Crater Lake, Oregon.

Crater lake in Oregon is the first on this short list of lovely lakes. Located in Crater Lake National Park, it is a great place for a day-long exploration. The crater is about 7,700 years old, and the water in it circulates about once every 250 years. Created from the explosion of the Mount Mazama volcano, Crater Lake provides an awe-inspiring scene.

Loch Lomond, Scotland.

And now for something fairly different to the former, but matching in beauty, is Scotland’s Loch Lomond. Measuring by surface area, this is the largest lake in Britain, and is surrounded by the pictorial area of Stirling, Argyll and Bute. Standing by Loch Lomond is the perfect place to see rugged and dramatic Scottish scenery. And if you’re in the area you should certainly sample the produce in local restaurants, caught from this freshwater lake.

Lake Garda, Italy.

Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy and it flows between Verona, Brescia and Trentino. Alongside the length of this lake you will find several beaches, beautiful towns and great places to eat. An entire holiday can in fact be formed around this lake!

Lake Annecy, French Alps.

Lake Annecy is a popular tourist destination, and it’s easy to see why. The lake is surrounded by plenty of quaint and pretty villages and towns, and there is a lot to do in the area. Discover a variety of activities from water sports to cruises, or discover the lake’s heritage. It’s almost enough to distract you from the beautiful lake scenery.

Lake Matheson, New Zealand.

New Zealand is a beautiful country as it is, so it is no surprise that one of the most picturesque lakes in the world can be located here. Formed over 14,000 years ago, the lake is home to lots of interesting wildlife, including native eels and several species of water birds. The lake is also renowned for its mirror like surface which reflects views of the nearby Mount Cook.

These are just a few of the beautiful lakes that are there to be seen all around the world, but perhaps they have provided some inspiration for your next holiday. Views of a lake are great for providing a sense of calm and relaxation- just what you need for your next break. And for places to stay, a self catered rental provides just the right balance between luxury and freedom- and gives you the flexibility you need to explore a beautiful lake side area.

Picture: baaker2009/ flickr.com

The word York comes from the Latin name ‘Eboracum’ as York was called by the Romans when they founded it in 71 AD. Over the years York has had many names such as’Eoforwic’ given by the Anglians in the 7th century and ‘Jorvik’ when it was conquered by the Danish army in the 7th century. Later in the 14th century it was called ‘Yerk’, in the 16th century ‘Yourke’ and in the 17th century ‘Yarke’ before being gradually reduced to the modern day name of York.

York Minister is a Gothic Cathedral and one of the largest of its kind in Europe. The Minster can be seen for miles around the city and outlying areas as York is essentially situated on flat ground. The site on which the Minister is built can be dated to at least the 5th century where, at that time, it was a wooden built Church. The Gothic style cathedral that York Minister is today did not arrive until the 12th century with many other changes and additions made right through to the 18th century thus leaving what stands today. In 1984 the Minister fell victim to fire caused by a lightning strike. This caused £2.5 million pounds worth of damage and took until 1988 to rectify.

Central York is surrounded by defensive medieval city walls which extend for 2.5 miles and enclose 263 acres of land. Most of the walls are still in excellent condition and still retain their four impressive gate ways (called bars), as well as, 34 of the 39 interval towers. It’s important to note however that the walls do not form an entire ring around the city. This is because one side of the city walls did not need to be built because a swamp created by the Normans’ damming of the River Foss, provided adequate security for the city. York city walls are a very popular walk and visited by thousands of tourists each year.

Within the city walls it’s possible to walk through a street called ‘The Shambles’. This is an un-spoilt medieval street lined with shops and tea rooms. The upper floors of these buildings protrude out in to the street above your head as you walk. This is because they were built in a time when land tax was high. This meant that the lower floors were built narrow to give the buildings a smaller footprint thus avoiding additional land tax. However the upper floors were built much wider, and because they did not touch the floor, were not taxed. Although ‘The Shambles’is the most well-known medieval street in York there are other good examples to see such as the Snickelways.

Other notable attractions in York include York Castle and Cliffords Tower, The York Dungeon, The Jorvik Viking Centre, The Yorkshire Museum, The National Railway Museum and York Castle Museum to name but a few. One other notable attraction is the Yorkshire Wheel. This is a large ferris wheel inspired by the London Eye. However at 54 metres high it is less than half the height of the London Eye. The wheel could not be made any larger because York’s skyline height is that of York Minister and nothing is allowed to extend past this.

The city of York has had a long and distinguished history with the confectionery and chocolate industry. One of York’s most famous sons is Joseph Rowntree, a Quaker, who founded the Rowntree confectionery name. York is now the headquarters to Nestlé Rowntree and has the largest Nestlé factory in the world employing 3500 people. It produces over one million Kit Kats per day and on warm days it’s easy to smell chocolate lingering in the air.

Other things worth nothing about York are that it has its own football club namely York City F. C and is twinned with Dijon in France and Münster in Germany. York is also famed for its bars, pubs and restaurants and has a thriving café culture.

To find out about other Yorkshire attractions please visit my website at Discover Yorkshire

Article written by Paul Teasdale – © Copyright 2012

Image: flickr/kalakeli

Time spent researching different destinations is never wasted and will give the holidaymaker a very good idea of where they would like to travel to and which kind of holiday suits them best. Travel advisor is an excellent way to get feedback from others who have visited destinations. Before deciding on a destination, gather information of weather, culture and type of accommodation on offer in order that you find a holiday that is best suited to your needs.

If you take an interest in travel and enjoy getting off the tourist track then eastern European countries are worth a look. The countries in the eastern block are up and coming and haven’t yet reached the status as more well known destinations, Prague for example. This will ensure that you can keep living costs to a minimum while you are there, often you will find private rental agencies that will rent you central properties for the fraction of what you would pay in destinations that draw in tourists in droves.

People whobook last minute holidays, decide not to use a package deal and book each aspect of their holiday themselves, can make a considerable saving. Finding the best deal for accommodation, travel and car hire independently may take a little extra time, but the money you will save will outweigh the stress.

Paying for holidays by credit card offers extra security if the holiday costs more than €100 as these transactions are protected by the Consumer Credit Act. Taking out a travel insurance policy with cancellation cover is also an excellent idea.

One more measure worth taking is to ensure that the travel company handling your booking is ensuring is ATOL accredited. This will give the you peace of mind as cover is provided in the event of the company going into insolvency.

image: fidanovska/ flickr.com

There isn’t much that the Brits enjoy doing more than complaining. ‘Oh, this weathers too hot for me!’ can often be heard on British streets and the complainer wafts a rudimentary fan infront of their face. The Brits apparent dissatisfaction with their weather, wishing it was cold when it was hot and vice versa, seems almost as woven into the British psyche as tea drinking and queueing. But according to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Britain is doing itself an injustice. He says British weather is much better than both Britons and foreigners – who tend to think of Britain as a rainy and cold country – believe. He told the Times in a recent government announcement, aimed at attracting more tourist to Britian that “We have much lower rainfall than Paris. We have to make sure people understand the reality about the weather.”
Information from visit Britain states that:
The average number of days on which rain falls in London each year is less than in Paris, Santander (Spain) and Wellington (New Zealand) London is drier than Rome, New York, Brisbane, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo.  The average minimum daily temperature in London is higher than that in Seattle, Dublin and Toronto. This may all be true but the fact that weather is very variable and ever changing makes it difficult to push with any certainty. The main challenge to the campaign will not be to change the way foreginers see Britain but to change the opinions of the British themselves. The truth is, the British love complaining, its either too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry, a great proportion of the culture of Britian is based entirely on complaining about the weather. Its what binds them together as an island nation.

image: garryknight/ flickr.com

Kent has long been a place of pilgrimage since the great towers of Canterbury Cathedral commemorated the end of paganism and the rebirth of Christianity. In Victorian times it was Royal Tunbridge Wells that drew more-modern pilgrims who came to indulge in its natural spring waters. Even today visitors still flock to the seaside resorts of Ramsgate and Margate to enjoy these popular holiday spots.

There is so much for visitors to see in Kent. Its close proximity to London has endowed it with a wealth of great country houses including Knole, Penhurst Place and Hever Castle and many beautiful landscaped gardens at Sissinghurst, Belmont Park, Scotney Castle and many more. The rolling wooded countryside is dotted with ancient windmills and oast houses, many of which have now been converted into quaint dwellings. The county’s numerous charming towns and villages are brimming with picturesque thatched cottages, flint farmhouses and many old Tutor and Georgian shops and inns.

The great castles at Dover and Deal bear witness to the county’s ardent task of protecting its coastline to constant invasion. The Romans once came this way leaving behind many monuments in stone and mosaics, in addition to their network of roads. The Normans too left a great legacy of magnificent castles, such as those at Hastings, Pevensey, Lewes, Bramber and Arundel.

Whatever your reason for visiting Kent you are sure to be delighted by its rustic charm and beautiful countryside.

Image: law_keven/flickr.com

The great adventure in Riviera Maya has created a permanent mark in the lives of many thus making it the area of choice. Such families trust the fun associated with the Mayan land and continue to holiday here. The Mayan temple and the Mayan ruins caught the attention of the world in early twentieth century. These structures were built during the Mayan empire where these were embraced as godly structures. The people of the Mayan empire worshiped their Gods to provide them divine protection from their veracious enemies who they believed were capable of striking and attacking them at any time.

Riviera Maya has a rocky limestone shoreline. This makes it very attractive for people interested in snorkeling. Snorkeling is free in many places which gives you the oppurtunity to experience the underwater beauty at no cost. You have to see it to believe it.

During the holiday season there are many adventure tours which interest people. Tikal tour is a great way to begin your tour in this area. In this locale people are provided with facilities for camping out along the Caribbean Sea. From this point one can see some of the most incredible surrounding Caribbean islands and large ships which approach the bay from the deep sea. Arrangements for sea travel are made from here and families are given a chance to see what is hidden in the deep blue water. Indeed, the aquatic life is breath taking. This sums up why adventure travel vacations in this region are quite memorable all the time. People in this area are allowed to fish as well. Kite surfing and bike tours are conducted in Riviera Maya too. A bike tour is directed on a flat area where tourists cycle through well designed tracks amidst the natural surroundings.

Accommodation in a travel lodge is quite affordable in this Caribbean bay, making it more financially friendly when compairing it to other parts of the world offering similar services. With such affordable and high quality accommodation standards, vacationing families have a strong sense that they are taken care of in terms expenditure and the minimal costs incurred during their stay.  Apart from the accommodation, food is also available in plenty of varieties and styles. From the native style of course, you would also find regular American and European food blended with the Caribbean style.

The experience of holidaying in the Mayan land is above all. You can compare no other part of the world to this mystic land of magic, adventure, architecture and fun. This place is indeed one of the best holiday spots in the world. You have to visit to believe it all!

Duende Tours offers excellent adventure trips and Riviera Maya day tours.

photo: flikr/jikatu

Easy access to the most up to date and current air fare deals in addition to exclusive discounts on hotel reservations often announced on social networking sites, Twitter and Facebook, will make sure that you get the best deals. The site is easily accessible and contains keyword search facitilites so that you are able to find the subject that you are searching for with a great deal of ease.

Entering ”backpacking” into the sites internal search engine yields a number of sites that deal all topics concerning backpacking, including backpacker networks for Australia containing comprehensive information regarding backpacking guides, tips and tricks, backpacker meals, Australia guides and more, as well as sites dedicated to showing you how to travel and live overseas on a budget, you can find it all at besttravelwebsites.com

Tourism plays a big part in the Corsican economy. It has seen signifcanlty lower levels of intensive development as other area of the Mediterranean region and this can be counted as one of the reasons why it is It is popular among tourists. Its 620 miles of coastlines, mountains and pleasant climate, warm summers and temperate winters allow the island to maintain a sustainable level of revenue from tourism throughout the year. Economically speaking, Corsica is the least developed region in Metropolitan France.

Corsican cuisine and wine is well known for its quality and is enjoyed throughout the French Republic, as well as farther a field. The variation in the islands geography, its mountains, plains and sea means that various ingredients play a role in the Corsican kitchen. Seafood and river fish such as trout is enjoyed, as is Game such as wild boar. Special types of cured pork are made traditionally and stored. The island is also well known for cheeses such as Brocciu, casgiu merzu, casgiu veghjum whcih are made from goat or sheep milk.

Image: Kjunstorm/flickr.com

The area's key attraction is St Michael's Mount, which rises dramatically out of the bay, just a third of a mile off the coastline. In its time it has been a monastery, a fortress and a port, and is now home to a small community who live and work there. The island is connected to the mainland by a cobbled causeway that can be walked across at low-tide. Regular boat trips are also provided at high tide, from both Marazion and nearby Penzance.

The island is steeped in legend and has been an important trading station since Roman times. It is said that mount was named after the Archangel Michael, who appeared in a vision to a group of fisherman in 495. The island was later gifted to the Benedictine monks of Mont St Michel in France. A monastery was founded on the island during the 11th century, the remains of which have been incorporated into a fairytale style medieval castle that now sits majestically above the mount. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries it became a royal fortress, and in 1659 it was purchased by the St Aubyn Family, who have lived there since. The castle site is now run by the National Trust, in partnership with the St Aubyn Family, who provide regular public tours around it.

The castle is surrounded by subtropical terraced gardens, filled with exotic plants that cascade down the steep granite hillside. The castle's elegant interior is augmented with fine Georgian Gothic decor and intricately carved period furniture. There are also a fine collections of armour and paintings by local artists. Connections to the castle's monastic past can be found in the Chevy Chase room, originally used as the monk's refectory, where the walls are covered with finely decorative plasterwork, depicting hunting scenes.

Visitors to the island can also enjoy a leisurely walk around the stone built harbour or visit the exotic 'Mount Gardens', which incorporate a small garden centre, where you can purchase many of the plant species grown in the gardens. There is also an island gift shop and a restaurant with uninterrupted views over Marazion and St Mount's Bay.