Brilliant places you'd never know or visit..
Discussion
I've been inspired by a couple of recent threads. :idea:
It appears to me that there are hundreds, thousands of places that we should visit. Places that are off the beaten track and not to be found in shiny colour brochures.
A fantastic way to explore these places is in your car, roof off :driving: and preferably in fine weather. :thumbup: Mainly because they are not as easily accessable as 'touristy' places.
May I recommend:
[b]Nimes[/b] in Southern France.
I was fortunate to go on a free with work for some reason. What a fab place. It has the largest and best preserved amphitheaters in the world.
You wouldn't know that would ya? They also filmed part of the film 'Gladiator' inside it.
The surrounding countryside is typically S.French. Top place. Oh, and the restaurants with that Med. food. :lick:
Then there is [b]Toledo[/b] in central Spain.
If driving through Spain, to avoid Madrid you are likely to encounter this mega city. I think a few PH'ers have stumbled across it too.
So many ace places to go.
Where can [i]you[/i] recommend.
It appears to me that there are hundreds, thousands of places that we should visit. Places that are off the beaten track and not to be found in shiny colour brochures.
A fantastic way to explore these places is in your car, roof off :driving: and preferably in fine weather. :thumbup: Mainly because they are not as easily accessable as 'touristy' places.
May I recommend:
[b]Nimes[/b] in Southern France.
I was fortunate to go on a free with work for some reason. What a fab place. It has the largest and best preserved amphitheaters in the world.
You wouldn't know that would ya? They also filmed part of the film 'Gladiator' inside it.
The surrounding countryside is typically S.French. Top place. Oh, and the restaurants with that Med. food. :lick:
Then there is [b]Toledo[/b] in central Spain.
If driving through Spain, to avoid Madrid you are likely to encounter this mega city. I think a few PH'ers have stumbled across it too.
So many ace places to go.
Where can [i]you[/i] recommend.
Scotland north of the Great Glen, miles and miles of empty roads, amazing open landscape dotted with isloated mountains, not a GATSO in sight 
Stop your car, switch off the engine around sunset and all you'll here is the wind through the heather and grouse calling.
And at this time of year, in sunny weather stunning.
Stop your car, switch off the engine around sunset and all you'll here is the wind through the heather and grouse calling.
And at this time of year, in sunny weather stunning.
Picos de Europa in Northern Spain. A reasonable drive from Bilbao or Santander, get there on the Ferry, and you can stay at a perfectly good, and reasonably priced, Parador hotel right next to the cable car.
800 metres straight up from the hotel to the top.
The Walking is fabulous. The drive from the Picos over to Rioja involves mountain roads, incredible passes - two hours driving UP before coming down again.
Roof down. Wonderful.
Not the most obvious of places to go for driving holiday - and not famous like the Alps, Pyrenees or New Zealand's South Island. We actually went in July - when other parts of Spain are far too hot - due to the altitude it was fine! Not too busy, either. Great.
800 metres straight up from the hotel to the top.
The Walking is fabulous. The drive from the Picos over to Rioja involves mountain roads, incredible passes - two hours driving UP before coming down again.
Roof down. Wonderful.
Not the most obvious of places to go for driving holiday - and not famous like the Alps, Pyrenees or New Zealand's South Island. We actually went in July - when other parts of Spain are far too hot - due to the altitude it was fine! Not too busy, either. Great.
Don said:
Picos de Europa in Northern Spain. A reasonable drive from Bilbao or Santander, get there on the Ferry, and you can stay at a perfectly good, and reasonably priced, Parador hotel right next to the cable car.
I've been via Santander a few times. The mountains just South of Santander are pretty impressive.
Nimes is great.
On a similar theme, if you ever go to Rome, spend about 30 minutes in the Forum and then go and look at some proper Roman ruins. Leave the centre and travel out towards Ostia on the coast. Near there is Ostia Antica (obvious name, huh?) which is the old port of Rome. It is massive and has loads of great mosaics, intact forum, baths, fishmongers, taverns etc. It's amazing. Visit it.
On a similar theme, if you ever go to Rome, spend about 30 minutes in the Forum and then go and look at some proper Roman ruins. Leave the centre and travel out towards Ostia on the coast. Near there is Ostia Antica (obvious name, huh?) which is the old port of Rome. It is massive and has loads of great mosaics, intact forum, baths, fishmongers, taverns etc. It's amazing. Visit it.
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