Dec 12

Driving home for Christmas – car hire in the festive period

Car rental bookings for the festive period are up to 11% compared to 2011. This also means that it’s going to be an even busier season. Air travel will probably be the busiest.

The number of bookings made between the 22nd– 31st December 2012 is already up to 11% and all aspects of booking are on the rise that also includes total hire days. They’re also up by 22% for car rental providers.

People who travel in the festive period are going away for longer which also means that they’re taking some extra time off work. The average length of car rental time has risen from 6 1/2 days to 7 days.

It’s really interesting that car hire bookings are made from less well known airports which include:

  •  Bucharest Otopeni Airport
  • Grantley Adams Airport
  • Ponte Delgada Airport
  • Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport

These destinations reflect that many people want to get home and see their relatives at Christmas time. It’s also well known that the festive period is pretty busy in the travel industry. People want to be together with their families at this time of the year and they also make a particular effort in order to do it. This also means that last minute bookings are expected over the couple of weeks.

Source: http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/driving-home-for-christmas—car-hire-bookings-for-the-festive-period-up-11-180590661.html

Dec 04

Most famous Christmas markets in Europe – top 5

Christmas Market Belvedere - Vienna 2011

It’s Christmas market time around the world. Do you want to travel somewhere nice where you can buy your Christmas presents too? Well, then you should head to the following destinations in Europe. These cities are beautiful and they offer quality Christmas markets. Lets check them out:

    1. Amsterdam – Holland: Amsterdam’s 2 most famous Christmas markets are the Albert Cuypmarkt with over 300 stalls and gifts shops and the other one is the Winterland Market in Rembrandtplein. The latter has also plenty of stalls and amazing illuminated Christmas trees and it’s open from 19th November until the 2nd January. You can buy your gifts here but you can also have a great time and indulge yourself with tasty candied fruits, chocolate and mulled wine.
    2. Copenhagen – Denmark: It’s also a great place to take a trip. The Danish winter wonderland is located at Tivoli Garden where you can try the famous gløgg (similar the mulled wine) and Æbleskiver which are actually really yummy. If you visit Odense – another famous Danish town – then don’t miss the Hans Christian Andersen Christmas Fair where you can enjoy the beautiful Christmas lights.
    3. Strasbourg – France: This Christmas market is probably is the most famous in Europe. Many stalls will offer you great gifts and tasty food such as bretzels, spice bread, confectionery and last but not least mulled wine because you can’t imagine a Christmas without it. At Strasbourg Christmas market you can also enjoy concerts, exhibitions and several Christmas events. You can find the best Christmas markets in Strasbourg here: Place du Château, Place d’Austerlitz and Place du Cordeaux.
    4. Vienna – Austria: Organizing Christmas market in Vienna is probably the most important tradition. You should visit the City Hall Square where you can enjoy the real Christmas spirit. The aroma of punch, roasted almonds, honey and gingerbed mix together – it’s 100% delicious! The backdrop is also spectacular just to mention the Burgtheater and the Vienna City Hall.
    5. Barcelona– Spain: Barcelona is might not be the most famous Christmas town place but once you visited it you always want to come back. The Catalan capital has a Christmas market tradition of over 300(!) years. They really know how to celebrate. The Fira de Santa Llúcia will offer you famous hand crafted Christmas gifts and beautiful Catalan food  and amazing Christmas decoration. The market is located on Plaça de la Seu and Plaça Nova which is a fun event and runs from very early December until Christmas Eve.

I’m pretty sure you’ll find the perfect Christmas gift while you can also enjoy these great Christmas markets in Europe.

Nov 27

Best ski resorts in North America

Winter Storm Over Banff

North America has many popular ski resorts that are worth to visit. Why you should visit North American slopes to go skiing – here are a couple of reasons:

  • North America has more frequent snowfalls than Europe
  • almost deserted pistes
  • piste grooming is first class
  • very efficient lifts
  • not much crowd which also means less queues
  • high-quality accommodation
  • affordable prices
  • very high standard of service
  • safe pistes you won’t need a guide or avalanche safety equipment because every resort’s ski area is marked by signs or/and rope, avalanche is controlled

So these are the best ski resorts in North America that you should try:

You’ll find the best powder in Snowbird-Alta in Utah. These 2 resorts are linked where you’ll definitely find snow. They usually receive 40 feet snow a year which twice as much as most European resorts in the Alps or in Colorado. These slopes are ungroomed but you can enjoy very fresh powder. You won’t find many bars and restaurants here. You can’t snowboard in Alta but you can do it in Snowbird.

Expert skiers can try Jackson Hole in Wyoming. This place has very steep terrain with plentiful of snow. But because it’s not really high it also gets plenty of sun so it melts pretty quickly too. Jackson Hole is only a 15-minute drive from Jackson which reminds us the Wild West with wooden sidewalks and cowboy saloons

If you are a beginner then you should head to Breckenridge in Colorado. You should also know that tuition in the US is very expensive but you’ll find great slopes here which are pretty comfortable with fast six-seat chairlift. Good snow and ample longer runs what else you can wish for. Be careful because of the town’s location (almost 3000 metres)  you can get altitude sickness and if you’re concerned about this then you should stay a night or two in Denver. Breckenridge is a nice little Victorian-style town which has many shops, bars, great restaurants where you’ll get value for your money.

Intermediates should visit Park City in Utah where you can enjoy great blue runs and easy black runs too but you’ll also find ungroomed pistes. Once you’re in Park City you can also visit Deer Valley and The Canyons because they’re both in the neighborhood. Park City is a pretty big place where you’ll find great restaurants, shops and a historic Main Street.

Winter Park is the ideal place for families because it has a beginner terrain at the base. The kids will definitely enjoy the 25-acre Discovery Park with its adventure trail through the woods. They have great childcare facilities which means you can enjoy Winter Park’s slopes to the full. Stay at the base because there’s not much to see in town but don’t worry because they’ve a growing range of accommodation around lift base.

The most you’ll get for you money in Banff, Canada. The resort is located at one of a beautiful scenic drive through different national parks. In town you’ll find cheap winter accommodation because it also has a huge summer trade. Eating out and drinking are also relatively cheap – there’s no cheaper place in Canada. Lift pass prices are also lower than in the US.
Banff has more than 100 bars (!!) and restaurants so you won’t be bored here. There’re actually 3 ski areas here which you can reach by bus for free with Tri-area pass. One of them is Norquay, this is the smallest and only a few minutes away. Sunshine village is 20 minutes away and Lake Louise is the biggest area is 45 minutes away.

I hope these tips helped you to find the perfect ski resort in North America because there’re plenty to choose from.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/snowandski/8253113/Best-North-American-ski-resorts.html

Nov 21

Winter holiday in Portugal

Tavira - Portugal

How is the weather during the winter time in Portugal? Is it worth to visit or does it rain all the time?

Well, if you head to the north you’ll be a bit disappointed because it rains a lot. The best thing to do is visiting the south because it’s milder than any other part of the country. Porto and Lisbon can be wet and windy plus misty too, especially Lisbon because it’s located on the Atlantic coast. In Lisbon the average rainfall is above 100 mm in December so it’s really wet and Porto is even more rainier.

The Algarve region is the best destination for the winter break  because it has a very mild and nice Mediterranean weather and on top of that it has dry winters. You can also find affordable accommodation at this time of the year and less tourists too. The Eastern part of the Algarve is the perfect spot because there’s basically no rain at all which means you can enjoy your holiday to the full.

So let’s see the top sights of Eastern Algarve:

  • Estoi: it’s a historic town and it’s famous for its pink palace and Roman riuns, it’s also very quiet. If you visit this small but beautiful town don’t miss the famous cork capital of Sao Bras de Alportel.
  • Olhao: it’s a fishing port with a big fish market so you will definitely find some fresh fish here. Just drive northeast from here and you’ll reach the rural village of Moncarapacho.
  • Tavira: it’s an unspoiled and very amazing little town with narrow cobbled streets, it also has many beautiful churches that you can visit.
  • The Easter Algarve’s real tourist resort is Monte Gordo, there are many beautiful beaches in this area and high rise apartments too. Why? Because the town lies beyond the Ria Formosa reserve so it’s basically on the coast. There’re many Spanish holidaymakers visit this place simply because it’s cheaper than home.
  • Altura: if you want to unwind and need peace and quiet than you should head to this small purpose built resort.

Visit these places once you’re in the Eastern Algarve and you’ll find sun even in the winter time.

Car hire excess insurance for your holiday >>

 

Oct 10

Madeira top sights

Santa Cruz. Madeira

Madeira is a beautiful place to visit, there’re so many things to do. Here are a couple of tips that you can do in this amazing island:

– Funchal: the cosmopolitan capital of Madeira, it’s very relaxed and basically 100% crime free place. It’s the main city and situated on the south coast of the island. It’s also the most important cruise-ship port of the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a very rich cultural and historical heritage but the natural beauty is also really important on the island. When you’re in town you should visit the biggest market which is called Mercado dos Lavradores where you can buy tasty tropical fruits, fresh fish and vegetables, very exotic flowers and nice local crafts. The Sé Cathedral is also very important sight to see. You can also go for a walk  on the seaside promenade to Funchal harbour, it’s really beautiful. If you like strong coffee then you should visit one of the many cafés of the Marina.

– Island coast: the coast of Madeira is full of divers landscape such as sheer cliffs, wonderful flora and fauna. The south coast is calmer and more sheltered while the north coast is spectacle but it’s wilder too.

– Madeira’s mountains: Madeira’s mountains are beautiful and very sheer, on top of that they have a  micro-climate all of their own. They’re located only a few miles from the sunny coast. There’re many attractions to see in the mountains that you should discover yourself.

– Porto Santo: it’s a small island, not far from Madeira. Porto Santo has a 9 km sandy beach which is absolutely wonderful. You can take a ferry to visit the island.

– uninhabited islands: there’re also uninhabited ilands close to Madeira like Deserta Grande, Bugio, Ilhéu Chão and Prego do Mar. They’re part of a big nature reserve and the Mediterranean monk seal (one of the twelve most endangered animal species on earth) and tarantula spiders, wild goats also live there.

Oct 04

The best beaches on Tenerife

El Puertito

Tenerife is full of great beaches – it’s no hard at all to find the perfect spot to swim or sunbath. You can go north or south, east or west there’re amazing beaches everywhere. Here’s a short list of the best beaches of Tenerife:

  • El Puertito

It’s situated between the resorts on the south and south west coasts. El Puertito Bay is a unique example how Tenerife’s southern fishing hamlets looked like before the property developers moved in. Beautiful whitewashed buildings, great fish restaurants, clear waters, colourful fishing boats and sandy beaches. You’ll probably feel that you’re on an island that hasn’t been discovered yet. There’re also many campers visit this place during summer months. El Puertito is  located very close to the big resorts however it’s more relaxed and laid back, you can just simply wiggle your toes in the sand or dip into the clear water.

How can you find it? – A very small sign (easy to miss) points the way from the TF47 just outside Armeñime on the road west to Los Gigantes

  • Playa de los Abriguitos

It’s not so hidden as El Puertito even the road to the beach leads through a new housing development which honestly is completely out of place. Fortunately the beach is still stunning, pale golden sand with clear turquoise sea. If you want to sunbath or if you want to surf then this beach is for you. It’s really worth to visit.

How can you find it? Just take exit 18 sign posted Los Abades from the TF1 and follow the road to the coast.

  • Playa Grande

There’s a windfarm located nearby but the beach is really good, it’s protected by the headland and that’s why the sea and the wind are really calm here. You can also find a fishing hamlet, beautiful lighthouse – Abona lighthouse – and a small jetty here.

How can you find it? – Take exit 17 from the TF1 sign posted Poris de Abona.

Sep 27

Fuerteventura by car

_MG_9109-13

If you want to discover the beautiful Fuerteventura then you should rent a car and discover this great little island. The south of the island is really worth to visit, there you can find amazing beaches which are more isloated. On the east coast you’ll find hidden coves while on the west coast golden beaches.

Check out the following stopovers while visiting the island:

  • Tarajalejo – beautiful fishing village
  • Gran Tarajal -the second largest town on the island
  • Las Playitas – very small fishing village
  • La Lajita

Then you reach Costa Calma and Morro Jable. If you like lighthouses (I do) so check out the very tip of the island – Punta de Jandia. There’re beautiful but sad places on the island too, it’s called Bajar del Griego or “Where the Greek sank where a Greek ship sank about 200 years ago, there were no survivors. Don’t miss the stunning cove of Playa de Ojos.

One of the most beautiful beaches are Cofete and Barlovento de Jandia.

 

Sep 21

Hard sales tactics at the car hire counter

Holidaymakers to Spain are being told they can not drive away a hire car they have booked unless they pay another €100 for optional insurance. We already heard stories about car hire company miss-selling excess cover or the forced full-empty fuel “option” or selling unwanted insurance to the clients.

The leatest addition for these problems when a leading spanish car hire firm selling optional insurance as mandatory to their customers. The airlines already under fire to show their ticket prices including all add-on fees even that what passangers could avoid ie. checked-in bag fees. Car hire agents still can hide their fees and tell the clients to pay them when they arrive to the rental desk. One of the biggest issue is the additional insurance which is absolutely optional. This insurance can cost €15-25/day at the desk and also the reason why the rental price is so cheap.

Anyway this rental company you can read about below includes a “no excess insurance” in their rental prices. However it’s only cover damage and theft and doesn’t cover glass, tires, roof, car key, miss fueling etc. That reason they offer “Relax insurance” which is optional. The price of this insurance not stated in their terms the only way to find out when you are at the desk. OK. I can tell you that it cost €7/day in Spain. Here is the story of John Renwick and his wife Beryl:

For 25 years John Renwick, 85, and wife  Beryl, 83, used the same local car rental company when they stayed at their  holiday home in Majorca.
But when the owner of the business passed  away this year, they were forced  to re-think. The retired couple, who live in  Repton,  Derbyshire, thought they’d found a great deal through airline Bmibaby — a Ford Fiesta at £204.84 for 14 days, including all the insurance.

When they reached Palma de Majorca airport,  they queued for 75 minutes at  Goldcar’s pick-up point. ‘There was a huge line  and everyone was arguing with the staff,’ says Mr Renwick. ‘When we got to the  front of the  line, we were told to pay £61 for extra insurance or to get out of  the  queue.

‘I could easily have arranged for my own  insurance to cover  it much more cheaply had I known before I went — it seemed  most unfair.
‘We were forced to pay because we needed the  car.’
A Goldcar spokesman says: ‘This should all be  explained in the terms and  conditions Mr Renwick received from the agency he made the reservation  with.’

Read more: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/holidays/article-2205134/Tourists-held-ransom-car-hire-sharks.html#ixzz271Nfbyqo
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I read their terms and conditions and nowhere they say clients need to buy this mandatory extra insurance. The amount of the security deposit (excess) is displayed but why they call it “No excess insurance”?
One thing is sure GC doesn’t want long term clients they only wants to take the most money from each clients who already at the desk whatever it takes. Car rental brokers will send them clients everyday until they can keep the rental prices down.

I hope there will be a regulation for the car rental industry in the near future until then please read the small print and read everything before you sign!

Source: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/holidays/article-2205134/Tourists-held-ransom-car-hire-sharks.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Sep 19

Luxury travel tips in the Italian Riviera

Alassio Beach

The Italian Riviera is a great place to visit, everybody says that it’s the ” luxury playground for the rich and famous”. Do you really have to be rich to enjoy this beautiful place to the full? The answer is: no. You can still manage it on a small budget but how? Well, here are a couple of tips how to save money and have a great holiday:

  1.  Don’t stay in a 5 star hotel: you can still enjoy your time in the Italian Riviera when you stay in a nice but cheaper hotel. Just keep your eyes open and look for small family hotels.
  2. Choose slow travel and do day trips: when you pick a place to stay you can always do day trips from there. It’s pretty easy to do and you can do it on budget.
  3. When you book your accommodation try to get in touch with Italian families because this is the best way to get to know local people. Another option is to rent a camper van and discover the Italian coast. You can also book a cottage which can be really convenient when you travel with family.
  4. Rent a car or travel by bus or train: it’s up to you whichever option you choose but it’s much more better than travel by a cruise ship which can be really crowded.
  5. Don’t forget about the free things: there’re always a lot of free things when you’re on the go. You can discover hidden beaches, visit galleries or historic places or even small boutiques – and it’s all for free.
  6. Allow little luxuries: when you save money by traveling smart you can always allow yourself small luxuries like  a nice lunch or a dinner and you will definitely feel like a king or a queen.

Follow these 6 tips and you will enjoy your holiday to the full in the Italian Riviera.

Sep 14

Why to travel to Europe in autumn

Autumn Flows

Autumn is a great time to discover Europe. The high season is over, the tourists and the summer heat have gone and everything seems to be much more relaxed. Wine grapes are being harvested, locals are collecting truffles and mushrooms which are very tasty. Hotels are also open but they can be cheaper and it’s easier to get a room because they’re not that crowded any more.

If you’re into sightseeing, museums and galleries then autumn is for you in Europe. It’s so much nicer to discover a city when everything is calmer and more relaxed.
So what are the most popular destinations in Europe? Let’s check them out together!

  • Tuscany and Umbria: great places to visit in September or October. Do you want to try fresh local olive oil, meats and cheeses then Italy is waiting for you. Autumn is a “truffle-month”. Do you know the famous and truly fabulous truffles from Piemonte? You should visit the La Casa del Trifulau company that produces tasty truffle products and they also organize truffle hunting tours in the region.
  • Visit Avignon in autumn and try the tasty local wines in Provence. France is also famous for its truffles and they also have truffle markets. Try the scrambled eggs with truffle over on it.
  • Wine Festivals are great places to taste some gorgeous bottles of wine. Tuscany has a really famous festival where people dress up in beautiful medieval costumes and they celebrate wine.
  • If you’re into painting then you should take a course in Florence, in Italy
  • Do you want something different then visit the Polar Circle and Iceland. You can see the Aurora Borealis even in October.
  • Denmark and Greenland are also great places to visit in the autumn. Try a reindeer or dog sledge safari or stay a night in an igloo. It could be a travel for a lifetime.
  • Are you fed up with cold autumn day then travel to Greece, to the Greek Island Kos. It’s the turtle mating season which is also an interesting experience.

These places are the best spots to visit during autumn. Travel either to Italy, France, Denmark Greece or Iceland you will definitely enjoy your autumn trip!