User:Peterfitzgerald/Star articles

The proud few articles that have passed the rigorous nomination process to attain Star article status are the best travel guides Wikitravel has to offer. They essentially meet Wikitravel's criteria for perfection, and are at least competitive with the best of existing travel guides to the destination, and at best they exceed all competition. If you are an aspiring Wikitravel writer, you need look no further than these rigorously formatted articles to understand exactly what you should shoot for!

Star articles by geographical distribution

Asia East Asia Blessings of Peace, Chuo Park Hiroshima is an industrial city of wide boulevards and criss-crossing rivers, located along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea. Although many only know it for the horrific split second on August 6, 1945, when it became the site of the world's first atomic bomb attack, it is now a modern, cosmopolitan city with a lot of great food and nightlife. Southeast Asia Ulun Danu Temple on Lake Bratan Bali, the famed Island of the Gods, with its varied landscape of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic hillsides all providing a picturesque backdrop to its colourful, deeply spiritual and unique culture, stakes a serious claim to be paradise on earth. Dream Beach Nusa Lembongan, fast becoming one of Bali's most popular attractions, is an island paradise a world away from the hassle and hectic pace of South Bali. Neither hawkers nor traffic mar the magnificent scenery; this is a fine place to just put your feet up and relax. Main activities include surfing, diving and snorkeling. The water is some of the clearest you will find anywhere, and a vivid aqua blue in colour. Singapore's skyline Singapore is a city-state in Southeast Asia. Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, since independence it has become one of the world's most prosperous countries and sports the world's busiest port. Combining the skyscrapers and subways of a modern, affluent city with a medley of Chinese, Indian and Malay influences and a tropical climate, with tasty food, good shopping and a vibrant nightlife scene, this Garden City makes a great stopover or springboard into the region. Legong Dance Ubud is far removed from the drunken bikini scene in Kuta, and is regarded as the cultural centre of Bali. It is famous as an arts and crafts hub, and much of the town and nearby villages seems to consist of artists' workshops and galleries. There are some remarkable architectural sights, artistic gems to be found, and a general feeling of well being to be enjoyed, all thanks to the spirit, surroundings, and climate of the place. Europe The main settlement just after dawn on a summer day Berneray is an island in the Outer Hebrides (otherwise known as the Western Isles) off the west coast of Scotland. It is joined to the larger island of North Uist by a short double-track road causeway. Nyhavn Canal Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark and what a million Danes call home. This "friendly old girl of a town" is big enough to be a metropolis with shopping, culture and nightlife par excellence, yet still small enough to be intimate, safe and easy to navigate. Overlooking the Øresund strait with Sweden just minutes away, it is a cultural and geographic link between mainland Europe and Scandinavia. This is where old fairy tales blend with flashy new architecture and world-class design; where warm jazz mixes with cold electronica from Copenhagen's basements. Funky new architecture in the Ørestad Amager is a district and island southwest of central Copenhagen, covering some some 96 km² (37 mi²), and mostly notable as the home of Copenhagen Airport and the charming old fishing hamlet of Dragør. Long considered the backwaters of the city, this old working class district is now undergoing rapid development, contributing to some wonderful contrasts; from the huge uncultivated wetlands of Kalvebod Fælled, the ultra modern Ørestad development area, the laid back and impossibly picturesque Dragør fishing hamlet to the fiercely local patriotic public housing blocks on the northern part of the island. Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision Hilversum is a medium-sized city in the Gooi area of North-Holland, the Netherlands. Once called the Garden of Amsterdam, most travelers still come over to cycle and hike through the surrounding forests and heath. The city is also known for its modern architecture, with Dudok's Town Hall Hilversum being the most significant design. Lausanne's Cathedral as seen from the Grand Pont Lausanne, the capital of the Swiss canton of Vaud, is a medium sized city (around two thirds the size of Geneva) which sits at the northern most point of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). The city is the host to the International Olympic Committee and two major universities. It is also the transportation hub of Vaud, and a gateway to the alpine Canton of the Valais, home to some of the best known ski slopes in the world. The Kenwood House, on the Heath Hampstead is a lovely part of north-central London. The key sights are a wealth of under-stated historical attractions, and the magnificent open spaces of Hampstead Heath. Kenwood House is one of the most accessible of London's great Regency homes, John Keats has a museum devoted to his life and work at his former residence here, and the inspiration for many of John Constable's landscapes is all around you on Hampstead Heath. Combine those with some of the most interesting historical pubs in the whole city, and a vibrant restaurant and cafe scene, and Hampstead really does have much to offer the visitor. The Louvre The 1st arrondissement, the center of contemporary Paris and the site of such landmarks as the Louvre and of the Tuileries and Palais-Royal, is full of attractions for travelers of all inclinations, including some of the finest parks, museums, shops, and bars in the city. The 1st occupies the Right Bank of the River Seine and extends onto the western section of the Île de la Cité in the midst of the river. The courtyard of the Palace of the Sheki Khans Sheki is Azerbaijan's true travel gem, a small city off on the forested slopes of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. Rich in Islamic architecture, Silk Road history, good food, and friendly people, this is travel and leisure in the Caucasus at its finest. North America United States of America California The Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco is a major city in California, the centerpiece of the Bay Area, well-known for its liberal community, hilly terrain, Victorian architecture, scenic beauty, summer fog, and great ethnic and cultural diversity. These are only a few of the aspects of the city that make San Francisco one of the most visited cities in the world. City Lights Bookstore Chinatown-North Beach in San Francisco combines two adjoining neighbors, both of whom are among the city's most popular immigrant neighborhoods. Culturally and aesthetically, they could not be more different yet their streets mesh seamlessly together. Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall Civic Center-Tenderloin is an area of Downtown San Francisco. As the name implies, the Civic Center is the primary center of government within the city and many important civic institutions are housed here. Aside from its official duties, it also moonlights as a cultural center with many fine museums, theaters, opera houses, and symphony halls located here. Boats on the Wharf Fisherman's Wharf is San Francisco's most popular destination among travelers, with circa 12 million visitors flocking here each year. For over a century its historic waterfront was the hub of the city's fishing fleet and is still famous for the depth and variety of its harvest, as well as for having some of the best seafood restaurants in the city. Today, it's also renowned for its numerous tourist attractions such as museums, souvenir stores, historical buildings and piers, and scenic vistas over the Bay. The Golden Gate Bridge The Golden Gate area is in the northern section of San Francisco. It is made up of two National Historic Landmarks — The Presidio and Fort Mason — as well as several upscale neighborhoods including Pacific Heights, Cow Hollow, and the Marina District. It has some of the most beautiful scenery and intact natural environments in the city. Lower Cathedral Lake Yosemite National Park is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, and biological diversity. The 750,000-acre, 1,200 square-mile park contains thousands of lakes and ponds, 1600 miles of streams, 800 miles of hiking trails, and 350 miles of roads. Florida The Kingdom's King At Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom, you can learn how tough it is to be a bug, dig for dinosaur bones, challenge the mysterious Himalayan yeti, and view hundreds of live animals in authentic settings. Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba At Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney, you can design your own T-shirt or marvel at the biggest Disney store in the world; enjoy the fine cuisine of Wolfgang Puck or eat amongst the dinosaurs; visit a virtual-reality theme park or see incredible acrobatic feats; and in general just get away from the Disney parks for a while. Spaceship Earth At Walt Disney World's Epcot, you can visit Mexico, France, and China, all in the same afternoon; survive crash tests in an experimental car; soar over California with the wind in your hair; and learn all about human achievement and international cooperation. The Sorcerer's Hat At Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios, you can help destroy the Death Star, take a wild limousine ride through Los Angeles, get shrunk to the size of a gnat, and learn all about the behind-the-scenes process of creating films and animation. Mid-Atlantic The Big Chair Anacostia is the popular name for the huge swathe of Washington, D.C. consisting of the many neighborhoods East of the River. Its heart, in the small, historic neighborhood of Anacostia, is immediately across the Frederick Douglass Bridge from the newly built Nationals Ballpark. Georgetown University across the Potomac Georgetown is a neighborhood in Washington, D.C. to the south of Woodley Park and west of Dupont Circle across Rock Creek Park. It is a major center of tourism in the capital for its high-end shopping and dining, quaint 18th century rowhouses on cobblestone streets, rowdy collegiate nightlife, waterfront harbor, and Georgetown University. The Lincoln Memorial The National Mall is a National Park and the monumental green space at the heart of the city, the heart of the national psyche, and the heart of civic America. It stretches two miles just south of the White House, from the U.S. Capitol Building in the east to the Lincoln Memorial and Potomac River on the west. The park is home to the Smithsonian, a huge collection of the nation's best (and free) museums, as well as most the country's most famous memorials and monuments. It is the number one destination for visitors in the city, and one of the biggest destinations in the country. The African-American Civil War Memorial Shaw is a neighborhood in Washington, D.C. just east of Dupont Circle and south of Adams Morgan, but with a history and culture rooted firmly to the D.C.'s African-American history that could not be mistaken for those other neighborhoods. In recent years it has rapidly become one of the most diverse sections of the city, with everyone moving in for the live jazz and high-end nightclubs on U St and 14th, and for the marvelous food, including the amazing Little Ethiopia strip.

North America (cont.) United States of America Midwest The Cube Ann Arbor is a picturesque city surrounding the University of Michigan. It has a strong bent toward the arts, and an attractive and pedestrian-friendly downtown. Visitors enjoy the city's wonderful sidewalk cafe dining, unique shops, lots of bookstores, and abundant cultural opportunities. The Chicago skyline over Millenium Park Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. Butcher of hogs and believer in progress, it is one of the world's great cities, and yet the metropolitan luxuries of theater, shopping, and fine dining have barely put a dent in real Midwestern friendliness. It's a city with a swagger, but without the surliness or even the fake smiles found in other cities of its size. Buddhist temple and Catholic cathedral Bridgeport-Chinatown is the South Side of Chicago at its most dynamic, as the old South Side Irish neighborhood of the Daleys increasingly blends with the old Chinese immigrant community to the north. Enormous cathedrals now stand next to Buddhist temples, and Old Style washes down lo mein. If you are a visitor, though, you only need to keep in mind two things: Chinese food and baseball. Bronzeville graffiti mural Bronzeville, the Black Metropolis, is a mecca of African-American History on Chicago's South Side, just miles south of downtown. Gwendolyn Brooks published poetry in the Chicago Defender, Andrew Rube Foster created Negro League Baseball, and Louis Armstrong kept his trumpet singing at the Sunset Cafe to keep Al Capone off his back. Long in disrepair, the neighborhood is coming back, with new residents refurbishing historic homes, and with new dining and nightlife scenes beginning to take root. The South Shore Cultural Center Chatham-South Shore is a district at the heart of Chicago's South Side, home to the real Chicago blues, some mind-blowing BBQ, and the best soul food in town. The University of Chicago Hyde Park is one of Chicago's most famous neighborhoods, most certainly so on the South Side, located along the south lakefront. Having played host to the White City, the University of Chicago, President Obama, the setting for Richard White's Native Son, and a host of eccentric residents from Saul Bellow to Clarence Darrow to Muhammad Ali, this part of town has more than its fair share of Chicago history. Home of the Cubs Lakeview-North Center has the lion's share of Chicago nightlife, starting with Wrigleyville, home of the Chicago Cubs and major players in the city's theater and music scenes, and Boystown, one of the largest and most vibrant GLBT communities in the United States. Down the street from both is the Belmont strip, where teen punks flock to shop and show off in the Dunkin' Donuts parking lot. The Chicago skyline over Lincoln Park In Lincoln Park, collegians mix with freshly-minted lawyers and barrel-chested brokers, all come to sing their good fortune in beer gardens on the north side of Chicago, a short walk from miles of beautiful parks and the fabulous Lincoln Park Zoo. Just south is Old Town, a striking collision of rich and poor, and home of Chicago's two most celebrated theaters, Steppenwolf and Second City. Calder's Flamingo The Loop is the central business district of Chicago, bounded by the Chicago River to the north and west, Harrison St to the south, and Lake Michigan to the east. It contains the tallest members of Chicago's skyline and much of the city's finest architecture, holding within them much of the city's working stiffs; for visitors, it also has the glitzy downtown theater district, and the biggest annual music festivals. The Chicago Riverwalk The Near North is the shop-and-awe center of Chicago. It's bounded by North Avenue to the north, the Chicago River to the west and south, and Lake Michigan to the east. With a whirlwind rush of department stores, restaurants, and luxurious hotels, there's no better place to abuse your budget than the Near North and its celebrated Magnificent Mile. Shedd Aquarium on Lake Michigan In the Near South Grant Park overflows from downtown Chicago, leading right up to the main attractions on the lakefront: the splendid Museum Campus, with three world-class (and fun!) natural science museums; Soldier Field, home of the NFL's Chicago Bears; and McCormick Place, the city's massive convention center. An invitation to the Brauhaus, Lincoln Square North Lincoln is a collection of neighborhoods on the north side of Chicago through which Lincoln Avenue wanders, remembering treasures and curiosities of the last century in Chicago life, moving along, and forgetting them all over again. Three favorites, Pilsen Pilsen is a neighborhood on the Lower West Side of Chicago. Murals of Mexican cowboys notwithstanding, Pilsen is a lot like the Wild West: only a few minutes from the Loop by train, this working-class area is thick with riches in art and historic architecture, encircled by developers and speculators in search of the next hot neighborhood, and occupied by a community that's fiercely proud of where they live. The Union Stock Yard Gate The Southwest Side of Chicago is far off the beaten path. Plenty of visitors know Midway Airport, but never see anything beyond. Truth be told, there isn't a lot to see. But the Southwest Side does hold some interest as the former home to the infamous Union Stock Yards as well as a pretty long list of hidden culinary gems well worth the trek. Jazz at the Green Mill Uptown is a scruffy, jazz-inflected neighborhood on the north side of Chicago. Within its boundaries, off to the side of the action, are the residential areas of Sheridan Park and Buena Park, and an exciting Southeast Asian community based around Argyle Street. The Boring Store, nothing to see here Wicker Park is the vanguard of music, nightlife, and fashion in Chicago. This article also includes the sly, enjoyable Ukrainian Village, immediately south, and pieces of the greater West Town area. Moose at Isle Royale Isle Royale National Park is a United States National Park comprised of Isle Royale and the surrounding waters and small islands, a wilderness preserve in northwest Lake Superior. It's easily identified on maps of the Great Lakes: Lake Superior resembles the profile of a snarling wolf; Isle Royale is the eye. Although it's closer to Ontario, Canada, or even Minnesota, USA, it's part of the state of Michigan. South Skyline view Uptown is the central business district of Charlotte. It is home to most of the city's major institutions, as well as being the historic core. It is also the geographic center of Charlotte, with the center point of the city at the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets. Southwest The International Balloon Fiesta Albuquerque, the largest city in New Mexico, is a vibrant, sprawling desert metropolis. Although overshadowed as a tourist destination by Santa Fe, it has a number of great attractions in its own right, with pleasant scenery, colorful history, and a spectacular hot-air balloon fiesta in the fall. St Francis Cathedral Santa Fe, founded in 1607, is the capital of the state of New Mexico in the United States. With an elevation of 7000 feet, it is not only the United States' oldest state capital but its highest. With a population of about 70,000, it's not the most populous capital, but that's part of its charm. Santa Fe is consistently rated one of the world's top travel destinations for its confluence of scenic beauty, long history (at least by American standards), cultural diversity, and extraordinary concentration of arts, music and fine dining. On the Parus Trail Zion National Park is a United States National Park located in the southern Utah regions of Dixie and Canyon Country. The park protects the incredible rock formations and high sandstone cliffs within its boundaries and is a favorite spot for hiking, backpacking, canyoneering and climbing. In fact, Zion has some of the most spectacular trails in the National Park System. Visitors to Zion walk on the canyon floor and look up, rather than looking down from the rim as in many parks. In addition to the magnificent monoliths and cliffs, the park is known for its desert landscape of sandstone canyons, mesas, and high plateaus. Texas View from the South Rim Big Bend National Park is vast, rugged, and one of the least visited national parks in the continental U.S. With three distinct ecosystems, endless views, and powerful landscapes, Big Bend may leave you feeling like you've stumbled onto a well-kept secret. Itineraries The John Hancock Building Along the Magnificent Mile is a one day and night sightseeing tour of Chicago. Freeform The Loop Art Tour is a guided walking tour of Chicago's impressive collection of public art in the Loop, taking 2-4 hours depending on how long you linger at each sight. Travel topics Skyline from the John Hancock Tower The Chicago skyline is the world's tallest and easily ranks among its most magnificent. It boasts three of America's five tallest buildings and, if you include its antenna, the massive Sears Tower remains the second tallest skyscraper in the world. Inkspot nudibranch The dive site Pinnacle is an inshore rocky reef in the Gordon's Bay area of the east side of False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.