Europe Travel

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Germany Travel Guide, climate:

Germany Travel Guide - Information and Advice Germany Travel Guide Information and Advice Germany Map | Map of Europe Berlin Travel Guide | Heidelberg Travel Guide Germany Travel Guide, climate: Best: May-Sept. Worst: Nov-March . Short daylight hours, cold and grey, but snow helps the ambience and Christmas fairs in December are light and lively, especially in Munich, Berlin, Heidelberg, Lübek and Munster. Length of stay: Minimum worthwhile stay, not including flights: Berlin for a wild weekend. Recommended: 2 weeks to have a reasonable look at this huge country. Germany Festivals Guide: early December - late January, Lübek Ice Sculpture Festival . Glittering ice art in a gorgeous town. end of January, International Dog-Sled Racing in Todtmoos, two days . Thousands of dogs and many more spectators enjoy this event, particularly the torchlit night races. Feb/March Heidelberg Fasching - this elegant town's answer to Mardi Gras, with local festivities and parades. Feb/March Carnivals in many cities but the three best are in Dusseldorf, Cologne and Mainz. massive, colourful and vigorous. E aster week, Berlin Opera Festival . end of March, Munich Ballet Week. Top performances from international stars. early April, International Dance Theatre Days in Weimar. Wild dance in east Germany . early May, The Rhine in Flames [1st Saturday of May]. Towns south of Bonn, on the river Rhine, explode with celebrations and massive firework displays. end of June, Christopher Street day, Berlin. A monster Gay Pride parade and street party. mid July, Love Parade, Berlin - the wackiest of local festivals, a weekend of ecstatic body-baring by 1.5 million techno- ravers. most of August, Wagner Festival at Bayreuth - very expensive and elitist, held in the unusual theatre that Wagner built. most of August, Berlin International Dance - a wide range of innovative, international dances. l ate September for 2 weeks, Oktoberfest, Munich, mainly about downing vast quantities of beer and bratwurst then behaving badly with your neighbours. All December, Christmas Markets and Fairs in many cities and towns, especially Munich, Berlin, Heidelberg, Lübek and Munster. For some precise dates see: European Festivals or Arts Festiva ls . Activities Guide: Hiking: Germany's favourite outdoor pastime so trails are well developed and supported . They are also in some superb locations including the Alps, the Hartz Mountains, the Rhine Valley and the Black Forest. Biking: German efficiency and politically correct attitude combine to produce a mass of excellent city and rural cycle paths, well-posted, little used yet in awesome surroundings. During April- September many rail stations rent bikes which can be returned to other stations in the 'Fahrrad am Banhof' scheme. Canoeing and windsurfing: There is no shortage of rivers and lakes for strong-arm travel. Lake Constance down south in Bavaria is especially popular. Skiing: As with hiking and biking, there're plenty of places for gorgeous downhill and cross-country skiing, well-organised too, as you would expect. Germany Star Guide: Monuments *** Shopping and souvenirs *** Walkability **** Food Quality and Variety *** Value for Money *** Hotel Prices and Value ** Beaches * Wildlife *** Landscape *** Local People *** Architecture *** Safety **** Nightlife and Clubbing **** Health Problems none Museums ***** Accommodation guide: Hotels are plentiful and not necessarily pricey. Guesthouses and pension are also common and even better value. The only problem - apart from festival time when you should book way ahead - is in the east where you might have to take a room in a private house. Campsites are always well set-up but popular in the summer so plan to check in early in the afternoon. Why Travel to Germany? Apart from any interest in the huge historical and industrial impact of Germany on the world and especially on Europe, the country offers tourists many attractions: lovely rustic towns with well-preserved traditions; sophisticated cities sporting avant-garde art; spectacular castles; vast forests and mountains , and plenty of classic art and culture to fill in the cracks. With native sons such as Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel and Wagner, music is big in Germany, and not all of it classical. Berlin in particular is a breeding ground for youth-led musical outrage. Other artistic and intellectual spheres also embrace outstanding names. e.g. Goethe, Brecht, Einstein, Nietzsche, Karl Marx, Kant, Beuys, Ernst... the list goes on and on. This is a country with a HUGE past and a pretty enormous present. The future? Hmmm... Downside: - It may be surprising how many Germans speak no English. - Outside sophisticated towns eating often means meat and two veg, filling but not thrilling. Where to travel in Germany: East: - *** Berlin , a wild and exciting capital city, if not particularly sympathetic or staggeringly beautiful. See Berlin Travel Guide . - ***Leipzig. This laid back, pretty old town, is a musical pot of gold, the home of Wagner, Mendelssohn and Bach. All sorts of fine music is available in relaxed environments, from club to classical. - **Weimar is a minor city but a major tourist attraction for Germans, the place that launched a thousand quips - Nietzsche, Goethe, Klee, Kandinsky, Liszt and Bach [Bach again? How many homes did he have?!] all considered this home. More sobering, Buchenwald concentration camp is also here. W e st: - ***Lübek , a charming medieval town and UNESO World Heritage site, it's in the far north of Germany, not far from less attractive but very lively Hamburg. - **Cologne, beside the Rhine, is notable for its sights, including the massive cathedral, its colourful Christmas market and its outrageous Carnival. - *Frankfurt. A transport nexus and business centre, Frankfurt is cosmopolitan and offers the culture vulture a trove of superb galleries and museums. It's convenient for Heidelberg and the Rhine Valley. - ***Heidelberg. A small, relaxed, charming university city, with river, castle and old town. Near the Rhine Valley. See Heidelberg Travel Guide . Bavaria: - ***Munich - capital of Bavaria - is Berlin's main rival, deservedly so as it's relaxed yet sophisticated, spacious yet compact, with grand old buildings galore and the Alps only an hour away. - ***Füssen [or nearby Schwangau] in Bavaria is for lovers of fantasy castles, with mad King Ludwig's three spectacular offerings clustered around here, including Neuschwanstein. But the town is also attractive, as are the Alps nearby. The Great Outdoors: - ***The Rhine Valley is Germany's Top of the Hops, the best outdoor experience in the country. Hills, river, castles, vineyards combine to overpowering effect. And in May there's the epitome of river fever, The Rhine in Flames festival [see left]. Cruises through the spectacular Rhine Gorge are a favourite tourist experience. - **Hartz Mountains. Another excellent destination for all season outdoor sports freaks, and closer to most tourist destinations than the overblown Alps. Cuisine Guide: This is not a good destination for dieters. Traditional German food is heavy, fatty and sweet - or both - and tasty too if you have a simple palate. Meat, as you would expect, is a key ingredient, with sausages heading the menu, while potatoes, dumplings and chunky bread are the carbohydrate support act. This style is especially prevalent in east Germany. In the more sophisticated towns less disastrous foodstuffs are available, even vegetarian, and ethnic restaurants pop up everywhere, particularly Italian, Turkish and Chinese . A wonderful selection of beers and sweetish wines are also no help to modern tastes and waists. Few menus outside tourist-targeted restaurants show English translations, and German is not an easy language to guess, so consider bringing a phrase book along, or learn food vocabulary in advance. Germany Tours Tour operators offering travel in Germany can be found in our listings here: Germany Tours For links to Tourist Offices, Embassies, Cheap Air Tickets, Currency Converter, Climate, Language advice, other online Travel Guides and more, visit Bugbog Travel Directory Visas: EU citizens are free to travel wherever, whenever in Germany, while nationals of USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan do not need a visa for up to 3 months, though you should carry your passport. Electricity Guide: Electric sockets are 230v and take 2 round pin or 2 flat pin plugs. Safety Guide: Germany is safe - though less so the east half - and locals are unlikely to dip their hands in your pockets, but new East Europeans are not so restrained, so take the usual precautions. Language: When you meet Germans abroad they always seem to speak excellent English - albeit with a harsh accent. Not so at home! It's worth learning a few key phrases to lube your travels, particularly food words as menus are rarely translated into English and guessing doesn't work well in German. Intercity Travel Guide: Trains are excellent in Germany, particularly ICE [Intercity Express]. Buses, though cheaper are a lot less comfortable and slower. Self drive is a great way to travel distances apart from the occasional jam and some intimidating driving on the autobahn [motorways]. Local Transport: Generally trains are the way to go, if they are available - which they are in urban areas. Buses are less ubiquitous while taxis are expensive. The S-Bahn is overground rail, the U-Bahn undergound. i.e. the metro. Money: The Euro is used in Germany. Costs are a little high though consuming fast food is one way to keep expenses [along with your lifespan] down. Tipping is not necessary in restaurants, but taxi drivers expect about 10%. Pictures are courtesy of the German Tourist Board. If you plan to travel Germany you may find these other Bugbog guides useful: Austria Travel Guide Czech Republic Travel Guide Hungary Travel Guide Belgium Travel Guide France Travel Guide UK Travel Guide Italy Travel Guide Travel Pictures | Destination Finder | Exotic Places | World Festivals | World Wonders | Safari Wildlife | Beaches | Top of Page European Places | Walking Tours | Travel Health | Travel Safety | Travel Directory | English Speaking Places | Tours Gap Year | Site Map | Travel Guide Homepage | Contact | Press | Advertising | Legal | Maps | Travelogue © 2000-2005 Bugbog

Air Travel

Cheap flights and more with the Booking Buddy airfare comparison tool Subscribe to Booking Buddy's Top Travel Deals Free Newsletter . . . . . Build your trip Round Trip: One Way: Travelers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 From: City or airport code To: City or airport code Depart: Dec 2005 Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Apr 2006 May 2006 Jun 2006 Jul 2006 Aug 2006 Sep 2006 Oct 2006 Nov 2006 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Return: Dec 2005 Jan 2006 Feb 2006 Mar 2006 Apr 2006 May 2006 Jun 2006 Jul 2006 Aug 2006 Sep 2006 Oct 2006 Nov 2006 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 » Hurricane Relief » FREE Newsletters » Feedback Cheap flights found by over 7 Million travelers Testimonials Search for cheap flights Try these search options: CheapTickets.com Lowestfare.com OneTravel.com Kayak.com Travelgrove ------------------------------ AirFare.com AirGorilla AirTran Alaska Airlines AllCheapFares Allegiant Air ATA bookairlinetickets.com CheapAir.com Cheapseats Continental Airlines Delta Air Lines Expedia Frontier Airlines Independence Air JetBlue Midwest Airlines Mobissimo Northwest Airlines Qixo SideStep Southwest Ted TravelJungle TravelNow US Airways Yahoo! FareChase United.ca BeachDestinations.com Cheap flights and more at BookingBuddy.com. The fastest way to search your favorite travel sites. feedback@bookingbuddy.com | Searching from Asia? Air Search | Hotel Search | Car Search | Cruise Search | Vacation Search Help | Change Subscriptions | About Booking Buddy | Press Mentions | Testimonials | Jobs | Sitemap Also part of the Smarter Living, Inc. Network: www.SmarterTravel.com | www.TripMania.com | www.MyBusinessTravel.com © 2003-2005 Smarter Living, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

London Vacation Rentals solves

London Vacation Rentals Coach House London Vacation Rentals Your Home From Home In London Home | Properties | Questions? | How to Book | About What our Guests say | Plan your Stay | Useful London Links | Limitations From 10th January to 27th February 2005, on selected properties, we are offering 20% off the listed price for stays of 7 or more nights. See property listings for details. -- The Bombs In London -- Coach House London Vacation Rentals solves your London accommodation problems! Almost all our central London vacation rentals are the London apartments and houses of residents temporarily away from the city. You have the informality, warmth and convenience of a real home in a London apartment or house, at prices to suit most pockets. Our London accommodations are ideal for vacation or corporate rentals. Thealternatives? Hotels? Too stiff formal and confining for a vacation, can be very expensive, dubious security - who knows how many pass keys are out there Bed and Breakfasts? Often just a cheap (and sometimes rather nasty) down-market hotel, or else living embarrassingly close to the owners of a private house and your fellow guests Short let commercial apartments? Cold and impersonal with a normal minimum stay of one week - no good if you want to stay less At Coach House London Vacation Rentals we have a different approach: almost all our central London vacation rentals are the London apartments and houses of residents temporarily away from the city all our London accommodations are hand picked , and are places where we would be happy to stay ourselves! unique in London the minimum length of stay in most of our London properties is 5 nights ; all other agencies have a 7 night minimum most of our London vacation rentals are no more than 10 minutes from a tube station , often less Don't just take our word for it - read what our guests say about us! Win a $250 discount off your next trip to London zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz -- We've had many worldwide media mentions both in print and on-line. See a selection. a car to meet you at the airport and take you to your London accommodation can be arranged on request - by far the easiest way to get into town with lots of bags at your London vacation rental you'll be met by one of our representatives who will show you in, tell you about the local area and answer any questions you may have each London accommodation also comes with its own mini guide covering the neighbourhood shops, local transport, pubs, restaurants and cafs. We'll also be happy to give you advice about what to do and see. all our London vacation rentals are ready for immediate occupation with beds made up and towels put out, a weekly clean and change of towels and bed linen is included in the price, as is the end of stay cleaning and laundry ; additional cleaning and servicing can be arranged on request Sign up for our free quarterly newsletter. Keep up with what to do and see in London, where to stay + special deals. we provide a starter pack of breakfast provisions to cover the first day or two of your stay in your London apartment. We will also include any special requests - subject to price and availability Coach House London Vacation Rentals operates a telephone help line to provide you with answers to questions about London, what to do and see. A 24/7 number is also provided in the unlikely event of an emergency - such as losing the keys to your London accommodation corporate London apartment rentals are available in some central London accommodations, with reduced rates possible for longer stays Coach House London Vacation Rentals is a member of Visit London - the official visitor organisation for London.

Cruise Vacation

CI Travel - Book Your Cruise, Vacation, or Corporate Travel With CI Travel Call 888-734-0773 to speak with our Florida locations. Call 888-627-8000 to speak with our Virginia locations. Cruising Cruise From Florida Cruise From Norfolk Norfolk Cruise Specials Group Travel Honeymoon Travel Vacations Travel Clubs Group Travel Honeymoon Travel Corporate Traveler Profile Travel Request Comment Card Government NASA Travel Air Force Travel SEC Travel JPAC Travel Find My Perfect Vacation! 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St. Kitts St. Lucia St. Martin/ St. Maarten St. Thomas/ St. John, U.S.V.I. Tobago, Trinidad Tortola/ Beef Island, B.V.I. Turks And Caicos -Providenciales US Airways Vacations Destinations --select-- America/USA: -AZ - Phoenix/Scottsdale -CA - Los Angeles CA - Orange County/Anaheim -CA - San Diego -CA - San Francisco Canada - Montreal -- Canada - Ottawa -- Canada - Toronto -- -CO - Denver -CO - Vail FL - Daytona Beach -FL - Clearwater -FL - Ft. Lauderdale FL - Ft. Myers/Captiva FL - Marco & Sanibel Islands FL - Jacksonville -FL - Islamorada/Marathon -FL - Key Largo -FL - Key West FL - Naples -FL - Miami Beach -FL - Orlando -FL - Tampa -FL - Sarasota/Lido Beach -FL - St. Pete Beach -FL - West Palm Beach -LA - New Orleans -HI - Honolulu -HI - Kona -MA - Boston -NV - Las Vegas NV - Reno/Lake Tahoe -NY - New York City -SC - Myrtle Beach -TN - Nashville UT - Salt Lake City -WA - Seattle -Washington, D.C. 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