Recently we have only introduced several different travel destinations in one blog post. It felt necessary to do something different this time and choose one specific travel destination to one post. In one of our recent Facebook posts we asked where people would want to go on that exact moment without money or time restrictions. We got few great answers, and one of them inspired us for this blog post. One of our followers whished to be in Retiro Park in Madrid. This made us curious about Madrid as a travel destination, and tadaa, the idea for blog post was ready! This means that now we'll share some stuff about Madrid, and will present 5 Top Things to in this Spanish capital. Enjoy!
1. Spend a relaxing afternoon in Retiro Park
If you are looking for a relaxing day consider spending your weekend afternoon in Retiro Park. This main park of Madrid is the most visited park in the city and a central meeting point. You can wander around the park and enjoy the street entertainers and maybe stop for a drink in one of the many open air bars of the park. The central focus of the park is a large lake. You can rent a boat and enjoy the lazy afternoon floating on the water and listening the sounds of the entertainers, pleasant chatter of other visitors and the laughter of children.
2. Enjoy some culture and visit a museum or two
In Tripadvisor your fellow travellers have ranked two museums as top places to visit in Madrid: Prado Museum and Sorolla Museum. The Prado Museum has one of the largest art collections in the world where you can get amazed by fine European and Spanish art. The Sorolla Museum is a smaller and less-known museum which presents mainly collections of Spanish art. We bet both of them are worth visiting, but remember that when planning a visit to a museum don't schedule it for Monday - there is a big chance that it will be closed!
3. Do some economical (and ecological) shopping
As most capital cities of the world also Madrid has a lot to offer in the shopping section. However, Madrid's speciality is its open air flea market organised every Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm in the historical center of Madrid. The flea market is called The Rastro and is a great place to make interesting findings, both old and new.
4. Try some tapas
Important part of any holiday is to eat some great food and Madrid is a perfect place to get your tummy full and a smile to your face at the same time. While staying in a foreign country one should definitely try some local specialities and since Madrid is in Spain, staying there is a great opportunity to eat some tapas! Tapas is a combination of appetizers or snacks which can be either cold or hot, and a tapas meal is combined of several different kinds of tapas. The local people are always the best resource to ask advises about the best places to eat, so don't be shy to ask from for example your hotel where you can have the best tapas in town!
5. Party all night long
The nightlife of Madrid is world famous, so if you are a night person put your dancing shoes on and be prepared to party until the sunrise!
Do you have some other advises about what one should definitely do in Madrid? Share them in the comments section!
For some great Madrid hotel deals visit GalaHotels.
Monday 30 April 2012
Friday 13 April 2012
Dreaming of summer vacation?
When the spring starts to show its signs people start to get hopeful about summer finally arriving. Summer means warmness, sun, and best of all, summer holiday! What is the best way to spend your summer holiday? I bet lying on a beach in one of Europe's best summer holiday destinations. Now it's the time to start planning and reserving your dream summer holiday. Hotels in the most popular destinations get their rooms booked for the whole season quickly, so to get the best price on the best time you better start thinking seriously where to travel! To make the decision where to spend your relaxing summer holiday this year easier, we will present five Europe's popular beach destinations. Besides this, we will give hotel recommendations for each destination! Can deciding and reserving your holiday get any easier?
Fethiye, Turkey
Fethiye is situated on the coast of South-West part of Turkey. The biggest city nearby is Marmasis, which is also one of Turkey's most popular beach holiday destinations. If you are arriving to Turkey by plane the closest airport is the Dalaman International Airport, which is also the closest airport to Marmaris.
All of Turkey's south coast holiday destinations are known for their beaches, but Oludeniz, a beach in Fethiye, has been named as one of the best beaches in the world. The water is told to be crystal clear and blue, and the long beach line ends up to a calm and shallow lagoon. A perfect place for swimming, tanning, and relaxing!
The famous Oludeniz beach has numerous of close by with an easy access to the beach. One example is the The Bellevue Hotel which is less than 1 km away from the beach. St Nicholas Park is a more peaceful hotel option on the highest peak of the region with magnificent mountain and sea views . If you want something else check all of our Fethiye hotel deals.
Mykonos, Greece
The Greek Island Mykonos has been named "the jewel" of the Aegean Sea. It's not surprising when this picturesque fishing-village bay with blue sea and totally whitewashed organic cube-like buildings seem like the perfect place for a relaxing summer holiday.
Doesn't just seeing a picture of the view make your mind wonder to the warm and narrow streets of Mykonos?
The Mykonos Beach Hotel offers great facilities for a family vacation, whereas the contemporary style of the Alkistis Hotel is said to be ideal for a summer holiday getaway. More Mykonos Hotels you can find from GalaHotels's website.
Cannes, French Riviera
Cannes, situated in the French Riviera, is a famous touristical destination among the rich and famous. The city is famous for its luxury shops, restaurants, hotels and of course for the annual Cannes Film Festival.
In order to visit Cannes you do not need to be rich and famous. Cannes has hotels such as the Hotel L'Esterel for budget travellers, but also hotels like Marriott and Carlton Intercontinental for those who want to have some more luxury in their summer holiday. You can choose which you prefer! If these options did not please you, there are many other Cannes Hotels in our website.
Brighton, England
Yes, you can have a beach holiday also in England! Brighton is situated on the south coast of England. The seafront has bars, restaurants and night clubs to keep the holiday people entertained, with a beach to use for sunbathing during the sunny hours of the day. Best of all, Brighton is only less than one hour train ride away from London! This makes it easy to change the scenery of your holiday from beach to lively city life and vice versa in less than one hour.
The Jury's Inn Hotel is our most booked hotel from Brighton. No wonder, since the hotel promotes itself with moderate rates and walking distance to all main attractions. Other popular hotel is the Royal Albion Hotel which is also very close to the beach, restaurants and nightlife. To see more Brighton hotel options visit our website.
Algarve, Portugal
Algarve is the southest region of Portugal and a famous holiday destination in Europe. It has sandy beaches and a mild weather which creates a perfect set for many outdoor sporting activities such as water sports, golf in one of the numerous world-class golf courses, tennis, horse riding, and many more. Algarve also has an active nightlife and famous fish restaurants to guarantee a perfect holiday.
You can spend your nights for example in Hotel Pinhal Do Sol, which has a great location close to beaches, golf courts and to restaurants and nightclubs. It's a good choice for a family vacation or for people who just wich to have a relaxing vacation. The Eva Hotel in the other hand has a gym, pool and a spa which fit for those who want some little luxury to their holiday. More hotels from Algarve you can find from our website.
Is some holiday destination missing which you think should definitely be on the list? Share all good summer hokiday destinations in the comments section?
Fethiye, Turkey
Fethiye is situated on the coast of South-West part of Turkey. The biggest city nearby is Marmasis, which is also one of Turkey's most popular beach holiday destinations. If you are arriving to Turkey by plane the closest airport is the Dalaman International Airport, which is also the closest airport to Marmaris.
All of Turkey's south coast holiday destinations are known for their beaches, but Oludeniz, a beach in Fethiye, has been named as one of the best beaches in the world. The water is told to be crystal clear and blue, and the long beach line ends up to a calm and shallow lagoon. A perfect place for swimming, tanning, and relaxing!
The famous Oludeniz beach has numerous of close by with an easy access to the beach. One example is the The Bellevue Hotel which is less than 1 km away from the beach. St Nicholas Park is a more peaceful hotel option on the highest peak of the region with magnificent mountain and sea views . If you want something else check all of our Fethiye hotel deals.
Mykonos, Greece
The Greek Island Mykonos has been named "the jewel" of the Aegean Sea. It's not surprising when this picturesque fishing-village bay with blue sea and totally whitewashed organic cube-like buildings seem like the perfect place for a relaxing summer holiday.
Doesn't just seeing a picture of the view make your mind wonder to the warm and narrow streets of Mykonos?
The Mykonos Beach Hotel offers great facilities for a family vacation, whereas the contemporary style of the Alkistis Hotel is said to be ideal for a summer holiday getaway. More Mykonos Hotels you can find from GalaHotels's website.
Cannes, French Riviera
Cannes, situated in the French Riviera, is a famous touristical destination among the rich and famous. The city is famous for its luxury shops, restaurants, hotels and of course for the annual Cannes Film Festival.
In order to visit Cannes you do not need to be rich and famous. Cannes has hotels such as the Hotel L'Esterel for budget travellers, but also hotels like Marriott and Carlton Intercontinental for those who want to have some more luxury in their summer holiday. You can choose which you prefer! If these options did not please you, there are many other Cannes Hotels in our website.
Brighton, England
Yes, you can have a beach holiday also in England! Brighton is situated on the south coast of England. The seafront has bars, restaurants and night clubs to keep the holiday people entertained, with a beach to use for sunbathing during the sunny hours of the day. Best of all, Brighton is only less than one hour train ride away from London! This makes it easy to change the scenery of your holiday from beach to lively city life and vice versa in less than one hour.
The Jury's Inn Hotel is our most booked hotel from Brighton. No wonder, since the hotel promotes itself with moderate rates and walking distance to all main attractions. Other popular hotel is the Royal Albion Hotel which is also very close to the beach, restaurants and nightlife. To see more Brighton hotel options visit our website.
Algarve, Portugal
Algarve is the southest region of Portugal and a famous holiday destination in Europe. It has sandy beaches and a mild weather which creates a perfect set for many outdoor sporting activities such as water sports, golf in one of the numerous world-class golf courses, tennis, horse riding, and many more. Algarve also has an active nightlife and famous fish restaurants to guarantee a perfect holiday.
You can spend your nights for example in Hotel Pinhal Do Sol, which has a great location close to beaches, golf courts and to restaurants and nightclubs. It's a good choice for a family vacation or for people who just wich to have a relaxing vacation. The Eva Hotel in the other hand has a gym, pool and a spa which fit for those who want some little luxury to their holiday. More hotels from Algarve you can find from our website.
Is some holiday destination missing which you think should definitely be on the list? Share all good summer hokiday destinations in the comments section?
Friday 6 April 2012
Some interesting Easter traditions from the around the world
The Easter has come again which means a holiday trip for someone, spending time with the family for another, and defninitely eating a lot of chocolate eggs for everyone. Although the purpose of this long weekend and extra holiday comes from religion, many countries tend to have their own Easter traditions. Indeed many Easter traditions come from old paganic beliefs which aim celebrate the increasing light during the day and the arrival of spring. We made some research and will present five strange Easter traditions from around the world!
1. Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia have an interesting Easter tradition; according to the tradition men throw water at women and spank them with handmade whips made of willow which are decorated with ribbons. It is said that the spanking is supposed to keep the women healthy and beautiful during the coming year. Nice idea but the women might not be so happy about the spanking!
2. The Polish people have slightly buttery tradition.Aan important part of a Polish Easter dinner table is a pile of butter in the shape of a sheep! This butter sheep is then consumed with the meal, starting from the back part leaving the head last. In Poland it is also believed that men should not help women prepare the bread for Easter or their moustache will turn to grey. This sounds like an invention of a lazy Polish man!
3. In an old Finnish tradition bonfires were set to scare away scary witches. Nowadays people are not scared of witches anymore, and it has become a tradition for small childen to dress up as witches and go from door to door and to ask for candy. As a return the children give decorated willow branches which are supposed to bring health, wealth and keep away bad spirits.
4. The American Easter culture has made the chocolate-egg-hiding Easter Bunny familiar to all of us. In Australia however instead of cute chocolate Easter Bunnies, those who want their mouths full of sweet, can buy Australia's native marsupial, the Bilby, in a chocolate form. The aim of the chocolate Bilby is to raise awareness of this dwindling large-eared furry friend.
5. French people like to eat and enjoy good food. On Easter in a city called Haux in France a gigantic omelet is prepared to provide Easter lunch for approximately 1000 people. It takes 4 500 eggs and multiple cooks to prepare this huge Easter omelet.
Do you know some interesting and special Easter traditions? Share them in the comments section!
If you got interested of the strange Easter traditions and want to see them with your own eyes, take a trip to one of the mentioned countries during the Easter! You might not make it anymore this year, but atleast you don't need to wonder where to go next year's Easter. You can make your hotel reservation easily and securely in www.galahotels.com .
1. Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia have an interesting Easter tradition; according to the tradition men throw water at women and spank them with handmade whips made of willow which are decorated with ribbons. It is said that the spanking is supposed to keep the women healthy and beautiful during the coming year. Nice idea but the women might not be so happy about the spanking!
2. The Polish people have slightly buttery tradition.Aan important part of a Polish Easter dinner table is a pile of butter in the shape of a sheep! This butter sheep is then consumed with the meal, starting from the back part leaving the head last. In Poland it is also believed that men should not help women prepare the bread for Easter or their moustache will turn to grey. This sounds like an invention of a lazy Polish man!
3. In an old Finnish tradition bonfires were set to scare away scary witches. Nowadays people are not scared of witches anymore, and it has become a tradition for small childen to dress up as witches and go from door to door and to ask for candy. As a return the children give decorated willow branches which are supposed to bring health, wealth and keep away bad spirits.
4. The American Easter culture has made the chocolate-egg-hiding Easter Bunny familiar to all of us. In Australia however instead of cute chocolate Easter Bunnies, those who want their mouths full of sweet, can buy Australia's native marsupial, the Bilby, in a chocolate form. The aim of the chocolate Bilby is to raise awareness of this dwindling large-eared furry friend.
5. French people like to eat and enjoy good food. On Easter in a city called Haux in France a gigantic omelet is prepared to provide Easter lunch for approximately 1000 people. It takes 4 500 eggs and multiple cooks to prepare this huge Easter omelet.
Do you know some interesting and special Easter traditions? Share them in the comments section!
If you got interested of the strange Easter traditions and want to see them with your own eyes, take a trip to one of the mentioned countries during the Easter! You might not make it anymore this year, but atleast you don't need to wonder where to go next year's Easter. You can make your hotel reservation easily and securely in www.galahotels.com .
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