Luxembourg is a tiny (80 x 50km) European country, squeezed between Germany, France and Belgium. It’s easy to overlook as a destination for a holiday, but it really shouldn’t be because it has lots to offer with plenty of historical buildings and museums, plus really beautiful countryside.
The official languages of Luxembourg are French and German, although the most commonly spoken language is Letzebuergesh. Most residents speak good English though they appreciate any efforts made at speaking any of the local languages.
Its location has obviously meant that it has had a great deal of input in terms of its cultural development from neighbouring France, Germany and Belgium, but it has its own identity too and strong folk traditions. It is also unique because it is a Grand Duchy with independent status. It is fully involved with the rest of Europe though, and is a member state of the EU, NATO and the UN.
It’s a wealthy nation, largely due to its impressive financial sector, and it is also a tax haven so a great deal of foreign money finds its way into Luxembourg. Also, despite its relatively vast areas of greenery, its main industries are steel and iron processing.
Luxembourg is made up of several towns and only one city – its capital, also called Luxembourg. Most of Luxembourg’ half a million inhabitants live in the towns.
Don’t miss visiting the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Luxembourg Castle, the Grand Ducal Palace, and the city of Luxembourg’s amazing fortification system. This was built during the course of several centuries up to the 1700’s when its casements and tunnels gave it the reputation of the best fortress in Europe. It’s still possible to see parts of the fortress including parts that are underground.
Of the museums available, don’t miss the National Museums of History and Art, and of Natural History. There are also two impressive Modern Art galleries – the Am Tunnel and the Grand Duke Jean Museum of Modern Art (aka Mudam). If war history is what you’re interested in, go to visit the Gelle Fra War Memorial and the Luxembourg American Cemetary/Memorial.
Other sights not to be missed are the Chemin de la Corniche, which is a beautiful promenade leading to the Citadelle du St. Espirit, where you can view the river valleys and lower town, and try to go on the Wenzel Walk through the oldest quarters of the town for a tour rich in the country’s history.
Luxembourg is also well known for its wine – particularly within the Moselle Valley. So make sure you try a sample of the local wine, and maybe even go on a wine-tasting tour, which are very popular in the country. The ‘Wine Road’ (“Route de Vin”) starts out at Waserbillig, proceeding along the Moselle River through several quaint villages.
Don’t overlook Luxembourg, take a trip and enjoy all that the country has to offer.

Halloween is on the strangest, spookiest of all times of the year, meaning that those taking a trip during this period will likely want something a bit different from the norm. These are some of the best options available for unusual Halloween holiday breaks, in the UK, Europe and the US.

Alton Towers

For those wishing to spend their Halloween holiday break in the UK, the Alton Towers amusement park in Staffordshire offers a great deal. Every year they have the ‘Scarefest’, which incorporates later than usual opening times (up until 9pm every night). Furthermore if you want to stay at the park overnight during this period, they include a number of special, ghostly Halloween experiences within their hotels. There are discounts available for children for both the park and the accommodation during this period.

Disneyland, Paris

If you prefer to go elsewhere in Europe, the Paris Disneyland park is another popular Halloween option. The park features special shows, decorations and parties to celebrate Halloween and, again you can opt to stay in one of the company’s hotels, where further attractions are available, including appearances by some of the famous Disney animated characters.

Circus Circus, Las Vegas

Then again, if the USA is your preferred Halloween location, then the Circus Circus in Las Vegas offers and affordable, if cheap and cheerful, option for families on tight budgets. This is the location of the Adventuredome, which is the largest indoor theme park in the US. Alternatively, if you wish something a bit more expensive, the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, which was one of the inspirations for the Stephen King novel The Shining and has a reputation for being haunted – features tours, Ghost Hunts with paranormal investigators, Murder Mystery dinners and Halloween screenings of The Shining, as entertainments to tempt both adults and children during the Halloween period.

Andorra is a small country wedged in between Spain and France. Few people have even heard of it despite its relative proximity to our shores, though it is well known among skiiers and snowboarders since it offers amazing ski resorts.

If you’re interested in taking a skiing holiday this year, then Andorra is well worth a visit. Not as well-known or high-profile as some of the other resorts in neighbouring countries, yet it has plenty to offer. There are a number of linked ski paths and zones, that can all be accessed with the use of a single lift pass, giving you a breadth and range of sights and experiences that you just don’t get elsewhere for the same sort of price.

However, if you’re interested in seeing more of the region and country than just the ski slopes, there is plenty to see and do in the area. If you wanted to, a three hour drive would take you to Barcelona, but you really don’t have to go that far to see interesting things and experience a bit of culture. Spain and France are both within an hour’s drive, if you want to visit them. Here are some experiences and places to visit that we think are worth travelling for:

You could visit the Rafting Centre, La Seu d’Urgell, Spain.
If you haven’t had your fill of sporting and energetic pursuits on the slopes, why not try the Parc Olymic which offers whitewater rafting and canoeing. The venue was used for the kayak events in the Olympics of 1992 and is now a popular venue for water-sport fanatics.
Or try Os de Civis:
This beautiful little Spanish village is located in the mountains and is only accessible through the gorges of Andorra – worth the visit for the journey in itself. Experience a lunch of local fresh food such as Catalan peasant soup and Spanish sausage, and visit the 12th Century church on the hill.
If you choose to stick to Andorra, there are plenty of apres ski activities and lively night-life to enjoy; plus shopping there is duty free so you can pick up some bargains. Enjoy!

It’s nearly Hallowe’en, and so we thought: where’s the spookiest place to go on holiday? Where else? Romania!

Home to more myths and scary legends than you can shake a stick at, it’s the perfect place for a half-term getaway to remember.

Romania is a very beautiful country with plenty of history and varied architecture, which are all good reasons to visit the country at any time of the year (note that Spring is warm during the day, cool during the morning; Summer is really rather sunny and warm, up to 100F though cooler in the mountains; Autumn is dry and cool and there’s plenty of gorgeous foliage to admire; Winters are cold and often very snowy).

But what about Hallowe’en??

Where else to go in Romania but Transylvania.

Transylvania is a region of Romania in which there are many, amazingly-well preserved medieval towns (e.g. Brasov, Sibiu and Sighisoara), fabulous to explore during the daylight hours. Or at night if you’re brave. Here and there are Gothic castles worthy of any vampire novel or Hammer Horror film. The most famous of these is probably Bran (built in 1377), near Brasov, which was originally home to Prince Vlad Tepes (known as ‘Vlad the Impaler’) in the 15th-century – thought to be the inspiration behind Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Near to the Bran castle are Saxon, fortified churches in Harman and Prejmer, which are also worth a visit – these are designated as World Heritage Sites.

Going to Transylvania is a bit like travelling back in time. Everywhere you look you will see people going about very old-fashioned, traditional routines and jobs (there are actual shepherds, blacksmiths, carpenters and weavers, for example). They take things one step further in Moti Land, which is in the Ariesi Valley, where several villages are situated across numerous sites up the mountains there (living at over 4,000ft above sea-level) with well-preserved traditional lifestyles in the same way as they have done for centuries.

If the actual, day-to-day lifestyles of Transylvania’s population isn’t enough, you can always visit one of the region’s many museums, like the National Art Museum in Cluj; the Ethnographic, Art and/or History museum in Brasov, or the National History Museum of Transylvania in Cluj. If you’re feeling a bit in need of something gruesome, opt for the History Museum in Sighisoara which contains the ‘Torture Room’.

There are loads of cave systems to explore if you’re interested in doing a bit of caving while you’re there – perhaps the best place to start is at the Apuseni Nature Park or the Piatra Craiului National Park (the latter is home to the world’s deepest underground abysses)

The food in Transylvania mainly consists of pork, lamb and veal, usually flavoured with thyme and red pepper. There’s plenty of home-made pasta, usually found in the soups, but their version of lasagne (called ‘Varza a la Cluj’) is actually made with layers of shredded cabbage instead of the pasta sheets used in Italy. ‘Varza’ is Romanian for cabbage and you’ll see it a lot on their menus, since it’s one of the main items produced by the country.

Some of the legends that surround the region are:
that Transylvania is situated within a very strong magnetic field and the inhabitants have ESP (extra-sensory perception);
Vampires can be found at crossroads on St George’s Day (23rd April) and 29th November (the eve of St Andrew’s day)
There was genuinely vampire activity in Romania in the late 1600’s and throughout the 1700’s

If you’re a mad-keen cyclist, chances are you’ve already considered or even been on a holiday that fits in with your hobby and been biking across all sorts of terrains in all sorts of countries. But if you’re new to cycling, or perhaps have family that doesn’t really fancy doing a lot of strenuous exercise on their break, there are holidays that combine cycling suitable for all levels of ability with a relaxing break in beautiful settings.

Cycling, like all forms of exercise, is a natural restorative; nature’s way of re-charging your batteries. It is a natural form of stress-busting and so should be ideal when combined with a holiday to get away from it all. In winter time, head further afield, anywhere from Peru to California, to pedal away to places new.

Many people – the real enthusiasts – take their own bikes with them (many do not like being parted from their bikes) but it is perhaps easier to hire one when you get there; many companies offer guided biking tours (aimed at all abilities) and will hire the bikes out direct. Take suitable clothing and make sure you’re healthy – getting fitter beforehand will make the ride so much more enjoyable.

If you’re thinking of booking your main holiday for next year and think that cycling sounds like an exciting way to explore new places at your own pace, accessing places that you wouldn’t be able to on a coach tour, then consider these possibilities:

1. France: From taking a package cycling holiday around the numerous chateaux between hotel stops to taking a tour that lets you ride the actual Tour de France route, there is something for everyone in France. If you don’t fancy a package deal then why not consider staying in the Vendee – beautiful, warm and sunny and mainly flat, with peaceful gently undulating pine forests to explore by bike. Or stay in Brittany and ride your bike along the wide, easily-accessible coastal paths.

2. Spain: Catalonia is a popular destination for cyclists and many tour-operators offering cycling packages plot routes here. There is plenty to explore: breathtaking scenery; wildlife and birds; ancient, quaint villages and churches. Most tours operate on a hotel-to-hotel basis, meaning that you start in one hotel and explore everything along your route to the next hotel and so on.

3. Italy: Tuscany is the ideal choice for cyclists who are fit enough to manage gentle (and sometimes steep) hills. It is possible to ride gondolas up some of the most steep hills, taking your bike with you, so that you can ride along the top of the hills or back down winding streets and amongst forests and fields. Ensure that you take adequate provisions with you because out in the Tuscan hills there aren’t many places to buy a sandwich and a cold drink!

Think of holidays in Austria and you’ll probably picture Alpine ski slopes.   But it’s actually a really great place to visit in Spring and Summer months, too – plenty of fresh air, beautiful scenery comprising stunning views from and of those same mountains that look rather different when not covered in snow.

It’s one of the few places in Europe that is cheaper to visit as part of a package deal through a travel agent than by travelling independently.  Most package deals in the warmer months, though, are steadfastly aimed at the more mature traveller.  Perhaps the best advice is to book a package holiday, take advantage of the cheaper hotel rates and transfers, then regard it as an independent holiday, bypassing the excursions arranged by the agent and do a bit of exploring yourself.   Most hotels look like large versions of the kind of chocolate-box pictures of Austrian cabins – all pointed roofs, wooden structures and flowery window boxes.  Inside, most are decorated in the style of hunting lodges, which can be a bit disconcerting, eating meat whilst being stared at by numerous animal husks adorning the wall.

A typical Austrian holiday destination is Zell am Zee, about an hour’s drive from Saltzburg.  Here, you have a beautiful, well maintained lake, and mountain paths for some serious hiking (if you want to walk to the top) and/or easy-access paths along the tops (if you take the tram) with amazing views of the valley below. 

A short train journey will bring you to other places to walk and enjoy yet more scenery, including the highest waterfall in Europe at Krimml, a spectacular sight well-worth climbing all the hundreds of stairs to reach the stairs.

Public transport in Austria is clean and punctual, but not as inexpensive as in much of the rest of mainland Europe.   A trip to nearby Saltzburg, for instance, is likely to set you back around £30 by train.  But it’s well worth it, for the food, many fine churches, and even the gothic graveyards.  There are regular classical music concerts, both daytime and evening, if you fancy absorbing yourself in the atmosphere of the birthplace of Mozart.  By the way, if ever you are asked in a pub quiz what country Mozart was born in, you should get extra points for saying Saltzburg, not Austria – because at the time that Mozart was born, Saltzburg was an independent principality and a country in it own right.  Saltzburg was also the setting for several scenes from the Sound of Music, something that the city capitalises on in terms of merchandise available from most gift shops.

It is a good idea to obtain a couple of travel insurance quotes for your trip away – if you Ski or do any sort of sports you may also want to look into health insurance too.

Food in Austria is pure stodge, but very tasty.  Dishes are largely composed of salty meats mixed with potatoes, and for desert you could choose germknodel, which is a large suet dome-shaped pudding with a blueberry centre, normally served with custard.  Most café’s also serve ‘Kaffe und Kuchen’ (coffee and cake) – I developed a five-a-day Kaffe und Kuchen habit when I was there.   It’s amazing that Austrians aren’t all the size of houses, all things considered.  They’re a very friendly people, who welcome tourists and particularly appreciate any attempts (however feeble) by tourists to speak some German. 

Prices for food and activities are comparable to those in the UK.  If you’re into walking, scenery and good old comfort food, then Austria is well worth a visit.