July is upon us already - it seems like only yesterday we were munching down the mince pies and opening presents round the Christmas tree. Yes, we are halfway through the year, and officially into Summer. July and August are the busiest months for people to go on holiday for much of Europe - because of this high demand you will usually find prices for hotels / flights etc to be at their peak, hence 'peak time'. If booking far enough in advance you can usually get really good deals on your package holidays and flights, however if you are still looking for somewhere to go you'll do well to get a cheap deal - I just bought some flights to Italy for £250 return - if I had booked them a couple of weeks ago they would have set me back just £160. So if you are planning to go somewhere this summer, or September/October time, I'd recommend getting everything sorted out asap to save money, as prices tend to keep on increasing as the date gets nearer. The exception to this can be last last minute deals - if you look to go away tomorrow you can usually get really cheap deals - as it is such late notice and the airlines /travel agents would rather have someone pay less than to miss out on the business completely.
So where are the best holiday destinations in July and August? Well this is a bit of an unspecific question - it really completely depends on what kind of holiday you want, who you are with, your budget and many other factors. Many of us, myself included, like to go abroad around this time - slightly ironic perhaps considering they are the only 2 months in the UK where the weather is actually nice and hot. My advice would be to check with your travel agents and do some research online for good deals - if your on a strict budget its probably best to see what holiday destinations have good deals for them and building from that - ie. choose where to go once you know you can buy flights or a package at a good price. You should always be able to find a range of really exciting places to travel to so you won't be stuck with staying in a 2* out of town hotel in an country you've never heard of, just to get a good deal.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Venice - Most Romantic Holiday Destinations
Venice is without doubt one of the most romantic holiday destinations on the planet. Located in Northern Italy, it is a truly unique and historic town, brimming with culture. It has been described as the most beautiful city in the world by many and it is easy to see why.
Venice is famous for being situated right out in the Adriatic sea, with a network of rivers weaving through the city itself. It is made up of 118 small islands - this characteristic has earned Venice the title of the "City of Water". The traditional image of tourists snuggled together in a gondola being transported down the narrow, winding waterways between beautiful riverside buildings is a famous one - and rightly so. Nowhere else on the planet is quite like Venice and for this reason alone it is a holiday destination that everyone should visit at some point in their life.
Venice is definitely a good city for couples - gently drifting down the rivers in a goldola, the traditional Venetian rowing boats, is an experience to savour, and very romantic. The city is so beautiful as well, it is easy to spend hours just wandering the streets in your partners arms, soaking up the sun (if you're lucky). The Italian lifestyle and culture is itself is very suave and chic, so combined with the city you get an very sexy holiday destination. The restaurants in Venice are typically very good, serving up your traditional Italian fare like pizza and pasta as well as more up market speciality dishes such as freshly caught fish and local meat dishes. If you fancy exploring areas outside of Venice itself, we would recommend renting a car to drive down the coast or wherever the wind takes you. If you want car hire Italy has many companies to choose from all offering various deals and cars, at various locations.
Traditional Venice gondolas
Overall, Venice is a really special town, full of history. Whether you're in a relationship, with frinds, on your own or with your family, there's plenty of things to keep you occupied. However there's something about Venice that makes it one of the most romantic holiday destinations in the world - I'd definitely recommend it as somewhere to go with your partner.
Venice is famous for being situated right out in the Adriatic sea, with a network of rivers weaving through the city itself. It is made up of 118 small islands - this characteristic has earned Venice the title of the "City of Water". The traditional image of tourists snuggled together in a gondola being transported down the narrow, winding waterways between beautiful riverside buildings is a famous one - and rightly so. Nowhere else on the planet is quite like Venice and for this reason alone it is a holiday destination that everyone should visit at some point in their life.
Venice is definitely a good city for couples - gently drifting down the rivers in a goldola, the traditional Venetian rowing boats, is an experience to savour, and very romantic. The city is so beautiful as well, it is easy to spend hours just wandering the streets in your partners arms, soaking up the sun (if you're lucky). The Italian lifestyle and culture is itself is very suave and chic, so combined with the city you get an very sexy holiday destination. The restaurants in Venice are typically very good, serving up your traditional Italian fare like pizza and pasta as well as more up market speciality dishes such as freshly caught fish and local meat dishes. If you fancy exploring areas outside of Venice itself, we would recommend renting a car to drive down the coast or wherever the wind takes you. If you want car hire Italy has many companies to choose from all offering various deals and cars, at various locations.
Traditional Venice gondolas
Overall, Venice is a really special town, full of history. Whether you're in a relationship, with frinds, on your own or with your family, there's plenty of things to keep you occupied. However there's something about Venice that makes it one of the most romantic holiday destinations in the world - I'd definitely recommend it as somewhere to go with your partner.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Brussels, Belgium - European Holidays
Brussels is a city at the centre of Europe in more ways than one. Not only is it geographically fairly central within Europe, it is also a political centre, with many of the decisions of European parliament taking place in the city. However, don't let the political status of this place put you off, it is a great holiday destination to visit for a nice city break.
The city has excellent transport links to nearby European countries which is a big bonus - you can reach the city very easily on the Eurostar, just a couple of short hours away away from London Waterloo station. Book in advance to save a good amount on your ticket - I got a return from Brussels for about £80 but that was not particularly early notice. Once there, there's a whole host of cheap hostels and hotels to stay in, as well as the more pricey up-market places if you've just been given a Brucey bonus at work.
There's a range of things to do around te city and it's not particularly big so you can explore it on foot if the weathers nice. There are a lot of nice green park areas on the outskirts of the city which are nice to chill out in in the summer. The Grand Place is in the centre of the city and is a great place to take a few snaps. The architecture of the buildings is fantastic - the town hall in particular is a sight to behold, finished in 1455 - the rest of the Grand Place was subsequestly built around this magnificent building. Get a famous Belgian Waffle from one of the many stalls around the Grand Place while you have a wander. Choose from a range of toppings like chocolate sauce or ice cream, just to warn you they are very filling so not recommended before any strenuous activity.
The Town Hall in the Grand Place, Brussels
Another top sight is the Manakin Pis, a little statue of a boy, doing a wee into the fountain basin - one of the symbols of the city. The most famous legend of the statue is that the two year old Duke Godfrey III of Leuven. During a battle back in 1142, the troops of the Duke placed him in a hanging basket nearby as a form of motivation, where he proceeded to urinate on the heads of the opposition - the Berthouts. The Duke quickly gained legendary status from the affair.
Brussels is also a good place to visit for a good night out. There are a good number of bars and pubs around town - a popular pasttime is playing chess in one of the many chess cafes while sipping on a premium Belgian beer. The bar Delirium is famous for hosting the largest number of beers in the world at one time - there are usually over 2000 varieties of beer stocked here at any one time. Definitely worth a visit, and it is easy to end up hanging round in here until the early hours sampling the huge range thay have on offer.
Brussels is definitely one of the best holiday destinations to visit for a classy gastronomic experience as well. The main strip of restaurants offers pretty generic Belgian food, ie. the classic Steak Frites of Moules Frites - however many of these restaurants overcharge so don't be tempted by the special offers offered by the waiters. I would recommend exploring a little further out to get better quality, more authentic food at cheaper prices, although eating on the main strip is definitely an experience.
Overall Brussels is an excellent holiday destination for a pleasant city break - there's plenty on offer here. The nearby towns like Bruge offer a decent daytrip as well if you get bored of the city itself.
The city has excellent transport links to nearby European countries which is a big bonus - you can reach the city very easily on the Eurostar, just a couple of short hours away away from London Waterloo station. Book in advance to save a good amount on your ticket - I got a return from Brussels for about £80 but that was not particularly early notice. Once there, there's a whole host of cheap hostels and hotels to stay in, as well as the more pricey up-market places if you've just been given a Brucey bonus at work.
There's a range of things to do around te city and it's not particularly big so you can explore it on foot if the weathers nice. There are a lot of nice green park areas on the outskirts of the city which are nice to chill out in in the summer. The Grand Place is in the centre of the city and is a great place to take a few snaps. The architecture of the buildings is fantastic - the town hall in particular is a sight to behold, finished in 1455 - the rest of the Grand Place was subsequestly built around this magnificent building. Get a famous Belgian Waffle from one of the many stalls around the Grand Place while you have a wander. Choose from a range of toppings like chocolate sauce or ice cream, just to warn you they are very filling so not recommended before any strenuous activity.
The Town Hall in the Grand Place, Brussels
Another top sight is the Manakin Pis, a little statue of a boy, doing a wee into the fountain basin - one of the symbols of the city. The most famous legend of the statue is that the two year old Duke Godfrey III of Leuven. During a battle back in 1142, the troops of the Duke placed him in a hanging basket nearby as a form of motivation, where he proceeded to urinate on the heads of the opposition - the Berthouts. The Duke quickly gained legendary status from the affair.
Brussels is also a good place to visit for a good night out. There are a good number of bars and pubs around town - a popular pasttime is playing chess in one of the many chess cafes while sipping on a premium Belgian beer. The bar Delirium is famous for hosting the largest number of beers in the world at one time - there are usually over 2000 varieties of beer stocked here at any one time. Definitely worth a visit, and it is easy to end up hanging round in here until the early hours sampling the huge range thay have on offer.
Brussels is definitely one of the best holiday destinations to visit for a classy gastronomic experience as well. The main strip of restaurants offers pretty generic Belgian food, ie. the classic Steak Frites of Moules Frites - however many of these restaurants overcharge so don't be tempted by the special offers offered by the waiters. I would recommend exploring a little further out to get better quality, more authentic food at cheaper prices, although eating on the main strip is definitely an experience.
Overall Brussels is an excellent holiday destination for a pleasant city break - there's plenty on offer here. The nearby towns like Bruge offer a decent daytrip as well if you get bored of the city itself.
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