Viator Travel Blog

At this time of year the three great cathedral cities of England‘s south east, Canterbury, Chichester and Winchester, all within about 60 miles of London, offer a particularly attractive alternative to the often glacial demeanour of the average shopping mall. They also provide the visitor with the added attraction of getting down with some culture while sidling up to an endless supply of the big retail names plus an abundance of classy independents.

Meet Veronica Luzuriaga, one of Viator’s local experts in Quito, Ecuador (and a highly rated licensed tour guide you’ll find at Viator Private Tour Guides).

Mid-lake pavilion has been a tea house since 1885 in the Qing dynasty. The building was originally a pavilion inside the Yuyuan garden, and later turned into a meeting place for cloth business men in 1784. It is located by the zigzag bridge in Shanghai old town bazaar. Visitors can have a break with a nice tea in the 200-year-old building while watching the lake and passersby.

For the ninth week of our Viator’s 2011 Ultimate Holiday Giveaway, we’re giving away tickets to one of our most popular Dublin tours!

The U.S. National Park system is arguably one of the greatest collections of preserved space the world has ever seen. From snow-capped glacial peaks to meandering coastal shorelines, some of the United States‘ most awe-inspiring natural sights are found within the national parks. That being said, utter the phrase “national park” and most people will only be able to cough up a few of the usual suspects: Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon. In 2010, the most visited national park in the United States was Great Smoky Mountains National Park with an astounding 9.4 million visitors.

Welcome to the 2011 Viator Traveler Awards: Europe Edition! We’ve combined input from traveler reviews and photos, data from the millions of travelers who visit Viator.com each year, plus data on what tours in Europe generated the most bookings in 2011, in order to crown the Top 25 Things to Do in Europe in 2011! Making ones way though Europe is one of greatest adventures a traveler can embark on. Chalk full of history, culture and beautiful terrain, the most difficult part of your trip is deciding where to go, from the world famous French vineyards to the amazing Italian countryside, these are the top 25 things you have to see and do in Europe.

Before I arrived in Seattle, the sum total of my knowledge about the city amounted to a handful of stereotypes. Plucking words at random, I could give you Starbucks, Microsoft and Nirvana. What I wasn’t expecting was a truly endearing city that ticks the right boxes on almost every level. It’s a chilled out, dressed-down place where the nerds outnumber the jocks, and people have a genuine enthusiasm for giving something a go.

The weather in Europe in the wintertime is fickle. From sunny and mild in southern parts of the continent to downright frigid in others, packing for the winter months can be a challenge depending on where you are going and your length of stay.

The good news is it doesn’t have to be.

I’m not sure that there’s any way I can properly convey how much fun I had on the Hidden Valley and Primm Extreme ATV or RZR Tour. We got to the departure point fairly early in the morning when the air was still a bit cool. It was nice to be away from the noise and hassle of the Strip. The departure point is in Jean, NV – which is a bit south of Las Vegas and is well away from the traffic and congestion.

Raise a glass on the stroke of midnight, aboard the all-inclusive New Year’s Eve cruise for a glittering night on the Sydney Harbour as Sydney hosts the biggest party of the year! Celebrate on board the Bella Vista and be a part of the New Year’s Eve festivities including the official “Harbour of Lights Parade” and magnificent 9pm and midnight fireworks displays. The night will be a truly memorable one!