Medieval walls encircle narrow streets and capture the heritage of more than a thousand years. Picking out the marks of history, either alone or with a guide, is to enter into the soul of Saint-Paul de Vence.
The fountain at the heart of the village fills St-Paul’s medieval vaults with music. To quote the poet Verlaine: “The fountain’s silvery murmur plays on.”
Rome was called the “Eternal City” by the ancient Romans because they believed that no matter what happened in the rest of the world, the city of Rome would always remain standing. Exploring the city centre by foot surrounded by glorious monuments and colossal remains takes you back in time to the “glory that was Rome”.
With its unparalleled history, Rome is the third most visited city in Europe and the fourteenth worldwide. It attracts visitors from all over the world who are impatient to discover the city’s impressivemonuments and archaeological sites; not to mention its renowned cuisine and its lively atmosphere.
When exploring theColosseum, visitors will easily imagine how the gladiators fought for their life in the arena, cheered by the crowd. In the Circus Maximus, travelers will picture the chariots crashing into each other in order to be first in the race, and in the Roman Forum visualise what the Roman public life was like.
Bordeaux, city and port, capital of Girondedépartement, Nouvelle-Aquitainerégion, southwestern France. It lies along the Garonne River 15 miles (24 km) above its junction with the Dordogne and 60 miles (96 km) from its mouth, in a plain east of the wine-growing district of Médoc.
The dry soil of Médoc attracted settlement as early as the Bronze Age; and, at least since Roman times, Bordeaux has been a flourishing town and port, with connections particularly with Spain and Britain. As Burdigala, it was the chief town of the Bituriges Vivisci, a Celtic people. Under the Romans it was the capital of the province of Aquitania, which extended from the Pyrenees to the Loire. In the 4th century Burdigala, then the capital of Aquitania Secunda (one of the three parts into which the emperor Diocletian had divided Aquitania), was described by the writer Ausonius, a native of the city, as a square, walled town and one of the great educational centres of Gaul. During the decline of the Roman Empire, the region around Bordeaux entered a period of political instability from which it recovered only when the dukes of Aquitaine established themselves early in the 10th century.
Prague is one of the most-visited cities in Europe. Before the coronavirus pandemic, overtourism was a real problem here: It was often so crowded that it was almost impossible to move around the historic Old Town, as well as around Charles Bridge, Hradcany Castle Hill, and Wenceslas Square.
What’s it like today, after the pandemic, and what ideas are there for tourism in Prague in the future? DW’s Nicole Frölich visited the Czech capital, and was surprised at what she discovered. Have you ever been to Prague?
Prague, capital city of the Czech Republic, is bisected by the Vltava River. Nicknamed “the City of a Hundred Spires,” it’s known for its Old Town Square, the heart of its historic core, with colorful baroque buildings, Gothic churches and the medieval Astronomical Clock, which gives an animated hourly show. Completed in 1402, pedestrian Charles Bridge is lined with statues of Catholic saints.
The Lake District is a region and national park in Cumbria in northwest England. A popular vacation destination, it’s known for its glacial ribbon lakes, rugged fell mountains and historic literary associations. Market towns such as Kendal, Ambleside and Keswick on scenic Derwentwater are bases for exploring the area and home to traditional inns, galleries of local art and outdoor equipment shops.
Salzburg, city, capital of SalzburgBundesland (federal state), north-central Austria. It is situated in a level basin on both sides of the Salzach River near the northern foothills of the Alps and the Bavarian (German) border. The historic centre of the city, with its rich mix of art and architecture, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996.
Salzburg was originally the site of a Celtic settlement and later of the Roman town of Juvavum. About 700 CE the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and the Nonnberg Nunnery were founded there by St. Rupert. Salzburg was made a bishopric by St. Boniface in 739 and was raised to an archbishopric in 798. Its archbishops were acknowledged as princes of the Holy Roman Empire in 1278, and the city became the seat of their powerful ecclesiastical principality. Among the most notable of the prince-archbishops were Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau (reigned 1587–1612), who brought Italian Renaissance architecture and styles to the city, notably by offering commissions to the Italian architect Vincenzo Scamozzi for public squares, a cathedral, and other buildings; Markus Sittikus von Hohenems (reigned 1612–19), who continued to rebuild the city with another Italian architect, Santino Solari; Paris, Graf (count) von Lodron (reigned 1619–53), who founded the city’s university (1622); and Leopold Anton von Firmian (reigned 1727–44).
Omaha Beach is a landing area in Normandy, northern France, used by Allied forces in the WWII D-Day invasion. Today, the beach is dotted with the remains of German bunkers. On the shore, the stainless-steel sculpture Les Braves commemorates American soldiers. Behind the beach is the Musée Mémorial d’Omaha Beach, also documenting the invasion. Nearby, the Overlord Museum displays WWII tanks, artillery and dioramas.
Off the coast of the French region of Brittany is a picturesque island for all those who want to disconnect. A 45-minute ferry ride separates the island of Belle-Île-en-Mer from the mainland, making it a world apart that attracts 100,000 visitors a year. Tourists also appreciate Belle-île’s food, especially its fish. We take a closer look at the island in summer.
Belle-Île is an island off the coast of Brittany in northwest France. In the main town La Palais, Citadelle Vauban is a star-shaped fortress. The fort at Pointe des Poulains, the island’s northern tip, houses a museum dedicated to 19th-century actress Sarah Bernhardt. Sandy Donnant Beach lies on the rugged west coast. Nearby, the Grand Phare lighthouse looks out over the needles rock formations of Port-Coton.
Norway is a Scandinavian country encompassing mountains, glaciers and deep coastal fjords. Oslo, the capital, is a city of green spaces and museums. Preserved 9th-century Viking ships are displayed at Oslo’s Viking Ship Museum. Bergen, with colorful wooden houses, is the starting point for cruises to the dramatic Sognefjord. Norway is also known for fishing, hiking and skiing, notably at Lillehammer’s Olympic resort.
“Sunday Morning” takes us to Florida’s Sanibel Island, in calmer times, at the J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge. Videographer: Charles Schultz.
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, on the subtropical barrier island of Sanibel, is part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States. President Harry S. Truman signed an executive order creating the Sanibel National Wildlife Refuge in 1945 for the purpose of and in 1967 was renamed in honor of Jay Norwood Darling. It is world famous for spectacular migratory bird populations.
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