Ten shopping capitals of the world

Ten things you never knew about India

There has got to be no other country in the world that is such an assault on the senses as India.

India surprises with its unusual customs, lifestyle and often confronts you with some quite shocking traditions.

It’s diverse and enigmatic – so to lift the lid on some of those enigmas, here are Booked.net‘s 10 things you never knew.

Top cities to visit in Ukraine

IT was a country that remained an enigma to the rest of the world.

It was largely undiscovered; a country many placed the word “the” in front of and a place dominated by outdated stereotypes.

But Ukraine has come of age.

Ukraine turned 21 in 2012 and finally appears to be shaking off the ghosts of the Soviet Union, this year also marked the country sharing hosting right with neighbors Poland for the Euro 2012 UEFA European Football Championship – the world’s third-largest sporting event.

The eyes of the sporting world turned toward Eastern Europe as the continent’s top 16 national teams battled in the four-week football festival. But it was away from the soccer pitch that Ukraine won hearts.

Largely overlooked and undiscovered by tourists, that looks set to change as the world is beguiled and charmed by this country set in the center of Europe.

Here are Ukraine’s top cities.

More highlights from “Capture the Seasons”

NOW November is upon us and autumn draws to a close, the team at Booked.net wants to revisit some more entries in our blogger promotion “Capture the Seasons”.

The entries are still trickling in, and where better to start then with some images of the current season in the northern part of the world – autumn/fall.

Without further delay, here are some more highlights from bloggers across the world.

Seven out of the ordinary places to visit in Paris

THE true face of Paris is in its unknown sights, such as A Cat House on the Trocadero, The Opera Bastille – a meeting place for informal groups, Le Marais, Mare Quarter and others.

Everyone knows the obvious things to see and do in Paris – visit the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees and much has been written about these sights.

So Booked.net’s Svetlana Malukha explores seven points of interest in Paris that are not usually included in tourist itineraries.

Creepy, yet tasty, ideas for your Halloween Party

ON the Eve of Halloween, as people put the finishing touches on their Halloween costumes, some people like to let their creativity flow beyond their apparel.

Booked.net writer Svetlana Malukha presents some ideas for a Halloween party menu.

If you decided to organize a party at home, these easy, but scary dishes will bring a little Halloween spirit to your  table.

Weird fall holidays in the US

WHILE people wait for the festive season and as the days grow longer and colder that wait can seem an eternity.

However, as Booked.net’s Svetlana Malukha reports, there are still some unusual and even awkward events throughout the lead-up to Christmas.

However, in all likelihood you’ll have never heard of them.

Of course, these holidays do not mean a day off work, but they can bring something new and fresh this gloomy time of year.

Extraordinary and unexpected items stolen from hotels

NOTHING is safe when it comes to hotel rooms.

It seems if it is not screwed down it can be taken.

You will not surprise anyone if you take a mini shampoo bottle or a sample of body lotion home with you.

The same goes for food, robes, slippers and towels.

However, sometimes the things guests steal are nothing short of weird.

Booked.net writer Svetlana Malukha charts some of the more unusual things to disappear from hotels and asks the question”why?”

Celebrities in the Halloween spirit

Lady Ghoulga: Lady Gaga puts her best(?) Halloween face forward.

EVERY year the eve of October 31 turns ordinary people into different creatures as the world marks the dark and macabre elements of the occasion or lighten the mood with pop culture references and the comedic. You can see everything from the horrific and scary – beasts, ghouls and witches through to the hilarious such as King-Kong, and superheroes.

Celebrities naturally never miss parties devoted to Halloween to demonstrate their taste and uniqueness, so fans can not wait to see their idols’ costumes on this year’s Halloween party circuit. After all dressing up as someone else is a job description in Hollywood, so it’s no surprise that celebrities pull out all stops when Halloween rolls around.

Booked.net’s Svetlana Malukha has rounded up the most creative, clever, and downright outrageous costumes from the A-list Halloween parties of the past.

Royal retreat – the world’s greatest castles

FOR most of us, visiting a castle is the closest we will ever get to living like royalty.

They fascinate us, inspire both awe and terror, but most of all they provide a glimpse into a world most of us will never know.

The structures we traditionally associate with castles have a history spanning 1000 years in Europe. However their form and function has evolved over the centuries.

Where once they were created as fortresses on hills or surrounded by moats to protect and serve as the homes of  rulers, they were symbols of military power, with the coming of more peaceful times they simply became elaborately decorated follies and bore testament to the excessive wealth of their owners.

Functional or decorative, the one thing all castles have in common is they were built to stand the test of the time.

Booked.net presents our picks of the world’s greatest castles. Some have great historical and cultural significance, others are familiar because of being on the big or small screen, while some made the list for their over-the-top extravagance.