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sputnik--2019-10-11--Second Turkish Officer Killed in Country's Offensive in Northern Syria - Defence Minister
| 2019-10-11T00:00:00 |
sputnik
|
Second Turkish Officer Killed in Country's Offensive in Northern Syria - Defence Minister
|
According to the Defence Ministry, the number of neutralised Syrian militia fighters has reached 342. Earlier in the day, Akar announced the first Turkish military loss in the operation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the launch of the offensive, dubbed Operation Peace Spring, in northeastern Syria on Wednesday. The operation targets the predominantly-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Daesh*. Turkey views the SDF in Syria as an extension of the PKK, which has been classified by Ankara as a terrorist organization. According to recent statements by the Kurdish Democratic Progressive Party of Syria, dozens of civilians have been killed, hundreds injured and thousands displaced since the start of the incursion. *Daesh (ISIS, ISIL, IS, Islamic State) is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia and many other countries.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201910111077026261-second-turkish-officer-killed-in-countrys-offensive-in-northern-syria---defence-minister/
|
Fri, 11 Oct 2019 19:19:37 +0300
| 1,570,835,977 | 1,570,841,457 |
conflict, war and peace
|
armed conflict
|
568,075 |
tass--2019-07-26--Over 100 civilians killed in Syria in past ten days UN
| 2019-07-26T00:00:00 |
tass
|
Over 100 civilians killed in Syria in past ten days — UN
|
"At least ten different locations (eight in Idlib and two in rural Aleppo) have experienced civilian casualties as a result of airstrikes in the past ten days alone, causing a minimum of 103 civilian deaths, including at least 26 children," she said. GENEVA, July 26. /TASS/. More than 100 civilians have been killed in airstrikes in the Syrian provinces of Idlib and Aleppo in the past ten days, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on Friday. "These are civilian objects, and it seems highly unlikely, given the persistent pattern of such attacks, that they are all being hit by accident," Bachelet noted, pointing out that "intentional attacks against civilians are war crimes, and those who have ordered them or carried them out are criminally responsible for their actions." Bachelet expressed concern that the war in Syria "is no longer on the international radar." "Now, airstrikes kill and maim significant numbers of civilians several times a week, and the response seems to be a collective shrug, with the Security Council paralyzed by the persistent failure of its five Permanent Members to agree to use their power and influence to stop the fighting and killing once and for all," she pointed out. According to the UN high commissioner for human rights, "influential parties, including those that agreed to reduce hostilities as part of the de-escalation agreement, should urgently use their influence to halt the current military campaign and bring the warring parties back to the negotiating table." "It is essential that there is a cessation of hostilities in order to give the on-going political negotiations room to breathe. The alternative is just more mindless death and destruction in a war without end," Bachelet emphasized. In accordance with a decision made by Russia, Iran and Turkey - the guarantors of the Syrian ceasefire - de-escalation zones were set up in Syria in May 2017. They include the Idlib Province, some parts of its neighboring areas in Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces, Eastern Ghouta, as well as some areas in the Daraa and al-Quneitra provinces in southern Syria. Damascus took control of three of the four zones in 2014, but the zone covering the Idlib province and certain parts of Latakia, Hama and Aleppo provinces is still controlled by terrorists from the Jabhat al-Nusra terror group (outlawed in Russia).
| null |
https://tass.com/world/1070554
|
2019-07-26 11:43:49+00:00
| 1,564,155,829 | 1,567,535,699 |
conflict, war and peace
|
armed conflict
|
572,227 |
tass--2019-10-12--Eight civilians killed in shelling of Turkish city near border with Syria — media
| 2019-10-12T00:00:00 |
tass
|
Eight civilians killed in shelling of Turkish city near border with Syria — media
|
ANKARA, October 11. /TASS/. At least eight civilians were killed in a shelling of the Turkish city of Nusaybin near the border with Syria, Anadolu Agency reported on Friday. According to the news agency, members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and People's Protection Units (YPG) used mortars to shell Nusaybin. Thirty-five people were also injured in the attack. Ankara is currently conducting a military operation against the PKK and YPG to the east of the Euphrates river in Syria. In total, at least 13 residents of Turkish cities were killed in shellings by the PKK and YPG since the start of the military operation, including eight people in Nusaybin, three in Akcakale, and two in Suruc. On October 9, Ankara announced the launch of Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria, which began with airstrikes on Kurdish positions. The operation’s goal is to create a buffer zone along the Turkish border, where, according to Ankara, Syrian refugees residing in Turkey could return. Syria's SANA news agency slammed the operation as an act of aggression. The international community condemned Ankara’s actions.
| null |
https://tass.com/world/1082803
|
Sat, 12 Oct 2019 02:29:21 +0300
| 1,570,861,761 | 1,570,883,933 |
conflict, war and peace
|
armed conflict
|
579,808 |
thebeaverton--2019-08-21--New indie board game takes 105 hours to set up
| 2019-08-21T00:00:00 |
thebeaverton
|
New indie board game takes 105 hours to set up
|
TORONTO – Tired of playing board games that were over before he had a chance to grow a beard or kill a plant through neglect, indie board game developer Patrick O’Gorman has created a revolutionary new game that not only takes days to play, it also takes days to construct before any playing can begin. “I wanted to focus on the part of board games everyone loves and other designers always overlook: the setup,” O’Gorman explained. “It’s a history based game, so it was important to me to make it as accurate as possible. Yes, battles are fun, but who doesn’t want to experience the thrill and challenge of carefully positioning 24000 pieces of artillery first?” O’Gorman’s game also takes a page from video games and allows (indeed, forces) players to customize their game pieces before starting. Weapons, costumes, physical attributes, psychological profiles, and faintly recalled childhood experiences all have to be carefully configured. Since everything from hair colour to the genetic effects of generational trauma will lead to different game play outcomes, players are encouraged to take a few days to really think about the decisions they’re making. “It’s not just players’ characters that determine game play, the game also depends on the players carefully charting their own astrological signs and including the results of a battery of medical tests,” O’Gorman said. “It really contributes to a sense that you aren’t just playing the game, you’re a part of it. Literally, because there is a significant amount of wood whittling that goes into customizing the pieces and blood is usually spilled.” O’Gorman is currently working on a travel version of the game, but even the hardier version is so intricate players have been known to destroy days of setup by breathing too hard. Sales of the game, which has a name so complicated it can’t be rendered in any written language, have been slow to start, but several players have said that even though it can take weeks to play to completion, it’s still faster and less frustrating than Monopoly.
|
Sara Wren
|
https://www.thebeaverton.com/2019/08/new-indie-board-game-takes-105-hours-to-set-up/
|
2019-08-21 17:00:07+00:00
| 1,566,421,207 | 1,567,533,796 |
lifestyle and leisure
|
leisure
|
579,824 |
thebeaverton--2019-08-28--Party guest has less fun board game for everyone to play next
| 2019-08-28T00:00:00 |
thebeaverton
|
Party guest has less fun board game for everyone to play next
|
CALEDON, ON – A sense of dread filled the air midway through Kayla Dissellia’s party as one attendee claimed they have a great game for everyone to play next. Up until that point, the casual games night had been full of fun social activities, though that ideal would soon be coming to an end as 26-year-old Paul Revaissliun began to unpack an obscenely large box filled with hundreds of tokens and graphs. “We were having a lot of fun just having some drinks and playing silly games, but then Paul forced us all to place this weird map game no one likes,” explained party guest Alanah Tokami. “I don’t know why he thought we would enjoy this, one of the rules is no one can even speak until it’s their turn, which he keeps saying is essential to maintaining the realism of geopolitical tension.” Despite all those in attendance, being perfectly content continuing to socialize over a game of Codenames, a lighthearted party game that is both simple and enjoyable; Paul decided that those in attendance would find more joy in the needlessly complicated game Hierarchy of Valor: Thrones of the Northern World. A game which comes packaged with a 400-page rulebook. “This game is a bit confusing when you start, but once it gets going everyone will love it,” said Paul while setting up a scaled map of 1492 Europe across the living room floor. “So, everyone will control a different dynasty, each with their own unique currency. Depending on what cards you draw and how you roll the dice, that will determine whether your economy succeeds or fails, causing your currency to grow or decline in value. Now unlike some simple game like Risk there’s no actual combat, we must instead use our economic wits to win this war Any hopes that this game may be fun were quickly dashed as soon as each player was handed a stack of graphs and charts that must be consulted before every turn. A note in the rulebook explained this was the 1.3 edition of the game, where the main patch note was a 0.34% nerf to cod farming which previously gave Portugal and Norway an unfair advantage, allowing either dynasty to end the game within a brisk seven hours. Despite constant reassurances of enjoyment being merely on the horizon, the party was ultimately derailed and made objectively worse thanks to the introduction of this new game. It’s complicated mechanics, lack of social element, and a total misunderstanding of what makes for an enjoyable casual games night has brought down the energy in a once vibrant evening, according to sources. Ultimately Paul would go on to handedly win the game during a 38 minute long turn that saw every other player gather in the kitchen and begin a side game of Truth or Dare Jenga.
|
Filipe Dimas
|
https://www.thebeaverton.com/2019/08/party-guest-has-less-fun-board-game-for-everyone-to-play-next/
|
2019-08-28 18:25:15+00:00
| 1,567,031,115 | 1,567,543,603 |
lifestyle and leisure
|
leisure
|
593,629 |
thedailybeast--2019-05-08--Scouted 4 Party Board Games Everyone Whos Got Friends Should Own
| 2019-05-08T00:00:00 |
thedailybeast
|
Scouted: 4 Party Board Games Everyone Who’s Got Friends Should Own
|
I’ve been regularly playing board games for more than a decade but only recently really understood how great they can be in a social setting. After moving to Washington, D.C., in 2013 for work in my late 20s, I found myself in a city where I didn’t know anyone. Making friends was challenging, but I finally found my social sanctuary through a Friday night board gaming group in the bowels of an underground mall in nearby Crystal City (which might ring a bell as one of the cities where Amazon decided to plop down its second headquarters). It was through that group that I evolved into an actual group of friends, sending me into social circles ranging from monthly dinner club socialites to improvisers and later rugby players. All that to say: I know the power of the party game intimately and have stocked up on some favorites to have when folks are over or as the very reason to have them by. Important is the ease with which anyone can learn the game, the fun of playing it (obviously), and the social interaction inherent in the game itself. The more a game has you talk to the people around you, whether in a friendly or competitive sense, the more you’ll get to know them. If you want to take your boardgame pantry to a new level or just want to get started playing around with social games that are perfect for friends, I put together a few of my favorites for you to look through. Importantly, you won’t find any of the humdrum, forever-lasting boardgames of yore in this list, like Monopoly (which has a Game of Thrones edition, in case you were curious) or Risk* (which, sigh, also has a Game of Thrones edition). Catan, $43 on Amazon: The mother of contemporary social board games, everyone’s heard (or should’ve heard) about the ubiquity of this game. It’s easy, colorful, and fun — pitting you against your friends or family in a race to dominate a randomly put together universe. You do your best to cultivate widely spread resources — like wood and wheat — in order to build roads, towns, and cities. Cooperation and competition work in tandem here, allowing you to forge, break, and negotiate allegiances and blockades. For fun, time how long it takes before the first time someone unwittingly asks the groups who’s got wood and everyone inevitably giggles. My favorite expansions include Seafarers, Cities & Knights, and Explorers & Pirates. I also just find out minutes ago about a standalone Game of Thrones Catan edition, which is now in my buy list. Betrayal At House On The Hill, $30 on Amazon: This mostly cooperative game pits you in a haunted house whose door slams shut behind you, forcing you to explore. You actually draw rooms from a deck and lay them down, slowly building a three-story house full of traps and hidden items. Around each corner could lay a haunt, which triggers a die roll that eventually triggers the second phase of the game, by which one of the dozens and dozens of storylines turns one of the players into a monster, ghoul, or plain old bad person, who betrays the rest of the group and tries to beat them. This game delivers again and again with new storylines so you can bring it out on any evening, and the game explains everything simply and with lots of flair and lore. Some of the storylines are duds, but it’s an overall hit whenever I’ve played it. The Widow’s Walk expansion is a must and fans of Baldur’s Gate have their own edition. Dixit, $32 on Amazon: This game will forever be closest to my heart since it was one of the first I ever played in that Crystal City basement and because I befriended one of my closest friends over it. It’s also a strange game. In order, each player chooses one of the abstract and imaginative drawings in their hand — each card is nothing but a unique drawing — and announce a clue for it in whatever form they want, be it a phrase, a dance, or a limerick. Then things get stranger. For the whimsy of the personal touch, this game wins my undying adoration, and expansions are really just extra sets of drawings, like Daydreams, Journey, and Harmonies. Seasons, $38 on Amazon: One of my long-time favorites, you spend the hour or so it takes to play this game flying through three years of seasons, the cycling of each increasing and reducing respective abundances of resources. You use said resources, like water and earth, to gather energy and win the game — but action cards let you both enhance your own progress and inhibit the others’ endeavors. While competitive, the cartoonish, light, and earthy game is great for unwinding — and great for wine. The Enchanted Kingdom expansion is great for some extra versatility and artwork. *I have played many editions of Risk and enjoyed them greatly — my favorite, in order, are the 2210 A.D. edition, the Star Wars edition, and the Legacy edition. I don’t think these make for good party games and some of them have a pretty steep learning curve. Scouted is internet shopping with a pulse. Follow us on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter for even more recommendations and exclusive content. Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.
| null |
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thedailybeast/articles/~3/dSgmOLGsflU/these-staple-party-board-games-are-perfect-for-family-and-friends
|
2019-05-08 16:00:00+00:00
| 1,557,345,600 | 1,567,540,840 |
lifestyle and leisure
|
leisure
|
697,808 |
theguardianuk--2019-04-18--Its supposed to be fun Ed Miliband helps exhibition secure socialist board game
| 2019-04-18T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
|
'It's supposed to be fun': Ed Miliband helps exhibition secure socialist board game
|
Life for the young Ed Miliband was not always like that of other children. As the sons of the Marxist historian Ralph, the former Labour leader and his older brother David grew up in a household where socialist principles extended even to the games they played. One game in particular has been described by Miliband as “fun for all the socialist family”, an anti-capitalist alternative to Monopoly called Class Struggle, which describes itself as a battle between “Socialism (workers win) [and] barbarism (capitalists win)”. More than three decades after the board game was first released in the US, and its creator, the politics professor Bertell Ollman, sent a copy to his friend Ralph Miliband for his young sons to enjoy, a copy of Class Struggle has gone on display at the British Museum, thanks to the intervention of the younger Miliband brother. A new British Museum exhibition, Playing with Money, aims to tell the story of the history of toy money, from the early 20th-century board games which first featured banknotes to more recent examples, including Game of Thrones coins, and tiny Euro notes designed for Lego figurines. Included in the exhibits are several dozen versions of Monopoly, which was originally developed as the Landlord’s Game in 1903 as an intended critique of US land tax, but which has since spawned more than a thousand different versions. The museum’s curators were having trouble tracking down a copy of Class Struggle, however, until someone heard Ed Miliband’s podcast Reasons to be Cheerful, in which he mentioned that he had played the game as a child, prompting a listener to loan him a copy of the game. The curators contacted the MP and his parliamentary team, who helped secure the loan of the game to the exhibition. Miliband told the Guardian: “It’s time to challenge the monopoly of Monopoly – every family should play Class Struggle at least once.” The board had 75 squares, he said, “and you roll at the beginning to work out whether you get to be the worker, the capitalist, the small businessperson, the shopkeeper or the student. You are then supposed to form alliances between the different classes and somebody is supposed to win the game eventually”. Though he confessed he did not actually play the game with David much as a child, he said: “I think it’s supposed to be fun. It does bear this resemblance to Monopoly: it takes a very long time, but then the class struggle does take a long time.” Tom Hockenhull, the curator of modern money at the museum, said it was a new kind of exhibition for his department. “Toy money is an integral part of the discourse of growing up. It’s about how we learn to operate and understand the world through our experiences in playing with money, playing with board games.” Many games, he said, had originally been produced with an educational or satirical agenda. Nineteenth-century board games were often designed with a moral and educational purpose: “you land on a square and are read out some moral lesson, such as don’t be idle.” The 20th century had seen “a clear shift, almost a revolution in games design, where games start to feature money. So that, actually, acquisition or preservation of wealth becomes the main function and purpose”. Other exhibits in the free display include the stockmarket game Stock Ticker, the horse racing game Totopoly, and the relatively recent Black Friday, of which Hockenhull said: “The goal is to predict when the stock market will crash … which is easier in the game than in real life.”
|
Esther Addley
|
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/18/its-supposed-to-be-fun-ed-miliband-loans-socialist-board-game-to-museum
|
2019-04-18 15:36:20+00:00
| 1,555,616,180 | 1,567,542,585 |
lifestyle and leisure
|
leisure
|
698,138 |
theguardianuk--2019-04-20--The board games turning science into playtime
| 2019-04-20T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
|
The board games turning science into playtime
|
When Elizabeth Hargrave created a board game inspired by her love of birdwatching, she had no expectation it would become a tabletop phenomenon. Yet Wingspan sold out within a week of its release in January, earned glowing reviews and was the subject of a New York Times article. “It’s just so far beyond what you could ever hope for, right?” says Hargrave, a health policy researcher in Washington DC. Given that most modern board games have geek-friendly fantasy, science fiction or historical themes, she admits she was uncertain as to “how it would go with a theme so far outside the mainstream”. But that theme “got people really excited”, as it turned out. It’s one that is rooted in solid science, too. Self-confessed “spreadsheet geek” Hargrave dived deep into her research to make sure each of the game’s bird cards bore close relation to its real-world counterpart, from the acorn woodpecker to the yellow-rumped warbler. You don’t need to be into birds to enjoy it, but you’ll come away from a game of Wingspan knowing far more about them. “I want it to be accidentally educational,” says Hargrave. “I wasn’t trying to make a game that’s teaching actively, but more drawing on the fact that people connect to these things because they’re real things in the world around them.” Wingspan is part of a new wave of Stem-inspired (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)board and card games that has been building over the past five or six years, with themes including cell biology, evolution, epidemics and the colonisation of Mars. While the connection between science and gaming isn’t new, it has become far more innovative and elegant. “EduGames” have been around for a long time, though according to Sam Illingworth, senior lecturer in science communication at Manchester Metropolitan University, they are “basically crap, normally designed by people who have never played games before and think, ‘Let’s do a reskin of Monopoly!’” While their science is sound, Illingworth says, most EduGames are forgettably dull to play, thus rendering them pointless. It was a problem that John Coveyou, a designer based in St Louis, Missouri, was keen to solve. A former chemistry teacher, Coveyou even went as far as to form a company, Genius Games, devoted to player-friendly Stem games. After realising how “intimidated” many of his students were by scientific concepts, and noticing how he and his gaming friends would remember “useless information about sci-fi worlds and things that didn’t exist”, he reasoned that well-crafted strategy games would be ideal for making science approachable. So far, Coveyou has designed and published games about ionic bonding, covalent bonding, protein building, atom building, DNA and cell biology. “It’s really fun to take the science and try to make a game out of it,” he says. “I will sometimes spend weeks on research, then mapping out what all of the components and the processes in the game look like and how they interplay.” He will never, he insists, take “liberties” with the science for the sake of the gameplay. “We can’t do anything we want, right? We can’t say, ‘Let’s just make the zombie have a chainsaw now.’ We go back to the textbook to find a way to make the science match what we’re trying to do.” To Illingworth, who regularly uses board games to engage the public with science concepts, a great Stem game isn’t one that bombards you with information; rather, it’s one that “elegantly communicates the key messages through its mechanics”. He cites Terraforming Mars, designed by Swedish science teacher Jacob Fryxelius, as a great example. “What board games do really well is they encourage you to process the facts you learn in your own way – to join the dots,” says Illingworth. “When you play Terraforming Mars, you think to yourself: ‘Wow, terraforming Mars is really difficult. Why do we want to do that when we’ve got our own planet to look after?’” The Stem trend in gaming shows no sign of abating. “I just finished a game about monarch butterfly migration,” says Hargrave, who is also working on a game based on a 1950s Soviet genetics experiment involving the domestication of foxes. Coveyou’s next release, meanwhile, is Periodic: A Game of the Elements, to tie in with the 150th anniversary of the periodic table. The inspiration science provides to game designers is endless, Coveyou says. “There are thousands of different ideas out there, and they already provide you with this amazing framework. There’s an outrageous amount of science concepts. The sky is the limit.” Coveyou’s most successful game to date, Cytosis is a worker-placement game, which means each player has a set of “worker” pawns they place on the board in specific locations to trigger different actions or rewards. Here, that board is a colourful depiction of a human cell, and those “workers” are placed on organelles, where they can collect carbohydrates or ATP, or purchase cell-component cards. Their resources can then be used to build enzymes, hormones and hormone receptors, or to help detoxify the cell, all of which earn the player “health points”; at the game’s end, whoever has the most health points wins. As the box-front boasts, Cytosis is so faithful to the real processes that occur in a human cell, it’s been endorsed by The Journal of Cell Science. According to the scientific journal Nature, this game’s evolution theme isn’t just tacked on, “it drives play”. By collecting and combining different trait cards (such as Hard Shell, Horns and Carnivore), players compete to combat starvation and predation, and win by creating the most adaptable and populous species. Each species is represented by a small player board which tracks their size and population, while food tokens are collected for points at the game’s end. With 129 trait cards, there’s a lot of variety – around 12,000 potential species to create – and you can split your play style between spawning peaceful plant-eaters or creating carnivores to feed on other players’ beasts. Though there is always the danger that with no other valid prey on the table, your carnivore may have to feed on your own plant-eaters. Matt Leacock’s disease-combating game Pandemic is a hugely successful title, which has been recast several times since its publication in 2008. One recent iteration is Pandemic: Iberia, which switches from the original’s modern global setting to the Iberian peninsula of 1848. Each player must take a specific role – nurse, sailor or railwayman, for example – and travel around Iberia, cooperating to find cures for four diseases: malaria, typhus, yellow fever and cholera. Sam Illingworth has used this game to help teach schoolchildren about the different causes of disease and the importance of water purification, but he says Pandemic also has “a brilliant central message that it’s not just one scientist in a lab, fighting disease, it’s lots of people working together”. This isn’t just a great science game, it’s a great game full stop, and is currently ranked the fourth best in the world by hobbyist gamer website BoardGameGeek. Each player takes the role of a 24th-century corporation, whose efforts combine with those of the other players to make Mars habitable through raising the temperature (to 8C), ocean coverage (to 9% of the planet’s surface) and oxygen level (to 14%). At the same time, they are each seeking to earn the highest “Terraforming Rating” by building infrastructure on the planet via tile placement on an accurately rendered Mars map, and executing successful projects by playing project cards, which synergise in many different and rewarding ways. Few games look more appealing when spread out on your table than Wingspan. It features a “bird feeder” dice tower, dozens of pastel-coloured egg miniatures and 170 cards, each with vibrant artwork and deeply researched information on birds. But there is far more to this game than impressive plumage. Each player has his or her own board, representing a habitat divided into woodland, grassland and wetland, on to which they must play bird cards, each with a different point value. These birds can also earn extra points through laying eggs, storing food and activating their powers (for example, a bird of prey can allow you to draw a card from the deck and, if its wingspan is under a certain size, keep it for a bonus point at the game’s end). It’s elegant, easy to learn and a joy to play; it deserves to be a hit.
|
Dan Jolin
|
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/apr/20/board-games-turning-science-into-playtime
|
2019-04-20 14:00:27+00:00
| 1,555,783,227 | 1,567,542,346 |
lifestyle and leisure
|
leisure
|
774,364 |
theindependent--2019-11-05--12 best family board games that provide hours of fun
| 2019-11-05T00:00:00 |
theindependent
|
12 best family board games that provide hours of fun
|
Let’s face it, today’s little digital natives can be difficult to tear away from their screens. But if there’s one thing virtually guaranteed to get them gleefully ditching their gadgets, it’s got to be a board game. The secret to finding the right game for your family is choosing something that is fun to play at every age. This is a tough task, especially with kids at different ages and grandparents joining in, but the best kind of games will allow everyone to muck in, as younger siblings can be on an adult team but still enjoy the fun. Check the age rating on games, and factor in things like each family member’s attention span and their level of interest in the theme or premise of the game. If everyone grows tired of a board game quickly and it gets consigned to a dusty corner of the house, it hasn’t done its job. All the games on this list are ones that our testers wanted to play again and again. Anything that felt tiresome after a few goes didn’t make the list, and a few games which had novelty value that didn’t last have also been left out. You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. This modern twist on the ultimate family board game comes with an interactive Mr Monopoly banking unit, which is voice-activated and handles all of the game’s transactions. He keeps tabs on players’ money and properties so there’s no cash or cards to think about. It’s a lot of fun but we did initially miss some of the elements of the original game – there are fewer streets, for starters – and Mr Monopoly didn’t seem to understand some of our testers’ accents. Nevertheless, after a few goes this quickly became one of the most popular games among the pile we tried. We’re total converts. Billed as a card game for “people who are into kittens, explosions, laser beams and sometimes goats”, this is apparently the most-backed project in Kickstarter history. Players take it in turns drawing cards until someone draws an exploding kitten and loses the game. Yes, it’s that simple. Technically it’s a card game rather than a board game, if you want to be fussy, but we couldn’t leave this out – the whole family loved it. It’s suitable for two to five players. This is a fun collaborative game in which you have to work together as criminal masterminds to crack the vault and release the loot hidden inside before the alarm goes off. There are six different levels of gameplay which get increasingly difficult, so it doesn’t get boring. It’s tricky to find a game that both a six-year-old and a teenager enjoy, but this ticks that box. You get an electronic safe as well as the money and gold bars, plus accessories including a drill, explosives and a laptop. This high-speed guessing game is a bit like charades. It pits teams of players against each other to see how many alliterative phrases they can guess per 90-second round. Clarendon is an independent board and card game publisher, so this is a good buy if you like the idea of supporting an independent business. Plus, it’ll provide endless hours of fun. The aim of this puzzle game is to help allocate a seat on the flight to as many passengers as possible. It’s a fairly intricate game, so we had to play a few rounds before we really got the hang of things, but it’s basically a colour matching puzzle affair. You take it in turns to choose cards which detail various passenger seating patterns, which you then need to fit into the plane. Suitable for one to four players, there are three levels of rules so you can change the complexity of the game to suit the age of those playing. There’s lots to keep you entertained in this game – the score system is a baggage carousel and the artwork is really engaging. This fast-paced word game is all about racing against the other players to get rid of all your tiles by creating words, swapping letters and even attacking other players’ words. We tested a special edition Harry Potter version of the original game with four spell tiles which increase your chances of winning the game. There’s a “polyjuice potion” tile which can be used as any letter and if you can spell the word snitch, you win that round. We love that this comes in its own canvas bag as it’s ideal for travelling. Another bank heist board game, this one is all about one player being the bank while the others are bank robbers who have to try and plan a heist, trick the guards and steal the loot. The bank, meanwhile, has to try and stop the robbers before they make off with the contents of the vault. It’s suitable for two to four players and it’s essentially an entertaining game of strategy. The first board game to be powered by Google Assistant, this is a multi-activity quiz game that’s always evolving. There are a series of games you can play, all of which involve challenges based on intuition, fun, creativity and knowledge. You can play it online with the Google Assistant (download the app free from the Google Play Store or the App Store) or play it offline – but online is more fun. It’s suitable for three to six players but online play is for ages 16+ as it requires users to have a Google account. It took us a while to get this set up and it’s definitely a bit tricky for younger family members but pre-teens and teenagers loved showing off their extensive knowledge. This is a classic strategy game that every family should own. Granted, it might not capture your eye amid the brightly coloured board games on sale but it quickly became a favourite for family games nights in our household. Participants play a card from their hand and then place a chip on a corresponding space on the game board. When you have five in a row, you’ve got a sequence. You can block your opponents by removing their chips. This was an unexpected hit with a houseful of teens. It’s essentially a guessing game based around storytelling – one player, the storyteller, chooses an image from the six cards in their hand and makes up a sentence based on it, telling the other players without showing their card. The other players then choose a card from their hands which best matches the sentence and gives those to the storyteller. The storyteller’s cards are then shuffled and shown and each player has to guess which picture was the storyteller’s. It’s hard to explain and we weren’t convinced when we read the instructions, but it kept a rowdy crowd quiet for ages so it’s a definite winner. Orchard Toys counting mountain, suitable for four to eight-year-olds: £10.25, Orchard Toys This fun counting game was a huge hit with our six-year-old tester who loved putting her adding skills to the test and trying to be the first to scale the mountain. You can make the game more complicated by using the yeti cards, which can send you back down the mountain, but our tester didn’t fancy that. Much less chance of winning. This comes in packaging that looks like a box of doughnuts which fans of Bake Off will probably enjoy. It’s a bakery themed card game whereby you have to keep an eye on the cards and race to grab the corresponding doughnut if you spot a match. You can make the game more complex with action cards, and the winner gets to wear a head baker’s hat. Monopoly voice banking wins our best buy for its fun, fresh take on a classic, and Exploding Kittens takes second spot as it appeals to all ages. IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing. Black Friday 2019 is nearly here. Read our guide on how to get the best deals.
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Heidi Scrimgeour
|
https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/kids/toys-activities/best-family-board-games-families-adults-kids-two-players-apps-table-a9186186.html
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Tue, 05 Nov 2019 16:49:00 GMT
| 1,572,990,540 | 1,573,133,414 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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777,065 |
theindependent--2019-11-25--Playing board games 'helps keep your memory sharp in old age'
| 2019-11-25T00:00:00 |
theindependent
|
Playing board games 'helps keep your memory sharp in old age'
|
Playing board games may help elderly people keep their memories sharp, a study has claimed. Those who regularly played games such as chess and bingo were more likely to have maintained their thinking skills, researchers found. For the study, University of Edinburgh academics assessed 1,091 individuals, all of whom were born in 1939. The participants’ general cognitive function was noted at the age of 11 and 70, and then a series of cognitive tests were conducted at the ages of 70, 73, 76 and 79. At the ages of 70 and 76, the respondents were asked how often they took part in activities such as playing cards, chess and bingo and crosswords. Researchers then tried to determine if there was any link between the games they played and their cognitive abilities. The study, which was published in The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences, found that those who began playing more games in their later years were less likely to exhibit a decline in thinking skills. This was made especially apparent with regards to the participant’s memory function and thinking speed. The researchers concluded that their findings could help establish what sorts of activities may benefit our cognitive abilities in old age. Dr Drew Altschul, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, explained: “For those in their 70s or beyond, another message seems to be that playing non-digital games may be a positive behaviour in terms of reducing cognitive decline.” Professor Ian Deary, director of the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, said the research is “narrowing down the sorts of activities that might help to keep people sharp in older age”. “It’d be good to find out if some of these games are more potent than others,” Professor Deary added. “We also point out that several other things are related to better cognitive ageing, such as being physically fit and not smoking.” Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said that the findings of the study are “further evidence” that the decline of thinking skills in old age “doesn’t have to be inevitable”. “The connection between playing board games and other non-digital games later in life and sharper thinking and memory skills adds to what we know about steps we can take to protect our cognitive health, including not drinking excess alcohol, being active and eating a healthy diet,” said Ms Abrahams.
|
Sabrina Barr
|
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/board-games-play-memory-mind-old-age-elderly-study-a9217426.html
|
Mon, 25 Nov 2019 17:09:00 GMT
| 1,574,719,740 | 1,574,728,277 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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926,059 |
thesun--2019-01-12--What time is The Chase on ITV TODAY who is The Beast and is there a board game
| 2019-01-12T00:00:00 |
thesun
|
What time is The Chase on ITV TODAY, who is The Beast and is there a board game?
|
THE Chase is coming back to ITV this afternoon for another fun-filled episode, featuring a team of challengers hoping to take on a brainy quiz mastermind intent on blocking their path to big bucks. Here is everything you need to know about the popular teatime show, its host Bradley Walsh and the infamous Chasers... The Chase will be on ITV this afternoon at 5pm. It goes head-to-head with the likes of Final Score on BBC One, Escape to the Country on BBC Two and A Place in the Sun: Winter on Channel 4 in the early-evening ratings war. The Chasers are the quiz geniuses contestants go head-to-head with to win a cash prize. The Beast is one of them - his real name, however, is Mark Labbett. Joining him are Anne Hegerty (nicknamed The Governess), Shaun Wallace (The Dark Destroyer) and Paul Sinha (The Sinnerman). The Chasers are back and as intimidating as ever Yes there is - and it's actually pretty popular. In fact, the game has a 4 star rating on Amazon. It costs £15.99 and is suitable for people aged 8 years and older. The teatime game show sees four plucky contestants go up against one of Britain’s best quiz brains in a bid to win thousands of pounds. The teams compete against the chaser, one of six know-it-all quizzers, in a bid to keep the money that they win. The Chase has amassed a huge cult following and is ITV's most successful daytime show ever. As well as catching the show on ITV at 5pm, there are some hilarious highlights that see host Bradley Walsh laugh uncontrollably at some of the questions. Actor, singer and game show host Bradley Walsh is the presenter of The Chase and Cash Trapped. He's beloved by fans for his outbursts of laughter at some of the dafter questions on the show, which have helped it go viral a number of times and sealed its cult following of regular viewers. Before The Chase, he also presented Supermarket Sweep in the 1990's, and the National Lottery from 2004. Besides that he's had roles in Coronation Street, Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures, and ITV’s crime drama Law and Order: UK. Bradley has been plagued by accusations of being drunk on the job while hosting The Chase, but recently revealed he actually has a medical condition that makes him look like he's had a few too many. He revealed on This Morning that he suffers from blepharitis, which makes his eyes look red and swollen as if he has been on the booze. He said: "I have to take [one pill] a day for it or I really struggle. I am going to need my eyes operated on at some point to sort it out. "So many times, people have commented on [how I look]. But they don't realise. If I take [medication] though, I'm fine." Blepharitis is a chronic eye condition which causes itchy, sore and swollen eyelids, and Bradley has been suffering with it since he was a teenager. He had to deny being drunk during an appearance on weekend cookery show Sunday Brunch late last year. Viewers flocked to Twitter to ask if the TV star had been boozing, but he later insisted he was sober.
|
rpinnington
|
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/3673768/the-chase-beast-board-game-bradley-walsh/
|
2019-01-12 15:28:59+00:00
| 1,547,324,939 | 1,567,552,795 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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937,954 |
thesun--2019-02-14--Play our saucy board game to get steamy in the bedroom this Valentines Day
| 2019-02-14T00:00:00 |
thesun
|
Play our saucy board game to get steamy in the bedroom this Valentine’s Day
|
WE’VE got the perfect gift for any of you wanting to put the spark back in the bedroom this Valentine’s Day – a saucy version of Snakes & Ladders. All you need is a dice, a couple of tiddlywinks . . . and no inhibitions. Climb the ladders and slide down the snakes, acting out the sexy forfeits as you go. You might end up having your partner lick chocolate sauce from your body. Scaling one of the ladders could mean you have to act out six different sex positions in 60 seconds. The aim of the game is to get your counter to the finish line first to win a gourmet dinner – cooked by your partner, the naked chef. Whatever happens, you won’t be bored with this bawdy board game.
|
FIONA NIMONI
|
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/8423445/trouser-snakes-and-ladders-valentines-day/
|
2019-02-14 01:40:25+00:00
| 1,550,126,425 | 1,567,548,545 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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984,166 |
thesun--2019-11-01--Best Christmas board games for 2019: For families, children, teams and solo players
| 2019-11-01T00:00:00 |
thesun
|
Best Christmas board games for 2019: For families, children, teams and solo players
|
CHRISTMAS is drawing near, which means shoppers are desperately hunting for the best board games to while away the hours over the festive period. While Monopoly is a nation's favourite game for all the family to enjoy, there are tonnes of other options. Whether you are looking for games for just kids, or the family, there is something for everyone. Game night has also become hugely popular among friends and colleagues, especially when a drink or two is involved. While some may be looking for wild drinking games ahead of a night out on the town, others may prefer trivia games to test their knowledge. Sun Selects have found the best board games to suit everyone's needs and budgets. This article and featured products have been independently chosen by Sun journalists. It contains links which are ads, and if you click a link and buy a product we will earn revenue. Monopoly is the ultimate board game everyone knows and loves. Put your bargaining and investment skills to the test with this buy, which will guarantee fun for hours on end. • Monopoly for £17 from Argos - buy here Don't want to let your children loose in the kitchen just yet, then this is the perfect solution. Treat the little ones in your life to the Crazy Chef's Game to teach your children about different foods. This creation is a huge hit with customers who have rated it five stars. One review read: "Great learning game as it aids memory." • (AD) Orchard Toys Crazy Chefs Game for £6.80 from Amazon - buy here Whether you are wanting to have a laugh with your pals or family, Game for Fame is for you. This board game includes a range of games, from tongue twisters, to slow motion and charades, which makes for hours of fun and giggles. • (AD) Game For Fame for £20 from Amazon - buy here Is Santa Claus real? Put your festive knowledge to the test with Lakeland's True or False game. The set comes complete with pads and questions, and will no doubt get the brain ticking after you've filled your stomachs with roast dinner. • True or False Christmas Quiz Game for £7.99 from Lakeland - buy here Put your film knowledge to the test over Christmas with this Blockbuster movie game, which has been hailed a must play by customers. The game has received glowing reviews from shoppers, as it is perfect for all film buffs and is perfect for up to 12 players. • (AD) Big Potato Blockbuster Game: The Movie Board Game for £19.99 from Amazon - buy here Looking for other bargain buys to help you on your way? Sun Selects has everything you need. If you're on the hunt for even more bargain buys for your home, check out our dedicated home section. Want to continue your shopping spree and find the best dressing gowns for men and women to snuggle up in on the weekend, we've got you covered. This article and any featured products have been independently chosen by The Sun journalists. All recommendations within the article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click a link and buy a product we may earn revenue: this helps to support The Sun, and in no way affects our recommendations.
|
Maisie Bovingdon
|
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sun-selects/10257863/best-christmas-board-games/
|
Fri, 01 Nov 2019 19:31:20 +0000
| 1,572,651,080 | 1,572,647,220 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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985,023 |
thesun--2019-11-08--Beat the boredom on winter nights by picking up some bargain board games — plus win £50k in the Sun
| 2019-11-08T00:00:00 |
thesun
|
Beat the boredom on winter nights by picking up some bargain board games — plus win £50k in the Sun Savers Raffle
|
ARE you looking for tips for a fun night in? Now the evenings are dark and chilly, I am much less likely to make plans to go out. But that does not mean Horlicks and bed. Instead, it is the perfect time to host a games night. If you fancy following suit, these ideas will help make your bash a success — and they will not take a gamble with your bank account . . . • DO NOT GET BOARD: You will find deals on classic board games at Smyths. Monopoly is down from £21.99 to £16.99 and Mouse Trap is reduced from £23.99 to £14.99. Buckaroo is now £12.99, RRP £16.99. There is also a two-for-£10 offer on games such as Bingo and Word Stax at The Works, usually £7 each. SAVE: £9 on Mouse Trap • WILD CARD: Get a pack of £1 playing cards at Wilko and look up the rules for Spoons or Crazy Eights. They are two of my favourites. If you are a quiz show fan, The Chase cards are £4 at B&M — £1.99 less than at John Lewis. Head to sendit.co.uk for a £9.99 poker set. It is much cheaper than Argos’ £25 version. SAVE: £15.01 on a poker game • SWEET DEAL: Sillier games include the After Eight challenge, which involves you having to get a chocolate from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands. Poundland’s £1 Mint Nights are a great After Eight dupe, £2 at Waitrose. You will already know how to play musical chairs, two truths and a lie and Mr and Mrs – these cost nothing but your imagination. SAVE: £1 on mint chocolates • APPY DAYS: There are loads of great party game apps out there, most of which are free, but have in-app purchases. I love Psych!, Who Can’t Draw? and Just Dance Now. The latter is a digital dance mat — a physical one would set you back £24.99 at very.co.uk. SAVE: £24.99 on mat • QUESTION MASTER: Pub quizzes are fun, but you usually end up spending at least £10 on drinks. Luckily, there are ready-made free quizzes online._ SAVE: Around £10 on drinks • PRICES correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability. THE Even Bigger Night In deal at dominos.co.uk is simply dough-licious. You get two large pizzas, potato wedges, cookies and large soft drink for £28.99, usually £52.95. SAVE: £23.96 SNACKS are key to a great games night, so get to Asda for a share size bag of sea salt & balsamic vinegar Kettle Chips for £1, down from £1.99. SAVE: 99p KP Dry Roasted Peanuts will go down a treat, pick up a 415g pack at Sainsbury’s for £2.50, down from £3.50. SAVE: £1 SAVE 20 per cent on all Nerf, Play-Doh and Power Rangers toys at argos.co.uk with code PLAY20. Play now to win £50,000 on the Sun Savers Raffle YOU could win £50,000 in our Sun Raffle – just by picking up The Sun paper. Whether you’re saving for a new car or have started preparing for Christmas, we know just how expensive life can be. That is why we’re trying to help by giving away £50,000 to one lucky reader every month in our Raffle. To enter, download the Sun Savers app or sign up at sunsavers.co.uk. Then, opt in to each month’s Sun Raffle by clicking “Yes!” when prompted and start collecting the codes printed daily inside the paper – scanning in the app or entering online. Today’s code is on Page 20 of the paper. Make sure you collect and enter your code today as the next giveaway is Saturday, November 30. With every code you enter, you will earn a ticket into that month’s £50k Raffle. There is no limit to how many tickets you can collect per month, so as November has just begun now is the perfect time to start entering codes to give yourself the best chance of winning. Not already a Sun Savers member? Find out all about the great treats and rewards that you can earn with Sun Savers in the paper. YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper. Our brilliant new rewards club will pay back our most loyal readers. Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have collected 28. This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save. For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65. We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two. Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at sunsavers.co.uk. To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash. With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day. TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — joining takes just 30 seconds, in three steps. • PRICES correct at time of going to press. Deals/offers subject to availability. GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected]
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Stephanie Chase
|
https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/10302601/bargain-board-games-deals-savings/
|
Fri, 08 Nov 2019 02:51:35 +0000
| 1,573,199,495 | 1,573,184,306 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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988,264 |
thesun--2019-11-26--Playing cards or board games may protect against dementia, researchers find
| 2019-11-26T00:00:00 |
thesun
|
Playing cards or board games may protect against dementia, researchers find
|
PLAYING cards or board games may protect against dementia. Researchers found pensioners who played bridge, chess and Monopoly were more likely to stay mentally sharp. They analysed data on 1,091 people who sat tests on memory, problem solving and thinking speed. The tests started when they were 70 and then were repeated every three years until they were 79. Those who played “non-digital” games, such as bingo, dominoes or crosswords suffered less decline in brain power. This was particularly the case for memory and thinking speed, the University of Edinburgh study found. The average IQ score of pensioners who played games several times a week was one to three points higher. Results took into account other potentially influential factors, such as wealth, education and exercise. Professor Ian Deary said: “We are narrowing down the sorts of activities that might help to keep people sharp in older age. “It’d be good to find out if some of these games are more potent than others.” Age UK’s Caroline Abrahams said: “Even though some people’s thinking skills can decline as they get older, this research is further evidence it doesn’t have to be inevitable. • GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected]
|
Chris Richards
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10421265/playing-cards-board-games-may-protect-against-dementia/
|
Tue, 26 Nov 2019 00:01:45 +0000
| 1,574,744,505 | 1,574,727,916 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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996,883 |
thetelegraph--2019-01-23--Russian company creates Our Guys in Salisbury board game in humorous response to novichok attack
| 2019-01-23T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
Russian company creates 'Our Guys in Salisbury' board game in 'humorous' response to novichok attack
|
A Russian company has produced a children's board game in which players retrace Russian assassins' route to the nerve agent attack Salisbury, prompting anger from residents. Called “Our Guys in Salisbury,” a picture of the game board shows a brightly-coloured step-by-step path across Europe. Stops include Geneva, Paris, Amsterdam and London, all of them European cities that the two suspects visited before allegedly poisoning Sergei Skripal. The finish line is in Salisbury, which is represented by a cathedral and men in bright green hazmat suits. In keeping with the spy theme, the box features a picture of two men in fake glasses and moustaches. The Telegraph could not find the game on Tuesday in the Moscow store listed on the seller's website. A saleswoman said the shop sold games by the brand but the Salisbury one “probably sold out already”. One of the game's developers told state media on Wednesday it had created it in response to Western condemnation over the Salisbury attack. "We decided to make our humorous answer for our Western neighbours by creating a board game, where our compatriots walk freely in Europe and explore the sights," said Mikhail Bober. GalaMart, the retail company that listed “Our Guys in Salisbury” on its website, confirmed to The Telegraph that it sells such a game.
|
Alec Luhn
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/23/russian-company-creates-guys-salisbury-board-game-humorous-response/
|
2019-01-23 20:23:25+00:00
| 1,548,293,005 | 1,567,551,193 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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1,014,347 |
thetelegraph--2019-08-31--Gamers increasingly swapping keyboards for dice as board games boom
| 2019-08-31T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
Gamers increasingly swapping keyboards for dice as board games boom
|
Video game players are switching to board games on droves as 3D printing is allowing life-like pieces to be made. The trend is helping fuel a boom in adult board games as enthusiasts and companies are adapting popular video games into new table-top pastimes. The result is that more and more gamers swapping console controllers and keyboards for dice and miniature figurines, as players told the Sunday Telegraph they were attracted to the home-spun fun of an evening in with friends compared to the increasingly toxic world of online gaming. Alex Heath, a 32-year-old freelance concept artist who has worked in the video games industry for a decade, said five years ago he “wouldn’t have thought about...
|
Mike Wright
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/31/gamers-increasingly-swapping-keyboards-dice-board-games-boom/
|
2019-08-31 19:00:00+00:00
| 1,567,292,400 | 1,569,416,852 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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1,018,933 |
thetelegraph--2019-11-06--The best 10 board games to play with the family at Christmas
| 2019-11-06T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
The best 10 board games to play with the family at Christmas
|
Once the Christmas presents have been unwrapped and roast turkey has been devoured, family and friends often get together to while away the afternoon with a classic board game on Christmas Day. While technology has advanced in recent years, there's nothing better than gathering round with your nearest and dearest to play a good old-fashioned board game, loved by both young and old - even if it does generate a few arguments over who has won. Whether it's chess, Jenga or Monolopy, there are some games all the family know and love playing. Here are our top picks of the best classic family games, perfect for endless fun and creating memories this festive season.
|
Telegraph Writers
|
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas/0/best-christmas-board-games-play-family-2019-fun-classic/
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Wed, 06 Nov 2019 16:39:21 GMT
| 1,573,076,361 | 1,573,063,790 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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1,019,859 |
thetelegraph--2019-11-14--The best family board games for Christmas 2019, according to an expert
| 2019-11-14T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
The best family board games for Christmas 2019, according to an expert
|
Peter Jenkinson is the UK’s leading board games journalist. His job takes him all over the world, attending toy fairs and board game expos. His expertise and ability to absorb rule books means that board game publishers often seek his input for their next potential best-seller. No longer something you drag out of a dusty cupboard to banish Boxing Day boredom, board games are enjoying a mainstream renaissance. This year, we are truly spoilt for choice thanks to continued growth among smaller independent publishers and major innovation from more established board game makers. Having attended a number of worldwide events devoted to board games over the past 12 months, it’s evident that an entirely new category has arrived on the scene too - shelf-worthy. These board games are so beautifully crafted, you’ll want to keep them on display even when they’re not being played. So here’s our new favourite games of the year - not too taxing on the grey matter but challenging enough to ensure they deliver on fun. Whether you’re looking for something high-tech, fast-paced or family-friendly, you’ll find it here.
|
Peter Jenkinson
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas/0/best-family-board-games-christmas-2019-according-expert/
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Thu, 14 Nov 2019 16:00:00 GMT
| 1,573,765,200 | 1,573,778,152 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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1,019,988 |
thetelegraph--2019-11-15--The best 10 board games to play with the family at Christmas
| 2019-11-15T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
The best 10 board games to play with the family at Christmas
|
Once the Christmas presents have been unwrapped and roast turkey has been devoured, family and friends often get together to while away the afternoon with a classic board game on Christmas Day. While technology has advanced in recent years, there's nothing better than gathering round with your nearest and dearest to play a good old-fashioned board game, loved by both young and old - even if it does generate a few arguments over who has won. Whether it's chess, Jenga or Monolopy, there are some games all the family know and love playing. Here are our top picks of the best classic family games, perfect for endless fun and creating memories this festive season.
|
Telegraph Writers
|
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas/0/best-christmas-board-games-play-family-2019-fun-classic/
|
Fri, 15 Nov 2019 09:35:41 GMT
| 1,573,828,541 | 1,573,820,973 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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586,578 |
theblaze--2019-11-20--New limited edition of Uno card game promises to save your Thanksgiving from politics
| 2019-11-20T00:00:00 |
theblaze
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New limited edition of Uno card game promises to save your Thanksgiving from politics
|
New limited edition of Uno card game promises to save your Thanksgiving from politics We didn't realize Uno fights on Thanksgiving were such an issue.
|
Carlos Garcia
|
https://www.theblaze.com/news/uno-non-partisan-deck-to-save-thanksgiving
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Wed, 20 Nov 2019 02:40:33 +0000
| 1,574,235,633 | 1,574,251,670 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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1,068,503 |
upi--2019-12-09--Google celebrates card game Loteria with new interactive Doodle
| 2019-12-09T00:00:00 |
upi
|
Google celebrates card game Loteria with new interactive Doodle
|
Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Google released on Monday a new interactive Doodle that allows users to play rounds of traditional Mexican card game Loteria with friends or users from around the world. Google's homepage features a selection of Loteria cards and beans surrounded by a play button that starts the game. Popular Mexican YouTuber Luisito Comunica serves as the game's narrator who explains the rules of Loteria. A board full of cards will be displayed. Cards are dealt to five players and for each matching card, a bean is placed on top of them. Once a pre-determined pattern of beans are formed such as getting four in a row, a winner is declared after the Loteria button is hit. Loteria originated in Italy in the 15th century and first moved to Spain before it hit Mexico in 1769. The characters and objects on the cards have been updated multiple times to reflect current social norms. Five Mexican and Mexican-American illustrators designed the over 50 cards for the Doodle including Carolina Martinez, Cecilia Ruiz, Luis Pinto, Loris Lora and Valeria Alvarez. "Today, Loteria's iconic imagery and the shared experience it fosters across people of any generation has become a source of pride and celebration for Mexican culture. Whether you play today with your familia or a new amig@ around the world, we hope today's Doodle inspires fun, curiosity and a healthy dose of competencia," Global marketing lead, Google Doodle Perla Campos said.
| null |
https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2019/12/09/Google-celebrates-card-game-Loteria-with-new-interactive-Doodle/8281575890458/
|
Mon, 09 Dec 2019 07:03:57 -0500
| 1,575,893,037 | 1,575,896,069 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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527,419 |
sputnik--2019-03-11--Indian Cities Ban PUBG Online Game Citing Harmful Effects on Children
| 2019-03-11T00:00:00 |
sputnik
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Indian Cities Ban PUBG Online Game Citing Harmful Effects on Children
|
New Delhi (Sputnik): At least four cities in India now have ordered a complete ban on PUBG, or PlayerUnknown's BattleGrounds, which is a popular battle royale game among Indian youth and teenagers. Last week, PUBG was banned in the cities of Rajkot and Surat in the western Indian state of Gujarat. Now other districts of the state, namely Bhavnagar and Gir Somnath, have also joined the bandwagon and issued a notification to ban the popular mobile game. The notification observes that games like PUBG incites violence and adds that if people are caught playing the game, then they may be prosecuted under Indian law. A similar notification was earlier issued against the viral "Momo Challenge", a viral hoax challenge in which an unknown stranger entices users to indulge in harmful, even fatal acts. PUBG was created and distributed by a subsidiary of the South Korean gaming company "Bluehole". The game has already celebrated its first anniversary of its release. Since last year, the game has achieved tremendous popularity across the world, especially in India. The game has been severely criticised by officials as well as parents for having negative, addictive and adverse effects on children. During one of the recent direct interaction session of the prime minister with students through an event, a mother even apprised PM Narendra Modi about her child's addiction to the game. Some Indians have appealed to the prime minister through social media to ban the game. There are also several Indians who have objected to the ban.
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201903111073126663-indian-cities-ban-online-game-pubg/
|
2019-03-11 13:51:00+00:00
| 1,552,326,660 | 1,567,546,752 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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925,569 |
thesun--2019-01-11--The best family games for that new console whatever age your children are
| 2019-01-11T00:00:00 |
thesun
|
The best family games for that new console, whatever age your children are
|
WAS there a shiny new games console under your family's Christmas tree this year? If so, you might be feeling a little lost, or indeed feeling like you're in danger of losing your family to it. But don't worry -- Andy Robertson editor of AskAboutGames.com is here to help. He's rounded up the top family games you can get right now that you can jump into, whatever age you are -- helpfully grouped by their PEGI rating so you know they're going to be suitable for whichever family members are gathered around the telly. Children might not think they need help finding video games to play, but parents can guide them discover a wider range of experiences. To keep gaming healthy it's also important that mums, dads and carers find games that they want to play together with their children, too. One valuable resource here are the PEGI ratings that designate in great detail which game are appropriate for which age groups. While it's worth noting that this is about appropriate content rather than how old you need to be to enjoy a particular game, these ratings are a good place for parents to start when looking for new games. New Super Marios Bros. U Deluxe (Switch) - A great two-dimensional Super Mario game that up to four players can play at once. It's a great way to introduce kids to the world of Mario, especially if you happened to play NES or SNES Mario Bros. games. Challenging (but not too challenging) and great multiplayer make this one a winner. Wordhunters (PS4 PlayLink) - This is a PlayStation 4 game played with mobile phones. This not only means you don't need lots of controllers, but that the interface is super simple for all ages. With the world travelling word puzzles this is a brilliant game for parents and children. The combination of the big screen and handheld devices words perfectly. Crayola Scoot (Switch, PS4, Xbox One) - Crayola Scoot combines fun scooting action with the colouring entertainment of crayons. You can execute a range of special moves as you traverse the world and improve your scooting skills. Families will also enjoy the split screen colour clash mode and the 4-player party pop challenge. Brand collaborations like this are sometimes questionable, but this is one that offers real value. Overcooked 2 (Xbox One, PS4, Switch, PC) - Overcooked is suitable for all ages, but children probably need to be 8 or 9 to play it competitively. It's a beautifully simple cooking challenge where you collaborate to create specific dishes of food in increasingly strange locations. The genius is how well balanced each level is. Players have to pay attention to the screen, but also communicate with each other to do well. A video game that encourages parents/carers and children to talk to each other is a video game worth having in the family. Starlink Battle for Atlus (Xbox One, PS4, Switch, PC) - This is a beautiful open space adventure where players pilot a variety of customisable craft as they follow a high quality fully animated story line. You can play it electronically, but it really comes to life for slightly younger players when you get it with the integrated toys. These spaceships, weapons, pilots and wings are interchangeable. Snap them together, place them on the controller and they instantly appear in the game. You can also get the starter pack for a big discount at the moment. This is a real winner. Spyro Reignited Trilogy (Xbox One, PS4, Switch) - If you enjoyed playing Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon in your formative years these remakes are a great way to revisit those characters and worlds with your children. But even if you didn't, Spyro Reignited Trilogy offers and action adventure experience that children will love. It's perfect for youngsters as it combines exuberant action with exploration and collection. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle – Donkey Kong Adventure (Switch) - This is the new expansion to the Mario + Rabbids turn based strategy game. Players take turns to move their characters and attack each other in the battles. It looks amazing, with Mario, Peach, Luigi and the Nintendo crew taking on the Rabbids and other baddies. What's best for younger players is that there is no time limit so they can take their time with each go, and mum and dad can help along the way as need be. Towerfall (Switch, Xbox One, PS4, PC) - This is a great retro combat game, featuring knights with limited stocks of arrows to fire at each other. It offers a chaotic and frantic experience on all platforms, but on Switch this extends to 6 players and a few new settings. Upping the number of players makes this idea for larger families, or when you have others round for a gaming session. The detailed settings also let you tailor teams and abilities to make sure it's a balanced match even when you have a range of ages playing. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch) - This is the latest update of the Super Smash Bros. franchise. On the Switch it looks amazing with a huge array of characters and locations that children will recognise from other Nintendo games they play. Again you can have a large number of players all fighting together, but it's the depth of the roster and need to really learn how to use each fighter, that makes this really good value for families. Sea of Thieves (Xbox One, PC) - This is an open world game about pirates and the high seas. Players explore the world by ship, and can collaborate with each other to take on missions and earn treasure. The open nature of the game makes it suitable for children who don't want a directed experience, although it's worth noting that more work is required by the player for this to be enjoyable. Marvel’s Spider-Man (PS4) - This is an open world super hero game perfect for fans of Spider-Man. It's rated for older teenagers because the combat, and for that audience is a perfect fit. There's a combination of strong character progression with an original and emotionally compelling story. Along with the downloadable content that offers new missions and story elements, Spider-Man is one of the best super hero games on the PlayStation platform. West of Loathing (Switch, PC, Mac) - This is a tongue in cheek slapstick adventure. Players explore the black and white hand drawn world to take on enemies and earn better weapons. Along with the entertaining scenarios and comedic writing, this is a game that feels completely original from the outset. But more than a novelty this offers older teenagers a unique role play experience with quests, puzzles and mysteries. Ark Survival Evolved (iOS, Android, Xbox, PC) - Another open world game. This takes the basic survival concept of Minecraft but puts it in a realistic universe. Players must survive a world full of dinosaurs and other environmental threats by collecting materials and developing food supplies. It's not an easy game, but one that can be played in many different ways.
|
asassooncoby
|
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/8171623/best-family-games-console-pegi-ratings/
|
2019-01-11 17:08:43+00:00
| 1,547,244,523 | 1,567,552,937 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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646,426 |
thedailyrecord--2019-03-22--Its a no brainer - get your Puzzle Pull-out free with the Ayrshire Post
| 2019-03-22T00:00:00 |
thedailyrecord
|
It's a no brainer - get your Puzzle Pull-out free with the Ayrshire Post
|
Time to get the brainwaves active for a great give-away in this week’s Ayrshire Post. Inside you will find an eight-page puzzles pull-out packed with games and word teasers. And it’s absolutely free for our readers. The good thing is all the answers are given at the back - so no need to fret for a week. Get your copy of the 80 page Ayrshire Post from your paperboy on a Tuesday night, or in newsagents from 6am on Wednesday morning.
|
Stephen Houston
|
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/its-no-brainer-your-puzzle-14172536
|
2019-03-22 12:12:05+00:00
| 1,553,271,125 | 1,567,545,239 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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524,310 |
sputnik--2019-02-06--90s Video Game Classics Making a Comeback Right Before Valentines Day
| 2019-02-06T00:00:00 |
sputnik
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90s Video Game Classics Making a Comeback Right Before Valentine's Day
|
Super Mario Bros. 2, first released in 1998, and Kirby's Adventure, a 1993 platform game, will be added to the nostalgia line-up of games available on Nintendo Switch Online — including Donkey Kong and Yoshi — on 13 February. In order to enjoy the newly introduced classics, subscribers will have to cash out for the service, which costs $19.99 yearly. READ MORE: Luigi is a Trans & ‘I Am Here for Her': Super Mario Bros Fans Rally on Twitter
| null |
https://sputniknews.com/science/201902061072184255-mario-brothers-kirby-adventures-nintendo/
|
2019-02-06 15:52:00+00:00
| 1,549,486,320 | 1,567,549,486 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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974,047 |
thesun--2019-07-25--Make the most of summer with holiday foods and games to keep the kids busy
| 2019-07-25T00:00:00 |
thesun
|
Make the most of summer with holiday foods and games to keep the kids busy
|
WITH two-thirds of us planning a UK break this year, holidays at home are the current hot ticket among families. Make the most of summer with holiday foods and fun games to keep little ones busy. With ideas for sunny play and rainy-day fun – all at glorious prices – you can save a packet over pricier activities. METHOD: Mix all of your ingredients for the salsa (everything but the salmon, pittas and cajun seasoning), seasoning to taste. Mix the diced salmon with the cajun spice, then place it on a baking tray and cook at 180C for five minutes (or until thoroughly cooked). Warm the pittas, split them and fill with the salmon. Top with the salsa and serve. GET that holiday feeling with these great food buys. Just add sunshine! Buy two for £3 on selected packs of ice creams and lollies at Morrisons, including six strawberry Cornettos, £2, and 12 Mini Milks, £2.17. Get a taste of the Med with Asda Extra Special halloumi & chilli jam tortilla rolls, £1. Go global with three for £7 on Waitrose World Deli nibbles including spinach & feta parcels, £3.50, and chicken harissa skewers, £3. Save 50p on Sainsbury’s crustless tomato, mozzarella & basil quiche, 340g, was £2.30, now £1.80. METHOD: Pat fish with kitchen paper. Halve one of the garlic cloves and rub it over the sardines. Brush with some oil and put them in the fridge to chill. Thinly slice the fennel lengthways and slice the courgette along the diagonal. Brush the vegetables with a little of the oil then season with salt and pepper. Crush the other garlic clove and whisk into the remaining oil along with the lemon juice and rind, mustard and 2 tbsp of the dill. Barbecue the veg for three to four minutes on each side, until tender, then add to the dressing. Next, barbecue the sardines for three to four minutes on each side, until cooked through and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with the vegetables and scatter with dill. Give little ones loads of reasons to get outside. Keep them counting with Morrisons garden snakes & ladders, down from £8 to £5. Wilko swing tennis, £10, will be a big hit too. Chad Valley bubble solution (three bottles) is down from £3 to £2.25 at Sainsbury’s. Buy a tough foam ball at Tesco for £2 or save arguments and buy two for £3. Keep them covered with Superdrug’s Solait suncare range, buy one get one free, including new Colour
|
Andrew Whiteford
|
https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9579196/summer-holidays-recipes-games-activities/
|
2019-07-25 00:33:36+00:00
| 1,564,029,216 | 1,567,535,850 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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172,290 |
eveningstandard--2019-04-18--Easter weekend 2019 TV guide What to watch on Good Friday and over the bank holiday
| 2019-04-18T00:00:00 |
eveningstandard
|
Easter weekend 2019 TV guide: What to watch on Good Friday and over the bank holiday
|
Easter is finally here, which means we can kick back and relax for a couple of days and bask in the British sunshine. But if being outside isn't your thing, there is plenty on the box to keep you company throughout the weekend from Marvel premieres to the epic that is Game of Thrones. So here are our top picks for what to watch.... Richard Ayoade explores Portugal in a brief city break with fellow comedian Nish Kumar. The pair sample the local delicacies before roaming the streets of Porto, trying out everything from 5D cinema to artisanal soap. The second episode of the final season is a must-watch for your Easter Monday viewing, with more people able to catch the 2am showing (in line with the US broadcast) because they won't have to get up for work.
|
Natasha Sporn
|
https://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/tvfilm/easter-weekend-2019-tv-guide-what-to-watch-on-good-friday-and-over-the-bank-holiday-a4120546.html
|
2019-04-18 15:01:00+00:00
| 1,555,614,060 | 1,567,542,526 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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744,110 |
theindependent--2019-01-30--Best February holiday deals from skiing in Meribel to safari in Tanzania
| 2019-01-30T00:00:00 |
theindependent
|
Best February holiday deals from skiing in Méribel to safari in Tanzania
|
It’s the shortest month, but February can seem to go on for ever. Get a break from winter with a hot-weather holiday or grab a late skiing deal. If you’re looking ahead to May, these ideas might inspire you. Take advantage of excellent snow conditions with a last-minute ski holiday in Méribel, one of the most popular resorts in France’s Three Valleys. Alpine Elements has availability from 3 February in Chalet Marcelle, which is in a handy spot near the bars and slopes of Rond Point. A week’s holiday costs from £427pp and includes flights, transfers, breakfast, afternoon tea and five evening meals. Safaris, historic towns, beaches and elephants – you can get all of these on a 10-day holiday in Tanzania. Fleewinter has a break starting in the Selous Game Reserve, where you spend three nights watching elephants and going on game drives, boat safaris and bush walks. Then a couple of nights spent exploring Stone Town before collapsing on a Zanzibar beach for the final four nights. The starting price of £2,650pp excludes flights but includes full board at Selous, B&B in Stone Town and half board in Zanzibar, plus transfers and tours. Departures are throughout February. Combine a city break with a few days at the beach in Gran Canaria’s capital, Las Palmas. Stroll around the colourful streets of the 15th century old town, Vegueta, and its wonderful food market before hitting the long sandy stretch of Playa de las Canteras. Jet2 Holidays has a five-night break departing 9 February at the Hotel Concorde, which has a rooftop pool and is within spitting distance of Playa de las Canteras. The starting price of £409pp includes flights and breakfast. Costa Rica’s captivating wildlife and varied landscapes are a winning combination and you can get an enticing introduction to this gorgeous country during Sunvil’s 12-night Classic Costa Rica tour. After arriving in the capital, San Jose, you’ll head off to the Caribbean coast and the mangroves of Tortuguero before exploring the volcanic region of Arenal. Then it’s off to the Monteverde before finishing on the beaches of Nicoya peninsula. Prices start at £2,683 and include flights, transfers, breakfast and two nights’ full board. Grab a gang of eight for a communal get-together with a difference. Smiths Castle in County Clare dates from the 15th century, and is chock full of antiques and cosy medieval corners. Sleeping eight, the castle is set in five acres, with long sandy beaches and ferries to the Aran Islands within a short drive. Oliver’s Travels has five nights’ rental throughout May from £1,539, and includes breakfast and a welcome hamper. There’s also a private chef service. Get to know some of the scores of beaches tucked into Sardinia’s southern coast – including the soft sands of Santa Margherita di Pula. Sardatur Holidays has a week’s full board at Hotel Flamingo, which has a long sandy beach just beyond its outdoor pools. The starting price of £606pp includes flights, transfers and all meals, for an 18 May departure. The wonders of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast deserve long, slow exploration. With a five-night self-guided walking holiday with Headwater, you start in Weymouth before climbing to the top of Burning Cliff and carrying on to the fantastically shaped Durdle Door rock arch towards Lulworth Cove. You’ll also walk along the Purbeck Hills before finishing on the Sandbanks peninsula. The starting price of £699pp is for departures throughout May and includes B&B accommodation, luggage transfers and walking notes.
|
Mary Novakovich
|
http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/february-holiday-deals-cheap-couples-family-meribel-ski-a8754241.html
|
2019-01-30 15:31:00+00:00
| 1,548,880,260 | 1,567,550,230 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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963,309 |
thesun--2019-05-30--Lidl is selling an inflatable sun lounger so you can relax in the pool on holiday
| 2019-05-30T00:00:00 |
thesun
|
Lidl is selling an inflatable sun lounger so you can relax in the pool on holiday
|
ENJOY summer to the max with this inflatable sun lounger from Lidl - perfect for relaxing in the pool. Exactly what you need with you on holiday, the supermarket chain is selling this lounger for just £7.99. Put your feet up and relax with this comfortable water lounger - it even has an integrated pillow. It appears that it comes in a few colours - we have reached out to Lidl and will update here when we have confirmation. It's extra wide at the bottom and has two air chambers - maximum comfort for when you're chilling by the pool. When inflated, the lounger measures 167.5 x 79 x 22.5cm so you might find your legs dangling into the water if you're particularly tall. There's no cup holder - which is common with some lilos and loungers - but for the low price of £7.99, we aren't really that fussed. Amazon is selling a different design for £9.99 whilst a similar model would cost you £12.99 at Aldi. The sun lounger is available from Lidl stores nationwide - check which is your nearest store here. It might be worth ringing ahead to see if your nearest branch stocks the lounger before you make the journey. Wowcher has a deal on a giant inflatable unicorn if you want to grab more inflatable accessories this summer. Or maybe this sand and water pit from Argos is more your thing for more summer fun in the garden. Garden games can be extended into camping thanks to Aldi's inflatable mattresses with night lights. We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Money team? Email us at [email protected]
|
Amira Arasteh
|
https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/9185775/lidl-is-selling-a-inflatable-sun-lounger-so-you-can-relax-in-the-pool-on-holiday/
|
2019-05-30 16:21:44+00:00
| 1,559,247,704 | 1,567,539,710 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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170,329 |
eveningstandard--2019-04-04--EGX Rezzed Try out the hottest new games at the Tobacco Dock this weekend
| 2019-04-04T00:00:00 |
eveningstandard
|
EGX Rezzed: Try out the hottest new games at the Tobacco Dock this weekend
|
On the hunt for over 200 of the most exciting games to play and explore in the centre of London? This weekend, the Tobacco Dock is serving up just that. EGX Rezzed, the major gaming expo, is returning to London this weekend as part of the annual London Games Festival. Taking place in Shadwell, the three-day consumer event is all about play and exploration, and with the chance to shop and try out everything that’s hot in gaming right now. In particular, Rezzed is a chance to try out the next generation of games that haven’t even been released yet. The expo will include Cake Bash, a four-player game where you fight to make the tastiest cake, Playstation’s exciting new game Dreams from the creators of LittleBigPlanet, and Minit, a 60-second adventure game that promises to take you outside the comfort of your home. The AMD Ryzing Indies room is worth check out too. A total of 12 promising indie developers have been picked to showcase their new wares. Visitors are invited to try out the different games and then vote for their favourite. For more gaming fun, there’s the Leftfield Collection, the annual indie showcase which shines a light on some of the most diverse gaming experiences out there, as well as Tabletop Games which focuses on the best board games around. There’s so much more than just playing games at Rezzed. Every year, the expo holds a Games Industry careers fair, where people can speak to games developers and creators about what it’s really like to work in the industry. As part of the London Games Festival launch, it was revealed that the gaming industry contributes £5.7 billion to the UK economy. If there’s ever a time to get involved in games, it’s now. Award-winning games designer Brenda Romero will be giving a talk about what it’s like to be a designer, whilst other talks include topics on things such as diversity in gaming, and advice for start-ups. EGX Rezzed takes place at the Tobacco Dock from April 4 – 6, as part of the London Games Festival. Tickets are available now and start from £20. The Evening Standard is the official media partner of the London Games Festival Subscribe to Women Tech Charge, a new podcast from the Evening Standard. From fashion to finance, technology is revolutionising our lives. Meet the extraordinary women who are leading the charge. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
|
Amelia Heathman
|
https://www.standard.co.uk/tech/egx-rezzed-2019-what-to-play-details-a4109426.html
|
2019-04-04 12:07:13+00:00
| 1,554,394,033 | 1,567,544,007 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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173,289 |
eveningstandard--2019-04-30--8 of the best family-friendly bank holiday boltholes in the UK
| 2019-04-30T00:00:00 |
eveningstandard
|
8 of the best family-friendly bank holiday boltholes in the UK
|
With two long weekends on the horizon, we've rounded up the best family-friendly locales for a long-weekend break. If you’re feeling the need to be beside the seaside, then check into this nautical-themed hotel right on the buzzy Brighton seafront. Just one hour from central London, the Brighton Harbour hotel is an ideal option for families. Highlights include the sea-facing rooms, which are highly recommended for the views alone. The hotel is just a short stroll away from Brighton Pier where kids can enjoy traditional fairground rides, or take a ride on the Volk’s Electric Railway train – the world’s oldest electric railway. Brighton Museum and The Royal Pavilion are also nearby, as are the Lanes – a maze of roads filled with a plethora of restaurants and quaint shops. If you get a chance, escape to the hotel’s subterranean spa, which offers ESPA treatments and there are special swimming times for kids. Do try the new Harby’s Bar & Diner, which dishes up the tastiest seafood and seasonal ice-cream parlour style desserts. Just outside of Oxford, this magnificent 15th-century manor house makes for an indulgent family escape. Beautiful bedrooms, marble baths, immaculate gardens and a two Michelin-starred French restaurant run by chef-patron Raymond Blanc – it may sound like a kid-free zone, but children are very much welcome here. Spend some quality time together wandering through the acres of picturesque grounds featuring an English water garden, a tranquil Japanese tea garden and an impressive kitchen garden, where you’ll find vegetables and herbs that are used at the restaurant. If the weather is challenging, there are plenty of kiddie games and DVDs to keep children occupied, along with a goody bag and a cuddly bear, which is handed to younger guests. There are individually created children’s menus with dishes such as beef burgers, macaroni cheese, homemade purees (for weaning tots) as well as chef Raymond Blanc’s favourite childhood puddings. Kids are also given a behind the scenes tour of the kitchen where they get to pick their own ice cream. The hotel has created a Family Time package that includes accommodation, a five-course dinner for adults and breakfast, while under 12s can stay and eat for free from the children’s menu. A two-hour drive from London or a 90-minute train ride from Paddington, you’ll find the 400-acre Farncombe Estate nestled in the picturesque Cotswolds. Book one of the uber-luxe treehouses set on the grounds of the charming Fish Hotel. Set upon stilts with superb countryside views, the treehouses can accommodate families of four. You don’t have to be a child to appreciate the sheer delight of staying in a treehouse, especially one with a chic Scandi-esque décor, under-floor heating, en suite bathroom, a fully-loaded mini bar and a indulgent hot tub. Here, you can expect all the luxury of a boutique hotel, including a delicious Cotswolds breakfast every morning. Little ones will like the children’s play zone made from recycled wood, while older kids can shoot some pool or enjoy family time in the games room. If you’re fond of the outdoors, there’s plenty to do in the surrounding areas. Borrow some Original Muck Boot Company wellies (available for guests) and explore the nature trails to nearby Willersey and Chipping Campden. The local village, Broadway, is a 20-minute walk - here you’ll find pretty teashops and delis where you can pick up some fine local cheese and honey. Imaginative kids and Game of Thrones-loving adults will revel in the opportunity to stay in a castle and there are few more magnificent than Devon’s Bovey Castle. There are 64 rooms to pick from or larger families can book one of the three-storey country lodges, which accommodate up to six people. Set within the Dartmoor National Park surrounded by weeping willow trees, strolling ponies and flowing rivers, you are in prime position for a real family adventure. Bikes are available to borrow and perfect for exploring the vast grounds. Those that wish to take it easy can ask the hotel to organise a tour in one of their 4x4s. A visit to the onsite Deer Park will make you feel like you are in the Serengeti, as you get up close to the creatures watching them feed and run free – it’s a truly magical experience. Baby sitters can be booked a couple of days in advance should you wish to get in some spa time or a spot of dinner at the Art Deco inspired Great Western Restaurant. There are plenty of other activities to suit all tastes and ages, including archery, bug house making, survival techniques, apple pressing or slow gin making for grown ups. You’ll wish you’d booked in for a week. Tucked away in South Kensington, this chic, laid back, family-friendly hotel is perfectly placed for family excursions to London’s popular museums and parks. The Science Museum, The Natural History Museum, The V&A and Hyde Park are a short walk away, making it an ideal hub to crash out at after a day out in the capital. There is plenty to do at the hotel. A games room is filled with board games, books and a table tennis table. Kids will love the award-winning Science Afternoon Tea. Inspired by the Natural History and Science Museums, the menu is a creative and interactive experience including petri dishes, chocolate spacemen and dinosaur biscuit ‘fossils’ hidden beneath chocolate soil. All details have been considered here. Expect rooms equipped with mini robes, slippers, child-friendly toiletries, rubber ducks and toy cars waiting on arrival. Perched in the stunning Usk Valley in Wales, just off the M4, the five-star Celtic Manor Resort is set in more than 2,000 acres of panoramic parkland. The resort incorporates four different properties – the 330-room luxury Resort Hotel, an historic 19th-century Manor House with 70 rooms, the contemporary Coldra Court and the laid-back Newbridge on Usk country inn – this is the ideal spot for an action-packed getaway. The self-catering Hunter lodges are ever so luxurious and perfect for those thinking of travelling in a larger group. With four en-suite bedrooms, living space and a dreamy hot tub with picturesque views - the lodges can accommodate up to eight people. There’s no chance of boredom here. There are an array of activities available to book for all ages, including adventure golf on a Celtic-inspired raft, a treetop adventure for adrenaline junkies, laser combat using high-tech guns, a super games room and a large pool with plenty of family swimming hours. There are nanny services for parents who want to retreat to the spa (which incidentally offers ‘Teen Dream mum-and-me’ packages), or to have a crack at the spectacular golf course, which was specially built for the Ryder Cup. If a low-key weekend is on the agenda, simply enjoy being in the midst of nature by walking along the miles of woodland trails around the resort, or explore Wales’s cultural castles - there’s something to keep everyone entertained. Spend the weekend camping out in style on the grounds of Kent’s majestic Leeds Castle. Leave the camping gear at home. Simply turn up and get comfy in one of the striped, medieval-style Knight’s tents which sleep up to four people. Each tent comes decked out with four-poster beds, warming wood burning stoves and sumptuous bedding. There are shower and washing facilities in the Knight’s Cottage - a short stroll from the campsite which is set in the castle’s pretty one-acre vineyard. Included in the price is access to the grounds and castle. Kids will be fascinated to discover the castle - a palace once used by Henry VIII - and the entire family will have fun navigating the huge maze, before returning to civilisation through an underworld grotto. From just £75 a night this new, super stylish American-style motel and diner from the people behind Soho Farmhouse and Babington House can be found off the A420 in Buckland. It’s a great base for those visiting central Oxford. The interconnecting and bunk bedrooms are perfect for families and the rooms are simplistic in design. Large beds are fitted with Egyptian cotton sheets, while bathrooms are equipped with power showers and Cowshed products. Young foodies will like indulging at the 1950s-style diner, which dishes up treats like cheesy nachos, Dirty Burgers (from the London chain), hand spun milkshakes and sodas. There’s also a ‘Mini Mollie’s’ menu for younger kids. Grown up options include healthy grain bowls, House Press juices, rotisserie chicken and plant-based vegan dishes like the highly-Instagrammable Filthy burger. There’s also a classic cocktail menu serving Espresso Martinis and Bloody Marys. The motel is located 30-minutes from central Oxford where there is plenty to do, including punting down the River Cherwell, a tour of Oxford Castle is always entertaining and a day out at Didcot Railway, where a ride on vintage 1930s coaches is highly recommended.
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Anjana Gosai
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https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/best-family-friendly-hotels-uk-a4130591.html
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2019-04-30 14:21:41+00:00
| 1,556,648,501 | 1,567,541,607 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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182,305 |
eveningstandard--2019-08-14--August bank holiday party guide The best London events to book tickets for
| 2019-08-14T00:00:00 |
eveningstandard
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August bank holiday party guide: The best London events to book tickets for
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August Bank holiday means two things – an extra day of partying, and an extra lie-in the morning after. Thousands of Londoners will be making use of the bumper weekend, with a series of great events ready to bring the party across the capital. The big one, of course, is Notting Hill Carnival, which dominates the bank holiday calendar. If you feel like mixing it up, though, there are plenty of great things to check out elsewhere. We’ve focused on a selection of London’s best event spaces in the list below, but make sure to check out our clubbing guide too. These are the best August bank holiday events in London to book now – do bear in mind that tickets for all events must be bought in advance. One of SW9’s premier party venues, Pop Brixton is gearing up for the bank holiday special. Things kick off with Just Vibez on Friday, before a carnival warm up with DJs Manu and Ando on Saturday. Finally, KD Soundsystem with the Rimboe-Riddim crew take over on Sunday. This Soho haunt is sashaying its way into the weekend with a drag brunch on Saturday. Things start at midday, with bottomless cocktails and prosecco and live performances from drag acts – a perfect start to the bank holiday. If you’re after a rooftop party this bank holiday, The Prince of Wales is the place for you. The Byday Bynight event is taking place across two outdoor terraces and three floors on August 24, with house and disco labels and DJs in residence. Italian restaurant and cocktail bar Bunga Bunga is hosting a bottomless Bellini event at its Covent Garden branch this bank holiday. Expect live acts and free-flowing drinks. The Piano Works knows how to throw a party, and both chains in the West End and Farringdon are welcoming guests for a weekend of boozy singalongs and bottomless brunches. Tuck in and enjoy the unlimited drinks, before requesting a few songs and enjoying live music into the night. The drum ‘n’ bass boat party is dropping anchor for Liquid on the Thames, taking Londoners onto the water this bank holiday. Head down from Tower Bridge to Westminster and back over the course of three hours, all with the backing of a thumping drum ‘n’ bass playlist. Trevor Nelson is taking it back to the old school at Ministry of Sound on August 25, spinning timeless records as part of his #Classics night. Expect a good smattering of soul, as well as 90s RnB and hip hop favourites. East London haunt the Ace Hotel is hosting a special event to coincide with Notting Hill Carnival, treating guests to an afro house playlist from Drums Radio. Expect to hear tracks from some of the most impressive names in South African house and gqom pumping through the speakers until 4am. This event has now been cancelled Lockside Camden is always a good place to spend time, and the place is pulling out all the stops for guests on August 26. The party here goes on until 4am, and guests can expect a great selection of hip hop and R&B tunes throughout the night.
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Harry Fletcher
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https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/attractions/august-bank-holiday-party-guide-london-events-tickets-a4213161.html
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2019-08-14 14:45:00+00:00
| 1,565,808,300 | 1,567,534,202 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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193,660 |
eveningstandard--2019-12-20--The best holiday-themed New York hotels and restaurants to visit this festive season
| 2019-12-20T00:00:00 |
eveningstandard
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The best holiday-themed New York hotels and restaurants to visit this festive season
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Holiday madness is officially in full swing, especially in New York. The shopping, the crowds, the relatives, the array of red plaid, the caloric intake, - in other words, it's time for a drink. But preferably one that's holiday-themed at a terribly trendy bar decorated to the nines for Instagram purposes. Luckily, New York has quite a few of those. Here are a few you should stop by in between holiday parties, whether you're looking for Frozen 2 vibes or Home Alone nostalgia. Who doesn't love a good holiday movie? Not watching The Holiday or Just Friends is practically sacrilegious. If you are a big holiday movie fan, the Arthouse Hotel has just what you need. Want to see Home Alone icon Kevin McCallister's house the night of his fake holiday party? It comes complete with the Michael Jordan cutout. Or how about that memorable lamppost from Miracle on 34th Street?They have recreations of the above, plus, the lobby lounge has been transformed into a replica of the living room from A Christmas Story, as well as more from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and, of course, Die Hard (the ultimate Christmas film.) As for drinks, grab a punch from the leg lamp or eggnog, right out of the carton, from Lampoon. On both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Lumaca, Chef and Restaurateur John DeLucie’s newest Italian venture in the HGU New York Hotel, is offering Christmas specials all-day in addition to its classic Southern Italian menu. Christmas brunch includes artichokes with goat cheese and herb frittata as well as Breakfast Pizza with San Marzano tomatoes, fontina, and sunny side up eggs. Guests can enjoy Christmas cocktails like a Spiked Hot Chocolate with hot chocolate, cinnamon, and tequila or choose from the restaurant's impressive Italian wine list. Lumaca will be open on Christmas Eve 7:00am -11:00pm, and Christmas Day from 11:30am - 8:00pm. If you managed to push through the crowds to see the tree at Rockefeller Center and those gorgeous window displays then you definitely deserve a delicious drink. Check out Valerie, which is right near all of the Manhattan Midtown craziness. It has a great happy hour from 4 to 7 PM and you will love the old school vibes. Think red banquet cushions and beautiful tiled floors. Grab an Old Fashioned or head upstairs to The Blushing Bar if you're in a rush. The holidays are a wonderful time to be in New York but also an equally fabulous time to be in London. If you don't feel like paying for a flight, then just watch a few episodes of Fleabag (too bad we can't convince Phoebe to do a Christmas episode) or head over to Bluebird London. Yes, the iconic British brasserie is now right here on the Upper West Side. Guests can experience its new holiday menu inspired by a collaboration with home decor and clothing line The White Company. It's actually based on holiday candle scents, including Roasted Chestnut and Fir Tree (but we swear it's delicious and completely edible.) On Christmas Day, Bluebird offers a pre-fixe menu for $125 per person from 2:00pm - 8:00pm. Options include Lobster Ravioli with lemongrass velouté, pheasant with smoked chestnuts and caramelized sunchokes as well as ribeye with roasted chicken sauce and potato gratin. The restaurant is also offering its classic British desserts, including Sticky Toffee Pudding, Baked Alaska or a Cheese Board paired with a Sherry Trolley. Scrooge himself didn't have that good of a feast. Of course, to experience a true London holiday, Bluebird offers an extremely Instagrammable high tea. For $50 per person, Holiday Tea will feature Pumpkin Spiced Tart with Maple Meringue (which sounds extremely American), Apple Cinnamon Pâte de Fruit and Chocolate Chestnut Roulade, all accompanied by guests’ choice of tea. Guests also have the option to order a G&T or glass of champagne to really get into the holiday spirit. Grabbing a drink in a holiday-themed bar is always nice, but what about staying overnight in a full-on holiday-themed room? Well, The Box House Hotel in Greenpoint has just that. You can choose “The Ultimate Holiday in Brooklyn” package and get your own very festive suite complete with décor and a pre-decorated Christmas tree with custom ornaments and complimentary hot chocolate. The Box House Hotel Group also offers these packages at other hotels including the Franklin Guesthouse and Henry Norman Hotel. While you're in Brooklyn be sure to drop by The Hoxton in Williamsburg to check out their exquisite glass cabins complete with cozy blankets and a grand table. It's all very Frozen 2 (if Frozen 2 took place in Brooklyn). The cabins are set up for groups of up to twelve and offer a family-style menu including cheese fondue, a warm cookie plate, or a rotating selection of homemade pies. Guests can also opt for cocktail pairings or flights provided by Maker’s Mark, Grand Marnier and St-Germain. The Winter Hideaways offers dinner service seven days a week, and weekend brunch. Two of the three Hideaways seat groups of 6 - 8 people ($500 minimum spend), with the larger Hideaway seating 10-12 people ($750 minimum spend). The Winter Hideaways can be booked now via Resy.
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Meredith Lepore
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https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/living/the-best-holidaythemed-new-york-hotels-and-restaurants-to-visit-this-festive-season-a4319291.html
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Fri, 20 Dec 2019 20:22:47 GMT
| 1,576,891,367 | 1,576,888,471 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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477,944 |
russiainsider--2019-03-12--10 of the Best Russia Holiday Destinations Beyond Moscow and St Petersburg
| 2019-03-12T00:00:00 |
russiainsider
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10 of the Best Russia Holiday Destinations – Beyond Moscow and St Petersburg
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This article from our archives was first published on RI in February 2016 Karelia, a republic in north-west Russia, is known as one the country’s most beautiful places. The nature here is breathtaking and more Finnish than Russian, with lakes, waterfalls and trees growing on giant rocks. Ruskeala is a village close to Sortavala, one of the region’s bigger towns. The main interest here is Ruskeala mountain park, with a marble canyon that is now a lake with crystal clear water, and another underground lake. You can rent boats, go diving, or hike. In summer there are light shows on the lake. Since Ruskeala is tiny most tourists stay in Sortavala. Hostel Lämpö is a popular choice. Don’t be put off by the shabby pre-Soviet building: it is renovated inside and the location is excellent. If you’re staying for a while, there are several resorts, such as Hotel Piipun Piha, near the lake, slightly further from the town centre, which offer sauna and barbecue facilities, too. How to get there? Take the train from Ladozhsky railway station in St Petersburg to Sortavala; depending on the train the journey will take about 4-5 hours. From there several buses can take you to Ruskeala, or you can book a taxi – the drive will take about 20 minutes. On the north-western spurs of the eastern Sayan mountains, the Stolby nature reserve is one of the most popular tourism destinations in Siberia. The reserve’s main attraction are its rocks and cliffs, called stolby, “pillars” in Russian, after their shape. The smallest cliffs are 55 meters high, while the highest go up to 600 metres. Rock-climbing and hiking are popular activities, although for those interested in the local flora and fauna the reserve also offers guided tours of the Siberian fir taiga that sprawls underneath the rocks: a mix of a hike and a botanical and zoological tour. In the wooden cabins on the reserve’s grounds, surrounded by the taiga and the rocks. There are separate small cottages for six and eight people, and a hostel. The cabins area is called ‘the village’ and is a bit of a hike from the reserve’s main reception buildings but there is a car service for when you first arrive with your luggage. • Dorms from £5 a night, six-person cottages from £47, zapovednik-stolby.ru How to get there? Fly to Krasnoyarsk from Moscow or St Petersburg (about five hours) and get to Stolby on a bus or taxi; that journey will take around 11/2 hours. Velikiy Novgorod, also known as Novgorod the Great, is one of the most important cities in the country, often called the “birthplace of Russia”. For a long time the city was a sovereign principality, founded by merchants and ruled in relative democracy, and the unification of Novgorod with Moscow in the 15th century was an essential step towards a unified Russia. The city is an historic one and the traditional wooden architecture museum of Vitoslavlitsi is a must-visit; the open-air exhibition of Russian izbas (farmhouses) has an ancient tradition of building without nails or metal to hold the wooden planks together. The Kremlin fortress in Novgorod is also one of the oldest in Russia, dating back to the 11th century. The Beresta Hostel with its traditional old-Russian interiors, or the Kozhevniki B&B, and its post-Soviet styles, are both good choices. • Doubles from £26, dorms from £3 How to get there? Fly to St Petersburg and take a fast Lastochka train (about 3 hours) from Moskovskiy railway station. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is on the Kamchatka peninsula in the far east of Russia and is the most eastern town (with more than 100,000 people) in the northern hemisphere. Ecotourism in this region is a new trend, with various activities on offer from mountain and volcano hikes, sailing and kayaking to fishing and hunting trips. The town is also a foodie destination: Kamchatka crabs and other seafood are known delicacies. In the Nachalnik Kamchatki (The Boss of Kamchatka) mini-hotel, where all the rooms are nature-themed, with names such as Winter, Forest and Bear. There are very few hostels in the town, Hostel Fiesta being one of the few, so book your rooms in advance. • Doubles from £32, dorms from £11 How to get there? The only way to get to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky from the European part of Russia is to fly: a direct eight-hour flight from Moscow (book in advance as fares are high). The city of Kazan, in Tatarstan, is over a thousand years old and has always been an eclectic place, balanced between the Russian Orthodox and Muslim cultures with churches and cathedrals neighbouring mosques. One of the city’s landmarks is the Söyembikä Tower in the Kremlin fortress. It’s named after the city’s last queen, Söyembikä, who, according to legend threw herself off the tower, but actually was captured by the Muscovites led by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century, when the city was conquered. The eclectic food of the region, a mix of Russian and Tatar, is one of the city’s highlights: try the traditional tea with chuk-chuk, a sweet pastry dish. Stereo Hostel in the city centre has a 1970s sci-fi bachelor pad vibe – and a bar onsite. If you’re looking for a quieter stay, the Stary Gorod Hotel (Old Town Hotel) is an affordable retreat in the city centre, with views of the historic Märcani Mosque. How to get there? Fly from Moscow (90 minutes) or St Petersburg (2 hours), or take an overnight train from Moscow’s Kazanskiy railway station. Lake Baikal is the deepest in the world. Many Russians say that seeing the vast “Siberian sea” is a unique experience, and others tell stories of the Baikal monster, echoing tales of the Loch Ness monster. There are several hiking paths and in the summer you can swim in the lake, although the water is cold even in August. The shores are scattered with resorts, hotels and camping grounds, although many of them are of the Soviet times. The Lagoon Ranch resort is on the western bank of the Baikal, in the area called the Small Sea, and offers several types of accommodation: from the most affordable two-person summer houses to double rooms and separate cabins. There are stables and a horse-riding arena, sports grounds, Russian sauna and Baikal tour guide services available. • Two-person summer houses from £20, doubles from £28, cabins from £37 How to get there? Direct flights to Irkutsk are available from Moscow only. Buses and shuttles to the resorts leave from various locations in Irkutsk and take about three hours – ask for details when you book your accommodation. Yessentuki is a name you might see on the shelves of Russian grocery stores around the world: this historical resort town, famous for its mineral and hot springs, gave its name to a brand of a salty mineral water. The town has been a destination for the health-conscious since the 19th century. The Kras Hotel Resort is near the city centre, has a spa and swimming pool, and some rooms dining and living room areas. A slightly cheaper option is to book a hotel close to the town’s famous baths and springs, for example Hotel Orange. • Doubles from £11 in Hotel Orange or from £19 at Kras Hotel Resort How to get there? Direct flights to Mineralniye Vodi airport are available from Moscow (two hours) and St Petersburg (three hours). Some hotels offer airport pick-up, or take a train into Yessentuki – the journey is about 40 minutes on a shuttle bus and an hour on a train. A tiny piece of Russia in Europe, Kaliningrad used to be called Königsberg, and the architecture in the city’s old town still points towards Europe and not Russia. Traces of Kaliningrad’s German heritage can be seen in the surviving Brandenburg Gate and the Fishing Village, a tourist attraction with recreated medieval-style buildings. The flea markets here are known to be the best in Russia – many collectors from all over the world come here in hope of finding relics from the second world war. The Amber museum is another popular attraction. The city centre Utro Hostel is housed in a 19th century building, with minimalist design and big windows, and the city’s lowest prices per bunk-bed. How to get there? Flights to Kaliningrad are available from Moscow, St Petersburg, and several European cities (including Berlin, Riga and Copenhagen). Overnight trains to Kaliningrad leave from Berlin and Warsaw. If you plan to travel between other parts of Russia and Kaliningrad, you will need a double-entry visa. There is also a special short-term Kaliningrad visa available on the border. For more information visit the Foreign Affair Ministry website. Far east is a dream destination for many Russians, and Vladivostok, at the head of the Golden Horn Bay, is the heart of it. The city was founded in the middle of the 19th century. The best place for views is the Eagle’s Nest Hill, the city centre’s highest point. This is also a food destination as seafood is abundant here and because of the proximity to the Russian-Chinese borders it’s almost the only place in Russia where good Chinese food is widely available. The Teplo Hotel is close to the railway station, for all those Trans-Siberian railway travellers, and has dormitories and private rooms. Slightly more expensive is A Hotel Amur Bay, which is in a white 1980s-designed building. Although a chain hotel (of the Azimut brand), it’s worth the price for the amazing sea views of the Golden Horn and Amur bays. • Dorms at the Teplo Hotel from £6, doubles at A Hotel Amur Bay from £24 How to get there? Direct eight-hour flights to Vladivostok from Moscow. Vladivostok is also the eastern terminus of the Trans-Siberian railway. Trains leave from Moscow’s Yaroslavskiy railway station – the journey will take six days. Ecotourism is booming in the region with new resorts and hotels popping up all over the Altai – known as the ‘golden mountains’. Many offer guided and themed tours of the nearby areas, such as hikes following the routes described in local legends, that are told to the visitors as they go. Sailing, kayaking and fishing are among other activities. Spa treatments are widely available with special saunas in big cedar barrels. Altai is famous for its honey and herbs, and honey treatments and herbal tea ceremonies are also offered at the local resorts. Altika eco-hotel is one of the new developments in the region. Most rooms have panoramic views of the woods. Maryin Ostrov resort is a slightly more expensive option but also offers treatments in its spa. • Doubles at Altika from £35 B&B, doubles at Maryin Ostrov from £39 B&B Direct four-hour flights to the Gorno-Altaysk airport leave from Moscow Domodedovo. From Gorno-Altaysk there are buses and trains to the smaller villages, depending on your resort of choice. Transfer can also be organised with the resort; ask before booking.
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Sasha Raspopina
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https://russia-insider.com/en/culture/10-best-russia-holiday-destinations-beyond-moscow-and-st-petersburg/ri12920
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2019-03-12 05:03:10+00:00
| 1,552,381,390 | 1,567,546,522 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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684,632 |
theguardianuk--2019-01-12--10 of the best yoga holidays in UK and Europe
| 2019-01-12T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
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10 of the best yoga holidays in UK and Europe
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Combine yoga and Greek sunshine with a holiday on Santorini, the southernmost of the Cyclades islands, staying in whitewashed houses at a boutique hotel with pool outside the village of Oia. There are two daily classes for all levels with warm, encouraging teacher Louise Gillespie-Smith, who balances creative, breath-led flow with gentle, mindful yin. An optional 10-mile hike is included, and guests are also able to enjoy sailing, sea kayaking and wine-tasting if they wish. Louise also leads holidays in the UK and French Alps. • From £795, with breakfast and three evening meals, 29 June-6 July, adventureyogi.com Splash out on a special Stillness and Alignment retreat on the White Isle with Lara Stapleton, who teaches gentle but powerful classes, designed to bring guests back to balance. Based in two villas surrounded by olive groves and pine trees, not far from Santa Gertrudis, the beautiful location is complemented by delicious, nourishing vegetarian meals. As well as twice daily yoga, massages, wellbeing workshops, guided walks and healing sound baths are also included. Other Ibiza options with Chaya Retreats include an organic detox retreat in May and a “sacred sexuality” week in September. • From £1,331, 5-12 October, chayayogaretreats.com On the Wild Atlantic Way, the Cliffs of Moher Retreat has views of the Atlantic from the glass-fronted yoga studio, alfresco hot tubs, a sauna and great vegetarian food from its organic gardens. Options include yoga and hiking weekends, with 14km of walking along the dramatic cliffs. There are four yoga and meditation classes with teacher Michelle Moroney, as well as massages and time to explore the area. Shannon is the closest airport. • Connect to Nature Yoga and Hiking weekends run regularly, dates include 8-10 March 2019, from €390 all-inclusive, cliffsofmoherretreat.com Nineteenth-century manor house in the foothills of the Algarve’s Serra do Caldeirão has been converted into the brand new Wild View Retreat by yogi and nutritionist Andrew Finlay and his wife Erika. Guests can expect yoga and mindfulness classes, guided walks and nutrition talks and demos, as well as three nutritious vegetarian meals a day. Or they can opt for a juice fast and nutrition detox retreat to rest the digestive system and boost the immune system, with a juice and soup diet (plus all the usual activities). Faro is the nearest airport. • Various dates year-round, seven nights’ from €850 in a triple room, wildviewretreat.com On the edge of Cabo de Gata national park in Almeria and close to its wild coast, Huzur Vadisi Yoga Retreats is now hosting holidays in what was a stylish, bohemian family home. The main house is strikingly modernist while the outlying farm offers more traditional accommodation, and there are two natural swimming pools fed by springs. Among several options in 2019 is Gerry Kielty’s week of dynamic and restorative yoga (7-14 June). Expect great food too – and a dazzling landscape of mountains and semi-desert. It’s wonderfully isolated but within walking distance of a traditional village. • Various dates, a week from £895, huzurvadisi.com Practise yoga in a beautiful villa surrounded by vineyards and mountains 20 minutes from St Tropez in the south of France, with Value Your Mind. Run by former mental health nurse and wellbeing guru Nathalie Kealy, there are two yoga classes a day, plus guided walks to hilltop villages, excursions to the beach and wine-tasting sessions. Groups are small so there’s plenty of personal attention – plus there’s a swimming pool and hammocks for downtime and three healthy Mediterranean meals a day included. Weekend retreats are also offered in the UK. • 13-17 June, from £500, valueyourmind.com Nova Milesko’s yoga retreats – held regularly in a converted barn on a farm near Lymington in the New Forest – offer expert tuition and value for money. Over a weekend she packs in 10 yoga, workshop and meditation sessions, with a focus on flowing vinyasa complemented by slow yin (all optional). Vegetarian meals use organic fare from the gardens. Accommodation ranges from basic dorms for four to kingsize doubles. • Various dates, two nights from £290 in a dorm, novamilesko.com Yoga is the perfect compliment to running – stretching and strengthening key muscles – and the Yoga and Wild Running Retreat hosts three-night breaks that combine the two at beautiful locations in Devon. Stay in a secluded farmhouse on the edge of Dartmoor (1-4 February) or at the High Nature Centre on cliffs overlooking Gara Rocks near East Portlemouth (5-8 July). Expect three guided runs and two daily yoga classes, plus talks on running and training with expert Ceri Rees (who’s worked with athletes including Paula Radcliffe). • Three night breaks from £290, wildrunning.co.uk The Alpino Atlantico, a boutique clifftop hotel in the south of Madeira, 14km from the capital, Funchal, specialises in Ayurveda treatments and has daily yoga classes. The hotel is set amid tropical gardens and all 24 rooms (and three suites) have balconies with sea views. It is part of the Galo Resort, which has saltwater pools, watersports and a spa. • DIY retreats can be booked through the Healthy Holiday Company, from about £625 a week for yoga, plus £250 for optional Ayurveda programme. Alternatively, Destination Yoga is running two retreats there this year with two yoga classes a day. From £995pp for a week full board, 6 August (intermediate and advanced yogis) and 13 August (all levels), destinationyoga.co.uk Sardinia Yoga runs yoga breaks at four-star beachfront hotels in Sardinia, Croatia and Mallorca – the Hotel Mlini in Croatia has a yoga deck right on the beach. The company is based at each hotel for several weeks, so guests can arrive on any day and stay for as long as they like (minimum three nights). There are two teachers at each venue, leading gentle and more dynamic classes. A two-hour class each morning is included in the price, and there are optional afternoon classes (€10 each), but this is more of a holiday than a full-on retreat, with plenty of time to relax by the pool and in the spa, or go out exploring. • From £330pp for three nights B&B, dates vary: Mallorca 30 March-28 May and 28 Sept-3 Nov, Sardinia 17 May-28 July and 23 Aug-29 Sept, Croatia 24 May-21 July and 23 Aug-13 Oct, sardiniayoga.com
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Jane Dunford and Rachel Dixon
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https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/jan/12/10-best-yoga-holidays-in-uk-and-europe-retreats
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2019-01-12 12:00:06+00:00
| 1,547,312,406 | 1,567,552,812 |
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theguardianuk--2019-01-31--10 of the best activity holidays worldwide readers travel tips
| 2019-01-31T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
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10 of the best activity holidays worldwide: readers’ travel tips
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For climbing and scrambling with a twist head to Le Bourg-d’Oisans in the French Alps south-east of Grenoble. Stay in one of the many campsites (Le Château de Rochetaillée is excellent) before finding La Montagne Sports shop in town who will kit you out for €10 per day with everything you need for the area’s seven spectacular via ferrata routes. On another day, head an hour’s drive west to Alpes du Grand Serre and experience the thrill of scrambling, climbing and traversing along rock, over a raging river and coming out at the top into a beautiful alpine meadow with rosy cheeks and a spring in your tired step. If you enjoyed this, head next to Cascade de la Fare in Vaujany, just half an hour north of Le Bourg. This is a step up and includes two long bridges over a ravine and an ascent to a waterfall with sensational views. Karen Abell The Ausangate Circuit in Peru is no small undertaking. The circular trek peaks three times – each at over 5,000 metres – and is regarded as the highest trek in Peru. I completed the circuit at 16 and while fit, I was hardly a finely tuned athlete. But acclimatising to altitude is essential. You are rewarded with some of the most stunning scenery in the world – with plenty of glaciers and cobalt-blue lakes. It’s a five-night camping trip so it’s handy there are several hot springs en route for bathing. We travelled from Cusco having spent three days acclimatising there, taking a three-hour drive to the start of the trek (4,000 metres) in Tinqui. We went with Outlook Expeditions, who put us in touch with a local guide. Freya Lie back and enjoy the glow-worms, they said, and they were right. Black water rafting in the underground cave system in Waitomo, North Island, is such fun that once won’t feel like enough. We were guided through the caves in provided wetsuits, holding onto our rubber tyres as we zip-wired from one cave system to another. We then plunged into pools to float and glide effortlessly along the subterranean stream. And to top it off, looking up, it’s not stars that you see but hundreds of glow-worms shining brightly on the cave roof. • Tour from NZ$125 (around £65), waitomo.com Paul Last April, I enjoyed a trek in the central desert in Iran (Dasht-e Kavir) where, with a local guide, I encountered amazing scenery, lots of wild camels, lizards and mindblowingly stark, empty salt flats. I camped and stayed in local hotels in the oases with their pistachio nut shrubs and roses and have never met such friendly people. I finished off the trip with a few days amid the empty beaches, mangroves, salt caves and gorges of Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. The cost of the trip, through Tehran-based Adventure Iran, was £495pp for six days, food, guide and transfers. I am going back soon, further south, to visit the Lut desert, which has a claim to be the hottest place on Earth, having recorded over 70C. Bernard Phelan Last summer, with my husband, I went on a road trip in the States. We had hoped to do lots of hiking, but we arrived in the middle of a 35C heatwave, so we changed our plans. We contacted Regis Canoe Outfitters, on the Saranac River (New York state), and spent the next three days canoeing around lakes and creeks, interspersed with lengthy dips to cool ourselves down. At night, we listened to the croaking of frogs from one of the many free wild camping spots. The camping sites are free, but designated, and are generally first come, first served. If you get lucky, you can have your own private island for the night, at zero cost. True bliss and so much better than hiking in the stifling heat. • Canoe hire for three days $52, canoeoutfitters.com Bree Last November, I ran the Extreme West Atlantic Trail race in Flores island in the Azores. The route, on a hard hiking trail, stretches 36km through mountainous terrain. The morning mist lifting in the volcanic crater lakes, the spectacular waterfalls, the dense forest and the old brick walkways and dry-stone walls gave the sense of a place lost in time. I stayed on the west coast of the island (the most western point in Europe), in Casas da Cascata (doubles from €70), a beautiful stone house under a waterfall. Sara Cycling the Four Rivers route from Seoul to Busan is a glorious trip along 600km of generally flat cycle path and quiet country roads covering the length of the country. Accommodation is cheap and plentiful with options from camping to hotels. We found local people to be extremely welcoming, even if you can’t speak Korean. Food was cheap and plentiful and the mountainous scenery was stunning. Taken at your own pace it’s as painful or relaxing as you want it to be, and the best way to see this gem of a country. Summer mosquitos mean autumn and spring are the best times to make the trip, excellent for foliage and wild flowers, too. Ben I took a six-night swim trip with Strel in warm turquoise waters taking in the Gulf of Kotor, the stunning Plava Spilja (Blue Grotto) and in Yugoslavian submarine tunnels. Between swims there is the chance to do some great walks through historical towns (brilliant bay views from Vrmac hill town) and small islands. There was boat escort, swimming guides and coaches and breakfast and lunch included. • From €860, strel-swimming.com Jenny Mayne We spent 10 days kayaking around the rugged western shores of this beautiful island. Viglia beach, just west of Kissamos town, was our starting point and we finished 110 miles later at Agia Galini (near Matala on the south coast). We were totally self-sufficient for food and water and wild-camped on beaches. Marble-like majestic rocks rose vertically above us as we cut through the vivid deep blue waters. Occasional strong winds and choppy waters added to our sense of adventure as we paddled along this dramatic coastline with its secluded coves and serene beaches. We hired kayaks from Stelios through Enjoy Crete. He does a drop-off and pick-up service (wherever you end up). • €1,100 with guide and all transport and equipment. Without a guide, 10 days’ rental is €250 but to do this trip equivalent to British Canoe level 4 is required, enjoy-crete.com Ruth E We took 10 family members aged five to 60 mountain boarding, which is a bit like snowboarding but with four wheels, next to the 14th-century ruins of Weobley Castle and the famous Llanrhidian salt marsh. Here, the 200 metres of sloping grassland overlooking Loughor estuary are ideal terrain. It was so exhilarating and breathtaking – fun but physical! Lessons and sessions offered for all; from beginners to advanced. Next on the agenda was surfing at Caswell Bay. Magical. BRD Sports offers mountain boarding lessons on the Gower from £25 each, or £40 for small groups. • brdsports.co.uk Anna
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Guardian readers
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https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/jan/31/10-best-activity-holidays-worldwide-kayaking-cycling-hiking-travel-tips
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2019-01-31 11:04:22+00:00
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theindependent--2019-02-04--From Cape Cod to Cornwall the best holiday areas to try before you buy
| 2019-02-04T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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From Cape Cod to Cornwall the best holiday areas to try before you buy
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We continue our look at inspirational ideas for holiday homes and places for travels in 2019, this week taking in the US East Coast, European foodie tours and, closer to home, the appeal of the Cornish coastline. New England’s elegant and highly cultured city, Boston is just six hours from London and its airport is only three miles from Downtown so, helped by the hour’s time difference, it’s perfectly possible to breakfast in London and enjoy lunch in Boston. The city has a reputation for charm and brains. Its many top-flight universities and colleges include Harvard, and its great history encompasses its role as the birthplace of the American Revolution. Boston is a green and leafy city, easy to walk around and with exceptional architecture including more homes dating from the Victorian era than anywhere outside London. Boston is also the gateway to New England where autumn brings hordes of “leaf-peepers” to see the trees’ magnificent kaleidoscope of colours, from Maine to Massachusetts and up into Vermont. In the city centre close to Boston Common, the oldest public park in the US, a stone-and-shingle Victorian four-bedroom detached house with a garden is £784,000. Near Boston Harbour and waterfront in popular Eastside, a 2,110sq ft three-bedroom Victorian house is £803,000, both through Sotheby’s International Realty. Cape Cod extends into the Atlantic Sea southwest of Boston and has been a low-key but upmarket place to holiday ever since President Kennedy’s family bought their homes there in the Fifties. It’s romantic and natural, filled with distinctive pastel-painted clapboard houses leading down to undeveloped beaches. Play a round of golf, cycle along the waterfront, tour art galleries, climb lighthouses and eat freshly landed seafood — simple pleasures in pretty, family-focused towns and villages. Falmouth, directly across the water from the island of Martha’s Vineyard on the southern side of Cape Cod, is 80 miles southwest of Boston. Its 68 miles of coastline includes 10 public sandy beaches and 14 harbours. And while much of Cape Cod is seasonal, Falmouth is the second-largest municipality on Cape Cod with a truly year-round community. Beautiful old houses, once home to sea captains, encircle the village green. Yet for all its history, it is a young, vibrant town with an active, outdoor lifestyle. Live waterfront at 181 Surf Drive, a three-bedroom detached house built in 2000 in traditional New England clapboard with beautiful views directly over Vineyard Sound. The 1,905sq ft house sits in a quarter-acre plot steps from the sandy beach and is priced £1.1 million. Through Sotheby’s. Europe’s wonderful culinary variety is a major part of its appeal and there are plenty of opportunities for travellers to get involved in local food and wine production. At Costa Navarino on the Greek Peloponnese, guests can help to make olive oil, following the journey from field to table. Belmond Castello di Casole in Tuscany allows guests to join in the truffle hunt alongside the talented sniffer dogs. Or in Bordeaux check into L’École du Vin in the city centre for a crash course on wine tasting and production, taking anything from two hours to two weeks, before touring the famous vineyards of St Emilion. Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey in the small village of Bommes 50 minutes from Bordeaux airport is the first “first-growth” vineyard in the Bordeaux region to open as a hotel and restaurant. Housed in an elegant 17th-century château, the hotel’s main feature is the 90 precious acres of vines that produce exceptional, sweet Sauternes wines. The 13-room hotel opened last summer after a £9 million refurbishment, with 3,000 pieces of bespoke Lalique crystal and a modern glass-and-steel conservatory dining room overlooking the vines overseen by a two Michelin-star chef. Rooms start from £260 including breakfast. Estate visits are offered daily from 10am to 6pm from £18 per person. The restaurant is open Thursday to Monday. Sixty-five per cent of Greece’s total olive production comes from the Peloponnese, including the highly prized Kalamata olives. Forty minutes from Kalamata airport — with direct BA flights — in the eastern Peloponnese, Costa Navarino is a five-star resort with two hotels, 21 restaurants, beach clubs, numerous pools, two golf courses and some of the best sports and children’s resort facilities in Europe. Costa Navarino has sold freehold villas for the past two years and new for this year are two-suite apartments of 1,290sq ft, some with a private infinity pool and some directly beside the mile-long sandy beach. Owners can use their apartment for eight weeks each year, otherwise putting it into the fully managed rental programme with guaranteed four per cent rental returns for the first five years. Prices start from £534,000. Last summer’s sun-filled days have British tourism hoping for a positive 2019 boost as more of us choose to holiday at home — a staycation trend that was already on the rise. Cornwall, our favourite summer holiday destination, has been working hard to offer sophisticated families more choice, catering for surfers, young families and sport-mad visitors at a variety of price points. Celebrity chefs including Nathan Outlaw, Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver have inspired local foodies to raise their game. Try Pavilion Bakery in Newquay, the latest outpost of the family-run London bakery and restaurant, or sample the wood-fired menu at local favourite Scott and Babs in Retorrick Mill, St Mawgan. Families have holidayed at Watergate Bay Hotel along a two-mile sandy stretch of North Cornwall since the Sixties. Even when the Cornish weather does its worst, guests have plenty to do at this family-run resort: swim in the indoor pool, relax in the spa, use the first-class Kids Club or zip into wetsuits and brave the surf. New this summer is Watchful Mary, a lively waterfront bar set on the sea wall that replaces the original RNLI hut. The lifeguard will be based on the first floor with the bar and terrace above, serving cocktails, craft beers and small plates to enjoy as the sun sets. This year marks the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death and both Italy and France, where he died, have commemorative events. Villa rental company Tuscany Now & More has introduced a cultural tour of Florence and Tuscany celebrating the maestro’s life and works for guests staying in its villas. Prices for the three-day tour are £465 per person including transport. In Basilicata, southern Italy, the extraordinary city of Matera is the European Capital of Culture 2019 and a Unesco World Heritage Site built around 7,000-year-old Sassi, cave dwellings cut into the steep limestone cliffs. EasyJet joins BA this summer with flights from Gatwick to Bari airport, one hour away. Paris unveils a Francis Bacon exhibition at the Pompidou Centre from September to January 2020 and in the same month, extends the Entente Cordiale with a Musée du Luxembourg exhibition entitled The Golden Age of British Painting, a homage to 18th-century greats Gainsborough, Turner, Constable and Reynolds. Close to Leonardo’s masterpiece the Mona Lisa in the Louvre and within 20 minutes stroll of all Paris’s main highlights, Hotel Grand Boulevards opened last year in an 18th-century townhouse. A sister to London’s Henrietta Hotel, it focuses on laid-back style, an extensive cocktail list and warm service. Nightly room rates start from £200. The Marais is prime historic Paris, its narrow, characterful streets packed with boutique shops and bijoux bars and cafés. This is where you get closest to the medieval city, with pre-revolutionary buildings that are a world away from the wide, central Haussmann boulevards. A pretty one-bedroom flat on the fifth floor of a mid-1800s building — which has a lift — in the Marais offers romantic views over Parisian rooftops from its narrow balcony. Fully remodelled, the flat is for sale at £631,000, with proven rental returns of a least £2,220 a month net. Through Vingt Paris.
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Cathy Hawker
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http://www.independent.co.uk/property/house-and-home/property/try-before-you-buy-find-your-dream-holiday-home-while-you-travel-the-world-from-cape-cod-to-cornwall-a8762986.html
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2019-02-04 17:28:38+00:00
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theindependent--2019-02-26--Best holiday deals in March from walking in Spain to skiing in Montgenevre
| 2019-02-26T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Best holiday deals in March, from walking in Spain to skiing in Montgenevre
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If the recent spring-like weather has given you a taste for proper warmth, now’s the time to get a bit of heat in southern Europe or Australia. Or if winter can’t last long enough for you, nab a late-season ski bargain. Looking ahead to proper summertime, here’s our pick of the best destinations for June, too. Move quickly to save £163 on an all-inclusive holiday in Tenerife. Inspired Luxury Escapes has four nights at the five-star Sandos San Blas Nature Resort on the southern tip of the island overlooking Punta de los Abrigos. As well as a choice of pools, you’ve got the beach within staggering distance. The starting price of £544pp is for a 14 March departure and includes flights and all-inclusive accommodation. As summer winds down in Australia, now’s the time for a leisurely exploration of Sydney and the Pacific coast. Austravel has a 14-night fly-drive holiday starting with four nights in Sydney before carrying on to the beautiful natural bay of Port Stephens and finishing in Brisbane via Byron Bay. The starting price of £2,395pp includes accommodation, flights and 10 days’ car hire, for departures throughout March. Spring comes early in the Andalusian countryside, where carpets of flowers bring colour to the region’s pueblos blancos and the surrounding mountains. Inntravel offers a seven-night self-guided walking holiday based in the attractive Andalucian Cottages in Montejaque. The cottages are scattered around the village, and some come with a shared pool. Seven nights’ self-catering costs from £620pp, including car hire and walking notes but excluding flights, for departures throughout March. Enjoy the late-season snow in France’s southern Alps, where skiing in Montgenevre gives you the chance to potter over to Italy. It’s the only French resort in the mainly Italian Milky Way ski area, and has a fantastic choice of slopes for all levels. Peak Retreats has a week’s self-catering in a one-bedroom apartment for £841 at the Hameau des Airelles apartments. This smart residence has an indoor/outdoor pool and is right by the Chalvet lift. The price includes a Eurotunnel crossing and is for a 23 March departure. You miss Corsica’s summer holiday crowds in June but still get wonderful Mediterranean sun and warmth. At Villa Clea, with its seaside dining terraces and outdoor pool, you can get away from it all in a spacious five-bedroom villa in the hills overlooking St Florent and Cap Corse. Corsican Places offers a week’s rental for Sunday departures throughout June from £485pp, based on six sharing. The price includes flights and car hire. If you’ve already done Croatia’s big hitters, get to know some of its lesser-known sights on the Dalmatian coast on a small cruise. Long Travel has a seven-night holiday on a small ship starting and ending in Split. You’ll visit the magnificent waterfalls in Krka National Park and stop in the historic cities of Sibenik, Trogir and Zadar as well as cruise around the Kornati islands. The starting price of £899 includes flights, transfers and half board, for Sunday departures in June. Georgia is slowly appearing on people’s radars, especially if you’re into hiking in the rugged Caucasus. Explore has an eight-day group walking holiday in the remote region of Svaneti where you hike past medieval villages, grottos, glaciers and waterfalls surrounded by the Greater Caucasus Mountains. The starting price of £1,345pp includes flights, accommodation, guides, transfers and most meals, departing 16 June. Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk
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Mary Novakovich
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/holiday-deals-march-best-cheap-booking-a8797351.html
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2019-02-26 14:41:00+00:00
| 1,551,210,060 | 1,567,547,247 |
lifestyle and leisure
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theindependent--2019-03-28--Where to go on holiday in April and beyond the best trips to book now
| 2019-03-28T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Where to go on holiday in April and beyond: the best trips to book now
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It’s spring, but not quite as we know it. If you’re pining for a few days of proper warmth, have a look at some of these holiday ideas. For skiers, it’s also the time for a last blast of snow in the mountains. But if you want to get ahead on your summer holidays and plan to go away in July, here are some ideas that might inspire you too. Snow is still smothering the Alps, and you can take advantage of the longer days with a ski holiday staying at Chalet Charlie in Morzine, in the vast Portes du Soleil area. Sleeping 12, the smartly furnished accommodation is close to the Pleney ski lifts and has a hot tub on the sun deck. Alpine Elements has a week’s catered holiday for a family of four from £2,100, departing 7 April. The price includes flights, transfers, breakfast, afternoon tea and five dinners with wine. There’s also a deal with lift passes, offering a free child’s pass when you buy an adult one. Get away for the Easter holidays, preferably to the depths of the Cornish countryside. Holiday Cottages has four nights’ availability at Sowanna Farm Cottage, near Mullion Cove on the Lizard peninsula. The two-bedroom cottage is in the wing of a stone farmhouse surrounded by farmland, and there’s also a games room if the weather turns rough. Four nights from 18 April cost £401. With spring flowers smothering the Turkish countryside in colour and fragrance, April is an appealing time for a laid-back holiday exploring the peaceful landscapes south of the port of Fethiye. Hole up in the hamlet of Faralya, near Butterfly Valley, where Cachet Travel has availability in the delightful Mandarin & Mango Boutique Hotels. A week’s half-board costs from £882pp, departing 23 April, and includes flights and transfers. It’s the dry season in Koh Samui in April, with temperatures comfortably in the mid-20Cs. On the island’s quieter north coast is the zen-like Zazen Boutique Resort, where the tropical gardens lead straight to a white sandy beach. Tropical Sky has a week’s B&B at this chic, chilled-out hotel from £1,069pp, including flights and transfers, departing 29 April. Move quickly to snap up Chiesa Amaro, a former church that’s been converted into a stylish villa deep in the countryside of the Marche region. The exquisite town of Urbino is less than an hour’s drive away, and Adriatic beaches are roughly the same distance. Oliver’s Travels has a week’s rental in this attractive two-bedroom villa, which includes a pool, barbecue and sublime views, for £1,295 from 6 July. While the Mediterranean resorts swelter in the summer heat, escape to the freshness of the Austrian Alps. Better still, do it on two wheels as you get to know the lake region of Salzkammergut. Headwater offers a self-guided cycling tour that’s a relatively gentle way of exploring lakes and rivers, including the Mondsee and the River Ischl. Six nights throughout July cost from £1,159pp, including B&B accommodation in four-star hotels, four dinners, transfers, bikes, GPS and luggage transfers. Flights are extra but can be arranged. Be mesmerised by the midnight sun as you take one of the most spectacular railway journeys in Europe. Nordic Experience has a four-night “Across the Roof of Norway” holiday that starts in Oslo before taking you on the Bergensbanen 12-hour train to Bergen alongside magnificent fjords. The starting price of £995pp includes flights, transfers, breakfast and dinners, for departures throughout July. Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk
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Mary Novakovich
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/april-2019-holiday-where-to-go-best-things-france-cornwall-thailand-austria-a8842321.html
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2019-03-28 10:09:00+00:00
| 1,553,782,140 | 1,567,544,843 |
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theindependent--2019-04-29--Best holiday deals in May from a staycation in Devon to a Barcelona city break
| 2019-04-29T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Best holiday deals in May, from a staycation in Devon to a Barcelona city break
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If Easter’s brief fling with summery weather had you hooked, head to southern Europe to bask in some warmer weather. But if you want to stick closer to home, there’s still the Great British Seaside to enjoy (wetsuits optional). And if you’re planning an August summer holiday, have a look at some of these ideas. Sheltered by a rocky headland is the very pretty town of Parga on Greece’s Ionian coast. In May the wildflowers will be going berserk among the olive and pine groves overlooking the attractive harbour. Ten minutes’ walk from both the harbour and Krioneri Beach are the Margarita Studios, which have kitchens, balconies and a shared rooftop pool. Sunvil has a week’s self-catering from £389pp departing 12 May, including flights and transfers. It’s the dry season in May – a superb time for a safari in the Okavango Delta and game cruises along the Chobe River. Mahlatini Luxury Travel has an eight-day safari holiday that offers an exhilarating introduction to Botswana’s wildlife. You’ll start at the Chobe Bush Lodge before spending the next four nights in different regions of the Okavango Delta. The starting price of £3,650 includes international and internal flights, a mix of full-board and all-inclusive accommodation, and safari and lodge activities, departing 24 May. Before temperatures become unbearable in Barcelona, hop across to the Catalan capital for a few days of superior tapas and architecture. Jet2 Holidays has three nights’ room only at the HCC Regente Hotel, which is right in the centre of the classy Eixample district and includes a rooftop pool with sweeping views of the city. The starting price of £396pp includes flights from Manchester, and is for a 13 May departure. Before the season really gets underway in the West Country, take some time to enjoy one of the loveliest parts of the North Devon coast. Appledore overlooks the confluence of the Torridge and Taw rivers, and it’s full of colourful fishermen’s cottages. Poachers Cottage is one of them, a cute little two-bedroom, dog-friendly house a few seconds away from the seafront and a handy pub. Classic Cottages has good availability throughout May, with weekly rentals from £493. While the rest of the population is at the beach, that’s your cue to explore the rugged landscapes and sheer beauty of the Douro Valley. You’ll get to know its wineries on this four-night walking holiday offered by Inntravel. You’ll begin in Porto and have the chance to visit its Unesco-listed Old Town and port wine lodges before taking the exceptionally scenic train through the Douro Valley. There you’ll explore cork forests and vineyards, as well as more port wineries. The starting price of £670pp includes breakfast, two dinners and transfers, for departures throughout August. Flights excluded. Head to the Italian Lakes for some old-world sophistication, specifically the gorgeous waterside resorts of Lake Como. The town of Tremezzo, set on the lake’s western side, is a good base for old-style glamour and visits to wonderfully over-the-top villas such as Villa Carlotta and Villa del Balbianello. Inghams has a week at the Hotel Bazzoni overlooking the lake from £876pp, including flights, half-board accommodation and transfers, departing 7 August. British Columbia’s Vancouver Island has one marvel after another, which you can explore on a motorhome holiday with Canadian Sky. Pick up your RV at Vancouver airport and take the ferry across to Vancouver Island – land of fabulous beaches, the breathtaking Malahat highlands and fjords, and provincial parks including Elk Falls. Prices start at £1,799pp and include flights and motorhome rental, for departures throughout August. Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk
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Mary Novakovich
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/holiday-deals-may-best-cheap-booking-a8887976.html
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2019-04-29 10:57:04+00:00
| 1,556,549,824 | 1,567,541,730 |
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theindependent--2019-05-22--Best holiday deals for June from Tuscany to Namibia
| 2019-05-22T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Best holiday deals for June, from Tuscany to Namibia
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Before the full-on heat of summer really kicks in (assuming we have another summer like last year’s), now’s the time to head off on a break and enjoy the sunshine. You’ll also miss out on the price hikes of next month’s school holidays. And if you can’t get away until September, we’ve also got a few ideas to inspire you. Hole up in the Chianti hills near Siena, where you’ll be surrounded by the scent of cypress trees and pine forests. To Tuscany has an attractive farmhouse complex of 10 villas in a hilltop hamlet near Gaiole, where a one-bedroom apartment is available for £515 for the week of 15 June. There’s a large shared pool in secluded gardens, and all the villas have their own patios for al fresco meals. Enjoy long sunny days in Denmark’s capital, where, if you visit from 7-10 June, you'll arrive in the midst of its annual carnival. Base yourself in the central district of Nansengade and surround yourself with fun boutiques, bookshops and buzzing cafes. I-escape has three nights throughout June at the funky Ibsens Hotel from £375 per room, B&B. Soak up marvellous views of the sea from Portland Bill on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast in one of two neighbouring Grade II-listed cottages. Set beside the 18th-century Old Higher Lighthouse, the two-bedroom cottages share a heated pool and a hot tub – as well as access to the lighthouse observatory. Sykes Cottages has a week’s rental in each cottage from 28 June for £828. Get to know northern Namibia’s spectacular landscapes and wildlife on an eight-day camping tour offered by Rainbow Tours. Get (safely) close to cheetahs while discovering the work of the Africat Foundation, then head off to Etosha National Park, the Skeleton Coast and the country’s highest mountain, the Brandberg. Departing 12 and 26 June, the holiday costs from £2,395pp and includes flights, internal transport, accommodation, guides and most meals. September will still be beautifully sultry in Menorca, where you could have wonderful views of the island’s longest beach if you stay at Villa Bellamirada. The three-bedroom home offered by Villa Select is in walking distance of the resort of Son Bou and has its own pool, barbecue and outdoor shower. A week’s rental costs from £1,309 in September and includes a welcome hamper. If you’re looking for an introduction to China, you can scratch the surface on a nine-day tour offered by Explore. Start in Beijing with tours of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square before a walk on the Great Wall and a sleeper train to Xian and the Terracotta Warriors. A bullet train then whisks you away to Shanghai. The starting price of £1,455pp is for a 13 September departure and includes flights, internal transport, guides and breakfast. Eastern promise: inside the walled city of Khiva, Uzbekistan, now easier to reach (Simon Calder) This fascinating Silk Road country has had a surge in popularity since it relaxed visa regulations earlier this year. Move quickly to get one of the remaining places on the Essential Uzbekistan tour offered by Regent Holidays. This eight-day tour takes in the splendours of Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara – and all via train. The tailor-made holiday costs from £1,850pp and includes flights, internal transport, guides and breakfast, for departures throughout September.
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Mary Novakovich
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/june-holidays-where-to-go-travel-copenhagen-dorset-namibia-tuscany-a8925371.html
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2019-05-22 13:36:00+00:00
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theindependent--2019-06-24--Best holiday deals for July from Kenya to Montenegro
| 2019-06-24T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Best holiday deals for July, from Kenya to Montenegro
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For all the talk of holidaying in your own country, it’s still very tempting to explore somewhere different and more exotic. While July dates are filling up quickly, you can still get some bargains before the school holidays start. And if you’re looking ahead to October, some of these ideas might inspire you. Steer clear of the sweaty crowds on the coast and breathe the clear air of the French Alps. At Les Deux Alpes near the Ecrins National Park, you can swim in mountain lakes, go mountain biking, hiking and even ski on the glacier. During July, Peak Retreats is offering two weeks for the price of one at its self-catering residences Au Coeur des Ours for holidays ending before 27 July. A one-bedroom apartment costs £499 for a 6 July departure, including a ferry crossing, rising to £584 during the school holidays. With direct flights from Gatwick to Tivat, it’s easy to visit Montenegro’s port town on the Bay of Kotor. From Tivat, you can explore Kotor itself, along with Mount Lovcen and the glossy marina at Porto Montenegro. Inspired Luxury Escapes has seven nights at Hotel Palma, which is right on the beach, from £606pp including flights and breakfast. Catch one of nature’s greatest spectacles as the great migration of wildebeest and zebra takes places across Kenya and Tanzania. You can get a taste of safari during an eight-day holiday offered by Tropical Sky. Start with five days relaxing on the beach at Papillon Lagoon Reef before spending a couple of days on game drives in the Taita Hills and Tsavo East National Park. The starting price of £1,779 includes flights, transfers, full board and game drives, for departures from 1-10 July. Western Crete has some of the loveliest beaches on the island, yet it’s only a short drive to the freshness of the mountains where Carob Tree Cottage sits surrounded by olive and orange groves north of Platanias. This two-bedroom stone cottage is beautifully done up, with beamed ceilings and exposed stone walls. In the lush garden is a pool and sun terrace with barbecue and dining area. Vintage Travel has a week’s rental from 9 July for £1,139. Flights and car hire can be arranged. Temperatures are pleasantly in the high 20s in this laid-back island in the Indian Ocean. At Mauricia Beachcomber Resort, you’ll have soft white sands within crawling distance, along with a palm-fringed outdoor pool. Grand Baie’s nightlife and shops are just a short walk away. Beachcomber Tours has a seven-night half-board break from £1,369pp, departing 6 October, including flights and transfers. The price includes an early bird discount of £362. Pretend it’s still summer on a relaxing holiday overlooking the Mediterranean in Paphos. The Almyra Hotel, set in eight acres of landscaped seaside gardens, has heavenly views from its numerous terraces, spa and pool – also a scenic spot for private or group yoga classes. The Healthy Holiday Company has a week’s holiday from £1,115pp for departures throughout October, including flights, transfers and breakfast. Enjoy the mellowness of autumn deep in Tuscany, specifically in the appealing town of Lucca. A stroll within its 16th century walls reveals an enchanting collection of medieval towers, Renaissance palaces and café-filled squares – and Pisa and Florence are also handy for day trips. Long Travel has a seven-night holiday at the elegant four-star San Luca Palace from £974pp, including flights, transfers and breakfast. Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk
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Mary Novakovich
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/holiday-deals-cheap-last-minute-july-booking-travel-recommendations-a8972131.html
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2019-06-24 11:17:00+00:00
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theindependent--2019-07-30--Best August holiday deals from Greece to Iceland
| 2019-07-30T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Best August holiday deals, from Greece to Iceland
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If you haven’t got round to booking a holiday in August, it’s not too late to pick up a few deals around Europe. And if you’re planning ahead for a November break, have a look at some of these ideas. If the recent hot weather has been a bit too much, head north to Iceland where temperatures are comfortably in the mid-teens. It’s also whale-watching and puffin season, so cameras at the ready. Regent Holidays has a five-day fly-drive holiday that takes you to the south of the country past some magnificent scenery, including Skaftafell National Park, the Glacier Lagoon and Thingvellir National Park. The starting price of £1,365pp includes flights, car hire and breakfast, and is for an 18 August departure. You’ll have to move quickly to snap up a deal on four-bedroom Villa Gerasimos, which is in a superb position overlooking the sea near Skala in southern Kefalonia. Soak up sublime views from the terraces, the pool and landscaped gardens. CV Villas has a week available from 3 August for £2,200, which is half price and is based on eight sharing. Flights and car hire can be arranged. Catch the last few days of August in a seaside cottage overlooking Brixham harbour. Sykes Cottages has a week available from 31 August at the aptly named Panoramic Cottage, which has three bedrooms and lovely sea views from its various patios and terraces, as well as a games room. A week’s rental is £768, which includes a 10 per cent discount. Elegant Opatija is where Croatian tourism began back in the 19th century, and you can still see this in the grand hotels that line the town’s Adriatic coast. Facing the seafront promenade, the stately Hotel Palace Bellevue harks back to that golden age and has sea-facing balconies in most of its rooms. You get two islands in one trip on this self-guided walking holiday offered by Inntravel. Start by exploring Lanzarote’s eerie volcanic landscapes, including Timanfaya National Park, before taking the boat to La Graciosa for more exploration. Seven nights cost from £775pp for departures in November, and the price includes accommodation, breakfast, three dinners, car hire and maps, but not flights. As spring comes to South America, get an enthralling introduction to Argentina and Brazil with this 11-day group tour offered by Cox & Kings. Spend a few days in Buenos Aires before flying to Iguazu Falls and exploring them from the Brazilian side. Then finish in Rio de Janeiro for three days before flying home. The starting price of £2,295pp includes all flights, accommodation, transfers and guides, for departures throughout November. Discover Lebanon’s compelling mix of ancient Roman architecture, dramatic mountainous landscapes and fabulous food in this tailor-made tour with Wexas Travel. You’ll begin in Beirut, one of the Mediterranean’s great capitals, and carry on to Byblos and Baalbeck via Roman and Ottoman ruins and mountain villages. Prices start at £1,695pp and include seven nights’ accommodation, flights, transfers, excursions and guides. Departures are throughout November. Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk
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Mary Novakovich
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/august-holidays-summer-greece-devon-croatia-a9025181.html
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2019-07-30 08:11:00+00:00
| 1,564,488,660 | 1,567,535,328 |
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theindependent--2019-08-05--Best places to go on holiday in October from Vietnam to New Hampshire
| 2019-08-05T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Best places to go on holiday in October, from Vietnam to New Hampshire
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As the UK winds its clocks back, October is the month to escape to these trending travel spots. Soak up autumn colours and harvest festivals in Italy and New England, or head for warmer shores in the Indian Ocean and South America. Pull on your hiking boots: the start of dry season makes for ideal trekking conditions and picture-perfect scenery in Vietnam’s mountainous north. After the de rigueur junk ship cruise around dramatic Halong Bay, head an hour inland to Yên Tu, the country’s Buddhist capital. This serene pilgrimage site has somehow remained little-known to international visitors for centuries. That could soon change, though, since a “base camp” of hostels, cultural centres and restaurants recently opened – including the area’s first five-star hotel, Legacy Yen Tu MGallery, designed by visionary architect Bill Bensley to authentically resemble a 13th century temple using handcrafted local materials. Hurry to explore its shrines and forest trails before Yen Tu becomes the new Hoi An. Crisp air, ripe apples, flaming leaves – New England is radiant in October. Head off on the leaf-peeping road trip of a lifetime along the Kancamagus Highway (“the Kanc” for short, in local lingo) or the flatter Lake Winnipesauke Loop, which skirts the Granite State’s largest body of water. To get an alternative perspective of the fall colours, you can swoop over White Mountain woodland on Alpine Adventures’ zip line, featuring an 80-foot “white knuckle drop” (more sedate types can ride the Loon Mountain gondola instead). Pumpkin carving and apple bobbing are among New Hampshire’s wholesome pastimes at this time of year, while White Mountain Oktoberfest (7-8 October) brings a raucous Bavarian knees up – think: stein-hoisting, keg tossing and oompah bands – to a backdrop of crimson-leafed maple trees. Remember, all those cosy, charming inns – like rustic-chic Chesterfield Inn, set in glorious farmland near the Vermont border – fill up fast so book rooms well in advance. Spring has just sprung on this Indian Ocean island, so visitors can scuba dive in waters at their clearest and calmest, and laze on white sands beneath spotless skies. But far from being a fly-and-flop-only spot, Mauritius has plenty of faster-paced attractions that are worth prising yourself off the sun lounger for, like hiking to Black River Peak viewpoint (the highest point on the island), quad biking through sugar estate turned eco-playground Domaine de L’Étoile or exploring the Unesco-listed caves at Le Morne Brabant, built as hideouts by runaway slaves. Looking for a cool alternative to cookie-cutter beach resorts? Glamping recently arrived in Mauritius in the form of Bubble Lodge, a collection of cosy, semi-transparent eco-domes on the island’s oldest tea plantation. Globetrotting author Mark Twain was clearly onto something when he declared: “You gather the idea that Mauritius was made first and then heaven was copied after Mauritius.” Harvest brings a mouthwatering spate of foodie festivals to Tuscany’s underrated neighbour – Umbria, you’ll see, has equally gorgeous olive groves and medieval towns, only a little less tourist-packed. Both Gobbio and Città di Castello pay homage to precious, delicious white truffles at the end of the month, and even the humble chestnut even gets a series of parties, including Montone’s Festa del Bosco (Festival of the Woods) where street vendors sell paper cones of roasted chestnuts and restaurants set up tables heaped with nutty treats in the streets. Perugia hosts the biggest chocolate celebration in Europe (16-25 October) and the Feast of St Francis of Assisi (4 October) sees the saint’s namesake town decked with banners for a traditional parade – even the Pope popped in for the festivities a few years ago. After wining and dining, roll yourself back to Tenuta di Murlo, where six villas and three rooms are scattered across the scenic estate. It’s exactly 200 years since Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species, but the allure of Galapagos – the archipelago where the scientist carried out some of his most groundbreaking research – is as magnetic as ever. The mode of transport and amenities, however, have changed (thankfully) since the days of HMS Beagle: hop aboard a new solar-powered skiff, Solaris, to reach Finch Bay hotel, a beachfront sanctuary on the south side of Santa Cruz. The concentration of wildlife is sensational (and especially active at this time of year), from pelicans and penguins to manta rays and marine iguanas, plus the most famous residents, giant tortoises. A ready-made tour from an eco-conscious operator tends to be the best way to reach remote wilds like the lava fields of Fernandina or Genovesa aka “Bird Island” – among its tailor-made tours, Original Travel offers a nine-day island hopping template itinerary for £5,740 per person.
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Estella Shardlow
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/october-holiday-where-best-places-travel-inspiration-hot-a9039896.html
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2019-08-05 12:50:00+00:00
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theindependent--2019-08-28--Best last-minute holiday deals for September from Sicily to Istanbul
| 2019-08-28T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Best last-minute holiday deals for September, from Sicily to Istanbul
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If you haven’t had a chance to take a summer holiday, now’s the time to enjoy warm weather without the crowds or the high prices. September is a superb time to visit much of Europe, where the seas have had all summer to warm up. And if you’re planning ahead for a December break – Christmas or otherwise – have a look at some of these ideas too. Once the August crowds have gone back to school/work, enjoy the beauty of Portugal’s long southern coastline from the secluded vantage point of Villa Miguel. Set in the countryside north of Faro airport, and only a short drive from the Roman ruins of Estoi, the three-bedroom villa has a pool and several terraces with views of the Atlantic. Vintage Travel has a week’s rental from 14 September for £899. A late-summer break in Sicily is an easy sell, particularly if you’re staying in the hilltop town of Castelmola. From your lofty perch you’ll have views of Mount Etna on one side and the exquisite town of Taormina leading down to the Ionian Sea on the other. Sicilian Places has a week’s holiday at the four-star Hotel Villa Sonia, which has an outdoor pool, superb views and a shuttle bus down to Taormina and the beach at Isola Bella. Departing 24 September, the holiday costs from £869pp and includes flights, transfers and breakfast. Istanbul’s heat becomes more manageable once September comes around, making a short stay in this endlessly fascinating city even more of a delight. Stay in the buzzing Karakoy district, wedged between the Bosphorus, Beyoglu and the Bosphorus Bridge. Stylish Karakoy Rooms hotel has elegantly understated rooms, some facing the sea, along with a roof terrace for fabulous views. I-escape has standard doubles from €89 a night and sea-view rooms from €139. As autumn draws closer in Quebec, so does the extraordinary display of colours marking the change of season. Visit from mid-September onwards to catch this vivid show, which you can see across the southern part of the province on a 14-day self-drive tour with Canadian Sky. The itinerary includes Montreal, Quebec City, plus whale watching and a boat cruise on the St Lawrence River, along with drives along the Gaspé peninsula and through Saguenay National Park. The starting price of £1,779pp includes flights, car hire, room-only accommodation and a river cruise, and is for departures throughout September. Combine a visit to Melbourne with one of Australia’s great drives in a 12-day fly-drive holiday with Wexas. Explore part of the 243km Great Ocean Road, taking in some of the country’s most astonishing coastal scenery. Go surfing at Torquay and meet koalas at Kennett River before driving on to Port Campbell and views of the towering Twelve Apostles rock stacks. Prices start at £1,775pp and include flights, eight nights of B&B accommodation, nine-day car hire and UK airport lounge access, for departures up to 10 December. If you’re planning a white Christmas, preferably one in the French Alps and involving hurtling down a mountain on skis, Peak Retreats is offering 10 per cent off its Christmas holidays in Tignes if you book before 31 October. Stay at the newly built luxury residence Loge des Neiges in Tignes 1800, near the Boisses gondola. After a day on the slopes, you can relax in the indoor pool, hot tubs and saunas. Prices start at £641pp based on four people sharing a two-bedroom apartment, departing 21 December and includes Eurotunnel return crossing. For some early winter sun, take advantage of a half-price all-inclusive holiday in Barbados with Inspiring Travel Company. It’s offering a week at Sea Breeze Beach House hotel on the southern coast of the island, where you’ve got three pools and two beaches to choose from. Prices start at £1,939pp if you book by 2 October, and include flights, transfers and all-inclusive accommodation for a 2 December departure. Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk
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Mary Novakovich
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/holiday-deals-september-cheap-offer-travel-autumn-where-to-go-a9080516.html
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2019-08-28 08:39:00+00:00
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theindependent--2019-10-28--Best budget ski resorts for a cheap winter holiday
| 2019-10-28T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Best budget ski resorts for a cheap winter holiday
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Skiing isn’t exactly a cheap activity, but there are ways of making a winter holiday more affordable. While some European ski resorts will make your eyes water at their prices – €49 for a burger and chips at a mountain restaurant, anyone? – there are still plenty where you won’t have to spend a fortune. Lift passes and ski hire can be considerably cheaper at certain resorts, as are restaurants and bars. Self-catering is an economical option, and if you find a ski package that includes half-board or a catered chalet, then you’ll have a good idea of how much extra you’ll have to budget for food and drink. Here’s a list of some of the best budget ski resorts in Europe. The Independent’s ski recommendations are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and book, but we never allow this to affect our coverage. It might be a bit awkward to reach at times, but Livigno is worth the effort of getting to this corner of the Italian Alps near the Swiss border. Unusually, it’s been a tiny duty-free enclave since 1840, which helps to cut down on costs. Its high-altitude pistes cover 115km and offer great skiing for all levels, and your lift pass even gives you the chance to ski in St Moritz across the Swiss border. Just don’t buy lunch while you’re there. Inghams has a week’s self-catering at Al Gar Apartments in Livigno from £659pp, including flights and transfers, departing 4 January. The French Pyrenees can’t compete with the Alps in terms of size, but they’re certainly much cheaper. St-Lary-Soulan is the largest resort, with 100km of slopes that suit intermediates and beginners best. Eating out is cheaper too, leaving you more cash to enjoy south-west France’s superb duck dishes. Lagrange has a week’s self-catering at the four-star Domaine de l’Ardoiserie from £282. Lourdes is the nearest airport, which is served by Ryanair. Alpbach in Austria’s Tirol region is one of the prettiest, as well as economical, places for a winter holiday. It’s full of cosy Austrian charm, and is also part of the large Ski Juwel area, which gives you 145km of pistes to play with. Its sensibly priced ski pass gives you a lot of ground and varied terrain to cover, helped by speedy lifts. Crystal Ski has a week’s B&B at the Pension Fürstenhof from £350pp, including flights and transfers, for a 4 January 2020 departure. Three laid-back villages make up the ski area of Val Cenis Vanoise in the Haute Maurienne valley, which give you 125km of pistes to explore. Many of the non-ski activities, including a spa centre, are based in the village of Lanslevillard, although it’s easy enough to walk to its neighbour, Lanslebourg. Peak Retreats has a week’s self-catering in a one-bedroom apartment in Les Balcons de Village from £584, including Eurotunnel crossing, for a 4 January departure. For years, Bankso has been a favourite among British holidaymakers who want to give skiing a go but don’t want to fork out huge amounts. Bankso is the biggest of the Bulgarian ski resorts, but it does have only one gondola that takes you to the ski area, so be prepared for long queues. Crystal Ski has seven nights’ half-board at the Hotel Lion from £479pp, including flights and transfers, departing 4 January. Small but beautiful, Kranjska Gora covers only 20km of pistes in the Julian Alps, but is still immensely charming despite its size. It’s best suited to beginners and cautious intermediates, as well as families who enjoy its friendly atmosphere, low prices and cuisine that blends Slavic with Italian. There’s also the very tempting option of a 40-minute drive for a day trip to enchanting Lake Bled. Igulski.com has a week’s half-board at the Hotel Lipa departing 11 January from £515pp, including flights and transfers. You get the extremes in Passo Tonale – high-altitude slopes but low prices. While it’s not the most attractive of ski resorts, you’ll have 100km of pistes at your feet – and the bonus of skiing over to tree-lined slopes of Ponte di Legno for more variety. Crystal Ski has a week’s half-board at Hotel Eden from £482pp, including flights and transfers, for a 4 January departure. You’ll have Austria’s largest ski domain, SkiWelt, on your doorstep when you stay in Ellmau, as well as lovely views of the Wilder Kaiser peak. That means 280km of slopes to get to know – many of which are a joy for intermediates who like gentle cruising – while staying in one of the country’s cheapest resorts. Sno.co.uk has a week’s half-board at the three-star Hotel Claudia from £689pp, including flights, transfers and two-for-one ski/snowboard hire, for a 4 January departure. Despite price rises in recent years, Andorra is still an economical place to ski, especially for beginners who can take advantage of a low-cost daily pass. Between Arinsal and its neighbour Pal, you have 63km of slopes, with the more challenging terrain found at Pal. For a change of scenery, a 10-minute bus ride takes you to the capital, Andorra La Vella, where there’s duty-free shopping and the largest thermal spa in Europe. Neilson has a week’s chalet board at the Chalet Hotel Micolau from £545pp, including flights and transfers, departing 19 January. Les Carroz is part of the vastly underrated Grand Massif ski domain, and has bags more traditional Savoyard charm than its better-known neighbour Flaine, which is a bit of a modernist blot. It’s a sweet, low-key place with access to 265km of pistes as well as ice-skating and a large sports/spa complex. Erna Low has a week’s self-catering at the four-star Residence Léana from £338pp, including Eurotunnel crossing, for a 4 January departure.
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Mary Novakovich
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/ski-resorts-best-cheap-budget-skiing-holiday-where-to-go-stay-a9168331.html
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Mon, 28 Oct 2019 12:18:00 GMT
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theindependent--2019-11-14--Cheap ski holidays: Best deals on a budget, from beginners to experts
| 2019-11-14T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Cheap ski holidays: Best deals on a budget, from beginners to experts
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No doubt ski holidays can be pricey, but savvy snowsports fans can always pick up a bargain – tour operators release a whole range of deals throughout the season. The Independent will be keeping this rolling deals page regularly updated all winter long, so readers can find the best-value packages on the market in one place. The Independent’s ski holiday recommendations are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and book, but we never allow this to affect our coverage. Les Arcs, which combines with neighbouring La Plagne to form the mega ski area of Paradiski, offers a huge range of slopes and is great for adventurous intermediates. Ski Total is offering a saving of £120pp on seven-night packages to Chalet L’Ours Brun departing 15 December. Sleeping 12 guests in six en-suite rooms, the chalet is based in the resort’s highest base, Arc 2000, and is 250m from the nearest lift. Guests also have access to an indoor pool at the neighbouring Altitude Residence. From £599pp, chalet board, including flights and transfers. Other applicable deals for a 15 December departure include two-for-one equipment hire with the purchase of a full-area (Paradiski) lift pass; a six-day Paradiski lift pass for the price of a local Les Arcs pass; and, if you book as a group, the ninth guest goes free. The small resort of Isola 2000 in the Southern Alps might not challenge experts, but has enough to delight beginners and intermediates with its 45 pistes, ranging in altitude from 1,800m to 2,610m. For those willing to take a punt on an early-season break, Ski France is offering seven nights’ self-catering accommodation at the Chalet de la Divas, sleeping up to 10 people, for £307 – a saving of £232 – for 2 December departures. Spend the festive season in the mountains for a Christmas you’ll remember. St Anton in Austria is famed for its challenging, extensive terrain and its wild apres – but there’s also gentler lift-linked Lech to explore, plus the ultra-snowy Warth-Schrocken. Alpine Elements is offering £100 off this Christmas on seven-night stays at Chalet Rathia, departing 22 December. The price of £785pp includes chalet-board accommodation, flights and transfers. Fancy something different? Levi in Lapland is Finland’s biggest resort, with 43 pistes, but its biggest draw is the range of non-ski activities on offer, from archery tag to smoke sauna, an ice gallery to Arctic survival “Hunger Games”. Inghams is offering a whopping £390pp discount on seven-night stays at the resort’s Immelmökit Cabins departing 1 December. Flights, transfers and self-catering accommodation in the traditional log cabins are all included for £299pp. Get two countries for the price of one with a stay in La Thuile – this Italian resort is connected to La Rosiere over the French border. The resort is great for intermediates, with plenty of long, wide runs. Crystal has a week at the Hotel Du Glacier, B&B, for £535pp departing 12 January 2020 – a saving of £105pp. Includes flight and transfers. If you’re looking for great-value coupled with extensive slopes, the Grandvalira ski area in Andorra has you covered. El Tarter is a small resort roughly in the middle of the ski area’s 210km of pistes. Neilson is currently offering seven nights’ chalet board at the Chalet Hotel Casale for just £375pp, including flights and transfers, on 15 December departures. Luxury for less in Baqueira-Beret, Spain Swap tartiflette for tapas with a trip to Spain’s biggest ski resort, Baqueira-Beret. It’s no coincidence it’s the resort favoured by the Spanish royal family – this elegant resort has 146km of satisfyingly long groomed runs alongside endless off-piste variations. Pierre et Vacances is offering 15 per cent off stays at the Hôtel Himalaia Baqueira, which features a spa with water jet pool. Seven nights’ B&B costs €1,221 per double room for 14 December departures. Skiing can be an expensive holiday as a beginner. Heading to wallet-friendly Bulgaria can be a savvy way of keeping costs down. Balkan Holidays are offering a free ski kindergarten place or child lift pass when two parents pre-book “Full Ski” packs (lift pass, equipment hire and lessons) in the resort of Pamporovo. Plus the second child gets 50 per cent off a full ski pack. Seven nights’ B&B at the four-star Grand Hotel Murgavets currently costs £494pp, including flights and transfers, for a 21 December departure.
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Helen Coffey
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/skiing/ski-holiday-deals-offers-cheap-budget-bargain-skiing-snowboard-alps-europe-mountains-a9189541.html
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Thu, 14 Nov 2019 16:54:00 GMT
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theindependent--2019-11-27--Best last-minute holiday deals for December, from Barbados to Cornwall
| 2019-11-27T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Best last-minute holiday deals for December, from Barbados to Cornwall
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If the build-up to Christmas is getting too much and you need to escape, think about going somewhere warm – or snuggle up in a country cottage. You might even want to celebrate Christmas somewhere snowy and festive. If you’re looking ahead to a March holiday, some of these ideas might inspire you. You haven’t got far to stumble to the beach at Coral Mist Beach Hotel – it’s right in front of this cheerful three-star at Worthing Beach just south of Barbados’ capital, Bridgetown. There’s a pool too if you want a change of scenery. Teletext Holidays has a seven nights’ room only deal from £887pp departing 14 December, including flights and transfers. Embrace all things festive while skiing down the slopes of Ischgl during Christmas week. Its snow-sure pistes are alluring enough – just add a hefty dose of mad Austrian après-ski for a party-filled week. Inghams has a week’s B&B at family-run Hotel Binta from £779pp, including flights and transfers, departing 21 December. If you’re looking for a cosy Christmas in a romantic setting, check out Streamside Mill. This cute one-bedroom stone cottage has a wood-burning stove and is close to St Just and Cape Cornwall. And there’s a pub only 400 yards away. Classic Cottages has five nights’ rental for £461 from 22 December. Tourism is picking up again in Egypt, and now is a good time to get to know the country on a nine-day tour over Christmas. On the Go Tours has a Festive King Tut tour that features Cairo, the Pyramids at Giza and an overnight train to Aswan. Then it’s on to a felucca cruise down the Nile towards Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. The tour costs from £792pp (saving nearly £200) with departure dates on 20, 21 and 24 December. The price includes accommodation, transport and some meals, but flights are extra. It’s hard to resist the combination of Borneo rainforests, orangutans, going on a boat safari and chilling out in an eco-friendly luxury resort. Tropical Sky has a very tempting 10-night tour that includes a stay at secluded Gaya Island Resort and visits to an orang-utan rehabilitation centre. The starting price of £1,109pp includes flights and transfers for departures throughout March. Once the February half-term holidays have come and gone, things get back to normal at ski resorts. Morzine is one of the most attractive villages within the Portes du Soleil ski domain, with direct links to neighbouring Avoriaz and Les Gets. Alpine Elements has a week’s half board at the central Hotel Les Dents Blanches from £764pp, departing 3 March. The price includes flights, transfers, breakfast, six evening meals with wine as well as afternoon tea. While you’re waiting for Europe to warm up, head out to Cape Verde and soak up the sun in this Atlantic archipelago. Boa Vista is one of the most laid-back of the Cape Verde islands, and Orquidea Guest House is in a prime beachfront spot for lazy days surrounded by tropical gardens. Cape Verde Experience has a week at Orquidea Guest House from £1,149pp departing 5 March. The price includes flights, transfers and breakfast. Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk
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Mary Novakovich
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/winter-sun-december-holiday-deals-barbados-cornwall-austria-egypt-a9219591.html
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Wed, 27 Nov 2019 10:58:00 GMT
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theindependent--2019-12-24--10 of the best family holidays for 2020
| 2019-12-24T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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10 of the best family holidays for 2020
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There’s a mind-boggling amount of choice when it comes to taking the family away next year – city break, beach holiday, active fun, or even all the above. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Sardinia’s southern coast has some of the island’s loveliest beaches, and you’re still within reach of day trips to the capital, Cagliari. The resort of Villasimius has fine sandy beaches, a dive centre and boat excursions to the island of Cavoli, but also has a lot on its doorstep, including pools and children’s clubs. Sardinian Places has a week at Residence Cormoran from £3,329 for two adults and two children, including flights, breakfast and car hire, for May departures. Get to know Crete’s northern beaches and rugged interior from the vantage point of an attractive residence in the small fishing village of Panormos. Iliana Apartments, offered by Sunvil, are decked out in classically Greek blue and white and include a communal pool. It’s only a few minutes’ walk to the village and the beach. A week’s self-catering costs from £750pp and includes flights and transfers. Combine city and countryside with a family self-drive holiday in Ontario. Canadian Sky has a nine-day break that takes in Toronto and Niagara Falls along with a few days’ mountain biking and ziplining in Blue Mountain resort near Georgian Bay. You’re not far from some of Ontario’s most beautiful natural areas, including the forests and lakes of Muskoka and Algonquin National Park. The starting price of £989pp includes flights, room-only accommodation and car hire. With Croatia’s long Adriatic coastline and 1,244 islands, it’s hard to narrow down your choice. But a good bet is Brač, and not because it happens to be home to Croatia’s most famous beach – the white V-shaped Zlatni Rat. Avoid the crowds and head to the eastern tip of the island towards Sumartin, where the three-bedroom Villa Sinatra with Croatia Gems is close to the beach and has its own pool. A week’s rental costs from £2,152. For children who can’t get enough of gladiators, a holiday in Rome will transport them to the ancient world. Along with the obvious tourist sights of the Colosseum and the Forum, you can rent a boat on the lake at the Villa Borghese and let them roam round the ancient ruins of Ostia Antica, an hour’s train ride away. Rooms in the friendly Suites Trastevere, which include access to a communal kitchen, start at £71, B&B. Have the sandy beaches of Port de Pollenca within easy reach at El Cano, a three-bed townhouse offered by Vintage Travel. You’ll be only 200 yards from the beach, shops and restaurants, and only a short drive from the pretty cobbled streets and squares in the town of Pollenca. The house features a swimming pool and a shaded barbecue terrace in the garden, as well as an open-plan living/dining area. A week’s rental starts at £774 in April. Rather than join the hordes along the Mediterranean, discover France’s Atlantic coast by staying in one of the country’s most appealing islands. Ile de Ré combines French seaside chic with a laid-back ambience, fabulous seafood and superb sandy beaches. Club together with another family to rent Maison Ile de Ré, a five-bedroom villa with a pool in the village of Bois-Plage-en-Ré. The beach is within walking distance, as is the village’s excellent food market. A week’s rental costs from £3,366 with French Connections. For far-flung family adventure, it’ hard to beat Vietnam. Explore has an 11-day trip that gives a captivating introduction to the country, including a cooking class in Hanoi, a night in a junk in Halong Bay and a journey on the Reunification Express train from Hanoi to Hue. You’ll also go sea kayaking, cycling and cruising along the Mekong Delta. Prices start at £1,175pp and include accommodation, transfers and some meals, but flights are extra. Despite its popularity, Bodrum has managed to retain its elegance and allure. This city on the Aegean coast not only has fine beaches and classy cafés, but also some riveting cultural sights including Bodrum Castle and an ancient theatre. Tui has an all-inclusive, seven-day holiday at the smart Diamond of Bodrum, which has sea views as well as its own pool, from £558pp. The price includes flights and is for May departures. If you plan to stay closer to home, start thinking now about renting a cottage on the Isle of Wight before the best are snapped up. Holiday Cottages has Chine Cottage, a handsome four-bedroom house with a large garden and conservatory. It’s a short walk to the beach at Totland Bay, and it also offers direct access to the island’s coastal path. A week’s rental in May starts at £898.
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Mary Novakovich
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/best-family-holidays-2020-greece-turkey-vietnam-croatia-a9254811.html
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Tue, 24 Dec 2019 07:41:55 GMT
| 1,577,191,315 | 1,577,191,005 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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theindependent--2019-12-24--Best cheap holidays and flights in Boxing Day sales
| 2019-12-24T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Best cheap holidays and flights in Boxing Day sales
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The Independent has scouted the best travel deals in the Boxing Day and January sales. Tour operator Intrepid is offering 20 per cent off new and small-group itineraries booked between 1-13 January 2020. The offer is valid for travel before 31 August 2020. Highlights include eight days exploring Northern Brazil’s mountains and beaches from £1,148pp (down from £1,435); nine days in Bali from £648pp (down from £810); and exploring the wild landscapes of Jordan, from the capital Amman to the otherworldly Wadi Rum, from £684pp (down from £855). intrepidtravel.com Package holiday giant Tui, which also owns brands First Choice and Marella Cruises, has plenty of Boxing Day travel deals. It’s offering 14 nights all-inclusive in Mexico’s Riviera Maya for under £1,550pp; seven-night holidays to Agadir and Taghazout in Morocco for under £450pp; and seven-night all-inclusive trips to Hurghada, Egypt, for under £800pp. Elsewhere, First Choice is offering seven nights in Paphos, Cyprus, for under £450pp all-inclusive; seven nights all-inclusive in San Jose Del Cabo in Mexico for under £900pp; and seven nights in Marrakech, Morocco, for under £400pp all-inclusive. Meanwhile, Marella Cruises is offering its 14-night Enchanting Far East 1 cruise onboard Marella Discovery, which departs Langkawi in Malaysia for destinations including Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Koh Samui, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, for under £1,500pp. tui.co.uk Low-cost airline Norwegian is selling transatlantic flights from £134.90 one-way (which includes Boston and New York JFK); flights to South America from £179.90 one-way; and flights to Europe for under £30 one-way in its Boxing Day sale. The deals are based on select departures until 31 October 2020 and must be booked by 13 January 2020. norwegian.com British Airways’ annual January sale has deals on flights and holidays all over the world, including the popular two-night Europe city break offer for £99pp. Long-haul deals include return flights to New York, San Diego and Johannesburg from £270, £329 and £539 respectively; while short-haul deals include flying business class to Salzburg or Bilbao for £159 and £170. Holiday deals include flights and two nights in Prague, Venice, Berlin, Barcelona, Verona and Nice for just £99pp; as well as seven nights in Barbados for £529pp and Orlando for £399pp. Singapore Airlines is offering return fares from the UK to destinations in Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the US from £375 return. Highlights include flights from Manchester to Houston, Texas, for £375 return; London to Bangkok from £440 return; and London to Melbourne for £675 return. singaporeair.com Tour operator Kuoni is offering savings and room upgrades on luxury holidays all over the world in its sale. Highlights include a saving of up to £1,170 per couple for trips to Dhigali, Maldives, based on departures in May and June 2020 (now £1,799pp); a saving of up to £906 per couple for holidays to Koh Samui, Thailand, valid for departures in May and June 2020 (now £1,349pp); and a saving of £607 per couple on trips to Antigua in September 2020 (now £1,599pp). kuoni.co.uk The Ski Solutions January sale, which starts on 27 December, has deals including a 25 per cent saving (£605pp) on a week-long trip from 11 January at the luxury Tschuggen Grand Hotel in Switzerland; 32 per cent off (working out at £420pp) trips to the Mount Royal Hotel in Banff, Canada; and free ski hire on a luxury four-night ski break to Courmayeur in Italy, departing 6 February, at a cost of £725pp (down from £825pp). skisolutions.com Prestige Holidays is offering 50 per cent off holidays to Bermuda in its “Pink Sale”, valid for travel throughout the year when booked by 31 January 2020. Highlights including a saving of £1,326 per couple at Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, which now costs £1,972pp for a week departing 24 March 2020. prestigeholidays.co.uk Emerald Waterways is offering savings of up to £1,200pp on 2020 European river cruises and 2020/21 southeast Asia river cruises and land tours when its sale launches on 27 December. emeraldwaterways.co.uk Save up to 20 per cent on 300,000 seats and get up to £200 off beach holidays in the easyJet winter sale. Customers can save up to £100 per adult on seven-, 10-, 11- and 14-night breaks to a variety of destinations including Croatia, Italy, Spain, Montenegro, Greece, Turkey, Morocco and Portugal. The sale runs until 30 January for travel between 30 January and 2 July for flight-only bookings, and between 1 April and 31 October for holiday bookings. easyjet.com Virgin Atlantic has discounted fares across the whole network, with flights starting from £235pp and flight and hotel packages from £369pp. Best available fares include Heathrow to Boston and New York from £260 return; Heathrow to Tel Aviv from £255 return; and Heathrow to Los Angeles from £297 return. virginatlantic.com Family holiday tour operator MagicBreaks is offering a range of offers for attractions including Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in its “Mega Sale”, which begins on 26 December and runs until 12 February 2020. For example, customers who book a Disneyland Paris or Les Villages Nature Paris holiday will receive offers including a free family cinema pass, free £25 Disney Store gift card and free upgrade to Standard Premier on Eurostar packages. magicbreaks.co.uk
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Travel desk
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/best-winter-sun-cheap-holidays-flights-boxing-day-sales-a9258306.html
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Tue, 24 Dec 2019 07:53:00 GMT
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theindependent--2019-12-27--Best last-minute holiday deals for January, from Italy to Sri Lanka
| 2019-12-27T00:00:00 |
theindependent
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Best last-minute holiday deals for January, from Italy to Sri Lanka
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Sun, sea, sand – or snow? Get over the post-Christmas slump by packing off somewhere hot in January, or hitting the slopes when ski resorts are much quieter. And if you’re planning ahead on an April or Easter holiday, these ideas might inspire you. Enjoy the beauty of the Matterhorn from the Italian side of the mountain in the resort of Cervinia, which is considerably cheaper than staying in Zermatt across the Swiss border. Inghams has seven nights’ B&B at the Hotel Punta Maquignaz, a cosy hotel in the centre of Cervinia, from £459pp, saving £400pp. The price includes flights, transfers and breakfast, and is for an 11 January departure. January in Seville feels more like spring than winter, especially with temperatures around the mid-teens. It’s perfect city break weather, with fewer tourists getting in the way of the city’s top sights including the Real Alcazar and the wondrous cathedral. La Casa del Maestro is a warm little hotel in the Barrio Santa Cruz, with a lovely roof terrace to soak up city views. With i-escape, rooms start at £58pp per night, including breakfast. See two of South America’s greatest cities, along with Iguazu Falls, on this eight-night group tour with Cox & Kings. You’ll start with a few days getting to know Buenos Aires before jetting off to Iguazu Falls for a couple of days. Finish with a few days getting into the swing of things in Rio do Janeiro at the Belmond Copacabana Palace. The starting price of £2,295pp includes flights, transfers and B&B five-star accommodation, departing 30 January. Tourists have been slowly coming back to Sri Lanka since the terrorist attacks in April, which the country desperately needs. On the southernmost coast is Koggala Beach, which is handy for visits to Galle if you can tear yourself away from this scenic beach. Mercury Holidays has an all-inclusive six-night holiday at the Koggala Beach Hotel from £865pp, including flights and transfers, departing 18 January. If you’re planning a late-season ski trip, book before 13 January and save 20 per cent off a week’s rental at Les Chalets du Gypse in Saint-Martin-de-Belleville. This pretty village is one of the most appealing parts of the Three Valleys ski domain, and this very smart residence is right on the slopes and has an indoor pool and a spa. Peak Retreats has a one-bedroom apartment for £1,394 for the week of 11 April, including Eurotunnel crossing. Time it right and you could end up in Athens during Orthodox Easter, which in 2020 falls on 19 April. Feast on superb views of the Acropolis from the rooftop restaurant at St George Lycabettus, a luxury hotel in the fashionable Kolonati district of Athens. Kirker Holidays has three-night breaks throughout April from £896pp, including flights, private transfers, breakfast and tickets to the Acropolis Museum. Look forward to springtime hikes in the Lake District, especially if you stay at the Bothy offered by Lakeland Cottage Company. This dog-friendly, one-bedroom stone cottage has been beautifully kitted out and is just outside Windermere, making it a handy base for hikes. A week’s rental from 3 April costs £737. Mary Novakovich is editor at large at 101holidays.co.uk
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Mary Novakovich
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https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/january-holiday-best-travel-deals-winter-sun-flight-discount-a9259606.html
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Fri, 27 Dec 2019 08:51:53 GMT
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lifestyle and leisure
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themanchestereveningnews--2019-05-04--10 of the best family days out near Manchester this May bank holiday
| 2019-05-04T00:00:00 |
themanchestereveningnews
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10 of the best family days out near Manchester this May bank holiday
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If you're lucky enough to have the time off then you'll probably want to make the most of this bank holiday weekend. Traffic aside, there's nothing quite like a road trip to make it feel like a proper day out. We're always telling you about things to see and do in Manchester - and we've got a whole host of weekend ideas here - but we also know families don't mind travelling a bit of a distance for a decent day out. That's why we've come up with our list of 10 of the best days out within a two-hour drive. Hopefully it'll give you some inspiration. Whether you fancy a trip up the tower, or spending the day whizzing around the rides of the Pleasure Beach, you can't beat Blackpool for a bank holiday day out. The tower is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year and there's loads to see and do in and around the landmark. From the much-loved circus and Blackpool Eye - a thick glass panel you can stand on 380ft in the air - to the dungeon and the waxworks of Madame Tussauds, there's something for kids of all ages. The Big Ticket gives access to all six attractions and is valid for 90 days, so you don't have to rush round them all in the same day. It costs £46 for adults, £33.50 for children and £8.95 for under threes. Blackpool Pleasure Beach is open from 10am across the bank holiday weekend, with earliest ride closing times 6pm. As well as Nickelodeon Land for the younger ones, there are 10 rollercoasters to choose from, including its newest addition Icon - the UK’s first double launch rollercoaster - which opened last year. Mancunians regularly make the trip to Staffordshire to enjoy the thrills of Alton Towers and little ones have more reason than ever to visit this weekend. Families can party with with their favourite characters as CBeebies Land celebrates its fifth birthday. In what's billed as 'a fun-packed birthday event for families to enjoy', from Saturday to Monday, fans of CBeebies will get the chance to dance along with some of their favourite characters from the hit TV channel as they come together for a very special live performance. Guests will also get to take part in a special Birthday Treat Trail and receive a birthday badge souvenir reward as they explore CBeebies Land. The ‘CBeebies Land Birthday Celebration’ marks five years since it opened. A huge birthday cake will greet guests as they enter the theme park and at the end of each day over the bank holiday weekend, costume characters from across CBeebies Land will come together for 'a unique birthday-themed live performance'. The event comes after CBeebies recently welcomed some new additions in the form of the ‘Teletubbies Big Band Live Show' and the new Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop ride, featuring the mischievous bunny Peter Rabbit and his friends Benjamin and Lily. Last month also saw the opening of Alton Towers' new Stargazing Pods, offering a cheaper option for families to stay over. To find out more about the activities this weekend, or to book tickets, visit the website here. What child doesn't want to see animals? Luckily you haven't got far to travel to experience Knowsley Safari. A brand new tiger habitat opened at the attraction last year, giving visitors the chance to get closer to the tigers than ever before. Sisters Sinda and Bira moved in to their new home, which opened last May, and features full-length glass panes that allow visitors unique, up close viewing opportunities. Guests can immerse themselves in the Russian-themed habitat and learn all about the Amur tiger; their habitat, threats to their survival and conservation. While at the attraction families can also journey through the camels, buffalo, antelope and more and get an up-close experience as you drive through lion territory. You can also stay dry at the indoor sea lion display, although there's no guarantees there won't be any splashing going on at the front. Tickets cost £17.50 for adults, £13.50 for children and under threes go free. You can save 10% if you book online . Just two hours away on the North Wales coast is Llandudno and it's hosting a huge, free Victorian Extravaganza over the bank holiday weekend. There's a circus, a daily parade, competitions, traction engines, fairground stalls, rides and shows and much more over the three days. The Victorian circus show is under a mini-top - with three shows daily. Organisers promise families will 'laugh, gasp and be amazed as our stars light up and transport you to the heart of a Victorian Circus.' The bank holiday extravaganza has been going for 34 years in the seaside resort, a favourite for holidaymakers from around the UK. There are chances for visitors to get into the spirit of the weekend by taking part in a Victorian dress competition and being part of the daily parade - with prizes given out for the best-dressed ladies, gentlemen, children under 10 and families. The parade happens at midday each day, full of vintage cars and trucks, entertainers and people dressed in Victorian outfits. It starts outside the Holy Trinity Church, heads down Madoc Street, to Gloddaeth Avenue, and then to the promenade. Also on over the long weekend is a transport festival with hundreds of vintage cars, trucks, buses, bikes, and traction engines taking place in Bodafon Fields, the other side of Llandudno. It's a separate event, but held in conjunction with the Victorian Extravaganza, and at 6pm on the Saturday and Sunday nights, vehicles will head out on a road run - on Saturday, they create a spectacular sight as they drive to Conwy, a few miles away, and around the walled town. On Sunday they head to Marine Drive, the private road that goes around the Great Orme, and take a trip around there. There is a charge to get into the Transport festival - £7.50 for adults and £2 for children - but the Victorian Extravaganza is free. You can find out more about the Llandudno Transport Festival here and the Victorian Extravaganza here. You can also get more information about the weekend, and places to stay, from Visit Llandudno. Find out more about the event here. Chester Zoo attracts families from miles around and the bank holiday is the perfect opportunity to pay a visit. Home to 21,000 animals in 125 acres of award-winning zoological gardens you can see why it pulls in close to 2m visitors a year. You can check out the venue's new Madagascar habitat, featuring the attraction's first ever 'walk-though' primate experience. Visitors have the chance to see lemurs jumping across the path in front of them or swinging in the trees above them as they make their way through part of the new zone. The UK's first alpine rollercoaster is one of many reasons to make the trip to Zip World at Betws-y-Coed in North Wales. It might be a two-hour drive from Manchester, but it's worth it to have a go on the Fforest Coaster, which takes thrill seekers through stunning woodland mountains, speeding and darting through Snowdonia National Park. Visitors are strapped into their sledge with the simple controls meaning they can take control of how fast they go. There's lots more fun to be had at the attraction too, including Treetop Nets, 60ft up in the trees and available for ages three plus; the Skyride, which swings four people at once 80ft in the air, 1.2m height restriction; and for even bigger daredevils the Plummet, where two people drop through a trap door over 100ft high to experience the closest thing to freefall. Again the minimum height for that is 1.2m. The coaster costs £39 for a shared sled and you get three rides, nets are from £13 and the Plummet is £15 per person or £20 a pair. Book online. There's loads to see and do at Martin Mere Wetland Centre. Depending on the season you can spot everything from ducklings to migrating swans and there's lots of fun to be had with a muddy meadow and play areas for kids of all ages. You can try your hand at canoeing too, between 11am and 4pm. And there's a guided boat option if anyone doesn’t feel like paddling. On top of that there are daily feeds and talks including a chance to meet the site's three cheeky Asian otters. You watch them forage, swim, rest, sleep and bath in the sunshine. There's a new Pond Zone open too, featuring everything you need to get pond dipping and uncover incredible underwater life. There are nets, trays, magnifying glasses, identity charts, and the friendly Learning Team are on-hand to help. Admission is £13 for adults, £6.95 for children, under fours free, or a family ticket for two adults and two children £33.90. For more details visit the WWT website . Southport's another great day out for families. There are rides galore at Southport Pleasureland, which is open 11am until 6pm across the long weekend. Rides cost from £1 each, or you can buy a Fun Card, which gives you extra rides for free. These start from £25 each and can be bought online. And if you don't have any cash to splash there's a great free wooden play area on the seafront which will keep little ones happy for hours - and work up an appetite for that chippy tea before you head home. It's not just Chester Zoo that's worth the drive from Manchester. Families are just as eager to pay a visit to Blackpool Zoo too. The zoo is also home to tigers, gorillas, lions, flamingos, penguins and lots more and it's a manageable size for little ones to make their way round it in one day. Last April it opened up its new multi-million pound Project Elephant Base Camp. The new facility combines the UK's largest indoor elephant house with a huge outdoor habitat and an immersive themed visitor experience 'through Asia'. Elsewhere, there's a Sea Lion pool and a Gorilla Mountain and just next to the elephant camp is Dinosaur Safari - where you can make your way around a trail of lifesize dino statues. The zoo is open daily from 10am except for Christmas Day, with closing times varying throughout the year. Tickets are cheaper if you book in advance online where they cost £13.99 for adults, £10.99 for children aged three to 15, or £43.99 for a family of four. It might not seem like the most obvious choice if the sun's not shining, but have you ever heard a child say it's too cold for ice cream? Plus the indoor sand and water play Honeycomb Canyon - the largest in Europe - is now heated and there is also a soft play area too. It's also a great time to avoid the crowds that descend on The Ice Cream Farm in peak summer. Entry is free and visitors either pay per activity (around £4.50 each) or get a play pass starting from £20. This gets them five plays at £4 each. The more you spend on a pass the cheaper it gets - so a £30 pass gets you 10 plays at £3 each, or a £40 pass gets 20 plays at £2 each. Play passes have no expiry date and can be used between multiple children, so if you don't use the full value in one visit, you can use it another time. There's obviously ice cream to enjoy too - more than 50 flavours in fact. The famous blue building that housed the original parlour has been transformed into The Pantry - a 180-seater food and drink area, providing a bright and contemporary environment.
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Emma Gill
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https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/days-out-manchester-bank-holiday-16217771
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2019-05-04 05:45:00+00:00
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lifestyle and leisure
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thesun--2019-01-10--Cheap Tunisia holidays for 2019 find the best all-inclusive hotels and flight deals
| 2019-01-10T00:00:00 |
thesun
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Cheap Tunisia holidays for 2019 – find the best all-inclusive hotels and flight deals
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BRIT holidaymakers are flocking back to the North African country of Tunisia and it's anticipated to be one of the most popular holiday destinations for 2019. Located between the Med and Sahara Desert, Brits go for the sun, sand and sea - as well as the low prices and the fact that it is just a short three-hour flight away. Tunisia has a year-long warm, mild climate and you can expect plenty of sunshine from May to October, often peaking at 35C during the summer. Planning your 2019 beach break? Read on for our round-up of the best Tunisia resorts and the cheapest all-inclusive holiday deals for your trip. With a 13th-century old town, old Medina and castle, Old Hammamet has a traditional feel with bustling souks and lush botanical gardens - while neighbouring Yasmine Hammamet is more modern and European with attractive bar and restaurant-lined boulevards. Both areas boast beautiful white sandy beaches and plenty of places to stay for couples and families alike - plus the 'Carthageland Hammamet' theme park to keep the kids busy. Book an all-inclusive one-week Hammamet beach break with Love Holidays from £284pp - including flights and hotel (based on travelling in March 2019) - book here. Book a Yasmine Hammamet escape with Travel Supermarket for seven nights all-inclusive from £380pp. Book here. The 'Pearl of the Sahel', Sousse boasts quality beaches, a 9th-century Great Mosque and a UNESCO-listed Medina. Neighbouring Port El Kantaoui offers up entertainment, nightlife and activities such as water sports and golf. Stay at either resort to get the best of both worlds, with miles of white sandy, beaches stretching in-between the two towns. Book an all-inclusive one-week holiday in Sousse from £248pp (based on travel in March 2019) with Love Holidays and in Port el Kantaoui from £248pp on Travel Supermarket. Found on Tunisia's north-eastern coast, Monastir has great beaches and tons of water sports to try - from kayaking to scuba diving. Plus, the town has an attractive marina and old fishing port, brimming with fresh seafood for you to sample at one of the many waterside restaurants. There's a great choice of hotels here for an all-inclusive stay - book a seven-night break from £221pp with Love Holidays (based on travel in April 2019) or from £275pp with Thomas Cook (based on travel in March 2019). There are plenty of choices to make with breaks away - even after you've decided on a destination. Here's how you can ensure you're getting a good deal BOOK LAST MINUTE If you're able to look last minute you'll often find good deals, as companies look to encourage bookings and fulfill availability. SPECIAL OFFERS Great offers depend on travel companies' willingness to cut prices, but some companies maintain a special offers section - like Jet2Holidays. Deal sites like Travelzoo are also worth checking. BE FLEXIBLE Flexibility of travel dates and connections can save you money. As can travelling outside of peak periods, or - if not travelling with children - outside school holidays. USE DISCOUNTS Find discount codes with The Sun Vouchers, including for TUI, Expedia, First Choice, Lastminute, and Jet2Holidays. SET ALERTS Airfarewatchdog and Skyscanner provides alerts on air fares, so you can get flights at their cheapest. Kayak offers alerts for flights and hotels. Get a taste of idyllic island life in Djerba - offering the most peaceful and relaxing Tunisian beach holiday Looking for a more peaceful place to stay in Tunisia? The island of Djerba offers a quieter alternative to the livelier resort town in Tunisia. Expect whitewashed villages, palm-tree-lined beaches and desert landscapes in this laid-back beach destination. You can relax and unwind on the white sandy beach or crank it up a notch with a Sahara Desert safari or kitesurfing lesson. The nearest airports to Djerba are Gabes, Sfax El Maou and Monastir and then you can take a ferry to the island. Book hotels from £94 for seven nights on Booking.com and from £28pp per night B&B basis on Travel Republic (for Travel in April/May 2019). If you're not set on Tunisia, find more beach break inspiration for your summer 2019 trip here.
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Clare Mellor
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/7784375/cheap-tunisia-holidays-2019-all-inclusive/
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2019-01-10 16:46:38+00:00
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thesun--2019-02-19--Hols from 950 When is the best time to book my 2019 holiday and why should I book with The Sun
| 2019-02-19T00:00:00 |
thesun
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Hols from £9.50: When is the best time to book my 2019 holiday and why should I book with The Sun?
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SAY goodbye to winter and get set for spring with the next chance to book your 2019 bargain getaway with The Sun’s Hols from £9.50. You can choose from 260 top parks across the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, Austria and Croatia in our unbeatable holiday deal. Here is the best time to book your stay: Mid-week breaks are the best time to book. Not only is that when the parks are quietest but there's also more availability. Plus, if you book mid-week, you'll get a fourth night free. Choose from comfortable caravans, chalets, apartments, tents, lodges and even bungalows or cottages from 260 parks across UK, France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, Austria and Croatia. How to book my fab Hols from £9.50? All you need to do is collect SEVEN Sun Savers codes or SEVEN tokens or codewords printed in The Sun. The next round starts between Saturday, February 23 and Saturday, March 9. If you’re collecting Sun Savers codes: ENTER YOUR CODES HERE If you're collecting tokens or codewords use the booking form or book online at thesun.co.uk/holidays Price per person based on four sharing. Subject to availability. Terms and conditions and date restrictions apply. For full T&Cs see thesun.co.uk/holidays. All you need to do is collect SEVEN tokens, codewords or Sun Savers codes from those printed in The Sun between Saturday, February 23 and Saturday, March 9. If you’re collecting Sun Savers codes, enter your codes here! We guarantee that the price of your Holiday from £9.50, with service charge, entertainment/clubroom passes and any peak date supplement added, will be the best price available for the exact same holiday at your chosen holiday park and holiday date in the same accommodation type. If you find it cheaper and tell us within 28 days of making your Sun booking,we’ll refund you the difference plus £10! Full t&cs on the 'Best Price Guaranteed' are available here - club950.co.uk/terms/
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mgodden
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/5632912/holidays-2019-booking-deals-offers-savings/
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2019-02-19 15:49:43+00:00
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thesun--2019-04-04--Easter Holidays 2019 The best family activities in the UK with deals to Legoland Thorpe Park and m
| 2019-04-04T00:00:00 |
thesun
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Easter Holidays 2019: The best family activities in the UK with deals to Legoland, Thorpe Park and more
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READY for some family fun during the Easter Holidays? From Thorpe Park and Go Ape adventures, to Safari drive experiences - we've found something for every family. The UK Easter Bank Holidays falls on the 19th (Good Friday), and the 22nd of April (Easter Monday), extending a normal two-day weekend to four full days. It's the perfect excuse for a short getaway before the summer, but if you're staying put, there's plenty to do as well. If you are in the search of the best family activities for the long weekend, check out our selected options below. It's a perfect opportunity to try something completely new or things you've always wanted to do. If we're talking about some real fun, Thorpe Park is at the very top of the list. Located just outside of London, the park features over 30 rides, live events, the Thorpe Shark Hotel and an extensive food court. And if you book an Easter break at Thorpe Park resort, you'll get a second day's free entry. If you've always wanted to try horse riding, here's your chance with this Buy A Gift bargain deal. You'll get an hour-long experience in your chosen location, guided by a trained professional instructor. From the basics of halt, walking and trotting to hacking through the British countryside, there's something for every level. If you are looking for an active outdoors activity especially designed for kids, this Buy A Gift package has got you covered. Choose from 17 locations across the UK and let your kids experience outdoors adventure in the trees. An ultimate LEGO adventure awaits with this bargain deal at LEGOLAND Windsor from Virgin Experience Days. The park features over 55 rides, live shows and attractions with its own LEGO themed hotel. A lunch of burger, fries and a soft drink is included in the package for two adults and two children. Is your family a fan of nature, animals and seeking of a little bit of excitement? This Virgin Experience Days deal gives all of that and more: a five mile safari drive encountering lions, antelopes and rhinos - and 700 other exotic animals in the park. Knowsley Safari Park also features a zoo where events and attractions are taking place. Any foodie knows that Gordon Ramsay's kitchen is a real treat. This Virgin Experience Days deal is the one to make the whole family happy: while a junior chef is mastering his skills with the Bread Street Kitchen's resident chefs, parents will enjoy a relaxing brunch with a glass of Champagne. Discover the world's most incredible shots, from the National Geographic travel photo contest. Are you a yoga fan and love animals? Check out Lake District's hotel which launches 'Lemoga' classes, for practising yoga among some cheeky lemurs. In need of a cheap holiday gateway? Here are some holiday deals that won't break the bank. This article and any featured products have been independently chosen by The Sun journalists. All recommendations within the article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click a link and buy a product we may earn revenue: this helps to support The Sun, and in no way affects our recommendations.
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Agne Gaidyte
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/8773302/easter-holidays-2019-best-family-activities-uk/
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2019-04-04 11:09:51+00:00
| 1,554,390,591 | 1,567,544,043 |
lifestyle and leisure
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thesun--2019-04-20--From Dorset to Norfolk explore best UK locations for your next family holiday
| 2019-04-20T00:00:00 |
thesun
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From Dorset to Norfolk, explore best UK locations for your next family holiday
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IF you are planning a short break don't think too far. We choose the perfect UK locations and skip airport delays for a relaxing trip closer to home. ACTING Lifestyle Editor Emma Ledger and boyfriend Alex hit the footpaths along the county’s coastline. THE PAD: It doesn’t get more quintessentially English than the super-cosy one-bed Nutmeg Cottage – think Cameron Diaz’s house-swap in The Holiday. There’s a wood-burning fire, stained-glass windows and the owners even leave a welcome bottle of wine. Located in the sleepy village of Osmington, you’re just 200m from the friendly local, The Sly Fox. EXPLORE: The stunning Jurassic Coast – 95 miles long and 185 million years old – is right on your doorstep. Walk out of Osmington and follow the footpath across cow fields for half an hour to be rewarded with breathtaking views of the Channel. Just 20 minutes by car is the famous walk from Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door, a natural limestone arch jutting out into the sea. REFUEL: Perfectly positioned on your nearest walking route is the huge Smuggler’s Inn. Serving up Badger beers, which have been brewed in the Dorset countryside since 1777, it also does a mean Ploughman’s, £8.50 (Smugglersinnosmingtonmills.co.uk). Head west along the coast for the must-visit Beach Hive Cafe (Hivebeachcafe.co.uk). With far-reaching views across Chesil Beach, it’s the perfect kid-friendly location to enjoy local seafood or just a cuppa. Try the ultimate fish and chips, £15, (there’s also a half-portion for kids), or there’s a whole crab for £20. DON’T MISS: The charming village of Abbotsbury sits in a secluded valley surrounded by fields. There are cute galleries and antique shops and the scones at The Old School House are worth the journey alone. Pull on your hiking boots to trek up the hilltop to St Catherine’s Chapel, free to enter, for panoramic views. BOOK IT: Nutmeg Cottage sleeps two and costs from £89.50 per night (Dorsetcoastalcottages.com). EDITOR In Chief Sinead McIntyre, husband Alistair, twins Riley and Harris, seven, and Daisy the dog head to the wilds of Norfolk. THE PAD: The converted Whitehands Farm Barn on a quiet country lane has everything you need for a relaxing stay, including three en-suites, a hot tub and a large, secure garden – perfect for our crazy spaniel puppy. The twins loved the hot tub so much we had to ban them from getting in before 9am. A welcome hamper awaits, while owners Colin and Mary live nearby and are on hand if needed. EXPLORE: Head to quaint seaside town Cromer for a walk along the pebble beach under dramatic cliffs. Browse the independent shops – Artyfax sells unique jewellery (Artyfax.com), while The Norfolk Food and Drink Co has a great selection of local gins. Join the queue for fish and chips at renowned No 1 Cromer, £7.70 or £4.50 for a child’s portion (No1cromer.com). Prefer a sandier beach? Head to stunning Holkham. Crowned Countryfile Beach Of The Year 2018, it’s accessed via a fragrant pine forest, and keep your eyes peeled for seals! REFUEL: The charming village of Old Buckenham is a scenic 10-minute stroll from the cottage and the dog-friendly Old Gamekeeper has delicious pub grub. Try the scampi and chips, £11.50, and finish with the gorgeous home-made cheesecake, £6 (Thegamekeeperoldbuckenham.co.uk). A short drive away in New Buckenham, check out The Inn On The Green (Innonthegreenfreehouse.com). Ribeye steak served with chips and onion rings, £21, is delicious. And the two-course kids’ menu, £6.95, is great value – you can’t go wrong with sausage and chips followed by ice cream. DON’T MISS: Explore Norwich’s Tudor history with a walk through Elm Hill and a visit to Norwich Castle, which is home to many Tudor exhibits including a stool used to duck suspected witches. Tickets cost £9.50 for adults and £8.10 for children (Museums.norfolk.gov.uk). And make sure you take a trip to 950-year-old Norwich Market – one of the oldest and largest in the country. BOOK IT: Whitehands Farm Barn sleeps six and costs from £73 per night (Sykescottages.co.uk). WRITER Lucy Quick, husband Andy, daughter Nina, two, and grandparents Fiona, Henry, Sandra and Trevor lap up lakeside luxury. THE PAD: Set on a working farm, Otter Tarn is one of six lodges at Toad Mire, all of which sleep six in three en-suite bedrooms. With woodland and lakeside views, these idyllic pads are equipped with every luxury, including monsoon showers, wood-burning stoves, and private hot tubs. Belted Galloway cows roam the nearby fields and there are over 150 bird and bat boxes dotted around, so pack your binoculars. In the summer, there is a boat available for guests to rent on nearby Lake Windermere. EXPLORE: The 20-minute circular walk around Otter Tarn is perfect for little ones – if you’re lucky, you’ll spot swans, cormorants and otters. More adventurous explorers can hike half an hour up to nearby Lookout Point to take in the views of the Langdale Pikes range. Coniston is a 30-minute drive and there you’ll find picturesque Tarn Hows lake, offering an accessible circular 1.6-mile walk with mountain views (Nationaltrust.org.uk). REFUEL: Just three miles away, the town of Cartmel is full of shops and pretty pubs serving delicious fare and local ales. Over in Coniston, award-winning pub The Yewdale Inn is in the town centre and serves bowls of steaming soup, £5.50, and a variety of toasties from £7 – but make sure you save room for the sticky toffee pudding, £6.50 (Yewdaleinn.com). DON’T MISS: The Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, free, is a six-minute drive from the house and the perfect spot to learn about locomotives and let kids exhaust themselves in the adventure playground. From April until November you can ride a steam train to Lakeside Station, £2.90 for children and £4.40 for adults (Lakesiderailway.co.uk). BOOK IT: Lodges at Toad Mire sleep six and cost from £118 per night, no dogs allowed (Sykescottages.co.uk).
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Laura Garcia del Valle
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/8880032/travel-uk-weekend-break/
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2019-04-20 23:45:55+00:00
| 1,555,818,355 | 1,567,542,326 |
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thesun--2019-04-30--Cheap Costa Brava holidays for summer 2019 where to stay and the best deals for your trip
| 2019-04-30T00:00:00 |
thesun
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Cheap Costa Brava holidays for summer 2019 – where to stay and the best deals for your trip
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IF you're hunting for a great value, short-haul holiday destination, Spain's 'Wild Coast' could be just what you're looking for. One of the prettiest pieces of coastline in the country, discover long sandy beaches, secluded coves and quaint seaside villages. Just a two-hour flight from the UK and with a mild climate, reaching highs of 30C in the summer months, it's not surprising the Costa Brava continues to be such a popular holiday spot. From the golden sands of Lloret de Mar to the authentic Catalan culture of Tossa de Mar - plus the bright lights of Barcelona just a short journey away - find out where to go in the Costa Brava with our round-up of the best bits. One of the Costa Brava's liveliest resorts, Lloret de Mar is known for its many restaurants, bars and clubs but it also has a rich history dating back thousands of years, transforming itself from traditional fishing village to top tourist destination. From the blue flag beaches and water sports to Catalan Gothic Churches and fairytale castles; there's plenty to keep you entertained here. If you're planning a family break, the kids will love the Water World water park and Gnomo World fun park. Find cheap Lloret de Mar holiday deals with On the Beach from £154pp - including flights and hotel - and Lastminute.com from £140pp - based on a week's stay in June. If you're looking for a more peaceful place to stay, head ten miles south of Lloret de Mar to Pineda de Mar, at the southern end of the Costa Brava. Expect to find a stunning beach, pretty whitewashed buildings and an authentic Catalan feel in this pretty Mediterranean town. Get the best of both worlds here with a relaxing break but still enough restaurants, bars and shops for everything you'll need on your trip. Find great value holiday deals for Pineda de Mar with Love Holidays from £181pp and On the Beach from £210pp - for seven nights in June 2019. Another laid-back beach holiday destination, Santa Susanna has a trio of beautiful beaches where you can try your hand at water sports or find a secluded cove to soak up the Spanish sunshine. There's a charming old town with cobbled streets and a great range of restaurants - from traditional tapas and seafood to beach-side burgers. For nature-lovers, the Montnegre Nature Park features stunning mountains, where you can hike or mountain bike. Find cheap Santa Susanna holiday deals with Lastminute.com from £140pp - based on a week's holiday in June. History-buffs will love Tossa de Mar's historic old town - the only medieval town left on the Catalan coast - with whitewashed buildings and cobbled streets. There's also an ancient medieval castle to explore in this popular Costa Brava destination. The town also boasts blue flag beaches, including the main beach - Playa Gran - where you'll find soft sand that slopes gently into the sea. Find cheap holidays to Tossa Del Mar at On the Beach from £193pp and Love Holidays from £199pp - based on travel in June for a week-long trip. Looking for a family-friendly Costa Brava spot? Calella boasts beautiful beaches, historical sights and the Port Aventura theme park and Water World just a bus ride away. Calella has three sandy beaches with a range of water sports on offer - from windsurfing to sailing. There are also plenty of sights to keep the whole family busy, including the ruins at Guard Towers Las Torretas and the lighthouse with ocean views. Find cheap holidays to Calella de Costa at easyJet Holidays from £144pp or Love Holidays from £154pp - for a seven-night holiday in June 2019. If you're looking for some more summer holiday inspiration, try Tunisia with our round-up of all-inclusive deals for 2019 here.
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Clare Mellor
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/7896317/costa-brava-holidays-flights-hotels/
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2019-04-30 06:06:10+00:00
| 1,556,618,770 | 1,567,541,638 |
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thesun--2019-05-07--All-inclusive Lanzarote holidays for summer 2019 where to go and the best deals
| 2019-05-07T00:00:00 |
thesun
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All-inclusive Lanzarote holidays for summer 2019 – where to go and the best deals
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BRITISH holiday makers continue to flock to Lanzarote year-on-year for the beautiful beaches, unusual attractions and huge choice of bars and restaurants. Expect stunning, otherworldly volcanic landscapes and year-round warm weather on this Canary island, located 125km from the north coast of Africa. If you're not sure which resort to pick, read on for our round-up of the top four holiday spots on the island and how to find the best all-inclusive deals for your stay. The most popular resort in Lanzarote, Puerto del Carmen features a trio of top-notch beaches, including the biggest beach on the island. The blue-flag awarded Playa Grande has golden sands, calm waters and plenty of sunbeds and facilities, making it a great choice for families. Plus, the Rancho Texas animal park, with dolphins, sea lions, pony rides and splash zone, makes a great day out for the kids. Puerto del Carmen is also known for its vibrant nightlife - from numerous cocktail and karaoke bars to nightclubs and casinos. Head to the main strip, Avenida de las Playas, for the liveliest night scene - or find quieter bars and authentic seafood restaurants in the old town for a more laid-back evening. Find all-inclusive Puerto del Carmen holiday deals for June 2019 with On the Beach from £299pp and with Love Holidays from £327pp. With numerous white-sandy beaches and a cooling, east coast breeze, Costa Teguise boasts the best waves for windsurfing and body boarding. Water sports addicts tend to head for Cucharas Beach, while Playa Bastian has calmer waves and is popular with families. There's something for everyone here with the Costa Teguise Aquapark, mountain-biking trails and an 18-hole golf course and driving range. There are many big hotel complexes with world-class facilities and pools - as well as numerous restaurants serving everything from traditional tapas to international cuisine. Find all-inclusive summer holiday deals for June 2019 in the Costa Teguise with Travel Supermarket from £298pp and with Thomas Cook from £404pp. Located on the southern tip of Lanzarote, Playa Blanca boasts a trio of family-friendly beaches, including two with Blue Flag status. The warm, turquoise waters and soft sand of Playa Dorada are the main draw for holiday-makers, with plenty of child-friendly facilities and restaurants close by. Plus, the Marina Rubicon area has a sophisticated vibe featuring upmarket hotels, designer boutiques and a great selection of restaurants and bars. Known to be one of the best beaches in Spain, the stunning Papagayo Beach, part of the Los Ajaches nature reserve, is just a few kilometres from Playa Blanca, and if you're able to make the trip - it's well worth it. Find all-inclusive Playa Blanca holiday deals for June 2019 with Love Holidays from £356pp and with On the Beach from £271pp. There are plenty of choices to make with breaks away - even after you've decided on a destination. Here's how you can ensure you're getting a good deal BOOK LAST MINUTE If you're able to look last minute you'll often find good deals, as companies look to encourage bookings and fulfill availability. SPECIAL OFFERS Great offers depend on travel companies' willingness to cut prices, but some companies maintain a special offers section - like Jet2Holidays. Deal sites like Travelzoo are also worth checking. BE FLEXIBLE Flexibility of travel dates and connections can save you money. As can travelling outside of peak periods, or - if not travelling with children - outside school holidays. USE DISCOUNTS Find discount codes with The Sun Vouchers, including for TUI, Expedia, First Choice, Lastminute, and Jet2Holidays. SET ALERTS Airfarewatchdog and Skyscanner provides alerts on air fares, so you can get flights at their cheapest. Kayak offers alerts for flights and hotels. Located close to Puerto del Carmen and the Lanzarote capital, Arecife, but much quieter and more laid-back, you can escape the crowds at this exclusive resort, created by Jose Calero. Enjoy the many sophisticated restaurants, cafes and bars, as well as plenty of designer boutiques, at the marina known as "Millionaire's Harbour". There isn't a beach at Puerto Calero but the trio at Puerto del Carmen - Playa Grande, Chica and Pocillos - are just ten minutes down the road. Enjoy a luxury base here from which you can easily explore the staggering Timanfaya National Park and the Lanzarote capital, Arecife. Find all-inclusive Puerto Calero summer holiday deals for June 2019 with Lastminute.com from £477pp and with Love Holidays from £632pp. If you're looking for some more summer holiday inspiration, try Tunisia with our round-up of all-inclusive deals for summer 2019 here.
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Clare Mellor
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/7893752/cheap-all-inclusive-lanzarote-summer-holidays/
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2019-05-07 14:14:56+00:00
| 1,557,252,896 | 1,567,540,975 |
lifestyle and leisure
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thesun--2019-05-21--Best family activities for May Bank Holiday including Thorpe Park and Legoland
| 2019-05-21T00:00:00 |
thesun
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Best family activities for May Bank Holiday including Thorpe Park and Legoland
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MAY Bank Holiday marks the start of half term for most schools in the UK. If you've left the planning to the last minute, not to worry - we've rounded up some of the best activities you and your family can do together to make the most of the free time. Bank Holidays can be a busy time as places are often completely booked up. That is, if you haven't struggled with coming up with new and exciting things to do with the family. So Sun Online Travel has come up with the list of the best family activities and attractions throughout the UK that you can book at the last minute. From real adventure to team experiences, we've got something to suit every family and budget. If you're after a thrilling experience, a theme park is the way to go. Situated just outside London, Thorpe Park is famous for its iconic rides such as Derren Brown's Ghost Train, Saw - The Ride and Mr Monkey's Banana Ride. This year, the park celebrates its 40th birthday with the opening of three new attractions: GAMEFX, Jungle Escape, and BounceZilla. If you and your family decide to head to the Thorpe Park this weekend, look out for a special Luna Cinema with some exclusive film accesses. Find out more here. Do you have a little wizard in the house who is crazy about Harry Potter stuff? Who isn't! This Bank Holiday is a great opportunity to get your tourist hat out, put some sunglasses on and dive into the magical world of Harry Potter creations. The Leaky Cauldron, the Gringott's Bank and Platform 9¾ are only a few locations that this tour will visit: make sure you take your camera to capture all the magical moments. Perfect if you love Harry Potter but can't get to Orlando for the new Hagrid ride at Universal Studios. LEGOLAND Windsor Resort is great for families, especially those with children between the ages of three and 12. The park features over 55 rides and other attractions, as well as an extensive range of dining places. Check out the new Haunted House Monster Party Ride for the whole family, and get ready to meet Lord Vampyre! Calling all Marvel fans - Avengers Station has finally come to the UK! It's an interactive exhibition where guests can take part in special agent training that will let them dive into the depths of the Avengers backstory. Participants will have an opportunity to interact with props and characters from the biggest Marvel Universe movies. Love animals? Head to Knowsley Safari Park this May Bank holiday for a unique Safari driving experience with your family. The park is home to 700 animals: from cheeky monkeys to gigantic rhinos and lions. You'll get a real taste for safari wildness. It's also a great educational tool for those who are interested in conservation. Are you keen to find a fun and exciting activity that all the family members can get involved in? Then load your Laser Tag gun, put on your ninja camouflage suit and get ready for the fight. Each player will also get pizza with a drink afterwards. This is a perfect team-building exercise that will get the whole family working together. Love cruises? Here we've revealed how you can make huge savings by booking with a newly renovated cruise ship. Or if Croatia is your go-to destination, take a look at this deal for a two-night break for £89pp. This article and any featured products have been independently chosen by The Sun journalists. All recommendations within the article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click a link and buy a product we may earn revenue: this helps to support The Sun, and in no way affects our recommendations.
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Agne Gaidyte
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/9112273/best-may-bank-holiday-family-activities-uk/
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2019-05-21 17:17:25+00:00
| 1,558,473,445 | 1,567,540,294 |
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thesun--2019-07-02--Cheapest week to travel during school summer holidays and the best deals to get you there
| 2019-07-02T00:00:00 |
thesun
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Cheapest week to travel during school summer holidays and the best deals to get you there
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PRICES can get very steep once the school holidays start but there's an easy way to cut the costs, new figures show. Brits travelling abroad this summer can knock up to 29 per cent off the cost of their holiday by picking the right week to get away. That's according to the travel experts at Skyscanner, who compared the prices of package holidays to popular destinations like Orlando, Marbella and Lisbon. For example, they found that a family of four heading to Orlando from Newcastle on the week of August 18 could save up to 29 per cent compared to the average price of the trip the rest of the month. For those looking for sun closer to home, Alicante is cheapest destination to visit during the week of August 11. Lisa Tyndall, from Skyscanner, said parents looking to cut the costs should also consider flying out from different airports to save money. She said: "Those in the north of England might find that it’s cheaper to travel to a Scottish airport to get a cheaper flight to their destination as the Scottish school holidays are different to the English schools and flight prices are likely to be cheaper out of Scotland. "It’s also worth considering booking two single flights rather than a return flight with the same airline” Here's when you should travel to these popular destinations this year and the bargain deals to get you there. A week in Orlando in the US for a family of four costs £2,584, if you fly at the right time. To get this deal, bear in mind that you would need to depart from Newcastle on August 18, sharing a room at the Sheraton Villages Resort. Looking for a cheap last-minute break in Alicante? Leave London Luton on August 11 for a seven-nights stay at Holiday Home Alicante, costing £1,466 for four people. Staying at the four-star hotel Roger de Lluria in Barcelona, this deal costs £1,489 for a family of four. To take advantage of the week-long break, you'll need to fly from London Stansted on August 4. Dubai - nine per cent cheaper than average price Knock nine per cent off the price of your holiday by leaving from London Heathrow on the week of August 18. Sharing a family room at the Marco Polo Hotel, the seven-day holiday will cost you £2,310 for four. Palma - six per cent cheaper than average price While not much cheaper than its usual price, you can still save some cash by travelling to Palma on the week of August 18 from Bournemouth. On these dates, a week-long holiday at the Armadams Hotel will cost you £1,981 for a family of four. Sun Online Travel previously revealed how flight prices can increase by as much as £400 during the school holidays. And in previous years, holidays have been up to nine times more expensive during half term. It had meant that parents are risking fines to take their kids on holiday during term time as it can mean a huge saving. Looking for more deals and bargains? Teletext Holidays has slashed prices on holidays in the likes of Spain and Portugal with discounts of up to 55 per cent. You can also check out our round up of the cheap Greek island holidays deals available now. If you are travelling, you might want to invest in a quality travel pillow. Here we've revealed which one is the best to buy.
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Zlata Rodionova
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/9417855/cheapest-week-travel-school-summer-holidays/
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2019-07-02 15:43:44+00:00
| 1,562,096,624 | 1,567,537,216 |
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977,655 |
thesun--2019-08-24--The best free attractions around the UK this bank holiday weekend
| 2019-08-24T00:00:00 |
thesun
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The best free attractions around the UK this bank holiday weekend
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THIS long weekend is the perfect excuse to get outside and visit some of the nation's favourite spots that are guaranteed to make your August bank holiday great. And Sun Online has you covered, and it won't cost you a pretty penny - as we reveal the best FREE attractions around the UK. The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) was founded in 1670 as a physic garden. It is now a world-renowned centre for plant science, horticulture and education and extends over four Gardens (Edinburgh, Benmore, Dawyck and Logan) boasting a rich living collection of plants. Why not enjoy a picnic with the family there, with the lovely weather forecast in Edinburgh this weekend. The stunning new Museum of Liverpool is the world’s first national museum devoted to the history of a regional city, demonstrating Liverpool’s unique contribution to the world. This free family day includes the stage where John Lennon and Paul McCartney first met, Ben Johnson’s Liverpool Cityscape, a life-size Liverbird, the first Ford Anglia from Ford’s Halewood production line and Chris Boardman’s famous Lotus sport bike. Don’t miss the 360º immersive films about football and The Beatles. The Manchester Museum is home to an array of treasures from the natural world and the many cultures it is home to. Highlights include a T Rex and fossils of other pre-historic creatures, ancient Egyptian artefacts and live amphibians and reptiles. You can handle objects from the collection, take part in hands-on activities or enjoy a glass of wine of cup of coffee whilst exploring the latest ideas in science, culture and the arts. Borough Market is rich with history, but it remains as relevant now as it has ever been. As London’s oldest food market, it has been serving the people of Southwark for 1,000 years, and that extraordinary heritage is an important part of its appeal. You have to pay for the food, but there are plenty of free nibbles offered by stall owners to entice customers into buying some of their items. But visit on Saturday as it's closed on Sunday and bank holiday Monday. This world-famous museum houses portraits of noted Britons from the Tudors to present day favourites like Ed Sheeran. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. Located in Trafalgar Square, the National Portrait Gallery is family favourite for a perfect day out in London. Crystal Palace Park, in south London, is home to an extraordinary collection of statues depicting dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. These were built in the 1850s by the sculptor Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins. They were the world’s first attempts to create life-size, scientifically accurate models of beasts known only from fossils. The statues were based on brand-new, fragmentary evidence, plus the best scientific thinking of the day. A genuinely free service (tips are NOT accepted) providing daily walking tours in Bath that received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2014. These tours include the main sights in the city centre - Abbey Church Yard, Queen Square, Royal Crescent, Circus etc. From May to September, additional free tours on Tuesday and Thursday at 11.00 to Great Pulteney Street, the Kennet and Avon canal, the 18th century Sydney Gardens, the Holburne Museum (exterior but you can leave here) and back to city centre. All walking tours leave from outside the entrance to Roman Baths and Pump Room in Abbey Church Yard and last approximately two hours. Roskilly’s are based at Tregellast Barton Farm - a family run business milking 125 Jersey cows - on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. The farm's small pastures have been farmed in a traditional and sustainable way for generations, without the use of pesticides and artificial fertilisers. Every day kids can watch the dairy cows being milked at around 4pm at this free attraction. Investigate the origins of Sherlock Holmes at the Portsmouth Museum. If you've got a smartphone then download the Portsmouth Writers app and turn yourself into a master detective with the Magnifying Sherlock tour. Follow the trail of the ultimate super-sleuth, Sherlock Holmes and his creator Arthur Conan Doyle, who lived and worked in Portsmouth. Don't have a smartphone? Don't worry - a series of video screens around A Study in Sherlock will take you on a completely new, exciting and different adventure introduced by Stephen Fry. Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve a 3,541-hectare (8,750-acre) UK national nature reserve, was founded to help safeguard the internationally important wintering bird populations. Six internationally important species of wildfowl and wading birds winter here. For the pale-bellied brent geese from Svalbard, this is their only regular wintering place in all of the United Kingdom. Pinkfooted and greylag geese, wigeons, grey plovers and bar-tailed godwits are the other visitors.
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Caroline Mcguire
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/6369992/free-things-to-do-attractions-bank-holiday-uk/
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2019-08-24 09:35:33+00:00
| 1,566,653,733 | 1,567,533,506 |
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979,374 |
thesun--2019-09-07--Cheap winter holidays The best deals over Christmas and New Year including seven nights in the Cana
| 2019-09-07T00:00:00 |
thesun
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Cheap winter holidays: The best deals over Christmas and New Year including seven nights in the Canary Islands for £176pp
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WINTER is coming but if you plan ahead, you'll be basking in the sun come December - without breaking the bank. There are savings to be had whether you're looking for a short-haul city break or a beach holiday abroad. For example, LoveHolidays is offering a seven-night trip to La Palma, in the Canary Islands, for £176 per person in December. Looking for more deals? Spend your winter in Florida and enjoy its theme parks with your kids with prices starting at £387 per person thanks to a deal from OnTheBeach. To give you a helping hand, we took a look at the best destinations for winter sun, as well as where to find top deals for each one. All our deals include flights as well as an accommodation for travelling in December or January. Here are our suggestions: Although it won't be the hottest spot in winter, the accessible Canary Islands stay seriously balmy with temperatures around 20C in December. These sunny Spanish islands, just off the coast of northwestern Africa, boast blue-flag beaches, sprawling deserts and volcanic landscapes. If it's too cold to swim, you'll still have plenty to do with tons of top notch restaurants, family attractions and lively nightlife across the islands. Find cheap deals for winter 2019 holiday with LoveHolidays, with prices starting at £176 per person including flights for a week-long trip in December. You can also check out the offers on Travelsupermaket where deals for hotels and flight start at £194 per person. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing beach holiday or to explore all the corners of this metropolitan city, Dubai offers the best of both worlds. With temperature of about 26C on average in December, it's also the perfect destination to forget about the British winter and soak up the sun. From desert adventures and water fun to gastronomic feasts and colourful spice markets, here are our tips to discover Dubai. Find deals for Dubai for winter 2019 with LoveHolidays from £410pp, based on a week's stay in December including flights and hotel. Or book flights with British Airways in January and spend a week-long holiday at the stylish Doubletree by Hilton from £484 per person. Florida has long been a popular holiday destination for families thanks to the world-famous theme parks, warm weather and endless sandy beaches. Home to more than a dozen theme parks, including Walt Disney World, Orlando is a popular first choice for a Florida family break From Universal Studios and Epcot to water parks and incredible food; there's something for everyone here. Find deals with OntheBeach from £412 per person in December or from £387 per person from Lastminute.com - accommodations and flights included. From Orlando to Miami Beach, find out more of what Florida has to offer for a family holiday here. Thailand's bustling capital Bangkok and idyllic islands have always been a draw for Brits. Northern Thailand may not have the beaches of the south but delivers authentic Thai experiences. For a more laid-back experience, try the beautiful island of Phuket, the country's largest islands famous for its sandy beaches and fresh seafood. Find deals with LoveHolidays for seven-nights in Bangkok starting from £426 per person in December. Or book with OnTheBeach for a week-long holiday in Phuket with prices starting at £574 per person for the same period. If you are on the lookout for doing something different this winter, Cape Town is one of the most beautiful places to visit The temperature tends to relay better between 16 to 20C degrees, which is definitely what you need for the optimal winter holidays exploring a city. Find deals for winter 2019 with British Airways for £785 per person, flights and hotel included this December. Or book Lastminute.com where prices for flights and a stay in a guesthouse start at £751 for the same period. If you're hoping to soak up the festive atmosphere this winter, we suggest you check out the top offers for Christmas market holidays abroad. We also have a guide to the best winter cruises for this year's festive season. Despite the festive spirit, holiday travel can quickly become a nightmare. Here are our six tips for travelling this Christmas including how to keep your kids entertained during long journeys.
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Zlata Rodionova
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/9854503/cheap-winter-holidays-canary-islands-florida-dubai-deals/
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2019-09-07 07:00:25+00:00
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thesun--2019-12-21--Best deals in Loveholidays Christmas sale with up to 40% off holidays – and deposits start from just
| 2019-12-21T00:00:00 |
thesun
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Best deals in Loveholidays Christmas sale with up to 40% off holidays – and deposits start from just £25pp
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LOVEHOLIDAYS have launched their Christmas sale with up to 40 per cent off holidays. There are lots of great value offers for destinations around the world, and some are all inclusive as well - perfect if you want to kick back and not worry about budgeting for meals and drinks. With deposits starting from just £25 per person, you can book now while prices are low and spread the cost of your holiday by paying monthly. Plus, loveholidays are ATOL protected so your holidays will be safe in case anything goes wrong. To save you some time, we've found some of the best deals available. Read on to find out where you should go next year... One of the cheapest we've seen is a seven-night break to the Algarve in Portugal. The deal, which includes flights with Ryanair from London Stansted departing January 15, costs just £68 per person. You'd be staying at the three-star Studio 17 by Atlantic Hotels, which is situated in a residential area in Portimao and is close to bars and restaurants. Another great deal is a seven-night break to Malta, staying at the Topaz Hotel on a room only basis, for £89 per person. It's a three-star hotel just a ten-minute walk from the seaside - great for a beach getaway. The flights are with Ryanair, departing from Bristol to Luqa on January 17. From Bournemouth, there's a deal to Prague, departing on January 12 with Ryanair. You'd be staying at the three-star Le Petit Hotel Prague on a room-only basis. It's close to the Metro system so it's easy to get around and see the tourist attractions. If you're looking for something further, there's a deal to Morocco for just £109 per person, flying from London Stansted on January 18 with Ryanair. You'd be staying at the three-star Dar Zayna, which has its own hammam and solarium. Breakfast is included, which gives you a good excuse to explore the local restaurants for lunch and dinner. Fancy a slice of Crete? This all-inclusive offer is for a seven-night stay at the Blue Sea Resort and Spa. There's lots to do at the five star resort, including pools, hammam and a full entertainment program. Flights with easyJet departing from London Luton on April 29 is also included. You'd be staying at the five-star Rixos Premium Tekirova in Antalya for seven nights. Flights with easyJet from London Gatwick, departing on April 21, are also included. Virgin Atlantic were the first to kick off their winter sale with long haul flights from just £235. BA have also launched their annual January Sale two weeks early. Alton Towers is offering 2020 season passes at less than the price of a day ticket.
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Qin Xie
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/10597013/loveholidays-christmas-sale-low-deposit/
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Sat, 21 Dec 2019 07:00:05 +0000
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thetelegraph--2019-01-04--The best 2019 summer holidays for families with babies and toddlers
| 2019-01-04T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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The best 2019 summer holidays for families with babies and toddlers
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Choosing suitable accommodation and having on-site baby equipment will help make your first family holidays run more smoothly – and, yes, having the option of childcare can even mean enjoying a few precious hours to yourself. Offering a private beach, fabulous pools and exceptional service, Costa Navarino in Greece also boasts Scott Dunn’s trusted Explorers kids’ clubs for babies from four months, as well as for older children. Interconnecting rooms are available, as well as rooms with private infinity pools. Scott Dunn (scottdunn.com) offers a week at Costa Navarino, The Westin, from £5,300 per family travelling in July/August, based on a family of four, half board, including flights and transfers. Set in the seaside town of Cascais, a half-hour drive from Lisbon, the upscale Martinhal Cascais Family Hotel and villa complex includes three pools – one with UV covering – complimentary kids’ clubs from 13 months up, indoor and outdoor play spaces and a baby concierge. There’s also a gym, spa and water sports. Rooms at Martinhal Cascais start at €235 (£204) per night for a couple and a baby in June or September, room only. Fly to Lisbon. Luxury Family Hotels offer two hours of free childcare in their Ofsted-registered crèches each day, plus baby listening service in luxurious settings with play areas, pools and spas. Fowey Hall Hotel has wellies, buckets and spades for the nearby beaches – enjoy a candlelit dinner once the babies have been put to bed. Luxury Family Hotels (luxuryfamilyhotels.co.uk) offers four nights at Fowey Hall Hotel in June from £609, including breakfast and dinner for the adults each evening and a cream tea for two. At the luxurious Ikos Olivia, on the Gulf of Toroneos in Halkidiki, nannies will be happy to watch your children aged four to 12 on the beach for 30 minutes free of charge while you enjoy a nap, a swim or simply a stroll on the sands. There’s also a crèche for babies, free kids’ clubs, three pools and a choice of five restaurants. Loveholidays (loveholidays.com) offers seven nights at the Ikos Olivia from £1,249 per person based on two adults and an infant occupying a double room all-inclusive, including flights from Gatwick travelling on June 1. There are more than 40 different activities for all the family at Holiday Village Cap Esterel in Saint-Raphaël on the French Riviera, including water parks, an infinity pool, and a baby club which will accept children from newborn. Cots, highchairs, pushchairs and even food processors are available for hire. Pierre et Vacances (pierreetvacances.co.uk) offers seven nights in a studio at Holiday Village Cap Esterel for up to five people from £477 arriving June 6. Fly to Nice. Four miles from the sea in west Wales, Croft Farm & Celtic Cottages features a leisure complex with indoor pool and sauna, as well as indoor and outdoor play areas. Children can help feed the rabbits, chickens, goats, ponies and potbellied pigs and collect eggs. Other facilities include a soft play area, ride-on toys and sand pit. Croft Farm & Celtic Cottages (croft-holiday-cottages.co.uk) offers a week in The Granary (sleeps three) from £850 in June. Set on an ancient farm, at Stanglwirt kids can spend the day petting rabbits, brushing ponies and collecting eggs, or enjoy a film in the “pool cinema” while playing on waterslides. There’s a kids’ club, a daily supervised toddlers’ group, plus a large spa, pools and plenty of outdoor activities. Stanglwirt (stanglwirt.com) offers a double room for a couple with a baby from €278 (£242) per night B&B travelling in June. Fly to Munich, Innsbruck or Salzburg. With five bedrooms – plenty of room for the grandparents – 16th-century Villa Tesoro has an indoor soft play room, plus a fenced pool and a trampoline. There’s a copper bath in the master bedroom, exposed stone walls, and even a grand piano. A twice-weekly maid service is included, and catering can be arranged. Sleeps up to 12 in five bedrooms and costs €8,625 (£7,521) in peak summer (scottwilliams.co.uk). Fly to Perugia or Florence.
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Catherine Cooper
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/family-holidays/best-family-summer-holidays-babies-toddlers-2019/
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2019-01-04 14:12:28+00:00
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thetelegraph--2019-01-04--The best 2019 summer holidays for families with primary-school-aged children
| 2019-01-04T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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The best 2019 summer holidays for families with primary-school-aged children
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Your holiday time together is precious now, and what children this age want is fun on tap – whether in the form of organised activities, a pool, beach, or simply other children their own age to play with. Pine Cliffs offers water sports, football, golf and an Annabel Croft Tennis Academy or you can relax on the beach or at the spa. The Porto Pirata kids’ club includes two life-size pirate ships and a dedicated children’s pool. Family cookery classes with a Michelin-trained chef are also on offer. A one-bedroom Pine Cliffs Gardens Suite sleeping four starts at €480 (£418) per night in high season, room only (pinecliffs.com). Fly to Faro. With just seven apartments, family-run Country Kids in the Languedoc comes with a free crèche and kids’ club for ages three months to 12 years, two nights of babysitting, plus there’s family boating and a weekly circus. There’s also animal feeding and tractor rides, plus a spa and yoga. A week at Country Kids (country-kids.fr) starts at €7,550 (£6,812) for a family of four in the school summer holidays, all inclusive. Fly to Montpellier. Ideal for several families travelling together, a stroll from the traditional town of Alcudia and just 660yd (600m) from Bacarès Beach, the six-bedroomed villa Casa Alcudia Uno comes with a private pool and whirlpool, plus a large dining terrace and barbecue area. There’s also a huge kitchen, comfy lounge, and a water park nearby. Jet2 Holidays (jet2holidays.com) offers Casa Alcudia Uno from £729 per person travelling from London Stansted on July 6 based on 12 people sharing. As well as activities for all the family such as yoga and aqua aerobics at Sunwing Resort Fanabe, kids’ clubs cater for ages three to 15, plus there are mini-spa treatments. Rooms come with kitchenettes. You can self-cater or book an all-inclusive package. Thomas Cook (thomascook.com) offers seven nights at Sunwing Resort Fanabe from £2,237 for a family of four with under-14s travelling from Gatwick on July 19 – add all-inclusive for the whole party for £549. Spend four nights exploring the coastline of Skane, known as the Swedish Riviera, with its charming coastal towns of Skanor and Falsterbo, pastel-painted beach huts and miles of fine white sand. Then head to Malmö for three nights, enjoying its art and design scene and fine restaurants. Sunvil (sunvil.co.uk) offers a seven-night trip to Sweden for a family of four from £4,284 B&B in August including four days’ car hire and a Skanetrafiken public transport pass. Scott Dunn’s Explorers’ and Crew programmes at Sun Gardens, set into a hillside in Dubrovnik, provide activities for children of all ages. There are three swimming pools, a beach, spa, and sports on offer including football, tennis and rock climbing, plus family-friendly accommodation with up to three bedrooms. Scott Dunn (scottdunn.com) offers seven nights at Sun Gardens from £7,900 for a family of four travelling in July/August half-board in a two-bedroom residence, with kids’ club spaces, flights and transfers. Soar in a sea plane over the Golden Gate Bridge, visit Alcatraz, sail on the America’s Cup yacht and hang out with the stars on a VIP trip of Universal Studios on this 14-night self-drive adventure along the Pacific Coast Highway. Other highlights include kayaking, paddleboarding and surfing – plus Disneyland. Abercrombie and Kent (abercrombiekent.co.uk) offers a 14-night Californian tour in July or August from £7,495pp for adults and £6,495pp per child under 12, including flights. Enjoy five nights of beachside luxury in the Maldives followed by five nights meeting wildlife in the national parks of the south of Sri Lanka including elephants, flamingos and peacocks. Both hotels feature kids’ clubs for ages four to 12 – there’s also an on-site water park at your accommodation in Sri Lanka. Destinology (destinology.co.uk) offers five nights at Shangri-La Villingili HB in an Ocean View Villa followed by five nights at Shangri-La Hambantota B&B in an Ocean Suite Room travelling between July 28 and Aug 31 from £10,529 for a family of four with children under 12 including all flights and transfers. Built in traditional Apulia style with a conical roof, four bedrooms, three bathrooms stocked with Acqua di Parma toiletries, three living areas and two kitchens, Villa Trullo offers plenty of room for families travelling together. There’s a large pool with speakers on the terraces, and a garden where you can pick fresh fruit. Beaches are a 20-minute drive away. Oliver’s Travels (oliverstravels.com) offers seven nights in Villa Trullo from £12,041 in July and August. Sleeps eight. Fly to Brindisi. Enjoy the freedom of the road with a motorhome. You can pick one up in Barcelona and then explore the fabulous beach of the Costa Dorada, as well as PortAventura theme park. You could also visit the Dalí and Picasso museums, explore the Pyrenees, go duty-free shopping in Andorra – or whatever else takes you fancy. Motorhome Republic (motorhomerepublic.com) offers eight-day hire of a four-berth vehicle, picking up and dropping off in Barcelona from €1,080 (£975), plus €185 (£167) for bedding, towels and an additional driver. With every suite offering a sea view and private pool, the Elounda Peninsula is the most secluded of the three Elounda resorts with a beach, plus access to the shared facilities. These include a Six Senses Spa, water sports and the kids’ club for ages four months to 12 years which features two pools and a vegetable garden. Elounda Peninsula (elounda peninsula.com) suites from £1,336 per night B&B based on four sharing in July. Fly to Heraklion. Avoid single supplements on a trip exclusively for single parents. The Arbatax Park Resort is just 550yd (500m) from the sea and offers three outdoor pools, tennis, a diving centre and spa, as well as free kids’ clubs from ages three through to teens. An all-inclusive week in Sardinia with Single With Kids (singlewithkids.co.uk) costs from £1,149 per adult and £824 for a child under the age of 12, departing July 25 or Aug 1, including flights from Gatwick. Sky Den is a beautifully designed, thoroughly modern Northumberland treehouse which features glass doors opening on to a balcony with river views, two bedrooms, a kitchen and a wet room. Best of all, on a calm day you can open up the entire roof for an unobstructed view of the sky. Nearby there are water sports, rope courses and other activities for the adventurous. Canopy and Stars (canopyandstars.co.uk) offers the Sky Den from £207 per night in the months of July and August. Sleeps four. Take to 2,000 miles (3,200km) of waterways through beautiful, unspoilt countryside in England and Wales on a canal boat with all mod cons including central heating, a shower, fitted kitchen and Wi-Fi. Start at Wrenbury, near Crewe, head across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and on to the pretty town of Llangollen and the Horseshoe Falls, stopping at the various welcoming riverside pubs and restaurants along the way. Drifters Waterways (drifters.co.uk) offers weekly hire of boats suitable for a family of four from £1,200 in July and August. Strathfillan Wigwams are set on a working farm surrounded by Highland forests. Snuggle up in your cosy wooden cabin, take a woodland walk to a waterfall and then light a campfire to grill exotic kangaroo and ostrich meats, available for sale on site. Loch Lomond and Oban are both within an hour’s drive. Pitch Up (pitchup.com) offers camping pods at Strathfillan Wigwams from £66 per night in July and August, based on a family of four sharing.
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Catherine Cooper
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/family-holidays/best-family-summer-holidays-with-primary-school-aged-children-for-2019/
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2019-01-04 14:34:08+00:00
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thetelegraph--2019-01-04--The best 2019 summer holidays for families with tweens and teens
| 2019-01-04T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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The best 2019 summer holidays for families with tweens and teens
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They’re robust enough to try out some new activities or travel a bit more off the beaten track, and yet still young enough to want to spend time with you. Here are some ways to make the most of these moments. Perched atop the red seas cliffs of the Algarve region in Portugal, Club Med’s Da Balaia resort offers flexible kids’ clubs for all ages, nightly shows and trapeze lessons for all. Other activities include tennis, football, archery and mini-golf, as well as music and arts and crafts for the kids. There’s also a beach, an adults-only “Zen Zone” with eco-pool, plus a spa. Club Med (clubmed.co.uk) offers seven nights at Da Balaia in August from £1,516 per adult and £1,052 per under-12 including flights from Luton. Children under the age of six stay free. Children (and adults) of all ages can learn to sail and windsurf at Mark Warner’s Phokaia Beach Resort, with kids’ clubs from four months through to 17 years. Other activities include wakeboarding, tennis and cycling, or you can simple laze on the Balinese beds on the beach. Mark Warner (markwarner.co.uk) offers seven nights at Phokaia Beach for £1,599 for adults and £1,429 for children travelling July 20, including most activities, kids’ clubs (aged two plus) and most meals. Neilson Holidays’ Mar Menor Beachclub in Murcia, Southern Spain, is new for 2019 and boasts first-class facilities. Extras at the Mar Menor “Select Beachclub” include breakfast in bed, as well as kitesurfing and dinghy foiling, plus various other water sports, land sports, and kids’ clubs for ages four months to 17 years. Neilson Holidays (neilson.co.uk/beach) offers seven nights at Mar Menor Beachclub from £6,156 for a family of four on July 19, including flights from Stansted, most meals, activities and kids’ clubs. Beachfront property Bahía del Duque Resort is surrounded by acres of lush gardens. It has five pools and even boasts its very own observatory. During the day there’s also a kids’ club, a Californian surf-inspired teens’ lounge and plenty of water sports to keep everyone happy. Kuoni (kuoni.co.uk) offers seven nights B&B at Bahía del Duque Resort in a junior suite from £6,399 for a family of four (with two children under 12 years of age) travelling in August, including flights from Gatwick. Starting in the jungle of Belize, this trip will take you to the Guatemalan ruins at Tikal before journeying deep inside the mountains to the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave. There will also be time to try some snorkelling and enjoy beach barbecues, plus relaxing on an idyllic island. Stubborn Mule (stubbornmuletravel.com) offers a 15-day self-drive Belize Adventure Highlights tour from £12,000 for a family of four travelling in July or August, including flights, mid-range hotels, breakfasts, some meals and most activities. Set in a Marine National Park and hand-built by the local community, Azura Benguerra’s public areas open right on to the beach. Children aged 10 and up can learn to dive and guests can also enjoy a game of football with the locals. Turquoise Holidays (turquoiseholidays.co.uk) offers seven nights all-inclusive in a two-bedroom villa at Azura Benguerra from £6,645 per adult and £6,365 per under-12 including flights, transfers, a Land Rover island drive and a sunset cruise. Hire the 60ft yacht Lunous, complete with skipper and chef, and either help to sail the boat or simply sunbathe on deck as you explore hidden coves, beaches and ports. Water sports equipment on board includes snorkels, stand-up paddleboards, windsurfers, and even a speedboat complete with giant ringo and water skis. Fleewinter (fleewinter.com) offers seven nights on Lunous (sleeps 10) from £2,000 per person (£100 reduction per child) in July and August based on 10 sharing, half-board. Fly to Corfu. Whizz up the Sugar Loaf in a cable car, explore Corcovado Mountain in a Jeep, get up close to toucans and monkeys in the jungle, then meet giant guinea pigs in the wetlands of the Pantanal, finishing with some relaxation on the Emerald Coast. Journey Latin America (journeylatinamerica.co.uk) offers a 15-day Family Brazil trip from £5,295 per adult, from £2,495 for under-12s, based on a family of four including flights, transfers, good hotels, plus most breakfasts and full board in the Pantanal. Just 550yd (500m) from the beach and the local village of Brignogan Place, the recently renovated Villa Brise comes with an indoor pool, a hot tub and relaxation area so it doesn’t matter if it rains – everyone’s happy whatever the weather. With five bedrooms, three bathrooms and an open-plan living area, there’s also plenty of room if you want to bring the grandparents. Vintage Travel (vintagetravel.co.uk) offers seven nights at Villa Brise from £1,346 to £3,858. Sleeps 10. Fly to Nantes or take a ferry to Roscoff. Tui is offering a new route to Calabria this summer, as well as Italy’s first Magic Life Hotel. It will feature all-inclusive 24-hour dining, three pools, a splash park and an adults-only area. As well as sports, fitness, well-being and entertainment programmes, there will also be kids’ clubs for ages three to 12. Tui (tui.co.uk) offers seven nights for a family of four sharing at the 4T Tui Magic Life Calabria from £1,019pp all-inclusive, departing Gatwick July 20. Just 72 steps from the beach and a five-minute walk from St Mawes’s harbour, shops, pubs and restaurants, Shellseekers is a two-bedroom cottage featuring an upstairs living room with bi-fold doors which open on to a balcony with a 180-degree sea view. It also has its own, small, private parking space – a rarity in the village. St Mawes Retreats (stmawesretreats.co.uk) offers seven nights at Shellseekers for £1,699 in July and August. Sleeps four. Set among hundreds of acres of lakes and heathland, Silverlake offers kayaking, paddleboarding and wild swimming plus, new this year, geocaching. GPS units can be rented on-site allowing you to explore the area on foot or by bike while treasure-hunting. Sailing, climbing and coasteering are also available nearby. Habitat Escapes (habitatescapes.com) offers seven nights in a two-bedroom cottage from £1,275 per family in July. GPS units and trail guides cost £15 per day. Cycle through rainforest on the slopes of Mount Kenya, camp in the Ngare Ndare Forest, track game around the Aberdares, explore the Loita Hills and Plains accompanied by a Maasai warrior and enjoy a full day of game viewing in the Maasai Mara. Gane and Marshall (ganeandmarshall.com) offers its Discover Kenya Family Activity Safari from £9,550 for a family of four (£8,560 if both children are under 12) in the school summer holidays, including flights, all meals, a driver/guide, entrance fees and four-wheel drive transportation. Make the most of these last family holidays with extra adventure or simple relaxation, with a little bit of independence thrown in. This outdoor adventure can include white-water rafting on Canada’s Kicking Horse River, a walk on the Athabasca Glacier, soaking in the hot springs in Banff, and exploring the waterfalls of Wells Gray Provincial Park. There’s also the option of ziplining, canoeing, mountain biking and more. Grand American Adventures (grandamericanadventures.com) offers its Canadian Family Discovery Tour from £1,279 per person excluding flights (10 per cent discount for under-16s) in August including eight camping nights, two ranch cabin nights and a hotel night, most meals, transportation and a guide. Fly to Vancouver. Set on a cliff edge, this Lighthouse Keepers’ Cottage has a real working lighthouse (minus the foghorn). As well as six bedrooms, there’s also a games room, a walled yard with a picnic table and a large balcony. Complimentary fly-fishing on the East Lyn is available and Woolacombe Beach is a 40-minute drive away. The National Trust (nationaltrust.org.uk) offers seven nights at Lighthouse Keepers’ Cottage at Lynston, Devon for £2,499 in the school summer holidays. Sleeps 10. Starting in Beijing, this 15-day tour includes the chance to see the Great Wall, Forbidden City, plus the Terracotta Warriors. You’ll also travel by bullet train, visit the giant pandas at Chengdu Panda Research Base, discover the countryside of Yangshuo by bike, learn to make dumplings and play mah-jong with a master in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province. Audley Travel (audleytravel.com) offers its Family China trip from £4,940pp travelling in July or August including flights, transfers, excursions and some meals. Vila Vita Parc Hotel offers kids’ clubs for all ages, plus a teens’ programme including surf lessons and Jeep excursions. Activities on the resort’s sandy beach include stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing, diving and boat trips, plus a spa. Destinology (destinology.co.uk) offers a week at Vila Vita from £5,199 per family based on a family of four travelling between May 28 and Aug 24, sharing an Oasis Family Suite B&B, including return flights and private transfers. Enjoy rafting, kayaking, canoeing and hiking in Slovenia’s Triglav National Park, staying in a village of eight log cabins and five rooms. Ride a Lipizzaner horse, or rent bikes to head out to swim or fish. Then spend two nights in the Grand Hotel Toplice on the edge of Lake Bled. Red Savannah (redsavannah.com) offers a week in Slovenia from £1,182 per person for a family of four B&B in July, with car hire and a horse ride per person. The family-run Peligoni Club in Zakynthos features a beach shack “teens only” bar, with daytime and evening activities such as kayaking, snorkelling and mocktail making, designed to let them have fun in a relaxed, join-in-or-not-as-you-want kind of way. There’s also a kids’ club available for the younger children, water sports, plus a spa. The Peligoni Club (peligoni.com) offers a two-bedroom villa with club membership and windsurfing and sailing upgrades from £4,900 for a family of four travelling in July or August. Terzetto is an unusual villa constructed of three cubes – ideal for families with older children as it offers some independence. There’s a private pool plus a summer kitchen with wood oven. The village of Sant’Ambrogio and a small beach are two miles down the hill, with a sandy beach at Caldura and the medieval town of Cefalù a 15-minute drive away. Vintage Travel (www.vintagetravel.co.uk) offers a week at Terzetto from £2,930 to £4,934. Sleeps eight. Fly to either Palermo or Catania. Korsan Guney is a seafront villa with everything needed to keep several families happy – there’s an infinity pool, plus a private bay with beach platforms. It’s a half-hour paddle to Kalkan’s harbour and its chichi beach clubs – plus there’s an activity “PA” to help organise any activities. Fairlight Jones (fairlightjones.com) offers seven nights at Korsan Guney based on 10 sharing from £1,250pp in July and August, including flights to Dalaman, transfers, Jeep hire and daily cleaning service. Starting and finishing in Bangkok, this tour includes longboat tours in the capital, meeting hill tribe communities in the north, temples and a cookery class in Chiang Mai. There is also a visit to the Erawan Park and the bridge over the River Kwai, as well as some time to relax on the beach or go surfing at Ko Chang. G Adventures (gadventures.co.uk) offers a 12-night Thailand Family Adventure from £899 per person in July and August, excluding flights. On a cliff top overlooking Fistral Bay, the Headland Hotel offers rooms in a grand Victorian building as well as cottages, ideal for families. The whole family can learn to surf, kite surf, coasteer or stand-up paddle board at the hotel’s Surf Sanctuary, plus there’s an outdoor pool, putting green, buckets and spades and a spa with a Cornish sea salt steam room. The Headland Hotel offers two-bedroom seaview cottages for four from £470 per night in July. Canoe along the coast, hike to the Giant’s Causeway and learn about the Titanic on this guided tour of Ireland’s northern edge, which inspired The Chronicles of Narnia, Game of Thrones and countless folktales. Search for puffins on Rathlin Island and take a family-friendly whiskey distillery tour. Wilderness Ireland (wildernessireland.com) offers its Giants, Myths and Legends Tour from €1,850 per adult and €1,520 per child B&B in July/August plus six meals, a guide, transfers and activities. Fly to Belfast. Enjoy the beaches and water sports of Lake Annecy in France then head into the nearby foothills and mountains for adrenalin-fuelled activities such as white-water rafting and paragliding – plus those with a head for heights can scale the almost-sheer via ferrata at Thônes. Gentler activities include hiking and electric mountain biking. CGH Residences (cgh-residences.co.uk) offers a seven-night stay in a two-bedroom apartment (sleeps six) at Le Village de Lessy with a communal indoor pool and spa from £704. Fly to Geneva. Satisfy all your cowboy cravings in one fell swoop in Idaho. Enjoy daily horseback rides, take horsemanship lessons, learn to catch and saddle a horse and play cattle-sorting games in this hands-on holiday at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch. In the evenings there’s music round a campfire, billiards, wagon rides and a dinner cruise on Lake Pend Oreille. Ranch Rider (ranchrider.com) offers six nights at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch from £1,889pp (£1,219pp for those aged six to 12) including most meals and activities. Fly to Spokane. Pack your wetsuit and head to Klitmoller, sometimes referred to as Cold Hawaii, for surfing or windsurfing, plus hiking, biking, kayaking and horse riding. Klitmoller is also home to the huge surf festival Surfjoint on July 20, visited by more than 1,000 people with DJs, bands, barbecues and free surf lessons. An en-suite room for two at the Klitmoller Kro & Badehotel (klitmollerbadehotel.dk) costs from around £232 per night in July and August, including breakfast. Fly to Aalborg.
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Catherine Cooper
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/family-holidays/best-family-summer-holidays-with-tweens-teens-for-2019/
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2019-01-04 15:25:56+00:00
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thetelegraph--2019-01-10--The best tour operators for a family holiday
| 2019-01-10T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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The best tour operators for a family holiday
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Great family travel means different things to different people. There’s budget to consider, destination, the age of your children, and the type of travellers you are - do you want to fly and flop or scale the highest peak you can find? For the best beach holidays, ski trips, adventure tours, and once-in-a-lifetime journeys, our family travel experts have tried and tested the following operators with their children, and recommend their offerings. Please note that many of these firms excel in a number of areas - Scott Dunn has great beach and ski options; you could hire an exclusive seaside villa with Abercrombie & Kent, or find yourself on a riding safari in Kenya. But we have organised them based on the ways in which each firm really stands out. The trusted airline’s range of holidays takes in the States, Caribbean and Indian Ocean, plus shorter-haul European destinations, many offering kids’ clubs and all-inclusive options. Try a long weekend of Roman history in the Eternal City, or an all-inclusive break in Cancun, Mexico. Check out low deposit and staggered payment options to spread costs. Handpicked four- and five-star luxury hotels, many with kids’ clubs, are the main draw, while private transfers come as standard. Try also a family villa or the new lakes and mountains holidays. Options range from a family-owned hotel in Ibiza to an all-inclusive Caribbean resort with babysitting service. Bookings with children aged 4 to 11 earn a complimentary BubbleBum inflatable booster seat. The leading long-haul operator, voted Best Large Luxury Tour Operator at the 2016 Telegraph Ultratravel Awards, majors on expert, personal service with high-street locations, including some within John Lewis department stores. From family safaris to all-inclusive beach resorts, it has handpicked hotels in over 90 countries, most notably in the Caribbean and Indian Ocean. These tailor-made breaks to standout destinations cater for all ages. Childcare (from four months) options in the Alps and Med include private nannies and clubs, plus the CREW activity programme for ages 11 plus. Families with older children could try a family safari to Kenya or a family beach break off the Great Barrier Reef. Strong local partnerships are assured. The new family offshoot of members-only travel club Mr & Mrs Smith indulges the hotel-Babylon passion with little ones in tow. That means the parent panel only selects properties with great childcare provision and attention to detail, plus also the right ambience for parents. Many, such as a luxury resort in Crete, let kids under 12 (sharing with parents) stay free and offer free childcare. The trusted Virgin brand pioneered fly-drive holidays to the States, notably Florida and its theme parks. The portfolio is on the smaller side but includes Disney holidays, Florida villas and all-inclusive breaks in Mexico and Cuba. New concept stores, integrated plans for special assistance and a concierge service to pre-book local attractions are amongst the company’s latest innovations. This former Africa specialist now offers expert-led bespoke luxury family tours all over the globe. From hands-on learning activities in China’s southwest to private Kenyan safaris, no expense is spared in getting families off the beaten track with truly phenomenal local guides who know how to engage with children. Formerly an Asia specialist, Audley now offers expert-selected tours to over 75 destinations. From family safaris in Botswana to luxury family trips to Japan, the emphasis is on local experiences uncovered by local guides. Named Best Tour Operator at the 2016 Telegraph Travel Awards, search handpicked options for all age groups from babies to teenagers. With great service, plus airport meet-and-greet and an army of handpicked local guides, these family adventure holidays combine both discovery and comfort. Family breaks are on a private basis only with options including a family tour of Sri Lanka or a family safari to Tanzania. Choose from self-drive or private vehicle with driver options, and expect great on-the-ground support. Adventure pioneers, Exodus, now pioneer family adventure holidays, including cycling, walking and wildlife safari breaks. With authentic destination experiences in the safe hands of local-expert tour leaders, you could ride camels through the Moroccan desert, or try snowshoeing through the Finnish winter. Book an extended family-group experience via the Private Adventures option. Explore has a history of running small-group adventures with expert local guides and a strong responsible-travel ethos. The choice of Family Adventure Holidays, including options designed for grandchildren and single parents, ranges from trekking with hill tribes in Thailand to walking in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. Save 5 per cent when booking second and subsequent trips with the family loyalty scheme. The pioneer of the all-inclusive holiday now offers a huge range of holidays on a sporting motif from the Alps to the Andes, plus continues its long tradition of responsible tourism. There are over 60 activities available at resorts from Portugal to the Dominican Republic, plus interconnecting rooms and well-trained staff to engage with all ages, including younger children. The former ski specialist now majors on well-regarded childcare with dedicated clubs for all ages, including a Baby Club from four months and an evening listening service until 10.30pm. Childcare for ages two to 17 is free, including evening activities. Choose from watersports in Greece, or Christmas skiing in Austria. If it’s all too much, try an adults-only week at selected resorts and chalets. Sporty families favour these high-octane holidays. Most beachclubs, such as a watersports break in Greece, offer interconnecting rooms and kids’ clubs, including the TAG club for teenagers and Hot Shots, a water-based club to gain RYA qualifications. Winter sports breaks, based on children aged 11 years and under, include a week in Les Deux Alps with dedicated childcare. The established Sunsail fleet now extends to over 500 yachts and covers all water-based activities from a tailor-made sailing holiday via a yacht charter, to sailing courses. Flotilla holidays work best for families and options include a Croatia flotilla holiday, touring the Dalmatian Coast in a small group with crew. Summer flotillas from Lefkas have a dedicated activity coordinator to arrange kids’ activities. Thomson has been booking holidays since the mid Sixties and continues to re-invent itself while Thomson Airways is now the UK’s largest charter airline. The Tui Family Life collection of hotels, with locations from the Canaries to Bulgaria, has an excellent range of childcare and clubs, plus activities ideal for multi-generational groups. Plus you can still book face to face at one of 650 high-street locations. Big-hitting Trailfinders has a global reach for family options from cruises to small-group family adventure holidays, such as a touring group to Vietnam. Australia is a strong seller with offbeat family trips including a motorhome fly-drive trip along the Great Barrier Reef area coast. The policy of no credit card charges could save up to 5 per cent of travel costs. An offshoot to Alistair Sawday’s Special Places to Stay, the company has quirky UK and European breaks to more than 500 treehouses, cabins and yurts. As champions of the small and independent, the focus is on sustainable tourism. For families, that means low-impact stays suitable for all ages, including babies and non-car owners. Download the Nature Investigators packs to take along for in-situ family fun.
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David Atkinson
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/family-holidays/Best-family-tour-operators-for-beach-holidays-budget-trips-and-adventures/
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2019-01-10 11:32:00+00:00
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thetelegraph--2019-01-16--The best art holidays for 2019
| 2019-01-16T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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The best art holidays for 2019
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Our experts round up the most exciting holidays in 2019 for art lovers. A landmark Piero della Francesco show runs until March 11 together with another on trompe l’oeil painting and following that is an unusually strong run of exhibitions. Gods, Humans, Heroes will focus on ancient art from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (early April–June), Masterpieces from the Collections of Mikhail and Ivan Morozov (June–September) will reunite this extraordinary collection of 19th and 20th-century French art, and A Dream of Italy: The Campana Museum (July–October) recreates the collection of the Marquis Campana – the 19th century’s largest private art collection. There is a particular appeal to exhibitions that reunite famous collections of the past. This exhibition returns 36 spectacular paintings – including major works by Rubens, van Dyck, Caravaggio and Bruegel to their former home in the Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano in Naples where they formed the collection of the Prince of Stigliano in the 17th century. Picasso’s early Blue and Rose periods marked a moment of radical change in the history of art, and they are also among the most poignant and alluring of his paintings. Picasso Blue et Rose, which is transferring from the Musée d’Orsay in Paris to the Fondation Beyeler in Riehen, near Basel, will be one of the most comprehensive accounts yet of his work during this crucial phase. The 350th anniversary for Rembrandt’s death is being celebrated in a big way in the Rijksmuseum. All the Rembrandts does what it says on the tin, showcasing all 22 of the museum’s paintings by the great artist of the Dutch Golden Age, plus 60 drawings and more than 300 prints. In July a restoration project will begin on The Night Watch and the public will be able to watch the entire process at the museum and online. Then from Oct 11 until Jan 19 2020 Rembrandt-Velázquez will present a comprehensive overview of their paintings. There is still time to catch National Gallery’s fabulous Mantegna and Bellini exhibition in London (closes Jan 27) which compares two of the greatest artists of the Renaissance. But, if you can’t, it transfers to Berlin from March for a four-month run. The two artists were among the leading lights of the early Renaissance. The Art Biennale always adds an interesting dimension to a trip to Venice. You don’t even need to go out to the Giardini to see the main show pavilions – installations often take place in central campos and in palazzi that may otherwise be closed to the public. May 11–Nov 24; more details to be announced (labiennale.org) You never need an excuse to visit one of the world’s greatest art museums, but this year is the bicentenary of the founding of the Prado in Madrid, and the milestone will be marked by a series of major events and celebrations. Top of the exhibition bill is Fra Angelico and the Rise of the Florentine Renaissance, which will investigate the beginnings of the Florentine Renaissance art in the 1420s and 1430s with works by Fra Angelico alongside the key Florentine artists including Masaccio, Masolino, Uccello and Donatello. New for this summer, Yorkshire Sculpture International (YSI) is a free 100-day festival major including new public commissions in Leeds and Wakefield and a programme of events and exhibitions across the four galleries that form the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle: Henry Moore Institute, Leeds Art Gallery, The Hepworth Wakefield, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Along with Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch is the most famous Delft artist of the Dutch Golden Age. In some ways his quietly atmospheric paintings capturing life in the courtyards, kitchens and drawing rooms of the time give more of an insight into the everyday world of the 17th century than Vermeer’s work. At Delft’s Museum Prinsenhof, Pieter de Hooch in Delft: From the Shadow of Vermeer will include some 30 paintings from museums and galleries around the world to form the first major retrospective of de Hooch in Holland. The Bauhaus art school opened in Weimar in 1919, then moved to Dessau and then to Berlin. The clean, functional lines that underpinned its style made a lasting impact on architecture, art and design. To mark the centenary, events and exhibitions are happening all over Germany. Flanders is commemorating the work of Pieter Bruegel 450 years after his death with a series of exhibitions and events, although there won’t be a major exhibition of his paintings (go to the Musée des Beaux Arts in Brussels and the Mayer Van den Bergh museum in Antwerp for these). Among the highlights, a new walking route in Dilbeek will you past the church and watermills that Bruegel painted and in the autumn the Royal Library of Belgium Brussels is showcasing Bruegel’s prints. It’s hard to know where to start. The list of exhibitions in Paris this year is one of the most impressive line-ups I have ever known. The leading light is the Leonardo da Vinci show at the Louvre in October (see p25); but there are numerous highlights to take in before that, being held throughout 2019. Red: Soviet Art at Grand Palais (grandpalais.fr; March 20–July 1); Dora Maar (Picasso’s muse) at Centre Pompidou (centrepompidou.fr; June 5–July 29; Berthe Morisot (impressionism) at Musée d’Orsay (musee-orsay.fr; June 18–Sept 22); Francis Bacon at Centre Pompidou (Sept 11–Jan 20 2020); Toulouse-Lautrec at Grand Palais (Oct 9–Jan 27 2020); El Greco at Grand Palais (Oct 27–Feb 10 2020)
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Telegraph Travel
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/arts-and-culture/best-art-holidays/
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2019-01-16 11:11:00+00:00
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thetelegraph--2019-01-16--The best opera and music holidays for 2019
| 2019-01-16T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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The best opera and music holidays for 2019
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Our experts round up the most exciting holidays in 2019 for fans of opera and music. Each summer Ravenna stages a truly eclectic and original festival, which includes classical music, dance and theatre performances dispersed around some very special settings, from the city’s ancient monuments to its historic theatres, cloisters and palaces. Leading performers this year, the 30th anniversary, include Riccardo Muti, Maurizio Pollini (June 5) and John Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballet. The villages of Lenox and Stockbridge in the Berkshire Hills, western Massachusetts, have been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for more than 80 years, and its annual Tanglewood festival is East Coast America’s most distinguished music event. Andris Nelsons, BSO music director, conducts 14 of the concerts and star performers include Emanuel Ax, Paul Lewis and Anne-Sophie Mutter. Tickets on sale Feb 10. This year is the 70th anniversary of the Aspen Music Festival, one of the longest-running and most prestigious festivals in the United States. The 2019 programme has yet to be announced, but a typical eight-week summer season includes more than 400 classical music events – including concerts by five orchestras, solo and chamber music performances, fully staged opera productions, masterclasses, lectures, and children’s programming. Tickets and details available in February. Each year, the festival reprises the season’s productions and premieres new ones. New for 2019 will be productions of Richard Strauss’s Salome and Handel’s Agrippina with Alice Coote in the title role. Treats among the 12 other operas to be performed include Anja Harteros in Andrea Chénier and Sonya Yoncheva as Norma, as well as performances of La traviata, L’elisir d’amore, The Marriage of Figaro and Turandot. Ticket requests will be processed from Feb 1. Aspen’s great classical music rival in the Rocky Mountains is the Grand Teton, which has been held in Jackson Hole since 1962 and at its heart is a timber concert hall, the Walk Festival Hall, famous for its intimate atmosphere and excellent acoustics. Despite its relatively modest size, the hall attracts the greats – current music director is the Scottish conductor Donald Runnicles. The programme for 2019 is yet to be announced but subscriptions are on sale from Feb 1, single tickets from March 1. The excitement is building in Salzburg both for this summer and for its centenary year in 2020. Bar the Proms, it is the world’s oldest music festival and this year it will pack in a staggering 199 performances in 43 days at 16 venues. This year’s theme is ‘Myths’ and includes premieres of Mozart’s Idomeneo and George Enescu’s opera Œdipe, a marathon reading of James Joyce’s Ulysses and the customary line-up of the world’s great musicians. Jean Nouvel’s fabulous lakeside concert hall in Lucerne is the setting for one of Europe’s premier classical music festivals with an extraordinarily high standard of performances. In 2019, in his fourth year as music director of the festival orchestra, Riccardo Chailly is focusing on Russian symphonic music, with works by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, and Stravinsky. But there is plenty of variety – for example Bernard Haitink is conducting a Schubert and Mahler concert. The Staatsopera Unter den Linden reopened after major restoration at the end of 2017 and this festival of Baroque opera was launched a year later with three operas and 13 concerts. It was a huge success and the second edition will take place next November. The full programme has yet to be announced, but will feature works by Scarlatti and Henry Purcell.
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Telegraph Travel
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/arts-and-culture/best-opera-music-holidays/
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2019-01-16 11:49:51+00:00
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thetelegraph--2019-01-28--10 of the best sailing holidays for 2019
| 2019-01-28T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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10 of the best sailing holidays for 2019
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This year's finest sailing adventures including everything from to a skippered yacht tour of Croatia to a dinghy exploration of Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon. The British Virgin Islands, with their sheltered coves, white-sand beaches, steady winds and straightforward line-of sight navigation, are an excellent cruising ground for a winter sailing holiday. You will need a day-skipper qualification to hire a boat without a crew, however. Moorings Exclusive 4500 from £1,940 per person for seven nights based on six people sharing, including flights. Food and transfers excluded. Departs year-round. The Moorings (moorings.co.uk). Prefer to sleep ashore than on a boat? New to the portfolio of activity specialist Neilson is Mar Menor Beachclub in the south-eastern region of Murcia, which has 139 rooms and five suites located next to Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon. The price of a stay includes unlimited use of sailing dinghies including Lasers, Toppers, Darts and RS Aeros, and RYA-approved courses are available to book on arrival. Mar Menor Beachclub from £839 per person for seven nights including most meals, flights and transfers. Departures from July until October. Neilson Active Holidays (neilson.co.uk). New to the fleet of two dozen sailing ships offered by tall ship specialist Classic Sailing is the Santa Maria Manuela – a 22ft, four-masted schooner built in 1937 and once the flagship of the Portuguese cod fishing fleet. A crew of 24 look after 50 passengers berthed in two, four and six-person cabins, with an island-hopping itinerary in the Azores planned for August. Santa Maria Manuela in the Azores from €765 (£665) per person (reduced from €850 until Feb 28) for seven nights including all meals. Excludes flights and transfers. Departs weekly in August 2019. Classic Sailing (classic-sailing.co.uk). A skippered yacht not only makes sense if you are new to sailing but can also be a good option for more experienced sailors who want to explore new areas. Sail Croatia offers private yacht tours with a choice of one-way or circular itineraries departing from Split or Dubrovnik. The yachts call in at selected Adriatic islands including Brac, Hvar, Mljet and Vis, used as a filming location for Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Spring Special Private Yacht Tour from €2,759 for up to six people sharing for seven nights including transfers. Excludes food and flights. Departs April and May 2019. Sail Croatia (sail-croatia.com). Gulet cruises are an ideal way to explore the Turkish coast, but it can be rare for crews to turn off the engines and unfurl the sails for a quieter passage. Cultural tour specialist Peter Sommer Travels offers an autumn gulet cruise that includes walks and visits to archaeological sites. Two free days are built into the itinerary, allowing ample opportunity to experience a gulet under sail (weather permitting). Walking and Cruising the Lycian Shore from £4,075 per person for 14 nights including full board and transfers. Excludes flights. Departs Sept 28 2019. Peter Sommer Travels (petersommer.com). Borneo is the newest destination to feature in the south-east Asia itineraries offered by tall ship specialist Star Clippers. The four-masted Star Clipper, carrying 170 guests and 74 crew, sails from Kota Kinabalu in northern Borneo to Singapore, calling in at Pulau Tiga island, Bandar Seri Begawan (the capital of Brunei) and the Malaysian cities of Miri, Bintulu and Kuching. Borneo Westbound from £1,791 per person for 10 nights full board (including a 20 per cent discount if booked by Jan 31). Excludes flights and transfers. Departs May and October 2019. Star Clippers (starclippers.co.uk). With the right conditions, British waters rival anywhere in the world for exciting sailing and spectacular coastal scenery. That’s why Wilderness Scotland offers two itineraries that take in the Inner Hebrides islands which lie off the west coast. The 75-year old gaff-cutter Eda Frandsen departs from Mallaig, west of Fort William, taking passengers on a week-long exploration of the islands of Eilean Shona, Eigg, Muck, Canna and Skye. Private charters also available. Sailing Journeys: the Inner Hebrides from £925 per person for six nights including all meals. Departs May, June and August. Wilderness Scotland (wildernessscotland.com). You don’t need yachting qualifications or even previous sailing experience to join a flotilla on a holiday offered by Greek Island specialist Sailing Holidays. However, if you are nervous, for the first couple of days experienced crew are available to help on board when required (for a fee of €90 a day). Sheltered harbours and light winds make the South Ionian Islands ideal for relaxed, sociable sailing for families and groups of friends in flotillas of 10 to 12 boats, guided by a lead yacht, Kefalonia Flotilla from £1,095 per person for seven nights based on six people sharing a Beneteau 361 yacht, including flights and transfers. Departs April to October. Sailing Holidays (sailingholidays.com). Sailors of all abilities and ages are well-catered for at the long-established Minorca Sailing school, based in the Bay of Fornells on the north coast of this small Spanish island. Accommodation options include self-catering apartments, private villas and small hotels, all within easy reach of the sailing centre at Ses Salines. The price of your stay covers RYA sailing and windsurfing tuition and use of an extensive fleet of dinghies. Structured days include morning briefings and daily race programmes. Sailing week from £1,160 per person for seven nights, self-catering, including flights and transfers. Departures from May to October. Minorca Sailing (minorcasailing.co.uk). When it comes to sailing boats, the traditional felucca is about as straightforward as it gets. Its simple design, with a wide hull and triangular “lateen” sail, is ideally suited to the calm waters and gentle winds of the Nile, and a makeshift awning provides overnight shelter. Adventure operator On The Go Tours includes a three-day felucca cruise on all its Egyptian itineraries. King Tutankhamun tour from £633 per person (including 15 per cent discount if booked by Feb 28 2019) for eight nights including some meals and transfers. Excludes flights. Departures year-round. On The Go Tours (onthegotours.com).
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Nick Trend
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/lists/best-sailing-holidays-2019/
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2019-01-28 10:42:11+00:00
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thetelegraph--2019-01-28--Where is hot in February The 10 best holiday destinations
| 2019-01-28T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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Where is hot in February? The 10 best holiday destinations
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February can be as bleak a concept as January in terms of the European weather. But with school half-term holidays falling in the middle of the month, parents have the opportunity to whisk their children to a destination where the sun shines in earnest. This may cause crowded beaches in popular places, but with the Caribbean at its hottest and driest, there is plenty of time for travellers without offspring to find their own escape zone. The twin-island nation on the opposite side of the planet is rarely an obvious choice for travellers in search of sunshine – but there is much to be said for a tour of New Zealand as February clicks into gear. This is the last month of pure summer in this portion of the Southern Hemisphere (the equivalent of August in Europe) – and if autumn is just starting to flicker upon the trees of the South Island, this only adds to the romance of a road trip. The best hotels in New Zealand Florida’s most party-centric city never needs an excuse to stay out late, and the bars and restaurants of South Beach will be in full swing if you choose to visit in February. However, the advantage of the second month of the year is that while the Spring Break rush – which turns the metropolis into one giant mass of whooping college students – is yet to materialise, the temperature gauge is still nicely slotted into the Twenties Celsius. The best hotels in Miami There aren’t many European hot spots in February, but Spain’s most southerly province is a decent bet. Head there at the end of February and 20C days are possible. Annie Bennett, our expert to the region, suggests exploring the Costa Tropical, in the province of Granada, a coastline of coves and Moorish watchtowers. “A quirk of climate means that dense groves of mangos, avocados, custard apples, bananas and other exotic crops flank the Mediterranean,” she writes. “The protection of the Sierra Nevada and the warm winds blowing over from north Africa create a subtropical microclimate with 320 days of sunshine a year and mild temperatures even in winter.” The city of Jerez is another good bet. Its flamenco festival kicks off on February 22. St Lucia is one of the Caribbean’s most coveted destinations – and with good reason. Its west coast is home to some of the planet’s loveliest beaches, including the golden strip of Anse Chastanet – while the twin volcanic bluffs of Gros and Petit Piton offer hiking and climbing challenges, as well as wonderful photos. All of this is served up in temperatures which cling to the upper twenties Celsius, not least in the dry season of December-May. The best hotels in St Lucia Along with its smaller companion Nevis, St Kitts is a Caribbean “Little and Large” act. The bigger island has an intriguing south-coast capital in Basseterre, and a sandy crescent on its southern tip in the form of Turtle Beach. Its friend across the tiny channel of The Narrows is just as enticing, its charm visible on Nisbet and Oualie Beaches. Both isles are quiet outcrops that do not rouse themselves to wild nightlife – and are all the better for it. The best hotels in St Kitts There can be no doubt that America’s mid-Pacific archipelago requires quite a journey from the UK, and an 11-hour slug of jetlag once you arrive. But there are few better cures for such time difference than the soft sands of Waikiki Beach – the sunshine strip which adorns the southern edge of the state capital Honolulu, on Oahu. And the sight of the volcanic titans Kilauea and Mauna Loa, on the “Big Island”, is sure to awaken the senses. The best hotels in Hawaii Neither as grandstanding as Dubai, nor as grand as Abu Dhabi (whose long-in-percolation outpost of the Louvre opened last year, while the Guggenheim has yet to be unveiled), Oman is the calmer cousin of the Arabian Peninsula. But it should not be underestimated as a possibility for winter sun. Both Zighy Bay and Sur are alluring places for beach escapes; Muscat is a city of underappreciated culture and sophistication. The best hotels in Oman Let us deal in statistics. Some 1,192 islets and coral outcrops – stretched across 26 atolls and 35,000 square miles of water – make up this archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean. Very few of these soft shards veer away from the template – golden sands, swaying palm trees, azure shallows. If you want variety of terrain, do not visit the Maldives. If you want temperatures in the thirties Celsius and unrestrained beach luxury, you have chosen well. The best hotels in the Maldives This feted slice of sand and sunshine is a continental junction box – officially African in that it is part of Tanzania, seductively Middle Eastern in the mercantile heritage of Stone Town (which was once the capital of Oman), temptingly tropical in the way the Indian Ocean laps at its sides. Of course, this clash of cultures only makes Zanzibar more exotic – and the weather is largely reliable, flirting with the thirties Celsius as February dawns. The best hotels in Zanzibar The world’s third largest island is a natural haven, and so big that it is split between three countries. Indonesia and Brunei have their share of the landmass, but it is the Malaysian portion of Borneo that is of most interest to visitors – whether they take in Kuching (the capital of the state of Sarawak), hike up Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, or opt to doze on the beaches which fringe the west coast – or in the rainforest lodges cossetted in the interior. The best hotels in Malaysia Where to go on holiday in October Where to go on holiday in November Where to go on holiday in December Where to go on holiday in January Where to go on holiday in February Where to go on holiday in March Or to find the best destinations for the rest of the year try The Heatseeker, our interactive online tool
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Chris Leadbeater
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/Winter-sun-seeker-where-to-go-in-February/
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2019-01-28 16:45:00+00:00
| 1,548,711,900 | 1,567,550,529 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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997,707 |
thetelegraph--2019-01-30--Independent travel is the best thing you can do for your family why DIY holidays beat a big-reso
| 2019-01-30T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
‘Independent travel is the best thing you can do for your family’ – why DIY holidays beat a big-resort break
|
Several years ago, I treated my family to a stay in a swish resort hotel in Andalucia. The place had a swimming pool for every day of the week and a man who would drive us to our room and back in a zippy little golf cart. We checked in and tuned out and quickly discovered that doing absolutely nothing was absolute bliss. For a day or two. By mid-afternoon on the third day, I was plotting inland routes on a map I’d bought and hogging the hotel-lobby Wi-Fi to research farmhouse B&Bs. The resort was lovely, the staff couldn’t have been more helpful. But Spain’s most intoxicating region was right on our doorstep. And Córdoba was calling. Travelling independently as a family is like taking a shared voyage of discovery. It builds up a picture of a place and its people, between you, that goes far beyond the experiential footprint offered by a single hotel. Our first big trip as parents, a guidebook update (OK, so we jumped in at the deep end), was a six-week tour of Costa Rica with a toddler in tow. Our daughter soaked in volcanic hot springs and took night walks through the jungle. She danced with old waiters in roadside restaurants and saw sloths and toucans and moths as big as dinner plates. And she traded travel stories with a young girl on the flight home whose memories of her Pacific-coast resort revolved around the size of the breakfast buffet. The girl had loved every minute of her holiday, but she’d proved the point. Then there’s the freedom and the flexibility. Not just where to go but when. With independent family travel, there’s no group schedule to follow, no disinterested parties waiting on the bus. You can visit first thing in the morning or stay there overnight. In Mostar one time, we followed a flock of Chinese tourists as they filed across the rebuilt Stari Most bridge and methodically shopped their way through the stalls selling Ottoman trinkets on Kujundžiluk street; returning after dark, with the day-trippers long departed, we had the cobbled streets of the Old Town almost to ourselves. With freedom and flexibility comes variety, too. On our trips to Morocco, we stay in Fassi riads filled with birdsong and tinkling fountains, under thick Berber blankets in mountain houses high up in the Atlas, in sun-baked kasbahs made of cracked mud and straw. Each one is different to the last, each one gives us a little extra insight into the customs and culture of the country. At the end of a holiday we’d planned round Thailand, our kids spent the long-tail boat journey back through Phang Nga Bay chatting about whether they’d enjoyed the open-sided truck rides through Khao Yai National Park the most, or the noisy express boats that ply the Chao Phraya in Bangkok, or the little carriage we’d all shared on our overnight train journey up to Chiang Mai. You just don’t get those kinds of discussions when you stay put in one place, when you stay put at one kind of place. It doesn’t have to be an either-or. You could tag a couple of nights at a beach resort onto the end of a more adventurous independent trip. Or pick and mix your perks by taking the most appealing aspects of a resort hotel (their airport pick-up service, say) and organising them yourself. That way, you’re still ensuring that most of your holiday budget is funnelled directly into the local economy – another benefit of going it alone. Independent travel can be more challenging. It certainly takes more time and effort, poring over maps, sifting through reviews and shaping a hundred possibilities into a single itinerary. But, for us, the rewards are far greater, the memories burn that much brighter. We’ve seen our children become more confident and more curious. And they’ve seen us do the same. Are big resorts better than DIY holidays? Which family holidays do you remember most fondly? Let us know using the comment box below. A former managing editor at Rough Guides, Keith Drew now runs the new independent family-travel website, lijoma.com.
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Keith Drew
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/family-holidays/why-independent-travel-is-best-for-families/
|
2019-01-30 11:29:08+00:00
| 1,548,865,748 | 1,567,550,243 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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1,004,021 |
thetelegraph--2019-04-08--10 of best mountain hiking holidays for 2019
| 2019-04-08T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
10 of best mountain hiking holidays for 2019
|
There's no view that looks as good - or feels as deserved - as that which can be enjoyed from a mountain top. From the Rockies to the Remarkables, here are some of the world's finest holidays for those that like nothing more than climbing a good peak. Not for the faint-hearted, the hike up to Everest’s base camp takes nine to 10 demanding days of walking (from four to nine hours per day). High-peaks specialist The Mountain Company offers an itinerary that includes a couple of nights in Kathmandu to acclimatise, before following in the footsteps of Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. Accommodation is in the best lodges available, some with en suite bathrooms. Luxury Everest Base Camp from £2,895 B&B for 19 days including all meals on the trek and transfers. Excludes flights. Departs March to May and September to December. The Mountain Company (themountaincompany.co.uk). The four national parks of the Canadian Rockies were listed as Unesco World Heritage Site in 1984 and you don’t have to be a hardy walker to enjoy the spectacular landscapes. Group-tour specialist Mountain Kingdoms offers an itinerary of scenic but easy walking from comfortable bases around Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Kananaskis. The most challenging itinerary is on day three with a walk to Helen Lake at 7,776ft. Gentle Walking Canadian Rockies from £3,245 for 12 nights including most meals, flights and transfers. Departs July to September. Mountain Kingdoms (mountainkingdoms.com). The UK may not have the highest mountains in the world, but it does have some of the most scenic. Take the family for a week trekking, ghyll scrambling, climbing and abseiling. Based in the Keswick Country House Hotel in the Lake District’s Borrowdale Valley, outdoor specialist Activities Abroad offers a flexible itinerary where families with children aged eight and above can pick and choose from a range of activities in groups of up to 24 people. Family Holiday in the Lake District from £565 for six nights half-board, including transfers. Departs April to October. Activities Abroad (activitiesabroad.com). One of Europe’s most spectacular rail journeys is between Zermatt and St Moritz aboard the Glacier Express, which climbs from the Rhine Valley to the Oberalp Pass (6,706ft) for views of the snow-capped Italian Alps. Also breathtaking is the Bernina Line, which extends south from Chur, crossing deep ravines and the Bernina Pass (7,638ft). The escorted tour specialist Great Rail Holidays offers a week-long itinerary that includes both these iconic journeys. Traditional Glacier Express 2019 from £1,245 B&B for seven nights including five dinners and standard rail travel from St Pancras. Departs April to September. Great Rail Journeys (greatrail.com). Mount Cook is New Zealand’s highest peak (at 12,218ft) surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery on the South Island. Walking specialist Ramblers Holidays explores this region within a fortnight’s itinerary that also includes hikes in Mount Aspiring National Park, Ben Lomond and the Remarkables mountain range, which overlooks Lake Wakatipu. There’s also an option to walk the Milford Track. South Island Discovery from £5,350 B&B for 17 nights including flights, transfers and eight meals. Departs November, February and March. Ramblers Holidays (ramblersholidays.co.uk). From St-Jean-de-Luz on the Atlantic coast to Banyuls-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean, this 434-mile (700km) trail is a bucket-list ride for keen cyclists. Following the Tour de France route, the itinerary takes in the challenging cols of Aubisque, Aspin and Peyresourde, and the highest, Col du Tourmalet at 6,939ft. The reward for cycling from 39 to 75 miles (62-120km) per day is the spectacular scenery running the length of the border between France and Spain. Trans Pyrenees Challenge from £1,995 for nine nights half-board with transfers. Excludes flights and bike hire (£225). Departs Aug 23, 2019. Saddle Skedaddle (skedaddle.com). Corsica’s 112-mile (180km) GR20 is one of Europe’s most iconic walks – and one of the most challenging. From Calenzana in the south, to Conca in the north, the entire trail takes around two weeks to complete. Outdoors specialist KE Adventure has cherry-picked the best stretches in the northwest corner including ascending to Punta Mezzella at 7,238ft and the spectacular ridge walk from Lac de Nino to Castel di Vergio, staying in small hotels and national park refuges. Best of Corsica’s GR20 from £1,195 for seven nights full-board including transfers. Excludes flights. Departs July to September. KE Adventure (keadventure.com). Looking for a family expedition in the Alps? Fancy a hand with the luggage? Hiking specialist Sherpa Expeditions offers a week-long tour of Mont Blanc with donkeys to carry your bags. The 60-mile (97km) trek through the foothills of western Europe’s highest peak includes accommodation in alpine villages and mountain huts. Suitable for families with children aged from seven years, the tour starts in Courmayeur with three to six hours walking per day, finishing in Le Tour. Mont Blanc Family Adventure from £603 for six nights full-board. Excludes flights and transfers. Departs June to August. UTracks (utracks.com). So revered are mountains in Japan that the country has an annual Mountain Day public holiday on Aug 11. An itinerary with Inside Japan Tours focuses on this aspect of the country’s landscape with tough hikes in group sizes of up to 14. The trip highlight is an ascent of Mount Fuji with an early start to watch the sunrise. Also Japan’s third-highest peak Hotaka Dake, and the ancient Nakasendo Way. Historic Mountain Trails from £2,895 B&B for 13 nights including eight dinners and arrival transfer. Excludes flights. Departs July 21 2019 and July 19 2020. Inside Japan Tours (insidejapantours.com). The highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, Mount Toubkal (13,671ft), is a rewarding two-day climb for walkers with a reasonable level of fitness and the ability to cope with altitude. Since the start of the climb is within two hours’ drive of Marrakech, it makes sense to spend a couple of days exploring this city from a comfortable hotel base, before braving the basic refuge accommodation on the mountain. Mount Toubkal trek from £332 B&B for six nights with some meals. Excludes flights and transfers. May to September. Intrepid Travel (intrepidtravel.com).
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Nick Trend
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/lists/best-mountain-holidays/
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2019-04-08 11:56:00+00:00
| 1,554,738,960 | 1,567,543,577 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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thetelegraph--2019-04-12--The five best destinations for a family holiday in April
| 2019-04-12T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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The five best destinations for a family holiday in April
|
Whether Easter is early or late, as it is this year, the April school holidays offer grand scope for a family trip. You could fly long-haul for culture or reliable beachy sunshine, or you might seek an active break somewhere in Europe, enjoying the very first rays of springtime sun. The quickest way to a sunny break is a four-hour flight to the Canary Islands. Choose the best island for your family using our guide. Tenerife and Lanzarote have the most child-focused hotels - Princesa Yaiza on the latter is a perennial favourite, thanks to its all-singing and dancing kids’ club and spa. Tots to Travel offers villas geared up for babies and toddlers on either island. For older children, consider packages from operators like Cachet Travel, Classic Collection, Prestige Holidays, Thomas Cook and TUI. The mildest climate in the Med can be found in Cyprus, where you should see highs of 21C, and nine hours of sunshine a day - refreshing for anyone emerging from a British winter. In April, the wild flowers are in bloom, and you’re well before peak season, so operators offer reasonable packages. Paphos is the main resort, and the north coast of the Akamas peninsula is the place to go to escape package holidays. See our experts’ favourite hotels or holiday offers. This is an excellent time of year for a trip to the Caribbean; the longer Easter holiday will allow you to recover from jetlag and have plenty of time to relax on the beach. The region took a hard blow last autumn when two category five hurricanes passed through, but while there was devastation, more than 70 per cent of the Caribbean remains open for - and in need of - business. For real seclusion, head to the beautiful island of Nevis, either to the Four Seasons resort, with its golf and watersports, or to the more low-key but very pretty Nisbet Plantation. Both are waterside (unusual on Nevis). For keenly priced trips, search Thomas Cook for destinations including Antigua. The long Easter holiday is the perfect time for a long-haul cultural trip before the heat of the summer months, and this is the perfect time of year to visit Japan. Read our expert’s guide to the best things to see and do in Japan, or explore this range of tours with some of the Telegraph’s favourite operators to Japan, including Trafalgar and Wendy Wu. If you’re after sun and theme parks but also fancy a bit of monumental landscapes, fitness and culture, California is a treat. Our expert reckons Disneyland is the best of Walt Disney’s parks for charm and climate. Read our guide to the best museums and activities - and why a native New Yorker believes it’s superior to the Big Apple for a family holiday. Even if you can’t get much time off work, a long weekend to a European city offers a chance to learn and indulge in some culinary explorations. Whether you sign up for a ThatMuse scavenger hunt in Paris or London, a marionette opera in Vienna, or a gladiator lesson in Rome, there are plenty of ways to make the best of European culture accessible to even the youngest visitors.
|
Sally Peck
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/family-holidays/best-family-holiday-destinations-easter-april-sun/
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2019-04-12 09:00:00+00:00
| 1,555,074,000 | 1,567,543,072 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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1,005,971 |
thetelegraph--2019-04-29--The best ski holiday bargains and deals for next winter to book now
| 2019-04-29T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
The best ski holiday bargains and deals for next winter to book now
|
For the best chance of bagging a real bargain, now is the time for skiers and snowboarders to book their next winter holiday. With the dust settling on the 2018/19 ski season and summer in the air companies are beginning to advertise their best early-bird deals, rewarding those who can be organised enough to set a date for their next trip to the mountains. From huge discounts, flash sales, low deposits and free lift passes to deals on added extras such as free childcare and equipment, here’s our round-up of the best offers. Deals and prices are subject to availability. This page is updated regularly with the latest deals at the top. Ski Line has released prices for 2019/20 trips, including peak dates. A week’s New Year ski holiday in La Plagne costs from £673 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation at La Licorne residence and flights from London Gatwick, departing December 28 2019. Seven nights during February half term at Hotel Les Fleurs in Morzine costs from £814 per person. The price includes half board, flights from Edinburgh, departing February 17 2020. Skiworld is running early-booking discounts on trips to Canada, including chance to save up to 50 per cent on Whistler holidays. 10 nights at the Westin Resort and Spa in Whistler Village costs from £1,199 per person. The price includes accommodation, flights from transfers, departing November 30 2019. Bookings must be made by June 30 2019. Other deals to resorts such as Banff, Lake Louise and Panorama have varying deadlines. VIP Ski is offering the chance to save £100 per person on early-bookings at the four-bedroom luxury Chalet Madrisah in Val d’Isère. A seven-night stay costs from £1,069 per person, saving £100 each. The price includes chalet board, flights and transfers, departing January 2020. Ski Safari has a number of early-bird deals including lift passes. Skiers wanting to head across the pond can save up to 50 per cent on accommodation in Copper Mountain, USA, when they book a lift pass and stay at Copper Mountain Condos. A 10-night stay at the three-star Condos costs from £1,495 per person. The price includes accommodation for four adults, flights, nine-day lift pass and transfers or car hire. A little closer to home a seven-night stay at the three-star Larix hotel in Saas Fee, Switzerland, costs from £1,205 per person, an special early booking rate. The price includes bed and breakfast, flights, train transfers and six-day lift pass. Peak Retreats is offering chance to save 10 per cent on trips to the Trois Vallées next season. A week’s stay at the four-star five-bedroom Chalet Rose, with its own outdoor hot tub, sauna, home cinema and games room, in Saint Martin de Belleville costs from £518 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for 14 people and FlexiPlus Eurotunnel crossing for three cars, arriving April 1 2020. Crystal Ski Holidays is offering £150 off any Canadian ski holiday for next winter, using the code EARLY. Seven nights at the Canalta Lodge in Banff costs from £1,009, excluding discount. The price includes bed and breakfast and flights from London Heathrow, departing February 26 2020. There’s also free ski carriage with Air Canada flights. Inghams has a number of offers currently running for early bookers, including free group places and two-for-one lift passes. There’s also chance to make the most of big discounts on trips to resorts all over the world. A week at Hotel Le Mottaret in Méribel costs from £1,548 per person, saving £320 each. The price includes full board, flights from London Stansted and transfers, departing January 25 2020. The operator is also bringing back six nights catering in all its chalets and chalet hotels, after a dramatic change to its model last season. Alpine Elements has frozen its prices on 2019/20 ski holidays. A Christmas trip to Morzine staying at Chalet Flo costs from £761 per person, at a special early book rate. The price includes chalet board for six nights, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing December 22 2019. Groups can also benefit from a number savings including two free places, free equipment hire and free lift passes. Iglu Ski is offering a number of deals for early-bookers, including two-for-one equipment hire when pre-booking lift passes on most deals, plus reduced prices. A week at Chalet Hotel de Champoluc in Champoluc costs from £774 per person. The price includes chalet board, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing January 4 2020. Ski Line is offering up to 15 per cent off all inclusive ski holidays. Seven nights at Club Med’s La Plagne residence costs from £1,115 per person, reduced from £1,310. The price includes all meals drinks, lift passes, lessons, flights and transfers, departing January 12 2020.
|
Lucy Aspden
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/advice/the-best-early-bird-ski-holiday-deals-and-offers/
|
2019-04-29 15:00:00+00:00
| 1,556,564,400 | 1,567,541,742 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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1,007,030 |
thetelegraph--2019-05-15--The best ski holiday bargains and deals for next winter to book now
| 2019-05-15T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
The best ski holiday bargains and deals for next winter to book now
|
For the best chance of bagging a real bargain, now is the time for skiers and snowboarders to book their next winter holiday. With the dust settling on the 2018/19 ski season and summer in the air companies are beginning to advertise their best early-bird deals, rewarding those who can be organised enough to set a date for their next trip to the mountains. From huge discounts, flash sales, low deposits and free lift passes to deals on added extras such as free childcare and equipment, here’s our round-up of the best offers. Deals and prices are subject to availability. This page is updated regularly with the latest deals at the top. Peak Retreats is offering the chance to save 15 per cent on Christmas trips to Val Cenis. A seven night self-catered stay at the four-star Chalet de Flambeau apartments costs from £358 per person, reduced from £413. The price includes accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving December 21 2019. Ski Collection is offering the chance to save 10 per cent off trips to Alpe d’Huez and Les Menuires on dates throughout the season. A week at the four-star Cristal de l’alpe apartments in Alpe d’Huez, which has an indoor pool and spa, costs from £253 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving December 14 2019. A week at the four-star Les Clarines apartments 100m from the slopes in Les Menuires costs from £270. The price includes self-catered accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving January 4 2020. Le Ski has a number of offers available on bookings made before July 31. Guests visiting its chalets in Val d’Isere, Courchevel or La Tania at Christmas or in January will receive a free six-day lift pass. There are free places for under sevens and half-price places for seven to 12 year olds available on date throughout the season. Loyal Le Ski visitors, who have booked three times or more with the operator, can also receive an additional 10 per cent off their holiday if they book again for next winter. All these offers apply to bookings made, with deposits paid before July 31 2019. Ski Line has released prices for 2019/20 trips, including peak dates. A week’s New Year ski holiday in La Plagne costs from £673 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation at La Licorne residence and flights from London Gatwick, departing December 28 2019. Seven nights during February half term at Hotel Les Fleurs in Morzine costs from £814 per person. The price includes half board, flights from Edinburgh, departing February 17 2020. Skiworld is running early-booking discounts on trips to Canada, including chance to save up to 50 per cent on Whistler holidays. 10 nights at the Westin Resort and Spa in Whistler Village costs from £1,199 per person. The price includes accommodation, flights from transfers, departing November 30 2019. Bookings must be made by June 30 2019. Other deals to resorts such as Banff, Lake Louise and Panorama have varying deadlines. VIP Ski is offering the chance to save £100 per person on early-bookings at the four-bedroom luxury Chalet Madrisah in Val d’Isère. A seven-night stay costs from £1,069 per person, saving £100 each. The price includes chalet board, flights and transfers, departing January 2020. Ski Safari has a number of early-bird deals including lift passes. Skiers wanting to head across the pond can save up to 50 per cent on accommodation in Copper Mountain, USA, when they book a lift pass and stay at Copper Mountain Condos. A 10-night stay at the three-star Condos costs from £1,495 per person. The price includes accommodation for four adults, flights, nine-day lift pass and transfers or car hire. A little closer to home a seven-night stay at the three-star Larix hotel in Saas Fee, Switzerland, costs from £1,205 per person, an special early booking rate. The price includes bed and breakfast, flights, train transfers and six-day lift pass. Peak Retreats is offering chance to save 10 per cent on trips to the Trois Vallées next season. A week’s stay at the four-star five-bedroom Chalet Rose, with its own outdoor hot tub, sauna, home cinema and games room, in Saint Martin de Belleville costs from £518 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for 14 people and FlexiPlus Eurotunnel crossing for three cars, arriving April 1 2020. Crystal Ski Holidays is offering £150 off any Canadian ski holiday for next winter, using the code EARLY. Seven nights at the Canalta Lodge in Banff costs from £1,009, excluding discount. The price includes bed and breakfast and flights from London Heathrow, departing February 26 2020. There’s also free ski carriage with Air Canada flights. Inghams has a number of offers currently running for early bookers, including free group places and two-for-one lift passes. There’s also chance to make the most of big discounts on trips to resorts all over the world. A week at Hotel Le Mottaret in Méribel costs from £1,548 per person, saving £320 each. The price includes full board, flights from London Stansted and transfers, departing January 25 2020. The operator is also bringing back six nights catering in all its chalets and chalet hotels, after a dramatic change to its model last season. Alpine Elements has frozen its prices on 2019/20 ski holidays. A Christmas trip to Morzine staying at Chalet Flo costs from £761 per person, at a special early book rate. The price includes chalet board for six nights, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing December 22 2019. Groups can also benefit from a number savings including two free places, free equipment hire and free lift passes. Iglu Ski is offering a number of deals for early-bookers, including two-for-one equipment hire when pre-booking lift passes on most deals, plus reduced prices. A week at Chalet Hotel de Champoluc in Champoluc costs from £774 per person. The price includes chalet board, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing January 4 2020. Ski Line is offering up to 15 per cent off all inclusive ski holidays. Seven nights at Club Med’s La Plagne residence costs from £1,115 per person, reduced from £1,310. The price includes all meals drinks, lift passes, lessons, flights and transfers, departing January 12 2020.
|
Lucy Aspden
|
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/advice/the-best-early-bird-ski-holiday-deals-and-offers/
|
2019-05-15 15:00:00+00:00
| 1,557,946,800 | 1,567,540,583 |
lifestyle and leisure
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1,011,040 |
thetelegraph--2019-07-23--20 of the best family walks for the summer holidays
| 2019-07-23T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
20 of the best family walks for the summer holidays
|
We love walking with the family. As it warms up a bit and nature starts coming back to life after the long winter months, there’s so much for the kids to explore and do. We started walking as a family early – and as a result our children are growing up with a sense of the amazing outdoor world and all it holds. At this time of year the children love to play games spotting wildlife, and in the spring we all enjoy looking for new-born lambs as they start appearing across the countryside. We learn something new every time we go walking by challenging ourselves to identify different types of cloud, plants or animal tracks. Sometimes it can be fun to add a bit of adventure to the walk by letting the...
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Ed Wilson
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/parenting/20-of-the-best-family-walks-for-easter/
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2019-07-23 11:22:02+00:00
| 1,563,895,322 | 1,567,536,054 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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1,011,225 |
thetelegraph--2019-07-24--The best ski holiday bargains and deals for next winter to book now
| 2019-07-24T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
|
The best ski holiday bargains and deals for next winter to book now
|
For the best chance of bagging a real bargain, now is the time for skiers and snowboarders to book their next winter holiday. With summer in full swing ski companies have begun to advertise their best early-bird deals, rewarding those who can be organised enough to set a date for their next trip to the mountains. From huge discounts, flash sales, low deposits and free lift passes to deals on added extras such as free childcare and equipment, here’s our round-up of the best offers. Deals and prices are subject to availability. This page is updated regularly with the latest deals at the top. Crystal Ski Holidays is running a number of offers, including two-for-one lift passes, free child lift passes and £50 of childcare for next winter, all on selected holidays. A week’s self catering at Christmas at the three-star Coeur Des Ours Apartments in Les Deux Alpes costs from £719 per person. The price includes apartment accommodation, flights from Stansted and transfers, departing December 21 2019. Peak Retreats is offering 15 per cent off Christmas trips to Samöens, France. A week in a four-star apartment, with pool and spa access, for five people costs from £364 per person. The price includes accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and Eurotunnel crossing, arriving December 21 2019. Skiworld is offering the chance to save £100 per person when groups book an entire chalet. A week at Chalet Yves in Les Arcs, which sleeps seven, costs from £697 per person, saving £700 total. The price includes chalet board, flights and transfers, departing December 21 2019. If groups book a three-five star chalet they will receive a free upgrade worth £39 per person, which includes wine on arrival, cheese board and after-dinner treats. SkiLine is offering the chance to save up to £100 per person on Christmas, New Year and half term trips, until July 31. A week at Chalet Furka in Lech, which sleeps 14, costs from £1,214 per person. The price is based on the whole chalet being occupied and includes chalet board, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing December 28 2019. Action Outdoors is offering a 5 per cent discount on all UCPA all-inclusive holidays booked between August 5 and September 10. It’s first trips of the season depart November 28 to snow-sure Val Thorens or Les Deux Alpes and costs from £277 per person. The price includes three nights full-board accommodation, lift pass and equipment hire. All packages are on sale August 5. Esprit Ski has launched its holidays for next winter including a range of new hotels in Austria and France and its returns to offering six nights catering in its chalets. A week at Chalet Arnica in La Rosiere costs from £758. The price includes chalet board, flights from Gatwick and transfers, based on a family of four sharing a quad room, departing January 5 2020. Returning customers will receive between five and 10 per cent discount on their holidays. Ski Collection is offering up to 20 per cent off trips to Méribel throughout the season. A week self catering at Residence l’Hevana, with pool and spa access plus kids area and restaurant costs from £351 per person. The price includes accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and Eurotunnel crossing, arriving January 11 2020. SkiLine has a number of deals on holidays to some of the Alps’ biggest resorts next winter. Seven nights self catering at ski-in/ski-out Le Cheval Blanc apartments in Val Thorens costs from £334 per person. The price includes accommodation for four in a three-star apartment and flights from London Gatwick, departing January 11 2020. Peak Retreats is offering 10 per cent off luxury half term holidays in St Martin de Belleville. Seven nights at four-star Chalet Violet with private hot tub and terrace costs from £726 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for eight people and Eurotunnel crossing for two vehicles, arriving February 15 2020. Inghams has announced it has added Japan to its destination list for 2019/20. A five-night split-destination trip to Tokyo and Hakuba costs from £1,869 per person. The price includes bed and breakfast accommodation, flights from London Heathrow, transfers and lift passes, departing December 14 2019, February 29 2020 or March 7 and 14 2020. Inghams is running a number of bolt-on offers including, 50 per cent off equipment hire or ski carriage when guests pre-book lift passes, free places and lift passes and private transfers for groups and free child places for families. Skiworld is running a sale with the chance to save up to £560 per person on its ski-all-in packages, that include lift passes and equipment hire, until Monday July 15. A week at Chalet Yves in Les Arcs costs from £726 per person, saving £360 each. The price includes chalet board, flights, transfers, lift pass and equipment hire or carriage, departing February 8 2020. Ski Collection is offering the chance to save 20 per cent off trips to Les Menuires on peak dates throughout the season. A week at Les Alpages de Reberty apartments, which has an indoor pool, spa, children’s play area costs from £277 per person. The price includes a week’s self-catered accommodation in a two-bedroom apartment for five people and Eurotunnel crossing, arriving April 11 2020. Skiworld is offering £100 off per person on group chalet bookings in any of its European resorts, with no date restrictions. A week’s stay at Chalet Leopold, which sleeps eight, in Meribel costs from £799 per person, saving £100 each. The price includes chalet board, flights, transfers, lift pass and equipment hire or carriage, departing March 14 2020. To qualify for the discount the entire chalet must be booked, this offer can be used in conjunction with other offers. Esprit Ski is offering families the chance to save when they refer a friend. Guests will receive £100 towards a 2019/20 Esprit holiday for every family they introduce to book with them. The referred friend will also receive £50 towards their first holiday. There is no limit to the number of referrals and a unique booking code must be used to receive the saving. SkiLine has a number of discounts running on peak holiday dates. A week’s self-catered stay at Residence Les Horizons d’Huez in Alpe d’Huez over New Year costs from £693 per person, reduced from £746. The price includes accommodation for six people, flights from London Gatwick and transfers, departing December 28 2019. Crystal Ski Holidays has a number of special offers running, including BOGOF lift passes, plus reduced prices on packages for next winter. A week at the Radisson Blu Resort in Beitostolen in Norway costs from £470 per person. The price includes bed and breakfast, flights from London Gatwick and transfers, plus buy-one-get-one-free lift passes, departing January 19 2020. Canadian Affair is running a summer sale with up to 40 per cent off ski hotel stays, plus an additional 10 per cent off early bookings. Seven nights room-only accommodation in Whistler costs from £1,355 per person, saving 40 per cent. The price includes accommodation, flights from London Heathrow and transfers. Book by June 14 to receive a further 10 per cent off. Peak Retreats is offering the chance to save 15 per cent on Christmas trips to Val Cenis. A seven night self-catered stay at the four-star Chalet de Flambeau apartments costs from £358 per person, reduced from £413. The price includes accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving December 21 2019. Ski Collection is offering the chance to save 10 per cent off trips to Alpe d’Huez and Les Menuires on dates throughout the season. A week at the four-star Cristal de l’alpe apartments in Alpe d’Huez, which has an indoor pool and spa, costs from £253 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving December 14 2019. A week at the four-star Les Clarines apartments 100m from the slopes in Les Menuires costs from £270. The price includes self-catered accommodation for five in a two-bedroom apartment and return Eurotunnel crossing with free Flexiplus upgrade, arriving January 4 2020. Le Ski has a number of offers available on bookings made before July 31. Guests visiting its chalets in Val d’Isere, Courchevel or La Tania at Christmas or in January will receive a free six-day lift pass. There are free places for under sevens and half-price places for seven to 12 year olds available on date throughout the season. Loyal Le Ski visitors, who have booked three times or more with the operator, can also receive an additional 10 per cent off their holiday if they book again for next winter. All these offers apply to bookings made, with deposits paid before July 31 2019. Ski Line has released prices for 2019/20 trips, including peak dates. A week’s New Year ski holiday in La Plagne costs from £673 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation at La Licorne residence and flights from London Gatwick, departing December 28 2019. Seven nights during February half term at Hotel Les Fleurs in Morzine costs from £814 per person. The price includes half board, flights from Edinburgh, departing February 17 2020. Skiworld is running early-booking discounts on trips to Canada, including chance to save up to 50 per cent on Whistler holidays. 10 nights at the Westin Resort and Spa in Whistler Village costs from £1,199 per person. The price includes accommodation, flights from transfers, departing November 30 2019. Bookings must be made by June 30 2019. Other deals to resorts such as Banff, Lake Louise and Panorama have varying deadlines. VIP Ski is offering the chance to save £100 per person on early-bookings at the four-bedroom luxury Chalet Madrisah in Val d’Isère. A seven-night stay costs from £1,069 per person, saving £100 each. The price includes chalet board, flights and transfers, departing January 2020. Ski Safari has a number of early-bird deals including lift passes. Skiers wanting to head across the pond can save up to 50 per cent on accommodation in Copper Mountain, USA, when they book a lift pass and stay at Copper Mountain Condos. A 10-night stay at the three-star Condos costs from £1,495 per person. The price includes accommodation for four adults, flights, nine-day lift pass and transfers or car hire. A little closer to home a seven-night stay at the three-star Larix hotel in Saas Fee, Switzerland, costs from £1,205 per person, an special early booking rate. The price includes bed and breakfast, flights, train transfers and six-day lift pass. Peak Retreats is offering chance to save 10 per cent on trips to the Trois Vallées next season. A week’s stay at the four-star five-bedroom Chalet Rose, with its own outdoor hot tub, sauna, home cinema and games room, in Saint Martin de Belleville costs from £518 per person. The price includes self-catered accommodation for 14 people and FlexiPlus Eurotunnel crossing for three cars, arriving April 1 2020. Crystal Ski Holidays is offering £150 off any Canadian ski holiday for next winter, using the code EARLY. Seven nights at the Canalta Lodge in Banff costs from £1,009, excluding discount. The price includes bed and breakfast and flights from London Heathrow, departing February 26 2020. There’s also free ski carriage with Air Canada flights. Inghams has a number of offers currently running for early bookers, including free group places and two-for-one lift passes. There’s also chance to make the most of big discounts on trips to resorts all over the world. A week at Hotel Le Mottaret in Méribel costs from £1,548 per person, saving £320 each. The price includes full board, flights from London Stansted and transfers, departing January 25 2020. The operator is also bringing back six nights catering in all its chalets and chalet hotels, after a dramatic change to its model last season. Alpine Elements has frozen its prices on 2019/20 ski holidays. A Christmas trip to Morzine staying at Chalet Flo costs from £761 per person, at a special early book rate. The price includes chalet board for six nights, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing December 22 2019. Groups can also benefit from a number savings including two free places, free equipment hire and free lift passes. Iglu Ski is offering a number of deals for early-bookers, including two-for-one equipment hire when pre-booking lift passes on most deals, plus reduced prices. A week at Chalet Hotel de Champoluc in Champoluc costs from £774 per person. The price includes chalet board, flights from Gatwick and transfers, departing January 4 2020. Ski Line is offering up to 15 per cent off all inclusive ski holidays. Seven nights at Club Med’s La Plagne residence costs from £1,115 per person, reduced from £1,310. The price includes all meals drinks, lift passes, lessons, flights and transfers, departing January 12 2020.
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Lucy Aspden
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/advice/the-best-early-bird-ski-holiday-deals-and-offers/
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2019-07-24 14:00:00+00:00
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thetelegraph--2019-08-21--Revisiting the Del Coronado Hotel scene of a classic film and my best childhood holiday
| 2019-08-21T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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Revisiting the Del Coronado Hotel, scene of a classic film – and my best childhood holiday
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This summer marks 60 years since cinema-goers first saw Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis totter up the stairs of the Del Coronado Hotel in matching dresses and frilly hats, the palm-fringed Pacific Ocean behind them, the hotel’s clapboard verandas and tiled turrets rising above them. The San Diego resort’s rambling, Queen Anne revival architecture – like an ornate white wedding cake displayed against miles of pristine beach – so amazed the early audiences of Some Like It Hot that one critic slammed it as 'uproariously improbable'. The movie’s director, Billy Wilder, agreed that: “People who have never seen this beautiful hotel will never believe we didn’t make these scenes on a movie...
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Hattie Garlick
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/north-america/united-states/california/san-diego/articles/del-coronado-hotel-san-diego-some-like-it-hot/
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2019-08-21 11:49:28+00:00
| 1,566,402,568 | 1,567,533,844 |
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1,016,255 |
thetelegraph--2019-09-25--The 10 best ski resorts for a Christmas holiday
| 2019-09-25T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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The 10 best ski resorts for a Christmas holiday
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Where better to spend Christmas than a ski resort? Snowflakes falling, picturesque chalets with snow-covered roofs, lavishly decorated streets, sleigh bells ringing... That’s certainly the dream, but with Christmas (inevitably) coming early in the ski season, snow cover can be a concern for those planning their festive break in resort. For the best guarantee of good snow, it’s wise to aim for a high resort with a decent snow record, but it can also be worth chancing a lower, villagey resort that will be prettier should the snow roll in. Whether in search of wild parties, sophisticated glamour or lashings of festive fun for the children, these destinations offer picturesque settings and a good chance of guaranteed snow for the perfect break. Once skiing or snowboarding is done for the day, rejoice in the fact that bags of atmosphere is a certainty – Christmas trees will be lit up in town squares, hotels and chalets, fireworks will be popping, and hotel or chalet gala dinners will be the norm. Unless stated otherwise, prices are per person, based on two sharing a double or twin room, half-board, for seven nights, including flights and transfers. Although it’s often overlooked by the British, Ischgl offers raucous nightlife and high-quality, snow-sure pistes for intermediates. It’s famed for its opening and closing parties that host some of the world’s most celebrated musicians. Ischgl is an old farming village that has become a sophisticated tourist centre, with smart hotels and cavernous bars. The clientele tends to be older than the revellers who pack into the Mooserwirt on the slopes above the famed party resort of St Anton, but that doesn’t stop the Ischgl crowd from climbing on the tables and partying as if it were their last day on earth. Christmas carols held in the village church on December 26 are sure to add to the festive atmosphere. The ski area lacks a glacier but its altitude, combined with sophisticated snowmaking, pretty much guarantees at least adequate snow cover in a season that runs from the last weekend in November to the first weekend of May. With 239km of terrain, intermediates can have a ball. The main ways up to the slopes are by three heavyweight gondolas. One at each end of the resort go to the main mid-mountain hub of Idalp at 2,320m, while a third goes to Pardatschgrat at 2,624m, feeding into the network of lifts and runs that stretches across the Swiss frontier and down to the village of Samnaun at 1,840m. Ski Total has the modern, four-star Chalet Hotel Abendrot from £1,434, departing December 21 2019. It’s close to the resort centre but tucked away from the main drag. The package includes a full traditional Christmas dinner with Champagne apéritif, free ski hosting, use of the wellness area, afternoon tea and wine. Sitting on a sunny shelf, Wengen shares a ski area with Grindelwald, and most of the slopes are above its neighbour, under the towering north face of the Eiger. Together with next-door Mürren, they’re covered by the Jungfrau lift pass, a total of 210km of pistes. The streets of Wengen will be decorated for Christmas, and on Christmas Eve many Swiss families go to church to attend Midnight Mass, gathering afterwards to share hot chocolate and homemade doughnuts called ringli. The village might have been designed for families. It’s essentially car-free, and at its heart is a snow-covered field that serves as a combined playground and gentle nursery slope. For children progressing beyond this, the main way up the mountain is the cog railway that also gives access to the village from Lauterbrunnen down in the valley. Wengen offers several family-friendly toboggan runs. The obvious one is the 4.5km run from Wengernalp, but there are also long runs from the top of the mountain towards Grindelwald. In the middle of the village there’s curling and outdoor skating. Crystal Ski has the four‑star Hotel Silberhorn from £1,376 departing December 21 2019, including a festive dinner on Christmas Eve and a special gala dinner on Christmas Day. The hotel is conveniently near the cog railway station, with the nursery slopes not far away, and south-facing rooms have outstanding views. Few resorts have a more exclusive image than Lech. Princess Diana was its most famous patron, and other past visitors include the Jordanian royal family, the Dutch royal family and Monaco’s Princess Caroline. With such a blue-blooded guest list, you might picture an Austrian St Moritz or Megève. But despite its international reputation, Lech remains true to its farming village origins. It’s set at a modest altitude of 1,450m, but each year it receives up to twice as much snow as some of its French rivals. There are picturesque Christmas markets in both Lech and next‑door Zürs throughout December. As well as Zürs, Lech shares its local ski area with nearby Warth‑Schröcken, and the pistes at of all three are best suited to intermediates. They will find the terrain a lot more friendly than in neighbouring St Anton, which, like Lech, is covered by the Arlberg lift pass. For those in search of challenge, four heavyweight lifts link the Lech side of the 305km Arlberg ski area to the St Anton side. The main one is the Flexenbahn 10-seater cable car linking Zürs with Alpe Rauz in Stuben during a six-minute journey, giving access to St Anton’s pistes, including St Christoph and Stuben. The car-free satellite of Oberlech above the village, once the summer domain of shepherds and cowherds, has grown almost into a resort in its own right. It’s linked to Lech by a cable car, and the sunny side of the mountain above and below here is largely given over to flattering blue runs. The high slopes on both faces of the 2,377m Zuger Hochlicht above are much more demanding, with red runs and itinerary routes – ungroomed runs that are marked on the map but are neither patrolled nor avalanche controlled. The four-star Hotel Theodul in Lech is in a central yet peaceful location a short stroll from the main lifts and resort centre, and has luxuriously spacious rooms. From £1,879 with Ski Solutions, departing 22 December 2019. Beitostølen is an unspoilt village, with the Bitihorn mountain as a backdrop, situated at the edge of the Jotunheimen National Park. Thanks to its northern latitude, when snow comes, which tends to be early, it stays. The resort has two separate ski areas – one above Beitostølen and the other at Raudalen, 10 minutes away by free shuttle bus, offering a friendly 320km of slopes in total. The bars, restaurants, rental shops, ski schools and lifts are only a few minutes’ walk from all the accommodation in the resort. Two of Beitostølen’s 21 pistes are floodlit at night, and the gentle slopes and an English‑speaking ski school make the resort ideal for beginners. Beitostølen also appeals to those – such as families with young teenagers – looking to try a broad variety of winter activities. There’s snowmobiling on a purpose-built track, sliding down the slopes in a large inflatable raft, husky sledding, air boarding and an extensive network (more than 300km) of cross-country skiing trails. For a special night out, there’s the option of a snowmobile or sleigh ride to dinner in a tepee. Ski Safari has packages at the Radisson Blu resort hotel in Beitostølen, starting at £975, departing December 22 2019. Courchevel is at one end of the world’s largest lift-linked ski area, the Trois Vallées, which has 600km of pistes. Because many of Courchevel’s local slopes face north, the snow here is usually some of the best in the whole ski area, and there’s terrain to suit everyone from beginner to expert. As well as lifts and pistes, the villages (Courchevel Le Praz, Courchevel Village, Courchevel Moriond and Courchevel 1850) are linked by an efficient and frequent free bus service, and enjoy pretty woodland settings. Courchevel 1850, the main lift hub and now officially named just plain Courchevel, is by far the biggest resort village, and it’s where the rich Russians and Parisians head to flash their cash. The lower resorts are much more modest and affordable There’s arguably no better ski area than the Trois Vallées for intermediates of all standards to cover a lot of miles, and pistes are immaculately groomed each night. Courchevel’s local slopes offer 150km of varied runs. Off the snow, the Aquamotion centre below Moriond has indoor and outdoor pools, a surfing area, climbing wall, saunas, steam room and hot tub. There’s also an ice rink and fitness centre in Courchevel 1850. The four-star Hotel Fahrenheit Seven in Courchevel Moriond is a stylish property in a piste-side location. Inghams has packages from £1,719, including full traditional Christmas dinner with Champagne apéritif, departing December 21 2019. Founded in 1916 by Baroness Noémie de Rothschild, who decided that France should have its own St Moritz and set about transforming the farming village of Megève. Today, glittering boutiques, restaurants and hotels line the town square and ancient cobbled streets, and with the annual Swarovski Christmas tree twinkling, it’s the epitome of aristo chic. Megève is home to a whole constellation of five-star hotels, as well as Michelin-starred restaurants (including some with the maximum three-star accolade), as well as several of the world’s finest mountain spas. There are also some first-class mountain restaurants. At the top of the Mont Joux lift there’s table-top dancing at the Folie Douce restaurant and après bar, with spectacular views of Mont Blanc. For later on, the three-Michelin star Flocons de Sel just outside the village serves delicious food but the ambience is relaxed and not too formal. It has a cheaper bistro – Flocons Village – in the centre of Megève selling simpler and more affordable dishes. Megève’s slopes are extensive, with predominantly gentle pitches and lots of tree-lined runs for low-visibility days. Three main ski areas – Rochebrune, Mont d’Arbois and quiet Le Jaillet – are all reached by different cable cars from town. The risk at Christmas is Megève’s low altitude, but as its lifts are owned by the Compagnie du Mont Blanc, which operates Chamonix’s lift system, visitors can buy a Mont Blanc Unlimited lift pass and access higher slopes at nearby Les Contamines, as well as Chamonix, Courmayeur and Verbier. Part of Sibuet’s stable of properties, Les Fermes de Marie is a collection of restored timber chalets comprising cosy rooms and suites, two restaurants and the original cowshed‑chic Alpine spa, L’Altitude. Scott Dunn offers packages departing on December 22 2019 from £3,414, including a Christmas gala dinner and private airport transfers. Obergurgl is one of the highest ski villages in Europe, set at 1,930m at the end of the Ötztal valley near Innsbruck. Not only is it Austria’s most snow-sure non-glacial resort, its link to neighbouring Hochgurgl at 2,150m, which has a glacier going up to 3,080m, strengthens its image as the country’s most reliable resort for snow cover over a season that starts in mid‑November. Many families loyally return every winter to the small, traditional village set around an early 18th-century church and the resort’s original inn, the Hotel Edelweiss & Gurgl. The resort, spread out as far as avalanche safety limits allow, has little traffic and its 112km of slopes are ideal for beginners and improving intermediates. Families come here for the overall experience of friendly villages and intermediate slopes that are equally snow‑sure from December to April. The Top Mountain Crosspoint in Hochgurgl is worth a visit, not only because it is the base station for the powerful two-stage 10-person Kirchenkarbahn gondola to 2,839m and a pair of long runs, but to check out its smart mountain restaurant and unusual motorbike museum. The après scene in Obergurgl is traditional rather than contemporary, with late afternoon dancing on tables in a couple of the mountain restaurants, including the Nederhütte. Although it’s possible to come across well-oiled après-skiers still in their boots at 10pm, this is not a resort for party animals. For good-value eating out, Pizzeria Belmonte is part of the Haus Gurgl Hotel and serves tasty pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven. Inghams offers packages at the four-star Hotel Jenewein from £1,629, including full traditional Christmas dinner with Champagne apéritif, departing December 21 2019. The unspoilt but substantial 200km Monterosa ski area is tucked beneath the mighty Monterosa massif, which divides Italy from Switzerland. It stretches over three valleys with one small resort in each – Champoluc, Gressoney and Alagna. A key attraction for experts is a cable car to the area’s high point, Punta Indren, at 3,275m. This opens up a variety of off‑piste options towards Gressoney or Alagna, but there are no pistes down. The Alagna side has the gnarliest runs – one of the trickiest, the Malfatta couloir, starts with a glacier crossing and a roped descent of a narrow gorge. Runs on the Gressoney side are generally more mellow, and the Vallone d’Olen is fun even for strong intermediates. While there is easiest access to the tough runs from the quiet, picturesque little village of Alagna, Champoluc is more lively for a Christmas holiday. It is a charming village, with beautiful scenery, a typically Italian laid-back atmosphere and some decent bars. From the village there’s a gondola up to Crest, where the beginner slopes are situated. From nearby Frachey, reached by free shuttle bus, a funicular gives more direct access towards Gressoney and Alagna. Ski Total has the Chalet Hotel Breithorn in Champoluc from £1,099, including full traditional Christmas dinner with Champagne apéritif, departing December 21 2019. It has 31 bedrooms, a spacious lounge and wellness area. Switzerland’s most famous resort brings together every Alpine cliché, from its views of the world’s most photogenic mountain, the Matterhorn, to narrow streets lined with weathered chalets. The village feels particularly festive thanks to horse-drawn sleighs in the car-free streets, alongside the glowing shop windows and chestnut and glühwein stalls. Zermatt has snow-sure slopes from late November, while high-altitude top stations (up to 3,820m), a slick lift system and outstanding mountain restaurants make it a cut above. There are plenty of long, scenic, satisfying runs for intermediates, plus lots of challenges and areas of easily accessible, gentle off piste. Extensive off piste and itinerary runs (avalanche controlled but not patrolled) will satisfy experts. Zermatt itselft has 200km of piste, and is also linked to Cervinia over the Italian border, another 160km of piste. It's important to think about location when picking accommodation, as the town is spread out. The three lift stations, which access different parts of the mountain, are the Gornergrat railway (next to the main railway station), the Sunnegga funicular, a 10-minute walk away from the centre, and the Furi gondola, more than half a mile from the station. Efficient electric buses and taxis cover all parts of town. Zermatt ranks highly on lists of the most expensive resorts, but there are modest b&bs among the designer hotels, and kebab stands and a even a camouflaged McDonald’s among the swish restaurants. Although the lift pass prices are hefty, under 10s ski free. Hotel National is set in a quiet location (an eight-minute walk from the town centre) opposite the Sunnegga Lift and ski bus stop. Facilities include a spa area with indoor pool, whirlpool, steam baths and sauna. Most rooms have a view of the Matterhorn. A Christmas gala dinner is included. From £1,809, departing on December 21 2019 with Igluski. Purpose-built Val Thorens is not only the highest resort in the giant 600km Trois Vallées ski area that includes Courchevel and Méribel, but the highest in Europe, set at 2,300m. Its lofty altitude means slopes from the door, with guaranteed snow cover from November onwards. The terrain suits everyone from beginner to expert, but the vast majority of visitors are intermediate, for whom Val Thorens is a dream. The resort has 140km of its own pistes, and on-piste highlights include long runs for all standards from the top of the 3,200m Cime de Caron, but forays into the territories of Les Menuires and St Martin de Belleville for long, cruising and at times demanding runs should not be missed. There’s also a world‑class terrain park, the setting for national and international events, and two exciting zipwires – a double wire above the village, La Bee, and a high alternative, La Tyrolienne at 3,230m. Since 1971, when the first ugly blocks rose from this white wasteland, Val Thorens has developed into an almost attractive, sophisticated resort with an ever-growing number of five-star hotels and apartment complexes. There are also plenty of good restaurants, including one Michelin-starred Les Explorateurs, overseen by Chef Josselin Jeanblanc in the Hotel Pashmina. Nightlife is young and surprisingly vibrant for a purpose-built resort in France, partly because Val Thorens attracts university trips heaving with British students. It was also the second French resort after Val d’Isère to open a Folie Douce party bar and Fruitière mountain restaurant, just above the village. Club Med's Val Thorens Sensations resort has all-inclusive packages departing December 22 2019, priced from £2,177 for adults. Children under four stay free. Price includes all food and drink, lessons and lift passes. Club Med really pulls out all the stops at Christmas – festive activities include a visit from Santa on his sleigh (or helicopter or piste basher) on Christmas Eve and presents handed to every child on Christmas Day, plus a Christmas show and a traditional Christmas feast.
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Telegraph Ski
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/articles/best-christmas-ski-resorts/
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2019-09-25 12:15:00+00:00
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thetelegraph--2019-11-27--Best Black Friday travel deals: Early offers on flights and hotels for your 2019 winter break or 202
| 2019-11-27T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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Best Black Friday travel deals: Early offers on flights and hotels for your 2019 winter break or 2020 holiday
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The reach of Black Friday grows every year. The pre-Christmas spending festival has now infiltrated the world of holidays, meaning tour operators, airlines, hotels et al are getting in on the act and offering up discounts and deals of up to 50 per cent off. Below we have rounded up some of the ones already available ahead of this Friday, with offers covering breaks this winter and well into next year. Be sure to double check the terms and conditions of all below deals with the operator involved. See here for guidance on how to spot the best offers. Hong Kong’s flag carrier Cathay Pacific (cathaypacific.co.uk) is promising fare reductions on Black Friday but has released details in advance of its teaser offer, a £300 voucher to be spent in Hong Kong’s airport for those travelling before the end of the year. The offer is available to anyone travelling in transit with the airline. South American airline Latam (latam.com) is offering up to 20 per cent off flights to Latin America, booked between November 25 and December 2, and 50 per cent off flights within Latin America. The airline does not fly from the UK but connects on to Latin America via Madrid. Air Transat (airtransat.co.uk) is running a sale until November 29, offering return flights from London Gatwick to Toronto from £299, for selected dates in the New Year. There are other deals on Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary. Air New Zealand (airnewzealand.co.uk) says it will release 100 return tickets between London and Los Angeles for just £179 per person at 10am, November 29. It says further offers will follow until December 3. Eurostar (eurostar.com) is asking travellers to log on to its Eurostar Snap website (snap.eurostar.com) to pick up one-way tickets to Paris, Brussels or Lille for £25. Guests book whether they want to travel in the morning or afternoon and then receive details of their exact departure 48 hours in advance. Hilton (hilton.com) says there will be savings of up to 30 per cent on stays at more than 450 hotels across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, running until January 28. Mr and Mrs Smith (mrandmrssmith.com) is promising a range of offers for Black Friday, including 40 per cent off stays at Finland’s Arctic Treehouse Hotel, and 50 per cent off stays at New York’s Arlo NoMad and Arlo SoHo. Aurora Zone (theaurorazone.com) is offering savings of up to £500 per couple for festive breaks this Christmas, booked by December 3; among them a three-night, full-board stay at Lake Inari in Finland, including activities, flights and transfers, from £1,375 per person, down from £1,625. Emirates Holidays (emiratesholidays.com) has a range of offers on stays in the Maldives, Dubai and Thailand, including up to 40 per cent off a three-night stay at the five-star Fairmont The Palm in Dubai, with prices from £699 per person, including flights and half-board. Prestige Holidays (prestigeholidays.co.uk) has a range of offers, including 25 per cent off stays at four-star Los Jameos Playa in Lanzarote, booked up until December 3. It is also offering £600 off per person on trips to Bermuda, staying at the Hamilton Princess and Beach Club, including return flights. Must be booked between November 29 and December 6. Florida specialist Ocean Florida (ocean-florida.co.uk) is offering a number of holidays to the US state at cut prices, including: seven nights at the Avanti Palms Resort from just £389 per person, including flights, based on for sharing; and seven nights self catering at the Fantasy World Resort based on six sharing a two-bed apartment, from £399. Turquoise Holidays (turquoiseholidays.co.uk) is offering 50 per cent off accommodation at Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives, with the price per person for seven nights coming to £1,999, including flights, speedboat transfers and half-board dining. STA Travel (statravel.co.uk) has 40 per cent discounts available on some of its adventure tours for Black Friday and to mark its 40th birthday. The offer applies to selected tours, including itineraries in Australia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. There are additional discounts available to campervan hire in the US, bus passes in Europe and New Zealand and accommodation in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland. Last Minute (lastminute.com) is launching a raft of sales, from beach and sun to transatlantic trips. Choice cuts include seven nights half board at a four-star hotel in Lanzarote from £369 per person, including flights, departing December 7, and four nights at a four-star hotel in New York, including flights, from £499 per person, departing January 10. Anyone with ambitions to head down under in the New Year should keep an eye on Austravel (austravel.com), which is offering £150 off on Black Friday, including on a two-week holiday to Western Australia, with accommodation, car hire and flights, departing in May. Sandals (sandals.co.uk) is joining in by offering £150 off on a number of its hotels across a range of destinations, including a seven-night, all-inclusive stay at its Sandals South Coast Jamaica from £1,699 per person, based on two adults sharing, including flights and transfers. Spain’s La Manga Club in Murcia (lamangaclub.com) is offering up to 40 per cent off on stays taken before next autumn, with additional savings available on spa treatments and wedding bookings. Crystal Ski Holidays (crystalski.co.uk) will give anyone booking a trip between November 27 and December 3 £50 off per person. Winter operator Ski Beat (skibeat.co.uk) has cut up to 30 per cent off some of its trips for this season, including seven nights fully catered at a chalet in La Plagne, complete with sauna, from £729 per person, including flights and transfers. Avis Prestige (avisprestige.com) is marking Black Friday with 50 per cent off deals on luxury car hire for vehicles booked up to December 18. Red Funnel Ferries (redfunnel.co.uk) has cut the price of all bookings made by December 6 by a third, with no black-out dates, up to November 2020.
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/best-black-friday-travel-deals-flights-hotels-2019-2020-holidays/
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Wed, 27 Nov 2019 10:12:12 GMT
| 1,574,867,532 | 1,574,858,407 |
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eveningstandard--2019-04-09--Easter ideas for kids 10 fun things to do during the school holidays
| 2019-04-09T00:00:00 |
eveningstandard
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Easter ideas for kids: 10 fun things to do during the school holidays
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With the two-week Easter break approaching, there’s plenty of fun, family-friendly activities to be enjoyed. Here are our favourite events and days out to treat the children to in and around London. With Spring in full swing, children are invited to come out of hibernation and reinvent themselves as zookeepers for a exciting role-playing experience at ZSL London Zoo. Young volunteers will be able to go behind the scenes with the experts to learn what the animal kingdom get up to at this time of year. Smaller children will love the Great Brick Safari at Whipsnade Zoo, which will see the unveiling of several majestic Lego brick animals – including an elephant that weighs a tonne in bricks. As well as being a utopia for playing and exploring nature, the 326-acre Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew have an array of fun activities for families to enjoy over the Easter break. Chocolate egg-lovers of all ages can learn more about the origins of their favourite treat with storytelling sessions held each Sunday in the Davies Exploration House, before visiting cocoa trees in the Palm House and Princess of Wales Conservatory. Celebrated American glass sculptor Dale Chihuly has also created a series of visually-stunning works for display at Kew. Families visiting the exhibition can try a fun, interactive, trail directing visitors around the Gardens, and encouraging children to engage with and tally up the Chihuly artworks. Perfect for teens who have grown out of Easter egg hunts, the challenge-solving adventure in Shaftesbury Avenue’s Trocadero is now open to a younger audience (of 13+). Following a five million pound investment, the interactive experience is bigger than before, with more than 30 new games. Players don retro bomber jackets before entering the maze and dashing through the Medieval, Aztec, Industrial and Futuristic adventure zones to complete a series of timed mental and physical challenges. The more challenges completed successfully, the more crystals the teams win and the more time you have for the final showdown in the iconic Crystal Dome. Booking in advance is recommended. Underbelly open their doors for the 11th year this April with a roster of family-friendly shows. Following a sell-out season at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, children’s author Julia Donaldson presents The Gruffalo, The Witch and The Warthog. Suitable for four to 10-year-olds, the show features a cast of five bringing the author’s favourite stories (including Room on the Broom, The Gruffalo, The Magic Paintbrush, The Ugly Five, Superworm and The Cook and the King) to life using puppets and singing. Pre-schoolers will enjoy Monstersaurus!, which is based on the Claire Freedman book. Running until April 22, this 50-minute show follows young, budding inventor Monty who creates whacky inventions and monsters, after which he needs to figure out what he is going to do with them. Also not to be missed is the Louis Pearl’s, The Amazing Bubble Man (from May 4-6) — a thrilling show including comedy and mesmerizing bubble tricks that will leave kids gasping with amazement. Treat the kids to a truly decadent Easter egg hunt. Lindt’s tasty and iconic gold bunnies have been hidden around the gardens of the official residence of young royals William, Kate, Harry and Meghan. The hour-and-a-half hunt is designed for children aged three to 12-years-old and their families. Search for and claim your chocolate rewards before enjoying regal activities such as dressing as a Georgian courtier and playing a spot of croquet on the East Front Lawn. Why wait for Halloween to treat the little monsters to some ghoulish fun? Legoland’s new ride offers a ‘frightfully friendly’ experience for all the family. Join your host, Lord Vampyre in his Haunted House for an unforgettable experience. Guests will be entertained with joke-telling before taking their seats in a magnificent banquet room. Marvel at the cauldrons and potions, before Lord Vampyre reveals his mind-boggling party trick. The multi-talented David Baddiel has become a master of storytelling and the tale of ANiMALCOLM is one his best yet, scooping up awards after the book came out in 2017. This madcap adaptation tells the story of Malcolm, a child who just doesn’t understand the appeal of animals, until an eventful school trip to a farm sends him on a journey of self-discovery. The award-winning Story Pocket Theatre bring Baddiel’s witty story to life in a production that adults will enjoy as much as kids. Various dates, across Greater London including Watford Palace and the Radlett Centre, storypockettheatre.co.uk Sweet-toothed kids — and parents — will love this indulgent afternoon tea at the five-star London Hilton. The Mayfair hotel is serving up a truly tasty array of delicacies from chocolate chip mini scones to mushroom meringues and mini chocolate cake-pops. Accompanying drinks include hot chocolate, milkshakes and fresh fruit smoothies This specially-created afternoon tea can be found at the hotel's Podium Restaurant and has been created by executive chef Anthony Marshall and the recent winner of Channel 4's Bake Off: The Professionals, pastry chef Emmanuel Bonneau. If all those sugary treats aren't enough to put a spring in their step, youngsters are also gifted a teddy bear from Hamleys to take home. Following the soaraway success of The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure, prolific childrens’ author Julia Donaldson has teamed up with Chessington World of Adventures again for a new, enchanting experience. A kind witch, a fearsome dragon and a quick-thinking dog, bird, cat and frog are the stars in Donaldson’s Room on The Broom, a tale which teaches kids the importance of kindness. This interactive tale takes place in an ‘enchanted library’ where kids are invited to try various sensory experiences to help the witch gather her fallen items. The new adventure opened in March, with two new themed Room on the Broom bedrooms in the Chessington Safari Hotel. This child-friendly farm just off the M25 near St Albans springs to life at Easter with a packed programme of activities. Kids can enjoy a host of entertaining and educational events from lamb bottle-feeding demonstrations to watching a Peter Rabbit stage show. Easter arts and crafts, tractor rides, inflatables and more than 400 farm animals will ensure they have a fun filled day.
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Anjana Gosai
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https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/attractions/10-things-to-do-kids-easter-a4107896.html
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2019-04-09 09:36:00+00:00
| 1,554,816,960 | 1,567,543,427 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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997,910 |
thetelegraph--2019-01-31--Where to go in February 10 last-minute holiday ideas
| 2019-01-31T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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Where to go in February: 10 last-minute holiday ideas
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From European carnivals to African train journeys, here are 10 fine excuses for a last-minute holiday. There aren’t many European hot spots in February, but Spain’s most southerly province is a decent bet. Head there at the end of February and 20C days are possible. Annie Bennett, our expert to the region, suggests exploring the Costa Tropical, in the province of Granada, a coastline of coves and Moorish watchtowers. “A quirk of climate means that dense groves of mangos, avocados, custard apples, bananas and other exotic crops flank the Mediterranean,” she writes. “The protection of the Sierra Nevada and the warm winds blowing over from north Africa create a subtropical microclimate with 320 days of sunshine a year and mild temperatures even in winter.” The city of Jerez is another good bet. Its flamenco festival kicks off on February 22. Fly to Malaga or Seville easyJet, BA or Ryanair. This feted slice of sand and sunshine is a continental junction box – officially African in that it is part of Tanzania, seductively Middle Eastern in the mercantile heritage of Stone Town (which was once the capital of Oman), temptingly tropical in the way the Indian Ocean laps at its sides. Of course, this clash of cultures only makes Zanzibar more exotic – and the weather is largely reliable, flirting with the thirties Celsius as February dawns. Technically, a late Easter pushes Shrove Tuesday back to March 5 this year, but France’s liveliest carnival celebrations, which really ought to be held during Lent, are happening before that from February 16-March 2. The highlights are the Carnival Parades, Parades of Lights and the famous Flower Parades, all accompanied by street players and musicians. This year’s theme celebrates French cinema. It’s also an excellent excuse to catch the first of the spring sunshine on the Riviera. EasyJet and BA both offer flights to Nice from a variety of UK airports. Our expert guide to the city, which includes hotel recommendations, is here. The final test is in St Lucia (Feb 9-13) so there is just time to shoot out for a week of winter sunshine on the boundary and on the beach. Or, you could travel to Barbados later in the month for the two One Day Internationals (Feb 20-22). Caribtours (020 7751 0660; caribtours.co.uk), which has one of the best portfolios of accommodation across the Caribbean, can arrange packages. Huge falls of snow earlier this month have guaranteed a bumper season, especially in Switzerland, where some resorts are enjoying near record snow depths. The Graubunden region was especially well-favoured and has the advantage that you can fly via Zurich rather than busy-Geneva. St Moritz is the most famous resort, but consider also Flims, and the linked resorts of Arosa and Lenzerheide - both are offered by Powder Byrne (powderbyrne.com). Amsterdam was home to one of the greatest artists of all time - Rembrandt. And from February 15 the Rijksmuseum (rijksmuseum.nl) celebrates the 350th anniversary of his death with an exhibition of all 22 of his paintings in its collection as well as 60 drawings and more than 300 prints. Combine a visit with a trip to the Rembrandt house (rembrandthuis.nl), one of the best presented artists’ houses anywhere. Eurostar (eurostar.com) now offers a direct train. Our guide to Amsterdam is here. Symbolising hope and purity, snowdrops are Scotland’s answer to Japan’s cherry blossom season, with their arrival heralding the end of winter and the promise of spring. The Scottish Snowdrop Festival (January 25 to March 11) takes place in gardens and estates across the country, with some of the best displays at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden, Cringletie House in Peebles, Perthshire’s Cluny House, and Broughton House in Dumfries & Galloway. Florence empties out after the Christmas and New Year holidays, making this one of the best periods to visit. Glowing from a recent revamp, the Savoy has a super-central location and stylish yet homely rooms (from £353 without breakfast). For something more affordable, head south of the river to lovely Piazza Santo Spirito where Palazzo Guadagni offers whispers of A Room with a View and a glorious wraparound loggia. Doubles from £70, including breakfast. For more advice on what to see and do, see our expert guide. February is the one of the best months to visit South Africa, with temperatures in the high 20s. Explore Cape Town (BA flies direct), before jumping on the luxurious Blue Train to Pretoria, taking in mountain ranges, grasslands and deserts and with stops at the fashionable old town of Matjiesfontein in the Karoo on the northbound journey, and the historic diamond-mining town of Kimberley on the journey back. A three-day trip, courtesy of Ffestiniog Travel, costs from £1,135 per person, including all meals and drinks. February in Lanzarote means daytime temperatures in the low 20s, perfect for those who want to sunbathe but also explore, and this year marks the centenary of the visionary architect César Manrique, whose influence on his native island is almost impossible to overestimate. Manrique’s mantra was “Arte-Naturaleza, Naturaleza-Arte” (Art-Nature, Nature-Art): the belief that development should be environmentally-friendly and integrate man-made forms with natural spaces. Highlights on a Manrique tour include his Mirador de Rio lookout, which perches like an eagle’s nest on Lanzarote’s northern cape, Jameos del Agua, a fantasy grotto built around a volcanic tunnel that has been dubbed “the Eighth Wonder of the World”, and a garden with thousands of cacti arranged like exhibits in a Mad Hatter’s sculpture park. For more on the architect and his influence on Lanzarote, follow this link. Our complete guide to the island is here.
|
Telegraph Travel
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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/lists/february-travel-ideas/
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2019-01-31 14:13:19+00:00
| 1,548,961,999 | 1,567,550,107 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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1,000,820 |
thetelegraph--2019-02-28--March holiday ideas 10 amazing last-minute escapes
| 2019-02-28T00:00:00 |
thetelegraph
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March holiday ideas: 10 amazing last-minute escapes
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From Middle Eastern sun to British blooms, here are 10 good reasons to get away this month. If Dublin has a rival for its St Patrick’s Day celebrations (March 18), it is New York, where the all-green parade marches down 5th Avenue from 44th Street to 79th Street (nycstpatricksparade.org/parade). For flights try Trailfinders (trailfinders.com); see our expert guide and recommended hotels. Jordan’s port-resort of Aqaba, on the Red Sea, is a fascinating place to engage with Middle Eastern culture, combine some early season sunshine with a couple of days on the beach and see Petra and Lawrence of Arabia’s desert camp at Wadi Rum – each...
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Telegraph Travel
|
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/march-holiday-ideas-book-travel/
|
2019-02-28 11:10:14+00:00
| 1,551,370,214 | 1,567,547,001 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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60,568 |
birminghammail--2019-04-11--Twycross Zoo celebrates arrival of Nandi the rhino with this fantastic Easter holidays tickets offer
| 2019-04-11T00:00:00 |
birminghammail
|
Twycross Zoo celebrates arrival of Nandi the rhino with this fantastic Easter holidays tickets offer
|
Picking and choosing ways to spend your Easter holidays can often prove to be a challenge when it comes to not just keeping your children happy, but keeping the cost down, too. But don't worry, as Twycross Zoo has got the solution - with some fantastic deals on tickets that will not only save you money, but provide you with an unforgettable day out. This Easter, families can save up to 60% of tickets when booking tickets online by midnight the day before visiting the zoo. And with adult tickets up for grabs at just £11, children's tickets for as little as £5.50 and little monkey's under two can even get in for free! (prices include gift aid) Click here to book your tickets now As a charity and one of the leading zoo's in the Midlands, Twycross is home to more than 500 animals and carries out vital conservation work to protect some of the world's most endangered species. And the Midland attraction has just welcomed its newest arrival – Nandi, a stunning, critically endangered Eastern Black Rhino. Don't forget, during the Easter holidays, not only will you get the chance to meet Nandi - Twycross Zoo is also offering unbeatable ticket offers for families with savings of up to 60%! Prices start at just £11 per adult and £5.50 as a child and infants under two can even enter for free (prices include gift aid). Don't miss out on an Easter full of adventure, click here to book your tickets to Twycross Zoo Here's the lowdown on days out at Twycross Zoo throughout the Easter holidays: With a host of talks, activities and plenty to discover, there's no better place to spend your Easter holidays that at Twycross Zoo. One of the biggest attractions in the heart of the Midlands, Twycross is only a 30-minute drive from the city centre, making it the perfect destination for all the family to enjoy, whatever the weather. Once you've met Nandi, there's still so much on offer at Twycross. Home to more than 500 animals, you can also expect to see monkeys, giraffes, meerkats, leopards and so many more. Make your way to the Lorikeet habitat and feed the colourful birds*, taking a stroll through the Butterfly Forest to see the evolution of one of the most delicate animals and meeting our Pets and Goats in Explorer Zone. Don't forget to pay a visit to the fantastic Chimpanzee Eden, too, the zoo’s £3.5million award-winning enclosure that provides an outstanding habitat for the troupe of chimps, before grabbing a bite to eat over while watching the beautiful snow leopards at Costa or The View Restaurant, or the zoo's chip shop. After lunch, you can catch a live feed at one of the habitats, see the penguin parade and look at for the zoo's adorable babies including Molusc the penguin chick, two wallaby joeys, a Kirk's Dik-Dik fawn and so many more. And, if the weather's being kind, bring your swim wear and splash around in the Wet 'n' Wild play area, which is free to enter with your admission ticket. Smaller adventurers will enjoy the soft play area* and interacting with adorable animals including goats, donkeys and household pets in the Explorer Zone, before going on an adventure in their very own Safari Car*. There are so many ways to have a crackin' Easter at Twycross Zoo, book your tickets now! This Easter, Twycross Zoo is offering unbeatable ticket offers for families with savings of up to 60%! Prices start at just £11 per adult and £5.50 as a child and infants under two can even enter for free. Karen Clarke, COO at Twycross Zoo, said: "Our fantastic offer, combined with our adorable new arrival, Nandi, means we're all set up for a fantastic Easter and we look forward to welcoming lots of families for a memorable day out. "Also, here at Twycross we rely solely on the generosity of our visitors and ticket sales to continue our vital conservation work, so a great Easter will help us tremendously in maintaining species across the world." All you need to do to take advantage of these incredible offers by booking your tickets online by midnight the day before your visit. Adult: £11 (normally £21.95 on the day) Child: £5.50 (normally £16.95 on the day) One adult and one child: £16.50 (normally £38.90, 57% saving) One adult and two children: £22 (normally £55.85, 60% saving) Two adults and one child: £27.50 (normally £60.85, 54% saving) Two adults and two children: £33 (normally £77.80, 57% saving) Two adults and three children: £38.50 (normally £94.75, 59% saving) Please note, these prices are available only when booked online by midnight the day before your visit and are available for a limited time only. Click here to book your tickets for an unforgettable day at Twycross Zoo Savings on a family of four is based standard on the day pricing, including gift aid for two adult and two child tickets. Safari Cars, soft play and feeding the lorikeets are additional costs and height restrictions do apply for users in the soft play area. Safari Cars can be booked in advance by clicking here. As well as caring for endangered animals, conservation work is also a huge part of what Twycross Zoo does. The zoo is currently home to around 150 different species of animals, but without zoos like Twycross and organisations across the globe carrying out vital breeding programmes and support towards projects, many of these animals are threatened by extinction. Twycross aims to not only introduce visitors to animals that roam our planet, but educate them in the work that is being carried out to protect them both in the zoo and within the wild. The Twycross Zoo Conservation Initiative has contributed to many conservation and welfare programmes to support and protect animals since 2006, as well as breeding endangered species and working closely with international organisations. You can find out more about the conservation work carried out by Twycross Zoo by clicking here.
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Becky Weaver
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https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/special-features/twycross-zoo-easter-days-out-16099817
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2019-04-11 15:21:50+00:00
| 1,555,010,510 | 1,567,543,134 |
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birminghammail--2019-02-14--Unbeatable offers and family fun at Twycross Zoo this half term
| 2019-02-14T00:00:00 |
birminghammail
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Unbeatable offers and family fun at Twycross Zoo this half term
|
Keeping the kids occupied during the half term is never an easy challenge, especially when the bad weather hits. But Twycross Zoo is on-hand to make the holidays enjoyable for everyone, even if the weather's not in your favour. The Midlands zoo is offering unbeatable entry prices for adults, children and families on visits from February 16 – 24, making massive savings of up to 60% available to book online now. This means your little monkeys aged two to 16 can gain entry for £5.50 a ticket, and adults only £11 giving you a thrilling day out that won't break the bank. What are you waiting for? Grab your wellies and raincoats, and head out on an unforgettable day of adventures! Book your tickets to Twycross Zoo now! Whatever the weather has in store for us this half term, Twycross Zoo has plenty to see and do come rain or shine. Open 364 days a year, Twycross is one of the most popular attractions in Midlands, welcoming thousands of animal-lovers through its doors every year. Located just off junction 11 of the M42, it's only 30-minute drive from the city, so you can really make the most out of your visit. Home to more than 500 animals including big cats, giraffes, meerkats, monkeys and many more. You can learn about some of the most endangered species on the planet, as well as engaging in talks with rangers to see how the zoo is helping to protect them. And if you want to get up close to some of the zoo's residents, then make sure you head to the lorikeet habitat for your chance to feed the colourful birds, before making your way to the Butterfly Forest to see the cycle of each beautiful butterflies journey, and paying a visit to the lemurs in their walk-through arena. Don't forget to stop by Chimpazee Eden too, where you can meet the zoo's wonderful troop of chimpanzees in their extravagant habitat. Over at Explorer Zone, you’ll discover donkeys and household pets as well as the adorable goats in their walk-through. And as if all of this wasn't already enough, there are plenty of outdoor habitats, home to some of your favourite animals, an indoor soft play area and the popular Safari Cars for explorers aged three to 10. To add to the half term excitement, families who come along to the zoo on Monday, February 18, will have the chance to meet the stars of DreamWorks® Madagascar the Musical, including 2016 X Factor winner Matt Terry, the penguins of Madagascar and Mort the lemur between 11am - 2pm. This half term Twycross Zoo is offering unbeatable ticket prices to families, with discounts of up to 60% availble. Tickets are as little as £11 per adult and £5.50 per child, creating savings as big as £11.45! There are also savings that can be made for families of all sizes, so no-one misses out. Here's a list of all the ticket prices and savings available: Tickets are available on the gate, but you can take advantage of these amazing offers now by booking tickets ahead of your visit here. Please note, all ticket prices include a voluntary gift aid donation. Entry excluding gift aid is £10 for adults and £5 for children. Located in the heart of England, Twycross Zoo is can be found just of junction 11 of the M42. It's a short an sweet car trip to the attraction, which will take you around 30 minutes to reach from Birmingham. To find out more about the zoo, and what's on offer this half term, click here!
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Becky Weaver
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https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/special-features/unbeatable-offers-family-fun-twycross-15820431
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2019-02-14 15:56:29+00:00
| 1,550,177,789 | 1,567,548,486 |
lifestyle and leisure
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701,556 |
theguardianuk--2019-05-31--Visit Jersey Zoo and stay the night
| 2019-05-31T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
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Visit Jersey Zoo – and stay the night
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As the sun sets, a perplexing array of sounds waft over the gently sloping meadow of our campsite. As well as the chaffinch’s call, there’s a curious tap-tap-tapping; beyond, a bird with a sore throat is imitating a donkey; then there’s a hoot, a laugh and a furious chattering argument. After two nights, we identify the noises. The tap-tapping is wild red squirrels, which open wooden feeders on the old oaks around us. The “donkey” is a white-naped crane, the hoot is a howler monkey, and the arguments are between the lemurs that curl their tails around the trees just beyond our tent. When we (my wife Lisa, twins Milly and Esme, 7, and Ted, 5) arrive at Durrell Wildlife Camp, a glamping site based right beside the lush parkland of Jersey Zoo, we are warned that lemurs will wake us every morning. They don’t: we sleep incredibly soundly, spellbound by intense days spent unusually close to other animals and calm evenings sleeping together beside the woodburner inside our yurt. A zoo holiday is an easy sell to my wildlife-loving children. But, to be honest, I’d visited Jersey once before and wasn’t a fan. There’s its reputation for rich tax exiles, while its maze of lanes – like spaghetti, according to one local – seemed claustrophobic. I’m ambivalent about zoos, too, and don’t believe that large, roaming animals, such as elephants, should be kept in such small spaces. But I was wrong about Jersey, and its zoo does exactly what Gerald Durrell declared it must when he founded it 60 years ago: it is dedicated to “saving species from extinction”. Unexpectedly, the island’s west coast feels like Australia, with its thundering surf, glittering light and vast beaches, and is home to unspoiled coves such as Beau Port and Portelet Bay. On the more desolate north coast, I spy the acrobatic choughs – the beautiful “sea crows” which vanished from the Channel Islands a century ago but have been reintroduced by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, the charity that co-ordinates Jersey Zoo’s captive-breeding work to support endangered species around the world. When we arrive at the zoo, it immediately feels homely, perhaps because it still is a home, and there’s a sense that the staff are a close-knit family. Gerald Durrell died in 1995 but his widow, Lee, still lives here, alongside other conservationists working for Durrell’s charity. Durrell is remembered for his jolly stories but he was also a conservation visionary who revolutionised the western concept of a zoo, demanding that they become arks for wildlife. His legacy is visible on our first evening, when we watch some of the young scientists studying in the zoo’s conservation academy enjoying a kick-about on the grass outside the campsite. Durrell’s academy has trained more than 4,000 conservationists from 141 countries (and I can confirm that Brazilian conservation scientists possess the best footballing skills). These young conservationists are as chatty and idealistic as zoo employee Will Highfield, who takes us on a dusk tour (a perk of zoo camp life) after the day visitors have departed. Will worked in financial services – as do many young Jersey islanders – before volunteering and then taking a job at the zoo. Later this year he is running a marathon in a gorilla suit to raise money for gorilla conservation. Having this garden-like zoo to ourselves at a time of day when many animals, such as the amazing fruit bats, become more active, is magical. Most western zoos now have “enriched” habitats with plenty of natural vegetation, but Jersey’s enclosures are particularly generous. Tamarin monkeys live uncaged in natural woodland. Lemurs climb high in ancient oaks and sycamores. And there’s also a preponderance of what Durrell called “little brown jobs”. He believed we were as much obliged to save from extinction the mountain chicken (a large, shy and rather plain-looking frog) and the (actually quite grey) pink pigeon as we are lions and tigers. And so his zoo continues to breed the two former species for conservation programmes, and doesn’t keep the latter. Staying at the campsite gives us free access to the zoo, and we easily fill three days there. This solves the sensory overload problem posed by a day trip, when children rush from animal to animal without experiencing any true connection with another species. As they keep returning, my children slow down, and develop relationships with their favourite animals. We book in for extra “experiences” – meeting lemurs and feeding meerkats, otters and orangutans. Meeting the orangutans is a particularly emotional encounter: our endangered near-relatives most sharply prick our consciences about the extinction crisis. I’m struck by how this zoo holiday helps fulfil what US naturalist EO Wilson called biophilia – our craving for a deep connection with other species. Milly adores feeding camellia flowers to the lemurs, Ted loves the jewel-like blue poison frogs and, in the butterfly house, Esme is as authoritative as a miniature keeper, licking her finger and expertly tempting butterflies on to it, feeling that joy that comes from bonding with another member of our amazing planet. • The trip was provided by the Durrell Wildlife Camp at Jersey Zoo. A three-night stay for a family of four costs from £480 (extra tipis available for older children for £30 a night), including unlimited entry to the zoo. Dusk tours exclusive to camp guests are £15 adult, £5 child (under-4s free). Additional wildlife experiences include meerkat and otter encounters (£50), meet the lemurs (£100) and meet the apes (£100) Looking for a holiday with a difference? Browse Guardian Holidays to see a range of fantastic trips
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Patrick Barkham
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https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/may/31/jersey-zoo-wildlife-overnight-stay-glamping-with-kids
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2019-05-31 05:30:24+00:00
| 1,559,295,024 | 1,567,539,589 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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800,200 |
themanchestereveningnews--2019-05-02--Your big guide to Chester Zoo cheapest tickets opening times and all you need to know
| 2019-05-02T00:00:00 |
themanchestereveningnews
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Your big guide to Chester Zoo – cheapest tickets, opening times and all you need to know
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A trip to the zoo is usually a fail safe option for children of all ages, especially in the school holidays . Home to more than 27,000 animals, Chester Zoo pulls in more visitors than most - 1.9m a year in fact, making it the UK’s most visited tourist attraction outside London. There is a lot to see and few people make it round the whole place in one day. That's why it's good to find out more about the place before you visit, or see what you missed out on last time you were there. We've been taking a look at what the place offers to pull together our big guide to Chester Zoo. With more than 125 acres of animals and habitats to explore, making your way round the place is no easy feat. To get a rough idea of what to find where, you can take a look at the zoo's interactive map here , and even download it before you go if you like. The full list of animals includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. Even the zoo keepers themselves admit people rarely get to see everything at the attraction in one day Kirsten Wicks, who appeared in Channel 4's documentary The Secret Life of The Zoo, said she advises people to prioritise. She said: "I always tell people to pick what they really want to see and go and see those animals first. There's no way you can see everything so visit the ones you're most bothered about and then just see what time you have left." Even on a normal day there is plenty to see, and near the main entrance, close to guest services, you'll find a list detailing the times for animal talks and feeds on that particular day. You can also check online to see what talks are happening on the day you plan to visit. If you've got little ones in tow they'll probably struggle getting round the place. You'll probably have your own pushchair, but if not, or if you're hoping to persuade your little one with a new means of transport - to save your shoulders if nothing else - then you can hire a fun buggy there. These are £8 for a single or £12 for a double and a £10 refundable deposit is needed. Zoomobility is open every day during normal opening hours, but it’s worth pre-booking if you can, to make sure you get your buggy. Call 01244 389 482 to reserve one. Buggies are available for children age one to six. If you want help getting from one side of the zoo to the other, you can also take a trip on the Zoofari Monorail. Tickets cost £2.25 for adults, £1.75 for children aged three to 17, and infants two and under go free. Each ticket takes you from one station to the next - no round trips - but you can always get off and get another ticket to go again. Or you can get unlimited trips costing £4 for adults and £3 for children. You have your hand stamped when you've paid so just need to give staff a wave next time you board. The carriages take wheelchairs too, although not electric scooters. In fact much of the zoo is disabled friendly, with accessible paths, toilet facilities - including a Changing Places facility inside the Jubilee toilets - and free wheelchair and electric scooter hire, subject to availability and with a £25 refundable deposit. There's also free entry for carers, with one carer admitted with relevant proof of entitlement. Ah, the big question. Well, first of all, it's worth pointing out that Chester Zoo is a registered conservation and education charity. For that reason you don't come across many ticket offers at all. The cheapest way to get them is to buy them online . Book more than seven days in advance and you’ll save up to £4 per ticket compared with the price you’ll pay at the zoo on the day. Even on the day of your visit it's still worth paying online, as if you book before 9.30am, you’ll save £2 on each ticket compared with the price you’ll pay at the gates. Cheapest off peak tickets cost £20 for adults and £15.45 for children, aged three to 17. During the school holidays they rise to £24 for adults and £19 for children. Children two and under go free and if there's a group of you going then groups of 15 or more get a discount of up to 30 per cent. Another option for cheaper tickets is to invest in a zoo membership, which gives you unlimited access for 12 months and fast track entry, among other perks. For families of two adults and two children it costs £245, or £135 for one adult and one child. Swipe right through the gallery below to see more images from Chester Zoo The zoo opens at 10am all year round, with the Diamond Jubilee Quarter at the main entrance opening at 9.30am, so you can grab a drink in the Bembe Coffee Shop if you get there early. Closing times depend on dates. Between now and April 28 it closes at 5.30pm. During the warmer school holidays in May half term and the big summer break, it stays open until 6pm. If you're taking your own packed lunches there are lots of places to have a picnic, with tables scattered throughout the zoo and designated picnic areas, often close to play areas. There's an indoor one too, the Jaguar Picnic Lodge, next to the Arara Kiosk near the Spirit of the Jaguar building and Tropical Realm. It's also close to the Jaguar Coffee Shop for that all-important caffeine hit. If you want to grab a snack or a brew on your way round, you're never too far from a Safari Snacks hut, selling drinks, ice creams, hot dogs, waffles and more. If you are going to be buying drinks throughout the day then it's probably more economical to pay £10.99 for one of the souvenir cups which come with unlimited refills. There are loads of dining options inside the zoo, one of the biggest being June's Food Court, which has the Fun Ark playground just outside. It's got everything from freshly baked pizza and fish and chips - around £7 for adults and £5.50 for children - to a healthy deli and an ice cream parlour. And there are stations where you can heat up your own baby food or bottles. But if you fancy having a real treat on your day out, then it's worth checking out The Oakfield, a contemporary British pub sitting in the heart of the zoo itself. The grade II listed building was once home to the zoo’s founder George Mottershead and his family and underwent a £3m restoration and renovation last summer. One addition was the new garden room, which thanks to its huge windows, means it's light and airy and gives great views across the gardens - a bonus if the kids want to let off some steam for a while as you can keep a close eye on them as they play. When the weather's warm enough there are also tables for customers to sit outside. The menu features everything from pub classics such as toad in the hole, £11.50, and a steak burger and chips, £13.50, to a full Sunday roast, with duck fat roast potatoes, vegetables and gravy, £14.95. The children's menu costs £6.50 with typical kid's favourites sausage and mash, or fish, burger or ham and egg with chips. They can also get a Sunday roast for the same price. They also get a colouring sheet to keep them busy while they wait. Yes we know you go to the zoo to see the animals, but most kids want to have a play while they're there. And there are loads of opportunities for them to do just that. There are a total of four play areas based in different areas of the zoo – the newest in the Islands habitat. One of the most popular is the Madagascar Play! space, which features scramble nets, a sandy beach, a dry river bed and Madagascan grasses. As well as the play areas, the zoo has its own Treetop Challenge course for little ones to tackle. Recommended for kids aged two to seven, they're secured in a harness and can navigate their way swinging, leaping, climbing and balancing their way around the course. It's only a metre above the ground so you won't be fretting too much over your little ones and and it's the first course in the UK to have two mini zip lines. Children must be under 122cm to take part, it costs £5 each and takes around 30 minutes to complete the course. Children must be accompanied by a parent/adult on the ground as you'll explore the different elements of the course together. You will be allocated a time slot at the Treetop Challenge kiosk – so if you need a specific time it's recommended you go there as soon as you arrive to book the one you want. You can also book online when you order your main tickets. There's enough to fill your time on a typical day at the zoo, but it also hosts many events too, especially during the school holidays. The place is constantly updating too. At the end of March its new Madagascar habitat opened , featuring the attraction's first ever 'walk-though' primate experience. Visitors now have the chance to see lemurs jumping across the path in front of them or swinging in the trees above them as they make their way through part of the new zone. As well as being home to four rare species of lemur, it also houses Madagascar’s top predator and largest carnivore, the fossa. If you want a permanent memento of your little one's first trip to the zoo, then you can get their hand print made into a 'handimal'. There's a stand close to The Oakfield pub where staff will help your child choose what they want their creation to be. Are toilets worthy of a mention on their own? Where kids are concerned, toilets are always worthy of a mention. And Chester Zoo's are more worthy than most. Indeed they've been praised for having baby change facilities at the men's as well as the women's toilets. There are seven baby change areas in all, so you're never too far away and there's one near the entrance to stop off at on your way in or out of the zoo before you head home. There are feeding rooms too, if you'd rather feed your baby in private. Parking at the zoo is free and close to the entrance, although you're obviously further away the later you arrive. If you're close enough to cycle there, you can get 15% off your ticket price by downloading a voucher here and showing it when you arrive. The main entrance is just off the A41 / Moston Road. It's well signposted when you approach Chester, just look out for the brown signs. The address is Chester, CH2 1LH, but you're advised to ignore your sat nav once you get to the A41. Do not turn down Flag Lane North as it is a dead end. Once you get onto the A41, from whichever direction, simply stay on that road until you reach a roundabout with a large wooden ark on it. From there follow the signs into the zoo. To find out more visit the zoo's website here .
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Emma Gill
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https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/chester-zoo-tickets-prices-cheap-16085408
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2019-05-02 10:36:00+00:00
| 1,556,807,760 | 1,567,541,409 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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707,173 |
theguardianuk--2019-08-04--Climbing and diving on Kalymnos an Aegean islands adventure continues
| 2019-08-04T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
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Climbing and diving on Kalymnos: an Aegean islands adventure continues
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I’m sitting on the shady patio of the Paradisio cafe in Vlychadia, overlooking an azure bay. My wet swimming kit is drying on the fence. “I should explain the breakfast,” says Stethis, who has been my guide on an epic morning of hiking, caving and swimming. “Kalymnos people like to mix unexpected tastes. That tea is alisfakia – sage – with thyme honey. And that mizithra cheese goes with the watermelon.” “And the coffee is bitter, but you’ve got this vanilla-scented sugar stick.” I’m starting to get the hang of Kalymnos, the second stop on my quest to explore the Aegean’s lesser-known islands (which had begun in Ikaria, 2hr 40min away by ferry). This is an island that seems to love both the unexpected and the extreme. Kalymnos was once the sponge-diving capital of the Mediterranean, but by the mid-1980s, a marine virus had destroyed that business. (The interesting nautical museum in the capital, Pothia, is filled with superb period photographs and artefacts.) Meanwhile, the nearby island of Kos had become a tourist honeypot, whose boat owners reportedly told visitors not to bother with Kalymnos because “it’s just rocks”. That didn’t deter Andrea Di Bari, an Italian climber who wanted rocks, big ones. He came over in the mid-1990s on a day trip, spotted the potential, and returned. By the early noughties, rock climbing had transformed the island’s reputation. I’ve come to test out this island of adventure. I’m joined by my partner Sophie and daughter Maddy (16) who have come over on the ferry from Kos for a few days. We stay in the climbing capital, Massouri, in a cool and lovely apartment overlooking Telendos, a car-free island that I’m itching to explore. But we start by meeting Dimitris, a dive master who sails us east around the island. Dimitris comes from a long line of sponge divers, and points out the spot where, 50 years ago, his grandfather died while using a newfangled brass helmet and compressor. No one had told the divers about the dangers and complexities of using air underwater. Today we are searching for dolphins and Dimitris assures us that his family connections will guarantee an encounter. Stopping above his father-in-law’s fish farm, he dives to 20 metres and releases a shoal of sea bass. I’m snorkelling above and see them come up, rolling their silvery sides enticingly, but there are no dolphins. The sea bass, sensing an opportunity, race away to freedom. Yesterday’s stormy winds, Dimitris thinks, have unfortunately pushed the dolphins out of their usual haunts. We climb back into the boat and head into a narrow inlet where cliffs up to 15 metres high have become a popular spot for deep-water soloing. This involves diving into the sea, then grabbing the rock and attempting to climb to the cliff-top. A pair of old climbing shoes can be handy. Maddy skips the climbing element, walks up and chucks herself off the top. I fall. Deep water soloing is, I predict, a sport of the future, especially when the water is this warm. We sail on round the east coast to the lovely village of Vathys, where we say goodbye to Dimitris and jump into kayaks with a new guide, Tasos. He paddles with us to another, much higher, cliff face and points out a cave about 50 metres up. After an ungainly transfer to land, we climb a narrow set of steps, push through a curtain of wild figs and descend into cool gloom. All sorts of ancient treasures have been found in this cave (they’re now in the remarkable Archaeological Museum of Kalymnos, also in Pothia). At the bottom is a pool of clear, cold water. Potsherds (broken ceramics) lie around the feet of great limestone pillars. We retrace our steps and paddle out to a lovely deserted beach to picnic in the shade of a tree. Day one complete, we return to Massouri, where there are lots of excellent restaurants. Next morning Maddy and I are back with Dimitris for a shore dive which proves to be something of a classic: sponges, amphorae, a German second world war plane, bombs, a wrecked sponge boat, plenty of fish and an irate octopus that squirts angry ink, changes colour and escapes up a tiny rocky hole. Finally, the bit I’ve been most looking forward to: the rock climbing. We are picked up by Loukas and Kostas. Is it going to be too hot? Loukas shakes his head. “We have climbing in the shade all year. May and October are best, but summer is fine.” There are also so many routes that climbers can do 10 a day for a year and never repeat one. We head north to cliffs above the village of Arginonta. Kostas, Maddy and I climb. Sophie watches. There’s a dog barking down in the village. “That’s Vito, my dog,” says Kostas. He points out his house. “He wants to play.” Sophie heads off to find Vito. I manage to climb a grade harder than I’ve ever done before and then we head for the beach. That’s the joy of Kalymnos: hard, dry rock followed by cool wet sea. There we find Sophie in doggie heaven. Vito likes diving down, picking things off the seabed and bringing them back to be thrown. Climbing may be the new Kalymnos, but the sponge-diving heritage is still there. • The trip was provided by Sunvil which has seven nights self-catering at Eftychia Residence in Massouri from £1,253pp including flights from Gatwick and transfers. The ferry from Ikaria to Kalymnos costs €32 one way, from Kos €11, book through ferries.gr. Six mornings climbing with an instructor (beginners and intermediates) cost €350pp; diving trips cost from €50pp, book at visit-kalymnos.gr Looking for a holiday with a difference? Browse Guardian Holidays to see a range of fantastic trips
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Kevin Rushby
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https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/aug/04/greek-islands-kalymnos-rock-climbing-diving
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2019-08-04 06:00:14+00:00
| 1,564,912,814 | 1,567,534,898 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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993,228 |
thesun--2019-12-26--Inside Jacqueline Jossa’s Christmas with Dan Osborne as he spoils her with Dubai holiday and skydivi
| 2019-12-26T00:00:00 |
thesun
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Inside Jacqueline Jossa’s Christmas with Dan Osborne as he spoils her with Dubai holiday and skydiving after threesome
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THE Queen of the Jungle Jacqueline Jossa had a very Merry Christmas with her husband Dan Osborne following his threesome bombshell. The I'm A Celebrity star was spoilt rotten by her other half as they enjoyed family time at home with their children. Jacqueline revealed she was given the "best presents ever" from Dan, who apologised for cheating on her in the past as they vowed to make a fresh start in 2020. Showing how much he loves her, Dan surprised the 27-year-old with a holiday to Dubai - and a skydiving experience. She told fans: "When I got back from the jungle, I said I was bit gutted that I didn't get to jump out of the plane. "Unfortunately I said this in front of Dan so he has got me an experience to jump out of a plane for Christmas... it's in Dubai." Throughout Christmas Day Jacqueline shared happy snaps of her family as they opened presents by the tree in their pyjamas. After spending a month apart, the star was keen to get as much quality time together with her daughters, Ella and Mia, as possible. "I've had the best Christmas ever," Jacquline said. "I feel I have been very spoilt. "Nothing will bring Christmas or my family down. I am focusing about all the positives in life now. There is so much good in life and in people. I will never change that for anyone." The former EastEnders star said she got a desk for Christmas where she can focus on getting creative. She revealed she wants to start writing songs and stories in 2020 as she teased exciting big plans. The couple have decided to stay together after the US reality star Natalie Nunn said she had bedded Dan during a wild night out last year. Dan has denied having a threesome with Natalie and model Chloe Ayling, who both appeared with him on 2018’s Celebrity Big Brother. In an exclusive interview, Natalie told The Sun how Dan had begged her to deny romping with him. She said: “It’s true, I had sex with Dan. I was drunk and it was a huge mistake.” Dan said sorry for the “mistakes which could have ruined his marriage” in a post online. Addressing cheating accusations directly on ITV's Lorraine, Jacqueline said: “This isn’t new for me. It got brought up again because of Myles but at the same time, I was glad it made me think about it, I didn’t have a choice but to think about it... but it helped me. “I want to hit a restart button. It’s been two years of me basically giving him hell and it’s not like he’s got away lightly at all. “He knows he’s done wrong, he knows he’s done a lot wrong.”
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Amanda Devlin
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/10621222/jacqueline-jossas-christmas-dubai-holiday-skydiving-threesome/
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Thu, 26 Dec 2019 12:01:44 +0000
| 1,577,379,704 | 1,577,363,083 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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190,432 |
eveningstandard--2019-11-25--An ethical guide to wildlife tourism
| 2019-11-25T00:00:00 |
eveningstandard
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An ethical guide to wildlife tourism
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Posing with sedated tigers and Instagraming elephant bath time at a “sanctuary”? Forget what you know about wildlife tourism. Be it travel firms partnering with green charities, Kalahari conservation trips or citizen science projects in Britain, doing your bit for the animals has come a long way. Here are some of the best... Stand-up paddle tours along Florida’s canals with a corgi on board. Afternoon tea with strokable Scottish sheep. Watching a family of Arctic foxes in Iceland. All are possible with Airbnb’s just-debuted animal Experiences (airbnb.co.uk/experiences). If some of them sound callous, don’t worry, the collection is wedded to an animal welfare policy vetted by charity World Animal Protection. Adventures are split into three categories: “observe” trips are safari-like and include things like an hour spying wild parrots in Brooklyn; the “care” packages could have you walking close to South African penguins; while “play” lets participants cuddle goats or groom miniature ponies. Small-group tour operator G Adventures released an updated animal welfare policy in October, developed with the Jane Goodall Institute, World Cetacean Alliance and World Animal Protection. It involves having no contact with nor feeding non-domesticated animals; not visiting shows involving wildlife; and not eating endangered species. While all tours will adhere to the policy, its Jane Goodall Collection is particularly concerned with wildlife, with 20 trips endorsed by the field-leading anthropologist. Those include a 15-night tour of Costa Rica’s volcanoes, rainforests and beaches, where you might see monkeys, toucans, sloths, dolphins and hatching turtles. In September, the Association of British Travel Agents launched guidelines that deemed elephant rides unacceptable. The practice prompted Intrepid Travel to remove all rides from its small-group tours as long ago as 2014. As well as offering safaris, Intrepid takes travellers to sanctuaries where elephant welfare is prioritised. ChangChill, which can be visited from next year as part of its Thailand tour, was formerly a place for elephant rides, but now visitors observe free-roaming denizens from a safe distance while learning about them. Captive cetaceans have also been in focus this autumn. TripAdvisor, having consulted with animal rights organisation Peta, following in the footsteps of Virgin and British Airways holidays by announcing that it will soon cease selling tickets to SeaWorld. The theme park chain was criticised after 2013 documentary Blackfish chronicled the suffering of an orca at SeaWorld Orlando. Though SeaWorld insists it is conservation-minded, properly conducted whale or dolphin-watching in the wild guarantees a clean conscience. Try the Azores in the Atlantic, where 28 of the planet’s 87 cetaceans have been sighted. Sunvil seven-night trip from £1,220pp, including flights, car hire, self-catering and 12 hours of boat excursions (sunvil.co.uk) How do you feel about puffins? If the answer is anything from mildly interested to utterly obsessed, you may be interested in a chance to help the seabirds. With numbers plummeting to the point of an extinction threat amid concerns over a lack of food, the RSPB’s Project Puffin is building a team of Puffarazzi — basically anyone who sends the society snaps of the ultra-cute species (from any year) with fish in their bills or who visits a colony next June or July (feeding season) and takes a photo of them (rspb.org.uk). The UK’s best spots include Lundy island, RSPB Dunnet Head in Scotland, and Pembrokeshire’s Skomer. This campaign exemplifies the burgeoning trend of “citizen science” projects enabling amateurs to make valuable research contributions. Other options with a wildlife bent include sighting-log apps such as eBird (ebird.org) or counting marine critters like lobsters and surveying sections of Belize’s Barrier Reef during diving trips to the Central American country (muchbetteradventures.com). The most direct way to aid wildlife is, of course, to book a wildlife conservation trip, as many people seemingly are. Responsible Travel reports that bookings in this bracket have risen by 35 per cent in a year. The options are myriad, from installing camera traps and tracking bears in Transylvania to volunteering on a cheetah-focused carnivore project amid Namibia’s red-dune Namib Desert (responsibletravel.com). Alternatively, travel with Naturetrek in the happy knowledge that your money will help animals — the wildlife tour specialist has now donated more than £800,000 to carefully chosen conservation schemes. One of those, Butterfly Conservation, recently reintroduced the beautiful Marsh Fritillary to England in May. Lepidoptera lovers are directed to Naturetrek’s butterfly-themed tours in places such as Sweden, Sri Lanka and South Africa (naturetrek.co.uk).
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Richard Mellor
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https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/ethical-guide-to-wildlife-tourism-a4295746.html
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Mon, 25 Nov 2019 11:28:00 GMT
| 1,574,699,280 | 1,574,697,409 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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689,034 |
theguardianuk--2019-02-07--Parkrun tourism 10 of the best routes in the UK and worldwide
| 2019-02-07T00:00:00 |
theguardianuk
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Parkrun tourism: 10 of the best routes in the UK and worldwide
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From 13 runners meeting in Bushy Park, south-west London, in 2004, to five million members worldwide in 2018, parkrun has become a global phenomenon. There are now more than 1,700 of the free, weekly running events in 23 countries, with numbers continuing to rise. Beyond joining local races, there’s an increasing number of “parkrun tourists”, who plan trips in order to tick off unusual and spectacular routes from Singapore to South Africa. There are even unofficial clubs with their own lingo to denote their achievements: the Alphabeteers, who tick off parkruns for each letter of the alphabet; the Cowell club (100 or more different events); Fielding club (250 different UK events), Freyne club (250 different global events); Yorkshire Pud-done (all the runs in Yorkshire and the Humber); East-Did-Lands and West-Did-Lands (all the parkruns in the east or west Midlands); and Going for Bailey (attempting to run your first 100 runs at 100 different events). Now tour operators are getting in on the action. Exodus has incorporated parkruns in to several of its adventure holidays, including Sicily’s Aeolian Islands and Etna (eight days from £1,199); Port Elizabeth via the Garden route to Cape Town (12 days from £1,399), and Treviso and the Prosecco hills in Italy (4 days from £459). All parkrun events, which are managed by volunteers, stay true to the original aim of being free and inclusive. “Unlike traditional running events that may require pre-registration, entry fees and cut-off times, at parkrun it is free to participate and speed is not important,” says Chrissie Wellington, head of health and wellbeing at Parkrun. “The popularity continues to grow by empowering local communities to implement a permanent mixed-gender, multi-generational health intervention that appeals to a broad cross-section of society. Particularly those for whom physical activity and volunteering is not the norm.” Here are 10 of the best routes in the UK and around the world This parkrun takes place around the rolling vineyards of Denbies Wine Estate, in a county that is fast becoming one of UK’s biggest wine producers. The first half is mainly uphill, the second back down with views across the vineyards to Box Hill. Afterwards runners can head to the estate’s Conservatory Restaurant (where parkrunners get 10% off). Nicknamed “Beauty and the Beast”, this route rewards runners with spectacular views after a 210-metre ascent. Whinlatter is one of England’s only true mountain forests, with a route though Douglas fir trees. With a red squirrel reserve and osprey nesting in the valley, it’s also a great area for spotting wildlife. The park’s landscape is breathtaking and varied, with rugged cliffs and sandy beaches giving way to hills and woodland, and a coastal path stretching 186 miles. In a valley at the eastern end, Colby Woodland Garden, near Amroth hosts a parkrun, with three laps along trail paths through the meadow and forests. When it started in September 2012, this was the first beach parkrun in the world running entirely on sand. The out-and-back route starts in the town and heads out along the along the wide sandy beach of Whiterocks. Views on the outward run include Dunluce Castle ruins, the Giant’s Causeway headland and the Skerries, a small group of uninhabited islands around a mile from the coast. The group usually congregate at the watersports centre for tea and cake post-run. The first parkrun to launch outside London, this route laps the beautiful urban park close to the university campus three times. It’s popular with visitors and locals as one of the oldest parkruns but also for its volunteers, including George Webster, 18, who’s become something of a local celebrity in the parkrun world. George, who has Downs syndrome, started as a token collector and has now completed 56 parkruns. He is also a “parkrun star”, acting as an advocate for their life-changing impact and encouraging others to get involved. Australia’s third-largest island is home to an abundance of wildlife, including wallabies, koalas, seals and the eponymous marsupials which vastly outnumber the human population of 4,700. The island, in the state of South Australia, is a 45-minute ferry ride from the mainland port of Cape Jarvis. The coastal parkrun, which launched in 2017, starts and finishes at the tidal pool in Kingscote, the island’s biggest town. With the waves of the Atlantic on one side and golden Namib Desert sand on the other, this is a flat course popular with locals and visitors. The town is one of the largest in Namibia, with a well-kept promenade, wide roads and German colonial architecture, and was one of the first places in the region outside South Africa to host a parkrun. The parkrun team here say they’ve seen an increase in tourists from the UK, Australia and beyond, thanks to the views the route offers. On the first mile, runners see San Francisco Bay and Golden Gate Bridge, depending on the fog. On the return leg, there are views to Alcatraz, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the San Francisco skyline, including the futurist-looking Transamerica Pyramid, the second-tallest building in the city at 259 metres. The first country in south-east Asian to host a parkrun, Singapore now has three. East Coast Park was the first, with a beach park route along a manmade sandy shore. Runners here can enjoy a post-event picnic under the palm trees or a dip in warm Singaporean Strait waters. The route starts at 7.30am rather than the usual 9am, to avoid the humidity, and weaves along the coast between Buddhist monks and dog-walkers. Taking in two countries in one run, this route starts and finishes in the Polish town of Cieszyn but crosses into the Czech Republic along the way. The city was divided between the countries in 1920, following a short border war, with Cieszyn the larger neighbour of its Czech sister city, Český Těšín. The city parkrun here straddles the River Olza, which forms part of the boundary between the two countries. Another two-for-one run is the Severn Bridge parkrun from Wales into England and back, which launched last year. • This article was amended on 7 February to state that Singapore has three parkruns instead of two. This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. The links are powered by Skimlinks. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that Skimlinks cookies will be set. More information.
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Antonia Wilson
|
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/feb/07/10-most-scenic-parkruns-in-uk-worldwide-running-routes
|
2019-02-07 15:34:20+00:00
| 1,549,571,660 | 1,567,549,346 |
lifestyle and leisure
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leisure
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57,961 |
birminghammail--2019-03-13--Game of Thrones stars coming to Birmingham Comic Con at NEC
| 2019-03-13T00:00:00 |
birminghammail
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Game of Thrones stars coming to Birmingham Comic Con at NEC
|
As we get ready for the return of Game of Thrones to our screens, several of the actors from the show are heading to Birmingham. They are among the guests at the next MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC, taking place on March 23 and 24. Game of Thrones actors Tom Hopper, Miltos Yerolemou and Ian Beattie will be attending the convention to meet fans and sign autographs. Miltos, who played sword master Syrio Forel, is also sharing his skills in a sword-fighting workshop. It's a chance to follow in the footsteps of Arya Stark with a 90-minute lesson of fight choreography, where you can learn a range of different techniques and styles of swordplay. Participants will be introduced to the art of sword fighting, comparing what we see on screen to the reality of duelling throughout history and different cultures. There will be one session run per day and the schedule will be confirmed via email before the event takes place. This workshop is open to people of all abilities. Anybody above the age of six can take part. The session will be adapted to cater to the dynamic of each person. Tom Hopper, who is a towering 6ft 5ins and comes from Coalville in Leicestershire, played Dickon Tarly in Game of Thrones. He is also in the hit Netflix series The Umbrella Academy. One of his co-stars in that comic book adaptation, Emmy Raver-Lampman, will also be at the comic con. Hopper's other credits include playing Sir Percival in the BBC's Merlin series. Other Merlin stars at the convention include Asa Butterfield, Alexander Vlahos and Rupert Young will be at the show to greet fans. Felicia Day and Osric Chau from long-running series Supernatural will also be attending. General entry tickets to the MCM Birmingham Comic Con are £12.50 for Saturday and £11.50 for Sunday. There's also priority entry, which allows earlier admission from 9am, exclusive deals and merchandise discounts. That's £18 for Saturday and £16.50 for Sunday. Weekend entry tickets - allowing admission on both days - are priced £31.50. MCM Birmingham Comic Con tickets are available here
|
David Bentley
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https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/game-thrones-umbrella-academy-stars-15970305
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2019-03-13 19:06:13+00:00
| 1,552,518,373 | 1,567,546,368 |
society
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communities
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58,111 |
birminghammail--2019-03-14--MCM Birmingham Comic Con is back in town this March for a fun-filled weekend
| 2019-03-14T00:00:00 |
birminghammail
|
MCM Birmingham Comic Con is back in town this March for a fun-filled weekend
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A staple of the fandom scene and of the city, MCM Birmingham Comic Con returns for another fantastically fun weekend at the NEC, on March 23 to 24, 2019. Celebrate sci-fi, fantasy and pop culture in the most wonderful way, surrounded by enthusiastic, like-minded fans, a whole host of special guests, exclusive content and guaranteed fun for all the family. The biggest comic con in the Midlands, MCM Birmingham kicks off its convention circuit with a bang as it is set to be packed with all kinds of pop culture goodness, awesome merchandise, super fun cosplay masquerades, and an amazing array of special guests, who will be available for live talks, photo opportunities and autographs. MCM Comic Con is the leading pop culture event organiser in the UK, within ReedPOP, dedicated to producing memorable fan events and bringing together a broad and creative scope of popular culture. The weekend's line-up includes the star of acclaimed new Netflix comedy Sex Education, Asa Butterfield (Ender’s Game, Hugo), as well as The Umbrella Academy lead Tom Hopper (Black Sails, Game of Thrones, Merlin) and series breakout star Emmy Raver-Lampman, who has previously appeared in productions of Hamilton and Wicked. Supernatural fan favourites Felicia Day (The Guild, Mystery Science Theater 3000) and Osric Chau (Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Kings of Con) will also be attending the convention on both Saturday and Sunday. Additionally, the weekend will feature Charles Martinet, who has voiced Nintendo’s iconic mascots, Mario and Luigi, in more than 100 video game titles - a Guinness World Record - along with Game of Thrones’ Miltos Yerolemou (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Danish Girl), as well as knights of the round table Alexander Vlahos (Versailles) and Rupert Young (Doc Martin) from Merlin. For the complete list of attendees over the weekend, click here. As well as spectacular special guests, MCM Birmingham will play host to a ‘Comic Village’ positively crammed with talented artists and writers, a cosplay stage showcasing the colourful costumes and crafting skills of the UK’s cosplay community, and an eclectic range of exhibitors selling everything from figurines and film props, to original artwork and anime. The show's latest addition is the exciting Treehouse zone, with face painting, free-play Lego, book readings and Jedi training to keep your youngest superheroes entertained, so do make sure to take advantage of MCM's ‘Kids Go Free’ deal!* Over the weekend, there are a number of events to watch and participate in, including a Hellboy cosplay competition to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the legendary comic book creator Mike Mignola’s most famous creation, and a special live Dungeons & Dragons show with the Outside Xbox crew, as dungeon master Johnny Chiodini leads the ragtag Oxventurers on their latest perilous quest. MCM Birmingham also has a number of live, on-stage panels lined up, such as a talk with The Umbrella Academy stars, Tom Hopper and Emmy Raver-Lampman, and a chat with Sex Education leading young man, Asa Butterfield. The convention also has an exclusive first look at Birmingham-based supernatural series, Lucid the Dreamwalker, as well as LED sabre fighting training with the Sabre Combat Academy, and a enlightening debate on the future of the sci-fi and fantasy genre with well-known pop culture publications such as Den of Geek, SFX and SciFiNow. Laura McCrum, MCM’s national event manager, said: “Over 30,000 visitors are expected to join us and our great line-up of special guests, comic creators and exhibitors when MCM Birmingham throws open its doors later this month. “It’s always a joy to meet so many like-minded fans - many of whom come dressed for the occasion in cool costumes! “2019 is shaping up to be a great year for MCM, and we can’t wait to kick it off in Birmingham.” Tickets for the convention weekend are currently available to purchase from MCM’s online store, so what are you waiting for? Sign yourself up for a weekend of sensational sci-fi and fantasy fun! For more information on MCM Birmingham Comic Con, visit the website and follow @MCMComicCon on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest show updates. *‘The Kids Go Free family offer: up to two children aged 10 and under can attend the show for free with all ticket holders.
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Leena Sidat
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https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/special-features/birmingham-comic-con-nec-march-15969503
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2019-03-14 14:45:14+00:00
| 1,552,589,114 | 1,567,546,208 |
society
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communities
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59,034 |
birminghammail--2019-03-23--Amazing costumes at MCM Comic Con at The NEC 2019
| 2019-03-23T00:00:00 |
birminghammail
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Amazing costumes at MCM Comic Con at The NEC 2019
|
1. [Home](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/) 2. [What's On](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/) # Amazing costumes at MCM Comic Con at The NEC 2019 * 17:35, 23 MAR 2019 * Updated17:47, 23 MAR 2019 1. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)1 of 15 2. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham, (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)2 of 15 3. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)3 of 15 4. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)4 of 15 5. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)5 of 15 6. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)6 of 15 7. MCM Birmingham Comic Con (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)7 of 15 8. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)8 of 15 9. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)9 of 15 10. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)10 of 15 11. Pictured people attend the MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham, today Saturday 23rd March 2019, movies, comics, sci-fi, games, anime, cosplay or collectables at the event.11 of 15 12. 16018534 (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)12 of 15 13. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)13 of 15 14. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)14 of 15 15. MCM Birmingham Comic Con at the NEC Birmingham, (Image: Darren Quinton/Birmingham Live)15 of 15
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Sanjeeta Bains
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https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/gallery/amazing-costumes-mcm-comic-con-16018557
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2019-03-23 17:47:51+00:00
| 1,553,377,671 | 1,567,545,075 |
society
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communities
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128,634 |
dailyheraldchicago--2019-08-23--Images Wizard World Comic Con Chicago
| 2019-08-23T00:00:00 |
dailyheraldchicago
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Images: Wizard World Comic Con Chicago
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David Carvelli of Sugar Grove is dressed as Laird from Cosplay during Wizard World at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont Friday.
| null |
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190823/images-wizard-world-comic-con-chicago
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2019-08-23 21:19:59+00:00
| 1,566,609,599 | 1,567,533,649 |
society
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communities
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571,915 |
tass--2019-10-08--Over 183,000 people attend Comic Con Russia and Igromir conventions in Moscow
| 2019-10-08T00:00:00 |
tass
|
Over 183,000 people attend Comic Con Russia and Igromir conventions in Moscow
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‘Insane!’ Actor Mads Mikkelsen on Death Stranding, Kojima and the future of cinema MOSCOW, October 8. /TASS/. Over 183,000 people attended the Comic Con Russia pop culture convention and the Igromir gaming expo held in Moscow on October 3-6, the event’s press service informed on Tuesday. "This year, over 183,000 people have attended both events in the past four days, while the number of views of the live broadcast has surpassed 5 mln," the message informs. Last year, over 170,000 people attended the joint event.
| null |
https://tass.com/society/1082007
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Tue, 08 Oct 2019 14:54:02 +0300
| 1,570,560,842 | 1,570,544,428 |
society
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communities
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650,505 |
thedailyrecord--2019-07-04--Hamilton Comic Con is at the Town House this Saturday
| 2019-07-04T00:00:00 |
thedailyrecord
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Hamilton Comic Con is at the Town House this Saturday
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The capes have been ironed, masks dusted down and superhero poses perfected – it’s time to get suited up for Hamilton Comic Con this weekend. Returning to Hamilton Town House for a second year, the event will have over 50 traders, cosplayers, art classes and a host of special guests. Over 1000 comic book and fantasy fans attended in 2018 and some new treats are in store this time. A DeLorean like the one made famous in the Back to the Future film trilogy will be parked outside the Town House all day on Saturday and there will also be a Hollywood green screen to capture that blockbuster photo. And a host of cosplayers will also battle it out for the top prize in a costume competition. Event organiser Ian Bonar said: “Our first event at the Town House went down really well last year and we fell in love with the building, which works well for a comic con. “So we’re looking to make it even better this time around and have as many local people and businesses involved as possible.” The comic convention will take place at Hamilton Town House from 10am to 4pm this Saturday, July 6. Go to www.bgcp.co.uk if you want to book tickets in advance or visit the event’s Facebook page.
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[email protected] (Kirsten McStay)
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https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/hamilton-comic-con-town-house-17390264
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2019-07-04 15:05:32+00:00
| 1,562,267,132 | 1,567,536,920 |
society
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communities
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362,181 |
newsweek--2019-02-08--Final Fantasy XIV Cosplayers Talk Bringing Eorzea to Life at Paris Fan Fest 2019
| 2019-02-08T00:00:00 |
newsweek
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‘Final Fantasy XIV’ Cosplayers Talk Bringing Eorzea to Life at Paris Fan Fest 2019
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It’s a drizzly winter Saturday in La Villette, a neighborhood in northeastern Paris with romantic drear seeping from every doorway and windowpane. It seems like the perfect day to wile away the hours in a cafe with strong coffee and a book. But the thousands-strong legion of fans in town to celebrate Square Enix’s long-running MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV have more ambitious plans: plans which demand a steady hand with a soldering iron, an eye that sees creative potential in a length of PVC pipe, and glitter. Lots of glitter. Final Fantasy XIV was savaged by critics and fans upon its debut in 2010, so Square Enix brought in Naoki Yoshida (then known primarily for his work on the Dragon Quest franchise) as producer and director to help correct course When A Realm Reborn launched in 2013, it was essentially an entirely new game with reworked servers, gameplay and story. Since then FFXIV has been a runaway train, boasting steady subscriber growth and cultivating an ardent fan following. In July, Yoshida and his team will launch the third major expansion to the game since 2013, titled Shadowbringers. Fan Fest is a thrice-yearly occasion for the game’s robust online community to hang out in person and celebrate all things Final Fantasy. The events take place in North America, Europe and Japan. In addition to elaborate fun-fair amusements inspired by the in-game world of Eorzea—like Chocobo Races and the Bucking Behemoth ride—all Fan Fest 2019 attendees were free to throw their hats in the ring for Saturday afternoon’s cosplay contest. Of the pool of participants, 30 finalists got the chance to show their stuff onstage before a panel of three judges: Yoshida, Global Community Producer Toshio Murouchi and Character Concept Artist Ayumi Namae. Even if you aren’t an expert on the lore and world of FFXIV, if you’ve seen shows like Project Runway and RuPaul’s Drag Race, it’s impossible not to admire the ingenuity and outside-the-box thinking that goes into these remarkable, ensembles. Newsweek spoke to a handful of the competitors about the process of making their creations and the game’s tight-knit community. Contest winner Faust hails from Russia, and played a Kuribu in elaborate white armor and massive wings. A longtime cosplayer, it took her just two-and-a-half months to construct her ensemble after she was inspired by the initial teaser trailer for the Shadowbringers expansion. "It was my first time making armor, this is my first time making wings... the weapons... everything was the first!" she explained with a laugh. Others competitors devoted even more time to their projects. Top-three prize winner Calley McCloud from the U.K. spent many late nights over the course of 13 months on her jaw-dropping Firebird cosplay. It uses roughly 3,000 LED lights powered by 17 batteries, and was as intricate to assemble as you’d imagine. “I was soldering on my kitchen floor at stupid o'clock in the morning,” McCloud explained, pointing out that each wing contains eight soldered joints, allowing them to flap realistically. ‘Some mornings my husband came down and said, ‘What are you still doing up?’ And I said, ‘Don't be a hypocrite, you're supposed to be up for work in the morning.’ Then he said, ‘I'm getting up for work in the morning, It's half-seven.’ I just worked straight through the night!” While some of the contest participants had years of experience, others did not. But across the board, those we spoke to saw their Fan Fest projects as a chance to try something completely new or strengthen a fledgling skill. McCloud explained she’s only made about “three or four” outfits before the Firebird and described herself as “a complete noob.” Lily, from Little Brittany in France, said she had only been sewing for eight months prior to making her intricately embroidered Astrologian costume. “That sewing machine,” she recalled with a sigh, “programming the thing was quite long.” Prize-winning cosplay doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive, though many of the ensembles showcased at Fan Fest certainly appeared to be. McCloud said most of her Firebird costume was crafted from “just cheap stuff, most of it came out of a skip.” (Note for our American readers: this is Britspeak for “dumpster.”) She added, “I like to use recycled materials, so the tail is held up with old curtain poles. The head and the feet are made from newspaper and PVA. The wings are made from a honeycomb material which is like 95p a metre from Fabric Land. That's the thing... I have no money, so I make budget cosplays. I think the most expensive part was all the glitter.” Beneath the gilding and lavish patterns, however, is a palpable sense of fellowship among the Final Fantasy XIV community. McCloud said finding the franchise through Final Fantasy VIII “saved my life, because it was when I was going through bullying at school. It was a perfect escape.” Faust explained, “To be honest, I started to play Final Fantasy because of cosplay. Then I thought, I need to play the game I made a cosplay for. So I started to play the game and I really like it. The people are keeping me there, for sure.” When asked about their tips for cosplay newcomers, nobody recommended a particular online merchant or crafty YouTuber to follow. Instead, they suggested people jump right in with confidence. “Don’t listen to haters, and push through difficulties. Nothing is impossible when you just believe it strong enough,” said Lily.
| null |
https://www.newsweek.com/final-fantasy-14-xiv-cosplay-fan-fest-paris-2019-1324796?utm_source=Public&utm_medium=Feed&utm_campaign=Distribution
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2019-02-08 20:33:19+00:00
| 1,549,675,999 | 1,567,549,155 |
society
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