Venice,Italy

Venice at night, Grand Canal, the largest canal in the city

Venice, capital city of Veneto is a unique place with its own charm. Every monument and place in this city has history. Venice is known as the City of Water because of its canals and the best way to appreciate the history of the region is to understand the canals. There are over 150 of them and are spanned by over 150 bridges. The canals are the main means of transportation throughout the city with the largest one is the Grand Canal with three bridges spanning it. It’s known as Venice’s most important “street” and tourists get the chance to learn more about the Grand Canal while riding through it.

Some of the bridges such as the “Bridge of Sighs” are quite famous. These canals can experience heavy traffic given that they are a major means of transportation in Venice but the boats are large enough to let you sit comfortably allowing you to take photographs and listen to your guide. Although industrial pollution has reduced in the recent years, the water in these canals remains filthy. This is also the reason for the constant maintenance that is regularly done on them. Despite this fact, the canals of Venice are one of the top attractions in Europe and there’s no better way to experience the beauty and uniqueness of this city than to ride through the canals. Apart from this beautiful experience, tourists are also recommended to explore the diverse cuisines of Venice and try some of the local dishes such as Baccala’ Montecata during their trip.

A lot of people are aware that Venice is also famous as being one of the most romantic cities in the world. The New York Times once called it undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man. The uniqueness, mystery as well as beauty associated with Venice makes it worthy of being added to everyone’s bucket list.

The Grand Palace

The Grand Palace of Bangkok, Thailand is known for it’s Beautiful Architecture

Bangkok tourist attractions cannot be talked about without talking of the Grand Palace. A complex of various historical buildings located in the heart of Bangkok, the Grand Palace is surrounded by walls built in 1783. Within these walls of the Grand Palace are situated the Chapel Royal of the Emerald Buddha, the royal residences and government offices.

The Grand Palace came in to existence when King Rama I shifted the capital of Thailand to Bangkok. Apart from making the Grand Palace the center of administration with all his ministries and offices, King Rama I also used it as his residence. Being no longer the royal residence, the Grand Palace is now used only for occasional ceremonies.

Highlights of the palace include Amarinda Hall, Boromabiman Hall, Grand Palace Hal/ Chakri Maha Prasat, Dusit Hall, Phra Thinang Borom Phiman, Phra Asada Maha Chedi and Museum.

Amarinda Hall, also known as ‘the Great Residence’ is situated in Phra Maha Montien building of the Grand Palace. With its carved boat-shaped throne, Amarinda Vinichai Hall is an enchanting site that will mesmerize you with its interiors. Nowadays, Amarinda Hall in the Grand Palace is used for ceremonial occasions.

Built by King Chulalongkom Rama V, Chakri Maha Prasat was used by him as his residence. This beautiful renaissance-style building was not used as residence since the death of King Rama VIII, who was found shot dead in this room. The elegant crystal decorations inside the hall are worth watching during your tour to Bangkok.

Dusit Maha Prasad, also known as ‘Audience Hall’, is the third important building of the Grand Palace. This hall is known for the crowing ceremony of King Rama I. Apart from been used as the customary hall for the lying-in-state of Ayuttaya kings, Dusit Hall in the Grand Palace serves as a perfect venue for the annual Consecration Day Ceremony, Dusit Hall in the Grand Palace.

King Rama V built Phra Thinang Borom Phiman in 1903 for his son and the heir to the throne. With Indra (rain god) on the east side, Varuna (wind god) on the west, Agni (fire god) on the north and Yama (god of death) on the south side, the Siamese conception of the Vedic Gods in India is depicted inside Phra Thinang Borom Phiman of the Grand Palace and is a beautiful site.

Tourists are advised to strictly follow the dress code for visiting the Grand Palace. You won’t be allowed to enter the palace bare foot and wearing revealing clothes or with bare shoulders. In short, you have to fully dress up and would be provided with clothes at a booth near the entry gate if not adhering to their dress code.

An entry ticket is required for tourists. This includes admission ticket to Vimanmek Mansion, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Central Court. Entry for Thai people is absolutely free.

Benedictine Convent of Saint John

Benedictine Convent of Saint John at Müstair, Switzerland

The Benedictine Convent of Saint John, also called the Abbey of Saint John, is located in Müstair, Switzerland. This quaint Swiss village is a unique destination in itself and home to a majority of speakers of the Romansh language. The Convent was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, offering examples of Carolingian art, well-preserved heritage of the Carolingian  (from the reign of Charlemagne and his heirs). This art includes Early Middle Ages frescoes, Romanesque frescoes, murals, and other historical architecture.

The frescoes include Biblical scenes from both the Old and New Testament, and are fine and rare examples of art from the important Carolingian period from around the year 800. These frescoes are created in varies hues of reds and browns.

Other significant art in the Benedictine Convent of Saint John includes the stucco statue of Charlemagne, and a relief of the Baptism of Christ in the Romanesque style, created in 1087.

Aeolian Islands, Italy

Marina Corta in Lipari Island (Aeolian Islands)

Located in the Tyrrhenian Sea just north of the Italian island of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands are an archipelago formed by volcanic activity. The Aeolian Islands are part of Italy and commonly accessed via Sicily. There are seven main Aeolian Islands, which have a combined total of over 1,200 square kilometers (463 square miles) of land. There are also several smaller islets in the archipelago. The main islands in the archipelago are Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Panarea, Stromboli, Filicudi, and Alicudi. Two active volcanoes are located in the Aeolian Islands: Stromboli and Vulcano.

The main island of the group is Lipari, which serves as a transportation hub and base for visitors to the islands. Vulcano is home to the volcano named Vulcano, and is a popular destination for beach vacations and mud baths. Stromboli, though most remote, is a popular spot to visit for its regularly active volcano. The other islands offer scenic nature and great views of the volcanoes.

Angel Falls

Angel Falls – The Highest Waterfall in the World, Venezuela

Angel Falls, in the Canaima National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Venezuela), is the highest waterfall in the world. Called Salto Ángel in Spanish and Kerepakupai Vená – “waterfall of the deepest place” – in the Pemon language, the falls are part of the Gauja River or the Kerep River, a tributary of the Churun which itself drains into the Carrao River. The world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall, Angel Falls has a total height of 3,287 feet or 1,002 meter with the main plunge recording about 2,648 feet. The minor rapids and cascades of the falls stretch about a quarter mile and a 98 feet downstream.

The Angel Falls tip over the edge of the Auyantepui Mountain in the Gran Sabana region of Bolívar State. The Canaima National Park was established in 1962 and was designated a UNESCO National Heritage Site in 1994. The region is home to the Pemon Indians who worship the region as a sacred land and believe in the presence of guarding spirits here. The waterfall was named after Jimmie Angel, the American pilot who first flew a plane over the falls. Several attempts to revert to the indigenous Spanish or Pemon names have been made in recent years without much success.