Europe Holidays Travel Guide

If you have ever been to Disneyland or Disney World, then you will enjoy a Christmas vacation at Tokyo Disney. The cheap holiday package to Tokyo Disney Park will just delight the entire family. The resorts are exciting to stay at and are nearby the Disney Park. You might enjoy a stay at the Tokyo Disney Resort or the Disney Ambassador Hotel. Wherever you stay, you will find that the time of year will be filled with holiday cheer. Christmas at Tokyo Disneyland is a spectacular event with Christmas fantasies all around. If you stay through the New Year, Tokyo DisneySea will have a spectacular show for bringing in the New Year. When you plan your cheap holiday vacation getaway at Tokyo Disney Resort, you will find many different areas to explore. You will enjoy the Ikspiari, which has over a hundred restaurants and little shops. There is a play and care center for children called Camp Nepos. You never have to worry about transportation since the monorail system runs around the entire Disney Resort stopping at every major facility. The kids just love this rail system as it has Mickey Mouse windows to look out and see where you are going.

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In the middle of winter, you may be dreaming of visiting a place that is much warmer and without any snow or fierce winds. If you want to do some traveling this winter, there are a few warm weather destinations that are not only popular with travelers, but also beautiful. Three travel destinations you should look into include Antigua, Perth, Australia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, or Singapore.

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Spain’s capital has enjoyed a serious boom as a city break
destination on the last decade. The proliferation of cheap
flights has made more and more European cities accessible to
weekend travellers. Often overshadowed by the Catalan capital,
Barcelona , Madrid is now showing what it has to offer and,
more importantly, sharing it with foreign visitors.
 
“Los Austrias” is as good a place as any to start; the oldest
part of the city and still bearing the stamp of the Hapsburg
dynasty that had such a dominating influence on Madrid until
1700. The “Plaza Mayor” is the focal point of the area; built
by Phillip III between 1617 and 1619, it’s an elegant square
with a rich and varied history. This is where the great
festivals and celebrations of imperial Madrid took place.
Visitors these days won’t see quite so much excitement but the
square hosts a coin and stamp collectors market on Sundays and
hosts live bands and performers during festivals. Expect to pay
through the nose in the cafés and restaurants which line the
square; some however, will be willing to part with a little
extra cash just to be able to soak up the atmosphere of one of
Madrid’s most famous sites.
 
Next stop is the “Palacio Real”; Madrid ’s royal palace is a
monument to the classical Italian baroque style. Charles III
was the first king to take residence here in 1714. The grand
building has a, seemingly absurd, count of 3,000 rooms. The
most famous of these is the Throne Room with its sumptuous
decorations. Visitors should also pay heed to the gardens, in
particular the “Jardine de Sabatini”, which was added to the
Palace complex in the 1930’s and can provide a bit of peaceful
seclusion away from the bustle of the city centre.
 
Another one of the city’s most celebrated landmarks is the
“Puerto Del Sol” – originally the location for one of the gates
marking the eastern entrance to the city. The gate is reported
to have been erected around 1440 to control the comings and
goings of merchandise in the Spanish capital. These days the
gate is long gone but the square behind it has taken on the
name. It’s a lively place, equivalent to Times Square and
Trafalgar Square in the US and England respectively, as on new
year’s eve Madrilenos come here in their thousands to hear the
clock chime midnight and see in the new year. It is also the
centre point of Spain , kilometre zero is in the centre of the
square and the six main highways of Spain radiate from this
point.
 
For a bit of greenery and a shaded stroll then there’s no
better place than the magnificent “Parque del Buen Retiro”;
Madrid’s most central park. This verdant expanse covers 350
acres and includes formal gardens, fountains, playgrounds and
cafes. There is even a lake where locals and tourists can clash
oars on the water. All in all, the perfect place for a picnic or
for the kids to let off some steam – bear in mind that the park
closes at 10.30pm every evening.
 
The “Panteon de Goya” is a small chapel that serves as the
final resting place to the celebrated artist. The man himself
decorated the intricate dome and cupola depicting the miracles
of St Anthony and it is certainly one of the city’s lesser
known attractions that is well worth a visit.
 
One final stop on our tour takes us a little way out of Madrid
’s centre to the home of one of the world’s most famous
football teams. The Santiago Bernabeu stadium has been home to
Real Madrid CF since 1947 and the 80,000 seater stadium is an
impressive site whether you’re a fan of football or not. The
stadium houses and excellent museum and is open most days for
tours where you get the chance to see the stadium from the main
stand and entrance into the playing tunnel and even the changing
rooms. Author - Mike McDougall

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One thing you should be prepared for when visiting Barcelona
for the first time is that you will have to go back again. You
will never be able to cram all the sights and activities into
one trip, and you will be left wanting to know more about this
very special area. So relax, enjoy what you can do this time
and keep in mind those activities that you will want to try
next time.
 
For art lovers, one of the must visit buildings is the museum
dedicated entirely to Picasso. This is housed in a medieval
mansion, and contains over three thousand pieces, the most
important collection of his work in Spain today. The museum
allows you to travel through the various phases of Picasso's
work, from Malaga, his home town, to Paris, then Russia, and
finally to Barcelona. Not surprisingly the main focus of the
exhibition is on his Barcelona phase.
 
The old town of Barcelona, or Ciutat Vella, is right on the
harbor of Barcelona. It is made up of the gothic sector, or
Barri Gotic, which houses a fascinating cathedral, the Ribera
area and the harbor area or Port Vell. To find the old town you
just need to take a stroll down the main avenue on Barcelona,
the flower stall lined La Rambla. As you walk towards the sea
you will see a towering monument, topped by the figure of
Christopher Columbus, which sits at one corner of the old town.
On the opposite side or east, the old town is bordered by the
Parc de la Ciutadella which houses a monumental waterfall or
cascada.
 
A sight not to be missed for many football fans is the Nou Camp
stadium. If you have chance to go to a game this will beat a
simple sightseeing tour as you will be able to experience the
unique atmosphere of one of the most famous stadiums in the
world, home to Barcelona's football team, usually known as
Barca. Football season is September to May and you need to be
sure to book your tickets well in advance.
 
If you have had enough of culture, history and shopping in the
city centre, you can hit one of the fabulous beaches along the
Costa Brava and Costa Dorada. The coast line is well
maintained, with clean Mediterranean waters perfect for a
refreshing dip. Accommodation along this coast includes a wide
variety of resort style hotels, beach front chalets, and self
catering apartments to rent.
 
Barcelona has something for everyone. Whether you are looking
for a relaxing beach holiday, a sightseeing weekend, a romantic
honeymoon or somewhere to relax for the whole summer, you will
find it all on this beautiful part of Spain.

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