As you follow the crowds into the Fair Grounds Race Course, site of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the first thing you'll notice is the eclectic population. Known for its vibrant musical history and culture, New Orleans draws both old and young to the Jazz and Heritage Festival. Locally branded as Jazz Fest, the Festival occurs on the last weekend of April and the first weekend of May each year. Grandparents and grandchildren, teachers and students, locals and visitors, those who play music and those who just like to dance to it, are all welcome at the New Orleans Jazz Fest. There are many themed music stages at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. At the gospel stage, you'll get the chance to hear ...
Although it’s a fairly unknown destination for most tourists, a trip to the top of Cape Town’s Lion's Head Mountain is a must for trekkers in the area. Situated between the famous Table Mountain and Signal Hill, Lion's Head is a valuable part of the Table Mountain National Park. The uniquely descriptive name, Lion's Head (Leewen Kop), was given by early Dutch settlers during the 17th century due to its likeness to that of a sphinx or lion, while Signal Hill was dubbed the lion's tale (Leewen Staart). Rarely does a hike live up to a promise of non-stop breathtaking views. But, elevated 669 meters above sea level, hiking Lion's Head Mountain does just this, with soaring views of Table Bay, Clifton and Camps Bay, ...
The Yucatan Peninsula is commonly considered and visited for the warm beaches around places like Cozumel, Cancun, and Playa del Carmen. They’re great getaways that draw the sun worshipers looking to unwind, relax and have some fun; but it’s not all about the sand and surf. Visitors to the area can also explore ancient city ruins of the once powerful Mayans: a civilization that ruled a large chunk of present-day Mexico and Central America for thousands of years. The most popular of these sites is the nearby Chichen Itza; but just a bit further down the road sits its impressive cousin: Uxmal (Oosh-mahl)— an interesting and less crowded experience. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Uxmal, which is Mayan for “built three times,” is believed ...
To take in the glorious splendour of a classic opera, there's no better venue than an original open-air amphitheatre in the heart of Italy. Built in the second century, Verona's Arena di Verona is the third largest Roman amphitheatre in the world. It was originally the home of a very different form of entertainment: gladiatorial battles, jousts and other tournaments. While partially damaged in an earthquake in the 12th Century, the venue remains fundamentally intact almost two thousand years since its creation. The Verona Arena has been home to opera and other dramatic performances since the 18th Century, and stands among the most well preserved venues of its size and vintage in the world. Located right in the centre of the city's old town, the ...
Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Austria, and rightfully so, as it is said to be surpassed in beauty and grandeur only by Versailles in France. If the beautifully decorated palace rooms are not enough to encourage a visit, travellers will be easily lured in by the remarkable gardens and the striking hedge maze. The site of Schonbrunn Palace originally served as a hunting ground for the Austrian Imperial family. A mansion was erected by the family in 1548, and this mansion was eventually transformed into a palace by Eleonore Gonzaga, the widow of Ferdinand II, and a prominent member of the House of Hapsburg. Schonbrunn Palace has been remodelled several times according to the whims of its ...
Kawasan Falls is a tranquil set of mountainous falls located in the town of Badian, Cebu. This cascade of crystal-clear spring water is a must for anyone in the area. Its lush green surroundings alone are enough to lighten your lungs from the weight of local tricycle exhaust, but its true allure is only experienced once you slip into its cool waters for a refreshing dip. You can enjoy a rare treat swimming under Kawasan Falls' firm chutes of water—a natural waterfall massage! Although not necessarily among the accepted and popularized ranks of Shiatsu or Swedish massage, a waterfall massage is a unique pleasure seldom available to most. An easy 20 minute walk along the gurgling river path from the main road will lead you ...
Over the years, the earth’s shifting plates drastically changed the landscape of today’s Rocky Mountain region, and 14,000-foot (4,267 meters) mountains now tower above the land that was once a great sea. Today, the Rocky Mountains, looks nothing like it did 100 million years ago when the land belonged to the dinosaurs who roamed the shores of a sea that extended from the present-day Gulf of Mexico to Canada. What was once a beachfront resort and habitat for dozens of species of dinosaurs, including the great Stegosaurus and Allosaurus, now belongs to present-day tourism in the form of ski resorts and the great Dinosaur National Monument. The dinosaurs no longer walk the ground, but they still remain an imbedded part of the area as fossils ...
Venice is one of the world's most popular tourist attractions, attracting some 20 million visitors per year to the Italian city. The historic city of Venice, once an independent city state, was a major trading post in its day between Western Europe, the Byzantine Empire, and the Islamic world. In fact, around the 13th Century it was the richest city in all of Europe. The legacy of this era remains fully palpable, with a great number of magnificent historic buildings. The gondola city of Venice, which is made up of 113 small islands, is perhaps most famous for its many canals and their many gondolas. However, Venice is also very well known for the grandeur of the central St Mark's Square, and its current principal ...
The entrance gate to Vondelpark in Amsterdam provides a perfect first impression. Distinguished doors frame the park in green and regal gold, and the swirl embellished bars of the gate suggest that art antiquity lies just beyond. Although works of Van Gough and Rembrandt are found outside of Vondelpark, the ornately sculptured park is actually the art form implied upon. There is, however, a sculpture by Picasso (The Fish), and an abundance of places for repose and tranquility. By far the best way to explore the lush grounds is to use the beloved local means of transport in Amsterdam: the bicycle. A bicycle ride through the 47 hectares of Vondelpark is reminiscent of travelling back in time through art history, as many artists absorbed inspirations ...
Juniper and pinon trees blanket the earth in mountainous southwestern Colorado, an area with spectacular vistas high above sea level. Hiding behind these trees is the Mesa Verde National Park: a jewel in the US National Park Service crown. Recent forest fires have thinned the trees in the area, but the title of “green tableland,” as given by Spanish explorers seeking a route from Santa Fe to California in the 18th century, definitely still fits Mesa Verde Park. While the Park is named for its trees, it’s the ancient cliff dwellings inside that are more the attraction to Mesa Verde National Park. Ancestral Pueblo people inhabited what is now Montezuma County in Colorado around the 7th century. Also known as the Anasazi, a Navajo word ...
