Europe Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Short Holiday Breaks

4 European Destinations Every Traveller Should Visit At Least Once

October 6, 2016 by admin

Packed with numerous wonderful and diverse cultures, in such a relatively small landmass, Europe has been attracting travellers from the rest of the globe for centuries. However, with so many unique and exciting cities all over the continent, it can be hard to know where to pick for your next vacation – particularly if you only have a short period of time available.

While many stick to Europe’s big-name destinations, such as Paris, Berlin or Vienna, there are a few more overlooked options that deserve a place on your list. These four destinations all guarantee visitors the trip of a life-time, and should be on the bucket list of every travel enthusiast.

Prague

Eastern Europe was once a place never really talked about by the travel community. Trapped behind the iron curtain for years after the end of the Second World War, it remained a mystery to many. However, more recently, its global popularity is increasing at an impressive rate. Visitors are flocking in their droves to explore the secrets of its streets. Attracting over 27 million tourists every year, it’s fast becoming one of the jewels in Europe’s crown.

Photo: Roman Boed

Highlights include the world-famous Charles Bridge, which offers panoramic views over the city and the magical Astronomical clock, an animated mechanical contraption whose beautiful carved figurines perform a show on every hour that delights audiences.

Malta

When most people think of beach holidays in Europe, they immediately opt for Spain or southern Italy. However, this tiny little island paradise just off the coast of Sicily is one of the continents best-kept secrets. The Maltese archipelago offers countless golden shorelines, glorious temperatures and secluded coves.

Photo: Creative Commons

It’s home to a whole array of prehistoric ruins for history lovers to enjoy, or the more adventurous can indulge in rock climbing, hiking or even diving in the famous and aesthetically beautiful Blue Lagoon. There are plenty of sights to see, including the wondrous natural phenomenon – The Azure Window rock formation – and the breath taking walled city of Valletta.

St. Petersburg

Many people wouldn’t consider Russia when they think of European travel, however the whole western part of the country is technically included in the continent. The famed and impressive city of St. Petersburg is by far one of the region’s most popular spots. For fans of arts and culture, it competes with London, New York and even Paris with all the fascinating delights it offers.

Photo: Aleksandr Zykov

You can enjoy the world famous Russian ballet, or a haunting opera, in the incredible Alexandrinksy theatre, whose stunning architecture is just as breath-taking as the performances that grace its stage. There is also a whole range of world-class museums, including the State Hermitage Museum. This internationally renowned establishment is one of the biggest in the world, and boasts endless collections of artwork, ancient artefacts and many more unique exhibits.

Lisbon

Most know Portugal for the sunshine and beach culture of the Algarve. However, the country’s capital city far surpasses these southern regions in terms of culture, history and the chance to immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of a true Portuguese town.

Find a traditional Fado night, a haunting and soulful genre of music that has been prolific in the country for over 180 years. The city is also a food lover’s paradise, with endless restaurants providing some of the most mouth-watering delights of the delicious and underrated Portuguese cuisine. Be sure to try the locally cured meats, and the crisp and succulent desert pastry – the Pastel de Nata.

There are so many great destinations in the world that are often overlooked. These are my four recommendations, but if you have a favorite holiday spot that you think deserves a place on this list, then be sure to leave a comment below.

Post Sponsored by The Corinthia Hotel Lisbon.

Why Traveling Through Europe By Train Is A Good Idea

September 29, 2016 by admin

With its high-rise cities, quaint towns and picturesque landscapes, Europe makes it to every list of holiday destinations easily. What’s not to like about the place? You have everything here, from romance, to nightlife, to history and sport.

However, a trip through Europe is easier said than done- there are several things to think about beforehand. Budget, time and comfort need to be carefully considered before planning a trip. A great solution to all of these concerns would be the option of train travel through Europe.

Traveling through Europe by train is an altogether different experience. The first thing that strikes the vacationer is the breath-taking scenery that he or she can witness. Train travel makes up in a lot of ways for what one misses out on by taking a flight, and the insight it gives into the scenic beauty of a place and its culture and energy are just the tip of the iceberg.

Train travel in Europe is also extremely comfortable. The rail networks of European countries are highly comprehensive in terms of the distances and destinations they cover. In fact the European rail networks are some of the most renowned networks internationally for their intra- and inter- city connectivity.

In terms of comfort and punctuality too, the reviews are more or less positive for rail networks across the continent. Not only is there more leg room, trains also allow for more mobility during travel time.

Most importantly, train travel around Europe is one of the most economical means of travel in the continent. With International Rail’s rail tickets and passes, you can actually draw up the travel itinerary of your choice and enjoy the vacation of your dreams at most attractive prices.

Traveling through Europe with an InterRail Pass or Eurail Pass makes the journey even easier. With the one country passes you can explore the place country by country, whereas the InterRail Global Pass allows for easy travel between different countries of your choice in Europe with a single ticket. There are several options available allowing you to build your itinerary as you please.

Remember that by choosing rail travel, you are not only making things easier for yourself, but also acting responsibly for the betterment of the environment. So, on your next Europe trip, experience the excitement and adventure of train travel for a truly magnificent holiday.

Girls Guide To Flashpacking in Europe

February 4, 2016 by admin

I absolutely love to travel, meeting people of different nationalities and backgrounds, seeing some of the World’s wonders and experiencing different ways of life. However, gone are my days of spending nights in 12-bed rooms in a hostel or hitching a ride in a truck with a stranger, these days I like to fall into the ‘flash packing’ mode of travelling, and I absolutely love it, I recently toured Europe and here is my quick guide to getting the most out of this wonderful continent, in style.

The Best Way to Travel is by Train

Of course, flying between destinations is quicker and a little ‘sexier’ but train travel around Europe is an absolute dream. If you spend a little extra you can get some real comfort on the trains including overnight trains. The services in Europe are really far reaching and you can hit all of the big cities via train. I recommend taking the train from Geneva to Milan, it goes right through the Alps and the views are stunning, even better with a glass of bubbly!

Boutique is the Future

As much as I enjoy staying in a grand hotel that caters for my every need, I have, in recent years completely fell in love with boutique hotels. Europe has hundreds of these little gems, usually independently owned and always quirky. The idea behind these hotels in all out style and luxury, many of the ones that I have stayed in have a certain theme to them and are always designed in a way that you just don’t get at the big chain hotels. There are a lot of boutique hostels starting to pop up at the moment but for me, despite the design, it is still a hostel, I prefer the hotels and I don’t mind paying a little extra for some good old fashioned luxury.

Travel Privately

I don’t do this too often, but now and again I love to hire my own car and driver, whether it is for an airport transfer, a city tour or getting to my hotel from the station. Privately hiring a car is a great alternative to taxi travel, especially for us girls, I always feel far safer in a private car than a cab caught on the street. As well as the added security, there is always better organisation and time keeping from private cars and generally speaking the drivers are always nice as they are representing a company, I feel like they take that little bit more pride in their job.

I love Europe so much, there is a lot on offer for backpackers and flash packers alike and there are so many beautiful cities in such close proximity that you’ll be country hopping before you know it. My favourite cities were Milan, Geneva and Budapest, all of them are so chic, all reachable by train and all of them offered a flash packer like me, the perfect chance to travel in style.

Money Saving Secrets for Short Vacations

January 18, 2016 by admin

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When you might only have the time or budget for a short break, it’s important to make sure your vacation is as flawless as possible. This simple list of money-saving tips will help you get the best value out of a short vacation.

Plan meticulously

If you don’t have a lot of time, the worst thing you can do is just show up in a foreign city with no idea of where you are going to go or what you are going to do. What tends to happen in that situation is that you waste a lot of time trying to figure out what to do, and then before you know it, it is time to head home. Proper planning will also help you to budget appropriately for the trip, so you don’t end up with unpleasant surprises and regrets.

Pre-pay your indulgences

When splashing out for luxury items like Vienna Opera tickets, you can usually save a lot of money if you buy them before you leave home. There are two reasons for this. The first is that some service providers give special prices for international tourists and these discounts may only be available when purchased from outside of the country. The second reason is that prices for some things may tend to increase as special events become closer. You’ll also avoid missed opportunities due to sell-outs.

When paying by credit card, try to pay in your home currency

It’s not always an option, but when purchasing online (and, sometimes, even offline) you can potentially save a lot by paying in your home currency. This is because most credit cards charge high fees for currency conversion, and even though they are international and shouldn’t do it; they always convert between your home currency and the transaction currency. When you do have to pay in a foreign currency, try to anticipate currency market trends and you could save a few dollars by waiting a day or two before committing to the purchase.

Consider all-inclusive packages

While they’re often not the best value, all-inclusive vacation packages can take some of the stress and hassle out of vacation planning, and your overall spending will tend to be less. However, do try to align your choices with places and activities that interest you.

Never pay for restaurant meals with a credit card

Sure, it makes you look like a big shot, but it’s way too easy to get scammed if you let a waiter carry your credit card away from the table. Besides that, many restaurants add a hefty extra percentage when you pay by credit card, and that is just dead money.

It’s just a short break, so take cash

Carrying large sums of cash around is not usually recommended, but if you’re just taking a short vacation then it’s a waste of money to pay the fees charged by financial institutions for withdrawing cash from foreign ATMs. As long as you carry less than the currency declaration limit, you should be fine (the exception is the UK, where they demand evidence that whatever money you are carrying actually belongs to you, regardless of whether it is below the limit).

The above list is by no means comprehensive, but it’s vital to take the tips that are mentioned here on board if you want to save money when taking your next short vacation.

Trip To Greece Tips

November 20, 2015 by admin

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Although Greece remains a popular tourist destination, this has not kept the Mediterranean nation from experiencing a severe economic crisis. As a result, travelers need to adjust their plans accordingly, as Greece’s of economic issues provide an additional hurdle for prospective travelers to clear.

However, these problems do not have to put a damper on your trip to Greece! In addition to saving money on airfare and accommodations with the use of coupons for Hotwire you can find on Discountrue.com, a traveler can follow these simple tips for traveling to Greece and getting the most of their journey!

Planning Ahead

Those who have a longer window to plan their trip to Greece are able to maximize their savings. Greece’s current economic situation is of great benefit to American travelers, since the dollar has become much more valuable. As a result, more and more Americans are making their way to the Mediterranean, as well as Europe, each year.

By waiting and planning ahead, your trip to Greece could become even less expensive than you had imagined. Greece is in the process of deciding whether or not to switch from the euro back to the drachma. Should they decide to make the transition, the American dollar would hold even greater value, letting you get even more bang for your buck.

Purchase Insurance

Traveler’s insurance is a great way to ensure that you are covered in case of any incidents that should take place. It is important to remember that traveler’s insurance is not going to cover you for any economic woes that Greece is experiencing, regardless of whether or not they affect your trip.

Insurance can be used to cover common snafus, such as lost luggage. But if you are looking for something a little bit more extensive, the “cancel for any reason” option is available to you. A policy of this nature typically costs $500 and allows a traveler to recoup 50 percent of their nonrefundable expenses, should an unforeseen problem arise.

Manage Your Money Wisely

Greek banks are now under new rules and regulations. They ration their money and are only during certain of the hours. As a result, travelers need to consider these realities when making their way through the country. Always make sure that you have enough cash for the situations that require paper money and rely on credit cards as much as possible.

Plan as if you will not be able to use your ATM card while you are in Greece. Many places do not accept American Express cards as a form of payment, so be sure to have MasterCard or Visa on hand. Don’t carry too much cash or too many valuables. Hotel safes and safety deposit boxes provide you with useful locations to store your most prized possessions.