Eurostar breaks – a destination guide
Eurostar and city breaks are becoming ever more popular as the credit crunch bites hard and many in the UK are swapping long summer holidays for two or three well planned short breaks. You are probably know that Eurostar travel to Paris, Brussels, Lille, Amsterdam and Disneyland Paris but have you thought about travelling even further and visiting these Eurostar destinations:

Nice
Nice is situated on the French Riviera and is the ideal Eurostar destination to take it easy on the white, pebbly beaches or swim in the sparking blue waters of the Mediterranean. Nice is a blend of modern urban energy and old world decadence. It has the best restaurants, an old city harbour, modern art museum, baroque churches and wonderful markets.

Cologne (Köln)
Cologne is the fourth largest city in Germany and is situated in the North West on the Rhine. It is often referred to as the economic, historic and cultural capital of the Rhineland. Its famous cathedral took more than six hundred years to build and it is the largest one in Germany. Köln is known for its annual carnival celebrations and Karneval season starts on 11th November and doesn’t end until Ash Wednesday. The local beer, Kölsch has left its mark on Cologne and goes down well with a Halve Hahn cheese roll.

Biarritz
Biarritz became famous when the wife of Napoleon iii built a palace on the beach, now the Hotel du Palais and it is also a popular destination because of the Eugenie les Bains, natural springs. This is a great destination for the sports fans because of its excellent golf courses and surfing conditions – which are the best in France. The Musée de la Mer is a very interesting museum which houses twenty-four aquariums. A particular amusement not to be missed is seal feeding time. This destination has an active nightlife, a good mix of casual taverns, brassieres and formal dining. Souvenir hunters will delight in the hand made sandals (espadrilles), Basque tablecloths, jewellery and antiques. Walkers will love the Pyrenees.

Quimper
Quimper is in west France and is the capital of the Finisterre region in Brittany, almost four hundred miles from Paris for anyone seeking colon cleansers. A must-do for pottery collectors who will love the bold provincial designs of Quimperwear. Quimper is where the Steir and Odet rivers meet and it has narrow winding cobbled streets, soaring Gothic spires, half-timbered houses and sturdy medieval ramparts.

Bruges
Bruges in Belgium is the European Capital of Culture. This destination can easily be compared to Venice. It has low romatic bridges, a picturesque skyline and a labrinth of waterways. This medieval city is both beautiful and quaint with amazing architecture, cobbled streets, traditional souvenirs, hand made chocolates and inspiring canal cruises.

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Storybook cottage offers California beach respite

A trip to California’s Central Coast is all about replenishment and reflection and an appreciation of the spectacular natural beauty here that never seems to grow old. And what better place to get a new perspective on your daily life than a storybook cottage footsteps from the pounding surf and amazing energy of the Pacific Ocean?

If long walks along a driftwood-strewn beach are your idea of a trip to the sea, then Moonstone Beach in Cambria is probably a good candidate for your next outing to the California Coast. Cambria is a place where you can spend hours each day walking – on the beach, on the boardwalk and through a quaint, historic artist’s colony chock-full of art galleries as well as unique shops and good restaurants.

Cambria is in San Luis Obispo County and located in an area that gives visitors several options for short daytrips. The wineries are just a few miles east, Hearst Castle just a few miles north. Some of California’s best beaches are a short drive to the south. And San Luis Obispo is just a few miles south and inland.

On our most recent trip to Cambria we discovered a charming group of cottages on Moonstone Beach that seem especially well suited to honeymoons or romantic getaways. There are just three “Moonstone Cottages” built on a small lot directly across the road from some of the best areas to explore on Moonstone Beach (so named because of the semi-precious agate and jasper stones that can be found in the sand). The cottages are not part of a big resort so you won’t be sharing your getaway with other travelers. Aside from seeing their vehicles parked in front of their cottages, we never even saw our neighbors the entire time we were there.

Each of the cottages is perfectly decorated with a lot of attention to detail. They’re not huge, but quite adequate for a couple and have plenty of room to move around. We stayed in the Seascape, the cottage closest to the ocean with the best view, which included a fireplace and mini-kitchen with a refrigerator, microwave, sink and counter space. Across from the queen bed with its wrought-iron frame was a gas fireplace and, as is common with small cottages like this, an armoire eliminated the need for a closet. A small white table for two was perfect for enjoying the breakfast that arrived in a basket on our doorstep. A flat-screen TV and DVD player were on a small marble-topped desk, and marble showed up again in the bathroom vanity and shower enclosure. The shiny dark cherry-wood floor, along with the updated furnishings, created an overall mood of simple elegance.

Outside, a well-maintained English garden added to the storybook feel and a small patio, chairs and table were available for simply sitting and watching the ocean surf and the visitors walking the nearby beach trails. A mature cypress tree framed the cottage, completing the illusion this little lodging is straight out of Hansel and Gretel – but these are no mere cardboard displays.

Along this special part of the California Coast, the walks are the thing. It’s said you can walk entirely around the town of Cambria, including lengthy sections of a first-class boardwalk skirting the shoreline and complete this circumnavigation in about four hours. We settled for good long beach walks where we found plenty to explore including tidepools, small caves, interesting rock formations, abundant driftwood and, of course, the constant backdrop of the ocean waves crashing on shore with incredible fury.

We also walked the town itself, enjoying the many galleries and historic buildings such the Squibb House, originally built in 1877. Shops downtown are often located in historical buildings, or have motifs designed to highlight the historical nature of the village. Some shops are quite stylish and are located in relatively new shopping centers with historic designs.

We took a short drive and noticed the scenery in this part of San Luis Obispo County is what really makes it appealing – the closer you are to the coast, the more Monterey pines appear. The combination of rolling hills, quiet winding roads and towering pines makes this getaway a feast for the senses.

Hearst Castle

Maybe the biggest attraction for Cambria visitors is the Hearst Castle, just a half-hour drive up the coastline. Film stars like Clark Gable, Carole Lombard and Charlie Chaplain once boarded the train in Los Angeles to travel through the night up the California coast to reach the palatial hilltop estate of William Randolf Hearst.

Back in the 1920’s and 30’s, getting to Hearst Castle took a little bit of time. After traveling most of Friday night by train, Hearst’s celebrity guests were met at the San Luis Obispo station and driven by motorcar on primitive roads another couple of hours north to the castle’s location near San Simeon. These Hollywood guests – usually two or three dozen — would then begin a non-stop party that would culminate in another long journey home in order to be on their movie sets Monday morning.

Today, tourists arrive at the Hearst Castle by bus – yes, even if you drive your car, you won’t get to the castle unless you’re riding in one of the Park Service’s motor coaches that shuttle visitors up and down the winding, narrow five-mile road to the castle. With well over a million annual visitors, the castle now has a fleet of buses and a bus station to rival that of a good-size city.

Several tours are offered, so you’ll need to visit more than once if you’re intent on seeing the entire estate. But we found the two-hour introductory tour to be quite thorough, allowing access to many of the more spectacular parts of the castle. The tour guides here are obviously selected for their storytelling skills and ours, in particular, offered numerous anecdotes about Hearst and his many guests, and about the great time and expense that went into creating one of our country’s grandest homes.

Visitors to the castle marvel at the indoor and outdoor pools – the Neptune pool took 12 years to build — as well as the architecture, gardens and fountains. The introductory tour gives a good view of the main house and its interior including sitting rooms and dining areas that are larger than those found in many hotels. Art and antiquities are everywhere, and the sweeping view of the ocean and surrounding countryside is just as spectacular as anything you find on the grounds.

Other beach areas

Heading back down toward Cambria and then south, you’ll find more than 80 miles of beaches are ready for exploration, each just a little different than the one preceding it. Driving Highway 1 along the coast is a kaleidoscope of colorful beach scenes that offer everything from wide, sandy beaches for sun worshippers to craggy shoreline perfect for finding tide pools and various forms of sea life.

Driving the coastline, one cannot help but notice the exceedingly wide Morro Strand State Beach with Morro Rock in the background. Kayaking along this bay is popular and the beach is so broad that there’s plenty of privacy when you get ready to park your beach towels or chairs.

Pismo Beach is one of the most popular in the area and offers a pier that visitors can fish from. Nearby is a small but busy shopping district with restaurants, shops and other attractions. And down the beach a ways is the only drivable beach area in California, perfect for renting an all-terrain vehicle. Also nearby is the Oceano Dunes Park, set aside for off-highway vehicles as well as camping and other beach activities.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: Cambria is midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco along the Central California Coast.

WHAT: Cambria is a unique vacation destination because it offers the beauty of the beach, but enough nearby attractions such as Hearst Castle and the Paso Robles Wineries to offer much more than the usual beach activities.

WHEN: Year-round.

WHY: The area is easily accessible from L.A. or San Francisco and offers some of California’s best coastal scenery.

HOW: For more information on Cambria, contact the Cambria Chamber of Commerce at 805-927-3624 or go to www.cambriachamber.org. For more information on Moonstone Cottages, call 805-927-1366 or go to www.moonstonecottages.com. For more information on Hearst Castle, phone 800-444-4445 or visit www.hearstcastle.com.

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Cary Ordway is a syndicated travel writer and president of Getaway Media Corp, which publishes websites focused on regional getaway travel. Among the sites currently offered by GMC are http://www.californiaweekend.com , covering California travel destinations, and http://www.northwesttraveladvisor.com , covering Pacific Northwest travel destinations.

Europe’s Liveliest Holiday Destinations

When looking for some of Europe’s liveliest holiday destinations you want to look at some of the top cities like Paris. Even 125 years ago Henry James declared “Paris is the most tolerable in hot weather.” There of course is the big music hall, elegant parks with beautiful Mulberry trees, and bench-lined boulevards, parasol-swinging days encapsulated in Renoir’s great painting of Montmartre, Le Bal du Moulin de la Galette. The many grand projects inspired by Chirac, Mitterrand and the millennium celebrations are in place. The Champs-Elysées has been repaved, the Centre Pompidou revitalized and the newly refurbished museums such as the Guimet which is devoted to Asian art.

Then there is Berlin with beaches and gardens, followed by hot summer nights and wild festivals. They say that Berlin is one of the most enticing of all European cities. The weather in Berlin is pleasant with temperatures well up into the 80s for much of the summer. There are also more green spaces, woods, lakes and parks than many of the other capitals.

Of course there are crafts and events all summer long but there is also the Love Parade in mid-July – probably the most wanton street party this side of Rio. You can also enjoy a more traditional culture in Berlin as well. With Berlin’s music scene, the museums and galleries where you can find the Greek sculpture of the Pergamon.

Then there is Florence, which is a city-sized shrine to the Renaissance. There are Paintings, frescoes and sculptures in most of the museums while you can feel Dante, Machiavelli, Michelangelo and Galileo still present. Spending time in Florence will require some planning on your part; the city is more of an indoor city during the day however that is the perfect time to see the world-class galleries like the Uffizi.

Then we have Lisbon, this city does not have a major western European capital feel to it. Many that have visited Lisbon have commented that the city feels as though time left it behind. There are antiquated shops, trams dating from the early 1900s, grand but decaying old buildings. Even the prices are from another era; you can buy a coffee and pastry in the ubiquitous pastelarias for £25 a day. Alfama and the Bairro Alto are still the biggest draw if planning on visiting in the summer. Also let the locals to the waterfront and the beaches, a short train ride down the coast.

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Romantic Getaways in the City

Believe it or not many couples choose to plan their romantic getaways in the city. There are many romantic options that a city can offer a couple looking to getaway to capture a new romantic page in their journal of love. No matter what city a couple chooses for their getaway each city has its own flavor of romance.

Many couples choose to visit cities because of the choices of accommodation the city has to offer. For some couples, being pampered together is their idea of enjoying romantic getaways together. In the city there are usually many luxury hotels to choose from that offer many amenities of pampering that a couple may choose to enjoy together. From a couples massage to suites with Jacuzzis in them the relaxation of these choices allow the romance to come to the surface on their romantic getaways because they are relaxing together – not to forget the importance of sexy lingerie, of course.

Romantic getaways in the city provide an excellent dining buffet. Many restaurants have the perfect ambiance for a romantic dinner for two. From candlelight, to champagne and to the finale of a chocolate dessert many couples enjoy the dining in the city because of the romance of the restaurants. When dinner is perfect the romance encompasses the couple and they are able to revel in each other on their romantic getaway.

The nightlife of a city may ignite romance in a couple and that is why they choose to enjoy a getaway to the city. There are many choices that a couple could pick from, usually the couple has already in mind what night time activity would allow the romance to bloom. The theatres and opera houses offer an event of romance that many couples choose when they plan their romantic getaways. Many cities have their own symphonies or concert opportunities, music can bring romance instantly especially if a couple has their own song or type of music that enhances romance for them. Some couples like the fast lane that a city can offer, from dancing to gambling there are cities that offer everything a couple may consider for their romantic getaways.

Some couples choose cities for their romantic getaways because of the romance in the history of museums, churches and other buildings that make that, cities’ romantic senses come to life. While enjoying these places together each couple experiences their own romantic senses some new and some rekindled.

There are no limits for the romantic page the two of you wish to create to add to your journal of love, when you plan your romantic getaways to the city.

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Mike Brown
http://www.hot-romantic-getaways.com
http://www.hot-romantic-getaways.com/top-10-romantic-getaways

Romantic Getaways Still the Passion

Passion is not only what drives many couples, but it also drives individuals, what an explosion of passion you can create when you plan romantic getaways. The two of you will be able to allow the passion the two of you share to grow to new heights Also, the passion you have individually one for another and for the other things in your lives will blend together to create an explosion of romance and passion.

The two of you may choose a private getaway in a cabin in the mountains or on a lake, to fuel the passion for each other and for nature. If the two of you enjoy romantic getaways that allow you to enjoy nature, you can rekindle the passion for each other as well. Waking up the beauty of the lake and enjoying that first cup of coffee together may renew the passion you have to just look in each other’s eyes as you hold hands by the lake. Or taking a hike on the mountainside and catching the one you love in your arms, as you enjoy the passion of the wild that surrounds you. You can take that passion for the wild and let it flow into the romance the two of you share.

Speaking of water, many couples enjoy the passion that a cruise can create. Spending 24 hours together doing whatever the two of you enjoy can create the passion and desire for each other that you have never experienced before. Enjoying romantic getaways on a cruise may be just what the two of you need to rekindle individual passion for relaxing both separately and together. Also, on some cruises you can tour other places and hence gain a passion for those places and for the one you love in that place.

There are many couples who choose places of events and landmarks to create passion and romance. Some couples have always wanted to go to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, what passion that can create together. Some couples have always wanted to experience the Niagara Falls together, not only will that create passion for each other but passion for the beauty of the falls.

Planning the passion you want to create is easy to do, and while you are planning the perfect getaway you will sense the passion beginning to build for your special someone all over again. The place that the two of you choose will allow you to build passion that will grow even after you go home, so enjoy the passions you create on your romantic getaways.

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Mike Brown
http://www.hot-romantic-getaways.com/romantic-weekend-getaways/
http://www.hot-romantic-getaways.com/

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