OK, ladies and gents, this one’s a good one. KLM are giving away two tickets every week until Friday April 24th as part of their Secret Cities

contest.

How to Enter – You Need A Touch of Techno Wizardry

Every day from Monday to Friday, KLM will post a clue and a photo to the “Secret City” of the day on their Twitter account. Yes, Twitter. That thing that all the cool kids plus this slightly older fogey is always on about. That Twitter thing that is actually very easy to use and can help you save money. Yes, that’s the one.

You need to follow the KLM twitter account and then look for the clues that are broadcast every day at around 4pm. Mark your best guess on their map (another bit of computer interaction required) and voila! You’re done.

KLM will announce the week’s winner every Monday and if it’s you, you get to choose which of the five destinations featured the previous week you’d like to go to. For free. With a spare ticket! (Er, do you mean with someone else, Ed?)

It’s Much Easier Than I’ve Made It Sound

Don’t be put off by Twitter. It’s actually really easy – and if you’re still not convinced, then check out the beginner’s guide to twitter here.

You can enter as many times as you like and, naturally, entry is free.

I’m not sure whether the logo is supposed to help us out but I’m liking the look of Paris, Rome and Barcelona to begin with. Not sure what the 4th picture is supposed to represent but three out of four is a good enough place to start!
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Fun things to do in London: A Mini Cooper Tour

Introducing a fun tour zooming around London with smallcarBIGCITY and their fleet of Mini Coopers.

Hop on in and enjoy!

Mini Cooper & Big Ben: Fun in London

Another taste of the exquisite Rodin Museum in the centre of Paris.

Save Money – Check Out the January Sales

Ebookers are currently offering up to 45% off

Argus Car Hire have deals promising 20% off

British Airways have reduced flight prices until January 25th

Eurostar have a range of discounts available

And finally,Expedia are running a 48 Hour Sale, so to catch them, you’d better be quick!

Have a great Cheap Weekend Break!

Thinking About the Best Cheap Weekend Breaks in 2010

As 2010 draws to an end, it’s time to look back over the year and see which cheap weekend breaks captured your hearts the most.

The ultimate, the definitive, the fully researched and exhaustively tested list of the best, the juiciest and the most exciting Cheap Weekend Breaks ever (oh, alright, a look at the Google Analytics results) is here…Without further ado…

The Best Cheap Weekend Breaks in 2010

10 – An Adventure Weekend in Benidorm made a surprise entry at number ten

9 - Cheap Weekend Breaks in London only just squeezed in 

8 – Brighton rocked the UK City Break Scene

7 – Talk of cows and wool convinced you to visit Jersey for the weekend

6 – A Cheap Weekend in York topped England’s list of weekend breaks

5 – A Cheap Weekend in Paris remains a firm favourite

4 – Ice cream and romance enticed you to spend a Weekend in Venice

3 – Whisky was all it needed for you to head around Scotland on the Great Malt Whisky Trail

2 – Catalan culture kept you entertained with a Cheap Weekend in Barcelona

However…

1- It turns out that the toe of Italy captured your hearts, souls and minds this year, with a Cheap Weekend Break in Calabria, Italy zooming in to take the top spot.

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to One and All

I’m already looking forward to finding out what the best cheap weekend breaks in 2011 will be…See you next year!

How To Win a Prize?

Answer questions posted each day on the HostelBookers Facebook wall by emailing your answer to christmas@hostelbookers.com. Questions will test your knowledge of Christmas festivities across the world, so it should be a good read even if you (gasp!) don’t manage to snag one of the prizes.

Win a Trip to France

Fight off the snow and ice with the chance to win a trip to France! On the run up to Christmas this year, France’s Tourist Board is giving away weekends on the French Riviera, ski-ing in the mountains and romantic breaks in a French chateaux.

All you need to do to enter is to head over to their French Advent Calendar and hand over your name and email address. There’s a different prize available for each day and a cheery snowman to greet you.

Disclosure: Er, none. I heard about this competition and though it sounded like a good idea so I’m passing on the news. Enjoy!

Photo London Big Ben

Ah…just a sweet, short reminder of one of my favourite spots in London.

Casa de la Pilatos, Seville

Often overlooked by the rest of the guidebooks, you should definitely add the Casa de la Pilatos to your plans for a weekend in Seville. This beautiful, elegant house, almost hidden in the narrow streets of the centre of Seville, deserves your attention. If you don’t have time for the Alhambra, try out the miniature version here.

Central Courtyard, Casa de la Pilatos, Seville

Casa de la Pilatos - Beautiful!

Top Weekend Breaks in September

1 101 Cheap Weekend Breaks smashes all the records with a 4th month at number one

2 City Breaks Abroad still wins fans with its guide to far flung places

3 It’s a surprise entry for the Lascaux Caves in France. Long live 17 000 year old paintings!

4 The dreamy spires of a Weekend Break in Cambridgegive the UK its first place this month

5 Travel by train captures the imagination with Europe by Eurostar

6 A Malt Whisky Tour through the Scottish Highlands rises to number six

7 An Adventure Weekend in Benidorm makes the most of the sunshine

8 UK City Breaks celebrates the diversity of staying at home

9 London’s Tourist Attractions leaps back into the top ten

10 And slipping into the last space, it’s a return favourite A Cheap Weekend in Calabria, Italy

Hit the road, baby!

Aha…so news of another great competition has come our way.

HostelBookers are offering one lucky UK resident the chance to win a round the world ticket (up to a value of £3000) plus £1000 spending money to go with it. All you need to to is head over here and complete their survey.

See, told you it sounded good!

Get moving, though, as the deadline is October 31st.

Good luck and happy travels!

The United Kingdom has an array of beautiful landscapes which are easy to access by road. Whether you’re a native or a visitor, travel by car to explore the UK’s finest scenic routes.

Scenic Route One: The Atlantic Highway

Drive Through Exmoor - by Gravyphig

The “Atlantic Highway” stretches from Lynmouth to Newquay via Lauceston.

Start in Lynmouth and heading through a section of the Exmoor National Park towards Barnstaple. Exmoor National Park is famed for its walking trails that cover vast areas of open moorland and you may even see wild horses.

After joining the “Atlantic Highway” via the A399 at Blackmoor Gate, you could visit the local zoo. Exmoor Zoo is home to a whole host of different animals including penguins and meerkats (and there’s the Legend of the Beast, which has a dedicated Black Panther enclosure.)

Join the A39, the “Atlantic Highway” itself, and continue from Barnstaple down the coast towards Newquay. Stop off in Boscastle (PL34 0HE), a lovely village whose castle is believed to be the birthplace of King Arthur.

Your journey along the A39 will take you near The Big Sheep (EX39 5AP). This centre is home to a number of activities such as mountain boarding and high ropes, and there’s also the chance to see some edge of your seat action at the local sheep racing circuit.

Detouring to Launceston, you can take a trip on the Launceston steam railway (PL15 8DA), tackle a number of hiking paths or visit a farm park. 

Scenic Drive One

Details for Scenic Drive One

Lynmouth to Newquay (via Launceston.)Distance: 135 miles. Roads: A39, A395, A399. Postcodes: PL34 0HE (Tintagel) EX39 5AP (The Big Sheep) EX31 4SG (Exmoor Zoo) PL15 8DA (Launceston Steam Railway), EX35 6EO (Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway)

Scenic Route Two: Belfast to Derry

Giant's Causeway - by smemon87

Northern Ireland is the home of the A2, which runs from Newry to Derry and passes through Belfast. This route runs alongside the northeast coastline and the picturesque Glens of Antrim.

Along this 128 mile coastal road, stop off at Ballintoy for the chance to walk the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge across a 20 metre wide chasm.

A 20 minute drive east of Portrush brings you to the ecological rarity of the Giant’s Causeway, a collection of basalt hexagonal columns produced by a previous volcanic eruption. This stunning attraction is situated in the Glens of Antrim, where the Bushmills distillery can also be found (BT57 8XH).

Scenic Drive Two

Details for Scenic Drive Two

Distance: 128 miles. Roads: A2. Postcodes: BT54 6LS (Ballintoy, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge) BT57 8XH (Bushmills Distillery)

Scenic Route Three: Conwy to Portmeirion

Snowdonia National Park - by Richard0

The Welsh route from Conwy to Portmeirion takes you on a journey through the Snowdonia National Park. Starting off in Conwy, with the famous Conwy Castle, you’ll pass through some traditional slate villages as well having the opportunity to enjoy Snowdon’s summit, either by sight or through your hiking boots.

Within Snowdonia, you’ll find the village of Betws-y-Coed, a camping hotspot and excellent starting point for your mountain drive. From Betws-y-Coed, Llanberis is only 17 miles away where you can enjoy a 4.7 mile trip to the summit of Mt Snowdon by means of a time-honoured steam train. From the peak, the highest point in England and Wales, you can relax and take in the panoramic views from the Hafod Eryri centre. For adults, a return ticket will cost £25, while a child’s ticket is £18. You can easily opt for a single ticket if you wish to walk part of the distance. A trip to the summit will take around 5 hours, and there are a variety of different routes to get you there, depending on how energetic you’re feeling.

Scenic Drive Three

Details for Scenic Drive Three

Distance: 38.5 miles. Roads: B5106, A5, A4068, A498. Postcodes: LL48 6ER (Portmeirion)  LL55 4TY (Llanberis Lake Railway) LL32 8LD (Conwy Castle)

Scenic Route Four: Glasgow to Inverness

Drive the Loch Ness Area - by conner395

The scenic drive from Glasgow to Inverness takes you through the majestic and timeless Munros. These mountain ranges dominate the Scottish skyline and offer truly mesmerising views. The route also includes the Loch Ness, with a dedicated exhibition centre that explores the legend of the monster (£4.50 for children and £6.50 for adult entry). If you happen to visit during June, be sure to give the RockNess dance music festival a try.

You’ll also have the opportunity to visit the largest loch in Great Britain, the stunning Loch Lomond. At 27 square miles (71km²), this loch contains around 60 small islands, including Inchconnachan and its settlement of wallabies.

For water sports, Loch Lomond offers jet skiing, boating and canoeing, whereas for other kinds of driving, try out the surrounding golf courses.

On the way to Inverness, you can see Britain’s highest point: Ben Nevis.

This 4,409ft peak sits at the head of Loch Linnhe and is visible from Fort William, a popular winter sports destination. From the Nevis Range Ski Centre, you can ski, snowboard and even mountain bike. There’s also the chance to enjoy the landscape from the comforts of a 650m gondola via the Mountain Discovery Centre.

Scenic Drive Four

Details for Scenic Drive Four

Distance: 170 miles. Roads: A9, A82, A827, A93. Postcodes: IV63 6TU (Loch Ness Exhibition Centre) PH33 6SQ (Nevis Range) PH18 5TL (Blair Castle)

Scenic Route Five: The Lake District

Helvellyn -by IanBrookesPhotography

For those looking to experience nature during their drive, the Lake District offers astonishing beauty. This circular route includes the popular towns of Kendal and Keswick, as well as winding around 29 miles of the national park to provide views of Lake Windermere, Lake Thirlmere and the Lakeland Fells.

The village of Grasmere has inspired poets such as Coleridge and Wordsworth and today you can visit Dove Cottage, one of Wordsworth’s former houses, for £7.50 for adults and £4.50 for children.  

Travelling east along the A66 from Keswick onto the A5091 brings you to Ullswater Lake, the second largest body of water in the Lake District. Ullswater offers Steamer tours (£2.80 per child, £5.60 per adult, each way) that cruise the lake from the village of Glenridding or Pooley Bridge to Howtown. The Lakeland Fell area also has many trail paths, so you can take a leisurely stroll within the lakes’ beauty.

For more demanding hike routes, travel to Glenridding, the base of the third highest mountain in the UK. At 3,117ft, Helvellyn has many tough trails for more experienced hikers, although summit routes aren’t the only ones available. Ask the local tourist information office for more information on walking routes.

Scenic Drive Five

Details for Scenic Drive Five

Kendal to Kendal, circular route: (via Keswick & Glenridding.) Distance: 67.8m. Roads: A5284, A591, A66, A5091, A592. Postcodes: LA22 9SQ (Dove Cottage – Wordsworth Museum) CA11 0US (Ullswater Steamers)

This guest post was written by Michael Wade of the car hire team at travelsupermarket.com

The Top Ten Cheap Weekend Breaks in August

1 It’s three months at the top for weekend break generator 101 Cheap Weekend Breaks

2 Summer saw everyone getting adventurous with the rise of the Adventure Weekend Break…

3 While City Breaks Abroad also gained in popularity

4 The first UK entry was a healthy, outdoor Weekend in the Peak District

5 A Cheap Weekend in Calabria fell to number five…

6 Yet a good month for Italy, with posts on Venice staying strong

7 A weekend in the seaside town of Brighton profited from the summer sun

8 As did the Scottish Malt Whisky Highlands Drive

9 How to use the London Underground revealed a number of new visitors to London

10 And just squeezing into the top ten was another Scottish treat, A Cheap Weekend Break in Glasgow

That’s all for August, folks. Enjoy planning your next weekend break!

Coloured Houses in Cologne

The city of Cologne suffered substantial damage during World War II. Although much of the city now looks modern and on the up, you can still find atmospheric streets like this.

You can fly to Cologne with a number of budget airlines, or else travel with Eurostar and change at Brussels.

Eurostar Weekend Breaks - More Than Paris

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – 4h16*

Cologne, Germany – 4h11*

Lyon, France – 5h*

Avignon, France – 5h55*

Bruges, Belgium – 3h30*

*From London King’s Cross St Pancras Station

Now, as it turns out, this isn’t quite the journey time from London to the place of interest. It’s the amount of time you spend on a train. So, the trip to Cologne took around two hours to Brussels, where there was a connection to Cologne. That second train lasted another two hours.

Eurostar vs Flights

Looking only at flight times (around 1h30 London to Cologne), air definitely seems faster than travelling by rail. However, for international flights you need to be at the airport two hours before departure, whereas with Eurostar it is only 30 minutes. For the Cologne to Brussels train, as long as you leap onto the train in time, all is well.

The Advantages of Eurostar Weekend Breaks

Explore Europe with Eurostar at the Weekend

Train stations also tend to be in more convenient places. It is certainly easier to travel into London (or to the rest of the UK) from King’s Cross than from any of the London airports. Likewise, the main station in Cologne is right next to its most well-known sight – the Cologne Cathedral. The Gare du Nord in Paris, also allows you to enjoy the City of Lights as soon as you arrive, whereas the airport is outside the city.

The Disadvantages of Eurostar Weekend Breaks

Airports tend to have nicer waiting areas with more options for food, drink and shopping – although this is variable. The new Eurostar terminal at King’s Cross is a fantastic place: light and airy with plenty of facilities and free wifi. Brussels, however, isn’t quite as good.

You don’t need to check your luggage in when travelling by train, which frees you from queues and waiting at baggage reclaim. On the other hand, that means you have it with you all the time, which can become a nuisance.

Eurostar Weekend Breaks - The Overall Verdict?

Consider travelling by train with Eurostar for a weekend break away if you’re based anywhere near London. Remember to check the connection time when comparing train and flight journey times – and enjoy your weekend break!