Athens
During ancient times, Greece served as a geographically strategic meeting place for people from Europe, Africa, and Asia. Today, the country remains as diverse and vibrant as the cultures that shaped it.
Athens emerged during the Classical Age, in the 5th century BC, as the most prominent city-state in Greece. It is located in the southernmost region of Central Greece, and is the port city where most begin their tours of the popular Greek islands. It is situated in a basin surrounded by four mountains: Mt. Hymettos to the east, Mt. Parnis and Mt. Aigaleo to the West, and Mt. Pendeli to the north. It is home to countless archeological sites, museums, and social attractions. Greek is the language spoken here, although as in most places, English is also spoken and understood. Currency in Greece is the drachma.
To Greeks, Athens is an overcrowded, expensive, and decadent place to avoid if you are the quiet, peaceful type. To tourists, however, Athens is an exciting, bustling city filled with shops, cafés, monuments, and character. Although pollution and traffic do add to the grit of the city (think New York's traffic jams and Los Angeles air quality), the energetic tourist will find plenty of opportunities for sightseeing.
While Greeks like to ridicule Athens, 40% of the country's population lives here, and 5 million people can't be wrong. The street congestion is partially alleviated by a newly constructed subway system called the metro, but taxis are still the primary mode of transportation for visitors. And although Athens is a modern city, the history and antiquity of Greece is not entirely forgotten here. The city is home to many places that recall Greece's achievements in science, sport, architecture, and art during from Classical Age. It boasts of relics from the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods. History enthusiasts will want to visit the Natural Archeological Museum. And no one who visits Athens should miss the city's most impressive legacy, the Acropolis and the perfection of the Parthenon. It is an architectural must-see, looming 200 feet above the city.
Just as Athens offers plenty to do, it also offers plenty of places to unwind. Traffic jams and overcrowding can be quickly forgotten while enjoying appetizers at a local restaurant or sipping coffee at a tranquil side street café, as Athenians are also masters of food, friendly debate, discussion, and relaxation.
Santorini
The Cyclades Islands in Greece are a gorgeous collection of unique and empirically beautiful islands. The southernmost area in this island collection is Santorini. This is the island that most often adorns tourist brochures welcoming visitors with its fantastic landscape. Guests will tell you that photographs can hardly do this place justice. Famous for its caldera, the collection of cliffs bordering the Aegean Sea that in ancient times was an active volcano, Santorini is the Cyclades most prized possession
Geologically, it is a spectacular sight. The western side of the island is stacked with homes of lucky locals that sit perched atop sharp cliffs thrusting toward the sea. The eastern side of the island is a tourist's paradise, with calm beaches stretching as far as the eye can see.
With over a million tourists per year, Santorini is constantly packed. And the 7,000 residents of the island have made their home an inviting destination by opening shops, nightclubs and restaurants in abundance. By day, Santorini is a sparkling place of water and relaxation. At night, it comes alive as its tone is transformed from placid to party. Wine is the islands largest export, and the incredible selection undoubtedly adds to the festive atmosphere the island takes on after dark. Local taverns are packed with tourists who simply want to taste the flavors and sample Santorini's finest.
Santorini has two main towns, Ia to the north and Fira in the center of the island. Both towns sit atop the caldera and are visible upon your arrival to the island. Fira, Santorini's capital, is the livelier of the two towns. It is truly the embodiment of commercialism and trade, giving visitors plenty of opportunities to indulge themselves and their wallets. Ia is a tamer town, catering especially to visitors looking to slow down and enjoy the scenery. With a decidedly residential tone, Ia emphasizes the beauty of its land and invites visitors to unwind and take in the famous Ia sunset on any of its caldera's peaks.
Kusadasi
Turkey is a sprawling and diverse country, and Kusadasi best exemplifies this diversity. The city has been built up to resemble a beach resort, but the citizens have rebelled against this all-out push for tourism. Many of the beaches are quite unpopulated, and when you travel into the heart of the town you do not get a bustling touristy feeling at all. Instead, you are likely to marvel at the glorious historical and architectural sights, enjoy one of the great dining facilities, or lounge around a cozy bar and have a drink with one of the locals.
No one is exactly sure when Kusadasi was officially founded. The Greeks inhabited the area and had a tremendous impact on the history and culture. Kusadasi took over as the major trade center when the ancient port of Ephesus was rendered useless because of a lack of water and resources. By the 1400?s, Kusadasi was controlled by Genovese and Venetian traders and shop owners who named the port Scala Nuova. Some years later the Ottomans invaded and took over, and they ruled the land for centuries. They called Kusadasi Bird Island because of the frequent herds of pigeons that migrated to the area.
Today Kusadasi is a city famous for its spectacular sunsets and interesting bazaars. The best way to enjoy Kusadasi is by spending the majority of your time at the beach or by one of the fabulous swimming pools. If you are one to trust the masses, then visit Kusadasi in the summertime when the normal winter population of 40,000 balloons to a tremendous 400,000. Even in the summer you will still be able to find beautiful and secluded beach areas and enjoy a peaceful dinner by the sea.
Haifa
Haifa is Israel's city by the bay. Israel's biggest commercial port and third largest city, 300,000 people call Haifa home. Among them is a sizable percentage of Christians and Muslims, making this northern port town one of the few places in Israel where people of different backgrounds are truly able to coexist.
Haifa is a mountainous region that can be separated into three parts. At the top is the Carmel district, with breathtaking views and clean, crisp air. In the middle is the Hadar district, where most of Haifa's business gets done. Finally, the area around the port is Haifa's industrial center, with most of the work centered around the sea.
Haifa's beaches lie just south of the city itself. They are easily Israel's finest. Resort companies are just finding this out, and as a result there are developments springing up around the area, despite the objections of the locals who view this land as their own private paradise.
Haifa's history has centered around the sea. The ancient Phoenicians called the area Zalemona, and it thrived as a major trading outpost. In Biblical times, Elijah the prophet defeated King Ahab and his wife Jezebel's forces in a battle atop Mount Carmel. The area lay dormant after the Arab reconquest of the area one thousand years ago, only to revive when Great Britain chose Haifa as the site for a new harbor. The northern city was the first to come under Jewish control after World War II, and thousands of Holocaust refugees settled here.
Most tourists base their Israeli itineraries around Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and that is understandable. There is so much to see in Israel's two largest cities that it can be hard to find time for a trip up north. But a visit to Haifa completes Israel's picture. Only when you combine the history of Jerusalem, the modernity of Tel Aviv, and the beauty and functionality of Haifa, will you get a true sense of Israel.
Sorrento
Sorrento has long held a special place in the heart of Italians. Its rugged beauty has attracted poets, philosophers, playwrights, and authors for centuries. Roman mythology places Sorrento as the spot where sailors were lured to their death by the songs of the sirens, mermaids who used their beautiful voices to lead men to their watery graves. It's said that the mythical hero Ulysses stuffed his crew's ears with wax to deafen them and strapped himself to the ships hull in order to resist their allure.
Today, the city is still every bit as alluring. Sorrento is on the beautiful Amalfi Coast, a strip of land in Western Italy that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. The small island of Capri is just three miles off shore, and one of Italy's most beautiful (but dangerous) roads winds along from Sorrento, through Amalfi and into Salerno. Sorrento is equidistant from both Naples and Salerno, exactly 43 miles away from each. Vic Damone's tear-jerking hit, Come Back to Sorrento may become your theme song once you visit this little slice of paradise.
Naples
Naples can be an acquired taste. Italy's third largest city is sure to conjure up strong feelings. For some it's an admiration of the city's authentic vibe, while for others it's a dislike for the economic disparity that exists here. Sophia Loren and Enrico Caruso are native Neapolitans, and the city is stubbornly proud of its image. One thing is certain; you will not leave Naples without an opinion.
Since late 1993, the city has sought to overcome its high crime rate by opening more museums and galleries, thereby attracting a cultured group of visitors and residents. The unconventional strategy is starting to pay off, as crime is down twenty-five percent. The resulting feeling of security has increased tourism by almost fifty percent. Naples feels like any other big city in the world, with no need to fear for your safety.
If Italy is the place to go for the best pizza and pasta in the world, and Naples is the best place to enjoy them in Italy, that would make Naples the pizza and pasta capital of the world, right? So bring your appetite!
If you have the time, try and take a side trip out to Pompeii, the ancient city buried by a volcanic eruption on nearby Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The opportunity to see a city frozen in time is rare, and well worth a visit.
Palermo
Palermo is the capital city of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, and the small mass of land right next to the toe of Italy's boot. All of Sicily's official business is conducted here in its largest city, with 900,000 people calling this northern port town home.
Sicily has one of the world's most fascinating histories, mainly due to the diverse backgrounds of the people who have ruled this small island through the centuries. Sicily has been inhabited since the Phoenicians called it home. In succession, the Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, and Bourbons have all controlled Sicily. Each ruler's influence can still be felt today. It can be seen in the flaxen-haired descendants of the Normans or by noting that Palermo's Duomo was originally a mosque.
Palermo's old town is in the middle of the city, and is divided into four quarters. Much of what there is to see in Palermo can be found within the confines of the four corners, as the city center is known.
In a microcosm, Palermo represents Sicily, and Italy for that matter. Tradition is highly respected here, with family and religion at the center of most of what goes on here. The Mafia, which used to completely run this island, has lost ground due to the recent election of a high profile, anti-Mafia mayor. But crime is rampant in the city, and women traveling alone should guard their valuables extremely closely. Some of the world's best pickpockets and con artists use Palermo as their training grounds, so travelers are advised to be at their sharpest when walking the streets of Palermo.
The city's combination of backgrounds is what attracts people here the most. Unique architecture and interesting museum exhibits help the city stand out. But it is the manner of the people here that most people find most charming. The exuberance, the animation, the joie de vivre (pardon my French) of Sicilians is contagious.
Casablanca
Casablanca means white house in Spanish, and the reason for the city's name will become quite obvious as you explore the city's landscape. White houses and white office buildings are the norm here in Morocco's busiest city. The Hassan II mosque stands out above the white landscape, a green tiled edifice that catches your eye no matter where you are.
The city has a history of occupation, with many different rulers claiming the city as their own over the centuries. The Berbers traded at the Port of Anfa with Carthaginians and Phoenicians. Later on, the Portuguese came and destroyed Casa Branca, in retaliation for Berber pirate attacks. Sultan Mohammed Ibn Abdellah rebuilt the town, but it soon came under French control. It was only in 1956 that Morocco gained its independence from Spain and France. The evidence of this occupation is everywhere. French is as widely spoken as Arabic, and street names still carry the words rue and boulevard before them.
The drive along Morocco's western coast, from Rabat to Casablanca, is replete with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. This area, known as La Corniche, is truly exquisite, and is well worth the time it takes to get there. But if you are on a tight schedule, the bustling pace of Casablanca will offer you plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, shopping, and fine dining.
It's the people of Morocco who will make your time here memorable. The country stands where Europe and Africa meet, and a legacy of European imperialism has transformed Morocco into a unique combination of Eastern and Western worlds. Moroccans are proud of their country, and they will go out of their way to show you its best face.
Manaus
Manaus is a fascinating region of Brazil that is a must see for all nature enthusiasts. The city is set amongst the trees of the Brazilian Amazon, and dense jungle surrounds it on all sides. The Rio Negro lines Manaus, and this city is home to one million inhabitants. It is the Amazonas state capital, and a marvelous region to explore. You have likely never visited a city quite like Manaus. The Manao tribe named the city, which means Mother of the Gods.
The rubber boom meant Manaus's entire existence was based on rubber production and shipment for decades. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, 90% of the world's rubber came from Manaus. Unfortunately, the resulting wealth was realized by only a few rubber barons, who exploited the local workers and brought in Indian slaves from all over South America. Northeast Brazil was extremely overcrowded and severely depressed economically, so many Brazilians welcomed the opportunity to find work down in Manaus. Once they got there, however, they were forced to work for hours on end in terrible conditions for low wages. Whenever the barons were displeased with production, they took to slaughtering some of the Indians to get their point across. This went on for many years until Asian rubber manufacturers ended the monopoly in Manaus. Once the Asians began to produce large amounts of rubber, Manaus suffered an economic depression that lasted for decades.
Finally, in 1967, Manaus was made a free-trade zone, and since that time the economy has really been bolstered. In under twenty years, the population has catapulted from 200,000 to 900,000. Present-day Manaus is a picturesque town filled with interesting sights and fabulous hiking trails. The jungle may be mysterious and daunting, but the city itself is friendly and inviting.
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