My trip to Grand Cayman coincided with the fun, colourful but slightly surreal Pirate festival and also the very surreal aftermath of the unforgiving hurricane Ivan. Despite the devastation I was struck by the deep warmth and friendliness of the islanders and also how they pulled together to overcome the destruction of their beautiful home, on my trip here it occurred to me other nations could learn a lot from this happy-go-lucky attitude. As well as proud and charming people, this tiny island nestled in the deepest part of the Caribbean also offers so much more.

Festivals

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Firstly I would say if you can, overlap your trip to Grand Cayman with a festival. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Aside from the fun and colourful 10 day Pirate festival in November there are many other annual festivals on Grand Cayman and the surrounding islands. This includes the April Cayfest, this is a celebration of all things Caribbean from local art, to music and dance. Culture and history are immersed in the islanders daily lives and I strongly believe that’s part of the reason how they made such a spectacular recovery from Hurricane Ivan.

Cayman cuisine

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The Caymanians are particularly proud of their cuisine, every second or third building is a restaurant or eatery and the food is incredible. You cannot leave the Carribean without sampling their world-famous seafood. My favourite Seafood restaurant was the Cracked Conch, the views of the ocean are unrivalled and they also serve some of the best food in Grand Cayman- from local conch to pan-seared swordfish. The Lobster Pot is also worth a mention, it has long held an outstanding reputation for serving the most delectable local food, from its eponymous lobster to the local Mahi Mahi (dolphin-fish). For those looking for something a bit more traditional there is always The Grand Old House which combines elegance, old world style with a hundred year old reputation for serving excellent international dishes with a Caribbean flair. The English Room harks back to the colonial days, as Grand Cayman was once an English colony and therefore embodies all things quintessentially British with old world charm and opulence.

Shopping

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Georgetown is the capital of Grand Cayman and the best shopping location, however by shopping I mean meandering through local art and craft stores, as many islanders go to neighbouring Miami for shopping centres! The Cayman Craft Market is open almost daily and affords visitors the opportunity to pick up unique souvenir from their trip to the island. However, while bringing home shell jewellery and Caymanian birdhouses are fantastic mementos, no one should leave the island without tasting some of the local rum cake. The Tortuga Rum Company located in Georgetown sells most of the islands rum, coffee and delicious rum cakes, and this should be your first port of call. You should also take advantage of the islands duty-free status in one of the numerous jewellery shops (including Cartier). I also recommend visiting the farmers market where you can pick up jars of local chutneys, spices and sauces to bring a Caymanian flair to your own home cooked meals.

Activities Caribbean style

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Grand Cayman is one of the best diving and water sports resorts in the world. Head for Rum Point, historically a smugglers haven but is now adorned with cute little restaurants serving fresh seafood straight off the boat, hammocks and clear turquoise waters-holiday perfection.

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The Pedro St. James Castle, the oldest structure in Cayman is a must see as well as the Turtle Farm. The idea behind the farm is an ecological effort to prevent the over-fishing of turtles in the wild and repopulate the oceans diminishing Green Sea Turtle. In the last number of years the farm has successfully released over 40,000 turtles into the wild.

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Also while here, make sure you take a trip to Hell! Hell is the name affectionately given to the area around the West side of the island where millions of years of erosion have left the landscape with a barren and blackened look. However, in true juxtaposition it’s also one of the most beautiful sites you will see on Grand Cayman.

Out of this world beaches

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It would be remiss of me, to talk the Caribbean without mentioning the spectacular beaches. Grand Cayman’s most impressive is Seven Mile Beach, and as the name suggests it’s seven miles of never ending idyllic sandy terrain. It is in fact, the longest beach in the Caribbean and it is the perfect place to take in the amazing views of the ocean and relax after a day’s sight seeing. I would also take a day trip to the sister islands Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are each in their own right a little slice of paradise, teeming with stunning natural resources and wildlife.

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There is more to Grand Cayman than beautiful beaches and scenery, the island’s history and culture are prevalent and its media reputation for being a haven for corrupt businessmen and bankers is unfair. In the face of the Hurricane Ivan disaster the people of Grand Cayman proved to be a formidable force in themselves and their attitude in the wake of the hurricane is a testament to a nation of who want nothing more than to give visitors a true taste of the Caribbean so they never forgot the surreal yet blissful paradise which is Grand Cayman.

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by guest writer Aldo Singer

Nightlife in New York is legendary. There are endless museums, art galleries, restaurants and bars. The problem with visiting so many places that New York has to offer is that it might leave a big hole in your wallet on your flight home. Nobody wants that, no matter how much fun you try to have.

Well here are some travel tips that just might help you make it to the end of your trip without making it to the end of your wallet. We’ve all heard of happy hour and there are a few great places in the Big Apple that are just as fun as the trendier places but won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

Photo: Ross2085

If you booked your air tickets and were able to save some money than you should have extra money in your travel budget to go a little crazy during your excursion. Here are five bars in New York with great happy hours:

Kabin

Located on 2nd Avenue between 5th and 6th street, it’s a great place to start the savings trail. Kabin actually has a happy hour Monday, and Wednesday through Friday. On Tuesday nights, the happy hour is a little different – just a little longer. It’s the night you want to be there. It’s got a happy hour from 5 to 10pm. That’s hard to beat.

Bull’s Head Tavern

This placing for imbibing is located on 3rd Avenue between 22nd and 23rd street. During the NFL season, it’s got the NFL ticket, meaning it has every game available for your viewing pleasure.  It’s also got a wonderful happy hour that goes from Monday all the way through Sunday. The happy hour lasts from 1pm to 8pm, all draft beer only costs $3. You’re bound to be saving quite a few dollars while you enjoy a piece of New York City.

McKenna’s Pub

If you’re located on the west side of New York City. It’s got a happy hour that goes from 1pm to 7pm, Monday through Sunday. This particular bar offers some tasty treats as well. You can get the classic burger and fries to go along with your delicious beer. (It’s located on 14th street, between 7th and 8th Avenue)

Dempsey’s

Located on 2nd Avenue between 3rd and 4th street

Coyote Ugly

Photo: NickStarr

Located on 1st Avenue between 10th and 11th street.

by Aldo Singer

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Take a trip to Val d’Isère at high season for £300 less than the tour operators cheapest deals.

Skiing is a passion of mine and I particularly enjoy skiing in Val d’Isère. It is well known that a ski holiday is not always the best value for money – a couple of years ago I stayed in the cheapest apartment I could find in Val d’Isère and the experience wasn’t pleasant. Even a cheap apartment cost upwards of £600 at the end of the season.

Another problem is that my partner is a teacher and can only ski during the rip-off package hell that is half-term week. Last year I went with her sister during term time, as you can imagine this didn’t go down too well! There are plenty of cheaper places to ski other than the French Alps, but very few of them offer the massive ski areas & après ski that France is famous for.

This year, after looking at the package ‘deals’ and getting more depressed by the minute I decided to investigate the art of the DIY ski holiday. There are numerous websites out there that will help you with organising this, I am only listing those I found most useful to me.

Accommodation

I started by looking for self-catering Ski chalets during the half-term week – big mistake. All the big tour operators have Google tied up with adverts & paid rankings. I found the same overpriced apartments from the same operators again and again. So I applied a little bit of sideways logic.

holiday-rentals.co.uk is a site that lists independently-owned accommodation in Europe and many parts of the world. I figured I might find a holiday cottage that was available in half term that just happened to be in a ski resort – and I found just that.

The owners of these types of places generally stay there themselves during their own holidays, so you’re practically guaranteed a decent quality of accommodation – unlike the other budget fleapits I’ve stayed in over the years. We chose one of Chris Rotsey’s apartments in the end – great looking apartment, only 100m away from a ski lift!

Transport

Take a 5am flight from Gatwick to Geneva followed by a 5 hour coach journey to the resort? I don’t think so. I’ll take the train thanks. More environmentally sensible, quicker & more comfortable by far.

Eurostar Ski Train

This is brilliant.  You book a ticket, you get on the train at St Pancras on a Friday night or Saturday morning and arrive in Bourg St Maurice (gateway to Val d’Isère, Les Arcs, La Rosière, Val Thorens & other resorts) 10 hours later, refreshed or seriously hungover (your choice!).

The only problem with the Ski Train is that tickets can sell out 18 months in advance, especially if you are trying to go at half-term as I discovered.

The alternative to Eurostar

You can get the Eurostar to Paris Gare de Nord, catch the Metro to Gare de Lyon and finally travel on a TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) all the way to Bourg St Maurice. From there you can either hop on one of the scheduled coaches to the resort of your choice, or hire a taxi – if there are 5 or more of you, it often works out cheaper to book a taxi.

Booking tips

• Eurostar releases tickets ‘around’ 120 days before departure & TGV tickets are available around 90 days before departure – ‘around’ means anywhere up to 10 days either side from my experience.
• All the train companies operate an Easyjet-style pricing policy, the prices go up as the availability goes down, so you have to get in there quick – and you may have to gamble.
• When booking the train leave at least an hour to cross Paris (2 hours if you want a croissant en route!)
• To save money, travel during the least sociable hours you can bear – taking into consideration what time you can get in & what time you have to leave your apartment.
• It can be cheaper (it was for us) to stay in a hotel in St Pancras the night before & get a very early Eurostar to Paris the next morning than it is to get a later departure (we got family rooms in the Kings Cross Travelodge for £50 each, sleeping 3 or 4 people per room)

Ski hire & lift passes

You’ll be spoilt for choice for ski hire shops in Val d’Isère; shop around & book your equipment online before you go for some decent discounts. I recommend Snowberry Val d’Isère, who were voted Best ski shop in Europe 2009. They also gave me a cup of tea after I scared myself silly on an ill-advised last run of the day! You can avoid the crushing queues buy booking your lift passes online.

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I hope you have a wonderful holiday, wherever you go. I saved nearly £300 each for my group – I suspect most of that will get spent in the outrageously priced bars – no advice there I’m afraid!

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If you are fed up with bland and soulless accommodation we have done the leg work and picked out ten very cool and unusual hotels in NYC. All the hotels on our list put an extra effort into making your hotel experience far more interesting, whatever your budget. New York is a popular and incredible city where if you look hard enough you can find some very unique places to stay.

Themed Hotels

The Library Hotel: A hotel that would suit both bookworms and style aficionados alike

The Library Hotel is a frequently praised and perfectly located 60 room boutique hotel. Each of the ten floors have themes dedicated to the major categories of the Dewey Decimal System; Literature, Languages, History, Math & Science etc. The 1900 brick building hotel wasn’t previously a library itself (although it now could probably pass as one!) but it’s location is a clue to it’s theme-it’s only a block away from New York Public Library in Madison Ave also known as ‘Library Way’. Other personal touches include free wine and cheese reception evenings and a collection of art and books in every room. Average nightly price $361.

Night Hotel: For those who like their hotels dark, glamorous and with an edge

If you’ve had your fill of minimalism and prefer your hotels to be dramatic and glamorous then try Night – a gothic themed boutique hotel located in Times Square. The unusual and stylish noir-inspired monochrome decor sets this hotel apart from the rest and is a great choice for those wishing to visit the Theatre District’s fashionable restaurants and attractions. Each of the 72 sleek, sexy and intimate rooms has a plasma TV, iPod stereo system and top-end bathroom products. Average nightly price $376.

Marrakech Hotel: Brings an North African style to Upper West Side Village

This is a reasonably priced themed hotel in a very good location. The newly renovated Marrakech Hotel based in the trendy upper west side neighbourhood promises to bring a touch of Morocco to Manhattan. The colourful decor includes authentic Moroccan lamps, ceramic tiles and rich fabrics and the location is perfect for access to great jazz bars, restaurants and shops. Average nightly price $232.

Trendy yet affordable

The Pod: Join the Pod culture revolution

Many hotels try and fail to fit the stylish and trendy but budget niche. The Pod located in the heart of Midtown East neighbourhood is the exception. Clean and modern with funky murals, but with shared bathrooms and an option of staying in a bunk bed room, this hotel would be a good choice for someone who doesn’t fancy re-mortgaging their house for a trip to NYC (or didn’t fancy chancing a down-town Manhattan hostel). The friendly staff will even help you with finding tickets to your favourite concerts/gigs and city tourist information. Average nightly price $211.

MAve: Kitsch Retro Chic

The newly opened MAve is a 1970’s retro inspired hotel and would probably remind you more than a little of the film Boogie Nights. There is an emphasis on fun, colour, perspex, funky art, leather sofas and zebra prints. Taking a dip in the colourfully illuminated pool is an experience in itself. Here you can order drinks in a swim-up bar and be on full view by everyone in reception (courtesy of a large glass window). Whether you want to stay in a private room or in a dorm style room with bunk beds here you will get comfy mattresses, ipod docks and cool interiors all for a price that won’t break the bank. Average nightly price $260.

The Ace Hotel: Urban Basement style

This quirky boutique hotel aims to cater to a young, creative and bohemian crowd. Ace has been built around collaborations with local designers, artists, and independent businesses and the style has often been likened to a cool friend’s town house basement. Many of the rooms have turntables, guitars, scrawl-able chalkboard walls and Smeg mini-bars. Some rooms are smaller and more basic and there is also a budget bunk bed room option. If it’s stylish but reasonably priced accommodation you’re after the Ace shouldn’t disappoint. Average nightly price $249.

The Gershwin Hotel: Arty Shabby Chic

You don’t have to love pop art to stay at the trendy Gershwin Hotel but it might help! Each floor is decorated with prints from a different artist and there is even two original Liechtensteins and a Warhol soup can in the eccentrically styled and colourful lobby. Dormitories where beds go for $49 a night are located on the lower floor and on some evenings you can head down to the Gershwin’s “Living Room” and catch random music, comedy, and theatre performances. Average nightly price $177.

Luxurious but still a bit different

The Bowery: Authentic Classic elegance
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The Bowery is gorgeous boutique hotel with a difference, the homely wood-panelled elegant hotel has a classic old-school feel. The bright spacious rooms are decorated with rich velvet drapes and fringed lampshades and the hardwood floors are covered with Oushak rugs. Head down to the art-deco bar and relax by the carved sandstone fireplace on worn leather club chairs and salvaged church pews. Attracts a hip and wealthy crowd. Average nightly price $400.

The Mercer: Classy laid-back style and perfect for celeb-watching
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If you prefer a more contemporary accommodation The Mercer, a favourite haunt of celebrities, would make an excellent choice. This light and modern boutique hotel pays homage to loft living. The modern interior comes with oversized marble bath tubs, (which could easily fit two or more people), high ceilings, neutral decor with brick walls. The lobby has huge white sofas and a wall of colourfully bound art and fashion books. Average nightly price $485.

And for a very unusual experience try…

The Jane: Bellhops and stuffed monkeys

Staying at the Jane Hotel is an experience in itself, it has a time-warpish, quirky feel with rooms inspired by vintage train cabins. In 1912 the hotel sheltered survivors of the Titanic, in the 1920s it became a haven for sailors and then it was lovingly restored on it’s centennial in 2008. The rooms/cabins are very compact and there’s an emphasis on conserving energy although in every room there is a flat-screen tvs and ipod dock/clock. The decor is also pretty unusual with authentic old-school bellhops, maids in black and white uniforms and stuffed monkeys with fez hats! All of this probably makes it one of the most intriguing budget hotels in New York. Average nightly price $109.

Other popular trendy/unusual/cool hotels in New York

• Gramercy Park: A luxury glamourous and arty design hotel
• 6 Columbus: trendy design hotel 1960s modernist-feel
• Hotel 99: A good value trendy boutique hotel aimed at the budget traveller
• Thompson LES: a sleek design hotel with a definite wow factor
• Kitano: A luxury Japanese hotel with a distinctive Asian feel
• Rivington Hotel: 21-story glass tower trendy boutique hotel
• The Mansfield: a classically beautiful and romantic hotel

For Top 10 Cool and Unusual Hotels in Berlin

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Do you love Christmas but can’t stand another year of arguing with the relatives and watching the Great Escape on television for the hundredth time? Do you long for a stress-free non-traditional break with not a dry bit of turkey or cold brussel sprout in sight? If so here are some great alternatives to spending your Christmas at home.

Hanging out with Santa in Lapland, Finland

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Keep the kids (and the young at heart) happy and spend Christmas in Lapland, Finland. Forget sitting at home and fighting the boredom, Lapland is where Christmas can truly be fairytale experience. Ride husky or reindeer driven sleighs (or just bomb around on a snowmobile), make gingerbread men cookies, snowshoe walk to your cosy log cabin and of course meet Santa in a personal one-to-one. Lapland is now cheaper and easier to get to than ever before.

Spend vast amounts of money in New York

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New Yorkers really know how to celebrate Christmas and as expected everything is on a very large scale. The Christmas trees, the lights, the shows on Broadway and the world-famous shopping are just a few examples. Ride a horse-drawn carriage through Central Park, make a fool of yourself ice-skating in the Rockefeller centre, spend a fortune in Macys and stop for an eggnog latte in Bloomingdales.

A country cottage in Ireland

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Book a cottage in the Irish countryside and you could be relaxing by a log fire and sipping whiskey on Christmas day. Christmas is a very important time of year in Ireland and if you like your seasonal break to be traditional and spiritual Ireland is the place to be. Join the congregation at midnight mass, sing your heart out at the local carol concert and walk off the Christmas dinner in the beautiful Irish countryside.

A grand hotel in Edinburgh

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Edinburgh is another place where Christmas is taken very seriously. Pick a grand hotel like the Caledonian Hilton or The Balmoral and enjoy heather-fed lamb or rabbit & pheasant terrine for Christmas dinner instead of turkey. The city hosts many events on the run-up to Christmas, try scaring the kids on Scotland’s largest ferris wheel or wandering the traditional German Christmas market and overfilling on the obligatory mince pies and mulled wine. Of course you’ll have to stay for the legendary Hogmanay, one of the best new years eve celebrations in the world.

Working on a tan in Sydney, Australia

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If you can’t stand the cold and would rather spend your Christmas with bronzed hunks/bikini babes then book a flight to Sydney. December is the first month of summer in Australia and the city regularly attracts 40,000 international visitors a year. For a true Aussie Christmas head down to Bondi or Manly beach and have shrimps on the barbie as well as a wide range of seafood and salads washed down with plenty of chilled beer.

With the beautiful people in Aspen, Colorado

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This mountain resort playground of the rich and famous would make a fantastic hip and very cool Christmas break. Check out the enormous star placed on the Rocky Mountains to mark the beginning of the festive season, spend Christmas Eve in a trendy nightclub, hang out on the slopes with Kate Hudson and Cameron Diaz (well maybe) and stay in a luxurious hotel or romantic ski lodge for Christmas day. Not really a place to bring the kids but if you’re young and hot this might be your ideal Christmas break location.

With the American Danes in Solvang, California

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Where else would be better to spend your Christmas than a Danish town in eh.. California? It may sound a bit bizarre but Solvang isn’t a place that does things by halves. People and families travel for miles to visit the annual Winterfest here. Christmas Carol singers emerge from every corner, festive music fills the streets and hundreds of twinkling lights illuminate this charming and kitsch old-world style town. Also visit the family run Jule Hus (Danish for Christmas House) to buy all your traditional European Christmas ornaments.

With furry friends in Anchorage, Alaska

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If you’re an animal lover and have a fondness for reindeer then consider visiting Anchorage, Alaska. At the reindeer farm (located off the Old Glen Highway just north of Anchorage) you can enjoy a tour where you can feed and pet the reindeer as well as other animals such as elk, moose and blacktail deer. Although if you’re a sensitive individual be warned you might end up being served poor Rudolph in the restaurant at the end of your tour.

A country music Christmas in Nashville, Tennessee

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This might not be an obvious choice but you like your Christmas experience to be pretty extreme try Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Hotel. It was voted “The most Christmassy hotel in the nation” and named in the top ten places to spend Christmas in the world (by Travel & Leisure magazine). If you sign up for the hotel’s country Christmas package you’ll see more than a dozen music shows and about 2 million lights. In fact all the people of Nashville know how to properly celebrate Christmas and there are plenty of Christmas events happening here ranging from a Christmas tree auction to a display of interactive ice sculptures of Charles Schulze’s Peanuts gang!

With cocktails and cigars in Cuba

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If family Christmas celebrations really bring out the worst in you then Cuba might be the perfect antidote. Leave the cold behind and smoke cigars, sip mojitos and salsa dance the night away on a white sandy beach. Spend Christmas day touring the main sites of Havana, Varadero and Jardines del Rey (a cluster of coral reef islands located off Cuba’s north coast) in a 1950’s Cadillac.

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It doesn’t take a genius to know that’s it’s a tough time to find a job at the moment. There are thousands of people seeking jobs, people who have just finished college or university, others who have been made redundant and then of course there is the long-term unemployed. If you are unable to find a job you might think it’s a good time to go travelling, although you might not have the funds and you might not be guaranteed of getting casual work once travelling. In places like Australia or New Zealand most unemployed local people are taking the roles backpackers once occupied. Having said that it’s not all doom and gloom and there are still options out there!

Ski Resorts

If you like snow and fancied a bit of a change this is an excellent time of year to look for opportunities of working in ski resorts. For example Highlife Ski & Snowboard are actively looking for Chefs and Resort Managers in the French Alps. You can also find adverts for more casual positions as well. Although these jobs might not be considered career moves you will have the opportunity to work in a different country and gain some excellent life experience. Another bonus is that you get to go skiing for free!

Bar Work

If ski resorts aren’t your thing why not opt for bar work? Bar staff positions are regularly advertised in Germany and Spain and not just in the summer but all year round. Okay the money won’t be great but the cost of living is a lot lower and you’re sure to have tonnes of fun. Dubai is also another location to consider, the rapid development and the large ex-pat community means that they are often seeking staff to work in bars, restaurants etc. Even in other areas of the Middle East employers are often looking for English speaking staff to work in and manage bars. Not having to pay tax on your income makes working in the Middle East an attractive option.

TEFL

I first heard of TEFL when I was in Australia, admittedly I didn’t know what it was. My friend explained it was Teaching English as a Foreign Language, it’s a perfect job for someone who loves to travel. Not only will you be able to visit lots of new countries and get paid whilst you are there, but it’s also a recession proof job! To compete in the increasingly tough job market people in many (non-English speaking) countries are trying gain a competetive edge by taking on extra English lessons, leading to a demand for more teachers.

To become a TEFL teacher is quite simple, you can complete a course which lasts a month (full-time) or three months (part-time). Once you have passed you can start applying for your teaching role. Positions are advertised on different job boards online as well as in printed press such as The Guardian on a Thursday.

If you successfully complete your TEFL course a completely different world will open up to you! You could literally go anywhere in the world. In Europe there are lots of jobs available, including many in Eastern Europe, Spain and Italy. You could teach English tax free in The Middle East (although you may need a degree for this) and there are always positions available in Central and South America.

The good thing about TEFL is that you can make a career out of it. You could become a teacher trainer or you could end up eventually running a school, alternatively you could just use the job to travel. Each year you can take a new contract and visit new cities.

So with all the doom and gloom out there why not try something different and work abroad?

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Rome is a wonderful place. It’s a truly beautiful and sometimes mysterious city. Rome was my home for over two years and these were some of the best years of my life so far. During my time there I learned a lot, although it’s an incredible place it also be a hard place to visit. I hope this guide will help you enjoy this famous and ancient city even more.

Getting around

My first recommendation is to avoid taxis! Personally I am not a big fan taxi drivers anyway but in Rome 90% of the time you feel you have been ripped off. Rome is a fairly small place and easy to navigate around. You can get around most of the city using the bus or my favourite option, walking. Avoid the bus tours everyone tries to sell you and buy either a one day travel pass (€4) or a three day pass (€11). This will entitle you to unlimited travel around the whole of Rome.

Where to stay

When you visit Rome like with so many cities, it’s important to chose the right location when you’re looking for somewhere to stay. I have a few suggestions, Piazza Venezia or Piazza Barberini would be a good choice because of their central location. St Peters and The Vatican is a nice area to stay but it can be a little harder to get to other places from. My personal preference would be to stay in Trastevere; this would give you a real Roman experience although there are only a handful of hotels located there.

Termini seems to be a popular tourist location because it has plenty of cheap hotels and is accessible to all the main sights in Rome. Personally I would avoid Termini, the restaurants are appalling and the crime rate here is above average.

Places to see

No matter how many days you plan to spend in Rome it will never be enough. When people come to Rome they often only stay for two or three days so here is a suggested itinerary for two days:

Recommended Itinerary – Day 1

1. Early Morning: Take a trip to St Peters. If possible try to visit before 9am as you will beat the crowds and get a completely different experience to one when it is full of hundreds of people all taking photos and driving you crazy.
2. When you have finished at St.Peters follow the surrounding wall around to the Vatican museum (on your way you will see a little ice cream shop on your right, my personal favourite in all of Rome). Again it is best to get to the museum as early as possible as the queues can get ridiculous. Ignore the people trying to sell you tours and head in on your own, you can always hire an audio guide once inside. Allow a couple of hours in the museum.
3. Once you have finished in the museum jump on the metro and head in the direction of Termini for three stops. Once at Flaminio jump off and head to Piazza del Popolo. I would imagine that you are now feeling a little hungry and in need of a beer. A great stop for excellent pizzas is Pizza Re (Pizza King) on Via di Ripetta.
4. Next head along Via del Corso and check out the shops. Some shops you might like and some you might wonder who the hell buys the stuff in them. Romans tend to have a unique sense of fashion (as you will see from those around you!).
5. Follow the signs or your map to the Trevi Fountain, once there beware of beggars and people trying to sell you useless rubbish.
6. Round the corner from the Trevi Fountain you will find the famous Spanish Steps. Walk and up feel free to count them (if you’re feeling masochistic!). Now with your back to the steps, head right and make your way to Barberini (along Via Sistina).
7. Once at Barberini you will see one of Bernini’s famous fountains, an impressive sight before the final part of the journey. Walk along Via Barberini until you come to Piazza della Repubblica. If you feel like you’ve earned a special treat, I would suggest sitting outside the Boscolo Hotel and enjoy an expensive but well deserved Mojito.
8. After a pretty hectic day you might fancy a quiet meal. I would recommend “Perdincibacco” next to St.Peters on Via delle Fornaci. The food here is good and you’ll get a very good litre of house red for just €6.

Recommended Itinerary – Day 2

1. The first stop is to visit the Colosseum, if possible I would suggest trying to get a ticket in advance, there is a good chance you can get it from your hotel or they will point you in the right direction. Again avoid the offers of tour guides or having your photo taken people dressed up as gladiators. It may look fun but they will charge you over €10 for the privilege!
2. After you’ve exhausted the Colosseum head to the Forum , here you can walk around ancient ruins for free.
3. You will end up in Piazza Venezia, from here it would be a good spot to stop for a coffee. In cafes you will rarely see Italians sitting down having a coffee, this is because they know the coffee prices are ridiculous in tourist spots (two or three times the normal price!)
4. After you’ve enjoyed your probably very expensive coffee, make your way down Via del Corso until you see signs on your left for the Pantheon. The Pantheon is a very busy spot, but a good mix of locals and tourists. Once past the crowds head inside and have a good look around, it’s an incredible monument and my personal favourite.
5. For lunch you can do as Romans do and stop off for Pizza al Taglio. You will probably have seen various places selling large slabs of pizza. A slice of pizza will be cut off for you depending how hungry you are! They will then weigh it and tell you how much you owe. The pizza in Rome is incredible and very different to what you have probably eaten in the rest of the world!
6. After the Pantheon and lunch make your way to Piazza Navona and Campo di Fiori (field of flowers, not that you will see any there!), both places are fantastic spots to stop for a coffee (this time it’s worth paying the extra and having a seat). Kick back, take a rest and do some quality people watching. Caffe della Pace behind Piazza Navona it isn’t a cheap stop at €5 for a freshly squeezed orange juice, but it’s well worth it.
7. Once the sun has gone down, I would highly recommend heading back to the Colosseum to get some photos, an incredible sight with the lights inside turned on.
8. Then head to Trastevere and take a stroll around the cobbled streets before choosing one of the many excellent local restaurants. I would recommend “Da Agusto” or a lovely trattoria “Da Lucia.” A good tip when choosing a restaurant is that if you see a group of Italians waiting outside it’s a pretty safe bet.
9. After dinner and maybe an ice cream (you can’t come to Rome and not try their ice cream!) you may fancy a bar or club. Most tourists would head to Campo di Fiori but some of the city’s best night clubs are in Testaccio. Rome’s nightclubs are a pretty unusual experience but definitely worth a visit.

Rome is a wonderful place with so much to offer. If you enjoy it half as much as I did you I’m sure you’ll have a great time!

Rome: the Lowdown

Rome is the capital of Italy and is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber river. Rome is a very historic city and is over two and a half thousand years old and was one of the founding and most powerful cities in Western Civilization. It is often cited as one of the best cities to visit in the world. Rome has hot dry summers, wet and cold winters and pleasant temperatures in spring and autumn. It is not uncommon to have fine beach weather from the start of May until the middle of October.

Good value popular hotels in Rome

• WRH Trastevere (One of only a few hotels in Trastevere)
• Apollo Hotel (near the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain)
• Hotel Artorius (quiet but very central location)
• Caesar House Residenze Romane (close to the Colosseum with views over the Roman Forum)
• Or search over 30 major travel sites at once to find the best price for all hotels in Rome.

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Unless you are escaping to a desert island for the whole of December, Christmas shopping is pretty much unavoidable but if your local shops just aren’t going to cut it this year (and you don’t want to rely on the post!), then why not use our guide to head out to the best shopping locations in the UK? Pre-Christmas sales are not uncommon now so search around for some real bargains.

1. Oxford Street, London

Forty million shoppers making their annual Christmas pilgrimage every year can’t be wrong. People come for the lights, the two mile stretch of 300+ shops, the extended ranges in many of the international flagship stores and the massive amount of choice (Selfridges, Top Shop, Nike Town, John Lewis, the list goes on). Although they probably don’t come for the crowds. Oxford Street is one of London’s top tourist attractions and is still one of the most popular shopping destinations in the world.

2. Manchester

England’s unofficial second city has the cooler edge on many of it’s rivals. Not even counting the The Arndale Centre, this city is a shoppers paradise and is crammed full of small niche retailers, vintage/retro boutiques and shabby chic/boho stores many with an original Mancunian style. Perfect if you really stuck for Christmas shopping ideas – just remember to pack the umbrella!

3. Brighton & Hove

Even though it’s a small city, Brighton & Hove has made it high on the list because of it’s amazingly diverse range of shops from chic boutiques, contemporary unique fashions to antiques and original art and jewellery. The more bohemian and trendy shops are located in Brighton’s North Laines. Wander the half a square mile of streets and alleys buying 50s and 60s kitsch, aspirational lifestyle products or french reproduction furniture and then stop for a mung bean burger at one of the many health and vegetarian food outlets. Designer bargains are to be found in the Brighton Marina and the big name stores are located in Churchill Square.

4. Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a very aesthetically pleasing shopping location and is often considered one of the most beautiful cities in Britain. People brave the cold to come here and view the sights as well as do their Christmas shopping. The locals take style and consumerism very seriously and as well as being packed with designer names (Stella McCartney, Louis Vuitton, Prada etc) there are plenty of hip and trendy smaller boutique shops.

5. Birmingham

England’s official second city shouldn’t disappoint would be shoppers, it’s an easier place to get your bearings than you might think with most shops located in the newly redeveloped Bull Ring and New Street. Brummies love trendy designer labels but they also love a bargain. They also love unusual architecture (the £40 million futuristic Selfridges building is worth coming to Birmingham to see in itself although, having said that, it might not be to everyones taste!). As well as all the major high street shops including Harvey Nichols and House of Fraser, the well-known jewellery quarter should sort you out with all your bling!

6. Spitalfields Market, London

Okay this would be the alternative choice but if you’re fed up with the same old stuff in all the usual high street stores then Spitalfields market with it’s eclectic range of stalls – many with original designs – is definitely worth a visit. Buy your cool cousin an original leather satchel, your mum a vintage brooch, your niece or nephew a trendy printed babygrow or just pick up a slice of wheat-free Christmas cake.

7. Newcastle

If you like your shopping experience to be on a very large scale then this would definitely be the place to visit. The enormous Metrocentre is probably the reason most people travel to Newcastle for shopping as it’s one of largest shopping and leisure centres in Europe. North Easterners also have a fondness for original designs so as well as the usual high street favourites there is also a wide range of independent shops and a popular art and craft market each Sunday on Armstrong Bridge in Jesmond.

8. Bath

If it’s the quintessential English Christmas shopping experience you are after, look no further than Bath. With it’s grand Georgian streets, Roman baths and beautiful abbey, Bath is very easy on the eye and even the most discerning shopper is well catered for. As well as all the familiar big name stores, the town offers a wide range of independent shops and stylish boutiques and a well-organised Christmas Market running from 26th November to 6th December 2009.

9. Dublin

Ok, it’s not in the UK, but Dublin is a fun and vibrant city and would make an excellent choice for an easily accessible Christmas shopping destination. It’s a very compact city with all the shops in walkable distance and most of the shopping centred around the pedestrianised Grafton Street (shops towards the upper-end of the market) and St. Stephens Green Shopping Centre (the usual high street shops). After you finished there head for Temple Bar for trendy and more unusual clothing, music and art stores (and probably also a pint of Guinness).

10. Cardiff

Even if you’re not searching for a rugby shirt or a Welsh Love spoon don’t overlook Cardiff as a Christmas shopping destination. Cardiff is a very friendly city and is now one of the best shopping locations in the country thanks to the new St. David’s shopping centre £675million extension. Every major store is represented in the very impressive “St. David’s 2″ but if it’s more intimate shopping you are after try the cute Morgan and Castle shopping arcades still with their Victorian and Edwardian features.

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1. La Rochelle, France: The place where dreams are made

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It’s always hard to decide where to go on holiday, you can spend hours flicking through brochures only to have a longer wish list than you started with. This year I took the easy option, I got my retired dad to check out the internet for possible options. All I told him that we wanted to go somewhere in either France or Spain for a relaxing week. He came back to me within two hours with La Rochelle.

Even though we didn’t really know what to expect, in the past my dad had never let me down so my girlfriend and I both agreed to give it a go. We then tried to find out as much information on La Rochelle as we could. After researching on the internet and speaking to a few people it sounded just the sort of thing we were looking for. We found an article that recommended boat rides, gondolas (which weren’t really gondolas but the French equivalent!), Ile de Ré (Island of the King) and one particular restaurant by the name of Andrès. After reading the article I wanted to do everything, I knew that this really wasn’t possible but still it’s always nice to plan ahead and to at least try and fit everything in!

We managed to find and book a very reasonable flight and an excellent hotel. We stayed at The Mercure – a very comfortable three star hotel with an amazing view of the port and luxury boats. During the short taxi journey from the airport to the hotel we were amazed at how lovely the place was. La Rochelle doesn’t have the highest volume of air traffic so we were limited to a 6.30am flight from Dublin. When we arrived we were pretty tired from the lack of sleep but we didn’t mind because we got to see the city whilst everyone was still sleeping.

Arrival breakfast and a good start

Having dropped our bags off at the hotel we headed out to explore, our first port of call was to get some breakfast, you really can’t beat fresh croissants… a perfect way to start any holiday. We made our way around the city’s port and were amazed at the number of restaurants and bars. It wasn’t long before they were filling up, the port was soon packed with people, most of whom were French. Generally when I have been to on holiday to tourist spots I have only ever heard English being spoken.

I was very impressed with La Rochelle, a place where I could even quite happily settle down. For a decent sized property just out of town you can pay around €250,000 or €300,000 for somewhere more central. It has definitely given us both something to think about for the future!

After quite a competitive game of crazy golf we made our way across the road to a lovely little bar where we ordered two “Plat Du Jours” (Plates of the day) which happened to be an impressive “Moule Mariner” (a classic and popular French dish of mussels) but to our disgust neither of us could finish the huge amount of fish on our plates.

Incredible seafood restaurants

In the evening we visited the highly recommended Restaurant Andrè and we found the recommendation wasn’t unjustified. We opted for one of their set menus and we were impressed. In the past, my experiences of UK/Irish set menus haven’t really been that positive, yet on the continent they often offer an excellent choice and it was no different at Andrès. Our main dish was Fruits de Mer (Fruits of the Sea). There was an incredible amount of fish all very tasty and all for €26. Another positive was that I finally got the hang of eating crabs and oysters! The meal was truly superb, normally when I see lots of restaurants in a tourist area I am usually sceptical, but this wasn’t the case for La Rochelle.

Andrès was wonderful but it’s neighbour Bistrot Des Pecheurs was even better. If you wanted to take a break from big fish dinners there are also excellent kiosks were you could purchase fresh baguettes, crepes, gallettes or fries with mayonnaise.

Markets, street performers and water pipes

We came across a few clubs but for those who enjoy a quieter break (like myself) there were also plenty of other options on offer; incredible restaurants, various market stalls and lively street performers. In the market we came across the quirky artist Mateo Vullo and his stall where he was selling pictures that were designed on his computer, they all had the same theme – what La Rochelle had to offer (including the restaurants, bars, beach, aquarium or just meeting a potential lover!)

Another stand out place was a bar called L’Eescale Orientale where we enjoyed a strawberry “narguile” (a water pipe) and an impressive range of Eastern teas, to us, the perfect way to finish a relaxing day.

Overall I would definitely recommend La Rochelle for a holiday. Aside from just relaxing, shopping and eating you can take a boat trip or hire bikes and ride to the Ile de Ré. You could also enjoy a quiet journey on the “bateliers” (the gondolier that isn’t a gondolier!) or visit the well-designed aquarium or one of the various city museums. Ideally we’d have liked to have seen a lot more but at least it means that we’ll have to go back one day!

La Rochelle – The Lowdown

La Rochelle is a city in South-West France on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is an unspoilt and historic seaside town and it is also a good base to use for visits to the Bordeaux wine country or to Cognac. La Rochelle’s weather is dominated by a Gulf Stream which moderates temperatures and keeps La Rochelle warm through the year. In the centre of La Rochelle is an old port, called the Vieux Port.

Getting there

The airport de La Rochelle serves Airlinair (air France), Ryanair, Flybe, and Easyjet. Buses running Monday through Saturday take you to La Rochelle centre.

Where to stay

Search over 30 major travel sites at once to find the cheapest price and best hotels in La Rochelle.

Other Popular hotels in La Rochelle

• Best Western Masqhotel
• Hotel Les Brises
• Les Gens de Mer
• Premiere Classe Aytre Hotel
• Ibis Centre Hotel La Rochelle

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1. Is a Californian roadtrip the perfect honeymoon?

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It took us about a year to finally decide where to go on honeymoon after our wedding in July this year. To say the list of potential locations was long would have definitely been an understatement, war zones aside (!) I don’t think there were many places that weren’t included on our list…

After many hours trawling the internet we eventually decided on a California/Nevada roadtrip, probably because it ticked so many boxes. Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway often top the ‘places you must see before you die’ lists and seemed to us like the ideal romantic location (we are both far too fidgety to sit on a beach for two weeks..) We also wanted to include Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas partly because we are both film obsessed and many of our favourite films are based here and partly because it seemed just too long a way to go without visiting them.

The Honeymooners

We planned the trip meticulously, including a candlelit dinner in Clint Eastwood’s ranch restaurant in Carmel-on-sea, wild bear spotting in Yosemite National Park and a tour of Alcatraz on our itinerary (incidentally Alcatraz is one of San Francisco’s most poplar tourist attractions – it seems like most people love a day trip to a prison!).

We landed on the Las Vegas strip, jet-lagged and bleary eyed and spent the next three days adjusting to the 43degree desert heat (which wasn’t unlike a really hot hairdryer being blown in your face, full blast), spending vast amounts of money and marvelling at what is essentially an adult Disneyland. The experience is intense but exhilarating and our hotel the MGM Grand was truly impressive and not only for it’s size. Even if gambling’s not your thing this place has to be experienced at least once in your lifetime.

Leaving Las Vegas

From there we drove across the Nevada desert to Los Angeles staying in the sleek and luxurious Sofitel in Beverly Hills (True Blood fans might recognise the distinctive hotel lobby!). We both fell in love with LA and found the city to be far more relaxed and friendly than we’d imagined and of course the weather was beautiful.

After three days we travelled up the Pacific Coast Highway stopping over at some of the sweetest and most welcoming places we’ve ever stayed (Avila La Fonda Hotel in Avila Beach and the The Tradewinds Inn at Carmel-on-Sea). Avila La Fonda even had a very cute little tuck shop pantry complete with honesty box!

Our guide book called Yosemite “the Taj Mahal” of National Parks but still nothing prepared us for how amazingly beautiful the park was when we eventually arrived. The main lookout point was a scenic but fairly gruelling hour-long drive from our accommodation but we were both instantly moved by our first Yosemite Park lookout encounter. Even though we were both a little surprised by the crowds and the over-development in the valley and even though we didn’t manage to catch even a small glimpse of a wild bear, the park was still definitely worth the 320 km detour.

Final Destination

San Francisco is a bohemian and cultured city but it’s also very windy! Our diverse range of activities during our stay included cheering along young Tony Hawk wannabes in a skateboard competition in Golden Gate Park, queuing for a free chickpea curry at a vegetarian food festival and my personal favourite watching the crazy wrestling seals at Pier 39. Napa Valley and it’s idyllic landscapes and the incredible food and wine tasting was a perfect day trip, and for us, California was the perfect honeymoon.

California and Las Vegas highlights

• Doubling our money (and then swiftly losing it!) on the roulette table at the Bellagio Las Vegas.
• Trophy wife/beautiful people watching from a gorgeous cafe/bakery/restaurant on Rodeo Drive early on a Sunday morning.
• The Big Sur Coastline (no need to say anymore).
• Sipping cocktails in 90 degree heat on the veranda of the Wawona Inn in Yosemite National Park.
• Watching the Old Faithful Geyser and then eating the world’s most tastiest salad bought from a local grocery store in Calistoga.
• Cycling to see the Golden Gate Bridge and eventually arriving – against all the odds (kind of wishing someone had warned us about the wind and the jaw-droppingly steep hill on the coastal path).

Our Roadtrip Itinerary

• Flew Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick to Las Vegas.
• Stayed three nights at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
• Drove across the Nevada desert stopping at Barstow and Calico Ghost town and eventually arriving in Los Angeles.
• Stayed three nights in the Sofitel, Beverly Hills in Los Angeles.
• Took Highway 1 (the Pacific Coast Highway) to Avila Beach and stayed one night at the Avila La Fonda Hotel.
• Drove further up the coast staying one night at the Tradewinds Inn in Carmel-on-Sea.
• Drove from Carmel to Yosemite National Park staying 2 nights at Wawona Inn.
• Stayed five nights in Le Meridien Hotel in San Francisco and from there took a day trip to Napa Valley and Calistoga.
• Flew Virgin Atlantic from San Francisco airport to Heathrow.

(Seventeen nights in total)

Search over 30 major travel sites on once to find the cheapest price and best hotels in California.

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