Travel Tuesday – Best Travel Deals
In what has become quite a regular feature on this blog, today we’re focusing on some of the fantastic deals that we’ve found this week and published on our city-specific Twitter accounts. For those of you living in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid or Milan, these accounts are a great way to get a daily fare deal and perhaps some travel ideas and inspiration in the process! It’s so much fun to find and share these deals, and I’m always excited when I find a fare that’s especially inexpensive and get to share it with our Twitter followers. Here’s a roundup of some of the cheap fare highlights from this past week. Enjoy – and get travelling!
Fly from Paris to Porto from £18! (via @FlyFromParis)
Photo credit: AbhijeetRane
Do the rainy, grey skies of Paris have you feeling down? Would you rather be in a seaside town enjoying sunshine and relaxation? Head to Porto for the perfect city break! Located on the western coast of Portugal, Porto is a large city that is one of the economic and cultural centres of the country. With plenty of fantastic museums, the seaside location and of course Port wine to taste, Porto is a great place for a weekend away.
Fly from London to Dusseldorf from only £8! (via @FlyFromLondon)
Photo credit: Retinafunk
A major business centre in Germany, Düsseldorf is a busy city with plenty of things to see and do. Stroll the streets of the old city, hit up some shops or ride to the tip top of the Rhine tower for a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. Once you’ve tired of sightseeing, duck into one of the many traditional German eateries for some delicious sausage and old-style beer. A quick flight from London, you’ll feel worlds away as you discover a new city!
Fly from Frankfurt to Berlin from only £7! (via @FlyFromFRA)
Photo credit: rosshuggett
Though not far from Frankfurt, Berlin is a busy city that offers visitors so much to see and do. A veritable hotbed of history, visitors can stroll along the East Side Gallery to see the longest existing section of the Berlin Wall, visit the world famous Berlin zoo for some animal entertainment or head to one of the many fantastic museums in the Museum Island area. For a quick break from Frankfurt, Berlin’s the place to go!
Fly from Madrid to Milan from £7! (via @FlyFromMadrid)
Photo credit: rdesai
Want to trade your Spanish routine for something a bit more….Italian? Milan is a bustling metropolitan area that is cosmopolitan and diverse, and is a great place to go for a weekend away. Check out the beautiful Milan Cathedral that’s one of the largest in Europe along with some of the beautiful outdoor parks and plazas or spend your time people-watching and enjoying the delicious Italian trattorias. Either way, Milan is a city with so much to enjoy and discover.
Fly from Milan to London from only £13! (via @FlyFromMilan)
Photo credit: raindog
Ready for some fantastic shopping opportunities or do you want to watch a musical in the West End? London’s your city! With culinary options as diverse and interesting as the city’s inhabitants, you’ll find yourself with almost too many restaurant options and your stomach will definitely be happy! Enjoy one of the many museums in the city free of charge or concur your fear of heights by taking a ride on the famous London Eye which will give you the very best view of the city.
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Travel Monday – Istanbul
Today we’re traveling to the border of Europe and Asia to the gorgeous city that’s jam-packed with culture, Istanbul, Turkey. The only city to be situated on two continents, Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia and as a result has a fantastic mix of cultural influences and things to see and do.
On a first visit, you’ll be blown away by the architecture, the food, the cafés and especially the hustle and bustle of the city. One of the most breathtaking and famous monuments in Istanbul is the Hagia Sophia. Built as an Orthodox basilica in the year 360, the Hagia Sophia has served as a church, a mosque and now a museum, and is thought to be the architectural model for many other Ottoman mosques. The Hagia Sophia is also thought to be one of the world’s greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. While the exterior is certainly majestic, the interior is also worth noting. The ornate mosaics and central dome have all been preserved along with a number of interesting artefacts from the thousands of years since this massive structure was built. You can spend a whole day studying these beautiful examples from the various periods of Turkish history.
Photo credit: David Spender
A much newer but similarly ornate example of a mosque in the area is the Blue Mosque, or Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Though still a fully functioning mosque, the Blue Mosque has also become a popular attraction for visitors to Istanbul. Located just next to the Hagia Sophia, it’s interesting to visit both and compare the two in terms of size, structure and especially interior. Dominated by blue colours, the mosaics and interior of the Blue Mosque are ornate and definitely unique. Though not as renowned as its neighbour, the Blue Mosque is an interesting place to visit and gives another view on the history of mosques and religious structures in the area.
Photo credit: David Spender
The Bosphorous or Istanbul Strait forms the boundary between Europe and Asia and acts as a sort of dividing line between two parts of the city. Connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, there are some picturesque and attractive waterfront homes on both sides of this waterway that tend to house some of the more well-to-do Istanbulites. Some of these homes date back to the Ottoman area and most are quite colourful.
Photo credit: Tambako the Jaguar
Of course no visit to Istanbul would be complete without a visit to Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. One of the largest and oldest covered market in the world, the frenetic pace of the Grand Bazaar will ensure that even the most seasoned traveller finds his head spinning. With fifty-eight separate streets and a reported 1,200 shops, the bazaar offers something for everyone and includes corners for spices, jewellery, handicrafts, rugs and more. Get ready to haggle and bargain and you may walk away with that perfect souvenir from your travels to Istanbul.
Photo credit: shioshvili
Of course you don’t have to take my word for it. With fares this March from London to Istanbul starting at only £75 return on EasyJet, you can head to Istanbul to see for yourself the fantastic clash of cultures and history that makes the city so unique.
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Sunday Snapshot – Seychelles
As winter drags on and on and on in London, I find myself daydreaming more and more of exotic, tropical locations. The Seychelles are a perfect “daydream” spot – with the crystal clear water, towering palms and “tropical deserted island” feel, and this photo makes me want to go there immediately!
Photo credit: rachel_thecat
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Saturday Snapshot – Bahrain
A beautiful sunset over the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Riffa Fort. A small island country located in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family and lies just east of Saudi Arabia. An oil-rich country, Bahrain is enjoying the most rapidly growing economy in the Arab world and is also considered by some to be the fastest growing economy in the world. It’s interesting to see such modernity contrasted with 19th century relics like this one.
Photo credit: Harold Laudeus
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Street Art – New York City
I’m really excited to continue our series on street art today with a special look at New York City. A place that was initially too overwhelming for me on my first visit, I have grown to love visiting the city that never sleeps over the years. No trip to New York City is the same as there are so many things to see and do – it’s as though you’ll never have time to see it all!
New York City is also a really great place for street art. From the typical to the wildly different, like the city’s inhabitants, the street art scene is varied, fun and offers a little something for everyone.
I absolutely love this shot of the massive “LOVE” sculpture on 55th Street. The best part – check out the t-shirt the girl’s wearing. What a great capture – double the love for New York!
Photo credit: ForsterFoto
This is a great shot of one of my favourite types of street art – the chalk drawing. There’s something really special about watching art in the process of being made, and the fleeting nature of these pieces. The minute the rain (or street cleaner) comes along, they’re gone forever*, so it’s important to enjoy them while they are there to be appreciated. The best part is that there will be new pieces quickly popping up where the old ones once were.
(*Photographer Ed Yourdon has commented that the Michael Jackson piece that he photographed [below] actually withstood winter rain and snowstorms and is still visible – that’s amazing! Thanks Ed for the photo and for the insight!)
Photo credit: Ed Yourdon
I love the smugness of this little guy who was spotted in the East Village, along with his big heart!
Photo credit: SliceofNYC
Dr. Spock in drag? Sure, why not? This is a great reminder of the “anything goes” mentality of New York City where you can go to reinvent yourself and anything is possible!
Photo credit: dandeluca
I’ve saved the best for last today. Check out this interactive, mobile and “personal” installation by artist Agata Olek. A Polish artist specialising in hand-crocheted pieces, Olek created quite a stir with her head-to-toe crocheted bodysuits made especially for the “Art in Odd Places” festival in 2009. While the piece itself is certainly eye-catching, perhaps my favourite part of this photograph is the guy sitting next to it. In a total “only in New York” type of moment, he sits there as though there’s nothing out of the ordinary whilst reading his Michael Jackson book. The whole scene, including the subway map in the background, is just fantastic.
Photo credit: See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
I had to include another photo of one of Olek’s human pieces because the reactions of the passers by is just priceless. I know I’d probably react the same way if I stumbled across this unusual and unique street art in New York!
Photo credit: See-ming Lee 李思明 SML
Head to New York City this summer to enjoy all the city has to offer and spot some of your own favourite street art while you’re at it! Direct return flights from London to New York City start at only £361 this June. Consider me there!
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