Next month — Aug. 3-5Paderborn, Germany: 110.38 pounds round tripFly Air Berlin from London Stansted to Paderborn.
The Paderborn tourist office suggests starting a tour of the town at the ruins of Carolingian Royal Palace, where they say the town’s history begins. Behind the ruins stands the reconstructed Ottonian Royal Palace, now the Imperial Palace Museum, which houses such artifacts as drinking vessels and other household items used for great feasts within the original 11th-century palace.
From there, it is an easy trip to the 13th-century St. Liborius Cathedral. Visitors entering through the red door and taking the first door on the left can see the stained-glass window depicting three one-eared hares running in a circle, now a town emblem.
To the right of the cathedral is the Diocesan Museum. Housed in a striking glass building, this museum is dedicated to the religious artifacts of the city and its many churches and includes a shrine to St. Liborius, Paderborn’s patron saint.
The central area outside the cathedral and Diocesan Museum is the Market Square. A great place to enjoy a light snack and refreshment, the square is also home to the picture-worthy Neptune’s Fountain.
A very short distance outside of the square is the Renaissance-style town hall with impressive windows and arcades out front. The hall houses a small museum of natural history offering more insight into the local area’s past.
Not to be missed if time allows is the half-timbered Adam and Eve House, which, according to the tourist office, is the oldest remaining building of its type in the city. Inside, tourists can explore the Paderborn City History Museum displaying documents, furniture, paintings and antiques that tell the city’s story. Of particular interest is the exhibit about the rebuilding efforts after World War II.
Three months — Sept. 28-30Thessaloniki, Greece: 128.00 pounds round tripFly British Airways from London Gatwick to Thessaloniki.
The first stop for visitors to Thessaloniki should be the Greek National Tourism Organization office in Aristotelous Square to get the latest information on museum and gallery opening times as they are often irregular.
Travel along the promenade that runs in front of the square to the White Tower of Thessaloniki, home to the Museum of Byzantine Cultures. The museum contains many collections of sculptures, frescoes, coins, mosaics and glass. Don’t miss, the museum’s important exhibits, including a silk cloth woven with gold thread and a couple of amulets made of enamel and gold.
Another museum of interest is the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, which provides a story of Thessaloniki from prehistoric days through the Roman period. Look for the interesting exhibits of Roman mosaics and Hellenistic glass.
Art aficionados should visit the Church of Aghios Nicolaos (St. Nicholas) Orphanos with its well-preserved 14th-century frescoes. The frescoes include images from the Old and New Testaments as well as one of St. Nicholas.
The Macedonian Museum of Modern Art includes works by both Greek and international artists. Works to look for include the bronze sculpture “Man” and the painting “Erotiko.” If a tour of the museum leaves you desiring a piece of local work, visit one of the many galleries throughout the city.
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