People usually link travel and vacations with summertime. Winter travel is usually reserved for those who go to the tropics during the cold months. But did you know that winter travel can be as fun and refreshing as spending a week in a Mexican resort? Well, yes, there is always the possibility of getting a cheap hostel in Sydney (because their summer happens during the North American winter), but there is also fun to be had in cold places too!

Québec Winter Carnival, Québec City

This winter carnival is the most famous in North America. Beyond being one of the most historically fascinating cities in North America, Québec has a traditional winter carnival with a ton of fun winter activities. There are snow and ice sculpture competitions, a race across the St-Lawrence river in traditional canoes, and a fun street parade where the Queen of the Carnival appears with the mascot, the Bonhomme Carnaval. You will want to stop by the Ice Hotel, the only one in North America and rebuilt every year out of pure ice and snow. You can also take advantage of the great skiing and snowboarding around the Québec region.

Pacific Northwest

It might always rain in Seattle, but it has among the nicest winter temperature in the northern part of the United States. It rarely gets below freezing, and the locals know how to handle the constant rain and drizzle. There are a ton of museums to visit, from the Experience Music Project to the Sci-Fi Museum. And nothing really compares to sitting down with your friends with a hot cup of coffee in Pike Place Market on a foggy morning. Winter in Seattle is perfect to absorb the unique, indie vibe of this underestimated city.

The Alps

If you’re a ski afficionado, you know that winter rhymes with skiing in the Swiss or French Alps. Of course, these resorts might be expensive, but saving up for them is well worth the while. And there are a ton of youth hostels throughout Europe to help you with housing costs. In any case, a ski trip in Europe is always a good thing to do during the winter. And given how small it is, if you get tired of the snow, you can drive for only a few hours and be on the beach in the Mediterranean. Talk about the best of both worlds!

These are all suggestions for people who don’t mind a little cold in their life. Of course, you are always free to go to the tropics or the southern hemisphere; Sydney hostels are always a welcoming place to stay if you decide to go down under. But for those who like to cozy up near a fireplace or go to the after-ski parties, then staying north of the Equator can definitely be fun.

With the summer cruise season in full throttle mode, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about one of my favorite cruise destinations – the Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean Sea divides Africa and Europe and is the largest sea in the world (based on coverage area). It also boasts great summer weather with lots of sunshine and cool breezes. But most importantly, it is host to many famous sea ports and cities like Venice, Athens, Barcelona, Nice and Alexandria. Additionally, islands like Malta, Sicily, Sardinia, Capri and Santorini, all sway to the tune of the Mediterranean Sea.

The decision to cruise the Mediterranean is simple enough, but its deciding which route and ports to visit that is difficult. So, I have attempted to list my ten favorite ports here, along with what you can expect to do at each of these ports.

Nice, France – I believe most cruise ships call this port Cannes which is known for its popular Film Festival. But the charm of this port is Nice with its pebble beaches and cobblestone streets. In the old town, cars are forbidden abd tourists can outdoor markets, cafe’s and the beautiful sites of the French Riviera. 30 minutes from Nice, a small quaint town called Eze sits perched above the Mediterranean. This is the epitome of what is called Côte d’Azur. The town of Eze, albeit small, is very picturesque and has great pathways that reveal some post card views of the Mediterranean. You can take a bus from Nice to go to Eze and save some money. For the young and the restless, I don’t recommend an excursion here.

Monaco – The second smallest country in the world and ruled by a monarch, Monaco’s most famous icons are Grace Kelly and Casino Royale. Living there is something few of us could ever afford, but it is worth a visit. The Palace in Monaco is still home to the Prince of Monaco but is open to the public. Cafe du Paris, right outside Casino Royale offers great coffee and sundaes and the Casino itself is also worth a peek. The whole country can be walked on foot in about 1 to 2 hours. Take in the Palace and the Casino and you can spend the whole day enjoying Monaco and its elegant beauty.

Monaco

Florence, Italy – Florence is a beautiful city. But its beauty lies not in the sea and the views, but in its historic buildings and cathedrals. The port itself is Livorno, and getting to Florence takes well over an hour. I recommend taking a cab from the port (hint: cab sharing with fellow cruisers is an easy way to save money). Make sure you negotiate both pisa and Florence with your cab driver. During my visit in 2009, our group of 8 people paid 320 euros total for the whole day (including Pisa and Florence).

Go to Pisa first, (20 minutes from Livorno) and climb the Tower. I say this because they don’t let more than 30 people climb the Leaning Tower at a given time. Lines can be long, specially if you go with the crowds. So if you put it off as the last thing you do before heading to the ship, you may not be able to make it.

In Florence, visit the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo), at Piazza del Duomo. Also check out the famous statue of Michelangelo’s David, and stroll to the 14th century Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) over River Arno, with its many shops. Florence is an art lover’s dream and the short amount of time a cruise ship allows you to visit this great city does not do it justice. Given that you have both Pisa and Florence to cover in a day, you definitely want to get an early start and get to Florence as quickly as possible so you can see as much as possible. Oh and if you want to buy a souvenir, a painting on the streets of Florence makes for a great collectible. Just make sure you bargain hard. Usually, you can get something for at least 50% of what the vendors first quote you.

Florence, Italy - The Duomo

Rome, Italy – Rome needs no introduction. It is the capital of the ancient world and the best preserved city from the Roman empire. However, the port for Rome is Civitavecchia (a nightmare for anyone spelling, pronouncing or visiting). It takes two hours just to get to Rome via a taxi so don’t even try the rail or bus. Get a taxi for your group or simply do an excursion. Better yet, if your cruise has Rome as its first or last stop, you can spend a few days here. This is the best way to go. But if you are simply stopping here for a day, you can either do an end to end tour of Vatican City (including St. Peter’s) or simply take in a city tour that will cover the Forum, the Coliseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pantheon and perhaps Piazza Navona. I also recommend the Angels and Demons tours that have sprouted in light of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons.

St. Peters Basilica, Vatican City

Naples, Italy – If you are on a budget, consider public transportation to get around Naples. While most consider Naples, loud, dirty and rough, I think it is one of the best stops on a cruise. There are four major attractions in Naples, each warranting attention. Pompei is an obvious choice for its rich history. Then there is Mount Vesuvius, which destroyed most of ancient Pompei. Isle of Capri is another option with its glamorous views of the ocean. Finally, there is the huge National Archeology Museum with the largest collection of artifacts from the Roman empire anywhere. Needless to say, Naples is quite a destination. If your cruise itinerary involves any of the Greek Islands, you might want to consider skipping Capri.

Pompei near Naples, Italy

In any case, I recommend picking one option from the above rather than trying to do too much. I say this because Naples has a great shopping scene, as well as the fact that it was the birthplace of Pizza (Neapolitan pizza). So, save a couple of hours for shopping and pizza before departing.

Venice, Italy – Paris, while beautiful and romantic, is often over hyped. Pound for pound, I believe Venice is the more romantic of the two. St Mark’s square (Piazza San Marcos) is where all the action is. Grand buildings lines the square with St. Mark’s Basilica on one end, neighbored by Doge’s Palace. Both these structures are worth seeing. Rialto Bridge, which is a 10 minute walk from St. Mark’s square is famous for its shopping and dining. If you can get just transportation from port to San Marcos, you can figure out how to navigate this port. It is very easy to get around on foot. I am sure you can also just take a water shuttle tour to take you to various stops (like a Hop-on, Hop-off).

Piazza San Marcos, Venice

Since Venice is a connection of small islands, they don’t have cars. You take the Vaporatto (their version of a public bus system) or a water taxi (the more expensive option) to move around. Venetian architecture is quite distinct from Roman.

Venice is also known for Murano glass, which comes from the island of Murano in Venice. If this is something you fancy, you might want to consider touring Murano. During my stay there, we were offered to do the tour for free.

One thing everyone likes to do in Venice is the gondola ride. While these are expensive, you can negotiate with the gondola operators if business is slow. It is certainly worth the price to do this at least once.

Santorini, Greece – I have never seen anything more beautiful than Santorini. Every picture you take her is post card material. Every corner yields a dreamy landscape. The white-washed stone buildings with shiny blue tops, white churches with blue domes, the narrow stone streets of Oia and the black sand beach, all add to the allure of Santorini. Make sure you either do the Donkey ride up the stairs or climb the stairs if you can withstand the physical exertion. It is quite an experience and the views along the way are breathtaking. Food in Santorini is divine and for dessert, try the yogurt with honey and nuts. It is the perfect summer dessert.

Santorini, Greece

Athens, Greece – Much like Rome, Athens needs no introduction. The oldest of civilizations and architectural wonders are here. Acropolis sits with the grand Parthenon, overlooking the city, giving it a God-like appearance. Athens, much like Rome, is a busy and bustling city. The language is Greek (pun intended) and the city is rather dirty and loud. But if you are a history buff, you must visit Athens. There are plenty of other sites here other than Acropolis, but that alone will take most of the day. If you have time to spare, check out the new museum at the base of the Acropolis and enjoy charcoaled corn with lemon from a street vendor.

Acropolis, Athens

Corfu, Greece – Corfu is the second largest of the Ionian islands. It looks very different from most Greek towns, because of Corfu’s unique history. For almost four centuries, from the 1300′s to the 1700′s, Corfu was ruled by the Venetian nobility. In the 1800′s, it was first part of the French colony and then the British. This diverse history has left its architectural mark on Corfu. Some buildings look distinctly Venetian, yet some others look French.

Corfu, Greece

There is plenty to do in Corfu. From walking around, shopping and hiking to the top of the Island and enjoying the views from the old fort to renting a jeep or motorbikes and exploring the island and its sandy beaches, Corfu has a lot to offer. For lunch, the place to eat is Spilia. Owners Andreas and his wife are friendly and warm and prepare a great meal. Try either the Sofrito or the Pastitsado, along with the local drink called Retsina.

Barcelona, Spain – Barcelona is another port that might be best served as a destination. There are far too many places to visit here than a docked cruise ships allows for.

Barcelona is a walkable city, particularly places such as Barrio Gothic. There’s an excellent tube and public transportation system. Large cruise ships dock at a location accessible to Las Ramblas, one of the most popular streets in Barcelona. Take the cruise ship’s shuttle to Las Ramblas. From there, you can catch public transportation to one or two of many attractions including La Sagrada Familia, an unfinished but gorgeous structure and fantastic view from the top, the Gothic Quarter with its boutique galleries, narrow streets and 13th century architecture and the monastery of Montserrat.

No matter what stops you have on your Mediterranean Cruise, one thing is for sure. It will be one heck of a cruise and if you are thinking about cruising the Mediterranean, stop thinking and just do it. Find special deals on Mediterranean Cruises on CruiseDirect.

If you liked this post, and do end up booking a cruise, I’d appreciate you doing it through this link. It helps support my costs for this site.

Venice (also known as Venezzia) is one of those cities that seem out of this world. The city is built on and around water and the only real means of transport is via water ways and canals. I bet more people here own boats than cars. In fact, apart from taxis, cars are a rare sight in Venice. The public bus is called the Vaporetto and takes people heading to work or tourists to major stops all over this island city. Then there are water taxi’s, a la limo service on water. These are private, more expensive mode of transport.

Some may argue that Venice is the most romantic city, even more so than Paris. I have to say, I agree. The people are friendly and life in Venice just seems to be in a daze.

The Rialto bridge marks the center of the city. It is also one of the historical landmarks of Vencie. If you are staying in Venice, it is a good idea to find something close to the Rialto Bridge. Local restaurants, the meat and produce market and shopping – all happens within a few minutes of each other, on and around Rialto.

Gondola rides may be cliche now, but worth every bit. In harsh times like today when tourism is declining due to the falling dollar and economic recession, gondoleers are willing to bargain down their prices from 100 euros to 60 euros to get patrons. If you’ve taken a gondola ride at the Venetian in Las Vegas, make no mistake; the real thing is completely different and out of this world. Gondoleers are friendly, smiling guys. looking to please. I still remember vividly, the melodic “Oye Oye” they call out before rounding a corner, to warn oncoming fellow gondoleers.

Old buildings, water ways, bridges, small streets and the smell of pizza and cheese add to Venice’s unique ambience. Dining by the water, while expensive, and compromising of food, is still a wonderful experience.

San Marcos square or Piazza San Marcos is a huge square which is famous for the San Marcos Basilica, Doges Palace, and pigeons. The basilica, with its golden dome interiors, frescos and the four bronze horse statues and view of the Piazza from the terrace is a rare one of its kind. Doge’s Palace, with its sprawling grounds, hundreds of large rooms with art for every taste, is typically Italian and memorable. While there, make sure you see the underground prisons and the Bridge of Sigh’s, named after the sighs that prisoners would let out as they saw their last view of the city before being marched to year’s of underground captivity.

Shopping in Venice is expensive and should be avoided. If that is your cup of tea, consider a day in Naples, where shopping is amazingly cheap. However, two things that you should definitely buy here are a mask, and something made from Murano glass. Venice is the authentic place to buy both these things.

For me, two days in Venice is the right amount of time, and the best way to enjoy Venice is to discover it by foot. The city is the most unique I have ever experienced and gives Paris a run for its money in terms of romance.

For a small island Lanzarote is big on visitor attractions.  Boasting one of the most popular national parks in Spain.  Along with lots of picturesque whitewashed villages, a host of natural wonders and the breathtaking man made attractions of a local artist called Cesar Manrique.

Lanzarote Island Map

The island measures just 38km by 58km – making it easy to circumnavigate and tour.  Whilst both petrol and car hire in Lanzarote are very affordable – with the latter starting from as little as €13 per day.

Natural Wonders
The raw and majestic scenery of the Timanafaya National Park is undoubtedly Lanzarote´s best known and most popular attraction.  Home to mile after mile of lava fields and hundreds of multi hued volcanoes – all now fortunately dormant.  This wasn´t the case when they erupted in the 1730´s though – causing massive devastation.  But today over 900,000 tourists a year flock to enjoy the other worldly vistas at Timanfaya.

The volcanic El Golfo

Elsewhere other volcanic marvels include the green lagoon at El Golfo.  Where a land locked lake located on black sand beach has been turned emerald green by the interaction between sea water and algae.  A striking sight which has been used by the makers of many movies – most recently Pedro Almodovar -who features this scene in his latest release Broken Embraces.

Village Vistas
The white washed village of Haria in the north of Lanzarote is located within the folds of the Valley of 1000 Palms.  An area as lush and verdant as the south of the island is barren and volcanic.

Haria Village in Lanzarote

This is all the result of a politically incorrect policy dating back centuries.  With villagers planting a new palm tree for every new born girl and two for a boy.  Either way the effect is striking – as the entire valley resembles an African oasis.

The former island capital of Teguise also figures highly on most visitor itineraries.  This is the oldest settlement in the Canary Islands – dating back to the early 1400´s.  And is home to some fine examples of Spanish colonial architecture.  Such as the Palacio Spinola – the former home of a wealthy merchant and now a popular house museum.

Magic of Manrique
Locally born artist Cesar Manrique worked with Lanzarote´s volcanic scenery to build highly imaginative and extremely unusual visitor attractions that were all designed as an alterative to mundane and ecologically unsound water parks and golf courses.  A factor of great importance on an island with so little rainfall.

Amongst Manrique´s best known creations are the Mirador del Rio – an incredible lookout point perched 460 metres up on the Famara massif range of cliffs.  Which grants birds eye views across to the small neighbouring island of La Graciosa.  And the Jardin de Cactus – where Manrique assembled over 1000 types of cactus to create his own personal homage to the plant world’s spiniest species.

This post submitted by Nick Ball

Rome is one of the most memorable cities you will ever visit. Even though most consider Paris to be the most romantic city in the world, I would argue that perhaps that distinction should belong to Rome.

If you are planning to visit Rome, I recommend finding accomodation in a very specific area. First, most of what Rome has to offer to tourists, lies within a 3 mile radius so if you are farther out, you will find yourself cabbing back and forth at least twice a day to and from your hotel. Second, with all the gelatos, the pasta and bread you will be consuming during your stay, staying close to the action means you will be walking to all the sites, hence burning off your intake to allow for more intake later.

On my very first visit to Rome, I stayed at the Eurostars International Palace on Via Nazionale. This proved to be an ideal location and I would recommend it to first time visitors to Rome. If you have been to Rome at least once before, then I think bed and breakfasts might be a better option on your following visits. While B&B’s are cheaper and include breakfast, they also often lack the service and hospitality of some of the larger hotels. The hosts often don’t speak english so that might be an issue.

One of the things I noticed during that stay was that it was amazing how much you can discover when on foot. For example, we walked four blocks west from our hotel and ran into the Vittoriano monument. Most people don’t even have this place on their radar, but it is an amazing looking building. A few blocks south of here are the ruins of ancient rome – the Forum and the Colliseum, while a few blocks north of here lie the most of the other places on your checklist. Indeed, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Campo dei Fiori and even the bridge to cross over to Vatican city, all lie within a few minutes walk of each other. While it might be worth while to get to the Vatican via a cab ride (since its the farthest), all the other sites are best covered on foot. Along the way, there are many popular cafes, gelatarias, restaurants and historic sites to discover. All you need is a map and the right attitude.

Planning a trip to Rome? Check out Vayama.com for cheap international airfares.

Stay tuned for my List of Things to Do in Rome!

First-time travelers to Europe might be in for a culture shock. Different languages from one country to another, mode of public transportation and the way of life is much different in Europe than it is in the US even though Europe is, for the most part, far removed from the cliche “Third World” often used to describe poorer economies in Asia, Africa and South America.

But despite the cultural and socio-economic differences between the US and Europe, most people would agree that visiting Europe is one of the most magical experiences a person can have. No where else has history been preserved as it has been in Europe. So here are some things you should know before you let Europe intimidate you.

Start in London. No matter what country you call home, when visiting Europe, starting in London works well despite it being one of the more expensive places in the world. The most obvious reason is language. Being in London helps you acclimate to Europe, get over your jet lag and allow you to explore some of the most historic landmarks in the continent without having to worry about language barriers. You can also get around London via the Tube, which is even easier to use than the subway system in New York.

After London, you can pretty much go anywhere. The more tourist friendly cities are places like Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Rome, Barcelona, Venice and Florence. As you head deeper into Eastern Europe, places like Romania, Hungary and Poland, the use of English tends to diminish quickly and you really have to seek out tourist friendly hotels, which are a little more expensive, but will have English speaking staff. One of the advantages of eastern Europe is that it is much cheaper than the west. In fact, a cup of coffee can vary from an average of $5 in Paris to $1 in Bucharest. So even though East Europe is not as accessible or travel friendly, it is much cheaper than commercialized states like France, Spain and Italy.

One more thing to keep in mind is public transportation. Both Italy and France have wonderful and relatively easy-to-navigate train and underground rail systems. But eastern European countries may not offer the same level of reliability. But this is ok since cab fare will be relatively cheaper for the same distance in Prague than it will be in Madrid.

If you are planning a trip to Europe, don’t forget to get a Eurail Saver Pass

Portugal is perhaps the only country in western Europe that is unspoiled by commercial tourism, that has not been overrun by shopping malls for tourists, that does not double your dinner check just because you ordered coffee and that does not have tourists flocking its hotels and beaches.

So I almost feel guilty writing about Portugal, that I am contributing in some way to letting a secret out. That Portugal is a country with a vast culture, colorful history and divine food. That their monuments rival the best monuments in all Europe. That the beaches are calm and pristine and that Portugal is one of the best places to visit in Europe.

It would be extremely difficult to come up with a list of Top 10 things to do in Portugal. I can tell you that simply one visit is not enough to experience it to the fullest. Lisbon, Porto, Algarve, Figueira da Foz, Fátima, Coimbra – the list of places to see goes on.

If you are planning a trip there, please make sure you give yourself enough time to enjoy all of what Portugal has to offer, including the food. Portugal is known for its culinary delights, from their simple breakfast of toast and cheese, to the fresh seafood and fine dessert wines.

Book your cheap flights to Portugal here.

Happy traveling!

One of the easiest and quickest way to travel from London to Paris is via train. You can forego the hassles of airport, checking in, being seated next to a some unruly individual and suffering the haughty attitude of the Air France or BA crew. Instead, you can be seated in roomy seats of your choice, carry as much luggage as you want, stretch your legs during a brief trip to the on-board cafe, watch the french countryside zip passed you and watch a movie on your laptop without having to stow it away during take-off or landing.

Take Eurostar from London to Paris and indeed, in less than 2 hours, you can whisk yourself from hustle and bustle of London to the romance of Paris.

Only one word of advice. These tickets book early, so to get the best price, plan this magnificent train ride ahead of time.

Happy Riding!

Last year, I made my annual pilgrimage to Europe, and Rome was one of the cities on my agenda. On the trip with me, I had a book called Angels & Demons by Dan Brown, apparently a book written before the more famed The Da Vinci Code by the same author.

Little did I know that this book would be so deeply rooted in Rome. As I read on, I realized that the story unfolded amidst the same streets and piazzas that I had visited the day before or planning to visit. Be it St. Peter’s, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, the Pantheon and even the famous Tazza d’Oro Casa del Caffe – all were sites I would enjoy during the day, and read about at night. It was surreal.

With the release of the movie Angels and Demons, I relived some of those memories recently. Rome is an exceptional city and arguably even more romantic than Paris. With cobble-stone streets and narrow walk-ways giving way to a large piazza, fountains and statues erected every few blocks, Rome is truly ancient Europe at its best and most historical.

If you haven’t already, I recommend reading Angels and Demons. It is a good way to get some additional details on the different monuments and churches in Rome that some travel guides may have left out.

Happy Roaming!