With thousands of UK beaches to choose from, I want to make sure that when planning my staycation, I’m close to the most beautiful coves and golden sands that Britain has on offer. After doing my own research and reading recommendation after recommendation, it soon became clear that these are the beaches I need to head to. Read the full story

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. The city is located on the southern shore of river Firth of Forth. The city is the largest settlement of the Lothian area of Scotland. Lothian is the area comprising of Scottish lowland and comprises of West Lothian, East Lothian, Med Lothian and Edinburg. Other major towns of the Lothian area are Dunbar, Bathgate, Linlithgow and Livingston. Edinburgh is said to be built on 7 hills. The population of the city is 850,000. Read the full story

The capital of Italy is one of the most successful city brands in the world. Rome, also known as the “City of Seven Hills” is a magnificent city steeped in history, it has a unique cultural background, friendly and warm inhabitants as well as magnificent panoramic views and splendid parks called villas. Whether you consider a holiday or an expat life in the Eternal City, they both represent the perfect opportunity to taste the real, utterly famous Italian cuisine, which is embedded into the Italian lifestyle, beliefs and ancient culture.  Read the full story

Football. Pride. Amazing nightlife. Manchester has so much to offer to a sightseer – whether you’re visiting the area for the first time or are a regular city dweller, you’ll always find something new and exciting going on, at any time of year. Read the full story

The Nordic/Scandinavian countries (Norway, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) are the best places spend your holidays in Northern Europe. The countries have vibrant cities with wonderful cultural life, natural scenery, impressive landmarks, and sophisticated urban life. Planning or going for a holiday to any of the Nordic countries has been made easier with the availability of cheap flights to Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Reykjavik, or Helsinki. Each city has its own unique attractions worth visiting. Some of these attractions include:

1. Royal Palace, Sweden

Found in Stadsholmen, Stockholm, the Royal Pace serves as the official residence of His Majesty the King of Sweden. It is located close to some of Sweden’s notable attractions including the Stockholm Cathedral and Riksgdag Building. It is one of the largestand most famous palaces not only in Stockholm, but also in the whole of Europe.

The Royal Palace displays the best of Baroque architecture and comprises of four façades: northern facade, representing Sweden’s common royal: southern facade, representing the nation; northern façade, representing the common royal; western façade, representing the king, and the eastern façade representing the queen. The palace has more than 1,450 rooms with stylishly decorated interiors from the 18th and 19th centuries. While in the palace, you can get a chance to visit some of its historical museums including the Tre Kronor Museum and Gustav III Museum of Antiquities.

2. Kronberg Castle, Denmark

Established in the 15th century, Kroberg Castle stands out as one of the oldest and most important Renaissance castles in Denmark. It is strategically located on the northern tip of Zealand Island. The building boats of Baroque architecture designed by Anthonis van Obbergen and Flemmings Hans Hendrick van Paesschen, some of the most famous Danish architects of the 15th century. The castle was turned into a military base in 1785 and later into a museum in the year 1923. It houses both ancient and modern pieces of art from different notable artists.

3. Vigelandsparken Sculpture Park, Norway

Vigelandsparken Sculpture Park in Oslo, the capital city of Norway, houses a huge collection of granite and bronze, and cast iron sculptures designed by Gustav Vigeland, a famous sculptor of the 1800s. One of its biggest and most famous sculptures is the Monolith. This sculpture stands at a height of about 15 metres and features more than 120 human figures. Because no one is really sure of what was in Gustav’s mind while developing his pieces of art, there has been varied interpretations of the Monolith. Some people say it represents man’s resurrection, some say it represents man’s yearning for spiritual spheres, while others say it represents man’s struggle for existence. In addition, the park houses the Vigeland Museum, which displays the best of ne-classical architecture.

4. Linnanmaki Amusement Park

Linnanmaki Amusement Park is a family-friendly park located atop a hill on the northern side of Helsinki’s city centre. It is surrounded by luxurious restaurants, kiosks, ice cream stalls, arcades, and a large outdoor stage used for performances by different artistes during summer. The park is very large in size and contains 40 functional rides, with its oldest and most popular ride being the Wooden Roller Coaster. Other roller coasters include Linnunrata, Vonkaputous, Tulireki, and Pikajuna. Whatever your reason for coming, this is a great way to kick back and have some fun.

5. Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

Thingvelir National Park is found a few kilometres from the city centre of Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland. The UNESCO’s World Heritage Site park is home to a different species of plants and wild animals. Notable wild animals include polar bears, minks, white foxes, wild rabbits, and reindeer. You can also enjoy bird watching as it has numerous bird species including the puffin, fulmar, eider, common guillemot, and the black-headed gull.

Photo Credit: opethpainter

Italy is one of the most famous countries in the world. Visitors from all over the globe travel there each year. There are tons of world famous sites to see – So many, in fact, that it’s hard to fit them all in your itinerary. However, it’s the lesser-known attractions that may provide you with the most memories upon your visit. There are places all over Italy that, while still captivating and exciting, don’t get as much worldly attention as more known attractions. Perugia is one of these places. Read the full story

At the heart of the southwest coast of Cyprus is the stunning city of Paphos, an area with a history that’s rooted in Greek myths and legends as it’s said that Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, was born in Old Paphos. In modern times you might not find any Greek goddesses here but among the tourist-filled hotels and busy family restaurants, there is still a strong historic, traditional and cultural side of Paphos to be found, and it is very much worth seeking out during your Cyprus holiday. Read the full story

The small island of Cyprus can be found in the Mediterranean sea, some 50 miles south of Turkey and around 500 miles east of Greece. The picturesque beaches and wonderful weather on the island make the area a popular tourist destination and, particularly during the summer, the sunny region can get quite expensive, not to mention busy. To beat the cost, and the crowds, it can be useful to visit the area knowing where to find hotels in Protaras, Ayia Napa and other major cities in the country.

The capital of the island country is the city of Nicosia. Despite being in the upper midlands of Cyprus, the city is the southernmost capital of the EU member states. In Nicosia you’ll find the central business district of Cyprus as well as plenty of culture, with museums and architecture that harks back to its ancient Roman and Byzantine history. There are a number of great places to stay in the city of Nicosia, including Excelsior, a three star hotel in the centre of town within walking distance of bars and clubs. The amenities here are basic, with prices coming from around £30 a night. For something a little more upmarket, you could try the five star Cyprus Hilton, which is located around 15 minutes from the city centre. Each of the 298 rooms in the hotel offer a private balcony with rates from £80 per night.

For the best in parties, clubs and bars, there is only one place to go in Cyprus: the famous region of Ayia Napa. Here, on the east coast, there are plenty of good quality dwelling places, like the Aeneas Hotel, Grecian Bay and Adams Beach Hotel, all of which are five star. However, with prices already high in the area, you may want to try somewhere a bit more friendly on your wallet. Cheap hotels in Ayia Napa include the Napa Plaza Hotel and Tasiasun hotel apartments, while the Asterias Beach Hotel is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of central Ayia Napa.

Also in the east coast of Cyprus is the beach resort of Protaras. Although highly populated with tourists during the summer months, you can still find relatively accommodation in the area, with the Cavo Maris Beach Hotel costing around £40 a night. However, if you fancy paying a premium, the King Hilton Guestroom comes from around £100 a night.

If you’re looking for luxury in Cyprus, then you could do worse that the city of Pafos, an exclusive area of the island that offers incredible seafront views and access to some beautiful bays. The Aqua Sol is a tourist haven, offering an entire village for their guests, with childcare facilities, indoor and outdoor pools, as well as live music, a leisure centre and tennis courts.

If you head for the hills in Cyprus, you’ll find the beautiful Troodos Mountains. Here you can get accommodation in a hotel from as little as £80 a night in the Casale Panayiotis.

Despite its diminutive size, Cyprus has a place of interest for just about everyone, with accommodation just as diverse.

To date, presence of Portugal in the world news is mainly associated with a financial and a social crisis that stroke the country, in recent years, as well as its closest neighbors. Less is spoken about its tourist attractiveness, high waves of the Atlantic Ocean pulling in surfers and incredible beauty of the Azores. Global society is strongly concerned with increasing financial pressure, so does the Portuguese. However, if visiting Portugal, one can learn that Portuguese youth continues to enjoy all the benefits of living in such an exotic country. Life goes on, and some amusements cannot be written off the common livelihood. Read the full story

At first glance, Milan (or Milano) may not seem like the most romantic destination in Italy. Without the meandering canals and palazzos of Venice, the stunning views of Tuscany and Positano or the history of Florence and Rome, Milan appears to many visitors to be a very businesslike – albeit fashionable – locale. Read the full story