Archive for the ‘Travel guide’ Category
The Algarve on Portugal’s southern shore offers its visitors wonderful weather and fantastic beaches. It is also a favourite spot for golfers from all over Europe. The Algarve boasts some top class golf courses, and, for anyone wanting to play their favourite sport in the delightful Algarvian surroundings, golfing holidays. These usually last from three to 14 days, and are easy to arrange.
Golfing holiday packages on the Algarve can include hotel rooms. Or alternatively, if you have already arranged accommodation, there are specialist golf holiday companies who will arrange tee times to ensure you get as much time as possible out on the course.
Depending on the type of package booked, car hire may be included. This will ensure that you will be able to visit as many of the region’s courses as possible during your stay. However, if you prefer not to have to drive during your golfing holiday, transfers can be arranged between the airport, hotel and golf courses.
The cost of taking a set of golf clubs on a flight can be very expensive, so you may instead find it more convenient, as well more economical, to hire clubs on the Algarve. Some golf holiday specialist companies offer this facility.
Discount fees for courses throughout the region can also be arranged, as well entry to local golf competitions. Additionally, for those wanting to improve their game, the golfing holiday packages can also include golf tuition.
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Warsaw is Poland’s capital, and one of the country’s oldest cities. A large portion of the city dates back to medieval times. The airport is Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport, and travellers can easily get transportation to hotels from the airport. Buses and trams are popular forms of transportation. The city is also ideal for travel via hired car.
The Centrum area of Warsaw is where interesting attractions are likely to be found. The Old Town has some especially beautiful buildings that have existed for hundreds of years. The Royal Castle is one of the most impressive buildings in Poland. Special exhibitions are sometimes hosted here. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier pays homage to Poles who gave their lives for their country. The Jewish Quarter offers a good look at how Warsaw’s Jews lived for many years. Here, visitors will see the Nożyk Synagogue, which is the only Orthodox synagogue still in the city.
In addition to some independent shops that mainly cater to locals, most of the shopping in Warsaw is in the form of larger European chain stores. Many items can be found at Carrefour or Tesco. There are also several shopping malls in the city. These malls keep late hours and may have bowling alleys or cinemas in addition to shops and restaurants.
Warsaw offers quality food for decent prices. The Śródmieście district has several inexpensive kebab shops. The kebabs are quite tasty. There are also several favourite fast food chains represented. These include McDonald’s, Subway, and Burger King.
Scarborough is a gem of a seaside town and well worth exploring, but many people may never venture beyond to discover some interesting villages not far away.
The village of Brompton-by-Sawdon, just eight miles away, is a pretty Yorkshire village with some fascinating history. Brompton Hall, which is now a special school, was once the home of George Cayley, who designed a glider that he then flew in Brompton Dale. Cayley is not well known generally, even though amongst engineers he is known as the ‘Father of Aviation’. Richard Branson recently flew a replica of Cayley’s glider in Brompton Dale, inviting young school children along to watch.
Brompton also has a beautiful, ancient church, where William Wordsworth married Mary Hutchinson in 1802.
Travel a little further along the A170 away from Scarborough and you come to Thornton-le-Dale, which was dubbed one of the prettiest villages in Yorkshire in the 1920s and is still very attractive today, having avoided becoming over developed, or over ‘touristy’ in spite of its accolade. It is a small town with ‘chocolate box’ thatched cottages and a pretty beck runs alongside the road. The town still has local butchers’ and greengrocers’ shops, and it can almost seem to come from a different era.
Pickering is a few miles further on – a bustling market town with an ancient church that has mediaeval paintings on the wall. This is the starting point for a trip on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where steam trains travel between rural villages in the moors.
Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, is fast becoming one of the hottest spots in Europe for a weekend break and once you visit, you will completely understand why.
Amsterdam has a well-deserved reputation for its liberal attitude towards a freer lifestyle, and although it is still possible to while away the hours in the city’s coffee shops (which legally sell more than just coffee), times are changing. For example, there is now a smoking ban, and tighter control on the sale of certain substances. As a result, people are beginning to see Amsterdam in a new light and taking full advantage of what this extremely pretty city has to offer.
The architecture and scenery in Amsterdam is almost chocolate box beautiful. The canals that meander through the city are hugged by cobbled streets and tall, thin gabled buildings. If you wish to do as the locals do, you can hire a bike to fully explore the leafy, charming streets. For that extra romantic experience, hire a tandem and cycle down to Vondel Park with a picnic.
Culturally, Amsterdam has plenty to offer; from the sublime to the ridiculous, Amsterdam has a museum for pretty much everything. The Rijksmuseum houses works from two of the city’s most famous sons, Rembrandt and Van Gogh, whilst the sobering experience of the Anne Frank House is a must for any visitor. For the lighter side of life, the city is home to the Heineken Museum (complete with samples), and there are even a couple of sex museums thrown in for good measure.
This city truly is the sparkling gem in the Netherlands’ crown.
Amsterdam
Picture courtesy of Joao Maximo
Uluru – known to most of the world by its colonial moniker, Ayer’s Rock – is the iconic symbol of Australia, and among the most sacred sites of the Aboriginal people. Uluru is its traditional name. Situated right in the centre of Australia, this red giant is 350 metres high, and it is nine kilometres around the base. It has captivated humans for thousands of years, and continues to do so.
It is a good 800 kilometre round trip from Alice Springs – the nearest large town – to Uluru, and once you leave those town limits, there is almost nothing but you, ruler straight roads, one right turn and the desert. There are a couple of roadhouses where you should be sure to fill up with petrol – nobody wants to run out of fuel in those parts – but that’s all the civilization you will encounter until you get to the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, where Uluru is located.
When you start to notice Uluru looming on the horizon, however, you will instantly feel rejuvenated and know that your long drive was well worth it.
The best times to view Uluru are at sunrise and sunset. One of the qualities that fascinate people most about this geological wonder is how different it seems to appear in differing light, so it is best to view it at both these times, if you can.
It is possible, depending on weather conditions, to take a number of guided walks and get up close and personal with the big rock; it is also possible to walk to the top, although the Aboriginal people prefer visitors not do so.
Ayres Rock
Picture courtesy of terencewilquin
In a time when most types of holidays are struggling to attract people, why are cruise holidays bucking the trend? Over the past couple of year cruise holidays are on the increase and travel expert believe more people will look to taking a cruise holiday. This is good news for many cruise operators as many have invested in new liners in the past couple of years and many have new ones planned for the future.
Many travellers are looking to get the most from their money and with air travel costs on the increase so it’s no surprise that people are looking at other holiday types. The standard accommodation on board a cruise ship is relatively inexpensive and costs the same as it would to stay in a standard hotel room, of a mid range hotel. The food although can be a large outlay of a cruise holiday is also average to on land prices, you also have more expensive options, just like you would on dry land which you can avoid if your budget wont stretch.
Added bonuses of cruise holidays is that your travel costs are kept to a minimum, you don’t have to worry about getting around as that is all taken care of, so no trains, buses or taxies to worry about which can be expensive. You also have the bonus of visiting a few ports on your holiday, getting a taste of each destination, which is a great way of exploring a region you haven’t been to before. You also get a great selection of on board entertainment which means that even though you are confined to a ship you won’t run out of things to do.
There are plenty of cruise holidays to choose from offering voyages all around the world which means you can easily visit far flung destinations you have only dreamed of and you won’t have to shell out a small fortune as there are a wide range of cheap cruses available online for all the family.
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.
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.
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.
Going on holiday to Asia can be a very rewarding experience if you have never been to the region. The numerous attractions, diverse cultures, and the white sand beaches are just a few elements that make this part of the world worthy of exploration. At the very least, a holiday in Asia will reward your with memories that will last a lifetime. Here are six reasons why you should consider going on holiday in Asia.
1) The currency exchange rate works in the tourists’ favour here, so you will have a little more flexibility with your budget.
2) The majority of the tours and travel packages are reasonably priced and will fit into most budgets, while the different holiday accommodation rentals are reasonably priced.
3) China and India provide the international traveller with a great scope of world history, while many of the landmarks are considered as being wonders of the world.
4) For the best beach holidays, Southeast Asia is your best option. Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand are renowned for having the most pristine beaches in the world.
5) If you’re travelling with children, consider visiting Hong Kong, as they have just opened a Disneyland there. You’ll also enjoy the Cantonese cuisine and the shopping venues.
6) Taiwan is another excellent choice for an Asian holiday destination. The natural beauty of the surrounding areas results from the abundance of forests, mountains, and rivers that you will find no matter where you are exploring.