TOP 5 PLACES TO GO IN 2018
No.1 Valetta, Malta
Valletta is Malta’s capital city, the commercial heart of the islands but Valletta retains extraordinary tourist appeal - both for its most secluded and most vaunted aspects.
The facades of the charming streets are mottled with elaborate and colourful wooden balconies, and all ultimately lead to breathtaking harbour views. The interior of St John’s Co-Cathedral, a Baroque masterpiece, houses arguably Caravaggio’s most dramatic work, ‘The Beheading of St John’.
Photographers can delight in the startling colour contrasts between the honey coloured stone of Valletta and the rich blues of the sea and sky. A stroll through the grid pattern of narrow byways is guaranteed to produce as many pictures as memories.
Valletta has a lot to offer also to those passionate about contemporary architecture, plus the atmospheric old town is now a UNESCO World Heritage site in its entirety, is now looking better than ever as its now the European Capital of Culture for 2018. Over the coming months Strait Street will see bars, restaurants and music venues collaborating on live shows, street theatre, performance poetry and jamming sessions, part of an ambitious vision for Valletta, that by the end of 2018 should garner it a reputation as one of the Mediterranean’s most exciting and innovative arts cities, it’s starting to get noticed. www.maltacultureguide.com
No.2 lisbon, Portugal
Discover Lisbon, a historical city full of stories to tell, where the sun shines 290 days a year and the temperature rarely drops below 15oC. A city where you feel safe wandering around day or night, where the cuisine is dedicated to creating over a thousand ways to cook the beloved bacalhau (salted cod), and where you’ll find hotels and restaurants to suit every taste, budget and requirement. A city full of authenticity where old customs and ancient history intermix with cultural entertainment and hi-tech innovation. Lisbon is ageless, but it loves company, as you’ll find out if you meet someone and ask them to explain, with lots of gestures and repetition, where the best place is to listen to Fado. After all, Lisbon is famous for its hospitality and the family-like way it welcomes visitors. www.visitlisboa.com
No 3. Chile
The longest and thinnest country in the world runs from the Andes to the Pacific. As well as sharing borders with Argentina, Peru and Bolivia. Chile also has territories in Polynesia and Antarctica, making it a tri-continental nation.
From the high Andean plateau to the untouched southern territories at the end of the world, Chile invites you to live adventures in the middle of the world’s driest desert, in the unique rainy temperate forest of South America, in front of millennial glaciers or under the watchful eye of the Andes in the middle of the buzz of modern cities like Santiago.
These cultural and climatic contrasts have left an imprint on the identity of the country and its people. Warm, energetic, approachable and kind, Chileans share the love for their land, which invites you to build relationships beyond boundaries, to live unique experiences and to discover Chile.
Culture, adventure and a paradise destination to rest are just a part of what awaits you on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Come discover its intriguing moai and the authentic spirit of this culture still present in its people!
Visit the Rapa Nui National Park or tepito or tehenua, declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Rest on its pink, sandy beaches and discover its volcanoes and prairies on your bike, on horseback or by foot. Find the most absolute silence in the island’s caverns, explore the ocean flora and fauna diving in its warm waters or go surfing on its waves. www.chile.travel/en/
No.4 South Korea
With Seoul’s status firmly established and Pyeong Chang hosting the Winter Olympics, South Korea is ready for visitors. Start in Seoul, making your way through the trendy Hannam neighborhood. Contemporary art fans will love the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, and the Wolhyang bar’s freshly made makgeolli (traditional rice liquor) is a must-try. A new high-speed train will cut travel time in half between the two cities, Seoul and Pyeong Chang. You can spend your days checking out the Olympic village, or venture offshore to one of South Korea’s 3,000-plus islands. Explore fields of flowers and exquisite tea plants on Jeju, see the world’s tallest gold-clad building on Yeouido, or visit Oedo to see Oedo-Botania, a marine botanical garden home to more than 3,000 kinds of plants. http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/
No.5 Georgia
Georgia is a small country situated on the crossroad of Europe and Asia. From the south-east it has a border with Azerbaijan, from the south – with Armenia and Turkey, from the north - with Russia. The western part of Georgia is washed by the Black Sea. Tbilisi is a capital of Georgia founded in the fifth century.
This is an ancient country at the crossroads of the Eastern and Western civilisations, where the European and Asian way of life and traditions merge for thousands of years.
There were times when several huge invaders struggled to have there influence over Georgia. The reason of all these wars was strategic location of Georgia between Europe and Asia on the major trade artery - Silk Road. They amazingly managed to survive and preserve their independence
Nothing tells you more about the spirit and culture of a country than its cuisine. Georgian national dishes are amongst the best in the world for their diversity and taste. Each historical province of the country has its own distinct culinary tradition that was refining for centuries.
There are also hectares of vineyards, Rtveli (Georgian harvesting) accompanied with polyphonic singing and clay vessels (Kvevri) full of wine – this is Georgia. Wine is everything and everyone loves it. Every family will treat you with their own wine with great pleasure and pride. www.georgia.travel/en_US/georgia