New York City, United States

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New York City, the largest city in the United States, consists of 5 boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. A very important global city in the business, finance, media, technology, art, fashion, entertainment, research and education sectors. Being cosmopolitan between its ethnic neighborhoods, Little Italy and Chinatown are the best known. It receives about 50 million tourists a year and its most visited places are Times Square with its lights and shops of all kinds and Broadway with theaters, shows and restaurants. It also counts with several bridges, parks and the very famous skyscrapers. Wall Street is its financial district where we find the Stock Exchange and the One World Trade Center with the memorial.

Tips

The fastest way to travel is the metro but note that the same metro ticket can be used to catch a bus.

If you like walking, do not hesitate, the city is very easy to go and at every step you will find something to see or something to do.

A beautiful day of walking and shopping could start at Central Park and continue in a straight line to Times Suqare, you will be amazed to find so many famous brands stores and you could end the day between the lights of Times Square in one of the restaurants or cafes around.

New York City is not a city where you can really save money so one way to save would be to find a well-placed hotel and take a room with the included breakfast. You could have a great succulent meal for almost the same price as you will pay for a coffee and a pastry; that will make that right after that you should stop eating something again.

Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

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Veliko Tarnovo, known like the ‘City of the Tsars’, is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of the province with the same name. It’s located on the Yantra River, surrounding the Balkans, famously known as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. The old part of the city is situated on the three hills, Tsarevets, Trapezitsa, and Sveta Gora. The palaces of the Bulgarian emperors and the Patriarchate, the Patriarchal Cathedral and some administrative and residential edifices surrounded by thick walls are on Tsarevets. Trapezitsa is known for its many churches and as the former main residence of the nobility. During the Middle Ages, the city was among the main European centres of culture, it has an important architecture that attracts lots of tourists. It was a very important city with foreign merchants (Jewish, Roman Catholic, Armenian) but in 1393, the Ottoman Empire captured it. The city and the rest of present-day Bulgaria, remained under Ottoman rule until the 19th century, when national identity and culture reasserted themselves as a strengthening resistance movement (480 years under Ottoman rules). It was at Holy Martyrs Church in Veliko Tarnovo where Tsar Ferdinand declare the complete independence of Bulgaria in 1908. Today, Veliko Tarnovo is the center of one of the largest urban areas in Bulgaria and is one of the few cities in the country with a growing population.

Tips

It’s a city with a rich and interesting history, so a good way to know more about it, is to take a guided tour or a private guide. You’ll discover beautiful monuments and churches.
There are other important cities and naturals places to see near the city. You can rent a car to discover it by yourself but make attention because you’ll find people that only speak local language so if you don’t understand the signs, you’ll be in a problem. Make sure you have good maps and indications.

The Marques de Sapucai Sambódromo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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The Marques de Sapucai Sambódromo or Avenida Marques de Sapucai or Passarela do Samba is an avenue surrounded by bleachers of the carnival parade of the best samba schools of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is located west of downtown Rio de Janeiro. The avenue has just a dozen meters wide for about 800 meters long and there are bleachers which sides are open and there are boxes on three levels and the capacity is just over 80,000 people. The samba schools that parade are judged each year to choose which one will be best for 1 year. At each end, there is a place for preparation of dancers, floats, costumes and musical instruments. The parade of each school finished at Square of Apotheosis where there is also the museum of the samba. Before the existence of the Sambodromo (1984), the stands were to be assembled and disassembled every year and there wasn’t a specific place to do it. The avenue has a lot of traffic during the year but during the carnival is completely closed. Oscar Niemeyer was the architect who directed the project. The place will be used for the Summer Olympic Games this year for the marathon and archery.

Tips

Before buying tickets, learn much about the place cause you have to be able to see the parade. The best seats are in the middle or at the end of the avenue.
You have bars, places to eat something and toilets in each sector of the sambodromo. Behind the stands, there is another street with fast food, ice cream, souvenir shops and other toilets. Bring toilet paper in case it would be finished due to the length of the parade that usually ends up with the sunrise.
You can bring your own camera but professional cameras are prohibited.
Check for the Sambodromo Transfer that will give you the security of travel. In the sambodromo, there is no problem, there is security everywhere.