THE HISTORY OF EXPO THROUGH ITS MAIN STAGES - ACTUALITY

Journey through the history of Expo: from Milan to Paris via Lisbon. Here are the main stages of the universal exhibition

You may not have visited it yet - you have until October 31, 2015 to do so - but surely you have heard of Expo 2015, the extraordinary universal event that in this edition, with the theme "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life", aims to give visibility to tradition, creativity and innovation in the food sector.

Expo includes 6 months of shows, meetings, conferences, events within a site entirely dedicated and built on the outskirts of Milan.

But which were the main cities in the world that hosted this great exhibition? Let's retrace its main stages and, if you feel like visiting the places that made its history, we give you some addresses for a comfortable and not too expensive stay.

2010 - Shanghai

The 2010 Shanghai Expo, with the theme "Better city, better life", has remained in history thanks to the two records achieved: the record for the most expensive exhibition ever (about 4.3 billion dollars) and that of the most visited (over 70 million visitors, mostly Chinese). Among the few structures that survived this edition of Expo is the Italian pavilion, one of the most popular, transformed into a permanent center dedicated to the culture of our country.

To visit the city, Hotels.com suggests staying in Shanghai at the Dorsett Shanghai Shanghai (starting from € 71 per room per night), equipped with every comfort and not far from the heart of the city.

1998 - Lisbon

The Lisbon Expo, with the theme "The Oceans, a Heritage for the Future", is remembered for being one of the largest music festivals in history; between 22 May and 30 September, in fact, 5,000 groups and musicians performed.
On the occasion of the Universal Exposition, an old industrial area was redeveloped, transformed into the Park of Nations (Parque das Nações), which has since been one of the main tourist attractions of the city. It is here that the Oceanarium is also located, one of the largest and most species-rich aquariums in the world.

To visit Lisbon you can choose to stay at the Holiday Inn Lisbon Continental Lisbon, (starting from € 80 per room per night) perfect for both leisure and business trips. The property is also easily connected to the city center.

1929 - Barcelona

The Barcelona Universal Exposition of 1929 managed to obtain the longest exposure record in history: started in May 1929, thanks to its immense success, it was extended until January 1930. It was the driving force of a remarkable urban development of the city, of which remains numerous testimonies, including the Montjuic hill and the Plaça d "Espanya, but also many buildings that have become real symbols: the Palau Nacional, the Font màgica, the Teatre Grec, the Poble espanyol and the Lluís Olympic Stadium Companys.

To visit Barcelona you can stay at the BCN Urban Gran Ronda Barcelona (starting from € 85 per room per night), located in the central area and conveniently served by public transport.

1889 - Paris

The supremacy of the most famous Expo goes undoubtedly to the prerogative of the Universal Exposition of Paris in 1889, which left to posterity the famous Tour Eiffel, built to be used as an entrance arch. The famous iron tower should have been demolished twenty years later, but it was saved thanks to the great fame it achieved, becoming a true symbol of the city of lights.
An excellent opportunity to visit one of the most romantic cities in the world and enjoy a breathtaking view of the city from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

If you want to stay in Paris you can choose the elegant Hotel Edouard VI (starting from € 88 per room per night) which combines a central location and an affordable price.

1851 - London

London was the first capital to host the Expo, back in 1851. It was the government, and more particularly the Prince Consort Albert who in 1849 decided to promote the organization of a large exhibition that would, these are his words , “Including the whole world.” The site would have been the Hyde Park lawn in Kensington Street where the Crystal Palace was built. permanent space for exhibitions and events, but it was destroyed by fire in 1936. What attracted attention was mainly the exotic pavilions: those linked to explorers and colonies, and the restaurant, called Gastronomic Symposium of all Nations, where you could taste food from all over the world. The success was enormous, so much so that with the money obtained from the entrance tickets, the Natural History Museum in London was built and the land purchased for the building. ne of the V&A Museum.

Want to stay in the romantic Notthing Hill area? You can choose the Blue Bells Hotel (from € 111 per room per night) and hope to meet, like Julia Roberts, the handsome Hugh Grant!