Tag Archives: travel

Dubai – A History Unveiled

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By Arwa Nakara

A world-class tourist destination known for its innovative architecture, spectacular amusements and luxury resorts, Dubai’s rich, native culture is often overshadowed by the glitz of its contemporary facade. Yet, it is the humble beginnings of this prosperous Emirate that lends Dubai its unique flavor.

It was with the discovery of oil in 1966, along with the visionary leadership of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, that Dubai’s meteoric rise began. Nevertheless, the emirate has carefully preserved markers of its past, most commonly seen along both banks of the Dubai Creek. To the north, Deira and its bustling markets beckon to the curious traveler. An invaluable resource, the Creek is where Dubai originally took root as a pearling, fishing and trade port; it’s wind-swept teal waters still plied by colorful boats.

Here’s a list of must-visit historic sites along the Creek that unveil a very different side of Dubai.

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The Top 10 Paradise Islands

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As the sunny weather comes back slowly but surely, it’s time for you to think about where you’re going to explore, enjoy the heat, and soak your feet this summer. If you prefer to spend your year in the cold or in hectic cities, that’s totally fine. But you can at least get away for a weekend or two to visit one of these top 10 paradise islands.

10 // Cape Verde


Located in West Africa, Cape Verde is composed by 10 volcanic islands. If you are keen on scuba diving, this is the place to go! Cape Verde is appreciated as a prime location for outdoor and hiking amateurs as well as a perfect spot for beach idleness. The Island is still not a touristy place and is free of crowds and the big hotels complex. If you are looking for authenticity, Cape Verde will undoubtedly meet your expectations.

9 // Formentera


Formentera is one of Spain’s small Balearic islands. Floating in the western Mediterranean Sea, this place is ideal for those with simple island needs: the ocean, the sand, some palms and you. If you feel sick of the hectic nightlife of Ibiza, located right next door, Forementra will warmly welcome you. Here, peace and quiet are the watchwords. The island is perfect for relaxation and renewal.

8 // Barbados


Situated between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, Barbados is a melting pot of culture. That is what gives Barbados it’s strength — its great diversity. Dreamy beaches in the south, perfect swimming conditions in the west, and massive waves in the east where surfers will find their paradise. But what is most special about Barbados is it’s splendid tropical gardens and music scene. Jazz, reggae, and calypso are some of the genres that you might hear pouring out of any club and over the island. In Barbados, you are sure to never get bored!

7 // Tasmania


An isolated island situated in the south of the Australian coast, Tasmania is the perfect spot for people who are looking for uncharted wilderness. With many parks and nature reserves, it’s natural landscape is well-preserved with large pockets totally free from human tampering. But the island is also known for hosting many festivals like wine or food as well as arts and music events. Here you have nature, culture, and much more in an idyllic scenery where sandy beaches and giants eucalyptus are the norm.

6 // Corfu


Despite the fact that Corfu attracts many tourists every summer, the island has kept its picturesque scenery. Beautiful beaches, luxurious vegetation, woody mountains, authentic greeks villages — it’s no doubt that Corfu is one of the most sumptuous islands in the world. The old and beautiful Corfu town has been designated a Unesco heritage site. Corfu is the perfect island to spend your summer surrounded by worldly entertainment, the authentic greek restaurants, and classic island fare.

5 // Ko Pha-Ngan


During the day, Koh Pha-Ngan literally looks like the definition of a tropical paradise. Coconut palms, a turquoise sea, and fine white sand as far as the eye can see. It’s the perfect place to unwind during the day and turn up when the sun goes down. Because this island of dreams wakes up at night. And make sure you time your trip wisely, because each month, during the full moon, thousands of people come to party in Ko Pha-Ngan where DJs spin music on the beach all night long. Ko Pha-Ngan is the perfect island to spend your summer holiday if you’re looking to sunbathe during the day and get crazy the night.

4 // Réunion


Réunion is a French department island located in the Indian Ocean. It’s hard not to fall in love with this little jewel. Less famous than it’s neighbor Mauritius, Reunion is equally interesting and probably more diverse. With an active volcano on its south coast, its natural treasures and black sand beaches, Reunion is ideal for someone looking for a quiet getaway and understated beauty.

3 // Zanzibar


Clear water, fishing villages, breathtaking vantage points, and a rich nightlife — That is what you’ll find if you choose Zanzibar, a Tanzanian archipelago in East Africa, as your next destination. Along the east coast you can explore with locals and visit rural villages. In the north, you will find touristy attractions, tiki bars and clubs to party, while in the south east corner, you will probably have the chance to see pods of dolphins swimming near the coast. In Zanzibar, there is something for every taste!

2 // Corsica


It’s with good reason that Corsica’s nickname is France’s Isle of Beauty. It’s the fourth largest in the Mediterranean Sea and covered in picturesque towns and mountainous terrain. Corsica is a stylish spot where French people like to spend their holiday. It has a rich history made up of diverse cultural influences, not only from France but also from Italy and North Africa. In the south, you will find the charming hillside village of Porto Vecchio and beautiful beaches, while in the north, it’s the medieval town of Calvi that will welcome you. So memorable will be your experience in Corsica that you will want to come back as soon as possible!

1 // Maui


It might seem predictable that Maui is number on this list. But remember, this is a list of the top paradise islands, not top secret ones. Maui is Hawaii’s second biggest islands and probably the most breathtaking one. This incredible spot in the Pacific Ocean boasts many waterfalls, gardens, untouched rainforest, innumerable historic structures, and yes, a massive tourist industry. Whether you’re looking for outdoors adventures, pampered luxuries, or the most authentic Hawaiian cuisine, Maui offers something for everyone. And be sure, you’ll find every sort of person vacationing here. During your trip, rent a car and drive the Hana Road, along the coast and through a breathtaking rainforest. This is one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Throw on a lei and Hawaiian shirt and get into the island spirit. Aloha!

Once upon a time, in a land called Marseille

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I am going to tell you a story about a city in France. Everybody all over the world knows Paris, but my story is about a town in the South of the France. Maybe some of you had heard about it, maybe in a positive way or maybe in the negative way. This city, snuggled up at the heart of Provence and on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, is also commonly known as la Cité Phocéenne (The Phocaean City). Marseille, town of a thousand facets, fascinating and bewilderingly complex, is my city.

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Marseille, Land of Immigrants

I was born in Marseille in 1984, to Italian immigrants parents. Why Marseille? Because  for many people who make the choice to leave their country, the city has a big port open on the Mediterranean sea. Near Spain, Italy and North Africa, the town has welcomed many different culture over the years. When you are in Marseille, you just need to drive 3 hours to cross the Italian border. Easy! The new inhabitants arrive also by boat, trying to built a better life. Marseille has never closed its arms in front of any wave of immigrants. This made it strong, a multicultural city. Everything isn’t perfect, because some differences can create conflicts. Indeed, language, religious, or cultural differences can cause real integration problems. Despite that, Marseille stays the most welcoming city in France, a town where my siblings and I have grown up and where we proudly carry our Italian heritage and our dual citizenship.

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Marseille, Land of  Authenticity

If you like beautiful and authentic attractions, Marseille is made for you. When I think about my city, I can’t forget the smell of the sun on my skin, its daylight beauty, and its mysterious side at sunset. Rich in history, Marseille is where ancient architecture combines with the new face of the city. The first thing to do, even if you aren’t catholic, is to visit la Basilique Notre Dame de Garde, commonly refer by the Marseillais to “La Bonne-Mère.” Built on the hill overlooking the town at 490 ft, the view on the top is wonderful. The best moment is early in the morning when everything is still quiet. With a 360 degree view of the city, it was consecrated on June, 5th, 1864, and each year, the pilgrimage for the Assumption Day, on August 15th is really popular event. This Neo-Byzantine church supports a monumental statue of the Madonna and her child, which is 27 feet tall and made of copper gilded with gold leaf. La Bonne- Mère, is the guardian and the protector of Marseille. The other religious site is La Cathédrale de la Major, built from 1829-1874, in a Byzantine-Roman style. With a capacity of 3,000 seats, it’s one of the largest cathedrals in France. It’s 469 ft long, with a main cupola of 231 ft high.

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But in Marseille, there is another strong religion: football. Not in general, but the football team of the city, l’Olympique de Marseille (OM). Taking place in the famous Stade Vélodrome, the night of home matches are events not to be missed. The ambiance and the fans are considered  as the best all over the world.  Built in 1937, the stadium welcomes 67,394 spectators and is also used for shows. Indeed, le Vélodrome is a wonderful stage for several artists, such as The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, The Police and AC/DC. The other site associated to the team is La Commanderie, it’s the training center of l’OM. Many fans from all over the world come to see their idols and dedicate jerseys.

The town is also known for its different authentic districts, such as le Panier, which is located in the oldest part of the city and surrounded by famous places such as l’Hôtel de Ville, les Grands Carmes and La Joliette. With narrow streets, shops and its own old architecture, the district is considered the most picturesque place in Marseille. It’s defined as a popular area because it was the first place of the immigrants in the city.  It soon became a tourism venue and many artists opened studios because Le Panier served as a place of inspiration as for the famous local TV show, Plus Belle la vie, shot in Marseille. You can also visit La Vieille Charité, a a museum and a cultural center and former almshouse for the poor. This Baroque structure was constructed between 1671 and 1749 by the architect Pierre Puget. It is filled with beautiful architecture such as structure with pink and yellow tinted stones. In the center of the courtyard a round church was built. If you continue to walk, you will arrive on the MuCEM, (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations), inaugurated on June 7th, 2013, the year Marseille was designated as the European Capital of Culture. The museum is near the wonderful site of the 17th century le Fort Saint-Jean, built by Louis XIV at the entrance to the port. The two places are linked by a high footbridge.

There are so many places to see that the best way for you to take it all in will be to book a ticket and fly Marseille. But if you want more right now, I of course have to talk about le Vieux Port (the Old Port), which is located at the the end of the most historic street of Marseille, La Canebière. Since 2013, it’s mainly for pedestrians with few cars. Each morning it welcomes the fresh fish of fishermen. It is the historic and cultural center of the city since it dates back to sixth century BC. From the port you could take the ferry boat to visit the islands of the Phocaean City, such as, the archipelago of Frioul and le Château d’If, fortress and prison known for being one of the settings of Alexandre Dumas novel, Le Comte de Monte-Cristo.

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If you continue towards the Southern districts, you will follow the ledge called la Corniche du Président John Fitzgerald Kennedy, named after US President Kennedy. It extends from Les Catalans beach to Le Prado and its famous for its naked statue of David. It offers one of the most beautiful landscapes of Marseille, with the Mediterranean Sea and its islands on the horizon. On the way you could see the famous fishermen sheds, “cabanons”,  houses of the 19th century (Villa Valmer, Villa de Gaby Deslys), hotels and famous restaurants (Le Petit Nice, Peron, Chez FonFon), where you could stop to eat the inimitable, bouillabaisse (fish soup). Under La Corniche, hides the little but picturesque port of Vallon des Auffes, where the time seems to have stopped.

I can’t finish this part without talking about the amazing Calanques de Marseille. The massif is the best place to hike and climb with is wild and rugged landscape between Marseille and Cassis. The site is the one of France’s great natural beauties. The geology and ecosystems are protected — In 2012, the Calanques were declared National Parks due to their uniqueness. Even though nowadays we can’t visit it, the Cosquer cave is located underwater, in the Calanque de Morgiou. It’s a cave of the Paleolithic area, covered with paintings and engravings of animals dating between 27,000 and 19,000 BC. The Calanques can be see by boat and if the weather allows you should swim in this warm, blue water. But please be a responsible tourists! Protect this land of dreams.

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Marseille, Land of Pleasure

Oh my taste buds quiver with pleasure evoking the food in my city. Okay, I’m vegetarian but even though Marseille has the best fish restaurants, we are also known for the best pizza. Remember, Marseille is a city of immigrants with close proximity to Italy. We are the city with the most pizza in France. In each area, you can smell tomato sauce and wood fire. I could damn myself for one of these piece! If you want make your own pizza, the best venue is Sapori di Napoli. It’s a little Trattoria in Château-Gombert’s district, which combines a shop full of Italian products with a restaurant. The owner, Raffaele Paparone, imports products such as the mozzarella di Bufala, Panettone, wine and deli meat from Napoli.

If you like different kinds of food, I recommend la Baie du Dragon. It’s a Vietnamese restaurant on Notre Dame du Mont district. The place is perfect for vegetarians and the chocolate nems are just divine. It’s my king of headquarter, the go-to for when I have to celebrate something, such as my departure for the USA.

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In Marseille you can easily find all kind of restaurants — Indian, Italian, French, Moroccan, Japanese etc, and for all your events. Even though Marseille has some good restaurants, for me, the best place remains my family home, with the real meals made by la Mamma. But take your ticket and wait your turn, because I can’t invite you all in the same day.

It’s time to say goodbye to Marseille, with a little twinge in my heart, thinking about these venues, the food and my mother’s arms. But do you smell the perfume of the Mediterranean? Do you smell the garlic, tomatoes, basil and olive oil? Do you smell the flavor of freedom?

If yes, you are made for Marseille, the city of the Epicurean

Sorry, I have to leave you, it’s now time for l’apéro, (a kind of happy hour, after work where you drink and eat snacks), the most important moment in a day in Marseille, to drink the legendary Pastis.

Allez santé! Salute! (Cheers!)

SAN FRANCISCO: A CITY FILLED WITH WARMTH AND SURPRISES

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I’m Sally Cui, born in mainland China, but I’m also a university student in Hong Kong. I have noticed the differences between mainland China and Hong Kong. This journey to America gives me a totally fresh feeling about American culture. I visited America four years ago. On my first visit, I experienced the Great Canyon, Los Angeles and Yosemite, but in a hurry. This time, as an intern in San Francisco for about two months I got the opportunity to do some deep exploration. My experience will be as a temporary resident in this compact and technological city. I have to say that San Francisco, is like a good brandy; quickly intoxicating and easy to love.

Photo by Florian

Photo by Flickr user Florian CC 2.0

Transportation

Before I arrived here, I was told that America is a country where it is difficult to travel without a car. So at first, I was worried about the transportation in San Francisco. However, from my experience so far, I can say that it’s convenient as well as inconvenient. Why so contradictory? Let me compare Hong Kong and mainland China with America. The metro in Hong Kong is well developed, so much that people prefer to take the metro rather than the car to go out. In mainland China, there’s a huge bus system with many buses arriving frequently. Public transportation in America offers a different convenience. Firstly, all forms of transport have an exact schedule to follow and people can download the schedule from the Internet. Drivers conform to that schedule and are very punctual. Supposing that smooth traffic leads to early arrival, drivers will wait at the bus stop to stay on schedule. In China, you know that you are going to get on the bus only when you can see the bus is coming in the distance—there is no specific schedule. Secondly, all transportation systems aim to maximize the interests and convenience of passengers. On all buses, there’s a movable ramp at the front door of the bus, which can let senior citizens get on the bus without climbing the steps. It is convenient for the people who are not flexible on their legs and for disabled people who use wheelchairs. Caltrain, a commuter train in San Francisco, goes through several cities. Many people take it to get to work. I was surprised to find free wi-fi on Caltrain. It’s convenient for those people who want to do some work during their long commute. There are only some upscale trains which offer this service in China. Muni buses, environmentally-friendly trams and trolleys can always be seen in downtown San Francisco. If you want to tour the downtown area, good news for you– you pay for a timed ticket so if you take other bus within this period, there is no need to pay again. It’s different in China, where if you take a bus, you have to pay the fee for each bus. Also, if you are an avid cyclist, you can take your bike on the bus; every bus has bike racks. I have never seen this in China.

 

Photo by Sally

Photo by Sally

Atmosphere

The Statue of Liberty in New York is known all over the world and even in San Francisco I feel the air of freedom. City hall is open for all visitors during business hours. You can see the secretaries working, take a picture just in front of the door of the mayor’s office and even see the mayor come and go. In many countries, including China, government buildings are not typically open for visitors, and citizens even seldom see the mayor in daily life.

Photo by Sally

Photo by Sally

The fourth weekend in June is the celebrated as Pride Parade weekend and I was fortunately enough to attend the festivities. I went to the Pink Party on Saturday night in the Castro with my friend. The Castro is a neighborhood famous for its prominent gay and lesbian community. Various distinctive restaurants, bars and pubs can be found in this part of the city. On the Saturday evening, you can do anything you want to do at the party. There was a sign people held which read “Free Hugs,” you can come forward to hug them. You can sing with someone you don’t know, you can dance with someone you don’t know and you can chat with someone you don’t know. People are totally free, friendly and open in Castro. I definitely saw two different Castros during the day and in the evening. During the day, the Castro is quiet and peaceful, like a shy little girl. However, in the evening, Castro shows her wild side, it is noisy and crowded, like a passionate and dynamic adolescent.

Photo by Sally

Photo by Sally

 

Photo by Sally

Photo by Sally

After the Pink Party on Saturday, Sunday is the day for the famous Pride Parade. There’s no such Pride Parade in China, so I have never seen a parade before. People who support gay rights paraded on Market Street.  There were not only individuals in the parade, but also some important corporations including Google, Facebook and Apple. I was moved by some signs people held which read “35 years together, married 2 months ago.” Everyone has the right to love and be loved, no laws and rule should prohibit this. I appreciate that this free city allows people to love each other regardless of gender.

Photo by Glenn Euloth

Photo by Flickr user Glenn Euloth CC 2.0

People

Because people are so free and open, Americans are filled with enthusiasm and energy, and are helpful and honest. I would like to tell an amazing and heart-warming experience which took place when I first arrived in San Francisco. It shows how kind-hearted and friendly Americans are.

It was past 11 o’clock at night when I left the Pink Party on Saturday. Since I don’t have a car, the only way back home is finding the 292 bus stop. I’m a road nerd, so all my sense of direction comes from Google Maps. After 20 minutes, I asked a person who was waiting for a bus. I thought she would say “I don’t know” because her bus was almost coming, but she took me to a big station board with many routes on it and found 292 for me. She didn’t find the bus, but she asked me where I wanted to go. I told her South San Francisco, she asked someone nearby whether knew which bus towards to South San Francisco. Nobody knew, so she suggested me take BART and almost wanted to lead me to BART station and show me how to use the vending machine, and she felt relieved and went back to her bus stop. Thanking her, I continued looking for the 292 bus stop. A kind person riding a bike pulled up in front of me while I was looking at Google Maps and asked if I needed help. I told him I was looking for the 292 bus stop, he said he had no idea but pointed to where it might possibly be. I walked in the direction he pointed and fortunately, I found the bus stop a few minutes later. When I was waiting for the bus, he rode back and told me I could take BART if I still had not found the bus stop. I said I had already found it, and he left with a satisfied smile. Getting off the bus at my stop, I needed to walk 20 minutes to get home. It was 1am and dark as I was crossing the road on a green light.  Perhaps the driver didn’t notice the red light, and almost crashed into me. To my surprise, he stopped and rolled down the window and apologized to me several times, and even asked where I was going and gave me a lift.

In just one night, I met some enthusiastic, proactive and honest people. I have come across nice, helpful people every day in America. That’s a huge difference from busy Hong Kong and mainland China where people hardly stop to ask whether you need help and chat with you. Perhaps they are eager to help people at the bottom of their heart, but everyday pressure and busy crowds push them to live a hurried lifestyle and ignore the beauty of life. I really hope people in my country can slow down and enjoy every day.

Because of these treasure memories, I have really enjoyed these last two months living in America, loving these sincere and unguarded people.

 

Hamburg: Maritime Metropole Gate to the World

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Hamburg, a city with many dimensions and something for everybody, from culture, traditions, interesting architecture, world flair, different kinds of artworks, nature, high-class shopping, non-stop entertainment, beaches and a harbor. A perfect day in Hamburg starts with a harbor tour, then a little stroll around the historic city center and finds an interesting ending on the world-famous Reeperbahn. There are many ways to discover the fascinating flair of the traditional yet modern Hansa trading town of Hamburg. However it is always a good idea to start at the heart of the city, the harbor.

Flickr user: glynlowe CC 2.0

Flickr user: glynlowe CC 2.0

The harbor dates back to the 9th century as a modest 393.7 ft (120 meter) long boardwalk. However, the official birth of the harbor is May 7th,1189, this day is celebrated as the biggest harbor feast of the world with over 1.5 million attendees every year. Hundreds of national and international ships of every type of shape or form visit Hamburg at the beginning of May for the birthday celebration, Hafengeburtstag.

Hamburg has always had a special position among Hansa harbor cities, because it was the first city with a harbor connected to the western part of the world, even before the discovery of America. Over the years, the town entered into economic alliances with many other foreign harbor cities, which was against the rules within the Hansa, who only aloud alliances with german harbor cities. The boldness to build these foreign relationships helped earn the town respect and established a good reputation for trust in the rest of the world, thus the town grew quickly to become a vibrant, international city. By 1850 there was not one harbor in the world without hosting at least one ship with a Hamburg flag.

In 1888 the Hansa generated a free-port and build the Speicherstadt–still the largest connected bonded warehouse complex in the world. In 1913 Hamburg became the third largest harbor of the world, behind New York and London due to the rare combination of long, toll-free stock and the transaction of foreign goods.

Flickr user: Julian Schüngel CC 2.0

Flickr user: Julian Schüngel CC 2.0

But this quick and successful development also brought out the dark side of the city–pirates! Yes, there were pirates in the North Sea and the most famous and notorious one was Klaus Störtebeker. His legendary passing is still the story of nearly every tour in Hamburg. Legend says that Störtebeker and his crew, the Vitalienbrüder, were captured near Helgoland island. The pirate ship got stranded on a sandbar after the low tide came early that day due to a storm. On October 20, 1400 Störtebeker and his crew were to be executed in the Grasbrook district in Hamburg. To rescue his crew Störtebeker tried to bargain with the hangman. Everyone of his crew members should be saved from execution, when the pirate would be able to manage to walk by them, after he has been beheaded.  All the stories end with the information that the beheaded pirate was able to walk by 11 of his crew members. Due to his bargain, those 11 pirates would have been spared from execution, if the officials of the city had not broken their promise. Everyone of the Vitalienbrüder were executed that day.

Today there is nothing to fear, you will not find pirates in the North Sea nowadays. In fact, the North Sea is one of the safest oceans of the world. Still, the city with the most bridges in Europe offers visitors an exciting and fascinating experience.

In 2002 Hamburg opened it’s newest container terminal–one of the largest and most modern container harbors in the world with a transaction rate of over 140 million tons every year. Since 2006 Hamburg also a new cruise terminal, this and the unbeatable location of the harbor is bringing more and more tourists to the city.

Flickr user: glynlowe CC 2.0

Flickr user: glynlowe CC 2.0

When one of these massive cruise ships enter the harbor, try to be near the View Point next to the Cruise Center. This is always a magnificent spectacle, especially when the Queen Mary 2 is floating up the Elbe. The people of Hamburg are quite fond of  this British cruise ship and say Hamburg is the home port of the Queen Mary 2, that’s why she is always welcomed into the port with fireworks.

For the early birds it is pleasingly to visit the famous Fischmarkt (fish market) every Sunday at the Landungsbrücken. This historic market offers you more than just high-quality, fresh fish on the market, it is a bit like stepping back in time with the calls of the market crier and juggling. While you enjoy your fish-bun you can observe the sunrise over the water. On the other side of the harbor, workmen start harbor operations and you can witness how the gigantic container ships are loaded and unloaded. If you enjoy a more traditional type of ship, visit the sailing vessel Rickmer Rickmers or the Cap San Diego. Every saturday you can climb the rig to smell the salty sea breeze, combined with a spectacular view. In the evening you can also enjoy an amazing view of the illuminated city and harbor from the other side of the harbor, which can only be reached by ferry; this is also where the permanent musical The Lion King is located.

Flickr user: Stefan Klauke CC 2.0

Flickr user: Stefan Klauke CC 2.0

If you walk along the water, you come to the largest intra-urban construction project in Europe, Hafen City. Between the harbor and Speicherstadt arises a mixture of sailor flair and modern architecture. The new emblem of the city is the Elbphilharmonie concert hall and it embodies the soul of this new city district. Many shops and businesses welcome you to stroll and if you need a little break, you are at the best spot next to the many tiny canals. Follow these canals and you will find yourself in the historic district of Speicherstadt. This part of the city is characterized by all the red brick warehouses. Like the Italian city of Venice, the whole district was build on thousands of oak stakes over the water. One advantage of building a district in the middle of water is that the many canals between the buildings serve as a water street for all the ships, who can deliver goods directly from the North Sea.

Those canals pervade the whole city and bring maritime flair to the city center and suburbs. You can ramble along the waterfront, visit the buildings at the historic center–especially the city hall, which is the senate home of the city state–or climb the tower of the St. Michael’s church to enjoy the view over the city.

Flickr user: Wolfgang Staudt CC 2.0

Flickr user: Wolfgang Staudt CC 2.0

Around the countless canals, known as Binnenalster, are many green recreation and sport areas making you feel as if you are no longer in a city. Hamburg counts as one of Europe’s greenest cities and was elected as european capital of environment in 2011. The city combines modernity, tradition, water, nature and an urban-lifestyle. Besides the strategic location of the city, the unique architecture and landscape, the Hamburg people of are known for their cosmopolitanism and welcoming attitudes.

Visit Hamburg once and you will fall in love.