In this section we will describe the various archaeological sites in Quintana Roo, the musts for tourists and what can they easily ignore; learn some history and get to know its culture.
A worldwide place known for its beautiful beaches and splendid natural sights, Quintana Roo has one of the greatest archaeological sites of the world.
Tulum, a truly fantastic place, full of history and mystical touch makes it a favorite place to visit and enjoy.
How to get to this place?, It is quite simple, Tulum is located 128 kilometers from Cancún, taking the Federal Highway (307) to the south. It takes an hour and 55 minutes or buy a ticket at the bus station or a package tour to Tulum. The two-hour ride is worth. My advice, don’t forget to take a cushion to place it on your seat to be more comfortable and mosquito repellent, wear light clothes and walking shoes for long walks.
Now let's talk about the history of this majestic place. In ancient times was Tulum was known by the name Zama, which means sunrise or dawn. It was one of the most important cities of the thirteenth century and was one of the most important trade routes at the time, it is something like a customs office, where all goods had to be checked.
Translated to Spanish Tulum means “muro” (wall in English), referring to the wall surrounding the castle, this name seems to have been used to name the city when it was already in ruins back in the XIX Century.
This building has a very good structure, it appears that the Mayans were excellent engineers and architects. Tourists can see the buildings that once formed the heart of the city, surrounded by the majestic wall. These three side-walls delimit the boundary of the site, north, south and west. The Mayans had a perfect view of the Caribbean Sea as its eastern part was directly facing the beach.
The castle is the most important building of the complex, because of its huge size. With three entrances with columns decorated with snakes gives them quite a character.
In front of the castle there is a platform that used to be a dance floor. There are two other buildings that complement the ensemble.
The activities that can be done in Tulum are diverse and quite interesting. For obvious reasons, the hiking is the most important of all. Great sceneries to take beautiful pictures to remind of such a place. The beach is so near you´re tempted to try it. And speaking of memories you cannot miss the souvenir shops where you can buy your miniature replica of the castle.
For now, hope this small guide to Tulum can be useful to plan a trip to this lovely place and we’ll continue talking about some other archaleogical sites you will love too.
Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is a Mediterranean and cosmopolitan city with Roman remains, medieval quarters and the most beautiful examples of 20th century Modernism and avant-garde. It is no surprise that emblematic constructions by the Catalan architects Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Doménech i Montaner have been declared World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO.
The city's origins are Roman, and its long history and economic dynamism have made Barcelona a cultural city, which can be seen in the historic-artistic heritage and the promotion of the most innovative artistic trends. A wide cultural programme will take visitors to museums, exhibitions, open-air sculptures… and many concerts, plays and dances.
Barcelona, a real open-air museum
Thanks to the rich and varied heritage in Barcelona, there are many routes round the city. That way visitors will be able to discover everything the city has to offer.
The city's original site, which was surrounded by walls in the Roman period, is today the Barrio Gótico (Gothic Quarter). Along narrow streets, with secluded squares and charming corners, you will find a series of civil and religious Gothic constructions. Medieval palaces such as the Casa dels Canonges, La Pia Almoina or Casa d'Ardiaca stand around the impressive cathedral.
The Plaça del Rei is a square with an array of spectacular buildings such as the Reial Major Palace, the Santa Ágata Chapel or the History of the City Museum. In the Plaça de Sant Jaume there are important institutions, such as the Regional Parliament and the City Hall. And, of course, the Mercè Church, patron saint of Barcelona.
Next to the Gothic Quarter is the Ribera district, which is also medieval. Originally, traders and fishermen gathered there, but over the years magnificent mansions were built. Some of them have been fitted out to be used as important museums. The Palace of the Marquises of Llió (Textile and Clothing Museum), Palau Nadal (Barbier-Mueller Museum of Pre-Columbine Art) or the Palau Aguilar (Picasso Museum) are some examples. Barcelona has many different styles in the same place - from the Gothic structures of the Santa María del Mar Church to the Modernism of the Palau de la Música Catalana auditorium.
At the end of the 19th century the new urban development area in the centre of Barcelona was built - L'Eixample. A vast grid plan, with large avenues and chamfered corners joined the irregular plan of old districts and suburbs with the hills in the surrounding areas. The emerging Catalan bourgeoisie built up their daring Modernist mansions here.
Architects such as Gaudí, Doménech i Montaner or Puig i Cadafalch relied on the help of master craftsmen to fill the streets of Barcelona with fantasy. Works by Gaudí, such as Park Güell, the Palau Güell, and Casa Milà “La Pedrera”, as well as Doménech i Montaner's Palau de la Música Catalana, and the Sant Pau Hospital have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The temple of the Sagrada Familia (the Holy Family), and houses such as Casa Lleó Morera, Casa Amatller, and Casa Batlló are just a few of the many modernist gems treasured by the city.
One of the main arteries of the historic quarter, La Rambla, leads to the Mediterranean Sea, and it is one of the best places to catch the rhythm of the city. The visitor is led through its different sections, from the Romanesque church of Santa Anna, to the bird and flower stalls, passing gorgeous examples of Baroque and Renaissance architecture on the way. The Palau Moja, the church of Betlem and the Santa Creu Hospital serve as guides. There are other centres of cultural activity and daily life in this area, such as the Palau de la Virreina, (now a gallery), the Boquería Market and the Liceu Opera House.
Barcelona overlooks the sea, and it has a waterfront that encompasses many different artistic styles. Les Drassanes, formerly a dockyard and now home to the Maritime Museum, and the Llotja del Mar are part of the medieval port facilities. Arcaded houses lead to the Ciutadella Park, the Olympic Village and the Port Olímpic. Beaches, piers and an impressive array of museums and leisure centres (such as the Aquarium, the 3D IMAX Theatre, the Colon viewing point, etc.) make Barcelona's seaport a cosmopolitan place, full of life.
Some of these modern facilities are the inheritance from the 1992 Olympics. Their mark can also be seen on the hill at Montjuïc, beside the monumental work from the 1929 World Exhibition. The castle of Montjuïc, (now the Army Museum) takes over this symbolic hill, where true gems of Barcelona's architecture can be found. The Plaça d'Espanya, the Magic Fountain, the Palau Nacional (with the medieval collection of the Catalan National Museum of Art - MNAC) and the Olympic Ring are a few of its most important works. The Olympic Stadium, the Calatrava Tower, the Sant Jordi Sports Centre and the INEFC (Catalonia National Institute of Physical Education) Pavilion, built by Ricardo Bofill, rise among gorgeous gardens.
Barcelona's culture is not only evident in its buildings, parks and outdoor sculptures, but also in its countless museum collections. Artists of the stature of Picasso, Miró, Tàpies or Gaudí, have museums entirely devoted to collect their works. Artistic pieces from all periods are kept in the city's History Museum, the Museum of the History of Catalonia, the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Many other institutions also bring the avant-garde movement to the eyes of the general public, through permanent and temporary collections.
Sometimes the container is as important as the contents it preserves, and, in the case of buildings and museums, this is true of the collections found in the beautiful structures that the Barcelona Centre for Contemporary Culture (CCCB) and Caixa Forum. The museums of Barcelona, however, cover a wider variety of subjects; namely: archaeology, zoology, science, ethnology, pre-Colombian art and more. A large number of exhibition halls round off this rich and diverse cultural selection.
Barcelona's City Council has created the Barcelona Card especially for visitors; it is valid for 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 days. Its main attractions are free transport and great discounts on entertainment, museums, and even restaurants. The visitor can also get an Articket, which is a multi-pass allowing entry to the MNAC, the MACBA (Barcelona Contemporary Art Museum, built by architect Richard Meier), the Joan Miró Foundation, the Antoni Tàpies Foundation, the CCCB, and Caixa Catalunya Cultural Centre.
Activities for all the family
A large capital like Barcelona has an amazing and varied range of activities available all over the city, as well as urban beaches - La Barceloneta, Marbella, Nova Marbella, Nova Icaria and Bogatell.
The nautical facilities at the port offer the chance to practise many water sports where the children will be able to take their first steps in these sports. Children and grown-ups alike will love a boat trip along the port in the popular "Golondrinas", where they will be able to see the most modern face of Barcelona's coast.
If you want to see many species of animals, you can go to L'Aquàrium and the Zoo. Direct observation, animated films, workshops, stories and interactive spaces for exploring are some of the proposals for children to have fun whilst learning.
The Barcelona Maritime Museum (MMB) is also sea-related. This centre, situated in the historic building of Drassanes Reials, has an important educational programme. Activities in the museum, the Spharea (an inflatable and portable planetarium) and the boat anchored in the port are all part of the educational programme at the Sea Educational Resources Centre.
Museums of Science, Textile and Clothing, Decorative Art or Ceramics have prepared educational workshops and programmes for children of different ages. The programme for children continues in galleries such as the Joan Miró Foundation, the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) or the Barcelona Contemporary Art Museum (MACBA), amongst many others. Different activities and guided visits that are particularly aimed at children and young people enable them to have fun and take in these art collections. The dramatised visits in the Military Museum, in Castell de Montjuïc, are also very entertaining.
Barcelona for Young people…
The latest art and music trends
Barcelona is a city of the future which caters for the tastes and hobbies of young people.
It offers a broad programme including cinema, theatre, music and art, which is highlighted with the different festivals that take place in Barcelona. The BAM (Barcelona Acció Musical), Sónar (Barcelona International Festival of Progressive Music and Multimedia Arts) and the BAC! (Barcelona Contemporary Art) prove that the city is interested in the latest art and music trends. Visitors will find a music, film or theatre festival at almost any time of the year.
Hundreds of people gather at traditional Catalan festivities, such as the Mercè Fiestas (declared of National Tourist Interest), to attend gigs by the most prestigious international bands.
There is also interesting nightlife in Barcelona - visitors can find the most innovative clubs next to important museums, parks, historic gardens and shopping centres. Discos, live music, pubs and restaurants are situated in the most emblematic places in town. Select atmosphere in Diagonal, original clubs in the Barrio de Gràcia area and terraces in Port Vell, Port Olímpic and any square in the city are some of the attractions of the nightlife in Barcelona.
The excellent sports facilities in Barcelona are available for visitors who want to practise any sport. The marinas and facilities that were built for the 1992 Olympic Games are worth visiting both for their architecture and their activities. Large concerts and important competitions also take place in these facilities. Football fans will have the chance to watch memorable matches in the FC Barcelona and Espanyol stadiums, respectively.
Situated on the shore of the Mediterranean, Barcelona has a good number of urban beaches, where visitors will be able to enjoy the great climate of this coast. The opportunity for windsurfing, sailing, scuba diving or canoeing will be exciting for both beginners and pros and if visitors want to continue with open-air sports, the fact that Barcelona is very near the Pyrenees and to the coastal hills that make up the Cordillera Litoral should not be forgotten. Hiking, cycle touring, paragliding and hang-gliding are activities enabling travellers to discover the Catalan capital's natural surroundings.
Young people travelling with an ISIC card and student identification will enjoy numerous discounts at museums and exhibitions. They will also benefit from discounts on public transport. A wonderful option is to buy the Barcelona Card. This card, created for one to five-day stays, includes urban public transport and significant discounts at museums, shows, leisure facilities, nightclubs, stores and restaurants. Those interested in visiting the city's most important museums can buy the Articket, saving them a considerable amount of money.
Gastronomy:
Mediterranean flavours
Cosmopolitan, with Mediterranean essences, the gastronomy in Barcelona is a showcase for the great Catalan recipes.
Some typical dishes are the butifarra amb mongetes (white beans with Catalan pork sausage), escudella and carn d'olla (hearty casseroles), and the famous pa amb tomàquet (country bread with tomato and olive oil). And we must not forget desserts such as crema catalana (similar to crème brûlée) or the excellent wines of Alella, Pla de Bages and Penedès.
Shopping:
Municipal markets, art galleries and antique shops can be found in Barcelona alongside crafts shops, fashion shops and open-air markets. To stroll around the streets of Barcelona from shop to shop is to discover a world full of possibilities to satisfy all kinds of taste and all pockets.
Barcelona itself is like a large shop whose main axis of shops, known as the Shopping Line, consists of five-kilometre pedestrian precinct with wide pavements which can satisfy the most demanding requirements. Craftsmen’s workshops, exclusive shops, franchises, shopping centres and street markets all make up the shopping offer of Barcelona. There are three main shopping areas in the city: Centro, Eixample and Diagonal.
Other useful information
Opening times: most of the shops and shopping centres are open from 10am-8.30 or 9.30in the evening. Traditional shops open from 10am-2pm and from 4.30-8.30pm.
Sales: the winter sales generally begin in the second week of January and go on until the end of February, and the summer sales begin on 1 July and run until the end of August.
How to pay: most people pay in cash or with a credit card, when you must show your passport or identity card.
Tax free: residents from outside the European Union are entitled to have Value Added Tax (IVA) refunded on purchases of more than €90.15.
La Roca Village Shopping Tour: just 45 minutes outside Barcelona, this option offers a day of fashion in over 100 cut-price outlet shops with goods by major Spanish and international labels, with a range of exclusive advantages. More information on tel: +34 938423900.
It is a well known fact that Croatia is a country rich with natural beauties. Different studies have shown that the sea along croatian coast is the cleanest in the Mediterranean. Ten percent of surface of Croatia is under protections – national parks, nature parks, reservations. This alone makes Croatia - a county worth visiting.
For some the natural beauty is more than just a dlight for the eyes, they rally want to experinece it with all the sences. The north-adriatic Kvarner region is a perfect starting point for your adventure tour. Rent an apartment in Opatija, once health resort for european royalty, and today a lovely, elegant seaside town with a 12 kilometers long seaside promenade and many walking and cycling paths over the nearby hills.
Only half an hour from you Opatija apartment is a town Moscenicka Draga with a pretected cove where you can try some sea kayaking or windsurfing. The entire Kvarner bay is very suitable for windsurfing, for beginners and experienced surfers. Diving is also a good idea in Kvarner bay. As there were harbours here from middle ages different interesting thing can be found under the sea. Special diving excursions are possible to explore ship wrecks in Kvarner bay.
Although not all apartments Opatija have a view stretching all the way to island Krk, we recommend a visit to the island if you prefer a different sort of water sport – wakeboarding. Ski lift on the island Krk is one of the rare ones placed on the sea, which enables you to enjoy youe holiday by the sea and your favorite sports as well.
Lots more adventures awaite our apartment Opatija guests in the nearyby mountain region. Rafting, kayaking and canyoning are all great choices, especially after the rains in April and October, and wet suits will prevent you from being cold.
It has always been a desire of man to fly, and our apartment Opatija guests shouldn't have to be deprived of this experience. The hills arround Opatija are perfect for paragliding. Experienced paragliders can enjoy great thermals and the beginner can take their first tandem flight.
It is up to you to choose one, more or all of theese activities. We'll provide you all the information, equipment and instructions you need. We are wainting for you in our Opatija apartments.
Autor
No place can match to Budapest with its splendid and exhilarating nature's beauty, to call enthusiasts from round the world to enjoy budapest weekends . If you are a man about to take vows and few days are left in hand and you also have a niggling doubt, yet super-excited to get clinched with your beloved at last then budapest stag parties cannot be missed at any cost.
Get the Fun Rolling on...
Such stag parties are usually organized by the groom's nearest and dearest pals so that every bit of the fun stay lingering in mind years after your stag party is over. Stag do's are no longer the chant, since modernization has broken free of all rules and have given men the opportunities to go on exotic location and mingle in events to their heart's delight. However, do not jazz up with some distasteful fun that can be a sore to happy vows.
Tagged as 'Paris of East', Budapest has recently notched up the top most position for being the most exhilarating city with all its enthralling beauties and gleeful sights merged with great fun to make the weekends etched in memories. You can also rely on a very modest budget for a trip round the city and make it more than just stag fun with your dearest buddies.
Budapest holds places of wonders and you should not miss to enrich your experience. Some popular landmarks are Royal palace, Fisherman's Bastian, Matthias church, Parliament created in Gothic style and much more. Do not forget your digital camera to mark the fun to great extent. The funniest part is that any member of stag parties would love to swing and trip, yet cross the amazing span of the Chain Bridge. It is a little scary, but who cares when spirits are high and you are with your best friends. But for your safety you can harness to safety ropes if you want.
The museums are especially for those who want to enjoy every bit of the city, what it is and how it was discovered, the legendary tales of big personalities and myths. You will love what the museum has in store for you. Make all the sight seeing as part of your Budapest stag party spree.
If concretes and bricks are not your target of interests then plunge in night life. It has plenty of fun in store for you. Nights are the best time to hold stag parties. The pubs and clubs spruced up along the roads with vibrant music rocking at ears and beers making their way to your drooling mouths are all to add to the fun. Go out for a hearty meal and do take part in special sports, which are quite famous here. This includes karting, paintballing, rally driving and much more.
After a week's frenzy mood, head to a spa and relax your exhausted bones. It will indeed be the best weekend in Budapest with stag parties to stay intact in memory always.
Autor
Walking in Frankfurt, on eyes lost a magic story, because the city seems to be a mixture of various cultural bits and bobs from many parts of the world.
Frankfurt airport is considered one of the biggest in the world and the city itself is also a powerful economic centre of Europe. Although there is not a complex of museums gathered on the peninsula at the centre of the city such as Berlin and though it is not a place with a dense concentration of castles such as Heidelberg, one can still enjoy the curved iron bridge Eisernersteg.
In Romerberg Square, visitors enjoy taking photographs with the three houses Romer, an architectural project with frontage of mosaic pictures. It is the pride of the citizens of Frankfurt because it is from 1405. The combination of ancient and modern styles in this city gives an unforgettable impression.
Looking into the distance, visitors can't take their eyes from the Main Tower which is rising into the sky, covered with glittering green glass. This tower appears splendid, representing the talent of the contemporary architect.
Visitors also enjoy the ancient steps of the theatre Alte Oper and the church Libfrauenkirche, which was built in the 14th century. There is much heritage preserved from the Renaissance in Germany. Walking down small streets in the centre, people will see statues in the Roman style standing on the landing step of the old houses. There are also some well-proportioned colonnades which is the Greek style, this contrasts with the black stone roofs of houses with the age of hundreds of years hidden somewhere.
In each corner, below the shade of trees, there is the sound of the street artists. If the central area is fairly calm the other riverbank is a different world every Sunday. The flea market, which is one of the most crowded in Europe, lies across the bank. There are thousands of colorful tents on the grass, hundreds of beer kiosks selling Doner Kebap or bread with salt and many kinds of goods are displayed in the trolleys or on cloth on the ground.
The tourists crowd with the locals, all bargains and purchase anything from the old books to old domestic appliances. Souvenirs come from everywhere and the noisy air is nearly impossible to imagine. All these different features give the feeling of multicolored living where each moment is worth enjoying and each street corner contains something to discover...
By: Mr. Billy Bui
Old, drafty castles and ghosts seem to go hand in hand...
Muncaster Castle is a privately owned castle which overlooks the Esk River about a mile south of the west-coastal town of Ravenglass in Cumbria England. The site was originally selected by the Romans as a place from which to guard the Esk River. At present the castle is owned by the Pennington family who has lived at Muncaster for at least 800 years. The land had been granted to Alan de Penitone in 1208. The oldest parts of the castle include the Great Hall and the 14th century pele tower, which is a type of watch tower fortification unique to the English-Scottish border region. On a number of occasions the castle has been extended and enlarged.
Recent historical research (early 2000s) has uncovered records which indicate that in 1678 the castle had 14 chimneys, while a document relating to payment of Window Tax in 1746 recorded that at that date the castle has 103 windows and 55 rooms and corridors. At the time of the ownership of Sir Joseph Pennington in the 1770s the castle had fallen into serious decay. His son Sir John Pennington who arrived to live at the castle after his wedding in 1778 was dismayed when a part of the building collapsed while he was inspecting it. It cost him some 6 thousand pounds a very large amount of money in the 18th century to rebuild and restore the castle.
Today the castle contains a wealth of architectural features and artifacts from a wide span of English history, including a rare portrait of King Henry VI, an Elizabethan banqueting table and an impressive library with about 6,000 books.
The catle is surrounded by 77 acres of woodland gardens in a park of some 18,000 acres. The gardens contain many rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas and the castle’s Plant Center offers the largest collection of rhododendrons in the north of England. It operates as a function center and a site where civil weddings may be held and is also the location of the headquarters of the World Owl Trust, a registered UK charity dedicated to the preservation of owls and their habitats. The estate is situated in a sparsely populated and scenic countryside, between the Irish Sea and Hardknott Pass, near England’s tallest mountain, Scafell Pike.
Muncaster Castle has also acquired a reputation for being one of the most haunted houses in Britain. Prior to the 21st century there are only two ghosts mentioned, at the castle that of Henry VI (who was sheltered at Muncaster after his defeat at the battle of Hexham) and the head carrying ghost of an apprentice carpenter who was decapitated while sleeping in the old stable block by jester Thomas Skelton (Tom the Fool) at the orders of Sir Ferdinand Pennington because of his love affair with his daughter Helwise.
However guides have informed visitors to the castle that as well as the above mentioned ghosts there is also the ghost of Skelton and the vengeful ghost of Mary Bragg. Mary Bragg was a foul-mouthed local girl who was murdered by drunken youths who hung her from the Main Gate after having kidnapped her for a joke. There are even tales that a lion shot by the last Lord Muncaster in Kenya and whose skull is kept in the castle was sometimes heard prowling and growling around at nightfall.
Guests can book a tour of the castle and an all-night vigil in a haunted bedroom known as the Tapestry Room where the paranormal phenomena include hearing footsteps, seeing the door open on its own, hearing a crying child (allegedly Margaret Susan Pennington, who died of screaming fits in the 19th century) and/or a singing woman, digital cameras will turn on and off, feeling themselves patted, experiencing changes in room temperature, chest pains and even being tossed out of bed.
Jason Braithwaite a cognitive psychologist and neuroscientist from the University of Birmingham has been studying the phenomena at the castle for some 15 years suggest one possible explanation as being "strange and anomalous magnetic fields" which can affect certain people with a tendency towards "more erratic" brain function.
Tom the Fool (real name Tom Skelton) was a jester in Muncaster Castle at the end of the 16th century. He was reputedly the last court jester in English history. Tom was a friend of William Shakespeare. He was a dark character who was responsible for a number of deaths during his time at Muncaster. One of his ideas of a "joke" was to direct anyone asking for directions to Ravenglass towards the hidden quicksand and bog marsh by the River Esk rather than to the ford. There were those who realized in time and saved themselves but many did not and were never seen again.
The present owners of the castle Phyllada and Patrick Gordon-Duff-Pennington believe that Tom still keeps a watchful eye on things and occasionally gets up to more sinister mischief. His portrait hangs in the castle. Skelton died around 1600 according to legend in the very marshes where he’d sent so many to their deaths when they tried to return to the castle while they were drunk. Muncaster Castle has a special day called "Tom Fool’s Day" which is a family fun day with various attractions.
By: Rasma Raisters
A trip to Granada and its vicinity, hundreds of kilometers into the interior of the famous Costa del Sol (Sunshine Coast), completes the experience of visiting Spain. This is a place that opens up for lovers of poetry the possibility of visiting Fuentevaquerosu, the village where Frederico Garcia Lorca was born. Then there is Viznaru, the place where the Spanish Falangist killed the most famous Spanish poet in 1936. The rivers of tourists are flowing to Granada, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Spain.
Alhambra is a complex of fortresses and buildings that were built in the middle ages first by the Maori invaders and their descendants.
Its full name is Qal'at al-hambre and translation of it is Red Fort. Alhambra is basically a huge complex that spreads on the slopes of Granada. Thus it is one of the most popular tourist destinations throughout Europe. It was named after the red earth from which it was created. Its constructors used red clay for the creation of the whole complex.
”Red Flower”
Alhambra in Granada is full during all seasons round the year. It is with all rights called "red flower" of Andalusia. Moreover, it offers exceptional all-day enjoyment. There are many walls, palaces and gardens that are a pleasure for lovers of antiques.
It was mentioned for the first time as a fortress in the 9th century. However, it gained the appearance we admire today in the 13th century, when it was chosen as the royal residence by the ruling dynasty Nasrid. This beautiful complex was rebuilt in the time of Mohammed II (1273- 1302) and Muhammad III (1302 - 1309).
They also made a channel from the Darr River and built a dozen towers on the city walls that were continuously expanded. The golden age of Alhambra was in the time of the rule of Youssef I (1333 - 1353) and Mohammed V (1353 - 1391), when all the properties were decorated with arabesques and ornaments.
Parts of the Alhambra and its walls were destroyed when Spain was returned to the Catholic rulers. Then it lost part of the valuable historical
buildings which included a mosque. On their foundations palace of Charles V and the Church of St. Mary were built. All of this does not diminish the beauty of Alhambra which is a valuable pearl that preserves the Spanish and Muslim cultural heritage in the territory of Europe.
Palace of Lions
When Mohammed V succeeded his father Youssef I, he completed the construction of the most impressive part of Alhambra - mansions Lions (Palacio de los Leones).
This complex shows all the splendor of Islamic architecture built in the private residence of the royal family; beach, harem and all accompanying objects are decorated with great detail. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens and promenades where visitors without professional guides can roam for hours in the labyrinth.
By: Bartho Lomew
If you are planning a cruise vacation, you can be sure of having a splendid vacation. Sailing in the ocean could be the best thing that your body and soul might be demanding at this point. Then serve your body and your soul. Best service you can give to them is taking a voyage. Both your body and mind look for coming out of the narrowness of life. Cruise vacation provides ultimate sense of freedom to your tired body and restless soul.
Before you plan to go for cruise vacation, you can travel around on the Internet and take a tour to all the useful websites which contain all the relevant information on cruise vacation. The online cruises is very useful medium for you to get your cruise ticket done. The online cruise tells you about all the top deals, while highlighting the most popular cruise destinations, sailing dates and ships. There are thousands of discount cruises and cruise deals from all major cruise lines. In fact several cruise companies offer exclusive bonus extra amenities like onboard spending cash, free cabin upgrades, and more. The online cruises give you information about all this.
Cruise vacation is like spending holidays on a floating hotel, with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the usual ship's crew. Most modern cruise ships feature the facilities like casino, spa, fitness centre, shops, library, theatre with Broadway style shows, cinema, indoor outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, buffet restaurant, lounges and gym. Everything inclusive in your cruise vacation package! Hence cruise vacation turns out to be much cheaper than other kinds of vacations where you pay separately for travelling, accommodation, food and entertainment.
Take advantage of the best deals being offered by different cruise companies and get your ticket booked today for a much awaited cruise vacation.
By: Cruise Holidays
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