Cultural

Life in Bergen has always been defined by the sea. Lying on the southern part of Norway's fjord-speckled western coast, the city descends from the seven mountains that frame it to meet a dramatic, fractured coastline of inlets and islands.  It's impossible to detach Bergen's existence from its seafaring past and present. Today, visitors flock to see the medieval harbour front, Bryggen, which sprung up in response to a flourishing codfish industry - one that saw Bergen become Scandinavia's largest city in the 1600s.

There are those who go to Cheltenham for its superb festivals, the Regency architecture or its racecourse.  But there are many others for whom the main appeal of the spa town is its steam railway, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway (GWR) which is a great way to start your weekend, exploring the area.  The 12 miles (19km) line stretches from Cheltenham Racecourse to Laverton Halt, a 17th-century hamlet in the Cotswolds.  The journey takes you through some of the most glorious Cotswolds countryside, where on a good day, you can see the Black Mountains in

The Axarquia is the area of Malaga province which stretches from Rincon de la Victoria to Maro. It borders Granada province from the cliffs of Cerro Gordo, which offer unique diving and snorkelling opportunities, to the mountain range of the Sierra Almijara, Tejeda and Alhama, which stretches from the coast up to Malaga province's highest peak, La Maroma, measuring 2,064 metres above sea level.

Uzbekistan is seen as top emerging tourist destination and with thousands of years of history this country is waiting to be discovered.  Tashkent is overlooked all too frequently.  In the clamour to reach the UNESCO treasures of Samarkand and Bukhara, most visitors skip the electric sights of Central Asia’s largest city. Tashkent boast more than 2,500 years of history.  On this Silk Road crossroads, you’ll not only find superb museums and striking architecture, but also vast markets and green parks.

A holiday to Jardon isn’t complete until you complete the Golden Triangle – Aqaba, Wadi Rum and Petra.  With all offering their distinct features: The seaside city of Aqaba is Jordan’s coastal gateway with historic sites on our doorstep, Wadi Rum – the valley of the moon offers glittering skies, undulating dunes and peace of mind, and Petra’s rich ancient past is an archaeological adventure.  Using the seaside city of Aqaba as your base, Petra is just a short drive away. And situated near the desert highway, only a minor detour between both Amman and Aqaba, lies Wadi Rum.

Salzburg and its surrounding are an area of immense natural beauty, versatility and steep in history.  Bordering with Germany and sharing the mountains of the Alpine region, its located in a region that caters for a variety of activities: summer, spring or winter. The Edelweiss meadows and high mountain lakes, hilltop castles and turf-roofed timber cabins – life is beautiful here, it’s the home of Mozart, Maria von Trapp and its Baroque architecture.

Tanzania has had its trouble internally and sometimes trouble from its neighbour Kenya spill over scaring visitors. But putting that aside Tanzania is one of Africa’s best kept secrets, with its searing temperature, Tanzania has emerged as the African destination of choice for those seeking a host of natural wonders, exquisite safari opportunities and a wealth of secret spots.  Here, we pick our favourites and throw in a few hidden gems.

As a destination for a city break, Tallinn has become very popular for many wanting a weekend break.  The Estonian capital’s old fishing district, Kalamaja, is has become one of the city’s coolest haunt. Come and explore the medieval Old Town’s cobbled streets, easy-on-the-eye architecture and colourful squares, the galleries (such as Kadriorg Art museum) and the churches (St Olav’s Gothic church and tower) – St Alexander Nevsky Cathedaral, built during the reign of the Russian tsars in 1900, it’s the most opulent Orthodox church in the city and its pop-up bars and warehouse parties.

"Can you see the man's face?" asks the waiter in the plaza cafe, as he sets down my cafe con leche. I instinctively turn my head towards Ollantaytambo's central fountain, where taxi drivers sit awaiting their next customer and women in full-flowing indigenous dress are carrying babies on their backs.

"No, no," he says. "Look up!" In truth, until he came bearing coffee, I hadn't stopped looking up. Above us, sitting high in the Andean mountains that surround the town, are some of Peru's most impressive Inca ruins, dating back to the 15th century.

If you read anything about the coral-fringed islands Okinawa archipelago, you'll quickly find out that diving, whale-watching and island hopping are among the best things to do here.  The archipelago of Okinawa, made up of over 160 islands slung across the East China Sea, is a place of chalk-white beaches and mangrove forests, located closer to Taiwan than Tokyo.