Munich

English: River Isar in Munich nearby the Deutsche Museum (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Munich is Bavaria, Germany’s capital city. It is nestled along the banks of the River Isar, above the Bavarian Alps. In terms of land area, Munich is the third largest German city, next only to Berlin and Hamburg. It derived its name from the German word for “monks,” after the Benedictine monks credited for founding the city.

As a city and a tourist destination, Munich straddles between extremes. You can find historical treasures on Munich streets, and walk past modern influences like automobiles and sleek boutiques. Museums that showcase the rich culture and tradition exist side by side with haunts for fun and entertainment. And while there are a lot of things happening in Munich, there are hidden spots that remain bucolic and rustic, giving visitors a taste of the laidback German life.

The best time to go to Munich is during the Oktoberfest season, when most of the tourists of the world say “cheers!” and toast with the locals. You have to take extra caution though if you plan to celebrate Oktoberfest in Munich. As can be expected from the nature of the celebration, crimes and the proliferation of drunks in Munich’s streets are at a staggering high at this time of the year. As a result, documented cases of assault are also high. It is therefore best to stay sober or leave before the action happens. Be prepared for any medical emergency by requesting for a list of English-speaking doctors from the consulates of the US and UK. You should not worry about buying medicines from local pharmacies either because they are bound to have English-speaking personnel.

But there is much to do here than drink authentic German beer. You can get around by stepping on a bus that takes you from Munich to such cities as Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Prague and Paris, and back to Munich. You can also hire a car or motorcycles so you can hop from one attraction to the next at your desired pace. Or, if you want a taste of the true-blue European travel adventure, you can take the train from Munich, around Munich, and off to other major German cities and back again.

While walking around, expect the urge to spend either at a local deli or a boutique. There is no need to worry should you need instant access to cash, as there are ATMs located all over the city.

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Things to do in Istanbul

The Church of the Holy Wisdom, commonly known as Hagia Sophia in English, is a former Greek Orthodox church converted to a mosque, now a museum, in Istanbul. It is universally acknowledged as one of the great buildings of the world. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Istanbul, once the the main city of Turkey, will be the largest city from the Eurasian nation. Previously, many experts have named Byzantium and Constantinople. Located on the Bosphorus Strait, it's got healthy have referred to as the actual Fantastic Horn.

Istanbul is usually a treat for all those fans of heritage. With its prolonged and illustrious earlier, it's got many different historic web sites that men and women could check out. These web sites are found in the Previous Area referred to as Sultanahmet. The most essential structures will be the Hagia Sophia. Among the first Byzantine buildings, the actual Hagia Sophia will be the largest design in the Previous Area region. It had been at first built being a cathedral, however had been later become a mosque. Before the Seville Cathedral of The country had been accomplished, the actual Hagia Sophia had been the best cathedral on earth.

An additional Byzantine design will be the Galata Tower system, developed through the Geonoese in the calendar year 1348. Many people christened it Christea Turris as well as the actual Tower system from the Christ. The Ottoman Empire in addition added for the modern-day Istanbul with regard to buildings. Within the 1400s, the actual Ottoman leader Sultan Mehmed II developed the actual Rumelian Citadel. The impacting design, this specific castle offers several main systems, one particular tiny tower system, and 13 tiny watchtowers. Considered one of its watchtowers was made available as a quadratic prism; six other people are usually designed available as prisms along with many corners, while the remaining six are usually cylindrical fit and healthy. The Ottomans are also paid using the building from the Glowing blue Mosque. It is named and so due to blue-colored tiles that is useful for the actual mosque’s rooms. Furthermore value traveling to will be the Topkapı art gallery.

During Istanbul, it is difficult to be able to leave and not using a trip to one of the famous Hammams as well as Turkish baths. There are some baths which you could unwind and your households. You will need to in addition check out Istanbul’s Lavish Bazaar, otherwise intended for buying, next in order to find its really feel. The bazaar will be thought to possess 4400 merchants repleat across the paths. You are able to grab a number of famous Turkish rugs via here.

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Mallorca is a Popular Destination

Mallorca’s my turn to write about, a name that sounds like a destination. This season it seems that things are going if not smooth sailing if they are better than past summer campaigns. Those who live here do to the expense, directly or indirectly from tourism, and everyone from whom accommodation, transport or serve the thousands of tourists who visit us, even those we serve and are part of the tissue that supports our main industry should be optimistic, at least hopeful, but mostly focused on what we have at hand.

English: Cala de Mallorca (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mallorca is a popular destination in many parts of the world, we receive visitors from countries like Germany, England, Italy and France among many and further afield as Russia, China, Scandinavia and the USA.

What other destination can boast of being in the middle of the Mediterranean? How many values besides the weather behind us and our environment? In line with what is written in the four previous posts, I think that a place like Mallorca should be able to demonstrate objectively that is a tourist destination, consciously convey the quality of their attributes and timely boost to your target audience with the attractions we differ from all other destinations.

Port de Sóller, Majorca, Spain. The tram line from Port de Soller to Soller can just be seen at the extreme bottom right. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mallorca is made up of smaller parts in which our guests can stay, all these places share many features of the island and both are distinguished by nuances that just defining the product and suggest the experience. Mallorca is different from Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera, while those who go to the four islands under the third step on, I know of no cases of tourists including split their visit, then Baleares is not destiny, as such would be a difficult product consuming, Baleares is how we refer to this archipelago of four destinations as exquisite as distinct.

I think for the Mallorca promotion as a tourist product, which somehow are part of it, we talk about everything and everyone, yes, every thing in place, your time with arguments that give them their deserve recognition, giving meaning to the parties and the whole sense.

I do not think are necessary new projects, much less new promotional logos or slogans, I think the need to detect, manage and align an endless details that argue the destination address so beautiful, attractive, safe, close, comfortable and experienced as Mallorca, municipalities, places and products.

This requires the effort of all involved, each taking care of your business image, developing innovative proposals, grouped as appropriate for streets, urban, by region or by municipality, aware that part of them and Majorca is the sum of everything.

From this large umbrella of alignment, coordination of many small and large efforts, the timing of as many actors as possible, is where our institutions can do a great job. In one instance, cooperating with the Foundation Majorca Tourism, I had the opportunity to discuss with your manager, Mar Suau on the functions of our institutions must necessarily be close and successful, we develop the fruit of the Decalogue of the foundation itself. Much work remains ahead in an environment that while press creates awareness, the opportunity now to be faithful to our own strategy.

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Travel to Venice, Italy

venice capital of veneto region, Located in the north-east of Italy and overlooking the Adriatic Sea, and considered one of the most important Italian cities and And most beautiful because of its buildings its history dates back mostly to the Renaissance in Italy, And multiple channels of water what makes it

unique on the level world

An estimated population of 271 thousand people, The city is several islands and number 116 Island and connected with each other by bridges and numbered 416 bridge 

One of the most famous islands island Moranwalta famous for glass art luxury, The most famous bridges bridge Aalto and the old bridge groans, There are also many beautiful palaces and Qsrgraci, The shows will be held global art exhibition Venice International Film annually

The most important landmarks of St. Mark's Basilica , Characterized cupolas five Eastern character and its tower with a height of 100 meters

Venice is one of the toughest places mobility practically engineered and are ideal in terms of non-use of cars, trucks and even bicycles, Any that the most common means of transportation are boats, including classic boats are available in abundance in the city and The so-called gondolas (A boat painted black 11 meters long and consists of 280 different types of wood and led sailor uniform scheme with special wear a hat)

Flow this small boats in the canals and most of the passengers of lovers the beauty of this city

also other types of boats used to transport daily necessities and food and goods of all types, And there is also a ship called the water buses that transport tourists between the islands

In the nineteenth century were provided to Venice Railway and is located outside the city center.

In the twentieth century has been building a main street connects to the city and public parking.

Recently been set up to serve Venice Airport and surrounding suburbs, a Marco Polo International Airport in Sudair.

One of the most famous sons :

Explorer Marco Polo, who arrived in China through Syria and through the Strait of Hormuz, through Tibet and then returned to Venice

Media music composer Vivaldi piece Four Seasons owner, painters Tzaano leading collages in the sixteenth century and Canaletto, who devoted himself to portray the city's sights with wonderful paintings.

Playwright Goldona founder of modern comedy.

Venice is threatened by floods and they search experts and decided to build a network of dams and consists of 78 dam The height of the dam per 28 meters.

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Travel to Ireland

Travel to Ireland

Ireland is an island in the northwest of Europe with an area of 32,595 sq miles. About 370 km (230 miles) long by 225 km (140 miles) wide, Ireland comprises the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.  The population of the island of Ireland is approximately 5.8 million people, 4.1 million in the Republic of Ireland and 1.7 million in Northern Ireland. Ireland is the third largest island in Europe.

Geography: Ireland has thirty-two counties, and four provinces: 

Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster. A ring of coastal mountains surrounds low central plains.  About five percent of Irish land is under forest. The island's green vegetation is a product of its mild climate and frequent but soft rainfall. Ireland's most scenic areas lie in the south western and western counties. These areas are largely mountainous and rocky, with beautiful green views.

Irish: is the Celtic language of Ireland. 

It was brought to Ireland by Celtic invaders in 1000 BC, and to the end of the 18th century, was spoken by the majority of the people. The English language gained ground rapidly and Irish is now spoken regularly only in certain areas in the west of Ireland.  It is  taught in all schools, but despite active support from the government of Ireland, there are probably fewer than 90,000 speakers. It is the first official language of the Irish Republic and recently became an official language of the European Union (EU).

Literature and the arts: For such a small country, Ireland has made a large contribution to world of art and literature in all its branches, mainly in English.  In more recent times, Ireland has produced four winners of the Nobel Prize for literature: George Bernard Shaw, William Butler Yeats, Samuel Beckett, and Seamus Heaney. 

James Joyce is widely considered as one of the most significant writers of the 20th century. His novel: Ulysses is considered one of the greatest novels of the 20th century.

Landscape: The Irish landscape is one of Ireland’s greatest attractions. 

Ireland's most scenic areas lie in the south western and western counties. There are several National Parks filled with towering hills, romantic lakes, and will always remain Irelands most unspoiled treasures. Magnificent scenery has attracted many visitors to these parks for years.

Climate: The Atlantic Gulf Stream keeps the Irish climate mild most of the year. 

Average temperatures in winter are 4 - 7 C, and in summer are 14 - 18 C.  Rainfall is heaviest in the west and lightest in the southeast, but at all times very unpredictable. 

Sport: Gaelic hurling and football are the most popular sports in Ireland - they make up the national sports of Ireland, known as Gaelic Games. All Gaelic games are governed by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).

Other main sports include: Rugby, Football (soccer), Horse racing and Greyhound racing.

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Impressions of Russia

Impressions of Russia

Whenever you travel to a country, it is important to avoid the tourist traps and get to know the locals. Here are my impressions of Russia.

Created in the 12th century, Russia was originally a much smaller country. Known as Muscovy, the country was formed in the golden ring area surrounding present day Moscow. After being dominated by the Mongols for a few hundred years, the country began to slow start conquering lands and expanding.

Russia as we know it today didn’t really form until Peter the Great came on the scene. A very tall man, Peter the Great could be considered the first great real estate investor of Russia. During his reign, Peter conquered all of the lands between Moscow and the Pacific Ocean.

Russia is simply a huge country. From east to west, the country is so big you can travel for seven days on a train and still not make it all the way across.

During the 20th century, Russia converted from a rather corrupt monarchy to communism.

Alas, communism didn’t turn out to be much better with leaders such as Joseph Stalin indiscriminately slaughtering much of the population through ill advised planning. Eventually, the Russians changed their mind and converted to a rough form of Democracy in 1991. Thereafter, the various satellite companies controlled by the former Soviet Union began breaking off and claiming independence.

Democracy has been an up and down prospect for Russia. While Ferraris drive the streets of Moscow, the rest of the country can go months without heating.

This contrast brings up a unique aspect of the cultural heritage of Russia.

In Russia, it is all about Moscow. Moscow gets everything first, while the rest of the country is really left to fend for itself. If you travel through Russia, you’ll be stunned at the differences including infrastructure and standard of living.

Russia has gone through fits and starts in the change to Democracy.

The Russian Mafia is legendary and has its hands in everything. At one point in the late 90s, only 7 percent of people paid taxes. Fortunately, things have begun to turn around. The mafia has lost some of its power or at least become less obvious. The foreign debt while represented 90 percent of the gross domestic product is now down into the teens.

Real income for ordinary Russians is growing at about 12 percent on average. All and all, the country finally seems to be getting its ducks in a row.

Having lived in Russia for a year, I can tell you the country is a magnificent place. Russians are fairly formal in business and initial interactions. Once you’ve broken through the formality, they are perhaps the warmest, friendliest people I’ve had the pleasure of ever meeting.

If you get a chance to go to Russia, I highly recommend you do so!

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Budapest An Ideal City Break But What Lies Beyond?

Budapest An Ideal City Break But What Lies Beyond?

Hungary’s recent accession to the EU has made travel to and from the country simpler and more attractive to travellers from other European countries. The tourism industry is booming in Hungary and its’ capital, Budapest, has established a firm place on the list of must see city break locations. But as the city attracts more and more tourists and challenges Barcelona and Prague for the number one spot in city break destinations looking outside of the city itself can reveal another side to Hungary as a destination.

Budapest is a city rich in culture and history, a city of castles, cathedrals, museums and Turkish baths. Although uniquely Hungarian and not short of attractions, Budapest is typical of the European city break destination. But a nation with no less than 8 UNESCO World Heritage sites is not short on wider attractions and Hungary is no different.

Pecs, some 213 km from Budapest is a stunning early Christian necropolis founded by the Romans in the 2nd century AD. The first Hungarian king, St Stephen founded an episcopate in Pecs in 1009 and the architectural monuments of 150 years of Turkish rule are still evident offering the visitor an interesting mix of east and west. 

Closer to Budapest and the Millenarian Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma is a stunning, yet relatively undiscovered tourist treasure. The abbey, built on the Roman province of Pannonia dates back to the formation of Hungary as a nation itself. The abbey has been built and destroyed several times in its history but the foundation of the monastery originally built be Czech and Italian monks and most recently refurbished in a unique baroque style are truly impressive.

Travelling out side of Budapest can be relatively easy with a range of organised tours visiting many of Hungary’s attractions and the country’s rail network is relatively cheap and reliable. For the more adventurous or independent traveller, car rental is available with many of the major firms offering car hire in Budapest (http://www.easycar.com/car-hire/location/Budapest.aspx/EN ) or at the various airports around the country.

Hungary is a welcome addition to the European travel destination circuit and the merits of Budapest are obvious and abundant. The country itself though is a fascinating destination of contrasts, history and culture and it just might be well worth exploring.

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Places To Visit In Dublin

Places To Visit In Dublin

One of the most popular capital cities to visit in Europe, Dublin has many attractions for a mixture of tastes. There are many bars and clubs and is a regular favourite destination for stag weekends and hen nights. There is much more to do and see however in Dublin and this article gives a number of must see places to visit before you leave.

I am from England and I love to visit different castles. I think my favourite is Warwick castle, however Dublin castle is also impressive and certainly worth a visit.

The castle formerly under British rule for around seven hundred years, was handed over to the Irish free state in 1922. There are many features of the castle including:

The throne room

The figure of justice, 

The chester beatty library and gallery

Garda siochana museum

Bermingham tower room

If you like museums, The National Museum Of Ireland would be worth a visit. This museum is in three different parts and in three different locations. The areas covered are:

 Archaeology and history at Kildare Street

The museum of natural history at Merrion Street

 In Benburb Street, there is a wider collection including the countries military and political history

Some of the exhibits at the National Museum Of Ireland: 

Fonthill vase, 

Irish Silver, 

Viking collection, 

The road to independence

, Prehistoric Ireland

The National Gallery is my next recommended place to visit in Dublin. There are four wings to the gallery on four levels:

 The Dargan Wing, 

The Milltown Wing, 

The Beit Wing, 

The Millenium Wing

This gallery has a collection of historic and present day art and is situated on Clare Street.

Pheonix park is apparently the largest city park in Europe and includes the famous Dublin Zoo. 

Other features include:

 The pheonix monument, 

Ashtown Castle, 

People's garden

, Papal cross - 

A little note of warning, it can be unsafe to visit this park when it becomes dark.

St Patrick's Cathedral is the Protestant Church of Ireland's national cathedral and is situated on St Patrick's Close. There are many features to the cathedral including: 

Lady Chapel, 

The Boyle Monument, 

Minot Tower, 

South Aisle.

The Guinness Stonehouse is my next recommendation. People always say to me, when in Ireland drink a pint or two of Guinness. This brewery has an interesting exhibition which includes the brewing process, the history of Guinness advertising and ends with a little tasting, a free pint!

There are many other places and buildings to visit and I hope you enjoy your stay in Dublin.

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Travel Tips to European Countries: Switzerland

Travel Tips to European Countries: Switzerland

About the country

Switzerland is blessed with all the bounties of nature. It is the most preferred tourist destination among all the countries in the world. The Alps region has a cold weather most of the times, where as the summers are warmer in the northern area. Visit Saas Fee to ski and snowboard. Dream of living in real life igloo can come true as many resorts, like Zermatt and St Moritz (which is a celebrity resort), had them built for their customers. 

Culture

Italian, German and French are the official languages of Switzerland. Many English people can also be found here. Unwrapped flowers must be presented to the host to show appreciation. White asters and chrysanthemums flowers are reserved for funerals, so precaution must be taken when presenting flowers to others, even red roses are better avoided. One can move around in casuals but it is important to dress in warrant jackets and ties when attending social gatherings or when eating out at a fine restaurant. Swiss Franc is the currency used here. 

Shopping

Switzerland is famous for its exotic chocolates, finest handmade clocks and luxury watches. Other specialties are embroidered linen, music boxes, wood carvings, Swiss cheese and Swiss army knives. Many shops remain close on Monday, so shopping should be avoided on that day. Since service charge is applied on all services, so tipping is an issue of free-will. 7.6% VAT is charged on all purchases made in Switzerland, which can be reclaimed later by asking for a global refund check, if the purchase crosses 400 CHF.  

Electricity

The standard current used is 230 volts (AC) and 50 Hz.

Getting There

Swiss airline is the national airline of Switzerland, which connects to 71 destinations all over the world. Zurich is the most popular airport, located at a distance of 11km from the city. Every 15 minutes, trains shuttles passengers to their destination. Fly-Rail Luggage ticket can be bought if the passengers want to collect their luggage at the railways station rather than the airport. While leaving Switzerland, Fly-Rail Baggage service can be availed that enables passenger to check-in their luggage at the railway station itself. Other facilities provided here are duty free shops, banks, restaurants and car hire. Check out Geneva, Basle and Bern airport for offers.

Since weather conditions are worst during the winters, train is an efficient and cheaper option. They are also great if one wants to enjoy the scenic beauty of Switzerland. Swiss Pass can be purchased to visit most of the tourist attractions in Switzerland.

High quality roads are maintained here. Roads connect to Austria, Germany, Italy and France. But in winters things can get worse, so it is better to carry chains and snow tires. Cars should be kept to the right.

Duty Free Items

a) Visitors from European countries

200  cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco

2 liter of alcohol (up to 15 per cent) and 1liter of alcohol (over 15 per cent)

(b) Visitors from non-European countries

400 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500g of tobacco

2liter of alcohol (up to 15 per cent) and 1liter of alcohol (over 15 per cent)

Meat items, narcotics and absinthe are strictly not permitted. Other items that come under the prohibited items list are firearms and animals.

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France at the forefront of Europe

France at the forefront of Europe

France was and still is one of the powerful countries in Europe. Through its history, its political position, the economy and not last the tradition in culture, France is what we see today.

With a population of 60 million of which 76% is urban population. Most of the population practices Catholicism (about 90%) as religion, whilst other popular religions include Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

Eiffel Tower in Paris, France

Regarding the political system, France is a Republic which Constitution dates from 1958. The President of the Republic is the Head of State, chief of the Armies and has an executive power. He is elected for a seven-year term (five year term from 2002 on) by direct universal suffrage. He is entitled to dissolve the Assembly and call for early elections. 

He appoints the Prime Minister, who represents the parliamentary majority. As for the legislative power, the Parliament is composed of the National Assembly (577 members elected for five years by direct universal suffrage) and the Senate (321 members elected for a nine-year term). The right to vote is granted from the age of 18. Since 1982, France decentralised part of its power to Regions and Departments. 

France is European Union's largest agricultural power, of which it provides almost a fourth of its production, and is the second largest agricultural power in the world (behind the USA). 

Agricultural activity benefits from huge subsidies, especially European subsidies. Wheat, corn, meat and wine are the main productions. The manufacturing industry is diversified, but the country is going through a desindustrialisation process, traduced by several relocations. 

The key industrial sectors are cars, computer, telecommunications and electronics. France is the first tourist destination world-wide: than 78.3 million tourists visited France last year. 

The French economy is very open to foreign trade of goods. The country ranks second in Europe for its foreign trade behind Germany, and is the eighth world destination for foreign direct investments (FDI). France's top three import partners are Germany, Italy and Spain.  

Its top three export partners are Germany, Spain and UK. France mainly imports vehicles, machinery and consumer goods. From January the 1st 2002, the currency in circulation is the euro.

France is noted for its cosmopolitan, civilized approach to life, combined with great concern for style, fashion and appearances. French people are sometimes perceived as taking a great pride in the national identity and positive achievements of France, although many French people would argue that people of all nations tend to do that.

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Denmark - Copenhagen, Helsingor and Beverages

Denmark - Copenhagen, Helsingor and Beverages

Denmark is one of the hippest countries in Europe. Copenhagen is the center of activity with a lively evening scene, palaces and castles.

If you’ve traveled to Denmark, you’ll understand when I immediately bring up the subject of bars. The Danish like to toss back a few when time permits. Time seems to permit a lot and a few beers often become many. To this end, going out for a night on the town with friendly Danes can be dangerous in the summer. Due to its location on old mother earth, it doesn’t get dark in Denmark until elevenish during the summer. This can be difficult to adjust to, particularly when you look down at your watch and realize it is four in the morning. And the sun is coming up! Ah, but Denmark is not all socializing.

Copenhagen

Copenhagen is one of those cities that is large, but feels small. I think this vibe arises from the fact there are a lot of walking only areas. Even in the center of the city, the streets are arranged like those in a neighborhood. This gives even the biggest restaurant or bar on the biggest street a local tavern feel.

If palaces and castles are your thing, Denmark has much to offer. The palace of Amalienborg and surrounding neighborhood area are definite examples of that over the top palace building period of Europe. A quick minivan trip out of town will deliver you to the castles of Kronborg and Frederiksborg. As castles go, I use the one through five cake rating and give each of these three cakes. The cake rating, of course, comes from the French Queen who suggested the poor be given cake to stop the complaints of starving.

Helsingor

Helsingor is a provincial city that represents the true Denmark or so I was told. Surprisingly, many a Dane seemed to consider Copenhagen a great city, but not really representative of true Denmark. With a righteous desire to seek the truth, I visited and stayed in Helsingor for three days. Indeed, the town was much sleepier than Copenhagen and had more of an authentic feel to it. But there was one problem.

Helsingor is full of Swedes. When I say “full”, I mean it in the most complete interpretation of the word. I like Sweden and the people, so it wasn’t a big deal. Still, did this mean the Danes felt true Denmark was a Swedish colony? When I posed this question one evening, I was educated in a tone of near outrage. Turns out the Swedes were everywhere because Denmark has liberal alcohol laws while Sweden is extremely repressive. Since the countries are remarkably close to each other, the Swedes pop over for a few days of fun in the sun.  

Ah, my mistake!

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Cyprus for Holidays (2013)

Cyprus for Holidays

The beautiful island of Cyprus lies in the Mediterranean Sea, it basks in up to 300 days of sunshine a year making it an island for all seasons.  

Every year Aphrodite’s island effortlessly attracts holiday makers and expatriates in their droves; they come in search of the stunning scenery, the incredible history, the fantastic weather, the warm and welcoming people and the idyllic Cypriot lifestyle.

If you’re looking for your next holiday hotspot or a perfect place to live in the sun here are five top reasons to consider Cyprus.

1) Cyprus has the perfect climate: in the short autumn and winter months the temperature never drops so low that the delicate fruit trees fail to deliver their burgeoning crop and in the summer the temperature never soars so high that the beautiful jasmine and bougainvillea blossoms wilt.  

Because the weather in Cyprus is considered to be so healthy it has long been an island favoured by all the family, it’s not too hot for those looking for an idyllic retirement destination and it’s not too cold or wet for those looking to escape to the sun.

2) With cheap airlines now servicing the airports across Cyprus, Greece and Turkey the island is easily and cheaply accessible from mainland Europe and there are some direct and many connecting flights to North America, Australasia and the Middle East which makes it an easy destination to reach.

3) Cyprus has been inhabited for at least the last 9,000 years and as a result it is steeped in history, rich in culture and charm and boasts an abundance of interesting historical sites, castles, fortresses and ruins.

There is so much to do and see in Cyprus that holiday makers return frequently and many decide to settle permanently on this amazing island.

4) Aphrodite’s island is also rich in flora and fauna; it has many rare species of orchid for example as well as being home to rare birds of prey, owls, flamingos and butterflies.  In the spring and autumn walking tours are very popular with those wanting to experience Cyprus up close and personal and the Troodos and Kyrenia mountain ranges both have many paths to explore and views to experience.

5) The Cypriot lifestyle is laid back, warm, friendly and hospitable.  The Cypriot people enjoy a leisurely pace of life that we can all envy…coming to Cyprus on holiday or to live people find they quickly adapt to long lunches and evenings spent out under the stars enjoying a meze of local dishes, some fine Cypriot wine and the company of great friends.

As a destination for your next holiday or a country to consider living in for those seeking a more laid back and idyllic lifestyle, Cyprus truly has it all!

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Why The British Love To Holiday In Spain

Why The British Love To Holiday In Spain

Have you ever been to Spain for a holiday? Are you thinking of travelling to Spain for a holiday in the near future? Do you always return to Spain each year for your annual holiday?  

Many British people continue to travel to Spain each year despite there being many more destinations available around the world at affordable prices. In this article, I write about why the British love and continue to travel to Spain for their holidays.

A recent report highlighted the fact that many British people do not just return to Spain once, but in fact return to Spain most years for their holiday. One lady who was around fifty years of age was asked by the reporter how many times she had chosen Spain for her holiday destination, twelve she answered. A man who was probably in his forties was asked the same question, he replied, eight times.

With the birth of the budget airline you would have thought that people may choose other destinations to visit, some of course do, but what is the reason behind all of these other people travelling back to Spain, year in, year out?

Many of these people will only be able to afford one holiday abroad per year and if they have really enjoyed travelling to Spain in the past and all what it has to offer, they may not be willing to take a risk with a new resort or country.

A lot of these people see Spain as quite similar to the UK, apart from the fact that it is a lot warmer. This sun is of course is why most of them are taking their holiday abroad, how many times have we taken a holiday in Britain, in August for example, and the weather has been poor?

The food in these Spanish resorts is very much catered for us Brits and there are many British themed bars where people are able to drink British beer and watch the English Premiership in football. 

This is no doubt true of many other resorts around the world but people may be of the mindset of why fix it, if it is not broken.

To travel to Spain is very cheap and the flights are also quite short, this suits a family taking their children as well as members of an older generation.

With the internet now available in most households, people are able to plan and book their holidays for even cheaper than before, this is by booking the flights and hotels well in advance. 

I personally like to travel to different destinations when I go abroad but can fully understand why other people would choose to return to the same place, for example Spain.

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Travel tips to European Countries: Bulgaria

Travel tips to European Countries: Bulgaria

About the county

Officially known as the Republic of Bulgaria or Bulgarian Republic, Bulgaria is a beautiful mountainous country lying in Balkan Peninsula in Southern Europe bordering the Black Sea to the east, Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, Romania to the north, Greece and Turkey to the south. Bulgaria also borders Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia along the sea. The largest and the capital city is Sofia. The country may be very small in area but it is rich in ancient culture, picturesque locales, down to earth and friendly people who provide the warmth and hospitality of old days. Bulgaria is known as “Land of Roses” due to the largest production of roses here. Although Bulgaria is known mostly for its sea resorts much of the actual country can be explored in great mountain regions, with many ski resorts a perfect destination for skiers. With unique customs, spectacular crafts, colorful festivals, folklore and so on Bulgaria has it all to take the imagination of visitors by surprise and excitement.

The Balkan Mountains in central Bulgaria

Population & Languages

The population of Bulgaria is roughly 7.4 million and the official language being spoken is Bulgarian. Turkish and Roma are also spoken by considerable percentage of the population.

Electricity

The voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. The types of plugs used are Round pin attachment plug and "Schuko" plug and receptacle with side grounding contacts.

Geographic Location

It lies in Balkan Peninsula in Southern Europe bordering the Black Sea to the east, Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, Romania to the north, Greece and Turkey to the south. Bulgaria also borders Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia along the sea. Bulgaria is strategically located near Turkish Straits making it the control point of key land routes connecting Europe to Middle East and Asia.

Climate

The climate of Bulgaria can be termed as temperate with hot and dry summers and cold and damp winters. Summer temperatures average around 75°F (24°C) and winter temperatures average about 32°F (0°C). The ideal time to visit Bulgaria is summer.

Local Customs

Like any other country Bulgaria has its own customs too and normal courtesies should be followed. Handshaking is customary. Dress should be conservative but can be casual. Souvenirs from home country are appreciated if invited to home. Here is Bulgaria, a nod of the head means ‘no’ and a shake of the head means ‘yes’. Tipping up to 10 to 12 percent is customary for all services including restaurants, bars, clubs, taxis etc.

Attractions

Sofia 

* St. Sofia Church

* St. George Rotunda

* Alexander Nevsky Cathedral 

* National Ethnographic Museum 

Mountains

* Village of Momchilovtsi 

* Pirin National Park 

* Rila Monastery

Travel

By Air – The national airline of Bulgaria is Bulgaria Air. Other international airlines operating from Bulgaria include Bulgaria include Aeroflot, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, El Al Israel Airlines, KLM, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, MALEV Hungarian Airlines, Olympic Airlines and Swiss Air. Sofia International Airport EAD (SOF) is the biggest airport which is like six miles east of Sofia. Other international airport is Varna International Airport (VAR) located in the western outskirts of the city about five miles from Varna.

Sea - The important international ports are Bourgas and Varna along the Black Sea.

River – Ferries can cross into Romania from Vidin to Calafat.

By Rail – Sofia is connected to Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, Thessaloniki, Paris, Vienna, Munich and Berlin through frequent services of trains.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco 

2. 1 liter of spirits and 2 liter of wine; 50g of perfume and 100g of eau de toilette 

3. Gifts and personal use items.

Prohibited Items

Un-canned goods, meat or dairy products, Narcotics, pornography, firearms, ammunition, weapons, eggs, plants, endangered species, fireworks and alcoholic beverages that contain more than sixty per cent alcohol.

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Travel Tips to European Countries: Belgium

Travel Tips to European Countries: Belgium

About the Belgium

Belgium is situated in the west of Europe. The land here mostly comprises of flat coastal plains in the northeast, and southeast is occupied by the Ardennes Forest. Dutch, Flemish, French and German are the official languages of Belgium, with Dutch being the widely spoken followed by French. The weather here is pretty predictable. Months from April to September are the warmest. Otherwise the weather is pretty humid and skies are gray, that explains why umbrellas and raincoats are a part of the dressing. So, if the visit is planned for holidays during the rainy season, one must not forget to carry sufficient cover for maximum protection, as this is a coastal region. In case of emergency call 100 or 112.

National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg, Brussels

Culture

Belgians are English-friendly and will make every attempt to speak in English with a foreigner. Always remember to carry a small gift or at least flowers especially when invited over dinner. The dress to wear will be mentioned in the invitation, when invited for a party. Smoking in public is acceptable.

Shopping

Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges, Ostend, Namur, Mons, Liège, Ghent and Mechelen are the main shopping centers. Belgium is famous for ceramics and hand-beaten copperware from Dinant, laces from Bruges, crystals from Val Saint Lambert, woodcarvings from Spa and Belgium’s finest chocolates. In jewelry, diamonds from Antwerp are on high demand. 

Eating Out

The specialty of most of the restaurants is horse and rabbit meat dishes. Although visitors can find a wide range of ethnic foods, but the most famous are frites and mayonnaise and mitraillette; mitraillette is a large bun filled with fries, donair meat and garlic sauce, the vegetarians can ask for a veg. substitute for the donair meat. While eating at a restaurant, tipping is considered customary along with the value-added tax. At the cinemas, leave a €0.50 tip for the attendant and €0.25 after using the public toilets.

Electricity

Voltage is 230 V and frequency is 50 Hz.

Travel

Delta Air Transport has inaugurated its new European airline SN Brussels Airlines recently. It flies to more than 58 destinations in Europe and as well as worldwide. The Brussels Zayentem airport is twelve km from the city and it takes 35 minutes to reach the city from the airport. The airport has facilities like duty free shops, car parking, taxi booking, car hiring, banks, post office, restaurants, and medical help. Internet and fax services are provided for the passengers. The Airport City Express train transports passengers to three main railway stations - Brussels North, Central and South. One can avail a bus which runs regularly from the airport, taxis can also be hired which wait outside the arrival hall. Tipping the taxi drivers is considered customary. Train runs every 15 minutes.

Another airport, Brussels South Charleroi, is 5 km away from Charleroi and 46 km from Brussels. Ryan air serves as the local airline here and has cheap deals for several European destinations to and from Charleroi. The facilities provided here are bus and train services, café, car hire, and duty free shops.

Ostend airport is 5 km away from the city and car parking, car hire, duty free shops, and restaurants are provided here.

Antwerp airport is just 2 km away from the city. Buses run to the Brussels Central Station every few minutes.

Liege is situated at a distance of 5 km away from the city. Buses run at regular interval here. 

The departure tax at Brussels Zayentem is €20.93, Brussels South Charleroi is €3.49, Ostend and Antwerp is €10, and at Liege is €7.

There is a network of high-speed trains, which are operated by Thalys, from Belgium to France, connecting Brussels with other destinations like Bordeaux, Chambéry, Cannes, Marseille, Lyon, Nice, Valence Perpignan, and Rennes. Booking should be made in advance for these trains. The national railway operates through out the day providing service every few minutes to destinations such as Andorra, Austria, France, Czech, Germany, Italy, Poland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the UK and the Netherlands. Insiders can avail the Inter-Rail pass which allows visitors to travel almost 29 European Countries. This service is valid for residents who have been settled there for more than 6 months.

Duty Free Items

Visitors can carry alcohol, tobacco, cigarettes, coffee and tea without getting customs duty levied on them, but only the goods should be limited. Check out for the limits before carrying such goods. Food items that are not preserved are better avoided. 

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Skiing Locations : Solden In Austria

Solden In Austria

Solden is a world-renowned skiing facility that is often referred to as the home of skiing in Austria. With views that are simply breath-taking, the countered rocky mountains are also home to tourists from around the world that visit each week to experience the slopes that are not only challenging, yet also custom-built in the case of certain slaloms. Solden is also a great place to learn skiing with expert teaching facilities, and a team of 20+ on hand to help new skiers learn, and experienced skiers improve. 

The resort is located around 50 miles out with Innsbruck and 20 miles west of Otztal. As you can imagine the area is dedicated to Skiing, with hotels and guest houses attempting to leverage skiing upon their brand, to attract a loyal customer-base from the slopes. This is something that has worked, and with 6,500 snowboarders also choosing to hit the Solden slopes each week Austria’s skiing capital is showing no signs of regression. 

With the increased popularity of skiing activities in Solden, the company operating the slopes has more than 20 instructors working at one time, putting wind behind their suggestion that over 1000 new skiers start on their slopes each week. With the rise of snowboarding attracting a teenage audience, Solden has attempted to accommodate, through offering drinking facilities and clubs near by, where the teenagers on vacation can chill at night, after a hard day on the slopes. The fun and entertainment does not stop at clubs, or 5 star hotels for that matter, Solden is also home to the Solden Firework Display, providing 2 hours of fireworks every second evening. The look of the fireworks, as the light flashes off the snow is simply amazing and this is one of many reasons why Solden is famed for character and personality, over and above its Austrian counterparts. 

So what other features set Solden apart from the rest? Offering night time activities under the fireworks, it is possible to ski and snowboard under floodlights. This is something that has not only attracted skiers from around the world, but also internationally renowned DJs and musicians that feel the cool and hip Solden slopes is a perfect place to hang out. 

Skiing at night may appear to be a very dangerous activity, however I have been assured that only basic slaloms are allowed and that the night is primarily aimed at snowboarders, that don’t cover as much distance on a board. Austria’s Solden slope has hosted many events to a global and European audience, and just as would be expected, the crowd and the competitors both enjoyed the event, with the winner being a native Austrian himself at the last Stella Artios Cup, that seen over 500 competitors from nearly 40 countries taking part. 

With the rise of snowboarding, great skiing locations such as Solden are doing everyone proud in maintaining skiing as well. Through welcoming the snow boarding community with open arms, we are able to see a unity between the sports at the Solden peeks, and we are also seeing younger children being exposed to Skiing, through choosing to go snowboarding and seeing it their. 

Whether you are a young child, or an adult, whether you have skied or snowboarded before, Solden is the best location in Europe and throughout the world for skiing activities on a recreational and competitive level. With deep snow, and a firm texture I would recommend Solden to absolutely anyone. 

The ski lift is newly fitted making it a very smooth and comfortable ride. The lift covers over 20 miles and was voted the third-best ski lift in the entire world. With excellent accommodation and among the best snowboarding and skiing facilities in the world, I would recommend Solden to anyone looking to experience skiing for the first time, or someone looking to take their skiing to the next level through riding a challenging slalom.

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