Monday, May 11, 2015
Where to stay in Langkawi?
This post is moved to here : http://asiasingapore.blogspot.com/2014/02/where-to-stay-in-langkawi.html
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Where to stay in Oludeniz?
Ölüdeniz is located 14 kilometers south of Fethiye, in the skirts of Babadağ where Mediterranean and Agean Sea’s meet and it’s one of the most popular tourism hubs of our country. Found in almost all of the promotional clips and print materials, it’s also one of the symbols of the Turkish tourism industry. With its Blue Flag bearing, wonderful 3 kilometers long Belcekız Beach, (which is one of the most beautiful beaches in Turkey), famous, turquoise blue sea, and it’s under water presenting amazing visuals for scuba diving, it’s a nice resort area with all kinds of accommodation options.
Not long ago, just 20 years ago from now, Ölüdeniz was known as Belcekız or Belceğiz, a little village where backpacker tourists camped, but today it’s a crowded, developed resort area with about 100 hotels (inside and around) thanks to tourism. Today there are tens of different hotels, restaurants and bars right along its beautiful beach. Still this development is not as uncomfortable as it is in Marmaris or Antalya; there are no high-rise concrete blocks and ultra-loud night clubs here yet. Ölüdeniz may not be the most popular resort area in Turkey, but its relatively calm atmosphere, accommodation facilities and activities are really among the best.
In this post, we will give some information and tips regarding where to stay in Ölüdeniz. You’ve got roughly two alternatives on this one. You can stay in a hotel in the walking distance to Belcekız Beach which the life here revolves around, and you can also do that if you want to stay close to the night life to find the opportunity of spending a nice vacation. Or you can stay in the holiday resorts working with an all-inclusive system that are located around Ölüdeniz. While these facilities may offer a lot of amenities that especially your kids would love, you would find an intimate atmosphere at the better 2 and 3 star hotels of Ölüdeniz (you’re likely to meet the family and the owner in these hotels. Clients are usually the types who come every year to stay in the same hotel).
Let’s continue to our post by giving a few good hotel recommendations that are in the center of Ölüdeniz and are in the walking distance to beaches and bars.
Between the hotels that are both near to the town center and in 5-10 minutes of walking distance to the beach, the best one is probably the 3 star Asena Beach Hotel Ölüdeniz. This hotel has pretty nice pool and a restaurant inside its facilities and you can think of it as the center of Ölüdeniz since this place makes it easier to access both the beach and the night life scene of Ölüdeniz. Asena Beach Hotel Ölüdeniz has two pools. A beautiful mountain view is welcoming you when swimming in the larger one. Second pool is adults only and has a bar inside. There’s a separate pool for children.
Another one of the best hotels in Ölüdeniz in the walking distance to both Ölüdeniz beach and Ölüdeniz nightlife, is the 3 star Karbel Beach Hotel. While being 5 minutes of walking away from one of the best beaches in Turkey, it provides everything you need and a pool with a bar. There’s also a pool for kids for families with children. There are no restaurants in this hotel but it’s very close to the coastal road where restaurants and bars of Ölüdeniz are located.
Luxurious Hotels of Ölüdeniz
If you are looking for a luxurious hotel both located in the center of Ölüdeniz and close to the beach, with its sea level location and first class comfortable accommodation, the 5 star Belcekız Beach Club Hotel is the right choice for you.
Another hotel close to the sea and in the center of Ölüdeniz in this category is the 5 star Club Sun City. Aside from its place and its luxurious facilities, it also has a nice pool for people who don’t feel like going to the sea.
Not long ago, just 20 years ago from now, Ölüdeniz was known as Belcekız or Belceğiz, a little village where backpacker tourists camped, but today it’s a crowded, developed resort area with about 100 hotels (inside and around) thanks to tourism. Today there are tens of different hotels, restaurants and bars right along its beautiful beach. Still this development is not as uncomfortable as it is in Marmaris or Antalya; there are no high-rise concrete blocks and ultra-loud night clubs here yet. Ölüdeniz may not be the most popular resort area in Turkey, but its relatively calm atmosphere, accommodation facilities and activities are really among the best.
In this post, we will give some information and tips regarding where to stay in Ölüdeniz. You’ve got roughly two alternatives on this one. You can stay in a hotel in the walking distance to Belcekız Beach which the life here revolves around, and you can also do that if you want to stay close to the night life to find the opportunity of spending a nice vacation. Or you can stay in the holiday resorts working with an all-inclusive system that are located around Ölüdeniz. While these facilities may offer a lot of amenities that especially your kids would love, you would find an intimate atmosphere at the better 2 and 3 star hotels of Ölüdeniz (you’re likely to meet the family and the owner in these hotels. Clients are usually the types who come every year to stay in the same hotel).
Let’s continue to our post by giving a few good hotel recommendations that are in the center of Ölüdeniz and are in the walking distance to beaches and bars.
Between the hotels that are both near to the town center and in 5-10 minutes of walking distance to the beach, the best one is probably the 3 star Asena Beach Hotel Ölüdeniz. This hotel has pretty nice pool and a restaurant inside its facilities and you can think of it as the center of Ölüdeniz since this place makes it easier to access both the beach and the night life scene of Ölüdeniz. Asena Beach Hotel Ölüdeniz has two pools. A beautiful mountain view is welcoming you when swimming in the larger one. Second pool is adults only and has a bar inside. There’s a separate pool for children.
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| Asena Beach Oludeniz is only 5 minutes walk to Oludeniz beach and is one of the best answer to where to stay in Oludeniz question. |
Luxurious Hotels of Ölüdeniz
If you are looking for a luxurious hotel both located in the center of Ölüdeniz and close to the beach, with its sea level location and first class comfortable accommodation, the 5 star Belcekız Beach Club Hotel is the right choice for you.
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| Ölüdeniz Belcekız Beach Club is right next to Oludeniz beach (Belcekiz Beach) which is one of the best beaches in Turkey. |
For a complete list of Oludeniz hotels with details like Oludeniz hotel prices and customer reviews, visit Oludeniz Hotels page.
Where to stay in Bratislava?
Slovenia’s capital Bratislava, is also the most visited tourist spot in the country as well as being a cultural and business center. With its castle overlooking the shores of Danube River, city center is filled with fancy, well-preserved buildings and lovely alleys. This city is also the wealthiest city of the Eastern Europe.
Bratislava had served as a capital for Hungarian Empire for many years. Up until 1993, it was also the capital of the old Czechoslovakia. This communist era country, separated peacefully in a way that is unlikely in history and now they are countries living together with good relations and cooperation as Czech Republic and Slovenia.
Even though the Slovenians make up the majority of the population now, up until 19th century, the city had a mainly German population. After the World War I, most of the Germans and Hungarians left the city and the rest has been sent away after the World War II.
Instead of giving individual hotel recommendations to answer the question of “Where to stay in
Bratislava?” we’ll respond by introducing the popular places of the city. We recommend Stare Mesto, Ruzinov and Nove Mesto districts (in this order) which we detailed down below. Let’s remind that even though city is small and crime rate is low, the Petrzalka District on the other side of the river from Stare Mesto was known until recently as the “Bronx of Bratislava” and while the crime rate is not that high today, it is still known as a “not necessarily safe” place.
Stare Mesto (Old City)
Bratislava’s small and beautiful historic center is called Stare Mesto. The historic center consists of Hlavne namestie (Main Square), Hviezdoslavovo namestie (Hviezdoslav Square) and its surroundings. It spread to a small area (It’s one of Europe’s smallest city centers). Although it’s difficult to walk in some hilly areas, it’s still a place that you can travel on foot. With its bars, restaurants and cafes that are crowding the streets giving the city a very beautiful atmosphere when the weather is nice, it’s a small but nicely renovated district.
Hlavne namestie (Main Square) is the most popular square and is known as the heart and the center of city of Bratislava. Old Town and Roland Fountain is also located here.
The historic center of Bratislava is one of the best places to stay for a tourist. To find hotels, compare prices and see details like guest reviews, you can check the Bratislava Stare Mesto Hotels page. For the most central hotels in Bratislava, you can check out the Bratislava Mains Square Hotels page.
Ruzinov
Right next to historic center is Ruzinov District, which is filled with industrial buildings, malls, banks, and financial buildings. Although it’s known as an industrial district, it’s actually a very green and pleasant place. Štrkovec Lake in the heart of Ruzinov is the best recreation and exercise area in Bratislava. You can go to the historic center from most of the hotels here with just a 10 minute trolleybus ride.
To see Bratislava hotels in this area, you can check the Ruzinov Hotels page.
Nove Mesto
In the skirts of Little Carpathians, just north of the Stare Mesto is Nove Mesto (New City), covered mainly by the Bratislava Forest Park. One of the city’s main tourist attractions Kamzik Tv Tower is also located in this forest. Nove Mesto is full of modern buildings and it’s close to the city center. It’s a good alternative for accommodation in Bratislava.
You can check the Nove Mesto Hotels page to see Bratislava hotels here.
Bratislava had served as a capital for Hungarian Empire for many years. Up until 1993, it was also the capital of the old Czechoslovakia. This communist era country, separated peacefully in a way that is unlikely in history and now they are countries living together with good relations and cooperation as Czech Republic and Slovenia.
Even though the Slovenians make up the majority of the population now, up until 19th century, the city had a mainly German population. After the World War I, most of the Germans and Hungarians left the city and the rest has been sent away after the World War II.
Instead of giving individual hotel recommendations to answer the question of “Where to stay in
Bratislava?” we’ll respond by introducing the popular places of the city. We recommend Stare Mesto, Ruzinov and Nove Mesto districts (in this order) which we detailed down below. Let’s remind that even though city is small and crime rate is low, the Petrzalka District on the other side of the river from Stare Mesto was known until recently as the “Bronx of Bratislava” and while the crime rate is not that high today, it is still known as a “not necessarily safe” place.
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| Bratislava map and major districts |
Bratislava’s small and beautiful historic center is called Stare Mesto. The historic center consists of Hlavne namestie (Main Square), Hviezdoslavovo namestie (Hviezdoslav Square) and its surroundings. It spread to a small area (It’s one of Europe’s smallest city centers). Although it’s difficult to walk in some hilly areas, it’s still a place that you can travel on foot. With its bars, restaurants and cafes that are crowding the streets giving the city a very beautiful atmosphere when the weather is nice, it’s a small but nicely renovated district.
Hlavne namestie (Main Square) is the most popular square and is known as the heart and the center of city of Bratislava. Old Town and Roland Fountain is also located here.
The historic center of Bratislava is one of the best places to stay for a tourist. To find hotels, compare prices and see details like guest reviews, you can check the Bratislava Stare Mesto Hotels page. For the most central hotels in Bratislava, you can check out the Bratislava Mains Square Hotels page.
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| Main Square (Hlavne namestie) in Bratislava's historic center, Bratislava'nın tarihi merkezindeki (Stare Mesto) is the heart of the city. |
Right next to historic center is Ruzinov District, which is filled with industrial buildings, malls, banks, and financial buildings. Although it’s known as an industrial district, it’s actually a very green and pleasant place. Štrkovec Lake in the heart of Ruzinov is the best recreation and exercise area in Bratislava. You can go to the historic center from most of the hotels here with just a 10 minute trolleybus ride.
To see Bratislava hotels in this area, you can check the Ruzinov Hotels page.
Nove Mesto
In the skirts of Little Carpathians, just north of the Stare Mesto is Nove Mesto (New City), covered mainly by the Bratislava Forest Park. One of the city’s main tourist attractions Kamzik Tv Tower is also located in this forest. Nove Mesto is full of modern buildings and it’s close to the city center. It’s a good alternative for accommodation in Bratislava.
You can check the Nove Mesto Hotels page to see Bratislava hotels here.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Where to stay in Munich?
Munich is the largest city in Germany following Berlin and Hamburg. Its stunning architecture, cultural scene, museums, shopping opportunities and colorful nightlife makes it even more beautiful than Berlin. The historic center is magnificent and looks very original (although it was almost completely destroyed in World World II bombings and later rebuilt again).
Other than all these beauties attractive to average tourist, Munich is also a very important global city for business, finance, engineering, Research & Development as well as healthcare. Thanks to rich business life, Munich is also the wealthiest city in Germany.
If you are planning to visit Munich, where to stay in Munich is a very important thing to determine. Here in this article, we will introduce the main areas tourist can and should stay, instead of going into individual Munich hotel advise. One thing you should note is that it is very difficult to find a reasonably priced hotel during trade fairs and events like Octoberfest which falls between mid-September and mid-October. During these times, Munich hotel room rates are tripled.
Below is a Munich Districts map. Munich’s city center, Altstadt-Lehel (Number 1), and the districts surrounding it are the best places to stay in Munich.
Munich City Center (Altstadt-Lehel)
Once, Munich was only Altstadt and Lehel was a suburb. Altstadt was once protected by city walls. The fortification has gone but its path now is a traffic loop known as the Altstadtring. Almost all the must-see tourist attractions in Munich are in Altstadt-Lehel area. New City Hall/Glockenspiel, Old City Hall, Frauenkirche, the Feldherrenhalle, the Residenz, etc. are all here. Other than historic structures, you will find museums, historic squares as well the main shopping street in Munich such as Neuhauser Strasse, Kaufinger Strasse, Maximilianstrasse, Theatinerstrasse, Residenzstrasse and Brienner Strasse with their luxury shops.
Altstadt-Lehel is the best place to stay in Munich if you just want to walk to almost every attraction from your hotel. For hotels in this area, their room rates and customer reviews, you can check Munich City Center (Altstadt-Lehel) Hotels page.
Maxvorstadt
Immediate North-west of Altstadt is Maxvorstadt with its importan acedemic institutions and art scene. Two of the best universities in Germany, The University of Munich (LMU) and Technische Universität München (TUM) are here. Famous Munich museums Pinakotheken, Museum Brandhorst, the Lenbach Haus, Glyptothek and Staatliche Antikensammlungen are also here. Apart from museums, Maxvorstadt houses many art galleries.
Right next to Munich’s center with its art and science scene, Maxvorstadt offers a very central and convenient area to stay in Munich. For hotels here you can refer to Munich Maxvorstadt Hotels page.
Schwabing (Schwabing-West, Schwabing-Freimann)
Schwabing is very popular among tourists and locals. It used to be Munich’s famous bohemian quarter and it offers many bars, clubs, and restaurants. Since Munich’s largest universities, Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universität and the Technical University of Munich can be found in nearby Maxvorstadt, there is a lot of student activity on and around Leopoldstrasse. Another popular attraction is the Englischer Garten, or English Garden, one of the world’s largest public parks.
This is a very good place for young people to stay in Munich. If you are looking for a hotel in Schwabing, you can check Munich Schwabing hotels page.
Au-Haidhausen
On the other side of Isar river and to the south east of Altstadt-Lehel, Au-Haidhausen is a residential district in Munich housing important night life spot Kultfabrik and Ostbahnhof (Munich East Train station). Kultfabrik/Optimolwerke is a 60,000 square-metre entertainment complex which houses many discos and clubs on a relatively small area.
For hotels around this area, you can check Munich Au-Haidhausen hotels page.
Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt
Situated north-west of the River Isar and southeast of Munich’s Old Town, Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt houses beautiful Gärtnerplatz square surrounded with pubs, bars and clubs, Munich Central Station (to the south of the station there are many hostels and budget hotels) and Theresienwiese which is the site of Oktoberfest (Wiesn in local Bavarian language). Ludwigsvorstadt is a immigrant residential area and is quite colorful with a lot of Asian and Middle Eastern touch.
Oktoberfest (Wiesn in local language) is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810. With more than 6 million people from around the world attends the event. During the event times, hotel prices goes to roof.
For hostels and hotels in this area with their room prices per night and customer reviews, you can take a look at Munich Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt Hotels page.
Other than all these beauties attractive to average tourist, Munich is also a very important global city for business, finance, engineering, Research & Development as well as healthcare. Thanks to rich business life, Munich is also the wealthiest city in Germany.
If you are planning to visit Munich, where to stay in Munich is a very important thing to determine. Here in this article, we will introduce the main areas tourist can and should stay, instead of going into individual Munich hotel advise. One thing you should note is that it is very difficult to find a reasonably priced hotel during trade fairs and events like Octoberfest which falls between mid-September and mid-October. During these times, Munich hotel room rates are tripled.
Below is a Munich Districts map. Munich’s city center, Altstadt-Lehel (Number 1), and the districts surrounding it are the best places to stay in Munich.
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| Munich Districts map. Munich city center is Altstadt-Lehel. |
Once, Munich was only Altstadt and Lehel was a suburb. Altstadt was once protected by city walls. The fortification has gone but its path now is a traffic loop known as the Altstadtring. Almost all the must-see tourist attractions in Munich are in Altstadt-Lehel area. New City Hall/Glockenspiel, Old City Hall, Frauenkirche, the Feldherrenhalle, the Residenz, etc. are all here. Other than historic structures, you will find museums, historic squares as well the main shopping street in Munich such as Neuhauser Strasse, Kaufinger Strasse, Maximilianstrasse, Theatinerstrasse, Residenzstrasse and Brienner Strasse with their luxury shops.
Altstadt-Lehel is the best place to stay in Munich if you just want to walk to almost every attraction from your hotel. For hotels in this area, their room rates and customer reviews, you can check Munich City Center (Altstadt-Lehel) Hotels page.
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| Two iconic buildings in Munich : Frauenkirche and Neues Rathaus |
Immediate North-west of Altstadt is Maxvorstadt with its importan acedemic institutions and art scene. Two of the best universities in Germany, The University of Munich (LMU) and Technische Universität München (TUM) are here. Famous Munich museums Pinakotheken, Museum Brandhorst, the Lenbach Haus, Glyptothek and Staatliche Antikensammlungen are also here. Apart from museums, Maxvorstadt houses many art galleries.
Right next to Munich’s center with its art and science scene, Maxvorstadt offers a very central and convenient area to stay in Munich. For hotels here you can refer to Munich Maxvorstadt Hotels page.
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| Aerial view of Munich Maxvorstadt |
Schwabing is very popular among tourists and locals. It used to be Munich’s famous bohemian quarter and it offers many bars, clubs, and restaurants. Since Munich’s largest universities, Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universität and the Technical University of Munich can be found in nearby Maxvorstadt, there is a lot of student activity on and around Leopoldstrasse. Another popular attraction is the Englischer Garten, or English Garden, one of the world’s largest public parks.
This is a very good place for young people to stay in Munich. If you are looking for a hotel in Schwabing, you can check Munich Schwabing hotels page.
Au-Haidhausen
On the other side of Isar river and to the south east of Altstadt-Lehel, Au-Haidhausen is a residential district in Munich housing important night life spot Kultfabrik and Ostbahnhof (Munich East Train station). Kultfabrik/Optimolwerke is a 60,000 square-metre entertainment complex which houses many discos and clubs on a relatively small area.
For hotels around this area, you can check Munich Au-Haidhausen hotels page.
Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt
Situated north-west of the River Isar and southeast of Munich’s Old Town, Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt houses beautiful Gärtnerplatz square surrounded with pubs, bars and clubs, Munich Central Station (to the south of the station there are many hostels and budget hotels) and Theresienwiese which is the site of Oktoberfest (Wiesn in local Bavarian language). Ludwigsvorstadt is a immigrant residential area and is quite colorful with a lot of Asian and Middle Eastern touch.
Oktoberfest (Wiesn in local language) is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810. With more than 6 million people from around the world attends the event. During the event times, hotel prices goes to roof.
For hostels and hotels in this area with their room prices per night and customer reviews, you can take a look at Munich Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt Hotels page.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Where to stay in Vienna?
Austria’s capital and the largest city Vienna is also the country’s political , cultural and economic center . It has been home to Habsburg Dynasty for most of its long history and its historic center is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The city not only offers a lot of historic buildings and art in its huge open-air museum center but also offers great classic music and is known as the music capital of Europe. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Joseph Haydn , Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert , Johannes Brahms , Gustav Mahler and Arnold Schoenberg lived and composed their important pieces here. Combine all these with modern amenities and a lively city, Vienna is also the first in the list of World’s Most Livable Cities.
If you are planning to visit the city and asking where to stay in Vienna, it is important to know that Vienna hotels are expensive, even expensive compared to its already expensive counterparts in Europe. But on the other hand quality of the Vienna hotels are high.
Another thing to know is that not all Vienna hotels marketing themselves in the city center are in core city center, Innere Stadt (District 1). In fact, many of these hotels are even not in broader city center, which falls within District 1 to 9. But if you find a nice hotel near metro station or a tram line, traveling to Vienna city center would only take 20 minutes.
If you really want to stay in historic city center and walk to all major Vienna tourist attractions, you should stay in historic center, District 1 or Innere Stadt. But District 2-9 are also considered central districts and hotels here would also be just fine. Since hotels in Vienna are expensive, if you are budget conscious, you would like to stay away from city center but near a metro station to find the optimum hotel location.
Now, let’s look at the geography and the city center of Vienna and see what city center means here. District 1 , known as the heart of Vienna, is called Innere Stadt . Innere Stadt is the historic center of the city and home to most of the places to see in Vienna. Until 1850, the city of Vienna was just this district and every other part of the city either did not exist or a town near Vienna. Innere Stadt is also right in the middle of Vienna as you can see in the Vienna map below.
Stephansplatz Square in the center of Innere Stadt is the most famous place to visit in Vienna. The large Stephansdom Cathedral here is the attraction #1 and is the most important church in the city.
Historically, Innere Stadt was surrounded by defensive city walls. In 19th century, these walls were demolished and the road circling the city walls is kept as Ringstrasse ( Ring Road ).
Leopoldstadt ( District 2) , Landstraße ( District 3) , Wieden ( District 4 ), and Margaret the ( District 5) , Mariahilf ( District 6), Neubau ( District 7), Josefstadt ( District 8) and Alsergrund ( District 9) are also considered city center. If you look at the map, District 2 to 9 also encircles the Innere Stadt. This Districts are enclosed in 13 miles long Gürtel ( Belt Road ) which runs parallel to the Ringstraße .
So, you can consider District 1 to 9 within this Gürtel ( Belt Road ) as Vienna city center. But Brigittenau (District 20) next to District 2 and 9 is also considered a part of city center (District 2 and District 20 is on an island surrounded by rivers.
District 1 (Innere Stadt)
Innere Stadt (Inner City) is the historic center of Vienna. The city was only this area until 1850s. Today, it is geographically in the center of modern Vienna. Stephansplatz and magnificent Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral) is here right in the center. From the east and south of the Stephansplatz starts Graben and Kärntner Straße which are important shopping streets in Vienna.
Being home to Hapsburg, one of the most important royal houses of Europe, Vienna Innere Stadt is magnificant and is considered an open-air museum on its own. If you want to stay just in the middle of the city and within walking distance to almost everything to see, Innere Stadt is the place to stay in Vienna.
If you are thinking about to stay in this area, for a complete list of hotels and customer reviews as well as the latest best room prices refer to Vienna Innere Stadt Hotels page.
District 2 – 9 (Leopoldstadt, Landstraße, Wieden, Margareten, Mariahilf, Neubau, Josefstadt ve Alsergrund)
Leopoldstadt (District 2) is to the north east of Innere Stadt and is between Danube River and Danube Canal. With Brigittenau (District 20), it forms a large island which is in the center of Vienna. Leopoldstadt’s most famous place to see is Prater Park which is popular with its large and shady boulevards, beer gardens and Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad). There are not many things here to see indeed but it is a central place outside city’s core center and a nice place to stay. For a detailed list of hotels here, you can visit Vienna Leopoldstadt Hotels page.
To the west of Innerstadt, you can find Landstrasse, a district soaked into art and culture. You will find extraordinary works of Hundertwasser such as KunstHaus Wien and the Hunderwasserhaus. To a little south, Belevedere Palace is a popular attraction with its baroque gardens and Austrian Gallery full of masterpieces like Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss (Belevere is the #1 tourist attraction here). For hotels in Landstrasse visit Vienna Landstrasse Hotels page.
If you are planning to visit the city and asking where to stay in Vienna, it is important to know that Vienna hotels are expensive, even expensive compared to its already expensive counterparts in Europe. But on the other hand quality of the Vienna hotels are high.
Another thing to know is that not all Vienna hotels marketing themselves in the city center are in core city center, Innere Stadt (District 1). In fact, many of these hotels are even not in broader city center, which falls within District 1 to 9. But if you find a nice hotel near metro station or a tram line, traveling to Vienna city center would only take 20 minutes.
If you really want to stay in historic city center and walk to all major Vienna tourist attractions, you should stay in historic center, District 1 or Innere Stadt. But District 2-9 are also considered central districts and hotels here would also be just fine. Since hotels in Vienna are expensive, if you are budget conscious, you would like to stay away from city center but near a metro station to find the optimum hotel location.
Now, let’s look at the geography and the city center of Vienna and see what city center means here. District 1 , known as the heart of Vienna, is called Innere Stadt . Innere Stadt is the historic center of the city and home to most of the places to see in Vienna. Until 1850, the city of Vienna was just this district and every other part of the city either did not exist or a town near Vienna. Innere Stadt is also right in the middle of Vienna as you can see in the Vienna map below.
Stephansplatz Square in the center of Innere Stadt is the most famous place to visit in Vienna. The large Stephansdom Cathedral here is the attraction #1 and is the most important church in the city.
Historically, Innere Stadt was surrounded by defensive city walls. In 19th century, these walls were demolished and the road circling the city walls is kept as Ringstrasse ( Ring Road ).
Leopoldstadt ( District 2) , Landstraße ( District 3) , Wieden ( District 4 ), and Margaret the ( District 5) , Mariahilf ( District 6), Neubau ( District 7), Josefstadt ( District 8) and Alsergrund ( District 9) are also considered city center. If you look at the map, District 2 to 9 also encircles the Innere Stadt. This Districts are enclosed in 13 miles long Gürtel ( Belt Road ) which runs parallel to the Ringstraße .
So, you can consider District 1 to 9 within this Gürtel ( Belt Road ) as Vienna city center. But Brigittenau (District 20) next to District 2 and 9 is also considered a part of city center (District 2 and District 20 is on an island surrounded by rivers.
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| Vienna Map – Green area (District 1 – Innere Sdadt) is the historic center of the city and houses most of the tourist attractions. District 2 to 9 (orange areas) are also considered within city center. |
Innere Stadt (Inner City) is the historic center of Vienna. The city was only this area until 1850s. Today, it is geographically in the center of modern Vienna. Stephansplatz and magnificent Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral) is here right in the center. From the east and south of the Stephansplatz starts Graben and Kärntner Straße which are important shopping streets in Vienna.
Being home to Hapsburg, one of the most important royal houses of Europe, Vienna Innere Stadt is magnificant and is considered an open-air museum on its own. If you want to stay just in the middle of the city and within walking distance to almost everything to see, Innere Stadt is the place to stay in Vienna.
If you are thinking about to stay in this area, for a complete list of hotels and customer reviews as well as the latest best room prices refer to Vienna Innere Stadt Hotels page.
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| Vienna Stephansplatz and Stephansdom |
Leopoldstadt (District 2) is to the north east of Innere Stadt and is between Danube River and Danube Canal. With Brigittenau (District 20), it forms a large island which is in the center of Vienna. Leopoldstadt’s most famous place to see is Prater Park which is popular with its large and shady boulevards, beer gardens and Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad). There are not many things here to see indeed but it is a central place outside city’s core center and a nice place to stay. For a detailed list of hotels here, you can visit Vienna Leopoldstadt Hotels page.
To the west of Innerstadt, you can find Landstrasse, a district soaked into art and culture. You will find extraordinary works of Hundertwasser such as KunstHaus Wien and the Hunderwasserhaus. To a little south, Belevedere Palace is a popular attraction with its baroque gardens and Austrian Gallery full of masterpieces like Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss (Belevere is the #1 tourist attraction here). For hotels in Landstrasse visit Vienna Landstrasse Hotels page.
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Where to stay in Venice?
Venice is one of the most beautiful and magical cities in the world. It almost looks like how it was 600 years ago and even the wear and tear of the centuries is quite visible, Venice is still very romantic and charming world heritage.
Venice is famous with its 170 canals separating and 400 bridges connecting its islands as well as the gondolas, traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boats, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. Other than these a rich history and culture with hundreds of Renaissance Era buildings and museums wait for you here. This city was one of the most important trade post in Europe in the Middle Ages and in its heydays 300,000 people lived here. Today only 70,000 people call Venice home but in high tourist season there are much more tourists in the city (Venice sees 100,000 tourists in a day).
If you want to know where to stay in Venice, the easy answer is this : On one of the main sestieris (islands) of Venice Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, San Polo, Santa Croce or San Marco. Here is where you will find almost all of the tourist attractions. But each of these sestieris are quite different worlds.
Before introducing each sestieri, we should give you a very important advise: Where ever you stay, the last part of your trip to your Venice hotel will be from a quay to the hotel on foot. Venice is the only city in Europe which is completely closed to motorised vehicles and there is no land taxi here. While selecting a hotel, you always try to understand what kind of road this will be and how long it will take.
Cannaregio
Cannaregio is one of Venice’s most authentic and beautiful areas. Venice’s Jewish Getto (one of the oldest in Europe), Santa Lucia Train Station and most of the actual venetians live here. There are some nice buildings here to visit like magnificent Ca d’Oro Palace and Church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli (one of the best products of Venice Renaissance architecture) and Church of Madonna dell’Orto (housing some paintings and grave of famous painter Tintoretto).
If you would like to stay away from overcrowded and noisy tourist attractions in a calmer neighbourhood or taste real Venice life, Cannaregio is the place to stay in Venice. Besides, hotels in Cannaregio are relatively cheaper in Venice standards. And if you would like to easily access Burano and Murano, the ferries are leaving Venice from here (exspress ferry, #12 stops at Cannaregio’s the Fondamente Nuova).
For hotels in Cannaregio, their detailed room prices, customer reviews and discounts you can check Venice Cannaregio hotels page.
If your Venice holiday dream is to wake up tp the view of Venice trademarks like Rialto Bridge or St. Mark’s Basilica and you would like to stay in a walking distance to almost all major Venice attractions, then Cannaregio is not for you.
San Marco
All souls visiting Venice will sooner or later visit San Marco. This small sestiere houses most of the major tourist attractions in Venice. Here, you will find St. Mark’s Square, Basilica, the Doge’s Palace and Rialto Bridge. San Marco is the most beautiful but most crowded place in Venice. And of course it is also the most expensive place to stay in Venice.
If you would like to stay near major tourist attractions in Venice San Marco is the place. Here you can also find lots of luxury shopping opportunities. But as we have said before, between March and October, this area is very crowded and expensive to stay, to eat and to drink.
For details of hotels in San Marco, their room rates, customer reviews and special deals, check Venice San Marco hotels page.
Venice is known to have the most expensive and average Italian food (they say the pizza you will eat in Venice will be the worst pizza you can find in Italy). San Marco is worse than the other areas in Venice. If you want cheaper and better eating, cheaper hotels and stay away from crowds, then San Marco is not the place to stay in Venice.
San Polo
San Polo is the oldest settlement in Venice and it proximity to San Marco makes it a popular place to stay in Venice. The oldest church of Venice, San Giacomo di Rialto, Rialto Bridge, Titian’s resting place Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (you can also see his work here) and the largest square in Venice after Piazza San Marco, Campo San Polo is here. If you are looking for Venice night life and some of Venice’s best restaurants, you can find a fine selection here.
For a detailed list of hotels here, with prices, special offers and discounts, visit Venice San Polo hotels page.
Castello
Castello is the largest sestieri in Venice. With its history dating back to 13th century, Castello is a very local and authentic place where you can see young kids playing football in its streets and old ladies sharing gossip from window to windows. One of the most important attractions of Castello is Arsenale, where Venice Bianel takes place. the Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo (one of Venice’s largest and most important churches), the Church of San Zaccaria (home to some of master works of Giovanni Bellini), Scuola Grande di San Marco and Santa Maria Formosa are also here.
Castello is like Cannaregio in a sense. Far from crowds and quite local except its western area which is near San Marco (and as expensive and tourist oriented). If you are in Venice for Bianel, then Castello is your place. Castello is also cheaper than San Marco.
For hotels in Castello, check Venice Castello hotels page.
Dorsoduro
Dorsoduro is quite calm in the morning and very happening in the night. Some of the most colorful Venice night life spots are here. In Dorsoduro, the best place to stay is the area to the south of Campo Santa Margherita. The most important attraction here is Accademia, the most famous art gallery in Venice. Other than Accedemia Peggy Guggenheim Collection (with art pieces from modern artists like Dali, Duchamp, Picasso, Mondrian and Kandinsky) and Church of San Sebastiano with its Paolo Veronese, Tintoretto and Titian collection is here. Campo Margherita is full of bars popular among students and youth. Giudecca Island to the south of Venice is also under Dorsoduro administration.
For hotels in this sestieri, check Venice Dorsoduro hotels page.
Santa Croce
Santa Croce is a main transportation hub of Venice with Piazzale Roma and main port. Santa Croce is also the least tourist oriented area in Venice. There is almost nothing to see here but you can find some of the cheapert hotels in Venice in Santa Croce. But be careful because the money you saved from hotel stay may be spent for canal taxi and public transportation.
For hotels here, visit Venice Santa Croce hotels.
Venice is famous with its 170 canals separating and 400 bridges connecting its islands as well as the gondolas, traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boats, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. Other than these a rich history and culture with hundreds of Renaissance Era buildings and museums wait for you here. This city was one of the most important trade post in Europe in the Middle Ages and in its heydays 300,000 people lived here. Today only 70,000 people call Venice home but in high tourist season there are much more tourists in the city (Venice sees 100,000 tourists in a day).
If you want to know where to stay in Venice, the easy answer is this : On one of the main sestieris (islands) of Venice Cannaregio, Castello, Dorsoduro, San Polo, Santa Croce or San Marco. Here is where you will find almost all of the tourist attractions. But each of these sestieris are quite different worlds.
Before introducing each sestieri, we should give you a very important advise: Where ever you stay, the last part of your trip to your Venice hotel will be from a quay to the hotel on foot. Venice is the only city in Europe which is completely closed to motorised vehicles and there is no land taxi here. While selecting a hotel, you always try to understand what kind of road this will be and how long it will take.
 |
| Venice map by Sestieri (Source : Venetian Dictionary) |
Cannaregio is one of Venice’s most authentic and beautiful areas. Venice’s Jewish Getto (one of the oldest in Europe), Santa Lucia Train Station and most of the actual venetians live here. There are some nice buildings here to visit like magnificent Ca d’Oro Palace and Church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli (one of the best products of Venice Renaissance architecture) and Church of Madonna dell’Orto (housing some paintings and grave of famous painter Tintoretto).
If you would like to stay away from overcrowded and noisy tourist attractions in a calmer neighbourhood or taste real Venice life, Cannaregio is the place to stay in Venice. Besides, hotels in Cannaregio are relatively cheaper in Venice standards. And if you would like to easily access Burano and Murano, the ferries are leaving Venice from here (exspress ferry, #12 stops at Cannaregio’s the Fondamente Nuova).
For hotels in Cannaregio, their detailed room prices, customer reviews and discounts you can check Venice Cannaregio hotels page.
If your Venice holiday dream is to wake up tp the view of Venice trademarks like Rialto Bridge or St. Mark’s Basilica and you would like to stay in a walking distance to almost all major Venice attractions, then Cannaregio is not for you.
San Marco
All souls visiting Venice will sooner or later visit San Marco. This small sestiere houses most of the major tourist attractions in Venice. Here, you will find St. Mark’s Square, Basilica, the Doge’s Palace and Rialto Bridge. San Marco is the most beautiful but most crowded place in Venice. And of course it is also the most expensive place to stay in Venice.
If you would like to stay near major tourist attractions in Venice San Marco is the place. Here you can also find lots of luxury shopping opportunities. But as we have said before, between March and October, this area is very crowded and expensive to stay, to eat and to drink.
For details of hotels in San Marco, their room rates, customer reviews and special deals, check Venice San Marco hotels page.
Venice is known to have the most expensive and average Italian food (they say the pizza you will eat in Venice will be the worst pizza you can find in Italy). San Marco is worse than the other areas in Venice. If you want cheaper and better eating, cheaper hotels and stay away from crowds, then San Marco is not the place to stay in Venice.
 |
| Rialto bridge in Venice, Italy |
San Polo is the oldest settlement in Venice and it proximity to San Marco makes it a popular place to stay in Venice. The oldest church of Venice, San Giacomo di Rialto, Rialto Bridge, Titian’s resting place Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari (you can also see his work here) and the largest square in Venice after Piazza San Marco, Campo San Polo is here. If you are looking for Venice night life and some of Venice’s best restaurants, you can find a fine selection here.
For a detailed list of hotels here, with prices, special offers and discounts, visit Venice San Polo hotels page.
Castello
Castello is the largest sestieri in Venice. With its history dating back to 13th century, Castello is a very local and authentic place where you can see young kids playing football in its streets and old ladies sharing gossip from window to windows. One of the most important attractions of Castello is Arsenale, where Venice Bianel takes place. the Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo (one of Venice’s largest and most important churches), the Church of San Zaccaria (home to some of master works of Giovanni Bellini), Scuola Grande di San Marco and Santa Maria Formosa are also here.
Castello is like Cannaregio in a sense. Far from crowds and quite local except its western area which is near San Marco (and as expensive and tourist oriented). If you are in Venice for Bianel, then Castello is your place. Castello is also cheaper than San Marco.
For hotels in Castello, check Venice Castello hotels page.
Dorsoduro
Dorsoduro is quite calm in the morning and very happening in the night. Some of the most colorful Venice night life spots are here. In Dorsoduro, the best place to stay is the area to the south of Campo Santa Margherita. The most important attraction here is Accademia, the most famous art gallery in Venice. Other than Accedemia Peggy Guggenheim Collection (with art pieces from modern artists like Dali, Duchamp, Picasso, Mondrian and Kandinsky) and Church of San Sebastiano with its Paolo Veronese, Tintoretto and Titian collection is here. Campo Margherita is full of bars popular among students and youth. Giudecca Island to the south of Venice is also under Dorsoduro administration.
For hotels in this sestieri, check Venice Dorsoduro hotels page.
Santa Croce
Santa Croce is a main transportation hub of Venice with Piazzale Roma and main port. Santa Croce is also the least tourist oriented area in Venice. There is almost nothing to see here but you can find some of the cheapert hotels in Venice in Santa Croce. But be careful because the money you saved from hotel stay may be spent for canal taxi and public transportation.
For hotels here, visit Venice Santa Croce hotels.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Where to stay in Barcelona?
Barcelona, second largest city in Spain and the capital of Catalonia, is one of the most popular city to visit in Spain with its historic churches, buildings, open air markets, narrow streets, restaurants, food, cafes, shops and colorful night life. In summer, the city also offers nice beaches for its visitors which is quite easily accessible from the city center.
The best time to visit Barcelona is in April and May during when the temperature is 19 – 20 Degrees Celcius. The high season for Barcelona tourism is August but this is also the popular month for people of Barcelona to go on vacation. So it will be quite crowded in August and many shops and restaurants will be closed. It is also OK to visit Barcelona in the winter months as long as you do not plan your visit to rainy days, since the temperature is around 9 – 10 degrees.
To answer the question in the title of this post (where to stay in Barcelona?) we will look at the most popular districts of Barcelona and their orientation instead of offering individual Barcelona hotel recommendation. The most important place for tourists in Barcelona is its historic center called Ciutat Vella (meaning Old City in Catalan). This place is District 1 and is on the shores of Mediterranean Sea and is considered as the center of the city (see the map below).
Ciutat Vella and the adjacent Eixample are the best places to stay in Barcelona and many popular Barcelona hotels are located in these two areas. But the efficient metro system also connects many Barcelona hotels outside these two Districts well to the center so a Barcelona hotel near metro station or a tram line connecting to metro station will work well as a place to stay.
Before going into details of some of these Barcelona Districts, let’s take a look at the price range for different classes of hotels in Barcelona:
- $35 to $295 per night for up to 3 star Barcelona hotels,
- $68 to $552 per night for 4 star Barcelona hotels,
- $133 to $412 per night for 5 star Barcelona hotels.
Ciutat Vella (Barri Gotic, La Rambla, El Raval, El Born)
Historic center covers La Barceloneta (famous with its beach), Barri Gòtic (the oldest neaighbourhood in Ciutat Vella), El Born a.k.a La Ribera and El Raval (historically infamous for its nightlife and cabarets, as well as prostitution and crime but has changed significantly in recent years and due to its central location has become a minor attraction of Barcelona).
The most famous and popular place in Barcelona is La Rambla Street. This place is popular with tourists as well as locals. La Rambla is actually a series of shorter streets, each differently named (in Spanish it is Las Ramblas). Line L3 of the Barcelona Metro runs beneath the length of La Rambla and you can reach the street from Catalunya, Liceu or Drassanes station.
For a detailed list of Barselona Hotels in Ciutat Vella, you can refer to Barcelona Ciutat Vella Hotels page.
Eixample
Once the city of Barcelona was just Ciutat Vella. Sants, Gràcia, Sant Andreu etc. were small towns near the city. And in between there was this large land behind Barcelona’s city walls, kept empty for defence purposes. Then in 19th century, Eixample (meaning extension) was built. The area is composed of these countless rectangular blocks and streets resembling each other. You can easily get lost here.
Many mid-range to luxury segment Barcelona hotels are in Eixample. It is very near to Ciutat Vella, it offers very easy access to the rest of the city and infamous Sagrada Família is here. Eixample is probably the best place to stay in Barcelona.
For hotels in Barselona’s Eixample District (District 2), you can refer to Barcelona Eixample Hotels page.
Gràcia
Gracia is 1 kilometer north of city center and is probably the most Catalan neighbourhood in the city. The life in this well-heeled place revolves in many squares and the place offers a good taste of everyday life in Barcelona as well as nice hotels to stay in. Gaudí-designed Parc Güell is here.
For hotels and room prices in Gràcia, refer to Barcelona Gràcia Hotels page.
Sants-Montjuïc
Plaça d’Espanya in Sants-Montjuïc is one of the most important squares in Barcelona. The place is full of museums, monuments and festivals. This is another good place to find hotels in Barcelona.
The best time to visit Barcelona is in April and May during when the temperature is 19 – 20 Degrees Celcius. The high season for Barcelona tourism is August but this is also the popular month for people of Barcelona to go on vacation. So it will be quite crowded in August and many shops and restaurants will be closed. It is also OK to visit Barcelona in the winter months as long as you do not plan your visit to rainy days, since the temperature is around 9 – 10 degrees.
To answer the question in the title of this post (where to stay in Barcelona?) we will look at the most popular districts of Barcelona and their orientation instead of offering individual Barcelona hotel recommendation. The most important place for tourists in Barcelona is its historic center called Ciutat Vella (meaning Old City in Catalan). This place is District 1 and is on the shores of Mediterranean Sea and is considered as the center of the city (see the map below).
Ciutat Vella and the adjacent Eixample are the best places to stay in Barcelona and many popular Barcelona hotels are located in these two areas. But the efficient metro system also connects many Barcelona hotels outside these two Districts well to the center so a Barcelona hotel near metro station or a tram line connecting to metro station will work well as a place to stay.
Before going into details of some of these Barcelona Districts, let’s take a look at the price range for different classes of hotels in Barcelona:
- $35 to $295 per night for up to 3 star Barcelona hotels,
- $68 to $552 per night for 4 star Barcelona hotels,
- $133 to $412 per night for 5 star Barcelona hotels.
 |
| Barcelona Districts Map |
Historic center covers La Barceloneta (famous with its beach), Barri Gòtic (the oldest neaighbourhood in Ciutat Vella), El Born a.k.a La Ribera and El Raval (historically infamous for its nightlife and cabarets, as well as prostitution and crime but has changed significantly in recent years and due to its central location has become a minor attraction of Barcelona).
The most famous and popular place in Barcelona is La Rambla Street. This place is popular with tourists as well as locals. La Rambla is actually a series of shorter streets, each differently named (in Spanish it is Las Ramblas). Line L3 of the Barcelona Metro runs beneath the length of La Rambla and you can reach the street from Catalunya, Liceu or Drassanes station.
For a detailed list of Barselona Hotels in Ciutat Vella, you can refer to Barcelona Ciutat Vella Hotels page.
 |
| La Rambla el Raval Boulevard, Barcelona, Spain. Seen here is the entrance of Liceu metro station |
Once the city of Barcelona was just Ciutat Vella. Sants, Gràcia, Sant Andreu etc. were small towns near the city. And in between there was this large land behind Barcelona’s city walls, kept empty for defence purposes. Then in 19th century, Eixample (meaning extension) was built. The area is composed of these countless rectangular blocks and streets resembling each other. You can easily get lost here.
Many mid-range to luxury segment Barcelona hotels are in Eixample. It is very near to Ciutat Vella, it offers very easy access to the rest of the city and infamous Sagrada Família is here. Eixample is probably the best place to stay in Barcelona.
For hotels in Barselona’s Eixample District (District 2), you can refer to Barcelona Eixample Hotels page.
 |
| Eixample is probably the best place to stay in Barcelona. |
Gracia is 1 kilometer north of city center and is probably the most Catalan neighbourhood in the city. The life in this well-heeled place revolves in many squares and the place offers a good taste of everyday life in Barcelona as well as nice hotels to stay in. Gaudí-designed Parc Güell is here.
For hotels and room prices in Gràcia, refer to Barcelona Gràcia Hotels page.
Sants-Montjuïc
Plaça d’Espanya in Sants-Montjuïc is one of the most important squares in Barcelona. The place is full of museums, monuments and festivals. This is another good place to find hotels in Barcelona.
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