guides books vacation travel for Couples

Each year, millions of families take a summer vacation together. Vacationing with your family is nice; however, there are times when you and your partner may just need to be alone. If you are interested in scheduling a romantic getaway with your spouse, you have a number of different options to choose form.

When selecting a romantic summer vacation destination, you will need to consider what romance means to you. For many individuals, there are certain activities, settings, or events that may ruin the mood. To find the perfect romantic getaway destination, you are encouraged to examine what you need and want to get out of your trip.

If you are looking for a romantic vacation that offers a beautiful tropical climate, you are encouraged to examine Barbados. Barbados is an island located in the Atlantic Ocean. It is an eastern Caribbean island. Barbados is well-known for its amazing coastal vacations. These coastal vacations are ideal for romantic summer vacations. In addition to its beautiful coast, Barbados has a collection of unique shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.

Tahiti is often referred to as “the most beautiful island in the world.” Located in the Pacific Ocean, just below the Equator, Tahiti offers romantic summer vacation getaways like no other. The environment in Tahiti is almost always warm, inviting, and romantic. With a large number of romantic resorts, restaurants, and themed activities just for couples, you are sure to enjoy a romantic getaway in Tahiti.

The Pocono Mountains, located in Pennsylvania, is another popular summer vacation destination for couples looking to escape their daily activities. Pocono resorts are most often known for their wintertime activities; however, the resorts are open all year long. While the temperature may not be tropical, Pocono resorts are ideal for those looking for privacy.

Similar to the, above mentioned, Pocono resorts, Paris, France is not considered a tropical destination. Despite Paris’s weather variations, it is often considered one of the most romantic cities in the world. Once you arrive in Paris, you will see that romance is in the air. In addition to hotels with a romantic theme, you will find a number of amazing tourist attractions. The Eiffel Tower is a place where many couples reconnect and reaffirm their love for each other.

Tahiti, the Pocono’s, Paris, and Barbados are just a few of the many popular summer vacation destinations that are designed for lovers. In addition to visiting a specific destination, you can schedule a romantic cruise. A large number of popular cruise lines offer cruise ships that are designed specifically for couples. Aboard a cruise ship you are likely to find a number of exciting, relaxing, and romantic activities.

In addition to onboard activities, cruise ships often dock in a number of ports. A cruise ship with a romantic theme is likely to select ports with romantic settings. Depending on the cruise ship in question, you are often allowed a few hours or a whole day to explore the port. For many couples, this exploration often feels like a whole separate experience.

The above mentioned locations are popular summer vacation destinations for couples. If these locations are out of your reach, do not worry. There are thousands, if not millions, of other summer vacation destinations for you to choose from.

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Alaska Ski Vacations

Alaska, which has always been a source of awe and
mystery, has some of the best skiing in the world,
and the Alyeska Resort is one of the finest resorts
in the state. With a top elevation of 2751 feet and a
2501 vertical drop, the area gets an average of 631
inches of snow annually.

Although this is some of the best skiing in the world,
you won’t find the slopes overly crowded, and there
are no long lift lines. There are nine lifts, including
six chair lifts and two surface lifts, and one cable
car line. There are 68 trails for beginners,
intermediates, and experts, with the majority of the
trails designed for intermediate skiers.

Night time skiing is allowed, which makes your ski
experience more adventurous and thrilling. You will
see snow capped mountains, hanging glaciers, and
of course, the famous Northern Lights. This resort is
ranked number nine of the top twenty-five killer ski
trips by Skiing Magazine.

The season begins at the Alyeska Resort in mid
November, and runs through mid April. This area of
Alaska boasts the longest daytime areas in the
United States, with approximately sixteen hours of
daylight each day during April. During December,
however, there are only about seven hours of daylight
– which makes night time skiing necessary if you
are going to get in the time that you want to spend
on the slopes.

The Alyeska Prince Hotel is the place to stay! Here
you will enjoy elegant rooms and fine dining. Nightly
entertainment is available as well. There are other
nightlife spots in the area as well, that are not
associated with the Hotel.

If tubing interests you, then visiting the Glacier
Tubing Park is an absolute must! Featuring two
lanes of terrain and a surface lift, everyone in the
family will enjoy spending time at the tubing park.
The Alyeska Terrain Park is a must for
snowboarding enthusiasts. Other winter activities
that can be enjoyed in and around the Alyeska
Resort include flight seeing, helisking, ocean
cruising tours, dog sledding, ice climbing, back
country skiing, mountaineering, and polar bear
viewing.

At the Alyeska Resort, the ultimate winter vacation
can be experienced. Brave the elements, then return
to the Hotel for some pampering. Get a taste of what
Alaska is really like, and what skiing is meant to be!
There are activities for the entire family to enjoy, and
there are many area sights and attractions to be
enjoyed as well. This really is an awesome winter
family ski vacation!

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luxury travel

An island located in the Virgin Islands, is a popular vacation destination. If you are interested in planning a vacation luxury travel, there are a number of important decisions that you will have to make. One of those decisions involves travel.

When it comes to travel, there are many individuals who only are concerned with how they will get to luxury travel. While it is important to know how you will get to the island, you will also need to know what you will do once you arrive there. Even if you are staying at a beach resort that offers a large number of on site activities, services, and facilities, it is still likely that you will want to get out and see what has to offer. Before you can do that, you will need to develop a travel plan.

As with many other popular vacation destinations, has a wide range of travel methods. Many of these travel options you can do yourself, but others may require the assistance of others. To determine which method of travel will be best for you while on vacation , you are encouraged to fully examine each method of travel. Once you have familiarized yourself the advantages and disadvantage of each, you can make an informed decision.

One of the most popular ways to get around the is to drive yourself. Since you flew into the area, you will have to arrange a car rental. Car rentals are available all around. When renting a vehicle, you may have to obtain a new auto insurance policy. This auto insurance policy is only temporarily, but it is needed. You will find that most United States insurance companies do not cover driving in foreign counties.

The biggest advantage of driving yourself around is that you will have complete freedom with where you can go. Driving is also nice in because of the size of the island. During your vacation stay, you can easily drive the whole length of the island. You may find this exciting because it may enable you to get a chance to view the whole island.

While driving in is popular, there are many individuals who are uncomfortable driving or they are unable to altogether. An alterative to driving yourself is taking a bus. Buses departure and arrive at popular vacation destinations in on a daily basis. In addition to transporting vacationers from the airport to their destination, bus route can often take you right into the most popular shopping centers. For the most part, bus travel is the most cost effective way to travel .

In addition to taking a bus, it is also possible to travel around the island in a cab. Taxi cabs are a great way however, they can be a costly way to travel. Apparently, in a number of taxi cab drivers do not monitor the distance that they travel. Unlike taxi cabs in the Untied States, meters are not used. This means that you will need to be careful when taking a cab. It may be best to request the cost of travel before you even step inside the vehicle.

The above mentioned methods of travel are the most popular in however, they are not the only ways that you can get around. When making travel arrangements, many vacationers do not even consider traveling around by foot or bicycle. If you are in a popular area of you may find everything you need located close to your hotel or resort. If this is the case, you may want to consider walking to your destination or renting a bicycle. You can easily rent a bicycle for the day or for your whole stay.

Whether chose to travel around by foot, bike, bus, taxi cab, or car rental, you are sure to get where you need to go. Each method of travel is effective. The best method for you will all depend on where you want to go and how much you want to pay to travel.

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Travel Tips to European Countries: Austria

About the Country

Located in central Europe, Austria celebrates world’s best music festivals like the Salzburg Festival, Haydn Festival in Vienna, and the International Chamber Music Festival. Vienna is the capital of Austria as well as the musical capital of Europe. Music and art are in full flare here after centuries of hardship and innovation. That explains Vienna being the birthplace of Mozart. Horse dances are also part of these festivals. Since it snows in winter, the snow covered Alps is a must be visited place during the winter. Austria experiences a moderate summer. Rains can be expected year round. Incase of emergency call 120 or 123.

Site seeing

The romantic castles simply leave you astounded. The Schloss Durnstein provides a magnificent view besides the River Danube. A 10% tip should be paid to the taxi drivers, which is customary here.

Culture

German, Hungarian, Slovene, and Croatian are the languages spoken by the locals. To greet the locals, a handshake will do. When meeting someone for the first time, its better to refer them by their last name, but once better known they can be addressed by the first name. When out in the public, say Guten Tag or Gruss Gott to greet people and while leaving say Auf Wiedersehen. Carry along flowers when going over to someone’s house. The locals here have a passion for horse riding. The world’s best art of horsemanship can be found here which is as old as 400 years and to watch the horses perform at these schools; tickets must be booked in advance. Although service charge is levied on restaurant bills, an extra 5% should be paid as tip.

Getting there

Three national airlines operate in Austria, Austrian Arrows, Austrian Airlines and Lausda Air, which work in collaboration with the Austrian Airlines Group. The Vienna airport is 18 km away from the city. Airport buses transport passengers to the South Train and West Train Station. Railway, chauffeur-driven car and taxi service is also provided at the airport. Duty free shops, post office, bank, eateries, left luggage, tourism information, conference hall, nursery, car hiring and car parking facilities are provided to the passengers at the airport.
Salzburg airport is 4 km away from the city and buses, trains, taxis and hotel coach shuttle passengers to and from the airport. Facilities such as duty free shops, post office, currency exchange, left luggage, conference hall, restaurants and car hire exist at the airport. Check out the other airports such as Klagenfurt airport, Graz airport and Linz airport for more details. All the airports charge a fixed rate for porter service.

International tourists can get to Austria by Austrian Federal railways, if planning to travel by train. It has a large network which connects the major cities within Austria and also outside Austria. Travelers can find connections to/from Germany, Russia, Greece, Romania, Turkey Brussels, Paris and Italy. International rail passes or Eurail pass can be bought to travel around Austria as they provide unlimited travel and other offers too.

A good network of roads here provides an interesting journey. Take Eurotunnel when crossing the Channel Tunnel while traveling by car. Bookings should be made in advance. The cars can be hired at the airports and railway stations and if driving own car carry documentations like UK driving license or national driving license and car registration papers. Toll booths are installed on the motorways and ‘S’ roads, so if change is carried in advance it will ensure no delays in the journey. Registration documents should be carried along all the time while driving. The lights should be turned on while driving, in the city or outside, all the time. There are strict laws for seat belts and drinking while driving. If using the motorbike, high visibility jacket and helmet must be worn, it’s a compulsion for both the passenger and the driver. Many federal, private companies and local authorities provide bus service. Coaches are provided for moving around within the cities.

Wurm and Kock provide cruise passenger service. Along with the cruise trip, packages include stay at a hotel. Check out, before hand, for offer. There are many Ferry service providers too.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco or a proportional mix of these products
2. 1l of spirits over 22 per cent or 2l of fortified wine or spirits up to 22 per cent or 2l of sparkling wine or liqueur and 2l of still wine
3. 500g of coffee or 200g of extracts, essences or concentrates of coffee, and 100g of tea or 40g of tea extracts
4. medicinal products sufficient for the journey
5. 50g of perfume or eau de toilette
6. All the above mentioned goods should be carried by a person over 17 years of age.

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Travel Tips to European Countries: France

About the city

The crowd is attracted to sparkling ski slopes of the Alps, sunlit vineyards and sun-baked beaches of this beautiful country. France is a country which draws more tourists than any other country. It is easy to see why this is the case given France’s great reputation for fine wines, good food, high fashion and relaxed lifestyle. But while France is undoubtedly a place to eat and drink till your heart is content, there's much more to this fascinating country than only cutting-edge cuisines. Spring is the best time to be here, and those interested in winter sports can drop at the Alps and Pyrenees with some polar gear. The summers are very hot and winters are moderate. An all-weather coat and pair of comfortable shoes are a must. Women, especially, should carry cocktail dresses as some of the restaurants ask for it. When visiting any religious site, refrain from wearing sleeveless shirt and shorts, as they are disliked at such places.

Culture

English is widely spoken here, although French is the official language. Handshaking is
customary greeting and women should be kissed on both cheeks and should be addressed
as Monsieur or Madame. French people are popularly known for their like for stylish sportswear
and of course perfumes. Nudism is allowed on some beaches only. Social functions, fine
restaurants, and clubs call for more formal dressing. When at a formal dinner, wait till the host
gestures to start the dinner. Smoking is banned in public places.

Site Seeing

Paris, the city of love, is a massive city with many attractions in reachable distance thanks to the
highly efficient public transport system. It boasts of more than 80 museums and 200 arts
galleries. A trip to Disney land and the magnificent Eiffel tower will make the trip worthwhile.
The attractive tourists spots are the Arc de triomphe which spans over the tomb of an
unknown soldier, the forbidding gothic architecture of the Notre Dame cathedral, the picturesque
Sacre Coeur, to Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Moulin Rouge and boat tours along the
Seine. Get the Carte Musees-Monuments pass, which gives access to 70 monuments and
museums.

Shopping

Although service tax is included in the bill, a humble tip won’t cost much. An extra dollar can be given as tip to the waiter. A tip of $2 can be left for the bus drivers.
Electricity

220-volt, 50-cycle AC current.
Getting There

The national airline that operates here is Air France. Many low-cost airlines, too, provide services from UK. Paris-Charles de Gaulle also known as Roissy-Charles de Gaulle is the major airport of France, which is 23km away from the city. Coaches, taxis, limousines services are provided at the airport. The railway facility provided by the airport, claims to reach all the terminals within eight minutes. These trains run 24 hours. The other airports that offer flight services are Paris-Orly, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon and Toulouse.

Ferry and cruise trips can be made from ports such as Atlantic, North Sea, Mediterranean, and Havre.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos or 250g of tobacco
2. 1liter of spirits over 22 per cent or 2liter of alcoholic beverage up to 22 per cent
3. 2liter of wine
4. 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette
5. 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract
6. 100g of tea or 40g of tea extract

Food and agricultural products should be avoided.

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Travel Tips to European Countries: Italy

About the county

Italy, the birthplace of pasta and pizza provides a wide range of choices for artwork lovers to experience. A temperate climate exists here with very hot summers and not so cold winters. The weather is the best in spring and autumn with pleasant temperatures and scenic views. At that time of the year, the place isn’t crowded much and things can be enjoyed in leisure. Incase of emergency call 112. For fire call 115 and for ambulance call 118.

Culture

Italian is widely spoken and is the official language. English isn’t very familiar to the locals. Family ties are of utmost importance here and hence social courtesies mean a lot to the locals. There is a great impact of the Roman Catholic Church on the culture here. There is a high content of chlorine in tap waters, so bottled water is recommended for staying fit during the trip. Since Italian is spoken on a wide scale, it is highly recommended to learn few common Italian phrases which can be of great use. Social gatherings call for formal wear, but one can dress in casuals otherwise. At some religious places, sleeveless shirt and shorts are frowned upon. So they are better avoided. Purses and wallets should be well guarded and in case of any theft, police should be informed about the incident.

Site Seeing

The first thing to check out is the leaning tower of Pisa, where Olympics originated. At places like museums and art galleries, photography, especially flash photography is restricted. Check out the ticket counter for more information. Italy should be majorly discovered on foot for a thorough viewing of all the beautiful buildings and monuments. Coaches and trains are a good option to get to a tourist spot.

Shopping

Shops here are open from 9am to 8pm, closed for lunch. Quality of goods is great although the prices are very less. Items like crystals, lacework, leather good, and jewelry can be bought at the stores. Remember to hold on to the receipt. Tipping of 10% is customary along with the service tax levied on the bill. Italy is famous for top designers of the world, so do buy clothes and accessories to update your wardrobe. Cruises have formal gatherings in the evening, so ensure to buy a cocktail dress or some formal wear, though casuals can be worn at other times.

Electricity

The voltage used is 220 volts and 50 Hz frequency.

Getting there

Alitalia is the national airline of Italy. Many other flights connect to Italy from USA, Canada and Australia and there is big competition to attract passengers giving a wide range of offers to travelers. Rome airport is located 26 km away from the city and it takes 45 minutes to get there from the airport. Trains connect directly to Termini Station from where one can take taxi to get to their destination. Duty free shops, bank, car hire and restaurants are the other services provided at this airport. Milan has another famous airport here, which is at a distance of 45km away from the city.

Brindisi, Ancona, Naples and Venice are the major seaports of Italy. Italian State Railways connects many European cities. But, Eurostar provides the fastest train service.

If choosing to drive, don’t forget to carry international driving license and international insurance certificate. Roads connect Italy to France, Austria and Switzerland. Many coach services are provided from the neighboring countries.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos or 250g of tobacco
2. 2liter of wine and 1liter of spirits (over 22 per cent) or 2liter of fortified or sparkling wine
3. 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette; 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract (if over 15 years of age)
4. 100g of tea or 40g of tea extract
5. Gifts not exceeding €89.96 (if entering from an EU country), €175 (if entering from a non-EU country).

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Travel tips to European Countries: Portugal

About the county

Portugal was a world power in 15th and 16th century but was reduced to rubbles during an earthquake in 1755, Napoleon’s Invasion and Brazil’s Independence. Sharing the Iberian Peninsula with Spain and bordering Atlantic Ocean by both west and south coast it is popular for its long and varied coastline, sunny climate and the charming towns makes it a traveler’s paradise. Lisbon is the capital of Portugal.

The best thing about Portugal is that despite being a part of modern Europe one can still find the rural dwellings which has stood by time and has preserved its traditions. While modern architectural marvels like high-rise resorts dot the coast in the Southern province of the Algarve, Lisbon on the west coast on the other hand is a crowded city home to many fine tourist resorts. If you want to go back in time you have to just travel few miles north or east where you will see scenic countryside still resemble medieval villages and towns of earlier centuries.

Population & Languages

The population of Portugal is roughly 10.6 million and the official language being spoken is Portuguese. Mirandese is also second officially language spoken in some parts of Portugal.

Electricity

The voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. The types of plug used are round pin with attachment and "Schuko" plug and receptacle with side grounding contacts.

Geographic Location

It is located in Southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Spain in north and east and borders Atlantic Ocean by both west and south coast.

Climate

The climate of Portugal can be classified into two. It is oceanic in the north and Mediterranean in the south. It is also one of the warmest countries of Europe. The average temperatures in the mainland are 13°C (55°F) in the north and 18°C (64°F) in the south. Summers are hot and dry. Winters are cold and wet. Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit Portugal.

Local Customs
Casual dressing is acceptable. But keep in mind not to wear beachwear in towns. Smoking is allowed after meals in Restaurants. Smoking is prohibited in theatres, cinemas and buses. Tipping is 10 to 15 percent in restaurant and hotels and 10 percent to taxis.

Attractions

Castelo de Sao Jorge – Castle of St. George
Alfama - The oldest part of Lisbon
Sé (Cathedral) - first church in Lisbon
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Museum
The Bairro Alto - The Bairro Alto district, an historic enclave dating back to 1513
Monument to the Discoveries - One of the popular attractions in Lisbon is the monument, situated on the riverbank in the Avenida de Brasilia in the district of Belem, which was designed to commemorate the Portuguese Age of Discovery
Tower of Belem - This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Parque das Nacoes
Fatima
Museu Nacional de Soares dos Reis - dedicated to Soares dos Reis, the famous sculptor born and bred in Porto
Igreja de Sao Francisco
Solar Vinho do Porto
Vila Nova de Gaia
Frederico de Freitas Museum
Sao Vicente Caves
Cable Car
Cathedral
Whale Museum
Porto Santo
Setubal
Coimbra
Coimbra University
Guimaraes
Guimaraes church and palace
Braganca

Travel

By Air – The national airline of Portugal is TAP Air Portugal (TP). The airlines operates direct flights to many destinations like Faro, Lisbon and Porto from a number of countries, including Canada, France, Spain, the UK and USA. Portugalia Airlines (NI) operates flights from Europe. Many popular airlines that fly to Poland from UK are British Airways, GB Airways and Monarch Airlines, Easyjet, bmibaby, Jet 2, MyTravelLite, Flybe, Flyglobespan and SATA.The biggest airport is Lisbon International Airport which is located like 4.5 miles north of the city.

By Sea – The main ports for international passengers are Lisbon, Leixes (Oporto), Funchal (Madeira) and Portimão (Algarve), served by Cunard, Italia, Linea C, Olympia, P&O and Union Cas

By Rail – If coming from UK, the fastest way is to get on Eurostar train to Paris and from Paris to Portugal by Sud-Express.

Road – Spain is the only country sharing border with Portugal. The major border posts are open most of the time now.

Duty Free Items
1. Up to 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g smoking tobacco for Non-European union countries.
2. 1 liter spirits with alcohol greater than 22%, or 2 liter spirits or aperitifs made of wine less than 22% or sparkling wines or liqueurs, or a proportionate mix of these, and 2 liters of wine
3. perfume up to 50g and 250ml eau de toilette
4. Gifts up to €175
5. 500g coffee or 100g tea or 40g of tea extract
6. Medicines for personal use

Prohibited Items

Birds and poultry arriving from countries infected with Avian influenza, Un-canned goods, meat or dairy products, Narcotics, firearms, ammunition, weapons, eggs, plants, endangered species, fireworks and alcoholic beverages that contain more than sixty per cent alcohol.

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