My trip to Wurzburg is one of those unforgettable ones. We went there for our honeymoon. The reason why we chose Wurzburg was that we knew art and architecture danced together in Wurzburg. The hotel we would stay at inWurzburg was very important, as it was our honeymoon and we wanted a comfortable place. We chose the Schloss Steinburg Hotel which was recommended by a friend of us before. We were very glad to have obeyed his advice, because we had a great time in that great hotel of Wurzburg. It was a castle indeed! I didn’t know castles were  so much fun before. It was also just 10 minutes’ drive to the old town, which was great. 

Anyway, our Wurzburg adventure started- there were so many we wanted to do and see. We arrived in the city in 80 minutes from Frankfurt by train. As the view was outstanding, we never got bored during the way. The first thing we visited in Wurzburg was the Fortress Marienberg. It was a real beauty surrounded by medieval walls and the Scherenberg gate. After the fortress, we visited the Wurzburg Residence. I fell in love with the grand staircase and the chapel of the palace. Especially the interior of the Court Chapel was a true piece of art. It must be a privilege to pray there. The ceiling, the walls and the colons were all ornamented and very beautiful.
 

Next day, we went to the church called Kappele. We had heard about it before. It is a beautiful rococo styled chapel located just opposite to the fortress. We were very glad to have found a chance to visit it before leaving Wurzburg. We will not forget this exciting Wurzburg trip and will be back there as soon as possible.           

 If this has tempted you to visit Wurzburg, let us tempt you even more with our great vrates for Wurzburg

    http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/wurzburg.htm

Tags: Germany, Wurzburg

Feras and I were traveling by Inter-rail to Milan last summer. It was an enjoyable trip. We had booked our room in advance at the Mercure Milano Carso Genova Hotel which we liked very much. As the hotel was centrally located, it provided us a great base for exploring Milan. The place we visited first was the Milan Cathedral. It was a marvelous Gothic styled cathedral with a- guess what- golden Madonna statue on the top! Feras said the golden statue was the symbol of Milan. It already dazzled us from afar. Inside of the cathedral was as charming as outside. We confronted with hundreds of marble statues; it was probably the largest marble statue collection in the world. We visited the Teatro alla Scala next which was in the very vicinity. We learned that it was among the most famous opera houses in the world. What impressed me in Milan most was the Castello Sforzesco. It is maybe because I am an artist at heart. The castle is now the home of the city museum and many art gallery collections. I visited the Museum of Musical Instruments and explored the Applied Arts Collection eagerly. We were very surprised at the size of the castle. There were so many museums inside! If you wonder about what it was that Feras was impressed most, I can say that it was the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It was a grand shopping mall with a glass dome. It must be very nice to look at the glass dome and watch outside while it is raining. There sold anything one could need at the mall and there were also very classy restaurants, but they must admit that they are very expensive- especially for two poor students! We couldn’t shop at Gucci, Prada or Louis Vuitton of course, but even looking at the shops was also fun enough. By the end of our Milan trip, we were sorry to be leaving this great city. Thus, we got on the train with a sad expression on our faces. Good bye Milan- I will come back one day!

Say hello to Milan and say hello to our great hotels rates

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Tags: Milan

Orlando is very special for me. I think the time I spent there is the best time of my whole life. The reason for its being very special for me is that I got married there. Orlando was the Heaven for me and my husband who passed away a year ago now leaving me the memories as a relic.   It all happened at once. Neither of us could believe it at first. We just read some news about Orlando and saw the pictures taken at the Walt Disney World Resort depicting a wedding ceremony at the Disney’s Wedding Pavilion. It was the very moment that we decided to get married there so that our new marriage life would begin in a place full of fun and joy. And we did! It was the most beautiful wedding that I had ever seen- and it was mine! After the wedding, we walked along the shores of the Seven Seas Lagoon nearby. Guess what we did next! We enjoyed ourselves at the Fantasyland like a crazy young girl and a boy. We even took a spinning ride in a tea cup. It was so much fun. We had the laugh of our lives. It was a really magic land- away from this world. The next day we, newly married couple, visited a few museums and also did some shopping. The Florida Mall was the largest mall I had ever visited. I did a power shopping in front of my husband’s worried eyes. Well, he had to understand that it wasn’t easy to be married
We spent three more days in Orlando and then returned to our home. It was all like a dream. I wish he were here now reading what I am writing here with a smile on his face. Anyway, I am planning to do my son’s wedding ceremony in Orlando- Yes, in the very place we got married. Anyone reading these lines are invited to the ceremony
 

Tags: Florida, Orlando

Sing in Helsinki

The time I and my best friend Zep spent in Helsinki was totally great. We arrived at the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. After spending 40 minutes traveling to the city centre, we were in Helsinki at last. We would attend the Helsinki Festival held in every August. We stayed at the Sokos Helsinki Hotel which was quite convenient for us. We arrived four days earlier than the festival so that we would go sightseeing in Helsinki.

We were both excited and curious about Fortress of Suomenlinna which was a sea fortress- even inhabited! The fortress had been chosen as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which made us even more excited. It was all green everywhere- I felt as if I was a bug lost in the lawn. I couldn’t take my eyes off the picturesque site.

We thought it wouldn’t be appropriate if we left Helsinki without dropping by the famous Hietaniemi beach at least once. It was a great sand beach where we could get suntanned. What’s more, it was next to the Hietaniemi Cemetery. Thus, we could also visit the heroes lying there, who passed away while fighting against the cruel Nazis.

There was just one day left before the festival. We allocated that time to visiting the church called Temppeliaukio Church with an interesting design. It was really as interesting as we had heard. When looked at the entrance of the church, I thought we were entering a cave. It wasn’t a cave of course. It was a great church with a cave-like look.    

The festival was just with one word: perfect! We had a fling. It was nothing but entertaining! I am afraid I gotaddicted to it. Waiting impatiently for the next one. I recommend to anyone-maybe we’ll dance together in the next festival :*)

Tags: Helsinki

Warsaw was a totally different experience for me. I was there just two months ago and I wish I was still there now. We chose Radisson Sas Centrum Hotel Warsaw as our haven while exploring this wonderful city. Its location enabled us to go wherever we want easily.

We learned from our guide that Warsaw was the eight largest town in the EU. There were very cute colorful buildings all around the town. The first attraction we visited was the Royal Castle. When I saw the huge elegant castle, I thought that Warsaw really saw wars.

The Zygmunt’s Column was gigantic as well as impressive. The guide said that it was built in honor of the king Zygmunt III Waza, because he was the one who moved the capital from Krakow to Warsaw. I guess the city owes him a lot.

We saw the Warsaw Mermaid’s bronze sculpture in the Old Town Market Place. I heard that it became the symbol of Warsaw, as it represented the legendary siren called Melusina from Vistula River. She ordered Duke Boleslaus to found Warsaw in 1294. Because power is represented by males generally, it was interesting to see that the symbol of a city was represented by a female. Well, maybe Warsaw’s women are muscled and strong just like the Amazonian women :) 

Our final stop was Warsaw Barbican which was a semicircular fortified outpost. It bears great historical traces all around and we were very glad not to miss the chance to visit this city. In short, everyone must see Warsaw-you will not regret it.          

We have unbeatable rates for Warsaw hotels starting at under EUR 40 for 2 people sharing a room

 http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/warsaw.htm

Tags: Warsaw

My Dublin trip was one of the unforgettable ones. It was very interesting to hear the slightly different accent of Irish people in Dublin. I arrived at the Dublin Airport which was very busy at the time.

The first place I visited was the Trinity College which was situated in the heart of Dublin. It was an impressive building. Although not as colorful as my university buildings, Trinity College was still lovely. I then went to the Guinness Brewery which was top one attraction in Dublin. It was great to climb to the top of the building while exploring the brewing museum. The best side of it was the pint I was offered free of charge while admiring the great view. 

Well, it was a tiring day, especially after so much sightseeing. Time to go and have some rest, so I returned to my hotel. Mine was Mercer Court Hotel which was quiet nice with a good restaurant.  Next day, Dublin Castle was waiting for me. It was a grand castle with the Record Tower. The castle was lovely, but what impressed me most was the tower. The castle was like a king with a crown on the head. When I saw it like that, I felt the urge to bow in front of it, or else the archers at the top would hit me But if I bowed, people around me would think I was mad. So there was the challenge: To bow or not to bow- that’s the question Hey don’t worry-I didn’t !

I got tired of staying at the hotel all night, so I went out to have some fun. I had heard that the nightlife in Dublin was vibrant. The fame of the Temple Bar was known by many of my friends, so I didn’t lose any time and headed for the bar and had a great fling! Danced all night!

Those were a few things I can recall about my Dublin trip now. It is a place that should be visited by anyone wishing to have some fun!

Tags: Dublin

My love of Visegrad began when I read the book called “Bridge on the Drina” by Ivo Andric who won Nobel Prize.
I decided to see that bridge with my own eyes, so I bought my ticket and went to that beautiful city called Visegrad in Bosnia Herzegovina. The city was situated in the eastern part of the country and on Drina River.

I was very excited to be in a town completely different from the big metropolitan cities I was used to. The famous bridge was built by Mehmed Pasha who was an Ottoman statesman in 1571, as I learned from the guide. I realized  that it was really a popular tourist attraction when I saw all the people around the bridge. They came only to see the bridge-so I was not alone. By the way, I also learned that the bridge was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One whole day was enough to see the famous sites of Visegrad, so I went to Mostar the next day. I stayed at the Ero Hotel which was conveniently located in the heart of the city. Mostar is the biggest city in Herzegovina and as soon as you stepped into the city, you feel it. The first place I visited in Mostar was the Stari Most, the English translation of which is the Old Bridge. It was a beautiful Turkish bridge dating back to the 16th century. It spans River Neretva. The view of the bridge was amazing especially at night. 

I totally enjoyed my trip including both Visegrad and Mostar. They contributed to my historical knowledge greatly. The lesson I learned from my trip: Sightseers know more than just readers. 

Tags: Bosnia Herzegovina, Visegrad

I went to Brussels last summer as I needed to do compulsory internship. I applied for a company there. Honestly, I didn’t have any hope to be accepted, but it just happened! I would do internship in Brussels for two months. It was all like a dream.

It was the first time that I went abroad, so this added to my excitement and anxiety at the same time. I also had a fear for flying, because I always thought that there would be a plane crash. Thank God, there were no crashes and I was in Brussels.

I looked for a Brussels hotel close to the company where I would do my internship. The Brussels Hotel was just the place I was looking for. It was a very nice convenient hotel. Thanks to the multilingual staff, I didn’t have any difficulty in communicating. I know it’s hard not to be understood by the staff. One of my friends experienced such a situation. When he asked for an extra pillow, he could only get an extra blanket. Well, at least the “extra” part was right.

Anyway, I began doing internship on weekdays and at the weekends I went sightseeing as much as my feet could stand. My first stop was the Grand Place. It totally dazzled me! It had a square as if ornamented with flowers.  So colorful! So beautiful! It was like a rainbow ornamented carpet extending through the square.

At the next weekend, I head for the Atomium in Heyzel Area. It was a huge atom-shaped building. Weren’t atoms tiny
particles? Well, this one was gigantic and we were also able to go inside. The view up there was great! I took many good photos.

Royal Palace was also an impressing place. The building per se was enough to charm me, but it also had a garden that was wonderful to stroll in. Inside of the palace was even more beautiful. There were paintings and ornate furniture all around. It was furnished so fashionably that it was still fashionable even after so many years.   

I also tried to taste as many Dutch dishes as I could. My favourite restaurant that I went with my friends was the one called Other Belgian where we found good beer with a delicious steak.

We hanged out in Havana Bar at nights when we wanted to have a fling.  Especially on Saturdays, Havana Bar was our fun haven.

Brussels is a very beautiful city full of fun. I was very upset when my internship ended. I’d like to go there again whenever I find a chance to. 

Tags: Belgium, Brussels

Are you planning a perfect wedding? Fed up with thinking about the place?

I think I can give you some ideas

Everyone wants to make real his perfect wedding dream in his mind. Deciding on every detail about the wedding is very depressive, you try to do your best. For a dream wedding, the place is so important. It should be such a place that is remarkable. And it should make you feel comfortable in that special day.

Forbes traveler has made a list for “10 great places to get married”. I will introduce you these places in the list so the list may help you!

1) Keawala’i Congregational Church, Makena Beach, Maui, Hawaii

Keawala’i Congregational Church is located south of Makena Bay and one of the earliest churches in Maui. The church’s name means “ Peaceful Habor” or “Tranquil Heaven”. It has a rich history and the church has a charming atmosphere with old architecture and beautiful scenery. If you schedule your ceremony in the afternoon, you can have much more romantic scene due to the sunset.

2) Villa D’Este, Lake Como, Italy

Villa D’Este is a 16th-century residence with beautiful gardens. The perfect hotel has many famous guests from Mark Twain to Madonna. You cannot find a better charming historical place than Villa D’Este! The hotel offers a private chef and three pools.

3) The Wakaya Club, Fiji

The Wakaya Club is a glamorous island resort with fascinating opportunities in Fiji. You can plan your dream wedding by the sea or in the small Wakaya Village Church. It provides numerous luxurious facilities. Beautiful beaches, clear blue sea, and great nature will make your ceremony unique!

4) Inverlochy Castle, Fort William, Scotland

Inverlochy Castle is the perfect destination for your dream wedding. The historic atmosphere of the castle makes your ceremony special. With its magnificent furniture and architecture, Inverlocy Castle offers many advantages.

5) Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, the Caribbean

Guana Island is one of the few Caribbean islands you can rent. The island has amazing scenery – white sandy beaches, perfect blue sea, and tropical vegetation. Dream weddings can be held in the morning sun in White Bay Beach, in the wonderful sunset in Queen’s Terrace or in the moonlight in the lush Garden of Eden!

6) Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Ngorongoro Crater is one of the glamorous wonders of the world with its wonderful scenery and nature. It is a perfect place for the ones dreaming a romantic ceremony! You can held a romantic marriage ceremony viewing the Great Fish River at sunset, followed by a grand riverbank feast with welcoming Zulu drummers!

7) Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia

Aborginal people consider Uluru – an ancient rock in this national park – as a spiritual site. Even if you don’t believe such things, this is a perfect place to give a lifelong promise because this rock comes from ancient times that can be a symbol for your eternal love – isn’t it a unique romantic theme for your dream wedding?

El Tamarindo Golf Resort, Manzanillo, Mexico

El Tamarindo Golf Resort is a perfect combination of great nature and luxury. The resort offers numerous fascinating facilities. A wedding in this amazing resort can be memorable. El Tamarindo Golf Resort provides excellent catering services. Before the “exciting day”, there is spa and beauty services to make you relax!

http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/manzanillo.htm

9) Caneel Bay, St. John, USVI

“Paradise as it was intended”, Caneel Bay is situated in the Caribbeans with its marvelous scenery. Caneel Bay offers a memorable ceremony for you! It arranges everything perfectly from flowers to menu planning.
10) Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris, France

The Hotel Plaza Athenee is one of the most romantic hotels in the world. The hotel tries to do the best to make
your ceremony unique and unforgettable. You can enjoy special cuisine and chic decoration in your wedding! Your
guests and you will have the best service such a luxury in the most romantic city, Paris.

 http://www.gtahotels.com/hotels/plaza_athenee_hotel_paris.htm?

 Congratulations!

Eindhoven like Heaven

Eindhoven is a city in the Netherlands. It is always warm there. It gets dark generally at 10 pm. There are many sites that can be visited in Eindhoven. To see how it is like to live in the medieval times, you must visit the Historical Open-air Museum. If you interested in art, you will enjoy yourself in the Kempenland Museum.

For those feeling active enough, there are yearly bicycle tours in Eindhoven. Actually, bicycling is very common here and people love to ride a bike. You can even see a serious-looking dressed up businessman riding a bike. It is an interesting scene indeed.

You can find music, fun, theater and performances all together in the Park Theater. If you come around February, you will not miss the Ice Sculptures Festival where you can see many beautiful little wonders. It is really nice to look at them. Don’t forget to take something warm with you when attending the festival. After I saw those ice sculptures, I tried to make one for me at home, but to be honest result was horrible. What I did didn’t resemble to them at all. Besides, when mum saw the little pool in the middle of the kitchen, I received a good reprimand So, don’t try that at home!

To eat something delicious, you can go to the restaurant called Taj Mahal. The service is quick and food is very good there. You can also spend lively nights in Eindhoven. It is full of bars and discos.

 If you want to visit Eindhoven and see the amazing Ice sculptures in winter or enjoy the city in the summer, have a look at our unbeatable hotel rates

http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/eindhoven.htm
    

Tags: Eindhoven, Netherlands