Ski Holidays in the Centre of Europe

Picturesque mountain villages, breathtaking vistas of the European Alps, the world’s largest ski area, cozy mountain restaurants and long well groomed slopes. Does this sound like the perfect ski vacation ? Ski holidays to Europe offer all of this and more. Ski in Austria, the country’s southwestern corner boasts fabulous summer hiking and touring, and, of course, amazing winter skiing. The ski season is from around December through April; while the cities experience their high season from April to October. Innsbruck-Igls ski resort is just six kilometres from the city of Innsbruck. This tiny Alpine resort is located at the base of the Patscherköfel Mountain, providing scenic hiking trails, a relaxed atmosphere and good skiing. The resort is 908m above sea level and features a good selection of accommodation and vacation rentals, as well as plenty of attractions away from the ski slopes. St Anton am Arlberg is one of the most famous ski resorts in the world. It is most popular with expert skiers, who enjoy the powdery slopes, moguls and outstanding off-piste routes. The resort has a charming, pedestrianised centre with a main drag offering stylish cafés and shops. With Zürich to the west and Innsbruck to the east, the resorts of Lech and Zürs are conveniently situated in the Arlberg ski area near to the German border. Together, they offer arguably the best area for ski travelling in the country. Zürs is an elegant ski resort filled with typical white stucco Vorarlberger buildings featuring carved wooden balconies, while Lech is a 14th century village spread over wide grassy slopes with sharp ravines, nestled in a lovely valley. http://www.skiurlaub-infos.com

Are Discount Travel Web Sites Really the Best Deal?

The Internet gives you easy access to so much information that you can become overloaded. When traveling this is definitely the case. Friends and fellow travelers tell you to book your trip on line yourself – you’ll save hundreds of dollars. But is that really the case? Will you be able to access the best and lowest deals? Isn’t it quicker and cheaper to do it all yourself? Maybe – maybe not.

Beware the discount web site. Don’t book on the first deal you see. It may claim to be the lowest fare, but you won’t know until you look around and surfing the web for the best price may take quite a while and time is money.

Research of web sites stating they will give you best deal shows up many times as an incorrect claim. Many big travel web sites pay homage to their sponsors and advertisers, by showing their ‘deals’ only. In the airline industry, a number of small carriers are ignored and they may well offer the best deal for you, but you won’t know if their information isn’t displayed.

Prices of air flights differ wildly on the Internet. Try it and see. Go to a number of travel sites and look for fares to Sydney, Australia. See what you get. And this is what you need to do when booking your travel through the web. It might then be worthwhile to see what a travel agent can get for you. Yes they do have a booking fee imposed on your tickets but, did you know that many of the best budget deals are not available on the web? Specific web sites are only accessible to travel agents.  UNTIL NOW!  STUART S. TRAVEL is a full service on-line travel agency.

Remember that air fare prices change many, many times a day. It is going to be impossible to find the best deal. You need to be smart and organized and willing to spend a bit of time researching the best deal for you. Once you think you’ve found a great travel deal, remember to read the details to see if there are any restrictions. Will you be able to change your flight details? If so will it cost you? And how much? Those kinds of details. Things can change and your travel plans sometimes need to be flexible so make sure you know what it‘s going to cost you if you have to alter anything.

So if you are going to book your travel through the Internet remember these points: shop around and compare prices; be prepared to be flexible; ask questions; don’t believe everything you read on the websites; read the fine print; give yourself plenty of time to find the best deal and; if in doubt, don’t book it. 

If it all seems too confusing (which many web sites aim to be), go to your local on-line travel agent and see what deals they can do for you.

This article was provided by:

Stuart S. Travel / Your All World Travel Guru

http://www.stuartstravel.com sherry.hardsey@aol.com

Best Kitesurfing Location – Costa Rica

While kitesurfing has been banned in several places due to the danger in poses at beaches due to safety and liability concerns, it still remains to be a popular sport. If you’re looking for a travel destination and great waves you can kitesurf at Costa Rica.
Organized riding guidelines have enabled kitesurfers to resume the sport at their favorite places. Kitesurfing has become one of the latest attractions that it now being offered at resorts and beaches. A good spot though will depend on the weather conditions. Strong winds and gust can carry riders away that can be potentially hazardous.
Finding the right spot
Kitesurfing can be dangerous due to weather conditions. Excessive beach traffic and poorly organized practices of kiteboarding also leads to its restrictions. But some riders just refuse to listen to well intended advice and get into accidents. Fortunately other kitesurfers are able to reverse these bans by communicating with the local authorities. This opens a lot of places in the country to ride with the wind and kitesurf.
The best spots to learn and go kitesurfing are areas not jus the beaches with renowned breaks but also consistent weather. The area must have strong winds but not too much that it carry the rider away. Costa Rica has been a popular tourists and water sport enthusiast destination. The coastline has many beaches with sunny and dry weather.
This weather is good for absolute beginners who are just getting to know the sport and veterans who want to have a good kitesurfing session. Apart from kitesurfing there are also activities that tourists can do such as snorkeling.
In Playa Papaturro, there are beautiful beaches that are not well known to the public making them perfect for kitesurfing. They offer courses and training in kitesurfing by certified instructors. These courses range from absolute beginners to advanced lessons. They can teach a maximum of 4 people for beginners. You can also opt for private course if you want to have a one on one lesson with an instructor.
They will provide with the necessary equipment during lessons. If you already have an experience you can also rent gear from stores in the area. The duration of your course will depend on your level.
The beginner’s course lasts about 2 to 3 days, others 3 to 4. However this will depend on weather conditions. Certified instructors will teach students the basics including flight techniques and basic steering. The first part of the course is the land lesson where the instructor lectures the students about the basics.
The second one covers body techniques, wherein the instructors will discuss equipments and students will be taught how to land and launch a kite including bodydragging. The last one covers water start which includes sailing and jumping techniques.
Intermediate and advanced courses last for hours, depending on your skills. Interested students can also apply for independent courses and hire private instructors. Prices vary and you may want to contact them first. Students are required to bring in their wetsuits (during January or February), water shoes and sunglasses with bungee. Other necessary equipment for the lesson will be provided.
Whether you’re a beginner or a veteran Costa Rica is a great place to visit. The beaches are little known which means you don’t have to worry about boats and tourist. The weather is also suitable for kitesurfing. If you want to try the sport on your own or with your friends they have a good spot for you.

Cruise Travel In The Fascinating Cities Of Europe

Cruising to Europe has many advantages, one of them being that many of Europe’s famous cities were built on or near the water, and can be enjoyed during day trips when the ship docks. It is much easier to see the sights in this manner rather than having to navigate foreign streets and waste precious time looking for a place to park the car.
Many cruise lines offer guides tours of Europe’s cities while the ship is docked, or passengers are free to explore on their own if they so desire. Before setting out on your cruise to Europe, it is often helpful to get a copy of the itinerary and decide in advance what places you would most like to visit when not on board the cruise ship. Since the cruise ship will normally only dock for about 10 hours in each city that it stops in, you will have a limited amount of time for discovering Europe’s cities. When cruising to Europe, you may have the chance to explore wonderful places such as Copenhagen, Bergen, Helsinki, Oslo and Stockholm.
Bergen is a great place to visit, and will afford the traveler a chance to sample regional cuisine, take in the historical sights as well as enjoy the natural assets that Bergen has to offer. Bergen’s locals are quite friendly, and are very accommodating to tourists.
Helsinki is enjoyed by those travelers who have a love for art and museums, and allows the opportunity to see some very beautiful architecture that is evident in many of the cities historical buildings and cathedrals. Helsinki is surrounded by the Baltic Sea, which makes for a great beach side trip during the warmer months.
Oslo is a diverse city that offers a variety of things to do and see, and since the heart of the city is a mere ten minute walk from the pier, renting a car is not necessary; all of Oslo’s sights can be traveled to on foot. There are guided nature hikes, boat tours, the famous Ski Tower, art museums and the renowned Medieval Quarter. The Medieval Quarter is where the “old” Oslo can be found, and is home to ancient castles and fortresses. When hunger calls, there is a variety of choices, as restaurants abound here, from simple cafes to elegant dining halls.
The only down side to cruising to Europe rather than by other means of travel, is that you are less likely to be able to interact with the locals. Since you will be traveling on board a ship, the other passengers will be the ones you are more likely to have the chance to socialize with. Other than this, Europe is a great place to travel to, and a cruise will allow you to travel in comfort, as well as offering many amenities that aren’t available on trains and planes!
If you decide to cruise to Europe, realize that it will be impossible to see everything there is to see. Make a note of those places that you truly enjoyed and wish to see more of, and then plan a return trip that will afford you more time in that particular area.

The Leader of Greek Airline Travel

Aegean Airlines is a well established Airline Company with a fast growing international presence. This full service airline operates between Greece and European destinations alongside some additional neighboring countries. Aegean has a well developed network with regular flights to 12 international destinations and 17 Greek airports. As a regional partner of Lufthansa they can also provide access to the Lufthansa global network and so expand their flight paths mutually. With a strengthening bond between Aegean Airlines, Air One and TAP Air Portugal the company has been able to create a strong positive relationship and provide a more dominant presence in the Italian and Portuguese sector. Aegean Airlines is a well established air operation and was founded in 1987 under the name Aegean Aviation and has been going from strength to strength ever since with three new destinations opening up in November 2003 to Chios, Kos and Milan through to ordering six more A320’s in September 2007. The company also takes pride in its environmental concerns and received the ISO 14001 certification for environmental protection in September 2008. Services of Aegean Airlines Aegean Airlines was originally a dedicated VIP/Business operator providing specialized executive services which has been the pride of the Greek airline service worldwide since 1994. Now available to the public this luxury airline provider offers web chick-in services so you can check in where ever you are for one or more flights with ease and comfort. You can select your preferred seat for the journey and cut down on your checking in time dramatically. Simply check in online and go straight to the departure gate. Thanks to their association with Lufthansa, Aegean Airlines have now included a frequent flyer program called “Miles & Bonus”. This innovative program was specially designed to offer a high quality service with unique frequent flyer privileges every time you fly with Aegean. You can earn more miles for your journey’s and spend them either on reward flights or on car rental services at your destination. Furthermore, this offer extends over both companies so you can earn more miles by traveling with Lufthansa or Aegean Airlines. The company also offers various e-services available online where you can search for flights and trace your baggage or cargo. You can also dive into their magazine Blue on your journey and read up on the arts, culture and entertainment in many Aegean destinations, the background story of Feta and the celebration of Feta as a registered Greek trademark, a guide to some of the most exquisite Aegean Monasteries and latest hot new fashions. You can even have a quick look through their Shop on Board? magazine with a sumptuous collection of items for sale on board. It’s no wonder Aegean Airlines won the ERA Gold award for Airline of the year 08/09.

Allahabad Travel Guide

Allahabad is the English name of a city of Uttar Pradesh. The name is derived from the one given to the city by the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1583. The name in Indian languages or in India generally is Ilahabad; ilah being Arabic for “(a) god” (in this context from Din-i-Ilahi, the religion founded by Akbar), and “-abad” is Persian for “place of”.

The ancient name of the city is Prayaga (Sanskrit for “place of sacrifice”, Prayag in modern Hindi) and is believed to be the spot where Brahma offered his first sacrifice after creating the world. It is one of four sites of the Kumbh Mela, the others being Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik. It has a position of importance in the Hindu religion and mythology since it is situated at the confluence of the holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna, and Hindu belief says that the invisible Sarasvati River joins here also. Allahabad or Prayagraj is a historian’s paradise.

History lies embedded everywhere, in its fields, forests and settlements. Forty-eight kilometres, towards the southwest, on the placid banks of the Jamuna, the ruins of Kaushambi, at one time capital of the Vatsa kingdom and later a thriving center of Buddhism, bear silent testimony to a forgotten and bygone era. On the eastern side, across the river Ganga and connected to the city by the Shastri Bridge is Jhunsi, identified with the ancient city of Pratisthanpur, capital of the Chandra dynasty.

About 58 kilometres northwest is the medieval site of Kara with its impressive wreckage of Jayachand’s fort. Sringverpur, another ancient site discovered relatively recently, has become a major attraction for tourists and antiquarians alike. Prayag is an extremely important and integral part of the Ganga Yamuna Doab, and its history is inherently tied with that of the Doab region, right from the inception of the town. The city was known earlier as Prayaga – a name that is still commonly used. That it is an ancient town, is illustrated by supposed references in the Vedas to Prayag, where Brahma, the Hindu Creator of the Universe, is believed to have attended a sacrificial ritual.

Excavations have revealed Northern Black Polished ware objects in Prayag, further corroborating the conjecture that Prayag existed as a town as early as 600 B.C. The Puranas record that Yayati left Prayag and conquered the region of Saptha Sindhu. His five sons Yadu, Druhyu, Puru, Anu and Turvashu became the main tribes of the Rigveda. When the Aryans first settled in what they termed the Aryavarta, or Madhyadesha, Prayag or Kaushambi was an important part of their territory.

The Vatsa (a branch of the early Indo-Aryans) were rulers of Hastinapur (near present day Delhi), and they established the town of Kaushambi near present day Prayag. They shifted their capital to Kaushambi when Hastinapur was destroyed by floods. In the times of the Ramayana, Prayag was made up of a few rishis’ huts at the confluence of the sacred rivers, and much of the vats country was continuous jungle. Lord Rama, the main protagonist in the Ramayana, spent some time here, at the Ashram of Sage Bharadwaj, before proceeding to nearby Chitrakoot.

For more information please follow the link – Allahabad Travel Guide

I Love Touring Italy – Southern Sardinia

If you are looking for a European tourist destination, consider the island of Sardinia, a region of southern Italy. Depending on your interests, this beautiful area can be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. Some parts of Sardinia remain undiscovered by tourists, while other sites are favorites of Italian and international jet setters and are priced accordingly. This article presents southern Sardinia. Companion articles present northern Sardinia and central Sardinia.

We’ll start our tour of southern Sardinia at its capital and largest city, Cagliari on the Golfo di Cagliari (Cagliari Gulf). Then we head southwest along the coast to Pula and nearby Nora and then continue on or close to the coast, first southwest and then northwest to Sant’Antioco and neighboring Calasetta. We next visit the island city of San Pietro. Finally we return to mainland Sardinia and then proceed north to finish our tour at Costa Verde.

Cagliari has a population of about one hundred sixty thousand or more than twice that when you count the suburbs. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The city fought alongside the Savoyards against the French Revolution. When it became clear that they would not be rewarded for their loyalty, all Cagliari rose up against the Savoyards and expelled them and their Piedmont allies. Every year on the last weekend of April Cagliari celebrates this insurgency in the Die de sa Sardigna (Sardinian Day). Their independence was short-lived.

The old city is called Castello (the Castle). It lies on a hilltop and offers an excellent view of the Gulf of Cagliari which is also known as Angels Gulf. The major part of the old white limestone city walls remain intact. Look for two Thirteenth Century white limestone towers, the Torre di San Pancrazio (St. Pancras Tower) and the Torre dell’Elefante (Elephant Tower). D.H. Lawrence, who wrote Sea and Sardinia, as well as Lady Chatterly’s Lover compared Cagliari to a “white Jerusalem”.

The remains of the ancient city include the Second Century Anfiteatro Romano (Roman Amphitheatre), parts of which are fairly well preserved, an aqueduct, ancient cisterns, and the ruins of a small temple. Summers you can attend open-air concerts and operas and concerts in the amphitheatre. The Museo Archeologico (Archeological Museum) located in a Fourteenth Century castle contains many artifacts coming from unique Sardinian stone structures called Nuraghe which are discussed in the companion article I Love Touring Italy – Central Sardinia.

The Duomo, Cattedrale di Santa Maria, (St. Mary’s Cathedral) was built in the Seventeenth Century but underwent major renovations in the 1930s. Other churches worth seeing include the Fifth Century Basilica di San Saturnino (St. Saturnino Bascilica), the Seventeenth Century Church of St. Lucifer, and the Fourteenth Century Sanctuary of Our Lady of Bonaria.

Many old Cagliari neighborhoods retain their charm. Some 1930s buildings were built in Art Deco style, while others such as the Palazzo di Giustizia (Justice Court) conform to a Fascist Neoclassist style. Cagliari also claims one of the longest beaches in Italy, the Poetto beach an amazing 8 miles (13 kilometers), once famous for its white fine-grained sand and one of the largest fish markets in all Italy, the Mercato di San Benedetto (St. Benedetto Market).

Pula whose population numbers some seven thousand is known for its lovely beaches, bays, and coves. Admire the flocks of flamingos in the marshes. Just outside of Pula lies the site of Nora, founded by Phoenicians and perhaps the oldest city in all Sardinia. The excavations, while not yet completed, have uncovered a wealth of ruins from the days of Carthage and Rome.

From the first to the fourth of May Nora and Cagliari host what is perhaps the greatest and most colorful religious procession in the world, the Festa di Sant’Efisio, honoring a martyr beheaded by a Roman soldier in 303 in Nora. In 1652 a plague was rampant in Sardinia and half of Cagliari lay dead. According to popular belief this saint’s intervention stopped the plague. In gratitude every year thousands of traditionally costumed marchers transport his statue from a church in old Cagliari to one in Nora and back. The end of the festivities is marked by a torchlight parade.

Sant’Antioco is an island off the coast of Sardinia. While quite small, it is the seventh largest island in the Mediterranean. The island itself was settled way back in the Fifth Millenium B.C. and the city of the same name, population twelve thousand, was settled in the Eighth Century B.C. The Roman causeway is still standing but you’ll probably get to the mainland and back by a modern version.

Make sure to see the Zona Archeologica (Archeological Zone) with its view of mainland Sardinia and an archeological museum. There’s even a necropolis dating back to the days of Carthage. Then stop by the little town of Calasetta, population under three thousand, first settled by Ligurians in 1770. I’m told the residents have kept their dialect that is as incomprehensible to Sardinians as it is to you or me, unless you’re from Genoa or its surroundings. Don’t worry about the language; enjoy the beaches and the port.

San Pietro was supposed to be settled by those Ligurians who ended up in Calasetta. Before long they were enslaved. Upon their liberation many went to Calasetta but some others returned to San Pietro’s town of Carloforte, population about eight thousand, once a center for tuna fishing and now a tourist resort.

Costa Verde is a great combination of wilderness and resort life. You can only get there by a lousy road. Take people’s advice and avoid driving during the heat of the day. But once you are there, Costa Verde is really unforgettable. Sand dunes, wild landscapes, and great beaches abound.

What about food? In spite of its magnificent coastline, native Sardinians don’t seem to go very much for fish and seafood. However, if you are on or near the coast you can get fish and seafood. Look for burrida, a Sardinian fish soup that is sometimes based on shark. The sea also provides swordfish, tuna, sardines, cuttlefish, clams, and mussels. An expensive specialty is mosciame di tonno, salted, air-dried tuna. A more familiar and often expensive specialty is lobster, some of the best in Italy.

Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with Impanadas (Baked Stuffed Pastry). Then try Lepudrida (Soupy Legumes and Meat with Ham). For dessert indulge yourself with Pabassinas (Pastry topped with Raisin and Walnut Paste). Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal.

We’ll conclude with a short examination of Sardinian wine. Sardinia ranks eighth among the 20 Italian regions in acreage devoted to wine grapes and twelfth in total annual wine production. About 57% of its wine production is red or rose (only a little is rose) leaving 43% for white wine. DOC is short for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The letter G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is absolutely no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. The region produces 19 DOC wines and one DOCG wine, Vermentino di Gallura. About 15% of Sardinian wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation.

Carignano del Sulcis DOC is produced in Sardinia’s southwestern tip from the red Carignano grape (the French call it Carignan) with a maximum of 15% of other local red grapes. The ros?ine is dry and still or fizzy. The red wine may be dry or sweet. Monica di Cagliari DOC is one of a series of similarly named wines featuring a grape such as Monica, Nuragus, etc. Monica di Cagliari is vinified in a large area of southern Sardinia starting from the local red Monica grape in a variety of styles both dry and sweet.

Find Paradise in Akumal, Mexico

If you have ever visited Cancun Mexico then you surely must have gone to beautiful Akumal. This lovely Mexican city is a mere hour and ten minutes from the bustling Cancun. It is located along the Mexican Caribbean coast on the Yucatan peninsula.

This highly secret location has been considered one of Mexico’s hidden hideaways for many years. Its values were discovered only by visitors who dared to travel along the Mexican coastline in an effort to discover adventure at its finest. However, once this modern day secret had been discovered many tourists and travelers to the Yucatan area have found that they are drawn back year after year to this magical tropical paradise. In Akumal the environment is considered precious and all efforts are expended to maintain this pristine setting.

If you are in search of a virgin landscape then this is the place for you to go. Akumal is the center for the Centro Ecológico de Akumal which is a non-profit group whose purpose is to protect the environment and conduct ecologically friendly marine research and education. They fully support the protection of the sea turtle population within the area. A walk though Akumal is similar to walking within a small eco-friendly community. With its length of sandy white beach, its pathways lined with swaying palm trees, the warm sun as well as the sound of the gently beating surf one tends to feel that they have landed on a tropical paradise.

Within Akumal you can find three beautiful bays. This jewel of the Caribbean boasts the half Moon bay, the greater Akumal bay as well as the Aventuras Akumal bay. All are great locations for snorkeling or scuba diving. All three of Akumal’s bays feature a tropical reef that is begging for the underwater explorer to investigate its charm. Nearby you can find the beautiful Yal-ku Lagoon that proudly displays its calm, clear water and a popular beach front at the Akumal Bay. Within the small confines of Akumal you will discover hidden restaurants which feature an abundance of locally caught seafood, quaint little out-of-the-way gift shops made for the curious visitor, several dive shops with an array of excellent equipment and family centered grocery stores. The nightlife is vivid and produces many fun filled beach bars which can be found at the Lol-ha and La Buena Vida.

Several additional attractions are but a skip and a jump from Akumal. You are in quick access to Jade Beach, Aventuras Akumal and South Akumal. All are merely a few minutes to the south from central Akumal. For a fun filled visit whether it is at night or during the daytime Aural offers the adventurous traveler a new insight into Mexican holidays.

If you would like more information and travel links, visit our Travel Directory at http://vacationsurfer.net/ and add your travel site’s link while you are there.

This article sponsored by our home for rent in Akumal Mexico http://akumalvacation.com/.