Flying to Ireland will necessitate car hire once you get there, but the airports have dealers in convenient locations. You might get a brand of American car you never heard of before. The major manufacturers have different models in European countries that may have a bit more style even if they are basically the same as the American versions.

The Dingle Peninsula, Ireland by Bjørn Christian Tørrissen

The Dingle Peninsula is a good example of a driving tour. Starting in Tralee, go west and around the peninsula ending at Castlemaine Harbour. Take in the Gallarus Oratory, a stone chapel built by monks some time after 600 A.D., that still stands in excellent condition.

Another trip that car hire easily accommodates is just south of Dingle in the Ring of Kerry. Starting at Killarney on the Iveragh Peninsula, circle west and around to Killorglin. Muckross House, just over three miles from Killarney, is a 65-room estate with lovely gardens. Queen Elizabeth visited the estate in 1861.

These two peninsulas are some of the most beautiful places on earth, and National Geographic agrees. Driving is the best way to see them because there are so many possibilities for sight-seeing and photography all the way around both areas. Rain or shine, these locales have been photographed extensively by professionals and visitors for decades. Being able to stop and get out of the car any time is invaluable. The right photograph can be framed and enjoyed for years.

Ring of Kerry, Ireland by DI Florian Fuchs

The coastal areas around the entire country are quite photogenic, and car hire touring is the best way to stop and take advantage of the scenery at a whim. Tour buses whiz by fields with ancient stone walls and hillsides of patchwork squares in different shades of green.

There are mountain vistas in various places in Ireland, as well, and seeing them by car is a sure way to enjoy them at leisure. County Wicklow has impressive mountain areas most easily accessed by car. There is no public transportation up into the mountains, so seeing the whole county is easiest by car.

Also in Wicklow is the Powerscourt Estate and Waterfall. It takes time to see all of the gardens, the house and the waterfall, so a car allows for an entire day of sightseeing. Don’t worry about a tour bus leaving without you; go by car and enjoy it fully. This is another site that has been photographed too many times to count.

Powerscourt Waterfall, Ireland by DorinRodina

Glendalough, also in Wicklow, is an important historic site in a glacial valley. The name means “glen of two lakes.” Ireland is blessed with unparalleled beauty, and this is one more place in which to witness it in panoramic views from the hills. The remaining chapel and other structures from the seventh century are good reasons to go, and the lakes are unbelievably picturesque.

Many visitors come down to Wicklow from Dublin to hike, but the whole county has attractions that should not be missed. The shoreline is stunning as well. Don’t miss any of it. Hop in the car and see all of Ireland’s majestic views at your own rate.

This has been a guest post from Skedaddle, your best friend when it comes to planning road trips.

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Horse carriage driving at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2011 / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by tailsandfur

It is Queen Elizabeth´s Diamond anniversary in 2012, and the Royal Windsor Horse Show is planned to be the biggest in its 65 year history. Over 3000 horses and ponies taking part in over 170 classes have registered for this year´s event and visitors will be treated to a feast of spectacular performances including show jumping, tent pegging, and pony club mounted games. The Royal Windsor Horse Show is the only annual event that allows guests access to the private grounds of one of the Queen´s spectacular residencies and visitors also get the opportunity to see her majesty´s horses on show as well.

A brief history of the Royal Windsor Horse Show

The first Royal Windsor Horse Show was hosted during the height of World War II in 1943 as part of a national campaign to raise funds for RAF aircraft. The event was called “Wings for Victory,” and raised a staggering £400,000 which went towards the manufacturing of 78 Typhoon aircraft. The original show was organized by count Robert Orssich and Geoffrey Cross and was named the Windsor Horse and Dog Show. Queen Elizabeth, who was a young princess and keen horse rider at the time performed in that first event together with her mother and father and sister Margaret. Princess Elizabeth won the Single Private Driving on her pony Hans and Princess Margaret won the Wartime Utility Driving Class on the King’s Fell pony Gipsy.

A horse in action at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2010 / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by waldopepper

The celebration of the Queen´s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 promises to be an extra special occasion as for the first time in history visitors will be treated to guest performers that have been invited from all over the world. Britain´s sister countries, Canada and Australia will be represented by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the New South Wales Police Force Activity Ride respectively together with the Carosello de Carabiniere from Italy, Russia´s elegant team from the Kremlin Equestrian School and India´s spectacular Marwarhi Dancing Horses.

Events at The Royal Windsor Horse Show

The five day event takes places each year in either May or June and has grown in stature and size since the first show and today attracts around 8000 visitors. This year the five-day extravaganza opens on Wednesday 9th May with Hunter Showing Classes and the Horse and Hound Foxhunter jumping competition. Given the unpredictable and uncompromising weather the British Isles is famed for, an all weather artificial arena is laid in the main performance area together with special pathways for the safety of visitors.

And it´s not just a spectacular show of equestrian performances that the Royal Windsor Horse Show offers visitors, but is also home to more than 200 shops offering riding equipment and other equestrian goodies, fashion boutiques, household ornaments, jewellery and handicrafts. The event also boasts an excellent selection of restaurants menus and ample bars and cafes.

Further dates and details are available at the official Royal Windsor Horse Show website.

The Royal Windsor Horse Show is a fantastic event that any equine enthusiast must try to get to, book taxis online to reduce stress when travelling to the event.

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Oxford Castle / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Douglas Neiner

This summer in cities and towns all over the UK there will be fanfares, bunting and street parties to join in the momentous landmark as Britain’s second longest serving monarch – Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years, seven months and three days. If you’re planning to celebrate the Jubilee it might be worth joining in with the festivities in one of the Britain’s famous and historic towns.

What about Oxford?

Founded in the 9th century the town has some of the most important history in England. The university is nearly 850 years old and is now one of the most revered educational institutions in the world. The town became the haven of the king during the 1642 civil war; England’s first coffee house was opened here in 1651; and it was in Oxford that Roger Bannister in 1954 became the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, which will surely be celebrated in a couple of years time.

As well at the famous landmarks such as St Magdalen Bridge and the historic university buildings, the city will be alive with Jubilee events. The council is encouraging local people to host street parties, but on Monday 4th June the Lord Mayor’s Jubilee Party will be at Gloucester Green from 12 noon until 6pm so decorate your bike, hat, child’s pram or buggy and win a prize!

St Magdalen Bridge / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by David Lisbona

The whole celebration centres on a “1950s then and now” theme, with live music and stalls to keep everyone occupied. At the end of that week on Saturday 9th June is the Diamond Jubilee Mela where you can enjoy live music, dance groups, fashion shows, food stalls, face painting and loads more things for the whole family at Oxford Spires Academy. Tickets cost £3 each but you can contact them for more information here.

A number hotels in Oxford such as The Randolph have special Diamond Jubilee offers with commemorative treats for their guests. Oxford is at the centre of a beautiful county of stunning villages and towns, and if you stay here you can use it as a base of operations for exploring the outlying areas and there are loads of Jubilee events to tickle your fancy.

Bicester Town Centre

On Saturday 2nd June: from 5pm to 10.30pm there is a Beer Festival and Fireworks in Garth Park. The following day on the 3rd there’s a street party which is hoped to be one of the biggest in the country. And on Monday 4th June is the Bicester Jubilee Carnival 10 to 7.30pm which is guaranteed to be a delight for the whole family.

Jubilee Jitterbug at Watlington

On Saturday 2nd June The Hall is the location for a 1950s style dance where a costume is practically mandatory! They do suggest you book in advance, but it will be totally worth it to get your groove on.

Finstock Jubilee BBQ

Also on the Food, music and games sounds perfect, doesn’t it? This fewat of fun must surely epitomise the community spirit of the celebrations when the folk of three villages (Ramsden, Finstock, Wilcote) come together in the true spirit of community.

Big Lunch at Oxford Castle

Who doesn’t love a picnic? Pack your basket and take yourself to the Castleyard and share your food with the residents of Oxford from 12 noon until 3pm on Sunday 3rd June. Break bread with friendly strangers and enjoy the family entertainment.

There are so many things you can do in Oxford over the Jubilee Celebrations, but whatever you choose have a wonderful time.

Catherine Halsey writes for a digital marketing agency on a range of subjects. This article links back to The Randolph.

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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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Trinity College is one of the most important buildings of Dublin, which was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. The culture and traditions are the important aspects in ancient buildings of Dublin.

St Patrick’s Cathedral is another pleasing sight for the visitors. It is considered the largest church not only in the city of Dublin but throughout entire Ireland. It was founded in 1191.

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral – Dublin, Ireland by William Murphy

O’Connell street is very impressive for the tourists and the general post office is situated in this street. The building has a majestic look and it is a wonderful sight to see. The street is completely covered with statues and monuments and that is the reason for the popularity of this street.

There are three National Museums of Ireland in Dublin and the tourists should never miss a visit to these museums, since they have both traditional and historical value. One is situated on Kildare Street – Archaeology Museum, another one can be found on Benburb Street – Decorative Arts & History Museum and the last one is located at Merrion Street related to Natural History.

Temple bar is another area, which can be interesting for the tourists. It is full of entertainment, art and culinary attractions. It is a home to many cultural institutions of Ireland and one of the best Dublin’s nightlife scenes.

Merrion Square is very popular for the National Gallery which has more than five hundred art works from great artists such as Monet, El Greco, Hogarth, Poussin and others.

Dublin Castle is originally a Viking fortress which you shouldn’t miss once you are in Dublin. There are many special aspects in this Castle. Rebuilding and renovation works are being performed regularly and at present, it looks beautifully. A massive tower and the Royal Chapel are built in medieval style while all administrative buildings are built in more modern styles.

Dublin Castle, Ireland by William Murphy

Phoenix Park is situated 3 km northwest of the city center and with the area of 712 hectares it is one of the largest walled parks in Europe. This place has a long history. There are huge alleys, grassy areas and wetlands which are home to more than 350 plant species.

Apart from these, there are many more sights and attractions to see in Dublin. You can also visit a Zoo, there are numerous parks and gardens, and since the city is situated at the cost, you can even relax on its beaches. However the main advantage of your staying in this city it its events. You can find more info about Dublin at the official site visitdublin.com.

Getting There

You have two options to get to Dublin and that’s either flying or taking the ferry. Aer Lingus and RyanAir are amongst a number of airlines that offer great value flights to Dublin but if you want to explore more of Ireland you will then need to hire a car. Alternatively you could take your own car and catch a ferry. Ferryonline compare ferries to Dublin providing all options with Stena and P&O Ferries. All you need to do is choose which port to cross from, Holyhead, Liverpool or Fishguard.

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