Lies on the south bank of the Yangtze River, Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, is one of the most delightful of Chinese cities. Known as the Capital City of Six or Ten Dynasties in China’s history, it has a brilliant cultural heritage.

History

Yuecheng, the first recorded military defense constructed in early 472 B.C., opened the long history of Nanjing. In the following years, the city reached its height of splendor at various times. In 229, Sun Quan, one of the three heroes in China’s Three Kingdoms Period (220 – 280), to strengthen his influence in the middle valley of the Yangtze River, moved the capital of his kingdom to Jianye – present Nanjing. From that time on, the city served as the capital for several dynasties in China’s history. In 1356, in a peasant rebellion, Zhu Yuanzhang, later the Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), conquered the city and renamed it Yingtian Fu. In 1368, Zhu established the Ming Dynasty – the last feudal dynasty ruled by the native Han people – and gave Yingtian Fu the new name of Nanjing. Ten years later, the emperor made Nanjing the capital of the country. The mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang is perching on the southern slope of the Mount Zijinshan in the northeastern part of the city.

Following officials’ advice of “building walls and producing grain to consolidate the rule”, the emperor ordered the construction of city walls. Today’s majestic walls in Nanjing, the longest of its kind in the world, are the result of that phase of construction. Zhonghua Gate, simply meaning ‘Chinese Gate’, is a noted attraction for tourists in the present city center.

In spite of its glorious times, the city also witnessed the hardest moment of this nation. In 1839, the Opium War burst out after Lin Zexu, an assiduous official, burnt twenty thousand boxes of opium in Humen. On a battleship in Nanjing’s Xiaguan, the corrupt Qing government, under threat by Britain troops, signed the notorious Nanjing Treaty, the first of the ‘Unequal Treaties’ which ceded Hong Kong away from China for more than hundred years. Following this treaty, invasions and colonial rule of the western countries intensified and China sank into a harder and darker time.

Peasant groups of Taiping rebelled against the Qing government in 1853 and established the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in Jinling, Nanjing’s name at that time, and formed an army. Unfortunately, the peasant regime was short-lived and in 1864, troops of Qing government won the city back. Nowadays, in Xuyuan Garden , one can still see part of the palace of Heavenly King of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

It was the Revolution of 1911, the Chinese bourgeois democratic revolution led by Dr.Sun Yat-Sen that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. On the first day of 1912, Dr. Sun Yet-sen gave his simple but sublime address on the inauguration held of the new Republic of China. Today, a memorial hall in the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, houses a statue of Dr. Sun sculpted out of white marble.

There are two further negative memories of the city. On April 18th, 1927, Chiang Kaishek launched the counter-revolutionary 4.12 Coup and established his power in Nanjing. Also, in 1937, the inhuman Nanjing Massacre happened. In six weeks, more than 300,000 Chinese people were killed including women and children.

No atrocity can go unpunished. After eight years of resistance, in 1945 the brave Chinese people eventually drove the barbarous Japanese invaders out of China’s homeland and the war criminals got what they deserved. However Chinese people will never forget the history. Pictures of the atrocities of Japanese soldiers taken by Japanese army photographers are exhibited in the Memorial Hall to the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre.

Finally, on April 23rd, 1949, Nanjing was liberated by the People’s Liberation Army and Kuomintang’s power in China was ended.

Cultural City

In addition to historical sights, memorials, museums and cultural sights also attract thousands of travelers. The famous Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) is not only a memorial place for the Great Sage in China but has a surrounding area bustling with shops, restaurants and a snack street housed in traditional Chinese architectural buildings. In the city center, Nanjing Museum is a must for travelers with a collection of more than 420 thousand pieces, including about 2,000 that are rare and valued. The observatory on Zijinshan Mountain to the east of the city center was the first modern observatory built in China.

Qin Huai River , in the southwest of the city, extends one hundred kilometers. The river used to be the most flourishing part of Nanjing in the old days. In many Chinese novels, it is renowned as a place which nurtured beauties and romance. Today, it is a place for people to recall the old splendor of this historical city. Like all sights in Nanjing, it tells the story of past, present and future of the city.

Modern Metropolis

Like most major cities in China, Nanjing is developing rapidly. Great changes have taken place in the city. Modern highways and railways connect the city with most major cities throughout the country and it is becoming a sparkling metropolis akin to Shanghai and Beijing with skyscrapers, luxury hotels, fashion shopping malls, supermarkets and highly-developed economic zones throughout the city. Transport in the city is very convenient with the new metro service in addition to taxis, public buses, tourist special lines and other means of transport. Modern amenities in luxury hotels make your trip a comfortable one. Dazzling shopping malls and department stores can be found in the commercial areas of the city with stocked plenty of international brand names. Nanjing is also home to several colleges and universities and a large foreign population. The city is become an international metropolis with new faces every day.

Pompeii is a ruined and partially buried Roman city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei.

It, along with Herculaneum (its sister city), was destroyed, and completely buried, during a catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning two days on 24 August 79 AD.

The volcano collapsed higher roof-lines and buried Pompeii under many meters of ash and pumice, and it was lost for nearly 1700 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1748. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Italy and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Pompeii has become a popular tourist destination for centuries (it was on the Grand Tour); with approximately 2.5 million visitors a year, it is the most popular tourist attraction in Italy.[citation needed] It is now part of a larger Vesuvius National Park and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. To combat problems associated with tourism, the governing body for Pompeii, the Soprintendenza Archaeological di Pompei have begun issuing new tickets that allow for tourists to also visit cities such as Herculaneum and Stabiae as well as the Villa Poppaea, to encourage visitors to see these sites and reduce pressure on Pompeii.

Pompeii is also a driving force behind the economy of the nearby town of Pompei. Many residents are employed in the tourism and hospitality business, serving as taxi or bus drivers, waiters or hotel operators. The ruins can be reached by simply walking from the modern town to the various entrances, there are adequate car parks and the entrances are also accessible to tourists through the train line to the modern town, or else a private train line, the Circumvesuviana, that runs directly to the ancient site.

 
A paved streetExcavations in the site have generally ceased due to the moratorium imposed by the superintendent of the site, Professor Pietro Giovanni Guzzo. Additionally, the site is generally less accessible to tourists, with less than a third of all buildings open in the 1960s being available for public viewing today. Nevertheless, the sections of the ancient city open to the public are extensive, and tourists can spend many days exploring the whole site.

Taiwan lies like a spindle in the southeast of Asia. It is a rare tropical mountain-island in the world, two thirds of which is covered with high mountain ranges. The most famous of the mountains, Ali Mountain, is the symbol of charming Taiwan.

Located in the subtropical ocean, Taiwan offers tourists comfortable weather and has no winter all the year round. With the pleasant climate, Taiwan can sustain vast biology resources. It is worth to visit Taiwan for its natural sights, such as the high and steep mountains and the dense atmosphere of seashore holidays. The island has another Portuguese name, Formosa, which means ‘beautiful island’. In addition, Taiwan has many wonderful man-made tourist recourses, such as the famed Matsu Temple and Taipei National Palace Museum.

Overlooked from Fujian Province, Taiwan is neighbored by Japan in the north and Philippines in the south. Unsurprisingly, the island has become a hub for travel between places in Asia and is one of the tourist destinations with the most convenient transportation in the world.

Concurrently home to different groups mainly from the southern Fujian Province, Hakka and the local people, Taiwan also features various colorful human cultures. You will detect the harmonious and prosperous atmosphere in Taiwan’s religions, architectures, languages and dining. Tourists should take special care not to miss the dainty dishes here – in fact, Taiwan is dubbed the ‘Kingdom of Delicacies’ by gourmets.

During the past decades, Taiwan’s economy emerged as a miracle. As of today, it is the primary source of foreign capital for South-East Asian countries, thus allowing them to provide complete and high-quality tourist services and facilities.

If you have an opportunity to visit the southeast of Asia, make sure to include Formosa in your travel plan. The beautiful island will offer you an appealing trip that you will find it hard to tear yourself away from.

The name of Macau is derived from the word Magao (A-Ma Temple), which were shrines dedicated to Mazu, a sacred sea goddess respected by Macau people. It was said that in the middle of sixteenth century when the Portuguese first set foot there, one of the officers asked a fisherman the name of the land. The man misunderstanding the officer’s meaning, answered ‘Magao’ – the name of A-Ma Temple in front them. The word became the Portuguese name for the land and for nearly 400 years, the Portuguese ruled here prior to Macau’s official return to the People’s Republic of China on December 20, 1999 as a special administrative region.

The land of Macau when compared with other Chinese metropolises unlike Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou is quite small covering an area of just 27.5 square kilometers. The total population Macau is 469,800 of which 95% are Chinese, the remainder being Portuguese and other westerners. The majority resides on the Macau Peninsular where you can find a variety of both Oriental and Western cultural and historical places of interest and all sorts of old buildings that are either European baroque or traditional Chinese in style. The blend of people, culture and history has influences on every aspect of life in the city. A wander around the Macau Peninsular will bring you into a world of antiques and fashion, traditional and modern, as well as tranquility and glitz.

Most travelers who have been to Macau conclude that it is a location suited to both tourism and living as it is a beautiful city with clean streets, gardens and picturesque hilly landscapes. Sunshine, clear air, green lands and all sorts of delicious food all contribute to its many attractions.

Wandering around is the best way to explore the city’s numerous historical and cultural heritages. Popular sightseeing places that form part of a traveler’s itinerary are spread all over the Macau Peninsular. Largo do Senado, the splendid main square with surrounding simple, elegant Portuguese and baroque style buildings is the busiest downtown area of the city. Clothing shops, curio markets, pharmacies, snack stalls and jewelry shops housed in the narrow alleyways that radiate from the square sell dazzling items.

A northerly walk leads tourists to the featured attractions of the city Ruins of St. Paul’s, a former screen wall of St. Paul’s Church and the Monte Fort, one of the best-preserved forts in Macau. The Museum of Macau, to the right of the ruins, tells all stories on the city’s past. Situated at the base of Penha Peninsula in the southwest part of the city is A-Ma Temple, built in the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), which is dedicated to the sacred goddess A-Ma. During the festival seasons, thousands of devout prayers come to visit the temple.

In the southern part of the Peninsular, the New Reclaimed Area and the Outer Harbor Area, compared with the more traditional central and western areas, is the newly-developed region on which the modern aspect of the city can be found. There are many luxurious hotels housing various gambling casinos and these venues are packed with people from all over the world when the night comes. Numerous museums in these two areas present the essence of Macau’s culture and history including Macau Wine Museum, Grand Prix Museum，Macau Art Museum, etc.

The two outlying islands of Taipa and Coloane, connected to the Macau Peninsular by two bridges feature tranquil natural and beach sceneries and are good choice for a short break away from the bustling Macau Peninsular. Macau Jockey Club’s horse racing attracts numerous gamblers from the nearby areas and Hac Sa Bay and Bamboo Bay are two breathtaking natural scenic areas with the best seaside bathing places in Macau.

Macau is the paradise for gourmands with a wide range of delicious cuisines from all over the world including unparalleled Macau-style Portuguese cuisine, traditional Cantonese cuisine, exotic food from Italy, France, Brazil, India, Japan, and Korea… Everyone can find his own favorite! Moreover, the well-known Macau dim sum delicacies should never be missed. The Pastéis de Nata (a Portuguese-style egg tart) that originated on the outlying island of Coloane is the featured snack of the city and Margaret’s Café & Nata offer the best. All kinds of dim sum ranging from almond cake, chicken cakes, cashew cookies, sesame crackers, egg and cheese rolls are served in the many Portuguese café and they are good choices for gifts of families or friends.

Known as ‘Oriental Las Vegas’, the gambling industry in Macau is booming and has already become an important feature of Macau’s economy. Surprisingly, tourists do not find the kind of razzmatazz in Macau’s casinos as elsewhere; by contrast you can feel the expectations of gamblers from their polite manners and the peaceful atmosphere.

Macau, a famous destination with prosperity and peace, fashion and history, oriental and western cultures, is deserving of a visit and a stay here is sure to revitalize the weary traveler.

Beijing, Jing for short, is the nation’s political, economic, cultural and educational center as well as China’s most important center for international trade and communications. Together with Xian, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Nanjing and Hangzhou, Beijing is one of the six ancient cities in China. It has been the heart and soul of politics and society throughout its long history and consequently there is an unparalleled wealth of discovery to delight and intrigue travelers as they explore Beijing’s ancient past and enjoy its exciting modern development.

As the capital of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing is located in northern China, close to Tianjin Municipality and partially surrounded by Hebei Province. The city covers an area of more than 16,410 square kilometers (6336 square miles) and has a population of 14.93 million people.

Beijing is a city with four distinct seasons. Its best is late spring and autumn. But autumn is taken as the golden tourist season of the year since there is sometimes in the spring of recent years, a yellow wind. We suggest tourists visit Beijing during the months of May, September, and October when people can enjoy bright sunshine and blue skies. An abundance of international class performances are presented in May. If you like winter, you will have other chances to appreciate another landscape of Beijing. After skiing in Beihai and viewing the snowy sights on West Hill, enjoying the steaming hotpot is the best choice, which is really the fun of tour in Beijing. Please keep warm and remember to bring your down garments and sweaters when you visit Beijing in the winter.

How can one city boast so many phenomenal places? Beijing’s long and illustrious history started some 500,000 years ago. It is here that the ancestors of modern Homo sapiens, Peking men, lived in caves. Records show that Beijing has been an inhabited city for more than three thousand years and has endured invasions by warlords and foreign powers, devastating fires, the rise and fall of powerful imperial dynasties and has emerged each time as a strong and vibrant city. For more than 800 years, Beijing was a capital city – from the Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368) to the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1911) dynasties. Thirty-four emperors have lived and ruled the nation in Beijing and it has been an important trading city from its earliest days.

Although now Beijing is a modern and fashionable city complete with a full 21st Century vitality, you can experience authentic Beijing life and become acquainted with ‘old Beijing’ by exploring its many teahouses, temple fairs, Beijing’s Hutong and Courtyard and enjoy the Peking Opera. Add any or all of these to your Beijing tour and you will leave with a feeling of special appreciation in your heart for this ancient city that has truly seen it all and tells its story with matchless grace, charm and vigor.

With the biggest central square in the world – Tian’anmen Square, the Forbidden City that is the largest and best-preserved imperial palace complex, a superbly preserved section of the Great Wall,as well as the largest sacrificial complex in the world – the Temple of Heaven, Beijing attracts both domestic and foreign visitors who all come to wonder at its century-old history and unique cultural relics.

Dwelling too much on the historical past of Beijing may give tourists the false impression that it is little more than an ancient city in style but this is definitely not so! Strolling around Beijing, you’ll find it has much in common with any other great metropolis elsewhere in today’s world. There are towering skyscrapers; busy shopping malls and an endless stream of traffic that makes the city much the same as others. The most famous and popular commercial circles and commercial pedestrian streets are predominantly located near the Yansha Shopping Mall, Tiananmen and Wangfujing Street, Guomao Shopping Mall, Qianmen Street and Xidan Street, etc. However, although you will find multinational chains with their own brands to offer, nowhere else on earth will you find such a variety of gourmet Chinese restaurants offering the very best of the eight different styles of Chinese cuisine as well as western style dishes. Modern hotels abound, each offering the highest standards of service and convenience.

After a day’s Beijing tours, nighttime can hold other surprises for you. These can vary from traditional performances such as the Beijing Opera, acrobatics and martial arts to modern ones including concerts, ballroom dancing, pubs and clubs. Each and every one has its individual enchantment for the tourist. No description of our capital city is complete without mention of the friendly people who throng the streets. Everywhere you will encounter smiling faces and a warm welcome, especially from the children who love to say ‘Hello!’ All these things add up to truly make your visit a cultural experience of a lifetime.

The Brazilian Carnaval (Portuguese: Carnaval) is an annual festival in Brazil held 4 days before Ash Wednesday and marks the beginning of Lent. During Lent, Roman Catholics are supposed to abstain from all bodily pleasures, including the consumption of meat. The carnival, celebrated as a profane event and believed to have its origins in the pagan Saturnalia, can thus be considered an act of farewell to the pleasures of the flesh.Brazilian Carnival as a whole exhibits some differences with its counterparts in Europe and other parts of the world, and within Brazil it has distinct regional manifestations. Brazilian citizens used to riot until the Carnival was accepted by the government as an expression of culture. That was because the Brazilian carnival had its origin in a Portuguese festivity called “entrudo”.
Modern Brazilian Carnival finds its roots in Rio de Janeiro in 1845, when the city’s bourgeoisie imported the practice of holding balls and masquerade parties from Paris. It originally mimicked the European form of the festival, over time acquiring elements derived from Native American and African cultures.

In the late 19th century, the cordões (literally laces or strings in Portuguese) were introduced in Rio de Janeiro. These were groups of people who would go paradeing through the streets playing music and dancing. Today they are known as blocos (blocks), consisting of a group of people who dress in costumes or specials t-shirts according to certain themes or to celebrate the Carnival. Blocos are generally associated with particular neighbourhoods or suburbs and include both a percussion or music group and an entourage of revellers.

This “blocos” have become a big part of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival. There are more than 100 “blocos” nowadays and each year this number increases. Some are big, some are small, most concentrate in square and later parade though the streets and a few stay in the same place all the time. Each “bloco” has its place or street to parade and the big ones usually close the streets for car traffic. They usually start in January and last till the end of Carnival, so since the beginning of the year you can see a group of people dancing samba in any street of Rio in the weekends and during Carnival every day.

“Blocos” parade in Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Lagoa, Jardim Botânico, and in the centre of Rio. Usually the people who organize the “bloco” write their own music, which is played at all time during the parade, along with old carnival favourites called in Portuguese “Marchinhas de carnaval”, and sambas that have become classics. Some important “blocos” are “O cordão do bola preta”, that goes through the heart of Rio’s historical center, and “Suvaco do Cristo” (Christ’s armpit in Portuguese), in the neighbourhood, near Rio’s Botanic Garden. Monobloco is another bloco that has become so famous that their band plays all year round in parties and small concerts.
Samba schools are very large, well-financed organizations that work year round in preparation for Carnival. Parading in the Sambadrome runs over four entire nights and is part of an official competition, divided into seven divisions, in which a single samba school will be declared that year’s winner. Blocos deriving from the samba schools also hold street parties in their respective suburbs, through which they parade along with their followers.

Whether it’s the Louvre, the Metropolitan or the Tate, some of the world’s top art museums have become destinations in themselves, with online travel site TripAdvisor compiling a list of the world’s top 10.

“Travelers could easily get lost in them for at least a day,” said TripAdvisor spokeswoman Michele Perry. “This top 10 is a check list to see the very finest artwork in the world.”

The list was compiled based on traffic to the attractions on tripadvisor.com and is not endorsed by Reuters:

1. Musee du Louvre, Paris, France

Once a fortified palace that was the home to kings of France, the Louvre is now the world’s most famous museum, renowned for some of the finest pieces of art in the world, including the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa.

2. Vatican Museums, Vatican City, Rome, Italy

Spanning nearly nine miles, the Roman Catholic Church’s Vatican collection is one of the largest and most stunning in the world. Estimated to have more than four million visitors annually, the Vatican museums feature the art of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and, of course, Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.

3. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York

From Picasso to Pollock, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on New York City’s Museum Mile, is one of the world’s largest museums with over two million pieces of artwork and enough variety for any enthusiast. Peruse the Greek sculptures, admire the armory or browse the 2,000 European paintings, all contained in a magnificent Beaux-Art facade building. 

4. J. Paul Getty Center, Los Angeles, California

The Getty features a remarkable collection, including the works of Van Gogh, Monet and Cezanne. The museum’s structure is a piece of art in itself, and the grounds also feature beautiful gardens, and views of Los Angeles.

5. Musee d’Orsay, Paris, France

Enjoy Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” inside the Musee D’Orsay, a former train station built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900, with a dramatic glass roof. Specializing in 19th and 20th century artwork, the museum displays a striking collection of Impressionism, including famous works by Monet, Manet, Renoir, Van Gogh and Degas.

6. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Experience (or at least admire) Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus,” in the Uffizi Gallery, one of the oldest museums in the world featuring works from Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci in the heart of Florence.

7. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

Located on Chicago’s Loop, The Art Institute of Chicago boasts extensive Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections, including more than 30 pieces by Monet. Visit France from afar through Monet’s “Haystacks” and spending time “At the Moulin Rouge,” one of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec’s famous paintings.

8. Tate Modern, London, England

Enjoy the electric art at the Tate Modern, displayed in a former Bankside Power Station, with views of the Thames River and Millennium Bridge. Remember the “Forgotten Horizon,” one of Dali’s many masterpieces and part of one of the largest collections of Surrealism in the World.

9. Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain

One of the largest and most impressive collections in the world, not surprisingly, the Prado Museum is most famous for its assortment of works from Spanish artists such as Goya, Velasquez, Murillo, and El Greco.

10. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the National Gallery of Art is comprised of an east and west building, and features a sculpture garden surrounding a large fountain. Modern art fans should head to the east building, where works by Jackson Pollock, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol are displayed.

Temple Church
London, England
In this round church, built by the Knights Templar and located just off Fleet Street, Langdon, Sophie and Teabing search for “A knight a Pope interred.” This fascinating church contains 10 effigies of Templar Knights, indoor gargoyles and a wooden altar built by Sir Christopher Wren.

Saint-Sulpice Church
Paris, France
Silas traces the Rose Line to an obelisk, hoping to find a keystone leading to the Grail. A huge 17th-century church, Saint-Sulpice contains the largest organ in the world (near which a nun is murdered in the book) and several art masterpieces.

Westminster Abbey
London, England
In Westminster Abbey, the church of the British royal family, our heroes examine the tomb of Sir Isaac Newton for clues. In the Chapter House, there is a startling revelation.

Rosslyn Chapel
Near Edinburgh, Scotland
For years the focus of esoteric religious groups and Grail conspiracy theories, Rosslyn Chapel is filled with mysterious symbols and codes carved in stone. Learn more about the chapel’s history, unique features and esoteric connections.

The Louvre – Inverted Pyramid
Paris, France
The book and movie conclude with Robert Langdon making a night visit to the Louvre Museum, having finally discovered the answer to the Grail mystery. Learn more about the Inverted Pyramid and its possible symbolism here.

Chateau Villette
30 minutes south of Paris, France
At the home of eccentric art historian Sir Leigh Teabing, Robert and Sophie learn the true identity of the Holy Grail. Not long after, they make another narrow escape across the extensive grounds. In reality, this 17th-century home is a grand hotel and offers special Da Vinci Code packages and tours.

King’s College London
London, England
In the library of the Religion Department, Langdon and Sophie search for the answer to their latest clue using state-of-the-art computer catalogues. Learn more about King’s College Religion Department and how reality compares to the book.

The Walt Disney World Resort located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando, is the flagship of Disney’s worldwide theme park empire. It is by far the most visited theme park resort in the world.

The primary destinations within Walt Disney World are the four theme parks. The Magic Kingdom is the oldest and most popular park of the complex, based on the original Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The Magic Kingdom has various ‘lands’ organized around the central landmark of Cinderella’s Castle, and while it is more oriented toward children, many adults will love the escapism as well. Epcot, the second theme park, is an “educational park” dedicated to international culture and technological innovation with two distinct areas, “Future World” and “World Showcase”. The third theme park is Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which is themed around 20th-century movies and television, with a variety of live shows and attractions based on some of the most iconic films from that era. Finally, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a wildlife park, something of a mix between a zoo and a theme park with both naturalistic animal exhibitions and typical Disney rides.

Walt Disney World also has two large water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and the newer Blizzard Beach, both heavily themed. For more adult entertainment, Downtown Disney has extensive shopping, nightclubs, restaurants, and unique entertainment. Disney’s Boardwalk is a smaller collection of restaurants and nightlife spots themed as a 1920’s Eastern Seaboard boardwalk. Other activities throughout the resort include golf, miniature golf, tennis, boating, spas and health clubs, backstage tours, and many more.
The most important thing to understand about the Walt Disney World Resort is that it was designed to be fun for anyone. Singles and couples without children who think a Walt Disney World vacation is just for kids ignore the many “adult” entertainments available throughout the resort. Gourmands, sun-worshippers, world travelers, adventure-seekers, comedy-lovers, movie buffs, sports fans, club-hoppers, and history buffs can all find numerous activities and attractions to pique their interests.

The resort is enormous, a multi-day resort destination. Each of its four theme parks is big enough to occupy visitors for a full day (and often two, depending on crowds). Unless you live nearby, four days is considered the bare minimum length of visit to even begin to experience the resort; some people stay as long as two weeks and still bypass some attractions.

Traveling to Walt Disney World represents a major pilgrimage for many American families. The “typical” visit would involve flying into Orlando International Airport, busing to an on-site Disney hotel, spending about a week without leaving Disney property, and returning home; of course, there are infinite variations on this template, but this remains the standard from which all other itineraries are deviations.

Everything at Walt Disney World is carefully constructed and choreographed to maintain your perceptions of visiting an idealized world. Company jargon frames every aspect of customer service as part of the “show”: employees are “cast members”, visitors are “guests”, and every prop and costume must be completely “in-character” while “on-stage” (visible to guests). While some people find this cloying and artificial, the vast majority of visitors are happy to immerse themselves in this relaxing, carefree environment.

Even so, the realities of Walt Disney World can be stark: long lines, sweltering heat, rude guests, and expensive merchandise are common. There are ways to avoid the worst elements (namely by carefully choosing when to visit) and customer service is almost universally impeccable, even (or perhaps especially) when things go wrong.

Many first-time visitors try to do too much during their stay. Unless crowds are unusually small, this is a sure recipe for burnout and exhaustion. You need to have a basic schedule in mind, but you should remain flexible in order to account for closed rides, full restaurants, special events, and just changing your mind. If the crowds get too heavy or the weather gets too hot, smart guests staying on-site head back to their hotels to relax, grab a snack, or take a swim, then return later in the day.

With some careful basic planning, an open mind, and a cheerful attitude, a visit to Walt Disney World can be whatever you want it to be: fulfilling, exciting, relaxing, enlightening, or just plain fun. Whatever you chose to do, your visit is guaranteed to be an experience, in every sense of the word—one you’ll never forget.

The sheer number of attractions—including rides, stage shows, parades, and fireworks displays—at Walt Disney World can be intimidating to guests. It’s usually best to have a plan going in. Check the guidemap for the park you plan to visit and decide which attractions will be your highest priorities before you leave for the park. Keep in mind that parades and some shows occur only at specific times, and plan your route to put you nearby in time to get a seat. Be flexible, though—once you’ve hit your priority attractions, you can go back and pick up more if you have time remaining.

The traditional amusement park advice of arriving early and heading to the back of the park first tends to work well, although more and more guests are starting to catch on, so the benefit may be reduced.

Be aware that during the busiest times of year, lines can be up to two hours long for the most popular attractions. One option for avoiding these lines is the free service known as FastPass, available only at select attractions. Simply insert your park ticket into the machine, and you’ll get a FastPass ticket with a time interval stamped on it, at any time during that interval, you may enter the attraction using a separate, shorter queue. Note that the FastPass queues may bypass some or all of the scenery and theming found in the longer lines, which for some guests is a significant part of the Disney experience. Consider what you may be missing if you choose to get a FastPass.

Hot springs are natural features resulting when ground water is heated (sometimes far beyond the level of human endurance) by geothermal forces and brought to the surface, typically becoming diluted with cool surface water on the way. Many are in attractive locations and are scenic (e.g. the geysers of Yellowstone National Park, Kamchatka, New Zealand, etc.) or celebrated (e.g. the original town of Spa), hence are attractions or even destinations in their own right. However, for the hot-spring aficionado, the greatest pleasure comes not from just looking at the spring, but from getting into the water for its therapeutic powers, not to mention just because it feels good — really good. This article will help travelers get the most out of their hot-spring experiences world-wide.

Africa
  Namibia
Ai-Ais, developed
  South Africa
Montagu, Avalon Springs, [1], developed
  Asia
  Bhutan
Most hot springs (locally called tsachu) in Bhutan have avoided over development and generally a trek is required reach them. Popular ones are in Gasa. Duer in Bumthang and Koma in Punakha.

  China
Many places in Southern China — at least Fuzhou, Zhuhai and Zhongshan — have hot springs.

  Indonesia
 
Air Panjar in BaliIndonesia is a highly volcanic archipelago and consequently has hot springs (air panas) all over the place, but few are developed or on the tourist trail. Bali is the most popular hot spring destination by a mile, but many of them are considered holy and have been developed into temples, where the locals come to bathe (fully clothed) but foreigners may not be welcome. A few, however, have been developed and are open to all, such as Air Banjar near Lovina, where stone mouth carvings allow hot water to pass between pools which are set among a lush garden.

  Japan
Japan is very active geothermally and onsen hot springs dot the length of the entire country. The Japanese love their baths — so much so that the Japan guide has an entire section devoted to the topic and a visit to a Japanese hot spring is a highlight of any trip.

The Official Top 3 most famous hot spring resorts are Atami (Kanto), Beppu (Kyushu), and Shirahama (Kansai). Dogo Onsen makes a solid claim to be the oldest and Hokkaido’s Noboribetsu claims to be the largest, while secluded hot-spring hideaways can be found in places including Iya Valley (Shikoku), Yagen Valley (Tohoku) and Oku-Hida (Chubu). Japan’s major cities also have hot spring areas within striking distance, with Hakone and the many hot springs of Gumma being popular getaways for Tokyoites and Kobe inhabitants nipping across the hill to Arima Onsen. Last but not least, at the northeastern most tip of Hokkaido is Shiretoko National Park and its remarkable Kamuiwakkayu-no-taki, a hot spring waterfall thought by the Ainu to inhabited by the gods themselves.

  Laos
  Malaysia
Sungkai, Perak; Pedas, Negeri Sembilan; Selayang, Selangor;

  Nepal
There isn’t much of a ‘hot spring’ tradition in Nepal, but the residents of the aptly named Tatopani (tato = hot, pani = water) quickly realized that trekkers on the Jomson and Annapurna Circuit trails would pay for a hot soak. When soaking or swimming in Nepal it’s best to have a swimsuit and sarong for modesty.

  South Korea
 
Hurshimchung, Busan, South KoreaKoreans also love their oncheon hot springs and Busan’s Hurshimchung spa is a creditable contender in the heavily competed contest for the largest spa complex in the world.

  Taiwan
Being located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, hot springs (Chinese: wen-chuan) can be found all over Taiwan. Popular places for bathing near the capital Taipei are Beitou, Wulai and the Yangmingshan National Park. At Guanziling near Chiayi, you can even sample hot mud springs.

  Europe
  Austria
The states of Lower Austria, Styria, Carinthia and Salzburg are crossed by a tectonic fault, resulting in a large number of hot springs in the area. Most springs are commercially exploited. Towns with the prefix “Bad” in the name, such as Bad Gastein normally have hot spring facilities, which are usually accompanied by pools, saunas, rehabilitation centers and hotels of high standards. Wild springs do exist, but are more difficult to find.

  Belgium
Spa

  Iceland
Iceland sits on the fault between the North American and European plates, which are slowly moving apart, and is home to the original “Geysir”; so it should come as no surprise that it has geothermally heated water aplenty. Public heated swimming pools and attendant “hot pots” are commonplace throughout the country. The Blue Lagoon near Reykjavik, with its vivid, translucent blue, 100°F/40°C waters (cooled from their original temperature after being being pumped from a mile underground and powering an electrical plant) is a popular destination.

  Italy
Look for scattered hot springs in the volcanic southern part of the country. The island of Pantelleria has well-known thermal baths, and Ischia is famous for the springs there, some of them “subaqueous” (submerged in the sea). The island of Vulcano features a “mud bath” in which the springs manifest in a goopy mud reputed to have therapeutic properties, as well as more subaqueous springs along the adjacent beach where mud-bath users can wash off the mud.

  Romania
Băile Herculane – Inside the town and up the Cerna river a number of open pools with hot spring water can be accessed without charge. Locals of all generations mix with Romanian and international tourists.

Oradea – The region around the city has a number of commercial spas that appear to be developed from hot springs.

  Spain
You can find working Moorish Baths, usually from natural hot spring sources, throughout southwestern Spain, including Granada. Some of these include deep soaking pools or the more traditional steam room style.

  United Kingdom
The famous hot springs at Bath (England) have been used by humans since Roman times, and probably long before, but until recently were in a state of disrepair and inaccessible to bathers, although still open for viewing. Recently the Thermae Springs have re-opened as a developed spring in which visitors can bathe (fee).

  Middle East
  Turkey
 
The calcite hot springs and waterfalls of Pamukkale.Pamukkale – Meaning “cotton castle”, these natural travertine hot springs provide stunning natural beauty and wonderful warm water to soak yourself in. The bright white calcite deposits make it easy for visitors to walk along the cascading water (though officials are constantly moving boundaries and walking areas to preserve the area). Most of the pools are just large enough set your feet into and only a few of the larger pools go past your knees.

Hierapolis – Five minutes further up the white waterfalls of Pamukkale you’ll find the Hierapolis hot springs where you can soak among sunken Roman columns (for a 20 Euro fee) submerged in an ancient pool.

  North America
  Canada
 
A natural hot spring waterfall set in a Canadian winter.Hot springs in Canada cluster in geological settings similar to those of the United States (below). Banff National Park and Jasper National Park have well-known springs that are readily accessible to the visitor, and there are a number of hot-spring sites in British Columbia including those that are managed, such at Radium Hot Springs and Fairmont, and natural, such as at Tofino and Fairmont.

  Costa Rica
This highly volcanic yet visitor-friendly country has several hot springs, with a concentration at the small town of Fortuna due to the proximity of the active Arenal volcano. Tabacon near Fortuna is a well developed spring/spa, with several options for visits.

  Mexico
Mexico is a volcanic and seismically-active country, and there are likely to be hot springs all over the landscape despite its aridity. A few commercially-developed springs are near Puebla, but their status following the re-activation of nearby Popocatepetl volcano is unknown; if you have information on springs in this area, please update this.

Baja California has a number of hot pools and hot springs; San Carlos, near Ensenada, Guadelupe Canyon west of Mexicali, and the seaside springs at Puertocitos are well-known.

  United States of America
Most hot springs in the continental United States are located either near the Rocky Mountains or in the geologically turbulent country of the West Coast (California and the Pacific Northwest), but there are a few in other, sometimes unexpected places. Quite a large fraction of the springs are in wild areas and entirely undeveloped, sometimes reachable only by a testing hike. Commercial springs vary wildly in degree of development; a few have been turned into posh, expensive resorts, but more are at the “rustic” end of the scale.

  Alaska
Alaska is intensely volcanic, and wild springs abound; however, most are seriously inaccessible. Developed hot springs exist at Fairbanks and probably elsewhere.

  Arizona
Commercial hot springs are found at the unincorporated “town” of Tonopah, about 50 miles west of Phoenix. There have been recent changes of ownership.

  Arkansas
Hot Springs (Arkansas) | Hot Springs National Park

  California
Public hot springs are located along the east side of the Eastern Sierra, many near route 395, in Bridgeport (Travertine, Buckeye), Mammoth (Hot Creek), and others. Deep Creek is located in Apple Valley, near the town of Victorville.

Harbin Hot Springs 18424 Harbin Springs Rd. 707-987-2477 / 800-622-2477 [2] in Middletown (California) has private hot springs, spa, and retreat center.

Information about these can be found in the book, “Hot Springs and Hot Pools of the Southwest” [3].

  Colorado
Although not as volcanically or seismically active as its neighbors, Colorado has a number of hot springs. Major commercial springs are at Glenwood Springs (an enormous outdoor pool/spa complex) and Steamboat Springs, while smaller commercial operations are at Alamosa and in the Salida vicinity. A wild spring familiar to thousands of “peak baggers” who climb the state’s highest mountains is Conundrum Hot Spring, near Aspen and not far below the summit of 14,000-foot Castle Peak. The weekend crowds at Conundrum can be substantial considering the length of the hike required to reach it; if you’re bound for Conundrum, go during the week (and be vigilant for signs of altitude sickness, as the spring itself is over 11,000′ in altitude).

  Nevada
Nevada has a surprising number of hot springs considering its arid climate and lack of obvious volcanic/seismic activity. In fact, the slumbering earth is an anomaly in the geological history of the state, and there’s plenty of geothermal energy available to drive the springs. Commercial springs cluster mainly around the Carson City/Reno/Lake Tahoe area, some of them quite extensively (and expensively) developed. The state, much of which is federally owned, also has a number of “semi-wild” springs — sites on federal land that are at the end of a dirt road, haven’t been developed beyond maybe an impoundment and a bench or two, and are freely available, yet are not as difficult to reach as wild springs in other areas that require a significant hike to reach.

  New Mexico
New Mexico is volcanic country, and both wild and commercial hot springs can be found in the state. The North Central region has commercial hot springs at Ojo Caliente, a small town in the Española area, and at Jemez Springs in the Jemez Mountains. The Jemez also have several undeveloped springs east of Jemez Springs along NM SR 4, and there are a few wild springs in the foothills of the mountains near Taos. The Southwest region of the state also includes both developed and wild springs. The town of Truth or Consequences was formerly named “Hot Springs” because of its several springs with resorts. “T or C,” as it’s known locally, has undergone rebirth following some years of atrophy, with about ten commercial establishments offering soaks and spa services. Undeveloped springs are found in the wild country near Silver City, and Faywood Hot Springs, between Silver City and Deming, has undergone a major transformation and is now a premier destination area. They feature private and public pools, clothing optional and clothing required, with camp sites, RV spaces and a few cabins. (Note that undeveloped springs in this region have been implicated in at least one fatal case of PAME; see “Stay healthy” below, and be careful.)

  North Carolina
Hot Springs Resort and Spa [4]. Located in the mountains of North Carolina. Reserve the jacuzzi-style tub of your choice, each individually enclosed and private.

  Oregon
Breitenbush 503-854-3320 [5] private hot springs and retreat center about two hours southwest of Portland (Oregon).

Cougar Hot Springs (undeveloped) is located an hour east of Eugene, Oregon, near Cougar Reservoir.

  South Dakota
The Badlands and Black Hills region contains a few springs, including a developed one at the imaginatively-named town of Hot Springs.

  Texas
Texas is not as active geologically as most of the American West, but Big Bend National Park includes the ruins of Hot Springs Village, with what one might describe as a “feral” spring — one that was commercially developed at one time but has been abandoned and is returning to a natural state. Hikers can take advantage of an impoundment that survives from the time of the village; water temperature around 105 F.

  Washington
Washington State has hot springs located on the northern portion of the Olympic Peninsula as well as across the Cascade Mountains. Check the book, “Hot Springs & Hot Pools of the Northwest” [6]

  Wyoming
 
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park; a “look-but-don’t-touch” hot springThe presence of hot springs in Wyoming should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Yellowstone National Park and its amazing assortment of geothermal features, but the sites there are better suited to photography than to immersion. The springs within Yellowstone are generally off limits to bathing, and the prohibitions are vigorously enforced, at least in the main tourist areas. They are also dangerously — lethally — hot in many cases. People (and countless animals, including pets) have died from falling into some of the features at Upper Geyser Basin just minutes from Old Faithful and the visitor center. Yellowstone is not a place to tempt fate in a hot spring; don’t enter the springs themselves, period. However, swimming is allowed (but not encouraged) at the Firehole Cascades swimming area, a section of the Firehole River that is warmed by hot springs.

Commercial springs exist at Cody, Thermopolis and a few other places. The Thermopolis spring is notable as one of the world’s largest, and also because a 19th-century treaty(!) dictates that one fourth of the spring’s output remain free and available for public use rather than being captured by for-profit enterprises; the park preserving it therefore offers the rare treat of a “developed” spring (multiple bathing areas, changing room, etc.) that doesn’t cost anything to use it. Wild springs most suitable for bathing are reached by trails along the Rockefeller Parkway connecting Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, among other locations.

  Oceania and Australia
  Australia
Innot Hot Springs on the Atherton Tablelands has hot water coming through the ground into a creek. The creek can flood in the wet season.

  New Zealand
Rotorua

  South America
  Brazil
Caldas Novas has the country’s largest springs (so large it’s called the Hot River in Portuguese) and many hotels.

  Chile
Villarrica
Pucon: Huife, Quimey-Co, Los Pozones, Palguín, San Sebastián de Río Blanco
Curarrehue: Menetúe, San Luis
Panguipulli:Geométricas, Vergara, Rincon, Coñaripe, Pellaifa, Liquiñe
Curacautin
  Peru
Aguas Calientes — not merely the generic name for hot springs in Spanish, but the jumping-off point for travelers bound for Machu Picchu; it does offer hot springs.