Category Amazing Places

           The Black Forest is a thickly wooded mountain region in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, in southwestern Germany.

          The name of this region comes from the dark-coloured fig and pine trees present in the region. Other than this lushness there are many features in the area that attract thousands of people to this location every year. The Titisee and the Schluchsee lakes are two of them. They offer opportunities for water sports like diving and wind surfing for adventure lovers. Then there is the spa-town of Baden-Baden that is noted for the numerous thermal baths, the imperial town of Gengenbach and the flower and wine village of Sasbachwalden.

          For travellers in search of picturesque, old towns, places like Altensteig, Dornstetten, Freiburg im Breisgau, and Gernsbach would be the ultimate options. There are as well the former monasteries of St. Blasien, the abbeys of Saint Trudpert that fascinate people from all over the world. 

          Tuscany is a region in west-central Italy that is marked for its landscapes, traditions, art and history. The city of Florence is its capital. Geographically, the region comprises the provinces of Massa-Carrara, Lucca, Pistoia, Prato, Firenze, Livorno, Pisa, Arezzo, Siena, and Grosseto.

          There are multiple reasons why tourists across the world prefer Tuscany for a vacation. As a matter of fact, it is one of the most visited places in the world. For people in love with culture, the region has much to offer. The churches, palaces, art galleries, museums and villages of Tuscany reflect its unique cultural and artistic heritage. There are also many art schools which have created famous artists, and contributed to the region’s nickname as the ‘art palace of Italy’. Hence the place is rightly regarded as the birthplace of Italian Renaissance which was a major cultural movement in world history.

            Oaxaca or the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca are a state in southern Mexico. Specifically, it is one of the states that constitute the 32 federative entities of Mexico. What make the state so famous are its land, culture, and people.

             A large part of the state is mountainous, covered by the mountains of the Sierra Madre del Sur range. As it goes down south, the mountains turn narrower, and form a plain along the Pacific coast. In the east, it descends to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

            Historically, there were different native groups inhabiting the region that is now called Oaxaca.

           In the early 16th century, Spanish rulers conquered the region and controlled it for a long 300 years. Later, Mexico gained independence from the Spanish, and Oaxaca became a free state in 1824.

            It is now one of the most ethnically diverse states in the country with a number of indigenous groups. The capital of the state, Oaxaca de Juarez is the site of the major cultural institutions here, including the Benito Juarez University of Oaxaca and the Regional Museum of Oaxaca.

            Tikal was a major city and ceremonial site of the Ancient Mayan civilization. It was also an urban centre in the southern Maya lowlands which stood 30 kilometres north of Lake Peten ltza. Today, this place is in the archaeological region of Peten in northern Guatemala.

            Historically, Tikal was first developed as a small village during 900-300 BC. With the construction of pyramids and temples, it later became a ceremonial centre. It was also an important point in the trading network that had been established in Southern Mexico and Central America by the central Mexican city of Teotihuacan.

            However, the city reached its greatness during AD 600 when palaces, pyramids and plazas were built. This was also the time when Mayan art flourished in sculpture, monumental and vase painting. The city reached its architectural and artistic peak between AD 600 and 800, after which it saw a steep decline. Population fell and so did its art. By the 10th century, Tikal was abandoned.

            The Tikal Project of the University of Pennsylvania recorded over 200 monuments at the site.

Vieques or the Isla de Vieques is a beautiful island of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean. It is part of the Spanish Virgin Islands and retains influences from centuries-long Spanish presence in the land.

Geographically, Vieques is about 34 kilometres long and 6 kilometers wide. Isabel Segunda, the chief town and Esperanza, a fishing village are two of the important places on the isle.

There are many reasons why Vieques is known to the world. The closeness to waters as well as the hilly terrain is indeed fascinating. But what brought this little island to global attention was a series of protests.

History says that in the early 1940s, a large part of the island was occupied by the US Navy. But, the protests from the natives forced the US Navy to withdraw from the island. Following this, Vieques was designated a National Wildlife Refuge. Today, it is a major hub of ecotourism with unspoiled beaches along with historical remains attracting thousands of visitors each year. 

          Denali is the highest mountain peak in North America that is located close to the centre of the Alaska Range in South-Central Alaska.

          After Mount Everest and Aconcagua, Denali is the third most prominent and isolated peak on Earth. It is a giant block of granite believed to have been lifted above the earth’s crust due to tectonic activity, millions of years ago.

          There are two significant summits on the peak, the South Summit which is the higher one, and the North Summit. Flowing off the slopes of the mountain are five large glaciers.

          Starting from 1903, many attempts were made to climb the summit of Denali. However, the first successful ascent was recorded on June 7, 1913, by climbers Hudson Stuck, Harry Karstens, Walter Harper, and Robert Tatum. Today, Denali is a famous spot among climbers.

          The term ‘Denali’ was the name given to the mountain by native Athabascan Indians. It means ‘The Great One’.