Turkey - Places To Visit In Istanbul - Travel Advice

Turkey - Things To Do In Istanbul - Travel Adice

Istanbul is a mega city on the edge of Europe and Asia. It has a wealth of attractions, which make it a more interesting destination.

The Bosporus (which is called in Turkish Bogaziçi) is a strait that divides the city into two parts of Istanbul, connecting the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea and physically separates Asia from Europe.

There are two bridges over the strait. Bogazici Bridge of 1074 meters long was completed in 1973. The second bridge, the FSM (Fatih Sultan Mehmet Köprüsü) has a length of 1014 meters, was completed in 1988 and is nearly five miles north of the first bridge. These bridges connect Istanbul to Üsküdar neighboring Asian cities (in Greek Chrysopolis), Kadikoy (Chalcedon in Greek)

Istanbul capital was of two of the most powerful empires of the earth, and cosmopolitan city, to the sixteenth century was probably the most civilized and multicultural, Istanbul hosts extraordinary monuments, palaces, churches and racecourse dating from the Byzantine era , the Süleymaniye mosques of Sultanahmet, Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Saray), seat of Ottoman imperial power, and others.

The Basilica Cistern Yerebatan Sarayi is a large underground cistern built in 532 by Emperor Justinian. It consists of a dome that is supported on 336 columns, two of which rest on top of two large heads that possibly served to indicate where it was the sanctuary of the nymphs. This is the largest tank of 60 built under the city of Istanbul, formerly Byzantium and Constantinople.

Roman Hippodrome Obelisk was built at the time of Septimius Severus in 200 AD The Hippodrome was the center of the civil activities, and Hagia Sophia was the center of religious activities. It also functioned as a center of sports where circuses and chariot races were the recreational activities of the inhabitants of Constantinople for more than 1,000 years. Even today you can distinguish the obelisk Egyptian obelisk and the walls, trim highlights of this racecourse

Sultan Mehmet Bridge - This bridge, also known as El Segundo, along with the Bosphorus Bridge are the only two land routes of communication between the two parts into which it is separated the city of Istanbul. The bridge is kind pendant. It is suspended 64 meters above the sea and was opened in 1988

The most popular and famous of the city is centered on Sultanahmet Square where you can see the Blue Mosque and St. Sophia Cathedral. The beautiful cathedral dates from the sixth century A.D. the fall of the Roman Empire in the fifteenth century, became a mosque. Now a museum and you can see the mixture of both cultures. It was built in front of the Blue Mosque (Blue Mosque). This was done to make clear to the Cathedral of St. Sophia and thus win the leading role. It is noteworthy that if you visit the city in September, you can enjoy the feast of Ramadan where Sultanahmet Square is the center of the festival.

Istiklal Caddesi - (English: Independence Avenue) - is probably the most famous street in Istanbul. The main pedestrian street still has a charming vintage tram along and is full of things to see and do. Cadde Historically, in times of the famous Orient Express in Istiklal Avenue was called-i Kebir, Grande Rue de Pera by French intellectuals who gathered here, and was a glamorous place to see and be seen. However, its glitz and glamor days gave way to rampant crime and deterioration.

Istiklal Avenue- Istiklal Avenue is located in the historic Beyoglu district and starts from the area near the Galata Tower and leads to Taksim Square. Around here do not miss the Çiçek Pasaji (Paso Flores), and Balik Pazari (Fish Market).

Shopping – The currency is the Turkish lira, euro becomes equal to 2 lire. The prices are very affordable. For example, you can go to the harbor fresh fish to eat bread and drink for about 2 euros to change.

Istanbul is a place of markets - In fact, the largest in the world is in this city, the Grand Bazaar. Grand Bazaar If you want to go shopping go to the Grand Bazaar Istanbul, an area of 80 streets, 4000 shops, bars, cafes and restaurants where you can buy everything you can imagine: clothes, all kinds of jewels, silks, clocks, rugs, souvenirs and etc.

The other highlight is the market of spices, where all existing condiments organized in a way that beautifies the place.

It has the peculiarity that the street names corresponding to items that are sold in stores so that at the name of the street you know that kind of shops you'll encounter. Some famous Grand Bazaar is Koylu Pazari, which means "village market", where the story along artisans has sold silks and fabrics to sultanas.

Some of the typical gifts you can find here Istanbul carrying relatives or friends are the spice trays, boxes of granulated apple tea, delicate tea sets and especially the wooden boxes of Turkish delight. The blue eye is the talisman of the city and you'll find in most stores.

It also highlights the beautiful Galata tower, 67 meters high where you have spectacular views of the city and the Bosphorus, where you can make short cruises to enjoy the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara.
The Beyoglu district is crossed the Galata Bridge. Here is located the modern Istanbul live music clubs, discos, terraces crowded with students or profesioales of all countries, boutiques and wide avenues that connect each other with narrow laneways alive. The passage of the Flowers, with its hotels and shops is an example of business in this neighborhood located north of the Golden Horn.

Some important Buildings and Monuments
• Church of St. Sophia also called Church of Divine Wisdom and Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya Camii). It is now a museum.
• Blue Mosque and Sultanahmet Camii.
• Topkapi Palace, where intone are several important museums and monuments.
• Dolmabahçe Palace.
• Cistern Basilica or Yerebatan.
• Arap Mosque.
• Church of St. Irene (Hagia Irene), the first church of Byzantium, now a museum.
• Bulgarian St Stephen Church (known as "Bulgarian Iron Church").
• Fatih Mosque.
• Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi).
• Istiklal Avenue (Istiklal Caddesi).
• Mosaic Museum.
• The Prince's Islands.
• Sadberk Hanim Museum.
• Süleymaniye Mosque.
• The Maiden's Tower, Tower of San Leandro (Kiz Kulesi).
• Hippodrome of Constantinople.
• Museum of the Islands of Istanbul.
• Museum of Innocence.
• Museum of Contemporary Art in Istanbul.

Markets, neighbourhoods and places
• Fish Restaurants Bebek area.
• Beyoglu
• Golden Horn
• Taksim Square
• Eyüp Cemetery
• Fashion District, district of Kadiköy
• Bagdat Caddesi, Kadiköy cosmopolitan district of the Asian part of the city.
• The Nisantasi

In conclusion, Istanbul is a destination with many attractions - If you like this advice - Please Subscribe for future travel advice

Turkey Tourism - Istanbul - Travel Advice

Turkey Tourism - Istanbul - Travel Advice

Many tourists dream about the beautiful city of Istanbul because it is a city with an important history and that was the capital of Eastern Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire.

Istanbul - Istanbul is the biggest city in Turkey and the third most populous in Europe. The ancient Byzantium and then Constantinople at the time of the Roman Empire, is now one of the most beautiful and populated areas of Europe, one of the 3 cities are located transcontinental between Europe and Asia.

Culture - Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and more westernized. Its location is between two continents, the culture of the Turkish economic capital is very rich. This motivated the decision by the European Parliament that the European Capital of Culture in 2010 as Istanbul, along with Pecs (Hungary) and Essen (Germany). In 2004, the city hosted the Festival of the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 in the Ukraine won 280 points.

History - The Roman Empire -In the year 191 a. C. the city became an ally of Rome, which was recognized as a free city, but later became a direct possession of the Republic (100 BC).

In 194, Byzantium became embroiled in a dispute between the Roman emperor Septimius Severus and Niger Pescennius, siding with the latter. Because of this Severus besieged the city, where Niger's supporters resisted. The fighting lasted three years, which irritated Severus, when finally gave up, looted and destroyed its walls. Then he proposed to rebuild it and build another city twice as large.

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul - The strategic location of Byzantium attracted to the Roman emperor Constantine the Great, who in 330 founded the city again as Nova Roma Constantinople in his honor and became the capital Roman Empire after its division in 395, the Eastern Roman Empire, which has passed into modern historiography with the name of the Byzantine Empire. Nova Roma's name was never used and was often Constantinople which prevailed until the fall of the Empire in 1453 and was used until the twentieth century in Europe, instead of Istanbul (still used in Greece).

The first period of splendor of the Empire the church of St. Sophia, the masterpiece of Byzantine art who built the Emperor Justinian I. After a brief crisis in the seventh and eighth centuries, again another round of rebirth in the IX and X, with the Eastern Schism, after which come the decline of the Empire to the Crusades, the division into several states such as the Latin Empire, and the continuing Turkish threat. But the city maintained its importance as a cultural and commercial center of the Mediterranean, with consulates and colonies of merchants from various countries.

The Ottoman Empire - The Fall of Constantinople under Turkish rule on May 29, 1453 was an event that shocked the European society of the time and is considered the end of the Middle Ages. The city fell after a long siege and years of conflict with the Turks who had conquered the rest of the Byzantine Empire, due to the tenacity of Sultan Mehmed II, then called Fatih ('the conqueror' in Turkish) and was part the Ottoman Empire until its official dissolution on November 1, 1922. The Ottomans called the city Istanbul.

The Blue Mosque - During the Ottoman period the city has gone through a complete cultural change, and went from being an imperial Byzantine city to another Ottoman Orthodox Christian and Islamic. Hagia Sophia, the Church of Divine Wisdom, was converted into a mosque as were some other churches in the city (especially the churches in the neighbourhoods they put more effort into defending the city against Mehmed II). Many churches were retained and new mosques were built around the city, each Sultan has built a magnificent mosque to commemorate his reign. Among these mosques, the most remarkable are the Bayezid Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque (the largest in Istanbul), Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the first Friday sermon or "khutba" in this Mosque was read by the Sufi Jelveti Sheikh Aziz Mahmud Hudayi) and Fatih Mosque.

Tekken Many of these still survive in today, some other form of mosques, museums, Fatih Tekke as Jerrahi, mosques and Ramazan Efendi Efendi Sunbul the mevlevihane Galata Beyoglu, Yahya Effendi in Besiktas and Bektasi Tekke Tekke in Kadiköy now used by Muslims as a Cemevi Alevis. A picturesque element of the landscape of certain parts of the city of Istanbul, which still survives today are the mobs, features tombs of the Ottoman period.

A 13.7 mile rail tunnel is being built with an estimated completion in 2012. Approximately 1400 meters of the tunnel be constructed under the close, using the technique of immersion of the canal, and is expected to be the deepest tunnel executed by this method (with a maximum of 56 m below water level). The project includes the construction of a 13.3 km metro with four stations, linking downtown to the eastern city Istanbul and the western city.

Istanbul has been and is a cultural and ethnic melting pot. Consequently, there are many mosques, churches, synagogues and historic buildings worth visiting in the city. For these reasons the Unesco in 1985, says the historic areas of Istanbul as a World Heritage Site.

Continue reading here to know the Places to visit in Istanbul

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Australia - Best Sydney Hotels Guide Tips - Travel Advice Tips

Australia Best Sydney Hotels Guide Tips - Travel Advice Tips

Meriton Serviced Apartments - World Tower - These luxury apartments are located from the 62nd floor and above, in the famous Sydney World Tower building.

The Sydney Meriton World Tower offers fantastic views from its heated indoor pool with Jacuzzi, fully equipped gym and sauna. Free wireless internet access throughout the hotel.

Meriton Serviced Apartments - Kent Street - These luxurious and modern apartments, situated in the heart of Sydney offer fantastic city views and access to indoor pool, gym, sauna and jacuzzi.

The Meriton Serviced Apartments - Kent Street offers beautiful views of Darling Harbour and the city. They feature spacious living areas and kitchen / laundry. All have cable TV and DVD players.

The lobby of the resort Kent Street Meriton Serviced Apartments gives the Skyview Shopping Plaza shopping center that includes shops and restaurants. The modern World Square shopping center is across the street.

Many major Sydney attractions including the Queen Victoria Building and Sydney Aquarium, are a 10 minute walk from the Meriton Serviced Apartments - Kent Street.

Guests can enjoy the indoor pool, gym, sauna and jacuzzi at the resort. The reception is open 24 hours every day.

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney - The luxurious Radisson Blu Plaza is at the heart of Sydney, 15 minutes walk from the famous opera. It offers free internet access, gym and pool.

The Radisson Blu is housed in a nineteenth century. Its elegant rooms reflect this historical style. All rooms have satellite TV and a luxurious marble bathroom.

The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney is 10 minutes walk from The Rocks area. The Circular Quay and the Museum of Contemporary Art are a 15 minute walk.

Relax in the jacuzzi at the hotel or enjoy the wide range of massages and beauty treatments available. The tour desk can recommend places of interest and help you organize your trip.

The award-winning Bilson's restaurant serves French cuisine. Bistro Restaurant and Bar offers a modern menu Fax combining Australian cuisine with European flavors.

Blue A Taj Hotel -This boutique hotel, situated in the heart of a luxury marina, offers breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour and the city centre and heated indoor swimming pool, gym and outdoor terrace.

Rooms at Blue Sydney have ultramodern furniture, including a 27-inch LCD TV, iPod dock and a luxurious king bed. All rooms and lofts have unique elements of the original historic pier.

The award-winning Water Bar offers a selection of spirits and cocktails in a sophisticated atmosphere. In spring all the restaurants you can dine outdoors and offer breathtaking views of the marina and the city.

The cafe is open every morning for breakfast. The hotel offers concierge services, laundry and dry cleaning service, in-room massages and daily newspapers.

Blue A Taj Hotel is located near the Royal Botanic Gardens and 15 minutes walk from the Sydney Opera House.

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Cambodia - Angkor Watt - Travel Cambodia Advice

Travel Cambodia - Angkor Watt - Travel Advice

Cambodia History -In Cambodia, Khmer emperors known for their massive army built a huge city in the eastern jungles.

The city of Angkor temples is located and was considered at the time of his glory as the center of the world. Andkorvat its name, it was built between 1115 and 1150 on the orders of Suryarman II to pay tribute to the god Vishnu, who would have the power to bring long life to his followers.

It was built on an artificial mound which symbolized the peaks which pleased the gods and kings.
Andkorvat consisted of a Vishnu temple, a palace for Suryarman II and a mausoleum for the glory of the emperor perpetuated through the ages at the end of his reign, all built on three floors topped by five majestic towers.

Engraved on the walls stretching over 800 meters and covering 2200 m² sculptures narrate the great battles of Hindu myths and lives of great kings. These walls are our most important legacy of the culture of the Khmer empire.

Cambodia People - The people here are super friendly and smiling despite their history of poverty and so hard. The scenery is beautiful and the hyper area authentic villages. The beaches are beautiful and just built! The food is delicious and varied. The Angkor temples are a must and a national pride

Phnom Penh - as the capital of Cambodia is a developing city, many buildings development activities modern. Phnom Penh organizes themselves with a range of facilities that serve all the needs for its residents and the visitors.

Angkor, Cambodia - Angkor is a region of Cambodia that housed the successive capitals of the Khmer Empire during his period. The Angkorian Empire was dominated Southeast Asia, from the China Sea to the Bay of Bengal, between centuries IX and XV of our era. Its monuments and temples near modern Siem Reap, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, and were declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1992.
Only recently this area has been reclaimed from the jungle, with the exception of its most important temple, the temple of Angkor Wat, which although originally dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, was never abandoned, being held for centuries by Buddhist monks. Several countries have participated in the reconstruction of the temples, the main responsible for the archaeologists of the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient (French School of Far East), whose work dates back to 1908

Angkor is an ancient Sanskrit word referring to city thom words and wat are the current Language Khmer for "big" and "pagoda" respectively. So Angkor Thom can be understood as the Big City and Angkor Wat as the City of Temple.

Angkor is a vast site on which include dozens of temple ruins and what the cities were. All these temples have been built between the ninth and the fifteenth century by the various kings and are a mixture of religions and Buddhist and hinduisam.

A place of meditation as there are two caves that served as the Khmer Rouge killing fields (I'll spare you the explanation of the method of execution used by these monsters, including the extermination of the younger children). Our guide this time lived as a child and lost his family during famine ...

Places to Visit
Angkor Wat - It is the largest temple and also the best preserved of those who make up the settlement of Angkor. It is considered the largest religious structure ever built, and one of the most important archaeological treasures in the world.

Angkor Thom - It was the fortified walled royal city built by Jayavarman VII (1181 - c. 1220), king of the Khmer Empire at the end of the twelfth century after Angkor was conquered and destroyed by the Chams.
The royal city was built along the river Siem Reap, surrounded by a well and a wall of 8 meters high. The current palace was built during the reign of Suryavarman I 150 years ago. According to legend, King spent part of each night with Queen Sun in the Heavenly Palace as part of this construction.

Angkor Thom - was built in the Hindu cosmogony, dedicated to the god Vishnu, but later dedicated to the late Buddhism. In the center of Angkor Thom is the Bayon, which was the temple of Jayavarman VII. He is known for its towers, Buddha face on four sides, the walls were covered with reliefs showing scenes from the life of the king and the people.

Bayon Temple - Built at the end of the twelfth century, completed during the reign of Jayavarman VII. It was created in Buddhist style. It is mostly known for its 54 towers and over 200 enigmatic smiling faces.
Ta Prohm

It is a Khmer temple of the late twelfth century, located in the complex of Angkor (Cambodia).
Preah Khan

Neak Pean - It is an artificial island with a Buddhist temple on an island in Preah Khan Baray circular built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII

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Niagara - Niagara Falls Tour - Travel Advice

Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Tour - Travel Advice

Where is Niagara Falls? The 56 miles of the Niagara River forming the border of the United States and Canada, The River is wide and navigable, then suddenly changes into a series of rapids, a waterfall 800 meters from the river becomes a stormy stream, these rapid form the beginning of the fall of the waters towards the waterfalls.

Niagara Falls actually consists of three waterfalls: The "Canadian Falls" (Ontario), the "American Falls" (New York) and "Bridal Veil Falls."

On the Canadian side, the water falls from a height of 49 meters and 792 meters in length forming a large horseshoe. Next to the falls there are several walks from where you can see the waterfall.

The American Falls is divided by two waterfalls, waterfall Rainbow and Bridal Veil, separated by Luna Island, with a peak of 322 meters and its fall is 51 meters. The rock fragments accumulated at the base of the falls, filled a pool whose depth could have been equal to the height of the falls. The depth of the river increases considerably as its course away from these fragments of rock.

Besides its beauty and spectacular Niagara Falls is very useful for hydropower, and promote tourism in the area. Mainly in two cities: Niagara Falls (New York) and Niagara Falls (Ontario)

Niagara Falls Attractions - Two of the best spots to see the falls from Canada are Queen Victoria Park and the Konica Minolta Tower.

Niagara Parkway – it is located at 2.5 km from the falls, I took the car for my first look at the Canadian zone. Driving along the Niagara Parkway, a beautiful tree-lined avenue that leads to the waterfall started looking for parking. It is frankly difficult to park on the streets of the town because of the many cars and almost all are also charging zones.

In the parallel road up a steep slope is the Falls view Casino Resort where you can leave your car as long as you want for $ 5 whether you're a guest or go or not to play casino.

It is about 500 meters from the waterfall and except that slope "Mortirolo" about 150 meters I think the best option unless you have limited mobility.

Dine, I saw the fireworks and decided to explore the town. There are two distinct entertainment areas, which is in front of the waterfall that has casinos, nightclubs and restaurants and a 1 kilometer (compared to the Rainbow Bridge) with Noria, restaurants, many shops and restaurants. Walked two, I played a little blackjack, and took a drink at a club whose name I forget.

Niagara on the Lake - Niagara on the Lake is a village about 20 km on the shore of Lake Ontario. The village itself does not stand for anything special but it has magnificent views and the buildings are quite nice, but I recommend it mainly because the way there runs between vineyards and fabulous homes.

Skylon Tower - I went back directly to the Skylon Tower. Personally I think from there you take the best pictures of the falls. Another way to see the falls is from the 156 m. Skylon Tower. Completed in 1965, the structure rises 236 m. above the choppy waters of the Niagara Gorge. Three high speed elevators take visitors to the top of the dome of the tower in just 52 seconds, where, on a clear day, visitors can see the fall area and large areas of Canada and the United States.

The Goat Island on the brink of the falls divides the river and falls into two sections, the U.S. and Canada. From the hotel we stayed, the panorama of the falls was beautiful.

Walking through Victoria Park is where you have the best views of the falls. Extension is a rock near the waterfall that allows observation and the best views of the Horseshoe Falls and American Falls.
Below the viewpoint of the dome there are two revolving restaurants Skylon.

The tourists who are adventurous may choose to ride the Spanish Aero Car, which offers a breathtaking aerial view of the Whirlpool Rapids, the cable car crosses above the turbulent waters of the river.

In the Niagara Botanical Gardens is the Butterfly Conservatory. Greenhouse Park has floral arrangements, plant collections from around the world and a pool of free-flying birds inside the greenhouse.

Niagara Falls is a great source of hydropower. In 1881 the first generator was installed hydroelectric river. The power of the falls is breathtaking, but is also useful.

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West Coast US Tours - Travel Advice

Places To Visit During West Coast US Tours - Travel Advice

LOS ANGELES - worth it if only for a walk in Hollywood, Venice Beach and Santa Monica. Despite the passage of time, and now shows an almost decadent, Hollywood will always be the mecca of cinema. This is demonstrated by its iconic sign on Mount Lee and the famous Walk of Fame.

SAN FRANCISCO - perhaps the most charming city which can be seen on the trip. Get on one of its tramways centenary dinner at Fisherman's Wharf, or enjoy the very complete audio tour of Alcatraz are just some of the attractions of the city world famous for its Golden Gate.

The giant sequoias, those trees that can reach up to 100 meters high, are a hallmark of California to not let them tell us. There are several areas where you can see: in Yosemite National Park, Muir Woods (near San Francisco) and Sequoia National Park.

LAS VEGAS - is one of those cities you have to go at least once in life. For some it is a scenario of cardboard, for others it is the best place I have walked, but the truth is that spending a night in this city located in the middle of the desert is pure spectacle and debauchery.

The Grand Canyon- One of the most breathtaking natural landscapes can be seen on the planet. It ranges up to 29 km wide with a depth of over 1,600 m. Erosion over 2,000 million years has led to this area, included in the list of world's natural wonders.

Within this group included all those places which, while not the triggers someone to visit the West Coast, will achieve a positive surprise, and even dazzle us.

Big Sur is one of those magical natural spaces. Use a couple of days to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco (or vice versa) provides an opportunity to discover places and charming, anchored on the shores of the California coast.

Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are two natural areas left open-mouthed. The first is a narrow canyon created inside a rock, like a cave, because the passage of streams that have resulted in walls up to 40 m in height. The second is a spectacular meander through canyons to the Colorado River makes its way through the town of Page.

When making a trip of this nature, there are many must-sees and very less time available to explore. And that's the first problem that one has to face, what do I see? or rather, what I like to see?

The main factor to consider in answering this question is the time available.

SAN DIEGO - is a city located in the southern California coast, a half hour drive from Mexico. Your air Latin and its magnificent beaches make it an attractive destination.

SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK - houses the largest and oldest trees in the world. Some of them have holes in their trunks in which it is an SUV.

Napa Valley- is a region located in northern California known mainly for its production of wine. Here the vines are infinite fields.

Monument Valley - is a huge depression that has been the scene of countless movies and commercials (like Marlboro). Located in Navajo country on the border of Utah and Arizona.

National Parks Bryce Canyon, Mesa Verde, Canyonlands and Arches. Together, they make a spectacle of color stone on land. Each one has a twist so it's hard not to want to visit them all.

THE WAVE is the kind of place that just seeing a photo, you want to go. It is a rock formation due to erosion presents a spectacular appearance, similar to ocean waves (hence the name). Paria Canyon is in Arizona.

Historic Route 66 is an old road that connected the east with the west. Today is a tourist attraction for those who want to know the deep and genuine America, and if the back of a Harley Davidson, the better!

BODIE CALICO or two ghost towns are located in the state of California. These old mining towns were abandoned decades ago and today have become a major tourist attraction.

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France - Places to visit on trip to France - Travel Advice

France - Places to visit on trip to France - Travel Advice

Loire Valley Castles -The Valley of Loria is one of the most spectacular areas to visit on a trip to France. In these fields and green hills you can visit a lot of castles and palaces that make us go back to the days of knights, princesses and dragons. The Loire Valley is the largest site declared a World Heritage Site.

The river Loire was a site of great strategic importance during the Middle Ages, on both sides fought over many battles and castles and fortresses were built. Estimates are over 100 castles can be visited in the Loire Valley, some open as museums and other like hotels. Then we will recommend four of the most interesting.

Chenonceau Castle - It is considered the most beautiful castles of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the most visited private castle in France. Chenonceau Castle XVI century and was built over the house of a marquis who betrayed the Crown. It is located in a landscape like no other, on the Cher River, a tributary of the Loire. Chenonceau Castle The entrance fee is 10 euros. Recommend to visiting the gardens and the maze, plus a walk by the banks of the river Cher.


Villandry Castle - Villandry Castle was one of the last to be built during the French Renaissance, was abandoned for several years until it was restored by the Carvallo family. Its main attraction is its extensive and beautiful gardens. The cost of entry to the Castle of Villandry is 9 euros, 6 euros if you only want to visit the gardens.

Sleeping Beauty Castle- Sleeping Beauty Castle is an excellent place to visit in case of a trip to the Loire Valley with children, that this castle was the inspiration for Perrault's famous fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. The entrance to the Castle of Ussé has a cost of 12 euros. The castle is open from February to November.

Castle of Clos-Luce - The Castle of Clos-Luce despite not having a structure as stunning and beautiful as other castles of the Loire Valley, has the honor of hosting one of the greatest geniuses in history, Leonardo da Vinci. The Clos-Luce was the place where he spent the last few years the great genius of the Renaissance and where he died in the presence of King Francis I. In the gardens of the Castle of Clos-Luce is possible to find recreations of many of the inventions of Leonardo Da Vinci. The Entrance fee is 12 euros.

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