Nicknamed the "Cigar City" and "Sunshine City", Tampa is a small and exciting urban centre on the edge of Tampa Bay. Located on the West Coast of Central Florida, Tampa offers year-round warmth and is a great base for access to the rest of the state and its many varied attractions. In recent years the city has seen considerable economic growth and revitalisation. It offers a strong cultural infrastructure including museums, the Cuban-influenced Ybor City district, and Busch Gardens, one of the most popular theme parks in the state of Florida.
Downtown Tampa is located on the eastern bank of the Hillsborough River on the Western Gulf Coast of Florida. Water, in fact, wraps around the region's miles of coastline, providing scenic lookouts and passageways for dolphins and manatees amongst other creatures. The beaches are excellent and there are plenty of opportunities for fishing either from the shore or in deep-sea waters.
Sport is very popular in the Tampa area with plentiful golf courses and academies such as the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy. A host of golfing events take place each year. In addition, baseball, basketball and American Football provide lots of spectator action. In 2009, Tampa Bay will host its fourth Super Bowl.
There is easy access to the region’s many theme parks including Busch Gardens, an African-themed amusement park with roller-coasters and other thrilling rides. The Florida Aquarium is another popular family attraction.
The city itself offers a range of excellent museums and theatres, such as the Henry B. Plant Museum, and was recently awarded the distinction of "Top Arts Destination” by American Style Magazine. There are regular festivals, for example, the famous Gasparilla pirate festival takes place every January.
The district known as Ybor City in the north-east of Tampa was once the historic heart of the country's cigar industry and many Cubans moved to the city to assist in the manufacturing. At one time 700 million cigars a year were produced here. Tampa's domination of the domestic cigar industry came to an abrupt end in 1959 when Fidel Castro's revolution lead to a US embargo on Cuban products, sending Ybor City and the rest of Tampa into a 30-year decline. Today, it is estimated that 10% of Tampa’s population are Hispanic and Latino culture strongly influences the cuisine and culture of the area. In the early 1990s, Ybor City was officially designated a national historic district. A period of transformation followed and now this area is the hub of Tampa's nightlife contributing to Tampa’s economic revival.
Climate
From June to September Tampa can get very hot and the high humidity plus frequent afternoon showers often make it very steamy. December to May is considered to be the most pleasant time of year with average temperatures between 15°C and 27°C (60°F and 80°F) and much less rain.
Getting There
Major US and Canadian flag carriers as well as British Airways and KLM have regular scheduled flights to Tampa International Airport located 5 miles (8km) west of the downtown area.
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is across the bay and offers another option for air travellers, particularly those flying from Canada and other US states as a number of low-cost and charter airlines such as Sunwing and CanJet use this airport.
Florida has several other major international airports. Orlando Sanford International Airport, about 100 miles (160km) from Tampa, is serviced by a number British charter flights from UK regional airports. First Choice, Monarch, My Travel, Thomas Cook Airlines, Thomsonfly, Travel City Direct and XL Airways all fly here. Flyglobespan and Icelandair also offer regular flights from the UK. Orlando International Airport, Miami International Airport, and Fort Lauderdale International Airport also receive flights from major UK, Canadian and US carriers.
Amtrak rail services Tampa via the Tampa Union Train Station. There are also several cruise ships which make use of the Port of Tampa with Mexican and Caribbean departures.
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