Valentine's special

Today is VALENTINE'S DAY. So you've found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. I think I would like to help you with  a destination that has a special significance for the two of you.
        Here are the most romantic places to make your valentine's day even more special and a memorable one too.....................

•  Mashobra :  Half an hour away from the hustle bustle of Shimla lies a sleepy town full of Himalayan cedar, wild strawberries and abundant orchards. Mashobra is truly a nature lover’s delight. A romantic destination,that will make you forget your worries.

• Triund : Have you ever dreamt of walking on clouds? If you haven't, here is a chance to make that dream come true. Some 18 kms away from McLeod Ganj, Triund is the adventure lover's paradise and looks just great every season. The four-five hour trek leaves you tired as hell, but when you are with the love of your life, it is totally worth it!

• Khajjiar: Another of Himachal's gem, Khajjiar is a little hill station in Chamba. It's beautiful location and landscapes have earned the title of 'Mini Switzerland'. Just walk around with your special someone around the lake or go on a romantic long walk in the thick pine forests

• 

   Chaukori :Chaukori is a tiny hill station in Uttarakand, but this one is not like your usual hill stations. Here, you can actually sit in silence with your partner and feel the cool breeze touch your faces. Want another reason to visit? The majestic view of the snowy peaks of Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot cannot be missed! 

  
  

  
  

• Imphal : If you like experiencing new cultures, Imphal is the place for you. Rightly called the Jewel of India, it is surrounded by hills from all sides making it a perfect place for a long chat and a little cuddle. A total scenic heaven, head to Imphal if you are tired of the conventional romantic places.

• Havelock Island : A four-hour ferry drive away from Port Blair, the pristine blue waters of the Havelock Island are perfect to set the tone for your time ahead with your loved one. Hire a bicycle, bike or just walk around on the island, the place offers you your time alone, without any tourist distractions.

 These are the beautiful romantic destinations hidden in India that you must travel to with your loved one. Have a great time. 

                                               HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Casa di Giulietta,Verona, Italy

As valentine's day is nearing , all the love birds out there will be busy in planning surprises for their significant other. Few weeks before I watched the movie "Letters to Juliet", about a girl who finds a letter while visiting the House of Juliet and travels through Italy to help the writer of the letter to reunite with her lost love. This movie urged me to write about Casa Di Giulietta (House of Juliet) located in the city of romance Verona, Italy.
         Shakespeare's stories are so rooted in real life that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between the fact and fiction. A perfect example for this is the House of Juliet. Every year hundreds of thousands of people trek to Verona to see the balcony where Juliet stood while Romeo declared his love. Although Shakespeare never visited Verona, and the characters Romeo and Juliet never existed, none of us care because this is the most popular love story in western culture and we all want to live a little part of its dream except for the tragic ending.
                          It once belonged to Capella family for many years. The fact that it has a balcony that looks out over a courtyard has turned into Juliet's balcony - the actual balcony where Romeo and Juliet began to plan events that led to their tragic deaths. It has turned out to the main attractions in Verona.

                                                     







    In the small courtyard , there is a bronze statue of Juliet. The metal of its statue is worn bare because if a person strokes the right breast of the statue, that person will have good fortune and luck in love.

        





The ultimate in romantic gesturing is the many love notes stuck on the walls and doors in the entrance to the courtyard. Many people write their names and the names of their beloved ones because a tradition has developed that if they leave a message with their name on it Juliet will cast a lucky spell on them and their love will last for eternity.



Club Di Giulietta: Since the 1930's letters addressed to Juliet keep arriving in Verona . The letters are read and replied to by local volunteers , organized in the 1980's , which is financed by the city of Verona.

Opening hours: 8:30 AM - 7:30 PM
  If you love someone bring them to Verona says the motto. I just can't believe that  people come here so that they will have a luck in their love. Its just wonderful. So this time make your valentine's day more special by visiting Juliet's house.
 

Paris

      Everybody has their dream place in their bucket list. Most of them have dreams, passion to visit Paris.
                  Paris is the capital and most populous city of France. Paris is the home of the most visited art museum in the world. The notable architectural landmarks of Paris include Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sainte-Chapelle, the Eiffel Tower  and the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur on Montmartre .The visitors, making it one of the world's top tourist destinations. Paris is also known for its fashion, particularly the twice-yearly Paris Fashion Week, and for its cuisine, and three-star restaurants.

Climate

The overall climate throughout the year is mild and moderately wet.[80] Summer days are usually warm and pleasant with average temperatures hovering between 15 and 25 °C.Spring and autumn have, on average, mild days and fresh nights but are changing and unstable. Surprisingly warm or cool weather occurs frequently in both seasons.


Attractions of Paris

               The city's top tourist attraction is the Notre Dame Cathedral, Louvre museum,  Eiffel Tower,  Disneyland Paris.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre-Dame de Paris  also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is a historic Catholic cathedral . The cathedral is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, and it is among the largest and most well-known church buildings in the world. The naturalism of its sculptures and stained glass are in contrast with earlier Romanesque architecture.

Louvre museum

The Louvre or the Louvre Museum  is one of the world's largest museums and a historic monument in Paris, France.  It is the central landmark of the city.Nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century are arranged  over an area of 60,600 square meters . The Louvre is the world's most visited museum receiving millions of tourist every year.

Eiffel Tower

The tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants on the first and second. The top level's upper platform is 276 m (906 ft) above the ground, the highest accessible to the public in the European Union. Tickets can be purchased to ascend by stairs or lift (elevator) to the first and second levels. The climb from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the climb from the first level to the second. Although there is a staircase to the top level, it is usually only accessible by lift.

The tower is the most-visited paid monument in the world. An average of 25,000 people ascend the tower every day which can result in long queues.Tickets can be purchased online to avoid the long queues.

Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris, originally Euro Disney Resort, is an entertainment resort in Marne-la-Vallée and is the most visited theme park in all of France and Europe. It comprises two theme parks, several resort hotels, a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, and a golf course, in addition to several additional recreational and entertainment venues.
Transportation

Paris is a major rail, highway, and air transport hub.

Rail

A central hub of the national rail network, Paris' six major railway stations .The Gare du Nord railway station is the busiest in Europe.


Air

Paris is a major international air transport hub with the 4th busiest airport system in the world. The city is served by three commercial international airports. There is also one general aviation airport, Paris-Le Bourget, historically the oldest Parisian airport and closest to the city centre, which is now used only for private business flights and air shows. Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport is the busiest airport in continental Europe.

Cycling

There are 440 km  of cycle paths and routes in Paris. Paris offers a bike sharing system called Vélib' with more than 20,000 public bicycles distributed at 1,800 parking stations,which can be rented for short and medium distances including one way trips.


Food

Tartines

French cuisine varies according to the season. In summer, salads and fruit dishes are popular. Breakfast is traditionally a quick meal consisting of tartines (slices) of French bread with butter and honey or jam. They also have gizzard, bacon, salmon, omelet, or croquet-monsieur, with or without soft-boiled egg and always with the traditional coffee/tea/chocolate along fruits or fruit juice for breakfast.The meal is often accompanied by bread, wine and mineral water. Main meat courses are often served with vegetables, along with potatoes, rice or pasta.

chocolate drink

             








Paris would be definitely one of the best place to visit. The climate, culture, architecture, food, all would bind to give us a worth trip.

Grand Canal, Venice

                          The fabulous place, Venice is surrounded by water and is located in northern Italy. The capital of Venice is Veneto. It is known as the city of lovers, the city of water or the city of bridges. Venice is very famous in the world because of its more canals. The city has a total of 150 canals and the most important canal in Venice is called the Grand Canal.

                  The Grand Canal  is a canal in Venice, Italy. It forms one of the major water-traffic corridors in the city. Transport is provided  by water buses and private water taxis, and many tourists explore the canal by gondola(traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat).

                
                  It is slightly more than 2 miles (3 km) long , the Grand Canal has an average depth of 17 feet and connects at various points with a maze of smaller canals.  These waterways carry the bulk of things like automobiles using gondola. The Grand Canal is lined on either side by palaces, churches, hotels, and other public buildings in Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance styles.

                 Venice is the lover's destination . You can enjoy the ride on gondola in the Grand Canal with your lovable one!!!! 

Adventurous places

I hope everyone would like to have an Adventurous trip once in your life time. Are you looking for an Adventurous trip????? Here are some places which will make your Adrenaline rush........

1. Lake Louise, Banff, Canada

Surrounded by six glaciers, this icy blue lake in Banff National Park beckons ice-skaters in winter, paddlers in summer, and visitors year-round who stand on the pine-lined shore mesmerized by the Canadian Rockies’ backdrop. See it all from 6,850 feet (2,088 m) by riding the Lake Louise Gondola (May–September)

2. Moab, Utah

Biking slick rock brings great bragging rights among mountain bikers, while marathon runners take in the alpine mountains in the distance and the earthy tones of canyons along the Colorado River. The Old West is alive and well here, as cowboys still work the land and Native American influence is abundant

3.Rain Forest, Costa Rica

Every turn in the road, every crest of a hill, every sunrise over a crocodile-infested river yields a new sight. Whether zip-lining high in the canopy and seeing toucans or the flamboyant scarlet macaw, or taking an aerial tram within inches of rare orchids and bromeliads, there isn't an inch from the Caribbean Sea on Costa Rica’s east coast to the Pacific Ocean on the west coast that isn't a natural wonder.

 

4.Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Hang gliding from a top Pedra Bonita for a soft landing on São Conrado Beach brings two landscapes together in a matter of minutes. While you are in the air, Sugarloaf Mountain looms within reach, and Corcovado Mountain is in sight, with the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue

5. Queenstown, New Zealand

Pick an extreme sport and imagine doing it on snow-capped mountains, in extreme weather, or with river spray in your face. You are likely to find all of those options on the South Island of New Zealand. Just about anything goes, from heli-skiing to careening at high speeds near the rocky edge of a river in a jet boat to bungee jumping—in fact, bungee jumping was developed in Queenstown; the first trusting souls threw themselves off the town’s Kawarau Bridge in 1988.

The Azores Island,Portugal

                                                      The Azores island, an autonomous area of Portugal form an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. The islands were first settled in the 15th century and is famous for hiking, whale-watching, blue marlin fishing, surfing and diving. This constitute the biogeographic region of Macaronesia, a name which means "fortunate islands" for those who live there and visit there.

Top things to do:

1.Relax in the hot spring that feeds into the sea at Ponta da Ferraria on  Sao Miguel.

2.Take a day trip to Aldeia da Cuada on Flores Island- it's the most westerly spot in the whole of Europe.
3.Spot dolphins and whales.
4.Enjoy the panoramic views from the top of Mount Pico, Portugal's highest mountain.
5.Explore the islands by cycling or horse riding.
6.Feast on a bowl of the local fish stew , known as "caldeirada de peixe
7.Visit the vineyards on Pico and try some verdelho wine-it was a favourite of Tsar Nicholas 2
8.With more than 200 endemic and migratory species ,such as the Azores bullfinch, grey wagtail and roseate terns , the region is very popular with birdwatchers.
9.Scuba dive off the coast of Terceira Island to see the graveyard of ancient ship anchors and marine life such as eagle rays and octopus.
10.Take an afternoon stroll around the beautiful 17th century buildings of the town of Angra do Heroismo-a UNESCO protected site.

                                        
                                              
                                                               The best time to travel depends on what your interests are. But in general April and October will be the best time.24 of the planet's 80 species of whales and dolphins have been sighted off the coast of the Azores. During the summer months (Jul-Aug) migratory species including pods of baleen whales, pilot and beaked whales, Atlantic-spotted dolphins, striped dolphins and turtles pass the islands. Whereas, in winter and spring (Oct-Jun), species of baleen whales such as fin whales,  whales, humpback whales and blue whales are likely to be seen.


Highlights of Azores:

Sea activities such as whale and dolphin watching excursions, swimming with dolphins, trips on a glass bottomed boat; guided island tours with plenty of photo stop opportunities; colourful festivals including the Festas de Santo Cristo (Christ of Miracles) – the second largest religious festival in Portugal which takes place in Ponta Delgada between 02-09 May; bathing in a thermal pool; walking through the botanical gardens of Furnas; visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Angra do Heroismo (Terceira); ordering a gin and tonic at Peter's Cafe (Faial) – a must for any visitor to the island; and a climb up Mount Pico, the highest point (2,351km) in Portugal

  

                                                 Totally this place is a visual treat!!
                        #beautyatitsbest
  

Langkawi, Malaysia

Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 magical islets in the Andaman Sea – its name derived from the combination of the Malay word helang, which means “eagle” (a familiar resident here), and the Sanskrit word kawi, for the reddish brown colour of these majestic birds. Surrounded by turquoise sea, the interior of the main island is a mixture of picturesque paddy fields and jungle-clad hills.This is an idyllic hideaway with dramatic mountainscapes, verdant rain forests, emerald lakes, black and white beaches, mysterious mangroves, lush padi fields, and spectacular jewel-tone sunsets.

Here, even more reasons to choose Langkawi for your next escape.

Discover a UNESCO World Geopark

In June 2007, the archipelago of Langkawi was declared Southeast Asia’s first UNESCO World Geopark. Showcasing 550 million years of geological history, including some of the world’s oldest and most intriguing naturally formed gems, Langkawi was shaped by plate tectonics, volcanic activity, ocean submersion and erosion. Today, many different rock formations have evolved into exciting natural habitats. Areas as diverse as mangrove forests and rain forests, sandstone mountains and tidal flats, caves and reefs, coexist in abundance and harmony.

Embark on a mangrove safari

Explore Langkawi’s spectacular wetlands, limestone caves and secluded coves by boat, and discover a unique natural oasis teeming with wildlife. A magical ecosystem of unexpected surprises, these forests of the sea are veritable mazes waiting to be discovered. (Residents include walking fish, fiddler crabs, eagles and monitor lizards.) Immerse yourself in the wonders of Langkawi’s rich ecology with a naturalist-led boat safari direct from the Resort’s beach, and learn how the mangroves contribute to the essential cycle of life of the region. Amid this nursery for reef creatures and marine birds, you might even glimpse elusive otters, dancing dolphins and sleeping bats.

Sail among picturesque islands

Langkawi’s 99 islets are surrounded by placid waters that offer perfect sailing conditions for a sunset cruise or a day of island-hopping. In recent years, Langkawi has become a recognized boating destination, with four marinas playing host to events such as the annual Royal Langkawi International Regatta. Charter a private yacht, moor on a quiet bay for a picnic and swim in the tranquil lagoon before witnessing a magnificent sunset on glittering waters.

Encounter myths and legends

Nestled in the verdant valley of Pulau Dayang Bunting lies Tasik Dayang Bunting (Lake of the Pregnant Maiden). This tranquil freshwater lake was formed when a huge limestone cave collapsed. The name was bestowed because the marble and granite bedrock formed a figure resembling a pregnant woman lying on her back. Locals believe that the lake, famed for the legend of celestial princess Mambang Sari, possesses mystical powers.

Go on a cultural tour

Pedal around on a guided bicycle excursion that meanders through Langkawi’s rural villages, and enjoy the bucolic beauty of rustic wooden houses amid far-reaching vistas of rubber plantations, lush padi fields and mud-soaked water buffaloes. Watch the local fishermen return with their day’s catch at the village of Kuala Teriang, then break for afternoon tea at a roadside stand. Milk tea, a local tradition served with delicious deep-fried banana fritters, is sold only in the afternoon.

Explore the rain forest

At 1 million years old, Langkawi’s rain forest is one of the oldest jungles in the world. Trek the ancient tropical landscape on foot, or reach remote locations by bike, to discover native exotic species, including unique lime plants and sintuk (a climbing plant), rare varieties of butterflies and birds, and even giant flying squirrels. One must-see spot is Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells) Waterfall, a beautiful location and, according to local legend, the home of mountain fairies. Shower under the cool, clear waters that cascade from the seven waterfalls, bathe in the interconnected natural pools, or simply lounge on the wide rocks and enjoy a romantic picnic beneath the tropical foliage.

Sample Malaysian cuisine

Langkawi is a paradise for gastronomes, offering a wide variety of wholesome, flavourful cuisines from Malay-Indo and Indian to Chinese and Thai. For a taste of authentic and reasonably priced Pan-Asian food, visit Langkawi’s colourful night markets, open every night at different locations around the island.

Ride a cable car to Mat Cincang Peak

The Mat Cincang mountain range is one of the oldest rock formations in Southeast Asia. To experience it fully, take an exhilarating 2.2-kilometre (1.4-mile) aerial ride in a cable car over the forest canopy and up the mountain escarpment to the summit at 708 metres (2,323 feet). Observe the 550 million-year-old sandstone outcrops, waterfalls and verdant mountain flora below while marvelling at the  breathtaking 360-degree view of     Langkawi’s peaks, coastline and surrounding islands.

Spot birds on Gunung Raya

At 881 metres (2,890 feet), Gunung Raya is Langkawi’s highest peak. Reach the top via a winding 13-kilometre (8-mile) road or an exciting jungle trek. From the peak, you’ll see the islands of southern Thailand, Mat Cincang Mountain and the Kuah harbour. Amid the foothills of Gunung Raya, find forest birds in their natural habitat. Listen for the unique cackling noise of the great hornbill returning to nest. Bird-watching in Langkawi, home to more than 190 species of birds, is best between the months of October and April, when the winter migrants visit.

See underwater wonders at the Pulau Payar Marine Park

Pulau Payar, one of the most beautiful marine parks in the region, is surrounded by well-protected coral reefs that are home to numerous marine species. Snorkel or dive to discover the fascinating   underwater life of the Andaman Sea. In a variety of

diving conditions, from flat terrain to more challenging slopes, visibility can reach up to 15 metres (49 feet). Those preferring terra firma can step into the underwater observation chamber to view marine life. 

- See more at: http://magazine.fourseasons.com/travel-food-style/things-to-do/experiences/beach-vacation-in-langkawi#sthash.Pp2wVJQC.dpuf