View of London from London Eye, England, UK by André Zehetbauer

The British Airways London Eye is simply an opportunity that mustn’t be missed. It is the largest observation wheel in the world and has, somewhat unrealistically, been compared with the Eiffel tower in Paris. From here you can ride in one of the many viewing pods around the huge wheel and see all along the River Thames and across London. The ride takes some time to complete and is a good way to get your bearings in this fantastic city. From the top you can visualize where all of the main attractions are located which makes reaching them on foot far easier. Also make sure to take note of the famous bridges over the River Thames as they were the predecessors of this truly wonderful engineering feat.

The British Museum is another must see place in London and entry here is free of charge-therefore it is perfect for a day trip to London. Thought to be one of the world’s best human history and culture museums and is home to around 8 million pieces the British Museum has something that will interest everybody. Just the building itself is worth seeing with its 44 columns that resemble the temple of Athena Polias and the famous reading room that was redeveloped in 2001. Remember entry is free so you can come and go as often as you like. There is no need to spend all day here, just look at a few galleries and then return another time to view some more.

British Museum, London, England, UK by Ana Paula Hirama

Of course no visit to London would be complete without taking a trip to Buckingham palace. This is the official London residence of the Queen and is also where she chooses to do most of her entertaining. You can see the palace from the Royal mews quite easily and for free and this is where the famous photographs are usually taken from. There is also access to the palace museum for the public, however this isn’t always opened and it is advisable to check before you make the journey. One of the best and most famous parts of the palace is its guards, the life guards, and once a day it is possible to watch the changing of the Queens Life Guard on Horse Guards Parade and outside the palace’s gates. This is an absolutely great spectacle and a real video and photo opportunity not to be missed.

So make sure that you come to London as these are just a few of the hundreds of great things that are on offer, many of which are free of charge.

Autor Bio: This article was produced by Catalita G.  She lives in London and the places mentioned above are some of her favorites. Catalita runs the travel blog Channel Voyager, where you can get more ideas for trips to London (did you know the term in Danish is Rejser til London).

The post Ideas for Day Trips to London appeared first on Best of European Union.

Photo by admin

Start Planning

A simple but effective tip is to start early. If you can book a ticket early on say a month or two in advance, your chances of finding cheap airline tickets will be higher. In fact, some travel guides suggest starting as early as six months ahead of scheduled departure. At least, you will not end up with the costliest ticket on the plane.

Go Online

The best place to begin your search for cheap tickets is the internet. Try various websites to get a decent idea of what the charges are for tickets. Once you figure out the lowest cost flights, contact the airlines directly or check their website. Sometimes, airlines advertise low prices on their own websites.

Talking Directly to Airlines

Do not talk with airlines before finding the cheapest flights online. Take their phone number and talk to them in person to reassure the price. If the phone price is cheaper, book it immediately but if it is higher, haggle for discounts.

Always Be Flexible

Do not stick to a single date or time of departure. Try searching for early and late flights. Time flexibility will allow you to capture cheaper flights early in the day and avoid costlier flights close to afternoon time. Even the Red Eye is cheaper than most other flights and they tend to get booked last so your chances of getting a cheap ticket will be there even a week before flying out.

Discounts and Vouchers

Members of Auto Club, AARP, NRA, AAA and many MNCs automatically get organization discounts with some airlines. Check with the organization or call the airlines to find out what discounts or vouchers they have in place for you.

Try Non-Direct

Airlines prefer giving customers non-direct flights in an attempt to fill seats and in return, they provide lower rates. Ask them about this and you may be able to save some money at the expense of extra travel time. Maybe you can tour the city while your connecting flight gets ready for takeoff.

Accept Flight Vouchers

Many airlines like to offer discount vouchers and coupons to frequent fliers and those willing to give up their seat for a later or next day flight. Take these offers whenever possible such as on a return trip back home. They come handy in future when searching for cheap flight options.

Autor Bio: This article was provided by Catalina G., a university student and a travel blogger. The name of her blog is Channel Voyager. There you can find more information about finding cheap flights (it is interesting to know that the term in Norwegian is billige flyreiser).

The post How to cut Travel Expenses with Cheap Flight Tickets? appeared first on Best of European Union.

Sunset at Stockholm, Sweden by Olof Senestam

Djurgarden Island

Considered as the top attraction center, the Djurgarden Island is smack in the middle of Stockholm and well appreciated for its events, parks, greenery and many sights and sounds. This island alone handles 10 million visitors every year. A popular 2 hour walking tour takes tourists on a myriad of interesting features of the island.

Grona Lund

Probably a top pick for the entire family, the Grona Lund is an amusement park in Stockholm that is always an excellent spot for tourists. The Tivoli in this amusement park offers a Viking Ship ride the Scandinavian way.

Stockholm Nightlife

Compared to the nightlife of any major metropolitan city in Europe the one in Sweden and in particular Stockholm stands on top. Plenty of bars, discos and all night café offer a lot of drinking and partying for party lovers.

Vasa Museum

A 17^th century Swedish vessel, Vasa was christened and sent on its maiden voyage never to return again. This warship was salvaged after its discovery some time back with its remains brought back intact to the Vasa Museum. Today, this is the only museum exhibiting an intact war ship of the 17^th century. Chosen as one of the 7 Swedish wonders, the museum provides a glimpse into the six different levels of the ship.

Change of guards in the Royal Castle, Stockholm, Sweden by Clemens v. Vogelsang

Guard Changing Of Stockholm

One of the free excitements to witness in Stockholm is the Change of Royal Guards. A 40 minute long event shows over 30,000 guards changing in front of the King’s Royal residence.

Artwork Shopping

Considered as the shopping capital in the North of Europe, Stockholm provides many streets lined with designer shops and bargain points. IKEA, a major Swedish furniture brand is just one of the few shops set up in the city. You can find anything and everything related to Swedish design and styling in its streets from famous and not so famous artists, craftsmen and designers.

Kungstradgarden Ice Skating

For those who visit Stockholm in winter, the Kungstradgarden is a must-visit site. This park offers free ice skating in a city that adores this sport. A major reason why travel guidebooks and websites advise visiting Sweden in winter is because of the many winter activities you can engage in.

The ABBA Museum

This museum is the only ABBA museum in the world and it will receive well over half a million visitors each year. The museum provides a 4000 sq. meter tour of interesting items belonging to ABBA and displayed on three different levels. Stated to open real soon, keep your calendar empty to take this never seen before spectacle in full glory.

Guided Tours of the City

The best way to take in all the splendors spread across 14 islands is to go on a guided tour of the Swedish capital. There are plenty of guides and tour companies around to choose from but it is best to book in advance.

Autor Bio: This article was produced by Catalita G. (the girl standing behind the travel blog Channel Voyager).  On that blog you can read more information about trips and learn how to book a hotel in Stockholm (it is interesting to know that the term in Swedish is boka hotell Stockholm).

The post Stockholm’s Most Popular Attractions | Sweden appeared first on Best of European Union.