TOP 10 CASTLES IN GERMANY

#10.Burg Eltz

#9.Hohenschwangau Castle

#8.Albrechtsburg Meissen

#7.Hohenzollern Castle

#6.Marksburg Castle

#5.Castle Liebenstein

#4.Lichtenstein Castle

#3.Löwenburg Castle

#2.Sanssouci Castle

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#1.Neuschwanstein Castle

This castle is one of the most well known out of all the castles in the world, and is often called a castle right out of a fairytale. The castle was opened to the public in the year 1886, and visitors still marvel at the architecture involved today.

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TOP 10 MOST INTERESTING MUSEUM IN GERMANY

#10.Übersee Museum, Bremen

#9.Museumshafen Oevelgönne, Hamburg

#8.Goethe House and Museum, Frankfurt

#7.Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich

#6.Romano-Germanic Museum, Cologne

#5.Porsche-Museum, Stuttgart

#4.Grünes Gewölbe (Green vault), Dresden

#3.Aquazoo and Löbbecke Museum, Düsseldorf

#2.German Museum, Munich

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#1.Pergamon Museum, Berlin

Pergamon Museum is situated on the Museum Island in Berlin. It was built between the years 1910 and 1930 and was designed by Alfred Messel and Ludwig Hoffman. Among other exhibits that are worth seeing, the museum houses original-sized, reconstructed buildings such as the Pergamon Altar and the Market Gate of Miletus. Both were transported from Turkey. The museum consists of three parts: Antiquity Collection, Islamic Art Museum and The Middle East Museum. The main display, the Ishtar Gate and the Procession Way of Babylon, is housed in The Middle East Museum.

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TOP 10 SHOPPING PLACES IN GERMANY

#10.Ludgeristraße, Munster
#9.Mönckebergstraße, Hamburg

#8.Hohe Straße, Cologne

#7.Kirchgasse, Wiesbaden

#6.Karolinenstraße, Nuremberg

#5.Spitaler Straße, Hamburg

#4.Königstraße, Stuttgart

#3.Schildergasse, Cologne

#2.Zeil, Frankfurt

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#1.Kaufingerstraße, Munich

The absolute record for the number of passers is-14,130 people – has put the Munich street Kaufingerstraße. In the west its borders head to the central square of the Bavarian capital Marienplatz, and ends at the intersection of Färbergraben and Augustinerstraße. So whether you want to admire the medieval architecture and all of its beauty, seeing the multi-storied department stores and shoppers with dozens of colorful bags in each hand, you’re bound to forget, too, about the sights and betray rampant shopping! This place is so unique that it gives you an opportunity to have all of the hot trends of Germany in one single location. Just enjoy the heaven for the shopaholics and remember that you are the one to get the best sales ever.

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TOP 10 BEST CITIES IN GERMANY

( BEST SPOTS FOR CITY BREAKS IN GERMANY)

#10.Dusseldorf

#9.Trier

#8.Weimar

#7.Heidelberg

#6.Dresden

#5.Cologne

#4.Hamburg

#3.Frankfurt

#2.Munich

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#1.Berlin

Berlin is both the German capital and the biggest city in Germany. After being separated into East and West during the Cold War, Berlin was reunited in 1990; it quickly emerged as the most cosmopolitan and exciting city in Germany for art, architecture, and nightlife.

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Renaissance Architecture

Italy of the 15th century, and the city of Florence in particular, was home to the Renaissance. It is in Florence that the new architectural style had its beginning, not slowly evolving in the way that Gothic grew out of Romanesque, but consciously brought to being by particular architects who sought to revive the order of a past "Golden Age". The scholarly approach to the architecture of the ancient coincided with the general revival of learning. A number of factors were influential in bringing this about.

Italian architects had always preferred forms that were clearly defined and structural members that expressed their purpose. Many Tuscan Romanesque buildings demonstrate these characteristics, as seen in the Florence Bapistry and Pisa Cathedral.

Italy had never fully adopted the Gothic style of architecture. Apart from the Cathedral of Milan, largely the work of German builders, few Italian churches show the emphasis on vertically, the clustered shafts, ornate tracery and complex ribbed vaulting that characterise Gothic in other parts of Europe.


The presence, particularly in Rome, of ancient architectural remains showing the ordered Classical style provided an inspiration to artists at a time when philosophy was also turning towards the Classical.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Italy#Renaissance_architecture

Travel Etiquette

FRANCE:
Never, ever discuss money over dinner. And splitting the bill is considered the height of unsophistication.

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Dates to avoid when going France (shops might be shut).

January 1st,
Easter Monday (in 2011: 25th April) (though not Good Friday except in Alsace),
May 1st - La fête du travail, labour day
May 8th - Armistice day, World War II
Ascension Thursday,
July 14th, French national holiday, Bastille day
August 15th, Summer holiday day
November 1st, Toussaint, All souls' day
November 11th, Remembrance Day, Armistice of World War I
December 25th, Christmas. (though not Boxing Day, December 26th)

France 10 biggest cities(ranked):

Rank	City	Star rating	Strengths and/or weaknesses
1	Paris	*****	Paris is in a category of its own. There is just so much to see and do; world class museums, monuments and other attractions. From the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre or Disneyland, Paris has it all, and it is by far the most accessible of French cities
2	Nice	****	Located between rugged hills and the azure waters of the Mediterranean, Nice has a great deal to offer the visitor, from its beaches to its old town, its several art galleries and its old port. The area round Nice is breathtaking, and Its airport is well served by international carriers.
3	Strasbourg	***	Today seat of the European parliament, Strasbourg is one of the great historic cities of Europe. The old city, with its magnificent gothic cathedral, narrow streets and canals, is one of the finest old city centres in France. Strasbourg is accessible by TGV from Paris, and easily accessible from Germany and Benelux. Click here for our hand-picked selection of hotels in the centre of Strasbourg.
4	Bordeaux	***	This great old port city, on the banks of Gironde estuary in southwest France, has a large old centre, much of it dating from the 17th to 19th centuries with some fine monuments. and a good art gallery. The 18th century theatre is the finest theatre of its period in France. The area round Bordeaux is famous for its vineyards
5	Lyon	***	Lyon has an historic centre, between the rivers Saône and Rhône. The Place Bellecour is a fine urban piazza. To the west of the Rhone the old quarter of Fourvière rises steeply up from the quais of the Saône. The urban ensemble, which is a UNESCO world heritage site, is attractive and historic but not breathtaking.
6	Marseille	***	This ancient Mediterranean port has a vibrant city centre, with its main thoroughfare La Canebière. Worth seeing are the city's cathedrals and the mediaeval St. Laurent church. The old port area is very attractive, and boat trips can be taken to the historic fortress on the Ile d'If, lying in the middle of the bay.
7	Toulouse	**	The "pink city" has an attractive and quite distinctive old centre with a distinct Mediterranean flavour. Worth visiting are the St Sernin church, the Jacobins church and cloisters, and the Place du Capitole, a fine city square. Beside the city centre is the Canal du Midi, the oldest canal in Europe.
8	Lille	**	The old city centre of Lille is famous for its Flemish squares and belfries. See also the 17th century Citadel, and the Lille art gallery, reputed to be the second best in France after the Louvre. There is also a good modern art gallery. The Lille zoo is a popular attraction.
9	Nantes	*	The old city centre has narrow pedestrian streets, with an almost Parisian feel. The city's two main monuments are the St. Pierre cathedral and the Chateau of the Dukes of Brittany. Boat trips can be taken up the Erdre river, flanked by a succession of old mansion houses.
10	Toulon	*	A naval port city with an industrial heritage, Toulon has an attractive old quarter near the old port; but it is the city's beautiful Provençal hinterland and the fine coast to the east and the west that are generally more visited than the city itself.

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Musée du Louvre

The Musée du Louvre is one of the world's largest museum and also the most visited art museum in the world with a historic monument. Its a central landmark of Paris and is located on the right of the Seine in the 1st distric. It'd be an awesome place for art enthusiat.

You can read more on the over here.

Travel etiquette (body language)

Italy:

The people expect to see lots of kisses on the cheeks. Teddy bear hugs between men who are good friends and lingering handshakes. Italian men may walk arm-in-arm, as may women. Pushing and shoving in busy places is not considered rude, so don’t be offended by it. Try to stand your ground and not topple over. The Italian body language vocabulary is is quite extensive, but the pictures may be useful for you when you travel over to Italy:

Monaco:
Moroccan greetings can last as long as 10 minutes. Shake with your right hand then touch your heart, to indicate that its coming from your heart; you mean it. Good friends may tack on up to four air kisses, accompanied by a stream of well wishes: ‘How are you doing? Everything’s good with you? I hope your parents are well? Baraka (blessings) upon them!

Click here to learn/read more!