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Espoo is the second largest city in and municipality in Finland, after Helsinki. Espoo is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area along with the following cities; Helsinki, Vantaa and Kauniainen and is located close to the shore of the Gulf of Finland, in the province of Southern Finland and the region Uusimaa. The city has a population of 243 thousand people as of latest measurement.

The city of Espoo still has a quite original and urban structure visible throughout the city center, which is split apart in 5 districts. Each of the districts are as large as a regular sized Finnish town and perfectly well connected through public transport. Also the Nuuksio National Park can be reached through public transport, from pretty much every station it’s fine to walk to your final destination.

The most popular out of the 5 districts is probably Tapiola for its carefully designed gardens, spacious parks and architecture are in harmony with each other. The high tech city parts are reachable within just 15 minutes and shows interesting sightseeing including museums and festivals, of course the April Jazz festival and Espoo Ciné International Film Festival are the most well known reasons for repeatedly tourist visits to Espoo.

The Espoo skyline is a mix of old and new, in between some historical buildings and museums there’s various high tech buildings visible including the Nokia world headquarters, the headquarters of Fortum and the Helsinki University of Technology. Elsewhere if you are looking to have a fine dining experience, there’s restaurants and small eat cafes divided all over town, small horeca places which will serve food and have a bar to sit at. Local Finnish cuisine is popular, but international meals are also served.

American and European citizens are required a valid passport for entry to Espoo, when staying for less than 90 days there is no need to apply for a visa. No vaccinations are required either for entry into Finland. If you are from Africa, Asia, North America or South America you’re required to contact your embassy before leaving. The best time to visit Finland and Espoo are in the summer from June to August.

Gothenburg (Göteborg) is the second largest city in Sweden after Stockholm. The city is located in the south west of Sweden, with a total population of 510 thousand people, and over 920 thousand in the metropolitan area. The city has the largest sea port of the Nordic countries situated by the sea at the mouth of Göta Älv. Gothenburg is home to many students as the city has two universities: University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology.

The city was founded once by king Gustav Adolf but was developed in large by city and canal planners from the Netherlands and Germany. Hence the recognizable Amsterdam styled canals around city center, mixed in between 16th century churches and historical buildings which are still visible. To this day, the owes much to the influences of foreigners. Tourists seem to repeatedly visit the city year after year, therefore the Gothenburg region has grown to be one of the most popular travel destinations in Scandinavia.

The reason Gothenburg attracts so many tourists is simple as basic mathematics. The city has a cultural history which creates interesting sightseeing. For example the Skansen Kronan (Crown Keep), served as a prison in the 19th century, today its a military museum. Stop by the city district of Haga for 19th century houses made out of wood, while there explore the bohemian Långgatan streets, don’t forget the camera, or how about a Indoor fish market “Feskekôrka” with a unique shape of the building and sensational smell located nearby the harbor.

For the cultural and historical travelers the city offers ten’s of museums with the most popular being Gothenburg Art Museum, Gothenburg City Museum, Universeum and Museum of World Culture. Also as said, Gothenburg is filled with historical buildings like the Gothenburg Cathedral, Christinae Church, Crown House and Oscar Fredrik Church. When the sun is out in the city, and you wishto enjoy the pretty sight of high rising historicial buildings in between the Swedish locals there’s various of spacious parks located throughout the city any taxi driver can bring you including: Slottsskogen, Botaniska Trädgården, Trädgårdsföreningen

The famous street Avenyn is a perfect destination for great Swedish cuisine, terrace cafés and pubs, nightclubs and bars. Because the city is filled with students, the vibrant nightlife goes on untill the early hours. It’s defiantly the place to be for good foods and a night out in town for both local and tourist.

American citizens need a valid passport to enter Gothenburg, there’s no visa required for stays up to three months in any given six-month period. Yet another requirement to travelers is to show a visible means of support along with documentation and tickets for return or further travel.

In the north of Colombia lies Santa Marta, a city and municipality by the Caribbean sea and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. Some historians say Santa Marta’s actual name is “Santa Marta de Astorgas” as a Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas was the first to discover the city, he would have named it after the Spanish city he visited earlier. As of latest measurement the Santa Marta has a population of 430 thousand people.

From most destinations within Colombia it’s recommended to fly to Santa Marta through Simón Bolívar airport, there are non stop flights available from Bogotá, Cartagena and Medellín. Once landed at the airport it takes a 20 minute taxi ride into town, when staying at a beach resort the ride shouldn’t be longer than 10 minutes depending on traffic. The bus station is out of town, if going there it’s recommended to take the mini bus for the price of 1000 pesos (about $0.50 US).

The city of Santa Marta is an important maritime port and hub for history, culture and sightseeing. Everyday cargo ships import and export products worldwide, and there actions are visible. From El Rodadero (Santa Marta’s main beach) you can view the Caribbean Sea, which at night times have breathtaking sunsets. The beach is of decent quality, it’s quite wide and you find yourself a place to sit, though people, vendors and music break the silence. Vendors are rather aggressive and/or try jacking up the price for tourists. The high season starts in December till April, months after up till November are considered low season.

Sightseeing and other tourist activities are mainly done near the beach area of Santa Marta include scuba diving at the coral reefs, jet ski’s can be rented in increments of 10 minutes (life jacket’s provided) or rent a boat for the day to tour around on the Caribbean Sea. A day at the beach gets you hungry easily, luckily enough Santa Marta has a nice variety of restaurants and cuisines available. Their specialty seems to be roasted and grilled chicken, the Colombians defiantly do a good job to make the food flavorful and tasteful. Another local special on the menu is seafood caught in the Caribbean Sea, it’s inexpensive and usually served with a shrimp cocktail.

Tourists staying in Colombia for up to 90 days will not need a visa, but tourists planning on staying longer can get a permit for an extra 120 days of stay. Business travelers are required to have a business visa and a return ticket is required for anyone traveling to Santa Marta, Colombia. Unlike other big cities, taxi’s in Santa Meter do not run on meters. You have to negotiate the price with the driver before getting in.

Niagara Falls is a Canadian city with a population of 85 thousand people as of latest measurement, situated on the banks of the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The city can be entered from both United States and Canada and is worldwide referred to as the self-proclaimed The Honeymoon Capital of the World. Tourism plays a major part in the economy in this region.

The city is dominated by Niagara Falls, a world famous set of two large waterfalls on the Niagara river. The falls are best seen from the Canadian side of the river, therefore this natural spectacle brings in millions of tourists per year. City hall permitted and supported the development of a tourist area along the falls, which has now turned into a boulevard of souvenir shops, observation towers, high class hotels and restaurants, modern casinos, theaters and electrifying attractions. The street view is covered by colorful neon billboards and advertisements.

When heading towards Niagara Falls don’t forget to pack your wetsuit an be reminded during your holiday you won’t get bored easily, and properly wet especially attending the number 1 tourist attraction called Maid of the Mist ($14.50 per adult, $8.90 per child till 12 years, under 5 years free of charge) where a large steam boat you will pass through the Niagara Falls. This most easy and affordable way to get close to the falls. When you’re looking for a unique dining experience, the Skylon Tower, he tallest tower on the falls with it’s revolving dining room and spectacle view.

If you are looking for shopping or visiting a museum it’s recommend to head towards the Clifton Hill area. Many hours can be spent visiting each location, as there’s countless of stores and shops, small restaurants and historical hotels. But, prepare yourself and the children for a long walk up and down the hill. Another good shopping paradise is Niagara Square near the Optimist Park, where are also the local Walmart and Zehrs groceries stores. If you’re looking to buy cheap supplies that’s the place to go, overall prices throughout Niagara Falls are outrageous and high.

Travelers to Niagara Falls are required to have a valid passport, some countries need a visa to enter the country, before traveling its advised to contract the local Canadian embassy in order to see the exact requirements needed to travel to Canada. Theft and crimes are uncommon against tourists, yet it’s advised to have a close look at your belongings. The best period to visit is in the summer months from June till August.

It’s no doubt about it, anyone that’s been to “Mosi-oa-Tunya” as the locals call it “the Mist that Thunders” internationally better known as the Victoria Falls is one of the most beautiful water fall sights of the world. It’s situated on the Zambezi river in the west of Zimbabwe. Just a few miles outside Livingstone the falls are twice as tall as Niagara Falls, and several times more wide.

The big question is, on which side are the Victoria Falls situated, Zambia or Zimbabwe? The answer is Zimbabwe. Travelers coming in through Zambia have to purchase a visa ($30 US) and pay an entrance fee ($20 US). Further more you should keep in mind that there’s no ATM’s accepting foreign cards nearby the Victoria Falls, you should bring cash only. Prepare to pay in United States dollars or English Pounds only.

Not more than a few years ago, Victoria Falls town was a popular tourist destination for backpackers because of the clubs and parties. Today, because of the politically situation, most tourists prefer to stay at the Zambian side in Livingstone. How ever, the town of Victoria Falls is within walking distance, you can still find guest houses providing safe and comfortable accommodation. Although safety is not a major issue, be aware of scam artists. It’s not worth dealing money on the black market, you’re most likely either ripped off or arrested by tourist police.

Nearby and around the Victoria Falls there’s a lot of tourist activity and sightseeing that can be done. Think about a Zambezi river canoe safari, or bungee jumping off a bridge, take a helicopter or micro flight over the falls, experience a wild horizons elephant back safari or take it easy and go craft shopping at the local market, a full day trip to nearby Chobe or horse riding in African nature. Have your pick!

Nationals worldwide are required a valid passport and visa to enter Zimbabwe from the Harare International Airport. For more information regarding your visa contact the Zimbabwe embassy in your country. Travelers are advised to look after their belongings and don’t travel alone during evening or night time. Theft and petty crimes are common against tourists due to poverty.

Kavajë is a city in western Albania located less than a mile from the Adriatica Sea. It’s also the center of the District of Kavaj. The city of Kavaje was established in 1595 under under the name of Kavalje, it was the first city in Albania to start a anti communist revolution. In the prefecture area of Kavaje there’s 123 thousand people, the area of the country is 244 square miles, Kavaje is the capital of Kavaja Country. According to latest measurement the city has a population of 40 thousand people.

The city lies above sea level, the beach Golem has a coastline of approximately 22 miles which is also a main attraction for travelers and tourists. Across the shore is a boulevard where several large hotels and resorts are situated. The resorts include all facilities and have rooms with sea view, the beach is best described as large, with here and there a parasol to sit. In the summer months May and October you’ll find yourself in between locals coming from the capital Tirana and tourists, while other months it’s more like a private beach.

Across the shore of Kavaje several restaurants with true Albanian cuisine, which is had strong influences of Greece, Italy and the Turks. The main meal throughout Albania is lunch, don’t let at least one day pass by in Kavaje accompanied with a salad and fresh vegetables such as olives, green peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and vinegar with salt and olive oil. The lunch should also include meat of choice. For dinner times, it’s recommended to have the seafood specialties, especially since you’re right on the shore, any restaurants in Golem en Kavaje can serve you the following Albanian dishes Durrës, Vlorë and Sarandë.

If you are an American or European citizen visiting Albania, Kavaje you do need a valid passport to enter the country. However, short vacations under 90 days do not require any type of visa. You also need to present a return to be allowed into Kavaje. Petty theft and crimes against tourists aren’t common in the city, but always make sure to look after your belongings.

Great Barrier Reef is the globe’s largest coral reef which composes over 2900 individual reefs and 900 islands located in the Coral Sea, just off the coast of Queensland in north east Australia. The great barrier reef can be seen from space as the globe’s largest single structure made by living organisms, the reef is built by billions of tiny organisms known as coral polyps.

The Great Barrier Reef is a site of remarkable variety of life and beauty and therefore is a World Heritage Site since 1981. By known latest known measurements the great barrier reefs counts 400 types of coral, 1500 species of fish and 400 types of molluscs. Also, the great barrier reef has been labeled as one of the 7 natural world wonders on this globe. The Great Barrier Reefs hold an important note in scientific knowledge, latest research include the habitat species of dugong “sea cow” and chelonia mydas “green turtle”.

The most convenient way to reach Great Barrier Reef is through Townsville and Marinepark, it consist out of hundreds uninhabited islands with bounty sand white beaches where you can stay and explore the reef by snorkeling or diving. As accommodation (when available) is rather expensive, most travelers choose to camp on the beaches. Make sure to bring a local tour guide that’s booked through a certificate company. The Long Island is the reef’s most visited island, the reasoning is that it’s close to the shore and excellently suited for a day trip. From there, it’s easy to navigate towards Whitesunday Islands, Molle Islands, Hamilton Island, Hook Island, Daydream Island and any of the other 900 plus islands located in the reef. There’s several national parks in the reef including Tyron, Lady Musgrave and North West which are excellent for relaxation and perfection.

Travelers to the Great Barrier Reef are recommended to get an accommodation in Queensland, Australia mostly Townsville. For entrance an valid passport and visa need to be shown at immigration. Citizens of America, Canada and Europe will automatically after application receive a tourist visa that is valid for 12 months. It permits multiple entries into Australia for a stay of up to 3 months on each visit.