🌴 PEARLS OF CUBA: HAVANA & VARADERO 🌴

Cuba, being an endlessly fascinating place, is the homeland of paradises; Havana and Varadero. Breathe-taking beaches, classic cars gliding, past faded colonial buildings and a population who dance on an endless ribbon of salsa and rum does of course exist in Cuba.

When to Visit Cuba?

The ideal time to visit is January to August, when it’s warm but uncrowded and there’s no threat of hurricanes. After Christmas is the peak time of Cuba.

Things Not to Miss:

Havana Salsa Clubs – There is no better place than Havana to see the biggest salsa curcuit of the hottest dancers. As being the homeland of this popular dance, Havana is the right spot to experience it. Tropicana would absolutely be a good choice.

Havana Salsa Clubs

Varadero Beach – Spend time lazing about on the longest, most impressive beach in Cuba, its golden sand backed by palm trees and fronted by unruffled blue-and-green waters. The crystal clear ocean water are one in a million, along with the long, green palm trees. The scene is not from a movie scene or a postcard, all wonders you witness in Cuba are real.

Varadero Beach

American Classical Cars – We used to see classical American cars driving on Cuba streets on postcards, movies or else. Ride around Havana or Varadero in one of Gran Car’s classic 1950s cars, a testament to both US engineering and Cuban ingenuity. Renting a classical car is affordable, and you can enjoy yourselves as you’re living in a Cuban postcard.

Cuba Cars

Old Havana – One of the most well-preserved colonial centres in the Americas, with perfectly restored centuries old buildings dotted throughout its narrow streets and historic plazas. Plaza de Armas is a must see, it is the oldest square of Havana, lined with royal palms. Catedral de San Cristóbal de la Habana is another exploring spot.

Havana View

Malecón – The long sea drive of Havana is the meeting point of lovers, poets, philosophers and the city’s most soulful place. Must experience the potent during the sunset when the weak yellow light takes breathes away. Nothing would be more romantic or inspiring than Malecón around Cuba.

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Cuba Beach

Must visit travel destinations!

Just recently we shared a picture folder in our Facebook page including some interesting and worth-of-visiting travel destinations. The purpose of this blog post is to share some more info about those destinations to make you ready for your future dream holiday to one of those places!

Santorini

Santorini is a Greek island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km southeast from Greece's mainland. The island is volcanic and is essentially what remains after an enormous volcanic explosion. This can be seen from the island's rough nature and beaches with different colored sands representing different geologic layers.

Besdies of the volanic views Santorini is also known for its architecture. The traditional architecture of Santorini includes low-lying cubical houses, made of local stone and whitewashed or limewashed with various volcanic ashes used as colours. The unique characteristic is the common utilisation of the hypóskapha: extensions of houses dug sideways or downwards into the surrounding pumice. These rooms are prized because of the high insulation provided by the air-filled pumice, and are used as living quarters of unique coolness in the summer and warmth in the winter.

Views from Santorini

Planning to head to Santorini for your next vacation? Good idea! Check our great Santorini hotel deals from GalaHotels.

New York

New York is the most populous city in the United States, and the city is known around the world as the capital of good food, fashion, culture, entertainment and nightlife. Over the years the city has been the scene of hundreds of movies, television series and books, and it is known as dozens of respected theatres known around the world. While visiting the city one can visit history and art in museums, dine in restaurants representing many cuisines from around the world, and enjoy the colourful nightlife every night of the week. No wonder New York is called as the city which never sleeps.

Times Square

New York City View

Want to spend your next city trip in the lively athmosphere of New York City? Check out New York hotel offerings from GalaHotels!

Cuba

Cuba is an island in the Caribbean Ocean and it is known for differing politics, lifestyle and culture. In the heat of the island you can enjoy music and excellent cuisine. A trip definitely worth taking!

Views From Cuba

Capitolio Building Havana, Cuba

Did you get interested of Cuba? Great, so did we! For a warm city visit you can head to the capital of Cuba, Havana. Havana hotel deals you can find from GalaHotels. If you want to have a beach holiday, Varadero can offer the gorgeous beaches and luxurious beach resorts for you perfect holiday. Varadero hotel deals you can also find form GalaHotels.

Istanbul

Istanbul is the city of history, no one can argue with that. It was once known as Constantinople, the capital of Eastern Roman Empire, later the capital of the Islamic Ottoman Empire, and now the largest city of the Republic of Turkey. Istanbul has become the city where the east meets the west, where old meets the new, and where Asia meets Europe. It is the economic, cultural, and historical heart of Turkey, and there is no doubt it can offer you an unforgivable holiday.

View of the Bosphorus Bridge, the bridge between Europea and Asia

Ortaköy Mosque

If you want to have some new travel experiences and plan to head to Istanbul, you might be in a need for a place to stay. Check out some great Istanbul hotel deals from GalaHotels!

Vatican City

Vatican is the smallest state in the world by both area and population, and it is situated in the heart of the Italian capital Rome. It is the central place of Catholism and the official home of the Catholic leader, the Pope. You can easily visit the Vatican City during your trip to Rome. Great Rome hotel deals you can find from GalaHotels.

Vatican City square

What other great destinations do you think should be listed? Share your ideas in the comments section!

Australia Week - story of Uluru

Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the middle of Australia. It is considered as one of the great wonders of the world, and it is the most recognisable landmark in Australia rising up to over 300 meters. One would need to walk almost 10 kilometres to go around this huge rock and it is said that two-thirds of Uluru is actually underground invisible to our eyes.

amsfrank /Free Photos

Uluru is a sacred place for the Anangu, who are the Aboriginal people of the area. According to the Anangu Uluru was created in the process of creation and destruction, and they believe that the land is still inhabited by these ancestral creator beings. However, there are also other mystical theories presented about the birth of this famous rock. Norbert Brockman's (1997) Encyclopedia of Sacred Places first tells about serpent beings who waged many wars around Uluru, scarring the rock. It also tells of two tribes of ancestral spirits who were invited to a feast, but were distracted by the beautiful Sleepy Lizard Women and did not show up. In response, the angry hosts sang evil into a mud sculpture that came to life as the dingo. There followed a great battle, which ended in the deaths of the leaders of both tribes. The earth itself rose up in grief at the bloodshed, becoming Uluru.

As Uluru is a sacred place for the Aboriginal people of the area, there are some restrictions for tourists. Altough tourists can climb the rock, the Anangu request the visitors would not climb Uluru. The locals do not climb Uluru because of its spiritual significance. However, there are several guided tours for tourists to walk around the rock on special pathways with professional guides. It is especially recommended to see Uluru during the sunrise and sunset, when it has said to be in its most beautiful form and color.

There are also restrictions in photographing. The Anangu request that visitors would not photograph certain parts of the Uluru because of reasons related to beliefs and rituals. Some forbidden parts of the rock should not be visible to the outside world, according to the locals.

bunnicula /Free Photos

sukhchander /Free Photos

Have you been to Uluru? What kind of experiences do you have from the mysterious rock?

The closest big city to the Uluru is Alice Springs from where one can easily reach Uluru. You can find Alice Springs hotel deals from GalaHotels.

Top 10 travel destinations from GalaHotels!

From GalaHotels you can have access to thousands of hotels world wide. Altough there are countries, cities and destinations to choose from, there are still some top destinations which seem to be more popular among travellers. These places are listed in here; GalaHotels's top 10 travel destinations from where our website users most actively book their hotels. The list is formed based on information from the last six months.

1. London

Why London is always on the top of all popular travel destination listings? If you haven't been there yet go and find out! You can book your London Hotel from GalaHotels.

London City View

2. Paris

Yes Paris is the city of lovers and romance. Read more from a previous post about Paris. If you got interested go ahead and book your Paris Hotel from GalaHotels!

Paris City View

3. Barcelona

Barcelona is one of the few great European cities by the sea. That might be the reason why the city is so popular among travellers especially during the warm seasons of the year. Hmmm, holiday in a lively city next to a beach during the summer doesn't sound that bad... If the idea is also tempting you, go ahead and book your Barcelona Hotel from GalaHotels!

Barcelona City View

4. Helsinki

I know you are surprised that Helsinki is keeping a high position like this in the list since it has not been a famous travel destination in the past. Don't worry, we are equally surprised here in the GalaHotels's office. It can be rather cold now in the North Europe but if you wish to see what all the fuss is about (and when you find out please come and tell it also to us!) go and find it out yourself! Helsinki Hotel reservations you can do easily (and cheaply) by visiting GalaHotels.

Helsinki City View

5. Vienna

Vienna is gaining more and more popularity among especially European travellers. The city is famous for its various cultural offerings including opera and museums. If you feel like having a city holiday with a proper portion of cultural experiences don't hesitate and book your Vienna Hotel from GalaHotels.

Vienna City View 

6. New York

Did you know that New York was originally under the rule of the Netherlands and was called as New Amsterdam. The city got its name New York when the English conqured the land in the 17th Century and named the city after the Duke of York. Despite the name, the city has been steadily popular among travellers and the Big Apple, city which never sleeps, has a lot to offer for many kinds of travellers. Go ahead and book your New York hotel from GalaHotels.

New York City View

7. Rome

Rome is the city of history which has always attracted travellers and always will. If you want to experience the historical monuments and narrow streets of Rome, go and book your hotel from GalaHotels.

Rome City View

8. Milan

The next city in the list is also from the land of pasta and pizza; Italy. Milan is the meeting point of North Italy and it's one of the fashion capitals in the world. Variety of Milan hotels you can find from GalaHotels.

Milan City View

9. Amsterdam

Amsterdam has been favoured by foreign tourists for a long time. One reason for the city's popularity is the Netherlands's government's more free minded approach to some issues considered more or less illegal in many other countries. The city is also famous of its effective public transportation which has decreased the usage of cars, and of the wide canal network. If you want to see Amsterdam with your own eyes, start your trip by booking a hotel from GalaHotels!

Amsterdam City View

10. Madrid

The last destination in the top 10 list is another Spanish city; the capital of Spain.  This former capital of the old Spanish Empire is also famous of its cultural sights including museums, concerts and famous architecture. Book your Madrid hotel from GalaHotels.

What do you think makes these cities so special that they are in the top 10 travel destinations? Tell your opinion in the comments section!

Madrid City View

Stories behind the famous Paris attractions

Since it was Valentine's Day it seems reasonable to continue with the romantic theme in the travel destination presentation. Therefore this blog post will be all about Paris, one of the top destinations in the world.

Open Travel presents the top 10 places of Paris which one should definitely visit while staying in the city. However, since Paris is one of the top travel destinations in the world, the famous sights are already familiar to most of us. Places like Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and Arc de Triomphe are familiar to us from movies, post cards and travel stories. But how many people actually know the history behind these world known touristical attractions?

Instead of listing (again) the same list of Paris's top attractions, we will provide some background information about some of the top sights. This way you will already have some basic knowledge about the places you will visit before your trip to Paris.

1. Louvre

Louvre is one of the world's largest museums and the most visited art museum in the world. The Louvre Palace, where the museum is housed, began as a fortress. Later on in the 17th Century it was turned into a place to display the royal collection by Louis XIV. Louvre was officially turned into a museum during the French Revolution to display the nation's masterpieces. From these times the museum's collection has grown under different leaders of France, and nowadays nearly 35 000 objects are exhibited over an area of 60 600 square metres. This huge collection attracts millions of visitors every year to view the famous pieces of art, such as the Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci.

Grufnik /Free Photos

If you want to stay close to Louvre to easily visit the museum during several days, take a look at our hotel offerings near Louvre.

2. Eiffer Tower

The Eiffel Tower is perceived as the symbol of Paris by many people. It was originally build  for the Paris's 1889 World Fair as the entrance arch and was the tallest building of the world at that time. The Tower received some criticism in its early years and was accused as being ugly and a sore for the eye by artists and inhabitants of Paris. Nowadays the Eiffel Tower is considered as a striking piece of structural art. It is one of the most visited places in Paris and in the world, and has become famous as being the stage for proposals and other romantic events.

If you want to admire the view of Eiffel Tower during the night from the window of your hotel room, check out our hotel offerings near the Eiffel Tower.

3. Notre Dame Cathedral

mismisimos /Free Photos

The Notre Dame Cathedral, which name in French stands for Our Lady of Paris, is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris. It is widely considered as one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in France and in Europe. During the French Revolution the Cathedral suffered desecration and much of its religious imageniry was damaged or destroyed. The Second World War also caused severe damange for the Notre Dame. In 1991 a major program of maintenance was initiated and planned to last for 10 years. However, the cleaning and restoration of delicate old sculptures has lasted now for 20 years.

Kenski1970 /Free Photos

Check out hotels near the Notre Dame Cathedral from GalaHotels.

4. Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge is best know as the spiritual birthplace of the modern from of the can-can dance. It was originally introduced as a seductive dance, but evolved to a form of enternainment of its own. This lead to the introduction of cabarets acorss Europe. Nowadays Moulin Rouge, the Red Windmill, is known as a touristic attraction offering musical dance enterntainment for tourists. The old cabaret has been an inspiration to several movies and books which have introduced Moulin Rouge to the whole world.

The Moulin Rouge is situated in the Montmartre district of Paris. Check out hotels from the same area from GalaHotels.

Belfyta /Free Photos

5. Catacombs of Paris

The Catacombs of Paris are an 18th Century burial place. The former mines of Paris were turned to burial places when all the grave yards of Paris became full. Bones from the graves above the ground were moved to the underground mines and the underground burial place consists of the remains of estimated 6 million people. Nowadays the catacombs are a creepy but famous touristical attraction. Only small part of the tunnels are available to public, but this over 300 km long pathway attracts people who seek for a place to hide.

This post introduced brief stories of just five Paris's famous attractions. What important place do you think is missing? If you have a story to tell about a place which is not mentioned, or wish to add something to the stories of the five places above, tell your story in the comments section!

If you still didn't plan a trip to Paris now is the right time! Our database has over 2000 hotels in Paris where you can stay while visiting the top attractions. Go to GalaHotels and find the best hotel for you with great prices!