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[ International Travel
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Global Getaways
Paris Dream Trip
Just about everyone dreams of visiting the City of Lights with a special someone, or perhaps on their own, to soak in its essence. The cost can be prohibitive if you don’t find bargains, so it pays to look for them. One such bargain located in the Saint Germain neighborhood will allow you to spend your time in a great location as well as enjoy the artistic flavor of Paris. Hotel de Nesle, a 20-room boutique hotel, has been serving travelers for 40 years with each guestroom displaying its own theme. Rates start at 75 euros, a bargain in this city. Go to www.hoteldenesleparis.com for details.
London Getaway for Less
The English want you to visit, now that tourism is slowing down. In fact, if you have a flexible schedule there are bargains to be had and sights to be seen this season. Head to London and enjoy the best of England for less. Once there, check out the least expensive way to see London from the water with the River Red Rover ticket, with a hop-on, hop-off privilege that will let you and yours see the city from all angles and all day long. A family ticket costs about $50 and the ride starts at Westminster Pier. Visit www.citycruises.com for details and go to www.visitlondon.com for the best London has to offer.
Exploring Ireland
Seeing Ireland from the comfort of a state-of-the-art coach with expert guides and a well-planned itinerary is very appealing, especially when you are staying at the best hotels in the heart of the action. From Dublin to the Ring of Kerry, the Cie Tours Irish Heritage and Adare Manor Tour includes superior accommodations, breakfasts and dinners. The 78-year-old tour company that specializes in Ireland has expanded its offerings to include Britain and Eastern Europe. Tours on offer also include self-drive independent tours that can bring you throughout the hills of the Emerald Isle. For details visit www.cietours.com.
Cotswolds Getaway
Join in on a one-week self-guided tour through England’s most beautiful country and enjoy an up-close look at quaint village life in rural England. This hiking adventure is offered by Active Journeys and takes advantage of the values offered this season. The tour leads from the Regency town of Cheltenham to Winchcombe, Broadway, and Chipping Campden, with stops at Morton-on-March and Bourton-on-the-Water. The beautiful stone villages, country houses, historic abbeys, and majestic gardens are all part of the allure. At a price of $1,550 per person for seven nights, the trip is on offer from April 1 through September 30, 2010. Visit www.activejourneys.com or call (800)597-5594 for details.
Belfast: A New Vitality
Belfast, Northern Ireland—Visitors to this once war-torn city will be surprised to see how much has changed in the last decade, and how much the city is still changing. Belfast draws European tourists and visitors from the States for its new architecture and growing arts scene. The Victoria Square retail complex is the city’s pride, with modern architecture and a new vitality. The Cathedral Quarter is newly hip as the scene of arts festivals. The city even has its own “London Eye” Ferris wheel, a scaled-down version, but beloved nonetheless, located on the Renaissance-style City Hall grounds. Try the Fitzwilliam Hotel on Great Victoria Street for a Belfast experience and some Irish classics served in the Michelin-starred dining room. Go to www.fitzwilliamhotelbelfast.com for more information about this hotel and Belfast in general.
In Jane Austen’s Footsteps
Hampshire, England—Jane Austen lovers will be in heaven on the new Wayfarers literary walk that takes place this summer, with three trips available between June 27 and September 3, 2010. The trips cover country lanes, quaint villages, and the beautiful region that inspired Jane Austen’s observations of life and often biting commentary in the 1700s and early 1800s. The Wayfarers walking tours are well known worldwide, with eco-aware walking tours that combine culture and fitness. This special tour stops at Stevenson, home to Jane Austen’s father’s rectory; the village of Chawton, the home of the Jane Austen Museum; and the final resting place of the author at Winchester cathedral. For details go to www.thewayfarers.com or call (800)249-4620.
Prague: The Heart of Europe
Prague, Czech Republic—The city’s protected UNESCO Historic Centre is a pedestrian’s delight with centuries-old historic buildings, winding streets and scenic views along the Vltava River. Now, a new hotel called the Hotel Kings Court, refurbished from a neo-Renaissance building that was once the seat of the chamber of commerce and located in the heart of the historic district in the pedestrian zone, opened its doors. With 135 guestrooms and suites, this beautifully restored historic building is one of the country’s leading five-star hotels, offering secured underground valet parking, conference facilities and the Zen Asian Wellness spa, including Finnish and Turkish saunas. The location is superb for exploring the area, especially the Old Town and Wenceslas Square, the Franz Kafka Museum, the Jewish Town Museum and Cemetery, and the National Museum, just steps away. Sit in the hotel’s “mEating Point Cafe” on Republic Square and enjoy people-watching in this picturesque city. For details on traveling to Prague, visit www.czechtourism.com, and for the hotel visit www.hotelkingscourt.cz.
Berlin’s Schonhausen Palace
Berlin, Germany—For the first time in its 350-year history, the beautiful baroque Schonhausen Palace in Berlin’s Pankow district will open to the public as a museum. The opening is scheduled for December 19, 2009. In 1740, Frederick the Great gave the palace to his wife Elisabeth Christine, who lived in the elaborately decorated rooms until her death in 1797. The palace is one of the very few Berlin buildings that was not damaged during World War II. Located in the former East Berlin, Schonhausen Palace became the seat of German Democratic Republic (GDR) presidents. The fully furnished office of former president Wilhelm Piek, as well as an originally furnished apartment for GDR guests of state, will also be open to visitors. Admission is 6 Euros. Visit www.berlin.de for more information about Germany’s capital city.
England’s Oldest Museum Reopens
Oxford, England—The country’s oldest museum, the world-famous Ashmolean, is reopening on November 7 with a wealth of ancient treasures on display and the city’s first rooftop restaurant. The redesign by architect Rick Mather offers 39 brand-new galleries with new sky-lighting and a fresh, new look for the original 1854 Cockerell Building. The museum doubles its existing gallery space with five floors, a new conservation facility, and an educational area. Known for an excellent pre-Dynastic Egyptian collection, a superb Chinese collection, and a wide range of material dating from Neolithic times through the present day, the Ashmolean’s curators have taken a new approach to presenting these treasures to the public. Cross-cultural connections will be stressed in the new museum, showing how art, ideas and design traveled worldwide and influenced cultures. Visit www.ashmolean.org for details.
Celebrate the Holidays in Finland
Helsinki, Finland—The coming holiday season is a wonderful time to experience the special spirit of Finland with the traditional Saint Lucia celebrations. December is also full of traditional celebrations here for a different sort of holiday season. The annual Saint Thomas Christmas Market in Esplanade Park in the heart of Helsinki offers wonderful Christmas specialties and delicacies not to be found anywhere else in the world. The sophisticated city of Helsinki is a great place to unwind and discover a new, affordable holiday vacation spot with unique art venues, unusual shopping, and a wealth of city hotels and spas. Go to www.visithelsinki.fi.
Holiday Getaway in Scotland
Edinburgh, Scotland—The five-star Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa is a great place to hang your hat in downtown Edinburgh, especially during the upcoming holiday season, with packages available through December 31. The historic charm of this hotel, in the shadow of scenic Edinburgh Castle, offers a winter escape that includes the chic city spa called ONE Spa. Dine at the Italian Santini or relax in the Exchange Bar. You’ll be in the center of all the action. Visit www.starwoodhotels.com for details.
A New Museum in Athens
Athens, Greece—The New Acropolis Museum, a brand-new museum, finally opened in Athens after three decades of planning. Now, the $170-million building, designed by Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi, is home to more than 4,000 artifacts dating from the Archaic to the Roman periods. There’s more to the story. An ancient settlement was unearthed during the museum’s construction, so it was incorporated into the final design, making this one of the more unusual museums in the world. The world-famous Parthenon overlooks the New Acropolis Museum, and visitors are flocking to the stunning building filled with ancient wonders. Visit www.theacropolismuseum.gr for more information.
Cologne’s Newest Skyline
Cologne, Germany—The city’s former dockyard along the Rhine has been transformed into an architectural wonderland with the addition of hotels, galleries, restaurants, and three glass towers shaped like cargo cranes. These “Kranerhauser,” or crane houses, are the center for the exciting revitalized waterfront, which has been dubbed "Rheinauhafen." Visitors will find a lively scene. The city’s famous "Dom," started in 1248 and finished in 1880, is still a central attraction as is Germany’s oldest town hall—or "Rathaus"—which dates to the fourteenth-century. Go to www.germany-tourism.de or www.cometogermany.com for more information on deals and packages.
Picasso’s Paradise
Provence, France—Travelers to France who want a special art fix should head for the stunning Louis XIV-style chateau in Vauvenargues purchased by Pablo Picasso in 1959 and now open to the public for the first time. The artist lived and worked there for several years using the enormous plaster walls as his canvas. Now, for the first time, the chateau is open to the public through September 27, 2009. Newly restored, the seaside chateau reveals Picasso’s private rooms, his bedroom and bath, as well as his studio, left intact and featuring his work space here just as he left it. For details of this picturesque area and Picasso’s chateau, visit www.aixenprovencetourism.com.
Cost Savings in Spain
Madrid, Spain—Experience a ten-day, nine-city tour from the comfort of a coach seat for a course on Spanish history and culture. Trafalgar Tours, a premier tour operator that offers more than 200 escorted itineraries from four days to 31 days around the world, is offering a special trip, Spanish Wonder 2009. Visit Madrid, Toledo, Seville, Granada, and Barcelona, among other cities, and explore the architecture, cuisine, attractions, and city centers. The cost is around $1,800 (land only) through October 2009. Visit www.trafalgartours.com for details.
Classic Caribbean Escape in Jamaica
Montego Bay, Jamaica—Perfect beaches, perfect blue-green water, perfect palm trees. That’s what the visitor will find at Half Moon resort located west of Montego Bay. The classic 400-acre luxury resort offers among the best values on the island for families with its low-key amenities and activities. Expect lighted tennis courts, two pools, a golf course, and stables for an old-fashioned vacation in a picturesque island setting. The 18-hole Robert Trent Jones, Sr.-designed course plus the brand-new Fern Tree, the spa offer mom and dad places to spend some down time, while the kids can enjoy the children’s activity center and dolphin lagoon. A selection of packages is available. Check out www.halfmoon.com or call (888)830-5974.
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