As one of Europe’s hottest – and most exciting – cultural hotspots, Spain is a popular summer holiday destination for tourists from the UK and beyond.
However, whether you’re keen to explore parts of Spain that you’ve never visited before or you’re a novice to the joys of Spanish culture, it’s important to figure out which areas of the country you’d most like to visit. After all, each area of Spain affords different opportunities to people with different interests – so ensure you make the right option when it comes to your holiday!
For instance, if you’re seeking a cosmopolitan city with a vibrant cultural scene, you’ll love Barcelona. Rent a holiday villa in Barcelona and you’ll be able to enjoy the buzz that surrounds Spain’s second largest city. Take a walk around the city and explore its stunning Gaudi architecture, as well the spectacular churches of the Gothic Quarter. Visitors to Barcelona will also be able to enjoy a range of museums: the Museum of the City of Barcelona, for instance, includes access to underground Roman ruins, while The Football Museum located near Barcelona’s Nou Camp football stadium is one of the city’s most visited attractions.
Alternatively, why not take a holiday in Andalucía and explore the region’s rich historical heritage and stunning coastal landscape? Rent a holiday villa in Cadiz and you’ll find yourself in the midst of one of Spain’s most stunning coastal towns. As the oldest continuously-inhabited city in Western Europe, Cadiz boasts breathtaking sandy beaches and clear blue seas. Every year, the city also plays host to the Carnival of Cadiz, one of the world’s best known carnivals. And while you’re in Andalucía, take the opportunity to visit the Alhambra in Granada and the Grand Mosque in Cordoba – two of the most spectacular monuments of Spain’s Moorish past.
And if you’re planning a party holiday to Spain, you’ll love the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands of Spain. Whether you’re hoping to head to Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Menorca or the ever popular Ibiza, you’ll be able to experience some of the best nightlife in Spain. What’s more, if you’re planning to rent a holiday apartment in the Mediterranean islands of Spain, you won’t be disappointed: these party locations are home to some of the best holiday villas in Spain, so you’ll be able to party and sleep in style!
Ultimately, if you’ve traveled around Spain’s most popular tourist hotspots and you’re looking for a Spanish holiday destination that’s off the beaten track, why not visit Bilbao? The primary city in the Basque Country of Spain, Bilbao is home to a range of museums, fabulous architecture and Spain’s Guggenheim Museum. Or if you’re a keen food fan, take a trip to Valencia – the city that invented paella! Every March, Valencia hosts the festival Fallas, in which the local neighburhoods of Valencia build large paper maché constructions that can represent a range of issues or interests. Rent a holiday villa in Valencia during Fallas and you’ll be able to bask in the buzz of the city and take delight in Fallas’ spectacular firework display! So even if you’ve been to Spain before, you can rest assured that you’ll always find new things that will draw you back to this beautiful country.
About the Author
Andrew Regan is an online, freelance journalist who lists travelling and rugby among his interests.
A vacation is a great get away for one and all and when the vacation is in Orlando, one’s heart beats that much faster in anticipation. Orlando is universally acclaimed as the hottest destination for a vacation. No American Dream is complete without a visit to Disney Land and a brush with the celluloid world at Universal Studios. Well, one cannot visit either without going to Orlando. Orlando is fondly and aptly nicknamed ‘The city beautiful’, thanks to its numerous theme parks, resorts and entertainment attractions which play no mean role in helping to rank it as one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations. This being the case, tourism has become the driving force for the area’s flourishing economy.
Although Orlando is a hub of tourist activity and abuzz with happenings for a dozen reasons , the single most factor that makes young and old alike gravitate towards it for vacations is the universal favorite Disney Land. Having opened way back in 1971 it created grounds for unprecedented economic growth which catapulted Orlando to its present day popularity as the ultimate fun spot for a vacation.
Generally, vacationers love to visit Orlando during Spring Break, Easter, Thanksgiving and the December holidays. It is definitely an added edge to a vacation spot when one can reach it not only by land or take the air route but also throw in a cruise for better effect because although Orlando is not a sea port it has a cruise terminal not more than a couple of hour’s drive away from it.
The city’s well equipped hotels and spas are well tuned to the needs of vacationers and cram their days in Orlando with as much fun as possible by designing special packages to include the maximum sight seeing tours, excursions and all that Orlando has to offer to accommodate every budget and to suit the needs of every age group right from the all out for fun youngsters to the discerning and artistically inclined. Also on the must -see list are the Patrick Air Force Base, The Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and The Kennedy Space Center which is approximately an hour’s drive East of Orlando.
Vacations to this part of the world are replete with visits to malls, concerts, restaurants, spas, music shows, swimming, art and culture exhibitions and golf for golfers apart from the usual round of trips to the innumerable theme and amusement parks. All in all, a vacation in Orlando is a complete holiday experience which fulfills the senses, enriches the soul whether one is a single or married with kids.
Every vacationer wants to return home with memories of the experience that will help him relive the trip time after time. Adults rely on cameras to capture these memories, but children all too often fall prey to overpriced souvenirs as a poor substitute.
There is a way to help your child bring back vacation memories — without breaking your trip budget. No matter where you travel, free (or low cost) souvenirs are yours for the asking. Your children can collect everything ranging from postcards to placemats. They are available in restaurants, resorts, and attractions, potentially every place your family might stop.
By showing your child the fun of searching for (not just buying) souvenirs, you can involve him in the excitement of seeking out free souvenirs and keep him away from the trinket stands which plague so many tourist attractions.
Your first step begins before the vacation at your neighborhood discount store. Buy each child aninexpensive photo album with adhesive pages. These pages allow small fingers to stick memorabilia in the book, and they will survive several rearrangements before you have to resort to glue or scrapbooking supplies.
Keep an eye out for these souvenirs:
Restaurants : You’ll find special children’s placemats in many family restaurants, often with pictures or a map of local attractions. Free children’s menus, containing a game or a puzzle, are available in many restaurants. And don’t overlook tiny sugar packets with the restaurant’s name or picture on it. These can act as miniature postcards, ready to assume a place in your child’s scrapbook.
Postcards : You can carry home a professional photo of almost any attraction in the world for a little more than the cost of a postage stamp. And if you’ve heard your child complain “I never get any mail,” encourage him to send a postcard home! They’ll act as miniature vacation diaries when you return home, and give returning vacationers a little something to look forward to as well.
Foreign Money: A sample of foreign currency can be a good souvenir and a great way to learn about a country. Foreign coins can be fun to collect and could even interest your child in an entirely new hobby.
Stamps : Similarly, foreign stamps are also an excellent and inexpensive way to bring home souvenirs. Your child will learn about the government, national heroes, and often the national bird and flower through stamps.
This ‘n That: Theme park ticket stubs, museum maps, brochures, and other freebies make fun and colorful additions to your child’s scrapbook.
Nature’s Souvenirs: Uniquely shaped leaves (or ones from trees unlike those you have at home) make great additions to your child’s scrapbook. Also look for small pebbles, bird feathers, small shells, and even a few grains of sand to help bring home those vacation memories.**
Travel writers and husband-wife team Paris Permenter and John Bigley are the publishers of Caribbean Family Tripper, an online guide to Caribbean family travel at http://www.caribbeanfamilytripper.com, Texas Tripper, an online guide to Texas travel at http://www.texastripper.com, and Gatlinburg Tripper, an online resource about family travel in Gatlinburg, Tennessee at http://www.gatlinburgtripper.com.
Orlando is a versatile holiday destination, with loads of options for day trips.
While Disney World, Worldwide Orlando and Sea World Orlando are all toppers for any family’s Orlando vacation, you will definitely want to take a day or more during your holiday to dodge the crowds at theme parks. Fortunately, Orlando also has diverse attractions where you can spend a relaxing morning without a maddening crowd.
10 of the best Orlando day trips
1. Busch Gardens Africa: The Busch Gardens in Tampa is a theme park, but it draws fewer visitors (4.3 million in 2006) than Disney World, worldwide Orlando or Sea World Orlando. In addition, Busch Gardens skin some assorted buzz rides and attractions such as Sheik, Florida’s first dive coaster, which boasts two 90 drops at 70 miles per hour.
2. Cypress Gardens Adventure square: Opened in 1936 as Florida’s first theme square, Cypress Gardens in iciness harbor still skin its lovely botanical gardens and spectacular water-ski shows, but has added buzz rides, live concerts and the spatter Island Water square over the elapsed few existence.
What an exciting way to begin this article, now let’s take a look at what else we can learn about this topic!
3. Kennedy Measure crux: Just 45 summary East of Orlando, the Kennedy Measure crux gives you and your family the once-in-a-existence opportunity to explore the incredible memoirs of American measure departure and outlook rockets and exhibits, tour launch areas, timepiece a 3-D measure picture at an IMAX acting and greatly more.
4. Silver Springs: allocated as Florida’s inventive Theme square, Silver Springs falsehood near Ocala and boasts quaint botanical gardens, animal habitats, live shows, rides, field shops and the world-notorious wineglass floor vessel rides.
5. Florida Aquarium: Opened in 1995, the Florida Aquarium in Tampa is home to more than 10,000 river animals and plants from all over the world such as alligators, humid fish, sharks, stingrays and sea turtles, as well as interactive exhibits.
6. Lowry square Zoo: Approximately 1,600 animals can be out looked in their physical habitats at Tampa’s Lowry square Zoo, which also skin a Florida animal’s crux, aviary, petting zoo, live shows and more.
7. Canaveral subject shoreline: One of just 10 subject shorelines in the United States, Canaveral subject shoreline is the highest stretch of undeveloped coast along Florida’s East Coast. Standard activities here contain sunbathing, swimming, breakers fishing, breaker sing and climbing.
8. focal Florida Zoological square: Just a fleeting energy up Interstate 4 in Sanford falsehood the focal Florida Zoological square, which is home to hundreds of animals, counting alligators, cheetahs, leopards, elephants and monkeys.
9. Daytona USA: Adjacent to the Daytona International Speedway, Daytona USA skin racing exhibits, wave simulator rides, the World crux of Racing Visitors crux and behind-the-scenes tours of the speedway.
10. Salvador Dali Museum: Nestled in downtown St. Petersburg, the Salvador Dali Museum boasts the most comprehensive collection of unending plant by notorious surrealist artist Salvador Dali.
When we begin to bring this information together, it starts to form the main idea of what this subject is about.
Did you ever want to go to New Orleans and want to enjoy Mardis Gras? Did you know that Mardi Gras is really a family friendly festival?
Mardi Gras is a wonderful way to enjoy New Orleans. You can enjoy delicious food, Mardi Gras parades, and take in the sites in New Orleans. Mardis Gras is definitely an experience that you want to enjoy at least once in your life.
New Orleans is a fabulous place to enjoy southern cooking. Seafood is a prominent flavor you will enjoy in the south. Very few places in the South offer so many wonderful restaurants in such a small place. Many of the parades are in the French Quarter, and you will find many nice restaurants in the area. Emerill’s, Brennan’s, and Copelands are just a few of the nicer dining establishments. If you want to drive a little ways you may want to consider Pascal Manale’s for some of the best BBQ shrimp you will ever have. Sandwhiches such as PoBoys, which are stuffed full of seafood are a must have in the area.
Consider taking a tour to see more of New Orleans. There are many bus and walking tours that are available. There are tours on cemeteries, ‘voo doo’-palaces, and of Southern mansions that are easy to book. This is a great way to spend the day, and take in the sites in the area. Tours tend to give out so much more information than just visiting the area on your own.
Finally the Mardi Gras parades shouldn’t be missed.
Travel Trip Vacation Tip
Mardi Gras Day in 2008 is FEB 5. Carnival Season begins on JAN 6 (King’s Day) & ends on Mardi Gras Day. The main parades start about two weeks before Mardi Gras Day. Plan to be in New Orleans BEFORE Mardi Gras Day to see more of the festival. Biggest free show in the US. Festival days: SAT, JAN 19 FRI-SUN, JAN 25-27 WED-SUN, JAN 30-FEB 5
The parades are very well controlled, and patrolled by police. There is no flashing for beads, or any other activities that are not family friendly on the official parade routes. You should get to the parade early to get a good place to watch the parade. The streets infuse with people, and if you want to be up close you need to make sure you steak out your spot. Bring a chair if you can, you will see several parades in a row from your same spot. There are breaks in between the parades, and it is difficult to stand all day. Bring something to put your beads in. Beads and other goodies are thrown in a great abundance from the parade.
Mardi Gras is a wonderful festival that can be enjoyed by everyone. Many people travel to New Orleans from all over to enjoy the area and to celebrate Mardi Gras. The food is wonderful, and should not be missed when you are in the area. Consider making a trip to Mardi Gras at least once in your lifetime.
About the Author
Stephanie writes many more articles at http://stephaniemanley.typepad.com She is also the editor for CopyKat recipes – you have tried it in the restaurant, now make it at home. http://www.copykat.com
Trying to select the right vacation for your family can be a daunting task. Some want the sun, sand and sea while others want the dramatic scenery and history. How do you decide where to go that will satisfy the entire family with the least amount of conflict?
1. Make a list of the destinations that interest you. Keep the list to a maximum of four selections and to practical destinations. Most of us would love to travel to the wilds of Africa but logistically it might not be that practical. Keep in mind that small children and the elderly could be very uncomfortable traveling to destinations that have long travel times.
2. Ask family, friends, and co-workers if they have traveled to any of the choices you have selected. If not, ask where they have traveled to and what they enjoyed about it. Write down the locations that sound most interesting.
3. Make a list of the families must haves and nice to haves. Must haves could include such things as an all inclusive plan, good beach, and water sports. Nice to haves could include, private plunge pools, golf courses and hiking trails. Keep the locations that contain most of your must haves.
4. Cross off the choices that are almost impossible to have on one combined vacation. For example, if one family member wants go white water rafting and most destinations don’t offer it then eliminate that choice, maybe you can do that next year.
5. Do your research. The Internet provides a wealth of information about almost every destination imaginable. Type in your destination choices and read up on what they have to offer. Also research the traditions and safety aspects of your selected destinations.
6. Research the hotel choices available. Remember that a foreign hotel’s star rating may be different from yours at home. Sometimes a 5 star hotel in North America could be the equivalent to a 3 star hotel in South America.
7. Gather brochures from a travel agent and combine the information with what you found on the internet. The more knowledge you have the better off you will be.
8. Narrow your choices down to two destinations and two hotels in each destination. Discuss these options with your travel agent. They can usually give you first hand information on your selections.
9. Keep your price points in mind. Don’t select a particular destination just because it seems to have a low price. Sometimes a low price is there for a reason that you will only find out about once you arrive in that destination. These could include a beach located across from a major roadway, a three hour drive to your hotel from the airport or limited running water during your stay.
10. Make your final choice by seeing how you feel about these destinations throughout the week. Which one keeps coming back into your mind? If one keeps appearing more than the others then that’s your choice. Enjoy your vacation!!!
About the Author
Shirley Merith is a certified travel professional with over 20 years of travel industry experience. She is also a college professor and professionally trained public speaker. For more travel related information contact smcreates@gmail.com Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shirley_Merith
