Pete's Wicked Travels

Of all the major European cities I’ve visited over the last few years, Munich stands out amongst the best.

Sure, London nights out or the sights and sounds of somewhere like Amsterdam are as vivid as ever – and anyone who has been to either of these capitals will know exactly what I mean – and Barcelona, Paris, Madrid, Milan and Venice are all pleasant enough. In none of these places, though, was I made to feel as welcome or at ease as I was in my few days in Munich last February.

When an old university housemate started working in Ulm at the start of this year, another friend and I wasted little time in formulating a plan to go over and see him as soon as possible and explore Germany. What a masterstroke of a decision that turned out to be.

With cheap flights from Manchester to Stuttgart secured, we turned our attentions to getting discounted cover, as I’ve learnt the hard way about the importance of travel insurance after losing my luggage during a golfing holiday in Austria a couple of years back. Luckily cheap travel insurance gave us a quick solution and we were protected. That was that. Next stop: Germany.

The journey in itself, which was less than 90 minutes, was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced as the in-flight service was exceptional and the food was edible for once. Following an overnight stay in Ulm, we caught a ‘slow’ train – as it was described to us by one helpful train conductor – to Munich that cost €25 between the three of us. We were staggered by how cheap this was. Granted, it took roughly 80 minutes to complete the 160km journey and the train itself seemed to stop at every station under the German sun, but we were quite happy to sit back, relax and soak up the scenery.

Our city base apartment, which set us back less than €20 each for the night, was conveniently located just a few streets away from Munich train station, meaning we could dump our bags in our room and see the city centre by foot straight away. It was more by good fortune than anything else that we stumbled across the Viktualienmarkt, a daily food market that gave us a real flavour of German cuisine and of Bavarian culture in general. We washed down a dish of piping-hot currywurst, sauerkraut and kartoffelsalat from one of the stalls with a few glasses of weird and wonderful wine being sampled by a cluster of locals nearby who took great delight in telling us where to go and what to see. It was a relief to hear one of them recommend that we popped into the Hofbrauhaus, as this was pretty much what we’d built the whole trip around.

It’s believed that the Hofbrauhaus is the biggest pub in the world and it more than lived up to its billing. It was everything we expected a traditional German ale house would be – and more. Within minutes of passing through the giant doors, we were sat on a huge table getting acquainted with people from all over Germany and further afield with a two-pint stein glass in our hands swaying from side to side and singing along with the live oompah band. The locally-brewed beer was quite unlike anything I’ve ever sampled. So crisp, so quaffable. The atmosphere and noise generated by young and old inside the Hofbrauhaus was incredible and we found the German hospitality to be exemplary.

Before heading back to Ulm in our hire car and then on to Stuttgart and home, we took in a Bayern Munich game the following day at the futuristic Allianz Arena. Rather naively, we thought we could just rock up and buy tickets on the day, only to be told by a club official when we tried that the fixture against Hoffenheim had been sold out for months. So we had to find a tout selling spares. Well, I use the word tout in the loosest form as the man we actually bought tickets off was about as far removed from the stereotypical image of a tout as you could get. We paid face value for the €40 tickets and ended up sitting next to our ticket saviour and his family, who celebrated each of Bayern’s four goals by embracing the three of us and spent a sizable chunk of the afternoon teaching us a few terrace anthems.

It was a very surreal 90 minutes or so and put the seal on Munich moments that will live long in the memory.

admin Europe Europe, germany, munich

When you’re off on holiday the chances are you’ll be driving to the airport. Public transport’s not exactly punctual and lugging your bags on and off a train isn’t how anybody wants to start a holiday. Unless you can rope in a very kind and selfless friend, driving is the best and easiest way to get to the airport. So, you’ll need somewhere to leave your pride and joy while you’re basking in the sun. The great news is that HolidayExtras.co.uk offer a brilliant range of Heathrow airport parking options. Their deals are so good that 99.88% of their customers are happy with their parking. Here are five reasons you’ll love Heathrow airport parking:

1. They’re Secure – Safety is paramount when leaving your car behind as you head for the sun. With this in mind the Heathrow airport car parks hold security as their top priority. To demonstrate this many of them have been awarded the Park Mark; Safer Parking status which means they’ve passed rigorous police safety checks and have been deemed secure. They’re generally equipped with floodlighting, CCTV and security fencing whilst regular patrols keep your car extra safe. All this means you can enjoy your holiday, happy that your car will be sitting waiting for your return.

2. They’re Cheap – Everyone loves a bargain and the prices are one of the reasons our Heathrow airport parking is so popular. If you pay on the day you want to park it could cost you up to £20 a day, which is ludicrous. However, when you book ahead you’ll get the same parking for as little as £7.10 a day or £56.80 for eight days.

With a great deal on parking like this it makes even more sense to drive to the airport and if you’re worried about being tired then check out the fantastic prices for Heathrow airport hotels.

3. They Offer Goodies – Extra goodies are a great way to make your holiday even more special, so why not add some to your Heathrow airport parking? Whether you want Traffic Assistant updates to help you avoid the traffic or the Meet and Greet service to park your car for you HolidayExtras.com is a great place to upgrade your parking for a really low price.

4. They’re Perfect for You – There are loads of car parks to choose from at Heathrow airport, so you’ll definitely find the one that’s right for you. Some companies, like HolidayExtras.co.uk, have useful car park comparison filters that allow you to search for the car park that best suits your needs based on price and distance from the airport. So whether you’re looking for the cheapest parking available or you want to park next to the check-in counter we’ll help you find the Heathrow airport car park that’s right for you.

5. They’re Convenient – None of the Heathrow airport car park sites are more than seven miles from the terminals and most are a whole lot closer. What’s more, with each site offering regular shuttles to the airport getting there couldn’t be easier. Most shuttles run 24 hours a day and are included in the price of parking so no matter what your budget or when your flight is you can be sure of a quick and easy transfer when you need it.

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Many people see England as a small country, and with good reason. In comparison to places like the US or Russia, where it can take days to travel to another city, you can get to most places in the UK in a matter of hours. So, even though it might make sense to find a cheap hotel in the heart of a major city, you can still visit some of the magical wonders spread across this amazing country.

5. Alton Towers

Alton Towers is one of Britain’s premiere theme parks. Based in the small village of Alton near Stoke on Trent, it takes around three hours to get there from London.

You will find a whole host of massive attractions including roller coasters, thrill rides and plenty for the kids stretched across a landscape filled with a variety of themed areas.

Waiting times can be a pain, but the recently-installed queue jump system is rather useful to make sure you get on everything. Make sure you visit all the rides you want to get on throughout the day early on and get yourself a queue jump ticket which will grant you speedy access to the ride for the allotted time that you receive.

If you don’t think you can handle a large round trip to visit the park, there is also a rather nifty hotel attached too; which if booked with your park tickets, grants you early access to the park and attractions.

4. An English football match

Football (or soccer) is huge in the UK and there really isn’t anything like experiencing the passion of a true English football match.

The sport is massive and as a result, regardless of time of year or location, you are sure to be able to watch it on some level. However, before you start looking to buy tickets for Manchester United’s next fixture, it’s worth noting that most of the more renowned clubs have a very limited or expensive supply.

To watch football at the highest level at a snippet of the price, try catching one of the big clubs at an away fixture. Smaller clubs often struggle to fill allocation and it is usually possible to grab a ticket. Northern clubs such as Wigan or Blackburn can sell tickets for as cheap as £10 and still offer the passion and atmosphere found at some of the biggest clubs in the country.

3. Visit a proper British pub

You don’t have to go too far for this one. Unlike the bars and brassieres you see on every corner in the world, visiting a proper British pub gives you something a little different.

You will find many pub chains around the UK but if you can find a brewery-owned establishment you will be able to not only try the finest local brews, but also a wide selection of beers from around the world.

The growth of pub chains in the UK has seen many classic British pubs die in the past few years and increasing strain on the industry may only leave you with a few years left to really check out a remarkable piece of culture.

2. History

Britain has one of the richest historical backgrounds in the entire world. In the UK you can see history stretching back over thousands of years, from Roman remains to Tudor thatched housing.

To keep costs down, there is a plethora of museums you can check out for free, such as the Imperial War Museum, the British Museum, or the famous Natural History Museum. Check out some online UK museum guides to find the best ones.

Alternatively, you could visit some historical sites in the flesh; places like Stonehenge, Hastings and Hadrian’s Wall are popular destinations you can visit for free.

1. Buckingham Palace

It is exceptionally hard to resist visiting Buckingham Palace when in the UK. No matter how many times you might visit the English capital, the palace will be a staple of many people’s sightseeing list.

The palace is the official home of the Queen of England and a world famous landmark synonymous with London. You can see members of the Queen’s guard around the outskirts of the palace or take a stroll up the beautiful Pall Mall.

Tours operate around the palace seasonally; but if you just want to catch a glimpse of the famous stately home, it’s right in the heart of the city and can easily be worked into your day.

admin Europe england, london, things to do

The capital city of England, London is a vibrant, multi-cultural and cosmopolitan city which is very welcoming to visitors. Consisting of many different boroughs, each with a unique atmosphere and distinctive feel, the city is easily navigable through the excellent public transport system but finding the right place to stay can prove challenging to the first time visitor.

City apartments London offer easy access to the main streets of the West End such as Park Lane, Regent Street and Oxford Street and are serviced by many tube lines and bus routes that make exploring easy. Central London hotels are also ideal bases for seeing the sights such as Eros in Piccadilly, Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square and Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and St Pauls Cathedral in Westminster.

For those who like to ‘go native’ when visiting a place, a lot of homeowners rent out apartments in London over weekends and holidays and also during events such as the Wimbledon tennis tournament. There are also holiday apartments in London which offer year round accommodation and these can be found in most areas of the capital.

London is split into East, South, West and North and each region has a specific character. East London remains the working district that it has been since Roman times. Dotted with old factory buildings of tea traders and matchstick makers, the atmosphere of the area is formed by the Jewish, Bengali and Portuguese influence of the people who immigrated to the area. Brick Lane is well known for its Bengali curry houses and fabulous fabric shops. Spitalfields market has become a trendy place to buy almost anything but is famous for its fashion, arts and crafts, interiors and music. Whitechapel is notorious as the haunt of Jack the Ripper, whose footsteps you can follow on one of the many excellent guided walks.

West London is regarded as the ‘cool’ section of the city and is an essentially bohemian area encompassing Notting Hill where the massive annual Carnival takes place, Ladbroke Grove’s Portobello Market that specialises in vintage items and clothes and the well-heeled borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Chelsea is a quaint area that displays many examples of the Victorian villa design homes emblematic of London, although these are now more likely to be Chelsea apartments rather than family homes. Staying in Chelsea apartments gives guests easy access to the plethora of museums and galleries that make up Museum Row and include The Science Museum, The Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Although the area is genteel, it is possible to find affordable Chelsea apartments.

North London is often thought of as a liberal, yuppie area and it has many attractions for visitors. Kenwood House is set in Hampstead Heath and hosts a number of outdoor concerts each summer and the Heath itself stretches from Highgate, in whose cemetery Marx is buried, across Hampstead. The Heath has outdoor bathing, lidos and miles of outdoor space to explore. Camden is a long established meeting place for people embracing the ‘alternative’ such as Goths.

South London is home to the historic attractions of the Tower of London, Lambeth Palace along with Borough Market and the Tate Modern art gallery.

admin Europe accommodation, england, Europe, london

Unlike Edinburgh, Glasgow and Glaswegians are very down-to-earth. If the cities of Scotland were the children in a family, Glasgow would be the black sheep, as it is renowned for its rough and ready face and many Scots fear Glaswegians as they are famed for being tough. Don’t let this put you off…. this is what most people love about Glasgow.

I have been to both Edinburgh and Glasgow. Edinburgh is classy, traditional and quaint….Glasgow is loud, bold and stylish. I prefer Glasgow. One of the things I like most about the city are the shops. Shopping in Glasgow is much easier than in Edinburgh because they are all located on Sauchiehall Street, Buchanan Street and Argyle Street. This constitutes the heart of the city centre.

The city is perhaps most famous for its University of Glasgow which dates back to 1451. Not only is it renowned for its teaching and prestige, but also its beautiful architecture. I was in Glasgow at the start of September and was wandering around the grounds. I got talking to some of the staff and they took me on a tour of the building. It really is worth seeing.

After visiting the university, I went to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which isn’t far. This museum is an excellent place to go if you want to save money…..because it is absolutely free of charge!! I don’t remember the museum being very big, so perhaps you could spend a couple of hours there. On leaving the museum, I would recommend passing by Kelvingrove Park which is perfect for relaxing in the summer or squirrel watching and talking a breath of fresh air in the winter.

As the evening draws near you can look for somewhere good to have a bite to eat. There are lots of restaurants so you can be sure to find somewhere good. Try to order typical Scottish food at a traditional restaurant – pubs are usually your best bet for cheap food and the chance to try Scottish cuisine. If you like clubbing, Glasgow has lots of great bars, pubs and clubs so don’t miss trying them out.

I have travelled around Scotland and I would highly recommend visiting this part of the world if you like learning about different cultures. The main gateway to Scotland is via Edinburgh Airport. However, international flights also fly into Glasgow International Airport. Public transport between the cities is very good…I would recommend buying the cheapest airline tickets you find, either to Glasgow or Edinburgh and then taking a bus to your destination.

admin Europe Europe, scotland