Just two hours from Madrid by train Ávila is a real medieval gem. It boasts the most complete Romanesque city walls in Spain and walking on top of them gives you a real feel for the days of El Cid and the vast Castilian plain. The city is crammed with Gothic churches and the cool vaults of the Cathedral are a welcome relief on a hot summer’s day. Known as the City of Stones or Saints Ávila’s most famous inhabitant was Saint Teresa, who gave her name to the delicious sweet pastries known as Yemas. These are found in many pastry shops the best being the famous La Flor de Castilla.

www.avila.com/
La Flor de Castilla:
Plaza Santa Teresa, 6, 05001 Ávila‎, Ávila, Spain
+34 920 25 60 49
Google map: bit.ly/XEhYrH

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Start early and take a 30 minute train journey to Segovia for a day bursting with history. The first view of the vast Roman aqueduct, built with 25,000 granite blocks with no mortar, is breathtaking. The Alcazar with its towers, throne room and Hall of Kings, has a superb location and views to match; no wonder it became a favourite residence of Castilian monarchs. Visit the cathedral, other fine churches, the Jewish quarter, or just explore the streets to soak up the medieval atmosphere and take in a museum. Don't ignore the temptation to have a drink/tapas in a bar or enjoy a meal in one of the restaurants serving regional specialities, such as suckling pig.

AVANT train: Madrid - Segovia, 12.50 Euros.
Google map: Google map: bit.ly/XMhZMe

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Situated metres from the Prada is Madrid’s Atocha station. While it seems a shame to leave the shops and cafés of the station, you won’t regret getting the train to Toledo. Walk up from Toledo’s little station, high over the river Tagus winding its way to Lisbon and into the ancient capital. Get way from the crowds and meander through the quiet little streets, as good as any Tuscan hill town. El Greco came here in 1577 and didn’t leave. Who can blame him? The massive cathedral is the seat of the Primate of Spain.
Don’t bother with a farewell drink in the overcrowded main square. Stroll back to station and refresh yourself in the peaceful garden of the station café.
You’ll be back in Madrid in time for free evening entry to the Prada before joining the Madrileños for another late night.

www.spain.info/en/ven/otros-destinos/toledo.html
Google map: bit.ly/15cUaiM

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The Romans knew a thing or two about locating cities and never more than in selecting the most specular site in Spain for Segovia.
Getting there is simple, a quick journey on Madrid’s excellent metro, a late breakfast at Chamartin station and take a frequent train to Segovia.
A short bus ride takes you to the foot of the Roman aqueduct which was still in use until the end of the 19th century. A short walk through the walled city gates will take you past the 16th century city cathedral and on to the fairy tale Alcazar. Swallow your disbelief for the 19th century reconstruction and take in the amazing view.
This still leaves plenty of time to dawdle on the way back, be awed by the aqueduct again and get back to Madrid in time for a gentle stroll to decide on tapas venues.

www.spain.info/en_GB/ven/otros-destinos/segovia.html
Google map: Google map: bit.ly/XMhZMe

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Manzanares el Real is a village located 50km to the north of Madrid by the Pedriza protected park, amid a stunning landscape. The village has lots to see including the Mendoza Castle, one of the best preserved medieval fortresses in Spain. You will also enjoy the old castle ruins (Castillo Viejo), the Cañada Real Bridge, the church of Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, founded in the early 14th century and the first paper factory in Spain.
Manzanares el Real offers a wide variety of local cuisine and leisure activities such as Medieval Weekends, a Tapas Fair and all the annual local festivities.

www.manzanareselreal.org/tourism/
Bus No.724 from Plaza de Castilla (50 minutes journey approx)
The castle is open from October to May (10am to 17pm) and from June to September (10am to 18pm). Mondays closed.
Google map: bit.ly/ZxKlUV

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Easy 50 minute bus ride from Madrid. Go to see the unique cobbled Plaza Mayor with its whitewashed houses and wooden balconies then stroll through the narrow streets perhaps up to the Iglesia de la Asuncion to see a Goya painting. Or else sit under the arches of the plaza and enjoy a glass of anis in its ancestral home, before lunch in one of the many restaurants. Recommended are the Meson Cuevas de Vino with its own bodega or the more reasonably priced Meson del Duende. There is also a very attractive parador nearby housed in a sixteenth century monastery with a good restaurant.

Chinchon. 30 miles south east of Madrid. Easily accessible by bus. Frequent and regular service.
Google map: bit.ly/12j9JCW

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Take the train from Atocha - either a slow 90+ minutes relaxation through the stunning forests and little villages of the sierras, or a fast 30 minutes zipping you to your destination. Then bus to the foot of the absolutely stunning 1st century Roman aqueduct; and a slow walk up the calle Juan Bravo, passing mediaeval casas and plazas, to the Plaza Mayor and the huge Gothic sandstone cathedral, with its myriad of buttresses. A pause here for refreshments under the arches or a lunch in the many restaurants in and around. For a glass of Douro and a tapas or a full meal in the restaurant try Jose and Maria round the corner (my favourite). Then a stroll down to the fantasy Alcazar, all turrets and towers, with its stunning views over the barren plain. On the way back slide down the left of the Cathedral to take in the Juderia and the synagogue. A walk outside the walls will take you back to your bus and on to the train and the beautiful journey home. A grand day out!

Google map: bit.ly/XMhZMe

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With its fairy tale castle and abundant historic churches the small town of Segovia is a pleasant day trip from Madrid. The real star of the show however is the world's largest and best-preserved Roman aqueduct towering over the town centre. With typical Spanish nonchalance there is very little fanfare just an incredible sense of history as you admire this amazing ancient structure nestling cheek-by-jowl next to unassuming cafe bars. A word of warning. The mountain setting is beautiful in the winter but beware the biting cold wind.

Google map: bit.ly/XMhZMe

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We’re halfway through our tour of The Little Museum of Dublin and curator Simon O’ Connor stops to acknowledge a vintage Gold Flake advertisement glowing above the fireplace. The outdoor sign takes pride of place on the 1960s wall of nostalgic posters and photographs on display at 15 St Stephen’s Green. Considering Ireland became the first country in the world to introduce an outright smoking ban in workplaces in 2004, today it looks almost brazen, hanging there, indoors and lit up.
But before there is time to be distracted by the rest of the memorabilia on the wall, over on the other side of the room, museum director Trevor White is drawing our attention to a black and white photograph of a rather grand looking house. Seamlessly, he weaves in a story about how the electrician who had shown up to fix the wiring in the cigarette sign had boasted about having something very interesting to offer the museum.
It turns out to be one of the museum’s most remarkable exhibits…
Heads swivel from the Gold Flake sign to Trevor, who begins reciting the letter beside the photograph of the house. It is addressed to one Samuel Beckett. A few oohs and aahs erupt among the group. It turns out the letter had been written as part of a school history project. A teacher had asked her class to find out who used to live in their families’ houses and to write to the former occupants to ask about their memories of the houses. As a young boy, the electrician discovered that none other than Samuel Beckett had once lived in his house and posted off a letter as part of the project. To his delight (and no doubt his teacher’s amazement too), the writer and playwright responded with a lovely letter, even joking at the end about how his ghost would come back to haunt the house one day.
This is just one of many charming back stories behind the pieces that make up the collection at the Little Museum of Dublin.
Every item on display in The Little Museum of Dublin has been donated by a member of the public and in most cases, ordinary Dubliners.
The museum sets out to celebrate 100 years of Dublin history, from 1900 – 2000 and is the perfect place to get a quick overview of Dublin’s social history, especially if you’re short on time. The collection is as eclectic as it gets. You’ll find a lectern from JFK’s visit to Dublin sharing the same space as early newspaper cuttings about a young U2 and a first edition of James Joyce’s Ulysses.
Guided tours take place every hour. The museum opens until 8pm on Thursdays when there is a guided tour by curator Simon O’ Connor at 7pm.

www.littlemuseum.ie
15 St Stephen's Green, Dublin, Co. Dublin, Ireland
+353 1 661 1000
Google map: bit.ly/ZrBdlN

* Fiona is our Been there local for Dublin. You can follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/FionaHilliard and read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp. She also has her own blog: www.traveledits.com

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A day trip to Alcala de Henares. An alternative to religious Spain but with plenty of culture and history. It is both the birthplace to Spain's Shakespeare (Cervantes) and home to one of Europe's oldest universities. South of the station is the interesting old town with a couple of museums dedicated to Cervantes, the charming University of Alcala and the oldest surviving theatre in Europe, recently renovated. It is very well served by rail from Atocha (every 15 minutes or so) and is close enough to round off a trip to Alcala de Henares by returning to Atocha and heading in to the Retiro Park for a relaxing drink and tapas alfresco in one of the many outdoor cafes. While perhaps not as pretty as Segovia it is more manageable and interesting.

www.spain.info/en_GB/ven/otros-destinos/alcala_de_henares.html
Alcala de Henares is about 30 km west from Madrid. Nearest train station - Alcala de Henares
Google map: bit.ly/16Xmcxi

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This town, 45km from Madrid, is recognizable in the distance by its houses clustered together on hilltops. Chinchón has much to offer for a day out and lots of sightseeing.
Chinchón has a beautiful medieval square formed by houses of two and three floors with running balconies, which has been the scene of a great many events, presentations and even movies. The square turns into a bullring during the town fiestas. It hosts nice mesones where you can taste typical tapas including “Chorizo al Infierno” (grilled chorizo).
As well as its characteristic Plaza Mayor, with its wooden balconies and flat galleries, you should also visit the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (1534-1626), which was sacked and burned by Napoleonic troops in 1808 and which hosts the magnificent painting of La Asunción de la Virgen, painted by Goya (Goya’s brother was a priest in this church). The old Convent of the Augustine nuns (from the 18th Century) has a beautiful cloister and has now been turned into a Parador where you can go for lunch or dinner or even stay the night.
Other buildings of interest are: the convent of the Nuns of the Order of St. Clare, from the 17th century; the clock tower, belonging to the old parish church of Nuestra Señora de Gracia and the remains of a 15th century castle, rebuilt between 1590 and 1598 by the third Count of Chinchón and also burned in 1808 by Napoleonic forces.

turismo.ciudad-chinchon.com/turismo/index.php
How to get there: Bus 337 leaves from Plaza Conde de Casal to Chinchón
Google map: bit.ly/ZvqOnZ

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I went on the Post Olympic architect tour from these guys, I thoroughly recommend it. I am very interested in architecture - this tour was led by someone who was very knowledgeable about the architecture of the Olympic buildings. The guide told me they mostly do tours for architecture students and professionals, but if you are interested in architecture it beats any other walking tour hand down!

www.artchitectours.co.uk
+44(0)20 33 18 21 53

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Is public napping performance art? It is if you're kooky, androgynous actress Tilda Swinton! She did just that in London's Serpentine Gallery in 1995, in collaboration with the artist Cornelia Parker, and now she's at it again at the MoMA. Swinton will appear unannounced six times in 2013 to publicly sleep in a clear box. But hey, maybe you'll be at the museum at the right time? You may as well check. The Museum of Modern Art is at 11 West 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues.

www.moma.org/
11 W 53rd St, New York, NY, United States
+1 212 708 9400
Google map: bit.ly/17o7Abq

* Amanda is our Been there local for New York. You can check out her page here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/new-york-local-amanda-green.jsp and her own NYC blog here: www.noisiestpassenger.com/. She's also on Twitter: @amandagreen

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While in Madrid you can take a train to Aranzuez, around an hour's trip on which they celebrate and eat strawberries each spring, served by staff in costume, stopping in Aranzuez, a charming town that was a royal residential palace. You can tour this, or if preferred go to the Aranzuez gardens, the place that inspired Rodrigos' 'In the Gardens of Aranzuez' classical piece. On the same line you can continue your day trip to Toledo, around 40 minutes train ride or so, a fascinating fortified citadel on a lovely hill with a beautiful blue river in the valley below. Toledo has a history dating back to the Visigoths. Both Aranzuez and Toledo offer lovely resaurants and caffes and children are always welcomed as is delightfully usual. The same train line will return you to Madrid central station via Aranzuez. Fares are low, a little higher on the specific strawberry train, with strawberries provided of course! Allow a longish day as the trip really is interesting for all tastes and preferences. Madrid will still be open and buzzing when you return, into the small hours.

www.renfe.es/trenfresa/
www.museodelferrocarril.org/tren_fresa.htm
+34 902 22 88 22
Google map: bit.ly/159rabN

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Chinchon is a Spanish town and municipality 50km southeast of Madrid. Visit the Neolithic remains, Goya's brother's house,the medieval castle or the church of Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion for an early work by Goya.Had enough of culture? visit for one of the many festivals and enjoy the locally distilled anisette and suckling pig. Or maybe catch a bullfight?

turismo.ciudad-chinchon.com/turismo/index.php
How to get there: Bus 337 leaves from Plaza Conde de Casal to Chinchón
Google map: bit.ly/ZvqOnZ

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The site of the main remand prison for people detained by the former East German Ministry of State Security (MfS), or 'Stasi', has been a Memorial since 1994.
Since the vast majority of the buildings, equipment and furniture and fittings have survived intact, the Memorial provides a very authentic picture of prison conditions in the GDR. The Memorial's location in Germany's capital city makes it the key site in Germany for victims of communist tyranny.
Very interesting site and great guided tour, also in English available.

en.stiftung-hsh.de/
Genslerstraße 66, 13055 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 986082 ext. 30
Google map: bit.ly/16T3KGU

Tram M5 from the S-Bahn (City Railway) stations at Alexanderplatz or Landsberger Allee to the Freienwalder Strasse stop. The Memorial is then about a 10 minute walk down Freienwalder Strasse.

Tram M6 from the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn (City Railway) station to the Genslerstrasse stop. Genslerstrasse begins at the back of the Allee Center. The Memorial is then about a ten-minute walk, past the Hotel Kolumbus on the left. The former restricted area stretched to the north of the footpath; the Memorial is at the end on the right.

Tram 16 from the Frankfurter Allee U-Bahn (tube) and S-Bahn (City Railway) station to Genslerstrasse. Genslerstrasse begins at the back of the Allee Center. The Memorial is then about a ten-minute walk, past the Hotel Kolumbus on the left. The former restricted area stretched to the north of the footpath; the Memorial is at the end on the right.

From Lichtenberg U-Bahn (tube) and S-Bahn (City Railway) station, take the 256 bus to Liebenwalder Strasse/Genslerstrasse. It's then about a five-minute walk down Genslerstrasse past the Hotel Columbus.

Or for the Dutch by bike.

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Tower Records in Shibuya gleams like a beacon, calling out to music and book lovers across the city and its inhabitant nationalities. It has recently gone under construction, so that what was once a peaceful book haven on the seventh floor has become a cool, sophisticated book/coffee shop on the 2nd. There are spaces for you to sit and read, with chargers for your laptop or phone, wooden floors, the best foreign book selection I’ve yet to see, and music which makes you stop and say “I LOVE that track!” The coffee shop serves taco rice, cakes, make-your-own hamburger sets and is decked out in a comfy, earthy style.

www.tower.jp
apan, Tokyo, Shibuya, Jinnan, １−２２−１４
+81 3 3496 3661
Google map: bit.ly/11odpBl

* Hollie is our Been there local for Tokyo. You can check out her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/tokyo-local-hollie-mantle.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/HollieMantle

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Go down to Yoyogi park on a Sunday afternoon and prepare to feel as though you’ve warped into a land without inhibitions. Just a 2 minute walk away from Harajuku station, men of indistinguishable age gather in a circle, wearing leather jackets, leather trousers, leather everything, and rock out to old tunes for the astonished eyes of the onlooking public. At some points it seems as though they’ve all gathered randomly, but then suddenly one will take centre stage and perform a solo dance and it begins to seem like a rehearsed, if not well oiled, routine.

Google map: bit.ly/WYRCCA

* Hollie is our Been there local for Tokyo. You can check out her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/tokyo-local-hollie-mantle.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/HollieMantle

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Go down to Yoyogi park on a Sunday afternoon and prepare to feel as though you’ve warped into a land without inhibitions. Just a 2 minute walk away from Harajuku station, men of indistinguishable age gather in a circle, wearing leather jackets, leather trousers, leather everything, and rock out to old tunes for the astonished eyes of the onlooking public. At some points it seems as though they’ve all gathered randomly, but then suddenly one will take centre stage and perform a solo dance and it begins to seem like a rehearsed, if not well oiled, routine.

Google map: bit.ly/11r8B20

* Hollie is our Been there local for Tokyo. You can check out her profile here:
www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/tokyo-local-hollie-mantle.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/HollieMantle

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The city of Nicopolis was built by Octavian (Emperor Augustus) to celebrate his victory over Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium which took place just off the coast.
Today the ruins are largely free of tourists and beautifully overgrown but curious visitors who follow the paths and agricultural roads around the sprawling archaeological site will discover the remains of a Roman odeion, a nymphaea, an amphitheatre, a stadium, the foundations of a villa, a necropolis, mosaics, and stretches of the original Roman walls.
On a nearby hillside the Monument of Augustus stood on the site of Octavian's war camp and originally showcased the spoils of battle including bronze rams cut from the bows of Antony and Cleopatra's ships.
The Archaeological Museum of Preveza tells the story of the ancient city and displays finds from the site. Visit first and you will have a better feel for the history. The admission ticket covers entry to the museum and the archaeological site.

www.preveza.gr/en/el/nikopoli
Preveza in Epirus, North West Greece is within reach of Parga and Lefkada by car.
Buses from Preveza bus station to Ioannina (or other local services) pass the museum and the archaeological site. Getting back to Preveza is difficult as buses are irregular and it's a good 30 mins walk.
Details of opening times and admission free days: odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh3530.jsp?obj_id=2575
Google map: bit.ly/1624kkj

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