Tampa is the third-largest city of Florida and its chief treasure is its diversity. Historic and ultra-modern, even its buildings can beautifully recount its tale. The Tampa Theatre showing classic and art house films, for example, is turning eighty years old in 2006, and its architectural style is Florida Mediterranean including touches of Italian, Renaissance, Byzantine, Spanish, Mediterranean, Greek Revival, Baroque, and English Tudor. Yes, it is truly breath-taking.

Tampa is part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metropolitan region, most commonly referred to as the Tampa Bay Area. White, sugar sand beaches; boating; jet skiing; sport fishing; parasailing; and succulent seafood under the sun are some of the things that draw travelers here from around the world, year after year.

A few of Tampa’s landmarks are the Sulphur Springs Water Tower (a mysterious one); the Babe Zaharias Golf Course (a nice golf course in the Forest Hills area and officially a Historical Landmark); and The Story of Tampa (a public painting by Lynn Ash in the lobby of the Tampa Municipal Office Building since 2003). The Historical Hyde Park is a historical district in South Tampa with top quality architecture. Teenagers would love the world-famous Skatepark of Tampa where professional skateboarders flock to in January for the Tampa Am, and in March for Tampa Pro.

The Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa has an IMAX dome theater and there are a number of places to enjoy live theatre. In the night, it’s must to make a stop at the Ybor City, a National Historic Landmark District with many many nightclubs, bars, restaurants and other entertainment venues. Even during the day, Ybor City is a pleasure to visit. Here, Cuban sandwiches are hot and crisp, and cigars are hand-rolled.  There are also many interesting galleries and museums such as Artists Unlimited; Cigar Museum and Visitor; and the Graphicstudio.

Great places to shop, zoological gardens and aquaria – ask for just about anything and it’s right here in Tampa. Let’s hope your trip will be timely and you will witness the diversity of this fabulous city by adding some popular annual event into the bargain!