As one of Cyprus’ most authentic and beautifully preserved villages in terms of landscape, architecture, traditional pastimes, agrotourism and heritage, Pano Lefkara is arguably one of the island’s most sustainable tourism destinations. The ongoing and tireless efforts to retain the village’s original charm and character have made it famous worldwide.

The village is located in Larnaka region’s mountainous areas amidst unspoiled landscape comprised of mountains, forests, groves, nature trails and endemic and indigenous flora and fauna. In fact, the name Lefkara comes from the colour of the limestone that surrounds the village: Lefka means white in Greek, and ori means hills, mountains.

Lefkara is famous for being home to the traditional Cypriot embroidered lace, the well-known «lefkaritiko». It is the finest example of what embroidery and folk art in Cyprus has to offer.  It is said that the famous Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci visited Cyprus at the end of the 16th century and came to Lefkara, where he bought a large ornate tablecloth that he gifted to Milan Cathedral

Dubai Sites to See, Things to Do

Dubai’s fascinating transformation from quaint fishing village surrounded by vast desert planes to a thriving cultural melting pot is one that many residents – and visitors – are well versed in. Dubai, a city of wonders, continues to stand out with its record-breaking engineering marvels. One could call it the world’s most “superlative-filled” town, boasting the world’s tallest building, the world’s fastest rollercoaster, the world’s longest zipline, along with many others.

Dubai is Larger Than Life

Dubai’s goal seems to be to constantly have the biggest and best of everything. Its hotels try to be the most luxurious on earth, including what’s said to be the best hotel in the world: The Burj Al-Arab. And on top of that, the city has one of the largest indoor malls in the world, one of the biggest aquariums, the biggest automated fountain, the tallest hotel, and one of the largest indoor ski slopes…

1. The Burj Khalifa, can be seen from 95 km away and is 163 stories high, is the tallest building in the world. With a total height of 830 m the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest structure and building in the world since its inception in 2009. It has as well, one of the fastest elevators in the world. It boasts more than 160 stories and seven world records. People living on the higher levels have to wait approximately two minutes longer for the sun to set before they can break fast during Ramadan.
2. The Burj Al Arab hotel uses enough gold to cover the Mona Lisa Painting 46,265 Times. The interior of the Burj Al Arab is decorated with around 1,790 square meters of 24-carat gold leaf; that’s equivalent to seven (7) full-sized tennis courts! Dubbed the world’s first seven-star hotel, the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab is located on its own private island, accessed via a private bridge.
3. Dubai is developing a new skyscraper named ‘The Tower’ that’s inspired by the mythical hanging gardens of Babylon and will be taller than the current tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa.
4. Standing at an impressive 75 floors, the 4-star Gevora Hotel is the world’s tallest hotel; at a 356 metres tall i.e.  50 metres taller than The Shard in London, and 56 metres taller than Paris’ Eiffel Tower. JW Marriott Marquis is the world’s tallest five star hotel at 355 metres.
5. Dubai’s Artificial Palm Islands use enough sand to fill 2.5 Empire State Buildings. Its construction required 94 million cubic meters of sand; whilst the Empire State Building only 37 million cubic meters. In fact, the amount of rock and sand used here could form a 2-meter wide wall that would circle the globe three times! Man-made Palm Jumeirah spans 600 hectares of land and is made from all-natural materials. The Palm Jumeirah can be seen from space.
6. The Dubai Fountain is the world’s largest choreographed fountain system; choreographed by the masterminds behind The Bellagio’s dancing water show in Las Vegas.
7. Dubai Is Building the World’s Largest Retail and Entertainment Destination. The Dubai Square, will be equivalent to the size of 100 football fields! It is inspired by the world’s best shopping destinations such as London’s Oxford Street and Los Angeles’ Beverly Hills. Link: https://youtu.be/5lDlM8vqHaw.
8. Dubai deepest swimming pool on the planet, complete with a “sunken city” for divers to explore. Deep Dive Dubai prides itself as the only diving facility in the world where you can go down 60 meters, 15 meters deeper than any other pool, as confirmed to Agence France-Presse (AFP) by Guinness World Records. The pool contains 14.6 million liters (3.8 million gallons) of fresh water, a volume equivalent to six Olympic-size swimming pools.
9. The United Arab Emirates is considering proposals for an artificial mountain that could help increase the country’s rainfall. Researchers are exploring different approaches to creating more rain in the country, according to reports. One option is to construct an artificial mountain, which would increase cloud production and make it possible to create rain on demand. The UAE government spent a reported $558,000 (£400,000) on cloud seeding. The experiments are believed to have played a part in record rainfall, which was also accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds.
10. Dubai attracts a wealth of Michelin-star and celebrity chefs.
11. 25% of All Cranes in the World Were Once Located in Dubai.
12. Dubai Loves Gold: There are ATMs in Dubai that dispense gold bars! More than 25% of the world’s physical gold passed through Dubai. Dubai’s holds a world record for making the longest gold chain that measures 5,522 meters!
13. Dubai is the fourth (4^th) most visited city in the world after London, Paris and Bangkok.
14. The Police Force in Dubai uses Super Cars, such as the Ferrari FF (US$ 500,000), Lamborghini Aventador (US$ 397,000) and an Aston Martin One-77 (US$ 1.79 million). And they hold a world record for the fastest police car; a Bugatti Veyron which they purchased for US$ 1.6 million!
15. Roughly 85 Percent of Dubai’s Population Is Foreign.
16. In Dubai Robots are replacing illegal child labor in Camel Racing. They cost anywhere from $300 to $10,000.
17. The Lost Chambers Aquarium – located in Atlantis, The Palm – is home to more than 65,000 marine animals and offers a host of interactive experiences.
18. Dubai is always at the forefront of innovation, and that is further emphasized with the city’s new 3D Printing Strategy. The city aims to exploit 3D technology and says that by 2030, 25% of its buildings will be 3D printed.
19. Dubai Water Canal is a 3.2km long waterway which winds its way from the creek through Business Bay. A top romantic spot, the canal includes a mechanical waterfall as well as five pedestrian bridges that offer great vantage points.
20. Talking of breaking records, once completed, the Ain Dubai observation wheel is set to become the largest and highest in the world, taking Las Vegas’ high roller’s crown.
21. Dubai Metro was the longest automated rail network in the world, but currently was demoted to third place.
22. Dubai has been awarded more than 130 Guinness World Records. These include 3 for Dubai Miracle Garden; and no less than 11 for the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. Weirder and wonderful achievements include fastest police car in service, most people to parachute from a balloon simultaneously and longest underwater live radio broadcast.
23. It wasn’t until 2015 that Dubai started assigning so-called Makani numbers – a unique 10-digit code – to all buildings to help identify them.
24. You Pay No Income Tax in Dubai.
25. Tourists can now apply for a licence to fly their drones around landmarks in Dubai. After registering online, tourists will receive a certificate that is subject to an in-house validation of their skills.
26. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a dedicated Minister for Happiness, who’s in charge of (unsurprisingly) promoting happiness among residents in Dubai and the other six emirates that make up the UAE. Her Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi has held the position since it was introduced in 2016.
27. In 1991, Dubai World Trade Centre was the only skyscraper in Dubai. Three decades later, there are 215 skyscrapers across the city.
28. Fuel is only slightly more expensive than water.
29. Dubai’s land area has increased. Dubai covered an area of 3,900 square kilometres, but due to land reclamation and the construction of man-made islands, the emirate has increased to a size of 4,114 square kilometres.
30. There are no permanent rivers in Dubai.
31. In 1968, Only 13 cars were registered in Dubai.
32. Only non-Muslims are allowed to buy and consume alcohol and pork.
33. Kissing or holding hands in public is illegal and can result in fines or deportation.

DID YOU KNOW? Some of the 18 amazing things you probably didn’t know about Armenia

1. It’s home to the world’s oldest winery
2. It was the first nation to adopt Christianity
3. It is called the “land of churches”
4. Chess is part of the curriculum
5. It lost 1.5 million people in the Armenian Genocide
6. More Armenians live abroad than in Armenia
7. It has celebrity connections (Aznavour, Cher, Agassi, Kardashian..)
8. Armenians think they know where Noah’s Ark is
9. It has one of the world’s oldest capitals
10. It is known as the “Pink City”
11. Churchill had a taste for Armenian cognac
12. In fact Armenian cognac oiled the wheels of Yalta
13. It has a record-breaking cable car (Tatev Aerial Tramway, which clocks in at 5,752 m long)
14. You can go skiing there (27km of slopes)
15. It’s big on birds (home to 345 of Europe’s estimated 530 bird species. Highlights include falcons, swans and eagles)
16. Its bread Lavash is Unesco-listed
17. It boasts the largest lake in the Caucasus (Lake Sevan covers 1/6 of Armenia territory)
18. It has three (3) Unesco World Heritage Sites (monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin; the cathedral and churches of Echmiatsin and the archaeological site of Zvartnots; and the monastery of Geghard and the Upper Azat Valley)

Armenia is a land of mysticism that will at once capture your imagination evoking past centuries, while awakening your senses to the present.

Armenia is a country with ancient history and rich culture. It is one of the oldest countries in the world. Scientific research, numerous archaeological findings and old manuscripts prove that the Armenian Highlands are the very Cradle of Civilization. In fact, the world’s oldest leather shoe (5,500 years old), sky observatory (7,500 years old), depictions of agriculture (7,500 years old) and wine-making facility (6,100 years old), were all found in the territory of Armenia.

The current Republic of Armenia makes up only a small part of what the historical lands used to hold. Armenians are native to the land of the Armenian Highlands which covers over 400,000 km².

Since prehistoric times, the territory of Armenia has been populated by different tribes. The first evidence of human settlement in Armenia dates back to 90,000 BC. Further findings in caves and stone inscriptions are a proof of human settlement in Armenia through Paleolithic period.

Yerevan is a delightful capital. Its wide, leafy boulevards are lined with cafés and wine bars where Armenians like to sit chatting late into the night.

Look up to the horizon and there, towering over everything, is the magnificent, awe-inspiring snow-capped peak of Mount Ararat, 5,165m high.

Did you know? Armenians produce what they say is the best brandy in the world, Ararat brandy.

Armenia is home to 345 of Europe’s estimated 530 bird species.

People in France are being asked to vote for their favorite French monument to be revealed in the fourth series of French TV show Le Monument Préféré des Français (The Nation’s Favourite Monument). Presented by Stéphane Bern, the show was aired on France 3 to coincide with the 38^th celebration of the European Heritage Days on September 18 and 19.

Forty-two (42) places of exceptional cultural, historical and architectural interest in France were whittled down to 14 in voting which took place between May 25 and June 11. Vying for the position of nation’s favorite monument, the 14 monuments in the grand final are:

1. The Rotonde Ferroviaire in Chambéry – Savoie (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)
2. The Hôtel-Dieu Museum – Côte-d’Or (Bourgogne-Franche-Comte)
3. The ramparts of Saint-Malo – Ile-et-Vilaine (Brittany)
4. The Briare Aqueduct – Loiret (Centre-Val de Loire)
5. The Citadel of Bonifacio and the King Aragon Steps – Corse-du-Sud (Corsica)
6. Place Stanislas in Nancy – Meurthe-et-Moselle (Grand Est)
7. Chateau de Pierrefonds – Oise (Hauts-de-France)
8. The Caillebotte Property – Yerres – Essonne (Ile-de-France)
9. The Balata Gardens – Fort-de-France – Martinique
10. Chateau de Falaise – Calvados (Normandy)
11. The towers of La Rochelle – Charente-Maritime (Nouvelle-Aquitaine)
12. The Pont du Gard Aqueduct – Gard (Occitanie)
13. Passage Pommeraye in Nantes – Loire-Atlantique (Pays de la Loire)
14. The Roman Theatre of Orange – Vaucluse (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur)

Previous winners of Le Monument Préféré des Français have included the Royal Monastery of Brou (Rhône-Alpes), the Belfry of Arras (Nord-Pas-de-Calais), and Belfort Citadel and the Lion of Belfort (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté) in 2014, 2015 and 2020, respectively.

For more details, please click on the links:

https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Join-TV-voters-in-crowning-your-top-French-monument-of-2021-from-final-shortlist-of-14

https://www.france.fr/en/places-to-go

http://www.atout-france.fr/content/journal-destination-france-1

file:///D:/RoxaneN/Downloads/df_55.pdf

TOURISME ET PATRIMOINES

Avec plus de 170 milliards d’euros de consommation touristique en France, le tourisme est un facteur clé de l’économie de la France…. D’où la nécessité de réfléchir à la possibilité d’améliorer les méthodes de travail, l’accueil, l’offre et la promotion touristiques des patrimoines :

• 45 Biens inscrits sur la liste du patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO
• 17 Eléments inscrits sur la liste représentative du patrimoine culturel immatériel de l’UNESCO
• 5 Biens labellisés Patrimoine européen
• 27 Itinéraires culturels du Conseil de l’Europe traversent le territoire
• 23 Centres culturels de rencontres
• 45,684 Monuments historiques (classés et inscrits)
• 300,000 Objets mobiliers protégés au titre des Monuments historiques (classés et inscrits)
• 810 Sites patrimoniaux remarquables
• 2,920 Sites classés
• 4,500 Sites inscrits
• 8,000 Musées
• 202 Villes et Pays d’art et d’histoire
• 245 Edi­fices label­lisés Maisons des illustres
• 2,900 Edifices labellisés Patrimoine du XXème siècle
• 433 Jardins remarquables
• 100 Monuments nationaux
• 51 Parcs naturels régionaux
• 10 Parcs nationaux
• 48 grands sites de France, dont 25 en cours de candidature
• 89 Communes et territoires labellisés Ville et Métiers d’Art
• 71 Sites remarquables du goût
• 191 Petites Cités de Caractère
• 159 Plus beaux villages de France
• 107 Plus beaux détours de France
• 367 Maisons d’écrivains et des patrimoines littéraires
• 1,400 Entreprises du Patrimoine Vivant

https://whc.unesco.org/fr/etatsparties/fr