Posted at the entrance of the Ajaccio Cathedral is a choir boy holding an alms box with the simple notation “Merci”.
Ajaccio Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Mary, and is an important historical site located in Ajaccio, Corsica. It was built in the 17th century and is known for its Baroque architecture. It’s conveniently located in the heart of Ajaccio, making it a popular destination that’s easily accessible and often featured in local tours.
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Stockholm is often referred to as the city of islands. Geographically Stockholm is very large and occupies literally dozens of islands. With the Stockholm archipelago located some 27 miles from the Baltic, cruising in or out past incredible scenery is a memorable experience.
Stockholm was founded in the 13th century, and has been the center for trade and politics in Sweden serveing as its capital since 1634. The city is known for its stunning architecture, including the Royal Palace with medieval Gamla Stan at its center, which is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe, with cobblestone streets and rich architectural heritage.There is much to see and do in Stockholm and with miles of amazing waterfront it’s a good idea to have a plan for seeing this city.
Where Your Ship Docks
Currently there are two cruise ship docking areas in Stockholm and if you are going to plan your time in this beautiful city it’s a good idea to check were your ship will be docking.
Stadsgården Cruise Ship Terminal
Stadsgården Cruise Ship Terminal is the largest cruise facility in Stockholm and offers a range of facilities including waiting areas, ticket offices,and shops and serves as a key point for many cruise departures. It is nearer to central Stockholm, making it easy to explore the city before or after the cruise and includes several Visit Stockholm tourist information offices. From Stadsgården Cruise Port to Stockholm’s City Center is less than a thirty or forty minute walk.
Frihamnen’s cruise terminal
Frihamnen’s cruise terminal is located farther away at the northeastern part of the city at Lilla Värtan strait just in front of Millesgården statue-park and museum, a favorite in the city. There are 3 Visit Stockholm’s tourist information offices at Frihamnen’s Terminals.
Transportation
Public transportation includes buses, metro and ferries and is generally inexpensive. The best way to take advantage of Stockholm’s public transportation is to buy a TravelCard (SL-Access card). They can be purchased at the counter on underground stations, SL-centers and kiosks and many convience stores like Pressbyrån or 7-eleven as well as at some hotels.
The price for travelcards used on all public transportation in Stockholm is: 24-hour travelcard: 155 SEK (14.65 € / $16.10) adults. 72-hour travelcard: 310 SEK (29.35 € / US$32.10 / £24.85)
From Frihamnen’s cruise terminal you can choose to get to the city center by bus or by a combination of metro and bus. Getting to the city center by bus takes around 35 minutes. Take bus number 76 and get off at Slottsbacken bus stop which is located on the backside of the Royal Palace and very close to the famous Stortorget Square. The squaredominated by beautiful colored houses and is one of Stockholm’s most photographed areas. The bus will also take you to Djurgården island where the Vasa Museum, and the ABBA Museum are located.
From Stadsgården Cruise Port the island of Djurgården is less than 15 minutes away by bus. Take a taxi for about US$8 or the number 76 bus at the Frihamnen bus stop and get off at Djurgårdsbron. On this island is the Vasa Museum, The ABBA Museum, Skansen, Spritmuseum, the new Viking Museum and Stockholm aquarium.
To reach the southern island or Södermalm take bus number 76 to the northern entrance of the island at Slussen and from there get around by metro on the green line towards the southwest (Medborgarplatsen, Skanstull) and the artsy area at Folkungagatan or on the red line towards the southeast and Mariatorget, Zinkensdamm and Hornstull where you can visit the gardens at Tantolunden, Årsta Bay, the lookout at Monteliusvägen.
Two good options for seeing Stockholm are the Hop-On-Hop-Off Buss and Go City Stockholm pass.
The Go City Stockholm tourist visitor pass allows you to enter over 45 attractions and sights in the capital. https://gocity.com/en/stockholm
A 3 Day Go City pass is US$135
A 24 hour Hop-On-Hop-Off buss pass is US$39
Currency
One Swedish Krona equals 0.10 US Dollars. Credit cards are widely accepted and ATMs are available.
Tipping
Tipping in Sweden is not expected but always welcome. For good service the practice of rounding up or adding 10% to the bill as a tip is becoming common..
Attractions
Historic sites in Stockholm include the Royal Palace, an extraordinary architectural marvel that serves as the official residPence of the Swedish monarch.
Parks And Great Places To Hike
Djurgården, is a lush island in the heart of the city, features beautiful parks, open-air museums like Skansen, and a stunning waterfront.
Monteliusvägen, runs along the northeast edge of Södermalm island, a fantastic walking path and a great viewpoint of the city Stockholm. It offers a vista over Kungsholmen, City Hall, City/Norrmalm, Riddarholmen, Old Town/Gamla Stan, and Slussen.
Museums
The Vasa Museum which showcases the 17th-century warship Vasa, which sank on its maiden voyage is a must-visit.
Another favorite is the Abba Museum, a tribute to the popular Swedish rock group.
The Moderna Museum features one of Europe’s foremost collections of modern and contemporary art. Moderna’s permanent collection includes works by Dalí, Picasso, Derkert, Christo and Duchamp. Fotografiska opened in 2010 and has become one of the world’s premier venues for contemporary photography.
Stortorget Square features beautiful colored houses and is one of Stockholm’s most photographed sights.
Every tourist with a camera or cellphone can’t walk by without shooting the bull. Same with us on a recent visit to, Estonia’s Tallinn, except in our case it was raining and in haste we thought it was a pig.
It’s actually called The Black Angus by Tauno Kangro, and it’s a bronze sculpture that’s been sitting on a bench outside the Goodwin steak restaurant on Viru Street in Tallinn since 2011. The sculpture’s website is HERE.
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While walking around the German beach town of Warnemünde we were attracted to this interesting strawberry stand. While the town had just finished an annual festival this stand didn’t seem like it was going anywhere. A pint of strawberries was only3,25 Euros and made a great snack.
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Gdańsk (Eng. spelling Gdansk) is located on the coast of the Baltic Sea and is noted for beautiful beaches and waterfront activities along with Old Town Gdańsk featuring stunning Gothic and Renaissance buildings, including the famous St. Mary’s Church and the medieval Gdańsk Crane.
Gdańsk/Gdynia are also famous as the place where the revolt started that brought down the Soviet Union. It started as a workers strike in the shipyard and spread throughout Poland.
Where Your Ship Docks
While Gdańsk has ocean access most cruise ships will tie up at the deep water facilities in Gdynia about 20 miles from Old Town Gdańsk. Don,t expect public facilities at most piers and walking out can be a challenge. Wheelchair Accessibility – This port has a dedicated cruise ship pier but the ease of disembarking varies by the individual ships gangway designs. Most piers disembark near town but that is some distance from Gdańsk. For passengers using wheelchairs there can be a moderate ramp incline to deal with..
Transportation
The cheapest way to get from Gdynia to Gdańsk costs only US$2.00, and the quickest way takes just 27 minutes with the train from Gdynia to Gdansk. Rideshare with Uber is available from Gdynia to Gdańsk for as little as US$12 and should take about 26 minutes depending on traffic. A taxi will cost about US$30.
Currency
The local currency is the Polish Zloty (PLN) with 0.26 Zloty equal to 1 US Dollar (1 PLN = 0.26 US$). Credit cards are welcome and ATMs are available.
Tipping
Tipping in Poland is simple. Do it for good service and no more than 10%.
Attractions
The heart of the city is the Motlawa River waterfront. This picturesque waterfront along the Motlawa River is perfect for a stroll, renting a small boat and offering stunning views of the famous Gdańsk Crane and visiting inviting cafes.
The Gdańsk Crane is a medieval port crane in Gdańsk, Poland, built in the late 14th century. It’s one of the biggest wooden structures of its kind in Europe and played a crucial role in the city’s shipping industry.
The Gdansk Crane down the river on the left
The European Solidarity Centre – A museum dedicated to the history of Solidarity and the fight for freedom in Poland, providing insights into the country’s socio-political changes.
St. Mary’s Church in Gdańsk is one of the largest brick churches in the world, known for its impressive Gothic architecture and intricate design. Amber – Gdańsk deserves the title of the World Capital of Amber. Jewellery of amber have been produced here for centuries. Visit the Museum of Amber displaying natural lumps of the resin and its inclusions, as well as finished products,
Amber – Gdańsk deserves the title of the World Capital of Amber. Jewellery of amber have been produced here for centuries. Visit the Museum of Amber displaying natural lumps of the resin and its inclusions, as well as finished products,
Baltic Amber
Old Town Gdańsk is famous for its stunning architecture, historic character and amazing atmosphere that includes the iconic Main Town Hall Square and St. Mary’s Church. It all provides a beautiful glimpse into the city’s history, but understand much of it is not what it seems.
Gdańsk suffered almost total destruction during the war from both sides, especially in the spring of 1945 when it became a last-ditch German stronghold against the Red Army’s advance on Berlin. Gdańsk had become a military stronghold after being remade into a German vision of what the city should look like featuring iconic German architecture.
The Water Gate1945
The siege of Gdańsk and Danzig was launched by the Red Army against Nazi Germany’s occupied Poland in March 1945. Gdańsk was left in complete ruin due to the bombardments, street fighting, and resulting fires, with most of the city’s landmarks completely destroyed.
My Father was born and raised in the mountains of western North Carolina. Our family has lived in those mountains since the beginning of the eighteenth century when they started farming a piece of land along Broad River beneath Chimney Rock. Over seven generations we spread out through the Blue Ridge Mountains and by 1928 the original family homestead was covered by the waters of Lake Lure created by a new dam. Most residents of the area identified as Scotts-Irish with some English and more than a few Cherokee Indians. I know that Scotts-Irish seems a contradiction and while many Scotts kept their traditions and tartans they all thought of ourselves as a community..
As a kid I spent a lot of summers there and one of my favorite places was the tiny town of Chimney Rock We hiked the trails around the rock, visited rainbow falls, fished the lake and square danced in the main street of the town on Saturday evenings.
The town of Chimney Rock and more than a few others are all gone from the flooding from Helene. The remains of Chimney Rock can be seen in Lake Lure. The dead number in the hundreds and while you can pray for the it’s the survivers that desperately need your help…
The Intentional Travelers 