According to Venetian official statistics approximately 16 million people visited the province of Venice in 2011, with increases projected for 2012-13. Most if not all visitors, come to visit the central island Venezia in order to see and be in the heart of the city. Geographically the city center which includes St. Mark’s Basilica, St Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace, the Rialto Bridge, as well as the homes and businesses of Venetians exists on a land mass that is roughly six square miles. These six square miles are criss-crossed by the Grand and the not-so-grand canals which invite tourists to explore the nooks and crannies of a medieval powerhouse that still displays its heritage.
However, as a frame of reference, visitors should do the math. Public access to the six square miles of the central part of Venice is reduced by the areas occupied by private housing, businesses and by canals. Effectively the 80,000 to 100,000 daily visitors and the 40,000 to 60,000 local residents or business employers and employees are competing for approximately one to two square miles of open space. Regardless of the crowds it should be noted that while tourists may travel stem to stern in seemingly endless lines of gondolas, on Venice’s solid ground no car, bus or motor scooter challenges a visitor’s right to live long and prosper. In Venice the trucks, cars, and buses come with keels and rudders. All vie for space on and in the canals. Gondoliers weave their boats and passengers through the Grand Canal water traffic much like carriage driver guide their clip-clopping horse drawn carriages through any busy city’s tourist center. To paraphrase Shakespeare, in Venice all the water’s a stage,

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Property of the Crown, then royal residence, Chenonceau Castle is an exceptional site not only because of its original design, the richness of its collections, its furniture and its decorations, but also because of its destiny, since it was loved, administrated and protected by women, who were all extraordinary and who, for the most part have marked history.

For the historical background, the “Château des Dames” was built in 1513 by Katherine Briçonnet, and successively embellished by Diane de Poitiers then Catherine de Medici. Chenonceau was protected from the hardship of the revolution by Madame Dupin.

The iron, but very feminine, fist in the velvet glove has always preserved Chenonceau during times of conflict and war in order to make it forever a place of peace.



Chenonceau Castle has an exceptional museum collection of the Old Masters’ paintings: Murillo, Le Tintoret, Nicolas Poussin, Le Corrège, Rubens, Le Primatice, Van Loo... as well as an extremely rare selection of Flanders Tapestries from the 16th century.


Throughout its history, this emblematic Castle has always attracted talent and inspired great artists. Conveying beauty and combining the elegance of architecture with that of the spirit is also sharing an elegant way of life.



At Chenonceau Castle, the flower display in every sumptuously furnished room adds to its elegance. The room of Five Queens, the living room of Louis XIV, the grand gallery overlooking the River Cher, fabulous kitchens constructed in the piers of the bridge, the Green Cabinet of Catherine de Medici...Step by step, Chenonceau takes you back in time to share its dreams and reveal its secrets.

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The city centre offers many possibilities for a real voyage of discovery. A city tour takes you along the harbours, the six highest mills in the world, and distilleries and malthouses. You can also follow the footsteps of Saint Liduina, one of the most famous Dutch saints, by admiring her beautiful relics, located in the Liduina Basiliek. The museums, galleries, workshops and specialty shops are definitely worth a visit.

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The backdrop of impressive historic ships makes the Oude Haven (Old Port, part of the Maritime District) a popular place for locals to meet, eat, drink and dance. On summer days, the terraces of the bars and restaurants here like Noah (voted best cocktail bar in the Netherlands) are full until the wee hours. Right behind ‘The White House’, Europe’s first skyscraper, you will find café Het Witte Huis, open late for drinks and dining. Other hotspots here are Stockholm, Mooii and Popocatepetl.

The Oude Haven is part of the Maritime District and can be reached by metro or train (stop Blaak) or water taxi.
The White House is a building and National Heritage Site in Rotterdam, Netherlands, built in 1898 in the Art Nouveau style. The building is 43 m (141 ft) tall, with 10 floors. [1] It was also the first high-rise building in Europe. The building is listed as a Rijksmonument.

Construction
The architect Willem Molenbroek designed the 10-storey building, at the time an unprecedented height in Europe. The site at Wijnhaven 3 is just 1 m above sea-level and skeptics claimed that the soft soil of Rotterdam would be unable to adequately support the building, so before construction could properly begin, 1000 piles were driven into the ground to support the building's weight. The building is constructed from iron, steel and concrete, and includes two thick interior walls which increase the building's strength. Unlike many other contemporary buildings of the time, wood was not a significant construction material due to the fear of fire. The building cost 127,900 Dutch guilders.

It was also one of the few buildings in central Rotterdam to survive the German bombing campaigns of World War II.

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Heusden’s history began around the year 1200 with the establishment of an urban settlement beside the River Maas. Its heyday was the construction of the fortifications: from the end of the 16th century Heusden was a garrison town accommodating thousands of soldiers. Then, mostly as now, the town resembled the 17th century drawings made by the Amsterdam cartographer Joan Blaeu: a fortification surrounded by sturdy earthwork ramparts with bastions, moats and ravelins. The Second World War inflicted much damage and human suffering. Subsequently the town was fully restored, honouring Heusden with the highest European award, the ‘Europa Nostra’ prize for restoration. This charming town is certainly worth a visit. Wander through its picturesque streets and alleyways and discover numerous buildings dating back centuries. This historic setting is the home to galleries, speciality shops, friendly restaurants and pavement cafes. There are well-equipped harbours for tourists arriving by water and there are lovely views of the town, the river and the surrounding countryside from the ramparts.

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