Valencia, the third largest city in Spain, has been one of the most dynamic tourist destinations since last few years. The city is vibrant, forward thinking and cosmopolitan in nature. Valencia is a city experienced in handling all kinds of events; with a reputation of being one of the most complete and versatile destinations on the continent.
This region of Spain is extremely beautiful and very fertile, sometimes referred to as the Garden of Spain. The city has attractions for all ages. It is a rare combination of history, tradition and modernity. It is a unique kind of city full of intriguing contrasts. The world famous City of Arts and Science has to be seen to believe.
The city’s architecture dates from the first century B.C. to the present, 21st century design. The city boasts of a wide-ranging environmental attractions. The city is also a great place to head if you fancy relaxing in the outdoors. Golden sandy beaches bathed by the Mediterranean Sea are places where you can relax your heart and soul.
There are also parks and gardens throughout the city offering tranquility and beauty. This lovely city is perfect for a city break, business trip or romantic getaway in the sun. There are so many exciting things to do and getting here is easy.
Main sights and attractions in the city include Plaza del Mercado: Lonja de la Seda, Santos Juanes and Mercado Central, La Catedral, El Miguelete and Plaza de la Virgen, Torres de Serranos, Iglesia de San Juan del Hospital, Museo de Bellas Artes San Pio V, Museo Nacional de Ceramica Gonzalez Marti, Monasterio de San Miguel de los Reyes, La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, El Puerto y La Playa, Jardin Botanico.
The city is full of up market shops, bars and restaurants. There are also many spectacular festivals celebrated throughout the year such as La Tomatina and Las Fallas. Whatever you look for in a holiday, Valencia has almost all of it for you.
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Tags: Ootacamund (Ootacamund) is a town, a municipality and the district capital of the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. OttaikalMandu “mund” is a Tamil word for a Toda village, and the first part is probably a corruption of the local name for the central region of the Nilgiri Plateau. Another most probable origin of the name (Ootaca) comes from the local language where Otha-Cal literally means Single Stone. The name might be changed under British rule from Udhagamandalam to Ootacamund, which was later shortened to Ooty. Situated 105 Kms away from Coimbatore Ooty is connected to the rest of the India by railway and highways and is called The ‘Queen of hill stations in India’ because a trip to Ooty refreshes our minds as well as bodies exhausted from everyday’s boring life. The most exciting adventure during the trip to Ooty is the journey to Ooty through the ‘toy train’. Traversing 46 km in four and a half hours from Mettupalayam, the train journey gives a wonderful view of the natural beauty of the tea gardens and valleys through the large windows of the train. The famous tourist attractions of Ooty are Botanical Garden, Boat House Lake, Glen Morgen, Tiger Hill, Dodda Betta, Children’s park, Avalanche, Pykara River, Annamalai Temple, Ooty Rose gardens, Wax World – (Wax Museum).
As Ooty has an easy accessibility because of the connection with Bombay, Bangalore, Calicut, Coimbatore, Coonoor, Kotagiri, Madumalai, Chennai, Mysore, Trivandrum, Tiruchirapally through road and an airport in Coimbatore 89 kms away, many people not only from India but across the world come to spend their vacation here. Apart from this, Ooty have many luxurious hotels like Taj Savoy Hotel, Fernhill Palace, Holiday Inn, Hotel Dasaprakas, and Hotel Khems in which people can stay during their trip. Ooty’s weather is quite pleasant and refreshing at a mean of 15-20°C around the year, dropping to lows of 0°C during winter. The landscape is marked by rolling hills covered with sullen vegetation, smaller hills and plateaus covered with tea gardens, and eucalyptus trees attract many tourists here every year. So Ooty is a great place to go during any season.
Disneyland Paris is a holiday and recreation resort in Marne-la-Vallée, 32 km from the center of Paris, France. It provides a great family vacation as well as a nice trip to Paris. Disneyland Paris, Europe’s top holiday destination has two theme parks Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park with Disney Village, seven themed hotels, Golf Disneyland. Owned and operated by a French public company Euro Disney S.C.A Disneyland Paris is operational since 12 April 1992.
With 20-square-kilometer area it is about one-fifth the size of Paris itself and to control the hotel business at the time of the opening in 1992, seven hotels conjointly housing 5,800 rooms had been built and for its huge popularity Euro Disney signed a contract with French Government to finish construction of 18,200 hotel rooms at varying distances from the resort. For a projected attendance of 55,000 daily, Euro Disney plotted to serve an estimated 14,000 people per hour within the Euro Disneyland Park. 29 restaurants were built inside the park and another 11 at the Euro Disney resort hotels and 5 at Festival Disney.
For Euro Disney’s intention for permanent employees Disney sought workers with sufficient communication skills, who spoke two European languages (French and one other), and socially outgoing workers. Following precedent, Euro Disney set up its own Disney University to train workers. On 31 May 1995, a new attraction opened at the theme park, Space Mountain and on 25 July 1995, Euro Disney S.C.A. reported its first ever quarterly profit of US$35.3 million. In August 2008, Disneyland Paris was the most visited attraction in Europe, have more visitors than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower combined.
Disneyland Paris gives a great chance to make the kids and the parents happy while staying at the seven hotels right inside Disneyland Paris, featuring sports and leisure facilities, including swimming pools, exercise rooms, tennis courts and pony rides and also provides a further opportunity to meet the Disney Characters. The aspect of a Disney park in France was a matter of debate and controversy. Prominent French intellectuals stigmatized what they considered to be the cultural imperialism. But still Disneyland Paris stood tall and it’s now one of the best holiday destinations of Europe.
To reenergize the retail trade of Dubai in United Arab Emirates, Dubai shopping festival or DSF was started on February 15th, 1996. DSF which is also known as “Layali Dubai” at the beginning was started by the government of Dubai purely to promote trading system in Dubai but now it has become one of the most massive shopping cum entertainment mega event of this world. But today this event is not only for one purpose but due to this event’s annual shopping, entertainment, and cultural extravaganza people all around the world also come to Dubai and it’s very good for Dubai tourism.
It’s a brilliant concept to show what can be achieved by the co-operation of both private and public sectors. With over 2,300 retail outlets participating and offering everything like from gold, perfume, haute couture, cars, electronics to handicrafts and textiles it has become the shopping paradise for people. Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai this festival is shaped and every year DFS lives up to its standard by staging the most fantastic things under the theme of One World, One Family, One Festival. With many national and international brands acknowledging their faith in this event it is now not only a festival but a signature mark of universal brotherhood, happiness, excitement, joy and adventure.
From its beginning till now this festival has become a tribute to the inherent ambition and strength of the people of the United Arab Emirates and now brands like Visa and Emirates Airlines have become partners to DSF’s growth. Not only retail industry but many hotels including Burj Al Arab offer many special things during this festival. Airlines like Emirates, offers special discounted airfares and excess baggage allowances during this time. Apart from shopping this festival features many other exciting events like international fashion shows, children’s events, street side performances, nightly fireworks, film festivals, and many other cultural events that show the basic culture of Emirates people and the Dubai World Cup, the richest horse race in the world is also held during this time. So all in all DFS is not just a festival it’s more than that.
In Arunachal Pradesh is situated the land of Monpasis at a height of about 10,000 feet known as Tawang. Mera Lama gave Tawang its name in the 17th century. Famous for its landscapes, Tawang is a place with beautiful hill stations.
If you are thinking what you will get to see in Tawang, then don’t worry, Apart from landscapes, Tawang also has a history and some pieces of great architecture to offer.
To reach Tawang, you have two options with you. You can either take a charter helicopter, or you can go by a car. The first one will take you across the two states in a few hours. The second one will take some time, but you will get to enjoy nature to its fullest.
On your way, you can stop at the Nameri tiger reserve or the Sona Rupai wildlife sanctuary. As you go through these roads, you get the feeling that the landscape around you is changing. The frequent towns give way to the lush green forests in the hills. Further up the mountains, the greenery gives way to snow. White is the color that is mostly seen.
Finally when you reach Tawang after such a hectic journey, you begin to realize that your journey has paid off. The town of Tawang is very beautiful. The monastery at Tawang is the biggest one outside Lhasa. Also, the beauty of the landscape will stun you. The mountains stand tall in front of you and chilly fresh air renews your senses. The Himalayan flora and fauna are also very diverse in this region.
Are you a traveler who does not like crowd? India has many places which will amaze you and keep you in peace. These offbeat travel destinations are the places you should visit.
Have you ever seen a beach where you can take a bath near the shore at high tide and walk into the sea itself for about two kilometers during low tide? Welcome to Chandipur. This is a place which is not so well known to tourists. It is a missile testing ground for the military. But the landscape will amaze you. You can also get your share of peace while sitting on the beach. 20 kilometers from Baleswar, this place is sure to stun you.
Are you in love with the mountains? Imagine a small town with only 610 people. A river flows continuously down through the valley and the last mountain that can be is seen is completely covered with snow. This town named Chitkul is about 255 kilometers from Shimla by car. There is no other way to get there. The place is not even known to the people of Himachal. If you visit this place you will surely remember it long after you have made your trip.
If you don’t want to stay for long at a single place, then try Bengal. Most of the southern and central part of Bengal is rich with works of terracotta. Places like Bishnupur, Supur, Jaypur, Kalna, Katwa, Bashberia, Atrpur are all rich with works of terracotta. You have to make break journeys to all of these places. There is always something else to see around. Visiting these places may not amaze you but after visiting them, you will surely think of visiting them back again.
The 1412km2 Gir Forest National Park lies in the state Gujarat, the south-western semi-arid peninsular part of India. It was established on 18th September, 1965, as a forest reserve. The sanctuary is internationally acclaimed for successfully saving the pure Asiatic Lions, one of the World’s most endangered species, from the brink of extinction.
The National Park is a mixed deciduous type of forest with teak, flame of the forest, some Acacia and Banyan trees. The trees are mostly broad leaved and evergreen, which give the area a cool shade and the moisture content. Out of its total area, about 258 km² has been allocated for the fully protected area of the national park and 1153 km² for the Sanctuary.
The nearest access is the Junagarh district which is 42kms away from the Park. There are plenty of rivers in this hilly tract that offer the visitors long pleasant drives through the thick forest cover. Wildlife enthusiasts visit Gir Park throughout the year, but the best period to visit the Gir Sanctuary is between the months of November and June.
It is the last and only abode of the Asiatic Lion. The other major wildlife attractions in Gir Wildlife Sanctuary include Leopard, Chital Spotted Deer, Nilgai Antelope, Chowsingha Four-Horned Antelope, Chinkara Gazelle, Wild Boar, Langur Monkey, Jackal, Hyena and Sambar Deer. There are numerous species of birds that exist in the park, like Paradise Flycatcher, Bonneli’s Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Woodpeckers Flamingo etc.
The park also serves as a unique habitat for the Ratel, Rusty Spotted Cat, pangolin, Ruddy Mongoose, Civets . There are numerous human settlements of cattle herders called Maldharis with abundance of livestock population inside the Sanctuary.
There are guided trips available, to watch these magnificent animals from a very close range. Wildlife viewing in the Gir’s is best done, by moving in a jeep around the forest. The ecosystem of Gir, with its diverse flora and fauna, is protected as a result of the efforts of the government forest department, wildlife activists and NGOs.
Beaches are one of the best creation of nature, where Sun, Sand and Sea come together to celebrate their love. But it is not the only reason for beaches’ popularity, then what is the real reason? I think beaches are the only place where someone can feel free, relax, compose and can enjoy every moment of life and India has 600k.m long coastline. So it’s no wonder that India have many excellent and scenic beaches along its coastline.
But the most wonderful beaches are in Goa, and their beauty is truly enchanting. But among them Calangute beach deserves a special mention. Tourists here feel mesmerized by the soft sands, swaying palms, and the calm waters of the Arabian Sea, kissing its shores. It is a perfect place for water sports like surfing, scuba diving, water skiing, parasailing and others.
8 k.m West of Mapusa, Goa, Anjuna beach is one of the most popular beaches of Goa. It is a favorite destination for honeymooners and very popular amidst international tourists. The calm sea is very safe for swimming and water sports. The weekly flea market is a major attraction here.
A palm-fringed, largely deserted and secluded Nagoa Beach, Diu is a beautiful beach of India. Twenty kilometers away from Diu it is shaped like a horse-shoe (semi-circle); this beach is located in the Nagoa hamlet of the Bucharwada village. It is so popular for its calm nature, and crystal clear water of Arabian Sea.
Puri is both a pilgrimage and holiday destination. The vast stretch of sand along the beautiful Bay of Bengal on the coastline of Orissa has one of the finest beaches in India. The roaring sea is so alluringly blue and its crystal clear water is very good for swimming. The temple of Lord Jagannath is an added attraction in Puri, as are the culture and cuisine of Orissa.
Kovalam is the most famous beach in Kerala. This beach gives privacy with only the sound of waves lashing on the shore. Walks along the golden sands, swims in the crystal clear water, shades of coconuts trees create a magic along the shores, a dream destination for international tourists who want to relax and enjoy.
Located in Tamil Nadu, Marina beach is the second longest beach stretches in the world. Four and a half kms to be exact. Unfortunately it is also one of the beaches that was devastated in the Tsunami and so has seen a major dip in visitors since then.
In Varkala beach of Kerala we can totally relax ourselves at one of the cliff top restaurants and reflect upon a beautiful sunset. After having enough of the cocktails and massages someone can have fun in scuba diving, charter a yacht or even try a bit of parasailing?
Located in Karnataka, Gokarna beach is beautiful. If someone is looking for pure natural beauty, the beaches south of the jungle will capture their hearts. Fascinating, gorgeous are the words that come to mind.
Corbyn’s Cove is a serene and unspoilt soft sandy beach in Andaman near Port Blair. This beach is set in exquisite backgrounds of lush green coconut, palms and pleasant sea. There is a primal tourism Complex, offers all kinds of facilities for an enthusiastic traveler.
Mahabalipuram beach, the south of Chennai beach is the most beautiful east coast beach and one of the best in India. Except the beach Five Rathas and Arjuna’s Penance are also main attractions for the tourists.
Well, we all know that cuisine means a particular style of cooking, so the Mexican cuisine means Mexican art of cooking. Mexican cuisine is best known for its varied flavors, colorful decoration, and variety of spices and ingredients. Mexican cuisine through the blending of indigenous and European elements since the 16th century has evolved a lot.
There are many kinds of ingredients used in Mexican cuisine, different dishes need different elements but the most important things used in Mexican cuisine are corn and beans. Corn is basically used to make masa, a dough for tamales, tortillas, gorditas, and other corn-based dishes. Corn is also used as a component in many dishes. Next to corn, rice is the most commonly used grain in Mexican cuisine. Herbs and spices like chilies, oregano, a smoke-dried jalapeño chilli, cilantro, cinnamon, epazote, cocoa, chipotle, onion, garlic are also used in Mexican cuisine. Salsa which is actually just a sauce, made with the red or green mix of tomatoes, onion, chili and cilantro. Apart these there are the alcoholic beverages like Tequila, which is a form of a margarita- mixed with lime juice and Mexican beer brands like Corona, Sol and Dos Equis are also important part of Mexican cuisine. Pre- Columbian Mexico’s native people’s diet also consisted of chocolate, vanilla, tomatillos, avocado, guava, papaya, sapote, pineapple, soursop, jicama, squash, sweet potato, bell peppers, agave, chili peppers.
Cheese plays a big part in many Mexican dishes. Cheeses are made in the homes, in small farms and in major dairy product farms. There are somewhere between twenty to forty different varieties of cheese in Mexico. Apart from cheese, chocolate too plays an important part in the Mexican cuisine. Mexican style hot chocolate and champurrados are something one must sample.
For the big geographical size, Mexican food and recipe varies from one part to another part of the country .Like the grilled meat of Northern Mexico and spicy vegetables and chicken based dishes of Southeastern Mexico is known worldwide. In the villages there are some exotic dishes that include iguana, rattlesnake, deer etc and they are in the genre of regional Mexican cuisine.Mexican cuisine is so delicious that other cuisines of the world are trying out things like Mexican fusion, Mexican restaurants can be found in many towns throughout the world and sumptuous Mexican dishes are becoming more and more popular every day.
On the western coast of India lies a small state Goa. It is an ultimate tourist spot of the country. Its exotic beaches and irresistible Goan Cuisine bring people here. The Goan Cuisine is considered as one of the best in the country.
The Goan Cuisine has resulted from a mixed influence of the Arabian, Portuguese, Hindu and the Catholic culture. The cuisine is mainly based on the sea food. Goa is a coastal region; therefore, the people here relish coconut, rice and fish as their staple food.
Being situated in the tropical zone, the Cuisine of Goa has a lot to do with spices. Often, the delicacies over here are considered as spicy and chilli. Not just the inhabitants of Goa but also the tourists who visit Goa enjoy this different style of food which has a distinct and unique combination of spicy flavors.
The Goan Cuisine can be mainly divided into two categories, the Goan Hindu Cuisine and the Goan Catholic Cuisine. The Hindu Cuisine uses less oil, spice, onion and garlic. It involves more use of vegetables. However, the Catholic Cuisine is a lot influenced by Portuguese, which uses chillies and spices in greater quantities. And apart from fish, beef and pork are also eaten by the catholic community.
Any food in Goa is incomplete without coconut. The coconut is a part of most of the delicacies of Goa just like tamarind and sour deep purple fruit called kokum.
As the people here reside in a coastal area, so they make full use of it by using fish, crabs, lobsters, murrels and tiger prawns etc, which are cooked in fresh coconut or coconut milk, garlic hot sauce or dry spices. Pork is a hot favorite among the people here.
Some of the popular Goan Cuisine dishes are Ambot-Tik, Prawn Balchao, Fish Recheado, Sorpotel, Chicken Cafreal, Chauricos, Bebinca etc. the vegetarian dishes of Goa are not particularly famous. Goa, in real terms, caters to the taste buds of non-vegetarians especially the meat lovers.