Visiting London by District...

Visiting a large conurbation like London can be overwhelming.  Understanding the districts and knowing which are best for tourists is a huge help when exploring this fantastic city.

Bloomsbury

This is a quiet district that contains the two important train and underground stations King’s Cross and St. Pancras.  At the former, one can get a train to other points in the UK and from the latter, visitors can travel through the Channel Tunnel to the Continent.  This makes Kings Cross hotels an excellent choice for the London tourist.

Covent Garden and Leicester Square

For the famous theatres of London, visitors should make a stop in Covent Garden.  It is also home to many shopping centres.  Leicester Square is a famous tourist stop for its restaurants, pubs, theatres and certain famous landmarks, such as Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus.

Westminster

Westminster is actually a city in its own right.  Visitors come here to see Parliament, Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace.

South Bank

The South Bank district is on the south side of the River Thames and is an excellent place to have a drink and a bite to eat while sitting by the river and enjoying the views.  It is also where the Globe Theatre is located; the replica of the theatre used by William Shakespeare.  Tickets are inexpensive and viewers get to experience what theatre was like in the sixteenth century.

Free Magazines in Barcelona...

Every major city will have a wide range of tourist guides available, often catering to a particular type of visitor.  The growth of tourist websites has only added to the vast array of information available, so is there still space for the free magazines that can still be found in many cities?  It certainly seems to be the case in Barcelona.

Like most major tourist destinations, the Spanish city has various publications produced by the local government to assist the tourist trade.  It also has well-established magazines like Time Out on sale, but sitting in-between are the free magazines, which aim to attract tourists, long-term visitors and locals alike.  Their mix of event listings, suggestions and recommendations, and articles about city life can often be a good source of information for those looking for something off the beaten track, and lower advertising costs can make them attractive to independent businesses.

Barcelona has four English language monthly publications in this genre.  Barcelona Miniguide is a pocket-sized, colourful magazine with a strong emphasis on bars, restaurants, music and clubs, and interesting shops.  Its small size makes it easy to carry around, and it includes decent street maps of popular areas.  Barcelona Metropolitan, meanwhile, is an A4 magazine with longer features and interviews, and advertising is aimed at long-term visitors to the city.

Barcelona Connect is A5 in size and listings-based, while BCN Mes is newspaper-style and dedicated to alternative lifestyles with articles in Spanish and Catalan as well as English.  Most of these magazines also have websites and email newsletters, and use Facebook and Twitter to help boost their readerships.

London on a Budget...

London is one of the most exciting and vibrant cities in the world.  Tourists flock to the capital of the United Kingdom to experience the English culture, theatre, museums, and shopping.  It is not, however, the cheapest city to visit.  With the right planning, however, a trip to London need not break the bank.

Whether travelling to London via plane, train, or car, often the most expensive part of the trip is the hotel.  London is home to many extravagant and excellent hotels, but the cost of staying at one can be a bit shocking.  To save money on the holiday, consider staying at a London bed and breakfast.

Not only are bed and breakfasts less expensive than hotels, they offer many bonuses that travellers staying elsewhere do not receive.  Bed and breakfasts tend to be small with fewer residents at any one time than most hotels.  This gives travellers a chance to chat and get to know each other.  The owners of the bed and breakfast often take time to speak with their customers and lend advice on how to get around the city and what sites are best.  The friendly atmosphere of a bed and breakfast is not the only advantage over staying in a large hotel.  They often provide meals, at least breakfast, handmade by the owner or the resident cook.

By staying at a bed and breakfast London becomes smaller and friendlier.  Travellers get to know the best spots to eat, how to get around the city, and where the best shopping is through their welcoming hosts.  Staying at a bed and breakfast when visiting London is an excellent option for travellers hoping to tour the city on a budget.

Edinburgh on New Year’s Eve...

Edinburgh’s chilly winter ends in a celebration of light, fire and fantastic fun as the old year draws to a close. Against the stunning architecture of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and Prince’s Street hub, the glittering, snow-covered celebrations are a trip into another world; the perfect end to the old year and start to the new!

Starting on the 29th of December, the Edinburgh world-famous Hogmonay celebrations greet the New Year in a flurry of light and fun. The traditional Torchlight Procession opens the festival in a parade of radiating light and fireworks. As the festivities kick off, dancing groups, theatre groups and the public join in, carrying lighted torches through the streets. The torches, which can become sold out during the celebrations, raise money for charity, as well as allowing the public to join in the celebrations.

The ‘night afore’, that is, the 31st of December and the night before Hogmonay (New Year’s Day) sees leading theatre groups take to the streets, providing wonderful, magical entertainment. This world famous street party includes over 100,000 participants taking to the streets to dance and be merry. Five stages accommodate live music and well known bands and singers. Traditional Ceilidh dancing and one of the world’s most fantastic firework displays takes place as the old year ticks away.

Edinburgh’s four day Hogmonay celebration is the perfect way to greet the New Year, filled with fun, festivity and celebrations suitable for all ages. Say goodbye to the old times in style, and make your New Year Resolutions in the shadow of Edinburgh’s stunning surrounds.

The Modern Ancient City of Tunis...

The African country of Tunisia makes for a splendid holiday. Choosing Africa as your destination will always bring something unique and undeniably different to your time away. A visit to the city of Tunis will surely be an enlightening experience. Often thought to be Arabic, Tunis is a city caught between the old and the new. One of the first things visitors notice about Tunis is its impeccable cleanliness.

The streets are completely void of garbage and beggars – two things most visitors expect to see when they arrive. Instead, this capital city is one of modern, contemporary clothing, yet a city of age old bartering and customs. It is not typically seen as a tourist destination but for those who do make the journey, it is a city worth visiting.

Many arrive to see the traditional capital city as well as experience its surrounding villages. Some places outside Tunis that are worth the trek include Hammamet, and Sosse. Check out Bardo, one of the museums offering a great display of local mosaic art which is very native to this part of Africa.

There is almost no greater shopping experience that those of an African souk. Wear your best walking shoes as you head out into the bartering world of Tunis. This is an extremely common way to spend a day. Enjoy the experience as the most skilled shopper will feel challenged. Souks, (which means ‘market’ in Arabic), are well known for their social interaction and variety of products. All souks vary in size and some are so large it is near impossible to tell where they truly begin and end. Traditionally souks occupied only a small part of a local town or village but have grown to immeasurable limits. Now they are sometimes referred to as medinas, which is town in Arabic.

Any sightseeing to this area should include a visit to Zitouna, the Olive Tree Mosque. This mosque is the main mosque in Tunis to which the entire city has been built around. It was named after its founder, a man once known for his teachings under the olive tree.

Le Cool Guide Books...

Travel guides come in many shapes and sizes, catering for a variety of tastes, lifestyles and budgets.  For those who consider themselves hip and trendy, and looking for information away from the tourist mainstream, the Le Cool guide books are well worth investigating.

Le Cool Publishing is a Barcelona-based independent publisher who launched in 2003 with a weekly email magazine about life and culture in Barcelona.  This has expanded into a full website with online city guides to Barcelona, Budapest, Dublin, Istanbul, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Paris and Vienna.  Their other main project is the Le Cool guide books subtitled A Weird and Wonderful Guide to.

The most striking thing about the Le Cool books is their design.  Unusually for a travel guide, they are hardback editions with a classic look, while the pages inside are packed with colourful, funky illustrations, cartoons and photographs and unusual typography.  They are a long way from the strict template adopted by more conventional travel guides.  Published so far are Le Cool guides to Amsterdam, Barcelona (second edition), Lisbon, London and Madrid (in Spanish.)  Further guides are in preparation.

The Le Cool guides are produced by local teams of editors, writers, designers, illustrators and photographers, and aim to reflect life in the city they’re covering as well as giving useful information on the best places to visit.  Long-term visitors should also find them useful for tips on bars, restaurants, shops and more off the beaten track.  All the guides are available to buy online from the Le Cool website priced between 19.99 and 24.99 Euros including delivery.

Roman Holidays...

Rome was once the centre of the world, and the most powerful city on Earth.  Today it is a modern, lively city with plenty for a traveller to see, do, eat, and drink.

For History Lovers

First settled almost three millennia ago, Rome is one of the world’s most historic cities.  From a small village to the capital of the Roman Empire to one of the centres of the Renaissance, Rome has seen quite a bit of history and tourists can see much of it as well.  The ancient ruins of Rome are seemingly everywhere.  Visitors can see the Coliseum and the homes of Ancient Rome’s wealthiest citizens on the Palatine Hill.  The Pantheon in the Piazza Venezia is the best-preserved Roman Empire era building in the city.

For Art Lovers

For the traveller who enjoys art, Rome should be a top priority.  A number of museums in the city including the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna, the Museo Nazionale di Villa Guilia, and the Galleria Borghese display modern art as well as Etruscan and Renaissance masterpieces.  The whole city itself is like a gallery for sculpture: the Trevi Fountain and other public art works remain extremely popular with tourists.  One of the world’s most extensive art collections is housed in the Vatican Museums.  Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling is also a must-see for art lovers.

Food and Nightlife

Rome has excellent restaurants and a vast selection of pubs and bars.  The nightlife is quite vibrant and a club or bar can be found that will suit anyone’s tastes.  Food in Rome is largely traditional and delicious Italian fare.  Expect to enjoy pasta, pizza, gelato, and fine wines.

Toronto’s CN Tower: Sky High Views of the City...

The most famous landmark in the city of Toronto, Canada, is the CN Tower, which boasts views of the city and views as far away as Niagara Falls.  Built in 1971, for decades it was the world’s tallest freestanding structure.  Canada’s most well-known landmark can provide a full day’s entertainment for the entire family. 

View from the Top

At 346m, a visitor can see the entire city of Toronto from the look-out level.  This level is one floor above the observation level and includes Horizons Restaurant and great views of the city.  The observation level includes the famous glass floor and the outdoor observation level, which gives a view unobstructed by glass.

The glass floor covers 256 square feet and is 2 ½ inches thick.  For more adventurous guests, walking across the glass gives a view of 1,122 feet straight down.  The Sky Pod sits very near the top of the tower at 447m (1,465 feet) and an additional 33 storeys from the observation level.  To obtain access to this level, visitors must get a separate ticket and board the elevators at the observation level.

Edgewalk and Other Attractions

The CN Tower’s most extreme attraction is Edgewalk.  Guests walk the entire circumference of the tower in a 30 minute outdoor walk along the edge of the building.  It is the first of its kind in North America, and operates seasonally from May to October, weather permitting.

Families might also enjoy the 3D Theatre Experience, motion theatre and the tower’s night lighting, which bathes the tower in LED lights of different colours.

Cobh – Highlight of Ireland’s South Coast...

Any holiday to the south coast of Ireland should include a trip to Cobh.  Pronounced “Cove”, this beautiful town is rich in history and only thirty minutes’ drive from the city of Cork.  Cobh was renamed Queenstown in 1849 to commemorate the visit of Queen Victoria before reverting back to the name of Cobh in 1922.

The port town sits on the south shore of the Great Island in Cork Harbour.  Cork Harbour is located at the mouth of the River Lee, which flows down from the city itself.  It forms part of a wonderful natural harbour and the area on both sides is surrounded by green hills.  Given its location, it’s not surprising that Cobh has had significant military and commercial importance throughout its history.  Facing the town is Spike Island, which was formerly used as a prison and military base.

Perhaps the most striking thing about Cobh is its cathedral, which sits high on the hill overlooking the town.  The history of St Colman’s Cathedral dates back to 560 AD and the walk up the steep streets is well worth the effort as the views from the cathedral are spectacular.  The other main attraction is the Cobh Heritage Centre which tells the story of the many immigrants who left Ireland for the USA over the last two centuries.  Many of these departed from Cobh.

Cobh has a wide section of hotels, guest houses and restaurants, and is easily accessible by train for those without a car.  The train journey from Cork to Cobh runs alongside the river’s edge and is an enjoyable experience in itself.

Florence: Is It Just for Art Lovers?...

Many people know that Florence, Italy, is famous for its paintings by Renaissance artists. However, the city is important in many other ways. It has several important architectural sites, and has a history as a major centre for science during the Renaissance Period. It was also the birthplace of opera music. There are several fascinating things to see and do to please every visitor.

The Institute and Museum of the History of Science is worth visiting for tourists interested in scientific matters. Some of Galileo’s model drawings are on display, as well as the actual instruments that he used. There is also a room dedicated to maps and globes of various types. The museum’s exhibits focus on all areas of science, including astronomy, anatomy, physics, chemistry, and mathematics.

The Boboli Gardens is a magnificent outdoor space ideal for visitors. These beautiful gardens offer an excellent city view, including the Duomo. Several interesting statues are found throughout the gardens. There is a small outdoor cafe offering a snack and drink. The location enables diners to watch what is going on while enjoying a meal. Tourists can also visit the Bardini Gardens on the same ticket.

Those who prefer more structured activities may take various classes. These include lamp work beading workshops. Also available are a class in photography or a cooking class.

Palazzo Vecchio is a good area of the city to visit in the evenings to eat, drink, or socialise. Several shops serve fresh gelato, an Italian ice cream. Later in the evening, some interesting street performers will arrive. This can include human statues who look very convincing, as well as musicians.