New York, The Caribbean And Panama: From The Big Apple To The Garden Of Eden

Surrounded by natural treasures and glorious seascapes, Halifax is an attractive and vibrant hub with noteworthy historic and modern architecture, great dining and shopping, and a lively nightlife and festival scene. The old city manages to feel both hip and historic. Previous generations had the foresight to preserve the cultural and architectural integrity of the city, yet students from five local universities keep it lively and current. It's a perfect starting point to any tour of the Atlantic provinces, but even if you don't venture beyond its boundaries, you will get a real taste of the region.It was Halifax’s natural harbor—the second largest in the world after Sydney, Australia’s—that first drew the British here in 1749, and today most major sites are conveniently located either along it or on the Citadel-crowned hill overlooking it. That’s good news for visitors because this city actually covers quite a bit of ground.Since amalgamating with Dartmouth (directly across the harbor) and several suburbs in 1996, Halifax has been absorbed into the Halifax Regional Municipality, and the HRM, as it is known, has around 415,000 residents. That may not sound like a lot by U.S. standards, but it makes Nova Scotia’s capital the most significant Canadian urban center east of Montréal.There's easy access to the water, and despite being the focal point of a busy commercial port, Halifax Harbour doubles as a playground, with one of the world's longest downtown boardwalks. It's a place where container ships, commuter ferries, cruise ships, and tour boats compete for space, and where workaday tugs and fishing vessels tie up beside glitzy yachts. Like Halifax as a whole, the harbor represents a blend of the traditional and the contemporary.

Welcome to New York! The city on the American East Coast offers endless possibilities. Marvel at the iconic panorama from the Top of the Rock in the Rockefeller Center, stroll through Central Park, explore trendy Brooklyn or discover the vibrant art and cultural scene at the MoMA. An insider tip is a visit to the High Line, an elevated railway line that has been transformed into a green park offering spectacular views and creative installations. Immerse yourself in the cultural flair of Chinatown, enjoy culinary delights in Little Italy or shop in the boutiques of trendy SoHo. Make the most of the long lay time and the central mooring point for a thrilling evening in the city that never sleeps.

From Wall Street's skyscrapers to the neon of Times Square to Central Park's leafy paths, New York City pulses with an irrepressible energy. History meets hipness in this global center of entertainment, fashion, media, and finance. World-class museums like MoMA and unforgettable icons like the Statue of Liberty beckon, but discovering the subtler strains of New York's vast ambition is equally rewarding: ethnic enclaves and shops, historic streets of dignified brownstones, and trendy bars and eateries all add to the urban buzz.

From Wall Street's skyscrapers to the neon of Times Square to Central Park's leafy paths, New York City pulses with an irrepressible energy. History meets hipness in this global center of entertainment, fashion, media, and finance. World-class museums like MoMA and unforgettable icons like the Statue of Liberty beckon, but discovering the subtler strains of New York's vast ambition is equally rewarding: ethnic enclaves and shops, historic streets of dignified brownstones, and trendy bars and eateries all add to the urban buzz.

Even the name conjures up dreams of pastel-coloured idylls, pink flamingos and the exclusive feeling of getting away from it all: the Bahamas – an archipelago with more than 700 islands and over 2,400 so-called cays made of coral and sand. This pretty postcard world attracts visitors with its dazzling white beaches, turquoise waters and unique culture – shaped by African, British and Caribbean influences.Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, is located on the island of New Providence. Experience the island’s history up close on your discovery trails that take you off the beaten track. The Gothic Christ Church Cathedral from the 19th century is just as impressive with its light-coloured limestone blocks as the Queen’s Staircase between high walls, tropical plants and a waterfall. The 11 ha (27 ac.) Retreat Garden, with the world’s largest palm tree collection of 170 species, offers an oasis in the city to visitors. Your stroll through the city will be particularly colourful in Bay Street, where pastel-coloured buildings line up next to each other. Which dreams of paradise will you fulfil in Nassau?Your Caribbean island-hopping will also take you to North Eleuthera Island, part of a long double island. The name Eleuthera is derived from the Greek word for “free” – and you can enjoy this feeling of freedom while swimming, diving and snorkelling. On the pink-coloured beach, your gaze wanders over many small islands. Your experts will enrich your impressions with stories about sunken pirate ships, religious refugees who once sought refuge here and the sweetest pineapple in the world grown on Eleuthera.Follow in the footsteps of Christopher Columbus when you reach the small island of San Salvador. To this day, a white stone cross in Landfall Park marks the landing of the explorer. Like Columbus in 1492, you too will conquer a new world here – with kilometres of secluded beaches, glittering blue inland lakes and rolling hills. Stroll through the small village of Cockburn Town or sunbathe on one of the fine sandy natural beaches. This cruise combines idyllic time out with historical background insights.

The tropical archipelago of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British overseas territory, consists of 40 islands. The capital of the archipelago is Cockburn Town on Grand Turk: immerse yourself with your experts in the history of its foundation in the 17th century and admire the colonial architecture. On Grand Turk, you will again discover that nature is the most talented architect when the beautiful extensive beach invites you to relax and swim. Simply incredible – 400 m (1,300 ft) from the shore, the seabed drops more than 2,000 m (6,562 ft) at the Grand Turk Wall, the “Grand Canyon of the Caribbean” – a fabulous diving area. Let your experts on board give you a scientific explanation of this “underwater highway” for rays, dolphins and turtles. Or close your eyes, listen to the waves and feel the warming Caribbean sun on your skin. Yes, discovering can be as relaxing as this.

Just 7 miles (11 km) long and a little more than 1 mile (1½ km) wide, this island, the capital and seat of the Turks and Caicos government, has been a longtime favorite destination for divers eager to explore the 7,000-foot-deep pristine coral walls that drop down only 300 yards out to sea. On shore, the tiny, quiet island is home to white-sand beaches, the National Museum, and a small population of wild horses and donkeys, which leisurely meander past the white-walled courtyards, pretty churches, and bougainvillea-covered colonial inns on their daily commute into town. But things aren't entirely sleepy: a cruise-ship complex at the southern end of the island brings about 600,000 visitors per year. That said, the dock is self-contained and is about 3 miles (5 km) from the tranquil, small hotels of Cockburn Town, Pillory Beach, and the Ridge and far from most of the western-shore dive sites. Pristine beaches with vistas of turquoise waters, small local settlements, historic ruins, and native flora and fauna are among the sights on Grand Turk. Fewer than 4,000 people live on this 7½-square-mile (19-square-km) island, and it's hard to get lost, as there aren't many roads.

Fuerte San Lorenzo is an impressive example of how the Spanish crown protected its trade treasures against pirates in Panama – for example, from the British privateer Sir Francis Drake. The fortress is located directly at the mouth of the Rio Chagres and once stood guard at the entrance to the harbour. It is now protected by UNESCO: The magnificent military architecture of the 17th and 18th centuries and parts of the defence system are a World Heritage Site. Go on a journey through time on an individual shore visit – your experts will provide you with new insights into the European buildings in distant worlds and the development of technology associated with them.

The provincial capital of Colón, beside the canal's Atlantic entrance, is named for the Spanish-language surname of Christopher Columbus, though the Americans called it Aspinwall in the 19th century.. The city was founded in 1850 by Americans working on the Panama railroad and named Aspinwall for one of the railway engineers. Following completion in 1855, Colon gained in importance, which was furthered by the plans for an isthmian canal. During the time of the French canal attempt, a fire in 1885 burned the city nearly to the ground and left thousands of people homeless. Colon was rebuilt in the architectural style then popular in France. Buildings from that era plus the ones constructed by Americans between 1904 and 1914 are still in use today, although the majority is on the verge of collapse. In addition to its importance as a port, Colon boasts the world’s second largest duty-free zone, known as Zona Libre, which is contained in a huge fortress like, walled-off area with giant international stores. However, most of the merchandise is sold in bulk to commercial businesses throughout the country.