Destination - Turkey

TURKEY

Currency: New Turkish Lira (TRY) and the New Kurus

Local Time: + 2 hours GMT

Language: The official language is Turkish

Population: 73 million

Flying Time: UK to Turkey - 4 hours

Turkey is a vast and varied country boasting incredible landscapes and natural wonders bordered by four different seas. Well known as a great destination for relaxing beach holidays, it also offers many sporting activities, some of the world's most important ancient monuments, welcoming Turkish hospitality and a delicious and varied national cuisine.

As the historic capital of major Christian and Muslim empires, and a land where the world’s three monotheistic religions have long coexisted, Turkey has a rich cultural and religious heritage. Given the historical ties amongst different religions in this region, whatever one’s faith, visitors travelling through Turkey will find much to discover, with a plethora of superb mosques, churches and synagogues, including more than 200 practicing churches and 24 synagogues.

http://gototurkey.co.uk

Destination - Tunisia

TUNISIA


Currency: Tunisian Dinar (TND)

Local Time: Tunisia time is GMT

Language: The official language is Arabic

Population: 10.2 million

Flying Time: UK to Tunisia – 3 hours 15 mins

From Tunisia's list of attractions you would expect a country many times its size. It offers superb beaches, spectacular desert scenery and a wealth of historical sites dating back nearly 3,000 years to when the ancient city of Carthage dominated the entire western Mediterranean.

The combination of Islamic culture and European approach makes Tunisia a very popular North African holiday destination. With a climate that rarely dips under 20 degrees, it's a real hot spot all year round. One moment you could be relaxing on the warm golden sands of a Mediterranean beach, the next you could be camel trekking in the Sahara.


http://www.tunisia.com

Destination - Morocco

MOROCCO



Currency: Moroccan Dirham (DM)

Local Time: Morocco time is GMT

Language: The official language is Arabic

Population: 30.5 million (2006)

Flying Time: UK to Morocco - 3 hours 20 minutes

The popular, but wholly incomplete, picture of Morocco is of a hot sand pit which starts at the overcrowded beaches of Agadir and extends to the dunes of the Sahara Desert. A truer and more honest picture would include a description of the Northern half of Morocco which is made up of vast expanses of fertile agricultural lands, forests, productive vineyards and lush, green grazing meadows. Other surprises include outstanding snow - skiing near Marrakech; superb Golf courses and a summer climate that is similar to most Mediterranean resorts.

Morocco brims over with contrast, colour and mystery and all you can do is simply catch your breath in wonder. It has a timeless quality that no longer exists in the modern world, a sense that the past with all its glory and savagery still lives on, threading in and out of the present, informing with its every word and gesture. On arrival you are plunged into a culture, a religion and a lifestyle utterly unlike anything that you have ever experienced before.

http://www.morocco-travel.com

Destination - Lebanon

LEBANON


Currency: Lebanese Pound (LBP)

Local Time: Lebanon time is + 2 hours (GMT)

Language: The official language is Arabic

Population: Over 4.2 Million (2008)

Flying Time: UK to Lebanon – 5 hours (varies)


Lebanon has been shaped by many civilizations throughout history, mainly due to its location at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa. This cultural diversity is evident in the extraordinary richness of its archaeological sites and historical monuments, from Stone Age settlements to Phoenician city-states and Roman temples to rock-cut Christian hermitages. The country's historical sites are a true encyclopedia of ancient and modern world history.

Most Lebanese people speak Arabic, English and French. As you walk the streets of downtown Beirut, you will pass domed mosques and steepled churches, reflecting the country's religious and architectural legacies – Sunni, Shiia, and Druze Muslims; Maronite, Eastern Orthodox, and other Christians; and many others. Regionally, each part of the countryside has its own local flavor, with different villages preserving a different culinary, artistic, religious, or cultural traditions.

http://www.lebanon-tourism.gov.lb

Destination - Greece

GREECE


Currency: Euro (EUR; symbol €)

Local Time: Greece time is + 2 hours GMT

Language: The official language is Greek

Population: 11.2 million (2007)

Flying Time: UK to Greece - 4 hours

Often cited as the birthplace of European civilization, Greece offers a heady mix of ancient archaeological sites, chic design hotels, rustic tavernas, family-orientated seaside resorts and hedonistic dance clubs.

There is no denying that the historical and cultural heritage of Greece continues to resonate throughout the modern Western world - in its literature, art, philosophy and politics. In fact, many travellers go to Greece specifically to explore Greece's ancient wonders, from Athens' Parthenon and Delphi's Temple of Apollo, to the ruins of the Minóan city of Knossós on Crete.

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/102/country_guide/Europe/Greece.html

Destination - Egypt

EGYPT



Currency: Egyptian Pound

Local Time: Egypt time is +2 hours GMT

Language: The official language is Arabic

Population: 82 million (2008)

Flying Time: UK to Egypt - 5 hours

Egypt is probably the world's oldest civilization having emerged from the Nile Valley around 3,100 BC, historically. Egypt is probably one of the oldest vacation spots. Early Greeks, Romans and others went there just for fun, and to see the wonders of some of mankind's earliest triumphs. But Egypt is much more than Pyramids and monuments.

It is also Red Sea scuba diving, hot night spots, luxury hotels and five star restaurants. It is romantic cruises down the Nile on festive river boats, a night at the grand opera and it is a cultural experience like none you have ever experienced. Egypt is a land bustling with life, sound, visual beauty and excitement.


http://www.touregypt.net

Destination - Dubai

DUBAI


Currency: Arab Emirates Dirhams (AED or Dh)

Local time: Dubai Time is + 4 Hours GMT

Language: The official language is Arabic. Hindi and Urdu are also widely used.

Population: 1.5 million (2008)

Flying Time: UK to Dubai - 7 hours

Dubai is the most popular destination of the seven United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is situated on the southern shore of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. Dubai is the second largest Emirate after Abu Dhabi and is usually recognised as the ‘Pearl of the Persian Gulf’.

Although Dubai has been transformed into a man-made hi-tech city, it still has a strong Islamic culture with a stretch of historical buildings by the Creek. Whilst some may view this as a conflict of old meeting new, it is also considered to be a captivating city that offers both extremes; a traditional past interlinked with modern day.

http://www.dubai.com