Go back into history along Uzbekistan’s Silk Road Cities Kiva, Bokhara and Samonkand. Once part of the USSR Uzbekistan now stand as an independent country in the middle of central Asia.  Around it are Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afganistan and Turkmenistan.  The capital Taskent’s still bear resemblance of its former association with Russia, through its architecture and the mix of people that you come across. There are the pale face Russians, who stayed after Uzbekistan gain its independence and the oval-faced, almond eyed individuals in brightly-coloured striped robes.

Before the Russian Uzbekistan played a significant role in the Silk and spice trade, that gave it wealth and defined the region.  A visit to the region especially Samarkand, Khiva, Bokhara and Taskent and you will find remnants of its rich history in trade, architecture and past rulers – Alexander the Great, Genghis Kan and Tamburlaine).
 

A visit to Stavanger will change your view of the Nordic region. Located on a peninsula in Southwest Norway; it is a thriving cosmopolitan city with a long history, vibrant cultural scene and close by are Norwegian’s famous fjords (voted most unspoilt destination).  One of the great things about Stavanger is most things are just minutes away from the city centre.  It has the region’s most breathtaking mountains, beautiful waters, and long sandy beaches and being on the Gulf Stream it has an unusually mild climate with pleasant summers.

Rich History and Vibrant Cultural Scene

With a choice of more than five beautiful islands to choose from the Canary Islands are a sun-seekers dream comes through. It is best-known for its beaches, steep volcano landscape on most of the islands, which makes them ideal for hiking/walking. Enjoy its rustic, hearty and delightful cuisine, shaped by a rich culture.

If you are someone who likes solitude and walking off the beaten track, the canaries offer visitors the freedom and flexibility to seek and find its hidden gems.

The Santos cycle Tour Down Under is an ideal opportunity for you to see and experience Southern Australia and especially Adelaide.  The tour takes place in January and last for seven days. This short break is especially for those of us who experience the harsh cold of winter and offers us the chance to escape the cold for a week or two, and lap up the Adelaide sunshine, take in the laid-back life style of Adelaide.

The Tour Down Under has become a major fixture in the road cycling calendar; it draws some of the world’s best cyclist; those that have ridden here in the past includes Lance Armstrong, Andre Greipel,  Cadel Evans and Britain’s team sky.

There is no generally accepted definition of what exactly Eastern Europe is. The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania often identify themselves as Northern European and seem keen to distance themselves culturally from their soviet past. At the southern end of the continent, in the Caucasus, it can be debated whether Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan should be geographically classed as a part of Eastern Europe, despite many of the population very definitely identifying themselves as European. Russia, of course, is mainly geographically in Asia, but its best-known cities, St Petersburg and Moscow, are firmly rooted, both culturally and geographically, within the traditions of Europe.

The Boryeong mud festival was started in 1998 for the sole purpose of advertising the health benefit of Boryeong’s mud.  Fast forward to today and it has grown into one of the biggest festival on the summer festival calendar – in Asia. For one weekend in July the Daecheon Beach comes alive with revilers from all over the world to take part in this muddy but healthy festival.

Whether your favourite team in Formula1 is Ferrari, McLaren or Red Bull it does not matter, because this short break idea is just for the sheer glamour, glitz, excitement and luxury that if offers.  I am inviting you to see the world or just a part of it with a Formula1 weekend break.

The season starts in early spring and follows the sun around the world for the rest of the year. There are nineteen events in some of the world’s must see locations. Each event last for a whole weekend; practice on Friday, qualification on Saturday and the race on Sunday.

If I did not say where I was writing about and ask you where in Eastern Europe you can sun bath all day and party in the night it would take you a few guesses before you mention Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. Known for its natural coastline and beautiful sun shine, the Dalmatian Coast covers the entire Croatian coastline which includes towns like Split, Makarska and Dubrovnik and islands like Hvar, Korcula and Mljet.  The Dalmatian coast has become a European short break destination everyone wants to experience. With its excellent Mediterranean climate, rugged mountains and deep blue sea, it’s perfect for an outdoor holiday – whether sunbathing on pebble beaches, peddling along rural cycling trails, or touring archaeological sites.  But if you really want to taste Croatia’s magic, there’s no better way to explore the blissful islands of the Adriatic than by sailing boat.

Fuji Rock Festival Japan
The Fuji rock festival is held in Naba ski resort of Niigata it was founded by Masahiro Hidaka. It is now in its 14th year; Masahiro said it was inspired by a trip to Glastonbury. The festival is Japan’s largest outdoor festivals it attacks over 30,000 fans and is said to be the cleanest festival in the world, with round the clock recycling and round the clock cleaning (smash-uk.com/frf10).

I found this in the Metro paper in London (one of the free news paper given out in the city) and thought I would share it with our readers. These are 5 of best places to see in terms of design. There are destinations in Germany, Japan, Moroco, Norway and USA these places were given the award to celebrate the finest new examples of design and architecture. So if you are in any of these areas as part of your holiday why not have a look in.