Europe

What are you doing this evening? Bet they won't be as memorable as catching a glimpse of the magical Northern Lights after a day cross-country skiing through stunning scenery or after tackling a World Cup slalom in a frozen forest.  Unlike the Alps, Scandinavian countries can add more to your winter experience.  The snow here last for up to six months, and it offers more than a day on the piste, with some amazing adventures.

Skip the beaten path and explore the overlooked sights of western France on the way to Bordeaux. The country’s fifth largest city, tucked away in the south western corner, is an eight-hour drive from Calais. Fortunately, there are countless stops along the way, all easily accessible by car, helping to break up the trek.

Amazingly, it’s just a four-hour drive on the A4 through Antwerp and north into the Netherlands to get to the start of the famous Dutch flower route. Flowers have long been the stuff of romantic gestures, but blooms are a big deal in the Netherlands, the country which has dominated the global flower trade since tulip mania caused the world’s first commodity boom here during the Dutch Golden Age.

Over the last decade, Prague has become a real favourite of Brits abroad looking for a great night out, whether it’s in the pubs and bars of the Old Town – popular with tourists – or the winding streets and secret cafes of the Lucerne Passage. Beer is incredibly cheap and consumed pretty much around the clock, so make sure to line your stomach in one of the city’s many schnitzel restaurants!

Eye-poppingly beautiful, Florence – or Firenze as the Italians know it – is rich with unforgettable architecture and beautiful scenery. The city features historic works of art including Michelangelo’s David and the birth of Venus in the world – renowned Uffizi gallery. Perfect for couple, you can take a stroll through the stunning Boboli Gardens, enjoy a late-night walk along the Arno River and see the Golden Bridge before a romantic meal at one of the city’s many top restaurants.

To be bored of Italy is to be bored of bliss. Whether pouring that second glass of prosecco on the edge of a glistening Lake Como, sampling pistachio gelato outside the Colliseum or stealing another forkful of tomato laden fresh pasta in a Tuscan ristorante, there really is no destination more reliably decadent and delicious new world of Italian splendour still to be discovered. Discover the magical hidden villages just beyond the beaten track.  Pack a bag, grab your passport and start your next adventure with one of these gorgeous unspoilt hideaways.

There is only one horse race in the world that can be won without a rider, but not without a headdress. Steeped in rich, often bizarre tradition, this July dash around Siena’s Piazza del Campo is a unique experience. Unless you go to the one in August as well, that is. If you go to either, you will join a throng of 50,000 sardines packed into the middle of the square to witness 75 seconds of chaotic, heart-palpitating action.

If ever proof was needed that Spanish festivals are the craziest and biggest, Las Fallas in Valencia is it. The concept of setting the city alight for a four-day celebration seems insane, but the result is an amazing visual spectacle. Guy Fawkes has nothing on these Spaniards!
The festival of Las Fallas, which means ‘fire torch’ in Spanish, dates back to the 18th century and pays tribute to St Joseph – the patron saint of carpenters.

Looking for some where to go for the weekend? Have you thought of Kotor? This small hideaway off the coast of Montenegro is an up and coming area that was only on the conversation list.  With the influence of billionaires bucks the area is changing attracting a new crowed while keeping the old - It's history and scenery minus the crowds.  This is an amazing corner of the world that’s about to change forever – make the most of it while you can.

A sunset can be enjoy from many places but none is like what you will enjoy if you are in London. Therefore, we have located eight of London's coolest places to enjoy its sunsets, from the heart of the city to its outskirts. And the best part of it is, most of them are for free; all you need is your travel card and you can be there, watching the changing colours of the London skyline as the city say by to another day.