An Amsterdam canal with boats and historic waterfront buildings — Photo: Airam Dato-on / Pexels

TRAVEL NOTES

The details make the difference.

Planning a city break or a day at a famous sight? Find advice on getting around, what to bring and the details worth checking before you go.

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The yellow wooden building at Mere puiestee 14 in Pärnu, photographed with its former Villa Katariina sign

Neighbourhood walks · Pärnu

Pärnu’s resort architecture: Mere puiestee, villas and the shore

Use Mere puiestee and the resort district for a walk between wooden façades, Villa Ammende and the beach buildings. The photograph shows the former Villa Katariina signage; the address now has a different operator.

The four illuminated towers and long arcaded façade of Pécs Cathedral at twilight

Local sights · Pécs

Pécs Cathedral or Cella Septichora: choose your heritage visit

The Cathedral and Roman burial chambers sit in the same part of Pécs, but offer different experiences. Choose religious art above ground or early Christian archaeology below it, then add a second visit only if time allows.

The dome of Gázi Kászim Pasha’s former mosque above Széchenyi Square in Pécs at night

First visit · Pécs

A first Pécs weekend: old town, burial chambers and Zsolnay

Keep the first day in the old town and use the second for ceramics in the former factory quarter. Choose one paid heritage visit at a time and leave room for a café pause.

The Postal Palace in Pécs with POSTA lettering and a colourful tiled roof above its ornate façade

Neighbourhood walks · Pécs

Pécs façades: Király Street, the theatre and Postal Palace

Follow a central route for architecture rather than a string of admission queues. Compare theatre ornament, hotel details and the Postal Palace roof, with optional interiors treated separately.

Pécs TV Tower illuminated on Misina above the city lights at night

Local sights · Pécs

Pécs TV Tower: a clear-weather Misina outing or an indoor alternative

Make the TV Tower a deliberate hill trip when visibility is good. Separate lookout admission from a restaurant booking and keep an indoor Pécs option for poor weather.

The decorated Cifra brick chimney in the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter’s Pirogránit courtyard in Pécs

Local sights · Pécs

Zsolnay Quarter: courtyards, ceramics and the right ticket

Give Pécs’s former ceramics factory a focused half-day. Begin with the courtyard architecture, then choose one exhibition that explains the objects or the people behind them.

Indiana pavilion and beachgoers on the sand at Cottesloe Beach

Coast & beaches · Perth

Cottesloe: pavilion views, a beach walk and John Street Café

Give Cottesloe enough time for the journey west, a look along the oceanfront and a proper café break. You can enjoy the pavilion, pines and promenade without making swimming the purpose of the day.

Elizabeth Quay’s inlet, ferry landing and Spanda sculpture beneath Perth’s towers

Walking route · Perth

Elizabeth Quay: bridge views, the Bell Tower and a riverside lunch

Elizabeth Quay is a good place to see how Perth meets the Swan River without committing to a long walk. Circle the inlet, look back from the bridge and keep a tower visit or river cruise as a separate choice.

Spanda sculpture and Perth’s central towers at Elizabeth Quay

First visit · Perth

A first weekend in Perth: gardens, river views and Cottesloe

Give Perth’s hilltop gardens, central streets and oceanfront their own space over two days. This plan keeps nearby sights together and makes the beach a flexible outing rather than a race across the city.

Perth’s central towers seen from Kings Park

Parks & gardens · Perth

Kings Park: Fraser Avenue, botanic paths and city views

Start with Perth’s river panorama, then give the Western Australian Botanic Garden a slower look. A short precinct visit and a longer treetop walk are different outings, so choose the one that fits the weather and your energy.