National History Museum, London, UK by Ben Fredericson

The first full day is almost always the most important, as it is the time when you’ll want to see all the places that are on top of your list of priorities. Therefore, having a good idea of where you want to visit will come in handy.

Ideally, you’ll want to have something to do in the day, somewhere to go for dinner in the evening and then an activity for the night if you’ve still got the energy.

Day-Tripping

London is full of attractions that will be able to fill your day, give you something to do for an hour or is just something that you need to see, even if it’s just in passing.

Museums seem to be London’s trump card and there’s plenty to choose from. The British Museum is one of the best and has been running for over 350 years, but that’s nothing on the age of its content. Some of the exhibitions within the museum go back two million years and span over numerous different cultures from all over the world.

The National History Museum is another option that will have you going back and forth as to whether you should go there or the British Museum if you only have time for one. If you need convincing, the National History Museum is a more versatile attraction thanks to the choice of exhibits that range from their iconic Diplodocus skeleton to the Darwin Centre’s high-tech Attenborough Studio.

Another staple of the London attraction route is Madame Tussauds. The centre features 14 unique interactive zones, featuring of course the countless wax models of your favourite celebrities, sports stars and even fictional characters.

Photo of Lady Diana in Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, London, UK by Cristian Bortes

Settling down for the evening

With this being London, picking a restaurant is possibly one of the hardest thing to do, so here’s just the odd example of the best of British.

The Hawksmoor Seven Dials is a fantastic bar and grill and the redesigned branch is even better. The restaurant is located in a basement building in Covent Garden and although it only opened at the end of 2010, it looks like it’s been there forever, which is a good thing.

Hix is the restaurant of Mark Hix and is a name that carries quite a bit status among the fashionable folk and is located deep in Soho. The atmosphere is always at its best and the food is just as incredible, with some of the best British recipes available.

Located in the more suburby area of Dartmouth Park is the Bull and Last, a fabulous gastropub and it’s worth the trip into North London just for its delightful food on offer. The pub style service and the classic ales make it a great palace for both families and a bunch of mates.

Going the whole hog

Just like eating out in London, going into the city for some loud music and few drinks offers equally as many choices, if not more. There are all sorts of bars in England’s capital and you could find yourself doing something you’d never dream of on a night out.

There are a couple of bars in London where you might fancy a bit of karaoke called Lucky Voice Soho and Lucky Voice Islington, places where you can get your own karaoke booth and get table service when it comes to drink and food. The Soho bar is one of the best Soho London bars about.

The Piccadilly Institute is also something that’s a bit different, with its eclectic décor and themed bars offering something that can be great for private parties or just a great night out.

If you don’t want to move too far away from the heart of London, then Abacus is possibly a bar you’ll like to visit and is a multi-faceted venue comprising as a bar, restaurant and lounge, then after dark, turns into a great club venue.

About the author: Sam writes for Lucky Voice Karaoke who have venues all over the UK in towns and cities such as Soho, Islington, Manchester, Glasgow and Brighton. You can look at the website for more information on Islington Bars and the others.

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Monte Cofano Nature Reserve (La Riserva naturale orientata Monte Cofano) offers to Sicilian visitors an unspoilt beauty and presents a significant value for natural and anthropological features.

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The mountain is formed by a combination of dolomite, carbonate rocks that are the oldest outcrops in the province and date back to the Triassic, about 200 million years ago. They are separated from neighboring area Gnarosa Marcato by a small saddle. You can follow the marked trail starting from the beach Cala Buguto that leads all around the perimeter of the mountain. From the top of the mountain you can enjoy a splendid view of the coastline.

There are many signs of human presence in this area since prehistoric times as evidenced by the graffiti and stone tools which were found in caves Miceli, Buffa, del Crocefisso and Mangiapane.

In June 1991 the area was declared a nature reserve.

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Roussillon is considered one of the most beautiful villages of France. Thanks to the nearby ocher mines, which are a major tourist attraction, has the whole village a reddish colour. Also, the local soil has all the shades of red, ranging from beige to dark red. It used to be mined 17 different colors of ocher – purple, red, orange, yellow, and many others. The history of this site dates back to 230 million years ago, when all the area of Provence was under the sea. The sand at the bottom contained iron, which later oxidized, and such created the ocher.

Already the ancient Romans used it to produce glazes on pottery. In 18th century the local residents found out how to adjust the pigment to be resistant to water. With this discovery, a new industry of colors began. Such colors could be used not only for surface treatment of ceramic products, but also in painting houses. The production of colours decreased in 50′s of 20th century. Nowadays, the ocher is not mining any more and this pigment is produced artificially. The village, however, maintain the original color, and together with its surrounding it is a protected area.

In the village you can walk through the narrow and steep streets that are lined with houses with beautiful red-colored facades, houses the souvenir shops. The beautiful village of Roussillon is unfortunately flooded with crowds in the summer, so if you want to enjoy its unique atmosphere, it is good to visit in a spring or autumn.

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The distinctive shape of the gently rolling Nockberge Mountains is rare in the history of geology and unique in the Alps. The mountains developed hundred million years ago thanks to an interchange of lands, seas, desserts and jungles.

The name “Nocke” comes from the round shape of the softly rolling mountains and hills between 2,200m and 2,300m above sea level.

You can visit the following destinations that are close to this park:
Lake Bled – 67 km, the Julian Alps – 60 km, Triglav – 59 km, Ravines Vintgar – 64 km, Klopeiner See – 74 km, glacier Mölltal – 56 km, Wörther See – 46 km, Liechtenstein – 59 km, Waterfall Pericnik – 54 km, Kitzlochklamm – 70 km

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Photo by Claire (Europe Explored)

Located just beside the Holiday Village Tatralandia, countless people make their way to the aquapark every single year in order to relax in the pristine hot mineral waters which abound within the park. In order to ensure that your trip is enjoyable, there are also a number of resorts, hotels and boarding houses that can be found in or around the village. However, most people who choose to visit the aqua park tend to stay in the nearby town of Liptovský Mikuláš which offers even more amenities and accommodations.

Not only are there a number of pools to swim in, there are also toboggans and other nearby attractions that will keep you busy for days. It is also interesting to note that there are several pools that can be found within the Aquapark Tatralandia that also contained seawater. There are also lots of playgrounds for kids and adults as well as Relax centre with Sauna World.

Photo by Claire (Europe Explored)

The area in which the Aquapark Tatralandia is located, is known as one of the most mountainous regions in all of Slovakia. As such, while you are relaxing in the warm waters of the park, you can overlook the picturesque landscapes of the surrounding foothills and peaks. But don’t worry if you get tired of swimming, because there are plenty water slides, deck chairs as well as cafés that can be found in and around the area. For your safety, each one of the pools is monitored by a certified lifeguard.

So whether you are a resident of Slovakia, or just visiting the country for the summer, choosing to stop by and check out the Aquapark Tatralandia will be a very rewarding experience for any traveller with or without kids of any age.

The basic whole-day admission is €19. You can find more information on the official site of Aquapark Tatralandia.

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