Author Archives: My Luxurious Vacations Blog

Tenerife – Beach Beautiful, Mountain High

7th February, 2019 | Article By My Luxurious Vacations Blog

BeachesHolidaysHotelsResortsTravel Ideas

Tenerife is a very beautiful island and a destination definitely worth seeing. Pleasant temperatures throughout the whole year make the stay very enjoyable. Beautiful beaches, rich vegetation and natural attractions make Tenerife one of the most interesting places to visit. We absolutely love it!

The Canary Islands are a Spanish archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean approx.100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Morocco. The most known islands are Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. The Canary Islands are a significant Spanish tourist destination, favoured for their pleasant subtropical climate, natural attractions and beautiful beaches.

Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands and plays an important part in Spanish tourism. The capital of the island is Santa Cruz de Tenerife. We visited Tenerife in Spring, even though it is a year round destination. Tenerife is also called »Island of Eternal Spring« known for its pleasant temperatures: 18–20 degrees Celsius in the Winter and 24–26 degrees Celsius in the Summer.

From La Caleta to Los Cristianos

The south of the island is hotter and drier. It has many well developed resorts like Playa de la Americas and Los Cristianos. We stayed in Riu Palace Hotel in Costa Adeje by the long coastline promenade, which stretches from La Caleta to Los Cristianos. Along the promenade there are numerous beaches, hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and a marina. It is very enjoyable walking by the sea either in the morning or in the evening. No matter which hotel you choose to stay in between these two places, you will always have access to this beautiful promenade.

The best way to explore the island is by renting a car. You can drive all around, but you absolutely cannot miss the centre of the island, Mount Teide.

Mount Teide

Tenerife is an island created volcanically. While visiting you have to see the highest point, Mount Teide, which is 3718 m (12,198 ft) above sea level and the highest point in all of Spain. Mount Teide and its surroundings represent Teide National Park, a special natural feature of this particular island, attracting large numbers of tourists every year.

Luxury Hotel Lone, Rovinj, Croatia

7th January, 2016 | Article By My Luxurious Vacations Blog

BeachesHotelsLuxuryRelaxingSpas & Wellness

Rovinj is considered to be one of the most romantic places on the Adriatic coast. You have all types of accommodation, from camping to five-star hotels. We chose the Hotel Lone, modern five-star hotel with an emphasis on contemporary artful design. Hotel Lone is located on the coast in the park Zlatni Rt (Golden Cape) full of pine trees. From the hotel to the old town of Rovinj there is 15 minute walk along the coast.

Hotel Lone has 236 modern rooms and 12 suites. The entire hotel is furnished in modern design. Rooms are very modern, spacious and very clean.

Hotel Lone has several restaurants and bars. We chose breakfast only because we wanted to try local Istrian cuisine. Breakfast was rich and very tasty. The Hotel has restaurants named L, ON and E. We had dinner in restaurant L which has the view over the wonderful ambience of the hotel swimming pool complex. We tried seafood which was tasty and the prices were suitable for the level of five-star hotel, slightly higher than in local restaurants in Rovinj.

Hotel Lone offers relaxation in a wellness centre and indoor swimming pool which is suitable for the winter months and in the summer there is a large outdoor swimming pool complex and the beautiful beach which is located next to the hotel. As we visited Hotel Lone in April we made full use of the indoor swimming pool and wellness centre!

If you plan to visit southern Europe than you cannot miss the beautiful Croatian coast and many islands. The town of Rovinj offers an idyllic atmosphere while Hotel Lone adds a touch of luxurious and modern design.

Windmills – Heritage of The Netherlands

15th December, 2015 | Article By My Luxurious Vacations Blog

AttractionsCultureExcursionsLandmarksMuseums

Zaanse Schans is one of the most beautiful places and popular tourist attractions in the Netherlands. In Zaanse Schans village you can see perfectly preserved historic windmills and houses that represent Dutch cultural heritage.

In the Zaan region, there used to be more than 600 windmills running at the same time. In 1961 the houses and windmills from the region were moved to Zaanse Schans in order to preserve them. Visitors can enjoy a real insight into this part of Dutch history, being among the famous windmills and Dutch houses; you can also go inside the windmills.

Zaanse Schans is just a few kilometers away from Amsterdam so it is easily accessible from the city. We visited Zaanse Schans by car; there is a large parking area for cars, campers and buses. Parking costs 9 EUR, entry into the historical area and clog museum is free of charge; there is a small entrance charge into the windmills.

While you are in the Netherlands, Zaanse Schans is not to be missed, a really interesting and colourful cultural heritage site to visit.

Mainau – German Flower Island

29th September, 2015 | Article By My Luxurious Vacations Blog

AttractionsLeisureParks-GardensSightseeingWalking

Mainau is a flower island located in Lake Constance (Bodensee) near the city of Konstanz, Germany. It is a well known tourist attraction in Lake Constance. On the island there is a castle and the beautiful parks and gardens which it is famous for: trees, gorgeous blossoms, seasonal flowers, a palm house and butterfly house.

The island is very well maintained and tourists can enjoy a floral paradise. You will need to take a few hours to really appreciate the island’s parks and gardens, you can walk all around and it is a really delightful place to visit, especially in spring and summer.

There are several spots around Lake Constance from where you can depart to Mainau Island. We started our trip to Mainau in Meersburg, from where we went by boat; it is a twenty minute ride across the lake.

Adult entry ticket for Mainau Island costs 18 EUR (app. 21 USD). In Meersburg we bought combined tickets which included the return boat ticket and entry ticket for Mainau Island, price was 28 EUR (app. 33 USD).

We really enjoyed walking around Mainau Island full of beautiful flower creations. We visited Mainau in the summer so the temperature was very pleasant. If you intend to visit, particularly to photograph the wonderful gardens, we recommend checking the weather forecast before you go, a sunny day will really enhance the colours and make all the difference to the pictures you take away with you.

Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe

12th September, 2015 | Article By My Luxurious Vacations Blog

AttractionsScenerySightseeingTravelViews

On the journey to Jungfraujoch, famous mountain col in the Swiss Alps, you will experience the beauty of the highest railway station in Europe, which is located 3.454 meters (11.332 ft) above sea level.

Our journey started in Lauterbrunnen where we parked the car in the parking garage. From here, we bought a »good morning ticket« for the train to Jungfraujoch (regular price for a return ticket app. 184 CHF / 175 EUR / 198 USD), we paid 135 CHF (129 EUR or 146 USD) for our return »good morning ticket«. This ticket is only valid for the uphill journey early in the morning and the latest possible descent from Jungfraujoch at 13.00h.

At Lauterbrunnen railway station you have to catch the first train which takes you to Kleine Scheidegg railway station. At Kleine Scheidegg you have to change to the Jungfraujoch cogwheel railway, which takes you through the Eiger and Mönch mountains to the highest railway station in Europe, inaugurated in 1912.

The train stops at the Eismeer and Eigerwand intermediate stations where visitors can enjoy the wonderful views. The journey itself is slow but a very captivating experience. When you arrive at the top you can see an Alpine wonderland of ice and snow, which you can admire from the Sphinx viewing platform. We also enjoyed visiting the Ice Palace where you can find beautiful sculptures carved out of ice by hand, ice axe and saw.

We visited Jungfraujoch in August, in the middle of summer. Although there were summer temperatures in Lauterbrunnen where we started our journey, the temperature on Jungfraujoch was around, or even below zero degrees Celsius. For this reason, make sure you take winter clothes and shoes with you if you want to visit the ‘Top of Europe’ because you will need them just as much as your snow sunglasses.

This train journey to Jungfraujoch in the Swiss Alps is rather expensive, like everything in Switzerland, but it is an amazing experience, a view worth seeing and an absolute must do, if you are in Switzerland.

Colmar – Charming French Pearl

19th August, 2015 | Article By My Luxurious Vacations Blog

AttractionsHistoric BldgsRomanceSightseeingWine

Colmar is a charming town in the Alsace region of France, near the German border. The main attraction is the Old Town, which is very well preserved and stunningly beautiful with rich historical and architectural heritage. It looks like an open air museum. Charming streets with brightly painted houses, lovely floral displays and picturesque canals attract many visitors. It is very enjoyable just to walk through the streets and yet, because of the small canals, part of the town is also called Little Venice (La petite Venise).

Colmar is located on the famous Alsace Wine Route, 170 kilometer long road through the Alsacian vineyards, charming villages and countryside. If you are in Alsace region then Colmar old town is not to be missed. Just take a few hours or a day, and enjoy walking through the picturesque streets, try Alsacian wines and local specialities, visit one of the many museums, or take a boat trip on the canal in ‘Little Venice’. Colmar is just an idyllic town in idyllic Alsace.