As Florida’s third-largest metropolitan area, the principal city of Greater Orlando, and the seat of Orange County, Florida, Orlando is an extremely important city to the state. To the average person, though, the city is most well-known for its huge amount of tourist attractions, drawing over 52 million visitors every year.

Also known as “The City Beautiful”, Orlando’s history dates back to 1837, when a soldier named Orlando Reeves died in the area during the war with the Seminole Indians. Settlers found his name etched into a tree and began to refer to the area as “Orlando’s Grave”, later just Orlando. The Reconstruction Era after the Civil War brought the city its first population boom, and this sort of boom continued during the Florida Land Boom of the 1920s. The most important event for Orlando’s economy in the modern times was the creation of Walt Disney World, which brings millions of tourists to the area each year.

The climate in Orlando is a warm and humid subtropical climate with two distinct seasons during the year. From May until October, the hot and rainy season takes place, when temperatures hover between the mid 70s and the high 90s throughout the day. The winter season takes place the rest of the year, and temperatures drop to the 60s, with lows in the 50s and highs in the 70s. About 50 inches of rainfall is common annually in Orlando.

Orlando’s culture is characterized by a large Latino population, especially those of Puerto Rican descent. Spanish music is commonly featured on Orlando radio stations, and there are plenty of Puerto Rican restaurants. Orlando has an even larger African-American population, as well as a thriving pocket of Vietnamese people. The mix of these cultures makes Orlando a quite the melting pot.

As far as entertainment and tourism go Orlando boasts a bustling music scene, plenty of performance art with a substantial theater population, several of important museums, and, of course, Walt Disney World.

Family Travel Destinations in Orlando, FL

When one thinks of cities with supreme levels of historical, artistic, cultural, and commercial importance in the world, Paris, the capital of France, is not far from the top of the list. As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world for various reasons, Paris is a city of great global importance and a mainstay for the European tourism experience.

Paris has been inhabited since around 250 BC. By around 500 AD, the city had undergone a great period of growth under Roman control, decline when the Roman Empire collapsed, and then growth again under the Frankish king Clovis I. Over the next thousand years, the city’s power fluctuated. At times it was not even the capital of France, and other times it was the most powerful city in the region. The Industrial Revolution of the 19th century brought about the city’s largest growth in its history and set the stage for its modern prominence as a cultural and commercial bastion of Europe.

The elevation of the city is rather flat, and it is built around the north-bending arc of Seine River. Paris’s climate is classified as oceanic and is influenced heavily by the North Atlantic Current. Because of this, temperatures rarely exceed high and low temperatures, which are around 59 degrees and 45 degrees respectively. Recently, though, the heat wave of 2003 and the cold wave of 2006 put the city through extreme temperature situations.

Paris is a globally-renowned center for almost every art form. High fashion is very popular, with some of the most recognizable names in the design world coming from France. The Louvre Museum is one of France’s most visited museums and contains many of the most important pieces in art history. Theater and performance are large parts of the French experience. All of these things, including the beauty of the architecture and the sheer amount of things to see in Paris, contribute to the city’s huge amount of tourism annually.

Museums in Paris

Santiago, Chile is the capital of the country of Chile, at the center of a large metropolis located in the central valley of Chile. A boom in the economy of Santiago has made the capital into one of Latin America’s most modern metropolitan areas. With a population of about 6.5 million people in the metropolitan area of Santiago, many modern transportation systems are rising to suit the population.

A Spanish conquistador by the name of Pedro de Valdivia founded Santiago on February 12, 1541, due to the moderate climate the area had to offer and the ease of defending the area. Ironically though, the city was destroyed 8 months later by native forces. In the early 19th century, Santiago remained a small town with a small amount of buildings. Later in the century, exports began to bring the country into prosperity, which promoted the capital city’s development. In the early 20th century, important landmarks were erected in celebrations of the independence from Spain. In the 1930s, Santiago took a turn as a more modern city, and flourished with population due to migrations from the north and south of Chile.

Santiago lies in the center of the Santiago Basin, which is a bowl-shaped valley consisting of large fertile plains surrounded by mountains and a few volcanoes. East of Santiago, there are the majestic Andes mountain chain, and the Chilean Coastal Range to the west. The Santiago Basin is part of the Intermediate Depression which is remarkably flat, and only interrupted with a few hills. The city has relatively hot dry summers and cold humid winters. There is snowfall in suburbs at higher altitudes, which possibly could spread through the city, but happens infrequently.

Tourists would enjoy the modern metropolitan area around Santiago, with dozens of shopping malls, impressive high-rise architecture, and the very modern transportation system which could easily take the tourists around the city comfortably. With an endless list of museums, theatres, symphonies, parks, ski resorts, amazing vineyards, sport venues, plazas, and squares, tourism in Santiago cannot possibly go wrong, and is a must for those who yearn for culture and history.

Widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe as well as one of the most visited, Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, has been the political, cultural, and commercial center of the country for over 1,000 years. As a testament to the city’s historic importance, much of the historic district is classified as a World Heritage Site.

The area upon which the city of Prague stands has been inhabited since the Paleolithic Age. As far as the city as it exists today, the first nucleus of the city was created in the latter half of the 9th century. The city flourished during the 14th century under Charles IV, who built the new town and led the city to its ascent to the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. The 16th century was characterized by social and religious dissent, while the 18th saw a wealthy populace undergo efforts to beautify the city, which is responsible for much of the beauty that exists today.

The climate of Prague is generally mild, with warm, wet summers and cold winters. During the summers, temperatures are mostly in the high 70s during the day while the nights tend to be chilly. The winter sees temperatures hover around freezing, falling several degrees during the nighttime, but snow is rare. Most of the rainfall happens from May to August during the summertime.

Prague’s unique culture and the beauty of the city itself make it one of Europe’s most prominent cultural centers. The National Theater, the National Gallery, the National Museum, the Estates Museum, and other cultural fixtures host many important cultural events that draw tourists from all over Europe and the rest of the world. Hundreds of concert halls, galleries, and music clubs give the city a refined air of sophistication and artistic appreciation. The Prague Writers Festival, the Prague Fringe Festival, and other such communal celebrations make the city an active one with plenty to do at any given time.

Tourist Spots in Prague

Located in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, Acapulco is a major port city. It is a port of call for shipping and cruise lines running from San Francisco and Panama City. The population of the urban part of Acapulco is over 600,000, while the surrounding municipality’s population numbers over 700,000 people.

Acapulco as it is known today has its roots in the Spanish exploration of the New World. In 1521, the bay upon which Acapulco depends was discovered by the Spanish, and by 1532 the area was a direct dependency to the Spanish Crown, and it soon became a major port for Spanish operations in the area. The Mexican War of Independence between 1810 and 1821 marked the beginning of Mexican control of Acapulco, and with it, the end of the trade with the Philippines that had gone on for centuries.

With a subtropical climate, Acapulco has a hot and rainy season and a dry and cooler season. From October to June, it is quite unlikely to see any rainfall or clouds in the sky. Throughout the year, the high temperature hovers around 90 degrees and the low around 70 degrees. During the rainy season, the rain falls during the nighttime, so it rarely interferes with tourism activities. Acapulco wraps around the bay and exists on a small strip of shore land between the beach and the lofty mountains. A tunnel allows access to Acapulco from the mainland.

Because of the agreeable weather and the beach atmosphere that Acapulco provides, along with the stylishness of Mexican beach resorts to American tourists, Acapulco has long been an extremely popular tourist destination. As far as Mexican tourism goes, it competes directly with Cancun on the east coast of Mexico. Generally a summer resort paradise, Acapulco has become a spring break getaway for the younger crowd. This may be because of the larger amount of international tourism in the area compared with other areas of Mexico.

As the largest city in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, Seattle is an important cultural and commercial hub. Its official nickname is “Emerald City”, although it is sometimes referred to as “The Gateway to Alaska”, “Rain City”, “Coffee Town”, and other local titles.

The Seattle area has been inhabited by humans for thousands of years, but at the time of the European discovery of the area, it was inhabited by members of the Duwamish Tribe. Settlement of the area was first attempted by the Collins Party, who obtained legal rights to settle at the mouth of the Duwamish River. On the way there, they passed the Denny Party, who would become the eventual founders of the city itself. Eventually, the settlement would split into two competing entities, but finally, the eastern shore of Elliot Bay became the site for the city.

Seattle is situated between the Puget Sound and the Washington Lake on an inlet of the Pacific Ocean. Classification of Seattle’s climate varies because it experiences the characteristics of both a Marine west coast climate and a Mediterranean climate. Winters are rainy and summers are dry, much like the rain patterns of several Mediterranean regions.

Visitors to the northwestern part of the United States are frequently headed to Seattle for various reasons. Some go to attend the Seattle International Film Festival, while others enjoy the myriad cultural events that take place in the Emerald City.

When visiting Seattle, be sure to include plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature. The mild climate makes it ideal for outdoor activities like walking, hiking,cycling, jogging, skiing, and snowboarding, while the presence of water makes it a great place to practice water sports from fishing to surfing. Because of the heavy rainfall, the region is very green and a terrific destination for outdoor photography as well.

Hotels in Seattle

Buenos Aires is the capital and the largest city in Argentina, featuring some of the most important places in the entire country of Argentina. Originally named after a sanctuary in Sardinia, the city has grown today to be one of the most densely populated areas in Latin America.

Spain discovered the area in 1516 when a Spanish explorer reached the Rio de la Plata, the location of Buenos Aires. Although his expedition was cut short, Spanish settlement of the area began twenty years later as part of a Spanish expedition. A series of attacks by natives, though, left the area uninhabited until 1580, when the second, permanent settlement was created. Historically dependent on trade, Buenos Aires was regulated by the Spanish government, who controlled the amount of trade that the city could partake in. Over time, European immigration to the city began to shape it as something of a European outpost in South America, a phenomenon that persists today.

The city is bounded by the Rio de la Plata in the east and northeast. The Riachuelo and the Avenida General Paz, a highway, make up the rest of the boundaries. Located in the pampa region, which is the Spanish word for denoting the plains of South America, the region is relatively flat. Buenos Aires feature a humid subtropical climate, which means that the average temperature looms around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. During the Southern Hemisphere summer months of December, January, and February, many citizens of Buenos Aires head to cooler resorts on the Atlantic Coast to escape the heat.

Culturally, Buenos Aires is strongly influenced by European trends and styles. It is sometimes referred to as the Paris of South America because of this. A dialect of Spanish, reminiscent of a dialect spoken in Spain, is the prominent language in the city. Many European languages have grown into the local dialect, creating several unique terms and phrases. Architecture is reminiscent of that of Barcelona and Madrid, characterized by uniqueness in form and design. Tango music was born in Buenos Aires and has spread all over the world, but many will attest that the best dancers are those who are born and bred Argentineans.

While in Buenos Aires, you can enjoy outdoor activities, such as cycling, or cultural events, such as the opera. It’s also a terrific location for fine dining, shopping and dancing. The tango is very popular in Buenos Aires. Don’t be surprised if you see tango dancers performing on the streets.

Tango Lessons in Buenos Aires

Palm Springs, California is a desert city in Riverside County with a population of about 45,000. This city is one of the nine cities that make up the Coachella Valley. Tourists come to Palm Springs, California to enjoy the desert scenery of the city and participate in the outdoor activities popular throughout the area.

The modern day area of Palm Springs was once home to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians for 500 years. The Cahuilla Indians still inhabit the city and are important in the local economy of the city. The native Americans operate plenty of business enterprises, which include land leasing, hotel and casino operations, and banking. “Se-Khi”, which means “boiling water”, was the Cahuilla name for the area surrounding the city, which probably refers to the desert life. A Spanish explorer named the area “Agua Caliente”, which means “hot water”. US Government surveyors contributed the name of Palm Springs for the area during the 1860s, and from then on, the official name became Palm Springs.

Palm Springs is surrounded by mountains. It has the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the north, the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south, and the San Jacinto Mountains to the west. The Palm Springs climate can be contributed to the geography, which gives its warm and dry climate, and less than 6 inches of rain annually. Palm Springs has average desert climate, with cold winters and hot dry summers. Snow is common on the mountains around the city but rarely falls directly in the city.

During the winter months, tourism is flourishing. With many five star hotels, restaurants and attractions, a wonderful water park, and high-end boutiques in uptown and downtown, Palm Springs caters to the many tourists. The Palm Springs Art Museum, Annenberg Theater, and the highly popular Palm Springs International Film Festival will provide much entertainment to any tourists that visit Palm Springs.

Palm Springs is a hot spot for golf. It’s actually considered one of the top golf destinations in the world.  While visiting Palm Springs, you will have more than 110 golf courses to choose from. If you don’t golf yourself, you still may like to attend one of the major golfing events that take place in Palm Springs every year.

In addition to golf, Palm Springs also features tennis, horseback riding, hiking and many other outdoor activities. The shopping and art galleries in the area are also top notch. From college students on spring break to retirees, it seems everyone enjoys vacationing in Palm  Springs.

Rome is one of the great cities of the Old World. It has been, at many points in history, one of the most powerful and important cities in the entire world. Today, it is an extremely popular destination for visitors all over the world who come to enjoy Italy and especially the distinct flavor of Rome.

While Rome is said to have been founded by twins Romulus and Remus, archeological evidence suggests that it involved growth from nearby farm settlements. It developed into the capital of the Roman Kingdom after the reign of seven kings and from there began an ascent to the seat of most expansive empire in history. Eventually, the Roman Empire declined, as did the political and commercial power of the city itself, although throughout the Renaissance it was an important artistic and cultural hub. Although Italy went through a brief bout of fascism between World War I and World War II, it is today a republic, with Rome as its capital.

Rome is located in central Italy, where the Aniene and Tiber rivers meet. The city itself extends to the shore of the Tyrrhenian Sea, despite the fact that the center of the city is many miles away. Rome’s elevation does not change much throughout the city. A Mediterranean climate, typical for the coasts of Italy, graces Rome, offering a comfortable spring and autumn. The temperature can reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit and August, which traditionally would cause the city pause its affairs and the inhabitants to seek shelter from the heat, but this trend is disappearing. In the winter, lows below zero are not uncommon, while the high is usually around 55 degrees.

As far as Roman culture is concerned, the city is deeply connected with its ancient roots. Rome has a heavy Catholic population due to its historic ties with the Catholic Church and the Papal States. Protestants and Muslims make up the rest of the religious minority. The language spoken in Rome is a dialect called Romanesco as well as standard Italian. Music, cinema, and sports also make up an important part of the city’s culture, providing several reasons for tourists to visit the city.

Museums in Rome

As the capital and most populous city of the Catalonia region in Spain, as well as the second largest city in the country, Barcelona is an important cultural and economic hub for Spain. With a total population of over 3 million, Barcelona is a growing city and a popular tourist destination because of the variety of attractions that the city offers.

The founding of Barcelona remains uncertain, with two legends making up the lore on the matter. One legend attributes the creating of the city to Hercules, which was then rebuilt by Hamilcar Barca, a Carthaginian. The second legend gives most of the credit directly to Barca. The entire Iberian Peninsula was controlled by the Romans for a period of time starting in the year 19 BC, but over the course of the next several hundred years, the region would change hands again and again. Barcelona as a Spanish entity began to take shape in the 12th century, while modern Barcelona truly had its beginning in the 1970s.

Barcelona is located on the northeastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula on a plateau facing the Mediterranean Sea. A coastal mountain range shelters the city to the northwest, towering above the city with peaks over 1,600 feet tall. Barcelona enjoys a Mediterranean climate with wet winters and dry summers, temperatures tending to gravitate away from the extremes. Snowfall is extremely rare, even during the winter, as the average temperature is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sixty eight municipal parks dot the cityscape of Barcelona, providing an escape from the urban environment. Twelve of these are historic, while the rest are either botanical parks, urban parks, or forest parks. Barcelona also has seven beautiful beaches, although the sand tends to be blown away in storms. The city features a historical district and a financial district, one of the most important in Spain because of the influence that the city has on the country.

Entertainment and the performing arts are important parts of Barcelona’s culture, with traditional performances hosted alongside internationally-influenced presentations. Museums feature all areas and eras of artistic, cultural, and historical importance. The architecture is a stunning mix of contemporary styles, old Spanish Colonial style, and authentic Gothic architecture. The work of renowned architect Antonio Gaudi is featured throughout the city.