Switzerland Travel

Switzerland Travel Information | Lonely Planet Destination Guide worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links : Explore Switzerland Switzerland Leave the lederhosen at home and get in line with the stylish Swiss. At a Glance Fast Facts WORLDGUIDE Introduction Background Info See Image Gallery Events Transport Money RELATED Thorn Tree Forum Postcards Travel Links More Places Check out our other destinations: Within Switzerland Geneva Interlaken Zurich View Map Click here Feature Attraction Franches Montagnes Overlooked by most visitors, this pretty woodlands area in the Jura mountain chain has hiking trails and cross-country ski trails. Horse-riding is also ... more Switzerland may be neutral but it is certainly not flavourless. The fusion of German, French and Italian ingredients has formed a robust national culture, and the country's alpine landscapes have enough zing to reinvigorate the most jaded traveller. Goethe summed up Switzerland succinctly as a combination of 'the colossal and the well-ordered'. You can be sure that your trains and letters will be on time. The tidy, just-so precision of Swiss towns is tempered by the lofty splendour of the landscapes that surround them. Factoid You Fondue? Most of the world left fondue back in the 70s, but in Switzerland it's always in style. The classic fondue is bread dunked in Emmental and Gruyere cheeses mixed with white wine and flour - consumed, of course, on shag-pile carpet. SPONSORED LINKS Enquire Accomodation Reviews Find Lonely Planet author reviewed places to stay * Required Fields Country * Please select Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Egypt England Estonia Finland France Germany Hungary Iceland India Ireland Israel & the Palestinian Territories Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico Morocco Netherlands New Zealand Poland Portugal Russia Scotland South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Taiwan Thailand Turkey USA United Arab Emirates Vietnam City * Please select Travel Services · Flights · Hostels · Hotels · Travel Insurance More Services › Disclaimer: We've tried to make theinformation on this web site as accurate as possible, but it isprovided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injuryor inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety,customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before youtravel. text & images © lonely planet 2005 about us | privacy | feedback | advertising FAQs worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links

Central America Travel

A backpacking travel guide to Asia & Central America ! A backpacking travel guide to Asia & Central America ! Passplanet is a free practical travel guide that offers the latest backpacking information about Asia & Central America : 15 countries & 230 places precisely covered plus surveys, photos, essay, etc. Free as a backpacker ! You will find in this free travel guide lots of tips and most of the budget info you need to prepare your trip to Asia &Central America on a shoestring ("before"), live your backpacking adventure in the best conditions ("during") and share your experience with other backpackers ("after") plus a photos gallery, a backpacking forum, surveys on the asian& Central American countries or localities in Asia & America (backpacker 's ratings), travelogues, an essay in French, links to other asian travel guidebook or related budget informationabout latin America etc. All in one convenient stop ! Go for it : backpack Asia & America with pass planet ! If you know what you are looking for in Asia or America, use the Search Form to find backpacking info. Otherwise, have a look at the backpacker's Index or let Passplanet be your free guidebook to Asia & America The original features of this free backpacking travel guide to Asia &America include : - Budget & practical travel information about asian & central american countries only. - Ratings of the localities by the backpackers themselves : more than 230 localities precisely covered in Asia& Central America in 15 countries. - What to do there & what you may not like while you backpack Asia &Central America - The cheapest budget accommodations (guesthouse or hostel on a shoestring ) for backpackers - The various transportations' options for easy backpacking - Travel information on how to save money - Lots of backpacker's photos in special sections - A guidebook with frequent updates But Passplanet will, hopefully, be more than a free backpacking travel guide toAsia & Central America. My ambition is to make it a place where backpackers can freely exchange the latest info from "on the road" of the asianand americas countries and communicate with each others. In the world of backpacking, information indeed changes with the blowing of the winds. But while a guidebook is out of date by the time it reaches the shelves, a web site can be updated daily. Pass planet will strive to keep the budget information about Asia andCentral America warm ! But to achieve the above, we need your help & support. Passplanet is not supposed to be a single backpacker's journey and travel guide. There are too many trips ahead. Asia,Central America and the world are too vast to be covered by one individual. Let's share ! Everyone is welcome to join the backpacking adventure and submit travel information ! Passplanet is looking for new backpackers, budget writers, partners and ideas on a shoestring. And Passplanet also counts on you for its promotion. If you find it useful, please give the direction to other backpackers. The more traffic, the more updated info in the future to backpack Asia &Central America ! Passplanet is also a place of exchange related to Asia and Central America. Beside all the forms which allow you to share your budget info about asian& american countries, experiences about a place, Passplanet also hosts a forum and a links section to other travel guide. You are welcome to submit your own travel web site in the latter and benefit from Passplanet's growing popularity in the world of backpacking on a shoestring. Together, let's keep Passplanet as free & independent as a backpacker so more and more people can use this free travel guide to backpack Asiaand Central America ! I wish you a good backpacking experience, on the site and around Asia &Central America ! Ben. Founder. START YOUR TRAVEL TRIP HOME - ASIA - China - HK & Macau - Thailand - Laos - Cambodia - Myanmar - Malaysia - Singapore - Indonesia C.A. - Guatemala - Honduras - Nicaragua - Costa Rica - Panama www.oasis-centre.com www.guidebienetre.com www.lebienetre.org Passplanet :a backpacking travel guide to Asia & Central America !

Europe Travel Planning >

Off Season Travel In Europe - Tips and Tools for Off-Season Vacations  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors > Europe Travel Planning > Off Season Travel In Europe - Tips and Tools for Off-Season Vacations 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 Off-Season Rain in Vienna - Time to duck into a cafe for some Sacher Torte! James Martin Stay up to date! Off-Season Rain in Vienna - Time to duck into a cafe for some Sacher Torte! James Martin Email to a friend Print this page Off Season Travel Tools Historic European Climate - Cities Hours of Daylight Winter Travel to Europe Off Season Things to Do Chrismas Markets in Europe Oktoberfest Fall Tours and Trips Recent Discussions Need Help Planning a Trip Accomodation in london Mediteranean Feries 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 Off Season Travel In Europe - Tips and Tools for Off-Season Vacations From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Travel Cheap - Enjoy Europe's Culture - Go in the Off-Season You'll hear seasoned travelers extolling the virtues of September-May off-season travel so often you probably know them by heart: fewer tourists, greater cultural options and mingling opportunities with the locals, more relaxed atmosphere, cheaper airfares and hotel rates, and the lack of that summer swelter. But there's a reason folks travel in high season in Europe: it seldom rains, there's maximum daylight, it's easy packing light, and there are abundant tourist resources. But off-season travel still aces out high-season travel in my book, because all those problems with off-season travel can be overcome with a few tricks seasoned travelers call upon to make their vacations meaningful and fun. Read on. Places to Go - Choosing an Off-Season Destination Seasoned travelers base their destinations on seasonal considerations. For example, I don't particularly fancy eating the traditional tourist favorites of Germany, Switzerland or Austria in summer; the food is too heavy for the heat. But give me a crisp fall day to walk the black forest or cruise the Rhine, then let me return to my hotel, take a hot bath, and go downstairs to a medieval wood-beamed room with roaring fire and I'll happily eat mounds of sausages and spaetzle while drinking lustily from a flask of homemade reisling. For Mediterranean countries, fall starts the rainy season. Over the ages, many cities have found ways to deal with the inconvenience of a daylight rain. The Italian city of Bologna features a huge network of arcaded streets. You can walk from one side of town to the other without getting wet. Medieval Europe featured houses with overhangs, it's one of the ways you can tell the older parts of a city. Old towns also offer seductive cafes. Pop in and nurse a coffee, soda, or warming snifter of brandy while waiting for the rain to taper off. Or use your railpass to take a scenic train ride . Hours of Sunlight - Off-Season's "Shorter" Days Yep, the off-season in Europe is marked by fewer hours of sunlight. This doesn't bother me at all, because I find moonlight strolls more seductive than daylight ones. If you shudder at the thought of walking "downtown" in a city after dark, consider that European city centers are quite a bit safer than most American ones at these hours, because European culture favors convivial meetings in public places along with moderate alcohol consumption. Filling the streets with good, honest people is probably the best defense against street crime there ever was. But how can you figure out how much daylight there'll be? Here's a handy site, The Sun and Moon Ephemerides . Pick your destination and the date, and the tool will return the hours of daylight to expect. Climate - What's the Off-Season Like? Here is a directory of historic climate for Europe's major cities . Packing Tips for the Off-Season in Europe Packing light is easy to accomplish when your daily wear is shorts and a shirt. Things get tricky when the weather cools. The key is layering. Everything in my suitcase goes with everything else. I wear a light undershirt, long sleeved shirt, sweater if it's going to be cold, light windbreaker/rain jacket for the rainy days. I pack two fashionable sweaters of varying warmth instead of lugging around a coat. On the beautiful days I don't end up with a coat slung over my arm that's too big for my suitcase. When it rains I simply get out my rain jacket. I can also wear a sweater into a fancy restaurant and look pretty presentable. (Europeans tend to dress more formally, especially in the off-season. You might consider throwing a tie or scarf into your suitcase.) But sweaters are big and bulky. True, but there's a fix. A sweater keeps you warm by trapping air between thin fibers, much like house insulation. Take the air out and sweaters compress to a fraction of their size. If you're stuck in the 50's, you have dad sit on your suitcase while you latch it. Today you can purchase clothes compressor bags. Eagle Creek makes some I use and recommend ( review ) ( check prices ). You'll find that you can squeeze 40-50 percent of bulk out of a sweater with these bags. The downside is that sweaters don't work as efficiently in the wind, and you may need that rain jacket as a windbreak on blustery days. The Bottom Line - What's good about Off-Season Travel in Europe Europe takes advantage of the cultural activities that enjoy a winter season. Sure, in summer you can hear short chamber music in Vienna structured for a tourist's short attention span, but you'll have to wait until the real symphony and opera season to hear the best European orchestras playing serious music for hours on end. And who cares if it's raining outside when you intend to spend your day at the Louvre? Bottom line: if you like meeting folks on their own turf, have a hankering for high culture, or just like to lounge around a roaring fire listening to a foreign language and dreaming of learning it--off-season travel is something you should try.        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 . 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Travel Guide

Portugal Travel Guide Versão Portuguesa Tourist Information + Latest Travel News Where to Go + North Oporto • North • Centre Lisbon • Tagus Valley • Beiras • South Algarve • Alentejo • Islands Madeira • Azores • Where to Stay History Culture + Art • Architecture • Literature • Gastronomy Getting Around Shopping Sport & Leisure A-Z Factfile + Select Letter A B C D E F G H J L M N O P R T V MICE Traveller's Tips Win a Prize Image Bank WebCam Add to Favorites About Us Latest Travel News SEARCH FOR NEWS Combined Train and Rent-a-Car Ticket Available Travellers exploring the length and breadth of Portugal can let the train take some of the strain with a low-priced ticket combining car rental with a return rail trip to destinations all over the country. [+] Lisbon Travel Market in January Lisbon's annual travel market, the Bolsa de Turismo de Lisboa (BTL), will take place from 18-22 January at the city's FIL fairground in the Parque das Naes. A popular attraction for visitors is the restaurant pavilion featuring local specialities and wines from every region of Portugal, including Madeira and the Azores. [+] Reid's to Close During Renovation Period The famous Reid's Palace in Funchal, Madeira, will be closed for important refurbishment work between 16 January and 13 April, 2006. [+] TAP to Test In-Flight Passenger Communications Passengers flying with TAP Air Portugal will be among the world's first to be able to switch on their mobile phones and make in-flight calls when OnAir's new air communication service is tested towards the end of next year. [+] TGV to Link Lisbon with Porto and Madrid Respective journey times from Lisbon to Porto and Madrid will take just 1 hour 15 minutes and 2 hours 45 minutes in the future, thanks to a new high-speed train service recently approved by the Portuguese government. [+] Europe's Largest Christmas Tree in Lisbon Visitors to the Portuguese capital over the forthcoming festive period literally cannot miss the 72-metre-high Christmas tree prominently located in the city's Praa do Comrcio. [+] More News Estoril and Sintra Golf Passport Available Pousada Winter Offer in the Algarve Vintage House Joins Relais & Chateaux New Year Festivities at the Bahia Palace in the Azores Gourmet Week at Choupana Hills 7-Night Cruises Along the Algarve Portugal Hotel Guide Distributed at the World Travel Market in London Lisbon Looks Back Useful Links + • Euro 2004 • Hotels in Portugal • Flight Information • Train travel in Portugal • Coach travel in Portugal • Lisbon Public Transport • Oporto Public Transport • Lisbon Metro • Lisbon Ferries • Maps of Portugal • Lisbon Zoo • Lisbon Tourism • Weather in Portugal • Wines of Portugal © 2004 Maisturismo Edições e Publicidade, S.A.

Russia Travel to Russia

VisitRussia.com: Travel Russia, tours, hotels, airline and train tickets, visa services Package Tours Custom Tours River Cruises Trans-Siberian Hotels Transfers Russian Visa Airline Tickets Train Tickets Theater Tickets Restaurants Incentive Travel Brochure Request For Travel Agents Time to Visit Russia Travel to Russia is a unique opportunity to get acquainted with Russian history and culture. Russia spans eleven time zones and two continents and is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. This is a great country with an array of rivers, forests and towering mountains. Now you have a chance to explore its land of striking beauty and diversity, from magnificent capitals, Moscow and St. Petersburg, to the measured life of Siberian cities. The whole new world is waiting for you to be discovered. Tours of Russia Our company offers you a wide selection of tours to different Russian cities. We provide both short and long tours for different budgets. You may choose any tour you like from our list of popular tours on the website or create your own tour (see our custom tours). Package Tours River Cruises Custom Tours Trans-Siberian more Tickets Airline Tickets In our company you can reserve airline tickets for domestic or international flights. We will provide you with tickets at the best possible rates and at the shortest time. more Train Tickets Traveling by train is the most stirring way to see real Russia. We offer you a great opportunity to purchase train tickets to any destination within Russia or Europe. more Theater Tickets Our company, in addition to airline and train tickets, offers a high-quality service for those who want to visit theatres, concerts or folklore shows in Russia. more Russia Hotels Enjoy modern comfort and Russian hospitality while staying in the biggest and one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Moscow Hotels Petersburg Hotels Arkhangelsk Hotels Novosibirsk Hotels Kazan Hotels Volgograd Hotels Murmansk Hotels Yaroslavl Hotels more Russia Visa Nationals of most foreign countries need a visa to enter Russia. We are pleased to offer Full Visa Services for US tourists. We will make a visa application process, which is usually quite complicated, easy and quick. You are welcome to fill out a Russia visa application form online. more Trans-Sib Trans-Siberian travel is a good chance to get acquainted with true Russia's life and views. Trans-Siberian Railroad, which is the longest railway in the world (over 9,000 kilometers long), is perfectly equipped. Trans-Sib will take you through several time zones. more Cities Guide The Cities Guide provides the most comprehensive information on various Russian cities, from Russias two capitals, Moscow and St. Petersburg, to smaller cities and towns. The guide features information on a citys historical background, major attractions, climate, hotels, and more. more Brochure Request We are glad to present the booklet our company has published this year. The booklet content features information on itineraries and tours around Russia we are going to offer throughout 2004. This showy edition will help you to plan your trip to Russia most effectively. more CITIES GUIDE Moscow Saint Petersburg Arkhangelsk Chelyabinsk Irkutsk Kaliningrad Kazan Khabarovsk Krasnodar Krasnoyarsk Murmansk Nizhni Novgorod Novgorod Veliky Novosibirsk Omsk Perm Petrozavodsk Pskov Samara Saratov Smolensk Sochi Suzdal Ulan-Ude Vladivostok Volgograd Yaroslavl Yekaterinburg