Page 4 - Travel Advisors of Los Gatos – Spring 2016

Electrifying energy, history-rich sites and fascinating cultural attractions provide enriching experiences in major cities around the globe. While many of the world’s metropolitan areas afford distinctive, exciting attractions, these urban centers have it all.
LIGHTS OVER LONDON
London holds many fascinating attractions that visitors frequent each year, never growing weary of its museums, galleries, expansive parks and charming English pubs. Starting with a visit to Buckingham Palace, the Queen’s official residence, be sure to catch the changing of the guard. See Westminster Abbey, the site of every royal coronation – except two –
since 1066, and tour the Tower of London, which is shrouded in dark, sinister history.
For an offbeat London experience, take a Sunday excursion to Hyde Park, the site of Kensington Palace. On Sundays, the 360-acre park hosts brass band concerts and the northeast corner near Marble Arch becomes Speaker’s corner, where politicos climb atop their soapboxes and expound to the public on topics they find intensely interesting or aggravating.
URBAN HISTORY IN PARIS
The proud history of Paris resounds throughout the City of Light. By visiting the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, Place de la Concorde and Place Vendome, the stories of France’s most notable figures such as Philippe Auguste, Napoleon, Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette are better
understood. If time affords, a visit to Louis XIV’s magnificent Palace and Gardens of Versailles reveals the extravagant lifestyle of the royal family during the 18th century.
Aside from its exquisite restaurants, expansive avenues, such as the Champs-Elysees, and such recognizable architectural structures as the Eiffel Tower, Paris is known for its exceptional museums. In all of France there are more than 7,000 “Temples of Muses.”
Particularly noteworthy on Paris’ Right Bank are the three museums located inside the Palais de Chaillot: the Musee de la Marine, the Musee de l’Homme (the showcase of French anthropology), and the Musee de Monuments Francais (featuring reproductions of the finest works of art from the French provinces). At the Musee du Louvre, admire a magnificent collection of masterpieces such as “Venus de Milo,” the “Victory of Samothrace,”
and the “Mona Lisa.”
METROPOLITAN MADRID
The residents of cosmopolitan Madrid, one of Spain’s liveliest cities, never seem to slow down. Nightclubs sizzle with action, restaurants hum with activity long into the night and dining out is a way of
life for the friendly and gregarious Madrilenos. While skyscrapers dot the sprawling cityscape,
its Old-World look is most pervasive. Perched on a plateau 2,000 feet above sea level, Madrid is the highest capital in Europe. Summers swelter and temperatures drop during wintertime, transforming Madrid into an extremely cold city.
In Madrid’s downtown area, broad avenidas, twisting medieval alleys, museums, stately gardens and small, dusty taverns fill an area that is easily covered by foot. Also worth visiting is the Palaciso Real, an opulent Royal Palace built in the 9th century. Guided tours in English take visitors along a long, winding path through the palace’s 2,800 rooms.
HONG KONG’S HIGH LIFE
With its own unique flair, Hong Kong’s culture blends 150 years of British colonial influence and 5,000 years of Chinese tradition. Most worldwide trade routes flow in and out of Hong Kong, so it’s little wonder that this glittering international city reigns as the shopping capital of the world.
Hong Kong is one of the easiest destinations in the world to see and enjoy, thanks to its compact size, superb transportation systems, and the pervasiveness of the English language. Following a full day of
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GLOBAL GLITTER: EXCITI
London, England Paris, France Madrid, Spain
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