Culture
Getting under the skin of the locals and understanding the unique culture of the destination is a fun and fascinating bonus of any trip. Whether it’s castles or chateaux, art galleries or museums every village, town and city has its cultural highlights standing by to give visitors a new perspective and sense of the place.Thoughts of Scotland invariably spark images of tartans and bagpipes; think of Spain and perhaps it’s flamenco dancers. Experiencing at close hand the traditions, skills and specialities which have helped shape a nation’s image is a must - but beyond the stereotyped and the obvious all destinations have another face to show that is usually well worth exploring.
In Scotland, for example, Edinburgh is brimming with historic buildings and some of the best galleries and museums in the UK. There’s the famed castle – which is said to be over 1,000 years old – and a veritable plethora of annual comedy, film, book, jazz and military festivals, which make the city a genuine cultural giant.
Old Aberdeen, too, is beautifully preserved, with cobbled streets clustering around its cathedral and five-star attractions such as the Aberdeen Maritime Museum – a history of the North Sea – and the Gordon Highlanders Museum, a fascinating and stirring insight into the history and achievements of the regiment. Head to Glasgow and you’ll find an artistic, brash, chic and dynamic city full of exuberance. Be prepared to revise any preconceived ideas you might have of the city – the city is brimming with a lively cultural scene. Perhaps the highlight for culture vultures is the Burrell Collection, a huge and important collection of medieval art, tapestries, alabasters, stained glass. This is now a city which doesn’t just follow fashions, it creates its own.
In fact right across the UK. the heritage trail is rich and rewarding. London (easily accessed via Gatwick) is of course crammed with fabulous sights from the Tower of London to the London Eye, but head to the regions and there is a cultural buzz there too.
Liverpool has plenty of maritime history to explore and is home to The National Gallery of the North. The city is itself a UNESCO World Heritage site and has more galleries and museums than any other UK city outside of London. Head to Southampton, Bristol or Leeds and you’re never far from a historic sight, stunning countryside and an insight into the Britain of yesteryear. Norwich was the largest walled city in Medieval England and is one of the finest examples found in the UK of ancient and modern sitting happily side by side.
Off-shore, you can dip into the history of the Celts and the Vikings on the Isle of Man, or soak up a little French influence and fascinating WWII insights on Guernsey and Jersey.
In Dublin’s fair city, even a little boozing comes with a cultural touch – with a guided Literary Pub Crawl a popular way to enjoy both the Guinness and the works of the city’s many famous wordsmiths.
France, of course, has an almost unfair share of historic sights and a wealth of museums, galleries and archaelogical wonders. Paris has long been a Mecca for art lovers and its Latin Quarter and Montmartre continue to attract writers and artists from around the globe. Beyond the capital, other cities too have historic and cultural appeal. Rennes, for example, has stunning architecture, an interesting history and an extensive art collection; Bergerac is a medieval wonderland; Brest can offer an insight into the Breton culture which is still alive and well; and a trip to Bordeaux will tell you everything you need to know about France’s illustrious wine-making industry. Perpignan has had a chequered history and has heritage sites which tell the tale, and in Limoges you can get the inside story of the city’s exquisite world-famous chinaware. La Rochelle is creaking with history with canons, turrets and towers galore.
In Spain, too, a rich and complex history has left an impressive heritage of cultural sites from Roman remains to Moorish castles, palaces, squares and Renaissance or baroque churches. Alicante is famed as the gateway to the Costa Blanca’s holiday resorts but also has an enormous castle looking down on it from the clifftops, a zesty old quarter and one of the world’s largest collections of modern Spanish sculpture. New too, is the MARQ an award-winning interactive archaeological museum.
Jet to Almeria and the heart of Andalusian culture, with its impressive Alcazaba fortress and history seeping out of every brick of its narrow streets. Palma has many architectural treasures and over 20 art galleries, while Murcia’s Moorish roots still resonate. And, Malaga – with its 16th century cathedral, Moorish fortress and Roman theatre – now also hosts 200 Picassos at a museum dedicated to its most famous 20th century resident.
Head to Salzburg and there is a very definite list of ‘must see’ attractions plus a plethora of smaller treats. Birthplace of Mozart, many of the cultural events have been spawned by the composer’s all-pervasive influence, but there are also several worthy art galleries and museums, richly decorated churches and beautiful fairytale architecture to admire. The carefully preserved old city is a World Heritage Site and the Schloss Hellbrunn and Hohensalzburg fortress are also a must.
Travel to Berne and you may feel you have stepped back in time to the 16th century. Part of the city is UNESCO ‘protected’ and all of it is compact, pretty and easy to explore with plenty of galleries and museums, historic buildings and Einstein’s apartment to admire.