Thursday, February 26, 2009

Oslo is a City of Winter Sports and Summer Fun

Oslo is endowed with natural beauty, history and culture to charm any visitor. Most of the visitors prefer winter season to visit Oslo when hills and mountains surrounding the city are draped in snow. It is the time when you will love to ski. Since the cold weather lasts for long skiing is quite a popular sport among the locals.

The city, surrounded by forests on three sides presents a picture postcard vista of city in snow white. You can ride on dog sledge through wilderness and enjoy the heavenly fun of your life.

Oslo is well known for winter sports, and the winter sporting activities go on in this city incessantly in which you too can participate. The place where the winter sporting fun goes on is the city's sporting headquarters, the venue of 1952 Winter Olympics.

Take a short ride away from the city centre and you will find yourself at the famed Holmenkollen. This is the Mecca of Ski jumpers. Test your grit here as this world famous center attracts the best ski jumpers from all parts f the world.

Holmenkollen Ski Festival holds a large number of sports before heralding the end of the winter sports season. There is a real thrill in participating in the huge jump. However, if the challenge of jumping from the enormous Holmenkollen appears daunting to you, you might like to join the group of spectators who watch those amazing actions and enjoy vicariously.

Nonetheless, you can always decide to go on a ski trek as there are a number of ski treks going on in the city. The famous polar explorer, Fridtjor Nansen is known to have practiced here prior to actually undertaking the great trek across Greenland along with Otto Sverdrup. This was the first expedition of its kind.

The summer in Oslo holds an altogether different charm, but no less exciting than winter for the visitors. Take a look at Oslo Fjord and you will find boats and yachts merrily sailing across. There are various activities and events going on the fjord that thrills the sailing participants and exhilarates the onlookers.

Apart from these fun filled activities, there are various places to visit at Oslo such as Akershus Fortress, the Royal palace, Vigeland park, and several galleries and museums. The strong Akershus Fortress is known to have repulsed the invading armies over the years. No wonder it is the prime city attraction. The Royal Palace appears surprisingly similar to Buckingham palace.

Spread across 80 acres along with 212 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland adorning the Vigeland park leaves a great impact on visitors. There is also the Vigeland museum here that must be seen for the complete experience.

There are a large number of hotels in Oslo so that you have a choice and you don't have to wait. You can get an instant confirmation on booking. Discounted hotel deals are also available on site booking. It is quite possible to get a decent three starred hotel at a budget price. These hotels have basic facilities like TV and internet connectivity, decent rooms, twin beds etc. However, it is advised to make your booking in advance.

Author is a marketing strategist specialist having great knowledge on Travel and Tourism. To find out cheap hotel deal in Europe visithttp://www.hoteltravelexpress.com

London Beckons

People flock to London round the year for its heritage attractions and also to see some of the great historical sites of this once Imperial capital. London has many fascinations even from contemporary tourist interests.

From Carnaby Street which is noted for its modern fashions is a great attraction. The street has shaped the fashions in dresses and other comforts in myriad ways. One would find it always crowded and curious tourists would lap at the display of the most fashionable items. The Charing Cross Road is a landmark for book lovers with great book shops which would delight a lover of books with its unending stocks unmatched for varieties. The Knightsbridge, however, caters to the exclusive taste of the very rich in fashions but strolling in the area is considered a 'must' for a tourist! Leadenhall Market and Leicester Square are two areas of slight antiquity, renowned for their markets.

There are monuments of great historical values. The Admiralty Arch, Queen Victoria Memorial and Wellington Arch are some famous ones. They are not more than 300 years old but historically very significant. The Duke of York's column dates back to 1830s and is an inspiring monument. The Trafalgar Square is the important Central London hub, a fitting placed named after Admiral Nelson won a remarkable naval war over Spain.

The British Museum, Horniman Museum, Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum, Fashions and Textiles Museum are but some of the grand houses where one would be lost at the massive knowledge that could be gathered. There are different museums depicting the growth of maritime activities. As stated earlier, there is no paucity of places from which inspiration on the heritage of humanity could be drawn.

Of course the Big Ben Tower, Buckingham Palace and cruises in River Thames are an integral part of a visitor's delight.

There is no dearth of accommodation facilities in London. There are great star hotels and good lodgings which offer nice comforts for staying and dining. Individuals and groups could find according to their budget right choices. Online bookings are available right now and apart from London visit to various places in England, Wales and Scotland are also arranged. The cathedrals, churches and other places of worship would be an invaluable addition. As a leading European Nation's capital and presently spreading modernism everywhere, London has its irresistible appeal to tourists from all over the world.

Author is a marketing strategist specialist having great knowledge on Travel and Tourism. To find out cheap hotel deal in Europe visithttp://www.hoteltravelexpress.com