by Brent Kleinheksel on August 23, 2011
Portugal is a nation located on the Iberian Peninsula in Europe. Located further west than any other country in Europe, Portugal has a long Atlantic coastline along its western and southern borders and allows easy access to Spain to both the north and east. Portugal includes the Atlantic island chains of the Azores and Madeira.
Vacation rental homes in Portugal are scattered across all of the main tourist areas in the country. The most significant tourist area is the Greater Lisbon region, which includes the nation’s capital city. Lisbon, in fact, is the second most visited European city, with the Spanish city of Barcelona holding first place. One of the primary attractions in Lisbon is the city’s oceanarium, which features over 16,000 individual living specimens from more than 450 marine species. The central exhibit in the Lisbon Oceanarium is a 1,000 square meter tank that provides viewers with the illusion of the open sea and includes animals such as sharks, rays, barracudas, groupers, tuna, and eels.
After Lisbon, the most popular areas are the Algarve and Madeira. The government of Portugal actively promotes tourism in other areas that are less visited, including the Douro Valley and the island of Porto Santo. Along the Costa del Sol, tourists can enjoy beautiful Atlantic beaches.
Portugal is included in the list of the 20 most frequently visited nations, with more than 12 million visitors arriving per year and contributing a full 5% of the nation’s economy.
by Brent Kleinheksel on August 23, 2011
Hungary is located in Central Europe. While cities such as Budapest and Prague have much to offer the metropolitan tourist, visitors who appreciate a rural ambiance will also want to investigate Hungary holiday homes for rent. One of the best regions to visit to see the countryside is northern Hungary, known to locals as the Northern Uplands because of the predominance of mountains in the area.
The Northern Uplands are popular with bird watchers, hikers, cyclists, and those who prefer to travel on horseback. Scattered trails through the region are appropriate for all of these types of people. It is in the Northern Uplands that tourists can see the highest peak in the nation, as well as the Bukk National Park. In addition to forested hiking trails, the park contains caves that have provided hours of adventure to tourists over the years; some of the caves were in use by prehistoric humans in the area.
Another feature of the park is the Bukk Plateau where Lippizaner foals can be seen roaming free. The nearby village of Szilvasvarad celebrates the area’s equestrian heritage with an annual horse and carriage events that attract an international crowd.
Close to the border with Slovakia, visitors can tour the national park at Aggtelek, which features caves as well. Hikers visiting northern Hungary will be happy to know that most walking routes are color-coded as well as signed in order to assist tourists. When trekking across the country, be sure to investigate the town of Eger where you can see the most northerly minaret in Europe.
by admin on August 23, 2011
Greece is a nation about the same size as the state of Alabama, but within its borders there is a large range of natural features from mountains to wetlands. One of the most mountainous nations in the EU, about 75% of the land in Greece is mountainous or hilly. The predominance of mountains explains the great wealth of Greek islands, many of which consist of mountain chains that have continued into the Mediterranean or Aegean Seas. The tallest mountain in Greece is Mt. Olympus, famed in mythology for being the home of the gods.
About a third of land in Greece is forested, and in the western region of the country visitors will encounter an area peppered with lakes and wetlands. There are four rivers crossing the country, all of them relatively short. Hiking in Greece is characterized by daytrips through woods made up of oak, cypress, juniper, oleander, and myrtle. Deciduous trees such as chestnut and ash are common in the north, with coniferous trees dominating the upper slopes of mountain ranges there.
One of Greece’s most outstanding features is the proximity of every part of the country to the sea; no place in Greece is located more than 40 miles away from it. The coastline, with its thousands of bays and inlets, attracts many tourists, some of whom spend the whole summer in vacation homes in Greece. Many of the beaches here are termed “golden” because of the hue of the sand during sunset.
by admin on August 23, 2011
The most visited city in France is the capital, Paris, located in the region known as Île-de-France. Paris is the site of world-famous museums and monuments such as the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, but tourists booked into France holiday rentals in other regions will find that the other parts of the nation also have much to offer visitors.
Northeastern France borders Germany and features cities such as Alsace and Lorraine, which spent decades actually being considered a part of Germany itself. Because of this mixed history, this region offers tourists a chance to try out a cuisine that is a blend of the best of national French and German dishes.
Visitors interested in wine should head to central France to visit the areas surrounding cities such as Burgundy, Auvergne, and Poitou-Charentes. Although vineyards and wine-tastings are a key part of the tourist experience in this region, other attractions include scenic rivers winding around the valleys and a variety of chateaux, some of which are open to visitors.
Southeastern France is the most visited area of the country apart from Paris. Featuring a warm climate and easy access to beaches along the Mediterranean, this region includes the city of Provence and the island of Corsica, where tourists can visit the town where Napoleon Bonaparte was born in the 1700s.
Traveling to the Southwest allows tourists to visit beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and also provides access to Spain, a fellow member of the EU.
by admin on August 23, 2011
Estonia, a small nation alongside the Baltic Sea, is located in northern Europe. Because winters here can be quite cold, the best time to visit is from May to September. Summer season is a time when tourists can tour Soomaa National Park, which features canoeing and bog-shoe-walking, and visit Pärnu, where sandy beaches draw tourists from all over the region.
Tallinn Attractions
The capital city of Estonia is Tallinn. Many Estonia vacation rentals are located here because some of the country’s most outstanding attractions are either in the capital or can be seen during daytrips from it. Visitors to Tallinn can see a well-preserved medieval town wall. Built during the Middle Ages by German stonemasons, the wall features towers that are hundreds of years old but still intact. With their red roofs and detailed stonework they resembled something out of a fairy tale. This is one of the joys of visiting Europe — seeing authentic structures that far predate any of the public buildings in the United States and reflect a time that seems like fantasy to us.
With just a little effort, tourists staying in Tallinn can travel outside the city to see Paldiski. This deserted army base reflects the presence of the Soviets who controlled Estonia from the end of World War II until the end of the Cold War. During the Cold War, Estonians were prohibited from seeing the base, but now it is open to the public.