Destinations | Viator Travel Blog

Bizarre Germany: Odd Things To See & Do

13. October 2009

So you've ticked off the wall in Berlin, the Oktoberfest, the Rhine cruise and all manner of stunning castles and cathedrals? Well, you’ve only just scratched the surface of Germany – and the way to get the most out of the rest is to make things a little weirder. We’ve picked out eight of the most bizarre places to visit in Germany and they’re far from the usual suspects.

London’s Market Madness

12. October 2009

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As some kinda twisted stroke of luck would have it, turns out that all this time I’ve been disdaining large public gatherings of people and especially in those unseemly dives round London, I’d been sitting on some kinda gold. Got the word on the intramanet that these things called markets, and London – well, it's the hot spot that gots the lot.

Rome’s Gladiator School

9. October 2009

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The Gladiator School (Scuola di Gladiotori) in Rome is nestled very appropriately off the ancient Roman road of the Appia Antica, where cars and buses still roar over the original paving stones that make up this ancient via. The school is like a genuine little fortress, complete with its wooden ramparts constructed from sharpened wooden logs.

15 Tips for Traveling with Kids

7. October 2009

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Traveling with little and big kids, ages five and up, can really be a hoot. Whether taking my 18-year-old niece on her first New York City trip or Burning Man festival, or planning a Crater Lake expedition with my 6-year-old stepdaughter, adapting my usual travel habits makes trips different and more enjoyable for me, too.

Q&A with Lonely Planet’s Tony Wheeler

2. October 2009

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If Tony Wheeler didn't exist, we'd need to invent him. You'll know Tony if you've ever hauled a backpack around the globe with only a fuzzy itinerary (Asia?? why not!) and a money belt stuffed full with everything except money. Along with shoes and toothbrush, the only other required piece of gear was the guidebook. Inevitably it was a Lonely Planet guidebook.

The Castles and Palaces of Denmark

1. October 2009

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Who among us can honestly say that the idea of living Happily Ever After™ as a fairytale Prince or Princess in a bejeweled castle holds no appeal? Not I, good reader, not I. After years of vicarious tabloid-browsing and a steady diet of Handsome-Prince-Marries-Accidental-Princess stories since childhood, the idea of donning glass slippers and going to the ball has always held a magical appeal for me. So, on a recent visit to Denmark, home to one of the world’s oldest royal families and jam-packed with castles and palaces, it seemed only right that I indulge my fantasies and visit a royal residence or three.

Atlas Obscura: DYI Temples, Castles, Cathedrals

30. September 2009

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Atlas Obscura: DYI Temples, Castles, Cathedrals

For those of you anxiously awaiting this next installment of wonder-inspiring, off-the-beaten-path places that don’t make it into traditional guidebooks. This week's Atlas Obscura theme is self-built temples (in Italy), castles (in the U.S.) and cathedrals (in Spain)!

Horrible History: Edinburgh’s Dark Past

29. September 2009

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OK, it’s confession time. I know that tourist boards want to promote the positive and – honestly – I really do love all the good things. But sometimes I just feel in need of something a little…darker. Fortunately, we’re in Edinburgh. Now this is a city which has (it seems) more than its fair share of rogues and gruesome tales. So Simon and I take a deep breath and head up to the Royal Mile for the start of the Ghost Hunter tour ("A 5-Star Scare Factor").

Top Five Day Trips From Paris

25. September 2009

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There’s enough to do in Paris to keep a visitor occupied for weeks, but for those who do wish to venture further afield, there are a series of awesome destinations that can easily be checked out in a day trip from the French capital. From cathedrals and palaces to wine tasting and architectural gems, these five pack in an awful lot for the day-tripper.

Life on (Australian) Mars

23. September 2009

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It’s 6:05am in Sydney and I slowly open my eyes to see a bright orange glow around the window blinds. It’s eerie – like a scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I open the blind and am greeted by a magical orange world. It’s like a Fanta fog has descended on the neighbourhood.