The Kilkenny Observer Friday 13 August 2021
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Travel & Leisure
5 for the sightseer in Paris The Louvre: once Paris’ second Royal Palace and now home to 38,000 artifacts of prehistory and innumerable artworks
5. NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL The Île de la Cité is in the heart of the city and is the original point of the settlement of Paris. In Roman times it used to have a palace but today it is most famous for being the site of the incredible Notre Dame de Paris cathedral. Notre Dame’s construction began back in the 10th century and was the site of the coronation of Napoleon as Emperor. This is one of France’s most iconic and greatest landmarks
and a must-see. Currently, however, it is closed due to extensive damage from the 2019 fire that gutted the building. It is set to reopen just before the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. 4. LE LOUVRE / PALAIS ROYAL A short walk from Notre Dame is the Le Louvre, together with the Smithsonian Museums and London’s Natural History and London Museum must be one of the most famous in the world. It was once Paris’ second Royal
Palace and now it is home to 38,000 artifacts of prehistory and innumerable artworks. Despite the Covid pandemic was still the world’s most visited art museum in 2020. Perhaps its most notable exhibit is the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci.
ary and Napoleonic Wars. It has the names of various French victories and the generals inscribed on it. Additionally, it also commemorates the destructive World War I with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier underneath it (WWI was particularly devastating for France.).
3 . ARC DE TRIOMPHE The Arc de Triomphe is also one of Paris’s most iconic landmarks. The monument is to honour those soldiers who fought and died in the French Revolution-
2. ÎLE SAINTLOUIS The Île Saint-Louis is the other natural island in the heart of Paris. It is around 11 hectares in area and is connected to the mainland and to the other isle of
Icelandic hotel offering a free stay - snap it up!
CALLING all photographers with a sense of adventure—Hotel Rangá in Iceland is offering a unique opportunity. The hotel is looking for a “light catcher,” aka a photographer who can capture the area’s breathtaking Northern Lights. In return for their images, the chosen applicant will receive free flights to and from Iceland, accommodation at the hotel for an entire month, and access to its stargazing observatory and
hot tubs. Hotel Rangá (pictured) is located in the countryside of South Iceland, between the villages of Hella and Hvolsvöllur. The property boasts picturesque views of Eystri Rangá, the salmon river, the famous volcano Mt. Hekla, several glaciers, and the Westman Islands. The hotel is also the ideal location for viewing the Northern Lights, which are best captured from September to March.
If you’re eager to explore Iceland’s stunning landscapes with your camera, Hotel Rangá seems like the perfect base. The chosen photographer will also have the option to visit The Highland Center Hrauneyjar, Hotel Rangá’s sister property, located in the uninhabited Iceland highlands. For those interested in the opportunity, the hotel asks that you are available for at least three weeks during the Northern
Lights season (mid-September to mid-March). During this time, you’ll be tasked with taking highquality photos and videos of the Northern Lights. Hotel Rangá will have unlimited license to the material, which will be used for promotional material in print and online. If you’re not a professional photographer, Hotel Rangá also invites aspiring photographers to apply. You can find out more and apply on their website.
Île Saint-Louis (that has Notre Dame Cathedral) by four different bridges. This whole island has been carefully planned and set out. The architecture on this isle and the surrounding area offer some of the best of Paris’s architecture. This area is full of quaint restaurants and boutique shops. 1 . LES INVALIDES Les Invalides is a complex of buildings in the heart of Paris and contains museums and monuments all about the
military history of France. This complex also contains some of Paris’s oldest buildings. The Royal Chapel here is called the Dôme des Invalides and is the tallest church building in all of Paris. It no longer serves as a chapel but as a shrine to some of France’s most notable military figures from history. Most notably the tomb of Napoleon is located here (Napoleon was exiled to St Helena in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean where he died, later his remains were returned to France).
Ryanair launches its Knock to Malaga flight MAYO”S Ireland West Airport has welcomed the announcement by Ryanair of a new weekly service this winter to Malaga in sunny Costa Del Sol. The Malaga service, which currently operates during the summer season, will now continue throughout the year with Gights operating every Saturday throughout the winter for the Hrst time. Malaga is the gateway to the popular Costa Del Sol region which stretches for just over 150 kilometres, stretching from Almeria to Tarifa and has a huge range of facilities and attractions with miles of golden sandy beaches and a year round warm climate which sees holidaymakers returning year after year. The Costa Del Sol is within easy reach of a host of resorts such as Benalmadena, Fuengirola, Marbella, Nerja and Torremolinos. The route announcement is the fourth positive route announcement by
Ryanair in recent months, following the airlines announcement of brandnew services to Edinburgh and Manchester, which start in September, and the announcement of a new twice weekly winter service to Milan in Italy, meaning Ryanair will now offer passengers a choice of 12 destinations across the UK and Europe to and from the airport in 2021. Joe Gilmore, Managing Director, Ireland West Airport, said: “We welcome yet another very positive announcement by Ryanair of a new winter service to Malaga, which will provide the People of the West and North West of Ireland with year round access to one of Europe’s most popular sun destinations.” For further airport information log onto www.irelandwestairport. com; and for information on fares and to book Gights to Malaga visit www.ryanair.com or book with your local travel agent.
