In the city of Pula, in western Croatia

 "The pastel-colored seaside towns of Istria could be straight out of Liguria; the rustic hill towns are reminiscent of Umbria. Istria is rich in vineyards and olive groves, and wine and olive oil, along with truffles, are the most prominent exports. And yet Istria remains relatively undiscovered."
-- Kate McCulley
========================================================================
(in western Croatia) Situated at the southern tip of the Istrian Peninsula, the city of Pula is known for its multitude of ancient Roman buildings, the most famous of which is the Pula Arena, a well-preserved Roman amphitheaters. The city has a long tradition of wine making, fishing, shipbuilding, and tourism. (It was the administrative center of Istria from ancient Roman times until superseded by Pazin in 1991.) Lying at the southern tip of Istria, at the head of the Bay of Pula the city has a large, almost landlocked harbor, in which there is a naval base and the Uljanik shipyards.

+ Conquered by Rome in the 2nd century BCE, Pula by the 2nd century CE was the seat of a Christian bishop, and in later centuries it was part of the territories of Byzantium, of the Franks, and of Venice. In 1380 the Genoese exacted revenge raids on Pula. For some 400 years Pula declined in importance, until the 19th century. Plagues drastically reduced the population in the 1630s. Austria took the town in 1797; after 1866 it became the main harbor and arsenal of the Austro-Hungarian navy.

+ After World War I, Pula (and Istria) became part of Italy and the majority of Croatians suffered oppression during this time as their rights were not respected. After World War II ended in 1945, Pula was administered by the United Nations and British and American units. It passed to Italy in 1920 and after 1947, became part of Croatia (in what was Yugoslavia at the time). Since the collapse of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, Pula has been part of the Republic of Croatia since 1991.

+ Pula's most famous attraction, the well preserved Roman amphitheater, is one of the most famous sights in the whole of Croatia. (A temple of Augustus and a Byzantine basilica were extensively restored after the destructive conflict between Genoa and Venice.) TheTriumphal Arch of the Sergii  was built between 29 and 27 BC in honor of the Sergi family who fought on the side of Octavian, who later became Emperor Augustus, in the Battle of Actium in present-day Greece. The Kaštel, on the hill at the center of the Old Town, is a museum (and was previously a fortress).

+ Historical attractions aside, however, Pula is quite a busy commercial city by the sea that has retained a friendly small-town appeal. Just a short bus ride away, a series of beaches awaits visitors at the resorts that occupy the Verudela Peninsula to the south. (The coast is dotted with fragrant pine groves, seaside cafes, and restaurants.)

+ Pula is also a great base for exploring the protected Cape Kamenjak nature park, to the south, and the Brijuni Islands National Park, to the north.

 

 

In the city of Esch-sur-Alzette, in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

 “The travel sites all describe Luxembourg as a fairy tale come to life, but it feels less like a Grimm land of trolls and big bad wolves, and more like Disneyland Paris."
― Kristopher Jansma
=======================================================================
(in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) A small landlocked country in Western Europe, Luxembourg borders Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France to the south. Its capital, Luxembourg city, is one of the four institutional seats of the European Union (together with Brussels, Frankfurt, and Strasbourg) and the seat of several EU institutions, notably the Court of Justice of the European Union, the EU's highest judicial authority.

+ Featured here is the city of Esch-sur-Alzette, which is found on the upper Alzette River, southwest of Luxembourg city, near the French border. A small village until 1870, it later became the second largest town in this country, mainly because of the local phosphoric iron ore (and the town becoming the center of the country’s iron and steel industry). For a long time Esch-sur-Alzette was a small farming village in the valley of the Alzette river. This changed when important amounts of iron ore were found in the area in the 1850s. With the development of the mines and the steel industry, the town's population multiplied tenfold in a couple of decades. On 29 May 1906, Esch-sur-Alzette was promoted to the status of a city. Located in the southwest of the country, it is the capital of the Red Lands region. In the valley of the Alzette river (which flows through the city), Esch-sur-Alzette is surrounded by six communities of Luxembourg: Mondercange to the north, Schifflange to the northeast, Kayl to the east, Rumelange to the southeast, and Sanem to the northwest. To the southwest, the city borders the Audun-le-Tiche community in the Moselle department of France, and to the west Russange (also in the Moselle department).

+ A cosmopolitan city with a lively past, Esch-sur-Alzette is well-known for its charming architecture and its large shopping facilities. A choice of cultural attractions awaits its visitors: the National Museum of the Resistance, the metallurgical factories, Berwart tower, monuments, an architectural walk in the city center, Belvédère parks (Stübben), St. Joseph's church, grotto of O.L. of Lourdes, City Hall, local theater, art galleries, libraries, a music conservatory, and many popular events. The recreation center at Galgenberg offers a beautiful park, with marked walking paths, a rose-garden, waterfall and fountains, playgrounds, an animal park, and several sports facilities.

+ Despite its industrial past, nearly 54% of Esch-sur-Alzette is dedicated to forests, green spaces and parks, and it is home to some great examples of art nouveau, neo-gothic and art deco styles of architecture, as well as the former rejuvenated steelworks site at Belval. (Today, they are home to the University of Luxembourg, several research facilities, and the national archives.)

 

In the municipality of Santanyí, in the southeast of the island of Majorca, Spain

 "I live in Majorca, Spain, and I am not sure there are better places.
-- Rafael Nadal
========================================================================
(in the southeast of the island of Majorca) Santanyí is a municipality on Majorca (or Mallorca), one of the Balearic Islands, which is found in the westernmost part of the Mediterranean. The town’s original name Santi Annini means "Lamb of God" (the symbol for which can be seen in the parish church and Santanyí’s coat of arms.) The municipality encompasses beaches popular for their scenic beauty. The coast covered by it extends around 35 km (~22 mi.) along the southeast of the island. It also has 172 archaeological sites, with evidence of the existence of a productive agriculture and farming tradition since at least the Talaiotic period (during the Iron Age). This municipality in the southeast of Majorca is home to the towns of Santanyí, Calonge, s'Alqueria Blanca and es Llombards, as well as Cala d'Or, Portopetro, Cap d'es Moro, Cala Figuera, Cala Santanyí, Cala Llombards, and Cala de s'Almunia. Santanyí is also home to a protected natural area known as the Mondragó Natural Parc. Apart from the amazing harbor of Cala Figuera, the town has one of the few fishing harbors in the south of the island. The paradisiacal coves and many art galleries attract international artists every year.

+ A historic town famous for its gold stone architecture, Santanyi is charming, with quaint cobbled streets and a majestic church; it appeals to many due to its slow pace of life. (In times of threat from pirate attacks, which troubled the town; many people took to sleeping in the town’s locked church during invasions.) Forts and defensive towers dating back to the 18th century mark the coastline, most notably Torre d’en Beu, in Cala Figuera. Agriculture was the mainstay of the town until tourism arrived in the 1950s. Today, this beautiful place is particularly popular among Germans for "holidaying." (It also retains a year-round German community.) 

+ Santanyi’s location makes for a great base to explore some of Mallorca’s best beaches, and the town becomes quite busy in the summer months -- but has plenty to offer all year round. Do not be surprised if the buildings in Santanyi look a bit more mellow than everywhere -- this town is the source of the golden sandstone used in Palma's cathedral and La Llotja among others. (Santanyi stone is still quarried today.)

+ In summary, Santanyí is pretty, rural, and authentically Mallorcan. Occupying a great position slightly inland from a ravishing coastline, next to the second-largest nature park in the Balearics, this golden-stone village is blessed with stunning natural surroundings. A traditional but upmarket rural town, living in Santanyí appeals to most for its peacefulness and natural beauty, combined with good doses of culture, art, and gastronomy. You will find Mallorcan and Spanish residents intermingling with the German community, as well as smaller numbers of British, Dutch, Scandinavian, and Italian denizens.

 

 

In the city of Mönchengladbach, North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany

 North Rhine-Westphalia is a thrilling state. Nowhere else in Germany are industrial and rural regions so close to each other. There is hardly any other region on earth with a similar concentration of museums, theaters, opera houses, and concert halls.
=========================================================================
(in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany) The city of Mönchengladbach is a familiar name among football fans, as it is home to the famed Borussia-Park stadium. The city is also known for its extensive greenery, rich cultural heritage, and buzzing art and theater scene. 

+ In western Germany, Mönchengladbach lies near the border with the Netherlands, west of Düsseldorf. It developed around a Benedictine monastery (founded in 972, suppressed in 1802), from which the name Mönchengladbach (“Monks’ Gladbach”) is derived, and it was chartered in 1336. Today Mönchengladbach is a textile center; its municipal museum houses a notable collection of Coptic textiles. The city is also a road, rail, and air hub, and its machinery, aeronautical, and cable industries are important to the local economy. Historic buildings include the 13th-century Romanesque cathedral, with an early Gothic choir and a 10th-century crypt, as well as the Baroque Town Hall (formerly the Benedictine abbey), the Romanesque parish church (in the Rheindahlen district), and a 12th-century convent church in the Neuwerk quarter. Educational institutions include the Franciscan Duns Scotus Academy, colleges of textile engineering and agriculture, and a school of economics. Mönchengladbach is known for its choral societies. The city has numerous parks, a botanical garden, and several sports arenas.

+ The history of Mönchengladbach began with the construction of the Gladbach Minster and the founding of an abbey in the year 974 by Gero, Archbishop of Cologne, and his companion, the monk Sandrad of Trier. To improve the settlement, the monks created a market north of the church in the 12th century. Craftsmen settled near the market. Gladbach received its town charter in 1364–1366. The "town" erected a town wall made of stone, which had to be maintained by the citizens. Remains of the wall can be found at the Geroweiher, as can remains of the "Thick Tower," an old fortified tower at the Waldhausener hill. Until the end of the 18th century, the city belonged to the department of Grevenbroich within the duchy of Jülich.

+ In 1815, Gladbach became part of the Kingdom of Prussia and seat of the Landkreis Gladbach, which was dissolved in 1929. In 1815 Gladbach became seat of the Bürgermeisterei (Office of mayor), which was split in 1859 into two parts: the City of Gladbach and Office of Mayor Obergeburth. The latter was renamed to München-Gladbach-Land in 1907.

+ In response to the 10 May 1940 German invasion of Belgium, Mönchengladbach was bombed by RAF Bomber Command on the evening of 11 May. Eventually, the Prussian Rhine Province was dissolved after WWII, and the city became part of the new state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which was formed in 1946.

 

 

In the city of Paris, the capital city of France

 “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”
– Ernest Hemingway
=========================================================================
(in north-central France) Paris, the capital city of France is found along the Seine River some 233 miles (375 km) upstream from the river’s mouth on the English Channel. The modern city has spread from the island (the Île de la Cité) and beyond both banks of the Seine. Paris occupies a central position in the Paris Basin, and it is by far the country’s most important center of commerce and culture. 

+ For centuries Paris has been one of the world’s most important and attractive cities. It is appreciated for the opportunities it offers for business and commerce, for study, for culture, and for entertainment; its gastronomy, haute couture, painting, and literature especially enjoy an enviable reputation. Its sobriquet “the City of Light” (“la Ville Lumière”), earned during the Enlightenment, remains appropriate (for Paris has retained its importance as a center for education and intellectual pursuits).
+ The city's monument-lined boulevards, museums, classical bistros and boutiques are enhanced by a new wave of multimedia galleries, creative wine bars, design shops, and tech start-ups. The cloud-piercing, wrought-iron Eiffel Tower, broad Arc de Triomphe (guarding the glamorous avenue des Champs-Élysées), lamplit bridges spanning the Seine, and art nouveau cafes' are enduring Parisian emblems. There are also some modern and contemporary icons, too, from the Centre Pompidou to the mur végétal (vertical garden) gracing the Musée du Quai Branly, and the gleaming steel egg-shaped concert venue La Seine Musicale.

+ Whether you seek a neighborhood bistro or a Michelin-starred temple to gastronomy, you will find that every establishment prides itself on exquisite preparation and presentation. Enticing patisseries, boulangeries (bakeries), fromageries (cheese shops), and colorful street markets are great for putting together a picnic to take to the city’s parks and gardens.

+ With an illustrious artistic pedigree -– Renoir, Rodin, Picasso, Monet, Manet, Dalí, and Van Gogh are but a few of the masters who have lived and worked here over the years -– Paris is one of the world's great art repositories. In addition to the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay’s exceptional impressionist collection, and the Centre Pompidou’s cache of modern and contemporary art, scores of smaller museums showcase every imaginable genre.

+ This city's grand stone and wrought-iron buildings, the sidewalks brimming with cozy cafés, and the Seine’s curving riverbanks are downright cinematic. The culinary scene creates an endless list of must-eat French dishes -- rich and hearty coq au vin, golden buttery croissants, etc. The spirit of Paris invites lingering in museums, and exploring lots of shops. Head to the Champ-de-Mars to enjoy great views of the Eiffel Tower, as it glitters into the night.

 

 

In the coastal city of Dundee, on the Firth of Tay estuary in eastern Scotland

 London's Trafalgar Square has Nelson, Edinburgh's Princes Street has Sir Walter Scott and Belfast has Queen Victoria outside City Hall. Dundee's City Square, on the other hand, is graced by the bronze figure of Desperate Dan. Familiar to generations of British schoolchildren, Dan is one of the best-loved cartoon characters from the comic Dandy, published since 1937.

===================================================================
(in eastern Scotland) Dundee, this country's fourth-largest city, lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Angus, the city developed into a burgh (town) in the late 12th century and established itself as an important east coast trading port. Rapid expansion was brought on by the Industrial Revolution, particularly in the 19th century when Dundee was the center of the global jute industry. This, along with its other major industries, gave Dundee its epithet as the city of "jute, jam, and journalism."

+ Today, Dundee is promoted as "One City, Many Discoveries" in honor of Dundee's history of scientific activities, and of the RRS Discovery, Robert Falcon Scott's Antarctic exploration vessel, which was built here and is now berthed at Discovery Point. Biomedical and technological industries have arrived since the 1980s, and the city now accounts for 10% of the United Kingdom's digital entertainment industry, including mobile app development and gaming. In 2014, Dundee was recognized by the UN as the UK's first UNESCO City of Design for its diverse contributions to fields including medical research, comics, and video games.

+ The city extends from the Tay to the Dundee Law, which is a prominent volcanic plug with an elevation of 74 meters. The earliest mention of the town dates from the late 12th century, when it was designated a royal burgh. The next several centuries saw repeated sackings of the town and much bloodshed at the hands of the English. Fishing was important in Dundee from early times, and one of Scotland’s largest whaling fleets came to be based here. The city’s traditional textile manufactures became closely linked with whaling in the 19th century after the discovery that jute fiber, when mixed with whale oil, could be woven into sacking for bags and carpet backing. Dundee is also known for its production of confectionery and preserves, particularly marmalade. During the late 20th century, Dundee became a prominent educational and research center, with special strengths in information technology and biotechnology R&D.

+ Few historic buildings and only one town gate (the East Port) have survived the city’s turbulent past. The City Churches, a collection of three parish churches housed under one roof, remain as a focal point in the modern city center. Slum clearance has removed many of Dundee’s old streets, courtyards, and buildings. The University of Dundee dates to 1881; it gained independent university status in 1967.

In the city of Coimbra, in western-central Portugal

 "The sun is high — the birds oppress'd with heat

Fly to the shade, until refreshing airs
Lure them again to leave their cool retreat. —
The falls of water but of wearying cares."
-- The sun is high — the birds oppress'd with heat, by Francisco de Sá de Miranda, a Portuguese poet, born in Coimbra. (He was the first author to write sonnets in Portugal.)
====================================================================
(in west-central Portugal) The city of Coimbra, located on the northern bank of the Mondego River, is an animated city steeped in history. The fourth-largest agglomerated urban area in Portugal after Lisbon, Porto, and Braga, it is the largest city of the district of Coimbra and the Centro Region.

+ Rising scenically from the Rio Mondego, Coimbra was Portugal’s medieval capital for more than a century, and it is home to the country’s oldest and most prestigious university. Its historic center dates to Moorish times and is wonderfully atmospheric, with its dark cobbled lanes and monumental cathedral. On summer evenings, the city’s old stone walls reverberate with the haunting metallic notes of the guitarra (Portuguese guitar) and the full, deep voices of fado singers. Among the many archaeological structures dating back to the Roman era (when Coimbra was the settlement of Aeminium), are its well-preserved aqueduct and cryptoporticus. Similarly, buildings from the period when Coimbra was the capital of Portugal (from 1131 to 1255) still remain. During the late Middle Ages, with its decline as the political center of the Kingdom of Portugal, Coimbra began to evolve into a major cultural center. This was helped by the establishment of the first Portuguese university in 1290 in Lisbon and its relocation to Coimbra in 1308, making it the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world. Apart from attracting many European and international students, the university is visited by many tourists for its monuments and history. Its historical buildings were classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2013.

+ From 1139 until 1260, when it was replaced by Lisbon, the city of Coimbra was the capital of Portugal. Six medieval kings (Sancho I and II, Afonso II and III, Pedro I, and Ferdinand I) were born here, as was the 16th-century poet Francisco de Sá de Miranda. In the early 16th century the city was a center for polyphonic music, which travelers carried to Ethiopia and to the Congo region. Other notable landmarks in Coimbra include the Romanesque old cathedral; the church of São Salvador, the new cathedral, the Machado de Castro Museum in the old episcopal palace, the Santa Cruz church (built in the reign of Afonso I), the Aqueduct of São Sebastião, and the 12th-century Monastery of Celas (built by Beata Sancha, daughter of Sancho I). On the north side of the Mondego, linked to Coimbra by a stone bridge, is the suburb of Santa Clara; within that suburb are the old 13th- and new 17th-century convents of Santa Clara, where Inês de Castro, mistress of King Pedro I, was allegedly murdered.

In the County Limerick in western Ireland, in the province of Muster

 “There was an Old Man with a beard

Who said, “It is just as I feared!”
Two Owls and a Hen
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!”
-- Edward Lear
====================================================================
(in County Limerick in western Ireland, in the province of Munster) A limerick is a five-line verse, either smart or silly, popularized by Edward Lear in the 19th century; yet there is nothing silly about County Limerick. The county is located in the midwest, which comprises part of the Southern Region. Limerick borders four other counties: Kerry to the west, Clare to the north, Tipperary to the east and Cork to the south. The River Shannon flows through the city of Limerick into the Atlantic Ocean at the northern end of the county. Below Limerick city, the waterway is known as the Shannon Estuary. Since the estuary is shallow, the county's most important port is several kilometers west of the city, at Foynes. (Limerick City is the county town and is also Ireland's third-largest city.)

+ Limerick county's low-lying farmland is framed on its southern and eastern boundaries by swelling uplands and mountains. Limerick city is boisterously urban in contrast and has enough historic and cultural attractions for a day's diversion. About 15km (~9.5 mi.) south of the city are the haunting archaeological sites around Lough Gur, while about the same distance southwest of the city is the cute thatched village of Adare.

+ Lowland Limerick is mainly a rolling landscape with a variety of glacial drifts diversified by hills, including a number of isolated volcanic hills. The peat bog that formerly covered parts of the lowland has been largely removed, and pastoral farming dominates. There are remains of round towers at Ardpatrick and Dysert, of prehistoric monuments at Lough Gur, and of numerous monasteries in Limerick city and elsewhere.

+ Excluding the city of Limerick, about half of the county’s population live in towns and villages. Much of Limerick lies within the Golden Vale, famed for its rich pastures and dairy products. Although County Limerick was not a traditional tourist destination, tourism became increasingly important at the end of the 20th century. (The county is served by the international airport in Shannon.)

+ Sitting at the mouth of the River Shannon, Limerick city is the third largest urban center on the island. It is also the hardest to pin down -- it formed a bleak backdrop to Frank McCourt’s autobiography Angela's Ashes, but it is now a revitalized city full of art galleries, slick new hotels, and the legendary Thomond Park, the home of Munster’s passionate rugby union team. One moment, you find yourself wandering through the Middle Ages at King John’s Castle. The next, you are in the Milk Market, a rejuvenated bazaar of fresh, local produce that comes direct from the producer. You will explore old Georgian townhouses, and perhaps then sip cocktails in the glamorous Marcopolo. (There is no way to put Limerick in a box, and the locals would not have it any other way.)

In the city of Wiesbaden, the state capital of Hesse, central western Gemany

 "The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for." -- Fyodor Dostoevsky

=====================================================================
(in central western Germany) Lined with neoclassical buildings that were rebuilt after WWII, Wiesbaden, the state capital of Hesse, is one of Europe's oldest spa towns, with hot springs still flowing today. It is 40km (25 mi.) west of Frankfurt, across the Rhine from Mainz. Wiesbaden's name translates as "meadow baths," reflecting both its thermal baths and beautiful expanses of parkland. The city lies at the eastern edge of the Rheingau winegrowing region, which stretches along the Rhine's right (northern) bank west to the Rüdesheim area of the Romantic Rhine. The renowned Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky amassed huge debts at the city’s gambling tables in the 1860s, which inspired his masterpiece, The Gambler. (Home to the European headquarters of the US Army, Wiesbaden has a strong US military presence,)

+ Wiesbaden, the second-largest city in the state of Hesse after Frankfurt am Main (together with nearby Frankfurt am Main, Darmstadt and Mainz), is part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Region, a metropolitan area with a combined population of about 5.8 million people. The city, which is internationally famous for its architecture and climate, is also called the "Nice of the North" in reference to the city in France. To the north of the city are the Taunus Mountains, which trend in a northeasterly direction. The city center (Stadtmitte), is located in the north-easternmost part of the Upper Rhine Valley at the spurs of the Taunus mountains, about five kilometres (~3 mi.) from the Rhine. The downtown area is drained only by the narrow valley of the Salzbach, a tributary of the Rhine.

+ The settlement here was known as a spa (Aquae Mattiacae) in Roman times. Its earthen fortifications were replaced by stone in 83 CE, and a Roman wall was built about 370. The settlement was made a free imperial city in 1241, passed to the counts of Nassau in 1255, and became the capital of the principality of Nassau-Usingen in 1744. It was capital of the duchy of Nassau from 1806 until 1866, when it passed to Prussia; it then became capital of the district of Wiesbaden in Hesse-Nassau province. In 1946 Wiesbaden became the capital of the newly created Land of Hesse and incorporated Kastel, Amöneburg, and Kostheim (former right-bank suburbs of Mainz).

+ Wiesbaden is a wine center, famous for its Sekt (German champagne). As a spa, Wiesbaden was famous in the 18th and 19th centuries, when it was frequented by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Johannes Brahms, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky, as well as various royal families. Though the city has a long history, few examples of old architecture survive, most from the Victorian period: the new Town Hall, the Kaiser-Friedrich Baths, the Greek Chapel, and Biebrich Palace, which now houses the state administration offices. (The state theater opened as an opera house and playhouse in 1894.)

In the The city of Amiens, north of Paris and southwest of Lille, in the region of Hauts-de-France

 "Travel enables us to enrich our lives with new experiences, to enjoy and to be educated, to learn respect for foreign cultures, to establish friendships, and above all to contribute to international cooperation and peace throughout the world.-- Jules Verne

=====================================================================
(in northern Fance) The city of Amiens, located 120 km (75 mi.) north of Paris and 100 km (62 mi.) southwest of Lille, is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. A central landmark of the city is Amiens Cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral in France. (Amiens also has one of the largest university hospitals in France.), The author Jules Verne lived in Amiens from 1871 until his death in 1905, and served on the city council for 15 years. (French president Emmanuel Macron was born in Amiens.) The town was fought over during both World Wars, suffering significant damage. The 1918 Battle of Amiens was the opening phase of the Hundred Days Offensive which directly led to the Armistice with Germany. (The architect Auguste Perret designed the Gare d'Amiens train station and nearby Tour Perret.)

+ Amiens has an important historical and cultural heritage, upon which a significant amount of tourism is based. Apart from the cathedral, there is the hortillonnages (-- a marshy region where canals criss-cross the garden and a wildlife intensive landscape), the Jules Verne House, the Tour Perret, the Musée de Picardie, the zoo, and the quarters of Saint-Leu and Saint-Maurice. During December, the town hosts the largest Christmas market in northern France.

+ One of France's greatest Gothic cathedrals is reason enough to visit Amiens, the former capital of Picardy. The city center, rebuilt after WWII, is complemented by beautiful green spaces along the Somme River. Nearly 30,000 students from the Université de Picardie Jules Verne fill the the town with youthful energy. Amiens is also an ideal base for visits to many of the Battle of the Somme memorials.

+ Amiens, known as Samarobriva in pre-Roman times, was the capital of the Ambiani (a Belgic coastal tribe dwelling in the modern Picardy region during the Iron Age and Roman periods). Amiens was Christianized in the 4th century by St. Firmin, its first bishop. Its territory became the medieval countship of Amiénois, and its citizens profited from rivalry between bishop and count to gain a charter early in the 12th century. The 1802 Peace of Amiens marked a short pause in the Napoleonic Wars. In 1914, after a brief incursion into the city, the invading Germans dug in 18 miles (29 km) east; their final drive in 1918 was stopped eight miles (13 km) from the city. In World War II, Amiens was occupied by the Germans. After serious damage in both wars, the city center was rebuilt.(The old part of Amiens, including the reconstructed 17th-century City Hall, the 15th-century church of Saint-Germain, and the ancient theater with the Louis XVI facade, is latticed with seven branches of the river.)

In the city of Pécs, in southwestern Hungary

 “In Hungary, all native music, in its origin, is divided naturally into melody destined for song or melody for the dance.”

-- Franz Liszt
==================================================================
(in southwestern Hungary) The city of Pécs is found on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains, close to its border with Croatia. It is the economic centrer of Baranya County, and the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pécs. A city dating back to ancient times, settled by the Celts and the Romans, it was made an episcopal see in early medieval Hungary. It has the oldest university in the country, and a rich cultural heritage from the period of a 150-year Ottoman occupation. It is historically a multi-ethnic city where many cultures have interacted through 2000 years of history. (In recent times, it has been named as one of the European Capital of Culture cities.)

+ Pécs lies at the southern foot of the wooded Mecsek Mountains, 135 miles (220 km) south-southwest of Budapest. The site was occupied by the Roman town of Sopianae, the capital of the province of Southern Pannonia, which succeeded an Illyrian and Celtic settlement. In 1009 Stephen I, the first king of Hungary, made the town a bishopric. The city has a large main square with a well-preserved mosque, which is now a Roman Catholic church. The city’s cathedral, which was founded in 1009 on the site of an old Roman church, was extensively renovated and restored in the 1960s.

+ Pécs is a long-established trade and handicrafts city, and during the 14th and 15th centuries it was also a great center of humanist studies. It was occupied by the Turks from 1543 to 1686. The earliest university in Hungary, the University of Pécs, founded in 1367 by Louis I, was abolished by the Turks but was renamed Janus Pannonius University of Pécs and reopened in 1922. The University was reformed in 2000 by the merger of Janus Pannonius University, the Medical University of Pécs, and Illyés Gyula Teacher Training College. In the 18th century, German immigrant miners came to work the local coal seams (and there remains in Pécs one of the few German minorities in Hungary).

+ Blessed with a mild climate, an illustrious past, and several fine museums and monuments, Pécs is one of the most interesting cities to visit in Hungary. With its universities, the nearby Mecsek Hills, and lively nightlife, it is second only to Budapest on many travellers' Hungarian bucket list. Lying equidistant from the Danube River (to the east) and the Dráva (to the south) on a plain sheltered from the northern winds by the hills, Pécs enjoys a microclimate that lengthens the summer and is ideal for viticulture and fruit production, and especially almonds. A fine time to visit is during a warm indián nyár (Indian summer), when the light takes on a special quality.

+ The Zsolnay factory in Pécs gained international fame for its ceramic ware and the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, containing renovated historic buildings and 88 statues (and features artisan shops. and a collection of Zsolnay pieces).

In the city of Naples., southeast of Rome, Italy

 In 2017 the BBC defined Naples as "the Italian city with too much history to handle."

=====================================================================
(on the west coast of the Italian peninsula, 120 miles (~190 km) southeast of Rome) The city of Naples, a place of soul-stirring art and panoramas, spontaneous conversations, and unexpected, inimitable elegance, exudes raw, high-octane energy. Naples ("Napoli") is the capital of Naples province in the Campania region of southern Italy. On its celebrated bay (flanked to the west by the smaller Gulf of Pozzuoli and to the southeast by the more extended indentation of the Gulf of Salerno) the city is situated between two areas of volcanic activity: Mount Vesuvius to the east and the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) to the northwest.

+ Naples is located near the midpoint of the arc of hills that, commencing in the north at the promontory of Posillipo and terminating in the south with the Sorrentine peninsula, form the central focus of the Bay of Naples. To the south of the bay’s entrance to the Tyrrhenian Sea, the island of Capri forms a partial breakwater, visible from the city in clear weather.

+ The city of Naples, as the principal port of southern Italy, remains the center of the nation’s commerce and culture, distinguished by a spirit that retains many suggestions of the classical past and of assimilated historical experience. Of all the cities of southern Italy with Greek origins, Naples presents the most striking example of a lively continuity. It is also perhaps the last great metropolis of western Europe whose monuments may still be seen in their popular context, without distractions of commercialism.

+ Since World War II, during which Naples suffered severe bombardment, modernization has increasingly altered the city’s setting and character; and a measure of speculative prosperity is reflected in new suburbs now proliferating in once-rural surroundings. However, Naples remains arcane and compelling, a city whose richness requires from the visitor time, accessibility, and some knowledge of the Neapolitan past. Its historic center was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995.

+ Naples' wealth of cultural assets is extraordinary. You will find two royal palaces here, three castles, and ancient ruins that include some of Christianity's oldest frescoes. The city's Museo Archeologico Nazionale claims the world's finest collection of Pompeiian frescoes and mosaics, while its Cappella Sansevero holds Italy's most extraordinary marble sculpture. Caravaggio masterpieces can be seen in the Pio Monte della Misericordia, Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano and Museo di Capodimonte.

+ In Naples, retail therapy is as individualistic as the city itself. Here, global chains still play second fiddle to family-run businesses and artisan workshops. Narrow streets and weathered courtyards are dotted with workshops and boutiques, selling everything from butter-soft satchels, organic ceramics, to rare Neapolitan lithographs and gourmet local food and wine.