Travel and Leisure Articles

Classic Scotland in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute is seen at every turn. The town of Helensburgh - which had previously been classed as a burgh in the Scottish system - is part of the unitary council area of Argyll and Bute. That area is at the same time what the Scots call a “Lieutenancy area,” over which the lord-lieutenants of the monarch hold sway. Today, that’s a largely ceremonial matter but in olden days the Lieutenancy was taken very seriously.

Helensburgh itself lies on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde, which is a large area of coastal water that’s sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula. The town’s history goes back to 1776, when a series of spa baths were built on the site of the old Ardencaple Castle, which itself dated back to 1600. A seaside town was built to the east, and the town was named after the wife of its builder, Sir Ian Colquhoun. Her name was Helen.

The town remained a combination spa and seaside resort for holiday-goers traveling via ferry service and railway for much of the intervening years. Today, it is mostly a commuter town for residents who travel to work in nearby Glasgow. It has a current population of around 15,000 people. It is also the main shopping nexus for the local area and is an attraction for tourists. They come mainly to enjoy and partake in the seaside nature of this resort.

There is a large navy base located near to the town, over at Faslane, on the Gare Loch. Day trips geared towards the sightseer and tourist are a common activity in and around Helensburgh. It is notable that the quality and price of housing is generally somewhat higher than in much of Scotland.

Argyll and Bute, the unitary council area of which the town of Helensburgh is a part, enjoys a population of around 92,000 people. There are over 3,000 miles of coastline in the area, making it a popular destination for folks wanting to experience a bit of Scottish countryside. Helensburgh is a proud part of this atmosphere.

Do you want to enjoy Florence in a local manner? Would you like to know more about local secrets of Florence? Then contact and hire Florence tour guides before leaving home.

Its unique beauty and wonderful customs make of Florence one of Italy’s most fascinating cities. Its artistic patrimony is among the most important in the world.

Being a city of art and culture, Florence has been home to many famous painters and writers and is still one of the top destinations for creative artists.

Experience the difference between taking pictures as an average tourist and learning about customs and traditions from a local. Walk through the local markets like San Lorenzo, mercato centrale, mercato delle pulci and buy some souvenirs and clothiong, old prints, paintings and objects from the past.

A real highlight of each trip could be going to the calcio storico, when players, clad in medieval garters and pantaloons, seem more preoccupied with attacking each other than putting the ball anywhere, though the rules of the game in themselves are fairly complex. The game itself is said to originate from an ancient Roman ball sport which became a traditional Fiorentine spectacle in the golden age of the Tuscan capital but unfortunately still is not known to many.

Wouldn’t it be great if a local could tell you about the traditions and the secrets of such an old and wonderful city.

Let a guide take you around and show you how locals in Florence really live. Local cuisine, famous wines, art, history and more. We can help you meet lots of local guides and choose the experience you want to live. Florence tour guides will introduce you into the local culture, real life, traditions and more. Experiencing, learning and feeling emotions will enrich your life!

So why not find Florence local tour guides and feel like a local! Florence awaits you.

If you are looking for the best place to view cherry trees in bloom, then head on up to the Washington DC area and take a look at all the blooming cherry trees in Washington, DC. There are at least 11 different varieties in and around the National Mall.

They include the Yoshino , Kwanzan , Akebono , Weeping Japanese , Takesimensis , Usuzumi , Autumn Flowering, Sargent , Fugenzo , Shirofugen and Okame . Each one has different blooms and flowers so we will be discussing them all and moving to different places in Washington DC to see each and every one.

The Yoshino Cherry reaches 50 feet at maturity, with white single petal blossoms that are almond scented. The Kwanzan Cherry is 30 feet that has double flowers with 30 petals and clear pink to faded pink. The Akebono Cherry reaches 50 feet at maturity and has a single blossom that a pale pink fading to white. Weeping Japanese Cherry is 40 feet high with a weeping crown and these differ in color, Pendula Rosea is deep pink flowers, Pendula Plena Rosea is double pink flowers, Pendula Alba is single white flowers. Rosey Cloud is double brink pink while Snowfozam is single white flowers. The Takesimensis is 40 feet and bears white flowers. The Usuzumi Cherry is 40 feet tall with single white flowers. Autumn Flowering Cherry has 30 feet and semi double pink flowers. The Sargent Cherry is 50 feet with deep pink flowers in single form. The Fugenzo Cherry is 20 feet high and has double rose pink flowers. The Shirofugen is 25 feet with white to pink double flowers. Okame is 25 feet with semi double pink flowers.

One other of note includes the Afterglow Cherry, which replaces the Akebono Cherry. There are many different places that these are planted in Washington DC. Most of them grow around the Tidal Basin, Haines Point and the Washington Monument grounds. In total for East Potomac Park, there are over 1,681 trees. The Tidal Basin area has over 1,678. The Washington Monument has 342 and there are 49 trees at other park sites. The tree count is as follows: East Potomac - 995 Yoshino Cherry, 414 Kwanzan Cherry, 190 Takesimensis Cherry, 60 Weeping Japanese Cherry, 9 Sargent Cherry, 6 Autumn Flowering Cherry, 3 Akebono Cherry, 2 Afterglow Cherry, 1 Shirofugen Cherry and 1 Okame Cherry.

For Tidal Basin there are 1405 Yoshino, 105 Akebono, 50 Usuzumi, 44 Kwanzan, 34 Weeping, 14 Fugenzo, 14 Autumn Blooming and 12 Sargent. For the Washington Monument there are 341 Yoshino and 1 Kwanzan. For other sites there are 22 Kwanzan, 21 Yoshino, 4 Akebono, 1 Autumn Flowering and 1 Cherry. This makes any spring trip to Washington DC a pleasure during the spring.

Melton Mowbray is found in Leicestershire in the Melton borough. The town is situated by the River Wreake and River Eye. It is known as the Rural Capital of Food as it is known for its culinary specialties. It is the home of Stilton Cheese and best known for its pork pies.

Stilton cheese originated near Melton Mowbray and takes its name from the village of Stilton. Stilton cheese was never made in Stilton but this is the spot where the cheese was marketed to travelers along the Great North Road. There is a special hand-raising process needed to make authentic Melton Mowbray pork pies. It is possible to buy an authentic pie at ye olde pork pie shoppe on Nottingham Street. The pork pie won an award in 2008 and the name carries a Protected Geographical Indication status.

Melton has approximately 28 ancient monuments and over 700 buildings listed as having historical significance. Grantham Canal contains remains of ironstone working, windmill sites and smelting spots, as it was the site of Wreake navigation. Melton Mowbray has been a market for over 1,000 years and its inhabitants can date its status back to 1086 when the Domesday Book noted there were 200 individuals permanently settled at Melton Mowbray. This town is the third oldest in England.

The vast majority of the buildings around the Melton Market Place, including Church Lane, Sherrard Street, King Street, and Nottingham Street all have ancient foundations. The area around 5 King street was found to be part of a medieval open-halled house, possible part of a castle. During the Civil war in the 1600s Melton had a Roundhead garrison.

The town was also a popular spot for fox hunting. The phrase, painting the town red, originated in Melton during hunt. A hunting party in 1837 found a few tins of red paint which the used to paint buildings along high street. Some older buildings still show the red paint. Melton cloth also comes from Melton, which is a heavily milled tight-woven woolen cloth. This cloth was used to make Sailors’ pea coats, workman’s’ donkey jackets. Loggers’ cruising jackets and Mackinaws.

For the tourist traveling through England, a great example of how historic architecture and modern day living can blend seamlessly with one another is found in the northwest of England. Classic small market town life in Brampton, Cumbria is much as it ever was. And that’s a good thing.

Brampton was founded back in the 7th century. It sits only about 9 miles east of Carlisle and only a couple miles from a section of the historically-important Roman stone and turf structure known as Hadrian’s Wall. This archeologically significant example of Roman fortification against ancient Pictish tribes raiding from what is now Scotland runs almost the entire width across northern England.

The town houses an architecturally-impressive church, Saint Martin’s, which was designed by the famous architect Philip Webb, in 1878. The church itself contains a stunning and memorable set of stained-glass windows.

There have been a wide variety of markets in Brampton since at least 1252. And as late as the mid-1800s there were as many as 45 pubs serving the town of about 3,000 people, who also benefited from the 2 breweries located in Brampton.

Today, the town has ballooned in size all the way up to 4,000 people, though most of the pubs and all of the breweries have passed through the tides of time and history. Brampton has made an effort to preserve the classic and historic nature of many of its buildings, especially those made out of the locally-available red sandstone.

The quiet pace of life in the town is reflected in its recreation opportunities, which mainly revolve around outdoor walking trails and boating activities at the 10,000 year old glacial lake called Talkin Tarn.

The shire county of Cumbria, in which Brampton resides, has a population of around 500,000 people spread over a large, mostly rural, area. Its own sedate pace of life blends in perfectly with that of Brampton’s. For the tourist looking to enjoy pastoral scenery and a less-hectic way of living, the market town of Brampton sets the perfect tone.

Known as the Granite City, Aberdeen has a long and illustrious history and, because of its situation on the east coast of Scotland, has more recently become closely associated with the North Sea oil and gas industries.

This historic city gained its nickname due to the number of buildings constructed using locally quarried grey granite. Because of the granite effect it is also known as the Silver City, due to the mica and quartz deposits ingrained in the stone that gives off a silver sparkling effect in sunlight. When the skies are overcast and the mica fails to sparkle, it earns its third nickname of the Grey City.

Long before oil was discovered in the North Sea, Aberdeen was an important hub for the fishing and shipbuilding industries. But, during the last 30 years, more modern industries including electronics and oil have taken over leading to a new era of affluence for the city, which is Scotland’s third largest in terms of population. With more than 200,000 residents there is much to do in the city in terms of leisure, culture and entertainment and Aberdeen is fast becoming a tourist hot-spot as more visitors expand their horizons beyond Scotland’s big draws of Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Getting there by road from the south involves taking the scenic A90 from Edinburgh (via the M90), which by-passes the city forming the main route to the north and the cities of Peterhead and Fraserburgh; access to the glorious Cairngorms is via the A93 to the west. Once in the city there is lots to do including some glorious shopping, fabulous sightseeing and, if the weather permits, a stroll along the sandy beach.

As you can see, although it is the UK’s second most northerly large city, some 100 miles north of Edinburgh, it is relatively easy to get there. The city boasts prominent rail-links with Edinburgh, Glasgow and London, as well as flights to Aberdeen, which arrive at Dyce International Airport.

Much of the city was built from the 18th century onwards, with glorious Georgian avenues such as Castlegate and Union Street still prominent thoroughfares. The latter is near to the medieval townhouse of the Provost Skene’s House and close by in cobbled streets of Old Aberdeen is found the impressive 15th century St Machar’s Cathedral featuring its tall twin towers.

Whether visiting for culture, history or the marvellous designer stores at the Academy Shopping Centre, you will find Aberdeen a warm, friendly and welcoming city, regardless of the granite!

The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.

Visiting Aberystwyth, Ceredigion is close to a part of heaven. It portrays a peaceful atmosphere offering a bit of excitement. This is a place for people who enjoy viewing beautiful landscape, countryside and scenery.

The areas surrounding Aberystwyth, include some of the magnificent country sides you will ever view. The adjoining includes mountains and picturesque valleys. The coast and bay areas are astonishing. These are some of the most eye-catching beaches.

Aberystwyth has a lot to offer in significant cultural events. It is the host of many important institutions in Wales. It is the home of the first University which includes Rural Science. It is also proudly the home of the National Library of Wales where there is a lot of literary information stored on the countries related to Celtics. The library has the oldest manuscript that was written in the Welsh language.

While visiting, there will be plenty of attractions to view. There is the Ceredigion museum, the popular steam railway, a cliff railway to go through valleys. You will find a mining museum, and forest tours. Be sure to view the historic churches. If you are an art lover, there is a host of galleries.

For relaxing, the accommodations are a plenty. There are a variety of hotels in the main town. Tourist who are looking to enjoy the great out doors stay at bed and breakfast inn on the outskirts of town, or a self catering cottage offering all of the modern conveniences. These are traditionally located in the midst of pleasant views, breathtaking nature, and wildlife.

Outdoor activities include bird watching, trout fishing, walking and cycling trails and great places to eat. If you are thinking of touring this area, or will be close by, stop in and visit. Staying over at Aberystwyth - Ceredigion will be a treat you will cherish.

No trip to Cairo is complete, it’s true, without the obligatory camel ride to the Sphinx, the countless photographs of vast pyramids and an unforgettable boat ride up the tremendous river Nile - but that isn’t all there is to this culturally dense city.

Cairo is one of the world’s oldest cities and reputedly one that has seen all influences of the world descend within its limits. That’s why you’ll see architecture from many great civilizations collected in Cairo, with the land of the Pharaohs converging into a breathtaking enigma alongside echoes left by the Romans and the Greeks, amongst others.

You can find out about the stunning history of Cairo, spanning 4,000 years, through a visit to the Egyptian Museum. This timeless building, with its striking outer facade, displays over 136,000 artefacts including the world’s largest collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities, which is a must-see for all ancient Egypt buffs.

Even those with just a mild interest in memories of the past will find something to fascinate at this famous museum, from artefacts brought from the very tomb of Tutankhamen - including treasures and prized possessions - to mummified corpses of royal bodies of the New Kingdom, a display that will mesmerise and enthral both adults and children.

But leaving the past and moving into the modern, Cairo has plenty to offer to the up to date tourist as well. For example, its live music scene is one to be experienced, with cultural sounds thrumming late into the night in bars and clubs, and those choosing the right time to visit might coincide with the Cairo International Film Festival, a globally famous event that attracts thousands of stars and reaffirms Cairo’s status as the cultural capital of the Arab world.

At the film festival, you can see the latest in blockbuster and arthouse films gathered together in one location, with thousands of fellow spectators joining you to appreciate what’s on offer at this exciting event. You may even catch glimpse of a celebrity or two - the festival has seen many famous faces over the years, including Christopher Lee, Morgan Freeman, Nicolas Cage and Elizabeth Taylor.

And if you fancy taking in more of Cairo’s musical scene, why not sample a memorable experience at the Cairo Opera House or the Khedivial Opera House? These stages have seen performances from world famous talent and the highest quality operas, making them an unmissable attraction for fans.

There’s so much you can do other than the usual tourist attractions when you step off your flights to Cairo - just make sure you have enough time in which to do them!

On the third Monday of every April, the Boston Marathon brings together the top runners from all over the world to compete in this famous 26 mile, 385 yard race across the rolling suburban countryside outside of Boston and finally through the city’s streets. If you’re planning to be in Boston when this exciting event takes place, you have two different options for enjoying it.

The first option is easy: join the other hundreds of thousands of Boston visitors and Bostonians who line the race course to watch it. Although the Marathon begins southwest of the city in Hopkinton and continues east through several suburban towns, all of which provide excellent viewpoints, the easiest observation points are those near subway (called the “T” in Boston) stations.

In Newton, where the runners follow a course along Commonwealth Avenue (including the infamous Heartbreak Hill between Miles 20 and 21), you’ll find a stretch near Boston College and the Chestnut Hill Reservoir that’s usually not too crowded and offers a lovely spot for a picnic as a bonus. The “B” branch of the T’s Green Line has 3 stations in this area: Boston College, South Street, and Chestnut Hill Ave. Take the T to any of these stations, and you’ll find plenty of curbside spots with an easy view of the racers.

As the runners continue on Commonwealth Avenue toward the city, the crowds get thicker, especially around Boston University where groups of students compete to see who can cheer the loudest. The Boston Red Sox traditionally play a home game in Fenway Park on Marathon Day each year, starting at 11:05 and ending in time for the crowds to pour out into Kenmore Square to cheer on the runners as they enter the final mile.

The most crowded and perhaps the most exciting place to watch the Boston Marathon is near the finish line in Copley Square across from the Boston Public Library. If you choose this spot to watch, be warned: the crowds are huge! The Marathon is New England’s most widely viewed sport.

If the weather is good, as many as half a million spectators come out to watch the race - and you’ll swear that they’re all in Copley Square. However, if you don’t mind large and loud crowds, there’s no more exciting place to be. The fastest runners usually cross the finish line not long after noon, but the remainder continue to arrive throughout the afternoon.

The other option for enjoying the Marathon is harder - quite a bit harder, in fact - and takes more preparation: you can run in the Marathon yourself, along with 24,999 other participants.

But first, you have to qualify.

The Boston Marathon is the only U.S. Marathon with qualifying time standards, which is why it’s so prestigious. You must achieve the qualifying time for your age/gender group on a U.S.A Track and Field certified course (or international equivalent) within approximately 19 months before the date of the Marathon in which you want to run. Can you do it? You won’t know unless you try - so off your running shoes and start training now!

Think of Scotland and you’ll probably get an image of the lone piper in traditional Highland dress playing at the top of a mountain. Or you’ll picture the quaint cobbled streets of fishing villages, the blasting personality of Edinburgh’s Old Town and the gorgeous, dynamic images of the West Coast.

A lot of people don’t think about the streets of Glasgow or the incredible city’s large part in Scottish heritage, tourism and commerce. Glasgow is a city that’s industrious in many ways: built during a period of great industrial growth, the sprawling city was founded on a great promise of bringing wealth to Scottish soil. This is reflected in the city’s criss-crossed layout, organised to the last detail to encourage hard work and production.

But factories and warehouses aren’t all Glasgow has to offer by a long shot. Step into the streets of this charming and beautiful city to experience the sight of some of the most magnificent architecture in the country. Marvel at Glasgow’s Victorian housing and Charles Rennie Mackintosh art nouveau style buildings.

If intricate and delicate design is your taste, you’ll want to visit the University of Glasgow’s main building and stroll through the grounds of what can only be described as something that is to be seen to be believed. What’s more, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, as well as the Glasgow City Chambers are all illuminating examples of what this city has to offer by way of breathtaking buildings.

But enough about the scenery - there’s a reason so many Scots flock to Glasgow at nights and over weekends and that’s because the city’s shopping and social scenes are rivalled by none. If shopping is your wish then Glasgow holds the answer to your dreams. From bustling Buchanan Street’s high street stores to the city centre’s incredible wealth of theatres, nightclubs and bars, Glasgow has a nightlife bursting with character. No matter what your tastes, Glasgow will provide. Rock fans can hit the Cathouse or Garage, while the SECC looms at the edge of the city and hosts huge events from the hottest pop acts to large stand up comedy shows.

And as for culture, Glasgow is teeming with a vibrancy that would make other cities jealous. Edinburgh is the country’s capital - and for good reason. However, there’s no escaping that Edinburgh is shaped for the tourist industry and those seeking a real flavour of Scottish culture will find it in Glasgow. With all the best live music, theatre and comedy from the Scottish arts scene, as well as excellent cafes, bars, restaurants and art exhibitions, it is perhaps no surprise that there has been an increased popularity in flights to Glasgow when considering which big city to visit first in Scotland.

The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.