Late Holidays In Central and Northern Europe by Car

Traveling by car in Europe can be fun or boring, depending on the location where one drives. During holiday seasons such as August, innumerable Europeans drive their families to expeditions on beaches and mountains. Therefore, traffic jams are bound to be at their peak during such times. Additionally, at any given time within the year, the major cities of Europe such as Paris, London, and Rome can be unpleasant for car travel due to a number of events. With such consideration, fall and spring are probably the best periods to take a driving vacation in Central and Northern Europe.  The southern region is an appropriate environment if the Christmas break is avoided. Nevertheless, if one’s vacation coincides with the schools calendar, the best time to visit and travel in Europe by car is June, just before the peak of the summer season.

Most people’s first trips in Europe are taken by train, but driving can be more fun. This is because sitting behind the car steering wheel in Europe guarantees one of movement to any place at any given time. In countries such as Sweden, Denmark and Norway, car travel is very friendly, and even the largest cities in these countries provide an ample driving environment. In many regions of Europe, driving routes form circles around the routes used by trains whose focus is in countryside trips.

The super high flexibility of roads coupled with a high mobility of cars makes it possible to get accommodation at almost any destination both in minor towns and in regions that lie far away from railway lines. Even if the hotels in one town are all booked, it is possible to move to another town or towns and get alternative accommodation. Driving around is more fun because people who do not like light packing can carry more belongings and rent a trailer for transport. Car travel has remained popular in Europe as train fares keep on skyrocketing.

Renting a car is one of the best decisions people visiting Europe can make. Most companies in Europe offer car rental services that last 24 hours and allow a grace period of 59 hours. It is economical to rent a car during weekdays. Although daily charges are usually high, most companies have three-day programs in which the rates are negotiable.  It is also worthwhile to consider using rail and road connections by obtaining passes that will allow movement by car and by train.

With such deals, one can rent a car on daily basis at a rate that is about one-seventh of the normal weekly rates. In order to get best deals on long-term car rentals in Europe, people intending to travel from the US can book in advance by visiting the respective companies’ agency offices or book through their travel agents. Even if a person plans to rent a car in Europe on a short-tome basis, it is best to book in advance through a travel agent since renting the car directly can be quite exorbitant. Nonetheless, there is no guarantee that one would get the best deals since the charges vary with season in different countries and among different companies.

Kaymer win underlines European renaissance in global game

Martin Kaymer's stunning eight-shot victory at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Sunday served yet another reminder of the rich renaissance in  European golf at the highest level.

The ice-cool German replaced Tiger Woods as the world number two following his third success in four years at the tournament in the United Arab Emirates, and three players from Europe now occupy spots in the top four.

Britain's Lee Westwood remains at number one in the world rankings with American Woods third and Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell fourth. Three other Europeans are in the top 10.

The last time two Europeans were ranked first and second was in 1993 when Britain's Nick Faldo and Germany's Bernhard Langer reigned supreme.

"You can see how strong European golf has become the last few years, and not only through the Ryder Cup, just if you have a look at the major winners last year," Kaymer told reporters.

"It's just a matter of time before Rory (McIlroy) wins a big, big tournament somewhere. He won at Quail Hollow last year but I think he will win plenty of majors in his career.

"So you can see that European golf is getting better and better. The PGA Tour in America is a fantastic tour but I think our Tour, we don't have to hide anywhere."

Seventh-ranked McIlroy, widely tipped as a future world number one, was a member of the team which beat the United States in last year's Ryder Cup, Europe's fourth triumph in the last five editions of the biennial team event.

Aged only 21, the Northern Irishman served notice of his abundant potential when he shot a course record 10-under 62 to win the PGA Tour's Quail Hollow Championship by four strokes last year.

UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS

Ryder Cup aside, 2010 was most memorable from a European perspective because of the continent's unprecedented successes in the majors and the elite World Golf Championship (WGC) events. McDowell won the US Open, Kaymer lifted the PGA Championship, Britain's Ian Poulter clinched the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and Italy's Francesco Molinari claimed the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament.

"It's brought a lot to the European Tour with three major champions, the Ryder Cup win and then Lee becoming the world's No. 1," said McDowell, who won four titles worldwide last year. "It's been exciting for European golf. We've got some really great, young talent coming through."

South African Louis Oosthuizen, a European Tour member, won last year's British Open. While the US PGA Tour has traditionally attracted the world's best players because of its stronger financial muscle, its European counterpart has frequently been superior in quality on certain weeks of the year.

This week's events staged at opposite ends of the world were a case in point. The European Tour's Abu Dhabi Championship attracted six players from the world's top 10, and 14 of the top 30. On the PGA Tour, the Bob Hope Classic at La Quinta, California drew only two members of the top 30, and just six of top 50.

Late Holidays In Switzerland Alps

Small, mountainous and wealthy, with a population of just seven million, Switzerland is renowned for its enviable quality of life in a country that ticks along like clockwork. Its products are sought after the world over, from dangerously delicious cheese and chocolate to luxurious watches whose timekeeping is as sharp as a Swiss army knife, another popular export from this clever little nation in the Alps.

Switzerland’s famed political neutrality and isolated location, ring-fenced by mountains, have enabled it to play a safe but central role in European affairs. These factors also gave rise to the coveted Swiss bank account, whose anonymity, along with tax relief and what may be the safest banks in the world, have made Zürich one of Europe’s major financial hubs. The conveniently central location in the middle of Europe has also made Switzerland a favourite meeting place for conventions and international conferences – Geneva, for instance, is home to the United Nations.

Switzerland is not only a place for professionals, though. As a stylish tourist destination it offers top ski resorts like Zermatt and celebrity-studded St Moritz, while the white peaks of mountains set against blue skies make a wonderful backdrop for summertime hiking. The ancient capital of Berne provides opportunities for sightseeing and elegant shopping, while nightlife can prove to be a lot of fun, too, since the Swiss like their food and folk music even in discotheques and nightclubs.