Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is the largest known rift in the world. The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge that were made by the Colorado River in north Arizona, USA. It is because of heavy mineral deposits that one can see the canyon as bright red, brown and orange in color.

This canyon is a part of the large Grand Canyon national park designated by Theodore Roosevelt. The park is almost 277 miles long and 4 to 18 miles wide. The canyons are the main point of attraction in the nation park.

The president of The United States, Theodore Roosevelt, used to quite often come to the national park for enjoyment and hunting. Statistics show that the canyons were made by the Colorado River some six million years ago and have the deepest depth, of over a mile. It is said that the river started cutting layers of rocks from the west initially and gradually moved to the east. The place was inhabited by the Native Americans who lived within the caves. The site during this time was a holy place for the pilgrims and the first person to explore this part of the world was a European guy who arrived from Spain to this site in 1540. During the year 1869, Major John Wesley Powell made the first recorded journey to this place.

Some of the best adventures that a tourist can indulge into are Colorado River rafting, helicopter tours and other guided tours via land. One can stay in the best Grand Canyon hotels and lodges to make the journey memorable.

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Amalfi Drive & Coast

The Stretch of the Amalfi Drive is next to the coastline of Sorrento and is known for its beauty. This is a one way road and thus experiences a lot of traffic. While on your way to the Amalfi, one would pass through Pasitano, which is a place that is close to the mountains, and you can view the sea on the other end. On the way there are a lot of villages also.

The life in Amalfi is very active and busy. That is the reason a lot of time is consumed if one wants to just cross the streets next to the harbor or go uphill. While going uphill can be big fun, coming down is not very interesting as it does not offer much as the path is extremely narrow. The best part to do in places like Amalfi is to find out places that are not meant for visitors as in some interiors, hence difficult to locate however, offer better and more personalized services.

Tourists can also go in for a boat ride along the harbor. The view from the water to the mountain is just splendid. Tourists must plan how to go to this place if hiring taxies or going by buses because the parking space in Amalfi Drive is so narrow, the buses have a specific time slot of entry and exit. One can hire a private Limousine with an English speaking driver who would drive you along the coast. The place has some worth restaurants that offer seafood to seafood lovers.

Many beach towns are located on the Amalfi Coast, including Vietri sul Mare, Cetara, Maiori, Minori, Ravello, Scala, Atrani, Amalfi, Conca dei Marini, Furore, Praiano and Positano.

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Golden Temple (Darbar Sahib or Harmandar Sahib)

The Golden Temple in India, which is often called the “Darbar Sahib or Harmandar Sahib” by the Indians, is one of the oldest places of worship for the ‘Sikhs’ and is located in Amritsar, Punjab. It is considered one of the holiest, blessed and sacrosanct places in India. It is a symbol of both beauty and peace. The temple is surrounded by a small man-made lake which has tons and tones of fishes in it. This lake is supposed to have holy water. The temple can be entered from four different sides and thus symbolizes openness, acceptance. This concept is based on the old tents which were open from all four sides, welcoming travelers from all directions.

The Golden Temple has three holy trees. There is also a small Sikh Museum near the Ghanta Ghar in Amritsar which is very rich in information, especially for the first time visitors. The entire top of the temple is made of pure gold and thus adds a lot of pride and beauty to the entire temple.

During the earlier days, this place was a huge lake surrounded by a thin line of forests. It is also said that Buddha journeyed to find out the real meaning of life spent some considerable time in this place. The first guru of the Sikh community called the Guru Nank also used to meditate in this peaceful place and years after he passed away, many of his disciples kept coming back to the site and then it finally became a sacred place. It was during the Fifth Guru, Arjana when the Temple was finally built 1604. It was Guru Arjan who installed the “Guru Granth Sahib” in the temple and appointed the first reader in August 1604. The temples architecture is that of both Hindu and Muslims. On many occasions, it was destroyed by a certain set of community and rebuilt by the Sikhs.

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Kashmir Valley

Kashmir is a beautiful valley lying between the Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. It is situated in the northwest region of India and is 135 km long and 32 km wide. It is said that if there is heaven on earth, then it is in Kashmir. Kashmir was made by the Jhelum River, it is said that during earlier days, it was an imperative part for the Hinduism and later for Buddhism. Srinagar is the capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

Kashmir is known for its breathtaking scenic beauty. The Kashmir Valley is in the shape of a saucer. The local people of Kashmir are mostly into agriculture and lead a very plain and simple life. The summer capital vfg is known for a very beautiful place called the Seven Springs. Visitors can see the beauty through the beautiful trolleys. I went to this divine place when I was doing my primary school and during those days, the trolley was open and could only accommodate 2 people. It was a very scary, yet a magnificent site from the up.

Shikaras, also called as the wooden boats in Srinagar are yet again another breathtaking place to visit. In the clam beautiful lake with a picturesque view, everything looks beautiful just like a fresh canvas painting with bright and nice colors. Visitors spend a lot of time in this place. One can hire houseboats or rent and stay for as long as they want. The interiors of the houseboats are simply exotic. Kashmir is a hot piece of property for India, however, is being eyed by Pakistan. Despite the constant terror that prevails in Kashmir, visitors under army protection find it extremely safe to visit it.

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Pompeii (Forgotten City)

Pompeii, also known as the forgotten city, was a Roman settlement that was devastated by volcanic eruptions in 79 A.D. It is located in the province of Naples (Campania, Italy).The city was first occupied by Romans in the 6th century and converted into a Resort city. The Pompeii city is an attraction for archaeologists from all over the world due to the fact that most of the architectures has been preserved by the ashes from the volcanic eruption.

The volcano that was responsible for the destruction of Pompeii is called Mount Vesuvius. The eruptions from the volcano were so strong that the buildings and the people were covered in twelve thick layers of mud and ash. After the city was covered in volcanic ashes, it was slowly forgotten and erased from the history books until it got rediscovered in 1738 by workers working for King of Naples.

Before Pompeii succumbed to the eruptions, it used to be a blossoming township and a progressive commercial port of the Sarno River in Italy. The most notable buildings that have been excavated from the ashes are a Roman basilica and an amphitheatre. The excavations also include many intact wall paintings, pottery and coinage. Pompeii was one of the earliest excavated cities in the world, where archeological work started in 1738.

In today’s world, University of Bradford is responsible for most of the excavations and provides the history of the great city in the form of photos available on the internet. Pompeii city is a highly visited tourist place due to its unique architectural designs and

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Hagia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom)

Hagia Sophia, also known as the “Church of the Holy Wisdom”, is located in Istanbul, Turkey. The church has been turned into a museum now. The church was made by the first Christian Emperor – Constantine the Great, who is also known as the founder of Constantinople. This church is the greatest church out of the many churches he built in many cities. The church which stands today is nothing of the original one due to the destruction that occurred through time. When the original Hagia Sophia was destroyed, it was rebuilt by Theodosius the Great, but sadly it was burnt down again in the Nika riots of 532. Some of the remains can still be seen after deep excavations.

Hagia Sophia is the greatest example of Byzantine architecture built with beautiful mosaics, galleries and pillars. Many of it mosaic paintings are great samples of the Byzantine’s culture and artisitic levels. The building is an architectural wonder and survived many earthquakes. The church has great influence on Muslim, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox worlds.

The church has been destroyed and restored many a times. The most notable restoration was done by Abdulmecid II, who called upon Swiss architects to restore the damaged dome, pillars and other exterior work. In 1934, the church was turned into the Ayasofya Museum by the Turkish President – Kemal Ataturk. The change involved removal of prayer rugs, and some of the calligraphic panels were moved to other mosques. In today world, Hagia Sophia still stands strong, thanks to UNESCO, which has taken the task of preserving the site by cleaning and restoring the great church.

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Mount Everest (World's Highest Mountain)

Mount Everest is said to be the tallest mountain on Earth. It literally means the top or the head of the sky. Mount Everest touches the borders of China, Tibet, and Nepal and is a part of the Himalayan Range… Its total height above sea level is 29,029 ft. During 1856, the name of Mount Everest was Peak XV. Its official name was given by the Geographical Society.

Despite the fact it is the highest peak in the world, hikers from all over the world come and climb this mountain despite all difficulties. A whole team of climbers can help both armature and novice climbers climb the peak. If one follows the standard route to climb, it is quite safe to climb the mountains. However, the problem in the Himalayas are faced with bad weather, fast wind and low breathing that can happen due to high altitude.

Climbers must pay heavy amount of money to climb the mountain, which acts as a continuous source of income to Nepal. However, an equal amount has to be raised to get license and permit of $25,000 to climb the Mount Everest. Till 2007, 210 people have lost their lives while climbing Mount Everest due to high storm.

There are two main routes for climbing Mt. Everest. One is from the Southeast of Nepal and the other is from the North of Tibet. The most preferred route out of the two is the Southeast that starts from Nepal. The best time to start climbing is during May, before the summer monsoon, as the direction of the wind is quite favorable during that time.

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Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is situated in New York City, United States. In total, this museum contains more than two million pieces of art which is divided into 19 different departments. It is also called the ‘The Met’ Museum, which is one of the largest art museum in the world. It also has a smaller department in upper Manhattan which displays historic features of medieval art.

The museum has a collection of classical antique, art of Ancient Egypt, printings and sculptures of the European royals,  as well as the American modern art. It also has historic holdings of all the continents like Africa, Asia, Islamic and many more. It is also an encyclopedia for a full collection of musical instruments, weapons, armor, costumes including accessories from all parts of the world. So much so that it also has great collection of interiors right from the 1st century till the modern age interior design.

The making of the Metropolitan Museum is very unique. A lot of people from different sections and walks of life came together to form it is 1870. This group had leading businessmen, financiers, known artist who had a notion of bringing the art and education in front of the American public. It was formally opened for the local public in 1872.

The Metropolitan is known for its sleekness, great and rich color contrast and the lighting effect adds a touch of polished monuments. Its architectural structure is Gothic and is governed by the local administration of New York. Tourists find this place extremely worth spending time with their family and friends.

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Kathmandu City

Kathmandu is the biggest city and the official capital of Nepal. It is located in Kathmandu Valley, which has two other cities called Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. One is the old city and the other is the new city of Kathmandu Valley. The language spoken in Nepal is Napali. Kathmandu city has a total population of 700,000 and it is the only developed and modern city in the entire Nepal.

The view from the Airport is so breathtaking as it is covered from hills all over and has untapped natural beauty and greenery all over. The main religion followed in Kathmandu is Hinduism. It is present in the center of the Himalayas and some of the peaks of the Himalayas are clearly visible.

Kathmandu has a very famous temple that is called Kaasthamandap, which was built in 1567 AD. It is also called Marusthal and is entirely made of wood. It is now rules by the government, but once, it was ruled by the royal house.

Swayambhunath and Boudhanath are two famous stupas within Kathmandu. It also has a famous Hindu shrine, called Pashupatinath. Kathmandu city, throughout the year, has honeymoon visitors visiting mostly from India. The city has a small thickly populated place where you will find monks in abundance. The city has seven most prominent groups of monuments that are rich in culture and heritage, which speak volumes about the city historic past. Durbar Square and Changu Narayan temple are very unique, which is worth a visit.

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Versailles

Versailles is the palace of the versalmonator, means a power house or a chateau. In the older days, Versailles was a small village, it is only now that it is a sub urban part of Paris which is the capital of France. Versailles in late 17th century was considered the strongest political power house where the monarch used to sit, when the royal family was enforced to come back to Paris. The political side to the building has made it so famous that tourists like to pay their visit to this building.

The building covers a total area of 110,000 square meters with 700 rooms in it with 67 staircases and more that 200 windows. The Versailles for sure is a grand place worth visiting. The building has lots of paintings, handmade sculptures, drawings, objects and furniture.

It was during the year 1038, when for the first time, the name Versailles was coined. During this period, the villagers of this village was on a small castle and there was a church which was governed by the local landlords of the village. Versailles was built by the French men and it was also called the unofficial capital of France. It is only ten kilometers away from Paris. The way in which the streets of Washington DC are made have been based upon Versailles’ model of streets. The city welcomes its visitors with open arms and provides one of the best luxurious hotels, food & site seeing facility to them. Whenever visitors plan to visit this part of the city, they make it a long holiday so that they can spend quality time in the Versailles.

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Canal of Venice

The beautiful Venice is surrounded by water all over and is located on the north of Italy. The capital of Venice is Veneto. It is commonly known as the city of lovers, water and also the city of bridges. It is spread over 118 Islands, not very big in size. Venice is very famous in the worlds because of its canals. The city has in total 150 canals and the most important canal in Venice is called the Grand Canal. It is responsible for managing the traffic in water by corridor management. Instead of visiting any place by transportation means of roads or air, it is very common to find water buses and water taxi. It seems that the people here live in a different land and world altogether.

During the day time, the city is very much crowded with visitors all across the world trying to experience love and romance in the city. Narrow yet beautiful canals, bridges streets give a very different feel of the place. Anyone who visits this place immediately falls in love with it. The nights on the other hand are quiet and peaceful.

Motor boats are not allowed to travel in small canals that are narrow, windy and lead to the old city. The city has almost 400 bridges and the Grand Canal cuts the city equally into two proportionate halves from the north to the south. The total length of the Grand Canal is three kilometers. One of the constant threat that the city is experiencing is the air, wind and water pollution over and above the natural disaster like the flood and weakening infrastructure of the building.

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Louvre Museum

The national museum of France is the Louvre and is situated in Paris. It is one of the most historic pieces of art that has been restored by the French. There is a very common saying for the French that they consider themselves the best in the world. One can only be less or equal but never better than them. The museum is spread in a total area of 652,300 square feet and has more than thirty five thousand objects placed in it. It is almost impossible to see the entire museum in a couple of hours and do justice to every piece of art that is placed from the 6th century BC till the 19th century AD.

This museum was actually built as the fort for Philip II and some remains of the fort are still present, not exactly in its best shape. A lot of changes in terms of its structure have been made to give it the present look and finally it was decided to keep the royal collection in the museum. The museum was inaugurated in 1739. However, due to some infrastructural problems, it was shut down for almost a period of 5 years. Some of the most famous pieces of art that is displayed is the Antonio Canova’s Psyche, the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa painting, some handprints and drawings, Egypt, Greek, and roman antiques, along with handmade cultures and beautiful glass paintings. The museum thus has a very rich heritage that has made the French proud of it.

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Alhambra

The Alhambra in Spain is called the red fortress and it is located in Granada, Spain. This place is a fort that is very complex in its structure. It was built by the Moorish who was a ruler in Southern Spain. The Fortress was made on a hilly terrain on the south – east of the city. Today, the Alhambra is one of the main tourist attractions of the country. Quite a few years ago, it was known to be a residential place of the Muslim rulers. It has some very intrinsic and beautiful Islamic architecture. During the 16th century, it had many interventions and all that can even be seen today.

The total length of the Alhambra is 740 meter and it has one of the largest widths. The best and the strongest position is the citadel. Other than the west side of the place, all the other sides of the wall is weak. In total, it has 13 towers. A river divides the Granada Valley and the Alhambra Park is kind of parallel to the Monte Mauror.

The Alhambra is a true reflection of the ruler Nasrid Emirate of Granada. A lot of people with distinct wellness and intellect have been a part of this place as refuges. This site has a very complex mix of both the natural and manmade places. It is said that Muslims are suppose to be one of the best craftsmen and every little piece of work in this proves this statement right. The entire fortress is made up of red clay.

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Sistine Chapel

Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City is one of the most famous chapels in the world. It is said to be the official residence of the pope who lives in the Vatican City. It has pulled so much attraction because of its great and intricate architecture and decoration that has been carved by some of the greatest artist. It has one of the best and the great painted ceiling that covers a total area of twelve thousands square feet. The paintings depict the life of Christ and Moses, which took almost 2 to 3 years.

Because of these paintings, Sistine Chapel is considered a religious place. Whenever a new pope is appointed, this place serves as the venue for the auspicious ceremony. The chapel in the Vatican City is famous for its location of conclaves. This is actually a physical chapel, during the fourth pope, this comprised of more than 200 plus officials right from the high end official to the clerks of the Vatican City. In total, there were almost 50 occasions in one year when all from the Sistine Chapel should meet. Some of them were masses, however the others were basilicas. The most common usages of the Sistine Chapel are the masses on Christmas eve and during Easter. Later, after some time, the chapel was rebuilt so that it could accommodate larger numbers of public. The very first mass in the Sistine Chapel was held during the 15th century. This ceremony was a beautiful devotion to the virgin Mary.

When the chapel is involved in hosting different grand occasions, visiting is off limit. The chapel serves as a venue for the election of the pope. Whenever there is an election, an extra chimney is added to the piece and based on the selection criteria, either a white or a black smoke is raised.

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Hong Kong Harbor (Victoria Harbor)

The Hong Kong Harbor (now Victoria Harbor) in China is located somewhere between the Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula. This harbor, because of its location on the south, favored the Britisher’s to make it one of the most famous and the biggest center for trade. The shore over the years has undergone enormous change.

It is a very common tourist’s attraction because of its beautiful scenic view of Hong Kong and its harbor. This harbor display spectacular fireworks during the 2nd night of the lunar year and thus is very common point for the tourists and the localities. It is also used to form recreation like swimming and polo. The harbor was initially called the Hong Kong Harbor and its modern name is the Victoria Harbor. This name change was done to ensure and pacify the fleet that belonged to Queen Victoria. As the manufacture sector increased day by day, club races were stopped because of access of pollution.

The latest proposed recovery extends along the waterfront from Sheung Wan to Causeway Bay had to face a lot of conflict. Till this time, the harbor became very important and a known location for the localities in Hong Kong. Some common activists went against the government and raised protests as the environment of one of the most natural asset was in threat. The harbor today of course is very well maintained by the government of China and Hong Kong attracts many new and old visitors. It is also fully engaged in the proper trade and is still the best and the largest harbor in Hong Kong.

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Valley of the Kings

Valley of the Kings is a magnificent valley in Egypt located west of the Nile River. The valley contains many tombs of the new kingdom and it is divided into two: the west and the east valley. The east valley is more famous and attracts more visitors to it as it has most of the tombs in the new kingdom. Because of the symmetry and the beauty that the tomb holds, visitors find it extremely difficult to make a choice of entering the tomb. Since they are so many in number, yet having there own uniqueness that it becomes almost impossible to cover all of them. One of the special tomb is called the Tutankhamen(KV62), which needs a different ticket to enter.

All the tombs are not open all the time. Some are only used for special occasions and some of them are closed for restoration by the government. These tombs have undergone many changes in the past 500 years of use. Another tomb called Tuthmose III is in the East valley and is one of the ancient one that has its own history. It is made in an oval shape and has some stick figures all over it. It has a metal staircase that takes you down to the tomb which is worth a look. Horemheb, Ramesses VI’s is yet another tomb that is worth spending time in. Recently, the KV5 tomb is given a lot of attention and again is located in the east valley. Almost 120 rooms have been discovered, however, they are not open for common visitors and the public.

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Borobudur

Borobudur in Indonesia is said to be the greatest Buddhist stupa located in Magelang of Central Java, Indonesia. It was built before 800 A.D. It is known for its decoration, class, exceptional state of conservation. It is one of the world’s most complex building.

Borobudur stupa is a very big, proportioned, which is two hundred meters in size on a small carved hill. The sculpture represents a solar model of the universe. One can walk through five kilometers of open corridors. Then it leads to a small downhill through six square terrace and there circular ones. The symbol describes the state of nirvana. The stupa is ornamented with 2676 panels and Buddha statues that are 504 in number. This place is not only a shrine but also homage of the Buddha. The visitors start their journey from the base of the temple and move to the third level that is on the top were there are 72 statues of the Buddha and the main monument.

The Borobudur site is now owned by the world heritage site by UNESCO and the government of the Indonesia. Proof suggests that this place was dumped from the 14th century. A lot of conversion took place during that time, from Buddhism to Hindu, from Hindu to java and Java to Islam. This is one of the most visited sites in the Indonesia. The main reason why a lot of visitors rushed to this place is to see the giant and the symmetric sculpture of the Buddha that is sitting on the small hill.

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Egyptian Museum

Egyptian Museum is called the symbol of faith for the Egyptians. The actual name for the museum is called The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities and it is located in Cairo, Egypt. The stories of Egypt are spread across seven thousand years. It is considered to be a treasure for the country of Egypt. The design of the grand museum was a consequence of an international competition. This competition was held by the UNESCO. The architecture of the museum is very complex. It offers its visitors a worthwhile time. The museum provides enchanting cultural, pleasurable and educational time.

The museum will help Egypt become a heart of the history and be a part of the Egyptology. The aim of the museum is to take hold of the diversity of the heritage that Egypt holds. The museum creates a great experience for the tourists by helping them connect the history to the present. It has one of the best antiquities artifacts collections.

This is one place that would always help you discover new things. The ground floor gives a vivid history of Ancient Egypt. There are good security checks while entering the building. Every time a new object is displayed as the best object of the month. It also has very imperative items that belong to the Egypt and are more than five thousand years old. There are some other masterpieces that belong to the fiftieth century and hence should not be missed. It also has some Old Kingdom’s small statues that have families and shows people working. If you move clockwise, it takes you to an area that would take you to the future.

In the far end of the museum, one can find material from the “heretic” pharaoh, also known as Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV). Tourists who have genuine interests in knowing the Egypt culture must not miss this site.

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St. Peter’s Basilica

St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the four Basilicas that Rome has. It is officially known as Basilica di San Pietro in Vatican and it is located in the Vatican City of Italy. This is not a cathedral where the Bishops used to sit. This Basilica is where St. Peters was buried and is a burial site for many popes who came after St. Peters. St. Peter was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and later became the Bishop of Rome. The church in the Basilica has been present in this site since the 4th Century. This site, because of its uniqueness, artistic beauty and historical association, attracts many visitors and pilgrims.

Its history takes us back to the 1st century AD when Jesus was crucified. One of his twelve disciples was Simon, known as Peter, who took a good position amongst Jesus’ followers. St. Peters played great importance in founding and establishing the Catholic Church. Peter was in the ministry for thirty years, after which he took a tour of the Rome. He was executed in 64 A.D. He was crucified head downward as per his request in the Circus, now known as the St. Peters Square.

It is considered to be one of the holiest & the largest of all the Catholic Churches of the Christendom. The main building is very impressive and stood 138 meters. Its passage is about 218 meter long. The interior consists of the Pieta by Michelangelo, Papal Altar by Bernini and the Monument to the Stuarts by Canova.

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Fjords of Norway

Norway is the land of divine beauty that takes you one step closer to nature. It offers plenty to visitors right from mountain skiing, a voyage in the Fjords and hiking. Norway has always been known for its scenic beauty of Fjords, mountains and glaciers.

Fjords are defined as a very thin, long, and narrow bay in a valley made by the glaciers. As far as the Fjords of Norway is concerned, it is said to be the perfect holiday outing for visitors and localities. A long strip of sea on a beautiful sunny afternoon is considered a perfect day for tourists. Fjords of Norway are series of landscape mountain that attracts hikers in abundance. The best time to visit this place is from May till September. Tourists find it really adventurous to cruise the Atlantic Fjords and hike the mountains. Bergen, which was once the capital of Norway, is assimilated between seven mountains, said it be the Gateway of Fjords. Norway is very rich in its flora and has a good historical past to attract tourists all across the globe.

Visitors come from many places to feel the vertigo from the cliff as they pass by the Fjords. One of the most famous Fjord in Norway is called the Sognafjord, the King of Fjord and is said that the successor of the Norwegian come for fishing. This place is 1200 meters deep and is 200 Kilometers long. One can see fresh water, clear sky, bright flora not to forget the subzero temperature.

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