Early March is the period where many of us start planning our summer holiday. For those who are not attracted by tourism hotspots, a good alternative is to visit a less touristic destination. If this is your case, what about visiting Pennsylvania, in the United States? This part of the country has a lot to offer and is particularly linked to Welsh culture, as the Welsh were among the first settlers to colonise Pennsylvania. In this article you will find some of the most interesting things to do in Pennsylvania and some advice to prepare your trip, like how to apply for your visa to the US.
The Welsh were among the first people to colonise the New World. They did it within different immigration waves. In the late seventeenth century, many Welsh Quackers arrived in the Colony of Pennsylvania in search of religious freedom. As a result, many Pennsylvanians are of Welsh descent and some of them even carry a Welsh family name. There are even some parts of the state where Welsh was still spoken until the 20th century. But, apart from this interesting fact, what are the most interesting attractions you can visit in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania State Capitol
Pennsylvania’s State Capitol, with its grandiose dome inspired by Rome’s St. Peter, is a landmark of the American Renaissance style and was intended as a ‘palace of art’. The complex also houses the State Museum of Pennsylvania, which includes a history museum, a planetarium and a collection of objects from the State early years.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of art is one of the most important museums in the US. It is famous for its vast collection of masterpieces from across the globe, from Italian Renaissance painting to South Asian art objects. The museum is also one of the most iconic buildings in the city, with its classical columns and footsteps.
The Fallingwater house
The Fallingwater is Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece. This famous architect designed the house in 1935 which has become since then the symbol of ‘organic architecture’. According to Wright, the house’s design – perfectly integrated in the landscape, symbolizes the harmony between nature and the human being. The house also hosts an important art collection, including works by Picasso and Diego Ribera.
Phipps Conservatory
The Phipp’s Conservatory is a huge complex consisting of a magnificent glasshouse and 15 acres of botanical gardens. Built in 1893 in a beautiful Victorian style, the glasshouse was a gift from philanthropist Henry W. Pipps to the city of Pittsburgh and it currently hosts an impressive collection of bonsais and orchids. The complex also includes the Center for Sustainable Landscapes, one of the most sustainable buildings in the world.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
The Carnegie Museum of Natural history is located in Pittsburgh and is considered as one of the five best natural history museums in the United States. The Carnegie is named after its founder, the industrialist Andrew Carnegie, and it opened its doors for the first time in 1895. Currently, the museum features one of the best paleontological collection in the world, as well as the world’s largest collection of Jurassic dinosaurs.
Start preparing your trip
Many other attractions are waiting for you in Pennsylvania, like the Philadelphia Zoo or the Andy Warhol Museum. If you want to visit these places, you should start preparing your trip now. The sooner you start, the easier it will be to find flight tickets and good hotels at reasonable prizes. Remember also to apply in time your travel permit to enter the US. This permit is called an ESTA, and it can easily be applied for online. Although it is normally approved in only a few hours, you’d better apply with time enough before your departure, in order to prevent last-minute problems at the airport, like having your ESTA rejected due to a problem with your passport scan.
