Cities of the World - Season 1

Whoever visits the Greek capital takes a pilgrimage to the fountain of European culture. The city’s most famous building is the Acropolis, which is garlanded by the golden pillars of the Parthenon. The statues, reliefs and frieses of the Acropolis Museum and the Archeological Museum of Athens show us the classical beauty ideal and the perfect sense of proportion.

The beautiful island of Bali is full of volcanic mountains and crater lakes. On its fertile soil rice, tea and coconut are grown. The main elements of the landscape are the emerald green rice fields, the untarnished jungle and the steep cliffs. Let us take a visit to one of the National Parks and meet the friendly Balinese people. The religion of the island is a unique mixture of Buddhism and Hinduism.

Houses standing on piles in the water of the canals, the floating market and temples with their glistening mosaics are all living memories from the past, but the skyscrapers standing on the bank of Chao Phraya and the luxury cars speeding on the highway, are all forerunners of the new century.

The capital of Catalonia is one of Europe’s coziest and livable cities. It is famous for its nice weather, good transportation, lots of green areas, and parks full of fountains and statues. Nice and friendly people, a buzzing cultural life, colorful events and the famous Catalonian cuisine is waiting for visitors.

Bavaria is the largest German territory. It is a land dotted with little towns and villages. Wooden shells, high red tiled roofs with many skylights, old signboards, town walls, ancient churches, domes and steeples, narrow streets and riverbanks, huge green areas and many flowers take us to a wonderfully calm and merry world.

China has one of the world's oldest civilizations. The capital, Beijing, with its 11 million inhabitants, is now a modern city with skyscrapers, highways and shopping malls. Its several ancient monuments are all oases of silence.

The monumental Heroes' Square, the Castle district, which is part of the world's heritage, the green of the Varosliget, the famous spas, the Statue of Freedom on the top of Gellert hill, the Parliament reflecting on the surface of the Danube, the graceful bridges, the shady trees of the Margitsziget, and the turmoil of the inner city together make up Budapest.

The Bulgarian coast is awakening from a long sleep. On its two greatest tourist areas, the Golden Sands and the Sunny Coast, several hundred new high quality hotels were built and their malls, restaurants and night clubs are of European quality. Its beaches were awarded by the European Union’s blue flag. Varna is called the most beautiful city of the Black Sea. Recently, more than 100 of its historical buildings were renovated.

Chalkidiki will familiarize us with the lovely, unique, ancient landscape, which, besides its large cultural, mythical and historical heritage has very rich bays, huge mountains and deep valleys.

Corfu is different from the other Greek islands. Instead of dreary, rocky terrain, one can find lush flora, pine trees, lemon and olive trees. This is the place where Odysseus met Nausicaa, Queen Elizabeth built a palace and where Gerald Durrell fell in love with nature.

Corsica is widely known as the birthplace of Napoleon. In Ajaccio, everything reminds the traveler of the emperor, his house, the dome where he was christened, a museum and monuments. The island is full of high mountains and clear bays, but the most lasting experience is provided by the small cities like Calvi, Coste or Sarténe, with their characteristically Corsican style.

The Costa Brava, the 'wild coast', is the coast of Catalonia, which, with its yearly 50 million visitors, is one of Europe's largest holiday paradises. The mild, Mediterranean climate, the crystal clear water, the mysterious, rocky bays, the long, sandy beaches, the southern flora, the wonders of the Spanish and Catalonian cuisine, the historical monuments and artistic values invite more and more visitors each year.

The largest Greek island awaits tourists with a varied landscape, over 2,500 meters high mountains, beautiful bays and enchanting cities. There are white-walled houses, taverns and silent monasteries hidden among the olive trees and orange orchards.

Croatia is blessed by an unfathomable natural richness. The lakes of the Plitvice and Krka National Parks, the waterfalls, the rapids and the caves are all among the most beautiful landscapes in the world.

Cuba is the pearl of the Caribbean Sea. Thanks to its colonial past, Havana - the capital - has plenty of palaces, nice mansions, cathedrals, strong forts, and shady alleys. On its streets, American automtive classics from the 50’s create a huge contrast with coaches.Trinidad is full of palaces built by the sugar barons, while Santa Clara is the town of the legendary revolutionary, Che Guevara. Guama shows us an Indian village and a crocodile farm. Varadero offers white, sandy beaches shaded by large palm trees and luxury hotels. In the Tropicana Club, the band sways to heartwarming music.

A picturesque country, which is blessed by an unfathomable natural richness. Its charm beside the coast full of bays, the warm watered fjords and reefs, high cliffs and the green hills is made up also by its artistic and historical values.

The United Arab Emirates are the pearls of the Persian Bay. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the commercial and tourist centers of the area and were developed within breathtaking speed. The images of the cities are dominated by office buildings, luxury hotels and shopping malls. There are skyscrapers made of concrete, metal and glass but down below them are the old towered houses, the 'souqs', the roofed bazaars, mosques with multiple towers, the hectic markets and the colorful harbors.

Florida is called the "Sunshine State". Visitors mainly come to enjoy the sunshine, the sea, the never ending sandy shore of the peninsula and the unique atmosphere of Miami. But of course, it is worth to spend time in the protected areas such as the Everglades National Park and its fen, where visitors can slalom in between the alligators on hovercrafts.

Cote d'Azur, the wonderful "blue bank" has been a symbol of the high life, being the millionaire's holiday resort for more than 100 years. Beautiful beaches, amazing landscapes, immense cultural relics and luxury are at their utmost.Menton is famous for its "lemon festival" and it also has the best climate. The tiny duchy of Monaco is hallmarked by Monte Carlo casinos and the Formula-1 Grand Prix, while the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula has the highest rate of aristocrats and celebrities per square meter.