There’s no question why people flock to Northern Ireland to visit Giant’s Causeway.  With the natural beauty of the basalt columns arranged in a unique hexagonal patterns, looking out over the sea and distant landscapes, this natural beauty and geological wonder has gotten international attention and praise for years.  Due to the geography, Northern Ireland is sometimes best to visit in the warmer months, to make hiking and water sports possible.  Lately though, we’ve been finding that even during these months where the nights are progressively getting colder, travelers still are wanting to visit the Causeway.  Now, we know it’s breathtakingly beautiful, but still a little thrown on the high volume of visitors we decided to take a closer look at why Giant’s Causeway is desirable all year round.

First, as long as you have proper apparel to keep yourself warm, most of the outdoor activities are still within reach, walking along the infamous columns, crossing over the rope bridges, exploring around ancient castles and the rocky shores.

But if you’re looking to enjoy the warm and cozy qualities of Northern Ireland and the Giant’s Causeway, you’re in luck!  With multiple different trains to take you on a scenic rail ride, you can stay out of the cold while still enjoying this spectacular stretch of land.  In addition to great and unique shopping, the area is known for having luxury spas, so if you did explore the outdoor opportunities (or just because you want to be pampered!) you can reward yourself with all natural treatments that are common in Northern Ireland.

The area offers a wide variety of museums as well, many of which are great for kids and families.  And finally, you can’t forget about the charming localities with numerous pubs that are just as delicious as they are welcoming.

Don’t let the weather scare you off from an area that is beautiful all year round, Giant’s Causeway has proved to become a hot-spot for tourists 365 days a year.

In second place of Britain’s top 10 favourite holiday destinations is France. The rivalry between France and Britain became once again very clear during the Rugby World Cup but now that is all behind us, here are ideas to explore la belle France.

Holiday destination 2: France

Paris Landmarks
If you enjoy Paris sightseeing, there are plenty of things to do in the gracious capital city of France.  The Eiffeltower is a landmark you literally cannot miss when visiting Paris.  Tour the Eiffeltower and have a peek behind the scenes with our special Paris tour.

At night enjoy the splendour of illuminated Paris safely from a coach, which will then drop you off at the infamous Moulin Rouge for an evening of glitz and glamour. Alternatively, see the city of light during an evening cycling tour with an English speaking guide. Cycle passed Paris highlights as the Notre Dame, The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees. After the tour you will take a cruise on the Seine and sip some of France’s excellent wine.

You also have to make time for a cultural trip to Versailles from Paris and admire the beauty of the Palace while you explore Versailles at leisure. Lastly for the romantics among you, we offer a private portraits in Paris tour, where a photographer will lead you through the historic Latin Quarter and make portraits of you and your loved one to remember this  magical moment in Paris.
Nice and the French Riviera
People looking for milder climates should visit Nice in Southern France. Take a city tour of Nice and discover landmarks like the Promenade des Anglais, Old Town and Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
Take off from Nice and tour the French Riviera, where you will visit the most glamorous places on earth. Revel in the old glory of Monte Carlo, admire the beauty of Antibes and touch down in Cannes, known for its film festival.

Wine Tours in France
We also offer a few wine tours that wine connoisseurs might enjoy: take the wine road through Provence tour with tastings at Chateau Saint Martin and Chateau Font du Broc. Enjoy wine tasting tours in Bordeaux, the largest and most famous wine region in the world or you can take a wine tour in Lyon, which lies in the Beaujolais region.

In Avignon, the wine tour consists of  tasting the most prestigious red wine in the Rhone valley in the winery founded in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  You can also explore the city St Remy where Vincent Van Gogh painted his Starry Night.

Cultural reference: Van Gogh’s paintings and the Da Vinci Code
Vincent van Gogh used to live in the Provence and let the landscape inspire his paintings not only in St Remy but also Arles one of the bigger cities in France.
A Van Gogh tour from Marseilles is also available, and after visiting the landmarks you can participate in a regional olive oil tasting Of course France is also associated with great French food: the Belzier tour offers you seafood and wine of the Languedoc. Also in the Languedoc area, lies Rennes le Chateau, a medieval town and discover how the stories and the religious conspiracy theories influenced the story of  The Da Vinci Code.

With its scope of possibilities for city break to beach holiday or culture weekend - no wonder that France stays a popular holiday destination for Britain.

Photo credits Flickr: Eiffeltower by liam!!-Moulin Rouge by Torfo- Versailles by Renata Barros- Vineyard by crabchick - Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh

Different destinations appeal to different travellers for different reasons. We all fall under categories that determine where in the world we may end up. The categories are usually quite simple and obvious in most cases. Are you the traveller who can’t be bothered to do anything but sunbathe? Are you the one who wants to do everything active that every website, brochure, hotel clerk tells you is available? Are you all about culture and sightseeing or just abroad for the hot weather and a fancy hotel?

Destinations will always tell you they have everything but are you really going to go to Marrakech for beach life, The Great Barrier Reef or Uluru for old ruins, or Brooklyn for a taste of the Middle East? No, you’re not. They all have their own magic but it takes a specific type of traveller for each, to bring the magic to life.

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