Japan: Travel, Tours, Cruises, Tour Packages, Air, Hotel, Rail, Sightseeing, Mount Fuji, Tokyo

It’s hard to find another country with a culture as singular as Japan’s. Art, literature, food, architecture and even Japanese Buddhism are as distinct from the rest of the world as a fully armored samurai is from one of King Arthur’s knights. It seems like all travel to Japan is time travel; the trouble is that a traveler has to divide himself in two as half will wander through an elegant past, while the other half speeds into the future.

Traditionally, first-time travelers to Japan combine Tokyo and Kyoto with a call at Mount Fuji, but more and more of the country is opening up its smaller, nuanced destinations. At night, Tokyo’s Ginza district, fully juiced with neons, feels like a stroll through the future. A more traditional Japan can be found in Ueno-Onshi Park, where the Tokyo National Museum, dedicated to thousands of years of Japanese Art, is surrounded by several shrines, temples, museums, a five-story pagoda, a symphony hall and more. A new wave of younger American travelers, raised on Japanese animation is seeking out such Anime sites as the Ghibli Museum which was created by Hayao Miyazaki who made such Anime classics as Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. With one of the world’s most user-friendly subway systems, Tokyo is an easy city to explore from the Tsukiji Market to the Imperial Palace.

Not even Vivaldi could celebrate the four seasons as well as Kyoto does. Kyoto is the 1,300-year-old capital of Japan, where the beauty of the country's feudal period is on full display. But you don’t have to go as far as Kyoto to find that feudal spirit. Just a short train ride from downtown Tokyo, Kawagoe feels like it lies centuries away. A quiet country town, Kawagoe became prominent when the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, perhaps the most towering figure in Japan’s history, made it his northern military bulwark and gateway into his new national capital of Edo, which we now call Tokyo. Kawagoe’s Kitain Temple, originally built in 830, was rebuilt in 1638 after a fire. It’s also home to Kawagoe Castle, built in 1457 at roughly the same time that Edo Castle was being built in Tokyo. Other wonders of Japan include the Inland Sea, Hokkaido and the city of Hiroshima to name just a few.

Japanese food rode to popularity with the sushi craze of the 1980s and it continues in popularity today along with other kinds of Japanese cuisine. In Tokyo, be sure to catch an early morning meal of sushi at Tsukiji Market. Both Tokyo and Osaka serve as important gateways into Japan and the rest of Asia as well.

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Travel Europe: Tour Packages, Air, Hotel, Cruises, River Cruises, Rail Travel, Car Rental

As a whole, Europe offers a strong ethno-cultural, linguistic and historical heritage with diverse nationalities, 35 official languages and an abundance of UNESCO-protected castles, monuments and ancient sites. This cornucopia of heritage has given rise to a spectacular wealth of people, traditions and cultures. Although they live harmoniously side by side, the 36 member countries of the European Travel Commission are distinctive, such as Germany, France, Italy and Poland.

Travelers can visit as few or as many nations as they want. Just hop on a train – the most seamless and picturesque way to traverse the continent. Looking for romance? Why not experience the changing landscapes by a river or canal boat? Europe is a roadmap of grand waterways, such as the Rhine and Danube, which flow through big cities such as Frankfurt, and small countryside hamlets. Cyclo-tourism is also gaining in popularity.

The capitals of Europe offer culture through world-class museums, music concerts and theater. Be sure to try the local cuisine, wine and make sure to grab a pint of beer with the locals. Every region and city holds endless treasures: remains of the Greek and Roman empires, entire districts built in medieval times, typical homes, covered markets, belfries, city walls and cathedrals. Natural attractions abound as well, from Mediterranean beaches to the rugged Arctic beauty of the north to the mountain ranges such as The Alps.

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Scotland, a Land That Ranges From Gentle Rolling Hills to Towering Peaks, Immortalized By Poets

Springtime sees lambs gamboling over green hillsides; castles dot the countryside, standing in mute testimony to this land’s turbulent history; and poets immortalize its beauty and people. This is Scotland, a land that ranges from gentle rolling hills to towering peaks, rugged coastlines and elegant cities. It’s a kingdom that succumbed to British might, yet has maintained its independent spirit.

There are the highlands that, for some, epitomize Scotland with their towering mountains, shimmering lakes, peaceful glens and miles of coastline. You can hike, go off-road biking or meander through castles and historic sites. Scotland is an emerging adventure destination, offering mountain biking, fishing, whitewater rafting, mountaineering and other extreme outdoor sports.

It’s a land of islands -- the Shetland, Orkneys and the Outer Hebrides. The islands can be places of wild beauty and rough seas but can have a quiet, pastoral side as well.

It’s also a land of cities. Elegant Edinburgh is often a starting point for many visitors, with its medieval Old Town and splendid castle dominating its skyline. Outside the city lie castles, great houses and battle sites. It's also a gateway to the ancient home of the game of golf and you can find some of the great links and parkland courses of the world here. You can meander along fine golden beaches or walk the Pentland Hills.

Working-class Glasgow’s shipyards launched thousands of ships, including warships and ocean-going liners. Outside Glasgow lie the rolling hills of the Clyde Valley and the lovely walking country of East Dunbartonshire that borders the southwest Highlands.

The kingdom of Fife is almost a microcosm of Scotland, with a semi-industrial south and rural north. This is the ancestral home of Scottish monarchs. It’s world famous for its golf -- St. Andrews is here. It’s also home to major landmarks such as Forth Road and Rail Bridges. Its landscape varies from the gentle hills in the rural hinterland to the windswept cliffs, rocky bays and sandy beaches where scenes from the film “Chariots of Fire” were shot.

Scotland has a modern and efficient road, rail and ferry network which allows good access to almost all parts of the country, and you'll have no trouble getting to the main tourist destinations. You can fly direct to Scotland or via a connection in the U.K. or Europe to any of its fourinternational airports, or take the ferry from the Continent.

June, July and August are high season. Spring, just after Easter, and fall, through mid-October, is shoulder season, and many attractions and accommodations are open through this period.

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