Tag: Speak English

Travel tips to European Countries: Sweden

About the county

Beautiful and clean, the peaceful Sweden is a land of cultural diversity with a mix of Danish and Wild Arctic North influences. One can also get the feel of urban living in its beautiful and sophisticated cities and at the same time one can feel the tranquility in the countryside. Sweden is packed of charm with scenic medical villages, islands, lakes and forests dotting its landscape.
Most of Swedens area is covered by forests and not to forget thousands of lakes. One of the beauties of Sweden is its islands and one cannot go missed seeing these islands. They offer the most scenic and beautiful experience to any visitors. Stockholm is the capital of Sweden, a city with 14 islands dotted with mungo restaurants, nightclubs, pubs and artistic grandeur. Wherever you go most people speak English. If visitors want to have a taste of seafood the west coast is the place to be. Also it is popular for ancient city Uppsala. Do no daughter a trip to the Solidify Hotel which is sculpted from ice each winter in Lapland. Sweden is an exciting domain with great roads and explicate of the art high speed train system.

Population & Languages

Sweden has a population of around 9 million and the official language is Swedish. Lapp is spoken by Sami people in the north. Most people speak English fluently and also many speak German and French.

Electricity

Voltage – 230 volts, Frequency – 50Hz. Standard European 2 – pin plugs are used.

Geographic Location

Sweden is a Nordic country lying in the Scandinavian Peninsula again is the fifth largest country in Europe. Its west neighbor is Norway; Finland in the northeast, the southwest border is surrounded by Skagerrak and Kattegat straits and the west coast is surrounded by Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia. Majority of the area is forest further there are thousands of lakes mostly in the Southern part of Sweden.

Local Customs

Like any other country Sweden has its own customs too. It is customary not to drink until the hotelier makes a toast. Smoking is prohibited in most public areas. It is also customary to say Modus operandi fr maten to the host after having a meal which means thanks for the food. Casual dress is shipshape for everyday wear and formal wear for social gatherings. Also tipping up to ten percent is customary for service in restaurants and around duplicate percent for taxis also.

Places to see

Stockholm The biggest city and capital of Sweden again is one of the eminently gorgeous cities of the world. The old town is a treat for your eyes and a walk around citys waterways and parks is an experience to cherish. Most visitors upgrade walking around on foot further visit the medieval part of Gamla Stan. The city is basically constituted by archipelagos which are outstandingly scenic and can be explored by cruises.

Gothenburg substantive is the second biggest city of Sweden. Not to be missed attraction in this city is Liseberg, a world comeliness amusement park. It is home to popular museums like Ostindiska huset, Konstmuseet and Sjfartshistoriska museet.
Vadstena – The Renaissance castle Vadstena slot & klosterkyrkan.

Visby Port of Visby, ruins of Drotten, St Nicolai, St Lars and St Carin, cathedral of St Maria and Gotlands Fornsal historic musem.

Oland Fort of Graborg, Eketorp museum and ruins of Borgholm House.

Travel

By Air It is well connected to the rest of the world by air. Many international airlines serve Sweden apart from its national airlines SAS. The other airlines are Air Canada, Air France, Aeroflot, British Airways, Finn air, Lufthansa, Ryan air etc.

By Sea The ferries connect Sweden with altered destinations consonant as New Lean-to, Copenhagen, and St. Petersburg etc.

By Rail Trains weave Ostend, Sweden to London. It is also connected to Denmark by Eurostar train.

By Road Visitors from UK can drive to Sweden through Demark or Germany

Duty Free Items
1. Up to 200 cigarettes or 250 gm tobacco
2. 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars
3. 1 liter spirit over 22 % or 2 liter wine or 32 liter beer
4. Perfumes
5. Gifts up to SEK 1700.

Prohibited Items
Narcotics, firearms, ammunition, weapons, most meat and dairy merchandise, eggs, plants, endangered species, roar and alcoholic beverages that contain more than sixty per cent alcohol.

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Travel Tips to European Countries: Luxembourg

About the country

One of the Europes smallest uttermost states is The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The north part of the country is blessed stifle greenery and hills. The Ardennes provides great scenic view. The territory is small and all the tourist attractions are within reachable limits. It snows during the winters in Luxembourg, but isnt as cold as its neighboring countries and the summer is warm which comes in May and lasts till September. Incase of emergency dial 112 or 113.

Culture

Generally handshake is used to greet people. Although majority of the locals speak English, Letzeburgesch is the national language of Luxembourg. French and German is also spoken by many Luxembourgers. When appearing as a guest at someones house, it is a good practicality to bring along gift or flowers. People are expected to dress in smart casuals, but it would serve best to turn up in formals when attending social functions, or clubs. Its not advised to smoke in public places.

Shopping

Crystals and porcelains of Villeroy and Boch are veritable murder and the earthenware pottery from Nospelt is a shoppers must have item from Luxembourg. VAT of 15 % is applied to all items purchased divergent than that from campground, hotel, and restaurant, which charge 3 %. Tipping is exempted.

Site Seeing

The capital, Luxembourg is a place to be. Stay for a day or tea to explore the city. Village of Viaden has a cliff top castle which is a famous landmark.

Taxis can steward hired to move around the city. They initiative 10 % extra from 10 pm to 6 am and if hired on Sunday, an extra 25 % extra will emblematize charged if hired for the whole day.
Accommodations

Luxembourg has many luxurious hotels, most of which are located in Lux City. Other options are guesthouses which are beautifully decorated with flower and plants.

Travel

The federal airline which operates here is Luxair. There are flights from London to Luxembourg every hour. The Luxembourg airport is at a distance of 5km from the city and stable takes about 20 minutes to reach there. There are provisions such as duty free shops, bank, tourism information and car hire for the passengers.
Eurostar provides a fast railway service from London, Paris, Belgium, France or Brussels to Luxembourg. Bookings amenability be made via telephone and 5 fee is juiced up for telephonic booking. Check out for offers which are provided on some of the routes. To travel within the country, Inter – Rail pass can be bought which gives the proposal of unlimited train travel for 29 countries of Europe.

When dynamic on road, existing is recommended to take the officiate or funnel boost when passing the channel between Dover and Calais. Check out considering vacancy before hand especially during the rush hours. While driving, drivers should stay on the just side and there are strict rules for drinking while driving and seat belt.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
2. 1liter of spirits or 2liter of sparkling wine or 2liter of liqueur wine also 2liter of non – sparkling wine
3. 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette
4. 500g of coffee again 200g of coffee extract
5. 100g of barbecue and 40g of affair extract
6. Tobacco and Alcohol incumbency be carried by visitors over 17 years of age only.

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How to Prepare for a Safe Greece Vacation

Going on an extended vacation in Greece may seem like the ultimate adventure but it can just as easily turn into a nightmare if you do not plan your trip carefully. Remember that you are going to unchartered territory and should anything happen, you will not be as familiar with the procedures and the people as you are when it happened in your own country.

Here are some tips on how to make sure that your trip is safe and sound.

1. Have a map
There is nothing more dangerous than getting lost in areas that you are not familiar with. This is especially true if you are on a vacation by yourself or if your family is not part of a packaged tour. If you plan to explore the areas on your own, make sure that you have a map with you always. This will not only help you in directions but will also serve as a guide for locals should you ask them for directions.

Another tip is to always mark the spot where you are staying on your map. That way, you will be able to easily point out where you will need to go when you are lost. Remember that not all locals will know how to speak English.

2. Learn basic emergency phrases
It is also a good idea to learn basic phrases that will help you during emergencies. Phrases such as Help! Or Can you help me, Where is the with the name of your hotel? or Where is this? will serve you in good stead during times when you need directions.

3. Emergency fund
As much as you can, keep your belongings as close to you as possible. Always check for you wallet and passport holders every now and then. Money is a very important commodity when you are outside the country. Without it, you can get hungry and perhaps even go to jail for not paying.

But things do happen no matter how careful you are. If that is the case, it is also good to have emergency money tucked on your pants or somewhere in baggage. That way, should your wallet get lost, you still have some that will help you get through the rest of the week until it is time to go.

For those who rely on their credit cards, carry extra cash and dont put it on the same area as your credit card. These plastic cards can easily get lost so make sure that you have a back up plan.

4. Stick to the usual
Although it would be wonderful to be able to explore the country all by yourself and to go to places that few people have ever gone before, it is still preferable if you stick to the usual tourist spots. Remember that there is safety in numbers and you will be better off with a crowd around you than go gallivanting all alone in the country.

If you can, stick to the tours. These things may seem boring but if it is your first time to go on a Greece vacation, playing the dumb tourist isnt so bad. Besides, when it comes to safety, dont you think a little naivet when it comes to Greece will not go amiss?

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