HAMBURG, GERMANY

Hamburg, the Free Hanseatic City on the Elbe and the Alster, in the second-largest city in Germany, with one of the largest ports in Europe. The elegance of the shopping arcades, the long tradition of the merchant dynasties and the red brick buildings of the warehouse district are as characteristic of Hamburg as the modern HafenCity housing project, the counties bridges and canals and the spacious parks and gardens at the heart of the city.

PLACE OF INTEREST

One of the finest sight of Hamburg is undoubtedly its splendid Rathaus (Town Hall), the seat of the Senate Directly adjacent there are eleven luxurious shopping malls, the Haute Couture Mile, the “Neuer Wall" and the “Monckebergstrasse” with its numerous department stores. A trip at twilight on the Aister, the daily organ concer in the “Michel”, a baroque landmark of the city, an excursion to Blankenese with its Stairway Quarter and Mediterranean atmosphere and, of course, a stroll along the nocturnal Reeperbahn are other highlights of an unforgettable visit to this city.

ART AND CULTURE

Art lovers are well catered for in Hamburg, with more than 50 museums covering a wide range of genres. The new “House of Photography” in the restored Deichtor  Halls also draws large crowds. Gain a fascinating glimpse of the treasures of private art collections in the Bucerius Art Forum, or take a tour of the extensive exhibitions of the Kunsthalle art gallery and the Museum of Art and Craft. The world’s largest computer controlled model railway at “Miniatur Wonderland” in the warehouse distric is as excisting for adults as it is for the kids. Fans of musicals and drama will be in their element in Hamburg which has more than 20 theatres staging everything from passion to tragedy, from modern to classic works. Hamburg is also home to one of the world’s best known ballet companies with choreography by John Neumeier in the hamburg State Opera.

MAIN ATTRACTION

Hamburg’s Harbour, St. Michael’s Church, Speicherstadt Warehouse District, Blankenese, St. Pauli and the Reeperbahn.

EXPERIENCE HARBOUR WORLD

The Port of Hamburg is one of the finest in Europe. A harbor tour, passing the gigantic container ships and luxury liners, is a must for every visitor. Something else that is for every visitor. Something else that is worth seeing is the historic warehouse complex of Speicherstadt (“Storage City”), as well as the historic Chambers of Horrors, the Hamburg Dungeon. Immediately behind the warehouse complex, Hafencity is underconstruction, a unique, inner city construction project, which will provide more than 50.000 people with the space to live and work.

See more at www.hamburg-tourismus.de

SEVILLE, SPAIN

This is Andalusia, and to many, Andalusia means just one thing, i.e, Seville. Who can fail for the charm of this city on the banks of the Guadalquivir river, especially during the season when its hundreds of orange trees are in flower and in the nights are full of magic? Once Spain’s largest city, the gateway through which the riches of the New World poured, today the capital of Andalusia is a prosperous hub of commercial and industrial activity, the centre of a rich agricultural region, yet such is Sevillians’ easy going attitude to life, such is their capacity  for fun and fiestas, that visitors are left wondering how they ever get anywork done.

The city puts an enormous effort into the lavish Holy Week processions in spring, a celebration that manages to combine religious solemnity with Andalusian flair. No sooner is that finished than it is time for the April Feria, around-the-clock party that last a week. Seville will pull out the stops for any occasion, be it international sport event, a world fair, or a royal wedding. It could be that Seville learned to enjoy the finer things in life in the days of the Moors, when it was the capital of King Al-Mutamid, known for his love of poetry and music. The Moors left behind marvellous examples of their architecture, such  as the Giralda, at one time a minaret and today part of Sevilla’s cathedral. Christendom’s third largest.

CADIZ, SPAIN

                It is said that Cadis was once a part of the fabled kingdom of Tharsis, a land rich in gold and silver, mentioned in the scriptures and the writings of Greek historians. What we do know is that Cadiz is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Western Europe. Three thousand years ago, Phoenician merchants established a trading colony on what was then an island (since joined to the mainland by a sandy isthmus). There is a textured, crusty quality to Cadiz. It has to do with the fact that the city is almost entirely surrounded by water, limiting its expansion, so that much of its layout has an unchanging character.

                Wherever you are in cadiz, the sea is never far away. There is a special clarity to the air, and an ever-present scent of sea-salt to remind you that the city’s fate and fortunes have always been linked to the sea. It also has the effect of whetting one’s appetite in anticipation of some of the seafood dishes that Cadiz chefs are so proficient at preparing, and that are to be eaten accompanied by a good sherry from neighbouring Jerez.

Prague, Czech Republic

It is said to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The hundred spired pearl, the magic mother of towns. Its rare, well-maintained and mutually interlocked architecture of aall styles depicts eleven centuries of medieval historty. Just like the splendid stone bridge connects both banks of the river Vltava, Prague is the place where the Czechs, Germans and Jews had lived ever before; it is an intersection of Europe where tradesmen, politician, scholars and artists from all over the world have met.

The special inspiring atmosphere of Prague has fascinated foreigners from the Romantic times to date. The historical quarters have still maintained their magic: the unique Old Town with a large square where a medieval astronomical clock chimes every hour, with a university, multiple spires and remnants of a large Jewish ghetto; the Lesser Town on the hills below Prague Castle – a braid of zigzag lanes and staircases and gigantic aristocratic palace and refined gardens.

Prague is abundant not only in historical monuments, museums, collections of art, bookstores, theaters, opera, musicals, cinema or music clubs, but also offers boulevards with luxury shops selling fashion, glass, jewelry and antiques with excellent restaurant, stylish cafes, traditional beerhouses and folk pubs.

Prague is a modern European metropolis with all services and opportunities for entertainment, business and education. When you come tired of all that, take a rest in one of the numerous parks, participate in sports or go for a trip into the countryside.

POPULAR TOURS

Council House – Old Town Square – Jewish Ghetto

Charles Bridge – Nerudova Street – Prague Castle

Lesser Town Square – Infant Jesus of Prague – by cableway to Petïin

Pohoïelec – Loreta – Praque Castle – Nerudova Street – Lesser Town Square

Museum – Wenceslas Square – Müstek – National Theater

Vyšehrad - Vỳtoň (embankment) – National Theater

See more www.prague-info.cz

London, England

Around Town

North

Start in Hampstead heath, inspiration to Constable and Keats, whose house can be visited, and gaze out over the city from Parliament Hill. Enjoy the neoclassical grandeur of Kenwood House, the scene of numerous music concerts in the summer and home to a wonderful collection of paintings. Head further out of the city centre to the RAF Museum and William Morris Gallery in walthamstow.

South

The Royal Observatory afford breathtaking views across Greenwich and the Thames. Wander down the hill to the National Maritime Museum and the Queen’s House, or explore the Cuty Sark. Visit Eltham Palace, a beautiful Art Deco house, or visit the world’s first custom-built gallery, the Dulwich Picture Gallery. The Horniman Museum offers electric exhibits, while the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum tell the story of the world’s greatest tennis tournament.

East

The East End is awash with weekend markets, like house at Brick Lane, Petticoat Lane and Spitalfield, or there’s contemporary art at the Whitechapel Art Gallery. Absorb London’s trading history at the Museum in Docklands near Canary Wharf. Take a nostalgia trip at the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood, or revel in domestic times past at the Geffrye Museum’s period rooms. Alternatively, get back to nature at the Mudchute City Farm.

West

Explore one-time home of kings, Hampton Court Palace, then head to Richmond Park, once a royal hunting ground and still home to deeper. Across the water, great works of art complement Syon House’s lavish interior, while nearby, the Royal Botanic Gardens has one of the worl’s greatest collections of exotic plants, and the London Wetland Centre at Barnes is a haven for animals and plants.