El Quseir is at the southern stretch of the Red Sea Riviera, which includes a number of towns and resorts along the Gulf of Suez and the Senai Peninsula. Its attraction lies in the pleasant weather all year, creating warm seas that are perfect for exotic, colourful sealife and scuba diving, along with the myriad of archaeological treasures that its long history provides.

Attractions around El Quseir

Red Sea Diving

Diving is one of the main attractions of the area and the waters around El Quseir are wonderful for underwater exploration. Their clear, fresh warm seas are full of marine life such as sea turtles, rays, and an array of rainbow coloured tropical fish all swimming amongst radiantly beautiful sea coral reefs. Dive schools are common along the coastline and some hotels even have their own scuba centre in-house.

Wadi Hammamat

It was here that for many centuries the local green Bekheny granite stone was quarried and used in the manufacture of sarcophagi, statues and bowls. The rock faces of the quarry contain many hieroglyphic inscriptions and graffiti, some of which can be traced back to 4,000 BC, showing just how old this remote area is.

Bir Umm Fawakhir

This is the site of a former Coptic Christian gold mine from the 5^th century. It was home to roughly 1,000 people and excavations believe there to be the remnants of some 216 buildings. Visitors will find an interesting day out in the middle of the desert at one of the few gold mining communities in the Byzantine Empire.

El Quseir Fortress

The fort of Sultan Salim has now been restored and has a visitors interpretation centre telling the story of its construction and history to protect the port from potential invaders during the Ottoman Empire.

Staying in El Quseir

The luxurious surroundings of the Radisson Blu Resort at El Quseir are the perfect spot from where to discover the joys of the southern reaches of the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea. The hotel has its own private beach on which you can relax; there are 250 gorgeous rooms and suits, all with a terrace or balcony looking out across the sea or the hotels well-kept gardens.

The resort’s facilities include its own diving school where guests can learn the arts of scuba or snorkelling and more experienced travellers can dive right it and explore. There is a lagoon like outdoor pool, spa and a dozen different places to feast.

There is nothing quite like strolling through the forest on a clear day, listening to the sounds of the birds in the trees, and turning a corner in the path to be greeted with a breathtaking mountain vista or sweeping green valley. Moments such as these can be found on a hiking holiday in the rugged wilderness of Ireland.

The picturesque countryside of Ireland is made up of a patchwork of many different types of landscapes, from majestic mountains to rolling green hills, granting the intrepid hiker with a lifetime of views to enjoy. If you love hiking, hop on a flight to Ireland, including direct routes to Dublin, and you’ll be sure to fall in love with the Emerald Isle.

The Wicklow Way

This long distance walking trail was one of the first trails to be formally established in Ireland and connects a wide variety of scenic landscapes throughout Ireland. It is an easy accessible path which will take you past lakes, glacial valleys, mountain streams, farmlands, forests, and more. The trail will also reveal to you many extensive remains of early Christian monasteries in the Glendalough Valley.

The Wicklow Way begins in the southern suburb of Rathfarnham, right outside of Dublin. It stretches towards the south-west across to County Wicklow. The end of the trail is in the village of Clonegal in County Carlow, and the total length of this hiking path is 127 kilometres. To trek the entire trail would take approximately eight to ten days for the experiences hiker of average fitness. More casual hikers might enjoy choosing a section of the trail to complete within one day.

The Dingle Way

Located in south-west Ireland, this hiking trail begins and finishes in Tralee. If you are interested in the ancient history of Ireland, The Dingle Way will take you to some of the best archaeological sites in the country, such as standing stones, beehive huts, and ogham stones. There is also a great deal of spectacular scenery to reward you along your journey, from the view of the Atlantic at Slea Head, the golden beaches on the Maharess, and the gentle foothills of Slieve Mish.

This 179km trail will take the average fit hiker approximately 8-9 days to walk. The many small villages along the trail are not usually more than a couple hours apart, so food and water can be purchased along the way. Keep in mind that the section of trail around the foot of Mount Brandon should be avoided if the weather conditions are bad.

The Causeway Coast Way

If you are inspired by views of the ocean from Ireland’s beautiful beaches, this will be the perfect trail for you. The Causeway Coast Way is an easy walk along the north-east coast of Northern Ireland, which will take the average hiker only 2-3 days to complete. The trail traverses between the popular tourist towns of Portstewart and Ballycastle and will take you past some of the most popular tourist attractions in the area such as the Dunluce Bridge, the Giant’s Causeway, and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. The scenery is truly amazing, with cliff sections, beach walking, seafront promenades, and more. This trail is easy to navigate and is suitable for a novice walker.

These are just a few of the best hiking routes in scenic Ireland, so why not strap on your hiking boots and hit the trail!

Dublin Airport has the distinction of being Irelands busiest airport, as well as one of Europe’s top ten destinations. Staff look after over 60,000 passengers every day and as many as 80,000 during peak periods. Dublin Airport services and maintains over 600 planes daily for 63 different airlines and offers 190 routes from its runways.

The airport was opened in 1940 and is located some 6.2 miles north of Dublin City and built on the site of an old abandoned First World War aerodrome. During its early years Dublin Airport did not see much use due to WWII with the occasional flights between Liverpool and Manchester but the 1950’s saw a complete turn around with a new award winning terminal building and increased traffic.

New terminals and wider runways also saw an increase in passenger numbers through Dublin Airport in the 70’s and 80’s while the growth of business opportunities in the 90’s and 2000’s saw even more visitors using the airport. This was especially true of migrant workers from Eastern Europe and business travellers from the US.

Dublin and Shannon airport are the only two airports outside of North America that have pre-screening facilities, enabling passengers to clear customs quicker upon arrival in the US by having paperwork checked in Ireland first.

Location

The airport is just off the main M1 and M50 motorways providing quick and efficient road links into Dublin City. The public service buses operate a regular and cheap service into town and coach services on to Belfast, Cork, Wexford, Sligo etc all operate from the airport. There is also a bus service to the two nearest railway stations at Connolly and Heuston with plans for a new metro service to link the airport to the town centre with an 18-minute trip.

Car Parking at Dublin Airport

There are more than 22,000 car parking spaces at the airport offering both long and short stay provision and a fleet of shuttle buses operate to transfer passengers from their vehicles to and from the main terminals.

Airport Facilities

The main shopping facilities at Dublin Airport are contained in The Loop where there is an extensive range of high street outlets and designer stores. There are also a wide range of bars and restaurants where travellers can eat or drink. VIP passengers can make use of the executive lounges in both terminals for up to three hours before departure.

Accommodation at Dublin Airport

One of the most luxurious accommodations available at the Airport is the Radisson Blu Hotel Dublin Airport. They have a great departure lounge all of their own and are only minutes away from the main terminals. The hotel has 229 stunning rooms available, all fully internet connected and ideal for business travellers who can visit the popular O’Dea’s Irish Bar or Breakfast Room and pick up a sumptuous lunch or quick snack while you wait to board your flight.

Radisson Blu currently have three hotels in Dublin. In addition to the Airport hotel they operate the newly built Royal Hotel in the heart of the city and the AA  5 star St Helens Hotel, Dublin,  built in 1750 and  is one of the finest hotels in Dublin & was formerly one of Ireland’s most important historic houses. Set in formal gardens, the hotel has been meticulously restored & adapted to provide luxury accommodation for business & leisure guests.

Flights

Dublin Airport is an international airport with its top destinations being London’s five airports, the two airports of Paris and two in New York. Manchester and Birmingham are also favoured destinations, with Frankfurt, Malaga and Amsterdam all proving to be popular European flights. The top ten favourite places to travel from Dublin are completed with journeys to and from Edinburgh and Madrid.

The UK is the commonest destination with over 70 flights daily crossing the Irish Sea to the cities of England, Scotland and Wales. As well as New York, Dublin also serves Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

For those of us that don’t want to travel too far, holidays to France are perfect as it only requires a short ferry/Eurotunnel crossing till you arrive at your destination, making it accessible by car and coaching holidays packages. Not only are holidays to France perfect in terms of short travelling times but they can also be easy on the purse-strings too. With this in mind, we thought we’d take a look at some of the places within France that you might not consider visiting when on holiday. Take a look at our mini list and let us know what you think…

Paris
Known to many as one of the most romantic cities in the world, Paris has all but exhausted the superlatives that can reasonably be applied to any city. We all know about the beauty of the Notre Dame and the Eifel Tower at sunrise, sunset and at night as well as the delights that can be offered via a cruise along the River Seine, but is there anything else we can do when holidaying in France? Encapsulate the village atmosphere by visiting the street markets. Not only do these offer an alternative shopping experience compared to the city boutiques but, they are also great for social gatherings as well as picking up some great culinary tips. Head off the beaten track and visit the Moorish mosque, you have to be modestly dressed to be able to wander through the colonnaded courtyards, listen to the incredible acoustics during the ‘Call To Prayer’ and leaf through ancient Arabic texts in the library. Here’s something a little different, why not escape the hustle & bustle of city life and explore the tiny streets of Île St-Louis? Here you’ll find quaint shops dotted around the island, you can listen to buskers on the riverbanks whilst watching the riverboats glide by. Doesn’t this bring a welcome relief to the usual city breaks to Paris?

Normandy
Think it’s fair to say that Normandy can be summed up in just three words – camembert, cider and cows! This is where you’ll find the lush green countryside of France smashing into the rolling waves of La Manche (the English Channel). Perhaps discover your ‘inner impressionist’ with a visit to Monet’s Garden in Giverny, be bowled over by the magnificent Bayeux Tapestry, sample the seafood delights of Trouville and Honfleur or slip into an architectural bubble and soak up the half-timbered houses and Gothic churches in Rouen. Make a pilgrimage to the D-Day Landing Beaches where the largest military operation in history, code-named ‘Operation Overlord’, was carried out in June 1944 that was followed by the Battle of Normandy which ultimately led to the liberation of Europe from Nazi Occupation. Should you wish to find out more about this greatest military event, make time to visit the Caen Memorial Museum that provides a comprehensive overview of what happened. No holidays to Normandy would be complete without visiting the abbey of Mont St-Michel where legend has it that Aubert, the Bishop of Avranches, was visited by the Archangel Michael in a dream. To this day, a gilded copper statue of Michael slaying a dragon crowns the Abbey symbolising the triumph of good over evil – did you know that?

Provence
Everyone knows that this southern tip of France is one of the most sun and celebrity-riched parts of the country with its glittering coastline, mountain retreats, Roman temples and amazing gastronomic delights that will make your mouth water just thinking about it! Saunter through lush lavender fields, chestnut forests, apple-green vineyards and delectable olive groves. Why not follow in the footsteps of Van Gogh around Arles to the areas where he set up his easel to paint some of his best-known canvases. Hike, bike or drive through the hillsides of Digne-les-Bains. Sip a coffee in a café along the table-lined terrace of 1792 Les Deux Garçons. It’s fair to say that Provence is most definitely an old-fashioned love affair that never ends – in fact, the lure of the region will have you holidaying here more than once, guaranteed!

The most recent news to come from Etihad Airways is its joining with airberlin, another leading airline.

The joining of the two airlines has opened up new routes for both. As Etihad Airways is situated in the UEA, in Abu Dhabi, flights to parts of Europe such as flights to Germany are now more accessible through airberlin.

The mergeralso means a sharing of Frequent Flyer programs and codeshares. Air miles gained on Etihad Airways or airberlin can be used on either airlines.

airberlin’s inaugural flight to Abu Dhabi happened this morning, with the aeroplane being greeted with the tradition water cannons as it crossed the runway.

Jeddah is famous for its shopping excursions most typically found in the Balad district, where the city does boast some of the most exquisite shopping centres in the world. Retail paradises dripping in gold, encased in stone, cool caves of designer pleasure for the shoppaholics to indulge themselves. There are also the traditional souk markets, packed with stalls selling precious metals, spices and carpets. These markets are a noisy hubbub of activity and an exciting way to get your retail therapy.

This famous port city is more than just brightly coloured boutiques and designer labels. It has a long history stretching back in time and now visitors can discover the age-old participations Jeddah has made in the region. The Biet Nassif is an old family house from 1870 that has been converted into a museum, which explains the importance of the area and the cultural significance Jeddah has in the Islamic world.

Jeddah’s Beaches

The beaches of Jeddah are also an important feature for visitors and its location on the Red Sea gives tourists access to plenty of water sports and sea related entertainment. The Corniche Jeddah is the most famous of the waterfront areas and includes the King Fahd fountain, the world’s tallest water feature and an open-air art gallery. The Durrat Al-Arus, Bait Albahar and the Crystal Resort are some of Jeddahs other popular beaches.

Other points of interest for the Jeddah tourist are the:

Makkah Gate, this is one of the oldest gates in Saudi Arabia and takes pilgrims from Jeddah to the holy city of Mecca.

Municipality Museum is housed in the city’s only remaining building from the British Empires presence in Saudi Arabia and contains a precious collection of photographs, manuscripts and artefacts recording the country’s history.

Jeddah Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography was formally a palace that was built between 1928 and 1932. It now has a range of artefacts that date back to the Stone Age to the arrival of Islam. There is also a selection of treasures from when the building was used as a Royal residency and exhibitions of cultural importance from the region.

Abdul Raouf Khalil Museum is another exotic location with a marvellously decorated exterior that preserves the heritage and culture of Jeddah from its early roots of the Ottoman Empire to the modern commercial centre it has developed into today.

Due to its position on the pilgrim trail Jeddah attracts many people and even if you are not heading for Mecca or Messina there is still plenty for you to experience in the city itself. Warm all year around with lots to entertain the whole family and a chance to sample genuine Islamic culture, tastes and sounds.

Where to Stay

The Radisson Blu Royal Suite Hotel situated ten minutes from King Abdul Aziz International Airport, provides the ultimate in luxury and comfort whether you are travelling to a religious festival, shopping or on business.

The inside of the building is dripping with elegance, beautiful marble, rich fabrics and tasteful period furniture give the hotel a feeling of Islamic style and sophistication. Staying here is a delight with a varied tasty menu, environmentally controlled air-conditioning and gorgeous modern suites and rooms.

If you would prefer to stay more in the hustle bustle of Jeddah’s business district the Radisson Blu Jeddah Hotel offers he same amenities but in an ideal location for business travellers as well as those who want to stay in a more centrally located hotel.

Previously on Smart Traveller we have focuused on the city of York in the following posts Free things to do in York and family attractions in York

Here with the help of Visit Britain Itineries we can bring you this video guide to help you make the most of a day in York.

Explore York City Centre

The Park Inn Hotel in York overlooks the River Ouse from the city centre and is situated within a five-minute walk from York Train Station and local bus links to the Park & Ride. The hotel’s central York location provides guests with easy access to York Minster, Cliffords Tower and other prime York attractions.

There is so much to see and do in New York City that some would wonder why you would ever want to go anywhere else. However, New York is a transport hub and so can also be a great jumping-off-point for exploring some excellent nearby destinations. If you  want to discover what is just outside of the Big Apple, here are some ideas for fun and easy day trips:

Long Island

Source: Destination360

Many New Yorkers like to escape to Long Island in the summer time, where there are long white sand beaches perfect for lounging in the sunshine. This island stretches eastward from New York city and covers an area of 115 miles from Brooklyn and Queens to Montauk. Many wealthy New Yorkers have their glamorous holiday homes here, particularly in the area known as “The Hamptons”. If you are visiting Long Island on a weekend you will find it very crowded, but on the weekdays you can enjoy a much quieter atmosphere. Long Island is popular in the summertime, but is also very beautiful in the autumn when the leaves begin to change colour.

In addition to the beaches and lovely scenery, there are also many museums such as the Atlantis Marine World Aquarium, the Hicksville Gregory Museum, and the Cradle of Aviation which displays the history of the airplane. To get to Long Island, take the train from Penn Station to Long Beach.

Connecticut

Source: Dimensions Guide

Take a drive from New York City and experience the quant charm of New England. Connecticut is a lovely place, with a rich history and many excellent museums and art galleries. You can also visit Yale University and the Maritime Aquarium. New Haven is a great city to visit, and it has a wide range of ethnic restaurants including Vietnamese, Chinese, Spanish, Japanese, French, Mexican, Indian, Thai, Ethiopian, Malaysian, and much more. New Haven is also a very pedestrian friendly city, and has a fantastic nightlife scene.

Connecticut is also a great area for cycling and hiking, with many gorgeous state parks offering miles of hiking trails with beautiful views. While you are visiting Connecticut, be sure to stop to enjoy the fun at Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport and visit one of the famous apple orchards in the Southington area to take home a bag of apple fritters.

The Palisades

Source: Tug44

These stunning cliffs were formed millions of years ago, and are located in New Jersey and New York State along the western banks of the Hudson River. They are an excellent place for camping and hiking, with breathtaking lookout sites dotted along every trail. The cliffs begin near the Northern side of Jersey City and they stretch all the way to Nyack, New York State. To get to these cliffs from Manhattan, take the George Washington Bridge to Palisade Interstate Park.

These are just a few of the great day trips that await you within a short distance from New York City. This article was written whilst researching holiday destinations in the USA.

Nice city guide to Geneva, we’re not quite sure about the music though!

Initially Shannon catered for transatlantic flying boats in the Shannon Estuary but as aviation improved it was realised an airport would be needed to welcome flights from across the Atlantic. The boggy landscape around the estuary was drained and by 1945 the first flights from New York were arriving, it was also here that the worlds first duty free zone was created, which set the trend for airports around the world.

Shannon’s most popular destinations are to London Heathrow, Stansted, Newark, Gatwick and New York JFK airports and emphasises the importance it has within transatlantic traffic. The Republic of Irelands military neutrality and non-membership of NATO has also made it a stop over airport for both the American and Soviet Union troops but under strict regulations.

Location

Shannon Airport is at the terminus of the N19 duel carriageway, this connects with the towns of Limerick, Ennis and Galway on the N18/M18 motorway. The airport is also well served by taxi and coach companies, linking it to the main urban areas nearby and all the local attractions.

Car Parking

The car parking facilities at Shannon Airport can cater for over 5,000 vehicles.  It is also open 24-hours a day and patrolled by the Airport Police.

Facilities

• The Loop provides a great range of shopping opportunities from foodstuffs, drink, and travel essentials to luxury goods.
• Tourist Information Centre
• 24-hour departure lounge
• Executive lounge with complimentary refreshments and shower facilities.
• Free WiFi service
• Small Oratory, offering Roman Catholic Mass on Sundays.

Accommodation

The Park Inn Hotel  is right on the doorstep for Shannon Airport and has 114 superb rooms for its guests, whether you are exploring western Ireland or just stopping over. The bar and restaurant serve delicious food and there is a gym and health club on site, along with conference rooms and business services.

Guests staying at the Radisson Park Inn will find a whole host of attractions within easy reach of their hotel room. There are such delights as the Bunratty Castle, Folk Park and Ballycasey Craft & Design Centre.

The Radisson Blu Hotel, Limerick also offers first-class accommodation near Shannon Airport and the heart of the thriving city centre.

Flights

Flights out of Shannon travel to many of the main cities on the British mainland including Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol, Edinburgh and the London airports of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.  They also link with European destinations such as Malaga, Nantes, Tenerife, Wroclaw and Palma. Their speciality, however, has always been transatlantic flight and they still have regular services to Toronto, New York, Newark and Boston. British Airways operates a twice-daily business class flight to New York, flying from London Docklands, they land at Shannon to refuel and make use of the airports special status with its US Customs and Border Protection facility that makes clearing immigration in America faster.