Photo credit: lyng883

Perhaps one of the most famous landmarks in Copenhagen, the Little Mermaid statue sits on a rock in the Copenhagen harbour and honours one of the city’s most renowned residents, author and poet Hans Christian Andersen.  Though I was surprised by the small size of the statue when I first visited, it has become such an icon of Danish culture and history, that I feel it was definitely worth a visit.

Photo credit: B a m s h a d

As Copenhagen is a very pedestrian city, take advantage of some spare time and stroll along the waterfront area to take in the brightly coloured buildings lining the water.  Though its quite touristy, sometimes popping into a café or sitting on an outdoor terrace here will fulfil your people-watching desires and make you realise you’re actually in Copenhagen!  Whilst strolling, don’t miss the National Museum (Nationalmuseet) which houses a huge, authentic Viking ship that has been rebuilt and sits massively in the centre of an exhibit hall.  Seeing this glimpse of the Viking culture of Denmark’s past and enjoying some of the other prehistoric artefacts and treasures in the museum was one of the highlights of my trip.

Photo credit: Stig Nygaard

If you’re looking for a bit more fast-paced adventure and fun, head over to the Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen’s own famous amusement park located right in the centre of the city.  The most-visited park of its kind in Scandinavia, and the third-most visited throughout Europe, Tivoli Gardens includes whimsical architecture, tons of rides including a wooden roller coaster and the world’s tallest carousel and is a great place to spend a day, especially with children.

Photo credit: Double Feature

If you’ve got the time, head out of town to visit the gorgeous Kronborg castle on the far eastern tip of Denmark.  A UNSECO site and setting of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the Kronborg castle is so breathtaking, it makes you wonder why “something was rotten in the state of Denmark!”  Surrounded on all sides by water, and with Sweden just 4km across the sea, it’s easy to see how this was a strategic location for the Danes.  The castle is definitely worth a trip out of town and the gorgeous views from the location will not disappoint.

Do you want to see Copenhagen for yourself?  Fly from London from only £46 return, or from Manchester from only £73 on the last weekend of June.  It’s a fantastic city with tons to discover!

Photo credit: laura padgett

Any first-time visitor to D.C. will delight in seeing the various governmental buildings that have been made famous on both the news and films of all kinds.  Most of these buildings offer tours free of charge.  The most interesting in my opinion is the Capitol building where both houses of Congress are housed.  Check the American flags on either end of the building – if they are flying, it means that particular legislative body is in session.  When in session, the galleries of both the House and Senate are open to the public, free to visit and definitely worth seeing when debates are raging and the votes are being counted.

Photo credit: NCinDC

Another fantastic and free attraction is the series of Smithsonian museums lining the National Mall.  Whilst strolling the Mall can be an attraction in itself with the breathtaking views from the Lincoln Memorial all the way up to the Capitol building, some of the most interesting things can be spotted from the buildings dotting the sides of the National Mall, most a part of the Smithsonian Institution.  Stop into the National Museum of American History to see some interesting American artifcats, the Natural History Museum to check out some huge dinosaur skeletons up close, the relatively new National Museum of the American Indian for a glimpse of Native American history and culture or the widely popular National Air and Space museum to see some huge airplanes and space memorabilia.  Not only are these museums outstanding, but they are all free of charge, so you can spend as much or as little time as you’d like exploring their collections.

Photo credit: krossbow

Washington, D.C. is a small, walkable city that is comprised of a series of different and interesting neighbourhoods, which makes it quite interesting to explore on foot.  For a taste of international culture and nightlife, head to Adams Morgan.  Sample Ethiopian food, enjoy a happy hour or sit on a terrace to people watch…there are plenty of fun and diverse things to do and see in this part of the city.

Photo credit: patrickneilm

Georgetown is also a beautiful place for a stroll.  The historic centre of the city, Georgetown is right on the Potomac River and offers visitors plenty of shopping and dining options.  The narrow streets and terrace dining always remind me of a European city, or at least the closest you can get in the United States.

Would you like to take a trip to Washington, D.C. to see all these sites for yourself?  Flights from London to Washington, D.C. start from £343 return in June.

Photo credit: jandiano

Home to the largest traditional market or “souk” in Morocco, Marrakech offers visitors all kinds of sensory delights, from street performers to delicious restaurants.  The main square is located in the historical fortified medina quarter, like in many large North African cities. Medinas are generally free from automobile traffic and allow pedestrians to stroll about and enjoy the sights and the wares on display at the many different stalls in the area.

Photo credit: austinevan

The Djemaa el Fna is Marrakech’s medina and is frequented equally by locals and tourists.  A morning visit to this spot will reveal plenty of stalls selling orange juice, along with a handful of different types of street performers, catering to tourists.  You may be tempted to stop and take a photo with the snake charmers or to stop and watch the boys with their trained monkeys.  All this just adds to the frenetic pace of this market inside the old city area of Marrakech.

Photo credit: geoftheref

Another popular thing to do in Marrakech is to participate in a cooking class.  There’s no shortage of fresh and colourful ingredients available and there are many different types of classes offered which combine traditional Souk cooking and teach visitors to use the local traditional spices to recreate the flavours they enjoy whilst in Marrakech.

Photo credit: OliverN5

Of course there are also plenty of different hammans and spas where weary travellers can pamper themselves and get ready to face the hustle and bustle of the markets and central Marrakech.  Les Bains de Marrakech comes highly recommended as a one-stop shop for all your spa and relaxation needs.

Want to see Marrakech for yourself?  Flights from London to Marrakech are reasonable this June and start at £72 return on Ryan Air.