Vacation Home Rentals

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Nov 29

The country of Belgium is situated on the western part of Europe.  It is bordered by the countries of France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.  A land known for its rich cultural and historical heritage, great chocolates and temperate climate, Belgium is now becoming one of the top travel destinations in Europe.  It offers travelers a perfect blend of the old, the new and the natural.  If you are planning to head out to Belgium, here are just some helpful travel tips to make the most out of your trip to this wonderful country.

Like all travelers heading out to Belgium for the very first time, you would want to make the most out of your trip.  Here are just some tips to help you do just that.

When to Go – Belgium, like most countries in Europe, is visited by travelers from all parts of the world throughout the year.  This is partly due to its climate.  Because Belgium shares its borders with the North Sea, the country experiences a maritime climate.  This means that locals and tourists experience warm winters and even warmer summers in Belgium as compared to its neighboring countries.  In fact, the coldest temperature recorded in this country, which is during the month of January, does not go below 3 degrees Celsius.

If you are traveling on a budget, the best time to plan your trip is during the months of July and August.  The temperatures during these months are warm enough for you to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities in the mountain ranges and rolling hillsides found throughout the country.  It is also during these months where you can get the best deals for your accommodations and airfares, giving you some of the extra pocket money to spend during your stay in Belgium.

Top Tourist Spots – The best place to start to learn about any country is starting at its capital.  In the case of Belgium, it is the city of Brussels.  Here, travelers would be able to experience something old and something new.  Modern-day shopping malls and the headquarters of NATO can be found right next to beautiful buildings dating back to the 13th century.  This is also where the trendiest pubs and restaurants are also found.  While you are in Brussels, make sure to take some time to sample their beers.  This is where most of the breweries of the country can be found, thus giving the city of Brussels the nickname The City of a Thousand Beers.

For a dose of culture, head out to the town of Bruges.  Here, travelers can visit a number of different museums that feature some of the finest artworks by both contemporary local artists as well as some of the famous artists in all of Europe. 

From here, head out to the medieval village of Bruges.  This quaint village provides travelers an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city life.  Travelers visiting the village would find them surrounded by historical buildings and museums filled with some of the finest examples of artworks which have been created by local artists and artists from all other parts of Europe.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Oct 6

The island of Kos isn’t dubbed the jewel of the Aegean for nothing. A favourite with British holidaymakers for years are Holidays here. There’s no excuse not to go, with a number of cheap holidays and cheap flights to choose from.

You’ll be gagging to hit to beach, the minute you’ve stepped off one of the many flights! Choose from on of the dazzling sandy beaches that make up the 25 miles that Kos boasts . Lambi Beach is the most popular, attracting thousands of tourists thanks to its facilities and close proximity of the town. If you fancy travelling further afield, Kos boasts many remote but breathtaking beaches, such as Limnionas and Agios Theologos on the South coast.

You’ll find a day trip to Turkey is a great excursion. The ancient city made for exploring is the resort of Bodrum, a 20 minute trip away, is also a popular day excursion. Or stay on the island and spend a day roaming the mountain villages of Agios Dimitrios, Lagoudi, Zia and Zipari – hire a bike and pack a picnic, or sample the real flavour of Greece and go local.

giving the humble holidaymaker a rare insight into the island’s history are the ancient structures that Kos boasts. The acclaimed Hippocrates Plane Treet on Plateia Platanou, where, according to local tradition, the ancient Physician taught his pupils; the mosaics at the House of Europa and the Roman Nymphaeum, along with the Ancient Agora are must-sees too. Also of extreme significance to the island is the Asklipieion, where the remains of a leading Greek medical school offer information about how important Kos was in the world of medicine nearly 2,500 years ago.

And at night, the island really comes alive! Beach bars, Greek dancing, live music and discos are all for the taking along with delicious cuisine and wine in local tavernas. With secluded restaurants, chilled out bars and more, the seafront offers a quieter alternative to this nightlife.

posted by Vacation Home Rentals on Sep 15

The national airline of Australia is Qantas. Maintaining its main hub at Sydney International Airport, Quantas also has smaller hubs at Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane. It runs international flights into Brisbane, Perth, Singapore, London, and Los Angeles.

Qantas Airlines  was founded in 1920 and is the second oldest continuously operating airline in the world, as well as the oldest operating airline in the English speaking world.  It is a member of the Oneworld alliance, one of the largest airline alliance programs in the world.

Qantas Airlines is a private company and one of the most profitable airlines in the world.  Qantas Airlines was voted Third Best Airline in the World in the 2008 World Airline Awards.  The company and its affiliates maintain hundreds of aircraft and fly Airbus and Boeing planes. Qantas names its aircrafts after Greek gods, stars, famous Australian aviators, Australian birds and Australian cities.

The name Qantas is an acronym for “Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services.”

Adventure travelers seeking to tour Antarctica can fly on Qantas charters booked by Croydon Travel. Qantas flew its first tours of Antarctica in 1977. These tours were suspended in 1979 after the disastrous crash of Air New Zealand Flight 901 on Mt. Erebus, but were restarted the summer of 1994. Qantas ensures that all its Antarctic flight crews have had extensive training in polar operations and know what to do in whiteouts, such as those that contributed to the 1979 Air New Zealand disaster.

Qantas rewards loyal customers. Passengers accumulate points based on distance flown, with bonuses for travel in premium classes. Miles are available from both Qantas and Oneworld alliance flights. After criticism for the availability of reward seats, Qantas overhauled its frequent flier program in 2008. Its two new features are Any Seat rewards, allowing members to redeem any seat on the place at a price, and Points Plus Pay, which permits fliers who do not have quite enough mileage points to pay with a combination of points and cash.

The first airline to allow cell phone use during flights, Qantas also provides seat-back access to email and web browsing and wireless internet. It also offers an extensive in-flight entertainment system. Some planes use Mainscreen, where drop-down video menus offer either television programs or recent films, depending on the length of the flight. Other planes use Total Entertainment, which is an on-demand audio/video system.

Qantas recently announced a plan to reduce the airline’s carbon footprint.  This works by passengers choosing to fly carbon neutral and then offsetting their own flight emissions by making a small donation to the Qantas program, either in the form of cash or frequent flyer mile points.  Qantas donates the money to verifiable carbon offset projects that have met the necessary government requirements to be eligible for Greenhouse Friendly accreditation.  Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe and professional golfer Greg Norman are the program’s ambassadors.