When it comes to travelling sometimes we are so obsessed with going abroad and visiting other parts of the world that we forget our own country. Today we will point out some cities or places that are worth visiting within the United Kingdom.

First of all, for those of you who do not live in the capital of our country you should never say no to a weekend in London. It is one of the most important capitals in Europe and there is plenty of things to do: from a cultural visit to an amazing night out. Even if we have been before there is always something new to see or somewhere to be discovered.

In Scotland there are different attractions: Edinburgh is a wonderful city with great museums and buildings with a fantastic architecture; St Andrews, next to the sea, with its magnificent cathedral and its little and cosy streets; The highlands, a place to be in harmony with nature and animals, to discover the beauty of sunsets and green mountains (bens) and valleys (glens) and Glasgow, a fantastic city to have a great party or go shopping.

If your passions are shopping or partying, another city that you shouldn’t miss is Manchester, where the German market is specially famous (only in Christmas time). Moreover, Oxford and Cambridge are well known by their Universities as well as by the gorgeousness of their buildings and campuses. Do not forget Stonehenge, where it all began!

Last, but not least if you travel towards the south there are a few little villages next to the sea that are also nice and quiet, colourful and peaceful places that nobody should miss.

Don’t forget that travelling does not always mean going far far away… check hotels in UK in Hotelopia!

CeBIT is the world’s leading tradeshow for the digital industry. It is held in Hannover, Germany and it starts today until Saturday 6^th.  From exhibits to conferences and corporate events, it is the meeting point of the ICT world. The most important sellers and developers of the IT business from all around the globe get together with industrial users and all buyers who are passionate about technology.

This year the official CeBIT Partner Country in 2010 is Spain. This country is not simply one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations; it is also an attractive place for high-tech industrial companies. The country of “sun and party” is already undergoing the benefits of the rapid expansion of ICT technologies in all fields of life, such as e-Government, Education and Health and therefore it is an example of IT application.

If you are passionate about technology or your company is in the ICT business, do not hesitate, CeBIT is a great opportunity to find new partners and to know where the industry is going to in the next future. If you are looking for accommodation you will find the best hotels in Hannover in Hotelopia.

Oslo from Holmenkollen

This year, the European music contest will be celebrated on 29^th May in Norway. Before, the representative of the UK will be chosen in Your country needs you, a BBC programme. About this programme we only know that last year’s representative, Jade Austen, will be there and so will the rest of the components of Sugababes, who will present their new album.

Oslo is the city where the European Song Contest will take place this year. It is Norway’s capital and also the biggest city and the cultural, scientific, economic and governmental centre of the country. The city’s unique position between a fjord and the hills makes it an unforgettable experience. During summer one can enjoy a summer concert at Holmenkollen, or order a drink at Aker Brygge. Or take a bike ride through Nordmarka. The city also has several interesting museums – the Viking Ship Museum, the Kon-Tiki Museum, the Fram Museum, the Ski Museum, the Munch Museum etc.

If you want to organise a different trip, try organising a cruise around the fjords and don’t forget to visit the capital at the end of May so you can be there for this fantastic contest which at least will be fun to watch. Don’t forget to make your hotel reservation in Hotelopia. Oslo,why not?

What about a nice weekend in the south of England? It is not always necessary to go out of the country to discover somewhere beautiful, different, special and charming. Those words describe perfectly the essence of Dartmouth, a small town in the south of England that is famous for its castle and its colourful houses.

Dartmouth is a smart choice; a nice, tranquil and peaceful place to get out of the city’s traffic jams and stress. There are plenty of things to do: have a walk to the castle, or get the little boat that takes you there; or take the ferry to Kingswear, where you can see and get on a steam train. If the weather gets worst the Cherub Pub is the place to be. It is also worth knowing that it is Dartmouth’s oldest building.

Soon winter will be over (or at least it is something we are all looking for) so book your hotel in this wonderful little town and get out of your day to day routine!

For those of you who are in love but don’t have the time or money to spend a weekend in Paris, City of Love, why not treat yourself and your partner with a few of these sweet ideas?

We all know that chocolate and love always go together. Chocolate is one of the best ways of saying “I love you”, especially if it’s given with a smile. But you might need a hint about where to get a special box of chocolates. So we just thought we’d help you with some suggestions for the city of London. The store Rococo Chocolates in Motcomb Street is a great example of passion for chocolates. Charbonnel et Walker are the royal chocolate producers, so their chocolate must be quite good. And last but not least, Hotel Chocolate, a British company whose tasting club is delicious.

Our second suggestion is related to perfumes and colognes. Who doesn’t like remembering his or her love through a smell? Especially if that smell is the one we chose! Perfumes are a great gift and the variety is so wide that there is a fragrance for everyone. Where to get them? Here are some hints: The family-run business Les Senteurs is a good choice and a safe bet. And so is Floris, a traditional shop in which you can find the most traditional fragrances.

Hurry and get your lover a gift before the stores run out of stock!

China has so many outstanding places to visit and such a good gastronomy that it is difficult to choose where to go and what to eat. Shanghai is a vibrant economic centre, with great shopping and a mix of things to do that are relatively unique in China. Xian is the old capital of the Empire. And last but not least, Beijing is a must. The current capital offers a great number of attractions of which you cannot miss The Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace.

However, the news today bring us to a different aspect of China, known as “The Great Firewall”. The Government of China has a very strict legislation. Google and other big Internet companies have had to adapt to this legislation in which some politically sensitive terms could not be displayed when looked for.

Nevertheless, Google rebelled against this legislation about two weeks ago, arguing that they had been attacked by hackers of the Chinese Government and declaring that they will close their web page google.cn unless this censorship ends. Nowadays the debate is still on, Will Google leave such a strong market or will the Government give up to the Multinational?

Steve Job, Apple’s Chief Executive Officer unveiled his company’s last gadget on Wednesday: the iPad. It is, as he defined it, a mixture between an iphone and a laptop, it is a tablet device the size of a book, a centimetre thick but what can this device do for us?

As travellers, we will focus on the characteristics that will change travelling costumes: for example, to refer to how long the battery lasted, Steve Job said you could watch movies in a flight from San Francisco to Tokio non stop, that is ten hours! Another program the ipad includes is a map application, which of course is something we have already seen in the iTouch or other smartphones but what about travel guides?

As the iPad is also an e-book but with GPS and internet technology, will we have normal travel guides in it? Or will they be more than just e-travel guides, more interactive? Pictures, how to get there from where you are, the distance between where you are and where the place is… Could this be a whole new life for travel guides? What do you think?

Sherlock Holmes is one of the most famous detectives of the world. He lived in London where he investigated murders and other mysterious cases, always followed by his loyal friend Watson. With the new film out, we have been investigating about this character, and guess what we found out?

Elementary, my dear Watson, Sherlock Holmes itinerary! It is a walk around London in which you can go to the most famous places named in his novels. First stop couldn’t be other than 221b Baker St, the detective’s address, where his Museum and statue are located.

If you are going to visit London soon you can’t miss this opportunity. Find out more by going into a Tourist Office, they will tell you everything about it!

Haití is one of the poorest countries in the world. More than 80% of its population lives on less than $2 a day. However, the situation has become even worse since last Monday, 12th of January, when an earthquake hit the country, its epicentre only 15 km away from the country’s Capital, Port-au-Prince. The whole country has been devastated, especially the capital where almost every building has been flattened. People who survived the disaster are now trying to survive without the bare necessities. Food, water and sanitary conditions are almost depleted. There are only a few hospitals working, and they are all crowded with the thousands of injured and sick, these number only mounting.

Hotelopia UK wants to focus its attention today to all those who survived the earthquake. Those who have nothing left; those who are in danger of being forgotten by the international community. International Humanitarian Aid has started to arrive but getting these supplies to those who need them the most is proving difficult and these is an ever growing shortage. If you, like us at Hotelopia are concerned with this catastrophe and want to help we suggest http://www.google.com/intl/en/relief/haitiearthquake/ where you can read about where and how to donate to this just cause. What could be as little as a pound from you or i, could mean the difference between life for them, please help!

Edinburgh is a city known for its castle, its gardens and tales. However, the birthplace of Harry Potter is also known for being one of the most expensive cities in the UK. Today we suggest a few places you can visit for free in this wonderful Scotish city.

First of all, you cannot miss the National Gallery of Scotland, located in one of the most popular streets of Edinburgh, Princess St, it has a very extense collection, with paintings of Velazquez, Titian, Van Gogh or Cezanne. If you prefer an outdoors activity and you are brave enough to go out in the Scotish weather,  you should definitely visit the Botanic Gardens, beauty in a variety of forms and sizes. Finally, if you are more of a music person you should stop at the jazz bar, a small bar in Old Town where there is music every night, ideal for relaxing whilst having a drink.

So there it is, activities for everyone without spending more than you can afford.