Get to Know Mauritius – the Perfect Family Beach Vacation in Africa

Mauritius is a perfect beach destination for any serious holiday maker – whether as a couple on honeymoon or a family with children. Please get to know your destination.

Nestling some 3000 km off the east coast of Africa, just above the Tropic or Capricorn, is the beautiful tropical island of Mauritius. This jewel of the Indian Ocean boasts 160 km of beautiful coastline surrounded by coral reef, a breathtaking central plateau and dramatic picturesque mountains.

The Brief History of Mauritius

Mauritius was originally discovered by the Arabs in AD 975. Although they named it Dinarobin – meaning Silver Island – they left no evidence of their presence. In 12507, the Portuguese discovered it and gave it the name Ilha de Cerne, or Island of the swan. The Dutch, en route to their colonies in the East Indies – discovered it in 1598, naming it Maurits, after Prince Maurice of Nassau. In 1715 the French landed, calling it Ile de France. For years, pirates and bounty- hunters under French protection plundered the British vessels travelling to and from the spice and silk markets of the East. In 1810, the British launched a surprise attack against the French and conquered the islands, along with nearby Reunion. In 1968, Mauritius won her independence from Britain, remaining within the commonwealth. Today, Mauritius has little unemployment and a thriving economy, based mainly on sugar, tourism and textiles.

The Climate of Mauritius

The seasons can be divided broadly into a hot, wet season from December to April, and a pleasantly cool, dry season from May to November, making Mauritius a perfect year-round destination. Coastal air temperatures range from 22 degrees Centigrade in winder (72 degrees Fahrenheit) to 31 degrees Centigrade (88 degrees Fahrenheit) in summer. Water temperatures vary between 22 degrees Centigrade (72 degrees Fahrenheit) and 27 degrees Centigrade (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

Population and Languages

The population numbers just over 1 million consisting of Hindus, Muslims, Chinese, Creoles and Europeans. English is the official language and French is also spoken alongside Hindi, Creole and other oriental languages.

The Currency

The currency is the Mauritian rupee, divided into 100 cents. Notes are issued in denominations of 25, 50, 100, 200, 1000 and 2000 rupees: coins as 5, 20 and 50 cents and 1, 5, and 10 rupees.

Passports, Visas and Health

A valid passport is required by all visitors to Mauritius, as well as a return air ticket. Visa and vaccination requirements differ from country to country, please consult your nearest consular office or travel agent. There are no endemic diseases in the country and any poisonous insects or dangerous animals.

Packing – what to bring

Beachwear and informal clothing are perfect for daytime – cotton is ideal. The sun in Mauritius can be very strong so sunglasses and suntan lotion with the necessary sun protection factor should not be forgotten.

Dress cord in the evening is generally smart casual, and a light wrap can be useful.

The time zone

Mauritius time if fours hours ahead of GMT.

Getting there

Mauritius is served by a number is international airlines. Please consult with your travel specialist for further information. It is essential to reconfirm onward flights 72 hours prior to departure either with a ground operator or the airline direct.

Transfers

There are a number of options, from helicopters, through private transfers in chauffeur-driven air-conditioned limousines or 4×4 vehicles to minibuses and taxis. Several car hire companies are represented at the hotels.

Inter Island Transfers

Flying time to Reunion is 40 minutes and Rodrigues 90 minutes. Scheduled boat services operate to both islands.

Shopping

Mauritius is a shopper’s paradise. There are several different shopping areas, as well as bargains with can be found at the various local markets and independent vendors. In Port Louis, there is a large and colourful market, specializing in clothing, hand-embroidered linen, stunning Indian fabrics, souvenirs and spices. Nearby is the brand new Caudan shopping precinct offering intricate model boats, clothing, jewellery, books, Persian rugs, beachwear and souvenirs. Curepipe is the main residential town and specializes in model boats, clothing and beautiful knitwear. Cosmopolitan Craned Bay on the north coast of the island also offers some great shopping opportunities as well as some interesting restaurants.

Sightseeing and excursions

Port Louis, the capital city and the world’s latest Freeport, is a kaleidoscope of colour and activity, sights, smells and sounds. Scour the market for bargains, take a drive to the top of La Citadelle for the marvellous view, admire the grand 19th Century buildings, and see the re-constructed dodo and rare artefacts and the fascinating Natural History Museum.

Pamplemousses Royal Botanical Gardens, a short 15 minutes drive from the bustle of Port Louis houses, and astonishing array of rare indigenous flora as well as a small deer and some giant Aldabra tortoises from Seychelles, where they are an endangered species.

Grand Bay offers intimate art galleries and a wide variety of boutique clothing and fascinating souvenir shops.

Eureka House is a beautiful restored Creole-style house situated in Moka. Reputed to be one of the largest houses on the island, it has 109 doors and windows. Tea is served on the wide verandah.

Domaine les Pailles is a gracious estate which will delight nature lovers, gamblers, gourmets and horse-riders alike. Ten minutes drive south of Port Louis, the architecture is in traditional style.

Ile aux Cerfs, is five minutes on a taxi-boat from Le Touessrok, this idyllic tropical island has restaurants, bars and numerous water sports.

Domaine du Chasseur, a privately owned nature reserves nestles in the Bambous Mountains offering spectacular views down to the sea. Wild boars, hares, guinea fowls and monkeys abound. There rare Mauritius Kestrel can be seen by visitors at this naturalist’s haven.

Maheboug, once the capital of the island has an unspoilt, rural atmosphere and a visit to the Naval Museum is well worthwhile. Relics from shipwrecks and battles, portraits and the bell of he renowned Saint Geran are housed here. Admission is free.

Black River Gorges, Grand Bassin, Plaine Champagne, Chamarel

The black River Gorges carve dramatically through the Black River National park, where the rare Paille-en-Queue and pink pigeon thrive. Marvellous place for a nature ramble through the park. An extraordinary phenomenon is the seven coloured earth at Chamarel on the Plaine Champagne. The sacred lake at Grand Bassin is a place of pilgrimage for the Hindu people of Mauritius.

Casela Bird Park allows visitors the opportunity to enjoy a peaceful stroll through beautiful gardens where some 2000 birds of 150 different species live in 85 aviaries.

Solomon Okila is the Editor African Voyages Ltd website. The African Travel Guide and Tourist Information and Information Centre for African Hotels, Lodges and travel Information

Golf Holidays in Portugal – Where to Go

With the promise of balmy weather and a growing collection of some of the best courses in Europe, golf holidays in Portugal have plenty to offer the avid golfer. While there are good courses throughout the country, the majority are concentrated in the Algarve and near Lisbon, with a couple of hidden gems on the nearby island of Madeira.

The Algarve

Golf holidays in the Algarve have become hugely popular in recent years, with Portugal’s south coast rapidly turning into one of the most significant golfing destinations in Europe. The region draws thousands of holiday goers each year with its combination of glorious weather, excellent beaches and relaxed atmosphere – all features that make it equally appealing to those interested in a golf break in Portugal. Vilamoura has become famed as something of a golfers’ paradise, and while some of the best courses in the region are concentrated around this resort, there are numerous other courses in the region that shouldn’t be missed.

Top Course:

• Monte Rei – This course only opened in 2007, but has quickly established itself as one of the best courses in Portugal. A golf holiday to Monte Rei will allow you to enjoy a superb and challenging course designed by Jack Nicklaus himself.

Top Hotels:

• Vila Sol Spa and Golf Resort – This resort is truly luxurious. Placed next to the Vila Sol Golf Course, it offers top class dining and outstanding quality of service, and the beautifully furnished rooms are the perfect place to relax after a hard day’s golf.

Lisbon

The advantages of golf near Lisbon are obvious – so close to the capital, transfer from the airport is quick and painless, and this region also has some of the best courses to explore while on a golf holiday in Portugal. The golf hotels are also of superb quality, offering five star facilities, individual character and outstanding service for the ultimate luxury golf holiday.

Top Course and Hotel:

• CampoReal – Nested in wooded hills and valleys and designed by Donald Steel, this course is jaw dropping to look at. But it is about more than just the scenery at the CampoReal, with the course presenting a good challenge for even the most experienced golfer. Attached to it is one of the finest golf hotels in Portugal, with an outstanding club house, full spa facilities, and three top quality restaurants amongst its many features.

Madeira

Located almost a 1000 kilometres off the west coast of Portugal, a golf holiday in Madeira offers the perfect taste of island relaxation to help you focus on improving your game. Long renowned for its wine and world famous New Year celebrations, the island is now beginning to attract golfers with its two courses and range of five star hotels.

Top Courses:

• Santoro de Terra – Located in the mountains of Madeira, Santoro de Terra was designed by Robert Trent Jones, and features some truly astonishing views. A challenging course, especially when the wind is up!

• Palheiro Golfe – Overlooking Funchal and the south coast a round at Palheiro Golfe is as much about enjoying the scenery as it is about perfecting your game, and is a great course to play on while on a golf break in Portugal.

Top Hotel:

•Casa Velha Do Palheiro – Perfectly placed next to the Palheiro course in the hills near Funchal, this luxury hotel prides itself on its quality of service, and features a sauna and outdoor pool to help you unwind after a round of golf.

Morgan Clarke is the Chairman of Your Golf Holidays, a company that has been providing bespoke golf holidays for over 25 years. They are experts in the world

Eating Around the World

During our six and a half year circumnavigation in Dolphin Spirit we visited 56 countries and ate in 50 of them. The only time we were ever sick was after eating at a McDonalds in Egypt – that exotic food will get you every time.

In fact that bit about exotic food is totally untrue. After having lived and worked in more than 100 countries over more than 30 years, I have had food poisoning just three times, the above incident being the second. The third was in France where I dined one night on fish soup followed by fish in puff pastry.

I attribute my survival to one simple rule – eat the food of the country you are in. In Sudan I ate lamb tartare (minced raw lamb) regularly, with occasional side dishes of sheep eyes and testicles, and suffered no ill effects. When in Brazil, I ate lamb tartare at an Arab restaurant, and spent the next two days unable to leave a bathroom. That was the first food poisoning, and the one from which I developed the “eat local” rule.

In the south of Columbia we stopped for lunch at a roadside “restaurant.” An open drain ran through the middle of the dirt floor under the open-sided thatch roof. Chickens, dogs and children chased around the few tables, which had the beneficial effect of keeping the clouds of flies in constant motion. We ate steak, well done, with boiled yams, washed down by beer directly from the can, with no problems.

Which brings me to the first codicil to the rule – grilled meat, well done, and boiled, skin-on vegetables, can be eaten anywhere. Unless you have seen the steak cut off the just killed beast and placed on the grill, then rare is an invitation to disaster, outside of the better restaurants in the cities. If refrigeration is rare, then the meat should not be.

During a visit to Asmara, the Eritrean capital, by good fortune we stumbled into a room reserved for locals. It had weapons and game heads on the walls, low tables, stools and couches each covered with an individual baby goat skin - a wonderful ambience. Dinner was a four foot diameter platter, lined with pancake like sour bread, and covered with heaps of various local dishes, all meat, mostly goat. Correct procedure was to tear off a piece of bread and scoop up some food with it, all with the right hand of course, as the left is reserved for more intimate cleaning functions. Left-handed me had some etiquette problems.

That introduces the second codicil – learn the local customs in advance. In Taiwan, when you are asked to pick the snake you want to eat from out of a slithering heap, just go ahead and pick one. After cooking and smothering in delicious sauces, it will taste just like the delicious sauces, and you know it is fresh. It is perfectly okay to decline to drink the warm snake blood you will be offered, but very bad form to not select the snake.

I have eaten almost every type of meat there is from rat to elephant and turned down only a few. Raw monkey brains is not something I even like to be in the same room as, particularly when they are still attached to the monkey. For some reason, I cannot stand rabbit – yes, I comfortably eat rat, snake and flying fox, but won’t eat rabbit.

Travel is about broadening knowledge and gaining new experiences and this includes experimenting with new foods. In other countries there are hundreds of fruits and vegetables with tastes that range from bland to delicious and which are never seen in the US. So, even if the thought of eating meat that may not have come out of a US supermarket is revolting, try a new fruit a day. Do remember to eat only fruit you have peeled yourself, never pre-cut, pre-peeled or un-peeled.

Oh, yes, I was poisoned a fourth time, through eating an already cut watermelon I bought at an Indonesian market to quench my thirst. Break the rules and you will be punished, even if they are your own rules.

Lawrence Pane circumnavigated with his wife and young son, and his expertise in the areas of sailing, cruising and travel, expressed through two books, numerous magazine articles and very popular seminars, has informed, assisted and entertained a wide audience of sailors and non-sailors. Visit Chasing Sunsets to enjoy the photos, buy the books, and check up on coming seminars.

Great Family Vacation Spot in Christ Church Barbados

If you want a good idea for a great family vacation spot in Barbados, then why not check out the Pirate’s Inn at Christ Church in the south end of the island.

A Family Vacation Spot in Barbados isn’t really any different from anywhere else in the respect that it needs to be near enough to walk to a beach or beaches. There needs to be watersports plus proximity to golf, tennis, squash, and other dry land sports, and of course shops, restaurants, banks, and supermarkets. In addition there is the safety element both in and out of the water. Choose the Pirate’s Inn, and you will be more than satisfied on all these counts, which makes it the right spot for a great family vacation.

Another couple of points to make in that all the rooms have a kitchenette, which means there is a self catering option which is often much better for a family vacation, so you aren’t necessarily tied to meal times. Children get hungry and tired at the most inconvenient times in a hotel!!

The rooms in the Pirate’s Inn come as Studio Suites with a generous 360 square feet of space, or 1 bedroom apartments which are big enough for families. It is also fair to regard the Pirate’s Inn as a cheap hotel with an average price of around USD90 per night.

Guest satisfaction is high at this family vacation spot, and one of the main reasons given was that Pirate’s Inn is different to most hotels. Many guests feel almost paralyzed by inaction when they stay in a hotel. It’s like having the power of choice removed the second you walk through the door. What with meal times, and the almost sheep like behaviour of guests, with everyone doing what everyone else is doing. By comparison arrival at the Pirate’s Inn and the fact you can have a mobile phone issued to use, then the realization that you have a kitchenette opens up a world of possibilities, and so you view your holiday quite differently.

As an example you are now very much more likely to get out of the hotel and mingle with local people. You will be going quickly to the local supermarket, and realize immediately how much cheaper everything is there, from the booze to basic foodstuffs. Whilst not suggesting for one second you are going to eat in, at least you have another choice of what to do. Statistically you will eat out more, you will travel around more, and you will really appreciate how nice it is to return to Pirate’s Inn, instead of spending your entire holiday complaining about shortcomings in your family hotel, because you haven’t been anywhere, or seen anything.

This may seem like a rant, but sadly it is all too common with any family vacation spot if you are stuck with it because you have a meal deal. Even the best food in a hotel becomes repetitive after a week, but if it is prepaid or you are all inclusive, then you have to lump it.

Not so at the Pirate’s Inn, where you have a hotel with a great pool, perfectly located for anything you want to do.

The staff are warm and helpful, as well as being efficient, understanding and kind. You will be more than reassured by the high level of security with 24 hour staff on duty for this purpose. You won’t ever feel unsafe at night because the hotel is locked up and guards are there. For a relaxing family vacation spot you can’t really ask for more.

The cleanliness is also above reproach, so if you just continue to remind yourself that the Pirate’s Inn is a cheap hotel, and is not The Hilton, you should be well pleased with this as a family vacation idea.

Andrew Watkins is the owner of Barbados Vacation Spots as well as being a contributor on occasions to Worldwide Vacation Spots and he thinks it would be worth your while to check out Caribbean Vacation Spots especially any information you can find about Barbados.

A Self Catering Holiday in an Affordable Oceanfront Hotel in Christ Church Barbados

A self catering holiday within a hotel environment has to be potentially the best of both worlds. The freedom of self catering, and the facilities of what will normally be an affordable hotel.

The Butterfly Beach Hotel is no exception to this rule, sitting in the Christ Church area of Barbados in a lovely oceanfront location with access to two white sand beaches. With 90+ rooms it isn’t too big so as to be impersonal, although only rated as two star it could be ideal as a decent quality affordable hotel.

The Butterfly Beach Hotel is what might best be called a mixed accommodation hotel with some Superior Rooms but no kitchenette, then the Superior Island View Studio, but with no balcony to sit on, with a kitchenette, called The French Balcony Rooms. Then there is the Superior Island View Studio as above but with a balcony or a terrace. The Superior Oceanview Studio as before, but with Oceanview obviously!

In addition there are one and two bedroom Island view apartments, Two Bedroom Oceanview Apartments, and a Penthouse Apartment, and the cost per room per night starts at about USD100 and rises to about USD300 depending on the time of year. All the rooms are air conditioned, with ceiling fans, and cable TV, and internet access. You will find the rooms are large, kept very clean, and generally offer good value for money, and the oceanview rooms do offer a great view of the sea.

There is a large swimming pool and there are beach towels provided at the front desk. There is a restaurant and beach bar, open all day offering buffet breakfast, a la carte lunch, and dinner, offering a good choice of Caribbean Cuisine and international options. The breakfasts and lunches get a very high satisfaction level from guests, and although the dinner menu is a little limited the quality is good, and the price very reasonable.

For those who prefer to use the Butterfly Beach Hotel for a self catering holiday the town of Oistins is close by where there is the famous fish fry on a Friday, and also eating out in St Lawrence Gap is great fun with good restaurants, and getting on a local bus to and from, is very much part of the fun. They come often, are cheap, almost always crowded but very good natured. Restaurants like Houdinis, and Bellini’s are well worth a visit, and many of the restaurants have lovely views of the bay and the beach. It is also worth going to Pisces, although it isn’t cheap, the food is fantastic, and also the Mexican restaurant Caf

Holiday Rentals In St Martin De Belleville, France

If you’re looking for a great skiing holiday location, then be sure to check out St Martin de Belleville in the Rh

Making the World a Smaller Place: Dubai International City

Bringing together the diverse cultural and architectural styles of nine distinctly different countries within a single united society spanning 800 hectares, Dubai International City exemplifies the concept of unity within diversity. The residential districts of the nine countries, which include Persia, England, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Russia, Greece, France and China, offer an exotic yet affordable living experience to its residents.

The Dubai International City property development is conveniently located on the Emirates Road in the Al Warsan region of Dubai and is only a short distance away from Dubai International Financial Center - DIFC, Dubai International Airport and Dubai Festival City. In addition to the extensive entertainment venues, commercial opportunities, retail outlets and exciting tourist attractions, it also features one and two bedroom apartment units that are capable of accommodating more than 60 thousand residents.

Dubai International City comprises of six key areas including The Lakes District & Public Park (The Lakeside), The Residential District, The Central District, The Forbidden City, The Dragon Mart and Dubai Design Centre (Dubai Gates).

Lakes District & Public Park (The Lakeside)

Surrounding the serene Al Warsan Lake, the Lakes District is a 100 hectare natural ecosystem that comprises a total of 1375 two-three bedroom duplex apartments contained within 25 buildings. The Lakes District is home to about 200 species of birds among which are some of the rarest and most exotic birds found in Asia and the Middle East.

The Residential District

Spread out across 300 hectares, the Residential District is divided into large and medium-sized country specific and themed residential developments and retail outlets. With restaurants, commercial outlets, medical centers, transportation services and a police station and post office of its own, the Residential District is pretty much self-sufficient within itself.

The Central District

The nerve center of the Dubai International City property development, the Central District comprises 34 plots spread over 21 hectares. Each plot features a 10-storey tower that is home to wholesalers, retailers and corporate offices with basement parking for anywhere upto 130 vehicles.

Forbidden City

Spanning 240 thousand square meters, the Forbidden City is a replica of the largest and one of the best-preserved clusters of ancient buildings in China. Forbidden City hosts a variety of authentic Chinese residential and retail outlets, entertainment venues and public squares set amidst spectacular Chinese themed gardens, performance courts and museums.

The Dragon Mart

Essentially a colossal trade mall spread over 50 hectares, the Dragon Mart is designed in the form of a colorful dragon with a 1.4km long Central Spine with the dragon’s head at the Dubai-Hatta road serving as the main entrance. This dragon shaped mall serves as a commercial center for more than 3,000 Chinese companies and is a great place for anyone looking for a great bargain.

Dubai Design Center (Dubai Gates)

Designed to be an exclusive area for hosting permanent as well as temporary exhibitions, Dubai Design Center occupies three sides of the Dubai Internet City property development. With two hotels containing 300-400 rooms each, it provides extensive accommodation for exhibitors and visitors.

Sandcastles Dubai Property offers Dubai Property for sale including Dubai International City. Visit our website for more Dubai property for sale

Travel Insurance – Read the Small Print!

With cheap travel insurance available more widely than ever before, the vast majority of travellers will buy some kind of insurance policy before they go away. But how many people actually know what they are buying? Very few people read through their policy thoroughly enough, leaving themselves vulnerable to massive costs and missed claims. Here are a few of the things you need to check for when looking through your travel insurance policy.

Hazardous Sports and Activities

Worldwide travel insurance may cover you in every country, but it won’t cover you for every activity! You need to check the small print of your policy carefully – basic and cheap travel insurance usually won’t cover more dangerous sports and activities like rock climbing, snow boarding and bungee jumping. Of course, these more high risk activities are much more likely to result in injury, leading to some seriously expensive medical costs if your travel insurance isn’t comprehensive.

Pre-existing medical conditions

This is relatively well known, but it still catches people out when they are buying discount travel insurance. Standard insurance will NOT cover you if you have a pre-existing medical condition, including asthma and diabetes – you will have to get specialist insurance with higher premiums in order to be fully covered.

Death in the family

If you have to return home in a hurry due to an illness or death in the family, even cheap travel insurance usually has some kind of cover for your travel costs in the ‘Curtailment’ part of the policy. But be aware – there are a number of terms and conditions you need to be aware of. It won’t cover you if your close relative is suffering from a pre-existing medical condition or long term illness that you are already aware of. Travel insurance policies are also very specific about who counts as a close relative; usually you’ll only be able to claim if the relative in question is a parent, grandparent, partner, child or sibling.

Travellers Over 65

Fortunately, most travel insurance companies make this restriction fairly explicit, but not all! If you are over 65, you will need to get specialist travel insurance, and the price is likely to go up significantly since older travellers are considered to be higher risk.

Reckless behaviour

Many people think that once they have their worldwide travel insurance that they have a free rein to do whatever they like and their insurance company will bail them out. Not so – most travel insurance companies (reasonably enough) won’t cover you for what is deemed to be reckless behaviour, especially if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time.

Theft, Receipts and Police reports

If you’ve been the victim of theft, make sure that you report it to the local authorities. They may do little more than give you a reference number, but without this reference a travel insurance company is not likely to process your claim. Keep the receipts for any valuables you take with you as well – if you can’t prove ownership of a valuable item in the first place, you’ll struggle to make a successful claim if it is taken.

Patrick Chong is the Managing Director of Journey

Tips on Finding Cheap Holidays

Is it actually possible to have a good time on your holiday and still save lots of money? You better believe it and there are a lot of ways you will be able to enjoy cheap holidays without burning out your budget. You know that the era of cheap airways is surely over, at least for the moment. If you know where to search for cheap holidays things are often a lot easier than you might think. Do you have a hard time actually believing this is true?

Flights are in fact only partly the reason why holidays can be very expensive. The primary way for you to discover cheap flights is to ask for information from several travel agencies that deal with holidays and also you can find good information on the internet, there are many travel websites that advertise their expertise in finding the lowest airfare ticket.

How can you make sure the airfares you find are actually cheap flights? One important thing is to stay as flexible as possible. Make sure you follow the below tips and you can rest assure that you will grab a cheap holiday offer.

1. Often airline companies will offer you a discount on ticket prices if you book online instead of using the phone

2. To get the cheapest prices, you may have to fly late at night/early in the morning and on certain days of the week

3. Package operators will often offer you a big discount if you book early on and some even offer you extra discounts if you book your airline ticket online instead.

4. There are dozens more travel companies out there on the Internet that offer last-minute deals. However, companies would much rather fill a seat on a chartered airline and a room in a hotel that they have already booked than leave them empty.

It is important to choose a dependable travel agent when you’re on the hunt for cheap holidays to make sure you get the best advise possible.

When you are looking for cheap holidays, there are some other things that you should consider as well. The most crucial is to select a destination that matches your budget to make sure you can afford it. Often, the further away a destination is the more expensive it will be. Then, as you might already recognize, the best deals for cheap holidays are during low seasons but if summer is the only time of the year you are able to have your holiday then select a holiday destination where you will have many alternatives to choose from.

Well, the best ways to find cheap holidays deals it is searching the internet and get as much information as you can from online travel agencies. There are thousands of websites ou there that deal with holidays. Just make sure you find one that covers your needs. When booking for cheap holidays, try to book as early as possible although there are many travel agencies that offer great holiday deals and package holidays at last minute offers.

For more information on finding cheap holidays visit us at cheap holidays 24. If you use our travel tips and travel guides you will definitely find the cheap holidays you are looking for. We recently published the article holidays to Florida keys

Visiting Shrewsbury

One of England’s oldest and most prestigious towns, Shrewsbury stills carries the tag of ‘England’s finest Tudor town’. Black and white beamed properties line the streets of Shrewsbury, joined together by winding streets and hidden passages.

Situated in the West of England, Shrewsbury lies next to Wales and is surrounded by the River Severn and miles upon miles of rolling hills. Boasting several awards for its beautiful flower displays, Shrewsbury is often visited purely for its picturesque value alone.

Traveling to Shrewsbury is easy. There’s a regular train service from most, large train stations in the UK, whilst coaches are often departing from various locations around the Country. With John Lennon airport in Liverpool North and Cardiff airport a few miles South, Birmingham airport is situated to the East, allowing for easy access to Shrewsbury from all over the World.

Whichever accommodation type you prefer to stay in, there’s something to suit everyone’s needs and budgets. Shrewsbury offers every type of accommodation, from Bed and Breakfast’s to caravan parks and self-catering holiday cottages to camp sites, whilst Shrewsbury Hotels are often the preferred accommodation type. With a variety of hotels situated in the centre of Shrewsbury and just as many further out, they range from budget priced as a place to rest your head and freshen up to extravagant, 5* hotels with integrated spa’s and health villages.

Once in Shrewsbury and comfortably settled into your chosen accommodation, there are endless activities and places to visit throughout your stay. For the historic values, Shrewsbury offers a wonderful castle and abbey as well as a selection of interesting museums. Providing over 600 grade listed buildings and being the home of Charles Darwin, it’s easy to see why Shrewsbury is visited for its historic values and photogenic appeal year in and year out. Shopping wise, there is definitely something for everyone, regardless of whether you’re a shopping fan or not. For the more keen shoppers, there’s a range a of high street brands at your finger tips in Shrewsbury’s malls and shopping centres. For those who like to peruse more, Shrewsbury is bustling with individual and independent shops and retailers, there’s no doubt that whether you’re looking for something or not, you will have a purchase or two to take home.

When it’s time for lunch or dinner, or even a pint of beer or a glass of wine, Shrewsbury is filled with Century old buildings now offering gastronomic delights. The Waterfront, a new development on the edge of the River Severn, boasts a variety of trendy bars and appealing restaurants. Dotted around Shrewsbury, on the main roads and down winding, cobbled paths are several inns and quirky caf

Next Page »