Go Travel and See the World

Grandparents can enjoy spending time with grandchildren, siblings can catch up, little cousins can play together – beach holidays with extended family can really make some magical memories of time spent surrounded by those you love.

In order for everyone to have a good time on extended family holidays abroad abroad however, you need to make sure that your choice of destination, resort and hotel is versatile enough to suit all. Majorca is a great choice as, with a flight time of a mere two hours, you can be sure that little ones and grandparents will be comfortable with making the trip.

When it comes to selecting a resort, Palma Nova is a good choice. Quieter than nearby Magaluf, but still lively enough for those who want to take advantage of having babysitters to hand, Palma Nova offers plenty to please the whole family.

Photo by Captain Martini

Older holidaymakers are sure to enjoy a stroll down to Palma Nova marina, or stretching their legs along the seafront promenade.

The ‘Passeig Maritim’ stretches the length of Palma Nova’s three excellent beaches, and makes for a great leisurely stroll, stopping at one of the beachfront cafes for refreshment.

For mum and dad, and aunts and uncles, Palma Nova has a great night scene. Not as raucous as nearby Magaluf, Palma Nova is a great place to enjoy a few hours ‘off duty’ while the grandparents watch the little ones.

Speaking of little ones, there’s plenty to tire them out in Palma Nova. They’re sure to love playing on the beaches – with the Playa de Palmanova beach being a great choice due to its blue flag status.

Young or old, Palma Nova has plenty to offer, so get the whole family together this year for precious quality time in the sunshine.

The day has finally come and the game will be starting soon, FC Bayern München versus Real Madrid. The game will be held in a few minutes at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. It will start on 7:45 p.m. BST. The referee is H. Webb. I am quite excited of the result of this game. I am a fan of both teams and I wish them all good luck. May the best team win!

The Bavarian giants aim to preserve their unbeaten home record against Los Blancos.

The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain. I was there last March 2012.

Bayern Munich have posted six straight home victories in the Champions League and have won 12 of their last 13 European outings at the Allianz Arena.

The Bavarian outfit have never lost to Real Madrid at home (W8, D1). Their overall record against Madrid is W10, D2, L6.

Real Madrid are unbeaten in this season’s Champions League and, with just six goals conceded, have the best defensive record of the teams still involved in the tournament.

The Castilian giants have recorded just one victory on German soil in 22 attempts (W1, D6, L15) – a 3-2 success over Bayer Leverkusen in 2000-01.

Let’s go travel and see the world again! I believed you are very familiar about the goddess of beauty who is Aphrodite. The ancient ruins of Aphrodisias was named after her. This place is an archaeological site which said to have some of the most impressive Roman ruins in Turkey.

I believed I am lucky enough to visit this historical site. We had a trip to Turkey last year and this is one of the sites we visited. Our sightseeing tour in Aphrodisias that time was truly worth it. As far as I can remember it took us and the whole group to explore this ancient ruins for around 3 hours including our visit to the museum.

The monumental gateway or tetrapylon. This taken during our holiday in Turkey last year, 2011.

The city plan of Aphrodisias located near the entrance. I was so happy visiting one of the historical ruins in Turkey.

Aphrodisias is located around 30 km west of Denizli, a place where we also had some overnights in a hotel. It is located near the modern village of Geyre in the
Southern Aegean region of Turkey.

The first formal excavations were said to be undertaken in 1904-5, by a French railroad engineer, Paul Augustin Gaudin.

Sculptures inside the Aphrodisias Museum. Entrance is free since it is already included in the entrance fee in going inside Aphrodisias. It is still not free isn’t it?

This is sometimes our question especially if we are not decided yet whether we will be staying at home  or go for a vacation. Sometimes, I would say that going  on  a holiday is cheaper than staying at home. Let’s say I found last time a  week vacation  to Majorca for  only 299.00 Euros.  Inbound and outbound  flights, accommodation and foods are already included in it.  That is really a great holiday package!

For more information, look at this travel Infographics  I have for you!

Provided by ThomasCook.

Let’s go travel and see the world again! It seems that I was quite busy traveling for the past weeks. Glad that I am back now. I was actually in Spain for three weeks. I posted in my other travel blog last month that I will be making some sidetrips when I am in Madrid. Yes, I did it! It was a perfect timing because some new friends I met in Spain’s capital city were also planning to visit Avila that time.

In short, I was in Avila. I bought a travel book about Spain when I visited this country last December 2011. One of the cities featured in the book is Avila. Since then, I told myself that one day I will visit this place also. It did came true and I was in Avila.

Avila is an ancient city which is famous for its beautifully preserved medieval walls. The 11th century walls are over 2.5 kilometers long, over 3 meters thick and 12 meters high. It has 88 turrets at regular intervals and said to have nice gateways. I am trying to remember how many gateways we passed when we there there. I guessed 4 to 5 gateways.

One of the main sights to see in this city is the Cathedral.

It was so far a wonderful trip I had with friends in Avila.

The Statue of St. Theresa of Avila located near one of the gates in Avila, Spain.

The Alcazar Gate during our day trip last March 19, 2012.

The Easter holiday is just around the corner and you’ll want to make sure that you take full advantage of the long-weekend. The weather can be a bit unpredictable, but many years it is absolutely glorious outside, with spring flowers beginning to bloom and song birds singing happy tunes from the trees. Why not treat yourself this Easter with a spring holiday in the UK? Here are a few ideas to get your planning started.

The Lake District: If you are looking for a holiday that is filled with activities then the Lake District is the place for you. As one of the most popular holiday locations in the UK there are always lots of activities and events organized locally to keep the whole family entertained. This year Cadbury’s Chocolate have teamed up with the National Trust to organize the Easter Egg Trail, with traditional games and Easter egg hunts at over 250 locations across the UK. Don’t worry if you haven’t organized your accommodation yet though, there are lots of last minute holiday cottage deals still to be had – just visit Sykes Cottages website for a full selection.

Photo attribution: Flickr by Elpadawan

UK City Breaks: If you prefer the city to the country than maybe a city break is for you. London is the obvious choice, with world class museums and famed shopping at places like Harrod’s and Selfridge’s. London isn’t the only great city in the UK though, Bath is a great location for history buffs and Liverpool is known across Europe as one of the best places to go for a fun night out. Another perk to getting out of London is that everything is less expensive, which leaves a few extra pennies or your souvenir shopping!

Theme Parks: The UK has some of the best theme parks in the world, whether you are looking for some adult fun or a day out for the whole family. If you are heading out without kids then Thorpe Park is the place to go as this park is filled to the brim with thrilling rides and roller coasters. If you are travelling with little tykes then plan to visit Legoland Windsor, a park gear towards 3-12 year olds. Many theme parks offer on site accommodation and some even have spas where parents can unwind after a long day running after the kiddies!

I called my beloved Father yesterday to greet him on his 76th birthday. During our conversation he asked me when are we going for vacation again in the Philippines. I told him that I don’t know yet but maybe tentatively next year. When some of our home projects will be materialized this year, we can probably go for another vacation next year to my home country.

The image you see below was taken in Cebu City in the Visayas region in the Philippines. This is the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. It is the ecclesiastical seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cebu whose diocese was established on August 14, 1595. The architecture of the church is typical of Spanish colonial churches in the country.

I wish I am somewhere in Southeast Asia right now to escape the still cold weather in Europe. It is one of the lovely places in the world to avoid Europe’s winter season. You can surely enjoy the friendly and warm climate in that part of Asia. If I am given the chance to choose where to spent a free holiday, I would surely want it in Bali, Indonesia. I heard a lot of wonderful travel stories in the so-called “famed Island of the Gods”. I would like to stay in one of those Bali hotels located near the beach. Travellers to Bali always have the choice of accommodation they need from very cheap to mid-ranged hotels to luxury ones. Depending on your type and budget, Bali can offer a place for you to stay.

Why Bali?

It is rich in historical and archaeological attractions. Bali is best known for its countless Hindu temples. Among the famous ones are the Uluwatu temple, Besakih and Tanah Lot. I was informed that if you enter any of this temple, you must wear a sarong and sash. If you don’t have one, you can rent it or buy one when you arrive as you can already use it everytime you visit a temple. If you enter a large temple, it is already included in the entrance fee.

I would love to get to know the lovely beaches in Bali– This is one of the reasons why Bali is flocked by visitors from around the world, its rich assortment of beaches. I want to spend some times on its palm-fringed white sand coasts on the island’s south such as Kuta, Nusa Dua and Sanur. Or maybe an adventure to the cliff-guarded ‘hidden’ shores of Padang Padang, Uluwatu, Dreamland and Bingin.

Sunset in Bali, Indonesia by Choprulez.

Experience the beautiful landscape of Bali– This island is also famous for its landscape from forests to mountains and parks. I would life to take pictures of its picturesque rice fields, its native flowers and lush greenery. A visit to Uluwatu Monkey Forest, Ubud Monkey Forest and Bali Botanic Gardens is also included in my to-do list.

I also would like to know a bit of Hindu culture and history, maybe do some water activities like sport fishing and snorkeling and to taste Indonesian and Balinese cuisines. For sure, I also would love to do some souvenir shopping.

Would you like to see or to visit a hotel that looks like a fairytale castle? Were you able to watch the movie King Arthur? If yes, you might have an idea of what I am talking about here.

Las Vegas is the perfect place to feel like touring around the world. There you can see themed hotels based on the different places from around the world. One of it is the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. I was fascinated with the architecture of this building in Las Vegas, Nevada. The facade of this hotel is styled like a castle. It has this so-called Arthurian theme. You can imagine like you are in the different world when you are there.

You can find this hotel in the intersection of Tropicana – Las Vegas Boulevard. Here are some of the snapshots I took during my 2-months vacation in Las Vegas last 2008.

the very nice architecture of Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. I love its theme!

The facade of Excalibur that looks like a castle. I was there!

Are you aware of the historical significance of Majorca? Few people are, which in all honesty, comes as no surprise. After all, Majorca has carved out a huge tourism industry for itself, offering very cheap holidays mainly based on its lovely sandy beaches and family friendly resorts which litter the island.

But if you enjoy exploring the cultural heritage of a destination, do not write off Majorca.

Monster Monasteries

For such a small island, Majorca packs quite a punch on the monastery side of things. The Monestir de Lluc is just one example of this and it is even possible to stay there. In Palma, the skyline is dominated by the wonderful Gothic Cathedral known locally as La Seu. Construction began in 1229 a mere 400 years later was finally completed! In 1901 it underwent another reconstruction and remains a popular spot for tourists to the island who also explore the nearby ancient city walls which are still standing to this day. The Carthusian Monastery is another favourite and can be found in the town of Valldemossa.

Castell de Bellver

Any capital city worth its salt has a museum, and Palma is no different. The Castell de Bellver is a circular castle which sits on top of a hill and although once used as a prison, these days houses various artefacts which chart the interesting history of Majorca. It was built in the 14th century for King James II of Aragon and has emerged in recent years as the most popular tourist attractions, with views of Palma possible from the rooftop.

Majorca, Spain

Natural Wonders

Majorca is not just made up of sandy beaches. Parts of the island has very different terrains and the Dragon Caves, located south of the village of Porto, are well worth exploring if natural wonders are something you can appreciate. The wetlands found at S’Albufera d’Alcúdia could not offer more of a contrast to the dry, sandy terrain of the coastal resorts and should be explored if you crave a bit of moisture after a few days under the sweltering summer sun!

Majorca has a lot to offer. For many, Majorca holidays will always be about laying on the beaches, soaking up the sun. But if you do get the urge to take in a bit of culture, there is a lot to keep you entertained no matter where you are based on the island.

Written by Ricky Durrance for Beat the Brochure.