Óbidos is "Queen's Town": One of my favourite destinations in Portugal is Óbidos. This pretty and well preserved medieval town is sometimes called the "queen's town". When King Dinis married Isabel of Aragon in 1282, Óbidos was one of the wedding presents he gave her. From then until 1883, Óbidos and the surrounding land were always the property of the queens of Portugal. Óbidos is one of the most perfect examples of medieval fortresses in Portugal. Encircled by a ring of … [Read more...]
Cascais – A Fashionable Seaside Resort
November 19, 2009 by
Cascais - Once the preferred destination of European aristocracy: Cascais, like many coastal Portuguese towns, was once a traditional fishing village. It enjoyed a period of growth in the 14th century when boats on their way to Lisbon would stop here. Being a major stop-off point for the Lisbon bound boats Cascais became a very busy port at that time. Cascais' Royal Residents Cascais transformed into a fashional summer resort in the second half of the 19th century when bathing in the sea … [Read more...]
Yalta – Jewel of the Crimean Peninsula | Yalta Travel
November 16, 2009 by
Yalta - Famous for the 1945 Yalta Conference: With its mountain peaks serving as a lovely backdrop, warm and sunny summers, Yalta, the jewel of the Crimean peninsula, became a fashionable health resort in the 19th century. Tsar Nicholas II and other Russian aristocrats brought their families here to recuperate from tuberculosis. People now joke that Yalta was founded on the back of Russian aristocracy's struggle with tuberculosis. Brief History of Yalta In 1883 Yalta was granted city … [Read more...]
Kyiv (or Kiev) – One of Eastern Europe’s Oldest Cities
November 16, 2009 by
Kyiv is the Capital of the Ukraine As Well as Its Largest City: Kyiv or Kiev (pronounced Keeve in Ukrainian), the capital of the Ukraine, is one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe. The first thing we learn about the Ukrainian capital is that we've been pronouncing its name incorrectly, thanks to Chicken Kiev! Brief History of Kiev Kyiv was first mentioned in writing in the year 559 and the region was densely populated as early as the 9th century. The first considerable expansion to … [Read more...]
Odessa – "Pearl of the Black Sea" | Odessa Travel
November 16, 2009 by
Odessa - St. Petersburg of the South: Odessa, often referred to as the "Pearl of the Black Sea" is the third largest city in Ukraine and the largest city along the Black Sea. It is the Ukraine's most significant commercial centre. A Brief History of Odessa Odessa's history includes settlement by the Greeks in the region as early as 1700 years ago, the Crimea-Tartarians settled here in the 14th century and the region was part of the Turkish Empire from 1526 to 1789. During period of … [Read more...]
Faro – Algarve
October 17, 2009 by
The Administrative Capital of the Algarve: Faro has been the administrative capital of the Algarve since 1756. The word Faro comes from Farum which was taken from the last part of the name of a past Moorish governor. When the Moors ruled Faro, they renamed the town in the 11th century after one of their princes, Muhammad bin Said bin Harun, the town's governor from 1026-42. Faro's Cultural Heritage During prehistoric times Faro was a fishing village. But like many European towns and cities, … [Read more...]
Europe's Biggest Tourist Complex
October 15, 2009 by
Vilamoura is Europe's biggest tourist complex: Along the coastal stretch, between Lagos and Faro, is a strip of luxury resorts, villa complexes and high-rise hotels. Vilamoura sits between these two towns and is a key example of the types of rapid tourist developments that have sprung up in the Algarve. Vilamoura commands pride of place on the Algarve coast and has in fact become Europe's biggest private tourist complex, with an area covering 1,600 hectares. In Vilamoura you'll find all types … [Read more...]
The Algarve – Portugal
October 13, 2009 by
More than Sun, Sand and Sea: The Algarve is noted for its stretches of beautiful beaches and with 280 days of sunshine in the year, this is one of the favourite holiday destinations for Europeans seeking a beach holiday or just time to chill out. The Algarve coastline is very varied and along its 200-kilometer coast, there are all types of coves, cliffs and caves, rocky as well as sandy beaches. Along the west coast are stunning beaches like Arrifana which is sheltered below high … [Read more...]
Tour Route of Sicily
October 6, 2009 by
Suggested Tour Route to see the Best of Sicily Attractions: Tucked away at the foot of Italy, Sicily is nevertheless the largest region of Italy and it is also the third most densely populated. Whilst Sicily has made a lot of headlines in the past due to its fierce mafia connections and everyone has heard of the rumblings of Mount Etna, the island has a lot to offer as a travel destination. Sicily has over 2,000 years of history and past domination by many different rulers from the … [Read more...]