Travel writer Julie McNamee provides priceless advice for those travelling to the sun-blessed  island of Lanzarote.

“Lanza-grotty”. Is the phrase putting you off going to this wonderful island? Don’t let it – it’s not true and I’m not sure it ever was. The word was made famous by Michael Palin who had never been to the island when he said it.

Lanzarote is a volcanic island where evidence of its fiery past is everywhere you look – the last eruptions were quite recent and that’s why it’s a now a landscape from another world. Timanfaya with its arty devil motif and its beautiful volcanic mountains lined up side by side, awaiting the next explosions along the fault line that lines beneath them.

It’s also home to the innovative, imaginative public art of Manrique: a man dedicated to preserving and improving the landscape on his home island. It’s thanks to him that the island’s building are cute and low-rise, without the tall, ugly buildings that plague other Canary islands.

Alternatives

Looking for Irish and English bars? Yes – you can find them on Lanzarote, as you can find the all day breakfasts and cocktails in goldfish bowls, but these areas are concentrated in just a few resorts. You’ve also got the rest of the island to choose from.

Stay in Playa Blanca, a respectable resort, or rent a villa or apartment inland and you’ll not come across these areas if you don’t want to. The rural hotel Finca de las Salinas in an 18th century building on the edge of the vineyards on the island is a good choice. There’s also a good choice of country accommodation in Responsible Travel

Beach life

Of course, Lanzarote has the great year-long weather common to all the Canary islands. Expect lowest night-time temperatures of 12^Oc and highs in summer of 30^Oc.   It also has the sea, and sand that’s not all black: there are perfectly white beaches like Playa Papagayo, the most beautiful on the island.

For peace, quiet and seclusion, there are the extensive beaches of La Graciosa, a small island off the north coast – ferries run from Órzola and there are also ferry taxis – all the information on the towns and beaches you’ll visit and how to get there and around is on Lanzarote 37.net

Nature

Bird-spotting is a popular activity on the island: bustards and sea eagles make their home on the island and purple herons and red-footed falcons have been seen. Even bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales and killer whales have been spotted in the marine reserve that is the Chinijo archipelago (uninhabited islets in the archipelago can be seen from La Graciosa but unfortunately can’t normally be visited).

Summary

So, lay your assumptions of Lanzarote aside and visit this beautiful island to wallow in the nature, the geology, the culture and the peace of this most impressive Isla de Canaria.

Travel writer Julie McNamee provides priceless advice for those travelling to the sun-blessed  island of Lanzarote.

“Lanza-grotty”. Is the phrase putting you off going to this wonderful island? Don’t let it – it’s not true and I’m not sure it ever was. The word was made famous by Michael Palin who had never been to the island when he said it.

Lanzarote is a volcanic island where evidence of its fiery past is everywhere you look – the last eruptions were quite recent and that’s why it’s a now a landscape from another world. Timanfaya with its arty devil motif and its beautiful volcanic mountains lined up side by side, awaiting the next explosions along the fault line that lines beneath them.

It’s also home to the innovative, imaginative public art of Manrique: a man dedicated to preserving and improving the landscape on his home island. It’s thanks to him that the island’s building are cute and low-rise, without the tall, ugly buildings that plague other Canary islands.

Alternatives

Looking for Irish and English bars? Yes – you can find them on Lanzarote, as you can find the all day breakfasts and cocktails in goldfish bowls, but these areas are concentrated in just a few resorts. You’ve also got the rest of the island to choose from.

Stay in Playa Blanca, a respectable resort, or rent a villa or apartment inland and you’ll not come across these areas if you don’t want to. The rural hotel Finca de las Salinas in an 18th century building on the edge of the vineyards on the island is a good choice. There’s also a good choice of country accommodation in Responsible Travel.

Beach life

Of course, Lanzarote has the great year-long weather common to all the Canary islands. Expect lowest night-time temperatures of 12^Oc and highs in summer of 30^Oc.   It also has the sea, and sand that’s not all black: there are perfectly white beaches like Playa Papagayo, the most beautiful on the island.

For peace, quiet and seclusion, there are the extensive beaches of La Graciosa, a small island off the north coast – ferries run from Órzola and there are also ferry taxis – all the information on the towns and beaches you’ll visit and how to get there and around is on Lanzarote 37.net

Nature

Bird-spotting is a popular activity on the island: bustards and sea eagles make their home on the island and purple herons and red-footed falcons have been seen. Even bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales and killer whales have been spotted in the marine reserve that is the Chinijo archipelago (uninhabited islets in the archipelago can be seen from La Graciosa but unfortunately can’t normally be visited).

Summary

So, lay your assumptions of Lanzarote aside and visit this beautiful island to wallow in the nature, the geology, the culture and the peace of this most impressive Isla de Canaria.

Aljezur, Portugal, Not Just a Surfer’s Paradise

Liz Borod Wright takes a trip to the small Portuguese coastal town of Aljezur and catches up with an American writer who has made a permanent move to Portugal.

Rocky Mountain Park Time Lapse

Beth and Randy from Beers and Beans share a stunning time-lapse video of a road-trip through Colorado.

Music and Mountains in Mostviertel, Austria

Laurel Robbins heads to Mostviertel in Austria and experiences  some traditional hospitality.

Chicago’s Playground: Jumping into the Canvas at Millennium Park

Suzy Guese checks out Chicago’s most iconic attractions – fantastic photography as always.

Daily Wanderlust: the tranquility of Solta, Croatia

Diana Edelman of D Travels ‘Round shares her memories of the beautiful blue waters of Solta, Croatia.

A visit to Malaga doesn’t have to mean just sun, sand and sea.  As travel writer Julie McNamee finds out, there are a lot more adventures to be had in the Costa del Sol and beyond… 

There’s plenty to see and do in Malaga itself, but if you’d like a two centre holiday, or just want to take a day trip or two-day trip away from the city, here are a few ideas for you.

Luxury Boot Camp Spain

Boot Camp Spain is for those of us who don’t relish the thought of lying around on the beach putting on even more weight than we arrived with. There’s a luxury branch in Marbella itself if you can’t do without your king size beds, wet rooms and Fendi designer furniture, or a more down to earth version nestling in the hills an hour north of Marbella at Lake Iznajar. In an action-packed week, you’ll be coached by military physical training personnel: expect …

“Physical Training, functional training, Boxing, Circuit Training, Games, Aquacise, Personal Time (siesta, swim, sunbathe…it’s your choice), Interval Training, Hill Walking, Pool Exercises… “

The food is good local produce in tiny little portions. If this is your sort of thing, this part of the world is a great place to do it in, with long hours of sunshine and little rain.

Take a trip to Morocco

It’s possible to travel from Malaga directly to Morocco, but for a more relaxing trip, head west to Tarifa and pick up the morning ferry the next day – the journey takes up to an hour. (Important tip: make sure you have the customs person on board fill out your papers – you’ll have trouble at the other end if you don’t). Tangier is the nearest city from Malaga if you’re visiting for a short time, and the ferry takes you right into the city dock.

Wander the narrow streets of the medina, experiencing the sights and sounds of a culture a world away from Spanish Malaga, dodging the local “tour guides”. (There are proper guides who it may be worth considering spending the day with: get recommendations and book before you go). If haggling’s your thing, visit the bazaar.

For a few moments’ peace and quiet, pay a visit to the Museum of Moroccan Arts, a small gallery in a restored villa with some beautiful artifacts and quiet gardens to chillax in. There’s a great range of restaurants in Tangier for lunch, with some beautifully spiced food and a French culinary influence apparent. Take an evening ferry back to Tarifa and travel from there back to Malaga (two hours drive).

Drive to Ronda

The mountainous Ronda region and the spectacular town of Ronda are well worth a journey out of Malaga. Ronda town is sat on a high gorge and go for no other reason than to see the Puenta Nuevo (an enormous bridge) that spans it. The bridge also serves as a route between the old and new sections of town.

There’s a fifteenth century church and the oldest bullring in town – go and wave a flag in protest against animal cruelty (bullfighting is a sport that attracts passionate arguments on both sides, and although full fights were banned on national tv a few years back, a change of government has resulted in them being shown again). The journey between Ronda and Malaga by car is around 1hr 45 minutes.

I hope that’s given you some inspiration for your trip to Malaga.

Passengers bound for Europe this week are advised to keep up to date with the latest airline news as half of flights bound for major cities in France have already been cancelled due to a three-day strike (starting today)  in protest against EU plans to create a single European airspace.

Air traffic controllers say the Single European Sky (SES) project will hinder public safety and alter their working conditions.

Walk-outs are set to hit other destinations in Europe tomorrow. France’s civil aviation authority says around fifty percent of flights to Paris, Lyon, Toulouse and Bordeaux have been cancelled.

Airports already caught up in the strike include Paris Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly and Paris Beauvais.
Marseille airport in the south, has issued a statement on its website saying it was less affected than other airports, with just one third of flights  cancelled.

Meanwhile, over 70 flights have been cancelled in Nice Airport.

Low cost airline EasyJet said it is cancelling between 10 and 11 daily flights to Toulouse on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The maiden flight of Europe’s newest passenger jet, the Airbus A350 has also been affected by the strike.
The French unions’ counterparts in other European countries are set to join the strikes tomorrow or take other industrial action. Countries involved include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Slovakia.

Our Favourite Noodle Shop in Hoi An

Noodles are to Vietnam as the potato is to Ireland.  They’re kind of a big deal. Fortunately for us, Lara and Terence from Gran Tourismo are here to reveal where to get the best noodles in their chosen city, Hoi An.

 Three Ways to Enjoy a Summer Holiday in Spain

Will Peach, the editor behind My Spanish Adventure talks us through three very different types of holidays in Spain.

How to find the Best Italian Ice-cream

Sofia from As We Travel provides us with some sound advice on how to sort quality Italian gelato from the cheap imposters…when in Rome…or Florence..or Venice…or anywhere in Italy for that fact.

Iceland Erupts: A Visit to Thorvaldseyri Visitor Center

Reykjavik local, Audur Osp takes us on a day trip to the Thorvaldseyri Visitor Centre to check out an exhibition dedicated to the unpronounceable Icelandic volcano that wreaked havoc with airlines back in 2010.

Camels and Chocolate:  Photo Friday, Barcelona Spain

Kristin Luna heads to Barcelona, bringing us a stunning photo diary of Gaudi’s finest architecture.

This being a car hire blog, it’s interesting to learn that the large and sprawling city of Orlando is the biggest market for rental cars anywhere, somehow having garnered the title “car rental capital of the world”. Being a huge tourist magnet thanks to the presence of Mr Walt Disney and his inexplicably large empire it’s also been called the “tourist capital of the world”.

Orlando has a sub-tropical climate with means hot, humid and thundery summers and mild winters, and, as it’s situated in the Florida wetlands, it’s very flat with lots of lakes.

Here’s a bit of advice on what to do in the city. Be warned, it’s not just a theme park city but a large part of it is.

Disney World

Let’s get this one out of the way first. Disney World opened in 1971 and now takes up 25,000 acres of land. It has 500 eating places to cater for the 17 million tourists who come to stand in its queues every year. There are four parks, of which Epcot is the only that could be of any interest to anyone over 10 (you can tell I don’t have kids).

Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine

Yes, you read that right. This is a very large Catholic church where you can go for mass, or simply to see it as a tourist attraction. It was specially built for tourists to visit while on their very secular trip to Disney World. Said to have an excellent gift shop. If you’re in a religious frame of mind there’s also the Holy Land Experience …

Lake Eola Park

A bit of old Florida and a serene spot to wander through, Lake Eola Park has been in existence since 1892 and it’s most famous feature is a large fountain in the middle of the lake (which is actually a sinkhole). Swan-shaped boats can be hired to go out on this stretch of water.

Mad Cow Theatre

A small, professional and well regarded theatre company, the Mad Cow presents a variety of contemporary and classic theatre in an intimate setting.

Splitsville

Splitsville is a bowling alley/restaurant in Downtown Disney with better than average food and an excellent bowling alley to compete in. Live music is also a regular feature, and marvellous frozen daiquiris.

Orlando Science Center

There are four floors of exhibits in this specially built center and lots of interactivity that will appeal to kids and adults. They have dinosaur skeletons and a swamp and a beach to visit plus there are always temporary travelling exhibitions presented on the 2nd and 3rd floors.

John F Kennedy Space Center

Last but certainly not least, the hefty $50 entrance price includes a moon landing simulator, hop-on, hop-off tour bus, imax movies, not to mention the Saturn V moon rocket. The Atlantis shuttle is a recent addition to the impressive collection of space paraphernalia and opens officially 29th June 2013.

Hopefully that’s given you a few ideas on what to do during your stay. Enjoy Orlando!

Questions about Glastonbury

Vicky Flip Flop looks ahead to this year’s Glastonbury, offering top tips for first-timers.

Gelato in Bologna: From Delicious to Strangely Delicious

Norbert from GloboTreks taste tests gelato at the Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna  - it’s a tough job…

Getaria, Spain: Txakolí, BBQ Fish and Haute Couture?

Christine (from Christine in Spain)  takes a weekend road trip to the  Basque coast and discovers a tiny fishing village that has given birth to some of Spain’s most delicious food and most celebrated fashion.

Fifty Four Reasons to Love San Pancho Part Two

Victoria and Steve from Bridges and Balloons  head to the little known town of San Pancho in San Francisco, sharing their most cherished memories and sun drenched photographs. Definitely enough to make you muy jealous-o.

Helicoptering Over Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand

Stunning photos of New Zealand’s Franz Josef galcier captured by Matt Gibson during a recent helicopter tour.

It pays to have access to a car during your stay in France’s most northerly region: there are lots of villages, towns and cities to visit and it’s much easier making your own way. Here are 10 suggestions of beautiful historic Breton places to visit on your tour of the area.

Saint Malo

This walled port city with its maze of cobbled streets and alleyways, St Malo is Brittany’s most visited town and received a Travellers’ Choice award from TripAdvisor for 2013. Visit the fortress or paddle in the rock pools, and drop in on the atmospheric Demeure de Corsaire: the 18th century home of François-Auguste Magon, director of the East India Company.

Vannes

Vannes lies at the mouth of two rivers, the Marle and the Vincin, on the inland sea that is the Gulf of Morbihan. The surrounding area can be surveyed from its magnificent ramparts (complete with immaculate gardens) and you should spend time roaming town’s medieval streets and taking in the silence and gloom of the ancient Saint Pierre cathedral.

Quimper

Regarded by many as the cultural heart of Brittany, Quimper hosts the annual festival Cornouaille which celebrates the best of Breton culture, plus there’s a museum dedicated to all things Breton. The old town and ancient cathedral will provide the visitor with plenty of opportunities to experience the history of the town.

Josselin

Home to a large doll museum and the medieval Chateau de Josselin, this is another town in the Morbihan region (“mor bihan” is Breton for little sea).

Locronan

Locronan is a small village in west Finistère that’s named after a saintly Irishman called Ronan. It’s long been a religious centre and is still host to a six-yearly pilgrimage around its sacred places known as the Grande Troménie. Around town you’ll see the old houses of 18th century merchants who supplied sails to local and foreign navies.

Doelan

A Finistère fishing village and port not far from Gaugin’s Pont-Aven that’s a fine spot for coastal walks in an area overlooking the stormy Atlantic.

Brest

Brest is the most westerly city on the continent of Europe, sitting in a sheltered position overlooking the Atlantic and, due to its positioning, being one of the most important military ports in France’s past. There’s a big modern aquarium to visit and an impressive National Navy Museum.

Moncontour

A beautiful little walled town sat atop a hillside, Moncontour was an important defensive town and these days boasts a beautiful church and a medieval costume museum.

Saint Briac sur Mer

The “Pearl of the Emerald Coast”, Saint Briac is a fishing village with a beautiful port. It boasts seven beaches in the vicinity.

Bécherel

Bécherel is a village for book lovers. There are no less than 15 bookshops in town and various literature-related festivals are held throughout the year, including a “Fête du Livre” each Easter weekend.

Summary

Scenery, history, beautiful walks, informative museums: Brittany has it all. And what better way to enjoy it that getting in the car and driving?

Is Chattanooga the Best City in America?

Barbara Weibel heads to Tennessee to find out why Chattanooga is flavour of the month with travel editors.

A New City for Your Travel List: Angouleme, France

Matt Long sets foot outside of Paris for the first time and stumbles upon the city of Angouleme and its stunning urban street art.

5 Reasons to Visit Cairns Australia

We all know Cairns for its Great Barrier Reef , but As We Travel have managed to come up with four other compelling reasons to visit.

Touring the Keukenhof Garden in Holland

Terri Fogarty checks out some of Europe’s most beautiful spring displays in the  Keukenhof Gardens near Amsterdam.

 Beautiful Tuscany:  The Val d’Orcia

Adventurous Kate takes us on a tour of Tuscany –  the rolling hills are calling…