July south of Ballycastle.
 * Look up your ancestors: there are some ten archives and resources to aid your search.

Eat

 * Belfast has the greatest range of cuisine and prices. It's definitely worth a splurge to eat in the magnificent Great Room of the Merchant Hotel.
 * A traditional Ulster fry-up breakfast might not leave you with much appetite for lunch or supper.
 * Dulse and Yellowman are traditional delights at the Old Lammas Fair in Ballycastle. Just keep chewing, is the trick. The fair is in late August and you might still be chewing come September.
 * For fine dining outside the city, top picks are Tullyglass Hotel and Galgorm, both near Ballymena.

Drink

 * Belfast has dozens of brilliant pubs, pride of place going to Crown Liquor Saloon, a Victorian gem opposite Europa Hotel and bus terminal. It's probably a mercy that plans for a distillery in the former Crumlin Road Gaol have come to nothing.
 * Bushmills Distillery produces a very distinctive range of whiskey and has tours. There were once five distilleries in this small village.
 * Except for Bushmills, this county isn't much of a brewing and distilling area - a combination of land unsuited to barley, and "Bible Belt" ethos. Lisburn to the south however has a micro-brewery, and Moira just over the boundary in County Down distills vodka and gin.

Stay safe
Your main hazard is always road traffic. Stay sensible and don't wander around dodgy areas at night or make political statements in strange company, and you'll be just fine.

Go next

 * County Down beyond Belfast has castles, abbeys and gardens around Strangford Lough, and the Mourne Mountains to the south.
 * County Londonderry west has a scenic coastline, and the fascinating walled city of Derry.

title: County Antrim


text:
County Armagh

County Armagh is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, though these are no longer units of local government, and County Armagh is divided between two council districts. It has a long border with the Republic of Ireland, which made it a dangerous place during the Troubles of the late 20th century. All that is in the past, and nowadays you visit for its ecclesiastic and prehistoric sights and attractive countryside.

Towns

 * is a historic city with two cathedrals and a prehistoric religious centre
 * is a market town between the Mourne Mountains and the Ring of Gullion
 * is industrial, but nearby are 17th century Ardress House and Dan Winter's 18th-century cottage.
 * has access to the south shore of Lough Neagh

Understand
The county is named for its city of Armagh, which derives from the Irish Ard Macha - the heights of Macha. "Magh" also indicates a plain, a common place-name element, and Macha was a fertile goddess of the plains. She had multiple guises and in one legend, the men of Ulster forced her to run a race against horses while she was heavily pregnant. She won, giving birth to twins on the finish line, and cursed those men to suffer weakness whenever they were most vulnerable, such as in battle. The curse lasted for nine generations so it's long ago expired.

The area has held great religious significance since prehistoric times, as shown by the complex at Navan Fort west of Armagh. It was a Neolithic dwelling place but the "roundhouse" is a religious structure from 95 BC. St Patrick founded a church there in 455 AD and declared Armagh to be the ecclesiastic capital of Ireland, and so it has remained for both Roman Catholics and Protestants. The area was traditionally part of the province of Ulster, which was divided into shires - counties - at the end of the Nine Years' War in 1603. North and central County Armagh has the best farmland, with low, slightly rolling countryside and many orchards. This part became settled by Plantations - planned townships of loyal Protestants, many from Scotland, to prevent further Irish rebellion against English rule. Industry developed from the 18th century as the linen trade grew, and there was better transport to Belfast. The south of the county is hilly, with glacial drumlins, rising to Slieve Gullion and the Cooley mountains. This land is less productive and retained a Catholic majority population, creating a social fault line which cracked open during the late-20th-century "Troubles".

In 1921 Ireland was partitioned, with a provisional border based on the counties, and County Armagh was one of the six that joined Northern Ireland, a constituent part of the United Kingdom just like Wales and Scotland. Southern Ireland, with the other 26 counties, nominally also remained in the UK, but London and Dublin somehow weren't on the same page and it moved towards independence. A boundary commission was set up, which recommended transferring south Armagh to Southern Ireland; but it was politically sabotaged, its report was suppressed until 1969, and no changes were made.

"The Troubles", the sectarian division (exacerbated by economic decline) that poisoned Ulster, began in 1969 and continued for 30 years. The position of the border was never a major issue, it was the legitimacy of that border and continuation of a British-ruled part of Ireland that was the basis of conflict, along with other grievances. Still, it did not sweeten local opinion to learn that they might have belonged to the Republic all along. South Armagh became a badlands of smuggling and banditry, with a heavy army presence, a place of concrete lookout turrets and checkpoints and low-flying helicopters. At least 58 police officers and 124 soldiers were killed by the "Provos" — the Provisional Irish Republican Army — in this area, many near the border village of Crossmaglen.

The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 enshrined non-violence and mutual respect of national borders, and has led to peace; it helped that both UK and Ireland were part of the European Union, fostering economic ties. This peace has enabled Belfast and Derry to regenerate and become mainstream tourist destinations; other areas including County Armagh saw less benefit. In 2011 the counties of Northern Ireland were abolished, and local government was divided into 26 districts that were obviously too small. In 2015 they were re-organised into 11 "super-districts". An area roughly corresponding to the north and central county is now the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon District, while the south is in Newry, Mourne and Down District.

Get in
See Northern Ireland for routes by air and sea. County Armagh is within a couple of hours drive from any port of entry.

By rail
Trains run every 30 min from Bangor via Belfast to Lurgan and Portadown. The Dublin-Belfast Enterprise Train runs eight times a day (5 on Sunday) stopping at Newry and Portadown.

By bus
Bus 251 runs hourly from Belfast to Portadown and Armagh, and some continue across the border to Monaghan and Cavan. Bus X4 from Dublin Busáras and Airport runs daily to Armagh and continues to Dungannon, Cookstown and Derry.

By car
By car from Belfast follow M1 west to Lurgan, then A3 through Portadown to Armagh. From Dublin leave M1 / N1 / A1 at Newry and follow A28 towards Armagh. Your main task is to avoid rush hour.

Get around
You can get between the towns by bus, but many of the sights are out in the countryside, with little or no public transport. A bike would do, but a car gives you shelter from the rain.

A network of national cycleways crosses the county, though they're mostly on road.

See

 * Armagh has a Catholic and a Church of Ireland (Anglican) cathedral - Brian Boru is buried in the later.
 * Navan Fort west of Armagh is a curious structure which demonstrates that the area's religious importance goes back to prehistoric times.
 * Slieve Gullion is the 573-m mountain rising steeply near Newry, the central stump of a collapsed caldera. It's an easy but muddy climb.
 * Newry Canal: there ought to be a Hall of Fame for Ireland's most shambolic canal construction projects. Pride of place must go to the Royal Canal between Dublin and the Shannon, which greeted each new tranche of investment the way the Corryvreckan greets groups of kayakers from the Orphanage. A silver medal for the Cong canal, built above an underground river, which continued to flow underground so the canal stayed dry. But at the very least an honourable mention for the Newry Canal, built in the 1730s to bring coal from Tyrone via Lough Neagh to the coast. The section from Newry to Portadown is derelict but has a good path for walking and cycling. The final section from Newry to the sea at Carlingford Lough is navigable.

Do

 * Lough Neagh can be accessed from Portadown and Lurgan, where Oxford Island is a wildlife reserve. But for water activities you're better going to Antrim on the east bank.
 * Gaelic games: the County GAA plays Gaelic football and hurling at the County Athletic Ground in Armagh. There are some 50 club teams across the county.
 * Road Bowling is the Irish team sport of hurling a small cannonball down a public road. Wherever it stops, the next shot is taken from there, until one team crosses the finish line. It's played especially in south County Armagh and in County Cork so you may well find a game along a back lane, however from 2020 all games were suspended.

Eat

 * Bar food will often be your best option. There isn't a stand-out restaurant in the county.
 * For something different try Uluru, an Australian restaurant in Armagh.
 * More baps. If only historians in Newry bought their own baps and sandwiches, they would have seen what was obvious for 200 years to the staff of McCann's Bakery, that the place was a Tudor fortified house on the site of the former abbey. It's been converted into a museum: you'd think there'd be a cafe.

Drink

 * Cider: County Armagh is the orchard of Northern Ireland. Portadown has two cider breweries you can tour. They don't distill into apple brandy or Calvados-like spirits.
 * Ruby Blue Spirits is in Moira, just across the border into County Down, but easily reached from Lurgan. They distill potato vodka and fruit liqueurs.

Stay safe
Standard advice about road safety, protecting valuables, and suitable clothing if you climb the hills.

The border area is nowadays safe; just remember that many people here lost family members in the Troubles so there's still a raw nerve.

Go next

 * Belfast to the northeast is a lively city full of attractions.
 * County Tyrone to the north has the Ulster American Folk Park near Omagh, and several prehistoric sites around Cookstown.
 * South is historic Drogheda in County Louth in the Republic of Ireland. It's a good base for exploring the Boyne Valley battleground and prehistoric monuments of Brú Na Bóinne.

title: County Armagh