Chambery is the city located in the Rhône-Alpes region in department of Savoie situated in southeastern France. It is the capital of the Savoie department. Chambery was founded along the ancient routes through Dauphiné (Dôfenâ), Burgundy, Switzerland, and Italy, in a wide valley between the Bauges and the Chartteuse Mountains.

Main Sights:

Château de Chambery:
This fort was the home of Savoy who settled here in 1285 and later expanded it in 14th century. It then served as their residence, the seat of power and administration, and as a stronghold for the house of Savoy. It quickly became obsolete as a serious fortification genuinely capable of resisting a siege. Due to constant French hostilities the Duke Emmanuel Philibert decided to change the capital to Turin. The chateau purely remained as an administrative center until it was changed into a court. This chateau witnessed the marriage between Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia and Anne Marie d’Orléans, niece of Louis XIV. The chateau was rebuilt and redecorated under the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. The chateau today is open to tours and concerts only.

Fontaine des Elephants:

It is the most important landmark in Chambery. Built in 1830, it was made to honor Benoît de Boigne’s feats when he was away in India. Its fountain has realistic sculptures that resembled the head and the forelimbs of four large elephants which are truncated into the base of a tall column in the shape of the Saroyan (Savoyard) cross and then topped by a statue of de Boigne. In the beginning this landmark was mocked by people but later on they accepted it as one the city’s finest trademarks.
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These days, it’s easier than ever before to get to Barcelona, the second largest city in Spain. A large number of airlines and tour operators offer cheap Barcelona flights, so travellers have plenty of choice. If you’re thinking about booking a trip to Spain, it’s worth bearing a few things in mind when considering your flight.

These days things are different though. While you can certainly choose to fly on the traditional airlines – and they offer more facilities, especially if you travel business class – they tend to remain more expensive than the no-frills airlines, although not always. Part of the success of Barcelona as a short stay tourist destination was that its post-Olympic renaissance coincided with the introduction of the low-cost business model to the UK and Ireland, meaning that the destination was both attractive and travel affordable.

Peak season is during the European summer months – May to August – although the locals often head to the beach in August. This means the city is not as busy as you would think it would be at that time of year.

Off-peak season is still quite busy because Barcelona is such a popular place to visit but flight prices will certainly come down in the colder months. If you don’t mind the cooler temperatures, it could be a good time to go.

Once you arrive in Barcelona, it’s best to explore on foot as much as possible. The city is famous the world over for its distinctive architecture, which is best seen close up. Visitors are also surprised by the different character of Barcelona’s districts and quarters, including the Old City and the famous Gothic Quarter (which contains several World Heritage Sites).

Budget airlines like JetEasy and Ryanair can offer very cheap flights to a variety of destinations if you are flying light and aren’t too picky about your flying experience. Most people who fly with these airlines say they would recommend them to other travellers. Just be sure to read the fine print to see what exactly you get with your flight. More

Finding a place to get the whole family together can sometimes be a daunting task. In the summer months, a great place to get everyone together is at a lake resort. Lake resorts are the perfect place to accommodate large numbers and provide lots of activities for family members of all ages.

To find a resort that is perfect for your family reunion, shop around for a resort that fits your family’s needs. Look for a resort that has a variety of different meeting areas. If you want to have outdoor activities, make sure they have a backup indoor plan available. Check if they have group rates, or if you are able to rent all of your rooms in one area of the resort. It is also a good idea to check out the amenities that they have for cooking or grilling. If you plan on doing your own cooking, make sure you know what you will have available to you before you get there. If you don’t want to do any cooking, see what sort of catering or restaurant options are readily available for you.

When you bring together a large group of people, you also bring together a large variety of interests. Make sure that your resort of choice offers a wide variety of activities available. Ideally, look for a resort that has indoor and outdoor activities for everyone. Spas and craft areas are a big draw for people. Also, for water sports or afternoons on the lake make sure you can rent the right equipment.

A lake resort can be the perfect place for a family gathering if it comes with the right stuff. Before you book that resort, check out a variety of places and see what amenities and services they can offer to your family. More

July 20th, 2010

A Denmark Vacation

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Denmark is a Scandinavian country located in Northern Europe bordering the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and Germany. This former Viking territory is comprised of over 400 islands, though only 72 of them are populated.

With over 4500 miles of coastline, Denmark offers many sandy beaches. Some of the more popular beaches to visit are the Amager Beach near Copenhagen, Bisnap Beach near Jutland and Bildso Beach near Zealand. There is plenty of public transportation along Amager Beach getting you to and from the city of Copenhagen easily.

This is an ideal location for those who do not wish to travel far out of the city. Bisnap is a rather large beach located outside Hals. It is child friendly with shallow waters and small waves; it provides disabled parking, wheelchairs and a wheelchair accessible path down to the beach. Bildso Beach, located southwest of Zealand is a smaller, quieter beach that is quite a bit less crowded than the other beaches. Bildso Beach is an ideal place for the visitor who wishes to just relax, soak up the sun and maybe read a book or take a nap.

This energy efficient country is recognized around the world for the overall environmental awareness. Copenhagen is one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world; over 35% of the city’s population ride bicycles to work instead of driving. According to Denmark Magazine, in 2010 Copenhagen inaugurated multi-lane bicycle highways.

Visitors from around the world come to attend Denmark’s festivals and enjoy the amusement parks. Some events that Denmark holds annually are the Skanderborg Festival, NaturNet and the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. More

India is a place to explore and one life is not enough to witness all its beauty and grandeur. The Northeastern part of India is a center of tour and adventures. You can engage in a number of activities like trekking, camping and mountaineering in the high mountains of Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. The North East India Packages is the right thing to choose for, if you are waiting for an opportunity to explore the beauty of that part of India. There are various Online Holiday Packages that take you across every corner of the country.

The North East India Packages offers you a break from your daily boring routine and allows you to relax and absorb the rich experience you gather while indulging in such tours. Days are gone when you needed to personally visit a travel agency to plan all the necessary details to plan a vacation. The Online Holiday Packages help to save the time and money. Moreover, you can avoid a lot of paperwork too. They offer you a visit to a number of places all based on your mood and preferences. These tours cover wildlife tours, romantic tours, adventure tours, family tours etc.

North East India Packages takes you to Arunachal Pradesh, which is located at the extreme northern end of the country, thus failing to get to the notice of many tourists. This state is loaded with rich and variant flora and fauna that may not be found in any part of the world. The plantation and amazing splendor of the place is what actually attracts people from within the country as well as from abroad. MakeMyTrip India offers to you Online Holiday Packages that are the cheapest and best deals ever that an online tour operator can offer.

The North East India Packages takes you to a land of diverse culture and traditions. If you are interested in sight-seeing, you must not forget to visit the Queen of Hills, Darjeeling. More

The God’s Own Country, Kerala is a destination of lifetime. The land of Kerala is astonishingly beautiful and is a favorite honeymoon destination. Emerald green land, virgin backwater, pristine beaches and tranquil and ever-arresting beauty of hill stations make it one of the most preferred and perfect destinations for honeymooners and vacationers.

The nature has endowed many blessings to Kerala. It is naturally rich and esthetically beautiful. Honeymoon in Kerala is preferred because newly wedded couples love to be nurtured in the lap of nature. They want to explore all things about each other as they are going to begin a new life. They find kraal to be best place where they can sacredly know about each other. They learn loving and caring for each other from singing birds and make a promise to remain as pure as nature for ever from the serenity and purity of nature.

Kerala has many palm sized beaches which are among best beaches in the world. Kovalam Beach and Varkala Beach are quite popular. These beaches allow the couples to know the innocentcy of each other. Adventure and fun loving couple can enjoy many lively activities of beach like sun bathing, water sootering, paragliding, foot balling, etc.

Kerala Honeymoon Travel gets more exciting and enjoying due the presence of many hill stations there. The hills of Munnar, Kumarakom and Wayanad are very beautiful and picturesque. These hills remain cool and calm. Couples spend hours sitting arm in arm at these romantic places. These hills are also home to much wildlife. You cam see many wild animals enjoying time in their natural habitat.

Backwaters of Kerala are famous worldwide. Kerala is situated at the coastal plain surrounded by water from three sides have many backwater regions. The pristine backwaters of Kumarakom & Kuttanad are must visit spots during Tour to Kerala Honeymoon. These backwaters are very pure and are isolated from rest of the city. Coupes can make their honeymoon sweet and trendy by staying a night or two in houseboat. The houseboats are provided with all kind of facilities. The boats are very comfortable and beautiful. You will surely enjoy your stay in houseboat.

After taking romantic tours to beaches, hills, and backwaters, you move to explore the city life and heritage of Kerala. Kerala is land marked with various monuments, forts, palaces, churches, etc. Embark in city to get a glimpse of beautiful monuments of Kerala. You can also enjoy nightlife there. More

Rajasthan is renowned for its forts and palaces. Built on high peaks, amidst vast deserts, and on islands in lakes, the forts and palaces of Rajasthan displays the excellent architectural legacy of Rajasthan. Some of these forts and palaces look worn out from their exteriors. But the interiors transfer you to a different world. And when you visit the timeless land of Rajasthan, a stay in one of these forts and palaces will take your breath away, as many of them are back with their past magnificence. Popular as the Heritage Hotels, these places are a beautiful blend of the royal past and the modern present.

Taragarh Fort- Kota: Taragarh Fort was the home to an important princely state at the Rajput days of glory. It is a gigantic fort built in 1354 and reachable by a vertically inclined road leading to its main gate. The gateway to the fort is topped by wild elephants. It has huge reservoirs carved out of rock and Bhim Burj, the largest battlement, on which is mounted a cannon. It offers an excellent view of the town and bird-watching, which is another attraction among tourists.

Junagadh Fort- Bikaner: It is an indisputable fortress, which has never been conquered by anyone till date. Built in 1593 by Raja Rai Singh, it is an alarming structure surrounded by a moat. The main entrance to the fort is Karan Pol, facing east. Next to it is the Suraj Pol which means the sun gate. The fort houses very magnificent palaces like Anup Mahal, Ganga Niwas and Rang Mahal. Har Mandir is a grand chapel for the royal family to worship their gods. They make a picturesque ensemble of courtyards, balconies and windows spotted all over the structure. It also houses a museum which has a huge collection of items.

Chittorgarh Fort- Chittorgarh: The Chittorgarh Fort is a living testimony to the bravery of the Rajput rulers who gave up their life fighting instead of living a life of compliance. The fort is located on a hill and is a fine example of the Rajput architecture. The main places of interest within the premise are the two towers known as the ‘Kirti Stambh’ and the ‘Vijay Stambh’. Also present are several temples and palaces dating back to the 9th and 17th century AD. However, the most imposing structure inside the Fort is the Vijay Stambh. This tower can even be beautifully seen from the town located below the fort. This masterpiece stands at a height of 10 feet, while the tower stands at a height of 122 feet. It is said that the tower took 10 years to be completed.
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Aruba is definitely one of the most popular island getaways for tourists. Besides having some of the most pristine beaches with white sand and crystal blue waters, Aruba offers much more to its visitors. Whether you just want to hang out on the beach all week long or actually take part in Aruban adventures, history and culture; this friendly island definitely shows you how to do that with their spectacular generosity and world class facilities.

What Can You Do in Aruba?

Aruba has an excellent climate all year around. So, even though you may be suffering through the worst winter ever, you can always get away to Aruba to enjoy a round of golf, jet skiing, fishing and other high energy water sports. Most people come to Aruba to experience the secluded beaches, but for those who are tired of just laying on the sand, they can get their hearts racing by renting jet skis, paddle boats, sunfish and kayaks right on the beach. There are also amazing cruises that allow its passengers to go on snorkelling adventures and see the ocean life like they have never before.

Some of the best beaches to visit include Boca Catalina Beach, Eagle Beach, Druif Beach and Arashi Beach. Many of these places have very cool underwater life adventures that you can sign up for to discover what is under the sea. Other activities that you can participate in include kicking up your heels with the fun nightlife in Aruba or relaxing with some shopping or a day at one of the many luxurious spas.

Culture in Aruba

You can also experience the wonderful culture of Aruba. There are many interesting sites to visit like the electricity plant, the water plant and even the Aloe factory. While they may not be the norm when it comes to holiday activities, it will certainly give your vacation some diversity.
There are also ancient caves with Indian drawings preserved from the first settlers of the island that can be seen. You can also take a break from the beach and visit the countryside or Cunucu. Here you will be able to see livestock like herds of goats running freely. You can also see some of Aruba’s finest farms, like the ostrich ranch, the butterfly farm and the donkey sanctuary.
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The Madrid Spain airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. If you are travel to Madrid Spain for the first time, it would better for you to learn a few things about Madrid Spain airport before you head out in that direction. You don’t really want to mar your Madrid Spain travel by getting lost in the airport. To give you some ideas about Madrid Spain airport, read on.
The Help Desks
When traveling to a new place, the first thing that you should look for is the help desk. Yes, it is nice to have your travel guide book and maps with you but those things are no substitute for the good old help desk. Fortunately, the Madrid Spain airport has plenty of help desks around its premises. In fact, the Madrid Spain airport has more than 22 information counters where you can get help in case you encounter some problems during your travel.
The people at the information desks are happy to serve you in anyway they can. Moreover, the airport also has a tourist information counter where you can get some brochures and advice as to where you should go during your stay in Madrid.
Money and Communication Facilities
The people at the Madrid Spain airport understand the needs of travelers. At present, the airport has two banks, several automated teller machines, payphones and a post office in its vicinity. The bank located at the airport’s terminal one is open 24 hours a day so if you happen to arrive at the Madrid Spain airport in the middle of the night and you are in need of banking services, you just head down to terminal one.
On the other hand, if you are itching to use the internet upon landing on the airport, you may access the net through the wireless internet access in the VIP lounges and restaurants in the airport.
Food, Beverages and Shopping
Finding a good place to eat is not a problem at the Madrid Spain airport. There are about 30 cafes, restaurants and bars inside the airport which serve a wide variety of food and drinks. On the other hand, if you are in need of some items, you can shop at the more than 100 shops inside the airport. More

If you’re a student of history, ancient or modern, a drive through Normandy makes for a great holiday.

If you want to start with some of the older history, it was from Normandy that William the Conqueror set out to take over the throne of England in 1066. If you are into 20th century history, there are the D-Day Invasion Beaches to explore.

You’ll probably start by driving to Rouen. Though it is a big city, there are plenty of historical sites to see in its center. You can find a car park near the Place du Vieux Marche (the old Market Square). It was here that Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431.

Wander up the street and under the large old clock that is in a tower that straddles the street – the Gros-Horloge. Make your way up to the Cathedrale Notre-Dame. This gothic cathedral was the subject of several of Claude Monet’s paintings.

Leaving Rouen, you will soon come to the appealing harbor town of Honfleur. This is a great place to spend the night. Sit by the Vieux Bassin (the old Dock) and have a glass of wine with an outdoor dinner. Honfleur was a meeting place for Impressionist Painters, and it continues to attract artists today.

Continue your drive through Normandy to Bayeaux. This is where you can see the Bayeaux Tapestry. It’s really a story that was embroidered on cloth that is 20 inches wide and 230 feet long. (50 cm by 70 meters). It was created in 1066 and is now displayed in the Musee de la Tapisserie de Bayeaux.

It’s in a remarkable state of preservation. At the start of your museum visit, there is a great presentation that prepares you to enjoy the tapestry as you wind through the museum to see it. Whether propaganda or factual, it describes the events of the Norman Invasion of England. The Normans were the victors in this, remember, and the story is told from their perspective.

The scenes and vignets let you visualize the events. The tapestry even shows Haleys comet that passed by in the year 1066. Are you old enough to remember the comet excitement we went through when it swung back past Earth in 1986?

The D-Day Invasion Beaches of Normandy are only about 10 miles (16 km) from Bayeaux. Take time to walk the beaches and reflect on what happened there. Visit a museum or two. Stop in the Cemeteries that honor all of the brave soldier that died there.

End your drive through Normandy with a visit to Mont Saint Michel. The view of this monastery perched high on its rock in the middle of the bay is one of the great sights of France. It is absolutely beautiful from a distance.
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