Travel News

With a fascinating past and a glorious present, the Hotel Adlon Kempinski is one of Berlin's most sought-after hotels.

In a prime location opposite the Brandenburg Gate, the stunning hotel dates back many years, but was burnt down in 1945.

Rebuilt in 1997, it still retains much of its previous charm in a modern and sophisticated setting, as well as reproductions from the original building such as the lobby's stained-glass dome.

Each room is classically decorated in sumptuous colours and patterns and is characterised by its attention to detail.

The movie "Grand Hotel" starring Greta Garbo was filmed here and guests will feel like part of the movie star elite as they relax using the hotel's many facilities, including a Roman-style health spa, pool, sauna and beauty salon.

Fantastic food can be enjoyed at the Lorenz Adlon, a Michelin-starred French gourmet restaurant

The Brandenburg Gate is the last remaining of a series of gates that used to be mark the entrance to enter Berlin. It is situated next to the Reichstag and was built in the late 18th century at the behest of King Friedrich Wilhelm II.

The UK has something to offer all tourists as a country steeped in history with a huge range of attractions, according to a travel expert.

Stephen Dowd of UKinbound said that people from all over the world visit the UK for a number of reasons, but drew attention to "our history, our culture and the sheer variety of things we have in this country".

He added that there is "something here for everyone" and highlighted the growing popularity of the country's secondary cities including Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham.

According to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, of the places affiliated with the organisation, Blackpool Pleasure Beach was the most popular tourist destination in the UK in 2007, followed by the Natural History Museum in London.

Five-and-a-half million people hit the beach-based fairground in the north of England last year, while over three-and-a-half million visited the South Kensington museum.

An exhibition never before seen in London is coming to the capital in May.

Guido Mocafico's Nature Morte photography exhibition, a collaboration between Bernheimer Fine Art Photography and Hamiltons Gallery, will be run from May 15th until June 18th.

The display includes recent photographic works by the internationally renowned photographers, all inspired by European old master paintings of the 17th century.

Hanging alongside eight original old master paintings at Colnaghi on Bond Street, will be seventeen of the photographers works, concentrating on three genres of still-life studies - banquet, floral and vanitas.

Mocafico successfully brings paintings from the past back to life, inspired by artists such as Floris van Dijck, Nicolaes van Veerendael and Abraham van der Schoor.

He has previously worked with V and Men's Vogue, as well as fashion designers Gucci, Bulgari, Armani and Hermes.

Colnaghi is one of Europe's oldest art galleries and specialises in old master paintings and drawings from the 15th to the 19th centuries.

Hof van Cleve in Belgium is renowned as one of the best restaurants in the world.

Offering a fantastic selection of luxurious cuisines in an idyllic farmhouse setting in Kruishoutem, the picturesque restaurant has been open as a gastronomic eatery since 1992.

Named after the former owner of the 19th-century farmhouse Mr van Cleve, the menu, which changes frequently, comprises exceptional refined European food, created under the expert watch of chef Peter Goossens.

Some of the dishes which are on the menu all year round include turbot with Belgian sevruga, leek stoemp and lager beer sauce.

And the food is not all that's on offer here, with a wine cellar boasting around 1,250 bottles.

The venue has deservedly been awarded with three Michelin stars and currently stands at number 14 in the Restaurant Review's list of the San Pellegrino's world's best restaurants.

Kruishoutem is located in the Flemish province of East Flanders.

In a prime location on top of the Spanish Steps, the Hotel Hassler is one of Rome's most exquisite hotels.

Boasting such a coveted location, it's no surprise that visitors flock to this stunning classically decorated hotel.

The deluxe room offers a balcony over the Piazza di Spagna, but all the rooms are beautifully decorated in a Baroque style, with gorgeous furniture, which although grand still adds to a homely feel.

All rooms are fairly spacious with sophisticated bathrooms, complete with all the luxury freebies one would expect in somewhere of this calibre.

Facilities include a gym, a panoramic restaurant, a sumptuously decorated tea lounge, a bar and an outdoor bar in the summer, set amongst the lovely, relaxing gardens.

The Spanish Steps were built between 1723 and 1725 to link the Bourbon Spanish Embassy to the Holy See and comprise 138 steps. The Piazza di Spagna is home to the early Baroque fountain, La Fontana della Barcaccia.