European Castles You Can Rent for Your Dream Vacation

When travelling to a foreign country, are you used to visiting all the castles and architectural monuments in the area? What would you say if we told you that you can rent a castle just for you and get a royal holiday in an atmosphere taken out of fairy tales? Of course, in order to rent a castle it is necessary to empty your bank account faster than you can say “castle”, but if finances are not an impediment for you, why not treat yourself just the way you deserve?

So here are some European castles you can easily rent, if money is no object.

·         Ferniehirst Castle, Scotland

If you’re thinking of a holiday in Scotland and do not want to be bothered by other tourists, you can consider the possibility of renting a castle the just for you. Built in the sixteenth century, the Ferniehirst Castle was strengthened and refurbished, so it can be rented for a few days, a week or a longer period. In order to find out rental details, you must contact a travel consultant in Scotland.

·         Balfour Castle Scotland 

If you love the sea, you can choose to rent Balfour Castle on the island of Orkney, Scotland. You will enjoy dreamlike scenery, a billiard room, a cinema room and a paintball area.

·         Castle Girona, Spain

Castle Girona, located in the province of Girona, in Spain, is an architectural monument built in the eleventh century. To rent it for a week, you must have a few thousand Euros (about 8.000- 9000), but that money will help you enjoy an exceptional view. From the castle tower of Girona you can see the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean coast. Now you can really feel like a princess in this exclusive travel destination.

·         Rocaberti Castle, Calalonia

Also in Spain, more precisely in Catalonia, you can rent out the Rocaberti Castle .It was built in the eleventh century and restored in the sixteenth century. For 12 people, the cost of rent is $ 10,000 for a week.

·         Villa Il Borgo, Italy

Situated in Tuscany, in the province of Siena in Italy, Villa Il Borgo looks like a castle and welcomes you with a lot of modern facilities. This feeling of combining the old and the new will ensure you have a great vacation there. If you want to rent the villa for your vacation, you should know that the price is about $40,000 per week. With this amount of money you can relax at the pool or play tennis, and the villa can accommodate 34 guests.

·         Logie Country House, Italy

Another destination where you can rent a castle is in the Veneto region of Italy. The Logie Country House was built in 1610 and offers accommodation space in six bedrooms. Accommodation costs start at £ 1,100.

·         Castle La Merveille, France

Castle La Merveille, located between the Loire Valley and Le Mans, in France, is a building that dates back centuries ago and has retained its authentic air, even if it has undergone modifications over time. For 20.000 Euros, you can rent the whole castle for a week. Thus, you can have access to five luxury bedrooms plus a lot of other facilities.

Dining Rules from All over the World

Did you know that in China, belching at the table is considered a sign of respect for the cook, and that when you go to visit someone in Bulgaria, you must never bring them yellow flowers? Or that in Russia, it is rude to keep your hands in your lap during a meal? Every country comes up with its own etiquette at the table. If you have the opportunity to travel to one of these areas, you should know in advance what the locals consider proper table manners, so as to show respect for your hosts.

Here are some of the countries with unique table manners that you should know about.

Russia

If you are ever at the table with Russia people, make sure you never keep your hands in your lap or put them under the table, as it is consider very rude. According to the Russian standards of good behavior, the wrists must always be placed on the table.

Portugal

Portugal is also recognized as a culture with unusual table rules. If you go to Portugal and have lunch at a restaurant, you should not ever ask for salt and pepper, if they are not already on the table. Requesting these spices is deemed offensive to the culinary skills of the chef. So you’d better bring your own and sneak it onto your food. 

France

In France, bread is not an appetizer or snack, but it is considered an eating instrument, just like cutlery. Even if you are served with cutlery at the table, bread should be used to push food from the plate into the fork or spoon.

Also, if you go out with a Frenchman for dinner, you must either offer to pay the entire bill, or not pay for anything at all.You should never suggestto split it because that is lacking in elegance.

Thailand

In Thailand it is rude to eat with a fork. Although it is already on the table, among other pieces of cutlery, the fork should only be used for pushing food from the plate into the spoon. Although part of the Asian continent, Thais do not usually use any chopsticks, as they consider their use a lack of taste and class.

Bulgaria

If you are invited to eat in Bulgaria and want to make a nice gesture, offering a bouquet of flowers can turn into a real disaster if you choose yellow flowers. For Bulgarians, yellow symbolizes hostility or hatred and this is certainly not the message you want to convey when being invited to someone’s house for dinner. 

China

China has some of the most controversial and bizarre rules of etiquette at the table. Two signs that show respect for the host are... belching and a messy table. According to Chinese culture, when a person burps after eating itis a sign he is full and a compliment to the chef.

As you can see, in many foreign countries it can be very easy to get into trouble while having a simple lunch or dinner. Our advice is that, before you go on holiday, you should try to find out as much as possible about the customs in that country. You can find a lot of information online, or you can ask your travel agent or friends. Don’t think for a second that the locals will go easy on you, just because you’re not from around there.

Discovering Beautiful Mallorca

From May to October, the Spanish islands are a magnet for millions of tourists. Out of the country’s three major islands - Ibiza, Menorca and Mallorca, the last one is the largest and most visited. Whether you want to roam the mountains (Sierra de Tramuntana) and roads that meander along the coast (from Cape Formentor) or you want to lie on a beach, visit museums, experience the silence of the churches or dance until dawn at a club, you can do it all during a holiday to Palma de Mallorca. It's an opportunity to start in the footsteps of Don Quixote. No, no need to fight the windmills, or duel with an imaginary giant, but, without a doubt, you will be having an unforgettable adventure.

Mallorca, the main Balearic Island that belongs to Spain, is famous for its beach parties and fun nights in clubs, so it is one of the favorite travel destinations of young people. What is less known to most is that, a few decades ago, Mallorca was a place of inspiration for artists and composers, kings and explorers. So if you're a party person, here is your chance to discover another side to Mallorca, which might convince you to come back here.

Palma

Palma is the capital of the province and autonomous community of the Balearic Islands and comprises about half of the total population in Mallorca. Some of the cultural and historic sights in Palma will surely impress you, so make sure you don’t miss them.

The Pueblo Espanol Museum has been architecturally designed as a small town, which gathers the most important works of classic Spanish architecture in one place. It is also home to some major shopping centers such as Av. Jaume III and Porto Pi, so it is not to be missed when you get in Palma.

Another objective that you should visit is the Almudaina Palace. Situated between Palma Cathedral and Parc del Mar, the Almudaina Palace has been a symbol of social and political events in Palma ever since Moorish times.

Also, “La Seu” Cathedral – with the largest rosette window in the world – and Museo Catedralicio are located near the sea front. In the city there are many churches, plazas and palaces, which can also be visited if you take some time off from all the beach parties.

Valldemossa

The place where Chopin and French writer and feminist George Sand worked out a romantic date is also worth visiting during a trip in Mallorca. The Valldemossa area, which has less than 2,000 inhabitants, is known for the monastery built at the beginning of the fourteenth century, the period during which philosopher Ramon Llull lived on the island.

The cells where Chopin and George Sand lived, over the winter of 1838-1839, can also be visited. Here you can admire the piano used by Chopin, as well as some objects belonging to his lover. Cartuziana (concerts of Chopin's music) are held in the monastery courtyard during the summer, and in the palace of King Don Sancho you can listen to piano concertos held in the memory of the great composer. 

Mallorca has a lot to offer in terms of culture and architecture and it would be a great idea to explore this side of it as well. Between the parties, of course.

Berlin - The Capital of The Modern World

The breathtaking Berlin can't be described in only a few pages. The German capital can propose much more than what an excursionist may experience in one or even two weeks of recreation. To have a somewhat significant idea about Berlin, it is enough to say that it has a surface of around 900 square kilometers, it receives 850.000 visitors annually and accommodates 172 museums and palaces, 50 theaters, over 200 clubs and discotheques, 3 zoos, tens of lakes, beaches, parks, art galleries, operas and malls.

From a touristic point of view, Berlin is the dream of any person who has a fondness for traveling. This capital is the European metropolis with the richest history but also with the most incredible revival. The city, shocked after the Second World War, terribly affected by the Berlin Wall and the split administration, finds itself for 18 years in a strenuous process of rebirth, reinvention and reconstruction. Today, the capital of Germany represents one of the most essential world centers of fun, music, tolerance, culture, art and tourism.

In Berlin you can find everything you need in order to savor the ideal vacation. The two rivers that cross the city (Spree and Havel) also form an agreeable collection of small lakes which were transformed by the local administration into peaceful beaches. Over the River Spree there are a lot of terraces and bars, restaurants and clubs. Ships and all types of boats are scheduled daily, therefore constituting an evident delight for amateur tourists. The chances of examining the city are extremely seductive. You can appeal to the simplest method: along with a skilled guide you can start inspecting the city on foot. But you may also choose other options. In Berlin there are organized tours of the city. Because Berlin has hundreds of miles of bike lanes, my specific recommendation would be to take a two-wheeled tour of the city. A boat ride - with the counseling of a tour guide - could be another possible alternative.

Sights of Berlin must be sorted according to preferences. Therefore, a meticulous documentation before departure is advised. However, one thing is assured - no matter what type of vacation you choose - whether is cultural, artistic, for relaxation, for fun or mixed - you have all the chances in the world to spend some of the most pleasing and fascinating days here.

There are lots of attractions that you should see while visiting Berlin. This capital has over 170 museums and palaces, more than enough for an art lover. The Museuminsel is the most influential museum complex in Germany (found on the UNESCO World Heritage List) - it hosts 5 unique museums, visited every year by more than 800.000 tourists.

The Pergamom Museum is Berlin's most visited museum, mostly due to the fact that it hosts 3 impressive art collections - the Antique Collection, the East Museum and the Islamic Art Collection.

Checkpoint Charlie is the most satisfactory place for those trying to discover some of Berlin's hidden history. Here you will see photo exhibitions, movies and you will be able to take part in unique meetings between those who were witnesses or those who played an important role in the downfall of the Berlin Wall.

The History Museum is hosted inside an extremely large but interesting palace, built in a Baroque style. Zeughaus was initially built in 1695, by the order of Frederick III. Up until the beginning of the 20th century it served as an Arsenal and a Military Museum. In the Second World War, the palace was almost totally devastated by bombings. It was reconditioned and since 1990 it hosts permanent art and history exhibitions.

The Charlottenburg Palace was built at the end of the 17th century by Frederick III, as a summer residence for his wife, Sophie Charlotte. The palace, opened for public six days per week, amazes the tourists with its beauty and its ornaments. It deserves to be and you should have at least some hours to spare if you want to see everything that it has to offer.

The Egyptian Museum is one of the most famous museums with this thematic in the entire world. Here you can find the monumental bust of Nefertiti, 3000 years old, as well as the Papyrus Collection which includes hundreds of ancient Egyptian elements.

Accommodation for visitors in Derby

The area in and around Derby has the usual range of places for the visitor to stay from hostels to 5 star hotels. However, it has to be said that Derby city is not renowned as a tourist centre and so the accommodation provision is mainly from the major chains that can be found anywhere. An advantage of that is, of course, that a hotel belonging to one of the major chains like 'Holiday Inn' is the same in Derby, London or Edinburgh.

If you want to arrive in Derby and not have to drive, or be driven, to other places in the city then a city centre hotel is always the best option, the following are hotels that are located in the centre of Derby. On the London Road, heading north into the city centre and the Market Place is the self-styled four star Stuart Hotel. The XS restaurant serves good meals and wine at extremely affordable prices, the Stuart Hotel offers some great 'last minute' deals on its rooms. Prices vary according to the time of year and the type of room you require. During the weekend a basic double room can be as little as £50 a night, excluding breakfast, rising to £75 for a suite. A little further, on the southern edge of the city centre by the Midland railway station on Midland road, is the Best Western Midland Hotel. Part of the Best Western hotel chain it occupies a Grade II listed building and was opened in 1841 as a 'railway' hotel, for the newly opened Derby to London line and the business it brought to the city. This four star hotel has had amongst its guests, Queen Victoria who had a suite of rooms there. The hotel also has long held associations with Rolls Royce. The hotel's Wyvern Restaurant is acknowledged as being one of the best in Derby. The hotel offers occasional 'murder mystery' weekends, as well as being available for other special functions. There are 100 rooms and ninety free on-site car parking spaces, a double room over the weekend can cost as little as £70 a night, excluding breakfast, which for a four star hotel in the city centre is excellent value.

Derby has plenty of 'motel' style places which are convenient for short stays and offer accommodation that is generally three star standard. The following are some examples of what is available. There is an Express Holiday Inn on Wheelwright Way in the Pride Park complex. Convenient for the city centre all the 103 rooms are air conditioned. The price for a double room for one night during a week-end is typically £65, which includes breakfast. Also on Pride Park at Prospect Place is the Sleep Inn hotel with 84 air conditioned rooms which typically cost £50 per night for a double-room during the week-end, or £60 for a King sized bed. Both of these rates include breakfast. There is a Premier Travel Inn at the Foresters Leisure Park, off the Osmaston Park Road, in Derby. On the Kingsway Retail Park about 2 kilometres from the city centre is a 50 room Travelodge, a double room without breakfast is around £55 a night.

If you prefer the idea of staying in a Bed and Breakfast or Guest House establishment, you could consider the following. On the west side of the city on Curzon Street, just off the Uttoxeter New Road, is the Redsetters Guest house. Prices are very reasonable at £25 for a single room and just £20 for a double room, including breakfast. The wonderfully named Chuckles Guest House is on Compton Street, not far from St Peter's church in the city centre. Although it only has four rooms the prices can vary between £22 and £50 a night, which includes breakfast. Chuckles offers warm and inviting surroundings with exceptional quality and service. In the suburb of Mackworth, on Thames Close is the Thames Bed and Breakfast, which holds the British Rose VB four star award. It has two rooms available whose prices are £25 or £30 a night with breakfast.

Just outside the city boundary to the north of Derby is the Marriott Breadsall Priory Hotel and Country Club. This four star hotel has all the comforts and amenities that you would expect from the Marriott chain of hotels. It has 106 rooms, 6 suites and an award restaurant. It also has its own swimming pool, a fitness centre, two golf courses and a Spa beauty centre. The hotel can arrange a variety of other activities from white-water rafting to pony trekking in the nearby Peak District. The Breadsall Priory Hotel is off the A608 at Morley Smithy. The Dannah Farm Country House holds five AA stars. With only eight stylish and exclusive rooms this is a hotel to consider for a really special treat. Prices range from £100 a night to £275 if you want to take one of the really exclusive suites, complete with its own Jacuzzi and sauna. All the prices include breakfast and evening meals are available if pre-booked. The Dannah is 20 minutes by car from the centre of Derby at Shottle on the Chatsworth estate.

Velazquez : Winslow Homer

Rhodes Island - 5 Most Attractive Beaches

A number of Greek Islands attract people but Rhodes is most prominent among them. It is probably because of its beauty. The gathering of people near the shore of its beach in order to enjoy is a major factor. Similarly, its crystalline water and sand is another factor attracting numerous holidaymakers every year.

People coming from around the globe love to spend their holidays in Rhodes during peak season of June to October. That’s the best time to enjoy their Rhodes holidays with their families and friends. Rhodes offers luxury hotels, best accommodations, pictorial landscape, quality foods and a lot more fun.

5 most attractive beaches on Rhodes Island

Rhodes offers a wide variety of astounding beaches that can be reached both easily and cheaply. A collection of picturesque shorelines with bunch of sands and crystalline waters along with a diverse range of pubs, bear-bars, and water sports are on offer by this island. It is therefore one of the best Rhodes holidays ideas.

Monolithos Beach:
One of the beautiful and peaceful beaches, Monolithos beach is located in the east of Rhodes Island. It covers a wide area and is enriched with dark sands and crystalline-blue waters. This beach covers the area from the south of Perissa to Monolithos village.

It offers holiday package with rental accommodations, hotels and restaurants along with delicious meals and snacks on the doorstep of the beach. You can visit this beach via car or by public buses.

Nikolas Beach:
Nikolas Beach is one of the most popular beaches at a distance of about four-kilometers from Faliraki. Nikolas Beach is known for its golden brown sands and deep bluish waters. This place, during your Rhodes Holidays, is thought to be the best for swimming activities and sunbath. Moreover, the whole things regarding this beach are simply awesome - a pictorial land, having crystal blue waters surrounded by a variety of amazing rocks.

Faliraki Beach:
One of the most popular beaches, Faliraki is situated in the north-east of Rhodes Island. Faliraki’s is quite near to the major city and its coastline deals with the heaven-like golden sands and crystal waters. This extended area of 4-kilometers offers people with water-sports, sun beds, umbrellas, hotels and restaurants and certain bars during their Rhodes holidays.

Ladiko Beach:
Also known as Anthony Quinn Beach is a petite bay but it still carries gorgeous small beach. It will take about fifteen-kilometers from the Rhodes town and around three-kilometers from Filaraki to reach this beach.

Although, it is small yet it offers various attractions like superior sands, rocks, umbrellas, sun beds, along with fish Greek Tavernas. It is quite known among both the Italians and Greeks. During your holidays, you’ll find this beach a unique place to have some silence and peace of mind.

Prassonissi:
Prassonissi beach is a real heaven for surfers. People who love surfing come to this beach from various parts of the world. This dreamland is at an average distance of 95 kilometers from Rhodes Town and about 40 kilometers from Lindos.

Prassonissi is a calm beach but it attracts a large number of surfers due to its beautiful sand and splendid water. During their Rhodes Holidays, people get surfboards and wetsuits on rent in order to enjoy the depth and diversity of this beach.

Guided Tours of Ireland: How To Find The Best!

As surprising as it is, there are no set requirements for guided tours of Ireland as far as licensing or educational experience. All guides need to begin their business is a business name, a business brochure, and someone to pay them for their services. While this may serve as a fantastic opportunity for people looking to make a buck, it creates a tour maze for those looking for a quality tour. Here are a few tips to help you separate the quality from the non quality tours.

Look for longevity. How long have the guided tours of Ireland been in operation? Of course, years in the business alone do not guarantee quality. However, typically speaking, the more time a tour company has under their belt, the more likely you are to have a fantastic experience. A few Ireland tour companies have been continuously running trips from the States to Ireland for two generations!

Be aware of background. Where is the tour leader from and where were they born? What is his or her education? The quality of guided tours of Ireland obviously depends on the guide. Look for a guide who has lived in Ireland—and preferably studied there, too. Not only is such a guide more likely to be well versed in Irish history and culture, but he or she will also know about the little treasures that are off the beaten path.

Consider the itinerary. There are guided tours that focus mainly on a specific city or region. Others look exclusively at one aspect of Irish life, such as the culture, history, art, music, or food. While these can be wonderful—if they correspond with your interests—you may have a richer experience if you opt for one of the guided tours of Ireland that offer more variety. Some of the best guided tours of Ireland give you a taste of city life, village life, and everything in between.

Don't jump the gun and pick a tour before investigating. There are plenty of fantastic tours throughout Ireland are available - but there are also a great number of mediocre tours. You need to investigate, since there are so many tours out there and it is very difficult to tell whether or not any given tour is one of quality.

There are dozens of guided tours of Ireland from which to choose. By doing a little research into your guide—and the history of his or her company—you're likely to make a more informed choice and have a more rewarding vacation.

Author

Top Five Attractions to see on an Australian Vacation

It can be a challenge to come up with a list of the top five attractions in a country that's as big and diverse as Australia. If you have visited the "Land Down Under" before, you may have your own suggestions. Although, if you have not yet visited Australia, the following places will give you a good start, they include man-made and natural wonders, dramatic scenery, beautiful beaches and Aborigine culture.

Great Barrier Reef

Off the eastern coast of Australia lies one of the world's greatest natural wonders. The reef's statistics are impressive, it is around 1200 miles long, and is home to around 1,500 varieties of fish and around 400 species of coral. You may also be lucky enough to see manatees, sharks, and turtles as well as humpback whales that give birth during the winter months.

There are several ways to see the reef. Many companies offer cruises - lasting from several hours to a full day, and you can also sleep on the reef aboard a 1890's sailing boat. Virtually every cruise boat also offers the chance to see the reef by diving, an opportunity not to be missed, even if you are new to diving. Also, many visitors to the reef cannot resist mailing postcards from Australia's only floating post office, anchored about 45 miles offshore from Port Douglas.

Sydney Opera House

One of the most recognizable and striking buildings in the world, Sydney's famous opera house was designed by the Danish architect Jorn Utzon. Even if you do not like opera, the building is worth visiting, it is actually a major center for the performing arts where you can see not only opera, but classical music, dance and rock concerts. And there are free performances outside the building on Sunday afternoons.

Sydney Opera House does resemble the billowing sails of a ship, quite appropriate, as the building lies alongside one of the world's most beautiful harbors. Not far from the Opera House is the area of Sydney known as Circular Quay, a bustling area of shops, bars and restaurants. And from Circular Quay, you can easily catch a bus or ferry to almost any other part of the city, the Sydney Harbor Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens and the historic Rocks district, the oldest part of the city.

The Gold Coast


The Gold Coast is Australia's playground. Beautiful white sandy beaches line the coast for 40 miles, backed by high-rise apartments, luxury hotels, shops, casinos and restaurants. The area also boasts several theme parks such as Sea World and Movie World, as well as around 40 golf courses.

The closest big city to the Gold Coast area is Brisbane, capital of Queensland. It's a friendly laid back kind of a place, offering a wide range of shopping and restaurants. But if you really want to escape from the crowds on the Gold Coast beaches, explore some of the small islands in nearby Moreton Bay.

The Outback (Ayers Rock and Alice Springs)

Many visitors to Australia come just to see the famous Outback - one of the last truly unspoiled areas in the world. It's difficult to comprehend the size of the Outback, it covers an estimated 2.5 million square miles. The Outback is not all desert, the northern part boasts high mountains, deep gorges and spectacular waterfalls. Driving across the Outback is an unforgettable experience, although you should always carry essentials such as extra water and fuel, spare tires, and perhaps a satellite phone

The unofficial capital of the Outback is the town of Alice Springs, made famous by the book and movie A Town like Alice. Alice Springs makes a good base to explore the area as well as to shop for Aborigine souvenirs. Within easy reach of Alice is the huge monolith once known as Ayers Rock, now known by its Aborigine name of Uluru. The rock is impressive at any time of day, but if you have the chance, try to be there at sunset.

Darwin and Kakadu National Park


Darwin is about as far north as you can go in Australia, in fact the city is closer to parts of Asia than to many parts of Australia, and has quite an oriental feel to it.

Within easy reach of Darwin are several areas of natural beauty, including Australia's largest national park, Kakadu. The park covers around 6,000 square miles, and offers varied landscapes ranging from wetlands to dramatic sandstone escarpments. Over 200 species of birds and around 75 species of reptile can be seen here.

Kakadu is still under Aborigine control and is one of the few places where their traditional way of life is still practiced. You can see their art on display at the park's cultural center and at various rock-art sites, and if you are lucky, you may glimpse the Aborigines themselves.