Six of the Best European Walking Holidays

By: Tony Maniscalco

Europe is blessed with some of the finest walking country in the world, and millions of people travel to the great valleys and mountain ranges on the continent every year. Of course, great trekking isn’t confined to the continent – there’s plenty of outstanding walking to be done in the UK, with the Scottish Highlands, Snowdonia, the Lake District and the Peak District offering spectacular peaks to climb and routes to traverse. But if you are itching to leave the familiar behind and experience some of Europe’s finest scenery, here are six of the best routes and destinations for walking holidays in Continental Europe…




Le Tour Du Mont Blanc

Le Tour Du Mont Blanc is a truly stunning walking holiday, an epic 100 mile circumnavigation of the Mont Blanc Massif. It is one of the most famous and popular walks in Europe, taking in high mountain passes, dramatic valley walking and some truly stunning vistas of the major peaks whilst enjoying the hospitality of the Alpine huts along the way. It typically takes two weeks to walk, and while not technically challenging it does demand a good level of fitness and mountain walking experience.



The Haute Route
The other classic route through the Alps, The Haute Route (or "High Route"), stretches from Chamonix to Zermatt, beginning in the shadow on Mont Blanc and ending at the foot of the Matterhorn. With many climbs to high passes it isn’t for the fainthearted or inexperienced, but it is one of the most challenging and exciting European trekking holidays. Alternate routes that avoid the glacier crossings are also available.



The Lycian Way
For those who prefer coasts and culture to high mountain adventure, the Lycian Way in Turkey is the perfect walking holiday. This coastal route runs from Fethiye to Antalya, and offers a splendid mixture of beautiful landscapes (cedar forests, pasturelands, and rocky mountain routes) and ancient archaeological sites, including the sunken city at Kekova.

The Dordogne Valley
Located in the South West of France, the Dordogne valley is one of France’s national treasures, and is home to one of the country’s great walking holidays. The valley is rich in natural splendour, with forests, limestone cliffs and the great river of the Dordogne itself, and the region is peppered with charming traditional towns and medieval castles. There are also many old cave paintings and prehistoric sites in the Dordogne, along with an excellent museum in Les Eyzies.


The Dolomites
While the Alps may be the most famous mountain range for walking holidays, the Dolomites offer a completely different experience – dramatic limestone pillars, glaciers and lunar plateaux stand above rolling meadows filled with wild flowers, and the many routes in and around the Dolomites provide some of the best unspoilt walking to be had in Europe.


The Mountains of Sardinia
Known as "the land of silence", the Italian island of Sardinia offers some of the most remote and peaceful routes for a European walking holiday. The ancient mountain ranges in the north of the island offer visitors stunning walking through the gorges and ridges, as well as the chance to see prehistoric monuments of the Nuraghi people. The perfect weather, friendly island culture, and stunning scenery make Sardinia an ideal destination for a relaxing walking holiday.

The City of Angels

By John Parks
 

 
Los Angeles, the City of Angels, is a destination for millions each year. A booming tourist industry fueled by the Hollywood Studio System is rivaled only by the number of writers, actors, aspiring directors and others who move there every year. Other than auditions, and coffee shops filled with sharp witted types pounding away on laptops while they hype up on caffeine, Los Angeles has hundreds of way to spend a day.




One of the ten reasons people fall in love with LA include the weather. With an average temperature that hovers around seventy five degrees, Los Angles is the perfect place to visit almost any time of the year. Most people go to visit Hollywood and the walk of Fame to find their favorite stars "Star". Hollywood is actually several studio systems scattered around the City. One of the most famous is Universal Studios, which is part theme park, part working studio system. Each of the studios offers guided tours so that visitors can get an insider's peek at how Hollywood blockbusters are made.



Once you have a taste of the stars, see how they spend their playtime by heading West to the Santa Monica Pier, and beach. The beach stretches down to Venice, home to some of the best people watching in the world with an eclectic mix of artists, performers, dance troupes, skaters, and beautiful bodies basking under the golden California sun. Visitors can rent a convertible, drop the top and coast up Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu, beach enclave to Hollywood's elite, and home to some great west coast surfing spots. If beach volleyball is on the ticket, check out the sand courts at Manhattan Beach for some of the hottest bodies and best action in Southern California.



Shoppers will have to hit the world famous Rodeo Drive, but if budget is a consideration, check any of the hip trendy shops in the Melrose District, or the Promenade in Santa Monica. If shopping builds an appetite, there are cafes and restaurants on every corner, but burger lovers should hit up Tavern on the Main in Santa Monica for what many consider one of the world's best hamburgers or the world famous Pinks on La Brea for a great hot dog. If soul food is more your speed, try Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles for southern fried chicken and crisp golden waffles.



Nature lovers can trek up in the Santa Monica Mountains just off Pacific Palisades. The hike over rugged terrain can offer glimpses of blue deer, and give the thrill of a mountain cat encounter, which signs warn of. But hikers are rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Pacific spread out to the horizon, not to mention the gorgeous mansions that dot the canyons.



A nighttime drive along Mulholland Drive shows the skyline of LA lit up like a kaleidoscope of twinkling lights, as if a million stars fell from heaven and rested in the valley. The City of Angles can be a city of wonders to visit, it is easy to see why thousands fall in love with Los Angles every year.



For more information on Los Angeles, California visit http://losangelesmicroblog.com and http://microbloglosangeles.com/

France Map - Great Holiday Ideas

France Map - Great Holiday Ideas


by: Nancy Eben

Be ready to get impressed on your travel France as the country has everything that one could expect from a holiday. Amongst the five top most tourist destinations in the world, facts about France let you see why it is so. It has the fashion capital Paris as its capital city, beautiful nature, beaches, the mountain scenery, and monuments all make it a great tourist destination. Moreover, the experience of visiting the country can vary as to the place you select for your holiday. Holidays on a beach, in the countryside, the big cities to the beautiful villages, all have something on offer for its visitors. There is plenty to explore and discover, loads of activities to get involved in and certainly life long memories to take back home. A great destination, France provides number of holiday ideas a few are mentioned here.

• Adventure Holidays
Take on an adventure holiday to see the real France. For those who love adventure travel, adventure holidays can be a fantastic option. Get a taste of the place, meet the local people when you head on an adventure holiday. On offer are all kinds of different activities that one can pick from like from the extreme sports to the more ordinary. These holidays come in complete package holidays, and tailor made for adult only adventures or for a family holiday that can cater for all ages of children. It’s the horse riding that catches your fancy, mountain biking or is it the hiking, you can find all this and much more for your holiday.
• Cycling holidays
With cycling being a national pastime in France, the organized cycling holidays are becoming very popular. These holidays provide with an opportunity for the visitors to cycle their way into the country and explore the region while having a go at the sport. This year round activity is a very popular among all ages and weather has a big role to play. In addition there are quite and beautiful countryside, with number of roads available for cycling. The well-maintained roads provide excellent cycling areas for cycling. Tour de France, the greatest cycling event in the world takes here in the country. For not the regular cyclists there are organized cycling trips, which combine cycling with accommodation, visits to the areas along the route.

• Skiing holidays

If you are on travel France for a skiing holiday then you will find the country has some of the best ski areas and ski resorts. France is a very popular destination among the tourists and if you skiing is your cup of tea, then Alps provide with excellent ski areas. With many ski classes made available for the tourists who are beginners, everyone can enjoy. Tourists can choose from a wide range of ski accommodation from ski resorts, private ski chalets, chalet apartments to hotels. The ski accommodation meets the needs of all skiers.

• Golfing holidays
France can turn out to be an excellent choice for a golfing holiday for both the professional and amateur golfers, as the country has a variety of golf courses. Playing golf amidst snow-capped mountains or Mediterranean views, it is a wonderful experience. France is a fantastic destination for golf holidays all the year round and plenty of sunshine adds on to the charm of the place. There is a lot of choice as the France map is dotted all over with golf courses. With the specially designed golf holidays, wherein one stays in a luxury villa, a private golf course and this blend of comfort and quality with golf is a quite experience.
• Holiday on a River Cruise
With the varied landscape that France has, a river cruise holiday is a perfect way to enjoy the countryside, the history and the culture as one travels from one place to another. It is the right idea for a relaxing and a different kind of holiday. A river cruise lets you experience, what you can never otherwise see, with every region having its own specialty and beauty.
• Camping holidays
Travel France for a great camping holiday, which is a great holiday idea for fun and adventure. In the recent years, camping has caught on with the tourists and with thousands of campsites available, it is all the much easier to embark on a camping holiday. One will get easily spoiled for choices, with so many to choose from, right from hiring your own tent, caravans, or even a mobile home, is a great way of touring the country. The campsites are well maintained and organized, offering all the facilities for relaxing and entertaining holidays.
Wherever you travel a France map would be a handy tool and should be your accompanist all through your holiday.