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Sofia Cathedral, 1,000 years of history

In the old city centre of Kiev stands the St. Sofia Cathedral. This incredible building is one of the best known and most beautiful Ukrainian monuments and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Dating back to the 11th century, construction of the cathedral was commissioned by Yaroslav the Wise, the ruler of the Principality of Kiev at the time.

Arts & Culture

Mosaic of Mary in the St. Sofia Cathedral

Cemetery and museum

In the 11th century, the cathedral also served as a burial ground for the rulers of the Principality of Kiev. That is why in the 1980s, the government wanted to give the Cathedral back to the Russian Orthodox Church. However, various parties within the government disagreed with this decision and a compromise was reached to have the cathedral opened up to the public and transform it into a museum. In addition to the frescoes and mosaics, the old dining room also displays objects that were found during the archaeological excavations around the cathedral. Visitors may also view several scale models of the city during the period when the Tatars invaded Kiev.

Saved from destruction

Since its original construction, the cathedral has undergone many changes. The building has been damaged numerous times, especially in the 13th century when the Tatars conquered Kiev. During various restorations, new rooms were frequently added. Under the Soviet Union’s anti-religious policy in the 1930s, a plan was hatched to demolish the cathedral. However, after a storm of critique from historians and the French Government, the Russians reconsidered their decision. Today it seems impossible to imagine that this beautiful building was almost destroyed.

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Arts & Culture

Houston and Dallas may be bigger and more famous, but Austin is in fact the capital of Texas. It’s also the least Texan city in Texas. And the weirdest city in the country. This is something its residents take pride in, as evidenced by the Austin motto of Keep Austin Weird! Have a peek inside weird houses or admire a cathedral of junk in a city where there is even a museum devoted entirely to the weird and strange.

Nightlife

When it comes to music, you might be inclined to think New Orleans (jazz), Memphis (rock ‘n’ roll), Chicago (blues) or Nashville (country), but Austin is actually the music capital of the US. The city boasts over 250 music venues, more than any other American city. You can choose from countless live performances and a fantastic music festival every month, such as SXSW. Austin lives and breathes music.

Beach, Water sports, Nature

The airport in Liberia is the gateway to the Province of Guanacaste, the sunniest part of Costa Rica. Thanks to its large number of snow-white buildings and tree-lined streets made of white gravel, the city itself is also referred to as ‘la ciudad blanca’. But, let’s be honest, most visitors who arrive here are primarily interested in white sand. Only a half hour by car from the airport is the fantastic Pacific coast with beaches that are postcard perfect.

Nature

In the Rincón de la Vieja National Park, you can hike, swim in natural hot springs, picnic and camp. The park features a variety of ecosystems around nine craters and 32 rivers with spectacular waterfalls during the rainy season. The diversity of flora and fauna is amazing: look up and chances are you’ll see toucans, sloths and monkeys in the treetops.

Active & Outdoor

Old towns, stunning constructions and wonderful nature: admire all of this and more in THIS IS HOLLAND, a brand-new 5D movie attraction by the producers of De Nieuwe Wildernis (The New Wilderness). It is the perfect introduction to Holland for first-time visitors, but also an interesting surprise for Dutchies who think they know their country inside out. This is a magical 5D experience with smells, colours, images, sounds, rain and shine.

Culinary

Everyone in Sweden knows Småland as the nation’s culinary centre. The region’s cuisine goes above and beyond the famous meatballs: a Michelin-star restaurant serves innovative Swedish haute cuisine, coffee is elevated to an art, and you can visit a lovely castle and pretend to be Lord or Lady of the manor. Here are three suggestions for typically Swedish restaurants in the city of Växjö.

Arts & Culture

Älmhult is the birthplace of renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus and children’s books author Astrid Lindgren, however its most famous ‘offspring’ is IKEA. Life in this southern Swedish town evolves around the blue-and-yellow furniture giant: from the IKEA Hotel and IKEA Museum to the IKEA Bar and IKEA Spa. Welcome to the one and only IKEA Småland – meatballs and ball pit included.