"The most interesting trips to make"

                                              The most interesting trips to make

1. Read the travel brochure.

China Heritage Tour

    Discover one of the world’s oldest civilisations on this ten-day trip. You will visit two of the country’s famous cultural cities – Beijing, the capital, and historical Xi’an – as well as China’s most iconic landmark, The Great Wall. The origins of Beijing date back some 3,000 years, and the city has many wonderful treasures and a rich history. To enjoy examples of its renowned architecture, your visit takes in the delights of The Forbidden City – a huge palace of about 9,000 rooms – and The Summer Palace. The pagodas you’ll see are the perfect symbol of China’s heritage. They were built with many roofs to prevent rainwater running down the walls and into the foundations, and to avoid the structure becoming unstable. China’s pagodas are an architectural marvel, surviving storms and earthquakes over thousands of years.

    Then it’s on to Xi’an, formerly an ancient capital of China. It’s home to the famous Terracotta Army, a collection of sculptures discovered in 1974 and originally constructed for the Emperor Qin Shi Huang more than 2,000 years ago.

Kenyan Cultural Safari

      Spend eight days in one of Africa’s great wildlife countries discovering its amazing animal heritage, unique landscapes and prehistoric sites. See the Great Rift Valley and Mount Kilimanjaro for some truly magnificent scenery, and visit Hyrax Hill archaeological site, the birthplace of some of the first humans over a million years ago. While on safari in the famous Maasai Mara National Park, you can choose between a stay in a luxury tent or in the home of a Maasai family. The Maasai people are an ethnic tribe in southern Kenya who still preserve their unique culture and customs in order to maintain a traditional way of life. Local guides will take you on game drives and walks to see the spectacular wildlife of the region. In the Swahili language ‘safari’ means ‘journey’, and this trip is sure to create lifelong memories.

Amsterdam City Break

    A weekend in this attractive Dutch city is the perfect way to enjoy European culture at its best. Famous for its canals, Amsterdam was one of the world’s most important ports in the 17th century. It was during this Golden Age that most of the charming canal houses were built as homes for wealthy merchants. Nowadays, we associate the city with these tall, narrow buildings, and they’re known for their ‘gables’ – pretty roof decorations. You can still see the hooks on the gables that were used to pull up goods, such as spices, cotton and cocoa, which the merchants would bring back from their foreign expeditions. Nowadays, the hooks are used to pull up big items like furniture because the staircases inside the houses are so narrow.

    As well as its architecture, Amsterdam has many other cultural delights, including famous museums and art galleries. For a fun way to get around, do as the Dutch do and hop on a bike or tram to see the sights. A boat trip is also a great way to enjoy the buildings along the canals, and you can even sleep in a canal house bed and breakfast for a truly authentic stay.

2. Read the travel brochure again. Which destinations are these statements about? Write China, Kenya or Amsterdam.

1 Its true heritage dates back about 400 years.

2 Its architectural style has existed for over 1,000 years.

3 This destination was built on foreign exchange.

4 Its history goes back to the beginnings of humankind.

5 It’s had more than one capital throughout history.

6 Its traditional communities maintain a culturally rich heritage.

7 There are many transport options for getting around.

8 Its landscape is a big attraction for tourists.

3. Answer the questions.

1 Where can you see impressive roof architecture?

2 What cultural aspects can you experience on a trip to Kenya?

3 Where can you stay in accommodation typical of the place?

4 Why are pagodas so strong and long-lasting?

5 Where can you see proof of the origins of humankind?

6 Why were Dutch houses built with gabled roofs?

4. Tick the tourist attractions that the brochure says you can see in each destination.

5. Discuss the questions.

1 Which of the trips in the text would you most like to take? Why?

2 What tourist attractions do people associate with your country? Which ones do you think visitors would be most interested in?

3 Do the buildings in your country have a certain architectural style? Why do you think they were built this way?

6. You are going to design a tour itinerary for a cultural trip to your country or another country of your choice. Choose a country to research. Brainstorm the cultural highlights of the country, thinking about what would attract visitors the most. Do some research on the following points:

 -  what cultural highlights the country has to offer, e.g. landmarks, architecture, museums, ethnic heritage, historical features, etc.

 -  how these can be put together into a tour itinerary (this can include a tour of different places in the country or concentrate on one city or place only).

- accommodation typical of the country.

- the means of transport.

- any other information you think is useful or interesting.