European Train Trips
Can you travel around Europe by train? Absolutely - for those in the know, taking the train can be one of the best European travel options.
You have the choice of exploring one or two European countries using their rail networks - or you can purchase special train tickets that allow you to explore almost the whole of Europe over a period of weeks or months.
The UK, France, Germany and most of the Scandinavian countries offer special rail tickets for train travel around their country. These tickets allow more or less free access and you can choose how long you wish the duration of your European train trip to be. Options from a few days up to a month are usually available.
If you want to explore Europe by train then you should look no further than the famous Interrail ticket. This allows the freedom of the whole of Europe for rail travel and European train trips.
The ticket lasts for a month and has been beloved of students for many years. It's a great way to spend a month in the summer on train trips around Europe in the company of many other like minded young people.
An interrail ticket was previously only available to those under the age of 26 - but it's now open to anyone of any age (although more expensive for the "oldies")
Get more Interrail information by clicking here
European train trips are easy to organise - convenient - cheap - and a great way to meet up with others - but watch out for the European obsession with puppies !
Give it a try - you'll love it.
European Travel Packages
Choosing the best European Travel Package can be difficult sometimes. The sheer variety available when it comes to travelling around in Europe can be both exciting and confusing.
This website contains a great deal of information about how to choose the European Travel Package that suits you best - both in terms of your travel budget and your time frame for travel.
European travel package vacations can roughly be divided into those organised through a package travel company and those set up on a do-it-yourself basis. There's no right or wrong approach - you simply need to go with what you think will suit you best.
Read these articles before you book your travel package to Europe. They'll help you avoid the worst of the pitfalls and will give you some useful ideas and pointers when it comes to planning your European Vacation.
Cheap European Package Vacation Travel
How to plan a European Package Vacation
Plan a Vacation in Europe
Planning a European Vacation
There are many things to take into account when you plan a European Vacation. Making your vacation in Europe successful will require some thinking ahead and some attention to detail. It's not difficult to plan a good vacation trip but you should read the articles on this site and spend a bit of time doing your research.
Here are the main things to consider when planning your European vacation trip:
- Do you want to visit one European country or several?
Visiting several countries will need more planning ahead - and more attention to detail. You might encounter some language problems - although English is widely spoken or understood. Most European countries now share the Euro as their currency but not all do. - How will you travel between countries in Europe?
You have several choices. By car? By boat? By air or by rail? All of these are viable options and your choice will depend on your preference and on how much time you have available. - Will you stay in the capital cities or do you want to tour around?
Touring around options will vary from country to country. In Scotland or Ireland you may wish to hire a car. In France taking the train is probably the best option. In Italy you might prefer to travel by bus or coach. - Are you going to be planning your own European Vacation or will you follow an organised program?
There's no right or wrong answer to this question. If you are pushed for time or if you want to pack a lot into a brief trip then a planned European package vacation might be right for your needs. An organised vacation package trip will certainly leave you less stressed about language issues or about timetables - but it might also limit your choice of what you see and where you go.
Planning a European vacation on your own is more fun - but can also be more stressful.
The articles on this site - and there are many of them - will help you decide what suits you best when it comes to planning the ideal vacation to Europe. Europe has so much to offer and such amazing variety. Don't be put off if it seems complex - it really isn't!
Read the articles below to get you started:
Tips on European Package Vacations
Budget travel in Europe - how to avoid the pitfalls
Touring Scotland - how to plan your trip to Scotland
These articles are only a small selection of what's available on this site.
European Beach Vacation
The beaches of Europe are famous world wide for their quality, their predictable weather and climate and for the standards of the resorts that surround them.
European Beach Vacation - Spain
Many would argue that Spain started the trend for modern day European beach vacation resorts. You can choose from beach vacation resorts along the mainland coasts of the Mediteranean sea, or take a fantastic break to one of Spain's many Island resorts. The islands of Majorca and Menorca are extremely popular and offer well priced but high quality vacation breaks.
The Canary Islands lie a little further afield but are still part of Spain. These islands lie much farther south - just off the African coast - and offer hotter and drier weather through most of the holiday season.
European Beach Vacation - Greece and the Greek Islands
The Greek coast and the Greek Islands offer a wonderful venue for a beach vacation. Sparkling blue seas, soft white beaches and wonderful small towns and villages make this the perfect european vacation destination. In summer you can expect the weather to be very hot - but on the islands there is nearly always a cooling breeze to make things more comfortable. Make sure your hotel room or villa has air conditioning or you'll struggle to sleep at night!
Other European Beach Vacation Destinations
Take a look at Croatia or Bulgaria for cheaper beach vacations. Bulgaria has more basic resorts but amazing sandy beaches. Croatia is a more developed country with a fantastic coast line but the beaches tend to be rocky or pebble based.
Many European families now head for Turkey as their beach vacation destination of choice. You'll find good value, friendly locals, clean and modern accommodation and weather that is hot, hot, hot!
Wherever you end up you won't regret choosing a European Beach Vacation - give it a try.
European Vacation Soundtrack
So many people end up on this site looking for information about the movie of the National Lampoon's European Vacation, that I thought it only right to publish a brief article about it.
The European Vacation Soundtrack seems to be a very popular topic on internet discussion groups and forums.
No CD of the film soundtrack was ever published - so, in the spirit of the web, here's what I've discovered:
European Vacation Soundtrack
The key songs in the National Lampoons European Vacation movie are:
Ca plane pour moi - by Plastic Bertrand
This song was a hit in the UK in the late 1970's - Plastic Bertrand was France's only punk rocker ever to export his unique "talent" to the UK and beyond.
Holiday Road - by Lindsey Buckingham
Buckingham worked extensively with his partner Stevie Nicks and both of course became part of Fleetwood Mac
Some Like it Hot - by Power Station
Power Station were a briefly successful "supergroup" who set out with the intention of achieving world domination but ... of course ... never quite made it that far!
Even though no official European Vacation Soundtrack CD was ever released, you should be able to source these tracks through ITUNES, Napster or other online music stores.
Other sites discussing the National Lampoon's European Vacation Soundtrack are:
Mark's Very Large Site
Michael DVD
Hope this helps all you National Lampoon fans!
European Vacation Destinations
Europe is a huge place with enormous variety in all aspects of it's day to day life.
From vacation destinations in rural France or romantic Italy to the wild and rugged highlands of Scotland - your choice of European Vacation Destinations can at times seem mindblowing.
The pages of this site aim to give you a flavor of all that could be on offer - and to help you plan a European package itinerary that will allow you to properly sample the vacation destinations that Europe can offer.
Start with the articles below and browse around from there. We're sure you will find the information on European Vacation Destinations that you need.
Take a look at:
Touring Scotland
Budget European Travel
European Package Vacations
Sweden Vacation
Enjoy your vacation trip to Europe - you won't be let down by the choice on offer!
Golf in Ayrshire
Golfers are spoilt for choice in Ayrshire.
Ayrshire truly offers Scottish golf at it's finest. It is home to several open championship links courses but can also provide a great and inexpensive range of smaller links courses and a host of top quality inland layouts too.
Those seeking a taste of golf grandeur and history can visit the Open Championship Golf Courses at Turnberry, Troon and Prestwick.
Other courses of great reputation locally but less worldwide fame include those at Western Gailes and at Barrassie. The old Southern Gailes course near Kilmarnock has now been rebranded as Dundonald and is under the same ownership as the ultra exclusive Loch Lomond Golf Club.
Follow the links below for more information on playing golf in Ayrshire
Golf at Turnberry
Golf at Troon
Golf at Prestwick
European Package Vacations
Plan a European Vacation Package
Are you thinking about a European vacation this year?
Read on for some great tips from an expert on European vacation trips and make sure that your vacation in Europe is a relaxing success.
Tip One:
Consider choosing a travel company who specialize in European vacation packages. The do-it-yourself approach to a holiday in Europe may suit you very well but it does need a lot more planning and possibly more knowledge of languages other than English. A European vacation package company will take care of many of the basic travel and accommodation arrangements for you - leaving you free to relax and enjoy your trip.
Tip Two:
If you are planning a European vacation tour then make sure that you leave enough time to properly get to know each country that you visit. Europe is a very diverse place. You will find much that is familiar to you in the UK and Ireland but a lot that feels very different in Turkey or rural Greece. Do take time to enjoy the cultural differences and remember, that's why you're going in the first place!
Tip Three:
Try to learn a few words of language for each country that you plan to visit. You don't need to be at all fluent, but making the effort creates a big impression.
The laughs to be had when trying to communicate can break the ice and form lasting friendships. Many people speak English in the Scandinavian countries, in Holland and in Germany. Fewer of the locals speak English in France or Italy. In Spain, Greece and Portugal, English is spoken widely in the tourist costal resorts but not elsewhere.
Tip Four:
A cheap Europe vacation is easier to organise if you have plenty time to do the planning (easiest on the internet) and a long time to spend in Europe when you arrive. Being fussy about timing and travel schedules will make it harder to travel at bargain prices.
There are a large number of very low cost no frills airlines in Europe now but they may not always operate daily services. Be prepared to be flexible if you want to save money. European travel is diverse and the possibilities are endless. Dont restrict yourself to air travel. You can travel Europe by train or travel Europe by coach and still have just as much fun.
Tip Five:
The big cities and bright lights will be more expensive than the smaller towns and rural areas. Taking France as an example: you could stay three nights in a very nice hotel in Normandy for the same price as one night in a mediocre place in central Paris.
Tip Six:
Please don't forget to have fun. A European vacation can offer everything you ever dreamed of - but be prepared to be flexible and - more important,be prepared to try something new. Your Europe vacation will be a much richer experience if you do.
Budget Travel in Europe
Travel Europe on a Budget
What do you look for in a European vacation?
The romance of a Paris vacation, the buzz of some time in London, England or the relaxation and quiet peace of an alpine valley? The truth is that, with a European vacation package, you can have all of this and more.
Europe is a very diverse continent and the range of possible European vacations reflects this. In each European country you can choose from the buzz of a city visit or the relaxation of the countryside. Transport links are good and it's easy to hop from country to country by plane, by train or by road. This article sets out to help you plan a European vacation that suits you.
If you want to travel Europe on a low budget then the two key issues are time and flexibility. There are now many cheap European airlines who offer budget airfares for travel between European countries. Almost without exception they offer an excellent service, and their prices are remarkably low. But you do need to be flexible - both in your choice of destination and in your travel schedule timings.
European budget airlines often fly between the less popular airports and may only operate one flight a day. This means that if you miss a flight or if your flight is cancelled then you could face a long wait in a rather out of the way town or provincial airport.
The Irish airline, Ryanair, can be used as an example. Their flight billed as Glasgow to Paris departs from a town called Prestwick - about forty miles from Glasgow and arrives at Beauvais, a French town about sixty miles from Paris. Coach services are provided and the service is good but you will need to add at least an hour to your journey at either end. Getting stranded late at night in Beauvais or Prestwick is not likely to be fun. You can find a list of cheap European airlines and some of their routes on the websites listed below.
If you would rather travel to Europe on a planned European Vacation Package then you will have other issues to contend with. Planned European vacation packages can sometimes be rather sterile and predictable. Some of them may almost have the effect of insulating you against anything European! The notion of being herded along on like cattle among a mass of bemused fellow travellers is not likely to appeal to many of us.
Try to find a package that will allow you the benefits of having your travel and accommodation organised but still leave time for you to branch off on your own if you want to.
Travel Europe and enjoy it.
There is no right or wrong approach - simply work out what suits you and your lifestyle best. You will find plenty of choice in every European country. If you’ve never taken a European vacation then please do consider it - the possibilities are almost limitless.
The Oldest Golf Course in the World
You Could Play On The World's Oldest Golf Course
The oldest golf course in the world...
If I asked you where the oldest golf course in the world was what would you say? Scotland - yes, good guess so far. But where in Scotland?
When pressed most golfers eventually say St Andrews, but they are wrong. Golf was played at Musselburgh near Edinburgh at least ten years before any recorded games at St Andrews. Local records suggest that golf was played on the links land near the shore at Musselburgh from around the year 1567.
The old course in Musselburgh is still there today and retains much of its original layout. It has nine holes and the golf course can be played by all comers. Seven of the old course holes were laid out before 1830 (and probably much earlier) and the two new holes were added in the mid 1800's.
The British Open golf tournament was held at Musselburgh on five occasions between 1874 and 1889 and the first ever golf competition for women was played on the old course in 1811. The club members still compete for the Old Club Cup, which dates back to 1774.
Even the holes in the greens are significant at Musselburgh. In 1829 the members decided to buy a mechanical device from a local blacksmith to cut the holes on the green. By chance he made it with a diameter of exactly four and a half inches. Golf holes at the time could be any size that the members wanted - there was no rule about it. In 1893 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St Andrews - who by this time wrote the rules of golf for the game worldwide – decided that all golf holes should be the same size as the ones at Musselburgh old course and the decision has remained unchanged to this day. Just measure the cup size on your local golf course if you don't believe me.
For a golf course of such historical importance, access is remarkably easy. You can simply pay and play if you wish and there is a small shop selling special souvenirs. Memberships are available for both local and overseas members - the latter might make a particularly unusual golf gift. Each overseas member receives a welcome pack with a history of the club, a special bag tag, special golf balls and tees and is welcome to join in any competitions if they come for a holiday in Scotland.
This truly is golf at its most authentic and in its most historical setting.
Come try it - you will really feel the history of the place.
