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Ireland’s Best Festivals

The Irish have a well-deserved reputation for being a fun-loving bunch. Renowned worldwide for their party attitude and witty repartee (locally known as ‘craic’) it’s no wonder that 34.5 million Americans claim to have Irish ancestry. Whether that’s wishful thinking or perfectly accurate, one thing’s for certain: if you’ve booked flights to Ireland you’re bound to have a good time. And what better way than to party like a local at some of Ireland’s top festivals?

St Patrick’s Festival
If you really want to celebrate Ireland’s biggest party, forget Chicago and New York: find yourself some flights to Dublin. Nowhere in the world celebrates Ireland’s patron saint like the Irish themselves, and with over 4000 performers taking part in street theatre, treasure hunts, nighttime extravaganzas and more you’re bound to have your breath taken away this March. Don’t miss the world famous St Patrick’s Day parade at the culmination of the festival on March 17th.

The Cat Laughs
If there’s one thing the Irish are known for, it’s for their sense of humour. It’s no wonder, then, that Kilkenny is home to one of the world’s best comedy festivals: The Cat Laughs. Featuring local and international comics, the Cat Laughs festival takes place over the June bank holiday. This year festival goers can expect shows from Sarah Millican, Ardal O’Hanlon, and Greg Davies.

Festival of World Cultures
Held each July in the port town of Dún Laoghaire, the Festival of World Cultures aims to educate and inform whilst promoting cultural diversity. Join in with workshops, sample international foods, listen to world music, and have a generally cracking time. The festival attracts over 250,000 people each year, and the majority of exhibitions are free.

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann
Aiming to set standards in traditional Irish music, the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (Festival of Music in Ireland) has been showcasing the best of Irish music through competitions since 1951. Like the Olympics, competitors qualify from county, provincial, and national levels to be named the best in their game. Concerts, ceilidhs and street sessions accompany the contests which can run into the wee hours of the morning.

Cork Jazz Festival
One of the top three jazz festivals in the world, the Cork Jazz Festival attracts around 40,000 visitors each October bank holiday. During the festival, jazz musicians perform in local bars and clubs as well as in exclusive concerts; the perfect backing for enjoying a pint of Guinness.

Affordable City Break Destinations This Spring

Travelers looking for affordable vacation options this spring have viable options in several different European cities as well as in Turkey. According to recent research of top vacation sites, the most affordable large cities for romantic breaks include places like Lisbon, Portugal; Krakow, Poland; Istanbul, Turkey; and smaller cities, such as San Sebastian, Spain. All of these cities are highly praised for the romantic nature of their tourist attractions, many of which center around their diverse and fascinating histories.

Lisbon: romantic strolls along the Avenida da Liberdade

The capital of Portugal has been rated as the top value-for-money destination this spring, in part because of the excellent bargains to be had and also because the climate is excellent and the city is quite safe for tourists. One thing that makes Lisbon perfect for romantic breaks for couples is the lush architecture to be found along the Avenida da Liberdade, where couples can see buildings from every major period of European history, right up to post-Modernism.

San Sebastian: romantic restaurants

Situated in the Basque region of northern Spain, San Sebastian demonstrates that small cities are also affordable options for spring travel. A short drive from the French border, San Sebastian lies alongside the picturesque Bay of Biscay. Couples on a romantic break will particularly appreciate the dining opportunities here; San Sebastian has a surprising number of Michelin-starred restaurants dotting the landscape.

Krakow: romance in art

The best travel value in Eastern Europe is to be found in the city of Krakow, located in southern Poland. Here tourists on a budget can enjoy more than 25 different museums, including the Czartoryski Museum, where works by great masters such as Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt can be admired by couples on a romantic break. The National Art Collection, situated at the Wawel, where three dynasties of Polish kings lived, is a repository of not just paintings but also fine furniture and magnificent Flemish tapestries.

Istanbul: romance by the sea

Affordable city breaks are also available in Istanbul, where couples on vacation will never want for interesting activities both day and night. Known as Constantinople for much of its history, Istanbul was the capital of the eastern half of the Roman Empire, which means ample ruins for couples to explore hand in hand. Spring is a particularly good time to visit Istanbul because the city’s high humidity levels can make the summer season seem too hot for some visitors. In the spring, couples on vacation will enjoy more moderate temperatures, yet the weather is still warm enough to permit a romantic swim in the Sea of Marmara.

Finding the best city break deals

The best way to find affordable travel deals to these and other romantic cities is to search for cheap tickets online. Couples on a budget should also keep in mind that package deals combining accommodations and plane tickets are another way to save money on a fabulous romantic break abroad. Online travel sites will often offer combination packages that make an exciting vacation much more affordable.

5 calling options when you’re travelling

Calling friends and family back home when you’re travelling is more affordable than ever and often even free. So with many options out there, which is best for providing you with clear quality and no hefty rates? Here is a rundown of the most used and reliable ways to call to and from abroad:

Calls from roaming can get quite expensive if you’re calling both locally and internationally. Depending on the country you’re in, your operator may or may not have an agreement with the local network, meaning the rates can be high or very high. The best way to avoid these costs is to stop using your phone while in roaming altogether. If roaming is your only option, have your friends call you – you will get charged a much lower rate per received call and your contact will pay the costs of a local call.

Calls from hotels can greatly vary in terms of rates, depending on the hotel you’re staying at. To make sure you won’t end up with an inflated bill, check at your hotel’s reception for the rates for local and international calls. If international calls are too pricey, get an international phone card and use the phone from your hotel room to access a local access number from your phone card provider. Local calls at hotels are usually free or rarely overcharged and phone card rates are sensibly lower than direct international calls.

Calls from payphones can be quite convenient, as long as you find the right phone card. When you don’t have a phone card with you or a working internet connection, payphones are the next best alternative for international calls. Exercise some caution when using payphones since the rates advertised can often come accompanied by some hidden rates such as a connection fee.

Call online is often free for PC-to-PC calls if you have a microphone, headphones and great internet speed. It’s especially useful when you’re in a similar timezone with your contacts, have the same app installed (e.g. Skype) and your hotel doesn’t overcharge you for an internet connection. When you’re the one with a PC and internet connection and you want to call landlines or mobiles, using a phone card is still an option. Some providers have apps that allow you to place calls to regular phones at some very low rates without needing an actual phone. For example, the PC-2-Phone app is a great tool for international calls.

Calls from smartphones are different from calls from mobiles since you have a mini-computer at your disposal. You can use a smartphone as a regular PC – install a calling app, connect to a 3G or Wi-Fi network and call your contacts without having to pay roaming fees. Many of the calling apps available on PCs or Mac are also available for your smartphone, offering free calls to other users that have the same app installed.

What is your go-to option for calling abroad?

KLM February Fares – London to US sale

From London Heathrow to US destinations with KLM

New York (NYC) From £395 return
Boston (BOS) From £414 return
Las Vegas (LAS) From £470 return
Orlando (ORL) From £417 return
Miami (MIA) From £444 return

All fares including taxes.

Book by: 16th February 2012 – Travel by: 31st March 2012

All fares are for economy return flights from London Heathrow via Amsterdam; except Las Vegas and Orlando which are via USA hubs and are operated by Delta. All fares include taxes and charges, and are subject to change and exchange rate variation.

KLM February Fares – London to US sale

Travel Deals: KLM