Category Archives: Travel

Walking Tours: Old Town Stockholm, Sweden (4K)

The bustling, compact island of Gamla Stan is the city’s old town, with cobbled streets and colorful 17th- and 18th-century buildings. It’s home to the medieval Storkyrkan cathedral and the Royal Palace, the king’s official residence. Stylish bistros serve New Nordic cuisine, while night spots include old-school pubs and chic cocktail bars. On adjoining Riddarholmen island, Riddarholmen Church hosts summer concerts.

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, encompasses 14 islands and more than 50 bridges on an extensive Baltic Sea archipelago. The cobblestone streets and ochre-colored buildings of Gamla Stan (the old town) are home to the 13th-century Storkyrkan Cathedral, the Kungliga Slottet Royal Palace and the Nobel Museum, which focuses on the Nobel Prize. Ferries and sightseeing boats shuttle passengers between the islands.

Scottish Baronial Estates: Abbotsford House – Built By Sir Walter Scott (1820’s)

Damian Barr explores Sir Walter Scott’s impressive home, Abbotsford, which is full of a fascinating mix of items owned by the famed Scottish novelist, poet, playwright, and historian.

Abbotsford House was built by Sir Walter Scott as his grand home in the Scottish Borders. The property, set on the banks of the River Tweed, was bought in 1811 and then modified to the tastes of Sir Walter Scott. The writer died here in 1832, and the house was opened to the public just five months after his death.

The rooms that you visit today have been left virtually untouched since his death and a visit to Abbotsford House gives you an intimate insight into the personality and interests of this great man. Some of the most interesting aspects of the house are the personal collections of Sir Walter Scott which include unusual items such as the weapons of Rob Roy, the case book of Napoleon, and even a bullet and piece of oatcake taken from the site of Culloden Battlefield.

Visitors can see Sir Walter Scott’s Study, Library, Drawing Room, Entrance Hall, small Armoury, and the Dining Room where he died on 21st September 1832. The dining room contains paintings of several generations of the Scott family. Unfortunately, the last of his bloodline died in 2004 and the care of the house has now been taken over by the Abbotsford Trust.

Walking Tours: Cesena – Northern Italy (4k)

Cesena, town, Emilia-Romagna regione, northern Italy, on the Savio River at the northern foot of the Apennines, south of Ravenna. It originated as the ancient Caesena, a station on the Via Aemilia and a fortress in the wars of the Ostrogoths and the Byzantines. An episcopal city and an independent commune in the 11th–13th century, it was heroically defended in 1357 by Cia, wife of the lord of Forlì, against papal troops under the Spanish cardinal Gil Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz. In 1377 it was destroyed by Cardinal Robert of Geneva (later the antipope Clement VII), after which it was held by the Malatesta family of Rimini until 1465, when it passed under papal domination. Popes Pius VI and Pius VII were born at Cesena in 1717 and 1740, respectively.

Aerial Views: Islands Of Madeira – Portugal (4K)

Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal, is an archipelago comprising 4 islands off the northwest coast of Africa. It is known for its namesake wine and warm, subtropical climate. The main island of Madeira is volcanic, green and rugged, with high cliffs, pebbly beaches and settlements on deltas of the Fajã River. Capital Funchal has botanic gardens and is known for its harbor and a large New Year’s fireworks show. 

Coastal City Views: Santa Monica, California (4K)

Santa Monica is a coastal city west of downtown Los Angeles. Santa Monica Beach is fringed by Palisades Park, with views over the Pacific Ocean. Santa Monica Pier is home to the Pacific Park amusement park, historic Looff Hippodrome Carousel and Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. Next to the pier is Muscle Beach, an outdoor gym established in the 1930s. In the city center, Bergamot Station houses several art galleries. 

Paris Walks: Sacré-Cœur In The Montmartre (4K)

Montmartre is a large hill in Paris’s 18th arrondissement. It is 130 m high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank in the northern section of the city. 

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica and often simply Sacré-Cœur, is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica in Paris, France, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sacré-Cœur Basilica is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city.

Views: The Ramappa Temple In Southern India (BBC)

The Ramappa temple, located in Telangana state’s Mulugu district, recently made it to Unesco’s list of World Heritage sites – largely owing to its intricate sandstone and basalt sculptures that have stood the test of time. The temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, dates back to the early 13th Century when an army commander under the Kakatiya kings had it built. Historians believe that it was built on the site of an older temple that had since become dilapidated. Its sculptures celebrate dance and they are believed to have inspired a famed male dance teacher at the time to revive a warrior dance performed by men.

Aerial City Views: Tbilisi – Country Of Georgia (4K)

Tbilisi is the capital of the country of Georgia. Its cobblestoned old town reflects a long, complicated history, with periods under Persian and Russian rule. Its diverse architecture encompasses Eastern Orthodox churches, ornate art nouveau buildings and Soviet Modernist structures. Looming over it all are Narikala, a reconstructed 4th-century fortress, and Kartlis Deda, an iconic statue of the “Mother of Georgia.”

Video timeline: 0:00 – Aerial view of Baratashvili Bridge and Public Registry 0:140:36 – Aerial view of Tbilisi city central park and Bridge of Peace. 0:361:04 – Flying over column of freedom in the center of Tbilisi. St. George monument 1:04 – Beautiful aerial view of King Tamar bridge 1:21 – Aerial view on statue of 12th century Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli, Rustaveli Avenue. 1:38 – Flying over Shota Rustaveli Avenue 1:502:12 Aerial view of Tbilisi State University 2:12 – Aerial View of Galaktion Tabidze Bridge over Kura river 2:23 – Presidential Palace Fly Over View 2:33 – Mother Of Georgia, SSSR historical monument 2:46 – Aerial view on statue of 12th century Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli 2:57 – Aerial view of Baratashvili Street in the centre of Tbilisi. Georgia 3:203:54 – Aerial view of Chavchavadze avenue in Tbilisi, Georgia 3:544:16 -Aerial View of Galaktion Tabidze Bridge over Kura river in the centre of Tbilis 4:164:48 – Aerial view of Holy Trinity Cathedral Sameba in Tbilisi Georgia. 4:48 – Cable Cars Over The Old District 4:56 – Aerial view of Baratashvili Street in the centre of Tbilisi. Georgia 5:125:36 – Aerial view of Old Tbilisi. Georgia 5:36 – Flying over column of freedom in the center of Tbilisi, Georgia 5:44 – Aerial view of Old Tbilisi. Georgia in 4k 5:52 – Aerial view of Old Tbilisi. Sameba Cathedral. Avlabari. Georgia 6:08 – Flying over Vaja Pshavela Avenue 6:23 – Flying over Shota Rustaveli Avenue 6:41 – Flying over Kura river in Tbilisi 6:53 – Beautiful cityscape of old Tbilisi 7:04 – Bus Stop Aerial Shoot – Traffic in the city 7:238:12 – Flying over Shota Rustaveli Avenue, Tbilisi, Georgia 8:12 – Aerial view of ancient basilic cathedral of Anchiskhati in old Tbilisi 8:31 – Aerial view of Old Tbilisi. Georgia 8:43 – Caucasus Block House In Summer With Hanging Clothes 8:49 – Aerial view of Ilia Chavchavadze avenue in the center of Tbilisi 8:58 – Aerial view of ancient basilic cathedral of Anchiskhati in Tbilisi, Georgia 9:10 – Aerial view of Old Tbilisi. Georgia in 8k 9:2610:35 – Aerial view of Old Tbilisi. Georgia

The Cotswolds: A History Of Yarnton, Oxfordshire

We’ve visited Yarnton before in the first episode of Exploring the Cotswolds, but at the time we didn’t realise there was so much more to see. Join us this week as we explore the church and some of the stories around the village.

Yarnton is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about 1 mile southwest of Kidlington and 4 miles northwest of Oxford. The 2011 Census recorded the parish’s population as 2,545.

Views: Wildflowers In Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State

“Sunday Morning” visits wildflowers on Mount Rainier in Washington State. Videographer: Mike Griffith.

There are hundreds of species of wildflowers found in Mount Rainier National Park, far more than can be represented here. However, this identification guide is meant to help you familiarize yourself with some of the most common and interesting wildflowers you may see during your visit to the park. For identification of flowers in the field, you can download the Mount Rainier Wildflower site bulletin, ask a ranger, or purchase a variety of wildflower identification guidebooks available in the park visitor centers and gift shops.