Prague Old Town

Old Town Prague is located in central Bohemia along the Vltava River and it is the largest city of Czech Republic. Also known as the “Golden City,” the Prague Old City has been included in the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO and it is the sixth most visited city in all of Europe. The name of the old town was originally called the Old Town Square, mainly because it has many historic buildings and sites.

This area is known for both its magnificent and catastrophic events. The Prague Old Town has its origin in the 9th century when it was made up of settlements, but it only got its name in the 14th century when New Town was formed and the wall and moat that surrounded it was demolished.

Some of the famous sites to spend time at in Old Town Prague include Powder Gate, Municipal House, Celenta Street, Estate Theater, Old Town Square, Carolinum and Church of Our Lady, just to name a few. The Church of Our Lady was built in 1365 and is a gothic church. One popular piece of art in the church is the entrance portal with its Christ pictures and the huge Rococo altar. The church has also been used for many big concerts because of its sound pipe organ. Today, it totally commercialized and offers a good holiday feel to tourists.

Golden Temple of Amritsar

The Golden Temple in India, which is often called the “Darbar Sahib” or “Harmandar Sahib,” is one of the oldest places of worship for the Sikhs and is located in Amritsar, Punjab in India. It is considered one of the holiest, blessed and sacrosanct places in India. It is a symbol of both beauty and peace. The temple is surrounded by a small man-made lake which has a lot of fish in it. This lake is said to consist of holy waters. The temple can be entered from four different sides and thus symbolizes openness and acceptance. This concept is based on the tents which would open from all four sides, welcoming travelers from all directions.

The Golden Temple has three holy trees. There is also a small Sikh Museum near the Ghanta Ghar, or clock house, in Amritsar which is very rich in information. The entire top of the temple is made of pure gold and thus adds a lot of pride and beauty to the entire temple.

During the earlier days, this place was a huge lake surrounded by a thin line of forests. It is also said that Buddha journeyed here to find the real meaning of life and spent some considerable time in this place. The first guru of the Sikh community called the Guru Nank also used to meditate in this peaceful place. Years after he passed away, many of his disciples kept coming back to the site as it was considered a sacred place. It was during the time of the Fifth Guru, Arjana when the Temple was finally built in 1604. It was Guru Arjan who installed the Guru Granth Sahib hymn book in the temple and appointed the first reader in August 1604. The temples architecture has both Hindu and Muslim qualities.

Amalfi Drive & Coast

If you really want the thrill and to view the beauty of nature, Amalfi Drive is the stretch that you can never afford to miss. The Stretch of the Amalfi Drive is next to the coastline of Sorrento and is known for its beauty. This is a one way road and thus experiences a lot of traffic. While on your way to the Amalfi, you would pass through Pasitano, which is a place that is close to the mountains, and you can view the sea on the other end. There are many villages along the way as well.

The life in Amalfi is very active and busy. That is the reason a lot of time is consumed if one wants to just cross the streets next to the harbor or go uphill. While going uphill can be big fun, coming down is not very interesting as it does not offer much and the path is extremely narrow. The best thing to do in places like Amalfi is to find the places that are not meant for visitors. Some interiors, though difficult to locate, offer better and more personalized services.

Tourists can also go in for a boat ride along the harbor. The view from the water to the mountain is just splendid. Tourists must plan how to go to this place. Hiring taxis or going by bus is ideal because the parking space in Amalfi Drive is so narrow. One can hire a private limousine with an English-speaking driver who would drive you along the coast. The place has some worthy restaurants that offer dishes that seafood lovers enjoy.

Many beach towns are located on the Amalfi Coast, including Vietrisul Mare, Cetara, Maiori, Minori, Ravello, Scala, Atrani, Amalfi, Concadei Marini, Furore, Praiano and Positano.

Meenakshi Temple in Madurai

The Meenakshi Temple is one of the most popular and important temples of the Hindus. The Temple is situated in the middle of Madurai city in Tamil Nadu, India. On a daily basis, thousands of pilgrims pay visit to the temple. The Meenakshi temple stands as the landmark of the city. The 14 gateway towers, called Gopurams, are more than 50 feet tall and have images and colorful statues of gods, goddesses, animals and various mythological characters.

The Meenakshi temple has four different entrances and the complex covers about 45 acres. The Parvati Hut is a part of the temple where only women can enter and men are not allowed to go in. It also has a museum called the Art Gallery, which is full of brass and stone artifacts.

During the pre-Christian era, the temple was built by Kilasekara Pandya. After a long time, it was rebuilt again by Trimalai Nayak. The city of Madurai was ruled by Nayak from the 14th to the 18th century. The temple is spectacular with some of the best architecture found in any temple. It has four towers, the north, south, east and west tower. All of them have nine stories with the tallest tower standing at over 170 feet. The temple is dedicated to lord Shiva and his wife Parvati, also known as Meenakshi.

Chartres Cathedral

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, also known as the Chartres Cathedral of France, is situated about 80 kilometers southwest of Paris. It is one of the most recognized churches in the entire country and it is also one of the most visited Gothic churches in France.

The Chartres Cathedral of France was built in the 16th century. It stands atop a hill which makes it visible from a distance. There are two spires which help make it visible from far away, one of which measures 349 feet tall and the other measures 377 feet tall. It is surrounded on either side by wheat fields, too.

As for the history of the cathedral, it served as a big landmark for the public and also for the nearby visitors. All important activities were centered around the cathedral. It was a common place for pilgrims to visit when they grew old and it also served as a hospital for the sick. Many different kinds of workmen also frequented the cathedral to find jobs for themselves. Sometimes during the Middle Ages, the cathedral worked as the marketplace, despite the objections of the priests. In fact, the priests would not even allow those who sold wine into the crypt.