Attractions of Herrera:
• La Casa Vegetariana: One can get vegetarian food with wide varieties of fruit drinks and soya bean milk etc.
• Gamboa Rainforest Resort: This resort has a magnificent view of the rainforest. There are adventure programs around the Panama Canal area.
• Portobelo National Park: This is a park which offers snorkeling opportunity and kayaking the mangroves and this place is famous for the Spanish and the pirates.
• Colon: Colón is a sea port that is on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. This is a city that is on the entrance to the Panama Canal and is capital of the province by the same name. It is also known as the second city of Panama. It is located on Manzanillo Island. It is surrounded by Limon Bay, Manzanillo Bay and the Folks River. It now includes the towns of Cristobal, Rainbow City, Margarita, and Coco Solo, and the former U.S. Army base of Fort Gulick.
• El Casco Viejo: This is a Spanish colonial city, established in 1671. This city was established after the downfall of Panama Viejo in battles and until 20th century, this city was Panama City. Panama bay and other sites depict its history with Spain, France and United States.
• Iglesia de San Francisco de la Montaña: This is a church that dates to 1727. It has unique Baroque architecture and is a declared National Historical Monument on January 27, 1937. About Seventeen kilometers from Santiago, the San Francisco de la Montaña Church is stationed. This church has hundreds of hand carved pieces and is known to have the oldest baroque group of altars of the continent. These altars are painted or covered with gold leaf. These altars have Scared scriptures carved on them with scenes. It is a reflection of Spanish Catholicism with Indian culture. This is located a few kilometers away from the Pan American Highway.
• La Laguna, Las Colinas: This place is near the mountains and beaches zone. One can enjoy being at the top of a mountain or explore the pre mountain tropical forest with birds, plants and wildlife.
• Palacio de Las Garzas: There are many historic buildings in this area.
• Istmo Brew Pub: This pub provides the tourists with locally brewed beers and imported beers.
• The Panama Canal: This canal is about 77 km (48 miles). It is a shipping canal, located in Panama and this canal joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean; it is a key for maritime trade. The traffic is about 1000 ships in the early days and much higher right now. This canal has its own measurement system called Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System (PC/UMS) in tons. It is one of the largest engineering projects of the times. The route is via the Drake Passage and Cape Horn at the southernmost tip of South America.

Best time to visit / climate:

Herrera has a tropical wet and dry climate. The dry season is from January to April whereas the wet season is in remaining year. The best time to visit this place is in the dry season.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
There is a large regional bus terminal in Chitré from where there are bus services to and fro to the destinations like Las Minas, Las Tablas, Los Posos, Ocú, Panama City, Pesé, Santiago, and Tonosí. Chitré has a small airport that has flight service to and fro from Panama City on Aeroperlas.
To reach Panama City:
By plane: Tocumen International Airport is outside Panama City. This airport offers services for Copa Airline, American Airlines (Dallas/Ft.Worth, Miami), Delta Airlines (Atlanta, Georgia), Continental Airlines (Houston, Newark), Avianca (Bogotá, Colombia) and TACA (San José, Costa Rica and San Salvador, El Salvador) along with major Central American airlines, and several South American airlines and European Airlines. There are direct flights between Tocumen and New York, Newark, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Amsterdam, Madrid, and all major cities in the Caribbean area, Central America and South America, like Santiago de Chile.
By train:
Between Panama City and Colon, only one train service operates with a passenger car. This ride offers a scenic ride with views of the Panama Canal and the tropical rainforest.
To get around in local taxis is the best way of getting around.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):
• Hotels at allstays
• Hotel at virtual panama
• Hotels at gtahotels
• Hotels at maplandia
• hotels at exclusive hotels
• Hotels at costaricalink

Blogs / Sites about Herrea, Panama:

• Blogs and reviews at travelblog
• Blogs and reviews at travelpost
• Blogs and reviews at the panama realestate

Images and photos of Herrea, Panama:

• Images at google
• Images at tripadvisor
• Images at Panama Pictures
• Images at Topix

Videos of Herrera, Panama:

Caballo en plaza Colonial de Parita (Herrera-Panama)

Herrera Province, Panama

Herrera Cathedral, Chapel,Center, Azuera Peninsula HD

The main attractions in Hamilton are:
- Anglican Cathedral of The Most Holy Trinity
- Barr’s Bay Park
- Bermuda Farmers market
- Bermuda Historical Society Museum
- Bermuda National Gallery
- Bermuda National Library
- Bermudiana Arcade
- Cabinet Building and Cenotaph
- Canon’s Court
- Cathedral of St. Theresa
- City Hall
- Law courts
- Par-la-Ville Park
- Royal Bermuda Yacht Club
- Sessions House
- Victoria Park
- Washington Mall

Few of the popular attractions are:
• Bermuda Forts: There are large forts and smaller batteries on the island. They were built from 1612 to 1957. Almost 100 fortifications are built on this island. The larger ones are restored while some are on displays. Some can only be reached by boat.
• Fort Hamilton: This is a Victorian fort and has a view of Hamilton Harbor. The fortification dates back to mid-19th century. It was the times of rift between Britain and the USA. The ramparts are mounted with 18-ton artillery pieces (to date unused) capable of firing 400-pound (181kg) cannonballs through iron-hulled vessels. There is a small beach nearby known as Clarence Cove. There is a house known to be the residence of Royal Navy’s regional commander and the house is dated from the early 19th century.
• Harrington Sound: This is a big inland sea that is five miles (8km) northeast of Hamilton. The sound is associated to the changing tides and water rush below the bridge connecting. One side is Flatts village on north side and the other side is south side.
• Crystal Caves: The caves are on the land between Harrington Sound and Castle Harbor. One can see stalactites and stalagmites formations. There is a lake known as Cahow Lake which is at a depth of 55ft (17m). Palm garden is another attraction nearby. Further located are Leamington caves which has underground pools.
• Bermuda Maritime Museum, Pender Rd., and Royal Naval Dockyard: One can go for 1/2 a day to the Royal Naval Dockyard. During the American Revolutionary War, the island had naval bases. This island had been the base of the British Royal Navy which relocated the headquarters of its Atlantic Fleet here from 1812 to 1957. The tourist attractions include the old limestone storage buildings, fortresses which were redeveloped by the Bermuda Government. There are shopping centers too.
• Bermuda Perfumery & Gardens: These gardens are for nature lover. There is horticulture and jungle spread with flora like hibiscus, passion flowers, Easter lilies, thumbergia, night-blooming cerus and other flowers. This is known to be the oldest and best perfume shop which also shows how the scents are made. The perfumery is in an old farmhouse that was built around 250 years ago.
• Hamilton City Hall, Repton, Church St, Repton: This hall is known to be built in 1960. It has two galleries and a theatre. The Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts take place here, and others like the magical Evening of Jazz concert etc. are performed in this hall.
• Scuba Look, Hamilton, 11 Blue Hole Hill, Hamilton: This is on the east side of Bermuda and at Grotto Bay Beach Hotel. It is the only dive operator.
• Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo, 40 North Shore Road, Flatts Village: This aquarium has a centerpiece of a 140,000 gallon replica coral reef which is special and there are Over three hundred birds, reptiles and mammals and 200 species of fish housed in this centre.
• Devil’s Hole Aquarium, Harrington Sound Road, Hamilton: It is a small aquarium but one has to look for reef fish and turtles with bait.
• Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, 40 Crow Lane, East Broadway, Pembroke: This is just outside Hamilton which takes tourists to an underwater expedition.
• John Smith’s Bay Beach, Hamilton Parish: This is another nice pink sand beach.
• Shelly Bay, North Shore Road, Hamilton Parish: This bay has lots of shallow water. It also has a large playground ideal for families with small kids. It is not far from Flatts Village and the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo are also nearby. This bay also has Restrooms, beach rentals, food concession.
• Bermuda Railway Trail: This trail was dismantled after 17 years in 1948. It is now a public walking trail from St. George Town in the east end, through Pembroke Parish near the City of Hamilton and on toward Somerset Village in the west end. On the way one can find trestle houses, station houses and railway ties and views of the island and waters.

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate of Hamilton is sub-tropical, the weather being sunny and hot all year round. July, August and September are hot enough. The best time to visit Bermuda is from spring through to autumn. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream give it a quasi-tropical atmosphere. Overall, Bermuda has a mild, humid subtropical maritime climate; strong winds are common in winter. The hurricane season is from June to November. It is best to avoid this time of the year.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
Hamilton is accessible from all parts of Bermuda.
By plane: Bermuda International Airport is the airport operating in Bermuda and is located in St. George’s parish which is beside Castle Harbor. This airport serves daily flights from Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto and Washington, together with less frequent flights from other US and Canadian cities. British Airways fly from London (Gatwick) to Bermuda.
By boat/yacht: The cruise ships operate from the ports of Baltimore, Boston, Bayonne, New York, Norfolk, Miami/Ft Lauderdale, and Philadelphia on the eastern seaboard of the United States.

Get around: All locations in and around Hamilton are easily accessible by foot.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Wikitravel.org
• Tripreport.com
• Tripadvisor
• Travel at Yahoo

Blogs / Sites about Hamilton (Bermuda):

• http://blog.laurellkhamilton.org/
• Travelblog.org
• Travelpod.com
• http://ca.loadedweb.com/cities/ontario/hamilton/blogs/
• http://www.travbuddy.com/Hamilton-travel-blogs-520444

Images and photos of Hamilton (Bermuda):

• Google Search
• Travel-tips
• dere-street
• Travelpost

Videos of Hamilton in Bermuda from Youtube:

Hamilton Bermuda, HD Video

Cruise ship, Front Street, Hamilton Bermuda

Bermuda Hamilton Harbor

Hamilton Harbor

Places to see:

• The Lindwurm Museum: It depicts the 19th century bourgeois and agricultural life.
• The island group of Werd: It is a famous excursion destination in Stein am Rhein.
• The chapel: It is the oldest house of worship in the Canton of Schaffhausen and is a church that is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. This church is in the midst of wall remnants of the Roman fortress Tasgetium and dates back to the 3rd century A.D.
• Rhein Fall: This is the Rhein River going down a fall.
• The monastery: The Monastery St George is at the end of the town and dates back to the 12th century. It was for 400 years a Benedictine Abbey. This monastery has all its carved ceilings, tiles floors, painted wall and the interior of the old times intact even after the reformation.
• Burg Hohenklingen: This castle was built high above the town in 1225. It depicts the history of Stein am Rhein and dated back to 12th century. It is located on the hill on the north side of the River Rhein. One can overlook the town. There are views of river and town that is visible from the top floor of the restaurant.
• View from the Rheinbrücke: There is a bridge on the Rhine to Lake Constance. One can enjoy the view of the lake and the environment.
• Stadtbrunnen – the Town Fountain: There is a fountain in the main square of the city on which there is a little statue of a soldier and it dates back to 16th century.
• The Stadtkirche: There is a Romanish Basilica dated back to the 12th century. In its choir and the north chapel there are paintings that date around 1450.
• The Kupferberg House: This is a slate framework construction which was home of coppersmiths from 1803 to 1861.

How to get there
• By the road: The trip from Zurich takes less than an hour by car. Head north on N1 until a point near Winterthur, where you connect with E41 going north to Schaffhausen. This route becomes N4, connecting with Route 13, heading east toward Stein-am-Rhein.
• By train: Stein-am-Rhein lies midway along the railway link connecting Schaffhausen with Kreuzlingen, on the edge of Lake Constance. From Zurich, passengers take an express train to Winterthur and change to local train to Stein-am-Rhein which takes 1hour 20 minutes.
• By Boat: Take boat from Schaffhausen – Konstanz / Kreuzlingen. There are four starts from Schaffhausen.

Best time to visit / climate:
The best time to visit is summer.
Stein am Rhein offers a wide variety of art, culture, culinary delights and outdoor activities.
The Lindwurm Museum, the island group of Werd, the chapel, Rhein Fall, The monastery, Burg Hohenklingen, view from the Rheinbrücke, Stadtbrunnen, The Stadtkirche, the Kupferberg House are the places to see and the weather is right for summer.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Booking.com
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• http://www.chlosterhof.com/
• http://www.agoda.com/europe/switzerland/stein_am_rhein.html (cheap deals)
• http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Stein_Am_Rhein.htm
• http://www.hotels-and-more.ch/en/schaffhausen/stein-am-rhein/

Blogs / Sites about Stein am Rhein:

• Tripadvisor
• Travelpod
• http://www.travbuddy.com/Rheinfels-Hotel-Stein-Am-Rhein-v264032
• http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=550068
• http://realtravel.com/d-19333-stein_am_rhein
• http://www.frommers.com/destinations/stein-am-rhein/2568_maps.html
• http://frickandfrack.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/stein-am-rhein-is-fine/
• Virtualtourist

Images and photos of Stein am Rhein:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stein_am_Rhein#Gallery
• Google Search
• Trekearth
• Virtualtourist
• http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g199034-Stein_am_Rhein.html
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/7455207@N05/1849581600/
• http://www.luxurytraveler.com/stein_am_rhein.html

Videos of Stein am Rhein (Google Search)

Switzerland: Stein am Rhein and its frescoes

Switzerland: Stein am Rhein, St. George’s Abbey

Stein Am Rhein-Part 1

Stein Am Rhein-Part 2

Things to do:

• Hiking: Homebase Spiez
The peaks around Spiez are good for hiking. One can take a train or bus to reach the area. The right peak behind is Nisen which can be reached by a post auto. One can get to or back by train and enjoy the view around.
Stockhorn is another alpine mountain to hike. The starting point is Erlenbach which is 15 minutes from Spiez by train. Take a ride towards Zweissimen. To go to the peak, one can take a cable car or hike or reach there and hike. This hike is unique as the peak is above 400 metre cliff.
There are a few fantastic peaks that will definitely be great hikes starting from Spiez (by train or bus). The peak right behind Spiez is the Nisen. A post auto (bus) can take you to a variety of base locations, and there is a train that can take you down at the end of a tired day, or take you up just for the view.

• Cruising-day tickets in spring for both lakes
In spring one can get a day ticket for Thunersee and Brienzersee.
This ticket will include all of the cruises. Take the train between Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West.

Places to see:

• Schloss Spiez – a great medieval palace
The Schloss or the castle of Spiez is a medieval palace known for its architecture dating back to 10th century. It has old walls of the century. It has the 18th century architecture now because of the renovations taken place. It has fancy baroque furniture and ornate decorations, lovely stucco-works and frescos now.
• Step up the tower
A set of steps leads upwards to the tower of the castle of Schloss Spiez. The tower is 39 meters high and belongs to the year 1200. These steps have a panorama-view of the vineyards that are next to the castle, the village of Spiez with the Niesen and the lovely Thunersee.

• Lovely house
Next to the chapel of St.Columban, there is a house with a great balcony facing the Thuner See and a nice painting behind that balcony. One can view this on the way from the lake.

• Festsaal / the hall for festivities
One of the largest and spectacular rooms of the Schloss Spiez is the Festsall, which means the hall for festivities. The sidewalls, the ceilings have unique stucco-works all over it and they are believed to be made by Antonio Castello from Melide. These are unique and original as they have not been renovated or disturbed.

• Great interior of the Schloss Spiez
The interiors of the castle are open in the summer season. It opening starts on Friday before Easter. There is a medieval bed which is unique in style.

• Interior of the castle
In the castle one can see interesting exhibits. These exhibits belong to different centuries. There is a giant painting, wooden ceilings, spinning-wheel, painting of Swiss history etc.

• Spiez & its flowers
The lovely flower-arrangement of Spiez is one of the things you should not miss. This can be watched only if you take the path to the castle as it is in midway to castle. One can see some great wooden houses in the old Swiss style.

• Ship to Schloss Oberhofen
Take the ship from Spiez to Schloss Oberhofen in summer as it gives one a view of the castle and the surrounding park. The museum there is open between mid of May and mid of October.

• St.Columban – a popular wedding-chapel
Just a few meters from the castle of Spiez are the St. Columban chapel. It belongs to the 10th century. This church is a place for marriages in Switzerland and hence known the wedding-chapel.

How to get there

• Cisalpino (CIS) tilting trains
The Cisalpino Company is an Italian-Swiss joint venture with the Italian and Swiss railway systems as equal partners. Cisaplino tilting trains have been running through the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. These tilting trains can lean on curves and ideal for mountain routes rather than normal trains.
The trains between Switzerland and Italy are operated directly by the Swiss and Italian railways, mainly under the name “EuroCity”.

• Transportation hub:
Spiez is a major transportation hub. Two important rail routes meet her: the Lötschberg-Simplon route from Germany through Switzerland (Basel – Bern – Brig) to Italy and the Golden Pass trains from Montreux via Gstaad and Interlaken to Lucerne (continues to Zurich).

• Veloland Switzerland
There are two different bicycle routes, one for normal bicycles and one for mountain bikes.
Spiez is on the Swiss national cycling route number 8, called the “Aare Route” because it follows along the Aare River from its source to the Rhine, and number 9, the “Montreux–Rorschach” route. And there is a mountain bike route going to Leissingen, Krattigen and Aeschi.

• InterCityExpress (ICE) trains from Germany
Within Germany there is one ICE train per hour on most routes. Five of these ICE trains per day go beyond Basel into Switzerland, stopping at Olten, Bern, Thun, Spiez and Interlaken. For connections to Italy, you have to change trains at Spiez, at the latest.
The journey from Frankfurt to Spiez takes four hours and forty-one minutes.

• Take the train to Spiez
Spiez has its own train station and from Interlaken to Bern, almost all the trains halt here.

Best time to visit / climate:

The place is ideal to visit in summer as the castle is open in summer and you can see the interior of the castle as well. The other places, lake, cruising, hiking are all ideal in the weather of summer. The right peak behind is Nisen which can be reached by a post auto. One can get to or back by train and enjoy the view around.
Stockhorn is another alpine mountain to hike. The starting point is Erlenbach which is 15 minutes from Spiez by train. Take a ride towards Zweissimen. To go to the peak, one can take a cable car or hike or reach there and hike. This hike is unique as the peak is above 400 metre cliff.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website):

• Travelpod
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• http://www.kayak.com/Spiez-Hotels.48838.hotel.ksp
• Booking.com
• http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/hotels/index.cfm/berneroberland/spiez
• http://www.holidaycityeurope.com/spiezhotels/
• http://www.eden-spiez.ch/de_neu/
• http://www.switzerlandhotel.net/spiez_hotels.html
• http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-489208-spiez_switzerland_vacations-i
• Virtualtourist (list of restaurants, list of hotels)

Blogs / Sites about Spiez:

• Travelpod
• http://www.tripadvisor.com/AllReviews-g580339-Spiez.html
• Travelpod.ca
• lonelyplanet
• http://realtravel.com/dm-22015-spiez_maps
• http://www.travbuddy.com/Spiez-travel-blogs-1192293
• http://lerlop.com/2009/07/berner-oberland-switzerland/
• http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-mountain-scene-spiez-switzerland-image15439233

Images and photos of Spiez:

• Google Search
• Travelpod
• http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Switzerland/West/Bern/Spiez/
• http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g580339-Spiez.html
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/eaglesky/4863206230/
• schweiz-bilder.ch

Videos of Spiez (Google Search)

The Trip Chicks in Spiez Switzerland

Morning Bells, Spiez, Switzerland

A beautiful scenery of Spiez

Switzerland.Spiez

The Top Events
• La Bacchica, wine festival (Sep – Sep )
• Chocodays – The chocolate week-end (Nov)

Place to see:
• Villa dei Cedri – It is a municipal art gallery which comprises of Swiss and Italian paintings dated back to late 19th and early 20th century. There is also focus on artists from the local area.
• Old Town – It is in the area around the Piazza Nosetto, Via del Teatro and Piazza del Governo. The Old Town is famous for the wealth of beautiful merchants’ houses, stone gateways, balconies with wrought iron railings and inn signs from the history. There is a big weekly market on the Piazza Nosetto, every Saturday. The city is unique with its Italian-style theatre, squares, old houses in Lombardy town and courtyards.
• Teatro Sociale – It is a building is in the typically Italian Classical style and the only theatre in Switzerland to have been preserved from the 19th century. It is said to be inspired by La Scala in Milan.
• Modern architecture in Bellinzona – In the castle, the Castelgrande, the architect Aurelio Galfetti has integrated a boldly designed restaurant. The Convento delle Agostiniane on the Monte Carasso has been converted into a modern training centre by the architect Luigi Snozzi.
• The three castles that have been part of UNESCO heritage sights.
• Castelgrande – This castle is part of the history and is the Old Castle in 14th and 15th centuries. This castle is made out of Castlegranade hill that is 150-200m in diameter and very steep on southern side. The insides of castle wall are now flat with many renovations and expansions. The castle grounds were once filled with buildings which were pulled down by the Dukes of Milan to have interior space. The walls, towers all were raised, extended and added. This castle has an elevator from foot to the top of the castle. It can also be reached by foot by climbing or from the streets of the city centre through the city wall.
• Montebello – Montebello is located of hilltop to the east of the town that is connected to Castlegranade. Montebello is known as the Small, New or Middle Castle in the 15th Century, as Schwyz Castle from 1506 and St. Martin’s Castle after 1818. It was also renovated and extended in 19th century. There is a dedicated chapel to Saint Michael. It has an Archaeological and Civic museum which was opened in 1974 in the tower. The museum is open from March to November. In the history section there are several capitals from the 15th Century and a rare 13th Century Baptismal font and collection of military arms along with drawings and sketches from several artists. The archaeology section includes items from 1400-1500 B.C. It also has a collection of ceramics, glassware, funeral urns, ornamental objects and jewellery in iron and bronze from around the canton.
• Sasso Corbaro – This castle is also known as Unterwalden Castle after 1506; Saint Barbara’s Castle after 1818 and is about 600m south-west of town on a rocky hill. This castle is not integrated to the other two with city walls. The first part of the castle was built in defense of the city to close a gap. It was built in 1478. It is open from March until November. This castle houses the Sala Emma Poglia built for Emma family. The room is typical with walnut panelling and suva, a stove for heating. It has temporary exhibits now.

How to get there:

By train: There are frequent trains from Milan to Lugano (takes 1 – 2 hours) and from Como (takes just over half an hour). All the major trains towards Zurich, Lugano, Chiasso, Locarno and Italy stop at Bellinzona. The train station in Lugano is situated above the city and you can either walk down towards the lake or take the funicular. The landscape between Chiasso – Lugano – Bellinzona is very beautiful, and the train goes very smooth and quiet.

By Road: The A2 and A13 motorways, as well as some main roads link to Bellinzona making it an important transitional node.

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit Bellinzona is early summer to mid summer. The visit to the three medieval castles, Castelgrande, Montebello and Sasso Corbaro, the walk around Old town, to look at art gallery, this time would be just right for anyone to enjoy.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• Wikitravel (link)
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• Virtualtourist (reviews and restaurants)
• Virtualtourist
• Booking.com
• Eurobookings
• http://www.isyours.com/e/guide/ticino/bellinzona.hotels.html
• http://www.a1tourism.com/switzerland/bellinzona.html

Blogs / Sites about Bellinzona:

• http://wikitravel.org/en/Bellinzona
• Tripadvisor
• Virtualtourist
• http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-city/Switzerland/Bellinzona/tpod.html
• http://www.oleole.com/switzerland/bellinzona/tlnf.html
• http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-Switzerland-Bellinzona
• http://realtravel.com/c-1449-23535-castle_vacations
• http://www.flexijourney.com/Bellinzona

Images and photos of Bellinzona;

• Google Search
• http://realtravel.com/dp-23535-0-bellinzona_photos
• Tripadvisor
• http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-l16593-Bellinzona_photos.html
• http://travel.webshots.com/album/128365658HShdpO
• http://wiki.worldflicks.org/bellinzona.html
• http://www.fotopedia.com/en/Three_Castles_of_Bellinzona

Videos of Bellinzona (link)

Castello Grande- Bellinzona, Switzerland

Bellinzona, Switzerland

Bellinzona city (Switzerland)

The Events in the town:
• Weissensteinlauf: Weissenstein Walk (Aug)
• Swiss Walking Event (Sep)

Places to see:

• Old Town – It is the finest and most compact Old Towns in Switzerland. It has old building with many Baroque highlights and a marked French influence.
• St. Urs Cathedral – It is made of pale Solothurn marble. It is the most important Early Classical building in Switzerland which has 11 altars and 11 bells. It was begun by Gaetano Matteo Pisoni and completed by Paolo Antonio Pisoni. The interior has stuccoes by Francesco Pozzi and canvasses by Domenico Corvi.
• Museum of the Old Arsenal (1609–14) – This museum has the most ancient collection of armor in Europe.
• Museum of Fine Art –This museum has an important collection of Swiss Art from 1850 onwards, with works by Cuno Amiet, Ferdinand Hodler, Bernhard Luginbühl, Meret Oppenheim, and Jean Tinguely.
• Boat ride on the Aare (in summer) – The boat ride from Aare to the Stork Colony in Altreu and via Büren is splendid. The Old Town features in the National Inventory of Heritage Sites, to bilingual Biel/Bienne.
• Weissenstein – It is the Solothurn’s local mountain (1291 m) which has a chairlift to reach the top and the Hotel Kurhaus Weissenstein in the Jugendstil. One can enjoy the views of Central Switzerland and the Alps. It is a place for walking, cycling, cross-country skiing and sledging.
• The cathedral: This cathedral is of st. Urs and Victor and its tower to which one can go up, are worth watching.
• The clock tower
• Einsiedelei im Verenaschlucht (Hermitage in the Verena gorge): This can be reached by a 45-minute walk north of the city. It is in a forest. It is a place to walk around, especially in the evenings when candles are lit and placed in between the rocks throughout.

How to get there:
By train: Solothurn is served by passenger rail services, the Swiss Federal Rail (SBB) system. Trains run to and from Geneva, Zurich, Bern, and points in between. They are accessible half-hour between 4AM and 1AM every day.
By Boat: Solothurn is also connected by boat to the bilingual town of Biel/Bienne. Boats by the BSG connect to the two towns and leave two (Spring/Fall) or three (summer) times a day.
Get around: The old town is north of the train station and across the river. To get around the town, by foot is the best option.

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit Solothurn is summer that is around May, June and August. The places are mostly churches, chapels, museums, and palace and walks which are best suited in early summer to mid summer.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Driving directions from Geneva to Solothurn:

View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Booking.com
• Hotel.info
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Solothurn.htm
• http://www.hotels-and-more.ch/en/solothurn/solothurn/
• http://www.hotelclub.com/Switzerland/Solothurn-hotels/
• http://www.switzerland-trips.com/Solothurn/Solothurn-Hotels-Tourist-Info.html
• http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-city/Switzerland/Solothurn/tpod.html
• Virtualtourist

Blogs / Sites about Solothurn:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solothurn
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Solothurn
• http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-city/Switzerland/Solothurn/tpod.html
• http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/57313/Solothurn-Switzerland-5
• http://realtravel.com/e-232547-solothurn_entry-solothurn
• Travelpost
• Virtualtourist

Images and photos of Solothurn:

• Google Search (link)
• http://search.pbase.com/search?q=Solothurn
• Tripadvisor
• Trekearth
• Vrtualtourist
• http://wiki.worldflicks.org/solothurn.html

Videos of Solothurn (link)

Solothurn the city, Switzerland

Solothurn city Switzerland

Solothurn: Timelapse Movie [HD]

Places to see
• Basilique de Valère – The Valère basilica (Basilique de Valère), is a church in Sion. The church (Notre-Dame de Valère) was built during the 12th and 13th centuries. This church is full of Swiss architecture.
• Château de Tourbillon – The Tourbillon castle (Château de Tourbillon) is a castle in Sion in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is located on a hill and the Basilique de Valère, located on the opposite hill.
• FC Sion – FC Sion is a top league Swiss soccer team located in town.
• Vineyards: Just outside the city centre, Sion is full of vineyards. It is really nice to see bunches of grapes and to watch the landscapes. It shows the varieties of vines of different species of grapes and shows the different types of wines per district.
• NAX: This is a village around Sion. This village can be reached by a bus or a car. It is worth a visit because of its location on the top of a plateau and its views of Rhone plain and the “Bas Valais”. It is also known as “THE BALCONY OF THE SKY”. This village comprises of old wooden houses, oven, a church and magnificent Alpine Flora.
• Sierre – Chateau De Villa: There is a village close to Sion, called Sierre. It has a castle named CHATEAU DE VILLA. One can take a walk or get a train to reach the castle.
• Sierre – Chateau Merciere: The village Sierre has another castle name chateau merciere which is 15 minute uphill taking the Escaliers-Jean-Daetwyler from the train station. This castle and the villas have nice park with flowers.
• St. Leonard – The biggest underground lake: St. Leonard is a small village near sion which has the biggest underground lake in Europe. This lake is 300m long, 20m wide and 10m deep. One can take a boat to navigate.
• THE OLD TOWN: The Tourbillon Castle and the Valère Fortress are part of the Old town. The Old town is for a nice walk with nice buildings around and streets are traffic-free. There are many churches in the heart of Old Town.
• Notre Dame Du Glariere – It is a Cathedral with Romanesque tower built in 12th century and later rebuilt in the 15th century. Church has works of art; wood etc. Close to it there is the smaller 16th century EGLISE DE ST THEODULE.
• Chateau De Valere: This church is on a hill built in 12th century. It organizes old organ. Frescoe, postcard view from the terrace are its special features.
• Rue Du Grand Pont: It is a street of Sion which is full of flags. It is a 3D reconstruction of the old city, river inside the wizard’s tower. The Town Hall and an astronomical clock are the highlights.
• Tour Des Sorciers – WIZARDS’ TOWER: The Tour des Sorciers (12th C.) is remain of the medieval city walls. It is a 3D reconstruction of the old city, river inside the wizard’s tower.

How to get there:

To get to Sion, rail is the easiest method. The route the goes through Sion starts from Brig and goes towards Montreux.

By Train: From Milano (Italy) To Sion in Switzerland. There are at least 10 departures per day of trains from Milan in Italy to Geneva which have a stop in Sion. Four of them are direct trains (Cisalpino train). They pass through the Simplon pass and Tunnel

Get around: This area is excellent for hiking in alpine valley. One can view the Swiss Architecture and go up the shills to take a look of castles and churches.

By air: Sion Airport is the airport of Sion. This connects to other airports.

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit Sion is summer, that is around May, June and August.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• Virtualtourist
• Hotel.info
• Snowjet
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Sion.htm (cheap deals on hotels)
• Accorhotels
• http://www.allstays.com/Europe/switzerland/sion-hotels.htm
• http://www.agoda.com/europe/switzerland/sion.html (lowest discounts)

Blogs / Sites about Sion:

• http://wikitravel.org/en/Sion
• Virtualtourist
• Tripadvisor
• http://www.blogged.com/topics/sion/
• http://en.wordpress.com/tag/piory-of-sion/
• http://sionphoto.blogs.com/
• http://www.oleole.com/switzerland/sion/tlm8.html

Images and photos of Sion:

• Google Search
• http://sionphoto.blogs.com/
• http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Switzerland/West/Valais/Sion/
• http://myfrenchwindow.com/the-rest-of-my-sion-photos/
• http://realtravel.com/dp-19601-0-sion_photos
• http://www.webshots.com/explains/travel/sion.html
• http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-l1651-Sion_photos.html

Videos of Sion (link)

Sion Switzerland

Sion, Switzerland

Cycling in Sion, Switzerland

The Top Events
• Gewerbemuseum: Farbe: Spiel und Obsession ( May – Oct )
• Fotostiftung Schweiz: Hannes Schmid ( Jun – Sep )
• Kunstmuseum: Rita McBride ( Jun – Sep )

Places to see:
• The Oskar Reinhart Collection “Am Römerholz”: It comprises of collection of large private villa houses European paintings from five centuries. It is one of the most important private collections of the 20th century and includes about 200 works of European art from the 14th to the early 20th century. The focus is on 19th century French painting, in particular on paintings by the French impressionists and their precursors. It shows over 500 pictures, predominantly by German, Swiss and Austrian artists from the 18th to the 20th century. Europe’s largest hall for trend sports, also venue for large events, such as musicals etc.
• The Villa Flora: This is where a rich collection of modern French painting is exhibited.
• The Briner and Kern Museum These museums are mainly devoted to the Dutch masters of the 17th century.
• Winterthur Kunstmuseum: It is an artist gallery which has a collection works by Swiss, Austrian and German artists.
• Art Museum – exhibitions devoted to modern art from Picasso to Klee.
• Technorama – This is a science development centre and a science museum showing development of science and technology under the motto “please touch”.
• Photo Museum – It is the only museum for photography with over 30’000 originals by world-famous photographers.

How to get there:
By train: Winterthur’s train station is one of the busiest in Switzerland. Every day around 150 express trains stop in Winterthur. There are intercity connections to all major Swiss cities every half an hour and direct trains are available to Munich. Around 800 suburban and regional trains run through the nine city railway stations of Winterthur on a daily basis; for example, the S12 will take you right into the heart of the City of Zurich within just 19 minutes.
Winterthur is one of the points of the Swiss train-net and also of the S-Bahn Zurich. All express trains that drive in the direction to St.Gallen, Konstanz or Romanshorn pass the main station. There is also a EuroCity to Munich which stops in Winterthur. Additionally 11 S-Bahn-lines and 5 nightlines stop there. 122’000 passengers are frequenting the place each day. Beside the main station there are nine more train stations in Winterthur

By air: Zurich Airport can be reached taking one of the 120 direct trains daily or by car within 15 minutes. From this international hub you can fly to most worldwide destinations. Check-in for the flight can already is done at Winterthur railway station. Winterthur is connected by direct trains to Zurich Airport to and from Germany and Italy. Winterthur is about 25 km (15.5 miles) east of Zurich’s Kloten airport, to which it is linked by rail on the line between Zurich and St Gallen or Lake Constance.

By car: It is also a regional transportation hub. The A1 motorway from Geneva through to St. Margrethen connects in Winterthur with the A4 motorway heading north toward Schaffhausen and the A7 motorway heading close to the Swiss-German border at Kreuzlingen. There are also roads leading to other places such as Turbenthal.

By Bus: The local public transport is run by Stadtbus Winterthur with twelve town bus lines and five regional bus lines. Winterthur is connected to the Swiss national road network with four A1 motorway junctions.

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit Brienz is summer that is around May, June and August. The best time to walk and enjoy the art and museums of the place-Oskar Reinhart Collection ‘Am Römerholz’, Oskar Reinhart Collection am Stadtgarten, Kunstmuseum Winterthur, Villa Flora, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Technorama.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Driving directions from Zurich to Winterthur on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants)

• Booking.com
• Tripadvisor (hotels, restaurants)
• Myswitzerland
• http://www.holidaycityeurope.com/winterthurhotels/
• Directrooms (cheap deals on hotels)
• http://www.switzerlandhotel.net/winterthur_hotels.html

Blogs / Sites about Winterthur:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winterthur
• Tripadvisor
• Travelpod
• Oleole
• Travelbuddy
• Myspace

Images and photos of Winterthur:

• Tripadvisor
• Picsearch
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterlaw/4918264853/
• Swissinfo
• http://www.listphotographers.com/79099
• http://photobucket.com/images/Winterthur/
• http://www.essential-architecture.com/A-AMERICA-N/USA/USA-NewEngland/NE-010.htm

Videos of Winterthur

• Google Search

Places to see:
• Bern Bridge, (Bus 4 to Palme): This Bridge is a wooden bridge which is 40m long. It is a renovated bridge and is the only wooden bridge left in Fribourg.
• Berne Gate, (Bus 4 to Palme). This gate has a winding staircase and is 24m high. This gate was built back 1270 and 1290. The doors are original.
• Bibliothèque Cantonale et Universitaire: This library has photographs, books, and audio-visual materials, medieval documents and transcripts.
• Cathedral of St. Nicholas, Rue des Chanoines 3 (From the SBB station, bus 2 or 6): This Cathedral was constructed in 1283 and was completed around 1430. It has been the Cathedral of the diocese of Lausanne, Geneva, and Fribourg since 1945. There are a total of 13 bells in the western tower and bell tower of the choir. The western tower is open to the public and provides a view high above the city.
• Chemins de fer du Kaeserberg, Fondation des Chemins de fer du Kaeserberg: This museum exhibits a network of miniature railways with 2045m of track through a model of Switzerland. The model is built on three levels on a scale of 1:87. The show lasts approximately 90 minutes.
• Espace Jean Tinguely Niki dè Saint Phalle; This is a museum that displays major works from both artists. It also holds temporary exhibits. The museum in a building from 1900 that was once used to shelter trams.
• Fontaine Jo Siffert, Grand-Places: This fountain by Jean Tinguely was dedicated to the memory of his friend Jo Stiffer. The specialty of this mechanical fountain varies depending on sun, clouds, and ice.
• Musée d’Art et d’Histoire: This museum is of art and history. It is housed in Fribourg’s only Renaissance building, The Ratzé Palace. It comprises of paintings and statues from the 12th to 19th centuries as well as historical remains that depict political, religious, and business aspects of life in Fribourg during that period. There is also a slaughterhouse that contains paintings and stone statues from the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Musée de la Bière Cardinal (Cardinal Beer Museum): One can learn the history of the brewery and ancestral brewing methods, housed in former storage cellars.
• Zaehringen Bridge: This is a suspension bridge and is an original piece. It was built back in 1834 and replaced in 1924 with concrete. The bridge is 165m long and spans the Sarine River. There is a footpath beneath the roadway. For a clear view, the Bern Gate or Bern Bridge is the best option. From the steep slope, Whole of the Old town can be viewed.
• Old Town: The Old Town of Fribourg is also known as Basse Ville. It comprises of churches, fountains, ancient bridges and medieval buildings with over 200 Gothic facades dating from the 15th century, cozy cafes and warm restaurants throughout the area.

Events: St Nicholas Day, held in the first week of December.

How to get there:
• By train: Fribourg is accessible by the SBB. Trains run from Geneva airport, Geneva, Thun, Lausanne, St. Gallen, and Bern and Zürich.
• By plane: There is an intercity train from Zürich airport to Fribourg (1hr 41min). Zürich airport is Switzerland’s largest international gateway with flights from all over Europe and North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East and is 160km from Fribourg. Fribourg can also be accessed from Basel’s Euro Airport within 1hr 48min by bus and train. Bus 50 takes you from the airport to the Basel SBB in 17 minutes and runs frequently throughout the day. There are connections every hour from the Basel SBB to Fribourg. Euro Airport is an international airport servicing many cities throughout Europe and is 140km from Fribourg. Geneva airport is also 140km from Fribourg with direct train links that run hourly.
• To go around: The best option to go around is by foot as all of them are at walking distances.

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit Fribourg is summer that is June-August. The time is right to walk around and visit the places.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Driving directions from Zurich to Freiburg on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants)

• Booking.com
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurants)
• Accorhotels.com
• http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/fribourg.htm
• http://www.hotels-and-more.ch/en/fribourg/
• http://www.hotelclub.com/Switzerland/Fribourg-hotels/ (for cheap deals)

Blogs / Sites about Fribourg:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fribourg
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Fribourg
• Expat Blog
• Travelpod.com
• Travelblog.com
• Travelpost.com

Images and photos of Fribourg:
• Google Search
• http://www.travel-images.com/switzerland6.html
• Infohub.com
• Tripadvisor
• http://travel.webshots.com/album/175454697LbZCYJ
• http://photobucket.com/images/Spirit%20Club%20Fribourg/
• e-architect

Videos of Fribourg:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPqExvVCQ3s

FRIBOURG REGION (Switzerland) – Lakes

FRIBOURG REGION (Switzerland) – Mountains

Arrival in Fribourg, Switzerland

Summer 2007 in Fribourg, Switzerland (time lapse)

Top Events

• Swiss cheese Awards 2010, Neuchâtel
• The festival of the Fête des Vendanges, representing the wine harvest, is held traditionally in early fall.

Places to see:

• The university town of Neuenburg: It lies on the northern shore of the eponymous lake.
• The Museum of Art and History in the “Palais des Beaux-Arts” (Palace of the Fine Arts): This museum comprises of four thematically separate collections: fine arts, applied arts, numismatics and history. It includes collection of Jacquet-Droz.
• The Laténium: This musuem is the largest archaeological museum in Switzerland and has exhibits over 50,000 years of regional history.
• Old town – The Castle and Collegiate Church date back to the 12th century, Hôtel du Peyrou dating from the 18th century and Place des Halles are worth seeing in the Old town.
• Neuchâtel farmhouses comprises of a whole lot of dry stones walls, houses designed by Le Corbusier, native of La Chaux-de-Fonds, an Art nouveau touch.
• Chaumont – Neuchâtel’s ‘house mountain’: This mountain is at an altitude of 1100 metres above sea level. One can enjoy spectacular all-round view of the Bernese Alps, Montblanc Massif and three Jura lakes.
• Jacquet-Droz automata collection – It comprises of collection of the world-famous watch and automata production of the 18th century at the Musée d’art et d’histoire (Art and History Museum) Neuchâtel.
• Cruising on Lake Neuchâtel – It is the biggest lake located in Switzerland that offers a chance to go on a three-lake-cruise.
• Papilliorama-Nocturama in Kerzers – It is worth visiting and beautiful with its exotic butterflies and a lot of nocturnal animals.
• Watchmaking: The Neuchatel mountains offers a collection of wonders of precision set in the magnificent International Watchmaking Museum in La Chaux-de-Fonds and the Château des Monts Watch Museum in Le Locle.
• Sports and leisure: The Neuchâtel Mountains offers hiking, cycling, mountain biking, swimming, canoeing, hockey playing, skating, rock climbing.
• The Lake of Neuchâtel: It has all water activities and has about 15 km of accessible shores, beaches, picnic areas and exclusively pedestrian, cycling paths and beautiful boat trips.

How to get there:

• By train: The major train line for Neuchatel is Jura. From all major Swiss cities like Bern, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich, trains connect to Jura almost hourly. The city is linked to the TGV (High Speed Train) with direct train link from Neuchâtel to Paris in four hours.
• By air: The centre of the city is connected to Neuchatel’s airport that is about 6km or four miles away. It does not have commercial flights. Neuchâtel is also linked to four international airports: Bern, Geneva, Basel and Zurich which are respectively 58 km (36 mi), 122 km (76 mi), 131 km (81 mi) and 153 km (95 mi) away by car. Geneva and Zurich airports both have direct trains to Neuchatel, connecting the cities respectively.
• To go around the region, many modes of transport such as the Bus, trams and trains are available for public. All buses are available at the main square of the city, Place Pury. On foot and bicycle also, one can move around as they are available for rent from two stations in the city centre. Walking trails help to move around. The public transport is provided by Les Transports Publics du Littoral Neuchatelois which has Trolleybus network, a Funicular and an Interurban light rail line to Boudry.

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit is June to August, the summer season as the temperature is around 21 to 23 degree C. The entire place is almost accessible and enjoyable in this weather. One can go for hiking, cycling, mountain biking, swimming, canoeing, hockey playing, skating, rock climbing and walking.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Driving directions from Geneva to Neuchatel on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• Travelpod.com
• Booking.com
• Eurobookings.com
• http://www.neuchatelhotels.com/
• http://www.laterooms.com/en/r10959_hotels-in-neuchatel.aspx

Blogs / Sites about Neuchatel:

• Tripadvisor
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuch%C3%A2tel
• Britannica.com
• Travelpod.com
• realtravel.com
• Travelpost.com

Images and photos of Neuchatel:

• Google Search
• http://www.infohub.com/pictures/images_neuchatel_4253.html
• http://www.travel-images.com/switzerland14.html
• Tripadvisor
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/tambako/3000484040/

Videos of Neuchatel:

• Google Video Search

From Zurich to Neuchatel by Train

A Walking tour of Neuchatel, Switzerland (link)