When you think of a city in France that is very popular among tourists, Calais is definitely not one of them. I could say that it is not even on the long list for tourists. I thought, however, to give this place an article as well, thinking that maybe there are people, like I was, who have the opportunity to be "passing" there and want to enjoy what this city offers from a tourist point of view.
Having the experience of visiting a French city, Paris to be exact, I had created expectations for the way this city would be. Somehow, I expected little Calais to resemble Paris. My expectations were not exactly with the reality regarding the cleanliness of the place, which was a plus, considering that Paris is the dirtiest city I have visited, on the other hand, Calais is of exemplary cleanliness. The beauty of the buildings, on the other hand, was as expected. Although it is quite a small town, it has some important buildings, which are of particular beauty and which you cannot help but admire. For me, France remains number 1 when it comes to architecture.
Located in the north of France, Calais is a city connecting with Great Britain, in its ports arriving both commercial cargo and passenger ferry boats, which make the connection with the town of Dover in England.
The city was the target of bombings in the two world wars, suffering huge damages. Fortunately, some of the buildings with special architectural importance managed to survive.
WHAT CAN BE VISITED IN CALAIS
As I said above, I was just passing through Calais, where I spent only a few hours. We had enough time to enjoy the peace of the city, without too many tourists. We walked the streets, admired the fascinating architecture and enjoyed the goodies of the French pastries.
If you arrive here by car, you can find free parking on Avenue du President Wilson, near the park. We parked there and went exploring.
The first stop was the famous "Beffroi de Calais" building, which is the emblem of the city and which we admired from the outside. It can also be visited inside, and the price is 3.50 euros (for the tower and the main building).
Inaugurated in 1925, in Renaissance style, the building, together with the 75m high tower, were built to mark the birth of the city of Calais.
The theater in Calais is another building that fascinated me. Inaugurated in 1905 in Baroque style, the theater is a real architectural gem. The facade is decorated with double columns and 2.5m high statues, each of them being representative of a certain type of art: that of poetry, comedy, dance and music.
The beach in Calais is also not to be ignored. It is quite wide, long and with fine sand. The further you go, the less crowded it becomes. In the part closer to the city, there are more people that you have to share the beach with.
It is equipped with showers, toilets, playgrounds, skateboard tracks and even portable shops with sweets, ice cream and soft drinks. It can be the ideal place in the city to enjoy the sunset.
The lighthouse near the beach is another place, both touristic and with an important role in navigation. It has been functional since 1848 and can be visited inside, and the ticket costs 5 euros/person.
CONCLUSION
Calais is not a city of particular touristic importance, but if you are passing through, it is worth stopping for a short walk. I recommend all the more, if you want to visit a place that is not full of tourists and not specially designed for them.
Read also about other less touristy, but absolutely gorgeous locations: 3 locations to visit in Wales. For more travel destinations and photos, you can also follow me on Instagram, or you can subscribe to be up to date with the latest posts, only your email address is required.
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