Chamonix, France

The North of France is a very popular area for skiing trips; it does not matter whether you already know how to ski or you just want to have fun and try something different, this could be fantastic for you. This destination is chosen as a skiing destination by many people.

Athens, Greece

Athens is an extremely historical city in Europe. It is the city where the Olympics began and is the home of Greek Mythology involving the Gods and Goddesses. Athens, the capital city of Greece, is a big tourist destination due to its historical and fascinating background.

Rome, Italy

Rome is the capital of Italy and is also a very historical city. It is famous for many things and is one of the most famous cities in the world; Rome is visited by many people from all over the world. Rome is probably best known for the Roman Empire and Julius Caesar, who was a Roman General in the years before Christ (B.C).

Pantheon, Rome, Italy / Photo by admin

Berlin, Germany

Berlin is a beautiful city in Germany and has a lot of history to it. It is often associated with Hitler and the Nazi’s due to the power they had in Berlin; due to the association with Nazi’s, Berlin is a huge historical city. It has many historical sites, including the Reichstag and the Berlin Wall. The Reichstag is an extraordinary parliament building that is well known for the Reichstag fire in 1933; the Reichstag is still in use now and you can have a guided tour inside.

Milan, Italy

As well as its historic background, Milan is known as a huge fashion capital. Many celebrities visit Milan for shopping purposes. If you are looking for a weekend away in a city somewhere in Europe, then Milan is perfect for that purpose.

Faro, Portugal

Faro is a beautiful city, which is the capital of the Algarve region in Portugal. It is the most southern city in Portugal and is a very popular destination for people who love the beach. It is a great holiday for families, for friends and even for romantic getaways.

Moscow, Russia

Moscow is the capital of Russia. Russia is the largest country in the world and there are so many places that would be fantastic places to visit, but Moscow is one of the most famous cities in Europe and even in the World. However, if you do plan on visiting Russia, then you have to make sure you are eligible to go there. A visa is required to go to Russia.

Barcelona, Spain

Like Milan, Barcelona is another great weekend shopping holiday. There are many places to visit in Barcelona, for example Camp Nou (this is Barcelona’s football stadium). If shopping and football is not your thing, then there is also a beach close by; the beach destination near Barcelona is Costa Brava.

Many popular destinations in Europe have a lot of history to them, but even if history is not something that interests you, there are always other things to do; for example, Milan is a historic city in Italy, but it is renowned for fashion and shopping. No matter what you enjoy, Europe has it all.

Sarah regularly writes about her previous travels and likes to refer to http://www.visasandpassportservice.co.uk for more information about visas.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Guy MOLL

Beaches

Let’s start with the beaches. There are plenty to choose from, whether you like your beaches bustling or prefer something more secluded. There are beaches with sand as far as the eye can see and others which are just sheltered coves. The busiest area is the central Algarve region, home to popular resorts such as Alburfeira. The eastern area has long stretches of beach while the western Algarve is thought to have some of the most beautiful beaches. Praia da Marinha springs to mind.

Festivals

Away from the beach, if you time your visit right, you will get the chance to enjoy some of the region’s fabulous festivals. Summer sun seekers will enjoy checking out local arts and crafts at the Alcoutim Fair in July. Also in July is a festival celebrating the region’s history – the Moorish Nights. The Algarve is known for its seafood; try some at the Seafood Festival in August. And for something a bit different, check out the Medieval Fair – ever fancied dressing up in historical gear?

Attractions

There are lots of ways to explore the region, and these include some top Algarve attractions. Take a bike trek over demanding terrain with Quad Ventura, Rooster Quad Day Tours or try the Algarve Buggy Tour in Luz. If you prefer to stretch your legs the Alvor Boardwalk allows you to explore a fishing village and estuary, while enjoying stunning seaside views. Need a family attraction? One of the best is Zoomarine Algrarve, which has activities for children of all ages, as well shows with dolphins and other marine animals.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Rui Ornelas

Tours

If you’re looking for another way to explore the region, try a boat trip with Alvor, proud owner of the first solar powered cruiser in Portugal. It’s a great way to explore the coast. Alternatively, you could take to the air with Barlavento Balloons and fly over the western Algarve. If you want to be more active, kitesurfing, paddleboarding and more are available.

Nightlife

There’s no shortage of things to do in the Algarve at night. Alvor, Lagos and Albufeira have some of the top rated night spots in the Algarve, with the latter taking the lion’s share of the glory. Bars and karaoke bars abound. However, the best nightspot on the island at the moment, according to TripAdvisor, is the Alvor Sports Cafe, famous for its party nights.

Enjoy your trip to the Algarve!

Planning a trip to the Algarve? Marian Jaime writes for Suntransfers, whose Faro airport transfers will get you to your Algarve holiday resort quickly.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Greg Pye

Faro was originally just a fishing village built by the Romans, who called it Ossonoba. In 1249, thanks to Alfonso III. was freed from the power of the Moors and became to prosper as a city. But in 1596 a city suffered a damaging blow, it was burned by the Earl of Essex, who was a great favorite of Queen Elizabeth I. And later, in 1755, it was damaged again during the massive earthquake. Although the remnants of ancient city walls managed to preserve until today, most of the beautiful buildings either did not outlast the destruction or have been largely damaged. So the buildings that you can see today in Faro, come mainly from the late 18th and 19th century.

Faro is now a beautiful coastal city protected by a low sandy islands Ilha de Culatra, Ilha da Barreta and Ilha da Faro. Unfortunately, many tourists pass Faro without stopping here, even though it has the largest number of cultural and historical monuments from all the towns in the Algarve region. Preserved old town center around the cathedral and behind the old city walls, definitely worth a visit.

The historical center of Faro can easily be explored on foot. It lies in a small bay and is partly surrounded by medieval walls. The old harbor area has arched entrance gate with a bell tower called Arco da Vila. This arch was built in the 19th century for Bishop Dom Francisco Gomes do Avelar, who has decided to rebuild the dilapidated city. Street behind it, paved with cobblestones, leads to a beautiful Largo da Sé Square, where you can see the cathedral. From the original Gothic cathedral from the 13th century, which was destroyed in 1596 by English forces led by the Earl of Essex, are preserved only unusual tower, covered porches and two inner chapels. The reconstruction of the cathedral took a long time, so it is now built both in Renaissance, and Baroque style.

Inside the cathedral you can see a huge pipe organ decorated with spectacular Chinese motifs. During festive occasions, there are playing Europe’s leading organists. The cathedral also houses one of the most important Algarve’s collections of sacred art from the 17th and 18th century. And its tower offers a beautiful view of the city.

On the square Largo da Sé is also a Bishop’s Palace Paço Episcopal. If you go through another stone arch in Arco Repouso, walk up to the church of São Francisco, which was built in the 18th century. It is decorated with tiles and scenes from the life of St. Francis. Further north, another church rises in Pé Nossa Senhora da Cruz, who is an exceptional oil paintings depicting episodes from Genesis.

In the monastery Convento de Nossa Senhora da Assunção (Monastery of Our Lady of the Assumption), which is the oldest Renaissance building in the Algarve, is probably the most beautiful cloister in southern Portugal, which was built in 1540 by Afonso Pires. The monastery was founded by Leonor, sister of Manuel I (king of Portugal). The monastery has been carefully restored and since 1973 houses a museum devoted to archeology where you can see the local archaeological finds. The collection includes also Roman, medieval and Manueline stone reliefs and sculptures. The main exhibit is a 2,000 year old Roman mosaic floor measuring 9 x 3 meters, showing a head of the god Neptune.

The most interesting church in Faro is Igreja do Carmo (Carmelite Church). It has an imposing facade with two towers and a beautiful gilded interior, but its biggest attraction is haunted Bone Chapel. Besides the Carmelite church from the 18th century is located another museum – Museo Marítimo exhibiting a small collection of marine exhibits, including model ships. You will see a flagship example of Vasco de Gama, which he used during his voyage to India. Plus you can learn here about the traditional methods of fishing on the coast of the Algarve.

The main artery of Faro is the elegant pedestrian street Rua de Santo António, which is full of shops, bars and restaurants. On the northeast of the city lies the Jewish cemetery, founded for the community, which was brought here by Marquis de Pombal in the 18th century.

About 7 kilometers from the town is a beach. The local coastline is attractive because it includes a number of small sandy islands with a unique nature reserve. In the vicinity of the bay is the Ria Formosa Natural Park, which is a favorite resting place for many species of migratory birds.

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Carvoeiro is a picturesque village and popular resort. Beautiful is the local coast called Algar Seco that is typical for a number of bizarre rocky pillars, bridges and caves in a rocky labyrinth.

Carvoeiro has a clean sea and beaches with fine sand. It is surrounded by beautiful limestone cliffs. One of the favourite beaches is the beach of Carvoeiro, which is due to slow entry into the sea, suitable for families with children. Other great beaches are Carvalho or Alagar Seco.

Carvoeiro has a wide range of accommodation. There are many restaurants, bars and shops. Popular restaurants include O Castelo or Pátio. In the village you can try a range of water sports, but you can also play golf. Golf Course Vale do Milho Golf is located right in Carvoeiro and it is not the only one.

The area of the current village was inhabited already by the Romans. The current name is probably derived from an old medieval name of the fishing village “Caboiere”. However up to 60′s of the 20th century Carvoeiro was a sleepy fishing village, it is now widely popular resort.

Carvoeiro is best accessible by car. The nearest international airport Aeroporto de Faro is located in Alexandria, the port and railway station are in Portimao. For moving around the town you can use the tourist train.

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Ponta da Piedade, Algarve, Portugal by Romain MOREL

You can get to Ponta da Piedade through the tops of the cliff, where is the large car park and a lighthouse to warn ships. From the lighthouse there are many trails leading to various corners of breathtaking areas and views. However, an unforgettable experience at Ponta da Piedade is boating through the caves, rocks and small romantic beaches. The best place to get boats is the port of Lagos, where the tourist office provides tours and day trips to the Ponta da Piedade.

Near Ponta da Piedade you can reach following destinations:

Lagos, 2.3 km
Lagos beach, 1.9 km
Sagres, 27 km
Cape Saint Vincent, 30 km
Salema beach, 14 km
Camilo Beach, 0.8 km
Alvor Beach, 9 km
Praia da Rocha beach, 13 km
Algar Seco Park, 18 km
Serra de Monchique, 27 km

Ponta da Piedade, Portugal by Nicolai Schäfer

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Portugal is the westernmost country in Europe, lies at the Iberian Peninsula in the subtropical zone. North and center of the country is very mountainous, forested and there are a number of rivers. This area is used mainly for mountain tourism. Generally, the northern climate is mild in winter and rains a lot here which keep the temperature almost the same throughout the year. For the Alentejo region, forming the middle part of Portugal, is characterized by hot, dry summers alternating with quiet winter. But the most popular tourist destination in Portugal is the south – Algarve region. Arab monuments are located here from the time of colonization. This part offers stunning scenery, beautiful beaches and warm climate. The country has the islands of the Azores and Madeira, which lies in the Atlantic west coast. Lisbon is the capital city, located on the west coast at the mouth of the River Tagus. Thanks to its location it is a major Portuguese port.

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