A winter vacation is liked particularly with younger people and families very much. Every year millions of Germans make a pilgrimage in the mountains around in fact sport to make. Besides, the runways have to do being very long and sure about snow, because, otherwise, hardly right fun can arise. Unfortunately, own the German low mountain ranges not necessarily for it, because to most departures are no longer as a 1 kilometer. Of the wide one the mountains are not sure about snow on account of the low height by hundred percent and one go on art snow at plus degrees hardly makes fun. The climate change aggravates the situation over again, because particularly by big heights the temperatures rise terrifically.

Therefore only the Alps are possible for many advanced skiers. These are with height of more than 4000 meters resistant compared with the climate change and the runways can be partially longer than ten kilometers. Also the runways are often precipitous and more demanding.  Therefore the Alps to skiers and Snowboarders offer a perfect vacation. The architecture and plain fare act to her remaining in a perfect winter vacation.

Saint Anton as a winter sports place

A known winter sports place in the Alps is the Austrian Saint Anton. It lies in the federal state “Tirol” in the west of Austria. The place is liked very much with the vacationers because of many runways and the numerous skis hire Saint Anton, and rental Saint Anton. The skiing area counts to the biggest hung up together skiing area of the region, it encloses more than 75 lifts which bring the vacationer at more than 2800-metre height. The unfathomable number of 276 preserved runway kilometers lets even professionals stop the breath. Besides count to the area also more than 150 kilometers of deep snow journeys. From 276 runway kilometers there are 112 kilometers „the blue runway“ which is suitable particularly for beginners and small children. Here one finds very level departures. 134 runway kilometers are so-called „red runways“ which serve for advancer driver. The departures are often precipitous about a longer distance. On 31 kilometers „black runway“ the professionals can let off steam. The very precipitous departures should be avoided by beginners anyway.

Ski hire St. Anton and ski rental st. anton

Of course Saint Anton also offers numerous lending possibilities to the vacationers. For skiers and Snowboarder the stores have the most different equipment ready. It makes no difference whether you are beginner or novice. Ski hire St. anton and ski rental st. anton simply offers for everybody the fitting one. Therefore, a lending is better on site anyway than in the home town, because can change over again mass or no skilled staff exists.

Many folks look to make the most of the few days off work at Christmas and take a short city break for bringing in the festivities. But just where should you go to spend the holidays, if not at home? Well here you have a few of Europe’s best Christmas cities and why they are worth a visit at that time of year.

Berlin

Berlin is the perfect Christmas city. Unlike some more southern options, you’ll still have the cold and the possibility of snow – two things that just make it feel like Christmas, unless you’re Australian!

You’ll have to visit Berlin’s famous Christmas markets and do a little bit of last-minute shopping as well as trying the Glühwein, a warm drink to keep you going in the cold. Try some of the food on offer at the markets too and buy some to take home for your traditional German Christmas dinner of Roast Goose with roast potatoes and vegetables.

Aslo take in the Winter World at Potsdamer Platz with its ice rink, curling rink and toboggan run before you head back home.

Paris

Paris is of course another beautiful city to spend Christmas in. Again, you find no shortage of Christmas markets and there are even a lot more of them indoors than you’d see in Berlin! Enjoy some of the world’s top cooking for your Christmas meal with a French twist.

There may be no prettier sight than the Eiffel Tower in snow. Except perhaps the Champs-Elysées in December with the Christmas lights wrapped around all the trees that line the famous street.

London

London is the perfect place to visit at any time of year and that means in winter too! The huge city has everything, from shops to buy your pressents to restaurants to enjoy a lovely Christmas Dinner. You should also be sure to pay a visit to the Natural History Museum and its outdoor ice rink that opens for November and December.

And the Christmas World at Harrods department store is not to be missed. You’ll never see as much green and red in the one place again in your life.

Prague

Prague is the last beautiful city on the list and with its cold Decembers is another traditional Christmas destination.

Apart from the markets, food, beer and beautifula winter views (especially from Prague Castle), Christmas really is the best time to visit the city as you wont come across the several stag parties that you would if visiting in summer. Instead you’ll spend Christmas in a very peaceful Prague.

Though Barcelona may be most popular in the warm summer months, wintertime in the Catalan capital can be just as, if not more exciting. There is always a lot to do in winter – and most of it, thankfully, is indoors!

Christmas Markets

Christmas Fun by arquera

The city has many Christmas markets and all of them are worth a visit. The most famous is probably the Fira de Santa Llúcia, which this year opens on November 25th, giving you exactly a month to do your shopping there. Also popular are the Fira de Brocanters, near Plaça Catalunya, and the Fira de Nadal a La Sagrada Familia.

Winter Cuisine

The winter food and drink is some of the best around. Churros with Hot Chocolate are simply a must and are the perfect way to warm up when sitting outside a café on a cold, but sunny winter’s morning. Mulled wine is, of course, another favourite and even a classical red wine indoors can make it feel as though winter has arrived.

FC Barça

Winter time means that the Spanish football season is in full flow and every game matters. There’s no better way to spend a winter night than by wrapping up warm and heading to the Camp Nou to cheer on Messi and co. With the stadium hosting midweek Champion’s League games all through the autumn and winter months, you’ll be sure to find a match that takes your fancy!

Go For a Walk

There is no better time to go for a stroll than in the winter months. Unlike in summer when you don’t want to move, in winter a casual stroll through the park in your jacket and scarf can be the perfect way to relax. Why not even take a walk up to the Tibidabo? From the top of the hill you have superb views of the city and can enjoy a bit of piece and quiet!

Inspired by it being the 29^th of February (a leap year), which also happens to be the only day women are allowed to propose, it got me thinking… if I were in the right place in my life, how and where would I pop the question? …The answer came to me within seconds; well within the most romantic city in the most romantic country in the world of course – Venice!

Whether you’re male or female, if you’re looking to make your proposal special and memorable, ideally it should be well thought out and planned. If you’re unfamiliar with the floating city, have a look at the following ideas for some inspiration.

Traditional Romantics

Gondola by Suomi Star

For those who ooze with romance and like nothing more than the sickliest lovey dovey activities, than clearly a gondola ride, complete with an Italian choir serenade is in order. Pop the question whilst you’re floating through the dim lit lagoon as the sun sets, make sure you request your choir to sing along to the romantic songs of the likes of Pavarotti and Russ Colombo.

Unconventional

Burano by O Plasson

Ok, so if you’re unconventional to the core, you may not think that Venice, a city full of swooning loved up couples would be to your tastes. However don’t judge a book by its cover. Step off the walkways of the city centre and you’ll find a city full of surprises. Take a boat ride, or even better, rent your own boat and go and explore Venice’s lesser known islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. These have a much more ‘down to earth’ feel about them. Wow your partner by taking them to watch glass blowing in Murano followed by a walk past the multicoloured decorated buildings of Burano. And since threes a charm, work up the nerve to ask the big question on the sleepy and secluded island of Torcello!

In the public eye

Saint Mark’s Square by lostajy

Some couples love to be in the spotlight. Tourists, passersby and conservative Venetians a show to remember by gathering a crowd and asking your beloved to marry you right in the middle of Saint Mark’s square. If you want to be even more dramatic you could arrive by speedboat, dress in Venice carnival wear and hire a marching band… The world is your oyster.

If you’d like to find out more about Venice why not take a look at this Venice travel guide, full of useful tips about how to have a blissful holiday in Venice.

Italy is one of the most popular holiday destinations worldwide. With its vast landscapes consisting of stunning seaside, dramatic mountains, heavenly lakes and blissful countryside, no matter what you’re looking to get out of your holiday, you can bet you’ll find it in Italy.

Countryside Escape

The Italian countryside is worlds away from fields and fields of green which we Brits are used to. Although they are very pleasant there is something magical about the yellow rolling hills of vineyards and olives and dotted with the symbolic cypress trees. The best known region in Italy for a countryside holiday is Tuscany. Those looking to get away from it all and truly embrace the Italian culture often decide to rent a villa on one of the beautiful secluded Tuscan hills.

Sun and sea

Wherever you may be in Italy, you can bet the sea will never be too far away. Its boot-like shape means that it can offer sun seekers 7,600 kilometres of sandy beaches. Here you can chill out and relax and soak up the hot rays, go for a little dip in the warm, yet refreshing Mediterranean waters.

High altitude fun

To the North you will find the Alps where snow sports enthusiast will be glad to hear offers facilities for your typical winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, but also can offer those looking to branch out, the opportunity to toboggan, go sledging and snowmobiling.

During the summertime the many flock to the mountain lakes to bathe in their refreshing crystal clear waters and marvel at their dramatic surroundings. Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake and offers various holiday options to suit all budgets. Families often chose to go for the popular camping option, whilst those who can afford it rent luxury villas with private lake beaches.

City Break

With Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, Napoli and Pisa to choose from you sure are spoilt for choice if you’re looking for a city break. Stand within the grounds of the mighty Roman coliseum or perhaps you’d prefer to visit the world’s only floating city, or maybe you’ve come to Italy for to see the works of art of the greats such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.

To many the county of Avon may only appear to be a boring blip on the UK map, however with two major cities you may be surprised at what this Southern county has to offer…

Bath

The Circus, Bath by Ian Muttoo

A city rich in history and heritage Bath is famous for its roman baths, dating all the way back to 60 AD. After the Romans came the Georgians who built the rest of the city in elegant Bath stone. During the 18^th and 19^th century Bath, famous for its apparently healing bath waters became a popular spa retreat for the high flying society in. The upper classes would flock to the city from London or their country estates to mingle, socialise, party and ultimately get married. The city is also famous for being the backdrop to many of Jane Austen’s most popular novels including Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. Nowadays due to the pristine condition of the buildings and streets it’s often featured in films and period dramas.

Bristol

Bristol by pandrcutts

Although only a 12 minute train journey away, in contrast to Bath, Bristol is anything but pristine; the city centre is a mishmash of many styles of buildings, developed throughout the centuries. The atmosphere is similar to that of London – quirky, cool and cosmopolitan. The city is home to a thriving music scene, you’ll find many pubs offer live music, and the city is dotted with many comedy clubs and small music venues. There are also several large well known music venues, including the Bristol O2 Arena, which attracts the likes of top acts such as Plan B and La Roux.

The city a shopping haven, it’s home to all the classic high street shops, such as Topshop, River Island, Republic, all of which can be found in the new shopping centre, Calbot circus, as well as many cheaper and quirky boutiques and retro shops which can be found in the area surrounding Bristol University.

…And beyond

Stonehenge by nyaa_birdies_perch

If you’re looking to escape to hustle and bustle of city life, you’ll find you’re never more than twenty minutes away from the peaceful bliss of the countryside. Avon offers mile upon mile of country paths for you to explore and enjoy. Whilst you’re in the area make sure you don’t pass up on the chance to visit one of Britain’s most infamous landmarks and greatest mysteries – Stonehenge.

Any tourist, traveling to Vienna will visit these two main attractions:

The historical city center around St. Stephans Cathedral and Schönbrunn Palace.

The city center, surrounded by the ‘Ring Road’ is the heart of the city.  Individual travelers will be best off by downloading  a Vienna walking tour as an audioguide. For the most interesting sights in this zone you download short audio mp3 files onto your own mp3 player.  Following the according city map, you listen to the audio information right in front of each sight.  You get infos about sights, monuments and cafes and bars as well. There is no way to get familiar to Vienna more comfortable.

Especially the historical centre of Vienna goes well for this kind of audio walking tour.  You will find a huge number of sights of touristic interest within a circle of 1,5 km.  Very comfortable for tourists as you can just walk from sight to sight. „Your Friend in Vienna“ then just tells you what you see in front of the sights, just like walking through a museum and listening to an audio guide.  

For the second touristic hotspot in Vienna, Schönbrunn Palace you should also use an audioguide. (available in the Palace)

The Welsh coastline may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of fantastic beach destinations. Yet despite not having the reputation for the best weather, the magnificent Gower peninsula still attracts many visitors, keen to experience the spectacular beaches for themselves.

Situated on the tip of South West Wales, the Gower is proud to boast kilometer after kilometer of pristine Welsh coastline which is popular with families, surfers, water sports enthusiasts and of course… sheep! Here’s my pick of the Gower’s best beaches.

1) Three Cliffs Bay

How many beaches have you been to where you’ll find three cliffs, a river and even a castle nearby? Three Cliff Bay has it all and is perfect for rock climbers, families, rock pool explorers and surfers.

Three Cliffs Bay – Ladyr6

2) Rhossili Bay

Renowned for being one of the best places in the UK to watch the sunset, a trip to Rhossili Bay will always guarantee an unforgettable experience. If you’re feeling adventurous you can also brave the journey across to ‘Worm’s Head’, but be careful – it’s only accessible at low tide!

Rhossili Sunset #2 – Kat Shaw

3) Oxwich

With easy access and an incredibly flat surface, Oxwich is particularly popular with water sports enthusiasts, dog walkers and families. Just around the corner the sand dunes are the perfect place to let the kids run around, that is if they aren’t tired out from swimming and building sandcastles first.

Oxwich Dunes – geographyalltheway.com

4) Langland

One of the Gower’s most popular beaches, Langland is easily recognisable by the rows of picturesque green beach huts. With nearby tennis courts and a golf club, if the sun hasn’t come out to play, there’s always somewhere where you can go and have fun!

Langland Beach huts – Gareth Lovering

It’s true to say that Spanish Christmas cuisine used to consist of rather ‘humble’ dishes, however, over the years many traditional platters have been transformed into elegant and elaborate meals. Of course, what will never change is the amount of sweets and cakes brought out for dessert! But let’s not get ahead of ourselves; we should begin with the starting point of any Christmas dinner – the snacks. In Catalonia, ham, various local types’ of sausage, shrimp, smoked salmon as well as a few types of pâté and cheese are served to get the ball rolling. It’s also common to eat a Christmas soup or cream, either made of nuts, poultry or fish to wash down these rich starters.

Although appetizers vary slightly from household to household, generally everyone follows the same rules and seafood, sausage and canapés are served. The main course is always the one which causes the most panic as people question whether to prepare a bird (duck, capon, turkey…) or a classic Catalan escudella (a type of stew.) It’s also common to eat some fish such as cod on Christmas day. My advice is that given the amount of choice you have of the many Spanish and Catalan Christmas dishes; try a bit of everything!

Finally, my personal highlight is the numerous desserts on offer (that is, if you have room to eat more!). In a Spanish home you’ll often find a whole table is dedicated to desserts, with all kinds of sweets, turrón (nougat), dátiles (dates), mazapán (marzipan) or alfajores, a fruit salad and some liquor laid out for everyone to enjoy.

Other Spanish holiday related food traditions is to eat 12 lucky grapes and a glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve, and during the Three Kings Day the people usually eat a Roscón de Reyes.

It’s not even November and I’m already dreaming of New Years Eve in Barcelona. The weekends are amazing and so what will New Years Eve bring!? When I came to Barcelona on the plane I was able to enjoy the view as we approached the airport. For me the stand out building on the beach front is the W-Hotel.

So when planning my Barcelona New Years Eve the first thing that crossed my mind was the W-Hotel, the hotel is similar to the Burj al Arab and shines like a beacon on the beach. The W-hotel is home to one of the best cocktail bars in Barcelona which sits on the 26th floor giving a panoramic view of the city. Often I find my daydreams taking me up to the 26th floor!

I don’t want to bet my whole night on this hotel, the possibility of entering this luxurious event is low. The main clubs in Barcelona have special themes and it is important to buy the tickets up front, or else you can not get in!

Some of the other popular places in Barcelona are Plaza Real, the beach of Barceloneta and Plaza Cataluña. Plaza Real is an alternative way to starting the night. You can sit on the terrace with a drink and tapas while watching others make their way to the festivities. Plaza real is the meeting place to start your evening and for others which guarantees a great atmosphere! Barceloneta attracts around 8000 people on the beach to enjoy the party with special guest performances from famous DJ’s and a firework show at 00:00.

Off course there are more attractions in Barcelona, the European capital that never sleeps!

When you have experiences of your own, don’t be afraid to share it with us! We are looking forward to hear from you……HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Saludos!