Surprising a lot of people, Paris is a top destination for Spring Break this year. If you’re on your way for spring break or any other season, you may want to map out your shopping strategy in advance. Paris is broken into neighborhoods or as they call them arrondissements. Each has a unique character, special restaurants, and shopping. But there are a few that are clearly the best:

1st Arrondissement — Where the 1st arrondissements meets the 8th on Paris’s Right Bank is where you’ll find the best shopping strip. This fertile hunting ground includes the rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, home of the big designer houses, and the Champs-Elysées, which has seen changes over the years, but it still the place to be seen. If you are near the Palais Royal, you’ll find a jewel of a collection of boutique shops around the garden areas of the palace.

2nd Arrondissement — Located near the Palais Royal you can find the Garment District, which features amazing clothing bargains and some other unique shops. There is also a small collection of streets that are now closed to vehicle traffic and covered in glass. The Passage de Grand Cerf, between 145 rue St-Denis and 10 rue Dussoubs, is a place of amazement. From hipi retro stores to Asian-themed shops you’re bound to find something that pleases. Plus don’t pass up on the food stalls.

3rd Arrondissement — Home to the Musee Picasso this neighborhood is a great place to find street art, particularly stencil graffiti, sprinkled on building walls and inside doorways. The upper Marais area, down near the 4th arrondissement features a large number of men’s clothing stores. Also look for the rue des Francs-Bourgeois, which is open on Sundays, a rarity in Paris. It features trendy fashion boutiques and outdoor dining opportunities.

4th Arrondissement — This is the neighborhood for lovers of art and food. Both the Pompidou Centre and the Bastille district are settings for up-and-coming artists and galleries, not to mention street performers. You will also find the Marche aux Fleurs et Marche aux Oiseaux (the Flower and Bird markets) just on the north side of the Ile de la Cite.

5th Arrondissement — Part of the Latin Quarter, it’s also home to many of the cities educational and research establishments, like the Sorbonne. This means you’ll find plenty of budget shopping, apropos for someone living on a student’s budget. My favorite joint in the whole town is the eccentric and electric book store Shakespeare and Co., which you’ll find right down beside the Siene. For the young, and the young at heart, visit l’Epee de bois (the Wooden Sword) on the street of the same name.

9th Arrondissement — Home to many of the city’s big department stores, including Printemps flagship store. The 9th is defined by the Paris Opera house, railway stations, and luxury hotels, but don’t pass up the Passage du Havre. This old shopping arcade has its history in fish shops and transportation, but the modern incarnation is a beautiful mall. Enter on the Rue de Caumartin and experience the modern Paris shopping experience.

Photo Credits:

Haussman Boulevard & Printemps store / CC BY 2.0

Shakespeare and Co. / CC BY 2.0

JFrost Travel Guide france, Paris, shakespeare and co, shopping, spring break, Travel

When you’re in Las Vegas there’s no rush quite like winning a big hand or a giant bet that finally comes in. All that will change this April when the Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel & Casino opens its next thrill ride, The SkyJump Las Vegas.

Adrenaline junkies, and daring tourists, can experience the rush of an 855 foot “controlled freefall” off the Stratosphere Tower. This 40 mph fall will provide guests an experience similar to base jumping or skydiving. Plus there’s the added benefit of the amazing panoramic view from the Stratosphere. That is if you can dare keep your eyes open.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring SkyJump Las Vegas to the Stratosphere,” said Frank Riolo, CEO of American Casino & Entertainment Properties. “This will not only be North America’s only skyjump, but also the highest skyjump in the world.”

Riders of SkyJump Las Vegas will be given a short safety lesson and then they will be suited up in Stratosphere’s custom “jump suits.” The rider is then connected to a patented high-speed “descender” machine and led to the edge of a small platform where they will leap out and descend the 100+ story height of Stratosphere. Guide wires keep riders from straying off course in what is an incredibly safe, yet audacious adventure. Just prior to reaching the rapidly approaching ground, the machine slows the rider down, bringing them to a controlled and safe landing.

“While the entire experience – from preparation to landing – takes just 30 minutes, the thrill will last a lifetime,” Riolo continued. “Stratosphere has made a commitment to reinvesting in our property at all levels and this will be an outstanding addition for everyone – whether you’re making the leap yourself or watching those daring enough to do it.”

SkyJump is expected to open April of 2010, and will join three thrill rides already atop the tower: Big Shot, X-Scream and Insanity.

Book now and you can stay in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip in Five Star Luxury for as low as $64 a night. Only LastMinuteTravel.com’s exclusive Best Value! partnership makes this extremely low rate possible.

JFrost Travel Guide attraction, basejump, extreme, las vegas, skydive, skyjump, Stratosphere Tower

GeoBeats.com is a great website for getting a sneak peak of travel destinations. You can search the website by Destination and by Topic which is pretty convienent. It’s also really good for the traveler who wants to know what are good activities to do in a particular destination. The videos are professional and give a good preview of each location. Some of the videos even have tips about the public transportation, restaurants and local etique. They even have videos that will teach you local phrases that can come in very handy.

Erica Fischer Travel, Travel Guide, Website Review geobeats.com, video travel guides

If you are a savvy traveler and you know that there is more to Europe than London, Paris and Rome why not including one of the more exotic European capitals in your next trip in Europe? Helsinki – the capital of Finland – will definitely have a top ranking on this list.

There is a lot to explore although the city is only a fraction of the size of Paris or Berlin. Luckily most of Helsinki’s people speak English very well otherwise you would have problems. Unlike a trip to France or Germany you will not be able to pick up a few catchy phrases from a guide book during your flight time. Street names and words with seven “i”s will make you look into your guidebook or on the map the same number of times before you memorize the words. This makes a taxi ride as exotic as in Japan so you better point on the map or on the street name in a book. Otherwise it may happen you land in a totally different neighbourhood. Speaking of taxis: the basic starting fare when you board a taxi at Helsinki’s Vantaa airport is EUR 6.80 (and you are not gone any mile for this)…

The number of typical sightseeing targets (think: mum is standing with hanging arms in front of Eiffel Tower) in Helsinki is not high. That does not mean you cannot spend 4 or 5 days for a visit. It’s more about the full picture of Helsinki and Finland: what are the people like, what are their habits, what is the fashion, what are they interested in, where do they go for their weekend, what is the food like…

Hotel Kämp

So while you visit you may include classic spots like the Senate Square with its neo-classical Cathedral; Esplanade Park with elegant shops and the posh Hotel Kämp; the “Rock” church with modern architecture, quarried out of the natural bedrock with excellent acoustics for concerts; the orthodox church with its golden cupolas showing the Russian impact of former times.

During a summer trip you can enjoy long days and a 20 minute ferry ride to Suomenlinna, an island with a maritime fortress and beautiful views of other sides of the city at the sea.

If you travel in winter time you should not miss a visit to your hotel’s sauna (you do not need to stay in a spa hotel to have that) or much better: to Yrjönkatu, an amazingly restored swimming hall from the 1920s.

A cheap and fun way to see different neighbourhoods is to jump on a tram. One of the most interesting neighbourhoods you will see then is the Design District with many shops, galleries, design hotel Klaus K and the Design Forum Finland showing most of the country’s big names in design and art. You will find all the classic top-class brands and trend-setting young designers for objects and furniture.

But one of my favourite things to do in Helsinki is: checking out restaurants ! I do not speak of traditional so-called-typical Finnish food like elk. Not that it’s bad but admit it: it is rather to show off next time when your friends compare what exotic meat everybody ate on his trips than to enjoy a fantastic dinner. There has been a development in Helsinki’s restaurant scene that brings very creative chefs from all around the world into this city’s kitchens. The food is very fresh and of high quality, the meals are creative and restaurants offer various atmospheres. Try “Sasso”, a Tuscan restaurant with fantastic food and an exceptional wine list. The service is outstanding and you can dare to ask for details of a wine and you will get the full story including who created the label on the bottle. Similar situation at “Fishmarket” , situated below “Sasso” in the same building and has the same owner but different approach and style. Despite its location in a cellar it is very bright and crisp in style. The fish is a well. Both restaurants can be found at the end of Esplanade street towards the port.

Another favourite is “Mecca”, a cool lounge/club goes restaurant goes club. The atmosphere is as you would expect it from a stylish club. Regular guests match this style – without the attitude you know from New York or Paris.

Mecca

For another Mediterranean top restaurant I recommend “La Cucina”

with Catalonian and Basque cuisine. Located at the Palace Hotel’s second floor directly at the port. The restaurant welcomes guests with dark black and red design, stylish, modern but cozy. They offer pintxos (tapas) and main dishes of great variety and combinations. Fantastic dark blood coloured red match perfectly. I had my best deserts at this restaurant (chocolate varieties with sea salt) and would not fly Helsinki if I knew this restaurant was closed during that time (almost…).

La Cucina

I did not expect the great food and sophisticated interest for architecture and design before I came to Helsinki for the first time. Be surprised if you are going.

carsteng Destinations, Travel, Travel Guide Helsinki, Travel in Helsinki

Bike and Boat Tours in Amsterdam

Locals riding by on bikes is very common in Amsterdam, see the city as the locals do by renting a bike. You can tour the city on bike or take a tour on a boat through Amsteram’s canals. The boats provide the best views of the city.

Review of Mike’s Bike and Boat Tours

Mike’s Bike and Boat Tours Amsterdam – Offers two separate tours throughout the year, the Daily Bike Tour and the Bike and Boat Tour. The Daily Bike Tour meets everyday from May until September and travels the entire city and countryside visiting sites such as a windmill and a cheese farm/clog factory. During the June, July and August months the Bike and Boat Tours are avaliable. These tours depart 3 times per week for about 5 hours for both the bike and boat tour. The bike tour goes through town and passes by sites such as Dam Square, the Nieuw Markt and the Anne Frank House. On the boat tour the group has the boat all to themselves. The tour lasts about an hour and takes you through the Amsterdam Canals including the Red Light District. Beer and soft drinks are served on the boat and are included in the tour price. On the way back, the boat will stop for snacks and sandwiches in Vondel Park. You can purchase snacks and sandwiches there or bring a packed lunch. For more information visit Mike’s Bike Tours Amsterdam.

Tips for getting the most out of your bike or boat tour

• Make sure you are well equip with mosquito spray if you plan on taking these tours in the summer months.

LMT Clock Destinations, Travel, Travel Guide Bike and Boat Tours in Amsterdam, Mike's Bike Tours Amsterdam

Playa Tortuga

With lots open-air cafes, restaurants and bars to choose from, Playa Tortugas in Cancun Mexico’s white sandy beach is a great beach to visit. With shopping and tons of watersports, you can definitely make this beach a day trip.

The water at this beach is clear, calm and deep which is perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving. Playa Tortugas means Turtle Beach in English, here’s a perfect example as to why it is named this:

Diving in Playa Tortuga Reef 2007

If you want to rent snorkeling equipment head over to the northern end of the island. You can also rent sailboards there as well.

Tips for visiting Playa Tortuga

• No entrance fee.
• There is a public bus you can take that will drop you off right in front of the entrance.
• This is one of the local’s favorite beaches so expect crowds.
• Restrooms and changing areas are located along the northern end of this beach.

LMT Clock Destinations, Travel, Travel Guide Playa Tortuga, Playa Tortuga Cancun

If you are a savvy traveller and you know that there is more to Europe than London, Paris and Rome why not including one of the more exotic European capitals in your next trip in Europe? Helsinki – the capital of Finland – will definitely have a top ranking on this list.

 

 

There is a lot to explore although the city is only a fraction of the size of Paris or Berlin.

Luckily most of Helsinki’s people speak English very well otherwise you would have problems. Unlike a trip to France or Germany you will not be able to pick up a few catchy phrases from a guide book during your flight time. Street names and words with seven “i”s will make you look into your guidebook or on the map the same number of times before you memorize the words. This makes a taxi ride as exotic as in Japan so you better point on the map or on the street name in a book. Otherwise it may happen you land in a totally different neighbourhood. Speaking of taxis: the basic starting fare when you board a taxi at Helsinki’s Vantaa airport is EUR 6.80 (and you are not gone any mile for this)….

 

 

The number of typical sightseeing targets (think: mum is standing with hanging arms in front of Eiffel Tower) in Helsinki is not high. That does not mean you cannot spend 4 or 5 days for a visit. It’s more about the full picture of Helsinki and Finland: what are the people like, what are their habits, what is the fashion, what are they interested in, where do they go for their weekend, what is the food like…

 

Hotel Kämp

So while you visit you may include classic spots like the Senate Square with its neo-classical Cathedral; Esplanade Park with elegant shops and the posh Hotel Kämp; the “Rock” church with modern architecture, quarried out of the natural bedrock with excellent acoustics for concerts; the orthodox church with its golden cupolas showing the Russian impact of former times.

During a summer trip you can enjoy long days and a 20 minute ferry ride to Suomenlinna, an island with a maritime fortress and beautiful views of other sides of the city at the sea.

 

 

 

Suomenlinna

If you travel in winter time you should not miss a visit to your hotel’s sauna (you do not need to stay in a spa hotel to have that) or much better: to Yrjönkatu, an amazingly restored swimming hall from the 1920s.

 

A cheap and fun way to see different neighbourhoods is to jump on a tram. One of the most interesting neighbourhoods you will see then is the Design District with many shops, galleries, design hotel Klaus K and the Design Forum Finland showing most of the country’s big names in design and art. You will find all the classic top-class brands and trend-setting young designers for objects and furniture.

 

 

Hotel Klaus K

 

But one of my favourite things to do in Helsinki is: checking out restaurants ! I do not speak of traditional so-called-typical Finnish food like elk. Not that it’s bad but admit it: it is rather to show off next time when your friends compare what exotic meat everybody ate on his trips than to enjoy a fantastic dinner. There has been a development in Helsinki’s restaurant scene that brings very creative chefs from all around the world into this city’s kitchens. The food is very fresh and of high quality, the meals are creative and restaurants offer various atmospheres. Try “Sasso”, a Tuscan restaurant with fantastic food and an exceptional wine list. The service is outstanding and you can dare to ask for details of a wine and you will get the full story including who created the label on the bottle. Similar situation at “Fishmarket” , situated below “Sasso” in the same building and has the same owner but different approach and style. Despite its location in a cellar it is very bright and crisp in style. The fish is a well. Both restaurants can be found at the end of Esplanade street towards the port.

Another favourite is “Mecca”, a cool lounge/club goes restaurant goes club. The atmosphere is as you would expect it from a stylish club. Regular guests match this style – without the attitude you know from New York or Paris.

 

Mecca

For another Mediterranean top restaurant I recommend “La Cucina” - with Catalonian and Basque cuisine. Located at the Palace Hotel’s second floor directly at the port. The restaurant welcomes guests with dark black and red design, stylish, modern but cozy. They offer pintxos (tapas) and main dishes of great variety and combinations. Fantastic dark blood coloured red match perfectly. I had my best deserts at this restaurant (chocolate varieties with sea salt) and would not fly Helsinki if I knew this restaurant was closed during that time (almost…).

 

La Cucina

I did not expect the great food and sophisticated interest for architecture and design before I came to Helsinki for the first time. Be surprised if you are going.

carsteng Destinations, Travel, Travel Guide Helsinki, Hotel Kämp, Hotel Klaus K, La Cucina, Mecca, Suomenlinna

In Yamana, the dialect of the ancient Indians, Ushuaia means “Bay that penetrates to the west”. It’s the capital of Tierra del Fuego.

It was established in 1990. It is the youngest of the 24 argentine provinces. And it lies on the shores of the beagle canal.

 

The hotels have grown in the last couple of years. Of course the ones I like best are:

Hotel del Glaciar

Las Hayas Resort Hotel

These are to die for!!!

As you all know I like cooking but also love to eat, in Ushuaia there are typical products that are the best to eat…the spider crab, the black hake and the Patagonian lamb are just a few of the gourmet alternatives you can find. A restaurant I always make sure I visit when in Ushuaia is Tia Elvira. You can eat crab in any and every way thinkable…great!!! The main street is called San Martin and guess what it is all DUTY FREE!!! And of course you can find the bars and cafes..

One of the things you can do is take the “end of the world train” the 14 km ride covers the last kilometers that the prisoners train that was used by the prison of Ushuaia prison between 1896 and 1947. this prison were forced labor in extreme weather conditions as you can imagine. the train stops at the Macarena Cascade where you can get off and see a reconstruction of an Indian camp and the source of the cascade.

Another thing you can do is the “Tierra del Fuego National Park” the road goes through the park up to the Lapataia Bay where you can take the Typical picture of the sign that shows Buenos Aires 3063 Kms and Alaska 17,848 km. this park is the country’s most southern protected area. It belongs to the Andean Patagonia protected areas and it tries to preserve 6 of the tree species there are there. Some of the trees: ñires, lengas and coihues or cherry trees for you guys.

From here you can also see the End of the world Lighthouse, and believe me you get goose bumps not only cause its cold but also cause it blows your mind to think you are at the bottom of the map.

Cerro Castor

Skiing Cerro Castor is a must.

The newest in Argentina and, like everything in Ushuaia, the southernmost in the world, Cerro Castor or Castor mount for you.

50 cms of powder snow every morning due to the stability of its temperature, offering one of the longest seasons in South America. Modern lifts, skiing and snowboarding school for those of us that always have room for learning and all the services that complement Ushuaia scenery.

jlacoste Destinations, Travel, Travel Guide Cerro Castor, Ushuaia, Ushuaia Argentina

The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam

The Anne Frank House is located at #263 Prinsengracht in the center of Amsterdam. This is the infamous house where Anne Frank and 8 others hid during Nazi Germany. Their story was captured by Anne Frank and later discovered in the dairies she kept. On May 3rd 1960 the Anne Frank House officially opened as a museum. The museum is well preserved and contains many original objects on display including Anne Frank’s diary. Guests can walk through the house where there are different rooms with exhibits, including the actual hiding place behind the bookshelf door.

What you should know before you visit the museum:

• The museum is open daily, check the official museum’s website for times here: The Anne Frank House Opening Hours & Admission Prices
• Set aside at least one hour to explore the house. There are no tours or tour guides, only a tour brochure with background information about each room which is available at the entrance.
• Due to the steep stairway, this museum is not accessible to guests with walking difficulties

LMT Clock Attraction Review, Tips, Travel, Travel Guide the anne frank house, the anne frank house amsterdam

Montreal is the largest city in Quebec which is one of the 13 provinces and territories (what would be considered States in the USA) that comprise Canada. Just 10 years ago, something of a bleak mood prevailed in Quebec province. It seemed possible that the province would choose to fling itself into independence form the rest of Canada.

Since, Montreal has become a modern city in every regard, with skyscrapers in unexpected shapes and bright colors; a historic district that has been beautifully preserved; and a large area of artists’ lofts, boutiques, cafés and miles of restaurants. The official language of Montreal is French and it is among the the five largest French-speaking cities in the world. The population for Great Montreal Area is close to 4 millions people.

The popular neighborhoods in Montreal are Downtown, Old Montreal and the Underground City:

Downtown Montreal

Downtown Montreal is located entirely within the Ville Marie borough and it contains dozens of notable skyscrapers. Many popular restaurants are located in downtown and it is known as the business district of the city. It also includes most of the city’s large luxury and first class hotels, principal museums, main railroad station and department stores.

Old Montreal

Old Montreal is historic area located southeast of downtown containing many different attractions such as the Montreal city Hall, the Notre-Dame de Montreal Basilica and the Montreal Science Centre.

Architecture and cobbled streets in Old Montreal have been maintained or restored and are frequented by horse-drawn coaches carrying tourists. Old Montreal was once a worldwide port, but shipping has been moved further east to a new larger site, leaving the Old Port as a historical area.

Underground City

During Montreal’s long winters, life slows on the streets of downtown as people escape into la ville souterraine, a parallel subterranean universe. This underground “city” evolved when major building developments in the downtown put their below-street areas to profitable use, leasing space for shops and other enterprises. Over time, these spaces became connected with Metro stations and then with each other. It became possible to ride long distances, and walk shorter ones through mazes of corridors, tunnels and plazas. There are now more than 1,700 shops, hundreds of restaurants and more than 40 cinemas and theaters down there.

Montreal is a great city to visit and I would recommend anybody who enjoy European culture but might not be willing to spend the money necessary to get there, to come check out the closest thing we have in North America. You won’t be disappointed and you will most likely want to come back.

Bon Voyage.

julienku Destinations, Travel, Travel Guide Downtown Montreal, Montreal, Old Montreal, Underground City