Airline & Holiday Information

New York City is a fabulous destination for a long weekend, or for a more extensive holiday.  With shopping, entertainment, fine dining, and stunning architecture, New York City has something for everyone.

Famous Attractions

New York City offers many attractions that will appeal to the first time tourist and the seasoned traveller alike.  Potential stops include the Statue of Liberty, the top of the Empire State Building, Central Park, the Chrysler Building, Ground Zero, and Times Square.  These are just a few of the iconic landmarks in the city.

Downtown

The Borough of Manhattan is made up of several districts and neighbourhoods, and Downtown is one of the most colourful and interesting.  The Financial District, which includes Wall Street and the former site of the World Trade Center, is a bevy of activity during the work week.  TriBeCa is a trendy neighbourhood and a good place to find a meal.  SoHo, which used to be home to a thriving artist community, is still artsy even if it has become a bit touristy.  The bohemian Greenwich Village is an excellent place to find unique and diverse coffeehouses and wine bars.  The nearby East Village is gritty, ethnically diverse, and vibrant.

Museums

New York City is filled with fantastic museums.  Most are worth a visit, but travellers will likely only have time to visit a few.  The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, and the Museum of Modern Art house world-class art collections.  The Museum of Television and Radio and the American Museum of Natural History will be enjoyed by children as well as adults.

Visitors to New York City should also make certain they attend a Broadway show while they enjoy the “City That Never Sleeps.”

For an affordable holiday that offers history, tourist attractions, beautiful scenery, and outdoor activities, Eastern Europe is hard to beat.  With great deals on airfare and hotel accommodation available, this side of the continent is a good choice for families.

Ljubljana, Slovenia

The capital city of Slovenia is easy to access, and is a vibrant and colourful destination.  Visitors can find plenty to keep them busy within Ljubljana itself, but there are also a number of side trips that are well worth taking.  The nearby mountains offer a wealth of outdoor activities, particularly hiking and skiing.

Riga, Latvia

The capital city of Latvia is a beautiful destination.  The centre of the city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Tourists can enjoy walking the twisting, narrow streets and visiting the lovely old churches of Riga.  The city is also home to Europe’s finest collection of Art Nouveau architecture and several world-class museums.

Bucharest, Romania

The “Paris of the East” is so named for its beautiful neoclassical buildings and exceptional culture.  The museums here are definitely worth a visit, and the nightlife is very vibrant.  From Bucharest, day trips into the surrounding countryside are easy to arrange.

Split, Croatia

The second-largest city in Croatia was founded by the Roman Emperor Diocletian.  His palace still stands in the centre of the city’s Old Town.  This part of the city is filled with historical attractions and is also a good place to take a stroll and find a meal.  The city also makes a good launching point for trips out to the Croatian islands in the Mediterranean.

With inexpensive airfares and accommodation available, nearby Eastern Europe offers some fine holiday destination choices.

The Guardian newspaper has long enjoyed a good reputation for its holiday and travel features with Saturday’s edition including a dedicated travel supplement.  Their website is also popular, particularly with Britons living abroad, and holiday and travel are heavily featured there.  It now includes a series of interactive city guides.

The new online guides are designed to help you plan a trip to the city of your choice.  They include information and recommendations on hotels, restaurants, nightlife and other activities.  The series launched with guides to London, New York and Paris, and recent additions include Barcelona, Amsterdam and Rome. By the end of 2011, Berlin, Edinburgh, Istanbul and Las Vegas will also have online guides available on the Guardian site. 

Using Google Maps and coloured symbols for each category, the guides are easy to navigate.  The six categories included are Where to Stay, Eats, Shopping, Nightlife, Arts and Outdoors with each recommendation having a photograph and brief description shown underneath the overall map.  There’s also a link to the full article on the website’s main travel section, and links to other websites providing listings, transport and weather information.

The Where to stay, Eats and Shopping categories all include budget or bargain options. Nightlife covers pubs and bars, live gigs and clubs, while Arts includes galleries and books as well as an intriguing selection of hidden gems.  The Guardian website city guides are produced in association with lastminute.com.

After organising your flights finding hotel lodgings in a large city like Toronto to fit any style and budget should not be a problem.  Depending on which area of the city you want to spend your time, Toronto offers some of the finest hotels in the country, with names known around the world.

Luxury Hotels

Toronto has its fair share of luxury hotels that offer the best in room décor and fine dining. Fairmont Royal York is located directly across the street from Union Station in the downtown core, and boasts uniformed doormen, bellhops and room service all to make any visitor’s stay there a glamorous one.  The Cosmopolitan Toronto has both residences and hotel suites offering a spa, high-speed internet access and restaurants. 

Trendy Hotels

For guests who like trendy and modern hotels, The Drake Hotel is a good choice.  Once a railway hostel, it has since gone through renovations and is now a sleek and trendy hotel.  Located on Queens St. in the heart of Toronto’s trendy and artsy neighbourhood, The Drake offers a sushi bar, yoga studio, restaurant and artist studio.  Hotel Le Germain provides luxury in a relaxing atmosphere with fireplaces, golf course, spa, library and fitness rooms.

Family and Comfort Hotels

For families and those who still wish to stay in the heart of the city, Toronto does offer cheap hotels with a mixture of deluxe and standard rooms.  Thompson Toronto offers 102 rooms including luxury class rooms on King St. West, home of the financial and entertainment districts.  The hotel offers a screening room, pool, restaurant and bar, plus WiFi Access. 

A lot of people automatically think that going on holiday means going to one destination and then only staying put in one place for an entire week, but this can get a little boring.  For people who like to do a variety of things while still having the convenience and comfort of not having to pack and unpack multiple times during a holiday,  cruise holidays can be a great choice.

Of course, some people may worry that in order to have a great cruise holiday, they will need to pay for a very expensive cruise. But the fact is, cruise holidays are always a safe bet because no matter what cruise line you choose or what destination you wish to go to, there will be a certain high standard for your holiday. This is because whether you choose Carnival cruise line to go to Mexico, Holland America cruise line to go to Alaska, or Princess cruises to cruise around Europe, all of them will have good food that is available in some form round the clock and is included in your cruise fare.

Cruises will all have nice cabins, waiters who will take good care of you for the duration of your cruise, and excellent room service. There will be nightly entertainment, a wide variety of fun venues and activities to visit and do on the cruise ship, and they will all go to interesting destinations. You can be sure that cruise holidays are one of the best holidays you can choose.

London may have some of the most famous museums in the world like the Science, Natural History and Victoria & Albert, but it also has one of the best small museums in the shape of the Geffrye Museum.  Located in Shoreditch in east London, it’s become a firm favourite with locals and visitors to the city alike.

The concept behind the Geffrye Museum is simple: show the changes in English style, taste and design from 1600 to the present day through the recreation of living rooms each depicting a particular time.  There are eleven period rooms each representing roughly 400 years on from the last, and it’s fascinating to walk through and observe both the dramatic and subtle changes.

The building itself is a series of restored 18th century almshouses with a more recent wing added on.  It was commissioned by Sir Robert Geffrye, a former Lord Mayor of London, in 1714 and now has Grade 1 listed building status.  There is also a walled herb garden and four period gardens which are open to the public during the summer months.  These alone make a visit to the Geffrye Museum worthwhile and provide a tranquil oasis from the noisy traffic of the nearby streets.

Admission is free except for special events and the museum is closed on Mondays.  It is easily accessible by public transport, including bus and tube, and is just a few minutes from the City of London.  For a snapshot of English life through the ages, the Geffrye Museum is a unique and entertaining experience.

Royal Caribbean cruises crisscross the oceans delivering adventure for all ages. Whether it is a young family, a group of singles or an adult couple, Royal Caribbean cruise deals are for the young at heart at an affordable price.

Royal Caribbean offers many programs for children in their all-inclusive price. With age appropriate curriculum and college trained youth staff, they provide activities and entertainment for all kids. From infants to teenagers, the programs are designed to inspire imagination, aid in skill development, and Royal Caribbean has special nights for each age group. Crayola ® and Fisher-Price ® team up with Royal Caribbean to engage and entertain children of all ages. Royal Caribbean offers Sitters at Sea ® for a nominal fee if parents would like the evening to themselves.

There is plenty to do for Mum and Dad, as well as adults, couples and singles. With an onboard casino, a full facility spa, and exercise centre, adults can pursue their own interests and engage in peaceful relaxation services. There is also a mini-golf course, an ice skating rink, and the signature rock-climbing wall. One can dance the night away in the ballroom or catch a Broadway-style show in the theatre.

The cabins are spacious, and well appointed gourmet chefs not only prepare delectable meals, but also offer room service until midnight, also there is always time for a stroll along the deck to admire the stars.

Royal Caribbean offers a dream holiday for anyone to some of the most exotic locations in the world.

A road trip holiday for the family can be a fun way to spend the summer, but it can also cause a great deal of stress.  Planning ahead of time should avoid some unnecessary headaches, and make sure travellers have everything they need for any length of trip. 

Prepare the Vehicle

Long before a road trip takes place the vehicle needs to be in good condition.  Travellers should take their car or van to a mechanic and have a professional look over it.  In the days before the trip, make sure the vehicle has petrol, oil and all emergency kit equipment.  Check the tires and fill them before leaving home, even if you only top them up to ensure a smooth ride.

Pack Only What Is Needed

Road trip travellers tend to pack their vehicles too heavily, and this can weigh the car down.  As a result the vehicle burns more petrol.  Instead, only take what is needed, such as camping gear, clothes, some food, beach things and a spare tyre.  For travellers with children, parents might wish to keep snacks, games and toys inside the vehicle to keep them entertained during long drives.

Map Out the Drive

Before leaving home, travellers should map out the directions to their destination.  This is especially true if you have never taken this route before.  Plan the route carefully, and use satnav to help with directions before the day of departure.  Planning ahead takes the stress and worry out of road trip holidays.

If you are considering a holiday in North America, why not visit the two vibrant cities of Vancouver and Victoria in British Columbia?

Vancouver is a cultural jewel that holidaymakers will love. Stroll through Gastown, the national historic site where the city began. Numerous shops, cafes and galleries line the cobbled streets. For a more modern take, spend some time shopping in the fashion district of Robson Street. Take a water ferry to Granville Island, where you can sample treats from a variety of food vendors and peruse local artisan’s stalls. The city has everything from street carts selling fusion takeaways to fine dining with spectacular views. The city centre offers many accommodation options, from budget motels to opulent suites with all mod cons. Getting around is easy, thanks to an efficient with local bus service and light rail transit system.

Just a 1½hour ferry ride from Vancouver is Victoria, the City of Gardens. Sitting at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, this area merges North American, British and Asian influences into a vibrant setting for a holiday. Consider a walk along the Inner Harbour, which bustles with activity all day long. Tourists and locals mingle among the native artisans and buskers. Stroll north along Government Street to stock up on souvenirs, visit the second oldest Chinatown in North America or sneak down Fantang Alley, the narrowest street in Canada, once known for its opium dens. A short bus ride takes you to Butchart Gardens, a floral paradise. Victoria is well known for its holiday rental options, from bed and breakfasts to historic hotels.

One holiday travel idea that has broad appeal is a Holy Land cruise. These short trips are often part of extended Mediterranean cruises that include stops in Greece and Italy. This type of cruise provides an unforgettable experience. The cruises include land tours to locations that are not located at the ports.

The largest part of a Holy Land cruise holiday focuses on attractions in Israel. Tourists will be able to take a land tour to Jerusalem to see locations sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Some of these sites include the Via Dolorosa, the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock, the Mount of Olives, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Locations in Bethlehem, such as the Church of the Nativity, may also be accessible. Many tours also include the Galilee.

Several other sites in Greece and Turkey had great significance to early Christians. These include Thessalonica, Corinth, and the site of Ephesus. Cruises that visit Turkey may offer travellers a chance to see Istanbul, once known as Constantinople.

Egypt is another location often visited. This area includes the pyramids and other key attractions, including the probable site of Mt. Sinai. Ships often travel into the Red Sea, which the ancient Israelites crossed on their flight from Egypt.

Many larger cruise lines offer these types of tours. In addition to travelling on a larger ship, guests also have additional entertainment options. These can include lectures or presentations about places to visit. Sometimes these cruises are also offered by companies that offer a smaller, more intimate ship experience.