Tourism is big on the east coast of Lanzarote and the architecture reflects this. However, drive up the coast in a northerly direction and you can enter another world. The landscape changes and there is more of an authentic feel to the place. Arrieta is a wonderful village that is home to local fisherman. It is a charming place to stop for lunch; there are various restaurants around the harbour that produce some knock out fish dishes.

Driving through Lanzarote, Timanfaya National Park, Canary Islands, Spain by Son of Groucho

After a delicious lunch, drive further north to Punta de Majors for a dip in a natural swimming pool. There are several pools formed by the rocks and they fill up when the tide comes in. This is a great and unique place to have a refreshing swim. The pools are very pretty and outstrip a hotel swimming pool every time. They were originally used as a place for locals to do their washing. Remember too throw a towel in the boot before you set off.

Keep heading north until you reach the signs for Famara Beach. This is a natural wonder on Lanzarote. If you have ever felt the need to surf then this is the right place. There is a beach of 400m of fine sand – don’t expect the white sand of traditionally beautiful beaches as the sand is brown due to the volcanic nature of the island. However, the water is a great blue colour and the surfing is very good here. The famous Lanzarote surf school is based here so it is a great place to start your surfing career. As the water can be fairly turbulent, swimmers are officially advised to swim close to the shore.

Famara Beach, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain by torephoto

If you have set off on your Lanzarote adventure on a Sunday, then a trip to Teguise would be certainly worthwhile. It is the old capital of Lanzarote and as such it has some impressive colonial architecture. The Sunday market is a grand affair, with stalls selling local crafts. It is a bustling affair and it is often a great place to pick up those souvenirs that we love to buy. There are various food stall that make lunch a cheap and tasty event. A hot tip is to get there early for a great parking spot.

Lanzarote is not just an island of high rises and drunken tourists. It is a beautiful and rather unique island that has a lot more to offer than a clichéd holiday in the sun. The trick to finding the hidden gems is to use a hire car and explore the island at your own pace. It is not a huge island and it can be circumnavigated within a day. The stunning yet eerie volcanic scenery is breathtaking and provides great photographic material.

Written by Elizabeth James who writes for www.carrentals.co.uk. For more information, click here.

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Amazing view from villa in Tuscany, Italy by Jeremy Vandel

Tuscany is a well liked vacation spot due to its elegance and rental fees. Moreover, it provides numerous choices to possess a fantastic holiday. The spot is full of background scenes and lifestyles such as historical ancient monuments and structures that offer additional scenery to Tuscany.

Tuscany, in Italy is one of the most appealing vacation spot and the area is using its wealthy artwork and lifestyle along with the fine eating places. The restaurants and the hotels offers first call quality food to their customers in affordable prices. The rental fees are one of the important points which are quite affordable and the reason for spotting huge crowd of visitors. The accommodation are available at affordable prices only if you book it though advance payments and book it before you arrive there. On the spot booking may be bit costly and it is better to stay within the villas than in hotels.

Villas in Tuscany makes an appealing holiday choice for those who want to stay for long. The villas offered by Tuscany are well furnished and holds all the functionalities and features for the visitors. The modular kitchens and a big parking lodge with a beautiful swimming pool allures the visitor to stay for more time. Moreover, the window scenes are quite attractive and beautiful to make them spend the whole day in their villas. The tourists can even save their money by cooking themselves at villas. The kitchen is fully furnished with all the accessories to prepare their own meals. Their proprietors may need the monetary increase so that they provide these types of inexpensive holiday villas throughout the springtime, summer time as well as fall months.

Cypress trees and Tuscan hills by Mike of Surrey

Self catering holidays are the best options for those who want to spend some quality time with their families. These villas in Tuscany tends to be through custom occur impressive landscapes. These landscapes frequently possess the fair insights from the Tuscan sceneries along with rich eco-friendly surroundings. The panorama is the main reason for leasing Tuscany villas. These sceneries provide the most calming sites to the earth and the location is unquestionably an appealing location for anyone who is buying tranquil vacation.

If you’re truly inspired to go to this meticulous stunning world famous place then does little exercise to search upon the internet as well as guide vacation Tuscany villas within Italy to have a memorable experience.

Resource Box: Anna is a person with a passion for writing. She has written many articles on various topics as villas in Tuscany, for more information you can check her other blogs.

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Stay in hostels rather than in hotel rooms

Staying in a hotel room should be your last thing in mind if you are on a tight budget. Hostels may not have all the amenities and comforts of a hotel. But, it certainly provides clean and functional rooms for you to stay for the night. If you are traveling with the whole family, look for bigger hostels which may prove to be a big hit for your children.

Life Resort, Santa Pola, Costa Blanca, Spain / Photo by admin

Look for serviced apartments

If you are not comfortable with the idea of sharing a room with somebody else in a hostel, better opt for serviced apartments. Business travelers are usually the target guests of serviced apartments. However, you can always take advantage of their hidden bargains. Serviced apartments provide cooking facilities and a laundry room for their guests. You can even obtain access to their fitness gym and swimming pool at a very reasonable rate.

Save much money by saying no to some of the services offered in a hotel

Never ever place a call to any of your friends within or outside Europe using the telephone inside your hotel room. It would also be wise to refuse an offer of being able to watch more movies inside your hotel room. If you really want to watch a movie while in Europe better go to cinemas. Otherwise you will end up being shocked by your hefty hotel bill. Resist the urge of calling the hotel room service just to ask for food delivery to your room. Take the time to walk outside and look for affordable restaurants. This will save you a lot from experiencing stress and anxiety because you reduce your risks of blowing your budget while on a travel.

Take the time to have a little chat with the hotel staff

Talk to them about your future plans of coming back to Europe with your friends or business partners. You may also want to give them an impression that you really liked the hotel. The hotel staff has to know these things so that they will look at you as their prospect loyal guests. As a result, the staff will be giving you a VIP treatment. They will also be happy to offer you some really good deals that will help you save money and make your stay worthwhile.

Getting a room late at night will save you more money

Hoteliers only have one night to sell their rooms to tourists. Missing one guest for the night would also mean missing the chance to earn. This is one of the advantages of looking for a hotel room late at night. Hoteliers will become pressured not to have someone for each room. Therefore, getting inside the hotel late at night will give you the chance to ask for a discount or the best deal. You should be smart enough to negotiate and let them feel that the little amount you have is better than an empty room for the night.

Traveling these days in Europe has proved to be a reasonable thing to do. Many European airline companies are now giving out huge discounts to tourists. Therefore, make an effort to look for airlines, not just hotels that will allow you to save some of your hard earned money. After all, the best does not always have to mean the most expensive.

About the Author:
Ryan Rivera used to suffer from anxiety attacks for seven years. He now dedicates his life helping other anxiety sufferers through his writings. You can read more of his articles at Calm Clinic.

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1 – Will I get sea sick on a cruise?

It is highly unlikely that you will get seasick whilst on a cruise as the majority of cruise ships are very well stabilised so you will hardly notice that they are moving. Thanks to radar equipment, most cruise ships are able to avoid bad-weather which causes sea conditions to change. However if you are concerned, you could visit your doctor before the cruise for some seasickness medication or take an over-the-counter remedy.

Cruise Ship with pool by kellinahandbasket

2 – What is included in the fare?

A cruise ship is similar to an ‘all inclusive holiday’ although what’s included varies between cruises. On the majority of cruises, your fare will cover your accommodation, standard dining, some shows and activities on board and some drinks. On more high-end cruises alcoholic drinks and snacks may also be included. Usually things like hair salon appointments, spa treatments and excursions are additional to the cost of your fare.

3 – What entertainment is on board?

Entertainment varies from ship to ship but you can expect to find a swimming pool, cinema, theatre, shops, a gym, and a spa on most large cruise ships. There may also be tennis courts, basketball courts, areas for golf practice and other sports.  There are usually also organised activities such as crafts, card playing and talks or lectures to keep you entertained too.

4 – What types of people will be on board?

People often expect to find only wealthy or retired people on cruises but this not the case at all. Cruise holidays are popular with honeymooners, young professionals and families as well as more mature people. These people are from all walks of life and have different hobbies, past-times and incomes. Some will be looking for the adventure of off-ship excursions offer whilst others will be looking to relax and unwind.

5 – What dining facilities are on board?

Cruise ships will offer a range of dining facilities including buffet style restaurants, fast food outlets and fine dining as well as more standard styles of restaurant. You can expect to find a wide range of cuisines including Italian, Chinese, French, British and English so there should be something to cater to your taste. There may also be coffee bars and ice cream parlours on board too.

Dining room in Cruise ship by Rennett Stowe

6 – What will my cabin be like?

The style of cabin you get depends on the ship you are on and the level of cabin you have chosen. Your cabin will have the bed option you have chosen along with amble space for your belongings and en suite bathroom facilities. All cabins tend to have a telephone, tea and coffee making facilities and a TV. Outside cabins tend to have private balconies too.

7 – Can I keep in touch with friends and family whilst on board?

Thanks to modern technology, you will easily be able to keep in touch with friends and family. Cabins are equipped with telephones and mobile signals are available when in port or near land. Most cruise ships also have wifi facilities and offer internet access too.

8 – Is cruising safe?

We have all heard of the ill-fated Titanic but thankfully safety protocols have come a long way since then.  Cruise ships are subject to rigorous rules and regulations in relation to staff and passenger safety with regular inspections taking place. You will also undertake a drill exercise within the first 24 hours on board a cruise ship to ensure that you know what to do in the event of an emergency. All cruise ships are fitted with enough life jackets and lifeboats for all people on board.

9 – What activities can I do whilst in ports?

Stopping in ports is one of the most exciting parts of a cruise. You will be able to experience organised excursions which can cover anything from seeing the local wildlife to enjoying the beaches or taking in the local attractions and culture.

10 – What should I pack?

What you should pack depends on the destination of your cruise. If you are cruising to somewhere warm like the Mediterranean, Caribbean or Bahamas, lightweight summer clothing will be needed whilst more all-weather clothing will be needed for a cruise to Alaska or Scandinavia. Some restaurants on board may have dress codes such as formal evening dress but the majority of restaurants do not. You also need to remember to pack suitable swimwear and leisure wear too.

John is a freelance travel writer from the UK.

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Photo by Elliott Brown

Camping at Lake Garda

One of the best ways to experience the beauty of Lake Garda is to camp on the lake. There are numerous campsites such as those offered by Eurocamp and Keycamp, which are situated right on the edge of the lake. You can simply step out of your tent and head to the beach for a swim whilst camping at Lake Garda. Here are a few of some the best campsites near Lake Garda.

On the Lake: Fontanelle is a peaceful campsite that is set on the shores of the lake and is also close to some of the area’s main attractions. The facility is well-maintained and offers a swimming pool; fishing and a children’s play area.

Family-Friendly: While not situated directly on the lake, Altomincio Family Park is still close enough for travellers to easily visit the lake. This park is a popular choice amongst families with swimming pools, waterslides, boat trips, twelve playgrounds and a cinema.

Luxury Camping: SelectCamp Camping Weekend is a lovely campsite for both children and adults. The site offers something extra for those who like to camp in comfort. The luxurious lodge tents are spacious, and fully equipped with showers and toilets. On-site amenities include a laundry, swimming pool, children’s pool, Internet café, two playgrounds, satellite TV and a pizzeria.

Gardaland – Italy’s number one amusement park / Spencer Wright

Things to Do at Lake Garda

The large lake offers plenty of activities for those who are adventurous. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you can spend your time at Lake Garda exploring the beaches, windsurfing, hiking, canoeing and horseback riding. If you want a more peaceful holiday, you can spend time taking in the scenery as you stroll along the beach, or you can explore the vineyards and nearby villages.

Nearby Attractions

Some of Italy’s best attractions are located near Lake Garda. Both adults and children will enjoy visiting Gardaland, which is Italy’s number one amusement park. There are plenty of rides and various shows offered throughout the year that are perfect for entertaining children of all ages. Aqua Paradise Park is another popular attraction with families. This water park offers an exciting day in a tropical setting, with waterslides, an erupting volcano and an entire fishing village. While there are plenty of lively attractions close to Lake Garda, there are also quaint villages for exploration and cosy restaurant for dining. Don’t forget to stop at one of the local restaurants for a slice of pizza, cappuccino or ice cream sundae.

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Lefkada, Greece / Fod Tzellos

Getting Away From It All

Going away to a villa has many benefits. Firstly, if you are taking a lot of people with you in your holiday party, you can generally get much better value for money. The cost of rooming a group of 8, consisting of 4 couples, into a hotel or apartments would be high in comparison to the cost of a villa, where you simply pay for the accommodation. There is also the added luxury of having your own space, no idiots larking around in the swimming pool and getting in the way while trying to relax, and importantly, no shortage of sunbeds because everyone put their towels on them when they got in from clubbing at 3am!

So where are the best destinations in Europe for luxury villas?

Lefkada, Greece

Sitting just off the Greek mainland on the western side, Lefkada has in recent years grown as a popular holiday destination, both the whole island and the town at the northern tip of the island. There are several idyllic locations all along the Lefkada coast, with some of the best views coming from the smaller island to the south east of Lefkada itself, where great destinations can be found in Meganisi and Vathy. Regular ferry services run from Lefkada itself to the smaller island, making it an ideal location to escape both your regular life and the tourists.

Kefalonia, Greece

Just to the south of Lefkada is the island of Kefalonia. For tourists looking to head towards Greece, this is another great destination with high quality, luxury villas situated all along this islands beautiful coastline.

Both Lefkada and Kefalonia have high quality golf courses, so should that be a hobby of yours it’s easy to fit in a few rounds in the warm sunshine, a far cry from the wind and rainswept courses in the UK! In addition to this, both of these idyllic islands can be discovered with two or three days of car hire, giving you the opportunity to spend some time away from your luxury villa and explore the historical surroundings.

Touristorama helps you plan your next vacation in Greece or the Greek Islands. Lefkada, Greece is said to be the ideal location to escape both your regular life and the tourists.

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Photo by admin

One of the most popular places to go camping in the EU is France. The whole country is set up to welcome campers, whether they are in cars and caravans, campervans or simply with a tent in the boot of the car or attached to their backpack.

Pretty every much commune will have a campsite somewhere and these will often be a ‘camping municipal’ meaning that they are owned and maintained by the local commune (or council). Although this kind of campsite doesn’t have a big swimming pool and entertainment programme, they are always scrupulously clean and well maintained. It is such a vast contrast to many campsites in the UK.

The commercial campsites in France also make a great choice – especially if you have children who are confident enough to go and join in with the entertainment provided. Once you set up your site and introduce the children to the ‘animateurs’ who run the entertainment programmes, you might not see them except for mealtimes and bedtime!

Where to go
Camping near to the Dune du Pyla is a great place to spend a summer week. You have easy access to the beach, and most of the campsites are set in the shady pine forests that are just behind the beaches and dunes. This way you have the best of both worlds – beautiful sunny beaches, yet a shaded place to camp, so that at the end of the day you don’t have to go into a baking hot tent or mobile home.

If you’re a single traveller or a couple, then the most economic option is to take the car and throw your sleeping bags and tent in the boot, so that you can go where you want, but only need to pay the site fees for a tent rather than a caravan or the cost of hiring one of the fixed mobile homes that campsites hire out. Of course, the other option is to hire one of the fixed tents that the campsites also have on offer – far superior to anything that will fit in the back of a car! It really depends on how long you want to stay in one particular place or whether you prefer a holiday on the road.

About the author of this article:
Steve is a camping enthusiast who enjoys taking off for the weekend with his mates and their fully loaded rucksacks.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Carlo Columba

Visitors of Scillato can admire the typical Sicilian Baglio house from the 19th century. Its owner is old aristocratic Sicilian family since its inception. It is surrounded by extensive parks full of rare trees and centuries-old trees. This house is nowadays used as a hostel for tourists and there is even a swimming pool with cloak-room. The house stands on the edge of a protected natural park, the Parco delle Madonie and is situated near a large golf course.

Do not look for the sea in Scillato (in fact, not all of the places in Sicily offers swimming in the sea), but if you have a car, you can go to the beach town of Cefalu, which is located approximately 40 km away. Cefalu preserved its picturesque and medieval atmosphere. Above the town rises interesting reef La Rocca resembling a fortress, which was once overlooked by the temple of Diana. Cefalu’s dominant is the cathedral of 1131, which was originally a royal tomb, and the main temple of the kingdom of Sicily. The coast is lined with some beautiful sandy beaches.

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Aquapark Sopot has 25 meters long and 12.5 meters wide swimming pool. There is also a leisure pool with a water geyser in the middle of it, massage sofas, an artificial river and a cave with a waterfall. For the youngest children there is prepared a mini pool with a depth of 30-60 cm. You can enjoy a lot of fun in the form of water cannons, slides and animals. The water temperature reaches pleasant 31-34 °C.

Aquapark Sopot offers also an outdoor pool for seasonal recreational use, with a maximum depth of 130 cm. It is coloured and adapted for interactive games. For lovers of adrenaline and excitement there are 2 water slides, one with a length of 110 meters with many curves and a second, very fast, with a length of 70 meters. If you have never swim in the natural mountain streams you should try Wild River which is flowing at about 600 liters per second.

Aquapark offers also whirlpools with bubble massage with a water temperature of 34 °C. It is great for complete relaxation and cleaning the body. You can find here bars, steam, dry and Finnish saunas, a bowling hall, cosmetics and massage.

Aquapark Sopot is open daily from Monday to Sunday from 8.00 to 22.00 hours.

Admission to the complex Aquapark Sopot ranges from 20 zł /1 hour or 50 zł /whole day, children under 3 are admitted free. You can use a family and a student discount or discount for people with disabilities and visitors over 65 years.

For further details visit official website of Aquapark Sopot.

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The first mention of the original village dates back to the 12th century. Most of the monuments in this city, as well as throughout Luxembourg, were bombed during the war.

The village is now a popular summer resort with a swimming pool, camping and a youth hostel. You can follow any of the numerous trails which lead you through the forests of the Mullerthal valley.

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