Walking is one of the best forms of exercise wherein no large gadgets, no heavy weights and no big confined space is needed. It is also the most economical means of transportation for places that are not divided by the sea or any bodies of water. Walking tours is the best way to connect with the locals and dig deeper into their history, traditions and culture. Exploring new places on foot enables you to take the sights, sounds, scents and scenery first-hand. This is why nowadays, apart from travel tours done by air, by sea or by land vehicles, a walking tour is also gaining popularity among tourists from all over the globe.

So where are the best places in the world for avid walkers? We’ve compiled some of the best places to visit for a walking tour.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is an ideal place to explore on foot for its flat, compact and lively streets. The city is home to gorgeous 17th-century canals, parks and former industrial docklands, which are best appreciated while walking.

Bhutan

Bhutan being situated in the Himalaya mountain range, is perfect for people looking for a bit hilly walking adventure. Along the way, ancient citadels, Buddhist temples and carved wood farmhouses will be discovered. The journey across Bhutan leads to the snowcapped Himalaya and into the heart of a modern-day Shangri-La. The Kingdom of Bhutan is not yet open for all travelers. Tourists to the country are still limited to a fortunate few.

Cape Town

Cape Town has a beautiful and easy-to-navigate city center. The place is brimming with historical monuments and quaint Victorian architecture. The streets are clean and a lot of hip new restaurants and boutiques keep opening which attract more tourists to wander the vibrant city.

Maui

The island of Maui in Hawaii, having little known-trivia is best discovered through a walking tour. There’s just so much to learn about the place like hidden waterfalls, great culinary spots, black sand beaches, parks, valleys and the famous Lahaina – a major attraction in the island where a lot of restaurants offering a broad variety of food and entertainment, and a variety of shops and galleries on the streets can be found.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia is consistently ranked as one of America’s most walkable cities. The city is filled with great architectural history that dates back to colonial times. The cityscape is panoramic with the tallest skyscrapers on the backdrop. Philadelphia’s central city is structured with long straight streets forming a grid pattern and colorful neighborhoods which makes any walking tour exciting rather than tiring.

For your next holiday, try any walking travel tour. They will give you the best and most convenient routes for a walking tour.

A facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities is called a casino. They are commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions. Some casino resorts also host live entertainment events, such as concerts and sporting events.

Several land based casino resorts in the world are famous for the sheer size of their gaming floors. We have listed here some of the world’s best casinos to try your luck at.

Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort in Downtown Core, Singapore which first opened in 2010. It was billed as the world’s most expensive standalone casino property. It is also home to the world’s largest atrium casino with 500 tables and 1,600 slot machines. It occupies a total of 160,000 square feet of gaming space and 2,561 hotel rooms.

Casino Lisboa

Casino Lisboa, the 9^th largest casino in the world is located in the city of Lisbon, Portugal. It was inaugurated and opened to the public on April 19, 2006. The gaming floor covers a total of 165,000 square feet. It has a thousand gaming machines, 26 card and table games, 7 bars and 1000 hotel rooms.

MGM Grand Las Vegas

MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It opened on December 18, 1993. It is the largest casino in Clark County which occupies 171,500 square feet. It has more than 2,500 gaming machines as well as 139 poker and table games. The casino offers state-of-the-art betting area that features thirty-six 60-inch plasma tv’s and twenty-four 42-inch plasmas. MGM Grand also has 20 bars and 5,044 hotel rooms.

Rio Casino Resort

This casino and resort, formerly known as the Tusk Rio Casino Resort, is located in Klerksdorp, South Africa. It opened in May, 2002 and its gaming floor covers a total of 266,330 square feet. It is the largest casino in the African continent and the 5^th largest casino in the world, which features 257 gaming machines on its gaming floor, 12 card and table games including poker tables and 2 bars.

The Venetian Macao

The Venetian Macao is a luxury hotel and casino resort in Macau which opened on August 28, 2007. It is a 39-story casino hotel which is considered as the 7th largest building in the world by floor area. The Venetian is the largest casino in the world which measures 546,000 square feet and consists of over 3,400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables. This Italian-inspired building has 3,000 hotel rooms.

Many cities have been torn apart as collateral damage in wars and conflicts. Architectural devastation is the usual byproduct of any conflict but the effects on a city extends beyond the simple bricks and mortar.  Let’s take a look at the world’s most ravaged cities. May the aftermath of these war-torn cities teach us to be a little more caring and a little less selfless.

Aleppo, Syria

Aleppo is one of the most populous cities in Syria. It is an ancient city which has been inhabited since the 6th millennium BC up to this day. Aleppo is home to various types of 13th and 14th century architectural structures and constructions such as the Aleppo Citadel, Villa Rose, and the Liberty Square.

The Syrian Civil War which started in 2011,  caused the death toll to rise to 470,000 with 1.9 million wounded, according to statistics in February 2016. It also devastated Aleppo, the “Vienna of the Middle East. Whole neighborhoods in the city have been targeted by explosions as well as marketplaces and hospitals. Many of the city’s inhabitants live without electricity, running water or fuel.

Aleppo has become a key battleground in Syria’s deadly civil war. The relentless war has turned historical sites that once stood the test of time through several millennia of insurrection, battles and purge; into crumbling shells and is now in ruins due to clashes.

London, United Kingdom

In 1940 and 1941, the Luftwaffe, a German Air Force; inflicted Blitzkrieg in London. The city endured 57 consecutive nights of raids. There were at least 18,300 tons of bombs dropped in the city for a total of 71 major raids. The city lost more than 1 million houses and much of its dockland. The war which started in September 7, 1940 until May 10, 1941; left St. Paul’s Cathedral undamaged in the middle of the smoke and the bombed-out buildings and houses.

Today, there are more memorials to the world wars in London than evidence of war destruction because rebuilding of the entire city has been sustained since 1945.

Tokyo, Japan

In Tokyo, 286,358 buildings and homes which is approximately 26% of the city, were incinerated over the three years that the capital city was bombed. Operation Meetinghouse in March 9-10 1945 has been regarded as the single most destructive bombing raid in history. 16 square miles of central Tokyo was annihilated, over 1 million residents left homeless with an estimated 100,000 civilian deaths during the “Night of the Black Snow.”

Tokyo struggled to rebuild until 1950’s. In the 1964 Summer Olympics, a totally rebuilt Tokyo was showcased to the world. In the 1970’s, new high-rise developments happened and the population which was decreased to 2.8 million from 6.7 million due to war, increased to about 11 million in the metropolitan area.

Warsaw, Poland

Germany declared war by launching an air raid on Warsaw in Sept. 1, 1939. Since the first day of the WWII, the capital and the largest city of Poland became a major battleground, witnessing a fair share of conflict and destruction. The siege of Warsaw that lasted until September 27, 1939; killed tens of thousands of Polish civilians and destroyed historic monuments and approximately 85% of the city was destroyed due to the mass bombings.

In 1945, after the bombings, revolts, fighting, and demolition had ended, most of Warsaw lay in ruins.

After World War II, under a Communist regime, the “Bricks for Warsaw” campaign was initiated. Housing projects were erected in the city to address the housing shortage, along with other typical buildings, such as the Palace of Culture and Science. The city resumed its role as the capital of Poland and many of the historic streets, buildings, and churches were restored to their original form. Today, Warsaw is 32nd among the most livable cities in the world and ranks 4th in the most “Business-friendly” cities.

Beirut, Lebanon

Beautifully winding streets and a charming mixture of French colonial and Ottoman architecture has given Beirut the title “Paris of the Middle East.”

In 1975, Lebanon descended into a two-decade-long civil war that reduced most of the city to rubble.

In 1982, the streets of Beirut were once again plagued by conflict after the Israeli troops launched a full-scale invasion of Lebanon. The siege left 5000 casualties among Lebanese civilians.

In 2006, Israeli attacks resulted in a 34-day war, including massive civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.

For 30 years of being in conflict, Beirut bear the scars of death, loss and misery. After the destructive Lebanese civil war, the city’s cultural landscape underwent major reconstruction. Today, many of its damaged buildings are now being torn down in favor of more modern high rises. Beirut is now ranked as the Beta World City and recognized as one of the New 7 Wonders Cities.