Spring Break in Mexico (http://generationytravel.com/)

Yep, it’s that time of year again… Spring Break!!! Get out your bikini and your swimming trunks and head for a week of indulgence in the sun, sea and sand….

Here are a few suggestions on where to spend Spring Break in Mexico, to suit all styles of holiday from fun packed, relaxing or a bit of both….holiday rental accommodation options have also been provided, courtesy of Viarentals.com – click on the images for details on pricing and availability.

Cancun for a Fun packed Spring Break - Known as ‘The Mexican Caribbean’ and a world famous tourist resort, providing everything a tourist needs for a fun beach break with a lively night life. Apart from the beautiful sea and endless beaches, must-sees include Nichupté Lagoon (for boating excursions and jet-ski jungle tours), the Mayan ruins and the Museo Subacuatico de Arte (Underwater Museum).

2 bedroom affordable condo in Cancun resort with double balcony sea views, close to amenities

Puerto Morelos for Peace and Tranquility - This is the place for a serene and relaxing break away from the crowds of Cancun. It’s located between Cancun and Playa del Carmen and is wonderful for sports fishing and diving, with access to the second largest reef system in the world, the Great Mesoamerican Reef. This small fishing village is perfect for a quiet Spring Break.

Oceanfront Puerto Morelos two bedroom, two bathroom condo with pool in charming, authentic Mexican fishing village only 15 minutes from Cancun

Playa del Carmen for the Best of Both Worlds - Situated just south of Cancun, it’s a quieter resort hosting fantastic scuba diving in both the sea and fresh water – visit the cenote for fresh water diving. The community of Playa del Carmen does its best to maintain this town’s fishing village ambiance but nevertheless has the usual facilities such as great shopping, all inclusive resorts, a golf course and of course Mayan and nature trails.

New beachfront condo complex in Playa del Carmen, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, balcony and swimming pool near all amenties

References: wikipedia.com

California Wine Country (seawindwines.com)

There’s a lot more to California than Hollywood, sun beaten palm trees and raisins…here’s 5 reasons why you should visit the Sunshine State…

1. California’s Cities – In one US state, we find two of the world’s best cities – San Francisco and Los Angeles. San Francisco, known as the ‘Paris of the West’ thanks to it’s European-esque style and Los Angeles, ‘La La Land’ where dreams come true.

2. California Wine Country – introduced by Spanish Missionaries in the 18th Century, California now produces more wine than Australia and if it were a country, would be the 4th largest wine producing country. Producing world class wine that has been known to rival the French, California has over 1,200 wineries including those of Ernest Julio Gallo and Robert Mondavi. Popular spots for visitors are Napa Valley and Sonoma County.

3. California’s Nature Parks – Yosemite National Park is a huge national park and almost all of it is class as “wilderness” unmodified by human interference – a very rare sight these days and consequently has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sequoia National Park contains the largest tree on the planet and is quite a feeling to be surrounded by such giant trees.

Yosemite National Park (wallpaper-s.org)

4. California’s Coastline – bathed in sunshine the California coastline is extensive and beautiful. With areas for surfing and calmer areas to swim, the North Pacific Sea provides the perfect compliment to California’s sun filled climate.

5. California’s Theme Parks – SeaWorld, Six Flags, Universal Studios and of course the theme park of all theme parks Disneyland, California has some of the world’s best theme parks for you to escape reality and have a lot of fun in the world of make-believe.

A destination where you can visit the sea and the mountains and escape to nature and the dream world – why wouldn’t you visit?

Stunning new 3 bedroom house with view of Lake Tahoe. House features panoramic windows and luxurious underfloor heating, swedish sauna and proximity to Ski station

There are some wonderful rental properties in California for you to stay in and sample the Sunshine State.

Take a look at some of the properties available on Viarentals.com and click on the images below to access details and pricing…These stunning properties certainly add 5 more reasons to visit California! Ranging from studio, to mountain getaway to family villa, Viarentals.com will have something to suit everyone. (References: wikipedia.com)

Newly decorated cheerful studio in sunny Santa Barbara with private patio. Walking distance from shops and restaurants and just 30min drive to the Wine Country

Romantic California Beach Mansion for 16 guests, ideal for family gatherings, luxuriously furnished featuring garden, waterfalls, pool, spa and water slide. Mountain and canyon views with proximity to the beach

Charming, cozy mountain home in Truckee for 6 guests, walking access to Truckee River for outdoor fun and a short drive to Lake Tahoe - a fantastic homely getaway

Gorgeous modern loft for 6 with roof deck views of the Santa Monica Mountains and the famous Hollywood sign. Features luxurious amenities, 20ft high ceilings and enchanted garden with day bed for a snoooze in the sun

View from Ina Coolbrith Park (Flickr.com)

Here are some fun and different things to do in San Francisco that most travel guides miss out!

Seward Street Slides - Let the inner child out for the day and slide down these fun and steep concrete slides – take something to sit on, should you graze your derriere! Seward St & Douglass St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Awesome View Point at Ina Coolbrith Park – This little known spot is a park on Russian Hill, named after the poet laureate, Ina Coolbrith. It’s very high up and therefore giving a fantastic view over San Francisco – take a bottle of wine and a picnic blanket and enjoy the sights. Taylor & Vallejo Streets, San Francisco, CA 94101

Seward Street Slides (bakerina.com)

Castro Theatre – Built in the early 1920s, this movie theatre is a glorious example of design with eclectic elements of Mexican, Italian and Oriental influences and seats over 1400 people. Today it shows old and international films, even ‘sing-along’ nights! It’s recently been voted Best Movie Theatre in San Francisco and well worth watching a film here just to absorb the beautiful architecture and interior. 429 Castro Street, San Francisco, CA 94114

Presidio Pet Cemetery – Ever seen a Pet Cemetery? No? Thought not…so here’s one in San Francisco and too right, pets can be just as important to some of us as family and friends and we should be able to pay our respects after their furry lives have expired. McDowell Ave and Crissy Field Ave, San Francisco, CA 94129

San Francisco International Beer Festival – Forget about Oktoberfest, come here instead! With your entry fee of about 60$ you get to sample over 300 different beers and you also get to eat for free, with all proceeds going to a charity – awesome! It’s a one day event so do buy your tickets in advance!

Beautiful Victorian House in San Francisco

Another secret…The Houses of San Francisco…

Ranging in size, style and architecture you’ll find exactly what you want here and in one of the best cities in the world. Viarentals.com has a selection of short term rental properties in San Fransisco to make your trip here a little more personal.

Have a look at the rental accommodation below, ranging from flats to houses, accommodating 2-10 people. Click on the images for more information and rental rates….

(References: yelp.com, sfbeerfest.com, castrotheatre.com)

Newly remodelled 4 bedroom house near Golden Gate park

Stylish 1 bedroom apartment with balcony, garden and Bay views

Remodelled 2 bedroom apartment with steam sauna, 5 blocks from Ocean Beach

Beautiful Victorian 150sqm 2 bedroom flat next to Dolores Park

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The Grand Canyon (philippchristoph.de)

The Grand Canyon is a gigantic canyon and marvel of nature, carved by the river Colorado in Arizona, USA. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and over a mile deep and considered one of the natural Wonders of the World. The Colorado river has exposed over 2 billion years of geological history, eroding the rock, creating a colourful and awe inspiring sight.

Not only a beautiful example of nature’s power and magnitude, here you’ll also find ancient caves of Native Indians, an extensive variety of flora and fauna and vast pine forests in the upper levels of the canyon.

Havasu Falls, Grand Canyon (wallpaper-s.org)

Activities are innumerable in the Grand Canyon and include rafting, hiking, helicopter tours and a wonderful walk along Skywalk – a glass bottomed walk way, which really allows you to feel the scale of the canyon!

It really is the most spectacular sight to see!

If you’d like to visit, there are some beautiful rental homes in Arizona that you could rent during your stay in Tucson and Mesa where you can enjoy Arizona’s year round warmth, canyons and desert.

Viarentals.com has a selection of houses ranging in size, suitable for 6-8 guests, varying in facilities from gardens to swimming pools and much more. Click on the below images for more information… (References: wikipedia.com)

Luxurious 4 bedroom 3 bathroom rental house in Mesa with pool and mountain views

4 bedroom Tucson ranch home surrounded by beautiful desert vegetation and mountain sunsets

New Tucson house for 6 in exclusive gated La Paloma Estate with swimming pool and spa facilities

Central Park in the summer (gregtakayama.com)

New York is a fabulous destination any time of the year but summer time has to be one of the best!

There’s already so much to see and do in NYC but during the summer months there are superb activities to take part in, allowing you to make the most of the long summer days in one of the best cities in the world:

Bryant Park Summer Film Festival – bring a blanket and some cold beers and watch old movies and classics in NYC’s Bryant Park on a summer’s evening

SummerStage - Summer time music festival that takes place throughout various parks of NYC, hosting an eclectic mix of music, theatre and dance for everyone to enjoy in the outdoors

Macy's Fireworks (techpp.com)

Philharmonic Concert in Central Park (culturemob.com)

4th July Celebrations – Celebrate Independence Day by watching Macy’s incredible firework display and witness the bizarre yet intriguing World Hot Dog Eating competition at Coney Island

Have a roof top party – get out the mojitos and margaritas and dance in the heat of the city that never sleeps in the background of the spectacular manhattan skyline

Go to a baseball game – get a tan, have some beers, watch the game – a great afternoon out with your friends  but are you a Mets or a Yankees fan???

Take a trip to Fire Island - get away from it all and relax on the beach at Fire Island, one of the islands off Manhattan

Make the most of New York City and rent an apartment during your stay in NYC. Check out this Designer 2 Bedroom Apartment in the East Village, Manhattan…

For more information and prices check out Viarentals.com, click here

(References: gonyc.about.com, wikipedia.com, summerstage.org, bryantpark.org)

Tequila! (visitingmexico.com.mx)

Mexico is known for spicy food, tequila and mariachi, but do you know where mariachi and tequila come from in Mexico? They come from Jalisco, Mexico’s fourth most populated municipality, whose capital is Guadalajara.

Jalisco’s main industry is tequila, which is made from Blue Agave plant which grows well in this region thanks to the volcanic soils, careful you don’t have too many shots – this stuff is strong!

Mariachi band (mexicovacationtravels.com)

Mariachi groups are seen as the symbol of the Mexican Revolution and of a form of traditional Mexican music. Its birthplace is considered to be Jalisco and is the nation’s pride, so do not be surprised to see various renditions throughout this region.

Jalisco is also popular place for sun, sea and sand due to its location on the Pacific coast. It boasts great tourist facilities and resorts such as Puerto Vallarta is a hit with American and Canadian tourists where they can bathe in the winter sun. It’s also a popular destination for weekend trips from Guadalajara and a retirement destination for North Americans.

There’s fantastic luxurious rental accommodation in Puerto Vallarta for your holidays …

Puerto Vallarta apartment, coast of Jalisco

…from apartments to villas on Viarentals.com.

Click on the images below for more information.

(references:wikipedia.com)

Puerto Vallarta apartment with sea view

Ocean front condo for 4 with wrap around balcony

Rent this luxurious villa for 10 in Puerto Vallarta

Enjoy sea views from your villa bedroom

Greek Theatre and Mount Etna, Sicily (siciliae.com)

Sicily has it all, good weather, great cuisine, a plethora of vineyards and a thriving agricultural industry. It is overloaded with history which is not only of great importance to Italy and the world, it also makes being a tourist in Sicily an absolute pleasure.

Sicily has been conquered by many great powers over the centuries, such as the Romans, Byzantines, and the Spanish, who have each have left their mark. The largest island of the Mediterranean, it became a strategic location for trade and agriculture and it has both prospered and suffered whilst in the hands of others.

The Phoenicians were the first to leave their mark on the west of the island, in the 11th Century BC where they settled at present day Palermo. Sicily was then taken over by the Greeks in 8th Century BC, who waged war with the Phoenicians, leading to the Punic Wars and then to the control of Sicily under the Romans. Under Byzantine rule (Eastern RomanEmpire), Syracuse became the capital of the island in 663AD.

Palermo coastline - Apartments in Palermo

Sicily then saw the Arab conquest in 965AD, bringing with them fantastic Islamic architecture, and imports such as lemons, oranges, pistachios and sugar. By 1091, Sicily came under Norman control, which many believe marked the beginning of the crusades and the introduction of Latin, Christianity and immigration of Northern Italians to the island and a new capital, Palermo.

Jumping through time, Sicily became a kingdom in the hands of the Spanish and then the French and finally in 1860s with the Unification, Sicily saw leadership under Italy. This was welcomed reluctantly as the Sicilians had to adapt to the new laws and taxes that were being enforced, leading to the island’s economic fall and as a result, mass emigration to more prosperous lands such as America.

Noto - World Heritage Site (baroque.it)

Today, Sicily is an agricultural island, brimming with endless vineyards and orchards with its beautiful coastline of the Ionian sea and numerous archaeological sites which attract tourists year after year.

Many historical landmarks still remain, some labelled as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One such site is Noto near Syracuse in South East Sicily which became a Heritage Site as it is a town that was rebuilt after an earthquake in the 17th Century and is a splendid and surviving example of fine Baroque architecture.

Sicilian lemons brought over during the Arab conquest in 10th Century (siziliengemuese.de

Other archaeological and previous World Heritage Sites include Valle dei Templi in Agrigento, Villa Romana del Casale of Piazza Armerina, The Aeolian Islands, Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica.

Accommodation in Sicily is available in all forms, but check out these villas in Sicily available for short term rental on Viarentals.com situated in Noto and Mondello near Palermo, both with easy access to the beach.

Villa Fortuna for 7 guests - 5mins from beach/8km from Palermo

Villa in Noto for 5 near the beach and historic locations

References:

wikipedia.com

whc.unesco.org

Eiffel Tower (wired2theworld.com)

The 6th district of Paris, France, on the Left bank was the gathering centre of many artists, literary figures, philosophers, film makers and decision makers. Here they’d meet in the local cafes, share and create revolutionary ideas and theories and write their latest book just as Sartre did, over a coffee and an abundance of cigarettes.

There are certain cafes in this area of Paris which still remain today and can be visited by you, just as they were by icons such as Fernand Leger, Hemingway, Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, André Breton, Picasso, Camus, Apollinaire, Modigliani, Man Ray, Debussy, Stravinski, Chagall and even Napoleon Bonaparte, Robespierre and Benjamin Franklin.

Sartre writing in a Parisian cafe (emeraldinsight.com)

Feel inspired in these cafes and follow in the footsteps of the greats:

Paris is a wonderful city to visit and if you’re looking for your own place to stay, rental apartments in Paris can be found on Viarentals.com.  Here’s where you could stay in Paris:

Rent this studio near the area of the Eiffel Tower

Panoramic window view in Montparnasse 1 bedroom apartment to rent

Rent this deluxe studio near Arc de Triomphe

More rental apartments in Paris…

References: Wikipedia, Placesinfrance.com, Paris.fr, Travelwithterry.blogspot.com, Frugalfun.com

Kuta Beach, Bali (journey101.com)

Kuta, in Bali is known as THE location in Bali for sunset watching and catching the waves in the dry season. It’s the most popular tourist spot thanks to its long sandy beach, amenities and attractions including a number of hotels, shops, restaurants and nightclubs, making it a haven for young travelers despite the tragic bombings of 2002 and 2005.

Watch the sunsets after a hard day’s surf – Surfing schools are everywhere in Bali. In Kuta you’ll find Odyssey Surf School which has a good reputation for their professionalism. They have courses for all ages and levels, with all the necessary equipment so you just need to get ready to get wet and to ‘wipe out’!

Surfing Classes in Kuta, Bali (odysseysurfschool.com)

If you’re not surfing or sunbathing you’ll be visiting the stunning temples like the Mother Temple of Besakih, trying the local exotic cuisine or doing your Scuba Diving licence – Bali has some of the best diving sites in the world. It is also THE place to get a massage, and as you lie on the beach, taking in the lovely warm sun rays, have a massage as you listen to the waves crash on the shore. Masseuses regular pass you by on the beach and it’s delightfully affordable.

There’s lots of available accommodation in Kuta such as hotels and hostels, but if you’d rather stay away from the masses but still close enough to get to your surf classes, here’s the perfect Villa to rent in Kuta, Bali. Just 15 minutes away from central Kuta, you’ll relax away from the tourists in your private villa retreat with swimming pool and really enjoy the relaxed Balinese way of life. Check out this villa on Viarentals.com with hosting capacity for 8 people, it includes 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and an unforgettable view of Mount Agung.

Rent a villa in Bali with Viarentals.com

Sunset in Kuta, Bali

Mount Agung from the balcony of your private villa with Viarentals.com

Private swimming pool of your villa in Bali

References:

odysseysurfschool.com

wikipedia.com

indo.com

surfingbali.com

Learn to Sail in Nice (asptt.com)

Ever wanted to learn to sail? Well how about heading down to the Cote d’Azur in the South of France? Nice, to be precise.
Rather than doing the usual malarkey in the south of France (sunbathing, swimming, shopping, sampling the local gastronomical delights…you know the scene), why not try something different and more active?

There are various sailing schools in Nice that have lessons for any age and level and even speak English! All you need is your swimsuit and some courage! A great website for sportive activities in Nice is ASPTT Club de Sports, Nice – check it out for a variety of activities including rowing and diving.

Apartments in Nice with Viarentals.com

A stroll away from the port are these two lovely apartments in Nice that you could rent with Viarentals.com, for you to crawl back to after a long day of sailing, just 100m from the port of the city, 400m from the beach and close to all local amenities. Click here to learn more about these apartments in Nice and contact the owner of these apartments directly.

Apartment in Nice for 4 guests with Viarentals.com

Apartment in Nice for 3 guests with Viarentals.com

References:

asptt.com

allaboutnice.com

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