There was a cliché that says, “when in Rome do what the Romans do”. And in our modern world, I can say that this is still very true. Rome, in itself, is a museum city where you can find endless ancient monuments and timeless architecture of church buildings and ruins.

If it’s your first time to travel or visit Rome, there’s a big possibility that you might get lost in this ancient jungle. I bet you can’t even choose which Ristoranti Roma you will have your dinner. Bed and breakfast rome are also everywhere. So in order to make your vacation more relaxed and comfortable, I highly recommend to hire a local tour guide or better yet, check your travel agency if they have a travel package for Rome. Tour agencies offer discount packages combining airfare and hotels.

And here’s another tip, when looking for a tour agency or travel agent company, try to choose that caters to small number of tourists only. Usually, big travel agencies, specially those that are located inside Hotel rome often take out fun in the process such as walking along corridors and meeting the locals.

If you are not sure where to go, you can always approach any branches of ENIT ( Italian State Tourist Board), the Italy’s national tourist office. They’re branches are located in most major capital cities. By the way, they also offers free guided walks, usually at weekend.

Tourism is booming in New York with really great spectacular shows to see at the Big Apple Circus this holiday season.

There are improved acts on juggling with fancy moves, a performing mechanical doll in a balancing act, routine hours acts, great dog shows, together with small acts from a capybara and porcupine for added amusement attractions. If you want to spend your holiday vacation in the west, this should be the best way to fun this time of the year. You can bring your children and the whole family to watch the greatest show ever and watch the whitest snow falling outside.

The World’s Greatest Circus artists also include brave acrobats, Grandma’s classic jokes and stunts, so high dances from flying trapeze actors and magnificent magicians for the grand illusions ever made. While, the music are adorned by the Ringmistress act as well as its own the Big Apple Circus Band.

This year Mr. Renaud Doucet will be the circus’ director in its 34th season. In the past, he was, as well, too has been a choreographer, ballet master, theater actor and solo dancer in various dance groups from all over the world.  Every year’s grand performance of the circus is joined by talents coming from a lot of countries. This 2011 famous artists of China, Mongolia, Russia, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, Kenya and America shared their talents to spectators.

Visit its website online to buy tickets today and dream big at www.bigapplecircus.org.

How can you tell if it’s a very good golf course to play with your buddies? Actually, there are so many to choose from online today with a lot of special theme and attractions in golf courses all over the world. Fishing, meditation classes and other fun activities are now included in golf packages. The biggest favorites are the ones that also cover golf classes for amateurs, as well as local and international competitions or tournaments.

In the Philippines, there are really luscious green hills and healthy grass growing in its golf courses. Some of the type of trees you can find there are mango, pine and coconut. For added effects and challenge, man-made lakes and creeks are placed. This makes the scene more beautiful. Any golfer would enjoy playing in the country at all seasons. During a hot day, tropical drinks and fruits are available to freshen up guests. When there are light rains, the soil won’t be slushy, because the slopes are built according to the original mountain line or scope. Meaning to say, the land used was not dumped. This only makes golf courses in the country firmer and more solid. It is also cold during the holiday seasons from December and January. Resulting to scenes similar abroad in golf courses you can find in countries like the U.S.A., Japan or Europe.

The secret to a successful golf course is not how big or small the place that is available, but teaching golfers to always ask themselves upon starting, “Why am I here today?” Of course, amateur golf players do this for entertainment, socialization, admire the landscape and view or simply to have a good time. Yet, you are not on a million dollar tournament, so relax. When you miss a shot, don’t get so frustrated and go nuts. Just have fun and enjoy the show. Else, accidents might occur like breaking really expensive clubs. Just correct your mistake and see to it that the next shot will be perfect.

Another secret to a successful golf course is strategic planning. Get a good golfing group with at least 16 or more players and search online for the best golf vacation package from clubs and resorts. This way even if a golf friend is abroad, he or she can still know where your golf game is currently held. Budget wise, the package should also fit your wallet. Talk to the agent. Ask for arrangements like group discounts and promos. Using golf carts or hiring a caddy can add more expenses. If you have a low budget, be sure to ask these ones for free or in group discounts. Sometimes even the airfares are gotten cheaper during really good negotiations with the agent.

Being at a world renowned golf club and resort will give you the time of your life. Not only is the game great, but achieving this with a very nice milieu will be a lasting memory to you and your buddies. Make the best deal, be a real golfer and not a looser.

Best Golf Courses Philippines

Here is a sample list of the different golf courses in the Philippines and their contact details:
1. Mimosa Golf & Country Club, Angeles City (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6793, Par: 72) – Telephone: 6395
2. Camp John Hay Golf Course, Baguio City (Holes: 18, Yardage: 5428, Par: 68) – Telephone: (74) 442-7902, Fax: (74) 442-6798
3. Baguio Country Club, Baguio City (Holes: 18, Yardage: 4156, Par: 61) – Telephone: 815-3517
4. Cebu International Golf and Resort, Cebu (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6621/5974/5132, Par: 72/72/72) – Telephone: (63-32) 345-3339
5. Cebu Country Club, Cebu (Holes: 18) – Address: Gov. M Cuenco, Banilad, Cebu City, Cebu, 6000 Philippines, Telephone: (32) 2310345, Email Address: cebucountryclub@yahoo.com
6. Alta Vista Golf and Country Club, Cebu (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6034/5472/5029, Par: 72/72/72, Rating: 69.4/67.1/65.1, Slope: 126/121/117) – Address: Pardo Hills, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines,
Telephone: 6332 272-7971 to 75
7.  Calatagan Golf Club, Batangas (Holes: 9 and an 18) – Telephone: 813-2636
8. Evercrest Golf Club and Resort, Batangas (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6704/6083/5617, Par: 72/72/72) – Address: Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines, Telephone: 712 9293, 712 9298, 712 9299
9. Del Monte Golf Club, Bukidnon (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6390, Par: 72, Rating: 72) – Telephone: 6473, 6472, 3322, Fax: 817-4717
10. Puerto Azul Golf Course, Cavite (Holes: 18) – Telephone: (632) 521-0004, Fax: 572-201
11. Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club, Cavite (Holes: 2-18s) – Web Site: www.manilasouthwoods.com, Address: Bo. Cabilang Baybay, Carmona, Cavite; Masters Course (Yardage: 7225/6613/6033, Par: 72/72/72, Rating: 75.8/73.0/70.3, Slope: 140/135/130); Legends Course (Yardage: 7093/6535/5895, Par: 72/72/72, Rating: 74.1/71.5/68.6, Slope: 135/130/124) – Telephone: (6346) 430-0268
12. Riviera Golf and Country Club, Cavite (Holes: 36) – Address: Tagaytay, Cavite, Philippines
13. Apo Golf & Country Club, Davao (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6787, Par: 72) – Telephone: 74-220, 81-944, 81-979
14. Club Intramuros, Intramuros (Holes: 18, Yardage: 5262, Par: 60)  – Telephone: 478-470 or 492-806
15. Canlubang Golf & Country Club, Laguna Province (Holes: 2-18s) – Telephone: 890-9321 and 897-6887; North Course (Yardage: 6929, Par: 72); South course (Yardage: 6785, Par: 72)

You can read the rest of the group at the Word Golf site (www.wordgolf.com). There is also another listing available at the Golfers Club Shares, Inc. site (www.golfersclubshares.com).

When the Yellow Pages or phone directories were still popular, you will always here the saying”let your fingers do the walking”.  Today, with the proliferation of the internet, what you can hear is “let your mouse do the walking”. Meaning, do the searching over the internet.

If you want to travel to a foreign land and you don’t know anything about that place, basically all you do is visit a travel agency or search it on the internet first, right? For example, if you want to visit any of the Caribbean islands, do you know where to find villas or the antigua rentals? Honestly, I’ve searched the internet just to find where is Antigua located.

Aside from knowing the location, you can also search for special offerings of the place you want to visit. Another example, if you want to visit Portugal, do you know that apart from the hotels you can rent your own self-catered portugal villas? Of course, I wouldn’t know this without consulting Mr. G (Google).

Learn from my mistake. I was looking for some pollensa villas in Mallorca and the first thing that came to my mind was to call a friend of mine who has her own travel agency. I only mentioned “pollensa” to her. Unfortunately, she was not even aware where Pollensa is! Since her travel agency company caters to North America, Asian countries, and only to major cities around the world, she could not even find the place that I’m talking about in her map. I instructed her over the phone to open her laptop and search “Pollensa” on Google map.

Travel agencies are mostly busy in processing your plane tickets and making sure your preferred holiday package is met.  Apparently, from my own experience, there are travel agencies that are not updated with some exotic vacation destinations, specially if it’s not within their niche market – just like my friend who doesn’t know where Pollensa is.

What I want to emphasis is, before even visiting your friendly travel agency, it would be nice to gather information prior to the visit.

And by the way, with the popularity of tablets and touchscreen smartphones, the saying “let your fingers do the walking” is coming back again.  Either using your mouse or your fingers, take the advantage of the technology for your travel needs. With so much data and facts you can find over the internet, this will give you an upper hand when negotiating for your next vacation holiday.

San Franciso in the United States is only 7 miles square. It is very easy for a tourist to get around the city rather quickly. If you are a first time traveler, the best way for you to get around is by the well-known cable cars. The cable cars are operating since 1872.  A tour to San Francisco is not complete unless you’ve ridden on a cable car.

However, if you are thinking to visit some relatives or friends and you know how to drive, consider hiring or renting a car so you can visit more more popular landmarks afterwards. Of course, if you can borrow a car for a day or two from a friend then enjoy it to the max!

Driving in San Francisco is just like driving in any progressive city in the world.  All you have to do is be responsible. Follow the rules and the law of the land. Always bring your license with you,  and all your insurance information. Always drive safely.  If there’s a mechanical trouble in your car, call a professional mechanic right away. There are a lot of  shops in  San Franciso than can help you right away in fixing your car.  Nonetheless,  be wary of “fake mechanics” victimizing other people that doesn’t have much knowledge when it comes to fixing a car. If you can fix your car by your own self or with the help of your friends, then do it. If not, I suggest that you get in touch with Spectrum Auto. They’re one of the most reliable and professional mechanic in the city.

In case an accident happens, inform the owner of the car first or the rental company, if you’ve rented the car.  You can also bring your car to any progressive body shops to have it checked and repaired.

Aside from the well-known cable cars and renting a private car, there are two famous landmarks in San Franciso that you have to ride a boat in order to go there. These are the Alcatraz and Angle Island.

Visiting Alcatraz will takes you at least 2 1/2 hours of riding the Alcatraz Cruises, the authorized transport in the island. Make you to bring a coat as it could get windy and cold fast.

Angle Island is the largest island in San Francisco. Access to the island is by private boat or public ferry.

I’m a Norwegian guy currently working in the Philippines for the past 6 years already,  but I love to spend my summer vacation in Europe to visit my family and meet old acquaintances. There’s a particular place in Spain that I love so much and been spending my summer there for 3 years in a row already. The holiday home which I call my summer home is along within the villas in Ibiza.

I usually spend my summer vacation for more or less two months in Spain before visiting other places in the region. So instead of getting a room in a hotel, I usually rent a private villa. Compared to hotels, renting a villa gives me more space and privacy.  At first, I thought renting a private villa for my own use is hard and very restrictive since well, it is a private place.  But the “first time dilemma” were all gone when I rented along the villas in Lanzarote. The following year I transferred to Ibiza just to evaluate which one is much better but, generally,  I think they are the same. The owners of the villa that I’m renting are so friendly that they even let me invite some friends to stay with me for some few nights of parties. I also invite the couples and they cooked for us too! What can you ask for more?

More than the value that I’m paying for the villa, it is the warmth attitude and hospitality of the owners that keeps me on coming back to this place.  According to my friends and some people that I’ve met, most owners of villas are usually like that – very accommodating and hospitable. Some villa owners will also tells you what places to visit in their area and where to buy cheap. Others will also look out for your things making sure that they are secured while your having fun while you are away visiting various tourist spots, walking along the beaches or simply dining out.

If you don’t know anybody in the vicinity, they can also accompany if you want to have some drinks or even for a simple chit-chat which you can’t do If you’re just renting in a hotel. If not for the enjoyment of their company during my first year of vacation in Spain, I don’t think I can make the most of out of my summer there.

If you are visiting London for the Olympics 2012 or simply wants to visit the Queen, you will be in a treat because London’s taxis are considered the best in the world according to the survey conducted by Hotels.com. A high 28 percent among some 5,000 travelers picked the London cab as their favorite. London taxis are on no.1 spot for four years already.

Katherine Birch, Head of Marketing, Hotels.com Australia and New Zealand, says: “After four years at number one, London taxi drivers are clearly leading the way, providing travellers with a reliable and safe experience.”

Unfortunately, riding the famous London black cab comes with a high tag. Not only they are voted best in the world, they’re considered the most expensive. A 16-30 minute ride in the cab covering a merely 6-kilometer can cost you up to approximately US$42.

Yellow cabs of New York won the 2nd place with 9 percent while Hong Kong red taxis is at third place garnering a 7 percent.

New York cabs are also considered the most readily available anytime of the day.

At the other end of the spectrum, Thailand’s tuk-tuks are the cheapest, but they are also voted worst in the world for quality of driving.

Top 10 World’s Best Taxis

1. London: 28 percent

2. New York: 9 percent

3. Hong Kong: 7 percent

4. Tokyo: 7 percent

5. Singapore: 6 percent

6. Bangkok: 6 percent

7. Berlin: 4 percent

8. Helsinki: 4 percent

9. Dublin: 4 percent

10. Madrid: 4 percent

This research was conducted in July 2011.

Do you want to spend your time to some of the amazing parks in London without spending a single penny? From the largest Royal Park, greatest city parks in the world or see the full size dinosaurs out in the open.

Some of the Best Parks Attractions in London Where You Can Visit – For Free!

London Parks

Richmond Park

- Is the largest Royal Park in London with almost 1,000 hectares or 2,500 acres.  This park is home to 650 free roaming deer. The wildlife in this park includes swans, grebe, mallards and gadwalls, pike… and even 1000 species of beetle! Because of this characteristics, park Richmond Park has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve.

Opening hours:
The park is open from 7am in the summer and 7.30am in the winter, and closes at dusk all year round.

Greenwich Park

- Is the oldest enclosed among Royal Parks. Covering 74 hectares, Greenwich is a former hunting park and one of the largest single green spaces in south east London. This park also serves as a sanctuary for deer, foxes and birds. Some of the games you can play in this park includes cricket and tennis.

Opening hours:
The park is open from 6.00am for pedestrians (and 7.00am for traffic) all year round. Closing times vary depending on the season.

Location: London SE10 8QY

Hyde Park

- Is c0nsidered as one of the greatest city parks in the world. Hyde Park is famous for its Diana Memorial Fountain – an oval stone ring fountain.  This park has been a venue for some famous rock concerts and incidentally, is also popular as a setting for mass demonstrations. The park is peaceful because a Metropolitan Police Station is situated in the middle of the Park

Opening hours:
The park is open from 5am until midnight all year round.

Location : London. W2 2UH

Bushy Park

- Covering an area of 445 hectares, it is the second largest among the Royal Park. Historically, Bushy Park has been settled for at least the past 4,00 years dating back to the Bronze Age. The park is a wildlife conservation area where you can easily spots red and fallow deer. Good for all bikers because cycling is allowed on all roads in the park.

Opening hours:
The park is open 24 hours for pedestrians, except September and November when opening time is 8am, and closing time is 10:30pm. Vehicle access is from 6:30am to dusk, closing at 7:00pm in winter. During the months of September and November, the park opens at 8am.

Location : Hampton Court Road, Hampton, Middlesex. TW12 2EJ

Indulge your cravings for great food with the uniquely different flavors of Singapore fare, at the Singapore Food Festival 2011 from July 15 to 24.

Now on its 18th year  since its inception in 1994, the Singapore Food Festival (SFF) continues  to showcase Singapore’s diverse food offerings inspired by their culture and heritage.

Themed “Curry and Spice,” the SFF returns this year with a series of food tours, cooking demonstrations and experiential events that would give visitors a holistic appreciation of Singapore’s local cuisine.

For the first time, the Singapore Food Festival Village will be Singapore’s BIGGEST food and beverage event! Feast your whet appetite with an array of curries and from the local’s favourite to international delight. The SFF Village will surely have something to offer for everyone.

“The SFF is a way of celebrating the richness and heritage of Singapore cuisine. This year’s theme highlights the flavorful culinary ingredients which define Singapore’s diverse local cuisine,” said Ms. Sherina Chan, one of  Singapore Tourism Boards (STB) Area Director. “Curry and spices are the essence of our multi-ethnic melting pot and through the years, these flavors have evolved in tandem with our society and culture,” she said.

The Singapore Food Festival is an exceptional event for all gourmands to savour the nation’s spread of delectable curries and other spice-inspired dishes.

Jejudo Island

“Jeju Special Autonomous Province,  Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Jeju Province,  Cheju Island, Jeju-do ”

Included in the New Seven Wonders of Nature search.  The Jejudo island includes the Natural UNESCO World Heritage Site Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes.

Highlights
Jejudo Island is a volcanic island covering an area of more one thousand eight hunded square kilometers.  It is the largest island and smallest province in Korea.  Hallasan an essential element in the area is a dormant volcano and
the tallest mountain in South Korea with a height or more than one thousand nine hundred meters above sea level.  Home to different varieties of flora and fauna. With its cliffs, rocky terrains, beaches, caves and waterfalls, no wonder it is the most sought ideal tourist destination. Also a place for honeymoon getaway.

Location
Jeju Island is located in the Korea Strait,  southwest of Jeollanam-do Province, South Korea,  in the midst of China, Japan and Korean mainland. For easier reference its capital city, Jeju City is located at Latitude 33° 20′ N.,
Longitude 126° 30′ E.

How To Get To Jeju Island?
You can reach Jeju Island either through plane or by boat.  Jeju international airports provides more than twenty direct flights.  By boat from the mainland will take you about three hours the least and  more than ten hours in other ferries.  Within the area you can get around through buses, taxis, car and motorcycles.

Best Time Of The Year To Visit Jeju Island
Jeju island can be visited all year round depending on your preference. If you prefer springtime that will be at the start of the month of February. You might still prefer autumns months wherein it is dry and warm. There are
also different festivals and events if you choose to a more crowded people. Time to storm the beach will be the months from  July to September.

Accommodations
Luxurious Hotels exist within Seogwipo’s Jungmun Tourist Resort Complex. Guesthouses or minbak are also plentiful in the area, like Jeju Springflower Guesthouse. If you are in a budget, jjimjillbangs (public sauna/recreation center) are also available.

Tips
There are a lot of places, attractions and events in Jeju island, better always to plan and book in advance.