Archive for the ‘Cities’ Category
With seven beaches to enjoy, Barcelona is an ideal choice for a seaside holiday. The city has so much else to offer, however, that many visitors go nowhere near the sea. The airport is only 12 kilometres from the centre, and a low cost train and the A1 Aerobus run regularly throughout the day. The city also has an underground metro system which is fairly easy to navigate. Holidaymakers who plan to rely on the metro system can buy a T-1 ticket which is valid for ten rides.
Many visitors to Barcelona say the food is the highlight of the trip. Tapas Bars are a great choice for dinner, where diners can order a selection of hot and cold snacks to literally fill the table top and share leisurely throughout the evening.. Octopus is a popular Barcelona favourite, as are traditional dishes such as tortilla Española, a Spanish omelette, and patatas bravas, potatoes spiced with paprika in olive oil. Some of Spain’s best sparkling wines also come from the region.
Barcelona also offers a wide variety of shops for holidaymakers. The El Born district is made up of fashion boutiques, and Passeig de Gracia and Avinguda Diagonal also contain a number of shops to occupy the day.
One of Barcelona’s most famous buildings is La Sagrada Familia, a stunning building designed by the well known architect Antoni Gaudi. Work has been ongoing on this building since 1882 and is not due to be completed until approximately 2020. The Park Guell is one of Gaudi’s outdoor masterpieces and is filled with architectural surprises. The Picasso museum houses over 3000 works by the artist, and is very popular with tourists.
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Eight hours south of Beijing by train is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Pingyao. It is the largest completely walled-in, fully functioning town in the world with many of the original old buildings still standing.
This was once the ancient financial hub of China, though know it feels as if you are very much walking on the set of a Kung Fu movie.
Accommodation in Pingyao is like taking a wonderful, romantic step back in time. Beautiful, traditional Chinese courtyard guesthouses abound here, giving holidaymakers a sense of total immersion in this living memorial to China’s rich past and amazing culture.
Tourists can buy one ticket that allows admission to all the main tourist attractions, such as the museum and bell tower that dominates the town centre in a diminutive way.
The financial museum is well worth a trip, with much of its original fixtures and fittings still intact. Alternatively, a marvellous way to get round and get lost in the town’s traditional narrow streets is to hire a bicycle for the day and explore it on your own terms. Like everywhere else in China, the food here is delicious. Standards are high across the board in pretty much all the restaurants. There is much to feast on here, for both famished stomachs and hungry eyes eager to catch a glimpse of the past in a speedily modernising China.
Floating in the Mediterranean Sea, Ibiza is one of the Spanish Balearic Islands. Despite being better known throughout the world for its hedonistic party scene, Ibiza is also rich in terms of its natural beauty and its cultural heritage. To begin to appreciate the latter, Old Town is the best place to start. A drawbridge allows visitors to enter Dalt Vila, or ‘High Town’, and from there onto the Palza de Vila, which spreads out into an array of cobblestoned streets, lined with gift shops and galleries. Amazing panoramas of the surrounding region can be obtained from the battlements, which have been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Artefacts dating back to 7BC can be found in the Museo Arqueològic and the Museo Monografico del Puig de Molins is thought to house the biggest European collection of Punic art. Other landmarks include the 20th century Homenaje a los Corsarios and the statues of General Vara de Rey and Guillem de Montgrí.
In order to relax before a big night out, boat rides are available in the Marina Botafoch or you can dine on fresh seafood in the district of Sa Penya. Most people travel here, however, for the party atmosphere Ibiza is so renowned for. Calle de la Virgen is particularly well known for its lively ambiance. Partygoers can find some of the biggest club names, including Pacha, Privilege, and Amnesia. Despite the festive atmosphere, Ibiza retains a relaxed Spanish as well as festive feel and those wishing to scratch below the clubbing surface will not be disappointed.
The Festival de Cannes is drawing to a close and soon the ‘A’ List celebrities will be swanning off home after pedalling their latest project at the world famous film festival. Cannes is famously know as a super glamorous destination on the French Rivera, along with Saint Tropez and Monaco, however when the film festival is in town it sets itself apart from the other places and becomes the ‘it’ place to be.
Yachts line the marina and not a night goes by when some fabulous party or another is being thrown on board. It may be hard to imagine for us mere mortals living like this, however you can sample a bit of the highlife yourself, without having to splash the cash with a cruise holiday. France features highly on many of the itineraries of most of the major cruise lines, with the opportunity to sail round the Cote de Azure and stopping off in ports such as Toulon, Cannes, Marseille and Villefranche. It’s all about experiencing little tasters of the high life when you dock in these ports, as well as onboard your cruise ship.
When you take a Mediterranean cruise holiday, France isn’t the only port of call you stop off at all sorts of diverse countries where you can explore a huge range of different cultures, which is why it’s the most popular cruise destinations for British travellers. You can soak up the sights in Spain including famous attractions in ports such as Palma, Majorca and Barcelona. As well as indulge in the history of Italy and Greece, with ease as you visit top tourist sites including UNESCO World Heritage sites.
York is a major city in the north of England, with a great number of historic attractions that draw tourists from across the world during the summer season. It is also a dynamic modern city that has everything to offer the modern tourist looking for a combination of cultural heritage combined with full amenities.
Both within the city itself and around the outskirts, there are many choices of accommodation to choose from. These include family-run bed and breakfasts as well as grand hotels, and your choice will depend on personal preference. Increasing numbers of visitors to York are opting for self-catering holiday apartments and villas to allow them to make their own catering arrangements and itineraries.
The big attractions of York are situated mainly in the area of the Old City, delimited by impressive white walls that are 600 years old but still in excellent condition. A walk around the ramparts is one of the attractions here, and in fact you can see everything of interest on foot.
York Minster dominates the city even now, and if you want a panoramic view of the whole region you cannot do better than climb one of its impressive twin towers. Just a stone’s throw from there is the Shambles, and you will see why it is called that as soon as you enter this maze of narrow alleyways that was obviously constructed before anyone had thought of town planning.
The Jorvik Viking Centre is a must-see with its displays of Viking life when they ruled York a millennium ago.
York skyline with York Minster
Picture courtesy of andyspictures
The Mediterranean has long been a favourite holiday destination for thousands of tourists. The area benefits from one of the best climates in Europe and is home to many well-known attractions, including such cities as Rome, Athens, Cairo and Jerusalem, islands like Crete and Rhodes and popular beach resorts in Spain, Italy and Turkey. There are many different types of Mediterranean cruises and cruise operators, such as Royal Caribbean, P&O and Princess Cruises, each of which can offer a different holiday package depending on your taste and budget.
A popular type of Mediterranean cruise is the city stop tour. The cruise ship sails around the Mediterranean, with the chance every one or two days to stop at a new city. In Athens, Greece, visitors can travel to the Acropolis, the ruined city dating back to Greek antiquity. In Barcelona, Spain, the Olympic Stadium and Spanish village as well as a lively social scene are the main attractions. Nice, France, is renowned for its weather, high-end shops and entertainment as well as the chance to spot some of the world’s most famous people.
Venice, Italy, has plenty of attractive historic buildings to admire, and is built on a series of small islands crisscrossed by canals and open water vistas. Cairo, Egypt, is home to the Pyramids, grand mosques and an historic city centre that welcomes visitors all year round. Jerusalem, Israel, is one of the oldest cities in the world and a place of pilgrimage for many people all around the world.
The best part of a cruise holiday is that you can easily visit the destinations above without having to worry about getting yourself there and food and accommodation when there as it is all provided for.
Are you star-struck? Then the best place for your next holiday is Los Angeles, California (USA). The centre of the television and movie universe, you will be able to enjoy good weather while rubbing elbows with stars of today and tomorrow.
Start with the movie and television studios. Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, Disney and Paramount are just some of the big-name studios, but you are more likely to have a chance to actually talk with a movie professional at some of the smaller names, like Dreamworks (now a subsidiary of Paramount), Raleigh and Sunset-Gower.
If you prefer television to movies, check out the tours of locations like the NBC television studios in Burbank, California, or get tickets to the Tonight Show or one of the many morning or game shows. Studios are always looking for people to be in the audience, and there is no reason you cannot be one of them. Imagine the thrill of being chosen to play The Price Is Right or another game show!
Of course, stars can be found everywhere, including at famous Venice Beach and the Santa Monica Pier. Take a day and relax in the sun and sand. People-watching is a favourite pastime, and you will not be disappointed, no matter when you go.
No visit to the Los Angeles area is complete without a visit to a theme park. Choose from Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, or Six Flags Magic Mountain. Spend a day on the roller coasters, eating theme park food, and walking until the soles fall off your shoes, just do not leave without a mouse-ears hat.
Hollywood Los Angeles
Picture courtesy of Derek Purdy
One of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States is the city of Las Vegas, with people being attracted in droves thanks to the glitz, glamour and, of course, gambling. Over the last few years, more and more direct flights to Las Vegas have started to be offered from UK airports, cutting down the travel time by eliminating lengthy layovers at regional American airports and, at the same time, lowering prices.
Although Las Vegas has a reputation as a gambler’s paradise, these days the city is a much more well rounded tourist destination and offers visitors far more than just cards, dice and slots. The many huge hotels and resorts which make up the world famous ‘Strip’ all contain multiple theatres, restaurants, bars, clubs, amusement arcades, shops and other more family friendly attractions such as aquariums, zoos and roller coasters.
The warm weather that Las Vegas experiences almost year round thanks to its location also lends itself to a more traditional holiday than many people expect, with all large hotels having swimming pool complexes which allow guests to relax poolside during the day. For those looking for a more upbeat daytime experience, some hotels offer ‘party pools’, where the water is little more than something to keep revellers cool.
Just because Las Vegas has become more than a gambler’s paradise, though, doesn’t mean that those who enjoy a flutter will be short changed. The ground floors of the casinos are still full of tables and slot machines, the poker rooms are still bustling and the sportsbooks are still some of the busiest and best places to watch sports.
Las Vegas
Picture courtesy of http2007
There are a wide range of cruise holiday 2011 choices to take in the Mediterranean, with a great variety of top destinations with plenty to take in and you couldn’t possibly take it all in on one cruise holiday, which is probably why people come back time and time again. There are a great number of diverse countries to see with plenty of history to soak up as well as the sun. You can look at taking either a fly cruise holiday where you can join your ship in a number of ports such as Palma, Majorca, Barcelona, Venice or many more. Alternatively you could sail from one of the UK ports without the worry or stress of the airport.
Santorini, Greece
Picture courtesy of BluEyedA73
The Mediterranean is always a popular choice for Brit travellers, however taking a cruise holiday will enable you to see a lot more as well as fit a lot more into your holiday, compared to a package holiday, as well as letting you enjoy the beautiful Mediterranean sunshine. If you would prefer you could opt for a cruise and stay holiday, this enables you to literally drop anchor at the end of your weeks cruise and stay at one of many beachfront resorts, whether it’s in Spain, Greece, France or even Italy.
Naples
Picture courtesy of eric.prost
The shorter Mediterranean cruises of around a week tend to stick to either the Western Mediterranean or the Eastern Mediterranean. In the west you can stop off at ports such as Malaga, Nice, Barcelona, Valencia, Naples and Rome. In the east you can cruise to ports such as Rome, Sicily, Dubrovnik, Athens, Chania and Ephesus. For longer cruises such as 14 night fly/cruise you can take in the best of the west and east, starting from Barcelona or Venice.
Brilliance of the Seas in Santorini
Picture courtesy of Rennett Stowe
Already a popular destination for tourists from all over North America, Boston is becoming an increasingly popular place to visit amongst British tourists as well. The quaint city, which is far more reminiscent of a large European city than the monolithic destination of New York with which Boston shares the East Coast of the United States, is full of distinctive low rise, colonial style architecture, much of which dates back to when America was still under British rule.
Boston is also now easier than ever to get to, with most airlines running daily flights to the city from the UK, and the relatively short flight time makes it a great location for even a short transatlantic break. The city is also a good starting location for a tour of New England, the name given to the north eastern part of the United States which is famed for its stunning countryside, rustic charm and history.
One of the best ways to explore the city of Boston is via one of the Duck Tours – the name given to local tour operators who ferry people around the various sites in Boston via specially converted World War II era amphibious buses.
The fertile seas off the shore of Boston are full of marine life, and several boat tours are available which can allow tourists to go whale watching. For those who prefer to view nature from dry land, the Boston Aquarium is one of the best in the world. Meanwhile, sports fans will be able to enjoy a tour of one of the oldest and most well known baseball stadiums in the country – Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.
Boston Waterfront
Pictire courtesy of Lindsay Sorensen