Wonderful Wanderings shares tips on things to do, where to eat and where to stay around the world - plus useful travel gear reviews.
Gravensteen Castle in Ghent: An extended Traveler’s Guide
Gravensteen Castle in Ghent costs €15 for an adult, includes a choice of two audio guides in that price, and opens daily 10am to 6pm with last admission at 4.40pm. Allow an hour to an hour and a half.
Floralia Brussels at Groot-Bijgaarden: Tickets and Dates
Floralia Brussels is the annual spring bulb show in the private park of Groot-Bijgaarden Castle, 7 km west of Brussels, running for about a month from early April. Adult entry is €18. It is not the Ghent Floraliën, which is held every four years.
Coloma Rose Garden: Hours, Free Entry and Bloom Season
Coloma Rose Garden is free to enter and open all year, Tuesday to Sunday, with more than 3,000 rose varieties in a castle park near Brussels. The roses flower from June to October, and the commune names the end of June as peak bloom.
Namur Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location
The Namur Christmas market runs 28 November to 31 December 2026 across Place d'Armes, Place de l'Ange and Place du Théâtre, free to enter, with a skating rink open until 4 January 2027.
Singapore Airlines Premium Economy: Seat Map, Fees, Cost
Singapore Airlines Premium Economy gives you 38 in (97 cm) of pitch, 8 in of recline, 35 kg of baggage and free seat selection, but no lounge. Here is the cabin aircraft by aircraft, with the rows to ask for, the seat fees, Book the Cook and what it costs in miles.
Leuven Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location
The Leuven Christmas Market opens on 3 December 2026 and closes on 20 December 2026 on Ladeuzeplein and Herbert Hooverplein, and entry is free.
Virgin Atlantic Premium (Premium Economy): Seats, Fees, Cost
Virgin Atlantic Premium is the airline's long-haul premium economy cabin: up to 38 in (97 cm) of pitch, 2 checked bags and a free standard seat, with no lounge. Here is the cabin aircraft by aircraft, with the rows to ask for, the seat fees, the baggage rules and what it costs.
Bruges Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location
Bruges' Christmas market opens 20 November 2026 and runs to 3 January 2027 on the Markt and Simon Stevinplein, with free entry, an ice rink and two new winter shows.
Rothenburg Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location
Rothenburg's Reiterlesmarkt runs from 20 November to 23 December 2026 in the walled old town. See confirmed dates, hours and how it differs from the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas museum.
Cologne Christmas Markets 2026-2027: Dates and Location
Cologne runs 6 separate Christmas markets in 2026, from the cathedral-front Weihnachtsmarkt am Kölner Dom (16 Nov-23 Dec) to the harbour market and its New Year sequel.
Liège Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location
The Village de Noël de Liège runs 28 November to 30 December 2026 on Place du Marché and Place Saint-Lambert, with free entry every day and a Christmas ice rink open into January.
Antwerp Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location
Antwerp's Christmas market opens Friday 4 December 2026 and runs to Sunday 3 January 2027 on five squares, Grote Markt to Operaplein, with free entry and published daily hours.
Berlin Christmas Markets 2026-2027: Dates and Locations
Berlin runs more than 60 Christmas markets in 2026. Its six main ones, Alexanderplatz, Gendarmenmarkt, Charlottenburg Palace, Rotes Rathaus, Spandau and Lucia at Kulturbrauerei, are all free except the Gendarmenmarkt.
Mons Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates, Location and Hours
Mons Cœur en Neige spreads across three squares in central Mons: the Grand-Place, the Marché aux Herbes and Place Léopold, with wooden chalets, a free shuttle train and an ice rink for winter 2026.
Ghent Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & What to Expect
The Ghent Christmas market runs from Thursday 3 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, with more than 150 chalets from Sint-Baafsplein to the Korenmarkt. Entry is free, and the city no longer closes it on 31 December.
20 Christmas Markets in Belgium 2026-2027: Dates & Locations
Yes, Belgium has Christmas markets in nearly every city and town. This guide covers all 20 markets for the 2026-2027 season, with dates confirmed directly from each city's own tourism office.
Ostend Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location
Ostend's Christmas market moves to Wapenplein and Sint-Petrus-en-Paulusplein for 2026-2027 under new organiser Polar Bear Company. Exact dates were unpublished as of 5 September 2026, but entry stays free.
Münster Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & What to Expect
Münster's Christmas markets run from 23 November to 23 December 2026 across five old-town squares, each with its own dates, hours and character, from the Aegidiimarkt's wooden pyramid to the Lichtermarkt's lights.
Mechelen Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location
The Mechelen Christmas Market fills the pedestrian streets around Grote Markt and Vismarkt with wooden chalets, mulled wine and an ice rink. Mechelen had not published exact 2026 dates as of 5 September 2026, but entry stays free.
20 Best Christmas Markets in Germany, With 2026-2027 Dates
Germany's 20 biggest Christmas markets open between 16 and 27 November 2026, and most close on 22, 23 or 24 December. Here are the 2026 dates, opening hours and what makes each one different, taken from every market's own site.
Düsseldorf Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location
Düsseldorf's Christmas markets run from 19 November to 30 December 2026 across seven sites in the Altstadt and along the Königsallee. See confirmed dates, market locations, food and how to get there.
Dresden Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates and Location
The Dresdner Striezelmarkt, the 592nd edition, runs 25 November to 24 December 2026 on Altmarkt, alongside Advent auf dem Neumarkt and Dresdner Winterlichter on Prager Strasse.
Dinant Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location
Dinant's Christmas season, Dinant Lumière, runs several free neighbourhood markets from late November to early January rather than one single market; exact 2026 dates weren't published at the time of writing.
Brussels Christmas Market 2026-2027: Dates & Location
The Brussels Christmas Market (Winter Wonders) runs from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 across six squares in the city centre, and entry is free.
Lisbon Christmas Markets 2026-2027: Dates & What to Expect
Lisbon has no single German-style Christmas market. Its season centres on Wonderland Lisboa, the Rossio and Comércio lights, and pop-up markets that vary each year.
Prague Christmas Markets 2026-2027: Dates and Locations
Prague's Christmas markets run from the last weekend of November to 6 January, with Old Town Square as the main market. Here are the announced 2026-2027 dates, where each market is, and what to eat and drink.
Beaches in Hungary: 10 Best Lake and River Strands
Hungary is landlocked, so every beach in the country sits on a lake, a river or a flooded quarry. These are the ten best, from the warm shallow strands of Lake Balaton to Budapest's Danube shore, the naturist beach at Balatonberény and Lupa Beach.
16 Best Beaches in Poland, From the Baltic to Warsaw
Poland's beaches line roughly 500 km of sandy Baltic coast, with the sea at 18-22°C from mid-July to late August. Warsaw's four Vistula beaches are for sunbathing only, because swimming in the river inside the city is forbidden.
18 Best Beaches in Croatia: Pebble, Sand and How to Get There
Croatian beaches are pebble and rock rather than sand: of the 18 beaches ranked here, only one is genuinely sandy. This guide gives each beach's real surface and which ones you can reach without a car or a boat.
Climbing Sigiriya Rock up to the Lion Fortress in Sri Lanka
Climbing Sigiriya Rock means about 1,200 steps to a 5th-century palace 180 m above the plain, and takes 1.5 to 2 hours up and down. The foreign-visitor ticket is US$35 in 2026, and the counters open at 07:00.
18 Things to Do in Zurich: Prices, Museums and Churches
Eighteen things to do in Zurich, from the Old Town and the Chagall windows to Uetliberg, the zoo and the Lindt chocolate museum, with every 2026 admission price checked against the venues' own ticket pages.
Things to Do in Lucerne: 14 Sights With 2026 Prices
Lucerne needs two days: one for the Chapel Bridge, the old town and the Musegg wall, one for Mount Pilatus or Mount Rigi. Here are 14 sights worth your time, with 2026 prices, opening seasons and how long each takes.
15 Best Beaches in Switzerland: Lake and River Swimming
Switzerland is landlocked, so a Swiss beach means a lake shore or a river bathing station. These 15 are genuinely swimmable, from free river swims in Bern and Basel to the ticketed lidos of Ticino, with 2026 entry prices, season dates and water temperatures.
15 Best Things to Do in Bern: 2026 Prices and Hours
Bern's UNESCO old town, its 6 km of arcades and a CHF 6 climb up the Minster tower are the core of a day here. These are the 15 things worth doing, with 2026 prices, closed days and the two cards that cut the cost.
17 Things to Do in Basel: Museums, Art and Travel Guide
Basel is the art city on the Swiss, German and French triple border, and two days covers it: the Old Town and the Rhine on one, the museums on the other. All 17 things to do, with 2026 prices and free-entry hours.
Switzerland Prices in 2026: What It Really Costs to Visit
Switzerland is the second most expensive country in Europe, with household prices at 171 against an EU average of 100. Here are the 2026 figures in francs for rail passes, the motorway vignette, fuel, groceries and eating out.
14 Best Castles in Switzerland: 2026 Tickets and Hours
Chillon on Lake Geneva is the Swiss castle to see first: CHF 15 for an adult, open every day except 1 January and 25 December, with bus 201 stopping at the gate. Here are 14 castles with 2026 tickets, seasons and closed days.
Interesting Facts About Switzerland: Sourced Guide
Switzerland isn't "doubly landlocked," a claim repeated across fact lists but true only of Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan. This guide checks that claim and dozens more against UNESCO, Swiss government data and official banking figures.
18 Things to Do in Geneva: Museums, History and Travel Guide
Geneva fits into two days on foot: the lakefront and the Jet d'Eau on the first, Old Town, the cathedral towers and a museum on the second. The City of Geneva museums are free, which takes some of the sting out of Swiss prices.
17 Things to Do in Montreux: Lake Geneva and Jazz Guide
Montreux is a Lake Geneva resort with two draws: Chillon Castle and the jazz festival. Two days covers it. All 17 things to do, with 2026 prices, the free guest card and the Rochers-de-Naye line closure.
10 Best Things to Do in Thun: 2026 Prices and Hours
Thun is a half-day town: the castle at CHF 10, the two-level old town for free and a boat on Lake Thun. Here are the 10 things worth doing, with 2026 prices, closed days and how to reach each from the station.
Traditional Swiss Food: 16 Dishes and Where to Eat Them in Bern
Traditional Swiss food is built on cheese, potatoes and cured meat. Fondue, raclette and rösti are the three worth crossing a border for, and the other 13 dishes here follow Switzerland's four language regions rather than its border.
17 Places to Visit in Switzerland and How Long Each Needs
Switzerland's valleys are dead ends, so pick one region rather than the map. These 17 places to visit in Switzerland are ordered as you would meet them, and each one says what it is for and how many days it needs.
30 Most Famous Swiss People: Scientists, Artists, Chefs
The most famous Swiss people are Leonhard Euler, Carl Jung, Le Corbusier, Alberto Giacometti and Albert Hofmann. Here are 30 famous Swiss scientists, artists, architects and chefs, with dates and what each is actually known for.
9 Best Things to Do in Gruyères: 2026 Tickets and Hours
Gruyères is a half-day town: the castle at CHF 13, the cheese dairy by the station, the HR Giger Museum and the Tibet Museum, with combined tickets cutting the cost. Here are the 9 things worth doing, with 2026 prices and hours.
17 Things to Do in Lausanne: Olympic City on Lake Geneva
Lausanne is the Olympic capital on Lake Geneva, and two days covers it: the Olympic Museum and Ouchy on one, the cathedral and the Plateforme 10 museums on the other. All 17 things to do, with 2026 prices.
16 Things to Do in Interlaken: Jungfrau Region Guide
Interlaken is a base, not a destination: three days, and most of them on trains into the Jungfrau region. All 16 things to do, with 2026 railway fares, the free guest card and which seasons things close.
Things to Do in Newcastle: A 2-Day Weekend Itinerary
A weekend in Newcastle upon Tyne splits into two days: the Quayside, BALTIC and the Ouseburn Valley on day one, then Grainger Town and the city centre on day two. Here is the full itinerary, with every venue re-checked in 2026.
The Best Places for Tea in London: Tea Rooms and Afternoon Tea
The best places for tea in London split into three kinds: tea shops selling leaf by the tin, hotels serving a full afternoon tea, and small independent tea rooms doing a good pot and a cream tea without the ceremony.
Trip to England Guide: Planning, Regions, Costs and Packing
Planning a trip to England means choosing among its 9 regions, sorting your entry paperwork, deciding between trains and a hire car, and packing for weather that does not commit to anything. Here is what each of those decisions costs.
Things to Do in Tynemouth: 10 Stops on a Day Trip from Newcastle
Tynemouth is half an hour from Newcastle on the Metro and one day covers it. Plan around the priory on the headland, the weekend market inside the railway station and Longsands beach. The pier is currently closed.
Fort Liefkenshoek Beveren: Free Entry, Hours and Parking
Fort Liefkenshoek is a 16th-century star fort on the Scheldt at Kallo, and entry, the experience centre and the escape room are all free. It opens Wednesday to Sunday from 9.30am to 5pm, closes Monday and Tuesday, and parking on site costs nothing.
12 Things to Do in Hyde Park London, and What Is Nearby
Hyde Park's 12 best things to do run from Speakers' Corner and the Serpentine Lido to the Albert Memorial and Winter Wonderland, and almost all of them are free. The gates open at 5am and close at midnight, and Kensington Palace is at the far end.
15 Things to Do in Paddington, London (Near the Station)
Paddington in west London has Paddington Bear's statue, the canals of Little Venice, two moving bridges and the free museum where penicillin was discovered. Here are 15 things to do, all within walking distance of the station.
Boardmasters Festival Newquay 2027: Dates, Tickets and Tips
Boardmasters 2027 runs from Wednesday 4 to Sunday 8 August 2027 at Watergate Bay near Newquay, with the free surf and skate programme at Fistral Beach. Entry tickets start at £233 and camping at £259, and this guide covers the dates, tickets, camping, travel and what to pack.
Things to Do in Cardiff, Wales: 10 Picks for One Day
Cardiff splits into two centres 20 minutes apart: the castle, arcades and museums by Cardiff Central, and the Senedd, arts centre and water at Cardiff Bay. Here are 10 things to do, with current prices and opening hours.
18 Hotels in Porto With a Pool: Indoor and Outdoor
Porto has 18 hotels with a swimming pool, and the split that matters is indoor versus outdoor: most run an indoor spa pool all year, while the seasonal outdoor pools open only from May to October.
Douro River Boat Trips From Pinhão and the Anima Durius Cruise
Pinhão is where you get on the water in the Douro valley, and Anima Durius runs the small private boats from its quay. What the one-hour trip is like, what else they run, and how to reach Pinhão from Porto.
Arc’teryx Sabria Pants for Women: Review, Fit and Successor
The Arc'teryx Sabria pants are light four-way-stretch hiking trousers with UPF 50+ protection, a trim women's cut and thigh pockets too small for a phone. Arc'teryx discontinued them in 2022, and the Gamma Pant replaced them.
Arc’teryx Patera Parka Review: Warmth, Weight and the Price
The Arc'teryx Patera Parka is a knee-length GORE-TEX down parka, genuinely waterproof and windproof and warm enough for Iceland in February. Arc'teryx now lists it at $800, up from the $649 it cost when it was tested.
Loch Ness Cruises and Urquhart Castle from Inverness
A Loch Ness cruise from Inverness runs 50 minutes to 4 hours and costs £21 to £54, but only the Freedom and Temptation sailings land at Urquhart Castle. Here are the current fares, the castle's timed-entry tickets and how to reach each pier.
60 Interesting Facts About Germany, All Fact-Checked
Germany is the European Union's most populous country and the birthplace of the printing press, the clarinet and the gummy bear. Here are 60 interesting facts about Germany, each rechecked against a named source.
Antwerp Travel Guide: What to See, Eat and Where to Stay
Antwerp is Belgium's second city and its port, and two days covers it: the Gothic cathedral, the Plantin-Moretus printing house, the MAS, KMSKA and the diamond district. Here is what to see, eat, book and how to get there.
27 Interesting Facts About Brussels, Fact-Checked
Brussels has 27 facts worth knowing, from a bilingual region of 1.25 million people to a Manneken Pis that is a replica, a palace bigger than St Peter's, and a car-free Sunday every September.
45 Fun Facts About Belgium, Checked and Corrected
Belgium has 45 facts worth knowing, from a 541-day record without a government and 16 UNESCO sites to 800,000 tonnes of chocolate a year and a highest point that needed a staircase to reach 700 m.
Qantas Premium Economy Review: Seat Maps, Fees, Baggage
Qantas Premium Economy is 38 in (96.5 cm) of pitch, free seat selection and no lounge, on three different seats. Here is the A380, 787-9 and A330-300Y cabin by cabin, with the rows to ask for, the baggage rules and what it costs.
South Africa Travel Guide: Facts, Provinces and Planning
A practical South Africa travel guide: the 9 provinces and their capitals, entry rules and the new ETA, how to get around, what to pack by season, when to go for beaches, safaris or whales, and what to know about safety, money and tipping.
Robben Island Tour from Cape Town: Tickets, Times and Review
Robben Island tours are run only by the Robben Island Museum, leave from the V&A Waterfront and cost R600 for a non-South African adult in 2026. Here are the ferry times, the weather rules and an honest review of the tour.
Kaudulla National Park Safari: Elephants, Fees and Timing
Kaudulla National Park is where Sri Lanka's elephant Gathering moves once Minneriya floods, usually October to January. Here are the 2026 entrance fees, how jeep hire around Habarana works and when the herds are actually there.
4 Days in Cape Town: A Day-by-Day Itinerary With 2026 Prices
A day-by-day 4-day Cape Town itinerary covering the V&A Waterfront, Bo-Kaap, Kirstenbosch, Table Mountain, Robben Island and the Cape Peninsula, with what every paid attraction costs in 2026.
Table Mountain, Cape Town: Tickets, Hours and Hiking Routes
Table Mountain, not Table Top Mountain, is Cape Town's flat-topped landmark, reached by rotating cable car or on foot up Platteklip Gorge. Here are the 2026 fares, the seasonal cableway hours, the walks on the plateau and how to get to the lower station.
Boulders Beach or Betty’s Bay: South Africa’s Penguin Colonies
Boulders Beach at Simon's Town and Stony Point at Betty's Bay are South Africa's two visitable African penguin colonies. Here are the 2026 entry fees, opening hours, the cashless rule that caught us out and when the moult changes what you see.
Berlin WelcomeCard: Current Prices, Zones & Worth It?
The Berlin WelcomeCard combines public transport with 25-50% off 170+ attractions. Pick zone ABC, not AB, if you're flying into BER airport or visiting Potsdam, since AB cannot be extended to cover them.
Cape Town to Cape Point: A Complete Self-Drive Guide
Cape Point sits inside Table Mountain National Park, so a SANParks conservation fee and the Flying Dutchman Funicular are priced separately. This guide covers both current fees plus the self-drive route from Cape Town.
15-Day South Africa Itinerary: Cape Town and the Garden Route
Our exact 15-day South Africa itinerary: a loop from Cape Town along the whale coast and Route 62 to a Garden Route safari and back, with where we stayed, what went wrong and 2026 park fees.
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