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Wales Online
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
This coastal city break has ancient walls, beaches and flights from Cardiff
This coastal city break has ancient walls, beaches and flights from Cardiff This incredible UNESCO World Heritage city has beaches and cobbled streets, and you can fly there from Cardiff The city is also well known as the main filming location in Croatia for King's Landing in HBO's smash series Game of Thrones. (Image: Portia Jones ) Croatia has exploded as a holiday hotspot in recent years, and no trip to this sun-soaked destination is complete without a visit to the historic city of Dubrovnik, affectionately dubbed the City of 1,000 Monuments, and possibly where Richard the Lionheart was cast ashore after a shipwreck in 1192. Dubrovnik draws vast crowds with its distinctive Old Town, where massive stone walls, completed in the 16th century, still encircle the historic city. Visitors can admire its well-preserved architecture, from the baroque St. Blaise Church to the Renaissance Sponza Palace and the Gothic Rector's Palace, which now houses a history museum. The city is also well known as the main filming location in Croatia for King's Landing in HBO's smash series Game of Thrones. This UNESCO World Heritage site is just a three-hour flight from the UK, and you can fly there from Cardiff Airport with TUI. Here's how to make the most of a city break to the "Pearl of the Adriatic" From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here Walk the city walls Walking Dubrovnik's city walls is the best way to get a birds-eye view of the old town and learn more about its fascinating history. (Image: Wales Online ) Walking Dubrovnik's city walls is the best way to get a birds-eye view of the old town and learn more about its fascinating history. Article continues below The full circuit of the 24m-high and 6m-thick walls is a 2-kilometre walk. Dubrovnik's city walls walk offers a range of views, including battlements, patchwork red roofs and fortresses. From up here, you'll get a seriously epic view of the coastline. The Adriatic sparkles below, and it's so unspoilt that the scene today isn't all that different from what Franciscan monks, Roman emperors, the Venetian navy, even Napoleon would've seen when they scanned the horizon for approaching enemies. Dubrovnik has a fascinating history; it was a powerful merchant republic that engaged in extensive trade and was a pioneer in the fight against slavery, officially banning it in 1416. A jealous Venice also invaded the city in the 12th century. It became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1815 and then became part of Yugoslavia. Dubrovnik sustained substantial shelling during the 1991-1995 war, and you can still see war damage in Dubrovnik to this day. To gain a deeper insight into the city's history as you traverse the imposing walls, book a Dubrovnik walking tour with a qualified and knowledgeable guide. By booking a Dubrovnik walking tour in advance, you can experience Dubrovnik's old town with a professional local tourist guide licensed by the Croatian Ministry of Tourism. Go on a Game of Thrones tour Fort Lovrijenac in Dubrovnik- the setting for The Red Keep in King's Landing (Image: Thinkstock/Getty ) Several locations in Croatia were used for Thrones filming, but historic Dubrovnik was the main filming location for King's Landing (the Lannister's stronghold in Game of Thrones) and has become synonymous with the franchise. Facing out over the azure blue Adriatic Sea, with imposing stone walls and a mix of Baroque and Renaissance architecture, it certainly evokes a fantasy epic vibe. Locations across the city have been used for GOT filming, including The Pile Gate (the entrance to the Old Town), which was featured in Season Two Episode Six, where an angry crowd attacks horrid King Joffrey. The Jesuit Staircase was used as the 'steps of the Great Sept of Baelor' in King's Landing. This is where one of the most famous scenes in season five took place, the 'Walk of Shame'. In this shocking scene, Cersei Lannister is forced to walk naked through the streets of King's Landing. ToursByLocals offers a comprehensive five-hour Game of Thrones Tour Experience for super fans who want to see many of the filming locations. Visit Fort Lovrjenac - the Red Keep, take a ferry to Lokrum island – the City of Qarth and visit the Game of Thrones Museum on this whirlwind tour. Head to the beach For a city, Dubrovnik has a surprising variety of beaches (Image: Getty Images ) For a city, Dubrovnik has a surprising variety of beaches, ranging from pebble, gravel, stone, and concrete, where you can swim, kayak, and sunbathe near clear waters. Some of the popular options include Banje Beach, renowned for its proximity to the Old Town and impressive views, and Sveti Jakov Beach, which offers a peaceful escape with crystal-clear waters and stunning sunset views. Make sure to watch the sun go down at one of Dubrovnik's many beach bars. The best bar for outdoor drinking in Dubrovnik is the uber-cool Buza bar, located on top of a secluded beach outside the city walls, with tables set among the rocks. This joint is known affectionately as the 'hole-in-the-wall', as to get to this unique bar, you have to go through a hole in the wall, ('buža' literally means 'hole'). Once you're on the other side, you can grab a drink at their cliffside bar and enjoy beautiful views of the Adriatic as you sink a cold beer or two. Have lunch in Dubrovnik's Restaurant Panorama Dubrovnik's Panorama Restaurant offers unparalleled views of the city's historic walls (Image: Portia Jones ) Dubrovnik's Panorama Restaurant offers unparalleled views of the city's historic walls. You can dine 415 meters up Mount Srdj at this contemporary restaurant. There are several ways to reach Dubrovnik's Panorama Restaurant. You can arrive on foot, by car or by cable car (the best option). The food is beautifully presented, allowing you to capture amazing #platedpics for your socials. The best time to visit Dubrovnik's Panorama Restaurant is in the winter, as you will have a better chance of securing a window seat. Fresh seafood and steak feature heavily on the menu. Local and seasonal produce is used where possible. It's pretty pricey, but that's to be expected with a view as magnificent as this. Go wine tasting Wine lovers should endeavour to visit Croatia's famous wine-growing region (Image: Elena Noviello via Getty Images ) Wine lovers should endeavour to visit Croatia's famous wine-growing region, Pelješac Peninsula. The Pelješac Peninsula area is approximately 90 minutes away from Dubrovnik and is home to some truly wonderful vineyards. Article continues below It's a beautiful drive from Dubrovnik with some stunning scenery. The Pelješac Peninsula is famous for its Croatian wines. Croatia is not really known for its wine internationally. The names of Croatian wines are complicated [try pronouncing 'Pošip' after several glasses of vino]. Production is often very small, and Croatian vineyards don't typically export their wines. So you'll get to sip lovely vinos that you wouldn't normally find at home. If you love a glass or two of wine, then it's definitely worth booking a Wine tasting tour of Pelješac. Visit family-owned wineries, chat with the winemakers, and sample a selection of stunning Croatian wines.
Scottish Sun
21-04-2025
- Scottish Sun
I visited Europe's cheapest wine destination – with glasses of plonk for £2 and help-yourself fridges on hiking trails
This UNESCO-registered valley is famous for its breath-taking views and pretty villages where you can sip delicious wine for as little as £1.80 WINE NOT I visited Europe's cheapest wine destination – with glasses of plonk for £2 and help-yourself fridges on hiking trails Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IT sounds almost too good to be true but in this river valley strung like a harp with vineyards, you can eat, and drink, for under £10. Winemakers in these stunning villages with pastel-painted houses even place help-yourself honesty fridges on footpaths. 11 This stunning river valley is a 22-mile stretch of the Austrian Danube called the Wachau, about 70 miles upriver from Vienna 11 Make sure to hike to the Thousand Bucket Mountain, located right by the riverside and featuring benches and a little stone hut on the top 11 Try a platter of Blunz'n, local blood sausage served with grated horseradish, in Spitz 11 Winemakers in the Wachau place help-yourself honesty fridges on footpaths 11 Villages in the valley feature pastel-painted houses Moreover, in season those winemakers run their own improvised taverns in barns and courtyards serving traditional farmworkers' grub washed down with fruity whites priced as little as £2 a glass. This earthly paradise is a spectacular 22-mile stretch of the Austrian Danube called the Wachau, about 70 miles upriver from Vienna. There's nothing secret about this UNESCO-registered valley, but most of its visitors are on Danube cruises intent on Vienna or Budapest, so they get barely more than a glimpse as they come gliding through. The Wachau, and its lip-smackingly fruity Grüner Veltliner wines, deserves a lot more than this. Last year I too was one of those cruise transients. It was during a brief layover by the Wachau's prettiest village, Dürnstein, that I wandered down the riverbank, heard the sounds of clinking glassware, and found myself on a bench in an orchard, drinking a chilled white that seemed impossibly cheap and delicious. I'd just been seduced by my first heuriger, a word which means 'new wine', often drawn straight from the barrel. This one was run by the Leonhartsberger family, quite a coincidence given that crusader Richard the Lionheart had been in Dürnstein, too. Within a couple of months I was back, intent on exploring the Wachau's villages, its hiking trails, and sampling some more bargain wines. There are, apparently, some 250 craftsman winemakers in the valley, their output too small for wider distribution, so they sell instead from their own cellar doors, alongside a variety of local cheeses, hams, sausages and pickles. According to the calendar, key villages like Weissenkirchen had 18 heuriger to choose from, and Spitz had 27, and although they take it in turns to open, I wasn't going to go thirsty. Best travel money options: currency, cards and tips for spending abroad Over the next handful of days, travelling by a mix of rental bike, local bus and train, I managed to visit half a dozen. In Weissenkirchen, for example, I tried a sheep's cheese salad at Trautsamwieser (£5.50, which has a spectacular little terrace just above the village rooftops, and was full of jolly locals getting pie-eyed on wine that cost £1.80 a glass. 11 11 Stunning views after a day spent hiking the Panoramaweg 11 The help-yourself honesty fridges mean you can enjoy a nice glass of wine whilst looking over the Danube In Spitz I tried heuriger Özelt ( where a grumpy waiter brought me a platter of Blunz'n, local blood sausage (£6.50) served with grated horseradish, and the wine came in quarter litres (£3.80). And in heuriger Hamböck ( in the outskirts of Krems, the main gateway to the Wachau, I ordered the grammelschmalzbrot, bread slathered in pork lard and topped with onions and paprika. Thanks to the trusting locals, I was able to watch the sun go down over the Danube, and raise a nicely chilled glass to the departing day It was a lot better than it sounds: the onions gave it crunch, the lard gave it body, the paprika gave it spice, but - as often in these things – the location had extra magic, with a view across the rooftops to where the abbey of Gottweig straddled the hilltop like a baroque fortress. Plus the Grüner Veltliner here cost just £1.80 a glass. But perhaps the best moment was after a day spent hiking the Panoramaweg, up through beautifully tended vineyard terraces into a little side valley by Spitz. I ended up in the evening on a modest hill grandiosely called Thousand Bucket Mountain, so slathered in vineyards that it surely produced far more buckets than a measly thou. Thousand Bucket is spectacularly located right by the riverside, with a couple of benches and a little stone hut on the top. The view was magnificent, but it had another surprise up its sleeve, because inside the stone hut was a fridge filled with bottles of wine, payment for which (by card) was completely honesty-based. Back home, a help-yourself minibar on a hilltop would be ransacked before you could say blood sausage - but not here. Thanks to the trusting locals, I was able to watch the sun go down over the Danube, and raise a nicely chilled glass to the departing day. Everything you need to know about visiting Austria Brits must have at least three months left on their passport from the day they plan to leave the country. Tourists do not need a visa if visiting for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. Make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit. Travellers may be asked to show hotel booking confirmations and that they have enough money for their stay at the border. Holidaymakers may also need to show proof of insurance. Austria is one hour ahead of the UK. The country uses the euro with around €10 working out to £8.55. Flights to Austria from the UK take roughly 2 hours - depending on the destination. 11 The valley's villages boast incredible vineyards, such as the one in Weissenkirchen 11 The view over the Panoramaweg was magnificent
The Sun
21-04-2025
- The Sun
I visited Europe's cheapest wine destination – with glasses of plonk for £2 and help-yourself fridges on hiking trails
IT sounds almost too good to be true but in this river valley strung like a harp with vineyards, you can eat, and drink, for under £10. Winemakers in these stunning villages with pastel-painted houses even place help-yourself honesty fridges on footpaths. 11 11 11 11 11 Moreover, in season those winemakers run their own improvised taverns in barns and courtyards serving traditional farmworkers' grub washed down with fruity whites priced as little as £2 a glass. This earthly paradise is a spectacular 22-mile stretch of the Austrian Danube called the Wachau, about 70 miles upriver from Vienna. There's nothing secret about this UNESCO -registered valley, but most of its visitors are on Danube cruises intent on Vienna or Budapest, so they get barely more than a glimpse as they come gliding through. The Wachau, and its lip-smackingly fruity Grüner Veltliner wines, deserves a lot more than this. Last year I too was one of those cruise transients. It was during a brief layover by the Wachau's prettiest village, Dürnstein, that I wandered down the riverbank, heard the sounds of clinking glassware, and found myself on a bench in an orchard, drinking a chilled white that seemed impossibly cheap and delicious. I'd just been seduced by my first heuriger, a word which means 'new wine', often drawn straight from the barrel. This one was run by the Leonhartsberger family, quite a coincidence given that crusader Richard the Lionheart had been in Dürnstein, too. Within a couple of months I was back, intent on exploring the Wachau's villages, its hiking trails, and sampling some more bargain wines. There are, apparently, some 250 craftsman winemakers in the valley, their output too small for wider distribution, so they sell instead from their own cellar doors, alongside a variety of local cheeses, hams, sausages and pickles. According to the calendar, key villages like Weissenkirchen had 18 heuriger to choose from, and Spitz had 27, and although they take it in turns to open, I wasn't going to go thirsty. Best travel money options: currency, cards and tips for spending abroad Over the next handful of days, travelling by a mix of rental bike, local bus and train, I managed to visit half a dozen. In Weissenkirchen, for example, I tried a sheep's cheese salad at Trautsamwieser (£5.50, which has a spectacular little terrace just above the village rooftops, and was full of jolly locals getting pie-eyed on wine that cost £1.80 a glass. 11 11 11 In Spitz I tried heuriger Özelt ( where a grumpy waiter brought me a platter of Blunz'n, local blood sausage (£6.50) served with grated horseradish, and the wine came in quarter litres (£3.80). And in heuriger Hamböck ( in the outskirts of Krems, the main gateway to the Wachau, I ordered the grammelschmalzbrot, bread slathered in pork lard and topped with onions and paprika. Thanks to the trusting locals, I was able to watch the sun go down over the Danube, and raise a nicely chilled glass to the departing day It was a lot better than it sounds: the onions gave it crunch, the lard gave it body, the paprika gave it spice, but - as often in these things – the location had extra magic, with a view across the rooftops to where the abbey of Gottweig straddled the hilltop like a baroque fortress. Plus the Grüner Veltliner here cost just £1.80 a glass. But perhaps the best moment was after a day spent hiking the Panoramaweg, up through beautifully tended vineyard terraces into a little side valley by Spitz. I ended up in the evening on a modest hill grandiosely called Thousand Bucket Mountain, so slathered in vineyards that it surely produced far more buckets than a measly thou. Thousand Bucket is spectacularly located right by the riverside, with a couple of benches and a little stone hut on the top. The view was magnificent, but it had another surprise up its sleeve, because inside the stone hut was a fridge filled with bottles of wine, payment for which (by card) was completely honesty-based. Back home, a help-yourself minibar on a hilltop would be ransacked before you could say blood sausage - but not here. Thanks to the trusting locals, I was able to watch the sun go down over the Danube, and raise a nicely chilled glass to the departing day. Everything you need to know about visiting Austria Brits must have at least three months left on their passport from the day they plan to leave the country. Tourists do not need a visa if visiting for up to 90 days in a 180-day period. Make sure your passport is stamped on entry and exit. Travellers may be asked to show hotel booking confirmations and that they have enough money for their stay at the border. Holidaymakers may also need to show proof of insurance. Austria is one hour ahead of the UK. The country uses the euro with around €10 working out to £8.55. Flights to Austria from the UK take roughly 2 hours - depending on the destination. 11 11 11
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Neighbourhood News: Skipton
Christ Church services: Sunday at 9.30am - Eucharist; Wednesday at 9.30am – Eucharist The service on Sunday, February 2 at 9.30am in Christ Church will be a Solemn Eucharist to celebrate Candlemas. Skipton Film Club: 'Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans,' directed by FW Murnau (USA, 1927, U), will be screened on Sunday, February 2 at Plaza Cinema, Skipton. All members and non-members are welcome. For more info on this and other Film Club screenings, please see the Instagram site: Skipton Retired Men's Forum: the next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 4 in the Soroptimist Rooms on Otley Street. Tea, coffee, and biscuits at 10am; at 10.30am Chris Binns will give a presentation on 'A walk from John o' Groats to Lands End.' Members and visitors welcome. Skipton and Craven History Society: the next talk, on Thursday, February 13, at 7.30pm at the Swadford Street Centre, Skipton, will be 'Richard the Lionheart: Warrior King par excellence' by Dr Roger Martlew. Non-members welcome; £3 entrance charge.
