City Go

The Plaza Mayor in Trujillo is dominated by the 6.5-ton statue of Francisco Pizarro, erected in 1925.  The town of Trujillo grew by the castle and within the defensive walls. The place where the main square stands was originally out of the walls and uninhabited. In the 14th century the first houses started being built and in the 16th century, the site was turned into a Plaza surrounded by Renaissance buildings.  Trujillo was the hometown of the "conquistadores" Francisco Pizarro, Francisco de Orellana and Hernando de Alarcon, who after returning from the Americas built magnificent palaces close to the Plaza Mayor as a demonstration of wealth and power. In the Plaza there are a number of cafes and restaurants where you can rest and enjoy a drink or a meal.

The Mosque Yiali Tzami dominates the Chania Harbour. This was the first mosque built in Crete, after the Ottomans conquered Chania, in 1649. It was built on the site of a small church. The mosque was operative until 1923 when the last Muslims left Crete. The minaret was destroyed in the early 20th century. The mosque was actually named after Kuçuk Hassan Pasha, the first military governor of Chania, but is known as Yiali Tzami from the Turkish "Yali Tzamissi" meaning "mosque by the seaside". It is now used for temporary exhibitions. Back to Chania

The Old Harbour started operating during the Byzantine Period, sometime in the 10th century. However, it only truly flourished in the Venetian Period, particularly from the 14th century on, after the siltation problem was solved, a solution that still holds today. Following the 1571 siege by the Ottomans, in 1572 the Venetians started to expand and reinforce the existing harbour. The lighthouse was built during the Ottoman occupation, in the late 17th century. Today it's mainly fishing boats and yachts that dock here. Back to Rethymnon

The church of São João Evangelista (Saint John the Evangelist), also known as the church of São Bartolomeu (Saint Bartholomew), was built in the 17th century in the Baroque style, by order of the Dukes of Braganza- later the monarchs of Portugal- as the church of the Jesuit college. The church was never concluded as the Jesuits were expelled from Portugal in 1759. The facade of the church is covered in marble from the region.

The castle of Vila Viçosa was built in the 13th century by order of King D. Dinis. However, little remains of the original structure as it was rebuilt and remodelled several times through the centuries. It was donated to the Constable of Portugal, D. Nuno Álvares Pereira after he won the Battle of Aljubarrota (1385), which was determinant for Portugal's independence from Castile. D. Nuno and  the King of Portugal, D. João I established t he Dukedom of Bragança by giving  substantial dowries of land to their (to be married) daughter and son, including the castle of Vila Viçosa. The House of Bragança became one of the richest and most powerful Houses in the kingdom. However, the third Duke of Bragança was executed by King D. João II, who sought to weaken the power of the House of Bragança. Without any legitimate heirs, the King was succeeded by the Duke's brother, King D. Manuel I, who reinstated the Dukedom.  On his return from exile, the fourth Duke of Bra...

If you are easily impressed by embalmed animals this museum is not for you. The first time I saw a museum like this was in Bordeaux and it quite impressed me. Besides the embalmed animals the collection also includes African indigenous weapons and other artefacts and ceremonial weapons gifted to Prince Luis Filipe when he visited Angola and Mozambique in 1907. Opening hours:  Tue. 14h-17h (18h Jun. Sep.); Wed.-Sun. 10h to 13h and 14h to 17h  (18h Jun. Sep.) Entrance fee:  €3 (includes archaeological museum and castle)

The Rimondi fountain started being built in 1626, by order of Venetian governor Rimondi, on site of a much older one, believed to have existed since at least 1588. The fountain was built to address the severe water shortages, common to all Cretan towns at the time. The additions made during Turkish times either fell into decay or were destroyed by the local inhabitants. The fountain includes four Corinthian columns and spouts in the shape of lion's heads. Back to Rethymnon

The archaeological museum was inaugurated in 1999 to house the findings from excavations in the region, mainly from the Roman Period. The collection also includes materials resulting from the restoration of local patrimony. Opening hours: Tue. 14h-17h (18h Jun. Sep.); Wed.-Sun. 10h to 13h and 14h to 17h  (18h Jun. Sep.) Entrance fee: €3 (includes castle and hunting museum)

The Folk Museum was founded in 1978 by the Cultural Association of Eastern Crete. It displays traditional Cretan handicrafts in a model of a traditional Cretan house. It also includes books, manuscripts, old photos and paintings. This very small museum is located by lake Voulismeni, on the first floor of the Port Authority building, one of the oldest buildings in town. Opening hours: 10 am to 2 pm (the opening hours are unreliable, I passed by several times and only saw it opened at 4 pm for about one hour) Entrance fee: €3

Hersonissos or Chersonissos, officially known as Limenos Hersonissou (Port of Hersonissos) is a village 26km east of Heraklion and one of the main tourist resorts in Crete. Hersonissos dates back to Minoan times and following the destruction of the Minoan civilisation it continued to be inhabited. In Roman and early Byzantine times, Hersonissos was a major sea port. Remains from this period can be found in Kastri Hill, above the harbour. Other remains are still being dug. Later the city was continuously raided by pirates and the inhabitants had to move inland, to Ano Hersonissos (upper Hersonissos) and Hersonissos seaside fell into obscurity. By the 1900 census, there were only 133 inhabitants. It was only in the 1960s, after being discovered by tourism, that Limenos Hersonissou once again prospered. How to get there: There are KTEL buses from Heraklion and the airport, taking about 30 to 45 minutes ( official site , with more timetables). Points of interest: Agia Parask...

The Charterhouse of Valldemossa was built as a palace, at the beginning of the 14th century, by order of King Jaime II so that his son Sancho could find a relief for his asthma. With the end of the Majorcan dynasty, the palace fell into disuse and in 1399 King Martin I of Aragon donated the Palace to the Carthusians to be converted into a Charterhouse. In 1835 the religious orders were extinct in Spain and the Carthusians were forced to leave. The Charterhouse was bought by a private owner who remodelled it for a more comfortable use.  In 1838 the writer George Sand and composer-pianist Frederic Chopin spent the Winter there, in hope to improve Chopin's health. Not being married, the only place they were able to rent lodging was at the Carthusian Monastery. George Sand wrote "A Winter in Majorca" based on the time she spent there. The Charterhouse includes a cloister, a library, the Carthusians' old pharmacy, gardens and cells, including those where Chopin spe...