Tag Archives: London

Holiday Options Around Earl’s Court

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Earls Court Holiday Options Around Earls Court

Earl’s Court. CC Image by waldopepper.

Ideas for hotels, places to visit, and days out based in Earls Court, London.

Are you making a trip up to Earls Court and Olympia for a trade or consumer conference? Perhaps a concert? Or even to see the Olympic Volleyball events to be hosted there from 28th July? Booking hotels in Earls Court and the area should be done well in advance, whatever your reason for going.

Located on the District Line, Earls Court tube can get extremely busy when large events are on – so we recommend staying nearby to ensure that you can easily access the site, and can do so on foot if necessary.

Millennium Hotels group has a number of properties in the Kensington and Chelsea area, which are easily communicable with Earls Court and Olympia. The Millennium Gloucester Hotel is well located a few minutes’ walk from the Gloucester Road underground station; similarly, you could try the exclusive Millennium Copthorne property located in Chelsea Football Club – near to the river and a short walk up to Earls Court.

Staying in the Kensington area also brings you into contact with the excellent attractions that surround this prestigious borough, from the Brompton Oratory to the Natural History Museum.

There’s alternative fun to be had at Linely Sambourne House, in W8, which has beautifully preserved Victorian living, and is a lovely antidote to the large-scale museums and gargantuan halls and conference centres of SW7 and the Olympia complex.

Visitors with a taste for football can take a tour of nearby Stamford Bridge – the home of Chelsea Football Club, in the Champions League Final after knocking out favourites Barcelona in a tense semi-final.

We’d also recommend taking advantage of your West London location to think a little further afield – Kew Gardens and Richmond are both delightful spots for a greener taste of London, and can be easily reached by the local overground; they will also be on fine form during Olympic year.

Active holidaymakers looking for a way to increase their cardiovascular fitness this summer can take a cycle down the Thames Path – or along the Regent’s Canal which starts near Ladbroke Grove in Little Venice and winds all the way to Limehouse in the east of London.

Find Travel Inspiration Through Woody Allen’s Films

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Rome Find Travel Inspiration Through Woody Allens Films

Another another Rome... CC Image by Stefano Corso (Flickr).

By ALEIX GWILLIAM

Often we find ourselves watching a film set in a certain place andlike it so much that we decide to book a trip to that destination. If you haven’t visited Rome, Woody Allen’s new film ‘To Rome with Love’ may inspire you to plan a trip there.

People who like travelling usually don’t need any inspiration to choose their next destination. However, that doesn’t mean they cannot be inspired. Those who like films, and more specifically Woody Allen films, use his creations as an excellent source of inspiration to select their next destination.

Woody Allen’s new film is set in the Eternal City, the centre of what used to be the biggest empire on earth, the city that inspired many artists throughout the centuries and the city, where we can see some of the most beautiful monuments and museums in the world. If we’ve never been to the Italian capital before, once we leave the cinema we may go online and rent Rome apartments, because any views of the city in the film are enough to convince any travel lover.

Born in the Bronx in 1935, with the name Allan Stewart Konigsberg, and raised in Brooklyn, Woody Allen first wrote jokes for money and became a full-time comedy writer at the age of 19.

Highly successful, he earned big money and also moved towards the field of stand-up comedy. After some playwriting, he began directing films. His finest effort, so far, came in 1977 with Annie Hall, for which he won various Oscars, including Best Film and Best Director. Two years later came Manhattan, which was seen as a tribute to the city of New York. Both films are a perfect depiction of the city; they show its streets, its lifestyle and its beauty. Manhattan has inspired many to travel to the city that doesn’t sleep and has made as many fall in love with New York.

In 2005, Allen changed his setting to London with Match Point, which got mixed reviews. The story plot aside, the film partly portrays the lifestyle of the British upper class with shooting locations in Belgravia, Chelsea, Mayfair and Notting Hill and at sights such as Tate Modern, St James’s Park, and Queen’s Walk along the South Bank.

romelove Find Travel Inspiration Through Woody Allens FilmsIn 2006, Allen released Scoop, also set in London, with beautiful scenes of the British countryside, a destination all lovers of nature and eco-tourism can appreciate.

2008 saw Allen change his background again, this time to Spain with Vicky Cristina Barcelona. The film became a great advert for Barcelona; the city comes across beautifully and makes the film better for it.

Fast forwarding past Midnight in Paris from 2011, To Rome With Love is set to be released this year. If you’ve never been to Rome before, we recommend you to see the film because it will show the city in its entire splendor. A definite source of inspiration for your next trip abroad.

With history, culture, art and food in multitude, one doesn’t need any futher reason to rent apartments in Rome and discover the beautiful Italian capital.

Aleix Gwilliam is a 24-year-old from Barcelona who looks English but thinks like a Catalan. He enjoys travelling, especially on old Czech trains, and trying to start conversations in Hungarian with people at Pecs station, even though his Hungarian is as good as his Bulgarian, in other words, not very good. He’s a trier.

5 Places to Experience in London

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Phone booth 5 Places to Experience in London

London is the capital of many things: England, the United Kingdom and British fashion. It is also home to a number of exciting and historical events and activities. London recently saw the royal wedding and London will soon be home to the 2012 Olympics, which will transform the already bustling city into a hive of sporting activity. Even without these massive global events London is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world for good reasons. Here are a few things to see and do in this exhilarating city.

Liberty

One of the most famous department stores in the country, Liberty has long been providing the people of the UK with intricately designed products. Built from a ship, the Tudor revival building is a spectacular place to take part in a bit of retail therapy. With designer brands and a wide array of home ware products you are guaranteed to find a special product within the bowels of this great beached vessel. You can also grab a cup of tea, and a scone in these impressive surroundings.

Hamleys

Hamleys is one of the world’s largest toy shops and holds a great number of exciting wonderments for any child who steps through its doors. The store contains seven floors of toys, gadgets and other exciting products. Its flagship store in Regent Street, London, is the one of the most exiting places in the city, especially for children.

Tower of London

See the crown jewels in their resplendent glory at the Tower of London. The exhibitions housed in the tower also have a lot to offer any tourist looking to learn more about the city and its history.

London Dungeons

Experience London and its incredibly gory past at the London Dungeons. The experience will both entertain and enlighten, as actors strive to recreate the conditions of plague infested streets and horrible historical events.

Tate Modern

With free entry into most exhibits you can explore the artist contributions from visionaries all over the world. With current exhibits including the largest collection of works by J M W Turner in the world and other international artists you can spend the day gazing at some of the most impressive pieces of art in a truly spectacular location.

A City Girl’s Go-Get-’em Guide: 5 European Cities, 5 Places to Experience

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Notting Hill A City Girls Go Get em Guide: 5 European Cities, 5 Places to Experience

Portobello Road, Notting Hill.

London: Portobello Road (& the Saturday market)

Rent an apartment for a weekend through somewhere like CityBaseApartments.com, who offer London apartments short stays and long stays alike. Nestled in West London’s rather salubrious Notting Hill area, Portobello road is a haven for treasure seekers and vintage lovers. Sauntering from the tube past Notting Hill’s white and decidedly summery-looking Georgian townhouses to Portobello Road is something to behold in itself – but as soon as you reach Portobello road, you’ll know about it. Curiosity shops of all shapes, sizes and persuasions offer Aladdin’s-Cave-style experiences, perfect for those with a taste for anything artistic, eccentric or outrageous.

Copenhagen: Christiania

Europe’s most famous 850-strong squat, Christiania is located in Copenhagen’s Christianahavn and is probably most famous for its lawlessness when it comes to cannabis. However – don’t be put off by this, because that part of Christiania can be ignored as easily as it can be found. Whatever season you visit, this place really is a spectacle worth visiting. From quaint little hand-build eco homes to a vegan café and an all-female iron monger workshop, Christiania offers plenty to marvel at. And if you manage to walk from the main entrance all the way through, there’s an incredible grotto-style café to greet you on the other side.

Badeschiff A City Girls Go Get em Guide: 5 European Cities, 5 Places to Experience

Badeschiff, Berlin.

Berlin: Badeschiff
Otherwise known as the ‘Bathing Ship’, Badeschiff sits atop the Spree River and is hailed as one of the best party places in Berlin. This boat boasts no less than a floating pool, an open-air bar and a beach-style sunbathing area and offers massages, fitness tuition, concerts and nightclub parties. The place attracts crowds even in the winter when they simply install a couple of saunas and continue the party by covering the vessel with a big white membrane.

Barcelona: El Born

If you’ve been to Spain before, then you’ll know it’s relaxed – and the Spanish love nothing more than late nights, parties and fantastic food. Head to Barcelona’s new cultural quarter, El Born (or if you want to sound more with it, it’s just ‘Born’). Begin your evening around 10pm at one of Barcelona’s best wine bars, La Vinya del Senyor, followed by Cuines Santa-Caterina for a nice, sharable and light tapas dinner before midnight. Be careful not to eat too much though – there’s plenty of dancing to be done at the Woman Caballero nightclub. But don’t go over August – most of the city shuts for the month.

Paris: Cookery Course

Paris Market A City Girls Go Get em Guide: 5 European Cities, 5 Places to Experience

Food market, Paris.

A non-residential cookery course, this can easily be squeezed into your girly weekend perfectly – although it’s not cheap. Cordon Bleu chef and tour guide, Paule Caillat, will guide you and your friends around some of Paris’ very best markets, herb and truffle shops, among other places, and – the Pièce de résistance – the kitchens at the prestigious Hotel de Crillo, before you head back to cook something scintillating.

Photo: 1, 2, 3

Enjoying London From an Apartment

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Canary Wharf Enjoying London From an Apartment

Canary Wharf. CC Image by sunnyUK (Flickr).

London is renowned around the world for its diversity and attracts millions of tourists year after year. Visitors are never short of things to do in the English capital – after all, there are 32 different boroughs in Greater London – but there is no way that anybody can see everything worth seeing in London in one day. London is a long-stay city.

Apartment rentals in the capital are popular amongst tourists because they provide the opportunity to chill out in luxury and see the city in style. The attractiveness of Kensington and Canary Wharf apartments, for instance, as alternative ways to experience London is growing, even despite the recession.

The best bits of London are spread right across the city, so you’d be hard-pressed to fit them all into one day when you consider the travel time involved. Yes, taking the Tube is quick and easy (and an essential part of experiencing London), but the layout of the city means that you’d spend half your day on it travelling to your destinations. It’s best to take your time, soak it all up and be able to put your feet up at the end of the day.

Most first-time visitors want to see all the major attractions like Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Buckingham Palace, and but there is so much more to London than the international tourism industry recognises. Have you heard of the Ice Bar just off Regent Street? A bar made of ice in which you can enjoy an ice cold cocktail in a glass made of ice with your friends. Cool, huh? Then there’s the London Dungeons to send even more shivers down your spine.

For accommodation, people who visit London tend to prefer centrally located properties in zone 1 or zone 2. We may not be able to afford the penthouse apartments the city has to offer but, with some research, you can find luxurious and affordable apartments based right where you want to be.

Enjoying London is much about not rushing from one place to the next. You’ll enjoy your stay in the city more if you take things in your pace and discover the city on your own (instead of only following a guidebook’s advice). And while the touristy sights are highly visited for a reason, you’ll be glad you saved time to see London beyond the tourist attractions.

Why I Love England

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London Why I Love England

This is London. CC Image by maistora (Flickr.)

By JOE JOHNSON

One of the biggest clichés about England is the weather, most outsiders and indeed the majority of inhabitants will cite the predominantly wet, dreary atmosphere that envelops the country for approximately nine months of the year. What is impressive is that despite this, millions upon millions of tourists visit the small island nation every year, arriving in their droves to marvel at the ancient yet cutting edge city of London, the rolling green pastures and hundreds of other tourist attractions like Stonehenge, the Eden Project, Lindisfarne Castle and Old Trafford football stadium, home of Manchester United FC. These are no doubt impressive sites but there is something else, something intangible, magical that draws people from thousands of miles away to England’s fair shores.

It’s often said that British people are rude or ignorant, while some of us may come across like this, I’d like to defend us by saying that we’re merely polite in the extreme, this is why you might encounter an English person who appears to ignore you, they are simply being ultra polite and waiting until they’re directly addressed to speak. The British value order and organisation which is why you will always find impromptu queues, we don’t need to be asked to be civilised.

It is this intrinsic sense of decency and respect for others that means Britain has such an inclusive, democratic and diverse society. One of the first things tourists notice about Britain, particularly in big cities, is how diverse the population is. People of different nationalities, colours and creed live and work alongside one another creating an infectious cultural melting pot that influences everything from music to fashion to food. It is this level of diversity that makes the country such a refreshing, interesting place to visit; fancy some Bangladeshi cuisine in deepest rural Sussex, you got it!

Of course the one thing that makes England stand out from its European cousins and indeed almost ever other country in the world is its illustrious history, but more so the fact that many of the remnants and artefacts from the country’s empirical past remain. Ancient castles dating back hundreds of years are dotted across the landscape, many of them expertly preserved and converted into museums that document this history in an informative and compelling fashion. Influences from more recent historical periods are evident in the residential architecture; do yourself a favour and visit a traditional English public house.

There are so many reasons to love England, and for some tourists, they are enough to lure them into making England their home which leads me finally onto my main point, why do I love England? I’ve lived here all my life and am therefore well placed to comment on its worthiness as a tourist destination, as well as a place to settle. So, what’s my favourite thing about England? It may seem boring since I’ve been harping on about the magic of the place and the hospitality of its inhabitants, but my favourite thing about this country is its size.

I’d describe England as compact rather than small, an apt term when you consider that so much culture and history is compacted into the island nation. Being relatively compact means it’s fairly easy to get from one side of the country to the other. This makes visiting relatives and friends, attending national sports events, commuting to work and generally being able to see different parts of the country far less painful than a country like the U.S, where driving from end to end takes several days.

Of course there are several other more sentimental reasons I love England, I grew up here, went to school here, made friends and studied here, my life is here. Many inhabitants complain about the weather, the over-crowdedness, the government, and the cost of living, and while I’d agree that England isn’t perfect, and I do enjoy getting away from it all now and again, England is my home, I love it and I plan on spending the rest of my life here.

Joe is an English Travel blogger, he takes Spain holidays for the weather but always looks forward to returning to his home country!

Honeymoon in the City

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London Night Skyline Honeymoon in the City

By DAPHNE DUNPHY

When it comes to choosing a honeymoon destination, most people opt for the sun, the sea and the sand – enjoying cocktail after cocktail on a nice, quiet and romantic beach somewhere. But if you fancy a slightly more alternative choice, forget the Bahamas, forget the Caribbean and choose London.

The English capital might not be everybody’s first choice for a honeymoon holiday for two, but its capacity for romance should not be underestimated. In fact, there is not much you can’t do in London.

London hotels west end are amongst the best in the UK, if not the world, so you can choose to spend your honeymoon however you please. You can get sensual in the spas of Windsor hotels or sprightly in the city in luxury Kensington apartments. Diversity is precisely the charm of the great city of London.

It all depends on what kind of honeymoon you want. You can experience it from the streets, the river or the sky – and, with the latter, we’re not just talking about the London Eye. One of the most exciting and exhilarating ways to see London is from a helicopter. Thousands of tourists have seen London from the eye, but how many have had the privilege of seeing it from a moving platform?

Honeymoons have to include at least one celebratory dining experience in a top-end restaurant. You’ll find some of the best Michelin-starred restaurants in the world in the Mayfair area of London. The Square is amongst the best, with two Michelin stars to its name and a vast and sophisticated menu of high quality food and wine. It is a little bit pricy but, hey, it’s your honeymoon!

London also boasts some out-of-this-world tasting tours, too, from wine to beer and chocolate to cheese. Some places, like the London Wine Academy, even combine these experiences. In a range of restaurants, they spice up the weekend with perfect combinations of various wines and cheeses from around the world. If you both share a passion for two of the best gastronomic delights known to man, then this is the perfect honeymoon activity for you.

A great way to finish off your honeymoon in London is to go to the Whispering Gallery in St Paul’s Cathedral. The dome there is perfectly shaped to carry your whispers to the other side of the building, allowing your partner to hear your sweet nothings as if you stood next to them.

There is much more romance to London than this article can accommodate, but at least this is a starting point. The English capital has such diversity that it is bound to deliver the perfect honeymoon for every kind of newlywed couple.

As a graduate of English and History, Daphne Dunphy combines her creative streak and passion for the English language with her love for all things travel. 

Photo credit: Michal O

London: How to Make the Most of Your Own Home City

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Gordons Wine Bar London: How to Make the Most of Your Own Home City

Gordon's Wine Bar. CC Image by Chris_J (Flickr).

By DAPHNE DUNPHY

While once, I wasn’t a staunch fan of this city, I’ve lived here so long and done so much here that I really have grown to love the place, and I must, by now, have gained honorary-Londoner status. So when my old university friends and I decided that a reunion was in order, we decided that a staycation here in the big smoke would be as good as one in any city abroad, and with my flat barely big enough for me, let alone seven fully-grown women and all their garb, I duly looked online for some suitable (luxury!) city based apartments in London. I’ve also been to Liverpool apartments which were no where near as nice and central as they were for this city.

The girls were coming on Friday night, so I opted to bring them to Charing Cross’ hotly-tipped Gordon’s Wine Bar (London’s oldest wine bar). Happily plonked just outside the Charing Cross tube station entrance, Gordon’s proved to be a winner with everyone. It’s quirky, friendly, serves an ample range of British delicacies and cheeses, and offers (as you’d imagine) an incredibly extensive wine list.

In anticipation of our catch-up, I booked the group a ‘cage’ downstairs – something which the Gordon’s site highly recommends. When we descended into the belly of this magnificent wine bar, we found it to be dimly lit by candlelight and full of atmosphere, with ancient, discoloured newspapers decorating the walls and couples petting in the privacy of the bar’s shadowy corners.

Next, the size of the wine list was bewildering – I asked our friendly barkeep to recommend something to begin with – he more than knew his stuff, and bid us to try his Echeverria Merlot Reserva which was, as we knew it would be, divine. After a long night slowly sipping good wine and interspersing it with nibbles on bread and cheese, we embarked upon our short and rather unsteady stroll from Charing Cross to our wonderful Covent Garden apartment.

Knowing that we might well be a little worse for wear after whiling away an evening in a wine bar, I offered up a few different options for the Saturday. The first involved lunch followed by a visit to the V&A and the Natural History Museum (South Kensington tube, on the Piccadilly, Circle and District lines). The second was brunch on Portobello Road (Notting Hill Gate tube, on the Central line), followed by the Saturday market there. Considering that we class ourselves more as ladies who lunch than as history enthusiasts (I did try to be grown up!), we went with the latter.

I’d heard great things about the Electric Brasserie on Portobello road, and had provisionally booked us a table earlier in the week. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting after having seen the website – it was very busy, with tables spilling onto the pavement outside, and staff scurrying around with plates of food and trays of glasses. We were apprehensive as we entered this cramped-looking, corridor-like establishment. Had I made a mistake? Perhaps.

We waited patiently by the hostess stand to be seated, after which our hostess promptly took us down to the back of the restaurant where, thankfully, it opened up into a bigger, wider, and much less busy part of the restaurant – we were saved! We settled in and ordered our drinks (which took longer than you’d expect to arrive), and marvelled at the menu before us.

While the staff seemed a little disorganised and impersonal (often a characteristic of London restaurant staff, I’ve found), the food, thankfully, was beautiful. There’s a great range on offer on the Electric Brasserie brunch menu – and clearly, brunch was something this place did very well indeed.

The menu boasts a wide range of vegetarian breakfast fare, including veggie sausages, blue cheese scrambled eggs on toast, and giant Portobello mushrooms. The sumptuous lunch and dinner options include a sublime French onion soup, butternut squash lasagne, spinach and ricotta cannelloni and a number of vegetarian sandwiches made with homemade black olive focaccia bread. There’s plenty more (including non-veggie dishes) that I can’t even recall, but I do remember I had a particularly spicy bean burger with homemade tomato salsa, which was absolutely perfect – just what my belly was calling out for!

A couple of hours of more chatting, reminiscing and coffee-drinking, we moved on outside to revel in the delights and sparky atmosphere of Portobello Road market, a veritable shopper’s paradise. Stallholders here love nothing more than to talk to you about their quirky vintage and antique wares, and we loved the good spirited haggling some of them engaged us in (beware of the pushy ones, though – they are around). You could literally spend the whole day wandering around this place, in and out of the tiny, crammed Aladdin’s-cave-style shops and market stalls – if you had the stamina, that is. But however long you decide to stay for, it’s the perfect next-day refuge for a group of hungover vintage-loving thirty-somethings on a bright, summery Saturday afternoon.

As a graduate of English and History, Daphne Dunphy combines her creative streak and passion for the English language with her love for all things travel. 

Visit London’s Family-Friendly Museums and Galleries

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The London Eye Visit London’s Family Friendly Museums and Galleries

After hours of cultural immersion, why not point out the places you visited from the London Eye?

By AMY HERITAGE

London is home to a phenomenal amount of galleries and museums, many of which are free to enter – making them a brilliant idea for a thrifty day out. They are also often family-friendly, offering lots of activities for children. Here are a few tips, so you can make the best of your cultural experience:

Limit Your Visits 

Some of London’s more famous attractions, like the Natural History Museum and the British Museum, hold a phenomenal amount of artifacts. The sheer size and magnitude of these museums can be incredibly daunting, especially if you have young children in tow. Instead of wandering around the museum aimlessly, pushing through massive crowds, until your kids are tired and cranky – research the attraction first. What is it that you really want to see? The whale skeleton? The real-life mummies? Then, put a time limit on how long you intend to stay in the museum. That way you can get the kids involved in planning the trip, they can look forward to seeing the exhibitions, and they will leave before they become tired and bored. If you can’t cram everything you want to see in an hour, just come back another day – that’s the beauty of things being free!

Take a Tour

Art galleries often aren’t very exciting for children – there is only so long they can spend walking around looking at pictures. Instead, try to engage them in the gallery – many of London’s galleries run activities for children on a regular basis. Every Sunday the National Gallery runs a ‘magic carpet story telling’ event for under 5’s, where the story behind a painting will be brought to life by lively gallery guides. Even the Tate Modern, which is associated with the cutting-edge of modern art, has an ‘under 5’s zone’ for children to play in a ‘creative environment’ that is inspired by the various themes of Cubist artworks. Check on the website of a gallery to see what’s on, or ring the education officer – every museum and gallery will have one. There is also a UK website, called ‘Kids in Museums’ dedicated to making attractions more family-friendly.

Try Something Different

Sometimes it can be rewarding to stray from the path and check-out some of London’s less famous attractions. The lesser known museums are often smaller and less busy, so they can be much less stressful. The Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green is entirely dedicated to childhood-related objects and artifacts – so you are guaranteed to find something here for any age. Similarly, the Cartoon Museum has a great focus on both adults and children. A visit to Pollocks Toy Museum however, might not be as thrifty as you had first imagined – the shop is so good you might have to buy something!

Top Thrifty Tip: Food near attractions is hugely expensive, especially if it’s aimed at families. You will save lots if you bring your own food.

Amy Heritage writes about family holidays for thriftyholidays.co.uk.

5 Destinations For Family Fun

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Universal Studios 5 Destinations For Family Fun

Universal Studios. CC Image by gepiblu (Flickr).

By NISHA BASHIR

Trying to keep everyone happy on a family holiday is no mean feat. However, there are many global locations in which you can do just that, although choosing between them can seem a difficult task whether they are holiday parks or somewhere different. Here are a few of the best options when you’re trying to book some time away from home and have people of all ages to look after.

Orlando, Florida, United States

Orlando is home to not one but many of the planet’s premier destinations for family fun. Walt Disney World is of course one of the most exciting places to visit for both kids and adults, but in the case of this amazing location it’s only the beginning. Sea World is another magnificent theme park worth the trip in itself, as are the incredible Universal Studios and Discovery Cove. It may be a cliché, but things really are done on a different scale here, making for an unforgettable experience for everyone from eight to eighty and beyond.

London, United Kingdom

London is one of the world’s great cities, with history and culture in ample supply. The city has long been a favourite choice for families looking to take a break from both UK and worldwide locations. From Madame Tussauds to the West End, via the Science Museum and the National Gallery, you’d need to spend a long time here to run out of places to visit. London’s gorgeous and expansive family holiday parks also make it the perfect environment on a summer’s day, and with plenty of restaurants catering to the entire family you’re well taken care of into the evenings too.

Canary Islands

The Canaries are understandably a popular choice for people young and old. Regardless of if you visit Gran Canaria, Tenerife or Lanzarote you’re pretty much guaranteed hot weather, as you’re not far from the northern reaches of Africa. Sun and sand are available in plentiful supply, whether you want to get active or chill out. A unique flavour of Spanish culture also prevails here, so the food and drink are excellent. The Canary Islands are a great choice for all inclusive, top value deals.

New York City, United States

New York City is a place that simply never loses its appeal, whether you’re into the arts, modern history or just want to experience the bright lights and big city thrills. They weren’t joking when they said this is the city that never sleeps, and the excitement simply never stops. New York City represents the full array of American culture in all its incredible diversity, a unique and unforgettable pleasure.

Paris, France

One of the world’s most beautiful places, the city of Paris is a truly beguiling one. With an inexhaustible supply of galleries and museums, the city’s buildings are themselves a breathtaking sight. The River provides the backdrop for much in the way of family fun, with a boat trip either by day or night surely one of the loveliest ways to see the sights. For eating out, Paris is hard to beat, with more world cuisines represented than you could ever want.

Nisha Bashir works as the editor for Holiday365 and has been representing the business for the last two years now. Holiday365 offers some great deals in the UK, why not pay them a visit to see the latest deals, holiday365.co.uk.