I am sitting in a tiny café, sipping a typical strong Dutch coffee in the beautiful city centre of Leiden and I finally found some time to write! The last few days have been amazing – I have had a blast here in Holland so far. It started very early and very active last week in Groningen, the northern part of Holland where we decided to go mud flat walking, which is basically going for a hike on the bottom of the sea with low tide.  We walked from the coast all the way to one of the Wadden Islands, Ameland, making our way through salt marches and sand banks while admiring the wildlife (we saw some seals!) and tranquillity, as there is nothing surrounding you but the sea, sand and wind, it was definitely a very unique experience that I would recommend to everyone!

The next day we took it a bit easier after our work-out the day before and we visited Stavoren, the oldest city of Friesland. We walked around in this tiny, picturesque city with its many sailing boats and then thought we could not leave Friesland without being on the water and embarked on a sailing trip on the Frisian lakes, we thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful nature that is prevalent there. For dinner we decided to go to De Librije, a restaurant that has been awarded with three Michelin stars. The food here is so delicious, I could not get enough!

When in Holland, do not miss Utrecht! This city in the middle of Holland, has lots of students, (meaning it is full of life) and you have a guaranteed great night out there in some of the really nice pubs along the medieval canals.

You cannot leave Holland without seeing some of the traditional icons, so we headed toward the western part of Holland and drove around the colourful bulb fields and visited Kinderdijk, where 19 windmills are standing close together.

And now I am in Leiden and just did some shopping here. Tonight we will visit The Hague to visit Het Nederlands Dance Theater, the best of contemporary dance in Holland. Before heading back tomorrow we will visit the Vermeer centre in Delft and paint our own porcelain.  What a great end to a great week here in Holland!

Whant to visit Holland? Please enter our special landing page.

Next… Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam.

Club Gascon is a Michelin-starred restaurant in London where you can dine for 14 euros, without fear of getting sent to the kitchen to wash the dishes afterwards. It’s not the only one either. Thirteen restaurants with one or two Michelin stars have decided to offer their customers menus for less than 30 pounds (33.6 euros). Michelin Pied à Terre and the Foliage are two such restaurants. In the case of Club Gascon, which offers the lowest price, the menu includes a dish of the day, a glass of wine, dessert and coffee. The owners of these establishments say the crisis is the main reason why they are promoting this initiative. This means that on the London tube, you could here the following conversation between three friends backpacking around Europe:
“Where do you want to eat today?”
“Let’s get out the Michelin guide and look for a cheap restaurant.
“What do you think? One or two stars today?”

We can get ourselves lost, but not our mobiles. Every day more programmes are being developed (the majority of which are based on GPS technology) that allow travellers to move around more freely in the cities they visit, thanks to their mobile phones. They detect our location. Not only do they know where we are, but they also tell us where to find nearby restaurants, ATM’s or the closest tube station. Just like in the movie “Minority Report,” in the not too distant future, we will be able to personalise our mobile phone so that it only shows us the information we want it to. Many telephone and videogame companies are currently investing heavily in this direction. The Iphone 3GS is one of these devices with the most applications of this type. It has a built-in GPS and compass. iTacitus is the name of a European Union project that aims to apply these technologies to provide the reconstructed images of the buildings that we visit that are in ruins . With the help of your mobile, not only can you walk in between the ruins in Rome (some of which require the traveller to have a very vivid imagination), but you can also get an idea of what the ground that you are standing on actually looked like originally. Did you know that the Parthenon in Greece used to be blue and red? Are we perhaps facing the beginning of the end of tourist guidebooks?

On the occasion of World Diabetes Day, we have compiled a few recommendations for diabetes sufferers who are planning on taking a trip. There is no reason why a person with diabetes should not be able to travel anywhere in the world. That said, it is a good idea to visit your doctor before setting off on your trip. It is important to take with you everything you need for every day that you will be away, along with an extra prescription just in case. In order to avoid any misunderstandings at airports, we recommend taking a medical report with you, explaining why you need to take the required material onboard. In the United States, for example, you can simply show the labelled product, as it can only be sold at the chemist with a doctor’s prescription. Keep time differences in mind, due to the fact that, depending on whether you are travelling east or west, you may need to inject an extra dose or avoid taking one. Insulin will withstand travel, but keep an eye out if your destination is a place with high temperatures. In this case, you could take a small cooler or a special case for insulin to keep it cool. We recommend taking a small amount of food with you in case you need it, as well as wearing a bracelet or medallion that indicates that you are diabetic. In the event that you will be walking considerable distances, be sure to examine your feet everyday. Lastly, go to a doctor if you have any problems. And above all, have a wonderful trip!

A mining company in search of gold has apparently destroyed 100 metres of the Great Wall of China. The most well-known monument and tourist attraction in China was built 2000 years ago to protect its borders from invaders attacking from northern Asia. Until this mining company decided to blow it sky high, the Great Wall of China was 6,000 kilometres long. Previously, it had reached 8,000 kilometres, but with the passing of time and human intervention, parts of the wall are now in ruins or have disappeared. When travellers visit the wall, they might come across country houses nearby that were built with stones from this monument. Destroying the wall today could involve a hefty jail sentence. Many walls have been built and many others destroyed over the last 2,000 years, but the Great Wall of China stands proud, like a gigantic dragon, enduring the tests of time. It is simply amazing. Fortunately for the travellers who have yet to admire it in person, there are still 5,900 kilometres left standing.

On the occasion of the Agrotur Trade Fair held at the Feria de Cornellà Exhibition Centre, the newspaper “ Periodico de Cataluña” interviewed Enric Brufau, the director of this event. In times of crisis, the rural tourism industry is not only holding up, but it is even managing to continue growing. Enric Brufau believes that the crisis has caused travellers’ habits to shift. Now they opt for shorter stays in destinations that are closer to home, instead of going on long overseas trips. He also declared in the interview that sitting in front of a fireplace is an excellent therapy for relieving stress.
Quite a few years ago, rural tourism began to become an attractive option to consider when planning a holiday. At the beginning, this alternative popped up almost spontaneously and there were no regulations set up control it. Nowadays however, rural tourism is a sound alternative for travellers. Now that there is no more arguing about whether it’s time to put the heavy duvet on the bed, shall we sit in front the fireplace? Maybe we aren’t that stressed out or maybe we can’t get rid of all of it, but isn’t it worth it just to enjoy this moment?

The destination of the month in Hotelopia is like a city taken out of a fairy tale: Prague. Its bridges, the river and its colourful houses that contrast with its emblematic dark stone buildings give it a mystical, imaginary splendour. This dreamy sensation is magnified by its Art Nouveau, which became very popular in the capital of the Czech Republic in the 20th century. The Municipal House, the Hotel Europa or the first Exhibition Grounds are a reflection of the extent to which this artistic style has influenced Prague’s architecture. The force of its Art Deco or Modernism (as it’s called in Spain) however, can be felt in many other parts of the city, not only at these prominent buildings. When you are meandering through the streets of Prague, remember to look up. You might find a painted female figure smiling down at you from the top of a house. Maybe, when you open the door to a shop, you’ll find that the iron door handle is in the shape of a climbing plant. Inside a café, a mirror could reflect your image surrounded by a wooden frame showing the craftsmanship of virtuosity. Even in the hotel, its winding staircase will add a touch of magic to your stay. When in Prague, visitors do not need to look for Art Nouveau; they will find it all around them, accompanying them during their stay.

It’s Monday again?! Where did Saturday and Sunday go to?  Why haven’t I had more time to rest? When will I? In the last months of the year, the days always seem to drag on in an endless cycle of cold weather, dark afternoons and loads of work. Why is everyone in such a rush and why is the deadline always asap?

I guess complaining doesn’t help, but that doesn’t mean that inside us there isn’t a voice that is asking for a little break, a 2-day getaway, that would do us a world of good.  Spa hotels are perfect for a weekend getaway. Thermal baths and therapies that will help us to disconnect from a daily routine that is satisfactory, although now and again it’s good to stop and put things into perspective. This type of hotel focuses on our physical and mental well-being. We feel better, more creative and renewed. We listen to ourselves and discover many new things. We rest and we recover energy. We give ourselves a weekend gift. Why? Because we deserve it, or simply because we feel like it.