Aspen Vacation Guide to Year-Round Romantic Fun

Aspen Vacation Guide to Year-Round Romantic Fun
A Look at a Romantic Aspen Vacation – Things to Do, Nightlife, & Lodging

When many people think of Aspen, Colorado, the first image they get is celebrities on ski vacations. While it’s true that Aspen gets it’s fair share of famous people, it’s a great place for anyone to be outdoors summer and winter (don’t let the rich and famous have all the fun!).


What do people love about Aspen?

• The scenery and hiking are wonderful
• The accommodation and nightlife
• The great skiing of course

But Aspen is also a fine place for walking, people watching (the famous and the beautiful!), or just kicking back and relaxing in the great Colorado outdoors.

On this page will take a look at the best way to travel to Aspen, some of the fun you can have with Aspen vacation activities in the summer and winter, and options available for Aspen vacation lodging and accommodation.

Different Ways of Travel to Aspen

The distance from Denver to Aspen is 162 miles (260 km). Your way of travel to Aspen will vary by season.

How to Get from Denver to Aspen: During the summer, by car, take I-70 west, and turn south on Hwy 91 to Leadville. As you continue south, the road becomes US 24. Keep going until you see Hwy 82, and take it past Twin Lakes and through Independence Pass, and you’ll arrive in Aspen.

In the winter, parts of Hwy 82 are closed, so that means that travel from Denver to Aspen is possible only on I-70 west all the way to Glenwood Springs, and then south on Hwy 82 from there to Aspen.

If you’re looking for cheap flights to Aspen, all the major online travel sites have deals available. For more information about these and some tips on getting the best deal on cheap flights to Aspen, or cheap air tickets to Denver.

Denver Stapleton Airport is the closest major airport to Aspen. There is a shuttle from Denver Airport to Aspen that operates year-round. Colorado Mountain Express operates the route, and the cost is $101 OW/ $202 RTN for the 4.5 hr ride.

Choosing the Best Time to Visit Aspen

• Winter: If you’re coming to ski, the best time to visit Aspen is usually from early December to April. Bundle up in the winter, as Aspen gets its coldest weather in January ( can get down to -15 Celsius, or 7 degrees F).
• Summer: Nice but rarely hot. Expect high temps in the 23-25 Celcius range ( 75-80F), and lots of sun. But bring your sunscreen, as the high altitude makes for rather intense UV rays.
• Autumn: A wonderful time in Aspen. Without the ski or festival crowds, you'll have more of the town and mountains to yourself. The fall colors are terrific, and the morning air crisp and fresh.

Aspen Activities in the Summer & Year Round

There are lots of things to do in Aspen at any time of the year. These are just a few of the possibilities for a great romantic getaway in Aspen:

Maroon Bells- 15 miles southwest of Aspen are the stunningly beautiful peaks called Maroon Bells, with Maroon Lake at the basin and a wilderness of alpine meadows and rugged cliffs. Access to Maroon Bells is basically restricted to cycle, on foot, guided bus tour or public bus from downtown Aspen. There are hiking trails to Crater Lake Trail, offering incredible mountain scenery. The autumn colors around here are just gorgeous!

Other Mountain Hikes & Trails – Snowmass Mountain has hiking and golf at mid-mountain level, accessible by scenic chairlift from Snowmass Village Mall. The Rio Grande Trail along the Roaring Fork River is good for cycling, and cross country skiing.

Glenwood Hot Springs Pool - A mineral hot springs (nice and hot!) located in Glenwood Springs, just 40 miles northwest of Aspen. U.S. Presidents and movie stars have soaked here! However, because of it’s popularity it can get a bit crowded, especially on weekends. The large pool has 2 water slides, and the Hot Springs Lodge is a resort-style hotel on-site with the usual amenities.

T Lazy 7 Ranch – One of the best things to do during your Aspen vacation in the summer is visit a nearby ranch. A great opportunity to experience a Colorado ranch just a few minutes away from Aspen is the T Lazy 7 Ranch. There’s horseback rides and tours into the Colorado backcountry, including the scenic Maroon Bells. Some are 2 and 3 day trips with cooked meals and camping under the stars!

And in the winter you can explore some of the scenic countryside by snowmobile.

Aspen Summer Festivals – lots going on in Aspen: Aspen Music Festival (July&August), Aspen Filmfest, Theatre in the Park, as well as the DanceAspen festival.

More romantic things to do in Aspen: check out al the designer shops in Hyman Avenue. Or for something a little more scenic and energetic, hike and explore the top of Ajax Mountain by boarding the Silver Queen gondolas.

Aspen Ski Resorts

Aspen is actually 4 ski areas spread over 4 mountains: Ajax, Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands and Snowmass. Ajax and Aspen Highlands are certainly the most difficult of the four, but because of that tend to be a little less crowded too.

The best place to ski Aspen for beginners would be Buttermilk Mountain, which has a nice choice of runs in the not-too-difficult category. Snowmass is the biggest of the Aspen ski resorts, and has one of the biggest vertical drops in the country.

One lift ticket is good for all four mountains, and they cost about $65. There are some places to find discount Aspen lift tickets – if you book early, you can get up to $50 discount off a six-day Aspen lift ticket (stayaspensnowmass.com, 888-649-5982).

There are other cheap Aspen lift ticket and accommodation packages available through different Aspen vacation resorts and hotels if you ski in the off-season or if you stay a week or longer.

Some other Aspen activities couples will love in the winter include cross-country skiing, ice skating, sleigh rides and snowmobiling.

Aspen Nightlife & Restaurants

As you might imagine, there’s no shortage of nightlife in Aspen. The party scene is thriving with lots of local bars and restaurants which stay open into the early morning hours. It can be a challenge to find a menu dinner under $25 in some of the sit down establishments, especially those close to the skiing. But there are some cheaper bistros and diners in downtown Aspen that are not too hard to find.

The many bars, pubs and nightclubs in town mean you can find a fun evening out anytime. There’s discos, country and western bars, and live-music venues, so you shouldn’t have to search too hard to find some dancing after a day on the slopes!

A couple of places for a few evening cocktails:

• The Greenhouse Bar at the Little Nell has a nice bar with live jazz on some nights, and a cozy fireplace in the lobby.
• The Red Onion is popular, as it’s the oldest pub in town. It’s a crowded but casual place with very good burgers.

Aspen Lodging

Like many mountain ski resorts, Aspen vacation accommodations are generally cheaper in the summer, and more expensive in the winter high season. Naturally, the closer you stay to the chairlifts, the more you will spend!

The basic types of Aspen lodging include hotels, resorts, bed and breakfasts, and Aspen vacation condos and homes.

Aspen Lodging: Aspen vacation rentals are becoming more and more popular with both familes and couples, as they offer luxury, convenience and above all, excellent value.

Romantic Hotels in Aspen: Both the Hotel Jerome and the St.Regis offer great amenities with a touch of luxury. Check for special romance packages and weekend getaway rates.

The Ten Best Ski Resorts In North America

Back when the whole notion of skiing as a popular sport began to take off in Europe after World War I, people would go to lodges in fashionable resort towns such as Chamonix, St. Moritz and Gstaad. It wasn't until the 1930s, when places like Sun Valley first began attracting skiers, that the idea of American ski resorts became popular.

Today, of course, nearly every state with semi-annual snowfall and a slightly bumpy terrain boasts at least one ski resort, but for those people for whom skiing is as much a sport as a pastime, only the best will do.

And that's what you will read about below. In a nod to geographical realities and to be considerate of readers who live on the East Coast, we included two Eastern resorts, although the skiing is inferior to what one will invariably find in the West. Moreover, we have selected one resort per ski area. (We expect that readers will feel that we did not include many of their favorites and you may tell us so here.)

All the resorts included here, however, have been selected as much for the comfort and luxury of their lodges as for the quality of their ski runs. If you're into extreme skiing and rough accommodations, the following may not be for you. But if you like your snow as white as your bed linen and the air as intoxicating as a bottle of Dom Perignon, then these are the places for you.

The Little Nell

Aspen, Colo.

Aspen has been so chic for so long now that it's in danger of becoming passé. With its mobs of demi-celebrities, long lift lines and clusters of McChalets, Aspen would be overdue if it weren't for the fact that it is blessed with some of the finest skiing in North America.

It also happens to have one of the finest ski resort hotels. The Little Nell, located at the base of Aspen Mountain, has been spoiling guests since it first opened its doors in 1989. A member of Relais & Chateaux, The Little Nell boasts a superb restaurant and 92 guest rooms, each of which comes with a fireplace that is perfect for relaxing in front of after a hard day on the slopes. If it's been a particularly hard day, work out the kinks and tender spots at the hotel's spa.

For more information, please call (970) 920-4600 or visit their Web site at www.thelittlenell.com.

Resort Information

Average Snowfall 300 in. Summit Elevation 11,212 ft. Base Elevation 7,945 ft. Skiable Area 673 acres Vertical Drop 3,267 ft. Expert Runs 30% Advanced Runs 35% Intermediate Runs 35% Beginner Runs N/A Total Runs 76 Total Lifts 8

Inn At Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek, Colo.

Only half an hour (depending on road conditions) west of Vail, Beaver Creek is like Vail in embryo. While this pretty little ski town is hardly undiscovered, it has yet to become the skiing version of a megamall that now defines places such as Aspen and Vail. But development here over the past few years has been ferocious and pseudo-Alpine condos are going up a rapid clip. Nevertheless, Beaver Creek offers challenging slopes for both skiers and boarders alike, as well as first-class accommodation at the massive yet comfortably rustic Inn at Beaver Creek. Located only yards from the ski lift of the western slope of the resort, the Inn is very comfortable, offering Jacuzzis in every room and complimentary breakfast.

For more information, please call (888) 485-4317 or visit their Web site at www.innatbeavercreek.com.

Resort Information

Average Snowfall 331 in. Summit Elevation 11,440 ft. Base Elevation 7,400 ft. Skiable Area 1,625 acres Vertical Drop 4,040 ft. Expert Runs N/A Advanced Runs 27% Intermediate Runs 39% Beginner Runs 34% Total Runs 146 Total Lifts 13

Fairmont Chateau Whistler

British Columbia, Canada

The Fairmont Chateau Whistler in British Columbia is regularly named among the top ski resorts in the world. This massive castlelike lodge is located at the foot of Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains, which offer some of the finest skiing in North America. Rooms are large and expensive, but this degree of luxury and service combined with phenomenal skiing justifies its exemplary reputation. For the more adventurous, the resort also provides heli-skiing.

In addition to great skiing, guests can relax at the Mallard Lounge, dine at the Wildflower restaurant or soothe aching muscles at the spa. In the off-season, there are also four 18-hole golf courses, including one designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.

For more information, please call (604) 938-8000 or visit their Web site at www.chateauwhistlerresort.com.

Resort Information

Average Snowfall 914 cm Summit Elevation 2,284 m Base Elevation 674 m Skiable Area 2,861 hectares Vertical Drop 1,609 m Expert Runs N/A Advanced Runs 30% Intermediate Runs 55% Beginner Runs 15% Total Runs 200 Total Lifts 33

Stein Eriksen Lodge

Deer Valley, Utah

Since he first came to the U.S. four decades ago, former 1952 Olympic skiing gold medallist Stein Eriksen has made a career out of getting Americans up on skis. He has been both a ski instructor and a leading developer of luxury ski resorts, beginning first in Park City, Utah, and culminating in the creation of his eponymous resort in nearby Deer Valley in the Wasatch mountain range. The great thing about Deer Valley is that it is designed to provide ski runs for skiers of all ages and abilities. While there might be more challenging mountains, there are few more comfortable, which explains why it is so popular with older skiers as well as with families. Fireplaces are everywhere and, unlike many ski resorts that tend to decorate their rooms with faux-Alpine furniture, the lodge is full of the real thing. Another reason to go is the food at the lodge's restaurant, appropriately named Valhalla, after the Norse home of the gods. The resort has added new facilities in anticipation of the 2002 Winter Olympics, but rooms may be hard to come by while the Games are in session.

For more information, please call (435) 649-3700 or visit their Web site at www.steinlodge.com.

Resort Information

Average Snowfall 300 in. Summit Elevation 9,570 ft. Base Elevation 6,570 ft. Skiable Area 1,750 acres Vertical Drop 3,000 ft. Expert Runs 35% Advanced Runs N/A Intermediate Runs 50% Beginner Runs 15% Total Runs 88 Total Lifts 19

Amangani

Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Aman Resorts has developed a reputation for creating peerless resorts on tropical islands and on beaches with exotic, lyrical names like Bora Bora and Amanpuri, but now it has brought its experience to bear on its first North American property, the Amangani. Located in Jackson Hole, Wyo., the Amangani is also the chain's first cold-weather resort; for a company that is more associated with sandy beaches and ocean breezes, they take to the snow very well. The 40-suite, three-story lodge is set on the edge of a butte with views looking down the Teton Pass, which divides the Snake River Range from the snow-capped Teton Mountains. After a hard day of skiing on the Teton's famously challenging slopes, guests can relax in a sunken tub or on hydraulic massage beds after a dinner at the Grill, which offers Asian food with a Western touch.

For more information, please call (307) 734-7333 or visit their Web site at www.amangani.com.

Resort Information

Average Snowfall 400 in. Summit Elevation 10,450 ft. Base Elevation 6,300 ft. Skiable Area 2,500 acres Vertical Drop 4,139 ft. Expert Runs 5% Advanced Runs 45% Intermediate Runs 40% Beginner Runs 10% Total Runs 86 Total Lifts 10

Chateau Mont-Tremblant

Quebec, Canada

If what you really want to do is go skiing in the French Alps but don't want to travel that far, visiting the Mont-Tremblant in Quebec is the next best thing. Situated at the foot of the Laurentian Mountains, the lodge overlooks a pretty little village full of ersatz-Gallic charm and cobblestones. Part of the Fairmont chain, the lodge also capitalizes on the region's historical association with French fur trappers, with plenty of snowshoes and animal pelts hanging artistically from the walls. The lodge offers ski-in/ski-out capabilities to its guests, who are literally able to walk out the back door and find themselves being whisked to the top of the ski run within minutes.

For more information, please call (819) 681-7000 or visit their Web site at www.fairmont.com.

Resort Information

Average Snowfall 381 cm Summit Elevation 875 m Base Elevation 265 m Skiable Area 246 hectares Vertical Drop 644 m Expert Runs 25% Advanced Runs 25% Intermediate Runs 33% Beginner Runs 17% Total Runs 92 Total Lifts 13

Topnotch

Stowe, Vt.

While it is unfair to compare the quality of skiing in Vermont to the powder of Utah, not everyone can live in Salt Lake City or Vail. Fortunately, for those skiers who live in the East, there is Topnotch in Stowe, Vt., which offers some of the best skiing east of the Rockies--not to mention first-class pampering. Located between the picturesque Vermont town of Stowe and Mount Mansfield, Topnotch sits on 120 acres and during the winter offers skiers the perfect jump-off spot for skiing at the Stowe Mountain Resort. If you're more interested in cross-country skiing, the lodge maintains a network of well-groomed trails.

For more information, please call (800) 451-8686 or visit their Web site at www.topnotch-resort.com.

Resort Information

Average Snowfall 260 in. Summit Elevation 4,395 ft. Base Elevation 2,035 ft. Skiable Area 480 acres Vertical Drop 2,360 ft. Expert Runs 25% Advanced Runs N/A Intermediate Runs 60% Beginner Runs 15% Total Runs 48 Total Lifts 11

Sun Valley Lodge Sun Valley, Idaho The granddaddy of American ski resorts, Sun Valley became popular back in the 1930s when people such as Ernest Hemingway and others who had learned to ski in Europe first discovered it. Today it is still one of the most popular ski destinations in the world, largely because of the quality of the trails on its two mountains: Baldy, for advanced skiers, and Dollar, for beginners. The great thing about Sun Valley is that they've been doing it right for so long that they don't know any other way. The Lodge is wonderfully comfortable, full of roaring fireplaces and soft couches and beds that seem appropriately and satisfactorily old-fashioned. This is not a glitzy place, but if you want good food, good rooms and great skiing in one of the most beautiful settings in the world, this is the place. For more information, please call (800) 786-8259 or visit their Web site at www.sunvalley.com. Resort Information Average Snowfall 220 in. Summit Elevation 9,150 ft. Base Elevation 5,750 ft. Skiable Area 2,054 acres Vertical Drop 3,400 ft. Expert Runs N/A Advanced Runs 22% Intermediate Runs 42% Beginner Runs 36% Total Runs 78 Total Lifts 18 The Peaks At Telluride Telluride, Colo. The Peaks offer not only exceptional skiing in the 14,000-foot-high San Juan mountain range, but also one of the finest spas in the world, the Golden Door Spa. The resort, which contains 174 luxury rooms and suites, 14 penthouse condominiums and ten private cabins, has ski-in/ski-out access to the mountain and three new Doppelmayr high-speed detachable quad lifts to help ensure quick access to the top of the run. While the slopes can accommodate skiers of all abilities, Telluride is particularly appealing to the expert skier who is looking for a challenge on one of its many advanced runs. This year the resort's total ski area has been virtually doubled by the addition of 733 new acres from Prospect Bowl, meaning that you could spend a week here and never ski the same run twice. After a hard day on the slopes--or, if you're feeling indulgent, instead of--a visit to the 42,000-square-foot Golden Door, which is affiliated with the famous Golden Door Spa in Escondido, Calif., will really round out the experience at The Peaks. Inspired by traditional Japanese techniques and complemented by more modern practices like hydrotherapy and herbal wraps, the spa alone is worth the trip. The Peaks is part of the Wyndham chain. For more information, please call (800)-789-2220 or visit their Web site at www.thepeaksresort.com. Resort Information Average Snowfall 309 in. Summit Elevation 12,260 ft. Base Elevation 8,725 ft. Skiable Area 1,700 acres Vertical Drop 3,535 ft. Expert Runs N/A Advanced Runs 40% Intermediate Runs 38% Beginner Runs 22% Total Runs 85 Total Lifts 15 Sonnenalp Vail, Colo. If it weren't such a terrific hotel, the Sonnenalp's ersatz-Bavarian touches would almost be humorous. In fact, in many ways, the Sonnenalp is almost more Germanic than most ski lodges in Austria or Switzerland these days. Of course, because it is all meant so well and because the staff is wonderfully accommodating and pleasant, it ends up adding to, rather than taking away from, the hotel's considerable charm. (Even better, each room comes with a large soaking tub and heated tile floors.) The quasi-Old World feel is particularly appreciated given the crowds that nowadays inundate Vail. While the Sonnenalp can't help you move through the lift lines any faster, it can give you a better place to return to after a day's skiing which, once you make it to the top, is still among the best in the world. For more information, please call (800) 654-8312 or visit their Web site at www.sonnenalp.com. Resort Information Average Snowfall 346 in. Summit Elevation 11,570 ft. Base Elevation 8,120 ft. Skiable Area 5,289 acres Vertical Drop 3,450 ft. Expert Runs 40% Advanced Runs N/A Intermediate Runs 32% Beginner Runs 28% Total Runs 193 Total Lifts 33

Frankfurt Germany -- 12 Insider Tips

In the city with its international airport 650,000 humans live. It is a very modern large city and became the 'turntable of Europe'. In Frankfurt important industrial enterprises and wholesale dealer are resident like also many banks. Not only the German Federal Bank, but also the European Central Bank (ECB) resides here.

Famous ‘Kaiserdom’ (emperor cathedral), which documents loved 'Roemerberg’ (Roman mountain) and the historical 'Paulskirche', in which the first freely selected German parliament met, besides the political meaning of this fascinating city.

Yes, Frankfurt is a metropolis and full surprises as well as contrasts. Skyscrapers are directly apart from half timbered houses; culture and commerce form here a unit. In addition, Frankfurt is a fair city, a literature city and above all a culture city: here the cradle of the German jazz scene with many small music taverns, in which you cannot only ease, is appropriate but also into the night much fun to have canned. The moreover one you find many museums.

Frankfurt, because of its skyline also ' Mainhattan ' mentioned, is a large city in the country, between the mountain courses by ‘Taunus’ and ‘Spessart’ and surrounded by a wreath/ring of world-well-known health resorts, popular holidays areas and trip goals.

In the following I will give you 12 insider tips. Before I do it however you do the following: print out this side, so that you have it immediately available, if you come to Frankfurt. It is nearly impossible, everything that I wrote here to keep in the head and it would be unfortunate, if you are in Frankfurt and get to face only the 'normal' points of interest.

Besides that after your arrival you should go immediately to the tourist information. It is in downtown, near the 'Roemer'. The road calls itself 'Auf dem Roemerberg' (on the Rome mountain) and the telephone number is: +49-69-21238800. Ask them for a city map. Without a city map you will lose yourself in this big city, and with the city map you will find everything I mention here.

Bars and restaurants
1. One of the best cocktail bars in Frankfurt is the ‘Strandperle’ (beach bead). Particularly the Caipirinha is unique! In the summer the bar surface expands to a terrace café high over to the river 'Main'.

2. The smallest jazz restaurant of Germany is the 'Mampf'. Since more than 30 years there are free concerts to German meals. Apart from jazz also Blues, Swing, Latin and Flamenco are played. Simply enjoy the good mood and fun inheres.

3. One of the few popular apple wine restaurants with yard garden is the 'Lorsbacher Tal'. It is in the quarter 'Alt-Sachsenhausen’ (old axle living) and has a very cosy ambience and solid German meals.

4. The restaurant 'Pilar' is at the same time a bar. Fine noodles, salads and original Mediterranean creations will be served. On the side panels of the restaurant hang sumptuous baroque paintings, which offer an interesting contrast to the simple Design of bar, leather seat and wood table.

5. In the elevated ‘Villa Merton' (Mansion Merton) you find meals of the all-finest. If it permits your travel budget, go here. The employees speak English and recommend to you gladly the specialities of the house.

Sightseeing and culture
6. In the Goethe house and Goethe museum Goethe was born in the year 1749. He lived here until 1775. The house was outstanding reconstructed and contains paintings, handwriting and diagrams of the large German poet.

7. On the 'Roemerberg’ (Roman mountain) regularly highlights and meetings take place. It is a long stretched, five-angular place and is gladly visited by humans. At this place is the 'Frankfurter Roemer’ (Frankfurt Romans), the famous city hall of the city. It was reconstructed after the war. In the festival room of the Roemer pictures of German emperors are to be admired.

8. In the 'Pauluskirche' (Paulus church), which was established between 1787 and 1833, the first German national assembly met in 1848. It is a place of historical building method and historiography.

9. The 'Senckenberg Museum’ is the largest scientific museum in Germany. You find here a descriptive collection of approximately 500,000 exhibits, which arrange for you an overview of the development of our animated nature over millions of years. It is simply impressing.

10. The 'Palmengarten’ (palm garden) shows a domestic, tropical and subtropical Flora. The emphases of the 20 hectares large park are over 300 orchids, ‘Bromelien’ and about 1,600 different cactus species. Concerts also often take place here.

11. In the 'Frankfurt Zoo' approximately 6,000 animals (650 kinds) live together in extensive outdoor installations and houses. If animals interest you, you must go here. Plan however at least five hours for your attendance.

12. When it becomes evening, you absolutely MUST go to the 'Berger Strasse’ (Berger road)! On 2 km (1.3 miles) you find taverns, Bars, Cafés and restaurants for each taste! Here you surely will NOT become boring. If I am in Frankfurt, this road is a must for me, again and again.

Enjoy your trip!

A Quick Tour of Spain.

With over fifty million tourists visiting Spain each year, this popular West European country must have something special which attracts the visitor. What exactly is it ...?

The main beauty of this lovely land can be summed up in just one word - variety - and, as you all well know, variety is the spice of life!

Whether you are referring to its climate, geography, history, culture or cuisine ... there is something to appeal to all tastes, ages and pockets.

The tourist explosion which took place in the 60s was originally due to its marvellous beaches. And, with good reason, for the Foundation for Environmental Education states that "Spanish beaches are the most environmentally healthy in Europe" and has awarded the much-coveted Blue Flag to 450 of the country´s beaches - more than any other participating country.

But maybe lolling about on the beach all day is not your thing and you prefer more action ... a touch of sophistication?

Should this be the case then Spain´s major cities are ideal for you ... jam-packed full of history, and an art-lover´s dream. Yet, with their abundance of parks and wide open spaces, good shops and pulsating night-life, they are a joy for everyone - children included.

So ... mooch around the truly marvellous museums and monuments of Madrid. Enjoy the bustle of stylish Barcelona bursting with vibrant Gaudí influence. Savor the delights of romantic Mediterranean cities such as Valencia and Alicante. Or journey further south to the exotic cities of Granada, Seville and Málaga. Immerse yourself in their haunting Islamic palaces, the brilliant colors and sounds of flamenco, and in the birth-place and works of Picasso.

Maybe you hunger for the peace and quiet of a hideaway hotel in an unspoiled village? Then rural Spain is for you: full of forgotten villages, bursting at the seams with medieval castles, and offering prolific flora and fauna, it is ideal for walking holidays, painting, photography or just plain "get away from it all" holidays. Not to mention ski-ing opportunities for the more active amongst Spain´s snow-capped peaks.

Should you fancy a mix of all three - beach, city and rural - then that is also easy to arrange. Although Spain is the largest country in Western Europe after France, it is certainly no problem to get around. Littered with airports - both national and international - it also offers a good train service, though the cheapest and most convenient method of internal travel is by using the national bus/coach system.

For those who are a little tired of the stereo-typed hotel chains, Spain has a unique alternative on offer in its state-established "paradores". In these, you will find accommodation in converted castles, palaces, fortresses, monasteries, convents ...

The aim of the "paradores" is to offer high standards at reasonable prices in a noteworthy building or location and to help preserve the traditions of regional cooking by serving the best of local cuisine in the "parador" restaurants.

Which brings us on to yet another delight that Spain has to offer - its rich and varied cuisine. Whichever region of Spain you decide to visit, you will surely encounter scrumptious Spanish food!

What´s more, the traditional Spanish diet, with the liquid gold of its olive oil, its rich supply of wine (in moderation!), its wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, plus an abundance of seafood, all mean that it is extremely good for the heart. On top of that, it is affordable!

Even their "caviar" of cured hams - "jamón Ibérico" - has fat unusually high in oleic acid which is known to lower cholesterol levels! Now I ask you, where else can you get something pleasurable, that is cheap, and also good for you?!

Even if you fancy picking between meals you can opt for their tempting "tapas" - much healthier for you than a packet of crisps or a donut!

Tapas originate from the large, southerly region of Andalucia and it is this region that we also have to thank for flamenco and the Spanish guitar. Which holiday would be complete without visiting an authentic flamenco show or dancing the night away to the beat of romantic Spanish music?

So ... come visit this land where the warmth of its climate is only surpassed by the warmth of its people. You are bound to have a great time!

Too Much To Do In London!

No one can truly say they know London well. To know London completely is impossible. London changes faster than pigeons descending into the fountains of Trafalgar Square. Home to inhabitants for over 2,000 years now London has grown from the protective circle of the Tower to a sprawling metropolis, the ideal platform for constant illustrious activity.

Always where there is history there are tales to tell. Tourists are naturally drawn to the regular tourist attractions, yet it is the true travellers that seek deeper to find the gems of a 2,000 year-old town. It only takes a very small amount of investigating to find something more rewarding, more interesting, more inspiring in London, than the London Dungeons (although it must be said – is a damn good laugh if you can bear the hour long queues!).

For instance, not even a minute’s walk from the London Dungeons is the Hay’s Galleria. This gem is for some totally bizarre reason hidden from all guidebooks and tourist information – no doubt to preserve its lack of thousands of tourists making it a less exclusive haven. Please go there! It’s a beautiful indoor/outdoor menagerie of a few select shops, with a vast concourse of cafes, market stalls, bands, presentations, and of course, it overlooks a beautiful part of the Thames.

Turn right from Hays Galleria and you find yourself in a Thames-side walkway next to the newest buildings in town. The architecture is phenomenal, and these lord-mayor buildings are still so new that you can imagine that the cellophane has just freshly been peeled off all the windows. You are welcome to enter the Lord Mayor’s building (it’s the one shaped like a golf ball), go to the top and marvel at the mind-boggling roundness of it all – plus of course see the spectacular views of the HMS Belfast, Tower Bridge & the Tower of London. Continue strolling directly into the I-Witness open-air gallery, before maybe snacking on a hot-dog in the mini-fairground.

Walk past the green that previously hosted many Hollywood film premieres in giant marquees, the David Blaine in-a-box episode, plus many other varied events, and you are literally underneath Tower Bridge, keep walking and you are now in Shad Thames, a true delight of traffic-free, cobbled streets full of people, giving you a precise feeling of how the London streets felt hundreds of years ago. It is as if these streets have been restored from long ago, thus delivering to the traveller a wonderfully rich blend of old and new in the same vicinity. Circle around Shad Thames, past the ever-changing Design-Museum, and find yourself in Butlers Wharf, a charming quay-side collection of bars & restaurants all overlooking the Thames opposite the equally picturesque St Katherine’s Dock. Trust me when I tell you that Butlers Wharf is the ultimate in romantic settings.

Hays Galleria to Butlers Wharf is one walk of quite possibly hundreds to choose from, in fact – that’s a whole day right there! There are equal delights even if you turned left out of Hay’s Galleria instead, especially the Clink Street Prison Museum, Vinopolis (Wine Museum), Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral, I could go on….

Great streets, great walks, great museums (forget the big-ones – go to the Children’s museum in Bethnal Green for a real treat). It is frustrating to think that the bulk of visitors to London wind up staying in some of the least interesting areas. Paddington & Bayswater are both great areas, being so close to Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens (now home to the finally-completed Princess Diana shrine). Kensington & Earls Court have their highlights too, but there is more to London than the tried and tested tourist routes.

I recently stayed in a five star hotel in the middle of the city on the weekend for less than one hundred pounds a night, and was amazed at exactly how completely empty the city of London was. I was in heaven! There I was in the middle of one of the oldest cities around, and I had it all to myself! City hotels are notorious for being completely empty on weekends, hence the great rates. I am sure tourists pay over the hundred pounds per night threshold to stay in ‘trendy’ Kensington etal, when they could easily stay next to Tower Bridge, St Paul’s, Millennium Bridge etc, for much less.

Needless to say that the City of London (the financial centre) is absolutely coloured with history, everywhere you go there are buildings proclaiming their 16th century origins, and they are in abundance.

I was recently taken to what is supposedly one of the oldest London pubs in existence. Again, this pub is not only hidden from the guidebooks and the common information sources, it is also hidden from the public! I had to be taken there, as I would never have been able to find it unless accompanied. This pub is hidden from the world. It is sandwiched between two narrow streets and therefore completely obscured from any main thoroughfare. It has its own courtyard and as you stand supping a pint outside, it is as if you are in Victorian London. Look down the misty streets and it is easy to conjure up an old bobby on the beat blowing his whistle, or Jack the Ripper lurking in the shadows. Oh - and there’s a 150 year old tree growing through the building, to add to the oddity of the pub.

Hampstead is another great area waiting to be discovered. Covered in green spaces, Hampstead (North London) is perfect for the idyllic setting combined with the close proximity to the big-smoke. Steeped in its own folklore, Hampstead was home to Dick Turpin (apparently he was born at the Spaniard’s Inn – hugely popular and famous pub on the Heath) of which his ghost still roams Kenwood house, and the surrounding woodlands. The high streets of Hampstead, Belsize Park, and the immaculately kept Primrose Hill are possibly the last untouched-by-commercialism streets in London (no Starbucks here!). If you want breath-taking views of the city, historical sites detailing the ‘first entry point into London’, combined with al-fresco dining, and an altogether more relaxed atmosphere, Hampstead is the place, and less than 15 minutes on the tube to the city centre! Now do you see why it seems frustrating that tourists stay in less desirable areas when they could stay in an altogether more inspiring location, just as close to all the major attractions?

Of course, Hampstead is one of London’s many beauty spots, yet the city is not all about beauty. As with any home to approximately 10 million people, varied activity is rife. London events cannot help but affect all, every Londoner has an opinion on the congestion zone, on the ill-fated Millennium Dome, on Tony Blair, in fact on any topic you care to mention. Start a conversation with any London black-cab driver – typically famous for their outspoken views, and you will find yourself immediately thrown into the debate of the day.

So, when visiting London do not even attempt to see it all – you cannot.

In a city where already this year a Roman road has been uncovered a mile below ground level dating back to 1 AD, and where Paddington workers uncovered Brunel’s first iron-bridge – one they didn’t know existed - London is forever creating wonders on a regular basis.

The World's Biggest Capital Village

Oslo. Norway's capital city. Population about half a million. Compared with places like New York, London, Paris and Tokyo, it's little more than a village although it does cover an astonishing 454 square kilometres.

Smack bang in the middle of the city you’ll find the Royal Palace. For those not used to kind of freedom enjoyed by the Norwegian royals, the palace can be quite a surprise. There are no fences surrounding it and the gardens are open to the public at all times. You’ll find families picnicking there, people walking their dogs, but unfortunately, you’ll also find that it attracts hard drug users. Luckily, they tend to keep themselves to themselves and there’s rarely any trouble from them. Used needles don't appear to be too much of a problem either, maybe because the park's regularly maintained. There are guards but they generally leave you alone. As the late King Olav once said, who needs bodyguards when you have the entire population of your country protecting you?

From the Palace, Karl Johans Gate leads down towards the parliament buildings. The road is divided in two, with open-air cafes and gardens in the middle. People of all ages congregate here, but it’s especially popular with younger people enjoying a half litre of lager (pils). Karl Johan is also the main shopping street of Oslo but be warned, prices in Norway are higher than you're probably used to. Make sure you've taken enough of your hard earned cash with you.

Example prices:
½ Litre of lager: kr 45 (about £3.80)
Loaf of bread: kr 16 (about £1.30)
20 cigarettes: kr 70 (about £6.00)
3-course meal in a good restaurant: kr 700 (about £60)
Lunch in a nice café: kr 150 (about £12.70)

Norwegian enjoy a high standard of living even if they too complain about the prices. Lager and cigarette prices are what peeve them most.

Most people associate Norway with snow, ice and extremely cold temperatures, tending to forget that they also enjoy warm, humid summers. Although Oslo is alive and kicking all year round, it’s during summer that the average tourist who isn’t particularly interested in winter sports, can enjoy the maximum benefits of a visit to the city. In fact, the variation in temperature and the magnificence of the surrounding countryside offer Oslo the benefit of a plethora of outdoor activities that cannot be competed with by any other capital city.

Oslo is situated at the tip of the Oslo Fjord, with its harbour being one of its main features. From here, you can take numerous boat trips out to the surrounding islands, including Bygdoy with its abundance of museums. Along Aker Brygge (Aker Pier) you’ll find street musicians and other pavement performers doing their thing while visitors and the people of Oslo enjoy fresh prawns and a half litre of lager which, incidentally, is always served ice cold. In fact, being able to down that first outdoor “summer pils” is part of Norwegian culture; a symbol of spring and yet another long, cold winter behind them. A varied assortment of restaurants, trendy cafes and bars can be found along the pier, offering something for most tastes and budgets. Remember to leave a tip in cafes and restaurants. 5-10% is the norm. The people of Oslo are generally friendly and most speak very good English.

Bygdoy is one of the more affluent areas and, as mentioned earlier, is the place to go for museums. Whether you want one that depicts rural life in Norway, Viking ships, or Kon-Tiki, the raft which Thor Heyerdahl built to sail from America to Polynesia in, you'll find it here. Elsewhere in Oslo you'll find, amongst others, The Henie Onstad centre, The Munch Museum and The Museum of Technology, the latter of which I can highly recommend.
It's also worth knowing that Bygdoy also has Oslo’s only naturist beach and that topless sunbathing is allowed, and widely practised, on all beaches in Norway.

If you like to enjoy an abundance of nightlife during your visits abroad, Oslo probably isn’t the best place to head for. Having said that, I have to add that Oslo’s nightlife has picked up remarkably over the past 10 years or so, and if clubbing’s what you want, you will find places to go. Bare in mind that it won’t be cheap. There are plenty of bars about, catering for most tastes.

Other places to visit include Frogner Park with its 212 superb sculptures and undoubtedly one of Oslo's finest pearls and Holmenkollen Ski Jump for its magnificent view across Oslo and the fjord. Raadhusplassen (the area around the Town Hall) and the area surrounding Akers Festning are the red light districts and probably best avoided at night.
To see Oslo at its very best, I’d recommend visiting during May/June. There’s a special atmosphere in the city during those late spring months that can’t be experienced at any other time. Call it the X-factor.

If you’re thinking of visiting during winter, just let me warn you that the city centre isn’t a particularly pretty sight. Don’t expect white, snow covered streets because what you’ll get is filthy exhaust polluted slush. The surrounding countryside will be prettier.

Oslo’s a busy city, and driving is a nightmare. If you should be foolish enough to rent a car, remember that any vehicle approaching from the right has right of way and they make sure they get it too. On main roads this can be pretty scary! If I had a pound for every near miss I’ve had in Oslo, I’d be a rich woman now. Then there are trams to deal with; they stop for nobody!

If you do decide to visit, take an hour out of your schedule to just sit down by the quay enjoying the sun, a cold lager and a bag of fresh prawns. That's what Oslo's all about.

Secrets Of The London Tube

Although it's many years since I left my home in London I still occasionally use The Tube, as the London Underground is affectionately known.

Hold on. Affectionately? Does anybody actually hold any affection for the network of tunnels that run beneath the surface of our capital, or the rolling stock that runs through them?

They’re over-crowded, far too warm and stuffy (the temperature in the tunnels is about 10 C higher than at ground level), and the views are pretty dire. In central London, all you’re likely to see is the dark walls of the tunnels, although if you’re lucky, you might just get a glimpse of another train passing in another tunnel through one of the gaps between them. Funnily enough, contrary to popular belief, the majority of The Tube is actually over ground. Not that there’s much scenic stimulation along those stretches either. You might see some fascinating factories, some interesting piles of rubbish that have mysteriously grown along the sidings and a few back gardens, but nothing much else.

Anybody who’s ever regularly used The Tube during peak hours will tell you that using this particular form of transport can take great courage and will power. The platforms are crowded to the point where those at the front, closest to the lines, can find themselves fearing for their lives. We’re warned to stand behind the line, which is painted about three feet away from the platform edge, but with all those people behind you, all wanting to get forward and have a chance of getting on the next arriving train, the platform edge can quickly become dangerously close.

Having a position at the front doesn’t necessarily guarantee you a place on the next train though. Oh, no. Whether or not you’ll actually get on it will depend largely upon where on the platform you’re positioned and whether or not the carriage doors will be in front of you when the train stops. If you happen to be standing between two doors, then you’re very unlucky indeed. One way around this is to look at those ‘stand behind’ lines. As the rolling stock on each line of the underground are generally of the same type (the trains differ from line to line) and stop at more or less the same point (note: more or less… this isn’t an exact science), the ‘stand behind’ lines will be more worn where the doors are likely to be. Find those spots and you’ll have a better change of boarding the next one, unless of course the lines are freshly painted, in which case, bad luck.

This next point should be obvious to everybody but unfortunately, my experience tells me that this isn’t the case. When the train stops, even if you’re lucky enough to be standing in front of the doors, LET PASSENGERS OFF THE TRAIN FIRST! Don’t just push your way on, even if others are doing so. It’s bad manners and can cause nasty accidents.

Once on the train, you’ll no doubt have to stand as there are few seats compared with the amount of passengers being transported during peak hours. It’s standard etiquette to offer your seat to elderly passengers and those carrying small children, whether still in the comfortable confines of the womb or otherwise. Anybody else will have little chance of finding a seat. The more experienced underground travellers have their strategies though; they'll target a seat. Those reading are unlikely to be travelling just a few stops, and although they could have been travelling for ages already, they rarely make good targets. Study people’s faces. If they look bored, they’ve probably already been there a while so maybe they’ll be alighting soon? Mind you, people do get very bored very quickly on The Tube, so they could just as easily have joined the train at the station before yours.

When it comes to seats that are vacated during the journey, there’s a general unwritten rule. Whoever is standing closest to a seat that becomes available has the greatest claim to the seat. He/she can choose to offer it to a fellow passenger, but it’s against etiquette to make a dash for a seat where the privilege of sitting obviously belongs to another.

Speaking of unwritten rules, there are a few others that should be observed if you don’t want to unduly annoy your fellow passengers. The one that’s probably more annoying than any other, is the subject of occupying seats unnecessarily! Bags and other inanimate objects do not have the right to a seat. Sure, if the trains relatively empty, by all means pile them on a seat, but don’t imagine you can do this during peak times, even if you enter to train at its station of origin where seats are still aplenty. Rather than have a small child occupy a seat, you might consider holding your toddler on your lap, too. Mind you, the rush hour on The Tube isn’t the best place for small children to be, so your best bet would be to wait a couple of hours before making your journey.

Getting back to those bags, another point worth thinking about is what to do with large bags if you have to stand. Do as seasoned tube travellers do, and put them between your legs. No, I don’t mean stuff it up your jacksy, I mean place your bag on the floor and straddle it, one foot on either side. It’ll take far less room this way than if you stood beside it, because your feet still won’t be much further apart that the width of your torso. Standing with your legs apart also make balancing easier, and when those trains are dashing through winding tunnels, swaying from side to side, you’ll need all the balance you can get. An added advantage is that should anybody decide to steal your bags, having body contact with it means you’ll be more likely to feel it being moved.

Body contact. Yes, that’s another subject. I wish I knew how many times I’d felt a ‘lump’ being pushed against my backside on a crowded tube. Please…if anybody who's guilty of this is reading, is it really necessary? I understand that the jiggling motion of the train whilst pressed closed to the body of a member of the opposite sex might cause a sensation that could lead to embarrassment, but it surely isn’t necessary to make a show of it?

On some lines, and at certain stations, a voice will tell you to “mind the gap”. The posh female voice is known as Sonia, because she “gets on ya nerves” and “the gap” is a terrifyingly wide opening between the platform and the train door. Being of voluptuous proportions, I’ve never had a fear of disappearing down the gap, but the thought of getting my leg stuck down there has been pretty scary. For goodness sake pick up small children and carry them.

The deepest part of the system is at Hampstead Heath (Northern Line), where the rails are approximately 220 feet below the surface. Being the deepest part of any line, you’d expect to find the longest escalator here wouldn’t you? But you’d be wrong, because of all the 409 escalators, the longest is actually at Angel station, where the escalator is 197 feet long with a vertical rise of 90 feet. That’s one awesome escalator!

Whilst on the subject of moving stairways, I have to tell you that sometimes they don’t work and you have to walk up them, like it or not. There’s nothing quite like getting off a crowded tube train, feeling hot and sweaty and probably in need of murdering somebody, only to be presented with an out-of-order escalator that appears to be several miles long. Unless you’re ultra fit, it just isn’t funny. If they are moving, please remember to stand on the right hand side allowing those who want to walk up or down access to the left. You'll find that passengers often feel the need to run down escalators, causing danger to not only themselves but others travelling the escalator with them. It's a bad habit that you shouldn't indulge in.

Despite being uncomfortable at times, The Tube’s a relatively safe means of travelling around London. The most famous accident must surely be the Moorgate disaster, back in 1975, when 43 people were killed. The second disaster was in 1987 at King’s Cross, when a fire killed 31 people. There have been no other major disasters. There have been a few bombs placed on tube trains over the years, but none have actually exploded on packed trains. The 253 miles of railway is, however, renowned for its suicides. Jumping in front of a tube train seems to have been a fashionable way of killing oneself for quite some time now.

Using the tube is relatively inexpensive with a trip for an adult costing anything from ￡1.00 to ￡3.60, depending on the length of the journey. This is measured by zones, with zone 1 being within central London. The more zones you travel through, the more they'll charge you. Logical really. Child fares are available for those under 15, under five's travel free.

If you need to know which zone you'll be starting from or how many zones you'll be travelling though, 'TubePlanner' is a useful site to visit (www.tubeplanner.com). The journey planner here is actually easier to use than the one on the official London Underground site (www.thetube.com), although don't tell them I said so. You'll be able to access information such as quickest route, journey time and the fare. You can also look up tourist attractions and find out exactly how to get to them.

Those who use the tube often will always complain about it, but the truth is, without it, London would come to a stand still. The streets of London are already chock-a-block with traffic as it is so any attempt at transporting 900 million passengers over ground each year would lead to nothing less than chaos.

It may not be perfect, but it's by far the quickest and most convenient way of travelling through London. And hey.... even the map's easy to understand!