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Car journeys around the French coast before and after Monaco Grand Prix.

Are you planning to go to the Monaco Grand Prix? The sunny days will allow you to visit the nearby locations, real architectural and natural jewels.

Besides the classic routes where you will discover the main town and coastal roads, the nature, history and art of these places will present themselves as real itineraries. Here are our favorite locations.

Bormes les Mimosas: Le mimosas are the mimosa that blooms in this valley in February and March. An unexpected layer of yellow covers the mountains around the village where the ancient stones still talk about a medieval history.

In the Var region, the heart of Provence, you travel from village to village, between the coast and valleys, among the castles and chapels. Visit this path with a slow pace typical of the south stopping to taste the local wines in the production cellars.

The Route du Mimosa: Intense yellow in the middle of the winter. The mimosas in bloom are like fragrant sunrays that invite you to discover the road of 130 km from Bormes les Mimosas to the Grasse and the Var.

Route Napoléon: Following the footsteps of Napoleon, who while returning from exile on Elba Island decided to attempt to regain his title. The Route Napoléon goes from Golfe-Juan to Grenoble passing through Castellane, Digne and Sisteron.

Sentier des Ocres: It seems to enter into an unreal dimension when it seems to be painted in shades of red and yellow colors. They are the ancient quarries from where the ocher was mined. Should be visited by walking around the surroundings of Roussillon.

Pénitents des Mées: According to the local legend they are men transformed into statues of stone by a curse. However they resemble penitents monks in procession. In reality they are an extraordinary succession of stone that you can explore following the natural trails.

Saint-Paul-de-Vence: Maybe it’s the absence of the cars, or the colored stones or maybe it’s the countryside atmosphere that makes this medieval village the most famous in the region. It is the favorite colony of artists and gallery owners who have become an attraction themselves.

Renting a car is the best way to explore the French Riviera.
It’s essential to have a car for driving around.
If you are not coming with your own, it is advisable to hire one directly at the airport www.carhire-niceairport.com.

Traveling is a different experience in 2012 than it was years ago. With proper preparation, you can jet off to a new destination without any worries. The following tips will help guide you.

Airport Guidelines

Airport security in 2012 is significantly different from security 15 years ago. In the past, security was painless and fast. Now, you must know the guidelines of each airport you will pass through to save yourself a headache. Regulations differ depending on the country. Some are stricter than others. Traveling through the United States, for example, will require you to put liquids over three ounces inside your checked bag. You will also have to remove your shoes before passing through the security checkpoints. Check on the Internet for the latest rules. If you are unsure about bringing a particular item through security, leave it at home.

Safety When Traveling Abroad

Your safety is your number one priority when traveling abroad. 2012 has been a politically contentious year and many countries are experiencing upheaval. Consult the latest information from your own government before traveling. Research your destination and stay up to date on the latest events. Safety aside, issues like labor union strikes can affect your travel in other ways. Be sure to bring contact information for your country’s embassy.

Try Something New

Travel in 2012 is hardly limited to flying somewhere and seeing something interesting. A new brand of travel known as “volunteer travel” has grown more popular. The basic idea is to travel to an impoverished part of the world to spend your vacation doing good works for others. Some organizations will pay part of your expenses if you agree to complete certain tasks while on the trip. There are opportunities for volunteer travel all over the world.

Find a Local

For a truly unique experience and perspective, utilize the Internet to find a local in the destination you will be visiting. Look for informational blogs written by a native of the country to gain first-person information. Without being pushy, ask them about their country. Find out their favorite restaurant or ask for recommendations for something to see while visiting. This is a new way to learn more about a destination that was not available to travelers years ago.

Do Your Homework

In days of old, most travelers got their information from tour books in their local library. Books can still be useful as a starting point for your research. Try to find recent books and supplement your information with the latest updates from the Internet. Inaccurate information is widespread on the Internet so be sure to consult reputable websites. The official tourism website of your destination is a good resource for your travel plans. These websites typically feature current news, useful maps and popular tourist locales.

Prepare Your Electronics

If you are traveling abroad, it is vital to find out what your cellphone coverage will be while there. You may have to pay exorbitant rates to use your phone, though some carriers offer international plans. Prepare alternative ways to communicate while abroad such as instant messaging through the Internet. Don’t forget to bring all the chargers you will need to keep all of your electronics working during your trip. Depending on your destination, you might also require a power adapter to use your electronics.

Although modern travel has become more complicated in some ways, there has never been a better time to see a variety of exciting destinations.

This article was contributed by Limo Lane Denver Colorado limo rental services.

A Possible Addition

Over the last decade, my wife and I have watched our family grow. Our son, Paul, got married and now has a four-year-old boy. Our older daughter, Stephanie, has two rambunctious children. It is not an outrageously large family, but it is big enough that we are continually tripping over each other when someone tries to prepare a ham for Christmas or Easter. There are the spouses, too. Paul’s wife was previously married, and she has a son from that marriage. The family has gotten large enough that I have even considered adding an addition to the house. If you do not take some precautions, the next thing you know the children are using a lack of space as an excuse not to come visit. All of this sets the stage for Paul’s phone call. He called on Sunday like he does every week and pitched the idea of a family vacation. 

A Family Tradition

We rented a seven-bedroom villa in Florida. There was enough space in the townhouse that we could have invited a few more guests. The villa came with air conditioning and a private swimming pool. More importantly, it was only twenty minutes away from Disney World. This is the reason Paul hatched the idea. He felt it was time that all the kids went to Disney. It made sense. My wife and I had taken Paul and his sister when they were kids. It seems that Paul wanted to create a family tradition.

We stayed at a place called Windsor Palms. It was a beautiful, gated-community. The villa was outfitted with every possible amenity. There was a fully equipped kitchen, laundry facilities, an outdoor terrace, Internet connection and even a CD and DVD player. Furthermore, we had enough space that we were not constantly tripping over each other. In fact, the Florida villa was more comfortable than home. Paul had come up with a great idea. If our family had tried to holiday any other way, it would have cost us a fortune. The dinner bill alone would break the bank. At Windsor Palms, we could prepare all our own meals, and everyone had the freedom to come and go as they pleased. 

Off to Disney 

We rented the Florida villa for a week. Three of those days were devoted to visiting Disney World. The holiday package that we purchased included the cost of a rental car. Actually, it was a mini-van. A family needs its space. The kids were restless and wide-eyed with excitement. The smell of orange groves drifted through our open windows as we drove to the park. A family holiday could not get any better than this. 

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The expense and hassle of plane travel is irritating enough, without adding the additional problems of taking luggage with you that has to be checked in. You can save time, money and considerable frustration by travelling with cabin luggage only; no waiting around at the carousel for your bag to be the last one to emerge (probably split into two by customs) and no arguing with the check in staff when they try to charge you an extra £10 to check in a bag when they claim to be a low cost carrier. The smart money is on the hand luggage only traveller, who can just breeze past everyone else and take their seat with their case safely stowed overhead, confident of a quick exit at the other end.

<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/ivyfield/4731067716/” title=”iPhone 4′s Retina Display v.s. iPhone 3G by Yutaka Tsutano, on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1190/4731067716_61b0fe8b59_z.jpg” width=”640″ height=”427″ alt=”iPhone 4′s Retina Display v.s. iPhone 3G”></a>

Of course, successfully negotiating hand luggage only travel means getting to grips with the details. Most airlines have limits of 5-10kg for cabin baggage, or a requirement that the bag must be able to fit in overhead locker – they will rarely offer any flexibility in this regard, particularly where there is the possibility of a charge for cases that are too big and must be checked in. In order to avoid an embarrassing conflict at the check in some smart packing is required – here are 5 essential gadgets for the hand luggage only traveler:

A smart phone might not seem like an essential gadget for hand luggage, but where space is at a premium, this little gadget really comes into its own. A phone like the iPhone, for example, can combine the phone, text and email basic facilities, with newspapers, an alarm clock, camera, music, and even a document creation system in which work papers – for example, Word and Excel documents – can be edited on the move. Give that most Smart phones nowadays fit in your pocket, that’s a lot of room saved.

A notebook computer is a key alternative to a heavy laptop for the hand luggage only traveller. Most notebook models are now being designed and made to be extremely lightweight and small and can be slipped into the outside pocket of carry on luggage, taking up very little extra room. The iPad is another small, lightweight option that is perfect for the hand luggage only traveller as it is super slim and takes up around the same room in a case as a magazine. For the holiday traveller, the Kindle is a great alternative to trying to pack carry on luggage full of lots of books.

Given the amount of electronic equipment we all seem to need nowadays, the smart traveller is one who remembers to bring the adapter. One essential gadget for someone who only has hand luggage room is an ultra slim universal power adaptor kit. These come in varying designs of compactness and will provide the traveller with the ability to charge just about anything from multiple power sources anywhere in the world.

A gadget that has been developed particularly for hand luggage only travelers is the portable luggage scales. As many airlines now judge whether or not luggage is suitable as hand luggage by its weight, the scales mean that you can check in advance whether or not your bag will qualify – even once you have filled it full of Duty Free booze.

Not a gadget as such but given the restriction on liquids, it is worth investing in a set of travel bottles to make sure that you are not going over the 20cm size liquid limits on hand luggage. This is often where most cabin luggage travellers slip up, either through forgetting the restrictions when trying to bring something back that has been purchased abroad, or not realising what might constitute a ‘liquid.’ A number of retailers now offer compact sets of travel bottles and jars that are just the right size both to meet the travel limits and to take up minimal room in a case.

With these 5 essential gadgets for the hand luggage only traveller, travelling can be quicker, easier and a much more pleasurable experience. And the money saved on check in baggage costs can be put towards another flight!

Alexandra is a travel blogger from Deal Zippy specializing in cheap travel deals.

The “Fanny pack” – not to be confused with “the bum bag”!

Travelling to another country where they don’t speak the language can be something of a confusing experience, but even in those countries where there is a shared basic language, you can guarantee that local dialects will have given that language a different twist. America is of course the best example of this as, in some cases, whilst the language spoken is ‘English’ (or ‘American English’ to give it the proper term), some of the phrases and word-meanings bear little relation to ‘British English.’ Here is a quick reference guide to getting to grips with American dialect for Brits abroad.

American is a big country…and so there is really not one ‘American’ dialect as such. The country’s 50 states are home to a population of more than 300 million and cover an area of more than 9 million square kilometers. Within the federal and state boundaries there are metropolitan cities, arid deserts, huge expanses of ice and breathtaking mountain ranges – the ways of life of those who live within these areas range from completely international to fully insular and so in different places language has developed in different ways and at diverse speeds. America is also a melting pot of different cultures, from Mexican immigrants, to Europeans, each of whom has brought their own language with them over the centuries, each adding something new to the dialect spoken in their own individual areas. Some language experts have estimated that there are around fifteen dialects in America in total – defined by geographical area, although not by state. These include ‘Inland Northern,’ ‘Chicago Urban’ and ‘New England Western.’ Each of these owes something to the people, the history and the culture of the local area and each has its own special quirks. However, there are also some common elements to most of these dialects that set them apart from British English and these are listed below.

Hey what’s going on with these chips!

Eating and drinking is one of the most common areas where there are particularly different vocabs in use. If you ask for ‘chips’ you’ll be given a bag of crisps and if you ask for ‘crisps’ you’ll no doubt be met by a completely blank stare. Biscuits here are ‘cookies’ and ‘biscuits’ are scones. If you are offered ‘jelly’ with your toast then this is in fact jam and if you have a sweet tooth then it’s essential that you learn to say ‘candy’ instead of ‘sweets,’ or you might end up unable to get your sugar fix. Vegetables have lots of variations – ‘zucchini’ for courgette and ‘eggplant’ for aubergine, being the two most common.

Going out can be confusing if you don’t have a clue what the locals are on about. You don’t go to the cinema in America, you go to ‘the movies,’ and football in the English sense of the word is ‘soccer’ (whereas football in American is ‘American football’…). You need to ask for ‘the check’ at the end of a meal, not the bill, which you will pay for with ‘bills’ (not notes). If you’re a woman then your ‘purse’ is actually your handbag and for men ‘pants’ are in fact trousers, not what you wear underneath; for both sexes, you’ll need to take the ‘subway’ not the tube if you’re going to get anywhere in the big cities, or jump in a ‘cab’ not a taxi.

In the house there are just as many areas for potential error. Clothes are kept in the ‘closet’ rather than in the wardrobe and the kitchen tap is actually the kitchen ‘faucet.’ At night you will need to put out the ‘garbage’ not the rubbish, and draw the ‘drapes,’ rather than the curtains. If you live in a flat, this will be called an ‘apartment,’ and where you have a lift in the hall that’s actually an ‘elevator.’

Getting to grips with American dialect is not that hard for Brits abroad. The best thing to do is to simply query any words that sound odd, based on the situation you’re in and listen out for the terms the locals use – and remember not to take offence if someone makes a comment about your pants!

John is a freelance travel writer who wrote this guest post on behalf of Alamo USA – whether you’re looking for car hire in Boston or Orlando – they speak your language!

A Limo Excursion & Wine Tours

This company prides itself on being family owned and operated. Guests are all provided with a sophisticated tour in a relaxed atmosphere. Rather than taking guests to the most oft visited wineries, your tour guide will escort you to small, intimate wineries popular with the locals. You’ll be able to enjoy cellar and vineyard tours at these small wineries, making your experience in the region truly unique.

Beau Wine Tours

Not only will your chauffeur be well adept at driving you from winery to winery, he or she will also act as your guide! The drivers at Beau are experienced and knowledgeable tour guides and will give you a unique look into Napa Valley. Sit back in your elegant limousine and enjoy the incredible region’s wineries and vineyards.

Pure Luxury Wine Tours

Your chauffeured tour will take you to the popular wineries of Monticello, Cornerstone Cellars and Freemark Abbey. The five hour tour includes tastings at each winery, a gourmet lunch and a chance to purchase wines from three of the best-loved wineries in the region.

Consort Wine Tours

From the moment you step into the depths of your privately chauffeured Cadillac Escalade, you’ll be treated like a star. Enjoy your complimentary bottle of wine as your tour guide drives you along the valley, constructing a day tailored to your interests. Your day will be filled with nothing but pleasure as you are given complete autonomy in the planning of your ideal Napa tour.

Knight Wine Tours & Travel

This company provides a wide array of tours sure to suit any couple or family. From pet- and kid-friendly tours to romantic tours for two, Knight’s Tours can deliver exactly what you desire. The operators of the tour live in the region and have an insider’s view when it comes to the best wineries to visit, no matter the occasion! If you want to see more than wineries along your route, you’re in luck: Knight’s will show you some popular non-winery sites as well!

Napa Valley Wine Train

While riding aboard a train may not be the first thing you think of when you think “chauffeur,” what better way to sit back and enjoy the vineyards rolling by your windows? Your ride aboard the wine train will include a gourmet meal, train fare and up to two Napa winery tours. Guests can choose among Grgich Hills, Valley First, Ambassador, Domaine Chandon and Evening Wineries when deciding which wineries they would like to tour.

Touring through Napa Valley being driven by your own chauffeur is one of the most relaxing ways to see the region. Any of these companies is sure to offer you the tour that you’re looking for! Whether it’s a romantic trip for two or a fun family vacation, hiring a chauffeur in Napa Valley will ensure an educational tour like no other.

Jenny Wilkes is an on the road freelance travel blogger for TheTruckersReport.com as well as a regular poster on TheTruckersReport.com Forum.

When it comes to family travel, the world is your oyster if you utilize a few strategies for stretching your dollars. By saving money on accommodation, you will have more room in your budget for entertainment, dining, and kids’ activities. This might even bring expensive destinations like New York City, London, Paris or Las Vegas into your price range. Keep reading to discover how vacation rentals offer great value for family travel.

New York City

The Big Apple is known for world-class museums, important historical attractions, and incredible theater. Yet it’s also incredibly expensive. Hotels often start at $300 or $400 a night for a basic room. And then there are restaurants — also significantly expensive unless you want to spend your whole trip eating pizza.
Vacation rentals can solve all of these problems. Find a spacious condo in a local neighborhood and your family will have room to spread out. With a kitchen, you can prepare healthy breakfasts and lunches, or even pack picnics to enjoy New York’s parks. Instead of a tourist’s perspective on New York, you (and your kids) will gain a more local perspective. The money you save can go towards museum entry fees or theater tickets.
London
Some families look at the exchange rate and think London is out of their budget.  But why not broaden your lodging search beyond the city center? London has an incredible underground (or subway) system that links together all parts of the city easily and quickly. Instead of paying for a central hotel, why not get to know one of London’s neighborhoods in a vacation rental?
You might find that starting your day strolling through the Portobello Market in the Notting Hill neighborhood is a better start than another hotel breakfast. Prices for meals and drinks are also more reasonable outside of the city center. Plus, many of the best museums in the city offer free entry, including the National Gallery.
Paris
The capital city of Paris — with its expensive hotels and posh restaurants — can be intimidating to families. But with a few advance preparations, you might begin to see Paris as a place the whole family can enjoy for its culture, casual brasseries, and historic attractions. Avoid the chaos of central Paris and choose a local neighborhood where your kids will have the eye-opening experience of seeing how French kids live.
In these areas that aren’t overrun with tourists, you might find that the locals are friendly (for the French) and willing to help you discover the hidden gems in the neighborhood. Learn “hello” and “thank you” in French and head out to bakeries, cheese shops, and grocery stores to stock the fridge.
Las Vegas
The bright lights, the rides and amusements — Las Vegas is a surprisingly family friendly town. Yet with big luxury hotels and celebrity chefs, it can also be expensive. Bring Sin City back into your price range by choosing a vacation rental. With the money you save on preparing some of your own meals, you can indulge in all the roller coasters and death-defying amusements that Vegas has to offer.
Finding the Family-Friendly Side of Every City
There is no city on earth that isn’t family friendly, but sometimes it takes a little effort and planning to discover this side of it. Stick to local neighborhoods and research public parks and outdoor markets, and you will set the stage for a budget-friendly family trip that your kids will talk about for years to come.
About the Author
Laura Hoot has been writing professionally since 2004 and manages HomeAway’s Travel Ideas site.  She also runs a household of three dogs, a cat, two chickens and a baby boy along with her husband. She’s written for USA Today’s travel site, GirlsGetaway.com , Cheapo Air, Travels.com, Trails.com, eFilmCritic.com, The Budget Fashionista, Travellogged.com and many more sites.

Paxos playfully rests in the beautiful Ionian Islands, just to the south of Corfu Island. Year after year, this small but stunning island plays host to thousands of tourists, but still manages to keep its traditional charm. Of course, the aqua blue waters that trim the coastline are major tourist magnets for the island. However, there are many things to do off the beaten track in Paxos, away from the popular beaches.

One of the most alluring aspects of Paxos is its ‘capital’, Gaios. Its British and Venetian influences are still evident throughout the streets of this tiny town. Yes, it is extremely relaxing, especially in the main square. However, Gaios is usually the first place tourists visit. Try one of the other smaller villages located around Paxos for a real cultural treat.

Magazia is one of the smaller settlements on Paxos, and is well worth a visit. Nothing more than a few hamlets grown together, the settlement is situated between Lakka and Gaios, so it is easy to reach after arriving in the capital. Tourists are usually not seen here, but a traditional Paxos lifestyle certainly is. The area is renowned for its beautiful sunsets and a 6th century archaeological ruin.

Another little village that is often overlooked is Fontana. It is only a short distance from Loggos and provides one of the more traditional spots on the island. The church in Fontana will make the trip great value all on its own, but don’t forget to explore the rest of the village. Tourists will feel as though they have stepped back in time when they arrive here. An olive press is available for viewing in the spring and early summer. Remember, the village is also known as Platinos by locals.

Paxos is also home to a stunning olive press museum, which gets overlooked by visitors far too often. The Olive Press Museum is a great place to spend an hour. It was originally built in 1865 as an olive press, and was still operating up until 1960. It is open from 11:00 until 14:00 seven days a week, and tourists can purchase local produce while visiting.

Tourists looking to get off the beaten track in Paxos should head to the cliffs of the western coast. Okay, so these cliffs aren’t exactly off the beaten track. However, there are so many places to visit that tourists can literally escape everyone and enjoy the white limestone cliffs privately. There are plenty of coves, caves and beaches that can only be accessed by boat.

The Kastanitha Caves, Grammatiko, Ortholithos and Erimitis Bay are among the most impressive sites along the west coast. However, there are dozens of wondrous sites along this coastline that are virtually deserted. Most of the spots can only be reached via excursion boats, which usually leave from Gaios or Lakka.

Hikers and those who like to get around on foot will feel right at home on Paxos. Getting off the beaten track in Paxos may mean getting onto the walking tracks! Walking the island is the best way to see the stunning scenery that dominates the landscape. Olive groves, small villages, limestone cliffs, pristine coves and lonely beaches dot the 10 by four kilometre island.

John is a travel writer from eHolidayCollection who provide a range of villas in Corfu and Paxos to rent for your Greek holiday.

The historic Spanish city of Seville is the heart, capital and cultural hub of the romantic and stunningly lovely Andalusian region. As a destination on the upper class Grand Tours of the 19th century, it is famous for its fabulous Moorish architecture and is the perfect centre for touring around the region. Good hotels, reasonably priced car hire and comprehensive bus and train services are all here.

For 800 years, Andalusia was occupied by the Moors, who left a treasurehouse of magnificent buildings, from palaces to mansions and mosques, when their empire collapsed and they were expelled from Spain. Many of these buildings are now UNESCO World Heritage sites, with the most famous of all, the Alhambra, set in Granada. Exploring Andalusia from Seville is easy to arrange.

Andalusia’s not just historic remnants of times long gone by, as it’s known across the world for its spectacular countryside, national parks, beaches and tiny traditional villages where Spanish dance and gypsy music reign as they have for centuries. The snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains are the region’s highest point, medieval Crusader castles adorn the hills of Almeria and the buzzing beach resorts of Marbella and Malaga attract hundreds of sun-seekers every year.

If you’re not into self-drive, there are two bus companies in Andalusia, Alsina Graells and DAMAS, which run comfortable long-distance buses around the region at budget prices. Their routes service the major cities and conurbation, and also run to remote locations of interest. The city’s Prado de San Sebastian bus station is the entry point for exploring Andalusia from Seville, with Cordoba, Algeciras and Granada favourite destinations.

Train travel is a little more restricting should you want to explore the more remote areas of this amazing region, nicknamed the Soul of Spain, but cities such as Granada, Cadiz, Almeria and Malaga are all served by the rail system. Exploring everything the region has to offer would take a lifetime of holidays, but a selection of the beauties here is easily covered in two weeks’ travel.

Beginning in Seville itself, there are narrow lanes to explore, leading to magnificent, medieval Moorish monuments such as the Alcazar, the Giralda and the superb cathedral, once a mosque and now the world’s largest Gothic church.
Moving into the rest of the region, known as Al Andalus during its Moorish era, you’ll visit the city of Cordoba, which lies, as does Seville, along the banks of the graceful, slow-moving Guadalquivir River.

Approximately three hours’ drive from Seville is the magnificent Moorish palace of the Alhambra, considered the most spectacular Moorish building still standing. Set in the heart of the city of Granada, the complex was used both as a citadel and a residence following its completion and is a must-see on any visit to Andalusia. The city’s Old Quarter gives a magical wander through tiny streets lined with shops and open-air markets.

As you continue your Andalusian journey, you’ll realise that the region is unique in Spain and its focus is on flamenco and its music as well as on art and architecture. It’s the traditional Spain of the movies and folk tales, ancient yet modern and relatively unchanged from times past in its rural areas. For a break from man-made glories and crowded cites, head for the Cazorla Segura and Las Villas Nature Park, a mountainous wilderness which hides the source of the great Guadalquivir River as it rushes through its ravine to the Tranco de Beas lake. Waterfalls, Alpine meadows, gorges and pine forests are all here, as are tiny villages.

Back on the road, the next stop for total scenic remoteness should be the Alpujarras, high on the Sierra Nevada’s slopes and a refuge for artists and writers for several decades. Squat little homes hug the slopes in the villages and their occupants still create the traditional handicrafts of the area, including colourful rugs, pottery and woven basketwares. Horseback riding here is a pure joy.

Amy is a guest blogger from Easyjet who operate flights to Seville from London Gatwick in the UK.