Viator Travel Blog

Paris has been the world’s most popular vacation destination for years. This means that if you want to see the City of Light’s most famous sites, you’re going to have to plan ahead – and even then, you’re going to encounter lines, crowds and, honestly, a bit of dissatisfaction. But there is a way to avoid the hassle, even at the height of the tourist season. For the less-stressful, low-crowd version of touring Paris, you just have to look to the locals.

The history of Barcelona stretches way back to the ancient Romans and beyond, but most visitors to this Mediterranean port have just one name on their mind: Antoni Gaudi. The exuberant and eccentric architecture of this devout Modernista artist has become a signature byword for the city, from the spiky towers of La Sagrada Familia to the snaking roof line of Casa Batllo.

Here are the top 5 don’t miss Gaudi sights in Barcelona – before you set off though, save time by prebooking your tickets as the queues are often horrendously long for these popular sights.

Mention South Devon, England to a British adult, and there’s a good chance that you’ll see a nostalgic look appear in their eyes. They’re casting themselves back to childhood summers: fishing in rockpools, cricket on the beach and arguments over ice cream. Even for adults, Devon is “getting away from it all”. So why don’t you head to the southwest and see what all the fuss is about?

Take the guided walk through the heartland of the City of London and savour the splendour of the monuments to Britain’s imperial past. Wander through cobbled streets and alleyways and be transported back in time from Saxon and Roman London to the present where towering skyscrapers stand as symbols to London’s financial strength. Finish in Brick Lane, home to the Bengali community and sample some of their world famous dishes.

Imagine… visiting Europe when the weather is nice, the crowds are thin and the prices are slashed. Don’t think it exists? It does. Europe’s shoulder seasons – that gorgeous time of year when the temperatures begin their climb upwards or slow descent down, windows are flung open, the water is that perfect temperature and the prices for air and lodging are firmly planted in off-season prices, despite the glorious weather – are ideal times to plan international travel.

Step aboard the spacious River Liner outside the Houses of Parliament (Westminster Pier) and sit back as the sights and splendour of London unfold round every bend of your journey on the Tower of London and Thames River Sightseeing Cruise. Weave your way past the London Eye turning slowly and majestically, the Royal Festival Hall, the Tate Modern and the Globe, home to England’s most famous bard, William Shakespeare. Watch as the waterfront fills with monuments to London’s historical past: the Savoy Hotel, Cleopatra’s Needle, the Oxo Building and Billingsgate Market with St.Paul’s Cathedral dominating the skyline. Glide past HMS Belfast before disembarking in front of Tower Bridge, the most iconic of London’s landmarks.

Here are our top picks for a visit to Krakow, Poland.

48 hours, 16 drop off and departure points, and two modes of transport make the Berlin City Hop-on Hop-off Tour the ideal way to see the city of Berlin.

Mention Marbella to anyone and they immediately think of money, the rich and the famous. This is the Costa del Sol’s quintessential Monte Carlo, a place to hang out with the glitterati and to be seen by the paparazzi hunting their little bit of sleaze. Stroll along the Passeo Maritimo from the Parque de la Constitucion near the main tourist office and gaze on the multi-million dollar apartment blocs dominating the skyline. Watch the rich walking their poodles and shih tzus or relaxing in the up-market health cafes near the Puerto Deportivo Marbella.

Our group on the Small-Group Evening Walking Tour of London with Fish and Chips Dinner was small and intimate–six in total including our guide, Matt, who seemed to be a repository of every known fact about the history of London. Armed with his iPad, brimming with images and photographs, we set off on a journey of discovery about London’s heartland, its dark and sinister past, and its resurgence as a world financial powerhouse.