Advice and Information for the World Traveller on Many Destinations

Archive for the ‘Travel Tips’ Category

Some fascinating prehistoric sites can be visited in Northern Ireland. Like Stonehenge in England, these sites draw in many intrigued tourists eager to learn more about Northern Ireland’s distant past.

The Giant’s Ring, located at Ballynahatty near Shaw’s Bridge, Belfast, is a huge earthwork circle or ‘henge’ monument. Near the centre lies a tomb composed of five upright stones and a capstone. If staying in Belfast city, a day trip to the Giant’s Ring makes for a very interesting experience. Admission to the site is free and the gates open at 10.00am (closing hours are variable depending upon the season).

Another of Northern Ireland’s prehistoric sites can be found eight and a half miles northwest of Cookstown in County Tyrone. The Beaghmore site is home to seven stone circles and numerous cairns dating from the Neolithic era. The exact purpose of the stones is still not fully understood, adding to the sense of mystery surrounding the site. The Beaghmore stone circles are always open to the public and admission is free. While in this part of Northern Ireland, the nearby Sperrin Mountains are also well worth a visit.

The Ballygroll Prehistoric Complex in County Londonderry is yet another fascinating prehistoric site. The monuments, tombs, cairns and stone circles of Ballygroll date from 4000 to 1000BC. The entire site is set within a pre-bog field system situated on Slievegore Hill. The complex is easily visited from the city of Derry. Again, admission is free and the site is always open to the public.

Moscow and St Petersburg may be the most popular tourist destinations in Russia, but the city of Omsk is fast becoming a more widely recognised attraction. Omsk is located in south-western Siberia and is the administrative and industrial centre of the region. Despite its development, the city has preserved its fascinating history and culture.

Visitors to Omsk are spoilt for choice as far as sights are concerned. Lyubinsky Avenue (also known as Lenin Street) is one of the city’s main thoroughfares and provides an interesting mix of architectural styles. The old buildings of the Merchants Row (the Gostiny Dvor), the Drama Theatre and the lavish Dormition Cathedral are all to be found in and around this area.

The Omsk Museum of Fine Arts and the Pushkin Library are two more cultural highlights, as is the traditional and spectacular Omsk Circus. On warm summer days, the sandy banks of the Irtysh River become a prime spot for people watching. The opportunity to sunbathe on a beach in Siberia is one that shouldn’t be missed.

The area around Omsk also provides more adventurous outdoor activities. The forests and tundra are ideal for trekking and cross-country skiing, both of which can easily be arranged in the smaller towns outside Omsk or within the city itself.

Omsk can be reached by air from most of Russia’s major cities. Both branches of the Trans-Siberian railway pass through the city, making Omsk an ideal stop-off point for travellers on Russia’s most famous train line.

Cruises don’t have to mean weeks and weeks at sea. Most cruise companies, including Carnival, Thomson, Costa and P&O offer what are known as mini cruises.

Mini cruises are perfect for anyone wanting to just sample the cruising life or for those just looking for a short break away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. You will have the luxury and benefits of a full cruise, just shorter in length.

Usually, mini cruises last around two to four days, but they can be as long as a week. Most short cruises will depart from a port in the United Kingdom, while those lasting for up to seven days may require you to fly to an international port and meet the cruise liner there. Usually, mini cruises involve Mediterranean itineraries.

You will be offered exactly the same service, on a mini cruise that you would expect to find on a full length one. Meals are included in the package, as are gyms, spas, entertainment and all the usual activities. You can also join any shore excursions that may be taking place at the various ports of call.

Mini cruises are a great way to get a taste for what a full length cruise is like, this may be your first time and if you aren’t sure it’s for you a mini cruise is perfect to get your feet just wet enough to decide whether it’s your type of holiday.

During the past ten years Manchester has seen major changes. Prior to that it had been known as an industrial city in the north of England where it always rained. Today it still celebrates its long industrial history that is still evident in the old mill buildings and museums, but it is now a busy, vibrant city with a world wide reputation for sport and music venues, not to mention art and culture.

The modern architecture mixed in with the traditional cityscape is unique to Manchester. First impressions of the city are exciting as the whole pattern of Victorian mills and modern structures made from curved and angular steel comes into view. It somehow combines industrial heritage and state of the art modern architecture, to form an interesting skyline.

Among the places to visit are the Museum of Science and Industry and The Lowry Art and Entertainment Centre, which hosts a number of different events throughout the year, but always has a selection of L.S. Lowry paintings on view. The Lowry houses the largest collection of works by this artist to be found anywhere in the world.

Manchester Art Gallery has several permanent exhibitions and holds various events throughout the year. Among its permanent displays are items going back to the slave trade and there is also a ‘remembering slavery’ tour available.

The Hat Works houses a museum that traces the history of hat making in the city. You will find top hats, trilbies, homburgs as well as a huge collection of ladies’ hats from days gone by. At present Manchester Hat Museum is concentrating on building its collection of pre-1900 hats and adding modern designer creations to the collection.

For sporting enthusiasts, no trip to the city of Manchester would be complete without a visit to Manchester City FC Ground and of course, Manchester United FC.

Edinburgh is an extremely accessible city with some lovely architecture, tourist attractions and shopping facilities. It makes it a very popular holiday destination.

If you decide to fly, then once you have landed at Edinburgh Airport getting to the city centre is fairly easy. The airport is situated about eight miles from the city centre and there is a shuttle bus that leaves from the terminal every 10 minutes that takes you right to the heart of the city. There are two services, so depending on your arrival time will depend on which company and route you will take, but both have the same destination. Both services are reasonably priced.

Getting to Edinburgh by ferry is not so straightforward, if travelling from Ireland the ferry from Belfast will likely come into port at Stranraer or Troon and then an additional journey via bus or train is needed to get into Edinburgh. Buses run into the city from all over the country, and there is also the option of coach travel with companies such as National Express who operate from all over the UK.

Travelling from England or Wales is far more straightforward with a choice of options available. All the train routes into Edinburgh run into Waverley Station, which is off Princes Street right in the centre of the city. Of course another option is to drive, with plenty of car parking options it is a good choice, but congestion is always an issue in a major city and needs to be taken into consideration.

As one of the most spectacular natural attractions in North America, tourists flock towards the Niagara Falls. Here, running along the border between Canada and the USA, the waters of the Niagara River plummet downwards forming the most powerful waterfall in North America.

The Niagara Falls can be seen from either the US or Canadian side. From the US side (in the state of New York), Prospect Point Park and Goat Island offer some of the best views. A trail leads from Goat Island to a point beneath the section known as Bridal Veil Falls, where the Cave of the Winds viewing platform takes visitors right up to the plunging water.

On the Canadian side (the province of Ontario), Queen Victoria Park provides some great views. A series of underground walkways can be accessed from here, leading to cleverly situated observation rooms that give the impression of being within the falls themselves. An observation deck at the top of the nearby Skyline Tower gives a splendid overhead view of the waterfall.

The famous Maid of the Mist boat cruise is available from both sides of the Niagara Falls. Passengers are taken to all the major points along the waterfall; prepare to get wet, as the Horseshoe Falls section takes tourists deep into the dense spray of the falling water.

The twin towns on each side of the river are both called Niagara Falls. They are connected by three bridges allowing easy access from one to the other. The nearest city on the US side is Buffalo (about 23 miles), while Hamilton is the closest in Canada (40 miles).

For smokers, cruise holidays can vary on the do’s and don’ts of lighting up on board. As cruise and stay getaways cover a wide variety of countries across the world, it can be unclear as to what laws will be applicable to passengers.

Some of the major lines have banned smoking indoors, on their ships, altogether. P&O cruises, for example, have prohibited indoor smoking on their Artemis, Oceana and Ventura vessels since 2008 and passengers are only allowed to enjoy a cigarette on their own private balcony or designated outside areas. Guests who don’t abide by the rules could face a fine. Costa Cruises have adopted a similar policy.

However, if you are looking for smoking freedom, Carnival cruises, have a much more relaxed approach and allow smoking in the casinos, piano bars and live music venues, but not dining areas and the main lounges. Princess Cruises have been a little more technical with their handling of the smoking issue and cigarette smoking is allowed indoors, but cigar and pipe smokers will have to go out on the open deck.

Whether you are a smoker or someone who could do without cigarette smoke for their cruise holiday, it will be worth your while reading up on the policies for different ships. Non-smokers should select a room and balcony as far forward as possible, as when the ship pulls off, smoke from other balconies will blow back towards the stern.

Much will also depend on the nationality of the cruise line; local Mediterranean and Red Sea cruise companies often allow smoking on board.

Winter getaways don’t necessarily have to involve roughing it in a basic chalet. Luxury ski holidays combine spending time on the slopes with the finest cuisine and other amenities designed to help make the experience an unforgettable one.

When looking for your ski deal you should consider the location first. Do you want to go skiing in Europe, the United States or Canada? Once you have made your selection you can start to narrow down your search by country or region.

Now that you have a general area in mind, you can start investigating the different options available for ski holidays. Are you interested in staying at a luxury ski chalet or would a four or five-star hotel be a better choice for you? Luxury apartments are also available to people on ski holidays, and this is a good choice for families and groups travelling together.

Consider the other amenities offered by different resort operators before making your decision. Do you want to stay at a location offering spa services as well as proximity to the slopes? Is luxury dining after a day spent outdoors important to you? Would you like to be able to relax in a pool or a hot tub at the end of the day?

Luxury ski holidays can create memories that will last a lifetime. Picture the kind of experience you would like to have first, and then you will have a much easier time narrowing down your search for the right resort. The only thing you will need to think about is what to pack!

Glasgow is considered to be one of the best cities for shopping in the UK.  The three pedestrianised thoroughfares of Argyle Street, Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street form the heart of the shopping area of the city. 

Argyll Street is a Victorian built covered arcade and houses over 30 jewellery shops; those who like designer labels should visit Princes Square.  There are several areas of the city where one can find the usual high street retailers including Buchanan Galleries and Sauchiehall Street. 

The area known as Merchant City is perhaps the best for those who see shopping as a treasure hunt.  It is home to specialist booksellers, antique shops and a large number of vintage clothing stores.  One can also find a market at the Barras that also has antique sellers and bric-a-brac stalls.  Souvenir hunters will also find items such as tartan garments, Celtic style jewellery and very good whisky. 

Another favourite with shoppers is the antique craft centre named De Courcy’s.  This is situated in the West End of the city and is a good place to hunt for collectable items such as vintage LP records.

Visitors from abroad should be aware that many items on sale in the UK are subject to Value Added Tax (VAT).  They may be eligible for tax relief if they are taking the goods outside the European Union and forms to apply for this can be obtained from retailers when the goods are purchased.  These should be given to the customs authorities to avoid the tax.

Flights to Aberdeen land at the Aberdeen International Airport, about 11 kilometres north west of the city centre.  Once you’re on the ground, the sights and sounds of Aberdeen are just a short bus or taxi ride away.

Outside the arrivals concourse you’ll find several transportation options to help you get started on your Scottish holiday.  Buses are affordable and will deliver you directly to the city’s central area.  For faster service, hail a taxi from kerb side at the terminal.  You’ll be in Aberdeen in no time at all.

Once you’re there, you’re sure to find something to interest you.  Very popular is the Aberdeen Art Gallery, featuring some of the work of famous local and Scottish artists; the trendy West End with its clubs, cafes, and hip music; or the variety of fantastic restaurants throughout the city.

After you’ve rested a bit from your flight to Aberdeen, get out and explore more of what the city has to offer.  Take a leisurely walk along Union Street to Provost Skene’s House, a medieval townhouse that was once the residence of the mayor of the city.  Take in the gorgeous architecture and atmosphere at Marischal College, with its local history museum, and then head on to the harbour for some fresh seafood.  For a dose of history, venture into Old Aberdeen to see the massive towers of the 15th century St. Machar’s Cathedral.  You can also do a bit of shopping at the Academy Shopping Centre.