For those who are looking to take a ‘staycation’ here in the UK this year for their summer holiday, you are probably looking for somewhere to visit that has plenty to do come rain or shine, due to the unpredictability of the UK weather. London makes a great holiday destination, there are plenty of things to do indoors and outdoors plus it’s easy to get to from anywhere in the country with flights to London from many smaller UK airports as well as great train links. We all know a holiday in London is a fun break for adults with plenty of shopping do, fine dining to indulge in and shows to see but what is there to enjoy if you’re going with children?
Surprisingly lots, there is something for everyone no matter what their age, for young toddlers and children right up to fussy teenagers!
For younger children days out include:
For animal lovers you can visit London Zoo which in 2010 launched its new Rainforest Experience and offers daily animal displays including feeds and keeper talks. You can also visit the exhibit “Into Africa” where you will come eye to eye with Africa’s most unusual animals.
You can also visit one of Europe’s largest collections of global marine life at the Sea Life London Aquarium, which is situated in the heart of London here you can enjoy an immersive and interactive journey along the Great Oceanic Conveyor.
If you feel that by holidaying in the city you are missing the charms of the countryside such as open farms then fear not you can enjoy that Hackney City Farm boasts a wide variety of animals on the farm with traditional farm livestock where you can usually expect to see pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, rabbits, guinea pigs and other small animals.
If animals aren’t your thing and you kids like learning about science, history or art then 3 London stops should interest you.
For a day of discovery, understanding, enjoyment and responsible use of the natural world a visit to The Natural History Museum will be ideal you can explore world-class collections, fantastic exhibitions and cutting-edge research.
For science mad children and adults you will defiantly be entertained for the day the Science Museum with exhibitions, events and films, such as a 3D movie, a jump on a simulator, or visit an exhibition, and encounter the past, present and future of technology.
You can also enjoy some family fun at The Cartoon Museum here you can see family favourites such as Dennis the Menace and Rupert to Andy Capp, Giles and Steve Bell. It shows over 200 original British cartoons, cartoon strips and comics as well as tips on how to draw cartoons where anyone can have a go.
There are also some great days out for those with older children and teenagers who want to see something a bit more in their age range such as:
You can get a great view from The London Eye which is the world’s tallest observation wheel with 40 kilometre panoramic views on a clear day.
Or for those who like it gory you can visit The London Dungeon which brings the darkest chapters of local and national history back to life, combining authentic set design, stunning special effects and live performance to recreate history’s horrible bits.
For those who like celeb spotting no trip to London will be complete without a visit to the world famous Madame Tussauds, which is filled with over 300 wax figures, including the Queen, the Beckhams and many, many more as well as 14 exciting, interactive zones and a brand new Marvel Super Heroes 4D movie experience.
The best part of a holiday in London is that all these attractions are easily accessible from anywhere in the city with great tube links and bus routes, as well as that London itself is easily accessible from all the major London airports, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost!
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There are some countries which are known for their taste in fashion and one of those is Italy, many Italians take great pride in their appearance which is not surprising, after all Milan is considered by some in the fashion industry, as the fashion capital of the world. Italy also makes a fabulous holiday destination as well, even better if you have a keen interest in fashion, you can visit other Italian cities too such as Rome and Florence which celebrated sartorial guru’s have designated them fashionable cities. You can look to stay in or around these cities in either 5* fashionable boutique hotels or if your budget wont stretch to that you can stay in an self catering holiday rentals.
If you choose to stay in Milan you can expect a wide range of exquisitely designed clothing available, some by designers you may no have heard of yet and some by names you will no doubt be familiar with, and many of these chic fashion shops will be found along the stylish streets of Via Montenapoleone, Via delta Spiga and Via Sant’ Andrea. In the centre of Milan you will also find the swanky fashion district of Quandritatero della Moda which is home to some fabulous designer shops such as Armani, Versace, Fendi, Gucci and Dolce and Gabbana.
Via Montenapoleone
Picture courtesy of darkensiva
The Renaissance city of Florence known as the home of Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci is also known As the home of fashion too, the Italian school of modern fashion which opened in 1950 has grown the likes of Giovanni Battista Giorgini, Salvatore Ferragamo and Bulgari who now match the fashion heavyweights like Chanel, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. Florence has a mixture of high end designer outlets such as Valentino, Armani and Gucci which you will find on the chic shopping street of Via de Tomabuoni, but it also offers a wide range of affordable fashion too which are located in Vio de’ Cerretani, Via Roma and Via Calimala.
Florence
Picture courtesy of Chi King
With the famous saying ‘when in Rome……’ you have no excuse to not be fashionable here, the picturesque streets that offer designer goodies will be heaven for any fashion aficionado, the Via Condotti, which is considered to be the world’s most elegant shopping streets is where you will find high end brands such as Armani, Gucci, Prada, Hermes and Valentino. However if you budget wont stretch to these designers, you can still enjoy the fashion in Italy, Rome has many smaller independent designers which are less price but equally as fabulous, many of these boutiques can be found on the Via del Governo Vecchio, and for younger fashionista’s Via del Corso offers trendy youth orientated fashion boutiques which are great value for money.
Via Condotti
Picture courtesy of AchimH
Italy is not just known for its fashion either, it’s also known for its food, whilst enjoying the fabulous fashion you can also sample traditional Italian fare, if you’re staying in self catering holiday apartments or villas, there is not excuse not to go out, dressed fashionable and enjoy local delicacies.
If you fancy drifting off to exotic far away shores with bright turquoise skies and sun drenched beaches without any effort this summer then a cruise holiday may be just what you need. There are some fantastic last minute cruise deals available now, which will see you enjoying the summer in style without spending a small fortune.
You can find brilliant cruise deals to exotic destinations such as the Caribbean, Dubai and Egypt or enjoy somewhere a bit closer to home such as the Mediterranean or the British Isles, or you could look to travel in 5 & 6* luxury at rock bottom prices onboard liners such as The Cunard Lines Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria or enjoy the hustle and bustle on board the humongous Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas.
A cruise holiday will offer you the escape you need but without all the hustle and bustle of travelling and getting to and from places as that is all taken care of on top of that you will be waited on hand and food by the staff and can enjoy extensive ranges of cuisine. You can pop and see places you wouldn’t have dreamed of seeing before whilst enjoying excursions on shore or you can just while away your day been pampered onboard.
There are many things that annoy us when on holiday, especially been ripped off, you pay all that money for your break away you shouldn’t have to fork out more for things you don’t need to, some of the worst charges which annoy many passengers include:
Charges for using mobile phones abroad
Hefty baggage fees
Poor exchange rates at airports
Many people find that these can cause extra stress which can ruin their holiday, when in fact you want to go away to relax, a recent survey found that we’re often irritated by the number of hidden charges levied at us while we’re on holiday. Most people find the cost of using a mobile phone abroad is by far the worst expense, with the European Union even wading in to force a reduction in sky-high charges this year. After that the charges acquired from using debit and credit cards abroad.
If you’re looking for a last minute deal for your summer holiday you will probably be able to find some great deals on the internet, sometimes for last minute holiday deals, booking hotel accommodation, flights and transfer can work out cheaper than a package holiday with holiday companies vying for your custom. If you’re looking for a cheap UK getaway you can find great flights to London, Edinburgh or Belfast, or if you want to find some guaranteed sun look for cheap flights to holiday hot spots such as Spain, Turkey or Greece.
However sometimes though these ‘cheap’ flights are not all they seem, the advertised price doesn’t always include extras such as tax, fuel supplements, baggage charges, booking fee’s charges for a in-flight meal as well as seat selection and a charge for paying by credit card. These charges which most carries add on can double the advertised ticket price, and you could end up paying a lot more than you anticipated if you do not check the small print.
If you do book a DIY holiday where you arrange your flights and accommodation from different suppliers you may not be as protected as you think, if anything happens to your airline and they stop flying it will be up to you to make new travel arrangements and to get home may cost you a lot more than you originally paid. Sometimes you may also have to leave early or stay longer to get a flight home which will also cost you money. If you do book a DIY holiday then you need to make sure that you have travel insurance which covers you in the event of airline insolvency and any indirect loss as a consequence, beware that many policies don’t give this cover, while those that do limit the amount you can claim or have exclusions, so read the small print.
If you do find some great last minute holiday deals make sure you read the small print for your cheap flight offers, and cut-price accommodation to make sure you won’t incur any unexpected charges and importantly take out adequate insurance.
With the summer holidays here it’s interesting to note that last year less people travelled abroad for their holidays, ten million Brits in fact, with many choosing to stay closer to home for holiday, starting a trend known as the ‘staycation’. Many families chose to stay here in the UK in holiday cottages, B&B’s and small country hotels and enjoy the local area because of the drop in the value of the pound against the euro and the dollar, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Figures show that the popular holiday destinations such as , Spain, fell by 2.2million to about 11.5million last year, with France seeing its visitor numbers down 1.1million visitors to 9.8million as well as Portugal, down 720,000 to 1.8million. It’s not just European holiday destination suffering wither the number of people taking trips to the US slumped by 20 per cent, with only 3.2million, however the biggest drop was see in Mexico with 41 per cent drop in visitors after it was identified as the source of the global swine flu epidemic.
According to the 2009 Travel Trends study for the ONS, those who did go overseas found prices for meals, car hire and suntan lotion so high that they reduced their spending, with Spending overseas by families and businessmen fell by £5.1billion to £31.7billion.
However it’s not just the drop in the number of Brits abroad, the number of foreign tourists to Britain fell by 2million last year to 29.9 million. But with more people choosing to stay here in the UK tourism should pick up in resorts that have suffered in the past, with great prices for holiday rentals here in the UK at many popular destinations there’s no excuse not to have a holiday.
For a holiday a little closer to home Northern Ireland offers many delights and the County Antrim Coastline has a wide of range of attractions for everyone to enjoy no matter what you look for , making the area an ideal destination for a week’s holiday. Northern Ireland is relatively easy to get to from Great Britain, you can hop on a flight to Belfast and all you need is ID like a Driving License so no need for a passport. You can also take a ferry across and it’s also worthwhile to hire a car for the time you’re out there to get around the countryside easily.
County Antrim Coastline
Picture courtesy of Effervscing Elephant
County Antrim’s top attraction is of course the Giants Causeway the amazing system of hexagonal rock formations on the coastline is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of four natural sights belonging to the UK.
According to legend the Irish giant Finn MacCool lived on the north coast of Ireland over the sea from his Scottish rival Banandonner, both would roar across the water at each other and generally trade insults. The insults then escalated and Finn threw a rock to Scotland, thus challenging Banandonner to a fight, but Banandonner could not swim, so Finn desperate for the fight to go ahead ripped up slabs of volcanic rock and created a causeway between the two countries. However the fight never went ahead after Finn tricked Banandonner into thinking he was a baby when he arrived in Ireland so believing the child to be the offspring of his rival, took fright, convinced that if a mere baby could be so huge, the father must be a figure of epic size. He then fled Ireland ripping up most of the Causeway as he went.
Giants Causeway
Picture courtesy of qyphon
However the cause way was actually formed by volcanic explosions deep underground that forced molten basalt up to the surface and formed a plateau of lava which when it cooled and contracted it coalesced into huge hexagonal basalt columns around 60 million years ago.
Here you can enjoy the natural beauty of the cause way and if you are more adventurous can also challenge yourself to the 162-step hike from the Causeway to the cliff tops along the soaring rock columns exposed in the cliff face. If you have a head for heights you could also visit the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge which is nearby, this rickety 80ft-high bridge links the mainland with a tiny island 65 feet off-shore. However if you wish to partake in something more sedate or need a stiff drink after going on the bridge then a visit to the Old Bushmills Distillery will be in order, this is the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery.
Carrick-a-Rede
Picture courtesy of williamsdb
There are some great places to stay nearby including the seaside towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Ballycastle and easily accessible by car from Belfast, each town has a great offering of guesthouses, B&B’s and hotels.
If you want to enjoy the luxury of your own private beach normally reserved for the rich and famous then all you have to do is go on a cruise holiday, yep it’s that simple. You can enjoy the appeal of the Caribbean, sun, sea san and tropical drinks but now instead of visiting crowded destinations you can now enjoy somewhere more excluded.
Many Caribbean islands are inundated with at least six huge cruise liners a day, which can mean up to 10,000 people visiting the same resort at the same time all queuing for taxis, tour buses and beds on the beach. Because of this a few cruise companies and now turning to private islands to provide their guests with some peace and quiet and easy access to the beach.
Many of these islands are self-contained resorts which are either owned or leased by various cruise lines and are operated as an extension of the cruise ship itself and you can just walk right off a ship or jump on a small boat to a clean, quiet beach without been hassled.
If you cruise with Holland America you can enjoy Half Moon Cay, which is their own private Bahamian island which offers luxurious beachside cabanas, equipped with a fridge, an indoor dining room, an outdoor shower and a terrace with sun beds. These can be booked at various prices starting from around £200 a day, this also includes bottled water, soft drinks, fresh fruit and other nibbles and for an extra £80 you can get butler service, which includes a lunch for four brought to the cabana and unlimited beer, wine and house brand liquors.
Other cruise lines also offer this fast growing exclusive offer and Royal Caribbean is not falling behind, since 2007 they have been upgrading their private beach resort Labadee on the north coast of Haiti spending £33 million. Here they have invested in a new cruise ship dock which was completed in 2009 and was used to unload emergency supplies after the devastating earthquake in January, and continues to do so, they also added a 2,600-foot long zip line over the water, an alpine roller coaster, a new aqua park and the addition of a number of new private cabanas.
Other cruise lines offering these private islands also include Disney Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise lines as well as Costa Cruises and P&O, so you can still get great cruise deals with a bit of added extra luxury for your holiday.
The Costa del Sol is one of Europe’s and Spain’s most popular holiday destination for many families, here you can stay in a home away from home in comfort in a tailor made holiday to your specifications. If you have a large family or there is just a couple of people going on holiday then a breakaway staying in a holiday villa in the Costa del Sol may be just what you’re looking for your summer holiday.
Great resorts for families or a break away with friends include: Torremolinos, with its bright lights and great beach, Nerja a traditional white washed slower paced resort and then for those who want to enjoy Brit-style pubs, clubs and restaurants mixed in with typical Spanish eateries then Fuengirola will be the spot for you.
To taste the best of what Spain has to offer you can stay in self catering accommodation, here you can go out and enjoy local delicacies and bring local food back to cook yourself, if you base your self in a self-catering holiday cottage or villa then you will find that you have much more freedom than in a hotel. You can come and go as you please and use your cottage or villa as a base and go off exploring every day, if you want a relaxing day then you can spend the day by the pool as most accommodation come with either your own pool or sharing one with a couple of other families.
You won’t be short of things to do in the Costa del Sol, your spoilt for choice with beaches that line the coast line, small quiet coves, bustling shopping districts and local markets, there is also fantastic theme parks like Tivoli World or idyllic nature reserves up in the Sierras. You will also be able to enjoy lots of sunshine and great temperatures at this time of the year.
Beach of Torremolinos
Picture courtesy of Gert Mewes
After the news that Cheryl Cole was diagnosed with malaria this week, British tourists are being warned to take proper medical precautions before travelling to exotic destinations, Cole had recently travelled to Tanzania for a brief holiday and although she is reported to have taken a full course of malaria tablets during her stay, she contracted the disease due to the fact some forms are resistant to drugs.
Although Cheryl Cole took her medication and was unlucky to get the disease, many people who travel to these destinations do not, as Britain has become the largest ‘importer’ of malaria in the western world, as some 2000 Britons contract the disease while abroad every year.
Frances Tuke of ABTA, The Travel Association states: “As we become more familiar with travelling to more exotic destinations, we can forget there are different types of risks that we need to be aware of and there are some easy things we things you can do to prevent those risks. First and foremost, if you are travelling outside of countries in Western Europe, North America or Australia, you need to go and see a health professional six to eight weeks before you go away to find out what vaccinations and preventions you need to take.”
For those who travel to the sub-Saharan Africa, which includes Tanzania are found to be at greatest risk, this area is also home to the most lethal strain of malaria, plasmodium falciparum and half of reported cases of malaria in the UK originate from this area.
Leicestershire-based consultant in health protection in, and member of the Malaria Awareness Panel, Dr Philip Monk, identifies Gambia as a particular hotspot for malaria and he has come across more cases of travellers infected in the west African country than anywhere else. He said: ‘As it’s a mainstream package holiday destination, people think it’s like going to the Balearics,’ he says. ‘It’s not. There are precautions you must take, especially in the rainy season when the risk of catching malaria is much higher.”
Figures show that Malaria causes more than one million deaths worldwide each year, and although scientists are making progress on a vaccine, it will be at least ten years before it will be widely available.