The French Riviera is one of the world’s most glamourous holiday destinations… but how best to explore? Car Hire Market exposit the advantages of a road trip, and select some favourite stop-offs en route.

It is a coastline famous for sparkling blue waters, blazing sunshine and visits from the highest profile celebrities you can imagine, from rap moguls to international supermodels. France’s Cote d’Azur is home to some of France’s best-known and most admired holiday destinations, from the beaches of Nice to the casinos of Monte Carlo.

Practicalities: Although with such wealth surrounding you it’s easy to assume that this is a pricey option, but there are affordable flights aplenty and it’s fairly simple to find cheap car hire in France. There are usually some reasonable deals available on accommodation, too, particularly if you book “mystery” hotels on the major hotel booking sites. You could try camping, but that might not be quite as glamourous as you were hoping for.

So, where to go? The major draw of a road trip is that you have absolute freedom to roam wherever you please. If you feel a little peckish, you can pull over in a mountainside village for a bite to eat. When being cooped up in the car becomes too much, you can follow your eye line to the ocean, park up, and run straight in – it’s all down to you, and you can go wherever you please. Although not exhaustive, here are a few places you should endeavour to visit along the way…

Nice. It is easy to get great value flights directly to Nice from airports all across the UK, so this might be your cheapest option – it’s also easy enough to collect your hire car in Nice. The town itself is worth a few days – obviously depending on how much time you want to spend exploring the coast. Take a wander around the cobbled town square, peruse the markets selling the freshest bread and cheese, or enjoy a glass of wine in one of the many street-side cafes. The pebbly beach is always full of sun-worshippers, but if the rays become too much, take time to stroll around the harbour or follow the promenade around the curve of the headland to see some beautiful views back across the city. Nice is also a great spot for those of you who want somewhere to dance the night away.

Monaco. This is where the fabulously rich come to holiday, and the wealth in the principality will become immediately apparent as soon as you drive on through. Expect to see enormous luxury yachts, expensive cars and eternally glamorous characters drinking and dining in up-market surroundings. This is your opportunity to don your glad rags and try your hand at some roulette or blackjack in Monte Carlo’s casinos.

Cannes. Famous for its yearly film festival, Cannes is also home to luxury shopping and wonderful restaurants. Spend the day on the beach marvelling at the yachts sparkling away in the distance and the sunglasses-wearing, tiny-dog-owning fashionistas who have never had to understand the concept of “high street shopping”. Again, Cannes doesn’t have to be expensive, as you can spend all day on the beach, paddling in the sea and marvelling at the people. One fact worth noting is that, on average, Cannes enjoys 12 hours of sunshine a day during summer.

From the Carnegie Hall to underground sound, NYC’s music and club venues are usually one step ahead of the rest of the globe. Guest poster David Bell runs down five of his favourite, in association with Momondo flight engine.

New York has some of the best music venues in the world and has been home to and inspiration for countless musicians from Alicia Keys to Nellie McKay, Lady Gaga and Billy-Joel. Since all great musicians have to start somewhere, NYC also has a thriving underground music scene, which is always reinventing itself. Here are some of the places to check out right now.

Mister Saturday Night

This dance party makes its way around South Brooklyn, wherever it can find space. Because it doesn’t have a regular home, it doesn’t worry about making itself a club with a pricey bar and security and everything else that goes with running a club. This party is all about the music and the people and it’s always popular.

Mutual Dreaming

Locals love this party, but tourists have to have a bit of luck to catch it, as it doesn’t keep to a regular schedule. It makes its way around Williamsburg and Bushwick, usually with about one gig a month. The brainchild of Aurora Halal, these parties are about the eyes as much as the ears, with great visuals to accompany the musicians.

Silent Barn

In the best tradition of NYC, Silent Barn started out as an illicit venue in Queens, was raided and closed down by authorities, went on a massive fundraising drive among its fans and reopened in grand style in Brooklyn, where it does pretty much what it used to do in Queens, only legally. Silent Barn is a place where artists rent living space (which is how the space manages to pay its bills) and share their living room and kitchen with live performances.

Secret Project Robot

Secret Project Robot is all about art and music is a part of that. As they’re hugely popular on the underground scene, they generally schedule musical events about 3 months in advance so it’s worth keeping an eye on their website. They’re not a club, they don’t book artists, but they do provide an amazing space for independent musicians.

The Village Underground

Greenwich Village might not be the budget hangout that it used to be, but it’s still green and still boho and it still rocks. This is the place to find some of the best, small, live music venues in the city. There are plenty of major artists still love to play here, even though they can pack out arenas elsewhere. The Village Underground used to be “Gerdes Folk City”, the heart of the rock ‘n’ roll scene in the swinging sixties. It was eventually closed down, but back in 2000, the venue became available again and was reclaimed for live music. If you’re brave enough, you can sign up for one of their regular open mic nights, if not the acoustics are possibly the best in New York, so you’re sure to
enjoy a live performance.

If you want to check out NYC’s booming underground music scene, make sure you check out the deals on cheap flights to New York from momondo.co.uk and start planning your nights out in ‘the city that never sleeps’.

Author Bio:

David Bell is a freelance writer and blogs about travel, interior design, online marketing, telecoms, and small business solutions. Follow him on Twitter @DavidBellWriter

Tents and tigers don’t usually go together, however in the Ranthambore National Park visitors can choose to stay in a luxury “glamping” resort within the natural territory of these majestic big cats. Oberoi Hotels talk us through some of the available options…

Photo credit Bjoern on Flickr

Ranthombore National Park is arguably the best place in the world to see the tiger in the wild. The 5,000 square feet is said to be home to around 40 tigers which, although it might not sound like much, is deemed to be overpopulated. There’s a whole range of tiger spotting safaris to choose from but, if you’re lucky, you might be able to spot a tiger from your resort, since they’ve been known to venture very close to the edge of the park.

There’s no better way to explore a jungle than from the comfort of a luxurious tent and there’s loads of options to choose from when it comes to finding accommodation in Ranthambore. How lavish you want to is up to you:

• Voted the most opulent place to ‘glamp’ in the world, The Oberoi Vanyavilas offers the luxury equipped with four poster beds, free standing roll topped baths, gold thread embroidered canopies and even a private outside area for sunbathing. This resort really puts the glamour into glamping. But if you can’t quite stomach the £400 per night price tag then there are some other options.

• Khem Villas’ Luxury Jungle Camp offers an environmentally sensitive glamping option. The tents are luxurious whilst minimalistic and the surroundings are planted with indigenous trees in order to convert the vast open grassland into a hotbed of natural wildlife. Highlights of this resort include nature walks, village and jungle trips, and night time campfires and rates start from a fairly reasonable £170 per night, including an evening meal.

• The Ranthambore Bagh offers luxury tented accommodation at a fraction of the price of others. A double tent will only set you back around £75 per night. Tents all have electricity, running hot and cold water as well as heating and air conditioning. No four posters though….

If you like the idea of glamping, but aren’t too sure about the tigers, then why not check out this blog post on Glamping in the UK?  It’s from Glamping specialist Boutique Camping.  It’s a great holiday option if you’re looking for a bit of luxury but haven’t got a budget to burn.

Or, if you don’t want to be confined to resorts, a bell tent (like this bad boy from Boutique Camping)  costs under £400 and can be used again and again.

We wouldn’t recommend pitching up right next to the tigers though…

The City of Light can keep any curious traveller occupied for days, months or even years. But here to tell us a little bit more about the French capital’s absolute unmissable top three attractions for a short visit are Accor Hotels…

Paris is France’s largest city and its capital, situated in the heart of the Île-de-France region on the river Seine. This beautiful city is one of Europe’s most populated and its metropolitan area has more than 12 million inhabitants. Paris has over 28 million tourists each year and is the world’s top tourism destination. It’s no wonder then that Paris has an abundance of attractions and activities for tourists. So when in the most visited city in the world, what do you do? Here are our top attractions to visit during a trip to Paris:

The Louvre

The Louvre is one of the world’s largest museums, housing over 400,000 items. It receives more than 8 million visitors each year, making it the world’s most visited museum. It doesn’t attract this many people for no reason.

The Louvre contains many priceless pieces from antiquity, such as Egyptian, Near Eastern, Greek and Roman cultures. The Egyptian antiquities department alone contains over 50,000 artefacts. Anyone that has an interest in ancient history could easily spend many hours walking the corridors of the Louvre exploring long lost cultures.

There are also many world famous artworks contained within the Louvre. The single, most well known piece of art in the Louvre is the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Seeing the Mona Lisa is definitely something you do if you visit Paris.

The Eiffel Tower

Paris’ most famous monument is undoubtedly the Eiffel Tower. Built in 1889 for the World’s Fair, the Eiffel Tower provides wonderful views over the city. Ideally, try to be on the second level of the tower at sunset. The views at this time are spectacular and something you will remember for the rest of your life.

Disneyland Paris

If you are travelling with your children, then you should definitely visit Disneyland Paris. It is Europe’s most visited themed attraction and is well worth a visit since it has something to offer both children and adults.

Disneyland Paris is home to two theme parks, seven hotels and an assortment of entertainment, shopping and dining facilities. The theme parks are what most people are interested in and many of the attractions are based on Disney movies, such as The Pirates of the Caribbean in Adventureland and Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast in Discoveryland; something the kids are sure to love.

If you’re going to visit Disneyland Paris, then do not forget to take a picture with some of the many Disney characters that you will see around the theme parks. For many of us, it will be a chance to relive our childhood.

Paris is a wonderful city and somewhere everyone should visit at least once. With a wide range of Paris hotels, many top quality places to eat and drink and some of the most famous tourist attractions in the world, there really is no reason not to visit this iconic city.

Culture cats, beach bums and winter sports addicts will all find great value in Bulgaria. Our friends at Gatwick Parking explore the country on Europe’s South Eastern frontier.

After decades shrouded behind the Iron Curtain and centuries under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, today Bulgaria is emerging as a fast-changing, dynamic, and culturally rich destination located at the far eastern edge of the European Union. With its exotic beaches, powdery ski slopes, and majestic architecture, Bulgaria is an undiscovered gem of Eastern Europe. Now is a great time to take advantage of the country’s undiscovered nature, because while Bulgaria is more open than ever before to tourists, it also ranks as the best value holiday in Europe. Bulgaria can be a very rewarding choice for holiday once you familiarize yourself a bit with the Cyrillic alphabet and a few phrases of Bulgarian to get you around. Before we start, if you’re Traveling to Bulgaria and are having troubles finding somewhere cheap to park, try parking at Gatwick with a low cost fee throughout the whole year.

Holiday Value in Sofia

The capital city, Sofia, proves to be very affordable. According to a cost index compiled by Post Office Travel Money, common travel expenses, such as a three course dinner, can cost almost half the price paid by visitors to the beachfront of Brighton. With an exchange rate of over two Bulgarian leva to the pound, Britons will find that many travel expenses will come at a great bargain, with some meals costing as little as two leva or less, for instance. Even high end dining can run under £10 a dish. And while there are a range of lodging options for all budgets, Sofia offers a variety of comfortable and clean hostels to choose from as well. For instance, the Art Hostel, a location named by The Guardian as “probably the coolest youth-hostel in Europe,” can be had for as little as €12 a night.

One of the charms of Sofia is its ability to provide you a variety of attractions in a central location. As one of the oldest cities in Europe, Sofia is a tapestry of history and architecture, with attractions such as the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, a stunning example of Neo-Byzantine architecture, and one of the largest orthodox cathedrals in the world. There are also a number of monuments commemorating Bulgarian history, such as the Battenberg Mausoleum, honoring the first leader of modern Bulgaria. For tourists who want to see it all, Sofia offers free, English language walking, biking, or hiking tours with knowledgable tour leaders.

Perhaps unique to a capitol city, Sofia offers skiing in the winter months, just an hour from the city center on Mount Vitosha, and permitting quick skiing day trips during your stay. Sofia also boasts a large amount of green space and parkland in the city, ideal for taking bike tours. Mineral water springs, the original reason for Sofia’s founding, dot the city, with one especially popular one available in the city center.

The Undiscovered Coast

For tourists seeking summer resort style fun, Bulgaria also offers an amazing value in its somewhat unknown Black Sea coast. Cities like Varna or Sunny Beach offer a taste of the coastline, dotted with hotels and an active nightlife. Whether your interest is historical or resort-oriented, Bulgaria represents a great deal.

We seek advice all the time in the fields of health, love and finance… so why not travel too? In this week’s guest post The Co-Operative Personal Travel Advisors explain the pros of seeking some professional help in choosing your vacation.

A personal travel advisor can help us choose the ultimate holiday by offering knowledge and expertise that is second to none.

So why should you choose one when booking your next holiday?

Peace of mind

Quite often when we book a holiday we don’t always check the financial guarantees and safety aspects of the trip. A personal travel advisor, particularly if they are employed by a larger, reputable firm will ensure your trip is bonded by both ABTA and ATOL guarantees.

This can prove invaluable should there be a problem with any unexpected mishaps. It’s very reassuring to know that a quick call to the advisor can provide some helpful suggestions whilst you’re away.

Booking

Some prefer the comforts of an all-inclusive package while others prefer to be a little more adventurous and tailor their holidays to their individual needs. It’s so much easier to leave all the booking details, including travel and hotel arrangements, in the capable hands of an advisor.

Knowledge

If you present your needs to your specialist travel advisor they will be able to advise which destinations will suit your budget.

If you are travelling as a family you can even ask them how every family member can be satisfied. This will eliminate any potential family arguments in an instant.

Budget

It’s the advisor’s job to seek out the best possible holiday on your suggested budget. This means that you won’t be shocked by extra expenditure when you are there.

For example, should you wish to spend some time sightseeing in Rome then the advisor will let your know all the museum charges as well as the prices you should expect to pay in local restaurants. If you have a reasonable idea of the possible expenditure before your trip it’s easier to plan how to spend your time and your money.

Pleasure

Personal travel advisors are selected as a result of their knowledge of the travel industry and their love of holiday destinations. It’s great knowing that you can take advantage of this expertise and you don’t have to be a millionaire to be able to do so.

With so many reasons why you should use a personal travel advisor the one question you should really ask yourself is ‘why shouldn’t you use one?’

Cobbled lanes and castles are just the tip of Edinburgh’s charms. The folk at Handpicked Hotels recommend you visit the Scottish capital at least twice thrice…

The capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh, is one of the most captivating cities in the world.  It has bustling shopping streets and several old cobbled lanes seconds apart, making it no wonder the place is a World Heritage Site.

Steeped in history, tradition and spectacular architecture, Edinburgh isn’t somewhere you visit once. You return to discover, learn and enjoy more and more of this place. A great time to visit, of course, is August during ‘the Festival’.  Film, art, music, politics and books all have their own events and the following week The Fringe is held where actors, actresses, comedians and performers of all kinds flock to the city to perform where, for some, it’s a make or break opportunity.

Wherever you are in this glorious city you can, for the most part, see the castle. Its buildings date from the 12th Century right through to the 21st Century. It is certainly worth a trip up to, to wander round its lofty expanse and if you’re there around lunchtime (1pm to be exact) a field gun erupts with a burst of shellfire, frightening the life out of those who were not expecting it, you’ve been warned!

When in Scotland, eat and drinks as the Scots do. So, although you may be nursing a hangover trying to keep up with them, you can do so with a Scottish breakfast. Scottish breakfast is very similar to its English counterpart with the addition of potato scones and a few other regional variations depending on where you get it from. You sometimes get fried haggis too. Which isn’t for everyone obviously, seeing that it’s a bunch of offal boiled up in a bladder, but I love it!

For evening eating you could try Dubh Prais, a restaurant serving traditional Scottish food, situated on the High Street, that comes highly recommended from tourists and locals alike; make a reservation and enjoy chowder, haggis and venison steak in the small but perfectly formed surroundings.

Hotels in Edinburgh can range from the elaborate and exquisite to the ‘just what you need but nothing more’. The Hotel Ceilidh-Donia comes well recommended and is fairly priced. It isn’t as central as others but can be easily found either in a taxi or local transport.  The Norton House Hotel in Edinburgh is gorgeous and just far enough outside Edinburgh that you can enjoy the peaceful walks and luxury. And it’s close enough to pop into the city centre at a moment’s notice.

If luxury is your style and money isn’t an issue then The Prestonfield might be more your thing. It has a fabulous reputation as a sumptuous and luxurious 5-star grand-house turned hotel and you can guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Wherever you stay in Edinburgh, make sure you are well rested to enjoy all the city has to offer, least of all its fabulous shopping, from Harvey Nichols and Jenners to small independent boutiques, there is something for everyone.

Thinking of visiting Mickey Mouse and friends this summer? Check out this guide to attractions and ticketing options by experts FloridaTix.

If you are planning a family holiday to Florida, chances are there is a visit to at least one of the Walt Disney World theme parks, where magic is designed for kids and adults of all ages, from 1 to 101. Check out FloridaTix, they can offer you fantastic discounts on Disney tickets to all Disney World attractions.

Magic Kingdom

This was the first of the four Disney World theme parks to open in Florida. At the heart of the Magic Kingdom’s 107 acres is Cinderella’s Castle, from which pathways lead to six treasured lands that have lived in the hearts of generations of kids and adults alike:

• Adventureland – The first of the seven themed areas of the park to open in Florida in 1971, Adventureland takes you to a tropical paradise. Here, the emphasis is less on thrill rides than it is faithful attention to detail. The Jungle Cruise is a ten-minute boat tour of three continents, South America, Africa and Asia. This is a good place to give the parents a chance to catch their breath after some of the more rigorous attractions of the park.

• Main Street USA – Famous for Dixieland jazz and ice cream, Main Street USA is the first and last thing you see during your visit to Walt Disney World. From Walt Disney World Railroad Station, you can catch a ride on the steam-powered train for a quick look at the entire park. After the train ride, you can fuel up with food from Casey’s Corner. At the end of your visit, shop for souvenirs at one of the Main Street shops.

• Fantasyland – A hot spot for casually bumping into Disney characters in their native hangout, Fantasyland is the home of such attractions as Dumbo the Flying Elephant, It’s a Small World and the Mad Tea Party Cup Ride. The biggest Disney expansion ever, New Fantasyland is now open. Check out the Enchanted Forest and Storybook Circus.

• Tomorrowland – The future that never was, Disney’s tomorrowland was inspired by the science fiction writers of the 1920s and 1930s. Here is where you can ride one of the park’s most popular attractions, Space Mountain, a thrilling in-the-dark roller coaster experience. Also visit “infinity and beyond,” courtesy of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.

• Frontierland – Feel the same rush as the early pioneers of America’s wild west. Picture yourself riding in a covered wagon and being among the first to see the Grand Canyon.

• Liberty Square – This is where you soak up American history without the pain of memorising dates in text books. Visit the Hall of Presidents, hop aboard the riverboat and make friends with the ghosts in the Haunted Mansion.

Disney’s 7 Day Ultimate ticket for 2013 gives you unlimited admissions over 7 days to:

• Magic Kingdom

• Epcot

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

• Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney’s 14 for 7 Day Ultimate ticket for 2013 gives you unlimited admissions over 14 days to:

• Magic Kingdom

• Epcot

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

• Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park

• Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park

Disney’s 21 Day Ultimate ticket for 2013 gives you unlimited admissions over 21 days to the six parks listed above for the “14 for 7 Day” ticket.

In addition, all three ticket plans give you also get access to other attractions within the Walt Disney World Resort.

Prices start at £235 for children and £255 for adults. Payment is accepted by VISA, MasterCard, Maestro and PayPal.

Better travel deals equals more savings and therefore more trips. We take a look at some of the last minute offers now available via global deal-of-the-day giants Groupon.

What is the biggest single factor that stops people from travelling? Money of course. Whilst there are many who treat travel as a long term adventure and travel for next to nothing, often relying on the kindness of strangers by hitchhiking and Couchsurfing their way across the globe, the vast majority of us use travel to relax, unwind and enjoy some luxury, whilst experiencing new places and cultures. It goes without saying then that the savvy traveller is always looking to save as much money as possible… to enable themselves to go on as many trips as possible.

Groupon are famous for providing amazing deals on everything from accounting courses to days out at the zoo, based upon collective buying power. And whilst you may have taken advantage of their services/coupons to eat half price at your favourite hometown restaurant or enjoy some spa treatments at your local wellness centre, did you know they also offer last minute travel deals?

Their website has a City Breaks, Sun and Experiences section each full of deals for travellers; so whether you’re looking for a long weekend in Reykjavik, a week’s holiday in Koh Samui in Thailand with daily yoga class, or tickets for the Spanish Grand Prix with two night stay, you’ll find plenty of inspiring options. That’s really just the tip of a Titanic-sinking iceberg of greal travel offers, all at heavily discounted prices. And if you’re not planning on going anywhere yourself in a hurry, then many of these packages – such as a night in a Cotswold cottage with cream tea and spa treatments – make a perfect gift.

With so many great bargains on offer for going abroad, what’s your excuse for not travelling more in 2013?

Feeling stressed? Blow off some steam with a rail holiday! Our partners at Treyn reveal some great destinations in Germany and Great Britain.

The world has become more hectic and more connected, with frantic lifestyles now seen as the norm. Holidays and trips away have become more precious, providing a real chance to unwind, relax the mind, ease the senses and truly pull back from reality. What better way is there to achieve this than by taking a steam holiday?

Stepping back in time

When you book a railtour with Treyn you will be transported into a different time, where the pace of life is slower and you can catch up with your thoughts. Steam train holidays can be taken to a variety of destinations, depending on choice and the length of time you want to be away for.

You may want to stay within the beauty of Great Britain, spending some time travelling through the Peak District or sampling the exquisite market town of Harrogate in the North of Yorkshire. These tours will allow you to see real images of beauty on the stunning hills of the peaks and within the cobbled town streets, without the need for a passport.

Letting your adventurous side out

For those wishing to travel further afield, you can hop aboard and venture to the Harz Mountains in Germany. You can stock up on goodies to bring home, or by the twinkling lights of the tree in some of Europe’s most famous market towns. The mountains will provide a breathtaking backdrop, regardless of the time of year that you choose to visit, providing vistas that will delight and entertain in equal measure.
The speed of a steam train means you can travel comfortably to your destination at a pace that is designed to ensure that you don’t miss a thing. The trains are designed to a luxurious standard, with comfort being a central focus of the trip.

Why travel by rail?

Alongside the convenience of laying back and enjoying the passing scenery, rail tours are also a great way for you to travel from place to place. You might be surprised at just how many places you can reach by train and with the opportunity to stop off and enjoy the surroundings at your own pace, there really are plenty of reasons to travel by rail.