Travel Guides: All Countries, Europe.
 |  | Travel Reviews : Europe |
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| | | | Review by visitor
Review by visitor
Great Location to have fun. Had a funfilled Holiday
An unpolished gem
Want to get ahead of the city break crowd? Felt like you missed the plane to Prague or the boat to Budapest? Many cities behind what was the Iron Curtain are now familiar to us, but if you're after an unpolished gem, Belgrade should be top of your list.
Before Yugoslavia's bloody break-up in the early 1990s, tourists flocked to the Dalmatian coast (now part of Croatia) and largely bypassed the Serb capital. But the White City is slowly opening up and offers a nightlife which is hard to beat.
It is a place that embraces pleasant excess. There is no such thing as a rushed restaurant meal, with wonderful fish and meat dishes consumed at a leisurely pace in a haze of cigarette smoke while tamburitza groups play folk favourites at the tables.
It's all going on underground in Belgrade - and half the fun is finding a local hotspot you might not stumble upon again if you tried. One such bar is the Ben Akiba (on the first floor of Nušiæeva 8) where £2 cocktails are served by friendly waitresses in a place which oozes cool.
If you're not in the mood to seek out hidden watering holes, Strahinjica Bana is a popular strip of bars cheekily nicknamed "Silicon Valley" for its surgically-enhanced female clientele.
Also worth exploring are the bustling houseboats on the Danube and Sava rivers, which cater for drinkers and dancers of all persuasions.
Once your hangover has subsided, there is plenty to see in Belgrade on the morning (or possibly afternoon) after. Be warned though - street signs are in Cyrillic. Most young Serbs speak English however and will happily point you in the right direction.
For excellent views of the Danube and Sava, head to the imposing Kalemegdan fortress. The city's dominant building is the St Sava Church, the world's second biggest.
Further out of the city centre on the Dedinje Hill is the Royal Court compound, which is a must-see. It has only just been opened to tourists and has been a runaway hit. It's best to contact the local tourist office to arrange a tour, which should cost less than £3 each. And if you're lucky the royal family might pop down from their first floor quarters to say hello.
The compound houses two palaces - the White Palace, built in 1934-6 and the Royal Palace, built in 1922. The underground section of the latter is stunningly decorated in the style of the Moscow Kremlin Terem Palace.
Travel guide: Europe
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| | | | Reasons to get Sad
For music fans an extra incentive to head out to Belgrade next month is the annual Exit festival in Novi Sad, an hour's drive from the city.
It's the biggest festival in south-east Europe and the line-up for the July 7-10 event is impressive - Fatboy Slim, The White Stripes, Sasha, Underworld and Garbage. A four-day pass will cost you just £30.
If those names aren't enough of a draw, the location certainly is. Exit is held within the awesome Petrovaradin fortress. This massive 18th-century edifice, situated across the Danube from Novi Sad's city centre, is a marvel of engineering. It took more than 80 years to build and is worth a visit, festival or not.
It has an intricate network of underground tunnels which covers 16kms - and you can explore part of it yourself. A museum and a number of artists have studios there, and you can even go clubbing after dark in its nooks and crannies.
Novi Sad is a pleasant, relaxed city of 300,000 youthful souls which once played home to Albert Einstein while he was working on his theory of relativity. Its nightlife might not match the throb of Belgrade, but the Trcika tram bar in Liberty Square is usually packed with an up-for-it crowd.
When it's time to fly home, don't forget to buy a bottle of sljivovica (plum brandy). A nip of the local firewater back on home soil will act as a perfect reminder of those hazy nights in a buzzing city.
Some useful tips if you're planning a trip to Belgrade.
- A good quality three-course meal with wine will cost under £15 a head. Fish dishes are popular and extremely good.
- In bars, the local brews are excellent and usually about £1 a pint.
- Hotels are often still government-run enterprises, but three-star establishments in Belgrade are not bad value at about £30 per night for a double room with breakfast. In Novi Sad, the five-star Hotel Park costs from about £45 per night.
- British Airways and JAT fly to Belgrade with return prices starting at £137pp. Abercrombie & Kent (01242 547700) offers three-night stays in Belgrade from £575pp, including flights and accommodation.
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| | Destination Guide : Europe |
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| | | A cavalcade of history |  | Why go on holiday to Europe?
To soak up thousands of years of history in cities like Rome, Athens, London and Paris. To laze on the beaches of the Mediterranean, sail the peaceful fjords of Scandinavia, hike in the mountains and forests of Germany, Switzerland, Spain, France and Austria, go skiing in the Alps, sailing in the Aegean, and bog snorkelling in Ireland. To take in great theatre in London's West End, opera in Vienna and Milan, movies at the great film festivals of Cannes, Venice and Berlin and some of the world's finest art collections at the Louvre in Paris, the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the Uffizi in Florence, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Prado in Madrid. To enjoy foods ranging from pickled herring to pizza, drink in the Munich beer halls, quaff champagne in a French chateau or sip an espresso on Rome's Via Veneto.
How much does it cost?
A week's beach holiday on Spain's Costa del Sol is from £259. A Paris break travelling by Eurostar from London is from £99, a seven-night Mediterranean cruise is from £450, a week's skiing in Val D'Isere, France is from £246.
When should I go?
It depends what you want to do. With changes in the world's weather, Mediterranean countries like Greece and Turkey have scorching hot summers with temperatures in the 90Fs and low 100Fs and it can be more comfortable there in May, June and September. Snowfall can no longer be predicted even in formerly safe ski centres like the Alps so keep up with snow reports and visit a resort that offers plenty of other activities just in case. In Scandinavia, the use of snow cannons to create artificial snow is common should the real stuff not fall. Check national customs — for example August is the month when factories shut down and the French take their annual leave which means beach resorts are crowded, but Paris is empty, the down side being that many shops and restaurants in the capital are closed.
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| | | Spectacular scenery | | Where should I go for culture?
Paris has great art and architecture — head for the historic Marais district and the Musee d' Orsay with its impressionist treasures. Prague is renowned for its beautiful buildings including palaces, churches and museums and is often used as a film location. Krakow in Poland dates from the seventh century and has more impressive architecture — it was one of the few major cities to escape the destruction of the Second World War. Italy drips culture, especially Florence with its many art museums and fine buildings, Rome with its huge legacy of Roman history and unique Venice with its fading stucco buildings, fabulous canals and ancient churches. In Spain, head for Barcelona, an intoxicating mix of Picasso's art, Gaudi's architecture and more than 100 types of cava in cosy bars dotted through the Gothic quarter.
I'm more into nature
There's spectacular walking country in the mountainous Picos de Europa in northern Spain, the Italian Dolomites, the Pyrenees, Corsica, Sardinia, the High Tatra mountains of Poland or the Julian Alps of Slovenia. Native Swedes and Norwegians often head off at weekends to hike the unspoilt mountain and forest trails and their common right of access laws means you can walk wherever you like. The lakes and mountains of northern Italy are very picturesque and popular with older holidaymakers who can just sit and enjoy the view from the lakeside or take one of many little steamers that ply between the towns and villages around the lakes. In the UK, some of the finest scenery can be found in the Scottish highlands and islands.
I like to be active
December to late March is ski season, with slight variations depending on weather conditions and resort altitude. France, Switzerland and Germany tend to be priciest with Austria and Italy not far behind. Cheaper packages can be found in Slovenia, Andorra and the Spanish Pyrenees.
Great places for cycling holidays include the west of Ireland, Denmark, the Karst region of Slovenia, the Belgian Ardennes, the Alps (for fitter cyclists), the South of France, the upper reaches of the Danube in southern Germany and the coast of Sardinia.
Windsurfers will be at home off the Danish coast, in many parts of Germany, in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, the west coast of Ireland, and the south coast of England — Poole harbour in Dorset is a favourite spot.
I fancy a cruise
You can cruise the ancient capitals of the Mediterranean, explore the historic Baltic ports of Riga and Tallinn, glide through the spectacular fjords of Norway, see fairytale castles along the River Rhine in Germany, or discover wildlife and country pubs on Britain's waterways.
I want a beach holiday
Take your pick of Greek islands from Corfu to Crete, Turkey's Aegean coast, the wide sandy beaches of Portugal's Algarve, the bustling Costas in Spain with lots of family facilities, unspoilt beaches in Scotland, the west of Ireland, Corsica and Sardinia.
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| | | Party hearty | | My kids are theme-park crazy
Top of most people's list is still Disneyland Paris, but other crowd pullers include Port Aventura near Salou in Spain, Alton Towers and Legoland in the UK, Europa Park on the German, Swiss and French borders, Six Flags in Holland and Italy's biggest theme park of Gardaland. Not all parks are open year round so check before you travel.
What's the nightlife like?
If it's clubbing action you seek, the Balearic island of Ibiza or the throbbing discos of Ayia Napa in Cyprus beckon the young crowd as does Kavos on Corfu. Barcelona's club scene appeals to a slightly older audience, and London and Berlin's clubs have something for everyone. Fancy a flutter? The place to do it has to be Monte Carlo. Top spots for opera and classical music include Milan (home of the famous La Scala), Paris, Berlin and London.
What should I buy?
Cuckoo clocks in Switzerland, inlaid wooden music boxes in Italy, French wine and cheese, local honey from the Greek Islands, chocolates from Belgium, chunky handknitted sweaters from Scandinavia, Scottish shortbread, colourful stamps from everywhere.
What's the food like?
Tuck in to hearty Swedish meatballs, Hungarian goulash, pizza and homemade pasta in Italy, French and Viennese pastries, fondue in Switzerland, moussaka and lamb dishes in Greece, paella in Spain, and other regional specialities. As a change from eating in restaurants all the time, visit the local deli or grocery and put together a picnic.
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| | Fact File : Europe |
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| | | Europe | | Did you know?
Tuesday is an unlucky day in Greece.
Language
English is spoken in most places but it's polite to at least learn a few local phrases such as "please" and "thank you".
Visas
None required but remember to take your passport with you even if you are just going on a day trip across the Channel.
Getting there
There are numerous ferry crossing points, or travel by rail, coach or fly direct. Budget carriers often use airports some distance from city centres — check before you travel if the inconvenience outweighs the bargain price.
Flying time from London
One hour to Paris, two hours to Rome, three to four hours to Greece, four hours 15 minutes to Tenerife.
Getting around
Depends where you are. In most cities, use public transport and taxis. Further afield, hire a car if you want to explore the area or if that's too daunting, take an organised excursion to help you get your bearings. In Venice, splash out on a gondola ride, in Paris, cruise on a bateau mouche along the Seine, island hop in Greece on local ferries, hire a bike in cycle-friendly Amsterdam.
Currency
All EU member countries now use the euro, which makes travelling between them much easier.
Costs
Prices are generally much in line with the UK, with the cost of living highest in the cities. Eating out can be cheaper in many Spanish, Greek and Croatian resorts.
Weather
The Mediterranean has the warmest climate with good winter sunshine levels, warm springs and milder autumns. The Canary Islands, being close to Africa, are the best bet for year-round good temperatures. Scandinavia and the Baltic states have much colder winters than the UK.
Time difference
Varies. France and Italy are one hour ahead of GMT, Greece is two hours ahead in winter, three in summer.
International dialling code from the UK
France 00 33 1, Italy 00 39, Greece 00 30
Voltage
220 volts with two-pin plugs though some smaller and older places may use the old 125v system, so check with your hotel or landlord.
Opening hours
Shops and banks are generally in line with the UK, although in some smaller Mediterranean resorts, shops may still close for a long lunch. Check locally for museum opening times as they vary. In France, most museums close on Monday or Tuesday.
Health — before you go
It's worth taking out adequate travel insurance. If you are planning to make several trips, it would be worth investigating annual cover as it can work out cheaper than taking out individual policies each time you travel. Make sure you are getting the cover you need, however, as the cheapest may not always be the best. The UK has reciprocal health agreements with many European countries, e.g France, so take an EHIC form with you (available from post offices).
Health — when you are there
Most tap water in Europe is safe to drink. More damage is usually done by the sun so remember to cover up and protect small children with a good sunblock and hat. Practise safe sex at all times — frenetic club culture may produce more than a headache.
Warnings
Pickpocketing is one of the chief crimes in Europe so guard your valuables. Credit card fraud is also on the increase so, when paying bills, make sure you don't let your card out of your sight. Heed local customs to avoid offence.
Emergency
Varies — check with your holiday rep or hotel reception. In France dial 17, in Italy 113, in Greece 166.
Customs
Vary greatly — just try to be aware and do some research before you go to avoid causing offence. For example, when visiting churches and monasteries abroad, dress appropriately, covering arms and legs and for women, take a scarf to cover your head.
Pets
Many countries are part of the Pet Travel Scheme — check with your vet as vaccinations have to be carried out well in advance should you wish to travel with your pet.
Tipping
Customary throughout Europe. Between 10 and 15% is usual.
Tourist Offices
French Tourist Office, 178 Piccadilly, London W1V OAL Tel. 09068 244123.
German National Tourist Office, PO Box 2695, London, W1A 3TN. Tel. 020 7317 0908.
Italian State Tourist Board, 1 Princes Street, London Tel. 020 7408 1254.
Spanish National Tourist Office, 22-23 Manchester Square, London W1M 5AP.
Austrian National Tourism Office, 14 Cork Street, London W1X 1PF.
Swedish Travel and Tourism Council, 5 Upper Montague Street, London W1H 2AG. Tel 00800 3080 3080.
Hellenic Tourist Organisation, 4 Conduit Street, London W1S 2DJ. Tel. 020 7495 9300.
Portuguese Tourist Office, 2nd floor, 22-25a Sackville Street, London W1S 3LY.
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| | Available rental properties in Europe |
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| |  | | YOUR PERFECT HOLIDAY AT GRAN VISTA
A 3 bedroom air conditioned house located in the Gran Vista complex - Gran Alacant. 4 Swimming pools, 2 Tennis courts, 24h internet, etc...
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Eco chic styled Villa. Marble tiled, air conditioned, jaccuzi, luxury specification in a sea, golf and mountain setting. 115m2 Living +52m2 Terraces
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3 bed 2 bath villa with private pool set in 2 acres of land. Fantastic country and mountain views, peaceful but very near to the town of Novelda. Full British Sky package TV
|  | | Manoir De Maffrecourt - Gite Mirabelle
We invite you to come and enjoy a taste of real France in the Champagne Ardenne with walking, cycling, water sports, fishing, historic sites.
|  | | Manoir De Maffrecourt - Gite Cerise
We invite you to come and enjoy a taste of real France in the Champagne Ardenne with walking, cycling, water sports, fishing, historic sites.
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Holiday Rentals in Europe |
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