I Love Culture

Minneapolis is a city on the rise. Situated on the banks of the Mississippi River, it is rumored that iconic American writer Mark Twain was the first to assign the name ‘Twin Cities’ to Minneapolis and neighboring city St. Paul. Just as other large cities, it can be called a metropolis and proves that to you by fulfilling all your wishes. Spend an entire week shopping, finding all the popular brands and some local ones, or go on a pub crawl and discover every high-quality bar the city has to offer. Don't forget that Minnesota also has amazing nature to show you, and tours are gladly offered to you!

Founded nearly eight centuries ago, Indonesia’s second largest city has seen empires come and go. The founders of the Hindu Majapahit Empire arrived in late 13th century and remained till the 17th, being shortly followed by Muslim rulers of Mataram. Later came the colonialists of the Dutch East India Company. In recent decades, Surabaya has grown into a cosmopolitan seaport and conurbation where 21st century hotels, apartment towers and shopping malls stand next to historic mosques and palaces.

Talofa Lava! Welcome to Samoa. Think of picture-perfect, long sandy white beaches framed by a lapping marine-blue ocean, lush rainforests with cascading waterfalls, vibrant flora and fauna and, under the ocean, the most amazing colourful gardens you could imagine – this is Samoa – the last unspoilt paradise in the world! Eight islands make up this nation, in the heart of the South Pacific, halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii. This is home to some of the friendliest South Pacific people you could have the pleasure of meeting, proud of their strong Fa’a Samoa cultural heritage and their long and unwavering faith to the blessings Mother Nature has bestowed upon them.

Sitting near the confluence of two great North American rivers — the Mississippi and the Missouri — the St. Louis region has been a favored destination since Lewis & Clark began their historic westward discovery here in 1804. St. Louis is spread along 19 miles of the Mississippi River shoreline. Dubbed the “Gateway to the West,” St. Louis welcomes its visitors with the world’s tallest arch (630 ft.) which was completed in 1965 as a monument to Thomas Jefferson and the westward expansion of the United States. The Gateway Arch is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and has become an internationally famous symbol of the city.

Lodz, Poland’s third largest city and the former textile industry empire, today is a city of modern technologies, a city of culture and grand events. It is a metropolis where a landscape of industrial architecture mixes with silhouettes of 20th century office buildings, production halls, culture and sports buildings. Lodz is perfect for anyone wanting to get a glimpse of exciting, modern Poland.

Linz – a cultural metropolis, and an oasis of green. Linz an der Donau is an innovative, contemporary city. It is a place where nature, culture and business come together to form a harmonious whole. The 2009 European Capital of Culture sports the slogan “Linz, verändert” (“Linz, changes”), and lives up to the slogan in full. Linz, a successful location for business, has emerged as an outstanding destination for culture, offering dynamism and a high quality of life. The capital city of Upper Austria is a showcase for theatre and music, but equally for contemporary art, history and science.

Matsuyama is the biggest city on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It's also the capital of Ehime Prefecture. Matsuyama is a vibrant city of living traditions, set against a backdrop of historical buildings, where haiku poetry is still enjoyed as a part of daily life. A full calendar of seasonal festivals means that there's always something eye-catching going on. The city is served by a network of vintage trams and steam trains, so getting about is easy. Matsuyama also has miles of sandy beaches in this city framing the beautiful, island-studded, Seto Inland Sea.

Nestled between the imposing Al Hajar Mountains and salty waters of the Arabian Sea is Muscat, the cosmopolitan Omani capital. Now home to almost half the country's population, the city is an expat's darling and has a lot to offer in the way of historical sights, culture and entertainment. Muscat has managed to remain relatively concealed from the touristic eye and retains a sense of inwardness and an unspoiled quality long lost by some of its comparable Emirati neighbors.