【推荐1】Look at the map of Spain and point at the center. You’ve located the country’s capital and one of Europe’s most beautiful cities: Madrid. This popular destination is considered a city of contrasts with its abundant historic sites, resting in the shadows of modern skyscrapers,

History

This city of over 3 million people is proud of Western Europe’s largest royal palace, and some consider it to be Madrid’s most beautiful building.

Inside the Royal Palace 2,800 rooms are decorated in glory with museum-quality furniture and artworks. Tourists can tour 50 of these large and splendid rooms.

Art

The Internationally respected Prado Museum is the largest and most impressive art gallery in Spain. Opened in 1819, it is filled with works of art that feature the world’s most comprehensive collection of Spanish paintings.

Shopping

Madrid has some of Europe’s best shopping, and potential buyers love to look through the stores looking for bargains. But for 500 years, shoppers have gathered to an extremely large outdoor flea market known as the Rastro where they find nearly everything from antiques to CDs.

Entertainment

No trip to Madrid is complete without seeing a performance of Spain’s famous art form, flamenco. Every day, flamenco performers sing, dance or play the guitar in small cafes and grand theaters alike.

Food

Madrid has a wide variety of restaurants, but because the Spanish typically eat late at about 9 or 10 p.m., it’s difficult to find good dinner food earlier. If you get hungry before then, the best solution is to try a tapas bar where light snacks are served. Be sure to try the jamon, a kind of dry-cured ham. Spain is famous for it.

【推荐3】One of the most traditional British holidays is the “seaside holiday”. Typically, families get on a train or into a car and travel to British seaside towns. They sunbathe on the beach, buy ice creams, eat fish and chips, build sandcastles and so on.

In the early 1970s, air travel became affordable for the average family in the UK, and more and more British people started travelling abroad for their summer holidays. After all, the British weather isn’t very good, even in summer, so a lot leave the UK for a vacation. Particularly popular with families on a budget is the “package holiday”, where the cost of flights and accommodation are offered as one discounted price by travel agents.

In the 1980s and 1990s, young people in the UK became more wealthy, or at least had more disposable income. As a result, young people started to go abroad in groups, to places such as Spain and Greece. Once at their destination, they socialized with other groups of young people and had one long party.

British holidaying habits have begun to change, however, climate change means that the UK now has a warmer climate than before, so people don’t always feel they need to go overseas to find good weather. Also, the world seems a less certain place as interconnected economics rise and fall, which means that the cost of foreign holidays is less predictable than it used to be. As a result, more and more Britons are choosing to spend their summer holidays in the UK.

In the UK, the domestic (国内的) tourism industry-- when people go on holiday in their own country--is healthier than it has been in decades. There is now an increased appreciation among Britons for the diversity of the UK. It is not just the geography and the diversity of climate-based activities on offer. It’s also the diversity of the cultures in the UK that is beginning to be of interest to domestic tourists.

The UK has always been famous for its international explorers, but now it is starting to discover itself.

【推荐1】You might have heard a lot about ancient towns and ancient cities in China. Here, we list several of the most beautiful ancient villages in China.

Baoshan Stone Village, Yunnan Province

Baoshan Stone Village was built on a huge mushroom­shaped rock, and only has about one hundred houses. The houses are laid out in an orderly way, built on the rock, and linked by stone steps. The Naxi people there still lead an original life and grow crops in terraces; you can experience the colorful culture of the Naxi ethnic group there.

Tuvas Village in Kanas, Xinjiang

Kanas Tuvas Village is near the mysterious Lake Kanas. The small village is located in a valley, and only has about 80 houses. These Swiss­style wooden houses are all surrounded by wooden fences. Tuvas is an ancient minority group. They traditionally lived as hunters. You can visit a local family, go herding with the locals and experience the peaceful ancient village life.

Jiaju Tibetan Village, Danba, Sichuan Province

Jiaju Tibetan Village is known as the “Tibetan fairyland”. It stands on a mountain slope, and consists of about 140 houses. These unique houses are all built with crown­shaped roofs, red caves, and white walls, which make the houses look like little castles among the forest.

Xijiang Miao Village, Guizhou Province

If you're interested in the Miao Minority, Xijiang Miao Village can be a great destination for deepening your understanding of Miao history and culture. It's the largest Miao village in China, and now has 1,432 households with a population of over 5,000, of which 99.5% are Miao ethnic group. It's also famous for the houses built on stilts of different heights.

【推荐3】Here are some undiscovered places around the world, which will surely impress you.

This quiet settlement north of Beirut in Lebanon has been around a really long lime. Today, its rich history is well-represented in its ruins, which include ancient temples and tombs and Neolithic houses. Three sites in particular steal the show: the restored Roman amphitheatre (圆形剧场）, the grand 12^th century Crusader castle, and the beautiful]y restored medieval open market.

The ruins of Carreg Cennen must be among the most noticeable sites in Wales. Carreg Cennen is defended by two drawbridges and three gate towers, although it hasn’t seen much action since it was partly damaged in 1462, during the Wars of the Roses. However, one rare feature of the castle is unchanged. Ifs the stone passage that leads down to a natural cave underneath.

Rhode Island is the smallest state in the US. Its capital, Providence, has many of the attractions. Ivy League member Brown University and the famous Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) give the city a strong student influence. Up on College Hill, east of the Providence River, are streets lined with 18^th century wood framed houses.

Not content with having the worlds tallest (coast redwoods) and oldest (bristlecone pines), California is also home to the largest tree—the giant sequoia (红杉树). It grows only to its lull size in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Many of these trees are found in the Yosemite National Park, but for more quality time with the trees, it's best to head south to the far less known Sequoia National Park, which gets a quarter of Yosemite’s visitor numbers.

【推荐2】Discovering the beauty of the science and maths that shape our everyday lives, an experience in WonderLab will fuel your imagination and inspire you to see the world around you in new and exciting ways. Come and enjoy yourself!

What to see

There’re loads of opportunities for you to get some idea of real scientific phenomena and they are in seven different zones. Observe live experiments at our Chemistry Bar, see lightning strike before your eyes, play with force on giant sides or travel through space under a canopy( 天篷状的笼罩物)of stars. You can also take part in explosive science demonstrations led by our talented team of explainers. With 50 mind-blowing wonders of science to enjoy, WonderLab is an experience unlike any other. Besides, a selection of shows will be performed daily in WonderLab’s beautiful new show space. They are free of charge and last 20 minutes.

Tickets

• Day pass: £6 per person.

This ticket gives you day-long access to WonderLab whether you’re planning a special trip to the Museum or simply passing through London.

• Annual pass: £10 per person.

For less than the price of two visits, give yourself a year packed full of wonder, curiosity and breathtaking experiences.

Opening times

Open seven days a week, 10:00--18:00 ( last entry 17:15). WonderLab will be closed on December 24, 25 and 26 and will be open as usual from December 27.

During school holidays our opening hours are 10:00--19:00 (last entry 18:15). Please note that in peak periods (from midday onwards) we are experiencing long queues due to the gallery’s popularity.