Walled Cities Around the World

While today’s modern cities certainly are graced by large
fortifications, since the first days of civilization walls have been built
around cities to protect citizens from outside invaders and attacks. In fact,
as early as the 8^th century BCE, the city of Jericho
in what is now the West Bank was protected by
a wall. For thousands of years following this time, when cities were often
ruled as city states and needed protection from their neighbors, walls and
fortifications were built to defend from potential aggressors.

In the Caribbean, walls
were built to fend off pirates. In Medieval Europe, they were used to protect
the city from Visigoths, Gauls, Franks or Huns. In China, walls were built to protect settlements
from Mongols and other warring factions.

While these walled cities served to protect the communities
they guarded from various threats, beyond their defensive utility, many walls
also had important symbolic functions – representing the status and
independence of the communities they embraced.

According to UNESCO, today there are more than 50 cities
around the world that have city walls which are still or almost complete. While
many city walls that once stood around cities have long been demolished in the
name of modernization, changing defense strategies and city growth, the walls
still stand in many old cities around the world.

Carcassonne,
France

Fairy tale-esque Carcassonne

Perched up on a hill, the walled old portion of this French medieval
walled city looks like something straight out of a fairy tale. You half expect
a giant, fire breathing dragon to appear from behind the ramparts that separate
the walled portion of the city from rest of modern day Carcassonne. Perched atop a hill and located
at a strategic location in southwestern France
on trade and migratory routes, Carcassonne
was fortified over centuries by Gauls, Romans, Visigoths Moors and Franks, who continued to build up
the walls of this city and which earned it a reputation of being an
impenetrable fortress.

One of the most popular attractions in France, this
unique walled city, which was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site in
1997, draws more than 3 million visitors annually. Carcassonne is encircled by a huge double row
of fortified walls that run almost 2 miles long and which are punctuated by 56
imposing towers.

Is your interest piqued? Read more about Visiting
Carcassonne.

Xi’an, China

Old walls, new city in Xi’an, China

A country known for a famous wall spanning a great length of
the country, the Chinese did not only build walls to keep out their Mongol
neighbors to the North. While Xi’an is probably
best known for the famous terra cotta army that can be found just outside of
the city, Xi’an
is also surrounded by a large and impressive wall.

One of the oldest cities in China
and an important cultural and sometimes political capital, Xi’an
(which was historically known as Chang’an) is considered one of the four great
ancient capitals of China
and has served as the capital city for some of the most important Chinese
dynasties.

Located at the terminus of the Silk Road, Xi’an has long been situated in an important
strategic location over the course of its more than 3,000 years of history as a
city. While the traditional name of this city meant "perpetual peace" in
Chinese, the city was fortified and protected from outside attacks during the
Han dynasty when the original wall (measuring 25 km in length and is 12-16
meters thick) was built, enclosing a large part of the city. Following several
years of unrest across China,
the Sui Dynasty took control, placing their capital at Xi’an-building the palace, imperial city and
civilian area all within the 84 square kilometers inside the walls-making it
the largest city in the world at the time.

Campeche, Mexico

Walls to keep out pirates in Campeche, Mexico

Located on the Yucatan
peninsula, Campeche was the first natural port
discovered by the Spaniards in Mexico.
The colonial settlement establish in the mid 16^th century was built
atop old Mayan ruins. One of the richest port cities in the America during the 16^th and 17^th
centuries, Campeche was a main target for
pirates that once trolled the Caribbean waters
in large numbers.

Because of frequent raids by pirates like the famous Francis
Drake and Henry Morgan, the walls surrounding Campeche were built the late 17^th
century in an effort to protect the city from pirates and buccaneers (though
not always successfully). A wall surrounding the city was built that measured
2,560 meters in length and formed an irregular hexagon with 8 defensive
bastions around the main parts of the city.

Today the city retains many of the old colonial Spanish city
walls and fortifications and the city was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage
site in 1999 for the preservation and quality of the architecture.

San Gimignano, Italy

‘San Gimignano dalle belle torri’ (San Gimignano with the beautiful towers)

Historically a stopping point for pilgrims on their way to
Rome and the Vatican, San Gimignano sits on the Road Francigena-the ancient road between Rome and Canterbury that
was an important Medieval Road and pilgrimage route. Because of its important
and strategic location along this route, the residents of San Gimignano enjoyed
great wealth and power and in 998 the suburbs were encircled with the first walled enclosure.

In a time when the cities and states of Italy
fought against one another, San Gimignano allied with nearby Florence and in 1207, the new town-walls (which today are
recognizable in the city center) were built incorporating the villages of S.Matteo and San Giovanni.
Three gates of these town-walls
still remain: the Arco Di Goro, Arco de Becci and of San Matteo.

Over the next few decades, the alliance
of San Gimignano with Florence
became stronger and during these years the city skyline of Saint
Gimignano was studded with numerous
towers-symbols and testimonies to the fortune of the families that
possessed them. Today the city is known throughout the world as. In the 13th century there 72 towers, but today only have 14 survived.

Today San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a
major tourist destination in Tuscany.

Taroudant,
Morocco

Walled oasis in the Moroccan desert

Nicknamed the "Grandmother of Marrakech," and surrounded by
high, red, earthy walls, Taroudant is a walled city located in the Sous Valley
in southern Morocco.
Situated on the road leading from Ouarzazte and Marrakech, Taroudant has long
been located at a strategic point along the Caravan route leading to and from
the Sahara desert to the Mediterranean coast
and capital city.

Unlike Marrakech, which also has walls enclosing parts of
the old city, almost all of Taroudant is located within the large, fortified
walls that surround the city. While the walls and famous mosque in Taroudant
were built during the city’s golden age during the Saadi Dynasty in the 16^th
century, Taroudant had flourished since the 11^th century thanks to
its producing gold and silver mines and was a major trading post in Africa.

Bruges, Belgium

Walls and canals in Bruges

Long situated at an important strategic location near on the
coastal region of Belgium,
fortifications around Bruges
were first built after Julius Cesar’s conquest of nearby Menapii during the
first century BCE . While the city changed hands of power several times
throughout the next centuries (from the Romans to the Franks to the Vikings),
the latest Viking invasions during the 9^th century prompted the
Count of Flanders to reinforce the first Roman fortifications protecting the
city.

After Bruges
received its city charter in the 12^th century, the city erected new
walls and canals around the city. After merchant fleets from Genoa
arrived in Bruges in 1277, Bruges
became the main link between northern European Flemish countries and the
Mediterranean, which flooded a huge amount of capital into the city-making Bruges an important
center of both trade and banking.

Over the following centuries, Bruges
became a key trading centre in north-west Europe,
exporting Flemish cloth all over the continent. The city expanded rapidly,
which necessitated the construction of a new circuit of walls in the early 14th
century. However, the first artillery defenses in Bruges were not built until the 16^th
century when a double line of earthwork bastions were built in place of the old
medieval walls.

While these walls successfully prevented William of Orange
from reclaiming Bruges from the Spanish in the 17^th century, Bruges’
walls were penetrated by the French during the War of Spanish Succession in a
surprise attack (French troops pretending to be deserters succeeded in
capturing one of the gates and they let in the rest of the French forces).

Avila, Spain

The impregnable walls at Avila, Spain

The highest provincial capital in Spain
at 3665 feet above sea level, Avila
is built on the flat summit of a rocky hill, which rises abruptly in the midst
of a brown, arid, treeless table-land, which gave the city an important strategic
location with long range vantage points from the top of the hill. Avila sits high on the hill, with mountains creating the
dramatic backdrop for the impregnable stone walls that surround and mark the
city of Avila.

Avila
is best known for its medieval city walls, which were first constructed in the
late 11^th century over previous Roman and Muslim efforts. The walls
are punctuated with 88 towers and nine gateways, which are still in excellent
repair. In fact, the wall stretching 2.5 km in length is one of the world’s
best preserved medieval defense parameters. Between the 12^th and 14^th
centuries, the Gothic cathedral at Avila
was built into and integrated into the city’s defenses and has the appearance
of a fortress.

Lahore, Pakistan

The gates into the old city of Lahore

Located near the Indian border and the Ravi
River, Lahore
is often called the cultural heart of Pakistan and is well known as being
at the center of Pakistani arts, film and academia. However, long before Lahore became the cultural center of Pakistan, it was important and
longstanding trade city.

Lahore
has had many names over its long history-including kacha kot, which means "mud
fort" and implies that the city was almost always surrounded by a wall of some
sort. Because of the often changing name, it is unsure when the fortifications
around the old city were first built, but it Lahore did experience several period in which
the mud fortifications were greatly expanded over the past several thousand
years.

Although many of the walls were destroyed and replaced by
gardens shortly after the British annexed the Punjab region in 1849, access to
the old walled city of Lahore is still gained by way of the 13 ancient gates (7
of which are still standing today).

While ancient walled cities like Avila
and Carcassonne have been restored and protected
over the years, the Punjab government is just
now trying to restore the Royal Trail, which stretches from the Akbari gate to
the Lahore Fort in an effort to gain status as a world heritage site.

York, England

Roman walls in York, England

Situated at the confluence of two major rivers in northern England and historically known as England’s "second city" and Capital of the
North, the city of York
has long been an important and strategic city since the Roman times. In fact,
the entire Roman Empire was governed from York
for two years and influential historical leaders like Constantine the Great and
others have been associated with the city over its long and tumultuous past.

The first stone fortifications at York were built under what is now the York
Minister and covered an area of 50 acres and housed more than 6,000 soldiers.
After the city was captured by the Vikings during the 9^th century
and used as a major river port and trade capital in northern Europe, William
the Conqueror immediately set to work at re-fortifying and protecting the
strategically located trade city.

William the Conqueror built two fortresses on mottes in the
city on either side of the river, which are still visible today. These walls
played an important role during the civil war in England
in 1644, when Parliamentarians besieged York
and many of the homes outside of the city’s protective walls were destroyed.

Baku, Azerbaijan

Cars now cross the gates into old walled Baku

The capital and largest city in Azerbaijan
on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, Baku
has a long history of conquests, take overs by outsiders and major destruction
caused by wars. Baku first became important
strategically in the 12^th century when an earthquake destroyed the
former capital of Azerbaijan,
Shamakhy, and Baku
was named the new capital.

The historical core of Baku,
which is a fortress marked by the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower,
is thought to have been first constructed as early as the 7^th
century. During the medieval ages in Baku,
the fortress walls and towers were built larger and stronger.

After 1806, when Baku
was conquered by the Russian Empire, the city wall were repaired and the
fortifications around the city were strengthened. Two gates gave access to the
city, whose walls had dozens of cannons protecting the citizens and the port
was reopened for trade with the reinforced fortifications in place.

While the inner city of Baku
was deemed the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Azerbaijan in 2000, three years
later, UNESCO placed the old city on its list of "World Heritage in Danger"
citing damage from a November 2000 earthquake, poor conservation as well as
"dubious" restoration efforts.

Rhodes, Greece

Medeival Europe on a Greek isle

Although the colossus of Rhodes (a giant bronze statue that
graced the city and is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world) is no
longer standing on this Greek island, the old medieval city in Rhodes is still classified as a UNESCO World Heritage and
remains a major draw fro millions of tourists every year. While Rhodes was important strategically as a trade port and
stop along Mediterranean sailing routes, it was not until later in the ancient
city’s history that the walls protecting the city were built and fortified.

In 1309 at the end of the Byzantine era, Rhodes became
occupied by the Knights of Hospitalier (who promptly renamed themselves the
Knights of Rhodes) and the city was rebuilt into a model of a European medieval
ideal.

The walls built during this era were successful in
protecting the city from attacks for hundreds of years, keeping the Egyptians
and others from taking over the city. However, despite the walls, Rhodes was
conquered by the growing Ottoman Empire in 1522 and the Knights of Rhodes and
their fellow Christians were forced to retreat to Sicily. For the next 4 centuries, the wall city
of Rhodes was
ruled by the Ottomans.

Today the old city of Rhodes
is not only a UNESCO World Heritage site, but is also known as one of the most
impressive historical sites in Greece.

About the Author

BootsnAll staff writer Julie Blakley first became intrigued by walled cities after a visit to Carcassonne with her family as a kid. When she’s not plotting her next adventure and working on crossing all the walled cities of the world off her "places to go list," she’s busy writing the France Travel Guide.

Photo Credits: Carcassonne, Xi’an, Campeche, San Gimignano, Taroudant, Bruges, Avila, Lahore, York, Baku, Rhodes

Source: bootsnall.com

One Size Does Not Fit All – Caribbean, Mexico

The old adage; “one size fits all” has never applied to traveling. Open up the travel section of the newspaper or plug in your favorite travel website, and you are bombarded with a plethora of ideas on where to go. From family getaways to a weekend romp, the simplicity of planning a vacation seems more complicated as the web gives you more and more choices. Add that to the state of our economy, making sure you choose the right vacation is as important as getting the best bargain.

Resorts that include everything have made a surge to the top of this vacationer’s list in recent years due to their convenience and pricing. A beach front paradise retreat nestled on long strips of sand and the bluest water is enough for any beachcomber style. Most beach lovers will go along merrily to a tropical spot on the map, but throw in the fact that your meals and that fruity drink with an umbrella in it is included, it might even tempt the semi-beach lover.

My “one size does not fit all” analogy applies perfectly to all-inclusive travel. The mere mention of “all-inclusive” may not include alcoholic drinks or dining in restaurants. Always double check the web site to see exactly what is part of the deal! Some may be for couples only, such as the famous Hedonism II – all you can eat, drink and do.

Other packages appeal to a mix of families, friends and couples. Most do a good job of separating the children and adult pools, kid friendly restaurants to gourmet dining. Couples who do not want to hear the pitter patter of little feet, do not have to. However, as the competition for the most cutting edge "kids club" is high, they are getting more creative and fun! For example, I learned about the Meliá Caribe Tropical where the entire kids club is set up like the land of the Flintstones! I wish this was around when I was a child.

The first step in finding the all-inclusive that fits your needs is to understand exactly what is and is not part of the price. There are different types. The difference between a 24-hour and an all-inclusive that does not claim to be 24/7 is your access to food and drinks. Also, the more deluxe the resort, the more restaurant choices you will have and the longer time spans. The less expensive ones are still a great experience, but expect more buffet style restaurants open at specific times.

Here are two examples of Deluxe 24/7 all inclusive deals that will not break the ban.

The Dominican Republic, specifically Punta Cana, is known for their all inclusive resorts and reasonable pricing. One in particular is the Ocean Blue Golf & Spa Beach Resort. It has everything you need to make your vacation as relaxing or as exciting as you want. To make this deal even sweeter, they are offering one child free (food, activities, etc), so you can take full advantage of all the food and activities you can handle – 24 hours a day! Enjoy a private Jacuzzi, a gorgeous beach and a wide variety of themed restaurants, all drinks included in the price.

Another resort in Punta Cana is the Majestic Colonial – a beach front exclusive and ideal facility for a great holiday. Enjoy six restaurants and nine bars – four nights with flight starting at $677.00.

If you are interested in golf before relaxing in your hammock, check out the Melia Cabo Real located in Los Cabos, Mexico, next door to the Robert Trent Jones II designed Cabo Real Championship Golf Course. The Melia Cabo Real puts a bit of a new twist on the all-inclusive genre. Stay at this luxurious resort for $115.00 per person and enjoy free unlimited golf! A round of golf followed by a refreshing dip in any of their pools might be exactly the vacation that any golfer would love. Unlimited breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks add to make this the perfect trip.

The list is immeasurable. You can find all of the best deals conveniently at dunhill vacation news. With a little homework, you’ll be able to grab your bag, hit the trail and wind up on the moon-lit bay that you have been dreaming about.

Source: bootsnall.com

8 Countries That Have Suddenly Become Cheap for Americans

So we all know the world economy stands on the frightening precipice that could lead to something much worse in the not too distant future, but finally there is some really good news for Americans who find themselves with a bit of time off (one way or another) and who have a bit of money available. After seeing our dollar become the punching bag of every other currency for the past couple years, out of nowhere it’s gained new strength as what many investors consider a “safe haven” in uncertain times.

Traveling to Europe has gotten reasonable again, and our traditional exchange-rate advantage with Canada is back to some degree, so those places are back in play for Americans. But the news is even better elsewhere, as quite a few countries that had become a bit pricey for us are suddenly bargains. The timing on quite a few of them is even better in that they are in the Southern Hemisphere so the next few months is the ideal time to visit anyway. There’s no telling just how long this will last, and things might even improve more for Americans in the short run, but for now these are some of the better places you should be considering.

Australia

Bondi Beach, Sydney

July, 2008 – AU$1.02 to US$1
November, 2008 – AU$1.50 to US$1

Costs for most things in Australia had gotten quite high for Americans during the past few years, and in mid 2008 things had really gotten out of hand, but suddenly the tables have turned and Oz now (barely) qualifies as a budget destination for Yanks. Budget hotel rooms in Sydney that would cost around US$90 can now be had for around US$60 per night, and nicer 2- and 3-star tourist hotels can now be yours for around US$80 per night, which is noticeably cheaper than most American cities that are nowhere near as nice as Sydney.

To make things even better, airfares have suddenly and mysteriously dropped as well. A roundtrip from Los Angeles to Sydney has been running a bit over $1,000 for many years now, but all of a sudden fares as low as $742 have appeared. Australia certainly isn’t as cheap as most of the others on this list, but if you’ve been wanting to go this is the perfect combination of events that should get you started, and of course their summer is fast approaching to make things even better.

Iceland

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

July, 2008 – 75 Icelandic Krona to US$1
November, 2008 – 120 Icelandic Krona to US$1 (unofficial, see explanation)

Iceland has notoriously been one of the most expensive places in the world for tourists, but due to its recent banking collapse it’s suddenly a bargain and many are now flocking in to take advantage of a situation that is still a bit up in the air. International trading of the Icelandic Krona has been suspended since October 6, so it’s a bit difficult to figure out exactly where things stand at the moment, but previous searches have shown that finding a hotel room in Reykjavik for under US$100 was virtually impossible, and now we are seeing one hotel on the outskirts of the city with rooms for US$19, and many more choices in the US$30 to US$50 range. Beers that were recently well over US$10 apiece in downtown bars are now reported to be in the US$4 range for those fortunate enough to be there now.

Flights from the east coast of the US are starting under $500 these days, and even though the days are short and getting shorter now, the winter weather isn’t nearly as harsh as most people expect, with average temperatures similar to those in New York City. The famous Blue Lagoon thermal pool is always warm, so now might be an ideal time to check out a country that has been on the ‘outrageous’ list for decades.

South Korea

Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul

July, 2008 – 998 Korean Won to US$1
November, 2008 – 1,260 Korean Won to US$1

South Korea has long held a spot somewhere between the insanity of Japanese prices and the affordability of its neighbors to the west in Asia, but now suddenly our money goes more than 25% further. The exchange rate briefly hit 1,467 just a week ago, which gave us an almost 50% bonus, so this one might go further in our direction again. This is a modern country, and its giant capital of Seoul has all the modern amenities that you could want, so budget hotel rooms under $40 and business-class rooms around $75 per night are real bargains.

Flights from Los Angeles can be had for around $830, and flights from New York are starting around $960 at the moment. Especially now, it’s fairly cheap once you get there, so if you can find a flight that works this might be the ideal time to see this country that is becoming more popular with globetrotters every year.

Argentina

9 de Julio Avenue, Buenos Aires

July, 2008 – 3.02 Argentine pesos to US$1
November, 2008 – 3.40 Argentine pesos to US$1

While the currency-rate shift hasn’t been quite so dramatic in Argentina, the important thing to know is that Argentina has been a major bargain for a while now, and it’s just gotten a bit better. The country artificially held its money at 1-to-1 with the USD for many years before a banking collapse led to the 2002 decision to let the peso fluctuate, which suddenly gave foreigners about a 70% discount on everything. Inflation since then has slowly chipped away at the advantage, but the country is still a huge bargain, and now even a bit cheaper.

Buenos Aires, sometimes called the Paris of Latin America, is considered one of the nicest cities in the world by its many fans, and comfortable hotel rooms with good locations aren’t difficult to find in the US$50 per night range, and an excellent steak dinner can be found starting well under US$10, with a bottle of quality local wine around US$6 at the same restaurant. Most of the rest of the country is even cheaper, and there are many highlights to explore once you leave the big city. Flights from New York and Miami start around $850 roundtrip, and around $950 roundtrip from Los Angeles.

New Zealand

Queenstown, New Zealand

July, 2008 – NZ$1.30 to US$1
November, 2008 – NZ$1.70 to US$1

New Zealand is “on the list” for nearly every serious traveler who hasn’t yet made it, and it’s hard to find anything but raving reviews from those who’ve visited before. It’s always been a bit cheaper than nearby Australia, and that trend continues, with both of them becoming weirdly affordable due to the strange exchange-rate movements of late. When you go it’s really not wise to linger in the largest city of Auckland, but a hotel there can now be found in the US$50 to US$60 price range on the budget end, and not too much more for something quite nice. Lakeside resorts in the South Island tourist haven of Queenstown are now starting around US$80 per night, but most every other tourist spot in the country is even cheaper.

The trick for visiting New Zealand is to rent a car or campervan, and get out into the gorgeous and varied scenery that covers both islands. With fuel prices coming back down, and cabins or campsites at the many holiday parks now cheaper than ever, the whole place is very reasonable once you get there. Just as with Australia, flight bargains have also appeared out of nowhere, and a roundtrip from Los Angeles can now be found for around US$750, though these bargain fares might be gone soon.

Brazil

Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro

July, 2008 – 1.55 Brazilian Real to US$1
November, 2008 – 2.17 Brazilian Real to US$1

There’s much more to this huge country than Rio de Janeiro and its famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, and Brazil has always been fairly affordable for Americans, at least once the plane ticket is paid for. But the currency had been gaining strength against the greenback for more than 4 years straight until the recent shift that has put the whole country solidly back into the “bargain” category. Hotels in Rio have never been all that cheap, but now you can find a good budget place in a good location in the US$50 to US$60 range again, and most all other expenses for food, drinks, entertainment, and attractions are all quite reasonable.

Of course, most of the rest of the country is even cheaper than Rio, so it’s wise to move around and take in other aspects of the country when you are flying so far in the first place. Flights from either Los Angeles or New York to Rio can be found in the $750 neighborhood these days, and of course it’s spring there now and their high season is approaching, so this could be a great winter getaway instead of Hawaii or the Caribbean.

Mexico

Cancun, Mexico

July, 2008 – 10 Mexican pesos to US$1
November, 2008 – 13 Mexican pesos to US$1

Mexico hasn’t suddenly become a bargain, as it’s pretty much lived on the bargain list all its life, but as you can see the USD now goes about 30% further than it did just a few months ago. The trick here is finding hotels that don’t already base their rates on US dollars, but either way prices that were reasonable before should be even lower now, and of course most of your expenses on food, drinks, entertainment, and souvenirs are now more affordable than they’ve been in at least 5 years. With winter approaching and so much worldwide economic uncertainty we’ll be looking for great specials at some of the more popular resorts that will probably find themselves with more empty rooms than they know what to do with.

Flights from the US to Mexico have also been traditionally reasonable, and nothing has changed there. You can fly roundtrip from either Los Angeles or New York to Mexico City or Cancun starting in the $300 to $350 price range, even as their high season approaches.

South Africa

Lion Sands Game Reserve

July, 2008 – 7.2 South African Rand to US$1
November, 2008 – 10 South African Rand to US$1

Never known for being especially cheap for Americans, South Africa has always lived on its reputation of great beaches, excellent nature reserves, safari parks, winery tours, golf resorts, and much more. But now it’s pretty cheap for Americans as well. The exchange rate has been lingering in the 6 to 7 Rand per USD range for many years now, so you can imagine how nice it must be when you are getting 10 Rand for every greenback. This is another Southern Hemisphere destination that is weirdly cheap at the perfect time of year for Americans looking for a new adventure. Nice hotels in Cape Town are starting in the US$60 to US$80 range now, and of course most of the rest of the country will come in below that.

Not surprisingly, the tricky part of visiting South Africa is the flights part. You’ll have to change planes at least once, probably in Senegal or in Europe, and the combination of flights will eat up around a full 24 hours, even if you get good connections. Right now flights from New York to Cape Town are starting around $1,100, and from Los Angeles around $1,300.

13 of the Weirdest Bars in the World

In the search for more unusual, out-of this-world travelling experiences, travellers are being lured to the ends of the earth to find the most eccentric, wacky and exciting activities, sights and venues. So if you’re fond of a tipple or two, you might want to try one of these bars. Their locations and gimmicks are sometimes enough to pique your interest, but add alcohol to the mix and you’re in for quite a fun time. Here are 13 of the world’s most strange, exciting and different watering holes that will leave you thirsty for more.

1. Clinic – Singapore

Many people don’t like visiting hospitals so this bar might be a little questionable in taste for some. Clinic is a hospital themed bar located within the shopping and entertainment district, Clarke Quay.

It’s not surprising that the architect of the bar was wacky artist Damien Hirst, famous for such works as the cow in formaldehyde. The pill shaped rooms are all interlinked and are designed to give a drug ‘trip’ effect. Guests can drink from test tubes and IV bags, sit in wheelchairs instead of sitting on bar stools, lie on hospital beds with white curtains, and boogie on the capsule-shaped dance floor in the nightclub, Morphine.

The restaurant is designed like an operating room where guests can dine sitting in gold wheelchairs and eating from kidney shaped steel trays. Yum, I just hope the food doesn’t taste like hospital food…

2. Absolut Icebar – Sweden

The very first bar to be made entirely of ice can be found in the small town of Jukkasjarvi in Sweden. Although novelty ice bars seem to be popping up everywhere these days, even in the baking hot Niger desert, the Absolut Icebar, within the Ice Hotel, is the original ice bar.

Guests don thermal capes and huddle together in freezing cold conditions surrounded by carefully-crafted ice sculptures. The Absolut vodka cocktails are served in ice glasses, just make sure you don’t get your lips stuck to them!

The ice is sourced from the Torne River in the village of Jukkasjarvi and the frosty bar is only open during the winter from December to April.

3. Red Sea Star Underwater Restaurant, Bar and Observatory – Israel

The world’s first underwater bar, the Red Sea Star, is submerged six meters below the Red Sea in Eilat. Each table has Plexiglass windows – two either side and one above – so that diners can admire the fish, coral, and other sea life from their dinner table. The décor is even marine-inspired with jellyfish stools, urchin cushions, and anemone lighting fixtures.

Before the Red Sea Star was built in 1998, the area on which it stands was a damaged seabed, but four years before it opened the Red Sea Star team started growing a coral nursery surrounding the reef to save and preserve what used to be an active and colourful coral reef.

4. Bojangles – Australia

In the town of Alice Springs in the red centre of Australia, backpackers and travellers on their way to visit Uluru will almost certainly end up at this curious bar.

Walk through the closely guarded saloon doors and you’ll be amazed at what you see – boots hanging from the ceilings, snakes in tanks, and a coffin with a suit of armour inside which says ‘How Much To Touch Ned’s Nuts?’ Pull out some peanuts and throw the shells on the floor, because at Bo’s anything goes.

Sounds like a quirky bar already, but wait – it gets better. If you go to the bathroom you might get a little surprise, for when you come to wash your hands, each tap turns on the water in a different sink!

5. DM Bar – Estonia

If you’re a huge fan and you just can’t get enough of Depeche Mode, this bar in the capital city of Estonia, Tallinn, is entirely devoted to the band.

It doesn’t seem the most obvious choice of band to dedicate a bar to, but the synth-poppers from Basildon in the UK are extremely popular anywhere east of Berlin. The bar’s walls are filled with Depeche Mode memorabilia and guess what’s on the playlist for the night? You guessed it, Depeche Mode songs.

Members of the band Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher have actually partied the night away in the bar which is sure to be one of the strangest hat tips to the band.

6. Hobbit House – Philippines

Hobbit House in the Philippines is based on the J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy, “Lord of The Rings,” and all the staff in the bar are friendly and charming dwarfs. The dark, smoke-filled bar offers around 100 different kinds of beer and is a great live music venue.

Opened 35 years ago, The Hobbit House has been around in Manila so long, it is a famous institution. The Iowa-born owner, Jim Turner, is an ex-Peace Corps volunteer who has rescued these dwarfs from the slums and streets of Manila and given them an honest place to work. He has given them new cultural identities and they are no longer shunned or avoided; they are respectable business people.

The bartenders are merry characters and entertainers who are up for a laugh and will happily pose with tourists for photos. The Hobbit House features possibly the world’s smallest Elvis impersonator, hobbit jugglers, comics, dancers, flame-eaters, and singers.

7. Baobab Bar – South Africa

Drinking a beer inside a tree? You wouldn’t think anyone would even fit, but you will inside this 6,000 year old Baobab tree.

The hollow 72-foot high tree offers a cool interior to step into from the heat outside and now has a bar, dart board and benches.

It was created in a Baobab tree in Sunland Farm in Limpopo to keep the thirsty locals happy and now thousands of tourists travel from miles around to have a pint in this interesting establishment.

The trunk has a 155-foot circumference and is wide enough to fit 40 people inside it. It even has its own cellar with natural ventilation to keep the beer cool!

The pub is owned by the van Heerdens, who decided to open a pub when they discovered a natural hollow in the tree in the 1980s. While clearing out the hollow centre of the tree trunk, the van Heerdens found historical evidence of Bushmen who may have once lived in the tree.

8. Das Klo Bar – Germany

One of the most bizarre drinking experiences ever, Klo Bar in Berlin is reputed to attract more tourists than Charlottenburg Castle and the Museum Island. Klo 1 and 2 no longer exist, but Klo 3, which started life on Christmas Day 1971, still does. Part flea market, part zoo, and part theme park, Das Klo (German for “the toilet”) is meant to evoke the inside of a toilet, but it ends up giving visitors the feel of stepping onto an Indiana Jones movie set.

Prepare to be shocked – expect red wine in blood transfusion packs, electric shocks from tables, rotating bar stools, a hammer that comes down unexpectedly, and a bird spider, boa constrictor and iguana. It’s an attack on the senses – upon entering Klo you’ll be sprinkled by water, spooked by skeletons and a gust of air might blow ladies’ skirts up. Lightning flashes across the rooms and there is a false ceiling of paper mâché rocks that fall in a giant avalanche every 10 minutes. A kilted figure in the ladies loo is booby-trapped so that whenever a lady lifts the kilt to see if he is going commando, a siren goes off in the bar.

Seating is a choice of coffins or toilet seats, the beer is served in new urine specimen bottles, and the food is sausages with sauerkraut fetchingly presented in huge enamel potties. Supposedly most of the owner’s ideas came to him sitting on the loo.

9. Skeleton Bar – Switzerland

This odd museum-bar was designed by Swiss man Hans Rudi Giger who worked as a designer on the Oscar-winning Alien movies. Giger designed the title character, the human-eating Alien monster, and won an Oscar for best special effects in 1980.

The bar in Gruyere, Switzerland, will remind you of the alien – or perhaps sitting inside a monster’s stomach, with its spinal chord-like skeleton decoration.

The creepy, horror movie-inspired bar is decorated with skeleton bones throughout, from the walls and chairs to the flower vases.

10. Floyd’s Pelican Bar – Jamaica

Floyds has to be the coolest bar in the Caribbean. Looking out from the shore at the dot on the horizon, your first reaction might be “is that really a bar?”

Perched on stilts on a sandbar, Floyds is made completely of driftwood and palm leaves. Bring a sharp object and you can carve your name in the floor. It looks like it might fall over, but it’s surprisingly sturdy.

Floyds sits about a mile off the south coast of Jamaica in Parottee Bay and local fisherman will take you out there. There’s nothing like a cold beer in the middle of the ocean, doing a bit of snorkelling and enjoying a fresh lobster meal prepared by Floyd himself. You might spot some pelicans and a few sting rays too.

11. Alux Restaurant & Lounge – Mexico

Alux, in Playa Del Carmen, is one of only two restaurants in the world inside a cavern.

The whole Yucatan peninsula in Mexico is riddled with an interconnected system of caverns and subterranean rivers and after years of planning and restoration, Alux restaurant and lounge was opened for the public to enjoy this natural environment with a drink in hand.

The Flintstones-like cavern has numerous chambers where you can lounge, drink, dine, and dance amongst the stalagmites and stalactites, which are lit up in shades of violet, blue and pink. Small, magical beings called ‘Aluxes’ are said to occupy these caverns, so look out for one as you dance the night away! It’s a drinking spot you mustn’t miss if you’re staying in Playa Del Carmen.

12. William Thornton Floating Bar & Restaurant – British Virgin Islands

The William Thornton is a steel 100-foot schooner with a restaurant and bar on board, moored at The Bight off Norman Island.

The Willy T, as it is affectionately known, began life in the 80s as a wooden Baltic vessel. But after the boat sprung a leak and sank at its anchorage, the owners, Annie and Mick Gardner, replaced it with the larger steel boat everyone knows today.

The William Thornton who the floating bar is named after was born in the British Virgin Islands and is the man behind the design of the United States Capitol building.

13. The Rock Bar – Bali

Perched 14 meters above the Indian Ocean, this open-top bar is literally served straight up on the rocks.

It’s a perfect place to sit and watch the sunset, sip cocktails and admire the view of the perfect Bali waves splashing against the rocks below. What makes it even more novel is the outdoor elevator which takes you down the cliff to the bar. Beware though, it only holds four so you might end up taking the stairs!

Live musicians play on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays so you can sit back and enjoy some tunes with a view. Located within the Ayana Resort & Spa in Jimbaran Bay, The Rock Bar will certainly leave a lasting impression and is Bali’s most chic sunset and after-dark destination.