The word that matches perfectly when describing the city of Venice is “unique”. Positioned in northern Italy, the city is a key tourist destination famous for the fact that it is the only car-free city in the entire world and is thus very pleasant to be explored on foot and with a boat or gondola. Often Venice is named “the city of bridges”, “the city of canals” and the “city of masks” and even “queen of Adriatic”, but whatever the expression, this is definitely the most beautiful settlement ever constructed by people and still one of the most romantic holiday destinations on earth. Venice is positioned on total of 117 small islands set in a lagoon and used to be an important trade center, art zone and maritime power during the Middle Ages and after that during the Renaissance.

Nowadays, Venice remains an intriguing destination for vacationers, romantics and honeymooners alike. It is separated into six main districts including San Marco, Santa Groce, Castello and Dorsoduro, San Polo and Cannaregio, each of which features unique and  interesting sites. In addition, there are two main districts Giudecca and Lido di Venezia, as well as several islands like Murano and Burano, Torcello, etc. The city of Venice is a fantastic place to stay at as it features appealing serviced apartments often meters away from the major sites.

Among the major sites that deserve the attention are to be mentioned the main square San Marco with the marvelous basilica bearing the same name with the four horses above the main entrance. Next to it is set the bell tower; where from its top visitors could enjoy delightful panoramic view over Venice and the lagoon. Close to these are set the Correr Museum with its collection of globes and the Doge’s Palace with the Bridge of Sighs. Other places to visit include the Theatre La Fenice, the Peggy Guggenheim Museum.

Accommodations in Venice are ample, but look for furnished and equipped vacation apartments to make your stay reasonable and memorable.

The best advice I can give when heading to Venice is that you allow yourself to be charmed – try to find your way without a map, go on an evening trip with gondola, ride the Vaporetti boats and of course, try the local food and wines.

Bali is one of the few places on Earth where you can see a lot and do a lot without using up your holiday traveling forever to get there. The Top Ten are a good indication of how well laid out Bali is for tourists.

Kuta

Kuta is is the famous surfing area, and around Kuta’s fabulous beach is a host of different things to see and do. If you’re new to Bali, this is a good place to see a lot of the best of Bali in one place, and acclimatize. For a quick wind down when you’re just off the plane, there’s nothing like it.

Ubud

Ubud is a region of Bali situated in the mountains to the north of Denpasar. This is a truly beautiful, ancient place, with Sumatran elephants, and traditional villages. It’s a whole new world, and one of the best chances to see the unspoiled old culture. It’s also the home of the Balinese royal family. Not to be missed.

Bali Barat National Park

Did you know Bali has its own leopards? How about the barking deer? This is yet another of Bali’s unique features, the wildlife which Bali has been protecting in the face of the last century of development.

Kintamani

Kintamani was once Bali’s biggest city. It’s now a smallish town in the north, right next to a lake with created by a volcanic crater. With typical Balinese understatement, the town has a mountain range and jungle around it, like a lost world. It also has beaches, and hot springs.

Denpasar

Denpasar is the best area for Bali accommodation and a good place to check out the shopping, find the good souvenirs, and do some pricing. You may find yourself sending a few shipping containers home, but the actual merchandise is pretty good, particularly the Balinese craftwork.

Amlapura

North east of Denpasar is Amlapura. This is a mix of the very modern, the not so modern, and the ancient. Amlapura includes the fabulous Water Palace, with a lot of Hindu images, and beautiful gardens. For the culture tourists, a must-see.

Mount Agung

Mount Agung is a holy site. It’s also the biggest mountain on Bali, and you can get a trekking tour. When you get to the top, you’re above the clouds. This is one of Bali’s gems, and if you’re fit, you’ll love it.

The Bali offshore islands

Bali’s satellite islands are like Bali; mysterious, fun, and there’s a lot to do. The Balinese islands are also famous scuba diving and windsurfing places. These are worth a whole day, so plan ahead and enjoy.

Singaraja

If you want beaches, waterfalls, hot springs and a place that doesn’t get too much attention on the tourist maps, Singaraja on the north coast is definitely it. This used to be the old colonial capital of Bali, and it’s a dream.

Negara

In the west is the real wild Bali, much less highly developed. This is a really fascinating place, with tours. It includes a 2400 metre mountain, a volcano, wildlife, and some really nice beaches.

The honeymoon is the perfect time for a new couple to relax and enjoy each other’s company, especially after months spent planning the wedding. There is no longer any planning to worry about and you can use this vacation as way to unwind from stress of planning the wedding celebration. Honeymoons are usually spent in a secluded destination at a private resort. If you are unfamiliar with any destinations that you are considering, it may be best to speak with a travel agent. There are many excellent travel agencies, which include Liberty Travel, Expedia, and AAA. A honeymoon can be enjoyed almost anywhere, but below are five destinations that I enjoy the most.

Mexico

Cancun is an excellent choice with many beautiful beaches. The town of Cancun also offers activities such as horseback riding, scuba diving and para-sailing. It is a popular honeymoon destination with many resorts to choose from. There are many hotel chains available along with lodging unique to Cancun. Along with the beaches, you can experience Mayan culture by visiting the archaeological sites such as Chichen Itza, Tulum and Coba.

Jamaica

Jamaica is a wonderful honeymoon destination because of its sunsets, white beaches, green mountains, and stunning waterfalls. There are a variety of hotels and resorts available, but some hotels are more for families rather than couples on their honeymoon. The Sandals Dunn’s River Villaggio Golf Resort and Spa or Sandals Montego Bay are two excellent hotel choices that are perfect for a honeymoon. Another excellent hotel is The Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach & Villa Resort, which has over 110 acres of property along with championship golf and scuba diving. You could also choose a classic Jamaican hotel by staying at the Jamaica Inn, which has a 700-foot private beach, and every suite has a view of the ocean.

Maui

Hawaii is an amazing location for couples on their honeymoon. Maui is a large island with many sightseeing opportunities like snorkeling, helicopter tours, and you can even tour a volcano. The Four Seasons Maui Resort is the only 5-Star Resort in Hawaii and it provides couples with an amazing experience. If you want to get even farther away, then check out Hotel Hana Maui and Honua Spa. Another interesting choice is the ka’anapali beach hotel, which stays true to Hawaiian culture.

St. Lucia

St Lucia is located in the Lesser Antilles and it is perfect for couples who want to relax in a secluded location that is not overcrowded with tourists. This island is known for its hiking and cycling trails, gardens, and fishing. St. Lucia is rich is French culture and it is a small, lush island that remains less developed when compared to other Islands in the Caribbean.

Bahamas

If you are interested in diving and snorkeling in clear blue water or relaxing in the sun, the Bahamas may be the destination for you. It is in close proximity to the United States and the flight would not be very long. The two largest resorts are The Reef Atlantis and the Cove Atlantis, but there are also more private resorts like Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort and Offshore Island.

Guest authored by Josh Brown

If you have never been to Santorini, you don’t know what you are missing. This Greek Island of the Cyclades, also known as Thira, is a picture perfect setting for its awe-inspiring beauty, white stone-wall buildings and shiny blue domes. The fishhook shaped Santorini, consists of the main area of Fira in the center, with the popular Oia on the north-western tip of the island.

The only way to get to Santorini is by sea. From the dock, you can either ride the cable cars up to the top of the island, or either ride a donkey or carpool with them. In any case, the views as you ascend to the top are nothing short of breath-taking. The Aegean Sea shimmers a thousand shades of green and blue in the bright sun and the backdrop of the Therasia make every glance toward the sea a memorable one.

Fira, the main part of Santorini, has cafes, restaurants and boutique shops lining the narrow stone streets. Tourists flock to Fira in droves in summer so it is crowded. However, walking along the stone deco streets is a fun way to explore the narrow pathways and to admire the white archways of small buildings. Yes Café, in the heart of Fira, serves great gelato and bottled drinks at reasonable prices.

From Fira, a bus runs north to Oia. The drive is a 20-min episode of oohs and aahs as the bus goes around narrow bends, each bend exposing a new post card image. If you thought your walk up to Fira was beautiful, there are no words to describe the sites in Oia.

Oia is a small town, with chalk white stone wall buildings, blue domes and white stone steps that blend perfectly with the buildings. The architectural focus is on arches, curves and minarettes.

Traditional dining establishments serve excellent baked feta, yogurt with cucumber (Tzaziki), and excellent lamb. For dessert, while Baklava is the more famous of Greek desserts, I recommend yogurt with honey and nuts. Try an establishment called Scala in Oia, which I enjoyed tremendously.

Santorini is also known for its wines, particularly Nykteri and Boutari wines. If you like wine, you may want to consider visiting the wineries in Santorini.

Finally, there is a lot more to do in Santorini than what I have listed here. For instance, Santorini boasts some of the most beautiful beaches anywhere. There is the famous black sand beach called Kamari beach. There is also Akrotiri, which is an excavation site associated with the ancient Minoan civilization.

Without a doubt, Santorini is one of my favorite places in the world. If you ever get a chance to go there, grab it with both hands!

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

1,500 kilometers off the coast of Africa lives an archipelago of 155 islands known as Seychelles. The least populated African country, there is nothing to be found here but crystal clear blue waters, peace, and tranquility. If “quiet, yet exotic location” is at the top of your wishlist for your dream vacation, time in Seychelles could easily fit the bill.

The Seychelles government is very conscience about the land, and all resorts and other destinations must undergo strict environmental audits. Want to ensure that your trip is as sustainable as possible? Seychelles is at the forefront. The islands are home to some of the most unique plant and animal species on the planet, some that only exist within it’s borders. It was once believed that the island of Praslin Vallee de Mai was the original site of the Garden of Eden, and the Coco de mer palm tree that only grows on two of the islands. If exploring one of a kind flora and fauna is appealing to you, you could spend your days doing just that.

You could also spend your entire time on the islands just laying in a hammock or on the white sand beaches reading a book, or you could partake in many of the activities across the different destinations. But it’s not just all outdoor fun either, there are plenty of art galleries and fantastic restaurants in the area. French creole cooking seems to be the favored cuisine, but there are many world flavors to be had such as Chinese, Thai, and Indian. But if you did indeed want to spend your time exploring the beaches and relaxing, there is plenty of that to be had as well. Fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving are popular activities and provide you with glimpses of wildlife you won’t see anywhere else in the world.

With the world’s population quickly escalating and seemingly every corner of the globe becoming over populated, the gorgeous and vastly uninhabited Seychelles could be one of the last places of true relaxation left. If you’re looking for that once in a lifetime experience of truly “getting away from it all”, consider an adventure to Seychelles. You may never have heard of it, but that is a good thing!

Ker & Downey is a luxury travel company servicing not only Seychelles, but other exotic locations around the world. For more information visit http://kerdowney.com/

The Canary Islands have something of a reputation in the UK as a cheap and cheerful holiday destination. But these seven little specks of Spain located off the coast of Africa are not all birds of a feather. As on Lanzarote – the most easterly link in the chain – tourists are able to enjoy an unspoilt island bursting with unique cultural attractions.

Lanzarote was first conquered by the Spanish crown in the early 1400´s – rapidly emerging as in important strategic staging post in the nascent empire. As Spain opened up the New World and galleons traversed the Atlantic with Inca silver.

The island has been welcoming tourists since the 1970´s. But despite Lanzarote´s undoubted popularity as a holiday destination, welcoming over 1.5 million tourists in 2008, the island still remains surprisingly undeveloped. Especially in comparison to larger Canarian cousins such as Gran Canaria and Tenerife.

Hail Cesar

This can largely be attributed to the work and influence of Cesar Manrique – an artist who was born on Lanzarote and went on to head up the Spanish surrealist movement in the 1950´s. Manrique was deeply in love with his birthplace – seeing great beauty in Lanzarote´s eerie volcanic landscapes. And was working in New York just as tourism started to take off.

Fearing that the island could become buried beneath a sea of hotels and golf courses Manrique returned to Lanzarote. And with the help of the island governor and close family friend Pepin Ramirez campaigned for the controlled development of tourism.

As a result there are no high rise buildings or ad hoardings on Lanzarote. The three main tourist resorts are all well contained. And artistic sculptures and wind toys adorn roundabouts and public spaces.

Manrique also created a series of alternative tourist attractions. Eschewing the conventional route of theme parks to construct sites such as the Jameos del Agua. Where he united Lanzarote´s volcanic scenery with his own creativity by converting a collapsed lava tube into a concert venue and underground grotto.

Thanks to Manrique Lanzarote was declared a UNESCO protected biosphere in 1994. The first island in the world to be awarded this status.

Places To Stay

There´s a wide range of good quality accommodation options on the island. Hotels account for around 40% of all tourist beds. But many visitors prefer to book private rental accommodation. With apartments and villas in Lanzarote proving especially popular in recent years.

Getting There

The island is serviced by the one international airport at Arrecife. With flights to Lanzarote available from all major UK airports with prices starting at around £200 return.