Tourism By Region

Shakespeare Country is South Warwickshire embracing historic Warwick and Kenilworth, Royal Leamington Spa, Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon and the surrounding towns and villages. To the south of Shakespeare Country lies the beautiful Cotswolds. With a delightful blend of heritage, culture, theatre, arts and gardens, Shakespeare Country is the perfect choice for a short break or longer holiday.

Introduction to accessibility in Brighton The Visitor Information Centre in Brighton provides as much assistance as possible for visitors with disabilities. The centre is fully accessible to the disabled. For details of where to hire a wheelchair, please contact us or Shopmobility (see below). For those with hearing difficulties, communication via Minicom is possible on 01273 292595. Please note you will not get through to this number with a normal phone. The Visitor Information Centre also has a wide range of information sheets, which can be made available in large type, Braille or audio tape. Please contact us for more information. Each provider record on this site gives details of disabled access. If you are looking for somewhere to stay, click through to Accommodation to search for the type of accommodation you require, and select the ‘Disabled Accessible’ option for a list of providers that offer disabled access. You will notice that each accommodation record also provides details of its individual 'accessibility'. It is advisable to contact the provider for specific information before visiting the city. If you wish to find out about hotels that have been independently assessed, visit the Disabled Go website. Anticipating accessible needs For information on the promotion of independence for people with disabilities who are living in or visiting Brighton and Hove, please visit the Brighton and Hove Federation of Disabled People site. This umbrella organisation works to identify gaps within the City when services are being planned and developed, making sure that disabled people's views are heard. From the 1st October 2004, under the new Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), tourism businesses will be aware of the 'reasonable' measures they must take to anticipate the needs of disabled visitors. Please click here for DDA guidelines. Brighton & Hove Shopmobility Brighton & Hove Shopmobility is a scheme that, for a small charge, provides manual and powered wheelchairs and scooters to members of the public with limited mobility, so they can shop in Churchill Square shopping centre and enjoy other facilities in the city centre and on the seafront. It's a popular scheme, so pre-book early, or call into the shop in Churchill Square Car Park 1, Level P3. Please note, the shop is open Mon-Fri 0900-1600 inclusive. Tel: 01273 323239. Environment & Geography For people who have not visited Brighton before, it may be helpful to know that Brighton is situated on a hill that runs from north to south, and from west to east across the city centre. This means that some of the routes within the centre are quite steep, with gradients of up to 1:6 (including Trafalgar Street which runs east to west from the train station). Wheelchair users arriving by train are therefore advised to use Queens Road as the main road to the city centre, and then either Western Road to the main shops, West Street to the sea, or North Street to the shopping areas of the North Laine and the Lanes, and the Royal Pavilion. In summertime the council's seafront officers roll out special mobility matting on the beach at Brighton to provide a pathway for wheelchair users and childrens’ buggies. Some of the streets in the historic parts of the city can be rather narrow, which means that they can become quite congested. Please contact the Visitor Information Centre staff for information on forthcoming major events, which might help you to plan your trip. Travelling By car - Orange/Blue Badge holders can park free and for unlimited time in Voucher Parking spaces and in on-street pay & display spaces in Brighton & Hove. Additionally Blue Badge holders with a clock are allowed to park on yellow lines for up to three hours, provided they are not causing an obstruction. Click here to find out where there are Blue Badge parking bays in Brighton. For more information please call the Brighton Parking Shop on 01273 293225 or the Hove Parking Shop on 01273 292426. NB: Parking in the city centre car parks is not free for Blue Badge holders. By bus - There are many low-floor, easy access buses in service. Approximately 130 of these have access for a wheelchair. The bus timetable is available on-line or in large print. Main bus stops have "real time" information screens for passengers, and some buses have screens showing the next bus stop. For details contact Brighton & Hove Bus Company on 01273 886200. Certain door to door services can be booked - please call 01273 505888. By train - Southern Railway's new trains have ramps for wheelchair access, designated accessible spaces in some cars, and an accessible WC, as well as colour schemes and visual & audible announcements that are helpful to people with a sensory disability. Southern Railway also offers advice on the accessibility of stations and help on and off trains - people who require assistance need to book this at least 24 hours in advance. They can also arrange for accessible taxis to be made available at no cost on Southern routes to take passengers with disabilities from and to stations which are not accessible to and from stations that are. For further informaton call 08451 272920 or textphone 08451 272940. By taxi - A number of Brighton & Hove Hackney Carriage taxis are wheelchair accessible and can be booked through local taxi companies. Public Toilets All Brighton & Hove's public toilets for disabled people are locked and can only be opened with a RADAR key, part of the nationwide scheme. Visitors to the city can obtain a key for £6 from the Visitor Information Centre. Please contact us for more information at brighton-tourism@brighton-hove.gov.uk. A useful map of all the toilets in the city, which shows those which are accessible, is available here. Wheelchair & scooter hire Wheelchairs & scooters can be hired from the following organisations. Please contact them direct for more information. Shopmobility, Car Park Level 1, Churchill Square, Brighton, Tel 01273 323239 (see link to Shopmobility above). Red Cross, Unit 7, St Joseph's Business Park, St Joseph's Close, Hove, Tel 01273 325118. Mobility Plus, 61 Boundary Road, Hove, Tel 01273 424224. Scootermart, 187 Church Road, Brighton, Tel 01273 775123. Clearwell Mobility, 110 Warren Road, Woodingdean, Brighton, Tel 01273 692244, or click here to email your enquiry.

London is the place where the historic past and the vibrant present come alive. A blend of history, ground-breaking architecture and culture has created an amazing and constantly evolving city. Not surprisingly the capital has become a mecca for visitors and a great place to live. There really is something to appeal to everyone and whatever your interests may be, the city has it covered. With countless museums, galleries and entertainment options throughout the city there has never been a better time to come and find out just how much it has to offer. London is one of the world’s most remarkable and exciting cities. It has something to offer every type of traveller. This vibrant metropolis embraces the diverse cultures of its population, reflected through cuisine, shops, music and colourful festivals. London is a very accessible city; it has five international airports, an efficient road network and extensive Underground, train, bus, and taxi services. The city is famous for a wealth of history and culture. Home to Britain’s national art collections, the Royal family and a host of major attractions, London’s rich history, striking architecture and over 200 museums offer a unique cultural experience. Despite a population of over seven million, more than 30% of London is made up of parks and green space, greater than any other city of its size in the world. This space provides the perfect opportunity for walks, relaxation or sporting activities. London also offers some of the best shopping opportunities in the world. From major department stores to designer boutiques and street markets - the choice is immense.As if that wasn’t enough, London is hard to beat when it comes to nightlife. There are huge numbers of restaurants, pubs, cinemas, theatres and nightclubs plus live music and comedy venues. So, at any time of day, whatever the weather, you’ll always find something extra special in London. London offers a fantastic diversity of population and supports a myriad of different lifestyles. Whatever your background or interest, you’ll find people of like mind and have the opportunity to express yourself freely. People of all ages and backgrounds flock to London for many different reasons. They include improved work prospects, better wages, a higher standard of living and the stimulation of living in a bustling metropolis. The city’s lifestyles vary considerably and the options are endless. From nightlife to sport, shopping to theatre, art to dining there’s always something to do and people to meet. London’s long-standing ethnic diversity is an important factor in its popularity with settlers from overseas. The strong economy of the City draws many people including graduates from around the country and beyond. The presence of large numbers of long- and short-term visitors also adds to London’s vibrancy. As with all big cities, there can be issues with traffic congestion, crowded public transport, long working hours and high costs of living but there are ample compensations and ongoing improvements on many fronts. London is frequently likened to a collection of villages. Clusters of local shops, markets, parks, leisure centres and other venues help foster a feeling of local community within a conurbation of seven million people. Some areas have a particularly strong identities and associations making London a world in one city. The capital continues to draw newcomers all the time and it is a city that is always changing.

ANCIENT EGYPT Names like Ramses, Cleopatra, Tutankhamun and Nefertiti, echo through the art and literature of so many different cultures. Religion was the backbone of life in Ancient Egypt and mythology its bloodline. Death and the afterlife were essential to Ancient Egyptian society. 5,000 years ago, the first Pharaoh, King Narmer, founded the world's first nation state, recording it in the world's first written script. The pharaohs were not just kings or queens, they were gods and they were worshipped as divine rulers. But they also commanded vast administrative armies, models of modern management and efficiency. It was their sophisticated system of bureaucracy that enabled the construction of Egypt's greatest monuments, the pyramids of course and also the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the great temples of Karnak, the ruins of Thebes not forgetting the Sphinx at Giza. The relics of Ancient Egypt still survive to bear witness to the refinement and beauty of many golden ages. Pyramids Although the construction of the pyramids was only an episode in the long history of the pharaohs, this period has left us some of the most impressive monuments that can be seen. Besides the three giants of Gizeh, more than 70 pyramids can be counted along the Nile. Al Giza Pyramids Guarded by the familiar lone lion-bodied Sphinx are the three Great Pyramids of Giza. Over 4,000 years ago, the mummified bodies of Kings Cheops, Kefren and Mykerinos were ferried down the Nile to be buried and prepared for the journey to the afterlife within these massive monuments. The largest, oldest and finest of all three is Cheop's Pyramid, simply known as the "Great Pyramid". It was the tallest structure in the world until the end of the nineteenth century (145 meters). But Kefren's Pyramid, Cheop's son and successor, makes a bigger first impression. On higher ground with its limestone cap still intact, it looks loftier even though it's 4 meters shorter. The smallest of the three, Mykerinos' Pyramid, makes up for its size with its fine funerary and valley temples. What to see in Giza : One of the three Pyramids, the Solar Barque Museum, the Sphinx Complex and the Sphinx Sound and Light Show. But the Giza necropolis is also the final resting place of the Pharaoh's family and high officials. Buried inside the mastabas and minor pyramids which dot the plateau are queens and royal courtiers. There are also tombs of the craftsmen and engineers who toiled over these epic edifices. Dahshur Pyramids There were originally 11 pyramids at Dahshur, although only the two Old Kingdom Pyramids, the Bent and the Red Pyramid, remain intact. Pharaoh Sneferu, father of Khufu and founder of the 4th Dynasty, built Egypt's first real pyramid, the Red Pyramid, here. It is a quiet place where you will be able to enjoy the monuments in peace. Saqqara Pyramids Time has all but erased the once mighty Memphis from the Egyptian landscape, however, the city of the dead has been excavated and exhumed from the desert sands, the vast necropolis of Saqqara. Memphis is some 23km south of central Cairo, in the center of the floodplain on the western side of the Nile. Memphis was traditionally founded in 3000 BC by Menes, the legendary figure credited with the creation of a politically unified Egypt. Memphis served as the effective administrative capital of the country during the Old Kingdom and partly in later times. It's eleven pyramids, countless mastabas and lone Coptic monastery stretch over 7km from north to south, and span three and a half thousand years of Egyptian civilisation. At its centre sits King Djoser's "Stepped" Pyramid, the very first pyramid and the first great stone structure in the world. North of the pyramid, inside a stone "serdab", sits the Ancient Pharaoh himself. Saqqara also includes the Serapeum, represented by a life-sized sculpture of limestone, the original of which is in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and an astonishing collection of mummified Apis bulls in gargantuan granite coffins. Of its eleven pyramids, King Teti boasts the best preserved burial chamber, with pyramid text lined walls mapping out his journey to the afterlife. The walls of Mereruka's multichambered maze-like tomb are covered with exquisite murals, showing scenes of everyday life. What to see in Saqqara : Zoser's funerary complex, Mereruka's tomb, Serapeum Monuments Most of the Egyptian monuments are from the pharaohic era, but are also complemented by expressions of other cultures. Colossi and Sphinxes exist alongside amphitheatres, temples and Greco-Roman columns. A history book open to the heavens … The Great Sphinx (Giza) Like the broken arms of the Venus de Milo, the Great Sphinx's long lost nose has made it all the more iconic. Standing guard at the hallowed entrance to the Great Pyramids of Giza, the human-headed, lion-bodied Sphinx is the oldest of all Egypt's superhuman stone sculptures. It is also the most instantly recognizable. Originally hewn from a gigantic piece of limestone bedrock, it was covered in plaster and paint in its youth. But the winds, waters and sands of the Giza Plateau have taken their toll. Once upon a time, the Great Sphinx also wore a Pharaoh's royal beard. Part of it is in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the other part is in the British Museum in London. Though named by the Greeks after their riddle-loving mythological character, the Sphinx was actually built by the Pharaoh Kefren in his own image. The Valley of the Kings (Thebes) Inconspicuous and unassuming, the Valley of the Kings hides its secrets well. The grand pyramids of the earlier pharaohs proved too tempting to grave robbers, so from the eighteenth to twentieth Dynasties, 26 pharaohs opted to build their tombs in the valley. Carving them deep into the mountains, far from reach, Tutankhamun, Ramses the Great and Tuthmosis III's tombs lie in this single, sprawling necropolis. There are interesting tombs to see in the Valley of the Queens and the Valley of the Nobles as well. Other Pharaonic Monuments : Colossi of Memnon (Luxor) These are the first ruins visible when arriving by ferry. They are the sole surviving remains of the funerary temple of Amenhotep III which, according to recent discoveries, was more vast than the complex of Karnak. Even with a great deal of imagination, it is difficult to picture. The faceless giants stand in front of the first pylon with their backs to the mountain. They represent the pharaoh’s sovereign majesty seated on his throne. The funerary complex, of which nothing remains, was the biggest on the west bank. The Colossus of Ramses the Great (Memphis) A colossal statue of Ramesses II found on the site is now housed in a museum. The Ramesseum (Luxor) The funerary temple of Ramesses II has lost much of its splendour over the centuries. Poets sang of its glory in antiquity but the dream of self-glorification of Ramesses II, already responsible for the construction of Abu Simbel, has not survived the passing of time or successive pillaging. The broken columns and thorny trees create a romantic and moving sight particularly at sunrise when the first rays brush the gigantic statue of Ramesses II lying in pieces in the ground. Calculations indicate that the statue must have measured at least 17 m high and weighed around one thousand tons.Monuments of the Graeco-Roman era : From Alexander the Great's grand entrance in 332 BC to Cleopatra's tragic exit when she committed suicide in 30 BC, the Greeks thrust Egypt centre stage during their three-and-a-half century reign under the Ptolomeic Dynasty. Not your average colonialists, the Ptolemaic rulers embraced the Egyptian culture and design, continuing the great works of their predecessors. Their greatest legacy was Alexandria, the glittering jewel of the ancient world. Its ancient library was a beacon of enlightenment and its now long gone Caesareum, an emblem of sophistication. When Cleopatra finally chose death, Octavian brought Egypt into the Roman fold. Egypt was relegated to being the Empire's bread basket. The Romans also built on the works of the Greeks, staying true to native traditions until 394 AD. This is when Christianity ushered in the Coptic era and Ancient Egypt was finally buried. Roman Amphitheatre in Alexandria The Roman Amphitheatre was found buried, quite literally, under a pile of rubble ˜Kom-el-Dikkah'. Unearthed beneath a Napoleonic era fort, it's the only known example of a typically circular Roman theatre in all of Egypt. Pompey's Pillar Majestic but solitary, Pompey's Pillar is a 25 meter column of solid red granite, from the bottom of its Greek inscribed base to the top of its Romanesque capital. Surprisingly, Pompey's Pillar has nothing to do with its namesake. It was built in honour of the Emperor Diocletian in 292 AD. The Catacombs of Kom ash-Shuqqafa Hewn in the bedrock of the mountains in the second century, Kom ash-Shuqqafa is the largest burial place in Egypt with three underground storeys that accommodate over 300 bodies. The lowest level is now submerged, but a spiralling staircase descends to the first two levels, complete with banqueting hall (triclinium) for funerary feasts, and the principal tomb with its eclectic clash of Egyptian, Greek and Roman symbolism.

Ecuador es una nación multiétnica y pluricultural. Su población sobrepasa los 12,6 millones de habitantes. De ella, más de cinco millones y medio viven en la Sierra. En la Costa del Pacífico la cifra se acerca a los seis millones y medio. En la Amazonía hay más de 600 mil habitantes, y en Galápagos cerca de 17 mil. En sus tres regiones continentales conviven 14 nacionalidades indígenas con tradiciones diversas y su propia cosmovisión. Los pueblos Quichua del Oriente: Huaoranis, Achuar, Shuar, Cofán, Siona-Secoya, Shiwiar y Záparo, están en la Amazonía. Los Tagaeri, parientes de los Huaorani, conforman otro pueblo de la zona pero declarado como “intangible” por el Estado, en respeto a su voluntad de vivir alejados de la civilización. En la Sierra, en los Andes y en el Austro, están los Quichuas de la Sierra con pueblos como Cañaris y Saraguros. En la parte norte se encuentra la comunidad de los AWA. En la Costa del Pacífico están los Chachis, Cayapas, Tsáchilas y Huancavilcas. Las provincias con mayor cantidad de inmigrantes son Pichincha y Guayas. Igualmente, la migración hacia el extranjero es un fenómeno que se ha acrecentado en los últimos años, debido a la crisis económica. Naciones como Estados Unidos, España e Italia, albergan hoy importantes comunidades de ecuatorianos. El idioma oficial del país es el castellano, pero hay lenguas indígenas como el quichua shimi, awapit, cha´palachi, tsafiqui, paicoca, a´ingae, huaotirio, shuar-chichan y záparo. La religión predominante es la católica, pero muchos pueblos aún conservan sus creencias centenarias, que rinden culto a la tierra, a los nevados o al sol. Para una revisión general de la cultura ancestral y presente de las diferentes regiones del país, puede visitar las siguientes páginas: Amazonía Sierra Costa Galápagos Aqui podrá encontrar información de las diferentes culturas que se presentan en cada área, características, costumbres, museos, mercados indígenas y más.

Dubai Government's Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing Established in January 1997, the DTCM has two main areas of responsibility. The first of these includes all the functions of the former Dubai Commerce and Tourism Promotion Board (DCTPB), which had been in existence since 1989 and concentrated on the international promotion of Dubai’s commerce and tourism interests. The DTCM’s second main area of responsibility is as the principal authority for the planning, supervision and development of the tourism sector in the emirate. Underlining the importance attached to tourism development at the highest level, the DTCM’s Chairman is UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Its Director-General is Khalid A. bin Sulayem. As part of its marketing role, the DTCM plans and implements an integrated programme of international promotions and publicity activities. This programme includes exhibition participation, marketing visits, presentations and roadshows, familiarisation and assisted visits, advertising brochure production and distribution, media relations and enquiry information services. In addition to its head office in Dubai, the DTCM has 14 overseas offices. They are located in New York (USA), London (the UK and Ireland), Paris (France), Frankfurt (Germany), Stockholm (Scandinavia), Milan (Italy), Moscow (the Russian Federation, CIS and Baltic States),Sydney (Australia), Johannesburg (South Africa), Mumbai (India), Hong Kong (Far East), Tokyo (Japan),Saudi Arabia and Zurich (Switzerland and Austria). In assuming its administrative responsibilities within Dubai, the DTCM has now taken over the licensing of hotels, hotel apartments, tour operators, tourist transport companies and travel agents. Its supervisory role also covers all touristic, archaeological and heritage sites, tourism conferences and exhibitions, the operation of tourist information services and the organisation and licensing of tour guides.