Croatia is a beautiful country situated on the Adriatic coast. It is known as the country of a thousand islands. If you have ever dreamt about being on a small island alone with someone, this is the place for you. If you are a nature lover, Croatia offers camping, mountain hiking/biking, rafting, scuba diving and skydiving.Croatia Destinations Guide
Besides its natural beauty, it also offers: a unique history, a unique mixture of cuisines, many internationally recognised hotels and helpful individuals
Zagreb is the capital of the country. It may not attract as many visitors as the coastal towns of Rijeka or Split or Zadar or Dubrovnik but is well worth a visit.
The Croatian coast is among the most beautiful in the world. Dubrovnik which was the rival of Venice for centuries, great beaches and more than 1001 islands to choose from.
Dubrovnik
Despite a turbulent history during which it has been occupied and conquered by a succession of its neighbors and European colonial powers, Dubrovnik is now a town at peace, allowing visitors to make the most of its rich vegetation, beautiful lakes, white pebble beaches and crystal-clear sea. Political upheaval has seldom kept tourists away from this uniquely lovely Adriatic port city; for centuries it has drawn those seeking fine accommodations, excellent cuisine, beautiful surroundings and recreational opportunities.
There are numerous churches, monasteries and museums to explore and the coastal belt is awash with marinas, piers and promenades.
Zagreb
Zagreb, capital of Croatia, is the country's economic center and gateway to Western Europe. The city is sited on the slopes of Medvednica Mountain along the banks of the Sava River, in the northern part of Croatia. The core of the city consists of the preserved medieval city, known as Gradec and Kaptol, while the residential area covers the southern slopes of the Medvednica Mountains. Since the 1950s the city has grown appreciably to the south of the Sava River, and the main industrial area is in the southeast. Besides being a commercial hub Zagreb is a tourist center, and a popular international conference venue, with a history dating back nearly a thousand years. It is rich in historical monuments, museums and galleries, has modern shops, restaurants, sport and recreation facilities and a good transport infrastructure. Its attractions are largely historical, dating from the Palaeolithic Veternica Cave, through Roman culture and the fascinating medieval old town.
Split
The pretty city of Split has a rich history. Since ancient times it has, in various guises, served as the economic and administrative center of the beautiful Croatian Adriatic coastal region, today called Dalmatia. The city sits mainly on a peninsula on the eastern part of the island of Ciovo, although it has nowadays spread onto the mainland and encompasses the mouth of the River Cetina. From the 5th to the 2nd century BC Greek colonists settled the mainland and adjacent islands. Later, came the Romans: in particular the Emperor Diocletian, who, being of Dalmatian origin, elected to build a huge palace at a spot then called Salona, in AD303. A town grew up around the palace, and eventually, by the Middle Ages, the city of Split had begun to develop. Diocletian's Palace still stands in the very heart of the old part of Split, which charms visitors with its cobbled streets. The greater Split area is characterized by its lush vegetation and green areas, particularly Marjan Hill on the west of the peninsula with its ancient indigenous forest. The city makes an ideal base from which to explore the islands, beauty spots, and historic villages in central Dalmatia.
Of all European countries, Italy is perhaps the hardest to classify. It is a modern, industrialized nation. It is the harbinger of style, its designers leading the way with each season's fashions
If there is a single national characteristic, it's to embrace life to the full: in the hundreds of local festivals taking place across the country on any given day, to celebrate a saint or the local harvest; in the importance placed on good food; in the obsession with clothes and image; and above all in the daily domestic ritual of the collective evening stroll - a sociable affair celebrated by young and old alike in every town and village across the country.
Italians often feel more loyalty to their region than the nation as a whole. Italy breaks down into twenty regions, which in turn divide into different provinces. Some of these regional boundaries reflect long-standing historic borders, like Tuscany, Lombardy or the Veneto
The north is one of the most advanced industrial societies in the world, its people speak Italian with the cadences of France or Germany and its "capital", Milan, is a thoroughly European city. The south , derogatively known as il mezzogiorno , begins somewhere between Rome and Naples, and is by contrast one of the most economically depressed areas in Europe.
The economic backwardness of the south is partly the result of the historical neglect to which it was subjected by various foreign occupiers. But it is also the result of the deliberate policy of politicians and corporate heads to industrialize the north while preserving the underdeveloped south as a convenient reservoir of labour. Italy's industrial power and dynamism, based in the north, was built on the back of exploited southerners who emigrated to the northern industrial cities of Turin, Milan and Genoa in their millions during the Fifties and Sixties.
Rome
The Italian capital attracts around 20 million visitors a year, lured by its culture, rich sense of history and status as one of the world's most intriguing cities. Rome is unique because past and present are indelibly linked. The city's history isn't packed away in a museum; it's visible everywhere you look, living and breathing in the here and now.Italy Holiday Guide
It's hard not to be impressed when a city's vistas take in over two thousand years of achievements, and this is evident in some of Rome's most popular tourist attractions. Visit the Pantheon and the iconic Colosseum, neither of which need much explanation. A visit to Vatican City - home to new Pope Benedict XVI - will take in the amazing St Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel (home of Michelangelo's masterpiece) and St Peter's Square.
Finally, no visit to Rome would be complete without a visit to the Trevi fountain, the world's coolest wishing well. Throw one coin over your shoulder into the Trevi and you are destined to return to city once again.
Venice
All the postcards in the world cannot prepare you for your first view of Venice, surely in contention for the title of World's Most Beautiful City. The city is built on 117 small islands, with 150 canals and over 400 bridges linking them all together. Cars can't traverse the city's watery streets, so to see the sights you're either walking or navigating Venice's waterways by water taxi or the celebrated gondolas.
Wind your way up the Grand Canal, past bridges and ornate canal-side homes; sip espresso in famous St Mark's Square (if you can afford it and don't mind sharing your table with a few pigeons!); sip a Bellini in the cocktail's birthplace, Harry's Bar; or visit the late Peggy Guggenheim's impressive collection of modern art.
It can cost a lot to visit somewhere this good-looking. Restaurants and accommodation are the most expensive in Italy, and a ride in a traditional Venetian gondola can set you back €62 for less than an hour's ride. But is the expense worth it? We say, most definitely.
Florence
This beautiful city in the heart of Tuscany still emanates all the artistic wonder so prevalent here several centuries ago. It was of course the home of the Renaissance, of Machiavelli and Michelangelo, and it seems Florence is still intriguing and inspiring its visitors today.
The famous Uffizi Gallery is a mecca for art lovers, holding Botticelli's Birth of Venus and works by Rembrandt, Raphael, Titian and Caravaggio in what was Europe's first modern museum. Amble onwards to the Santa Croce, a church which holds the skeletons of some of Renaissance-era Florence's most prominent names. The duomo, or dome, which sits atop Florence's cathedral is the most recognised symbol of the city. Then of course there's the world's most famous statue, Michelangelo's David, carved out of one large piece of marble and able to be viewed at the Galleria dell'Accademia.
And for those who prefer something a bit more modern, visit the Galleria Poggiali e Forconi, an exhibition gallery dedicated to contemporary artists like Enzo Cucchi, Luca Pignatelli and Gilberto Zorio.
For non-art lovers, have a wander around the city's craft shops where you'll be able to pick up leather goods and silver ornaments and jewellery at bargain prices.
Sorrento
Sorrento is a picture-perfect Italian tourist town balanced on the high cliffs overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. It's a beautiful resort style town, handily close to the nearby island of Capri, and a short albeit hairy drive away from the beautiful Amalfi Coast.
If you can bear to leave your people-watching spot at one of the city's elegant cafes, take a stroll around the town's piazzas and up to the hills for spectacular views; or shop for Sorrento specialties like clothing, embroidery and furniture; or hire a boat or eat your fill of fresh seafood. Whatever activity you choose, it's exremely difficult not to find la dolce vita in this part of the world.
The Nile meanders silently through Egypt past some of the most ancient and beautiful monuments in the world. Much of the scenery you'll see in this wonderful African country has remained unchanged for literally thousands of years - there's a long and breathtaking history here, and the fascinating combination of age-old culture and superb resorts make Egypt an ideal holiday destination!
Choose from the following resorts in Egypt holiday guide
Sharm El Sheik
Nestled between the national park of Ras Mohammed and the calm shores of the Red Sea, Sharm el-Sheikh is the jewel of the Sinai Peninsula.
For many visitors, the most stunning scenery of this region is underwater in the colourful reefs encircling the peninsula. As one of the world's most extraordinary diving destinations, you can snorkel or dive in an underwater playground of coral gardens, shipwrecks and azure blue waters.
Hurghada
Hurghada is virtually a purpose-built resort developed around a water sports industry that you'd find difficult to beat anywhere else in the world. This part of the Red Sea coast is rich in stunningly beautiful underwater flora and fauna, and the warm water is home to a myriad of tropical fish and coral reefs that live out of the view of anyone without access to either scuba gear or a glass-bottomed boat.
Thankfully, both these activities are both available in abundance, as are many other aquatic pursuits over, and below sea level. If there's much to do during the day, then there's even more to do during the night. Hurghada comes alive with bustling bars, restaurants and clubs, and attracts a younger clientele, although revellers of all ages certainly won't feel out of place.
Luxor
You'll soon realise why Luxor has been called the world's grearest open air museum - the sheer number and quality of the monuments in the area is simply unparalleled. A paradise for culture lovers, this is the ideal base from which to visit the awe-inspiring monuments which line both sides of the Nile:
The stunning Valley Of The Kings and the tomb of Tutankhamun, the magnificent Luxor temple, and Karnak - the largest place of worship ever constructed, and built over a period of 1,500 years. Luxor's museum is also one of the best in Egypt and contains a wonderful display of antiquities. But there's more to Luxor than an impressive ancient history; wandering around the city today you'll find colourful cafes and restaurants, and bazaars where you can buy locally crafted alabaster goods and clay pottery. You can ride in a horse-drawn caleche, sail in a felucca, take a sunset cruise, or see the city from a hot-air balloon.
