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Four top spots to enjoy Spring in Europe

Friday, March 13th, 2009Andy Hayes

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spring in europe

Well, the days are starting to get longer, the spring flowers have sprung, and despite a few flurries here and there, it is feeling distinctively like spring here in Europe. Now’s the time to start thinking about your next European holiday – often good airfare deals and hotel discounts can be had this time of year as the post-Christmas holiday rush has ended and folk are not quite yet planning summer holidays. As well, the economic climate means there are even more travel deals out there today. Here’s a few destinations to put at the top of your list for spring:

Madrid
Spain’s largest city is full of life any season of the year, but the summer weather can be brutally hot. During April and May the city has less rain than in winter and temperatures are very comfortable, even though snow can still be found in the nearby mountains. Don’t miss the Prado, which will also be less crowded at this time.

Amalfi Coast
Tucked away just south of Rome, this portion of the Italian cost can be well overcrowded in summer. But the fresh breeze from the sea brings warmer temperatures and less crowds in spring, meaning you can take time to enjoy the view and the neighbouring attractions such as the ruins at Pompeii.

Santorini
The tourist season starts in Santorini on March 1st – go any earlier and you’ll find many restaurants, B&Bs, and attractions closed. The weather can be very hot in summer but very comfortable in spring, and similar to Amalfi, you can relax and enjoy those stunning seaside views without all the hassle.

Prague
While the Czech capital will not be as warm and cozy as its southernly cousins in this list, spring is still a great time to go and enjoy the “real” Prague, avoiding the hordes of tourists that hit this town en masse come summer. See Charles Bridge at sunrise without a cast of thousands. Go to some of the city’s more popular restaurants without a reservation. Sit in one of the city centre squares and enjoy a cold Pilsner. You’ve earned it.

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Posted in Authentic travel, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Short breaks, Spain by Andy Hayes | 2 Comments »

Free visit to Denmark as a guinea pig guest

Thursday, February 26th, 2009Heather Cowper

If you’d like to try out a harbourside boutique hotel, soak up some opera and culture, explore an open air museum of historic buildings, and see a little mermaid, all at someone else’s expense then read on.

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Visit Denmark, Denmark’s official tourism website, is looking for guests to be part of the Guinea Pig Guest Programme. In return for free flights from the UK and accomodation, you need to be prepared to document your holiday in writing, photography and video and publish it on the Visit Denmark website. It should be a breeze for all you seasoned bloggers and aspiring travel writers out there.

As well as Copenhagen you can visit some other interesting cities in Denmark such as Aalborg, Arhus, Odense – here are the highlights;

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Århus
Århus is the second largest city in Denmark, on the East Coast of Jutland. It has a lively music scene and hosts major cultural events such as the Århus festival in the first week of September. I like the sound of Den Gamle By, the Old Town where 75 traditional houses make up an open-air living Museum, and you can experience what life was like in the past in a Danish Market town. Bringing you bang up to date is the Museum of Modern Art and after all the sightseeing you can relax in the riverside cafés at Vadestedet.

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Aalborg
Aalborg in North Jutland is connected by bridge and tunnel to it’s twin city of Nørresundby. The North Jutland Art Museum is designed by the well known Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and a showcase for the modern Danish art from 1900 to the present day. The side streets and courtyards of the centre are home to excellent small speciality shops where you can find anything from handblown glass to homemade blueberry jam and Samsø cheese. Aalborg’s most famous building is the Jens Bangs Stenhus built in 1624 as a fine example of Renaissance architecture.

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Odense
If you’re a reader of the magical fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen, then you’ll fall under the spell of his birthblace, Odense. His childhood home is open to the public where you can see exhibitions on the author’s life and work. Odense is also Denmark’s no. 1 cycle town with numerous cycle paths beside rivers and along disused railway lines to enable you to explore the town and surrounding area. You can also enjoy the boat trip along the river Odense Å or visit the several outdoor markets.

If you’d like to be a guinea pig guest to Visit Denmark, get your application in on-line by the end of March, specifying when and where you would like to go. If you read more articles by me about the things I’ve seen in Denmark, you’ll know why!

Thanks to Julienpons, stoicviking, seier and marjk for their photos on Flickr

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Posted in Competitions, Cycling, Denmark, Short breaks, Travel news by Heather Cowper | 4 Comments »

Check out Maastricht

Friday, January 30th, 2009Andy Hayes

Maastricht is the southern-most city in the Netherlands, in a tiny land peninsula jutting out from the bottom of the country. This makes it almost in Belgium and almost in Germany (indeed you can cycle easily to both countries in one day). Politically, Maastricht is a very important place – the Treaty of Maastricht was the document that provided the formation of the European Union. However, it is virtually known by travellers for its charming riverside location, medieval lanes, and friendly atmosphere.

maastricht
River Views – Copyright Andrew Hayes

Any trip should start out with a walk around the Markt, the main square. It is a hub of activity, with children playing in the green space, markets on Wednesday and Saturday, the city hall, and of course, loads of cafes. The Dutch love cafes, but here in Maastricht they are almost given saint status. This is a great place to sit down and have a Hoegaarden, a light and refreshing beer, as it is made here.

Another great idea is to take a boat cruise on the river Maas. Several depart just off the main road/pedestrian bridge; either enjoy a short hour or two on the water, or hop off the boat in neighbouring Sint Pietersberg where you can explore the miles and miles of limestone caves – these are where the Dutch stored their precious artwork during WWII and some of the passages have elaborate carvings in the stone. Be sure to plan your trip in advance, as bookings are required.

For more information about Maastricht, visit the official tourist office homepage.

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Posted in Holland, Short breaks by Andy Hayes | 1 Comment »

Milan En Vogue

Friday, January 23rd, 2009Andy Hayes

If you’re thinking about trying to get away for the winter and prices are too high / availability too scarce for the Mediterranean coast, how about Milan? There is a reasonable amount of travel options and although chilly, it’s certainly better than bleak skies and windy chills of northern Europe.
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Most people when they think of Milan think of fashion or football. But the city has some real treats that I consider some of the best in Italy:

The Last Supper. Yes, it’s a fading watercolour painting on a cracking wall inside a church. But this picture has such a powerful history. Did you know that the small church it is in was bombed during the war and only this wall remained intact? You get 15 minutes in the near-hermetically-sealed room, but it will be some of the most memorable 15 minutes of your life.

Michaelangelo’s Pieta Rondanini: I had a hard time finding this, but it was certainly worth looking for. Back in a corner in the Castello Sforzesco, this is one of Michaelangelo’s unfinished pieces. You might think ‘why see something not finished’, but to see the face of a human melt into the hard stone is pretty incredible. It will bring you a new understanding of how this master worked.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele: While I’m admittedly not into fashion and couture shopping, this glistening shopping arcade is a stunning example of architecture. Although I find it humorous to find upscale shops in an upscale setting across from a McDonald’s.

What’s your favourite site in Milan?

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Posted in Italy, Short breaks by Andy Hayes | 7 Comments »

Bristol is one of the top 10 cities to visit in 2009

Thursday, January 8th, 2009Heather Cowper

It’s official, Bristol is one of the top 10 cities to visit in 2009, according to guide book publisher, Dorling Kindersley. I have lived in Bristol for the last 15 years, and I always knew that it was not only a fantastic place to live, but a great destination for a city break. It’s also a good jumping off point for exploring the west of England, south into Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, and westwards into Wales.

Here are some of the things that make Bristol special;

Arnolfini Art Gallery in the harbourside area of Bristol

The harbourside area
The old port of Bristol, which was once the industrial and trading hub, has been cleaned up over the years to make a pleasant centre for leisure. There are many bars and restaurants in this area, you can visit the At-Bristol Science complex and relax in the Millenium square with its statues and water features. Sample some modern art in the Arnolfini art gallery, walk down to the SS Great Britain or take one of the ferries that ply up and down the harbour.

Clifton Village
This is the Georgian old village of Bristol, with beautiful architecture and plenty of individual boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Take a stroll on the landmark Clifton Suspension Bridge with the Avon Gorge below or take in the view from the terrace bar of the Avon Gorge Hotel.


Avon Gorge and Clifton Suspension Bridge

Museums and Art Galleries
On Park St there are three excellent free museums. The Bristol City Museum is just what you’d hope from a Victorian city museum, from gypsy caravans to Egyptian Mummies and excellent art and photography exhibitions throughout the year (free). The Georgian House was built in the 1790s for a wealthy Bristol Merchant and has been preserved to show how a family of that period would have lived. (free) Red Lodge was built in the 1580s and takes you back in time with it’s Tudor pannelled rooms and knot garden (free). The British Empire and Commonwealth Museum, by Temple Meads Station tells the story of Britain’s Empire, especially Bristol’s association with the Slave Trade. In the Harbour area, families will enjoy the At-Bristol hands on Science Centre and if modern art is your thing, visit the Arnolfini gallery with ever changing exhibitions that are on the cutting edge of the art scene (free).


The Georgian House in Bristol

Fantastic eating and drinking
You won’t be going hungry in Bristol, with many bars, pubs and restaurants all over the city. These are some of my favourite eating haunts
Harbourside – Watershed café for coffee, Bordeaux Quay for a more upscale experience, the Olive shed for mediterranean style  food & tapas.
Park St – Bristol Guild café for soup and salads, Goldbrick House for stylish eating and cocktails, Rocatillos for a family diner with the best milk shakes in Bristol.
Corn St – St Nicholas Market has many different vendors of hot food from Indian, Moroccan, Jamaican to cakes & coffee to eat in or take away. For a cosy restaurant & bar try the Rummer in the Market area.
Clifton Village – Bar Chocolat is where I stop for a restoring hot chocolate, Fishers is a fish restaurant that has an excellent budget menu and the Arch House Deli is a gourmet paradise which also has a small cafe at the back to eat in.


Cafe at Goldbrick House on Park St

Shopping
The Cabot Circus development has recently opened and covers all tastes from the upscale Harvey Nichols to the High St chains. Park St, leading up the hill from the Harbourside area has plenty of trendy clothes shops as it’s close to the University. Clifton Village is the place for more individual boutiques and gift shops and you’ll find some quirky and original artistic offerings in the area around Christmas steps and Perry Rd.

For more ideas and information check out the Visit Bristol Website

All photos by Heather on her travels

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Posted in Cuisine, Culture, Destination guides, England, Restaurants, Short breaks, United Kingdom by Heather Cowper | 7 Comments »

Visit Covent Garden in London

Thursday, December 18th, 2008Heather Cowper

This week I visited the Covent Garden area of London with my teenage daughter as a pre-Christmas treat and I was struck by what a bustling, vibrant and fun place it is to spend an afternoon in London.

A fruit and vegetable garden was set up at Covent Garden in the 1660s, after the Great Fire of London but in the 1970s, the Market buildings were becoming run down and so it was decided to move the market to a new purpose-built location on the other side of the river in Battersea. The old glass and iron buildings were renovated and a few years later, Covent Garden re-opened as a centre for shops, boutiques and restaurants, housed in the attractive market buildings.

If you’re visiting London here are some ideas to keep you busy in Covent Garden for a few hours;

Covent Garden at night

Shopping
Under the cover of the Market buildings you’ll find interesting boutiques and shops and there are also craft and antique stalls in the Apple Market at the centre of the covered area and in the Jubilee Hall Market to one side. Don’t forget to explore the side streets that radiate from the Market area, where you’ll also find plenty of smaller specialist shops. If you’re looking for mainstream clothes shopping, then there’s a good selection of high street fashion chains along Long Acre close to the tube station.

Street-entertainment
As you walk down from the tube towards the Market, you’ll find those living statues adding a little colour and frisson for the passers by and there are also many street-entertainers in and around the market itself. Just follow the sound of music and laughter and you’ll find them around the lower level cafes entertaining a willing audience. In Summer, the Royal Opera House sometimes screens concerts free in the piazza.

Street entertainer in Covent Garden

Street entertainer in Covent Garden

Eating
Covent Garden is full of bars, restaurants, and coffee shops so you can guarantee you won’t be going hungry. In the week, look out for the pre-theatre menus which can keep the cost down, as long as you don’t mind eating early. There are several cafes within the market itself, but if you’re finding them a bit crowded and over-priced, I’d recommend you explore the network of streets that surround the market as prices tend to become more reasonable as you get further from the Market.

Theatre
Covent Garden Market is at the heart of London’s theatreland and if you’re attending a west-end show, this is a good place to explore and have your pre-theatre dinner beforehand. We loved seeing The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre – it wasn’t cheap but it made for a special Christmas treat. Of course, The Royal Opera House is right by the Market area, and is also home of the Royal Ballet, so you should check out their programme if you’re visiting London. Around Long Acre and the tube you’ll find plenty of cycle rickshaw taxis who can take you to your chosen venue.

St Paul's Covent Garden, the Actor's church

St Pauls Covent Garden

The Actor’s Church
Alongside the Market Area, you’ll find the church of St Paul’s, also known as the Actor’s church. It was build by Inigo Jones in the 1660s when the Market first opened and has a beautiful and spacious interior. If the hustle and bustle of the main market gets too much it’s a restful place to sit, while spotting the memorials on the walls to famous actors such as Sir Noel Coward. There’s also a paved garden behind the church where you can sit and relax in good weather. Check out their website for details of services, concerts and other events.

Pampering
The Sanctuary in Covent Garden is a ladies only day spa which is ideal for a few hours of pampering to relax from the retail therapy. It’s been around for thirty years and originally attracted dancers and actresses who were working nearby. Now it has pools, relaxation areas and treatments on offer and you can try and buy the Sanctuary range of products.

Getting There
Nearest Tube is Covent Garden, but it gets congested at peak times, so I recommend walking from Leicester Square which is only 5 minutes away. If you’re on the South Bank, you can also walk over the bridge from Waterloo station.

Useful Websites
http://www.coventgarden.uk.com/
http://www.coventgardenlife.com/
http://www.coventgardenlondonuk.com/

Photos by Heather on her travels

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Posted in Destination guides, England, Short breaks, United Kingdom by Heather Cowper | 3 Comments »

On location in Europe with 007

Thursday, November 6th, 2008Heather Cowper

Last weekend the new James Bond Movie Quantum of Solace opened in the UK and I for one was first in the queue. Not only to see Daniel Craig return as the ruthless but emotionally damaged 007, but to soak up the gorgeous locations that we have come to expect from a Bond movie.

After the obligatory opening car chase through the marble quarries of Carrera, where Michelangelo sourced the marble for his masterpieces, the action moves to Siena in Italy. Against the backdrop of the annual Palio horse race, Bond chases the villain through the underground passages and over the terracotta tiled roof-tops of the city.

Later the action moves to Bregenz in Austria where the Summer music festival is in full swing, and Puccini’s Tosca is being performed against the backdrop of a giant winking eye on the open air stage. Suffice it to say that Bond is more interested in identifying his adversaries in the audience than enjoying the music.

If you’d like to follow in the footsteps of James Bond here’s the information you need to get there, although sadly the camera crew will be long gone.

Siena
Siena is a walled medieval city, set among the vineyards and olive groves of Tuscany, not far from Florence. In the centre of the city is the semi-circle shaped Piazza del Campo, where every July and August, the Palio horse race takes place. The horses are raced bareback around the Piazza, each one running for the honour of a different Contrada or neighbourhood. Passions run high and anything goes – the first horse to complete the three laps, with or without their rider, is the winner. If you can’t make it for the Palio, there’s plenty to see in Siena for a long weekend. Art lovers will find many beautifully decorated churches to visit. But when you’re all frescoed out, you can climb the Campanile for a 360 degree view of the town, wander round the pedestrianised centre or watch the world go by from a café terrace overlooking the Piazza. Don’t forget to bring back some Panforte, the local cake made from dried fruit and nuts flavoured with spices and honey.

Getting there from the UK
Fly with Easyjet or British Airways to Pisa (1 hr drive).

Bregenz
Bregenz in Austria is set on the shores of picturesque Lake Constance (or Bodensee in German), close to the borders with Switzerland and Germany. There’s plenty to keep you keep you busy along the lake, whether it be beaches, cycle trails along the lakeside promenade or boat trips across the lake. Then climb the hill to wander the old cobbled streets of the Oberstadt or Upper Town or take the cable car to the top of the Pfänder mountain for a fantastic view over the town and countryside. The Music Festival takes place in July and August, with performances on a floating stage on the lake. Opera lovers should book now for the 2009 season of Aida, but you can also take a guided tour of the opera house and grounds during the festival season.

Getting there from the UK
You can fly with Ryanair from London Stanstead to Friedrichstafen (35 min by bus) or Zurich (1.5 hrs by train) with a number of airlines.

Thanks to Little idgie,  Ayres no Graces and mcdemoura for their photos on Flickr

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Posted in Austria, Festivals, Italy, Short breaks by Heather Cowper | 6 Comments »

Free night in Budapest

Saturday, October 4th, 2008Karen Bryan

The Hungarian National Tourist Office is running a Winter promotion where some Budapest hotels offer the third night free you if you pay for 2 nights or the fourth night free if you pay for three nights. More than 60 hotels are taking part in the promotion. Unfortunately I couldn’t ascertain which hotels had which offer until I searched at each hotel individually. The offer is available for stays from 1 November 2008 to 31 March 2008.

Romantic Budapest

Romantic Budapest

Although the three nights for the price of two offer sounds good it’s always worth checking hotel prices with a hotel price comparison site such as HotelsCombined.com. I had quick look and there appear to be quite a few hotels for around £25 a night for a double room.

The Budapest Christmas Market runs from 29 November until 24 December 2008, so you could justify the trip as a Christmas shopping foray.

Budapest is another destination which is on my “would like to visit” list.

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Posted in Accommodation, Hungary, Short breaks, Travel deals by Karen Bryan | 3 Comments »

Will Sofia be the next hot European city break destination?

Friday, September 12th, 2008Karen Bryan

Sofia the capital of Bulgaria is being tipped as the next hot city break destination in Europe. Sofia is one of the oldest cities in Europe and the foundations of the city walls have been dated back to the the 7th century BC. The city is great value for money, there are plenty of historic attractions and a good nightlife.

Sofia

Sofia

Easyjet are already flying from Gatwick to Sofia and flights from Manchester will commence on 11 December 2008. Wizzair fly from London Luton to Sofia.

I’ve only really heard about holidays from the UK to Golden Sands on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria and most feedback from that was pretty negative in that the holidays weren’t that cheap and the standard of accommodation was poor. Have you visited Sofia, how would you rate it?

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Posted in Bulgaria, Short breaks by Karen Bryan | 2 Comments »

Mont Saint Michel

Tuesday, August 19th, 2008Jacinta Lodge

In the incredibly flat plains of the Normandy coastline, Mont St Michel is stunning. This island of rock, topped by a monastery and ringed with a medieval village rises far above the landscape, visible for miles. It stands off the shore, surrounded by floodplains with nothing nearby to distract from its beauty.

Mont St Michel

Mont St Michel

The island has a history going back to the 6th century, but the first incarnation of it as a place of worship happened in the 8thcentury, when St Aubert received instructions (and a hole in his skull apparently) from the archangel Michael to build a church upon it. It appears in the Bayeux Tapestry, was repeatedly attacked, rebuilt, turned into a prison and received a constant stream of pilgrims over the centuries. The causeway joining the island to the mainland is a now permanent road, which has adversely affected the flooding of the area. The island is rarely fully surrounded by water these days, due to the silt build up from the causeway, but there are plans to replace this with a bridge which will bring back the island’s original isolation.

The Abbey at the top of the island can be visited for 8.50€. This includes a guided tour – highly recommended in a place with such a long history. The Abbey, balanced on the pinnacle of rock at the top of the island is built upon a series of crypts as foundations. These haven’t always been successful, and parts of it have collapsed in the past. The tour will take you through the church itself, the monk’s refectory, the crypts underneath and the hamster-wheel construction which was used to bring supplies to the top of the island.

A guard tower, as seen from the Abbey courtyard.

Below the Abbey is the town. Tiny roads, tinier buildings and now full of tourist shops and plate glass. As with most things in such a tourist destination it is an expensive place, full of tacky souvenirs and horrifically crowded in the summer months. There are several hotels in the town if you would like to stay overnight, although ones back on the mainland are significantly cheaper, as are the restaurants which accompany them at the beginning of the causeway.

You can get to Mont St Michel by rail and bus, but the easiest is by car. There is a giant car park at the end of the causeway – it costs 4€ and signposts will inform you whether your car is likely to be swept away. Mont St Michel is a perfect day trip, requiring only a few hours to see it all, although you may want to take a bit more time to enjoy the view.

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Posted in Culture, Day trips, Destination guides, France, Short breaks by Jacinta Lodge | No Comments »

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