Europe and the Mediterranean

The Danube flows through the City splitting Buda (built on two hills, Castle Hill and Gellert Hill) and the flatter landscape of Pest. Then there is the lesser known Obuda, the third of Budapest's cities - this lies on the same side of the Danube as Buda and is the oldest part with Celtic & Roman ruins.

Budapest has almost 100 thermal springs and 12 medicinal baths. In Hungary, thermal water is much closer to the surface than elsewhere hence the proliferation of springs & baths. 350,000 cubic meters of thermal waters (over 30C) break the surface daily in natural springs and drilled wells around the country.

Three of the best known spas are at the top of Gellert Hill. The Royal Palace is at the top of Castle Hill and was built originally in the 14th century and then rebuilt 400 years later in the Baroque style. Also on Castle Hill, the 700 year old Matthias Church is now the site of organ and choir performances.

Lake Balaton
Lake Balaton is known to the locals as the Hungarian Sea. The lake is 50 miles long and the most frequented tourist resort in the country. Excellent wines are made in the region. While there don't forget to try the local delicacy - toothfish.

Pécs
Pécs is about 200km from Budapest in the southern part of Hungary at the foot of the Mecsek mountains. The town is a significant cultural centre for the region and the country. It was founded by the Romans at the beginning of the 2nd century AD. Hungary's first university was founded here in 1367. The architectural monuments of the 150 years of Turkish occupation, the mosques, the Turkish bath and Pasha Idris's tomb, can still be seen. The Early Christian Mausoleum is not to be missed.

If you have time, do also visitsome of the following:

· Millenarian Benedictine Abbey at Pannonhalma
· Old Village of Hollóko
· Hortobágy National Park
· Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovakian Karst
· Historical Wine Region of Tokaj
· Lake Ferto

Are all well worth a visit.

Standing for over ten centuries on the banks of the Nile, Cairo is a city of antiquity that has stood the test of time. Alongside Roman, Arab, and Turkish monuments, ancient souks and khawas (coffee houses) there are malls, restaurants featuring cuisines from around the globe and skyscrapers. The hustle and bustle of Africa's biggest city is offset by the palpable presence of the Great Pyramids and the Nile River, which are its heart and soul.

In ancient times the only way to visit the pyramids and other temples and monuments in Southern Egypt would have been to set sail down the Nile. Though airlines operate flights to these tourist spots, sailing down the Nile is still a good way to visit the historical and cultural monuments that line its banks. Nile cruises are usually three, four or seven nights. The ideal time of the year to go on one is between October and mid-April when the locks on the river are open and the weather is pleasant.

The shorter tours ply between Luxor and Aswan, while the longer cruises travel further north, with day trips overland to more interior locations. A cruise can cost anything between $55.00 USD to $300.00 USD per night, with seasonal hikes of  25% to 50%.

Modern-day Nile cruisers have evolved from the traditional dayabeeyah or "golden boat". These boats were used by royalty and in their present incarnation are floating hotels that have all the modcons, including swimming pools, hot tubs, in-room videos and even internet access. The restored dayabeeyahs that now sail the Nile, offer a scaled-down version of this luxury and can be compared to a floating bed and breakfast. Being smaller than the Nile cruisers they don't have to follow a rigid schedule and are able to berth at sites that are not accessible to their larger relatives. Their main charm is the fact that they give you a glimpse of the past.
 
Nile dinner cruises are available for an evening out within Cairo and offer good food, entertainment and a view of the city lights. They are open between 5-8 pm and last about 1-2 hours. They have a number of set menus priced between 50-90 pounds. The boat in Agatha Christie's famous novel Death on the Nile is said to have been loosely based on the Nile Peking, one of the finest dinner cruises in Egypt.

While you are in Cairo, why not sample a Khawa, meaning coffee or coffee shop? These are sidewalk cafés that are the popular watering holes where people meet to exchange news. Traditional beverages are served - which include tea, Turkish coffee and tamarind.
 
The Khan el-Khalili bazaar is an experience. It has brass and copper trays and pots, and silver jewellery, handmade applique pillow covers ($10 to $20), wall hangings and tote bags, inlaid boxes and djellabas (the traditional robes for men and women). Kerdassa near the pyramids has hand-woven Egyptian rugs, cotton scarves and tapestries.

For a short break or a longer holiday in Egypt, there is a lot to see, and our specialist consultants will be pleased to advise on the best and most reliable arrangements, so do contact us.

The Azores Islands are an archipelago at the Westernmost point of Europe. These nine Portuguese islands were created by volcanic activity hundreds of millions of years ago and still retain the evidence of this cataclysm in their landscape: 7,700-foot mountain peaks, blue and green lakes, green fields and valleys. The Azores have just 240,000 inhabitants in 868 square miles and enjoy year-round temperatures that hover between 14 and 22 degrees centigrade

Why not try a guided week-long cycling and walking tours of one of the islands, that give participants the chance to climb the 3,640-foot Pico de Vara; cross forests of Japanese Cedars, big-leaf hydrangea, and wild ginger; and tour Europe's only tea plantation, which dates from 1883?

 

Experience the hottest adventures in the coolest of places! If you aren't already well acquainted with the wonders of the land of fire and ice, read on!

• Reykjavik is the northernmost capital city in the world, and the most westerly capital city in Europe - and is under 3 hours flying time from the UK.
• Iceland has a population of 300,000 - there is one phone book for the whole country and people are listed by their first names.
• English is widely spoken all over Iceland.
• The country is known as ''the land of fire and ice'' due to the large number of glaciers, the island's volcanic past and its geysers.
• In summer it is daylight for 24 hours a day and in winter it's possible to witness the wonder and beauty of the Northern Lights.
• In summer, you can see whales and porpoises. Many rare bird species may also spotted in Iceland.
• Horse riding is easy - Icelandic horses are sturdy and serene, ideal for the novice or more accomplished riders.
• The Golden Circle tour is a worthwhile day trip, and includes the magnificent Gullfoss waterfall, spouting hot springs at Geyser and Thingvellir national park, the site of the first Icelandic parliament and the point where the earth’s tectonic plates meet, creating a rift valley.
• Hiring a car is an affordable way to explore part of or the whole country  - allow ten days to drive the whole way round the island at a leisurely pace.
• For a taste of adventure head to one of the glaciers and try snow-mobiling on an icecap, or go quad-biking, white water rafting or super-jeeping.
• There is a beach in Reykjavik, heated by a geothermal spring (open summer only), where people can sunbathe and paddle. The azure-blue waters at the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa are renowned for their positive effects on the skin.
• Movies including Tomb Raider and View to a Kill have been filmed in Iceland; celebrities including Clint Eastwood, Yoko Ono, Emma Thompson, Harrison Ford, Top Gear’s Richard Hammond and explorer Sir Chris Bonnington have recently visited.

If you are interested in “a holiday with a difference”, not too far from home, why not contact us for advice and suggestions. Our experienced staff will be delighted to help you.

Astra (one of our leisure travel consultants) recently went on a trip to find out more about historic Riga, the capital of Latvia, a country she had never visited. The following is a summary of her report:

"I can warmly recommend a short break in Riga. My journey to Riga International Airport from London on Air Baltic was comfortable and uneventful. I was surprised at just how quickly I was able to claim my bags! No sooner had I reached arrivals then my bags appeared.
 
As we made our way into the centre of Riga (approx 15 minutes by car) I was immediately taken by the beautiful architecture, a mix of Art Nouveau and colourful 15th century designs.

Crossing The River Daugava we passed the magnificent Riga Castle, residence of the first lady president Vaira Vike-Freiberga.

We arrived at our hotel in no time. The Hotel Europa Royale is a new luxury hotel housed in a restored 19th Century Mansion, once home to the writers’ guild and very centrally located across from Vermanes Garden.

Starting from these Gardens, one of Riga’s oldest parks and a wonderful place for relaxation and the arts, we embarked the following morning upon a guided city walk.
 
The garden plays homage to Kr. Barons a compiler of Latvian folk songs who also appears on the 100 Lat note. Did you know that there are around 2 million national folk songs? That’s approximately 1 song per Latvian!

Also located in these famous gardens is The Latvian National Opera Theatre, which stages a wealth of classical and modern productions.

In the heart of the park we found the Freedom Monument (Brivibas Iela) designed by famous Latvian architect Karlis Zale. Fondly nicknamed Milda, a female bronze casting holds up 3 golden stars which symbolise 3 Latvian regions; Latgale, Kurzeme and Victzeme. The friezes around the base depict Latvians singing, working and fighting for their freedom. A popular activity for locals is to place fresh flowers at the base to commemorate the mass deportation of Latvians to Siberia under oppressive Soviet rule in 1949. Guards of honour stand at the base from 09.00 to 20.00.

From Vermanes Garden we were guided towards Riga Old Town, which has been included on the UNESCO world heritage list as one of the world’s largest and best preserved areas of Art Nouveau buildings. It is a city with architecture that reflects the country’s turbulent history from 1201 to present day.

Riga Old Town is also host to many clubs, restaurants and bars with much to offer those looking for a base to explore the individual boutiques and quaint market square, located adjacent to The Three Brothers.

Some of the must see sights to include in an Old Town tours are:

Three Brothers – These are the best example of medieval residential buildings, the oldest of which was constructed in the 15th Century.

House of Black Heads – First documented in 1334 and occupied by The Black Heads Merchant Guild. The Black Heads were an organisation of unmarried foreign merchants. This beautiful Gothic building was totally destroyed in WWII and later rebuilt as an exact replica. Every historic and listed building, once it decays beyond repair, must be rebuilt to exact original specifications, to preserve Latvia’s heritage.

Dome Cathedral – Is the largest Cathedral in the Baltic States. Founded at the beginning of the 13th Century under Bishop Albert, this vast Cathedral has become an icon of Old Town Riga. In past centuries it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times, and therefore plays host to a variety of architectural styles.

As if all this wasn’t enough to whet our sightseeing appetites, we went onto Riga’s Lido Recreation Centre for lunch. A quirky log cabin, equipped with its very own windmill. The Lido offers a full variety of food and live entertainment. Lunch was served in a delicious array of Latvian cuisine; stuffed tomatoes, marinated wild mushrooms and an abundance of smoked meat and fish. Whilst the inside was delightfully seasonal there was plenty to catch your eye and put you in the Christmas mood with an outdoor skating rink a huge Christmas tree and several Christmas displays.

From the Lido we continued with credit cards burning holes in our pockets to The Bergs Bazaar. Kristaps Bergs originally created this shopping and residential enclave between 1887-1900 and has since undergone a radical face-lift, celebrating its original splendour whilst incorporating modern state-of-the-art facilities.

My favourite shop was Emila Gustava Sokolade, a chocolatiers where I sinfully indulged in a gloriously rich hot chocolate, which in my opinion far exceeds the chocolatiers in Belgium.
 
Also located in The Bergs Bazaar is The Hotel Bergs, which made it onto the 2005 Tatler’s guide as one of the top ten luxury boutique hotels in the world.

We finished off our day with a meal at The Reval Hotel Latvia followed by cocktails at the Skyline bar. On the 26th Floor of the hotel The Skyline Bar provides an excellent position from which to admire Riga’s sights.

The morning of Day two saw us take a visit to Rundale Palace (Rundales Pils), a former summer residence of The Duke of Courland, Ernst Johann Biron.

Approximately 1 hour outside of Riga this beautiful palace is one of Latvia’s most popular historic tourist attractions and is home to Latvia’s largest Collection of Baroque and Rococo Art.

From there we moved on to The Mezotne Palace Hotel for lunch where we enjoyed a delightful 3-course meal. The Mezotne Palace Hotel is set in the Latvian countryside on the banks of The River Lielupe. The landscape rather reflects that of a country manor in rural England. I believe that The Mezotne Hotel would make a great escape from Riga as part of a multi centre trip in Latvia.

The last part of the day saw us make our way through to Jurmala approximately 20 minutes drive from the Capital Riga.

Since the 19th Century, Jurmala has been a playground for large numbers of tourists due to its location on the Baltic Sea and miles of white sand. It has also been closely linked with health and well-being and as a result boasts a large number of luxury spas

I was struck again by the Latvian architecture. To me the little wooden houses and hotels all painted in different pastel colours very much reminded me of a toy town. This theme carried through to the main pedestrian street where I found an abundance of café bars, bistros and shops. I am sure in the summer months these provide a pleasant evening after a full day on the beach.

On day three, I decided to treat myself with a little something at The Jurmala Spa hotel. My first impressions of the Spa were great modern décor, relaxed atmosphere with intimate surroundings. I have to be honest that the massage itself was fairly rough and not as relaxing as I had hoped but I am sure that someone more experienced would have found the treatment exhilarating!

The rest of the morning I spent browsing through the shops and indulging in fabulous cups of hot chocolate before my flight back home.

What more can I say, except I am already looking to take my partner, best friend and her husband for a short break to Latvia next year! "

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Thank you, Astra, for this report. As you can see, Latvia makes a great destination for a short break. Why not contact Astra for first hand advice, and ask her to arrange your next break based on Riga?

Tenerife may be closer to Africa than Spain but the atmosphere is definitely Spanish - relaxed and unhurried by day, the pace hots up as the sun goes down. It's one island that can offer two very different breaks. Go south for hot sunshine, and north to Los Gigantes for dramatic scenery and sophistication.

With sun-baked sandy beaches and exuberant bars and nightclubs, the south coast of Tenerife feels far from the lush banana plantations and cosmopolitan towns of the north of the island. In fact, Tenerife is only 55 miles from north to south, but majestic Mount Teide cuts the island into two very distinct parts each having a very different character. Away from the holiday resorts, the island’s Spanish heritage reveals itself in sleepy whitewashed plazas and tiny Spanish tapas bars, in fun-loving fiestas and elegant colonial buildings.

At just over 12,000 feet, this volcanic mountain, in Las Canadas National Park, is the highest mountain in Spain and has a cable car which runs almost to the top. In the North, the resort of Puerto de la Cruz boasts stunning views of it, a picturesque waterfront, excellent shopping and entertainment.. The south of the island is hotter and sunnier and has an impressive lunar landscape. This is where the  buzzing resort of Playa de las Americas is located.

Tenerife offers you more than you probably expect. You could visit one of the 106 vineyards on the island, where wine production has been established for centuries. Why not take a trip to the sandy beach, Las Teresitas, five miles north of Santa Cruz? Here you will find half a mile of golden sand imported from the Sahara, lined with palm trees, kiosks and typical snacks and tapas. If you want to explore, discover the Pyramids of Guimar, constructed according to similar principles to those discovered in Mexico and Peru. To experience a taste of culture, you may like to attend a concert by the Symphony Orchestra, which plays at the Tenerife Auditorium in Santa Cruz.

Why not let us tailor a holiday to include your favourite activities and sights, here in Tenerife and its neighbouring islands – or anywhere else for that matter? Contact our specialist consultants and see what they come up with!