In 2004, Athens hosted the Summer Olympic Games that turned out to be an incredible success, despite the critics’ criticisms. The city’s historic center underwent serious renovations along with the excellent transportation infrastructure that was completed in time for the 2004 Olympics. As the capital and largest city of Greece, Athens dominates the Attica periphery and it’s recorded history spans around 3,400 years.
The heritage of the classical era is still apparent in the city, portrayed by a number of ancient monuments and works of art, the most famous of all being the Parthenon, commonly considered a key landmark of early Western Civilization. Athens has been the preferred destination for many travelers since antiquity. It is home to 148 theatrical stages, more than any other city in the world. Along with the large number of multiplexes, Athens hosts an array of open air garden cinemas. The city also supports numerous music venues, such as the Athens Concert Hall, known as the “Mégaron Musikis”, attracting world-famous artists all year round.
The capital is famous for its nightlife. Athens by night completely changes. The numerous options for entertainment satisfy all tastes. The famous “bouzoukia” are the leaders in the Athenian entertainment. Many travelers leave in awe from the city’s vibrant street life and relaxed lifestyle where Athenians seem to take the time to enjoy long evening strolls and dining out in fine restaurants offering breathtaking views of the city they call home.
Beijing, also known as Peking, is definitely one of the most visited cities in the world. Each year, millions of travelers flock to Beijing to explore all this remarkable city has to offer. No matter what time of day, you can always find something to do in the city that never sleeps. The first place to start exploring is none other than the Forbidden City. It’s an enormous palace compound that was home to the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties which hosts the Palace Museum containing imperial collections of Chinese art. The Forbidden City consists of over 9,000 rooms and is spread over 250 acres and surrounded by a moat six meters deep and a ten-meter high wall. This large palace complex was built between 1406 and 1420, but was burnt down, reconstructed, sacked and renovated numerous times, so most of the architecture you see today dates back from the 18th century and on wards. Surrounding the Forbidden City are several former imperial gardens, parks and scenic areas, notably the Beihai, Shichahai, and Zhongshan which is considered to be a popular tourist destination with tremendous historical importance.
A trip to Beijing is not complete without visiting one of the “Eight Wonders of the World”. Of course I’m talking about The Great Wall of China. This seemingly endless wall was built to protect from intrusions as well as to retain the inhabitants. It spans five provinces from Shanhaiguan Pass in the east to Jiayuguan Pass in the west, and is made up of 6,259.6 km of sections of actual wall, 359.7 km of trenches, 2,232.5 km of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.
Along with all it’s history, Beijing is known as a metropolis with developed businesses and a prosperous economy since ancient times. The Friendship Store is one of the largest department stores with nearly 56,000 different products, including clothes, cigarettes, jewelries, cameras and Chinese herbal medicine where the most avid shoppers can find everything they’re looking for. So whether you’re in Beijing for a history lesson, to view one of the world’s most amazing architectural structures or just to relax and explore the incredible shopping this city has to offer, you will not be disappointed.
Barcelona is the capital and the most populous city of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, after Madrid, with a population of over 1.5 million. It is recognized as
a Global City due to its importance in finance, media, commerce , arts and entertainment, education and tourism.
Barcelona has many venues for live music and theatre, including the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the Teatre Lliure and the Palau de la Música Catalana concert hall,
as well as beautiful architecture, such as the Barri Gòtic, and a great number of museums which cover different areas and eras like the Barcelona Museum of contemporary art which focuses on post 1945 Catalan and Spanish artworks. Although some museums offer free entry on the first Saturday or first Sunday of each month, many travelers consider purchasing a combined ticket costing 20 Euros that cover admissions to eight museums.
Barcelona has definitely grabbed headlines for years as one of the most fashionable cities in the world with a shopping scene that will have you flaunting your cash or credit card at ultra-hip shops around El Born and El Corte Ingles department store. But amongst the high-end fashion stores there are plenty of boutiques where you can pick up unique second-hand items that you can only find in Barcelona.
So even after you’ve hit all the major tourist attractions, there’s still no shortage of things to see and do in Barcelona. The city itself could keep you occupied for weeks.
Barbados has become one of the prime tourist destinations in the Caribbean. With fine white sand stretched along a blue-green sea and coral reefs trimming the Barbados shoreline to provide superior snorkeling and scuba diving, we can see why.
At first, you will notice that it is mostly a flat coral island with incredible beaches, but there are rolling hills and many deep ridges and gullies, with an interesting distribution of plants and animal life. There are a vast array of caves and underground lakes which supply an excellent source of drinking water that is amongst the purest in the world.
There are so many exciting attractions to discover in Barbados that it is hard to get to them all in just one visit. The Atlantis Submarines offers an exceptional underseas expedition where you can choose from a variety of tours including dives after sunset and a power snorkeling adventure. Another great way to explore Barbados
is the Adventureland 4×4 Safari Tours which offers an array of safari island tours, as well as a Turtle and Shipwreck Adventure. But if what you’re looking for in a vacation is more on the quiet side, Barbados is the ideal spot to relax on one of the many breathtaking beaches sipping on your favorite beverage with nothing but the
sea breeze and sunshine keeping you company.
There is no doubt that Barbados is an incredible island filled with art, activities, music, history, night life and some of the best restaurants to be found anywhere which is the reason why so many travelers return to the island time and time again.
Abu Dhabi is an incomparable destination in the emirates, where style and leisure are infused with the traditional values of hospitality and respect. Beautiful clear blue skies and temperatures varying from warm during the winter months to hot in the summertime as well the mixture of culture and traditions ensures a harmonious combination, which results in the creation of experiences and lifestyle unlike any other.
Abu Dhabi city comprises of state-of-the-arts facilities such as luxurious hotels, spas, designer golf courses, theaters, museums and never ending shopping malls along beautiful green streets and parks.There are many places to visit including Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the 6th largest in the world and Khalifa Park, (built at a cost of $50 million) which has its own aquarium, museum, train, play parks and formal gardens.
With spectacular beaches, sand dunes, and year round sunshine, combined with majestic mosques and facilities, makes Abu Dhabi the perfect destination for any guest.