1 Paris, France

Topping the list is Paris chosen for its wide, tree-lined boulevards, street life and its iconic structures such as the Grand Palais, Eiffel Tower and Champs Elysses. So was Paris first in your list too?

2. Vancouver, Canada

It is known for its natural beauty. In this coastal city, open air is abundant–from the green west-end campus of the University of British Columbia to the enormous Stanley Park just outside downtown. In addition, both the snowcapped Coast Mountains and the Pacific Ocean provide a beautiful backdrop.

3. Sydney, Australia

Sydney is also praised for its natural beauty. The Sydney Harbor, the Bondi Beach and the Sydney Opera House are few of the main attractions in the city.

4. Florence, Italy

No list would be complete without this beautiful city, which is rich in history and architecture. So whether it is its gothic style Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore and the Uffizi Gallery or its spacious piazzas that are filled with cafés, Florence has lots to offer.

5. Venice, Italy

Another beautiful and mesmeric city from Italy that makes it in this list is Venice. It is a city on water and is rich with history.

6. Cape Town, South Africa

This is yet another city full of natural beauty and spectacular sights. Popular destinations here include Table mountain, Kirstenbosch botanical garden and V&A Waterfront.

7. San Francisco, USA

So were you wondering why no American cities were mentioned yet? Here they are! San Francisco is praised for its bridges (Golden Gate Bridge), Fisherman’s Wharf, hills, cable cars and the natural beauty.

8. Chicago, USA.

Again makes it to the list for its natural beauty. Millennium Park, Magnificent Mile and Shore of Lake Michigan are some of the places, which are the major attractions of this city.

9. New York City, USA

Need we say more? This universally loved city is also rich in architectural beauty. Manhattan’s majestic skyline and historic buildings, contrasted by the modern structures gives the city an individuality that just cannot be ignored.

10. London, UK

History, royalty, interesting sights and sounds makes this city beautiful. The must visit places in London would be The Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and Tower Bridge.

Cambodia might just be the destination for you. It conjures up images of its world-renowned ancient temple city, Angkor Wat. However, the country has lot more to offer besides that.

Cambodia has a lot of options for a tourist to see and explore, so if you are looking for a beach holiday, a trip in the wild, temples, history or simply for the cuisine, the country has it all.  It is not as famous as its neighbours are but just as stunning. This little country manages to pack a punch with its beauty.

Cambodia is a country rich in history. It has its roots in the 1st to 6th centuries in a state referred to as Funan, known as the oldest Indianized state in Southeast Asia. It was during this period that Cambodian language evolved, which is a part of the Mon-Khmer family, containing elements of Sanskrit.

Angkor Wat is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. It contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th centuries. The influence of Khmer art, as developed at Angkor, was a profound one over much of South-East Asia and played a fundamental role in its distinctive evolution. When French explorers discovered Angkor in the 19^th century, Siem Reap was little more than a village. With the return of Angkor to French control in 1907, Siem Reap began to grow. Siem Reap entered a long slumber with the advent of war from which it only began to awake in the mid-1990s. Today tourism is the livelihood of Siem Reap.

Phnom Penh is the capital city of Cambodia and also it’s largest. Phnom Penh has literally risen from the ashes to reassert its position as one of the must visit destinations in Southeast Asia. In 1975, it was choked with up to 2 million refugees from the war between the then U.S.-backed government and the Khmer Rouge. Following the fall to the Khmer Rouge in 1975, it was completely emptied of civilians and allowed to crumble for several years. As Cambodia’s economy have risen, so have a crop of new hotels and restaurants to aid in the tourist trade.

Koh Kong is the most southwestern province of Cambodia. It has a long undeveloped coastline with a mountainous, forested and largely inaccessible interior, which embraces part of the Cardamom Mountains and a section of Kirirom National Park. The place has beautiful waterfalls for tourists who are adventurous enough to explore it. Other interesting places to explore are Kampot (a riverside town), Bokor National Park (evergreen forest reserve), Kratie and Sihanoukville.

Travelling to Cambodia is not too difficult with most of the major airlines flying there.  It is a vastly unexplored country, so if you are looking for an out of the ordinary experience, go to Cambodia.

Sri Lanka has a lot to offer. So whether you are looking for a beach holiday, ayurveda holiday, wildlife holiday or a historic tour, Sri Lanka has it all. Some interesting places to visit are:

Bentota - If it is a beach holiday you are looking for, this is the place you should head to. Situated 90kms from Sri Lanka’s International Airport and 60 kms from its capital city, Bentota beach resort is a good destination for a family holiday. With scenic beaches facing the Indian Ocean that please the romantics, it also offers plenty of water sport activities for the adventurous kind.

Kandy - It is one of the most scenic cities of Sri Lanka. Famous for its temples, Kandy is the home of The Temple of The Tooth Relic – a highly venerable place for the Buddhist community of Sri Lanka and all around the world. It was declared by the UNESCO as a world heritage in 1988.

Colombo – It is the capital of Sri Lanka and the biggest and busiest city in the country. Colombo is a vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins. The largest and one of the busiest ports in Sri Lanka, the Colombo Harbor is located in this city.

Anuradhapura – It is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization. It was recently declared as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Galle – It is home to a magnificent Dutch fort, one of the most popular attractions where the Old Dutch atmosphere in still alive in this town. The town is surrounded by beaches and draws tourists throughout the year.

Sinharaja Forest Reserve - The hilly virgin rainforest, part of the Sri Lanka lowland rain forests eco region, was saved from the worst of commercial logging by its inaccessibility, and was designated a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and a World Heritage Site in 1988. The reserve’s name translates as Kingdom of the Lion.

Some other top destinations worth exploring are Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Negombo, Hikkaduwa, Dambulla and Sigirya.

With an all round pleasant weather, Sri Lanka is a year round destination, though the best time to visit would be from April to December. The country has a wide range of stay options too for travelers on various budgets. Whether you are a backpacker or a luxury traveler, Sri Lanka’s stay options will not disappoint. From five-star hotels, resort hotels, boutique properties and guest houses, to government-run rest houses (originally used by British colonists on their travels), you have plenty of options .

Of course, any holiday is incomplete without shopping in the itinerary. There are a number of things, which tourists can buy here. Sri Lanka is famous for its precious and semi-precious gemstones including Blue Sapphires, Red Rubies, Cat’s Eyes, Zircons, Garnets, Amethysts and Topaz. The thriving gems and jewelry industry dates back to ancient times. Sri Lanka is also famous for its tea estates and tea factories. So their world famous Ceylon tea should be on your must pick list! Other shopping options include various branded readymade garments at discounted rates.

What ’s more, most of the major airlines fly to Sri Lanka from India, so travel should not be a problem. Many of the travel websites offer exciting packages too. It may be just worth your while to check the deals out. Every city has its own identity; every place has its own history and story to tell, and that is what makes Sri Lanka a place worth exploring.

So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and get, set go!!

Meditation seeks to elevate you to a state of focus where you can rein in the thoughts running around in your mind, vying for your attention at the same time. In today’s time instead of thoughts, stressors compete to run amuck through our brain. We keep shuffling between things to worry about.

There are ways to make sure stressors do not catch up with you. You could keep an organizer, buy insurance or try meditating. The former two can be bought and made complete use of and are sure shot ways of keeping your life sorted. However, meditation is something that you have to work upon intrinsically to bring peace.

Our stresses affect not only the mind but also our health to a large extent. It has been proved that psychological stressors manifest as physiological outcomes. For example ulcers are very common among people who are burdened with stress.

Meditation frees the mind of all the clutter that causes us distress. It allows us to feel happiness, a feeling that gets stifled under all the worrisome things. There are different techniques of meditation, some follow a chant, some follow a single thought and concentrate on it. Spiritual meditation is not aligned to a certain religion; it is merely for your own benefit.

A calm and quite environ is the most suitable space for meditating. It’s difficult to find peace in a chaotic office environment or public transport or even in your house with the television blaring behind you. While meditating, it is important to follow certain postures to make sure that your body is in sync with the environment. These postures are easy to follow but if you want to try specific technical positions or ‘aasans’ then it is better to learn them from someone who is trained.

Meditation is a way where you give time to yourself to balance out your life. All it requires is some time from your side and a calm place. You can see the change that a calm mind brings and your confident and sorted self will manifest externally as well. Share if you know certain sure shot strategies of !

Every country in the world has its own established customs and traditions. Resultantly, when you travel to some foreign country from India, the people of that country would expect you to be, at the very least, aware of their customs to a certain extent. The primary reason why you should learn about the traditions and customs is that of etiquettes. Therefore, you should try to find out about the traditions and customs prevalent in the country that you are making travel plans for. The following are some examples of traditions and customs of the major countries of the world.

1. Japan:
   In Japan, the way to greet each other is to bow. This is one of the core traditions of the country and even if you are not prepared for it, it is likely that you will learn within a few hours of experiencing the country. Furthermore, if you have tea in Japan, then you should look to follow your host’s lead because the Japanese tea ceremony can be quite complicated for an outsider.
2. China: 
   China’s is one of the oldest civilisations in the world and hence is very much mired in a lot of traditions and customs. One very interesting custom of Chinese culture has to do with giving gifts. In China, people believe that good things happen in pairs. Hence, it is highly recommended that you give gifts that are even in number and not odd. 
3. Islamic countries:
   The cultures of Islamic countries also have a long and extensive history. Resultantly, the social etiquettes in these countries can also be quite exhaustive. One of the things worth remembering about Islamic cultures is their month of fasting. This period is known as Ramadan and is one of the five central pillars of this religion. In this period, you would find that the majority of locals fast from dawn till sunset. The purpose of this period is very intrinsic to Islamic beliefs i.e. spiritual purification and hence should not be taken lightly by an outsider.

Travel is an experience that is full of discoveries. Sometimes, unexpected events may play spoilsport. So it is recommended that you be prepared with important telephone numbers, travel insurance and even the medicines that you regularly take. Once these are taken care of, you can truly enjoy the culture of the land.

Travel Tips:

This application will open a new world for you where you can access smart tips on travelling, medical care during emergencies and a host of other tips that will be beneficial for you during your vacation. The travel tip application will also allow you to post comments on any topic related to travel and create a chain of communication, in turn enlightening yourself on places and lifestyle of people across the globe, especially stories or tips maybe you never knew about.

Search a tip:

In this section, you will find tips on what to find where and interesting tips on where to shop, what to explore, what rules to follow which will be shared or posted by people all across the globe including you.

Travel: This application will be extremely helpful to you as it offers tips on the various routes one can take to reach their choice of destination.

Stay: You will definitely be interested in knowing where to stay especially in unknown locations. This application will provide you with the appropriate information on the various hotels, reasonably priced one’s, which will ensure your comfortable stay.

Shop and Explore: Any place will have a shopper’s paradise located within the heart of the city. All the people wanting to get some authentic souvenir from the place they visit are in for a treat as this section will give them an insight on the places to shop and explore.

Do’s and Don’t s:Because of the fact that foreigners or tourists visiting a place may not know its lifestyle, rules and regulations, general habits of the locals, local food that is consumed etc., this section gives you a fair idea on the Do’s and Don’t s to be followed in a foreign land. .

Share Tips:

This section allows you to dip your finger into the pie and share your poll (likes) on the places to eat, shop, explore for the places you have visited.

Add Trips

Are you excited to share fun events of your trip on the global platform? Travel application on facebook provides you a chance to share how your trip was, what kind of adventure or shopping explorations you carried out, and also any fun story related to your trip.

Photo board

This section allows you the liberty to share your trip photos, the scenic beauty of a place, or any other pictures you would want to share with the whole world.

Invite Friends

Select people from the vast database of your friend list and share the travel tip application link with your friends and people you know. This will help more and more people to get access to the useful application and get a good idea of the trips they are planning.

 Summary:

With so many tips to read, this application will definitely guide you in the best possible way. It will also be a vast platform for everyone to reach out to the millions of people and share varied information on travel and travelling tips. Click here to visit our ‘Travel Tips’ Page on Facebook.

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden were the fifteen countries included in the Schengen area till 2007. Currently, the Schengen Area consists of twenty-five states. Visitors to Schengen countries can now receive a Schengen Visa which entitles them to travel freely throughout the Schengen Area.

Nine EU countries – the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Sloven joined the Schengen area after 2007. Ireland and The United Kingdom are the only EU member states that are not full members of the Schengen Area. Switzerland was the last country to join the Schengen Area and the agreement took place in 2008. Moreover, Iceland and Norway, being EU members have negotiated agreements with the EU in order to participate. Since non-Schengen countries seeking to join the Schengen Area must have upgraded border controls to ensure the integrity of the Schengen Area, countries like Cyprus had a delayed agreement. EU countries like Romania and Bulgaria are attempting to meet the necessary standards to be a part of the Schengen Area agreement.

Before the Schengen Agreement was implemented, most borders in Western Europe were guarded by having constant patrolling. And, a vast network of border posts existed around the continent, to check the identity and entitlement of people wishing to travel from one country to another. Visa requirements were different from a country to country and the possessors of visas to visit one European country would not necessarily be entitled to visit others without separate visas. The Schengen rules have made it mandatory for the participating countries to close their respective border posts. To implement this rule, the agreement has come up with Schengen Borders Code that emphasizes the free flow of traffic at the internal borders. Therefore, passengers travelling by road, rail and air no longer have to go through the identification process while crossing borders. A large number of international passengers have appreciated this act as it saves time and misrepresentation while travelling within Europe.

The Schengen Visa can be obtained for a period of a maximum of ninety days that can be spread over a period of six months. However, while planning your trip to these countries, you must keep in mind that you complete your travel during this allotted time frame as a lapse will force you to discontinue your stay in accordance with the Schengen rules as extensions are not easy to acquire. The Schengen Visa enables you to travel through the Schengen region via air, road or through train as each station is treated as a domestic trip. The Schengen Visa can be looked at as a visitor’s visa that is issued to people who want to travel to a number of these countries in one trip. Instead of obtaining multiple visas, one for each of these countries, the Schengen Visa cuts the extra visa expenses and allows tourists to travel across these countries using only this single visa. If you’re a visitor from a third country and have been granted the entry in the Schengen area then hassle-free travel experience is guaranteed. With the Schengen Visa, you can travel and stay in the Schengen area with the extension of 3 months.

You can get a Schengen Visa by filling out your own application form. The Schengen Visa guide is available online and can be downloaded easily. This guide gives you the step by step directions of all the things that you need to keep in mind while applying for Schengen Visa such as listing out your travel plans and providing the required documentation to support your travel. With the help of this guide you will be able to eliminate costs involved in hiring an immigration lawyer or a visa agent. You will just need to get the form, fill it and submit it at the designated embassy with the required paperwork. You can get your Schengen Visa with ease as long as you are travelling with the purpose of business, leisure or tourism. Once you fill up the form for Schengen Visa and meet other requirements, you are set to go. A requirement of additional document may create a need for you to furnish your valid passport papers, financial disclosure and employment information.

While you make your travel plans and get your Schengen Visa before knowing Schengen Visa procedure don’t forget to shop for travel insurance as well. When you apply for your Schengen visa, travel insurance including medical cover and repatriation is required to complete the process. Your travel insurance plan should cover the duration of the requested visa – annual insurance may be required if you are requesting a multi-entry visa. An affordable travel insurance plan is a clever step to manage your finances. You just have to keep in mind that your baggage is insured, you and your family will arrive conveniently. If you are a senior citizen going abroad, make sure that another person, below 70’s accompanies you. The travel insurance policy mostly includes a coverage for 120 days.

The advantages that come with a travel insurance policy also include a coverage of accidental death. In such cases, the insured sum is reimbursed. Treatment of any serious emergency illness, dental expenses, costs on any sudden accident and other medical expenses after going abroad is covered by a travel insurance. Always bear in mind that even the best planned trips can have their share of pitfalls with baggage getting lost, flights getting cancelled, trips getting delayed and worse of all falling sick and requiring medical attention or hospitalizations. All these incidents involve a lot of expenses which can be covered if you are suitably covered by your travel insurance.

Enjoy your journey across Europe with ease with the Schengen Visa and be doubly safe with the right travel insurance.

A holiday is all about being with your near and dear ones… away from pressures of normal life… no deadlines, no social engagements and few precious moments that refresh you throughout and bring great joy to life. The trend of spending holidays on a tour is likely to accentuate in the future as many tourist choose to spend their vacations on a tour.  Making an adventurous-nature-trip could be an interesting option for you. Read on more to know about making your tour enjoyable and  successful.

1. Tune into Nature

If you’ve already visited some of those ‘most popular’ destinations then this is a time for you to try something new. Choose such a destination that allows you to get connected with nature. Go for wildlife nature camps, jungle-walks, safaris, tribal tours where you can enjoy the natural surroundings without feeling endured. 

A simple nature-walk can be relaxing yet fun while a wildlife nature camp can bring you something extraordinary. Visiting tribal areas with special guides will add value to your overall tour experience and you will also get to see a completely different human culture. If you want to know the nature better and reconnect with yourself then ‘Ecotourism’ is worth trying.

2. Are you an adventuristic type?

If true adventure interests you then you should explore a place that gives you a chance to do hiking, rappelling, river rafting, mountain biking, skiing, paragliding and other such activities.

Doing these adventures is quite challenging and you will certainly go through thrilling experiences by taking up these challenges. You can also spend a day or two in sight-seeing once your adventure ride is over.

 Traditionally, the period from November to April is known as a global peak season for tourism. You can opt for both domestic and overseas tours to implement your travel plan. India, popular for its natural and cultural diversity can be a good destination. Every region in India has something interesting to offer which will enrich your travel experience.

If you have any plans to visit a foreign destination then check out some short-listed destinations from our Travel Guide that suit to your budget, interest and needs. So, plan your trip smartly and have fun.

 
Germany is a beautiful country to visit, especially if you’re interested in history or knowing historical elements that make a specific region different that the others. Germany is located in the heart of Europe and May to October is the best time to visit Germany. Festivals and popular events are organized during this time. Read on to know more about life in Germany…

Germany

All visitors must have valid passports (needs to be valid for 3 months beyond the departure date). Australian, Canadian and U.S. nationals do not require a visa for a less than 3-months visit. EU countries’ visitors must have a valid national ID, which could either be a passport or some other ID. EU countries’ visitors do not require a visa at all.

• Coastal Germany has temperate climate with warm summers and mild cloudy winters. The interiors are warmer during summers and winters are colder. Expect rain throughout the year. Carry clothing accordingly and do not forget an umbrella.
• Although banks are shut on weekends, exchange bureaus at the airport and main stations remain open everyday between 6:00 A.M. and 10:00 P.M.
• In Germany, it is advised that you change currencies only at the banks or legitimate exchange bureau.
• Cash your traveler’s checks at exchange bureaus as banks would seldom accept it. Although Germans prefer cash transactions, nowadays major credit cards are being widely accepted.
• Probably the most convenient and quickest way to obtain cash would be at an ATM.
• In Germany, unless asked, do not address people by their first names. Also take a small gift such as unwrapped flowers or a bottle of champagne for the hostess. Make sure that you take uneven number of flowers and that they are not red roses.
• Courtesy states that on entering stores or restaurant use greeting such as Guten Tag before asking for anything. Also do not offend the Germans by just leaving without saying anything. The phrase to be used here is Auf Wiedersehen or Tschuss.
• Normally casual dressing is acceptable, but in theaters, opera, certain restaurants, casinos and important social functions one must be appropriately dressed.
• Smoking is banned wherever notified, public transports and buildings. Restaurants and bars are exempted.

Food

• Food joints and restaurants offer variety of foods, which are European specialities. Try some delicious Veg and Non-veg German Cuisine with the local brand of beer available. Don’t miss on freshly baked German Cheesecake.

Local Beer

• Shops generally remain open between 10:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M.- Monday to Saturday. The bigger stores, departmentals and supermarkets may remain open till 8:00 P.M. Countryside stores close by 6:00 P.M. and usually shut down for an hour in the afternoon.
• If the service charge is not added to the bill leave a 5 to 10 per cent tip on the check amount. Also tip the cleaning staff, hairdressers, porters and taxi drivers in small amounts.
• Non-EU visitors require an international driving license or an official German translation.
• In order to hire a car you have to be a minimum of 21 years of age and require a valid driver’s license and a major credit card.
• Germany drives on the right and overtakes on the left. Always.
• If there are no signals/traffic police/sign indicating right-of-way, then right-of-way is always valid for traffic coming from right. This is true also for small side streets and main roads intersections.
• German laws are very strict on drunken driving. Front and rear seat belts are mandatory everywhere. Hand held mobiles while driving are not allowed.
• There are no tolls to be paid on the German Autobahns.
• Radar traps to monitor speeds are frequent in Germany. Maintain speed limits while driving. Within cities the limit is 50 kph and two-lane highways 100 kph. Although most motorways or autobahns do not specify a speed limit, avoid topping over 130 kph.
• Public toilets are easily available in Germany. They are marked as Toilette or WC. Larger cities would have spherically shaped or automatic cubic “boxes.”These toilets operate on coins of up to 50 Eurocents or even 1 Euro. Therefore keep some change handy. Also at several of these washrooms you will find attendants. Do leave small tip for them.
• Choose the correct toilet. ‘Manner’ is for men whereas women’s toilet would have ‘Damen’ or ‘Frauen’ sign boards.
• A comprehensive travel insurance is advised for all travelers. Travelers can either purchase it from their respective countries or from the Insurance agencies in France. Remember, doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.
• For medical emergencies (ambulance) call 112 and 110 for police.

(Reference resources – http://www.worldtravelguide.com)

          Who is not excited to visit France?  France is officially known as French Republic and the capital of France is Paris.  Baroque architecture and Gothic Art are said to have been born in this incredibly interesting and historic land. French language, french fashion and french wine are world-famous and you should explore this classic country at least once in life. Read on to know more about France…

Eiffel Tower

 Before planning a trip to France, get a detailed weather update, especially the cities you plan to cover. Find their rainiest months, average temperatures etc.

 While in bigger cities such as Nice or Paris you may get away with English, but in rural areas it is slightly difficult if you have no knowledge of French. Generally, French people regard it to be rude if you address them in English, they may not respond or pretend not to know English. So, do know the few basic and important words and carry a English to French dictionary.

- Most people would make Paris synonymous with France. Please note that apart from Paris, there are whole lot of interesting and beautiful places you may include in your itinerary-e.g. Lyon, Strasbourg, Bordeaux etc.

 - Choosing the correct rail pass is very important-it differs depending upon the number of passengers or countries or places within France that you intend to visit and save money accordingly. There is a wide variety to choose from, a brief list of which is given below- select as per your need:
a)     France Single-Country Rail Pass
b)     France Saver Pass
c)     France Youth Pass
d)     France Senior Pass
e)     Point-to-point Ticket
f)      Rail ‘N Drive Pass
g)     France ‘N Italy and France ‘N Spain Pass
h)    Eurostar (for London)
i)     Eurail Select (for adjoining 3 to 5 countries) Pass or Eurail Pass (For 17 countries).

France is undoubtedly very pretty, but be prepared to encounter and accept their negatives as well. It is fairly common to find dog litter in France-it could be the parks, sidewalks anywhere- so be careful while treading on foot.

Mona Lisa

• Look out for “non-stop” signs on shops and restaurants as they do not shut down in the afternoon. Get the opening and break timings right for any places you will visit on your trip. Same applies for the Museums.

-  Carry minimal Euros from your hometown. In France you may avail them from the numerous ATMs which provide generous and best rate of exchange, you may use your credit card for the same purpose. However, do confirm it with your bank beforehand about the usability, withdrawal limit, any surcharges on foreign withdrawals etc. Never go to the moneychangers, they charge exorbitant commissions and their exchange rates are horrible.

•  Banks are open from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. with maybe a couple of hours break in the afternoon.
• Make sure that your ATM pins are not over four digits as French system may not accept them. Also, they should be numbers and not letters.
• Do carry a Five-Language Translator preferably the talking one. French is absolutely must here especially if you are on your own and need help for routes, menus etc.
• The Electricity runs on 220 volts. Make sure you are carrying a Voltage transformer as well as an adapter.
• In France minimum age required to drive is 18. Carry your license and proof of insurance coverage and certificate.

- Get refund on your vat payments on purchase of 1200 francs or more. The stores would furnish the forms which you deposit with the custom officials on departure. Your credit cards are refunded the amounts between 13 to 19.6 percent or you shall receive it via mail in a few days. (To avail this benefit the stay in France should be less than 6 months in case of U.S. citizens.)

• For international calls from France first dial 00 followed by country code, area code and then the telephone number. Use calling cards or bank cards to call from public booths. Calling cards are easily available in Metros, hospitals, airports etc.
• Using a public washroom in France is no mean task. It is slightly difficult to locate one in the first place and they can be difficult to handle ( if it is not out of service). Carry change of 5 or 10 centimes as you have to insert it in the slot for the door to open and then shut behind you automatically. Make sure you come out within 15 minutes or the doors would open automatically. Although it may be wet and slightly dirty, it is disinfected after each use.

- Better option therefore is to use a cafe (save their receipts, they have a code to let you enter the rest rooms)or mall restrooms. Now, French toilets do not have flushing at the rear- it could be a foot pedal, a chain hanging from above, at some places maybe one or a couple of buttons on top (both have to be used in order to flush) or it could be a rectangular block on the wall behind with either a pull or push option.

• While you take a tour of France, enjoy the local food with the famous french wine. 
  

  French wine and food

   

• Since tips are assessed for taxation purpose under French Laws, restaurants, cafes and others levy a 15 percent service charge to your bill. You may leave additional tip of 5 to 10 percent for a pleasant dining experience. Taxi drivers expect a 10-15 per cent tip on the fares. Also tip the porters on per bag basis and room maids on per day basis.

- A comprehensive travel insurance is advised for all travelers. Travelers can either purchase it from their respective countries or from the Insurance agencies in France. Remember, doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.

In case of any emergency, call 112

(Reference sources: http://www.worldtravelguide.com, http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/DF_tourism.shtml, http://www.intransit-international.com/services_french_immigration_france.html)