If you are looking for an affordable location that’s only a couple of hours plane ride away then Krakow could be the place for you. This city, located in the southern part of Poland, offers countless opportunities for travellers.

The city center

When it comes to Krakow, the first thing appeared in mind will be the Main Square and the building Cloth Hall. Main Square is filled with many ancient churches and charming townhouses and crowned by Cloth Hall, which has been playing an important role in international trade for over the years. Besides historical value, Main Square is the most willingly chosen place to stop journeys around Krakow.

In Cloth Hall, you can find lots of handmade Polish products. On the ground floor are restaurants that serve a wide range of food, not only local ones. Maybe these are not the best places to eat dinner. However, you can taste a local beer or wine while admiring the charming Krakow centre.

Nightlife   

Speaking about Krakow, we cannot forget nightlife here. Take a night walk through streets with a view of the city on one side and calmly flowing water of Vistula River on the other. To make up your impression, you can have a drink in one of the restaurants in large boats on the river. For beautiful view admirers, in the nearby amusement park you can watch Krakow from the Ferris wheel. Even late in the evening!

Traffic

You can take a bus to Katowice and then train or even bus to Krakow Main Station. You can try to take a taxi; nevertheless, it may be costly. Or, to reach Krakow you need not even two hours long flight. These advantages make Krakow top direction for a weekend break.

【推荐1】Henderson Island is a coral island raised above the South Pacific Ocean. No people live on it. The island is 9.6 kilometers long and 5.1 kilometers wide. It has an area of 37.3 km². Henderson Island became a World Heritage Site in 1988 because of its bird life.

All the four kinds of special land birds (Henderson Crake, Henderson Fruit Dove, Henderson Lorikeet and Henderson Reed-warbler) can only be seen on Henderson Island. There are also fifteen non-local seabirds. Other local things include nine kinds of plants (of the sixty-three kinds on the island), four kinds of land snails (蜗牛) (of the sixteen kinds), and one butterfly (the only kind on the island).

Although no people live on Henderson Island, archaeological evidence suggests that a small Polynesian (波利尼西亚) group lived here between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries until it disappeared. The reasons for its disappearance are unknown, but are probably related to the similar disappearance of the Polynesians on Pitcairn Island. The Hendersonians would have depended on them for many of the basics of life.

On January 29, 1606, Henderson Island was discovered by Portuguese sailor Pedro Fernandes de Queiros, who named it San Joao Baptista. On January 17, 1819, the island was rediscovered by British Captain Henderson of the British Fast India Company, and named Henderson Island. On March 2, 1819, Captain Henry King, sailing on the Elizabeth, landed on the island to find the Union flag already flying. His crew scratched the name of their ship on a tree, and for some years the name of the island was Elizabeth or Henderson.

In the early 1980’s, American businessman Arthur M. Ratliff expressed interest in buying Hendersons Island, and establishing a small settlement with an airstrip, farm and large houses. But the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office refused it at last, after environmentalist groups persuaded them to protect the natural ecology and environment of the island.

【推荐2】The purpose of a map is to express graphically the relations of points and features on the earth’s surface to each other. These are determined by distance and direction. In early times distance was often expressed in units of time, for example “so many hours’ march” or “a day’s journey by river”, but such measurements gave more information about the relative ease of crossing the local terrain than they did about actual distance. The other element is direction, but for the ordinary traveller, whose main concern was “Where do I go from here?” and “How far away is it?”, the accurate representation of direction was not of primary importance. Partly for this reason, written itineraries (行程) for a long time rivaled maps. Even today, certain types of maps, for example, those showing railway systems, may make little attempt to show true directions. Similarly, obvious landmarks along a route were at first indicated by signs, realistic or conventional (惯常的), and varied in size to indicate their importance. Clearly the conventions employed varied with the purpose of the map, and also from place to place, so that in studying early maps the first essential is to understand the particular convention employed.

The history of cartography (制图) is largely that of the increase in the accuracy with which these elements of distance and direction are determined and in the comprehensiveness of the map content. In this development, cartography has called in other sciences to its aid. For example, instead of determining direction by observing the position of a shadow at midday, or of a constellation (星座) in the night sky, or even of a steady wind, use was made of terrestrial magnetism (地磁学) through the magnetic compass, and instruments were evolved which enabled horizontal angles to be calculated with great accuracy.

The application of astronomical concepts, and the extension of the knowledge of the world through exploration, encouraged attempts to map the known world. Then astronomers discovered that the earth is not a perfect sphere, but is flattened slightly at the poles, which introduced further refinements into the mapping of large areas. Meanwhile, the demands being made of the map maker were shifting significantly. The traveller or the merchant ceased to be the sole user of maps. The soldier, especially after the introduction of artillery, and the problems of range, field of fire, and dead ground which it raised, demanded an accurate representation of the surface features, in place of the earlier conventional or pictorial delineation (描绘), and a solution in any degree satisfactory was not reached until the contour (等高线) was invented.

【推荐1】Luxury symbols of China, all-inclusive cruise and Mount Fuji adventure

From the architectural riches of China to the awe-inspiring beauty of Mount Fuji, discover wonders of the world during this epic adventure, paired with hotel stays in interesting cities and an all-inclusive cruise on board Silver Muse.

Days 1-3 Beijing—Hotel Stay and Tour

Discover China’s greatest treasures during a fully accompanied tour, wonder at the weaving Great Wall of China, admire the Temple of Heaven and uncover history in the Forbidden City.

Days 4-5 Xi’an—Hotel Stay and Tour

Travel by fast train to Xi’an, one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization. Here you’ll visit the Terracotta Army, one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world.

Day 6 Shanghai—Embark Silver Muse

Today you’ll embark Silver Muse for your cruise to Osaka. Settle into your surroundings and choose from a wealth of dining experiences, personalise your suite to the finest detail— including your choice of perfume, toiletries and pillow—and get to know your personal butler who will keep your fridge stocked with your favourite drinks. Cruising with Silversea is simply impressive.

Days 7-9 Osaka—Disembark Silver Muse, Tokyo Hotel Stay and Tour

You’ll disembark in Osaka and transfer to the airport for your flight to Tokyo. Japan’s capital boasts an incredible combination of both modern and tradition as soaring neon skyscrapers gather next to ancient temples. During your three-night stay you’ll embark on a fully accompanied tour of sacred Mount Fuji. Witness its splendid appearance during a ride on the Hakone Ropeway cable car, admire its quietness during a cruise trip across Lake Ashi and experience the speed of the bullet train as it whisks you back to Tokyo.

Days 10 Tokyo—Fly Home

【推荐3】Theme parks are magical places where adults can act like children and kids have the time of their lives. Here are the top four theme parks across the world.

Ferrari World－Yas Island. Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi in the Middle East is home to the world's largest indoor theme park. The main attraction is the Ferrari Rossa-officially the fastest roller coaster in the world. The ride goes from 0 to 240 kilometres per hour in less than five seconds. The force is so strong that those daring enough to go on it have to wear safety glasses.

Tickets：￡ 40 per adult and half price for children under 1.2 metres tall.

Alton Towers-Staffordshire, England

Alton Towers is the most visited theme park in the UK. The park offers thrilling rides such as the popular 800-metre long horror roller coaster. Or if you're interested in experiencing the sense of flying, head for the famous Airflying, where you'll need to avoid objects and trees as you fly. The park also has many other attractions, including live shows.

Tickets：￡ 43 per adult and ￡21 per child. Children under the age of 3 get in for free.

Disneyland Paris－Paris, France

Disneyland Paris' two theme parks create a fantasy world that both children and adults can enjoy. Disneyland Park gives girls the chance to meet their favourite Disney Princesses and to explore Sleeping Beauty's castle. Exciting roller coasters will keep the whole family entertained for hours on end.

Tickets：￡ 34 per adult and￡ 27 per child. Children under the age of 3 get in for free.

Oakwood Theme Park－Pembrokeshire, Wales

For those who are eager to experience speedy(高速的)turns and drops, this is the park for you. Be daring and go on the Megaphobia roller coaster, a wooden coaster making you scream.

Tickets：￡ 38 for adults, ￡ 20 per child. Children under 3 years get in for free.