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Within the Brussels city limits two cultures, the Flemish and the French, co-exist and create a diverse and exciting atmosphere. A myriad of tiny art cafes, medieval buildings, art deco architecture, bustling markets and a host of galleries and museums await you on your Brussels city hotel doorstep. Brussels also happens to be home to a wealth of exciting festivals including art, film, music and food and drink. If you feel spoilt for choice, here are some of our favourites.
Brussels European Film Festival
After recently acquiring a new artistic director, in the shape of Ivan Corbisier, the film festival has undergone a slight change. Its aim to introduce the cinematic highlights of European film to its inhabitants remains the same, but now the films are showcased with a bit more pizzazz, and more and more stars are filing into the fantastic city to take part in this great event. The festival is usually held in the month of June and runs for 8 days. If you are looking for a Brussels city hotel around festival time there is a wide variety of great accommodation on offer, but get in quick and book before Adrian Brody and Audrey Tautou get there first.
Art Brussels
If you are an art enthusiast then the delights of Art Brussels are just you; every April the festival welcomes a variety of visitors from professional collectors to amateur art admirers. It is one of Europe’s finest platforms for the upcoming movers and shakers of the contemporary art world. Established galleries are also invited to showcase their best work for the public to peruse. When you are exhausted with the art you can go and explore the charms and wonders of the city. Hotels are available near the venue, but transport links to and from the fair are frequent so don’t worry when you book your Brussels city hotel if you are not within walking distance.
Beer Weekend
For those of you who see art in the grain rather than the paintbrush, Beer Weekend is for you. Taking place on the first weekend of September, around 50 Belgian breweries present their finest selection of beer and ask you to sample the tantalising amber nectar. Belgium has a strong connection to beer that the country boasts goes back to the middle ages, which means there has been plenty of time for them to perfect the art. If you like nothing more than meeting up with fellow beer lovers and sampling a range of varieties, then head to Brussels. You can book accommodation nearby, so you can walk to the festival from your Brussels city hotel with ease.
Couleur Café
Spread over three days in June, this vibrant music festival reflects the diverse culture of its host, Brussels. It presents music in a wide range of categories including R&B, hip hop, world, afro, reggae, ragga, dub, dancehall, Latin, salsa, son, raï and rock. Its first audience back in the early 90s was around 5000 people, and today the number stands at more than 80,000. It is located in Tour & Taxis, a beautiful industrial site that has to be seen to be believed. There is camping available but, if you prefer a real bed, accommodation is available throughout Brussels. City hotel prices range from budget to luxury and you should have no trouble finding one to fit your needs.
Looking for a Brussels city hotel? Nina Hilgemann works in e-marketing and CRM for World Hotels, a company offering the best Brussels city hotel accommodation and a selection of unique four and five star hotels around the world.
The online travel writing provided by Travel Content Online is free to take, providing you take the links in the text, too. Use it to add fresh online content to your website. Thank you for visiting us – hopefully our travel content will bring more visitors to your site, too.
LeadGenerators hopes you enjoyed this article. An Online Marketing agency based in London, LeadGenerators hosts a series of Social Media and Internet Marketing training sessions and seminars.
Whatever views tickle your fancy, whether it is majestic mountain ranges, tropical jungles, vast deserts, or beautiful beaches stretching to the beyond; the stunning country of Peru can provide them for you. If you are a keen walker it is hard to get bored with the scenery. If you tire of what the mountain ranges have to offer, then catch a train to the east and trek through the Amazon rainforest. The unique geography of Peru makes it a must-see destination if you enjoy walking. Peru has many incredible places that you should not miss visiting – here are just a few to tantalise you.
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
This trail will present some of the most magnificent mountain views you have ever seen and is worth the two to three day trek; the scenery is so stunning that you sometimes forget that you are walking. Peru has placed certain restrictions on parts of the trail due to previous damage of the environment, so you will need to do your research carefully before you begin. You can start your journey at Ollanta, a striking Inca fortress and town, and then make your way up the mountain range towards the north. Along the path there are plenty of Inca structures to entertain and amaze you as are you are walking. Peru is full of Incan towns and structures and Machu Picchu is no exception. You will probably need a few days to explore everything the region has to offer.
Trail to Choquequirao
This trail starts in Cachora, and will take around one to two days of walking. Peru, as mentioned, is partly covered in jungle forests, and the town of Choquequirao is situated in a micro-climate which generates a dense rainforest that covers the buildings and terraces. Along the route you will find yourself spoilt for choice for your picnic spots with beautiful rivers and smooth boulders upon which to sit along the beginning of the trek. If you’re striking out on your own and the thought of carrying your camping equipment and food supplies along the trail is a little too much, then there are plenty of local muleteers in the town of Cachora who will carry your bags on their mules and donkeys. This may be especially helpful when you reach the steep climb to Choquequirao on the second day of walking. Peru plans to construct a cable car to run up and down to the town to bring more tourists to the area; so if you are someone who enjoys the lesser-travelled paths, then visit this trail before the cable car does.
Trail to Vilcabamba
If you are feeling a little more adventurous, then try the six to eight day hike to Vilcabamba, the last refuge of the Inca Empire. It starts in Huancacalle, visits Vilcabamba and then continues on to Chihuanquiri. As well as Vilcabamba, there will be many more historic sites for you to discover such as Luccma, Rosaspata and Ñusta Hispana. A portion of the walk will be within the rainforest, where you can view the beautiful vegetation and wildlife while walking. Peru really has some picturesque small villages tucked away along these trails, and while trekking to Vilcabamba you can visit Yupanca, Luccma and Consevidayoc to mention just a few.
Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. They offer over 250 guided group walking holidays in over 90 different countries. While walking Peru with Ramblers Worldwide Holidays, you will see scenic locations & landscapes at the best value prices.
The online travel writing provided by Travel Content Online is free to take, providing you take the links in the text, too. Use it to add fresh online content to your website. Thank you for visiting us – hopefully our travel content will bring more visitors to your site, too.
LeadGenerators hopes you enjoyed this article. An Online Marketing agency based in London, LeadGenerators hosts a series of Social Media and Internet Marketing training sessions and seminars.
On your annual skiing holiday to Val d’Isere, after a few days you may find you are all skied out! But don’t worry, there are other ways to relax than just by lazing about in your hotels. Val d’Isere has an impressive range of activities you can enjoy ‘apres ski’, so if you fancy cheese and pastry tasting, or spending time in an igloo then read on…
Igloo Evenings
If you love the snow but are a little bored of simply skiing down the piste, then this could be the event that gets you out of your hotels. Val d’isere can offer you a fabulous evening in an igloo, at an altitude of 2400 m. A helicopter will whisk you up the mountain at sunset and then you’ll take a snow scooter to the igloo. You will then spend your evening inside your ice castle eating cheese and chocolate fondues – can life get any better? At the end of the meal you will ski back down the mountain by torchlight. It is an expensive activity but is definitely worth the wealth of memories you will make.
Local Crafts
There is a world of local culture waiting for you on the doorstep of your hotels. Val d’Isere and the surrounding region is home to some great arts and craft galleries. Seez St Bernard makes for a wonderful visit and you can explore some of the local crafts including spinning, taxidermy, gold and silversmithing, blacksmithing and leather tanning. There are guided tours available, but these are in French, so if your language skills are not up to scratch you may want to wander around and discover the town’s delights yourself.
L’Adroit Farm
Not too far from the resort’s hotels, Val-d’Isere has a wonderful rural experience in the form of L’Adroit Farm. This traditional alpine farm produces absolutely delicious cheese and the owner, Xavier, will happily welcome you and show you around. You can get involved in cheese making, or spend time exploring the farm and feeding the animals that live there. You can get a guided tour of the farm which includes cheese tasting – and this fromage is definitely one you will want to try!
Pastries, Cakes and dessert!
If the world of the pastry excites you and the mere mention of croissants makes you drool, then look no further than Val d’Isere to satisfy that need. There is a range of fun activities if pastry is your passion, though be careful you don’t eat too much, or you will never make it back to your hotels! Val d’Isere is home to a lovely little bakery called the Maison Chevallot, which also moonlights as a tea house. Since 1965, Maison Chevallot has specialised in pastries, cakes and chocolates (milk, dark and truffles). Patrick Chevallot, the owner, is consultant to the world-famous chocolatier, Valrhona, and was voted best French Pastry Chef in 1993 – so you are in good hands.
If tasting is not enough and you want to get a little more hands-on with your baking experience, then “The Best French Pastrycook Award” offers marvellous patisserie classes. This is a great chance to learn about the different baking techniques involved in pasty making. It is also followed by a tasting session, so don’t worry about missing out on the delicious treats!
Earl Knudsen is Marketing Manager for Alpine Answers, a specialist ski travel agency, tour operator, and booking service offering bonded package holidays at a hotels Val d’Isere, and other tailor-made itineraries. For a luxury or good-value skiing holiday in hotels; Val d’Isere is an ideal location.
The online travel writing provided by Travel Content Online is free to take, providing you take the links in the text, too. Use it to add fresh online content to your website. Thank you for visiting us – hopefully our travel content will bring more visitors to your site, too.
LeadGenerators hopes you enjoyed this article. An Online Marketing agency based in London, LeadGenerators hosts a series of Social Media and Internet Marketing training sessions and seminars.
So, you have arrived in Val d’Isere safely with your family and you are staying in gorgeous chalets. Val d’Isere, however, is more than just luxury accommodation and has some great family activities that you and your children will find highly entertaining. There is so much on offer including climbing, skiing, ice skating, snowshoe walking and canyoning. It really will be hard to fit everything in during your stay, so here is a quick guide to a few of the activities that you can experience while staying on the resort – it may help you to decide what to try first!
Parcours Adventure
Open from early June until the end of August, the ‘Parcours Aventure’ in Val d’Isère is a brilliant adventure for adults and kids alike and will get them running with excitement from their chalets. Val d’Idsere is home to this brilliant adventure park that is a network of ropes, zip lines, bridges, beams and nets. They are suspended from the branches in eco-friendly ways that do not damage them and everything can be dismantled easily leaving the trees unharmed. There are three courses of varying degrees of difficulty, although children must be over 6 years of age and over 1.40 metres in height.
Activity Clubs
The summer activity clubs are a great idea if the adults want relaxation time in their chalets. Val s’Isere offers two great clubs for your children. There is ‘Les Aiglons’, which caters for children between 4 and 10 years old, where they will participate in dance classes, picnics, trampolines and much more. For the older children there is ‘Junior Club’, which caters for the 11 to 16 year olds. The older children’s activities include canyoning, street hockey and climbing. These clubs are a good idea for your kids to meet other children and make new friends, and allows the adults the freedom to go off and try those more daring slopes.
Archery
Let your children pretend to be Robin Hood or The Green Arrow by taking them to archery lessons, an activity that can be enjoyed by both adults and children alike. Just make sure they don’t attempt to shoot a bow in your chalets! Val d’Isere offers archery at the Parc des Sports Vallée du Manchet from June until late August. There are a great range of courses available from beginners to experts, so it doesn’t matter if you have never shot a bow before. Children must be 8 years old, and children between 8 and 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Trekking with Donkeys
‘Trekking with Donkeys’ is a wonderful activity if you are looking for something to get your family out of the chalets. Val d’Isere is a great place to get into the saddle and take your family on an outdoor adventure amongst the beautiful surrounds. There are stunning views of the lovely alpine scenery and great places to stop, picnic and explore the mountains. You can book short treks or long treks that involve lunch and dinner. The donkey treks cater to all ages of children and are perfect for families.
Earl Knudsen is Marketing Manager for Alpine Answers, a specialist ski travel agency, tour operator, and booking service offering bonded package holidays at a chalets Val d’Isere, and other tailor-made itineraries. For a luxury or good-value skiing holiday in chalets; Val d’Isere is an ideal location.
The online travel writing provided by Travel Content Online is free to take, providing you take the links in the text, too. Use it to add fresh online content to your website. Thank you for visiting us – hopefully our travel content will bring more visitors to your site, too.
LeadGenerators hopes you enjoyed this article. An Online Marketing agency based in London, LeadGenerators hosts a series of Social Media and Internet Marketing training sessions and seminars.
It goes without saying that while on your Bhutan trek you’ll want to experience as much of the local culture as possible. However to the strait-laced Westerner, some of Bhutan’s ancient beliefs and customs can come across as slightly bizarre. Nevertheless they are fascinating to behold and if you come along with an open-mind then you’re certain to have an incredible time. These three unusual experiences simply must be experienced on your Bhutan trek:
Eat a Dish Made From Just Chillies and Cheese
While the Annapurna Circuit is often nicknamed the Apple Pie Circuit, due to the abundance of apple pies en-route, someone should look at renaming Bhutan ‘the land of the chilli’. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the locals love chillies more than any other ingredient, and as well as including chillies in almost every dish, they also like to serve them pickled as a side vegetable. If there is one ingredient that they love almost as much as chillies it’s cheese, and it goes without saying that the national dish is a meal that contains both chillies and cheese – and that’s pretty much it! This dish, named Ema Datshi, isn’t for the faint-hearted, but if you love both chillies and cheese then it’s definitely worth sampling on your Bhutan trek.
Visit the Temple of the Divine Madman
The Madman was actually a revered Bhutanese saint that not only gave the country its national animal, but also helped a lot of the locals with their fertility issues. His temple in the Punakha Valley really needs to be seen to be believed; but whatever you do don’t giggle in the front of any of the monks. Chimi Lhakhang may be decorated with giant phalluses, but the locals take worship at this temple very seriously. When you first enter the temple on your Bhutan trek, a monk will make you bow to all four corners of the temple, before kneeling in front of a giant phallus. Local custom is to visit this temple for fertility issues and after drinking three different coloured liquids you’ll be presented with your lucky number and the name of the child that you will bear within the next year, before being whacked on the head by a giant wooden phallus. If children aren’t on your agenda yet, then it’s probably best to give this temple a miss.
Visit the World’s Only Yeti Reserve
On your Bhutan trek you’ll probably hear a lot of stories about the yeti, or the ‘migoi’, as the locals call him. This might just be folklore, but the locals genuinely believe in his existence, in fact so much so that they’ve set up a yeti reserve in the village of Sakten. This 253 square mile sanctuary was created to protect the habitat of the migoi whose body is covered in thick, reddish-brown hair, although his face is hairless. The Bhutanese have two theories as to why the migoi is rarely spotted; firstly it has its feet on backwards, which confuses many trackers; and secondly, it also has the ability to make itself invisible. If, despite the odds, you fancy your chances of spotting the elusive migoi on your Bhutan trek, the reserve is located 37 miles outside Trashigang.
Looking for a Bhutan tour? Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who run Bhutan trek and tours. They now offer treks and tours worldwide, including destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.
The online travel writing provided by Travel Content Online is free to take, providing you take the links in the text, too. Use it to add fresh online content to your website. Thank you for visiting us – hopefully our travel content will bring more visitors to your site, too.
LeadGenerators hopes you enjoyed this article. An Online Marketing agency based in London, LeadGenerators hosts a series of Social Media and Internet Marketing training sessions and seminars.
Everyone has their own favourite part of the Annapurna Circuit, but for many people their favourite part of the trek is the charming ‘apple capital’ of Nepal – Marpha. Known worldwide for its delicious apples, you’re likely to find trekkers in this part of the circuit tucking into delicious apple pies and drinking the local liqueur made from fermented apples. Of course, Marpha isn’t just about the delicious food and drink; this part of the Annapurna Circuit is steeped in history and was once an important part of the old salt route.
Marpha manages to take many trekkers on the Annapurna Circuit completely by surprise, as it is very different from the rest of Nepal. The buildings in Marpha are not the typical Nepalese teahouses that you’ll encounter throughout your trek, but are instead pristine white, with burnt red-trimmed doors. The white buildings are the reason why Marpha is dubbed the “Santorini of the Circuit” by many trekkers in the know.
As the town is located towards the end of the route, many companies recommend that you save your souvenir shopping until you reach Marpha. If you manage to drag yourself away from the bakeries for a few minutes, you’ll find a fantastic range of traditional souvenirs that range from Ghurkha’s knives to tiger balm. Of course, it may be that you can’t bear to leave the bakeries, and if that’s the case then who can blame you? Crunchy apple crumble, chewy apple Danishes, and crisp apple pies are all sold in abundance, and you won’t be able to resist glass after glass of the wonderfully fresh apple juice.
If, after days trekking the Annapurna Circuit, you need something a little stronger than apple juice, then a visit to the Marpha Apple Brandy Distillery is a must. The distillery is a government-run factory that employs all the traditional methods when making brandy, and a bottle of the liqueur will set you back just 70 rupees. Although the apple brandy has a strong herby taste, the alcohol content is quite low.
If you’re looking to do something rewarding at the end of your Annapurna Circuit trek, or just want to visit somewhere incredibly humbling, then Marpha is the home of the Tibetan Refugee Camp. This government-funded project has been in operation for many years and the children love to see foreign visitors. How you choose to help is entirely up to you; it may be by teaching English to a class of enthusiastic school children, or helping out with the restoration projects that are currently being carried out at the centre’s Buddhist temple.
Marpha has its own Buddhist monastery and this plays host to several important festivals throughout the year. If you choose to trek the Annapurna Circuit during April, then you may be lucky enough to pass through the area during the Buddhist New Year celebrations. However, whatever the time of year that you choose to visit, the monks will go out of their way to make you feel welcome – you’ll even find that photos are encouraged!
Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who have run a classic Annapurna Circuit trek for over 20 years. They now offer treks and tours worldwide, including destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.
The online travel writing provided by Travel Content Online is free to take, providing you take the links in the text, too. Use it to add fresh online content to your website. Thank you for visiting us – hopefully our travel content will bring more visitors to your site, too.
LeadGenerators hopes you enjoyed this article. An Online Marketing agency based in London, LeadGenerators hosts a series of Social Media and Internet Marketing training sessions and seminars.
The expense of international flights and your accommodation in your Brussels city hotel may have left you on somewhat of a tight budget. You want to explore the beauty and culture of this great city, but you need to keep your eye on your purse strings. But don’t worry; here is a list of free and interesting things to do that will get you out of your Brussels city hotel to discover what this wonderful city has to offer.
Grand Place
One of the most beautiful squares in Europe, the Grand Place – or as the Dutch call it ‘De Grot Markt’ – has enraptured many famous people over the years, including artists, writers and musicians. Archduchess Isabella, daughter of Filip II of Spain wrote, “Never have I seen something so beautiful and exquisite as the town square of the city where the town hall rises up into the sky. The decoration of the houses is most remarkable.” You can walk around admiring the elegance and drama of the gothic buildings, or take time out and sip a beer in one of the little cafes populating the area. Throughout the year concerts and events are staged in the square, so check with the concierge of your Brussels city hotel for the itinerary.
Tour European Parliament
Don’t miss a chance to go on one of the multimedia-guided visits offered by the European Parliament. If there happens to be part sessions occurring while you are there, then you can even attend a real-life parliamentary sitting. The tours take place from Monday to Thursday at 10.00am and 15.00pm and on Friday at 10.00am only. Check with you Brussels city hotel for information on dates when parliament is sitting. The tours are free of charge and are conducted in all of the official languages of the EU. It is worth knowing that for registration purposes, you must take your passport, identity card or driving licence with you and for the part sessions, visitors must be at least 14 years old.
Sablon Markets
This is the oldest market in Europe and a great place to wander through the collection of over 100 stores. Over the years, numerous markets have found a home on the Place du Grand Sablon: a horse market, followed by a hay market (which gave its name to the “rue de la Paille”); a textile market; and a vegetable market. Now it is home to a brilliant antique market, which began when Mr. George Van de Weghe and the then priest of the Sablon church met and discussed Van de Weghe’s request to display his engravings at the end of mass. The markets only run on the weekends, but they are the perfect place to sample the delights of Belgian chocolate or pick up that great antique. It is truly a delightful market to venture to and conveniently located only a short walk from your Brussels city hotel.
Cathedral of St. Michael and Gudula
The cathedral is a spectacular building and you should not miss a chance to see this architectural wonder. Its history dates back twelve centuries and it took 300 years to build. Incredibly, you can see all this history for the bargain price of €1. There are various concerts and exhibitions throughout the year and your Brussels city hotel will be able to give you more detailed information on the program of events.
Looking for a Brussels city hotel? Nina Hilgemann works in e-marketing and CRM for World Hotels, a company offering the best Brussels city hotel accommodation and a selection of unique four and five star hotels around the world.
The online travel writing provided by Travel Content Online is free to take, providing you take the links in the text, too. Use it to add fresh online content to your website. Thank you for visiting us – hopefully our travel content will bring more visitors to your site, too.
LeadGenerators hopes you enjoyed this article. An Online Marketing agency based in London, LeadGenerators hosts a series of Social Media and Internet Marketing training sessions and seminars.
Cape Town, in South Africa, is one of the world’s great marvels and a destination that’s guaranteed to give you a unique holiday. Sometimes however holidays can be as much of a challenge as they are a pleasure. The discerning traveller typically has limited time and high expectations and this leads to certain requirements.
• You may not enjoy spending endless hours trying to sort out your itinerary – and you simply may not have the time.
• You probably won’t welcome finding on arrival that you’re being shoehorned into agendas and sightseeing trips that are simply not to your taste.
• You probably are looking for holiday experiences that are a little more individual than the traditional packaged holiday.
• You may very well be a little jaded with many of the ‘conventional’ holiday destinations.
If this sounds like you, a tailor-made holiday to Cape Town may suit you better and here’s why.
Why Cape Town?
Few destinations can offer the variety of holiday experience that you’ll encounter in the Cape area. Although it’s something of a painful cliché, in reality there really is something for everyone including:
• Magnificent beaches on the peninsular – you can even choose whether to swim in the Indian or Atlantic Ocean.
• A city with centuries of history.
• A vast and diverse cultural legacy that incorporates elements of African, Dutch, British, Indian, Indonesian, Chinese and many other origins.
• An incomparable natural backdrop of Table Mountain, which offers walking and countryside exploration.
• A world famous centre for exotic plants (Kirstenbosch National Gardens).
• Access to great game and wildlife encounters in various reserves.
• Coastal path explorations with rare wildlife and penguin colonies.
• Access to the great South African vineyards and wine industry (and samples!).
• Superb shopping at any one of several major centres.
Cape Town is sometimes called Africa’s most cosmopolitan and interesting city. Whether you agree with that or not, just a glance at the above list indicates why it is a serious contender.
Your holiday
Interesting as the above list of attractions may be, not all of them may be to your personal taste. That’s why a holiday that shapes your time in South Africa to meet your requirements rather than somebody else’s may be of interest. It will allow you to indulge your tastes and in a fashion to suit you. So, for example, if you wish to visit the art galleries or museums then you can do so – and without being limited to a 15-minute breakneck tour.
Perhaps you’d then like a day on the beach followed up by a tour of the vineyards. After that you’d possibly like a guided walking tour around some of the historic streets but really aren’t too bothered about trips into the countryside to see wildlife. If so – that’s not a problem. Whatever your needs, an itinerary can be constructed to ensure that you see what you want to see and most importantly, enjoy your time in this great city.
Experience the Rainbow
People have lived in the cape region for millennia. Europeans have been coming here since the 15th century and people from all corners of the earth have made it their home. The city fully and proudly plays its part in the development of the modern South Africa’s ‘rainbow nation’ culture. So, come and explore it and see why Cape Town is so highly regarded as a holiday destination. It’s waiting to welcome you!
Rachel Hill is a Southern Africa Travel specialist, a company specialising in luxury, tailor-made Cape Town holidays, as well as holidays to other destinations in Southern Africa. Our experienced consultants will help you design your very own luxury South Africa holiday, and will be happy to provide you with a free quote.
The online travel writing provided by Travel Content Online is free to take, providing you take the links in the text, too. Use it to add fresh online content to your website. Thank you for visiting us – hopefully our travel content will bring more visitors to your site, too.
LeadGenerators hopes you enjoyed this article. An Online Marketing agency based in London, LeadGenerators hosts a series of Social Media and Internet Marketing training sessions and seminars.
Few holiday destinations can offer the variety and attractions of Cape Town. Nestling in the shadow of Table Mountain, it is one of the world’s truly breathtaking, natural locations. No amount of colourful and descriptive language can possibly do justice to the sight presented by the city and mountain from the sea. It just has to be seen and experienced. However, natural splendour is only one part of the story of why you may wish to visit Cape Town.
The past
If you like history, then there’s plenty to see in Cape Town. The archaeological records for the surrounding area goes back many thousands of years and you can see sites where the earliest people known to the cape settled and farmed. The modern historical record of the period begins with the first European ‘discoverers’ of the cape, the Portuguese, in the 15th century. The Dutch soon followed and established Cape Town and its environs. They rapidly began to create a colonial culture that would eventually become known as ‘Boer’ – and which would become widespread throughout the later South Africa.
Inevitably, the town’s strategic importance on the global trade routes brought it to the attention of the British who added it to their empire in the early 19th century where it stayed until its eventual incorporation into South Africa and eventual independence. The Dutch and British both brought people from all over the globe to live and work in the area. This mixing of people and cultures from all around the world, coupled with the indigenous African cultures, has led to the multi-cultural city we see today.
The legacy
Cape Town is, of course, far more than its history. Yet what the history has helped create is a city where you’ll enjoy:
• fabulous and diverse cuisines from all over the world including African, Indonesian, Chinese, Indian and many European variations;
• marvellous architectural legacies of different peoples, ages and traditions;
• a variety of different cultural heritages that mean some areas of the city contain shops and bars that wouldn’t be out of place in any major modern city; while in other locations you’ll feel like you’re in old Holland or in parts of India or Indonesia etc;
• a fantastic variety of people from different ethic backgrounds, all of whom form a part of what’s now called ‘The Rainbow Nation’.
Diversions
The city, of course, is famed for far more than its historical and cultural legacies. For a start, it offers wonderful opportunities to explore the bush and wildlife. Yes, this can be the marvellous big game reserves that are world famous, but also the less muscular side such as fantastic penguin colonies on the coast and areas of natural beauty in terms of flora and fauna. It’s also possible to go hiking on trails in and around Table Mountain. These can be of various levels of difficulty ranging from ‘demanding’ where previous experience and perhaps special equipment is required, to ‘gentle’ – which can be accomplished in ordinary clothing and without the physique of Superman!
Then there are the beaches. Cape Town sits happily astride both the Indian and Atlantic oceans. If you fancy a dip and sun bathe after a hard day’s exploring, the beaches on the Atlantic side are considered trendy and chic – but you’ll find the water’s a little cooler than on the Indian ocean side where the beaches are a little more popular.
The way to see it
It’s perfectly possible to explore the city on your own or on a conventional tour holiday. Yet the former option may be a little intimidating if, like many, you don’t like finding your way around strange cities.
A conventional tour may be fine but you may find that you’re being shuttled off as one member of a large and rather impersonal group. The result of that, as we’ve perhaps all experienced, is being taken and shown things that are of little interest to you while spending insufficient time looking at those that are. The alternative that is increasingly possible with discerning travellers is the custom-designed tour holiday.
These can take any shape or form you wish. It is essentially a bespoke holiday to Cape Town that is crafted to your needs, interests and requirements, rather than to the ‘average’ of a much larger group.
This sort of holiday, perhaps partly guided if you so wish, can help you not just see this great city but also to live it.
Rachel Hill is a Southern Africa Travel specialist, a company specialising in luxury, tailor-made Cape Town holidays, as well as holidays to other destinations in Southern Africa. Our experienced consultants will help you design your very own luxury South Africa holiday, and will be happy to provide you with a free quote.
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LeadGenerators hopes you enjoyed this article. An Online Marketing agency based in London, LeadGenerators hosts a series of Social Media and Internet Marketing training sessions and seminars.
Remember that dream you had while you were still at university? You know, the one about finishing your degree, getting a great job with great perks, meeting your soul mate and living happily ever after? Well, forget the dream and get the dream job – the rest will fall into place. Of all the jobs in the world, travel jobs are the ones which it seems most often fall into the category of “dream jobs”. Here are just a few good reasons why…
Not Just 9 to 5
The scope of employment within the travel industry is extremely varied so the opportunities are almost limitless. You can enter the workforce as a trainee flight booker or specialist retail travel consultant, a flight attendant or pilot, an executive sales specialist, a multi-lingual reservations specialist, an e-commerce or IT specialist, and many, many other positions. Travel jobs are extremely competitive but the good news is that, with such a wide range of opportunities out there, your chances of landing a job are fairly good if you are persistent and have the right skills. Even if you don’t get exactly what you want first time, once you are in the industry it will be a lot easier to progress towards your ideal position.
Travel jobs are not just for graduates either. Many people enter the travel industry by way of a previous career. For example a chef can utilise their skills within an airline, catered villa or chalet company; and a musician or hairdresser can give up their mortgage and head off for a life of adventure on the high seas with a cruise company. Think outside the square and, whatever your skills, there is a niche for you in travel if you really want it.
The World at Your Fingertips
Ok, down to the nitty gritty of why everyone really wants to secure travel jobs - the perks. The obvious perk of travel jobs is, well, travel! Depending on the position you secure, chances are you will have the opportunity to get more stamps in your passport than most people ever dream of. Of course, it’s not all fun and games; after all, they’re called travel jobs not travel holidays. But even if you’re working or doing research, there will still be plenty of time left to explore, relax and generally just experience the excitement of being in a foreign country. Even if you only get to travel to short haul locations, it’s still better than a job where the farthest you get to travel is to the pub for lunch.
In many travel jobs not only will you be required to travel for work purposes, but you may also receive heavily subsidised travel and accommodation for your annual holidays. In some cases, of particularly generous companies, this can also extend to immediate relatives – making you by far and away the most popular member of the family!
Great discounts and exotic foreign adventures aside, travel jobs can make for a secure and rewarding career. Choose a reputable agency that specialises in travel jobs to match you to available positions, and you will be well on your way to making your dream job a reality.
Bon voyage!
Gail Kenny is the managing director of Gail Kenny Executive Search, a recruitment agency specialising in travel jobs. The site caters exclusively to talented individuals with skills and experience to succeed in the travel management, and businesses looking for such candidates.
The online travel writing provided by Travel Content Online is free to take, providing you take the links in the text, too. Use it to add fresh online content to your website. Thank you for visiting us – hopefully our travel content will bring more visitors to your site, too.
LeadGenerators hopes you enjoyed this article. An Online Marketing agency based in London, LeadGenerators hosts a series of Social Media and Internet Marketing training sessions and seminars.