Meteora can be found in northern Greece near the towns of Kalampaka and Kastraki. The area is renowned for its sandstone, rock pinnicles and sitting high upon them, a total of 6 active Byzantine monasteries. Meteora means ‘hovering in the air’. It is believed that more than 20 monasteries were originally built and used from the 10th-17th centuries but most have slipped into disrepair by erosion. Some exceptional early Christian art can also be viewed. For this, Meteora gained UNESCO inscription during 1988.
Meteora is also a very well known destination for rock climbing and abseiling. There are almost 700 different routes that ascend the pinnicles and a variety of grades. The best time to visit Meteora are spring and autumn. The summer can be very hot and the winter can even bring snow to the area.
Lubeck is located in the northern region of Germany known as Schleswig-Holstein, approximately 60km north-east of Hamburg. It is situated on the Trave River and is one of the largest German ports on the Baltic Sea. Much of its trade is with the Nordic countries.
For several centuries the “capital” Altstadt, was the former headquarters of the Hanseatic League (“Queen of the Hanse”). The main function of the Hanseatic League was to enable economic co-operation and trading in Europe. With its preserved Brick Gothic architecture, it’s now part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Altstadt is the main attraction of Lubeck, located on an island surrounded by the Trave River and smaller channels. The old town has fine examples of churches from various periods, a 13th century Town Hall, 16-18th century Salt Houses and the famous gate way, Holstentor. Lubeck is known as the ‘City of Seven Spires’ because the skyline is dominated by the spires of 5 local churches.
Machu Picchu is situated high in the Andes Mountains and 2,000 feet above the Urubamba River in Peru, South America and is not far from the former capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco. Machu Picchu was only re-discovered during 1911 by an American archaeologist and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Since then, tourists flock to Machu Picchu and the area receives more than 400,000 visitors annually.
There are a number of options in getting to Machu Picchu – train, bus, or the more strenuous option of hiking the Inca trail. There are varying trails that allow a one day or four day hike, depending how much time you have to spare.
Titbit: in researching this destination, I was surprised to find how often Machu Picchu was spelt incorrectly: Macchu Picchu, Matchu Pitchu, Macchu Pichu, Machu Pichu!
One great reason to visit Machu Picchu is for the outstanding location of the Inca ruins. No trip to Peru would be complete with out a visit to Machu Picchu.
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