Smart Traveller

In this, the next post in our series of recession-busting travel ideas, we take a look at some of things that you can see and do for free in the Regency spa town of Cheltenham, in the UK.

1. Visit the Cheltenham Racecourse Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame at Cheltenham’s famous racecourse features exhibits tracing the history of horse-racing and of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Admission to the Hall of Fame is free of charge.

2. Relax in Pittville Park

Cheltenham’s Pittville Park is the perfect place for a stroll or a picnic. Opened in 1825, the park is home to the Pittville Pump Rooms, a beautiful Regency building, which was constructed between 1825 and 1830. The building was used to house British and American army personnel during World War II, and is now used as a venue for concerts, banquets and weddings.

The park has a pitch and putt course, tennis courts, and lakes where you can go boating or try your hand at angling, although there is a charge for these activities. There is a bandstand, which is used for events during the summer, and a refreshment kiosk. Younger children will enjoy the play area and the aviaries, where they can see birds, rabbits and chipmunks, and there is a skateboard park for older children.

3. Visit Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum

The Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum (Clarence Street, Cheltenham) has a range of collections including paintings, archaeological exhibits, items relating to local history, and an arts and craft collection. There is also a room dedicated to artefacts relating to Edward Wilson, who was born in Cheltenham and travelled to the Antarctic with Captain Scott.

The museum is open daily (except for Bank Holidays) and admission is free of charge.

4. See the Neptune Fountain

Take a stroll along the Promenade to the end of the Long Garden to see Cheltenham’s Neptune Fountain, which depicts the Roman God of the sea.  The fountain was designed by engineer Joseph Hall, who was believed to have been inspired by Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain. It was sculpted by R.L. Boulton in 1893.

The Long Garden also contains several monuments, including the Cheltenham War Memorial, which was completed in 1921, and a memorial to local Arctic explorer, Edward Wilson.

5. Follow the Romantic Road

The area around Cheltenham, the Cotswolds, is an official Area of Outstanding Beauty, and if you have a car, you can spend a day touring the area. Cheltenham Borough Council’s Visit Cheltenham website has a booklet featuring two “Romantic Road” driving tour guides, which you can download free of charge .

The first of these tours, “The Romantic Road - A Tour for Today”, takes you on a 75-mile journey through the the following towns and villages: Winchcombe, Stanway, Broadway, Chipping Camden, Blockley, Moreton-in-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold, Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter.

The second tour, “The Romantic Road - A Tour for Tomorrow”, is a 90-mile trip and takes you through the following locations: Northleach, Burford, Lechlade, Fairford, Bibury, Cirencester and Painwick.

Image courtesy of: © Artbyallyson | Dreamstime.com

VisitLondon.com is giving you the chance to win a weekend break for two in the capital. The prize includes three nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation in The Waldorf Hilton, a five star hotel in the city’s West End. The hotel is perfectly placed for shopping in Covent Garden and is close to some of London’s best theatres.

The prize also includes afternoon tea for two in the hotel on one of your day’s there, a tour of the hotel to learn about its history, and a “Big Ticket” allowing you to enjoy The London Dungeon, Madame Tussauds and a trip on the London Eye. The winner will also receive tickets for the 2008 Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum, and tickets for “Jersey Boys”, a musical based on the lives and careers of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, which is being performed at the Prince Edward Theatre.

You can enter the competition by signing up to the Visit London website. Entries must be received by midnight on the 4th of January 2009, and the holiday must be taken before the 29th of April 2009.

Image courtesy of: www.freeimages.co.uk

In the fourth part of our series about car hire holidays in Italy’s Lake Como region, we take a look at the town of Bellagio.

Known as “la perlo del lago” (”the Pearl of the Lake”), Bellagio has a reputation for being a romantic and luxurious destination. It was one of Italy’s first internationally-known tourists and is still popular today. Bellagio is a great place to stay for a day or two as part of a Lake Como car hire holiday, and you’ll find plenty of hotels and guest houses to choose from.

If you fancy some real luxury, try the five-star Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni (Villa Roma 1, Bellagio 22021). The villa was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century and was originally designed to be a holiday residence for a rich Milanese family. It was converted into a hotel in 1873 and has a wonderful Michelin star-winning restaurant. Famous guests over the years have included Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Clark Gable and Al Pacino. Even if you aren’t staying at the hotel, you can take a tour of its gardens.

Other hotels in Bellagio include the Hotel Du Lac (Piazza Mazzini, 32, Bellagio, 22021), which is located in the town centre and which has been operated by the Leoni family since 1956.

Whether or not you decide to stay in Bellagio for a day or two, it’s worth parking your hire car and taking a stroll around the town. You can download a free walking tour itinerary from the Promo Bellagio website. There are two tours available.

The first, a one hour tour of the centre of Bellagio, will take you past significant buildings, including the 11th-century St. James’ Basilica and the Town Hall. The second tour will take you two hours to complete and will take you into Bellagio’s suburbs. Highlights of this tour include: the Nautical Instruments Museum, which houses a collection including compasses, nautical clocks and telescopes; the 17th century neo-classical style Villa Giulia; the 18th century Villa Gerli; and the Villa Melzi.

The Villa Melzi is one of the most significant of Lake Como’s villas. The villa was constructed between 1808 and 1810 for Francesco Melzi D’Eril, who was Duke of Lodi and Grand Chancellor of the Napoleonic reign of Italy. The villa is privately owned and is not open to the public, but you can take a tour of the lakeside park, which includes oriental gardens, the Moorish-style Dante and Beatrice kiosk, greenhouses, statues and a small rocky garden. You can also visit the small chapel in the villa’s grounds and there is a museum.

Other villas in Bellagio include the 17th century Villa Trotti and the 18th century Villa Trivulzio-Geri.

Make the time to take a stroll around Bellagio’s shops, as the town is packed with boutiques filled with locally-made items, particularly silk clothing and accessories. If you fancy taking part in something a bit more active, you can also play tennis or go rock-climbing, para-gliding, horse riding or parachuting in the Bellagio area. You can also try water skiing, rowing or wind surfing on the lake.

Once you have explored Bellagio, you can pack up your things and continue on your Lake Como car rental holiday.