Top 5 Places to Spend the Winter Holidays

Hey everybody! I don’t know about you, but I’m having troubles deciding what to do for Christmas and New Year’s this year, and my friends are having the same problems due to a reason or another. So while I still am considering what to do, I thought to make a top 5 places to spend the winter holidays post, or should I call it wish list? Hmm… Anyway, here’s my top 5, waiting for your opinion and perhaps I’ll transform it in a top 10.

Lucerne in winter

Lucerne in winter

1. Switzerland – Call me traditional, but nothing equals having a great time while on winter holidays than enjoying an Alpine vacation in Switzerland. The kilometers of piste, winter hiking paths and accomodation. To name just a few of the things to do here you might consider doing: sit back, relax and enjoy the awesome views of the scenic trains (like Glacier Express), visit Lake Geneva especially if you want a romantic twist, take a trip to Lucerne where montains, lake and history combine to offer perhaps one of the most beautiful landscapes in the winter world.

Vienna Christmas Market

Vienna Christmas Market

2. Austria – Perhaps the best location to spend Christmas in the world, in Austria the deeply-rooted folk traditions come alive in colorful, romantic events. Starting with late November the Advent begins – during these four weeks untill Christmas people decorate their homes, sing carols together and tell Christmas stories. Don’t forget to visit the Christmas markets in the city centers, and of course the traditional concerts held in the „Music Capital of the World”.

Christmas in Brazil

3. Brazil - Impressive nature, alluring seashores and the party spirit are the defining characters of Brazil. In addition to this, the craze of the sports lovers lies in the upcoming huge sport events which are going to be held in Brazil. This makes it an irresistible destination for Christmas holidays. If you fancy a weekend spent away in a beach or a trek around Amazon, Brazil is the perfect destination for you.

Christmas in Vatican (AFP PHOTO/ OSSERVATORE ROMANO)

4. Rome – Wether you’re the religious type or not, attending either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day mass in this bastion of Catholicism is inarguably a powerful experience. One of the more beautiful midnight masses is at the Pantheon. You don’t need tickets, but you should be there by 10 p.m. to get a seat and hear the Gregorian chants. You should also know that during Christmas Rome fills up with craftsmen that set up the expansive Nativity displays in the markets.

Christmas in LapLand

5. Finland – Nothing compares to having Christmas as Santa’s place, in Finland, no matter how old you are. What could be better that meeting the Elves, riding the raindeer sledge and huskies?!

The Back to School Post

Hey guys! Hope you had a great vacation and came back home a bit changed and, well, feeling a bit sorry and already thinking about the next trip. Just a little bit of slow living there as we recover and begin the autumn, then full speed and get things done whatever we do.

I was just wandering the other day – what should be the right balance between work and traveling? Work too much and you’ll become an office freak with no personal life. Travel too much, and, well, you can’t have a dog for example, or go to a salsa class.  If you happen to have the answer please be nice and share it with the rest of us travel maniacs.

Anyway its back to school for all of us. Let’s have some fun while we’re at it, and yes, start dreaming about that winter holiday already I guess. Kisses & hugs!

Win a trip!

TrippyDoo searched and found 5 travel contests that have your name written on them. Here they are below – best of luck!

1. Win a trip for 4 to Tuscany! Celebrate Francesco Rinaldi’s 30th anniversary by visiting the lovely Tuscany.

ENTER BY: December 31, 2010

PRIZE: 6 night accommodations in Tuscany in a 2 bedroom apartment at 4 star La Fattoria, 6 day manual shift car rental with unlimited mileage, and a wine tasting tour at a 14th century sastle and $1,000 in spending money.

ENTER HERE

2. Win a trip to Ireland with Frommer’s!

ENTER BY: July 31, 2010

PRIZE: Roundtrip transportation to Ireland on Aer Lingus, two nights at Adare Manor in Limerick, two nights in Ashford Castle in Mayo, two nights in Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt in Wicklow, Mercedes 200E rental for the week with unlimited mileage, full Irish breakfast daily.

ENTER HERE.

3. Win a trip for 2 to Rome with Frommer’s!

ENTER BY: July 31, 2010

PRIZE: Round trip economy-class airfare for two from a major airport near winner’s home to Rome, Italy and four nights’ hotel accommodations for two at a participating Delta Vacations hotel in Rome.

ENTER HERE.

4. Win a student trip with S Trip!

ENTER BY: continuous.

PRIZE: Various trips in the Caribbean or Mexico.

ENTER HERE.

5. Win a trip to Sweden with Stieg Larsson!

ENTER BY: July 31, 2010

PRIZE: Roundtrip air transportation for two from an airport near winner’s home to the closest SAS gateway, roundtrip coach airfare for winner and one travel companion to Stockholm on Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) from one of SAS’s gateways, hotel stay in the Sheraton Stockholm Hotel for 3 nights, hotel stay at Seglarhotellet in Sandhamn for 1 night, Stockholm cards for both travels allowing free admission to many Stockholm attractions.

ENTER HERE.

Off the beaten track – Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

This is the first from a series of guest posts from travelers we know and love from around the world. Today Dia is telling us about Veliko Tarnovo, an off the beaten track city in Bulgaria. Follow Dia’s travel adventures and wanders on her blog (Romanian).

Veliko Tarnovo is a breath of fresh air. Is easy to get there from Bucharest or even from Sofia. From Bucharest it’s something like a 3 hour drive with at least a short break included. And From Sofia.. I think it’s like a 4 hour drive. And from Sofia you can also take the bus from “Centralna avtogara”.

veliko tarnovo

Veliko Tarnovo

For Romanians is like a second Sighisoara closer to home. Veliko Tarnovo or the city of the tsars as it’s sometimes called is a medieval city, dating back since the first Bulgarian Empire. But I won’t go all historical on you, there are books for that.

Let’s start with a few recommendations.

Where to Stay

This has never been a problem in V.T. It’s easy to find a nice deal in a small hotel or in a B&B, or even an apartment (most of the times they are the best deal, especially if your booking for a 4+ group). I can recommend with all my heart the hotel Stambolov.

Where to Eat:

Best place in town is Shtastlivetsa. It’s the classiest restaurant with an awesome view of the city and of Gurko Street. They serve the best pizza ever! But be careful! The big pizza is really quite big, for at least 2 people.

And there are also the Ego restaurants. They also have very good food and I am happy to say that also fast service. You will surely not regret entering there. There are 3-4 restaurants around town.

And also don’t forget to try the Ice cream from Raffy. You will mostly find them on the street. But they are the best you can find in Bulgaria. I know that normally you can find this near the Post Office, near to Square “Maika Balgaria”.

Veliko Tarnovo

Veliko Tarnovo

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Top 10 Castles to Stay in Europe

Ever fancied having your own castle and pretending you are a princess or Sir Lancelot? Well, you can have that dream fulfilled and actually rent or buy a beautiful castle in Europe, and at affordable prices (or so the property experts say). For the rest of us we’ve put together a list with our top 10 castle hotels in Europe, and a little bit about each to ease your decision if you consider booking a room, or why not – plan a wedding:

1. Amberley Castle, England

amberley castle

http://www.amberleycastle.co.uk/

The lovely 900-year-old medieval castle in England is perfect for a slow vacation. The castle has a legendary history, including ownership by Queen Elizabeth I from 1588 to 1603; visits from Charles II; and a bout in the civil war, when Cromwell attacked its walls. Nowadays the 19 rooms are luxurious and enchanting, boasting elegant four-poster beds, rich wall hangings and carpets, antique frills, and a few modern additions like en-suite jacuzzi, TVs and VCRs. A standard B&B double room can be your for about 440 EUR.

2. La Bourdasiere Castle – Val de Loire

la bourdasiere castle

http://www.labourdaisiere.com/

Constructed in the 15th century for the royal mistress of King François I, the castle today is a popular honeymoon destination (for officially married couples). Located less than an hour from Paris, and surrounded by 140 acres of enchanted woodlands, Château de la Bourdaisière lets guests live like royalty, with 11 luxurious rooms (and three apartments), outdoor heated swimming pool, tennis courts, and more.  Price of a standard room: 142 EUR.

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Traveling with your dog this summer?

Friends, we’ve been asked recently about how someone should prepare if he wants to travel with the pet. And though we’re mostly into sheep, we’ve put together some quick travel tips to help you when you’re planning a road trip with your precious:

- Be sure to pack all his things he’d normally use when at home – food, water, bowls, snacks, leash, collar, medicine, toys, bedding;

- Besides the essentials, you should have with you the dog’s ID & health certificate, paper towels, stain remover and some anti-diarrhea and car sick pills;

- Plan longer breaks while driving, and keep the dog in the back seat; consider some sedatives if he is very active, but be sure to check it with the vet first; (more…)

Chicago card from Nick

I just picked up from my mail box a lovely card from Nick Hawkins‘ hometown, Chicago :) I’ve been watching Nick’s blog and his TWT/FB traveling stuff for a while now, and I must say he’s one of my fav travelers. Not just because he’s traveled the world so many times, but because he tells the stories in his own personal style.

Here’s the card below. Thanks Nick & promise to visit your town sometime soon.

chicago

The Lemon & Orange Dinosaur

The Lemon Festival (“Fete du Citron“) in Menton this year had a really interesting way to celebrate the lemons and oranges – thousands of fruits were used to create several creative sculptures and mosaics, all having as theme the cinema. The festival takes place during Feb 5th – Mar 3rd, and it is supported by the local tourism office to encourage visits to the city. We’ve gathered below some pictures from the festival to understand what made us write about it:

fete-du-citron

Lemon Dinosaur
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The World’s First Flying Hotel

Visionary concept, the world’s frst flying hotel introduced by design company Seymourpowell and called “Aircruse“. The hotel will have low passenger numbers and huge internal spaces offering room for living, dining and relaxing, as well as scope for dramatic and inspirational public spaces, as the company states in the press release.

Furthermore, the giant kite-shaped hotel is eco-friendly:  the Aircruise combines solar power with a primary hydrogen drive for a cruising speed of around 90mph, while transporting 100 people from London to New York.

Samsung Construction and Trading already showed interest in building this machine, and they estimated 2015 as the year when it will fly for the first time. Well, if this is the future of luxury traveling, we might witness a strong competition for the sea cruises operators.

Green Traveling Tips

We’ve heard much about green travel in the past few months, and people seem to have a positive reaction and encourage it as well. But   what is green travel after all, and how can we actually do that on our next trip? There seem to be various definitions, but the one for the Ecotourism is used the most as guidance:  “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” (TIES, 1990).

Ok, so it’s about responsability and improvement. Hmm… that sounds nice, but why should we care? Well, one simple answer is that there are ~1 billion tourists traveling the world each year, and the number is growing. People and especially places will not stay like they are forever, and is very likely to suffer from the crowds passing by each day. Think about how much you love the places you went to, and the memories that you have – won’t it be nice if other people can see those places too? At first I thought that well, green traveling, like using bio products, will certainly be more expensive. But it actually isn’t, and it is very likely to give you a good feeling about the trip when you end it, and the people you met in each place you’ve been. (more…)

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