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Showing posts with label Liechtenstein. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Liechtenstein. Show all posts

Sunday, 14 November 2021

Country Guide: Liechtenstein

Name: Liechtenstein

Continent: Europe

Capital City: Vaduz

Largest City: Schaan

Language: German

Currency: Swiss Franc

Drives on the: Right

Time Zone: Central European Time

Adaptor Types: Type C and Type J

Description: Liechtenstein is a tiny country (the fourth smallest in Europe) located in the Alps, in between Switzerland and Austria

Why You Should Visit: The country is small, but it has a lot to offer, including mountainous landscapes and fairytale castles. Vaduz is definitely a must-visit city, as you can find beautiful architecture there, as well as two great museums: Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein and Liechtenstein National Museum.

Fun Fact: Liechtenstein is one of only two doubly-landlocked countries in the world. (The other one is Uzbekistan.)


My Blogposts About Liechtenstein

My Year Abroad Blog 2017-2018

- A Memorable Few Days (Innsbruck, Sargans and Vaduz)


Charlotte's Travel Adventures

- Travel Tips: Destinations off the Tourist Trail (Vaduz)

- Travel Tips: My Ten Favourite Cities (Vaduz)

- Travel Tips: My Ten Favourite Castles and Palaces (Vaduz Castle)

- Travel Tips: My Top Ten Fairytale Destinations (Vaduz)





















Clockwise starting from top left: Vaduz Castle, Vaduz City Centre, Vaduz Parliament and St. Florin Cathedral, Vaduz Parliament, Vaduz City Hall

Check out the rest of my Country Guides here!

Sunday, 6 June 2021

Travel Tips: My Top Ten Fairytale Destinations!

Growing up, I always loved watching the Disney versions of fairytales. (To be completely honest, I still love watching them now!) The great songs, magical characters and beautiful settings always kept me entranced. And although I detest the institution of monarchy, and especially hate how the Windsor family are worshipped here in Britain (they're incredibly dull and "un-magical" compared to the likes of Elsa and Ariel!), I still have a fondness for fairytales.

This fondness translates into a love for visiting destinations around the world that look like they've come straight from the pages of a fairytale, including castles, palaces and charming little villages. And this post is going to be about some of my favourite fairytale-esque destinations. I've narrowed it down to a list of ten, which was surprisingly challenging. Here they are!


The Cotswolds, England, UK




















This is not really one single place, but a whole area of England. The Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which covers six counties in the South West, South East and West Midlands regions, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the whole country. It's known for its castles and manor houses, scenic countryside, and most of all for its picturesque little villages. The three most famous and beautiful of these villages are Castle Combe (pictured above), Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water. These three villages have a real old world, fairytale atmosphere, and are great places to escape to.

Read more here and here!


Bruges, Belgium




















My first proper solo trip was to Bruges, or Brugge, in Belgium back in 2015 during my Gap Year. I really fell in love with the city during my few days there, and hope to go back again sometime in the future. Being there really felt like being in a fairytale land; it's filled with canals, little bridges, pretty buildings, and lots and lots of swans!

Read more here!


Dieppe, France




















My favourite place that I visited in Normandy during the French part of my Year Abroad has to be Dieppe, mainly because of its fairytale-esque castle that sits on a hill overlooking the beach. Not only is it pretty to look at, it also has a great museum inside, featuring many impressionist paintings. The architecture of the rest of the town is very attractive too.

Read more here!


Vaduz, Liechtenstein




















Actually I think the whole country of Liechtenstein counts as a fairytale destination! But Vaduz is the only part I've actually visited (though I did see Gutenberg castle from the bus on the way in). For a capital city, it's very very small, which makes sense, given the size of the country it's located in. The whole city is a really great place to explore, with some interesting museums and nice architecture, but the highlight has to be the castle, overlooking Vaduz from a mountain above.

Read more here!


Salzburg, Austria
















Austria has to be one of the prettiest countries in the world, thanks to its lakes, mountains, castles and beautiful cities. Perhaps the most beautiful of these cities is Salzburg, a place which feels like it's barely changed for hundreds of years. It's filled with lots of stunning old buildings, and two of the most stunning are the Mirabell Palace and Hohensalzburg Fortress, both of which can be seen in the picture above. 

Read more here!


Hochosterwitz Castle, Austria




















One thing I really loved when I lived in Austria was taking the train to travel to various places within the country and beyond. I would always see amazing scenery wherever I went, including plenty of incredible castles. My favourite was Hochosterwitz Castle, located between Sankt Veit an der Glan and Klagenfurt, and one day I took the train to Launsdorf to take a closer look at it. I love how it's built around a mountain - it really is just like a fairytale come to life. 

I'll also take this opportunity to give an honourable mention to Landskron Castle, another castle in the Kärten region, that's almost as impressive.

Read more here!


Lake Bled, Slovenia




















Lake Bled in Slovenia is a tourist destination that's grown in popularity in recent years, and it's easy to see why. The place is so idyllic, with its medieval castle on a clifftop and its island in the middle of the lake, which you can only get to by rowing boat. It really looks like it's come straight from the pages of a storybook.

Read more here!


Bratislava, Slovakia
















An underrated capital city in Eastern Europe, Bratislava is a great place to visit, that can easily be explored in a day. Its sights include pretty squares, alleyways and churches, as well as the unique UFO Bridge. But the highlight has to be the imposing and beautiful Bratislava Castle, which overlooks the city and the Danube river below. It's definitely worth climbing up the hill to the castle to see it up close and to enjoy the amazing views across the city.

Read more here!


Stockholm, Sweden




















Stockholm is another European capital city with beautiful old buildings and a fairytale atmosphere. My favourite part of the city is the historic centre, Gamla stan, which dates back to the medieval period. Here you can find plenty of quaint cobbled streets and significant buildings, such as the Royal Palace, Riddarholm Church, and Stockholm Cathedral. But perhaps the most iconic part of Gamla stan is Stortorget (pictured above). This square with its famous tall, colourful buildings really is a picture perfect place.

Read more here!


Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve, Chile




















When people think of fairytale destinations, they usually think of places in Europe. And it's true that up until this point, this list has consisted entirely of destinations in my home continent. But I'm switching things up with this final destination on my list! Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve is an incredible area of natural beauty located in the Patagonian Rainforest in southern Chile, featuring waterfalls, rivers, lakes and volcanoes. It's also a hub for ecotourism, and features two amazing and very fairytale-esque hotels: the Nothofagus hotel (which looks like a giant treehouse) and Montaña Mágica (magic mountain) lodge (pictured above). Definitely one of the most magical places I've ever been to!

Read more here!


It's been a nice bit of escapism to compile this list and to reminisce about some of my favourite trips. (How great were those days when we could go wherever we wanted with no restrictions?) 

Although my lack of freedom to move on with my life is still getting me down, I'm feeling slightly more positive than I was this time last week, because I now have a couple of things to look forward to. I've got a short trip planned for tomorrow morning, which I may blog about next week, and I've also booked some time off in July, which I'll use to go on a short break away, or at least on a day trip or two. 

And hopefully, some bigger travel adventures are on the not-too-distant horizon...


Check out the rest of my Travel Tips here!

Thursday, 3 September 2020

Travel Tips: My Ten Favourite Castles and Palaces!

I'm in the middle of an unexpectedly quiet week at work, so I've decided to use some of my extra time to write a new Travel Tips article. It seems like an especially good idea given that it will be a little while before my next blog post, because I'm actually going to be away for most of next week, travelling for the first time since March! 

Okay, so I have done plenty of travelling around my local area over the last few months, but nothing longer than day trips. I'm quite excited to get to finally start packing a bag again, which is something I'd never thought I'd say during my years at university and the Year Abroad!

Today I've chosen to write about my favourite castles and palaces, a subject I am slightly obsessed with. My interest in them is perhaps a bit odd, given that I'm actually very strongly anti-monarchy and anti-aristocracy. However, I love everything to do with Disney and fairytales, and I find that visiting castles and palaces is one of the best forms of escapism, making you feel like you've stepped into a book or movie.

I've been lucky enough to visit many castles over the years, and some have really stuck in my mind. Others not so much! (I think many British kids have been through the disappointment of being taken to a "castle" by their parents, only to find a small pile of stones on a hill!) But I've managed to make a list of just ten of the ones that are most memorable for me. In no particular order, here they are...


Castillo Wullf, Viña del Mar, Chile



















In general, Europe is the continent best known for castles, whereas South America doesn't have very many at all. However, the city of Viña del Mar in the Valparaíso region of central Chile is an exception to this rule. Several of the buildings there have been inspired by European architecture. Castillo Brunet, which was built in a French style using stone imported from France, is a very impressive castle to look at. However, Castillo Wullf, a German-style castle overlooking the Pacific Ocean, has to be my favourite.

Read more here and here!



Casa Rosada, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Casa Rosada, the Argentinian presidential palace, is an iconic building and symbol of the nation of Argentina. Located in the famous Plaza de Mayo, it is close to several other important buildings, such as Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral. The palace is just one of many incredible sights to see in BA, and I would LOVE to be back there now!

Read more here and here!



Bled Castle, Slovenia

Here is a castle I visited before my blogging days started and before I had a phone with a decent camera! But even from my photo it's still possible to see just how beautiful Lake Bled in Slovenia is. In the middle of the lake, there's a little island with a church, and on a precipice overlooking the water, you can see Bled Castle, a medieval building with a museum inside. The whole area is so picturesque - it's like a fairytale brought to life. Slovenia is not one of the best known countries in Europe, but I would highly recommend it as a travel destination for its amazing landscapes such as this one.


Bratislava Castle, Slovakia

Another underrated country in Eastern Europe is Slovakia (often confused with Slovenia!). I went on a day trip to Bratislava, the capital city, during my Year Abroad and really enjoyed exploring there. My favourite part had to be the castle, which overlooks the rest of the city and the Danube river from the top of a hill. But there are plenty of other castles to visit throughout the country, because in fact, Slovakia holds the title of the country with the most castles per capita in the world!

Read more here!



Belvedere Palace, Vienna, Austria

Just a short distance away from Bratislava, you can find the Austrian capital, Vienna. Vienna is famous for its beautiful architecture and features three famous palaces: Schönbrunn, Hofburg and Belvedere. My personal favourite was the Belvedere Palace. The exterior is magnificent, and inside there's an art gallery where you can view many famous paintings, including The Kiss by Gustav Klimt. Interestingly, I actually visited the Belvedere on the same day that I visited Bratislava Castle! Days like that were one of the things I really loved about doing a Year Abroad.

Read more here!



Vaduz Castle, Liechtenstein

Another amazing castle I saw on my Year Abroad was Vaduz Castle in the capital city of Liechtenstein. Liechtenstein is such a tiny country, but it's a great place to visit. Even though the castle itself isn't open to the public, there are plenty of interesting sights to see and museums to look around in Vaduz. 

On the bus ride in to Vaduz from Sargans in Switzerland, I saw another beautiful castle: Gutenberg Castle in the town of Balzers. That one is actually open to the public, so I would love to go back and visit it in the future.

Read more here!



Château de Dieppe, France

France is a country famous for its castles and palaces, and le Château de Dieppe in Normandy has to be my favourite out of the ones I've visited. Not only does it look like something out of a fairytale, it also has amazing views over the sea and the town of Dieppe, and there's a very interesting art gallery and museum inside. I think it's great how so many of the castles and palaces in France are open to the public rather than belonging to "royal" families or "lords". The country receives more tourists than anywhere else in the world, so clearly it's a strategy that works. Definitely something Britain could learn from!

Read more here!



Wawel Castle, Kraków, Poland

When I volunteered with the Angloville programme in Poland, I had the opportunity to explore the beautiful city of Kraków. One of the most famous parts of the city is Wawel Hill, an architectural complex that includes a cathedral and an impressive castle. The castle was the royal residence of Poland, before the country moved with the times and became a republic. I would definitely recommend visiting the hill as well as the entire city. It's one of the most picturesque places I've ever been to.

Read more here!



Castelo de São Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is an incredible city to visit with many sights to see. But I would have to say that Castelo de São Jorge was the highlight of my trip there. The building dates back to the first century BC and is a fantastic place to explore. While I was there, I met two lovely cats and some peacocks! The castle is also the best place in Lisbon for amazing panoramic views across the entirety of the colourful city.

Read more here!



Cardiff Castle, Wales, UK

I'm finishing off the list with a castle that's a little closer to home. Cardiff Castle in the capital of Wales is a great place to visit, featuring brilliant panoramic views from the top of the keep, an interesting museum, and of course a Welsh dragon! While England is better known for its stately homes, Wales is famous for its many ancient castles. In fact, it's the country with the most castles per square mile!

Read more here and here!


These are just ten of the best castles and palaces I've been to, whittled down from a shortlist twice the size! Honourable mentions include Blenheim Palace, Cirencester Castle and the Dower House in the UK; Mirabell Palace, Hohensalzburg Castle, Schloss Velden, Burg Hochosterwitz and Burg Landskron in Austria; and Palais des Papes and Luxembourg Palace in France.

In the future, I would especially love to visit le Château de Chenonceau in France, the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican City, Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany, the Winter Palace in Russia and the Taj Mahal in India!

Next week, I'll actually be visiting a castle when I'm up in the Lake District, which should be exciting. I look forward to blogging about it when I get back!


Check out the rest of my Travel Tips here!

Wednesday, 1 July 2020

Travel Tips: My Ten Favourite Cities

It's been a while since I last wrote a Travel Tips article, and as I won't be going on another outing until later this week and therefore have no new place to write about, I thought it was a good idea to use the spare time I've got today to write a little piece about my favourite cities. Besides, in recent weeks this blog has been filled with images of little towns and villages in the West Country, so now seems like a good moment to shake up its aesthetic a bit!

Visiting new cities is something I find really exciting. They all have their own personality; some are old-fashioned and charming, while others are shiny and modern. Some are situated by beautiful beaches, others are surrounded by mountain landscapes. And they all have their famous landmarks that tourists flock to, as well as their lesser-known gems which are harder to find.

I have been lucky enough to have visited many amazing cities across Europe, South America and Canada, and all of them have left some kind of impression on me. However, for this article I have narrowed my list down to just ten of my favourites as well as some honourable mentions.

I hope you enjoy reading my list!


10) Vaduz, Liechtenstein



















A European capital city quite unlike the rest is Vaduz. I visited this tiny city within a tiny country during my Year Abroad, and found it to be a fascinating place. With its mountaintop castle, it really is like something out of a fairytale. Additionally, it has two brilliant museums: Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein (Liechtenstein Museum of Fine Arts) and the Liechtenstein National Museum.

Read more about Vaduz here!



9) Lisbon, Portugal



















Last year, I ended up taking a spontaneous trip to Madrid and Lisbon, and while I liked Madrid, I really loved Lisbon. It's such a beautiful and colourful city, with amazing viewpoints from its many hills. My personal highlights were Castelo de São Jorge, Torre de Belém, Jardim Vasco da Gama and the botanical garden.

Read more about Lisbon here!



8) Kraków, Poland

Having visited several Eastern European cities, I have to say Kraków is my favourite. I went there last year when I took part in the Angloville volunteer programme teaching English in Poland, and I was so impressed by its magnificent architecture. Highlights include Wawel Castle and Rynek Główny, the city's main square, where you can find St Mary's Basilica (pictured above). 

Read more about Kraków here!



7) Valparaíso, Chile


Moving across to South America, the next item on my list is the amazing Chilean port city of Valparaíso, which is the capital of the region of the same name. Like Lisbon, Valparaíso is built on a series of hills and features many colourful buildings. It is also very famous for its vibrant street art which covers its walls and staircases (I particularly liked the one pictured above), and its funicular railways. The city has a very lively, Bohemian vibe, and I absolutely loved spending a day there during my semester in Chile.

Read more about Valparaíso here!



6) Bath, England, UK





Bath is the first of two British cities in my list, and it happens to be in my home region, the southwest of England. Many would consider Oxford to be the most beautiful city in England, but I would personally put Bath at the top of that list. In addition to its picturesque architecture, it also has a fascinating Roman and literary history; the Roman Baths and the Jane Austen museum are both must-see attractions. One thing I really like about Bath is that it feels like a truly European city, where different cultures are appreciated and signs are written in French! It was even used as a stand in for Paris in the 2012 Les Misérables movie, and Pulteney Bridge (pictured above) was the setting for Javert's final song.

Previously on this blog, I wrote about The American Museum in Bath, which is actually located quite far outside of the city. I plan on writing a post about the city centre soon.

Edit: I finally wrote a post about Bath in December 2020! Check it out here!



5) Montpellier, France


I spent a few weeks studying at a language school in Montpellier in the summer of 2017, which was definitely the best bit of the French part of my Year Abroad. Located in the Occitanie region in the south of France, Montpellier is an amazing city with beautiful architecture, plenty of green spaces, great weather and a nearby beach! I would really like to go back there at some point in the future.

Read more about Montpellier here!



4) London, England, UK


I'll round off my list with four great capital cities, starting with London. Although London is not far away from me, it's such a different place to Wiltshire (where I'm from), and I always find it so exciting to spend a day there. Throughout the city, you can really see the influence of different cultures from all around the world, which I find fascinating. Last time I was there, I visited Chinatown (pictured above), a really interesting area to see. Walking around there was like being transported to China, which for me was great, as I haven't been to Asia yet. (But I'll definitely go in the future!)

Read more about London here!


3) Paris, France




As much as I love London, Paris has to be my favourite European capital city. There's something just so magical about exploring its streets, parks and museums. My favourite parts are the Montmartre district (where you can find the Moulin Rouge club and the Sacré Cœur basilica), le Jardin du Luxembourg, the Tuileries Garden, and of course, the Eiffel Tower! I don't think I could ever get bored of being in Paris, and I hope I can go back there in the future with my boyfriend.

Read more about Paris here!



2) Buenos Aires, Argentina


Back to South America, and the incredible city of Buenos Aires. I went there in February this year and had an amazing time. (I can't believe how much things have changed in the world since then...) My favourite part was La Boca district (pictured above) with its colourful buildings and tango dancers. I also loved Casa Rosada, Puente de la Mujer, Ecoparque BA, and the Japanese garden. I would 100 percent go back in the future, as there's just so much to see there.

Read more about Buenos Aires here!



1) Santiago, Chile


And finally, the award for my favourite city goes to Santiago. Okay, maybe I'm a little biased, as this is the city where I used to live, where I met my boyfriend, and where I will be moving back to as soon as it's possible to do so. But objectively speaking, it really is a fantastic city to visit. Here you can find many examples of amazing architecture, such as the Costanera Centre (pictured above), beautiful green spaces like Parque Metropolitano (where I took this picture), as well as the impressive Andes mountains surrounding the city. I can't wait to move back there again!

Read more about Santiago here and here!



Well, I've had a lot of fun compiling that list, and I hope it can serve as travel inspiration for when the world starts opening up again!

By the way, my honourable mentions of other cities I've loved visiting are as follows: Udine, Italy; Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bruges, Belgium; York, England, UK; Cardiff, Wales, UK; and Montréal, Québec, Canada.

I also have a long list of cities I would love to go to in the future, including: Brighton (Edit: I made it there in December 2020!), Edinburgh, Amsterdam (Edit: Made it there in December 2023!), Copenhagen, Tallinn, Riga, St Petersburg, Moscow, Barcelona, Granada, Rome (Edit: Made it there in March 2024!), Athens, Istanbul, Singapore, Sydney, Casablanca, New York, Miami, Havana, Cartagena and Rio de Janeiro (Edit: Made in there in December 2022!). Let's just say I'm not short of travel inspiration!

My next blog post will most likely be about the trip I'll be going on with my parents later this week, but I plan to write more Travel Tips articles in the near future...


Check out the rest of my Travel Tips here! 

Wednesday, 16 October 2019

Travel Tips: Destinations off the Tourist Trail

It's a cliché, but one of the best things about doing a Year Abroad was that I discovered a lot about myself, including how I like to travel! Although I enjoyed visiting places like Venice, I found the relentless crowds of tourists a bit stressful to deal with. I also realised that lesser-known places can be just as interesting as the tourist hotspots, as well as being a lot more authentic!

So, this is my list of my favourite travel destinations off the tourist trail...


1) Sète, France














Close to Montpellier in the Occitanie region of France, Sète is known as the French version of Venice, as it is a beautiful town with a network of canals. For this reason, it's not exactly tourist free, but it's not crowded either. You can take a boat trip around its main sites, and take in the great views from the top of Mont Saint-Clair.

In fact, I would recommend the region of Occitanie as a whole for those looking for a less touristy holiday in the south of France. I have spent a lot of time around the Nice/Cannes area of France, and while I liked those places, I must say that the Occitanie area feels much less extravagant and much more relaxed.

Read more here!



2) Le Havre, France



















An interesting destination in Normandy is Le Havre. This port city with artistic attractions and a funicular railway reminded me a bit of Valparaíso in Chile. The highlight is the art gallery Musée Malraux, where you can see impressionist paintings by some of the most famous artists in history, without the crowds of the Louvre or the Musée d'Orsay.

Read more here!



3) Kärnten, Austria



















Kärnten, or Carinthia as it's sometimes known in English, is the region where I lived when I spent a semester teaching English in Austria. It's not as well known as the Tyrol and Salzburg regions, but it's a beautiful place with plenty of lakes, mountains and fairytale castles! It's also very close to both Italy and Slovenia, so it's an ideal place to go to if you're planning a multi country trip.

Read more here!



4) Vaduz, Liechtenstein



















This is a European capital city quite unlike the others I've visited. For one, it's very small, just like the country it's a part of. It's also pretty much devoid of people! Well, at least it was when I visited in November 2017. In this charming city overlooked by a castle (pictured above), you can visit both the national museum and a fantastic art gallery in total peace and quiet!

Read more here!



5) Udine, Italy















I first heard of Udine when looking at train timetables in Austria. I'm surprised that it's not more well known, as it's a beautiful city with plenty of attractions. The most memorable part for me was Piazza della Libertà (pictured above), but I also loved the art gallery in the castle, and the cathedral, which has an amazing painted ceiling. Although I've been to Florence and Venice, I have to say that Udine is my favourite Italian city. It has a very authentic and relaxed vibe. I could imagine living there!

Read more here!



6) Maule, Chile



















The Maule region in south-central Chile is not totally off the tourist radar. The Siete Tazas national park is already quite well known. (It's on my list of places to visit when I go back to Chile!) However, in May last year, I went on a group tour to some parts of Maule that are not so frequently visited. My favourite places were Mirador Monjes Blancos (pictured above), Cascada Invertida (an inverted waterfall) and Laguna del Maule. This region of Chile has so much amazing nature to see.

Read more here!



7) Huilo Huilo and Siete Lagos, Chile

























Another group tour I took in Chile was to Huilo Huilo biological reserve and Siete Lagos (seven lakes) in the south of the country. I've yet to visit the far south, but I've heard it can get very busy. This place, however, was so peaceful. I went in winter, so it was very cold, although maybe that was why it was so quiet. It was worth braving the weather to see beautiful sceneries of lakes, waterfalls, forests and volcanoes. The picture above is of me in front of the famous Montaña Mágica (magic mountain) hotel!

Read more here!



That concludes my list of less-touristy travel destinations! Coming soon: Five places to visit in Austria.


Check out the rest of my Travel Tips here!