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VPG-DVD-216 - VALLETTA Valletta is the capital city of the Mediterranean island of Malta and is also known as The City of Palaces. It was once inhabited in turn by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Turks and in 1530 the Order of the Knights of Malta moved its main residence to this section of the island. Malta's pre-historic epoch is demonstrated by its primeval stone temples and graves. They belong to the Menhir period that extended to the British Isles. The St. John's Co-Cathedral was built in1577 by Gerolama Cassar as a monastic church of the Order of the Knights of Malta. At the command of Pope Pius the 7th, in 1816 it was designated as a cathedral and was given the same privileges as the bishop's seat in Medina, thus its somewhat strange title of 'Co-Cathedral'. Situated on the northernmost point of the peninsula is the famous Saint Elmo Fort, a dominant feature of the coast. Throughout the centuries it has been witness to many bloody battles and much courageous resistance. It reached its zenith during the time of the Knights of Saint John who expanded the fortress and made it almost totally impregnable. Its walls successfully fended off the Turks and later the French blocked off the harbour entrance to the British fleet. During the Second World War anti- aircraft artillery were positioned on the fort's upper levels to defend against both German and Italian bombers. The Orient and the Occident have both left their traces in Valletta a picturesque location carved from stone. The former City Of Knights in which the future joins with the past.
Vista Point VALLETTA Malta
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
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Runtime: 1m27s
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VPG-DVD-180 - TYROL Set within the magnificent Alps the Tyrol is a picturesque federal state in the west of Austria and is one of the most beautiful areas in Europe. It contains many ancient towns, monasteries and fortresses that highlight the region's history and its proud and hardy mountain people. Kitzbühel was once a prosperous mining town but today it is a world famous ski resort that is also popular in the summer months. The old town with its pretty middle class buildings that date back to the fifteenth century is a fine example of Austria's country's rural architecture. Around four thousand people live in the village of Wildschönau that is situated in a fascinating valley of the Kitzbüheler Alps that extend for some twenty four kilometres. Niederau is the entrance to the Wildschönau region and Oberau is the main village in a valley that features eye catching farm houses whose carved wooden balconies are decorated with splendid flowers. The Alpbach Tal leads into an untouched natural landscape where at an altitude of nine hundred and seventy five metres above sea level is the remote mountain village of Alpbach, the most beautiful village in the Tyrol. Kühtai is in the Stubaier Alps and can be reached from the Ötztal via the Sellraintal that travels at an altitude of around two thousand metres parallel to the Inntal. Each season of the year this popular Alpine holiday region attracts visitors from all over the world. The Tyrol is a "Land Of Mountains" and a natural treasure in the very heart of Europe!
Vista Point TYROL Austria
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m27s
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VPG-DVD-148 - VILLE DE QUÉBEC On behalf of the French crown, in 1608 Samuel De Champlain established a fur trading post from which originated Québec, a city that today looms over the Saint Laurence River like a majestic fortress. It is the birthplace of French culture in North America. With its small towers and green glimmering roofs the Chateau Frontenac majestically watches over the city. The castle like hotel was built and lavishly furnished in 1894 by the Canadian Pacific Railway and in 1943 was the rendezvous for the allies who met to prepare for the Normandy Landings. Québec's upper city is encircled by a four kilometre long fortified wall that was alternately built upon by the French and the English. In former times, various gates barred entry to the fortress but today they are wide open and welcome visitors into the well preserved old town. Designed by master builder Baillairgè in 1844, La Cathedrale Notre Dame De Québec was Canada's first Catholic cathedral. The Baroque dome of the basilica demonstrates the splendour of Catholic Church design while the altar captivates with its rich detail and paintings of the Holy Mother. The Funiculaire connects the upper city with the lower, the Quartier Petit Champlaine that was the country's first settlement. The train station looks like a mediaeval castle and its large hall seems to be the grand entrance chamber of a palace. The station's anterooms contain huge windows while its ceilings display colourful glass images. Canada's oldest city has successfully retained its deep and historic roots and has sensitively linked them to the needs of the modern world. Québec is truly a sparkling gem of French culture in North America.
Vista Point Town Of...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m22s
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VPG-DVD-166 - SULTANATE OF OMAN The Sultanate Of Oman is a fabulous land full of surprises, a splendid example of original Arabia that extends from the Straits Of Hormuz to the southern Dhofar. Up until the 1970's the third largest country in the Arabian Peninsula was only accessible by various caravan routes but today it boasts an abundance of mysterious desert towns and splendid palaces. The white city of Sohar is the historic harbour of the Islamic world and the 'Gateway To China'. It is still guarded by the white Sohar Fort, a mighty four-storey structure that dates back to the 14th century. The Hajar Mountains extend for almost six hundred kilometres from the Musandam Peninsula in the north to its eastern sections. They are also known as the Oman Mountains and divide the coast from the inland. Oman covers around three hundred thousand square kilometres and is one of the most sparsely settled countries in the world with only one and a half million inhabitants. Nizwa, the religious center of the Omans, has a moving past that manifests itself in the city's defensive fortress. Until the 12th century it was the capital of the Desert State of Oman. Even today this oasis city and trading metropolis has lost none of its former importance. Al-Hamra is the name of a three hundred year old oasis village that dates back to the reign of Imam Saif Bin Sultan. At the end of the 17th century members of the Abriyin Tribe settled here the descendants of whom still live in the Jebal-Akhdar Mountains. Al-Hamra means 'The Red One', an Arabic name that is also to be found in the word 'Alhambra', in Spain's Granada. The Sultanate Of Oman is a treasure trove of rarities. Its twelve thousand year old history is visible throughout the entire country and the beauty of the mysterious Arabian Peninsula is a truly captivating experience.
Vista Point SULTANATE OF...
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Added: 198 days ago
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Runtime: 1m19s
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VPG-DVD-196 - SALZBURG The Austrian city of Salzburg is a city of bishops as well as being the birthplace of world famous classical composer, Amadeus Mozart. The cathedral is located in the heart of the city, a Baroque building situated on the same site as the city's first church and now surrounded by several squares. Even today the cultural picture of the city on the Salzach is dominated by more than a hundred churches, castles and palaces. Hohensalzburg is the largest fully-preserved medieval fortress in Middle Europe. It is located one hundred and nineteen metres above the city and covers over thirty thousand square metres. It is like a small medieval town within itself with several buildings, courtyards and squares. Bastions with mighty towers were built at strategic points and together with powerful gates they make the fortress near impregnable. It is believed that during a siege the famous Salzburg Bull tricked the city's attackers into believing that the population had a good stock of food! Medieval Salzburg became a 'German Rome', an Italian looking city of Early Baroque design. The Getreide-Gasse is the main street in the centre of the city and in former times was called, Trabe-Gasse, a name that demonstrates the fact that the people there were always in a hurry! The city is a work of art within itself, an historic treasure chest of timeless beauty, full of southern flair and joie de vivre. Salzburg is most definitely a Baroque gem located in the very heart of Europe.
Vista Point SALZBURG Austria
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m28s
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VPG-DVD-137 - RABAT Rabat is the capital of Morocco and also its royal seat of power. The main residence of King Mohammed the Sixth is a fascinating modern metropolis. Along with its monumental works of art the fourth oldest of the Makhzen cities is also one of Morocco's most important. Cafés and workshops reflect daily life and most of the city's souks are divided into specialised areas with items such as leather goods, blankets and carpets for sale: and with a little haggling it's possible to purchase quality handicrafts at a very modest price! The Kasbah Des Oudaias was built by Yacoub El Mansour in the 12th century. It is located at Rabat's most elevated point and is like a village within the city. The eight metre high wall once protected the Kasbah and its inhabitants and the fortress is inhabited to the present day. Barred windows create an Andalusian ambience. The Kasbah is one of the most popular though most expensive addresses in Rabat. Throughout the centuries the Moroccan coast was dominated by pirates but the might of European colonialists put an end to their dubious activities. The mausoleum of Mohammed the 5th was built in 1967 and the tomb complex contains a mosque, a mausoleum and a small memorial that contains images of the king. At the end of the 12th century Yacoub El Mansour constructed the largest mosque in the Maghreb. At a height of sixty metres its minaret was taller than any other in North Africa. Four hundred columns support the prayer room and it has fourteen gates. Rabat is a fascinating capital city and royal residence. An exotic world that lies between both occident and orient.
Vista Point RABAT Morocco
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m35s
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VPG-DVD-138 - MONACO Located between Italy and France on the Côte D`Azur, the Principality of Monaco is renowned for its high society, Grand Prix and scandal and the cost of a square metre of land is the most expensive in the world. After the Vatican, it is the smallest yet most unique sovereign state in the world. Monte Carlo's Casino is undoubtedly the principality's most famous landmark. Designed by the architect of the Paris Opera House, Charles Garnier, this superb casino was built in 1878. With the opening of the casino, this previously relatively poor mini State, developed into the famous principality it is today. La Condamine is the harbour district, with its typical French atmosphere and overlooking apartments it connects Monaco Ville with Monte Carlo. Luxury yachts anchor in the harbour throughout the year and travel from all over the world to visit this much sought after tax haven and exclusive casino paradise. On the large rock plateau of Le Roche, Monaco Ville is crowned by its royal palace that was built in 1215 on a former mighty Genoese fortress. The Neo Roman Monaco Cathedral was built in around 1897. The large interior is dominated by the main altar that was designed by Louis Brea. This is also the location of the grave of ex-Hollywood actress, Princess Grace Of Monaco who died tragically in a car accident. Monaco is certainly a place of wealth and prosperity. But the sunshine and its wonderful location on the Côte D`Azur makes it a fascinating place to visit.
Vista Point MONACO
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
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Runtime: 1m25s
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VPG-DVD-163 - MARSEILLE Marseille is the oldest city in France and its largest commercial harbour in the Mediterranean. It is believed that in 600 B.C. travellers from the Greek town of Phokis founded the autonomous town of 'Massalia'. In the Middle Ages the city's main harbour was used by the crusaders to embark on their journey to Jerusalem and it rivalled those of the maritime republics of Genoa, Pisa and Venice. One of Marseille's main landmarks rises high above the harbour, the seafarers' church of Notre-Dame-De-La-Garde. It towers above the city like a fortress and on its bell tower is a gilded ten metre high figure of the Virgin Mary. Several hundred yachts of all sizes crowd into the old harbour where there is often little room for the comings and goings of modern day sailors. It is difficult to imagine that once near-starving slaves were forced to use their last ounce of strength to row their master's galleys into the harbour. Modern harbour complexes require a great deal of space as is well demonstrated by Marseille's new harbour and after Rotterdam it is the second largest in Europe. Two mighty fortresses overlook the harbour: the northern Fort Saint-Jean is the oldest and was used by the Order Of The Knights Of Malta; the Fort Saint Nicolas stands guard over the southern side of the narrow harbour entrance and was built in the 17th century. The tiny island of Chateau D`If was made famous due to a novel by Alexander Dumas, The Count Of Monte Christo. A small museum features many items related to this classic novel and visitors can search for the hole in the wall through which Edmond Dantès is said to have entered the Abbé Faria. A boat trip from Cassis leads to one of the most beautiful coastal areas in Europe: Les Calanques a unique nature reserve. Shining white limestone cliffs plunge more than four hundred metres into the deep blue sea and extend for twenty kilometres. Marseille - France's wonderful gateway to Africa!
Vista Point MARSEILLE France
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
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Runtime: 1m32s
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VPG-DVD-133 - MACAU After four hundred and sixty-six years, Portugal handed back the city of Macau to China. It is small and museum-like, a fine example of colonial Portugal on the South China Sea. The Fortaleza Do Monte is a typical Portuguese fortified complex strategically located on a hill above the old cathedral in the heart of the city. Its many old canon and mighty fortress walls are reminders of those times when invasion was a constant threat. The old centre of the city is the triangular Largo Do Senado, Senate Square. Its wonderful colonial buildings with their light-coloured facades were built at the end of the 19th century and completely renovated in the final decade of the 20th. Macau's largest Buddhist temple, Kun Iam Tong, dates back four hundred years to the Ming Dynasty when its original foundations were built. Beyond its main gate just off a busy street in the north of the city, is a peaceful oasis of silence and contemplation, a mystic place in which stone lions, golden Buddhas and all who visit are surrounded by serene, aromatic wisps of smoke. The beautiful Jardim Lou Lim Ioc Park is situated in the northern, less touristy business district of the city. It was designed in the 19th century by a wealthy Chinese trader, Lou Kau. This marvellous oasis is an idyllic setting with a lotus pond, rocks, grottos and waterfalls. Excursions are available on restored motorised junks that leave from the City's harbour several times a day. Taipa is the largest of the two islands that belong to Macau. The tangled and narrow alleys in the centre of Vila Taipa abound with rural character and Portuguese street signs are painted on azulejus. The island's shops and light-coloured houses would be equally at home in Portugal. Although the Macau of today has much contemporary flair it continues to enjoy a rich colonial inheritance that is well worth seeing.
Vista Point MACAU China
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
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Runtime: 1m44s
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VPG-DVD-179 - LONDON London is an exciting and pulsating metropolis of the new millennium, a melting pot of both people and culture and a fascinating city of diverse contrasts. The City Of London contains the Tower, an historic landmark with a remarkable history. A mighty mediaeval fortress with thirteen towers that throughout its nine hundred years has served many functions and from the Middle Ages was a heavily fortified prison. After the medieval St. Paul`s Cathedral was destroyed by a devastating fire in 1666, Christopher Wren was ordered to re-build it with a dome. During the thirty-six years of its construction its design was frequently altered until finally a wonderful masterpiece of church architecture was created. The Monument is the city's tallest freestanding stone column and a reminder of the Great Fire Of London that destroyed four fifths of the city. In four days and nights more than thirteen thousand buildings were destroyed and the Monument was built on the site of the bakery in which the fire began. Since the reign of Queen Victoria, Buckingham Palace has served as London's royal residence. A garden of mulberry trees once grew on the site of today's palace and the Duke Of Buckingham subsequently added a simple brick built residence. Around sixty years later George II purchased the site for his wife and George IV eventually began to design an extensive palace complex. The highlight of any holiday in London must be the largest Ferris wheel in the world, the London Eye. Situated on the banks of the Thames it rises high into the sky opposite the Houses Of Parliament and Big Ben. The former centre of the largest empire in the world, London is still a city of superlatives that attracts millions of visitors each year. Exciting both day and night, London is a modern city with age old traditions and a long and colourful history
Vista Point LONDON England
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
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Runtime: 1m27s
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VPG-DVD-115 - KRETA Crete is an island of light, the 'cradle of Zeus', with sun-drenched coastlines, picturesque villages and majestic mountains. No wonder that even the gods felt comfortable in this wonderful region of Greece. Heraklion is the capital of the largest and most southerly Greek islands, on which a highly developed culture has existed for 4000 years. The Venetians built massive fortresses to defend the island against the Turks The Gortys Ruins are reminders of the moving history of an old town that was prosperous in the 5th century B.C. when Gortys became the most powerful town of the Messara Plain and throughout the olive groves between the hills can be found the scattered remnants of its past cultural riches. With its beautiful sandy beaches, Matala is a popular coastal resort to which many come simply to experience the glorious sunsets in addition to the rich archaeological discoveries of the Phaistos Palace. Agia Galini is a quiet fishing village that, during the summer months, is a lively bathing resort on Crete's south coast. However, it has managed to maintain its original atmosphere with fishing boats in the harbour and crystal clear water lapping the shoreline, plus the allure of its tavernas and restaurants. The precipitous rocky coastline of Agia Roumeli is also the starting point of the Samaria Gorge that is regarded as the largest in Europe. Eighteen kilometres long and in places up to a hundred and fifty kilometres wide, the gorge stretches from the Libyan Sea right up to the heights of Lefka Ori. Picturesque harbours, ancient treasures, lost legends and Greek hospitality: who could possibly ask for more?
Vista Point KRETA Greece...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
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Runtime: 1m24s
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VPG-DVD-211 - GRAZ Graz is the capital of Austria's federal state of Styria and in 2003 was designated as Europe's Capital City Of Culture. Indeed, due to its geographical location, for many centuries Graz has been a melting pot of culture. The Schlossberg Mountain towers above the city and in 1894 a rack railway was introduced in order to overcome the severity of its 60 per cent gradient. The Romans and Celts once used the mountain as a place of ritual ceremony and today small pathways and pavilions make the mountain more accessible. In the 12th century a medieval castle was built on the plateau and in 1531 it was transformed into a mighty fortress that served as a defense against the Turks. With nearly 32,000 exhibits that date from the 15th to the 19th centuries the Zeughaus contains the largest collection of historic weaponry in the world. The often-extended Grazer Burg was once the residence of the Hapsburgs. One of its towers contains a unique double spiral Gothic staircase constructed of sandstone that shines out magnificently in a wonderful array of colour. The entire complex, along with each of its numerous building styles and adjoining park, is now the seat of Styria's provincial government. Located on a hill to the north east there is another fine example of Baroque architecture, the Maria Trost Basilica. In the 17th century those who sought help and consolation climbed two hundred and fifteen steps to a Gothic Madonna who was thought to possess miraculous powers. Within the interior of the church and its colourful wall and ceiling mounted frescos, there are also various scenes of battle. Graz is a city in which the artistic and architectural styles of the German-speaking nations, the Balkans and the Mediterranean are united. It is a remarkable city of age old traditions, mediaeval flair and contemporary life.
Vista Point GRAZ Austria
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
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Runtime: 1m24s
Views: 16  | Comments: 0
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