Travel Destination News

Make for the festive markets of Germany and meander merrily by rail to the winter wonderland of Wernigerode, where timber-framed houses sit in the imposing shadow of the magnificent town hall.

Forage for festive fodder, sample delicious roasted almonds and gulp local glühwein, before delving deep into the region of Harz, with stunning excursions on the Harz Narrow Gauge Railway to snow-sprinkled Brocken and the nature haven of Nordhausen.

If you still have space in your heart, or shopping bags, the inter-rail allows for further travel to Leipzig or Berlin, before going Christmas crazy in Cologne, where there are no less than four markets for further advent adventure. Prices start from £920 pp including return travel by Eurostar to/from Brussels, Inter Rail Pass, Harz Rover Ticket and seven nights‘ accommodation with  breakfast.

Call Ffestiniog Travel on 01766 772030 (www.festtravel.co.uk).

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Edmonton

Edmonton - Alberta’s capital City is situated on the North Saskatchewan River in Canada. The city as a tourist destination isn’t as popular as its neighbour Toronto however you would be pleasantly surprised with what Edmonton has to offer with its many national parks, wildlife and Canadian Rocky mountainous regions.

Edmonton plays an important part in Canada’s economy with its primary resource being gas and oil this growth is reflected in the city’s continuous re-growth and development where more and more skyscrapers, penthouse apartments and large department stores are being constructed.

The best time of year to visit Edmonton is during the summer months as it is one of the more pleasing cities with less humidity and rainfall than any other Canadian City and if you decide to visit in the winter Edmonton host some very good winter sports in its biting chilly winds and guaranteed snowfalls.

Sightseeing

Edmonton’s surrounding landscape is stunning so a trip to North Saskatchewan River valley is a must. Here you can expect to find many different varieties of pine tree nestled amongst rugged forest landscape, gushing rivers and a good selection of wildlife including deer and bear as well as several golf courses, public zoo and botanical gardens and conservatory.

You cant go to Edmonton and not visit the fourth largest shopping mall in the world! The West Edmonton Mall is no ordinary shopping mall, it is a whole entertainment centre as well with its amusement park called Galaxy land complete with rides for children and adults. The mall also house an ice-rink and North America’s largest indoor water park you can also expect to see an 18 hole golf course, IMAX theatre for all the latest movie releases and an indoor lake which is home to sea lions and a variety of aquatic life. And if you and the family are exhausted after your day trip round the 800 department stores and shops in the mall there is even a hotel within the mall itself.

Dining Out & Nightlife

The downtown district of Edmonton is where all the fabulous restaurants and cosmopolitan bars are to be found. Like all Canada’s cities there is a diverse cultural population so if you fancy a curry, Chinese or Italian meal there is plenty establishments to choose from. It would be a sin to visit Canada and not try the local delicacies. If you are a meat eater and not too Squeamish you could taste Elk, Bison or deer dishes.

As with most big cities entertainment is plentiful with something here for every age whether you like to go to the theatre, watch a movie, go clubbing till the early hours of the morning or just simply have a few quiet drinks in a bar your spoilt for choice.

If you are lucky enough to be visiting in you may want to check out the Edmonton International fringe festival. There are several big festivals hosted throughout the summer months.

Travelling to Edmonton

Flights to Canada arrive into Edmonton International Airport from several UK airports including Edinburgh, Glasgow, London Heathrow and Gatwick Airport.

Flying time from the United Kingdom to Edmonton is around 9 hours.

In order for your to enter Canada as a visitor you are required to hold a current valid passport and apply for a visa waiver form. If you are not born within the UK you may be required to attend a medical examination before being allowed entry into Canada.

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Monarch airlines, the low cost flights operator, has announced additional services to Lanzarote this Winter.  Providing a boost for the islands tourism industry and a shot in the arm for owners of apartments and holiday villas in Lanzarote.

 The additional flights to Lanzarote will be departing from Birmingham, Manchester and Gatwick.  According to Monarch´s Liz Savage:”The additional flights are great news for Monarch customers looking to get away this Christmas. Early indicators show that our customers are considering the Christmas getaway as important as ever and are continuing to snap up Monarch’s low fares in their droves. With 64 additional flights being added into the flying programme offering in excess of 12,000 further seats, getting away for Christmas has never been easier”.

 The Island of Fire is already a very popular holiday destination.  Especially amongst Irish and British tourists who flock to this eastern most Canary Island in large numbers.  Accounting for over one million tourists visits during the course of 2007, a figure that is expected to increase further this year.  Despite failing airlines, the falling pound and the current economic sutation.

 On Lanzarote, around two thirds of the islands official tourist capacity of 65,000 beds is accounted for by apartment complexes and holiday rental villas.  With hotels able to accommodate around 25,000 guests in any one week.  So creating a high level of demand for holiday rental accommodation.

 Throw in the fact that Lanzarote is also one of Europe´s only genuine Winter Sun destinations, at just four hours flying time from the UK – and it is easy to see why demand for property in Lanzarote remains reasonably buoyant amongst overseas investors.  Who will be further warmed by Monarch’s vote of confidence in the island at a time when some airlines are cutting back services to other destinations.

 Monarch has already responded to additional demand during the upcoming half term period by adding extra services to Lanzarote from Gatwick, departing every Thursday throughout the month.  And now Monarch will also be operating additional flights throughout the festive period, with a total of 12,000 extra seats on offer from Manchester, Birmingham and Gatwick airports.

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Turkey is a transcontinental Eurasian country, lying in part in the Anatolian peninsula in western Asia and part in the Balkan region of south Eastern Europe. It has the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean sea to the west, and the Black sea to the north. Through out its history, Turkey has been home to many different civilisations each of which has left behind a fascinating historical and archaeological heritage making it a Mecca for tourists. However, as well as all this, Turkey has become very much part of the modern world as well, and so modern beach resorts happily sit side by side with history and culture.

Taking a holiday in Turkey currently remains one of the most affordable destinations in the Mediterranean in terms of costs. A warm welcome awaits all visitors who travel to Turkey, as a strong tradition of friendliness and welcome abounds here. The Climate around the sea areas of Turkey is temperate, with hot dry summers and mild wet winters, while the interior of the country experiences colder harsher winters.

Istanbul is one of the top destinations in Turkey, and being the largest city in Turkey, it holds a wealth of historic sights and culture, from the Blue Mosque built in the early 17th century, which Is known for the blue tiles adorning the interior walls, to the Dolmabahce Palace which was the first European style palace to be build in Istanbul and was built in the mid 19th century at a staggering cost of five million Ottoman gold pounds (the equivalent of 35 tons of gold!). Fourteen tons of gold leaf were used to gild it’s ceilings, and the centre hall holds the worlds largest bohemian crystal chandelier which was a gift from Queen Victoria.

Turkey’s history really does go back a very long way, in fact, the worlds oldest known human settlement which dates back to 6500 BC is in Turkey, and can be seen at Catalhoyuk in Konya. Turkey was also home to two of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Bodrum and the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus.

Turkey’s coastal regions are beautiful and relaxing, and with tranquil sandy bays and beaches, and also modern beach resorts which are full of life and brimming with entertainment day and night, you can enjoy the best of everything here. The cuisine is very fine, and it’s quite possible to stay at one of the many holiday locations near the sea, and still take wonderful trips inland to some of the many Turkish cities to see the sites. Most cities are dotted with spectacular mosques and on the Aegean Coast in particular there is much of historical interest to see and many museums from the Archaeology Museum which houses an impressive collection of statues and other finds recovered during the excavations at Ephesus, to the Turkish Bath Museum, which is housed in a building from the 16th century and shows what it was like in a Turkish hamam or bath.

Like many other Mediterranean countries, Turkey also has on offer a wealth of water experiences, from diving to fishing and, if you prefer to go outward rather than inland for your sight seeing, then you could always take to the seas and enjoy a relaxing cruise down one of the Turkish coastlines. Along the Aegean Coast in particular, you can see many beautiful landmarks from the water.

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