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By: Luciano Borg
The Maltese Islands are made up of 2 densely inhabited islands, Malta and Gozo, a small island called Comino, which hosts a large exotic tourist resort, a smaller uninhabited island called Cominetto, and a large rock called Filfla.
Right in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, the Maltese Islands are a paradise for sea lovers. Kilometres of sandy and rocky beaches are easily accessible, making it the perfect venue for those who are looking for a beach holiday, where they can relax in the sun, swim in crystal-clear safe blue seas, walk along promenades and enjoy good food and accommodation at reasonable prices.
An island is always dependent on the sea, and Malta is lucky to have so many advantages in this regard. With beautiful warm climate during most of the year, tourists come to Malta to enjoy the sea even in winter, when days can sometimes turn out to be warmer than it could ever get in Northern England or Italy during summer.
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Among the hundreds of thousands of tourists who flock each year to this Mediterranean, Island Paradise are many yachting enthusiasts. Malta boasts of many Yacht Marinas that are fully equipped to cater for all types of vessels, from small yachts to luxury yachts and super yachts.
Many are those who chose to stop in Malta to enjoy the island while their yachts are being maintained and refurbished. The Maltese yachting companies are proud of their workmanship that dates back to the years of the British rule, when the Malta Dockyards were one of the pedestals of the British Navy in southern Europe.
The Maltese towns and cities blend into each other, so you hardly know when you have left one village an entered another, were it not for the “Welcome to our Village” signs put up by local councils to show their boundaries.
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The Maltese islands are very densely populated. Presently the Maltese population amounts to around 400 thousand. By international standards Malta is so small it’s just like a very small city.
There are 67 villages that have a local council; 53 in Malta and 14 in Gozo.
Although closely knit together, some villages have very distinct and pleasant features. The older villages have a baroque church built in the centre. Many Parish Churches occupy a central and dominant position in the structure of old villages such as Mosta, Zabbar, Zejtun, Ghaxaq, Tarxien, Gudja, Dingli, Cospicua, Senglea, and too many to name.
This is clear evidence of the great devotion that the Maltese people have always had for the Roman Catholic Religion and the important place religion is still given in the Maltese people’s everyday life.
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Many historic buildings boast a baroque style of architecture, which was predominant after the Renaissance in Malta. Some of the most magnificent palaces and auberges built by the Knights of St John are today used by the elite, such as the Presidential Palace, the Parliamentary Palace, the Prime Minister’s Palace, Foreign Ministries, etc.
In the towns and villages, the old parish churches’ baroque architecture deeply contrasts with the flat and plain roof tops of the other buildings. The village architecture is reminiscent of buildings in countries such as North African, where the climate and weather is similar.
via Expert Articles
By Matthew Lee
Shopping around for the greatest discounts on airfare and hotels is not the only way to save money on domestic travel. In order to truly control your spending on these jaunts, you have to account for the many hidden expenses that traveling can entail. The following are several ways to keep more cash in your pocket while still having a good time.
Instead of packing up every item that you think you might want to wear on your trip, pack light. With less to carry, you won't have to pay the high costs of having your bags checked. Instead, you can carry everything right onto the plane. If you need more clothes, you can always go shopping or you can take advantage of the laundry room at your hotel.
Eat a decent meal before heading out and pack a light snack that you can carry onto the plane with you. The costs of airport food are exceedingly high and few people find the quality to be in line with their expectations. Check out the official website of the airline that you're flying with in order to determine which carry-on foods are permissible. More often than no, small packs of dry goods like nuts, potato chips and granola bars are allowed.
Book reservations at a hotel that can assist with your itinerary planning and that has on-site shuttles that you can use as need. This could eliminate the need to rent a car. It will also keep you from dealing with the stress of navigating unfamiliar roads, finding a place to park and getting accurate directions.
It is also beneficial to pay a bit more in order to stay in a hotel that has many of the features and amenities you want. This is better than paying a number of secondary companies to access things that are necessary for your trip. A hotel that serves breakfast each morning will spare you the costs of having to dine out three times per day. Establishments with in-house, workout facilities on site will help you keep your fitness plan on track without having to buy punch cards at a local gym.
Rather than parking at the airport, take your car to a domestic airport parking service. The rates that these companies maintain tend to be significantly cheaper. Moreover, they have onsite shuttle services that can get you to and from the airport during your departure and arrival. With their help, you can ensure that your next journey is both low in cost and hassle-free.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9340053
By Elna Pieterse
My first article is something that is very close to my heart. I used to think that everyone must know about this by now, but people always tend to listen wide-eyed when I relate my experiences.
I remember the day I was reading an article in an In-flight magazine on the way to Johannesburg my life has never been the same since, and I love sharing my secret with you today.
We have traveled for the last 7 years in a way that I never dreamed possible before - Home Exchange!
If you are South African like me, your first question might be - "is it safe?" Of course, there are never any guarantees in life, but in all the years we have done this, I never had any reasons to feel alarmed in any way. In fact, we have made so many dear friends in places we would otherwise never have been to before.
If you love to explore and experience the heart of the place, the people, the local cuisine and atmosphere, this is what you need to do! Getting to those places where you can rub shoulders with the locals, is where the true experience begins.
It works best if you have a second/holiday home to put up for exchange. That way you are able to do non-simultaneous exchanges where both parties are able to visit in summer, for instance. Being in South Africa, it means we are always in the opposite season than Europe and the USA.
If you have to exchange your primary residence, don't despair, there are always the shoulder seasons or local exchanges. Or how would you feel about a white Christmas, or a skiing holiday in the Alps?
The beauty is that no place is too big or too small to qualify. Even a studio flat, like the one where we stayed in Zurich, will attract interest.
This also means that you could take the whole family when you find a big enough place, and it is not necessary to trade size for size - there are many different reasons people travel and you are sure to find the perfect exchange partner.
The best way I found to do this is through http://www.homeforexchange.com. There are many websites offering the idea, but this one is superior to all of them, with over 10 000 houses to choose from, worldwide.
The way it works is to decide where you want to go and start contacting people to see if they are interested in visiting your area. Sometimes it takes quite a few tries before you hit the jackpot. But some of the popular cities like Paris and New York, for example, have loads to choose from and you are bound to find a suitable exchange.
For the senior travelers, with more time on hand, the special deal is to do long-term exchanges with a similar couple. Really, your biggest expense is the flights. Once you are there, it's not going to change much to your budget if you stay for a week or a month! You have to eat anyway! Many of the senior exchangers are interested in long-term exchanges, so now's the time to make those dreams come true...
This, of course, has no age restrictions, and you can even do that with your toddlers. Just look out for a similar family, and the kids would have loads of new toys to keep them busy for the holiday.
You need to be prepared to be a little flexible, though. This is more or less like buying a second-hand car - you might have to search for the right deal and take what is available, instead of walking into the nearest dealer and order the exact model and color you prefer.
BENEFITS
The first and obvious benefit here is to be able to stay for free, chopping thousands off your budget. Often, there is a possibility of exchanging cars as well, saving you another big expense!
The second, for me a biggie, is to be able to really experience the place like a local. Going to shop and eat where the locals do, and not the over commercialized tourist traps; meeting the people. This is something that you will never be able to experience, staying in fancy hotels or resorts.
Another great benefit is that you have a local guide on the other side, ready to help you with any kind of questions, planning, and tips of what to see and do. Imagine on your side, the benefits for your guests to have your knowledge of the local area. No hotel employee will take the time to give you that!
We have done Home Exchanges in Swakopmund/Windhoek, Cape Town, Paris, Scotland (2), Italy, Zurich, Bern and the Swiss Alps, Germany, The Netherlands and the beautiful Gent in Belgium. Coming up in June, are two exchanges in Italy and Ireland!
Feel free to contact me with any questions, I'll be happy to help where I can. Happy traveling! For more on this, visit my blog [http://www.maturetravellerdiscount.com]
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9040495
By : W Kyle Flowers
Many people dream about being able to someday retire and travel the world. There are also a growing number of people who are considering career breaks and time after school to travel extensively. A top concern and deterrent of these individuals is the cost of travel. This article will outline the several ways to save on transportation costs to allow discounted travel around the world.
Know your top destinations, but be flexible. Making a list of top destinations is an excellent outline for a travel plan, but keeping flexibility on how and when you arrive there is a key to budget travel.
• Airlines use specific airport hubs to connect flights to other destinations. Searching for direct flights both in and out of these locations can save significant amounts of money on tickets. It also often allows for time to explore the area around these hubs between flights.
• Start at an end destination and work your way back. Look at a top destination's airport website and look at all inbound and outbound flights. This will give you information on which hubs service these locations most often, and other possible destinations of interest you can use as a connection.
Time is your friend. Long-term travel requires considerable planning with as much notice as possible.
• Taking time to research destinations is key to affordable pricing. Traveling to destinations during popular events will cost more than during non-peak times. Researching all forms of transportation are key: South America, and Asia offer luxury buses that are often cheaper and more comfortable than flights, while crossing the Atlantic Ocean can be cheaper on a cruise than by a flight once lodging and meals are factored in.
• Having flexibility in time of travel is a significant source of savings. Searching tickets over a month time-frame will allow for the cheapest options. Additional flexibility in travel time, and not being rushed to your destination will also allow for multiple connections and long layovers, the cheapest tickets usually available.
• Many cruise lines and some airlines offer a best price guarantee but do not advertise it. Booking well in advance and routinely checking back for drops in ticket prices gives you the opportunity to contact the company and request they match their current price. If they will not match the price often companies will provide you with a credit of the difference in price to use on future travel.
Use technology to your advantage. The Internet is the best tool for planning, searching, and booking cheap travel.
• Many search engines allow for you to search multiple airlines over multiple dates to find the lowest prices.
• Checking directly with the airline, cruise line, or bus company and not through a travel agent will give a comparison for all other prices. Signing up for the travel company's newsletters and loyalty groups will often provide you with first access to special pricing.
• Following travel companies and travel groups on social media provides direct access to immediate news and specials. Travel groups often post glitches in booking software and most travel companies repair these in minutes. Followers that are able to book during the window of glitches are usually allowed to keep their prices. Travel companies occasionally offer followers discounts and travel credits for public feedback on social media.
• Use the booking company's currency conversion. Changing the booking to multiple currencies can provide significant savings. Often changing currency in software assumes you are in a poorer region and provides discounted pricing. A quick search engine lookup will provide you with an accurate conversion, and a global credit card with no international fees is best for purchase.
Planning well in advance, keeping flexible travel times, and using technology to your advantage can allow you to follow your dreams and travel the world at an affordable price!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9330548
