Tips for Backpacking Through Spain

Spain is a vibrant, passionate country and there is no better way to experience all of its wonderful scenery and historic culture than creating your own backpacking tour. Backpacking is a very independent way to travel, and gives you a unique insight into the real everyday life of the country you are visiting, and setting your own agenda means that you can please yourself and are not tied to any particular city or hotel.

When you are planning a backpacking tour in Spain there are a couple of points you will need to consider before you leave:

• Language – if you are backpacking, you will need to be able to organise spontaneous transport, hotels and meals so it is advisable that you learn some basic Spanish before you leave, so that you can communicate your needs quickly and efficiently. Never assume there will be someone to translate or speak English for you, especially if you are travelling in more remote regions. You can find lots of resources to learn Spanish online, such as at Speak7.com, which has free tutorials and also some helpful cultural notes
• Culture – take time to find out more about Spain’s rich cultural landscape, as this will give you more idea of what to expect as you travel through the country, and will also give you ideas for places to visit. Research some of the local customs, as this will help you interact with people more successfully as you travel, and will help you avoid making any obvious faux pars.
• Transport – Travelling by train is relatively easy, but prices can vary depending on the journey you are making. The high-speed AVE train from Madrid to Seville is the quickest way to travel across the country, but other local services may actually be slower than the buses. The bus system is extensive in Spain and is the only way to get to some of the more remote areas if you do not have a car. It is also very reasonable and much cheaper than trains, and services are usually very reliable. If you do want to rent a car for part of your trip then there are plenty of places to do this throughout the country, but remember that many European hire car companies will only accept bookings via credit card and not cash, even if you book in person.
• Luggage – as the term backpacking suggests you will be carrying your own luggage around for most of the time, so it is important to pack only essential items, and also safeguard your gear at all times. Try and limit yourself to just two pairs of shoes, one pair for walking and a smart pair of sandals you can wear for going out and also on the beach. You may be sleeping in some less than first class hotels and hostels, so make sure you have a good warm blanket or large shawl, which is also handy for when you are travelling overnight on trains and buses. Also make sure you have a small first aid kit, torch, sunglasses, hat, good rainproof coat and a small range of clothes to meet all potential changes in climate.

Happy Journey Spain

Montreal is one of Canada’s premiere cities, and is situated in the Quebec region. It has a wonderful Gallic vibe, as the official language is French, and is one of the five largest French-speaking cities in the world. Montreal is a vibrant and clean city, with plenty of green open spaces and smart public areas. It was ranked as 16th in a list of the world’s most liveable cities in 2008, and has a strong arts community, good public transport services and plenty of interesting modern and historic architecture.

Montreal is a wonderful city to visit with plenty to see and do from a vibrant nightlife to plenty of boutiques, shopping centres and markets to appeal to shoppers. If you are interested in art and history then there are many galleries and museums such as The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Musée de Lachine.

Montreal luxury hotels will make your stay even more special, such as the chic and stylish Hotel Le Germain, which is situated deep in the heart of the city center. Here you can enjoy luxurious and stylish surroundings, panoramic views of the city and also enjoy fine dining in the hotels very own Laurie Raphaël Montréal restaurant. If you are in the city on business then you can book a Montreal hotel right in the heart of the bustling business district, such as the Four Points by Sheraton, which is next to the McGill University. This hotel offers a good mix of standard and luxury rooms to suite most budgets, and is only a few steps away from the city’s famous underground pedestrian network, which houses a large number of shops, restaurants and cafes.

If you want to make a Montreal hotel reservations you can do so easily online, either through a specific hotel booking website or by visiting each individual hotel website directly. It is important to book in advance during busy times such as New Year or the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, as the more popular hotels can fill up very quickly.

Las Vegas is one of the biggest entertainment cities in the world and a perfect destination for a really exciting and special New Years Eve. There are hundreds of different things to do in the city, from organized shows and extravaganzas to meals out or drinks with friends, and during the Christmas and New Years periods there are plenty of special events running in all the big hotels and casinos. Nights out in Las Vegas are amazing any night of the year, but as you would expect from this glamorous, vibrant city New Years Eve really is something else.

Las Vegas gets very busy during the winter period, and competition among the hotels and casinos is fierce. This is good for tourists as it means there are plenty of really good special offers and promotions on during this time. It is worth looking online to check out all the hotel discounts Las Vegas has on offer over the winter period, and you can make some great savings on accommodation, meals and drinks, and also various shows and entertainments.

The Mandalay Bay Hotel is one of the top hotels in Las Vegas and has a number of discounts and offers on over Christmas and the New Year. This includes special rates from as low as $70 per room, and also a ‘book one night’s accommodation and get one night free’ offer. There is also an ‘Exotic Escape Offer’, where you can get two for one on tickets to the hotel’s top show ‘Mama Mia’ and also suite upgrades for just $30. This Mandalay Bay offer code is available from the reservation section on their website mandalaybay.com.

Another great offer available over the winter period in Las Vegas is at The Mirage, with deluxe rooms available with 15% discounts, and a $30 buffet credit and 2 free tickets to the Dolphin Habitat with the ‘Lakers’ Mirage offer code. To find out more about offers at the Mirage and a number of other top Las Vegas hotels you can go to las-vegas-hotel-discounts.info.

Don’t forget to make reservations early if you are intending to visit Las Vegas during this Christmas/New Year time as flights, hotels and top shows quickly sell out. You should also try and book taxis to and from the airport in advance, and any hire cars you may need as well as these services can also become very busy over the holiday period.

Burgundy is one of France’s largest rural regions. With a rich culture and beautiful scenery, it is the perfect place to spend a relaxing vacation and sample the sights and sounds.

Burgundyeye.com is an online magazine that gives travelers all the information they would ever want about the Burgundy region. It was created by David Cogan, a long time resident of the region with an expertise in the wine trade, and is regularly updated with news and information on events within the region.

Burgundyeye also allows reviews to be submitted by viewers, so you can see what is popular and comes highly recommended, which is particularly helpful for arranging accommodation, with contact phone number and email addresses provided for all hotels.

Daily updates and articles keep you informed about what it is like to live and work in the region of France, and you can sign up for the company’s newsletter.

The heart of the region is, of course, its wine production, and an entire section is devoted to the subject. There are articles teaching you about everything from Chablis to Mason, so you when you get there you can appreciate the wine tours and tasting events as a connoisseur rather than a layman. A detailed break-down is also given of each type of wine grown and which wineries produce them, so for those with a particular and specialized interest, they can quickly locate where to spend their time.

At the bottom of every page of Burgundyeye is an Accuweather 15 day weather forecast, which allows you to plan your trip around the weather for different attractions. All in all, a fantastic website for any English speakers who want to become acquainted with this region, or visit.