Easter Holidays in North Cyprus

The Easter is just around the corner and now it is time to book your spring getaway. A perfect spring destination is North Cyprus between the rainy winter season and the hot summer season when the sirocco wind will dry the area. Unofficially summer can begin in March and you can start sunbathing on the beach or by the swimming pool of your hotel.

A beautiful place to visit in North Cyprus is Kyrenia - its main attraction is the Kyrenia Castle, dating back to Byzantine times. Within the castle you will find an icon museum and a church. Bellapais Abbey in the village of Bellapais was built in the 13th century and it has a beautiful inner court with a colourful garden (perfect for your Easter holiday pictures).

Apart for historic sites you will find in North Cyprus many modern boutique hotels and all inclusive resorts with excellent facilities, swimming pools, children's club, gym and restaurants where you can taste local cuisine and drinks and listen to traditional music. A lot of reasons to visit North Cyprus this spring.

A golden medal for Vancouver

Vancouver is on everybody's lips these days as the 2010 Winter Olympics take place in the city. The city's most visited destination is Grouse Mountain ideal for skiing or snowboarding. The mountains has also a Refuge for Endangered Wildlife dedicated to preserve flora and fauna at risk.

In the city, a retro double-decker will take you to the major attractions of Vancouver including: Chinatown, Stabley Park or Granville Island. If you like adventure, than Capilano Suspension Bridge is the place to be: a suspended bridge which allows you to cross to Treetop Adventure and admire the Douglas fir-trees from above.

For a minute of meditation and relaxation it is worth visiting Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden with cover walkways which provide shelter in any weather. Like any classical Chinese garden this garden is based on the harmony of the elements water, rock, plants and architecture.

Do't worry if you can't be in Vancouver during the Olympics. The city welcomes you anytime and it will suprise you regardless the season and as a visitor you will award Vancouver a golden medal.

Irish attraction in Lismore

Jacobean gardens, heritage villages and 17th century old cathedral are the attraction of the small village of Lismore in County Waterford, Ireland. For the more active visitors, Lismore has a horseriding centre and a golf course or cycling routes and for foodies out there the place has many eateries, local markets and pubs.
The city of Waterford is the home of a famous crystal factory so it is worth visiting it as well.

The Granary is a pet-friendly cottage in Lismore on a working sheep and cattle farm where visitors can make friends with Rosie the donkey. The Granary accommodates four people (plus pets) who want to spend a few days in this beautiful place.

Help Dan Appeal

Cali is considered one of the most prosperous cities in Colombia. Located southwest of the country, the city is well known for its agricultural products: sugar and coffee industry has helped the city prosper. The city is also known for its rich heritage which is not based only on the colonial period where beautiful churches where built in the city. Pre-Colombian architecture can be found in Parque Arqueológico De San Augustín as well as Parque Arqueológico De Tierradentro.
Because of the economic standing of Cali, reaching the city is very easy for tourists. The city has an international airport and road network from various cities in the Colombia is also available. Tourists from other cities can easily reach the city by bus or through domestic flights.

The city was recently featured in the news because of Daniel Eley, a volunteer teacher in Cali working with street children who recently had an accident which left him with serious spinal injuries. His activities for human rights in Colombia and the rest of South America are praised by many which is why support for medical assistance and rehabilitation was made everywhere. Groups set up donation channels as they try to raise £90,000 which will be used to airlift to Daniel Eley to England for medication and rehabilitation.

If you want to support this noble cause please join the Facebook group HELP DAN.

Ryanair’s New Payment Policies

From the start of the new year, the latest changes in Ryanair payment policy have immediately provoked more criticisim and blasts, which seem to have become a common reaction towards the Irish low cost carrier. Those who have found out that Ryanair used to apply to all credit cards except Visa Electron a £5 handling fee, per person per flight, only right after proceeding their payment because the total end price would not clearly appear at the end of the payment transaction, might have already raised complaints about the unexplicable £5 (given the fact that standard debit cards processing fees are usually £1, according to the UK Cards Association).

But those who have learned from their mistake and now pop out their Visa Electron cards, confidently thinking they are avoiding extra charges, have all the best interest to know that this does not apply anymore, since Ryanair have made new arrangements and have switched to MasterCard Prepaid as the only method payment without processing fees surcharges.

Of course, Ryanair was prompt to declare this is actually for the customers’ benefit as MasterCard Prepaid cards are widely available. Leaving this questionable matter on the side, what is pretty straitforward to see is that the low-cost company will be able to continue advertising their cheapest fares excluding the handling fees when, in reality, most of the passengers buying tickets will see a whole different story.

British Airways strike revoked

After putting at risk the Christmas holidays for thousands of travellers, it finally seems that British Airways cabin crew will no longer go on the 12 days strike previously announced. A court injunction forbid the action on the grounds of illegal voting procedure in deciding for the strike. According to the court, many of the workers within BA’s unions Unite placed their votes even though having previously taken voluntary redundancy and being no longer formally involved in British Airways.

Despite the comforting news for passengers, the issue within the air flight company seems far from resolved. The dispute between the management and the unions generated over plans of important reductions in staff as well as introduction of substantial and unfavourable changes in contract for cabin crew. Following the workers’ discontent, the unions had announced a strike from December the 22nd to January the 2nd which would have obviously meant enormous losses for the airline company, given the high season for the travelling industry.

In fact, workers taking part to strike action were calculated to be around 13,500 members which would have left most of BA air fleet to the ground. BA, however, did suffers losses from the turmoil created in the last days, as shares went down by more than 2%.

After the court’s decision, the two parties in question seems to still be set on controversial positions. British Airways declared the planned strike is part of an “old-style trade union militancy” which in no way can contribute to re-establishing the company’s profitability. On the other hand, Unite spokesperson said the court’s decision came as a disgrace to democracy and warned as well that the threat of industrial action is not over as BA employees are apparently planning to take a new ballot.

EasyJet CEO quitting his post

After four years as easyJet chief executive, Andy Harrison, is announcing he is stepping down from his post. This is the fifth resignation from the company's management board, following the latest from Chairman Sir Colin Chandler earlier in April. Before him, easyJet saw its finance director, commercial director, communications director and procurement director all leaving the board over the last twelve months.

Although Harrison declared he is quitting “in order to find new challenges”, the reason for his departure is viewed by many to be in the long-running dispute with EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou. The disagreement which has quickly become a public battle over the last year concerned the company's expansion plan and fleet growth promoted by the executive board.

This latter involved the future addition of 109 Aibus aircrafts by 2012 which would represent a 50% increase of the existing fleet. Sir Stelios has repeatedly adverted what he sees as an incautious plan, given the severe implications the recession has had within the airline industry. On the other hand, Harrison's response was to point out the high penalties that easyJet would have to incur when cancelling orders for financing the purchase of new planes.

In the meantime, the series of executive managers leaving the board has already had negative effects on easyJet's shares, which have dropped 2.7 per cent in value, as investors have seen the turbulence in the company's management board to be a potential reason for under performance in the short term.

Ski Christmas Holidays in Val d’Isère

French Alps have numerous ski holiday resorts that see returning and new coming visitors every year, with peaks during winter holidays or for the Christmas break.

A very attractive destination for Christmas ski holidays is certainly Val-d’Isère, a commune in the Savoie department which earlier this year has hosted the World Ski Championships 2009. Val d’Isère is part, together with close commune Tignes, of what is known as the “Espace Killy”, the perfect ski paradise area with more than 180 miles of ski pistes of all types and levels and more than 250 acres of off-piste.

The resort is structured in about seven small villages, including the old town of Val d’Isère, and has built over the years an up market reputation for ski holidays which is attracting ski lovers from everywhere.

It is a mix of natural conditions and technical infrastructures that make Val-d’Isère the ideal ski spot. The high altitude leaves little space for disappointment of finding runs without snow, whereas the extensive number of lift-served off slope runs together with a wide offer of ski courses and packaged holiday deals are all factors which make this location highly recommendable.

The resort is not only well known for its natural winter beauty but for the lively buzz of after-ski activities as well. The place has many polished shops as well as bars and restaurants filled with people until early hours in the morning.

Nonetheless, Val-d’Isère is also a very popular option for family ski holidays because of facilities and tailored packages offered. Family ski passes are a good deal to save money, whereas ski schools and instructors are particularly attentive to groups of young learners. Also, many chalets offer ad-hoc menus for children and buses are running regularly around the resort, allowing skiers with children to explore at ease off hand runs as well.

Christmas market in Basel

From November 26 to December 23, 2009, Basel will be opening its doors in preparation for Christmas. Basel Christmas market is located at Barfüsserplatz and is the Christmas City of Europe. No other European location can beat Basel for its Christmas market.

Basel has a long tradition of celebrating Christmas the way they do. Many tourists gather at Basel every November to December to celebrate Christmas. Basel is by far the best looking city in Switzerland during this time of the year. Not only will you enjoy Basel’s fine Christmas decorations but the markets in Freiburg, Strasbourg and Colmar are just an hour’s worth of drive away so you can also visit them.

So, what should you expect on your travel to Basel during this season? You won’t just find the most traditional and largest Christmas market in all of Switzerland but you’ll also love the illuminated streets and Christmas music. Some of the top of the line shops for Christmas decorations and giveaways are also found here. You would surely love listening to Christmas songs and melodies sung by choirs and singers on the several concerts and you will surely feel the Christmas season while you’re here.

It is definitely incomparable. You will never find any place in the world that celebrates Christmas the same as in Basel. Christmas celebrated here is truly one of a kind.

Space travelling

Tourism extended to space but this destination is still expensive and the "operator" is only the Russian Space Agency for the time being. For US 20-30 million the tourists will embark on a Soyuz spacecraft and can admire the Blue Planet from a distance.

The suborbital space tourism is more affordable and is viewed as a money making activity by companies such as Space Adventures, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin or Starchaser. The package would include a few minutes of weightlessness, a view of twinkle-free stars and a panorama of the Earth curve and all would cost around USD 200,000.

Virgin Galactic intends to send tourists to space (and bring them back) for the initial seat price for $200,000 but the prices is believed to decrease to USD 20,000 eventually. So far around 200 tourists have booked their holiday into space. Next time your friens tell you they go on holiday to the Dead Sea, take it with a pinch of salt and keep an eye on their Facebook photos.

Your holiday starts here

When buying your groceries, in order to get the best prices you go to the supermarket because you have a wide range of products to choose from and you can get the best deals.

The same thing should happen when you book your holiday or flight: you should be able to compare and select the most convenient packages. Travelgrove.com is a meta search engine which offers you the benefits of a travel online supermarket: search for your hotel according to location, amenities, name or price before booking. Once you are happy with all these aspects you can book your room. For a cruise vacation all you have to do is select the cruise line, the length of your cruise, a destination of your choice and the month and a couple of seconds later you can book the cruise of your dreams.

The website also highlights the hot deals of the day and will lead you into the temptation of discovering new places.

For vacation packages, Travelgrove offers you the opportunity to search recommended sites like Opodo, Expedia or Lastminute and compare the prices. If you do not know much about a destination, visit the "Travel guides" section of the site to read about it. For travel tips access the website forum and interact with other users who share their experiences or who might need your help or recommendation.

Trip or treat - Halloween holiday

If you want to feel that your holiday is sending shivers down your spine, a trip to Transylvania is the right thing to do (Halloween is almost here anyway).
You can land either in the heart of Transylvania (an airport of choice could be Cluj Napoca or Targu Mures) or in Bucharest then start your trip armed with a cross and some garlic.

Targu Mures is closer to Sighisoara, the place where Vlad The Impaler (aka Dracula) was born. The town also has a nice medieval citadel and legends say that you can find there the house of the last hangman (who used to work in the citadel) which recently has been restored and turned into a peaceful (and hopefully not haunted) library. Not far from Targu Mures there is the village of Bezid - it has a huge lake which entirely covered the village - all the inhabitants had to leave their houses and move. You can still see the drowned houses under the water and the church steeple sticking out of the waters.

Your next holiday stop should be Sighisoara - a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of its famous residents was Vlad Dracu. The citadel built in the 12th century includes the house where it is believed that Vlad Dracu was born, a Weapon Museum and a torture chamber. For a bit of a Gothic peace head up to the Church on the Hill by climbing the Covered Staircase (there are around 300 stairs to climb).

From Sighisoara head south and after about 120 km you will reach Bran where you can visit Dracula's Castle in Bran (built in the 13th century). You can go to a Halloween party (which are organised mainly for tourists since most locals do not have much time to party, being too busy and tired with agricultural work) or buy some souvenirs (Dracula mugs, Matryoshka dolls which are not at all Transylvanian and strong plum brandy called palinca).

If you survive Halloween night you can head south to Bucharest and visit the Palace of the Parliament, one of the largest buildings in the world.

Holiday in Albufeira

Albufeira is now far from the poor image it once had as a fishing village devastated by earthquakes and that is mostly because of the tourist boom to the resort. It is the most popular resort of Portugal, visited by thousands of tourists every year. You’d love the golden beaches here as well as the sandy coves which are very appealing. If you are in Albufeira than have a walk on the beach from The Fisherman's Beach to Oura. You will surely enjoy the sunset, the ocean and the rocky scenery.

Albufeira has a lot to offer and you’ll surely find something to enjoy here even if you are a single traveller or on a family holiday. The Old Town of Albufeira retains its old charm with slim cobbled streets and old buildings and squares. On many houses you will find painted ceramic tiles with the name of the family living there, so a house facade like a bathroom wall should not take you by surprise in the Old Town. Street or square names are also painted on ceramic tiles.

You will also find some modern buildings like hotels with swimming pools or commercial centres (note also the escalator or the lift, pictured, which will take you to The Fisherman's Beach if you want to avoid the traditional stairs).

For an active nightlife check out “The Strip” and you’ll party the night away with different clubs, bars, café’s and restaurants. It’s not just for the young crowd; old crowd can also visit the Strip and have some fun while enjoying dinner and live music. While in Albufeira you should try the local cataplana, chicken piri-piri or bacalhau (fried cod) with a glass of green wine (the menu says it's green, but actually it looks like white wine). If you are not happy with the local food you always have the alternative of an English breakfast or fish and chips lunch.

Discover Philippines through Bohol

Bohol is a province island in the Philippines in the region Central Visayas which attract tourists because of its beaches and resorts. The most famous beach in Bohol is Alona Beach, with white and fine sands, perfect to watch dolphins playing in the sunset.

Bohol's attractions are the clear waters and white sandy beaches, the Chocolate Hills, old churches, historic towers and an interesting fauna (the tarsier, the butterflies at the Conservation Centre) and flora (explore the Mahogany Forest). The province is also known as the "cave country" with about 30 caves (or boho) which you can explore during your stay in Bohol.

Best time to go to Bohol is during the northeast monsoon season around November to April. From May up to July, expect more humidity and warmth.

Low cost holidays with sunshine guarantee

Costa Blanca (or White Coast) is a popular touristic destination in Alicante, Spain. The name Costa Blanca started to be promoted in the late 50s when the area started to attract tourists from all over the world.

The major destinations of Costa Blanca are Benidorm and Alicante, attracting thousand of tourists every year. What makes a perfect holiday here? The attractions of Costa Blanca - its natural beauty with lovely beaches and clear waters, summer festivals and theme parks like Terra Mitica or Aqualandia which are perfect for families. Once you are here you can explore the surrounding areas by boat: the Isla de Benidorm where there is an interesting wildlife sanctuary or go on a boat trip to Tabarca, a small island near Alicante.

Moreover, now you can enjoy your holiday to Costa Blanca (or to many other destinations) with a sunshine guarantee. All you have to do is book your holiday with LowCostHolidays.com and add to your booking an extra sunshine guarantee insurance for £9.99 per person. Once you have your policy you will also have holiday sunshine guaranteed: a weather station near your holiday destination will inform Low Cost Holidays about the weather in your area. If you have less than 5 hours of sunshine per day during your stay you will get a text message letting you know that you will receive £400 cash back.

With the sunshine guarantee we're sure you will enjoy your holiday in Costa Blanca. Make sure you bookmark Low Cost Holidays because they will come up with similar attractive and sunny offers in the future.