Category: Italy Travel

Honeymoon Thrills at Cheaper Deals

Lets admit it, wedding costs are no joke. Theres the whole wedding hullabaloo, not to mention the honeymoon. And of course, you definitely want to enjoy the honeymoon where its just the two of you together. And more than just being a time spent with your loved one, your honeymoon is the perfect way to relax yourselves after a busy wedding ceremony, and be treated like royalties and enjoy all the amenities of luxury. Although it is always good to be frugal, settle for anything less than what you and your loved one deserve. While some may have the money to enjoy an all-expense luxurious honeymoon get-away, its also easy to create the romantic ambience and enjoy the perfect honeymoon vacation without busting your pockets.

First, get familiar with off-peak seasons and the perfect times to visit places. If youre planning a January wedding, its also the perfect time to go visiting New York, San Francisco and Washington. February is the cheapest time to go honeymooning in Celtic Ireland, the snow-capped mountains of Netherlands and Dallas. March is perfect for honeymoons in Los Angeles; go sight-seeing in Italy and Spain, while April is perfect for a Caribbean honeymoon in Jamaica. Hawaii is cheapest on May while June brides can always choose to go to Phoenix and Albuquerque for some Mexican exploration. July offers at best at Tucson and Memphis, while a honeymoon in August is perfect at Las Vegas. September is the perfect time to go abroad and explore Asian culture in Japan. In October, you can head off to Costa Rica and in November, go kayaking at Lake Tahoe or enjoy the flavor of Dominican Republic. December brides can go to sunny, tropical, Mediterranean Greece.

Here are five travel destinations you can explore on your honeymoon, offering you the perfect romantic thrills, without the worries of an empty pocket.

London. There are many available flights to choose from, and if you pick a remote location, it costs cheaper. While it may seem more expensive than any other European destination, there are an endless choice in hotels, restaurants, transportation and tour services that you can choose from. And theres definitely something offering you and your loved one a London experience within your budget.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Accommodation is easy you can choose from luxury resorts to quaint but clean hotels in the downtown area. Honeymooners can visit Tulum or take the ferry to the island of Cozumel for some snorkeling experience.

Tioman Island. For some Asian experience, go to Tioman Island in Malaysia. It boasts of sandy beaches, verdant jungles and mountains. You and your honey can bask in the sun, go snorkeling and diving. A $100 already assures you of a two-night stay at a suite in an Oceanside resort. The island can be reached via ferry from the mainland; a good two hours ride perfect for dolphin-sightings.

Buenos Aires. For some Latin American color, Buenos Aires provides a variety of cultural events, nightlife, shopping, local sports and excursions to choose from. Explore La Boca, its street performers, shops and architecture. Airfare costs an average of $500 for a round trip.

Las Vegas. The ultimate gaming experience, not to mention the color lights and sounds make Vegas the whirlwind wedding and honeymoon setting. There are many cheap vacation packages offered by many hotels and resorts, with discount rates from lodging, meals and entertainment.

And because the honeymoon is all about just being the two of you together, you need not even go out of town or out of the country. Scout your local area for some place you can explore. Or with just candles and champagne and the two of you together, your honeymoon can be perfect and cheap in just the comforts of your new house.

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Traveling to Switzerland

Switzerland is blessed with all the bounties of nature. It is the most preferred tourist destination among all the countries in the world. The Alps region has a cold weather most of the times, where as the summers are warmer in the northern area. Visit Saas Fee to ski and snowboard. Dream of living in real life igloo can come true as many resorts, like Zermatt and St Moritz (which is a celebrity resort), had them built for their customers.

Culture

Italian, German and French are the official languages of Switzerland. Many English people can also be found here. Unwrapped flowers must be presented to the host to show appreciation. White asters and chrysanthemums flowers are reserved for funerals, so precaution must be taken when presenting flowers to others, even red roses are better avoided. One can move around in casuals but it is important to dress in warrant jackets and ties when attending social gatherings or when eating out at a fine restaurant. Swiss Franc is the currency used here.

Shopping

Switzerland is famous for its exotic chocolates, finest handmade clocks and luxury watches. Other specialties are embroidered linen, music boxes, wood carvings, Swiss cheese and Swiss army knives. Many shops remain close on Monday, so shopping should be avoided on that day. Since service charge is applied on all services, so tipping is an issue of free-will. 7.6% VAT is charged on all purchases made in Switzerland, which can be reclaimed later by asking for a global refund check, if the purchase crosses 400 CHF.

Electricity

The standard current used is 230 volts (AC) and 50 Hz.

Getting There

Swiss airline is the national airline of Switzerland, which connects to 71 destinations all over the world. Zurich is the most popular airport, located at a distance of 11km from the city. Every 15 minutes, trains shuttles passengers to their destination. Fly-Rail Luggage ticket can be bought if the passengers want to collect their luggage at the railways station rather than the airport. While leaving Switzerland, Fly-Rail Baggage service can be availed that enables passenger to check-in their luggage at the railway station itself. Other facilities provided here are duty free shops, banks, restaurants and car hire. Check out Geneva, Basle and Bern airport for offers.

Since weather conditions are worst during the winters, train is an efficient and cheaper option. They are also great if one wants to enjoy the scenic beauty of Switzerland. Swiss Pass can be purchased to visit most of the tourist attractions in Switzerland.

High quality roads are maintained here. Roads connect to Austria, Germany, Italy and France. But in winters things can get worse, so it is better to carry chains and snow tires. Cars should be kept to the right.

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Traveling to Italy

Italy, the birthplace of pasta and pizza provides a wide range of choices for artwork lovers to experience. A temperate climate exists here with very hot summers and not so cold winters. The weather is the best in spring and autumn with pleasant temperatures and scenic views. At that time of the year, the place isnt crowded much and things can be enjoyed in leisure. Incase of emergency call 112. For fire call 115 and for ambulance call 118.

Culture

Italian is widely spoken and is the official language. English isnt very familiar to the locals. Family ties are of utmost importance here and hence social courtesies mean a lot to the locals. There is a great impact of the Roman Catholic Church on the culture here. There is a high content of chlorine in tap waters, so bottled water is recommended for staying fit during the trip. Since Italian is spoken on a wide scale, it is highly recommended to learn few common Italian phrases which can be of great use. Social gatherings call for formal wear, but one can dress in casuals otherwise. At some religious places, sleeveless shirt and shorts are frowned upon. So they are better avoided. Purses and wallets should be well guarded and in case of any theft, police should be informed about the incident.

Site Seeing

The first thing to check out is the leaning tower of Pisa, where Olympics originated. At places like museums and art galleries, photography, especially flash photography is restricted. Check out the ticket counter for more information. Italy should be majorly discovered on foot for a thorough viewing of all the beautiful buildings and monuments. Coaches and trains are a good option to get to a tourist spot.

Shopping

Shops here are open from 9am to 8pm, closed for lunch. Quality of goods is great although the prices are very less. Items like crystals, lacework, leather good, and jewelry can be bought at the stores. Remember to hold on to the receipt. Tipping of 10% is customary along with the service tax levied on the bill. Italy is famous for top designers of the world, so do buy clothes and accessories to update your wardrobe. Cruises have formal gatherings in the evening, so ensure to buy a cocktail dress or some formal wear, though casuals can be worn at other times.

Electricity

The voltage used is 220 volts and 50 Hz frequency.

Getting there

Alitalia is the national airline of Italy. Many other flights connect to Italy from USA, Canada and Australia and there is big competition to attract passengers giving a wide range of offers to travelers. Rome airport is located 26 km away from the city and it takes 45 minutes to get there from the airport. Trains connect directly to Termini Station from where one can take taxi to get to their destination. Duty free shops, bank, car hire and restaurants are the other services provided at this airport. Milan has another famous airport here, which is at a distance of 45km away from the city.

Brindisi, Ancona, Naples and Venice are the major seaports of Italy. Italian State Railways connects many European cities. But, Eurostar provides the fastest train service.

If choosing to drive, dont forget to carry international driving license and international insurance certificate. Roads connect Italy to France, Austria and Switzerland. Many coach services are provided from the neighboring countries.

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