But, that is not all. There is also an endless array of places to visit and activities to engage in. Despite the myriad options, we have made a selection of the spots we feel you can’t afford to miss.

It is well known that Gran Canaria’s beaches are one of its major draws but, to leave it at that would be doing an injustice to an island that has practically unlimited potential. Following is a selection of three must-see sights – apart from the beaches, of course – for your next trip to the island. Our choice is based on several criteria, not just its touristic appeal. Here, then, is our ranking:

 3) Painted Cave Museum and Archaeological Park

The Painted Cave Museum and Archaeological Park complex is one of the most stunning sites in Gran Canaria. It lies in the heart of Gáldar’s town centre (Calle Audiencia, 2), in the north of the island. The approach road is therefore the same one leading into the historic centre.

The Painted Cave was discovered in 1862 as a result of agricultural earthwork. The cave interior is huge, its walls richly decorated with all kinds of geometric symbols. The archaeological complex is currently made up of six caves carved out by the ancient dwellers of Gran Canaria, and remains of red ochre can still be seen adorning the walls and ceiling.

The various archaeological projects implemented around the Painted Cave in recent years revealed the presence of a terrace-built country home. The outworks connect the bottom of the gulley to the town’s historic centre, forming what was one of the quarters in the pre-Hispanic Agáldar settlement.

2) Teror Town Centre

The origins of Teror predate the island’s conquest by the Crown of Castile in the 15th century. Indeed, the place-name is derived from the indigenous word Aterura, Therore or Terori, the meaning of which is unknown.

The town’s history and development are closely linked to the Marian apparition of the Virgin of the Pine and the existence of a shrine dating from 1514. However, writings containing references to its station as a centre of pilgrimage do not emerge until two centuries after its foundation.

The “Villa Mariana de Teror” was designated an Art History Complex in 1979, turning it into one of the leading tourist destinations in the island’s interior. Folk traditions and beautiful, meticulously designed houses go hand-in-hand in the streets of Teror, noted for the views they afford of typical Canarian balconies.

A stroll through the historic centre of the town should start willy-nilly at the square of Nuestra Señora del Pino, alongside the church. You can get there quickly from the parking lot by crossing the square above it and heading down Calle Obispo Marquina. If you’re travelling by bus, it stops on the east side of the precinct, so you only need to continue along the Calle Real to the square at the end.

1) The Guayadeque Gorge

The Guayadeque Gorge lies between the towns of Agüimes and Ingenio, in the east of Gran Canaria. The area is of great environmental value and has a rich heritage, leading it to be designated a Natural Monument and an Asset of Cultural Interest – categorised as an “Archaeological Area” – a distinction granted it by the Canary Islands’ Law of Historical Heritage.

The road running through the gorge winds among spectacular cliffs awash with a large variety of pre-Hispanic archaeological deposits and sites, prominent among them being the settlement known as Bermeja Cave.

Housed there is the Guayadeque Gorge Information Centre, open every day except Monday, where you can find out about the archaeological sites in the area and glean a lot of other interesting information about this priceless spot. Visitors will also be able to learn more about the rich, natural fauna and flora in the gorge.

Towards the end of the road winding through the Guayadeque gorge you will come to a number of restaurants set  in the rock face itself. The most popular of them is El Centro, comprising a cave complex that creates a unique setting for a restaurant. They offer an extensive menu with dishes representative of Canary Island cuisine, featuring such specialities as fried pork, mixed grill and barbecued pork.

Fancy discovering it for yourself? Check out our flights here.

Images by Patronato Turismo Gran Canaria

Its markets are the best place to take the pulse of any city,places where you can experience the day-to-day life of the people and mingle with the local population. This is no less true in Saint Petersburg, where haggling is encouraged and stallholders will even offer you their wares without any kind of pressure to buy.

Kuznechny Market

The most central and representative of the markets in Saint Petersburg (and also the most expensive) is the Kuznechny Market where you will find flowers, vegetables, cheeses and natural honey for sale.

Numerous attractions are located close to the market: the Arctic and Antarctic Museum can be found in the former Church of Saint Nicholas and includes exhibits on the characteristics of the polar regions, the history behind the conquest of the Great North and the economy and culture of the Nordic people. The Floral Exhibition Centre, the Vladimirskaya Church and the Lensoveta Culture Centre at 42 Kamennoostrovsky Avenue are also worth visiting.

The Dostoevsky Museum is another nearby attraction – the place where this famous writer and author of such novels as ‘Crime and Punishment’, ‘Demons’ and ‘The Idiot’ lived and died. This house museum has been faithfully restored to how it was originally.

If you get hungry, why not try the Marius Pub or the Tres Amigos restaurant. However, if it is thirst that needs quenching, Mollie’s Irish Bar is a great place for a drink.

Sennoy Market

What was once an old hay market has now become a major food market with clothing stalls that fill the surrounding streets.

A large part of  ‘Crime and Punishment’ by Dostoevsky is set in the streets of the Sennaya district, where the Sennoy Market is to be found. It is more popularly known as the Dostoevsky District.

It is an excellent area for a spot of shopping in the large department stores. Sennaya Square is a bustling hive of activity where you can find the famous PIK and the large Sennaya Shopping Centre.

For some nice, reasonably-priced home-made food, you should head over to Kafe Adzhika.

If you’re up for a short walk, take a stroll over to Yusupov Palace, located on the edge of the River Moika and one of the most spectacular monuments to classicism to be found in Saint Petersburg.

Sitni Market

On the small Zayachy Island in the River Neva is the true historical centre of the city: Peter and Paul Fortress, the original citadel of Saint Petersburg. Peter I the Great ordered its construction in 1703 and it contains such remarkable buildings as the Peter and Paul Cathedral, where all the Tsars from Peter I the Great to Nicholas II and his family are buried. Standing 122 metres tall, the cathedral bell tower is the highest point in the city.

Although initially designed for defensive purposes, it never needed to be used for that but rather served as a prison until 1917. Its most famous prisoners included such individuals as Trotski, Dostoevsky and Bakunin.

Also nearby is the Saint Petersburg Zoo and the Political History Museum.

A good choice for something to eat would be the popular Salkhino restaurant where they serve Georgian cuisine. In the evening, you might want to try out the legendary Tunnel Club, the first techno club to open in Russia.

Vernisazh Souvenir Market

Less of a market and more a collection of souvenir stalls, this is to be found behind the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ or the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood and is one of the most popular tourist sites and an attraction in itself. Here you will find many traditional Russian gifts and souvenirs.

The Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood was built on the spot where Tsar Alexander III was killed. The interior and exterior mosaic decorations are fantastic, as are its stained glass windows. The temple was built in the Russian architectural style of the 16th-17th Centuries (pure Russian orthodox) and bears a striking resemblance to Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow’s Red Square.

Its five large bulbous domes decorated in numerous colours and gold, as well as the meticulous detail work that covers the exterior, are yet more features that make this an outstanding piece of architecture.

Imagen de iwillbehomesoon

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In addition to Brussels, any decent trip to Belgium should take in these three pretty cities, each with its own unique features and endearing charm.

Antwerp – the City of Diamonds, Rubens Permitting

Antwerp (Antwerpen, in Flemish) is the largest city in Flanders. It lies on the river Scheldt, which has played a key role in the city’s development, and boasts one of the largest harbours in Europe, with a dockside that stretches for around fifty kilometres.

Another major factor in the economic development of Antwerp is the presence of one of Europe’s largest Jewish communities, who were instrumental in setting up one of the most important diamond industries in the world, handling up to 85% of the raw diamonds used in the production process. Not for nothing is it sometimes referred to as the “world diamond capital”. Well worth visiting are the numerous stores and workshops engaged in this activity, clustered mainly around the Central Station. Those wishing to learn more about this precious mineral should visit the Antwerp Diamond Museum.

But Antwerp also features other “precious stones” worth visiting. One essential destination is the Grote Markt (Main Square), flanked by impressive Renaissance-style guild buildings, of which the City Hall takes pride of place. Prominent above the fountain in the middle of the square is the statue of Silvius Brabo, a hero who founded the city after slaying the tyrant, Antigone, according to local legend. Another must-see is the Cathedral which has several works by Rubens on display. The artist is himself a major figure in the city as he lived here for many years. Other paintings of his can be admired in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts and the Rubens House.

Other interesting sights include the Plantin-Moretus Museum, which features old printing presses listed as World Heritage, and Steen Castle, one of the oldest buildings in Antwerp.

Ghent – Adventures of the Mystic Lamb

Ghent (Gent, in Flemish) is situated at the confluence of the rivers Scheldt and Leie whose waters dominate the city, criss-crossed as it is by a large network of canals, well worth touring by barge. Remember to visit the dockside in the old port, the Graslei (herb quay) and the Korenlei (wheat quay) with their beautiful rows of houses in different styles and from different periods.

Prominent among local landmarks is the Gravensteen or Castle of the Counts of Flanders. Built in the 13th century, it stands in the historic centre. Adjacent lies the Patershol quarter, one of the oldest in the city, which preserves much of its original charm and features numerous restaurants where you can enjoy a culinary treat. Other landmarks include the City Hall, the Belfry of Ghent and the Korenmarkt.

One essential visit is to St Bavo’s Cathedral, which houses one of the leading magnets of Ghent, the polyptych, The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, painted by Jan Van Eyck in 1432. In addition to being a masterpiece studded with symbolism, it is one of the artworks which, in the course of history, has been stolen most often, as well as having travelled through many countries and been sectioned, censored, sold and forged. The fact we can still view it today is something of a miracle.

Bruges – the Venice of the North

Bruges (Brugge, in Flemish) is the smallest of the three cities, but undoubtedly the most beautiful and popular among tourists. The medieval essence of its historic centre, listed as a World Heritage site, has been preserved mainly intact and is the city’s leading attraction. Prominent landmarks are the Grote Markt (Main Square), the spectacular Belfry or Belfort, affording magnificent views over the city, the Basilica of the Holy Blood and the Church of Our Lady.

Not be missed is the city’s large network of canals, which has earned Bruges the sobriquet of “Venice of the North”. It is well worth sailing along these canals and soaking up the urban perspectives provided from the vessel.

If you want to take a breather, you could head for the strange sounding Friet Museum or “Museum of Potato Fries” where you can discover the history of one of the country’s culinary specialities.

Ready to be seduced by those three Flemish beauties? Check out our flights here.

Text by ISABELYLUIS Comunicación

Images by Alan Stanton, Mikel Santamaria, Carlos Andrés Reyes, ADTeasdale , Jiuguang Wang, Ed Webster

By Marlys Schuermann Easy Hiker

Nantes is one of the many charming and interesting small French towns you have to discover. You can easily spend a leisurely week-end there and keep yourself busy sight-seeing the town, either on foot or renting a Bicloo (the equivalent of a Velib in Paris.)

What to See and Where to Go

1. The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany and Nantes, which is now a museum. If the weather is fine, you can even settle yourselves on the grassy moat surrounding the castle, either to picnic, play or just to soak in the sun.

2. Make sure you go inside the castle and perhaps look into that well and make a wish.

3. The gothic Cathedral, famous for being the most beautifully restored cathedral in France.

4. Enjoy a stroll at the Place Royale, where right and left, you will find open-air cafes for your coffee break.

5. Bike to or take the tramway line no. 1, to the Gare Maritime to catch a Navibus (river boat) to bring you to the old fishing village of Trentemoult.

6. There are no more working fishermen in Trentemoult but it is worth the while to see the quaint houses and ruelles still surviving.

7. The Ile de Nantes, where “Le Jardin des Machines” is located, is one destination you cannot and would not want to miss, mainly to see and perhaps take a ride on its most popular attraction, the Giant Mechanical Elephant.

To savour the spectacle, I would recommend for you to stay on the ground and just watch the mechanical pachyderm trumpet out steam and slowly stroll around the park.

8. After all that excitement with this circus, you can go back to the mainland and visit the Passage Pomeraye, a 3-level 19th century shopping arcade.

9. See the objects the chocolatiers of Maison Larnicol created out of chocolate – a lady’s stiletto, a handbag, two giant lipsticks and a replica Jaguar.

10. Right near Nantes central train station is the famous Tour de LU. It was in Nantes that the biscuit factory of LU had its main site but has since been turned into a theatre/museum.

On your visit to the old fishing village Trentemoult, you must have seen their sign, too.

11. And where to eat when in Nantes? At the Brasserie La Cigale, of course (4, Place Graslin.) This restaurant has served good food for almost 115 years. Be part of their history. Best to reserve if going for dinner or go after 14h00 to be sure of getting a table. They’re open all day (07h30-00h30)

To help you go and see more of Nantes, check out their Tourism Bureau’s advice HERE.

Image: Dyhorus

By Marlys SchuermannEasy Hiker

Somewhere well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.