Barcelona

Beautiful Barcelona is the capital and most populous city of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain. Barcelona is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination and has a rich cultural heritage. Particularly renowned are architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner that have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.(more)

Venice

Venezia, La Serenissima among Venetians, gateway to the Orient, is one of the few cities in the world that can be truly described as unique, the absence of cars and mopeds in its streets, this is the city of canals and palaces. Venice's nature is dual: water and land, long history and doubtful future.(more)

Galapagos

There are few places quite as fascinating as the Galapagos. The archipelago has been known by many different names, including the "Enchanted Islands" because of the way in which the strong and swift currents made navigation difficult. The Galapagos archipelago is unique with giant tortoises, sea lions, penguins, Galapagos sharks, marine iguanas and different bird species that can be seen and approached. The Galapagos Islands are listed as a World Heritage Site since 1978.(more)

San Francisco

San Francisco is a popular international tourist destination renowned for its chilly summer fog, steep rolling hills, an eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture, its large LGBT population, and its peninsular location. Famous landmarks include the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, the cable cars, Coit Tower, and Chinatown.(more)

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of the world's largest and most economically important cities, considered one of the Eastern hemisphere's vital financial centers. Today it stands as a citadel for modern lifestyle, teenage culture, media entertainment, and towering architecture. Hong Kong is frequently described as a place where East meets West, a meeting reflected in its economic infrastructure, education and street culture. On one street corner, there may be traditional Chinese shops selling Chinese herbal medicine, Buddhist paraphernalia or bowls of synthetic shark fin soup. But around the next, one may find theatres showing the latest Hollywood blockbuster, an English-style pub, a Catholic Church or a McDonald's.(more)

Paris

An important settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centers, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. With over 30 million foreign visitors per year, Paris is the most popular tourist destination in the world. The city hosts numerous iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame cathedral, the Champs-Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the Basilica of the Sacré Cœur, the Invalides, the Panthéon, the Grande Arche and the Opéra Garnier among its many attractions, along with world famous institutions such as the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée National d'Art Moderne, and popular parks like Disneyland Resort Paris.(more)

Beijing

China is one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations. China has become a economy and sports power, especially in Asia. The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be held in Beijing. This ensures that China will be building new structures and perfect their crowd management skills to help with the crowds and space needed to control the Olympic following. China's current building boom is doing more than sucking up the world's supply of steel -- it's creating a stage for some of today's boldest architecture and engineering. But more remarkable than the architects' names are the projects themselves. The CCTV tower designed by Koolhaas, resembles nothing so much as a skyscraper tumbling into a somersault and required an entirely new structural system. The new Olympic stadium by Herzog & de Meuron -- nicknamed "the bird's nest" -- will be the world's largest "green" sports arena.(more)

Agra

The Taj Mahal (sometimes called "the Taj") a mausoleum located in Agra, India commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.The Taj Mahal is generally considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements of Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar part of the monument, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures. In 1983 the Taj became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.(more)

Dubai

From the timeless tranquility of the desert to the lively bustle of the beaches, Dubai offers a kaleidoscope of attractions. The emirate embraces a wide variety of scenery in a very small area. In a single day, tourists can experience everything from rugged mountains and awe-inspiring sand dunes to sandy beaches and lush green parks, from dusty villages to luxurious residential districts and from ancient houses with wind towers to ultra-modern shopping malls. The emirate is both a dynamic international business centre and a laid-back tourist escape; a city where the sophistication of the 21st century walks hand in hand with the simplicity of a bygone era. But these contrasts give Dubai its unique flavor and personality; a cosmopolitan society with an international lifestyle, yet with a culture deeply rooted in the Islamic traditions of Arabia. Since earliest times, Dubai has been a meeting place, bringing together the Bedouin of the desert interior with the pearl-diver, the merchant of the city with the sea-going fisherman. Some of Dubai great wonders are the construction of Burj Al Arab, the world's tallest freestanding hotel, as well as the creation of new residential developments, were used to market Dubai for purposes of tourism. Since 2002, the city has seen an increase in private real estate investment in recreating Dubai's skyline with such projects as The Palm Islands and Burj Dubai.(more)

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is also nicknamed A Cidade Maravilhosa - "The Marvelous City". It is famous for its spectacular natural setting, its Carnival celebrations, samba and other music, hotel-lined tourist beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema, paved with decorated black and cream swirl pattern mosaics. Some of the most famous local landmarks in addition to the beaches include the giant statue of Jesus, known as Christ the Redeemer ('Cristo Redentor') atop Corcovado mountain, which has recently been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World; Sugarloaf mountain (Pão de Açúcar) with its cable car; the Sambódromo, a giant permanent parade stand used during Carnival; and Maracanã stadium, one of the world's largest football stadiums. Rio also boasts the world's largest forest inside an urban area, called Floresta da Tijuca, or 'Tijuca Forest.(more)