Sozopol, Bulgaria - A Traditional And Beautiful Summer Holiday Destination

Sozopol is an amazing small town situated in Eastern Bulgaria, about 30 km from the city of Burgas. It has ancient cultural and religious history, traditional Bulgarian architectural style and amazing nature with both beautiful golden beaches with crystal clear water and nice forests around the bay.

                                                            Location and history

Sozopol is dates back from the 7th century BC and was established by the Greek colonists from the ancient town of Miletus. It has been a flourishing and rich town for centuries mainly due to its perfect location and the trading activities of its citizens with many of the other Greek colonies.

The location of Sozopol makes it presently a nice and well developed holiday traveling destination, which is very close to an international airport. This allows tourists from many countries to visit it each year and gives the town a string economical and cultural development.

Currently there have been significant archeological findings such as parts of bones of the body of St John The Baptist. This, along with the fact that Sozopol has been an important cultural and religious place in the past, gives the town a great opportunity to establish itself as a preferred destination for cultural and religious tourism.

Accommodation

Sozopol has to offer many types of accommodation options for all types of travelers - singles, young couples or families.

The Old Town is preferred by families as it is more quiet that the New Town, it is very close to a nice beach it has a beautiful main walking street with many restaurants on the main and side streets, which give you a spectacular view to both sides of the peninsula. You can at the very same time enjoy the view to the harbor and St John island on one side and the beach and the New Town at the other side. The Old Town can offer many small hotels and apartments, which are mostly build in traditional Bulgarian style and usually have a breath-taking view towards to sea and the beautiful surroundings.

The New Town is a modern holiday town with a beautiful beach, numerous restaurants and bars and plenty of shopping opportunities. There are many beautiful hotels right next to the beach, which gives you a very easy access to everything you need in a several minutes walk. Most seaside rooms have a very beautiful view to the Old Town and you besides visiting the many food and drink places around, you can really enjoy a nice and romantic dinner on the balcony.

Things to do and see in Sozopol

There are several things you should do such as:
-  take a walk on both sides of the Old Town with the harbor and St John island on one side and the ancient fortress wall on the other side
- taste traditional Bulgarian cuisine and fresh sea fish at some of the small restaurants with great sea view
- enjoy the beaches of Sozopol, which have beautiful golden sand and crystal clear water, protected from big waves by the perfect location of the lagune
- visit some of the traditional churches in the Sozopol Old Town. They might not be as spectacular on the outside as the Italian cathedrals, but you will feel their unique atmosphere and will

Sozopol is a wonderful and traditional Bulgarian town and it will give you memories, which will last.

Festivals in Europe: Creamfields 2012 Electronic Music Festival, Daresbury, Cheshire, 24.08.2012 - 26.08.2012

Creamfields 2012 will be one of the main festivals of 2012 electronic music events calendar. The festival grew significantly in the past years and this year the line-up is simply fantastic. Just few of the names to attend the festival are:

David Guetta
Tiesto
Paul van Dyk
Richie Hawtin
Avicii
Deadmau5
Eric Prydz
John Digweed
Sebastian Ingrosso
Afrojack

... and the list goes on and on ...

Creamfields is located in the lovely countryside between Manchester and Liverpool and is very easily accessible by car, bus and train from the international airports. The camping option of the Luxury Camping of the festival is perfect for the ones who like camping, but want to do it the Creamfileds style, including some nice extra services. Tickets are available with the camping option, as you can of course use other accommodation options.

The festival will indeed be one of the best events of the year and we strongly advise you not to miss it if you like the line-up and fancy the experience.

Tickets and camping prices, list of the available services and extras and info about the guests is available on the official Creamfields 2012 web-site:

http://www.creamfields.com/

Festivals in Europe: EXIT 2012 - Novi Sad, Serbia

EXIT is one of the biggest festivals in Europe lately and this year will not be an exception -the guest performances will be by artists such as:

Guns n` Roses
Duran Duran
Ericah Badu
New Order
Richie Hawtin
Laurent Garnier
Gossip
Suicidal Tendencies
Miss Kittin

and many many others  ...

The festival will take place between the 12th July and the 15th July in the town of Novi Sad, Serbia. The stages will be located on the riverbank of the Danube and there will be several venues - Main Stage, Dance Arena, Fusion Stage, Suba Stage, Explosive, Elektrana and HNS Stage.

A significant part of the EXIT Festival experience is the EXIT village, where visitors from all over the world will listen to music and enjoy being part of the great EXIT feeling.

Detailed information about tickets, line-up, travel information for the town of Novi Sad and camping options are available on the official EXIT Festival web-page:

http://exitfest.org

Europe Festivals: Luminaria di San Ranieri - Pisa, Italy

Every year, on the 16-th of June, the city of Pisa, Italy, becomes a place of magic and unbelievable beauty.

The Luminaria di San Ranieri is an annual festival dedicated to the patron of Pisa - San Ranieri. At sunset on the 16-th of June thousands of candles are lighted on the facades of the city to celebrate San Ranieri, who is said to be the protector of all travelers. The festival also includes  spectacular fireworks later at night - 11 pm.

The atmosphere of the city is indescribably beautiful and peaceful. If you are on some of the bridges at the Arno river you will be in the middle of a real Tuscany fairy-tale.

More information about Luminaria di San Ranieri and Tuscany can be found here:


Luminaria di San Ranieri - Pisa, Italy

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Europe Travel Destinations: Corfu Island, Greece

Europe has many faces and one of the loveliest of them is a sunny warm island called Corfu.

It is like a tropical island situated right next to the shores of Europe, making every first-time traveller wonder why you have not been there yet.

Corfu is the place to be for everyone who is willing to have a nice, quiet and beautiful vacation. The warm weather, the tropic-like beaches and the unbelievable tasty food will give you the joy you have not been imagining when planning your Corfu holiday.

If you are accommodated at some of the nice new resorts on the island there is nothing you have to worry about - the beach is few meters away, the hotel gives you a comfortable break from the warm sun and the light night breeze recharges you during the deserved cold drink on the restaurant terrace after the tasty dinner.

Once you visit Paleokastritsa, see the fantastic little beaches, look at the crystal clear sea water and board on the boats showing you around the bay and the magical places near the shore, you will understand that Corfu is a heaven on Earth which you will visit again very soon.

If you are currently choosing a summer holiday destination, do not hesitate to choose Corfu and to book a holiday you will really enjoy.

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Europe Travel Tips: European Cruise Ship Travel

There is just one way to witness all of the sea and inland beauty Europe has to offer and it is by a holiday on a sea or on a river cruise ship.

The destinations offered by the cruise ship companies are wonderfully chosen to present to the attention of the tourist both the historical treasures and the natural beauty of the countries, which are part of the cruise route. The cruise ships pass around splendid bays with a view towards the stylish and friendly European sea side cities, and allow the tourist to enjoy the calmness of a sea travel and the luxurious comfort of the ship.

Mentioning just few of the destinations, reachable by the cruise companies, will be sufficient for everyone to understand that a cruse holiday offers a great way to travel to several wonderful cities just within several days:

Barcelona, Spain
Valencia, Spain
Rome, Italy
Naples, Italy
Venice, Italy
Marseille, France
Cannes, France
Monaco
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Split, Croatia
Santorini, Greece
Stockholm, Sweden
Helsinki, Finland
St Petersburg, Russia
Budapest, Hungary
Vienna, Austria

and many many others ...

A cruise with a sea or a river ship is the perfect family or couple vacation, which will enable you to visit several interesting places within the same holiday and will give you a the unique travel experience of traveling on a ship.

There are many cruise companies and specialized cruise travel agents and you will be able to easily find an affordable and suitable European cruise destination, which will suite your interest and your curiosity of the places, included in the cruise destination.

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Festivals in Europe: International Fireworks Festival Cannes

There are some significantly spectacular festivals, which a person should see at least once in a lifetime and one of them is the International Fireworks Festival Cannes.

The festival is a competition between world renown firework manufacturers and  pyrotechnic show specialists, who battle in the colorful battle of the skies several days each year.

The International Fireworks Festival Cannes 2012 will take place at the Bay of Cannes and will host competitors from Italy, China, Spain, France and Germany, who will present their firework shows along a wonderful musical program, making the event a spectactacle for the sences a person remembers for a really really long time.

This years festival dates will be as follows:

14 July 2012
21 July 2012
29 July 2012
07 Aug 2012
15 Aug 2012

A beautiful vacation in Cannes is a memorable experience itself, but combining the holiday with an event from the International Fireworks Festival Cannes program is definitely one of Europe's finest experiences.

Additional information about the program and the competitors can be found on the official web-site of the International Fireworks Festival Cannes:

http://www.festival-pyrotechnique-cannes.com

Europe Travel Destinations: Brussels Gourmet Tram

Europe Travel Destinations: Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria - A spectacular Sound and Light historical show

Europe Attractions: The Prater in Vienna 

Festivals in Europe: San Fermin Festival - The Running with the Bulls, 6-th July - 14-th July  

Festivals in Europe: Las Fallas Festival - Saint Joseph, Valencia, Spain

Festivals in Europe: Corpus Domini, Orvieto, Italy 

Europe Travel Destinations: Provance, France

Many times a person thinks of France, there is a very tale-like, colorful picture, which comes on mind. It a splendid view pictorous hills with grapes and/or lavender, usually accompanied by a lovely two-stores chato and a small charming river. And this peaceful picture of a dream has a name - Provance.

Provance is not just a nice country side. It is also not just a place where you go to take a rest from the buzz of the city lights. It is simply a dream.

Provance is the place, where you just let go and become a tiny part of the great wide universe, which has found its exact place. It is a peace of mind, which will welcome you with a warm tasteful delight, will make you question yourself why you live somewhere other than there and will show you off with an invitation for a soonest comeback.

It is very difficult to describe what makes Provance the dream, which it is, but if we have to point some of the essential joys, which form the Provance feeling, we have to mention the following:

Nature

There are so many colors in Provance and every one of them is related to a very simple simple thing in life, which makes it so special to enjoy:

red grapes and wine - the color of life and love, both gloriously related to the place, in which life is love

golden and brown - the colors of the ground, which receives the love and care of the people and gives them in return the joy from the food and the wine

purple lavender - the color of kings, giving both the sight and smell the joy of a dream coming to life

Wine

... a result of the love between man and land, who have established a relation resulting to a just one thing - love ... a love in a glass, giving you the taste of eternity, the smell of natures' favourite flowers and spices and the joy of capturing a perfect moment of time ...

Time

Time is no relevant in heaven ... and Provance is a heaven on Earth, unrelated to what is happening quite near and so far away ... when time has stopped nothing is happening, and when you are in Provance you are in its own time and space and everything which matters is the joy of being in a dream and living it with the one you care about and love ... and when the dream passes by and you are back home, just close your eyes and think about Provance and time will stop again ...

The people of Provance will welcome you with the warmth they nurture the land with, they will take care of you just like they grow everything, which makes the their home a heaven in a world so different from theirs, and will start a feeling in you, which will grow along with the red grapes and purple lavender and will make you feel home everytime you just close your eyes and smell the scent of a dream ...   

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Europe Travel Tips: Travel Documents

When you are planning a holiday in Europe it is very important to first chech what kind of documents you are required to carry on with you and to present to any custom authorities you go through.

International Passport

No matter where you come from, usually the most important ID document abroad is the International Passport. In order not to get into any unexpected situation, it is essential to check that your passport is still valid and its expiration date has not passed. If you have travelled a lot and there are no free pages left for another Visa, it is also necessary to inquire if you need to apply for a new passport before your holiday.
Even if you are an EU citizen going to another EU country, you should check if the rote for your trip does not pass trough non-EU member countries, as you will not be allowed to enter the country without a valid international passport.

Power of Attorneys

If there are children in the group and both parents are not travelling, it might be necessary to present a Power of Attorney or any other kind of document depending on your local legislation, which certifies that both parents agree that their child travells abroad.


If you are travelling by car with a leased or rented car, it is absolutely necessary to present to the customs authorities a document, stating that the car is owned by a bank ( or a leasing company ) or by the car rental company, and you are authorised to use the car and to cross borders.

Travel Insurance Policy

Although it is not a required document when you are travelling alone and at your own risk, the travel insurance policy is a must for every traveller. If you are on a holiday with an organized group, your travel agent might include the international travel policy in the holiday package. However, you need to check this, and in case such is not included, you can book one very easily.
If you are travelling alone, especially in countries and places you aren ot familiar with, it is highly recommended that you have a valid travel insurance policy with you, covering all possible travel risks from medical expenses to luggage loss. This can save you a lot of money if such situations occur, and will guarantee you the necessary peace of mind, so you can go on and fully enjoy your holiday.

Flight ticket

Always check if you have your flight ticket with you when you leave home or the hotel you have stayed in. If you are using an on-line check-in option before departure, you have to make sure that you have checked-in within the exact time for it and to print your ticket, as if you have not made it and you have to get a ticket on the airport, there will be an additional charge.

Summer holiday in Europe: Croatia

If you are planning a summer holiday in Europe and you are wondering which way to go, you should definitely consider the possibility of spending a week or more on some of Croatia`s wonderful beaches.

Croatia is a peaceful and colorful country, situated on the cost of the Adriatic Sea, and it has become a paradise for tourists, who are attracted by its tropic-like coastline and the numerous historical and cultural locations.

Croatia was part of the formal Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia after the World War II, and although the coutry had a limited autonomy during the reign of the Communist regime, since it won its independence after the war with Serbia, Croatia has become a wealthy and prosperous country.

There are many remarkably beautiful places in Croatia and besides its picturous beaches, it has some of Europe`s most beutiful natural parks and lakes. The Plitvice Lakes National Park is only one of the highly recommended sites in the coutry, as it takes only a one-day trip to visit the park, as by nighttime you can be back in your lovely sea-side hotel.

Croatia is a wonderful summer holiday location for both tourists seeking nice and quiet vacation, and for travellers who are looking forward to tasting some of the night life on the Adriatic sea. The main cities, including the in-cost country capital Zagreb, can offer a significant list of cultural sites, including the newly-built Museum of Contemporary Art, as well as various entertainment events for its visitors.

Croatia has over a thousand of islands, which makes it a real tropical paradise in Europe.

When you plan your holiday to Croatia, be sure to schedule visiting various cities and beautiful sites the country has to offer. Although the loveliness of the beaches of Croatia will make you come back for more, be sure to have a spare set of batteries for your camera, as there is plenty beauty you would like to capture.

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