Off-shore destinations that can give unforgettable moments

A list of off-shore destinations that can give unforgettable moments

  
   New Delhi16 Jul 2015Posted 22-Jun-2015
Vol 6 Issue 25

Whether you’re a tourist or traveller, the Indian summer is the perfect time to pack your bags and go on a journey. Looking for a holiday that promises loads of fun? Places where one can explore the wonders of nature, history, mythology and architecture and also shop, haggle and sip exotic drinks?

Here are a few off-shore destinations that won’t just satisfy that wanderlust but also give an opportunity to revel, refresh and make some unforgettable memories.

Floating markets, or Talaat Naam, are a familiar tourist venue around Bangkok (Photo: WFS)

A SPECIAL VIENNESE ODYSSEY

Romantic escapes. Aristocratic fantasies. Expansive gardens. These are just some of the images that describe Vienna. Ok, so Austria’s historic capital is a holidayer’s dream come true but what kind of experience can an average female traveller count on?

The answer is pretty much unforgettable – and in a good way. The city scores high on the safety quotient, which is always reassuring. The Mercer: Personal Safety Ranking study ranks Vienna as the fifth city in personal safety, after Luxemburg, Bern, Helsinki and Zurich.

Half the urban area in the city is green, dotted with 850 picturesque parks, 1,716 quaint bridges, rolling meadows, roadside verges and green rooftops that provide a constant, yet ever-changing, palette of blossoming flowers.

A walk through one of the many perfectly landscaped parks here can be truly delightful. Countless blooms, pretty butterflies and busy bees create an ambience straight out of a favourite Victorian novel.

Of course, there are many touristy attractions in close vicinity of this pristine backdrop. Like the Burggarten park with its Jugendstil (Austrian Art Nouveau) Palm House. A slice of paradise, here sun worshippers can catch the morning rays, while others can marvel at nature, at the Butterfly House alongside.

One of the newest attractions is the Habsburgs’ legendary Kunstkammer (Chamber of Art and Wonders) at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which is architecturally compelling and houses works of art and curious keepsakes that the Habsburgs, one of the most important royal houses of Europe, began acquiring in the Middle Ages.

After a long day, a typical Viennese meal is definitely in order. Savour Mehlspeisen, or delicately sculpted cold and warm desserts, in the main course, along with Palatschinken (thin pancakes filled with sweet marmalade or jelly), Kaiserschmarren (shredded doughy pancakes with compote) and Marillenknödel or apple strudel, Vienna’s signature dish.

- See more at: http://www.theweekendleader.com/Travel/2197/overseas-picks.html#sthash.8Sn5mPVv.dpuf