Top Eight Most Disappointing sights in Europe

Europe is full of the so called “must see” attractions recommended by every guide book. As a result, sometimes you are lucky to make your way through the crowd to see at least something of the treasure you chose, not mentioning the hours you spend standing in a line to get in. BootsnAll Travel listed the most disappointing attractions in Europe.

8/ Dublin Castle

Dublin, Ireland

If you have seen the Prague Castle or Edinburgh Castle, this castle will most probably be a serious disappointment. When you pass through the main gate and see the chess-piece-looking Record Tower, you are likely to imagine you will see a cool dungeon and perhaps some historical halls where knights enjoyed their parties and fights. The disappointment comes when you realize that this tower is all that is left of the ancient castle, and that the rest of it is a simple government complex. The tour however is quite interesting because at the end you go to the underground and see the original walls. And of course, then there is the gift shop.

7/ Little Mermaid Statue

Copenhagen, Denmark

The Little Mermaid is a statue that has been dedicated to the famous fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen in 1837. The statue was unveiled in 1913 and since Copenhagen lacks super-famous sights every tourist is keen on visiting, this statue has become the biggest tourist attraction. It will take a long and out of the way walk along the harbor before you reach the bronze lady. What you will finally see is again a crowd of tourists and only 125 cm high statue. Most of the visitors are thus surprised by the small size of the city’s icon as well as the unappealing industrial harbor-front across the water in the background. What more, if you want to see the statue beware that from May to October 2010 you will have to travel to Shanghai for such an experience. The Copenhagen City Council is planning to move the Little Mermaid there for the duration of this year’s Expo 2010.

6/ London Bridge

London, UK

Have you already seen the famous London Bridge? No? Don’t worry. Although it carries a catchy name, the London Bridge is the plainest bridge over the Thames imaginable. Tourists may be confused by the songs they used to hear in their childhood, but whenever you go somewhere please look it first up on the internet and don’t be disappointed. The close by Tower Bridge is on the other hand quite amazing as is the new Millennium Bridge.

5/ The Interior of the Sagrada Familia

Barcelona, Spain

Sagrada Familia is a famous cathedral and definitely a must see in Barcelona. It was designed by the famous architect Antonio Gaudí and has been under construction since 1886. For that reason it is better to walk around it only from the outside and admire the extraordinary shapes and details of the facade all around. The interior unfortunately is accessible for €11 but does not offer much to see except a bunch of construction workers and heavy equipment. The only compensation for your admission fee is the informative museum in the basement.

4/ The City of Saint-Tropez

France

Nobody knows why but Saint-Tropez is considered to be the most awesome city on the French Riviera. It is maybe because a sunless aloe-vera tanning lotion was named after it. Or because everyone wants to have the famous Saint-Tropez tan. Who knows? The fact is that this city is so overcrowded with tourists that even the locals would prefer you to visit a nearby city instead. Although it is a very nice place, Saint-Tropez is like a dozen other cities on the Côte d’Azur, but if you like overcrowded places it is definitely a must see! If you don’t, it will be perhaps better for you to visit Saint-Maxime, Cap d’agde, Camargue, Cassis, or Sete.

3/ Manneken Pis

Brussels, Belgium

Experienced travelers say that there really aren’t many sights in Brussels, unless you are an admirer of high rise administrative buildings. However, there is one attraction most visitors plan to see – the Manneken Pis. It is a small bronze statue of a boy, who is permanently urinating into a fountain. The biggest problem with the cute sculpture again is the big crowd standing in front of it. When you finally manage to find the statue, you will see that it looks the same as in the pictures, but it is even smaller.

2/ Gondola Rides

Venice, Italy

Venice – the favorite city for romantic souls. Get ready that even in the off-season, Venice is more jammed with tourists than Times Square on the New Year’s Eve. If you wish to take the legendary Gondola ride, don’t be disappointed when you hear the price – a 40 minute ride costs around €80. Perhaps you think this is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Well, yes but forget a romantic private ride with your sweetheart. You have a good chance that there will be tens of others in Gondolas around you ready to enjoy the famous City of Bridges.

1/ Mona Lisa

Paris, France

In 16th century Leonardo da Vinci painted a picture of a shy-looking smiling woman. At that time he couldn’t know what sufferings people in the 21st century will undergo to see the painting. Nowadays Mona Lisa can be found in the magnificent Louvre in Paris. Louvre is a highlight of the city itself, and it is so big that if you wanted to see every picture for one minute, then it would take 500 years to see all of them. Every guide book thus recommends making a quick visit and see at least the Mona Lisa. Many travelers decide to do so and as a result the room where it is on show is usually totally crowded making it difficult to see even a small part of the famous painting.

                                                                           Source tourism-review

News: British Airways cabin crew to be balloted over more strikes

British Airways cabin crew are set to be balloted for fresh industrial action in their bitter row with the airline which could cause disruption to flights throughout the summer.

Tony Woodley, joint leader of Unite, said a new ballot for strikes could be only a week or so away, as union members continued with the current five-day walkout.

Mr Woodley told Unite's annual conference in Manchester that the ''hard man'' stance of BA chief executive Willie Walsh will plunge the airline into a prolonged and ''totally needless'' summer of disruption.

A fresh ballot will be needed because the 12-week protective legal period for taking industrial action ends in early June.

Mr Woodley said if crew were forced to seek a new mandate for industrial action the blame for this will lie ''firmly'' with Mr Walsh and his ''persistent refusal'' to permit a peaceful settlement.

Unite said it believed a deal on cabin crew costs had already been agreed between both parties, adding that the airline could be restored to full operation in time for the peak summer season if the outstanding row over travel concessions was resolved.

The cabin crew launched their 14th day of action today in a dispute which Unite said had now cost BA over £90 million, with each day of action adding £7 million.

Mr Woodley told the 700 delegates that the dispute could be summed up in one word - bullying, continuing: ''Bullying that imposes radical changes on our members without agreement, that has seen other BA employees incited against cabin crew with, to their lasting shame, the collusion of scab pilots, that has meant more than 50 of our brothers and sisters suspended or sacked for the crime of sending a text or posting a remark on Facebook, that forbids them from talking about their own dispute in public and that victimises trade unionists by branding them second-class employees for life.

''Well, there is only one thing to do with bullies - that is stand up to them until they learn some manners.

''We all know there is a deal to be struck, one that recognises the real commercial needs and problems of the company as well as our members' legitimate interests.

''But we are not and never will be prepared to see our members and our union humiliated, victimised and reduced to ruins, as Willie Walsh seems to say.''

Striking cabin crew were at the conference and will attend a fringe meeting on the BA dispute later today.

BA said it had operated more services than planned yesterday, including the reintroduction of all of its services from Heathrow to New York's JFK airport, adding that it would continue to add to its schedule where possible.

''Our global operations went very well throughout the first week of Unite's strike action and got off to another good start today at the beginning of the second series of strikes.

''We have announced a larger schedule at Heathrow for this round of strikes, because of the numbers of crew reporting for work.

''We will continue to operate 100% of our schedule at Gatwick and London City airports. At Heathrow, we will operate more than 70% of long-haul flights (up from more than 60% last week) and more than 55% of short-haul flights (up from more than 50% this week),'' the airline said in a statement.

Unite is planning a further five-day strike next week unless the deadlock is broken.

Any further strikes are likely to be in July as it will take Unite four to five weeks to organise a new ballot.

                                                                                    Source telegraph

Visit the beautiful Parga in Greece

Parga is a wondrous picturesque town located in the northwestern Greece. It looks more like an Island than a city as such it is located in the western coastline of Greece and it surrounded by beautiful beaches! Parga is a wonderful place with many sightseeings and there are great places which you have visit during your visit in Parga.

Some weeks ago Ntitoras Christos created a Tourist Blog (http://www.pargaepirus.blogspot.com) with the aim to promote the beauty of Parga an the wider area of Epirus to all over the world.

Unfortunately the Greek Tourism has been hurt significantly because of the demonstrations and some bad incidents that took place the last weeks and affect negatively the image of Greece and many people who had planned to travel to Greece canceled their vacations there.

Tourism accounts for 17% of Greek GDP and a great percent of the greek labor force is occupied in the tourism sector. Anyone that has the ability has to do their best to help and support the Greek Tourism. The individual efforts of the greek citizens will play a vital role in the recovery of the greek economy.

In the blog there are many photos, videos of Parga, useful information for tourists, information about Events in Parga, various links related to Parga and other useful stuff!

Visit the link below and you will find a lot of information about beautiful Parga:

http://www.pargaepirus.blogspot.com/

                                                      Source www.pargaepirus.blogspot.com/

Venice Nightlife

There are restaurants of all kinds for you to dine in, pubs to have a drink in and clubs to have fun in. Venice has it all so after a full day of sightseeing put on your very best clothes and get out into the nightlife that Venice has to offer. 

The people and the atmosphere will keep you in good spirits and the night will be filled with wonderful memories. There’s lots to enjoy so make sure you make some time to take it all in.

Try a night in the most famous Harry’s Bar and see if you can see some famous faces. Another great place to go is the Casino de Venice where you can bet the night away and have loads of fun, too. For the dancers that visit Venice the Acropolis is the place to go. 
With so many places to choose from you’ll never be bored in Venice. The nighttime is just as great as the daytime, which is fantastic.

Harry’s Bar

Calle Vallaresso

San Marco 1323

Venice, Italy

041-528-5777

When you’re in Venice be sure to go to Harry’s Bar. You might see some famous faces.

Casinó of Venice

Grand Canal's Palazzo

Vendramin-Calergi

Venice, Italy

A night of fun can be had at the Casinó of Venice.

Acropolis

Lido

Lungomare Marconi, 22

Venice, Italy

041-526-0466

If you’re a dancer go to the Acropolis and enjoy an evening out on the town.

Cantina Vecia Carbonera

Cannaregio - Rio Terà della Maddalena, 2329

Venice Itlay

39-41-71-0376

The Cantina Vecia Carbonera is another place in Venice where you can go to have a wonderful time.

Caffè Florian

Piazza San Marco

Venice, Italy

39-41-520-5641

The Caffè Florian is another nightspot in Venice.

Old Well Pub

Corte Canal, Santa Croce, 656

Venice, Italy

39 41 524 2760

The Old Well Pub is a place for you to go and have a drink and relax in Venice.

Venice Sightseeing & Venice islands

Venetia Ghetto

Venice's Ghetto was the first segregated Jewish community in Europe. It was created by the Venetian Republic in 1516 to placate the Roman Catholic Church, which had forced the expulsion of Jews from many European countries. (The Venetians were more interested in wealth on Earth than in religious ideology; if creating a nighttime dormitory quarter was required to keep a community of Jewish financiers and goldsmiths intact, that was good enough for the Republic).

The Ghetto has several interesting characteristics, such as the low-ceilinged, multi-storey apartment buildings that were built to accommodate a dense Jewish population and the upstairs synagogues that served Jews of different nationalities.

If you have time and a few euros to spare, you can visit the Jewish Museum or take a guided English-language tour of the synagogues.

The Ghetto is easy to reach: As you're walking toward the city centre from the railroad station, turn left after crossing the Ponte delle Guglie and look for the Gam Gam restaurant. Turn right into the passage before the restaurant; you'll first encounter the Ghetto Vecchio, or Old Ghetto. Beyond that is a larger square, the Ghetto Nuovo or New Ghetto, which is shown in the top photo above.

Interesting fact: Venice's Jewish population fell sharply during World War II, when many Jews were shipped off to concentration camps, but it has grown in recent years because of an influx of Messianic Jews from the other parts of Italy and the United States.

Canali, Campi and Calli

To experience the "real Venice" (and no, it isn't completely gone), head into the side streets away from the major thoroughfares like the Strada Nova and the big squares such as the Piazza San Marco.

You'll find an endless succession of pedestrian streets, canals, bridges, campi, and surprises--such as the squero, or gondola workshop, near the San Trovaso Church and the Moorish sculptures on the Campo dei Mori in Cannaregio, which are just a few doors away from an apartment building that once housed Tintoretto's workshop.

Just as important, you'll see how Venice's citizens live. Today, only about 60,000 people reside in the historic center (compared to an estimated 170,000 in the heyday of the Venetian Republic), but they still hang out in neighborhood bars, buy produce from local vendors, and hang their laundry from clotheslines above the street. If you're lucky, you'll encounter a friendly dog or cat, as Cheryl did in the inset photo above.

Tip: Take a good Venice street map with you when you go exploring. It's easy to get lost and wander around in circles (though you can't go too far afield, since you'll hit water eventually).

Churches

We've already mentioned the Basilica di San Marco, but there are scores of other churches in Venice that are worth your time. Some have modest admission fees (you can save money with the Chorus Pass), but some are free.

The largest and most famous of the no-admission churches is another basilica: Santa Maria della Salute (shown above and at right), which is near the mouth of the Grand Canal and the Dogana di Mare (Venice's old customs house) at the tip of Dorsoduro. The massive eight-sided church sits on more than 100,000 wooden pilings. It was completed in 1681 as a "thank you" gift to God and the Virgin Mary for allowing the plague to kill only a third of the city's residents. Admission is free between 9 a.m to noon and 3 to 5:30 p.m., but there's a small charge to visit the sacristy.

A few smaller churches, such as the Carmini church--also known as Santa Maria del Carmelo--are also free. (The Carmini church is on its own square near the Campo Santa Margherita. It shouldn't be confused with the Scuola Grande dei Carmini, which is nearby.)

On the island of Murano, you can enter San Pietro Martire (inset photo) free of charge, but there's a small admission fee at the more interesting Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato.

At other churches, admission may be free out of season, when there aren't enough visitors to justify having a ticket vendor on duty. (We wandered into the Gesuati church on a weekend in November, and there was nobody around to collect the admission fee.) Admission is also free during religious services, but you'll be expected to grab a spot in a pew and worship instead of wandering around with a guidebook in hand.

Islands of the Lagoon

Venice is a city of islands (about 100 in all) that lie 4 km or 2.5 miles off the Italian mainland in a shallow, brackish lagoon. Although most of the islands lie close together and are linked by bridges, not all are: Some are accessible only by boat, with trips ranging from about 6 to 45 minutes according to distance. This means you'll need a waterbus ticket to reach the islands, but sightseeing will be free once you get there. (You'll save money with a 12-hour to 7-day tourist card, for more on boats and fares, see our Vaporetto Routes and Vaporetto Fares pages.)

The islands of most interest to tourists are:

San Michele

San Michele, Venice's public cemetery. The walled island is only a few minutes from the Fondamente Nove vaporetto stop, and it's a surprisingly cheerful place to visit. The Catholic sections are well-maintained, with high-rise mausoleums for the residents' bones (which are usually removed from underground graves after 12 years), while the Reformed and Orthodox sections have the atmosphere of old British or New England churchyards.

Murano

Murano, the center of the Venetian Lagoon's glassmaking industry since 1291 A.D. You can visit a factory and watch a glassmaker at work without paying (or buying) anything. The island also has several nice churches and two glass museums, one of which--the Barvovier and Toso Museum--is free.

Burano

Burano, traditionally Venice's lacemaking island, which has an interesting lace museum (admission charge) and is famous for its brightly painted houses. A wooden footbridge connects Burano to Mazzorbo, a satellite island with a modern council-housing estate that's worth visiting if you're intrigued by architecture or urban design.

Torchello

Torcello, which once had a greater population than Venice and is just a few minutes from Burano by a connecting boat line. Even if you're on a tight budget, you should pay to visit the thousand-year-old cathedral with its stunning Byzantine gold and stone mosaics. Buy a combination ticket that includes the tower, which is easy to climb and offers great views of the island and the Lagoon.

Lido

The Lido is a residential suburb with a lively shopping district. Cars and buses are allowed, so watch out for the mostly slow-moving traffic. (The island's sightseeing possibilities are minimal, but you can walk to the beach--which is on the opposite side of the narrow island from the boat landing--and wet your feet in the Adriatic Sea.)

Getting there

You'll reach the islands on motoscafi (water buses) of Actv, the Venice public-transportation company. Allow a full day for the entire excursion, or half a day if you skip San Michele and the Lido.

Actv's lagoon water buses can be crowded during peak season, on weekends, or if local groups of senior citizens or schoolchildren are travelling between the islands. If crowds bother you, or if you're unwilling to stand on a moving boat when seats aren't available, consider one of these alternatives:

• Take an escorted tour of Murano, Burano, and Torcello.

[Euros] [British pounds] [U.S. dollars] [AUS dollars]

This half-day tour is more expensive than a tour by public transportation, but it's worth considering if your schedule is tighter than your budget. The trip is offered by Viator, our sightseeing-tour partner.

• Hire a water taxi by the half-day or day, which could easily cost several hundred euros. If you want the services of a private guide, try a customized lagoon itinerary from WalksInsideVenice or the Venice Tourist Guides Association and let the guide arrange transportation.

Venice Sightseeing

Piazza San Marco

The Piazza San Marco, or St. Mark's Square, is one of the world's great squares. It's also a honeypot for swarms of daytrippers and other tourists, but don't let that bother you: The square is vast, the crowds are good-natured, and backpackers coexist peacefully with the well-heeled tourists who enjoy overpriced drinks and orchestral music at the café tables.

Some Venetians claim that pigeons outnumber the tourists. Certainly there are plenty of them, although their numbers have dwindled since the city began enforcing an ordinance against feeding the birds. (Tip: Rick Steves suggests letting pigeon poop dry before brushing it off; this may work on clothing, but it's less effective when the poop is sliding down a balding scalp.)

Basilica di San Marco

The Basilica di San Marco (in English, St. Mark's Basilica) is both a house of worship and a monument to plunder: It was built to house the bones of St. Mark, whose remains had been stolen from Egypt by a pair of Venetian merchants, and the building is filled with sculptures, religious objects, and other booty that was hauled back from Constantinople and other faraway places during the Christian Crusades.

The cathedral's exterior is a riot of Byzantine architecture, with five domes and more decoration than a nouveau riche wedding cake; the interior is spectacular, with gold mosaics that come to life from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., when the church is illuminated.

Entrance to the Basilica is free, though it's polite to leave a donation. You'll need to buy tickets if you want to visit the San Marco Museum, the Treasury, and the Golden Altarpiece. For visitor information, click the article link below.

Venice's Waterfront (St. Mark's Basin)

As you leave the Piazza San Marco and the Piazzetta (the branch of St. Mark's Square that leads past the Doge's Palace to the water), turn left and follow the Riva degli Schiavoni, the first section of the waterfront promenade that runs continuously (with several name changes) to the Giardini Pubblici park and beyond.

Along the way, you'll pass the Zaccaria and Pieta waterbus platforms. Zaccaria is a major stop for several Actv vaporetto lines; Pieta (shown in the inset photo) is the turnaround station for double-deck pedestrian ferries that connect central Venice with suburbs on the Lido and points beyond.

If you're lucky, you may see one or more ships tied up along the waterfront: possibly a river vessel like CroisiEurope's Michelangelo (shown at right), or perhaps a yacht, a sailing ship like the Italian Naval Academy's Amerigo Vespucci, or a small ocean cruiser.

You'll also pass hotels, cafés, exhibition venues, and--after 15 or 20 minutes--the site behind the public gardens where the Biennale di Venezia art exhibition takes place during odd-numbered years.

Unless you're pressed for time, keep going until you reach Sant'Elena, a relatively modern 19th and early 20th Century residential neighborhood with parks, the city's football stadium, and a marina.

Grand Canal

The Canale Grande, known to English-speaking visitors as the Grand Canal, is the main aquatic thoroughfare in central Venice. The S-shaped waterway follows an ancient riverbed from the Tronchetto parking island, the Piazzale Roma transit center, and the Santa Lucia railroad station station to Piazza San Marco and St. Mark's Basin. The canal is about 4 km or 2.5 miles long, with a width that varies from 30 to 70 meters (98 to 230 feet).

The best way to see the canal is to ride the No. 1 vaporetto from the Piazzale Roma or the railroad station in the direction of San Marco--preferably in the evening, when the daytrippers have gone home and the palazzi along the canal are floodlit or illuminated from within. If you're on one of the older boats with an open bow, sit up front; otherwise, grab a seat in the covered open-air section at the boat's stern, beyond the doors at the rear of the vaporetto's enclosed passenger compartment.

As the water bus zigzags between stops on both sides of the canal during its 40-minute journey from the Piazzale Roma to San Zaccaria, you'll pass under three bridges and see dozens of palaces that were built from the 12th to 18th Centuries.

Another way to see the canal is from the bridges that cross it. The Ponte di Scalzi is just upstream from Venice Santa Lucia Railroad Station; the Rialto Bridge is about halfway up the canal, just after a sharp bend, while the Accademia Bridge is the last bridge across the canal before St. Mark's Basin. (The newer Ponte della Constituzione, or Constitution Bridge, crosses the Grand Canal between the Piazzale Roma and Santa Lucia Riailroad Station.)

Go the top of any bridge, find a place at the railing, and watch the constant stream of vaporetti, barges, water taxis, police boats, ambulances, gondolas, and other boats.

Finally, if you'd like to ride a gondola but aren't willing to spend €80 or more for the privilege, you can cross the Grand Canal in a traghetto gondola ferry for pocket change. (A traghetto crossing is the cheapest transportation bargain in Venice.) Consult your map or follow the nearest "traghetto" sign to a boat landing.

Rialto Bridge

The Ponte di Rialto, a.k.a. the Rialto Bridge, has been the main pedestrian crossing between the two banks of the Grand Canal since 1591. In fact, it was the only bridge across the Canal Grande until a predecessor to today's Accademia Bridge was built in 1854.

You might think that, with Venice being a city of traders, the shopping arcade in the centre was built to separate tourists and locals from their money. In fact, the shops have a structural purpose: The rows of covered arches that run up the centre of the bridge and over the top help to stiffen the bridge, making piers unnecessary and allowing 7.5 meters or 24 feet of clearance for boats (including the galleys that existed in the 16th Century, when the current stone bridge was built).

Eating & Drinking in London

There’s never been a better time to eat out in London. British cooking is better than it has ever been, and the capital still has some of the best ethnic restaurants of any city in the world.

You will find Bangladeshi and Burmese, Ethiopian and Turkish, as well as fine French, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Greek, Thai restaurants. And if none of that appeals to you, there’s always good fish ‘n’ chips.

Albion

2-4 Boundary Street, Shoreditch. Old Street tube

Few pull off the nostalgic trend for traditional British cuisine as well as this British ‘caff’ from Terence Conran. Inside a former Victorian warehouse you will find kitsch British products along with cupcakes and biscuits, and menu ranging from fish ‘n’ chips to English breakfast.

Bocca di Lupo

12 Archer Street Soho, Piccadilly Circus tube

With its lively open kitchen and tapas-style menu of Italian regional specialties.

Corrigan’s Mayfair

28 Upper Grosvenor Street, Mayfair, Marble Arch tube

Corrigan’s is a remarkably relaxes place.

Geales

2 Farmer Street, Notting Hill, Notting Hill Gate tube

Geales opened as a chippie in 1939, but it has long been the habitat of Notting Hill’s casually dressed middle-class. Fish remains the focus of the menu, and the likes of cod, hake and haddock arrive beautifully battered and fresh as the new tide.

Hakkasan

8 Hanway Place, Fitzrovia, Tottenham Court Road tube

When Alan Yau opened this glamours take on the Shanghai teahouse in 2001, he redefined Chinese dining in the UK. Today, its dark, moody, nightclub feel, chillout lounge music and high-ticket dining still pull some of the liveliest, richest crowds in town.

Hibiscus

129 Maddox Street, Mayfair, Oxford Circus tube

www.hibiscusrestayrant.co.uk

Lantana

13 Charlotte Place, Firzrovia, Goodge Street tube 020 7637 3347

York &Albany

127-129 Parkway, Camden Town, Camden Town tube

www.gordonramsay.com

Soho Bars

Must of London’s best nightlife has shifted east, but don’t fret: after-work drinkers and a central location ensure that Soho is always prime party turf.

Shopping in London

One of the word’s most exciting retail centers, London is also one of the most varied. The shopping scene spans multicultural street markets and deluxe department stores, cutting-edge fashion designers and traditional tailors, smart food shops and tiny delis.

Bond Street

Divided in two sections-Old Bond Street and New Bond Street. A street of fashionable shops and fine art dealers, with many respected names in fashion.

Fenwick’s department store, Chappell’s music shop, and the home of Sotheby’s the auctioneers.

Burlington Arcade

Running into Piccadilly and patrolled by uniformed beadles, it is very expensive but exquisite! Elegant specialist shops sell, silver, jewellery and knitwear.

Carnaby Street

Associated with the Pop Culture and fashion of the 60s this colorful street became a legend. Today it still retains a unique atmosphere.

Charing Cross Road

A road that never ceases to attract scholars and musicians. Many bookshops headed by the unique Foyles in two buildings, with over four million books on sale. Music shops are on this street and in side turnings like Denmark Street.

Jermyn Street

If you need shirts here is the place to have them made to measure. Expensive jewellery shops are here too with a perfumers and a specialist cheese monger.

Kensington High Street

A popular shopping street for young fashions, boutiques and high-class couture, landmarked by the 1938 modernity of Bakers department store-soon to become the flagship for US Whole Foods Market.

Kings Road, Chelsea

Boutiques, pubs, bistros, antique dealers, one department store on Sloane Square. On summer Saturdays the road becomes on long art gallery where anyone can display their paintings.

Knightsbridge

Unequalled for its fashion, food and art shops. This is where to find Harrods and what was Lady Diana’s favourite store, Harvey Nichols.

Oxford Street

London’s most famous shopping street with large department stores including Selfridges, Marks & Spencer, Debenhams etc. HMV has tow shops for CDs and records- the eastern one is the largest- see also Virgin store.

Regent Street

This gently curving street of noble architecture is where to find the immutable yet changing department store Liberty’s and the largest toy shop in Europe.

Tottenham Court Road

Apart from the great furnishing shop Heal’s, this is the home of bargain Hi Fi; TV; Radio; Computers and almost anything electronic. Check around before you buy and you should get a good bargain!

MARKETS

Columbia Road Market- Liverpool Street tube, then 26, 48 bus.

On Sunday mornings, this unassuming East End Street is transformed into a green swathe of fabulous plant life, and the air is fragrant with blooms. But it’s not just about flora: alongside the flower market is a growing number of shops selling everything from pottery and Mexican glassware to cupcakes

Portobello Road Market- Ladbroke Grove tube.

Best known for antiques and collections, this is actually several markets rolled into one. Antiques start at the Notting Hill end; further up are food stalls; and under the Westway and along the walkway to Ladbroke Grove are emerging designer and vintage clothes.

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London Sightseeing

MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES

When it comes to sightseeing, you are spoiled for choice. Indoors or outdoors, underground or overground, traditional English heritage or modern European attitude- all are on offer here.

But be sure to pace yourself: some of the venues detailed in these pages, such as the British Museum, can’t be covered in a morning.

Museum of London

The history of London, from prehistoric times to the present, is told through reconstructed interiors and street scenes, alongside displays of original artifacts found during the museum’s archaeological digs.

Opens Tuesday-Saturday 10.00-17.50, Sundays 12.00-17.50

Open Bank Holidays Free entrance!

Getting there London Wall, City (020 7001 9844/www.museumoflondon.org.uk). Barbican tube.

London Transport Museum

A replica of Shillibeer’s 1829 horse-drawn carriage is just the first of an extraordinary array of vehicles on display at this terrific museum.

There’s also Connections, a computerized exhibit that features 55,000 model buildings in its depiction of the journeys made through the city every day.

Opens Daily 10.00-18.00

Charge entrance

Getting there Piazza, Covent Garden (020 7379 6344/www.ltmuseum.co.uk). Covent Garden tube.

National Gallery

Situated in the domain of London’s pigeons, the gallery holds an unequalled collection representing the European schools of painting and it is particularly rich in examples of Dutch and Italian works.

One of the world’s greatest art collections has more than 2,000 works, starting with 13th-century religious pieces and heading towards today via gems such as Holbein’s Ambassadors and Velázquez Rokeby Venus.

There are also important works by Turner and Constable, but the real crowd-pullers are the likes of Monet’s famous Water-Lilies and Seurat’s Bathers at Asnières.

Opens Monday- Saturday 10.00-18.00, Wednesday 20.00, Sunday 12.00-18.00

Free entrance!

Getting there Trafalgar Square (020 7747 2885/www.nationalgalley.org.uk). Charing Cross tube.

National History Museum

A cathedral to the Victorian passion for knowledge. Build in 1880 in the Romanesque style, this fine, colorful terracotta building has zoological decorations along its wide facade.

The departments incorporate Botany, Entomology, Minerology, Paleontology, Zoology and the Museum of Geology, renamed the ‘Earth Galleries’, and has some interesting features- an escalator ride through a portion of a rotating globe to the ‘Power Within’ exhibition which explains volcanos and earthquakes. The film Jurassic Park stimulated interest in dinosaurs, and this museum has the real bones and some absorbing tableaux the children will enjoy.

Opens Monday-Saturday 10.00-17.50, Sunday 10.00-17.50

Free entrance!

Getting there Cromwell Road, South Kensington (020 7942 5000/www.nhm.ac.uk). South Kensington tube.

Science Museum

I enjoyed my visit to this museum; it was one of the first to allow you to interact in the discovery process. I have no doubt that children today find this museum one of the most interesting visits. The museum traces many of the great achievements in the discovery and development of science and industry, and displays on five floors some of the original machines and equipment: steam engines like Stephenson’s Rocket along with modern prototype locomotives. Mitchell’s famous Schneider Trophy Seaplane, the forerunner of the Spitfire; the Apollo 10 command module; veteran cars, and many other experiences that you can participate in: you can fly a plane, be an air traffic controller, mix and record music etc.

Opens Museum daily 10.00-18.00 Free entrance!

IMAX cinema book on 0870 870 4771 Charge

Getting there Exhibition Road, South Kensington (0870 870 4868/www.sciencemuseum.org.uk). South Kensington tube.

Tate Britain

For historical art in London, Tate Britain is second only to the National Gallery. Displays span five centuries of British art from the 16th century, taking in Hogarth, Gainsborough, Constable, Bacon, Moore and Turner. More recent artists such as Lucian Freud and David Hockney are also represented.

Opens Daily 10.00-17.00

Free entrance!

Getting there Milbank, Pilmico (020 7887 8888/www.tate.org.uk). Pilmico tube.

Tate Modern

Opened in 2000, the original Turbine Hall of the renovated Blankside power station makes an impressive introduction to this eclectic collection of international arts of the 20-21st centuries, includes works by Francis Bacon, Cézanne, Bonnard, Dali, Roy Lichtenstein, Magritte, Matisse, Mirò, Picasso etc., and sculptures by Rodin and Constantin Brancusi.

On the top floor is a café which has fine views across London.

Opens Sunday-Thursday 10.00-18.00, Friday-Saturday 10.00-20.00

Free entrance!

Getting there Bankside (020 7887 8888/www.tate.org.uk). Backfiars tube/rail.

Victoria and Albert Museum

The Victoria and Albert’s grand galleries contain four million pieces of furniture, ceramics, sculpture, paintings, posters, jewelery and metalwork from across the world. There is an incredible collection of Italian Renaissance sculpture, along with home-grown treasures such as the Great Bed of WARE Canova’s Three Graces and Henry VIII’ s writing desk.

Opens Monday 12.00-15.45, Tuesday-Sunday 10.00-17.45, Wednesday 18.30-9.30 Free entrance!

Getting there Cromwell Road, South Kensington (020 7942 2000/www.vam.ac.uk). South Kensington tube.

News: Lufthansa Group Releases Annual Sustainability Report

The 2010 edition of Balance, the Lufthansa Group’s sustainability report, is now available. It contains a wealth of information about the company’s commitment to ecological, economic, community and social issues alongside its business activities.

In 2009, 50 new fuel-efficient aircraft joined the Lufthansa Group’s fleet, some as replacements for older models. Lufthansa is thus consistently pursuing its policy of fleet renewal. The company has 146 new aircraft on order with a list price of 13 billion euros, which are scheduled for delivery over the next six years. At 55 mpg per 100 passenger- kilometers, the specific fuel consumption of the Group’s fleet has reached a historic low. And this trend is set to continue, given that Lufthansa has set itself the ambitious goal of reducing its specific fuel consumption by 25 percent until 2020, compared with levels in 2006.

In addition, the group’s new Fuel Efficiency Leadership project will systematically examine all possible ways of reducing fuel consumption, while the Aviation Biofuel project will analyze further potential for reducing future emissions. Lufthansa has also joined the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, in which airlines, aircraft manufacturers and companies involved in the field of refining technology work together to develop sustainable fuels.

One of the airline’s key priorities is to raise awareness among its executives of the importance of sustainable thinking and acting. In 2009, more than 1,200 young people across Germany were taken on as apprentices at Lufthansa and thus offered future prospects in the company. Lufthansa has a total workforce of almost 118,000. Frankfurt is the largest base, with about 35,000 employees. Employees represent some 149 different nationalities. In the U. S. alone, more than 10,000 Lufthansa Group employees are active members of their local communities and support the U.S. economy. For more information, visit www.lufthansa.com/responsibility.

                                                                                                        Source travelpulse

News: Royal Caribbean Adds Summer 2011 Europe Cruises

Royal Caribbean International announced 47 additional Europe cruises in 2011-12 aboard Splendour of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas. Sailing roundtrip from Venice, Splendour of the Seas will offer a new series of 10- and 11-night Greek Isles and Turkey itineraries. 

Mariner of the Seas will homeport in Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, and offer a variety of Western Mediterranean, Egypt and Holy Land itineraries ranging from six to 13 nights. Royal Caribbean also offers Europe cruise-tours, which combine a voyage aboard either ship with an escorted land tour.

Bookings for these 2011 Europe cruises and cruise-tours are now open. An Italian Lakes and Venice option combines a sailing aboard Splendour of the Seas with a three-night itinerary that explores Italy’s Stresa, on the west shore of Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy. The cruise-tour includes a private boat tour of Lake Como, a walking tour of Piazza San Marco and the Doge’s Palace, and an overnight in Venice. The Venice, Florence and Rome cruise-tour combines a Mariner of the Seas cruise with a five-night land tour. Cruise-tours are escorted by a tour director and include ground transfers, hotel reservations, city tours and some meals.

In Venice, Splendour of the Seas will join Voyager of the Seas from April through November 2011. Splendour will offer alternating 10-night Greek Isles and 11-night Greek Isles and Turkey itineraries, the latter featuring an overnight in Venice at the start of the cruise. Splendour will kick off the season with an eight-night Western Europe itinerary from Lisbon to Venice, departing on April 14, 2011. A seven-night Mediterranean cruise from Venice to Barcelona, departing Nov. 18, 2011, will conclude the ship’s Europe season, followed by a 15-night trans-Atlantic voyage to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

From Civitavecchia, Mariner of the Seas will alternate 11- to 13-night Mediterranean Egypt and Holy Land itineraries, calling at several Greek and Italian ports. The Egypt cruises feature two full-day calls at Alexandria, and the Holy Land cruises offers a full-day each at both Ashdod and Haifa, Israel. Mariner of the Seas also will offer six seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises beginning July 22, followed by a one-time six-night Western Mediterranean cruise, departing Sept. 2, 2011.

Liberty of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas will sail their maiden Europe seasons from Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain, respectively. Independence of the Seas will continue its year-round service from Southampton, U.K. Navigator of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas will sail a variety of Mediterranean itineraries, while Jewel of the Seas and Vision of the Seas will ply the Baltic and North seas. For more information, call 800-327-2056 or visit www.cruisingpower.com.

                                                                                                    Source travelpulse