GLOBAL TOURISM

Tourism
– “the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside
their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for
leisure, business and other purposes.”

Tour  is derived from the latin, 'tornare' and the greek, 'tornos‘
MEANING CIRCLE.
Tourism is also the practice of traveling and the business of providing
associated products, services and facilities.

Tourism is a dynamic force homogenizing societies and commodifying

cultures across the globe.

It is promoted as a positive means of economic development for the many

countries and communities who have lost their traditional industries, or for
those who simply hope to improve their general economic condition
Visitor
– Any person visiting a country other than that in which they usually
reside for any reason other than following an occupation paid for
within the country.

Two types of Visitor:

• Tourist

• Excursionist
Tourist
tourist as anyone who travels to a place outside of their usual residential environment and stays
away for at least one night, but no more than one year.
a temporary visitor staying at least 24 hours in the country whose purpose of journey can be
classified under any one of the following:

Leisure Religion
Sport Meeting
Business Holiday
Family Health
Mission Study
Recreation

Excursionist – a temporary visitor staying less than 24 hours in the country visited, inclusive of
cruise visitors.
 Reasons For Tourism

 To attend a sporting event

 To visit friends
 To improve health
 For business trip
 To entertain
 To celebrate event
 To observe the economic status
 To educate
‘leisure’ as being related either to free time and/or to a frame of mind in
which the individual believes themself to be ‘at leisure’

‘recreation’ as being activity or experience,set within the context of leisure,

then tourism (as defined so far) is clearly congruent with major areas of
recreation and leisure.
Tourist Motivation
The question of why people travel is both obvious and fundamental to any
understanding of the practice of tourism and its consequences, including the
geography of tourism.
Examples of four types of motivation theories may serve to illustrate the
point:

• Tourist motivation model that incorporates significant elements of supply is

that suggested by Mayo and Jarvis (1981)
• Graburn’s explanation of tourist ‘inversions’
• Abraham Maslow proposed a Hierarchy of Needs (1954)
• STANLEY PLOG’S THEORY
Mayo and Jarvis (1981)
They proposed that travel motivation can be divided into the following four types, based on what the
tourists most wish to gain, see or experience in the trip. More than one of these can occur at the same
time, though one tends to be more prominent than the others for any single trip.

1. Physical Motivators: The desire for physical rest, sports participation, beach recreation, relaxing
entertainment and health considerations.
2. Cultural Motivators: The desire for knowledge of other countries, including
their music, art, folklore, dances, paintings and religion.
3. Interpersonal Motivators: The desire to meet new people; to visit friends or relatives; to escape
from routine, family, or neighbors; or to make new friendships
away from the home setting; to experience anomie (which refers to social interactions in an
anonymous setting).
4. Status and Prestige Motivators: The desire for recognition, attention, appreciation and a good
reputation among family, friends and acquaintances in the home
setting. (This is also referred to as ego enhancement.)
 Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
(1954)
The psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed a Hierarchy of Needs (1954) that
is widely used in explaining motivations for human behavior.

According to the original model, individuals first and foremost focus on

satisfying their physiological needs for survival.

Once these have been satisfactorily met, then the next level becomes the
primary motivation of behavior
1. Physiological needs
-these are biological requirements for human survival, e.g. air, food, drink, shelter, clothing,
warmth, sex, sleep.
If these needs are not satisfied the human body cannot function optimally. Maslow
considered physiological needs the most important as all the other needs become
secondary until these needs are met.
2. Safety needs
- protection from elements, security, order, law, stability, freedom from fear.
3. Love and belongingness needs
- after physiological and safety needs have been fulfilled, the third level of human needs is
social and involves feelings of belongingness. The need for interpersonal relationships
motivates behavior
Examples include friendship, intimacy, trust, and acceptance, receiving and giving affection
and love. Affiliating, being part of a group (family, friends, work).
growth and peak experiences. A desire “to become everything one is capable of becoming”
4. Esteem needs
- which Maslow classified into two categories:
(i) esteem for oneself (dignity, achievement, mastery, independence)
(ii) the desire for reputation or respect from others (e.g., status,
prestige).
Maslow indicated that the need for respect or reputation is most
important for children and adolescents and precedes real self-esteem
or dignity.

5. Self-actualization needs
- realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal
STANLEY PLOG’S THEORY
The popularity of a destination is related to the inherent personalities
of travelers. Travelers can be classified based on their personalities as
psychocentrics,allocentrics, and the midcentrics.

Psychocentrics
like to visit familiar environment and cultures; they prefer
“safe”destinations; they do not like to experiment with accomodations,
foodor entertainment; they see" experiences that will not create
personalstress or be involve in any unusual situations
Allocentrics
have a strong need for new and varied experiences;
they see"destinations that are unfamiliar and with totally different culture
andenvironments; they prefer to stay in native lodgings and try new foodand
entertainment.

Midcentrics
these are the majority of the tourists or the mass market;
their personalities are located between the personalities of the psychocentrics
and the allocentrics;
they are not adventurous but they are not afraid to try new experiences as long
as these are not too challenging. Popular destinations nowadays are visited by
midcentrics.
HISTORY OF TOURISM
• Grand Tour

Modern tourism can be traced to what was known as the Grand Tour, which
was a traditional trip around Europe, (especially Germany and Italy),
undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means, mainly from
Western and Northern European countries. The custom flourished from about
1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated
with a standard itinerary

The tradition was extended to include more of the middle class after rail and
steamship travel made the journey less of a burden, and Thomas Cook made
the “Cook’s Tour” a byword. The Grand Tour became a real status symbol for
upper class students in the 18th and 19th centuries
National Geographic G.S.T(Geographical
Sustainable Tourism) Charter
National Geographic Society has also drawn up a “G.S.T Charter” based on 13 principles:
1. Integrity of place: Enhance geographical character by developing and improving it in
ways distinctive to the local, reflective of its natural and cultural heritage, so as to
encourage market differentiation and cultural pride.
2. International codes: Adhere to the principles embodied in the World Tourism
Organization’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and the Principles of the Cultural
Tourism Charter established by the International Council on Monuments and Sites
(ICOMOS).
3. Market selectivity: Encourage growth in tourism market segments most likely to
appreciate, respect, and disseminate information about the distinctive assets of the
locale.
4. Market diversity: Encourage a full range of appropriate food and lodging facilities, so as
to appeal to the entire demographic spectrum of the geotourism market and so
maximize economic resiliency over both the short and long term.
5. Tourist satisfaction: Ensure that satisfied, excited geotourists bring new vacation stories home and
encourage friends to experience the same thing, thus providing continuing demand for the
destination.

6. Community involvement: Base tourism on community resources to the extent possible,

encouraging local small businesses and civic groups to build partnerships to promote and provide a
distinctive, honest visitor experience and market their locales effectively. Help businesses develop
approaches to tourism that build on the area’s nature, history and culture, including food and drink,
artisanry, performance arts, etc.

7. Community benefit: Encourage micro- to medium-size enterprises and tourism business strategies
that emphasize economic and social benefits to involved communities, especially poverty alleviation,
with clear communication of the destination stewardship policies required to maintain those benefits.

8. Protection and enhancement of destination appeal: Encourage businesses to sustain natural

habitats, heritage sites, aesthetic appeal, and local culture. Prevent degradation by keeping volumes
of tourists within maximum acceptable limits. Seek business models that can operate profitably
within those limits. Use persuasion, incentives, and legal enforcement as needed
9. Land use: Anticipate development pressures and apply techniques to prevent undesired
overdevelopment and degradation. Contain resort and vacation-home sprawl, especially on
coasts and islands, so as to retain a diversity of natural and scenic environments and ensure
continued resident access to waterfronts. Encourage major self-contained tourism attractions,
such as largescale theme parks and convention centers unrelated to character of place, to be
sited in needier locations with no significant ecological, scenic, or cultural assets.
10. Conservation of resources: Encourage businesses to minimize water pollution, solid waste,
energy consumption, water usage, landscaping chemicals, and overly bright nighttime lighting.
Advertise these measures in a way that attracts the large, environmentally sympathetic tourist
market.
11. Planning: Recognize and respect immediate economic needs without sacrificing long-term
character and the geotourism potential of the destination. Adopt public strategies for mitigating
practices that are incompatible with geotourism and damaging to the image of the destination.
12. Interactive interpretation: Engage both visitors and hosts in learning about the place.
Encourage residents to promote the natural and cultural heritage of their communities so
tourists gain a richer experience and residents develop pride in their locales.
13. Evaluation: Establish an evaluation process to be conducted on a regular basis by an
independent panel representing all stakeholder interests, and publicize evaluation results.
Sustainable Tourism
Responsible tourism is the concept of visiting a place as a tourist and trying to
make only a positive impact on the environment, society and economy.
Tourism can involve primary transportation to the general location, local
transportation, accommodations, entertainment, recreation, nourishment
and shopping. It can be related to travel for leisure, business and what is
called VFR (visiting friends and relatives).

Without travel there is no tourism, so the concept of sustainable tourism is

tightly linked to a concept of sustainable mobility. Two relevant
considerations are tourism’s reliance on fossil fuels and tourism’s effect on
climate change
Sustainable tourists can reduce the impact of tourism in many ways:

•informing themselves of the culture, politics, and economy of the

communities visited
•anticipating and respecting local cultures, expectations and assumptions
•supporting the integrity of local cultures by favoring businesses which
conserve cultural heritage and traditional values
•supporting local economies by purchasing local goods and participating with
small, local businesses
•conserving resources by seeking out businesses that are environmentally
conscious, and by using the least possible amount of non-renewable
resources
IMPACTS OF GLOBAL TOURISM
• Economic
• Socio-Cultural
• Environmental
Economic Impact
POSITIVE
• Tourism is an important source of revenue for many countries
• Tourism creates more employment opportunities for the locals
• Propel development of Infrastructure
NEGATIVE
• Leakage of Tourism Revenue

Main components of tourism are dominated by a few vertically-integrated players
located mainly in developed countries
• Price Inflation for Locals

Tourism can lead to an increase in the prices of goods and services, causing
inflation in the host country

Local residents would then experience a higher cost of living and a decreasing real
income
POSITIVE IMPACTS
• Income-The industry obviously generates income within a
destination country. Nations wanting to increase their income have
used tourism as a means for reasonably quick growth.
• Employment- The tourist industry offers more employment
opportunities than other economic sectors.
• Balance of Payments- Is an accounting of the flow of goods,
services and funds in and out of the country during a given period.
• Investment and Development- Once an area has become
economically successful, more businessmen and government
agencies may be influenced to invest in tourism and other
industries in that area.
NEGATIVE ECONOMIC IMPACTS
• Inflation and Land Values- increase in the prices of
goods and lands in a short period of time
• High Leakages- high loss of profit
• Seasonality- brought about by the fluctuations in
demand
• Overdependence on Tourism- depending on the
industry alone and not seeing the significance of the
coexisting industry
• Over-reliance on Tourism Revenue

Tourism suffers from both regional fluctuations and seasonal fluctuations

Seasonal fluctuation refers that there are peak and non-peak seasons within a year for
tourism

Revenues may be affected due to such fluctuations leading to livelihood problems
Socio-Cultural Impact
POSITIVE
• Preservation and Promotion of Local Culture and Heritage

Tourists moving away from mass tourism and are increasingly interested in authentic
local cultures and heritage

E.g. Tourism has revived Balinese interest in their own traditions and the admiration of
foreign visitors for Balinese culture have reinforced the sense of cultural identity and
pride of the people of Bali
• Positive Exchanges and Interaction
NEGATIVE
• Dilution/ False Representation of Local Culture

Tourism may dilute or misrepresent local culture through focusing on visual
spectacles to attract tourists

Culture is being manipulated by tour operators to maximise economic benefits
• Disrespect of local cultures and customs

Tourists may be insensitive to local customs and practices and may offend the locals
•
E.g. Public intimacy/ drunkenness in Muslim countries (e.g. UAE, Saudi Arabia)
• Increased Crime and Social Problems

The influx of wealthy travelers may increase instances of petty crime

Criminals often see tourists as an easy target because they:
– typically carry large sums of money and other valuables
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TOURISM
POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTLAL IMPACT OF TOURISM
• Conservation- tourism has created environmental awareness and
has raised man’s awareness of the earth’s beauty and made it
easier for him to see and enjoy it minimum damage.
• Development of Attractions- tourism helps in the discovery and
development of new attractions all over the world.
• Historic Preservation- many historical sites in both urban and rural
areas have been preserved to attract tourists.
• Resident Benefits- the results of conservation and preservation can
be enjoyed by the local community as well as by tourists.
NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TOURISM
• Environmental Conflicts- tourism can affect the quality of the
environment and may destruct the vegetation, pollution and the
destruction of wildlife.
• Geological Conflicts- some tourist collect minerals, rocks and
fossils affecting the geological formations of a certain area.
• Resident Conflicts- conflicts frequently occur between residents
and tourist developers. Tourism developments often forces
residents to move from the area that is subject for development.
Conflicts between tourists and local residents may also arise
because of littering, vandalism and traffic congestion caused by
tourists.
IMPACT CONTROL MEASURES
• General protective measures. The protective
measures are designed to protect the various aspects
of the environment – endangered animals and
plants, beaches and forests- through the creation of
national parks and wilderness areas.
• Regulation and control of tourist development.
Regulation and control refers to zoning and land use,
specifications on the facilities being built.
EUROPE
WESTERN EUROPE
Western Europe is the single most important tourism-generating and tourism-receiving region
in the world. Approximately 80 per cent of all tourism in Europe is domestic. Yet foreign travel
is gaining in importance. The most important generators of foreign traffic are West Germany,
the United Kingdom and France. The growth of travelers to Spain is the most significant trend
in receiving countries.
There is a marked seasonal effect with the vast majority of travel occurring during the summer.
The automobile is used for about half the vacations taken, and hotels are the primary source
of accommodation.
On a global basis Europe is the major tourist destination, accounting for about 75 per cent of
all international tourist movements. Tourists come primarily from Western Europe and North
America. Tourists from outside of Europe mainly frequent Italy, France, the United Kingdom
and Spain. When Europeans vacation outside of Europe they travel to North America and
North Africa, the offshore Atlantic islands, and East Africa.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The
annual "holiday" is very important to the British, and the proportion of the population taking a
vacation is over 60 per cent. While an increasing percentage vacation abroad, most holidays are
taken within Britain itself. Recent growth in the number of vacations has come from the growing
numbers of people who are taking a second and even a third break, usually a short, off-season
holiday. However, approximately two out of three vacations are taken in either July or August.
Traditionally the British have had a pattern of spending their vacations at the same seaside resorts
year after year. Habits are changing as more and more people travel outside the country. However,
the old pattern, particularly with manual workers, can still be observed.
Almost three-fourths of main holidays involve a stay by the seaside. Workers from the north of
England make for Blackpool; in the south the favored places are Brighton, Margate, and
South end. The Southwest, because of increased accessibility to major population areas and its
reliable climate, is the most important tourist region and has been ever since World War II. The
major attraction is the coast. The Southwest is closely followed in importance by the Southeast
and the South. The coast and the climate are, again, the major reasons.
Most tourists travel to one spot and stay. Only a small percentage take
a touring holiday. Outside of the Southwest, which attracts people from
regions both near and far, the majority of visitors to other regions come
from areas close by. Analysts have also noted a reluctance for people
from the south to travel north on vacation, particularly on their main
vacation. There has been a tremendous growth in the numbers of
British tourists traveling abroad.
A major reason for the increase has been the growth of inclusive tours
offering cut-rate holidays. The average length of stay abroad is two
weeks in Europe although visits to North America average four to five
weeks. About 90 percent of all visits abroad are to Europe. In the
1950s the most popular destinations were France and Switzerland;
today it is Spain. Increasing numbers are traveling farther a field to
Yugoslavia, Turkey, Tunisia and Morocco.
The so-called milk run for international visitors is London, Stonehenge,
Stratford-Upon-Avon and Edinburgh. Yet outside of these four places, there is a
variety of things to see and do.
London is known for its history, its museums, the pageantry of royal occasions, and
its theater. A number of famous cathedrals such as Canterbury, Winchester, and
Salisbury complement the monument of Stonehenge in the south.
The Southwest has a mild climate with numerous small harbors. Plymouth was the
departure point for the Mayflower Pilgrims. The Roman spas at Bath are
spectacular enough without the magnificent eighteenth-century architecture of the
buildings.
Stratford-Upon-Avon is Shakespeare country and home to one of the loveliest
gardens in England at the family cottage of his wife, Anne Hathaway. The Lake
District in the northwest of England offers national park land in a lovely setting
of lakes, hills, and moors.
Scotland is famed for its capital, Edinburgh, scene of the famous Edinburgh Arts
and Music Festival every fall.
Known as one of the most beautiful of capital cities, Edinburgh is famed for its
spectacular castle.
The north of Scotland offers the Highlands, which attract hikers, cyclists,
anglers, and those who want to marvel at its beauty. It is also home to Loch Ness of
monster fame.
Wales offers the visitor the combined scenery of mountains and coast.
Eire is often referred to as the Republic of Ireland, or Southern Ireland.
Compared to the rest of the world, Eire is not a major tourism country. Yet
tourism is very important to Eire as a means of balancing its accounts with the rest
of the world. Outside of Austria and Spain, no other European country is as
dependent on tourism for this purpose.
LONDON
London
London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom, is a 21st-century city with
history stretching back to Roman times. At its centre stand the imposing Houses of
Parliament, the iconic ‘Big Ben’ clock tower and Westminster Abbey, site of British
monarch coronations. Across the Thames River, the London Eye observation wheel
provides panoramic views of the South Bank cultural complex, and the entire city.

London is the most popular tourist destination in the whole world, attracting around 30
million visitors from other countries each and every year. People travel here from every
corner of the globe to admire London's many impressive monuments, explore the richly
vibrant culture of the city and perhaps take in a theatrical performance in the West
End.
Buckingham Palace is by far the most popular tourist attraction in London, as it attracts
around 15 million tourists each year. Many people travel to Buckingham Palace to watch the
world famous event known as the 'changing of the guard', and this event is so famous that it
even inspired a song by Bob Dylan. The ceremony officially takes place at 11:30 each day and
takes a total of half an hour. However, visitors who want to get a good view of this exciting
event will need to arrive just before 11:15 or even earlier if possible. Although Buckingham
Palace is still officially a royal residence, some of the palace's lavishly decorated rooms are
open to the public during the summer months, when special guided tours are conducted.
Don't forget to visit the famous Green Park and St James' Park whilst you're in the vicinity.
The Victoria and Albert Museum also attracts large numbers of tourists all year round. This
museum is located in the Kensington area of London and is actually the biggest museum of
its kind in the world. The museum opened to the public back in 1852 and contains a
permanent collection of more than four and a half million objects.

It was founded in 1852 and moved to its current home on Exhibition Road in 1857. For over
40 years it was known as the South Kensington Museum, but it was renamed after Queen
Victoria and her husband Prince Albert, commemorating his role in its establishment.
The Victoria and Albert Museum is the world's leading museum of art, design, and
performance, representing more than 3,000 years of human creativity, with collections
unrivaled in their scope and diversity and an inspiring range of events.

In recent years, the V&A has undergone a dramatic programme of renewal, expansion and
restoration. Highlights include the new Exhibition Road Quarter entrance and exhibition space
designed by AL_A architects. As well as the the Jewellery gallery, where you can marvel at
Queen Victoria's sapphire and diamond coronet.
Another of the city's most famous landmarks is the British Museum, an estimated average
of just under six million people visit the British Museum each year. One of the reasons for
the popularity of the British Museum is that entrance is free, while this prominent
establishment is also open seven days a week. The British Museum, situated close to
Tottenham Court Road and Holborn tube stations, contains a collection of some seven
million exhibits, and some of the most popular include the Lindow Man, the world's oldest
mummy and the Rosetta Stone.
The Stone is a broken part of a bigger stone slab. It has a message carved into it, written in
three types of writing (called scripts). It was an important clue that helped experts learn to read
Egyptian hieroglyphs (a writing system that used pictures as signs).
The writing on the Stone is an official message, called a decree, about the king (Ptolemy V, r.
204–181 BC). The decree was copied on to large stone slabs called stelae, which were put in
every temple in Egypt. It says that the priests of a temple in Memphis (in Egypt) supported the
king.
The important thing for us is that the decree is inscribed three times, in hieroglyphs (suitable
for a priestly decree), Demotic (the native Egyptian script used for daily purposes, meaning
‘language of the people’), and Ancient Greek (the language of the administration – the rulers of
Egypt at this point were Greco-Macedonian after Alexander the Great’s conquest).
Many of the city's other famous attractions are situated along the banks of the River Thames.
These include the Tower of London, where tourists flock to admire the impressive Crown Jewels
of England. The nearby Tower Bridge also attracts large numbers of visitors, while tourists who
walk along the riverbank will also be treated to views of the impressive Houses of Parliament
building with Big Ben nestled next to it.
The Houses of Parliament and Elizabeth Tower, commonly called Big Ben, are among
London's most iconic landmarks and must-see London attractions. Technically, Big Ben is the
name given to the massive bell inside the clock tower, which weighs more than 13 tons
(13,760 kg). The clock tower looks spectacular at night when the four clock faces are
illuminated.
The bell was originally meant to be called Royal Victoria. A great sense of ceremony
surrounded Big Ben's arrival in London. It was brought down the Thames by barge and then
taken across Westminster Bridge by a carriage drawn by 16 white horses.
Literary lovers are drawn to the important literary exhibits housed inside the British Library,
situated in Kings Cross. These include a large selection of original manuscripts of world
famous classics such as Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Other exhibits of interest
include William Shakespeare's autograph and the Magna Carta.
 The unusual celebration is organized in March.
We are talking about the Festival of whiskey.
The festival attracts lovers of this drink from
all over the world. During the festival guests
have an opportunity to taste hundreds of
different types of whiskey, as well as to buy a
few bottles of the beloved drink.

Early June is the time of the annual Arts

Festival, during which are held various
exhibitions and auctions. One more
important event of June is the famous
antique fair «Summer Olympia Fine Art &
Antiques Fair», which attracts collectors from
different countries of the world
March literally blows up the capital with noisy festivities in honor of St. Patrick's Day, and first of all - with the
colorful St. Patrick's Day Parade, which gathers thousands of musicians, dancers, tourists and ordinary citizens.
During these days, all the city is painted green, Celtic music sounds at every corner, and almost everywhere there
are competitions of dance groups.
The Origins of St. Patrick's Day
St. Patrick's Day celebrates the Roman Catholic feast day of the patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick died on March
17, 461. But did you know that he wasn't even Irish? Here are some fun facts about St. Patrick and some activities
you can use to teach about his day.
History:
Patrick's birthname was Maewyn. He was born in Roman Britain. He was kidnapped into
slavery and brought to Ireland.
He escaped to a monastery in Gaul (France) and converted to Christianity. He went back to
Ireland in 432 as a missionary. While Christianity had already taken hold in the country,
tradition has it that Patrick confronted the Druids at Tara and abolished their pagan rites,
making Christianity more widespread.

MYTHS BUSTED
St. Patrick was a real person, but some of the traditions associated with him and the holiday
are actually myths. For instance, you’ll often see the four-leaf clover on St. Patrick’s Day.
However, according to legend, Patrick used a three-leaf clover, or shamrock, as part of his
teachings. Even though it's possible for a shamrock to grow a fourth leaf, a four-leaf clover is
just considered a symbol of good luck.
Feasts are held in celebration of this day and just like in the earlier centuries it is widely celebrated with a lot of
beer, public parades and festivals and involves, people dressing in green, shamrocks, and as Leprechauns.
The Leprechaun is said to be a mythical creature from Irish folklore. They are typically described as short, red-
haired faeries dressed entirely in green suits with often a clover accent. It is believed by many that leprechauns
are mischievous beings, “practical jokers” one may add. Legend has it that if captured by a human, they often
grant 3 wishes in exchange for their freedom.
But be aware not to get tricked into asking for a fourth, or elsme you will lose them all! Get to the end of the
rainbow, and there is where you will find your leprechaun protecting its pot of gold.
Green is also the color that mythical fairies called leprechauns like to dress in—today, at least. But tales about
leprechauns date back to before green was in: The fairies were first described as wearing red
The tradition is tied to folklore that says wearing green makes you invisible to leprechauns, which like to pinch
anyone they can see
FRANCE
FRANCE
FLAG
The history of the French flag reflects the length and turbulence of the country's past. Prior to the
French Revolution, the country had settled on a Royal Coat of Arms in gold and blue shield set on
a white background. During the French Revolution, the Paris militia wore red and blue cockades
(hat made of colored ribbons), the city's traditional colors. When the militia developed into the
national guard, its first general Gilbert Du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, added white to the
Parisian colors to create a tricolor national cockade.

The blue, white, and red tricolor was formalized in the 1946 French constitution, which defined
the colors and proportions of the flag as the national emblem of France.
Red was the color of nobility, white represented the clergy, and blued the bourgeoisie. In this
interpretation of France's national flag, the blue comes first as it represents the majority. The
white is the superior order to either of the other classes, hence its place in the middle. The red
represents the nobility, who are the minority.
FRANCE
France, officially French Republic, French France or République Française,
country of northwestern Europe.

France is one of Europe’s largest countries. It is bordered by six countries other

nations: Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg to the northeast, Switzerland and
Italy to the southeast and Spain to the southwest. The United Kingdom borders
France via the English Channel.

The country is considered to be the gateway to Europe as there are several

large international airports (two of these can be found in Paris), ferry terminals
and the French rail service.
On this matter historian Jules
Michelet remarked, “England is an
empire, Germany is a nation, a race,
France is a person.”

Paris, the capital of the country. Paris

has it all, and it is one of the most
majestic capital cities in the entire
world. The Eiffel Tower is located in
Paris, as well as The Louvre.
Paris exemplifies wealth and design,
therefore the region is very
expensive. There are endless cultural
attractions found in Paris.
A majestic city known as the ville lumière, or
“city of light,”and “city of lovers” Paris has
often been remade, most famously in the mid-
19th century under the command of Georges-
Eugène, Baron Haussman, who was committed
to Napoleon III’s vision of a modern city free of
the choleric swamps and congested alleys of
old, with broad avenues and a regular plan.

Engineer Gustave Eiffel who constructed the

tower which completed on March 31, 1889.
Eiffel’s concept of a 300-metre (984-foot)
tower built almost entirely of open-lattice
wrought iron aroused amazement, skepticism,
and no little opposition on aesthetic grounds.
Château Gaillard, a 12th-century castle, overlooks the
Seine River in the Normandy region of northern France.
France is the largest country in the EU, and known as ‘the hexagon’
With an area of 551,000 sq km it’s almost a fifth of the EU’s total area, and due
to its six-sided shape France is sometimes referred to as l’hexagone. About a
quarter is covered by forest; only Sweden and Finland have more.

Louis XIX was the king of France for just 20 minutes, the shortest ever reign.
He ascended to the French throne in July 1830 after his father Charles X
abdicated, and abdicated himself 20 minutes later in favour of his nephew, the
Duke of Bordeaux.
He shares this record with Crown Prince Luís Filipe, who technically became king
of Portugal after his father was assassinated but died from a wound 20 minutes
later.
Liberté, égalitié, fraternité meaning ‘liberty, equality and fraternity’ (or
brotherhood) is the national motto of France
It first appeared around the time of the Revolution (1789–1799), and was written
into the constitutions of 1946 and 1958. Today you’ll see it on coins, postage
stamps and government logos often alongside ‘Marianne’ who symbolises the
‘triumph of the Republic’. The legal system in France is still largely based on the
principles set down in Napoleon Bonaparte’s Code Civil after the revolution, in the
1800s.

In France you can marry a dead person.

Under French law, in exceptional cases you can marry posthumously, as long as you
can also prove that the deceased had the intention of marrying while alive and you
receive permission from the French president. The most recent approved case was
in 2017, when the partner of a gay policeman gunned down on Paris’s Champs-
Elysees by a jihadist was granted permission to marry his partner posthumously.
The French have produced a number of world-renown inventions
• The ‘father of canning’ confectioner Nicolas Appert came up with the idea to
use sealed glass jars placed in boiling water to preserve food in 1809,
• and the later use of tin cans was the idea of another Frenchman, Pierre
Durand;
• the reading and writing system for the blind, braille, was developed by Louis
Braille who was blinded as a child;
• physician René Laennec invented the stethoscope at a hospital in Paris in 1816,
first discovered by rolling up paper into a tube;
• Alexandre-Ferdinand Godefroy patented a contraption was the world’s first
hair dryer in 1888.
• The Montgolfier brothers Joseph and Etienne became pioneers of hot air flight
after the world’s first public display of an untethered hot air balloon in 1783.
A MUST SEE IN FRANCE
Arc de Triomphe
It is one of the most famous monuments of
Paris, erected on the Place de l’Etoile, at one
end of the Champs-Elysées: the Arc de
Triomphe is one the biggest triumphal arches
in the world.
It was built in 1806 to celebrate Napoleon
Bonaparte’s victory in Austerlitz and was
inspired by the Roman triumphal arch.
Beneath the vault is the Tomb of the Unknown
Soldier. Under a continual watch, the eternal
flame is revived each night at 6:30 p.m
Inside, a museum explaining the Arc de
Triomphe’s history completes the visit.
Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur
Atop the hill of Montmartre, the Basilica of the
Sacré-Coeur is one of the emblematic
monuments of Paris.
This building has one of the most astonishing
views over Paris.
Nested upon its 130-meter-high hill, the basilica,
built in a Romano-Byzantine style, is an
architectural masterwork.
It is composed of four minor domes and a central
dome culminating at 83 meters.
The secret of this monument is its giant bell, one
the biggest in the world.
The Sacré-Coeur was built in 1873 after a
decision of the French National Assembly to build
a place to commemorate the victims of the war
of 1871 between France and Prussia.
Army Museum – Les Invalides
It was first created under Louis XIV to shelter the
disabled soldiers of his army, but Les Invalides as
we know it today was born in 1905.
It became the Army Museum and exhibits over
500,000 items on 8,000m².
This gigantic collection makes this museum the
most important place of military history in France
and one of the first in the world.
During your visit, you can admire the permanent
collections of the museum, exposed in
chronological order from Antiquity to World War II.
But what you came for must be the famous tomb
of Napoleon Bonaparte the First, resting here
beside his son Napoleon II, King of Rome.
Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral
Located in the historic centre of Paris, on the
end of l’Ile de la Cité, Notre-Dame Cathedral is
the most visited monument of the city.
Indeed, this masterwork shines over the entire
district.
With its high towers which inspired Victor
Hugo for one of his novels, Notre Dame
witnessed the history of Paris.
Its construction began in 1163 and it took
nearly two centuries to finish it.
It is a must see of Paris. The sound of the bells
will guide you to it, as “some said the soul of
the city’s/The toll of the bells/The bells of
Notre-Dame.”
Louvre
The Louvre must be one of the most famous
museums in the world.
It was the palace of the kings of France and it
allows you today to discover through its numerous
collections occidental art from Middle Ages to
1848, as well as antique civilizations.
You will find major works of sculpture, such as the
Winged Victory of Samothrace or the Venus de
Milo, or paintings like The Raft of the Medusa of
Géricault.
And of course you will see the portrait of Lisa
Gherardini, better known as Mona Lisa, by
Leonardo da Vinci.
La Gioconda is representative of the museum; it is
a painting full of mysteries, just like the Louvre.
Musée d’Orsay
On the left bank, just in front of the Tuileries, stands
the Musée d’Orsay.

The museum occupies an old railway station built

for the World’s Fair of 1900 in Paris, which makes it
an exceptional place for the exhibitions.

You can enjoy occidental art from 1848 to 1914

and, although it is less-known than the Louvre, the
Musée d’Orsay also has a very important collection.

It owns the biggest Impressionist and post-

Impressionist collection in the world with more
than 900 paintings.
Palais Garnier
Looming over the Place de l’Opéra, the Palais Garnier, also
called Opéra Garnier, is definitely a must see for anyone
wanting to discover Paris.
Its architecture and design were imagined under the
impulse of Napoleon III, hence the typical 19th Century
style of the building.
Inside, two feminine statues holding torches welcome the
visitors.
You can then admire the Bassin de la Pythie and the Grand
Escalier leading to the famous vault of the Palais Garnier.
The Palais also organizes events about opera and fashion.
Finally, the horseshoe-shaped auditorium of the Palais
Garnier is one of the most beautiful auditoriums in the
world.
Place Vendôme
This square is very typical of classical French
urbanism, with the famous Vendôme Column
erected in its center in 1810.
It is also called the Austerlitz column, and it
stands in the 1st district panorama, with a
statue of Napoleon dressed as Ceasar on the
summit.
It is considered one of the most luxurious
squares of Paris.
Designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, it
shines on the whole world.
It is a center of French jeweler’s craft, and
with the Rue de la Paix and its many
couturiers they symbolize French refinement.
Pantheon
The Pantheon stands proudly in the heart of the
Latin Quarter. Atop the hill Montagne Sainte-
Geneviève, it dominates the 5th district.
Freely inspired from the Pantheon of Rome, the
Parisian Pantheon was built as a memorial.
Indeed, the crypts guard the tombs of the
greatest French personalities who marked their
country throughout history.
You will find celebrities like Rousseau, Voltaire,
or Alexandre Dumas.
When you come inside, you can also discover
the Foucault pendulum, invented by Léon
Foucault in 1851, which proves that the Earth
rotates.
 La Conciergerie
This building in the heart of Paris and the 1st
district has certainly witnessed history.

It is a beautiful palace built in the way of

gothic architecture, a remnant from past
times.

This monument was rebuilt under Philip IV

the Fair at the beginning of the 14th century.

From this original building remains only the

Salle des Gardes (Guards Room), the Salle
des gens d’Armes (Hall of the Soldier), and
the kitchens, but they are a valuable sample
of the 14th century architecture.
Catacombs
The Catacombs are huge Parisian
ossuaries, stretching underground
over 11 000m², inspired from the
Catacombs of Rome.
The entry is Place Denfert-Rochereau.
Six millions bones from different
Parisian graveyards rest in this maze
of 1.7km.
Paris Catacombs are the most
important necropolis in the world.
Beneath Paris' City street
 The Wall of Love
The Wall of Love (in French, Le Mur des Je
t’aime) was designed by Frédéric Baron and
Claire Kito, on a square Place des Abbesses.
This place is a must see for every lovers in Paris.
Just like the Pont des Arts and its padlocks
(which have ben taken off from the 1st of June
of 2016), the Wall of Love in itself is a symbol of
Love.
Indeed, with its 40m² and 612 tiles, you can read
311 “I love you” in 250 languages.
It is a real tribute to love on Montmartre;
according to the artists, the specked with red
tiles symbolize the broken heart of humanity
that the wall tries to repair.
 Love Locks
Paris is the eternal city for lovers. As these
locks are often attached to Parisian bridges
such as the Pont-Neuf or the Pont des Arts, it
is commonplace for couples to throw away
the key into the river below.

The Love Lock Bridge is a popular tourist

attraction in Paris. Here, lovers write their
names or initials on a padlock, attach the
padlock to the bridge and throw the key into
the Seine River as a sign of eternal love.
Some say the only way to break the seal of
love is to find the key and unlock the
padlock.
ITALY
Italy
Italy, a European country with a long Mediterranean
coastline, has left a powerful mark on Western culture and
cuisine. Its capital, Rome, is home to the Vatican as well as
landmark art and ancient ruins. Other major cities include
Florence, with Renaissance masterpieces such as
Michelangelo’s "David" and Brunelleschi's Duomo; Venice,
the city of canals; and Milan, Italy’s fashion capital.
Highlights of northern Italy include exploring the lakeside
towns of Lombardy, hiking the hillside-hugging villages of
Cinque Terre and downhill skiing in the Italian Alps. Central
Italy is known for the rolling vineyards of Tuscany and
Umbria, as well as Pisa’s iconic leaning tower.

Travel farther south to find Naples, known for its pizza; the
rugged Amalfi Coast, where picturesque towns hang
precariously over cliffs; and Pompeii's 2,000-year-old
remains. Off the southern tip of the peninsula, Sicily offers
ancient ruins, beaches and an active volcano
NORTH AMERICA
North America, the planet's 3rd largest continent, includes (23)
countries and dozens of possessions and territories. It contains
all Caribbean and Central America countries, Bermuda, Canada,
Mexico, the United States of America, as well as Greenland - the
world's largest island.

Positioned in the planet's northern and western hemispheres,

it's bordered in the north by the Arctic Ocean, in the east by the
Atlantic Ocean, in the southeast by the Caribbean Sea and Gulf
of Mexico, and in the west by the Pacific Ocean.
HISTORY
The Vikings were seafaring north Germanic people who raided, traded,
explored, and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia, and the North Atlantic
islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th centuries. Using sturdy wooden
longships they traveled as far west as Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland.
Leif Erikson is believed to have reached the Island of Newfoundland, Canada -
circa 1000 AD

In 1492, after proposing a voyage of discovery to the then mostly-imagined

New World, Christopher Columbus left Spain on an epic journey, financed by
Isabella I and Ferdinand II, Queen and King of Spain. Within a few months he
reached land in the Bahamas, and North America would change forever.
 How Did America Get Its Name?
America is named after Amerigo
Vespucci, the Italian explorer who set
forth the then revolutionary concept
that the lands that Christopher
Columbus sailed to in 1492 were part
of a separate continent.
A map created in 1507 by Martin
Waldseemüller was the first to depict
this new continent with the name
“America,” a Latinized version of
“Amerigo.”
Why aren’t the continents of North and South America called “Columbusia” after
Christopher Columbus? The word America comes from a lesser-known navigator and
explorer, Amerigo Vespucci. Who made the decision? A cartographer.

Like Columbus, Vespucci traveled to the New World (first in 1499 and again in 1502).
Unlike Columbus, Vespucci wrote about it. Vespucci’s accounts of his travels were
published between 1502 and 1504 and were widely read in Europe. Columbus was
also hindered because he thought he had discovered another route to Asia; he
didn’t realize America was a whole new continent. Vespucci, however, realized that
America was not contiguous with Asia. He was also the first to call it the New World,
or Novus Mundus in Latin.

With the discovery of this “New World,” maps were being redrawn all the time. No
one really knew what land was where or how big it was. Because of this confusion,
maps from the 1500s are incredibly inaccurate and contradictory. (They also often
feature drawings of mythical sea creatures.)
LANDMARKS
 The Statue of Liberty
Presented to the United States in 1886 as a gift from
France, Lady Liberty is a near-universal symbol of
freedom and democracy, standing 305 feet and 6
inches high on Liberty Island.
You can get a sense of the thrill millions of
immigrants must have experienced as you approach
it on the ferry from Battery Park and see the statue
grow from a vaguely defined figure on the horizon
into a towering, stately colossus.
It was designed by sculptor Frédéric Bartholdi in
collaboration with engineer Gustave Eiffel, and was a
gift from France on the centenary of American
independence in 1876.
Liberty Enlightening the World, as the statue is
officially named, was presented to the United States
in 1886 as a gift from France.
Hoover Dam
Holding back the mighty Colorado
River, this massive feat of
engineering creates hydroelectric
power and helps provides water
for seven states and a portion of
Mexico.
In 2010, the Hoover Dam Bypass
Bridge opened to allow for faster
travel through the area. But it’s
still worth stopping to admire the
Art Deco wonder and tour the
facilities.
Lincoln Memorial
Washington, DC
The Lincoln Memorial National Memorial honors
the 16th and perhaps greatest president of the
United States, and symbolizes his belief in the
freedom and dignity of all people. Lincoln saved
the Union, but in doing so, he also preserved
America’s high ideals.
The Lincoln Memorial stands on the National Mall
in a position of honor, at the ws est end of a line
extending from the United States Capitol and the
Washington Monument.
The memorial is one of the country’s beloved
shrines. In the 20th century, it became a
powerful symbol of the continuing struggle to
extend one of the nation’s founding principles:
“All men are created equal.”
Golden Gate Bridge
The suspension bridge connecting San Francisco with Marin
County, completed in 1937, is a triumph in just about every
way. With its 1.7-mi span and 746-foot towers, it’s both
beautiful and durable—it was built to withstand winds of
more than 100 mph and was undamaged by the 1989 Loma
Prieta quake. A structural engineer, dreamer, and poet
named Joseph Strauss worked tirelessly for 20 years to
make the bridge a reality, first promoting the idea of it and
then overseeing design and construction.
Though the final structure bore little resemblance to his
original plan, Strauss guarded his legacy jealously, refusing
to recognize the seminal contributions of engineer Charles
A. Ellis.
In2007, the Golden Gate Bridge district finally recognized
Ellis's role, though Strauss, who died less than a year after
opening day in 1937, would doubtless be pleased with the
inscription on his statue, which stands sentry in the
southern parking lot: "The Man Who Built the Bridge."
Mount Rushmore
In the midst of South Dakota’s Black
Hills, 60-foot-high likenesses of
Presidents George Washington,
Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln,
and Theodore Roosevelt are carved
into a massive granite cliff; the result
is America’s most famous memorial.
From sunset through 9 pm, the
majestic faces are dramatically
illuminated at night.
The National Mall
Washington’s Mall is surrounded by a
collection of great American
landmarks, with the Capitol at one
end, the Washington Monument at
the other, and the Lincoln Memorial
and Vietnam Memorial (among many
others) near at hand.
There are also nearly a dozen
museums bordering the Mall.
Kukulkan Pyramid
See the Kukulkan Pyramid in Chichen-
Itza, Yucatán, Mexico. Chichen-Itza is
the most important archaeological
vestige of the Maya-Toltec civilization in
the Yucatán Peninsula (10th-15th
centuries).
The Kukulkan Pyramid–also known as
“El Castillo” (which means the castle)—
is one of the undisputed masterpieces
of Mesoamerican architecture.
Northern Lights in Alaska
While many travelers think they have
to head to Europe to see the Northern
Lights, you can actually spot this
phenomenon without leaving the
United States.
Northern Alaska is where many
Americans head for the chance to see
the aurora borealis. It may be cold in
winter (temperatures can drop to -
30°F), but the inland Alaskan Arctic —
where skies tend to be clearer — is one
of the best places in the world to see
this famous light show.
Sedona Red Rock Country

Sedona Red Rock Country

A two-hour drive north of Phoenix is Sedona,
Arizona. Sedona isn’t a big city, but it is a
major tourist attraction in the USA thanks to
its gorgeous red rock landscape.
Known as Red Rock Country, this region is an
outdoor lover’s dream. Countless canyons,
creeks and paths encourage outdoor activity,
with Cathedral Rock Trail being one of the
local favorite hiking spots. One of the most
interesting spots in Sedona combines the new
with the old, with the contemporary Chapel of
the Holy Cross built right into the side of the
red rocks themselves.
Walt Disney World in Orlando

Walt Disney World/Etrusia UK

Orlando, Florida, is a hub of amusement
parks, but none is so popular as Walt Disney
World. Many travelers don’t realize that
Walt Disney World is actually made up of
several distinct theme parks, including the
Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios,
Animal Kingdom and the Blizzard Beach
Water Park. Visitors will be able to enjoy
thrill rides, watch Broadway-quality shows
and explore the nightlife, cuisine, shopping
and entertainment at Disney Springs.
Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park/Dawn

In the Sierra Nevada Mountains of
California, there is Yosemite National Park.
This extraordinary destination is known
the world over for its amazing scenery.
Within this single park, visitors can peer off
spectacular granite cliffs, admire clear
waterfalls and see sequoia trees that are
hundreds of years old. Yosemite Valley is a
top spot to explore in the park, because it
boasts the enormous Yosemite Falls as well
as the granite monolith called Half Dome.
 White House in Washington D.C.

The White House in Washington DC is the

official residence and office of the
President of the United States. It was built
between 1792 and 1800 and first used by
President John Adams. After the 9/11
attacks it has become more difficult to visit
the White House and today tours are
available only for groups of 10 or more and
must be requested up to six months in
advance through your member of Congress
or your country’s US Ambassador.
Denali National Park

The Denali National Park and Preserve is

located in Interior Alaska and contains
Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in
North America. The word “Denali” means
“the high one” in the native Athabaskan
language and refers to Mount McKinley.
In addition, the park protects an
incredible wilderness area that contains
grizzly bears, caribou, moose, wolves, and
numerous other creatures.
 Las Vegas Strip

The gambling mecca of the world, Las Vegas

is situated in the midst of the southern
Nevada desert landscape. Casinos can be
found throughout Las Vegas, but the strip, a
stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South,
contains the most of them.
It features giant mega-casino hotels,
decorated with lavish care and attention to
detail to create a fantasy-like atmosphere.
The casinos often have names and themes
that evoke romance, mystery, and far-away
destination.
 Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are a 120 mile long chain of

tropical islands curving around the base of the
Florida peninsula, connected to the mainland
by a series of bridges. The most spectacular
bridge, the Seven Mile Bridge in the Lower
Keys, has been frequently used as a location
for films including True Lies and Fast 2 Furious.
US Highway 1, the “Overseas Highway” runs
from Key Largo, Islamadora, Marathon, Lower
Keys and finally to Key West, the most distant
and most famous island.
Kilauea
Kilauea is the most recent of a series of
volcanoes that have created the Hawaiian
Archipelago. It is a very low, flat shield
volcano, vastly different in profile from the
high, sharply sloping peaks of stratovolcanoes.
Kilauea is one of the most active volcano on
the Earth, an invaluable resource for
volcanologists. Thirty-three eruptions have
taken place since 1952, not including the
current eruption which started on January 3,
1983 and is still ongoing.
 Niagara Falls

Situated between the state of New York and

the province of Ontario, Niagara Falls is one
of the most spectacular natural wonders on
the North American continent.
Niagara Falls is actually three different falls,
the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and
Horseshoe Falls. Horseshoe Falls is located
on the Canadian side while the other are
located in New York. With more than 14
million visitors each year it is one of the
most visited tourist attraction in the world.
 Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park was the world’s first

national park, set aside in 1872 to preserve the
vast number of geysers, hot springs, and other
thermal areas, as well as to protect the incredible
wildlife and rugged beauty of the area.
Yellowstone lies on top of a gigantic hotspot
where light, hot, molten mantle rock rises
towards the surface. Subsequently, the park
contains half of all the world’s known geothermal
features, with more than 10,000 examples of
geysers and hot springs. In addition, black bears,
grizzly bears, deer, elk, bison and wolves can all
be found within the park borders.
 Manhattan Tours & Activities

Manhattan is one of New York’s five

boroughs and is what people most often
think of when they picture New York City.
It’s familiar skyline and sights have been
featured a thousand times on screen.
Walk in the shadow of the skyscrapers,
picture the Statue of Liberty, see a
Broadway show , climb the Empire State
building, stroll Central Park, window shop
on 5th Avenue or stagger around a
museum.
 The Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story[c] Art Deco
skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
It was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and
completed in 1931. The building has a roof height
of 1,250 feet (380 m) and stands a total of 1,454
feet (443.2 m) tall, including its antenna. Its name
is derived from "Empire State", the nickname of
New York.
The Empire State Building stood as the world's
tallest building for nearly 40 years until the
construction of the World Trade Center's North
Tower in Lower Manhattan in late 1970. Following
the September 11 attacks in 2001, it was again the
tallest building in New York City until it was
surpassed by the new One World Trade Center in
2012.
SOUTH AMERICA
South America, fourth largest of the world’s continents. It is the southern
portion of the landmass generally referred to as the New World, the Western
Hemisphere, or simply the Americas. The continent is compact and roughly
triangular in shape, being broad in the north and tapering to a point—Cape
Horn, Chile—in the south.

South America is bounded by the Caribbean Sea to the northwest and north,
the Atlantic Ocean to the northeast, east, and southeast, and the Pacific
Ocean to the west. In the northwest it is joined to North America by the
Isthmus of Panama, a land bridge narrowing to about 50 miles (80 km) at one
point. Drake Passage, south of Cape Horn, separates South America from
Antarctica.
The term America originally was applied
only to South America, but the
designation soon was applied to the
entire landmass. Because Mexico and
Central America share an Iberian heritage
with nearly all of South America, this
entire region frequently is grouped under
the name Latin America.
It is divided politically into 12
independent countries— Argentina,
Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,
Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname,
Uruguay and Venezuela —and the
overseas department of French Guiana .
LANDMARKS
 Angel Falls, Venezuela
The world’s highest uninterrupted
waterfall, Angel Falls – at a staggering
979 meters – is a magnificent sight to
behold. Falling from the edge of the
Auyán-tepui mountain in Venezuela’s
Canaima National Park, the falls are
also known as Kerepakupai Vená by the
local Indigenous Pemon people.
Located in the depths of an isolated
jungle, visiting the falls is possible by
boat or light aircraft.
Caño Cristales, Colombia
Also known as “the river that escaped
from heaven,” Colombia’s Caño
Cristales – located in La Macarena
National Park – is surely the world’s
most beautiful river.
Every year, between June and
November, the bright red algae living
in the water begin to bloom, making
the river appear bright red! It’s a truly
unique spectacle, and one of
Colombia’s most wonderful natural
wonders.
The Amazon rainforest

The mighty Amazon rainforest – which

spans many of South America’s
countries, although Brazil, Peru and
Colombia contain the highest
percentage – simply defies description.
The largest rainforest on the planet,
intersected by the mightiest river:
exploring the Amazon is an unparalleled
South American adventure.
Torres del Paine, Chile
A breathtaking national park in the
extreme south of Patagonian Chile,
Torres del Paine is famous for its jagged
mountains – the three of which pictured
below give it its name – icy-blue
mountain lakes and glaciers. “Paine” in
fact comes from an old Indigenous word
meaning “blue.”
The best time to go trekking in this
majestic scenery is between November
and April, which corresponds with
spring and summer in the southern
hemisphere.
Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina

Located in Los Glaciares National Park in

Argentina, the Perito Moreno Glacier is
the world’s third-largest reserve of fresh
water and, unusually among glaciers
worldwide, is actually advancing.
For adventurous visitors, it is even
possible to enjoy a trekking tour on the
ice of the glacier with treks of up to five
hours available.
Iguazu Falls, Argentina & Brazil
The largest waterfalls system in the world,
Iguazu Falls lies on the border of Argentina
and Brazil (although around 80% of the
falls are on Argentine territory).
Created by the Iguazu River, almost half of
the flow occurs in the so-called Devil’s
Throat, a majestic torrent of water
measuring 82 by 150 by 700 meters.
Iguazu Falls is surely the most
overwhelming sensory experience there is
in South America with its cacophony of
noise and wall of spray
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Bolivia is home to the Salar de Uyuni, the
world’s largest salt flats at 10,582 square
kilometers. Its exceptional natural beauty
and unique panoramas have turned it into
arguably the most popular natural tourism
destination in South America.
In the wet season – around January and
February – the salt flats are covered in a
thin layer of water, which makes for some
truly surreal reflections against the vast
Andean sky.
Bolivia is called the heart of south America,
world’s largest mirror. The dreamy
reflection cascading over the salt flats
creates a heaven-on-Earth effect – and one
of the most gorgeous backdrops we’ve ever
seen. Take a look and, inevitably, move this
spot to the top of your travel bucket list.
The Atacama Desert, Chile

As the driest non-polar desert in the

world, Chile’s Atacama Desert is a truly
unique ecosystem, and one of the most
surreal landscapes in the whole of South
America. It has often been compared to
Mars or the surface of the Moon and, as
such, has featured prominently as a
stand-in for those planets in films and TV
series. It is also one of the best places for
stargazing on our planet!
The Pantanal
The Pantanal, located mostly in Brazil
(some is in Bolivia and Paraguay), is
the world’s largest tropical wetland,
encompassing an area the size of
Washington State.
While not as famous as its sister
wetlands i n the Amazon, the
Pantanal is the best place in South
America to see wildlife, ranging from
jaguars to capybaras.
 Quito

Ecuador’s capital, Quito, is unique among

world capitals. It is the highest capital in
the world (La Paz is higher but isn’t
Bolivia’s legal capital) and also closest to
the equator. Founded by the Spanish in
1534, Quito’s colorful old town is one of
the best-preserved, least changed and
largest in all the Americas. Located in
Ecuador’s northern highlands, the city is
surrounded by volcanoes that can be
seen on a clear day. Quito is the only
world capital that is threatened by active
volcanoes.
 Machu Picchu (Peru)

Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a magnificent representation of
the Inca civilization before the Spanish came.
Nestled in the Peruvian Andes, Machu Picchu
served as a palace for the emperor, a fortress and
as a site for religious ceremonies where human
sacrifices were made to appease the gods.
Untouched by the Spanish, the site was
abandoned after the conquest, only to be
“discovered” by an American professor in the
early 1900s. Built from polished stones, Machu
Picchu is a fascinating example of classical Inca
architecture. With its spectacular views, Machu
Picchu is Peru’s most visited tourist attraction.