Finding Flights to Pattaya

Each year Pattaya receives more than five million visitors. It became a well-liked place for vacation and has continued to stand as such. You can get on Bangkok Airlines and get connected from the UK to Pattaya’s U-Tapao Airport via Phuket. Or you better just trip to Bangkok, from there you get many options to fly into Phucket, which is only 150 kms away from Pattaya, so it is much easier if you arrive to it by road.

You can decide to fly in, U-Tapao, which is primarily a military facility. It is the closest airport handling commercial passenger flights but only to a handful of destinations. The direct door-to-door minibus is the quickest transportation option to get you from U-Tapao to Pattaya, about 30 minutes.

In the last few years, Pattaya has tried to draw families of visitors with a new image. The beer bars and go-go joints have been de-emphasized, and now families from Thailand and from all over Asia visit Pattaya in large numbers. The beaches nearby are excellent, and many kinds of entertainment can be found, ranging from shooting to golf to bungee jumping.

Getting around Pattaya offers its own options. The songthaew, public passenger pick-up vehicles, also called Baht Busses, are available throughout Pattaya. You may also choose the local bus, motorbike taxi, or meter taxi. If you wish to brave the erratic (by Western standards) traffic, you can hire a car, motorbike or scooter.

Pattaya sees the most visitors around Christmas and New Year’s, when visitors want to go somewhere sunny and warm. Several of Pattaya’s beaches are very popular, such as Pattaya Beach near the city center. Pattaya Beach has many stores, hotels, and nightspots nearby. Many jetskis, powerboats, and deckchairs are available for rent in the area.

There is a popular place for families just south of the city called Jomtein Beach. If you don’t wish to go to the beach, there is an entertainment complex at Pattaya Park, which features a water park, monorail, roller coaster, and activities for the children.

Both offer the primary scuba diving destinations for Pattaya.Is accessible by speedboat or ferry The Near Islands are close to Pattaya’s northern shores and the Far Islands lie directly to the west,Ko Lan, or Coral Island.Islands surrounding Pattaya also offer great beaches.

The North Pattaya Fishing Park provides rod and bait, serves refreshments and has live music after dark.Fishing is a popular diversion. Deep sea fishing excursions often include breakfast, lunch and a stop at one of the island beaches for swimming.

Another island specialty is golf. More than 20 courses are within an hour’s drive from Pattaya, and many are designed by golf’s most famous names. Laem Chabang International Country Club is ranked as one of Thailand’s top three courses and is considered the finest in this area.

Underwater World aquarium offers visitors an up-close chance to view the marine life in the Gulf of Thailand. The acrylic pedestrian tunnel gives a’0 degree view of rare angel fish, sharks, stingrays and turtles.

The elephant village in Pattaya has hour long shows each day, which show methods of catching, working with, and playing with elephants.

Tom Martens is the content coordinator for bestukflights.co.uk the UK’s premier flight and travel comparison portal which includes a detailed section on Travel to Thailand and Fights to Pattaya

Mango Airlines

Mango is South Africa’s newest low cost airline, getting its start in October 2006. It faces hefty competition from more established low-fare airlines, 1time and Kulula Air.

Mango is owned by South African Airways, and this is sometimes a point of contention among air travelers and competing airlines. Tired of losing market share to the other low cost carriers, SAA launched Mango offering starting prices for seats that were almost half that of its competition, sparking problems on two fronts.

According to Mango’s reports, 15,000 booking requests were made in the first 10 minutes after the website went live.First, its website, its major base of operations, crashed as eager would-be customers overwhelmed the site to take advantage of the cut rate price.

The airline was criticised by other airlines for overcharging because it was a goverment-funded subsidiary of SAA and was funded by taxpayers. Mango didn’t need to charge so much since they were subsidized, so it was believed their business policy was not fair.

In spite of its less-than-stellar beginning, Mango is already reporting healthy profits.

Current routes include: Johannesburg to Cape Town, Cape Town to Johannesburg, Cape Town to Durban, Durban to Cape Town, Bloemfontein to Cape Town, and Cape Town to Bloemfontein

Available only via its website, vouchers are not acceptable for this special.Mango offers some attractive fares called cool-off flights in which passengers pay only R175 (one-way, all inclusive) to fly to Durban or Johannesburg.

The mango fleet is very safe as it is made up of Boeing B737-800. It can carry’6 guests in leather seats and the seats are arranged in two rows of three seats on either side. Travelers are informed about their seating arrangements after they check in and they can also choose the in-flight food service.

Between the age of 7 days and two years, a child may ride in the lap of the adult who flies with him. Should a child turn two before the return flight, however, a separate tickey must be bought for him.

Mango also offers accommodations for handicapped or impaired travelers, providing access for several types of wheelchairs. These passengers and those with small children will not be asked to sit in emergency exit rows.

Pets are not allowed in the cabins on Mango’s flights. The ability to transport your pet in the pressurized cargo hold is subject to availability.

For added flexibility for this group, Mango Plus tickets provide access to a business class lounge, 10 kg extra luggage and vouchers for meals. Customers may choose to pay for tickets by credit card, by Edgars account (adds approximately R40), cash, voucher, or POLi – internet banking and debit cards.Mango offers Mango Flex tickets which allow ticket holders to change the date, time and destinations of their tickets. These features apply to travel during the week, not weekend flights. Business travelers are the main participants in this program.

Mango has partnered with several other companies to offer additional discounts and conveniences. Tempest SIXT, a low-cost car hire company, offers deeper discounts for Mango customers. A partnership with Edcon gives Mango customers the option to use store credit cards to pay for their tickets. And Vodacom credit card holders can save up to 25 percent when they purchase Mango tickets on their Voadacom card.

Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for South Arica’s leading Flight comparison portal, which includes Mango Airlines amongst others.

United Kingdom to Stuttgart

Travelers to Stuttgart will find dozens of convenient flights from London, Birmingham and Manchester, each UK location offering dozens of budget ticket opportunities for direct and connecting flights. Travelers from the UK to Stuttgart also may fly into Frankfurt International Airport and then take a convenient two-hour train from Frankfurt to Stuttgart. In 2007, almost four million tourists from around the world chose Stuttgart.

Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-W?rttemberg in southern Germany. It is the sixth largest city in Germany with a population of almost 600,000. The city is also located near two of Germany?s most popular tourist attractions, Black Forest and Lake Constance. Stuttgart is subdivided into a total of 23 city districts, which includes five inner city districts and 18 outer districts.

Stuttgart, like most cities in Germany, has a continental climate. Winters extend from early December into March. The coldest month is January. There are always winter snows. The summers are warm or even hot, especially in the months of July and August. Summer warmth lasts from May until September. The milder spring and autumn seasons are more pleasant for visiting the city.

Stuttgart is known around the world as the headquarters of both Mercedes Benz and Porsche. The automotive industry contributes heavily to the local economy. The Mercedes-Benz Museum is Stuttgart’s most heavily visited museum, with nearly half a million visitors each year. The Porsche Museum reopened in 2008, displaying the very first prototypes of the Volkswagen Beetle based on a design by. Ferdinand Porsche.

IBM and Hewlett Packard have European headquarters in the Stuttgart, contributing to its role as a technology center.

During the Cold War, Stuttgart became home to the joint command centre of all United States military forces in Europe, Africa and the Atlantic, also known as EUCOM, which is still headquartered in Stuttgart today.

Like almost all other German cities, Stuttgart suffered heavy bombing damage during the World War II, but almost all its structures were rebuilt, particularly the historic buildings. Stuttgart also is home to a large number of museums and palaces. The city maintains an expanse of green space, known as Green U. providing recreational opportunities for cyclists and hikers. Astronomy fans can find the Stuttgart planetarium in Green U.

Stuttgart promotes its cultural heritage, especially the State Gallery and the State Theater. The State Theater is home to the state opera and also three smaller theatres. Productions include operas, plays, ballet, and concerts. Stuttgart beer and wine are world famous. The annual Volksfest has beer tents like Munich, but also a French village. The Volksfest is second only to the Oktoberfest in attendance. There is a spring “Volksfest” each April, usually after Easter. Other seasonal attractions include the Christmas Market, the Fish Market, the Wine Village, the Summer Festival, and the Lantern Festival.

Stuttgart’s Swabian cuisine, beer and wine are world famous. The annual Volksfest hosts beer tents and a French village and is second in size only to the Oktoberfest in Munich. There is also a spring version of Volksfest hosted each April. Other popular attractions are the annual Christmas Market, the Lantern Festival, the Summer Festival, the Fish Market and the Wine Village.

Stuttgart is not the most famous city in Germany, but a trip to Stuttgart does not disappoint. Stuttgart offer art, architecture, cycling, festivals, and outdoor events. Consider a stay in Stuttgart on your next trip to Germany.

UK to Cologne

Are you considering a visit Cologne? UK travelers will have the most luck booking flights from London’s Heathrow Airport, which offers frequent direct and connecting flights to Cologne Bonn International Airport. This historic city on the northern reaches of the Rhine also offers an efficient public transit system, including light rail, making traveling around the city very easy inexpensive for UK visitors. Bicycle enthusiasts will find plenty of bicycle paths and trails taking them almost anywhere in the city.

Cologne is the largest city in the German industrial heartland of North Rhine-Westphalia and is the fourth largest city in Germany after Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. It is also one of the oldest cities in Germany. Cologne was bombed hundreds of times during World War II, which destroyed the city?s center and drastically reduced its population. Cologne was the site of “Operation Millennium”, the first 1,000 bomber raid by the Royal Air Force. Heavy bombers attacked Cologne with 1,455 tons of explosive. This raid lasted about 75 minutes, destroyed 600 acres, killed 486 civilians and left 59,000 residents homeless. Cologne was such a heavy target by the Allies because Allied forces believed that destroying Cologne would severely damage German morale and force them to surrender. Cologne eventually rebuilt and repopulated and is now thriving.

Cologne has many landmarks, among them the Cologne Cathedral, Cologne University the Farina House (birthplace of eau de cologne fragrance), and the Roman-Germanic Museum. The city was mostly rebuilt in the 1950s, and its architecture and style greatly reflect that time period.

The art scene of Cologne is legendary. It is home to more than 30 museum as well as hundreds of galleries. Cologne attracts thousands of dealers each year to trade exhibitions such the Cologne Fine Art Fair and Art Cologne. The Ludwig Museum specializes in pop art, including works by Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol. The museum has one of the world’s largest collections of works by Pablo Picasso. Cologne is also famous for its celebration of the annual reggae Summerjam, the Cologne Carnival, and the gay and lesbian pride festival Christopher Street Day.

There are several television and radio stations based in Cologne. Visitors should also take a go at the Cologne Comedy Festival, usually reckoned to be the largest comedy festival in Europe. And don’t forget the Cologne Carnival, which traditionally begins at 11 minutes past 11 on the 11th of November. Carnival is temporarily suspended during the Advent and Christmas, and then resumes on New Year’s and ends on Ash Wednesday.

As you will find in any city in Germany, beer is very popular in Cologne. The local brew is known as Kolsch. Tourists and natives alike take their beer with traditional German fare like sausage, cheese, strudel, and kraut. But UK tourists report that beer seems to be more popular than food in Cologne.

The fourth largest city in German has much to offer visitors, including unique culture, architecture, nature, festivals and local delicacies. The frequent availability of flights, extensive public transportation and plenty of cycling paths make it easy to visit Cologne.

UK to Nice

It is easy flights from the UK to warm and glamorous Nice in the south of France, including convenient and competitively priced flights from London, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Manchester. Disembarking visitors arriving at Nice’s C’te d’Azur International Airport arrive at one of two terminals. The numerous, convenient options for flying from the UK to Nice make it a great destination to take a holiday.

Nice is a leading resort on the French Riviera, halfway between Monaco and Cannes. Because of its proximity to Monaco, the Nice airport also serves as the airport for the city-state. Nice is France’s fifth largest city and among its most popular tourist destinations. With a population of approximately 348,000 people, Nice has a large influx of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese immigrants.

Blue skies and turquoise waters flanked by exquisite sandy beaches make Nice a premier travel destination. The entire area gets very crowded every May during the Cannes Film Festival. And besides the film festival at Cannes, Nice offers its Carnaval de Nice and a Jazz Festival as well. Throughout the year, Nice is famed for its nightlife.

Even lovers of peace and quiet flock to Nice for its delightful climate. Rain and especially snow are rare along the Riviera. The summers are dry and hot, the spring is windy, and autumn and winter are mild. Its beautiful weather is one of the most important reasons Nice is so popular with tourists.

A must sightseeing spot in Nice is the Promenade of the English. The promenade is built directly on the beach. The Promenade of the English offers unique shops, fine restaurants, and excellent hotels. Just a short walk from the promenade is the Place Massena, Nice’s city square. The Place Massena has a wonderful Mediterranean feel with its Italian architecture and red tiled roofs.

Many of Nice’s annual calendars of public celebrations take place at the Place Massena. These include the national holiday Bastille Day on July 14. Other attractive public squares tourists should see in Nice include the Place Garibaldi, the Place Rosetti, the governmental center at the Place du Palais, and the Cours Saleya. The Cours Saleya affords a bustling flower market, and the courts of law are to be found in the Place du Palais, also a popular area for nighttime entertainment for tourists and locals alike. The Place Rossetti is also popular for its nightlife.

In addition to its attractive street life, Nice offers wonderful shopping, fine dining, and several art museums. Gourmets will appreciate the ratatouille and bouillabaisse. Local ingredients, as in most of France, play a prominent role in the cuisine of the city.

Travelers have no trouble finding dining options for their tastes and budgets, ranging from quaint, home-cooked meals to the finest formal dining. Whichever level you choose, you will not be disappointed. And if cuisine Nicoise is not to your liking, there are options for foreign cuisine for you as well.

Whether it’s glamour, beaches, shopping, watching for celebrities, nightlife, culture, or great food, Nice has something to offer every traveler.

Flying from the UK to Nice

There is no shortage of flights from the UK to Nice in the south of France, including easy flights from London, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Manchester. The Nice C’te d’Azur International Airport has two terminals. The many easy and inexpensive flight options to Nice make it a great place to take a holiday.

Nice is a leading resort on the French Riviera, halfway between Monaco and Cannes. Because of its proximity to Monaco, the Nice airport also serves as the airport for the city-state. Nice is France’s fifth largest city and among its most popular tourist destinations. With a population of approximately 348,000 people, Nice has a large influx of Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese immigrants.

The blue skies and the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean flanked by beaches of fine sand make Nice a renowned travel destination. The area gets very crowded in May during the yearly Cannes Film Festival. And in addition to Cannes, Nice offers its Jazz Festival and the Carnaval de Nice as well. All year-round, Nice is known for its nightlife.

Visitors flock to Nice for its mild Mediterranean climate. Rainfall and snow are rare in Nice. The summers are hot and dry, the spring is windy and fall and winter are mild. The beautiful weather is one of the main reasons Nice is so popular with tourists.

A must sightseeing spot in Nice is the Promenade of the English. The promenade is built directly on the beach. The Promenade of the English offers unique shops, fine restaurants, and excellent hotels. Just a short walk from the promenade is the Place Massena, Nice’s city square. The Place Massena has a wonderful Mediterranean feel with its Italian architecture and red tiled roofs.

Many of Nice’s annual calendars of public celebrations take place at the Place Massena. These include the national holiday Bastille Day on July 14. Other attractive public squares tourists should see in Nice include the Place Garibaldi, the Place Rosetti, the governmental center at the Place du Palais, and the Cours Saleya. The Cours Saleya affords a bustling flower market, and the courts of law are to be found in the Place du Palais, also a popular area for nighttime entertainment for tourists and locals alike. The Place Rossetti is also popular for its nightlife.

Travelers could spend their entire vacation in Nice enjoying street life, but Nice also offers fine dining, wonderful shopping, and several art museums. Food lovers will appreciate the bouillabaisse and the ratatouille. Local fresh ingredients, in Nice as in most of France, play a key role in the cuisine of the city.

There are plenty of dining options, from quaint home cooked meal type restaurants to fine, formal dining. Whatever you choose, you will not be disappointed, as the fresh, local ingredients make Nice cuisine a true pleasure in dining. If local cuisine does not interest you, there are options for foreign cuisine dining available as well.

Whether it’s glamour, beaches, shopping, watching for celebrities, nightlife, culture, or great food, Nice has something to offer every traveler.

American Airlines: From Texas to the World

American Airlines is the world?s largest passenger airline with headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas, which is also its main hub. American Airlines serves hundreds of destinations and operates flights in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Caribbean, Japan, China and India.

American Airlines was founded in 1930 and is the first airline to offer electronic ticketing. American Airlines is also the first airline to offer a frequent flyer program. Its AAdvantage rewards program remains the largest frequent flyer program with more than 50 million members.

Flying almost 700 planes to over 250 cities, American Airlines is especially popular on routes within the USA and between the United States and Latin America, carrying over a million passengers a year between the two markets. In fact, no other carrier serves more passengers between Latin American and the USA than American. But American Airlines is also strong in many other international markets.

There are four American hubs throughout the world: Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Chicago, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Miami. The airline also has a strong presence in all the New York airports, in Los Angeles, and Boston. The company’s maintenance facilities, employing thousands of workers are located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Kansas City, and Fort Worth.

American Airlines is also the parent company of a regional carrier called American Eagle Airlines. American Eagle Airlines offers regional service in the United States, the Caribbean, Canada, and Mexico. Like American Airlines, American Eagle is also headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.

American Airlines is a founding member of the Oneworld airline alliance, the third largest airline alliance in the world. An airline alliance is an agreement between at least two airlines to work together, with member airlines offering integrated services in order to make airline travel more convenient for passengers. Alliances usually work around shared passenger terminals and frequent flyer programs. Oneworld celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2009.

Part of the reason American Airlines serves so many destinations around the world, but especially in the USA, was its acquisition of Trans World Airlines (TWA) and the TWA hub in St. Louis in 2001. Unfortunately, the acquisition of TWA caused American to bleed cash, and these financial problems were compounded when two American Airlines planes were hijacked and crashed on 9/11. After the September attacks, American Airlines was forced to relinquish its St. Louis hub and to lay off a small number, that is, a few dozen, former TWA employees. American Airlines continues to struggle to minimize its losses, and in 2008 was the first airline to charge fees for checked baggage. Despite the nearly universal unpopularity of the move with passengers, just as they adopted other American Airlines innovations, other carriers also announced their own baggage fees.

Most of American’s jets are McDonnell Douglas MD-82 or MD-88 series twinjets. The carrier announced recently that it will order the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to its fleet.

In 2008 American became the first carrier to offer in-flight Internet service on all its planes. This innovation came only a year after the airline began offering Wi-Fi on its flights within the United States.

UK to Berlin

UK travelers to Berlin, the historic and modern capital of Germany, will be not be let down. The enduring popularity of Berlin as a vacation destination means there are convenient flights for every budget from all of the UK’s major airports, including London, Manchester, and Birmingham. Three airports serve Berlin: Tempelhof, Schonefeld, and Tegel, the latter being the busiest airport in the city. Berlin also serves a hub for rail travel across the continent.

With a population of about 3.4 million, Berlin is both the largest city in Germany and one of the largest cities in Europe. Winters are cold, spring and fall can be chilly, but summers are warm. Rainfall is moderate, and there is usually light snow between December and March.

World War II and the Battle of Berlin largely destroyed the city, and in the aftermath of the war, Berlin was divided between east and west. Since reunification in 1990, however, there has been a building boom, with no plans to scale back soon. The capital city of Germany boasts world class museums, parks, shopping, and museums. It also is home to booming nightlife, diverse architecture, a popularity modern art scene, and dozens of festivals.

The Berlin Film Festival, for instance, is among the most famous, as well as one of the largest, film festivals in the world. Berlin is headquarters for over one thousand TV and film production companies. Hundreds of films and television programs are produced in Berlin each year. The late actress Marlene Dietrich was a native of Berlin.

Berlin is also a world center for media, culture, science, and politics, its economy grounded by the service sector. It is headquarters for many media corporations, creative industries, environmental services, and convention venues. Other large concerns in the Berlin economy include traffic engineering, auto and truck manufacturing, biotechnology, and information technology. The history of Berlin as a science center stretches back to the nineteenth century. Berliner Robert Koch discovered the microorganisms that cause anthrax, cholera, and tuberculosis, and Berliner Rudolf Virchow founded the science of cellular pathology.

For lovers of the outdoors, Germany’s capital offers abundant green space, two major zoological gardens, and dozens of parks. The home of the Botanic Museum Berlin, the Botanischer Garten, boasts one of the most diverse and largest gardens in the world. Berlin is also known world-wide for its bicycle trail system. Cyclists accounted for one in eight trips in the bicycle-friendly capital of Germany in 2007.

With dozens of hotels and accommodations at all price points, Berlin is an affordable city for visitors. Plan a trip to Germany?s capital and you won?t be disappointed. It is easy to see why Berlin is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Europe. Full of history, culture and charm, there is much to see and do in Berlin.

UK to Paris

The first step to an enjoyable Paris vacation is booking your flight. It’s important to know that most flights to Paris land at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, not the closer, but lesser traveled, Orly Airport. There are also flights to Beauvais, but Beauvais lies some 65 miles outside the city, compared to Orly’s nine. No matter which airport you use, however, you will find it easy to get to the city, because there are many shuttles and trams from the airports to the city and even between the airports for catching connecting flights.

Paris is the capital of France and one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world with about 45 million tourists visiting the City of Light each year. It doesn?t matter what your tastes are or how you enjoy spending your time because there is truly something for everyone in Paris.

The city is located on the Seine River in northern France and has a population of approximately 2.2 million people. That?s just the city. The metropolitan area of Paris has about 12 million people, making it one of the largest metropolitan areas in Europe. Public transportation is a must in a city this size, and the famed Metro light rail system is very popular with tourists. Busses and taxi cabs are also available, and many tourists enjoy walking along the beautiful streets of Paris. The city?s climate is relatively mild year round, and extreme weather conditions are rare in Paris. It does rain often in Paris, but snow is rare.

Paris is divided into districts. The best known are the Champs Elysees and the Place de la Bastille. The quintessential tourist attraction of Paris is the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower was built one hundred twenty years ago as part of an international exhibition and was planned to be temporary. However, the Eiffel Tower is still standing, and millions of visitors enjoy the view from the top each year. Other popular sightseeing locations include the famed Notre Dame cathedral, the Louvre, the Sorbonne, the Pantheon Church, and Invalides Museum, famous as the final resting place of Napoleon. At the Louvre, provided you arrive on a day it is open, you can see famous works of art such as the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. The City of Lights is also well known for its beautiful gardens, including the Tuileries Garden and the Luxembourg Garden on the Left Bank of the Seine.

Paris is famous around the world as providing the standard for French cuisine. Parisian chefs insist on using fresh, local ingredients to create some of the most delicious food in the entire world. There is a restaurant for every budget, from McDonald’s to restaurants with four Michelin stars, and everything you can imagine in between. Diners are not disappointed in Paris.

In addition to the art, museums and history, you can also get a taste of popular culture with a visit to the Disneyland Resort.

Paris has it all: fine dining, beautiful museums, great shopping, wonderful architecture and more. Book a trip today. You won?t be disappointed.

United Kingdom to Marseille

The third largest city in France after Paris and Lyon, Marseille (sometimes spelled Marseilles in the UK) is rapidly becoming one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Heathrow and Gatwick Airports in London serve Marseilles with multiple departures every day. The city’s main airport, Marseille Provence Airport, is the fourth most trafficked airport in the whole of France. Business travelers and tourists alike crowd its terminals. Once travelers disembark at Marseille Provence Airport, they enjoy excellent local public transportation.

Marseille lies on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea on the southeast coast, the Cote-d-Azur, of France. It has the country’s largest commercial port. The Old Port that fell into disuse after the 1970s oil crises has been redeveloped into a bustling residential and tourist destination with assistance from the European Community.

The completely refurbished Old Port is now home to hotels, restaurants, bars, and caf?s, as well as a private marina. This renovated port is north of the new active commercial port, where over 100 million tons of freight?the majority of it petroleum?pass every year. Marseille’s position as a hub for industry and trade is complemented by its excellent infrastructure for travel by air, land, or sea. It is one of the major ports of entry into France, especially popular with travelers from Italy, Spain, Greece, and the Middle East.

Lying on the shores of the Mediterranean, Marseille has mild winters but hot summers. Fortunately, neither summer heat nor winter cold lasts very long. The hottest weather comes in July and August, and coldest winter months arrive in January and February. Harsh but not necessarily cold winter winds blow into the city from the Alps both winter and spring.

Marseille is also headquarters for the Marseille Provence Metropolis, the second largest research center in the country. Thousands of research scientists are employed at the Marseille Provence Metropolis.

In addition to industry, plenty of shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, museums and theaters can be found in Marseille. Culture lovers are especially enamored of Marseille due to the large number of theaters in the city, including la Cri?e, le Gymnase and the theatre Toursky. The Marseille Opera is also very popular, with a season from September to June.

Like other areas of France, Marseille is well-known for its incredible food. Local favorites include pastis, which is an alcoholic beverage similar to beer made with aniseed and spice. Other popular items are aioli (mayonnaise) served on fish or hardboiled eggs, tapenade, bouillabaisse, panisse, and navette. All dishes are made with local ingredients, which make them very flavorful. Many restaurants can be found in the city?s Old Port area, which is the site of a daily fish market. The Old Port area is very beautiful at night, making it a popular spot for a long evening meal.

Beautiful architecture can also be found in Marseille, including the Abbey of Saint Victor, one of the oldest places of Christian worship in France, the Museum of Old Marseille and the Phare de Sainte Marie, a lighthouse on the inlet to the Old Port.

With all that the city has to offer to visitors, it is easy to see why Marseille is growing in popularity with travelers.

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