Turkey has long been a favorite destination for the discerning traveler. With thousands of years of history, miles of stunning coastline and a cuisine that rivals any in the world, it is not difficult to see why.

With so much on offer, there are plenty of reasons that Turkey is a great destination. Here are the top five that make this Mediterranean gem a country not to be missed:

The weather

Let’s face it, weather is one of the most important factors when choosing a holiday destination and Turkey certainly does not disappoint.

Turkey’s most popular holiday region, known as the Turkish Riviera, enjoys a classic Mediterranean climate with long, hot summers and mild winters.

Gentle winds caused by the country’s position between two seas blow throughout the year, taking the edge off the very hot days.

The people

As soon as you step off of the plane, you’ll experience the warmth and friendliness of the Turkish people.

Their culture is one of hospitality, so don’t be surprised if everyone you meet wants you to join them for a cup of the ubiquitous Turkish tea.

The history

Turkey was home to some of the earliest human civilizations and relics of the past scatter the landscape.

From the site of the ancient city of Troy to the ruins of Ephesus, home of the Temple of Artemis, one of the original seven wonders of the world.

In fact, there is so much to see and learn that no matter where you stay along the coast, you’re bound to have a historic site nearby.

The scenery

From the fairy towers of Cappadocia, to the stunning saltpans of Pamukkale, Turkey has some unique and breath-taking scenery.

Even if you can’t drag yourself away from the beach, you can still enjoy the scenery if you visit Turkey in 5 star luxury with Club Med, or five trident luxury, as it’s rated at Club Med.

The food

A haven for both vegetarians and carnivores, Turkey’s cuisine has something for everybody.

From the world-famous kebabs to the delicious salads and mezes, the food alone is enough to keep you coming back year after year.

With so much to offer, it’s impossible to list it all in just a few words. You’ll just have to visit Turkey yourself to see what really makes it a delight.

Have you ever visited London and wanted new ideas for your next visit? Or maybe you’ve never been there and would like to know what is a good layover activity? There are lots of things of course but you cannot say that you have seen it all if you do not jump to the theaters of London and more precisely to the musicals in London. The West End is now a tourist attraction essential for those who want to visit this city, and nearby hotels and hostels can be found at Top Accommodation from Hostelbookers.

Shows at the West end

What shows in the theaters of London are the best? If you love the new then you cannot miss the musical The Lion King in London, blockbuster and suitable for the whole family! With its wonderful costumes and stage settings you will be amazed! Definitely worth seeing is also Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, a beautiful interpretation of the post Napoleonic France through the eyes of the people. Also do not miss Mamma Mia and Phantom of the Opera which are both timeless classics not to be missed in the scenario of the theaters of London with the charm of a little macabre and fascinating set in the Opera of Paris.

Do not miss Wicked, musical and recent blockbuster based on a review of the history of the witches of Oz. It’s a musical both for adults and for children with great stage effects! Of course we cannot forget Chicago. The famous killer will involve you in an unprecedented, sexy and charming classic musical that you cannot give up!

Of course when it comes to theaters you cannot miss the performances of Shakespeare. The charm and the atmosphere of Shakespeare are still alive even in the twenty first century and a must for his fans. King Lear, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, Dream of a Midsummer Night are just some of the most popular plays that you can go and see during your stay! Theater loves should definitely not miss any of this during their stay in London as it is a unique experience.

A good idea would be to make preparations by choosing where you’ll stay early. See all Hostelbookers’ London hotels here.

If heading to your holiday destination takes you via Barcelona Airport, you’re in luck, as the airport is around 13 km from the centre of the city and all of its fantastic attractions. Whether you want to eat at a great restaurant, do a quick bit of sightseeing or just have a wander around, there’s plenty you can do to kill a few hours, but here are just four of our favourite things to do in Barcelona that won’t make you stray too far from the airport.

Experience La Rambla
In the very heart of Barcelona is La Rambla, a tree-lined street where you can find dozens of restaurants, shops and cafes, as well as many street artists entertaining passers-by throughout the day. For the quintessential Barcelona experience this is where you should head during your layover, and make sure you take time to wander around La Boqueria, a market just off La Rambla with the most dazzling displays of food that you’re likely to see anywhere.

Hit the Beach
One of Barcelona’s best qualities is that it’s on Spain’s Costa Brava, which means you’re never far away from the sun, sea and sand while you’re in the city. Just south of Barcelona Airport you can find Gava Mar beach, a pretty stretch of sand that belongs to the small and charming town of the same name.

Explore Park Montjuïc
Away from the hustle and bustle of central Barcelona, and just 15km from Barcelona Airport is Park Montjuïc, a mountain that’s covered with trees and gardens and also acted as the focal point of the 1992 Olympic Games. Among the lush greenery of Park Montjuïc you can find castles, museums and sports centres, as well as a sense of harmony that makes it the perfect place to relax between your flights.

Tour Camp Nou
International football fans will know all about Camp Nou, the home of Barcelona FC, and may be intrigued to know that it’s approximately 14km from Barcelona Airport which makes it an ideal destination when you have time to spare. The Camp Nou Experience, which allows you to see some of the most important parts of the stadium as well as the museum, is a must for any Spanish football follower.

In fact, there’s so much to do around Barcelona Airport that you might want to consider making an extended layover here an integral part of your journey! Airlines like Jet2.com have flights to Barcelona that are so affordable that you could travel here for a day or two before continuing to your destination, or before making that final flight home.

Many of our ancestors conquered Europe by sea and also by river. The Viking longboats were ideal for getting to the heart of a country in a similar way that a contemporary traveler may well take a holiday river cruise in order to explore the heart of Europe.

Europe 

There is a whole range of cruises through Europe and it’s really up to the traveller to decide which country they wish to conquer. Romans, Huns, Celts and many others have inhabited this ancient continent and they’ve all left their mark and their culture on the modern cities of Europe.

Romantic Rhine 

You can start your trip in Holland and then sail down through German and finish your trip in Basel in Switzerland. The Rhine really can be described as the heartbeat of European waterways.  Amsterdam is famous for its churches, its Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank Museum and of course its many canals and so much more.

If you are using Viking as your tour company then you can always ask your Programme Director for advice if you are unsure which of the many sights to select. Once in Germany, it would be criminal not to explore the ancient city of Cologne (Koln), the cathedral is utterly awe inspiring and you’ll soon find that this is a very easy city to navigate on foot.

The voyage along the Rhine into Switzerland will take you past some of the most majestic castles on the Rhine including Marksburg Castle, which is 700 years old. By the end of your journey you’ll probably want to go back to Amsterdam and repeat the whole voyage, returning home might seem very mundane after all the sights that you’ve just seen.

Europe at its best

If you really want to imitate our conquering ancestors then why not take a ‘Grand European Tour. This trip will take you across the rivers Danube, Rhine and Maine, right into the very heart of Europe. The Danube itself is huge and taking a river cruise along this particular river will introduce you to the countries of Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.

Budapest is truly imperial, full of palaces and stunning cathedrals. For those who wish to sample Slovakia, then they should disembark in Bratislava. The Danube flows right through the defunct Austro-Hapsburg Empire so look out for some of the family’s splendid castles on your way.

If you’re heading off for a summer or winter holiday this year, the chances are you’ve considered plenty of great escapes. No doubt the ever-popular shores of Spain, the golden coast of Portugal and the North African gems of Tunisia and Egypt have crossed your mind. But when it comes to holidays, you can’t beat the charm of an island destination. Surrounded by sparkling seas and with a culture and heritage all of their own, each island is different and unique in its own right, and that’s what makes them so special.

The Balearic Islands are an eternal holiday favorite, and it’s not hard to see why. On the versatile island of Majorca, you’ve got cosmopolitan Palma with its big city bustle and small town charm. There are dozens of wonderful resorts on offer, ranging from sleepy Es Pla to the loud and lively Magaluf. There are numerous family-friendly resorts too, such as buzzing Alcudia and non-stop Palma Nova. Whatever you fancy from your holidays Majorca is happy to oblige.

Another island with a charm all of its own is Malta. This fabulous holiday hotspot has been drawing visitors to its sunny shores for decades – even centuries – and it’s no wonder really. It’s a cheerful place with a fascinating past that’s cherished in its museums, city walls and forts. Fast-forward to today and you’ll find Maltese scenery cropping up in all sorts of big-name films, from Troy to Gladiator, while famous DJs flock here to wow the crowds in its range of buzzing nightspots.

It might seem like this little island has everything, but a trip to Malta doesn’t have to cost the earth. You’ll find stacks of cheap Malta package holidays through package holiday companies along with low-cost flight operators. So get online, do your homework and bag a bargain – and you could soon be jetting off for a fabulous island holiday to remember!

Paris has a lot of incredible monuments, museums and cafes to fill the hours of the day, but if you’re a night owl, the city’s nightlife also has some spectacular spots.

There’s something to do for passengers stuck on layover at any time of the day or night in Paris. So whether stuck on a lengthy layover, or taking advantage of cheap flights to Paris from around Europe that may land you in the City of Light overnight, check out one of Paris’ famous bars and clubs.

Layover Guide has compiled our top picks for clubs, bars and lounges that will keep you entertained until the early hours of morning:

Club Silencio

142 Rue Montmartre Paris

Filmmaker David Lynch, best known for his film Mulholland Drive, found this Parisian night spot, which is best known for its surrealist atmosphere of wood and golden accents. The club is for members only during the daylight hours, but when midnight tolls, its open to the public.

World Place

32-34, rue Marbeuf Paris 75008

Owned by Johnny Depp, John Malkovich and Sean Penn definitely doesn’t hurt the popularity of World Place. This club is known for its lively DJs and music, cocktails and colorful vibe.

Pershing Hall

49, Rue Pierre Charron

Equally known for its cocktails and charming courtyard setting, Pershing Hall has a live DJ mixing from a balcony, a vertical garden, glass ceiling, and a full dining menu.

Kong

1, rue du Pont Neuf Paris

With a glass roof and views of Pont Neuf, this trendy bar and restaurant transforms into a premiere night spot in Paris with impressive cocktails, live DJ playing music, and a mixture of Asian and French cuisine.

Buddha Bar

8/12, rue Boissy d’Anglas Paris 75008

This bar and lounge is known for its red and gold ambiance which casts a relaxing glow on a night of drinks and dancing. The menu boasts pan-Asian entrees, and don’t miss the bar upstairs which is overshadowed by a giant Buddha statue.

London is considered one of the top travel destinations from Travel Weekly, and if you want to see the city in just one day there are plenty of ways that you can do it.

Obviously you could use the “tube” and do it yourself but there is hardly time enough time to see the city in one day. There are a variety of coach tours that you can take, each one perhaps taking in different sights by taking different routes. Then you have the “Big Bus”, these are the open top Red Double Decker buses that London is famous for. These options have three different routes you can take, and you can get off at any attraction on the route, rejoining a bus on the same route later; the timing is up to you. There are also the equally famous London Black Taxis. These cab drivers have to pass one of the strictest driving tests in the world and know London like no other.

Coach Tours

Obviously depending on how much of London you want to see will depend on which tour you take but they range from 3 hrs to 9 hrs.

The most popular of these is the full day tour on typically what you will see is: Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament including Big Ben, Downing Street, Whitehall, and Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square. After witnessing the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, return to Trafalgar Square for lunch. Continuing your tour you will go to St. Paul’s Cathedral followed by the home of the Lord Mayor of London, Mansion House. Passing the Bank of England you then visit the Tower of London, home to the Crown Jewels. To finish your tour you will join a river cruise to see still more of London’s sights including the bridges.

Including a flight on the London Eye would generally be booked separately.

Red Double Decker Tours

Like the coach tours these Red Buses will take you to all the main sightseeing attractions in London and also like the coach tours, you can have a free river cruise. The big red Double Decker though offers you the opportunity to see the sights from the open top upper level. It also allows the chance to hop on and hop off at which ever sight you choose, joining another bus, on the same route, at a later time. This gives you the unique opportunity to spend the time seeing what you want to see, regardless of what the other passengers want to do.

London Black Taxi

This prearranged tour will have the taxi pick you up from anywhere within zone 1 of the London Underground system and drop you off at the destination of your choice in central London. These tours in one of London’s iconic Black Taxis will last about 2 hours but will take in all of London’s many great sights, yet leaves the exact itinerary for you to decide with the driver, all of whom are well versed in giving guided tours.

With all the sights to see and the variety of ways in which to see them, it is no wonder that London is one of the top travel destinations from Travel Weekly.

Are you one of the lucky ones who have a few days off for the Easter holiday, and are looking for a holiday destination? If so, New York could be the right place for you…

With the latest holidays engines, which are well known for their decent offers for the Easter period, you can start from Milan Malpensa with American Airlines on March the 30^th and return Monday in April the 5^th with British Airways at attractive prices and enjoy your 5 day holiday – which will take you the minimum wage to enjoy the city – in the Big Apple. The flights may have layovers (which you can enjoy using Layover Guide), and all in all it translates into a deal that may be too good to pass up.

In conjunction with these flights the holidays search engines like ScyScanner, Lastminute and others suggests to book apartments in New York and point out that the cheapest accommodation.  Options include the World Center Hotel which is located in the heart of the Financial District of Manhattan (check in Google map) and a short walk from Wall Street and Trinity Church, as well as hundreds of  locations for those visiting NYC. The total holiday costs 850 euro per person, including tax, which is not bad considering the time of travel. I’ll also note that the prices are similar for longer stays, as the cost of the hotel does not affect much the total, and this is great news for New York, a city known to be very expensive for housing.

While aboard any number of cruise ships leaving Sydney’s famous harbor, guests enjoy accommodations comparable to many fabulous hotels. Cruises last anywhere from 12 days to well over one month in length and sail to many exotic locations.

Sydney to Perth

These cruises explore cities around the northern coast of the country. In Brisbane, take a sand boarding tour of North Stradbroke Island or try sheep shearing at the woolshed. Airlie Beach features stunning beaches surrounded by natural forests. The destination also lies close to the world famous Great Barrier Reef. Named for the famous evolutionist, Darwin offer the opportunity for exploring the research center and seeing many unusual indigenous animals. Perth maintains a long history of mining. Attractions here revolve around diamonds and gold.

Sydney to Bali

Reefs and rainforest cruises from Sydney sail around the Great Barrier Reef and toward the tropical island of Bali. Stops along the way include Brisbane, which features stunning sandy beaches, spectacular botanical gardens and numerous restaurants and shops located along the river. Venturing on to the Hamilton and Whitsunday islands, guests have plenty of opportunities for fishing, hiking or scuba diving. Eventually arriving at Bali, cruises to this island paradise offer the chance to visit volcanoes surrounded by tropical jungles, tout various ancient temples and see the beautiful crafts made by the people.

Sydney to New Guinea

This epic journey lasts over one month in length and travels to various Asian countries. The metropolis of Hong Kong offers the chance to experience the culture and heritage of the country expressed in cinema, cuisine and music. Sailing on to Shanghai brings visitors face-to-face with numerous historical landmarks that include the Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower and Xintiandi. Known as the “Rio de Janeiro” of South Korea, Pusan has big city appeal but offers spectacular city from the mountains that divide the districts. The cruise continues to Iwo Jima, where visitors encounter many different sites dating from WWII. Journeying onward, the ship also stops at Guam and Rabaul, the volcanic city of Papua, New Guinea.

Sydney to the Loyalty Islands

Sail to the amazing Isle of Pines with soft, white sandy beaches that remind many of talcum powder. Graced by tall, narrow pine trees, the beach beckons many to relax in the sun. The diverse landscape of Lifou offers many activities. Go snorkeling and see the rainbow-colored world of coral reefs and tropical fish. Explore limestone caves or hike the forest covered hills. Tour the city of Noumea on New Caldonia where many venture to the popular Tjbaou Cultural Center. Hike Mount Koghis, kayak along the Dumbea River or enjoy a 4×4 adventure through the bush.

Sydney to Rome

When having 50 days to spare, embark on cruises from Sydney that travel to seven different continents around the world. The many stops along the way include Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Bangkok, Thailand and the island of Singapore. The ship continues on to Cochin, India, the Suez Canal in Egypt and the historic city of Barcelona, Spain. Finally, guests arrive in Rome for the chance to view numerous historical locations.

The eight-hour bus ride left at four in the morning, and then it was a journey of about an hour aboard a chapa (we were backpackers under a deadly warm). We had already packed our bags and we were informed about the right international travel insurance putting us in the safest way for our journey. The arrival in Vilanculos though blows away the tiredness, projecting the traveler in another dimension outside of space-time.

Picturesque, sunny Vilankulos is a geographically small widespread town: it is the gateway by sea of the magnificent Bazaruto Archipelago. By itself, the town does not offer much: there are no paved roads (the main street is a work in progress) or some kind of service. But it does not matter.

We chose to stay at the Zombie Cucumber Backpackers, run by Bruno (a talkative French) along the coast. There are several accommodation options there: from a dorm with pretty chalets, up to five or six rooms which opened last July. It will prove to be a great choice, thanks to the beautiful open-air restaurant that offers a variety of tasty dishes which are reasonably priced.

The beach of Vilankulos is deserted and magnificent: no bathing or sunbathing in the morning, fishermen return to unload their nets; women sell their catch during the day on the sand. It is the triumph of the wild ocean, far away from the universal tourism. To get to the neighboring island of Magaruque we relied on Marina, a transplanted Italian in Mozambique known locally. How it works: you ask someone to take you to the islands (they all know each other), and they will compete. Helder (husband of Marina) or Venazio (a young local) will do it for you.

Here we come to Magaruque aboard a dhow (a small boat 5/6 people, battered with motor and sail, usually used for fishing): a thousand meticais (30 Euros, and it is considered that there is a natural park including the input) for an entire day, complete with a lunch of barracuda served on the beach. You will see thousands of pink flamingos, thousands of colorful fish along the rocks near the shore for snorkeling without truce, white sand and worthy scenery of the best pirate film. The return, which is driven by the wind, carries you away in the silence of the sea, broken only by the foaming waves of Mozambique.

The next day it was time for Bazaruto and its immense dunes: we went around the Two Mile Reef, a natural spectacle that deserves at least an hour of snorkelling. We then climbed the dune which is a unique experience for everyone: sun, silence and heaven at hand. No words can describe what this ascent offers.