Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria, is one of the oldest capital cities in Europe. There are lots of places to visit and enjoy in this beautiful city. All the major airlines like Lufthansa, KLM, Austrian airlines to name a few fly to Sofia on a regular basis. Some places of tourist interest are:

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral:

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a basilica with a cross dome. The dome is gold plated possessing a height of about 45 m. The central dome contains the Lord’s Prayer inscribed in gold.12 bells with a total weight of 23 tons are contained within the temple. Italian marble decorates the interior structure. The cathedral was given the status of a cultural monument in 1924.

Banya Bashi Mosque

The Banya Bashi Mosque is one of the oldest Mosques in Europe built during the Ottoman Empire. “BanyaBashi” translated in English means “many baths” The most striking feature of the mosque is that it was originally constructed over natural thermal springs.

The Hagia Sophia Church

The Hagia Sophia Church is the second oldest church in Sofia, giving its name to the city and one of the oldest works of early Christian architecture. The church is a cross basilica having three altars. Among the superstitions that surround the Church, the most popular one is that the miraculous power of St Sophia protected the monument from numerous human invasions.

The monument to the Tsar Liberator

This equestrian monument stands at the center of the capital city as a tribute to the great emperor, AlexanderII who freed Bulgaria from the Ottoman Rule during the Russo Turkish war. Built out of polished granite from Vitosha comprises of a massive neo renaissance cornice, middle part with some figures and a pedestal. The sculpture of the Russian Czar completes the monument. There is also a bronze wreath at the foot, donated by Romania to keep alive the memory of the Romanian solders who died fighting in the war.

Vitosha

These mountains are one of the closest places to hike and are located on the outskirts of the capital. Said to be formed as a result of volcanic origin, they appear like a dome but are actually made of numerous denudational plateaus which rise in tier like forms. Cherni Vrah is the highest peak of the mountain at 2290 m. The foothills house many resorts, and the knayzhevo quarter has many springs. In the Balkans, Vitosha is the oldest national park.

The Sofia Synagogue

Situated in the centre of the city, the synagogue built to cater the religious needs of the Sephardic Jews in Bulgaria is one of the largest synagogues in Europe. The structure contains an octagonal dome and the main chandelier, the largest in the country weighs 2 tons. The interiors are richly decorated with wood carvings and carrara marble.

The Boyana Church

One of the most well preserved monuments, the Boyana Church is located on the outskirts of Sofia. It’s famous for its beautiful frescoes which depicts the achievements of the Bulgarian culture in medieval times. Majority of the original frescoes have been retained to this day. Around 240 human images are illustrated on the walls of this church. It is believed that these world famous frescoes contributed towards shaping European paintings.

The Abacos Islands that remained untouched till the eighteenth century now provides its tourists with breath taking views and spellbinding boating experiences. Are you the kind who finds immense pleasure in exploring the underwater mysteries? Then Abacos Islands is just where you should land for your leisure trip.

Situated just 180 miles south east of South Florida, Abacos Islands maintains excellent maritime connections with the surrounding main lands. This archipelago encourages various types of leisure activities like scuba diving, boating, shopping and sizzling night life.

All you need to do is get to know a little more about this marvelous piece of land and book your tickets. Your wonderful time in these islands would keep you going back to it.

Beauty of Hope Town

The most famous kerosene lit lighthouse of Bahamas is situated in this village. This 120 feet historical light house is most definitely worth visiting. If you just drive off the coast of Marsh Harbor this town could be spotted on Elbow Cay.

Admire the Artist’s Work

Abacos Islands has a lot of art galleries to kindle your artistic talents. In the midst of the beauty of these islands you also get to admire the hand made artistic pieces of these islands.

Ocean blue gallery of Main Street offers an exquisite collection of early Bahamian art. Be it sculptures or paintings depicting the life of Bahamian people, you can find everything in this gallery. The rates range from $10 to $10000. Whether you’re an artist or a tourist who is looking for a souvenir, you’ll find your piece here according to your budget.

Indulge in the Luxuries of the Paradise

Abacos Islands offer its tourists with a different kind of luxury that is perfectly blended with adventure. Imagine swimming with a dolphin by your side and admiring the resplendent corals just under your feet from your boat. The luxuries of these islands are sure to rejuvenate everyone’s body and spirit.

The walks on the unexplored beaches which stretch for miles and the taste and aroma of the traditional food would never leave your memory.

For island-hopping as well as fishing you could rent power boats.

Where to stay?

As for your stay in Abacos there are plenty of resorts and rental houses that would suit the specifications of people from all walks of life. You could wake up to view the sunrise just outside your window and the ocean view would always keep your mind tranquil.

A variety of lodging options are available for the tourists. You can choose from Standard single bedroom accommodations to houses with full fledged kitchens. Houses with garden view or marine view are provided according to your preferences.

Now what are you waiting for? Abacos Islands is all set to welcome and entertain you. Bon Voyage!!!

Barbados is an independent country situated east of Caribbean Sea. This beautiful island nation in western Atlantic Ocean has a total land area of about 430 square kilometer. Barbados is mostly a flat coral island having all sorts of flora and fauna, excellent white sand beaches and beautiful rolling hills. Barbados provides excellent opportunities for scuba diving and east cost of the island is excellent place for surfing.

Barbados is one of the most beautiful Caribbean islands and it provides all sorts of entertainment and sports activities in this part of the world. It is famous for the arts, music, nightlife, water sports, cricket and many more activities. There are a number of things you can do in Barbados and a few of them are summarized below.

1) To visit Earthwork pottery in St. Thomas is a unique experience and you will enjoy the magnificent work carried out by the workers. The production site is generally back of the store and you cannot only watch the workers but also can learn the trade. You can also give custom orders and you will be highly satisfied with the quality of the work. In addition to the earthwork, you can also visit the art gallery and can enjoy the ancient beautiful artwork.

2) Sailing along the coast of the sea is an excellent enjoyment for whole of your family. It will not only keep you busy for whole of the day but you will also be provided lunch, snakes and drinks on the board.

3) Barbados island adventurous tours might be another enjoyable day for you and your family here. You can choose an operator or can hire a safari or rent a car and go alone to explore this part of the world. If you have a plan for a whole day, it is better to take a local person along with you so that you are correctly guided for selecting the best routes for off-roading.

4) If you love the animals, you must visit Barbados Wild Reserve, as it will be an enjoying event for whole of your family. You can find here lots of animals including monkeys. The Barbados Wild Reserve is located at Farley Hill in St. Peter.

5) The next best tourist destination might be the Barbados Ocean Park Aquarium. There are 26 aquariums displayed in the park and all are located throughout the park. Actually it is a unique aquarium having beautiful garden and all are filled with lush green vegetation. You can see here some of the unique colorful fish and sea life found around Barbados.

6) Your tour of Barbados is incomplete if you have not seen some of the most beautiful beaches in Barbados. There are more than 10 most beautiful beaches in Barbados Islands. You can also enjoy surfing at Soup Bowl.

Limassol is a city that is situated on the Akrotiri bay on the south coast of Cyprus and it lies to the southwest of another city called Nicosia and is major tourist destination. It began as a simple market town and progressed to become an important place for trading. The city is also famous for wine being a major Cypriot wine center as well.

Limassol is a wonderfully contemporary resort that is almost a Mecca for most tourists that need to get some active nightlife in, and who want nothing better than to visit many bars and nightclubs. You can be sure of boisterous atmosphere in this second largest resort in Cyprus.

You will love Limassol for its hedonistic lifestyle because it’s not where you are going to get much peace. So, once you come here you can expect much to happen and there are also many attractions about including Kolossi Castle, Lambouri Winery, Kourion, Limassol Fort and the religious site St. Nicholas of the Cats.

The historic sites, besides Kolossi Castle and Kourion and Limassol Fort also include Limassol Castle. In fact, there are nine castles in all that are all worth a visit. Other things to see in Limassol include the many churches as well as mosques.

Indoor Market

The indoor market in Limassol is quite big and consists of a square building and you need to get in here before the siesta time if you want to get some serious shopping done. The main street for shopping needs is the Makarios Avenue where you will find a choice of items displayed in the many boutiques and showrooms that line this busy shopping street.

The seafront too is another excellent place for relaxing and you will certainly find some much needed relaxation here. A visit to “Ladies Mile” which is an excellent beach is well worth a visit and there is also a marina that has every facility that a yachtsman would want.

The Kolossi Castle is situated some fourteen kilometers west of the resort of Limassol and this medieval castle has a very stupendous tower that is well worth a visit. Another place worth visiting is Kourion where you can get to see archaeological wonders from an ancient city kingdom.

Also, check out the Museum of Olive Oil where visitors are able to become educated about how olive oil is produced and can also buy and even browse other products related to olive oil. Or, you can go and see Old Port Sea Sponges Exhibition Center where there are many sea sponges collected.

And, for viewing pottery items, you could visit Pilavakion Museum. There are also festivals held here including one in February just prior to Lent and one in September which is the Wine Festival that lasts a week.

Rhone Alpes

There is a lot of contrast that is very noticeable to anyone visiting Rhone Alpes. You will love the gorges that are found in Ardeche and you can’t help but are impressed by the outstanding French Alps as well. It is not for nothing that the French Alps is considered without peer in the whole of Europe and also in the rest of the world.

The highest peak is Mont Blanc and you can visit Chamonix and also Courcheval that are excellent ski stations. In fact, you will not be able to find better ski stations in the rest of the world. Be sure to visit here during the ski season that lasts till April and which begins towards the end of November.

If you are not a skier it will not matter because you can try the other French delights. Be sure to visit Lyon that is the second city in France that has excellent architecture from the Renaissance times, and there are excellent museums as well. More than that, you can enjoy lovely spa towns that border on Lake Geneva and include Evian.

Day Out In Rhone Alpes

When in the Rhone Alpes you would do well to sample the excellent Beaujolais which is a red fruity wine and the excellent Beaujolais Nouveau that’s only released from its storage place deep in wine cellars on each Thursday in the third week of November is worth sampling.

For culture, you can spend time in Lyon where there is the outstanding Musee des Beaux arts and here you will find the most excellent works of art that is second only in terms of size to what you can view at the Louvre.

Or, stroll down the Evian-les-Bains which is situated by the shores of Lake Geneva and if that does not satisfy you, there is always the never to be forgotten spa treatments which are readily available here.

Another excellent place to visit is Temple d’Auguste et Livie which is very impressive to say the least, and along with the impressive Corinthian columns imposes it over the town that has existed from Roman times called Vienne.

There are many natural parks that total six in all, and the number of nature reserves is twenty-eight all of which makes the Rhone Alpes very attractive for nature lovers.

Check out Ain and Bourg en Bresse that is well known for chickens, and Dombes that has fantastic natural wonders. In addition, Ardeche has Vallon Pont d’Arc and many caves to discover paintings from prehistoric times.

Drome has Montelimar where nothing much has changed since the Medieval Age, or come to Valence which is a market town from where you can discover excellent vineyards in the vicinity of Die.

Chamoix is a place that attracts many crowds in all seasons and in fact there are only two other natural sites on the planet that are visited more often. Here, there is plenty for the skier, free-rider, snowboarder and also something for those who love to skate.

The capital of Portugal, Lisbon boasts of a 2000 years old history. There is a wonderful peculiarity in this city. It is said that it was constructed over seven hills and hence it has plenty of ups and downs (literally) – it is the only place in the world where an elevator would take you from one road to another.

Historical Attractions in Lisbon

This city, which is by the way the largest in the country, was under Arab occupation until 1147 AD when King Alfonso Henrique liberated it his capital city. The city prospered greatly after the Court was shifted there mid thirteenth century and by the seventeenth century is was a major commercial power of Europe.

Since it is a historic city, there is plenty to see in Lisbon – there are ancient and opulent castles such as the St George’s Castle and Terreiro do Paco, large and impressive cathedrals such as the Lisbon Cathedral, and other historical monuments such as the Belem Tower and Mosteiro dos Jeronimos. The architecture of the city and the perfect blend of past and present offers an unparalleled charm that no one can resist.

You will also find here the world’s longest suspension bridge, the Vasco da Gama Bridge which links the airport on one side with the railway station on the other side. History lovers would revel in visiting the Alfama district which is capable of transporting you back into the 16-17th century with its winding streets and medieval buildings.

Other Major Attractions

Check out the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum and Carmo Archeological Museums which would thrill you with historical facts and exhibits. For art lovers, the National Museum of Contemporary Art is a must see. The Museum of Fado is an exceptional place where music is the main focus – you will find here everything you ever wanted to know about the lilting music of this country. Among the major attractions, you will find here (Almada – on the banks of River Tagus) almost identical replica of the famous statue Cristo Redentor (Rio de Janeiro) called the Cristo Rei.

Shopping in Lisbon

If you love shopping you will need to visit the Amoreiras where you will find a concentration of more than 200 stores, many restaurants offering every type of cuisine you would want or imagine, theater and even a church. So, coming here would be able to take care of all your needs. Do not forget to try out the local and very famous drink called ‘ginjinga’ – this is something you would find only in Portugal.

The other major shopping spot would be the Avenida da Liberdale which is lined with hi-end shops and restaurants as well as theaters. While you are in the vicinity, check out the Eduardo VII park which offers some phenomenal views of the entire city. A must-see and experience is the Elevator de Santa Justa which links two districts, i.e. the Baixa and the Bairo districts.

Australia’s capital city, Canberra is a phenomenal city to visit. No wonder it is voted as one of the hottest tourist destinations throughout the world.

There are one hundred forty wineries in Canberra – so you need to go around and see some of the famous vineries which would be extremely impressive and educative – not to mention fun. All the 140 wineries are within about half an hour from the city. The wine from Canberra is of high quality and is exported world wide. Surprisingly most of the wine labels come quite affordable – which is another reason why Australian wines are so well accepted and famous across the world. They have the best two ingredients – quality and value for money.

For a stunning view of the capital city of Australia go up the ex-Telstra Tower which is today known as the Black Mountain Tower. This monument standing 200 meters tall offers an astounding view of the city. You can dine at the Alto restaurant up there while learning about the telecommunication history of Australia through the gallery which is set up there on the topic.

This city has everything you would ever want from exceptional shopping centers to the most stunning natural pockets where you could enjoy any type of nature-lover sports. Check out the Australian National Botanical Gardens which consists of more than 6500 species of trees and plants over a vast expanse of 40 acres of land. The Garden has been organized into climatic regions and each part is simulated in such a manner that it allows the growth of that type region flora. A must see for anyone who is interested to experience and see first hand the different types of plants growing in desserts, mountains, rainforest and so on.

Since we are on the topic of gardens, there is another exceptional garden in Canberra, i.e. the Cockington Green Garden. There is a stunning display of 19 countries here meticulously build to scale (miniaturized) which will amaze any visitor. An old fashioned steam train would take around the best exhibits, in case you prefer not to walk. There are impeccable lawns and flower gardens in between the exhibits and this space can be used for picnics if you would so prefer.

Children should definitely see the National Scinece and Technology Center and the National Gallery which are made especially to capture and provoke the curiosity of the young visitors. You could also check out the National Zoo and the gigantic shark tank at the Aquarium. The National Museum allows children to touch exhibits and many are interactive designed to leave a lasting impression on the minds of children.

For some awesome shopping experience check out the Canberra Center where you would find everything that defines fashion and beauty. Besides, you would also enjoy shopping-until-you drop in the 200 plus shops that make the supermarket here.

This is one city which can give you the most modern experience side by side with amazing natural beauty.

One of the most popular tourist destinations, Hong Kong is part of China yet it maintains free enterprise. History says that Hong Kong was a colony of the Great Britain until 1984 when the British handed over this amazing city to China with a strange stipulation, i.e. that its free market would be sustained as it is for at least 50 years onwards. This is why Hong Kong stands out as a unique city.

Today Hong Kong is the Special Administrative Region of China while it still enjoys free market. It has exceptionally conducive import and export laws with a tax rate that does not exceed 15 percent. This is why Hong Kong’s economy is highly vibrant and business and entrepreneurship is most common.

Known as the ‘Movie Capital of Asia’, Hong Kong offers non-stop entertainment to its tourists, which is one of the main industries. You will find that the city is predominantly Chinese by tradition and culture, while English is spoken as second main language.

As a tourist you will be amazed by the diversity this city offers. You can experience the loudest and most bustling night life here. At the same time you would be able to enjoy the spiritual quietness of the Buddhist temples.

Paradise for Food Gourmets

Are you in love with food? Hong Kong is the place for you in that case. You will find some mind-blowing local cuisine (Chinese food) that never tasted as good anywhere else – such as chicken lo mein, dim sum, whole trout fried, tofu, soft shell crab meat, the famous Peking duck, the Tong Cho oysters  to name a few. There is no dearth of continental food either – including McDonalds.

Shopping Paradise – When you are in Hong Kong try to save on everything (if you are n a budget) by sleeping in dormitories (which are exceptionally clean and well maintained) and eating great stuff from the road side and use all your money for shopping. Tough expensive, Honk Kong is a real paradise for shopping as it offers you a wide variety of knick knacks and fancy items that you never knew existed. Check out the Golden Mile, Mongkok and Yaumati for some great bargains.

Attractions in Hong Kong

It is said that Hong Kong never sleeps. Check out the Aberdeen and Harbour at night by taking a leisure cruise. This is one of the most popular tourist destinations.

Check out the Repulse Bay which offers one of the most popular beaches in Hong Kong. Though it is a wonderful place to spend time, it tends to be messy because of the excessive littering left over by the visitors over the weekends.

Do not miss the Victoria Park which was built as long ago as 1888 which will lead you to the Victoria peak which is 1350 ft above the sea level. Have a snack here while enjoying the panoramic view of Hong Kong.