In the city of Passau, in Bavaria, Germany, close to the Austrian border

 “The river is everywhere at once, at the source and at the mouth, at the waterfall, at the ferry, at the rapids, in the sea, in the mountains, everywhere.”

~Herman Hesse, Siddhartha
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(in Bavaria, Germany, close to the Austrian border) The power of flowing water has quite literally shaped the picturesque town of Passau. Known as Dreiflüssestadt (City of Three Rivers), Passau is the place where the Danube meets the Inn and the Ilz. The picturesque city lies in Germany’s far southeast corner. Settled since prehistory and a former hub of the salt trade, it became the Roman village of Batavis, then later the Holy Roman Empire’s largest diocese and a sword-making center. Saint Stephan’s Cathedral, home of the world’s second-largest cathedral organ, is one of Passau’s favorite attractions. Many river cruises down the Danube start at Passau and there is a cycling path all the way down to Vienna. (It is on the designated heritage route, the Route of Emperors and Kings.)

+ Passau is notable for its gothic and baroque architecture. The city is dominated by the Veste Oberhaus and the Veste Niederhaus, both parts of the former fortress of the Bishop, on the mountain crest between the Danube and the Ilz. Tourism in Passau focuses mainly on the three rivers, the St. Stephen's Cathedral (German: Der Passauer Stephansdom) and the "Old City" (Die Altstadt).

+ Before the cathedral is a large square (Domplatz) with the Lamberg-Palais, where the Peace of Passau was concluded. The medieval Old Residence south of the cathedral and the baroque New Residence further west at Residenzplatz were the palaces of the Prince-Bishops within the city. Right beside the 14th century Gothic City Hall with its neo-Gothic tower and the big 19th-century former Hauptzollamtsgebäude (Main Customs Office) at the Danube is the Scharfrichterhaus -- an important jazz and cabaret stage on which political cabaret is performed.

+ Passau has become the economic, cultural, and communications center of southeastern Bavaria. Industries include a bell foundry, brewing, and the manufacture of clothing, bicycles, organs, and electrical engineering products. There is also a tourist trade based in part on the city’s role in passenger boat traffic on the Danube. The cityscape is dominated by the Oberhaus Fortress and the cathedral of St. Stephen, which incorporates the remains of an earlier Gothic structure. The cathedral contains one of the largest church organs in the world; this organ, built in 1928, has more than 17,000 pipes. The bishops’ palace and numerous fine churches in varied styles recall the era of the prince-bishops. The Gothic Town Hall has paintings depicting episodes in Passau’s past, including its association with the Nibelungen legends. The Niedernburg convent contains the tomb of Gisela, the first queen of Hungary. The city is the seat of the University of Passau Museums include the Oberhaus Museum, the Passau Glass Museum , a museum of modern art, and a diocesan museum.

In the port city of Lisbon, capital of Portugal

 “Lisbon is the city of shifting light, of rising hills, and sparkling waters.”

— Pablo Neruda
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(in Portugal) Lisbon, the city, port, capital of Portugal, and the center of the Lisbon metropolitan area is located in western Portugal on the estuary of the Tagus (Tejo) River, it is the westernmost capital city in continental Europe and serves as the country’s chief port, largest city, and commercial, political, and tourist center. The city’s name is a modification of the ancient Olisipo (Ulyssipo), and its founding has been attributed to the legacy of Ulysses (Odysseus), the hero of Homer’s Odyssey; to Elisha, purported to have been a grandson of the Hebrew patriarch Abraham; and, more credibly, to Phoenician colonists. Lisbon owes its historical prominence to its natural harbor, one of the most beautiful in the world.

+ Popular among tourists, Lisbon is filled with spectacular views and is also home to some of the best beaches in Europe. The amazing landscape, nice restaurants, and fresh beer just add charm to the beauty of this place. The district of Alfama, with its labyrinthine alleyways, hidden courtyards and curving, shadow-filled lanes, is a magical place to lose all sense of direction and delve into Lisbon's soul. On the journey, you will pass breadbox-sized grocers, brilliantly tiled buildings, and views of steeply pitched rooftops leading down to the glittering Tagus River. Pause at cozy taverns filled with easygoing chatter, with the scent of chargrilled sardines and the mournful rhythms of fado drifting in the breeze, and toast the city with a glass of Portugal's famous port wine.

+ In the 1990s, many of the districts were renovated and projects in the historic quarters were established to modernize those areas, for instance, architectural and patrimonial buildings were renovated, the northern margin of the Tagus was re-purposed for leisure and residential use, the Vasco da Gama Bridge was constructed and the eastern part of the municipality was re-purposed for Expo '98 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama's sea voyage to India, a voyage that would bring immense riches to Lisbon and cause many of Lisbon's landmarks to be built.

+ This seagirt city of multicolored houses and elegant parks and gardens is no longer the capital of a vast overseas empire. It has been reconstructed as a bustling modern metropolis. In fact, Lisbon was designated a European City of Culture in 1994, and in 1998 it hosted the World’s Fair (Expo ’98). That event sparked the city’s biggest renewal project since the rebuilding that followed the 1755 earthquake, including the construction of the six-lane Vasco da Gama Bridge, then the longest bridge in Europe, and other extensive upgrades of the city’s transportation infrastructure. The fair also was the primary catalyst for the construction along the Tagus River of an oceanarium, marinas, hotels, commercial complexes, and entertainment venues.

In the seaport town of Almuñécar, in the province of Granada, Spain

 Almuñécar is a coastal town in Granada, Spain, with a rich history and a sub-tropical climate that attracts tourists and expats.

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(in the province of Granada) Almuñécar, a seaport town of Spain, is about 33 miles south of the town of that name. It is a place of Moorish origin, and is tolerably well built. It is a Spanish city and municipality located in the southwestern part of the comarca of the Costa Granadina, in the province of Granada. It is located on the shores of the Mediterranean sea and borders the Granadin municipalities of Otívar, Jete, Ítrabo and Salobreña, and with the Malagueño municipality of Nerja. The Verde river runs through its territory. The municipality of sexitano includes the population centers of Almuñécar (the municipal capital), La Herradura, Velilla-Taramay, Torrecuevas, Río Seco, El Rescate, and El Cerval. Since 1975, Almuñécar has become one of the most important tourist towns in Granada province and on the Costa Granadina; it has good transport connections and a football (soccer) stadium.
+ Almuñécar began as a Phoenician colony named Sexi, and even today, some of its inhabitants still call themselves Sexitanos. Under the Moors, Almuñécar blossomed as the fishing town of al-Munakkab or Ḥiṣn-al-Munakkab.

+ The Romans came to southern Spain at the time of the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage in 218 BCE as part of their campaign to subdue the Phoenician settlements along the coast.

+ With the decline of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, Germanic peoples, including the Visigoths, crossed the Pyrenees mountain range into the Iberian peninsula. By 456 the Visigoths emerged as the dominant power, and expanded their territory onto the southwestern Mediterranean coast. However, Hispania remained relatively Romanized under their rule. The Visigoths adopted Roman culture and language, and maintained many of the old Roman institutions. The Catholic bishops were the rivals of Visigothic power and culture until the end of the 6th and beginning of the 7th century (the period of transition from Arianism to Catholicism in the Visigothic kingdom).

+ Following the restoration of Christian rule, new architectural statements were made The castle was again extensively rebuilt and placed under the patronage of San Miguel. It was rebuilt and heavily fortified by the Christian King Charles III and last defended (by the French) in the Napoleonic Wars. acting in collaboration with Spanish partisans from Nerja on 27 May 1812. They caused the French garrison to flee and then tried to render the castle unusable but with little success (due to the gunpowder being damp). However, the Castle was finished as a military stronghold and following a cholera outbreak in 1830 the castle became the town cemetery, from which use it was cleared in 1986 to permit the restoration which is still in progress.
(The town's economy benefited from increased national and international tourism since the 1970s as well as neighbor Motril.)

In the charming region of Cotswolds, in central South West England

 The Cotswolds have gone from bucolic fantasy to billionaire's playground, pulling in an increasingly glitzy crowd.

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(Along the rolling countryside of southern England) Known because of the honey-colored stone used to build its villages, the Cotswolds offers visitors a great English experience. The area spans five counties and boasts some of England’s most impressive country houses, castles, and landscapes. Many local pubs also make it easy to experience authentic English hospitality.

+ Undulating across six counties, the Cotswolds region is a tangle of villages, thatched cottages, churches and mansions. In 1966 it was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, surpassed for size in England by the Lake District alone. The Cotswolds, a ridge of limestone hills extending across south-central England, are part of the Jurassic uplands that cross the country from southwest to northeast. The Cotswolds escarpment rises from the clay vale of the lower River Severn and its tributary, the Upper Avon, and slopes eastward toward the clay vale of Oxford. Its crest is generally 600 to 700 feet (180 to 210 meters) high but reaches 330 meters in Cleeve Cloud above Cheltenham. The oolitic limestones provide fine building stone, which is much in evidence in the district. (In the Middle Ages the Cotswolds were open sheep runs.) The wealth obtained from the sale of wool and later from the domestic cloth industry is evident in the buildings, especially the churches that grace the villages and market towns.

+ The Cotswolds'a region along a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper River Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley and the Vale of Evesham that is quarried for the gold-colored Cotswold stone. It lies across the boundaries of several English counties; mainly Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, and parts of Wiltshire, Somerset, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire. A large area in the Cotswolds has been designated as a National Landscape since 1966. The designation covers 787 square miles (2,038 sq. km), with boundaries roughly 25 miles (40 km) across and 90 miles (140 km) long, stretching southwest from just south of Stratford-upon-Avon to just south of Bath, making it the largest National Landscape area and England's third-largest protected landscape.

+ During the Middle Ages, the Cotswolds became prosperous from the wool trade with the continent, with much of the money made from wool directed towards the building of churches. The affluent area in the 21st century attracted wealthy Londoners and others who own second homes here or have chosen to retire to the Cotswolds.

In the city of Munich, capital of Bavaria Land (state), southern Germany

 Tall tankards and high-tech cars, edgy art and Lederhosen -- Munich is where traditional and modern sit side by side like few places on earth.

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(in southern Germany) The city of Munich, capital of Bavaria Land (state), is Bavaria’s largest city and the third largest city in Germany; it lies about 30 miles (50 km) north of the edge of the Alps and along the Isar River, which flows through the middle of the city. Munich is undoubtedly the most beautiful and lively city in the country. The city is best known for its appealing architecture, great breweries, and fascinating Museums. Large parks, delicious German food, and jbeer halls add charm to this gorgeous place. Home to the largest science and technology museum globally, the city is filled with tourist attractions. Popular destinations include legendary beer hall Hofbräuhaus München, Nymphenburg Palace, and the iconic English Garden.

+ Of course, beer lovers know Munich as the epicenter of Oktoberfest, a celebration of beer and Bavarian culture. Hofbrauhaus, Munich's most iconic beer hall, has been serving up brews since 1589, and the city's Bavarian tavern scene is unrivaled. But if you are looking to go deeper on Munich, there is so much to see, do, and eat. Then there's the sights: Walk (or ice skate) through Olympiapark, or visit Munich's English Garden, one of the world's largest urban parks. Stroll the Marienplatz promenade and take in a view of the Rathaus-Glockenspiel, a giant clock that reenacts historical moments. (And in December, the city comes alive with twinkling lights and holiday markets.)

+ The Old Town is predominantly Baroque and Rococo. Italian models inspired the late 17th-century Theatinerkirche (Theatine Church), the early 18th-century Dreifaltigkeitskirche (Trinity Church), and an 18th-century Marianist church, the Bürgersaal. Michaelskirche at Berg am Laim, the Asamkirche (also called St. John of Nepomuk Church), and the Cuvilliés Theater at the Residence were completed between 1746 and 1777. The last-named structure, a magnificent Rococo theater built for the Wittelsbach court, was destroyed in World War II, but much of its interior decoration was saved, and the theater was reconstructed. Among the summer castles built outside the town walls are Schleissheim and Nymphenburg. The latter’s hunting lodge, the Amalienburg Pavilion, is a Rococo masterpiece. Several palaces built by the Bavarian landed gentry and court nobility at the same time also survive. The New Town Hall (built 1867–74) was enlarged at the beginning of the 20th century. The University of Munich was moved from Landshut to Munich in 1826 by Louis I. Among the city’s other important educational establishments are the Technical University of Munich (founded 1868) and academies of art, music, philosophy, military studies, and film and television. Munich is also home to the headquarters of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, Germany’s official scientific research organization.

In the Algarve, the southernmost region of continental Portugal

 “Oh salty sea, how much of your salt is tears from Portugal?”

– Fernando Pessoa
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(in the southernmost area of continental Portugal and the southwesternmost area of the Iberian Peninsula) The Algarve, covering an area of 1,929 sq mi.),of borders to the north with the Alentejo region (Alentejo Litoral and Baixo Alentejo), to the south and west with the Atlantic Ocean, and to the east the Guadiana River marks the border with Spain. The highest point is northwest in the Monchique mountains, with a maximum altitude on Pico da Fóia. The western part of the Algarve is known as Barlavento and the east as Sotavento. Both have eight municipalities and one main city (Faro in Sotavento and Portimão in Barlavento).

+ Soaring cliffs, sea caves, golden beaches, scalloped bays, and sandy islands draw over four million visitors to the Algarve each year. Surrounded on two sides by the Atlantic, it's a paradise for surfers, especially along the refreshingly undeveloped west coast. The Algarve's sunny shores offer perfect escapes for all types, from those seeking the hot nightlife of flashy, energetic Lagos to those desiring secluded stays in rambling Sagres. Portugal's most southerly region offers historical attractions in former Moorish capital Silves and fascinating Tavira, great golf, fabulous beaches from Praia da Luz to Armacao de Pera, thermal springs at Caldas de Monchique, and miles of limestone caves and grottoes, cliffs and bays along its rugged coastline.

+ The region has its administrative center in the city of Faro, where both the region's international airport and public university, the University of Algarve, are located. Tourism and related activities are extensive and make up the bulk of the Algarve's summer economy. Although Lisbon surpasses the Algarve in terms of tourism revenue, the Algarve is still considered to be the biggest and most important Portuguese tourist region; Its population triples in the peak holiday season due to seasonal residents. The Algarve is becoming increasingly sought after, mostly by central and northern Europeans, as a permanent place to settle.

+ King Afonso III of Portugal started calling himself King of Portugal and the Algarve. The most outstanding fact of his reign was the definitive conquest of the Algarve. Silves was taken from its last Muslim ruler Ibn Afan by Paio Peres Correia, Grand-Master of the Order of Santiago in 1242 and Tavira was also taken in the same year after Alentejo and most of the coast of the Algarve had already fallen in 1238. In March 1249, the city of Faro was conquered. From this date, Afonso III became the first Portuguese king to use the title King of Portugal and the Algarve. In the Treaty of Badajoz, of 16 February 1267, it was defined that the Guadiana river, from the confluence of the Caia until the mouth, would be the Portugal-Castile border. After the destructive effects of an earlier major earthquake in 1722, the 1755 earthquake damaged many areas in the Algarve.

In the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern, central Switzerland

 “Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake[s].”

-- Wallace Stevens
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(in central Switzerland,) In the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern, the town and municipality of Interlaken (meaning (between lakes) lies along the Aare River in the Bernese Highlands; Its name is derived from its position on the flat plain (Bödeli), 1,864 feet (568 meters) above sea level, between Lakes (inter lacus) Brienz to the east and Thun to the west. The town grew up around a convent of Augustinian canons (1130–1528). It is one of Switzerland’s oldest and most frequented summer tourist resorts, and its main avenue (Höheweg) is lined with hotels. Interlaken commands a magnificent view of the Jungfrau (13,642 feet [4,158 meters]) to the south and is a starting point for many Alpine excursions.

+ Once Interlaken made the Victorians swoon with mountain vistas from the chandelier-lit confines of grand hotels; today it makes daredevils scream with adrenalin-loaded activities. Straddling the glacier-fed Lakes Thun and Brienz and capped by the pearly white peaks of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, the town is the gateway to Switzerland's fabled Jungfrau region and the country's hottest adventure destination, bar none. If the touristy town itself leaves you cold, the mountains on its doorstep will blow your mind, especially if you are abseiling waterfalls, thrashing white water, or gliding soundlessly above 4000-meter summits.

+ An important and well-known tourist destination in the Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss Alps, and the main transport gateway to the mountains and lakes of that region, Interlaken is located on flat alluvial land called Bödeli between two lakes,and alongside the river Aare, which flows between them. Transport routes to the east and west alongside the lakes are complemented by a route southwards into the near mountain resorts and high mountains, e.g. the famous high Alpine peaks of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, following upwards the Lütschine. Interlaken is the central town of a Small Agglomeration with the same name of 23,300 inhabitants. The official language of Interlaken is German, but the main spoken language is the local variant of the Alemannic Swiss German dialect, Bernese German.

+ The tourism industry's frantic growth abruptly ended in 1914 when World War I started, though it resumed somewhat after the war. World War II brought another dramatic slowdown. Interlaken started to recover from the effects of the war in 1955 as Interlaken re-branded itself as a convention and conference center. Today, the two nuclei villages (Aarmühle and the village around the Bailiff's Castle) have been joined by new construction between them. The municipalities of Matten and Unterseen are also connected by new construction to Interlaken and share a common infrastructure. A referendum to merge the three political municipalities into one was voted down in 1914 and again in 1927.