Okay, what is the not widely known attraction that blew you away?
Feb 1, 2015, 4:14 pm
#526
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Spain
Posts: 169
The Mirador de San Cristobal in Granada, Spain. It's just an outlook point tucked away in the old Albaicín neighborhood, but most people head straight for the more widely known Mirador de San Nicolas and miss this other set of amazing views.
Feb 1, 2015, 11:51 pm
#527
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 810
Ásbyrgi in Iceland. Wasn't expecting much, but coupled with an epic parting of clouds after a long rainy day, the gorgeous green grasses and birch trees sparkling with fresh rain drops really blew me away. The canyon is just something else, geologically speaking, and it wasn't half bad to have the entire place to myself in September.
Mar 6, 2015, 5:13 am
#528
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Poland
Posts: 87
Cesky Krumlov in Czech Republic, amazing little town listed by UNESCO: http://microstock.pl/travel/index.ph...zech-republic/
May 17, 2015, 4:44 pm
#531
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: RZE, EWR
Programs: UA, IHG Platinum, BW Diamond, Carlson Gold, Accor Platinum,
Posts: 232
Nikko, near Tokyo, JP - complex of shrines and a mausoleum in the woods.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3800.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3800.html
May 18, 2015, 6:23 am
#532
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: near Nashville, TN USA
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 185
Macedonia
Lake Ohrid in the western part of Macedonia is stunningly beautiful. It reminded me of a Lake Tahoe with a old city built into the mountainside. Unfortunately, there isn't much to do other than eat, walk up through the city, and explore a few small churches and ruins. It's a scenic 3 hour drive through winding mountain rounds from Skopje, the capital city -- so you either have a very long day or need to stay near Ohrid for the night. Btw, the drive involves every car constantly trying to pass every other car (did I mention there are also trucks on the winding mountain road?).
20-30 minutes outside of Skopje is Lake Matka, formed by a series of dams in between what must have been a narrow rock gorge. There is a cafe bar and an expensive restaurant, both overlooking the water in an unbelievably picturesque setting. For 400 denars you can take a boat ride (1 hour round trip) that visits a small cave with a stream running through it. The most exciting part of the experience is a 6 KM walkway along the side of the gorge. Occasionally there is a green metal railing on the water side. Most of the way, however, there is a steel cable attached to the rockface. You need to be a mountain goat to go more than 30 minutes, but people do it. There is also a path up to a former monastery that looked vertical. There is a hotel built into the mountainside.
For both of these sights, forget about wheelchair or handicapped accessible. But they are STUNNING.
20-30 minutes outside of Skopje is Lake Matka, formed by a series of dams in between what must have been a narrow rock gorge. There is a cafe bar and an expensive restaurant, both overlooking the water in an unbelievably picturesque setting. For 400 denars you can take a boat ride (1 hour round trip) that visits a small cave with a stream running through it. The most exciting part of the experience is a 6 KM walkway along the side of the gorge. Occasionally there is a green metal railing on the water side. Most of the way, however, there is a steel cable attached to the rockface. You need to be a mountain goat to go more than 30 minutes, but people do it. There is also a path up to a former monastery that looked vertical. There is a hotel built into the mountainside.
For both of these sights, forget about wheelchair or handicapped accessible. But they are STUNNING.
May 18, 2015, 4:13 pm
#534
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Silicon Valley
Programs: UA GS, WN A-List, AA Exec Plat, National Emerald
Posts: 1,020
Miniatur Wunderland, Hamburg.
This seems like it would be a typical tourist-trap attraction, but it's unusual, very creative, and fascinating.
http://www.miniatur-wunderland.de/
This seems like it would be a typical tourist-trap attraction, but it's unusual, very creative, and fascinating.
http://www.miniatur-wunderland.de/
Jul 18, 2015, 10:18 am
#535
Join Date: May 2011
Location: RDU
Posts: 20
Actually, it's within city limits and easy to get to. During the big Monet retrospective at Grand Palais the lines were out the door, because the Marmottan wouldn't lend any of their paintings.
In the park across the street is an old-fashioned hand-operated (non-electric!) merry-go-round, a mom & pop business. Pop pushes the horses around, mom stocks the brass ring dispenser -- kids try to catch rings with a stick. Pop gives a hand to any child who hasn't managed to accumulate a few rings. So sweet!
In the park across the street is an old-fashioned hand-operated (non-electric!) merry-go-round, a mom & pop business. Pop pushes the horses around, mom stocks the brass ring dispenser -- kids try to catch rings with a stick. Pop gives a hand to any child who hasn't managed to accumulate a few rings. So sweet!
Jul 19, 2015, 10:54 am
#537
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,857
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp outside Berlin. It's very well preserved and they do a great job with exhibits explaining the history of the camp as well as what life there was like. Very moving experience and an easy trip from the city, well worth a visit.
Jul 27, 2015, 1:34 am
#538
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Trenton NJ
Programs: UA Gold MM, Honors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz President’s Circle
Posts: 3,668
Tuol Seng Genocide Museum and Cheung Ek Killing Fields in Phnom Penh
Visited on the 4th of July this year and was dumbfounded by just how horrible it was. Did the musem first. I was so affected there was no way I could speak to one of the survivors that they had on the museum site. Sat very quietly in my tuk tuk while on the ride to Cheung Ek. Took the audio tour of the Killing Fields and got lost in my thoughts at just how terrible human beings could be.
Went to Dachau last year and though the Holocaust was horrible, what the Khmer Rouge did was much worse. I guess I knew it was bad but just not how bad it was.
Visited on the 4th of July this year and was dumbfounded by just how horrible it was. Did the musem first. I was so affected there was no way I could speak to one of the survivors that they had on the museum site. Sat very quietly in my tuk tuk while on the ride to Cheung Ek. Took the audio tour of the Killing Fields and got lost in my thoughts at just how terrible human beings could be.
Went to Dachau last year and though the Holocaust was horrible, what the Khmer Rouge did was much worse. I guess I knew it was bad but just not how bad it was.
