Visiting Europe

Valentine's Day 2012 is on February 14, 2012.

For those happy couples looking for something to do on Valentine's Day in London, here are a few suggestions to make your night one to remember:

- Spend Valentine's Day on the London Eye. Enjoy priority boarding, a private capsule for two, a bottle of Pommery Brut Royal Champagne, a box of Charbonnel et Walker pink Champagne truffles, a red rose for each couple, and a free View 360 Guide while your relationship soars to new heights. Prices start at 292.50 GBP. There is a 10% online discount for Internet bookings.

- Enjoy a romantic dinner at Koffmann's restaurant at the famous Berkeley hotel. The restaurant is offering a special four-course Valentine's Day dinner featuring seasonal ingredients and a glass of Perrier Jouet Champagne. If you really want to impress your date, you can book a private meal at Pierre's table, where the chef will create a romantic bespoke menu just for you.

- Attend a special Valentine's Day concert at the Royal Festival Hall. The London Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 2 and other works on February 14th.

- Dine at any number of London restaurants offering special Valentine's Day offers, including dinner at 1901 at Andaz, a tasting menu at Chiswell Street Dining Rooms, the famous "two spoon special" for Valentine's Day dinner at The Cinnamon Club, and dinner with live music at Corrigan's Mayfair.

- Take advantage of Valentine's Day special theatre offers.

Planning to spend Valentine's Day in Paris? The City of Light is one of the most romantic places to spend Valentine's Day, so you won't be hard pressed to find a good way to spend your evening.

From a romantic dinner at one of Paris' top restaurants to a boat cruise on the Seine, there are plenty of things to keep the romance flowing. Many Paris hotels have Valentine's Day packages with special gifts for couples as well.

You can check out these pages with useful information about great Paris hotels, romantic Paris restaurants, and other activities for Valentines Day in Paris to get some ideas for your trip.

Paris Hotels: Luxury Hotels in Paris

Paris Restaurants: Where to Eat in Paris

Paris Bars and Clubs

Paris Sightseeing

Whatever you do for Valentine's Day in Paris, the lights and ambiance of the city will ensure that you have a romantic evening.

The best buses from Prague to Brno are run by Student Agency. Student Agency buses are clean and offer free Wi-Fi, movies, and air conditioning.

Buses leave from the Florenc bus station in Prague (Metro: Florenc on Lines B and C).

Buses run from 00:30 until 21:00. Most buses depart Prague every hour on the hour and half hour.

The driving time for buses from Prague to Brno takes from 2h30m to 2h45m. Buses can take longer if there is traffic.

Buses to Brno stop at Hotel Grand in the Brno city center.

The cost of a bus ticket to Brno is 7.80 euros one way. You can buy bus tickets online from Student Agency.

Keukenhof Gardens 2012 Dates: March 22, 2012 to May 20, 2012

Keukenhof Gardens Opening Hours 2011: 8:00 to 19:30 daily

Keukenhof Gardens are the famous tulip fields near Amsterdam in The Netherlands.

Every year from mid March to mid May Keukenhof Gardens opens its doors to the public.

People visiting Amsterdam and The Netherlands can visit Keukenhof Gardens to view the many different kinds of tulips and other flowers that the gardens are so famous for.

A visit to Keukenhof Gardens is a great experience. You can walk through the beautiful gardens to see the different kinds of tulips, the ponds, and the greenhouses.

There is also food of all kinds at Keukenhof Gardens, as well as daily entertainment.

Visiting Keukenhof Gardens is a great day trip from Amsterdam, as the gardens are easily accessible by public transport.

Buses from Faro airport to Faro's city centre are a great way of getting to your accommodation or transfer point in the Algarve while you are visiting Portugal.

Buses that operate between the airport and the city are run by a company called Eva Bus. Their buses are relatively comfortable and have luggage storage areas for larger bags.

Eva buses 14 and 16 run from Faro airport to Avenida da Republica in the city centre. They depart from a bus stop outside of the main terminal building, so they are easy to find when you come out of the baggage claim area.

Buses from Faro airport to the Faro city centre take around 20 minutes to reach the city, making the trip quick and convenient. From Avenida da Republica you can easily transfer to the Faro bus or train station to get to destinations further afield in the Algarve.

Buses from Faro airport to the Faro city centre run up to three times an hour in the peak summer season and a bit less frequently in the off-season. Bus departures do not always sick to the timetable, be patient as you wait. Tickets cost 1.65 euros each way. Alternatives to bus transport include taxis and car hire at Faro airport.

If you do not want to take the train from Brussels to Amsterdam or you want to find the cheapest way to get from Brussels to Amsterdam, taking a bus or coach is the best way to get from Belgium to The Netherlands.

Eurolines operate buses from Brussels to Amsterdam.

Buses depart from Brussels Noord station for Amsterdam Amstel station every few hours, including in the early morning and evening.

The total bus journey time from Brussels to Amsterdam can take 2.75 to 4.5 hours depending on traffic and coach schedules.

Bus tickets from Brussels to Amsterdam on Eurolines buses can cost from 7 euros if you book in advance.

Note that there is a 1.50 euro processing fee if you book a bus ticket online.

Trains from Cologne to Dusseldorf run several times an hour throughout the day. Trains depart from the Cologne Hauptbahnhof (main train station) and arrive at the Dusseldorf Hauptbahnhof.

There are direct trains from Cologne to Dusseldorf. Total train time from Cologne to Dusseldorf ranges from 22m-52m on direct trains, so make sure to take a train with the least amount of stops to ensure a shorter journey. Return trains from Dusseldorf run at similar speeds.

The cost of a train ticket from Cologne to Dusseldorf varies by time and date. Train tickets can cost from 11.00 EUR if booked in advance.

Reservations on trains from Cologne to Dusseldorf are not required but are strongly recommended, as trains are often crowded, especially at peak commuting times.

St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is March 17 every year. Spending St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is one of the best things to do when visiting the country. St. Patrick's Day in Dublin is a four-day celebration, and the city fills with locals and visitors alike.

The St. Patrick's Day festivities in Dublin in 2012 will be held from March 16th to 19th, 2012. During the annual St. Patrick's Day festival, there are many events taking place throughout Dublin and the rest of Ireland.

Street performers, music, carnivals, comedians, dancing, a treasure hunt, and evening shows happen all throughout the festival, as do many more events. There is traditional music at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, and pubs and restaurants throughout Ireland have events to celebrate the occasion.

The highlight of the festivities is the famous St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin on March 17. You can buy tickets for the grandstand to watch the parade as it makes its way through the city.

St. Patrick's Day in Ireland is one of the most popular times of year to visit Dublin and other cities, so make sure to book your hotel, flight, and ground transport well in advance.

Las Fallas Festival 2012 Dates: March 15 - 19, 2012

Every March the Spanish city of Valencia hosts the Las Fallas festival.

The Fallas Festival is an annual celebration that involves the creation and burning of satiric effigies, or fallas.

Las Fallas Festival in Valencia is most famous for the burning and fireworks that take place at the Valencia town hall during the Crema Falla Ayuntamiento.

Prior to the burning of the fallas, they are on show throughout Valencia for visitors and locals to admire and choose a favorite.

There are also daily Mascletas, or fireworks displays, at 2pm.

If you plan to visit Valencia during the Fallas Festival, make sure to book your hotel accommodation, and flight or train transport well in advance.

Las Fallas is one of the busiest times of year in Valencia, and things book up quickly for the festival.

To get from Pisa airport to Cinque Terre, the best option is to take the train.

Parking is very difficult in Cinque Terre, so driving is not a good option.

First, take a train from Pisa airport to Pisa Centrale train station (less than 10 minutes, 1.10 EUR).

Once there, take a train from Pisa Centrale to La Spezia Centrale train station (about 1 hour, 4.70 EUR), which has local train connections to the five towns of Cinque Terre (about 10 minutes, use Cinque Terre Card for payment).

On your return journey, leave yourself at least two hours for the total train trip from Cinque Terre to Pisa airport, as delays are common.

Purchase your Cinque Terre Card at the La Spezia Centrale train station so that you don't have to over-pay for the train to Cinque Terre.

See our Cinque Terre Train Guide for further details and tips.

Skiing in Innsbruck, Austria is a great winter activity for people visiting Europe. Innsbruck is one of the easiest places to ski, as the closest slopes are located just a 10-minute drive from the Innsbruck airport and a short walk from the train station.

The main skiing in Innsbruck can be done on the slopes on the edge of the old town. To get to the top, you can first take the funicular to the middle of the mountain, then two cable cars to the top. There are several runs and chair lifts there, as well as a lodge with a restaurant and bar.

There is more great skiing near Innsbruck at other ski areas in Tyrol. These include Alpbach (40 minutes away), Kuhtai (25 minutes away), Mayrhofen (45 minutes away), Obergurgl (1 hour away), Seefeld (20 minutes away), St Anton (1 hour away), and Soll (1 hour away).

Most resorts for skiing in Innsbruck are open from October to May each year. If you purchase the Tirol Snow Card, you can get access to 81 ski resorts in Austria's Tyrol region with one lift pass.

Hotel Helvetia in Zurich
Address: Stauffacherquai 1, CH-8004 Zurich, Switzerland
Phone: +41 (0) 44 297 99 98

Hotel Helvetia is one of the best boutique hotels in Zurich. Located right on the river just a 10 minute walk from the main train station, the hotel is ideally situated for getting the most out of your visit to Switzerland.

The chic hotel offers several floors of guest rooms, each of which comes with luxury amenities like Kiehl's bath products. Rooms have large, comfortable beds, tables and chairs, televisions, free WiFi, and ensuite bathrooms. They are decorated in soft, light tones conceived by famous interior designers Atelier Zurich. There are only 14 rooms and two business apartments in Hotel Helvetia, so guests are given a great amount of personal attention.

Hotel Helvetia also has a lively bar and restaurant on the ground floor that attracts locals and visitors alike. The restaurant serves Swiss-Mediterranean cuisine using fresh ingredients from the local markets. In the summertime the hotel's rooftop bar in Zurich is the perfect place for an evening cocktail or an afternoon in the sunshine.

The hotel has a great focus on art, too. It has a relationship with the local Foundation for Constructive and Concrete Art, allowing it to feature the work of many artists in the restaurant, bar, and public spaces.

Room rates at Hotel Helvetia in Zurich start at 220 CHF per night for a small single room. Breakfast is not included.

Buses from Dubrovnik to Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina are a great way to get from Croatia's most famous city to Bosnia's most beloved one.

There are daily buses between the two cities in the Balkans. Coaches operate throughout the year, with summer services being more frequent than winter ones.

In the peak season there are around three departures each day from the Dubrovnik bus station, which is located near the ferry port in Dubrovnik. One leaves in the morning around 8:00, one in the afternoon around 15:00, and the other in the early evening around 17:00.

In the winter there are around two or three daily. As with the summer schedule, they are spaced out over the course of the day. Dubrovnik bus schedules change frequently, so ask your Dubrovnik hotel or hostel to call the bus station and confirm departure times before you travel.

The travel time on buses from Dubrovnik to Mostar is around three hours and 30 minutes. The ultimate journey time depends on if the bus leaves Dubrovnik on time, if there is traffic along the way, and if it takes a long time to cross the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (make sure to bring your passport!).

Buses that ply the route between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are generally high quality coaches. They have comfortable seats that recline, and they offer luggage holds for large bags. Air conditioning is also standard, which is great if you are traveling through the Balkans region in the heat of summer.

The price of a one-way ticket for buses from Dubrovnik to Mostar is around 10 euros. If you are visiting Croatia during the busy summer months, make sure to buy a ticket at least a day ahead of time. If you are visiting outside of that time you can buy your bus ticket at the Dubrovnik bus station right before you travel to Mostar.

If you have more than three or four days to spend in Istanbul, consider taking a day trip from Istanbul to one of the surrounding cities or somewhere further afield.

Below is a list of some of the best day trips from Istanbul:

Ephesus
If you're not daunted by the prospect of flying to and from Ephesus in one day, an Ephesus day trip from Istanbul is a great way to see the ancient city.

Gallipoli
For lovers of military history, Gallipoli makes for one of the best day trips from Istanbul. Enjoy a visit to the historic Gallipoli battlefields, trenches, and tunnels for a day.

Bursa
The historic city of Bursa makes for one of the best day trips from Istanbul. Visit the first Ottoman capital to see the historic sights of the Green Mosque and Tomb, the Grand Mosque, the Silk Market and the Covered Bazaar.

Iznik and Nicea
Iznik and Nikea are a great day trip from Istanbul. You can spend the day seeing the famous tiles and location of the first Ecumenical Council.

Black Sea Beaches
For sun worshippers, the Black Sea beaches make for one of the best day trips from Istanbul. Enjoy swimming and sunbathing for a day before returning to city life in Istanbul.

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