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You are starting to think about taking that dream trip of yours, the one you have been talking about for years. You don’t just want to go to one destination, but have a whole list of things you want to experience and places you want to visit. In other words, you are in the market for a travel package. Thanks to the internet, you can find a package for any purpose. This makes it easy to get to where you want to go, but the huge selection also presents a challenge – How do you choose the travel package that’s right for you?

Whether you want to find a pre-made itinerary, or customize your own trip, here are a few things you will want to consider when finding (or building) your perfect travel package:

Cost

Be aware of exactly how much you can afford. Pay attention to what a given travel package includes whether that is transportation, hotel, meals, or entertainment. Some packages are all-inclusive, while others require you to pay for food or entertainment while on the trip. Take all of this into consideration and prepare a budget that includes every expense you will incur on the trip.

Specific Interests

If you have always dreamt of visiting Italy to see Roman ruins, you might not be interested in a package that focuses on Italian soccer teams. Don’t sacrifice your dream experience for a good deal that doesn’t quite fit your needs.

Group size

Some travel packages can involve traveling with a set group of up to a few dozen strangers. If that doesn’t interest you, find a package that accommodates a smaller group. Depending on your group size, you might even be able to find some great discounts in building your own package.

Schedule

There are a lot of travel packages that can help you see a lot of the world in a very short period of time. Because of this, certain tour group packages require you to build your schedule around theirs, which cuts back on your freedom. Before booking a trip, ask yourself: How long do I want to be gone? How much travel am I comfortable with?

Have you found any great travel packages? Did your custom-made solution make for an awesome vacation? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Photo credit: Trey Ratcliff

When you want to plan a trip to Italy, visions of ancient ruins and picturesque countryside can leave you wondering… How can you possibly see all there is to see? Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of the top things to do to help you plan your trip to Italy.

Duomo di Milan

The fourth largest cathedral in the world and the largest in Italy, this wondrous church took over six centuries to complete. The final details were not completed until 1965. For a fee, tourists can get a close-up view of the roof, which features intricate pinnacles and spires and a multitude of flying buttresses. Despite the various workers and styles included in this work, it is one of the most notable worldwide.

Da Vinci’s Last Supper

It just wouldn’t be a trip to Italy without viewing the painting that fueled the conspiracy behind The Da Vinci Code. Housed in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Da Vinci’s most famous work depicts the famous last supper of Jesus. While there are numerous museums to consider while you plan a trip to Italy, this singular painting makes a trip to Milan well worth it.

Uffizi Gallery

More of Da Vinci’s works are on display in the Uffizi Gallery of Florence, one of the oldest museums of western art in history. With large collections featuring the works Michelangelo, Giotto, Raphael, and numerous other famous artists, the frescoed ceilings and unique courtyard are sure to captivate during a trip to Italy.

The Coliseum

For those fans of Russell Crowe, a stop by The Coliseum in Rome is a must. The amphitheater and emblem of the Roman Empire, completed in the year 80 AD, was able to seat 50,000 citizens for entertaining gladiator battles, dramas, and other forms of entertainment. While it draws massive crowds, this historical bit of architecture is yet another example of the diverse locations to consider while you plan a trip to Italy.

The Vatican

While not technically a part of Italy (as the Holy See is its own state), it would be difficult to leave this off the list. With St. Peter’s Square, the basilica, the obelisk, the Vatican Gardens, and more, this miniscule nation is gorgeous to tour.

There is no shortage of places to consider while you plan a trip to Italy. These suggestions will help to make your trip unforgettable!

It doesn’t seem that long ago that the secret to finding great air travel deals was to call up your local travel agent. A good agent can, occasionally, still get you something spectacular. But the majority of great deals can be found through your own devices, if you apply the following strategies:

Know When to Travel

Travelers are always looking for the long weekend deal. The airlines know this, which is why flights on Friday, Sunday, and Monday tend to be pricey. If you have the flexibility, cheaper flights are often found on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Heading overseas? Monday through Wednesday is your best bet.

Follow the Twitter Account

Yes, Twitter is a social network. It’s also a great place to find out about special sales not advertised through other avenues. Look up the Twitter accounts of the airlines you like to fly and start following them. You need to stay on your toes, but the deals can be astounding.

Sign Up

All airlines have frequent flyer programs. Subscribe to their email lists and keep an eye on your inbox. You’re bound to find some great air travel deals that way.

Alert, Alert, Alert

Sites like Travelocity and Airfarewatchdog explore the listing sites to find the best prices on the Internet. Are you looking for the best deal on a flight to Ireland? Set up alerts at these sites, and wait for them to appear in your email.

Keep an Eye on Fees

Some airlines will tack on the extras. The too-good-to-be-true price may, in fact, turn out to be more expensive than you think. Make sure you read the fine print. The fees could be a deal-breaker.

Don’t Stop Looking

After you purchase a ticket, the price may drop further. Check out the airline policy – you may be entitled to a credit voucher or even a refund in case of a price drop.

Following these tips will ensure that you increase your chances of snagging the best air travel deals.

Source: “The Airfare Money-Saving Bible” FoxNews.com (http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2011/11/12/tools-to-help-save-money-on-airfares/) Accessed December 6, 2011

Photo credit: Trey Ratcliff

There are plenty of good reasons to choose from a multitude of travel packages to Costa Rica. They are affordable, easy to manage, and keep the headache out of mixing and matching various reservations. By choosing a good travel package to Costa Rica, you are making sure that your experience of the beautiful Central American nation is smooth, memorable, and enjoyable.

There are many services available to build your ideal travel package to Costa Rica. Some feature spas and resorts, others put an emphasis on tours and nature hikes. In a nation as diverse as Costa Rica, which is the most environmentally friendly nation on Earth, the wide range of activities available may seem daunting. Thankfully, some of the services we have listed below can help you build your travel package.

Costa Rica Vacations

With pre-made packages designed for honeymoons, family vacations, nature hikes, and more, this service is a great starting point for exploring your options. They also offer fishing packages as well as packages to neighboring Nicaragua or Panama. Travel packages to Costa Rica start from as low as $550, so see if they have one that’s right for you!

Tico Travel

This service also offers a wide range of pre-made packages, including extensive 8 to 12 day tours, self-drive tours, luxury packages, rainforest tours, and more. Be aware, however, that airfare is not included in these packages, but the diverse activities available make it one worth exploring. Maybe you are seeking some time to relax at the spa or perhaps you would prefer to experience the rainforests of Costa Rica. Either way, they have a travel package available for you.

Costa Rica Experts

This service has one of the most diverse sets of experiences available that we were able to find. With extremely detailed itineraries, this site leaves no questions unanswered when it comes to what you can expect from its travel packages to Costa Rica. All the categories are here as well, including adventure travel for those adrenaline junkies that want to get away for a while. This organization has planned travel packages to Costa Rica for 25 years, making it a trustworthy option for the potential traveler.

Be sure when selecting travel packages to Costa Rica that they fulfill all of your needs and wants for this trip. With the diverse options available, there is sure to be a choice for everyone!

Photo credit: Trey Ratcliff

Versailles, roughly a 30-minute train ride from Paris, is the ideal location for a day trip during a vacation to France. Filled with history and dazzling architecture, this Paris suburb was formerly the lap of luxury for King Louis XIV of France. While Paris has much to offer, a day or two spent on a trip to Versailles may add that much more to your French vacation. Here is a list of some of the highlights to visit on your trips to Versailles:

Château de Versailles

Louis XIV’s palace and the former home of the French nobility, this luxurious structure has been the site of numerous important treaties, most notably that which ended World War I. Filled with thousands of works of art and surrounded with luscious gardens, a visit here allows one to see the historical luxury used as a political tool, as well as beautiful architecture and art. Guided tours are available in both English and French so you can learn more about the rich history of the Palace.

Place du Marche

An authentic French experience, this open-air marketplace offers a wide variety of foods for your selection from vegetables and fruits to fish, pizza, and more. Open primarily in the mornings, there are also several restaurants located along the Place du Marche.

Royal Stables

Depending on when you arrive, you can also have the opportunity to view a Royal Horse show. These animals are trained to perform by the best of the best, and the stables are beautifully designed.

Explore the Town

While the Château de Versailles and other royal structures are particularly luxuriant, the town of Versailles is not unlike any other Parisian suburb. Filled with typical homes, small shops, and a few churches, trips to Versailles can reveal the French character in a modern setting.

Whether you wish to examine historically significant architecture and luxurious art collections or explore a small suburb of Paris, a trip to Versailles has numerous options to offer a traveler. Be sure to consider the recommendations we have while you plan your trips to Versailles!

The Eiffel Tower is easily argued to be one of the most iconic subjects of photography. Since being built in 1889, more than 200,000,000 people have visited the tower, which makes it the most visited monument in the world. But do you know how to properly capture such an iconic image? You have traveled all the way to Paris and you want a great picture of this monument. A picture that will capture not just the monument, but you and your personality. Eiffel Tower photographs can go beyond the clichéd images we all recognize. Here are a few tips to capture the perfect Eiffel Tower photographs:

Focus on specific aspects.

Walk around the tower. Look up every side. Look around every corner. Look in every nook and cranny. Find a section that looks interesting to you. Find a section that you want to remember forever. Focusing on one aspect of the tower for your Eiffel Tower photographs can give you the unique picture that you are looking for and bring out a side of the tower that others might not have seen.

Take pictures from the top.

Ride the elevator to the top of the tower and walk around the platform. Look down the side. Look across the platform to the other side of the tower. These shots can be fantastic ways of capturing the tower and its intricate architecture up close, and can provide a great setting for photographs of yourself and the tower.

Put it in context.

Take some pictures from far away, so that you can remember just how big the tower is. Maybe that means going a few blocks away and getting the buildings that are near the tower in your shot. Maybe that means walking out on the lawn in front of the tower and get down low to take the photograph. Do whatever you have to remember the impression you get standing next to the tower.

Have fun with it.

Be as creative as you want. Look for that angle you haven’t seen before. Find shadows and reflections of the tower. Shots like that can really capture features that might go unnoticed.

Take the traditional shot.

Yes, it might be cliché, but that straight on shot can be good. Sometimes the classics are really the best.

Get yourself in there.

Make sure you physically place yourself in some of the pictures you are taking. You want to show that you were actually there, and putting yourself in Eiffel Tower photographs is the best way to do that.

You will probably end up taking dozens (maybe hundreds) of different photos of the Eiffel Tower, so make sure you have extra memory cards and batteries for your camera on hand. People have documented the Eiffel Tower through art and photography since it first debuted, so be sure to take some time and leave your mark on this long-held tradition!

Traveling in Hong Kong can be one of the most exciting and overwhelming experiences of your life. With crowded sidewalks, bustling traffic, and large amounts of neon signs, it can be an assault on the senses. Don’t let this deter you from traveling in Hong Kong though, as there is a wealth of cultural and natural beauty to take in. To help, we’ve compiled this list of places to go while traveling in Hong Kong.

Giant Buddha at Po Lin Monastery

Situated on the Ngong Plateau amid the mountains of Lantau Island, the giant Buddha statue has its right hand raised to deliver a blessing to all visitors. The statue took over 12 years to complete and was unveiled in 1993 after being cast in China. The Po Lin Monastery features numerous other religious statues and offers visitors spectacular sites of the natural beauty of its island.

The Peak

There is nothing quite like the Hong Kong skyline, which is visible from “The Peak”. After a 1,200 foot tram ride up the steep hills, traveling in Hong Kong will not seem quite so intimidating. However, following the thrilling trip, all of Hong Kong unfolds before you from the various locations. The revitalization of the Peak Tower in 2006 makes this an unforgettable trip. Don’t forget to view the harbor from the Lugard Road Lookout!

Ninepin Island

Part of the “Geoparks” of Hong Kong, this island is situated about 15 km Southeast of the Sai Kung Town Centre. Due to its direct exposure to strong ocean winds and constant erosion, peculiar land forms have developed, including Cannon Rock, the Jacob’s Ladder Cave, and the Y-Shaped Cave. Don’t expect to be too close, these islands are exposed to large waves, dangerous terrains and strong winds, viewing is only available from the tour boats. However, the view of these nature-made forms makes it worth the time and visit.

Dragon Boat Festival

Also known as the Tuen Ng Festival, this annual event takes place around May and June. To commemorate popular Chinese hero Qu Yuan’s drowning in protest of unfair government, ornate boats race to the beat of drums. These boats measure more than 30 feet and feature carved and painted dragonheads and tails, lending their design to the festival’s name. Numerous other events take place during the days of the festival.

Traveling in Hong Kong doesn’t need to be overwhelming. The wide variety of sights to enjoy makes it worth a visit.

Photo credit: Trey Ratcliff

California is one of the largest states in America, which means that it has a lot to offer people from all walks of life. Whether you are looking for a romantic getaway, a tour of art and culture, something fun for the whole family or a nice nature vacation, California has something for you. But with such a variety of options it can become difficult to determine the best vacation spots in California.

In order to help you out we created this short list of destinations for you to choose from, or maybe you want to do them all. Either way, this list is comprised of some of the best vacation spots in California. Remember that these are not the only vacation spots to choose from in California. Try to keep an open mind when deciding on where you want to go.

Santa Monica Boulevard

The iconic boulevard of movies and television, Santa Monica Boulevard is home to many shops. But what is beyond the boulevard? Beaches and a pier that is just as famous! Santa Monica Pier is actually home to an amusement park that is great for the whole family!

Redwood Forests

Located in Northern California, the Giant Redwood trees are the tallest and most massive trees on earth. These forests are filled with trees over 300 feet tall. These trees are a must see for any California vacation.

Hollywood

Known around the world for being America’s district of television and movies, Hollywood is situated northwest of Los Angeles and is a great place for any movie enthusiast to visit. Keep an eye out for celebrities while you take tours around studios.

Napa Valley

Any lover of wine or nature should at the very least take a drive through this beautiful part of California. If you are looking for a relaxing or romantic trip, then Napa Valley provides the perfect location for you!

Golden Gate Bridge/ San Francisco Bay Area

One of the most famous and most recognizable bridges in the world, The Golden Gate Bridge is an icon of San Francisco. The bridge spans across the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Area is home to a large theatre community, five-star restaurants and much much more.

A whole state is ready to be discovered, so no matter what, remember to have fun doing whatever you decide to do. Get out there and explore these best vacation spots in California!

You are planning a trip to Barcelona, the second-largest city in Spain and the capital of Catalonia. But what is a trip without a list of places to see? Luckily, Barcelona includes some of the most unique architecture around, both historical and modern. From gorgeous historical cathedrals to modern monuments, there are plenty of places to see in Barcelona during your trip. We have compiled a few of the highlights.

The Azure Cathedral

Located along the iconic street La Rambla, La Iglesia de San Jaime contains one of the most beautiful cathedrals ever to be photographed. While it has been demolished and reconstructed several times throughout history, the current construction adheres to the mid-nineteenth century reforms. Don’t miss out on the gorgeously symmetrical construction inside this wonder!

Park Güell

Designed by Antoni Gaudí and constructed between 1900 and 1914, this 200,000 square meter park was designed to evoke the calm a park is expected to bring. First opened to the public in 1922, Gaudí’s artistry and designs made this park one of the worthy places to see in Barcelona. Be sure to see the artist’s work on the main terrace and the recently restored dragon!

Torre Mapfre

Designed and constructed in preparation for the Summer Olympics in 1992, this skyscraper is among the ten tallest in Spain. Towering over the seafront and visible from the nearby picturesque Atlanta Gardens, this giant of modern architecture is a symbol of the modernization of “the old city”.

Gran Teatre de Licieu

This historic opera house was most recently reopened in 1999 following a series of expansions, restorations, and improvements. The unique, horseshoe shaped auditorium features over 2,200 seats, making it one of the largest opera houses in Europe. Decorated with golden and plaster molding, brass lamps, and red velvet seats, the Licieu is an iconic piece of European architecture faithfully restored to its 1909 form.

Sagrada Família

Gaudí makes another appearance on our list with his as-of-yet unfinished Cathedral. Combining Gothic and Art Nouveau styles, this iconic building has seen construction off and on throughout the years. While not slated for completion until 2026, its façade is still an iconic part of Barcelona and this Roman Catholic Cathedral is noted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to visit and take in the unique architecture of this historical church.

There are numerous other places to see in Barcelona. Be sure to explore its streets on your visit because there is much more to see!

What are your favorite architectural hotspots in Barcelona? Share in the comments below!

In a world full of close connection and direct flights, travel is increasingly becoming a part of daily life. You might do business with someone halfway around the globe, or connect with a new friend in a faraway country. Whether you are an experienced traveler or have never stepped foot on an airplane, there are some basic traveller’s tips that everyone should keep in mind while away from home.

Copy Documents

Whether it is your passport, itinerary, flight documents or your insurance papers; it is a good idea to take the originals and a copy with you and leave a copy with someone at home. Be sure to keep the original and copy in separate places so that if one is lost you still have the other.

Travel Secure

It doesn’t matter why you are traveling or where, there is an insurance designed for your needs. Travel medical insurance will keep you protected in case of an emergency while you are traveling.

Pack Light

There is a good chance that you will have to carry your luggage more than you think. If this is the case, then you don’t want to have too much baggage. Packing light can also help you avoid extra charges at the airport.

Essentials Only

Sometimes people pack items that they don’t really need. You don’t want to take something extremely valuable with you, if you don’t need it. Having these items with you only leaves you vulnerable to theft.

Book Together

Use travel sites that allow you to book your flight and hotel together, which often results in lower costs. Some of these sites also allow you to add a rental car to your total bill. Check out our review of some of the more popular sites for international travel packages.

Research, Research, Research

The more you know about the place(s) to which you are going, the better off you are. By researching you can find out about the people, the places to see, and the culture.  It will also help you budget how much money you will need during the trip.

Plan Ahead

When it comes to budgets and itineraries, it is always good to have a plan. It is important to keep your spending limit in mind and to always know where exactly you are. Even if you like to play it by ear while traveling, make sure to have a plan for any situation.

What are your standby traveller’s tips? Help us travel smart by sharing in the comments below!