This is a famous world destination for its exceptional blend of resent and past and for the fact that it is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the whole world. The fame of Madrid was established way back in the 16th Century when King Philip II announced it as the capital. From then until today Madrid has remained the capital and one of the most important cities in Spain.

Madrid has something excellent to offer and show for each and every person that visits – no one ever came to this wonderful city and left without a burning desire to come back and relive the experience again. 

1. Art lovers – there is a Golden Triangle created by three world famous art museums, i.e.the Prado Museum which houses some of the best and most sought after paintings of the Renaissance period, the Thyssen Museum which focuses on Western Art (mostly private collections) and the Sofia Museum which exhibits works of art by masters such as Dali, Picasso and Miro. This is a place that would enthrall even regular visitors; however, for art lovers this is hallowed ground.

2. Gourmet treats – food is something that you would enjoy in plenty in Madrid. People here give high priority to food and though sometimes you would not get exactly what you are looking for – you would still find the cuisine served delightfully different and exceptionally tasty. While you are in this great city, make it a point to drop by the Botin Restaurant which has entered the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest restaurant in the whole world. History has it that Goya had eaten at this very restaurant before he became recognized as a painter; Hemmingway was another patron of this restaurant and had mentioned that this was one of his favorite hangouts. It is like being able to touch history.

3. Columbus celebrated – The travails of Columbus have been displayed with extreme accuracy and interesting facts about his travels in the middle of the Gardens of Discovery. This place has been dedicated to the famous explorer and by reading the detailed inscriptions you would be very likely to discover some great tidbits about history yourself.

4. Imposing Palace – visit the Royal Palace that has housed the Royalty ever since 1764 and the famous Cathedral of Almuenda where Prince Felipe’s marriage was solemnized.  Take a walk into the Sabatini Gardens and enjoy the beauty of the Royal Palace from a new angle.

If you want to enjoy this city and understand its nuances, make it a point to walk a lot. Walking around in Madrid would fill you with awe at every corner and will make your visit unforgettable.
 

Netherlands has always been synonymous with tulips and windmills. This is why when you say Amsterdam, the first thing that comes to one’s mind are these very things. However, there is more to the lovely city of Amsterdam than flowers and renewable energy sources. Amsterdam is a delightful place with plenty of impressive things to see:

1. A Glimpse into Amsterdam History – visit the Rijksmuseum is you are fond of culture and history. This museum specializes in exhibiting art from the Golden Age. Art lovers would love to visit the Rembrandt and the Van Gogh museums too, which have some stunning exhibits from these ageless masters. A short visit to Anne Frank’s house – the little girl whose diary describing her ordeal during Nazi occupation has become an international bestseller – would give you a glimpse into the horror of the past when the Jews were fighting for their lives against one of the most cruel and condemnable periods in history.

2. Shopping for a Souvenir – for people who love shopping the Albert Cuypmarkt is the ideal place. This is a huge shopping mall which has absolutely everything you would ever want to buy and more. You can spend months window shopping in this mall without getting bored. Enjoy a day long leisure shopping day here and ensure that you get some memorabilia for your friends at home from here.

3. The Nightlife in Amsterdam – there is round the clock entertainment in Amsterdam which means that whether it is night or day you are guaranteed to have fun wherever you are. However, for people who love night life activities, a visit to the Leidseplain would be lovely. You will find here plenty of night clubs, 24 hours restaurants and cafes, as well as cultural entertainment. At Leidseplain, every where you turn would be an opportunity for fun.

4. Its Festival Time! – people who visit Amsterdam during June would have the benefit of experiencing the Holland Festival which is held during the month of June every year over a period of three weeks. And then there is the Queen’s Day where people who believe in same sex love and marriage celebrate on the streets. By the way, the Netherlands was one of the first countries to accept and recognize legally this type of attraction.

Everything in Amsterdam is simply great – the sights, the people who tend to go out of their way to welcome visitors and make them feel comfortable, the nightlife, the flowers, the great culture – everything would make you forget that before you visited this grand city, you were thinking that Amsterdam was only the City of Tulips and Windmills.

Japan is a fascinating island nation, situated on the Pacific Ocean, in East Asia. Al though a small country with an area of 377,835 square kilometers, Japan comes with an incredible variety of vacation spots, such as historical sites, museums and monuments. The country has the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea to the south, the Sea of Japan on the west, and the Pacific Ocean on the north.

The country abounds in scenic beauty, and places to see here range from ancient temples and shrines to castles and museums. Each and every region in Japan has its own specialty. When some Japanese regions are renowned for its historical prominence, some others may be famed for breathtaking natural attractions covering lakes, mountains, and beaches. Perhaps most fascinating of the Japanese attractions would be Tokyo, the capital city, which comes with a spectacular array of destinations such as historic spots, innovative cityscapes, and cultural entertainments. Just few to mention are Ginza offering great shopping experience, the Imperial Palace with its breathtaking moat, Tsukiji Fish Market which has been here since 1500s, West Shinjuku that is highly famed for its Gothem City skyscrapers, and museums including Hara Museum of Contemporary Art. Also, a great draw of Tokyo is the Asakusa-Kannon Temple – an exciting Buddhist complex.

Discover the wonderful natural beauty of the country by taking excursion to such unique destinations as Tohoku, whose attraction is spread across three national parks. For a great cultural experience, visit lively Japanese destinations like Sendai, which hosts great events including Tanabata Star Festival. Another exciting travel destination is Nara where the largest Buddhist temple in the world is situated, which in turn is declared as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. A visit to Japan is incomplete without taking an excursion to Kyoto, which is especially known for its numerous Buddhist temples as well as Shinto shrines, apart from attractions including Kawai Kanjiro’s house, Nijo-Jinya, and Sho-sei-en.

Acknowledged as ‘the Manchester of Japan,’ Osaka is also a great destination in Japan. From Umeda Sky Building and Tsutenkaku Tower taking after the Eiffel Tower in Paris to Osaka Historical Museum and Expo Memorial Park, Osaka’s attractions are immense.

Japan’s attractions also include an amazing host of natural wonders including 86 active volcanic, of which most significant is the Mount Fuji, which is noted for its exceptional rock formations, waterfalls, and trees. Equally well-known is Japan’s hot spring resorts, such as Toyako Onsen on the shores of the spectacular Lake Toya, Hakone on the shores of the Lake Ashi, Nikko at the foot of the Mount Nantai, and Nyuto Onsen in the mountains of Akita Prefecture.

In a snap shot, all of Japanese specialties including Kimono – the traditional costume, sumo wrestling, ryokan – the traditional guest houses, the country’s bullet train – shinkansen, and cuisines including soba and ramen noodles, are really worth mentioning.

Popularly known as the land of pharaohs and pyramids – Egypt is one of the most popular tourist destinations in northeastern Africa. From attractions ranging from the red sea to the Sinai Desert and Cairo to Abu Simbel, Egypt is a magical destination which you must take a visit at least once in your lifetime!

All of the cities in Egypt are dotted with awe-inspiring ancient monuments and temples, high mosques, and exciting museums. For instance, a visit to Cairo – Egypt’s capital as well as the largest city in Africa – would be really a great experience. Among many of its marvelous attractions are the Hanging Church – the seat of Coptic worship, the Ben Ezra – the oldest synagogue in the country, Ibn Tulun mosque – one of the largest in the world, the Al-Azhar mosque within which the oldest university in the world is situated, the modern opera house, and the Egyptian Museum housing more than 1, 00,000 artifacts including mummies, pottery, and ancient jewelry.

Perhaps, most interesting as well as significant of Egypt’s attraction would be the pyramids of Giza, which are one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Each pyramid consists of tomb of different Egyptian kings, of which the most remarkable is the Great Pyramid of Khufu, built by Pharaoh Khufu of the Fourth Dynasty in around 2560 BC. Also, great are the pyramids of pharaohs such as Kafhre and Menkaura. One of the interesting things regarding these monuments is the image of Sphinx – a cat-like structure lying on its front. A specialty of this structure is that it is carved out of a single block of stone.

After Giza pyramids, the most frequently visited Egyptian site is Luxor whose prime attraction is the world’s largest ancient site – Karnak Temple, situated on the banks of the Nile River – the longest in the world. The focal point of the temple is an open air museum with four parts such as the precincts of Amon-Re, Amenhotep IV temple, Mut, and Montu.

Close to the Egyptian border near Sudan, Abu Simbel is another great destination, with amazing monumental treasures such as the magnificent rock temples of Hathor and Re-Harakhte. Abu Simbel’s attractions also include the Lake Nasser, a man-made lake erected during 1960s. Apart from these, Abu Simbel hosts a range of events and festivals including Abu Simbol – the light and sound show, Lake Nasser Cruise, and Sun Festival.

Interesting destinations in Egypt also include Alexandria – the second largest city as well as the main port of Egypt. Of its main attractions are Graeco-Roman Museum, Pompei’s Pillar, and the Roman Amphitheatre. Other popular attractions in Egypt include Aswan with highlights like Nubian Museum; Port Said – an unusual destination famed for its colonial architecture and parks and gardens; and Siwa Oasis – a marvelous destination to relax as well as swim.

Explore the history of Egypt by taking a tour to destinations such as El-Alamein and the commonwealth war cemetery. Egypt also has to its credit the largest desert in the world – the Sahara, stretching more than 3,320,000 square miles.

Besides many other things to do in the country, a cruise on the River Nile (referred to as Egypt’s lifeblood) would be a fabulous experience. The country also has superb options for activities like swimming, diving, and snorkeling.

The island of Grand Cayman is situated on top of a mountain of corals and is a place well worth visiting especially if you want to experience the thrills of scuba diving. The Caribbean waters are also famous for their corals that descend steeply into the waters and which will provide you with some splendid as well as unique dives down into the waters that are a challenge for every diver. In addition, the Grand Cayman Island also provides many places ideally suited for diving and with unquestionably fantastic underwater delights you will be hard pressed to find a better location for scuba diving adventures.

There are plenty of well known dive sites on the Grand Cayman which you will find are situated on the west of the island and this area goes by the name of West Wall and it is very easy to reach here as all that it takes for you is to hop on a boat and soon you will find that you are on the beach that is not far from resorts. Among the famous dive sites you can check out Armchair Reef as well as Aquarium Reef that are certain to offer a wide assortment of underwater species and novice divers as also snorkelers won’t be able to get enough of this experience. Another dive site worth a visit is Wildlife Reef.

To the windward side of the island you can also find amazingly sharp coral walls and it is here that there are some of Island’s better known and reputable dive sites in the world in close proximity to the sandy beaches. Be sure to check out Stingray City that is ideally suited for all manner of divers as well as snorkelers irrespective of their ages and levels of skill. You can easily dive down beneath the surface of the water and swim along with groups of Southern Stingrays that even have wingspans of as much as four feet and the thrill of snapping pictures and giving food to these stingrays in Stingray City is indeed very special.

You may also want to check out the Grand Cayman Islands’ east side where in spite of the relatively scanty number of diving operators in action, you will be hard pressed to locate better as well as untouched coral reefs than these, and with tunnels within easy reach of the reefs along with many caves that lie beneath the water’s surface and also arches you will have a pretty exciting time diving in these parts of the island. You should try out the areas that have special attraction which is best seen in Babylon that has abundant fish, sponges as well as sea turtles.

There is also plenty more in store for you in Grand Cayman and your visit here would be rather incomplete without at least diving down to view the wrecks. You could look for The Balboa that sank in 1932 when a storm was blowing and which is a three hundred seventy five feet cargo ship that is nestling at the bottom at depths of only thirty feet. The place where you will find this wreckage is known as Georgetown Harbor. However, pride of place as far as wreck dives is concerned goes to Oro Verde that is a freighter covered with corals and which is resting at just sixty feet depth just off the beach’s shore.

For those that want to enjoy summertime, there would hardly be a better place to visit than the Yucatan peninsula where you can enjoy a glorious time whenever you visit here during certain summer months. If you come here during the months July and August you will encounter many bustling crowds and during the months between September and June, you will find the place pretty much deserted and very low key.

Be sure to come in July and August and sample the excellent Yucatan cuisine and for more fun and frolic head out over the weekends to Progresso where you can see bands playing music on the beaches and there is also many a crowd there as well. There is also the Hobie Cat regatta that is big draw in the summers and one of the biggest of these regattas is the Cummins Cup that will take place just off from the Marina Silcer in Chicxulub on the weekends. Such events prove that the Yucatan is more than pyramids and also colonial cities and with wonderful beaches there are also these special events as well to make life more enjoyable. So, don’t hesitate and head down to Marina Silcer and hit the beach running where the crowds are huge and the fun is aplenty.

There is also free Saturday night Fiesta Mexicana and the fun spills over to Sundays as well with the free Merida en Domingo in the streets of Merida. When these events are taking place, the streets are out of bounds for traffic and the many bands, vendor artists as well as cafes will enliven the atmosphere greatly.

Be prepared for the high temperatures that can reach the mid to high nineties and when taking any daytime activities, you must remember to stay well hydrated. It pays to wear cool clothing and a hat and also pace your activities and try and do them in the mornings and then later on in the evenings. There is also plenty of rainy weather to contend with and don’t be surprised that it normally rains between three in the afternoon and five in the evenings. After the showers, you may want to take a stroll, try the free cultural activities and even perhaps check out the sorbets at Helados Colon on the Main Plaza. An evening would be made even more enjoyable by taking a horse and buggy ride that is known as “calesas”.

The state of Yucatan is situated on the Yucatan Peninsula and the Yucatan itself is made up of three states on the peninsula that include Yucatan, Campeche as well as Quintana Roo, all of which are modern states and the state capital of the Yucatan is known as Merida.

The state of Yucatan was once the home of the Mayan civilization till the Spanish arrived and there are still many archaeological remains that bear testimony to the ceremonial architecture that goes back some three thousand years. Even today, the Yucatan is a good example of a very unique culture that is different from the rest of Mexico and even the food is very different from normal Mexican fare.

It should not come as a big surprise that the most popular World Heritage site is the Norwegian Fjords. The reason most certainly is because each fjord has its own characteristics as well as attractions and you will find Geirangerfjord to have the tallest and also the most scenic waterfalls in the country. Also, the longest fjord in the world is in Norway and is called Sognefjord, where Naeroyfjord is an arm of this fjord and which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you want to seriously explore the many fjords of Norway, you would do well to make a beginning from the Hanseatic city known as Bergen that also has the honor of being the European City of Culture in 2000 and there is also a lot of other attractions in this city besides the fjords such as the Wharf, the Fish Market and Mount Floien and the city is also the starting point for Norwegian Coastal Express.

This kingdom that lies on the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula is very long and has the countries of Sweden, Finland as well as Russia on its borders, and obviously is most famous for its fjords. The country also includes the islands of Svalbard and Jan Mayen that are part of its territories, and this country has the distinction of also having been voted the most peace loving country in the world.

A visit to this northern European country holds much promise besides its fjords and it also is known as the Land of the Midnight Sun due to the fact that some parts in the north of the country never see the sun go down at night. There, you may want to visit the town of Tromso because here the sun does not rise in the winter and does not set in midsummer.

The capital of the country is Oslo where you can ski at the famous ski jump in the city and take in some serious theater at the National Theater and the city is also the most populated of all cities and towns in Norway having one tenth of the total population living here. A main attraction is the Munch Museum as too are the National Gallery, Norwegian Museum of Applied Arts, and the Thor Heyerdahl Kon-Tiki Museum as also the Norwegian Folk Museum. And, a central feature of downtown Oslo is the Kongelige Slott or Royal Palace which is the home of the present Queen of Norway.

A trip to Skien may be worth your while especially if literature holds a special place in your heart because the famous playwright called Ibsen was born here. A visit to Stavanger will show you the largest collection of wooden buildings in Europe and the former capital of Norway Trondheim is also a major tourist attraction.

In Tromso you can sample beer at the world’s northernmost brewery, and to the southwest is Fjordland that is the most important tourist area in Norway where cruise ships take you down the coast of Norway starting from Stavanger all the way up to Haugesund. And you can head to the Hardangervidda Mountains for some excellent glacier walks as well.

Greece is well known for its more than two thousand islands of which just hundred are inhabited and most of them are situated in the Aegean Sea, with the Aegean Islands being quite peculiar in them as even though most of these islands lay in close proximity to one another, their culture and history is still quite different from one another. No matter that their architecture as well as geophysical features is different, there is one thing all of the Aegean Islands have in common and that is the wonderful blue skies and the Aegean blue waters with plenty of Greek sun as well. You will find many chapels and scenic landscapes as you hop from one Aegean Island to the other and you can expect to find traditional style villages as well as exciting seaside along the way.

In the north of the Aegean Islands you can find the islands of Chios, Ikaria, Fournoi, Psara as well as a few more while in the Dodecanese there are islands known as Astypalea, Karpathos and more. Most of the Aegean Islands are under Greek control though some of them do fall under the control of Turkey and also the Italians.

If you visit the northeastern Aegean Islands you will certainly want to stop off at Chios that along with Lesvos and Chamos form the three major islands in this part of the Aegean Islands. Though Chios is not very well known to tourists, it is nevertheless very beautiful and this splendid wooded island has a culture rich in tradition as well as many sandy beaches, a conference center and also hiking trails that you can use to hike and even visit the unspoiled villages on the island. The weather is mild and this island is also one that has wonderful smells that will please your senses no end.

Another island that you should give your attention to is Lesvos that is very seductive and once you visit here you may forget about going to any other of the Aegean Islands. This is perhaps the most famous of these islands and is the home of the lady named Sappho who is a woman poet and this large and beautiful island is certainly a destination that will surely enchant you. The capital of the island is Mytilene and there is also a Genoese castle here named the Kastro of Mytilene that was built where an earlier Byzantine fortification once stood, and it is a major point of interest for visitors to Lesbos.

Further to the east among the Aegean Islands is another island called Ikaria that is a majestic island that is supposed to be the home of the mystical Ikaros and in this lovely island there is plenty of breathtaking scenic beauty, invigorating mountainous air as well as good hot springs that have great therapeutic value, and the unspoiled seas are only made better by the friendly peoples of this island.

You will be amazed that even in these modern times, the island of Ikarias has maintained its true identity and the ways of its people are unchanged and unspoiled by outside influences.

The first that comes to the mind when you say ‘Darjeeling’ is tea. The Darjeeling tea is world famous (the vanilla jasmine tea) for its aroma and high and unmatched quality. This is what you would first observe in Darjeeling (during the best time for your visit, April-June or October-November) wherever you would look – tea gardens. Where the greenery is not a tea garden, then it would be a Bamboo enclave or Fern jungle.  Darjeeling is also known as ‘The City of the Celestial Thunderbolt”.

Darjeeling is natural beauty at its best. This is why it is one of the most sought after tourist spots both nationally and internationally. Sports enthusiasts would have plenty to do here as this place has a plethora of natural trails that you could trek and mountains that you could climb and enjoy the crisp and fragrant air of high altitude. Do not forget to pay a visit to the famous Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Museum. Here you would be privileged to see the equipment that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzong Norgay used when they climbed the Mt. Everest.

Another way to enjoy the wonderful altitude is with the cable car that runs between Darjeeling and Singla Bazaar. You will be able to see and savor the exquisite beauty of the Himalayas during the few hours hat you would have to travel by the cable car.

Some must-see sights for any tourist are:

1. The Mall – this is where you would find everything that you need to buy as souvenir; this is where you could do most of your shopping. The whole road is lined with cottage entrepreneurs selling different varieties of real and imitation antiques. You would also find an exceptional array of hand-knitted sweaters at reasonable prices. Remember, when you are here to check out the oil painting – some of them are simply stunning.

2. The Tiger Hill – You could see the famous Mt Everest from here, besides enjoying one of the most beautiful sunrise scenes over the mountains. The Tiger Hill is located some 13 kms outside the town, at an altitude of 8482 ft (2590 m).

3. Kanchenjunga View – Nature enthusiasts would have the choice of another exceptional treat by nature – the Kanchenjunga View. From here you can enjoy to your heart’s content the splendor of the Himalayas and the Kanchnjunga Peak which is the third highest peak in the world.

4. Chowrasta – situated at the end of The Mall, this is a continuous hub of activity. You will find here a good display of the eateries and wonderful souvenirs.  Some of the best handicrafts are available here.

Do no miss a trip on the Toy Train or the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway which would show you four mountains peaks besides the breath-taking natural beauty of Darkjeeling – Lhoste, Everest, Kanchenjunga and the Makalu.

The capital of Thailand, Bangkok, is one of the most inviting and beautiful cities of Asia. The name of the city is actually Krug Thep in short. The real name of Bangkok is so long that it is entered the Guinness Book of Records as the place with the longest name, i.e. Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit which is translated in English as, The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city of Ayutthaya (Lord Indra), the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn.

The meaning of its name would be sufficient to explain to you why the city is such a great tourist attraction. It is beautiful. It is both old and new and one of the most active commercial cities in Asia. You will find the most modern amenities in hospitality combined with the oriental culture and food which leave an indelible impression on your mind.

Travel the city in the famous tuk-tuks as well as the ferry service and enjoy the wide variety of food this city offers and the shopping outlets that has made this city known as shoppers’ paradise. The specialty here is that each street focuses on one thing only and that something is sold all over the street. There is nothing that you would not be able to find in the markets of Bangkok. If you want something, you will definitely find it here.

Known as the ‘City of Angels’ Bangkok is famous for its wonderful night life where you could get any type of entertainment you like. From the notorious Patpong to some excellent live band classy jazz bars, there is not one dull moment in Bangkok at night. Check out the traditional dance performance at Patravadi Theater or enjoy an excellent Thai meal on a traditional rice barge on the Chao River.

Though this city was once famous by the name of ‘The City that Never Sleeps’ new Government rules have the shutters down for all the night clubs and bars by latest 2 am. Yet that gives you enough time to sample the fun that this city can offer its tourists. Given the entertainment and fun and frolic it offers, Bangkok should be renamed as ‘The City Where Fun Never Ends!