Just north of the River Tees estuary, you can experience life on board of a prestigious heritage fleet. HMS Trincomalee was built in Bombay in 1817 and is one of the oldest warship afloat in the world. Step into the history of the Royal Navy, watch old guns and the cannons being set off and see how life on board was like.

Carolina Rediviva was erected between 1817 and 1841 and is home to Sweden's oldest university library, founded in 1620. Originally three stories high with two mezzanines, the building now spans 12 stories and has about 5 million books and 3,500 shelf meters of handwritten documents. When you walk through the entrance of the library, you'll come to the exhibition room, where you can view the famous Silver Bible from the 6th century, musical notations made by Mozart himself, medieval manuscripts, and Olaus Magnus' Carta Marina, printed in 1539.

Tucked amongst the mountains, the high altitude resort of Sestriere is a safe bet for guaranteed snow cover. Purpose built in the 1930’s, Sestriere is the capital of the Via Lattea or as it is known to ski aficionados – The Milky Way – a series of lifts that link a number of villages and offers a combined ski area of 400 km covering 140 slopes. The skiing caters for all levels of ability from beginner’s slopes to the technically challenging trails that were used for the alpine events during the 2005/2006 Winter Olympics. Asides from the skiing there are other winter activities designed to challenge and thrill, such as heli-skiing, ski-doo trails, winter hikes and ice skating. The resort has a wide selection of restaurants and entertainment venues that will cater for all your Après-ski requirements, whilst in the surrounding area there are many fine medieval castles and churches if you’re looking to sample a taste of the local history and culture. Slope Life: Host of the 2005/2006 Winter Olympic Alpine events and capital of the Milky Way, Sestriere is the star around which all the other resorts in the region gravitate. The Milky Way or the Via Lattea comprises the villages/resorts of Sestriere, Sauze d’Oulx, Sansicario, Cesana-Claviere and Mont Genevre (in France), which offer up to 400 km of pistes and are interlinked by a series of lifts. Throughout the area there are runs to suit all levels. However, Sestriere which stands at 2,035 m has the best access and offers the highest (2,823 m) and most challenging pistes in the area with Monte Sises providing more expert black runs. Advanced skiers can also find plenty of challenging off piste action in and around the region. The Monte Motta/Banchetta Mountains are more suitable for the intermediate skier, whilst beginners will be able to frolic on the slopes just above the resort. The resort is serviced by 20 lifts and in order to access the rest of the Milky Way, take the Col Basset gondola to Sauze d’Olux. Ski passes range from 1 to 15 days. The Via Lattea 1 day pass includes access to the resorts of Sestriere, Sauze d’oulx, Sansicario, Cesana, Claviere. International passes are also available. Sestriere also has a selection of high quality ski schools for those taking their first tentative steps on the snow: Scuola Sci Sestriere +39 0122 77060 www.scuolascisestriere.com Scuola Sci Borgata +39 0122 77497 www.scuolasciborgata.com Scuola Sci Vialattea Sestriere +39 0122 76528 www.scuolascivialattea.it And for all your equipment needs, the following supplier will be happy to oblige: Centro Sci Sestriere 2 Via Pinerolo +43 720 990 293 www.rentasport.it