Cidade Velha

Cidade Velha, which is Portuguese for “Old City” or simply “Sidadi” in Cape Verdean Creole is a city located about 10 miles from Cape Verde’s capital city Praia on the island of Santiago. Cidade Velha is the oldest settlement in Cape Verde and used to serve as the capital city. The city was once called Ribeira Grande. As of latest measurement the city of Cidade Velha has a population as little as 2500 people.

Today, Cidade Velha is an Atlantic shipping stop and center for Creole culture. It’s an easy reach from Praia, alugeurs leave multiple times a day from the Sucupira Market located west of the Plateau. You can reach the city at very low costs. Once in town, there’s plenty of cultural and historical sightseeing’s. Still, keep in mind that Cidade Velha is a small town, with visiting all of the sightseeing’s, enjoy your dinner in one of the restaurants around main square, you would have explored the town in under a day. If you wish to stay overnight, please ask the tourist information center for accommodation recommendations.

One of the popular tourist attractions include a walking tour starting at the Fort, above the town. From the fort, you will continue to visiting and view the ruined cathedral at the shores of the sea. Further more it will take you the main square, where executions have taken place, and a beautiful monument is waiting for your camera; Pelourinho ou picoto. After, you will reach Africa’s oldest European built street, Rua Banana leading towards the Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rośario chapel.

To visit Cape Verde, you need a passport valid for at least six months. You also need to present your return ticket or any proof that you are leaving the African country at a certain date, either to go home or to move on to the next destination. You need to have a visa to cross the border.

Mindelo

Mindelo is a port city on the Cape Verdean island of São Vicente. It’s situated in the northern part of the island. Mindelo is also the seat of the parish of Nossa Senhora da Luz, as well the island’s municipality. Within city limits life over 96% of the entire island’s population. As of latest measurement the city has a population of 80 thousand people.

The city of Mindelo is of decent size, a lot of the sightseeing’s and major attractions are reachable by foot. It’s known as the cultural capital of Cape Verde, anywhere in and around downtown and center areas you will hear traditional music, as well in bars, restaurants and shopping malls. Getting around can be done best by taxi’s as local buses travel limit routes.

When staying in Mindelo there’s several sightseeing tours that can be entertaining as well interesting. For example you can do a walking tour through the town, visiting and viewing some historical and cultural buildings like the CV Telecom building, as well the Alliance Francaise and the eagle monument on the shores named “Rua Libertadores d’Africa“. Further more Praça Independencia, and Torre de Belem should be added to your list. As well the parliament buildings and Mercado Municipal indoor market.

To visit Cape Verde, you need a passport valid for at least six months. You also need to present your return ticket or any proof that you are leaving the African country at a certain date, either to go home or to move on to the next destination. You need to have a visa to cross the border.

Natal

Natal, the largest city of Rio Grande do Norte, a northeastern state in Brazil. The city is located on the Atlantic coast and worldwide known for its beaches. Natal was first settlements took place in the 1500s, yet unlike other Northeastern capitals it did not benefit from steady economic growth in the region’s sugar cane product. Instead it grew moderately to become the state’s capital city. As of latest measurement the city has a population of 810 thousand people.

During the second world war Natal hosted a United States military base because of the its strategic position far east on the Atlantic. Nowadays is the city of Natal a popular travel destination for Brazilians and foreign tourists, offering long stretched beaches, fine restaurants offering local and international cuisine and of course good rated hotels. When traveling to Natal, you can get in through Augusto Severo International Airport, about 12 miles from the city center. There’s numerous direct flights from the most important Brazilian capitals such as; Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia.

Once you arrived in Natal, it’s easy to get around using taxi’s, public buses are less convenient yet cheaper. There’s several sightseeing’s that may not be missed in a trip to Natal, include the Orte dos Reis Magos built in 1598, a star shaped fort on the northern tip of the beach. As well the picture worthy sunset of Potengy River, it’s breathtaking and brings a highlight in your day. Further more the city offers multiple beaches which can be reached by buggy including; Zumbi beach (North), Genipabu beach (North) and Barra de Cunhaú beach (South).

Travelers landing on Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport require a valid passport and visa. Tourist visas are valid for 90 days and can be extended for another 90 days. Traffic in the city is complicated due to certain regulations. The city has low crime problems, yet always be careful. Avoid extravagant or expensive-looking clothing to stand out in the crowd.

Plovdiv

Plovdiv (Пловдив) is the second largest city in Bulgaria after it’s capital Sofia. Plovdiv is also the administrative center of the Plovdiv Province as well two other municipalities named Maritsa and Rodopi situated in southern Bulgaria. Plovdiv is also as important transport, cultural, education and economic center. As of latest measurement the city has a population of 380 thousand people.

It’s one of the globe’s oldest continuously inhabited cities as Plovdiv’s history goes back over 6 thousand years. Plovdiv is located in the large plain between the Rhodope Mountains in the south Bulgaria, and the Balkan Range, or Old Mountains (Stara Planina) which runs through center Bulgaria. The Maritsa River flows southeast of the city, leading to the Greece and Turkey border which situated by the Aegean Sea.

The main areas, city center and downtown are road blocked for cars, as well that the city size is excellent for getting round on foot. It offers a good collection of historical Bulgarian buildings in the forms of museums, restaurants, hotels and several parks. Wander through the narrow cobblestone streets to visit the centuries old St. Marina Church with it’s one of a kind wooden tower and a mosque from the Ottoman Empire nearby the old town center. For those who need to travel further it’s advised to use a taxi. When traveling with more than 3 people it’s cheaper to use a private taxi than a public bus, when you order a taxi directly from the company’s hot line.

Travelers to Plovdiv require a valid passport, but don’t need a visa. Your stay is valid for up to 90 days. Plovdiv is an important railway station which connects the city to other cities, including capital Sofia. The city has regular bus transport to move around. Most sights in the center are walkable.

Winnipeg

Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, a province in Canada. It’s situated in south central Canada at the eastern edge of the Canadian Prairies and the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, also known as The Forks, as well near the longitudinal center of North America. As of latest measurement the city has a population of 750 thousand people.

Travelers to the city of Winnipeg are ensured to experience a unique mixture of culture, art and history as well it’s lively reputation. Taking a stroll through downtown and city center area’s allows you to enjoy it’s museums, shopping malls, restaurants and spacious parks. The city has tourists from all over the world, it’s an popular destination due to festivals and events being hold.

Winnipeg is a large, spread out city, which means it can take a while to get around. As well that Winnipeg in general not a walking-centric city. It’s best to travel around by rental car or taxi’s, the public transportation system is very advanced for travelers on a budget. Winnipeg’s main arteries all contain boulevards which extremely wide by world standards, with Main Street has ten lanes where it meets Portage Avenue downtown. When in city, there’s several sightseeing’s worth visiting including; Statue Look, The Forks, The Royal Canadian Mint, The Exchange District National Historic Site, The Aboriginal Centre, Manitoba Legislative Building and St. Boniface.

US citizens traveling to Winnipeg, Canada are required to have a US passport, but visas are not needed. There has been some confusion with regards to entry requirements to Canada, so before leaving, it is important to get up-to-date information on the exact requirements needed to travel to Winnipeg, Canada.

Montreal

Montreal or Montréal in French originally known as “Ville Marie” City of Mary, is the largest city in the province Quebec, and the largest city in Canada. Montreal’s name comes from Mont Royal, the triple peaked hill located in the center of the city. As of latest measurement the city of Montreal has 3.6 million residents, ranking it the 6th largest city across Canada and the United States.

The city of Montreal is modern and of high technology with a rich culture and history, as well it’s reputation of being one of the liveliest cities in North America. The city has a great mix of cultures from all over the world, it’s internationally renowned, and many tourists worldwide come to visit the city, no matter which season. It’s high number of events, festivals and sightseeing’s is what draws interests. Year round there are music, humor, sports and other international scaled events being hold in the city.

Once you’re in Montreal there’s many sightseeing’s and activities that can’t be missed, and best of all there’s something for everyone. It’s numerous museums, churches, historic sites, science centers, spacious parks and modern shopping malls with extra facilities like cinema’s and game arcades. Some of the more unique sightseeing’s include the Casino de Montréal, Olympic Stadium, Le Plateau or simply walking around Downtown Montreal viewing the skyscrapers.

US citizens traveling to Montreal, Canada are required to have a US passport, but visas are not needed. There has been some confusion with regards to entry requirements to Canada, so before leaving, it is important to get up-to-date information on the exact requirements needed to travel to Montreal, Canada.

Oudtshoorn

Oudtshoorn, also referred to as ostrich capital of the world is the biggest town, in the Klein Karoo area. Situated in the Western Province area South of the large desert land of Karoo, which covers a large part of South Africa. Located just a few hours from Cape Town, it’s an often underestimated as travel destination, but it has a lot to offer. As of latest measurement Oudtshoorn has a population of 80 thousand people.

Situated in the shadow of the Swartberg Mountains, the climate is somewhat different from most of the Western Cape’s warm, rainy average, with occasional snow topping the Swartberg during the winter months, and although the surrounding valleys are very fertile, the area is generally dry.

Oudtshoorn and the Little Karoo have an interesting history and a unique culture. The Khoisan, known upon their encounter with the Afrikaans settlers as Bushmen, were most likely the only humans to have occupied the area. The mountains, hills and caves just outside of Oudtshoorn are home to some of the more famous Iron Age rock paintings, and for a prime insight into Khoisan culture, they are definitely worth experiencing.

Some of the caves to not have paintings, but are still worth visiting, such as the Cango caves, an extensive network of tunnels and passages, estimated at a total of four kilometers, where impressive limestone formations and stone relics can be admired under the auspices of a professional guide.

Another major attraction of Oudtshoorn, and one of the defining features of its economic history, is the abundance of ostrich farms. Ostrich products became very fashionable during the beginning of the twentieth century, and the proceeds from this export have funded many of the historic buildings in the village.

Nowadays, although ostrich feathers are no longer the trend, ostrich meat has become increasingly popular, but some farms have diversified and cater for tourists, such as the Highgate Ostrich Show Farm, where visitors are exposed to the life cycle of the ostrich, with an extended tour of the farm. For the more adventurous type, several open farms allow visitors to ride the massive birds, a truly unique experience.

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