World Travel

Holidays in Cyprus: Birthplace of Aphrodite

Vili Filipova — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:19:32 +0000

For a truly special escape, you can’t beat holidays to Cyprus – especially if you’re planning something a little on the romantic side. Said to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, goddess of love, this beautiful island is a sun-worshippers heaven – and it’s easy to see why so many holidaymakers fall in love with it.
With more than enough sun, sea and sand to keep even the most demanding of beach-lovers happy, holidays to Cyprus have got everything you need for that perfect break. Soft white sands, warm shallow shores and year-round sun, not to mention delicious local fare and plenty of traditional tavernas – what could be better than watching the sun go down on another beautiful day with a cool, refreshing cocktail?
If nightclubs are your thing, head for Ayia Napa on the South East coast where you’ll find enough bars and clubs to keep you busy for a month. Here, the party capital of the island attracts big-name DJs and draws huge crowds from all over the globe.
But it gets better. If you like historical sights, you’re in for a real treat. From Aphrodite’s Rock and all the myths and legends surrounding it, to the ancient Tombs of the Kings, there are historical sights galore in this beautiful part of the world and plenty more besides. Explore the island’s quaint fishing villages, wander along one of its pretty harbours or hire a car and venture into the beautiful Troodos mountain range, where you can explore its Byzantine monasteries and mountain-top churches.
Best of all, when it comes to great holidays, Cyprus has all the trimmings of a luxury holiday but without the lavish price tag. You’ll find cheap Thomas Cook holidays in Cyprus to accommodate a range of tastes and budgets, from quiet retreats and simple self-catering apartments, to centrally located hotels in the most popular resorts.

Tarragona is Spain

Vili Filipova — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:52:39 +0000

One of the small cities of Spain, which are situated on the Mediterranean coast, which are really important economy, trade and transport centers of the country is Tarragona. The city is highly important for the economy of the country, as here is one of the largest ports and cargo terminals of the Spanish coast. The city is also an administrative center of the province of Tarragona and attracts the visitors with really nice parks, beautiful and calm atmosphere and historical and culture monuments. The important culture and historical center is formed from the ancient times, as Tarragona is one of the oldest Spanish cities. it was founded by the Romans in the 3rd century BC, the city became the capital of the Roman province of Spain Tarakonska. Definitely some of the most interesting and beautiful places to visit there are Catedral de Santa María de Tarragona, the Ajuntament, the Rome Amphitheatre and Museu Diocesa. Definitely traveling in the the city of Tarragona will be beautiful and calm, where you can have really interesting places, sightseeings and attractions. The Porticos de la Calle Merceria is large and really nice view boulevard, which will lead you to the mall of the downtown, where can entertain you during the whole day.

Maracaibo in Venezuela

Vili Filipova — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:39:29 +0000

Traveling in South America is always interesting and beautiful. if you like the hot weather, the nice women and the beautiful landscape, definitely Maracaibo is the place you want to visit. Here all the dreams come true. Maracaibo is a city in Venezuela, situated in the northwest part of the country, near the Gulf of Venezuela and the Lake Maracaibo. With a population of over 4.5 million citizens, it is the second largest city in Venezuela and capital of the Zulia state. Maracaibo is important trade and industry center for the country. Venezuela is one of the largest exporters of crude oil in the world, and the city is center of the petrol industry. Although the highly developed industry, Maracaibo is an attractive city for the tourists and guests of Venezuela. The reconstructed street Karabobo offers great view of the beautiful buildings, whose Spanish colonial architecture type is complemented by bright colors of the Caribbean. The city is really colorful and beautiful, so once you enter in it, you will not forget your meeting with the beautiful Venezuela. But the city is not only beautiful, it offers also rich culture life and interesting sighseeings for the travelers. In Maracaibo are situated some of the best universities in the country. The intense cultural life with authentic traditions preserved the given intellectual product, recognizable throughout Venezuela. No less interesting for the residents and the visitors of Maracaibo are preserved colonial Indian towns and the Lake. Also the tourists are impressed by the hot weather and the nice beaches, which are situated along the picturesque coast of Playas Grande. The images of the beaches is nice combined with the backdrop of high mountains, which make the view really impressive and picturesque. One of the most popular beaches definitely is Playas Kuyagua, which is prefered place for surfers. Maracaibo in Venezuela is great destination. Definitely you should see this place and enjoy the hot weather and the nice beaches.

Magadan in Russia

Vili Filipova — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:05:33 +0000

When talking about Russia it is not popular to talk about the Eastern part of the country, as there are only a few villages and places, which are interesting for the travelers and tourists. Magadan is one of these places, which is situated in the Eastern part of Russia. The city is administrative center of Magadanskaya area and has population of 98.9 thousand citizens. It is located in the shores of the Gulf Nagaev and Gertner Gulf of Okhotsk Sea on 59 degrees North. Really the place is not highly popular for the tourists, as usually the temperatures during the winter are too low and the summer is too wet and rainy, but in any case there are a few interesting and attractive thing, which can be seen there. Magadan is important economic, cultural and scientific center of the Magadanskaya area. There are a few plants for fish processing, manufacturing plants and industrial factories. In any case the fishing and the metal industry are well developed and bringing the economy of the region. Also the city is important port of the country and the maritime transport is pretty good developed. The city is connected with the outside world by land only once, as the closest city is Yakutsk, which is located 2000 km away from Magadan.
In Magadan are situated the complex Northeast Research Institute, the Research Institute of Biological Problems of the North, Northern International University, some libraries and museums, which are attraction for the people in the city and for the adventure travelers, who are interested in seeing this place of the world. Definitely it is interesting to see this part of the world, because it has own standard of living and really interesting culture and architecture. In spite of the low standard of living and bad network and transport connection, the landscapes are beautiful and you can be impressed by the picturesque images, which appears in front of your eyes.

Lagos in Nigeria

Vili Filipova — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:38:18 +0000

Definitely African destinations are usually quite complicated and traveling there hide a lot of risks. Even countries like Nigeria have high crime level and are dangerous of non-native people. Lagos is important and large city of Nigeria, which is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast and has a population of over 10 million persons, which makes it second largest African city. Lagos emerged as a small complex of Yoruba people, and is named Eco. Later, with the beginning of European colonization are developed as a more complex and in the 20th century the growth is really enormous. The city forms the largest agglomeration in Africa, as the city there is no centralized government, but every part has own city office. The city is highly important for the Nigeria economy, as this is the largest cargo port in the country, where the country is importing and exporting crudes, chemicals, goods for all all over the world. It is well known that Nigeria has pretty large crude oil deposits, which are operated by the US company Shell, so the city formed as the largest exporting terminal in Africa. Lagos is impressive and interesting for tourists with its unique and genuine identity. The lifestyle in the city is pretty low quality, as the standard of living in the whole Africa is the same. The crime level is high, because of the low standard, hunger and many foreign workers and visitors of the city.
The island part of the city is consisted of Lagos Island, which is the business point of agglomeration. Here are situated a lot of headquarters of foreign and local companies, shopping centers and etc. Interesting for the visitors is Glover Memorial Hall and the Cathedral.

Malaga in Spain

Vili Filipova — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:20:53 +0000

Spain is usually beautiful and really impressive destination for traveling. the city is one of the largest in Southern Spain and really important tourist destination. The position of the city on the Mediterranean coast, formed its basic economy importance in for traveling and maritime transport. Malaga is the capital and geographical center of the Costa del Sol and has over 1160 km nice and tender beaches, which attract the guests of the city. The coast is situated on pleasant geography region, which is protected from the north winds with mountains and has really high temperatures during all the seasons. The landscape of the coast is rugged and irregular in the eastern part, with rocky protrusions that penetrate the sea and really forms picturesque image. It is worth for the tourists to visit the nearby castle which was rebuilt by the Moors and is today a traditional tourist site with superb panoramic views. And the long history of Malaga starts from 10th century and forms the modern vision of the city nowadays, as offers historical and culture monuments and places.
The most famous person from the city of Malaga is Pablo Picasso, so here is situated the museum with his pictures and articles from his life. The museum is situated in the Buenavista palace, which is another architecture and historical monument from the centuries, bringing the Nuevo style in the city. In any case Malaga will offer you large variety of good traveling destinations and attractions and will make your journey really impressive. The city is one of the top Mediterranean destinations, which are prefered by millions of tourists every year.

Monteria in Columbia

Vili Filipova — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:11:46 +0000

Monteria is a city in Columbia, which is situated in the north part of the country in the valley of the Sinu River. The city is interesting for traveling, as it is situated in the inland, but in quite hot and good latitude. Monteria is an administrative center of the Department of Cordoba and only a 50 km away from the Caribbean. All these features are making the city highly attractive for the tourists and travelers, in spite of the bad reputation of the country and high crime level in some regions. The city of Monteria is quite famous and attractive with distinct cultural heritages. The city is home of Sombrero Vueltiao, which is national symbol of Columbia, but also attracts with large blend of inhabitants, such as indigenous Zenu Indians, colonial Spanish descendants and African descendants. In the city there are really great abilities for travel and tours. Interesting for the guests of the city is the 1st Avenue, which is beautiful and calm street situated along the Sinu river and offers picturesque views and spaceful parks. The travelers may also visit the Simon Bolivar Park, which is wild Monkeys and Sloths and also the Colonial-era Cathedral of Saint Jeronimo. of course the city is quite modern, as there are luxury shopping centers, such as Alamedas del Sinu and large malls, which can give you good entertainments, where you can spend almost your whole day. Monteria is nice place for traveling, as it is situated close to Caribbean, have beautiful landscapes and incredible tours attractions.

Accidents on Holiday: legal rights and claiming for compensation

Vili Filipova — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:59:18 +0000

Having an accident on holiday can be a harrowing experience. You are in a foreign country where communication can be difficult, you don’t fully understand your rights and allowances, and you don’t have the comfort of familiar surroundings. In modern Europe an accident on holiday need not be such a trauma, and indeed throughout the world you should be in some ways cared for by assurances like the Package Travel Regulations Act.
Due to a lack of awareness as to rights and procedures not many people are aware that they can in some cases make a claim if they have an accident. All holiday providers must adhere to The Package Travel Regulations Act of 1992. If a package tour includes at least two of the following attributes – transport, tourist services, or accommodation – The Act will apply.
Initially though we should deal with precautions. European travellers should be in possession of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This recently replaced the E111 form we grew familiar with. It grants you access to state subsidised health care throughout the European Economic Area at either a reduction or free. An EHIC will cost you a mere £14.99 and gives you peace of mind.
If you have had a holiday accident and feel you are entitled to make a claim, you must establish the defendant’s guilt, or negligence in some respect. Ideally, a witness statement is good testimony. Take phone numbers and e-mail addresses of fellow holiday makers who have been witness to any neglect and may therefore be able to back up your claim.
For your claim to be successful you need to be able to prove that the tour provider or whichever institution you are claiming against has been in some way liable. If you are on a tour or taking part in a surrounding activity you need to establish that the tour provider has breached their duty of care. Otherwise no claim should be pursued. Negligence is the key word.
Food poisoning is a common claim, as is injury caused through faulty amenities. It is important primarily to hold negligent providers to account and in turn gain the compensation you deserve.

Ways To Make Your Holiday In Prague Unforgettable

Vili Filipova — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:02:53 +0000

Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic has been a popular destination for weekend breaks and longer trips for years now and the choice of places to stay reflect that. There is a wonderful variety of holiday accommodations in Prague (Czech) , from cozy privately run B&Bs and apartments, to lavishly opulent hotels. With so much choice, there is bound to be something to suit every taste.
Like any major city, parking in Prague is at a premium, so if you only going to be visiting landmarks in the city, avoid renting a car. Just like most city centre holiday homes, like furnished apartments in Barcelona , there may be parking allocated to where you are staying, but sitting in traffic jams, decyphering street signs written in Czech and finding somewhere to park once you reach your destination will take up valuable time that could be better spent elsewhere. Bring sensible shoes that you will be comfortable walking long distances in. While every place you may wish to visit is within easy walking distance of each other, you will rack up an impressive mileage during your time in this beautiful and historic city. Many streets in the ‘old town’ are paved with cobbles so high-heels or loafers are not recommended.
You will find that most people you encounter speak good English, but it is advisable to learn a few basic phrases, such as ‘hello’ (dobry den), ‘please’ (prosim) and ‘thank you’ (dekuji), out of politeness, if anything. Local inn keepers and restaurateurs will surely appreciate the effort. MyCzechRepublic has a fantastic list of useful phrases that is well worth looking at before you leave.
The most important tip though, is to enjoy yourself. Prague is a delightful city packed with culture and history. Whatever you do while you’re there, enjoy!

Bachkovo monastery in Bulgaria

Vili Filipova — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:38:57 +0000

One of the most beautiful monasteries and largest historical sightseeing in Bulgaria definitely is Bachkovo monastery. It is located only 10 km away from the town of Chepelare and 28 km from Plovdiv. Definitely it is easily accessible for tourists and visited all year round from people from all over the world, who are impressed by the beauty of the Bulgarian nature and history. Bachkovo monastery is situated in the picturesque Chaya river valley, which is really beautiful nature sightseeing in the country. Bachkovo monastery is the second largest monastery in Bulgaria after Rila Monastery. The history of the monastery began in 1083, when the Byzantine commander Grigorii Bakuriani founded it together with his brother Abazii. During the Second Bulgarian Empire the monastery was patronized by king Ivan Alexander. Another historical figure, who is connected with the monastery is the patriarch Evtimii, who has been exiled here after the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman rule. Unfortunately, the monastery was plundered and destroyed in the years after the Ottoman invasion. It was restored only in the XVII century, but only ossuary, located above the monastery is preserved in its original form. The ossuary is known for its unique murals, which are among the most valuable pieces of Orthodox art of XI and XII century. In addition to the ossuary, Bachkovo monastery boasts its cathedral church “Assumption”, which was completed in 1604. The church was built on the foundations of the once existing there Bakurian’s old church. For the model used Mount triconchal temples. Among exquisite murals of the church stands the miraculous icon of Virgin Mary tenderly by 1310 the Church has one of the earliest wood-carved iconostasis. The tree is intricately carved cane with a plastic ornamental motifs.
One of the most interesting places in the monastery is the dining room, renovated in 1601, painted by an unknown painter too unusual – among the saints can be seen part of the Greek sages like Plato and Aristotle, and even Aristophanes, who surprisingly has found its among them, perhaps because of their criticism of Athenian manners. In the middle of the dining room has a marble table in the same year, which are fed monks. The dining room of the monastery in 1965 to operate the dining room is accessed in two adjacent rooms, the first of which probably served for storage, and the second was the actual kitchen, which has prepared food for pilgrims and novices. In the monastery there are two temples – the “St. Nicholas “and” St. Archangels.”St. Nicholas” is known as the first church, written entirely by Zachary Zograph who painted here is my own image. Against the “St. Nicholas” is the museum, recently arranged a wonderful exhibition of liturgical objects. One of the novelties in the monastery is the new library, which also recently been completed. Bachkovo to walk from Plovdiv or town is more than just visit a monastery – it is a walk in our past, telling us glorious chapters in our history. The magnificent icons and frescoes, carvings and picturesque appearance of the overall Bachkovo – painted external walls and fountain in the courtyard, towering evergreen trees and tranquil peace in our atmosphere make us feel like part of the architectural ensemble and general design. It makes us pause for a moment with our earthly vanities, to bow before the holy place and feel the beauty of peace, the king around. Perhaps so, there is always plenty of people come to experience the sublime. The Bachkovo Monastery is part of the 100 national tourist sites and facilities included in the project “Communication campaign to promote domestic tourism in Bulgaria” under OP “Regional Development” (2007-2013).