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La Quinta

La Quinta is a city in Riverside County in Southern California. It is a desert resort city about 30 minutes southeast of Palm Springs. La Quinta is one of the nation's leading golf destinations, having 28 golf courses within the city limits. Tourism is centered primarily on golf, hiking in the surrounding mountains, relaxing at the historic La Quinta Resort, and shopping and dining in the Village.

By train
Amtrak serves nearby Palm Springs via the tri-weekly Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle service between Los Angeles and New Orleans, Chicago and many cities and towns in between. Amtrak also provides bus connections to and from the San Joaquins trains, which run up California's Central Valley to the Bay Area and Sacramento. The train station in Palm Springs is an open platform with no services, far from the city.

By car
From Los Angeles, take Interstate 10 East towards Phoenix, exit at Washington Street or Jefferson Street, and then head south about 5 miles. La Quinta is a two-hour drive from Los Angeles and San Diego if there is not much traffic.

By bus
Neighboring Indio's bus terminal, at 83100 Indio Boulevard, is served by Greyhound. The terminal has a staffed ticket counter, vending machines, and Baggage Express service. International service and connecting buses to Phoenix, Bakersfield, and Los Angeles are every 15 to 30 minutes. At least six direct buses serve Mexicali, BC from Indio's bus terminal daily with additional connecting services available to Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana.

Amtrak California's Thruway Bus Service Route 19b serves La Quinta twice daily, with direct connections to train stations in San Bernardino and Bakersfield. The bus stop is located at 78998 Highway 111 in La Quinta. Route 19B also stops at the Palm Springs Airport and originates from the Indio bus terminal.

Get around
La Quinta has a small but friendly downtown known as the Village. Many boutique shops, outdoor restaurants, and art galleries are located there. La Quinta's heart is the adjacent eclectic neighborhood known as The Cove. The commercial retail corridor is in the northern portion of the city along Highway 111.

By car
Highway 111 runs east-west along the north side of La Quinta and connects all the cities in the Coachella Valley. Highway 111 has many signals and lots of traffic, so if you are going far (e.g. Palm Springs), you should utilize Interstate 10. Washington Street and Jefferson Street are the major north-south arteries serving La Quinta.

By golf cart
The City of La Quinta permits the use of golf carts within the Village and Cove neighborhoods on designated golf cart paths and local streets with reduced speed limits. Visitors to the La Quinta Resort and SilverRock Resort can quickly and easily reach the La Quinta Village and Cove by golf cart.

By bike
La Quinta and the surrounding environs are mostly flat and dry and can make for good cycling during the cooler months. The City of La Quinta has an extensive bicycle route network that connects to most neighboring cities. Colorful local bicycle clubs can often be seen riding around in groups.

Do
Golfers of all skill levels come to La Quinta in order to make a pilgrimage to the famous golf courses at PGA West and the La Quinta Resort. SilverRock Resort offers a very challenging golf course designed by Arnold Palmer, featured in the Skins Game and the Bob Hope Classic tournaments.

Hiking in the nearby mountains, gambling at nearby Indian casinos, bicycling, horseback riding, and dining out are also popular activities. There is an extensive network of hiking and horseback riding trails leading from the city into the nearby mountains, most notably the Cove trailhead located at the southern end of the Cove neighborhood at the corner of Calle Tecate and Avenida Madero. The Bear Creek Trail, connecting the Village and the Cove with the adjacent mountains, has a trail head located at the western end of Calle Tampico in the Village. La Quinta is also home to a number of excellent day spas and massage parlors.

The City of La Quinta has a public pool and tennis courts at the corner of Avenue 52 and Avenida Bermudas in the Village.

The annual Coachella Music Festival is held in Indio at the Empire Polo Grounds, which is adjacent to La Quinta's city limits.

Buy
La Quinta is a popular place to purchase golf merchandise, as the city has numerous retail golf specialty stores, custom outfitters, and pro shops. The Village offers art galleries and small boutiques. The primary retail commercial corridor is along Highway 111, though most tourists prefer to shop at nearby El Paseo in Palm Desert. The Village holds a certified farmer's market from October through the winter season on Saturday mornings.

Eat
La Quinta is noted for having a wide selection of excellent restaurants. Tourists seeking authentic Mexican cuisine often head to the neighboring cities of Indio and Coachella.

Drink
Although La Quinta is well known as a town that frequently imbibes in "golf and scotch," it is also well known for its random and frequent DUI checkpoints. The La Quinta Resort is a popular place to enjoy a drink. There is a noted wine bar and cellar in the Village. Most golf courses have excellent bar facilities.

Sleep
Many visitors choose to rent vacation homes and condos by the week or month. Neighboring cities of Palm Desert, Palm Springs, and Indian Wells are home to numerous upscale hotels and resorts. The nearby city of Indio offers budget travelers numerous clean, affordable, hourly lodging options along Indio Boulevard.

Go next

 * Joshua Tree National Park. This desert park is a great day trip to take while at La Quinta. You can get there in less than an hour by taking Interstate 10 east to the Cottonwood Spring Road exit.  Take a minimum of four hours to do the loop through the park.  Camping is allowed as well as rock climbing.
 * Idyllwild is a mountain resort approximately 45 minutes drive away on the beautiful Palms to Pines highway. It can also be reached by a challenging 10-mile hike from the top of the Palm Springs Tramway.
 * The Salton Sea One of the world's largest inland seas and lowest spots on earth at below sea level, the Salton Sea was re-created in 1905 when high spring flooding on the Colorado River crashed the canal gates leading into the developing Imperial Valley. Hundreds of years prior to that time, it was an ancient freshwater lake that had evaporated. Although the shoreline is receding again, the brackish sea is home to a variety of migratory birds. Increasing salinity in the Salton Sea basin has limited the number and types of fish that can be found there, and most fish caught are Tilapia. Consuming fish from the Salton Sea is not recommended. Kayaking, camping, birdwatching, photography, and hiking are the most popular recreation opportunities.

Other nearby desert resort cities include Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, Palm Springs and Indio.

title: La Quinta


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Larache

Larache is a city in northern Morocco.

Understand
While the city seems big at first, life clusters around the city center near the.

Tourists are rarely seen here, creating a quite hassle-free and friendly atmosphere.

Get around
The city center is easily walkable by foot. For the outskirts, petite taxis are available.

Do

 * Stroll the waterfront or join the locals on a swim at the harbour's stone barriers.
 * Enjoy the filled streets after sunset to 10PM, grab a tea in one of the cafes around Place de la Liberation.

Eat
There are some restaurants also serving western-style food such as pizzerias or spaghetti.

Furthermore, there are a couple of great sandwich places including one of the best shawarmas in Morocco - see OpenStreetMap.

Bakeries and juice stores are also available.

Budget
There are many budget hotels and pensions that cluster south of the Place de la Liberation, rooms without bathroom start around 40 dirham.

Connect
Many cafes in the city center (notably Cafe Valencia and Cafe Triana) have free Wi-Fi.

There are also a couple of cyber cafes.

Go next

 * Asilah

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

title: Larache


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Laramie

Laramie is a city in Southeast Wyoming. It is home to the University of Wyoming.

Understand
Laramie is located at very high altitude (7,200 ft/2,200 m) and due to this has considerably milder summers and more fierce winters than other US cities of comparable latitude in the upper Midwest. Because it lies east of the Continental Divide, placing it in the rain shadow of the Rockies, the climate around Laramie is very dry most of the year so travelers here should take care to drink lots of fluid and not overexert themselves immediately upon arrival to mitigate potential altitude sickness risks.

By car
The primary access to Laramie is along Interstate 80, the main east–west corridor in the state; it's roughly an hour west of the junction with I-25 at Cheyenne. Because of the altitude and northern location, it is important to be aware of road conditions and road closures along all roads but especially I-80 as its closure can strand you. Road conditions are available on the internet at several sources including this one:

In the summer months the town is also easily accessible on a smaller road (US 287) that comes up from Fort Collins, Colorado. From Denver it makes for a shorter drive than I-25/I-80, but not noticeably faster.

By plane

Laramie is also accessible from Denver International Airport. From Denver, take Interstate 25 north to Cheyenne, where it intersects Interstate 80.

Sleep
University events are major draws relative to Laramie's modest population; expect limited availability and higher prices near the start of the academic year in late August and commencement in early May, as families of students descend on the town. Home football games, held on several Saturdays in the fall, can also fill hotels long in advance.

Go next

 * Cheyenne is less than an hour away from Laramie.
 * Denver is a 2½-hour drive south of Laramie.

title: Laramie


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Larchmont

Larchmont is a village in Westchester County in New York.

title: Larchmont


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Laredo

Laredo is a city with 262,000 (2019) inhabitants on the South Texas Plains. Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, is just across the Rio Grande.

Understand
The twin cities of Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, founded in 1775, are situated on the banks of the Rio Grande. Laredo has been governed under seven national flags. Nuevo Laredo has a burgeoning population of 374,000 (2010). The twin cities are collectively referred to as Los Dos Laredos. The weather is moderate in winter months around 68°F (20°C) but sizzling in mid-summer around 100°F (39°C).

This city is the commercial hub of the South Texas Plains, which is primarily an agricultural region. It offers entertainment, education, and cultural resources that fit well with its Hispanic heritage. Laredo is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.

Get in
Non-U.S. citizens are recommended to carry their immigration documents with them even if they do not plan on crossing the border into Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. There are check points on your way back from Laredo where you might be asked to show your immigration documents.

Non-U.S. citizens having a valid U.S. visa who decide to cross the border and enter Mexico should be prepared for a long wait at the CBP detention center/check post to get back into U.S., even with all the necessary documentation. It might not be a pleasant one, but can be minimized by crossing at off hours or by using alternative crossings, such as the Colombia bridge.

By car
Laredo is accessible by car via Interstate 35, and US Highways 59 and 83. I-35 is the U.S. portion of the Pan American Highway that stretches from Central America to Canada.

By bus
Bus travel to Laredo is convenient, as it's a major stop on several routes between the US and Mexico. Greyhound has daily services from Houston, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Brownsville and more, direct services are also available from Monterrey. More options for bus travel from Mexican cities can be found by crossing the border into Nuevo Laredo.

Get around
El Metro is the city's municipal bus service, offering scheduled routes as well as paratransit services. Laredo is quite spread out, so car rental is an attractive local transportation alternative.

See

Do
Wildlife game abound in south Texas, so Laredo is a popular destination for hunters and fishermen. Birders can spot the Great Kiskadee, White-tipped Dove, Green Jay, Scrub Jay, Red-billed Pigeon, Audubon's Oriole and possibly the White-Collared Seedeater in the region.

Buy
Mexican souvenirs and crafts are plentiful in local marts, especially the myriad importers along San Bernardo.

Eat
Southwestern and Mexican cuisine restaurants abound in Laredo. Also, beef is a popular item on any menu in this area.

Drink
The drinking age in Texas, as in the rest of the US, is 21, but the drinking age in the state of Tamaulipas, as in the rest of Mexico, is 18. Many Texan high school seniors and college students from San Antonio and Austin make their way to Nuevo Laredo to drink.

Stay safe
As in all other border towns, always be aware of your surroundings.

Go next
Day trips by car can take you to Zapata TX (less than 1 hour to the south) for hunting, fishing and nature observation/birding; and to Kingsville (less than two hours to the east) a ranching heritage town, and home of the King Ranch Museum. Cross over the bridge to Nuevo Laredo and visit nearby San Ygnacio, Camargo City, Ciudad Mier, Ciudad Miguel Aleman and Ciudad Diaz Ordaz for a taste of Mexican history, environment and lifestyles.

title: Laredo


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Laren

Laren is a village in the Gooi area of North Holland, the Netherlands.

Understand
The close-by Blaricum is the third wealthiest municipality of the Netherlands and Laren takes the fifth spot.

title: Laren


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Largo

There is more than one place called Largo:

United States of America

 * Largo (Florida) - A city in West Central Florida
 * Key Largo - A town in the Florida Keys
 * Largo (Maryland) - A city in Prince George's County, Maryland

title: Largo


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Largo (Florida)

Largo is a city in Pinellas County in the Tampa Bay Area.

By plane
The biggest airport in the nearby area is Tampa International Airport but some flights can land at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport which is just east of the city, along Roosevelt Boulevard.

By car
I-275 comes into the area from Tampa. Alternately, US 19 comes into the city from the north.

By bus
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority provides bus service from other cities in the area, including St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Tampa.

By car
The main thoroughfares are Ulmerton Road and East Bay Drive going east and west, with Clearwater-Largo Road/Ridge Road, Missouri Avenue/Seminole Boulevard, Keene Road/Starkey Road, and Belcher Road going north and south.

By bus
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority operates the buses for the whole of Pinellas County. Route map.

Do

 * Check out some of the parks throughout the city. They are very well maintained and a fun place to spend an afternoon.

Buy

 * Largo Mall on the corner of Ulmerton and Seminole Blvd. There are many shops there including Target, PetSmart, Staples, Bealls, Michaels, and Marshalls.

title: Largo (Florida)


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Largo (Maryland)

Largo is a community of 12,000 people (2020) in Prince George's County, Maryland. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C.

Understand
The main reasons to visit Largo are to go to FedEx Field (home of the NFL Washington Commanders) or Six Flags America.

History
Largo is believed to be named after a plantation that was named after Largo Bay, Scotland.

By Metrorail
The Silver and Blue lines of the Metrorail stop (and end) at the Downtown Largo station.

By car
From I-495 (Capital Beltway), take exit 17 A and merge on to Landover Rd/MD 202 then make a right at Lottsford Rd. then turn right at Arena Dr. last turn left at Capital Centre Blvd. and the Boulevard will be on your right.

By bus
Metrobus C21, 22, 26, 29 operate service around Largo, with continuing service to Bowie.

Eat
There are many chain restaurants in Largo including McDonald's, Chick-fil-a, Outback Steakhouse, TGI Friday's, and Panda Express.

Drink
The restaurants listed above also serve alcohol.

title: Largo (Maryland)


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Largs

Largs is a seaside resort on the Clyde coast of Ayrshire, with a population of 11,030 in 2020. It’s where Viking power in Scotland was broken, at the Battle of Largs in 1263, and the Vikingar Exhibition is the town’s main attraction. Largs is the ferry port for the short crossing to the Isle of Great Cumbrae, and a base for exploring Ayrshire.

Understand
The Battle of Largs was a small and indecisive affair, but it spelt the failure of a Norwegian sea expedition to re-assert their control in this region. They were beaten by storms more than Scots, in an era when climate change was sapping sea-borne power across the far north, and the Vikings disappeared from history to be replaced by Nordic nation states. Subsequently the Norwegians ceded Strathclyde, the Hebrides and the Isle of Man to Scotland, while retaining Orkney and Shetland. The Scots named the place An Leargaidh, “the slopes”.

Not much else happened in Largs for another 600 years, and then its fortunes rose as the city of Glasgow expanded, becoming a fashionable place for city merchants to have a country retreat. Lord Brisbane, governor of New South Wales, was born here in 1773, and the physicist Lord Kelvin lived here. In the 19th century Largs became part of the “Costa Clyde” or “Glasgow Riviera” — the string of small resorts such as Troon, Ayr, Girvan and Arran. It remains popular in summer with day-trippers from the city.

In 1944 King Haakon VII of Norway was in exile in Britain and was made the first honorary citizen of Largs, just to let bygones be bygones.

Get in
By train: Trains run hourly from Glasgow Central, taking one hour via Paisley, Kilbirnie, Kilwinning and Ardrossan. The last train leaves around 23:00; in 2022 an off-peak adult single is £9.30. Change at Kilwinning for trains from Ayr, via Prestwick, Troon and Irvine.

is central. There's a staffed ticket office and machines, toilets and a waiting room. There is step-free access to both platforms.

By bus: Direct buses run to Largs every half hour or so from Greenock (45 min), Ardrossan (30 min), Irvine (50 min) and Ayr (75 min). From central Glasgow (Buchanan station), the quickest route is usually to change at Greenock. There isn't a bus station in Largs, the buses make several stops in town including the railway station and ferry pier.

By boat: see Great Cumbrae for the short ferry crossing to the island, but you have to return the same way.

is 200 yards northwest of the railway station.

Get around
Largs is relatively small and easily explored on foot. Taxi operators are Largs Central (+44 1475 687119), Bond Cars (+44 1475 670 007, but there any similarity ends), Brisbane / Waterside Motors (+44 1475 689990) and Barrys (+44 7709 034761).

See

 * The promenade has grand views over the Firth of Clyde towards Arran, Cumbrae, Bute and Argyll.
 * remains closed in 2022.
 * Largs Old Kirk behind the museum was demolished in 1802 when the new parish church opened, but its grounds (open May-Sep daily 2-5PM, free) contain two notable 17th-century tombs. The Skelmorlie Aisle is the ornate tomb of Sir Robert Montgomerie and his wife Dame Margaret Douglas (killed young in a riding accident). The Montgomeries lived at Skelmorlie Castle, some miles north of town, nowadays a private mansion which can’t be visited. The Brisbane Aisle is the 17th-century free-standing burial vault of the Shaws of Kelsoland.
 * is a monument in the style of an Irish medieval round tower, built in 1912 to commemorate the Battle of Largs.
 * : how come Disney never thought of doing up his castle like this? Or Ludwig II at Neuschwanstein? It's a large house 2 miles south of Largs dating to 14th century but prettified into a chateau in 1700. The facade needed replacing in 2007 and its owner Lord Glasgow hired Brazilian graffiti artists who gave it a bold, jazzy makeover. Lips were pursed by heritage officialdom, but M'Lud won them over and the graffiti stays. The castle and grounds are open Apr-Oct, with tours daily mid-Jul to early Sep. The nearby Kel Burn is scenic, rushing down from the hills.
 * Glengarnock Castle: see Kilbirnie for this battered medieval stump over the hills to the east.
 * Glengarnock Castle: see Kilbirnie for this battered medieval stump over the hills to the east.

Do

 * What's on? Read Largs and Millport Weekly News.
 * Amusement Arcades (as if, hypothetically, it would ever be wet and miserable on Largs prom) can be found at The Arcade and at Cullis's Amusements, both by the ferry pier. The amusement area 200 yards north is outdoors.
 * Golf: Largs GC is south end of town. White tees 6150 yards, par 70, visitor round £50.
 * Routenburn GC is north, white tees 5604 yards, par 68.
 * Golf: Largs GC is south end of town. White tees 6150 yards, par 70, visitor round £50.
 * Routenburn GC is north, white tees 5604 yards, par 68.

 * Greeto Bridge is reached by a 2-mile hike along the north slope of the Gogo Burn. Pick up the trail by following Gateside St then Flatt Rd east from town.
 * Prophet's Grave is a bosky stroll starting two miles northeast off the lane up Noddsdale. William Smith was Largs church minister when plague struck in 1647, and many townsfolk fled to camp out in Noddsdale. He preached but never prophesied, so his own death from plague and posthumous reputation as a prophet were things he didn't see coming.
 * Paddle Steamer Waverley calls at Largs in summer for sailings round the Firth of Clyde.
 * Largs Live is a music festival held on the last weekend in June.
 * Viking Festival is first week in September. A Viking village pops-up on the promenade, plus a fairground.
 * Scottish International Airshow is held in September at nearby Prestwick Airport.

Buy

 * The main store is Morrisons next to the railway station, open M-Sa 7AM-1PM, Su 8AM-7PM.

Eat

 * It's a beach resort, so there's lots of ice cream, fish & chips and other cheap eats, which the gulls will try to snatch off you.
 * Nardini at the Moorings is their branch cafe at the ferry pier, open daily 08:30-17:00.
 * The Catch at Fins is a seafood restaurant in Fairlie five miles south, see West Kilbride listing.
 * The Catch at Fins is a seafood restaurant in Fairlie five miles south, see West Kilbride listing.
 * The Catch at Fins is a seafood restaurant in Fairlie five miles south, see West Kilbride listing.

Drink

 * Drouthy Neebors (formerly McCabes) is a Belhaven pub next to the railway station, open M-Th 11AM-midnight and F-Su 11AM-1AM.
 * Ye Olde Anchor Inn is a friendly traditional pub with an open fire, just north of the ferry pier, open daily 11AM-1AM.
 * The Paddle Steamer is a JD Wetherspoon next to the pier, open Su-W 8AM-midnight, Th-Sat 8AM-1AM.

Sleep
Largs is a popular tourist destination and has many hotels and B&Bs throughout the town. The bigger and more expensive hotels can be found on the beach front. In the summer Largs can be rather busy and pre-booking hotels is recommended however there are many Bed and Breakfasts which offer rooms at an affordable price on a non-booking basis.

Stay safe
Town centre is generally safe and well policed, but late evening there's a few aggressive drunks, and neds (hooligans) who only come into town to pick fights.

Connect
Largs has 4G from all UK carriers, but coverage is variable on its approach roads. As of July 2022, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Take the ferry to Great Cumbrae. The island is easily cyclable, and buses meet the ferry and run to Millport.
 * Little Cumbrae is a private yoga retreat, with a boat service from Largs for those booked on courses.
 * The Isle of Bute is reached by ferry from Wemyss Bay. It can be day-tripped, but it’s worth a longer stay. Bute is also a stepping stone to Cowal and the Kintyre peninsula.
 * Ayr is the best base for the Burns Heritage Museum at Alloway, and further south is Culzean Castle.
 * The Isle of Arran deserves a few days to explore. Frequent ferries sail from Ardrossan.

title: Largs


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Lari

Lari is a village of over 1,000 people in the heart of the province of Pisa. on top of a hill it is famous for its Vicari's Castle and for the Cherries Fair. It is also called the Cherries town.

Understand
The village of Lari is composed of the ancient part of the castle, in a dominant position on a hill, and of a modern part developed around it towards the slopes of the hill.

Get in
It is 60 km (37 mi) southwest of Florence, and about 25 km (16 mi) southeast of Pisa.

title: Lari


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La Rinconada

La Rinconada is a small city in Altiplano, Peru. It is known for being the highest permanent city of the world at a height of. La Rinconada has about 50,000 inhabitants, an increase of over 200% since 2000. It is located near a gold mine and most of the locals work at the mine.

Get in
From Puno it's a six-hour bus ride on unpaved roads to La Rinconada.

Get around
Walking is the only way of getting around within the town. Roads are not paved and are generally very muddy, so make sure you have proper boots.

Stay safe
The town suffers from mercury and cyanide poisoning due to the mining activities and there is no sewerage system.

title: La Rinconada


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La Rioja

There is more than one place called La Rioja:

Argentina

 * La Rioja (city, Argentina) — The capital city of La Rioja Province.
 * La Rioja (province, Argentina) — A province in the Andean Northwest.

Spain

 * La Rioja (Spain) — An autonomous community and province in Northern Spain.

title: La Rioja


text:
La Rioja (city, Argentina)

La Rioja is a city in the La Rioja province in the Andean Northwest region of Argentina

Get in

La Rioja is also conveniently connected by road to San Juan and Mendoza (south west) and Córdoba (south east).

Car rentals and bus services can be booked online or at locations throughout the country.

Get around
There is a tourist information at Plaza principal 25 de Mayo, with information about sleeping, eating and what to do.

title: La Rioja (city, Argentina)


text:
La Rioja (Spain)

La Rioja is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordered by Basque Country, Navarre, Aragon and Castile and Leon. The region is popular because of its food and well known internationally thanks to the Rioja wine.

Cities

 * — The capital and hub of the region.
 * — Small picturesque medieval town that hosts the Vivanco Museum of Wine Culture.
 * — The Paleontological Centre it's a good start to follow the dinosaur footprints spread across the southern part of La Rioja.
 * — Small scenic town home of the 2-Michelin starred restaurant El Portal del Echaurren and the ski area Valdezcaray.
 * — Wine town that celebrates the Battle of the Wine every year on June 29.
 * — The Yuso and Suso Monasteries were declared World Heritage Site in 1997, as the birthplace of the modern written and spoken Spanish language.

Other destinations
Obarenes-Sierra de Cantabria Natural Park outside Haro. Sierra Cebollera The Parque Natural Sierra Cebollera. Parts of the Camino de Santiago pass through the area and the scenery is spectacular.

Understand
The area was once occupied by pre-Roman Berones, Pellendones and Vascones. After partial recapture from the Muslims in the early 10th century, the region became part of the Kingdom of Pamplona. It was later incorporated into Castile after a century and a half of disputes. From the 18th century the Rioja region remained divided between the provinces of Burgos and Soria, until in 1833 the province of Logroño was created. The name of the province was changed to La Rioja in 1980 as a prelude to its constitution under a single provincial autonomous community in 1982. The name "Rioja" (from Río Oja) is first attested in 1099.

The region is well known for its wines, an integral part of Rioja's culture, listed under the brand Denominación de Origen Calizadas Rioja, the most highly regarded category in Spanish wine regulations.

Get in

 * Logroño–Agoncillo Airport
 * Rail journeys from Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Valladolid, Oviedo, Bilbao, La Coruña, Vigo are possible, since the Castejón-Miranda line crosses the region from east to west. The main railway station is that at Logroño.
 * Road communications between La Rioja and neighbouring regions are primarily through the AP-68. The Autovía A-12 connects Pamplona to Logroño

See

 * Cathedral of Santa María, Calahorra
 * Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Santo Domingo de la Calzada
 * Co-cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda, Logroño
 * Monastery of Nuestra Señora de Valvanera, Anguiano
 * Monastery of Santa María, Cañas
 * Monastery of Santa Maria la Real, Najera
 * Yuso and Suso Monasteries, San Millán de la Cogolla, World Heritage Site

 * Visit the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in La Rioja
 * Valles de JUbera, Leza, Cidacos y Alhama

Itineraries

 * The Spanish Language Route
 * Way of St. James

Do

 * El Barranco Perdido, Enciso. Palaeontological park with swimming pool and activities related to the dinosaurs.
 * Valdezcaray, Ezcaray. Ski resort with 22 kilometres of slopes and San Lorenzo as the highest peak with 2125 metres.

Rioja wine
Rioja wine is made from grapes grown in the La Rioja and Navarre, and the Basque province of Álava. About 90% of the cultivation is of red grapes, the remainder being white grapes. Rioja is subdivided into three zones: Rioja Alta, Rioja Oriental and Rioja Alavesa. Many wines have traditionally blended fruit from all three regions, though there is a slow growth in single-zone wines.

The traditional varieties authorized by the Regulating Council of the D.O.Ca. Rioja have been four red and three white:
 * Red varieties: Tempranillo, Garnacha tinta, Mazuelo (also known as Cariñena) and Graciano.
 * White varieties: Viura (also known as Macabeo), Malvasía and Garnacha blanca.

Since 2007, additional varieties have been permitted:
 * Indigenous red varieties: Maturana tinta, (also called Maturana parda or Maturano)
 * White varieties:
 * Autochthonous varieties: Maturana blanca, Tempranillo blanco and Turruntés or Torrontés (not the same as the varieties named Torrontés cultivated in other parts of Spain and the rest of the world).
 * Foreign varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc and Verdejo.

Depending on the time the wine remains in the barrel it is classified as:
 * Crianza:
 * Red wines are aged at least one year in oak barrels before bottling, and at least two years in total.
 * Whites and rosé wine are aged at least 6 months in oak barrels before bottling, and at least two years in total.
 * Reserva:
 * Red wines are aged at least one year in oak barrels before bottling, and at least three years in total.
 * Whites and rosés: the same as for Crianza.
 * Gran Reserva:
 * Red wines are aged at least two years in oak barrels before bottling, and a further three years in the bottle.
 * Whites and rosé wine are aged at least 6 months in oak barrels before bottling, and at least four years in total.

Go next

 * Vitoria-Gasteiz
 * Pamplona

title: La Rioja (Spain)


text:
Larissa

Larissa (Greek: Λάρισα), has a population of 162,591 people (2011). It is the 4th largest city in Greece, and is in Thessaly, between Athens (355 km) and Thessaloniki (150 km). A lively agricultural and university town, it is visited by few tourists. Nevertheless, its sights and energetic cafe and bar scene make it worth a stop.

History
Larissa is one of the oldest settlements in Greece with artifacts uncovered dating at least the Neolithic period (6000 BC). The name means "stronghold" in ancient Greek. It was also the head of the Thessalian League during the Hellenistic and Roman era. Today, it's a modern city and is Thessaly's capital.

By plane

There is a bus connecting the airport and Volos bus station. Buses are scheduled based on flights. The cost from the airport to Volos Bus station is €3. Then you need to get another bus or train from Volos to Larissa. The bus station in Volos is about 1 km from the train station.

The nearest airport offering year-round international service is in Thessaloniki about 2½ hours away.

By international bus
There are buses connecting Larissa with some eastern European cities. FPtravel (Serbia, Hungary).

By regional bus
Interurban coaches (("KTEL" buses) in Greek) are by far the most convenient way to travel around Greece, as well as for intra-regional travelling. There is frequent bus service between Athens Liossion Station and Larissa about 15 times a day (cost is about €30), as well as from Thessaloniki bus terminal "Macedonia" to Larissa about 10 times a day (about €13.5). KTEL buses have free Wi-Fi and coffee.

By train
TrainOSE connect Larissa to other cities in Greece including Athens, Thessaloniki, and Volos. Travelling with ordinary trains can be cheaper, although a little bit slower, whereas choosing a fancy faster Intercity train will cost the same amount of money, or even more than a KTEL bus.

By foot
The best way to get around the central district, since most of the streets in the commercial centre are pedestrianized. This area is small enough so that most locations are just a few minutes apart.

By bicycle
Larissa is a flat city thus bicycle in a nice way to explore it. The city centre has many pedestrian streets. There are also some streets with bicycle lanes: Papanastasiou st., part of Kyprou st.

By car
Parking in the central district can be a challenge, especially on-street parking. There are parking lots scattered throughout town.

By bus
There is an efficient public transport system going around the city (ticket price about €1), detailed info in the regional bus terminal (called "Astiko KTEL") or at its official website.

By taxi
Taxis in Larissa, as everywhere in Greece are comparably cheap. You should not pay more than €4 if you hail a cab (silver colour) on the road to take you anywhere in the city. Taxi meters have two rates - rate 1 applies from 05:00 till 24:00, and rate 2, the double rate, from midnight to 05:00. Taxi fare fraud is not widespread but it still happens, so make sure the rate is correct. If you feel you have been overcharged, ask for a receipt (they are obliged to give one) and take the plate number, then phone the tourist police to report the driver on 171. Expect to pay €1 or €2 extra if you take a taxi from the bus station or the train station, and a surcharge if you call for a taxi service on demand.

See

Cinemas
Films shown in original language with Greek subtitles. Cartoons are often translated to Greek.

Cycling
During the summer months you may have the chance to follow the weekly night ride. Bikers usually gather every Thursday night at the Central Square and form a large group that later rovers on a common route around the city.

Running
Various running events take place in the city during the year with the most notable ones being:

Many locals enjoy training by the river which offers paths almost 1.5 km long on each side.

Drink
Winter bars, pubs and clubs, usually close down during summer. Most of them have a different facility for the summer. Dancing in clubs is common only during a party.

Winter
Tsipouro is a very famous beverage in Greece, but most of the areas in Thessaly are famous for making some of the purest and strongest tsipouro in the country. It's really good in cold weather, because of its high concentration in alcohol. Tyrnavos is known for its local production which is known and sold as Tsipouro Tyrnavou.

Clubs:

It

Summer
Tsipouro, ouzo or wine, as in the rest of Greece, are good choices. There are many bars downtown, so the visitor is not expected to have any problem finding a place to enjoy a drink. Youths buy drinks and sit around the Frourio square during the summer nights while the restaurants and pubs in that area thrive with people this season. Another popular place is Neapoli square where a big number of pubs is to be found around the square.

Buy

There many shops downtown. Be aware that shopping hours vary by the day of the week. Monday-Saturday shops are open from around 09:00 to 14:00. Monday, Wednesday and Friday they reopen around 18:00 and stay open until 20:00-21:00. On Sundays about the only places open are cafes, restaurants, and kiosks.

Farmers market
The People's Market, locally known as "Laiki agora", is a weekly event in many Greek cities. Farmers sell their fresh products directly to the housekeepers for very affordable prices from morning to noon. Peoples Market instances in Larissa include:
 * Every Saturday in the Neapoli region on the street "Dimitri Karaoli"
 * Every Wednesday on the street "Kalitheas" next to Pinios river.

Eat
There are plenty of options for eating out in Larissa.

 * Taverns, (Ταβέρνα), are where mostly meat dishes are served.
 * Restaurants, (Εστιατόριο), Greek dishes can be found at most of them, however there are Italian and Chinese restaurants options as well.
 * Psistaries, (Ψησταριά), these are grill houses. These serve mostly meat, salads and french fries. The meat usually is ordered by weight, and the price is per kilo also. One portion is 330 g of grilled meat.
 * Fast Food, choices are local Souvlatzidika, (Οβελιστήριο or Σουβλατζίδικο) where souvlaki is served, and typical fast food chains such as Goody's, To-Eat, and Everest.

There is a large concentration of restaurants along Filellinon Street on the north side of the central district.

People in Greece usually eat late in the evening (21:00-24:00); during the day most taverns, psistaries and restaurants are closed. However, fast-food restaurants are open all day long.

Sleep
There are many hotels in Larissa. Most are in centre. Car parking could be hard to find in the centre of Larissa.

Budget
(1 and 2 stars)

Mid-range
(3 and 4 stars)

Nearby
Metaxochori

Stay safe
Dial 112 in case of emergency.

Go next
Nearby are the famous Meteora, the Mount Olympos National Park, and Tembi Valley. They can be reached by train, bus or car.

title: Larissa


text:
Larissa (prefecture)

Larissa is the biggest prefecture of Thessaly, Greece.

Cities

 * ; a city

Other destinations

 * Olympos National Park

By plane
Volos airport is about 30 km SW of Nea Anchialos. It operates only weekly charter flights during the summer, directly from Amsterdam and the UK. There are expansion projects of the airport underway, as well as a rail connection from Volos city to the airport, so as to be able to start some commercial routes as well.

By regional coach
Interurban coaches ("KTEL" buses) are by far the most convenient way to travel around Greece, as well as for intra-regional travelling. There is frequent bus service from Athens Liossion Station to Larisa about 15 times a day (cost is about €20), as well as from Thessaloniki bus terminal "Macedonia" to Larisa about 10 times a day (about €12).

By train
Trains (OSE) connect Larissa to other cities in Greece. Travelling with ordinary trains can be cheaper, although a little bit slower, whereas choosing a fancy faster Intercity train will cost the same amount of money, or even more than a KTEL bus.

title: Larissa (prefecture)


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Larnaca

Larnaca (Greek Λάρνακα Larnaka) is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus. With 85,000 residents in 2015, metropolitan Larnaca is the island's third largest city.

Understand
Larnaca has a reasonable claim to being the oldest city in Cyprus, with evidence of habitation up to 6,000 years ago. Major landmarks are the Church of St. Lazarus, and the Hala Sultan Tekke.

Modern Larnaca, like other Cypriot coastal towns, is divided into an older city centre and a wide sprawl of hotels and restaurants along the beach.

By plane
Shared taxis (dolmus) connect Larnaca to Nicosia and Limassol.

On foot
Larnaca is a thin ribbon of a town and you can walk around most of it. The seaside Larnaca Promenade (Phinikoudes) is particularly pleasant for a stroll in the evening.

By bus
Bus fares (daytime) cost €2.40 cash or €1.80 with a pre-paid card (April 2024). A card costs €5 and is valid for 10 years. It can be used for multiple passengers on the same journey.

The bus 425 goes from the airport to the town centre every 20 minutes during the day.

By taxi
By law, taxis should charge by the meter, but many cabbies will refuse to use it. Metered fares should be 65 cent; to get in plus 22 cent/km, night surcharges apply after midnight.

Do

 * Football: AEK Larnaca play soccer in the First Division, the top tier in Cyprus. Their home ground AEK Stadium (capacity 7400) is 2 km west of the city centre.
 * Anorthosis also play in the First Division. They were forced to relocate from Famagusta, now part of Turkish Cyprus, and play at Papadopoulos Stadium (capacity 10,200) 2 km north of the centre.

 * Diving: the main reason to dive in Larnaca is the wreck of the Zenobia, a ro-ro ferry that sank in 1980 on her maiden voyage only a few hundred metres from the harbour due to a fault in the ballast computer. Fully laded with trucks and their cargo, the ship now lies on its side at a depth of 42 m, with the top of the wreck at 18 m and thus easily accessible even to PADI Advanced Open Water divers. If your flight comes in right, you can even see the shadow of the wreck as you land at Larnaca airport.

Buy
The nearby village of Lefkara is famous for its lace and silverware, and Larnaca being the nearest large town to the village, sells both in plentiful supply.

Independent jewellers and watchmakers are abundant, particularly among and just off the main Ermes/Ermou Street.

Eat
The beaches of Larnaca are littered with identikit seafood restaurants catering to tourists. The easiest way to find a good place is to simply walk along until you find a restaurant packed not with tourists, but with Cypriots!

Budget
Eating in Larnaca can be quite expensive. However, if you're travelling on a budget, there are a few bargains to be had. Possibly the cheapest way is by grabbing a hotdog at the 'Enjoy kiosk' on, you guessed it, Phinikoudes Avenue. Hotdogs are just €1 and rather enjoyable.

All these are in the city centre:

Drink
In the city centre an area just off the main promenade called "Laiki Yeitonia" fulfils the need for most Bars and Small scale Nightclubs. is the most popular of these, along with Times.

Driving about 15–20 minutes away from the City Centre to the east in the direction of Ayia Napa is the Larnaca-Dhekelia Road. This is the main 'strip' for high quality hotels, nightclubs, bars, etc., and is where most British Tourists can be found.

Sleep
There are countless hotels and hotel apartments of varying degrees of luxury by the seaside.

Go next

 * Agia Triada
 * Ayia Napa
 * Cape Greco
 * Kapparis
 * Lefkara, a small, beautiful town, 30 km away.
 * Protaras
 * Paralimni

title: Larnaca


text:
Larnaca district

Larnaca district is a region in Cyprus.

Cities

 * — the administrative capital
 * — an agricultural village south of Larnaca town, with an abundance of olive groves to be found in the surrounding area
 * Vavla - a small village located on the eastern foothills of the Troodos Mountains
 * — an agricultural village south of Larnaca town, with an abundance of olive groves to be found in the surrounding area
 * Vavla - a small village located on the eastern foothills of the Troodos Mountains
 * Vavla - a small village located on the eastern foothills of the Troodos Mountains
 * Vavla - a small village located on the eastern foothills of the Troodos Mountains

Other destinations
Larnaca is one of the oldest cities in the world, with many historical sightseeing and an amazing sea. A favoured destination for visitors from all over the world. Has the International airport of Cyprus. Larnaca's characteristic is the palm-lined harbour promenade and the cafes that overlook the amazing ocean. The city was once called Kition and the ruins of the ancient city can still be seen. Much of its rich archaeological heritage has been preserved and is showcased in two of its main museums.

See

 * St. Lazaros Church
 * Medieval Castle
 * Finikoudes Area
 * The archaeological site of Choirokoitia, a UNESCO World Heritage site

Buy
One of the things that Cyprus is famous for is jewellery.

title: Larnaca district


text:
Larne

Larne is a port in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The main reason to come is for the ferry link from Scotland, but the town is close to the Antrim Glens. However there's a surprising collection of sights right on the doorstep of town. Just south is Islandmagee, where The Gobbins is Ulster's answer to the Italian via ferrata. All around are glens where streams roar out of the Antrim hills over waterfalls and cascades. The best known are to the north, the nine Antrim Glens; those closest are described on this page. Take the time to explore them and don't just hurry down the well-worn track to Giant's Causeway.

Understand
Latharna means "the descendants of Lathar", a pre-Christian dynasty who may have been real or just legend. Flints found in this area date to 6000 BC, the Middle Stone Age, among the earliest traces of human settlement in Ireland. Later came Celts, Vikings, Normans, Tudors - and absolutely none of this can be seen in the grubby industrial town that Larne has become. Until the 19th century it was one of many small ports lining Belfast Lough. Then the Victorians, especially James Chaine, built up the port facilities and trade links to Scotland which remain its chief livelihood. Larne, which in 2011 had a population of 18,755, is for most visitors just the drab place you encounter off the ferry and leave behind as smartly as possible. Since 2015 Larne has been part of Mid and East Antrim Council area.

The visitor information point is at 96b Main Street. It's open M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 11AM-3PM.

Get in
P & O Ferries sail from Cairnryan near Stranraer in Scotland, taking two hours to Larne. There are 6 sailings a day, a car with two adults might be £350 return.

Trains run every two hours from Belfast Great Victoria St and other city stations via Carrickfergus to Larne, taking an hour. They come first into south of the centre, then continue to.

Goldline Bus 256 runs every two hours from Belfast Europa Station and Bridge St, taking an hour to Larne.

Ulsterbus 130 runs three times M-Sa from Ballymena, taking 45 min to Larne.

Larne is south side of town by the A8 junction. By car the direct route from Belfast is M2 onto A8. The coastal route is A2 through Carrickfergus.

Get around
Bus 162 runs north along the coast to Ballygalley, Glenarm and Carnlough, with five M-Sa.

Bus 170b runs twice M-Sa south along the lough shore to Glynn, Glenoe (for waterfall), Duff's Corner and Ballycarry - the turnoff from main road is a mile west of The Gobbins.

The trains to Belfast stop at Glynn, Magheramorne, Ballycarry (for The Gobbins), Whitehead and three stations in Carrickfergus.

The ferry across Larne harbour to Ballylumford on Islandmagee has been suspended since 2013 as the pier there has collapsed, so it's a bit of a drive round the lough to reach the peninsula. Refurbishment was supposed to start in 2020 but nothing's happened.

In town

 * , 28 m tall, is a replica of an Irish Round Tower, a slim stone pencil with a conical top. It was completed in 1888 as a memorial to James Chaine (1841-1885), the shipping entrepreneur who established the modern port of Larne, and fostered its railway connections and trade link with Scotland. He was MP from 1874 until his early death. The Tower informally served as a day-mark, and in 1899 it was adopted as a lighthouse and fitted with a light, to help shipping steer clear of Hunter's Rock. (Five miles out in Belfast Lough, this rock is 4 m clear at low tide but submerged at high tide; it's marked with a buoy, but in 1878 the State of Louisiana was wrecked when the buoy became dislodged. The wreck is now a popular dive site, in 15-25 m depth.) Chaine himself was buried (and later joined by his family) in a fenced mound at the north end of the town park: the mound is so he could be buried upright facing the sea.
 * is just one wall of a tower-house built in 1612. There are no signs that it was a dwelling place, so it may have been simply a fortified warehouse and watchtower.
 * Linn Falls along Killyglen Rd are on private land and inaccessible in 2021. Killyglen Fort is just a double mound seen from Ballymullock Rd.
 * Linn Falls along Killyglen Rd are on private land and inaccessible in 2021. Killyglen Fort is just a double mound seen from Ballymullock Rd.
 * Linn Falls along Killyglen Rd are on private land and inaccessible in 2021. Killyglen Fort is just a double mound seen from Ballymullock Rd.

Further south

 * (pictured at head of this page) are in a deep wooded gorge. The land is owned by the National Trust: it's free to stroll but you pay for the car park. The village itself is picturesque.
 * in Ballycarry village is a ruined medieval church. Its graveyard holds many of the first Scots Ulster plantation settlers.
 * is a village at the entrance to Belfast Lough that developed as a seaside resort in the 1890s. Not much has happened here since so it retains its period atmosphere, and it's an access point for The Gobbins and Islandmagee. Whitehead or Chichester Castle is a turret from 1603 by the railway station. Old Castle Road is closed to traffic and you walk along it to Blackhead Lighthouse.
 * is the peninsula enclosing Larne Lough; the south end of the lough is a wetland Ramsar site. The islet of Portmuck off its east coast is also a nature reserve. In medieval times the peninsula was the petty kingdom of Semne within the Ulster kingdom of Uliad, from which derives the surname McNulty.
 * alas is what you can't help seeing at the tip of Islandmagee, as a power station looms over the entrance to Larne Lough. Since 1996 the station has been fired by natural gas, which is also piped to Belfast, and the site is the west end of a power cable to Ayrshire which enables electricity to be traded between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic. No tours. On B90 just south of the power station, Ballylumford Dolmen is probably a grave chamber from 2000 BC, but it's next to a modern bungalow and looks like a misguided garden ornament.
 * alas is what you can't help seeing at the tip of Islandmagee, as a power station looms over the entrance to Larne Lough. Since 1996 the station has been fired by natural gas, which is also piped to Belfast, and the site is the west end of a power cable to Ayrshire which enables electricity to be traded between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic. No tours. On B90 just south of the power station, Ballylumford Dolmen is probably a grave chamber from 2000 BC, but it's next to a modern bungalow and looks like a misguided garden ornament.

Further north

 * Ballygally is the first village north of Larne: the castle is now a hotel, see Sleep. It has a sandy beach with a "polar bear" (a prominent white rock) but its most scenic feature is the headland just south, a volcanic plug, which aeons of geological processes have sculpted into a golf course. The similar plug seen further north is Scawt Hill. Along the lane two miles west of the village, Linford Barrows are a puzzling set of structures: earthworks of unknown age and antiquity. They don't appear defensive, while Knockdhu just south was obviously a hill fort.
 * is the village at the start of the nine Glens of Antrim. An elaborate Barbican is the entrance to Glenarm Castle, built from 1636, with an attractive walled garden. It's open mid-Mar to Sep daily 10AM-4PM, adult £6, child £3. Further up the valley is Glenarm Forest Park. A mile southeast of the village, the Madman's Window is a natural window onto the sea created by a heap of glacial boulders.
 * village stretches along a sandy beach at the foot of Glencloy, the second glen. The railway bridges were for a tramway from quarries to harbour. The Londonderry Arms Hotel was established in 1848 by the great-grandmother of Winston Churchill. Cranny Falls are reached half a mile up a lane helpfully called Waterfall Rd.
 * Glencloy carries the main road A42, but it's paralleled by the quiet narrow Slane Road, a better option for scenery.
 * See Cushendall for the glens further north, and the coast route to Ballycastle, Carrick-a-Rede Bridge and Giant's Causeway.

Do

 * Watch soccer at Larne FC, who play in the NIFL (Danske Bank) Premiership, the top tier in Northern Ireland. Their home ground is Inver Park, capacity 2500, along the main road half a mile from the harbour.
 * Dalriada Festival is in July. The next is at Glenarm Castle on 17-18 July 2021.

Buy

 * Asda by the harbour is open M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 1-6PM.

Eat

 * There's a cluster of cheap eateries along Main St, with another group by the harbour.
 * There's a cluster of cheap eateries along Main St, with another group by the harbour.

Drink

 * In town centre are La Bodega and Chekkers Winebar.

Connect
As of July 2021, Larne and its approach roads have 4G from all UK carriers, but 5G has not reached this area.

There is no land-based mobile service on the ferries. Switch off in case your phone latches onto the ferry company Wifi; they will be delighted to connect you at international rates.

Go next

 * Carrickfergus has a fine Norman castle, the best preserved in Ireland.
 * Cushendall is the route to the northern Antrim Glens, Ballycastle, Carrick-a-Rede and Giant's Causeway.
 * Belfast is a fascinating city that needs several days to explore

title: Larne


text:
La Rochelle

La Rochelle is a city in Charente-Maritime on the Atlantic coast of France. It has a charming old town and harbour, and is often called "la ville blanche" (the white city) for its limestone buildings: they're handsome in any weather, but brilliant when the sun shines down from a big blue Atlantic sky. In 2020 La Rochelle had a population of 77,210.

Île de Ré is a resort island 30 km long, linked to La Rochelle by a toll bridge, and also described on this page. Other islands in the bay, reached by boat trips, are Île d'Aix, Île d'Oleron (usually accessed via Rochefort), and the one you've seen on TV, Fort Boyard.

Understand
The Romans built villas, harvested salt from the lagoons, and introduced wine production, but La Rochelle - "the little rock" - only becomes identifiable from the 10th century. It was boosted as a port, like Bordeaux to the south, by the dynastic marriage in 1152 of Eleanor of Aquitane with the future Henry II of England. So it didn't just trade with England, it was an English possession, until the French state expanded in the 14th century. From the 17th century La Rochelle was the base for Atlantic shipping, with fishing off the banks of Newfoundland, Francophone colonies in the Americas, and troop movements as wars between England and France were fought abroad. It became France's leading port but modern shipping outgrew the little harbour, small enough to pull a chain across against marauders. Deep-water facilities moved west to La Pallice, while other development was at Les Minimes, a tract of reclaimed land just south. The historic port and town centre were therefore preserved, and today are the highlight of La Rochelle.

The is at 2 Quai Georges Simenon 500 m northwest of the railway station, open W-F 10:00-13:00, 14:00-18:00, Sa-Tu 09:30-18:30.

By plane
Bus 7 runs downtown (Place de Verdun) M-Sa every 30 min, taking 15 min, fare €1.30. In July and August a bus runs from the airport directly to Île de Ré, at other times you'll have to backtrack via downtown. Taxis wait outside the terminal building, with the fare to town about €20.

By train
TGVs run from Paris Montparnasse every couple of hours, taking 3 hours via Poitiers and Niort. Five or six trains a day run from Bordeaux (2 hr 30 min via Saintes and Rochefort), and from Nantes (3 hr).

the railway station is 500 m south of old town centre, near the aquarium and Maritime Museum. It has a grand facade but is poky inside. Cars can be rented from agencies opposite the station.

By bus
Flixbus runs once a day from Paris Bercy Seine, 7 hr. They also run from Nantes (2 hr) and Toulouse (6 hr). Daily buses run from Bilbao and Madrid, and one comes all the way from Algeciras (for ferries from Morocco), taking 24 hours via Malaga, Granada, Jaen, Madrid, Burgos, Vitoria-Gasteiz, San Sebastian, Irun, Bayonne and Bordeaux.

The bus to Île de Ré is run in conjunction with SNCF, so it's through-ticketed, displayed on rail departure boards, and timed to connect with the Paris trains.

Jean Moulin bus station is south flank of the railway station on Rue des Jars, reached by footbridge. It's just an open-air parking lot with flimsy bus shelters, no facilities or departure displays or anything.

Some long-distance and most local services stop at Place de Verdun, by the cathedral in the old town.

By road
From Paris take the A10 onto N11 for La Rochelle. From Bordeaux take A10 then exit onto A837 then D137.

Île de Ré toll bridge in 2023 charges €16 return per car in high season (mid-June to mid-Sept) and €8 the rest of the year. The bridge is free for pedestrians, cyclists and motorbikes under 50 cc.

By boat
Cruise liners occasionally call at La Rochelle, docking at the far end of Viaduc Président Christian Morch, 10 km west of town near the bridge to Île de Ré. Typically these are on week-long cruises of the Bay of Biscay and Channel Islands, with passengers coming ashore for a day-trip to the Dordogne and quick look at the old town. They're not available to book as point-to-point ferries.

Get around
Walking is your best choice around the old town and harbour.

Yélo is the public transport combine - it's a pun on "yellow" and "vélo". A single bus ticket can be bought by bank card on the bus: in 2024 it costs €1.50 and is valid for one transfer within one hour. A 10-unit ticket costs €12, a 24-hour pass is €5, a 7-day pass is €22. Buy these from Yélo kiosks, for instance in Place de Verdun, which just about every bus line passes through. One exception is the Friday evening summer service to Île de Ré, which goes direct from the railway station.

The ferry from Vieux Port to Port des Minimes runs hourly, fare €3.

The bike rental service is also run by Yélo: you first need to register at their kiosk in Place de Verdun, with ID and credit card for a €150 deposit. Short-term rental is €1 for the first 30 min then €1.50 per 30 min - these rentals may not be taken to Île de Ré. Longer hires are also easily arranged. There are 112 pick-up and return stations across the city.

See

 * Vieux Port is the oldest and most picturesque part of La Rochelle, dominated by its defensive towers. The quayside extends 200 m upstream from the port, along Canal Maubec. Most buildings are centuries old and very well maintained. The narrow streets and pale stone buildings make the city feel more Midi than Atlantic.
 * is the Gothic great gate and clocktower connecting the quays to the network of old streets behind, which enclose the market hall, the Protestant church, and the New World Museum. Eventually Vieux Port opens onto Place de Verdun, with the Cathedral of St-Louis.
 * : If a party of enormous chess pieces came down to the seaside and got drunk, they would resemble these three 14th- / 15th-century towers. Tour de la Chaîne and Tour St Nicholas lean over the narrow harbour entrance: a stout chain was raised between them to keep out trouble (often English). A rampart stretches west to Tour de la Lanterne, the former lighthouse. You can visit the towers daily 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:15 to 17:30 (18:30 during daylight saving). Adult entry costs €9.50 per tower, or €13 for all three, child free.
 * Église Protestante is at 2 Rue Saint-Michel, a block back from the quay. It has a small exhibition on the local Huguenot community and holds services on Sunday at 10:30.
 * Hôtel de Ville is the ornate 14th century town hall, still in use. It suffered a fire in 2013 but has been restored. They no longer offer tours of the interior but you can look in at the impressive courtyard free.
 * Musée des Beaux-Arts just north of Musée du Nouveau Monde remains closed in 2023.
 * on Place de Verdun was built from 1742 and consecrated in 1748, but only completed in the 19th century when an earlier church and other buildings were cleared from the site. It's neo-classical, mostly plain but with paintings in the cupola. It also incorporates the 12th century bell tower of its predecessor.
 * Musée des Beaux-Arts just north of Musée du Nouveau Monde remains closed in 2023.
 * on Place de Verdun was built from 1742 and consecrated in 1748, but only completed in the 19th century when an earlier church and other buildings were cleared from the site. It's neo-classical, mostly plain but with paintings in the cupola. It also incorporates the 12th century bell tower of its predecessor.

Further out

 * is a gaunt unused dock to the west, with its submarine pens built in 1941. The modern industrial dock is further out.
 * Île de Ré resort island is accessed along Route D735 via a 2-km bridge, see above for tolls.
 * is the main settlement on the island. Its charming port was fortified from the 1720s by Vauban, and is a . Musée Ernest Cognacq depicts the islands's history.

Do

 * La Grande Roue is a 42-m ferris wheel next to the tourist office, running daily to 19:00, to 23:00 in July and August. (adult or child) gets you three spins, taking six minutes.
 * Grand Théâtre de la Coursive is at 4 Rue St Jean du Pérot a block back from the quay.
 * Cinema CGR have cinemas at 8 Cour des Dames in old town and Ave Henri Becquerel in Les Minimes. Their Olympia branch on Rue Chaudrier has closed.
 * Football - soccer - is only played at amateur level, by ES La Rochelle down in the minor leagues.
 * Port des Minimes is one of the biggest pleasure boat marinas in Europe: mostly yachts not motorboats.
 * Boat trips head out to Fort Boyard and Île-d'Aix, with over a dozen operators.
 * Plage des Minimes is the closest beach to town, a sandy expanse just south of the marina. There's better on Île de Ré.
 * Golf: Golf La Rochelle is 10 km north of town at Marsilly.
 * Film Festival is probably next held 28 June - 4 July 2024, tbc.
 * Francofollies is about French pop and rock. It's next held on 12-16 July 2023, on the parking lot south of the Towers.
 * TV Drama Festival has free screenings of shows not yet broadcast. The next is probably 12-17 Sept 2023, tbc.
 * La Rochelle Jazz Festival is next held 12-15 Oct 2023.
 * Marathon de La Rochelle is next run on Su 26 Nov 2023.
 * Marathon de La Rochelle is next run on Su 26 Nov 2023.

Buy

 * Vieux Marché is the main market, north side of old town on Rue Thiers. There's a large covered hall and open-air stalls, daily 06:00-13:30.
 * Monoprix is the main store in town centre, at 29 Rue Admyrauld, open daily 08:30-20:00.
 * Convenience stores are dotted around, such as Epicerie de la Gare in front of the station (daily 09:00-02:00).
 * Big supermarkets are further out, for instance Intermarché Super and Lidl on the retail park 3 km east.

Eat

 * Local specialties: seafood of course. Try the mussels "Charantais" in a creamy white wine and onion sauce. Also try a waffle with "caramel au beurre sale" (salty butter caramel), a crepe/galette de sarasin, broye du poitou (a butter cookie) and some "gache" (a type of brioche). For dessert, tourteau fromager is a baked cheese cake with a burned layer on top; canneles are small cylindrical pastries.

Mid-range

 * Café de la Paix has indifferent food and surly service, but you come for the decor and because Simenon wrote Maigret novels here. It's at 54 Rue Chaudrier 100 m north of the cathedral, open M-Sa 07:00-22:00.
 * Comptoir des Voyages is an excellent little Italian at 22 Rue St Jean du Pérot, 50 m back from Tour de la Chaîne, open daily 10:00-13:00, 14:15-17:30.
 * Île de Ré: Bistrot du Marin is on Quai Nicolas Baudin on Saint-Martin harbour island, open F-Tu. Lots of seafood restaurants line the other quays.
 * La Martiniere is an ice-cream cafe on Quai Poitheviniere, open daily.
 * Île de Ré: Bistrot du Marin is on Quai Nicolas Baudin on Saint-Martin harbour island, open F-Tu. Lots of seafood restaurants line the other quays.
 * La Martiniere is an ice-cream cafe on Quai Poitheviniere, open daily.
 * Île de Ré: Bistrot du Marin is on Quai Nicolas Baudin on Saint-Martin harbour island, open F-Tu. Lots of seafood restaurants line the other quays.
 * La Martiniere is an ice-cream cafe on Quai Poitheviniere, open daily.

Splurge

 * La Yole de Chris, also within Oxford Club, is a more affordable branch of Christopher Coutanceau.
 * La Yole de Chris, also within Oxford Club, is a more affordable branch of Christopher Coutanceau.
 * La Yole de Chris, also within Oxford Club, is a more affordable branch of Christopher Coutanceau.
 * La Yole de Chris, also within Oxford Club, is a more affordable branch of Christopher Coutanceau.

Drink

 * La Guignette is along the street from General Humbert at 8 Rue Saint-Nicholas. It's a grungy wine bar in a former garage open M-Sa 11:00-01:00, 17:00-21:00, where you sit at barrel tables. The specialty is wine with fruit juice or syrup, which can get you wasted before you realise it.
 * La Calhute is on Rue de la Fourche, off Rue Saint-Nicholas, and it too serves wine with fruit mixtures. It's open M Tu 14:00-02:00, W-Sa 12:00-02:00, Su 14:00-23:00.
 * La Guignette is along the street from General Humbert at 8 Rue Saint-Nicholas. It's a grungy wine bar in a former garage open M-Sa 11:00-01:00, 17:00-21:00, where you sit at barrel tables. The specialty is wine with fruit juice or syrup, which can get you wasted before you realise it.
 * La Calhute is on Rue de la Fourche, off Rue Saint-Nicholas, and it too serves wine with fruit mixtures. It's open M Tu 14:00-02:00, W-Sa 12:00-02:00, Su 14:00-23:00.

Sleep

 * Hôtel François 1er is a charming but tiny place at 15 Rue Bazoges, 100 m east of the cathedral.
 * Hôtel Henri IV is a simple place at 31 Rue des Gentilshommes, a block back from Quai Duperré.
 * Île de Ré also has hotels, such as Hôtel La Jetée by Saint-Martin harbour. The campsite is south end of town at Rue de Rempart - camping on the island is only permitted at designated sites.
 * Hôtel François 1er is a charming but tiny place at 15 Rue Bazoges, 100 m east of the cathedral.
 * Hôtel Henri IV is a simple place at 31 Rue des Gentilshommes, a block back from Quai Duperré.
 * Île de Ré also has hotels, such as Hôtel La Jetée by Saint-Martin harbour. The campsite is south end of town at Rue de Rempart - camping on the island is only permitted at designated sites.
 * Île de Ré also has hotels, such as Hôtel La Jetée by Saint-Martin harbour. The campsite is south end of town at Rue de Rempart - camping on the island is only permitted at designated sites.
 * Île de Ré also has hotels, such as Hôtel La Jetée by Saint-Martin harbour. The campsite is south end of town at Rue de Rempart - camping on the island is only permitted at designated sites.
 * Île de Ré also has hotels, such as Hôtel La Jetée by Saint-Martin harbour. The campsite is south end of town at Rue de Rempart - camping on the island is only permitted at designated sites.
 * Île de Ré also has hotels, such as Hôtel La Jetée by Saint-Martin harbour. The campsite is south end of town at Rue de Rempart - camping on the island is only permitted at designated sites.
 * Île de Ré also has hotels, such as Hôtel La Jetée by Saint-Martin harbour. The campsite is south end of town at Rue de Rempart - camping on the island is only permitted at designated sites.
 * Île de Ré also has hotels, such as Hôtel La Jetée by Saint-Martin harbour. The campsite is south end of town at Rue de Rempart - camping on the island is only permitted at designated sites.
 * Île de Ré also has hotels, such as Hôtel La Jetée by Saint-Martin harbour. The campsite is south end of town at Rue de Rempart - camping on the island is only permitted at designated sites.

Connect
As of June 2023 La Rochelle, its approach roads and Île de Ré have 5G from all French carriers.

Go next

 * Cognac: Best use public transport to reach it, or sort out in advance who'll be driving back.
 * Nantes is the port that outgrew La Rochelle, and has an interesting old town centre.
 * Royan is a seaside resort.
 * Bordeaux is best known for its wine; it's equally worth visiting for its grand neoclassical centre.

title: La Rochelle


text:
La Romana

La Romana is a city at the southeast end of the Dominican Republic. The area along the coast is mostly taken up with various resorts, most notably Casa De Campo Resort. Cruise ships also port here.

Get in

Other alternatives are:
 * Punta Cana Intl Airport
 * Las Americas International Airport, Santo Domingo

Get around
A very popular way of getting around the town is through riding motor bikes as well as gua guas. Gua Guas is another name for buses. The motor bikes are easily accessible due to the fact that the people who ride them are always out like taxis. The catch here is that the bikers will demand a high price at first for the distances you are going. Different people ask different prices. You have to be smart and not always accept the first price these people give you. Bargain with them and try to make the prices go lower. Chances are that they wouldn't want you to go to someone else. Be patient and you will pay the price that is appropriate for the distance you are going. Another thing, when you come upon a bike, make sure to eye the rider. Sometimes these people aren't experienced enough to drive around especially when they drive up to four people at a time. There is no such thing as accident insurance when riding these bikes. If you are involved in an accident, it's on you to pay for hospital bills or whatever bills you would have to pay for. It's pretty much riding at your own risk. Remember these riders are locals trying to make extra cash by giving people rides. The railroad system is pretty much out the question. They are mostly used to carry goods across the Dominican Republic. The buses are the cheapest way to go! Moto conchos aka bikes prices depend on the person and are less safe. Depending on your taste and needs, make sure you are ready to take one of these rides.

See
A must see is. This "village" was done replicating the 15th century colonial architectural style. Has many restaurants, a museum with Taino artifacts, breath-taking view of the Chavon River. This is a charming replica of the Italian village that was built by a man as a gift for his daughter. Also, artists ranging from Sinatra to Cocoband have performed at its large amphitheatre. Traveling to a place like La Romana should not be something of a gut wrencher. Depending on where you're staying will make your experience that much easier and more entertaining. Staying at one of the larger resorts would give you the benefit of already having everything you need, from food, to games, to activities. This does not include however other activities outside the resort. For those of you who are looking for places to stay, they have local hotels where the people are very friendly, and open to make friends. Compared to the resorts staying in local hotels is much cheaper. Yeah, hotels have food included and fun activities, but the prices are off the roof. Staying out local, gives you the opportunity of going grocery shopping at the street markets and the local supermarket.

The local cigar factory is also interesting to visit.

Do
La Romana has plenty to offer. On certain nights, resorts and locals host parties, activities, and games on the beaches. Everyone is welcome because they consider that having more people makes everything more fun. When you're done at the beach, head over into town and enjoy a night of festivities. The locals always have fun events going on depending the time of the year.

Big Sur is a very popular club, in the Bayahibe area that has merengue dancing and excellent food.

During the day, you can snorkel, dive, golf, swim or go to a spa.

Buy
The most you can possibly do is go down to the markets and buy cultural clothing and merchandise. Many people have and sell the same things so make sure to look around first before buying something, because maybe you can get a better deal. For those of you who have decided to stay in an eat yourself motel or hotel, the market is the way to go. Here they have a variety of foods in which one can chose from. From fruits, to vegetables, to drinks, and finally spices. You can enjoy a home cooked meal at a low price. As always make sure to bargain with the merchants in order to receive a lower cost on the foods. Aside from the food market you can hit up the craft shops, and sports shops. Many of these places offer food within the building so make sure to look around. The rest is up to you. When you know where you're staying research your area although most areas have similar shops and activities going.

Eat
Eating in a place like La Romana is quite easy and numerous in quantity. From the resort food, to the local restaurants and bars, to the markets, and finally the vendors walking around. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you know what you're eating in case of allergies. The resort food is your typical meals with a bit of a Dominican twist in some foods. If you want to be very adventurous, feel free to buy food off the street markets, because the food is homemade and absolutely delicious. Many restaurants take out main ingredients in some of the foods in order to keep regulations intact. This might not give you the full experience of what real Dominican foods taste like. However, this does not apply to all restaurants. Calamaris Fritos (fried calamari) is a very popular dish that many tourist enjoy when they visit La Romana. The food here ranges, so in order for you to find the right ones, make sure to do a bit of research to find the hotspots for certain types of foods.

Drink
The drinks here are as expected. You have your water, juice, soda, and finally beer. If you want to hardcore drink and have a good time with family and friends, there are many bars around the area which serve both beer and liquor. Also, a very popular way of drinking is of the streets. The vendors you see might have stands set up with different juices they have made from papaya, to a myriad number of different fruits. On the beach they have vendors walking by selling drinks, and as i mentioned in previous sections, make sure you don't accept their prices right away. Bargain with them to lower the costs. Remember, the vendors want money and will take just about anything that is not too low.

Stay safe
Driving in to La Romana from Punta Cana can be a long trip, having to take a bus through the dirt roads. If driving, there can be times of bad weather which make it that much more difficult and dangerous. The roads on the way to La Romana have giant potholes which could easily sink your vehicle. If raining, the roads are usually washed away and makes drivers turn back around or even get caught in the mist of it. Whatever you chose either way, be careful and definitely be prepared!

title: La Romana


text:
Larvik

Larvik is a city in Vestfold. Larvik is the southernmost larger city in Vestfold, with about 24,000 inhabitants (2016). Larvik city is the administrative centre of Larvik municipality, which is home to some other larger villages, including Stavern and Helgeroa, some of which are just minutes away with bus.

By car
From the E18 motorway: follow signs to Larvik.

By bus
Local buses and express buses are operated by Nettbuss.

By ferry

 * Hirtshals Colorline operates a super fast ferry on the line, which does the crossing in 3 hours 45 minutes. Tickets for an adult cost from €32 one way, while the price for a car starts at €46; departure times from Hirtshals were 12:45 and 22:15 (Nov 2021).

By plane
There are train connections from Larvik to the following airports:

By train
The Norwegian state railways (NSB) has departures from Oslo once every hour throughout the day, journey time from Oslo is 2 hours 6 minutes on most departures. There are also two daily trains ftom Stavanger, the western terminus of the southern railway line.

Get around
Buses are frequently roaming the city centre and to other villages along the seashore. Some buses also travel inland to places like Kvelde and Svarstad.

Do

 * Walk 'Bystien Larvik', a roundtrip through the urban and rocky areas of Larvik.
 * Walk 'Bystien Larvik', a roundtrip through the urban and rocky areas of Larvik.

Go next

 * Telemark
 * Drammen

title: Larvik


text:
Playa de las Américas

Playa de las Américas together with Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje is a city in the south of Tenerife. The different names are part of separate local government regions but are otherwise indistinguishable from each other. Playa de las Américas is roughly 2 km southeast of Costa Adeje and 2 km northwest of Los Cristianos.

Understand
The city was built for tourists and is mostly made up of hotels with plenty of beaches and restaurants. English is widely spoken here.

While Costa Adeje caters for more wealthy guests with its 5-star hotels, Playa de las Américas is more popular with young tourists.

By bus
There are buses to other resorts. The "bus station" for local connections is either or, each a 5–10-minute walk from the beach areas.

The main gateway to the region is Costa Adeje, which is just around the corner—see there for how to get here from the rest of the island. All buses from the east and northeast of Tenerife will also call at bus stop, from where it is about 1–1½ km on foot to Playa de las Américas.

By plane
Tenerife South (Reina Sofia) airport is the closest airport with a taxi fare costing around €23 to the centre of Playa de las Americas.

Get around
You can walk a few miles along the seafront to see most of the interesting points. As soon as you leave the beach road, the ground slopes upwards in most places.

A tourist train (Tren Turístico) serves Costa Adeje to Los Cristianos with several stops including in Playa de las Americas–see Costa Adeje for more information.

See
Little in the resort but lots of travel agents willing to book you on island and other tours, including to other islands, including La Gomera which you can see some distance away.

Beaches

Beaches are what many tourists come here for. Sunloungers are available at a few euro a day (or just buy a parasol and take a beach mat). The beaches are busy during all sunlit hours, although it is perfectly warm enough to swim in the evenings too. Black sand in Las Americas, better yellow sand beaches towards Los Cristianos.

Some end up having sex on the beach in the midnight hours. While the police probably will not bother you, local voyeurs may.

Do

 * Whale-watching – Boat trips are common, many guaranteeing whales and often with a swimming stop half way. Prices vary between €20 per person for short 2 hours trips to about €50-60 per person for 4-6 hours trips with included lunch.
 * Glass-bottom boat tours – See underwater wildlife.
 * Submarine trip – To 25 m below sea level (€60 per person)
 * Scuba diving – Each person is accompanied by professional diver when going underwater who handles all equipment. Cost of 2–3-hours trip with 20 minutes underwater is about €50 per person. Though, there can be many health conditions which may prevent you from enjoying it.
 * Golf – A few courses are available nearby.

Buy

 * Plenty of shops offer alcohol and tobacco at prices cheaper than elsewhere in Europe.
 * is a short car journey away if you want to buy expensive jewellery. Do not believe the publicity calling it an exhibition since there is little to see!
 * Sunday market in Los Cristianos and one on Thursday and Saturday in Costa Adeje. A fair number of shops shut on Sundays.

What not to buy
Lots of touristy shops selling cameras, video cameras, binoculars, etc. They are great salesmen and will make you think you are going to get a bargain from them but you will not. At best you will pay more than you would pay back home and at worst you will buy something totally worthless. Avoid them! The purchase of a timeshare is also something you could regret later.

Eat
Most of the restaurants offer the usual selection of burgers, chips, pizza, etc. There are also Chinese buffets, usually at €6.

Drink
There is plenty of nightlife in Los Cristianos.

Cocktail bars on the beach are an especially relaxing way to end a day, although at €9 a drink, quite expensive.

Sleep
Some hotels are a kilometre from town and might need a bus to get there. However with centrally placed accommodation, bars and discos can turn their sound systems full on to draw in customers which can make sleeping difficult. Such sounds can carry half a mile or more!

Stay safe
Built for slob tourists, Playa de las Américas' ethical status is already questionable during day time, however gets much worse during night time. There are reports of drugs being sold openly in night life areas after midnight, and prostitutes equally openly advertising their services. Brawls are no rare occurrences, usually resulting from clashes of drunk tourists.

Pick pocketing is rampant, and includes theft of belongings left unattended on beaches. The drinking can get pretty heavy in the evenings, so if you go out to hit the town, leave your wallet and your credit cards at the hotel and just take cash. Locals have told stories of pickpockets being so skillful that they can take the wallet out of your pocket, remove the cash and put the wallet back in your pocket without you even noticing! But they don't always put it back, so best leave it in the hotel. Stagger back to the hotel drunk by yourself and your wallet will vanish.

Go next

 * Costa Adeje – The town 2 km northwest. Adeje is further inland, with some historic buildings and few tourists.
 * El Teide volcano – Makes for a great day trip into the crater, or an exciting sunset hike in the afternoon
 * Los Gigantes – A great hub for hiking into Teno Rural Park, with much more quiet tourist life
 * Masca village – Overrun by tourists at any time during the year
 * La Gomera – Day ferry trips to the island are popular, but probably not worth the €80 return price. Also, La Gomera can barely keep up with the variety of landscape offered on Tenerife, including lush jungle in Anaga Rural Park.

title: Playa de las Américas


text:
Las Anod

Las Anod (Arabic: لاسعنود) is a town in Sool, SSC-Khatumo.

Understand
Since the turn of the millennium the city has changed hands numerous times, including by Puntland, Somaliland, Khatumo, SSC, Northland State and NSUM.

One of the largest cities of the Horn of Africa, Las Anod is home to about 400,000 people as of 2023. It is a region dominated by the Dhulbahantes, i.e. reer Darawiish.

See

 * Masjid Jama
 * Goolad
 * Hills of Hilble
 * Hills of Sayidka
 * Darayda
 * Durdurka

Do

 * Swimming

Drink
Fresh camel milk

Sleep
One of the many five-star hotels like Hamdi and Dhiif.

Stay safe
Madaremin Village Area

title: Las Anod


text:
Las Cruces

Las Cruces is a city in New Mexico. The name means "the crosses" in Spanish. It is the state's second largest city, with a population of over 111,000 (in 2020), and is the site of New Mexico State University.

By car
& Las Cruces is located at the junction of Interstate Highways 10 and 25 and is the southern terminus of the latter. The nearest airport with commercial air service is in El Paso, Texas, about away. Limited bus service is available between El Paso and Albuquerque with stops in Las Cruces.

By bus
The serves as the central bus station for:

The following have their own bus station or stop in other parts of the city:

Get around
Las Cruces has some degree of public transportation by the city bus line RoadRUNNER Transit. Service is limited to Monday through Saturday and ends by 7:30 in the evening. Buses can carry bicycles. Otherwise, just plan to drive, bike, or walk.

Buy
The best place to buy Native American art or other characteristic types of durable mementos is in the nearby town of Mesilla. If you want something to remember your visit by, one idea is food, specifically chile peppers, which are grown in abundance in the Mesilla Valley. The long strings of red chiles that you see hanging from porches, gables, etc., are called ristras and are available for purchase at many locations. These are largely for ornamental purposes, but edible chiles are also widely available, with spiciness levels ranging from mild to downright inedible (New Mexico State University has a substantial chile research program that grows peppers so hot that they function as bug repellents).

If in town in late summer or fall, make a pilgrimage to the outlying town of Hatch on I-25 to the north. Hatch is the center of the chile-growing business and has several shops with chile paraphernalia. Better, it hosts a "Chile Festival" in early September, usually around Labor Day, that's fun to visit as well as a great source of chiles. (Hatch is a tiny town with little or no lodging, so you'll want to stay in Las Cruces and make a day trip to the Festival.) If you're getting your chiles for cooking rather than ornamentation, and can get them home/in a freezer quickly, get them roasted while you're there; roasting is a key step in preparation for the table, and doing it in a Hatch roaster will save you all manner of peculiar odors resulting from doing the roasting at home.

For more pedestrian, day-to-day purchases, Las Cruces has all of the usual shopping associated with a town of 80,000. Mesilla Valley Mall is off I-25 just north of NMSU.

Eat

 * University Avenue, on the north side of NMSU, has the usual assortment of student-oriented eateries, with the usual properties for such places: lots of food, reasonable prices, less than haute cuisine. Some, by no means all, of the restaurants along University are:
 * University Avenue, on the north side of NMSU, has the usual assortment of student-oriented eateries, with the usual properties for such places: lots of food, reasonable prices, less than haute cuisine. Some, by no means all, of the restaurants along University are:

Drink
A fine place for a drink or nightlife is in Old Mesilla, to the southwest of Las Cruces:

Go next

 * El Paso is about away via I-10, and Juarez, Mexico slightly beyond.
 * White Sands National Park is less than an hour's drive from Las Cruces.
 * Ski Apache is about away.  Decent skiing just past the town of Ruidoso.
 * White Sands Missile Range is a short detour on the way to White Sands National Park and has a missile museum.
 * New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo is great for young space exploration enthusiasts - especially the shuttle flight simulator.
 * Cloudcroft is about away with breathtaking views and mountains.
 * If you're in the vicinity in the latter part of August, consider driving west on I-10 to the Great American Duck Race -- seriously -- in the small town of Deming.
 * Truth or Consequences, about north of Las Cruces and commonly called "T or C," has traveler-friendly hot springs.  The new Spaceport America -- again, seriously! -- will be constructed about  southeast of T or C, and should be easily accessible from Las Cruces.

title: Las Cruces


text:
La Serena

La Serena is a charming city of about 200,000 people (2012) in Northern Chile. Its historic center stands out with a beautiful and well-preserved neocolonial architecture characterized by its balconies, small squares and stone churches of several centuries old, its extensive beaches and for being one of the cities with the best quality of life in Chile.

Understand
The city is an important tourist site, especially during the summer, where people make it one of the most important vacation destinations in the country, mainly for its beaches, architecture, green areas and gastronomy. It is popularly recognized for the production of local papayas and their derivatives.

During the rest of the year, its activity focuses on being a place for university studies, as it is the headquarters of the University of La Serena and the headquarters of several private universities. In addition, it is the seat of the Archdiocese of La Serena, one of the five Catholic archdioceses of Chile and, on the other hand, it is the economic capital of the region.

By bus

Buses leave several times every hour from Santiago to La Serena. The trip takes 7–8 hr. Companies include Pullman Bus and TurBus (see for timetable and booking). Available are regular buses, semi-cama and the first class salon-cama. Prices vary greatly.

By car
From the north and the south, the main access route to the city is via route 5, which is a double-lane highway from the south and one-lane highway from the north.

By plane

Destinations:
 * Santiago – LAN flies 5 times daily Su–F and 4 times Saturdays to La Serena. Flight duration is 1 hr and fully flexible ticket cost US$168 one way, US$305 return; advance non-flexible return tickets through the website may be much cheaper than the flexible one way price. Sky Airline flies three times daily from Santiago.
 * Antofagasta – Daily flights with LAN. Sky Airline daily.
 * Copiapó – One flight on Saturdays
 * Calama – One flight on Saturdays

By bus
Buses leave several times every hour from La Serena to Valle del Elqui. The trip takes 1–2 hr. Ticket price: 2,000-3,000 pesos depending on where you go. They leave every hour from the bus station.

See

 * La Serena lighthouse (square).jpg
 * La Serena lighthouse (square).jpg
 * La Serena lighthouse (square).jpg
 * La Serena lighthouse (square).jpg
 * La Serena lighthouse (square).jpg

Do

 * Desert in bloom – If you are around in early spring, you might be lucky enough to see it. It happens in occasional years and is stunning.
 * Beaches – La Serena has some of the country's longest stretches of beach. You can take a whole day walking from one end to another.
 * Totoralillo Beach (Totoralillo Spa) – This beach is 25 km from La Serena, and it is visited by a large number of tourists. The most recommended activities to do are swimming, fishing, diving and surfing, in addition to visiting the large number of restaurants on site. You can enter the beach through route D-350.

 * Whale Watching – Take a tour to observe whales, dolphins, birds, penguins and other sea life.

Further afield

 * Observatory tours – The Elqui Valley outside La Serena has some of the best conditions for observing the sky, hence the many observatories, some open to the public doing tours from La Serena city at night. Tour prices including transport are about 15,000 pesos.
 * Observatory tours – The Elqui Valley outside La Serena has some of the best conditions for observing the sky, hence the many observatories, some open to the public doing tours from La Serena city at night. Tour prices including transport are about 15,000 pesos.

What

 * Papaya juice – Sold all over the city but especially at markets, the papaya is grown locally here.
 * Pisco – The national drink of Chile is brewed in the nearby Elqui Valley and is a must-try for every traveller, enjoyed either as a Pisco Sour (Pisco with limon juice, sugar, and egg-white) or Piscola (Pisco with Coke).
 * Handicraft – Nice handicraft markets are held every summer.

Eat
The densest cluster of restaurants and fast food joints is around the intersection of O`Higgins and Eduardo de la Barra.

Drink
Loads of bars near the intersection of O`Higgins and Eduardo de la Barra. At least a couple of them will be busy even on a Monday night thanks to the town's students.

Sleep
There are loads of options in the town. The area from the bus station throughout the center has at least one hostal on every block, and many fancier options, including package tour hotels along the beach.

Go next

 * Fray Jorge National Park – A few hours to the south.
 * Isla Damas – Swim, hiking, scuba diving, snorkeling. Penguins, sea lions, dolphins. Stay the night at Punta de Choros.

title: La Serena