Six things you must do in... the North Yorkshire seaside town of Whitby

By GARETH HUW DAVIES Heady heights: The 199 steps give a great view across the harbourWhitby is one of our most perfect seaside resorts, with a historic heart tucked down a deep valley on the North Yorkshire coast. It's also the place where Bram Stoker created his best-known fictional character, Dracula, with the vampire entering England after his ship crashes into the town's pier. Here Gareth

The wedding belles of the travel world: The best locations for international nuptials

By JEFF MILLS Amore: Ignite Italian passion with a wedding on the glorious Amalfi CoastFrom a blissful ceremony on the Amalfi Coast to barefoot luxury in Malaysia, with so many perfect travel options, there's no need to stick to a British wedding.TravelMail picks out the most magical locations to celebrate marriage....Top of The Table Ride the cable car to the top of Cape Town's spectacular

L'amour without the fromage: Six alternative Valentine's escapes for modern romantics

By SARAH GORDON Romantic escapes: You can enjoy a Valentine's weekend without spending a fortuneRed hearts decorate every shop window, card displays are a sea of soppiness and television adverts are so sickening it's enough to make Cupid turn his bow and arrow on himself.Yes, it's almost here. Valentine's Day.But if you are struggling with the idea of buying a simple card and present in honour of

Timeless Madeira: One year after being devastated by floods, this beautiful Portuguese island is as enticing as ever

By ROB FREEMAN Timeless: Reid's Palace, set on its rocky headland, retains the atmosphere of gentle and relaxed grandeurBeing pampered amid the elegant luxury of one of the world�s most gorgeously-situated hotels, it was easy to forget that this was an island recovering from a natural disaster of huge proportions. On its airy cliff-top above the Madeiran capital of Funchal � looking out over the

Costa Brava holiday: Sun, sea and surprises away from coastal Spain's tourist hoards

By JANE HORROCKS Sun-baked: The fishing village of Calella de PalafrugellOver the years, my family seem to have made a habit of holidaying in places that have, unfairly, managed to acquire a bit of a naff reputation.When we told people we were going to Corfu a few years back, we might as well have said we were going to Sodom and Gomorrah for the summer. Yet anyone who has been to the northern

France en famille: Hobnobbing with the Parisien set on the beaches of Il de Re

By ROBERT HARDMAN Chic and unique: Ile de Re is a popular Parisien hangout This must be the highest concentration of people on two wheels you�re ever likely to see outside Amsterdam or Cambridge. There are cyclists everywhere: middle-aged couples on fold-up bikes; posers in Lycra on whippet-thin racing machines; hearty families on matching mountain bikes (heaven knows why � there isn�t so much as

Picture-perfect: Slovakia's Tatra mountains provide a stunning backdrop for a landscape photography workshop

By HELEN NICHOLSON Cold snap: The frozen Slovakian countryside may be a little on the chilly side but it provides plenty of inspiration for budding landscape photographersWithin minutes of stepping out of the cosy minibus into the frozen Slovakian countryside I�m beginning to question my commitment to landscape photography. It�s an art that requires patience, dedication and a certain amount of

Magical Marrakech: Souks and the city in Morocco's most mesmerising metropolis

By WENDY DRIVER Hypnotic Djemma el Fna square in the heart of old Marrakech continues to be the city's shopping and foodie hub It was 5am and still dark when I awoke with a start to the sound of hypnotic wailing. It was more than 30 years since I had last visited Morocco as a young backpacker and I had forgotten about the muezzin's call to prayer that rouses you from sleep every morning. Back in

Phuket Travel Guide – Thailand Travel Information

Phuket is definitely one of the first choices among beach lovers. This blog post on Phuket Travel Guide – Thailand Travel Information will give you complete information on reaching Phuket and all other things you need to know to enjoy your trip to Phuket. How to reach PhuketTravelling to Phuket is not a tiring or complex one, in fact its much simple and easier. You can take direct flights to

The gentle-paced region of Gers in Southern France is a soothing delight for the soul

By MAX DAVIDSON Small is beautiful: Gers' charm comes not from what it has to offer, but a blissful tranquility that's hard to find Gers is one of the sleepiest areas of France. There's not a single motorway running through it. You wake to birdsong, not the rumble of juggernauts. Airport? There is no airport. Nightclubs? What nightclubs? All that disturbs the peace of an evening is the tolling of

Disney Dream: The kids will take to this cruise ship like a Donald Duck to water

By FRANK BARRETT, MAIL ON SUNDAY TRAVEL EDITORRead more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1349779/Disney-cruise-ship-Fun-packed-family-holiday-765ft-water-ride.html#ixzz1Bwf5dsc9 Wow factor: The ship's AquaDuck water-coaster zooms all over the ship and even swings out 12ft over the side of the vesselDisney jumped into the cruise business 13 years ago, part of the revival of the company

Golden beaches, roasted marshmallows and boys' own adventures at a Brittany campsite

By MARGARITA MADDEN Beach bums: The boys loved exploring the long stretches of sand and little coves As we beetled down the French motorways to Brittany I kept wondering why I hadn't done this before, so easy was the trip. It was August and during our drive from Cherbourg in Normandy to Nevez in southern Finistere, we never encountered any heavy traffic. Best of all, we avoided the stress of

Cruise control: The best drive-cruises departing from the UK in 2011

By ADAM COULTER, CRUISE INTERNATIONAL Cruise control: There are plenty of amazing voyages out there for 2011There�s never been so many top-class trips departing from the UK. Here is our pick of the best...A Spanish fiestaSouthampton to Spain (via France)Best for: Food/wine/art buffs If fine food and architecture make you happy, then MSC Cruises� firstforay to Northern Spain from Britain is the

Kay Burley salutes the sun on a Canary Islands fitness holiday

By KAY BURLEY Sun run: Joggers in the lush resort gardens of PlayitasI should have been looking forward to the sun and the sand, but as I headed off on a post-Christmas break there was only one thing on my mind... cellulite. As the years roll on, I find it becomes tougher and tougher to shed those Christmas pud pounds. But � inspired by Madonna and Carol Vorderman � I�m determined not to be

Beautiful but unforgiving: Dramatic Utah is the secret star of the film 127 hours

By OLIVIA GREENWAY Doorway to nature: Utah's landscape is dramatic and barren Utah is home to vast expanses of high-altitude desert and very little else � apart from Mormons.Yet even those who have not been there will probably be familiar with it.More than 800 films have been shot here, including Thelma And Louise and the new release 127 Hours, the true story of Aron Ralston, who had to cut off

Capital eats: Ten great London restaurants that every tourist should know about

Future's bright: Diners can order their food on special interactive tables at Japanese restaurant InamoFrom a heartwarming vintage vault full of musical memorabilia and no-nonsense curry in a down-to-earth canteen to interactive tables that look like giant iPads and a vegan restaurant that champions the virtues of botanical cuisine, Paul Oswell tracks down some of London's more interesting

A tasty Alpine treat and affordable luxury in the darling of the Three Valleys, Meribel

By MARK PALMER Slipping down nicely: Top class skiing and great food is the secret of Meribel's success The blonde (well, platinum, really) is wearing fur and an angry snarl. Her Russian entourage includes an elderly woman, presumably her mother, two thrusting men in fancy ski kit, a nanny and three children. The youngest child is sitting in a four-wheel-drive, sheep-skin-lined buggy. All that's

Shanghai is in fashion: A long weekend in China's hip second city of bars and bling

By PERCY PARKER Bright lights: Nanjing Road is one of the main avenues in a city that is bigger than Beijing I'm a genuine enthusiast for the short city break. Having enjoyed the odd weekend in New York, it seemed a good idea to extend the concept to places further afield. So when my fashion company was asked by the World Fashion Organisation to take part in Shanghai Fashion Week, it gave us the

Ahoy Captain Mickey! Introducing Disney Dream, the latest cartoon cruise ship

Cartoon Dream: fireworks light the sky on Florida's east coast as Disney's newest liner is unveiled For many it's the perfect family holiday, a Caribbean cruise where you can count Mickey, Pluto and Donald among your fellow guests.So when Walt Disney unveiled its new 4,000-passenger cruise liner, Disney Dream, this week, a legion of cartoon fans were waiting to catch a glimpse. The 4000-

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

travel, tour, tourism, world, travel packages, travel guide, travel tips, travel agency, travel information, world travel guide, world travel ticket, world maphttp://kelseryk.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/hanging-gardens-of-babylon/The Hanging Gardens of BabylonBabylon, also known as the Hanging Gardens of Semiramis, near present-day Al Hillah, Babil in Iraq, are considered to be one of the original