Travel To Cancun

The Cancun general information page has been designed to help you with important Cancun information which can help you planned your trip or may be useful to you in an emergency or at any time during your Cancun vacation.

Cancun Weather

Cancun weather boasts year round sunshine making it ideal for a vacation at any time of year. Cancun weather is tropical and humid with year round sunshine. The temperature ranges from 20° to 30° C (68° to 86° F) from October through to March and from 22° to 33° C (75° a 91° F) from April to September.

Cancun Airport

Cancun Airport handles the second largest volume of traffic in Mexico therefore the security levels are very high. Since they have built the new terminal, Cancun airport can boast great modern facilities and equipment. There are some fabulous duty free shops and gift shops selling silver jewellery and souvenirs so you can always buy that last minute present for your loved ones.

Getting Around Cancun

It is very easy and cheap to get around Cancun by bus. You can catch a bus to most places within Cancun and there is a bus every hour from Cancun Airport to Downtown Cancun. From the Cancun bus terminal in downtown Cancun you will find regular services to all parts of Mexico.

You can always find a taxi in Cancun, but make sure you check the fare before you get in. A list of regular fares can be found in the lobby of most hotels or you can ask the concierge.

Cancun Time Zone

Cancun time zone is six hours earlier than Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Daylight Saving Time begins on the first Sunday in April and ends on the last Sunday in October.

Cancun Currency

The official currency in Cancun is the Mexican peso but American dollars are also widely accepted. Banks are open Monday-Friday from 9am to 4pm but there are exchange houses found all over Cancun that are open much later.

Language spoken in Cancun

The official language spoken in Cancun is Spanish. Most of the Mexicans working in the tourism industry speak English and you will find that French, Italian and German are also spoken by some. Many of the local indigenous people still speak Mayan as their first language and Spanish as their second, you will often hear them speaking Mayan amongst themselves.

Tips

The average tip for service is 10-15% and one or two dollars per suitcase carried. Always check your bill first as tips may already be included.

Cancun Electricity

The standard Cancun electricity supply is 110 volts. Hotels usually offer voltage converters for 220 volt devices. Many sockets do not accept polarized or three-prong plugs so it is recommended that you bring your own adapter but you can usually buy these in the hotel shop.

Travel To Monaco

MONACO TRAVEL CITIES

Monaco and the Principality of Monaco is the second smallest country in the world and most densely populated. Located in the Riviera, between France and the Mediterranean Sea.

We can say that its territory is divided into two zones: the hills are a natural barrier and Monaco overlooking an amphitheater, north of Monaco and the Mediterranean coast where most of the population. It consists of three districts: City of Monaco, La Condamine and Monte Carlo, which has the famous Casino. Is considered as the most built in Europe. It is not taxed because the state has large revenues, so many fortunes have moved Monaco from all over the world and this has led to an overpopulation problem.

Its main income comes from tourism and at times by the two casinos.

Through its relationship with France, Monaco is linked to the European Union, and may even mint their own euro coins.

Extension: 1.95 km2.,Capital: Monaco,Religion: Roman Catholic,Currency: Euro,Ethnicity: European,Population: 32,409 in the year 2,005,Density: 16,620 hb/K2,Languages​​: French, Italian and Monegasque,Health: Good but expensive,Climate: temperate Mediterranean,National: Monaguesco / monaguesca,Time zone: CET (UTC +1) CEST (UTC +2) in summer,Telephone code: +377,National holidays: 1 and January 27, 8 and 9 April, 1, 17, 27 and May 28, June 7, 1 and November 19, 8 ​​and 25 December.

WHAT TO SEE IN YOUR TRIP TO MONACO?

CITY OF MONACO

The best way to know the City of Monaco is a delightful stroll along the streets, bright and clean, full of medieval houses, palaces and covered walkways, not to mention the Prince's Palace, in which place are grouped museums, boutiques and restaurants, and State Apartments.

We enjoy the changing of the guard every day at 11.55 mañana.Desde strip the mountains, especially from the Cabeza de Perro, Mont Agel or from the Exotic Garden, we can enjoy panoramic views exceptional.

We can also stroll around the port and enjoy watching get the world's most luxurious yachts.

Los Jardines de San Martín, the Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium.

Relics Museum of Napoleon.

Wax Museum

The Azur Express Tourist Train

MONTECARLO

Montecarlo es fundamentalmente conocido por sus salones de juego y sus casinos. Pero destacando sobre todos está El Gran Casino de Montecarlo.

Plaza de Oro, donde se encuentran, además de El Gran Casino de Montecarlo, lujosos restaurantes, boutiques y hoteles, incluso el Hotel París.

Los Jardines Japoneses

El Museo Nacional de Muñecas

La Exposición de Relojes Antiguos

El Jardín Exótico

El mercado cubierto de La Condamine, situado en el mejor distrito de compras.

Montecarlo Bord de Mer, donde las vías del tren son subterráneas y podemos encontrar, aparte del Hotel de la Place de Montecarlo, playas, restaurantes, bares, almacenes y muchas instalaciones deportivas.

FONTVIEILLE

The rose garden of Princess Grace, where you'll find over 150 varieties of roses.

The Philatelic and Numismatic Museum.

The private collection of over 100 classic cars of Prince Rainier.

The Naval Museum.

Monaco Zoo.

WHEN TO GO FROM TRIP TO MONACO?

Due to its Mediterranean climate the temperatures in Monaco tend to be temperate, 15 degrees in winter to 31.5 degrees in the summer, so any time is good to know the Principality.

FUN!

Source: http://www.guias-viajes.com

Travel To Roma

Introducing Rome

No other city comes close. It may no longer be caput mundi (capital of the world), but Rome is an epic, bubbling-over metropolis harbouring lost empires. One visit and you’ll be hooked. Rome has a glorious monumentality that it wears without reverence. Its architectural heirlooms are buzzed around by car and Vespa as if they were no more than traffic islands.

The city bombards you with images: elderly ladies with dyed hair chatting in Trastevere; priests with cigars strolling the Imperial Forums; traffic jams around the Colosseum; plateloads of pasta in Piazza Navona; sinuous trees beside the Villa Borghese; barrages of pastel-coloured scooters revving up at traffic lights as if preparing for a race.

People in Rome encapsulate the spirit of the city. Pass a central café and the tables outside are animated with people, downing fast shots of espresso and sporting big black sunglasses. They are neither posing nor hung over. Nuns flutter through the streets, on the trip of a lifetime or secondment from the Philippines, bustling across the road before treating themselves to an ice cream. Churches fill during Mass, and the priests, dressed in purple, cream or red silk (right down to their socks), read the rites to a hushed congregation (mostly from out of town).

Here the national preoccupation with the aesthetic fuses with incredible urban scenery to make Rome a city where you feel cool just strolling through the streets, catching the sunlight on your face outside a café, or eating a long lunch

. It’s a place that almost encourages you to take things easy.

sights in Rome

The Vatican

Historically beautiful, rich and powerful, it was in the Ager Vaticanus stadium just south of the Vatican that 1st-century emperor Nero martyred the Christian faithful. Among them was apostle Peter, whose tomb lies beneath the monumental St Peter’s Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro). Downstairs in the Vatican grottoes are the papal tombs, among them the simple marble slab that Pope John Paul II now calls home. Far less modest are the adjacent Vatican Museums, an exhausting feast of art, and home to the world’s most famous frescoes in the legendary Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s astounding ceiling and wall frescoes that take the cake – picture terrified sinners and ravishing prophets bursting out in 3-D brilliance.

Trastevere

Rome’s picture-perfect ‘left bank’ can still sock an edgy cultural punch. Hip, contemporary galleries stud its cobbled streets and it’s here you’ll find the ever-diminishing trasteverini, the real-deal locals who consider themselves Rome’s true classical descendants. It’s no wonder sensitive souls still feel at home. Trastevere is a visual charmer, crammed with ivy-tickled ochre façadesk, labyrinthine

laneways, vintage trattorias and buzzing, chilled-out squares. Indeed, the area is a hit with foreigners, who flock here to live out their Roman fantasy. There’s even an American university on Via della Lungara for those needing a heftier reason to linger.

Palatine Hill

With its tranquil vibe and unforgettable views, the Palatine’s appeal is clear. A snoop around Museo Palatino is a good place to start your hillside exploration. From here, ramble through the ruins, which boast highlights such as Emperor Dom

itian’s epic Domus Flavia (Imperial Palace); the stucco-laced Casa dei Grifi ; the 16 the century Orti Faranesi gardens; and the Casa di Livia, whose sumptuous frescoes now wow in Museo Nazionale Romano: Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.

San Lorenzo & Il Pigneto

Political street art, grungy centri sociali (social centres) and hardcore leftist leanings – San Lorenzo is Rome’s radical heartland. Born as a 19th-century slum and famed for its anti-Fascist history, it’s now a hip hang-out for real-deal bohemians, avant-garde artists and the swarms of students from the nearby La Sapienza university campus. To the east, beyond the Bladerunner-style overpasses of Circonvallazione Tiburtina, raffish Il Pigneto is quickly becoming Rome’s hippest quartiere (neighbourhood). It’s a beguiling mix of African migrant hang-outs, counterculture cool, and slinky new bars and shops. Drop by in the evening to feel the local vibe, when local bohemians pour into the bars. Leave some room for new-school dining, before grungy late-night culture and clubbing.

Appian Way

The cypress-fringed Appian Way is a classical Sunset Blvd; it’s shrouded in legends and tales of famous faces. Only here the protagonists aren’t faded divas, they’re saviours and saints. Heading the cast is Christ himself, who is said to have appeared to St Peter where Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis now stands. It’s hard to dispute the otherworldly lure of Rome’s ancient highway, where secret frescoes and long-forgotten epigraphs lurk below rolling hills, crumbled mausoleums and ancient chariot racetracks. If possible, hit the strip on Sundays, when traffic is banned and Rome’s ‘Queen of the Roads’ turns into pedal-friendly bliss.

Roman panoramas

Originally perched on seven hills, and now sprawling over several more, Rome seems specially made for jaw-dropping vistas. Other cities might boast taller peaks – both natural and artificial – but few can match the Eternal City’s near-flawless historical sweeps.

Capitolene Museums at Piazzo Del Campidoglio

The planet’s oldest public museum is a powder keg of legend, lust and melodrama, encapsulated in Rome’s collection of classical treasures. The collection was established by Pope Sixtus IV in 1471, who donated a few bronze statues to the city. One of the gifts was the iconic 5th-century BC Etruscan bronze She-Wolf (complete with suckling Renaissance twins), now feeding happily on Palazzo dei Conservatori’s 1st floor.

Museo e Galleria Borghese

There are good art museums. There are great art museums. And then there’s the Museo e Galleria Borghese. Upstaging most of the national competition (no mean feat in Italy), and one that’s well worth the slight hassle of the phone call or mouse click required to book a ticket. You have bon vivant Cardinal Scipione Borghese to thank for the collection. He was the most ruthless art collector of his day, stopping at nothing to get what he wanted. He had Cavaliere d’Arpino flung into jail in order to confiscate his canvases, and had Domenichino arrested to force him to surrender The Hunt of Diana. Less questionable was his decision to have 17th-century wedding cake Villa Borghese built to house his ever-expanding cultural booty.

Galleria Doria Pamphilj

Lavish Galleria Doria Pamphilj boasts one of the capital’s richest private art collections, with works by Raphael, Caravaggio, Titian, Tintoretto, Brueghel, Bernini and Velázquez in the mix.

It’s housed in the blingtastic Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, whose decadent Gallery of Mirrors resembles a snack-sized Versailles. Ready to help you tackle the booty is palace resident Jonathon Pamphilj (on the free audioguide), whose anecdotes about the art, sumptuous rooms and the odd ancestral scandal transform the space into a living, breathing entity. The most striking piece is Velázquez’s psychologically-present portrait of Pope Innocent X. Upon its unveiling, the pontiff grumbled that the depiction was ‘too real’. He wasn’t wrong – you can actually feel his critical gaze sizing you up. Thankfully, Bernini’s sculpted version of the 17th-century pontiff won’t leave you feeling quite as guilty.

Costs

Rome isn't a bargain destination. Two top-notch museums, an all-day travel pass, a cheap lunch, a couple of coffees and a decent restaurant dinner can easily set you back €80 a day, on top of your hotel bill. Add a few cocktails and a little retail therapy, and watch the figure soar. Seasoned budget travellers might get by on €40 per day, excluding accommodation expenses. Public transport is relatively cheap, and many museums are free to EU citizens under 18 and over 65 years and discounted to EU citizens aged between 18 and 24 years. It's also worth considering the various discounts available, such as the Appia Antica Card, the Archaeologia Card, the Roma Pass or the Museo Nazionale Romano Card, all of which are available at the monuments and museums they cover.

Source: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/rome

Travel To Barcelonat

WHERE TO GO BARCELONA

Barcelona is one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in Europe, is an exciting experience to visit this city which combines tradition and modernity. The places you must definitively have to visit are:

• Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia (Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family) - Is a giant and not finished Temple, it was designed by Antoni Gaudí and it has been under construction since 1882, it is definitively an architecture masterpiece that has a symbolic structure with three main façades which represent the Passion and Death on the west, the Nativity on the east and the Glory planned on

the south, if you go someday to Barcelona you must visit it.

• La Rambla - Seven different sections, each with its own name, conform the mos

t famous street in the city, called La Rambla and also well known as "Las ramblas", it’s one of the most famous boulevards in the world, .its name comes from the Arabic word for riverbed, it is often crowed and it is visited by tourists and

locals alike and constitutes today’s centre of activity Barcelona.

• Montjuïc - This small Spanish village homes exotic gardens, the Greek theatres, several of Barcelona’s museums, sculptures, fine art galleries, leisure attractions, soothing parks, but the most popular attraction is by far the Magic Fountains.Its name means Hill of Jewries in traditional catalan and nowadays it is intimately related with sports, because this hill harbors several sport facilities

• Parc Guell - This park is one of the most fascinating and peculiar parks in the world, it was built from 1900 to 1914, t

his park was designed by Gaudi and it seems taken out from some fairy tale. At the beginning it was part of a commercially unsuccessful housing site but lat

er it was opened to the public in 1922 .Today it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Works of Antoni Gaudí".

• Poble Espanyol - It was built in 1929 by a team of two architects, an engineer and an artist during the International Exhibition in Barcelona on the Montjuïc hill, they created it by building 116 buildings in different architectural styles representing Spain's many regions, in fact several of Poble Espanyol's buildings are exact reproductions of existing buildings, due to its popularity it was not demolished then. It was renovated in 1988 and several attractions were

added, today it also features a number of bars, restaurants, shops

and even some nightclubs.

• Casa Milà - It was built between 1905 and 1910 as a combined apartment and office block, declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO, this Another Gaudí masterpiece is also known as “La Pedrera” or “The Stone Quarry” . Is one of the most imaginative buildings of the whole architecture history

this work is more a sculpture than a building. Their facade is very impressive, it is a varied and harmonious mass of undulant stone which doesn't have any straight line, the balconies are made of wrought iron and they imitate vegetable forms.

FESTIVALS IN BARCELONA

The Procession of the Three Wise Men on January 5th inaugurates the year's festivities.

Carnival:Celebrated in February with parades and fireworks set off by the colles de dracs.

Festival of Sant Medir : March 3rd , it is celebrated in the Gràcia district with a procession including the tossing of candy to watching children.

Festival of Sant Jordi (St. George): April 23rd, is the day of rosesand books. Stalls throughout the city offer books and roses for sale. Declared World Book Day by the UNESCO in 1995.

Corpus Cristi festival : Celebrated in June with parades of giants and big–headed carnival figures. The fountain of the Cathedral's cloister is the site of the traditional ou com balla (dancing egg).

Summer solstice on the eve of Sant Joan (St. John):• June 23rd, is a night of bonfires and fireworks in the squares and streets.

The Assumption f

estival: August 15th, celebrated in the area of the Gràcia Quarter while the neighborhood adorns the streets.

Festival of La Mercè, patroness of Barcelona: September 24th, this is a time of big celebrations with four days of musical performances, parades of giants and big-headed figures, fireworks, cultural and sports events, and open–air dancing in various places in the city.

SITGES

This gorgeous beach is known as“La Joya del Mediterráneo”, it is located 40 Km to the south of Barcelona, you can get there by train from Barcelona-Santsen in approximately 40 minutes; Sitges is an ideal place to spend all the day, visit its museums, go for a walk to the sea contemplating its beautiful colonial houses or enjoying on the terraces of its bars and restaurants which is a very relaxing experience.

MONTSERRAT

This spiritual center is located some 60km to the northwest of Barcelona is one of the most important parts of the Catalonian identity which take cares of the souls of the Catalonian peopleIt rests atop a 4,000-foot high mountain and houses approximately 80 monks, this spectacular peaks of Montserrat have been the most attractive pilgrimage destination for centuries.

CASTELLDEFELS

It is a town located in the Baix Llobregat comarca near to the towns Gavà, Viladecans, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Sitges and el Prat de Llobregat, it is located exactly to the north of the massís del Garraf and it is the last town on the coast before the comarca of Garraf, the town gets its name from the ancient word "castle of Fels", which overlooks the breathtaking coastline.

ARENYS DE MAR

It is situated in “Costa del Maresme”, between the Mediterranenan Sea and Barcelona's Sierra Litoral, it has been a traditional fishing town for long time, this place combines its artistic heritage and its beautiful beaches with many recreational activities.

Source: http://www.justbarcelona.org/

Travel To Mumbai

Measure out: one part Hollywood; six parts traffic; a bunch of rich power-moguls; stir in half a dozen colonial relics (use big ones); pour in six heaped cups of poverty; add a smattering of swish bars and restaurants (don’t skimp on quality here for best results); equal parts

of mayhem and order; as many ancient bazaars as you have lying around; a handful of Hinduism; a dash of Islam; fold in your mixture with equal parts India; throw it all in a blender on high (adding generous helpings of pollution to taste) and presto: Mumbai.

An inebriating mix of all the above and more, this mass of humanity is a frantic melange of India’s extremes. It is the country’s financial powerhouse centre of fashion, film and after-dark frolics. Glistening skyscrapers and malls mushroom amid slums and grinding poverty, and Mumbai slowly marches towards a brave new (air-conditioned) world. But not everyone made the guest list: more than half of the population lives in slums, and religious-based social unrest tugs at the skirt of Mumbai’s financial excess.

Only once the initial shell shock of Mumbai’s chaos subsides, can one start to appreciate the city’s allure: a wealth of Art Deco and grand colonial relics; cacophonic temples; warrens of bazaars; and the odd spiritual bastion of tranquillity.

History

A succession of HindKoli fisherfolk have inhabited the seven islands that form Mumbai as far back as the 2nd century BC. Amazingly, ruminants of this culture remain huddled along the city shoreline today.

dynasties held sway over the islands from the 6th century AD until the Muslim Sultans of Gujarat annexed the area in the 14th century, eventually ceding it to Portugal in 1534. The only memorable contribution the Portuguese made to the area was christening it Bom Bahai, before throwing the islands in with the dowry of Catherine of Braganza when she married England’s Charles II in 1661. The British government took possession of the islands in 1665, but leased them three years later to the East India Company for the paltry annual rent of UK£10.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

It’s hard to believe that within 90 minutes of the teeming metropolis you can be surrounded by the jungle of this 104-sq-km protected area (28866449; adult/child Rs 10/5; 7.30am-7pm Tue-Sun). Here, bright flora, birds, butterflies and elusive wild leopards replace traffic and crowds, all surrounded by forested hills on the city’s northern edge. Urban development and shantytowns are starting to muscle in on the edges of this wild region, but for now much of it remains a refuge of green and calm.

One of the main attractions is the lion & tiger safari (Rs 30; every 20min 9am-12.40pm & 2-5.20pm Tue-Sun), departing from the tiger orientation centre (about 1km in from the main entrance). Expect a whirlwind 20-minute jaunt by bus through the two separate areas of the park housing the tigers and lions.

Inside the main northern entrance is an information centre with a small exhibition on the park’s wildlife. The best time to see birds is October to April and butterflies August to November.

Introducing Elephanta Island

In the middle of Mumbai Harbour, 9km northeast of the Gateway of India, the rock-cut temples on Elephanta Island (Indian/foreigner Rs 10/250; caves 9am-5.30pm Tue-Sun) are a spectacle worth crossing the waters for. Home to a labyrinth of cave-temples carved into the basalt rock of the island, the artwork represents some of the most impressive temple carving in all India. The main Shiva-dedicated temple is an intriguing latticework of courtyards, halls, pillars and shrines, with the magnum opus a 6m tall statue of Sadhashiva – depicting a three-faced Shiva as the destroyer, creator and preserver of the universe. The enormous central bust of Shiva, its eyes closed in eternal contemplation, may be the most serene sight you witness in India.

The temples are thought to have been created between AD 450 and 750, when the island was known as Gharapuri (Place of Caves). The Portuguese renamed it Elephanta because of a large stone elephant near the shore, which collapsed in 1814 and was moved by the British to Mumbai’s Victoria Gardens.

The English-language guide service (free with deluxe boat tickets) is worthwhile, tours depart every hour on the half-hour from the ticket booth.

Source: www.lonelyplanet.com

Travel To London

Noisy, vibrant and truly multicultural, London is a megalopolis of people, ideas and energy. The capital and largest city of both the United Kingdom and of England, it is also the largest city in Western Europe and the European Union. Situated on the River Thames in South-East England, Greater London has an official population of nearly 8 million people — although the figure of over 14 million for the city's total metropolitan area more accurately reflects London's size and importance. London is one of the great "world cities," and remains a global capital of culture, fashion, finance, politics and trade

History

Settlement has existed on the site of London since well before Roman times, with

evidence of Bronze Age and Celtic settlement. The Roman city of Londinium, established just after the Roman conquest of Britannia in the year 43, formed the basis for the modern city (some isolated Roman period r

emains are still to be seen within the City). After the end of Roman rule in 410 and a short-lived decline, London experienced a gradual revival under the Anglo-Saxons, as well as the Norsemen,

and emerged as a great medieval trading city, and eventually replaced Winchest

er as the royal capital of England. This paramount status for London was confirmed when William the Conqueror, a Norman, built the Tower of London after the conquest in 1066 and was crowned King of England in Westminster.

Get Around

The city has one of the most comprehensive public transport systems in the world. Despite residents' constant, and sometimes justified, grumbling about unreliability, public transport is often the best option for getting anywhere for visitors and residents alike and is far more reliable than locals would have you believe. Indeed, nearly a third of households do not feel the need to own a car

Visit Parks

Hyde Park and adjoining Kensington Gardens make up a huge open space in central London and are very popular for picnics.The 'green lungs' of London are the many parks, great and small, scattered throughout the city including Hyde Park, St James Park and Regent'

s Park. Most of the larger parks have their origins in royal estates and hunting grounds and are still owned by the Crown, despite their public access.

Regent's Park is wonderful open park in the northern part of central London.

St James's Park has charming and romantic gardens ideal for picnics and for strolling around. St. James's Park is situated between Buckingham Palace on the west and Horse Guards Parade on the east.

Hampstead Heath is a huge open green space in north central London. Not a tended park a such and is remarkably wild for a metropolitan city location. The views from the Parliament Hill area of the heath south over the city are quite stunning.

Richmond Park also is a huge green space, but has a thriving deer population that is culled in the spring. Excellent place for cycling.

Do

London is a huge city, so all individual listings are in the appropriate district articles. To make the most of the city's tremendous cultural offerings (performing arts, museums, exhibitions, clubs, eateries and numerous others), visitors will do well to pick up a copy of a cultural magazine like Time Out London (available at most corner shops and newsagents) which g

ives detailed information and critiques on what's around town including show times and current attractions.

Work

London is one of the world's leading financial centres and so professional services is the main area of employment, although this sector has been hit hard by the global financial crisis. As of Mid 2010, the job market in London has recovered somewhat, it is best to check with recruiters and staffing agencies.

London is hugely popular as a working holiday destination - work in bars and the hospitality industry is relatively easy to find and well paid.

Wages are generally higher in London than the rest of the UK, although the cost of living is higher still.

Source: http://wikitravel.org/en/London

Travel To New York City

New York City (also referred to as "New York", "NYC", "The Big Apple", or just "the City" by locals), is the most populous city in the United States. It lies at the mouth of the Hudson River in th

e southernmost part of the state, which is part of the Mid-Atlantic region of the USA. The city spans a

land area of 305 square miles (790 km2).

New York City has a population of 8.9 million people. The New York Metropolitan Area, which spans lower New York, northern New Jersey, and southwestern Connecticut has a population of 18.7 million, making it the largest metroplitain area in the United States. As of 2007, it was 5th in the world

, after Tokyo, Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Seoul.

Understand

New York City is one of the global centers of international finance, politics, communications, film, music, fashion, and culture, and is among the world's most important and influential cities. It is home to many world-class museums, art galleries, and theaters. Many of the world's

largest corporations have their headquarters here

. The headquarters of the United Nations is in New York and most countries have a consulate here. This city's influence on the globe, and all its inhabitants, is hard to overstate, as decisions made within its boundaries often have impacts and ramifications across the world.

People

The diverse population runs the gamut from some of America's wealthiest celebrities and socialites to homeless

people. There are hundreds of thousands of immigrants in the city. New York's population has been diverse since the city's founding by the Dutch. Successive waves of immigration from virtually every nation in the world make New York a giant social experiment in cross-cultural harmony.

See

Like most of the great world cities, New York has an abundance of great attractions - so many, that it would be impossible to list them all here. What follows is but a sampling of the most high-profile attractions in New York City; more detailed info can be found in the district pages.

A number of multi-attraction schemes give reduced prices and line-skipping privileges.

Explorer Pass, Allows you to choose 7, 5 or 3 top attractions to visit. Cardholders have 30 days to u

se the card after visiting the first attraction. Attractions to choose from include Top of the Rock Observation, Rockefeller Center Tour, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NBC Studio Tour, movie tours, cruises, and more. Also included with the card are shopping, dining, and additional attraction discounts.

Museums and galleries

New York has some of the finest mu

seums in the world. All the public museums (notably including the Metropolitan Museum), which are run by the city, accept donations for an entrance fee, but private museums (especially the Museum of Modern Art) can be very expensive. In addition to the major museums, hundreds of small galleries are spread throughout the city, notably in neighborhoods like Chelsea and Williamsburg. Many galleries and museums in New York close on Mondays, so be sure to check hours before visiting. The following is just a list of highlights; see district pages for more listings.

Arts and culture

New York City is home to some of the finest art museums in the country, and in Manhattan, you'll find the grandest of them all. The Metropolitan Museum

of Art in Central Park has vast holdings that represent a series of collections, each of which ranks in its category among the finest in the world. Within this single building you'll find perhaps the world's finest collection of American artwork, period rooms, thousands of European paintings including Rembrandts and Vermeers, the greatest collection of Egyptian art outside Cairo, one of the world's finest Islamic art collections, Asian art, European sculpture, medieval and Renaissance art, antiquities from around the ancient world, and much, much more. As if all that wasn't enough, the Metropolitan also operates The Cloisters, located in Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan, houses a collection of medieval art and incorporates elements from five medieval French cloisters and other monastic sites in southern France in its renowned gardens.

Do

A general word of advice on s

ightseeing in New York:

Tourists often spend their entire vacation in New York standing in line (or as New Yorkers say, "standing on line"). This is often unnecessary; there are usually alternatives. For example, one can choose to avoid the Empire State Building during the day (it is open, and empty, late, until midnight or 2AM on weekends during summer), skip the Statue of Liberty in favor of the Staten Island Ferry, and stay away from the Guggenheim on Monday (it is one of the only museums open that day). Also, there is no reason to stand in line for a Broadway show if you already have a ticket with an assigned seat. If you prefer, get a drink nearby and come back closer to curtain time, when you can walk right in. The lines for bus tours can be absurd because tourists all seem to have the exact same itinerary - which is get on a bus in the morning in Times Square, get off for the Statue of Liberty, and finish on the East Side in the afternoon. Why not go downtown in the morning, and save Midtown for the afternoon? You will thank yourself for avoiding the crowds. Also, understand that buses are the slowest way to go crosstown in Midtown Manhattan during peak hours, and taxis are not much better. You are often better off on foot.

Source : http://wikitravel.org

Travel To Netherland

The Netherlands, is a lively mix of tradition, in the form of windmills and tulips, and fast-paced modern European life.

The Dutch are an affable race, with a good sense of humour and a keen sense of how to enjoy themselves, whether it be relaxing in the countryside or partying hard in the big cities. Despite their country's puritan past, they are known for tolerance, or at least turning a blind eye.

Known as being

largely flat (much of the country lies below sea level, and another great swathe is made up of 'polder', or land reclaimed from the sea), The Netherlands is an ideal destination for those who enjoy pursuits like cycling or walking without over-exerting themselves. But it is a cultured land as well, as the seemingly endless list of great Dutch artists testifies. The Netherlands' roots in the arts stem from the 17th century, the so-called 'Golden Age', which placed this tiny but rich country at the forefront of European culture.

The Dutch are enthusiastic Europeans, and the European Union is the main focus of Dutch foreign policy. Their country is full of interest, heritage and fun for the visitor.

Food and Drink in Netherlands

'Typical' Dutch food tends to be wholesome and hearty, rather than elegant. Large towns, however, have a wide range of restaurants specialising in international dish

es. Indonesian cuisine, a spicy legacy of Dutch colonisation in the East Indies, is particularly good in the Netherlands.

Regional specialities:

• A Dutch breakfast usually consists of fresh bread, cheese, cooked meats and sausage, butter and hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles), jam or honey and often a boiled egg. Lunch is generally similar.

• Broodjes (sandwiches) are a common daytime snack, served in the ubiquitous sandwich bars - broodjeswinkels.

• Poffertjes (pancakes) served with butter and sugar are a teatime favourite.

• Matjes (salted herring) is widely available from street stalls, and smoked eel is another seafood speciality.

• Holland is famous for its cheeses, among them the Gouda, Edam and Leiden varieties, also obtainable with flavourings such as caraway seed and cumin.Tipping:All hotels and restaurants include 15% service and VAT. It is customary to leave small change when paying a bill.

Hotels in Netherlands

Hotels:

The Netherlands has a wide range of accommodation, from luxury hotels in the big cities to modern motels along motorways and holiday villages in the

countryside.

Grading: The Netherlands Board of Tourism issues a shield to all approved hotels by which they can be recognised. Hotels are also graded according to the Benelux system, in which the standard is indicated by a row of stars from the highest (5-star plus) to the minimum (1-star).

Source: http://www.worldtravelguide.net

Travel To French

France is the most visited country in the world. It has everything that you could ever want to see on your holidays: a great city like Paris, good beaches, more monuments than any other country, lovely nature, incredible mountain scenery; need I go on? France is also a very pleasant place to stay. It has good food, great wines and people enjoy their lives. And the best thing is, maybe apart from Paris, living in France does not have to be expensive. The North of France consists of the flatlands around the town of Lille and the English Channel. This area will remind visitors in many ways of Belgium and the Netherlands. The Grand' Place in Lille for example is a lot like the one in Brussels.

Paris, the city of light and its surroundings are some of the most visited areas. Paris is without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities on the planet. With so much to see and do, renting one of the many Paris apartments is the perfect way to enjoy the city. Having the time to enjoy this fantastic location like a true Parisian is an unforgettable experience.
The West of France is facing towards the Atlantic Coast. In the north Normandy & Brittany have rolling hills, sandy beaches and quiet little harbour towns. Normandy & Brittany have a more rugged coast and many neolithic sites. It has quite a distinct atmosphere from the rest of the country; you can still sense the Celtic origin of the region in its inhabitants.

The eastern part of France consists of the Alsace, Lorraine, Franche Comté and Burgundy regions. The landscape has rolling hills and many beautiful cities, such as Metz, Strasbourg, Nancy and Dijon. This region produces many famous wines, including magnificent pinot noirs and chardonnays valued the world over, as well as the famous "Yellow wine" from the Jura mountain vineyard.

The Centre of France is in many ways the most quietest part of France. But the great treasure of this region is the Loire valley , with many great castles and beautiful towns. Chartres with its famous cathedral and Tours rates among the most beautiful French cities.

The Alps are great for skiing in winter and hiking in summer. Albertville, Grenoble and Chamonix have all hosted the Olympic games. But the Alps also have nice towns to visit, such as Chambéry, Annecy or Grenoble .

The South with its lovely nature, good food, Roman ruins and of course the Riviera which draws a lot of visitors every year. Towns like Orange, and Arles but also big cities like Marseille and Toulon are must sees. The Provence is dotted with pleasant small villages. In the South west of France the Dordogne is one of the most quintessential French regions. The valley is so pretty, the towns are so quaint and the food is so good, that it is hard to believe that the people who live here go somewhere else for their holidays. The Languedoc has its own language and culture. In the south of the Languedoc you find the Pyrenees, a great mountain range separating France from Spain, where you can hike and ski. The towns of Toulouse and Montpellier are nice and the medieval town of Carcassone is a top destination.

Bastille Day

The Bastille was a prison in Paris, known formally as Bastille Saint-Antoine, best known today because of the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, which lead to the end of the country's monarchist rule and the establishment of a new French Republic. The event was commemorated one year later by the Fête de la Fédération and was declared a national holiday. Nowadays it's still a day of celebration for the French, and today the July Column and the Opéra Bastille are located in La Place de la Bastille.

Source: http://www.justfrance.org