DESTINATION

Outdoor Activities in Germany

Despite massive losses, city breaks remained by far the leading segment in Germany arrivals from Europe in the Corona year 2020, with 5.2 million trips

News Desk

With the gradual opening of tourist and cultural businesses in the German states and the relaxation of entry regulations will inspire potential travellers for their next stay in Germany. Despite massive losses, city breaks remained by far the leading segment in Germany arrivals from Europe in the Corona year 2020, with 5.2 million trips. Nature and recreation gained importance, outdoor activities are in greater demand, and interest in health and wellness topics and sustainable vacations is on the rise. Invention of Fast Food in Germany: Located along the banks of the Danube River, this little gem is home to Medieval architecture so stunning that its perfectly preserved Old Town has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Stone Bridge is believed to be the oldest bridge still standing in Germany. Just a stone's throw away from the bridge stands a culinary relic of sorts that has been described as the oldest fast food joint in the world. A café, now known as the Sausage Kitchen is said to have opened on that very spot in 1146, just as the bridge was completed. Now. It's certainly a big hit with international tourists. Bratwurst Sausage, an Edible German Icon: Bratwurst sausages have come to be symbolic of Germany. According to statistics from the German Butchers' Association, the Germans consume the equivalent of around three kilos of them per person every year. And yet they did not actually originate in Germany. But whilst the Ancient Greeks may have grilled sausages over glowing charcoal, it was the Germans that adopted the sausage as an edible part of their cultural heritage. The Bratwurst Sausage is Thuringian, Nuremberg and Coburg‘s top specialty and is known for it in whole world’ – that's something they're confident about over at the first German Bratwurst Museum in Mühlhausen, Thuringia. The German Divide is Still Illuminated at Night: Berlin has come to be an increasingly united city since the fall of the wall in 1989. Tourists can cross the former border without giving it a second thought and cyclists casually cruise along the Berlin Wall Trail. And yet if you look down at Berlin from space on a clear night, you'll see that it is still divided in one sense. The Modern Caravan: The caravans that modern campers tow behind their cars all around the world originated in Germany. Some 700,000 caravans are registered right now in Germany alone and they are growing in popularity. Camping holidays in Germany are all the rage at the moment, too, according to the statistics. Germany Home to 25,000 Castles: If you love visiting a good castle, you won't be disappointed by the huge selection just waiting to be discovered in Germany. The Thuringian Forest is an excellent place to start if you're looking for something a little different. The most famous castle in the whole of Germany is Wartburg Castle in Eisenach.

COVID-19

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Here you can find out what you should consider when on holiday abroad, which regulations apply and what travellers need to know. Entry by Air/Risk Area: If you are arriving by plane from any country (from risk areas or non-risk areas) or if you have stayed in one of the risk areas in the last 10 days prior to your entry into the Federal Republic of Germany, you must observe certain rules. The latest Coronavirus entry regulation includes, a general obligation to provide evidence for entering the country in the aviation sector. People arriving by plane must, regardless of whether they have stayed in a risk area, present the carrier with a negative test result, proof of vaccination or proof of recovery before departure. Obligation to Quarantine: People who have previously stayed in risk areas are generally obliged to go directly to their place of residence or to another suitable accommodation. The basic quarantine period after previous stay in a simple risk area or a high-incidence area is 10 days and after previous stay in a virus variant area is 14 days. The regulation on the obligation to quarantine after entry from risk areas initially applies until July 28, 2021. More Information: https://

www.germany.travel/

Summer Activities in Czech Republic

News Desk

The Czech Republic is ready to host tourists. Non-essential travel is now allowed from green countries and persons from Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia. All other non-essential travel is still temporarily forbidden. The Government has approved the release of anti-epidemic measures, which will significantly simplify the planning of a trip to the Czech Republic. Summer in the Czech Republic is always a memorable experience – one can explore and see this beautiful destination the various choices available in the country to choose from based on your personal interests. Be it on bike or skates, on horseback, by the water, in the water, in the air or off for a round of golf? Choose your style. Here are a few summer activities, to add to your bucket list for your next visit to the Czech Republic! Golf: Czech Republic is a golfer’s paradise. The Kaskáda Golf Resort near the Brno Reservoir and the golf centre near the Konopiště Chateau both offer a range of golfing variations on many courses. Other golfing excursions take you to stunning chateau parks, such as a Windsor Gothicstyle chateau in Hrádek u Nechanic or the former site of Chancellor Metternich's office in Kynžvart. Hiking: Petřín, whose imaginary crown is the iconic watch tower, called the little Eiffel Tower, is one of the best areas to explore in Prague, just a few miles from the Prague city boundaries is the fairytale like park Průhonice which is one of Europe's largest and mostly beautifully landscaped parks. For all countryside lovers who love the Šumava, the mountain path along the River Vydra is a stunning and enchanting place. Walking is the only way to get to the Punkva Caves and the bottom of the Macocha Abyss, and the same is true if you want to walk around the vast sandstone towers of Adrpach's rock cities or Bohemian Paradise's Prachov Rocks. Cycling: From Vienna to Brno or from the German border to the Elbe's source one you can ride the bike along the Ohře or the Elbe's banks. The witches' cycle path will take you past sites where previous inquisition trials took place. Single track trails in the Rychleby and Jizera Mountains will take you to places where you can really give your body a good workout, and all adrenaline junkies will be envious of you; explore this in the Rychleby and Jizera Mountains. Czech cities have been hosting increasing number of visitors from India, and the numbers are increasing with every passing year. While Prague and its attractions remain popular among travellers, an increased interest has been recorded in newer experiences such as Heritage

Cities of Olomouc, Litomysl, Kutna

Hora, and Kromeriz, which have oldworld atmosphere and abundant in sites protected by UNESCO.

COVID-19

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Here you can find out what you should consider when on holiday abroad, which regulations apply and what travellers need to know. The Czech Republic is ready to host tourists. Non-essential travel is now allowed from green countries and persons from Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia. All other non-essential travel is still temporarily forbidden. The Government has approved the release of anti-epidemic measures, which will significantly simplify the planning of a trip to the Czech Republic. When planning a visit to the Czech Republic, it is important where you come from. The individual countries are divided by color according to the degree of risk of infection ("traffic lights" system). If you are traveling from a country that is not part of the European Union, then contact your embassy in the Czech Republic and check whether you are authorized to enter the country. Foreigners (except for travellers from green countries) can come to the Czech Republic only on the grounds of essential reasons, not for tourism or visiting friends. The Ministry of Health recommends that everyone in the Czech Republic download the free eRouska application to their mobile phones. Visitors to all the facilities are required to wear respirators when entering, show either a negative test for Coronavirus, a vaccination certificate or a document on having undergone Covid-19.

https://www.visitczechrepublic.com/

Home to the world’s tallest – Statue of Unity, standing at a massive 182 meters against the backdrop of the dramatic Satpura and Vindhyachal hills, Kevadiya district of Gujarat has become talk-of-thetown among the travellers. With a number of activities and attractions in its vicinity the town is poised to leave its mark on the global map of tourism soon.

The remote town of Kevadiya which has been transformed into an absolute tourist destination is one of the pet projects of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. While recalling the initial days Prime Minister says it used to appear like a pipedream when, initially, Kevadiya was proposed as major tourist destination. Given the old way of working, this skepticism had logic as there was no connectivity of roads, nor street lighting, rail, tourist accommodation etc.

ATTRACTIONS

Statue of Unity: The SoU overlooks the vast surrounds and the river basin of the Narmada River and the sprawling Sardar Sarovar dam. It stands on the Sadhu Bet hillock, connected by a 300 metre bridge, which offers access from the mainland to the statue. More than 50 lakh visitor have come to see the SoU after it was dedicated to the nation and it is catching on after staying closed during the Corona months. It is estimated that the destination will attract about one lakh visitors daily from across the globe. Valley of Flowers: The Valley of Flower began with 48,000 plants in 2016 and has now reached up to 22,00,000 plants. Besides the parks, several photo booths and selfie points have been developed to take back fond memories of the visit. The spot resembles a rainbow of flowers setup on earth. More than 300 types of flowers are grown in this garden. Sardar Sarovar Dam: The Sardar Sarovar Dam is the third highest concrete dam (163 metres) in India after Bhakra (226 metres) in Himachal Pradesh and Lakhwar (192 metres) in Uttar Pradesh. In terms of volume of concrete involved for gravity dams, this dam is ranked as the second largest in the world with an aggregate volume of 6.82 million cubic metre; only after Grand Coulee Dam in the USA with a total volume of 8.0 million cubic metre being the largest. Nauka Vihar: Gujarat State Forest Development Corporation has initiated boat ride in Dyke-3 known as Panchmuli Lake in Kevadiya as a part of eco-tourism

Kevadiya

Absolute Amazing Destination

activity. Boating facility has been developed with the help of an external professional entity. Tourists coming to Kevadiya are also enjoying the pristine nature with this boat ride. Total duration of each ride is for 45 minutes and in a day eight rides are operationalised by the operator. This ride takes to dyke-4 as well as the entire water body is surrounded by lush green forests. Ecosystem around the lake is very rich in flora and fauna.

Cactus Garden: The Cactus Garden is a unique botanical garden at the SoU site, created to exhibit a huge variety of Cacti and succulents, the true miracles of adaptation. The thought behind the development of the cactus garden is to provide an experience of the desert ecosystem in the midst of a landmass well entrenched in an aquatic surrounding. Ekta Nursery: Ekta Nursery is being developed in the vicinity of the SoU, in line with the Prime Minister's vision that visitors, when they return, should take back with them seedlings as a plant of unity. Out of the one million plants targeted, 0.3 million plants are in 'ready to sell' stage and the other 0.7 million are likely to be ready soon. Laser Light and Sound Show: A Light and Sound show using laser technology projected on the SoU takes place every evening except Monday. The colourful laser lighting system is accompanied by an excellent narration of the history and life of Sardar Patel, his contribution to the Independence Movement and the unification of India as one nation Children Nutrition Park: Children Nutrition Park is unique which has been developed as a part of Kevadiya Integrated Development. It provides a high quality entertainment and vital knowledge to the children on healthy eating habits and nutritional values based on the theme of ‘Sahi Poshan Desh Roshan’. Entire park is designed and implemented for the benefits of the children and extensive use of state of the art technology is being made, which gives a fascinating experience to the children visiting the park. Dino Trail: Recent excavations in the Narmada Valley have revealed that

Rajasaurus Narmadensis, an endemic species of dinosaur, was existing in the Narmada valley during Cretaceous period. A replica of the endemic dinosaur with the distinctive horn is created and exhibited for the visitors. The replica is about three times the estimated–original size; it measures 75 feet in length and 25 feet in height. Jungle Safari: A state-of-art zoological park with unique collection of indigenous and exotic animals and birds from the various Bio-geographic regions of the world is located at the picturesque hills near SoU and Sardar Sarovar Dam. This zoo will take you through an adventurous and exciting trip of watching wildlife, enjoying scenic beauty of the hills and entertaining experiences of a lifetime. Viswa Van: Viswa Van is a Global Forest and offers a natural aesthetic beauty. Vishwa Van is home to herbs, shrubs and trees native to all seven continents signifying the underlying theme of ‘Unity in Biodiversity’ in global context as well. Vishwa Van symbolises the life sustaining potion of forests in the context of all life forms in the planet. Vishwa Van has a diverse assemblage of flora representing every continent of the world.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Best time to visit Kevadiya is in the winter months of October to February, though the site is open all through the year. The Statue of Unity opens at 8:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM from Tuesday to Sunday. The Laser Light and Sound Show can be viewed from 7:30 PM onwards daily, except on Monday.

SHOPPING

Ekta Mall: The very name Ekta Mall, symbolises unity in diversity, a hallmark of Indian culture. Here at Ekta Mall, handlooms, handicrafts and traditional textile showrooms as been opened from various states of India have come together to promote Indian Handicrafts, at a location that stands for unity and national integration. The Mall is spread over 35,000 square feet area. It is a one-stop-shop for a relaxing shopping experience rooted in the vitality and diversity of India’s traditional textiles and artisanal handicrafts. Built in a 2-storey building, 20 emporiums have been commissioned and each emporium represents a specific state of India. It is the right platform for retailing handicrafts and handlooms, integral to rural employment and social development of artisanal clusters in our country. SoU Food Court: A new food court covering an area of 8,000 square feet is coming up at Statue of Unity. This food court is being built at par with international standards, with 7 kitchens and seating capacity for 650 people. Food court will offer the best of both international and Indian cuisines. Tourists can book your Statue of Unity tickets on its official website by selecting preferred time and day, or buy it directly at the site.

ACCOMODATION

The luxurious Tent City 1 and Tent City 2 are best options for accommodation in the vicinity of SoU. Both of the sites are just 1015 minutes away from main attraction SoU and Sardar Sarovar Dam. Offering views of Panchmuli Lake, Tent City 2 hillside resort is just 10 minutes' walk from a ferry terminal on the Narmada River.

SOU Souvenir Shop: Visitors can carry back with them several memories of their visit by buying mementos in the form of caps, t-shirts, Statue of Unity replica, pens, key chains, and note books, which are available at the Souvenir Shop located near the Statue of Unity and also at several other places at Kevadiya.

EATING POINTS

Ekta Food Court: Ekta food court covering an area of 1617 square metre, has been developed near SoU. This food court is built as per international standards, with seating capacity for 650 people. The food court offers the best of both international and Indian cuisines.

GETTING HERE

Air: Nearest Airport is Vadodara (90kms) well connected with all metro cities of India. Train: Kevadiya Railway Station is well connected by prominent cities such as Varanasi, Dadar, Ahmedabad, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Rewa, Chennai and Pratapnagar. Second option Vadodara is the nearest station on the busy Mumbai-Delhi Western Railway mainline well connected by premium trains like Shatabdi and Rajdhani. Road: NH8 passes through Vadodara, making it well connected by road as well. The statue lies about 90km from the city off a small town called Kevadiya.