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Lehighton

Lehighton is a borough in the Coal Region, near Jim Thorpe, Allentown and the Lehigh Valley, in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States of America.

Get in
The closest airport is Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown, which is roughly a 40-minute drive from Lehighton. (From the airport, take Airport Road north to SR 248 north, which ends at US 209 just outside Lehighton.)

Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia offers a wider variety of destinations. It is approximately 1½ hours south from Lehighton using I-476.

By car, it is easy to get to Lehighton from several major highways. Lehighton is approximately 3 miles (5 km) from Exit 74 of the PA Turnpike Northeast Extension (I-476). Travelers from New York or northern New Jersey can take I-80 west to exit 304 in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and then take 209 south approximately 30 miles to Lehighton.

Get around
Lehighton and the surrounding region have no significant means of public transportation. Taxi service is available but pick-ups must be arranged by telephone. A car rental service can be found in downtown Lehighton on North First Street, or at the Lehigh Valley International Airport.

Traffic is generally light on the residential streets in town and the rural roads outside of town. During rush hour on weekdays and many times on weekends traffic can be heavy on SR 443 between its eastern end at US 209 and the area of the Carbon Plaza Mall a few miles west. Traffic on US 209 on the Thomas McCall Bridge is often heavy also, especially Friday and Saturday nights, consider using Bridge Street through Weissport as an alternative.

See

 * The Lehigh River Take in scenic view of the Lehigh River from various points around Carbon County.
 * Fall Foliage In the fall, be sure to see the beautiful color change of tree covered mountains. The Fall Foliage Festival in nearby Jim Thorpe is the peak tourist season of this area.
 * Flagstaff Park on top of the mountain gives a commanding view of Jim Thorpe and the surrounding area.

Do

 * Hiking The former site of the Switchback Railroad is a popular trail. Also, the Appalachian Trail runs within 15 miles (25 km) of Lehighton. Hiking is also good at Lehigh Gorge State Park, with several access points nearby: Glen Onoko in Jim Thorpe and Rockport and White Haven further north.
 * Bowling at Fritz's or Cypress Lanes in town.
 * Biking at various places throughout the area. Try the Lehigh Canal towpath, which connects Weissport (near Lehighton) and Jim Thorpe, a scenic ride of 3 miles (5 km), or in the Lehigh Gorge State Park.
 * Fishing is great in many places. Try Beltzville Lake for bass or even muskellunge. You can catch trout in various streams around the area, including the Mahoning Creek on the south side of Lehighton, the Lehigh Canal from Weissport to Jim Thorpe (a great place to fish with kids), the Lehigh River near Lehighton and at Glen Onoko, and Pohocopo Creek below the Beltzville Dam.
 * Bike Night is a one-day motorcycle festival held at the Borough Park, and North and South Streets between First and Third Streets. Tens of thousands of visitors attend each August.
 * Ukrainian Festival is a 2-day cultural event held at the Ukrainian Homestead just north of town that draws large crowds.
 * Bike Night is a one-day motorcycle festival held at the Borough Park, and North and South Streets between First and Third Streets. Tens of thousands of visitors attend each August.
 * Ukrainian Festival is a 2-day cultural event held at the Ukrainian Homestead just north of town that draws large crowds.
 * Bike Night is a one-day motorcycle festival held at the Borough Park, and North and South Streets between First and Third Streets. Tens of thousands of visitors attend each August.
 * Ukrainian Festival is a 2-day cultural event held at the Ukrainian Homestead just north of town that draws large crowds.

Buy
The state's 6% sales tax does not apply to clothing or groceries. Most of the shopping in the Lehighton area is actually located in Mahoning Township on SR 443 just west of town. Some of the businesses include:
 * Wal-Mart's Supercenter is 1/2 mile west of the Carbon Plaza Mall. The previous location, across 443 form the Carbon Plaza Mall, is being developed by Lowe's.
 * The Carbon Plaza Mall has a Chinese restaurant, Italian restaurant, drug store, Giant food store, a Hallmark, a nail salon, hair salon, bank, dollar store and 8-screen movie theater. In the same strip there is a notary service, Rent-a-Center, dry cleaner, and Big Lots.
 * The First Street business district is undergoing a revitalization process. It is home to a discount store, music store, tattoo parlor, pet store, and several other shops and eateries.
 * Nearby Jim Thorpe is a touristy area with small shops on Broadway.
 * Country Junction, This is the world's largest general store with an Ace Hardware, a Ashley Furniture, a winery, a pet shop, a restaurant cafe that has a pizzeria, ice cream, and a big screen television, and the most unique gifts around. Be sure to stop in during October for there world famous Great Pumpkin Festival. They are on route 209.
 * The Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township, a suburb of Allentown, is much larger. Many speciality stores such as Macy's, JCPenney, Boscov's, Baker Shoes, Go! Games, EB and American Eagle and others. In the general area of the mall, there are many restaurants, such as the Olive Garden, Ruby Tuesdays and Ground Round. There are also many stand alone stores, like Best Buy, Borders and Staples. About 30 minutes from Lehighton by car.

Eat

 * Trainer's Inn, on Route 209 near the PA Turnpike interchange. Upholds a very high reputation with local residents.
 * Alfie's, First Street (Rte 209) in downtown Lehighton. A simple Italian restaurant in downtown Lehighton with delicious food and large portions. There is seating, but take-out is more common for regulars. Pizza and cheesesteak sandwiches,
 * Pizza Hut, Blakeslee Blvd. (Rt. 443) in Lehighton. This location has eat-in seating and a salad bar.
 * McDonald's, Burger King, Arby's, Long John Silvers, on Blakeslee Blvd. (Rt. 443) about 1 mile west of Lehighton - fast food.
 * PJ Whelihan's, Harrity Rd. just off Rt. 209 near the PA Turnpike interchange. Formerly Platz's PJ Whelihan's is family-style restaurant serving up quality food such as their famous buffalo wings. Their wings were the official wing bowl 2008 wings. The decor is cozy with lots of old time signs and things on the walls.
 * Verona Pizza House, corner of Mahoning and Fourth Streets near downtown Lehighton. A newer addition to Lehighton. Sells a variety of foods, including pizza, hoagies, and ice cream.
 * Chiu Kwan Kitchen, in the Carbon Plaza Mall on Blakeslee Blvd. (Rt. 443) about 1 mile west of Lehighton. Chinese food.
 * Sapore Restaurant, junction of Rts. 443 and 209. Italian food. Formerly Caruso's.
 * The Boulevard, Blakeslee Blvd. Homestyle cooking in a family restaurant setting. Salad bar.
 * The Boulevard, Blakeslee Blvd. Homestyle cooking in a family restaurant setting. Salad bar.

title: Lehighton


text:
Lehigh Valley

The Lehigh Valley, colloquially called The Valley, is a region in eastern Pennsylvania. With a population of 861,889 people as of 2020, the Lehigh Valley is the third-most populous metropolitan region of the state after the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh regions. The Lehigh Valley includes both Lehigh and Northampton Counties and is part of the Great Appalachian Valley.

The region's most populous city is Allentown, the third-largest city in Pennsylvania with a 2020 population of 125,845. The Valley's two other major cities are Bethlehem and Easton. The Valley borders Blue Mountain to its north, South Mountain to its south, Lebanon and Berks Counties to its west, and the Delaware River and the Skylands region of northwest New Jersey to its east.

The Lehigh Valley is located 92 mi west of New York City, the nation's largest city, and 61 mi north of Philadelphia, the nation's sixth-largest city.

History
A thriving industrial center for most of the 19th and 20th centuries, Lehigh Valley's struggles in the "post-industrial" late 20th century became the lyrics for Billy Joel's hit song, "Allentown", released in 1982. Since then, the Lehigh Valley has begun to mount a comeback, turning itself around with some success through growth in other sectors, including tourism. The region's tourism appeal includes several outlying ski resorts, a nationally-renowned amusement and water park with some of the nation's most elaborate roller coasters, the AAA Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, the American Hockey League team affiliated with the Philadelphia Flyers, a new casino in Bethlehem that includes table and sports betting, and regional concerts and cultural festivals in the area year round. The Lehigh Valley also has become an increasingly popular bedroom community for commuting professionals working in Manhattan and Philadelphia.

By plane

 * A second option is Philadelphia International Airport, which is 71 mi, or a little more than an hour's car drive, south of the Lehigh Valley. An extensive number of domestic and international carriers offer direct flight service to PHL from most U.S. cities, Canada, and a number of Caribbean, European, and Latin American destinations. Cars are available for rent at the airport.
 * A second option is Philadelphia International Airport, which is 71 mi, or a little more than an hour's car drive, south of the Lehigh Valley. An extensive number of domestic and international carriers offer direct flight service to PHL from most U.S. cities, Canada, and a number of Caribbean, European, and Latin American destinations. Cars are available for rent at the airport.

By train

 * 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, the third-busiest Amtrak station in the nation, is 62 mi, or a little over an hour's drive, south of the Lehigh Valley. Cars are available for rent inside the station.

By bus
The Lehigh Valley's primary bus terminal is the Allentown bus terminal, located at 325 Hamilton Street in Center City Allentown, and several commercial bus companies offer transportation to Allentown, including:
 * Trans-Bridge Lines offers daily service to Allentown from New York City and Newark, New Jersey. There are several express buses per day into New York City.
 * Trailways offers service from most major Northeastern cities.
 * OurBus offers daily service from New York City and weekend service from Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Binghamton, and Ithaca, arriving at the I-476 Allentown Service Plaza near Wescosville.

By car
The Lehigh Valley is easily accessible by several major highways. The two interstates most commonly used in driving to the area are:
 * Interstate 78, a major east-west highway that runs from central Pennsylvania in the west to the Holland Tunnel and Manhattan in the east. Lehigh Valley exits from I-78 include exits 57, 58, and 59.
 * U.S. Route 22, a major freeway that runs from Cincinnati, Ohio in the west through Newark, New Jersey in the east. Exits 45, 49A, and 49B (Fogelsville) are all Lehigh Valley-area exits.

By limo

 * Bella Luxury Limo,

Public buses
There are a few different ways to travel throughout the Valley. LANTA provides bus service to major areas. You can call for a taxi, although it is unlikely to find them just driving on the streets. Other ways are renting a car or walking.

See

 * Burnside Plantation in Bethlehem is an historic farm-in-the-city that opens doors to early American agricultural life. Bethlehem is known as *"Christmas City": discover the city’s history on an “Old Bethlehem Walking Tour”, experience the annual Christmas concert of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, or see the city’s sights and lights on the popular “Bethlehem by Night Bus Tour”.

 * The George Taylor House in Catasauqua near Whitehall Township is one of the last remaining homes of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence.

 * The Covered Bridge Tour takes you to seven excellent examples are community treasures in Lehigh Valley. Five of these, which are open for traffic, often are taken for granted when crossed by busy travelers every day. It is approximately 50 miles long.

 * Allentown has several museums to explore. The Allentown Art Museum has about 14,000 works of art from nearly 2,000 years of cultural heritage. America On Wheels celebrates motorized and non-motorized over-the-road transportation. The Da Vinci Science Center is a hands-on children's science center featuring two-stories of interactive activities to teach visitors about the world we live in. At Mack Trucks Experience Center, you can learn about Mack’s history through a collection of restored and preserved vintage trucks and abundant memorabilia. And at the Liberty Bell Museum in Allentown, you can visit the location where the Liberty Bell was hidden for nine months to avoid it being seized by the British during the Revolutionary War.

Do

 * Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in South Whitehall Township is known especially for its elaborate rollercoasters (including Steel Force, the eighth longest steel roller coaster in the world) and its large waterpark.

 * The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a AAA-level minor league team of the Philadelphia Phillies. They play their home games in Allentown from early April through early October.

 * The Lehigh Valley Phantoms, an American Hockey League team and the primary development team for the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, plays its home games at PPL Center in center city Allentown, which also hosts concerts and other events.

 * Wind Creek Resort in Bethlehem, a large casino with restaurants and shopping, was built on the grounds of the now defunct Bethlehem Steel, once one of the world's largest manufacturers of steel.

 * You can visit Crayola Factory, where crayons are manufactured, in Easton.
 * The Lehigh Valley Zoo in Schnecksville is a small yet affordable attraction.

 * The Lehigh Valley is known nationally for its elite high school athletic programs, which are among the nation's best and have produced dozens of professional athletes and Olympians. The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, which includes the 18 largest high schools in the Lehigh Valley and Poconos, is the region's best conference and its athletic events are open to the public throughout the school year throughout the region.

Theater

 * Civic Theater in Allentown provides professionally-produced theatre with a community feel and is the valley’s only year-round home for foreign, independent and arthouse cinema. Allentown also has the Pines Dinner Theater.

 * State Theater in Easton is an historic 1500-seat performance hall that hosts musical performers that range from rock to country, along with many shows and musicals.

 * Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University in Bethlehem presents a variety of high-quality performing arts events.

Annual events

 * The Great Allentown Fair, held annually at the end of August and beginning of September since the mid-19th century at the Allentown Fairgrounds, offers a fun and educational experience. The fair is known for its food, shopping, animal expos, and concerts.

 * Musikfest is a 10-day festival held in August in Bethlehem. It is the nation’s largest free, non-gated music festival and showcases more than 450 performances on 14 stages, 11 of which require no admission charge.

 * Mayfair Festival of the Arts in early May in Allentown has six performance stages, over a hundred artists and crafts people, entertainers and more than two dozen vendors offering regional foods.

 * Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem showcases aisles of exquisite handmade works by artisans, live Christmas music, delicious food and more.

Buy
Clothing and shoes are tax-free in Pennsylvania.

 * Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township just off US-22 is anchored by JCPenney, Macy's and Boscov's and has 146 stores.
 * South Mall, located between Allentown and Emmaus, is anchored by the BonTon, and includes approximately 30 other stores.
 * The Promenade Shoppes at Saucon Valley is located between Allentown and Bethlehem just off U.S. PA-309. It is an open-air, outlet-style shopping mall with approximately 82 mostly high-end stores.

Stay safe
Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton all experience crime. Much of the crime is gang-related, so try to stay out of poor neighborhoods and housing projects. The region's main gangs, 18th Street, Black Dragons, Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings, Los Solidos, Mexican Mafia, and MS-13, rank anong the most violent gangs in the country.

Theft is an issue, so be sure to lock cars and stay out of certain areas at night. Prostitution and street drag racing are also prevalent in the Lehigh Valley. Avoid walking alone late at night or on unlit streets or wandering too far off main streets. If homeless approach you for change, just keep walking if you do not want to give anything. Pickpocketing is not a large problem, but still do not flash around your money.

The region's roughest areas include East Allentown, South Bethlehem, and the Pembroke region of East Bethlehem.

Go next

 * New York City, 92.2 mi
 * Philadelphia, 60.6 mi
 * Reading, 37.5 mi
 * The Poconos, 51.4 mi

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

title: Lehigh Valley


text:
Leicester

Leicester is the largest city in the East Midlands region of England, the capital of the traditional county of Leicestershire, with a population of almost 370,000 in the city and 510,000 in the urban area (2021). Leicester is a cosmopolitan city with friendly people from all races, backgrounds and cultures creating a culturally diverse city.

Understand
Leicester (pronounced Less-ter) is one of the oldest English towns, having been founded by the Romans as Ratae Corieltauvorum (latterly Livelli-Castrorum ) in 50 CE. Its role as an Anglo-Saxon town is less certain, but the medieval town walls and street plan retain exactly those of the Romans. It was rarely centre stage through the Middle Ages, so it lacked political impetus nationally. While other such towns acquired cathedrals and grand civic functions, Leicester gradually built up a small-scale industrial prosperity based around framework knitting. This used semi-automated, leased machines, operated in people's own homes, to make stockings. Automation and factory building in the 19th century as part of the Industrial Revolution enabled Leicester to grow in population, land area and prosperity, with knitwear and machine manufacturing providing the bedrock of its economy. In the 1920s, its size and significance were reflected in being granted city status.

It is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the United Kingdom. It is also Britain's first environment city. Leicester continued to grow rapidly throughout the 20th century. From the 1960s arrivals from the West Indies and Asians from east Africa and the Indian subcontinent added to that growth and more recently Somalia, west and southern Africa, and Poland have been some of the larger of many different national communities. The two universities also both have very high overseas student intakes.

Visitor information

 * Go Leicestershire

By road

 * Leicester is adjacent to the M1 Motorway, allowing speedy road access south to London and north to many other major English cities.
 * The M69 motorway provides good access from the south of the city at M1 junction 21 towards Birmingham, Coventry, Nuneaton and Hinckley.
 * As noted below, for non-motorised road users, there is good access to the city for cyclists, from all points of the compass.
 * First-time visitors to the city coming by car may find the inner ring road and associated one-way systems confusing and somewhat daunting. Plan your journey well in advance, be patient, and look for signposts for the many car-parks close to the city centre; or use the Park & Ride services (see below under 'Bus').
 * The city is served by Park and Ride services from Meynells Gorse in Braunstone to the west, Birstall to the north, and Enderby to the south.

By train

Often cheaper, but also significantly longer time-wise travel from London can be done via Nuneaton, Warwickshire, with London Midland trains. In Nuneaton, change for a Stagecoach bus 48 or Arriva bus 158 going to Leicester directly (very limited service in the evening and at the weekends). A bus station in Nuneaton is a ten minute walk from the railway station, and buses to Leicester depart from the platform. Also, there is a train from Nuneaton station to Leicester. Tickets specific to the London Midland services are the cheapest.

Leicester also offers direct rail access to Stansted Airport, East Midlands Airport, Luton Airport, Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby, Peterborough, Cambridge and Birmingham.

Cross-country services (Cambridge, Stansted, Nuneaton, Coventry and Birmingham) are operated by Cross Country Trains.

The suburban services to Sileby, Barrow-on-Soar, and Loughborough are operated by East Midlands Trains; and towards Wigston and Narborough - Cross Country Trains.

Leicester station is five minutes walk from the very centre of the city and another five minutes to the coach station (St Margaret).

Train passengers are entitled to discounts for local bus travel in many British cities, also in Leicester; student railcards give access to even greater savings. A PlusBus ticket can be purchased simultaneously with the train ticket online or at the station, incl. many vending ticket machines.

By plane

 * The city is close to East Midlands Airport in the county of Leicestershire and a drive should take around 35 minutes depending on the traffic situation. The airport is served by a 24/7 SkyLink bus from St Margaret's Bus Station in Leicester. Taxi is about £30 one way.
 * Birmingham Airport is within a 45-minute to 1-hour drive from Leicester. It can be reached by train — a ticket to Birmingham is valid for the Birmingham airport as well — or coach
 * There are also a few flights available from Coventry Airport about a 45-minute drive away.
 * London Stansted Airport and Luton airports are linked directly to Leicester by regular train services (see links to CrossCountry and East Midlands Trains above).
 * Manchester Airport can be reached by train, changing at Sheffield.
 * Gatwick Airport can be reached by train changing at Luton, Bedford or London.
 * Heathrow Airport, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and Birmingham airports can also be reached by direct 24/7 National Express coach services
 * There is a small airfield for private planes at Stoughton to the east of the city.

By bus

 * National Express couches arrive to St Margaret's Bus station, a short walk to the city centre. There are regular services to and from London, Birmingham and Nottingham where connections are available to most of the UK
 * Eurolines services to continental Europe.
 * Megabus connects Leicester with London and from there - other British cities, as well as Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.

There are also services operated by local companies which serve the Asian communities in West London (Southall), Bradford, and other areas. These services are not generally well advertised, they may be short-lived, but can be cheap, and get you to out-of-the-way areas.

Get around

 * All city centre locations are easily reachable within walking distance.
 * The city supports an extensive bus network. Services are operated mainly by First Leicester and Arriva. First Leicester services cover the more local (city) destinations, those operated by Arriva can also be useful for reaching areas just outside Leicester, as well as city destinations. First Services leave from a variety of points in the city centre; most Arriva services depart from St Margaret's Bus Station.
 * Stagecoach run a regular service (Route 48) from St Margaret's to Hinckley and Coventry
 * There are services operated by other companies: some are one-route-only operators; you may find that a different company will run the same service on a Sunday (or during evenings) to the day-time operator.
 * Advice on bus travel can be obtained from travel shops within St Margaret's Bus Station (Arriva) and at the Haymarket Bus Station in Charles Street (First Leicester). You should be able to get a map of local bus routes from the Tourist Information Centre in Town Hall Square.
 * You will find stops for most services in the City Centre streets. These stops can be confusing, even for locals!
 * Tickets are not interchangeable between different companies; However, there is a day ticket for all buses in the Leicester area called the Flexi Day. These can be bought on any bus in central Leicestershire for £5.00. Day tickets can offer significant savings over single, and even return, tickets: ask the driver for advice. Fares are expensive for very short journeys, but can be remarkable value if travelling to the suburbs or further.
 * There is a Park & Ride service that runs Monday-Saturday from Meynells Gorse that is, at Braunstone Cross Roads, just off the A47 Every 12 minutes and is run by Paul James Coaches. This service is well-signposted on the A47 and the M1 (leave at junction 21A). This serves the city centre with a reliable, regular, fast service from a large car park. Newer park & ride services run from Enderby to the South of the city and Birstall to the North. You must be a car user to use the Park & Ride services, but as prices are generally per car, this can be a cost-effective way of travelling.
 * Cycling in and around Leicester is generally pleasant with there being a good road network and generally well-mannered car and bus drivers. There are well-signposted, well-designed cycle-tracks: some are now in need of repair and upkeep, but the network remains. Sustrans Route 6 bisects the city North/South, with Route 63 going north-west toward Charnwood Forest.
 * The city centre Bike Park provides a handy place to park your bike with complete security during the week, daytime. The Bike Park is in one corner of the Town Hall (in Town Hall Square) right in the city centre. The friendly staff can help with repairs and local knowledge. There are changing facilities here if you require them.
 * Leicester is effectively in a 'bowl', so whichever way you enter the city (except along the river/canal) you are likely to have to climb to leave it! As a cyclist you may wish to avoid routes leading directly to the local M1 junctions (21, 21A, and 22) as these carry heavy and fast motor traffic.
 * There is free, signposted motorcycle parking in the city centre: Abbey Street and behind the Town Hall.

Sport
Ticket prices shown are those for one adult ticket and are subject to change.

Events

 * Caribbean Carnival is held annually every August.

Nearby

 * Rutland Water, a reservoir 20 miles east of Leicester is a popular location for birdwatching, fishing, picnics and watersports such as sailing and jetskiing.
 * As noted above, Bradgate Park is close to the city, and very popular with locals for a breath of country air - it can, however get crowded on Bank Holidays. Despite its popularity, it is poorly served by public transport.
 * The canal/River Soar is a popular green artery running both north and south of the city. North through Abbey Park towards Birstall is a pleasant walk and leads to Watermead Park, and return by bus from Birstall is possible; going south through the Aylestone Country Park, to Aylestone, Blaby and beyond will quickly get you into open country, with the option of returning either by bus or walking back along the Great Central Way (part of the Sustrans National Cycleroute).

Buy
The city centre of Leicester has a vibrant and friendly atmosphere along with many department stores and a large shopping centre called Highcross (formerly 'The Shires'), off High Street. Shoppers can expect to find the majority of items and services offered within a main city in the UK. Highcross features many shops including John Lewis, Topman, Next, Hugo Boss, and an Apple store amongst others. Haymarket is another shopping centre which is to the east of Highcross. The centre features H&M, Heron Foods, TUI, B&M, Ann Summers, CeX, Pandora, Peacocks and TK Maxx. It also houses Gregg's and Costa for a snack and a coffee.

Leicester has some interesting independent shops around the 'Lanes' area leading from Loseby Lane. The St Martin's area also has interesting small boutiques, delicatessens and specialist shops, although St Martin's Square has several empty units.

Eat
Leicester is a fantastic place for Indian food. Laguna has existed since the late 70s and operates a traditional tandoor oven, on Narborough Road and the Good Food Guide listed The Rise of the Raj is on Evington Road.

Leicester's large Gujarati community - centred in the Belgrave area - has led to the opening of many excellent Indian vegetarian restaurants in that part of the city. Sharmilee, Sayonara and Phulnath, come highly recommended by local residents. The Chaat House is also a great places for Masala Dosas and other light meals.

Excellent food can be had at Watsons Restaurant which is a refined and tasty experience (near the Phoenix Theatre) and The Case near St. Martins, the lunch menu is excellent as are the wait staff, a distinctly French feel is on offer and The Case has the joy of being connected to the delightful Champagne Bar on its ground floor. Dinos on Garrick Walk, Haymarket has an excellent reputation and a very Italianate, exciting menu. The Quarter, housed in the former wholesale vegetable market building on Halford Street has an excellent menu. This restaurant/bar is a beautiful open space with a great menu and superb cocktails.

Some good, mid-range restaurants/bars with menus can be found near the City on Braunstone Gate, the best of these being the ever popular Left Bank, which is cheap, spirited and tasty. Across the road, Mobius is interesting with a lively bar to the ground floor and restaurant upstairs. The Sultan, one of a number of Turkish restaurants along the Narborough Road, has very good value authentic Turkish meals: donor, shewarma, pide and meze.

Mid-priced food can also be found easily at decent chains such as Ask, Zizzi, Las Iguanas, La Tasca and three Pizza Express restaurants around the city.

For those with even tighter budgets, Leicester offers a wide array of different takeaways. Leicester takeaways range from Indian food to Italian, American, Turkish, Chinese, Thai and other types of food. Generally, a takeaway meal for two can be purchased between £10 and £15.

Tea rooms and coffee shops abound, most notable are Mrs Bridges on Loseby Lane and Bossa close to the City Gallery, if you want to avoid the usual Starbuck and Costa chains, Fenwicks also houses a pleasant old-school cafe, steeped in the 1960s/70s, on its top floor, with excellent food on offer at reasonable prices.

Gelato bars offer a range of non-alcoholic drinks and puddings: Madisons Cafe Bar & Gelateria on London Road, Gelato Village on St Martin's Square, Whipee Gelato and Bru, both on Granby Street, offer daytime and evening opening, as do similar places further out from the centre, such as Narborough Road.

Budget
All these are in the city centre:

Drink
With two universities, Leicester boasts a good number of bars, pubs, and clubs offering a wide variety of alcoholic drinking experiences, offering everything from traditional pubs to champagne and vodka bars.

Leicester also has a small number of bars and a nightclub catering for the lesbian/gay communities.

For those that prefer their drink without alcohol there are also a good number of coffee shops in the city centre, but these usually tend to only open during shopping hours.

Sleep
There is no shortage of overnight accommodation in Leicester at almost all budget ranges: the tourist information people can help. There is also available house sitting at Leicester House Sitter

Connect
As of July 2022, Leicester has 5G from all UK carriers.

title: Leicester


text:
Leicestershire

Leicestershire is a county in the East Midlands region of England. Its traditional capital is the county city of Leicester.

Cities

 * – county town

Towns

 * (Wigston Magna)
 * (Wigston Magna)
 * (Wigston Magna)
 * (Wigston Magna)
 * (Wigston Magna)
 * (Wigston Magna)
 * (Wigston Magna)
 * (Wigston Magna)
 * (Wigston Magna)

Understand

Leicestershire's traditional capital is the county city of Leicester, though this is now administered as a unitary authority separate from the rest of the county. Leicestershire is bordered by Lincolnshire, Rutland, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire.

 * Leicestershire visitor information

Talk
The main language in the countryside is English with a lot of local dialect passed through generations of country living people.

English is the main language. In more urban and multicultural areas such as Leicester other languages may be spoken as well, but English is a necessity to get by.

By plane
is 7 miles north-west of Loughborough on the Derbyshire border at the village of Castle Donington.

By car
The M1 from London and Leeds runs through the middle of the county, while the M42 from Birmingham will get you into the north west of the county.

By bus
Leicester and Castle Donington are well served by national bus companies.

By train
Leicester is on the main London to Leeds line.

Get around
Over a thousand bus services connecting all major towns and villages.

See

 * The Moat House Appleby Magna
 * Ashby Castle Ashby-de-la-Zouch
 * Belvoir Castle is a grand Gothic Revival mansion near Grantham.
 * Conkers  Ashby-de-la-Zouch
 * Grantham Canal is disused and reed-choked, but the towpath is in good condition for walking.
 * Twycross Zoo Appleby Magna
 * Bosworth battlefield north of Hinckley
 * National Space Centre Leicester
 * Burrough Hill near Melton Mowbray

Do

 * Skiing
 * Cycling
 * Walking
 * Horseriding
 * Fox Hunting
 * Birdwatching
 * Shopping
 * Cricket: Leicestershire CCC play at Grace Rd in Leicester.

Eat
At the heart of Stilton and Red Leicester cheeses. Also, the home of the Melton Mowbray pork pie.

Particularly in Leicester, "Indian" curry houses are very good in the area. All towns and many villages have a fish and chip shop.

Drink

 * Pubs In Measham are must-sees: on Friday or Saturday nights, they have singing, dancing or just a quiet drink: on Sunday nights, they have posh bands and a quiz.
 * The Emporium club in Coalville is famous around the UK. Entry at certain times is often free, but ID is a must to enter.

Go next

 * Derbyshire
 * Nottinghamshire

title: Leicestershire


text:
Leiden

Leiden (historically known as Leyden) is easily one of the most enchanting cities in the Netherlands. It's home to the oldest university in the country, the birthplace of Rembrandt and breeding ground for ground-breaking science and Nobel laureates for centuries. It's a charmingly compact fortified city, packed with well-preserved historic heritage but with a young and lively atmosphere due to its large student population.

Understand
With a population of nearly 125,000 (2019), and nearly 30,000 of them students, Leiden is one of the Netherlands' few true student towns (along with Groningen, Utrecht and Delft). Leiden University is the Netherlands' oldest university, founded in the 16th century to commemorate the resistance of its townsfolk to the Spanish siege. Its buildings are dotted around town, in and out of the city centre. This gives Leiden a relatively young and internationally diverse population, especially with the university having a particularly strong law and medical faculty. The Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) is right behind central station. Its vibrant student population means Leiden is never short of a great place for a drink. However Leiden's Dutch students are notorious for being dominated by its 'Studentenverenigingen' (fraternities) which means many international students choose to go to nearby Amsterdam, or the Hague for late-night partying.

Tourist information

 * Visit Leiden tourism website

By train
Leiden is easily reached by train. The journey takes 10–15 minutes from The Hague, and 15 minutes from Schiphol Airport, the principal airport in the Netherlands. The journey from Amsterdam takes between 30 and 40 minutes. Trains run by NS (including all that arrive in Leiden) are now all accessible using your bank card.

If you do not feel like walking from the station to the centre you can take a bus, just ask which ones go to the Breestraat bus stop (see below).

By bus
A square just outside of the Leiden railway station is a central hub for the local bus network, so if you want to go anywhere local your best bet is to go here and ask around.

By car
In spite of the two highways around Leiden (A4 and A44), the centre of Leiden isn't easy to reach by car. It is best to try and park your car at the transferium (free parking) and continue your journey by bus. For this transferium you have to follow the A44 and then take exit 8 (Katwijk, Leiden Transferium). There are also parking lots on the Morsweg (south-west of the town centre) and on the Langegracht (north of town centre, near the station). These parking lots are crowded though, and there's no guarantee there will be space here, especially during the summer. Otherwise there are parking lots at the Groenoordhallen and Haagweg from where free shuttle buses run to the city center. In the city center the parking fares are expensive. Also outside the old city center (inside the 'Singel' canal) parking is not free in most cases. Only far away from the center will free parking be found. A normal charge is €4.60 per hour. Leiden is perpetually rebuilding main roads and areas around the centre, making it very difficult to drive by car. The never ending rebuilding of main roads also guarantees major daily traffic jams at the rush hours.

Get around
The large majority of sights are within the old city fortifications. It's a compact area, easy to navigate on foot. The tourist information office right outside the main train station has a number of free and paid maps with main sights and walking routes, but even just strolling around for a while will allow you to see the main historic buildings and museums.

For faster exploring or to visit places further out, renting a bicycle is an excellent idea. Like all Dutch cities, Leiden is very bike-friendly and you'll find it's an extremely widely used means of transport where-ever you go. Some rental agencies offer both traditional and electric bikes.

Parks

Museums
Leiden is one of the most important museum cities in the Netherlands, in quantity only second to Amsterdam. Four national museums are located in Leiden, among others, that are worth to visit. With its history as a university city you will only find one art museum, but several on topics ranging from ethnology to natural history. All major museums are within 10–15 minutes of walking distance from the central station. Except for Naturalis and during school holidays, most museums are closed on Mondays. Museumkaart accepted.

Do

 * Boat hire can be a great way to see Leiden, but you're not allowed to moor just anywhere. For that very reason, boating should mostly be considered a way of sightseeing than a means to get around to different locations. That said, it is an excellent way to see Leiden, whether you're opting for a seat on one of the larger round trip boats, book a private tour or rent your own little boat and make your own route.
 * Boat tours - Only Amsterdam has more water inside its old center than Leiden, making a boat trip through the canals a lovely pass-time and a great way to see the city from another angle. The beautiful canal-side streets were the domain of the elite in the Dutch Golden Age, and the expensive mansions they built make for lovely monumental canal tours today. You can opt for a guided tour or rent your own boat.

There are a few different boating companies operating small and large vessels with guided tours. Head to the Beestenmarkt, on the way from the train station to the city center, where boat trips leave every hour and pleasant cafés make waiting for the next one a comfortable experience. Large groups can rent boats (including skipper/guide) by the hour and most companies can offer arrangements including food or drinks if you make reservations in advance.

Events

 * Leidsche bluesweek A yearly festival with performances by mainly (but not exclusively) Dutch performers. The Wednesday night pub-crawl is a blast with many bars hosting live music (for other venues you do have to buy tickets though they're not expensive).
 * Leidsche bluesweek A yearly festival with performances by mainly (but not exclusively) Dutch performers. The Wednesday night pub-crawl is a blast with many bars hosting live music (for other venues you do have to buy tickets though they're not expensive).

A comprehensive program of all of the festivals and activities can be found at the VVV site.

Learn
It is said that Leiden isn't a city with a university in it, but a university with a city around it. Leiden University was founded in 1575. Internationally recognised, Leiden University houses more than 40 national and international research institutes. The university is particularly well known for its law programs, and has a very strong medical faculty, attracting students from all over Europe. The international community is very strong, organising great parties throughout the year. For more information about studying as an international student at Leiden read the leidener, a blog run by some international students.

Buy
Haarlemmerstraat and Breestraat are the main shopping streets at the heart of the city center. They are both reachable within 10-15 min. walking from the central station. Shops include bookstores, fashion shops and other ordinary shopping items. In the areas around the Pieterskerk and Hooglandsekerk, small boutiques and antique shops are worth a visit. On Monday, shops open late from 12:00 until 17:00 or 18:00. All the shops are open on every Sunday (Only a few smaller shops remain closed). On Thursday, shops are open late, till around 21:00 (koopavond).

Historically, all the city's lively markets were situated along the Nieuwe Rijn canal. Some names of the bridges over this canal remain as reminders of the trades that took place there once. There's the "buttermilk's bridge", the covered "grain bridge" and the "chicken bridge", to name a few. Today, there are only two general markets. On Saturdays from 07:00 and on Wednesdays from 12:00, there is an open market along the canal between the Nieuwe Rijn and Vismarkt streets. The one on Saturday is larger, but at both there are stalls with vegetables, fruits, fish, flowers, bread, and meat.

Specialty shops:
 * Souvenirs of Leiden can be found at the VVV tourist office, Stationsweg 2D. Some major museums also sell their own souvenirs.
 * Maps, routes and other travel accessories are mostly found at the ANWB shop, Stationsweg 2, but they are not always complete. A special shop that sells almost complete map of cycling routes, walking routes, and any other maps is the Reisboekhandel Zandvliet at Stille Rijn 13.
 * Travel accessories including maps, travel guides, backpacks, and airplane tickets can be bought at the joho company a few doors from Reisboekenhandel Zandvliet at Stille Rijn 8-9.

Other

 * De Slegte A 3-floor bookstore found on the Breestraat with a large selection of second hand books at great value. Many English options available.

Eat
Leiden has a lot of restaurants and bars. Especially in the Pieterswijk (the east side of the Breestraat) are a lot of cosy restaurants.

Some of the restaurants in Leiden:
 * Delphi, Nieuwe rijn 52, 0715141778. This restaurant serves the best Greek food in Leiden and can get quite busy because of its great value for money.
 * Donattelo's, Haarlemmerstraat 20, 071 5147938. Good pizza, if you enjoy a student atmosphere!
 * La Piccola Italia Boommarkt 2, A small restaurant that makes good pizzas and pasta dishes. Good value.
 * Porto Pino, Haven 40, 071 5219505. Serves the same type of delicious Italian foods as 'Olive garden' so no Pizza! It's a bit to the east of the centre at the recreational harbour, near the Zijlpoort.
 * Sabai Sabai, Noordeinde, 071 51.31.914, Thai. Best Thai in town, visited even by Thai embassy officials.
 * Tandoori way Indian restaurant next to the Praethuis bar (see under drinking section) opposite the remains of the 'onze lieve vrouwe kerk' and Olive garden
 * Tandoori way Indian restaurant next to the Praethuis bar (see under drinking section) opposite the remains of the 'onze lieve vrouwe kerk' and Olive garden
 * Tandoori way Indian restaurant next to the Praethuis bar (see under drinking section) opposite the remains of the 'onze lieve vrouwe kerk' and Olive garden
 * Tandoori way Indian restaurant next to the Praethuis bar (see under drinking section) opposite the remains of the 'onze lieve vrouwe kerk' and Olive garden
 * Tandoori way Indian restaurant next to the Praethuis bar (see under drinking section) opposite the remains of the 'onze lieve vrouwe kerk' and Olive garden

For fast(er) food lovers there are several options:

 * Smulshop Spare ribs, Gyros and other fare. It seems to get mixed reviews though. Morsweg 40, 2312 AE, +31 (0) 71 5130819
 * AK-AL At the corner of the Haarlemmerstraat and the Pelikaanstraat (opposite the English pub called Bad Habits) serves delicious Turkish Pizza's on the go and the infamous 'Kapsalon' (French Fries, topped with doner kebab meat, lettuce, onions, cheese, spicy sauce and garlic sauce) which will fill you up for the rest of the week. It's also a bakery offering tasty Turkish and loaf-type breads and great croissants!
 * Eazy Oriental style wok dishes. Freshly made, delicious and healthy. Breestraat 157, 2311 CN Leiden. +31 (0) 71 5138867
 * Maoz Vegetarian Falafel and more falafel and pretty good too. Haarlemmerstraat 61, 2312 DL, +31 (0) 5144424
 * Toko-mini Excellent Indonesian food, take-away only. Indonesian food can be very hot and spicy, but you have a choice of ingredients, just ask. Haven 6, 2312 MH, +31 (0) 71 5233066

If you don't find anything of your liking above, there's a plethora of places offering anything from French fries to Shoarma and Pizza and yes; there is a McDonald's (two in fact).

Drink
The city is full of students, and cafes and bars are clearly by far the most frequented 'faculty'. There is a healthy and lively cafe and night life. You cannot help wondering if the students actually get time to study from time to time between the many festivities and drink parties all over town. If you are out for a drink, you will not be disappointed. Be aware that you can't enter the bars after 01:00 and after 02:00 on Friday and Saturday.

Bars

 * Einstein Great for lounging on summertime evenings. Popular on Wednesday evenings (International Student Night).
 * De Burcht Grand cafe, a mix of 1930s grandeur and 1950s and 60s furniture. Hosts a quiz night every Tuesday for €2 per person (maximum 6 to a team, with usually with wine as the prize).
 * Haar gangetje Small but cosy cafe.
 * De Kroeg Fun staff, fun atmosphere, fun times.
 * The Duke of OZ Great place to follow Football, Cricket and other sports.
 * Roebels Tiny but usually packed student bar. Famous for its 'Zwevertjes' (shots)
 * Cafe Storm Tiny and not so packed student bar.
 * 't Keizertje A nice bar on the kaiserstraat opposite the student plexus building
 * Babbels A cosy place on the corner of the Witte Singel, Boisotkade 1.
 * Olo Rosso A bar for most of the week but in the weekends it turns into a club.
 * In den Oude Maren Poort Larger, and usually packed student bar.
 * Lemmy's Belgian beer bar. Free peanuts and digital fireplace!
 * De Twee Spieghels Cozy, friendly, fabulous location (near the Burcht and Hooglandsekerk).
 * Dranklokaal de WW Hidden in a small back alley opposing the Breestraat entrance of the Stadhuis, this place is hugely popular in the weekends. The place has been cut into 2 equal sections since the smoking ban came into effect and the smoking section is the biggest in Leiden
 * Praethuis A local haunt with a dark interior coupled with dark brown furnishings and finishings and mainly 1960s and 70s music. It has a great terrace around the remains of the 'onze lieve vrouwenkerk' (of pilgrim fame).

Music and clubs

Coffeeshops
Like every other town in the Netherlands Leiden doesn't lack the presence of cannabis selling Coffeeshops. This town definitely has a few nice options if you're interested. They are open between 16:00 and 22:00.
 * Leidseplein Pieterskerkgracht 28. Probably the most popular coffee shop in all of Leiden. Great atmosphere and classy decor. Next door to the bar Sam Sam.
 * Bebop A stones throw from Leidseplein, Diefsteeg 3.
 * Le Palais Friendly personnel, Morsstraat 14.

Sleep
There are plenty of good mid-range hotels and B&Bs in the city. But there's no youth hostel and sleeping in town for less than €50 per room can be challenging. If your budget is tight, you might consider visiting Leiden on a day trip while staying in hostels in the area or bring your camping gear. There's a hostel in Noordwijk (10 km) and The Hague also has options, with a "fast biking" route to Leiden (<1 hr by bike). Amsterdam is a half-hour trip by train, but calculate that the return ticket will set you back about €17.

 * Golden Tulip, Schipholweg 3. In a bland modern building just north of the railway station.
 * Golden Tulip, Schipholweg 3. In a bland modern building just north of the railway station.
 * Golden Tulip, Schipholweg 3. In a bland modern building just north of the railway station.
 * Golden Tulip, Schipholweg 3. In a bland modern building just north of the railway station.

Connect
Some cafes and fast food places have free WiFi. Ask the cafe staff for advice. Leiden is a student town, free WiFi is highly appreciated there. There are also 'hot spots' e.g. at the station, however, these are run by the previous state monopoly 'KPN'. These are free to use.

Free WiFi is also provided in various places in Leiden by Stichting Wireless Leiden, you can recognize this by a SSID which start with 'ap-WirelessLeiden-'.

Go next
Leiden is a city in the Green Heart (Groene Hart) between the largest cities in Holland. It is surrounded by green meadows, little villages, and, in spring time, the world famous flower fields.

From Leiden Central Station a bus (number 54) goes directly to the Keukenhof, a huge park open from the end of March until the end of May, in which more than 7 million flower bulbs bloom. But you can also take your car or rent a bike and find the fields yourself. The route will lead you through lovely villages.

Bordering Leiden is the town of Oegstgeest, where you could visit the CORPUS, an interactive walk-through giant human body installation.

Leiden is also very close to the beach: Katwijk and Noordwijk aan Zee are the closest seaside villages, at 20 minutes by car. Be aware that on beautiful summer days, the car will probably be stuck in traffic. You can also take a bicycle, which will take you approximately 45 minutes.

Cycle routes in the Leiden area (in English):
 * Keukenhof Cycle Route.
 * Leiden Lakes Cycle Route.

title: Leiden


text:
Leighlinbridge

Leighlinbridge (pronounced "lock-lin-bridge") is a village in County Carlow, with an ancient bridge over the River Barrow that's still in use. It stood astride the main Dublin-Waterford road until bypassed in the 1980s. In 2016 its population was 914.

Get in
Expressway Bus 4 runs every couple of hours from Dublin Airport, Busáras and Heuston station to Carlow and Leighlinbridge, 2 hours, and continues to Gowran, Thomastown, Mullinavat and Waterford. The bus stop is on the bypass R448, 500 m west of the bridge. If you take X4 you need to change at Carlow, as this bus then flies non-stop down the M9.

Kavanagh Bus 873 runs twice M-F from Carlow to Leighlinbridge, Bagenalstown, Paulstown and Kilkenny.

The most convenient railway station is Carlow, which has trains every 2-3 hours from Dublin Heuston via Newbridge, Kildare and Athy. A taxi from Carlow to Leighlinbridge might be €25. The trains continue south to Muine Bheag / Bagenalstown, Kilkenny and Waterford. Bagenalstown is only 4 km south of Leighlinbridge so bike-on-train would work, but no taxis are based there. You could also hike there on the canal towpath, see below.

By road from Dublin follow M9 to Exit 6 then head south on R448.

Get in from space: on 28 Nov 1999 a fireball roared across County Carlow, and in the following days three meteorites were found hereabouts, totaling 271 gram. They were chondrite, the commonest type: primordial gunk from the beginning of the solar system that has never been part of a planet or large moon.

Get around
You need wheels to get around the area. A bike would do.

To reach Muine Bheag / Bagenalstown 4 km south, hike or cycle along the towpath east bank of the canal. The road R705 is busy and narrow with no sidewalk, so walking it is unpleasant by day and hazardous at night. The towpath upstream of Leighlinbridge is on the west bank up to Carlow.

See

 * Black Castle east end of the bridge is a scrappy ruin, with a 15 m tower and bawn wall. The first castle was built circa 1181 by the Normans. A Carmelite friary was established a little way north in the 1270s and when this was suppressed in the 1540s, it was converted into the present castle. Another "White Castle" supposedly stood nearby but no-one can find it. They should try looking in Athy, which has a White Castle guarding its bridge and the same tale of a second castle that no-one can trace.
 * is the attractive nine-arched stone bridge over the River Barrow. It was first built in 1310, making it one of Europe's oldest, and widened in the 18th century. The name simply refers to the herb sprouting from its stonework. Don't confuse it with the Valerian Bridge built in the 3rd century AD by captured Roman troops: that's in Shushtar in Iran, and no point looking for the missing castle there.
 * Dinn Righ means "meeting place of the kings" - their main rendezvous was in Naas, but there's a little mound of that name south side of the village where Church Street the historic highway rejoins the bypass R448. At the junction north side, just east of the modern bridge, "Thrones" is a sculpture of 1986 by Michael Warren that's meant to symbolise this, insofar as you can do so with two metal panels emerging from a mound of shrubbery.
 * 3.5 km west was once a large monastery. Founded in the 7th century, it burned down circa 1060, but St Laserian's Cathedral was built on the site in the 12th century. This has been much modified since but is still in use as a C of I (Anglican) church.
 * were built in 1790, powered by two hefty waterwheels. The mills ground corn into flour but were burnt out in 1862. They were rebuilt as a hydroelectric scheme, supplying electricity to Carlow from 1891, and still in supply. In the 1940s the mill buildings became a tannery, but another fire in 1965 finished it off.
 * See blue eyes or blue skies, but credit the right fellow. John Tyndall (1820-1893) was born and schooled in Leighlinbridge. He discovered the Tyndall effect of colour scattering by colloid-sized particles: this is powerful over short ranges and is the reason for blue eyes and the blue tinge of cloudy liquids. The blue of the sky is from "Raleigh scattering" by particles smaller than the wavelength, such as the air molecules. Tyndall made huge contributions to science through his insistence on the primacy of experimentation and reasoning over dogma and ancient creed; this earned him the hatred of Pope Pius IX.

Do

 * Walking: see Get Around.
 * River Barrow is navigable, with short canal cuts and locks to get past the weirs and shallows, and you can moor at Leighlinbridge. There's coarse angling all along the river, with multiple access points.

Buy

 * Centra is within the filling station at the junction of Seskin Rd with the bypass. It's open M-Sa 07:00-22:00, Su 08:00-22:00.
 * Arboretum is a large homeware and garden centre north end of the village next to the bypass.

Eat

 * Lord Bagenal Inn has a good restaurant, see Sleep.
 * Rico's west end of the bridge serves pizza and similar fare.
 * Sisters is a rival pizzeria facing Rico's.

Drink

 * Meaney's, Kilbrides and Kelly's are pubs just west of the bridge.
 * O'Hara's Brewery is in Bagenalstown and offers tours.

Connect
As of July 2021, Leighlinbridge has 5G from Three, and a mobile signal from Eir (patchy) and Vodafone.

Go next

 * Muine Bheag / Bagenalstown: you cannot imagine, if you've never visited, how this was touted as the Versailles of the north. And you still can't after visiting.
 * Carlow has a white castle and a fine bridge.
 * Kilkenny is an attractive miniature medieval city.

title: Leighlinbridge


text:
Leimebamba

Leimebamba is a town in Northern Peru, on the road between Chachapoyas and Celendín which continues to Cajamarca.

Get in
There are daily buses & tours from Chachapoyas, & public transport twice weekly from Celendín.

Get around
This is one of the few towns in Peru where Horse seems to be the primary mode of transportation. But its small and one can walk around on foot. You can not, however, reach the main archeological museum with a short walk though it isn't too far.

See
The museum which was built with US$800,000 finance from Austria. The museum contains all of the ~200 mummies found at the nearby tomb at Laguna de los Condores, as well as some artifacts.

Do
Hike to the magnificent Laguna de los Condores. This is usually arranged at the hostel. It is a three day trip by horse - one day there, a second to explore the area, and a third coming back. The trail is dangerous in bad weather.

Buy
Leimeibamba is known throughout the region and Lima for its cheese and yogurt. On the corner kitty-corner to the diner there is a shop that sells fresh yogurt and cheese.

A women's handicraft cooperative is located on the square. They sell handmade quality clothes and bags and other things typical to the region.

Eat
The plaza has a basic restaurant with the daily menu called Lucy Ball.

Sleep
There are two guest houses near the Plaza of similar quality and price.

Go next
Three days a week Virgen de Carmen leaves from either Chachapoyas or Celendin. You can buy tickets at the restaurant -- there should be a board stating departure days and times.

It is very easy to catch a ride with a truck or possibly a tour group if they are not full and go to Chachapoyas. However, if you want to go to Celedin and Cajamarca you have to wait for the Virgen del Carmen bus which is not daily.

title: Leimebamba


text:
Leipzig

Leipzig is the largest city in the German federal state of Saxony, with a population of approximately 600,000 (Oct 2019). It is the economic centre of the region, known as Germany's "Boomtown" and a major cultural centre, offering interesting sights, shopping and lively nightlife. The Gewandhausorchester is the biggest and one of the most prominent classical orchestras in Germany, and Leipzig Zoological Garden is one of the most modern zoos in Europe. The Neuseenland, outside of Leipzig, is a huge lake district.

Understand
First documented in 1015, and endowed with city and market privileges in 1165, the city of Leipzig has fundamentally shaped the history of Saxony and of Germany. It was founded at the crossing of two ancient trade routes, Via Regia and Via Imperii. Leipzig has always been known as a place of commerce and still has large trade fairgrounds and exhibition halls known as the Leipzig Messe north of the city. Before it became common to dedicate a specific area to trade fairs, they took place in the city. Which is why many of the historical buildings were constructed by merchants, as were Leipzig's unique system of arcades and courtyards.

Other forms of exchange soon followed the trade of goods. The University of Leipzig (Latin: Alma mater lipsiensis) was founded in 1409, which makes it the second-oldest university in Germany. University facilities are scattered throughout the city, and you cannot miss the central campus at Augustusplatz. Leipzig acquired the nickname Klein Paris ("Little Paris") in the 18th century, when it became a centre of a classical literary movement largely led by the German scholar and writer Johann Christoph Gottsched.

The city is also the home of the Nikolaikirche (Church of St. Nicholas) – the starting point of peaceful demonstrations against the East German regime which led to German Reunification. The collapse of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) regime hit Leipzig's economy very heavily (as had communism), but after being on the mend since 1990, it has emerged as one of the success stories of the "New German States".

Traces of Leipzig's history are everywhere: the ring of streets around the city centre marking the former course of the city wall, the city trade houses, abandoned and repurposed industrial buildings in Plagwitz, small town structures in the outskirts where surrounding towns were incorporated during phases of rapid growth, and the battlefields of the Napoleonic wars in the south and southeast of the city.

Today it competes with long time rival Dresden for the title of "biggest city in Saxony". In the 2011 Census, Dresden overtook Leipzig, but according to 2016 estimates, Leipzig has an edge once more. Leipzig's trendy districts are rapidly gentrifying, especially the Südvorstadt neighborhood and it has thus gained the nickname "Hypezig" which is both used derisively and somewhat appreciatively.

Get in
Leipzig is a transportation hub in Saxony and offers fast connections by rail, road and air throughout Germany. Important east-west and north-south routes have crossed here for a long time and they still do today.

By car
Leipzig can easily be reached by car, as it is very well connected with the Autobahn system. The nearest Autobahns are A14 (North, Northeast), A9 (West) and A38 (South).

By bus
Long distance buses connect Leipzig with several major German cities. Buses stop at a bus terminal next to the Central Station's east exit and/or at the airport railway station. Bus operators include Flixbus.

By train

Deutsche Bahn operates regular train service between Leipzig and nearby cities such as Halle (€7.60, 25 minutes), Dessau (€14, 45 minutes), Chemnitz (€19, 65 minutes), Dresden (€30, 65 minutes), Magdeburg (€31, 75 minutes), Weimar (€22, 75 minutes), and Jena (€21, 85 minutes).

High speed trains are available to major cities in Germany including Lutherstadt Wittenberg (€21, 30 minutes), Erfurt (€28, 42 minutes), Berlin (€49, 75 minutes), Nuremberg (€87, 2 hours), Frankfurt (€88, 3 hours), Hamburg (€106, 3 hours) and Munich (€117, 3:15 hours). Prague (€59, 4 hours) can be reached with a transfer in Dresden, but direct busses between Leipzig and Prague are faster.

If you book well in advance reduced-fare (limited refunding, set date and train) tickets are available starting at €29 (€21.75 with Bahn card 25, no Bahn card 50 discount). Your best chance on reduced fares are off-peak hours on weekdays. Even if you buy your ticket one day prior to departure on an ICE, you have a good chance of finding a reduced fare that is cheaper than the full prices (called "Normalpreis" in German) quoted above. However unlike with the Normalpreis you will have to use the train you booked and can't change it. If you aren't travelling alone, it might make sense to see whether there is a discount for the second person travelling the same route or for groups. For more on the price system of German trains see rail travel in Germany..

Also Flixtrain serves the city.

By plane

Berlin Brandenburg airport is just two hours away by train and offers more options. As an intercontinental flyer you should also consider Frankfurt Airport. During daytime, hourly direct trains take you from the airport station Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbahnhof to Leipzig Hauptbahnhof in about 4 hours for €74 (book in advance and you can get tickets for as little as €29). Many (but not all) airlines flying to/from German airports offer rail&fly. For more see rail air alliances

Public transport
The primary means of public transport is the tram. LVB operates trams and buses in Leipzig. Most lines run every 10 minutes during the day and at least hourly at night. A single-trip ticket costs €3.20. A full day bus & tram ticket, valid until 04:00 the next morning, costs €9.20; a day ticket for 2-5 people travelling together costs €13.80-27.60. A weekly pass costs €32.90. After 20:00, you must enter buses through the driver's door and show/purchase your ticket.

The tram network is structured like a star with a circle in the centre. Tram lines generally lead from the outskirts into the city, which they half-circle on the ring, and continue to someplace else in the outskirts. Bus lines provide additional direct connections that often do not touch the centre.

Trains ("S-Bahn") cross the city centre in a north-south direction through the city tunnel, connecting Hauptbahnhof and Bayerischer Bahnhof via underground stations at Markt and at Wilhelm-Leuschner Platz. From both ends of the tunnel, lines branch off in several directions towards Leipzig suburbs like Connewitz, Stötteritz, Thekla, fair area and Miltitzer Allee and beyond. The city tunnel provides fast connections north - south, but is not of great help in the east - west direction.

Tickets
LVB is part of the regional integrated transport network MDV. Tickets to nearby towns and cities (e.g. Halle) are available at LVB ticket offices and vending machines. They are valid for all participating means of transportation. The fares quoted above are for MDV fare zone 110, which is more or less identical with the city. A single-trip ticket includes transfers to other lines. You have to complete your trip within one hour. Buy tickets from:
 * Vending machines at some stops and at all train stations, payable with coins or (small) bills
 * Vending machines inside the trams. Coins only
 * Bus drivers
 * One of the LVB service offices
 * Some tobacco, stationery, or press shops

Stamp your ticket after boarding the first bus or tram on your itinerary, or on the platform when using a train. Week tickets are issued for 7 days from the set date, month tickets for calendar months. Day and week tickets are valid until 04:00 the next day after their validity has ended; month tickets until noon the day after their validity has ended.

Ticket and service offices:

Leipzig Card
A ticket with benefits is the Leipzig Card. You can buy it at the LVB ticket offices listed above, at tourist information, or online. At a price moderately higher than the corresponding LVB tickets, in addition to unlimited rides, the Leipzig Card offers discounts at a number of tourist attractions. The Leipzig Card is available in three versions:

 * Day ticket (valid for one person): €13.40
 * 3-day ticket (valid for one person): €26.90
 * 3-day group ticket (valid for two adults and up to 3 children under 14): €51.90

A leaflet listing all the benefits is available online.

Night Bus Network
Regular services operate until around midnight. A network of Nightliner bus lines (N1...N10) takes you around at night. All Nightliner buses start from Hauptbahnhof at 01:11, 02:22, and 03:33. They service most parts of the main tram network, but on different routes. Each line makes a loop, returning to Hauptbahnhof at the end. Check the blue network plans at stops or inside trams.

By taxi
Plenty of taxis are available. They wait for customers in various designated locations around the city. You can also wave a taxi on the street if its sign is lit up. To order a taxi to your current location call 4884. Pubs, restaurants and hotels will be happy to do that for you if you are their customer. Expect a fare of €15–20 for a trip from the outskirts to the centre or vice versa.

By car
Leipzig suffers from the same traffic problems as all cities of its size. Access to the city centre is restricted, so don't plan to go anywhere inside the inner ring of main streets.

If you still want to use a car within the city, be prepared to pay a fee for parking around the centre. Car parks are available at Hauptbahnhof, Augustusplatz, Burgplatz, and several other locations. A parking guidance system is installed on the main streets. Around the inner ring, signs point you to the different car parks and display the current number of unused parking spots. Signs are colour-coded, each color representing a car park location. Since the city centre is pretty compact, for most purposes it won't matter much where you leave your car. When you visit the Gewandhaus or the opera, the car park underneath Augustusplatz is the most convenient option with exits to both buildings.

Watch for the trams when making turns. They are stronger than your car and sometimes come from behind beside the street. At marked tram stops, if the driving lane is to the right of the track, you have to wait behind a stopping tram and let passengers get on and off. After everyone is off the street, you may pass slowly.

Most of the city of Leipzig is a designated low-emission zone (Umweltzone). Cars operating within city limits must comply with strict emission standards and have a special green sticker (Feinstaubplakette). If you enter the city without the sticker, or with a yellow or red sticker, you risk being fined.

Fair-houses and passages
Unique to Leipzig is its number of passages in the city centre. Some have big entrances, while others may look from the street just like a gate left open. Some belong to historical buildings, some have appeared only a few years ago.

Do
If you understand some German, get a copy of the monthly city magazine Kreuzer or use the event calendar on their website to get information on upcoming events. You can buy the Kreuzer for €2.50 in press shops and bookstores throughout the city.

Leipzig by boat
Leipzig is not located on any major river; instead there are several smaller rivers, their tributaries, and canals from the industrial era, creating a network of waterways that is grandiloquently touted as a "little Venice". Currents are weak to non-existent and motorboat traffic is rare. Thus, Leipzig's rivers and canals are perfect for amateur canoe paddlers and rowers, even for complete rookies in this field. Urban districts like Plagwitz or Schleußig and even the western parts of the city centre as well as the extensive riverside forest and parks may be discovered from the waterside, providing a completely different perspective of the city. There are several boat rentals, typically charging €7–8 per hour for a two-seater kayak or Canadian canoe.

Lakes
Leipzig is surrounded by several lakes, resulting from former open-cast lignite mining and now developed into places for various outdoor activities. You can spend a day on the beach, ride a canoe, or go fishing or scuba diving 10 km from the city centre. Be warned that, due to their origins as open-cast mines, the lakes are very deep and have steep sides: don't enter the water unless you are a strong swimmer. The closest lakes are:

Other activities

 * Football at
 * Football at

Buy
There are lots of shops in the city centre, mostly frequented by pedestrians. Leipzig and Germany souvenirs can be found at shops around the Old City Hall. Many independent retailers unique to Leipzig can be found in Südvorstadt; with many interesting clothing stores, food places, and cinemas.

Specialities
Try specialities of Leipzig:
 * Lerchen, a sweet dough-wicker filled with marzipan, sold in bakeries.
 * Quarkkeulchen, served in traditional restaurants as a dessert
 * Leipziger Allerlei, a vegetable dish
 * Reformationsbrötchen, a pastry, sold in bakeries in October prior to Reformation Day

Budget
For breakfast or for a snack during the day, turn to one of the many bakery shops you'll find all over the city. Most are open 7 days a week, typically from 06:00 to 18:00 (or from 07:00 to 06:00 on Sundays). €5 buys you a sandwich, a pastry or a piece of cake, and a cup of coffee.

Drink
A local beer specialty is Leipziger Gose, a top-fermented brew, containing salt and coriander, with a characteristic, slightly sour flavour, that originated from Goslar but was immensely popular in Leipzig during past centuries. It has however become rather rare and is only served in a few specialised breweries and pubs nowadays, namely Gosenschenke Ohne Bedenken and Bayerischer Bahnhof (see listings below). Gose can be flavoured with green (woodruff) or red (raspberry) syrup, or mixed with liquor.

Today, most Leipzigers prefer more mainstream Pils beers and if you just order "a beer" you will most probably get a Pils by default. Ur-Krostitzer, for example, is brewed just a few kilometers north of Leipzig and was purportedly favoured by the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus during his stay in the region. Leipzig's Sternburg Export is one of the cheapest among German beer brands (c. 50 cents a bottle in most supermarkets) and is preferred by the young and poor who want to get lit for little money, while only a few enthusiasts actually appreciate its taste.

A local liquor specialty is Leipziger Allasch, a kümmel (caraway-flavoured liquor), and a variety of liquors of Horn's distillery.

You can find a lot of pubs, bars, cafés and restaurants and also some smaller dance clubs along the multicultural Karl-Liebknecht-Straße ("Karli"). The street starts in the south of the inner city and leads you to Südvorstadt and Connewitz (student and alternative quarters). Many pubs, bars and cafés can also be found on, a narrow lane in the old town.

Cafés
Leipzig has a long and lively coffee house tradition. Although many of the old cafés have disappeared, this tradition lives on. Besides Zum Arabischen Coffee Baum (listed under Museums above) a number of cafés give you a place to relax and have a cup of coffee during the day.

Sleep
Leipzig is a major trade fair location: occupancy and rates at hotels may starkly rise during fair periods. Consult the calendar at the website of Leipziger Messe for their dates.

Stay safe
Leipzig's safety is on par with other major German cities. The basic precautions you would normally take when travelling in Germany will be enough to feel safe. The city center is safe at all times.

As in much of Saxony, there are a lot of far-right extremists in and around Leipzig. But unlike in rural Saxony, they are countered by a strong, active Antifa community, which seldom hesitates to use violence to stop far-right activities. Police reaction to scuffles from both sides can consequently be heavy handed, and they have been attacked by both right- and left-wing political activists.

Go next

 * Nearby
 * The Central German Lake District surrounds Leipzig
 * Lützen — about 20 km southwest, where two great battles have been fought during the Thirty Years' and the Napoleonic Wars, and where Gustavus Adolphus, one of the most famous kings of Sweden died in the Thirty Years War. Birthplace of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
 * Merseburg – more than thousand-year-old town with interesting old centre, Romanesque/Gothic cathedral and Renaissance palace (30 km west)
 * Halle — Leipzig's "twin city" some great things to see. Largest city in Saxony-Anhalt, birthplace of Händel and has a few castles. The cities are linked by frequent local trains, taking half an hour from one main station to the other (40 km northwest)
 * Colditz — known for its castle that was used as a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II (50 km southeast)
 * Naumburg — with its impressive, UNESCO-listed Romanesque cathedral, home town of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, centre of the Saale-Unstrut cultural landscape and wine-growing region can be reached in 40–50 minutes by train (60 km southwest)
 * Zeitz

 * Further away
 * Dessau — former residence of the small principality of Anhalt; both the beautiful Dessau-Wörlitz "garden realm" and the Bauhaus school that pioneered modern architecture and arts are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Local trains run every hour, taking 45–55 minutes (70 km north)
 * Lutherstadt Wittenberg — one of the most important sites of Protestant Reformation, is just half an hour away in ICE trains (75 km north)
 * Dresden — a must-see with its old baroque centre, the Frauenkirche and its other attractions. Go there in just over an hour by train or car (120 km east)
 * Weimar — Germany's "classical city", where several poets, philosophers and artists of the classical era lived and worked, is little more than an hour away by train (130 km southwest)
 * Erfurt — the state capital of Thuringia with its medieval old town is 45 minutes away by high-speed train (145 km southwest)
 * Berlin — the German capital is just over an hour away by ICE train (190 km north)

title: Leipzig


text:
Leipzig Lowlands-Central Hills

Leipzig Lowlands is a plain in Saxony, Germany. It is bordered in the south and east by the Central Saxon Hills. The latter is known as Saxony's "land of castles", including several (mostly medieval and Renaissance) mansions, fortresses, churches and monasteries as well as neat old towns.

Cities

 * – biggest city in Saxony, transportation hub, major trade and industrial site with a multifaceted cultural life
 * – known for its castle that was used as a prisoners-of-war camp during World War II
 * – beautiful renovated old town core
 * – old town on the Mulde river with many historical buildings (Renaissance townhall, Baroque bridge, abbey and long-standing boarding school)
 * – medieval castle
 * – temporary residence of Saxony with the world's first newly constructed Lutheran church after Reformation
 * – medieval castle
 * – temporary residence of Saxony with the world's first newly constructed Lutheran church after Reformation
 * – medieval castle
 * – temporary residence of Saxony with the world's first newly constructed Lutheran church after Reformation
 * – temporary residence of Saxony with the world's first newly constructed Lutheran church after Reformation

Get in
The region's transportation hub is Leipzig with its airport and major train station that is served by ICE high-speed (lines Hamburg–Berlin–Munich and Frankfurt–Dresden) and intercity trains (from Hanover, Cologne).

The region is crossed or passed by Autobahnen A4 (Frankfurt–Dresden), A9 (Berlin–Munich), A14 (Magdeburg–Dresden), A38 (Göttingen–Leipzig) and A72 (Leipzig–Chemnitz–Hof).

Get around
Most of the region belongs to the MDV transport system. Their tickets are valid for all local and regional trains, trams and buses in the respective zone, no matter which company operates the particular means of transportation. You may switch from one vehicle to another using the same ticket, the fare only depends on the number of zones lying between start and destination of the trip. A similar system exists with the VMS in the southern part of the region (area around Hainichen, Mittweida, Rochlitz) that are closer to Chemnitz than to Leipzig. Both systems overlap in the Döbeln area where tickets of both networks are valid.

The surroundings of Leipzig are served by the S-Bahn Mitteldeutschland network of suburban trains (e.g. S2 Leipzig–Delitzsch, S3 Leipzig–Markkleeberg–Böhlen–Borna–Geithain, S4 Eilenburg–Leipzig–Wurzen) with trains running every half hour. Parts of the region that are more distant from Leipzig are served by hourly regional trains (Leipzig–Grimma–Leisnig–Döbeln, Riesa–Döbeln–Mittweida–Chemnitz) or regional express trains that skip over some minor stations and are therefore a little faster (Leipzig–Wurzen–Oschatz–Riesa–Dresden, Leipzig–Bad Lausick–Geithain–Burgstädt–Chemnitz, Leipzig–Eilenburg–Torgau–Falkenburg–Cottbus, the latter only two-hourly).

Some unprofitable rail routes have been closed and replaced by so-called "Plus bus", i.e. hourly regional bus lines (e.g. Leipzig–Bad Düben, Grimma–Colditz, Grimma–Wermsdorf, Grimma–Wurzen, Torgau–Dahlen). Smaller places can only be reached by local buses that in many cases only run a few times a day.

The region offers a well-developed network of cycle paths, in particular several scenic routes along the course of rivers, e.g. Pleiße cycle trail (Leipzig–Böhlen–Altenburg), Leipzig–Elbe route (Leipzig–Wurzen–link with the Elbe Radweg), Parthe–Mulde route (Leipzig–Naunhof–Grimma), Muldental cycle path (Penig–Rochlitz–Colditz– or Nossen–Döbeln–Leisnig– Grimma–Wurzen–Eilenburg–Bad Düben–Dessau) as well as the Berlin–Leipzig cycle trail (Leipzig–Bad Düben–Wittenberg–Berlin)

See

 * Old town of Leipzig with many historical merchant houses, trading courts and shopping arcades
 * Monument to the Battle of Nations 1813 (Völkerschlachtdenkmal) in Leipzig – 91 metres high, one of the biggest monuments in Europe

 * Castles, mansions, châteaux
 * Gnandstein castle, Kohren-Sahlis: well-preserved Romanesque hilltop castle from the early 13th century (13 km east of Altenburg)
 * Kriebstein castle: late-14th century fairytale castle, used as the set of several films (12 km north of Mittweida, 15 km southwest of Döbeln, on the Zschopautal cycle/hiking trail)
 * Late-Gothic to early-Renaissance castle of Wurzen
 * Hartenfels castle in Torgau and Schlosskirche (palace church)
 * Colditz Castle, 1000-year-old hilltop castle transformed into a Renaissance château, used as a prisoners-of-war camp for Allied officers during World War II, made known in the United Kingdom by a post-war film and a 1970s BBC series
 * Renaissance mansion of Machern with English-style landscape garden (9 km west of Wurzen)
 * Altranstädt castle in Markranstädt, during the Great Northern War 1706/07 residence of the Swedish king Charles XII and site of an important peace treaty
 * Baroque château (former castle) of Delitzsch

 * Churches, monasteries
 * Benedictine monastery of Wechselburg with late-Romanesque basilica (17 km west of Mittweida)
 * St Laurentius Church in Pegau with the Romanesque cenotaph of Margrave Wiprecht (16 km southeast of Lützen)

 * Other
 * Kriebstein dam (10 km north of Mittweida)
 * Stasi bunker in Machern: now a museum (9 km west of Wurzen)

Do

 * Water sports (swimming, sailing, surfing) on the lakes of Central German lake district south of Leipzig (Neuseenland, literally meaning "new lake district", but also a pun on New Zealand)
 * Canoeing or zodiac tours on the many rivers in and around Leipzig or the Mulde
 * Cycling (Mulde cycle trail, Pleiße cycle trail, Parthe-Mulde route, Leipzig-Elbe route, Berlin-Leipzig cycle path)
 * Diverse cultural life in Leipzig (music, theatre etc.)
 * Belantis amusement park near Leipzig
 * August: Highfield festival (indie rock) in Großpösna

title: Leipzig Lowlands-Central Hills


text:
Leiria

Leiria is a city of 127,000 people (2011) in Beira Litoral in central Portugal. It is home to a restored medieval castle.

Understand

Leiria (lay-REE-uh, /ɫɐj.ˈɾi.ɐ/) municipality has 126,879 residents (2011).

History
The region around Leiria was inhabited by a Celtiberian tribe, who established a settlement called "Collippo" around 7 km away. This settlement was occupied by the Romans, who expanded it. The stones of the ancient Roman town were used in the Middle Ages to build much of Leiria.

The Moors occupied the area until it was re-captured by the first King of Portugal, Afonso Henriques in 1135, during the Reconquista. South of Leiria in that period was the so-called "no-man's land", until regions further south (like Santarém and Lisbon) were permanently taken and re-populated by the Christians.

Afonso I of Portugal and Sancho I rebuilt the walls and the Leiria Castle to avoid new enemy incursions. Most of the population lived inside the protective city walls. The oldest church of Leiria, the Church of Saint Peter (Igreja de São Pedro), built in romanesque style in the last quarter of the 12th century, served the parish located outside the walls. During the Middle Ages the importance of the village increased, and it was the setting of several cortes (feudal parliaments). In the late 14th century, King John I built a royal palace within the walls of the castle of Leiria. This palace, with elegant gothic galleries that offered wonderful views of the town and surrounding landscape, was totally in ruins but was partially rebuilt in the 20th century. John I also sponsored the rebuilding in late gothic style of the old Church of Our Lady of the Rock (Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Pedra), located inside the castle. The Cathedral of Leiria was built in the second half of the 16th century in a mix of late manueline and mannerist styles. Compared to the Middle Ages, the subsequent history of Leiria is of relative decay. The city was stormed by the Peninsular War, namely in 1808 (the killing of Portela, by the troops of Gen. Margaron) and the Great Fire of 1811, caused by the Napoleonic troops retreating from the Lines of Torres Vedras. In the 20th century, however, its strategic position in the Portuguese territory favoured the development of a diversified industry.

Climate
It has mild and wet winters, relying on average 45 days of rain (312 mm) versus 45 dry days and 5 hours of sun per day. The average temperatures range between 15 °C (59 °F) and 7 °C (45 °F) and can go below freezing (< 0 °C (32 °F)) on exceptionally colder days, favouring the onset of light frost or ice. Snowfalls in the city of Leiria typically occur once every 20 to 30 years.

Springs are pleasant, but very rainy during the month of April. This season has an average of 39 days of rain 273 mm (11 in) to 51 dry days and 7 hours of sunshine per day. The average temperatures range between 20 °C (68 °F) and 11 °C (52 °F).

The summers bring high temperatures and sunshine, counting on average 18 days of rain 77 mm (3 in) compared with 82 dry days and 9 hours of sunshine per day. Average temperatures range between 27 °C (81 °F) and 15 °C (59 °F), the maximum can reach 35 °C (95 °F) on the hottest days.

The autumn, although mild, sometimes plagues the city with rain and wind and has on average 36 days of rain 339 mm (13 in) compared to 54 dry days and 6 hours of sun per day. Average temperatures range between 21 °C (70 °F) and 12 °C (54 °F).

By plane
The nearest airports of Leiria are Portela airport (in Lisbon) and Francisco Sá Carneiro airport (in Oporto).

By train
There are daily connections between Paris and Lisbon (Sud-Express), entering by the Vilar Formoso border; between Lisbon and Madrid, by the Marvão border; and between Porto and Vigo (Spain), by the Valença border. Train lines: North (Pombal) or West (Leiria 4 km)

By bus
There are 3 bus companies linking Porto (Internorte), Lisbon (Intercentro) and Faro (Intersul) to several European cities.

By car

 * National road: IC2 (Lisbon - Oporto)
 * Motorway: A1 (Lisbon - Oporto) or A8 (Lisbon - Leiria)

See

 * Rivers Lis & Lena
 * Pinhal (pinewood forest) de Leiria
 * Beaches
 * Viera de Leiria & S.Pedro de Muel.
 * Rivers Lis & Lena
 * Pinhal (pinewood forest) de Leiria
 * Beaches
 * Viera de Leiria & S.Pedro de Muel.
 * Viera de Leiria & S.Pedro de Muel.

Do

 * Camping, enjoy the beaches, Berlengas isles, off the coast of Peniche (summer only).
 * Castle of Leiria: As well as being a site of historical interest, the Castle of Leiria provides a venue for cultural events . Situated close to the castle, the Church of Saint Peter (Igreja de São Pedro) is used as the venue of Leiria's annual festival of music.
 * Theaters/Cinema: The Theatre Miguel Franco in the market Sant'Ana (Mercado de Sant'Ana) and The Theatre José Lúcio da Silva are venues for theatre, music and dance performances, as well as cinema.
 * Day & Night Life: The city is the birthplace of several leading Portuguese poets, such as Afonso Lopes Vieira and Francisco Rodrigues Lobo, after whom the central square (Praca Rodrigues Lobo) is named. Today the square is home to a thriving café culture, as well as being regularly used for cultural events. There's also many festivals in the region mostly in the summer.
 * Football: UD Leiria were promoted in 2023 and play soccer in Liga Portugal 2, the second tier. Their home ground is Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa, capacity 23,900.

Buy
The town hosts a monthly antiques market.

Eat
Leiria's gastronomy offers a good variety of Portuguese dishes including fresh fish dishes and the famous "Leitao" da Boavista (barbecued piglet).

The nearby village of Cortes is known for "Migas", a dish of corn bread with spinach, garlic and olive oil which is eaten as an accompaniment to fish or meat.

Local sweet pastry: Brisas do Liz and Lampreia d'Ovos which was originally made by the local convent.

Drink
Leiria, being a university town has a lively nightlife with many bars and cafes.

The central square of Rodriges Lobo has many cafes and bars with outdoor seating and views to the Castle. Not far from there is the "Gato Preto" cafe & bar (the Black Cat) which is known for the unusual tiles on its exterior.

Go next

 * Fátima (Sanctuary of Our Lady) – Place of the world-famous Marian apparitions.
 * Batalha (Monastery)
 * Alcobaça (Monastery)
 * Tomar (Castle and the Convent of Christ)
 * Nazaré (Beach of the Guinness Book Records big waves surfed)

title: Leiria


text:
Leirvik

Leirvik is a town in the county of Hordaland in Norway. It is located on the island of Stord in the municipality of the same name (which only covers the southern half of the island). Confusingly, Stord municipality as a whole has town status, but Leirvik is the only town-like settlement in the municipality. Leirvik had a population of about 14,000 in 2019. It is the second largest town in Hordaland county.

By car
From Bergen, follow European route E39 south through Os. Take the ferry from Os to Stord (Fitjar municipality). From the ferry terminus, continue following the road south until you reach Leirvik, about 28 km to the south.

From Stavanger, follow E39 north. From Haugesund, drive north on FV 47 then continue on E39.

From Oslo, drive to Bergen, then follow the instructions above.

By plane
Alternatively, Bergen Airport, Flesland and Stavanger Airport, Sola  are each within a 2½-hour drive. Haugesund Airport, Karmøy is even closer, and has scheduled flights from Alicante (Ryanair), Oslo (SAS) and Gdansk (Wizz Air), as well as a few charter flights.

Get around
Walk.

Go next
There are lots of hiking possibilities on Stord and elsewhere in the region. Contact Bergen Hiking Association for more information. A map of the hiking paths on Stord can be bought in the book stores on the island.

title: Leirvik


text:
Leland

Leland is a village in Leelanau County, Michigan (also known as the Leelanau Peninsula on the shore of Lake Michigan. Leland is the site of the oldest and largest Ottawa village on the Leelanau Peninsula named Mishi-me-go-bing, "the place where canoes run up into the river to land, because they have no harbor". European settlement began when the Antoine Manseau family came from North Manitou Island in 1853.

title: Leland


text:
Lelystad

Lelystad is the capital of the Dutch province of Flevoland. While overshadowed by the larger Almere and with a much less interesting town centre, Lelystad still has its fair share of tourist attractions, mostly found on the outskirts of the city.

Understand
Having been ocean floor at the bottom of the Zuiderzee well into the 20th century (like almost all of Flevoland), Lelystad is a rather "young" city architecturally and historically - but also demographically, compared to the rest of the Netherlands. Like much of the rest of Flevoland, Lelystad is not thought of highly as an exciting tourist destination by the Dutch, but if you want to learn more about the history of land reclamation, or indeed more ancient naval and land history of the Netherlands, visiting Lelystad can prove surprisingly worthwhile. Visiting Lelystad can also be solid fun for wildlife and birdwatching aficionados, aviation buffs and bargain hunters. Lelystad is named after the liberal Dutch politician and civil engineer Cornelis Lely who spent much of his political career lobbying for what became the Zuiderzee Works, a giant land reclamation and anti-flood project to which Lelystad owes its existence. Both the town of Lelystad and the province of Flevloand carry the Fleur de Lys in their coat of arms to honor Mr. Lely.

By train
Lelystad is right in the middle of the busy Flevolijn/Hanzelijn railway corridor, and its train station,  , right in the middle of the city, with a bus terminal just below the train platforms. There are frequent connections to Schiphol, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Vlissingen, Dordrecht, Roosendaal, Almere, Zwolle, Groningen and Leeuwarden, and you can get to pretty much every other station in the Netherlands by changing trains in one of those locations.

There are plans to build another train station along the same line in Lelystad, called Lelystad-Zuid, but it is not to be completed before 2025. Until then, Lelystad Centrum remains the only train station in the city.

By bus
There are several inter-regional bus lines that stop at Lelystad Centrum:
 * 148 to Harderwijk in Gelderland
 * 650 to Wervershoof in West Friesland

Local bus lines to other locations in Flevoland include:
 * 145 and 163 to Dronten
 * 165 to Swifterbant (145 also stops there)
 * 345 to Emmeloord

There is no bus connection to Almere. The only public transportation option to travel between Almere and Lelystad is taking a train.

By car
Lelystad can most easily be reached by the A6 running across Flevoland and embracing the city as its ringroad. An alternative, scenic route is taking the N302 running along the Houtribdijk from Enkhuizen in North Holland.

By bike
From Almere, seasoned bikers can take one of the scenic routes to Lelystad along the Oostvaardersplassen. One is the Flevoroute along the southern border of the nature reserve, and the other runs over the Oostvaardersdijk separating the calm lakes of the nature reserve from the larger Markermeer. Both are about 30 kilometres long and should take seasoned bikers 1.5–2 hours, unless you stop to take photos. Do note that there are no man-made structures along most of the way and indeed pretty much nobody to ask for help, so make sure you can make it on your own before engaging on such a journey.

By plane

 * remains a general aviation airport only, which means there are no scheduled passenger connections to and from there, but one may land there with a private plane.

Get around
Lelystad was not designed to be as walkable and enjoyable to explore on foot or by bike as Almere, so your better bet is taking one of the convenient bus lines to your destination. That said, it still has a well-marked network of bike paths and you can safely choose to bike if you are prepared for mundane architecture and disjointed districts along your way.

By bus
There are 10 local bus lines (numbered from 1 to 11, but note that there is no line 4 anymore) that all go through the Lelystad Centrum bus hub under the railway station. The intercity bus lines also leave from the railway station to neighbouring municipalities, stopping within Lelystad along their way. A schematic map of the bus lines can be found here:.

By bike
Bike paths are well-designed, convenient and excellently marked.

On foot
While the city centre is very compact and easily navigable on foot, most of the attractions are spread out to the outskirts of the city. Getting there on foot would be a challenge.

See
Lelystad has several tourist attractions like:

Do
Lelystad has many one-day events like the Airshow Lelystad, the Waterfestival, the National oldtimerday, speedwayraces , Architecture day and several sports events. On the Midland Circuit many motor-, karting- and stock car racing events and several autoclub meetings are held. At the coast there are several marinas.

Oostvaardersplassen
The Oostvaarderplassen is a nature reserve in the Netherlands between Lelystad and Almere. Despite its age, the polder only became dry in 1968, it has an international importance as a European wetland. The Oostvaardersplassen can be divided into two areas, the wet and dry areas. In the wet area along the Markermeer, there are large reedlands on clay, where moulting geese often feed. This area is also home to cormorants, spoonbills, white herons and the Great Bittern, among many other animals. The dry area was originally a habitat for willow trees. The first year hundreds of seedlings could be found on a square metre. The area is kept open by konik, deer and Heck cattle. These big grazers are kept out in the open all year round without supplemental feeding. The theory is that in time, the current open landscape will evolve into a natural forest. The only big grazers missing are the moose and the wisent (European bison). It is unlikely that the moose will be introduced but there is hope for the wisent as it fills a different niche from Heck cattle.

The Oostvaardersplassen today covers 5600 ha, of which 3600 ha are marshland and 2000 ha are grasslands and roughs. The area is an integrated mosaic of eight ecological types of landscape varying from a very wet zone to a dry one and open water and wet grassland to spontaneously grown woodland. The marshlands can be divided into three different landscapes: one-third is large scale open water, one-third is a combination of shallow lakes and mudflats with varying vegetation and one-third is almost exclusively covered with reeds.

The Oostvaardersplassen are perfect for birdwatching. You can find more information on.

Eat

 * Lunchroom le passage

Sleep
Lelystad is mostly a day trip destination, so like in the whole of Flevoland, there is only a limited number of accommodation options.

title: Lelystad