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The City of Durban or Ethekwini, is a major centre of tourism, due to Durban’s warm subtropical climate and beaches. It is the largest city in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. Durban is the host venue for one of the two semifinals of the FIFA World Cup and with its humid weather, it is bound to be a tourist hot spot during the tournament.

Being a coastal city, Durban is constantly affected by the warm Mozambique current flowing down its coastline, making surfing one of the primary activities on the many beaches. Durban is where you will also find several signs demarcating safe swimming areas, with angling and boating as other popular beach activities.

Durban, which is also a port city, is the busiest port in Africa. You can take a ride on a rickshaw, a distinctive Durban experience, with the drivers decorated in ornate headdresses. At the very heart of Durban is the ‘golden mile’, a four kilometer stretch of beaches, promenades, swimming pools and restaurants. The water is warmed by the Aghulas current and even during winter, the water temperature averages at 15°C making it ideal for year-round swimming.

Durban also a thriving industrial centre, supporting a major seaport, and a year-round holiday destination. Industries include shipbuilding and ship repairing, sugar refining, petroleum refining, fishing, automobile assembly and the manufacture of food products, paint, chemicals, fertilizers, soap, footwear and textiles.

Durban hosted group, quarter-final and semi-final games in the 1996 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. The city also hosted South Africa’s game against England in 2003, which helped launch the country’s bid for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The newly-built Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban will host one of the semi-finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. The ground epitomises the architectural innovation on display in South Africa and takes its design inspiration from the South African flag, with its grand arch representing the unity of this sport-loving nation. The two legs of the arch on the southern side of the stadium come together to form a single footing on the northern side, symbolising the new unity of a once-divided country.

Durban stadium with the 70,000-seater has been specifically designed as a multi-purpose venue and an amphitheatre complete with a cable car which ascends to a viewing platform at the top of the expansive 350m arch, a staggering 106m above the pitch.

_Portugal tour packet usually combined with the Spanish tour, because the location of the two adjoining. Even if pulled back into the past, they are sworn enemies. Nation equally explorer, who tried to find riches at the end of another world. Until last year the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1493 to make them share power by pulling an imaginary line from pole to pole. Spain took the western part of the border and Portugal to the east.

Before Portugal became one of the largest imperialist rulers of the world by mastering an area 23 times larger than their own country, he was none other than a small country helpless. Waddled up against the occupation of other nations.

Noted the Romans, Spanish, until the Moors who occupied Portugal for five centuries of history carved these republics. Heritage trail of the Romans and the Moors were still visible in some corner of Portugal.

Among them the Evora, the old city was included in UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town is located about 130 km from Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, it kept a lot of historical monuments. One of them Roman Temple of Evora or often called Temple of Diana, who comes from the 1st century BC and is now the icon of Evora.

While the legacy of the Moors, among others, can be seen from the Palace of the Counts of Basto, which is a Moorish castle and residence of the family dynasty Afonsine. Mentioned architectural style of Gothic, Moorish, and Renaissance.

Evora is ranked number two in the Portuguese most livable cities survey of living conditions published yearly by Expresso. It was ranked first in a study concerning competitiveness of the 18 Portuguese district capitals, according to a 2006 study made by Minho University economic researchers.

Due to its well-preserved old town centre, still partially enclosed by medieval walls, and a large number of monuments dating from various historical periods, including a Roman Temple, Evora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Many monuments erected by major artists of each period now testify to Évora’s lively cultural and rich artistic and historical heritage. The variety of architectural styles (Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Renaissance, Baroque), the palaces and the picturesque labyrinth of squares and narrow streets of the city centre are all part of the rich heritage of this museum-city.

Evora Sightseeings

* Água de Prata Aqueduct (Aqueduct of Silver Water): With its huge arches stretching for 9 km, this aqueduct was built in 1531–1537 by King João III to supply the city with water.

* Cathedral of Evora: Mainly built between 1280 and 1340, it is one of the most important gothic monuments of Portugal. The cathedral has a notable main portal with statues of the Apostles (around 1335) and a beautiful nave and cloister.

* S. Brás Chapel: Built around 1480, it is a good example of Mudéjar-Gothic with cylindrical buttresses. Only open for prayer.

* Saint Francis Church (Igreja de São Francisco): Built between the end of the 15th and the early 16th centuries in mixed Gothic-Manueline styles. The wide nave is a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture. Contains many chapels decorated in Baroque style, including the Chapel of Bones (Capela dos Ossos), totally covered with human bones.

* Palace of Vasco da Gama: Vasco da Gama resided here in 1519 and 1524, the dates corresponding to his nomination as the Count of Vidigueira and Viceroy of India.

* Palace of the Counts of Basto: Primitive Moorish castle and residence of the kings of the Afonsine dynasty. Its outer architecture displays features of Gothic, Manueline, Mudéjar and Renaissance styles.

* Palace of the Dukes of Cadaval: The palace with its 17th-century façade is constituted in part by an old castle burnt in 1384; it is dominated by the architectural elements of the Manueline-Moorish period and by a tower called Tower of the Five Shields. This palace of the governor of Evora served from time to time as royal residence. The first-floor rooms houses a collection manuscripts, family portraits and religious art from the 16th century.

* Lóios Convent and Church: Built in the 15th century, contains a number of tombs; the church and the cloister are Gothic in style, with a Manueline chapterhouse with a magnificent portal. The church interior is covered in azulejos (ceramic tiles) from the 18th century. In 1965 it has been converted into a top-end pousada

* Ladies’ Gallery of Manuel I’s Palace (Galeria das Damas do Palácio de D. Manuel): Remnants of a palace built by King Manuel I in Gothic-Renaissance style.

* Roman Temple of Evora: Improperly called Diana Temple, this 1st century-temple was probably dedicated to the Cult of Emperor Augustus (but some texts date it to the second or even the third century). It is one of a kind in Portugal. The temple was incorporated into a mediaeval building and thus survived destruction. It has become the city’s most famous landmark. The temple in Corinthian style has six columns in front (Roman hexastyle) with in total fourteen granite columns remaining. The base of the temple, the capitals and the architraves are made of marble from nearby Estremoz. The intact columns are 7.68 m (25.20 ft) high. It can be compared to the Maison Carrée in Nîmes, France.

* University of Evora: Formerly a Jesuit college built by Cardinal-King Henrique in 1559, it includes the 16th century Mannerist church and the academic buildings surrounding the large 17th-18th century cloister.

* Renaissance fountain at Largo das Portas de Moura: Built in 1556 in Renaissance style. This original fountain has the shape of a globe surrounded by water, a reference to the Age of Discovery.

* Giraldo Square (Praça do Geraldo): Centre of the city; in this square King Duarte built the Estaus Palace which even today maintains its Gothic look.

* Cromeleque dos Almendres, 15 km from Evora: Megalithic monument, a cromlech with archaeoastronomical interest.

* Anta Grande do Zambujeiro, about 10 km from Evora near Valverde: It is the larger dolmen in the region.

Total, there are approximately 4000 historic buildings can be found in Evora, from the palace, square, street corners in downtown narrow featuring rich history and culture of various periods. No wonder even got predicate Evora city museum.

Mexico vacations are available for individuals of all ages. While many enjoy taking their family on a Mexico vacation, there are others who choose to vacation in Mexico alone with their spouse. With all of the romantic destinations in the world, you may be wondering why you should vacation in Mexico.

Romantic getaways in Mexico are popular for an unlimited number of different reasons. Perhaps, the climate is what draws in most couples. Almost all year long, the climate in Mexico is tropical, warm, and inviting. Many couples schedule a Mexico vacation to escape their cold weather. In addition to escaping cold weather, there is just something about a tropic environment that generates romance.

Aside from the weather, many of the vacation destinations found in Mexico are geared for couples that are looking for a romantic getaway. There are a number of popular vacation destinations in Mexico, the most popular being Mexico’s beaches. If you are interested in scheduling a romantic getaway at a Mexico beach, you have a number of different options to choose from.

When vacationing at a beach in the United States, many couples visit the beach and then return to their hotel room. Similar accommodations are available in Mexico; however, the area is most famous for its beautiful beach resorts. If you are looking to have direct access to the beach and everything it has to offer, you may want to consider booking a stay at a Mexico beach resort.

In addition to having onsite accommodations, many Mexico beach resorts are known for their romantic environments and atmospheres. By directly contacting a beach resort or by researching one online, you can easily determine whether the resort caters specifically to couples. When looking for a romantic beach resort, you may want to consider the onsite activities for children. If children are allowed to stay onsite, many romantic hotels refrain from offering onsite activities; this may help to keep the setting more mature.

The Mexico destination you select to vacation at is important when planning a romantic getaway. In addition to destinations, you will want to consider the activities that you can participate in. Mexico has an unlimited number of vacation activities that can be found all around the country. The best way to bring romance to your vacation is to determine which of the vacation activities brings you pleasure.

Just a few of the many things that you can do while vacationing in Mexico include boating, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, and horseback riding. Many couples find beachside horseback riding to be relaxing and romantic, all at the same time. While snorkeling or scuba diving, you may be amazed with what you see and learn. For many, this excitement helps to generate romance.

When booking your romantic Mexico getaway, you may find that the cost of vacationing in Mexico can be expensive. If you are planning a romantic vacation, while on a budget, you can still visit many of the above mentioned destinations and participate in many of the above mentioned activities.

To obtain low-cost reservations in Mexico, you are encouraged to search for vacation packages or all-inclusive packages. Traditional vacation packages often combine hotel and travel accommodations. In addition to including hotel and travel accommodations, all-inclusive vacation packages are likely to include your cost of foods, drinks, and possibly your entertainment. You can easily search for these Mexico vacation packages by directly contacting a vacation resort or by visiting the resort’s online website.

While it is nice to plan your own romantic Mexico vacation, you may want to consider acquiring the services of a travel agent. Travel agents often operate locally or online. In addition to offering you suggestions on romantic vacation destinations, your travel agent will likely save you money. A large number of travel agents are given special deals and discounts on many vacation destinations, including Mexico. Many of these deals are not available to the general public.

Whether you choose to enjoy a romantic getaway at a Mexico beach or you choose another location, you are sure to enjoy your trip. With all that it has to offer, Mexico can easily be considered a lovers paradise.