Europe

3 Group Travel Tips You Should Know

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If this is your first time to travel with your group of friends, you might want to read this first.

Planning a trip with your friends will probably be one of the most exciting parts of your vacation because you know you are spending a time with some of the best people you know. So you are expecting that there will be no shortage of ridiculous and laugh-out-loud moments. However, it does not exactly play out that way. Stress is inevitable while planning a trip where there are different interests involved. You all have to make sure that each one is not just getting along with the plan. Remember, this isn’t just your vacation, so you need to consider what places or activities your friends want to visit.

Fortunately, there are ways to avoid arguments and tensions rising during planning. Here are tips on how you can make your first group travel out of the country is the most memorable trip you will have.

Agree on a budget range

We all know travel involves a significant amount of money, so it is best to get it out of the way. Some people would say to pick a destination first, but given that this is your first group travel, it would be best if you decide on how much each is willing to spend for an out-of-the-country trip. Remember that there are countries that require you to purchase visas and travel insurance like Australia, Japan, Korea, and Europe. This means extra expenses on top of flight tickets, travel tax, accommodation, food, and other miscellaneous fees. This budget range will function as your parameters, a money total that you are all targeting to save up for.

You can set up a travel fund where expenses for minimal fees like cab rides or amusement park fees can be taken from. What you do is put in an agreed upon amount before and during your trip. If you have saved enough for the travel fund, you can even use it to pay for the travel tax.

Pick a destination

Before anything else, consider the size of the group. If there are more than 10 people in the group and you will only be gone for a week, you can be sure that not everyone’s interests will be given equal time. To remedy this, you can decide on the type of destination you want first. Is it a tropical beach destination or a ski destination? Afterwards, have each person name one activity or attraction they want to do and then vote for it. Activities that have the majority votes will be included in the itinerary. If you find that there is still room to squeeze in one or two more, you may choose from the ones that did not make the cut.

Make sure there is time to relax

A little downtime will do everyone good, so make sure it is included in the itinerary. You will be out and about early in the morning because you want to squeeze in as many activities, which means that by the end of the day, everyone might not have the energy to spend actual bonding time with each other. So make sure that you have included a plan to just lounge around, whether it is in a cafe, the beach, the swimming pool, or even just in the rooms. You can order lots of food and play lots of parlour games.

The last thing you want to do is nominate a travel leader who will make sure everything you need for this trip has been prepared. It will have to be someone who can work under pressure since there will be a lot of you they need to think about other than them. But make it easy for your friend by following your plans and ensuring travel documents and gear are packed and ready.

Follow these tips and you will surely avoid awkward travels with your friends. Enjoy!

Preparations for the ski season in Bansko

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Even at the height of the summer, the preparations for the new 2017/2018 ski season in Bansko don’t stop even for a moment. With each season our most popular ski resort manages to surprise the lovers of winter sports with something new and unique.

What makes Bansko such a popular and preferred winter resort?

*The town has a unique location. It’s in the embrace of one of the most beautiful mountains in Bulgaria – Pirin. Located at an altitude of 927 m, snow cover on Bansko ski tracks is held from December to mid-May, which is quite a long ski season.

*It has maintained tracks of varying lengths and difficulty levels allowing even inexperienced skiers to easily and safely run down the track.

*It is easy to reach the tracks (located at about 10 km above Bansko) thanks to modern Gondola type ski lifts that start from the town itself.

*Even if the natural snow cover is not enough, there are 45 snow cannons placed and the tracks are worked with modern machines.

*In addition to the world renowned tracks, Bansko has also with a one of a kind big snowboarding park where lovers of this sport can practice it and have fun.

In order to guarantee a perfect and unforgettable experience for all gusts of the town (regardless of whether they come to Bansko to go down the ski tracks or want to live their winter romantic fairy tale), the town offers accommodation in hotels of different types and stars do that anyone who’s decided to visit Bansko during the ski season can find their paradise winter place.

What’s new for the guests of Bansko in ski season 2017/2018?

Snowboard World Cup

The International Ski Federation appreciated the high image of Bansko as an elite ski resort and entrusted the town with the organization of the World Snowboard Cup. Snowboarders from all over the world will compete in a race for the World Cup on January 25, 26 and 27 in Bunderishka polyana.

A few days ago, the FIS inspection was completed, from which the inspectors remained fascinated by the largest track of the Alberto Tomba resort and its adjacent track 9A.

There is a great chance for Bansko to make a boast of an extended speed boardercross track next year. The currently functioning track is 330 m long but there is a proposal to extend it to 500 m.

What’s new about the accommodation places in Bansko?

At the moment hectic preparations are in full swing and all accommodation places and almost all hotels offer a possibility for early bookings for the 2017/2018 ski season. Early bookings will be valid if they are made by the end of October or November this year.

Luxury hotels such as Apart Hotel Lucky Bansko SPA & Relax are getting ready for the new ski season by offering a discount for early bookings. The visitors of the five-star hotel will not only enjoy an unforgettable ski vacation in luxury and comfort but can also benefit from various spa treatments, dip into the indoor biopools, relax and unwind in the sauna, the salt room or the steam room. And if they are ski lovers and spend the entire day on the track, after the interesting and fun day they can sit with friends over a bottle of wine in the best Italian restaurant of Apart Hotel Lucky Bansko SPA & Relax or simply relax in front of the fireplace in the luxury apartments of the hotel.

Not for nothing has Bansko found its place among the elite ski resorts in Europe – here not a detail is missed in the preparations for the ski season.

And they are in full swing so that all lovers of winter sports can spend their ski vacation just as they have planned it.

Are you ready for the white tracks of Bansko?

Where to eat in Bansko?

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Bansko is a preferred place for fun and amusement both during the winter and the summer. The resort town, comfortably nestling in the bosom of the Pirin Mountain, attracts tourists from near and far all year round. Nature here is uniquely beautiful, the town is ancient and filled with many sights and the tracks … oh, the white tracks are among the most favorite ones of skiers and snowboarders from all over Europe.

Apart from all the beautiful things, sights and entertainment opportunities, Bansko attracts tourists and its many restaurants where dishes are offered for every taste.

The options for a delicious meal in the resort town are many and the restaurants in the town offer an extremely varied cuisine that will satisfy even the most demanding taste.

Yet, if you are visiting the resort for the first time, despite the numerous restaurants offering international, traditional and specialty cuisine, you are probably asking yourself…

Where and what to eat in Bansko?

*Traditional cuisine

Going to Bansko and not tasting home-made traditional cuisine is like going to Rome and not seeing the Pope.

So just choose one of the many taverns in the town and try kapama, chomlek, katino meze, banska blood pudding or bean in a pot.

Nowhere else will you be lucky enough to taste such delicious dishes as those prepared in Bansko. The secret of the delicious food that is prepared there is that the Bansko natives keep their traditions and prepare the dishes from old, homemade recipes handed down from generation to generation. Almost all dishes typical of Bansko and the region are prepared in clay pots, with many spices, a pinch of love and on a slow fire.

The kapama for example is made in a crock in which rows are made of cabbage, rice and several types of meat (pork, beef, chicken, rabbit and blood pudding). The dish is seasoned with salt, pepper and bay leaf and then is left to simmer for at least 5-10 hours.

Chomlek – knuckle of veal, potatoes, onions and garlic are placed in a crock, seasoned with tomatoes, salt, pepper, bay leaf, water and red wine are poured in and the meat is again left to simmer for a few hours.

Katino Meze – veal or pork tenderloin is cut into pieces and fired, onion, leek, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and white wine are added. The dish is seasoned with salt and pepper. It’s served in a gyuveche (a small clay pot).

Prepared in this way and with eco-grown produces, the traditional cuisine in Bansko will definitely make you lick your fingers and ask for more.

And if you are not up for cooked food, then you must try the pride of Bansko natives – banski starets or a flat-sausage. And don’t forget that these appetizers are even more tasty with a beer or a jug of wine from the wine-cellars of the Bansko natives.

*Mediterranean cuisine

You didn’t think that in Bansko, in the middle of the Pirin Mountain, you can enjoy your favorite Italian cuisine? Not so fast! Look for the Leonardo Bansko Italian restaurant on the map and make way for it.

They will not offer you traditional Bansko cuisine here, but will make your senses start to flicker with pleasure. Mediterranean cuisine, astonishing desserts and chocolate delights await you and all that in an extremely stylish and refined setting.

*Serbian cuisine

Who doesn’t like Serbian grill? If you are a fan of pljeskavica (a Serbian spiced meat patty) and huge portions of meat, in Bansko you will find at least a few great places where you can taste as many delicious Serbian grill dishes as you like.

*Irish pub

If you are a beer and fries lover, Bansko has several pubs where you can have some of those. The pubs at the resort offer a simple but tasty food and an abundance of different beers.

*Greek cuisine

The cuisine of our neighbors is well-known and loved here. Therefore if you feel like eating something from the Greek cuisine, in Bansko there are several restaurants where you can enjoy Greek moussaka (a meat-and-vegetable hash), zucchini, lamb chops and different types of fish all prepared deliciously, served together with ouzo and large Greek salads.

Very Nice, A Trip To The French Riviera

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Planning a holiday to somewhere romantic in Europe is nothing new. Neither is picking France as your destination. Picking Nice over Paris, however, that’s uncommon right now. Nice is the anti-Paris in many ways. Its coastal location saves it from the sometimes drab grey skies of the French capital. Even in winter, the weather can stay calm. It usually goes ten years between snowfalls too. Not to mention Nice doesn’t suffer from a smog problem, due to all the traffic Paris has.

 

Nice is more about contemporary France. It is something you have to live in the moment of. Drinking a glass of wine or enjoying a cool beer is the best way to enjoy Nice. The bars of Nice are full of atmosphere. Les Distilleries Idéales is one of the most popular bars in Nice. The tables outside it are almost always in use. Whether you’re watching the world pass you by or just getting a bit of sun, having a drink outdoors in such a lavish environment is bound to be relaxing.

 

If you want to go all in with your sun tan, Nice’s beaches are the place to go. While the beaches are not the soft sandy fare but instead pebble beaches, deck chairs and mats are available for rental to save you discomfort. Not all parts of the beach are a public space. Some are private to a few Nice hotels. Venere.com have a good options of hotels with private beaches. Others may be reserved for certain people or require payment for access. Nice is less about specific landmarks and more about the experience. However, guided walking tours through Nice are available if you want to see what it has to offer culturally.

 

The Parc du Château for instance is a great vantage point. It overlooks Nice and the Baie des Anges. If walking up there isn’t possible for you, or you just don’t feel like it, there is a lift up to the location. Just don’t forget your camera. The nightlife in Nice is bubbling. As already mentioned, the bars and cafes are great places to socialise and congregate. Live music is also a part of this, if you find the right venues. Enjoy a drink from an ice cold glass and a tune from an acoustic guitar.

 

If you’re more the solitary and introspective type, Nice still has its wonders for you. Night walks along the coast while you breathe in the sea air. The Nice lighthouse is a nice attraction to watch if you’re something of a night owl too. Nice is a popular holiday destination. If your grasp on French isn’t sufficient to sustain a conversation, who’s to say there isn’t someone else there that you can conversate with in English? It’s never advisable to just hang around with other tourists though. Get out there and cross cultural and national boundaries.

 

When all is said and done, Nice is unique in that it’s a holiday destination where you don’t really have to see anything. You’re not pressured to visit as many landmarks as you can in a week. All you have to do is enjoy.

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The Best Activity Holidays in Europe

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Experiencing everything that Europe has to offer is a desire of many a traveller. With so many countries to cover and an endless amount of travel, exploring Europe can be hard to plan and also come at a high price. As well as visiting the Eiffel Tower or seeking out true Italian pizza, consider taking an active holiday to see the best beaches and countryside that Europe has to offer.

Naples on Horseback

This part of Italy is home to Vesuvio National Park – so called because it surrounds Mount Vesuvius. While the park is full of roads for easy travel, nature tracks offer the perfect view. There’s so much to discover here, including the ancient ruins of Pompeii, the observatory and wildlife.

There are companies that offer horseback tours of Naples, including the national park, where you can ride through historic villages and explore picturesque coastal routes.

Hiking in Norway

Norway has a large network of nature trails that are explored by thousands of brave travellers every year. The landscape of this country makes it the perfect place to go hiking. View snow topped mountains, the Fjords and vast expanses of wilderness.

The highlight of hiking here is the chance to view the aurora borealis. For the best chance of viewing the magical northern lights, hike here in the colder months between October and February. Pack wisely for warmth, including hiking boots, gloves and an insulated water proof jacket.

Cycle the French Alps

Forget the Tour de France, this country offers so many places that can be explored by bicycle. Pack your tent, hire a bike and tour the Alps for an unforgettable adventure holiday. Look here for different maps and routes that also cover Italy, Spain and Switzerland.

Note: Cycling the Alps is not for the faint hearted. If you’re thinking of undertaking this extreme activity, make sure you train beforehand.

Surfing in Portugal

For some people, a beach holiday relaxing on a sun lounger sounds perfect, but for others, it’s their worst nightmare. A surfing holiday may be the perfect antidote. Unbeknown to many, Portugal is a haven for surfers. Whether you want to go to the Algarve, Lisbon or Porto, you enjoy living by the beach. Spend your days surfing and the evenings exploring the area’s charm and cuisine. You will return home refreshed, cultured and more toned.

Hopefully you’re feeling inspired to cycle, hike, or surf your way across Europe!