matt_b rated The Grand Museum (Giza)

matt_b rated The Sphinx

matt_b rated Yogamagic Ecotents

matt_b rated Whitepod eco-camp

matt_b rated Thaba-Metsi Adventure Farm

matt_b rated Patagonia Camp

matt_b rated Camping Domaine le Poteau

matt_b rated Camping Les Ormes

matt_b rated La Brouquere

matt_b rated Les Tilleuls Campsite

matt_b rated Tipis Indiens, Gedre

matt_b rated Le Brévedent

matt_b rated Airstream and Retro Trailer Park

matt_b reviewed Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland

Clan chieftain Cormac MacCarthy built the Blarney Castle over 600 years ago, adding the famous stone after supporting the Scots at Bannockburn in 1314. A grateful Robert the Bruce presented MacCarthy with the magical stone, which was added to the castle …"

matt_b reviewed Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Blarney may be the big tourist pull, but Carrickfergus is surely Ireland's most impressive castle - a real hulking presence on the ragged Ulster coastline, defying sieges by the Scots, Irish, English and French and remaining a working castle right up unt…"

matt_b reviewed Dover Castle in South East England, United Kingdom

Dover Castle is a real icon of England, with a history stretching back to Norman times and on up through to Henry VIII's turbulent private and public life. Visitors can enjoy various multi-media and interactive trickery, with a tour of the network of sec…"

matt_b reviewed Himeji Castle in Himeji, Japan

Himeji Castle, or the White Heron Castle as it's known, thanks to a nattily minimalist colour scheme, dates back to 1346, built by one Akamatsu Sadanori to defend himself from marauding shoguns. In 1577 it became a castle proper, thanks to the addition o…"

matt_b reviewed Caerlaverock in North West England, United Kingdom

"Caerlaverock Castle was built in 1280, coming under the ownership of the English in 1312, before the then owner switched sides to the Scots. Robert the Bruce then ordered the castle to be dismantled to keep it out of the hands of the English. Partly rebu…"

matt_b reviewed Stirling Castle in Scotland, United Kingdom

Stirling Castle sits high on top of an extinct volcano, rich in history (the eighth Earl of Douglas met a particularly sticky end here in 1452) and with a restored Great Hall ' all carved oak beams, lead windows ' and three-storey Royal Palace, it's wond…"

matt_b reviewed Craigmillar Castle in Edinburgh, United Kingdom

"Craigmillar Castle, just outside Edinburgh city centre, was constructed in the 1400s, was given a bit of a facelift by the English in the 1500s (before becoming the brief home of Mary Queen of Scots) and is now a well-preserved oasis, with shaded courtya…"

matt_b reviewed Tower of London in London, United Kingdom

The Tower of London, one of the city's great icons, has been an imposing fortress keeping both invaders and rowdy natives at bay since the early 1080s, when William the Conqueror ordered the construction of large fortifications on the Thames. The Jewel H…"

matt_b reviewed Caernarfon Castle in Wales, United Kingdom

Caernarfon was Edward I's attempt to recreate the imposing scale both of the walls of Constantinople and imperial Rome. Overlooking the River Seiont and the walled town of the same name, it's probably best known these days as the venue for the investitur…"

matt_b reviewed Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Edinburgh Castle dominates the city's skyline, sitting proudly at the end of the Royal Mile. A major tourist attraction (the castle houses the Scottish crown jewels), if you want a more solitary experience, take a wander up there at night to look out ove…"

matt_b reviewed Caerphilly Castle in Cardiff, United Kingdom

Caerphilly, the UK's second largest surviving castle (after Windsor), has been protecting lowland southern Wales since 1270. A huge (some 30 acres), sprawling, moody fortress, sat in rugged countryside and with a large moat, it remains an atmospheric, im…"

matt_b reviewed Windsor Castle in London, United Kingdom

An official residence of the Queen, Windsor Castle is the world's largest occupied castle. The royals have called this place home for over 900 years now, and visitors can catch a glimpse of the State Apartments, with paintings by Holbein, Rubens and Van …"

matt_b reviewed GR20 Walking Trail in Corsica, France

All around me there are granite peaks shaped like crumpled druids hats and below me lie thickly forested valleys and velvet mountain meadows... http://www.travelintelligence.net/php/articles/art.php?id=3263"

matt_b reviewed Castel Sant' Angelo in Rome, Italy

Rome's Castel Sant'Angelo is one of the Eternal City's most enduring monuments; a maze of architectural echoes from the Italian capital's dotted past. Begun in AD 123, overlooking the Tiber, it became a Medieval fortress and Renaissance safe haven for Po…"

matt_b reviewed La Granja de San Ildefonso in Segovia, Spain

La Granja de San Ildefonso sits at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama. King Felipe V's take on Versailles is suitably impressive, with cool gardens and French-Italian touches in the architecture. Still used for the odd Spanish royal shindig."

matt_b reviewed Kensington Palace in London, United Kingdom

Royal residence built in the 17thC, site of many famous births and deaths, including the death of King William in 1702 and the birth of Queen Victoria in 1819. Buildings by Christopher Wren, William Kent, Sir John Vanbrugh and others, with magnificent ga…"

matt_b reviewed Hampton Court Palace in London, United Kingdom

Impressive Royal palace, formerly the private palace of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. Extensive grounds and gardens hosting annual flower show, a magnificent Fountain Court by Christopher Wren, a famous maze and some fascinating tudor kitchens make it a must s…"

matt_b reviewed Heidelberg Castle in Mannheim, Germany

Heidelberg Castle, built by Prince Elector Ruprecht III in the 14th century, sits high above the town, surrounded by gardens and woodland. In the 1700s stones from the castle were used to construct houses in the town, until Count Charles de Graimberg ste…"

matt_b reviewed Leeds Castle in South East England, United Kingdom

Leeds Castle, confusingly near Maidstone rather than anywhere in West Yorkshire, was built in 857 and has been home to I, Henry V and Henry VIII. The Gloriette gatehouse, Tudor tower, country house and Culpeper garden are all full of atmosphere, while th…"

matt_b reviewed Lincoln Castle in Lincoln, United Kingdom

Lincoln was once England's third city ' back in Norman times ' and the town's castle, built in 1068, is a suitably impressive affair. A long-time court and jail, the ramparts were frequently used for public executions. Once home to William the Conqueror,…"

matt_b reviewed Tamworth Castle in Birmingham, United Kingdom

Tamworth is a classic Norman castle, complete with huge ditch, shell-shaped keep and flanking tower. A number of well-preserved Tudor and Jacobean buildings are nestled within the keep, including a banqueting hall. The 13th-century gatehouse is rumoured …"

matt_b reviewed Warwick Castle in Birmingham, United Kingdom

Warwick Castle, on the River Avon, has roots dating back to 914 and Alfred the Great's ongoing problems with pesky Danes. Generations of the Beauchamp family built the castle as we know it today, before it came under the ownership of the Earl of Warwick.…"

matt_b reviewed Rochester Castle in Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom

The castle at Rochester was constructed at the time of the Norman Conquest, built for King William Rufus in 1087, ideally placed for the odd raid on London. The impressive fortifications and keep are in classic Norman style, given an extra bit of bite du…"

matt_b reviewed Glamis Castle in Dundee, United Kingdom

Glamis Castle sat in the valley of Strathmore is, apparently, the most haunted castle in Scotland (Macbeth's Duncan was supposedly murdered here). A big favourite with generations of royals, it retains a deliciously posh air; all spires, turrets and towe…"

matt_b reviewed Brodick Castle in Scotland, United Kingdom

Brodick on the Isle of Arran is a fine red sandstone castle deep in the woods surrounding Goatfell Mountain, off Scotland's west coast. Ruggedly romantic (it was originally a Viking fortress), your best bet is to get there on foot (though there is a bus …"

matt_b reviewed Ashford Castle in West Coast Ireland, Ireland

Ashford Castle, perched on the shores of the Lough Corrib lake in County Mayo, dates from the 13th century, with a French-influenced chateau added in the 1700s. Once the residence of the Guinness family, who developed and cultivated the surrounding woodl…"

matt_b reviewed Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is Europe's largest Medieval castle, with a progression of invaders and regimes adding their own appendages, creating a rich complex of palaces, cathedrals and churches in the shadow of the main fortress' walls. It's political and democratic impor…"

matt_b reviewed Sforzesco Castle in Milan, Italy

Milan's Sforzesco Castle sits moody and magnificent in the centre of the Lombardian capital. Soldier of fortune Francesco Sforza began work on the battlements in the 14th century. After his death, a succession of patrons added aristocratic embellishments…"

matt_b reviewed The Reifenstein in Veneto-Dolomites, Italy

The Reifenstein, in the Italian South Tyrol town of Vipiteno, is probably Europe's best-preserved Medieval castle. Signora (or Frau) Blanc is the current owner, who takes visitors on a guided tour of her palatial home, regaling all with tales of unfortun…"

matt_b reviewed Royal Palace of Madrid in Madrid, Spain

The Royal Palace of Madrid remains the official residence of the King of Spain though not, strictly speaking, the royals' actual home. Used for ceremonies, the palace traces its lineage to the ninth century, though in its current guise, dates back to 173…"

matt_b reviewed Belmonte Castle in Castilla La Mancha, Spain

Don Juan Pacheco built Belmonte Castle at the top of San Cristobal as a perfect pentagon, with a large tower protecting the main gate. Two arcades lead to an impressive array of luxurious, regal rooms."

matt_b reviewed Alhambra in Granada, Spain

Granada's Alhambra is one of the great icons of European architecture, a sprawling complex of Moorish delights. There's been a castle here in one form or another since the ninth century (built by the Zyridians), but it's the Alcazaba fortress and watchto…"

matt_b reviewed Muiderslot Castle in Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Muiderslot Castle was originally built by one Count Floris V in 1280. When the Count was murdered by rebellious noblemen, the Bishop of Utrecht stormed the ramparts, gleefully reducing it to rubble. A new castle duly appeared on the same site in 1370…"