Tips for Your Next Summer Holiday in Europe

This article was written by Alex Pierce

While the cold winter months seem to drag on forever, the summer holidays tend to feel as though they last no more than a blink of the eye. Make the most of this short, and plan your ideal holiday today!

Trips for the Beach Bum

If you’re idea of the perfect summer holiday includes feeling the sand between your toes as you sip on an ice-cold drink and listen to the soft waves of the sea, then consider spending some time at one of Europe’s many seaside vacation resorts. The island of Corsica, with its 1000km of coastline, has many gorgeous beaches; Pinarello Beach is an especially beautiful spot, offering white sand and craggy coves. Greece is an absolute must-see for beach-lovers; Myrtos Beach in Kefalonia is absolutely stunning, and its perfect crescent shape makes it the iconic Mediterranean beach. For a more luxurious beach vacation, head to France; St.Tropez on the Côte d’Azur is a gorgeous beach that is filled with equally gorgeous people, lounging about on yachts and dining in the high-end restaurants.

Trips for the Thrill-Seeker

Are you always looking for your next big adventure? Do you thrive off the exhilaration that is experienced when diving from a cliff or leaping from a plane? Why not enjoy a hot-air balloon ride over the exotic landscape of Cappadocia in Turkey, or go glacier-walking in Norway? Europe has a never-ending list of extreme activities for you to try. After all, there isn’t much that is more nerve-wracking than running with the bulls in Spain! Mountain-biking enthusiasts will find plenty of great trails in Europe; head to Lagos in Portugal to ride down a volcano, visit Glentress in Scotland to see its well-maintained bike park, or bike through the Swiss Alps in the Berner Oberland. Do you prefer getting your thrills in the water? Believe it or not, Europe has some of the best surf spots on the planet. Portugal has tons of great surfing beaches, including the famous Amado beach, and you can even surf in more northern areas such as Ireland and Scotland if you’re up for it!

Trips for the Family

Europe has some excellent family-friendly destinations, and while it can sometimes be expensive to travel with the family, there are many of deals to be found, giving you the chance to save up to 20% on summer breaks in Europe. A beach vacation is always a safe bet with the family; Sardinia in particular is a good destination for those travelling with kids. If you’re looking for a more culturally-rich vacation, Barcelona is a terrific choice; young ones will surely be impressed Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia and the quirky Picasso Museum. The city’s cable cars are always a blast, and there are plenty of parks and accessible beaches for the kids to enjoy. When it comes to the ultimate family-friendly holiday in Europe, it’s hard to beat Disneyland Paris. While you do have to deal with crowds and over-priced snacks, kids will swoon over their favorite Disney characters and gravity-defying rides.

Accommodations

The possibilities for accommodations during your summer holidays in Europe are endless. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option and don’t mind roughing it a little, consider a camping holiday. Chateaux de Lez-Eaux is a great campsite located on the grounds of a 19th century castle located between Normandy and Brittany, and its indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, and fishing lake make it an ideal family destination. However, if you’re on a tight budget but are hesitant about spending the nights without a solid roof over your head, don’t panic; there are plenty of ways to save money on your stay at a hotel. Booking ahead is always a good idea. For example, you can save a good deal by booking in advance at Hilton Worldwide. If you’re a big group and will be staying in one place for a while, consider renting an apartment or a villa; it gives you the chance to settle in and relax.

Enjoy your summer holidays!

About the Author: This article was written by Alex Pierce. I am a travel-holic, adventure hunting and adrenaline lover. I am building my career as a travel journalist as I can’t imagine any other activity the will enrich my life at a greater extent. Huge part of travelling experience is to meet people and exchange different views, so please share your comments below this article I would be glad to come back to you asap.

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10 Things to Avoid When Visiting Orlando's Theme Parks

Walt Disney’s first Florida theme park opened in 1971, envisaged as a place where dreams could come true, even if only for a little while. It took six years and $400 million to create “Disneyland East,” which has surpassed Walt’s own dream: instead of being a spin-off of California’s Disneyland Park, it has become the USA’s most popular theme park, attracting more than 15 million visitors every year (some 40,000 each day). And here are 10 things that you should avoid if you plan to visit the theme parks in Orlando.

1 Park Visits When School’s Out

All the parks are packed during school breaks (late Jun–late Aug; late Dec–early Jan; mid-Feb, and Easter),

since that’s when locals hit the parks with their kids. Summer is the worst, since not only is it crowded, but it’s also brutally hot. The least crowded months are November plus early and late February.

2 Theme Park Isolation

Don’t spend every waking minute in Orlando’s theme parks, because burn-out is inevitable. Make sure you take time to see Central Florida’s natural attractions, Smaller Attractions, and Museums.

3 Early Arrivals

It might seem smart to hit the theme parks as soon as they open, but it is not always the best plan. Kids who arrive early tend to collapse by 2pm and are a mess the rest of the day. Instead, take it easy in the morning and head for the parks in the afternoons and evenings. Temperatures are cooler and the parks take on a magical glow under the lights.

4 Inflexibility

Relax. It’s a vacation. There are no prizes for those who joylessly cram every single ride at their chosen theme park into one day. Make plans, but be flexible. Don’t attempt to do everything on your list, and maybe save a few things for the next visit.

5 Big Meals In-Park

In general, theme-park food is bland and overpriced, so don’t waste your main meal of the day on it. Instead, at Universal, check out the eateries on Citywalk; while at Disney, visit one of the excellent resort dining options, where you’ll find that high-end restaurants offer great value. Parks allow same-day re-entry on single tickets – just be sure to get your hand stamped before leaving.

6 Free and Discounted Tickets

There are a lot of offers floating around Orlando that sound too good to be true. If someone promises free or heavily discounted tickets, ask “What’s the catch?”, especially if they’re promised a Disney ticket. Most are timeshare salespeople trying to get you to “buy” a week’s holiday for the next 20 years. In some cases they have legitimate tickets, but most of the time you have to endure hours of sales pitches. Usually, such properties are overpriced. However, I advise you plan your trip ahead and get your Orlando tickets online before you leave home.  

7 Wearing Skimpy Bathing Suits at Water Parks

Ladies should consider one-piece suits at water parks since most of the best rides can quickly rip off a bikini top. Alternatively, wear a T-shirt over the bikini for added protection. Guys, for reasons not necessary to elaborate upon here, should avoid Speedos altogether.

8 Public Transport

Lynx buses might appear to be everywhere, but don't set your schedule by them, especially for longer trips. They stop frequently, are notoriously slow, and are generally ignored by locals.

9 Downtown’s Westside

The area of Downtown south of Colonial Drive and west of I-4 is not a particularly safe place to wander around. Avoid it. But if you are going to a destination here, including the Greyhound Bus station, call a cab.

10 Rush Hour on I-4

Sometimes called “Orlando’s Parking Lot”, I-4 can get very congested, particularly during evening rush hour (3–6:30pm), as attraction employees head home. Disney-generated traffic on I-4, between Lake Buena Vista and US Hwy 192, has a life of its own. Traffic jams there can occur around the clock.

Photos via Flickr Creative Commons

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Trattoria Baita Belvedere, Bellagio. Welcome to the Family Farm

Watching the sunset from Trattoria Baita Belvedere, with views over Bellagio and Lake Como

Benjamin Franklin once said 'Eat to live, don't live to eat'. While he might be right in most cases, there are certain exceptions from this rule... Like when you find yourself in a little trattoria on top of the mountain, overlooking Lake Como. 

Trattoria Baita Belvedere is a family run restaurant in Bellagio. And it is special from quite a few points of view. First of all, all ingredients are either produced right there on the family farm next to the restaurant, or locally produced (like fish from the lake). Second, from the terrace, guests can enjoy some of the most breathtaking and unique views over Lake Como. 

As Trattoria Baita Belvedere is situated on top of the mountain, you certainly need a car to get there. There are no sidewalks and the road is steep, with horseshoe curves through the forest and to be honest, it looked pretty dangerous to me. On the other hand there aren't many cars. But this should not impend you from having lunch or dinner here. The owners of the restaurant run a daily shuttle service from downtown Bellagio to the restaurant. They even drive everyone back to their hotels after finishing the meal! 

Trattoria Baita Belvedere has a friendly and informal atmosphere, with old photos and tools once used for farming decorating the walls. From the very first moment we stepped inside we were treated like family, we were given an amazing table on the glass covered terrace (they also have an open air terrace, but in May when we were there it was still too cold for eating outside), from were we could admire the sunset and the views. To be honest, the lake was so beautiful from up there, I almost couldn't take my eyes away from it. 

The dishes served in the restaurant follow old, traditional recipes from Northern Italy. And since pizza was invented in Napoli, in Southern Italy, quite a long way from Bellagio, there is no pizza to be found on the menu. Instead, all main dishes are accompanied by polenta (boiled finely ground yellow cornmeal).

We started our dinner with a selection of cold cuts and cheeses from the farm and I'm not exaggerating when I say they were some of the best we've ever had. Definitely a must try and a great way to stir the appetite, especially if served with local wine.

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Local cold cuts

Local cheeses produced on the farm

As a first course, I insisted on going for lasagna, as it is my favorite Italian dish after pizza. Over the years I became a bit of a lasagna snob, so I was happy to dig in this homemade lasagna goodness. My husband on the other hand went for the crepes, as he is a big crepes fan and he didn't regret his decision at all.

Lasagna

Buckwheat crepes

By now, we already realized we ordered too much food. The rations at Baita Belvedere are pretty generous and we certainly didn't take into consideration that all the cheese and pasta was going to fill us up before we knew it. But we were determined to go on and try the main course as well, simply because the temptations was too big. Unfortunately I was never a big fan of polenta and this didn't turn me into one either, especially as I was already feeling stuffed, but the rabbit was nicely flavored, juicy and delicious and it reminded me of the rabbit my mother used to cook when I was a child. 

Stewed wild boar served with polenta

My husband seemed pretty happy with the wild boar too, so we took our time and worked our way through the main course while watching a gorgeous sunset.

Roasted rabbit with herbs, served with polenta

We never skip dessert, so we ended the evening with a little something sweet. Yummy!

Tartufo 

Latte cotto

Trattoria Baita Belvedere might not win any awards for creativity, but it surely compensates with fresh ingredients and a lot of soul. The dishes served are unpretentious, but fully flavored and at the end of the day I believe this is what matters most. There were many families with kids and though at one point it got pretty noisy, is was also nice to have all that child laughter around. Many of the guests were local too, and the owners of the restaurant seemed to know quite a few of them, and that projected even further the family atmosphere.

Trattoria Baita Belvedere is a relaxed place, but nothing fancy. It can be very romantic given the absolutely wonderful views of the lake and Bellagio itself. It also serves delicious fresh food and for that it is definitely worth a visit. Before we left we even bought cheese and marmalade produced on the farm, and as we approached our hotel, we had the feeling that we were coming back from visiting grandma! For families with kids, I believe this restaurant can be a god-sent. It really has the fervent atmosphere of a home where the whole family gathers for the Christmas dinner. And everybody behaves! To be honest, I've never seen anything like it.

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Inspiration for Your Next Rail Holidays in Italy

This article was written by Kat Prescott

Brits have been flocking to Italy since the days of the Grand Tour, but thankfully, it is a little easier to reach this destination than it was around 300 years ago. For those interested in rail holidays in Italy, there is plenty for you to discover.

Convivial

One of the best reasons you may have for selecting one of the many rail holidays to Italy is that you will have the opportunity to spend time with like-minded people and be able to relax, safe in the knowledge that your tour director will take care of any aspects of a holiday booking that you might find tedious. All you’ll have to do is turn up at St Pancras International and start your journey to one of one of the most beautiful countries on the planet.

Florence

So much has been written about this Tuscan Renaissance jewel that the city often appears to be remarkably familiar. From the beautiful Uffizi to the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge in English) this city is truly stunning.

The art on display at the Pitti Palace is awe-inspiring and the building holds Medici valuables as well as examples of 16th and 17th century paintings. There is also a more contemporary collection on the top floor.

If all of this beauty is a little exhausting, then take some time out to enjoy an iced coffee and soak up the beauty of the city.

Venice

Gondolas, St Mark’s Square, the Rialto Bridge and of course the ubiquitous canals, Venice is one of those places that you’ll want to return to time and time again. It sometimes seems impossible to believe that so much beauty can be crammed into one small city but then a look at the history of the place, including the intrigues and maritime achievements, makes everything fall into place.

The writer Casanova never recovered from his banishment and spent the rest of his life trying to return. Vivaldi composed his angelic music as a result of the influence of the city, but for a more modern perspective, include writers like Donna Leon on your holiday reading list. Then go and grab a Prosecco and see if you can actually understand any of the local Venetian dialect.

It might be better to visit this city outside of the normal tourist timetable as the crowds swarming across St Mark’s Square can prove to be a little daunting.

Lake Garda

If after all this history and high culture, you want to explore a more relaxing area, then a train trip to the North Italian lakes could prove more to your taste. Lake Garda is the largest of the northern lakes and the little town of Riva del Garda is idyllic. Water sports are available but a stroll around the lakeside also offers many attractions and you might find this a useful spot to recharge your batteries.

About the Author: Kat Prescott is a rail enthusiast with a passion for exploring new and exciting regions by train. A regular travel blogger, Kat contributes a range of travel tips and comments on her experiences to help others take advantage of the wealth of rail holidays on offer from leading companies.

Photos by stevehdc, John-Morgan & Ilares Riolfi via Flickr Creative Commons

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Barcelona’s Spring and Summer Festivals

One of the world’s most stylish cities, Barcelona is full of amazing architecture, design and artworks. It is also home to some of the most exciting festivals, thanks to a strong tradition and the inventive Spanish spirit. But finding flights during the festival period is always problematic, and for many, a turn off. So when searching for flights to Barcelona, given the wealth of attractions this city offers, it is always a good idea to book your flights a few days before the festival starts and ends.

Some of Barcelona’s best-known festivals take place in spring and summer. You can enjoy outdoor drama, music and dance in a Greek-style open-air theater during the prestigious Grec performing arts festival; leap over bonfires on the beach on Midsummer’s Night; party hard with tens of thousands of music fans at the Sónar; join in the fun at old-fashioned neighborhood festivals; or simply soak up the romance of Lover’s Day in April. But keep in mind, when booking a holiday in Barcelona for the festivals, do it way in advance.

La Diada de Sant Jordi - 24 April

The feast of St George is Lover’s Day in Catalunya, when couples traditionally exchange gifts of roses and books. The air is heady with spring and romance, and the streets become a sea of rose petals. There are also outdoor readings from Cervantes’ Don Quixote in tribute to the chivalrous hero of the book.

Festival de Música Antigua - Late April/early May

The Festival of Early Music takes place in venues such as the beautiful Palau de la Música. Most atmospheric of all are the concerts held in the Saló del Tinell – a sublime Gothic banqueting hall that’s now part of the Museu d’Història de la Ciutat.

Festival de Flamenco de Ciutat Vella - Late May

Flamenco is not part of Catalan culture, but the flood of immigrants from southern Spain has ensured that the spirit of this dance remains vibrant in Barcelona. The flamboyant dancing takes over the streets in the last week of May, with live outdoor performances on the Rambla de Raval. 

Festa de Sant Joan (Midsummer’s Eve) - June

Midsummer’s eve on the night of 23 June is explosively celebrated with huge bonfires on the beaches, fireworks – every balcony and terrace seems to crackle with volley of fizzing rockets - and plenty of cava-fuelled carousing across the city.

Sónar - June

During one long, crazy weekend in mid-June (dates vary), Barcelona hosts one of the biggest and slickest festivals of music and multimedia in Spain. Sónar by Day has exhibitions, conferences and record fairs. Sónar by Night, held in the SónarPark in Hospital de Llobregat, features some of the biggest names in electronic music, such as Ryuichi Sakamoto and Massive Attack.

Dia per l’Alliberament Lesbià i Gai - End Jun

On the last Sunday in June, Orgull Gay (Gay Pride) is celebrated with a parade of floats in the city centre and political speeches in front of the City Hall. There are market stalls and live concerts on Plaça Universitat and, of course, plenty of action in the bars and clubs. 

Classics als Parcs -  Jul

Throughout July, free classical concerts take place in several city parks. Schedules change annually, but Saturday-night concerts (from 10pm) are mostly held in the Parc de la Ciutadella. The other main parks involved include La Tamarita (entrance on Passeig de Sant Gervasi), Turó Park (entrances on Avinguda de Pau Casals and C/Josep Bertrand) and Jardins Can’Altamira (entrances on C/Horaci and C/Mandri).

Festival del Grec - End Jun–early Aug

Barcelona’s biggest festival of performing arts gets its name from Montjuïc’s open-air Teatre Grec, where many of the main performances are staged against a romantic backdrop of ivy-clad stone. Throughout July the festival offers an excellent and wide-ranging programme of theatre and dance, as well as classical, world and contemporary music. All of Barcelona’s main venues play host to the performances. 

Festa Major de Gràcia - Aug

Long known for its feisty independence, Gràcia puts on a fantastic show every August during its colourful neighbourhood festival. Each street vies to create the best decorations, and there are parades featuring traditional Catalan gegants and capgrossos (giants and fatheads). The festival culminates with a wild correfoc, when locals dressed up as fire-spitting dragons and demons race through the streets. 

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