Cardiff: Wales' Home of Sports

Cardiff, the capital of Wales, offers entertainment, world class attractions, sports, shopping, modern architecture and historic sites. With its rich history, language and culture Cardiff has become the busiest port in the world. Its culture was influences by the Normand and Romans evident in its castles and historic houses.

Famous for its sporting events and facilities, Cardiff has been dubbed a City of Sport in 2009 and is the home of Welsh rugby. There are top notch football, rugby and cricket stadiums like the Swalec Stadium, the Millennium Stadium and the Cardiff City Stadium. The Cardiff International Whitewater is an Olympic standard canoeing and rafting course. You will also find an ice rink, Olympic size swimming pool and several golf courses. Try cycling on the Taff Trail or the Cardiff Bay Barrage route. Yachting, water polo and jet skiing are offered at the Cardiff Bay Water Activity Centre. Other activities available in Cardiff are climbing, ice hockey, quad-biking, paintball and watersports like kayaking, windsurfing, sailing and powerboating.

There are stunning beaches, villages, landscapes, mountains and valleys. Enjoy the waterfront in Cardiff Bay. National Geographic named it among the 10 best places in the world to visit in summer.

Enjoy different entertainment in Cardiff at the opera, musicals, live music and ballet. Explore galleries, art venues, theatres and museums. Enjoy fine dining that feature Welsh, UK and international cuisine. Nightlife is best enjoyed in bars, nightclubs and pubs.

You can explore Cardiff on foot or take a guided tour to learn more about the local legends, culture, history and language. Wildlife, Welsh culture and ghost tours as well as individual and group tours are offered. Boat rides to Flat Holm Island are also offered.

Enjoy sight seeing in Cardiff with its many attractions, both historic and modern. The National Museum Cardiff houses works by Picasso, Monet and Rodin. The Norwegian Church is now a cafe and arts centre. Outside Cardiff is the open air St. Fagan's National History Museum which has a medieval church, a Victorian school and over 40 buildings brought from all over Wales piece by piece. There are also attractions and parks with affordable activities for kids like at the Techniquest, a children's science centre. Enjoy quad biking, archery, gorge walking and clay shooting at the Taff Valley Quad Bike and Activity Centre. Tree top adventures like zip wires, high wire rope bridges, rope ladders and tunnels are offered at the Go Ape! High Wire Forest Adventure. Boulders, the largest indoor climbing facility in Wales, can be enjoyed by both first time and experienced climbers. Families will have a great time at the Taskforce Skirmish Paintball which has archery, laser, laser tag and paintball games.

Cardiff also home to film, television and creative industries. As a venue it is diverse with venues for either historic, medieval, modern or futuristic settings.

Cardiff, the 6th top shopping destination in the United Kingdom, offers modern shopping centres, designer brand shops, Victorian and Edwardian arcades.

Choose to stay at a wide range of accommodations in Cardiff from budget hostels, guests houses, bed and breakfasts, self-catering apartments and luxury hotels accessible to major attractions and transportation.

Find your next Cardiff hotel take a look at these hotels in Cardiff.

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Where to Stay in Aruba - High-Rise District, Low-Rise District or Oranjestad

Most of the visitors stay in one of three locations: in Oranjestad, in the Low-Rise hotel area along Eagle Beach or in the High-Rise hotel area on Palm Beach. The three areas have different atmospheres, but there is one for every taste. There are also time-shares, motels, small family run hotels, apartments and condos and private homes and villas. Some of them are situated further inland, but that means that they are more affordable. Whatever you choose, I can guarantee that you will have a fabulous holiday.

Oranjestad is Aruba's capital and largest city. There are a variety of restaurants, bars, boutiques, casinos and nightclubs there. There are less than 100,000 residents in the island, but most of them seem to live or work in or around the capital. The architecture in Oranjestad combines Dutch baroque ornaments with common Caribbean colors such as aqua, pink and pistachio. It is very clean and safe. However, if you walk some 4-5 blocks away from the waterfront and you can see the real working town. There are a lot of beautiful beaches only minutes away even from the capital.

The Low-Rise hotel district stretches over a number of beaches, such as Bushiri, Druif, Manchebo and Eagle beach. However, it is hard to tell where exactly one beach starts and one ends and that is why most of the people refer to the entire shoreline as Eagle Beach. In that area there are smaller complexes, low-rise boutique hotels, quiet timeshares and many apartment-style accommodations. If you decide on a self-catering apartment you can safe quite a bit by eating in from time to time. However, there are also plenty of restaurants in the area. If you prefer a quieter and less crowded area, then the Low-Rise district is for you.

The High-Rise district is on the opposite side and begins a quarter of a mile after Eagle Beach. Most of the hotels are right on the beach and have extensively landscaped gardens. Some hotels are upscale and others are middle class, but most boast restaurants bars and splashy casinos. Palm Beach area is quite busy crowded and offers different amenities and motorized watersports. There is also an abundance of restaurants, bars, casinos and different shops.

Other than the capital and the hotels, in Aruba there are a lot of beautiful natural wonders, amazing white beaches and a small number of authentically native towns.

We at Sunny Aruba Holidays would like to help you with organising your dream holiday to the happy island of Aruba! For any information and questions you might have, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

http://www.sunnyarubaholidays.co.uk/

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How to Spend Your Time in 2012's Hottest UK Destination: Birmingham

The New York Times recently named Birmingham the world's 19th top destination to visit in 2012. Times have changed in the city that's moved on from its industrial past to become one of the UK's cultural hotspots. Spend a few days roaming the city with your camera at the ready. Famous for some of its architectural pearls like Selfridges department store building, Birmingham provides great photo ops that'll leave your mates jealous of your holiday in the city.

Festivals
Birmingham is a city of festivals as one is held at least every few months. In March visit the city for the Flatpack Festival of film showcasing excellent independent movies in venues including the UK's oldest cinema. Soon after, Fierce festival takes place, focusing on live art and gathering participants from around the world showing off their performances. During the summer the city comes alive with music as it hosts the International Jazz and Blues Festival. Many events are free to the public and take place in both conventional and unconventional venues like galleries, shops and canal boats. Later in the year, Birmingham Book Festival celebrates local and international literature through a series of events such as workshops and lectures.

The Art Scene
There's a lot of art on show in Birmingham, from public art scattered throughout the city to the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelites in the world at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Classic art lovers will also appreciate the Barber Institute of Fine Arts that houses works by some of Europe's best known impressionists. If you're a fan of modern art, the Ikon gallery is likely to be your cup of tea, priding itself on cutting edge contemporary art exhibitions.

Nightlife
With four universities and many colleges, Birmingham has a noticeable population of young adults who love a good night out. Bars and night clubs in the city cater for every taste. Try the Broad Street or Mailbox areas for some serious clubbing. The live music scene is also alive and well with bands making regular appearances at venues like the O2 Academy and Jam House. Comedy fans will find a good few haunts for a live show too. Theatre aficionados gather at the Birmingham Hippodrome and The Alexandra among other venues. Look out for performances by the Welsh National Opera, one of the season's highlights.

Shopping
If on the clothing hunt, Birmingham has a selection of shopping centres to choose from, as well as the traditional British high street and more expensive options. The city's famous Jewellery Quarter is still going strong with a plethora of specialist jewellers willing to show off their craftsmanship. Markets are big in Birmingham. Six days a week Bull Ring market pulls in the crowds with its seemingly endless stalls crammed with fresh produce. Farmers' markets and an arts and crafts fair are also held once in a while.

After so much exploring, shopping till you drop and dancing into the wee hours, you'll really appreciate a comfortable hotel in Birmingham close to local amenities.

Harvey McEwan writes to offer information and advice on a variety of areas, from technology to holiday destinations. Read through Harvey's other articles here to find out more.

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