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Liège

Liège (German: Lüttich, Dutch: Luik) is the largest city of Wallonia. This industrial city is actually quite green, with wide boulevards, an interesting, if a bit disorderly, mix of architecture from different periods, much greenery and picturesque riverbanks and hillsides. There are also quite a few museums and other points of interest, enough for at least a busy day trip.

Understand
At the foot of Ardennes on the river Meuse, it has been a prominent urban centre since the Middle Ages, but really blossomed during the industrial revolution, when it grew to become Belgium's third-largest metropolis, after Brussels and Antwerp. Thanks to its strategic position, Liège still enjoys relative affluence and economic importance, in contrast to its fellow Wallon cities farther south.

Despite its size and location in-between some of the most-visited cities in Europe, Liège sees very little tourist traffic. It is the largest city of Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium, and the capital city of the namesake province.

Liège has been an important city since the early Middle Ages. It was the capital of the Principality (prince-bishopric) of Liège, which remained an independent state until the French Revolution (around 1789). In the 19th century it became an early centre of industrialism. Today it is a large city of 200,000 inhabitants, with a total 750,000 in its metropolitan area. A city heavily shaped by waves of immigrants, Liège has important Italian (making up at least 5% of the population), Spanish, German, Moroccan, Turkish, and Sub-Saharan African communities (the latter being one of the largest in Belgium).

The central area of Liège presents itself as a rather interesting mix of a historic town centre (dotted with a few extremely brutalist buildings from the 1960s and 70s), a rather elegant new town with wide boulevards, tall apartment buildings (some Art Deco), narrow street with small businesses, a few pretty parks, and a few interesting shopping arcades. The outskirts of Liège consist mainly of 3 very distinctive areas: large industrial complexes sprawling on the river's bank in the north and the south (with the cities of Seraing and Herstal), working-class areas in the east and the west with mainly spare green neighborhood for healthy people, and several affluent suburbs dispersed here and there.

Liège sits at the beginning of the Ardennes, which makes the landscape of the south very different than the rest of the city, with high hills and abundant forests (Sart-tilman and beyond).

By plane

 * Brussels Airport is your most likely point of entry into Belgium. To reach Liège, take the train to Louvain/Leuven, or Brussels-Nord and change for Liège.
 * Brussels South Charleroi Airport, located in Charleroi, is an alternative for low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and WizzAir. From the airport, take the city bus Line A (stop is outside of the departure hall), which costs €6 one way to Charleroi-Sud (south) train station, then the train to Liège-Guillemins. Train departs once every hour from 05:00. Last train leaves at 23:00. The trip takes approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes.
 * Maastricht Airport is also close to the city. Ryanair has some service from the city (a lot less than Charleroi though). Transportation to Liège can be done by taking a bus to Maastricht station, then taking a train.
 * Cologne-Bonn Airport, in the neighbouring North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany, is a mid-sized airport that serves as base for many low-cost carriers such as easyJet, Eurowings, and Ryanair. Reaching Liège from that airport takes just under 1½ hours by car, and about 2 hours by train with a change in Cologne.
 * Frankfurt Airport has a thrice daily direct high-speed train link to Liège-Guillemins. More frequencies can be found if you make a stop in Cologne.
 * Frankfurt Airport has a thrice daily direct high-speed train link to Liège-Guillemins. More frequencies can be found if you make a stop in Cologne.

By train
is the main station, 3 km south of the centre, with bold modern architecture by Santiago Calatrava. Thalys and ICE high-speed trains serve Brussels, Paris, Aachen, Cologne and Frankfurt.

From Brussels, intercity trains run at least hourly and take 50 min from Brussels Nord. From Brussels Airport, take the airport shuttle to Leuven then the intercity train. From the Netherlands change in Maastricht, with hourly trains taking 30 min.

Nightjet, the Austrian Railways' sleeper train, runs three nights a week from Brussels via Liège to Vienna, Munich and Innsbruck. It calls at Aachen, Cologne, Bonn, Koblenz, Frankfurt airport, Würzburg and Nuremberg where the train divides: one portion runs via Linz to Vienna, the other via Munich to Innsbruck.

To get downtown from Liège-Guillemins, either change to the frequent regional train to Liège-St-Lambert (7 min), or take Bus 1 or 4 bus just outside the station to Place St-Lambert or Bus 48 towards Opéra, or take a taxi. Those buses run both ways at the station bus stop so check the destination board.

is the downtown station, with regional trains from Aachen, Verviers and Merken.

Coming from Germany with the Deutschland-Ticket, take a regional train to Aachen. Then a Belgium regional train (€11, hourly) to Liège. Booking the train on the Belgium train website costs less than booking it at the Deutsche Bahn counterpart

By car
Liège is the crossroads for several major motorways. Its "ring" has 6 branches in clockwise order:
 * the E25, to the south, towards Luxembourg and into France via Metz, Nancy, Lyon
 * the E42, to the west, crosses Wallonia via Mons/Bergen before entering France via Valenciennes, Paris
 * the E40, to the west, leading to the Belgian coast via Brussels
 * the E313, leading to Antwerp and on to the large coastal cities of the Netherlands
 * the E25, to the north, with Maastricht a stone's throw away (30 km) and the rest of the Netherlands beyond
 * the E40, to the east, entering Germany via Aachen. A second branch (Actually the E42) splits off at Verviers, heading to Trier.

Since it is a fairly large city, many motorway exits are signposted for "Liège". When coming from Germany or Netherlands, follow the E25 to its end, then follow the road signs to the center. If you are coming from Luxembourg, exit at "Angleur" and follow signs to the center, or to continue on to the exit marked "Liège-centre". Finally, coming from Paris, Lille, Brussels, or Antwerp, follow signs to Luxembourg until you reach the exit marked "Liège-centre." When coming from Flanders, Liège is named as "Luik."

There are a number of covered car parks in the centre costing €2.20 an hour.

By bus
Liège is well-connected by bus, notably by Flixbus and BlablaCar Bus.

By boat
Individuals arriving with their own boat are welcome at the port des Yachts.

Many organised cruises departing from Maastricht stop in the centre of Liège, on the right bank (quai Marcatchou to quai Van Beneden).

By car
Unlike most Belgian cities, Liège has no inner ring built along the path of the old city walls. Instead, the main streets were laid out along the old branches of the river, which makes their organisation a bit obscure.

Leave your car in one of the city-centre parking garages, especially if you have no map of to your destination.

Here are the main routes for cars:
 * the motorway E40-E25 that crosses parts of the city
 * the Boulevards "d'Avroy" and "de la Sauvenière", the main route between the center and the train station
 * the Quais "de la Meuse" and "de la Dérivation", which link to/from the two branches of the E25

By bus
TEC is the main bus company. Most lines converge towards one of the city-center bus "terminals." These terminals are located at Place Saint-Lambert, Gare Léopold, Place de la République Française, and around the Opéra/Theater (all the four are very close to one another). The names of these five sites are used to indicate the direction of the bus, according to the line taken.

Several other lines leave from the train station Liège-Guillemins. Among them, two lines link the station with city centre: the #4, a circular line (direction "Bavière" to go from the station to the centre, direction "d'Harscamp" for the reverse trip), and the #1 which runs train station to city center and on to Coronmeuse. There also is a few lines that start from the intersection of the Boulevard d'Avroy and the "Pont d'Avroy", the main shopping street. Few lines run after midnight.

More and more bus stops now show the waiting time for the next bus on each line, and many buses are equipped to display the next stop and adapted for people with reduced mobility. Nevertheless, be aware that the next stop screens are not always synchronised with the bus stops. For people using a bus line they're not familiar with, ask the driver to warn you when you are arriving at the bus stop you are looking for. You can ask for a free printed version of each bus schedule at the terminal of the line.

By bike
Travelling by bike in the city centre is easy, but the hillsides can be a bit steep (between 5 and 15%). Reaching the higher neighbourhoods will require a bit of training and a multi-speed bike!

Cycling paths are regularly added and improved, though the main roads remain a bit dangerous. Most one-way streets can be travelled in the opposite direction by cyclists. A map of cycling paths is available at the tourist information office. In addition, there's a "Ravel" (a path for walkers and cyclists) along the right bank of the river Meuse.

 * La Maison des Cyclistes

By scooter
Multiple electric scooter rental companies operate in the city such as Dott and Pony. Scooters are scattered all over the city therefore are easy to find.

By foot
Most of the areas in city centre are easily accessible on foot, and walking provides an interesting perspective on the city itself. The trip from the train station at Guillemins to the city centre requires a bit more timeL about 30 min.

Historic Centre
is a major square in the centre, where a number of key sights may be found. It was the site of Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady and St (Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Lambert), representation of religious power, torn down at the start of the 19th century after the revolution of Liège and today memorialized by metal columns and a design traced on the ground. At Place Saint Lambert 9-17, admire the neo-classic façades, dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Other sights in the historic city centre include:

Outremeuse
On the opposite bank of the river, the Outremeuse district has few memorable buildings, notably the Rue Roture, but a welcoming atmosphere. It was historically a working-class neighbourhood, so the buildings tend not to be as grand as those on the other side of the river. Also the most-visited museum complex in Liège and Wallonia, comprised of the Aquarium, the House of Science, and the Zoology Museum, all housed in a neo-classic University building.
 * The main buildings of interest in the district are:
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).
 * Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, €6, +32 4 221 9221 and +32 4 366 5021).

Do

 * Visit the Carré District, where you can celebrate or party on any day, at any time. It's the preferred district of students, alternating shops and cafés, many of which allow dancing (sometimes on the tables!).
 * The Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Opera, and Theater de la Place head up the cultural life in Liège.
 * Liège is the European city with the most theaters per person. Liège has an international reputation especially for its marionnette theaters, whose performances often involve the traditional folklore character Tchantchès in an unbelievably wide range of situations. The most-known marionnette theaters can be found at:
 * Museum of Wallonian Life (Wednesdays and school holidays at 14:30 and Sundays at 10:30, Cour des Mineurs, +32 4 237 9040, open even when the museum is closed.)
 * Museum of Tchantchès (Oct to end Apr, Sundays at 10:30 and Wednesdays at 1430, rue Surlet 56, +32 4 342 7575)
 * Movie theaters include Le Parc and Le Churchill for European films; Le Palace and Kinepolis for big-name blockbusters; and soon UGC Longdoz in the future "media city".
 * Football: Standard Liège play soccer in Pro League, Belgium's top tier. Their home ground is Stade Maurice Dufrasne (capacity 27,000) on the river bank 2 km south of city centre.
 * RFC Seraing were relegated in 2023 so they now play in Challenger Pro League, the second tier, at Stade de Pairay (capacity 8200) in Seraing city.
 * Movie theaters include Le Parc and Le Churchill for European films; Le Palace and Kinepolis for big-name blockbusters; and soon UGC Longdoz in the future "media city".
 * Football: Standard Liège play soccer in Pro League, Belgium's top tier. Their home ground is Stade Maurice Dufrasne (capacity 27,000) on the river bank 2 km south of city centre.
 * RFC Seraing were relegated in 2023 so they now play in Challenger Pro League, the second tier, at Stade de Pairay (capacity 8200) in Seraing city.
 * Movie theaters include Le Parc and Le Churchill for European films; Le Palace and Kinepolis for big-name blockbusters; and soon UGC Longdoz in the future "media city".
 * Football: Standard Liège play soccer in Pro League, Belgium's top tier. Their home ground is Stade Maurice Dufrasne (capacity 27,000) on the river bank 2 km south of city centre.
 * RFC Seraing were relegated in 2023 so they now play in Challenger Pro League, the second tier, at Stade de Pairay (capacity 8200) in Seraing city.
 * Football: Standard Liège play soccer in Pro League, Belgium's top tier. Their home ground is Stade Maurice Dufrasne (capacity 27,000) on the river bank 2 km south of city centre.
 * RFC Seraing were relegated in 2023 so they now play in Challenger Pro League, the second tier, at Stade de Pairay (capacity 8200) in Seraing city.
 * RFC Seraing were relegated in 2023 so they now play in Challenger Pro League, the second tier, at Stade de Pairay (capacity 8200) in Seraing city.

 * There are numerous other sports clubs including no less than three rowing clubs. RCAE, a university club but open to everyone, offers a range of sports from parachuting to spelunking. The sports fields at Xhovémont, Cointe or Sart Tilman are ideal for practice. The ice rink, dating from the water exposition of 1939, is in its last seasons before being moved, while a new swimming pool with modern facilities including a diving tower will soon be constructed in the center. (The previous one is being converted to a museum.) Other pools are spread throughout the city, notably in Outremeuse.
 * For those who prefer a calmer sport, cycling or jogging is perfect along the quays of the Meuse. The woods at Coteaux de la Citadelle, Chartreuse, and Sart Tilman are all close, as are the magnificent countrysides of the Ardennes (with Condroz, Hesbaye, and Herve lending themselves particularly well to hiking and mountain-biking).
 * A circuit is dedicated to Simenon (author of the Maigret stories), and a museum will be opening shortly.

Events

 * Liège–Bastogne–Liège Late April. The oldest and most arduous of the pro-cycling spring classics, this race draws the best in the world to compete. As Liège is where the race starts and ends, don't expect finding accommodations here to be easy.
 * The Feast of the Assumption (15 August) is celebrated here by the entire city and countless visitors.
 * The celebrations of 15 August in Outremeuse welcome more than 300,000 people each year.
 * The Festival of Walking, in the second half of August, offers urban walks.
 * The Celebrations of Wallonia (2nd weekend in September), the nuit des Coteaux (night events in the historic center), the Secret Gardens and Corners Day (la journée Jardins et Coins secrets - 3rd Sunday in June), and the heritage days (les journées du patrimoine - end September) are other key dates in Liège.
 * The fair, held since the city was established, has become a fun-fair. It takes place from the first weekend in October to the second weekend in November (6 weeks).
 * The Christmas Village, one of the biggest and oldest in the country, has more than one million visitors each year.

Learn
A university city with some 80,000 students, Liège has plenty of educational possibilities.

 * University of Liège (L'Université de Liège) . With 17,000 students and links to numerous foreign universities.
 * Le pôle mosan is a platform regrouping more and more of the écoles supérieures of the region.
 * Le FOREM (FORmation et EMploi - training and employment)
 * L'Union des Classes Moyennes also offers classes for adults
 * Le Centre J has lots of useful information for young students

Buy

 * Sunday morning market at la rive gauche
 * The Marché de la Batte is where most locals visit on Sundays. The one of the longest markets in Europe stretches along the Meuse River by the Université de Liège and attracts many visitors to Liège. The market typically runs from early morning to 2 o'clock in the afternoon every weekend year long. Produce, clothing, and snack vendors are the main concentration of the market.
 * Flea Markets at Saint Gilles (every Saturday morning on Boulevard Louis Hillier) and Saint Pholien (every Friday morning on Boulevard de la Constitution) also attract many visitors.

Typical purchases

 * Val Saint Lambert crystal, now sold throughout the world, makes an exceptional gift in the "splurge" category.
 * The tourist information office sells local artists' products including scarfs with medieval motifs and ties with contemporary artistic designs.
 * Marionnettes of "Tchantchès", a character from local folklore embodying the Liégeois attitude, are available in the 6 marionette theaters in the city.

Other typical purchases are food and drink products:

 * As elsewhere in Belgium, pralines (filled chocolates) and the numerous cheeses and beers are a must.
 * Local products include "Herve" cheese (with a strong smell!), "Sirop de Liège" (made from a mix of apples and pears and typically used for cooking/baking), and cider (the alcoholic kind).
 * "Pèkèt" (genièvre) is an alcoholic beverage available in countless varieties.
 * For sweets, you can't go far without encountering the famous Liège waffles, smelling of cinnamon and sugar. They're best when freshly-cooked, though the pre-packaged variety also exists and has spread to many other countries.
 * Other sweets are available depending on the season: boûkètes (dark crêpes with raisins, eaten with brown sugar) are mainly available for 15 August and at Christmas, while lacquemants/lackmans (dry waffles filled with a mix of sugar and other sweets) are found at the fairs.
 * If you find them, try "cûtès peûres" (baked pears), which unfortunately seems to have disappeared from the street vendors.
 * Liège coffee (café liégeois) is originally from Vienna but was rebaptised by the Parisiens to show their support for the heroic resistance in Liège at the start of the first world war.

Shopping in city centre
The best options for shopping are around Place Cathédrale and Place Saint Lambert, and in particular at Vinâve d'Ile (Celio...), Saint-Michel (Van den Borre, Delhaize, C&A), the Opera Galleries (Zara, Springfield) and the Saint Lambert Galleries (FNAC, Média Markt, Inno, Champion), as well as along the roads towards the center (rues Féronstrée, Saint-Gilles, Puits-en-Sock in Outremeuse, Grétry in Longdoz.)

Shopping outside city centre
Several large commercial centres are on the outskirts of the city:

Eat
In addition to the local foods mentioned above, regional specialities include:
 * boulets sauce-lapin, meatballs in a sauce made from Sirop de Liège, onions, vinegar and prunes, accompanied of course by frites - french fries. The boulet even has its own critics and reviews.
 * la potée liégeoise, a country dish made from beans, potatoes, and bacon bits cooked together and drenched in vinegar.
 * les boûkètes, dark crêpes served at New Year's Eve or other festive occasions
 * le matoufèt, a cross between a crêpe and an omelette, made from flour, eggs, milk and bacon bits, and served either salty or sweet.
 * la tarte au riz, originally from the neighboring city of Verviers or the area of Tancrémont

Other local recipes are available online.

Prices unfortunately are fairly high, as in most other Belgian cities. Budget restaurants will cost about €12-15 per person, drinks included, mid-range restaurants between €25 and €50, and splurge restaurants well over that!

For budget solutions, snack shops like any of the sandwicheries or kebab shops offer cheap yet tasty food. A Döner kebab typically costs 3-5 euro, and a sandwich is around 2-4. In Liège all snack shops charge 50 cents for sauce, and usually another 50 cents for vegetables. For example you can see a meatball sandwich for €2 on the price list; however, after the sauce and the vegetables it will be €3 in total. It is recommended to look for convenient stores for soft drinks as they're over-priced in snack bars.

Obtaining meals outside of conventional times can be a challenge: Many restaurants do not serve between 2 and 6 in the afternoon, those that do tend to be full and you can expect to wait some time for service.

Budget

Drink
The area known as "Le Carré" offers numerous options to drink and party 365 days per year, with a young, vibrant, student atmosphere. Also worth a visit: the trendier Place du Marché, and the area around Place Cathédrale, to see and be seen. In addition, many of the cafés in the Le Carré area are a good alternative, with plenty of dancing and typically no entrance fee.

Sleep
For a city of its size, Liège has surprisingly few accommodation facilities. This is both due to the city's relatively low popularity as a tourist destination and the fact that it is between 1 and 3 hours from many major cities where business traffic to it originates. You may want to take advantage of the latter yourself and stay anywhere closer or farther and come to the city for the day.

Stay safe
Liège is generally a safe city during daytime. However, be cautious at night, especially if you are a woman. It is not recommended for women to walk alone in the evenings, as many foreign female students have been followed late at night. Robbery is rare, but harassment of single females occurs often. It is mostly verbal, but some travelers have been assaulted in off-downtown areas. If where you're staying is more than a 5-min walk from the centre, it is safest to take a cab (they have a queues around the Opera and Pont d'Avroy Bus Terminal) after 22:00.

Connect
Liège has 4G from all Belgian carriers. As of July 2022, 5G has not reached the city.

Go next

 * Neupré World War II Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial commemorates the American soldiers who died in Northern Europe during WWII.
 * Henri-Chapelle World War II Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial is the final resting place for 7,992 American military lost during the drive into Germany.
 * Spa is the pleasant town that gave its name to mineral spring resorts.
 * Tongeren dates from Roman times, but its sights are mostly medieval.
 * Maastricht in the Netherlands has an attractive old centre.
 * Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) in Germany is ranged around its cathedral, begun in 796 AD.

title: Liège


text:
Liège (province)

Liège is a province surrounding the city by the same name in Belgium.

Cities

 * - the largest city of Wallonia
 * - small town but the capital of the German speaking region of Belgium
 * - capital of the former semi-state of Neutral-Morisnet.
 * - the original spa, bringing health and wellness to travellers for centuries
 * - the other major German-speaking town, also a gateway to the Ardennes and its hiking and biking trails
 * - erstwhile wool capital of Europe, with a lot of charm and heritage
 * - erstwhile wool capital of Europe, with a lot of charm and heritage

Stay safe
The Liège province is safe for the most part; despite the very visible legacy of de-industrialization in many areas, the region has not suffered as much as the rest of Wallonia.

Nevertheless, places like Liège, Verviers, and some of their suburbs are not immune to pick-pocketing and aggravated assaults. Avoid being drunk or alone late at night.

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

title: Liège (province)


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 * 22) (WT-shared) HJWBoShared 20:38, 9 November 2009 (EST)
 * 23) (WT-shared) Shoestring 15:37, 9 November 2009 (EST)
 * 24) (WT-shared) Pbsouthwood 01:36, 10 November 2009 (EST)
 * 25) (WT-shared) Volfgang 18:36, 20 November 2009 (EST)
 * 26) (WT-shared) Gam3 16:04, 10 December 2009 (EST)
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text:
Lichfield

Lichfield is a city in Staffordshire, England. Lichfield retains its importance as an ecclesiastical centre, but its industrial and commercial development has been relatively small; the centre of the city thus retains an essentially old-world character, with pockets of historic charm.

Understand
One of seven civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield has a population of 35,000 (2021). It sits north of Birmingham and  north-west of London.

Lichfield is notable for its three-spired cathedral and as the birthplace of Dr. Johnson, the writer of the first authoritative Dictionary of the English Language. A Dictionary of the English Language, one of the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language, was prepared by Samuel Johnson and published on April 15, 1755.

Lichfield is also the birthplace of Elias Ashmole (23 May 1617 – 18 May 1692). Elias was a celebrated English antiquary, politician, officer of arms, astrologer and student of alchemy. He supported the royalist side during the English Civil War, and at the restoration of Charles II, he was rewarded with several lucrative offices. Throughout his life, he was an avid collector of curiosities and other artefacts. Many of these he acquired from the traveller, botanist, and collector John Tradescant the Younger. Ashmole donated most of his collection, his antiquarian library and priceless manuscripts to the University of Oxford to create the Ashmolean Museum.

By road
Lichfield is well placed for the main road network being close to the A38, A5 and M6 (Toll) so is easy to get to by car. Parking can be more of an issue as the number of spaces is often not sufficient to cope with demand, especially on Saturdays. However, the city does not usually get busy until mid morning on Saturdays and before Christmas, so early birds do well. Main car parks are as follows:
 * Multi-storey car park situated near Lichfield City Station - warning tight spaces;
 * The Friary - Large car park, but a little further from the centre;
 * Cross Keys - A two-storey car park;
 * Off Beacon Street - Large car park at rear of shops, but tends to fill up first

By rail
Lichfield has two stations. Both are on the Cross City Line from Birmingham. is served by four trains an hour, with every other train also serving Lichfield Trent Valley. City Station is adjacent to the centre and is the easiest way for rail travellers to get in to the city. is really useful because it is also on the West Coast Main Line with direct trains to London, Northampton, Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe.

By bus
All bus routes into Lichfield call at the Bus Station, which is opposite Lichfield City Rail Station and adjacent to the main shopping areas. Buses serve destinations including Stafford, Rugeley, Tamworth, Cannock, The National Arboretum, Burton upon Trent, Birmingham and local villages.

Get around
Lichfield is small enough to be able to get around most of the areas of interest in the centre on foot. There are local buses running on selected routes, but they generally are really of use only to residents.

See
There are many things to see and do in the centre of Lichfield and in the surrounding area. Within Lichfield, here are the main places to visit:
 * Minster Pool and Stowe Pool
 * Dam Street
 * Market Place
 * Corn Exchange
 * Milley's Hospital
 * St. Johns without the Bars
 * Market Place
 * Corn Exchange
 * Milley's Hospital
 * St. Johns without the Bars

Buy
Most of the city's shops are on Bakers Lane.

Eat
Within the city there are many good places to eat out, most are situated on Bird Street. They are typically of high quality and attract customers from outside the city. Recommended restaurants include the following:

Indian
 * Eastern Eye
 * Qmin
 * Lal Bagh
 * Lime Pickle

Chinese
 * Ruby
 * Lee Garden
 * Crystals

Thai
 * Thai Rainbow
 * Mama Thai

Spanish
 * Don Paco

Italian
 * Pizza by Goli

Cafes
 * Cafe Nero
 * Cafe One
 * Melbourne in Lichfield
 * The Lounge

Fast food
 * McDonalds
 * Subway
 * Numerous pizza, kebab and fish and chip shops
 * On Friday nights a mobile fish and chip van drives around much of Lichfield cooking and serving as they go - the food couldn't be fresher!

Drink

 * Queens Head, Queen St, +44 1543 410932. Popular and friendly pub just outside of the city centre serving six top quality real ales. There is a huge cheese counter where customers can order cheese, pickles, bread to accompany the beer!
 * Earl of Lichfield, Conduit St, +44 1543 251020. Popular city centre pub serving well kept Marston's Pedigree from nearby Burton on Trent.

Sleep

 * Netherstowe House
 * Netherstowe House

Stay safe
As with the rest of the UK, in any emergency call 999 or 112 (from a land-line if you can) and ask for ambulance, fire or police when connected. It is free to call the emergency services from payphones.

Lichfield is a generally safe city with most crime levels well below the national average. Incidents of violent crime and sexual offences are very low. However, as with the rest of the United Kingdom it is advisable to avoid large drunken groups where possible as alcohol-related crime is on the rise throughout the country. It is also advisable to exercise normal security measures.

Go next

 * Birmingham
 * Burton on Trent
 * Walsall
 * Map of places with Wikivoyage articles nearby

title: Lichfield


text:
Lichinga

Lichinga is the capital of the province of Niassa, in Mozambique.

By plane
National operator LAM has flights from the capital Maputo and a few other major cities several times per week.

By train
There are a very limited number of passenger services from Cuamba, about four departures per month. Trains are operated by CFM.

By car
A main road heads north to Lichinga via Mandimba on the Malawi border, or west from the coast at Pemba.

By bus
Local transport is available going in and out of Lichinga.

By boat
It is possible to travel across Lake Niassa (Lake Malawi), though international travelers must legally enter through a border post and have the appropriate documentation (visas, etc. depending on nationality). Once on the Mozambique side, local transport would need to be arranged.

Taking the Ilala ferry is certainly a once in a lifetime experience. Sleeping on the upper deck of this second world war ferry and watching the sunrise over far rolling hills along the Mozambican and Malawian coast is breath taking. You can enter the ferry from any of the harbors where the ferry arrives. The stops and times of departure can be found under the following link Schedule.

IF you plan to visit Mozambique, you should get off at the harbor in Metangula. Make sure to leave a couple of days for a stay at Mbuna Bay lodge. If you contact them ahead of time they will pick you up at the harbor and drive you to the lodge. It's a truly beautiful place (see further below). They will also be able to give you information on your further travels in Mozambique and probably even give you transport the Lichinga.

Get around
Lichinga is small enough to get around by foot, or via bicycle taxi or other local transport.

Buy
A good number of stores are available offering food both local and international, construction supplies, clothing, electronics, etc.

Eat
A number of restaurants catering to a wide range of budgets is available.

title: Lichinga


text:
Licking

Licking is in the Ozarks and Southwest region of Missouri.

See

 * The Current and Big Piney rivers.

Do

 * Float Trip on the Big Piney river.

Sleep

 * Country Inn, 201 State Hwy 32 (jct Highway 32 & Highway 63), +1 573 674-3466.

Go next

 * Montauk State Park. Located 12 miles away, near Salem.

title: Licking


text:
Lidingö

Lidingö [ˈliːdɪŋˈø:] is a suburban island east of Stockholm in Sweden, at the innermost part of the Stockholm archipelago. With 45,000 inhabitants and a long coastline, it is known for the Millesgården sculpture museum, the annual cross-country race Lidingöloppet, and a cluster of conference hotels.

Understand
Lidingö, together with the Fjäderholmarna islets south of Lidingö, and a few residential islets, forms a municipality with about 45,000 inhabitants, with a land area of 30 km².

The island has plenty of archaeological sites from the Iron Age and the Viking Age.

Lidingö became a suburb for the well-to-do in the 1910s, with detached houses along the Lidingöbanan railway, and the AGA industries. Lidingö got city privileges, and the municipality still styles itself Lidingö stad. Lidingö contains high-rise buildings as well as single-family houses, several diplomatic missions, conference hotels, a few farms, and a nature reserve.

Get in
Lidingö is connected to Stockholm by a cluster of parallel bridges at Ropsten, the end station of the Stockholm Metro in the Östermalm district.

The light rail line Lidingöbanan departs from T-Ropsten in Stockholm, serves southern Lidingö, and ends at Gåshaga brygga, a dock for the Stockholm archipelago ferries. Buses from Ropsten serve parts of Lidingö.

Lidingö is well within reach for bicycles from central Stockholm.

SL boat line 80 is a public transport ferry from Nybrokajen in central Stockholm, passing Nacka, calling at Dalénum in Lidingö returning to Ropsten. Standard SL fares. Some boat lines extend to Tranholmen and Storholmen, two smaller suburban islands.

Get around
Most of Lidingö is accessed by bus or tram 21. Timetables for the public transport on SL.se

Lidingö has a great walking and cycling network, mostly separated from motor traffic and well-signed.

Cars can get around most of the city. Parking is mostly free, but requires a parking disc.

See
Lidingö has a lot of nature reserves and beautiful sceneries, with most of the waterfront open to the public. Lidingö has been the home of many international celebrities, such as sculptor Carl Milles, humanitarian Raoul Wallenberg, engineer Gustaf Dalén, and German playwright Bertolt Brecht.

 * There is a lot of public art on Lidingö. Get your map (Cykel- och Fritidskartan) at the Town hall (Stadshuset).
 * There is a lot of public art on Lidingö. Get your map (Cykel- och Fritidskartan) at the Town hall (Stadshuset).
 * There is a lot of public art on Lidingö. Get your map (Cykel- och Fritidskartan) at the Town hall (Stadshuset).
 * There is a lot of public art on Lidingö. Get your map (Cykel- och Fritidskartan) at the Town hall (Stadshuset).
 * There is a lot of public art on Lidingö. Get your map (Cykel- och Fritidskartan) at the Town hall (Stadshuset).
 * There is a lot of public art on Lidingö. Get your map (Cykel- och Fritidskartan) at the Town hall (Stadshuset).

Do
Lidingö is good for casual outdoor life, with a lot of hiking and cycling trails, beaches, big meadows and even two farms.

 * Hiking and cycling all across the island. There are six culture walks across the island. Maps and information about them are found here

 * Rod fishing is allowed without a license along the island's coast, but not in Kottlasjön or other lakes.
 * Rod fishing is allowed without a license along the island's coast, but not in Kottlasjön or other lakes.

Buy
The competition from central Stockholm has to some extent drained shopping and nightlife opportunities from Lidingö. There is however a broad range of shops in Lidingö Centrum.

Drink
Nightlife on Lidingö is limited to the restaurants and hotel bars. Go to Stockholm for more action.

Sleep
Lidingö has a cluster of conference centres, most of them on the Elfvik peninsula. Many of them also cater to travellers, though all do not post rates online. Also, accommodation is often part of a package, including meals, which means yet higher rates. If you're looking for a budget hotel, Lidingö is not a good place.

Stay safe
Lidingö is in general a safe destination. Use common precautions for theft (such as bike theft). Traffic is calm, with caveats for horse riders and wild deer. When you have been outdoors, check the body for ticks. Be aware of ice safety at winter.

Connect
Visit the City Hall, Stockholmsvägen 50, for brochures and maps.

Go next
While Lidingö's only connection to the mainland is Stockholm, many ferries to the Stockholm archipelago call at Gåshaga brygga, the end station of Lidingöbanan.

 * Vaxholmsbolaget
 * Cinderellabåtarna
 * Blidösundsbolaget

title: Lidingö


text:
Lidköping

Lidköping is a city with about 25,000 inhabitants in the province Västergötland in Sweden. It is by the lake Vänern.

By train
The train can take you to Lidköping from Gothenburg (1½ hr) and Stockholm via Skövde (3 hr).

By bus

 * Säfflebussen makes a stop in Lidköping with the bus line Gothenburg-Trollhättan-Vänersborg-Lidköping-Mariestad-Stockholm.

By car
The national highway 44 passes through Lidköping, and the European route E20 passes near it. The road 187 is the connection from E20 from south to Lidköping.

Go next

 * Götene
 * Sigrid storråda  is a viking ship built after a real one found in Norway. It offers public trips a couple of times every summer and can also be chartered. Everyone help rowing the boat.

title: Lidköping


text:
Venice/Lido

If you are staying in Venice and wish to avoid the more touristy and expensive areas, along with the accompanying noise, Lido is an under-appreciated gem. Trendier and more residential than traditional Venice, it still offers small canals, a variety of dining and impressive views of the city from across the Lagoon. At times it feels reminiscent of Palm Beach, Florida, with its upscale homes, historic architecture and its easy, island feel.

Around 17:00 the atmosphere is decidedly local as professionally dressed Lido residents funnel back home from work across the lagoon. Many of the local bars and eateries have that "where everybody knows your name" family feel, lending an insider's view to life on Lido. Residents embrace, chat enthusiastically and watch each other's children.

Lido is the beach of Venice. This island shelters the lagoon from the Adriatic Sea, and is famous for its Movie Festival which is held every year between the end of August and the first week of September. In 1920 it was the most important beach in Italy, due to its aristocratic atmosphere (still present today). Here Thomas Mann wrote A Death in Venice and it was shot in Visconti's 1972 movie (inspired by the book). Some of the scenes of The English Patient were shot here as well (inside The Hotel Des Bains, one of the most important buildings, erected in Liberty Style). A scene from Casino Royale (Daniel Craig, 2006) was shot here as well. The British travel writer Robin Saikia's book, The Venice Lido, gives a lively overview of the Lido's literary and social history from ancient times to the present day.

Get in

After arriving in Venice via the Aeroporto Marco Polo, find the Alilaguna waterbus station, a short walk after exiting the airport and turning left. Follow the signs. The boat will take you over to Lido with just a few stops, but does take at least 30 minutes to navigate the airport channels.

If already in Venice, take an ACTV waterbus/vaporetto, which takes about 10 minutes. Venice travel cards are valid to/from Venice, but not to/from the airport as it is run by a different company. If staying on Lido a travel card is worth the investment. Avoid "rush hour" times of day such as early morning and late afternoon when many residents and children are crowding the platform. Also, be careful to avoid local vaporetti which are designated "for residents only."

Get around
There are three main bus lines (A, B, C) and a night bus (N). On Openstreetmap all bus stops are visible. But they are not shown in the actv timetables. Busline A goes towards south. Busline B towards north. Always coming from SME. So if you are there the first time its the best to ask the bus driver where to leave and give him the hotel name.

Do

 * Enjoy the beach and the sea. Most of the beach is privately owned by the various hotels, so if you are staying at a hotel that does not offer beach access, you'll have to use the public beach (at the end of the Gran Viale, most central), which is very nice but a bit crowded. A cabin in first line costs about €95 per day.
 * Rent a bike from one of the numerous shops at the Gran Viale and explore the island.
 * Partake in golf and tennis, as Lido is more about relaxed leisure than frantic tourist activities.
 * Stroll along the quiet, shaded streets, people watch and window shop.
 * Stroll along the quiet, shaded streets, people watch and window shop.

Buy
Murano glassware, jewelry and art seem to be the items of choice throughout Venice, along with the famous Venetian masks. Lots of beachware is available on Lido, so don't worry if you've forgotten your flip flops. Of course, souvenir/T-shirt shops can also be found here and there.

Eat
Gelatos from numerous vendors - try to find the infamous Maxi-Coni in the evenings.

Drink
The Bellini is a mixture of Prosecco (local sparkling wine) and peach juice. Sweet and refreshing. Created at Harry's Bar across the lagoon but popular all over Venice, including Lido.

Go next
Around the Venetian lagoon are other smaller islands, which have since been deserted but are worth a visit.

 * Venice— The main island.
 * Murano— Nearby island with famous blown glass studios
 * Burano— Nearby island with textiles and painted houses.
 * San Lazzaro— Nearby island with an Armenian monastery and an impressive art collection, including some world class pieces.
 * Mestre— Mestre is the mainland, but still a part of Venice.
 * Jesolo— Jesolo is one of the most important beaches in Italy, just 45' from Venice by car or by boat (ferry from Treporti to Venice).

title: Venice/Lido


text:
Liechtenstein

The Principality of Liechtenstein (German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny, alpine, German-speaking country with a population of 38,000, doubly landlocked by Switzerland and Austria.

The principality enjoys a very high standard of living and is home to some incredibly beautiful mountain scenery. The principality's capital, Vaduz, is a major centre of commerce and international banking.

Towns

 * — capital of Liechtenstein and the seat of government, despite never officially having been granted city status
 * — this town is home to a very beautiful church and castle
 * — an area for skiing and snowboarding
 * — the largest populated area in the country
 * — a small town south of Vaduz
 * — an alpine town high in Liechtenstein's mountains
 * — a town in northern Liechtenstein where there is a nature reserve of rare plants and animals
 * — where Liechtenstein was born in 1699
 * — where there are a ceramics works and Roman ruins
 * — a town with a museum of rural homes

History
What is now the Principality of Liechtenstein was for a long time the minor holdings of a powerful noble family from elsewhere. It was part of the Holy Roman Empire and later became part of the German Confederation.

In 1866 Liechtenstein changed its alignment from the by then-dissolved German Confederation to Austria-Hungary until the end of World War I, when the economic devastation and the breakdown of the dual monarchy caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to conclude a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's reputation as a "tax haven" has spurred outstanding economic growth. Outside of banking, Liechtenstein's main economic activities are the production of false teeth and tourism.

The Liechtensteinian flag is, by pure accident of history, identical to that of Haiti except for the emblems placed on both. During the 1936 Olympics, which were apparently the first time the two flags were displayed close to each other, this was discovered as Haitian civil flags at the time omitted the coat of arms and Liechtenstein added the crown as a symbol of its monarchy and to distinguish it from the civil flag of Haiti, should the two ever be displayed alongside each other.

Shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering and tax evasion. However, the days of bringing suitcases of money into banks for deposit with no questions asked are over.

Liechtensteiners are also very proud of the fact that their nation has never been involved in a battle or military confrontation with an enemy state. They see their flag as a banner of peace.

For a European country, the aristocratic element in the constitution is rather strong and the prince/regent has a lot of powers both in theory and in reality (unlike say the British monarch). However, unlike almost all monarchies in the world there is a provision in the constitution that the prince has to resign and the monarchy has to be abandoned if a majority of the people so desire.

Economy
Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a par with the urban areas of its large European neighbours. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small businesses. Low business taxes, the maximum tax rate is 20%, and easy incorporation rules have induced a large number of holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. Perhaps the most notable company from Liechtenstein is Hilti, not a bank, but a manufacturer of power tools (though they aren't made in Liechtenstein any longer). Liechtenstein is the world's leading producer of false teeth.

Liechtenstein participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses Swiss francs as its national currency interchangeably with the Liechtenstein frank. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been, since May 1995, a member of the European Economic Area, an organization serving as a bridge between the EFTA and the EU. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe. Liechtenstein has one of the highest personal income rates (GDP per capita) in the world, with the base rate of income tax at just 1.2%.

Geography
Liechtenstein is very mountainous, and is double-landlocked — one of only two countries in the world to be landlocked by landlocked countries (Uzbekistan is the other).

Most of the country's population lives in the long and wide Rhine Valley in the western third. Roads are mainly laid out in a north-south pattern following the valley as well. To the north, the main roads lead to the border with Austria, to the south, they enter Switzerland, and to the west across the river the bridges also cross into Switzerland. Most of the eastern border with Austria is not passable and is only accessible by foot as it is very mountainous, though the north of the country is well connected by road to Feldkirch in Austria. The country's highest point is the Grauspitz, which reaches 2,599 m. Among other European microstates, Liechtenstein is 2.5 times bigger than San Marino and 81 times bigger than Monaco.

Climate
Liechtenstein has a continental climate featuring cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain, making the country a moderately popular ski destination. Summers are cool to moderately warm, also often cloudy and humid.

Tourist information

 * Tourist information website

Talk
The official language is German, but the main language in everyday use is an Alemannic dialect, that can be hard to understand even for native speakers of standard German. The Alemannic dialect group is also spoken in German-speaking Eastern Switzerland, the German state of Baden-Württemberg and the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. While the dialect is on the retreat in Germany and to some extent even in Austria, it is alive and well in Switzerland and Liechtenstein with some even fearing a local extinction of standard German due to lack of situations in which it is actually spoken.

Almost everyone can speak standard German, and English is also prevalent. French and Latin are also widely taught in the secondary public school system. Some shops have personnel who can address Asian tourists in their respective languages.

Entry requirements
Liechtenstein is not a member of the EU. Therefore, travellers entering Liechtenstein from Austria (and vice versa) are subject to non-systematic customs controls. There have been no immigration controls since Liechtenstein joined the Schengen Area on 19 December 2011.

Liechtenstein maintains a complete customs union with Switzerland and is represented by Switzerland in embassies internationally. Since 1923 there have been no border formalities needed for crossing between the two countries. In essence there is nothing more than a sign announcing your arrival in Switzerland or Liechtenstein (when you cross the Rhine or the land border), similar to the situation at smaller border crossings in many EU nations (e.g., Austria, Germany, France, Italy).

Measures to combat COVID-19 in Liechtenstein have been lifted. However, there may also be Swiss regulations to consider in regards to entry. For updates and the latest information, check Liechtenstein's tourism website and the Liechtenstein Government's COVID-19 portal (Website in German). (Jan 2023)

By plane
Liechtenstein has no airports. You can take a flight to Zürich Airport, 115 km from Liechtenstein. Although this is the only major airport near Liechtenstein, there are some limited services from Vienna to St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport (53 km) by Austrian Arrows. There is also a private airport in Bad Ragaz, very close to the border. Another popular point of entry is through Friedrichshafen in Germany, which is served by low-cost airlines.

Liechtenstein has a heliport in the Southern Lowlands. This heliport has no passport control so helicopters are only allowed to go inside the Schengen Area. There is a heliport near the border at Feldkirch, Austria where passport control can be organised.

By train or bus
Flixbus has rides to Vaduz from Munich, Bregenz, Lindau, Milan, Lugano and Chur

ÖBB, the Austrian federal railway company, runs a limited service from Buchs SG station in Switzerland, via Schaan-Vaduz station (near Schaan) to Feldkirch in Austria. Trains only run a few times a day, which makes buses generally more convenient.

Buses run every 15 minutes from the train station at Buchs (the main Swiss town on the Liechtenstein border) to Schaan and Vaduz. Tickets can be purchased on the bus for Fr. 3.40 and it only takes about 10 minutes to Schaan and another 5 to Vaduz. Vaduz is the only European capital in a country that otherwise has a rail network not connected to any rail line and there are (as of 2017) no plans to change that.

If coming by rail from Switzerland, it may be quicker and cheaper to take the train as far as Sargans, from where it's possible to catch a bus (see below) straight to Vaduz. Consult the SBB timetable to find out what'll be quickest when you're travelling. There are lockers at the Sargans station so you can leave your luggage there.

The Liechtenstein Buses Route 12 runs from Sargans railway station to Buchs railway station via central Vaduz and Schaan railway station. It leaves from outside each station approximately every 20 minutes. The buses are yellow-green in colour. A fare to Vaduz is Fr. 5.80 from Sargans and Fr. 3.40 from Buchs. There are student prices as well (be sure to show your student ID). Consider getting a whole network day pass (Fr. 12) or week pass (Fr. 24) if you are making many journeys, though two single fares (e.g., from Sargans or Buchs to Vaduz and Vaduz onward to Feldkirch) cost less than a day pass.

From Feldkirch railway station in Austria, look for the distinctive off-yellow Liechtenstein Buses. Numbers 11 and 14 head straight to Vaduz and number 13 goes to Buchs railway station, by-passing Vaduz, so you'll have to change at the Schaan interchange.

By car
Liechtenstein has no highways, but the Swiss Autobahn A13/E34 runs along the Swiss side of the Rhine River, the border between Switzerland and Liechtenstein. There are several access points that cross the Rhine into Liechtenstein, the two that are most commonly used are the bridge crossing into the southern town of Balzers and the crossing into Vaduz. If you aren't coming from the west or have a Swiss vignette already, it may make sense to avoid Swiss highways as there is only a year vignette.

The alternative is to reach Liechtenstein via Austria. Coming from Germany, you most likely will also buy a vignette which is available in a 10 day variety that is much cheaper than the Swiss year version. You enter Liechtenstein directly from the north, via the Austrian city of Feldkirch which is also a tourist attraction.

Driving in Liechtenstein is relatively safe, but extra care should be taken on narrow and winding mountain roads. Speed traps are common, and for good reason as the roads are not made for high speeds.

Vaduz has several parking garages and places. As the city is not very large you can hardly make a poor choice. The prices don't differ that much.

Hitch-hiking
Very easy from Feldkirch in Austria. In rush hour, lots of commuters head into the capital. A simple sign as you stand by the main road in Feldkirch should get you a lift within minutes.

By public transit
For a rural area of its size and wealth, Liechtenstein's bus system is decent and well patronized. The country's sole bus operator is Liemobil. Fares are reasonable. A day ticket costs Fr. 12 (as of Jan 2024) and a 7-day unlimited use card costs Fr. 24. Single ride tickets can be purchased from the driver, or through FAIRTIQ or SBB Mobile apps.

By bike
Another cheap way to travel, weather permitting, is by bike. The roads in Liechtenstein are in excellent condition and many (in the Balzers-Schaan corridor) even offer bike lanes. Biking through the whole country (entering from Austria going all the way south through to Switzerland) takes only a few hours, but is worth every minute of the wonderful alpine scenery!

By car
Liechtenstein is a very sluggish place to drive. The majority of the roads are either uphill on extremely steep and winding stretches or in populated regions. If it has one, the automatic gearbox should be in sport setting there. The valley also has straighter roadways. The roads are frequently a little congested, particularly in the direction of Vaduz.

Speed restrictions are prominently displayed. Some sections of the road between cities are 80 km/h, but primarily within the 50 km/h zone. Because of how slowly the interior roads move, navigators frequently suggest taking the highway just across the border in Switzerland. There are no national highways in the nation.

By foot

Liechtenstein is full of well-marked and -maintained hiking trails. The 'Liechtenstein Weg' is a 77-km path that crosses the entire country, from Balzers to Schaaneald, while doing some loops and going a bit into the mountains. It is divided into 5 stages, but realistically manageable in 2-3 days. If you would walk the main high way, you could cross the country in one day.

See
Liechtenstein boasts a number of attractions that are of interest to visitors.

 * - Home to a beautiful church and a spectacular Gothic castle.
 * - The capital is the main shopping area in the country, with many souvenir stores and assorted restaurants. The city is also home to a modest cathedral and the decade-old Liechtenstein Kunstmuseum. A ski museum is north of downtown.
 * - This imposing and historic castle, home to the royal family, overlooks the city of Vaduz and is approachable on the main Vaduz-Triesenberg road (bus route 21). It is not open to the public, but it is possible to view it from quite close up.

It is possible to encounter the royal family at the Kunstmuseum, coming in and out of Schloss Vaduz or skiing during winter time. This is one benefit of such a small country. They are recognizable in their cars, which use their birth year for their licence plate number.

 * The mountain ranges within Liechtenstein are filled with tall peaks. Both lie within the eastern and western Alps and display climbing options.

Do
Liechtenstein offers great hiking, road biking, and mountain biking terrain. Skiing and snowboarding are also offered at a reasonable price at the country's small resort, Malbun, in comparison to the expensive lift prices in neighbouring Switzerland or Austria.

Get up early one morning and drive up the mountains on the east side of the river. From here you have an incredible view over Vaduz & Switzerland.

Liechtenstein is popular among philatelists and even has a postal museum. You can also get an entry stamp of Liechtenstein in your passport at the tourist centre and some souvenir shops (Fr. 3 or €3).

Money
Liechtenstein uses the Swiss franc (CHF) as its currency. Many shops will also accept euros, but the exchange rate may not be very advantageous and you will get your change in Euro. An exception are supermarkets, where you will usually get the best exchange rate, which makes it a good place for exchanging your Euros into Francs: buy something and pay with a bigger euro bill, they accept up to 100€ bills (especially if you continue to Switzerland afterwards and want to exchange money) For a short visit you might not need francs at all though, as even the parking garage accepts euros.

Costs
Costs in Liechtenstein are roughly equivalent to those in Switzerland and are therefore somewhat more expensive than other European countries.

Eat
You will find a few restaurants in the larger cities of Liechtenstein. There is also a McDonald's restaurant (opened in 1996; serves wine), which is very popular and is widely publicised by road signs throughout the country.

The many small bakeries are a great place to get a warm, fresh roll or pastry.

Drink
There is a small amount of wine that is produced in Liechtenstein that is available in supermarkets and tourist shops throughout the country. Expect to pay around Fr. 25 for an average bottle. The Prince owns his own vineyard in Vaduz, off the main road. Beer is also available for purchase that is made with malt from Liechtenstein, although most of the beer is brewed in Switzerland. A variety of other European wines, beers, and soft drinks are also available. There is now a brewery in Liechtenstein that produces a variety of beers; lagers including Helles (blonde) and Hefe Weizen (unfiltered wheat) styles are brewed.

There is also a one-man distillery in Triesen which makes liquors and schnapps from fruits. Tours on Saturdays.

Sleep
There are a few hotels in Liechtenstein, but they tend to be on the expensive side. There is one youth hostel located in Schaan, but it closes for the winter. You will probably be able to find cheaper accommodation in neighboring Feldkirch, Austria.

Camping Mittagspitz is the only full-service campsite in the Principality. It offers excellent facilities, a friendly reception and a fabulous reasonably priced restaurant. Fares for pitching a tent are around 22€ + 2€ tourist tax (April 2024) There are three other campgrounds in Liechtenstein: one in Bendern, one in Vaduz, and one in Triesen. All are pretty much full year round.

Learn
Liechtenstein's university offers courses only in technical sciences.

Work
Finding work in Liechtenstein is difficult. A majority of non-nationals working in the Principality are Swiss, with a smaller number of Austrians and Germans. Liechtenstein is not a member of the European Union, the government has no obligation to let nationals of EU member states live in the country. Only very few residence permits are issued to Swiss and EU nationals. Nevertheless, if you're fluent in German it should not be too difficult to find a job since Liechtenstein is part of the EU Single Market. This means in practice that you don't need a permit to work in Liechtenstein but you will have to commute from Switzerland, Germany or Austria which don't have strict limits on residence permits for EFTA and EU-citizens.

Stay safe
Liechtenstein is easily one of the safest countries in the world, though it is not without its problems. The most common crime in Liechtenstein is of a non-violent nature, though the principality maintains a well-equipped police force which maintains a presence on the streets. In the late 1990s, the Liechtenstein Landespolizei launched a crackdown on prostitution in Vaduz. Considering the largest cities nearby are Innsbruck and Zürich, outside of Schaan and Vaduz, the whole place can seem very rural. Drunk drivers and winter road conditions may be your only "realistic" concern. Speed limits are strictly enforced by speed cameras, which can lead to high fines. Don't speed, enjoy the scenery instead.

The country's beautiful scenery is also very dangerous. Cases of hikers finding themselves in difficulty are very common, and extreme care should be taken when leaving the well-marked trails. Follow local advice, read local weather forecasts (newspapers in the principality print individual forecasts for the different cities in Liechtenstein, which is beneficial because the difference in altitude often cause different weather conditions), and ensure that you have the correct equipment before setting out.

Stay healthy
There are excellent medical facilities in Liechtenstein, but it is more likely that you would be transferred to a hospital in Switzerland should you require medical attention. If you are an Austrian or EU citizen you may want to seek medical attention in next-door Feldkirch, Austria.

Tap water is safe to drink.

Respect
The Principality of Liechtenstein has existed for centuries as an independent state and this should be remembered. Liechtensteiners are very proud of their national identity and would take offence at being wrongly labelled "German", "Austrian" or "Swiss".

Remember that this is a traditional Catholic country. On Sundays, the streets are almost dead except for the tourists and the tourist shops.

The Prince of Liechtenstein and the Monarchy are well respected in Liechtenstein. Bear that in mind when conversing with the locals.

Connect
As of Sept 2021, the country has 4G from all Swiss carriers, but 5G has not yet arrived. The Austrian signal doesn't reach here because of the mountains. Wifi is widely available in public places.

Go next
From Liechtenstein, going to the picturesque Austrian city of Feldkirch is a natural choice. The closest larger city of Switzerland is St. Gallen with its monasterial complex.

Liechtenstein can be seen as part of the German-Swiss-Austrian Lake Constance with many wonderful destinations.

title: Liechtenstein


text:
Liepāja

Liepāja (pronounced lee-ah-pa-yah) is a city on Latvia's Baltic coast.

Understand
With 70,000 residents, Liepāja is the third largest city in Latvia. During the Latvian War of Independence (1918-20) it was briefly the capital of Latvia.

Liepāja city consists of two main areas of interest: the city center, and Karosta, the northern part of the city, which used to be a secret Soviet military town. The city center and Karosta have great beaches, and you will be surprised how unspoiled and beautiful the central beach is, and how white and soft the sand is. Karosta is essentially another city, because it really has a different history and look from the rest of Liepāja; Karosta is worth a separate visit. In Liepāja there is no "old town", but the center and surroundings are full of beautiful old wooden buildings, small irregular streets, etc. The center also includes the Seaside Park (Jūrmala Park) area, which has a fantastic white, soft sand beach; the park itself is great, too, with many nice buildings. Liepāja is known in Latvia as "the city where the wind is born", because of the continual sea breeze.

By bus
Liepāja is connected by bus service with Riga (many times every day, €8.55, 3-3.75 hr), Ventspils, Kuldīga and other towns and villages in Liepāja region, as well as Klaipėda (2 hours) and Palanga in Lithuania. To get from the bus station to the centre, take the tram at a tram stop which is on your right side when you exit the bus station building. Do not cross the railway tracks – this is the wrong direction.

By train
The Liepāja railway station is located in the same building as the bus terminal. The now-daily train to Liepāja leaves Riga at 18:34, arriving in Liepāja at 21:47. However, the return trip leaves Liepāja at an unpalatable 05:02 (too early to catch the first tram to the station), arriving in Riga at 08:13. On Sundays only there is a supplementary service in each direction, allowing for a more civilised eastbound departure time of 18:38. Tickets cost €7.20, or €6.66 if bought online. The train also stops in Skrunda, Saldus, Biksti, Dobele, Jelgava and Olaine.

By car
There are two main roads to Liepāja. From Riga, the A9 runs westward for 220 km. From Klaipėda in Lithuania, the A11 runs north for 100 km. From Ventspils, on the coast further north, take the P111.

By boat
A ferry service connects Liepāja with Travemünde (near Lübeck) in Germany once a day. The is in Ziemelu priekspilseta, northwest of the main bus station, and 15 minutes from the centre by bus 10, 11, or 15, or minibus 3. If you have a yacht, you are welcome to Liepāja yacht harbour, located in the centre, in Tirdzniecibas channel.

By thumb
Hitch-hiking is fairly common in Liepāja, and for Latvia as a whole. To get out of the city to go somewhere else, go to the north tram terminus, cross the railway crossing, and you are in the best spot to hitch-hike to Riga or Ventspils, or go to the south terminus, walk 400 m until the city ends completely, and you are in a good spot to hitch-hike to Klaipėda.

By plane
AirBaltic is the only airline serving  with once daily flight to and from Riga International Airport (from Riga at 23:40 and from Liepāja at 05:40). From Riga International Airport, which is the largest airport in the Baltic states 220 km east of Liepāja, many direct flights to Europe and Asia, including cheap Ryanair, airBaltic and Wizz Air routes, are available. Palanga airport in Lithuania is another option 65 km to the south with scheduled services year round.

City bus 2 connects Liepāja Airport with the city centre and is well connected with arriving/departing flights (see timetables here).

Get around
Liepāja public transport is offered by Liepāja Sabiedriskais transports. There are four types of public transport in Liepāja - tram, bus, minibus and taxi. See routes, timetables and live traffic here, or a more mobile friendly version. Trams, buses and minibuses have the same tickets, which you can purchase from the driver (€1.50) or in many shops and small newsagents' boutiques such as Narvesen which can be found throughout the city (€0.90 or €8.50 for 10 rides). Ticket must be validated in one of the yellow validators, which will print date and time on the ticket. There are also passes for one day, week, month etc. A one-day pass costs €3.00 and gives an unlimited number of rides, but you must validate it when you first use it. The ticket is then valid until midnight – the date is printed on your ticket when you validate it.

By tram
There is only one tram line running from Ezerkrasts (lakeside) residential district in the southeast to the west, then north through the center to Jaunliepaja, and ends near the metallurgic factory. It operates from 05:00 till 00:00. Tram is the best transport to get to/from the railway/bus station to/from the city center. A ride from the center to the station takes approximately 8 minutes. An electronic tram ticket is also available by sending SMS, but this might be complicated for those who don't have local mobile phones.

By bus
There are many bus routes, the most important for tourists being 1, 3, 4, 7 and 8 – with these you can get from the city center to Karosta and back. You can get to the southeastern part (Ezerkrasts) to see Meynard's church and Liepāja Lake by 3, 4, 10, 15, 912. Costs €1.50 from the driver or €0.90 in shops and newsagents' boutiques. There are bus stops throughout the city. Tickets can be bought in kiosks or from the driver. Ticket must be validated in the bus by inserting it in an electronic validator as in the trams. Some buses have an audio announcement system for the next stop and a LED screen in front of the bus displaying next stop name. When going to Karosta you will most likely want to go right to the last stop, so don't worry. An exception might be bus number 8, which terminates far north in summer house and garden district Skede near the sea, which is kind of too far for Karosta, however is the best bus to get as far as the Jewish Holocaust memorial or the Northern fortress. Liepāja city is rather spread-out compared to other Latvian cities. For example, the journey from the center to Karosta with bus 3 is about 10 km which takes around 35 minutes.

By minibus
Number 22 and 23 minibuses serve Karosta, however 23 only goes to Karosta swing bridge and you might have to wait over an hour if the bridge is closed. It is therefore recommended to take route 22, which will take you further into Karosta and, if the bridge is closed, will take an alternative route. They cost €1.50 from a shop or €0.90 from the driver. Tickets must be validated just like in trams or buses. To flag down a minibus, you have to wave your hand. They will only stop at designated bus stops. To exit the bus, ask the driver.

By taxi
Taxis are relatively expensive compared to other types of transport, but still cheaper than in Western Europe. This is the only public transport available at night (approximately 00:30-05:00). There are some places in the city center and near the Bus/Railway station where taxis assemble, or you can call +371 63422222, +371 63466666 or +371 63488888. Bolt works in the city.

By thumb
Especially getting to or from the Northern Forts can be achieved by hitch-hiking, which is about 5 km. It is probably best to walk from south (Karosta) to north (Northern Forts), to also cover the fortress north of the breakwater, and to try hitch-hiking back into the centre of Liepāja with one of the many cars that go south. There are many cars and during the day one local might just be curious enough to take you in for the ride.

Talk
Some Latvian phrases will be admired by locals, such as paldies (Thank you) or labdien (Hello). Latvian is spoken natively by more than half of Liepāja's population and is the only official language. Written signs and labels are mostly in Latvian. However, you will also hear Russian in the streets of Liepāja, which is by far the most widespread minority language since the Soviet time, when lots of Russians immigrated to Latvia's main cities, including Liepāja, for work. In summer there are many German tourists and German can be heard in tourist areas. Latvians, especially younger generations, generally speak some English.

See
The former Secret soviet military town of Karosta (northern Liepāja), the Fortress of Liepāja (its parts are located all around the city, the most spectacular ones are on the Baltic shore in Karosta), Liepāja city center with many old art-nouveau and wooden building and cobblestone streets, and the seaside park with its white sandy beach, as well as Liepāja's lake – the fifth largest in Latvia – are nice with lots to see.

Churches
The churches are a pleasant surprise with their variety of architectural styles. This reflects religion in Latvia, which is very mixed. It is mostly Christian of various branches, and this can be seen in Liepāja, where there are Lutheran, Protestant, Catholic, Russian Orthodox, Russian Old Believers and other religious groups' churches. These vary from tiny wooden churches to huge towers and cathedrals. There are about 20 churches in Liepāja.

Many other churches are scattered throughout the city, the most important being St. Nicholas maritime cathedral in Karosta (see Karosta).

Liepāja Lake
Liepāja is surrounded by water. There are the Baltic Sea, two big lakes and some smaller ones, and four channels in the city. The city, is almost an island, especially the southern part (Vecliepāja). Liepāja Lake is the fifth largest lake in Latvia. It is lagoon type, which was part of the sea in ancient days. It is not deep, relatively narrow - up to 3.5 km (2.2 mi) - and long - about 15 km (9.3 mi). Liepāja city is on the north-western coast of the lake. If you go to Ezerkrasts (Lakeside), you can see the best lake views from Tise iela (Tise street). On one side are apartment buildings, and on the other, a meadow; behind the meadow is the lake. The lake, together with surrounding meadows (Vitinu meadows), is a nature protection area, mostly because of some rare plants growing there and many species of birds that live or come across this place regularly. This visit must be guided and pre-booked in the Tourism Information Centre, because it is a nature protection area. Swimming in the lake is not as nice as in the sea (but warmer), because the bottom is sometimes swampy. There is, however, a special place for swimming at the end of Vainodes street.

There is an interesting, yet very dirty and untouristic, place called. It is the biggest island in the lake and is very close to city center, where it is connected by bridge. From the island, an approximately 1 km (0.6 mi) long jetty, accessible even by car (a very bad road though), built of metallurgical factory oven-burned metallic stones, goes into the lake, providing nice views. It is sometimes called Golodova dambis or Zirgu salas dambis, and does not appear in any travel guides except this one.

Karosta
A former secret Soviet military town. If you are in Liepāja, you must go to Karosta. It is the northern part of the city, about 10 km (6 mi) from the center. Karosta translates as War Port (or Navy Harbor) from Latvian. It used to be a secret military town for the Russian Empire, and later also for the Soviets. Latvia became independent, and some years after that, in 1994, the Russian troops had to leave Karosta. The population dropped dramatically from 25,000 to 6,000, leaving many houses empty. Then Karosta experienced something like a war without guns. Many houses were turned into ruins. Everything was taken away. Brick by brick, many historic, beautiful buildings disappeared forever. Now, Karosta has a population of 7,000 and a dream of rebirth, which has already started. It is now a popular tourist destination and also home for an international artists' center called K2. Many places in Karosta still look like war rubble. Some places are reminiscent of the abandoned towns of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster area.

 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.
 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.
 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.
 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.
 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.
 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.
 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.
 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.
 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.
 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.
 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.
 * Other things: Karosta cemetery with Soviet style monuments, Karosta park, many forests and Beberlini Lake (a nice place to have a barbecue party in summer). There is camping, too.

Do
There is much to do and see in the city – nature is everywhere, even within the city: those are not just artificially planted city parks. There are also absolutely unspoiled and natural beaches, forests and meadows near the Liepāja lake. There are some swamps, but they are not that accessible. You can visit special swamp trails in Liepāja region, as well as even bigger and denser forests.

 * Football: FK Liepāja play soccer in Virslīga, the top tier. Their home ground Daugava Stadium (capacity 5100) is on the coast 3 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Nov.
 * Football: FK Liepāja play soccer in Virslīga, the top tier. Their home ground Daugava Stadium (capacity 5100) is on the coast 3 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Nov.
 * Football: FK Liepāja play soccer in Virslīga, the top tier. Their home ground Daugava Stadium (capacity 5100) is on the coast 3 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Nov.
 * Football: FK Liepāja play soccer in Virslīga, the top tier. Their home ground Daugava Stadium (capacity 5100) is on the coast 3 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Nov.
 * Football: FK Liepāja play soccer in Virslīga, the top tier. Their home ground Daugava Stadium (capacity 5100) is on the coast 3 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Nov.
 * Football: FK Liepāja play soccer in Virslīga, the top tier. Their home ground Daugava Stadium (capacity 5100) is on the coast 3 km south of town centre. The playing season is April-Nov.

Work
Knowledge of Latvian language is essential in most jobs. Some permits are required, depending on your home country. It is easier for EU citizens. The average salary is about €400-500 per month, but it varies greatly depending on the area of activity.

Buy
Open air markets are always something special for western tourists, but part of daily life for local people. There are many markets throughout the city, but the two most important and largest are the following:
 * Furthermore, there are two smaller ones, one in Silku/Kalpaka street corner and another one in Karosta for cool soviet-style souvenirs and other interesting stuff.
 * Furthermore, there are two smaller ones, one in Silku/Kalpaka street corner and another one in Karosta for cool soviet-style souvenirs and other interesting stuff.
 * Furthermore, there are two smaller ones, one in Silku/Kalpaka street corner and another one in Karosta for cool soviet-style souvenirs and other interesting stuff.

In Liepāja you will find all shops you might want to find, except for expensive brand shops. The main shopping centres are located in the centre and in the south of the city: Kurzeme, Ostmala, Rietumu centres, XL Sala, Baata, Ezerkrasts, and Depo.

 * Kurzeme is one of the largest shopping centres located in the heart of Liepāja, next to the Rose Square. The four-storey building offers a variety of shops, cafes, restaurants and various other service providers, books, jewellery, sports clothing and equipment, kids clothing and toys, women's and men's clothing, footwear, cosmetics, flowers, and sweets. Kurzeme shopping mall features more than 50 stores including global and Latvian favourite brand like Ecco, Sportland, Kidz One, Toy’s Planet, Stenders, Lauma Lingerie, NS King, VOVA, Jahonts, X Jeans, Zvaigzne ABC, Dzintars, and Laima.
 * Depo is the largest DIY store in Latvia. Rietumu centres has Jysk. Ostmala has a Rimi hypermarket and many clothes shops. XL Sala has Maxima XX and many other shops. Baata is probably the trendiest shopping centre - it is not large, but has a nice selection of shops and a very good restaurant Olive. Go there by tram till the last stop in the South. And 5 minutes from there is a wonderful white sand beach of the Baltic sea.
 * Visit the tourism information center; they have nice souvenirs, too. A good souvenir from little bays near fortresses in Karosta is little pebbles from the Baltic Sea. It's free and natural. Some tourists take a little jar of Liepāja central beach unbelievably white and soft sand as a souvenir.
 * Stendera ziepju fabrika produces interesting soaps and soap-related products for bathing, such as Burbuļbumbas - the bubble balls.

Eat
For more information on typical Latvian food, see Latvia.

Budget
For a western traveller, Liepāja's food prices might seem quite cheap, even for top-class restaurants. This is because the local average salary is about €400 per month.

 * Peter’s market (Pētertirgus, see above) – Has fresh, clean local food which is natural and healthy. Especially strawberries in July...
 * Try Latvian food in a cafeteria, restaurant or just buy a Sklandrausis (carrot pie, typical for Kurzeme, Western Latvia) in Šaras (a local word used for inner pavilion of a market, in this case Petertirgus market, and the official word in Latvian would be skārņi).

Drink
Nightlife places, all in the centre, include:

Sleep
In Liepāja you have all you need - choose a cheap and cosy hostel or a five star hotel - Liepāja has it all. The city has an official website, otherwise, here are some examples:

Stay safe
Liepāja is a safe place. Take general precautions. Avoid walking alone in darkness. Do not leave your belongings unattended in clubs and pubs, or on the streets. Be careful in Karosta - during the 1990s it was rife with crime; however, it is much safer now.

Cope
Latvia is Nordic in its weather. The temperatures in July can reach 30ºC (86ºF). And they can also fall as low as -30ºC (-22ºF) in January. But both winter and summer have their beauty. Make two visits - one in the summer and one in the winter - and you will have two totally different experiences! And make yet another visit in mid October, when all the trees are colorful.

Go next

 * In Liepāja region there are some nice towns, 100 km of beautiful Baltic coast, and lots of forests.
 * Kalvenes Zoo "Cīruļi" – It is worth visiting this park, which is very big and where animals have bigger space to live than usually in city zoos.
 * Pape Nature Reserve – Another option, if you want to see wild horses and wild boar and wild coast.
 * Aizpute – A town of medieval atmosphere with little irregular streets, old wooden buildings, small lakes and castle ruins, on the way to Kuldiga (about 100 km away).
 * Kuldiga – The capital of Duchy of Courland, Venice of Latvia, with unique and wooden architecture, red-tile roofs, bridges, cobbled streets, the widest widest waterfall ledge in Europe, and nearby the longest underground (sand) cave labyrinth in the Baltics.
 * Pāvilosta and Daugavpils – According to locals in Liepāja, these have forts similar to Liepāja but which are much better preserved.
 * Ventspils – A modern and artistic sea resort city 110 km to the north, has many things to see, and is one of the tidiest places in the Kurzeme region. A long-stretching beach and recreational park provide everything for a relaxing holiday week or weekend. It gets its prosperity from the huge ice-free port, which is the busiest port in the Baltic states, and the oil transit business.

 * Klaipėda – This city in Lithuania is the gateway to the Curonian Spit, a stretch of sand dunes 99 km in length. Buses for Klaipėda with a stop at Palanga go from the on Kuršu iela in Liepāja – Minibus 08:00 €5, Ecolines Bus 11:30 €4.50 (book online). The minibus does not go to the Klaipėda bus station but to the Akropolis Shopping Centre, from where you have to take a regular bus into the centre or to the bus station.

title: Liepāja


text:
Lier

Lier is a city of about 36,000 inhabitants (2018) in the province of Antwerp, Belgium. Lier is often overlooked by many international tourists, but can make an interesting day out from Antwerp or Mechelen. The town is southeast of the regional capital city of Antwerp.

By train
Lier is connected by rail to a number of major Belgian cities, including Antwerp, Mechelen, Turnhout, Herentals, Aarschot, Leuven and Brussels. The connection to Antwerp is especially good, from which any other destination within Belgium can easily be reached. To plan your trip, you can consult the website of NMBS, the national railway company, for national and international travels. The train station is fairly close to the city centre, only some 10 minutes in walking distance.

By bus
The Flemish national bus company, De Lijn, operates bus lines to Lier from Mechelen, Herentals and other neighbouring towns. For more information regarding different timetables (only available in Dutch): https://www.delijn.be.

By car
Lier can be conveniently reached by car. It's halfway between the E19 (Antwerp to Brussels) and E313 (Antwerp to Liège). They are not really close to Lier, but there is a well-developed network of national roads connecting the town with the highways and other close-by cities, like the N10 to Antwerp, N14 to Mechelen and N13 to the E313. Like many towns in Belgium it is a problem, however, to park your car in the city centre.

Public transportation
The public transport company De Lijn runs bus lines through Lier.

On foot
Best method to discover Lier. Most places of interest are in the centre of the city and lay only a couple of minutes from each other.

Bicycle
Much of the surrounding area can be accessed by cycle routes and the Nete Canal towpath. Riding a bicycle is not permitted in the market, although many of the locals bring bikes to the market, not to ride, but to use as pack-horses for their shopping.

Buy
Lier holds a weekly market (Saturday, morning to mid-afternoon) of produce sold from the back of trucks. Departments include one in the Grote Markt selling meat, & also a department called "tuinbouw" (gardening), located in Zimmerplein, which sells vegetables: home vegetable breeding was a popular hobby for Belgians during the industrial revolution, & the nation has capitalised on this pedigree to become one of the largest per-capita exporters of vegetable produce in the world.

Eat
The Lier tourist office offers a picknick package full of regional specialities. You can pick it up there and enjoy it wherever you want. Orders by e-mail at least 2 days in advance to picknick@lier.be.

A regional dish of Lier is Liers vlaaike. It is a spicy cake made of candy syrup and a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander and cloves. It has been around for more than 300 years and is one of the oldest pastries in the area. Since 2013 it has been included on the EU list of authentic regional products.

 * Quite a few restaurants around Zimmerplein, Grote Markt and the street in between (Eikelstraat). Mostly French and Italian cuisine.

Drink
Most of the nightlife is centered around Zimmerplein in local pubs.

Go next

 * Antwerp — second largest city of Belgium with a thriving diamond, shopping and fashion scene.
 * Mechelen — compact historical city between the major cities of Antwerp and Brussels.

title: Lier


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Lifford

Lifford is the county town in County Donegal. This means that it is the administrative centre for the County of Donegal, despite the fact that it is much smaller than Letterkenny. The County Council chambers are located here and it is linked to Strabane, in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland by a bridge over the River Finn. Thus, this river is the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and Lifford is separated from Strabane only by this stretch of water, giving the town a unique position within the Republic of Ireland.

Get in
Lifford is the main gateway into County Donegal for travel from Dublin and north of Dublin. Consequently, it is served by the main bus routes that serve Letterkenny. Also, as the town is located just across the border/river from Strabane in Northern Ireland, it can be accessed by a short walk from Strabane bus station, which is served by buses to Derry.

Do
Mystery Event (Murder Solving Case) Court House

title: Lifford