Barcelona - Spain

Barcelona is Spain's second largest city, with a population of nearly one and half million people (nearly five million in the metropolitan area) and the capital, largest city of Catalonia.

This beautiful city is full of what European cities are known for (outdoor markets, restaurants, shops, museums and churches) and is fantastic for walking with an extensive and reliable Metro system for more far-flung destinations. The core center of town, focused around the Ciutat Vella ("Old City") provides days of enjoyment for those looking to experience the life of Barcelona while the beaches the city was built upon provide sun and relaxation during the long periods of agreeably warm weather.


August is probably the busiest time in Barcelona; at the same time about 10% of shops and restaurants can be found closed from mid-August to early September, when the owners go on vacations.You'll find cheap accommodation and a much quieter city as a vast majority of Spaniards go on vacation in August. Business is low, people from Barcelona tend to be on vacation, hotels that remain open but don't have their business customers tend to lower prices and make offers.

Activities in Barcelona:

• Las Ramblas or La Rambla, a gorgeous tree-lined pedestrian walkway, 
• Cruise miles of beachfront boardwalk starting from Barceloneta or get a tan on the beach.
• Sit on a wooden bridge to Maremagnum in Ciutat Vella 
• Wander the Barri Gotic in Ciutat Vella, the largely intact pseudo-medieval center of the city.
• Enjoy your Sangria at La Plaça Reial in Ciutat Vella, near the La Rambla Street. Great place to sit,relax and drink. While visiting La Placa Reial
• Walk in Born in Ciutat Vella, a very popular area with great restaurants and places to have a few drinks. 
• Visit a Flamenco Show in a real tablao. 

• Ride the Cable Way to get from the sea front to Montjuïc mountain in Sants-Montjuïc
• Catch a performance at the beautiful Teatre del Liceu or the Palau de la Musica Catalana both in Ciutat Vella.
• Rent a bike or join a Biketour and get to see the highlights of the city in a different way. 
• Join a Barcelona photography walk or masterclass in English 
• Go see some of the famous or small unknown galleries or some mueseums (Museum of Natural History - in the Forum - Museu Blau, CosmoCaixa: Museum of Science - Amazing museum for kids from 4-5 onwards. Adults will really enjoy it also,Tibidabo Amusement Park)

Maldives - The Sunny Side of Life

Maldives is an island nation of a total 1190 islands, formed in 26 natural atolls. Located in the Indian Ocean, south-west of Trivandrum, India and east-west of Sri Lanka (approximately 1 hour flight from Colombo or Trivandrum). The closest neighbors are India and SriLanka. Only 200 of these islands are inhabited while more than 80 of the island are developed into resort islands. The population is around 340,000 and almost a quarter live on the capital Male' island, which is just 10 minutes boat ride from the International airport. Male' is the commercial hub of the country.

The Capital of the Maldives is Male' pronounced "Ma-ley". The population is about 70,000 and is home for almost one-forth of the total  population of the country. This is the base for all the economic activities. The city also has a few places of historical interest.

The international airport is located on the island of Hulhule. There are more than 2 dozens of international schedule flights flying into Maldives from major cities in asia, middle east and Europe. These include SriLankan Airways, Qatar airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Indian Airlines, Balkan, Bulgarian Airlines, LTU, Condor, AOM French, Austrian Airlines and Malaysian Airlines, with some of these airlines flying daily, weekly or twice a week.


No prior visa is needed to enter Maldives and all tourists are given a free 30 days visa on arrival. Tourist visa can be extended upto 90 days for a fee of approx. USD90.00 and upon approval.

There are islands offering nothing but relaxing and comfort. Most of the resorts offer a variety of sports and water sports, which include volley ball, beach volley, snooker, billiard, table-tennis, badminton, football, squash, tennis, carom, swimming pool, etc. Available water sports include Wind surfing, wave surfing, catamaran, sailing, fishing, night fishing, big game fishing, Para-sailing, banana riding, jet-ski, etc.. Almost every island has a dive center.

More than 80 of the uninhabited islands have been developed as resort islands. Each island represent one resort and most of the resorts are located in Male',  and Ari atoll. These island vary in size and shape. Some are only 40 meters wide and some 1Km in width. The number of rooms vary from 8 to 350. All rooms are built a few meters from the beach and they come in individual bungalows and room blocks of 2 to 4. Some resorts also have got rooms built on concrete or wooden stilts in the lagoon - These water bungalows are very popular among tourists.

The Maldive Islands feature several noteworthy attractions which should be experienced by every traveller to the islands. With the islands’ seafaring heritage and diverse foreign influences many interesting sights are to be seen here.

The Grand Friday Mosque or Masjid-al-Sultan as it is locally known, is one of the islands’ finest sights. Constructed in the 17th century by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar, this magnificent edifice accommodates no less than 5,000 persons.

Male’s National Museum is another highlight in the Maldives. Located in a charming colonial edifice the museum houses a mesmerizing range of artefacts.

The President’s Palace is a site of interest which should not be omitted. This magnificent building is the official residence of the President of the Maldives. Although it is not open to the public, visitors may photograph the splendid exterior. The building was constructed just prior to World War I by Sultan Shamsuddeen III.