TOP 5 PLACES TO VISIT IN 2019

Han Min T

Osaka

Osaka is Japan’s third-largest city. In many ways it's the soul of Japan. While Tokyo is polished and pricey, Osaka is down-to-earth and is well known for its fun and laid back ambience. It’s a great place to experience a large, modern Japanese city in all its glory, but on a more human scale than Tokyo – and for significantly less money. The city is all about great food (and lots of it) and shopping, especially bargain shopping. Best of all, Osaka is packed with friendly and easygoing citizens who are at ease with foreign visitors. Indeed, it’s probably easier to have a good time in Osaka than any other city in Japan.

Osaka isn’t just all food and nightlife, within the city walls lie culture and history waiting to be explored. You should just wander almost aimless where ever you feel and let the experience of the city wash over you. That said, every visitor to the city should check out the Kita and Minami districts, as well as the Osaka Castle Area.

Osaka Castle is the city’s premier tourist attraction, and with good reason, visible from most panoramic viewpoints in the city, it is a stunning sight from afar, rising up and commanding the skyline of the entire east side of the city. It’s worth walking up to see it from the outside, but if you’re not keen on a too-modern reconstruction, skip a visit inside and spend more time in the park. https://www.japan-guide.com

Panama

Panama is world-famous for its 48-mile canal that connects the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean. Each year, over a million people visit the canal and are able to witness this engineering marvel at work. Panama is very proud to have this magnificent creation operating 365 days a year, enabling the world's cargo to be shipped efficiently and safely to new destinations.

Three million years ago, the Isthmus of Panama emerged from the sea and changed the world forever. It divided an ocean and joined two continents together, triggering one of the most important natural evolution events in the history of the world. Today, this narrow land bridge in Central America is home to more species of birds and trees than the whole of North America. We invite you to discover its beautiful landscapes, rich culture, and endless tourist activities, right at your fingertips.

Some of these activities include rainforest tours, surfing, snorkeling, diving, hiking, camping, bird watching, white water rafting, zip-line tours, and more. In Panama City, you can enjoy world-class dining, nightlife, casinos and shopping! Panama has attracted some of the world's most famous brands to set up shop here, including Gucci, Prada, Cartier and countless others. https://visitpanama.com

Maarten van den Heuvel

Ricardo Gomez Angel

Matera

Matera is one of the most interesting, unusual and memorable destinations in Italy. In the remote southern region of Basilicata (also called Lucania), still little-visited by foreign travellers, it is a town famous for its extensive cave-dwelling districts, the sassi. Curious visitors can stay in caves, wander the lanes alongside the picturesque cave-filled cliffs, and learn the history of this fascinating place.

The caves of Matera had been inhabited for centuries; some humble and some smarter residences, but by the early twentieth-century the area was a by-word for poverty. Until the 1950s hundreds of families were still living crowded into cave-houses here. The squalor and malaria-ridden conditions became a national scandal and finally the cave residents were moved to modern buildings on the plateau above. By the 1980s the abandoned caves of Matera were no longer scandalous, but fascinating reminders of the past. A few rather more well-to-do residents moved back and renovated old cave houses. In 1993 the town was made a UNESCO World Heritage site, for being "the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain". And ever since, Matera has become steadily more popular as an off-the-beaten-track tourist destination. More and more old cave-houses are being converted into comfortable modern dwellings, into hotels, B&Bs and restaurants. http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/basilicata/matera.html

Dakar

Dakar is Senegal's vibrant capital might take a few days to get used to, but once you're in the groove there's plenty to see and do in this shining example of an emerging African metropolis. Colourful markets, excellent music, and good beaches are all part of the city's charm, as is its bustling restaurant and nightlife scene. 

Despite being a metropolitan city, Dakar’s streets play hosts to a weird combination of animals and machines. Visitors to the city will be thrilled to see both a horse-drawn cart and a luxury car grinding to a halt and standing side by side at a red traffic light.

Soumbedioune is a daily make-shift fish market which comes alive as the dusk sets on Dakar’s coastlines. As many as twenty fish vendors are always on standby every other night to sell their wood-fired grills at incredibly low prices to their fish-loving patrons.

Located just 20 minutes from Dakar, Île de Gorée is a small island known for the major role it played in the African slave trade. Several monuments and museums provide an insight into the island's tragic past; to which the quiet streets and pretty pastel homes of modern-day Île de Gorée provide a powerful antidote. Indeed, a visit to Dakar is an experience of a lifetime.

Vince G

Kevin Lofthouse

Tromsø

In this modern city in Norway, nature and culture go hand in hand. Tromsø has many activities on offer, from an aquarium and several quality museums to the world’s northernmost botanical garden. The city is also a popular place from September to March, many people come to Tromsø to observe the majestic phenomenon of the northern lights as it is located 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle.

If you want a cultural holiday, Tromsø hosts the Tromsø International Film Festival and the Northern Light Festival, both of which attract visitors from all over the world. At Northern Norway Art Museum you can explore art and crafts with ties to Northern Norway from the 1800s up until today.

For the outdoor enthusiasts, Tromsø city centre is conveniently located just around the corner from seemingly untouched wilderness, which offers many opportunities for activities such as hiking, fishing, kayaking, dog sledding and whale safaris.The city is known for its lively night scene and a range of restaurants specialising in the fresh ingredients of the Arctic. Tromsø’s multi-cultural community, featuring more than 100 nationalities so there is no shortage of new eateries based on local food.

Find more inspiration on Tromsø’s official website.