Norway

Life in Bergen has always been defined by the sea. Lying on the southern part of Norway's fjord-speckled western coast, the city descends from the seven mountains that frame it to meet a dramatic, fractured coastline of inlets and islands.  It's impossible to detach Bergen's existence from its seafaring past and present. Today, visitors flock to see the medieval harbour front, Bryggen, which sprung up in response to a flourishing codfish industry - one that saw Bergen become Scandinavia's largest city in the 1600s.

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.

We have put a list of 10 destination that you must visit in 2018. If you want you can start ticking off with list with a bang by visiting one of these destination to ring in the New Year, Budapest is our recommendation. There is a mixture of old and new names, you can even chose one for your winter break with a mix of skiing.

As the warm summer’s sun fades and Autumn moves into Winter a different type of thrill seekers emerge thinking of where best to enjoy the white stuff.  Choosing which ski resort to hangout at and checking the weather reports every five minutes to see how snow is falling can be time consuming. We have put together a list of 10 great destinations that we think will appeal to the different type of skiers. We have Jackson Hole, USA to Rusutsu, Japan plus a whole host of European resorts.

A road trips along these five motor ways takes you to some of the world’s most famous locations visited by millions each year.  These trip is not only about driving and looking at the spectacular views but for you to get out your car and take part in some the of the activities or events. You get to watch some of the biggest names in sport play with the possibility of getting up closer than you normally would. You get to drive along roads famous for the Toure de France and Monte Carlo Rally.

Norway’s cities offer much more than the more obvious city break destination they combine cosmopolitan culture with spectacular scenery and the great outdoors. So they are the best of both worlds, the city and the countryside.

Oslo, Norway’s buzzing, cosmopolitan capital epitomises Scandinavian chic with its trendy shops and restaurants and striking Italian marble Opera House which resembles a glacier sliding into the fjord.

A visit to Stavanger will change your view of the Nordic region. Located on a peninsula in Southwest Norway; it is a thriving cosmopolitan city with a long history, vibrant cultural scene and close by are Norwegian’s famous fjords (voted most unspoilt destination).  One of the great things about Stavanger is most things are just minutes away from the city centre.  It has the region’s most breathtaking mountains, beautiful waters, and long sandy beaches and being on the Gulf Stream it has an unusually mild climate with pleasant summers.

Rich History and Vibrant Cultural Scene

Fuji Rock Festival Japan
The Fuji rock festival is held in Naba ski resort of Niigata it was founded by Masahiro Hidaka. It is now in its 14th year; Masahiro said it was inspired by a trip to Glastonbury. The festival is Japan’s largest outdoor festivals it attacks over 30,000 fans and is said to be the cleanest festival in the world, with round the clock recycling and round the clock cleaning (smash-uk.com/frf10).

I found this in the Metro paper in London (one of the free news paper given out in the city) and thought I would share it with our readers. These are 5 of best places to see in terms of design. There are destinations in Germany, Japan, Moroco, Norway and USA these places were given the award to celebrate the finest new examples of design and architecture. So if you are in any of these areas as part of your holiday why not have a look in.