House Of Tips

Rome is a city where you can walk anywhere in the city center and this is the best way to visit the city. Wondering through Rome’s old historical center is one of the most exciting experiences when in Rome.

Explore the magnificent buildings and their architecture, take in the street life, visit hundreds of churches as you stroll down the narrow cobblestone streets, go window shopping, and walk into any caf?-bar for that taste of capuccino flavor. Our advise is to start early in the moring and get ready for a long walk with a pair of comfortable shoes.

The most important sites in Rome can be all easily reached in a few hours walking.
Spring or late fall is for sure the best time to visit the city, especially if you are coming with your children to Rome, the weather will be just perfect.

Italians love to have children around and be sure that your children will be made very welcome everywhere you go. Children are warmly welcome in Pizzerias and trattorias where high chairs are often available for toddles and babies.

Most of these places don’t rule out the fact that children eat only half-portions or share meals. The most amusing pizzerias for kids are the old fashioned ones. Here they can watch the chefs pound, stretch, and flip the though in the air which is something different they will always remember!

Nightlife in Rome is exciting and in latest years the number places to hangout and clubs have increased and are focusing on a more demanding clientele.

In Testaccio area you will easily find all the best tastes for all budgets and a wide variety of places. Another equally popular activity is to simply relax with friends and enjoy a good bottle of wine in the so-called “enoteche” (wine bars)located in any of the historic center’s beautiful squares.

Rome also has a large offer of entertainment with Jazz, Rock, Folk, South American and world music concerts in many venues scattered around the city.

In recent years, many new Italian bands started getting popular and are worth seeing alongside with the many other international stars that are constantly playing here.

In Summer there are excellent open-air rock, jazz and world music festivals. Especially the “Ippodromo delle Capannelle” is becoming the most popular highlight of many Roman Summer Events, and it’s selling million tickets in sales. In June and July in Villa Ada you can find a special selection adn music festival taking place about ethnic and african music. Angelique Kidjo and pianist Abdullah Ibrahim performed here.

The popular, small local food markets and the several curiosity markets are all very well-known and located in the city center. Trastevere has a famous flea market whilst in Campo dei Fiori you will find a very characteristic vegetable and flower market .

During Christmas and Epiphany you will see handicrafts, games, toys, and clothes for sale by stand owners in the many local market, a great opportunity to stock up on Italian specialties.

Visit Rome, enjoy its athmosphere and get ready for one of the most exciting travel experience you can imagine!

Though not yet as popular as Costa del Sol, Madrid or Barcelona, Almeria is a rapidly developing holiday spot with enough choices of airlines and airports to get you there at a good price.

Airports: Belfast, Birmingham, Dublin, Gatwick, Leeds, Luton, Manchester, London Stansted.

Airlines:Monarch, Easyjet, Ryanair, Iberia

Fares to Aleneria are somewhat more expensive as there is not as much competition among airlines offering it as a destination. Fares can range from 139 up to 230 and more depending on your carrier. If you’re having difficulty finding a suitable flight to Almeria, consider a flight to Malaga as an alternative. Almeria is only a 2 hour drive from the Malaga Airport. You could also consider flying into Granada and catch the A-92 Autovia into Almeria.

Alemeria airport (LEI) is a small but modern airport and becomes busier each year. You can chose to hire a car, take the bus service or take a cab into the city.

Almeria is located at the eastern edge of Andalucia. Because the Almeria region and Costa Almeria are only now growing in popularity among holidaymakers, there is no defined busy season. You’ll be able to find a variety of activities and places of interest year-round. New resorts are springing up east and west of the city.

The city has a rich history and takes influence from the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Moors who all occupied the city before it was recaptured by Christian armies in the 15th century. As evidence, the imposing Alcazaba, a Moorish fortress, overlooks the town from its hilltop perch.

You’ll find a strong African influence here due to the large number of immigrant workers from Morocco, Tunisia and others. You can even take a ferry trip to North Africa from Almeria.

Choose from a good selection of galleries, museums and shops for diversion. The Olive Oil Museum, located in the city’s historical quarter in a 19th century home, gives you the chance to taste a variety of olive oils. La Rambla is a long avenue of squares, street cafes and children’s play areas. For architecture buffs, the old city offers fascinating medieval examples with colonnades, archways and squares you can explore on foot.

There are seven golf courses in Almeria offering something for novice golfers as well as more experienced players.

Nature provides much to see in Almeria. Inland you’ll find an almost lunar-like landscape, chosen as a perfect backdrop for the “spaghetti westerns” of the 1970s. Almeria is also known for its troglodyte villages – a community of cave dwellers who have fashioned extraordinary homes, complete with smart doors and puffing chimneys, in the soft rock.

Hikers, bird waters, and scuba divers find the Cabo del Gato-Nijar nature preserve a favorite attraction. Its desert landscape and rugged coastline doted with small coves provides adventure for nature lovers of all types.

You can find more tame entertainment choices at the tourist centers on the eastern coast of the province at Mojacar and on the southern coast, west of the city. Here are beaches, marinas, international restaurants, hotels and sports centers.

The only difficult part of shopping for an inexpensive flight to Madrid is making a choice from the range of options. At the time of this writing, no less than 9 UK and Irish airlines were offering direct flights to Madrid from 15 airports. Take your choice:

Airports: Aberdeen,Belfast, Bristol, Bournemouth, Dublin, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Shannon.

Airlines: British Airways, EasyJet, Aer Lingus, Ryannair, Aireuropa, BMI British Midland, Iberia,Avro.

Because Spain is the top destination for UK travelers, low fares are easy to find. Currently, fares on the low-cost carriers range from 88 to 120, so Madrid makes a great holiday destination, even for travelers on a budget. Plan your trip to avoid summer in Madrid. October is an ideal time to visit the city if you like great weather, cheaper flights and lower hotel rates. If you enjoy cultural attractions and ski resorts, winter is a great time to visit.

Madrid’s airport, Madrid Barajas International Airport, MAD, is Spain’s busiest airport with more than 40 million passengers a year. It is located 13 km from central Madrid, and the Metro can get you there in 30 minutes, but you can also take one of the frequent shuffle buses or a cab. Keep in mind, traffic is usually bad, so the ride could be close to an hour.

Once in Madrid, the Metro and bus services are fast and inexpensive, as are cab services. It is best not to drive yourself in Madrid because of the dangerous traffic conditions. However, you can hire a car to drive out of town at the airport. Spain is a favorite holiday spot for more reasons that just affordability. The combination of Spanish charm, culture, art, nightlife and costal entertainments contribute to its popularity. Except for beaches, you can find attractions for all of these elements in Madrid.

Madrid is Spain’s capital and its largest city. Geographically located in the center of the Iberian peninsula, it has been the political, financial and administrative heart of the country for centuries. King Philip II established his royal court there in 1561. Successive kings contributed to Madrid’s grandeur by commissioning places, cathedrals, public buildings and monuments.

Some attractions to consider: For starters, the world-renowned Prado, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia for modern art and the newly public collection of Thyssen-Bornemisza are top attractions for art lovers. There is also the little-known Monasterio de las Descalas Reales, an elegant convent built in the 16th century for aristocratic nuns. Now a museum, you can see the priceless works of art and religious relics new nuns donated as part of their dowries.

For history buffs, visit the San Nicolas de las Servitas, believed to date back to 1085. For shoppers, El Rastro is one of the best flea markets in Europe. For culture/sport junkies, bull fights are held on Sundays and holidays throughout the year.

Experience Madrid’s unique night life by visiting tascas, pubs that serve tapas – Spanish appetizers ranging sausages to snails and always including good wines. Flamenco music is the soul of Spain, so plan to visit a flamenco tavern to experience these gypsy folk songs and dances. Remember, when in Madrid, start late and finish later when you’re going out. The food, drink and dancing often last until breakfast the next day.

Barcelona is the capital of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia in Spain, on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. The city is between the mouths of the Llobregat and Besos rivers. The incredible natural landscape of Barcelona is only enhanced by the Serra de Collserola mountain ridge on its western side. It is the second most populated area in Spain and has 4.5 kilometers, or almost 3 miles of beaches.

Barcelona’s 2000 year history has included influences from many cultures, and there are many places to see the representative Gothic and Moorish representatives. The architecture in Barcelona has been particularly influenced by its native son, Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi is responsible for much of the brilliant and eclectic tile work seen throughout the city and in many of Barcelona’s most impressive buildings. Though Gaudi died many years ago, there is a project he began that is still going strong today, the unfinished church the Sagrada Familia.

There are many arches with triumphant themes welcoming tourists into many cities all over the world. The Arc de Triomf located in Barcelona, Spain, was created for the Universal Exposition in 1888 at the Parc de la Ciutadella. The arch was erected to stand as the entrance to the park for the event and has been a well-loved monument for the last 120 years.

The Arc de Triomf was created in the mundejar style by architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas in a nod to the country’s Moorish foundations. The arch has a frieze on its front side that was created by Josep Reynes. It is a depiction of the city of Barcelona greeting visitors, with the words “Barcelona rep les nacions” which translated from Catalan to English reads, “Barcelona welcomes the nations.” The back has a portrayal of an awards ceremony named “Recompense” created by Josep Llimona.

Each of the other provinces in the country of Spain is depicted on either side of the crown of the arch. The top of the arch has the coat of arms of Barcelona carved in to the stone. Two lions are depicted on either side of the shield. Twelve statues of females representing different facets of the city of Barcelona also adorn the arch. This is a deviation in the Moorish theme, in that Islamic artistic styles do not include representations of animals or people. The Moorish style is evident in the four caps reminiscent of minarets on the top of a mosque.

The Arc de Triomf has its own metro stop listed as Arc de Triomf, and is located in between the Passeig Llujis Companys, and the Passeig de Sant Joan