Butterfly Valley

Butterfly Valley

BUTTERFLY VALLEY

FETHIYE / TURKEY

Butterfly Valley opens onto a cove near Fethiye on Turkey's southwest coast. This deep steep-sided valley has a floor of approximately ten hectares in area where almost all the butterfly and moth species of the Mediterranean coastal region are to be found, making it an open-air natural history museum. The abundance of lepidoptera is owing to the humid microclimate created by waterfalls in the valley, and also to the hundred or so different plant species found here. The butterfly which inspired the valley's name is the so-called leopard butterfly (Euplagia quadripunctaria), one of the loveliest members of the Arctiidae family. Between June and October hundreds of these butterflies gather in a large colony here.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam Canals

AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam is one of Europe's most popular destinations and offers a diverse selection of tourist attractions, ranging from rich cultural heritage which includes world-famous museums containing the works of Rembrandt and Van Gogh, and 17th- and 18th-century gabled houses that line the waterways, through to the house where Anne Frank hid during World War II, and the infamous Amsterdam red light district. There are several tourism and tourist information offices situated in the city centre of Amsterdam and these provide up-to-date travel advice, brochures and more.

Amsterdam does not cover a large area, and this combined with flatness, makes it ideal to explore on foot. Visitors to this friendly Dutch city will find that there is a good selection of hotels, Amsterdam apartments available, offering one- to five-star accommodation and including many of the best hotel chains. Hotels and Amsterdam city breaks are available across the full spectrum, with five-star hotels providing the ultimate in luxury and high-class amenities, whilst one-star hotels are plain, but nonetheless comfortable. Anything less than one star is referred to as a pension or guest house. All of the Amsterdam accommodation options in the city centre are within easy walking distance of many of the most popular points of interest.

Zuiderkerk

Cafe Terrace at Night

Canals are an integral part of the city and the heart of the old city consists of canals, punctuated with narrow, picturesque streets. Amsterdam also has an abundance of historical tourist attractions that share street space with contemporary art galleries and street markets.

The cosmopolitan city of Amsterdam is ranked as Europe's fourth most important tourist centre after Paris, London and Rome and is visited each year by over two million foreigners as well as a similar number of Dutch. Although the majority of visitors come here to enjoy the architectural beauty and outstanding tourist sights, monuments, museums and art galleries, the city is also an important venue for business conferences and international conventions. Some 16,000 businesses have their headquarters in Amsterdam, which is also home to a concentration of insurance companies and major banks, and is the centre of the motor trade in the Netherlands, as well as being of major importance in the sale and processing of diamonds.

Red Light District

Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands, but it is not the seat of government, although it is undoubtedly the focal point of activity in the country and is a modern metropolis with the advantage of being just 15 kilometres (9.5 miles) from Schiphol Airport, the fourth largest airport in Europe. Both rail and road give good connections from the airport to the city centre. Centraal Station, Amsterdam's train and bus station, lies in the heart of this popular Dutch city, providing links with many other European countries. Besides being easily accessible by air and train, Amsterdam is also close to the continental motorway network and is a major port used by ocean-going liners.

Ajax

Paris

Tour Eiffel

Champs Elyesee

Paris, France is one of the most fascinating and romantic cities in Europe, and tourists visiting this wonderful city will find that things to see and do are almost limitless. Known as the 'City of Light', the beauty of Paris is overwhelming and its architectural and artistic heritage combine with undeniable appeal and world-class tourism to make any visit an unforgettable experience.

Divided into a total of 20 different numbered districts (arrondissements), Paris spirals around the River Seine and comprises almost 400 different metro stations, meaning that finding your away around really is a breeze. The most familiar arrondissements comprise the areas named Bastille, Élysée, Ile de la Cite, Louvre, Marais, Montmartre, Montparnasse, Opéra and the Latin Quarter.

If you are in the Louvre area, you may well choose to pay a visit to the city's tourist information centre, named the Office de Tourisme et de Congrès de Paris. Further official tourism outlets are to be found at Anvers, Montmartre, the Porte de Versailles and Pyramides, as well as at the train stations known as the Gare de l'Est, the Gare de Lyon and the Gare du Nord.

Moulin Rouge

Visitors will find that there is a vast selection of Paris hotels available to suit every taste and budget. Paris accommodation ranges from the most luxurious hotels and large chains, to small guest houses rich in old-fashioned ambience, many of which are much cheaper than you might first expect. Les Halles is an especially popular central district with plenty of hotels, while others prefer to stay in the Bastille and Marais areas, close to the Gare Montparnasse, within the Écoles and Sorbonne areas of the Latin Quarter, or the Ile St. Louis - a large island on the River Seine itself. Despite having such a choice of hotels, it is always wise to select and book a hotel for your Paris vacation well in advance. Self-catering Paris apartments provide an affordable alternative for long- or short-term stays, rising greatly in price as you approach central attractions, with those based around the Avenue des Champs Élysées being especially desirable.

L'Opera

Many popular Paris apartments line the banks of the River Seine and tend to become more expensive as they approach the Avenue de New York (next to the Palais de Chaillot) and the Quai Branly, which stands alongside the iconic Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) and close to the expansive Parc du Champs de Mars. Accommodation is also in plentiful supply within the vibrant Montmartre area, where the Sacré Coeur and the Moulin Rouge cabaret are amongst the main tourist magnets.

Every year millions of people come to Paris to marvel at its exquisite beauty, savour its exceptional cuisine and indulge in its world-famous shopping. The sheer magnificence of Paris never fails to surpass all expectations and every visitor finds what they are looking for, be it history, architecture, arts and culture, or even the most modern attraction such as Disneyland Paris. Being relatively small in comparison to many capital cities makes Paris a very practical city for visitors, with many of the major points of interest and splendid Parisian landmarks being within walking distance of one another.

Sacre Coure

Paris, France is one of the world's best-loved cities and the River Seine, as it weaves its way passing under numerous bridges, adds to the immeasurable beauty and charm, whilst neatly dividing the city into two. Situated north of the river, in the area known as the Rive Droite (Right Bank), are some of the most renowned Paris landmarks including the Champs Élysées leading to l'Arc de Triomphe. Lying at the other end of the Champs Élysées is La Place de la Concorde, a beautiful square where several important historical events have taken place, including the execution of Louis XVI. East of the avenue is the acclaimed Louvre and the Centre Georges Pompidou. South of Centre Pompidou is the majestic Notre Dame on Île de la Cité.

Louvre

The area to the south of the river is known as the Rive Gauche (Left Bank) and it is here that the Eiffel Tower, the most prominent landmark in Paris and famed throughout the world, dominates the skyline, and provides breathtaking views of the wonderful symmetry of the city. More information on Paris Tourist Attractions.

The city of Paris offers a wide selection of restaurants serving mouthwatering French food, as well as a choice of international cuisine, and the vibrant French nightlife provides a wealth of entertainment options.

Disneyland Paris, Parc Astérix and the Palace of Versailles are just a few of the many places of interest which are situated within easy reach of this French capital.