Porto is a historical Portuguese city located on the hills along the Douro River estuary in the north-east part of the Iberian Peninsula with a Mediterranean climate that is cooled somewhat by the Atlantic ocean that laps at its shores. The city’s history as home to the Portuguese bourgeoisie and affluent foreigners has earned it a reputation for being more refined and wealthy than the rest of Portugal and people here, whilst still Portuguese, definitely distinguish themselves from the rest of the country’s population.
When exploring the city of Porto, most people choose to start in the Ribeira area and venture through the World Heritage Site area of the old city centre, taking in the Port Wine Cellars and a museum or two such as the Fundaçao de Serralves (a contemporary museum with a beautiful garden and Art Deco Villa) or the Casa da Musica. Popular things to do when in Porto on holiday are to visit the Dragäo Football Stadium if you are a football fan or take a cruise along the Douro River or simple stroll around the old part of the city taking in the lovely old architecture and making the most of those pleasant cafe terraces.
If you have managed to save a little money on accommodation in Porto, venture out for a meal. Typical dishes here include “Tripas a moda do Porto” a tripe dish that is very traditional but for the brave only! “Francesinha” a dish that consists of toast stuffed with various types of meat, covered with cheese and a spicy sauce – like most traditional, local dishes, it is very filling and hearty – best eaten with a glass of beer. If you are on a tighter budget, you don’t have to miss out entirely on the local culinary experience – head to one of the city’s bakeries and try some of the delicious Portuguese pastries washed down with a good strong coffee.
Porto is not a huge city and is the ideal size for exploring on a weekend break – especially if you like city breaks but would like to be near the sea.
Getting in and out of the city by air means flying to Sá Carneiro Airport which is just 15 km from the city centre with an airport shuttle bus running to Praça da liberdade in the centre for just a few euros. You will find low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and Easyjet operating between cities like London Stansted, Liverpool, Marseille, Frankfurt and Porto.
A quick guide to Porto
June 25th, 2010 by Rebecca No comments »Salzburg for beginners
June 20th, 2010 by Rebecca No comments »Fancy a European getaway with a difference? Have you considered Salzburg? This surprising little Austrian city has a lot to offer the discerning traveller looking for a unique destination so read on if you know nothing about Salzburg but are interested in a location that offers beauty and a wealth of culture…..
Salzburg literally means “salt fortress” and is famous mainly for being the birthplace of Mozart and for its incredibly well preserved historical city centre which the UNESCO declared a World Heritage Site in 1997. This delightful city with its cobbled streets, horse-drawn carriages and tempting coffee shops was used as the setting for part of the famous film – The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews. It would appear that there is more of a fan following of this film outside of Austria than within the country itself and those foreign fans can get their fix of musical fun by tagging along at one of the Sound of Music Tours offered in and around the city.
Salzburg is located on the banks of the River Salzach, north of the Alps, so the stunning baroque architecture is not the only beauty that you can find here, a short trip out of the city will take you to places of spectacular natural beauty too. The locals here speak Austrian German and a German dialect known as Austro-Bavarian. If you know a little German, you should get by just fine.
Tourists generally flock to a few main sights which include the Salzburg Cathedral, Mozart’s birthplace and residence, the Hohensalzburg Castle and the whole historical part of the town centre. The Salzburg Music Festival which takes place every year over the summer months also attracts a lot of visitors to Salzburg so bear this in mind if you are planning to visit the city in July or August as flight prices go up and budget accommodation in Salzburg fills up early,
You can see pretty much all that the city centre has to offer in a weekend but a four or five day break is ideal if you intend to take a trip out of the city and get a glimpse of those beautiful Alps. Salzburg – a great choice in my opinion for an original European city break
Valencia by neighbourhoods
June 14th, 2010 by Rebecca No comments »Valencia is a beautiful Mediterranean city with an enviable location, climate and colourful cultural life. Valencia’s history and cultural diversity is reflected in its different neighbourhoods. Here is a quick guide to the three main areas of the city to hopefully help you choose which one you would most like to stay in on your trip to Valencia.
If you are travelling to this part of Spain in search of sun and fun or you are with small children, the beach area is probably the best bet for you. You will find the coastline on the eastern side of the city and they all have attractive seafront promenades lines with bars, cafes and shops. The main beaches in Valencia are Malvarrosa Beach – which is famous for its nightlife, Alboraya Beach and Las Arenas Beach.
Another popular choice with tourists when choosing their accommodation in Valencia is obviously the historic city centre, known as El Barrio del Carmen. This is where you will find the city’s charming cobbled streets, narrow lanes and historic buildings. This is, in my opinion, the most attractive part of the city for just wandering and enjoying a tasty coffee on one of the cafe terraces and watching the world go by. This neighbourhood runs from the Central Market to the dried out Turia River bed which has been converted into an attractive park. The Carmen neighbourhood is home to some of the city’s best nightlife as well as its best museums and most important historical monuments.
If shopping is your thing, head to the Casanovas area which has Calle de Colon in the middle of it – a long avenue dotted with great shops and cafes as well as some excellent restaurants. This is the ideal place to discover the more modern, more commercial side to this old Spanish city and take in some of the glamour as well as the history.
If you only have a few days to spend in Valencia, it is worth choosing the location of your accommodation carefully bearing in mind what you want to get out of the city. Having said that, Valencia is not a sprawling European city like London or Paris and is fairly easy to navigate using the efficient local transport if you do want to see all of the neighbourhoods and get a more balanced idea of what Valencia is all about.
Stockholm on the cheap
June 6th, 2010 by Rebecca No comments »Stockholm is a notoriously expensive European city, but that is not to say that you have to rule it out as a destination if you are a budget traveller. As always, with a little careful planning and research you can enjoy this city without your wallet feeling the strain too much. Here are some tips on free sights, cheap accommodation and student discounts in the Swedish capital.
The first piece of advice I would give to anyone staying in Stockholm for more than 2 days and looking to save money is to invest in a Stockholm Card. This card can be bought at the tourist information office and will allow you to enjoy free public transportation and entry to over 70 of the city’s museums and attractions. It costs SEK 375 for 24 hours, SEK 495 for 48 hours, and SEK 595 for 72 hours for adults. If that still seems a little expensive to you, then you should consider just heading to the free sights and museums which include the National Museum, Army Museum, National Maritime Museum, Historical Museum, and Royal Coin Cabinet, as well as the city’s Cathedral which is free from May to August. If you are a holder of the ISIC (International Student Identity Card) you are eligible for discounts on all kinds of tourist attractions and even meals out in restaurants and travel deals in travel agents.
As for cheap accommodation in Stockholm, it is not particularly easy to come by but there are definitely cheaper and more expensive areas that you can book in. As you may expect, Gamla Stan is the most popular with visitors for its central location and picturesque appearance, and it is therefore the most expensive neighbourhood in terms of tourist accommodation. An alternative is Sodermalm. Sodermalm is in the southern part of central Stockholm and is full of alternative restaurants and bars and slightly more affordable hotels. It is a little further away from the tourist attractions but that really doesn’t have to be an issue as the city is pretty small and the public transport is very efficient.
Hopefully, with these tips in mind you can enjoy a fun holiday in Stockholm without your budget suffering too much!
Valencia with kids
June 4th, 2010 by Rebecca No comments »Valencia is an ideal destination for families with children of all ages thanks to its extensive selection of stimulating indoor and outdoor activities not to mention the delicious local cuisine and mild climate. Whether your kids prefer the beach, museums, theme parks or wildlife – Valencia will keep them (and you) happy. Read on for some of my personal favourites….
The Bioparc is a place where you can observe animals in their “natural” habitat. It is located in the dried up bed of the Turia River and covers over 100,000 m2. Animals from the Savanna, Madagascar and Equatorial Africa roam around and this alternative zoo gives you a chance to see them up close. The rest of the Turia Gardens are also nice to wander around, play sports or have a picnic.
Malvarosa Beach and Playa de las Arenas are just 15 minutes away from the city centre by tram and offer a beautiful, clean place for you to soak up that glorious Mediterranean sun and for your children to play with the sand and splash around in the clean, shallow waters. There are also some playgrounds dotted along the sea front if they get bored with the sand.
If you have a little money to spend and want to treat the kids to something really special (or its raining), you can always head to the L’oceanografic, Europe’s largest aquarium, or to the City of Arts and Sciences where you can easily spend the whole day and enjoy entertainment for all members of the family.
In the old centre of town you can hop on a sightseeing bus and treat the kids to a delicious Horchata (a sweet milky drink, often served with sweet buns called fartons) or chocolate and churros (hot chocolate and doughnuts) on one of the pleasant café terraces.
If the children are not frightened of a lot of noise and commotion, bring them to Valencia during Las Fallas, the local firework night; it is out of this world and will turn your trip into one they will always remember.
A family holiday in Granada
May 30th, 2010 by Rebecca No comments »Andalusia is a wonderful place to visit with children and Granada is a particularly welcoming place for families. The main pull to this stunning city in the south of Spain is its history and architecture – which may not sound especially alluring to a family with small children but, Granada is also a place where parents and children can enjoy a wonderful sunny climate and a deliciously slow pace of life; really taking time over meals, strolls and outdoor play. Here are some of the best things about Granada for families:
Forget babysitters and putting the kids to bed early and do as the locals do – take your children everywhere with you, let them eat out with you late at night and then play in the square under the moonlight while you enjoy a glass of wine and some tapas! It may seem strange at first, but you’ll soon see that it really does make sense to get out and about with children after sun down, especially during those hot summer months, and if it means you get a lie-in in the morning, so much the better!
There is no shortage of apartments for rent in Granada which make a great base for you and your family to enjoy an independent stay in the city. The Albaicin area is a particularly picturesque and pleasant place to book accommodation.
One of the down falls of travelling to Granada with small children is that it is a very hilly place. If you are taking a pushchair, it can be pretty hard work. A good way around this is to use the hop on – hop off sightseeing bus which is a very pleasant (and restful) way of seeing everything that Granada has to offer and getting a general feel for the place.
If your children are having a hard time with the heat and they don’t share your enthusiasm for Moorish architecture, treat them to a day at the seaside. Salobreña is only 45 minutes away by car and is well equipped with restaurants, sun umbrellas for rent, shops, etc.
Granada has plenty to offer for the sweet-toothed too. Chocolate y Churros (hot chocolate and deep-fried, sugary twists of dough) is a classic and can be found in pretty much any café. Piononos (cinnamon cakes) and Glorias (Almond cakes) are two other local specialities.
Sea, sand, sun, sweets, late nights and relaxed, happy parents…now doesn’t that just sound like every child’s dream holiday?
Florence on the cheap!
May 24th, 2010 by Rebecca No comments »Florence is one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations and inevitably expensive. If you avoid the crowded, sweaty summer months though, shop around for good value for money accommodation and make the most of the city’s cheap eateries and free sights, it needn’t be a trip that will leave you bankrupt.
First things first, find a decent place to rest your head: The main budget accommodation options in Florence are hostels, B&B’s and convents. There are plenty of these establishments in the historical centre of the city and west of the station and many of them include a continental breakfast in the price of the room which helps you to save a little money too. I stayed in a convent when I was in Florence and found it to be cheap, clean and conveniently located. The down side is that girls and boys have to sleep in different dorms and there is a strict curfew that must be respected. Florence is not exactly a major nightlife hot spot though so, for me at least, this wasn’t really an issue. Italians are notoriously noisy and you may want to find accommodation a little outside of the city centre or tucked away down a quiet side street if you are worried about getting disturbed by the flamboyant locals beyond midnight.
For cheap eats ask the locals or the people running your accommodation as no one knows the city like them and they may even have agreements with local restaurants whereby their guests receive discounts. You can always survive of pizza during the day which is sold by the slice or head to a local supermarket or street market for some bread, cheese and ham and make a makeshift picnic to get you through the day for next to nothing. Tuscan food is delicious though and you should try to have one good meal in a restaurant during your stay.
For free or cheap sights and entertainment, head to the Duomo, the Cathedral in Florence which is worth some time exploring even if you are not religious or an art history buff. The Boboli Gardens are very cheap to get into and make a wonderful place to spend a morning or afternoon if the sun is shining. If you are feeling lazy, you can always just sit at a cafe terrace with a delicious cup of Italian coffee and people watch; Florence is full of beautiful, glamorous people who look like they inspired the art that their city has become so famous for.
Edinburgh Festival
May 19th, 2010 by Rebecca No comments »Edinburgh is one of Scotland’s most charming cities and home to one of Europe’s most spectacular annual cultural festivals. Everybody should attend the Edinburgh Festival at least once in their life and experience the excitement of this over-the-top event. Unlike many other European festivals, this one lasts a full three weeks and presents an unrivalled programme of music, drama and dance shows from all over the world. If you want to attend the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, you had better book your hotel in the centre of Edinburgh right now as the event is scheduled to take place between the 6th and 30th of August.
Edinburgh Festival has earned a reputation for being one of the world’s most successful festivals and even obtained record audience numbers in 2008 – bringing people from all over the world to the picturesque streets of this Scottish city to enjoy the irresistible combination of hedonism and culture. Contrary to popular belief, there is no single event actually called “The Edinburgh Festival”, it is rather a collection of previously independent festivals which all took place over the summer in Edinburgh. They are now co-ordinated to take place simultaneously under the umbrella term – Edinburgh Festival, and include jazz, opera, theatre, children’s entertainment and literature festivals, among others.
If you are planning a trip to Edinburgh for the festivals or at any other time of year, I recommend looking at the selection of accommodation near to the royal botanic garden which is a very pleasant, central area and always a nice, peaceful place to come back to at the end of a long day out in the busy city centre. As much fun as it is to be in the thick of things in the centre – there is no fun in being kept awake by the noise of people on the streets after dark, especially if you are travelling with children.
Cheap flights to Edinburgh are fairly easy to come by these days and the city centre is easy to reach from the airport with the local public transport system.
If you are unsure of where to travel to for your summer holiday this year and you, like me, need something a little more entertaining than sun, sea and sand – Edinburgh in August will have your five senses tingling with excitement and you can be sure that your holiday this year will be anything but boring!
Summer in Brussels
May 10th, 2010 by Rebecca No comments »If you are visiting Brussels in summer for a holiday or work – don’t miss out on the great range of summer events that this city has to offer. Read on for some information on what to see and do on a balmy summer day in the capital of Europe.
The BSF (Brussels summer festival) is different to most other European summer music festivals in that it is not solely dedicated to one kind of music, it actually hosts acts by musicians ranging from the classical to the rock-pop genre on the three stages in the royal quarter of the city. Another feature that makes this festival unique is the entry fee – BSF is relatively inexpensive. This exciting festival takes place in August and lasts a week. But the concerts on the three main stages are not all that the BSF offers – a whole range of concerts and cultural events take place throughout the city’s nightclubs and venues too. Check out the BSF website for more info on what is on during this summer’s edition of the festival and to find out more about where to buy your tickets.
If you are travelling with children, the Zinneke Parade which will take place on the 22cnd of May this year is quite a spectacle. This parade first came into existence in 2000 as part of the Brussels City of Culture celebrations. Here you can see some wonderful costumes, watch a street performance or just wander and enjoy the buzz of this exciting parade.
Another important summer event in Brussels is the Brussels Environment Fête which takes place every year in June at Parc du Cinquantenaire and is free to attend. Here you will find street theatre, organic food vendors, a concert and stands giving out information to raise environmental awareness.
Brussels-on-Sea at Bassin Beco offers the people of Brussels a chance to enjoy the summer sun on the banks of the Willebroek Canal at a temporary seaside resort. This lovely summer spot attracts thousands of visitors every year to its straw huts selling cocktails and is completely free to get into.
Who would have thought that summer in Brussels could be so much fun?
Accommodation in Athens
May 9th, 2010 by Rebecca No comments »Quite often when travelling abroad, what most marks your experience are the people you encounter on your travels. If you are lucky enough to meet some like-minded travellers, or better still, to befriend some locals, you can experience the city from the inside and take home some ever-lasting memories. Of equal importance however, is the accommodation you choose. I have always opted for budget accommodation and found that, in general, it ranges from dirty and crowded at worst to non-descript at best. Fortunately, the intelligent few have spotted the gap in the market for affordable, comfortable accommodation with something special to offer. Athens has its fair share of such establishments; here are some tips on how to find good, budget accommodation in Athens that will enrich rather than spoil your trip!
The first thing to be aware of when booking accommodation in Athens is the rating system. Hotels in Athens are often rated as a A, B, or C category hotels – which corresponds to a 4-star, 3-star or 2-star hotel. There can be a great difference in quality though within these categories, so it is a good idea to check the hotel’s web site (if they have one) or look up opinions by other guests on travellers forums online.
Choose a hotel, B&B, self-catering apartment or hostel in Athens that has facilities which best suit your requirements (i.e apartments can be more convenient for families with children, hostels better for young people looking to socialise, etc), check out photos on-line to avoid nasty surprises on arrival and double check the location! What does “near to the Acropolis” mean? Within walking distance or a 20 minute bus ride? You can look on google maps to get a clearer idea.
Plaka, Makrianni, Koukaki, Thission, Syntagma and Monastiraki are all great areas for visitors to stay in as they are all close to the Acropolis and full of restaurants, shops, local transport stops and the city’s best nightlife. If you really want to save money though, you can find some decent, budget establishments around Omonia Square and the train station which, while not such a desirable area, is central. The Port of Pireaus is obviously the best choice if you are simple using Athens as a base from which to visit the Greek Islands.
Just bare in mind that cheap doesn’t have to be synonymous with nasty and that in the Greek capital you can find some very attractive, friendly, family-run establishments that could end up being the highlight of your trip.
