Visiting Europe

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee events will dominate the beginning of the British summer in 2012. The Queen's Diamond Jubilee dates are June 2 to 5, 2012.

While some people that live in the country are looking forward to going on holiday over the long bank holiday weekend that has been specially created for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, there are a lot of events planned throughout the country for those that are staying home or visiting the UK.

The Queen herself will start the jubilee at the Epsom Derby on June 2, 2012. On June 3, a flotilla of 1,000 boats from all over the Commonwealth will sail up the Thames to honor Her Majesty. That is to say nothing of the 2,012 beacons that will light up across Britain to commemorate the occasion. On the same day, there will be a Queen's Diamond Jubilee event in association with the Big Lunch. Street parties across Britain will celebrate the occasion.

On June 4 there will be a free concert at Buckingham Palace, and on June 5 there will be a carriage procession in London after the royal family attends a jubilee service at St Paul's Cathedral.

Throughout the months leading up to the celebrations, museums will hold special exhibitions dedicated to the monarch's 60 years on the throne. These include "Sixty Photographs for Sixty Years" at the Drawings Gallery at Windsor Castle, "Cecil Beacon's Royal Portraits" at the V&A in London, and "Crown Jewels" at Tower Bridge in the capital.

In addition to the official Queen's Diamond Jubilee events, celebrations in neighbourhoods across Britain will mark the occasion.

The best Paris tours come in all shapes and sizes, and in all forms of transportation. From walking tours to bus tours, there is no shortage of options for seeing the sights when you are visiting France.

Here are several of the best kinds of tours to take in Paris:

- Self-Guided Tours of Paris: Self-guided tours are great for independent travellers that like to take their time and see the sights at their own pace. There are plenty of self-guided Paris tours available, from those printed in guidebooks to those online. There is one here if you want to get started right away.

- Bus Tours of Paris: Paris bus tours are a great way to see the city if you want to take in lots of sights in one day. Hop on, hop off tours abound in Paris, and allow visitors to travel between sightseeing highlights easily.

- Bike Tours of Paris: Paris has no shortage of bike tours available, from organised tours with a guide to self-guided tours with Velib bikes from Paris' city cycle hire scheme. Paris is a very bike-friendly city, so bike tours are some of the best Paris tours.

- Walking Tours of Paris: With so much beautiful architecture and so many hidden gems, taking a walking tour of Paris is a great way to discover the city at a pace that allows you to take it all in. There are many kinds of walking tours available in the city, including neighbourhood tours, museum tours, and even culinary tours of Paris.

- Boat Tours of Paris: Going on a boat tour on the Seine is one of the most romantic ways to see Paris. Many boat tours allow passengers to sit outside on top of the boat while a guide explains what you are seeing over a loudspeaker. Some longer river cruises in France take passengers through Paris as well. These are some of the best Paris tours, as they are a very unique way to see the city.

Below you will find a Prague sightseeing map.

The interactive map shows the top cultural and historical sightseeing attractions in Prague.

Click on the blue pins for more information about each destination on the Prague sightseeing map.

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.

Trains from Cork to Dublin run regularly from Cork train station to Dublin Heuston train station.

Trains leave Cork for Dublin every hour on the half hour.

The total train travel time on this route is 2h50m if you take a direct train that doesn't require changes en route.

All trains from Cork to Dublin are InterCity trains.

Single tickets for trains from Cork to Dublin range in price from 10 to 36 euros for second class if you buy train tickets online in advance. Prices increase if you buy tickets at the station. Seat reservations cost an additional 3 euros.

Discounts on tickets for trains from Cork to Dublin are available for farecard holders, students, and children.

There are high speed trains from Madrid to Seville that run regularly between the two cities.

High Speed Trains from Madrid to Seville

High speed 'AVE' trains run regularly throughout the day from Madrid Atocha train station to Seville Santa Justa train station.

Trains leave Madrid for Seville 1-3 times an hour throughout the day.

There are more frequent departures during peak times and less frequent departures during off-peak times.

Trains from Seville to Madrid return at similar intervals.

The total train time from Madrid to Seville is 2.5 hours.

The cost of a round-trip train ticket from Madrid to Seville varies depending on the time of the train and how far in advance you book your ticket.

The standard online advance booking fare is around 75 euros.

Trains from Bologna to Florence are a great way to travel when you are visiting Italy. Train travel between the two cities is fast, efficient, and cost-effective.

Trains depart Bologna's main train station and arrive at Florence Santa Maria Novella station (often abbreviated as FI. SMN on timetables). They are direct and require no changes en route.

Trains from Bologna to Florence leave up to four times an hour at peak times throughout the day, so you never have to wait long for a train.

Most trains on this route are high-speed Eurostar trains, but some are slower InterCity trains. The main difference between the two types of trains is that Eurostar trains travel almost twice as fast as InterCity trains, but can be more than twice as expensive. Eurostar trains also run much more frequently than InterCity trains.

Eurostar trains from Bologna take 37 minutes to travel to Florence. A single ticket costs 36 euros for first class and 25 euros for second class. There are around three departures an hour.

InterCity trains to Florence take 1 hour. Single tickets cost 14.50 euros for first class and 10.50 euros for second class. There is a departure every two to three hours.

Tickets for trains from Bologna to Florence can be purchased online in advance or at the station when you arrive in Bologna.

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.

In order to combine holidays to Croatia and Italy you can take a ferry from Croatia to Italy's coast.

Ferries from Croatia to Italy leave from several different Adriatic Sea ports on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. These include several Istrian ports as well as Split, Hvar, Vis, Zadar, Dubrovnik, and Korcula, all of which run ferries to Italy's ports.

Ferries from Istria to Italy depart from the ports of Rovinj, Pirano, Portoroz, Umag, and Pula in northern Croatia and arrive in Venice, Italy.

Ferries from Split to Italy depart from the port of Split and arrive in Ancona and Bari in Italy.

Ferries from Vis to Italy depart from the island port of Vis and arrive in Ancona and Pescara in Italy.

Ferries from Hvar to Italy depart from the island port of Hvar and arrive in Ancona and Pescara in Italy.

Ferries from Zadar to Italy depart from the port of Zadar and arrive in Ancona, Italy.

Ferries from Brac to Italy depart from the island port of Brac and arrive in Pescara, Italy.

Ferries from Korcula to Italy depart from the island port of Korcula and arrive in Pescara, Italy.

Ferries from Dubrovnik to Italy depart from the port of Dubrovnik and arrive in Bari, Italy.

Ferries from Croatia to Italy are operated by a number of different ferry companies. Some run passenger-only ferries, while others run larger boats that have room for cars. Each ferry company sells its own ferry tickets from Croatia to Italy.

Ferry companies that run ferries from Croatia to Italy include Azzurra Line, Blue Line Ferries, Jadrolinija, SNAV, and Venezia Lines.

NB: Not every ferry from Croatia to Italy runs each day of the week or all year round. Many ferry companies only run popular tourist ferry routes from mid June through mid September, and some boats only run Monday through Friday or on certain days of the week. Many only run once a day on days when they do operate.

In light of this, make sure you check to see if your ferry is operating on the date and time you want to take it before you book your travel from Croatia to Italy.

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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