Lysekil, just north of Gothenburg and at the mouth of the Gullmar Fjord, started life as a small fishing village but became famous as a spa town. Today it is a popular holiday destination for Swedes in the summer months. Don’t miss the Havets Hus aquarium, where hundreds of species of fish are displayed in saltwater tanks. Then visit Lysekil Church, which was built in 1901 from the local granite. Its 300-foot spire has long been a navigation aid to local sailors.
Canadian dimes are emblazoned with Bluenose, a fishing schooner renowned for racing undefeated in international competition. Lunenburg is home to Bluenose II, a faithful replica and just one of many distinctive facets of this town’s waterfront. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Old Town Lunenburg mingles the past with present-day fun. Peppering the narrow streets are colorful façades of colonial buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, and the salty life of seafaring and rum running comes alive at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic.
A historic treasure, Louisbourg is home to the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, which offers a glimpse into what life was once like in this bustling town fortified by the French in the 18th century. This is also one of the busiest fishing villages in the Maritimes, and a meal of fresh chowder and lobster would be perfectly complemented by a sip of Fortress Rum, matured in oak barrels within the fortress. Hikers along the seaside may spy native puffin or moose, and a jaunt along the biking trails reveals even more of verdant Cape Breton Island.
London is one of the great cities of the world, and its attractions are well known: the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and St. Paul’s Cathedral. If you’re a first time visitor to London, you’ll want to see them all. If time permits, try to fit in a visit to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, the shopping districts of Regent Street and Knightsbridge, and the energy of Covent Garden and the Portobello Road market.
Medieval hilltop towns spread out across the undulating countryside where tall, slender cypresses march like sentinels past rolling vineyards. Iconic names like Chianti, Brunello and Vino Nobile are celebrated the world over, but the art and architecture of Tuscany may be the region’s biggest draw. Just a few hours from Livorno, you can visit Florence: the cradle of the Renaissance, beloved by great thinkers like Dante and Galileo, and utterly captivating.
Montserrat represents a unique opportunity to experience the forces of nature that have forged the mountainous idylls of the Caribbean. The northern half has earned the title of the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean thanks in large part to its rugged and lush landscape with its forest-cloaked hills and valleys of ferns, but also to its rich Irish heritage that has been a significant part of the culture for centuries. On the coast, black and silver sand beaches strikingly contrast with the vibrant blues of the sea for a view that’s unique to the rest of the Caribbean.
