architecture

Venice, Queen of the Adriatic

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venice
Venice is a city in Italy on the banks of the Po and Piave Rivers. The city is renowned for its canals, bridges, beautiful setting, architecture, and artwork.

The city and its lagoon are listed as Unesco World Heritage Sites and is known as the Queen of the Adriatic.

Its beauty makes it one of the most demanded tourist destinations in the world and visitors can embark on a Grand Tour which takes them through cityscape, musical heritage and culture. One of the most famous aspects of the city is being able to take a tour through the canals on a gondola.

The city also hosts several international conferences and festivals as well as the Carnival of Venice annually. The Venice Film Festival is world renowned; other attractions include St. Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Ca’ d’Oro, Grand Canal, Piazza San Marco, and Lido di Venezia.

Music is also very important to the culture of Venice as is food which relies heavily on seafood.

Risi e bisi, fegato alla veneziana and risotto with cuttlefish are a must try. For food try La Cantina and for bacari try the Alla Vedova.

The city has a humid subtropical climate with cool winters and very warm summers and is served by the Marco Polo International Airport.

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Marseille, port of France

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marseille

Marseille is the second largest city in France and also the largest port as it sits on the on the country’s southeastern coast.

The port is very important in visitor arrivals as well as industry while the city itself is well visited for its beaches, culture, and architecture.

In 2013, Marseille was designated the European Capital of Culture and with its blend of opera houses, historical and maritime museums and art galleries makes great entertainment for tourist.

Some of France’s greatest artists worked in Marseille, among then Dufy, Renoir, and Cezanne.

Some of their works can be seen at the Musée des beaux-arts de Marseille. Other museums in the city include the Natural History Museum, the Grobet-Labadie museum and the Musée de Civilisations de l’Europe et de laMéditerranée.

As with other cities in France cuisine is very important and the bouillabaisse is the most famous of the dishes in Marseille which is known for its seafood. Other specialties of the region include the anchoïade, bourride, and pied paquets.

Good restaurants to try in the city include the O’bidul which is the highest ranked restaurant for French cuisine according to Trip Advisor with meals ranging between $17 and $33.

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Malta, where centuries of history live

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malta
One of the most densely populated countries in the world, the small Mediterranean island of Malta remains popular among British tourists. The island sits south of the island of Sicily and just north of Libya in the Mediterranean Sea.

The island has a warm climate and many recreational areas which makes it a tourist favourite.There are three Unesco World Heritage Sites on the island which is filled with architectural and historical monuments.

Among them are the Megalithic Temples which are some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world. The island has a strong historical background having once been a base for Phoenicians, Hapsburg Spain, Romans, Aragonese, Arabs, Norman, French, and British.

Carnival has had a strong place in Maltan culture and it also has a strong Christian legacy. The architecture has been highly influenced by its Roman culture with classical and marble structures. Mosaic floors and Christian frescos decorate catacombs and Romanesque as well as Southern Gothic movements also have a place in Maltan culture.

The Italian artist Caravaggio painted seven of his works in Malta, two of the most notable being on display on the island.  

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Havana, Cuba

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One of the oldest cities in the Caribbean and one of the most exotic is Havana, the capital city of Cuba-the largest island in the Caribbean. The city is 90 miles from Florida in North America and used to be the play ground of many wealthy Americans before the embargo of the 1960′s came into effect.

When wants to see vintage American cars driving around Spanish style architecture and streets, Havana is the place to see it. Stepping into Havana is like taking a step back in time.

The city proper is quite large with just over two million inhabitants. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is known for its mix of culture, history,architecture, and monuments.

Habana Vieja is the oldest part of the city and just across the bay sits the Fortress San Carlos de Cabana. Here each night a reenactment involving canons being fired takes place.

Among the other interesting buildings are the El Capitol Nacional, which is a replica of the US state capitol buildings and is the centre of government in the city; The Plaza de la Revolucion and the Hotel Nacional de Cuba. The Cuban ballet is also in old Havana.

The Malecon runs along the north coast of the city and is the most popular avenue in the city, known for its spectacular sunsets.

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Santo Domingo, a whole of sun and history

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santo_domingo
For those who love the beach and lots of sunshine with a little bit of history thrown in Santo Domingo is the place to visit. The capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic sits at the mouth of a river that empties into the Caribbean Sea and enjoys bright sunshine almost year round.

The city also happens to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the New World after being founded by Bartholomew Columbus in 1493. The city is an ode to Spanish old world architecture and several of the structures built during the reign of the Spanish still exist.

The city’s Zona Colonial has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1990 and contains a magnificent collection of 16th century buildings, churches, and palaces. The oldest castle in the Americas the Alcazar of Colon is in the city’s colonial centre. Other sites in the colonial zone include the Catedral Santa Maria La Menor and Parque Colon. One of the main attractions of the city is the Malecon, a beautiful avenue running along the coast with some of the finest hotels in the city within view of the sea. The Columbus Lighthouse sits in the east of the city as a monument to the Christopher Columbus and is said to contain his remains. Not far from the city is the vibrant Boca Chica Bay where one can enjoy the beach while walking around in narrow streets.

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Moscow, more than just a Red Square

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Kremlin_Basils
When one thinks of going on vacation the Russian capital of Moscow isn’t necessarily the first place you would think of visiting. Perhaps thoughts of drab buildings a throw-back to the communist era come to mind.

But the city can be interesting if you choose to look behind the drab exterior. There is definitely more to see than just the Kremlin and Red Square.

Moscow is a living homage to centuries of political, cultural and religious history.

The Kremlin is of course a must see. The building is Russia’s political and historical centre

Red Square is the heart of Moscow with the 16th century St. Basil’s Cathedral one of the most famous churches and in fact pieces of architecture in the world.

Another famous religious building is the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour which dominates the skyline along the Moscow River.

The Gulag History Museum is dedicated to the labour camps which once dominated the Soviet Union. Guides dressed as guards are available to give a guided tour of the facility. At the Tretyakov Gallery one can view the best collection of Russian icons and other pieces of pre-revolutionary Russian art.

The city also has over 100 parks where one can just sit back and relax and enjoy the view.

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