Rivers Travel

The United Kingdom has fifteen National Parks from the Cairngorms in Scotland to Dartmoor in Devon. The most visited and one of the most popular is Cumbria’s Lake District. It attracts a wide range of visitors from near and far and has a distinct character that sets it apart from the rest.

The many lakes of the Lake District are an obvious pull for tourists. Huge stretches of water support the local wildlife and the local inhabitants, with Lake Windermere being the best known. Visitors come to enjoy the water based activities and canoeing, kayaking, and boating are all available on the various lakes. There are even ways to learn how to sail. The Royal Yachting Association Training Centre at Coniston Water offers several courses to qualify for internationally recognized RYA certificates.

The Lake District is proud to have the most outdoor activity centers in the United Kingdom. These centers welcome visitors of all ages and backgrounds for weekends, school trips or longer holidays. They offer courses on horse riding, caving, abseiling, climbing and more. Accommodation is normally provided in the form of dormitories with communal areas for eating and relaxing. Access to the fells is completely unrestricted and there is a long tradition of public rights of way. Visitors can take part in a course or explore the beauty of the area independently. Whatever they choose, there is never a lack of pursuits to enjoy and stunning scenery to take in.

The landscape of the Lake District is diverse. There are ancient woodlands which provide a home for animals and plants and add texture and richness to the area. Evidence abounds of colliding continents and deep oceans thanks to the deepest lakes and highest peaks in England. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of life from as far back as the Ice Age. More modern habitation is reflected in the materials used to build local houses and bridges.

It goes without saying that the Lake District is popular and it isn’t just the lakes, outdoor activities and scenic beauty. The quaint, bustling towns are an attraction in themselves and they cater well to the visitors’ needs. Specialist shops sell local art, crafts and food, including the famous Kendall Mint Cake. Gardeners have plenty of nurseries and garden centers to visit and walkers and hikers can browse round the many outdoor equipment retailers. There are galleries and exhibitions for everyone and accommodation to cater to all tastes. Those ignorant of the Lakes District’s charms have to come and see it for themselves.

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The Algarve, located on the southern edge of Portugal, is a wonderful vacation destination. There is everything from sandy beaches to hopping nightclubs to be found there. Understanding its place as a popular tourist destination, the Algarve has built up a strong foundation of activities that will appeal to all walks of life. There are several things you can expect from a visit to the Algarve, Portugal.

Enjoying a place on the southern section of Portugal, the Algarve plays host to dazzling, sunny beaches and a warm, relaxing climate. The beaches are the perfect locale on which to place the beach blanket and soak up the rays or dive into the Atlantic Ocean. Adding to the aesthetic beauty of the area are rocky cliffs that jut into the beaches, creating grottoes with some of the bluest water seen on the planet. Numerous historical fishing villages dot the coast and offer guided tours of the towns. They offer a glimpse of the history and tradition of the Algarve.

After you have had a chance to do some sightseeing and are ready to take up some sport, the Algarve is home to almost 20 golf courses that will satisfy your competitive side. Combining the Algarve’s natural land features with challenging designs, these courses will test your skills as you try to stay on par. One golf course, the Oceanico Faldo, was designed by the accomplished Nick Faldo, three time Masters and three time British Open champion. Don’t get too serious about your score, though, and be sure to take in the green landscape, the breathtaking cliffs, and the beach views as you wind your way around the golf course.

The fun doesn’t end when the sun slides below the horizon. After a long day of swimming, hiking, and swinging the golf club, you have probably worked up an appetite. Plenty of restaurants await the opportunity to allow you to relax and satisfy your hunger. Enjoy an al fresco dining event under the stars while the warm night breeze blows. Because the Algarve is known for its figs and almonds, many sweet desserts featuring these delights are ready to be sampled. For a more active night, clubs and bars attract dancers and revelers from all over. While shaking it up on the dance floor, you may even find new friends. The casinos make a great destination for the card players and gamblers of the area.

Warm, sunny weather and plenty of tourist activities have combined to make Algarve, Portugal a highly sought after vacation destination. There is something for all walks of life to be found in the region. A good time is what you can expect from a visit to the Algarve.

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Brighton has always been popular with the London crowd. It was the Prince Regent who raised the city’s profile for he set up a royal court here second only to London. Thanks to his influence, Brighton is one of Britain’s top cultural destinations.

Brighton has a deep Regency heritage thanks to its architecture. Although each generation left its mark, the patronage of Prince Regent – later George IV – gave inspiration for the beautiful Royal Pavilion and the towns of Kemp and Brunswick. Regency streets and terraces are dotted around the city and bring back memories of grander times. As Queen Victoria took the throne, so the architecture changed. Many of Brighton’s churches are Victorian as are the finest sea front hotels and bandstands.

More than fifty festivals grace the streets of Brighton each year and expose its residents and eager festival goers to art, theatre, music, film and comedy. The biggest and most popular is the Brighton Festival. In 2010 Brian Eno took control of the artistic direction and raised the attendance and the bar for future directors. In 2006 a Fringe Festival split from this main event and invited anyone and everyone to put on a show in what is becoming a rapidly growing festival. Artists get a chance to showcase their work thanks to various festivals in the calendar where Brighton is full of the creative muse.

Art, nature and photography are housed all over Brighton thanks to its many museums. The Booth Museum of Natural History has hundreds of fascinating exhibits, and literature and data spanning three centuries. Brighton Museum and Art Gallery is the biggest and most modern museum and houses 20th century works. Photography is put firmly on the map thanks to the Sydney Street Gallery and North Laine Photography Gallery.

The Brighton Centre on the beach front welcomes the latest bands and the Theatre Royal Brighton is a venue for top class West End productions, sometimes even before they go to London. Brighton Dome plays host to an eclectic mix of acts and productions and it isn’t unusual to see the latest stand-up comedian one night and a Shakespearean tragedy the next.

Brighton has an illustrious reputation both behind and in front of the camera. Pioneering photographers and film makers set up studios in the city and Brighton has featured in cinema’s most popular films, including Brighton Rock and The End of the Affair. Film lovers can treat themselves to a showing at the Duke of York’s Picturehouse, the oldest working cinema in the country and the annual Cine-City film festival is a must for film buffs.

Cultural and creative, Brighton has put itself on the map.

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The island of Cyprus combines the Mediterranean’s rich history with terrific local food and unparalleled weather. Situated in the eastern section of the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus is sure to offer something to every vacationer who visits this beautiful land. There has been plenty of time for Cyprus to cultivate its culture, as its settlement dates all the way back to the 2nd millennium BC.

Choirokoitia is one of these earliest settlements. Not only is it acknowledged as possibly the first colony on Cyprus, but it is known as one of the first communities in the world. Choirokoitia has received World Heritage Site designation by UNESCO, which affirms its place in human history. Upon discovery, Choirokoitia was already incredibly preserved, but measures have been taken to fully restore it to its original grandeur. Outstanding examples of Byzantine art can be seen in any of Cyprus’s ten painted churches that have also been placed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO. Vivid frescoes adorn the walls of these churches, embodying the artful spirit of the settlers. Don’t forget to head underground into the Tombs of the Kings that have been carved into the rock of the Cypriot landscape.

Any vacation worth its salt requires a sampling of local cuisine. Due to its proximity to the Turkish mainland and its history of Greek settlers, Cypriot food enjoys a unique blend of ingredients found in Greece, the Middle East, and Asia Minor. Many of the recipes full of fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, wine, and of course olive oil have been passed down from generation to generation, so even the food of Cyprus is steeped in history. Accompany your delicious meal with a locally distilled wine. Wine has played a major role in the Cypriot economy nearly as long as people have dwelt on the island, and Commandria, a very sweet wine, is considered to be one of the first wines in the world to be identified. If you want a little more kick, try Zivania, a wine that is nearly pure alcohol.

You are surely looking at the Mediterranean as a vacation spot due to the beaches and crystalline water found there. The beaches of Cyprus are ideal places for sunbathing and playing amongst the waves. Not many places on the planet can boast such a wonderful climate, making Cyprus a popular destination for swimming vacationers. If swimming and soaking up rays simply is not enough, you can find plenty of locations that offer windsurfing and sailing year round. Add to this snorkeling and deep water fishing and you have every marine delight you could want.

Cyprus offers a wide array of activities for every vacationer. A land steeped in history and culture, it is an eye-opening glimpse into the past. Do not delay any longer in planning your trip to Cyprus.

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