Different places to travel » Europe http://travel-spots.com All the information you want about different travel locations. Tue, 22 May 2012 09:39:48 +0000 en hourly 1 Travel – Hora Sfakion – located in the southwest of Crete http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-hora-sfakion-located-in-the-southwest-of-crete/ http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-hora-sfakion-located-in-the-southwest-of-crete/#comments Fri, 18 May 2012 09:04:17 +0000 Traveller http://travel-spots.com/?p=588 Hora Sfakion is located in the southwest of Crete. It has a tiny harbor and has about 475 inhabitants, and from the population size, you can see that it is a very small place, but well known. It is the capital of Sfakia region, situated to the south coast of Crete. There are many beaches [...]]]> Hora Sfakion is located in the southwest of Crete. It has a tiny harbor and has about 475 inhabitants, and from the population size, you can see that it is a very small place, but well known. It is the capital of Sfakia region, situated to the south coast of Crete. There are many beaches like Ilingas, Filaki and Sweet Water Beach.
Attractions of Hora Sfakion:
• Sweet water beach or Glyka nera: Sweet water in Greece means Glyka. Under the beach there is always drinkable water. One can reach there using a small boat “Delfini” which takes 15min and about 45 minutes by feet. A small tavern is also present for those who like some refreshment.
• Filaki beach: This is a beautiful beach that is near the naturist hotel.
• Hotel Vritomartis: This is the only naturist hotel (where people like to be in the same state as they were when they were born, without clothes) in all of Crete and also in all of Greece.
• Frangokastello Orthi Ammos beach: This beach is about 12km to the east of Chora Sfakion. There is a village named Frangokastello which is 500m to the east from the castle.
• Marmara beach: Marmara beach is about 20 minutes from Loutro and is towards the end of Aradena gorge. By walk it takes 50 min.
• Agios Pavlos beach: This beach takes about an hour by feet from Agia Roumeli and about 2 hours from Agios Ioannis. From Loutro it takes about 3-4 hours. It is a long and almost deserted beach.
• Diving: One can snorkel along the plunging coastline of Sfakion which has small shoals, octopus etc. There are scuba diving, cave diving and night diving available at this place. There are diving excursions to the Gavdos and Gaydopoula islands.
• Agios Nikolaos (or Aghios Nikolaos) is a city or a coastal town on the island of Greek of Crete. The city lies to the east of the capital, Heraklion and to the north of lerapetra and to the west of sitia. This town is the capital of Lasithi. The three faces to the sea of this town are The Lake & port, Kitroplatia beach and the Marina.
• Lake Voulismeni (Límni Voulisméni): This is a small lake which connects to the sea. It is situated at the centre of the town of Agios Nikolaos on the Greek island of Crete. The diameter of the lake is about 137 m and depth is about 64 m. This lake is connected to the harbour of the town with a channel. There is a small park around it. This lake is popular for its fireworks celebrations on Orthodox Christian Easter day.
• The Cretan diet: This is a traditional local diet of the Mediterranean island of Crete, also called “Mediterranean diet” which is very popular in the place.
• Chrissi Island: For enjoying the quiet presence of palm trees and soothing watered sandy beaches, one can take a boat trip from here to Chrissi Island.
• Visit to Elounda & Spinalonga Island: There are Kritsa’s tourist shops from where one can buy some local hand woven linens, rugs, tablecloths and handicrafts.
• The Katharo plateau above Kritsa and the Lassithi Plateau: This is known for its climate, topography and geology.
• Elounda: It is a town which is a fishing port and has several sandy beaches from the centre square. This port offers boat trips to the island of Spinalonga.

The following can be reached by walking or as below:
• Imbros Gorge:
Chora Sfakion to Imbros (bus) – 30 minutes
Imbros Gorge – 2 hours 15 minutes
Bottom of gorge to Chora Sfakion, via Komitades – 1 hour 10 minutes

• Loutro and Sweet Water Beach:
Chora Sfakion to Loutro (ferry) – 20 minutes
Time in Loutro
Loutro to Sweetwater – 1 hour 15 minutes
Time at Sweetwater
Sweetwater to Chora Sfakion – 1 hour (or boat)

• Askyfou Plateau
Chora Sfakion to Askyfou by KTEL bus – 40 minutes
Askyfou Plateau – Variable, depending on detours and refreshment breaks. (Allow at least 2:30 to 3 hours)
Askyfou to Chora Sfakion – 40 minutes by KTEL bus

• Askyfou, Asfendou gorge and Agios Nektarios
KTEL bus Chora Sfakion to Ammoudari/Askyfou or Kares – 40/45 minutes
Ammoudari/Askyfou or Kares to Asfendos – 2 hours 30 minutes
Asfendos to Agios Nektarios – 2 hours 15 minutes
Agios Nektarios to Chora Sfakion by KTEL bus – 20 minutes

• Loutro, Marmara, Agios Pavlos and Agia Roumeli or Samaria
Chora Sfakion to Loutro by ferry – 20 minutes
Loutro to Marmara by boat – 20 minutes (or walk – 50 minutes)
Marmara to Agios Pavlos – 2 hours 30 minutes/45 minutes
Agios Pavlos to Agia Roumeli – 1 hour 15 minutes
Agia Roumeli to Chora Sfakion by ferry

• Niato and Trikoukia, in the village of Askyfou
KTEL Chora Sfakion/Chania bus to Ammoudari/Askyfou – 40 minutes
Ammoudari to Niato – 2 hours
Niato to Trikoukia – 30 minutes
Trikoukia to Imbros – 1 hour 45 minutes
Lunch in Imbros. KTEL bus Imbros to Chora Sfakion

• Old village Anopolis and return via
Chora Sfakion to Anopolis – 2 hours 30 minutes
Time in Anopolis
Anopolis to Loutro – 2 hours
Loutro to Chora Sfakion by ferry

• Kalikratis gorge, near of the village Frangokastello
KTEL Chora Sfakion / Chania bus to Kares – 45 minutes
Kares to Asfendos – 2 hours 30 minutes
Asfendos to Kallikratis – 1 hour 15 minutes
Time in Kallikratis
Kallikratis, via Gorge, to Patsianos – 2 hours 15 minutes
Patsianos to Chora Sfakion by KTEL bus – 25 minutes

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit this place is in summer. One can expect showers between October and April. The temperatures are ideal from July to August.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
One can drive over the mountains from the north coast on a good road and some public buses are also available from Agios Nikolas.
Agios Nikolaos (Crete) is about 40 miles from Herakleion Airport (HER). The journey takes about 45 – 60 minutes by car or taxi.

By Bus: There are local bus services available in the place.

By Ferry:
Ferry services run to Agios Nikolaos from Athens (Piraeusport), Rhodes, Chalki, Karpathos and Kassos.
Major ferry lines operate to the port of Herakleion with buses connecting at the main bus station near to the port. Ferries run directly to the town via LANE lines from Pireaus and Rhodes.

By plane: The distance is 40 miles from Heraklion airport to Agios Nikolaos.

Get around:
By Bus: Elounda, Kritsa, Sitia, Heraklion (and from there, Knossos), Malia and Hersonnisos are accessible with a regular bus service.
Among other methods of commute are taxis, scooters, rent car facilities available in the place.

Top Sights Travel Guide: Crete (Kindle) Rough Guide Map Crete [Folded Map] Lonely Planet Crete (Regional Guide)

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotels at travel to crete
• Hotels at wikitravel
• Hotels at hotel-stavris-chora-sfakion
• Hotels at explorecrete

Blogs / Sites about Hora Sfakion:

• Blogs and reviews at greece.creteisland
• Blogs and reviews at crete travel
• Blogs and reviews at explorecrete
• Blogs and reviews at explorecrete

Images and photos of Hora Sfakion:

• Images at sfakiacrete.gr
• Images at sfakia-crete
• Images at explorecrete

Videos of Hora Sfakion on Youtube:

Ferry Trip – Agia Roumeli to Chora Sfakion – Southern Crete (Greece)

Chora Sfakion – Lefka Ori Sfakia Crete HD 1080i

Chora Sfakion

Xenia Hotel and restaurant – Hora Sfakion

Crete Agia Roumeli – Chora Sfakion

KTEL Bus Ascending on a Mountainous Road Near Chora Sfakion, Crete

Hora Sfakion Folkloristic dance

]]> http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-hora-sfakion-located-in-the-southwest-of-crete/feed/ 0 Travel – Dodecanese Islands – an island group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-dodecanese-islands-an-island-group-of-12-larger-plus-150-smaller-greek-islands/ http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-dodecanese-islands-an-island-group-of-12-larger-plus-150-smaller-greek-islands/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 18:47:38 +0000 Traveller http://travel-spots.com/?p=580 The Dodecanese Islands (which means “twelve islands”) are an island group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the South Aegean Islands of Greece. These islands are off the southwest coast of Turkey, to the southward of Samos Island and to the northeastward of the Crete Island. Byzantine churches and medieval castles are [...]]]> The Dodecanese Islands (which means “twelve islands”) are an island group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the South Aegean Islands of Greece. These islands are off the southwest coast of Turkey, to the southward of Samos Island and to the northeastward of the Crete Island. Byzantine churches and medieval castles are the tourist specialties of the island. There are a large number of islands, with the total number being 163, out of these only 26 are inhabited islands. The most well known of the twelve islands is Rhodes, Kos and Patmos with the remaining nine being Astipalea, Kalimnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Leros, Nisyros, Symi, Tilos and Kastelorizo which are located in the east Mediterranean.
Other islands in the chain are Agathonisi, Alimia, Arkoi, Chalki, Farmakonisi, Gyali,Kinaros, Levitha, Lipsi, Nimos, Pserimos, Saria, Syrna and Telendos. There are many municipalities that come under these islands and some of them are Afantou Archangelos, Astypalaia, Attavyros, Chalki, Dikaio, Ialysos, Irakleides and Kallithea.

The regions that come under this prefecture are:
• Astipalea: This island is located between Kos and Amorgos and is a small and not very well developed island. This island is on the borders between Dodecanese and Cyclades. The island has traditional villages and wonderful sandy beaches. This island is in the shape of a butterfly.
• Halkiis: This is also a small and not a very developed island that is close to Rhodes. This island is good for those interested in trekking. The island is popular for its traditional architecture, the lovely waterfront, the calm beaches and the abandoned village in the centre of the island.
• Kalymnos is an island that is located between Kos and Leros that is close to the coast of western Turkey. This is the most beautiful island in Greece, that is also well known as the island of sponge fishers. This is actually a mountainous island but it also has two valleys that are best known for its agricultural products. Beaches, castles and churches make this is a popular place.
• Karpathos is an island that is located between Rhodes and Crete. It is the second largest island of the Dodecanese Greece islands. It is known for its clear waters and beaches and hills. This island is full of mountain villages with whitewashed houses with red tiled roofs and the narrow paved streets.
• Kos is the second most popular and the third largest of the Dodecanese islands after Rhodes. It has a good nightlife along with a beautiful landscape and soft sandy crystalline waters. There are verdant forests and the island is rich for those interested in archaeology.
• Leros: This Island is one of the smallest islands of the Dodecanese Greece islands and is full of vegetation, verdant trees, bright colored along with the deep blue of the sea and the golden sand that is the main attraction, attracting people like a paradise.
• Nisyros This Island is to the south of Kos and is a small island with the only ‘active’ volcano of Greece. The capital of the island which is known as Mandraki is a traditional settlement in blue and white colors. The beaches of Nisyros and the roads on Nisyros are not very developed.
• Patmos: This island is to the north of Leros and is known to be the most religious of Greek Islands as Saint John the Theologian who was exiled in 95-95 AD revealed and wrote the Apocalypse. It is located between Ikaria and Leros. The island has whitewashed cubic houses and flowered gardens, surrounded by narrow streets and stone steps.
• Symi: This is a small island that is located between Rhodes and Kos and to the north of Rhodes. The island has scenic towns and villages. This island is close to the Aegean and the Turkish shores and has a coastline of about 85 kilometers. This island is a mountainous island.
• Rhodes: This is the most popular and the largest of the Dodecanese islands. This island is the one of the most favorite tourist destination. This island has nice sandy beaches, picturesque villages and has an Old Medieval Town (the capital) which is very scenic. This island is very popular among the tourists.
• Tilos: This is another small and remote island that is located between Kos and Rhodes.

The provinces of Dodecanese islands are as below:
• Province of Patmos – Patmos
• Province of Kalymnos – Kalymnos
• Province of Kos – Kos
• Province of Rhodes – Rhodes City
• Province of Karpathos & Kasos – Karpathos

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate of is a mild Mediterranean climate; sunny with dry summers and mild winters. The months of July and August has the temperatures as being more bearable and is the best time to visit the place.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
One can reach these islands from Piraeus, Athens.
Most travelers arriving in Piraeus from Athens make use of the very convenient Metro Line 1 that terminates at the Port from where one can take a walk to the Saronic Gulf ferries, hydrofoils and catamarans, or a free shuttle-bus ride to the ships sailing to Crete and the Dodecanese. Direct Airport Express buses run 24 hours between the port of Piraeus and Athens International Airport.

Frommer’s Greece (Frommer’s Complete Guides) Lonely Planet Greek Islands Lonely Planet Greece

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotels at top-hotels-greece
• Hotels at dodecanese-islands
• Hotels at greekhotels

Blogs / Sites about Dodecanese:

• Blogs and reviews at bootsnall
• Blogs and reviews at lonelyplanet
• Blogs and reviews at worldreviewer
• Blogs and reviews at travelpod

Images and photos of Dodecanese:

• images at Google
• Images at greeka
• Images at united-hellas

Videos of Dodecanese:

Dodecanese Islands – Greece
embed>

Karpathos & Kastelorizo : Two of the Dodecanese Islands – Greece

Dodecanese Islands – Greece

Kassos – A remote island

A video tour of Rhodes, Kos and Kalymnos in Greece’s Dodecanese islands

Rodos Island Greece

]]> http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-dodecanese-islands-an-island-group-of-12-larger-plus-150-smaller-greek-islands/feed/ 0 Travel – Bali in Rethymno Prefecture on the island of Crete http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-bali-in-rethymno-prefecture-on-the-island-of-crete/ http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-bali-in-rethymno-prefecture-on-the-island-of-crete/#comments Fri, 04 May 2012 20:58:54 +0000 Traveller http://travel-spots.com/?p=559 Bali is located in a place called Rethymno Prefecture, on the island of Crete in Greece. The tourist attractiveness of this place is that it has many beaches of varying size and for staying purposes, countless hotels and apartment complexes. Attractions of Bali and around: • Diving: One can go for guided diving. Take your [...]]]> Bali is located in a place called Rethymno Prefecture, on the island of Crete in Greece. The tourist attractiveness of this place is that it has many beaches of varying size and for staying purposes, countless hotels and apartment complexes.
Attractions of Bali and around:
• Diving: One can go for guided diving. Take your International Padi divers license at Hippocampus diving centre or enjoy an excursion that is by boat to other beaches and towns.
• The Atali Monastery (or Bali Monastery): This is about 5 kilometers from Bali to the South. This monastery has stunning views. This monastery was built in dedication to Aghios Ioannis (St. John) and belongs to 17th century.
• The church of Panaghia Charakiani: This church is at the eastern end of the cove.
• Bali beach: This beach is located about 33 kilometers from Rethymnon to the East. It is only a kilometer from the National Road to Heraklion. There are four other beaches in this Bali bay, some with sand and some with pebbles. These beaches are not affected by the “meltemia” -northern summer winds.
• For having an entertaining night, there are two nightclubs in the place.
• Rethimno is a city on the Crete island in Greece. It has an approximate population of about 40,000. It actually mints its own coins. There are relics of the Minoan civilization centred at Kydonia east of Rethymno. This town still maintains its antiquity and its old aristrocratic appearance. This town dates back to 16th century and its arched arched doorways, stone staircases, Byzantine and Hellenic-Roman remain (making it attractive to tourists). The city’s main income is tourism and agriculture of olives for olive oil and other Mediterranean products.
The Venetian Loggia houses the Ministry of culture today. This town is also known for its wine festival that is held every year at the beginning of July. The other festival in memory of destruction of Arkadi Monastery is on 7-8 November. This town was taken over by the Ottoman Turks in 1646 and ruled for for three centuries. This town was their centre of rule.
• Historic Buildings. The buildings remaining are from the Venetian occupation of Crete dating back to 17th century. They include the Fortessa and the lighthouse.
• The Fortezza: This is the city’s Venetian-era citadel and the best-preserved castles in Crete. It is a fusion of medieval European and Moorish architecture.
• Archaeological Museum Rethymnon: This museum houses objects from the Neolithic to Roman period found in Rethymnon in a Turkish building. These objects have been collected from hilltops sacred sites, in caves and necropolis. It is situated opposite to the Fortezza. The Opening times are from Tuesday – Sunday 8.30 – 15h Monday closed.
• Heraklion Archaeological Museum: This is located on Xanthoudidou Street and it houses finds from the Minoan civilization and excavations across the island of Crete. The find includes the statues of the Snake Goddess, the famous Bull-Leaping Fresco, the enigmatic and mysterious Phaistos Disk, and Minoan seals and jewelry. The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is one of the world’s great museums representing the Minoan culture.
• Beaches. This city has unspoilt coastline beaches. There is a 5 mile beach to the west of Rehimno and towards Georgiopoli.
• Parks. There is a small park in the centre which also houses a very small zoo containing some Cretan mountain goats.
• Boat Trips: From the Venetian harbor there are boat trips available to go around.
• Chrissi Island: For quiet presence of palm trees and soothing watered sandy beaches one can take a boat trip from here to Chrissi Island. This is one of the uninhabited islands off Crete. It is about 8 miles from Ierapetra. The island has blue-green sea, sandy beaches, cedar forest on the sand hills and colorful volcanic rock. This island is about 5km in length and of a height 10m.

Other monuments:
• The Neratze mosque (the Municipal Odeon arts centre)
• The Great Gate
• The Piazza Rimondi (Rimondi square)
• The Venetian Loggia.

Museums:
• Archaeological Museum
• Historical and Folklore Museum
• Historical Museum of Crete, Heraklion
• Museum of Cretan Ethnology, Heraklion

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit this place is in summer. The temperatures are ideal from July to August.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
• There is a daily ferry from Pireaus (Athens) to Rethimno Crete Island.
• There are regular bus services from both Chania and Heraklion which stop at the bus station, just west of the center of Rethimno.
• The distance from Heraklion to Rethymno is 80 km and from Chania to Rethymno 56 km. Chania airport is much smaller and far less busy than Heraklion airport.
• For getting around: One can either take a bus or a taxi.

Top Sights Travel Guide: Crete (Kindle) Rough Guide Map Crete [Folded Map] Lonely Planet Crete (Regional Guide)

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotels at tripadvisor
• Restaurants at rethymno
• Hotels at wikitravel
• hotels at greeka
• Hotels at dilos

Blogs / Sites about Bali, Rethimno:

• Blogs and reviews at travelpod
• Blogs and reviews at greece.creteisland
• Blogs and reviews at explorecrete

Images and photos of Bali, Rethimno:

• images at Google
• Images at tripadvisor
• Images at explorecrete

Videos of Bali, Rethimno:

• Bali, Rethimno:

Greece – Crete – Kourna Lake – Bali Beach – Rethymnon from jose on Vimeo.

• Bali – Crete: Freediving

Bali, Crete

Bali in Crete

Seahorses in Bali Crete

Crete Bali 2007

]]> http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-bali-in-rethymno-prefecture-on-the-island-of-crete/feed/ 0 Travel – Agios Nikolaos – a coastal town on the island of Crete http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-agios-nikolaos-a-coastal-town-on-the-island-of-crete/ http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-agios-nikolaos-a-coastal-town-on-the-island-of-crete/#comments Thu, 03 May 2012 18:41:04 +0000 Traveller http://travel-spots.com/?p=555 Agios Nikolaos (also known as Aghios Nikolaos) is a city (or a coastal town) on the island of Crete. The city lies to the east of the capital, Heraklion and to the north of lerapetra and to the west of sitia. This town is the capital of Lasithi. The three faces towards the sea from [...]]]> Agios Nikolaos (also known as Aghios Nikolaos) is a city (or a coastal town) on the island of Crete. The city lies to the east of the capital, Heraklion and to the north of lerapetra and to the west of sitia. This town is the capital of Lasithi.
The three faces towards the sea from this town are The Lake & port, Kitroplatia beach and the Marina.

Beaches:
• Ammos (sandy public beach by the marina)
• Kitroplatia is the town centre (shingle & sand) beach.
• Ammoudi and Havania beaches (on the way to Elounda).
• Almiros & Ammoudara (sandy beaches with organized facilities, about 2.5 km east of Agios Nikolaos)
• Istron/Kalo Horio – these are 2 good beaches (10 km),
• Elounda – a small sandy beach (10 km)
• Plaka pebble beach (16 km).

Attractions of Agios Nikolaos and around:
• Lake Voulismeni: This is a small lake which connects to the sea. It is situated at the centre of the town of Agios Nikolaos on the Greek island of Crete. The diameter of the lake is about 137 m and depth is about 64 m. This lake is connected to the harbour of the town with a channel and there is a small park around it. This lake is popular for the fireworks celebrations on the Orthodox Christian Easter day.
• The Cretan diet: This is a traditional local diet of the Mediterranean island of Crete, also called “Mediterranean diet” which is very popular in the place.
• The Archaeological Museum: This is a museum with exhibits from the whole of Eastern Crete, like the early Minoan cemetery of Mochlos, the Zakros palace, Lato and Elounda. There are plenty of coins ranging from about 330-350 BC to 200 AD exhibited here along with more than 1500 vases from those times.
• The Folklore Museum: This is a museum exhibiting woven textiles, embroideries, handicrafts and a model of an old traditional Cretan house along with Old photographs, paintings and costumes of the olden times.
• The Iris Museum: This museum is housed in a neoclassical building on the 28th Oktovriou pedestrian street that also holds a local flora exhibition.
• Chrissi Island: For quiet presence of palm trees and soothing watered sandy beaches one can take a boat trip from here to Chrissi Island.
• Visit to Elounda & Spinalonga Island: There are Kritsa’s tourist shops from where one can buy some local hand woven linens, rugs, tablecloths and handicrafts.
• The Katharo plateau above Kritsa and the Lassithi Plateau: This is known for its climate, topography and geology.
• The Dikteon Cave: This is a mythological cave which is worth a visit.
• Elounda: It is a town which is a fishing port and has several sandy beaches from the centre square. This port offers boat trips to the island of Spinalonga.
• Sitia town: This town is about 70 km east of Agios Nikolaos and the drive is a scenic coast route. This town has a fortress, waterfront esplanade, some quaint corners and a sandy beach.
• Lato: This is an archaelogical site dating back to the 4th-2nd century BC settlement with nice elevated location and magnificient views. This is a few km from Kritsa village.
• Panagia Kera: This is a triple-nave Byzantine church that dates back to 13th century. It has wall paintings. This church is located in Logari which is about a km east of Kritsa.
• The other sites are Vrokastro and Gournia archaeological sites that are near Istron.
• Spinalonga Island: This Island is across the causeway from Elounda.
• Villages exhibiting local color: Limnes, Zenia, Exo Potami, Prina, Mesa & Exo Lakonia.
• Faneromeni Monastery: This monastery is inland from Gournia.
• Walking: There are many routes and hike paths, going through villages, hills and beaches which are ideal for walking.
• Diving: The scuba-diving centre is about 250 m from the lake.
• Golf: There are 2 golf courses in Crete; one is a 9-hole course and the other an 18-hole course. The first is available about 10 km from Agios Nikolaos located at the Porto Elounda resort. The other is the Crete Golf Club with a full facilities golf course that is about 45 km (about 30 minutes drive) from Agios Nikolaos, between Hersonissos & Kastelli.
• Plaka village: This village is about 15 km from Agios Nikolaos. This has fish tavernas, cafes and a crystal clear pebble beach.
• Almyros beach: This is a sandy beach entering the sea at the southern end. This beach offers a cooling paddle and is about a 20 minute walk from the town center. One can take a taxi from town centre.

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit this place is in summer. One can expect showers between October and April. The temperatures are ideal from July to August.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
Agios Nikolaos (Crete) is about 40 miles from Herakleion Airport (HER). The journey takes about 45 – 60 minutes by car or taxi.
By Bus: There are local bus services available in the place.

By Ferry: Ferry services run to Agios Nikolaos from Athens (Piraeusport), Rhodes, Chalki, Karpathos and Kassos.
Major ferry lines operate to the port of Herakleion with buses connecting at the main bus station near to the port. Ferries run directly to the town via LANE lines from Pireaus and Rhodes.
By plane: The distance is 40 miles from Heraklion airport to Agios Nikolaos.

Getting around:
By Bus: Elounda, Kritsa, Sitia, Heraklion (and from there, Knossos), Malia and Hersonnisos are accessed with a regular bus service.
Among others means of transport are taxis, scooters, and rent car facilities available in the place.

Top Sights Travel Guide: Crete (Kindle) Rough Guide Map Crete [Folded Map] Lonely Planet Crete (Regional Guide)

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotels at tripadvisor
• Restaurants at wikitravel
• Hotels at wikitravel
• Hotels at Travel to Crete
• Hotels at booking.com

Blogs / Sites about Agios Nikolaos:

• Blogs and reviews at travelpod
• Blogs and reviews at funtouristattractions
• Blogs and reviews at explorecrete
• Blogs and reviews at explorecrete

Images and photos of Agios Nikolaos:

• Images at fotosearch
• Images at tripadvisor
• Images at greekhotel

Videos of Agios Nikolaos:

• Agios Nikolaos:

• Travel guide to Agios Nikolaos:

FLY TO AGIOS NIKOLAOS RESORT SIVOTA

Agios Nikolaos – Naoussa

AMMOS BEACH BAR AGIOS NIKOLAOS ZAKYNTHOS

agios nikolaos

AGIOS NIKOLAOS-CRETE

]]> http://travel-spots.com/2012/05/travel-agios-nikolaos-a-coastal-town-on-the-island-of-crete/feed/ 0 Travel – Elounda – a small fishing town which is on the northern coast of the island of Crete, Greece http://travel-spots.com/2012/04/travel-elounda-a-small-fishing-town-which-is-on-the-northern-coast-of-the-island-of-crete-greece/ http://travel-spots.com/2012/04/travel-elounda-a-small-fishing-town-which-is-on-the-northern-coast-of-the-island-of-crete-greece/#comments Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:07:01 +0000 Traveller http://travel-spots.com/?p=540 Elounda is a city in Crete (Elounda is also known as Elounta or Elouda). It is a small fishing town located on the northern coast of the island of Crete, Greece. Elounda is part of the municipality of Agios Nikolaos. The town has a fishing port and has several sandy beaches easily reachable from the [...]]]> Elounda is a city in Crete (Elounda is also known as Elounta or Elouda). It is a small fishing town located on the northern coast of the island of Crete, Greece. Elounda is part of the municipality of Agios Nikolaos. The town has a fishing port and has several sandy beaches easily reachable from the centre square. This port also offers boat trips to the island of Spinalonga. Further, there is a small sandy beach called Elounda in this city. On the Visit to Elounda & Spinalonga Island, there are Kritsa’s tourist shops from where one can buy some local hand woven linens, rugs, tablecloths and handicrafts.

Attractions of Elounda and around:
• Spinalonga Island: This Island is across the causeway from Elounda. This island is accessible by a boat from Elounda and the small village of Plaka. It is a popular tourist attraction in Crete. The name ‘Spinalonga’, means ‘Long Thorn’ that came from the Venitians, which is named after a small island near Venice. Kalidon is the official name. There is a fortress that was built on this island to protect the port of ancient Eloundians. Spinalonga Island is an archaeological site.
• Salt Pans: This is a 15th century site which had salt evaporation pans. These pans were used until the early 1970′s.
• Canal: This was built by the French engineers to ease trade between Elounda and Agioas Nikolaos.
• Elounda Village: This is a fishing village with many shops and beautifully situated restaurants too.
• Agios Nikolaos is a city or a coastal town on the island of Greek of Crete. The city lies to the east of the capital, Heraklion and to the north of lerapetra and to the west of sitia. This town is capital of Lasithi. The three faces to the sea of this town are The Lake & port, Kitroplatia beach and the Marina.

Beaches:
• Ammos (sandy public beach by the marina)
• Kitroplatia is the town centre (shingle & sand) beach.
• Ammoudi and Havania beaches (on the way to Elounda).
• Almiros & Ammoudara (sandy beaches with organized facilities, about 2.5 km east of Agios Nikolaos)
• Istron/Kalo Horio – 2 good beaches (10 km),
• Plaka pebble beach (16 km).

Golf: There are 2 golf courses in Crete; one is a 9-hole course and the other an 18-hole course. The first is available about 10 km from Agios Nikolaos located at the Porto Elounda resort. The other is the Crete Golf Club with full facilities golf course that is about 45 km (about 30 minutes drive) from Agios Nikolaos, between Hersonissos & Kastelli.
• Plaka village: This village is about 15 km from Agios Nikolaos. This has fish tavernas, cafes and a crystal clear pebble beach.
• Lake Voulismeni: This is a small lake which connects to the sea. It is situated at the centre of the town of Agios Nikolaos on the Greek island of Crete. The diameter of the lake is about 137 m and depth is about 64 m. This lake is connected to the harbour of the town with a channel. There is a small park around it. This lake is popular for the fireworks celebrations that happen on Orthodox Christian Easter day.
• The Cretan diet: This is a traditional local diet of the Mediterranean island of Crete, also called “Mediterranean diet” which is very popular in the place.
• The Archaeological Museum: This is a museum with exhibits from the whole of Eastern Crete, like the early Minoan cemetery of Mochlos, the Zakros palace, Lato and Elounda. There are plenty of coins ranging from about 330-350 BC to 200 AD exhibited here along with more than 1500 vases from that time.
• The Folklore Museum: This is a museum exhibiting woven textiles, embroideries, handicrafts and a model of an old traditional Cretan house along with Old photographs, paintings and costumes of the olden times.
• The Iris Museum: This museum is housed in a neoclassical building on the 28th Oktovriou pedestrian street that also holds a local flora exhibition.
• Walking: There are many routes and hikes, going through villages, hills and beaches which are ideal for walking.
• Diving: The scuba-diving centre is about 250 m from the lake.
• Almyros beach: This is a sandy beach entering the sea at the southern end. This beach offers a cooling paddle and is about a 20 minute walk from the town center. One can take a taxi from the town centre.

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit this place is in summer. One can expect showers between October and April. The temperatures are ideal from July to August.

Location on Google Maps:


View Larger Map

How to get there:
Agios Nikolaos (Crete) is about 40 miles from Herakleion Airport (HER). The journey takes about 45 – 60 minutes by car or taxi. Elounda is about 80 km from Heraklion Airport and it takes 60 – 75 minutes by car or taxi to Elounda.
By Bus: There are local bus services available in the place.

By Ferry:
Ferry services run to Agios Nikolaos from Athens (Piraeusport), Rhodes, Chalki, Karpathos and Kassos.
Major ferry lines operate to the port of Herakleion with buses connecting at the main bus station near to the port. Ferries run directly to the town via LANE lines from Pireaus and Rhodes. Take a connecting bus to Elounda from Agios Nikolaos.
By plane: The distance is 40 miles from Heraklion airport to Agios Nikolaos.

Getting around:
By Bus: Elounda, Kritsa, Sitia, Heraklion (and from there, Knossos), Malia and Hersonnisos are accessed with a regular bus service.
Among others are taxis, scooters, rent car facilities available in the place.

Some travel books from Amazon about Crete:

Frommer’s Crete Day by Day Lonely Planet Crete Heraklion, Crete (Greece) Travel Guide

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotels at Tripadvisor
• Restaurants at wikitravel
• Hotels at Wikitravel
• hotels at elounda
• Hotels at booking.com

Blogs / Sites about Elounda:

• Blogs and reviews at aluxurytravelblog
• Blogs and reviews at completely-crete
• Blogs and reviews at explorecrete
• Blogs and reviews at travelpod

Images and photos of Elounda:

• Images at google
• Images at tripadvisor
• Images at travel.webshots

Videos of Elounda:

Elounda

Spinalonga and Greek Flag

Luxury Resort in Greece | Domes of Elounda

Elounda 2010 – Skisma to Plaka

ELOUNDA 2008 and THEA RESTAURANT

Elounda Beach Party 2011 *** official video in HD

]]> http://travel-spots.com/2012/04/travel-elounda-a-small-fishing-town-which-is-on-the-northern-coast-of-the-island-of-crete-greece/feed/ 0 Travel – Stein am Rhein, a town known for its medieval and ancient street plans http://travel-spots.com/2011/03/travel-%e2%80%93-stein-am-rhein-a-town-known-for-its-medieval-and-ancient-street-plans/ http://travel-spots.com/2011/03/travel-%e2%80%93-stein-am-rhein-a-town-known-for-its-medieval-and-ancient-street-plans/#comments Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:05:56 +0000 Traveller http://travel-spots.com/?p=393 Stein am Rhein is in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland. It is a municipality and a town known for its medieval and ancient street plans. This medieval town has many buildings painted with beautiful frescoes, and is also famous for its facades and half-timbered houses. The city gates are still preserved and the whole [...]]]> Stein am Rhein is in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland. It is a municipality and a town known for its medieval and ancient street plans. This medieval town has many buildings painted with beautiful frescoes, and is also famous for its facades and half-timbered houses. The city gates are still preserved and the whole site has a city wall that was from medieval times. The town of Stein am Rhein lies at a point where the Lake Constance become the Rhine River. Stein am Rhein has an approximate area of 5.8 square kilometers (2.2 sq mi) with a population of approximately 3,189. Among the Swiss heritage sites of national significance are the three churches, the former monastery church of St. Georg, the former Benedictine monastery church of St. Georgen, the Castle Church (Kirche auf Burg), Schloss Hohenklingen that is above the town which is an older late-roman castle and the city walls.
The old city has six houses which are also municipal buildings. The former Inn Roter Ochsen at Rathausplatz 9, Haus Neubu at Bärengass 7, Haus zum Lindwurm at Understadt 18, Haus zum Weissen Adler at Oberstadt 1, Haus zur Vorderen Krone at Rathausplatz 7 and the Town Hall at Rathausplatz 1 are part of the inventory.
This town has received the very first Wakker Prize. The place displays old times, old construction and architecture. Taking a town walk is like being in old times. Most of the structures here are intact and reserved without disturbance. The best part is that this place is a tour of history and natural beauty. One can reach this place by road, by train and by boat as well.
Stein am Rhein offers a wide variety of art, culture, culinary delights and outdoor activities and The Lindwurm Museum, the island group of Werd, the chapel, Rhein Fall, The monastery, Burg Hohenklingen, view from the Rheinbrücke, Stadtbrunnen, The Stadtkirche, the Kupferberg House are the places of interest.

Places to see:

• The Lindwurm Museum: It depicts the 19th century bourgeois and agricultural life.
• The island group of Werd: It is a famous excursion destination in Stein am Rhein.
• The chapel: It is the oldest house of worship in the Canton of Schaffhausen and is a church that is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. This church is in the midst of wall remnants of the Roman fortress Tasgetium and dates back to the 3rd century A.D.
• Rhein Fall: This is the Rhein River going down a fall.
• The monastery: The Monastery St George is at the end of the town and dates back to the 12th century. It was for 400 years a Benedictine Abbey. This monastery has all its carved ceilings, tiles floors, painted wall and the interior of the old times intact even after the reformation.
• Burg Hohenklingen: This castle was built high above the town in 1225. It depicts the history of Stein am Rhein and dated back to 12th century. It is located on the hill on the north side of the River Rhein. One can overlook the town. There are views of river and town that is visible from the top floor of the restaurant.
• View from the Rheinbrücke: There is a bridge on the Rhine to Lake Constance. One can enjoy the view of the lake and the environment.
• Stadtbrunnen – the Town Fountain: There is a fountain in the main square of the city on which there is a little statue of a soldier and it dates back to 16th century.
• The Stadtkirche: There is a Romanish Basilica dated back to the 12th century. In its choir and the north chapel there are paintings that date around 1450.
• The Kupferberg House: This is a slate framework construction which was home of coppersmiths from 1803 to 1861.

How to get there
• By the road: The trip from Zurich takes less than an hour by car. Head north on N1 until a point near Winterthur, where you connect with E41 going north to Schaffhausen. This route becomes N4, connecting with Route 13, heading east toward Stein-am-Rhein.
• By train: Stein-am-Rhein lies midway along the railway link connecting Schaffhausen with Kreuzlingen, on the edge of Lake Constance. From Zurich, passengers take an express train to Winterthur and change to local train to Stein-am-Rhein which takes 1hour 20 minutes.
• By Boat: Take boat from Schaffhausen – Konstanz / Kreuzlingen. There are four starts from Schaffhausen.

Best time to visit / climate:
The best time to visit is summer.
Stein am Rhein offers a wide variety of art, culture, culinary delights and outdoor activities.
The Lindwurm Museum, the island group of Werd, the chapel, Rhein Fall, The monastery, Burg Hohenklingen, view from the Rheinbrücke, Stadtbrunnen, The Stadtkirche, the Kupferberg House are the places to see and the weather is right for summer.

Location on Google Maps:


View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Booking.com
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• http://www.chlosterhof.com/
• http://www.agoda.com/europe/switzerland/stein_am_rhein.html (cheap deals)
• http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Stein_Am_Rhein.htm
• http://www.hotels-and-more.ch/en/schaffhausen/stein-am-rhein/

Blogs / Sites about Stein am Rhein:

• Tripadvisor
• Travelpod
• http://www.travbuddy.com/Rheinfels-Hotel-Stein-Am-Rhein-v264032
• http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=550068
• http://realtravel.com/d-19333-stein_am_rhein
• http://www.frommers.com/destinations/stein-am-rhein/2568_maps.html
• http://frickandfrack.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/stein-am-rhein-is-fine/
• Virtualtourist

Images and photos of Stein am Rhein:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stein_am_Rhein#Gallery
• Google Search
• Trekearth
• Virtualtourist
• http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g199034-Stein_am_Rhein.html
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/7455207@N05/1849581600/
• http://www.luxurytraveler.com/stein_am_rhein.html

Videos of Stein am Rhein (Google Search)

Switzerland: Stein am Rhein and its frescoes

Switzerland: Stein am Rhein, St. George’s Abbey

Stein Am Rhein-Part 1

Stein Am Rhein-Part 2

]]> http://travel-spots.com/2011/03/travel-%e2%80%93-stein-am-rhein-a-town-known-for-its-medieval-and-ancient-street-plans/feed/ 0 Travel – Pontresina, a place known for hiking and climbing, in Switzerland http://travel-spots.com/2011/02/travel-%e2%80%93-pontresina-a-place-known-for-hiking-and-climbing-in-switzerland/ http://travel-spots.com/2011/02/travel-%e2%80%93-pontresina-a-place-known-for-hiking-and-climbing-in-switzerland/#comments Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:28:48 +0000 Traveller http://travel-spots.com/?p=390 Pontresina is in the district of Maloja and Oberengadin sub-district. It is a municipality in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is at an altitude of 1820 metres. It is on the highest side of Engadine on the upper side. In medieval times, this city was known as “Pontem sarasinam” and later as “de [...]]]> Pontresina is in the district of Maloja and Oberengadin sub-district. It is a municipality in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is at an altitude of 1820 metres. It is on the highest side of Engadine on the upper side. In medieval times, this city was known as “Pontem sarasinam” and later as “de Ponte Sarraceno” and “ponte sarracin”. Pontresina has an approximate area of 118.2 square kilometers (45.6 sq mi). Pontresina has approximately a population size of about 2,004. The official languages of Pontresina are German; Italian is the second most and Portuguese is the third most spoken language.
It is in the highest altitude valley of Val Bernina. This valley branches off the Upper Engadin Valley. Its neighbour is St. Moritz. It is on a south-west facing just 7 km from St. Moritz. This village has sections of Laret, San Spiert as well as Giarsun including Muragls.
Pontresina has pine and larch forests around the Engadine resort and this spa town.
The Morteratsch Glacier and the Roseg Glaciers are the nearby glaciers of Pontresina. As a matter of convenience, there is a ski lift in Morteratsch. There is a cross country ski trail along the Roseg valley. Among the Swiss heritage sites of national significance are The Church of S. Maria, Grand Hotel Kronenhof and the Spaniola tower. There is a village church which was a parish church in old times which has a Ramanesque structure. It has paintings of those times. The walls, north and west and the tower date back to the 12th century.
This place is also known for hiking and climbing. The architectural blend of fine old Engadine houses with their typical “graffito” (decorated walls) dated back from the 17/18th centuries are worth seeing. The hotels are elegant and in Belle Epoque style.
The Bernina railway line is about 2330 m high on Bernina Pass towards Italy and this rail ride passes the Morteratsch glacier. From the station of Bernia, the view is spectacular of the mountain lake of Lago Nero and Lago Biasnco. A wide variety of Puschlav valley that is in southern Grisons can be seen from the Alp Grum stop.

Highlights
• Diavolezza – It is a panorama mountain which has a mountain restaurant at a height of 3000 m, skiing area and via ferrata climb. There is also a high-altitude cross-country track and glacier walks.
• Rosegtal (Val Roseg) – this is a car-free valley which is a delightful route for walking, biking or cross-country skiing. One can also go for trips on a horse-drawn carriage. There are options for sledge through beautiful larch woods. There are beautiful views of the peaks and glaciers of the Bernina range.
• Bernina railway line – The Bernina railway line is about 2330 m high on Bernina Pass towards Italy and this rail ride passes the Morteratsch glacier. From the station of Bernia, the view is spectacular of the mountain lake of Lago Nero and Lago Bianco. A wide variety of Puschlav valley that is in southern Grisons can be seen from the Alp Grum stop. There is a narrow gauge route across Bernia. This railway line goes into the Veltlin over the Italian border.
• Muottas Muragl: This is a funicular railway that takes to the 2453 m peak. This peak is right for walking and panoramic views, between Samedan and Pontresina along with views over the lakes of the Upper Engadine.
• Upper Engadine – This is an extremely popular holiday region. There is alpine setting at an altitude of 1800 m. There is a world-famous resort of St. Moritz.
• Museum Alpin in Pontresina – This museum is about the development of summer and winter tourism, hunting, wildlife and the environment, with collection of minerals.
• Touring in Engadine: The road trip to Engadine has beautiful and magnificent view of the trail heads, villages.

How to get there
There are several bus lines of the Engadin Bus Company and a chair lift for skiing. Pontresina can be reached by reaching St. Moritz from where it is only 7 kilometers. St. Moritz has its own railway station and a small airport where mostly all links of trains are available.

From St. Moritz to Pontresina
By car:
The route goes from Zurich to Chur, via Thusis and Tiefencastel, either crossing the Julier pass or the Albula Pass to St. Moritz to Pontresina.

By train: From Zurich one can take a train to Landquart and change to St. Moritz. The trains are available from Zurich each hour.

By air: One can fly to Zurich International Airport. From there either take a car route or train route to reach Pontresina.

The best way to reach the resort is to use the plane-car or plane-train combination. Zurich is the most convenient and closest airport.

Directly to Pontresina.
By car:
From Zurich take the road to Chur and there drive south on the A13. It will take you on the route 417/3, which goes to Pontresina. A second option is to take the A3 or A1 autobahn from Zurich International Airport, which go to Chur. From Chur continue following the above-described directions.

By train: There are four connections from Zurich to Pontresina and takes up to four hours.

Best time to visit / climate:
The place is right for both the weathers.
Summer
There are funicular railway rides to Val Roseg (Rosegtal) and the Muottas Muragl (2453 m), tours to upper Engadine, the alpine walk from Muottas Muragl to Alp Languard and the Nordic walking trails etc., to enjoy in summer at Pontresina with each of them having spectacular mountain views. Biking is another option.
Winter
The ski area on Piz Lagalb (2959 m), the Diavolezza (2973 m), with its 3 lifts and 9 km of slopes and other skiing areas in the Engadine, offering over 50 lifts and about 350 km of slopes, 200 km of cross-country skiing track and the high-altitude track on the Diavolezza that is 12 km long along with 45 km of walking trail are the places for enjoying a perfect winter in Pontresina.

Location on Google Maps:


View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Booking.com
• Myswitzerland.com
• tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• Virtualtourist (list of restaurants)
• http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Pontresina.htm
• http://www.albris.ch/
• http://www.allegrahotel.ch/
• http://www.travbuddy.com/Albris-Hotel-Pontresina-v137334
• Wikio.com

Blogs / Sites about Pontresina

• Tripadvisor
• Travelpod
• http://realtravel.com/d-33997-pontresina
• http://www.travbuddy.com/Albris-Hotel-Pontresina-v137334
• http://www.travelpost.com/hotels/Pontresina/d47345/p2
• Virtualtourist

Images and photos of Pontresina:

• Google Search
• Tripadvisor
• http://en.escapio.com/hotel/hotel-saratz/pictures
• europe-mountains.com
• http://www.zoover.co.uk/switzerland/graubunden/pontresina/photos
• Trekearth
• http://wiki.worldflicks.org/pontresina.html
• Virtualtourist

Videos of Pontresina (Google Search)

PONTRESINA SWITZERLAND-1

Pontresina is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.

Sunset Trail Pontresina

Pontresina and its high standing events

]]> http://travel-spots.com/2011/02/travel-%e2%80%93-pontresina-a-place-known-for-hiking-and-climbing-in-switzerland/feed/ 0 Travel – Gstaad, a good place to go for skiing, in Switzerland http://travel-spots.com/2011/02/travel-%e2%80%93-gstaad-a-good-place-to-go-for-skiing-in-switzerland/ http://travel-spots.com/2011/02/travel-%e2%80%93-gstaad-a-good-place-to-go-for-skiing-in-switzerland/#comments Sun, 06 Feb 2011 17:10:30 +0000 Traveller http://travel-spots.com/?p=388 Gstaad is in the Canton of Berne, located in the southwestern part of Switzerland. Gstaad is a village in the German-speaking section of Berne. It is a municipality of Saanen. It is a very famous ski resort. The Institute le Rosey’s winter campus is held here every year. It is located 1,050 meters (3,440 ft) [...]]]> Gstaad is in the Canton of Berne, located in the southwestern part of Switzerland. Gstaad is a village in the German-speaking section of Berne. It is a municipality of Saanen. It is a very famous ski resort. The Institute le Rosey’s winter campus is held here every year. It is located 1,050 meters (3,440 ft) above sea level. Gstaad has a population of approximately 2,500. It is known for its luxurious hotels, chalets and costly shopping, dining and international stars. It is the home for skiing in the Alps, located in Berner Oberland. It has exquisite shops and gourmet restaurants. It also has hiking and walking trails with enjoyment of mountain air and view. The Gstaad-Saanenland region comes in pair for touring. Gstaad is known for its international celebrities like actresses Julie Andrews and Elizabeth Taylor, legendary French actress Jeanne Moreau, French singer Johnny Hallyday, violinist Yehudi Menuhin, Prince Rainier and author Richard Scarry etc.
In summer, Gstaad offers hiking trails of over 300 kilometers, mountain biking, paragliding and golf. Take a ride on river Saane, cross-country skiing in the glacier and toboggan run in Schönried via ferrata and the Lake Lauenen are other places of interest in summer.
In winter, 250 km of pistes at altitudes of up to 3000 meters above sea level attracts skiers and snowboard riders. The snow parks and toboggan runs of about 80km trails and skating, curling and skiing are the winter attractions of the place. This place is also known for Bavarian curling in the centre of Gstaad and glacier- and heli-skiing and riding a horse-drawn sleigh.

Top Events
In Gstaad, the following regular events are held:
• “ProCivitas week” 10-17 February
• International Balloon Festival in Châteux-d’Oex – This event takes place in January and is the most important Alpine balloon event with about 90 hot-air balloons in a variety of shapes and colours.
• The Allianz Suisse Open Gstaad tennis tournament: – This event takes place in July and is an international ATP Tennis Tournament with elite players.
• Davidoff Saveurs Gstaad – This event takes place in July and is a celebration of authentic flavors from kitchen, cellar and humidor.
• The “Menuhin Festival” classical music summer series: – This event takes place from July – September and is a summer music festival in honor of the great violinist and conductor.
• The “Hublot Polo Gold Cup” polo tournament: – This event takes place in August and features an international team riding fiery Arab horses fighting for victory.
• Country Night Gstaad – leading country event encompassing a wide musical spectrum (September).
• Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad or the “1to1 energy open” beach volleyball tournament: – This event takes place in February – March and is an intimate festival of classical music in spring.
There are many neighbouring resorts of Saanen, Rougemont, Schönried, Saanenmöser, Zweisimmen, Gsteig and Lauenen. The Saanenland is the nature preserve by Lake Lauenen with its waterfalls and high moors, the narrow streets in the historic village centre of Saanen.
The Saanenland ski and hiking arena has more than 60 transport facilities which can be accessed from several villages. The Montreux-Oberland-Railways (MOB) and buses connect Gstaad with other base stations in Saanenmöser, Schönried, Zweisimmen, Gsteig, Reusch, Lauenen Rougemont and Château-d’Oex in the French-speaking neighbouring region of Pays d’Enhaut.
Highlights
• Gourmet restaurants – There are almost thirteen renowned restaurants in the gourmet’s paradise of Gstaad. This includes the Restaurant Chesery which has been awarded 18 Gault Millau points.
• Lake Lauenen – This is an idyllic mountain lake. One can take a dip in or just walk along it. It also has a restaurant for mountain bikers and walkers.
• Scooter fun – Wispile-Gstaad or Sparenmoos-Zweisimmen offer fast descents on special scooters.
• Golden Pass panorama railway – The journey from Montreux on Lake Geneva via Gstaad to Lake Thun and from there on to Lucerne in Central Switzerland can be taken by the Golden Pass railway.

How to get there:

Gstaad is in the MOB (Montreux Oberland Bernois) railway line which runs from Montreux to Zweisimmen. The other trains are Golden Pass Panoramic or Classic trains. These Panoramic carriages enables one to see the splendid views of Lake Geneva.The Classic carriages are all wood-lined and with service. The trip from Montreux to Gstaad is beautiful with the scenery. During the Montreux Jazz festival there is a special jazz train with live music in dedicated carriages.

Best time to visit / climate:

In summer, Gstaad offers hiking trail of over 300 kilometers, mountain biking, paragliding and golf. Take a ride on river Saane, cross-country skiing in the glacier and toboggan run in Schönried via ferrata and the Lake Lauenen are other places of interest in summer.
In winter, 250 km of pistes at altitudes of up to 3000 meters above sea level attracts skiers and snowboard riders. The snow parks and toboggan runs of about 80km trails and skating, curling and skiing are the winter attractions of the place. This place is also known for Bavarian curling in the centre of Gstaad and glacier- and heli-skiing and riding a horse-drawn sleigh.

Location on Google Maps:


View Hallenbad im Sportzentrum Gstaad in a larger map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• http://wikitravel.org/en/Gstaad#Eat (list of restaurants)
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Gstaad#Sleep (list of hotels)
• http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/hotels/index.cfm/berneroberland/gstaad
• Booking.com
• http://www.gstaad.ch/en/
• http://www.palace.ch/
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• http://www.frommers.com/destinations/gstaad/2582_inddin.html (list of restaurants with reviews)

Blogs / Sites about Gstaad:

• http://www.gstaad.ch/en/
• Tripadvisor
• http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-city/Switzerland/Gstaad/tpod.html
• http://ladyantebellum.com/media/videos/blog-gstaad-need-you-now
• http://www.hereorthere.com/members/charlotte/experience/356
• http://www.travellerspoint.com/budget-accommodation-en-ci-475.html
• Virtualtourist

Images and photos of Gstaad:

• Google Search
• Tripadvisor
• http://www.picture-newsletter.com/country/index.htm
• worldtravels.com
• mlmagazine
• http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Switzerland/West/Bern/gstaad/
• virtualtourist.com

Videos of Gstaad (on Google search)

Gstaad Palace, Hotel, Schweiz – Magic in the Mountains

GSTAAD – Skiing

Extreme skiing in Gstaad, Switzerland

Gstaad Switzerland

Snowboarding in Gstaad

]]> http://travel-spots.com/2011/02/travel-%e2%80%93-gstaad-a-good-place-to-go-for-skiing-in-switzerland/feed/ 0 Travel – Spiez, located on the south shore of Lake Thun http://travel-spots.com/2011/02/travel-%e2%80%93-spiez-located-on-the-south-shore-of-lake-thun/ http://travel-spots.com/2011/02/travel-%e2%80%93-spiez-located-on-the-south-shore-of-lake-thun/#comments Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:54:02 +0000 Traveller http://travel-spots.com/?p=385 Spiez is in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district. It is a city in the canton of Bern in Switzerland and is located 11 kilometers on the south shore of Lake Thun. It is known for its waterside castle and lake views. It is a resort village surrounded with mountains. The Old town or Stadtli and the [...]]]> Spiez is in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district. It is a city in the canton of Bern in Switzerland and is located 11 kilometers on the south shore of Lake Thun. It is known for its waterside castle and lake views. It is a resort village surrounded with mountains.
The Old town or Stadtli and the train station are a major shopping area of Spiez. One can find boats from Thun and Interlaken. Schloss Spiez, which is a medieval castle, is a fifteenth / sixteenth century castle. It is usually open from April to October. This castle was the residence of Stretlingen family and then passed to noble dynasties of Bernese. Spiez is also having a renowned sailing school. The town has tiny lanes and yachts are filled in the bay.
The place of Spiez is populated with Germans and Swiss-Germans. The lake is surrounded with restaurants, tearooms and pizzerias.

Things to do:

• Hiking: Homebase Spiez
The peaks around Spiez are good for hiking. One can take a train or bus to reach the area. The right peak behind is Nisen which can be reached by a post auto. One can get to or back by train and enjoy the view around.
Stockhorn is another alpine mountain to hike. The starting point is Erlenbach which is 15 minutes from Spiez by train. Take a ride towards Zweissimen. To go to the peak, one can take a cable car or hike or reach there and hike. This hike is unique as the peak is above 400 metre cliff.
There are a few fantastic peaks that will definitely be great hikes starting from Spiez (by train or bus). The peak right behind Spiez is the Nisen. A post auto (bus) can take you to a variety of base locations, and there is a train that can take you down at the end of a tired day, or take you up just for the view.

• Cruising-day tickets in spring for both lakes
In spring one can get a day ticket for Thunersee and Brienzersee.
This ticket will include all of the cruises. Take the train between Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West.

Places to see:

• Schloss Spiez – a great medieval palace
The Schloss or the castle of Spiez is a medieval palace known for its architecture dating back to 10th century. It has old walls of the century. It has the 18th century architecture now because of the renovations taken place. It has fancy baroque furniture and ornate decorations, lovely stucco-works and frescos now.
• Step up the tower
A set of steps leads upwards to the tower of the castle of Schloss Spiez. The tower is 39 meters high and belongs to the year 1200. These steps have a panorama-view of the vineyards that are next to the castle, the village of Spiez with the Niesen and the lovely Thunersee.

• Lovely house
Next to the chapel of St.Columban, there is a house with a great balcony facing the Thuner See and a nice painting behind that balcony. One can view this on the way from the lake.

• Festsaal / the hall for festivities
One of the largest and spectacular rooms of the Schloss Spiez is the Festsall, which means the hall for festivities. The sidewalls, the ceilings have unique stucco-works all over it and they are believed to be made by Antonio Castello from Melide. These are unique and original as they have not been renovated or disturbed.

• Great interior of the Schloss Spiez
The interiors of the castle are open in the summer season. It opening starts on Friday before Easter. There is a medieval bed which is unique in style.

• Interior of the castle
In the castle one can see interesting exhibits. These exhibits belong to different centuries. There is a giant painting, wooden ceilings, spinning-wheel, painting of Swiss history etc.

• Spiez & its flowers
The lovely flower-arrangement of Spiez is one of the things you should not miss. This can be watched only if you take the path to the castle as it is in midway to castle. One can see some great wooden houses in the old Swiss style.

• Ship to Schloss Oberhofen
Take the ship from Spiez to Schloss Oberhofen in summer as it gives one a view of the castle and the surrounding park. The museum there is open between mid of May and mid of October.

• St.Columban – a popular wedding-chapel
Just a few meters from the castle of Spiez are the St. Columban chapel. It belongs to the 10th century. This church is a place for marriages in Switzerland and hence known the wedding-chapel.

How to get there

• Cisalpino (CIS) tilting trains
The Cisalpino Company is an Italian-Swiss joint venture with the Italian and Swiss railway systems as equal partners. Cisaplino tilting trains have been running through the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. These tilting trains can lean on curves and ideal for mountain routes rather than normal trains.
The trains between Switzerland and Italy are operated directly by the Swiss and Italian railways, mainly under the name “EuroCity”.

• Transportation hub:
Spiez is a major transportation hub. Two important rail routes meet her: the Lötschberg-Simplon route from Germany through Switzerland (Basel – Bern – Brig) to Italy and the Golden Pass trains from Montreux via Gstaad and Interlaken to Lucerne (continues to Zurich).

• Veloland Switzerland
There are two different bicycle routes, one for normal bicycles and one for mountain bikes.
Spiez is on the Swiss national cycling route number 8, called the “Aare Route” because it follows along the Aare River from its source to the Rhine, and number 9, the “Montreux–Rorschach” route. And there is a mountain bike route going to Leissingen, Krattigen and Aeschi.

• InterCityExpress (ICE) trains from Germany
Within Germany there is one ICE train per hour on most routes. Five of these ICE trains per day go beyond Basel into Switzerland, stopping at Olten, Bern, Thun, Spiez and Interlaken. For connections to Italy, you have to change trains at Spiez, at the latest.
The journey from Frankfurt to Spiez takes four hours and forty-one minutes.

• Take the train to Spiez
Spiez has its own train station and from Interlaken to Bern, almost all the trains halt here.

Best time to visit / climate:

The place is ideal to visit in summer as the castle is open in summer and you can see the interior of the castle as well. The other places, lake, cruising, hiking are all ideal in the weather of summer. The right peak behind is Nisen which can be reached by a post auto. One can get to or back by train and enjoy the view around.
Stockhorn is another alpine mountain to hike. The starting point is Erlenbach which is 15 minutes from Spiez by train. Take a ride towards Zweissimen. To go to the peak, one can take a cable car or hike or reach there and hike. This hike is unique as the peak is above 400 metre cliff.

Location on Google Maps:


View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website):

• Travelpod
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• http://www.kayak.com/Spiez-Hotels.48838.hotel.ksp
• Booking.com
• http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/hotels/index.cfm/berneroberland/spiez
• http://www.holidaycityeurope.com/spiezhotels/
• http://www.eden-spiez.ch/de_neu/
• http://www.switzerlandhotel.net/spiez_hotels.html
• http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-489208-spiez_switzerland_vacations-i
• Virtualtourist (list of restaurants, list of hotels)

Blogs / Sites about Spiez:

• Travelpod
• http://www.tripadvisor.com/AllReviews-g580339-Spiez.html
• Travelpod.ca
• lonelyplanet
• http://realtravel.com/dm-22015-spiez_maps
• http://www.travbuddy.com/Spiez-travel-blogs-1192293
• http://lerlop.com/2009/07/berner-oberland-switzerland/
• http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-mountain-scene-spiez-switzerland-image15439233

Images and photos of Spiez:

• Google Search
• Travelpod
• http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Switzerland/West/Bern/Spiez/
• http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g580339-Spiez.html
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/eaglesky/4863206230/
• schweiz-bilder.ch

Videos of Spiez (Google Search)

The Trip Chicks in Spiez Switzerland

Morning Bells, Spiez, Switzerland

A beautiful scenery of Spiez

Switzerland.Spiez

]]> http://travel-spots.com/2011/02/travel-%e2%80%93-spiez-located-on-the-south-shore-of-lake-thun/feed/ 0 Travel – Samnaun – located as a duty free area in Switzerland http://travel-spots.com/2011/01/travel-%e2%80%93-samnaun-%e2%80%93-located-as-a-duty-free-area-in-switzerland/ http://travel-spots.com/2011/01/travel-%e2%80%93-samnaun-%e2%80%93-located-as-a-duty-free-area-in-switzerland/#comments Wed, 19 Jan 2011 05:56:47 +0000 Traveller http://travel-spots.com/?p=383 Samnaun is in the district of Inn in the Swiss Canton. It is a municipality in Canton of Graubunden in Switzerland. This is a valley for the villages Tschlin and Ramosch and was used as a pasture. In the 12th century, farm houses and fields were gifted to Marienberg Abbey by the counts of Tarasp. [...]]]> Samnaun is in the district of Inn in the Swiss Canton. It is a municipality in Canton of Graubunden in Switzerland. This is a valley for the villages Tschlin and Ramosch and was used as a pasture. In the 12th century, farm houses and fields were gifted to Marienberg Abbey by the counts of Tarasp. It is spread from 1,700 and 2,900 meters.
Located close to the Austrian border, this place is a duty-free area for Swiss customs.There are four villages, Samnaun-Dorf (at the end of the road going through the area), Compatsch, Laret and Ravaisch, inside the Samnaun area. Ischgl is a ski centre in Sumnaun on the Austrian side on the border. It is the largest, as well as the liveliest ski area in the Eastern Alps.
It has an area of 56.2 square kilometers (21.7 sq mi) and has a population of approximately about 813. The official language of Samnaun is German and Portugese is the second and Serbo-Croatian is third most speaking language of Sumnaun. Bavarian dialect is the form of German spoken by Samnaun residents. Samnaun has known for its world’s first double-decker cable car which was the biggest ever of the time and the capacity is to carry over 180 skiers at a time.
This is a Swiss ski resort which has access to 200km of downhill skiing, with 70 individual pistes, served by 40 ski lifts. It is at an altitude of 1500 meters skiing is ideal and with pistes above 2500metres, snowboarding and skiing is perfect. There are two skii schools in Samnaun and they are the First Ski- and Snowboard School Samnaun and Swiss Snowsport School Samnaun.

Things to do:
Snowmaking: – Samnaun has 260 Snow Cannons and hence snowmaking is one of the best deals in winter.
Ski Lift Capacity: – The 40 Ski Lifts of Samnaun can carry or uplift up to 78,500 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

Skiing in Samnaun and Snowshoe trekking:
Samnaun offers good skiing. Swiss ski resort which has access to 200km of downhill skiing, with 70 individual pistes, served by 40 ski lifts. It is at an altitude of 1500 meters skiing is ideal and with pistes above 2500metres, snowboarding and skiing is perfect. It offers a total of the 235 piste kilometers for skiing.

Cross-Country Skiing: Samnaun has a total of 7 kilometers for cross-country skiing.

Snowboarding in Samnaun: Boarder’s Paradise is one of the biggest snow parks in Europe, ideal for Snowboarding. Along with this, 1500 meters ski area and 2500metres areas of pistes give a broad chance of Snowboarding.

Ice sports: There are many opportunities on the natural ice field “Clis da Ravaisch” between Samnaun village and Samnaun Ravaisch.
Winter Hikes. There are about 40 km of winter hiking paths with beautiful views of the Samnaun landscape.

Tobogganing: There are two natural tobogganing tracks with a spectacular view of Samnaun valley.

The Top events of Samnaun:
Clau Wau – This event occurs at the beginning of December. This event is Clau Wau Santa Claus world championships that take place every winter. Every Christmas, the Santa Claus has to drag sack full of gifts through wind and weather, to all, young and old and the best becomes the champion of the year.

Spring Snow Festival: This festival takes place in the last week of April. This is an international spring snow festival in the midst of the Silvretta Arena Samnaun/Ischgl. It is a rock music celebration and electrifying concerns.

International Silvretta Schüler-Cup: This international competition takes place in April where more than 500 kids take part in a ski race. This takes place at the Alp Trida in the Silvretta Arena Samnaun / Ischgl.

Synchro Ski world cup: This event takes place in January at the Musella-Hang in Samnaun Dorf where groups have to ride down the steep hill Musella. This is an exciting event of the year.

Moonlight skiing: Skiing under the moonlight is a special experience in the the Silvretta Arena Samnaun / Ischgl, up the alp Trider Sattel. There is a ski run to Skihaus Alp Trida and is supposedly the first to be known in moonlight. Moonlight is the only source of light for the ski run.

Places to see:
Alpenquell experience bath: The valley offers a visit to the Alpenquell experience baths. It is the highest situated bath centre of Switzerland that is 1,715 meters above. It also has sport swimming pool, ice-cool springs, whirlpool, massage jets and steam cabins.
Library: This is a well known Samnaun library with huge collections of books and best sellers. It is situated in the school premises of Samnaun Compatsch.
Butts: The House Panorama in Samnaun village offers shooting bull’s eye. If one is interested a rifle-range (butts), this place is the right one to try.

How to get there
By Air: The two nearest major airports are in Zürich and Innsbruck from which Samnaun can be reached by bus.
By Bus: The Swiss part of the valley is served by a frequent bus which can be used free of charge.
By Car: To reach Samnaun there are two roads-one that comes from Austria and the other is Swiss road, from Engadin.
The easier one is from Austria which comes from Landeck. When coming from Landeck, about a few km after the village Pfunds the road begins and a few meters before the road to St. Moritz – Engadin, there is the Austrian side of the Samnaun. The Swiss road is from Engadin road, starting at Martina, is considered difficult with tunnels, traffic etc. The biggest possible car coming across here is the Swiss post bus.

Double Decker Gondola: Samnaun had the world’s first double Decker Gondola. It carries 180 people up to the skiing area.
Ski bus: Samnaun has got a free Ski bus which connects the villages with each other and the gondola station. There is an “Ortsbus” too, it connects all the villages (incl. the villages which can’t be reached with the ski bus because the streets are to narrow). This service is free for guests of Samnaun.

Public Transport: Samnaun can be reached easily from Switzerland and Austria by public transport. A bus connects Samnaun with Scuol-Tarasp and Landeck about 4-6 times a day. Scuol Tarasp can be reached from any part of switzerland via Zürich-Landquart and the Vereina Tunnel. Landeck is on the Arlberg Mainline.

Best time to visit / climate:

The place has its own activities for summer and winter. But the ideal time is winter as there are many events and sports to enjoy.
In winter, Sumnaun is a place for skiing cross-country or snow-shoe trek, snowboarding and sledging. It lasts from the end of November to early May. In summer, shopping jewellery, Swiss watches, alcohol and tobacco and viewing the nature and mountains is ideal in Sumnaun along with sports like hiking, biking or tennis. Ischgl is a ski centre in Sumnaun on the Austrian side on the border. It is the largest, as well as the liveliest ski area in the Eastern Alps.

Location on Google Maps:


View Larger Map

Directions from Zurich to Samnaun:


View Larger Map

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants):

• Booking.com
• MySwitzerland
• http://www.samnaun.ch/en/navpage-AccSAMN.html
• Tripadvisor (list of hotels)
• http://www.ski-austria.com/ischgl/samnaun.php
• http://www.samnaunhotels.com/
• http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Samnaun.htm
• Hotel-Homann
• Virtualtourist (list of restaurants)
• Virtualtourist (list of hotels)
• Samnaun.ch
• http://realtravel.com/dh-34546-samnaun_hotels

Blogs / Sites about Samnaun:

• Tripadvisor
• Travelpod
• http://www.travbuddy.com/Post-Hotel-Samnaun-v138670
• http://www.kosmix.com/topic/samnaun/Blog-Posts
• onthesnow
• http://realtravel.com/d-34546-samnaun
• http://blog.eurail.com/index.php/2008/eurail/in-samnaun/
• Virtualtourist

Images and photos of Samnaun:

• http://realtravel.com/dp-34546-0-samnaun_photos
• Google Images
• Virtualtourist
• Tripadvisor
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/17259476@N00/4500219187/
• http://www.webshots.com/explains/sports/samnaun.html
• http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Samnaun

Videos of Samnaun (link)

Samnaun 2010

Samnaun 2008

Skiing in Samnaun – The black summit @ 100+ km/h

Slalom Samnaun

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