Author: Serenity Williams

London is a cosmopolitan, big, and exciting city where almost everything is possible. Seizing this opportunity and experiencing what the city offers in one weekend may seem difficult, especially when you don’t know where to start.

Whether you want to take part in outdoor activities, go to a restaurant, visit a museum, or shop in big malls, the following are tips, which will ensure you schedule a memorable and rich weekend in the city:

1.      Get an Accommodation

Book a hostel or hotel in advance. London is not the kind of city you walk in or show up, unless you have no issue getting charged triple.

If you want to save cash, look at the budget chain hotels, such as Ibis, Travelodge, or Premier Inn. Just ensure you check and read reviews online before booking, as some chain hotels might be a hit or miss.

2.      Consider Chauffeur Services

London’s Tube is easy and reliable to explore. Announcements are usually clear, and any tourist may access almost anywhere they wish to visit.

When it comes to London travel, traffic is heavy, making it necessary to hire the best chauffeur services in the city.

Whether you want to get to a business meeting or require an airport transfer, the best chauffeur services guarantee offering the most luxurious and elegant cars globally, if not in London.

3.      Use a Pass

A London pass refers to pre-paid cards, which can get you to different attractions in the city. They are worth using, especially when you want to visit the most expensive sights in London.

A London pass is also valuable for sights, which cost cash. So ensure you list some of the places you can visit in advance, including:

• River Cruise
• Churchill War Rooms
• Golden Tours
• Westminster Abbey

4.      Avoid Eating in Tourist Spots

In general, any type of food within half a mile of Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus can be costly beyond reason. But of course, there are some exceptions.

If you’re looking to save cash, a perfect way is to shop at a supermarket that has a variety of sandwiches and other types of foods you may readily eat.

If you also have self-catering accommodation, look for specials in supermarkets where products close to sell-by-date can be sold at a reduced cost.

5.      Explore Beaten Paths

Understandably, you might want to see major landmarks when touring London for the first time. Though the city is more than Buckingham Palace or Big Ben.

There are also a lot of quirky neighborhoods, beautiful gardens, lesser popular museums, and local markets in the city.

Visiting some less-known spots like these can easily make your first tour in the city even more memorable and special.

Final Thoughts!

There are numerous places to tour and activities to take part in the city, which you must accept that you cannot explore all of them. Even Londoners cannot do all of them in their lifetime.

So it’s best to have a bucket list of things you wish to do during your tour, making it simple to budget everything and maximize your time in London.

Go to Palm Jumeirah, straight to The View, and go up to floor 52. Have you ever been 240 meters above the ground? Did you ever take a look at Dubai from high above? It’s your chance, so take it because it’s extraordinary. One of the best views in Dubai is seen from all the way up there. There’s something to do on every floor of the building, so if you haven’t been there, we’re telling you, you should.

Nakheel Mall

Start your day shopping at Nakheel Mall. There, you can shop till you drop on the first floor of The View. You can find over 300 stores for fabulous, chic outfits to wear for any occasion.After shopping, you can always satisfy your cravings at one of the restaurants available at Nakheel Mall or enjoy some family-friendly activities whenever you’re free.

St. Regis Dubai Palm

Connected to the famous Nakheel Mall, you can always book your stay at the St. Regis. The 5-star hotelalways opensits doors to guests, whether they’retourists orresidentslooking for a luxury staycation in Dubai. The St. Regis puts your comfort above everything and ensuresthat your stay exceeds expectations with their spa, two swimming pools, and a fitness center.

The Palm Tower Residences

Other than the St. Regis, a few floors are dedicated to residences of The Palm Tower. They’re luxurious apartments at the heart of Palm Jumeirah, which means it’s close to everything you need. Staying there, you’ll have an incredible view of the city and the sea every morning. It’s one of the best views in Dubai, which is why you should consider staying there. 

Aura Skypool Lounge

A place like no other, have you ever seen a 360 degree infinity pool? That’s right! You can find one on the 50^th floor of The Palm Tower. Enjoy the glorious sunny days in Dubai with a view of the sea and the city below. Aura Skypool Lounge is a one-of-a-kind experience, with its delicious food, refreshing cocktails, and best views in Dubai; it’s the place to create memories that last for a lifetime.

Sushisamba

Located on the 51^st floor, Sushisamba restaurant brings together the amazing favours of Japan, Peru, and Brazil for an unforgettable dinner with a marvelous view. The restaurant is set to open later this year, so make sure to be among the first people to try it. 

The View at The Palm& the Falcon View

On the last floor, floor 52, there’s the place that will make you feel like you’re on top of the world. You’ll be looking down below at the beautiful city not only from one side,as the place offers a 360-degree view of Dubai.

You also get to enjoy an experience at the interactive visual gallery that will take you back in time to how it all started by depicting the story of Palm Jumeirah.

Opening soon, the Falcon View gives you the chance to see the city from the tower’s highest point. So make sure to book your spot.

You can spot the city’s landmarks all the way from The View. So whether you want to stay at the St. Regis or not, make sure to visit every floor and explore The View from top till bottom. Swim, tan, and relax while enjoying the extraordinary view below.

It is often said that travelling broadens our horizons and enriches us as human beings. Still, seeing just the postcard sights is not what it is all about. Mingling with locals, experiencing cuisine and customs makes every journey more worthwhile. This is why ITS DMC Poland; local Polish travel agent wants to present the characteristic of Polish bank holidays and the way they are celebrated. Discover the new culture within this article and also get interested in Poland. Maybe it is the highest time to explore this part of Europe.

List of Polish bank holidays:

• 01 New Year’s Day
• 01 Three Kings’ Day
• Easter (Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are bank holidays in Poland)
• 05 Labour Day
• 05 Constitution Day
• Corpus Christi
• 08 Assumption Day
• 11
• All Saints Day
• 11 Independence Day
• 25-26.12
• Christmas

In Poland unlike in majority of European countries Good Friday, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are not bank holidays. There are also more religious than secular holidays during the year.

Secular holidays

Traditionally New Year’s Day is a bank holiday in Poland usually spent to rest after the parties that are organized on the New Year’s Eve night. The Poles enjoy then many home parties, official balls and live open air New Year’s concerts. Majority of big Polish agglomerations organize such events in the main cities’ squares where thousands attend. ITS DMC Poland states that the biggest concerts of this type come from cooperation of the local authorities and various national television channels. Every year the most popular live events are transmitted from Warsaw, Cracow, Wroclaw or Tri-city. At midnight there are traditional fireworks shows.

Other two secular bank holidays are celebrated on the 1^st and the 3^rd of May and often create so called “long weekend” for many Poles. Lots of people quite often takes a free day off work on the 2^nd of May and with free Saturday and Sunday can often enjoy up to 5 days out of work. The 1^st of May is a celebration of the International Labour Day that is supposed to be a holiday of working people. In many buildings tourists will find Polish flags on this day (the same applies to the 3^rd of May). In some regions of Poland some government officials also pay tribute to the labour parties’ heroes by laying flowers by monuments commemorating them. Still, some Poles feel that this holiday is the Communist one and do not participate in celebrations in protest. The 3^rd of May is a commemoration of the passing of the first Polish constitution in 1791 which actually was the second document of this type in the world just after American one. During that day some army and politicians’ parades and citizens’ marches are organised and also historic events reconstructions. All the Long May Weekend for many Poles is mainly the celebration of spring and foremost beginning of gardening and barbecue seasons. It is time they relax and enjoy a few days of work in finally good weather after long winter months. Many Poles take this opportunity to travel and organize some short breaks either at the seaside or in the mountains or just use this time to visit museums with their families. This is why ITS DMC Poland warns that tourists should be prepared for higher accommodation prices and longer queues in major tourist attractions.

Finally, the last secular holiday is celebrated on the 11^th of November and it is Polish Independence Day. It was established to commemorate regaining independence in 1918, after 123 years of partitions (1795–1918) where Poland vanished from the maps of Europe. On this day Independence Marches and historical reconstruction shows are performed. ITS DMC Poland says that the biggest marches are organized in Warsaw, so it is the best place to observe the holiday.

Religious holidays

The biggest Christian holidays in Poland definitely include Easter and Christmas. Both of them are family celebrations which people spend in their family circles mainly siting at tables full of food. Unlike in many European countries Good Friday in Poland is an ordinary working day. Believers in Poland attend sermons and masses every day from Shrove Thursday till Easter Monday. Children really enjoy egg hunts on Easter Sunday and small gifts left for them by Easter Bunny. On Easter Monday there is a unique “Smingus Dyngus” tradition during which boys pour water on girls and young woman. ITS DMC Poland warns and jokes that especially young woman are not safe from water on Polish streets then and a male protector can be really handy. The tradition says that the wetter the girl gets the sooner she will marry. Therefore, plastic water guns and water bottles and buckets are widely used. Nowadays, in the modern, more emancipated world, girls quite often do not remain in debt and also pour water on boys, so in some places water epic fights emerge to the greater enjoyment of participants.

Many people may be surprised to hear that for the Poles the 24rd of December is the most important day during Christmas and it is not a bank holiday. Christmas celebrations start in the evening when a very solemn Christmas dinner is served. In most Polish families the dinner starts with reading of the Gospel and sharing “oplatek” which is a special wafer shared with good Christmas wishes. After dinner which should consist of 12 lent dishes and an obligatory carp fish, Christmas carols are sung and children are visited by Santa Claus. He leaves the gifts either under the Christmas Tree or by the door or window (as open fireplaces are not popular in Poland and there are traditionally no Christmas stockings; though, ITS DMC Poland states that due to international commerce they start to appear rather as Christmas decorations). Next two days of Christmas, Poles also spend on family gatherings and meals. Continuation of the Christmas season is Three Kings Holiday that is still fairly new to Poles as it was introduced only in 2011. During this day Three Kings’ Marches are organised where people dress like kings.

Other smaller Christian holidays include Corpus Christi, Assumption and All Saint’s Day. ITS DMC Poland says that Corpus Christi and All Saint’s Day are the most interesting to tourists. Poland and Spain have the most spectacular Corpus Christi Processions and they are organized by almost every parish in the country. It is especially worth to see the processions in Cracow, Chocholow, Lowicz or Spycimierz. They include folklore costumes, working groups participants and beautiful flower arrangements. All Saint’s Day is a huge holiday of the dead that takes place in November. On that day masses of people visit cemeteries to leave flowers and candles to commemorate their close ones. Polish cemeteries on that day look really spectacular.

Polish holidays are really worth to be seen. This is why it is a good idea to visit Poland when they occur to discover and experience more of Polish culture, customs and taste delicious holiday cuisine. A well balanced and designed trip will allow you to enjoy the main tourist sights and also find out interesting cultural elements. If you need any help in such planning feel free to contact ITS DMC Poland, trusted local travel agent that has been organising international groups’ stays in Poland since 2005. Don’t wait any longer, start your Polish adventure still today!

Planning for your dream holiday may be somewhat overwhelming. This has plunged most people into procrastination. You need to source for finances, research destinations, and visit an Air arabia airlines tickets among other things.

The good news is you don’t have to postpone your travel any longer. If you prepare early enough, you’ll explore your exotic destinations that are packed with charming towns, stunning vistas, and fascinating cultures.

Here’s how you can plan for such a holiday:

1. Select A Destination

The first thing you want to do while planning for a holiday is to decide where you’d like to go. This may be overseas or within your country. Sometimes making this decision may be difficult because there are numerous travel destinations. Asking your friends and family members for recommendations can help you narrow down some best destinations.

The other way of identifying a travel destination is researching the popular places that travelers frequent. Some of the most popular destinations include Singapore, Indonesia, the USA, Vietnam, India, Thailand, China, and Japan. Short-term travelers tend to visit Vietnam, Japan, and India.

Though these places are commonly visited, they shouldn’t limit your scope—instead, select destinations based on experiences that will fit your bucket list. At the end of your holiday, it’s the experiences that will count.

2. Research

Once you’ve settled on a suitable location, you need to do some research. You should ask yourself whether you want to board Flight booking or other airlines to that destination. Apart from that, you should also consider its climate. Weather conditions can make or break your holiday experience. Some countries have extreme climatic conditions during different seasons of the year. You probably don’t want to visit a country when it’s experiencing cyclones or typhoons.

Moreover, if you love skiing, you should visit your destination during winter when there’s plenty of snow. But if you love something warmer, you can visit countries that don’t have snow but have turquoise waters and glistening white sands.

The time you have for the holiday can also impact how long you’ll spend on your trip. That’s because you may have to take some time to adjust if you’ve crossed many time zones. Besides, some countries in Europe may be expensive if you’re planning to have a shorter vacation.

3. Check The Civil And Political Climate Of Your Preferred Destination

Apart from researching your destination’s climatic conditions, you also want to check its civil and political climate. Some countries may be having terrorists who can endanger your life. Some may also be prone to natural disasters and security threats. Fortunately, most governments provide travel warnings and advice on their official sites concerning such destinations.

Your holiday should be the most enjoyable experience.  And a such, you should also find out how to avoid scams and where to seek medical attention if you’re ill. Following your destination’s news will let you know more about their accommodations, corruption, and civil and political climate.

Summing Up

Preparing for your holiday may be the only way to ensure it’s successful. Apart from that, it may make you avoid procrastination. These are but a few ways to plan for a holiday and ensure you get the maximum experience out of it.