Top artistic must-sees in Tallinn

Home inhabitants recommended their favorite cultural spots in the Estonian capital.

Saint Olav's Church

This 12th-century church, at the end of Pikk Street, is the most beautiful in Tallinn. It's also the most unlucky: it has been hit by lightening at least eight times, and burned down three times. Once the tallest structure in the world, its 124m spire can been seen from all over the city. Climb the narrow stairs to the observation deck at the base of the spire for sweeping views.

Kiek in de Kök

The museum inside this great artillery tower (whose name means "peep into the kitchen" in Low German because from the upper floors soldiers could peer into the houses of the lower town) is interesting, but don't miss a guided tour of its limestone bastion passages, which reopened in March with new video and sound effects. Built to conceal the movement of soldiers, the 500m of passages (half are still being dug out) were used as a bomb shelter during the 1944 Soviet bombings, and inhabited by a large community of homeless people in the 1990s.

Old Town

Katariina Käik (St Catherine's Passage) in the Old Town, lined with craftsmen's workshops, is a favorite for many visitors, but I love Pikk Jalg, or "Long Leg" (there is also a short, steep alley called Lühige Jalg, or Short Leg), which winds up to Toompea Hill. Stop on the way for coffee and a croissant at Bonaparte, a charming French bistro (Pikk 45). At Toompea Hill are the Great Russian Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St Mary's Cathedral (the oldest church in Estonia, founded in 1219) and several viewing platforms, where you can see over red-tiled roofs to the Baltic Sea.

Perth Zoo in western Australian best Tourist spot

A fun place to spend the tour with their families is Perth Zoo in western Australian. However, most people do not think of these places as great tourist attractions. Sure they bring in the locals, but do people really travel all over the world to visit certain zoos? Well apparently some zoos are great enough to actually bring in a lot of tourists, like the Perth Zoo.

Just recently, the Perth Zoo was named as a top attraction in Western Australia. It was named as a top attraction during the Western Australian Tourism Awards. Out of the tons of people that are planning to vacation in Perth, many of them already had plans to visit the zoo. In fact, for some this was the main reason to come to Perth in the first place. This is one of the only places that can actually say that its zoo brings in international tourists.

Tourism Council Western Australia’s chief executive officer, Graham Moss, explained that the awards had seen a substantial increase in the number of nominations for eco categories. This is largely due to an increase in demand from tourists looking for a greener holiday experience.

He went on to add that the standard of submissions were especially high this year. In fact, this positions Western Australia for success in the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, which will be held on March 11, 2011 in Perth.

Perth Zoo first opened back in 1896. Ever since then the zoo has done nothing but grow. It is known around the world as being one of the best zoos to visit. Overall, it is now one of the key attractions in Perth.

Spinalonga Island revive as tourist attraction

The island of Spinalonga, a one-time leper colony whose history was recently dramatized as a highly successful television series based on the book 'The Island' by Victoria Hislop, is to reopen as a tourist attraction at weekends after an initiative launched by the municipality of Agios Nikolaos in Lasithi, Crete.

The municipality, local bodies and the 13th Byzantine Monuments ephorate have submitted a series of proposals to the culture and tourism ministry for giving visitors access to the island on a daily basis and are currently awaiting their approval.

The island was closed to visitors due to a lack of staff and will now open at weekends until a more permanent solution is found, as well as to large, organized groups on week days.

Local authorities had stressed that the extra publicity gained by the site due to the popular television series had greatly increased the interest of visitors and keeping the island open would satisfy demand and boost the local economy.

During the Christmas holidays the island will be open daily except on major holidays.

Vocation to Beautiful city Toronto

Toronto is known as one of the most multicultural locals in the world, and it’s Canada’s largest city. It is the provincial capital of Ontario; Toronto is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America.

As Canada's economic capital, Toronto's leading economic sectors include finance, business services, telecommunications, aerospace, transportation, media, arts, film, television production, publishing, software production, medical research, education, and tourism and sports industries.

Toronto covers an area of 630 square kilometers (243 sq mi) shoreline, on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. The Toronto Islands and Port Lands extend some distance out into the lake, allowing for a somewhat sheltered Toronto Harbour immediately south of the downtown core.

The city is intersected by two rivers and numerous tributaries: the Humber River in the west end and the Don River east of downtown at opposite ends of the Toronto Harbor. The harbour was naturally created by sediment build-up from lake currents that created the Toronto Islands.

During the last ice age, the lower part of Toronto was beneath Glacial Lake Iroquois. Today, a series of escarpments mark the lake's former boundary, known as the Iroquois Shoreline.

Toronto's climate is moderate for Canada owing to its southerly location within the country. It has a humid continental climate, with warm, humid summers and cold winters. The city experiences four distinct seasons, with considerable variance in day to day temperature, particularly during the colder weather season.

Toronto winters sometimes feature short cold snaps where maximum temperatures remain below −10 °C (14 °F), often made to feel colder by wind chill. Snowstorms sometimes mixed with ice and rain can disrupt work and travel schedules, accumulating snow can fall any time from November until mid-April. However, mild stretches with temperatures in the 5 to 12 °C (41 to 54 °F) range and infrequently higher also occur in most winters melting accumulated snow. Summer in Toronto is characterized by long stretches of humid weather.

Buckingham Palace residence of London

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a rallying point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis. Built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703, today Buckingham Palace is the main London Royal residence. The palace is both headquarters for the Royal Household and the weekday home to the Queen and Prince Philip. The palace's Royal Collection, which includes paintings, artifacts and furnishings, is owned by the nation and open for viewing to the general public

The building which forms the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1705 on a site which had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was subsequently acquired by George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte, and known as "The Queen's House".

During the 19th century it was enlarged, principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, forming three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837.

At the centre of this wing is the famous balcony, with the Centre Room behind its glass doors. This is a Chinese-style saloon enhanced by Queen Mary, who, working with the designer Sir Charles Allom, created a more "binding" Chinese theme in the late 1920s, although the lacquer doors were brought from Brighton in 1873. Running the length of the piano nobile of the east wing is the great gallery, modestly known as the Principal Corridor, which runs the length of the eastern side of the quadrangle. It has mirrored doors, and mirrored cross walls reflecting porcelain pagodas and other oriental furniture from Brighton. The Chinese Luncheon Room and Yellow Drawing Room are situated at each end of this gallery, with the Centre Room obviously placed in the centre.