by Roy -

This article is written by Shifra Menezes , a student and a travel writer based in Mumbai

Here’s a look at the top 25 destinations around the world that includes cultural capitals, architectural havens, beach paradises and some unconventional picks as well.

1. Cape Town, South Africa

The mere mention of most destinations in Africa immediately conjures up images of lion safaris and yellow wilderness as far as the eye can see. While these are enough to keep the intrepid traveller quite happy and offer the experience of a lifetime, there is more to Africa than just that and Cape Town is where it’s all at.

From cultural and historical attractions to wildlife and adventure sports, Cape Town has something for everyone.

A handful of the popular tourist attractions in Cape Town:

  • The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront a popular haunt for dining and shopping, offering up a wide variety of cuisine and wares.
  • The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden with its tranquil surrounds and exotic plants, is the ideal picnic spot for nature-lovers and trekkers alike.
  • The beaches in and around Cape Town are famous for their soft white sand and crystal-clear waters. Some of the popular ones are Blouberg, Dolphin Beach and Boulder.
  • If you’re an animal lover with a penchant for big cats, drop in at the Drakenstein Lion Park, dedicated to rehabilitating the beautiful animals in their natural surrounds.
  • For history buffs, a boat ride to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years, is a must-visit.

2. Sydney, Australia

Often mistaken as the capital city, Sydney is the country’s largest city and arguably its cultural capital.

The unmistakable waterfront of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge is just one of the many tourist attractions in the city.

Your visit to the harbour city should include:

  • Bondi Beach, one of the most famous in the world for its massive swells (for the surfers out there), is a great place to start. If you’re looking for a lazy day at the beach however, there are plenty to choose from such as Coogee, Manly and Balmoral among many, many others.
  • Nature enthusiasts won’t be disappointed with a visit to Taronga Zoo, Oceanworld and the Royal Botanical Gardens.
  • For those more culturally inclined, there’s the Sydney Festival (free indoor and outdoor performances), the Big Day Out (a travelling rock festival) and a number of film festivals.
  • Check out breathtaking views from the AMP Tower observatory, the highest structure in Sydney, and the Powerhouse Museum of science, technology and design.

3. Machu Picchu, Peru

Tucked away in the Amazon forests, perched atop an Andean plateau, this ancient city is an architectural marvel. Often referred to as the ‘Lost city of the Incas’, it has been recognised as a World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

Built around 1450, at the height of the Inca empire, the entire city has been constructed using polished dry stone and has survived the centuries remarkably well.

One of the three primary constructions within the city is the Intihuatana, a pillar built using stones that point to the sun. At noon on March 21 and September 21, the sun is almost directly above the pillar, and casts no shadow. It is believed that the Incas used this as a clock or calendar based on the sun’s path.

So for the traveller who enjoys a little history lesson along the way, Machu Picchu does just that.

4. Paris, France

Nothing says romance quite like Paris. But there is a lot more to this beautiful city than just the Eiffel Tower and romantic walks along the Siene.

The French capital offers a host of attractions including The Louvre, which is home to some of the world’s most valuable paintings and sculptures.

Food lovers can relish the French cuisine in the many bistros and cafes that dot the streets and culture vultures can take in the rich history and architecture on offer.

Some popular tourist spots include:

  • The Notre Dame cathedral, the Napoleonic Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees and the Pantheon church (the final resting place of Voltaire, Victor Hugo and Marie Curie) are some of the most recognised landmarks, as is the Eiffel Tower.
  • The Montmartre and Montparnasse areas, known for their artistic history is worth a visit for music halls and cafes.
  • Known as the world’s fashion capital, drop in at the Avenue Montaigne and Faubourg Saint-Honore for a peek of the highest of high fashion. And if splashing out on designer labels isn’t your thing, don’t fret. Paris has a lot more shopping than just designer labels. Les Halles and the Champs Elysees have plenty to choose from.
  • The picturesque Tuileries and Luxembourg Gardens are lovely for a stroll of picnic. A great way to unwind after a busy day of sightseeing.

5. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Movies and music have had a long-standing love affair with this beautiful city, and deservedly so. The spirit of Rio makes it a must-visit.

Another draw is the fact that the resort city will play host to the 2014 FIFA World Cup final and the 2016 Olympic Games and you can bet it’ll be an explosion of colour and dance two elements that simply capture what the city is all about.

So when you fly down, make sure your travel itinerary includes:

  • The Copacabana and Ipanema beaches have been immortalised in song and well deserve a drop-by thanks to their many dining spots, pubs and discos.
  • The Corcovado mountains with the statue of Christ the Redeemer are a major tourist draw being one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, and atop the peak, offer breath-taking views of the Brazilian landscape.
  • The annual Carnival (during February and March) is an experience like no other. Massive parades along the streets with opulent floats and tens of thousands of revellers simply have to be seen to be believed.

6. New York City, USA

The city has been written about and sung about, movies have been shot around its iconic landmarks and its unmistakable skyline and yet it loses nothing in terms of sheer fascination for the millions of visitors and tourists who throng its streets every year.

So if you too plan to drop by the Big Apple, make sure to visit:

  • Manhattan for its fantastic skyline and a glimpse of the Empire State Building, Rockerfeller Centre and Times Square.
  • Ellis Island for the Statue of Liberty, and while you’re at it the Staten Island Ferry.
  • Madison and Fifth avenue for the shopping.
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Broadway for some cultural stimulation

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by Roy -

The best way to get to the Christ the Redeemer statue is by cog train through the rain forest.

In Rio de Janeiro you will often hear the Tijuca Forest described as the largest jungle in the world, inside a city. It is not really true – Brazilians love superlatives and it is actually difficult to define what would be an “urban forest” – but the Tijuca National Park is big enough to nest amazing paths and hidden natural jewels. And, best of all, it is only a short bus ride away from Rio de Janeiro’s downtown.

“There are more than 90 kilometres of trails in the Tijuca National Park. It’s amazing to feel you’re deep in the jungle inside a metropolis like Rio de Janeiro, ” said park ranger Thiago Haussig. The 39-square-kilometre park is the first highly successful reforestation project in Brazil, started back in the second half of the 19th Century. Coffee farms had caused widespread deforestation and Rio’s water supply was threatened. In 1861 military police major Manuel Archer was given the order to replant the whole forest with the help of six slaves. And amazingly, they planted 100, 000 trees in less than six years.

It took another 100 years for the forest to be officially designated a national park in 1961 and only over the last decade have tracks been clearly marked and reasonably well kept. The park management claims all of them can be explored without guides but they admit that people do go astray with disturbing frequency. “On average, two groups get lost every year. But we have the resources and the expertise to deal with this and people are always found, ” said Mr. Haussig.

The problem is, there are very few sources of information on the tracks in Rio. The NGO Terra Brasil has a decent website with basic information on the most popular tracks, but the maps are small and lack detail. A few years ago the organization published a bilingual guide (in English and Portuguese), Tracking in the Tijuca National Park, with more detailed information on 90 tracks in the park, but it is out of print. Pedro Menezes de Correa’s Trilhas do Rio is another good out-of-print book on hiking in the Tijuca Forest and beyond. You can look for copies of both in the second-hand bookshops in downtown Rio. The Tijuca National Park management is currently drawing up a new map, expected to be in print around July for the commemoration of the park’s 150th anniversary.

Of the more well known routes, a long and locally popular hike is the one up to the Gavea Stone. The trail begins with two hours of a light track until you reach the Carrasqueira, a steep wall of stone crossed with the use of ropes and helmets. “It’s not really that hard and many people don’t even use the safety gear. But we strongly advise people to take these precautions, ” said Gabriel Werneck, owner of the adventure tour operator Rio Hiking. It takes another hour to overcome the Carrasqueira and then an additional 45 minutes to reach the peak. At 834 metres above the sea, the peak has views of Rio that will take away any breath you may have left after the hike up.

Tracks can also be a fresh approach to visiting traditional landmarks of Rio de Janeiro, like Corcovado Mountain. Instead of riding the touristy tram to the famous mountain-top statue of Christ the Reedemer, you can take a walk to the base through the jungle, past refreshing small waterfalls on the way. The trail begins in the beautiful Parque Laje, neighbouring the Botanical Gardens, and continues through the jungle for two hours. It follows the rails of the Corcovado Tramway for the last half hour of ascent where attentiveness is essential to avoid accidents with the trams. Until a few years ago, travellers walking up the trail would bypass the ticket booths to reach the belvedere on the summit of the Corcovado and the statue of the Christ, but stricter controls are now in place and no one gets there for free anymore.

Paulo Cabral

March 2011

http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20110301-trekking-in-rio

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