Disney Vacation Packages Disney

Delta Vacations - Disney vacation package Disney travel packages Membership log in E-mail address: Password: Remember me. Not A Member? Forgot Your Password? My Profile Related Links delta.com Vacation Protection Plan Special Group Rates SkyMiles Membership Last Minute Deals Home Disney Vacation Packages Disney Vacation Packages Whether traveling to Disneyland ® Resort in sunny California or Walt Disney World ® Resort in Florida, your dreams take wing with a Disney vacation package from Delta Vacations. They are places of pure happiness, where the memories that are made will last a lifetime. With thrilling shows and attractions, wonderful shopping and exciting themed dining with every Disney vacation package. Travel to the place where the magic all began 50 years ago and lives on today. Disneyland ® Resort is celebrating its golden anniversary by throwing a party so big that it lasts all year. At the Walt Disney World ® Theme Park, you'll find yourself surrounded by fantasy, discovery and imagination. Creating the perfect Disney vacation package is easier and more convenient than ever with the all-new Disney's Dream Maker TM Package! Click here to see what your Disney vacation package includes. Delta Vacations makes it easy to create your own customized Disney vacation package in just a few clicks! See for yourself why purchasing a Delta Vacations package is right for you. Start planning your Disney Vacation Package right now! More fun-filled vacations from Delta Vacations: All-Inclusive Vacation Packages Aruba Vacation Packages Bahamas Vacation Packages Cancun Vacation Packages Caribbean Vacation Packages Colorado Ski Vacation Packages Disney Vacation Packages Europe Vacation Packages Family Beach Vacation Packages Family Vacation Packages Florida Beach Vacation Packages Florida Vacation Packages Hawaii Vacation Packages Jamaica Vacation Packages Las Vegas Vacation Packages Maui Vacation Packages Mexico Vacation Packages Orlando Vacation Packages Ski Vacation Packages South Beach Vacation Packages Waikiki Vacation Packages Walt Disney World® Vacation Packages -- Wednesday, December 28, 2005 Save $300 on a Golf and Spa Getaway Earn 10,000 Bonus Miles to London 3 Night Packages to Turks & Caicos from $790 Search all Last Minute Deals -- Announcing Daily Flight Service Salt Lake to Cancun begins 6/1/05 Atlanta to Moscow begins 6/1/05 -- Member Registration ® 2005 Delta Vacations. All rights reserved. delta.com | Site Map | About Us | Privacy Policy | Legal Notices | Customer Care | Web Compatibility | Travel Agents ### ISHQWEBCVGNET02 ### ### --

Mexico Travel Guide, climate:

Mexico Travel Guide - Information and Advice Mexico Travel Guide Information and Advice Mexico Pictures | Mexico Map | Mexico Beaches Specialists in the best adventure travel that Central America has to offer, Trek America have been successfully organising memorable camping, lodging and walking tours for 31 years. Mexican Tours - Ruta de Maya | Yucatan Adventure | Mexican Adventure | Canyons and Pyramids | Mexican Highlights Mexico Travel Guide, climate: Best: Nov-April. Worst: June-Oct [wet and hot]; June also has US College kid overload. Length of stay: Min. worthwhile stay, not incl. flights : 6 days , e.g. Cancun airport - Merida, Playa del Carmen & Chichen Itza. Recommended: 2 weeks, or much, much longer. Mexico's main Festivals: Jan, Chiapa de Corzo [Chiapas] Fiesta de Enero. Bizarre dances, costumes, masks, parades, fireworks. Feb/March.Veracruz [Gulf Coast] Carnival . Huge, wild party time. Dance. music, parades blahblah.. March, Chichen Itza [Yucatan] see the Kukulcan snake god appear, plus varied entertainments. Couple of days before & after too. Easter Week/Semana Santa. [nationwide but esp. Chiapas state] Processions, costumes, fireworks, music, dance and some weird rituals] Mid April - early May , Aguascalientes [the North] Feria de San Marcos. Large and long established celebration of Mexican music and machismo, with rodeos, bull fights, folk dancing, parades, mariachi and mucho more. May, Puebla [just north of Mexico City] Cinco de Mayo is celebrated with the usual music, dance, parades and mock battles in the 'living museum' of Puebla. Oct - Nov, Days of the Dead. Mainly in the states of Michoacan [ esp. Patzcuaro] and Oaxaca. See Dias de los Muertos. For precise dates, more suggestions and information see: Exotic Festivals Activities Guide: Hiking, Biking & Horse Riding: All over the country but especially well developed in Baja California and Copper Canyon [Barranca del Cobre]. White Water Rafting: Veracruz, Chiapas, Oaxaca and Morelos states. Snorkelling, diving & swimming with dolphins: Off 'Maya Riviera', esp. Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen. Also the Pacific coast between Peurto Vallarta and Acapulco. Surfing: All down the Pacific Coast, esp. around Baja California [Ensenada], and Mazatlan, Puerto Escondido. Wind Surfing: Puerto Vallarta, Los Barriles, Manzanillo. Whale, dolphin & seal watching: off Baja California and Puerto Vallarta. Grey whales are especially visible in February. Sea Turtle watching: around Puerto Vallarta and Zihuatanejo. 'EcoParks' [like Xcaret] will give you and the kids Disneyfied wildlife and environment experiences. Mexico travel star rating: Monuments ***** Beaches ***** Shopping and souvenirs **** Walkability **** Value for money **** Hotel prices and value **** Museums **** Food quality and variety *** Nightlife and clubbing *** Health problems *** Architecture *** Landscape *** Wildlife **** Safety ** Local people ** Butterflies: Millions of monarch butterflies migrate to the high forests around Michoacan in winter. Easiest to view by hiking up from El Rosario village. November - Feb. Why Travel to Mexico? Mexico is a multifaceted tourist paradise, with landscapes of every description, from wild deserts to monstrous mountains, superb beaches ranging from action-packed sand to stretches devoid of packaged life forms, chart-topping ancient Maya sites, wild and colourful festivals, wild and colourful wildlife, terrific weather if you get your timing right, excellent public transport systems, excellent undersea life on one coast and great surfing on the other, good food and booze, pleasant colonial towns, and all at a very reasonable price. Downside: - It's perhaps not quite as colourful as the myth of Mexico might suggest. It's a big country so some towns and landscapes can be dull. - Banditry and thievery are not a myth. - Handicraft quality has gone down the tubes. - Worst of all many Mexicans are resolutely uncommunicative [unless you've got $ in your hand] and taxi drivers in particular are a disgrace. However! Good handicrafts and people seem to have travelled out to the coastal resorts...try Mexico City and find out why! Where to travel in Mexico: *** Chichen Itza. A sensational Maya pyramid and many other strange and interesting structures in large expanse of greenery. Stay 2 nights nearby and do it properly. ***Oaxaca, a relaxed, pretty town with a lovely main square and the ancient Zapotec site of Monte Alban nearby. A great location for Dia de los Muertos festivities. **Merida , another pleasant colonial town, with agreeable daily free concerts and dance, good restaurants. A couple of days? Not too far from Uxmal. ***Uxmal, a good warmup for Chichen Itza: a pleasing and unusually rounded pyramid with other varied Maya buildings. A day trip. ***Palenque , a really wild Maya place; terrific but difficult to get to. Small plane, [new train line?] or looong bus travel. **Playa del Carmen [near Cancun] for a cool, casual beach scene and excellent bars/restaurants/shops. Also the Pacific Coast, from **Puerto Vallarta to **Puerto Escondido has great beaches and facilities. *Cancun for 5 star beaches with little culture. **Acapulco , a lively 20 mile bay of beaches, bars and hotels that has entertained Elvis, Sinatra and Kerouac but still has space for budget travellers. A bit brash and busy, but quiet spots survive, as do most of the famous [45m/148ft] cliff divers at La Quebrada. **Mexico City. Visit excellent museums, see superb murals at the Palacio Nacional, and frolic in the Zocalo. Also day trips out to : The grand Teotihuacan pyramids, and the 'living colonial museum' of Puebla. **Barranca [Canyon] del Cobre. A stunning 6 hour train ride from Los Mochis on the Pacific coast up the mountains to Divisadero or Creel drops you on the edge of Mexico's Copper Canyon. Good hiking but trails are not well marked. Travel Safety: Mexico City and some large towns endure fairly high levels of crime, most of it petty, but armed robbery and even rape is not unknown. As usual take special care in busy places like bus and metro stations, when using ATMs and at night. Green taxis are better avoided if possible as they have been implicated in serious assaults. See Bugbog Safety pages. Mexico Tours More tour operators offering travel around Mexico can be found in our listings here: Mexico Tours Caribbean Map Caribbean Beaches For more information on Mexico Travel try these links: National Tourist Offices Online Travel Guides Cheap Airline Tickets UK Cheap Airline Tickets US Travel Insurance UK Tour Operators Embassies Currency Climate Language Mexico Travel Links Electricity: 127v[!], 2 flat pins Health Guide: Hygiene is unexpectedly good in Mexico but, nevertheless, ensure your vaccinations are to the max and up-to-date. Diseases you should be concerned about, at least, are T yphoid [get a jab], Hepatitis A and B [get a jab], Hepatitis B, C,D [take care what you eat, drink, or who you share fluids with, blood included], and dengue fever and malaria , both acquired from mosquitoes . If you plan to travel in Mexico you may be interested in some nearby countries too: Costa Rica Travel Guide Cuba Travel Guide Guatemala Travel Guide Ecuador Travel Guide Peru 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

Vacation Package

Apple Vacations: air and hotel vacation packages to the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Bahamas and Bermuda Punta Cana La Romana Puerto Plata Bermuda Aruba Jamaica Grand Cayman St. Croix Curacao Sint Maarten/Saint Martin More... Cancun - Riviera Maya Puerto Vallarta Cozumel Acapulco Los Cabos Huatulco Ixtapa-Zihuatenejo Loreto Manzanillo Mazatlan Nassau Grand Bahama Hawaii-Maui Hawaii-Oahu Hawaii-The Big Island Hawaii-Kauai Hawaii-Lanai Hawaii-Molokai Costa Rica/Guanacaste California Canada Colorado Utah Vermont Wyoming London Paris Rome Madrid -- -- Cancun Iberostar Paraiso del Mar 3-nights, including air from $989.99 Gran Bahia Principe Tulum 3-nights, including air from $929.99 Punta Cana Sunscape The Beach Punta Cana 3-nights, including air from $969.99 -- See specials for the month of: - Select month, year - December, 2005 January, 2006 February, 2006 March, 2006 April, 2006 May, 2006 June, 2006 July, 2006 August, 2006 See specials from your airport: - Select an airport - Atlanta Baltimore Boston Buffalo, New York Burbank Glendale Pasadena Airport Charlotte Chicago Midway Chicago O'Hare Cincinnati Cleveland Columbia, SC Columbus (CMH) Columbus (LCK) Dallas Fort Worth Denver Detroit Fort Lauderdale Hartford John Wayne Airport Kansas City Los Angeles Louisville, KY McCarrenan International Airport (LAS) Memphis Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis Nashville New Orleans New York City (JFK) New York City (La Guardia) Newark Norfolk International Airport Oakland International Ontario International Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Portland Raleigh Durham Reno-Cannon International Airport Richmond Rockford, IL Ronald Reagan International Airport Sacramento Salt Lake City San Antonio San Diego San Francisco San Jose Seattle St. Louis Tampa Washington DC (Dulles) From: - Select a departure city - Albany, GA Albany, NY Albuquerque, NM Allentown, PA Anchorage, AK Appleton, WI Asheville, NC Athens, GA Atlanta, GA Atlantic City, NJ Augusta, GA Austin, TX Balti-Wash Int'l, MD Bangor, ME Bar Harbor, ME Baton Rouge, LA Billings, MT Binghamton, NY Birmingham, AL Bloomington, IN Boston, MA Bozeman, MT Branson/Springfield, MO Brunswick, GA Buffalo, NY Burlington, VT Butte, MT Champaign, IL Charleston, WV Charlotte, NC Charlottesville, VA Chattanooga, TN Chicago, Midway, IL Chicago, O'Hare Int'l, IL Cincinnati, OH Cleveland, OH Colorado Springs, CO Columbia, SC Columbus - Rickenbacker, OH Columbus, GA Columbus, MS Columbus, OH Corpus Christi, TX Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX Daytona Beach, FL Denver, CO Des Moines, IA Detroit, MI Dulles Int'l, VA Elmira Corning, NY Erie, PA Eugene, OR Evansville, IN Fairbanks, AK Fayetteville, NC Flint, MI Florence, SC Fort Myers, FL Franklin, PA Ft. Lauderdale, FL Grand Junction, CO Grand Rapids, MI Great Falls, MT Greensboro, NC Greenville-Spartanburg Int'l, SC Gulport/Biloxi, MS Harrisburg Int'l, PA Hartford, CT Hayden, CO Helena, MT Hilton Head Is., SC Houston, Bush Int'l, TX Houston, W.P. Hobby, TX Huntington, WV Huntsville, AL Idaho Falls, ID Indianapolis, IN Islip, NY Jackson Hole, WY Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville, NC Jamestown, NY Juneau, AK Kalispell Glcr Pk, MT Kansas City Int'l, MO Kansas Municipal Airport, MO Ketchikan, AK Key West, FL Klamath Falls, OR Knoxville, TN Lafayette, LA Las Vegas, NV Lewiston Clarks, ID Lexington, KY Liberty Int'l, Newark, NJ Little Rock, AR Los Angeles, CA Louisville, KY Lynchburg, VA Macon, GA Madison, WI Manchester, NH Medford, OR Melbourne, FL Memphis, TN Miami Int'l, FL Milwaukee, WI Minneapolis, MN Missoula, MT Monroe, LA Monterey, CA Montgomery, AL Morgantown, WV Nashville, TN New Bern, NC New Orleans, LA New York, NY - JFK Int'l New York, NY - La Guardia Newark, NJ Newburgh Stewart, NY Newport News, VA Norfolk, VA North Bend, OR NW Arkansas Regional, AR Oakland, CA OHare Int'l, Chicago, IL Oklahoma City, OK Omaha, NE Ontario, CA Orange County, CA Orlando, FL Oxnard, CA Paducah, KY Palm Beach Int'l, FL Palm Springs, CA Panama City, FL Pasco, WA Pendleton, OR Pensacola, FL Peoria, IL Philadelphia Int'l, PA Phoenix, AZ Pittsburgh Int'l, PA Pocatello, ID Portland, ME Portland, OR Providence, RI Pullman, WA Raleigh Durham, NC Rapid City, SD Reading, PA Reagan National Airport, VA Reno, NV Richmond, VA Roanoke, VA Rochester, NY Rockford, IL Sacramento Int'l, CA Salisbury, MD Salt Lake City, UT San Antonio, TX San Diego, CA San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA Santa Barbara, CA Sarasota, FL Savannah Int'l Airport, GA Seattle, WA Sioux Falls, SD Sitka, AK St. George, UT St. Louis, MO Steamboat Springs, CO Syracuse, NY Tallahassee, FL Tampa Bay, FL Toledo, OH Topeka, KS Traverse City, MI Tucson, AZ Tulsa, OK Vail, CO Valdosta, GA Walla Walla, WA Walton Beach, FL Westchester County, NY Whistler, Canada Wichita, KS Williamsport, PA Yakima, WA Youngstown, OH To: - Select a destination city - Acapulco Antigua Aruba Aspen, CO Banff / Lake Louise, Canada Barbados Belize Bermuda Bonaire Burlington, VT Cabo San Lucas Cancun - Hotel Zone Resorts Cancun - Riviera Maya Resorts Colorado Springs, CO Cozumel Curacao Denver, CO Eagle / Vail, CO Freeport Grand Cayman Grenada Guadelope Guanacaste, Costa Rica Hayden / Steamboat, CO Huatulco Ixtapa Jackson Hole, WY Jamaica - Braco Resorts Jamaica - Falmouth Resorts Jamaica - Montego Bay Resorts Jamaica - Negril Resorts Jamaica - Ocho Rios Resorts Jamaica - Runaway Bay Resorts La Romana London Gatwick London Heathrow Loreto Los Cabos Madrid Manzanillo Mazatlan Mexico City Nassau Negril Nevis Orlando, Fl Paris Puerto Plata, Domincan Rep. Puerto Vallarta Punta Cana, Domincan Rep. Reno, NV Rome Salt Lake City, UT San Juan Santo Domingo St. Barths St. Croix St. Kitts St. Lucia, Hewanorra St. Lucia, Vigie Fld St. Maarten St. Thomas St. Vincent Tobago Tortola,Vir.Gorda,Peter Isl Turks & Caicos Whistler, Canada Whistler-Vacouver, Canada Depart: Mo 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Day 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Yr 05 06 Return: Mo 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Day 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Yr 05 06 Apple Value Package Hotel Only Flight Only Adults: Children: 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 More Search Options » *Unless otherwise noted,fares do not include all applicable taxes,charges and government imposed fees. More details

Russia Travel Itineraries what

The most interesting travel itineraries in Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Russian province, Novgorod, Karelia, Trans-Siberian and more -- WayToRussia.Net Guide to Russia Choose your destination: - Moscow - St. Petersburg - Trans-Siberian - Baikal Lake - Siberian Cities - More destinations... Made by Travelers from Russia for Travelers Worldwide >> WayToRussia.Net / What Is Russia / Russia Travel Itineraries what is russia introduction history itineraries myths & truths russian language russian art russian women guide to russia what is russia practicalities transportation russian visa business guide destinations talk lounge life in russia travel services apartment rent accommodation airline tickets train tickets visa support transfer / taxi tours extra services our team Russia Travel Itineraries and Hightlights contents: the big cities - russian province (golden ring) - northern russia - trans-siberian - siberia - far east -- your message For your convenience, you can open a map of European Russia and a map of Asian Russia in another window. The Two Capitals The most often traveled destinations in Russia are Moscow and St. Petersburg, the two great and very different cities. Moscow is the capital of Russia, vibrant and at the same time tranquil, an exaggerated version of everything you can get in Russia, as if conforming the quality of Russian character to push everything to extreme. St. Petersburg is a beautiful city of channels and impressive architecture, is completely untypical Russian city. Being the closest Russian city to Europe St.Petersburg expresses everything European Russia has to offer, but in a unique and a strange way mixing with old traditions. For those, who want to escape the busy life of the big cities, there are many small towns around Moscow (Sergiev Posad, Kolomna, Tver, Tula) and around St Petersburg (Petrodvorets, Pushkin, Zelenogorsk, Vyborg), which can give you the 'taste' of provincial life. The best time to visit the both cities is, perhaps, May, June, September, Januar and February. In May and June there are many things happening in both cities: carnivals, exhibitions, concerts, and other special events. Besides, people are happy that the colds and snows are gone and prepare to enjoy short four months of heat. In the end of June - beginning of July St. Petersburg becomes a really special place: there's daylight all day long. This period is called "White Nights" and is definitely worth seeing. In September , many people have just came back from the holidays and are relaxed and in a good mood. It means more parties and more people outside. Also, autumn is one of the most beautiful periods in Russia: yellowish and red trees, sunny weather, cool winds and the mood of change. People want to have as much fun as possible outside, before the colds start. January and February are good because there's much snow, and the city looks magic. Both cities are covered with snow and look very beautiful, like in a fairytale. City dwellers are sitting in clubs, sipping 'hot' drinks, talking and listening to music. To me, Moscow is the most interesting and beautiful in that period. Russian Province For the real Russian province the Golden Ring trip is the best. The Golden Ring is the name for the trip that stretches about 200 kilometers north-east of Moscow and back. The trip goes through Vladimir, Suzdal, Ivanovo, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Rostov Veliky, Pereslavl. Each of these seven cities gives a unique perspective on Russian provincial life – laid-back and full of unusual contrasts. The land where the ancient Russia has started, home to many beautiful churches and cathedrals you won't see elsewhere. The best time to go is, generally, anytime, only that the most of the cultural events are happening in the summer, but, at the same time, winter puts a special charm on these little towns. Northern Russia Northern Russia is all traditional that Russia has to offer. Between Moscow and St.Petersburg there's the old Russian town of Novgorod , our personal favourite. This is perhaps the oldest Russian town and it has retained the most 'Russian feel'. Novgorod and Novgorod region is the place with beautiful nature, marvellous white stone architecture (the oldest cathedral in Russia - St.Sofia), friendly and helpful people. Novgorod for us is like an ideal of what it can be like in Russian province. Go there anytime of the year, especially that it's only 3 hours from St. Petersburg by train. If you want an exotic outdoor adventure with a lot of historical and cultural background , and you don't want to get too remote, try to go to beautiful Karelia land, which is located to the northeast of St. Petersburg. There's beautiful nature in Karelia: splendid northern forests (taiga), mountain lakes and rivers. Also, there's a famous Solovki monastery and Kizhi museum of wooden architecture. Besides, Karelia is rich with the history of Finn-Ugor and Slavic tribes that lived together on this land centuries before and at some places you can see prehistoric rock carvings and structures. We will soon put a guide to Karelia online, if you want to arrange a travel there now, or get some information, please, see our Karelia Tours section. Trans-Siberian Trip One of the famous Russia's gems and mysteries is Siberia land. Siberia is the same distance from Moscow as France, for example. But thanks to the Trans-Siberian railway it's not so inaccessible as it could be. Trans- Siberian railway stretches east from Moscow to Ural, Western Siberia (Novosibirsk), Eastern Siberia (Irkutsk and Baikal lake). Then one branch goes around Mongolia to China and is called Trans-Manchurian railway, and the other branch goes through Mongolia (Ulan-Bataar) to China. The final destination for both is Beijing. Trans-Siberian is the longest railway in the world and probably one of the most interesting and tough: imagine riding in the train for six days seeing various landscapes pass in front of your eyes... Only this way one can see the transformation from West to East (or vice versa) smoothly and feel the distance and the land. Siberia Until recently, Siberia was closed to foreigners and was hard to get into. Now it's all changed: take a train along the Trans-Siberian and hop off where you want along the way. Perhaps, it's not so easy to travel around there, and industrial Siberian cities can by no means be interesting to stay in for more than a few days, but the beautiful and legendary Baikal lake and Altai mountains make the trip there surely worthwhile. Besides, the unique landscape and remoteness of the area provide inexpensive opportunities for the kind of outdoor activities that can't be performed elsewhere. Far East The Far East is the most remote area in Russia, closer to Alaska, than to Moscow. Only a few people went to Kamchatka peninsula, but those who did, came back mesmerized. The land of volanoes, geysers, beautiful view, the ocean, the nature unfolding itself in front of one's eyes is very seducing. Kamchatka was closed for a long time for the travelers, and remoteness of the area was a great obstacle too. Now it is still a very militarized place (there's a border with the US), and the main town - Petropavlovsk - is a typical Soviet concrete and dull place, but just a just few kilometers away there's the untouched volcanoe land stretching far north. Your Comments Please, leave your messages, comments, and questions in our Russia Talk Lounge Forums . Privacy Policy | Terms of Use © 2002-2005 Dmitri Paranyushkin, Celina Smith (photos) / WayToRussia.Net. All rights reserved. Ask Us a Question Feedback

European Vacation Ideas for

Benelux and Beyond - Northern European Vacation Ideas for the Benelux Countries  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors > Benelux Countries > Benelux and Beyond - Northern European Vacation Ideas for the Benelux Countries Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Benelux and Beyond - Northern European Vacation Ideas for the Benelux Countries 5 Countries in 14 days? Why Not? If you have a short vacation and want to travel through the most varied cultural landscapes in a short time, why not consider Benilux--Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg--along with adjacent pieces of the bookend countries of France and Germany? Short distances and the availability of high speed rail connections mean that you won't spend all your time looking out a window on a moving landscape. Plus, Benelux rail 'n drive packages give you the flexibility to see it all by train and car. The Benelux countryside is flat and watery--you can bike or walk on tow paths along the many canals to observe calming rural vistas for hours. Benelux Countries - Benelux Rail Map Benelux Map © 2005 by James Martin, licensed to About Why Benelux? Benelux is compact. It's 123 miles between Brussels and Amsterdam, 184 miles between Paris and Brussels--and both of these destinations are served by high speed rail that'll speed you between Paris and Brussels in one hour and 25 minutes. Folks in Benelux countries are quite likely to speak English , since the local languages are confined to a relatively small goegraphic area. Benelux hospitality is legendary --you might want to consider a farm stay while you're there--especially if you have kids--to test the friendliness of the natives and get a feeling for what it's like (more below). Variety - and France and Germany are just across the border. Not only do you have three countries to visit, all within an hour or so travel time between each other, center to center, but France and Germany are easily visited as well. Lille, just across the border in France, was a European capital of Culture for 2004, and it's a major rail hub for high speed trains. Koln (Cologne) and its famous cathedral are also close, and the landscape around Trier--a colonial capital under Roman Emperor Augustus in 16 BC and Germany’s oldest city--is beautiful, and the city isa good starting point for trips into theMosel Valley and cruises on the scenic Mosel River, Germany’s mainwine-producing region--just in case you get tired of the almost infinite varietyof Beer styles you find in Belgium that is. Getting to the Benelux Countries You'll probably start your vacation from a large city. Major airports usually offer the best fares from the US, so you'll probably be starting from Paris, Frankfurt, or Amsterdam. If you find a good fare to London (or wish to add that city to your visit), you can take the Eurostar from London to either Paris or Lille, and continue your Benelux vacation from there. Getting Around the Benelux Countries While rail is highly recommended, and trains can get to most cities in the Benelux countries, you might want to also view a little of the countryside. Rail 'n Drive passes make this easy. Plan Your Benelux Adventure Transportation Rail Passes (Including Rail 'n Drive Passes) for Benelux, France and Germany. Thalys - High Speed Train Information - The thick blue line on the map is the Thalys route. Eurostar - All About the Eurostar - London to Lille, Paris, and Brussels. If your end point is Brussels, you'll get a free pass to any other stop in Belgium, just in case you wish to avoid Brussels altogether. Destinations in or Accessable from Benelux Lille, France Reims and the Champagne Region of France Belgium: Belgium Guide | Belgium Map | Belgium Pictures Netherlands: NetherlandsGuide | NetherlandsMap | Amsterdam Guide Luxembourg: Luxembourg Guide Cologne, Germany Dusseldorf Germany Frankfurt, Germany Trier, Germany Farm Stays in Belgium Many "farm" stays don't set you down in a real, working farm. I've found the Spreeuwenburg farm in a perfect location in the Belgian countryside not so far from the Netherlands border and nearby to the justly famous old smuggler house turned into a restaurant bar, Roste Muis. Read more: A Pleasant and Inexpensive Farm stay in Belgium . Benelux - The Final Word I hope you'll check out the Benelux countries. The major cities are interesting and chock full of art from old masters. Belgium cuisine is considered one of the best in Europe, and the beer is outstanding as well. Amsterdam is an amazing city, and if you want to visit a city that's mostly ignored by tourists, look into Antwerp, Belgium. Peter Paul Ruben's house makes an outstanding visit--and even Antwerp's main train station is worthy of the label "Railway Cathedral." From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Advertisement Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Headlines Antwerp Pictures Antwerp is a fashion and diamond center for Belgium and... Like to Travel Well? Follow the CIA! I really should have paid attention when the CIA came... 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