Throw caution to the wind and take yourself to the iconic glittering skyline of New York. You won’t regret it – the city delivers everything it promises and much, much more.

The diverse population of New York brings it to life each day and night in hip restaurants, too cool for school art galleries and lively bars and nightclubs. Even the streets are awash with energy – from street carts selling legendary pretzels, to street performers, from joggers in Central Park to domino players in Columbus Park.

As they say, New York is the city that never sleeps, and you won’t want to either once you see how much there is to do. Here’s a tiny offering from the exhaustive list of things to do in the big apple:

Nightlife: We’ve all seen Sex & the City, and we all know that New York is packed with cool bars and nightclubs……but perhaps the coolest club night at the moment is at Libation. Every 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of the month the Lower East side club erupts with soulful house music and hundreds of party-eager New Yorkers at this infamous club night. If house is your thing, then plan your trip wisely, you don’t want to miss this. If you’re after something more relaxed then a rooftop bar could do the trick. Check out Press for an impressive 360-degree view of downtown Manhattan and swanky 20-foot reflecting pool, 16 floors above the city streets.

Restaurants: For an eclectic dining experience head to Brooklyn, where the eccentric Roberta’s makes dinner a memorable event. Nestled in amongst the loading docks of Bushwick, this unusual eating option boasts its own radio station and rooftop vegetable garden. For as little as $12 you can feast on the ex-pizza place’s rustic produce and football-sized calzones.

Culture: New York is filled with wonderful galleries such as The Met, but after you’ve looked at some art, you might be inspired to create your own. The Art Students League has been running since 1875 and offers over 130 classes in 6 main creative genres. Classes aren’t set by any skill, meaning that by the end of the day you could be a pro at anything: from painting to wood sculpture. The league also gives visitors the chance to have their artwork displayed in a city renowned for creativity, as the centre has a student gallery.

Old meets new in the extraordinary city of Dubai: the ultimate luxury tourist resort and desert playground for the rich and famous.

An average day here could start by causally browsing a traditional spice souk and end with some swimming at The World – a magnificent artificial development of islands which emulate the shape of every country to scale.

The contrasts go on and on, from the breath-taking Islamic domes of Jumeirah Mosque to the ground-breaking design of the sail shaped Burj Al Arab hotel (known as the world’s only seven star accomodations), Dubai is full of surprises.

Here’s some of the best ways to relax in Dubai’s contrasting landscape:

Hotels: A city of pure indulgence, Dubai is built on crazy money and littered with plush hotels – so prepare to lap up the luxury. It’s a hard job, but somebody’s got to do it! We recommend checking out the world renowned Atlantis resort on beautiful Palm Island. Bask on miles of sandy golden beach, treat yourself to some award winning fine dining, relax in the spa or get to grips with nature by swimming with the resort’s friendly dolphins.

Sights: If you can pull yourself away from the beach, take a wander round some of the sights of old Dubai, such as the beautiful Bastakiya Quaters, where dramatic narrow lanes, traditional courtyard houses and tall wind towers leave a record of the city’s exotic past. In days gone by, these wind towers were the only means of cooling buildings in the blistering desert heat.

Festivals and Shops: Dubai has a festival for every month of the year, so there will be no excuse not to celebrate something! Even shopping is celebrated in January at the month-long Shopping Festival. Concerts, children’s entertainment and firework shows break up the bargain hunting as thousands of tourists arrive in Dubai for the event which involves almost every shop in the city!

And remember, Dubai is home to many world records……..including Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, so take your camera!

Find great prices on cheap direct and non direct flights from London Heathrow Airport by using the Flights Direct search engine.

Iraqi Airways has announced that it will operate its first commercial flight from Baghdad to the British capital for more than 20 years on Saturday (24 April).

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UK airspace is open once again following a blanket six-day ban which resulted in the cancellation of 95,000 flights across Europe.

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Barcelona is usually agreeable year-round, though the humidity in summer can be debilitating, particularly when it’s overcast. Many shops, bars and restaurants close (especially during August). Public transport and cinemas can overcompensate for the summer heat with bracing air-conditioning.

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