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Archive for ‘best sights’ Category

Feb
25

Greece hotels: The Best Early Bird Offers

by Gesa Noormann February 25, 2010, 11:43 am

When it comes to Greece, who does not think of a deep blue sea, golden beaches and pearly-white cube houses? The ancient Gods didn’t choose Greece as their home for nothing – and visitors can track the traces of antiquity up to the present day. Be it the mighty Acropolis in Athens, the Olympia in the Peloponnesus, or the Palace of Knossos on the island of Crete, everywhere major attractions bring variety to the beach life.

Large concrete hotels and mass tourism fortunately found their way into Greece only partly and many accommodations are still distinct and informal. Discover with Escapio special, stylish and luxurious Greece Hotels, notably attractive early bird discounts or special benefits for the beautiful spring days. Enjoy the first rays of sunshine in an awakening, thriving nature at pleasant mild temperatures!

Angela Suites Boutique HotelThalassa Villas Pool

1) Domes of Elounda All Suites and Villas Spa Resort, Crete

You will surely feel at home in the cool, Mediterranean design of this romantic hotel in Crete: beautiful pastel colours, precious wood parquet floors and pearly-white furniture characterize these apartments. In addition, there is state-of-the-art technology at its best. Early bird discount of 10% until March 31, 2010.

2) Ekies All Senses Resort, Vourvourou, Chalkidike

A magnificent beach, turquoise blue waters and a romantic seaside location – all this is offered by this hotel overlooking the bay of Vourvourou on Chalkidike in Northern Greece. Modern design meets classic Greek elements here, thus creating a unique atmosphere. Early bird discount of 20% until February 28, 2010.

3) Thalassa Villas, Aghios Nikolaos, Crete

This hotel has no rooms, but only beach villas, which all have its own private terrace with sea view, comfortable patio furniture, sunloungers and a heated swimming pool with massage jets. The bathrooms are equipped with whirlpool tubs in a contemporary design. The Villa Anemos even boasts with an outdoor spa. Early bird discount of 10% until March 31, 2010.

4) Classical 2, Fashion House Hotel, Athens

This remarkable luxury hotel in the middle of Athens combines noble design furniture, pop art and classic period furniture to a striking symbiosis. Moreover, this young, vibrant design hotel is equipped with creative locations such as the Foodball Restaurant. For a stay until April 30, 2010: stay 3 nights, pay only for 2.

5) Classical BabyGrand Hotel, Athens

In a colourful atmosphere with graffiti art you can stay here at a 5 star level. This creative hotel in Athens is for young, hip scene people by now not an insider tip anymore. 10 international artists have created a distinctive design hotel in the middle of the Greek capital. For a stay until April 30, 2010: stay 3 nights, pay only for 2.

Hotel Saint Nicolas BayElounda Domes Hotel

6) St. Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel & Villas, Aghios Nikolaos, Crete

This luxury beach hotel snuggles gracefully and unobtrusively into the coast in north of Crete, combining Greek traditional and modern architecture: Whitewashed walls are included as well as panorama windows and modern furnishings. Early bird discount of 10% until March 31, 2010.

7) Angela Suites Boutique Hotel, Sissi, Crete

This hotel features unique architecture, contemporary design and a luxurious spa environment. This hotel on Crete pampers couples and families with an excellent Mediterranean cuisine and noble luxury suites. For a stay from April 26, 2010 until June 15, 2010: stay 7 nights, pay only for 5.

8) Thermae Sylla Spa Wellness Hotel, Aghios Nikolaos, Crete

This hotel, which according to Condé Nast is one of the best spa hotels in the world, is designed in a neo-classical Art Nouveau architecture and enjoys a wonderful location, right at the sea and above the natural hot springs of Edipsos. Here, from the depth, hot curative water is bubbling out into the spa facilities of the hotel, whose aqua therapy provides deep relaxation. For stays until June 15, 2010: stay 7 nights, pay only for 5.


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Feb
18

Top 5 Berlin Sights

by Gesa Noormann February 18, 2010, 10:33 am

I’ve seldom had as many visitors as I get now that I live in Berlin. The German capital has become Europe’s number one hot spot. And for all of you who don’t have that friend in Berlin with an extra couch, Escapio offers you a selection of the best Berlin hotels, everything from hip to chic. Berlin’s mayor Klaus Wowereit’s now famous line about his city being „poor but sexy“ sums up this place quite succinctly. Indeed, Berlin tourists are particularly interested in experiencing that certain je ne sais quoi flair so unique to this once so divided city. Nowhere else visitors will find as many parties going on as here. New clubs, fashion labels and bands seem to burst onto the scene every day. And yet, perhaps the best song to reflect this particular Berlin mood is the ambivalent Peter Fox‘ anti-hymn hit Black to Blue“ with its telling line:„Good morning Berlin, sometimes you use to be so ugly.“

There are so many museums, exhibitions and monuments in Berlin that it’s very hard to know where best to start. And this is why we have put together our own selection of top 5 Berlin sights, just to jump-start that big city feeling for you.

1) Get things going with a simple bus ride. Take a city tour on the city’s own BVG bus line 100 from Zoologischen Garten to Alexanderplatz. The ticket will only set you back 2.10 euros for a ride that will take you all the way across town along sites that include a great look at the Tiergarten, Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag and Hackescher Markt. And while you’re at it you can enjoy the innovative audio guide from Culture-to-Go. Berlin creative artists’ narratives turn this bus ride into an amusing and highly informative city tour.

2) Of all the Berlin museums, the Pergamon Museum is arguably the most impressive. Constructed between 1910 and 1930 on the city’s famous Museum Island (the island itself a sight worth seeing), it has attained world-wide fame primarily through the awe-inspiring reconstructions of three particularly famous ancient world structures – the colossal Pergamon Altar, the Market Gate of Miletus and the stunning blue Ishtar Gate, with its accompanying Procession Road to Babylon and Mshatta Facade.

3) Taking in a concert at the Berlin Philharmonie is an absolute must for any music enthusiast who visits Berlin. And even if Sir Simon Rattle may not be conducting when you attend, this imposing concert hall always offers its listeners an unforgettable sound experience. Many concerts are booked out months in advance of course, but with a little luck you might get one of the tickets that were returned.

4) In order to get a true feel for the many-faceted and sometimes subtle differences between the long-divided eastern and western sides of the city, the best way to go is to take a closer look at two particularly representative districts: The elegant stores, cafes and restaurants located on streets near Charlottenburg’s Savignyplatz are perfect examples of the old West-Berlin culture. Berlin-Mitte in the east, on the other hand, is despite some overly zealous reconstruction work in places. An inviting district due to the large number of original structures built in the old Berliner building style still standing and the lively art and art gallery scene that has established itself there. Dozens of galleries have popped up along Auguststraße, Oranienburger Straße and Linienstraße. And directly in the hip Oranienburger Straße neighborhood is where you can find the chic design hotel Casa Camper where not just scene-insiders feel at home.

5) Prenzlauer Berg’s Kulturbrauerei offers a huge array of concerts, films and other cultural events. Assorted cafes and restaurants are housed directly in the old brewery complex, but nothing is stopping you from also stepping outside and taking a little walk along Kastanienallee and plunge yet a bit deeper into the another wild side of the bustling Berlin scene.

Casa Camper BerlinBrandenburg Gate


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Dec
22

Majorca – Sights and Stops

by Sonja Franke December 22, 2009, 4:46 pm

A Majorca tour in the course of a holiday is perfectly feasible, given the relatively small size of the island. You should then start in the island capital, Palma de Mallorca, not least because most holiday flights are landing here, and the city therefore provides an ideal base for exploring the various tourist attractions. The city itself offers a picturesque old town – especially the Gothic cathedral La Seu is a must-see for tourists. In addition there are – believe it or not – 31 more interesting churches and an old town, which also reveals Arab influences at every turn. An insider’s tip is the suburb Cala Major, where the famous Spanish painter Joan Miró lived for a long time and where today his former studio and numerous artworks can be visited.

Being a traffic hub the streets are leading from Palma to every corner of the island. You should opt for s’Arenal also known as El Arenal, as this beach resort is well worth visiting. How long the stay in El Arenal in fact lasts depends first and foremost on to what extent the travelers are in need of rest, as it is still the undisputed center of mass tourism in Majorca. Also in El Arenal is the beach section Balneario 6 located, after which then the beach bar “Ballermann 6” has been named.

We continue to Manacor in the east of Majorca. With approximately 40,000 inhabitants, the city whose name translates as “hand on the heart,” is the third largest municipality on the island and a vibrant regional center. Extensive forests are sprawling around Manacor, and in particular people with a prehistoric interest will get their money’s worth. That is because near Manacor the settlement Hospitalet Vell can be found, which provides an insight into the life some 3,500 years ago.

Manacor is also a good place for souvenirs, for here the two pearl manufactories Majórica and Perlas Orquidea are residing. In their shops you can find many small treasures.

Cases de Son BarbassaProtur Biomar Gran Hotel

We then continue to Son Servera, also in the east of the island. Here, in the tourist heart of the Llevant you can confidently take a break from everyday life and have a swim in the beautiful bay Badia de Son Servera. Interesting is also the market, which is held in the heart of the village every Friday.

Now we leave Son Servera and turn towards the north of the island. The name of our next travel destination originates from Arabic and translates as “the hill”. But don’t worry: Alcudia isn’t too hilly anymore nowadays, though the city center is a little elevated. In addition to the picturesque beaches it is mainly the churches and monasteries, which makes a visit to Alcudia worthwhile, but also the cave of Sant Marti is well worth a visit. Otherwise Alcudia is the unofficial capital of the sailors and it hosts a marina, which holds space for about 100 sailing boats.

The penultimate stop of the tour is Valldemosa, north of the island’s capital Palma. Located in the Sierra del Norte, late spring is a particular good season to travel there. Then the fruit trees are blooming and are transforming Valldemosa into a real blaze of color. Moreover, the famous composer Frederic Chopin lived in Valldemosa and composed some of his best known works there. Just walking in the footsteps of the musician makes a visit to this small town a must. The wide range of colors and the picturesque surroundings go one step further.

Right before we arrive back in Palma de Mallorca, we take a rest in Puigpunyent. The place is hardly spectacular but that’s precisely where its charm lies. Located near the fast-paced metropolis of Palma, one can justifyingly speak of an insider’s tip. The little village church of Santa Maria Asunció is worth a visit, but above all it is the golf courses and hiking trails in the area that ensure that holidaymakers are feeling comfortable in this small town.


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Nov
04

Zurich: The Best Sights

by Sonja Franke November 4, 2009, 9:34 am

Financial center, cultural metropolis, shopping paradise: Zurich is Switzerland’s secret capital city (and the country’s biggest). It was voted the city with the highest quality of living in the world seven times in a row up until 2008. On the one hand Swiss traditions are upheld here with great devotion, but at the same time Zurich is the place were many trends are born; the legendary Freitag bags, for instance. Modernly designed cafes, hotels and shops exude a cool chic here which provides a zesty contrast to the mountainous backdrop towering above Lake Zurich.

The Escapio Team was on site and put together five of the best sights and tips for you to try out:

1) The best way to get acquainted with that Zurich-feeling is to head to Buerkliplatz and enjoy the fantastic panorama the city and Lake Zurich provide. The traditional flea market takes place here every Saturday from May until October and is definitely worth a visit.

2) Then it’s off to the upper Bahnhofstraße on Paradeplatz to try Vermicelles or little macaroons at the head office of the Sprüngli sweetshop. Half of Zurich’s society crowd stops by the coffee house for a chitchat. And on your way out you can have your favorite pralines packed up to take home. Another locale near Paradeplatz is the restaurant Zum Kopf, a 120-year-old establishment serving its customers traditional Swiss cuisine in baroque atmosphere. The giant dining hall is always crowded, and even those who don’t wish to order meat or other hearty plates can enjoy modern, seasonal dishes from the restaurants menu.

3) While taking a walk through the city’s old quarter along the left bank of the Limmat, you should definitely have a look at the Fraumünsterkirche with its beautiful Chagall windows and the Peterskirche, whose tower has the largest clock face in Europe (a clock which all other clocks in Zurich used to be set to).

4) The Kunsthaus on Heimplatz (easily reachable with the Bellevue tram) hosts a permanent collection of art works well worth seeing, the collection’s emphasis being on works by Picasso, Monet, Chagall, and Pop Art and modern artists such as Baselitz and Rothko. The special collection of works by George Seurat runs through January 2010.

5) Those who might like to spend the night in a small but elegant hotel should book a room at Hotel Helmhaus. Not far from the Limmat wharf and located directly in the old quarter, the cities smallest and most centrally located 4 star hotel reflects for me the spirit of Zurich: Everything is dignified, carefully arranged and very well looked after while at the same time exuding its distinct combination of tradition and modernity.

Hotel HelmhausLake Zurich


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