Archive for February 2012
5 Must-See Sights in India
India is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world because the country is very diverse culturally and in terms of the landmarks, historical sites and recreational areas. The most difficult aspect of visiting India for the first time is deciding what not to see. In order to help, here are the sights that no one should miss.
1. Delhi
For westerners, Delhi is fantastically alien, and the city is home to some of the most important tourist attractions. At the top of that list is Red Fort, which stands as a monument to the Mughal emperors who once ruled the land. There is also the Jama Masjid, which is the largest mosque in the country, and one of the Old City’s greatest treasures. The city also offers many great shopping attractions for holders of credit cards, including a mixture of traditional Indian shops and more modern malls.
2. Agra
Agra is home to the legendary Taj Mahal, and it is part of the Golden Triangle, a very popular tourist circuit. The Taj Mahal needs little introduction: It is India’s most significant and popular historical attraction and most iconic monument. A particularly good time to visit Agra is February 18-27, which is when the Taj Mahotsav, a weeklong festival, takes place. The festival recreates the Mughal era, and celebrates culture, arts, crafts and cuisine.
3. Udaipur
Udaipur is the famed city of palaces and lakes, and some call in the most romantic city in all of India. This is a must-see because no Indian city is better suited to immersing you in the local splendour. There is also a wide range of individual attractions to see. One of the most popular is the City Palace Complex. Others include the Bagore Ki Haveli, Lake Pichola and the Monsoon Palace.
4. Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer is a sandstone city rising out of the dunes of the Rajasthan desert. It is very romantic, and it reminds many people of an Arabian Nights fable. Many of its finest hotels are located in the middle of the desert, and lovers can experience romantic camel rides through the area. Just remember to take your card, as visitors with gold credit cards can earn rewards points when booking hotels or purchasing in the city.
5. Varanasi
Varanasi is a mystical holy city. What is most amazing is that there are no secrets here. All of the rituals take place along numerous riverside ghats, which locals use to bathe and even burn their dead. A visitor can simply walk along the river all day taking in a seemingly never-ending array of cultural and spiritual experiences. Many people claim to have life-changing experiences while walking along the ghats.
Art Museums Around the World
There are so many fantastic art museums around the world, it’s best to simply plunge into a list of a few of them!
Museum of Modern Art, Manhattan, United States
This museum, located on 5th Avenue and 53rd Street, is the greatest showcase of modern art in the world. It features masterpieces by such artists as Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh and Andy Warhol, as well as the works of hundreds of other painters, sculptors and photographers. Filmmakers also feature, as MOMA was one of the first art museums to recognize film as an art form. The museum shop alone is worth the price of admission.
Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain
This is Spain’s main art museum and features some of the country’s most brilliant artists, including El Greco, Goya and Velazquez. The building is big and generous enough to feature some non-Spaniards like Titian, Rubens, Jan Brueghel the Elder, and sculpture from the ancient Greeks and Romans. It’s also home to the mind bending triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights, by Bosch. That last panel is truly, delightfully freakish.
The Pitti Palace, Florence, Italy
This 15th C palace was once the home of Maria de Medici and now is the home of a awesome collection of Titians and Raphaels. Other masters on display are Van Dyck, Rubens, Caravaggio and Fra Filippo Lippi.
Old Pinakothek, Munich, Germany
This beautiful, huge building was used by the Wittelsbach family to stow their paintings and now boasts such masters as Albrecht Dürer, Roger van der Weyden, Rubens and El Greco. It also has a nice collection of Virgin and Child portraits by Fra Angelico and Fra Filippo Lippi.
The National Gallery, London, England
This museum has its focus on early to High Renaissance paintings and works of artists of 18 and 19th C England and France. A painting of Monet’s water lilies from the very end of the 19th C must be among its most modern works. Works younger than that are probably at the Tate Gallery. Among the other works at the National are Van Dyck’s famous Charles I on horseback, Jan van Eyck’s Marriage of Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna Cenami and Tiepolo’s Allegory with Venus and Time.
The Louvre, Paris, France
Of course, no article about great art museums is complete without this one. The Mona Lisa is here, well protected, as is the Nike of Samothrace. Yes, the lines are long to get in, but a tourist who does a bit of preplanning might be able to skip them. The Louvre is on just about everyone’s bucket list, after all.
If you’d like to see any of these great sites, an American Express credit card could help you get there faster. You can earn a number of rewards on your spend such as Avios or Starpoints, which you can then redeem for flights and hotel stays.
The author of this article is part of a blogging team that works with brands like American Express. The content contained is for information purposes only and should not be used to make any financial decisions.
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