Dordogne is a department in southwestern France in the region of Aquitaine.  It is situated between the Loire valley and the Pyrénées.  It is surrounded by the departments of Lot-et-Garonne, Corrèze, Gironde, Haute-Vienne, Lot, and Charente.  It is the third largest department in France, with a boatel area of 9060 square kilometers.  It has an estimated population of 388,293, with a population density of 43 people per square kilometers.  Dordogne has a significant British expatriate community, with approximately 20,000 have relocated to the region in 2006.

Dordogne is locally known as the “Perigord ", and is divided into four areas of Green, White, Purple, and Black Périgords.  The Périgord Verte, with its main town of Nontron, consists of lush valleys crossed by many rivers and streams.  The Périgord Blanc, situated around the regional capital of Périgueux, is an area characterized by limestone plateaus, wide valleys, and meadows.  The Périgord Pourpre, with its capital of Bergerac, is a wine-producing region.  The Périgord Noir, with its capital Sarlat, is an area that overlooks   the Valleys of Vézère and Dordogne.

Burgundy is an administrative region situated in the east-central region of France.  Lying to its northwest is the region of Ile-de-France, the region of Centre, to its west, Auvergne to its southwest, Rhone-Alpes to its south, Franche-Comté to its east, and Champagne-Ardenne to its north.  The region is composed of the departments of Cote-d’Or, Nievre, Saone-et-Loire, and Yonne.

The first settlement of Burgundy dates back to 90,000 years, with the Neanderthals, and later the Cro-Magnons, who sought shelter in the caves of Arcy-on-Cure.  It was later inhabited by the Celts (Gauls),, Romans (
Gallo-Romans), and the Germanic people of Bourguignons, who invaded in the 5th century  and established the first kingdom of Bourgogne.  It was from this tribe that Burgundy hailed its name.  The kingdom expanded to include what is now Southeastern France and part of present day Switzerland.  In 534, they were conquered by the Merovingien rulers of the Franks.

Polis is a resort town situated on the northwest tip of Cyprus, at the heart of the Chrysochous Bay and at the border of the Akamas Peninsula Nature Reserve.  It is located 19 miles from Pafos, 43 miles from Limassol, 54 miles from Kyrenia, and 69 miles from Larnaca.  The town is a quiet tourist resort that uniquely combines unspoiled sandy beaches and crystal clear warm waters with a beautiful countryside hugged by majestic mountains, a beautiful healthy climate, and mild winters. 

It is served by the picturesque fishing Latsi port, which boasts of attractions the whole year round and well-known for its fish taverns, sea sport facilities, and boat rides up to the Akamas Peninsula.  In addition, Polis has several airports that provide added accessibility into the town.  Two of these airports are the Pafos and the Larnaca International airports.

Ayia Napa, or Agia Napa, is a resort town situated at the far eastern end of the south coast of Cyprus in the Famagusta District.  It lies near Cape Greco, and by the eastern part of Cyprus, just south of Famagusta. It actually forms part of a larger region called Kokkinochoria.  It also lies 8 kilometers from Protaras, another resort town that had remained low-key with tourists.

The name Ayia Napa had two origins; the “Ayia” is Greek for “holy”, while “Napa” is an archaic word for “wooded valley” as the area surrounding the town had been surrounded by thick forests.  According to legend, a hunter discovered an icon of the Virgin Mary in a cave.  In her honor, the hunter built a church and monastery around the cave.  The icon was eventually called the “virgin Mary of Napa” or “Ayia Napa”.

Through the years, this small fishing village had grown into a popular holiday resort, well-known for its pristine sandy beaches, licked by crystal clear blue waters, festivals, and various tourist attractions.  It has also grown in reputation as a party capital” famous for its lively bars and magnificent nightclubs, similar to Ibiza, Rimini, and Mykonos.  Its coastline of golden sandy beaches is the main attraction on this resort town, where in, every beach is awarded the prestigious EU blue flag for cleanliness and the comprehensive facilities offered in compliance with the standards set by the European Union.  These Ayia Napa beaches draw a large number of tourists each year, complimented by the various water sports that are offered.

The first and most popular of these beaches is Nissi beach, which is a sandy exotic beach that stretches for 500 kilometers.  It takes its name from a small islet located near the coast, and is frequented by clubbers and lively young people during the summer.  Another most frequented beach in Ayia Napa is Harbor Beach, which is also known as Limanaki or Pantahou beach.  This beach is largely considered as a family beach with crystal clear waters and no noisy clubs and parties to disturb the relaxing beach setting.  One of the new beaches in Ayia Napa that has grown much reputation is the Golden Bay, or referred to as Lanta / Landa beach by the locals.  Although this beach is much less crowded than the Nissi beach, it nonetheless offers various activities that can be enjoyed by the family and other visitors.

Protaras is predominantly a tourist resort that comes under the administrative jurisdiction of the Paralimni Municipality.  It lies fourteen kilometers east of Ayia Napa in the east coast of Cyprus.  Travel time from the Larnaca International Airport is approximately 90 minutes.

Protaras is set on the site where the ancient city-kingdom of Leukolla. Had once stood and flourished.  The city possessed a safe harbor where the Athenian Demetrius Poliorketes sought refuge and had lain in wait for Ptolemeos, one of Alexander the Grate’s successors. 

This resort covers a 10-kilometer coastline of sandy beaches bathed by crystal-clear blue water.  It is one of Ayia Napa’s satellite resorts, which is located only a few kilometers away.  It was purposely built to feed the increasing demand of British holiday makers that found the beaches in Ayia Napa loud and crowded.  It had exploded into a jumble of tens of high-capacity hotels, hotel apartments, villas, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, and all variety of facilities expected from any modern resort.  As Protaras is much quieter and has less club scenes than Ayia Napa, it has grown a reputation as a resort  that caters more to family and Cypriot tourism.

Famagusta is a city found on the east coast of Cyprus, located in a bay between Cape Greco and Cape Eloea, east of Nicosia.  It possesses the deepest harbor in the island and serves as the capital of the Famagusta District. 

Famagusta is the name of the city which Turkish Cypriots call Gazimağusa, or simply Mağusa, and Greek Cypriots Ammókhostos.  Since the 1974 Turkish invasion, the city has remained in the de facto Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is only recognized by Turkey.  The city’s old tourist quarter of Varosha has been left abandoned for thirty years, serving as a UN buffer zone, and pending its settlement until the resolution on the Cyprus dispute.

Bogaz is a beautiful coastal village situated on the southern end of the Karpas peninsula with a small population of 6,800 inhabitants.  It has remained in the Turkish Republic of Cyprus, a delineation only recognized by Turkey, after the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1978.  It is located a few miles north of Iskele and twenty-five kilometers north of Famagusta.

Boats sail in and out of the harbor all day in this sleepy fishing village, where the catch of the day are sold in the quayside to the locals and the restaurant owners.  Hence, the harbor is filled with fish tavernas from which to choose between, with many offering the catch of the day.  Shops and supermarkets provide the essentials for the inhabitants of this tight community.  The cost of living in Bogaz is outstandingly affordable, with excellent fresh, cheap food and drinks at half the price than in other European cities.

Bogaz also features a number of sandy beaches all along its coastline going up to Famagusta.  One of the best beaches located beyond Bogaz, leading up to the eastern side of the island, and just beyond the village of Mehmetcik is Bafra beach.  It is well-known for its relatively untouched surroundings, where in, for the longest time, no hotels or other structures, except for a few houses, were in sight.  Currently, two hotels are being built on site, taking advantage of the pristine sandy beach.

Pafos is a southwestern coastal city in Cyprus, nestled in the lee of the Western Troodos Mountains, adding to the area’s scenic beauty. It serves as the capital of the Pafos District, housing a population of approximately 47,300 inhabitants.  It is also a popular sea and fast developing tourist resort, which is further pushed by its own nearby international airport and dozens of luxurious resorts that grace the coastline. 

It is divided into two main areas, namely Ktima, the upper part of the town, and Kato Pafos, or the lower part of the town.  The former, located on the sea terrace, is the city’s main residential district.  It has an air of olden-day elegance afforded by its classical-style buildings that leads to the city’s shopping areas.

Limassol is a port city located on the Akrotiri Bay, which is found on the southern coast of Cyprus.  It is the second largest city in the country, in terms of geographical size and population, where in, 176,900 inhabitants are found in the city.  It is also the largest municipality of the Limassol District, where it serves as its capital.  Limassol is the largest port in the Mediterranean transit trade, and has developed into one of the most important tourism, trade, and service providing centers in the region. 

Situated within the city is the Limassol Port, which is the principle seaport in Cyprus.  It is the largest and busiest harbor on the island, which is capable of handling large vessels of up to 820 feet.  Limassol replaced Famagusta as the island’s main port, taking in most of the tourist trade among others.  The port had been instrumental in the growth of the city, making Limassol Cyprus the second largest city after Nicosia.

Larnaca is a coastal city located on the southern coast of Cyprus.  It is the international gateway to the island as it is Cyprus’ second commercial port and home to the Larnaca International Airport (LIC), which is found 6 kilometers from the city center.  The LIC is the largest airport in the entire island.

Larnaca is one of the continuously inhabited cities in the world and the oldest city in the island, with evidence of earliest habitation dating back to the Mycenaean age.  In ancient times, the city was referred to by its Latin name, Citium, wherein it was a principal Phoenician colony in Cyprus.  Its Biblical name, Kittim, was derived from Citium, and was used to generally refer to the entire island.  During the 13th century BC, the Mycenean Greeks established the Kition city kingdom, whereby the city was later to be known by this name.

Valencia is one of the 17 autonomous communities that comprise Spain, where in, it is found in the central up to the southeastern region of the Iberian Peninsula.  It is noted as bordering Catalonia to the north, Aragon and Castile-La Mancha to the west, the region of Murcia to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the east.  It is divided into the three provinces, namely Alicante, Valencia, and Castellón.

Its Mediterranean coast actually stretches towards the 518 kilometer unspoiled coastline of Costa del Azahar. Translated as the Orange Blossom Coast, it is the collective name for the coast of the three provinces that comprises the Valencian Community, extending from Alcanar to the Cabo de la Nao.  It is endowed with miles of beautiful golden sandy beaches, fragrant lemon and orange groves, and secret coves bathed by the clear, warm Mediterranean Sea.  Found on this coast are the famous towns of Peñíscola, Benicàssim, Castellón de la Plana, Sagunt, Valencia, Cullera, Gandia, Denia, and Xàbia.

Extremadura is an autonomous community located in the western region of Spain.  Roughly the size of Belgium, the region is spread over an area measuring 41,634 square kilometers.  It is one of the least populated regions in Spain, with its population totaling to 1,083,879, as of 2005. 

Extremadura is divided into the provinces of Caceres in the north, and Badajoz in the south.  Bordering it is Portugal to the west, the provinces of Salamanca and Ávila in Castile and León to the north, the provinces of Huelva, Seville, and Córboda in Andalusia to the south, and the provinces of Toledo and Ciudad Real in Castile-La Mancha to the east.

Locked between Portugal and the central plains, Extremadura’s terrain is characterized by lush forests, majestic mountain ranges, and agricultural plains dotted with hamlets and towns that seemingly have not changed with the passing of time.  Its mountain system includes the sierras of the Sistema Central, which rises to the north, and consists of the Sierra de Gredos, Sierra de Béjar, and Sierra de Gata, which separates Extremadura from Castile. At the center of the region rises the Sierra de las Villuercas and the Sierra de San Pedro, while to the south rises the Sierra Morena, separating Extremadura from Andalusia.

Galicia is one of the seventeen autonomous communities that make up Spain.  Located at the northwest corner of the Iberian Peninsula, it borders Portugal to the south, the Spanish regions of Asturias and Castile and León to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east and west.  It is comprised of the provinces of LaCoruña, Pontevedra, Lugo, and Ourense, all of which are named after their capital cities.

Galicia is dubbed as the “land of One Thousand Rivers”, where in, these rivers cross all-over the region from the mountainous inland down to the coast, forming the raise.  These are estuaries that were filled with in with the rising sea levels after the Ice Age.  Divided into the Rías Altas and the Rías Baixas, they make the coast an important fishing area.  This earned the coast its dub as the “Seafood Coast” or the “A Costa do Marisco" in Galician.  The coast, on the other hand, is quite an attraction in itself, with the spectacular contrast of its smooth beaches of As Mariñas to the perilous cliffs of Costa de la Muerte.  Its terrain is composed of dense Atlantic forests, green hills, cliffs, and rias, which are features that are not commonly understood as a Spanish landscape.

Sevilla is a province located in the western region of Andalusia, an autonomous community found in the southern region of Spain.  Bordering it is the province of Bajadoz of the autonomous community of Extremadura, and the Andalusian provinces of Málaga, Cádiz, Huelva, and Córdoba.  Its total land area of 14,042 square kilometers is politically subdivided into 105 municipalities.  Serving as the provincial capital is the city of Seville, where 40% of its population of 1,758,720 resides.  Sevilla is the largest province, in terms of land area, as well as the most populated in the region.

The province’s landscape is predominantly marked by one of Spain’s most important rivers, the Guadalquivir.  The city of Seville is sprawled right at the heart of the river valley, with many other important provincial towns and villages dotted around the Guadalquivir river Plain, called La Campiña, interwoven with fields of wheat and olive groves.