A to Z Destinations

Laos is a country in Southeast Asia crossed by the Mekong river and famous for its mountainous territory, French colonial architecture, tribal settlements on the hills and Buddhist monasteries. Vientiane, the capital, houses the monument to That Luang, where a reliquary contains what is believed to be the sternum of Buddha, the monumental arch in memory of the Patuxal war and the Talat Sao (morning market), a complex of banquets that they sell food, clothing and handicrafts.

Latvia is a country on the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Estonia. Its landscape is marked by wide beaches as well as dense, sprawling forests. Latvia’s capital is Riga, home to notable wooden and art nouveau architecture, a vast Central Market and a medieval Old Town with St. Peter’s Church. Riga’s museums include the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, showcasing local crafts, food and music.

The Kingdom of Lesotho, an enclave of South Africa entirely above 1400 m above sea level, is crossed by a network of rivers and mountain ranges, including the 3482 meters high peak of Thabana Ntlenyana. On the Thaba Bosiu plateau, near the capital Maseru, there are 19th century ruins dating back to the reign of King Moshoeshoe I. Thaba Bosiu overlooks Mount Qiloane, a symbolic place for the Basotho people.

Liberia is a country in West Africa, bordering Sierra Leone, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire. On the Atlantic coast, the capital city of Monrovia is home to the Liberia National Museum, with its exhibits on national culture and history. Around Monrovia are palm-lined beaches like Silver and CeCe. Along the coast, beach towns include the port of Buchanan, as well as laid-back Robertsport, known for its strong surf.

Tourism in Libya is an industry heavily hit by the Libyan Civil War. Before the war tourism was developing, with 149,000 tourists visiting Libya in 2004, rising to 180,000 in 2007, although this still only contributed less than 1% of the country’s GDP. There were 1,000,000 day visitors in the same year.

Liechtenstein is a 25 km long, German-speaking principality between Austria and Switzerland. It is known for medieval castles, alpine landscapes and villages connected by networks of paths. The capital, Vaduz, a cultural and financial center, is home to the Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein, which houses modern and contemporary art galleries. The Post Office Museum displays stamps of the principality.

Lithuania is the southernmost nation among the Baltic countries, a former state of the Soviet bloc, which borders Poland, Latvia and Belarus. The capital, Vilnius, near the border with Belarus, is renowned for its medieval old town. Vilnius also has Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture, as well as an 18th century cathedral built on the site of a pagan temple. At the top of the hill, the Gediminas tower, symbol of the city and the whole nation, offers sweeping views.

Luxembourg is a small European nation that borders Belgium, France and Germany. For the most part it has a rural landscape, with dense Ardennes forests and natural parks to the north, the rocky gorges of the Müllerthal region to the east and the Moselle valley to the southeast. The capital of the same name is known for the fortified old town of medieval origin built on an overhang.