Prague, hands down, remains one of my favorite European adventures.  Maybe it was the people I travelled with, but there is something unforgettable about this Czech Republic capital.  Upon arrival, you’ll immediately be struck by the imposing architecture that dominates the city’s skyline.  A stop at the Old Town Square offers a smattering of buildings in the styles of Gothic, Baroque, and Romanesque.  One of the most imposing structures is The Church of Our Lady Before Tyn. Its Gothic spires can be seen from just about anywhere in Prague- it served as an excellent reference point.  Another monument worth incorporating in your visit is the Astronomical Clock at the Old Town Hall.

A true feat of design, the Clock was designed and built in the 15th century.  Every hour, between 9am and 9pm, the twelve apostles rotate around the Clock’s face.  It was a huge deal when it was built; rumor has it the Clock’s designer was blinded after completing his masterpiece. Those that commissioned the Clock wanted to make sure he didn’t build one for another city. Perhaps its just an old wife’s tale but part of Prague’s lure is its mysteriousness.  Meander across the Charles Bridge, a pedestrian only fairway constructed hundreds of years ago to connect the “Old Town” with Prague Castle.  The bridge is filled with hawkers of all kinds and it may feel like tourist overload, but it is worth the stroll.  Check out the array of statues of saints that run along the sides of the bridge and admire the views of the Vltava River and surrounding sights.

If you choose to follow the windy and sometimes steep paths that characterize the castle side of the city, visit the Prague Castle complex and go to tiny Golden Lane to see examples of life back in the 15th century.  A favorite stop of mine was the Lobkowicz Palace, located within the Castle complex. The Palace is small enough that you get to see everything, or almost everything, without feeling totally overwhelmed.  In this private collection you’ll find paintings by Canaletto and Velázquez, original manuscripts by Beethoven, and several other gems that make the Palace worth a visit.

As for food, restaurants in Prague offer up delicious dumplings (knedliky) and goulash (Guláš), I didn’t have a bad meal during the visit.  Head off the beaten path to find better prices and fewer tourists.  The Czech Republic boasts some of the best beer in the world and takes it seriously.  According to a guide from a walking tour, the Czech Republic is the only place where you can drink beer and have it out on your desk at work, take that bit of knowledge as you’d like. However, I will admit, it does pair quite nicely with the local cuisine.

As a major tourist city, accommodation is easy to come by.  That includes all shapes and sizes, whether you want a hostel or would prefer a Prague hotel with a bit more frills.  Regardless of where you stay, your trip will be amazing; Prague is a Bohemian wonderland with surprises around every corner.  Learn more at My Destination Prague.

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FC Barcelona football tickets represent not only the chance to see a club with a rich football heritage but also allow you to visit the Camp Nou; one of the largest and most famous football stadiums in the world.

Barcelona are the current European champions and are widely accepted as one of the best club sides ever to have played the game. With your tickets to see Barcelona, you will be entitled to see some of the worlds leading sportsmen in players like Messi, Xavi and Iniesta. They are applauded by pundits for their ability to play attractive passing football with flamboyance and charisma, a characteristic which summed up Spain’s success in the recent World Cup. The current Barcelona team constitutes the backbone of the Spanish World Cup winning national side. The fluid, skilful way that Barcelona play is commonly held up as the current model for most European teams to emulate.

Football is a cornerstone of Catalan culture and this makes the Nou Camp one of the most exciting places to be in Barcelona. Holding nearly one hundred thousand spectators, the atmosphere and sense of occasion is an experience to be savoured. Football is more than just a sport in places like Barcelona. It is a display of cultural identity, a public heritage institution that forms part of the fabric of Catalan society. Mes que un club (more than a club) is the slogan on one of the imposing stands. FC Barcelona tickets will show you more than a football match; they will provide you with an exciting flavour of local culture and open the door to see the city more as a citizen than a tourist.

For any football fan, tickets to the Camp Nou are a pilgrimage to the heart of European football.

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If you’re ideal holiday isn’t about lounging around on a sun bed all day, then check out the action-packed activities on offer in the Costa Brava. With a range of sporting activities available to keep holidaymakers busy, tourists will be able to take the ear phones out, put the book down and enjoy some fun-filled sporting adventures in this Spanish gem.

There’s no better time to try water sports then on holiday so leave the stunning Costa Brava hotels behind for the day and head to one of the 30 beaches in the region for some action-packed water sports activities – Lloret de Mar is the ideal place. Parasailing is very popular here and provides a spectacular opportunity to see the resort from a birds-eye whilst sitting in a parachute attached to a boat. Water skiing is also worth trying. It may be harder to learn, but it’s incredibly rewarding and gliding along the top of the water is a great feeling. Windsurfing and kite-surfing lessons with specialized instructors are also available on most beaches in the resort.

For a fun group activity on the water, the ‘Fly Fish’ has become hugely popular in the Costa Brava. This large inflated kite is pulled along by a speed boat and takes off into the air every time it hits a wave – so hang on tight! A Banana Boat can usually accommodate up to 10 people and is ideal to enjoy with a group of mates. A soaking in the sea is guaranteed at some point but it’s great fun seeing who can stay on for the longest.

At the north end of the Bay of Pals you’ll find the crystal clear waters of the Medes Islands – a perfect location for scuba diving. Plunge to the bottom of the ocean and witness a fascinating array of marine life, native flora and fauna for an experience to remember. Sailing along the Catalonian coast of the Med is another great option. Sailing companies operate from the two ports in Barcelona – Port Vell and Port Olimpic – allowing travellers to either experience a cruise with a qualified skipper at the helm or tourists already familiar with the ropes can charter a yacht for themselves.

Of course a visit to the Costa Brava is not complete with taking a trip to the Nou Camp – home of the greatest football team in the world, FC Barcelona. This magnificent 100,000 all-seater stadium is ideally located for tourists staying in Barcelona hotels, but it’s also a fantastic place to visit on a day-trip. Tickets for matches there are like gold dust, so instead take a tour of the stadium. Marvel at their impressive museum packed with an abundance of trophies, visit the changing rooms to see where the likes of Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas get ready for each match and run through the tunnel to get the best view of the pristine pitch.

With some of the most beautiful courses in Europe dotted along its coastline, golf is another popular activity in the Costa Brava. Many people visit the area purely to spend their days playing this relaxing sport, but often tourists on family holidays take a break from the beach for half a day to enjoy a round in stunning surroundings. With the Pyrenees as a backdrop, the PGA Catalunya Golf Course has been voted in the top ten in Europe, while the Emporda Golf Club is made up of four, nine-hole courses allowing golfers to play a shorter round. With so much to do here that book in the suitcase might have to wait until the flight home.

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Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, is an area of superlative buzz. Over the last ten years it has played host to an enormous boom of sun-seeking, cheap-thrills-holidaymakers who make there way to this Spanish outlet in there droves on low-cost flights from all parts of the surrounding European continent. It does, therefore, demonstrate a little too keenly at times the traditional hallmarks of an overdose in the spotlight – such as the overcrowded beaches of Playa de las Americas and the sometimes characterless collection of hotel restaurants that line its shores. That said it caters for a specific crew, those seeking sunshine, postcard perfect palms, long stretches of golden sand, glow-stick inspired revelry, and all that lies in between. And it must be said, it does this very well. If this is your thing, then go for it. If not, then there is another side to the island that might appeal, a side that attracts nature lovers, architectural admirers, culinary enthusiasts and sports fanatics.

Firstly, its worth mentioning that accommodation on the island varies greatly, from the to-be-expected cockroach infested double bed flats in the hills above the aforementioned Playa de las Americas, to the sublimely executed 5* all inclusive resorts in the south of the Island. Rooms of the former variety are advertised at highish rates, and often come with the tag line of ‘beach view balcony’ or something of similar, dubious appeal… It’s worth checking what this actually means before making one of these your bed for the week. Mid priced Tenerife hotels can also be misleading, and in the high tourist areas close to either the North or South airport, do expect concrete multiplexes. You will however, be rewarded if you are prepared to step out from the geographical convenience of the main transport hubs and into the countryside, where the striking vistas of volcanic landscapes and backdrops of palm studded evergreen forestry make you wonder whether you are still on the same island! If you are looking for just such an example of the different types of accommodation found on the island then the ultimate option would be the Abama Hotel & Resort. Set entirely in its own private 160 hectare grounds, in the secluded Guía de Isora region, the Abama has its own proffesional golf course (with 22 lakes…), 14 different bars and restaurants, and plenty of activities for the family. Understandably the Abama comes with a hefft price tag, and has become a celebrity hang out of late.

Tenerife restaurants are, as with the accommodation, extremely variable. Party-goers would rarely get the chance to delve into the roots of the local cuisine, and it’s a shame because its can be extremely satisfying. For starters, its worth remembering that Tenerife sits not far off the coast of Africa and with that comes the vast selection of wonderful seafood from the Atlantic Ocean.  The most common fish varieties are comb-tooth blennies, the sea bream, red porgy, gold lined bream and grouper. You can also find Atlantic mackerel, sardine and Moray eels.  Often seafood is simply prepared, either boiled or baked.  During your holidays make sure to try wrinkly potatoes, or papas arrugadas, covered with a local mojo sauce to add some garlicly kick to the meal. Potatoes are something of a specialty in Tenerife, as they are cooked in very salty water – which is left to evaporate completely, leaving hard, salty and crispy skins – much like your skin after a week in high season splashed out on Playa de las Americas. Excellent!

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