Wicked Good Travel Tips, Unique Vacations, Travel Deals » London

Tour The Interior Of Buckingham Palace This Summer

Susan — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:33:30 +0000

Special tours of the interior of Buckingham Palace take place this summer from the last week in July until the end of September. (When the Queen and family are not at home of course.) These seasonal tours explore 19 elaborate state rooms where you’ll view lavish ceremonial rooms, exquisite art collections, ceremonial robes and jewels, and magnificent formal gardens. Make your reservations early as these tours are very popular – get all the details here.

Phantom Of The Opera Sequel Lights Up The Night In London

Susan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:03:15 +0000

Attention theater lovers – The Phantom is back! Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much anticipated sequel production, Love Never Dies, opened in London this week to glowing reviews. The plot picks up 10 years after the mysterious disappearance of the Phantom in the basement of the Paris Opera House at the end of the play. We find that the Phantom has followed his love (Christine) to New York where she has been offered an opportunity to perform at the newly opened Coney Island amusement pavilion. In the excitement of traveling to glamorous New York with her husband Raoul and young son, Christine is unaware of the true identity of her benefactor who has lured her to New York. “LOVE NEVER DIES is a rollercoaster ride of obsession and intrigue in which music and memory can play cruel tricks and The Phantom sets out to prove that, indeed, LOVE NEVER DIES “.

Well respected theater ticket/travel company Keith Prowse is the exclusive ticket agent for Love Never Dies performances at the Adelphi Theatre. They have put together London theater packages that include performance tickets and hotel stay starting at $129.59 per person (remarkable). Click over to Keith Prowse/Love Never Dies for all the details – you’ll find a calendar displaying dates when tickets are available.

Meet The Real Van Gogh In London This Spring

Susan — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:18:53 +0000

The Royal Academy of Arts in London is presenting meet “The Real Van Gogh“ from now until April 18, 2010. The exhibition features 35 original letters by Van Gogh displayed along with almost 100 paintings and drawings. This unique collection provides an intimate view into the complex mind of this talented but troubled artist.

Squeeze In A Mini Tour In A Mini Cooper

Susan — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:00:40 +0000

London Sightseeing Tours with a fun twist. The cheeky crew at smallcarBIGCITY in London invite you (up to 3 passengers) to pop into a retro Mini Cooper and take a nostalgic tour of London – nostalgic if you partied in the 60′s that is! Your tour guide/driver will be outfitted in 60′s garb that will go along perfectly with the 60′s music playing on the sound system. But your tour will not just be of Abbey Road, as this tour company offers a wide variety of touring options. My favorite? It has to be the Italian Job where three Mini’s race through the city of London from the Financial District, over the Thames, to the West End where you’re delivered in time for cocktails and dinner – a blue jumpsuit and white helmet ensemble required of course! If you’ve been to London before and are looking for a new and exciting was to see the city, give the Mini’s a spin.

Best Walks in Britain – A Must Save Article

Susan — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:12:28 +0000

The Times Online (London) has posted an article that anyone and everyone who may travel to the UK (in their lifetime) needs to save! Times Walks – 100 Best Walks In The UK is a fabulous resource for sightseeing on your own two feet whether it be a city stroll or a countryside ramble. Select your walk by region to find a detailed route map, reasons to love the journey, sights along the way, and local pubs to catch a refresher at – brilliant! For anyone visiting London, the Westminster and St. James Park route will bring you past London’s prime sightseeing spots. Best of all, the walking guides can be downloaded to your favorite mobile devise. What a great resource!

World’s Most Luscious Food Markets

Susan — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:17:45 +0000

Local food markets give a glimpse into the soul of a destination. The crops that local farmers grow and the culinary creations that food artisans produce speak to the history of the location and the traditions of its citizens. Nothing is more pleasing and engrossing than roaming among the stalls of a neighborhood farmer’s market or the grand food halls of a metropolitan city. In China I was almost afraid to look (bugs on a stick?!), in Vancouver the smells and colors were dazzling, in Hawaii I found vegetables I had never seen before in my life, and the markets in Rome and Paris were sensuous. Now that it’s harvest time around the world, don’t miss the opportunity to visit a luscious food market wherever you roam – here are some of the world’s favorites:

Americas
New York - Chelsea Market, a hub of foodie activity
San Francisco - Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, large Organics Markets, operates 3 times per week
New Orleans – Crescent City Farmers Market, Uptown and Downtown fabulous fruits
Seattle – Freemont Sunday Market – more than fruits & veggies – treasures of all description
Hawaii – Hawaii Farmers Markets Online, several gorgeous markets on every island
Vancouver – Granville Island Public Market, The ethnic diversity of Vancouver makes this market a sensory explosion
Mexico City - Mercado de la Merced, nirvana for chili pepper lovers – every color of the rainbow!

Europe
Rome – Campo de Fiori – on every tourist map and well worth the visit
Paris – Wonderful markets in almost every neighborhood – Gayot List and descriptions. And don’t miss a visit to Fauchon, considered “the Tiffany’s of food purveyors”.
Provence – lavendar and sunflowers in every town! Don’t miss the huge market in Carpentas, with 350 stalls – operating since 1155! French Entre full list of markets.
London – Borough Market – London’s oldest market, and don’t miss the food halls at Harrods and Selfridges
Barcelona – La Boqueria - take a virtual tour!
Stockholm – Ostermalm Saluhall – closed food market with a smorgasboard of delights!
Vienna – Naschmarkt, since the 16th century – anyone for a torte?
Jerusalem – Mahane Yahuda Market – highly recommended by good friend and avid traveler, Deanna

Far East
China – In every city, don’t miss this experience, it will redefine your definition of food! Shop at the Red Bridge Market in Beijing
Hong Kong – A kaleidoscope of sensory encounters In every neighborhood – Virtual Tourist List
Tokyo – Tsukiji Market – it’s all about the fish – largest fish market in the world! Visit the Tokyo Food Page
Singapore – Kreta Ayer Wet Market – named for the water carts (not the food), you’ll find every kind of food, spice, and ware – be sure to visit Food Street and the Chinatown Night Market.

To find a farmers market experience wherever you travel in the USA, visit LocalHarvest.org

Half Price Dining in London

Susan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:31:25 +0000

Taking the family to London is year? – Be sure to pick up a Taste London Dining Card that gives you 50% off your dining bill at over 800 London restaurants. The card is available from Visit London at a 20 GBP discount, making the price 49.95 GBP. If you eat lunch and dinner out while sightseeing in London, you’ll likely save the price of the card purchase in one day. The card is good for one year from the date of purchase, comes with a detailed restaurant directory and can even be used for group dining. So enjoy guilt free dining in London – with the price anyway, we can’t help you with the calories!

Free Sightseeing Tours in Europe’s Favorite Cities

Susan — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:16:41 +0000

Sandeman’s New Europe offers a new concept in sightseeing – free walking tours in Europe’s major tourism cities – London, Paris, Munich, Amsterdam, Madrid, etc. Their philosophy is that great tours should be offered to everyone and you should pay what you can afford – voila, tip based touring. You can bet the guides are informed, entertaining and attentive, as their compensation is based on your generosity.

The 3 hour walking tours depart several times daily from a central location and advance reservations are not required. The entertaining guides begin with a brief explanation (pitch) that they are compensated by tips and would appreciate yours at the end of the tour (although none is required). There will also be suggestions that you might enjoy other tours offered by the company (at very reasonable prices) and perhaps you’d like to join them for their evening pub crawl – always a big hit with solo travelers. The tours visit the prime tourist sites around the city as well as introducing interesting local history and folklore. Sandemans publishes free maps and city guides as well – you can find these in most hostel hotels around the city. Most participants have a wonderful time and are pleased to leave a tip of about 5 Euros – a bargain by anyone’s travel budgeting! Click on over to Sandemans New Europe website for all the information, meeting places, and tour descriptions.

Super Low London Vacations from Virgin Atlantic

Susan — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:51:49 +0000

The latest deal from Virgin Vacations is nothing short of WOW! The Virgin group occupies a warm spot in my heart for great service, cheaky humor, and low prices, and their current deal is worth a close look. From now until March 12, 2009 you can book at 6 night Virgin Value Vacation to London for the low price of $599 (ppdo). That’s $100 a day for air and hotel! This falls into my coveted “it’s too cheap not to go” category. The package includes rountrip airfare, 6 nights hotel, breakfast daily, hotel taxes and service charges, mandated fuel surcharges AND an Oyster Card for travel by bus, tube and tram (of 10 GBP value). Travel must be completed by March 22, 2009 and airport taxes and fees are additional. Visit the Virgin-Vacations.com site for all the finer details. With the US dollar gaining in value against the British Pound (at last) now is a great time to jump across the pond and have a “brilliant” vacation before tourist season begins!

World’s Best Chocolate Vacations!

Susan — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:00:28 +0000

For everyone who loves chocolate as much as I do, it’s time to plan a vacation swirling with chocolate tours and adventures. Nothing matches the euphoric lift after munching on a creamy chocolate delight. Here are eight destinations for immersing yourself in chocolate ecstasy on your next vacation.

Belgium reigns supreme as masters of the cocoa bean. Since the days of colonization in The Belgian Congo in the late 1800′s, cocoa has been shipped to Belgium to be crafted into dark creamy delights. Today Belgium has over a dozen major chocolate factories producing 172,000 TONS of chocolate per year. You’ll find chocolate shops to tempt you around most every corner, as the country now sports over 2,000 confectionery shops! Visit the Musee due Cocao et du Chocolate in Brussels or The Chocolate Story in Bruges. And for a full chocolate immersion, don’t miss the Chocolate Festival that takes place each year in early May in Bruges.

Switzerland is famous for their three top tier chocolate producers, Lindt, Sprungli and Teuscher. For a very sweet ride, hop aboard The Chocolate Train – a delicious 8 hour full day excursion. Departing from Montreux (east of Geneve on “the Swiss Riviera”), the train travels to Gruyeres, famous for their cheese, vineyards and stunning views. After a stop to sample the best of Gruyeres, it’s off to Broc, home of world famous Nestle, the chance to tour their factory and gorge yourself on their milk chocolate yummies. You’ll be ‘rolling’ back into Montreux for sure!! Visit MySwitzerland.com and enter their contest to win an assortment of Swiss Chocolates!

France enters the contest with chef’s favorite Valrhona. Their School of Grand Chocolate welcomes pastry chefs from across the globe to tune up their chocolate rendering skills. Novices like us are welcomed to the Tain l’Hermitage for non-professional classes during March, July and August.

London rounds out the scene across the pond with Chocolate Ecstasy Tours. Step off on a four hour guided walking tour of the finest chocolate boutiques of London.

AND, the USA in no slouch in chocolate offerings, just have a peak:

Boston, where a thriving Faneuil Hall Marketplace has offered chocolate confections for centuries, today offers a fun loving Chocolate Trolley Tour. Visitors learn about the origin of (my favorite) – the Toll House cookie, the hot fudge sundae (I’m thinking Brighams here), the first chocolate factory in America, and who could miss the ever yummy Boston Cream Pie! This is a 3 hour tour of chocolate decadence.

Chicago has one of the best chocolate officianados around, Chicago Chocolate Tours.com. Valerie Beck, Chief Chocolate Lover, knows where all the chocolate delicacies are hidden from pralines to fudge topped cup cakes. All you gals will want to sign up for the Friday February 13th Chocolate and Champagne Girls Night out and couples can enjoy three days of Valentine Day celebration tours. Gotta love those flavonoids!

You’ve just got to love a city that dedicates itself to the eternal love of chocolate – as Hershey Pennsylvania has done for over 100 years, calling itself “The Sweetest Place on Earth”. Can there be any doubt that fountains overflow with sweet dark creamy goodness and the air is heavy with scent of chocolate baking? January ’09 will see the debute of the Hershey Museum chronicling the journey of Milton S. Hershey from rags to riches as he introduced great innovation to the production of chocolate. There’s great entertainment in Hershey for all ages, from the Hershey Amusement Park, to Chocolate World, to the 4 diamond Hotel Hershey Resort and it’s sumptuous Chocolate Spa. Be pampered with a whipped cocoa bath, a chocolate bean polish or a cocoa oil message. Not only will dine on wonderful chocolate concoctions, but you can immerse your entire being in chocolaty goodness – WOW.

Then there’s the all time best display of chocolate in every form conceivable at the New York Chocolate Show. Dazzling the city for three straight days each year in late October/early November, you’ll see chocolate sculpted into jewelry, couture fashions, and incorporated into every food group imaginable. This show has become so popular that there are now chocolate shows in Tokyo, Paris, Beijing, Moscow and Madrid. Or you can find hidden troves of chocolate all week long with NYC chocolate walking tours with Sweet Walks.com.

We all know that money makes the world go round, but certainly chocolate can’t be far behind!