City Go

Mdina was founded by the Phoenicians, in the 8th century BC, and later occupied by the Romans. The city was defended by walls since the beginning but very few remains from this period have survived. The present walls started taking shape sometime after the fall of the Western Roman Empire when, for defensive purposes, a retrenchment was built within the city, reducing it to its present size. In 870 the city was conquered by the Arabs, who killed its population and destroyed its fortress, leaving Mdina uninhabited for almost two centuries. The city was resettled in the mid 11th century and the walls were rebuilt. However, these didn't prevent the city from being conquered by Roger I of Sicily in 1230. During the Middle Ages, the walls were built and rebuilt several times and by the 15th century, most of Mdina's enceinte had a system of double walls which were reinforced out of fear of an Ottoman attack. Despite all the improvements, by the 16th century, the walls were consi...

The park, initially known as Liberty Park, is named after King Edward VII of England who visited Lisbon in 1903 to strengthen the five centuries old Anglo-Portuguese alliance. It is the largest park in central Lisbon and it was designed by architect Keil do Amaral. The park was built on a hill, stretching from Marques de Pombal square to a belvedere at the top with magnificent views of Lisbon's downtown, the castle and river Tagus.  At the top, there's a monument to commemorate the April 25th Revolution, inaugurated in 1997. There's also a flagpole with the largest Portuguese flag in the world. On one of the sides of the park, there's a greenhouse filled with exotic species from tropical climates, ponds and statues. On the opposite side is the ornately tiled sports pavilion named after Carlos Lopes, the Portuguese marathonist who won the golden Olympic medal in Los  Angeles 1984. The park is the venue of a number of important events, such as the Ann...

The Jardin des Plantes originates from 1626 when it was called Jardin du Roi but it wasn't until 1635 that King Louis XIII physicist turned it into a medicinal herb garden. It opened to the public in 1640. Almost 100 years later, in 1739, the maze was created by order of the curator at the time, Count de Buffon. The maze has a summer house pavilion in the centre, the oldest metallic building in the world, predating the Eiffel Tower by 100 years. However, as a maze, it leaves much to be desired. The gardens include four main exhibition structures: the Menagerie , moved from Versailles in 1792, the Gallery of Mineralogy and Geology opened in 1837, the Gallery of Evolution , inaugurated in 1889 and the Gallery of Comparative Anatomy , inaugurated in 1897. It currently also includes an Alpine garden and a Rose garden. Opening hours : 8 am to 6.30 pm (5.30 pm Nov.-Jan.) Entrance free How to go : Jussieu or Gare Austerlitz metro stations Nearby : Les Arènes de Lutèce...

The Zoo in the Jardin des Plantes was inaugurated in 1794, the second oldest in the world. All the Ménagerie buildings are classified as historical monuments since 1993. It was moved from Versailles after a 1793 National Assembly decision dictated that all exotic animals in private hands should be donated to the Ménagerie of Versailles or killed and stuffed. Although it doesn't have very large animals like elephants, the menagerie includes 200 species of animals, a third of which are threatened with extinction. Opening hours: 9h-17h30 (17h from Nov. to Jan.) Entrance fee: €13 How to go:  Jussieu or Gare Austerlitz metro stations

The archaeological area of Moreria includes the remains of an old Merida neighbourhood, showing the urbanistic evolution from the Roman times to the Islamic period, when people chose to stay protected by the Alcazaba, a few meters away, and moved. This area includes remains of the Roman walls, a gate, a Roman road, a noble house (Casa de los Marmoles) a cemetery and several modest houses. Opening hours: 9.30 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to 7.30 pm (6.30 pm 25th Oct. to Mar.) Entrance fee: €3 (the best option is to buy the combined ticket for €12, which gives access to all the main monuments) Back to Merida

The square has been used as a marketplace since 958, with weekly markets since 985. Currently, the market takes place on Wednesday mornings and it's possible to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and cheeses. It opens from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. It's also the venue of the Christmas market , in December. The most prominent building in the square is the Belfry and the Cloth Hall, while the oldest house is the 15th-century Bouckhoute house. The colourful houses, with restaurants and cafes, used to be guild houses. The Provinciaal Hof building, on the eastern side, built in the 19th century is relatively recent. Right beside it is located the multimedia experience "Historium", which lasts for about an hour. At the centre of the square are the statues of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, erected in 1887. They were the leaders of the "Bruges Matins/ Brugse Metten", a violent uprising against Phillip the Fair in 1302. Back to Bruges

This small museum is located in Santa Clara Church, originally Merida's Archaeological Museum, inaugurated in 1838. After major excavations begun in 1910, the Roman collection increased significantly and had to be moved to more appropriate quarters, remaining only the Visigothic collection in the church. This collection includes items from the 4th to the 8th centuries when Merida was under the Visigothic rule. It includes mainly architectural elements.  Opening hours: 9.30 am to 8 pm (6.30 pm Oct. to Mar.); Entrance fee: €3 Back to Merida