Posts Tagged ‘family holiday’

The land down under and to the left a bit is the stunningly beautiful archipelago of New Zealand. The native Maori call it Aotearoa, or the land of the long white cloud: we know it as New Zealand. This small and sparsely populated nation packs quite a punch in the travel stakes: from adventure sports to culture and cuisine. If you are planning to travel to New Zealand, you need to know the must sees and must dos.

Most visitors who travel to New Zealand start their journey in Auckland. The waters around Auckland are considered one of the most biologically diverse marine areas is the world. One of the best ways to get up close and personal with some New Zealand natives is by taking a whale and dolphin cruise in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. For a bird’s eye view of the city sign up for the Auckland Harbor Bridge Climb – guaranteed exhilaration and Auckland from an entirely different perspective.

From Auckland head directly to Queenstown. Queenstown is New Zealand’s capital of action. For adrenaline junkies this is your paradise: you can choose between jet boating, bungee jumping, skiing, snowboarding and other rush inducing activities.

Just outside of Queenstown are some of the country’s most famous wineries and there are several tours that will take you to sample the best that the vineyards have to offer. This is the perfect way to unwind after the rush of Queenstown or to gather your energies for another round of fun.

From Queenstown you can travel through the beautiful scenery of Otago to New Zealand’s highest mountain, Mt. Cook. Taking a helicopter ride over the mountains is a once in a lifetime experience and a chance to appreciate the magnificent beauty of New Zealand.

Despite being claimed by Britain as a colony, the indigenous people of New Zealand have retained their vibrant, rich and soulful culture. Even today Maori culture and traditions inflect many aspects of life in New Zealand. There are many places throughout the country that offer the chance to get to know Maori culture when you travel to New Zealand. No trip to Aotearoa, as the Maori call it, should slide by without experiencing their interesting heritage.

In Christchurch you can have a very special Maori experience at Ko Tane. Located inside the Willowbank Nature Reserve, Ko Tane is a living Maori village set up just the way life was before the Europeans arrived. At Ko Tane you will receive a traditional Maori greeting ceremony and learn all about the rich and fascinating Maori culture.

On the northern island, Rotorua is the place to go to see some fierce geothermic activity in action. At the Wai Ora natural hot springs in Rotorua you can soak in the mineral mud baths and enjoy the healing powers of the spa that have been used by Maori people for around one thousand years.

New Zealand is a breathtakingly beautiful country blessed with a rich past and a prosperous present. Being geographically small it is easy to travel to New Zealand and around it; it has lots to see and do and remains an affordable holiday destination.

Planning to travel to New Zealand, then visit Dorcas Chras’s site on how to choose the best New Zealand holidays and vacation ideas.

The words national holiday or vacation may not have the same meaning in different countries. Some holidays are are celebrated around the world. Children usually love to learn about various cultures and festive events celebrated worldwide while adults love relaxing and also shopping. People often go on a vacation during specific holiday observances, or for specific festivals or celebrations. Some people go shopping while some stay home and spend time with their friends or family. A person may take a longer break from work, such as a sabbatical, gap year, or career break. While it is fun to take a vacation, learning about the history of each holiday makes the occasion much more meaningful.

Different holidays are celebrated on each continent. A national holiday can refer to official or unofficial observances of religious, national, or cultural purposes, often accompanied by celebrations or festivities. It implies a general leave of absence from a regular occupation for rest or recreation.

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed in September. The holiday started in the year 1882 as the Central Labor Union of New York City sought to create “a day off for the working citizens.” Congress made Labor Day a federal holiday on June 28, 1894, two months after the May Day Riots of 1894. May 4 was chosen to remember the Haymarket Affair. All 50 U.S. states have made Labor Day an official state holiday.

Thanksgiving Day is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. It is a holiday celebrated primarily in Canada and the United States. While perhaps religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a secular holiday. Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the U.S. and on the second Monday of October in Canada. Family members and friends gather on this day to have a big feast, the Thanksgiving dinner.

Perhaps the most famous national holiday in a large number of countries is Christmas. Christmas is celebrated throughout the Christian population, but it is also celebrated by many non-Christians as a secular, cultural festival. Because gift-giving and several other aspects of the holiday involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, Christmas has become a major event for retailers worldwide.

Most people know Austria as the land of Mozart, one of the most famous classical composers of all time. However, Austria is also a country which boasts of a wealth of culture, history and natural scenery. Whether you’re a student of classical music, architecture or film, a historian, or simply a tourist looking forward to a memorable vacation with your loved ones, you’ll find plenty of reasons to spend your family holidays in Austria.

To make the most out of your trip to Austria, one of the things you should do is to pay homage to classical music. You can catch an opera being shown at one of the many opera houses around the country. Better yet, watch the opera at St. Martinstrum, the world’s largest floating opera stage, for a truly unforgettable experience. You can also attend Sunday mass at the Hofburg Chapel so you can listen to the Vienna Boy’s Choir sing – a tradition started in 1498, or simply buy a ticket to an orchestra concert.

You can also listen to the classical compositions of Mozart, Haydn and Schubert at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna or at a farm in Piber where they serve as the background music for the dressage performances of the Lipizzaner horses. And if you think you’ve had enough of hearing classical music, you can just go to the places where Mozart and other composers once lived and worked. One such place which is also considered one of the must-see attractions in Austria is the Figaro House, where Mozart supposedly composed the famous opera “The Marriage of Figaro”.

Is “The Sound of Music” your family’s favorite movie? If so, make sure you don’t miss out on “The Sound of Music” Tour in Salzburg during your family holidays in Austria. You won’t just get to see the Mirabell Gardens, Leopoldskron Castle and the Nonnberg Abbey where some of the movie’s scenes were filmed. You’re bound to learn something new about the movie, too.

Afterwards, it’s time to feast your eyes on Austria’s spectacular natural scenery. This can be done best by taking a cable car to Hafelekar in the mountainous Tirol region or by going on a hiking trip through the Austrian Alps. Not exciting enough? Then your trip to Austria must include a hang-gliding expedition from one of the mountain peaks for a more exhilirating experience.

Another way to experience the beautiful scenery during your family holidays in Austria is to go cycling. There are many scenic cycling routes in Austria, the most famous of which is the one along the beautiful river Danube.

Finally, don’t forget to take a tour of Austria’s castles and baroque gardens. The Schonbrunn Palace, in particular, is a must-see attraction in Austria and is sometimes called Austria’s Versailles. With 1,441 rooms and magnificent gardens, it is no wonder that this castle used to be the summer home of the Habsburg royal family. It was also chosen by Napoleon Bonaparte as his Austrian headquarters.

Indeed, family holidays in Austria is guaranteed to be a feast for the eyes, ears and the heart. There is simply so much to see and do that even after going through all these, you’re still sure to want to return for more.

Isabella Olsen is a travel writer who has toured major destinations worldwide, including Austria, by car. To book your car hire in Austria or learn more about car hire worldwide, visit www.zencarhire.com