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.

Europe Travel Tips: Cheap Europe Airport Transfers

The airport transfer is very important for the comfort and time schedule of every traveler and no matter if you are looking for finding a cheap option, or money is not an issue, we highly recommend a pre-flight booked airport transfer, so you can safe time and effort once you arrive and need to get to town.

There are few ways to travel from the airport you arrive to your travel destination - train, bus, shuttle or taxi, and depending on your time of arrival, airport terminal and comfort standards, you have to choose one of them and to arrange it before you arrive, so you avoid any unpleasant surprises. The benefit of a pre-flight booked transfer is that you already have a ticket and you are informed about the exact place of the train station or bus stop.

Depending on the number of people you travel with and the luggage you bring, you might want to book a shuttle or a taxi, but if you travel alone or you are a couple, using a bus or train is cheap and easy way to reach your destination.

Bellow are some suitable options for different airport transfers:


Bus airport transfers available in several European countries
Terravision - http://www.terravision.eu/

Bus airport transfer in Barcelona, Spain:
Aerobus - http://www.aerobusbcn.com/

Bus, shuttle and taxi transfer services in many European countries:
Airport transfer Service - http://a-t-s.net/

Train airport transfers in many European countries:
Raileurope - www.raileurope.com
Suggestion: try searching your arrival destination in the search engine / top right corner on the main web-site /, so you can find advises which train exactly to use and where to board on. It is very important to know the exact name of the train stops, as there may be many stops on the way.

We wish you an easy trip to your holiday destination and a lovely vacation !

European Consumer Rights: Flight delay and cancellation compensations

Due to the increased mobility within the EU and the increased number of EU citizens traveling abroad, the European Parliament has accepted specified rights of the customers of air carriers when there has been a problem with the flight of the traveler.

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 establishes passengers' rights in case of:

- denied boarding against their will
- flight is cancelled
- their flight is delayed

There are standard compensations in each of the above mentioned cases:

"Denied boarding:

In the event of flight cancellation or denied boarding, the passengers concerned have the right to:

• reimbursement of the cost of the ticket within seven days or a return flight to the first point of departure or re-routing to their final destination;
• care (refreshments, meals, hotel accommodation, transport between the airport and place of accommodation, two free telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails);
• compensation totalling:
  - EUR 250 for all flights of 1500 kilometres or less;
  - EUR 400 for all intra-Community flights of more than 1500 kilometres, and for all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kilometres;
  - EUR 600 for all other flights.

Delays
The Regulation introduces a three-tier system:

• in the event of long delays (two hours or more, depending on the distance of the flight), passengers must in every case be offered free meals and refreshments plus two free telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails;
• if the time of departure is deferred until the next day, passengers must also be offered hotel accommodation and transport between the airport and the place of accommodation;
• when the delay is five hours or longer, passengers may opt for reimbursement of the full cost of the ticket together with, when relevant, a return flight to the first point of departure.

Upgrading and downgrading
If an air carrier places a passenger in a class lower than that for which the ticket was purchased, the passenger must be reimbursed within seven days, as follows:

• 30% of the price of the ticket for all flights of 1500 kilometres or less;
• 50% of the price of the ticket for all intra-Community flights of more than 1500 kilometres, except flights between the Member States and the French overseas departments, and for all other flights between 1500 and 3500 kilometres;
• 75% of the price of the ticket for all other flights, including flights between the Member States and the French overseas departments."

The full conditions and text of the Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 can be found on the European Commission web-site regarding the Denied boarding compensation system:

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/protection_of_consumers/l24173_en.htm

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

sxc.hu

Europe Travel Destinations: Perperikon, Bulgaria

Perperikon is the name of a temple/fortress in South-East Bulgaria, which dates back from some 7000 years ago. It is one of the very few places on Earth, which can really be called cultural and historical birthplace of the modern culture.

It is already scientifically proven that Perperikon has been the temple of Dionysus, which was visited by known historical figures such as Alexander the Great and the Roman ruler Octavian in order to ask the ancient Gods if their quests for glory will be successful.

Once you start climbing the hill where the fortress is built you immediately know how hard it has been for any army to conquer it. Even when you go on top of the hill and reach the entrance of the fortress, you encounter several doors between rock walls, which have been defended with various methods and almost impossible to go through.

In the different eras Perperikon has been populated by several empires, and each and every one of them has acknowledged it as a place with special powers and great importance.

Perperikon is situated in a truly magical place - the Rhodopes mountains, which has been an area ruled by the Thracians, people with astonishing knowledge for nature and astronomy. These mountains are a place where you can visit both natural phenomena and small historical cities, which have kept their looks and culture and are welcoming tourists from all over the world.

Perperikon should be visited by all travelers, who are eager to go to the places of historical significance and they witness the greatness, which has survived through the thousands of years.

You can stay at some of the small villages surrounding the Kardzhali lake, which are some 30 to 50 km from Perperikon and will welcome you with great Bulgarian hospitality.

Detailed information about Perperikon and its history can be found here:

http://www.perperikon.bg

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.

 sxc.hu

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.

sxc.hu

Europe Travel Tips: Vignettes

If you are travelling through Europe with a car, one essential thing, which you should know about your problem-free car ride, is that you should have a valid vignette for using the road network of the country you are travelling in.

As the vignettes are requested when you are stopped by a traffic police officer, you should be able to present it in order to avoid getting an undesider fine.

One very simple way to have all the necessary documentation is to stop at the first major brand gas station and to ask about the necessary vignettes in the country. You should also ask if there is additional payment requested for using the highway system in the country, as it might have to be paid separately.

The positive site of using known gas station chains is that you will be able to pay via credit card if you still have no local currency (some EU countries still use their own currency and not the EUR).

Vignettes can be used for a single day or for a week and when buying one you should consider if you will pass trough the country again on your way back.

Europe Travel Tips: Europe by Train

There are many ways to explore Europe and to enjoy all the treasures it has to offer to its visitors, but there is one especially wonderful way to travel through Europe with style and ease and to see all the beauty of the nature and the country side of Europe - travelling by train.

Due to the cooperation on a national and international level, the train companies in Europe have created a vast network, which jointly covers all of Europes and it allows travellers to organize regional and international holidays by train and gives you the opportunioty to view Europe in a way not possible with any other transport.

You can get a full access to the train routes in the EU countries, you can plan using night trains, which will save you money and time for seeing more of Europe than by staying every night at a hotel and you can travel with some of the scenic trains in Europe, allowing you to view explicit views of the European countries, while travelling comfortably on board of a modern train with your friends.

A great opportinity for travellers by train is the option to buy Eurail Pass, allowing you to travel with just one ticket on multiple occassions in a single country or in many countries. This is a very cost and time efficient way to travel through Europe and to get a comfortable and memorable travel experience.

You can see the information about the train networks in Europe, routes and prices on the official European Railways web-site for train pass reservations:

www.eurail.com

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 ...   

 www.sxc.hu

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.

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

Las Fallas is a festival held between the 15-th and 19-th of March each year in the town of Saint Joseph near Valencia, and it is one of the most spectacular events a tourist can witness.

The main event of the festival is the burning of enormous puppets, which are built before the festival and come in all shapes and sizes. The so called "Fallas" are formed when the "ninots" ( puppets ) are placed on a foundation filled with firecrackers, which are brought to the streets of the town, and eventually burnt during the culumination of the festival.

The festival is related to numerous celebrations, starting with the parties for raising the funds for building the 'Fallas" and coming to the actual festival between the 15-th and 19-th of March.

The festival has a very interesting schedule, which includes waking-up at 8 am by musicians, who are waliking and playing on the streets; seeing a coordinated firecracker show everyday during the festival at 2 pm; coverage with flowers of the statue of Saint Mary on the 17-th and 18-th March and finally coming to the much expected burning of the "Fallas" on the 19-th.

The fireworks show at night is a sight one would not forget and definately would want to see again. The colorful flames in the sky, the excetement all around you and the general feel of being part of something very special and unique will make you want to experience the "Las Fallas" every year again and again.

The spectacular event is finished early in the morning and after all the preparation, the excitement and all the work on creating the show, everyone gets a nice rest and awaits the next years' "Las Fallas".

You can see some of the spectacular moments of the festival on the official "Las Fallas" web-site:
http://www.fallas.com/

Other European Attractions:

Festivals in Europe: International Fireworks Festival Cannes

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  

Europe Travel Destinations: Brussels Gourmet Tram

Festivals in Europe: Corpus Domini, Orvieto, Italy