Europe Vacation

Many people have been familiar with the name of le Château d’If, but only few understand that this is actually a real place. Château d’If is widely known because this landmark was mentioned in Alexandre Dumas‘ classic novel, The Count of Monte Cristo. le Château d’If is the prison where the main protagonist, Edmond Dantes, spent 14 years of his life for a crime that he didn’t commit.

Built in 1524 by King Francis I, Château d’If used to be functioned as a fortress before turned into a prison, It is located on the island of If, the smallest island in the Frioul Archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, about a mile offshore in the Bay of Marseille in southeastern France.

The isolated location and dangerous offshore currents of the Château d’If made it an ideal escape-proof prison. In The Count of Monte Cristo book that published in 1844, Edmond Dantes character managed to escape this prison by deceiving the guards. He replaced the dead body of Abbe Faria inside a shroud with himself. The guards later threw the shroud from the cliff into the ocean, where Dantes later swam to the nearest island. In reality, no one was ever reported of manage to flee from the prison.

Château d’If used as a dumping ground for political and religious detainees, which made it as one of the most feared and notorious jails in France. One of the notable prisoners that spent long stint in this joint is Abbe Faria, a Catholic monk that was arrested for unknown reason. Alexandre Dumas used Abbe Faria as an inspiration for one of his novel’s character who has the same name.

The château’s use as a prison ceased at the end of the 19th century. It was demilitarized and opened to the public on September 23, 1890. It can now be reached by boat from Marseille’s old port. Its fame as the setting for Dumas’ novel has made it a popular tourist destination. le Château d’If is listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.

When you hear the word of Helsinki, what’s the first thing that cross in your mind? A heavily populated ancient city in the Northern Europe with unfriendly weather? Well, that’s probably the most common impression by someone who’ve never been to Helsinki, Finland, which is completely not true.

In 2009, Helsinki was chosen as The World Design Capital for 2012 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design. This capital city of Finland was picked in recognition of the use of design as an effective tool for social, cultural and economic development in the city.

Lutheran Cathedral in Helsinki

In choosing Helsinki, the World Design Capital selection jury highlighted Helsinki’s use of ‘Embedded Design’, which has tied design in the city to innovation, “creating global brands, such as Nokia, Kone and Marimekko, popular events, like the Helsinki Festival, outstanding education and research institutions, such as the Academy of Fine Art, and exemplary architects and designers such as Eliel Saarinen and Alvar Aalto.

Thus, that facts prove that Helsinki is a major tourist destination in European continent. It has many cultural tourist spots and landmarks, such as:

• Lutheran Cathedral (Tuomiokirkko), a white cathedral located in Senate Square. Built in 1852, it is the unofficial symbol of the city.
• Suomenlinna, one of the UNESCO’s world heritage list, once was the greatest sea fortress in the Baltic.
• Esplanadi Park, located in the heart of the city, this park is the place where people spend time during summer.
• Ateneum Art Museum, which has the largest collection of paintings and sculptures in Finland.
• The Helsinki Festival, is an annual arts and culture festival, which takes place every August.
• and still many more…

Helsinki is also a friendly vacation place, even for the low budget traveler. Tourist only need around €20/day for a comfortable hostel. While for them who has plenty of money, mid-range and five star hotels are scattered thorugh the city. Rivoli Jardin, Sokos Hotel Albert, Hotel Linna, Glo, Hilton Helsinki are among the best hotels in Helsinki.

If you want more information about hotels in Helsinki, you can check on http://catalogue.horse21.net/. In this site you can find the hotel address, price, review and customer ratings, and reservation service. All are well categorized so you can browse it quick and easy. This site is not only provide information about hotels in Finland, but also in all popular countries worldwide.

Since cold war ended and Soviet Union became Russia, it became a very friendly place to visit. If you can stand the extreme temperature, Russia can become a nice travel destination. It contains a lot of cultural heritages, 23 of them were elected as UNESCO World’s Heritage Sites. Some of the most famous tourist objects would be, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Bolshoi Theater, Red Square, and Mount Belukha.

Now, to go there you will need a Russian Visa. There are two types of visa, business visa and tourist visa. You can choose either one depend on your needs. If you going for private or official business, need to stay more than 30 days, or visit Russia frequently, then you’re going to need business visa. While if you already booked an accommodation and knew exactly where and how long you’ll be going in Russia, then you should get a tourist visa. It cheaper and easier to get.

The Beautiful Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow

To make it easier, you can learn more and order about these Russian visa online. Just visit Visalink website, a Russian visa services site. It can help you prepare for anything necessary to register a visa, and this will be extremely useful, especially if you’re planning your first visit to this largest country in the world.

Besides a fans of traveling, we’re also a fans of sports, including Formula 1 Grand Prix. That’s why we suddenly remember about Istanbul, which gonna held the 2011 Turkish GP in this weekend, on 6-8 May 2011. With the population of 13 millions people, Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, and the race track is called as the best in the world by Formula One’s big boss, Bernie Ecclestone.

With its stunning sandy beaches, gentle climate and a treasure trove of hidden gems it`s little wonder that the Algarve gets more visitors than the rest of Portugal. Whether you`re booking a last-minute deal or planning your stay down to the very last detail, the Algarve has a plethora of activities for all budgets and needs.

For sun worshippers and party-animals the popular resort of Albufeira hosts seven beaches and a wealth of bars, clubs and pubs that host quiz nights to karaoke. The rocky coves between Albufeira and Lagos are a must for beach lovers, as are the tempting sands of Praia Da Rocha, and for families staying at the resort it`s a stone`s throw from Zoomarine – a water park with aquarium and dolphin shows.

Agrave Beach

For a more laid back experience the unspoilt resort of Carvoeiro will guarantee you a great night`s sleep whilst still offering blissful beaches and local markets. And if its history and culture you`re after then try the Ria Formosa Natural Park with its secluded islands, restored tidal mill, Roman ruins and Portuguese water dog centre. Or even try the ancient fishing villages of Tavira and Lagos – the site of the first African slave market. There are a handful of car hire companies in and around Faro airport and it will cost you around £120 for one week.

The Algarve is also a golfing hot-spot thanks to its championship courses, or if shopping is the closest you come to sport then the vibrant town of Portimao is a popular choice with its many shoe and leather shops and jewellers. Loule and Olhao also offer open-air markets where you can browse the stalls for locally-produced gifts from carpets to beautiful hand-painted pottery.

The region enjoys sunshine all year round with temperatures peaking at a staggering 29ºC in the summer months (June to August) to a cooler 17ºC in winter. The language is Portuguese and the currency is the Euro. And you can stay in a choice of two to five star hotels, self-catering apartments, villas with private pools or simple, local B&Bs in most towns and villages.

Portuguese food is cheap and amongst the healthiest in Europe. Piri-Piri chicken is a regional delicacy worth sampling during your stay, as too are the variety of fish dishes, each specific to the different resorts and their links with the region`s fishing trade. Portugal`s most popular export is Port wine, yet local white and red varieties are worth a try, especially Vinho Verde or `green wine`.

So with its popular sites and hidden treasures, sleepy villages and bustling towns the Algarve is the perfect holiday destination for all ages and budgets. It not only tops many people`s list of places to go but tops the list of places they`re likely to return to year after year. Experience it for yourself with golf holidays in the Algarve