Do you wanna explore Delhi? There isn’t any better place than old Delhi. The recent trip to the heart of Delhi came out to be a journey full of surprises.

Old Delhi has been predominantly inhabited by Muslim population. The core attractions of Old Delhi are Red fort - an admirable example of Mughal Architecture, the effervescent Chandini Chownk and Nai Sarak markets, Jama Masjid - one of Asia’s prime mosques, and of course the famous Parathe wali gali.

Old Delhi lives life at its own pace. The fun of a cycle rickshaw ride through the congested and twisting streets of old Delhi gave the real feel of ‘purani’ Delhi, not to forget the fun when every minute another rickshaw from the back bumps into yours! While the buildings around wear an ancient look, the vibrant market, the jam-packed streets, aroma of spices and Mughlai food, colorful bangle market all together refreshes the soul and instantly fills in a lot of vigor.

With all this and much more around every corner, old Delhi seems so enticing. Here lies the real taste of Delhi, a place where the past co-exists with the present!

Steeped as Venice is in the rich colours of Renaissance art, one of the most vibrant points of ancient culture in the city is the Piazza San Marco.

The Piazza is much more than a public square and in fact an entire day can be spent in just observing the many sights from the square. One of the most imposing views from the Piazza is that of the Basilica di San Marco, ancient cathedral exhibiting some of the most striking aspects of Venetian architecture.

Another delightful sight from the Piazza is the Doge’s Palace which is also known as the Palazzo Ducale di Venzia and now houses works of master painters like Titian, Tinteretto, Veronese and others. Among the other wonderful sights to be viewed from the Piazza are the romantically-named Bridge of Sighs and the imposing bell tower of Campanile.

The ancient Piazza San Marco of Venice dates back to the 9th century when it was just a bit of open space outside the Basilica. But in the latter half of the 12th century it was enlarged and reshaped into the now familiar three-sided area and soon evolved into a public space where the rich and ordinary, the rulers and the ruled met and mingled. Even today the Piazza is one of the few public squares in Europe which is at once painted with hues of history and rocks to the rhythms of the present.

For those who can manage to make a quick trip to Paris this week, a dark and sweet addiction lies waiting to steal their souls. As Paris hosts the Salon du Chocolate or the Chocolate Show, many visitors admit that chocolate is a pleasure they cannot do without and for some it is even better than sex.

The Chocolate Show in Paris began ten years ago and since then has drawn in more than 120,000 visitors every year. the show looks like a giant chocolate supermarket and evokes memories from Ronald Dahl’s popular book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The show which comes to an end in Paris this week, will move to New York next week, to Moscow in late November and then to Tokyo in January next year.

Studies on chocolate consumption reveal that a vast majority of people see chocolate as one of the most regular sources of pleasure. In fact, nearly 90% of the people polled in August for the Salon du Chocolat and the French paper Le Figaro said that consuming chocolate raised their spirits. Among the women polled, around 36 percent felt that eating chocolate offered a sense of comfort while 41 percent said that chocolate gave them greater pleasure than sex.

Besides being the playground of choice for Europe’s rich and famous all through the year, Monaco comes alive for one weekend in May when it hosts its own Grand Prix.

The combination of Formula One racing cars and the continent’s wealthiest sees Monaco hosting a heady mix of the wild and the wonderful. The Monaco Grand Prix is considered as one of the top sporting events of the world and a must-attend for all famous sport stars, actors, models and businessmen. While most of the glitterati turn out for the Grand Prix to be seen by the world media, the event is also the time when multi-billion dollar deals are struck in sports, property and businesses.

The Monaco Grand Prix was started in 1929 when it was first organized by Monte Carlo resident and president of the Automobile Club de Monaco, Anthony Noghes. Since then the Grand Prix has transformed the second-smallest country in the world to a destination of choice for all those who like to lead the good life. Besides the Grand Prix, Monaco has another major event in its social calendar , its very own Yacht Show which too attracts the hordes of rich and beautiful from across the world.

The Middle East continues to pose an enigma for most travellers across the globe. Its vibrant heritage of arts, religion and culture offer a fantastic balance to amazing inventions in landscape and architecture. Dubai is one destination which has all of this besides great shopping opportunities and is bound to appeal to travellers of varied interests.

Dubai is dotted with super fashionable shopping malls like the Diera City Centre and The Pyramids. These malls are famous for stocking gold, precious metals and jewellery at much reduced prices than in Europe or USA. Moreover travellers can look for bargain deals in electronics, perfumes and gadgets at duty-free rates at these shopping destinations.

Among other attractions of Dubai are lavish 5-star hotels, vibrant restaurants, bars and clubs. However because of Islamic restrictions, alcohol is served only in hotels even though the city has several other hot-spots which are bound to appeal a wide variety of tastes.

For those inclined towards culture, Dubai offers some of the finest examples of Middle Eastern art and history. Some of the must-sees in this category are the Dubai Museum, the Bastaqiya quarter, the Jumeira Mosque as well as the Dubai Heritage and Diving Village accompanied by the Dune dinner.

Home to some of the most reputed restaurants in the world, London is set to welcome a crop of new, high-profile eateries which have already drawn out the city’s well-heeled foodies.

The recently opened L’Anima turned out to be fully booked on a Monday night even though it is located in London’s financial district – known as the City – where lunch is the busiest time of the day. The minimal-chic look of L’Anima is well complemented by the Southern Italian cuisine from where its owner, Francesco Mazzei hails.

Another upmarket restaurant, Le Bouchon Breton, is deeply reminiscent of the grand old Parisian brasseries like La Coupole and Le Train Bleu, with its belle époque-style interior as well as its huge pewter bar. Here the chief chef is Nicolas Laridan who has created the menu around brasserie classics. A new branch of the Cinnamon Club is slated to make its debut as the Cinnamon Kitchen which according to the executive chef, Vivek Singh will offer an innovative Indian platter.

Some of the high end restaurants coming up next month in Central London are J Sheekey Oyster Bar which is offshoot of the famous seafood chain J Sheeky’s, Bob Bob Ricard which is an early morning-till late night spot as well as the Bocca di Lupo which will feature a wide selection of regional Italian dishes.

Today there are more than four million people travelling without a companion for a variety of reasons. In fact going on a singles holiday can prove to be a good opportunity to enjoy new experiences from an individual perspective. Currently there are many tour operators who provide holiday packages for singles which range from escorted touring holidays to singles cruises in various parts of the world like Europe, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Central and South American as well as Asia.

Individuals may choose to travel separately for a variety of reasons. A student may want to see something of the world during college gap years while single parents may want to take a break from the daily responsibilities. Older travellers may wish to meet like-minded people who share similar travel interests. Whatever the reason, if travelling alone, it is always better to book with a reliable tour operator, preferably one which has actually catered to someone you know.

Tour operators who arrange singles holidays offer a variety of combinations. In most cases the holidays have no singles supplement but there are some operators who offer the flexibility to enjoy the holiday with other single travellers. A reputed tour provider will generally offer solo accommodation for each traveller with the option of twin sharing at discount prices, depending on the traveller’s approval.

A first-time visitor to Cairo is likely to be stupefied by the multitude of sounds, colors and scents which assail the senses as soon as one enters the city. The gold-trimmed shisha cafes compete with the brilliant blue robes of women shopping on the streets while the aroma of yellow and orange spices being sold on the pavement waft in a scene echoing with the muezzin’s call to prayer in the background.

Cairo is however most famous over the world as the home of the Pyramids. These four and a half thousand year old testimonies to the glory of ancient Egyptian rulers never fail to awe even most hardened believer in the superiority of present times. Irritating touts notwithstanding, a tourist’s visit to pyramids of Cheops, Mycerinus and Cephren would be sure to rank near the top of his or her list of unforgettable moments.

Another must-see in Cairo for those interested in Egyptology is the city Museum. The Cairo Museum has one of the most extensive collections of Egyptian antiquities in the world with its coffers spilling over with mummies, jewelled treasures and magnificent carvings.

Finally a visitor to Cairo can round off a day’s trip with a visit to the Khan al-Khalili bazaar. This market of curios and knick-knacks is a haven for those who enjoy bargaining and may even unearth deals at “exclusive prices”. This is a city which is proud of its magnificent ancestry even as it negotiates its way into tomorrow’s future.

Wales is a land of amazing physical beauty. Bordered by the deep blue sea and framed by rugged green hills, the Welsh countryside holds several delights for the nature lover and has some of the best walking routes in the region.

Wales has walking trails to suit travellers of various abilities and age groups. Among its most popular routes are three national trails and 19 regional routes besides myriad day walks for those just out to enjoy the bracing weather. Evidence of the Welsh interest in walking is borne out by the various walking festivals celebrated across the country like the Cardigan Festival of Walking as well as the Barmouth Walking Festival.

Some of the most famous walking trails in Wales are to be found in Snowdonia, the largest national park in the country and home to its highest peak, Mount Snowdon. Other national parks which offer delightful walking routes are Brecon Beacons as well as the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. Besides these major circuits there are several less-frequented paths in the countryside like Preseli Hills in Pembrokeshire as well as the Clywdian Range in the Loggerheads County Park. Best of all, these routes in the moors, hills and valleys are well-connected by public transportation and backed by adequate tourist information for the convenience of visitors who come to sample the lush walking trails of Wales.

Once known as the Paris of Middle East, Beirut has long been living under the shadow of a civil war. However with the cooling down of violence in recent times, Beirut has again emerged as the destination for an unforgettable cultural experience where the traditions of the past meet the vibrant hopes of the future.

Besides the varied nightlife and fantastic cuisine that Beirut offers, the city remains known for its living culture which straddles both the exotic as well as the modern. A wonderful example of the country’s rich heritage is the National Museum of Beirut which despite the hit taken during the civil war continues to captivate visitors with its fantastic collection of archaeological artefacts, statuettes and sarcophagi. There are several other museums showcasing both secular and religious traditions of Lebanon’s past,

A more contemporary take on the city’s culture can be explored in the numerous art galleries which showcase the works of current Lebanese artists like the Espace SD and the Gallerie Alice Mogabgab. These art galleries not only display the works of internationally-renowned artists but also include marvellous specimens of local arts and crafts. Thus a visit to Beirut can never be complete without sampling the various places of cultural interest which stand a testimony to the country’s past as well as a beacon of hope for the times to come.