Isle of Wight for a traditional British holiday

History can be found everywhere, and Britain is a country with an extremely rich history, one that still lives today, especially with holidays.

Today it may be cheap to travel to a different country or a different island, but the same can be said about our own islands and the Isle of Wight in particular. Before holidays in Spain and Greece became rather cheap and common, the Isle of Wight was extremely popular for British families.

Even today it can be. Delivering seaside pleasures with stunning views, the Isle of Wight may not be the hottest place to visit, but it can defiantly be known as one of the most attractive British holiday destinations.

You can enjoy walks on the rolling chalk downs, head out in a sailboat, taste the local foods or even time your trip to see the Isle of Wight music Festival. Before thinking about your next Spanish beach holiday, think about spending money in British territory, without needing to change currency. Though do check on the weather beforehand as you may need a raincoat.

 

September Holidays in Greece

Okay so September is the closing month of the summer holiday season, sadly even for Greece or Greek islands. However, prices drop significantly midway through the month of September, so it could be worth holding off on your summer holiday, plus you’ll miss the rush of the school kids.

September is a great month for couples, because families tend to be restricted to the summer periods, especially with younger children. The weather during July and August is likely to be warmer, but gaining a tan is just as likely in September too.

So what are the downsides? Well as mentioned, it’s the close of the summer holiday season. If you love all inclusive holidays, it may be a little different in September, where restaurants need to budget the last of the food more carefully, and because the number of visitors are smaller, so too will be the range of food on offer.

September may lack atmosphere, even the main attractions such as water parks, but it means no queuing for rides, and seclusion, which could be exactly what you’re looking for in a holiday. Either way, September should not be automatically ruled out just because it’s not quite as hot. So if you want to cut back costs, delay your next summer holiday and head to Greece in September.

Holiday Suitcase Essentials

Packing for a holiday can be a nightmare for some people. Not only does it have to fit in a reasonable sized suitcase, it also has to weigh under a certain amount, depending on the airline.

Knowing exactly what to pack can also be tricky, and to make sure you don’t forget some essential items, HolidayPlaces are offering you a quick guide. Underwear, unlike t-shirts underwear should only be warned once. If you’re going somewhere hot limit the amount of trousers your taking. They may only be needed for an evening meal, so is there really any need to take too many pairs?

Things that can be purchased cheaply such as a beach ball, lilo, and a bat and ball, should be left behind. If it isn’t n your hand luggage, absolute essential include a phone (and charger), passport, cash, insurance paperwork, hotel details. Health belongings should include pain killers, bug repellent, toothpaste, deodorant, and toothbrush, and perhaps antibiotic cream.

For clothes, shorts, vest and t-shirts are ideal for summer trips, while winter trips should still not require more than four pairs of jeans. Each individual is different, but if you have the belongings we’ve mentioned you won’t be too disappointed, just make sure you find the right balance, without exceeding the limit on the scales.

All Inclusive Vs. Half Board

There’s no doubt that all inclusive holidays are becoming increasingly popular, but depending on the type of holiday you want to have, they may not always make sense.

Half board is the next best option, and while it does not offer you with unlimited beverages and drinks throughout the day, you’re still usually guaranteed a buffet breakfast and dinner. Therefore, if you are the type of individual who likes to explore, and spend more time outside the hotel premises than in, it could make perfect sense.

It’s clear that to make the absolute most of an all-inclusive holiday, a lot of time must be spent by the hotel, where you can take advantage of the food and drinks on offer throughout the day. Meanwhile, if you’re prone to a lie-in or accidentally missing breakfast, half board would not be well suited.

Drinking in the evenings after a meal is another way of making sure you fulfil that all-inclusive price tag, and again if you’re not the type to worry about this, half board may offer everything you require. Of course, the location itself is important, with some holiday areas charging more for everyday items, even water can be quite costly, so researching into your destination is just as important and it could sway your decision when it comes to choosing a board basis.

Algarve holidays – The Best Holiday Destination of Portugal

The Algarve is the southernmost area of central Portugal. The place is quite known for the fishes and other types of seafood along with almonds, figs, oranges and carob beans. These foods are even economically important for this place. The Algarve is one of the most famous tourist destinations of Portugal and even in Europe. In holiday seasons, the population of this place goes threefold than the normal. Algarve holidays attract more than 7 million tourists per year. Let’s see what treasure lays in the Algarve that influx so many tourists.

Portugal’s Main Slice:

The southernmost strip of Portugal is not only about the ties of golden sand or the well-loved golf courses. The Algarve also comprises of a touchy mixture of contemporary lavish resorts and old styled towns. Moreover, families are catered more than the usual with its superb theme parks, restaurants and water parks. Algarve holidays are simply a trip to heaven.

Albufeira ; The Best One Can Get:

For families who like to have everything at their doorsteps, Albufeirais the best place to be at. It is also the biggest holiday spot in Algarve. The place consists of a beautiful 5-kilometer beach with restaurants in abundance and the nightlife is just louder than itself. People with historical interest can also visit the local ancient cobblestoned town or take a walk on cliff-top paths to search the hidden bays.

For Peace Lovers:

Tourists from all over the world who wishes to enjoy in calm places can visit Sao Rafael. It is an ideal place to enjoy the silence. Sao Rafael’s most prominent beach has a status of Blue Flag. The prevailing resort has many restaurants and beachfront bars.

In order to see the true face of Portugal, visit Olhos D’Agua, a place near to Sao Rafael. Olhos D’Agua is a fish functioning village that has cobblestoned lanes along with traditional waterfront restaurants. The beach is quite popular with toddlers, as it has freshwater springs bubbling up from the sand and rock pools to explore.

Places For Accommodation in Algarve:

Albufeira:

Located at the southern coast of Portugal, Albufeira is the largest vocational hotspot in Algarve holidays. The resort is quite clued-up that pulls all new seafront along with an ancient town piled with shops, restaurants and bars. It’s the best place to be at for people who are on vacation, as it comes with larger than life nightlife and seashore jam-packed with Blue Flag beaches.

Olhos D’Agua:

Located at the Algarve’s coast, the hilly area of Olhos D’Agua is like a dark horse. It is a small yet friendly fishing hamlet where tourist can still see the local fisherman carrying the days catch on its beach. However, once the moon dawns, the village turns into a tourist destination. Parties at Olhos D’Agua are not like Albufeira but one can always make their night with exciting bars and restaurants around. Albufeira is just 15 minutes drive away from this place.

Alvor:

This place is pretty mixed up. Located in the western region of Algarve, Alvor is known for its traditional fishing along with its own river and lagoon. Equally, it is always famous for its elite restaurants and modern music bars. Its beach is well known for the abundance of golden sand.
Tourists find holidays as one of the best places in whole Europe.

Overseas Travel Courses

Overseas travel courses are offered in many institutions of higher learning in the United Kingdom including travel colleges all over, which offer various careers in tourism, airline as well as travel industries. The travel courses train learners on the technical skills that are required in travel as well as tourism industries. The programs ideally combine the tourism and travel units, essential computing subjects and also communication and selling skills. They require a superb mix of accelerated learning and student centred techniques.

The outstanding aspect of these courses is the integration of computing subjects into learning. Students taking these courses must be able to access computer or internet laboratories throughout. In most institutions the internet facilities are free of charge. This enables those taking the course to learn a lot of new skills using a number of the leading online systems in the world. These include:-

  • CODECO airline check in programme
  • VIASINIC computerised reservation systems
  • Cabin Crew Direct- accredited by the international airlines
  • Cruise Ship Diploma- teaches on how to increase essential cruise product.

Since all employers only hire the services of effective graduates, colleges offering overseas travel courses blend product knowledge and practical learning with realistic sessions of interaction. This makes the learning relevant, interesting and dynamic. The courses are very practical and it follows that there will be lots of field trips for students taking them. This way, they get an opportunity to sample travel products. This may be very costly for the individual students and so many colleges may either cater for the entire cost or subsidize the cost for the individual students so that they end up paying only a small amount. Many colleges release groups of students into the travel industry all the year round using these field trips so that they can meet the personnel in the industry. By so doing, students are given individual support into work.

The certificate courses are aimed at teaching the students on communication in the travel industry, how to compute tourism costs, how to prepare itineraries, using computer reservation systems, understanding ticketing and fares and how the industry works in general. This knowledge is enough to prepare a student to become an independent Travel Agent in their own agency since most certificate courses meet all the requirements of the agency.

The International Travel Management is the only internationally recognised and established degree course that is travel industry specific. In this course, the contemporary, theoretical academic and operational elements of the travel industry are aligned to and integrated with business management studies. It cultivates the understanding, knowledge as well as skills needed for success in the highly competitive and dynamic modern travel industry. Also, it fosters the incorporation of a strong international theme and has been advanced with consultation from the professionals in the travel industry. In the first year, students are taught on understanding how the industry is organized and the operation mode. The core management principles are introduced at this point. The theoretical elements of the core aspects of the travel industry are investigated in the second year. The final year zeros in on the contemporary and critical aspects and issues the modern travel industry faces. The managerial focus is strategic and applied at this point.

On completion of the overseas travel courses, students are awarded Nationally Accredited certificates. Career opportunities available thereafter include International Travel Consultant, Domestic Travel Consultant, Tour Guide, Tourism Information Officer and Travel Agent among others.

Visiting the Pearl of the Adriatic

Tuesday, 03 December 2013 08:20

For budget travellers, the last-minute break is a thing of beauty, offering the chance to go places and do things that might previously have been out of your price range. A last-minute P&O cruise in 2013, for instance, could whisk you to the stunning city of Dubrovnik.

Known as the Pearl of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik has it all – beautiful historical buildings, a spectacular coastal location, gorgeous weather and a great mix of bars and restaurants. Today, we’ll be taking a look at some of the most exciting (and affordable) things you can do and see when your ship docks here.

An introduction to Dubrovnik and the Old City

Dubrovnik sits on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, and is a city known for its varied attractions. What’s perhaps most remarkable about it, though, is its Old City, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Packed full of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, this part of the destination is definitely the highlight of a trip here – and, happily, by exploring it you can actually see some of the very best views of the coastline, though we’ll talk more about that in a moment.

Since approximately the 13th century, Dubrovnik has held a position as a major sea power – something you can clearly see today with its impressive harbour. It’s also suffered a lot of damage in its time, including an earthquake back in the 17th century, and in more recent days, it took hits from armed conflict in the 1990s.

Thankfully, most of its heritage remains intact and UNESCO is taking steps to ensure the restoration and preservation of this incredible place. So, just what should you see while you’re here?

The ramparts

The city’s ramparts or walls are its most famous characteristic, and these are the number one attraction you shouldn’t miss. They surround the Old City and, in places, reach 25 m high. What’s more, they’re at least 1.5 m thick, increasing to as much as 6 m at some points. Because they’re so large, you can actually walk all the way around the top of them, getting absolutely stunning views of the coast as you do so.

Look out for the towers that are dotted all along the walls as well – these include two circular towers, 14 quadrangular towers and four bastions, to name just a few examples. You’ll find the main entrance to the walls at the Pile Gate.

Sponza Palace

Sponza Palace is another one of the highlights of the Old City, and it started life as a customs house. In fact, it has held quite a few different roles over its lifetime, including acting as a mint and a bank. Incredibly impressive to look at, it has a mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles and is decorated with dramatic columns.

What it houses is equally impressive. Indeed, this is where you’ll find the State Archives, which are home to a collection of manuscripts that, incredibly, are almost a thousand years old. Exploring the palace, you can see a host of interesting things, including a collection of portraits of people who gave their lives during the conflict in the 1990s.

These are just a handful of the things you can explore in Dubrovnik – don’t forget to check what excursions your cruise offers to see what else is available.