The Culture Bank

Baden has long been considered the grande dame of German spas.  The town lies at the base of the Black Forest, along the banks of the Oos River in Karlsruhe.  Karlsruhe is a city located south west of France. It was founded in 1715 and its churches and chapels are favourite destinations among visitors.

Baden-Baden’s World Famous Spas

Baden-Baden’s spas have been popular since ancient times. The Romans were the first to appreciate the health benefits and healing powers of the thermal springs and established the first baths in 69 AD.  Today there are twelve thermal springs in the town.  Each with therapeutic powers that remains unchallenged. The water that bubbles up from 2,000 meters below the ground is rich in minerals such as lithium, caesium, boric acid, and manganese, magnesium with traces of cobalt, zinc and copper.

Visitors bathe in the hot waters, which have been proven to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of illnesses such as joint, heart, metabolic, respiratory and muscle disorders. The water from Baden-Baden is also used in a variety of drinking and inhalation therapies. The town has won awards for the high quality of its drinking water.

Other Places of Interest

There are other interesting places to see in Baden-Baden, such as the Old Castle ”Hohenbaden,” Sammlung  Frieder  Burda, the ruins of the old Roman baths. Karlsruhe offers other destinations as well such as the Kleine Kirche, Grand Ducal burial chapel, Rondellplatz and the Museum of Natural History.

Tens of thousands of visitors flock to Egypt each year to visit the Sphinx, the Pyramids, the Tombs at Luxor, or to sail the Nile from Abu Simbel to Dendera, and the country is home to a unique and vibrant history.  Travellers do not come to Egypt to just see the ancient monuments, however.  They also come to experience the golden beaches along the coastline.  Many visitors enjoy the diving and snorkelling, and the opportunity to see the diverse and vividly coloured marine life that can be found just below the surface of the Red Sea.
 
The best times to visit Egypt when it comes to the weather will be during autumn (from September to November) and springtime (from February to April).  At these times the weather is usually quite warm but will not be uncomfortably hot.  The busiest times at the major tourist sites in Egypt are between Christmas and New Year, in February, during the Easter holiday, and during October.  The quietest months are May and June.
 
Flying to Egypt from the United Kingdom is relatively easy; there are direct five-hour flights from Heathrow Airport to Cairo offered by British Airways, BMI, or Egypt Air.  Flying from a regional airport such as Glasgow, Newcastle, or Manchester will necessitate a stopover in either London or on the continent.

Travelling to New Zealand is fun and exciting no matter what time of year one chooses to go.  The warm summer months last from November through to April, while the best time for skiing in the country is July and August, and the further south one goes, the colder it will get.  During the summer months it is important to wear a good sunscreen, as the rays of the sun can be quite strong; insect repellent will be needed for mosquitoes during the summer in most parts of the country. 

New Zealand does not require visitors to produce vaccination certificates to enter the country.  Visitors who bring medications with them when visiting New Zealand should bring a doctor’s certificate so as to avoid any problems at Customs.  
 
New Zealand’s international airports are located at Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland.  Flying time from the United Kingdom will be approximately 23 hours. 

There are numerous accommodation options to be found in New Zealand.  These include the international tourist hotels found in all of the major cities, as well as locally owned and run country hotels and pubs found in the provincial areas.  Most self-catering apartment accommodation found in New Zealand is located in freestanding complexes.  Motels and motor inns are also widely available throughout New Zealand, as are bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, country lodges, holiday homes, hostels, motor camps, holiday parks, and farm-stays.

Gaming is widely accepted and promoted in the Caribbean and the most upscale resorts feature casino grounds for guests to immerse themselves in luxurious games, shows and nightlife.   Bask in the balmy Caribbean breeze by day and join the high-stakes atmosphere by night.  For distinguished travellers looking for the lights of Las Vegas combined with the salt air of the islands, here are a few of the top casino picks for high-stakes Caribbean holidays.

Aruba

Aruba is the birthplace of Caribbean stud poker and the island is ripe with a vibrant mature casino scene with spectacular facilities.  The casino at the Riu Resort and the Crystal Casino at the Renaissance Aruba are the islands finest.   The Stellaris Casino at the Aruba Marriott is the country’s largest.   A few of Aruba’s casinos are open 24 hours for gaming excitement.

Bahamas

Reserved only for tourists, Bahamian casinos are open during gaming hours only, except for the opulent Crystal Palace Casino on Cable Beach, which features 400 slots and 40 tables.   The island’s best-known casino is the masterpiece 50,000 square foot Atlantis Paradise Island – it includes more than 1,000 slots and 90 tables.

Curacao

No stranger to the gaming industry, the luxurious island operates a few well-known casinos, including the 29,000 square feet Venito Casino.  The Hill Ross Casino turns into an entertainment complex on the weekends.  The 15,000 square foot Breezes Curacao resort is the only place on island where gamblers can play 7 card stud poker.

Dominican Republic

Operating over 100 casinos on the island, the Dominican Republic houses many outstanding casinos that are open late into the evening, including the Playa Dorada Casino and the Renaissance Jaragua in Santo Domingo, the island’s largest casino.

Caribbean cruises are very popular:  who would not love to see beautiful sandy beaches and gorgeous blue seas?  In fact, Caribbean cruise deals are the most widely sought-after cruise destination.  Most cruises will leave from the United States from Miami, Houston or New Orleans.  Places like Barbados and Jamaica are also being added as starting points for these cruises.

When booking a Caribbean cruise, you can choose from cruises that will take you to the Eastern Caribbean, Southern Caribbean or Western Caribbean.  An Eastern Caribbean cruise will take you to the Bahamas, the West Indies and possibly down to Antigua.  This will depend upon which cruise line you book your holiday with.

A Western Caribbean cruise will have you heading for Jamaica and the Grand Cayman Islands.  Panama is another destination that has recently been added to many cruise ships’ itineraries.

A Southern Caribbean cruise is typically a longer cruise and will take you to St. Lucia, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago.  Some cruise lines are now going north towards Venezuela.

For anyone wishing to take a longer trip, it is possible to book a cruise that circles the Caribbean.  This area is beautiful all year round, but most cruises only sail this area between November and April.   Summer in the Caribbean is normally the time when hurricanes spring up and humidity levels are at their highest.

No matter when you choose to take your Caribbean cruise, your cruise line will take care of you and will always re-route in case of inclement weather.

If you have young children, you may have discounted Paris as a destination for a family break, but there is no need.  Paris is not all about couples’ romance; there is plenty for families to see and do too.

Paris is just a short flight away from the UK, or alternatively why not travel by train?  Small children often love the experience, and the train has the benefit of more space, more opportunities to stretch your legs and fewer luggage constraints.  Departing from St Pancras station in London, the Eurostar high-speed train can whisk your family away to the French capital in around 2 hours 15 minutes.

Once you are there, Paris has a plethora of family friendly small hotels or B&Bs happy to accommodate you and your offspring, or you could choose a small apartment; well-known apartment chains Citadines and Adagio both have a number of locations in Paris and there are many privately owned rentals too.

What to do?  For a start, there are parks and playgrounds all over Paris, so you will never be far from a place to play.  The Jardin Des Tuileries, next to the Louvre, is free of cars and offers a range of fountains, sculpture and meeting places including an impressive children’s carousel and a little pond for toy boats.

Taking a ride on the Batobus enables everyone to have a rest from walking whilst seeing some of Paris’s amazing sights, as well as proving an efficient way to get around with a buggy or toddler.

Just standing underneath the Eiffel Tower is an amazing experience, and there is a trail around (and up) the Tower designed just for 6 to 10 year olds.  Every evening, the Tower is lit up in a sparkling display for five minutes every hour on the hour.

As a short haul, short break destination, Paris has much to recommend it to families with children of all ages.

Copenhagen is the most well-known city in Denmark, but smaller cities such as Esbjerg also have much to offer visitors who wish to explore this small country that borders both the Baltic and North Seas. Esbjerg is located in southwest Denmark’s Jutland Peninsula.

The Men at Sea Monument

The internationally recognised symbol of Esbjerg, the Men at Sea Monument, was initially erected to celebrate 100 years of city history. A tribute to the many Danes who have made their living on the local waters of this seafaring nation, the monument is comprised of four enormous statues of seated figures staring out to sea.  

Nearby stands the Fisheries and Maritime Museum. It clearly demonstrates to visitors how the sea has been important to Esbjerg and Denmark over the course of the nation’s history. Together, these two sites make up one of the most visited places in southern Denmark.

The Esbjerg Museum

Also of interest to visitors is this museum, which displays artefacts from the age of the Vikings. One of its hallmark attractions is its amber collection; some specimens date back more than ten millennia.

When planning a cruise, one of the first steps is to decide on the kind of holiday that you want.  Cruises are available to hundreds of exciting destinations, so it is a good idea to consider your options so you can book your perfect break. 

The first thing to think about is the kind of things that you would like to do and places that you would like to see.  Maybe you have a specific destination or area in mind already, or maybe you want a holiday that will give you the chance to do something like rock climbing, adventure sports or to visit cultural sites. 

Next, consider the format of your break.  Maybe you would like to spend more days at sea, allowing you to enjoy the onboard facilities and the open ocean.  You might alternatively like to have several port calls in different areas, so that you can experience many places and see plenty of the area, or you could go for a Cruise and Stay option, where you spend several days on shore at a port to get a real experience of the area. 

Consider how long you want to go for and how you will get to your starting point.  Many people choose cruises where they do not have to fly to reach the port, especially if they are going for a shorter time period such as a week or less. 

Making these decisions will make it much easier to select and book your holiday.  Whether you decide to go for a Cruise and Stay in the Caribbean, or a two week tour of the Mediterranean, you will be able to check which cruise lines offer the type of holiday you want and then you can choose a suitable ship to sail on. 

For many divers, the Great Barrier Reef remains one of their top “must do” destinations.  This natural wonder of the world stretches for 2,300 km along the east side of Australia, and offers some of the most impressive and accessible underwater landscapes in the world.

It is not just for experts either; many amazing dives are doable by beginners.  For example, Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays offers ample opportunities for novices to snorkel or scuba over reefs, with crystal clear waters allowing stunning visibility at all depths.

Heron Island, which caters to resort guests only (no day trippers) is quiet compared to some other islands and includes the Heron Bommie which the famed Jacques Cousteau suggested was one of the top ten best dive sites in the world.

Lady Elliot Eco Island Resort, at the bottom tip of the reef, offers a laid back ecology-friendly approach, with a natural lagoon offering calm waters for beginners as well as more adventurous dives out in the sea for the experienced diver.

Be sure to take your PADI certificates with you, and a whole new world of underwater adventure awaits.

The whole world wants to be in London between 27th July and 12th August 2012. This is when London hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the ultimate global sporting event.

There can be no doubt that the added influx of visitors attending the Olympic Games will mean competition for hotel rooms will increase and prices may rise accordingly.

Limit the chance of this happening by staying in an area of London slightly away from the Olympic action. The main focus of the Olympic competition will in be in the Stratford area of London where the main stadiums and arenas have been built. 

Why not consider staying in the Kings Cross and St Pancras area of London?

Kings Cross hotels? St Pancras Hotels? Why is it a good idea to stay on the other side of the river from where all the olympic action is taking place?

Because Kings Cross and St Pancras is centrally located and well served by all major transport modes, it is far enough away from the Olympic Village to avoid the crowds but conveniently placed for reaching all parts of London.

To reach Stratford from Kings Cross and St Pancras, all you do is hop onto the underground tube at Kings Cross and St Pancras (take the Metropolitan Line- purple) and travel to Liverpool Street where you change for Stratford (central line – red). This journey is very simple and only takes around thirty minutes to complete.

Some Olympic Events are scheduled to take place in other areas of London such as Horse Guards Parade, Hyde Park and St James’ Park, all of which are easily accessible from the Kings Cross and St Pancras area.

The Kings Cross and St Pancras district has hotels offering a variety of accommodation from modest bed and breakfast establishments to five star luxury hotels, so there really is a room for everyone.