Brussels – Chocolate capital, Belgium by EverJean

Brusselicious

One of the most exciting culinary events of 2012 Brusselicious promises to be the food festival of the year. The city of Brussels is hosting a yearlong event to mark its exceptional food with the main events being held throughout the summer months. Brussels is famous for its Chocolate, pastries, Beer and food and the event promises to be truly spectacular. Before we dive into the details consider that Belgium is the most famous chocolatier country in the world and has an exceptional record for producing the world’s best and most unusual beers – from traditional wheat beer to fruit beer. This year though the capital is pulling out all the stops with food sculptures, live cooking demonstrations, a PiQniQ summer festival, a sumptuous banquet with hundreds of marquees in early September and a chocolate extravaganza as we approach the winter months. If you’re planning a trip you’ll definitely need a serious diet when you come back but this promises to be an incredible culinary experience.

Copenhagen Cooking

While Nordic cuisine isn’t to everyone’s taste the annual Copenhagen Cooking festival, held from t 24th of August to the 2nd of September, is always an incredible affair and brings the city alive with wonderful food. It focuses on Nordic cuisine and pays homage to both traditional and modern cooking practices. The gourmet restaurants put on incredible meals throughout the festival at heavily reduced rates while you can see a variety of show coking and live demonstrations throughout the city. There’s a lot of fish unsurprisingly but you’ll be amazed at what is on offer. Along the Nørrebrogade you can find the spectacular “Taste the World” street kitchen with hundreds of exotic and less exotic offerings. Alternatively you can visit the “Eat 10” food fair with its vast selection of produce and plenty fo displays and lessons on offer. Copenhagen is a beautiful city in its own right and well worth visiting; with the food being the icing on the cake!

Italy’s Slow Food Festival

The Slow Food movement has gained massive international traction in the last few decades and started in Italy when, in 1980, Carlos Petrini led a huge campaign against McDonald’s opening at the Spanish Steps in Rome. The crusade resulted in a worldwide campaign and birthed the slow food festival around the world. However, nowhere is this festival more entrenched than in its birthplace Italy and throughout the country you can find summer slow food events. One of the best destinations to experience the festival is undoubtedly Maglie in Puglia. Their 4 day slow food festival is the perfect chance to sample Italian cuisine at its finest with a whole square dedicated to wine and countless stalls serving the very best in local and not so local produce. The evening and day time meals on offer throughout the festival are simply incredible. Throughout the region you can find an incredible array of food festivals at this time of year and if you can take a longer break we’d heartily recommend a tour of all the best food festivals in the region; from the Mola di Bari’s octopus festival to the Sagra della Frisa e del Pesce Fritto see food festival in Gallipoli.

France’s Feria du Riz

The Feria du Riz festival (The festival of Rice) is a very strange French festival as it has a very Spanish feel. While the majority of traveller’s will head to France’s local food festivals and enjoy the wine festivals approaching towards the end of the summer months for something unique and different you should really consider Feria du Riz in Arles. The festival is held in mid-September but the weather is still warm making it a great time to enjoy this part of France. The rice festival celebrates the local harvest and offers an incredible mix of seafood, French food, Spanish food and, of course, plenty of the local red Carmague rice. It’s a food festival at heart but there’s a whole world of entertainment from parades, music and street theatre to bull runs and horses. The hundreds of stalls selling a strange mix of food is incredible and the tapas and seafood concoctions are out of this world. The festival is also incredibly lively and there are lots of late night events making this a raucous and fun event through and through.

David is a writer for Holiday Insurance Web, offering travel insurance products.

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Cervinia Zermatt, Italy / Joao Maximo

1. Cervinia Zermatt

Located in Italy, Cervinia Zermatt is a great option for those who wish to ski even when the summer sun is in the air.  The slopes are open all year round and they can be utilised by skiers from top to bottom all year round.  This venue is open to other activities as well.  Of course skiing can be completed on the mountain, with unique events being held to entice the consumer to the panoramic views that are gorgeous at any time, but there are other things as well.  Mountain biking is a common activity with races being held in the summer months for those who want to mix up their skiing efforts with another fun extreme sport.

2. Grande Mott Glacier

The Grande Mott Glacier in France offers a great option for those looking for a summer ski getaway.  There are several different options for skiers no matter what time of year it is.  Located in Tignes, the ski resort offers a choice of sixteen lifts and an amazing seven-hundred and fifty foot drop for the vertical enthusiast.  There is also a snow park open year round.  This includes activities like pipes and rails as well as bumps courses and jumping options making it a perfect choice for those who are seeking raw skiing and snowboarding without the frill of some of the higher end resort options.

3. Zermatt

Located in Switzerland, just near the Italian border, a hidden gem in skiing is located.  Zermatt is a beautiful location for summer skiing.  It has a history of great runs and many find it to be a great option for a skiing holiday during the summer months.  There is a lot of beauty in this location as well.  The Matterhorn is the background music to this skiing location making it both a popular and quintessential European skiing beauty.

4. Italian Peaks

Another great option for summer skiing in Italy are the Passo Stelvio and Passo Tonale glaciers.  These skiing locations offer summer skiing between June and July. The courses vary and can be limited by the summer weather however they offer great options for those who are looking for a summer ski getaway.

5. Stryn

Stryn is located in Norway and has a limited summer run, but a summer run none the less.  This course is available to skiers from May until July, making it limited but no less useful for those seeking a European ski course.  It is among the most popular in the country when it comes to summer skiing and offers many great events.  Beyond the skiing, there is a community of activities that are held around this location.  Included in this are the great partying adventures. (The activities that take place when the lights go down and the slopes close for the evening.) For this reason, it has grown not only in popularity because of its skiing but for the overall experience that can be had.

Luxury chalets can be found at all of the destinations listed above so if you want to head to a fun filled ski destination this summer, you have a lot of options to choose from.

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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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