Nanjing, capital of China’s eastern Jiangsu province, is roughly 300km up the Yangtze River from the city of Shanghai. It was the national capital during part of the Ming dynasty. Many monuments and landmarks remain, including Zhonghua Gate (Gate of China), a preserved 14th-century section of the massive wall that contained the old city’s southern entrance.
Category Archives: Travel
Aerial Views: Meteora Monasteries In Greece
The Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, second in importance only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on immense natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area.
The word “meteora,” means “hovering in the air” which, whist a literal description of the famous monasteries, also shows just how otherworldly they seem.
The complex is made up of twenty-four Eastern Orthodox monasteries that were built on giant sandstone rock pillars between the 14th and 16th centuries.
Travel Views: Salta & Jujuy Provinces, Argentina (4K)
Salta, a province in northwest Argentina, encompasses parts of the Andes Mountains, Yungas forests and semiarid Gran Chaco lowlands. The capital, also called Salta, has colonial architecture including the neoclassical Cathedral of Salta. It’s the departure point for the Tren a las Nubes, a high-altitude railway. Small-town Cafayate is a gateway to wineries and the dramatic rock formations of the Calchaquí Valleys.
Jujuy, a province in Argentina’s remote northwest, is defined by the dramatic rock formations and hills of the Quebrada de Humahuaca. This valley and its indigenous Quechuan villages lie north of the provincial capital and regional gateway, San Salvador de Jujuy. In the valley’s south, the iconic, multicolored Cerro de los Siete Colores’ rocky slopes tower over the Spanish colonial village of Purmamarca.
Travel Views: Budapest – Capital Of Hungary (4K)
Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. Its 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times onward. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views.
Tilt-Shift Views: Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a German ski resort in Bavaria, formed when 2 towns united in 1935. It’s a prominent destination for skiing and ice skating as well as hiking. The town lies near the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak, with a 2,962m summit accessed by cogwheel train and cable car. Garmisch is considered the more fashionable section, while Partenkirchen’s cobblestone streets retain a traditional Bavarian feel.
Aerial Views: Portland In Northwest Oregon (4K)
Portland, Oregon’s largest city, sits on the Columbia and Willamette rivers, in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Hood. It’s known for its parks, bridges and bicycle paths, as well as for its eco-friendliness and its microbreweries and coffeehouses. Iconic Washington Park encompasses sites from the formal Japanese Garden to Oregon Zoo and its railway. The city hosts thriving art, theater and music scenes.
Aerial City Views: Paraty In Southeastern Brazil (4K)
Paraty is a small town backed by mountains on Brazil’s Costa Verde, between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Its Portuguese colonial center has cobbled streets and 17th- and 18th-century buildings dating to its time as a port, during the Brazilian Gold Rush. Among its architectural landmarks is the waterfront Capela de Santa Rita, a whitewashed church built in 1722.
Travel & Culture Books: ‘Gstaad Glam’ (Assouline)
In the southwest corner of Switzerland, nestled among the snowy mountains of the Swiss Alps is the picturesque, upscale resort town of Gstaad. Teeming with exclusive ski clubs and a fur coat–clad jet set, Gstaad is the definition of Alpine chic, which is evident in the luxurious, family-owned Gstaad Palace, the members-only restaurant The Eagle and the high-fashion boutiques that line the town’s main promenade.
It is this combination of opulence and quiet that has attracted a plethora of celebrities including Madonna, Grace Kelly, Stavros Niarchos and Julie Andrews, to name a few. While glitz and glamour are in abundance, local tradition and culture are always close by. Whether it’s in the Pinte Bar at Hotel Olden that exudes authentic charm or a farm on the outskirts of town showcasing a quaint, pastoral lifestyle, this beautiful volume showcases Gstaad’s elegant traditions and unexpected treasures.There is no shortage of amusements in Gstaad.
It is nature at its finest that yearns to be explored. With 124 miles of slopes, visitors can participate in skiing, snowboarding and sledding in the winter months and hiking, biking, polo and golf in the summer. Gstaad’s calendar is packed with can’t-miss events including the Swiss Open, hot-air balloon festival and Menuhin Festival of music. And after a long day of hitting the slopes and experiencing all Gstaad has to offer, cozy up with a cup of hot chocolate from the decades-old Charly’s, the perfect spot to people-watch along the Promenade.
Coastal Views: Calanques National Park In France
Between the southern French cities of Marseille and La Ciotat lies a magnificent coastline with 40 kilometres of cliffs and coves. The landscapes of the Calanques National Park are breathtaking. To safeguard this fragile natural heritage and rescue amateur mountaineers who get into difficulty, wardens and firefighters are constantly on a war footing. FRANCE 24 went to meet them.
City Views: Sarasota In Southwest Florida (4K)
Sarasota is a city south of Tampa on Florida’s Gulf Coast that was once the winter home of the Ringling Brothers Circus. Today, it hosts a number of cultural institutes, notably the Ringling Museum of Art, which showcases old masters and modern art. It’s also the gateway to miles of beaches with fine sand and shallow waters, such as Lido Beach and Siesta Key Beach.
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