the Travel Enthusiast
- 20 Oct
5 hotels with a weird history from around the world
Few travelers can avoid visiting at least a few hotels in the course of their travels. And staying at a hotel is not always the most exciting alternative, especially since some hotels look like they are making efforts to be as ordinary as possible.
But there are other hotels, which might seem like your run of the mill building with regular rooms, but which have a few skeletons in the closet, sometimes literally. Hotels that are set up in older buildings that used to serve another purpose sometimes end with with a baggage, and maybe not looking like hotels at all. Here are 5 hotels with a weird history from around the world, which are just too unusual to pass up. …
- 17 Oct
The creepiest ghost towns in Europe
Most of the world’s famous ghost towns are what’s left of old, short-lived mining towns in the US and Canada which were abandoned once there was little ore left to find. But the towns you see in old Western movies are not the only kind of ghost towns around.
Old Europe also has several sad tales of abandoned towns and villages that now lie empty but still intact. These ghost towns have been abandoned for various reasons, some tragic and some uninteresting, but the towns themselves are all worth a visit. Feel the past creep up behind your back while you visit some of the creepiest ghost towns in Europe. …
- 03 Oct
The most beautiful bridges in the world
From organic bridges made of tree roots that take centuries to grow to engineering masterpieces that last for centuries, for a long time humans have been using bridges to make their lives easier.
Sure, a bridge might sound just like something that you cross in order to get from point A to point B if these two points are separated by a river, gorge, huge crack in the earth etc, but those with a keen eye for engineering know that bridges are much more than that.
A bridge can be engraved with cultural symbols, it might have deep historical meaning, and most of all, it is a neat piece of engineering. So travel around and look up the most beautiful bridges in the world, you won’t regret it! …
- 29 Septibi60 in Fun and Travel | NO COMMENTS
5 Christmas traditions worth traveling for
Many people are reluctant to travel at Christmas because they don’t like the crowds, the inflated prices, or maybe they just don’t want to deal with the cultural shock of not being able to celebrate the holiday in a way that there are used to.
But there are tons of places in the world that become incredibly interesting at Christmastime, and not only because of decorations and events, but also because different countries have different Christmas traditions that you might not have heard of.
If you are ready to experience Christmas in a different way then before, then here are 5 Christmas traditions worth traveling for, to open up your appetite. …
- 21 Septylerd in Travel Planning | NO COMMENTS
Top 10 historic sites in Europe
Europe hasn’t been around longer than any other parts of the world (despite being part of the “Old World”), but quite a bit of interesting history happened to happen on the continent. Wars, revolutions, political coups and the like have left their mark on Europe, and while many of these places don’t always conjure up happy events, from a historian’s point of view they are quite exciting.
Visiting the places where history happened is one of the things that no tourist can or should avoid, and the truth is that Europe’s historical sites are every bit worth a trip. So if you are interested in history or if you’d just like to see some interesting places, here are top 10 historic sites in Europe. …
- 28 Aug
Top 5 underground lakes in the world
Practical reasons aside, lakes are not bad places to live near, but even if you are not living next door to a lake, you can still make them the object of a trip. Lake shores are great for camping, provided that you know how to deal with mosquitoes, and many lakes are great for swimming, boating and fishing.
Great lakes can be found not only above the ground, but under it too. Underground lakes and rivers are crisscrossing the planet wherever you go, but not all of them are safe to visit or have something interesting about them. But if lakes in caves sound like your cup of tea, here are the top 5 underground lakes in the world. …
- 17 Augtibi60 in Travel Planning | NO COMMENTS
Christmas Tours for 2011
Many people celebrate Christmas at home, with family or friends, but if you’d rather spend your holidays on the move, traveling to distant places, there’s so much that you can do at Christmas time. Christmas tours are becoming increasingly popular, so if you want to sign up for a tour instead of planning your trip from scratch, there’s a quite a nice selection of trips for you.
Many Christmas tours for 2011 cater for a variety of tastes, and both active travelers and those who have a more laid back style will be able to enjoy a tour that is precisely to their tastes. …
- 15 Aug
The most amazing botanical gardens in the world
Botanical gardens might have started out as smallish medicinal plant gardens in the Middle Ages, but they gradually developed into gardens run by universities or scientific institutions in order to study plants and display some of the most interesting specimens to the public.
Sure, seeing a huge cactus in a greenhouse is not the same as seeing one in its natural habitat, but if you are not able or don’t have the time to travel, the botanical garden is a great place to see a bit of nature. And besides, many botanical gardens are great tourist attractions in their own right, not only because they exhibit some wickedly interesting plants, but also because they do it in a novel way. So here are some of the most amazing botanical gardens in the world. …
- 12 Aug
Top 5 scary things to do this summer
Scary is not always bad, it can also be a good kind of scary. Ask any thrill seeker, and they will tell you that being scared is their favorite state of mind. If you wouldn’t mind a few thrills of your own, we’re not about to suggest that you should do something truly dangerous, like swim in shark infested waters or something similar.
On the contrary, thrill seekers usually take all the necessary precautions that will ensure that they will be around for more thrills next time. So if you’re done with tame, everyday travel experiences, here are top 5 scary things to do this summer that will put some spice in your life. …
- 11 Augerato in Fun and Travel | NO COMMENTS
Carry on… staying in the UK
The image of Charles Hawtrey, Bernard Bresslaw and Sid James driving into a campsite to witness Barbara Windsor and company practicing their aerobics may be a blast from British comedy’s iconic past, but there remain many excellent reasons to ‘carry on camping’ in the UK and in particular, the south-western corner of the country.
From the quaint country villages and unspoilt verdant countryside of the Cotswolds, Somerset and Hampshire, to the glorious coastal resorts of Dorset, the unspoilt beauty of Devon and the charm, majesty and excitement of Cornwall, south-west England is an area that is truly blessed as a holiday destination. A wealth of exciting opportunities lies in wait for anybody willing to explore this part of the country in a little more depth. …