It was my granddad who booked me on a holiday to Andalucia, including a visit to the Alhambra. I was a disinterested teenager back then, not really keen on spending a week having my granddad chasing me around from palace, to tapas bar and back to the museum with a group of 60plus year olds. Anyways, I agreed to one week of snoring, continental breakfast feasts, unfunny jokes and several attempts of my granddad trying to sell me for less than 15 camels, after all it was for free.

Never, would I have spent a week looking at so many sights. There are many wonderful places in Andalucia, but what has fascinated me most were the Alhambra and the Mezquita in Cordoba. The fusion of Islamic and Christian architecture is so unique and I found both buildings representing the admiration for Islamic inheritance and architecture captivating.  So captivating in fact, that part of my studies later focused on Islamic influences in European culture (thanks granddad!!!). No wonder, I am not the only one and the Alhambra is today the most visited landmark in Spain. Luckily, my granddad is a super organised ex-accountant, the type of man who has guidelines on the first page of his files, of how the file has been organised. So unsurprisingly, he had booked us in for a guided walk, with no need to wait in the endless lines outside the ticket booth.

The Alhambra (Arabic for Red Fortress) is set on the foothills of the Serra Nevada Mountains. On a nice day (as most days in Andalucia) the view is breathtaking, the winter landscape in the back and the valleys and the city of Granada to the South. The Alhambra was built as the residence for Muslim rulers in the 14^th history. When the Spanish re-conquered Andalucia at the end of the 15^th century, the Alhambra became a royal residence once more and Christian characteristics were added. The perfection and unique synthesis have made the Alhambra one of the world’s top sights and last year over 3 million people visited.

Pretty unwelcoming fact, I find, remembering again the miles of queues. I also recall what my colleague from a Spanish travel agency told me recently. Tickets are fixed to a visiting slot and only a set number of visitors will be allowed entry each day. A fellow blogger argues “On a corner of the Alhambra Museum is a picture which shows tourists fighting outside the entrance before ticket numbers were limited” (http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/25acb1/ ).

Not surprising then, that Alhambra Tickets sell like hot cakes. When buying your tickets beforehand, whether that is at the destination or online, make sure you get a fair price. Alhambra Ticket Trading is in Granada, what Chelsea Tickets sales are in London. So here are the three golden rules for staying safe and paying fair:

1. Always read the small print. Some tours are expensive because they offer little extras. Others are expensive for the sake of it.

2. The vendor should give you supplier details once you have booked. Check that they really do!

3. Read user reviews from travellers who have booked the same tour in teh past.

It may seem like an effort to do it all before, but believe me, it is nothing compared to the stress you would have at the ticket stand. Take your voucher, meet your guide and enjoy, because the Alhambra is really a magnificent site.

Celebrating Australian culture in London thanks to a week long of events – that’s G’Day UK 2009.

The stream of events, sponsored by Australian tourist boards and other governmental institutions, is aimed at promoting travel to Australia but also at encouraging potential migrants to settle down under.

New South Wales‘ government has converted a bank on river Thames into a replica of famous Bondi beach, thank to tons of real sand dumped on the South Bank. The sunny weather in the UK’s capital makes such an inspiring initiative very welcome, especially thanks to gorgeous lifeguards and beach beauties - presumably real imported Aussies.

Attractive airfares are being promoted on Qantas.com and other travel agencies. Flightcentre has setup twenty life size kangaroos across London. The first to report sights of the jumping marsupials can win free holidays to … Kangaroo Island.

For full program - see G’Day UK official site.

New adventures for May! Check them out:

Old San Juan City and Shopping Tour

Old San Juan City Bacardi Distillery Tour

El Yunque Rainforest Safari (with Luquillo Beach option)

Farjardo Bioluminescent Tour, Kayaking on Laguna Grande

Camuy Caves and Ionospheric Arecibo Observatory Tour

Farjardo Catamaran Trip with Snorkeling

A Fishing Adventure in the Arabian Sea continue reading »»

The sun is out, and that means festival season is just around the corner! Luckily for me, Europe is home to the BEST summer festival line-up in the world. Though I’m sad to be wrapping up my study abroad time in London, there’s no bigger or better way to exit Europe than a few festival trips. This year’s line-up has music for every taste (and budget).

Fusion Festival 2008 - phogel

Here are a few I’m most excited about for 2009 continue reading »»

The most famous three weeks in cycling are back for the summertime! As the 96th Tour de France kicks off this July, hundreds of thousands of people will flock to this year’s twenty-one race route cities. The race departs Saturday, July 4th in Monaco, and after three weeks of winding around the French countryside (and even a little bit of Switzerland, Italy, and Spain) will finish at the Champs-Élysées on July 26th.

Tour de France 2008 - Lüfkens

The New York Times has called the race like “running a marathon several days a week for nearly three weeks,” comparing the climbs of the race to “climbing three [Mount] Everests,” and yet, every year twenty teams line up for the gruelling race. continue reading »»

York Manor - Indigo Goat

T is for Tallinn, Estonia: Though it’s got one of the smallest populations of the EU nations, there’s still plenty to see in this Baltic city. Tour the area’s two well-preserved old towns, Toompea, and, well, Old Town. Estonia is also home to beautiful marshlands, forests, and hiking trails, visit Lahemaa National Park, and talk a walk around.

U is for Utrecht, Netherlands: Utrecht serves as the religious centre of the Netherlands, and home of the Archbishop of Utrecht. It is also the home of the Netherlands largest university (Utrecht University), and has a huge variety of museums for its tourists to choose from.

V is for Vienna, Austria: Though Vienna is Austria’s largest city, things here still move at a relaxed pace. Once you’ve toured the city’s highlights, visit a Viennese café for some of the city’s famous coffee. The city is also home to the Vienna Boys’ Choir, one of the most well-renowned in the world. continue reading »»