Boats in Norfolk Broads, England, UK by Elliott Brown

Of course, there are a few different ways to cruise the waterways of Europe as well and these can be either an organized river cruise ship with multiple passengers and attractions, a smaller staffed river cruiser where you travel with friends and have the services of a cook and helm to do all the hard work, or a simple self drive holiday where you pick up a boat and do your own thing. Whichever you choose, you are sure to have a wonderful time; however, where you choose to take your river cruise will probably dictate what type of holiday you can book.

The UK is blessed with some amazing waterways and whether you choose to travel on a river or via canal you can visit some of Britain’s best sights and cities. Manchester, Birmingham, York and even London are easily reached by canal whereby Oxford, Cambridge and Stratford on Avon can be enjoyed from the riverbank. Or for those of you who want a real treat, why not look at the Norfolk Broads which is an area of many interconnecting rivers that covers much of the county of Norfolk. Most of these trips are for people who enjoy renting the boat and doing their own thing.

A boat on the Canal in Manchester, England, UK by oatsy40

Then we go to mainland Europe and start in France. Here you can travel through some of Europe’s best countryside and enjoy some wonderful towns and cities. France is blessed with some fantastic rivers that pass through regions that are famous for wine and food. Most of these types of river cruise offer a chef and helm for the boat so all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride. Look for cruises on the Loire to experience some amazing Chateaus and wine tasting or the Garonne to head for Toulouse and top rated restaurants. France is the place to head for if you want the finer things that boat travel offers.

Finally, if you like to cruise in style on a large boat with other passengers, then look toward Germany and the Rhine and Danube rivers. Here you will find a river cruise that can rival any other cruise in the world. The waves are smaller for those that suffer from sea sickness and there is certainly more to see. You cruise along the beautiful rivers and stop off at some of Germany’s best cities and sights. The fact that you have your hotel room with you at all times is another massive bonus.

Boat on Danube river, Budapest, Hungary by Aapo Haapanen

So whatever you look for in a river cruise, Europe has it in spades. There really is no need to look anywhere else. Next time you are thinking about taking a river cruise, make sure you find out what Europe has to offer.

Author: Carlita Morandi who writes travel tips related articles for several websites. She recommends you for Book Airline Tickets on CheapOair. Follow her on Google+.

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Hiking Europe by Mia & Steve mestdagh

The first thing to consider of course is planning out your route. It all depends on what type of hiking holiday you prefer – one filled with walking along the mountain ranges, one concentrated on skiing, or some other type of holiday. After you have this in mind, you will be able to pinpoint the locations, which might suit your requirements with ease since the internet is something we all have access to these days. Make sure you research the route you have chosen well though, because there are a lot of nasty surprises, which might find you in the mountains.

After that, you should really decide what you need and want to take with you. The standard equipment will require you to bring only enough food and water for the hiking holiday, whereas everything else is based on the context of your trip. It is always good to invest in some general things of course, such as a hiking backpack. They can be found in many specialized stores across the world and they vary in sizes and applications. Good advice is to spend some time in finding a truly good backpack, which will not betray you on your trip.

Hiking Europe – 2 by Mia & Steve mestdagh

Last but not least, you should decide who you are going to go with. If you are taking an unfamiliar route on your hiking holiday, you should definitely consider taking someone, who knows the way. This might be a friend, or a specialized guide, who will charge you, but at least you will know that you will be completely safe with them. There are specialized agencies, which provide hiking holidays, and you should observe some possibilities with them in order to be sure that you find the right thing to suit your needs completely.

As a whole, you should carefully observe your possibilities for exciting hiking holiday (or as the Danes say “spændende vandreferie”). There are many things, which you should take into consideration before going on a trip, and if you are not sure as to how to proceed with preparations, it is highly advised that you find a good online guide to read some things. The mountains can be a dangerous place and if you do not have the knowledge required to go through the trip with ease, you should definitely choose another opportunity. Otherwise, you risk both your safety and the safety of the people with you at all times.

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Val d’Isère, France by Eric

The Village

Frequent skiers would know that when you visit a mountain, almost as important as the snow conditions is the village itself, as it’s where you spend most of your nights, and where you dine. There are a number of classic French restaurants here wherein most have English speaking capacity, and believe me, there are MORE than enough stores devoted to just selling chocolate. If you’re looking for somewhere to dine here, try the Ormelune Restaurant, or perhaps La Schuss Restaurant. Be careful though, ordering a hot chocolate in the village can mean you will literally get a bowl of melted chocolate.

The Mountain

A mountain pass for two weeks will only set you back around $415, and this mountain is huge. It has a wide variety of run difficulties, but typically as you get closer to the top, the runs will get harder and harder. Also, in Europe, ski run difficulty is not measured like you might be used to. It goes from easiest to hardest, as green, blue, red, black, double black, orange, and yellow. Still note that a black run is still as hard as a black run in any other country, orange and yellow runs typically just signal the area is unpatrolled. Another feature of the mountain is the ski classes, and while they are fantastic and most instructors speak English, they can be a bit loose on duty of care when it comes to looking after children (I was left alone by a ski class, and it was not fun). If you want an instructor though, they will really just show you the best parts of the mountain that are hidden away from the other skiers. Discovering these beautiful ski lines is really what skiing in Europe is all about. When your all tuckered out and your feet have gone numb, a mountain restaurant would be the best place to head, and with over five of them, you may as well try them all, but a personal favorite is the ‘La Ferme de l’Arsellaz Restaurant,’ it gives great views and a killer buffet.

Val d’Isère, France by Gimli_36

Accommodation

If you have kids, hands down the best place to stay is ‘Club Med’ on the mountain. Its ski in ski out (which, trust me, is fantastic), they have a bunch of activities for kids and their own ski school. Not to mention the buffet is very filling after a great day skiing. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, try ‘Cretes Blanches Hotel’ in the village. It’s a bit further away from the lifts, and only two stars, but if you’re on a budget it’s the best ‘bang for your buck.’ If there’s a group of you and you’re willing to fork out a little money, you can get a catered chalet. For instance, the Crimson Chalet is right on the mountain edge, with the cable car 50 meters away. You get a private and personal experience with friends or family. If you have the money, go for it. I always envied those who stayed in these tucked away chalets.

Author: Tom Wilson+ is an aspiring blog writer who has travelled to numerous parts of the world and writes by personal experience.

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Restaurant in Algarve, Portugal by Tom Godber

You may or may not leave tips as a habit in your home country, but if you visit somewhere and a tip is expected and you don’t provide it, your behaviour can be insulting to your server and make them think that they have done a poor job waiting on you. Conversely, if you do tip in a culture where it is not expected, this can also seem insulting, condescending and ignorant. Before you go anywhere on holiday it is always a good idea to do some research on the accepted behaviour and act accordingly.

To prepare you for your holiday in the Algarve, or anywhere else in Portugal for that matter, here are some guidelines to remember about tipping in this culture:

To Tip or Not to Tip

Make sure that you always have some small change on you, because Portugal is indeed a tipping culture.

Most of the wait staff, clerks and attendants earn a very low wage and they rely on tips from visitors to supplement their income. Also, many of these tourism industry workers experience unemployment in the off season when the demand is low, and then have to work very long hours in the summer. Tipping them for their service will be greatly appreciated.

In some parts of Europe, a service charge is usually automatically added to the hotel or restaurant bill which makes tipping easier. However, this does not usually happen in Portugal so take a look at your bill and add an extra 10% if you have received good service. If you have been especially pleased with your experience you could possibly leave a little bit more.

Hotel pool, Algarve, Portugal by Dan Taylor

When you arrive at the hotel and the bellhop brings your luggage to the room, it is customary to give them one or two Euros for their help. You can also leave a couple of Euros per day for the maid, especially if they provide you with extra services such as bringing breakfast to the room.

Keep it Private

In Portugal, tipping is sometimes considered an inappropriate thing to do if it is done blatantly in public with people watching. It is much preferred if you give your tip in private, such as leaving it on the table as you exit the restaurant.

Taxi Rides

If you take a taxi somewhere in the Algarve, do you need to tip the driver? Keep in mind that the driver will likely have already added in a fee when they calculate your taxi fare. However, if the driver has been especially nice to you it does not hurt to add one Euro. Some people also round the taxi fare up to the nearest multiple of five. For example, if the fare was 8 euro you could give the driver 10 euro.

When is it not Necessary?

There are some situations in Portugal where tipping would not be considered necessary. For example, when getting a haircut you do not need to tip your stylist. If you use a washroom with an attendant you don’t need to tip them, unless they have given you some sort of extra service.

Tipping can be confusing, so knowing in advance what to expect goes a long way to making sure that you are acting appropriately in a different culture. These are just a few etiquette guidelines to keep in mind when you are visiting the Algarve on your next holiday.

Are you wondering whether or not you should tip while you are in the Algarve? Here are some guidelines to remember during your holiday at Monte da Quinta Suites.

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Photo by William Murphy

These online tools are increasingly growing in popularity on the internet.  There are comparison sites for train fares and hotels popping up all the time, with each one offering some great deals on some fantastic locations.

To get a good deal you simply need to enter a few simple criteria.  Firstly you will need to enter your travel destination and the type of hotel or residence you have chosen, then the date of departure and of arrival, the number of people in this trip, and then any other options the site gives you (if you would like to refine your search even further).  Once these data has been entered then the search can be launched and dozens if not hundreds of results are displayed immediately.

Quite often you will see the cheapest deals at the beginning of the list (top of the page), but do not mistake them for the Ads by Google.  These are often misleading.  Comparison sites however are not the only possibility for which to purchase train tickets, as there are other ways to spend the holiday of your dreams without spending all of your savings.  In fact the web offers us so many opportunities that you are spoilt for choice.  They have promotions and discounts on stays at hotel rooms, cheap train tickets and airline tickets, there are supersaver tickets and weekend passes.  You can find coupon codes for zoos and theme parks and special offer weekend concessions at the local caves or sea life centre.  All of these types of offers are commonplace today, thanks to the internet.

Similarly one can enjoy the sidewalk sales of Europe to unearth an interesting proposition both in terms of quality of service and in terms of price.  On the other hand the low cost airlines are not to be overlooked, of course they often sell snacks and other forms of comfort on board, but their prices are defying all competition.  Another possibility to remember too, focuses on all-inclusive. This is a pack consisting of a hotel room, plane ticket or train ticket, and even sometimes transfer and car rental.  This option allows for significant savings on the total of these benefits (if they were added up separately).

There are also train companies that offer last minute tickets or train tickets that have a great discount if you book far enough ahead.  There are also websites that are constantly churning out last minute offers and deals, just hoping to fill up that very last train seat.  The best advice I can give is travel as much as you can as far as you can, and do it all through research on the internet.

Author Bio
Shirley Jones and her friends have travelled to every zoo in great Britain, and almost every wildlife centre and they did it all through purchase train tickets and finding out the cheap train tickets allied with the highest calibre hotels.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Brett Jordan

Located at the south of Lefkas Island, Vassiliki is considered as one of the best and most popular windsurfing areas in Europe. Windsurfers love it here because the winds area is clean, the water is flat, the beach is gently shelving and has a sandy bottom, which are all ideal components of a good windsurfing beach. Usually, the beginners windsurf in the morning when the breeze is gentle, and the intermediate to expert windsurfers take to the water in the afternoon when the thermal winds kick in.

It doesn’t matter if no one in the family knows how to surf. Having your vacation and family activity holidays in Greece, especially in this part of the country ensures that after your vacation, all of you will at least know how to windsurf. Lessons are available for both children and adults. Aside from windsurfing lessons, sailing lessons are also being offered.

For children who are too young to windsurf or sail, there are other equally exciting activities on offer at the children’s clubs. Playing on the beach, biking, and court games are all for the taking. Adults who are not so much into water sports will surely enjoy mountain biking amongst the mountains and hills of Lefkas Island. With all these family activity holidays in Greece, each day of your stay is an adventure.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Victor Sounds

Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park was founded in 2005 by combining Pallas-Ounastunturi National Park and Ylläs-Aakenus Nature Reserve. It consists of peat bogs, which are surrounded by forests. It is an untouched corner of our planet and is breathtaking to see it with the northern lights (aurora). The local countryside is really beautiful. Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park is also very popular in winter, there are ideal conditions for cross-country skiing. The highest peak in the park is Taivaskero, which reaches an altitude of 807 meters above sea level.

Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park is crossed with a series of marked hiking trails with a total length of 350km. They are suitable both for hiking or cross-country skiing. There are several log huts in the area of the park, where you can rest or even stay for a night. However staying here is not free. The park is home to reindeer.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Victor Sounds

Already mentioned Pallas-Ounastunturi National Park was the first national park in Finland, founded already in 1938. The park was established to protect unique parts of forestless highland areas, which stretch through the forests of Lapland. Finnish national parks are golden treasures of Finland and are waiting for each tourist with open arms.

View Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park – the third largest national park in Finland in a larger map

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Egeskov Castle was built in 1544 on oak stilts in the middle of the water.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Rico Bergholdt Hansen

The castle is still inhabited so only few room are available to the tourists. Old family history is often completely in contrast with modern times. In addition to a painting of modern art which hangs above the old stone fireplace, but also in one of the rooms, you can find the superman costume (the original costume from the first Hollywood film) right next to grandfather’s armor. It is hard to overlook also a collection of dolls with the faces of some female members of the royal family. Among them are the first and second wife of the current landowner. Dolls have a beautiful house, which was designed by a retired soldier for his granddaughter. It took him 7 years. Everything is invented in the greatest detail.

View Egeskov Castle – the most beautiful Renaissance water castle in Europe Denmark in a larger map

The water area is surrounded by a beautiful park with a labyrinth. There is a beautiful herb garden waiting for lovers of spices and herbs. You will find a lot of museums here, café, gift shop and other traders who want to capitalize on tourism.

You can stay overnight in the camping that is just near the castle. It is only available for tents and is completely free.

Egeskov Castle is open daily from May to September (from 10:00am to 5:00pm, during the summer even longer) and basic admission is €21.

For further details see the official website of Egeskov Castle.

View Egeskov Castle – the most beautiful Renaissance water castle in Europe Denmark in a larger map

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This is the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train, which offers a completely different travel than any other trains in Europe. Come aboard and get better, more elegant way to travel around Europe.

Romantic adventure, comfort and history are closely linked with the journeys that lead through Europe. Discover the amazing scenery on your way to the most attractive cities in Europe. Enjoy beautiful vintage cabins, gourmet cuisine and live entertainment on board of the iconic train and experience one of the world’s best travel moments.

Something from its history… The first such train left on 4 October 1883 from Gare de Strasbourg station in Paris through Romania, towards Constantinople (former name of Istanbul, Turkey). It had a small but elegant locomotive, as well as a baggage car, two very luxurious and large sleeping cars, a beautiful dining car with a smoking lounge and a car for personnel. It was called the “Orient Express” and drove about 40 passengers.

However at that time passengers had to travel by train, ferry, a local Romanian train and then by a boat to get to Constantinople. Few years later the new railways and bridges have been built in Romania, which allowed direct access from Paris through Budapest, Belgrade and Sofia to Constantinople. It was 2,900km long way and took 3 days and 3 nights.

Now you can still enjoy similar atmosphere and thoughts of those travellers on several main routes:

• London – Paris – Innsbruck – Venice – Rome
• London – Dresden – Krakow – Venice
• Istanbul – Bucharest – Budapest – Venice
• London – Paris – Frankfurt – Prague – Venice

Enjoy your journey like no other with Orient-Express! For further details see the official website of Orient-Express.

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In many European countries, discounts are offered on flights and public transport cards for travellers under 25 or 26, sometimes as a matter of course, other times if you buy a specific “young person’s” travel card, which entitles you to the lower rate. This can be a big help getting around, so check out the information on the countries you’d like to visit to find out more.

Photo by the leap.

Staying in youth hostels is a popular option for gap year travellers, as it is far cheaper than a hotel and allows you to meet other gap year students easily. These can be found in most major European cities.

If you venture out of the Euro zone on your gap year, make sure your bank card works abroad so you can withdraw money and use your debit card to avoid having to change between currencies all the time. You will probably need to notify your bank that you will be using the card in different countries too, as they tend to stop cards due to suspected fraud if not informed.

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