text:
Central Bhutan

Central Bhutan is a region in Bhutan.

Cities

 * — famous for its woven woolen goods.
 * — the administrative town of Tsirang District
 * — the administrative center of the district and the first place where Buddhism entered Bhutan.
 * — a large town on the Indian border and close to the Royal Manas National Park
 * — many sacred sites.
 * — quaint village high in the mountains.
 * — quaint village high in the mountains.

Understand
Culturally, Central Bhutan is closer to Eastern Bhutan, and like the East the predominant school of Buddhism is Nyingma. The towns, however, have been developed with a mixture of both Eastern and Western design. Trongsa, for example, has the Eastern characteristic of being located on the side of a hill, while Jakar meanders along a wide and lush valley, like towns in the West.

Bumthang District
"Bumthang" directly translates as "bumpa-shaped valley". "Thang" is valley or plain, and "bum" is an abbreviation of "bumpa" (a vessel used in consecration ceremonies). The Bumthang region is known as the spiritual heart of the kingdom, as it was here that Guru Rinpoche cured a local king of a spirit-induced ailment in the 8th century CE, an event that resulted in the king, and finally the whole country, embracing Buddhism. The Buddhist saint Pema Ligpa was born in the region and many other famous Buddhist yogis lived and practiced here. Consequently, the area is a repository of sacred artifacts and monasteries.

The region is also known for its lush valleys and is a major producer of apples and apple juice. Buckwheat used to be the most common grain grown in the valleys, but rice has been introduced to the area and has supplanted buckwheat as the main cash crop.

Bumthang is also famous for its brightly colored and distinctive woven woolen garments called yethra.

The winters in Bumthang are bighting cold with a persistent strong wind and heavy snow falls. The summers, on the other hand, are warm and pleasant, and due to the high altitude, the region is spared from the worst of the torrential monsoon rains.

Talk
Bumthangkha is the predominant language in Bumthang. Dzonghka and Sharchopkha influenced languages are spoken in other areas, while English is generally understood in Jakar.

See

 * Kurjey Lhakhang in Jakar is a temple built around a cave with a body print of Guru Rinpoche imbedded in the wall. Guru Rinpoche practiced meditation here on his first visit to Bhutan and as such it is the earliest Buddhist relic in the country.

Landmarks

 * Jakar Dzong, Jakar. Originally constructed in 1667, but rebuilt after being severely damaged in an earthquake in 1897, is one of the largest and most impressive in Bhutan and houses the administrative and monastic offices for the Bumthang district.

Sacred sites
For information on customs and symbols in Buddhism, see: Sacred sites of the Indian sub-continent
 * Kurjey Lhakhang, Jakar. One of Bhutan's most sacred monasteries. A body print of Guru Rinpoche is preserved in a cave around which the oldest of the three buildings is built. The original building was constructed in 1652 by Trongsa Penlop, while the latest addition was added by the late Queen Mother Ashi Kesang Wangchuk in 1990.
 * Jambey Lhakhang, Jakar. This is one of the 108 monasteries that were miraculously constructed by King Songten Gampo in one night. The monastery is located between Kurjey Lhakang and Jakar Dzong.
 * Tharpaling Goemba, Chhumey. Founded by the dzogchen master Longchen Rabjam in 1352, the monastery was also home to the famous Nyingma guru Jigme Lingpa in the 18th century. It is located at 3,600m, and is home to around 150 monks. It can be reached by an unpaved road.
 * Thangbi Goemba, Jakar. Founded in 1470 by Shamar Rimpoche
 * Mebar Tsho (Burning Lake), Tang. A place where some of Guru Rinpoche's scriptural treasures (Tib:terma) were discovered in the 15th century by the famous treasure discover Pema Lingpa
 * Tamshing Goemba, Jakar. A monastery established in 1501 by the local Buddhist saint Pema Lingpa. The two story building contains some lovely frescoes, and has a very low ceiling (apparently Pema Lingpa was very short!) In addition, there is 500-year-old suit of metal chain made by Pema Lingpa located on the first floor. It is considered auspicious to circumambulate the temple three times with the chain draped over the back and shoulders.
 * Sumthrang Lhakhang, Shinyer Village, Ura. A several hundred year old monastery with a lot of simple but beautiful artwork. Those visiting in January should notice the two flowering trees near the main gate, while other trees of the same variety lay bare. Legend states that these trees sprouted from a walking stick placed at the gate by the monastery's founder, Gyelwa Lhanangpa.

Do

 * Duer Hot Springs. A one day trek from road head. The trek is arduous, but stunningly beautiful. Blue sheep, musk deer and Himalayan bear are common in the Duer Hot Spring area.
 * Weaving houses. Chhumey is famous for its wool weavers, and it is possible to watch the work in action and to purchase items (called yethra) straight off the loom.
 * Wilderness backpacking. The region is perfect for long treks in the mountains.

Eat
Jakar is the only place with international standard restaurants, though all villages have small eateries serving Bhutanese dishes.

Drink
The area is famous for its freshly produced apple juice.

Stay safe

 * Bears. The area has large population of bears, so be careful and take precautions when walking in isolated areas.

title: Central Bhutan


text:
Central Bohemia

Central Bohemia is a region in the Czech Republic. It has two regions for agribusiness purposes: Central Bohemia Region, and capital city Prague. Central Bohemia is a great option for those who want to experience a different part of the Czech Republic beyond crowded Prague, but do not have much time.

Understand
Central Bohemia played major role in creation of Czech state. The oldest building in Czech Republic, Church of Saint Peter and Paul is located here. Large Karlštejn Castle and Kutná Hora with silver mines and Gothic cathedral and baroque monastery are reminders of the era when Bohemia was one of the most wealthy and powerful parts of Europe.

Landscape is mostly flat due to rivers Elbe and Moldau, whose confluence is here. It is one of the most fertile parts of the Czech Republic. Mountains can be found in south part of Central Bohemia, with maximum elevation of 864 meters.

Get in
You can reach most of the places in Central Bohemia in less than one hour from Prague. Visiting some sights in Central Bohemia can be an ideal one-day trip from Prague.

By car

 * Prague-Kladno 30 minutes
 * Prague-Beroun 30 min.
 * Prague-Příbram 46 min.
 * Prague-Mělník 38 min.
 * Prague-Benešov 46 min.
 * Prague-Kutná Hora 1h7min.
 * Praha-Mladá Boleslav 46 min.

By train
Travelling by train is possibly the best way to get into Central Bohemia. [HTTPS://www.cd.cz Czech Railways] provides long-distance trains from many big cities in Czechia and from all capitals of neighbouring countries to Prague often with more stops in this region. For more accurate information look at IDOS.
 * Berlin - Prague: 6x EuroCity a day, 4h5min
 * Vienna - Prague: 7x RailJet + 1x EuroNight a day, 3h57min
 * Warsaw - Prague: 2x InterCity + 1x ExpressInterCity + 1x EuroNight a day, 7h52min, IC stops as well in Kolín
 * Bratislava - Prague: 7x EuroCity + 2x EuroNight a day, 3h57min, EC and EN stop in Kolín as well
 * Brno - Prague: via Česká Třebová: 9x RailJet + 7x EuroCity + 1x InterCity + 1x EuroNight + 7x Rychlík Vyšší Kvality, 2h29min, EC, IC, Rx and EN stop as well in Kolín; via Havlíčkův Brod: 9x Rychlík, 3h37min, R stops in Čáslav, Kutná Hora and Kolín as well
 * Ostrava - Prague: 6x SuperCity + 2x InterCity + 3x EuroCity + 4x Expres + 2x EuroNight a day, 2h55min, EC and Ex stop as well in Kolín

Get around
Buses and trains are a good option. Some Central Bohemian local roads can be in relatively bad condition. Traveling by foot could be recommended for some beautiful landscapes of Křivoklátsko, Kokořínsko and Brdy.

By train
Travelling by train in Central Bohemia is generally a good idea because of a dense railway network and frequent lines. You can buy single ride tickets, return tickets or for example regional day ticket at stations or in trains if at station is not a ticket counter. Or you can buy a time tickets of PID integrated system that are valid on trains, buses, tramways and metro in Central Bohemia. Note that it is not valid on all services.

Main railway hub in the region is Prague main train station (Praha hlavní nádraží) from where depart most long-distance trains and many regional trains. Many regional trains and some long-distance trains also depart from Prague Masaryk's station (Praha Masarykovo nádraží).

Besides normal services you can ride on historic trains too, for example see website of KŽC, historic train carrier, or [HTTPS://www.cdmuzeum.cz/EN/default.htm Czech Railways Museum]. Note that on most of these trains you will need special ticket. Some railways are even a tourist attraction because of picturesque landscape. For example railway called Posázavský Pacifik (Prague - Světlá n/S via Vrané n/V, Čerčany, Sázava, Zruč n/S and Ledeč n/S) is routed in beautiful valley of Sázava. You can reach for example Sázava Monastery, Český Šternberk Castle or Zruč nad Sázavou on this railway.

See

Do

Itineraries
Some one-day trips from Prague:

Southeast of Prague
 * Prague-Průhonice Park-Sázava-Český Šternberk Castle-Konopiště Chateau-Prague (2h30min. of total time driving)

Around Beroun Kutná Hora
 * Prague-Karlštejn-Koněpruské Caves-Beroun-Prague (2 hours of total time driving)
 * Prague-Kutná Hora (UNESCO)-Prague (2h15 min.)

North of Prague
 * Prague-Slaný-Mělník-Kokořín Castle-Prague (2h10min. of driving)

Eat
There is no food specific just to this region.

Drink
Some of the Czech Largest breweries are located in central Bohemia, these areː Velkopopovický Kozel in Velké Popovice, Krušovice in Krušovice, Postřižinské pivo in Nymburk, Bakalář in Rakovník and Únětice in Únětice, with the last mentioned being probably the best of them.

There is also a wine-making tradition, centred around Mělník and Litoměřice.

Go next
Your next stop can be almost anywhere in the Czech Republic, because of Central Bohemia's position in the middle of the country.
 * East Bohemia
 * Highlands
 * North Bohemia
 * South Bohemia
 * West Bohemia

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

title: Central Bohemia


text:
Central Bosnia

Central Bosnia is in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Cities

 * — town with mineral water springs, spas, and caves in the surrounding countryside
 * — a small city with a fortress and historical buildings.
 * — city with an Ottoman old quarter
 * — city with an Ottoman old quarter

title: Central Bosnia


text:
Central Chile

Central Chile is one of the most important regions of Chile. It is where you will find Santiago (the nation's capital), a number of charming small towns in the Andean highlands, the largest ski resort in Chile, and important seaside ports like Valparaiso.

Cities

 * — the capital city, and cultural center of the country, with many museums, events, theaters, restaurants, and bars, and you can ski in the nearby Andes and then go the beach later that day
 * — historically a popular seaside resort, reached by rustic train (ramal) from Talca
 * — a city on the route between Santiago and Chile's primary border crossing with Argentina
 * — the best place to drink chicha, a homemade alcoholic wine-like drink
 * — a laid-back town with beaches and surfing
 * — handicrafts, rather commercial
 * — a seaside resort village with a whaling museum
 * — a good base for exploring the region's vineyards, and smaller villages and towns
 * — a small beach town popular with Santiaguinos and Argentines from Mendoza in January and February
 * – the base for exploring the Colchagua Valley wine region
 * — an old mining town
 * — vast hiking east of it, including Descabezado Grande
 * — sea, hills and beautiful old houses
 * — the most important beach in the country hosts a botanical garden

Other destinations

 * — the home to the largest swimming pool in the world at the San Alfonso del Mar resort
 * — ski area
 * — a small mountain village near the ski resorts of La Parva, El Colorado, and Valle Nevado
 * — a remote islands 670 km offshore
 * — a ski area close to the Argentine border
 * — an extraordinary bucolic paradise of waterfalls and lakes
 * — ski resort
 * — a 121-km² reserve in the Andean mountain skirts with hiking, horseback riding, and connecting with nature

Climate
In central valleys the climate is essentially Mediterranean. This kind of climate is characterized by warm to hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wet winters.

Talk
The majority of the population speaks only Spanish. Just a few people, especially tourist guides, engineers and businessmen can speak fluent English. Nevertheless, many young people understand some simple English phrases and can start basic conversations since English has been more prioritized in the national curriculum in the last few years.

Get in

 * Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport near Santiago.

See
Santiago, the country's capital and metropole, has the widest range of sites and activities. Valparaíso is a pleasant and colorful city on the coast.

Do

 * Swimming – In the largest swimming pool in the world at the San Alfonso del Mar resort.
 * Surfing – Everything between and, like Curanipe, Cardonal, Tregualemu and Buchupureo are exceptional surfing destinations and mirror the shape and conditions of the Californian coast on the northern side of the continent. This region is still a hidden gem and receiving a lot of state sponsoring for development. However, beaches and breaks are far from overrun and you can find many lone opportunities to try out your board.
 * Hiking – To the east of Talca vast opportunities exist, including Descabezado Grande (3,953 m), Radal Siete Tazas National Park, Altos de Lircay National Reserve, and other reserves.

title: Central Chile


text:
Central Circuit

The Central Circuit (道央 Dōō) covers the western and central parts of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Cities

 * (札幌市 Sapporo-shi) – Hokkaido's capital and by far its biggest and liveliest town
 * (千歳市 Chitose-shi) – the gateways to Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Lake Shikotsu and Mount Tarumae
 * (岩見沢市 Iwamizawa-shi)
 * (室蘭市 Muroran-shi) — a declining industrial town and a fishing port
 * (登別市 Noboribetsu-shi) – Hokkaido's best-known hot spring resort
 * (小樽市 Otaru-shi) – port with international flavor
 * (滝川市 Takikawa-shi)
 * (苫小牧市 Tomakomai-shi) – transportation and shipping hub on the south coast
 * (夕張市 Yūbari-shi) — a coal-mining town famous for melons and its film festival

Towns
Mount Poroshiri
 * (日高町 Hidaka-chō) and (平取町 Biratori-chō) – also home to the small village of Nibutani where 80% of residents are Ainu
 * (倶知安町 Kutchan-chō) — known for its proximity to the world famous Niseko powder snow region
 * (新冠町 Niikappu-chō) – known for horse breeding, cliff artwork, and Deikazan (mud volcano)
 * (ニセコ町 Niseko-chō) – ski resort that draws visitors even from overseas
 * (様似町 Samani-chō) — part of the Mt. Apoi Geopark, its hot spring resort is a popular climb among tourists and locals
 * (積丹町 Shakotan-chō)
 * (新ひだか町 Shinhidaka-chō) – thoroughbreds and beautiful cherry blossoms
 * (白老町 Shiraoi-chō)
 * (洞爺湖町 Tōyako-chō)
 * (余市町 Yoichi-chō)

Other destinations

 * (支笏洞爺国立公園 Shikotsu Tōya Kokuritsu Kōen) – two beautiful caldera lakes with rumbling volcanoes and mossy canyons

Get in
Sapporo is the biggest transportation hub in Hokkaido.

By plane
New Chitose Airport and Okadama Airport.

By train

 * JR Hokkaido Hakodate main line
 * JR Muroran main line
 * JR Hokkaido Hidaka main line

By boat

 * Tomakomai port
 * Tomakomai East port

title: Central Circuit


text:
Central City (Colorado)

Central City is a city in Colorado.

Understand
Once called the "Richest Square Mile on Earth," this historic old mining town is dotted with the old gold mines and hundreds of Victorian buildings. More than a half billion dollars of gold was mined in the area and the town once boasted a population of 30,000. Today, there are 300 year-round residents. Along with Black Hawk, it is part of a National Historic District.

Get in
It is about a 45-minute drive from Denver. Most people take the Central City Parkway which is a 8.4 mile 4 four lane parkway that runs from Hidden Valley at I-70 Exit 243, straight into downtown Central City. takes 10-15 minutes depending on the weather

Go next
Central City is only one mile from Black Hawk, walking distance, just up the hill. There are shuttles that run between the towns also.

title: Central City (Colorado)


text:
Central Coast

There is more than one place called Central Coast:

New South Wales

 * Central Coast a large metro-rural area and lies between Sydney and Newcastle

Canada

 * Central Coast (British Columbia)

Peru

 * Central Coast (Peru)

United States of America

 * Central Coast (California)

Vietnam

 * Central Coast (Vietnam)

title: Central Coast


text:
Central Coast (California)

The Central Coast of California is a region that remains calm and tranquil. Between the Bay Area's high-tech hassles, and the megalopolis of Southern California, the Central Coast provides nice beaches, beautiful Spanish missions, and a more peaceful way of life.

Cities

 * - Carmel is a beautiful oceanside town that is home to the historic Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, several large beaches, excellent restaurants and an abundance of upscale lodging. It borders the iconic Pebble Beach golf course and is the entry point to the 17-Mile Drive and its dramatic ocean views. Note that the 17-mile-drive has a toll as well.
 * - Founded in 1770, Monterey was the capital of Alta California under both Spain and Mexico, was a bustling fishing port until the 1950s, and is now a major tourist destination. Attractions include a pier filled with seafood restaurants, a world-class aquarium, a harbor that is home to an enormous number of seabirds, sea lions, sea otters, seals, and other marine life, the historic Cannery Row, and opportunities for whale watching, kayaking, or other excursions into Monterey Bay.
 * - This coastal town is best known for the massive 581-foot (177-m) tall volcanic rock that dominates its harbor, but is also a great spot to see marine mammals and is home to one of California's oldest fine art and craft shows.
 * - Paso Robles is a historical resort town known for its hot springs. This city's major industry is wine production, with vineyards located throughout the surrounding area.
 * - This tourism-focused coastal town has more than 65 restaurants and 30 lodging options, and draws visitors with its beautiful coastline, annual clam festival, and the thousands of monarch butterflies that gather to spend the winter in a grove at the edge of town.
 * - Lying almost exactly half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, this small college town and its neighboring communities boast extraordinary resources for hiking, mountain biking, sea kayaking, swimming and surfing, outstanding natural beauty, a carefully preserved and thriving 19th-century downtown centered around a meticulously restored 18th-century mission, a small but thriving art gallery scene, and a large and growing collection of top-quality wineries.
 * - The "American Riviera" is a historic mission city that is an incredibly popular getaway destination. Its wide beaches, highly rated wineries, luxurious resorts, art galleries, and a large variety of excellent dining choices, enable the town of just 90,000 residents to enjoy the sort of cultural and social amenities which are usually found only in much larger cities.
 * - Santa Cruz is best known as a countercultural hub, with a fun bohemian feel and youthful vibe, and weekend tourist attractions like the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a historic mission, and the dubious Mystery Spot. The beaches north and south of Santa Cruz are considered some of the more pristine areas of natural beauty in central California, and while conditions generally make them impractical for swimming, several are considered an expert surfer's cold cold paradise.

Other destinations

 * - The Big Sur region can be loosely defined as the stretch of coastline between Carmel and San Simeon, and the steep cliffs, rocky coast, churning waves, abundant wildlife, redwoods, and remoteness make it one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Big Sur Village lies at its heart and offers amenities for travelers.
 * - This remote national monument is home to the largest remaining native grassland in California. During wet years it boasts spectacular wildflowers in the spring, and Soda Lake is an important wintering area for waterfowl when precipitation is sufficient to flood the seasonal lakebed. The park is also home to Painted Rock, a Native American site that has been adorned with pictographs over thousands of years. Services are extremely limited, with just a small visitor center, two primitive campgrounds, and a handful of marked trails available.
 * - The Ventura harbor is the departure point for most excursions to the Channel Islands National Park, a series of islands that are home to incredible marine life, beautiful and rugged scenery, and the housecat-sized island fox. The islands are remote with very limited services, attracting hikers, backpackers and scuba divers to explore both the above and below-water wilderness.
 * - Rising out of the chaparral-covered Gabilan Mountains, east of central California's Salinas Valley, are the spectacular remains of an ancient volcano. Massive monoliths, spires, sheer-walled canyons and talus passages define millions of years of erosion, faulting and tectonic plate movement. Hiking through the impressive rock formations is the primary recreational opportunity, although bird watchers will enjoy the possibility of seeing the highly endangered California condor.

Understand

The Central Coast includes some of the classic tourist country of California – particularly the scenic version of the drive (or train ride) from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The Spanish colonialists traveled along the Central Coast along a route called El Camino Real – roughly on the route of Highway 1 – and created missions at Santa Cruz, San Juan Bautista, Carmel, Soledad, Jolon, San Miguel, San Luis Obispo, Lompoc, Solvang, Santa Barbara, and San Buenaventura (Ventura). Depending on what you count as Central Coast, the area has about half of the state's missions.

Much of the Central Coast is agricultural, with an emphasis on crops that flourish in relatively cool, coastal climates – such as artichokes and strawberries. Grape-growing, especially in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, is now an important sector. The Santa Barbara County wine country was made famous in the movie Sideways. Monterey County is a renowned wine region, with more than planted in premium wine grapes. Fishing was once an important part of the regional economy, but has receded greatly. There is oil production off the coast of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, but activity is greatly below previous levels.

Tourism is a critical industry, particularly on the Monterey Peninsula and around Santa Barbara. The temperate Central Coast has also been known as a retirement area, particularly for people from Los Angeles.

Population in the Central Coast is concentrated in a series of small to medium-sized cities, only two of which exceed 100,000. The cities include Monterey, fast growing Salinas (a few miles inland), Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, and Santa Barbara. Santa Cruz city and county are sometimes considered part of the Central Coast, but they have become increasingly tied to the San Francisco Bay Area and especially Silicon Valley (Santa Clara County), to which many Santa Cruzans commute. Ventura County, at the southern end of the Central Coast, is classified by the Census Bureau as part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area and is also a part of that city's media market, and commuter train service to LA is available.

The Central Coast has a large number of colleges, considering its relatively small population (about 2 million of California's 37 million). There are University of California branches at Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara, each of which strongly shapes the character of its city. California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) is the mainstay for the city of San Luis Obispo. There are newer state colleges at Ventura and at Fort Ord, a converted military base in Monterey County.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary runs from north of the Golden Gate Bridge at San Francisco, to Cambria in San Luis Obispo County, and is the largest marine sanctuary in the United States. It hosts spectacular kelp forests and wildly diverse marine life, and is popular for diving, kayaking and whale watching.

By car
US Highway 101 is the Central Coast's main artery and alternates between freeway and state highway throughout the Central Coast region. Two-lane Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway is the slower, more scenic option as it winds along the entire Central Coast coastline.

By plane
There are commercial airports near Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara (the largest), and Santa Maria. There are no flights within the Central Coast, only flights to and from San Francisco and Los Angeles. It is usually cheaper to fly into adjacent regions, such as flying into the San Jose airport rather than the small Monterey airport, or LAX rather than Santa Barbara.

By train
Amtrak's Coast Starlight train runs nearly the entire length of the Central Coast once each day, from approximately late morning to early evening. For a driving-free train vacation, you can fly into the San Jose airport, take a bus or taxi to the San Jose Diridon train station, and then go down the coast, eventually to Oxnard or beyond the Central Coast to Los Angeles. If you want to stretch the trip out over several days, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara are convenient towns to stop in, as they have hotels within an easy walk of their train stations.

San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara can be reached on Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, which runs to and from Los Angeles and San Diego several times each day.

Get around

US Highway 101 is a freeway virtually its entire length. It connects San Jose, Salinas, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Oxnard with Los Angeles. The Monterey Peninsula is a few miles to the west. Outside of the Monterey Peninsula there are few towns of any size off 101; Lompoc in Santa Barbara County is one.

The rail route essentially follows 101, which was built along the rail corridor. There is only one train a day – the Coast Starlight – that covers the whole corridor. The Pacific Surfliners to Los Angeles and San Diego go as far north as San Luis Obispo, there is more service from Santa Barbara south. Amtrak Thruway buses cover gaps in train service.

Greyhound serves Santa Cruz, Salinas, King City, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, and Oxnard (but not Ventura), connecting to San Francisco and Los Angeles. Regional and local buses fill in the gaps.

Go next

 * Southern California - Bordering the Central Coast to the south, the Southern California region is home to Los Angeles, San Diego, Disneyland, and miles of famous beaches.
 * San Joaquin Valley - Located east of the Central Coast, this area is the breadbasket of California and home to a large percentage of America's fruit and vegetable supply. The region's largest cities are Fresno and Bakersfield, the latter of which proclaims itself "the country music capital of the West Coast."
 * Bay Area - North of the Central Coast, the Bay area is home to San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose/Silicon Valley, with attractions ranging from the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to the redwoods of Muir Woods to the coastal reserve of Point Reyes National Seashore.

title: Central Coast (California)


text:
Central Coast (New South Wales)

The Central Coast of New South Wales is a coastal region immediately to the north of the state capital of Sydney and south of the state's second largest city Newcastle.

Cities and towns

 * – a coastal and lakeside town in the northeast.
 * – the main city and CBD; also one of the most populous single city suburbs in Australia.
 * – an affluent beachside town east of Gosford.
 * – a coastal town, named after the channel that forms "the entrance" to the Tuggerah Lakes.
 * – a bayside town located south of Gosford.
 * – the main town in the northern part of the Central Coast.

Understand
A quiet semi-rural region between the cities of Sydney and Newcastle, it represents a great way to get away from the busy Sydney life without having to journey very far. It takes about 90 minutes to drive through when there is no traffic. It contains many suburban areas as well as numerous reserves and national parks.

The area's traditional owners, the Guringai and Darkinjung people, were among the first encountered by the British settlers. As travel between Sydney and Newcastle was mostly done by sea, the early colony only had smaller settlements. The Great Northern Road, built by convict labour, was completed in 1836 and opened the area up to more development thereafter.
 * Visit NSW tourism website

By car
You can take the Pacific Motorway (M1) from Sydney, and exit at Gosford, Ourimbah, Tuggerah or Toukley exits depending on what part of the Central Coast you wish to go to. The trip from the start of the freeway at the north of Sydney will take around half an hour to the start of the Central Coast.

By train
The coastal areas of the Central Coast are well served by the NSW TrainLink network, which is a very economical way to visit the area. Trains from the Central station in Sydney direct to the Central Coast depart approximately every 30 minutes. The main stations are Woy Woy, Gosford, Tuggerah and Wyong. Journeys are on the Opal card and cost between $5 and $8 one way. The journey can take anywhere between 1.5 and 2 hours.

By ferry
Ettalong is accessible by ferry from Palm Beach in Sydney with the passenger ferry crossing the Hawkesbury river every hour or so. Buses run from the Wynyard and Manly to Palm Beach. Bikes are allowed on the ferry. The enthusiastic travel-planner can do a round trip back by bus and train. On the western end, there's car ferries from Wisemans Ferry which operate every few minutes.

By bus
CDC NSW operates bus route 592 from Hornsby, Asquith, Mount Colah, Mount Kuring-gai, Berowra, Cowan and Hawkesbury River stations to Mooney Mooney and Cheero Point in the Central Coast. There are also buses from Newcastle.

By car
As you head out of Sydney into the surrounding bushland, you may think you have left the city behind for the country roads; however, the Central Coast can have traffic and be just as busy as Sydney and Newcastle. Major roads criss-cross the area.

By bus
Buses on the Central Coast are privately run under contract, and are integrated into the Sydney ticketing and information system. You can get timetable information from Google Maps.

By bike
There are some areas with well developed bicycle facilities, particularly between Woy Woy and Gosford, but some roads are busy multi-lane roads only for road warriors. Check out the normal bicycle maps sources (Local Council websites, Open Cycle Map, Google Maps) to plan your route.

By train
The coastal train stops at most major settlements along the Central Coast, and runs frequently throughout the day.

See

 * Governor Philip Memorial
 * Governor Philip Memorial
 * Governor Philip Memorial
 * Governor Philip Memorial
 * Governor Philip Memorial
 * Governor Philip Memorial
 * Governor Philip Memorial
 * Governor Philip Memorial
 * Governor Philip Memorial
 * Governor Philip Memorial

National parks

 * Brisbane Water National Park
 * Brisbane Water National Park
 * Brisbane Water National Park

Do

 * Watch an A-League match. The Central Coast Mariners are the sole professional sporting team in the Central Coast. Their men and women's teams play in the A-League Men and A-League Women respectively, the highest professional soccer leagues in Australia, with their home games being played at the Central Coast Stadium (also known by its sponsored name Industree Group Stadium). The A-League season runs from October to May, with matches occurring several times a month during this period.
 * The Australian Reptile Park is one of the best wildlife parks in Australia, 3 km from Gosford in Somersby, amongst bushland, and attracts many tourists and locals, and is also known as one of several featured locations in the Australian TV series Bondi Vet and its spinoffs. It has many Australian animals including crocodiles, snakes, wombats, Tasmanian devils, kangaroos and emus, which are not fenced! There are also daily crocodile and bird shows. To get there by public transport get a taxi from Gosford station. There is no local bus service to the park. Some tour coaches operate.
 * The Australian Rainforest Sanctuary at the Forest of Tranquility is a true rainforest on the Central Coast, with true humid climate, nice walks, wallabies running around and rare birds occasionally showing up. $12/adult.

 * Annual oyster festival. Held mid November
 * Spike Fest. An annual festival celebrating the life and works of comedian Spike Milligan

Buy
Whilst the centre of Gosford doesn't offer a lot of interesting shops, there are two large shopping centres nearby. Buses from Gosford and most areas of the Central Coast travel regularly (albeit not always so frequently) to Erina Fair, which contains many mid-range clothing shops, hairdressers, coffee shops, newsagents, department stores, shoe shops, fast food outlets, restaurants and bookshops. There is also a library, gym, cinema and ice rink on the grounds. A similar shopping centre is found at Tuggerah although it is smaller and has less facilities than at Erina Fair.

Eat

 * K.B. Thai Takeaway
 * Pelicans Restaurant
 * Wasana Thai Restaurant
 * Pearls on the Beach
 * Woy Woy Fisherman's Wharf
 * Woy Woy Gourmet Pizza
 * Naman's Kitchen Restaurant
 * The Fish Hut
 * Naman's Kitchen Restaurant
 * The Fish Hut

South
As in many populated coastal areas of Australia, there are many homeowners who rent their houses to holiday makers on a weekly basis. As a guide, a four-bedroom house might rent for a short term price of $700-1500 per week. Local real estate agents usually organise the holiday rentals.

Go next
The Central Coast is between Newcastle to the north and Sydney to the south. Heading out west over the Mangrove Mountains is somewhat challenging, but the Central West awaits.
 * Travel to Sydney's Northern Beaches on the Palm Beach ferry and go walking in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.

title: Central Coast (New South Wales)


text:
Central Coast (Peru)

Central Coast is a region of Peru. It includes the area around Lima. It is a very densely populated area and the largest metropolitan area on the Pacific coast of South America.

Cities

 * — the capital and largest city of the country has a mix of modern and colonial architecture, and is the best place to enjoy Peruvian cuisine
 * — it has thermal pools, so the town has plenty of hostels, restaurants and tour operators

Other destinations

 * — A just outside Barranca

Climate
Throughout the year Lima tends to be 15 - 23°C with minimal to no rain and relatively high humidity (80-85%). Foggy during dry season (May-September). Overall, Peru's arid locations have very predictable weather, differing only by the changing position of the few clouds in that are in the sky.

Talk
Language seems to not be much of an issue in Lima. If you're going to a tourist location, than it is very likely that there will be both English and Spanish speakers there. Ordering at restaurants is never a problem: Even if there are only Spanish speakers available to take your order, you can at least point at the menu.

By plane
is the main gateway to Lima and all of Peru. All other Peru airports can be accessed by taking smaller planes from Jorge Chávez Airport.

Get around
One may navigate the streets of Lima by car, taxi, bus, or rickshaw-like motorcycle taxis. Lima's only city controlled transportation is a set of bus lines to travel on the highways, these travel almost solely within the city. All other modes of transportation are minimally regulated and provide little guarantee of safety.

Roads in this region are under constant construction and are not necessarily organized in a block structure, thus they are challenging to navigate.

By car
Driving is to be avoided if possible, due to traffic congestion, poor parking options, overly aggressive drivers, complexity of navigation. As an alternative, taxis or hotel shuttles are the best option. Before you arrive in Lima make sure to contact or research whether your hotel has a shuttle from the airport or if the have a good recommendation for a specific taxi service. There are a few taxis that are relatively cheap and very safe, although it is best to take taxis only by recommendation from someone you trust.

High traffic congestion and aggressive drivers tend to be the result of the method of communication with other cars that most drivers operate by. Communication between drivers in Peru is generally done through eye contact with each other driver and frequent use of each persons car horn. The result can be seen at most traffic lights and intersections, where four lanes of traffic seem to be marked on the pavement, while in fact there are five or six lanes with many vehicles crossing between lanes in no organized fashion. Intersections with traffic lights may also have a traffic cop's stand, if the stand is in use, the cops may in may cases disregard the traffic lights and direct cars to move accordingly.

Be weary of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. In many cases they completely disobey traffic rules and/or squeeze between vehicles to the point where it is challenging to see them. In general, one should not expect traffic to yield to pedestrians.

See

 * Park of the Reserve is one of the most advertised tourist locations for international and Peruvian visitors alike. The park is located in downtown Lima and, for a small admittance fee, one can enter to see a couple dozen fountains, the colorful lights that shine upon them, and the well cared for grounds that they reside wthin. Over the course of a day multiple fountain shows occur on the largest fountain in the park, a beautiful display of water and light combined to tell the story of Peruvian culture.
 * The Plaza de Armas' provides a wonderful display of Spanish influence architecture in the historical center of Lima. Many buildings in the area can be toured, with or without a guide. At the head of the plaza sits the Palacio de Gobierno, the palace of the Peruvian President. The Catedral de Lima also neighbors the plaza, an intriguing tour of the building is recommended by many travel books and will provide an insightful look into the Spanish past of Peru.

Stay safe
Peruvian tap water is not considered safe for drinking for either visitors or residents, and can likely cause dysentery. Do not ingest anything that was made with tap water unless it was thoroughly boiled. Be wary of anything that may still be wet or was washed with tap water: e.g., raw vegetables and salads. Something to consider is that many places will serve salads with lemon since the acids in lemon tend to neutralize the dysentery causing bacteria, although this is not a guarantee.

title: Central Coast (Peru)


text:
Central Coast (Vietnam)

The Central Coast is a region of Vietnam.

Cities

 * – Has a large airport that serves Quảng Ngãi and Tam Kỳ
 * – Vietnam's fifth largest city with lots of tourists, where the beaches are the main attraction
 * – A sleepy beach and seaside town with all the necessary infrastructure; laid back, authentic and genuinely friendly, with at least half a dozen hostels, convenient for accessing Phong Nha Ke Bang national park.
 * – A trading port with a UNESCO World Heritage listed old city and pedestrian-friendly shops and cafes
 * – The former imperial capital and a popular tourist attraction
 * – A popular beach town
 * – A fishing village that includes mountains, a river, a lagoon, an island and a 32-km beach
 * – A sleepy town and off the beaten tracks, known for the My Lai incident during the Vietnam War, with lots of cultural and historical sights
 * – The inexpensive and tourist-free alternative to Da Nang, yet off many people's radar and therefore still a tranquil and authentic, lively and pleasant city with a much (among the locals) hyped beach. Good for a break between Nha Trang and Hoi An.
 * – A fishing village that includes mountains, a river, a lagoon, an island and a 32-km beach
 * – A sleepy town and off the beaten tracks, known for the My Lai incident during the Vietnam War, with lots of cultural and historical sights
 * – The inexpensive and tourist-free alternative to Da Nang, yet off many people's radar and therefore still a tranquil and authentic, lively and pleasant city with a much (among the locals) hyped beach. Good for a break between Nha Trang and Hoi An.

Other destinations

 * (Cù Lao Chàm) – 7 islands that are 17 km (9 nautical miles) offshore to the East of Hoi An river-ocean inlet
 * – UNESCO World Heritage listed ruins of temples built by the ancient Champa civilisation, located close to Hoi An
 * – A border crossing town
 * national park – Caves, caves, caves
 * – Includes a 25-km long peninsula called Hon Gom and the islands Hon Lon (Big Island) and Hon Ong (Whale Island), one of the few places on the Vietnamese coast that remains semi-natural, after the decision to abort a container port project.
 * – Includes a 25-km long peninsula called Hon Gom and the islands Hon Lon (Big Island) and Hon Ong (Whale Island), one of the few places on the Vietnamese coast that remains semi-natural, after the decision to abort a container port project.

Understand
This region is likened by the Vietnamese to the bamboo pole connecting the baskets of north and south. The Truong Son Mountains, stretching all the way to the coast between Hue and Da Nang, have traditionally divided the country in two in terms of weather and dialect, although the actual demarcation line during the Vietnam War was slightly higher up at the 17th parallel to the north of Hue.

Climate
Jul-Nov is the typhoon season, so it's wise to check the forecast a few days before your planned visit. Typhoons form in the Pacific, east of the Philippines. In some years, they curve north toward Taiwan and Japan and leave Vietnam in peace. In other years, they cross the Philippines and run straight into central Vietnam, causing flooding and wind damage. The threat of typhoons is one factor that has limited economic development in the central region relative to the north and south.

By plane
Many airports along the Central Coast connect with Hanoi and HCMC — north to south:
 * near Vinh
 * near Dong Hoi
 * near Hue
 * near Da Nang — has many international connections
 * near Quảng Ngãi
 * near Quy Nhon
 * near Tuy Hoa
 * near Nha Trang — has a few international connections

By train
There are train stations at most above mentioned cities and towns; like Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, Dong Hoi, or Da Nang, and Hué. The closest railway station to Hoi An is 17 km away; Trà Kiệu.

By road
The Hai Van Tunnel between Danang and Hue cuts 20 km and a good hour off travel time between the two cities, and bypasses the dangerous and scenic Hai Van Pass. The toll for the tunnel for an ordinary car is 25,000 dong, a price well worth paying, especially if you're prone to carsickness.

Get around

 * By motorbike for close–by destinations and to explore the surrounding areas
 * By train to go from city to city
 * By tourist bus (aka open tour bus) to go from ho(s)tel to ho(s)tel

See

 * The Citadel of the Hồ Dynasty, a UNESCO World Heritage located some 40 km north of Thanh Hoa

Go next

 * Northern Vietnam to the north
 * Vietnam's Central Highlands to the west
 * Southern Vietnam to the southwest

title: Central Coast (Vietnam)


text:
Central Coastal Oman

Central Coastal Oman is in Oman. There are several caves in the area.

Other destinations

 * - A desert island experience awaits on this haven for turtles and other wildlife.
 * - Massive rolling dunes as far as the eye can see.

Wadi Bani Khalid
With pools and a cave, this is a justifiably popular outing easily accessible from Muscat.

 * Head south of Ibra on Highway 23, and turn at the for 'A'Rumail' and 'Wadi Bani Khalid'.
 * Turn left at the village of . Follow the main paved road for 6.5 km to a car park. A short distance beyond this is a large natural, perfect for swimming.
 * The trekking path E35 begins on the right side of the pool; this is a challenging 2-day trek across the mountains to Wadi Tiwi on the coast. A 20-minute walk along this path passes along smaller pools and eventually brings you to (Muqal Cave), marked by a set of concrete steps. A headlight or torch is required here.
 * Turning right, rather than left, at Mizayra will bring you to the village of with some seasonal waterfalls. A 4-hour trekking path toward the village of Sayq begins here.

title: Central Coastal Oman


text:
Central Coastal Tunisia

Central Coastal Tunisia is an area of Tunisia.

Cities

 * (جربة, Jerbeh)
 * (قابس, Gābis) — large town on the east coast, mostly a rail and bus transit point
 * (مدنين, Mednin)
 * (صفاقس, Ṣfāqes) — historic town with a great old kasbah; also access to the Kerkennah Islands
 * (جرجيس, Gergīs / Zerzīs)

Other destinations

 * (مطماطة, Maṭmāṭa) — desert village of cave abodes, where Star Wars's Tatooine was set
 * Ghannouch
 * Guellala
 * Ben Gardane
 * Djerba Midun
 * Houmt Souk
 * Sakiet Eddaier

Go next

 * Northern Tunisia
 * Saharan Tunisia

title: Central Coastal Tunisia


text:
Central Croatia

Central Croatia is the north-central region of Croatia, and location of the capital.

Cities

 * – a small town near Zagreb
 * – a small town near Zagreb
 * – a small town near Zagreb
 * – a small town near Zagreb
 * – a small town near Zagreb
 * – a small town near Zagreb
 * – a small town near Zagreb

Understand
Most of Central Croatia is distinguished in Croatia by its relatively high population density – a consequence of the fact that the region was spared from large-scale war damage. This also allowed preservation of numerous cultural heritage sites, including medieval city cores, hill forts, manor houses, castles, palaces, and churches.

title: Central Croatia


text:
Central Cuba

Central Cuba (Spanish: Centro de Cuba) is a region of Cuba.

Cities

 * — Cuba's third largest city, its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
 * — a modern city with some colonial architecture in the historic center
 * — the only Cuban city founded by the French, and known as the 'pearl of the south'; its center is now a UNESCO site
 * — a city in a valley near the Guamuhaya Mountains
 * — has among its attractions a musical instrument factory with a tradition in the construction of guitars and violins
 * — the nearest town to the tourist resorts on Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo
 * — the resting place of Che Guevara
 * — one of the oldest Cuban European settlements
 * — a beautiful and mostly preserved old town that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
 * — a beautiful and mostly preserved old town that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Other destinations

 * — a quiet resort island with all-inclusive hotels
 * — another resort island with all-inclusive hotels
 * — very tourist-oriented town with fantastic scuba diving opportunites

Parks

 * A natural park in the mountain range directly North of Trinidad. It offers caves, rivers, natural pools, and (from June to September) hills surrounded by Cuba's national flower.

Islands

 * – a chain of tropical islands off the north coast, including the popular Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo

Understand
The maximum temperatures in summer range between 31 and 33 °C, but winters are mild due to the proximity of the water masses, registering minimums oscillating between 18 and 21 °C, which can reach up to 10 to 13 °C, under the influence of cold fronts, and the maximum between 21 and 24 °C. The winds blow in the early morning in an east-northeast direction, and the breezes (from 11:00 to approximately 17:00) from the west southwest, entering from the bay. In such a way, the climate is temperate.

Get in
Jaime González International Airport is about 3 km from the city of Cienfuegos. Scheduled flights from Canada operated by Sunwing Airlines have been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

See
Cienfuegos province has several tourist attractions such as the waterfalls of the El Nicho waterfall, the mineral-medicinal waters of Ciego Montero, the Mal Tiempo national park in the town of Las Cruces and the historic center of the city of Cienfuegos considered Heritage of the Humanity by UNESCO.

The Botanical Garden of Cienfuegos is a botanical garden of 97 hectares on the outskirts of the city of Cienfuegos. This botanical garden is the most important of the existing network in Cuba, due to being the oldest, and the one with the most complete collections of plants focused on research in crop improvement and for export to third countries.

Do
Scuba diving off Cienfuegos province is extremely popular. There are numerous underwater caves, and well over 50 dive sites in that province.

title: Central Cuba


text:
Central Eastern Barbados

Central Eastern Barbados is the least developed and most scenic part of Barbados, and comprises the parishes of Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph and Saint Thomas. It's hilly with lush tropical gardens such as Andromeda, plantation houses eg Sunbury, green monkeys skittering about in the shrubs, and Harrison's Cave in the underlying limestone. The east coast is exposed to the full fury of the Atlantic, with big surf, and is too hazardous for casual beach and water sports. There is little accommodation, so it's more often an area to visit than to stay. Nevertheless if you do stay, you'll get the real feeling of a Caribbean retreat, a world away from the brash south & west coast hotel strips.

Get in
This is one area of Barbados where you need a car (which you can hire at the airport or in Bridgetown). Buses are slow and mostly serve radial routes from the city, with not much running cross-district. Bus # 6 runs from Bridgetown Fairchild St to Bathsheba, and Bus # 3 runs from Bridgetown Princess Alice to Belleplaine and St Andrews Church, both routes hourly, daily. Bus # 1E crosses the top of the island every couple of hours daily from Speightstown on the west coast to Belleplaine and Bathsheba.

Get around
As above.

See

 * is at Benny Hall on Highway 2, straddling the boundary with Saint Peter. The 19th century mansion is now a ruin. It's set in Barbados Wildlife Reserve; brick paths lead through four acres of mahogany forest. Adult B$30, child B$15, which includes admission to Grenade Hall Signal Station.
 * in Savannah, Saint Andrew, is an 18th century sugar mill restored to working order, and in use one Sunday a month in the sugar harvest season Feb-July. It's one of only two functioning sugar windmills in the world, the other being Betty's Hope Mill in Antigua. It's open for visits daily 9AM-5PM.
 * Long Pond is a river estuary in Belleplaine, Saint Andrew, cut off from the sea by a sandbank to form a brackish lagoon with bird life; in dry season it's a mud flat.
 * is a rambling 17th century mansion; it's nowadays a centre for complementary medicine but is occasionally open for public tours. It's at Malvern, Saint John, on the boundary with Saint Joseph.
 * in St John is often booked for events such as weddings, and can only be toured by special arrangement.
 * are in Coffee Gully off Hwy 3A St Joseph, open daily 9AM-5PM.
 * is off Richmond Road, St Joseph, open daily 8AM-4PM.
 * Green monkeys (Chlorocebus) are often seen in this region. They're an Old World species, native to sub-Saharan Africa but introduced to the Caribbean during the slave-trading and colonial eras. They spend their days on the ground and sleep at night in the trees. Don't feed them, they're cute from a distance but pesky up close, they damage crops, and one of them blacked out the whole island in 2006 by shorting a power line.
 * is off Richmond Road, St Joseph, open daily 8AM-4PM.
 * Green monkeys (Chlorocebus) are often seen in this region. They're an Old World species, native to sub-Saharan Africa but introduced to the Caribbean during the slave-trading and colonial eras. They spend their days on the ground and sleep at night in the trees. Don't feed them, they're cute from a distance but pesky up close, they damage crops, and one of them blacked out the whole island in 2006 by shorting a power line.
 * is a well-decorated karstic cave. It's a tougher proposition and you need to be fit and agile.
 * Saint Joseph Church: the original Anglican church, built circa 1640 (origins disputed), was yet another casualty of the hurricane of 1831. The present building dates from 1839 but is now a sad ruin.
 * is an Anglican theological college, built 1714-1745, nowadays part of the University of the West Indies. It's twice been wrecked by hurricanes and once by fire but remains a graceful structure, though its history as a college has veered between the shameful and the shambolic. You can visit daily 9AM-6PM and are welcome to attend services.
 * is an Anglican theological college, built 1714-1745, nowadays part of the University of the West Indies. It's twice been wrecked by hurricanes and once by fire but remains a graceful structure, though its history as a college has veered between the shameful and the shambolic. You can visit daily 9AM-6PM and are welcome to attend services.
 * is an Anglican theological college, built 1714-1745, nowadays part of the University of the West Indies. It's twice been wrecked by hurricanes and once by fire but remains a graceful structure, though its history as a college has veered between the shameful and the shambolic. You can visit daily 9AM-6PM and are welcome to attend services.
 * is an attractive bay and small fishing village.
 * : Trinidad has Tobago, Antigua has Barbuda, Grenada has Carriacou; but Barbados' best attempt at a sister island is this uninhabited speck on the map. It's all of 40 x 30 yards in extent and 30 yards from shore, so at low tide with a quiet sea you can wade out to it. The Arawak Indians have claimed sovereignty over it, but to date there's no sign of encampment, casino, or other ritzy development.

Do

 * Surfing: off Bathsheba is the reef-break of Soup Bowl.
 * Bathsheba beach, dotted with colossal boulders, is generally too rough for swimming, take local advice before venturing in. And hold onto toddlers with a grip of iron, as the waves can pluck little ones off the beach into the seething foam and undertow.

Buy
Frankly, no. There's a convenience store Cleaver's Hill supermarket by the junction of Hwy 3 and the east coast road, open daily 8AM-8PM, but mostly folk head into Bridgetown for their big shop.

Eat

 * Naniki is up in the hills in a breezy, lush environment. It offers Bajan food including a selection of vegetarian dishes and seafood. Great views, you may wait a long time for your food. It's in Surinam off Hwy 3, open Tu-Su 12:30–3:30PM.
 * Village Bar at Lemon Arbour  is an informal lunch spot located in a tiny village. Open Tu-Th 11AM-5:30PM and F S 10AM-10PM. Bajan cuisine such as Pudding & Souse, fried or barbecued pork, chicken and fish, and sea cat at reasonable prices. 200 yards west of Four Roads, Saint John.

Drink
Along this coast are Old Brigand Rum Shop on Hwy 3 in New Castle, daily 8AM-8PM; Bay Tavern in Martins Bay, daily 10AM-6PM; and Dina's Bar in Bathsheba, daily 11AM-5PM.

Go next

 * Public transport returns you to Bridgetown, where the riverfront promenade and the historic Garrison Savannah are the top attractions.
 * Western Barbados has the most sheltered beaches for family bathing.
 * Southern Barbados is a built-up resort strip with water sports.

title: Central Eastern Barbados


text:
Central Europe

Central Europe is one of Europe's most beautiful regions. Long divided by the ambitions of warring empires and then Cold War tensions, this region was deeply influenced by the Holy Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire. It was also influenced by the formation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Austria-Hungary, Yugoslavia and the German Empire. With the exceptions of tiny Liechtenstein and staunchly neutral Switzerland, the countries in this area are now EU members, so travelling between them is a breeze. Whereas just over three decades ago, barbed wire and walls and unfriendly border agents would hinder free movement, today frequent rail and bus connections, cheap flights and excellent roads make getting around easier than ever before. But before you plan your "Central Europe in two weeks" trip, do consider the many small towns and beautiful unspoiled nature reserves that would fall by the wayside were you to concentrate on the many top highlights.

Countries
Croatia and Lithuania may also be included in the definition of Central Europe. At Wikivoyage they are handled as part of the Balkans and the Baltic states, respectively.

Cities

There are way more cities of interest in Central Europe than would be convenient to list in one article. Below is a list of nine of the most notable:

 * — divided by force for 45 years during the Cold War, the capital of reunified Germany since 1990, and now an international cultural centre
 * — Once known as "Pressburg", this city has seen both Austro-German and Hungarian influences and has thankfully survived the world wars largely unscathed
 * — made up of old Buda and Pest on both sides of the Danube, this old Austro-Hungarian co-capital is famous for its thermal baths and was the second city in the world to get a metro
 * — Switzerland's second city is very much a global city with its location close to the French border and the countless international organisations from CERN to the Red Cross headquartered here
 * — the picturesque Alpine capital of Slovenia and a charming baroque city with stunning architecture and dynamic nightlife
 * — Bavaria's beautiful capital city, its slogan is 'world city with a heart' (Weltstadt mit Herz), the site of the famous Oktoberfest, Hofbräuhaus, many beer gardens and the gateway to the Alps.
 * — home of Kafka and castles and one of the centres of power of the medieval Holy Roman Empire, as well as seat of the oldest university north of the Alps, Prague today draws countless young tourists for its affordable and tasty beer
 * — An erstwhile imperial capital famous for its coffee houses, the arts and culture, this city looks at least two sizes too large for the tiny country it sits in
 * — capital of Poland, and one of the EU's thriving new business centres; the old town, nearly completely destroyed during World War II, has been rebuilt in a style inspired by classicist paintings of Canaletto.

Other destinations

 * — probably one of the most important winter destinations in the world, that is home to summer resorts too.
 * — Nazi death camp that was the centre of the Holocaust for European Jews during World War II.
 * — a UNESCO world heritage site, this is the largest remainder of Europe's primeval forest.
 * — known for cuckoo clocks and cherry cake, this region also offers stunning landscapes.
 * — unique geographical formations within the oldest protected parkland in the Czech Republic.
 * — a large but shallow lake that was a favourite with Easterners during the Cold War.
 * — built by eccentric Bavarian King Ludwig II this castle has been inspiration for Disney.
 * — Europe's smallest high mountain range is slowly being "discovered" as a hiking and skiing destination beyond its immediate vicinity.

Understand

While ethnically different, the countries of Central Europe share a similar culture and history throughout the ages. In the Middle Ages, the region was dominated by the Holy Roman Empire, a patchwork of feudal fiefs, city-states and other smaller entities, until it lost much of its power in the Thirty Years War. The region was dominated by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and later the German Empire. German was the lingua franca of the region well into the 20th century.

While the ethnic mosaic of the region was not a major source of conflict until the 19th century, nationalism and racism made it an increasingly divisive issue ultimately resulting in the horrors of the Second World War and the Holocaust. During the Cold War the region was divided between east and west by the figurative Iron Curtain, but since the revolutions around 1990, Germany has been reunified, most countries in the region have joined the European Union (except Switzerland and Liechtenstein, which have close ties to the EU), and border controls are absent or casual.

Economic and cultural gaps remain in the region, even between neighbours (while many Polish people are devout Catholics, Czech people are rarely religious), and within countries such as Germany. In general, the west is wealthier and more cosmopolitan than the east; though since gaining EU membership, some cities of the east, such as Warsaw and Ljubljana, have seen tremendous economic growth.

The regions of western Ukraine, Transylvania (Romania), Kaliningrad Oblast (Russia), Alsace and parts of Lorraine (France), and South Tyrol/Alto-Adige province (Italy), not covered by this article, are sometimes also considered Central European. This is due either to their current or past ethnic makeup or previous political histories. The Kaliningrad oblast spent most of its history as a German speaking region and South Tirol remains a largely German-speaking region in northern Italy maintaining strong cultural ties to Austria. Even though Ukraine is predominantly an Orthodox Christian country, its westernmost part for the centuries was part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and later passed to Austria-Hungary which to some extent influenced its unique culture.

Central Europe has temperate climate with four seasons. The further inland, the greater are temperature differences between summer and winter. Summers have more daylight than winters, with difference increasing further north: in Hamburg, sun sets at 16:00 in December, and 22:00 (DST) in June.

Talk
Central Europe has much linguistic diversity with a wide spread of the Germanic, Slavic, Uralic and Romance language families.

Germanic languages
German has the largest number of native speakers in the region and acts as the official language for Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein, and is co-official in Switzerland (alongside French, Italian and Romansh).

In Switzerland, Swiss German is the mother tongue of over 60% of the population. However, standard German is taught in school and is used in signage and formal settings. There are small German-speaking minorities to be found in Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. Many people throughout the region can also speak German as a second language.

Low German is spoken by rural communities or as a second language by a few in most federal states of northern Germany and still has a significant role to play in the city states of Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck and in the states of Niedersachsen, Schleswig-Holstein and particular in the eastern federal-state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Frisian is closely related to English and Dutch and is spoken by a few thousand people in parts of the German states of Schleswig-Holstein and Niedersachsen and a lot more people in the Dutch province of Friesland.

Slavic Languages
The Czech and Slovak languages are closely related, with the Sorbian language spoken in eastern Germany near the Polish frontier also a close relative.

Polish is the main language of Poland, although the country does host some minority Slavic languages such as Kashubian (in the region) and Silesian in southwest Poland.

Slovenian is the official language of Slovenia, but it is also spoken by the Slovenian minorities in southern Austria, northeastern Italy and western Hungary.

There is also a small Croatian minority in Austria's Burgenland.

While Russian is not endemic to the region, it was taught in schools east of the Iron Curtain.

Hungarian
A Uralic language, Hungarian is an outlier in Central Europe, and considered one of the most difficult languages for English speakers to learn due to its complexity. There are 5 million Hungarian speakers living outside Hungary in regions of neighbouring countries such as eastern Austria and southern Slovakia, plus in Romania (Transylvania) and northern Serbia.

Romance languages
French or Italian are spoken by the majority of the population in the western and southern regions of Switzerland respectively, while German is commonly taught as a second language. Similarly, German-speaking Swiss often learn French as a second language.

In the Swiss Canton of Graubünden or Grison, Romansh is spoken as a regional language and notable for being very close to Latin. Given that almost all Romansh speakers speak either Swiss German and/or Italian it is unlikely to be encountered.

Other languages
Finding people who speak and understand English is not a problem in most regions of Central Europe, with quite a few people also speaking German and Russian as second languages. Generally speaking, foreign language proficiency is greater the further west and north you go, and in urban areas in general, while people from wealthier regions tend to have better fluency. With the notable exception of Russian and German, which were more commonly taught two or three decades ago, young people will often speak foreign languages better than older people.

Get in
The best entry point to the region depends mostly on your travel plans and itinerary. Prices for flights can vary significantly depending on the airport you fly into and due to the excellent transportation connections you have a wide selection available. Cross border train tickets are sometimes sold by several different railways under varying prices and conditions, so shop around a bit.

By plane

By far the busiest and best connected airport in the region is Frankfurt Airport in Hesse, Germany, which offers connections to all inhabited continents and to most airports of any importance in Europe. Zürich, Munich and Vienna airports also see their share of intercontinental travel with Vienna in particular having a focus on connections to the Middle East.

Some of the minor airports may also offer a limited number of direct flights to destinations mostly in other parts of Europe, North Africa or the Middle East. Seasonal flights to "sunny" destinations like Antalya or Mallorca are pretty common even at the most minor airports that otherwise only have feeder flights to one or two hubs.

By train
Central Europe has a dense high-speed rail network:
 * InterCityExpress (ICE) trains offer connections across Germany, but are also run in partnership with the Austrian, French and Dutch railways.
 * The French TGV connects France with Geneva, Berne, Basel and Zurich. Also there are connections to Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Munich and Frankfurt.
 * Thalys trains connect Cologne with Brussels and Paris
 * RailJet connects Vienna with Zürich, Munich and Budapest. The Czech Republic has also acquired some Railjet-trains to connect Prague to the rest of Europe, mostly Austria.
 * Pendolinos are run in Slovenia and the Czech Republic with connections to neighboring countries.

In addition, there are numerous night- and other express and regular trains that connect Central Europe with the rest of continental Europe, and travel as far as Istanbul or Moscow. Check the homepage of the Deutsche Bahn, which has an excellent overview of the European rail system.

The long and slow decline of the Central European sleeper train seems to have been stopped for now with ÖBB operating the lion's share of them under the Nightjet brand. There are also some night trains run by other railways, mostly east of the former Iron Curtain.

By car
The days of long lines at the border are thankfully largely over due to increasing European integration. That said, even 25 years after the end of the Cold War there are still bottlenecks for traffic across the former Iron Curtain.

By bus
Buses used to be a niche market if that, mostly catering to immigrants from the Balkans and their descendants. However, since a liberalisation of the market in Germany (and subsequently in France), more and more bus companies offer domestic and international routes throughout and in and out of Central Europe. As a rule of thumb, short hops can be incredibly cheap with prices like not unheard of, but the longer the distance and the later you book, the more expensive it gets. While routes like London-Cologne are offered, they don't necessarily offer much of a saving compared to a flight or train.

By car
Roads are generally in good to excellent condition and the Czech Republic and Poland in particular have been investing a lot in road construction to deal with the pent up demand since 1990 when cars became much more common. That said, there are some issues with congestion, particularly in large cities. Crossing borders with your own car should be no problem whatsoever, but rental car contracts sometimes have limitations, especially for German or Austrian cars to be taken east - those usually don't apply the other way round, so read the fine print carefully before committing to anything. If you plan to visit large cities, you should try working around having a car on the days you'll be there or forego one entirely as cars are more of a headache than a useful tool in cities of roughly 500 000 or more inhabitants.

By train
The Czech Republic, Switzerland and Germany are among a handful of countries variously listed as having the densest railway network in km of routes per square km of area and as such most communities of any size and even many natural attractions are easily reachable by train. Poland neglected its railway during the later communist era, but has started investing in rail transport again. It's still a good option to reach big cities in Poland with reasonable comfort and speed. Train tickets in Germany and Switzerland can be expensive, but there are discount cards and early bird offers that can be used to reduce the damage. The sleeper train network has suffered a lot, but thankfully Austrian Railways (ÖBB) has picked up the baton from DB and now runs Nightjet, a reasonably modern and comfortable Night Train through the region. Booking in advance can net you real bargains, but popular routes and times or last minute booking might mean you'll pay significant amounts of money.

By bus
The bus did not play a major role in intercity transportation in this area until 2012 when Germany opened its domestic market. Poland and the Czech Republic had fairly deregulated markets prior to that, but with few exceptions those companies never made a major foray into Germany even after the market was opened. Major players include Flixbus and Student Agency.

By plane
Domestic flights are mostly aimed at business travellers and due to the excellent railway network, they can be sparse or non-existent on some routes. In general they are hardly good value in terms of money and not always a major time-saver either. That said, bargains can still be had on some routes and for larger distances, flying might save you a day in transit.

See

 * The English Garden and the huge Deutsches Museum in Munich
 * The massive Dom in Cologne
 * The modern architecture of Berlin's Potsdamer Platz
 * The modern skyline of Frankfurt and Warsaw
 * The natural skyline of the Alps in Innsbruck
 * The natural beauty of Lake Constance and its three national shorelines

Itineraries

 * the Elbe Radweg follows the eponymous river for most of its course from the Czech Republic to the North Sea near Cuxhaven - popular with expert and novice bikers alike as the route is mostly flat and well maintained.

Do

 * Ascend the Reichstag Dome in the Berlin district of Mitte
 * Hike the mountainous areas of "Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland" south of Dresden along the Elbe/Labe
 * Walk around historic Rothenburg ob der Tauber complete with city walls
 * Visit a beer hall, the Olympic Park, BMW museum and don't forget the colorful central pedestrian zone in Munich
 * Visit Hitler's infamous Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps with a good museum on the Nazi Crimes
 * Tour the Black Forest and maybe buy a cuckoo clock or just eat a torte!
 * Cruise the river Rhine and enjoy the world-famous wine
 * Ride the post-modern monorail in Wuppertal
 * Stroll through the old town centre of Salzburg and visit the imposing fortress of the Archbishop
 * Float down the river with the locals in the Swiss capital of Berne
 * Ride a cable car up to Gimmelwald, eat at the Piz Gloria restaurant, go out on the Jungfrau glacier, see a churning waterfall, or hike one of the countless Swiss mountain ridges
 * Stroll through historic Vienna and visit the Prater district
 * Go skiing or snowboarding in Switzerland, Austria or Bavaria
 * Go up Castle Hill and admire the view of the river and city in Budapest
 * Relax in a Hungarian Turkish style spa
 * Visit the world's largest castle complex and tour the old and new towns of Prague
 * Visit the historic and elegant port city of Gdansk and it surrounding Baltic resorts
 * Spend a night camping under the stars and moonlight on the German Baltic island of Rügen
 * Stroll Warsaw's old town and old Jewish Ghetto, and take a glance at the Soviet inspired Palace of Culture and Science
 * Tour the historic old town and castle of Kraków, and visit the Soviet worker's suburb of Nowa Huta
 * Holocaust remembrance: Be moved by a visit to a Nazi concentration camp and memorial such as Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen, Dachau or Treblinka
 * Tour the Old Town of Dresden and see the reconstructed "Frauenkirche" a symbol of peace and reconciliation
 * Visit the historic spa town of Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) in Bohemia in the Czech Republic and "take the cure"
 * Experience the wild nightlife in Berlin, Prague, Munich and Budapest until the wee hours of the morning if you can!
 * Visit Nuremberg for a castle, a charming medieval old town, one of the best known Christmas Markets in the world or the chilling history of the Nazi rallies at Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände - the former Nazi party rallying grounds, now a superb museum

Events

 * Jazz fans will enjoy two big jazz festivals in Poland:
 * "Jazz nad Odrą" in Wroclaw
 * "Jazz Jamboree" in Warsaw
 * Germany:
 * Dixieland Festival Dresden
 * Oktoberfest Munich

Eat
While Central Europe spans different nationalities and climates, some culinary traditions can be found all across the region. Overall, Central European cuisines tend to be simple and hearty, with an emphasis on meat and starch, a diet which helped people survive the harsh winters in the olden days. Poland, Germany and Austria are rightly famous for their various types of sausages, and it would take a generous academic grant and a lot of time to sample them all. In the Alps, the cuisine has taken a lot of inspiration from high mountain cattle farming and is thus heavy in savory cheese or durable dry ingredients like muesli (or müsli outside of Switzerland). The haute cuisine of France and staples of Italian food have made a big impact on Central European cuisine as have the culinary traditions of immigrants from Turkey, the Balkans or (South) East Asia, and restaurants serving such cuisines exist at varying price, quality and authenticity in almost all major cities in the region.

The North European Plain has a temperate climate, allowing for rich grain harvests and dairy farming. Fruits and vegetables have traditionally been fewer than south of the Alps, and have traditionally been dried or pickled for preservation. The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth dominated the region during the early modern era and was over time displaced by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Austrians developed a haute cuisine inspired by France and Italy. While the potato was introduced in the 17th century for its flowers, it took some centuries to become the most important staple crop.

Ashkenazi Jews used to be a significant minority in Central Europe. Most of them emigrated to the Americas and Israel in the 19th or 20th century, or perished in the Holocaust. Dishes such as bagels and gefilte fish originate from Central Europe.

The region was divided during the Cold War. While the west got an influx of imported food and foreign cuisines, the eastern countries depended on domestic ingredients, many of which were rationed. The abundance of tropical fruits such as bananas in West Germany, compared to the scarcity in the East, was one of the most visible differences between the countries.

With the fall of the Iron Curtain and the expansion of the European Union, most of the world's foodstuffs are available across the region.

 * German cuisine has local varieties such as Bavarian and Franconian cuisine. Germany might be among the most cosmopolitan countries in Central Europe, with a high presence of foreign cuisines, particularly Turkish and Italian.

 * Switzerland combines German, French and Italian flavours. It is famous for its cheese, with fondue as its national dish.

 * Austria is known for high-end cuisine from the Austro-Hungarian Empire with great pastries and confections such as the Sachertorte.

 * Liechtenstein has a cuisine similar to Switzerland and Austria.

 * Poland is famous for its kluski (unfilled boiled dumplings) and pierogi (fried filled dumplings).

 * The Czech Republic stands out for sweetened main courses. It is the world leader in beer consumption per capita, as the home of Pilsner beer from Plzen beer and famous lagers including Budvar from České Budějovice.

 * Slovakia has a cuisine typical of the region with halušky, a potato dumpling, as an iconic dish, and sheep milk products.

 * Hungary has the spiciest food in the region, with paprika as an omnipresent seasoning. Its Austro-Hungarian heritage is evident in its coffeehouses and rich pastries.

 * Slovenia is the crossroads of the three major European cultures, with flavours of Austria, the Balkans and Italy.

Dishes
Most meals are based on meat, with pork being most common. There is a rising vegetarian/vegan community, especially in the western and more cosmopolitan cities. Lamb, mutton and game are common in mountain regions. Sausages are common across Central Europe. Schnitzel is a meat dish with varieties around the region.

Dairy products such as cheese are common, made from cow, sheep and goat milk.

Seafood is common in the coastal waters of Germany and Poland, with freshwater fish appearing inland.

Bread of different cereals is a staple in Central Europe, and served as part of most meals.

Pastries and cakes such as the Strudel are common.

Potatoes are the most common staple beside bread; they are boiled, fried, mashed or used as potato flour.

Dumplings are based on flour or potatoes, filled or unfilled, boiled or fried.

Fruits and vegetables are traditionally fewer and more savoury than in southern Europe. They are usually pickled, and occasionally fermented, such as in sauerkraut. Hungary makes great cucumber salad (uborkasaláta).

Drink

While wine is made in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Hungary is the region's best known wine country. Tokaji is a famous wine region in Hungary and Slovakia, known for sweet wines.

 * Beer – The golden beer drunk throughout the world was developed in this region, and arguably it is here that it is still at its best. The Czech Republic has a grand brewing heritage and Pilsen is the place were the technique was pioneered, creating the Pilsner style that is reproduced around the world. The low cost of beer in the Czech Republic makes it easy to get a taste of many of the fabulous beers, from the well-known Pilsner Urquell, Budvar (Budweiser) and Staropramen, to local favourites such as Kozel, Bernard and Gambrinus. Many have a few different varieties and a Cerny Pivo (Black Beer) these can be as good if not better than the standard beer. Slovakia has many beers of high quality with Zlaty Bazant being highly regarded. Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia all have very good national examples sometimes on a par with those from the Czech lands. Germany, Austria and Switzerland have a similar brewing heritage, but can throw in several different types of beer. Weissbier, (Wheat Beer) is a refreshing style popular in summer but drunk year round. There are a huge amount of varieties and local specialties are nearly always worth seeking out. Generally, the further north one travels in Germany, the more bitter or hoppy the beer becomes adding to the north-south cultural divide. Bavaria, "the Holy Grail of Brewing", located in southern Germany, has over 600 breweries alone and even more accompanying beers to sample!
 * Wine – The region produces a wide range of wines from superb world famous regions, down to inexpensive local plonk. Possibly the finest region in the area is the Tokaj-Hegyalja region shared between Hungary and Slovakia that is world-renowned for its sweet dessert wines as well as more standard whites. Germany has several wine regions; the Rhine and Moselle Valleys are well known for their fragrant white wines. Saxony in the east is home to a small wine-growing region on the riverbanks of the Elbe. Austria and Switzerland also produce some very high quality products. In the other countries like Slovenia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, local wines can throw up some very good varieties and it is always worth investigating local produce.
 * Each country has a range of distilled beverages. Plain and seasoned vodka is popular in the Slavic countries. Pálinka, brandy often made from apricots, and slivovitz, a plum liquor or liqueur, are also popular. The quality of Polish vodka is among the best in the world. The high quality product can be very different to the industrial stuff you may buy in your local shop and is well worth a try. Zubrowka is a variety of vodka flavored with a cinnamon-like grass and is delicious when combined with apple juice. Some claim it to be so good it produces no hangover, but you might not want to test that.

Stay safe
The western part of this region is probably one of the safest in the world with violent crime being rare in Germany, Poland, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. While the situation in some parts of countries that used to be east of the iron curtain is by no means bad, certain neighbourhood in the bigger cities do have the typical big-city issues and also some crime arising from it. Unfortunately racism is an issue to varying degrees in all of these countries. Antiziganism (hatred towards and discrimination against Sinti and Roma "gypsies") is particularly common in parts of the area with large Sinti and Roma populations but can be found in most of Central Europe to saddening degrees. Political rallies by extremist groups can get violent, as can bigger left-wing counter-demonstrations.

Respect
Despite the tendency by many around the world to refer to all countries formerly behind the Iron Curtain as "Eastern Europe", inhabitants of Central Europe will be flattered and pleased if you describe their countries as "Central European" both geographically and culturally. Remember that Austrians, Liechtensteiners and most Swiss and Luxembourgers speak German but are not German! Czech, Polish or Slovakian may sound similar to Russian, but inhabitants of these countries will not take kindly to assumptions of cultural overlap. Lastly, keep in mind that the Czech Republic and Slovakia once shared a country as well and Slovaks in general are very proud of their new found independence, which will show especially if there is an opportunity to beat the Czech at soccer or ice hockey.

Performing a Nazi salute is a criminal offence in Germany, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The penalty for doing so in these countries is typically a fine; however, in Germany and Austria, any person caught performing a Nazi salute can not only be fined, but imprisoned too. In Switzerland, use of the salute is not a criminal offence in itself, but doing so for the purpose of actively promoting Nazi ideology is considered to constitute hate speech. Displaying the Swastika is also a criminal offence, though in Germany, exceptions are made for religious Swastikas.

title: Central Europe


text:
Central Falls (Rhode Island)

Central Falls is a city in Rhode Island.

Central falls: Central Falls is the smallest city located in the smallest state Rhode Island. More popularly known as CF, this small city in Providence County is a diverse densely populated area in the corner of the State. Two neighboring towns that surround CF are Lincoln and Pawtucket which people frequently pass through in transit.There are also many Restaurants to visit in Central Falls that complement the diverse in habitants. For a small town there are many shops and establishments to visit.

By plane
T. F. Green Airport (Providence) : distance to airport: about 11 miles

By bus
RIPTA 99 from Providence via Pawtucket Ave continues through Pawtucket to Central Falls through 71 Broad Street. Ripta Bus 72 travels through Providence and continues to Central falls via Weeden Street

By taxi

 * Quality Cab Inc. 19 Cross St. +1 401 725-3000
 * Royal Cab Inc. 17 Cross St. +1 401 725-1000

Get around
Central Falls is a small city, only one square mile big and can be covered by walking. RIPTA, Rhode Island’s public transport network is available and an alternate. Public transportation in Central Falls is all buses, the buses are reliable, and connects to downtown Pawtucket bus stop which can connect you to Kennedy Plaza. Kennedy Plaza is in downtown Providence and is the main bus station. Other options could include taxi:

 * Quality Cab, 19 Cross St., 401-725-3000. Quality Cab is a taxi service that has served the community for 80 year, along with mini-can transportation available for larger groups. 24 hour service, 7 days a week and service provided to all local airports, including TF Green International (PVD) and Logan International Airport.

See
Central Falls is a city rich in culture, urban streetscapes, and dates back to 1731. The small city not known for its attractions it holds the following few.

 * The Valley Falls Company is on two sides of the Blackstone River. Founded by Oliver Chace; Valley Falls Company contributed to the textile industry in Cumberland, Lincoln, Central Falls, and neighboring Pawtucket.
 * The Valley Falls Company is on two sides of the Blackstone River. Founded by Oliver Chace; Valley Falls Company contributed to the textile industry in Cumberland, Lincoln, Central Falls, and neighboring Pawtucket.
 * The Valley Falls Company is on two sides of the Blackstone River. Founded by Oliver Chace; Valley Falls Company contributed to the textile industry in Cumberland, Lincoln, Central Falls, and neighboring Pawtucket.
 * The Valley Falls Company is on two sides of the Blackstone River. Founded by Oliver Chace; Valley Falls Company contributed to the textile industry in Cumberland, Lincoln, Central Falls, and neighboring Pawtucket.
 * The Valley Falls Company is on two sides of the Blackstone River. Founded by Oliver Chace; Valley Falls Company contributed to the textile industry in Cumberland, Lincoln, Central Falls, and neighboring Pawtucket.

Do

 * Higginson Ave. Recreation Area located on 16 Higginson Ave, is the cities High School sport field with a running track surrounding the field. There is plenty of parking, with several basketball courts along with a little league baseball field available.
 * Higginson Ave. Recreation Area located on 16 Higginson Ave, is the cities High School sport field with a running track surrounding the field. There is plenty of parking, with several basketball courts along with a little league baseball field available.

Eat

 * Village Pizza 650 Dexter, +1 401 725-3800. M-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-10PM. Delivery and takeout available. Open since 1971 and specializing in Pizza. They also offer many other items such as calzones, gyros, ribs, wings, spinach pies, soups, salads, pasta dinners, grinders, and many more. Affordable and many great deals.
 * Sonrisa Restaurant 48 Crossing, +1 401 725-4958
 * Sonrisa Restaurant 48 Crossing, +1 401 725-4958
 * Sonrisa Restaurant 48 Crossing, +1 401 725-4958
 * Sonrisa Restaurant 48 Crossing, +1 401 725-4958
 * Sonrisa Restaurant 48 Crossing, +1 401 725-4958
 * Sonrisa Restaurant 48 Crossing, +1 401 725-4958
 * Sonrisa Restaurant 48 Crossing, +1 401 725-4958
 * Sonrisa Restaurant 48 Crossing, +1 401 725-4958

title: Central Falls (Rhode Island)


text:
Central Finland

Central Finland (Finnish: Keski-Suomi, Swedish: Mellersta Finland) is a historic province and modern administrative region in the Finnish Lakeland. The region is characterized by steep, forested hills and numerous lakes, which are often deep compared to their size.

The region is unilingually Finnish speaking.

Cities

 * – University town, the local administrative capital, and one of the most important transportation hubs in Finland. The only truly urban settlement in the province.
 * – Only town around mentioned already in the medieval documents.
 * – Town with some military history.
 * – Rural town with archaeological past from 8000 years ago.
 * – Crossroads of the highway Lisbon-Nordkapp (E75) and the Blue Highway.
 * – A small town with strong industrial background.

Municipalities

 * East Central Finland
 * – the wooden church of Petäjävesi is a
 * Suomenselkä countryside
 * – the wooden church of Petäjävesi is a
 * Suomenselkä countryside
 * – the wooden church of Petäjävesi is a
 * Suomenselkä countryside
 * – the wooden church of Petäjävesi is a
 * Suomenselkä countryside
 * Suomenselkä countryside
 * Suomenselkä countryside

In 2021, Kuhmoinen was moved to the Pirkanmaa province.

National parks
(South to north)

Understand

Central Finland isn't actually in the centre of Finland – which is within Northern Ostrobothnia – but it is between what are regarded as western, eastern, southern and northern Finland.

There is no distinctive border for Central Finland in the east but Suomenselkä drainage divide clearly separates the region from Ostrobothnia, and it is actually easy to see how flat landscape turns into hilly one when arriving from west or south-west. Indeed those steep hills, narrow valleys, and numerous lakes are the principal elements of the Central Finland landscape. For those interested in geology the Central Finland offers wide variety of different post-glacial formations such as eskers, terminal moraines, glacial erratics, and kettles. The lakes are often surprisingly deep.

Historically, Central Finland has been a hunting grounds for Tavastian and Savonian tribes, and – at least according to local tradition – clashes between them could have been even bloody at times. This history can be still heard in spoken language, as the local dialects belong to Savonian dialect group but bear some notable Tavastian features (the more Tavastian the farther south you go). Even though there are archaeological findings and rock paintings dating back some 8000 years, the area got permanent villages relatively late. The oldest major settlement is Jämsä, which was mentioned in 1442.

The area has been important for trade as the lake Päijänne and its adjacent lakes have formed a natural thoroughfare between southern Finland through forests, hills and mires to the unlimited resources of game, fish, fur, tar and wood (see Boating in Finland).

Central Finland has got reputation as a leisure travel destination quite early. A printed guidebook Keski-Suomi Matkaopas ("A Guide for Central Finland") was published in 1899. It describes four routes through the region in a quite detailed way. For backpackers the Ahvenlampi Camping in Saarijärvi was established in 1947. It is still operating, which makes Ahvenlampi one of the oldest camping areas in the Nordic Countries.

Even nowadays Central Finland is mostly sparsely populated and has reputation as a rural area where nothing ever happens – except traffic accidents. A Finnish expression Pihtiputaan mummo, "Grandma' from Pihtipudas", is a common verbal metaphor for an uneducated listener to whom one needs to be precise and simple. The towns Jämsänkoski and Äänekoski have got their names in the history of Finnish industry, but most municipalities live from agriculture and forestry. The first Finnish-speaking Teacher Training College in Finland was established in Jyväskylä in 1863 (until then all higher-level education had been in Swedish only) and laid the foundation for the modern-day University of Jyväskylä.

Get in
You can get to Jyväskylä by train from directions Tampere, Seinäjoki, and Pieksämäki, the last one being an important railway hub of Eastern Finland. The Jyväskylä railway station is co-located with the coach station, a convenient transport hub. As of 2020 trains also stop in Jämsä, Haapamäki, Keuruu, Petäjävesi, and Hankasalmi, but stops at Haapamäki and Keuruu are planned to be discontinued.

As many highways pass through the province, there are good coach connections in all directions. However, for some minor towns the nearest bus stop might be by the highway a few kilometres off-town.

The the only airport in the region with regular passenger traffic is in Jyväskylä, with flights from Helsinki. The nearest bus stop is by highway 4 about 1 km from the terminal. The nearest airports with international service are Tampere, Helsinki, Vaasa and Lappeenranta.

Get around
Coaches cover most of the region, see Matkahuolto. The Linkki website of Jyväskylä has information about local and some regional routes.

Trains (VR) can be used between Jyväskylä, Jämsä, Hankasalmi and Keuruu.

By taxi

 * Other smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Menevä, Taxi Booker (iTaksi), Uber
 * Other smartphone apps: Valopilkku, 02 Taksi, Menevä, Taxi Booker (iTaksi), Uber

See

 * The wooden church of Petäjävesi is a . There are also old wooden churches at Laukaa and Pihlajavesi village in Keuruu.
 * The top of Oravivuori hill in Jyväskylä was part of Struve Geodetic Arc and is one of official locations in Finland.
 * The twenty-some-metres Kirkkovuori Observation Tower in Karstula is said to be the world's tallest log-framed building.
 * Those interested in museums can visit, amongst others, the Finnish Air Force Museum in Tikkakoski, north of Jyväskylä, the Hallinportti Aviation Museum in Halli, and the Alvar Aalto Museum in Jyväskylä, which represents work of this world famous Finnish architect.
 * The Saraakallio rock paintings are ancient pictures drawn on the rock in Laukaa.
 * The wall paintings in the Toivakka church are perhaps among the most psychedelic ones you can find in any church on Earth. Come and meet the Disco-Jesus!

Do

 * Hike in Salamajärvi National Park in Kivijärvi or along Muuramenjoki trail in Muurame.
 * Drive along the back-country roads to explore the hills and lakes.
 * Watch the WRC Rally of Finland, held around Jyväskylä each July.
 * Enjoy a fun summer's day at Nokkakivi Amusement Park in Lievestuore, Laukaa.

Festivals

 * Traktorijatzit, a jazz festival in Viitasaari, which is kicked off with a tractor parade.
 * Satama Festival, a music festival in the Laukaa port area in mid-June.
 * Traktorijatzit, a jazz festival in Viitasaari, which is kicked off with a tractor parade.
 * Satama Festival, a music festival in the Laukaa port area in mid-June.
 * Satama Festival, a music festival in the Laukaa port area in mid-June.

Buy

 * Liquorice and chocolate at the Panda factory shop in Jyväskylä.

Eat
Central Finnish food culture is a mixture of western and eastern Finnish traditions. Traditional foods show the influence of abundant fish-rich lakes. Especially vendace, perch, and pike perch are considered as delicacies. The forests are rich in berries and – as an eastern feature – mushrooms are a common ingredient. Don't expect to find local specialties easily in restaurants.

Stay safe
Central Finland region is a safe place.

title: Central Finland