Month: August 2020

Santiago de Chile, Chile

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Santiago de Chile, capital of Chile, is crossed by the Mapocho River with the beautiful scenery of the Andes. Although these mountains provide a beautiful backdrop to the city, they also cause the development of pollution clouds especially in winter. It is a modern metropolis with several theaters, restaurants, shopping malls and universities. It also houses the Grande Torre Santiago (Great Tower) considered the greatest Latin American building. The city has the metro and there is also a motorway partly underground. Unfortunately, Chile is a seismic country and it always can have an earthquake.

Tips

Every day at 10:00 and at 15:00 there is a guided free tour of the city of about 4 hours. The appointment is at Plaza de Armas (Square of Arms). You must usually give a tip to the guide. If you want a beautiful view of Santiago, take the cable car and go to the San Cristobal’ Hill. A statue of the Virgin dominates the summit and there is also a zoo. There is another hill, Santa Lucia, in the center of the city where you could also have a good view if there is no pollution. At the Aviation Square you can see a set of water colors in the evening. Visit its old quarter Concha y Toro that is characterized for having paved streets with ancient houses that reflect the elegance and richness that prevailed in the early twentieth century.

 

Underground lake of Saint-Léonard, Switzerland

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The underground lake of Saint-Léonard is the largest underground lake in Europe, 300 m long and 29 m wide. It lies between the towns of Sion and Sierre, in Switzerland, in the Valais Alps. It was discovered in 1943 and operated since 1949. It is navigable and its water is constantly at 11° C. As the cave is completely submerged, all tours are done aboard rowing boats with around 40 people at a time. Inside the cave, there is the statue of Saint Barbara, patron saint of geologists. You can also enjoy the beauty of the vineyards which lie just outside, above the lake.

Tips

To make the visit, you must register online. It is possible from March, 19th to November 1st. The visit lasts half an hour in the company of a multilingual guide.

Children under 5 enter for free.

Occasionally there are acoustic concerts. You can find information on their official page.

If you usually feel the cold, bring a sweater or jacket because the temperature there is around 15 degrees.

Burano, Venice, Italy

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Burano is an island in the north of the lagoon of Venice, Italy, known for its lace and its canals lined with houses very colorful. It is not a city but a town in Venice, divided into six districts and consists of four islets: San Martino, San Mauro, Giudecca and Terranova; separated by three channels. The houses were painted with different colors by the fishermen to be able to recognize them more easily in the mist, since the fog in this region is rather dense; especially in winter. Burano counts only with a church, San Martino Church. There was a school of lace but it no longer works but it is a museum that presents beautiful pieces. Today, there are just a few women, lacemakers, who continue with this tradition.

Tips

If you are in Venice, you can take the vaporetto which will take you there in about fifty minutes. The same vaporetto passes through Murano and Mazorbo. There is also another line that connects Burano and Torcello in five minutes.

Consider that if you want to buy a piece really handmade by one of Burano’s lace-makers, you will have to pay for it. Everything you find cheaply comes from China or Hong Kong.