Many tourists come to New South Wales to vis... #
Many tourists come to New South Wales to visit the city of Sydney and its attractions. While much tourism is focused on Sydney and the coastal areas, the whole of New South Wales offers a multitude of experiences, with plenty of things to see and do which suit all tastes and interests, whether that be natural wonders, white sandy beaches, historical sites, or friendly country communities. From the busyness of Sydney, to the unspoilt beaches and sleepy communities of the South Coast, to the rugged Snowy Mountains, to the wineries of Mudgee and the Hunter Valley, to the red outback, to the rainforests of the North Coast and New England, wherever you spend time in New South Wales you are bound to enjoy yourself immensely.
+ node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value (String, 3 characters ) -33 + node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value_rendered (String, 3 characters ) -33 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value (String, 3 characters ) 146 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value_rendered (String, 3 characters ) 146 + openlayers_popup (String, 1603 characters )Many tourists come to New South Wales to visit the city of Sydney and its attractions. While much tourism is focused on Sydney and the coastal areas, the whole of New South Wales offers a multitude of experiences, with plenty of things to see and do which suit all tastes and interests, whether that be natural wonders, white sandy beaches, historical sites, or friendly country communities. From the busyness of Sydney, to the unspoilt beaches and sleepy communities of the South Coast, to the rugged Snowy Mountains, to the wineries of Mudgee and the Hunter Valley, to the red outback, to the rainforests of the North Coast and New England, wherever you spend time in New South Wales you are bound to enjoy yourself immensely.
England is the largest of the four "home nat... #
England is the largest of the four "home nations" that make up the United Kingdom. It is also the most populous of the four with almost 52 million inhabitants (roughly 90% of the total population of the UK). On the island of Great Britain, Scotland sits to the north of England and Wales is to the west. Northern Ireland (also part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland lie across the Irish Sea to west of England (and Wales). France and the Channel Islands are across the English Channel to the south, and to the east is the North Sea.
+ node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value (String, 7 characters ) 52.1605 + node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value_rendered (String, 7 characters ) 52.1605 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value (String, 9 characters ) -0.703125 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value_rendered (String, 9 characters ) -0.703125 + openlayers_popup (String, 1258 characters )England is the largest of the four "home nations" that make up the United Kingdom. It is also the most populous of the four with almost 52 million inhabitants (roughly 90% of the total population of the UK). On the island of Great Britain, Scotland sits to the north of England and Wales is to the west. Northern Ireland (also part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland lie across the Irish Sea to west of England (and Wales). France and the Channel Islands are across the English Channel to the south, and to the east is the North Sea.
France is a country located in Western Europ... #
France is a country located in Western Europe. Clockwise from the north, France borders Belgium and Luxembourg to the northeast, Germany and Switzerland to the east, Italy to the south-east and Spain to the south-west, across the Pyrenees mountain range (the small country of Andorra lies in between the two countries). The Mediterranean Sea lies to the south of France, with the Principality of Monaco forming a small enclave. To the west, France has a long Atlantic Ocean coastline, while to the north lies the English Channel, across which lies the last of France's neighbours, England (part of the United Kingdom).
France is the world's most popular tourist destination (78 million in 2006) boasting dozens of major tourist attractions, like Paris, Côte d'Azur (the French Riviera), the Atlantic beaches, the winter sport resorts of the Alps, the Castles of Loire Valley, Brittany, Normandy: Mont Saint Michel. The country is renowned for its gastronomy (particularly wines and cheeses), history, culture and fashion.
+ node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value (String, 2 characters ) 46 + node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value_rendered (String, 2 characters ) 46 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value (String, 1 characters ) 2 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value_rendered (String, 1 characters ) 2 + openlayers_popup (String, 1812 characters )France is a country located in Western Europe. Clockwise from the north, France borders Belgium and Luxembourg to the northeast, Germany and Switzerland to the east, Italy to the south-east and Spain to the south-west, across the Pyrenees mountain range (the small country of Andorra lies in between the two countries). The Mediterranean Sea lies to the south of France, with the Principality of Monaco forming a small enclave. To the west, France has a long Atlantic Ocean coastline, while to the north lies the English Channel, across which lies the last of France's neighbours, England (part of the United Kingdom).
France is the world's most popular tourist destination (78 million in 2006) boasting dozens of major tourist attractions, like Paris, Côte d'Azur (the French Riviera), the Atlantic beaches, the winter sport resorts of the Alps, the Castles of Loire Valley, Brittany, Normandy: Mont Saint Michel. The country is renowned for its gastronomy (particularly wines and cheeses), history, culture and fashion.
Switzerland(German: Schweiz, French: Suisse,... #
Switzerland(German: Schweiz, French: Suisse, Italian: Svizzera, Romansch: Svizra) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It has borders with France to the west, Italy to the south, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east and Germany to the north.
The climate is temperate, but varies with altitude. Switzerland has cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters and cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers.
Switzerland is known for its mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) but it also has a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes. The highest point is Dufourspitze at 4,634 m while Lake Maggiore is only 195 m above sea level.
+ node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value (String, 7 characters ) 47.0002 + node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value_rendered (String, 7 characters ) 47.0002 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value (String, 7 characters ) 8.01427 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value_rendered (String, 7 characters ) 8.01427 + openlayers_popup (String, 1490 characters )Switzerland(German: Schweiz, French: Suisse, Italian: Svizzera, Romansch: Svizra) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It has borders with France to the west, Italy to the south, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east and Germany to the north.
The climate is temperate, but varies with altitude. Switzerland has cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters and cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers.
Switzerland is known for its mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) but it also has a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes. The highest point is Dufourspitze at 4,634 m while Lake Maggiore is only 195 m above sea level.
Germany, (officially: the Federal Republic o... #
Germany, (officially: the Federal Republic of Germany),(German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is the largest country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by Denmark, to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic, to the south by Austria and Switzerland, and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. Germany is a federation of 16 states, similar in structure to the USA, each with a distinct and unique culture. Contrary to the general foreigner's conception Germany it not a very homogeneous nation and regionalism is alive and well making it a very diverse place for its size.
+ node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value (String, 4 characters ) 51.5 + node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value_rendered (String, 4 characters ) 51.5 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value (String, 4 characters ) 10.5 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value_rendered (String, 4 characters ) 10.5 + openlayers_popup (String, 1393 characters )Germany, (officially: the Federal Republic of Germany),(German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is the largest country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by Denmark, to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic, to the south by Austria and Switzerland, and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. Germany is a federation of 16 states, similar in structure to the USA, each with a distinct and unique culture. Contrary to the general foreigner's conception Germany it not a very homogeneous nation and regionalism is alive and well making it a very diverse place for its size.
Belgium (French: Belgique, Dutch: België, G... #
Belgium (French: Belgique, Dutch: België, German: Belgien) is a low-lying country on the North Sea coast in the Benelux. With the majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of the Belgian capital of Brussels, and as a member of the long-standing international Benelux community, Belgium sits at the crossroads of Western Europe. Its immediate neighbors are France to the southwest, Luxembourg to the southeast, Germany to the east and the Netherlands to the north.
+ node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value (String, 7 characters ) 50.8333 + node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value_rendered (String, 7 characters ) 50.8333 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value (String, 1 characters ) 4 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value_rendered (String, 1 characters ) 4 + openlayers_popup (String, 1259 characters )Belgium (French: Belgique, Dutch: België, German: Belgien) is a low-lying country on the North Sea coast in the Benelux. With the majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of the Belgian capital of Brussels, and as a member of the long-standing international Benelux community, Belgium sits at the crossroads of Western Europe. Its immediate neighbors are France to the southwest, Luxembourg to the southeast, Germany to the east and the Netherlands to the north.
The bridge sighs in Venice and the tower is ... #
The bridge sighs in Venice and the tower is leaning in Pisa, but the Italian cities are anything but sleepmaking.
The world’s love affair with Italy continues. The bel paese (beautiful country) might no longer be a blushing bride but this most beguiling of countries still has the power to thrill, to throw up surprises and excite emotion.
Italy’s enduring appeal is easy to explain. Rome’s martial monuments, Florence’s Renaissance glories and the drama of the Amalfi Coast are all well known. Less famous is the red-blooded hedonism of Italy’s foodie capital, Bologna, and the edgy atmosphere of Naples’ high-voltage historic centre. Much of southern Italy is mountainous and remote, its forbidding landscape largely overlooked by foreign visitors.
Alongside Italy’s art treasures, you’ll find plenty to keep you busy in the countryside. You can ski in the Alps, hike the Dolomites or dive off Sardinia’s golden coast. Adrenalin junkies can catch fireworks on Sicily’s volatile volcanoes. But as much as all of this, a trip to Italy is about lapping up the lifestyle. It’s about idling over a coffee at a streetside cafe or lingering over a long lunch in the hot Mediterranean sun.
+ node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value (String, 7 characters ) 42.8333 + node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value_rendered (String, 7 characters ) 42.8333 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value (String, 7 characters ) 12.8333 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value_rendered (String, 7 characters ) 12.8333 + openlayers_popup (String, 2002 characters )The bridge sighs in Venice and the tower is leaning in Pisa, but the Italian cities are anything but sleepmaking.
The world’s love affair with Italy continues. The bel paese (beautiful country) might no longer be a blushing bride but this most beguiling of countries still has the power to thrill, to throw up surprises and excite emotion.
Italy’s enduring appeal is easy to explain. Rome’s martial monuments, Florence’s Renaissance glories and the drama of the Amalfi Coast are all well known. Less famous is the red-blooded hedonism of Italy’s foodie capital, Bologna, and the edgy atmosphere of Naples’ high-voltage historic centre. Much of southern Italy is mountainous and remote, its forbidding landscape largely overlooked by foreign visitors.
Alongside Italy’s art treasures, you’ll find plenty to keep you busy in the countryside. You can ski in the Alps, hike the Dolomites or dive off Sardinia’s golden coast. Adrenalin junkies can catch fireworks on Sicily’s volatile volcanoes. But as much as all of this, a trip to Italy is about lapping up the lifestyle. It’s about idling over a coffee at a streetside cafe or lingering over a long lunch in the hot Mediterranean sun.
Occupying Australia’s northeastern corner,... #
Occupying Australia’s northeastern corner, this vast state is awash with dazzling landscapes, vibrant cities and 300 days of sunshine a year. It’s also home to some of the country’s most notable highlights, from the golden beaches of the Sunshine Coast and the luminous green of the Daintree rainforest and Daintree Village to the clear blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
It hides some of the country’s lesser-known treasures, delivering wow-factor with gusto. You only have to peel back the postcard to find corners seemingly untouched by other visitors – Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park with its ancient rainforests, the white sandy beaches of the Whitsunday Islands, vibrant and unique Aboriginal festivals and jaw-dropping sunsets. Brisbane will delight city slickers with its lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere and, in the north, Cairns is a travellers’ mecca. Between the two are strings of towns and islands, each with its own flavour but all brimming with Queenslander hospitality.
For the active traveller there are oodles of opportunities for white-water rafting, scuba diving, snorkelling, bushwalking, horse riding, surfing, bungee jumping, abseiling… The state is also home to more tours accredited under the national eco certification scheme than any other, so you can safely explore, rather than exploit, this beautiful state.
+ node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value (String, 3 characters ) -20 + node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value_rendered (String, 3 characters ) -20 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value (String, 3 characters ) 145 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value_rendered (String, 3 characters ) 145 + openlayers_popup (String, 2110 characters )Occupying Australia’s northeastern corner, this vast state is awash with dazzling landscapes, vibrant cities and 300 days of sunshine a year. It’s also home to some of the country’s most notable highlights, from the golden beaches of the Sunshine Coast and the luminous green of the Daintree rainforest and Daintree Village to the clear blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
It hides some of the country’s lesser-known treasures, delivering wow-factor with gusto. You only have to peel back the postcard to find corners seemingly untouched by other visitors – Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park with its ancient rainforests, the white sandy beaches of the Whitsunday Islands, vibrant and unique Aboriginal festivals and jaw-dropping sunsets. Brisbane will delight city slickers with its lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere and, in the north, Cairns is a travellers’ mecca. Between the two are strings of towns and islands, each with its own flavour but all brimming with Queenslander hospitality.
For the active traveller there are oodles of opportunities for white-water rafting, scuba diving, snorkelling, bushwalking, horse riding, surfing, bungee jumping, abseiling… The state is also home to more tours accredited under the national eco certification scheme than any other, so you can safely explore, rather than exploit, this beautiful state.
It may be pint-sized compared to the colossa... #
It may be pint-sized compared to the colossal kilometres of some states, but Victoria packs just as much variety, wilderness, remoteness, guts and urban mayhem as its beefier neighbours. Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city, occupies a southern bay, and is a hybrid of global influence. The art, music, theatre, cinema and cuisine in this city of culture junkies is accessible to every budget, and though fuelled by the best baristas in the country, the Melburnian pace is set to an affable amble.
Scalloping its way around coves, beaches and cliffs, the Great Ocean Rd is great indeed. Wild surf pounds the shoreline and enigmatic coastal towns mingle with lush national parks such as the unfailingly photogenic Port Campbell National Park. Around Melbourne the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula are latticed with grapevines; popular spa towns Daylesford & Hepburn Springs aren't too far either.
In the High Country, brilliant autumn colours segue into snowfields and back again to sleepy summer towns, haunted by pale ghost gums. Skis get a work-out in winter, and cycling, horseback riding and cheeky weekends are the mainstays of the summer bliss. Dry plains in the Western District are home to farmland and breathtaking bushwalking in the Grampians National Park. The most-southern mainland tip is in the spiritually reviving Wilsons Promontory National Park. The exquisite empty of the outback creeps into the deserts of the northwest and the mighty Murray cuts a verdant swathe high above.
Such geographic extremes nurture a bipolar climate, which oscillates from windy gales to sunny skies, all between leaving the house and catching a tram! This too has become part of Victoria’s charm; the locals here are up for anything, anytime.
+ node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value (String, 3 characters ) -37 + node_data_field_location_latitude_field_location_latitude_value_rendered (String, 3 characters ) -37 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value (String, 3 characters ) 145 + node_data_field_location_longitude_field_location_longitude_value_rendered (String, 3 characters ) 145 + openlayers_popup (String, 2530 characters )It may be pint-sized compared to the colossal kilometres of some states, but Victoria packs just as much variety, wilderness, remoteness, guts and urban mayhem as its beefier neighbours. Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city, occupies a southern bay, and is a hybrid of global influence. The art, music, theatre, cinema and cuisine in this city of culture junkies is accessible to every budget, and though fuelled by the best baristas in the country, the Melburnian pace is set to an affable amble.
Scalloping its way around coves, beaches and cliffs, the Great Ocean Rd is great indeed. Wild surf pounds the shoreline and enigmatic coastal towns mingle with lush national parks such as the unfailingly photogenic Port Campbell National Park. Around Melbourne the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula are latticed with grapevines; popular spa towns Daylesford & Hepburn Springs aren't too far either.
In the High Country, brilliant autumn colours segue into snowfields and back again to sleepy summer towns, haunted by pale ghost gums. Skis get a work-out in winter, and cycling, horseback riding and cheeky weekends are the mainstays of the summer bliss. Dry plains in the Western District are home to farmland and breathtaking bushwalking in the Grampians National Park. The most-southern mainland tip is in the spiritually reviving Wilsons Promontory National Park. The exquisite empty of the outback creeps into the deserts of the northwest and the mighty Murray cuts a verdant swathe high above.
Such geographic extremes nurture a bipolar climate, which oscillates from windy gales to sunny skies, all between leaving the house and catching a tram! This too has become part of Victoria’s charm; the locals here are up for anything, anytime.
There's no better place to experience the Pa... #
There's no better place to experience the Pacific with a taste of France than New Caledonia, where Melanesian tradition blends with French sophistication. This mix of the chic yet casual, très French but ultimately Pacific comes together with peerless élan in Noumea, the cosmopolitan capital. Dining out and shopping run the gamut from gourmet restaurants to humble roulottes, from Chinatown's colourful shops to the expensively elegant, air-conditioned boutiques on rue de Sébastopol. When you leave the capital, the urban scenery gives way to a wealth of changing landscapes - the rolling plains of la brousse (the bush), lush river valleys, steep mountains coursed by tumbling waterfalls, cool rainforests and wild coastlines.
New Caledonia is surrounded by the world's largest enclosed lagoon, where marine treasures of all shapes and sizes lie waiting to be discovered - canyons and caves, exquisite coral, the smallest of tropical fish, turtles, sea snakes and sharks. Dolphin and whale spotting are other delights in store, or simply the luxury of total relaxation on the soft, warm sand of a deserted isle.
There's no better place to experience the Pacific with a taste of France than New Caledonia, where Melanesian tradition blends with French sophistication. This mix of the chic yet casual, très French but ultimately Pacific comes together with peerless élan in Noumea, the cosmopolitan capital. Dining out and shopping run the gamut from gourmet restaurants to humble roulottes, from Chinatown's colourful shops to the expensively elegant, air-conditioned boutiques on rue de Sébastopol. When you leave the capital, the urban scenery gives way to a wealth of changing landscapes - the rolling plains of la brousse (the bush), lush river valleys, steep mountains coursed by tumbling waterfalls, cool rainforests and wild coastlines.
New Caledonia is surrounded by the world's largest enclosed lagoon, where marine treasures of all shapes and sizes lie waiting to be discovered - canyons and caves, exquisite coral, the smallest of tropical fish, turtles, sea snakes and sharks. Dolphin and whale spotting are other delights in store, or simply the luxury of total relaxation on the soft, warm sand of a deserted isle.