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Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia

Mirco Rehmeier — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:51:18 +0000

Now to something absolutely different. As this is called costablog I am now writing about another coast on the other side of the world, Australia or better said Sydney. Sydney is the most popular city in Australia, but actually not the capital, which is Canberra. Sydney is located on Australia’s south-east coast of the Tasman Sea in a coastal basin bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east. Sydney lies on a submergent coastline, where the ocean level has risen to flood deep river valleys carved in the sandstone. One of these drowned valleys, Port Jackson, better known as Sydney Harbour, is the largest natural harbour in the world. There are more than 70 harbour and ocean beaches, including the famous Bondi Beach, in the urban area.

Bondi Beach is a popular beach in New South Wales and is located 7 kilometres east of Sydney. The beach is about one kilometre long and receives many visitors throughout the year. A lot of them actually spend Christmas Day at the beach, because Christmas is in summer and they have amazing weather at that time.

Bondi Beach has become famous for a few things. By the 1980s topless bathing had become common at Bondi Beach, especially at the southern end and it even hosted the beach volleyball competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics, obviously not topless.

So if you want to stay near Bondi Beach or another place in Sydney have a look at Hotel Club Sydney, you will always find a nice and good hotel to stay in.

Traveling on small budget

Mirco Rehmeier — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:07:36 +0000

If you want to travel around a country it’s always good to have a car. The car hire gives you ability to travel and visit unlimited destinations and historical places on the country you are in without having your own car. The car is also giving you independence when traveling. If you are traveling on small budget remember that the most of the budget is going into the transport, hotels and quite low for visiting the sightseeing places in the city or resort. If you want to decrease your expenses for traveling, you definitely need to compare prices before you book any car. A good way of comparing prices is Cheap Car Hire from cheapcarhirerates.com. Here you find hundreds of different car rental suppliers like Sixt, Alamo, Budget, Avis, Europcar and many more. Just choose your pick up and drop off locations and you are automatically comparing up to 550 brands. With all this suppliers you can book cheap car hire in over 28,000 worldwide locations and find the cheapest rates. Apart from the cheapest rates Cheap Car Hire rates include Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), Vehicle Theft Waiver, Liability Insurance, Premium Location Fee, VAT Local Tax, Road Fund Tax (RFT), Unlimited Mileage and Break Down Assist. So you are always on the safe side.

Of course the car rentals is not only for holiday and road trips, but also for business trips. Usually it is cheaper to travel with airplane and save a lot of time, but when reaching the destination, you will need a car. Here the option for car hire is the best you can get. With this you will receive comfort and will have access to every place in the vicinity.

Apart from a cheap car hire when travelling on a small budget it’s always recommended to have a travel insurance. In a different country you never know what will happen and sometimes things don’t go according to plans. Your trip to Spain may be scarred by unexpected delays, lost luggage, or accidents. Having good travel insurance in Spain may give you peace of mind during your stay no matter what may happen. So better compare travel insurance before you go on a trip.

Holidays in Spain – Tenerife

Mirco Rehmeier — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:28:49 +0000

Tenerife is the largest and most popular island of the seven Canary Islands. The Canary Islands also known as the Canaries (Spanish: Canarias) is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. Daily temperatures on Tenerife seldom fall below 20 degrees Celsius due to the island’s location just off the coast of Morocco and it’s that reliable weather that draws the visitors. Tenerife holidays are incredibly popular with British holidaymakers.

Tenerife is with about five million tourists each year the most visited of the Canary Islands. Tenerife is serviced by two airports, Tenerife North Airport and Tenerife South Airport, and easy to reach. The island’s well loved resorts such as Playa de las Americas, Los Cristianos, La Pineda, Puerto de la Cruz and La Caleta offer everything from peaceful, laid-back relaxation to full on thrills day and night. Affordable, budget or even ostentatious all-inclusive luxury, you’ll find all types of accommodation on this fabulous holiday island.

Tenerife is dramatic, beautiful and full of possibilities, as well as being one of Europe’s most exciting islands Tenerife offers Europe’s widest range of tourist attractions and activities. Sunbathe or swim on the palm-shaded lagoon of Lago de Martiánez and if you get tired of lying on the beach, find some shade in the exotic green oasis of the Jardín Botánico or make waves in Europe’s biggest water park – Siam Park. Tenerife has the highest elevation of Spain, a World Heritage Site that is the third largest volcano in the world from its base, El Teide. Tenerife hosts one of the world’s largest carnivals and the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is attempting to become a World Heritage Site.

Marbella will have the first McLaren dealer in Spain

Mirco Rehmeier — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:19:18 +0000

On 15th of december McLaren Group from Woking, Surrey, England will have their first showroom in Spain, namely in Marbella. At the presentation of their latest model, the MP4-12C in Madrid it was said that McLaren wanted to open a showroom in Madrid and a technical service in Marbella, but at the end they decided the other way around and will now open the first Spanish showroom in Marbella. Grupo Guarneri will use their existing installations in San Pedro de Alcántara to open an official showroom for McLaren. They have over 40 years of experience in top end cars. The newest model is the McLaren MP4-12C, a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. It is the first production car wholly designed and built by McLaren since the McLaren F1. The MP4-12C features a carbon fibre composite chassis, and is powered by a mid-mounted McLaren M838T 3.8-litre V8, twin-turbo engine developing approximately 592 bhp (441 kW; 600 PS) and around 443 lb·ft (601 N·m) of torque. Power is transmitted to the wheels through a 7-speed Seamless Shift dual-clutch gearbox. The first devilvery of this car to clients will we on the same day of opening the new showroom.

Apple Store Marbella opened

Mirco Rehmeier — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:34:28 +0000

Today, Friday 25th of November, the biggest Apple Store in Spain in the shopping center La Cañada is finally open. The Apple Store Marbella opened with some long queues and the store was busy during the whole day. They were expecting 4.000 – 5.000 people on the first day. The Apple Store opened exactly on black friday, which is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. That’s why the Apple Store had many good offers and probably sold quite a lot on their first day. If you hurry up you can still get some good offers until the day ends at 10pm.

Costa del Sol ‘best value for money’ holiday destination

costablog — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:14:57 +0000

Earlier this week (20^th October 2011) Costa del Sol was named by the Post Office as the best value-for-money destination for families in 2011, and it’s easy to see why. The survey looked at 10 common purchases across 12 popular destinations before ascertaining that despite a 15% price rise throughout Spain that Costa del Sol was still the cheapest European destination.

So aside from the price, what is it that makes Costa del Sol such a tourist hot-spot with Brits? Not to overuse a cliché but this area of Spain really does offer something for everyone; from sandy beaches and an active nightlife to historic castles and old cobbled towns, the Costa del Sol has it all. There are so many activities and sights to take in within Costa del Sol that it wouldn’t be practical to list them all, so here is a collection of activities you may like.

Culture

Costa del Sol is ripe with culture, both in the form of art and architecture. One of the most famous artists, Pablo Picasso, was born in Málaga and so it is only fitting that The Picasso Museum is hosted in his home city. The museum boasts over 200 original works and offers temporary exhibitions, educational programmes and a specialised library. Málaga is also home to a completely different type of museum: the Hojiblanca Museum. The Hojiblanca museum is dedicated to the olive, in forms of olive oil and olive trees. Visitors can view ancient olive mills dating as far back as the 1^st century, as well as have the opportunity to undertake olive oil tastings and purchase the final product.

Sports

Costa del Sol is a popular destination for golf enthusiasts, being home to several fantastic golf courses such as The Santa Clara in Marbella and The Finca Cortesín in Málaga. Some of these courses have been designed by world-renowned architects, which make them a pleasure to play on – especially in the glorious weather that is enjoyed in the Costa. If water sports are more to your liking then the waters of Costa del Sol are ideal for scuba diving, especially for beginners. Additionally in the right months (especially around Easter) windsurfing is a popular sport with Andalucia being home to the Toro Andaluz race.

Family

If you are visiting the Costas with your family then you may be content in enjoying the magnificent beaches and lovely restaurants; however, for the more active family there is a range of entertainment that should appeal to the whole family. For example, The Cocodrilos Park in Málaga specialises in crocodiles with more than 300 different types of species; for those who wish to, visitors can hold a baby crocodile and have their photo taken for free!

Whatever you decide to do on your holiday in Costa del Sol, making sure that you and your family are covered with adequate travel insurance is essential – and it doesn’t have to be expensive. For example, Staysure covers 8 days in Costa del Sol from £4.99 per adult with children being covered for free. Travel insurance allows you the peace of mind that you’re fully protected to enjoy your holiday.

Andalucia Masters returns to Valderrama

Mirco Rehmeier — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:25:23 +0000

Just five month after the Volvo World Match Play Championchip at Finca Cortesin, big time golf returns to the Costa del Sol this month with the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama. For the second successive season, Andalucía will host the final European Tour event of the year to be held on European soil with the staging of the Andalucía Valderrama Masters from October 27 to 30. The prestigious Club de Golf Valderrama will be play host to the tournament, which will feature a field of top class players competing for a 3 million Euro prize purse.

The world-famous Valderrama course has hosted 16 Volvo Masters events, the first two editions of the American Express-World Golf Championship and The 1997 Ryder Cup, when the late, great Seve Ballesteros led the European Team to glory on home soil. The club is haven for dozens of species of wild animals and birds and is populated by over 2.000 cork trees, 500 olive trees and 3.000 Halipi pines. The course record is 62, held by German Bernhard Langer, the first time in 1994 and again in 2002. Under the revised par 71 layout, a new course record of 66 was set by Angel Cabrera and equalled by David Howell.

The Autonomous Government of Andalucía, the owner of the tournament rights and its main sponsor, has entrusted Octagon and GFC Golf & Business with the organisation and promotion of the Andalucía Valderrama Masters. Both companies are specialized in sports marketing, mainly in tennis and golf tournaments, and are well respected. The staging of the Andalucía Valderrama Masters will provide a perfect platform for the Tourist, Trade and Sports Board of Andalucía to showcase the region as a first-class tourist destination as well as a top sporting venue. This year, Andalucía will host 11 different sports events with a huge media impact due to the quality of the participants, from golf through to tennis cycling, cross-country running, sailing, hiking, triathlon, skiing, mountain bike and motorcycling.

Graeme McDowell won the inaugural Andalucía Valderrama Masters, the Ulsterman capping an outstanding season by securing his seventh European Tour title. Earlier in the year, he had captured his first Major at the US Open Championship shortly after his success at the Saab Wales Open, at the same venue where he would become a Ryder Cup hero by securing the winning point for Europe. McDowell said: “Valderrama is an iconic course, one of the best on the planet. It’s great to have my name in the list of winners on this course.”

Spanish Royal Wedding: 85-Year-Old Duquesa de Alba Gets Married

Mirco Rehmeier — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 21:14:01 +0000

Spain’s Duchess of Alba got married today, Wednesday 5th October, to a man 25 years younger than her. María del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva Falcó y Gurtubay has married civil servant Alfonso Diez Carabantes in Seville in what is the third marriage for the 85-year-old aristocrat. The wedding ceremony took place in the Palacio de las Dueñas, in the centre of the Andalusian city, in front of about 40 intimate friends and family members. Despite their initial objections to the marriage, four of the Duchess’ six children were at the ceremony. Their opposition was so bad that their mother divided up much of her estate among them, although she still has control over the assets. The bride wore a salmon pink dress with a moss green sash by Spanish fashion designers Victorio y Lucchino who was present as well and shoes by Pilar Burgos.

This wedding was a dramatic change from the Duchess’s first marriage in October 1947 to Don Pedro Luis Martinez de Irujo y Artacoz (1919–1972), son of the Duke of Sotomayor, when the 21-year-old bride had 1,000 guests and wore gems reportedly worth nearly 1 million Euro even then. Estimates of her wealth range from 600 million euro to 3.5 billion euro. Besides fabulous and historic real estate sprinkled around Spain, the family treasure boasts paintings by Goya and Velazquez, a first-edition copy of Cervantes “El Quixote”, and letters written by Christopher Columbus.

The duchess has more titles than any other noble on Earth, according to Guinness World Records, and as head of the house of Alba has the right to enter Seville cathedral on horseback. She is a distant relative of Queen Elizabeth and Winston Churchill.

Adventure Park Aventura Amazonia in Marbella

Mirco Rehmeier — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:19:53 +0000

A new adventure park called Aventura Amazonia opened near Marbella in a plot of more than 20,000 m2. It is located in Elviria, Avenida Valeriano Rodriguez, N-340 Exit 192. The park offers a total of 73 activities and 20 zip-lines on eight adventure circuits. Aventura Amazonia has the longest zip-line in Andalucia with 240 metres where you can reach a speed of up to 60kph. All of this is located amongst trees in a natural environment. There a varying difficulties amongst the activities so visitors can choose their challenges in agility, speed and balance in a completely safe environment.

All you need is the desire to have fun. No need to be physically prepared. Aventura Amazonia has activities for children from six years old or 1.15 meters, families, adults and sportspeople. The visitors can spend the day in an eco-park which is an example of sustainable development, respecting the terrain and the trees, and making sure the general appearance fits with the surroundings.

This is not the first park for Aventura Amazonia. They already have experience in this area with five more parks in Granada, Pirineos, two in Madrid and even one in South America in Colombia. Prices for this park in Marbella are from 16 Euro for Children up to 20 Euro for Adults. With that you can enjoy the Aventura Amazonia circuits for a maximum of 3 hours.

bicycle day trips and travel insurance

costablog — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:24:34 +0000

The Costa de Sol is a popular destination for those wanting to get away on a holiday. This region in sunny southern Spain lines the Mediterranean coastline. With so many breathtaking sites to behold within this region, many visitors enjoy partaking in bicycle trips to enjoy the beautiful countryside of Andalucia. Many of these are day trips but they allow tourists to see the sights. These bike rides can be guided tours or personal excursions. Biking around Costa de Sol also comes at a risk, which is a good reason why a traveler should be protected with some sort of travel insurance.

Travel insurance provides many different sorts of coverage that could be helpful to you while on your holiday. For one, medical emergencies are covered with travel insurance. This provides you with medical coverage while you are on holiday. Many people believe that their health insurance policy covers them while on holiday. This actually is not the case as these health insurance policies are not valid in other countries. Any medical expenses incurred while in a foreign country must be pre-paid out of your own pocket. This could be quite expensive for a foreign visitor. However, with travel insurance you would be covered if this situation would ever happen.

Another aspect of travel insurance also provides for medical evacuation. In some instances, you may need transportation to the nearest hospital or a flight back to your native country. Medical flights can be quite costly as they have to be properly staffed and equipped with medical supplies. Most travel insurance will also provide coverage if for some reason a medical evacuation needs to happen.

Other aspects of travel insurance uk cover specifics of your trip. For example, travel insurance will provide you with coverage in the event that you need to cancel your holiday. Most expenses are not able to be refunded therefore having coverage helps. Reimbursement would include prepaid airfare, hotel rates, tour costs and other travel expenses. Specific reasons for cancellation are covered. These would include illness, a death in the family, job loss or having your home damaged by fire.

Spain’s biggest Apple store to open in La Cañada

Mirco Rehmeier — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:44:08 +0000

The US consumer giant Apple will open an Apple store in La Cañada shopping center in Marbella. But not just any store, it will be Spain’s biggest Apple store. This will be the first Apple store in Andalucia or even south Spain and only the fourth in Spain. September last year the very first Apple store in Spain opened in Barcelona in the shopping center La Maquinista with a size of 1300m2. Two more stores are in Madrid Parquesur and Xanadú, both with a size of only 800m2 each. They all opened to long queues of people eager to get through the doors. The Apple store in La Cañada is due to open mid November or even earlier with a size of 1700m2. It will be located on the ground floor opposite the main entrance where Habitat was before. Preparations for the new Apple store Marbella are being carried out in secret and the windows and access to the store are covered with black screens. It has been said, that they already have 65 employees.

Inditex stores launch e-commerce platforms

Mirco Rehmeier — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:34:05 +0000

Industria de Diseño Textil, S.A. (“Textile Design Industries”) or more commonly known as Inditex, is a large Spanish corporation and world’s largest fashion group. The founder and current chairman of Inditex is Amancio Ortega, Spain’s richest man and the world’s 7th richest man. Inditex runs more than 5,000 stores worldwide and owns brands like Zara, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Oysho, Pull and Bear, Stradivarius, Zara Home, Tempe and Uterqüe. Since September 6th all Inditex chain stores will be online. This means a further 15 countries in Europe will be able to purchase from the largest clothing chain in Spain. Deliveries will be available not only in Spain but also in the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Holland, Italy, Ireland, Norway, Poland, and Portugal.

The launch of their online platforms also marks the start-up of business operations for a number of these concepts in some of these countries. And so Pull&Bear, Stradivarius, Oysho and Uterqüe will make their market debuts in Germany. The latter chain will also enter the French, Swiss and British markets for the first time, alongside Oysho in the case of the UK. Massimo Dutti, meanwhile, which is set to launch online sales in a total of 13 markets, will make its first foray into Austria, Denmark and Monaco.

Travel insurance in Spain

Mirco Rehmeier — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:52:42 +0000

Your tickets to Marbella are purchased and your bags are packed. What else is missing? Exactly, travel insurance in Spain. Whilst we all hope it will not be necessary, for a small amount of money you can get a travel insurance in case things don’t go according to plans. Your trip to Spain may be scarred by unexpected delays, lost luggage, or accidents. Having good travel insurance in Spain may give you peace of mind during your stay no matter what may happen.

After all it not only covers you against the possibility of astronomical medical costs, the cost of re-patriation in the event of illness or death, but the right travel insurance cover will also provide for such eventualities as legal expenses, loss of money, passport, baggage etc. cancellation and curtailment and personal liability.

So how do you choose a travel insurance policy? There are a variety of Spanish and international insurance companies out there that fill every need. So first, you need to think about what you would like to have covered.

Medical and accident coverage
Hotel cancellation
Lost luggage
Lost passports or personal possessions
Emergency evacuation
Legal expenses
Bankruptcy of a travel organizer
Costs of travel delays
Terrorist acts

The first recommendation when buying travel insurance for your trip to the Costa del Sol or Marbella is to compare prices. There are many different policies to choose from, so once you have identified your special needs you need to get out there and start comparing quotes. Coverage can vary depending on your needs, length of stay, how many family members you cover, and of course your age. There is travel insurance to cover you for a short term stay, annual insurance for multiple trips that are cost effective and flexible, medical only insurance, and even winter sports coverage when you go skiing to the Sierra Nevada that cover medical, equipment or pass loss, damage, delays, and ski run closures.

It is also helpful to know that EU citizens generally are entitled to free emergency medical treatment in Spain. However, you need to be prepared. UK citizens must fill out an E-111 form and have it stamped at the post office before you leave. Do not forget to check if your current universal healthcare is covered in Europe. Even so, you may still want to supplement with additional cover just for the length of your stay.

Hotels estimated at 90% occupancy in August

Emilia Hazell - Smith — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:07:38 +0000

Tourism in Spain this year is really looking up, with the country set to achieve the predicted 2.5 per cent target increase in bookings this year. This means that 8 out of 10 hotels on the coast will be 90% full this August. This increase will represent about 400,000 more tourists coming into the area, between 395,000 and 474,000. This is in comparison to the summer of 2010, when there were 15.8 million tourists.

Most of the tourism boost was expected to occur in July, rather than this August and the coming September, however, official figures have not yet been made public. These predictions for a “significant improvement” in July were supported by forecasts made of an increased number of flights into Andalucia’s airports by many different companies, as well as the airport authority AENA. In total, it represents an increase of 1.8 percent over the previous year.

At the moment, the economic situation is putting a dampener on things for the Spanish tourists, as many are reluctant to book holidays in advance or spend too much money. The majority only tend to book (on average) a three days holiday, and it’s all done at the very last minute to get the best possible price. On the other hand, foreigners tend to book substantially longer holidays and also seem more open to spending money.

A common view among businesses in Andalucia is that there will be an improvement in the UK market, which currently provides the largest influx of visitors to the region. “The market is definitely recovering,” the Tourism, Trade and Sport Minister, Luciano Alonso was quoted as saying last month. He also went on to say that foreign arrivals to Andalusia have grown from January to May 2011 by 5.4 percent. Of that increase the British market has increased by 4.4 percent, Germany’s 1.5 percent and France 6.3 percent.

insurance packages for student travellers

costablog — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:24:57 +0000

Many students spend their summers travelling, or take a gap year during their studies, and being insured is incredibly important but is something often overlooked by young people, simply because of the extra cost it involves.

The truth is, you can get an insurance policy that will cover you for up to a million pounds for as little as thirty pounds, maybe less if you find the right provider, such as Endsleigh Insurance. Or, for multiple travel in a year, an annual travel insurance policy might be more appropriate. Understanding your policy is of equal importance so don’t just get covered, make sure you know what you are covered for and what you are not covered for. The last thing you want on your travels is a nasty shock if you happen to have an accident.

Find yourself a specialist student insurance provider. They will have policies tailor made for your type of travelling and they may cover specifically for a student who is spending a year or a few months abroad as part of their course.

Student insurance providers will break things down in a way that are understandable for younger people, without being patronising, and they will explain things simply so you know exactly what is what.

Travelling comes with many dangers and accidents do happen, even if you are the most careful person in the world. You must read anything you sign even once you are out there travelling. Signing up to a potentially dangerous activity, even as seemingly harmless as go-karting, can void your insurance and getting hospital treatment can run up bills of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Always ensure your policy covers repatriation. It might sound morbid but if you need to be brought home, the last thing you need your family to be worried about is paying for this.
Try endsleigh.co.uk for tailor made student packages, whether you are on a gap year or studying abroad, they will have something for you. They also provide insurance for student halls and house sharers. These are all things you might not want to pay for but they will cover the cost of all your precious belongings and offer student directed perks such as laptop replacement within 24 hours.

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