Brussels is a city that for many people is off their travel radar with more people choosing to flock to more well known European cities like Prague and Budapest. But the truth is Brussels goes beyond simply being a city of bureaucrats, it’s alive with history, culture, shopping and food to die for which makes it a city that you cannot afford to miss.

About Brussels

Brussels is made up of 19 municipalities and is divided into the City of Brussels (the constitutional capital of Belgium), the French Community of Belgium, and Flanders and the Flemish Community. It is Belgium’s largest metropolitan area with a population of approximately 1.8 million people. Both French and Dutch are official languages.

Things to see and do

Brussels’ main hub is the Grand Place, once called “Europe’s most beautiful square”, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. Visitors enjoy admiring the beautiful buildings that have remained long after Archduchess Isabella in 1599 said, “Never have I seen something so beautiful and exquisite as the town square of the city where the town hall rises up into the sky. The decoration of the houses is most remarkable”. There are many unique shops and stalls to explore; and many musical, historical, flower and other events are presented there.

The Royal Palace is the Belgium’s kings’ home and also has exhibits of 18th century painting and architecture. Cultural activities are popular in Brussels including theatres, opera houses, and concert halls.

There are over 80 museums, and one that is extremely interesting is the Belgian Comics Museum. This is devoted solely to comic strips from more than 650 artists. Included is the world’s largest library of comic strips and three-dimensional recreations. In different parts of this city you will also find large motifs of comic book characters painted on the walls.

Autoworld has 450 cars on display from industrialist Ghislain Mahy’s collection, which includes a limousine which was owned by John F. Kennedy. Also featured is a collection of carriages and other items.

The Kindermuseum has two-hour tours that are amazing for not only children aged four to twelve but also for their parents. Discovery rooms have daily life themes that change every three years.

Food and Drink

Belgian beers including the famous Iambic and Kriek (cherry beer) are only brewed in and around Brussels. There is a Brewery Museum in the basement of the Brewers’ House on Grand Place. A small but interesting exhibition on the evolution of brewing beer is in the only building where descendents of the original owners going back to the 15th century still live.

In addition to being famous for the Belgian Waffle and Brussels sprouts, the cuisine is appreciated by connoisseurs and is offered in about 1,800 restaurants, high quality bars, cafes and bistros.

One must not forget that Belgian chocolates (including Godiva) are world renowned. Demonstrations and workshops are popular with visitors, some of which offer hands-on opportunities to make their own chocolate as apprentices.

Paris is synonymous with class and style, so it’s no surprise that the city has more than its fair share of luxury hotels.  With their grand architecture, sumptuous interior design and fabulous cuisine, Paris hotels are a fantastic setting for a special trip.  Here are some of the most impressive.

Le Meurice

The Meurice has welcomed travellers on this site since 1835.  It was always famous for its lavish entertainment and its guests have included Queen Victoria and Tchaikovsky.  The present building dates from 1905.  Each of its 160 bedrooms is opulently decorated in the style of Louis XVI.  The suites overlook the Tuileries Garden and have fantastic views of the Paris skyline.  The most spectacular is the Belle Etoile on the 7^th floor, offering a 360 degree view around all the sights from Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower.  There’s 275 square metres of space, with a pantry and kitchen for a butler and personal chef.

Hôtel Champs Elysées Plaza

This hotel was built in 1909 in the classic Haussmann style – the cut stone buildings that are so typical of Paris.  For many years the building was reserved for the use of diplomats visiting the British and American embassies, which are nearby.  The luxury town house has 7 levels and just 35 guest rooms and suites.  Deluxe suites are up to 65 metres square and have views over the rue de Berri. They have a reception room and bedroom and an Art Deco bathroom.  During your stay you can appreciate the finest in French products – Hermès Welcome gifts, Ladurée Breakfasts, Dom Pérignon Champagne, Mariage Frères Teas.

Hotel Scribe Paris

This hotel was built in 1860 and was formerly home to the aristocratic Jockey Club.  Its 200 rooms and 13 suites are decorated in elegant Parisian style.  The Imperial Suite is 95 metres square and spread over 2 floors.  The spa has Turkish hammams and whirlpool baths, as well as beauty therapies and massages on offer.  The hotel’s gourmet restaurant features crystal chandeliers, graceful columns and a mezzanine library.

You can compare prices on Paris hotels near Metro stations at SubwayHotels.com.

When travelling abroad we all know we ought to be covered by travel insurance, but with the recent situation of a lot of people finding themselves stranded by the recent grounding of planes when Iceland’s volcano erupted, more and more companies seem to be looking at what they will and won’t cover, so it’s become even more important than ever to make sure that the insurance we take out is adequate for what we require.

If you buy a package deal holiday, you will often be sold holiday insurance alongside it and that’s fine, but do make sure you read the small print before you agree to it, as you need to really make certain that you know what you are and aren’t covered for. This even applies when you’re travelling to destinations that are well frequented by Brits such as Majorca for example.

If you find that you need to look for travel insurance then there are many places you can look from your local bank to travel agents on the high street and dedicated sites online. Some supermarkets are even selling it these days. The best thing is to make sure that you ask lots of questions and read everything carefully before you sign the deal.

Other types of insurance are important as well, if you are a person with a family to support then you may well already have life insurance. Do make sure that if you travel abroad you will still be covered by this if something happens to you particularly if you are looking at travelling around to many different places, or into areas where there is or has been unrest or natural disasters recently as some insurers won’t cover you if you visit an area where they deem you to be putting yourself at unnecessary risk.

The same sort of thing applies if you’re thinking of settling abroad perhaps in somewhere like Alcudia or Majorca. It’s important to check that your current life insurance will still cover you if you live there. It may be that you’ll need to make changes to the policy or even take out a new one completely so it’s an important thing to look into and check on before you make your move. Sites such as http://www.expats.org.uk/finance/ins-life.html can be useful in checking out what is available and what you may need to consider.

Paphos is the capital of Paphos District and is in the southwest of Cyprus. New Paphos is the current inhabited city. Seaside Old Paphos is on the UNESCO list of natural and cultural treasures. Being the mythical place of birth of the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite, Old Paphos was the most famous location for the ancient world’s worship of Aphrodite.

Old Paphos is also famous for a Roman governor’s palace remains where the Roman Mosaics are a big tourist attraction because of the unusual patterns and scenes from mythology. The mosaics are in awesome and beautifully preserved condition and appear on buildings, pillars, walls, floors, theaters, etc. The fort there is magnificent. This site covers a huge area with more finds being excavated all the time from under the soil after 16 centuries.

Another World Heritage Site is Tombs of the Kings. With excavations continuing there as well, the tombs cut into the rock are similar to houses and present a “city”. Other attractions are underground columns, caves, vaults, pillars, and more.

The Rock of Aphrodite emerges from the sea where legend says Aphrodite rose from the waves. The beauty of this rock formation also offers you the chance (if you are a good swimmer) to swim around a particular rock three times in order to have eternal youth!

The Super Aphrodite Waterpark is a wonderful place for children. There is a winding river, waterfalls, a pool with a wave machine that is turned on every hour, tunnels, and 8 or 10 different rides. There are also many umbrellas and sun beds for those who want to relax.

The Vouni Panayia Winery is run by a local family. There is wine making, production of many local delicacies, and cooking in their restaurant. Their excellent wines are offered at reasonable prices.

Night life in Paphos is mostly on the street known as Agiou Antoniou. Flairs is a bar and dance club where the ladies can be flirted with by the bar staff and other men. Enjoy a karaoke night at Boogies. Rainbow Disco continues its dancing when everywhere else is closing down. Robin Hood features a different type of dance music every night. Hollywoods Bar is a dance club with live football and an opportunity to create your own cocktail!

Amsterdam is not only the largest city and capital of the Netherlands (Holland), but it is also the cultural and financial center. The many attractions of this city that started out as a fishing village in the 12th century attract well over three million visitors each year.

Amsterdam has approximately 7,000 historic buildings as well as 90 islands linked by 400 bridges. The inner Old Center dates back to medieval times, and two of those wooden houses and other old homes and ancient streets survive to this day. The 17th century concentric canal ring, Grachtengordel, with its white traditional draw bridges, is a sight to behold.

The Museum Card is a one-time cost that gains admission to those under 25 years old into over 400 museums in the Netherlands for a full year.

The Van Gogh Museum is a popular tourist spot because it contains the biggest collection in the world of Van Gogh’s works including 200 canvases, 500 drawings and 700 written documents arranged in chronological periods. Other 19th century artists are also featured in the museum.

The Rembrandt House is where Rembrandt lived and where he painted for 19 years.

Madame Tussaud’s famous waxwork life-size figures of famous people and ordinary people from Amsterdam 300 years ago is a “must see” experience. There is even a 5-meter-high wax figure that talks and moves! You are allowed to take pictures in the Scenerama.

The Anne Frank House not only has an exhibition regarding the life of young Anne Frank but also allows visitors to see the Secret Annex in the rear of the building (its entrance hidden by a bookcase) where Anne and her family and friends were able to hide from the Nazis for two years and one month and where Anne wrote her famous “Diary of Anne Frank”. When the building was due to be demolished, locals staged a protest and began a collection to purchase the building. Instead, in October 1957 the owner donated the building to the Anne Frank Foundation, and the funds already collected went to purchase the house next door. The building was closed and renovated several times, and in September 1999 the Netherlands’ Queen Beatrix reopened the museum. It is now visited by over one million tourists every year.

The NEMO Science and Technology Center was opened in 1997 and explains modern developments and the voyage of discovery between reality and fantasy and the relationship between art, technology, and science. There are exhibits and demonstrations as well as performances on three floors.

The Miniature City Madurodam has replications of many famous Holland landmarks down to the smallest detail. These include the Royal Palace, Cathedral Tower, cheese market, and much more such as working windmills, airplanes, boats, and trains on the world’s largest miniature railway.

The Heineken Experience is the former Heineken Brewery and is quite an experience for beer drinkers.

There are many street markets which feature fruit, vegetables, herbs, the marvelous local cheese, fish, flowers, art, antiques, cloth, and delicacies such as herring sandwiches and sweet fried dough with raisins and powdered sugar.