travel

People have been taking Caribbean travel vacations since the colonial times. Today, millions of U.S. citizens visit the islands each year to experience the tropical extravaganza that a Caribbean travel usually has in store for all its visitors.
Below are some Caribbean travel tips to help you get the most out of your tropical excursion:

Get an early start.
If there’s anything you absolutely must do when you go on a Caribbean vacation that is to start early. There are a lot of things you need to take care of. Trip planning can be a tough nut to crack. Often, a passport may be required before you can enter the country you are planning to travel. One Caribbean travel tip you ought to consider is to prepare all your travel documents as early as now.
Choose an island.

Culture-shock. That is bound to happen if you don’t do your research beforehand. One thing you should remember about the Caribbean is that it has a culture that is as widely diverse as its people. So take this Caribbean travel tip: read up on the culture and people for the places you will travel.

Another thing, as you travel, keep abreast of local news coverage. If you are in an area experiencing civil unrest or a natural disaster, or if you are going to a place where communications is poor, register with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for your own safety.

Registration at the State Department’s TravelRegistration.state.gov website takes only a few minutes, and certainly invaluable in case of emergency. In addition, you can also get up to date Caribbean travel tips and information on any country in the world by obtaining the Department of State’s Consular Information Sheet.
Entry.

Every island in the Caribbean has its own entry requirements. That is why your first Caribbean travel tip is to prepare all your documents before you leave home. If you can show proof that you are a U.S. citizen and a return or onward ticket, most countries will allow you to visit for up to two or three months.

Take this as both a Caribbean travel tip and caution: There are countries in the Caribbean with areas infected with yellow fever. If you come from any of these areas, you may be required to have a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever.
Also, some airports may require departure tax of up to $25.
Return.

There are some Caribbean countries that require only your birth certificate as an entry requirement. However, this should be reason for you to slack off on your travel documents. Remember that U.S. Immigration requires that you document both your U.S. citizenship and identity. Take this Caribbean travel tip and make sure you can return to the United States with both these documents.

But what is the best document that can prove your U.S. citizenship? The best proof is a valid U.S. passport. However, other travelers give these Caribbean travel tips as documents you can use besides that to prove U.S. citizenship:

Expired U.S. passport

Certified copy of birth certificate

Certificate of Naturalization

Certificate of Citizenship

Report of Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen

Jet Lag Remedies

If you know that you have been experiencing jet lag lately, you’ve probably been doing some research online to find out what is going to work the best for you. The reason that I like researching remedies online is because I can get reviews from other people that have used the products themselves.

What I have found with reviews is that if the high majority tend to like the product, there’s a good chance that I’m going to like the product as well. Well, I did some research online and this is what I came up with as my favorite jet lag remedy products.

Before I get situated with the jet lag remedies, you’re going to want to use this checklist as a good example on how you can find the perfect product for yourself.

• If it has good reviews, there’s a good chance its going to work for you.
• Look for natural products as these are going to be better for you.
• Read the ingredients. If they have things you don’t know about, you’re going to research them.
• If it’s FDA approved, this is a huge plus but be aware that many of the products out there aren’t FDA approved.

The top products that have high marks online…#1 Lewis N. Clark: Some of the highest reviews online. Lots of compliments on how the product works for many on long flights. Comes with 32 tablets that is enough for 40 flights. The typical package 32 should cost you no more than $15.

#2 JetZone Jet Lag: Made of 100% natural homeopathic travel medicine, its uniquely formulated and its extremely easy to use. You don’t even need to drink water when you’re taking them! 30 tablets are going to run you around $3. These are by far the cheapest on the market.

#3 No Lag Homeopathic: These are designed for 2 year olds and older and will relieve the stress of tiredness and more. Its safe, natural and has some great reviews online. A whole package will generally set you back around $15 or so.

There are going to be more than this when you do your homework online. Just make sure that you read the reviews, as well as what is in them because there are a lot of scams out there that won’t do anything for you but take your money.

Be sure to check out the products above and see what can work the best for you!

Travel to Japan gives you exposure of East Asia. Japan is covered by four main islands. Tokyo is the capital city of Japan. There are so many things to see in Tokyo like Tokyo Hotel, Tokyo Tower, Narita Airport, Tokyo Subway and Tokyo Disneyland etc. When you are planning to travel Japan you should have some knowledge of Japan’s important city. Apart from Tokyo Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Nagasaki are very important city of Japan.

Highlights of Japan are Mount Fuji, Golden Pavillion, Himeji Castle, Horyuji Temple, Dogo Onsen and Bullet Train. Your travel to Japan would be incomplete if you will miss the high speed Bullet Train.

Japan is divided in several regions; Hokkaido, Kanto, Tohoko, Chubu, Chugoku, Kansai, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa. Sapporo is the capital and largest city of Hokkaido. Another city is famous in this region is Hakodate for its European style Churches and fort. Sendai is the capital of Toboko region it is famous for trees and greenery. Yokohama is almost a part of Tokyo and has the tallest building in Japan. Hakone is known as a resort town it is very close to Tokyo.

Yokohama and Hakone is an important part of Kanto. In Chubu region; Nagoya, Matsumoto, Kanazawa, Nagano and Niigata city are very famous for visitors. Nagoya is the fourth largest city in Japan. Matsumoto is surrounded by mountains and famous for its beautiful views. Japan’s second largest city Osaka is a part of Kansai; other important cities are in this region Kyoto, Kobe, Nara and Himeji. Hiroshima, Miyajima, Okayama and Kurashiki are very important city in Chugoku. Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Beppu and Okinawa are the important city in Kyushu region. Kumamoto is quite famous for its Castle and beautiful gardens.

Climate of Japan is very good. They have four seasons; spring, summer, autumn and Winter. Longest holiday of Japan is Golden Weak. In this Golden weak everybody travel across country and everything is booked. In winters 29th December to 3rd January everything is shut down for celebrating New Years. Spring and autumn are very good seasons for travel Japan.

You can enjoy your holiday in Japan with fun and pleasure. Travel to Japan is a very good idea for your holidays with your family. For more comfortable vacation to Japan, you must keep travel guide with you for all the tourist information, travel agencies and travel destinations for your budget travel.

If you are a newlywed couple planning for honeymoon, Japan is a good place. You can also consider many other romantic honeymoon destinations by visiting Elite Honeymoon Packages – #1 honeymoon planner.

If you’re planning a Walt Disney World vacation this Summer or Fall you’ll need to start planning and preparing like no other vacation before. Walt Disney World covers 47 square miles (think twice as large as Manhattan and you’ll get the idea!) and has so many things to do that even those who live in Orlando struggle to keep up with it all.

In short, here’s just SOME of the available offerings at Walt Disney World:

• 4 major theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• 2 water parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon
• Over 20 large resorts
• 5 golf courses
• 2 mini-golf courses
• Numerous lakes offering water sports, boating and fishing
• 2 dinner shows
• BoardWalk entertainment district
• DisneyQuest “virtual theme park”
• Downtown Disney shopping and dining district

So with all this choice, just where do you begin?

1. When.

Deciding when to go will be top of your list. Much will depend on your budget, kids’ school schedules and other factors such as what you like to do individually and as a family, will heavily influence your decision.

Tip #1: Visit Disney when the kids are in school to enjoy the quieter theme parks more. Lines will be shorter and more comfortable

2. What.

This is a critical step in the planning. There is so much to do that you’ll want to plan out what everyone wants to see and do.

Tip #2: List the “Must Do’s” and then do a secondary list of “Maybe’s”. Involve everyone in this process and you’ll have a more enjoyable trip.

3. How Long?

There’s never enough time to see it all, so armed with your list in #2 you can now chart out how long it will take you to visit the “Must Do’s” and how long it will take you to do the “Maybe’s.” Be warned, even if you visit for a month, you simply can’t see it all.

Tip #3: If you want to visit all four theme parks and actually experience the majority of the attractions, parades and shows, you will need at least 5 full days! (Epcot can easily take 2 days all by itself as it is split into two sections; Future World and World Showcase. You might also find you need a day and a half at Magic Kingdom to enjoy everything there is on offer.)

If you then find you would like to do some of the “extras,” like Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon water parks or a trip to DisneyQuest you will need to allow more days. If you are visiting for a first time, I believe you need at least 7 to 10 days to do all the major theme parks and sample some of the other delights.

4. Transportation.

Depending where you live you’ll need to decide whether to travel by plane or automobile. If you’re flying, do you then want to rent a vehicle so you can see other things in the Orlando area?

Tip #4: Hire a car and stay off site to save money. There are some great places to stay that will help you save way more than the cost of vehicle hire.

5. Theme Park Tickets.

A big expense when visiting Walt Disney World is the cost of entry to the parks. It is important to look over your itinerary, get out the calculator, take a look at all the prices and available deals to figure out which tickets make most sense for your situation.

Tip #5: There are many ticket companies offering great deals. Check each one out and don’t be tempted by the deal that seems to be too good. Go with a reputable and approved Disney ticket agency.

6. Where To Stay.

Here’s another big decision. Stay on Disney property or stay off site? If you take the advice in Tip #4 you’ll stay off site and save $$$’s but if you are seriously considering an on site resort stay then make sure you check out all of Disney’s resorts by searching for photo’s and details on the internet. Each resort is themed differently and some are very expensive.

Tip #6: Rent a Vacation Home. Renting a vacation home off site makes a lot of sense for most families. A fully equipped vacation home has 3 to 7 bedrooms (enough room for all the family at one nightly rate rather than multiple rooms at a hotel), a fully equipped kitchen (prepare meals at home rather than eat in expensive restaurants), large lounge and living areas (with flat screen TV’s, DVD’s VCR’s, games machines) and your own private heated swimming pool.

You’ll not only save money but you can keep all the family together and create some great memories.

7. Relax and Enjoy.

Don’t forgetto take some time out to do absolutely nothing. The temptation with a Disney vacation is to always be on the go. It’s important to allow time to recharge your batteries and to go home refreshed.

Tip #7: Allow one rest day for every two days of theme parks.

That’s it! Everything else is “gravy.” You can make reservations for meals, book special events and do all kinds of other planning but these are the seven basic steps to enjoy a great Disney vacation. Have fun!

There are many reasons to visit the wonderful country of France. If it is pure relaxation and abandonment at a sunny coastal location you are looking for, then look no further! The North, West and South of France provide wonderful beach resorts where you can enjoy the sun and sand without a care in the world. Read on for more…

Resorts of North Western France

The most popular northwestern resorts of France include the Caen region, which is lapped by the waters of the English Channel. This region holds an important place in French history – much of the area was part of the WW2 Allied landings and the area is dotted with historical landmarks relating to these events in the turbulent European military history. The beaches around the area of Point du Hoc are pretty poignant – some the D-Day landings took place here and so many young men died here fighting for the liberation of Europe during the Allied invasion of June 1944. Many of the beaches in this region such as Calvados represent a pilgrimage for people who lost loved ones in the conflict with Nazi Germany.

Arromanches is a pleasant seaside town which is a popular visiting place for those in interested in the Allied Landings at the Normandy region – this town was right at the heart of the Allied operation. The beaches at Omaha, Juno and Utah are a must to sample the terrain that greeted the landing of the Allied forces.

Some of the more popular beach resort towns include Saint Malo, Le Touquet, Trouville and Deauville. The white cliff faces and the strange rock formations around the Alabaster Coast are well worth checking out. Other villages included Etretat and Fécamp.

Resorts of Western France

The western area is dominated by the beautiful Brittany region. There is a wonderful combination of white sandy beaches and delightful rocky coves to explore. Brittany has a striking coastline that is woven by the Atlantic waves. There is a notable Celtic influence on this region. The beaches and coastlines make it a perfect area for those interested in surfing and deep sea diving!

Some of the most prominent costal resorts in Brittany include:

· The Emerald Coast (Cóte d’Emeraude), which is the area near Dinard to the north east

· La Cóte de Granit Rose to the north of the Cotes d’Armor

· Western Brittany and Finistere

· The Crozon Peninsula

· The Gulf of Morbihan

· Vendée Region (especially La Baule, which is a long fine sand beach loved especially by families; Bretignolles-sur-Mer, a great Vendée surfing area and Pornichet beach

· Atlantic coastal beach areas such La Rochelle, St Martin de Ré

· The Coté de Beauté area, to the north of the Gironde estuary

· Biarritz – the popular and bustling town on the Atlantic coast in southwest France (in the Atlantic-Pyrenees department of Aquitaine). This is a popular area for surfers; La Grande Plage is the main beach here.

Resorts of Southern France

One of the most famous beach regions in France is the Languedoc area. It borders the Mediterranean Sea and borders Spain. Languedoc has several quality sandy beaches. Some of the main resorts are:

· Saint Cyprien

· Cape D’Agde (Note that part of this beach has a Naturist section)

· The charming town of Montpellier and the nearby resort of La Grande Motte

· The town of Sète, which is known as the Venice of the Languedoc region.

· The Med Coast in Languedoc is known as La Coté Vermeille and has resorts such as Collioure and Argeles-sur-Mer.

If you want to experience a resort with all of the glitz and glamour then the Cote d’Azur is the place to go to – also known as the French Riviera. The capital city is Nice and the other two main resorts are St Tropez and Cannes. It is the diversity of the region that illustrates how enticing this region is – you can enjoy sandy beaches and stunning Alpine scenery. The Riviera offers stunning coastal views, great all year round weather, and wonderful tourist attractions. The Cote d’Azur goes to the east from Antibes through Cannes, Monaco/Monte Carlo and Villefranche-sur-Mer. The main resorts here are as follows:

· Nice is the largest resort on the Cote d’Azur -and has something for everyone – marvelous beaches, history, wonderful buildings.

· St Tropez beaches – la Baie de Pampelonne to the south of St Tropez, Pamelonne beach, la Plage des Salins and Plage de la Moutte

· Toulon – Mourillon beach

· Sainte-Maxime – this south facing beach is warm all year round!

· Cannes beaches

· Antibes

· Villefranche-sur-Mer

· Menton – a coastal town on the Cote d’Azur, a few kilometres from the Italian border. Known for its lemon festival, there is a fine beach here.

Hope you enjoyed our guide to the top beach resorts of France. Have we tempted you to take a coastal resort vacation soon? The best way to explore these areas at your leisure is to avail of a top quality rental car at an affordable price, so visit our Car Hire France page.

The Ming Tombs, located in Mount. Tianshou of Changping County, approximately 50 kilometers northwest from the downtown area of Beijing, are a collection of 13 mausoleums, and are the final resting places of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors. The tombs cover a total area of 120 square kilometers and were listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2003. The 13 mausoleums are different in size but they have similar architectural styles: Changling is the largest, Siling is the smallest and Yongling is the most delicate.

May be some people who are familiar with Chinese history have a question to ask: why do Ming Tombs only have 13 emperors buried here while there are in all 16 emperors during Ming Dynasty. The reason is that two emperors of the 16 were buried at other places, and the tomb of another one emperor was out of record.

Changling and Dingling are the most famous ones of the Ming Tombs. Changling is the tomb of Emperor Zhudi, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, who reigned during the Yongle era. Zhudi rests here with his wife, Empress Xu. Emperor Zhudi ruled for 22 years, and enjoyed great success in the fields of politics, economics, culture, the military and diplomacy. He is regarded as one of the Ming Dynasty’s greatest emperors. Changling covers an area of about 120,000 square meters, and is the largest and best preserved of the Ming Tombs. The other 12 emperors that followed Zhudi all had their tombs built around Changling.

Dingling is the mausoleum of the Emperor Zhu Yijun, the thirteenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and his two empresses. Dingling is currently the only mausoleum of the 13 to have been excavated. It is an underground tomb, with construction beginning in 1584, continuing until its completion in 1590. There are many attractions in Dingling, such as the Stone Bridge, Soul Tower and Baocheng. The Soul Tower is the symbol of Dingling and it forms the entrance to the underground chamber. The whole Dingling is made of stone, and it is divided into three halls consisting of five palaces: the front, rear, and middle, left and right palaces. The gates of the main halls are made of white marble.

As the grandest tomb cluster and one of the most impressive cultural relics in all of China, the Ming Tombs have become one of the China most famous and unmissable tourist destinations.

It appears as if the Russians missed out on some thing large looking at that Alaska is only 50 miles away throughout the Bering Strait. Imagine the historical impact of having the Russian explorers beat out Columbus in rediscovering the USA 500 years ago. And certainly, you wouldn’t desire to neglect one thing large either if you happen to come across the chance to check out Russia this time around. Maybe this is the best time to visit Russia than previously, with an alluring natural and political topography and may be the home to 23 World Heritage Web sites which promises excitement, and a great deal more.

The biggest region
Russia is the largest region globally with a acreage of 17,075,400 square kilometers. It is an ideal melting pot of contrasting pure sceneries such as the volcanoes and geysers of Kamchatka, the crystal-clear Baikal lake, the wild steppes of Tyva, as well as the snowy mountains of Altai, to name a couple of.

Summer time and Winter
Enjoy the most beneficial of both worlds anytime with the year. You just can loosen off and drift through the balmy, salty winds with the subtropical Russian Black Sea Coast that boasts of common beach resorts or start a skiing adventure in well-liked skiing resorts within the Northern Caucasus Mountains.

Matryoshka dolls
A diverse cultural backdrop from a friendly and warm individuals, bristling with pride and heritage awaits any oblivious traveler to this proud country. From matyroshka dolls for the unique Russian cuisines, from the majestic St. Basil Cathedral and the Moscow Kremlin towers, to homey Dachas, or summer time houses in the suburban areas, visitors will surely find pleasant surprises at each turn.

So in the event you are preparing to a grand vacation of your lives or just tinkering around with an idea on a travel adventure on budget, but still not decided on which place to go, try Russia or Rossiya as local people would say it?

Now, the question even now remains – How could the Russians not discover the Americas?
Perhaps they couldn’t see it inside the fog.

The beautiful country of India is really vast and beautiful, North India being no exception. The North of India has many tourist attractions that guarantee you some of the best travel destinations ranging from hill stations, snow capped mountains of the Himalayas, deserts of Rajasthan and a host of cultural destinations. The capital city of Delhi itself is a great tourist destination and hence an important part of North India tours. The Golden Triangle constituting of the cities of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra make for a fantastic tourist package.

North India Wildlife

There is a great scope for wildlife tourism in North India. Most of the wildlife destinations are located in Rajasthan. The best ones include the Sariska National Park, The Ranathambore National Park, Mount Abu Sanctuary, Darrah Sanctuary, Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary, Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary and Keoladeo Ghana National Park. The other important ones in North India include the Corbett National Park in Uttaranchal, Govind Wildlife Sanctuary Uttaranchal and Renuka Sanctuary Himachal Pradesh.

Golden Triangle Tour

The cities of Agra, Delhi and Jaipur exist in proximity with each other as if it is in a triangle. The Golden Triangle package tours provide you with the best of heritage destinations that you could ever think of. Agra is famous for its Mughal architecture and culture and the finest of its attractions being the world famous Taj Mahal. The Pink city of India- Jaipur in Rajasthan guarantees you beautiful destinations like the Jaipur City Palace and Amber Palace and a host of other travel and shopping options. Delhi, the capital city of the country promises you historic places to visit like the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Red Fort. This tour is a true heritage tour which can be enhanced by a package on the Luxury Train Palace on Wheels.

Deserts of Rajasthan

The Thar Desert in Rajasthan is the only one of its kind in this part of the world and hence very popular for tourists. The ideal place to embark on a desert safari from Rajasthan is from the town of Jaisalmer or Bikaner. The camel rides, the rural villages and population, folk cultural performances all add to the charm of the Rajasthan Desert Safaris.

Hill Stations of North India

North India is bounded by the Himalayas in the North, hence giving rise to several exotic hill stations that are ideal for a summer getaway or for a honeymoon. Some of the most famous hill stations of North India include places like Dehradun, Gulmarg, Mount Abu, Mussorrie, Nainital, Ranikhet, Srinagar, Patnitop and Shimla to name a few. Picturesque landscapes and exotic weather makes these hill stations very popular. The Himalayan hill stations also provide you with great opportunities for trekking and mountain climbing.

Pilgrimage Destinations of North India

North India has a whole lot of famous places of worship. Some of the most popular ones include the Char Dham that consists of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri in the Himalayas and the other important places of worship such as Rishikesh, Haridwar, Pushkar, shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in Jammu and the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer. Pilgrims and tourists from all across the world come to visit these places all through the year.

You have just three days in which to see as much of Barcelona as you can: where should you go to get a feeling for the nature of this old Catalan City? To get a sense of its magnificent cuisine, history and culture? It’s a big call to do this in just three days, but here is an itinerary that will give a taste of the city that is certain to make you eager to make a return visit soon.

Day 1: Gaudi, the Diagonal and Grácia
The North side of Barcelona offers some great restaurants and fabulous shopping, but above all is famed for its modernist architecture by Spain’s famous Antoni Gaudí.

Morning

Starting at Plaza Catalunya in the center of the city, you should head for the Paseo de Gracia where you will find La Pedrera and Casa Batllò buildings, both impressive Gaudi´s works along with a few lovely designer boutiques. However, if you find these impressive, take the blue line metro L5 from La Pedrera to Sagrada Familia where you find the fabulous cathedral that many regard as Gaudi’s best work. Don’t just admire it from outside, but go in and walk around its awesome interior, planned like a Latin cross with five aisles. If you have time, finish off the morning with a visit to the Heritage site of Park Güell, accessible by the same blue line L5 and then transferring to the Green line L3 to Vallcarca. The magnificent entrance is also a Gaudi´s masterpiece.

Afternoon
After all this culture you will be ready for some shopping therapy, so take a short walk from Park Güell to Plaza Lesseps and down Diagonal. You will find a mass of boutiques here, including Hacket, Pilma and Loewe, and also El Corte Ingles, one of the more famous Spanish department stores. You will then find the Plaza Fransesc Macia, another busy area of Barcelona containing a pond in the shape of Minorca, the birthplace of its designer, Nicolau Rubió i Tudurí.

Evening
Finally, you must visit Grácia and one of its famous bars. There are also a number of restaurants here where you can eat or just try a tapas bar. You can get to Grácia by metro with a Green line L3 to Fontana or Yellow line L4 to Joanic.

Day 2: Las Ramblas, The Beach and the Gothic Quarter

Morning
Today we visit the Southside, starting with Las Ramblas – starting again at the Plaza Catalunya. Wander down Las Ramblas and visit any of the lively markets, such as the Bird Market and Flower Market that sell what they would suggest: birds and flowers! Las Ramblas is also note for its street and robotic performers, and what you thought was a statue will suddenly turn and look at you! La Boqueria is one of the larger and more famous of Barcelona’s markets, a huge place selling all sorts of mouthwatering foodstuffs. You can stop for coffee over the road at the Plaza Reial.

Afternoon
In the afternoon you go down the beach. Stroll down the Paseo de Joan Borbo, perhaps stopping off in Port Vell or Barceloneta for some lunch first. If you like the beach you can spend some time there, although there is also a great deal to see along the promenade. You can walk along to Port Olímpic or one of the other beaches such as Mar Bella to catch up on your suntan. You can get refreshments at one of the small bars, or chiringuitos, that each beach offers and relax, getting ready for an evening in the Gothic Quarter.

Evening
The Gothic Quarter of Barcelona reflects the medieval roots of this great city. A maze of twisting alleys and old plazas (squares), the Gothic Quarter also offers the 13th century Cathedral, just to the left of Bisbe Street. This street leads to a large cobbled plaza known as Plaza Sant Jaume, where you will find the seat of Barcelona’s government, Palau de la Ciutat, and also the Adjuntament, the City Hall. There are other cobbled streets in this area where you can find lovely restaurants or bars where you can enjoy some fine Catalan cuisine.

Day 3: Picasso, Montjuic and a Final Evening

Morning
Start from the Gothic Quarter with the Yellow line L4 metro to Urquinaona and the Via Laietana street. This divides the Gothic Quarter from the Born/La Ribera area, where you will find the Palau de la Música Catalana, a wonderful modernist concert hall with a stained glass ceiling well worth a look. Then head off for the Picasso Museum which is down Princessa Street and onto Montcada street. This museum contains a large number of Picasso’s earlier works, many donated by the artist himself.

Then head off down Montcada to the Plaza del Born where you will find the 14th century Santa Maria del Mar Cathedral dedicated to the patron saint of sailors, and very popular for weddings. Continue down the Paseo de Born and you will come to the Ciutadella Park, a very popular green area where you can enjoy some coffee or a picnic.

Afternoon
Cross the park and then the Calle Pujades and get the Red line L1 metro at the Arc de Triomf for the Plaza España. The Plaza is host to many fairgrounds and conventions, and you can begin the climb up Montjuic stopping at the tiny village of Poble Espanyol (open air museum) on the way. You can then visit the MNAC, the Catalan Art Museum, and check out the 1992 Olympic stadium. You will eventually come the Baroque castle and enjoy some marvelous views over the city.

Evening
Finish your three-day tour of Barcelona by enjoying a wonderful show in the Plaza España. The fountain lights are fabulous to see, in myriad colours and fantastic displays of lights and music. Finish the evening in any way you want, but it should traditionally be in the form of a flamenco dinner and dance evening enjoying the dancing while you eat your final traditional Catalan meal of the trip.

The reason to travel to Europe may be different for each traveler, but a few of the common reasons are: Cultural Opportunities: For those interested in museums, arts, history, music or theater Europe travel offers nearly endless opportunity for cultural activity. From London to Paris to Rome to Amsterdam travelers can enjoy some of the most exciting cultural opportunities the world has to offer.

Landmarks:

People like to visit and associate themselves with something (or someone) famous. Europe travel destinations are rich in famous landmarks. Some of the most well known landmarks of the world, from Big Ben, to the Eiffel Tower, to the Coliseum are located in Europe.

Roots:

People like to visit the countries of their ancestors. Ancient European were wanderers who put up stakes in destinations around the world. Their descendants are now traveling to Europe to return to their roots and see the places their forefathers once called home.

Variety:

Where else can you enjoy such a diversity of culture, climate and geography over such a small distance A traveler to the US will notice relatively small changes when traveling from L A to New York City, a flight of approximately six hours. Language is the same, food is similar, and culture is not remarkably different. However, a two hour flight from Zurich, Switzerland to Athens, Greece , will reward the traveler with an enormous difference that is immediately obvious. Everything from language, food to lifestyle is completely and utterly different. Distances in Europe are relatively small and cultural variety is large. This gives the traveler to Europe the opportunity of easily enjoying a diverse range of cultures and lifestyles by making a relatively low investment of time and money.

Transportation:

There is no place more convenient for a traveler, than Europe Transportation is arguably the best in the world. Europe is well known for its remarkable train system and train passes which offer travelers the opportunity for international travel at very affordable rates. With more and more discount airlines available, Europe travel is becoming less and less expensive. Once you arrive in a major city, there is usually a local metro or streetcar system to take you anywhere you want to go. The ease, comfort and economy makes Europe travel very attractive and convenient.

Health:

When traveling in some regions of the world, travelers must consider if there are any local illnesses that they may be exposed to, if vaccines maybe required and if they fall ill, will they receive proper medical treatment. Most European destinations have excellent water supplies, low rates of infectious diseases and some of the best healthcare systems in the world.

Safety:

Travelers are always easy prey for criminals. However in most European countries your hotel room is not only safe from burglary due to security but is also equipped with a safe European police departments are usually efficient and violent crime is generally lower than in many other areas. But one should always remember when exploring new destination never loose sight of your money and documents.

When is the best time to travel Europe:

May, June, September, and October: These are the perfect months to enjoy southern Europe. Greece, Turkey, Spain and Italy are the best destinations in these periods. The climate at this time is usually ideal and the crowds are relatively thin. International flights are usually less expensive than the peak fares of summer. In the peak travel months of July and August, these destinations may be too hot, too crowded and too expensive for many travelers. July, August: This is the best time to visit Northern, Central and Eastern Europe and go to such countries as Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Czech Republic. However, this period offers the best climate conditions and many of the locals will be on holiday in southern Europe during this period November to March: Europe is cold during these months. While you may find travel bargains at this time, you may spend alot of your travel time indoors. The only exception to this is the Canary Islands. Although part of Spain, the Canary Islands are located off the coast of Africa, and enjoy moderate climate year-round. With all of the attention paid to destinations like London and Paris, few people really put much thought into Eastern Europe travel when they are making their vacation plans.

Besides the well-known sites in the Czech Republic and Greece, Poland and Lithuania also offer exciting possibilities. One of the great thing about Eastern Europe travel is that you don’t have to choose one destination exclusively. In general, the public transportation is good enough and cheap enough in that part of the world that you can get from one country to another with relative ease. Basically, Eastern Europe travel offers you the luxury of exploring a whole region rather than settling on one single country. If, however, you are going on a first Eastern Europe travel trip, you should be prepared for culture shock Customs are still familiar enough to not be totally alienating, however, things are still noticeably different there. The fact that it is so affordable, however, more than makes up for this. If you can find cheap airfare to Eastern Europe, You can take your trip for almost nothing. Travel Is Interesting and Entertaining. It’s not a zoo where you look into the cages. Meld with the European to enjoy your travels.

You don’t have to visit museums if you would rather go on a balloon flight or go to a bull fight or sit at a cafe and meet someone new. As an example, one of the most highly recommended items in all of the popular travel guidebooks, TV travel shows, and guided tours is the Amsterdam Canals Boat Excursion. I took this ride and I have a different opinion. You’re stuffed into this long boat with a curved plexiglass roof, you and 80 other tourists. In four languages, over a miserable speaker system, you listen to a tape recording of stupendous facts and statistics about the places you are floating by. Good luck ever finding these places again as you walk around. I was not the only one bored on board. On top of that, it seemed that the boat was going to be swamped by a huge freighter when it got out in the middle of the harbor. What in Amsterdam name were we doing out in the harbor ? On the other hand, one of the most fascinating exhibits in Europe is usually left out of the popular guidebooks. Sins of omission are far from the major problems with these books. Virtually every one I open has errors so stupid that the only possible explanation is that the author did not go to the place mentioned.

Heinz Regniet,Article Writer