travels Archives - Page 6 of 13

Destinations to spend Christmas and the End of the Year in times of Covid

Trips for the Christmas holidays

Covid-19 is changing the way we travel but let´s not let this be a problem when it comes to enjoying the most beautiful time of the year. In these lines we propose some of the most wonderful destinations to spend Christmas and New Year´s Eve.

We start our tour in London, this city is perfect to live this magical time, enjoy the lighting, its Christmas markets, its ice skating rinks an the fireworks at the End of the Year next to the Big Ben.

We continue through the beautiful Budapest, the city is full of markets, skating rinks and you will be involved in the Nutcracker Tale, the opera is decorated and the actors take to the streets in disguise.

New York at Christmas is synonymous with the massive Rockefeller Center tree and its more than a thousand twinkling lights alongside the ice skating rink.

Christmas in Iceland lasts 26 days, from December 11 to January 6, and Iceland has 13 Santa Claus or Yule Elves. Reykjavik is lit up with countless Christmas and Advent lights and people start decorating their homes or businesses in October in order to combat the dark nights.

Another popular holiday destination is Prague, where you can visit the Old Town Square Market, Wenceslas Square Christmas Markets or visit the Christmas Houses on Charles Bridge.

Remember before starting your Christmas trip, buy your currencies to avoid problems and high commissions at the destination. At Eurochange we offer you a range of currencies for these destinations and many others.

Call us and we will advise you.

Problems with your flight? Claim and receive a compensation

Claim for your flight and receive a compensation

Flying can be a fantastic experience in a fast and comfortable conveyance. But sometimes things get complicated, the flight is delayed, or even canceled, the suitcase gets lost,… And that's where a pleasant trip starts to turn into a nightmare. But complaining about problems with your flight has an easy solution. We tell you how to do it.

Claim the airline

If you have time and patience, you can undertake the claim on your own. The process can become very tedious because airlines ignore passengers. Sometimes claims end up in court and, as an individual, it can be a bit scary to face an airline in court (we don't even talk about when that company is in another country).

Although compensation is established by law and depends on the distance of the flight (ranging from € 250 to € 600), airlines don’t usually easily admit that the delay is due to an internal cause and don’t compensate users easily. So if you decide to take this route, we wish you good luck and we ask you to tell us how it went.

Claim through a claims agency

This imposing process made travelers choose not to claim their rights. However, there are already several companies that are dedicated to it for you.

Today we present you Air Help, a company specialized in claiming your compensation for (among others) delays in your flights. The procedure is very simple, just follow the steps that are marked on their website. Of course, you will have to have at hand the tickets and the identifications of all the people whose flights you are going to claim. Once all the documentation is uploaded, they get to work to formalize your claim and send you notifications by mail so you know the status.

As we have told you, sometimes the claim ends up in a court, but they also take care of all the paperwork.

What does Air Help get out of all this?

The company gets a commission on the amount of your claim which is (as of the date of this post) 35% for the claim plus 15% if legal action must be taken.

It may seem like a high commission, but considering that most of the passengers have suffered delays and have not claimed anything at all, with 65% we already have more than we would have without claiming. And all with a simple process in which you don’t have to pay a fee in advance. Just send your data and wait for them to resolve your claim.

Have you ever used this type of service? What has been your experience?

Do I need a Vaccination Passport to travel in 2021?

Do I need a Vaccination Passport to travel in 2021?

With the start of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, many new questions are emerging. Some of them still unanswered, but some of the unknowns are being cleared up. The one that most worries people who want or must travel in 2021 is whether it will be necessary to have a Vaccination Passport to travel in 2021. And the answer is… there is no answer to date.

Vaccine Passport to travel after COVID

In the same way that there are destinations asking travelers for negative PCR tests to allow entry to countries or regions, there are those who demand that Vaccine Passports be issued to prove whether a person is vaccinated against COVID and to be able to move freely. And this idea has its adherents and detractors because it also has advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages and disadvantages of the Vaccine Passport

The main advantage that creating a Vaccine Passport would have is that citizens would be protected by ensuring that travelers entering and leaving the country have been vaccinated. Supporters of the COVID Vaccine Passport argue that, in the same way that freedom of movement is currently limited by requesting a negative PCR, a vaccination document will have to be included in the coming months so that vaccinated people do not have to undergo the diagnostic test.

On the other hand, the main drawback of the Vaccine Passport is the limitation of the freedoms of those who have not been vaccinated. And, in addition to the detractors who will not want to be vaccinated, there is a part of the population with severe allergies that will not be able to be vaccinated. There are already those who warn of the danger of creating this division in citizenship after hearing proposals such as that of the Prime Minister of Israel to allow access to Shopping Centers and other establishments only to vaccinated people.

What most countries seem to agree on is the need to take joint measures, so that the requirements are the same and there are no unilateral decisions. In addition, it would be necessary to develop the necessary technology to be able to issue Vaccine Passports that could not be falsified and were valid throughout the world.

Some international airlines reported a few weeks ago that they are expected to require travelers to provide proof of having received the vaccine. For this they would have to change their conditions of sale. But not only that. This decision could not be made by airlines unilaterally, they must have government authorization to do so. For its part, IATA (International Air Transport Association) is developing an APP, IATA Travel Pass, to contain health and vaccination information.

While the issue is being debated, the mass vaccination process follows different rhythms in the different countries that have already had access to the vaccine and there is still no vaccination date for the majority of the world's population. We will still have to wait a few weeks (or months) to know what will happen. Meanwhile, stay safe!

Will we be able to travel to or from the UK at Christmas?

Travelling to or from UK at Christmas

This year Christmas is going to be rare, but we will have to be prepared to improvise at the last minute and make changes of plans according to the restrictions. If in your case you want to travel to the United Kingdom or come from the United Kingdom to Spain at Christmas to meet your beloved ones, it seems that some unknowns are already being clarified. We tell you.

Travel to Spain from the UK

Since last Monday, November 23, the Government of Spain requires a negative PCR test carried out at origin at least 72 hours before the arrival of the traveler.

This document must be written in English or Spanish and may be submitted on paper or in digital format. The document must include the name of the traveler and ID or Passport number, identification data of the center where it has been carried out, technique used and negative result.

On the Spain Travel Health website you can fill out your entry form and confirm that you have this test. If you don't do it online, you can also deliver it before boarding.

Until December 13, the UK is part of the list of countries that need a negative PCR, but this list will be updated every 15 days, so there may be changes in the coming days. Check the website https://www.spth.gob.es/ to review the list of countries before your trip.

Once in Spain, keep in mind that each Community has a level of alert and restrictions. Find out before your arrival about possible mobility or other restrictions.

Travel to the UK from Spain

As announced by the UK transport minister on Tuesday, November 24, from December 15 the mandatory quarantine will be reduced from 14 days to 5, after conducting a negative PCR test.

The operation of this system called “Test-and-release” will be as follows: The passenger will request the PCR test before the trip and will be able to choose where to do it from a list of places authorized by the United Kingdom Government that is yet to be determined. They will be private clinics and the price of the test, which will range from 65 to 120 pounds, will be paid by the traveler.

With the result of the negative test, the mandatory quarantine of travelers upon arrival will be 5 days instead of 14. However, those who do not want to take the PCR test and prefer to do the 14-day quarantine, can do it this way.

On the https://gov.uk website you can fill out the UK entry form and the list of clinics will also be available soon.

Once in the United Kingdom, keep in mind that at the end of their confinement on December 2, they will enter a plan of alert tiers by zones, it will be determined which zone is in each tier and the restrictions in each case. Confirm at what tier the zone you are going to is in order to comply with the established restrictions.

10 things to see in Iceland

Ten things to see in Iceland

Iceland is one of the most popular tourist destinations in recent years. On the one hand it is due to the appearance of low cost routes between Spain and Iceland and, on the other hand (probably the most important one), due to the appearance of its landscapes in television series and films such as Game of Thrones, Vikings or Journey to the center of the earth. If you also want to discover the land of ice and fire, write down these 10 essential things to see in Iceland.

1. Lake Tjörnin

Lake Tjörnin is in the center of Reykjavik, in the historic center. Surrounded by old wooden houses with many colors it is a natural estuary. A delight for skating when frozen in the winter season and home to different types of birds such as ducks, swans and geese. You can do a very nice tour around the lake.

2. Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon is a large geothermal spa where steamy waters settle on a lava formation. The temperature remains constant between 35-37 degrees. In addition to enjoying a bath in medicinal waters, it is also possible to enjoy various treatments and massages, buy products made with algae and mud from the area, or taste a typical meal in one of its restaurants.

3. The Golden Circle

The so-called Golden Circle is a route of about 300km that begins and ends in Reykjavik. This route runs through, among other places, the Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir fumaroles area and the Gullfoss waterfall. It can be a perfect excursion to do in one day or two if you want to enjoy more of the landscapes.

4. Skógafoss waterfall

The Skógafoss Waterfall is one of the most famous in the country. It is also one of the largest, it is 60 meters high and 25 meters wide. To the right of the waterfall there is a path that leads to the source for spectacular views.

5. Skaftafell National Park

Skaftafell National Park is located to the southeast of the island and on the way we go through lava fields until we reach this National Park. Once there we can take a 2.5km walk to visit the Svartifoss waterfall surrounded by basaltic columns or hire an excursion to the Vatnajökull glacier.

6. Jökulsárlón Lagoon

The Jökulsárlón Lagoon is located to the south of the Vatnajökull glacier. This impressive lagoon that has been formed in the last 60 years due to the retreat of the glacier and in it we can see huge icebergs floating and even seals swimming.

7. Dettifoss waterfall

Located within the Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, the Dettifoss Waterfall is one of the largest waterfalls in Europe. Here the inordinate forces that have shaped the lands of Iceland are highlighted.

8. Lake Mývatn and surroundings

Lake Mývatn is located in the north of the island, immersed in a curious landscape of pseudocraters and lava formations since the area in which it is found has high volcanic activity. To the east of the lake rises the Hverfjall volcano which can be climbed to have wonderful views of the entire area.

9. Grjótagjá Cave

Very close to Lake Mývatn is Grjótagjá Cave, a volcanic rock cave with water heated by lava inside. At present the bath is not allowed since the lava is very close and causes that the temperature of the water can rise quickly.

10. Þjórsárdalur Valley

This valley in southwestern Iceland is nestled between pumice plains and lava fields. In it is the highest waterfall on the island, with 122 meters high, Háifoss. The Burfells forest in the surroundings is also one of the attractions of the area.

Have we missed any of your Iceland essentials?

Remember that if you are going to travel to Iceland and you need to change Euros to Icelandic Krona, at Eurochange we give you the best price, without commissions and with the collection option that best suits you.

5 not crowded destinations to travel after COVID

Five non-crowded destinations to travel after COVID

A few weeks ago we were already making predictions on our blog about what it will be like to travel after COVID. And in our post today we want to let our minds fly and we propose 5 non-crowded destinations to travel after COVID without rushing, without queues of people wherever you go and with much to do and discover. Take note.

1. Brno, Czech Republic

While the capital of the Czech Republic is usually a busy and hectic city, Brno is a charming city with a quieter pace of life in which to enjoy a few days of vacation.

Around the Market Square is the old town of Brno with its cobbled streets and a wide range of bars and restaurants. In this area you can visit the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul from the 12th century, in the Old Town Hall (also a tourist information point) or the Moravian Gallery in Brno with its modern art exhibitions. On the Petrov hill that rises next to the old city, is the Spilberk Castle that was a royal residence and military fortress, from where you can also get one of the best panoramic views of the city.

Like other better-known imperial cities, Brno has large avenues for shopping and numerous parks and garden areas. And in its surroundings there are also many nature options to choose from, such as spending the day in the forests near the Brno Dam or visiting the Moravian Karst with its 1,100 caverns and canyons.

2. Kungsleden, Sweden

The Royal Trail of Sweden is the equivalent of the Camino de Santiago in Spain (without religious attributes). It is a 400-kilometer route between the towns of Abisko and Hemavan, in the northwest of the country.

Along the trail, 4 National Parks with their different landscapes are crossed. From typically alpine areas to low mountain forests, crossing the Arctic Circle. Although the hottest months are the busiest, the wide expanse of the terrain (and the laid-back character of the Swedes) keep it a peaceful experience.

The accommodation options along the way are varied, from cabins or lodges to hostels or there are even free camping options.

On the website of the Swedish Tourism Association you can find more information about the route, the different stages you can do, accommodation options and everything you need to know to organize your trip.

3. Bucovina Region, Romania

The Bucovina region is located in the northwest of Romania, in one of the mountainous areas of the Romanian Carpathians. This region is known for its Painted Monasteries that are decorated both inside and outside, by frescoes painted between the 15th and 16th centuries.

The Painted Monasteries are part of the group of Churches of Moldavia (Romania) recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993. The most famous Painted Monastery is the Voroneț Monastery. His paintings in blue tones stand out. The list goes on with the Arbore Monastery, the Humor Monastery, the Moldovița Monastery, the Pătrăuți Church of the Holy Cross, the Probota Monastery, the Church of St. George in Suceava and the Sucevița Monastery.

The best option to visit them at your own pace is to stay in Suceava, Botoșani or Piatra Neamț and plan the visit with a rental car. Although there are also travel agencies that organize day trips from different cities.

4. Holyhead, UK

About two hours east of Liverpool, across the Isle of Anglesey, is Holyhead. Holyhead is located on Holy Island and is the perfect place to spend a few days, tour the area and discover a Welsh area that is not very crowded by tourists.

In the city there are several attractions that are worth visiting such as the Church of Saint Cybi surrounded by an ancient Roman wall or the Maritime Museum. But, without a doubt, the most appealing thing is to walk through its streets among local shops and restaurants, taste the local fish and seafood or take a walk along the sea until you reach the port.

Holyhead is one of the points that the Anglesey Sea Trail runs through. This trail skirts the entire island of Anglesey and runs through beautiful landscapes. In the closest section you can travel north towards the port, pass by Soldier's Point House, reach Parc Gwledig Morglawdd Caergybi park, then go up to North Stack (the northernmost part of the island) and go down to South Stack where you find the lighthouse.

Another option is to rent a car and visit the charming villages of Holy Island and Anglesey and see their coasts, their forts, their ruins and all the attractions they offer.

5. Ägerisee, Switzerland

Switzerland is known for being the country of the Alps, the cantons and the lakes. The lake that we present to you in today's post is Ägerisee, or Lake Ägeri, about 40 kilometers south of Zurich and surrounded by mountains and green meadows.

The two main locations on the lake are Unterägeri (the largest) and Oberägeri, although there are other small populated areas around the entire lake. From the mountains Zugerberg (to the northwest) or Morgartenberg (to the south) there are spectacular views of the entire lake. But hiking and mountain walks are not the only option for active tourism in the area, since there is a wide range of activities such as kayaking or boat trips and, in winter, snow sports.

The preferred accommodation option in the area is camping. Not in vain there are several campsites where you can enjoy a quiet holiday.

And if you want to know more about the area, about 15 minutes by car or by public transport, you will find Zug, the capital of the canton. In Zug you will find more animation and a greater offer of shops and restaurants.

Are you already packing your suitcase? We hope we have inspired you with these options for low-mass and affordable tourism to travel in Europe as soon as the Coronavirus restrictions leave us. What trip would you like to do as soon as possible? Are you also considering a non-mass tourism option?

Remember that you can buy the currency you need for your trip at Eurochange with full availability and with the best rates.

See you soon!

What will it be like to travel after the pandemic?

What will it be like to travel after the pandemic?

If you are also wondering what it will be like to travel after the pandemic, today we are going to try to collect measures and actions that are already being applied plus some trends to try to imagine what the return to travel and vacations will be like after the Coronavirus.

1. Flexibility

Flexibility for changes or cancellations is something that hotels and holiday apartments have already offered as a differentiating value for some time. But airlines have always been reluctant to offer these benefits except for premium fares. In recent months we have seen how even the low-cost ones have changed their policies offering changes and cancellations for free in all rates in an attempt to attract customers.

Will this change last? It is likely not and that, as soon as we begin to return to normal and the freedom of movement of tourists is reestablished, they will once again be exclusive services. But it is to be expected that, at least for the medium term, they will continue to offer these options to all customers. Although as travelers and users, we would love if you decided to adopt this measure forever.

2. Safety and hygiene

In the same way that after 9/11, new aviation security measures were implemented, during COVID other measures have arrived that, as in the case of the first ones, could remain forever.

An example is the reinforcement of cleaning measures in airports, airplanes, train stations, trains, bus stations, buses, … The use of hydroalcoholic gels, distancing at waiting queues. This type of hygiene measures is very possible to be maintained over time and even indefinitely. Others, such as capacity control, are more difficult to maintain due to the economic impact they have, since companies cannot continue to operate for a long time to maintain prices with 50% or less of travelers.

3. Less planning

The uncertainty about the evolution of the pandemic and about the measures that are being taken with regard to tourism and quarantine have led travelers to plan vacations and getaways one or two weeks in advance, while the usual thing was to plan with more than one month in advance.

This lack of planning will make last minute offers more popular and more sought after by travelers and that they will also seek ease in planning for a vacation that they have not had much time to organize, as well as flexibility and speed in operations and procedures. This will mean a new range of possibilities for accommodation, transport, travel agencies and all services related to tourism.

4. Leisure by turns and with plots

Since the beginning of the pandemic we have seen many measures to control leisure, such as establishing visiting shifts or delimiting personal space.

For years, many museums and tourist attractions have already taken shifts due to space issues, so this measure is not new to them. But in other cases it has been implanted for the first time. Attentions by appointment, staggered arrival times or the organization to establish shift systems will be imposed, at least during the first months.

In the same way, the subdivision on beaches or open-air concerts has been a novelty to keep personal space separate from other people. These systems have had their detractors, but they have been the solution to be able to enjoy certain activities without risks.

5. Uncrowded tourism

One of the main consequences of the restriction of the movement of tourists around the world is the de-massification of cities and tourist destinations. Cities like Venice, Amsterdam or Barcelona that for years had detected an excess of tourists in their streets, have emptied themselves overnight.

And it is foreseeable that the return of tourists will be progressive for various reasons: not all countries are going to have the same rate of recovery, there are travelers who will look for options further away from the hustle and bustle for their vacations, … And another question that is in the air is if these excessively crowded destinations will take some measure to regulate the influx of tourists from now on, taking advantage of the stoppage caused by the pandemic to put some order and prevent situations from occurring in which the influx of people becomes uncontrollable.

6. Personalized experiences

Another consequence of the lack of tourists for the destinations is having to make their businesses profitable and obtain benefits with a high percentage of fewer tourists. For this, destinations will have to consider customization options with high-value experiences so that visitors are willing to pay a higher price in exchange for a personalized experience. This will be a challenge for crowded or specialized destinations with low prices.

For example, would you be willing to pay a higher price to visit the Sistine Chapel without rushing and without hundreds of tourists around? The doors to creativity are open and we will start to see news very soon.

7. From closer to further

The summer of 2020 has been that of national tourism par excellence. With very few options for traveling abroad, visiting other areas within the country has been the option of many. It is foreseeable that the situation will continue the same in the coming months. And the most likely evolution is that the opening of borders is progressive.

Domestic trips will be restored first. Followed by the surrounding countries and the big international trips will be last on the list. Always taking into account that the most normal thing is that the transit between countries that are in the same situation is reestablished and it is foreseeable that there will be differences in the process of returning to normality and in the taking of measures in each country.

Predicting what tourism will be like after the Coronavirus is not easy. We will have to adapt to the situation and organize our trips according to the possibilities of the moment. Always knowing that sooner or later we will be able to enjoy traveling and discovering new places that we still want to visit.

And you? What do you think it will be like to travel after the pandemic?

The most beautiful towns in… Spain

5 of the most beautiful villages of Spain

With this post we open a series of posts with the most beautiful towns in different countries. In order to give visibility to the different national associations belonging to The Most Beautiful Villages of the World composed of the most beautiful villages of Spain, Italy, Japan, France, Wallonia (Belgium), Lebanon, Russia, Saxony (Germany) and Switzerland and Lichtenstein.

We begin our journey through five of the most beautiful towns in Spain in a year in which we have traveled the territory as we have never done before due to the difficulty of traveling abroad. So, if you still have a few days of vacation, take note of these precious things to prepare a getaway.

Fornalutx, Mallorca

Fornalutx is a small town located in the northwest of the island of Mallorca, in the Sierra de Tramuntana. Its charm lies in its cobbled streets, its stone houses and the hundreds of plants that adorn its alleys.

Around its church there are different streets and alleys through which you can walk enjoying its charm.

It is a small and cozy town, ideal for a one-day visit or to stay for several days enjoying its tranquility. The options for activities in the area include hiking trails, driving routes to the mountain viewpoints or a getaway to the beach of Puerto de Sóller, which is just 15 minutes away.

Pampaneira, Granada

In the heart of the Alpujarras (the mountains of Granada) is this charming town. The stone houses (most painted white and some in the color of the original stone) house plants and geraniums in facades and recesses.

Water is the leitmotif of the town as it runs through its streets that have been specially designed to channel it. Several fountains serve as supplies for the visitor. Among them the best known is that of San Antonio, famous because whoever drinks it finds a boyfriend or girlfriend.

To the south of Pampaneira is the Costa Tropical and to the north stands the Sierra Nevada Natural Park.

Anento, Zaragoza

In the southwest of Aragon, halfway between Teruel and Zaragoza, is Anento. With just over a hundred inhabitants, it is the perfect place to disconnect and be in contact with nature. Although on weekends it receives many visitors who walk through its streets.

One of the main activities is the Aguallueve (“Water rains”) route, a rock on which the water falls in the form of drops that make it look like rain. In winter it freezes being even more spectacular. Other points of interest are its medieval castle or the Torreón de San Cristóbal.

Frías, Burgos

Frías is located less than an hour from Miranda de Ebro, next to the Montes Obarenes-San Zadornil Natural Park.

The most striking thing about Frías is its castle perched on a rock that rises above the highest part of the town. In the surroundings of the castle is the Parroquia de San Vicente Mártir of Romanesque style. At about 15 minutes walking, you will find the Ebro river. A bridge also Romanesque crosses it and, on one of its banks, you can enjoy a recreational area and a bathing area.

In addition to walking through its cobbled streets, walks along the Ebro are a beautiful activity to soak up the beauty of its surroundings.

Potes, Cantabria

In the west of Cantabria is Potes, a town with cobbled streets and stone houses crossed by two rivers, the Quiviesa and the Deva. It is one of the most touristic towns in Cantabria and there are many things to do and see.

The old quarter is made up of the most charming streets of the town and they form a beautiful environment to walk around. The Church of San Vicente, the Torre del Infantado or the Convent of San Raimundo are its most visited places.

Nearby you can enjoy the Fuente Dé cable car, the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana or the Desfiladero de la Hermida.

With these five proposals we hope to encourage you to visit the towns of Spain, either to spend your next vacation or to get to know the rural charms.

Do you want to see the complete list of the most beautiful towns in Spain? Visit their website: https://www.lospueblosmasbonitosdeespana.org/pueblos-con-encanto.html

8 tips for organizing a trip to London

NULL

If London is your next travel destination or it is one of the options that you consider, in our post we give you eight tips to organize a trip to London and make the most of it. Take note!

1. Plan your route and your accommodation

For us this is the second step when starting to plan a trip. The first would be to buy the flights :). London has many tourist attractions, not only in the city center. Planning your visit in advance you will get the most out of your vacation time.

For a short weekend visit, in Westminster you will find things for a couple of days. So it may be a good idea to look for accommodation in the area and avoid traveling unless you want to see something outside the center.

For a longer trip you have more flexibility to decide what to see each day and where to stay. However, there are many things to do and to see. If you want to make the most of your trip, we recommend that you mark on a map what you want to see. Choose for each day 2-3 things that are nearby to spend the day in that same area. And not everything is seeing and visiting places of tourist interest. Enjoy the day to day of the city on the terrace of a cafe, having a pint in a pub or sitting in a park to rest.

Find cheap hotels in London:

Booking.com

2. London Pass

The London Pass is access to certain tourist attractions with a single card. Prices range from 79 Pounds for the 1-day adult pass to 201 Pounds for the 10-day pass. The pass includes visits to most of London's paid attractions such as Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London,…

Review the list of paid attractions you want to visit and calculate the price of tickets separately. It is possible that if you want to visit several things in 2-3 days, it will be much better to buy the pass with the included tickets.

Visit the London Pass website to see prices and attractions.

3. Free plans in London

In London there are many things to do for which you do not have to pay anything at all. The main museums are free and some of its main attractions are public, such as the markets of Camden, Portobello or Borough, Hyde Park, famous stages such as Trafalgar Square or Picadilly Circus,…

If you are interested in learning more, check out our post with 10 free things to do in London.

4. Excursions outside London

If you have one spare day, you can take advantage of it to get to know the surroundings of London such as Bath, Stonehenge, Oxford, Cambridge or Dover. In one day you can visit any of these places and many more as we told you in our post with 5 1-day excursions from London.

There are companies that organize them, some of them can be reached by public transport or you can rent a car to get there and go your own way

5. Transport in London

The best option for transport in London is to buy an Oyster Card. This card is a prepaid card that costs 5 Pounds that are refundable upon return. The trips you take cost half the usual rate and have a maximum spending limit per day and per area. So even if you exceed that maximum expense you will no longer pay more during the day.

The Oyster Card has a visitor version. It is ordered online and sent to your home. The price is 5 Pounds plus shipping and in this case, it is not refundable. The advantage is that you have discounts at restaurants and other tourist attractions. Check their website to see all available options.

6. European Health Card or travel insurance

For the time being and until changes are notified after Brexit, to travel to the United Kingdom and have free healthcare, you only must apply for the European Health Card. The card is free and is requested at INSS offices, by phone or online (in Spain).

This card covers travelers who are temporarily in another EU country with the same conditions that they would have in the public health service of their country. If you are traveling from January 2021, the current conditions of use of the European Health Card may be different.

This card does not cover assistance to private doctors or flight delays, loss or theft of luggage, etc. For this you must pay for a travel insurance with these coverages. Eurochange readers have a 5% discount on the IATI travel insurances. Click on the banner.

7. Currency exchange

To travel to London you will need to change your Euros to Pounds. At Eurochange you can make your exchange with the best rate and without commissions. Change the Euros you need before your trip and, on your return, you can change your leftover Pounds (the notes, not the coins) back to Euros.

In addition, don’t worry about the amount of Pounds to carry, since with our Buy Back Service you can return your leftover Pounds with the same rate your paid for them. Check the conditions of our Buy Back Service.

8. Must-have in the suitcase

We have already arrived at the suitcase so we assume that all of the above is under control.

It is surely not the first time that you hear that the weather in London is unpredictable. Well it's true. In the same day it can be sunny, airy, rainy and sunny again. So in your suitcase you should not miss an umbrella or raincoat and, in case you go in the summer, a jacket that will keep you warm in case it cools.

Another thing you should not forget is a power adapter. For about 10 or 15 Euros you can buy multiple adapters that will serve you for almost all countries in the world. Get one of them and always carry it in the suitcase.

Traveling to London after Brexit

As of the date of this post, the United Kingdom is already outside the European Union, but the regulations that will regulate tourist traffic between them have not yet been established. To date you can travel with your Spanish ID, but we recommend that you prepare the Passport just in case. It never hurts to carry two documents and leave one of them in the accommodation.

As of January 1, 2021, the new regulations with the corresponding changes are expected to be in progress.

Are you missing something else to prepare your perfect trip to London? Have a good trip!

10 free things to do in London

Ten free things to do in London

After reading our post "How many Pounds should I bring to London?" (where we help define a budget to travel to London for a week), many clients ask us if traveling to London is expensive. While it is true that there are other European capitals where prices are much cheaper, London also offers plenty of free activities. So in our post today we give you a list of 10 things to do in London totally free.

1. Big Ben and Parliament of London

Big Ben is the emblem of the city of London. It is one of the most photographed spots, if not the most, and thousands of tourists a year pose from Westminster Bridge to have their snapshot next to Big Ben (with a bit of luck with a typical red double-decker bus passing). Next to it stands the British Parliament Building. This sight is one of the must see on a trip to London.

2. British Museum

Entry to the British Museum is free. You only have to pay for some temporary events or exhibitions. The museum's collection is amazing and reviews all civilizations: ancient Egypt, classical Greece, pre-Columbian cultures, the Middle East and the Far East… It is worth the visit and get lost in its rooms to witness history of humanity.

3. Hyde Park

Hyde Park is the largest park in central London, where tourists and locals find entertainment and relaxation. One of the options is to have a picnic in the park, sit on a sunny day and enjoy the tranquility. You can also stroll and visit its sources and monuments such as the Diana of Wales Memorial or the Wellington Arch that is next to the southwest entrance of the park. Other activities, these not free, are renting a rowboat or a skate, renting a bike, eating in one of its cafes or, in hot months, enjoying its urban beach.

4. Changing the Guard

The changing of the guard is a ceremony staging the end of a shift and the beginning of the new shift of Buckingham Palace guards. The ceremony starts at 10:30 and in total lasts about 45-50 minutes. The changing of the Guard is not celebrated every day and not every day it is accompanied by a music band. On its website you can check dates and times dates and times.

5. Tower Bridge

After Big Ben we would say that the Tower Bridge is the second most visited and photographed place in the city. It is a tilting bridge that rises to make way for river traffic, although today it is not as common as it was on the date of its construction in the 19th century. The internal access is not free, you have to pay about 10 Pounds for the entrance and you can see the process of its construction and understand how its mechanism works. But without a doubt, seeing it from the outside is already an experience. On their website they publish the times that the bridge rises to make way for ships.

6. Tate Modern

The Museum of Modern Art in London is known as Tate Modern. Admission is free and you can see works by the most famous modern artists in the world, from Monet to Andy Warhol, including Dalí, Picasso, Matisse and Miró. On the tenth floor of the building there is a panoramic platform to enjoy the views.

7. Sky Garden

A free alternative to the London Eye is the Sky Garden. From this rooftop garden of the building known to Londoners as the Walkie Talkie you can have a beautiful view over the city. Admission is free, but you must make a prior reservation on its website, since seating is limited to avoid crowds. In addition to the views that you can contemplate from the closed room or from the outdoor walkway, there are spaces to have a drink or to sit for a while among the plants that make up its wonderful interior garden.

8. Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is a square in central London that commemorates the British naval victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Every year on October 21 a parade is held for this reason. In addition, the square has been a meeting point for demonstrations and celebrations since its construction. In the square stands out the column on which is the statue of Horatio Nelson (admiral who died in battle) guarded by four bronze lions.

Museum of London - 10 free things to do in London — Photo from:
www.museumoflondon.org.uk

9. London Museum

To know the history of the soil you are treading on, nothing better than a visit to the London Museum. In its exhibition, a journey through the history of the city is made from the first settlements by the river to the present day, passing through the Roman Londinium, the medieval period, the Civil War, the Great Fire or the Victorian period. A perfect visit to delve into history in a very entertaining way.

10. Picadilly Circus

Another of the emblematic places of the city is Picadilly Circus. This intersection of streets crowded with fashion and technology stores is famous for its advertising screens (which were posters a few years ago). It is a bustling place, full of people and cars almost at all hours. But it is the perfect place to do your shopping as the main fashion stores are located on nearby Regent Street. They say that if you sit at the Shaftesbury Fountain for an hour you find someone you know.

Aside from this selection, there are more museums and more free activities to do in London. So don't worry if you're not traveling on a big budget, since you can do a lot of things without spending a Pound. In addition, just strolling through streets surrounded by victorian houses, through the City or contemplating the thousands of monuments that the city hides, it will have been worth it.

Are you traveling on a tight budget?

At Eurochange we make the exchange from Euros into Pounds with the best market rate. Just buy them on our website and we will send your Pounds to your home or you can pick them up at one of our offices. Get more Pounds for your Euros so you can enjoy your vacation more.

Are you looking for more things to do in London?

Find the best activities and discounted tickets at Get Your Guide.

5 things to do in the Aquitaine region (France)

Five things to do in Aquitanie, France

In our post today, one of our traveler fellows, Javi, tells us about his experience visiting the southwest of France and he recommends 5 things to do in the historic region of Aquitaine.

I didn’t know very well where to go during my summer holidays, places with many people, very expensive places, heat,… But I decided to try and check if those good comments I had heard about it where true. That’s teh reason I spent my holidays in the region of New Aquitaine in France. New Aquitaine is located in the southwest of France whose capital is Bordeaux. Well, here is my personal recommendation in case you decide to visit this Gallic region.

1. Bordeaux, the capital of Aquitaine

Only 1 hour and a quarter from Alicante airport (a few minutes or so from other airports in Spain) is Bordeaux, the capital of the Aquitaine region. The essentials of Bordeaux: Lose yourself among its narrow streets full of bars, take a stroll along the Garonne river (river along which the city grew), visit its monuments such as the Cathedral of Bordeaux, the Place de la Bourse or the Place de Quinconces and have a good Bordeaux wine in one of its charming terraces.

2. Dunes of Pilat

About 70 kilometers southwest of Bordeaux is this wonder of nature that is one of the most visited natural areas in France. You cannot leave without seeing the Dunes of Pilat. What's more, I think that once in a lifetime everyone should go see this beauty. On one side is the Atlantic Ocean, on the other a natural site and, in the middle, these dunes more than 100 meters high and more than 3 kilometers long.

3. La Roque-Gageac and Sarlat

Just over 200 km east of Bordeaux are these two charming medieval villages in the Dordogne River basin. They are two towns with streets and stone houses very well maintained that are the great tourist attraction of the area. La Roque-Gegeac is well known for its canoe trips on the Dordogne River and Sarlat has one of the most picturesque historical centers in France as you can see in the Place de la Liberté. The kilometers of round trip are compensated with these two places and allow you to know the landscapes of the region.

4. Beaches and wind

Near the Dunes of Pilat begin the vast beaches of Aquitaine where you can practice surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing or any other activity that requires wind. This characteristic turns these beaches into leisure and sports areas. You can also see the WWII bunkers in Soulac-sur-Mer. They are beaches with a long history, now clean and fine like few in the world.

5. Bordeaux wine

Even if you are not a wine lover, as is my case, it is always interesting to visit the wineries where this worldwide famous wine, Bordeaux, is made. E.g., at the Château Sainte Barbe, about 20 kilometers north of Bordeaux, you can take a view that goes through the vineyards to see the method of growing the grapes, passes through the cellar and ends in the tasting room where their wines are tasted. Tasting some of its varieties will remain on the palate and in your mind forever.

We hope these recommendations will help you if you have the city of Bordeaux and its surroundings on your list of upcoming destinations.

6 travel books to dream

Six travel books that will make you dream

At these times when the world, air traffic and holiday plans are suspended and as a commemoration of Book Day on April 23, today we want to offer you a compilation of 6 books about travel that will invite you to dream of your next adventure.

Senderos de libertad (Paths of Freedom), Javier Moro (Spanish)

In this book Javier Moro relates the fight for the defense of the Amazon jungle through the life of Chico Mendes and the assassin who murdered him. It is a story of struggle to preserve the nature and way of life of indigenous peoples against fierce capitalism and political interests. And all this related on the stage of the largest jungle in the world, with its vastness and its inhabitants who continue to fight today to maintain their identity and customs.

Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer

Christopher McCandless' story became famous in 2007 with the premiere of the movie of the same name starring Emile Hirsch. McCandless was an American adventurer looking for a simple life where he could fend for himself by living off the earth's resources. He traveled through various states as a nomad until he began his adventure in Alaska. The author collects part of McCandless' diary in the book along with testimonies of those who had contact for the last time.

Wild, Cheryl Strayed

In Wild, the writer Cheryl Strayed tells her story. How she decided to embark on the adventure of traveling 1800km of the more than 4000 that make up the Pacific Crest Trail after a bad time in which several negative events occur. The novel was also made into a movie with the same title in 2014 starring Reese Witherspoon. This is a fantastic insider's journey through one of North America's most iconic and spectacular trails.

La Aventura de viajar (The Adventure of travelling), Javier Reverte (Spanish)

Javier Reverte is a writer, journalist and traveler who narrates his travels in this book since he was a child fascinated by the adventure of traveling, going through his multiple trips for his job as a correspondent, until he found himself a chain traveler who cannot abandon the adventure he longed for as a child. In this book you will go through his most extraordinary journeys through his memories.

A walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson

If we traveled one of the most beautiful trails on the Pacific coast of North America in Wild, in this book Bill Bryson walks one of the most impressive on the East Coast: the Appalachian Trail. In his book he tells with his characteristic acid humor, his experience on the road accompanied by his friend Katz. Both without enough preparation or equipment for this adventure. It was also adapted to the big screen in 2015 starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte.

La vuelta al mundo de Lizzy Fogg (Around the world with Lizzy Fogg), Elisabeth G. Iborra (Spanish)

The author narrates in these books her adventures traveling the world alone. In her books she makes a tour of more than 30 countries in which she tells in a fresh and close way the experiences she lives until she makes the reader feel that he is accompanying her during her wonderful trip around the world. In the second part of the book, the author focuses more on the difficulties or more conflictive situations she experienced, but always trying to leave a good taste in her mouth so that the reader continues to feel like traveling the world.

With this you already have reading for a few weeks. Keep your adventurous spirit alive, we are surely preparing our next trip before we know it.

Are there any other books that have motivated you on your travels? Tell us!

Customer care phone number

Email

Hours of attention

Frequent questions

Questions by category

Currently Viewing Posts in travels