Nick Nikolis asked:


If you are booking a trip to Europe you will need a great hotel. Find a hotel that treats you well, has luxuries offered if you choose to use them such as a spa and indoor pool, a clean hotel, friendly hotel, and a hotel that will not break the bank. Or book an apartment or villa with the same top notch qualities.

Destination Europe may be the world’s second smallest continent but it contains in a whole load of several countries, each of them unique, and each one having that ’special something’ that makes them one of the best holiday destination in the world.

Europe possesses 48 countries in total; variety in Europe is almost unparalleled, with a great mix of languages, foods, climates landscapes, religion and traditions. Sun yourself on Greece’s beaches, snuggle up in a log cabin in Norway, ski the Alps in Switzerland, eat pasta in Italy, drink vodka in Russia, dance salsa in Spain or visit Santa in Lapland.

Enjoy traveling Europe. Maybe your destination is Cyprus. Cyprus is just like the postcard you envision. Crystal blue water of the Mediterranean Sea, soft sand, and lush meadows. All of this for you to sit back and just take in. You and your family may want to explore Cyprus. Or perhaps you and your spouse or significant other wants to get away for a romantic trip.

If your destination is Greece you can try many of the mouth watering Greek foods offered. Literally eat your way through Greece. Bring your camera to take photos of the rich history Greece has to offer. Your children will learn a lot by traveling with you. Or you and your loved one can walk the romantic streets of Greece together and enjoy each other’s company. Visions of brilliant sunsets reflecting off of the dark blue water and a glass of wine to relax and enjoy every single moment. Get lost in Greece’s pleasures.

Maybe you are going to the Greek Islands for your vacation. You can stay on one island or enjoy traveling from island to island to see as much as you are able. Take a sailboat or a yacht. Find out what each Greek Island has to offer. It will be educational, interesting and fun to meet the island people. Try different menus from each island. You will not find any bluer waters than on the Greek Islands.

Be treated the way you deserve to especially on your vacation travels. Create memories to last a lifetime. Escape now.

Giorgos Kontopoulos asked:


Greece is quickly making itself known as a need-to-visit tour site. With its excellent all-season climate, beautiful landscapes, and great tourist spots, visiting Greece is truly a no-brainer. In ancient times, it was the center of modern democracy, culture, and the arts, and it retains this high status even today. Being a city of both ancient influences and modern conveniences, Greece is sure to have something in it for everyone.

If you’re the kind of person that likes to relax and just experience nature, the warm Mediterranean country offers thousands of miles of beaches to explore. The soothing turquoise waters and long stretches of white sand create ideal places to just lie back and enjoy yourself. Secluded coves surrounded by gigantic cliffs and palm and pine tree forests abound in Greece, and one should definitely see the country’s beautiful seashore in their lifetime, it’s an experience you can’t forget.

If sight-seeing is more of your thing, no worries: Greece has lots to offer. Towering monuments to ancient Greek gods like Zeus and Athena still stand tall, a testament to the great architectural prowess of the early Grecians. The sophisticated structures of famous buildings like the monumental Acropolis and Temple of Poseidon are truly beautiful sights to behold. Intricate columns and carefully crafted sculptures also flourish. Many modern cities like Washington D.C. borrow the concepts first put into use by the Greeks and their Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian columns are still major inspirations in current architecture.

Greece is also a country of wonderfully rich culture, stemming from the fact that it was the center of sophistication in the ancient world. Traditions, language, music, foods, and wine are all major parts of the Greek culture and leave a lasting impression on all tourists that visit it. Visitors can listen to traditional Greek folk music, Dimotiko Tragoudi, which originated in the early 9th century while partaking in the rich cuisine of the country. Known for its high-quality products and amazing, rich taste, Greek food is some of the best in the world. Unique herbs and spices dot traditional dishes like paidaka, tender and juicy lamb ribs, and pastitsio, a dish reminiscent of Italian lasagna. The hearty Greek diet is also accompanied by some of the best wines, many locally produced in family-owned vineries.

In short, Greece has much to offer to prospective travelers. Stunning beaches, towering monuments, advanced culture, and delicious dining are just some of the many attractions of the country. The tour industry in Greece is becoming more and more advanced and accessible to the average person, as opposed to when only high-class citizens could travel there just decades ago. This is yet another reason to observe the wonders of the country. Online all-in-one booking sites make traveling there even easier. Whatever your reasons are, visiting Greece is a remarkable experience that will go above and beyond your expectations.

Richard Greaves asked:


Think of Brazilian festivals and the images that spring to mind are of fantastic street parades featuring dancers in fantastic costumes gyrating to samba rhythms. This is of course the annual Carnival. Carnival starts on a Saturday and officially runs for four days, ending on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras). The actual date depends on Easter and so varies between February and March.

Carnival

Carnival celebrations occur in every city in Brazil but the real extravaganza happens in Rio. Here it’s the samba schools that put on the big show. Each samba school chooses its theme for the parade and prepares the elaborate floats and flamboyant costumes that define Carnival.

Carnival has its origins in long-ago pagan celebration held in Greece or Rome. The grand balls that evolved from these rituals arrived in Brazil from Italy at the end of the 19th century. Decades later, they achieved legendary status for their splendour and the celebrities who attended them at the Copacabana Palace Hotel. The actual Samba Parade that is the heart of Carnival dates from the 1930s.

Sao Paulo Art Festival

Another major event on the Brazilian calendar is the Sao Paulo art festival held biannually in October on even years. The São Paulo Bienal as it’s known locally, features both Brazilian and international art. It’s the biggest arts event in Latin America and showcases art, theater, music, and architecture.

Taking the Venice Biennial as its model, the São Paulo Art Biennial was founded in 1951 by the Italian-Brazilian industrialist Ciccillo Matarazzo. The original aim of the festival was to make international modern art better known in Brazil, to promote the works of Brazilian artists to the world, and to plant Sao Paulo firmly on the international art scene. In addition to the art biennial, an International Biennial for Architecture and Design has been held since 1973.

Sao Joao

Our last festival is a sacred one celebrated nationwide - Festa Junina (São João or Saint John Festival) which is the Catholic replacement for a pagan midsummer festival. The tradition was brought to Brazil by Portuguese colonists. As Brazil is in the southern hemisphere, it becomes a midwinter festival here and is celebrated in June. It starts one week before St John’s Day and ends one week after and is celebrated with traditional foods, games and dances. It’s mainly celebrated on the days following the Catholic feast of Saint Anthony, John the Baptist and Saint Peter.

While celebrated all over Brazil, Sao Joao is especially popular in the rural northeast. Here it marks the beginning of the rainy season. And as São João coincides with the corn harvest, corn-based foods are a popular facet of the celebration. These include canjica and pamonha. Fireworks and bonfires are key components of the festivities.

Brazil is always an exciting country to visit. But if you can make your visit during one of the country’s many festivals, you can experience a new dimension in Brazilian hospitality and enter the heart of life in this amazing country. The only difficulty with visiting the events in

Brazil might be your accommodation. Be sure to have a reservation, because hotels in Rio de Janeiro or hotels in Sao Paolo could be fully booked during the festivals. Of course the Internet offers many opportunities to book Brazil hotels in advance.

Henrydix asked:


“God created the world in six days and on the seventh day, he created Rio de Janeiro”

Brazilians sayings

Rio is an awe-inspiring city where impossibly steep granite mountains rise from the ocean between glorious stretches of golden sand. Brash skyscrapers vie for space with impeccable colonial buildings, and lush forests tumble down hillsides into densely populated residential areas.

Its diverse cultures and people live in varying degrees of wealth or poverty. Rich exclusive areas stand in stark contrast and close proximity to the slum areas or favelas. But no matter what their background or economic standing, the Rio’s residents are characterized by a passion and enthusiasm for life.

The cidade maravilhosa (marvelous city) revels in life, with the beach, football, samba and Carnival the principal diversions. High above all this fun and frivolity are Rio’s ever-present landmarks - the statue of Christ the Redeemer on the summit of Hunchback Mountain and Sugarloaf with its historic cable car.

As well as these twin icons, Rio boasts a wealth of attractions and activities, plus great food, music and entertainment - enough to keep a visitor busy for any length of stay.A natural port of the Guanabara Bay in southeast Brazil, the city was founded by the Portuguese on 1 January 1502. They named it Rio de Janeiro (River of January), under the mistaken impression that it was an enormous river mouth. Since then, it has grown to a city of over 6 million people, with a further 5 million in the greater metropolitan area.

Migrants find that the city has more than its fair share of social problems. Attempts have been made to curtail crime, but visitors should remain alert to petty thieves.

In the 1960’s, the capital was moved from Rio to Brasilia, in an effort to decentralize the power found in Rio. All the jobs associated with such political power transferred to the interior of the country. This, along with a slowing economy and increased economic pressure from Sao Paulo, Rio is trying to redefine its role in the Brazilian economy.

Beachfront property in Rio de Janeiro is by far the most popular investment and give very good rental returns of 8-10% per annum. There is a developed Brazil property market and properties in Rio de Janeiro offer beachfront property in Copacabana beach and Ipanema beach. Property in Ipanema offers stunning views to the Atlantic Ocean. Rio is visited by millions of international tourists land here each year, making the buy to let property in Brazil investments very realistic indeed.

From a record low in 2002, the Brazilian Real has doubled in value against the US Dollar and rallied against other world currencies, so the country is not as cheap as it used to be. However, Brazil is still affordable and gaining in popularity - 2007 saw a 15% increase in visitors, mainly headed for Rio. With Brazil set to host the FIFA World Cup in 2014, that trend is likely to continue.

In Rio’s summer (December to February), temperatures regularly reach 40ºC (104ºF) or more. When the heat is on, tourists should follow the Brazilian example and hit the beach rather than rush around. These months are also peak season - not only are international flights more expensive, but domestic travel and hotels are charged at a premium and get booked up quickly.

Richard Greaves asked:


Think of Brazilian festivals and the images that spring to mind are of fantastic street parades featuring dancers in fantastic costumes gyrating to samba rhythms. This is of course the annual Carnival. Carnival starts on a Saturday and officially runs for four days, ending on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras). The actual date depends on Easter and so varies between February and March.

Carnival

Carnival celebrations occur in every city in Brazil but the real extravaganza happens in Rio. Here it’s the samba schools that put on the big show. Each samba school chooses its theme for the parade and prepares the elaborate floats and flamboyant costumes that define Carnival.

Carnival has its origins in long-ago pagan celebration held in Greece or Rome. The grand balls that evolved from these rituals arrived in Brazil from Italy at the end of the 19th century. Decades later, they achieved legendary status for their splendour and the celebrities who attended them at the Copacabana Palace Hotel. The actual Samba Parade that is the heart of Carnival dates from the 1930s.

Sao Paulo Art Festival

Another major event on the Brazilian calendar is the Sao Paulo art festival held biannually in October on even years. The São Paulo Bienal as it’s known locally, features both Brazilian and international art. It’s the biggest arts event in Latin America and showcases art, theater, music, and architecture.

Taking the Venice Biennial as its model, the São Paulo Art Biennial was founded in 1951 by the Italian-Brazilian industrialist Ciccillo Matarazzo. The original aim of the festival was to make international modern art better known in Brazil, to promote the works of Brazilian artists to the world, and to plant Sao Paulo firmly on the international art scene. In addition to the art biennial, an International Biennial for Architecture and Design has been held since 1973.

Sao Joao

Our last festival is a sacred one celebrated nationwide - Festa Junina (São João or Saint John Festival) which is the Catholic replacement for a pagan midsummer festival. The tradition was brought to Brazil by Portuguese colonists. As Brazil is in the southern hemisphere, it becomes a midwinter festival here and is celebrated in June. It starts one week before St John’s Day and ends one week after and is celebrated with traditional foods, games and dances. It’s mainly celebrated on the days following the Catholic feast of Saint Anthony, John the Baptist and Saint Peter.

While celebrated all over Brazil, Sao Joao is especially popular in the rural northeast. Here it marks the beginning of the rainy season. And as São João coincides with the corn harvest, corn-based foods are a popular facet of the celebration. These include canjica and pamonha. Fireworks and bonfires are key components of the festivities.

Brazil is always an exciting country to visit. But if you can make your visit during one of the country’s many festivals, you can experience a new dimension in Brazilian hospitality and enter the heart of life in this amazing country. The only difficulty with visiting the events in

Brazil might be your accommodation. Be sure to have a reservation, because hotels in Rio de Janeiro or hotels in Sao Paolo could be fully booked during the festivals. Of course the Internet offers many opportunities to book Brazil hotels in advance.