City Breaks in Paris - Getting There, Where to Stay, What to Do

Known as the most romantic city in the world, Paris receives over 30 million visitors each year, drawn to see the great sights and experience the unique atmosphere of the city. Whether you travel by Eurostar or plane, for a quick weekend break or a longer stay, Paris is an immensely rewarding destination to visit.

Getting There

The Eurostar now departs from King's Cross St Pancras and arrives at Paris Gare du Nord in the centre of the city. For most incoming international flights, Charles De Gaulle (located 25km to the north of the city) is the main airport in Paris. Shuttle transfers, taxis, train or bus are your main options for getting to the city centre once you've arrived, with all of them taking approximately 60 minutes. If you arrive at Orly or Beauvais, the other two Paris airports, shuttles and taxis will take about 30 and 90 minutes respectively.

If you are on a weekend break, you are likely to want as little hassle and as much leisure as possible during your trip to Paris; an airport shuttle is the most convenient way of getting from the airport to your hotel in Paris, and shuttle services, unlike the bus or train, will drop you off directly at your hotel.

Where to Stay

Paris has a great range of hotels. Luxury accommodation is provided by hotels such as the Plaza Athenee, which has hosted the rich and famous for almost a century, and the Four Seasons. The city also has numerous good mid range hotels (Hotel St Jaques and the Lindburgh Hotel are especially recommended) along with cheap and friendly youth hostels, such as St Christopher Inns and Calincourt Square. Whatever your budget, you should be able to find a hotel or hostel to suit your needs. All of them have one crucial thing in common - they are extremely busy, and booking far in advance is strongly advised. During weekends and holiday periods, booking is essential!

If you want to try something a little different, the independent English language bookshop Shakespeare and Company lets visitors (or "tumbleweeds" as they are affectionately known) stay for free in return for a few hours work a day.

What to Do

Once you've arrived at your hotel in Paris (by shuttle, taxi, bus or train), it's time to see the sights. The "Big Three" sights to see are the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Notre Dame Cathedral. The Eiffel Tower, built in 1889, remains the most famous sight in Paris, and a trip to the top (if you have the stomach for it!) provides unforgettable views out over the city. The Arc de Triomphe, built by Napolean, is a central landmark, and Notre Dame de Paris is a spectacular 12th century Gothic cathedral. Equally famous is the Louvre Art Gallery, home to the Mona Lisa and other masterworks by Leonardo da Vinci and numerous other artists.

Elsewhere, the handsome hilltop district of Montmatre has long been a Mecca for artists, with Picasso and Dali both living here at the start of the 20th century, and wandering the streets and cafes is a great way to pass an idle afternoon. The Left Bank around Montparnasse is another beautiful area with plenty of history; for late night drinking here, try Le Select, favoured drinking house of 1920s expats like Hemingway and F Scott Fitzgerald.

There's plenty to see and do in Paris itself, and the surrounding area offers attractions such as the Palace at Versailles, Fontainebleu Forest and Disneyland Paris. Whatever you want from your visit to Paris, you're sure to find something to keep yourself entertained!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bruno_Calzaverini

The Best of South Devon's Gardens

Greenway was the acclaimed writer Agatha Christie's garden (she was known locally as Mrs Mallowan when she owned it). It makes an especially enjoyable half day out, even more so when visited by ferry from Dartmouth, Brixham and Torquay, landing at Greenway Quay.

Greenway is not only extremely beautiful, but dates back over 500 years since it was first owned by the Gilberts (one of their sons, Sir Humphrey, was to become Lord Lieutenant of Devon). It is a significant horticultural treasure, where each successive owner has contributed to the wonderful legacy that is today managed by the National Trust.

The garden presents a totally magnificent atmosphere mixing refined wilderness with romance and mystery. It is known as a treasure trove of rare plants and superb displays of wild flowers. It is very well positioned and provides great views of the Dart estuary and the area all around.

Over the years, the various owners built new buildings and extended the gardens and grounds. In the late 1700's, the designer Humphry Repton developed the landscape of the property, the original style of which remains to this day.

In the late 19th Century and into the early 20th Century, the species in the gardens were extensively catalogued, noting, amongst others, the Monterey pines, eucalyptus and acacias as well as a multitude of flowering climbers and other plant species.

The 1920's saw the then owner Charles Williams planting extensively throughout the gardens. Agatha Christie together with her husband Max Mallowan, the famous archaeologist, maintained the gardens with vigour, and it remained in her family's ownership until they gave it to the National Trust in 2000. It's a garden you must see if you ar ein the area!

The scientist and inventor Otto Overbeck brought some rare and tropical plants to his eponymous gardens in Overbeck Sharpitor at Salcome.

Overbeck Sharpitor is a very stylish and elegant Edwardian house. Originally designed in the early 1900's by Edric Hopkins, Otto Overbeck developed it further when he took it over in 1928. The quite spectacular 6-acre cliff-top gardens offer magnificent views over the Salcombe estuary. Designed as a series of terraces and enclosures, they are full of wonderfully coloured plants from all over the world. Many are tropical and some are quite rare, species normally only grown by the brave enthusiast under glass. The warmer 'micro' climate in and around the garden helps them grow successfully here.

A very special spectacular sight in this garden is the flowering of the century old Magnolia campbelli.

The property houses the Overbecks Museum, and six of the rooms form a treasure-trove of Overbeck's lifelong devotion to Natural History, fauna, children's toys, ship-building, his drawings and the sea. Afternoon tea is served in the Billiard Room.

Dr. Otto Overbeck gave the house and grounds to the National Trust in 1937.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rod_Booth

A Guide to the Down Under Expo in Ireland

First held in 2005, the Down Under Expo 2008 is the fourth of its kind. This year, the show will also be incorporating the Working Abroad Expo at its venue: the Industries Hall, RDS, Dublin. The Down Under Expo in Ireland is to take place from the 27th of September from 10.00am to 5.00pm and on the 28th of September from12 Noon to 5.00pm.

A unique event in Ireland, the Down Under Expo has attracted over 20,000 visitors at the combined exhibitions in the last three years and provided assistance to thousands of such visitors interested in emigrating to Australia and New Zealand and starting a new life. This year, the show has also included additional locations like Canada and the Middle East as options for working and living abroad.

Whilst there is free entrance for children below 16 years who are accompanied by adults, other visitors will be required to purchase tickets at €10.00 per person. The show tickets also give guests access to various seminars on travel abroad and also the Adventure Travel and Gap Year Show. Apart from providing relocation services and advice, representatives at the show will also impart financial advice relating to banking, foreign exchange and pension transfers to visitors.

The show will include Recruitment Consultants with job offers from around the world; employers from Australia, New Zealand and other countries will also attend the show along with immigration officers from the New Zealand Government as well as the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenships who will be offering impartial visa advice to interested visitors. The event is to also focus on new features like buying property abroad, studying abroad and international internships. The expo will also include Australian State and Territory Officials discussing visas, jobs, schooling and housing in their respective states and territories.

Held at Ireland's premier venue RDS, the Down Under Expo can be easily accessed by all visitors due to its close proximity to Ireland's capital city. While a local train via Dublin DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) which operates from the City Centre to Ballsbridge is a good option, there are a number of bus and taxi services available for those who require alternate means of transport.

Located at a distance of 16 kilometres from the Dublin International Airport, a taxi ride would cost visitors about €30 to €40 while the Aircoach located right outside the airport would cost only €12 return. For those driving down to the venue, RDS offers parking facilities for 2,000 vehicles but recommends that visitors call and check for parking availability prior to arrival. Accommodation near the venue is easy to find as Dublin offers many options in hotels, cosy inns and comfortable bed and breakfasts that will suit the individual requirements of visitors in terms of convenience and cost.

The Down Under Expo is a great opportunity for all those who aspire to work and settle abroad, as it helps visitors to get first hand information from employers and recruiters from abroad. Often, such interactions also translate into a preliminary interview with international recruiters on home ground. Since there is no New Zealand Embassy in Ireland and because Dublin also has no visa office in the Australian Embassy, queries regarding visa applications and immigration to these countries are directly answered by representatives of the Immigration Unit of the Australian High Commission and the Immigration Unit of the New Zealand Government respectively.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Catherine_Gliddon