Great Honeymoon Destinations In Europe
What is the most important ingredient for an unforgettable romantic vacation? Out-of-the-way accommodations? Excellent food? Spectacular scenery? Fun couple activities? If you answered yes to one or all of these, then you might want to consider heading to Europe for European romantic getaways. After all, Europe is home to some of the most romantic places in the world.
Strolling through Prague
Going for a quiet stroll is one of the most romantic activities and one best enjoyed under the dim light of the stars and the old-fashioned street lamps in the winding cobblestone streets of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. Enjoy the scenic views while walking hand in hand on uncrowded lanes where horse-drawn carriages pass by at their own leisurely pace. You can always hail one if you get tired so you can snuggle up the rest of the way to your hotel or rent a rowboat on the Vltava river to add even more magic to your evening.
There are other cities in Europe that are perfect for a romantic evening stroll, including Bruges in Belgium and Tallinn in Estonia. It goes without saying that the cities of Paris and Rome are worth considering as destinations for European romantic getaways, too.
Most Romantic Hotel – The Hotel de la Cite
There are many romantic hotels in Europe but if you really want to be treated like royalty or get a fairy tale experience, staying at the Hotel de la Cite is a fantastic idea. Located in Carcassonne, France, the Hotel de la Cite is actually a well-preserved castle located in a medieval citadel, which means you’ll get to enjoy spectacular views while going up and down spiral staircases and strolling through formal gardens. The individually furnished hotel rooms and suites are equipped with the latest amenities, though, including Wi-Fi access, satellite TV, a video recorder and even a laptop computer available upon request.
Dining at Le Manoir
Just as the best dates consist of a romantic dinner for two, there is no doubt that the excellent cuisine of Europe contributes to memorable European romantic getaways. One of the places where you can sample this is at the Le Manoir in the village of Oxfordshire, a two Michelin-starred restaurant which offers meticulously prepared dishes spiced with fresh herbs grown in its own two-acre backyard and excellent wines coupled with a charming ambience of relaxing countryside views and candlelight. Reserving a table weeks in advance is recommended.
Lounging on the Sands of Papa Cove
Europe also has many wonderful beaches and coves for those who love soaking up the sun and the sand, such as the Papa Cove on the eastern shore of the Ios island in Greece. This cove offers warm golden sands, calm crystal waters that are perfect for swimming and most importantly, walls of rock that provide a sanctuary for lovers, shielding them from the noise and the crowds of nearby beaches.
Skiing at St. Moritz
Ski resorts can also be great destinations for European romantic getaways, particularly the St. Moritz ski resort in Switzerland. Aside from being one of the best ski resorts in the world for its great slopes, St. Moritz also offers plenty of restaurants, shops and hotels – all with panoramic views of the unparalleled Engadine countryside.
All these and more make Europe an outstanding destination for romantic getaways. Indeed, whether you’re visiting in the summer or in winter, or no matter where in Europe you plan to spend most of your vacation, you’re sure to enjoy your European romantic getaways with your loved one.
Isabella Olsen is a travel writer who has toured major destinations worldwide, including many European countries by car. To book a car rental Belgium, or learn more about car hire worldwide, visit www.zencarhire.com
Categories: Travel Tags: Europe, holiday, holiday guide, Travel, travel guide, vacation, vacation travel
Take Advantage of Those Cheap Flights
For quite a few years now a number of the airlines labelled “low-cost airlines in Europe have been taking part in a price war attempting to offer the lowest air fares to a huge number of European cities. It’s quite normal to hear that one of the leading low cost carriers for example Ryanair or Easyjet is offering return flights from Britain to Spain, France or Germany for £1 (approx $1.45). There are taxes and airport landing fees to be added to that, but it’s still an absolute bargain if you’re looking to visit a variety of cities throughout Europe. The downside of these cheap flights is that they frequently fly to the smaller municipal airports instead of the more well known majorinternational ones. This sometimes means that a flight that is advertised to a big European city actually lands up to 50 miles away. In fact there are a number of plus-points with this situation, the municipal airports will always provide a much slicker turnround on check-in and luggage since they are servicing a lot less flights. The disadvantage is that public transport serving these airfields can be patchy at best and an extremely popular alternative is hiring a car from the airport. Here are a variety of the great cities that we have visited whilst making use of cheap floghts from the low cost airlines. We’re sure that you’d enjoy visiting any of these great, you can rest assured that they have a lot to offer to visitors to their country.
Glasgow, Scotland
Glasgow, once known for its hard, unforgiving living conditions has seen a Renaissance and is now a fascinating, architecturally divine city supporting a vast number of visitors throughout the year. The trendy West side of the city is the home of the fourth oldest university in the United Kingdom. Perched on a hill amidst the Medieval region of the city, its students bring a cosmopolitan, fun loving atmosphere to the city. The budget carriers utilise Prestwick Airport which is approximately 35 miles (51 km) to the north east of the centre of Glasgow and there is an excellent road between the airport and the city centre. It’s a popular area for sightseeing, so it is advisable to hire a car at Glasgow Airport before setting out on your trip. An uncrowded 30 minute drive from Prestwick along the M77 motorway takes you to the centre of the city. Glasgow is a perfect starting point for a journey to the Trossachs National Park. Just 13 mile (20 km) drive out of the city and you might discover sensational countryside seated upon a pony, whilst a 30 mile (50 km) drive east along another excellent motorway will find you in Edinburgh together with its ever popular festivals, Princes Street shopping, the historic Castle and Holyrood Palace.
Florence, Italy
Without doubt one of Europe’s most impressively beautiful cities, Florence is served by the airport at Pisa, which is 50 miles (84 km) west of the city. Rent a car at Pisa airport and you will be perfectly positioned to take in the leaning tower at Pisa, the wonders of historic Florence and some of some of the most picturesque countryside in the whole of Europe, that of the disturbingly beautiful Tuscany. Thus it is hardly surprising that Florence is high in the popularity stakes when looking at European cities. Once you arrive at the city of Florence you will find that a large proportion of the city centre is pedestrianized protecting the many ancient statues and architectural treasures from the pollution and vibrations caused by heavy traffic. The complete lack of traffic overwhelms you with a feeling of peace and quiet as you meander from one fragment of history to the next. You don’t have to stray too far before experiencing the evil, ear splitting roar from Florence’s legion of scooter riders. Apart from the Ponte Vecchio the remainder of the bridges leading to centre of the city are noisy, polluted places, thus giving us a further incentive to stay within the ancient alleyways and tranquil inner sanctums of Florence’s wonderful piazzas.
Tours, France
Tours, the centre of the famed Loire Valley chateaux but without a single chateau to its name! The perfect centre for discovering the Loire Valley renowned for its amazing selection of palatial residences, the city has quite a number of its own charms. Although the small airport is only a few miles from town, you really need to hire a car at Tours airport in order to explore a selection of the most picturesque towns and villages to be found anywhere in France. Along the banks of the River Loire between Chalonnes and Sully-sur-Loire, a host of cultural treasures are presented for the tourist to feast their eyes on. A UNESCO site, the Loire Valley offers beautiful countryside, heaps of flamboyant castles plus a good scattering of historic villages. During the middle ages the Loire Valley was known as the “Retreat of Kings and was a big favourite of French royalty. Built originally as working fortified castles, the buildings were converted into the palatial chaeaux that you will find today. Tourists from all over the world are drawn to the historic towns that are situated along the banks of the Loire. Towns such as Blois, Chinon and Tours have lots to see and do whilst the most popular of all the chateaux is maybe that on the estate of Chambord. Throughout the area you will find small, family owned vineyards selling a variety of great wines at very low prices. Keep your eyes skinned for the word “degustation”, which means sampling I guess, and provided that ‘Le Patron’ is not enjoying a long leisurely lunch you will be offered a warm welcome and he will be more than willing to lead you through a tasting of all his wines. Of course, it is vital that you take a tee-totaller as your chauffer, some of these tasting sessions can become extremely alcoholic!.
Categories: Travel Tags: car hire, car rental, cheap flights, cities, Europe, European travel, Florence, France, Glasgow, Italy, Scotland, Tours
Picking Out a Nice European Resort
Taking a look at European resorts for a vacation stay is making more sense than ever, these days. And doing some research on all the truly fine examples of resort living available today can be a diverting and even pleasing activity. After all, who doesn’t want to head to the “Continent,” as Europe used to be called?
Nowadays, the idea of what Europe is can be quite different than what it was even just 10 years ago. With more countries emerging from under the old Soviet Union, which once dominated Eastern Europe, the opportunities for tourism are greater than ever, as is the availability of quality European vacation resorts.
Everywhere you look in Europe these days, there’s a quality vacation resort in evidence. The choice, for the most part, is only limited by the kind of climate preferred and the culture most desired to be examined and appreciated. There’s the sunny southern Mediterranean and the fetching and wild Scottish coastline, to name just two possibilities.
For example, the very famous and historic spa resorts of Germany tend to tempt the traveler looking for a something truly historic, like a resort built on the foundations of an old Roman-era spa, or something a little more modern such as the newer ones opened over the last dozen or so years in the far reaches of old East Germany. There are several outstanding examples of the type in the regions around Berlin.
Picking out nice European resorts can be a pleasing thing in getting ready for that special vacation or stay on the Continent or the United Kingdom. From Greece and Turkey over to the northwestern coastlines of Scotland, the choice is only limited by the time available for a resort stay, and what sort of climate is desired. So, take the time to do a little study and then prepare to be pleased with the selection.
If you’re up for it, try to squeeze in some European tours. There are plenty to choose from, including bus and train tours. See as much of the European continent while you can!