Archive for April, 2010

Spring in Amsterdam

April 30th, 2010

Amsterdam is a great place to celebrate spring; locals spill out from inside the smoky cafes and onto canal-side terraces to soak up those first welcome rays of sunlight and the city literally blooms with the colourful flowers that Amsterdam is so famous for. Spring is the time to hop on your bike in the Dutch capital and make the most of the mild weather, cycling along the canal paths, shopping in outdoor markets and picnicking in the parks. Spring is also when some of Holland’s most important national holidays are celebrated, so be aware of when they are in case you want to join in the festivities or avoid them and pay less for your accommodation in Amsterdam and your flights to and from the city. Queen’s day or “Koninginnedag” is on the 30th of April and is a huge event, with the streets decorated in orange and street parties and concerts everywhere. Another big public event in spring to be aware of is Liberation Day or “Bevrijdingsdag” which takes place on the 5th of May; many local businesses may have limited opening hours on this day.

As with many other Northern European cities, spring weather can be very changeable in Amsterdam. You are just as likely to get a gloriously sunny weekend as you are a rainy or even chilly one. Come prepared with layers and an umbrella as the locals do. If horticulture is your thing, you shouldn’t miss the Keukenhof Gardens which only open in spring (from mid-March till mid-May) in the nearby town of Lisse to show off its incredible floral displays.

If you do get rain during your trip to Amsterdam though, do not despair! Head to the World Press Photo Exhibit at the old church, “Oude Kerk” to check out some incredible photography. Alternatively you could time your visit with the Art Amsterdam festival designed for fans of contemporary art and held in mid-May throughout 100 galleries and at the KunstRAI convention centre.

Spring has already sprung in Amsterdam this year, but there are still plenty of cheap deals out there for a last minute getaway so, go on, be spontaneous!

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Your trip to Vienna…

April 19th, 2010

Vienna is a city that can be described in many ways – all of them positive – “imperial”, “refined”, “historical” and “baroque” are among the most commonly used adjectives to talk about this wonderful city full of palaces, fine coffee houses, opera and horse-drawn carts. I love Vienna for its effortless combination of culture and natural beauty, history and modernity and I’m not the only one apparently – Vienna was voted first (alongside Vancouver) for quality of life by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Come for a few days and see why for yourself.
Vienna is a lovely place to visit in spring or summer as you can make the most of the beautiful, well-maintained green space in the city, not to mention the Vienna Woods (Wienerwald) and the Danube River. You can take a walking tour of the city for free, taking in the Baroque architecture, parks and fee sights like the Hapsburg grounds, the Augustinian Church and the river.
If you do have a little money to spend, you should invest in a Vienna Card which costs roughly 20€ for 3 days of discounts at 190 museums, restaurants, sights and public transport. You can buy this discount card at the tourist information office or ask about it at your accommodation. The famous Prater amusement park is also in the city and makes a great day trip for families or groups of friends if you have had your fill of history and culture and fancy a bit of light-hearted fun.
All the same rules apply for finding cheap flights and budget hotels in Vienna, book in advance, avoid weekends if possible, come out of the high season, be prepared to travel a little out of the centre and focus on finding somewhere that offers good value for money rather than luxury.
Vienna also offers good nightlife and modern dining opportunities. Asian food is particularly popular here due to immigration over recent years and you can find some excellent sushi bars and Asian – European fusion cuisine in the city if that is your thing. During the day you should head to one of the lovely coffee houses in the city centre and enjoy the Viennese ritual of enjoying an excellent cup of coffee and a slice of Sacher Torte (chocolate sponge cake with jam in the middle) and watch the world go by. If you are longing for a cultural getaway in a film like setting – Vienna comes highly recommended!

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Experience Marrakech

April 18th, 2010

Marrakech is a place to have an experience rather than a holiday but it can be an exhilarating or an exhausting experience, depending on how well prepared you are for the sights, sounds and smells of this Moroccan city.
Come expecting to leave time schedules and plans behind and just let yourself be absorbed by this exciting destination would be my advice to anyone visiting Marrakech for the first time. Read on for a taster of what awaits you when you arrive.
First of all, find the ideal accommodation in Marrakech, a riad (traditional guesthouse) at the heart of the medina (old town) if possible for the ultimate culture shock and then head for Djemaa el fna Square – the heart of the city. This bustling public square is a meeting place for snake charmers, orange juice vendors, tradesmen from the Sahara and food sellers. It is best seen in the evening when the sun goes down and you can pull up a stool next to one of the open air grills and enjoy some great Moroccan cuisine for just pennies while you watch the world go by.
Once you are a little more acclimatised and ready to get out of the midday sun, plunge into the souks – the semi covered network of winding alleyways, lined with market stalls, selling everything from carpets to goat’s skulls. Although a trip to the souks can be a little overwhelming for some (the aromas and narrowness especially), it is an experience you will never forget and, for most people, an exhilarating one that you will be eager to repeat the following day.
For a break from the hustle and bustle of the medina, head to the Majorelle Gardens and relax under the shade of a palm tree of return to your riad for a glass of mint tea next to the fountain in the peaceful, cool oasis that is a tiled internal courtyard. Of course, you can give yourself a real treat and a perfect end to your day at one of the city’s hammams with a stint in the sauna followed by a massage.
But Marrakech has a more modern side too, and one that should not be overlooked if you want to get a balanced idea of the city. The “Ville Nouvelle (new town) is where you will find many of the city’s museums, galleries, finer restaurants and cultural venues.
One thing is for sure, whatever your preferences and whatever you choose to see and do, Marrakech will not leave you indifferent!

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Tips for visiting Rio de Janeiro

April 13th, 2010

Rio de Janeiro is an exhilarating tourist destination to discover; the amazing white sand beaches, spectacular mountain backdrop and exciting (if a bit gritty) city life make for a holiday to remember. There are few other cities in the world that can boast such a fabulously tropical setting and wonderfully laid-back lifestyle. Here is some basic information and tips for first timers to the Brazilian capital.

Rio enjoys a tropical climate which means it is good to visit at any time of year although December to March (summer in the southern hemisphere) is the high season and therefore the hottest and most expensive. If you are hoping to experience Rio’s world-famous carnival in February – book your accommodation in Rio well in advance to avoid disappointment. People travel from literally all over the world to experience this frantic, colourful, hedonistic four day celebration. Hotels in Rio come in all shapes and sizes and to suit all budgets although they tend to fill up quickly in the high season and rates go up slightly but even then they are reasonable compared with other major world cities.

You needn’t worry about eating and drinking well in Rio if you are travelling on a budget as life here is relatively inexpensive. There are street vendors and snack bars dotted around town with very reasonable prices and surprisingly tasty food and juices made with fresh, local products. Be warned that portions served in restaurants in Brazil are, generally speaking, huge – so, unless you have an enormous appetite, you might want to order less from the menu than you would do back home. You can’t leave Rio without trying a Caipirinha – a typical Brazilian cocktail made with limes, sugar and an alcohol made of sugarcane. Divine – a real taste of paradise!

Getting around is made easy and cheap in Rio too thanks to an effective local transport system of metros and buses.

Rio has earned itself a reputation over the years for being slightly grimy and a little dangerous in certain neighbourhoods due to economic difficulties. While this is true, the dangerous areas are easy to avoid and Rio is sufficiently vibrant, beautiful and exotic to make none of this matter for the many Brazilian and foreign residents that wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world even if you paid them!

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Cork

April 5th, 2010

Cork is a confident little Irish city with a firm sense of identity. If you have visited Dublin and want to try another Irish city, Cork comes highly recommended for a few days of tradition, live music, drinking in cosy local pubs and the usual, jovial atmosphere that Ireland has become so famous for. Read on for ideas of what to see and do in Cork:

The River Lee surrounds the city centre, adding a picturesque background to the rows of traditional Georgian houses and attractive cobbled streets. There is plenty that’s new in Cork – shopping malls, modern architecture, art galleries and international restaurants but the real pull to the county of Cork is its traditional essence and the beautiful surrounding farmlands, hills and valleys and, above all, the stunning rocky Atlantic coastline which is great for hiking.

Cork has so much to offer visitors and staying at a family-run B&B is a great way to experience the area; alternatively, you could rent a self-catering apartment or room in a rural house and enjoy the freedom of your own pad in or near the city. Cork is not especially cheap, but there are budget accommodation options out there and it will seem reasonable if you compare prices here with those in Dublin.

Some of the attractions that I would recommend visiting on a trip to Cork include the West Cork Model Railway Village which will take you back to West Cork in the 1940’s and is always a hit with the children, the famous Blarney Castle with its ever-famous stone and history, and the Millstreet Country Park with 500 acres of greenery, lakes, waterfalls and landscaped gardens – ideal for picnics, walks and nature lovers. If you just have a weekend in Cork however, there is plenty to keep you entertained in the city centre and a combination of aimless wandering and pints of Guinness in local pubs is probably the best way to get a feel for the essence of the city.

Cork also hosts a variety of annual festivals, including the Midsummer Festival (held in June) and the Cork Jazz Festival (held in October) which might be worth planning your trip around. Bear in mind, however, that the city will be at its busiest during these periods and prices tend to go up a little.

Cork – a great place to experience the best of what Ireland has to offer!

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