British chef Gordon Ramsay became a household name in the UK thanks largely to his fiery outbursts on TV cookery programmes such as Hell’s Kitchen and The F Word. Beginning in 1993 Ramsay established a number of restaurants in London and Glasgow before turning his attention to the international scene.
Dubai is well-known as the home of the world’s tallest building and the planet’s only 7-star hotel. It is an adventure playground for families looking for a winter holiday where luxury resorts and enormous theme parks provide entertainment for the kids whilst world-class restaurants, spas and golf courses are available for mums and dads.
Located on the Basque coast of south-west France the historic fishing port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz is a popular tourist resort amongst French holidaymakers. The port’s heyday was way back in the 16th and 17th centuries when it prospered on the back of the fishing and whaling industries.
The city of Bayonne (Baiona in Basque) on the south-west coast of France has a rich history dating back to the 4th century when it is known to have been home to a Roman military camp. Following this period the city was occupied by a people known as the ‘Vascones’ who are ancestors of the present-day Basques.
Before 1990 Dubai was best-known as a Middle Eastern stopover for passengers on long-haul flights from Europe to the Far East and Australasia. Its role as a tourist destination soon began to grow after the Emirate decided to invest huge amounts of capital in its tourism industry.
During the months of January and February the average daily temperature in a rainy London and other cities of northern Europe hovers around 7°C. Meanwhile just seven hours away in the United Arab Emirates it’s more like 25°C with hardly any rain. No wonder Dubai has become a major winter holiday destination which expects to be welcoming 20 million visitors per year by 2020.
Standing on the Persian Gulf in the south-east of the Arabian Peninsula lie seven emirate states which were formerly British protectorates. In 1971 they joined together to form the country which we now know as the United Arab Emirates.
Standing on the coast of Brittany in the north-west of France is the port of Brest which has a rich maritime history. Over the centuries the city has been settled by numerous civilisations including the Celts, Romans, Saxons, Franks and Normans.
Standing on the Garonne River in the Aquitaine region of France, the city of Bordeaux is famous worldwide as the capital of the country’s largest wine producing region.
Standing on the Thau Lagoon in Southern France, the historic fishing port of Sète is best known for being the terminus of the Canal du Midi. This incredible fete of 17th century engineering is a 240km canal which connects the Mediterranean with the Atlantic near Bordeaux. It is just one of five UNESCO World Heritage Sites which can be visited by cruise ship passengers from the Port of Sète.
With a history dating back to the Iron Age the deep-water harbour of Port-Vendres on the French Côte Vermeille has attracted many civilisations over the centuries. Today it is a charming port town which is home to a small fishing fleet and a stylish marina.
The city of Marseille dates back to 600 BC when it was founded by the Ancient Greeks. Over many centuries it has served as one of the Mediterranean’s most important trading posts and is well established as France’s largest port and second largest city.
Located on the coast of Provence between Marseille and Saint Tropez, Toulon is a relative newcomer to the world of tourism. Its main role for many years has been as home to one of France’s largest naval bases standing next to an old town which has suffered decades of decay.
