Brighton is one of the coolest seaside resorts in the UK and it has been attracting a huge number of travelers throughout the time. This is city is full of attractive places, entertainment, cultures and rich history and as a traveler you never have to face any problems in this city because there are many hotels in Brighton so it is truly a nice place for everyone.

Brighton provides excellent transport facilities. There are local trains and bus services available that connects you to almost every other UK cities. Eurostar trains also provide direct booking facility from Brighton to Paris. You can book Eurostar city breaks to any French or Belgian city very easily.

Brighton is really well known for its clean and clear sandy beaches. It has also got Blue Flag Beach Award for its nice beaches. If you want some exciting adventure then you must go for the Brighton Pier because it is a very popular landmark. Here you can enjoy a rollercoaster ride or play video games on coolest game consoles. The seafront is full of
restaurants, bars and most of the greatest Brighton hotels are also situated here. Brighton Marina is the most popular place in Brighton because all types of entertainments and amusements activity available here.

Brighton is also famous for its extremely fabulous nightlife. There are 300 pubs and discos and especially well known for its stag and hen nights. If you are planning to go for a Brighton trip then you must do some necessary researches before going there. Booking hotel is the most important thing that you must consider. Internet is the best place where
you can get all the information about the Brighton hotels.

You are tired to celebrate New Year’s Eve on the mountain or at the restaurant and you’re looking for a special place to start the New Year? How about a shift of the year at the foot of Mount Olympus?

In summer, Greek seaside is one of the favorite destinations of many people around the world. But few people know that in the cold season, the resorts and towns on the Aegean shore are also delightful and the climate is mild enough for romantic walks and pleasant evenings spent on the terrace.

One of the most exciting places to celebrate New Year’s Eve and also an affordable holiday destination is Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece. Thessaloniki or the capital of Northern Greece, as locals call it, has some of the finest hotels, best restaurants and most beautiful beaches in northern Greece. White Tower, Saint Demetrius Church, Rotonda and the Arch of Galerius are just some of the highlights of the city.

Very close to Thessaloniki (75 km south of city) and 20 km from Mount Olympus is Paralia Katerinis, a charming settlement on the shores of the Aegean Sea with romantic streets, traditional taverns and many restaurants with delicious Greek food. Here in Paralia you can also find many jewelry and fur stores, which, in the cold season, offers discounts that are really tempting.

Despite being one of the oldest cities in Europe, today Thessaloniki is a modern city, full of life, competing in beauty with Athena and Kavala, a blessed place, where the beginning of the year cannot be otherwise than hopeful.

Once, Prague was the capital of Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Empire, the Czechoslovak Republic, the Nazi Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and now is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic.

Situated on the Vltava River in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural and economic center of the Czech state for more than 1100 years. In 1992 the extensive historic center of Prague,  covering 866 hectares, was listed in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Register, making the city one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, receiving more than 4.1 million international visitors annually, as of 2009.
Prague is an ideal destination for spending an entire holiday or simply a pleasant trip of a few days. Some people say that Prague is the most exciting city in Central Europe, with wonderful restaurants, shopping malls, nightlife, music and film festivals, sightseeing & opera. Visitors can also enjoy its architecture, historical monuments and wonderful nature.

Besides cultural treasures, Prague offers a precious commodity: Bohemian beer. In fact Czech breweries produce the finest beers in the world.

If you don’t see them, you went in vain!!!
So grab yourself a map of the city and join the crowd, eager to discover a city with an epic history, full of rich and opulent beauty.

Prague Castle
The Castle is Prague’s number one tourist attraction. You’ll see it across the Vltava River, situated atop a large hill. At the entrance you will encounter two titans, and beyond the gates, St. George’s Basilica is waiting for you, so the enormous St. Vitus Cathedral. It is the most important cathedral in all of the Czech Republic. On one side of the cathedral hall is a door leading to a secret room, where the kings of Holy Roman Empire were crowned.  The door is opening with seven golden keys, kept by the members of Parliament. You can also visit the princess rooms who once lived here and look through the window where the Twenty Years War “sparked”, to see the gardens below, with perfectly placed  banks so you can have a nice view of the city.

Charles Bridge
The bridge was originally called the “Stone Bridge” or the “Prague Bridge” but has been the “Charles Bridge” since 1870. This bridge, spanning the Vltava River, is one of the main attractions of Prague.  It was founded in 1357 by Charles IV and was finished in the beginning of the 15th century. The bridge is 516 meters long and nearly 10 meters wide, resting on 16 arches shielded by ice guards. On either end of the bridge are beautiful Gothic towers (the Lesser Town Bridge Tower and the Old Town Bridge Tower) because it was part of the defensive system of Prague. Since 1683 a unique street with 30 statues and statuettes (most of them baroque-style) developed along the bridge. The statuary group of “St. Cyrillic and St. Methodius” was carved in 1928 by Dvorak. Statue of “St. Luitgard” is the most valuable, while the statue “Sf. John Nepomuk” is the only bronze sculpture. Beginning in 1965, all of the statues have been systematically replaced by replicas, and the originals have been exhibited in the lapidarium of the National Museum.
During the day, the Charles Bridge is a very busy place, with painters, musicians, owners of kiosks and other traders alongside numerous tourists from all parts of the world. Instead, during the night, it lays a charming quiet, ideal to contemplate the bright waters of the Vltava River.

Wenceslas Square
Wenceslas Square is the largest square in Prague (total area 45,000 m²) and the center of the business and cultural communities in the New Town of Prague. Less a square than a boulevard, it has the shape of a very long rectangle, in a northwest–southeast direction and it was built over six centuries ago, during the reign of Charles IV.

Many historical events occurred there, including Nazi occupation and communist takeover. Also, the Velvet Revolution started here. Now it’s a trendy and lively place, lined by shops and cafes, restaurants, hotels, and clubs.  You should try a traditional fried cheese sandwich from the food market stalls, it’s delicious!

At the top of Wenceslas Square, the statue of St. Wenceslas on his horse cuts a striking figure and behind St. Wenceslas is the monumental National Museum, designed by Czech architect Josef Schulz.
Being a very popular place, Wenceslas Square attracts numerous visitors every day, both locals and tourists.

Dancing House
It is a masterpiece of modern architecture inspired by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (the house resembles a pair of dancers). Constructed between 1992-1996 this stunning building is a mixture of glass and steel that seems to move, surrounded by the Baroque, Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings for which Prague is famous. On the roof is a French restaurant with views of the city.

Old Town Square
Is a historic square in the Old Town quarter of Prague, located between Wenceslas Square and the Charles Bridge. With its ancient buildings and magnificent churches, this is one of the most beautiful historical sights in Europe. The square is full of exciting attractions: the Gothic Týn Cathedral with its golden bell towers, a unique building in Prague; the stunning St. Nicholas Church; also tourists may find the Astronomical Clock on this square, while the tower of the Old Town Hall offers a panoramic view of Old Town. In the square’s center is the statue of Jan Hus, one of the most important Czech reformers and nationalists, who burned at the stake for his beliefs, in Middle Ages.
A popular place, the Old Town Square is filled with tourists, terraces, restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops and galleries. On occasion, ice-hockey and football (soccer) games are shown on huge screens, drawing large crowds of fans.

The Žižkov Television Tower is the tallest structure in town, built during the Communist (between 1985 and 1992), as a show of force and technology of the Communist Bloc. Like many examples of communist-era architecture in Central and Eastern Europe, the TV tower used to be generally resented by the local inhabitants.

In 2000, sculptures of crawling babies were temporarily attached to the tower’s pillars. The sculptures were admired by many and were returned in 2001 as a permanent installation. The construction is a little too modern for the Prague’s medieval atmosphere, but, thanks to it (216 m height), the tourists can enjoy a wonderful view. A cafe and a bar are at approx. 65 m high and the cabin where tourists can have exquisite views of the city lies slightly higher, at 97 m.

Vyshehrad
It is the oldest fortress of the city and the birthplace of Prague; it was the site of the original Prague Castle around the 10th century. Behind thick stone walls are old buildings and shops, the beautiful St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral,
National Cemetery and Slavín a Pantheon, the burial site where over 600 prominent figures of Czech culture are buried.
Among the tourist attractions not to be missed in Prague are: the Museum of Decorative Arts, the New Jewish Cemetery, the Metronome,  Josefov (the old Jewish quarter), the Franz Kafka Museum, the Prague Zoo elected as the 7th best zoo in the world.

What else can you do?
After several hours of walking on streets paved with stone, when your eyes can still admire the beauty of this city but your legs are tired and you are tired too of places full of tourists, relax for a while in the green and peaceful Vyšehrad park, or take the funicular up to Petrin hill where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the city. In the evening try a concert of classical music or, if you can hold your feet, go to a club and have fun!

Every summer, the city of Cluj-Napoca enjoys a large number of tourists, eager to discover picturesque landscapes, impressive traces of past and architectural monuments.
The city is not only the seat of Cluj County, but also one of the most important academic, cultural, industrial and business centers in Romania. It is located in the central part of Transylvania and covers an area of 179.5 square kilometers.

Currently the city has approximately 340,000 inhabitants. Lying on the terraces of the river Somesul Mic, the city unveils tourists a glorious past, preserved in the old buildings and streets. It is definitely a great experience for those who want to see urban Transylvanian life at its best.

Downtown, an imposing monument of Gothic architecture captures your attention: St. Michael’s Church, with a tower of 80 meters high. Church construction began in 1350 and lasted nearly two centuries. Inside, you are impressed by the paintings, sculptures and colorful stained.

Also you should see the Matthias Corvinus’ mounted statue. The statue is always scaled by tourists, although officially this is not allowed. Not far from the church is Avram Iancu Square, where, among flower beds and fountains, lie on a huge pedestal, the statue of Avram Iancu. The square is surrounded by ancient buildings, and on one of its sides is the National Theater and Opera. For entertainment, spend an enjoyable evening at the Opera or attend a classical music concert offered by the Cluj Philharmonic. The only part of the old fortress, which was fully preserved, Tailors’ Bastion, is located nearby. Banffy Palace, built in late baroque style, now houses the National Art Museum. Here you can admire Romanian and universal art, furniture and oriental weapons.

Alexandru Borza Botanical Garden, is one of the largest in southeastern Europe. It was founded in 1872 and includes approximately 11,000 plant species from all continents, including a collection of cacti, a Japanese garden and the Roman Garden with archeological relics from the Roman colony of Napoca. Exotic plants are housed in greenhouses covering an area of 2,000 square meters. Romulus Vuia Ethnographic Park covers an area of 15 hectares. The park hosts many homesteads, monuments of folk architecture and crafts workshops.

Other landmarks of Cluj-Napoca are: Calvinist Reformed Church, St. Peter and Paul Church, The Franciscan Monastery and Church, Cathedral of the Transfiguration, St. Mary Calvaria Church, The New Synagogue, Emil Racovita Speleology Institute & Museum, the National Museum of Transylvanian History, Pharmacy Museum, Ethnographic Museum of Transylvania, the Geology Museum and the Zoological Museum. Those are also “a must see” for the visitors!

Before leaving town, climb some 200 feet up Fortress Hill, where you can admire the city panorama and the surrounding landscape.
Along with excellent cultural activities, a vibrant night life, a wonderful historical legacy and a great atmosphere, the city will certainly not disappoint those who add it to their travel itinerary.

From Judy Garland Rooms To Pink Houses: Expect A Warm Welcome

TripAdvisor(R) announced its Top 10 gay and lesbian-friendly hotels in Europe, based on TripAdvisor editors and travellers. Following news last week of a Berkshire B&B turning away a gay couple, you can be sure of a warm welcome at any of these hotels.

1. Colson House, Brighton, England

Colson House is a uniquely themed boutique hotel dedicated to the large screen – all hotel rooms are named after movie icons. Located in the heart of Brighton’s vibrant gay scene, the owners, Mark and Eamon, go the extra mile to make your stay memorable. As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “I stayed here with my partner and had a lovely time. We stayed in the Judy Garland room, which was tastefully decorated and not OTT at all.”

2. Hotel Sejour Beaubourg, Paris, France

The Hôtel Séjour Beaubourg is located in the very centre of Paris, only a few steps from the Centre Georges Pompidou and within walking distance of the Louvre and Notre Dame. The Séjour Beaubourg offers comfortable rooms featuring bright and modern design and free Wi-Fi. As one TripAdvisor traveller explains, “For gay travellers on a budget, it’s a gem. You’re right on the Marais, and there are lots of gay bars all around you.”

3. Hotel Axel, Barcelona

Hotel Axel focuses on the gay community but is welcoming to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation. This design hotel is close to the exclusive boutiques on Passeig de Gràcia and boasts a swimming pool, gym and sauna. As one TripAdvisor traveller explains, “I spent a week with my husband and it was great, fantastic environment for gay or straight couples and for singles. Perfect location and very close to the centre of the city.”

4.Hotel Ca’ Dogaressa, Venice, Italy

In a picturesque corner in the heart of Venice, Hotel Ca’ Dogaressa overlooks Canale di Cannaregio. Its traditional Venetian rooms boast period furniture, rich fabrics and precious marbles. As one TripAdvisor traveller comments, “We are a gay couple and would definitely come back to this hotel. We have felt absolutely at ease here and had a wonderful time.”

5. Clarion Hotel Prague Old Town, Prague

This modern property is the only four-star hotel in Prague that has membership of the IGLTA (International Gay, Lesbian, Transgender Association).The hotel is located in the city centre, close to the river Vltava and within easy walking distance of the tourist sites of the Old Town. As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “Staff were very nice and helpful. Hot welcome drink in -15degreesC was most welcome! Delicious homemade sweets were served for breakfast.”

6. Ty Rosa, Cardiff, Wales

Ty Rosa, Welsh for ‘pink house’, offers a warm welcome to all, whatever your sexual orientation. A 15-minute walk from Cardiff city centre, this charming, gay-run, boutique guest house with free Wi-Fi offers stylish rooms and an excellent breakfast. As one TripAdvisor traveller explains, “Excellent B&B – Paul and Stuart could not be more friendly, with lots of local knowledge of the gay scene. First class housekeeping – spotless room and bathroom.”

7. Hotel Deutsche Eiche, Munich, Germany

The Deutsche Eiche (German Oak) is one of Munich’s oldest meeting places for gay and lesbian visitors with a reputation for attracting creative and arty types. Less than 700 feet from the Viktualienmarkt, the hotel welcomes everyone. The trendy Glockenbach district, the Marienplatz and the banks of the Isar River are just a few steps away. As one TripAdvisor traveller explains, “A great gay/lesbian hotel. Good food, great location, nice and spacious rooms, cheap, very friendly staff and an extraordinary gay sauna.”

8. The Golden Bear, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Golden Bear claims to have been the first gay hotel in Amsterdam, founded shortly after the Second World War. The hotel is located in two historic buildings dating back to 1737 and is situated in the very centre of the city close to all the main attractions. As one TripAdvisor traveller said, “I would really recommend this place to anyone looking to spend some quality time in old Amsterdam, whether gay or straight.”

9. Los Almendros, Playa des Ingles, Gran Canaria

Los Almendros is a complex of private bungalows designed exclusively for gay and lesbian travellers. The hotel is located in the most gay-friendly part of the island, in the middle of Playa del Inglés and just a few minutes walk from the Jumbo shopping centre where you can find wonderful restaurants and gay bars. As one TripAdvisor travellers comments, “Would highly recommend – I haven’t found anywhere better as a gay traveller in Gran Canaria.”

10. Hotel Sachsenhof, Berlin, Germany

Hotel Sachsenhof is one of Berlin’s oldest buildings dating back to emperor times. Else Lasker Schüler wrote her famous poems here and the building was the setting for Erich Kästner’s story “Emil und die Detektive”. Famous sights such as the Ku Damm are easy to reach within a few minutes. As one recent TripAdvisor traveller explains, “Friendly and extremely helpful staff. Leather and fetish wear no problem and as two gay guys travelling, we felt very at ease and the location is excellent.”

“Whether you’re a couple looking for an enjoyable and hassle-free holiday or a single traveller searching for like-minded fun, real TripAdvisor travellers have done the hard work for you by experiencing, and then recommending, the best gay and lesbian-friendly hotels to suit your needs and budget,” said Emma O’Boyle, spokesperson for TripAdvisor.

When it comes to skiing and winter sports, Europe has more than its fair share of amazing resorts.  From the greatly priced, to the more than reasonable, Europe has it all, and has so much to offer any skier.  If you’ve never been to Europe on a skiing holiday, or if you’re looking to expand your experience, you’ll find something that catches your eye without too much research, and you might just end up joining the legions of skiing fans that wouldn’t go anywhere else in the world for their vacation.

On mainland Europe, you have such a varied selection.  From the world famous French skiing resorts to Austria, Switzerland and the tiny principality of Andorra, you’ve got such a wide range of skiing to choose from.  France is known the world over as the true home of skiing, and the French really know how to do a quality vacation.  With naturally amazing resources, and scenery that can take your breath away, France is an ideal location for a skiing trip.  Why not try the Courchevel resort, which has four different ski resorts within one, providing the perfect blend of quality and affordability in a skiing trip.  From the grossly overpriced 1850 resort, the playground of Europe’s film stars and playboys, to the seemingly remote 1350 at the bottom of the hill, you have so much to choose from in Europe’s finest skiing country.  With the kids or with your friends, France is truly a destination that will make for a memorable skiing vacation.

Or how about some of the Italian resorts?  Italy, famous for being the cheaper way to ski, also benefits from a diverse range of resorts, like the tiny Alba resort, as well as some larger, more sizeable areas to ski.  Famous for passion and a depth of culture, Italy is the ideal place to take a skiing break in Europe, and the weather’s good too!

Or how about Italy’s neighbor, Croatia?  A rising European nation, you’ll find a Croatian holiday outrageously good value for money, not to mention top quality.  From the international standard ski resorts to their world class restaurants, Croatia is certainly a country on the up, and its skiing facilities can only improve as more and more tourists flock to their slopes each year.

Additionally, Bulgaria is an excellent skiing destination to take the kids.  With open arms, you will be welcomed by the Bulgarian people, who are more than eager to tell you about their rich and deep past, and welcome you as part of their future.  In these expanding and developing European nations, you will come to appreciate the value of tourism, and the quality of treatment and service they are prepared to offer for your investment.

How about Austria for your skiing trip?  When we think of skiing, we often imagine the Alpine ideal, with breathtaking scenery and fresh, clean air.  Well, it simply doesn’t come much better than Austria, and if you’re looking for a skiing destination that has it all, why not try Austria for that touch of class with your skiing.

Or why not pop over to Switzerland for their Alps experience?  Skiing the alps in the home of chocolate and cuckoo clocks, you will be amazed at how picturesque this modern nation has managed to be, whilst still becoming a world leader in financial industry.

Skiing in Europe is the ideal way to spend your vacation.  If you love skiing, you are guaranteed to find a great resort somewhere, within your budget that meets your needs, and caters for your ability.  With most resorts also boasting strong training academies, you can also work to improve your skills while you are there, ensuring that your skiing trip is both useful and memorable.  Whatever you are looking for, choose Europe as your number one skiing destination, for that perfect blend of quality, tradition and culture, and for a holiday that is truly breathtaking.