Hôtel Ritz, Paris, France

This hotel is in the heart of the French capital on one of the most beautiful areas. It has become synonymous with the aristocratic luxury. Specific blue-blooded, business tycoons, political elite, celebrity fashion and film, arriving in Paris, choose this particular hotel. It was inspired by Marcel Proust, it was turned into a fashion house of Coco Chanel, it was here where the passionate novel of Ernest Hemingway was developed. And I still entering the doors of Paris’ Ritz – means to join the world of the rich and famous.

Bayerischer Hof, Munich, Germany

Back in 1832 Ludwig of Bavaria decided to build a huge hotel in Munich which will have a unique interior and exclusive appearance. Unfortunately, during the bombing in 1944, a significant part of the building was destroyed, but the owners decided to restore the famed hotel. During the Olympical Games in 1972 the hotel has been added with another wing – adjacent Old Palace Mongelas, and even after a couple of decades, opened a large swimming pool on the roof and the new-fashioned spa center. But despite the modern gloss, Bayerischer Hof is still the same good old Munich hotel.

Marriott Hotel, Cairo, Egypt

We all believe that in recent years everything has turned into a form of a modern skyscrapers, but we need only to cross the threshold of the hotel, and you have a completely different world – the realm of imperial luxury and bliss. Once, this luxurious hotel was called Al Gezira Palace. It was opened in the house of Napoleon’s wife – the Empress Eugenie. Since then, the hotel appears to have spa and fitness center, but has remained the same elegant atmosphere and kept some of the interiors.

Old Winter Palace, Luxor, Egypt

In this hotel with noble Victorian interior stopped a long list of famous people and celebrities around the world such as Agatha Christie. The hotel was built in 1886 in lush tropical gardens on the banks of the Nile. Now it is in the center of the city, next to the temple of Luxor. It can be reached in just a few minutes. Being on tour in Luxor you should make sure to look briefly here: admiring the interior and to have a cup of flavored beverage in a tea room.

The Imperial Hotel, Delhi, India

The history of the hotel began exactly a century ago, when King George V declared New Delhi the capital of India. The hotel has been conceived as one of the most original buildings of the city: the architect reflected in its interior the style of the outgoing Victorian era and spirit of our new age of art – art deco. One needs only to walk around the hotel, as before you will open up the most significant pages of Indian history. They even still carefully preserve the table at which the heads of the country were discussing the independence of India.

American Colony Hotel, Jerusalem, Israel

Prior to the beginning of the twentieth century in this ancient city there was not a suitable hotel with a decent level of service for the reception of travelers and pilgrims from Europe and America. And at the same time the Turkish inns could not meet the demands of wealthy gentlemen. This hotel opened in 1902, and named American Colony became the first high-class hotel in Jerusalem. Being the property of Americans, this hotel has always been known as a neutral territory, free from the hazards of local political life, and so it became a kind of oasis for meetings of heads of governments and diplomats of Arab and Jewish parties.This is called to be the first hotel to symbolize peace!

Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya

Built in 1932 in Africa it looks like a typical hotel is a cozy Scottish hunting lodge. But instead of the nature of Northern Europe, the place has a view of peacefully grazing giraffes, and even not in the far distance stands the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro. The owners of the hotel are paying much attention to the nature reservation, protection of wild animals and that’s why they even opened up a whole fleet of giraffes. For hotel guests the entry is totally free there: they will have a plenty of time to admire the graceful animals.

The Grand Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan

Beautiful hotel is built in a traditional palace style. Under the elegant indoor shiny tiled roof with upturned edges of the amazing splendor of the interiors, the characteristic red bearing columns and grand arches – all reminiscent of imperial luxury apartments. Each of the eight floors corresponds to one of the dynasties of Chinese rulers, reflected in the form of paintings, furniture and decoration throughout. Today, this hotel has become a symbol of Taiwan.

Hotel New Grand, Yokohama, Japan

The hotel symbolizes the history of Yokohama – port city, which became a bridge between Japan and the modern Western world. It harmoniously combines different styles and eras in a single building: the main building have a quiet classic style, the interior successfully combines western elegance and brightness of the Asian endurance. It adjoined a separate tower in 1991 which has a modern design. In this hotel it is worth staying not only for the architecture but also for the wonderful views of various species of the bay of Yokohama.

Majestic Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Everyone who settled in this boutique hotel, built in 1925, feels surrounded with the old world charm. Elegant columns and vaulted ceilings characterize the classic French colonial design of the golden age of architecture. Of course, time has not stopped: after the last overall renovation of the hotel, an 8-stored department was attached to the main building. Also here you can use the service of the modern SPA center. At the same time the architects managed to keep the main thing – the spirit of a bygone era.

What’s the most amazing thing about the travelling sites is that most o the time they do have lots of surprises for those who are planning fun trips to this or that point of the world. This websites provide daily updated information on new discounts and special offers that will help travelers to organize their holidays with pleasure and to avoid the stress which is caused by the limited pocket and timing.

In addition to discounts, some of the “virtual” travelling agencies provide their clients with the opportunity to receive bonus miles from this or that airlines, e.g. for € 1 you spend on the trip as a program participant, you might get 1 mile as an encouragement. And in the period when the amount of the travelers is the least or most you might also get some more bonus points. Just keep in mind all of this is being done in case of buying tickets from a specific airline company.

After you got the idea of how to organize a cheap trip, it’s time to turn to the places which are worth visiting if you’re having a break during June.

Milan, Italy

Getting a ticket to Milan during the summer time might sound to be too difficult, but in reality it isn’t. You just need to find the proper travelling agency and most likely you will also get some discounts if you will travel by the local Italian airlines.

In the most important cultural, industrial and business center of Italy, tourists can visit the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which houses a fresco by Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, the Catholic Cathedral Duomo di Milano, Brera Gallery, the famous medieval Sforza Castle and many other attractions. Gourmets can taste delicious Italian cuisine with a Milanese accent, a kind of fusion cooking directions: traditional Italian and international (Bice restaurants, Ulmet, Pacific Milano Restaurant, Don Carlos), Tuscan (Assassino), Japanese (Nobu Armani).

Fashionistas and inveterate shopaholics can come to the delight of the local shopping in local stores (La Rinascente), boutiques (Vicini, Baldinini, Roberto Cavalli) and outlet stores (Biffi, RJ, Griffes Diffusion). Here you can buy almost everything, especially during the summer sales when the prices are the lowest.

Geneva, Switzerland

Here the main tip to save on your trip is to book your ticket couple of days in advance to your trip. This way you will be able to save from 10-20% on your trip.

The refined beauty of Geneva, superbly situated on the banks of the Rhone River and Lake Leman (Lake Geneva), its beautiful parks, museums and monuments of history and architecture fascinate tourists from all over the world. The main attractions of the city – the Palais des Nations, Town Hall, the Cathedral of St. Peter and Church of Saint-Germain, Museum hours Patek Philippe, the highest in Europe, Jet d’Eau fountain in the lake, and some other cool spots. Shopping center in Geneva is simply awesome.

Let’s say that there’s even a shopping district on the left bank of the Rhone with plenty of antique and jewelry shops, pastry shops, bookstores and watch shops, boutiques and shopping malls. This means that you can always get back home with a list of souvenirs which will remind you of this beautiful place. The best restaurants in town offer excellent mixture of European and traditional Swiss cuisines. It’s worth to try roulette, fondue, the famous Swiss cheese and all sorts of seafood dishes.

Paris, France

Paris looks to bit a little bit more luxurious place to stay in. But if you’re not running short on your money, then you can also save them. What do I mean? Well, nothing strange. The thing is that if you will stay in one of the 3 to 4 star hotels of the city for more than 3-4 nights, then most of the time you’ll get a chance to have lots of surprises, including even free night stay offer.

It’s one of the most beautiful and romantic cities on earth, the most “fashionable” capital of the world. “Holiday, which is always with you”. Paris is literally composed of museums and attractions. Its historic center is decorated with the famous Notre Dame. On the right bank of the Seine is the Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens, the Museum of Impressionism, Champs Elysees and the Place de Gaulle, the Arc de Triomphe. The symbol of Paris – Eiffel Tower – is situated on the left bank of the Seine. Here are the Pantheon, the Sorbonne, Luxembourg Gardens and the Champ de Mars.

Another “landmark” of Paris – the refined French cuisine: blue lobsters at Le Bristol, branded duck in La Tour d’Argent, oysters in La Cagouille, famous cakes at Laduree. The true gourmet will enjoy Paris.

As for the shoppers the famous Galeries Lafayette, boutiques of Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, etc., and the outlet stores in Paris will turn your trip into an unforgettable event.

A whole week in Europe and specifically in its coolest cities – what else is needed to escape from the daily routine and dull reality? Changing conditions and new thrills make the most effective rest. All of this is also true in case of the short rest.

You just need to keep in mind that making a positive life and helping to sustain its rapid pace is the best way to avoid stress when getting back to the routine life.

An established world capital of fashion is Milan. There one must make regular forays wishing to buy clothes that had not yet left the podium. Fashionistas from all over the world do not forget to stop in this outlet city located close to Paris, London and Barcelona and other major European cities. If you decide to cross the ocean, it is unlikely to be able to resist the temptation of shopping in New York. Fashionable addresses in this city are multiple including mega-stores in Manhattan, exclusive boutiques of fashion brands on Madison Avenue and Fifth Avenue.

Cheap Clothes

Inexpensive clothing, for example, children’s shirts, shorts, socks usually require a lot of best buy in the U.S. This state has long been a center for inexpensive shopping. The main drawback is that you might need a long time flying, but if you find yourself in those parts, do not deny yourself the pleasure of returning home with a suitcase full of all kinds of junk. Another world center for consumer goods is China, where all of the products offered in various countries are made. The main street for such a useful pastime in Beijing is Yabaolu. It is mainly retail, but some stores sell goods and retails. But Beware: getting profitable deals in this country can be done only by the expert shoppers – communicating with the Chinese is very difficult.

Gems

Inexpensive gems can be bought in South-East Asia: Sri Lanka, Thailand. If you have a thorough understanding of sapphires and emeralds, you can try to get them literally on the street “in the open-air markets”. When not too confident in their ability – is to go to specialized eminent center where, together with the stone will be given a certificate clarifying the exact origin of the stone. Of course, the huge halls of such companies sell jewelry, but, unfortunately, their design is quite poor and models differ only with few small details, so better to buy them from the and get a true jeweler to make a masterpiece out of the unusual gems.

Gold

For gold and jewels, many prefer to travel to the United Arabic Emirates. Your heart quickens beating while watching women on the “gold market” which usually has a form of miles of sparkling gold glitter shops. However, upon closer examination it appears that most of it is made of dark soft “Arabic gold”, which cannot be considered to be one of the favorites of the European women, and massive glittering necklaces and bracelets that resemble chains, are unlikely to be put in a civilized society. Good choice of accustomed yellow and white gold can be found in large shopping centers. The most attractive prices are waiting for those who come for the winter shopping festival. During this period the Arabs lure tourists not only a great discount, but lotteries, where you can win a car or apartment.

Diamonds

Unlike other gems in the world diamonds have special places for purchase. The best stones are sold on the world diamond exchange in Israel. In this huge complex transact is not only designated for bulk purchases of diamonds and diamond-like stones,  but there are retail jewelry stores, exhibitions and showrooms, offices of diamond companies and even the post office and customs. All of this reminds us of the opportunity to get real diamonds.
Another brilliant reserve for the diamond retails is Amsterdam. In this “rich” city it will be rather simple to find shops and diamond stone cutting workshops at every corner. Here the experts will give the buyers good advice about how to choose the diamond and how to design the jewelry.

Watches

It’s obvious that the country of the best, most accurate clocks and watches is Switzerland. Huge selection of very expensive brands, watches with special order can be found in the boutiques of Zurich and Geneva. Let’s call those cities the cities of watch purchase possibilities. However, a good selection of the same Swiss watches with reasonable prices can be found in the Emirates. Here the brand watches come up with much cheaper prices. But not all are ready to buy a clock, equal to a value of a car, while ignoring other commodities needed. For those who are not ready to empty their wallets China offers patents of the origin watches with the quality nearly indistinguishable from the originals.

Furs

Huge selection of furs can be found in Kastoria – a region in northern Greece, where there are largest numbers of fur factories. The tour agencies even organize here shareware shop-fur-tours: tourists do not pay for the trips, but agree to spend certain amounts of money on fur purchase. But you better avoid this appealing offer: most of the time the pricing of the furs is being so much exaggerated that the trip is being paid via the fur purchase. Independent travelers are being offered a very different price which seems to be reasonable. While in Italy you might also get a chance to buy fur, especially while in the northern part of the country.

Antiques and Vintage

In London and Paris to buy real antiques can be much more profitable than in the cities of Eastern Europe. If you are interested in the old days, the main address in the French capital will be the neighborhood of the Place Vendome, and in London – Islington District, Oxford Street – Camden Market. This range can be found in other markets – Portobello. The most expensive antique shops are located near Hyde Park. Quite a lot of antique shops can be found in the vicinity of Metro Bond Street. All of these stores will offer a wide range of antiques starting from simple old books up to quite expensive jewelry and much more.

New York, USA

Interior institution created by the New York studio of “Gaia” was designed under the theme “City Life”. Equipped with luxury bar stools, deck chairs and banquettes, the restaurant seems to lure its midday visitors to leave the office for a short lunch, sit on them and spend time in luxury and comfort. However, time can not be called lost as the free Wi-Fi access allows you to open your laptop and not to miss a single e-mail or stock quotes on stock changes. Hanging chains, huge lights, wooden ceilings and black-and-white cityscapes on the walls, add rigor and comfort to the interior.

Porto, Portugal

Creating a design space in a building which itself is an architectural gem, is difficult. But those who led the transformation of the famous Porto Café Imperial into McDonald’s restaurant did an excellent job. Intervention design was minimal, but the interior has turned out to be quite modern and attractive. Last but not least thanks to a chic stained glass from floor to ceiling and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling in the baroque style.

London, UK

Even in 2006, the European branch of McDonald’s has hired a French interior designer, Philip Avantsi to create a new fashion concept of continental institutions. One of his best creations is the restaurant in the Holborn area, fully consistent with the concept “better fewer, but better.” Its stylish interiors surprisingly intertwine with recent high-tech refinements and luxurious natural materials. The stop seems to be attractive even for the well-paid judges as the place is a popular residence spot for the law supporters.

Savannah, Ga., USA

Fighters for a healthy lifestyle and a cleaner environment can fight against McDonald’s junk food, and polluting technologies and production methods of delivering products as much as they want. Now most popular global network of fast food is what they are actually opposing. In the state of Georgia  there is a restaurant based solely on “green” technologies. Huge windows in the floor passed 75% more solar radiation, which contributes to energy savings on lighting and heating facilities. Roof, in turn, is made of white retro-reflective material to reduce the cost of air conditioning. In the parking lot next to the entrance of the restaurant is reserved for bicycles and hybrid cars. Rainwater is collected in tanks and then used for watering lawns surrounding the restaurant. Through all this, the institution has received a gold certificate for environmental and energy efficiency, which are awarded only to favorites.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Looking at this restaurant, located on Princess Street, with its comfortable leather seats, wall panels, dark wood and neon stripes, you will surely decide that you got into a wrong door and ended up not at McDonald’s, but  in the fashionable internet cafe or stylish cafe. However, the high-end interior is designed to make it comfortable and be happy to get fat in them, eating one after another, hamburgers and drank their milkshake. In fairness it is worth noting that for those who follow their waistline there are two or three salads in the menu.

Los Angeles, USA

Located in the Echo Park restaurant, perhaps, this one must be called the most popular all over the huge Los Angeles. And not only because of the stylish interior, decorated in light wood, huge windows, floor to ceiling and silver arches, replacing the usual gold. They love it more for the fact that there are all conditions for a good way of spending a large company. The most popular place is a huge table for ten people, surrounded by fourteen LCDs, which are broadcast on various TV channels. Lamps made in the style of hi-tech, sometimes flicker in the rhythm flowing from the speakers popular tunes.

Paris, France

France is proud of its haute cuisine, but this does not mean that on the streets of Paris you will not find McDonald’s. The truth is that their concentration is no less than in London, which is the third city in the world by number of points of this worldwide network. And the most obvious evidence of a “forbidden love” Parisians to fast-Fudu is a restaurant located on the Rue de Rivoli. Its interior is decorated with prints of high quality fresh fruits and vegetables, its refined, almost futuristic design – all of this is very attractive. Encamped on the curved leather sofas and gentlemen, dressed from Armani and Louis Vuitton are coming for a lunch from various popular French companies. But what else to expect from McDonald’s, which opened in the capital of fashion and style?

Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles, USA

This McDonald’s in Japanese style stood in the heart of the Asian district of Los Angeles. Everything here is made in accordance with the requirements of Feng Shui. Visitors will find a host body shape leather seats, interior in natural colors, placed around the living branches of bamboo and flowing babbling waterfalls. If you are not eating vegetarian food you will want to go to the temple to atone for sins, the nearest Buddhist is in two steps.

Budapest

Abandoned railway station does not seem an obvious place where it would make sense to create a restaurant queuing. Nevertheless, the owners of the network dared to dream and opened here a restaurant which quickly became a popular institution. Seated here one should expect to hear the roar of the approaching train. But the huge panoramic windows can be seen only from the empty platform. Here you can continue admiring the antique chandeliers and painted ceilings in the blue range. Entrances of the lovely red-brick building are the massive wrought-iron gates.

London, Oxford Street, United Kingdom

The flagship restaurant is McDonald’s in Britain is decorated with the utmost delicacy and care. In developing its concept the best designers from London were involved. Its interior facilities can easily confound the many prestigious bars of London. The color palette is based on a combination of white, red and yellow, and to supplement the light, playing highlights. Chairs and tables in a retro-style mosaics and works of modern schedules, only underscore the delicacy of the atmosphere. The bar can also detect large flat panel televisions, which broadcast the latest news, and get to the Internet using free Wi-Fi.

Whether you are 5 years old and a fan of the computer generated feature movies or reliving your youth at 60 years old, reminiscing about the first ever hand drawn Mickey Mouse sketch, entering the mystical world of Disneyland Resort brings your childhood alive.

The idea of non-stop entertainment and excitement may not seem like the ideal holiday for those looking for a quiet break with the kids, but at Disneyland you can have the best of both worlds. With themed hotels with spa treatments that are conveniently located within easy reach of the French capital, there is certainly more to a Disney holiday than just larger-than-life characters and cartoon themed outings.

The city of Paris additionally offers traditional romantic opportunities for couples who want to mix their love for the television heroes with their love for each other; including the opportunity to witness the spectacular views from Space Mountain in the morning with the moonlit vision of the Eiffel Tower by night.

Paris also offers vacation ideas for all the family that combines the fast paced adrenaline rides of the theme park with a cultural and educational trip to the Louvre, the magnificent art museum, or even a peaceful picnic in The Jardin des Plantes which is the perfect place for those who want to both marvel at the natural beauty that Paris has to offer as well as explore the science behind its creation.

Although Disneyland, Paris, still hides in the shadows of its American brothers, the variety of experiences it has to offer, including the Walt Disney Studios and fabulous shows and parades, combined with the beauty of Paris on its doorstep, means a visit is definitely one that will be repeated for years to come.

Whether you desire a romantic getaway, a family holiday or you want to relive your childhood after retirement, Disneyland Resort, Paris, provides a magical adventure which you are sure to take back many happy memories of.

For more travel tips and vacation inspiration, check out the Tripbase
Travel Blog / Tripbase site.

Glacier Express

It will take you around eight hours to get from Zermatt to St. Moritz on the Glacier Express. Many call it the slowest “express” in the world due to the timing, although it really makes a few stops along the way. However, you would hardly endorse more high-speed travelling while paying for a trip more than 100 euros. The main charm of the route lies in the possibility to admire the splendor of the surrounding mountain scenery as the train route is traced in such a way as to show the best of the.

On their way cabins with large panoramic windows and almost transparent roof overcome nearly three hundred bridges, and nearly one hundred tunnels. For those who want to save a little time and money, it is possible to buy tickets for individual segments of the path, and then move to other types of transports on the half way. By the way, even the ordinary trains, which go from Visp to Zermatt, may be called panoramic, while the price of the trip in this train is incomparably lower. So the choice between options seems to be an article of overall decision.

Harzer Schmalspurbahnen
Harzer Schmalspurbahnen is a network of narrow gauge railways in the Harz Mountains of central Germany. Perhaps, only here you can see a mixture of different types of rolling stocks. First, on the narrow gauge railway still exploit the locomotives produced in the first half of last century.

In the heart of the largest city in the region, Nordhausen, you can see trams with a hybrid diesel engine, since the road is not electrified. In addition, you can come across quite exotic rail buses, imported here in the late 90-ies of the last century. The longest route with the length of 60 km connects Nordhausen and Wernigerode (where, by the way, “The Very Munchausen” was filmed), passes through the scenic trail, makes it possible to admire the stunning mountain scenery.

But it will be better to transfer to another branch at the station Bahnhof Drei Annen Hohne and go to the famous Mount Brocken. As the local residents believe, it is here that annually, on the night of April 30 to May 1 the Sabbath of witches and other evil spirits takes place. But even if we do not take into account the sorcery history of the mountain to climb on it is at least worth with its unique microclimate. Despite the low height, only 1,141 meters, natural phenomena are observed. For example, a curious optical effect, when on a foggy day around a man suddenly appears iridescent halo. Moreover, the camera easily captures this “miracle” and then you can bring this to friends to prove your “holiness”!

Eurostar
It is quite possible that those, who like fast driving and do not suffer from claustrophobia, will enjoy travelling at a speed of 300 km/h through the tunnel under the Channel connecting England and France. People have not yet invented a quicker way to get land from London to Paris or Brussels. In just two hours and a minimum of 59 pounds the train will help its passengers to get to major cities in Belgium and France. This is not something that offers you a panoramic views but instead this is something rather interesting if you’re not scared of getting into the dark. Well the thing that comes to mind is that while being in a tunnel you might make a wish which will come true in case you close your eyes until the end of the trip. Worth a try?

The Orient Express
There are many legends and stories about this train, initially shuttled between Istanbul and Paris. Of course, the most famous work is the book by Agatha Christie “Murder on the Orient Express”. And precisely due to the film, based on a detective, the unique train has survived, and now became a worldwide known brand, a logo of which can be found throughout Europe. It was in 1977 after the movie was shown in the theaters that the popularity of the trains had already disbanded  and his two surviving cars were bought in Monte Carlo at British entrepreneur Sotheby’s auction. He sought throughout the world and restored 35 more cars, and in 1982 launched the first train from London to Venice.

Here schooled waiters in costumes will serve breakfast to travelers directly into the compartment, and in the dining car you can taste the haute cuisine. Finishing in style of Art Deco has luxury fragrance, and honorable people go for a dinner in evening dresses here. A trip on the train is not cheap: prices start from $1000 per person for a short trip, but often the cost of travel does not fall below $2000.

The West Highland Railway
The already well-known British Railway, on which up to now go locomotives became even more famous after the film shots about Harry Potter. In fact, the train does not even go from the train station in London, and connects the largest city in Scotland, Glasgow with communities of Fort William and Malleyg. Travelers can admire the picturesque hills of Scotland, and in addition, the road passes by the very large viaduct of the XIX century called Grenfinnan. This year’s travel publication of Wanderlust has named the West Highland Railway the best historical road in the world.

Don’t Go to have a look at Mona Lisa
Every day, the Louvre is attended by 25 thousand people and it seems most of them run to admire the famous Mona Lisa in the first place.  The first disappointment comes to be that in fact, the portrait is much smaller than we think, after scrutiny of reproductions in the magazine and pictures all over the web. When only one person gets too close to the picture his head almost completely closes it. Naturally, to see anything in such circumstances is simply impossible.

It is better to go against the main stream of visitors and enjoy the remaining thirty-five thousand treasures of the palace which can be admired entirely. Apartments of Napoleon III, the incredible Egyptian gallery and the remaining from the original building design of the Louvre, dating from XII century are more worth your attention.

Don’t Take a River Dinner Cruise
River Cruise is, in fact, an excellent thing and well worth the 12 euros, which it costs. It allows you to see the city from a different angles and different spots. But when it comes to food on  the board, the price of your trip may increase in 5-7 times. The only thing you get is dinner with a fairly limited choice of dishes in a noisy crowd of people effecting on your appetite.
There is no reason to eat anything bad in the culinary capital of the world where there are a huge number of Michelin stars awarded restaurants.

Don’t Climb the Eiffel Tower
Another cult place, mandatory for every Paris visitor, is a queue to the elevator of the Eiffel Tower. Specifically, there are seven lines, one for each elevator, to the controller and the cashier. Isn’t this just enough for being annoyed.At the same time inside the creation of Gustave Eiffel looks not as fascinating as from the outside.
If the main reason to climb the tower is the desire to see the city from a bird’s flight, it is better to see the tower from outside and go to another places for better scenes. Excellent panoramic view opens from the Tour Montparnasse and even the Arc de Triomphe.

Don’t Visit the Bastille
Visiting the Bastille could be disappointing. The Bastille fortress was completely destroyed during the Revolution, and the tourists go there only to find, a busy traffic intersection and nothing more. So the tale of the once a powerful fortress might remain just at the point it was known to you.
If you wish to get acquainted with the history of the city it is much better to visit a Musée Carnavalet.

Don’t Take a Da Vinci Code Tour
Most of any such tours are merely an expensive wiring for tourists. They will, most likely, not show you a lot of sights and most of the time typical ones.  You will go around the city on the bus, forced to get out of it each time at the sight of the next place, starred in a  shot of some movie.
It is better to spend money on a normal informative tour of the city, in accordance with your interests. Here you are, at least, hear the real history of Paris and learn something new.

Don’t Drink Coffee in the “Famous” Café
Once there is something remarkable in the history of café, it is immediately occupied by the crowds of tourists, prices go up in several times, and the quality of food and drinks fed rapidly deteriorates. The Café de Flore or the Deux Magots – favorite place of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, or Café des Deux Moulins are just samples  of these places.
It is better to look at the places next door. Most likely, there is a great place nearby, whose owners, trying to survive in competition with the famous cafe, keep the normal price, and pay attention to quality and offer a higher servicing.

Don’t Go to Nice
For unclear reasons, most travelers who want to see something more than Paris, automatically think of Nice. However, the only thing that they find there is a bustling city overflowing with ugly pebble beaches and poor history to tell. You can poke a finger in almost any city on the map of France (except maybe the Marseilles), and it will certainly be better than Nice.

It is better to consider other options available. Bordeaux is just perfect for beach holidays. Here you can watch the competition in windsurfing, and there is the biggest dune in Europe, the Dune du Pyla, and the summit which offers stunning views of the Atlantic, the surrounding pine forests and on the chain of the Pyrenees. However, there is no need to go far from Paris. Loire Valley is located just an hour away, and its historical, cultural and gastronomic attractions will be able to keep you busy for a week or even a month.

Shoshenq Yard, Karnak, Egypt
Photographer: Francis Frith, 1850
Emerged in the middle of the XIX century, the first photos of architectural monuments caused such a wild interest of public that not only spurred the development of the photographic industry, but also created a new market for photographic postcards.

Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Photographer: Calvert Richard Jones, 1846
In subsequent decades the photography experienced a rapid growth and constant improvement of technology.

Moscow, Russia
Photographer: unknown, 1841
The camera has become an indispensable attribute of the traveler, and images brought back from distant places were the best souvenir. And this is especially in an era when photography had not yet received the widespread distribution and was considered a very expensive hobby.

Boulevards of Paris, France
Photographer: William Henry Fox Talbot, 1843
Disappointed by his own inability to draw, the English scientist William Henry Fox Talbot worked to improve the methods of photography. And he achieved a considerable success in this. He also became the publisher of the world’s first book, illustrated with photos.

View of Seine, Paris, France
Photographer: Charles Louis Chevalier, 1843
The first company specialized in organizing trips was founded by Thomas Cook. Already in the fifties of the XIX century a group trip to Paris and Northern Europe has become commonplace for the British. People wishing to spend 11 pounds on the cognitive and pleasant trip turned out to be thousands, and by the end of the century the “Thomas Cook and Son” company has expanded its activities also in the New World.

Royal Opera House, Madrid, Spain
Photographer: Charles Clifford, 1853
Born Welshman Charles Clifford settled in Madrid in 1850, where he got carried away filming Spanish architecture, and actively inculcated countrymen interested in Spanish culture and traditions.

Ramesseum, Thebes, Egypt
Photographer: Francis Frith, 1857
Having stood for thousands of years the monuments of ancient Egypt were under threat of extinction in the XIX century because of the rapidly growing number of homegrown archaeologists and European museums that were enthusiastically buying up antiquity. Francis Frith considered photography to be an essential tool for capturing fast disappearing form of historical monuments.

Palm trees and mimosa, Calabash, Egypt
Photographer: Félix Teynard, 1841
Civil engineer Felix Teynard systematically documented all the major Egyptian sites near Cairo, and left the “descendants ” hundreds of photos.

Quay of Naples, Italy
Photographer: Adolphe Braun, 1868
Books with illustrated photographs began to appear in the 60-ies of the XIX century as a luxury item and were then available only to wealthy people. But gradually the development of photography and printing business made photo albums available also to the middle class, which also underpinned a rapid increase in the army of travelers.

Falls Staub, Switzerland
Photographer: Adolphe Braun, 1866
Adolph Brown, who replaced the craft of engineer with the camera, became one of the first professional photographers, specializing in shooting landscapes, and it worked successfully in the emerging industry of photographic postcards.

Boats of Irrawaddy, Burma
Photographer: Philip Adolphe Klier, 1880
The invention of photography coincided with a period of unprecedented expansion of European colonization. A rapid development of the transport network, which was headed by a steam engine, made possible not only the active international trade, but also the mass tourism.

1. London, Great Britain
Many well-known authors either were born in the capital of the Great Britain, or have lived here the most part of a life, and, certainly, have described this city in their works. So, Charles Dickens’s admirers can visit his house which has become a museum, fans of detective histories of sir Arthur Conan Doyle will try to find five-six places where great detective Sherlok Holmes conducted investigation, and by all means will visit his “residence” on Baker Street 221b. There will be everything for all of them who are interested in art of Jeffrey Choser, John Keats, Herbert Wells.

2. Stratford-Upon-Avon, Great Britain
There will hardly be a person in the world who never heard about William Shakespeare. And consequently every year Stratford-Upon-Avon – city where the well-known writer was born – is visited by about 3 million people. Here you can see the museum of the English genius, theater and many other sightseeings connected with a name of the well-known playwright.

3. Edinburgh, Scotland
A lot of world literature classics have lived and wrote in this city: sir Arthur Conan Doyle, sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson. Today Edinburgh had a new literary symbol – Joanne Rowling, the author of the well-known story about Harry Potter. If you wish to learn about all writers and the poets ever been in this place, simply visit the Museum of writers. By the way, Edinburgh was the first to be recognized “as a city of the literature” by UNESCO.

4. Dublin, Ireland
Many new ideas and innovative products were born in this country and especially in its capital. For example the “Dublins” or “Ulis” of James Joyce. In XX century Samuel Beckett has created here the concept of absurdity drama. And if you ever come to be on the far northern island, by all means visit not only the museum of writers and National library of Ireland, but also take a glance to the literary pub Crawl.

5. New York, USA
It would be surprising, if no writer has settled in “the Big Apple”. Such authors of bats-generations, as Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg have lived here for some time. The city became the arena of one of literary revolutions of XX century – the so-called “Harlem Renaissance”, which has given such popular afroamerican authors, as Zora Neale Hurston or Langston Hughes.

6. Concord, Massachusetts, USA
Though Concord is only a small town with 20 thousand inhabitants, it has played the important role in the history of the American literature. In the beginning of XIX century there lived the most popular authors of that time Ralph Waldo Emerson and Gotorn, and in 1817 the American philosopher and writer David Toro was born here.

7. Paris, France
Paris has been the center of the French and European culture for a long time. Writers, artists, musicians from all world longed for getting to this city . And that`s why many writers remember it`s streets , starting from the giants of the French literature, such, as Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Alexander Duma and Onore de Balzac, and finishing with newcomers from far America which ran to Paris to find sexual, religious or personal freedom among which were Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway and Francis Scott Fitzgerald.

8. San Francisco, California, USA
As well as New York, this city is also connected first of all with bats-generations. After, Ginsberg and Kerouac have left “the Big Apple” for the various reasons, they have settled here and have brought not only a unique literary style, but also fans from all over the state. ”Beatnik`s”admirers necessarily should visit cafe “Vesuvius” – Jack Kerouac’s favourite place. The author of “Tropic of Cancer” Henry Miller also passed some time in vicinities of San Francisco.

9. Rome, Italy
Ancient Rome is the birthplace of many antique writers and the philosophers who have affected all European art. In this city the author of “Eneida” of Virgilio created for some time. Later on, inspired by ancient beauty of ancient city, Percy Shelley with his wife Mary Shelley, Keats and Henry James have lodged in Rome.

10. St.-Petersburg, Russia
Petersburg was always the important city for the Russian literature. Alexander Pushkin and Lev Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov and Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolai Gumilev and Anna Akhmatova were passing by the streets of the second Russian capital in XIX-XX centuries. Among the most visited literary museums are Pushkin’s last haven on Moyka and Dostoevsky’s apartment on the Kuznechny lane.

1. Museum of mummies, Guanajuato, Mexico
This museum will haunt the visitors into terrible but despite this, the flow of tourists does not decrease for years. The museum was founded in 1853, and has a collection of about hundred dried human remains to be looked at. In contrast to the famous Egyptian mummies , Mexican  ones are not having a noble origin and have not been deliberately embalmed. The exhibits are carried from the local cemetery, where relatives of the victims are unable to pay an annual tax for the dead. So, behind the glass one can see bodies that were laid on the ground for decades. And although because of the extremely low humidity and high content of minerals in the local soil, buried corpses do not decompose, they still look terrible.

2. Church of St. Michael, Dublin, Ireland
Church of St. Michael in Dublin was founded in the XVI century and most of all it is famous for its vaults, in which the bodies remain incorrupt even in open coffins for hundreds of centuries. Most of the underground galleries are closed from the eyes of the curious tourists, but some can still be visited. So the tourists with particularly strong nerves can descend into the caves and wander among the open stone coffins, from which mummified limbs protrude. Or, conversely, search for the bodies of ex-thieves and criminals who have limbs missing. If the experience is not enough, then go to the burial of the crusader, whose body was broken in halves to squeeze in a coffin. After lifting to the surface you are quite ready to celebrate the Halloween and it is guaranteed you will be afraid of even a pumpkin with a candle.

3. Catacombs of Paris, France
This place is rather popular among tourists, “on the eve of all saints”, so the visit to the ancient underground becomes a particularly meaningful ritual. One can hardly think of a better place for a holiday, everything you need is your surroundings and the underground, too. Catacombs of Paris are lined with the bones of the dead, like ornaments, dozens of miles of corridors, lined with skulls and femur bone, and only a small part is open to tourists for satisfying their interest. When there was no more room in the cemeteries of Paris, they started deceasing dead men from the catacombs, and for hundreds of years plenty of them were accumulated here. If your nerves are strong enough, you can scare others in spirit of the holiday, and beg them for candies, but do not overdo it.

4. Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague, Czech Republic
Landfill of century-old tombstones in the old Jewish cemetery in Prague looks so terrible that even the acknowledged master of horror, Franz Kafka often sought inspiration here. Since Jews were forbidden to bury their dead outside the station, then over the next five hundred years, the tombs were piled on each other, and now at such a tiny area, there are over 200 thousand graves, the oldest of which is 560 years old.

5. San Bernardino, Milan, Italy
Very modest and unremarkable church from the outside, turns out to be a mysterious place, densely decorated with mosaics  of bones and skulls from the inside. When there was no place available in adjacent cemetery (it happened in the XII century) they began to fold the dead in a specially constructed building, which later became a Church!!! And the remains of the dead became a worthy addition to the interior decoration. Do the modern designers, after all this, still seem  too ambitious?

6. Castle Dracula, Romania
Located on the border of Transylvania and Wallachia, Bran Castle became famous, and was visited by the crowds of tourists, after Bram Stoker placed here his Dracula and Francis Ford Coppola shot the same film. Built on a hilltop, castle is beautiful enough even without old bloodsuckers. But the chilling stories of guides about the atrocities of Vlad Tepes, who, visited the castle extremely rare, created an ominous atmosphere around the castle.

7. Day of the Dead, Mexico
While the whole Catholic world celebrates “on the eve of all saints “, Mexico celebrates “the Day of the Dead “. Christian traditions, faced with the cults of Maya were distorted beyond recognition, and the relationships of Mexicans to death are very different from ours. This event, particularly brightly is held in Oaxaca, where in the evening of October 31 musicians, dressed as skeletons ,go out to the streets, , and at night the whole country rushes to the graves of relatives, taking tequila, favorite food of the deceased and sugar skulls with their names on their foreheads. The tradition is used to be a way getting reunited with your dead relatives and friends. Children as in European world also enjoy candies except the fact that they are shaped as skulls and dead.

8. Ossuary, Kutna Hora, Czech Republic
In Europe, where there was often no place for the dead, assures are not so rare. But  in the town of Sedlec, near the town of Kutna Hora, one of the largest and the most famous is located. About 40 thousand human skeletons used on the creation of the interior. Nearly all internal decorations, including a huge chandelier are made of skeletons parts. Interiors have turned out to be so terrible, that have repeatedly been the scenarios for the films creating the appropriate entourage.

9. Impasse Mary King, Edinburgh, Scotland
Old streets with the dark past were hidden under a new city with the time, but in 2003 the place where in the XVII century, the plague patients were left to die, was opened to tourists. Descending into the dungeon sightseers unanimously declare on the paranormal activity. The tourists are touched by the hands and feet by something invisible, it is believed that it is the ghost of Annie, a young girl whose parents left her there in 1645, particularly impressionable people can even see her ghost.

10. Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France
If you enjoy walking through the cemetery, you will  like the Pere Lachaise for sure. Kilometers of headstones, statues, tombs, family mausoleums storing the remains of the greatest representatives of humanity, will be the ideal venue for celebrating the Halloween. The spirits of Jim Morrison and Honore de Balzac buried here as well as tens of thousands of idlers tourists will help to celebrate the fist. It won’t be boring here in the night of November 1, for sure.