France has numerous canal and waterways, which makes river barging or canal barging one of the best ways to explore the beautiful country. Known to be one of the most romantic destinations in the world, France offers numerous river and canal cruises that are enjoyed by the locals and the tourists alike. Here is a note on the top 5 cruises that you should consider when in France.

Source: maitime.var.cci.fr

Canal Cruises

Canal cruises can be great for families or small groups of tourists. France has a number of beautiful canals that run into thousands of miles. If you appreciate history, architecture, the French cuisine and wine, then you are sure to have a great time on the cruise tours.

Source: realadventures.com

Canal barges are also ideal for independent travelers who can enjoy and appreciate the slow pace of these cruises. The popular canal cruises in France can be found in the Burgundy, Upper Loire, Champagne and the Alsace-Lorraine regions.

Barcelona is one the most cosmopolitan cities in Spain and also the busiest. It offers a lot of variety in terms of geographical landscapes from wooded hills to the sea. Deciding what to see in Barcelona can be quite a task. Here are some of the things you definitely shouldn’t miss.

La Sagrada Familia

The cathedral is the most visited monument in Spain, in spite of the innumerable options to choose from. The site has been a work in progress for over a century. The details that adorn the architecture command hours of admiration. Antoni Gaudi dedicated the second half of his life to this church. The main church is open only for daily mass. The museum and completed sections can be enjoyed at leisure, while various guided tours are available for the other sections.

La Sagrada Familia

Park Guell

Another masterpiece of Gaudi, Park Guell is unique as it is one of the few landscaping works of the artist. It was bought by Count Eusebi Guell in 1900 and Gaudi was asked to transform it into a garden city with houses for the rich. It was abandoned a little more than a decade later, but Gaudi had already marked 3 kilometers with his characteristic beauty.

Park Guell

La Rambla

This pedestrian boulevard is packed with narrow lanes and trees. The lanes are filled with traffic and people, both tourists and local. It features many restaurants, cafes, mimes, pavement artists, kiosks and living statues. This is exactly where you should go, if you are looking for something lively, but beware of pickpockets.

Museu Picasso

A dream for all art lovers, this is the most visited museum in Barcelona. The collection focusses on the formative years of Picasso and certain instants in his later life. Special exhibitions have additional charges and the museum has a few hours of free entry. It is spread over five medieval stone mansions and could easily take a few hours to explore.

Museu d’Historia de Barcelona

This museum comprises of what was the Grand Royal Palace and Casa Padellas among other architectural stunners. The museum is one of the most fascinating in Barcelona and a regular site for concerts, both organized and impromptu. The museum has marvelous walk throughs, a public bath and dye shops. The architecture that adorns this museum is both Roman and Gothic. Stunning villas and a Roman tower form a part of this museum.

Lily works with www.burger-davis.fr . They are a specialist provider of the finest Luxury holiday Villas for rent in cannes and the French Riviera. Lily loves travel, the outdoors and photography.

Islands are possibly one of the best destinations for a holiday. The joy of being surrounded by sparkling blue waters in the midst of quiet nature is really something else. Although it is difficult to rate islands as each of them are beautiful and appealing in their own way, here is a list of some of the best islands that you must visit if you ever get a chance.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar

This island is located off the cost of Tanzania. The beaches are gorgeous and you can enjoy a pleasurable soak in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. You can feast on the many fruits and spices that abound and bask in the fun African culture too. It also has a rich history with the reputation of hosting the shortest war in the world!

The town is full of narrow streets and each street has a story of its own to tell. Engaging the services of a local guide will make your stay even more interesting as the guide will take you the best spots, and possibly some exciting and unexplored ones! There are many resorts, beach houses and hotels to choose from, making your stay convenient.

Bali, Indonesia

This exotic island of Indonesia is replete with beautiful temples. It also boasts of one of the most beautiful and spectacular beaches in the world – the beach at Sanur. You can witness some interesting rituals when you visit the many temples of Bali. The weather is perfect and you have a lot of exploration that you can do considering that the island has a history of more than 4000 years. There are also number of cultural festivals and ceremonies that are performed regularly.

Everyone loves a camping trip irrespective of the age group they belong to. The primary reason for this is you can intimately experience nature by camping in the great outdoors. You learn to adapt to the surroundings and make do with whatever minimum utility items you have carried along. This minimalism will allow you to see things in the natural world that you had failed to notice before.

How to Plan for a Camping Trip?

How to get started

Planning for a camping trip is easier said than done. However, here are a few tips to ensure that your planning can be done without any roadblocks. The foremost thing that you should keep in mind is to involve everyone. Camping can get tough if all the participants do not enjoy fighting against some of the natural elements. So make sure that you prepare everyone mentally to counter any obstacles that you might face. There are a lot of things that might not go according to plan such as a damaged heater, no or limited water, cold, mosquitoes, etc. Some tasks like starting a fire, pitching the tent and finding fresh food might also be arduous. The destination must be unanimously accepted.

Fields

We traveled to a small town called “Dali”. I think this was one of our favorite times on the trip. It was interesting and beautiful. The sun shown over mountains and a beautiful lake. The breeze blew warm and free on our faces. The air felt clean, which in China… is a treat. We ate good food and hiked around a bit. We were all shopped out from the last town, so we did not go into many shops, but instead turned our wants over to less material things- like viewing mountains and pagodas. We spent the night at a very nice hotel and woke up early the next morning to take the cable car up the mountain our flight. It was like living in a postcard. Even the taxis were clean.

Libya

Although Libya has always been considered somewhat of an exotic travel destination, in 2011, it has become extremely unsafe for U.S. citizens because of fighting between government and opposition forces within the country. The U.S. State Department extended its travel warning in July 2011 recommending that citizens avoid all travel to Libya. In the event that the political climate becomes stable, taking a trip to Libya will give you the opportunity to experience the mixture of modern and ancient culture and civilization.

Archaeological Sites

Libya is home to Leptis Magna and Cyrene, two important archaeological sites that you must see during your stay. Leptis Magna, once a rich Phoenician port on the Mediterranean, was uncovered in the 20th century. The site consists of famous structures such as the Severan Arch, the Hadrianic Baths that are the largest outside of Rome, a shrine, a basilica, a theater and the amphitheater located along the seashore. Cyrene, in northeastern Libya, remains the best preserved Greek city of Cyrenaica, a province during the Roman period composed of the eastern half of modern day Libya. In addition to temples, tombs and a theater, the Skyrota, or main road, runs through the city with grand columns displaying the images of Hercules and Hermes.

Libya

Religious Buildings

Libya’s rich history has produced numerous mosques and churches with the most famous ones in Libya’s capital, Tripoli. Constructed in the 19th century, the Gurgi Mosque was the last mosque to be built while the Ottomans ruled Libya, and is famous for its ornately decorated and carved interior. The Draught Mosque was built in the 6th century, and is famous for its Arabesque calligraphy and massive columns. Expatriates may wish to visit the San Fransisco Church that was built in the 1930s.

Al-Saraya al-Hamra

Al-Saraya al-Hamra, or Red Castle, is found in the Old City, or Medina, of Tripoli. Red Castle dominates the skyline of Tripoli, and remains a testament to the power and might of Libya’s past ruling families, who lived at Red Castle until the 20th century. The castle is a citadel with a vast network of courtyards, alleyways and houses with a total area of almost 140,000 square feet.

Museums

Libya has three museums worth visiting; all of them are found in central Tripoli. The Libyan Studies Center has documented life during colonial rule by Italy through the display of more than 100,000 photographs and 10,000 tapes of oral history. The Jamahiriya Museum displays classical art in its 47 galleries representing each period of Libyan history. The home of former Libyan ruler, Yusuf Karamanli, is now a museum that provides an example of the once beautiful homes that were found in the Old City. The house displays traditional clothing, decor and furnishings from the Karamanli era.