Just a few miles off the coast of Miami Beach, Florida, is the exclusive Fisher Island, known as the residential retreat for wealthy Americans. Until the mid twentieth century this island belong to the Vanderbilt family, who used as a winter residence. Today the population of Fisher island has risen to five hundred people. Being in close proximity to the famous Miami beaches, Fisher Island enjoys the same exquisite weather and conditions, only with significantly less people. There are stunning beaches to enjoy as well as fantastic views of the ocean from the intriguing landscape. Arguably the main attraction on Fisher Island is the Fisher Island Club, which is an exclusive club boasting top class facilities including a golf course, tennis courts, a marina and a spa amongst various other features. The dining facilities here are five star quality, with the views from the restaurants truly incredible. Travel from Miami Beach to Fisher Island is only available via private boat or ferry. The ferry journey to Fisher Island from Miami Beach only takes seven minutes and runs twenty four hours a day. Departures occur every fifteen minutes from a specific terminal just down the road from Miami Beach. You will ...

Due to its sheltered position, Chalong Bay has evolved into the main boat harbour (and scuba diving centre) on Phuket. Here are some of the wonderful destinations you reach from here in the morning, then be back by the evening to enjoy a sundowner cocktail. Lon Island (or Koh Lon) lies only 20 minutes from Chalong Bay. It is where the majority of the Muslim community of the southern islands live, and is famed for beautiful beaches. Coral Island (or Koh Hae) is another little stunner with three fabulous beaches, crystalline waters and lush, tropical interior. It lies on the threshold of Phang Nga Bay national park, one of the most breathtaking seascapes in the world. The islets of Phi-Phi were one of the worst hit in the terrible tsunami of 2004 and although re-building has been swift, that should be good enough reason to visit this beautiful location and support the local economy. Phi Phi offers wonderful scuba diving and snorkelling and fine white sandy beaches. One of them was used as location for the ultimate paradise-lost film ‘The Beach’. Koh Racha are actually two islands; Koh Racha Yai and Koh Racha Noi (meaning ‘big’ and ‘little’). Closest to ...

The closely-knit nature of the seven United Arab Emirates, makes day and weekend tripping feasible. A network of buses (called Emirates Express) connects Dubai with all major cities in the UAE as do budget airlines such as FlyDubai. Whichever way you go, you’ll have amazing views of the desert terrain that blankets the Gulf States along the way. Sharjah is the third largest city in the UAE (after Dubai and Abu Dhabi) but with the largest mosque—the King Faisal Mosque. Slightly rough around the edges yet charming all the same, Sharjah is located less than an hour away from Dubai by bus. Major attractions include the Fort of Sharjah (dating from 1820), the Islamic Museum and a Children’s Farm at the Sharjah Desert Park. Muscat, the capital of Oman (so not part of the UAE but on the extreme east of the peninsula) is another great option though flying is the best way to get there (FlyDubai have a regular service, as does Emirates from Sharjah’s airport). Attractions in Muscat include the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (the third largest in the world and open to non-Muslims) the Al Jalali and Al Mirani forts and the charming Corniche quarter. Afterwards ...

Prague is a wonderful city steeped in history and historical buildings but during your Prague holiday you may wish to go further afield and visit some of the nearby treasures Czechoslovakia has to offer. KARLSTEJN CASTLE & TOWN A trip to Karlstejn Castle is about 45 minutes by train from Prague. It is a majestic castle that was built in the 14th century and well-worth visiting for a day. When you arrive at the castle there is a choice of the 50-minute tour or a 70-minute tour, the latter requires booking in advance. Apart from the castle, Karlstejn town has a good choice of places in which to eat and drink and there is a fine selection of shops. There is also a golf course. KARLOVY VARY Karlovy Vary is a spa town that has been renowned for its curative hot springs since the 14th century. The simplest way to get to Karlovy Vary is the express coach which leaves from Florenc bus station and takes about 2.5 hours. When you reach Karlovy Vary there is much to see although most of it is focussed on the hot springs. Make sure to visit some of the wonderful churches and the local museum. ...

There is a wonderful choice of day trips that can be taken during your Florence holiday, whether travelling by car or by public transport. Here is an un-exhaustive list of day trips you can easily take from Florence: CASTELLO DI VERRAZZANO For example, Castello di Verrazzano is about an hour’s drive from Florence through delightful scenery. The first sight of the castello is its silhouette which rises up above the horizon and welcomes you to one of Tuscany’s most charming and traditional wineries, where you can taste the wine and take a tour. LUCCA The walled city of Lucca which is protected on three sides by mountains and original defensive walls. In the heart of the town is a Roman racetrack that is now the central market square where you will find the town’s magnificent cathedral. Lucca is a beautiful place to visit and the Palazzo Ducale is definitely worth a tour as it is rumoured that Napoleon Bonaparte stayed there. During your visit to Lucca, you could also visit one or two of the local grand villas which were once home to some of the region’s most noble families. SIENA Located on a hill to the south of Florence is the remarkable city ...

New York City is such an exciting place that it is possible to find new things to do every day of a long holiday. But, sometimes the sky high buildings can feel oppressive and getting out for a day trip can be totally refreshing. The choice of day trips is impressive and below are listed some of the most popular. NEW YORK DAY TRIP: BELMONT PARK RACE TRACK Belmont Park race track is a superb way to spend a day outside of New York. It is set in 430 acres in Belmont, New York State and has two seasons. The first race season in 2009 lasts for 64 days and is from April 29 until June 26 and the autumn season is from September 11 until October 25. NEW YORK DAY TRIP: NIAGARA FALLS A day trip from New York City to Niagara Falls may seem a little ambitious but there are day trips that leave from Midtown Manhattan, take you to LaGuardia Airport and fly you up to Buffalo. From the airport there is a guided tour of the Niagara Falls and a ride on the Maid of the Mist boat. Once you have seen all there is to see of the ...

Sorrento is a delightful city with wonderful orange groves and spectacular cliffs looking out over the Bay of Naples to the north and, on a clear day, you can see the Vesuvius. But why not take a break from your Sorrento holiday rental and visit Capri for a day? GETTING TO CAPRI FROM SORRENTO A trip to the island of Capri can be taken by hydrofoil or ferry. From Sorrento town centre take a taxi or a bus down the steep twisting road to Porta Marina Piccola where you can buy a one-way ticket for Capri. The journey by hydrofoil takes about twenty minutes. Do not buy a return ticket as you may wish to return by ferry (or stay in a Capri hotel!), especially if the sea is a bit choppy, and there are no special deals for buying a roundtrip ticket in advance. The ferry ride takes longer than the hydrofoil but it is much more comfortable and one hydrofoil journey in a day, unless the sea is like glass, is usually enough. ABOUT CAPRI When you arrive at Capri in the Marina Grande you will discover an enchanting, romantic island that has been a luxury getaway since the days of ...

All roads lead to Rome and all trains too. Therefore, travelling from Rome for a day trip is usually very easy. For example, fifty minutes by express train from Rome’s Ostiense Station and you are in the fortified town of Tarquinia; 1 hour and a half by train and you will be able to admire the treasures of Florence. ROME TO TARQUINIA Tarquinia sits atop rocky cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean and is a fascinating medieval town, with a swimming beach. Worth visiting here is the Monterozzi: 6,000 graves carved into the rock that are complemented by beautiful frescoes. Also within the town is the Tarquinia National Museum which exhibits a couple of winged horses that were originally part of the town’s temple. ROME TO FLORENCE One of Italy's main art cities, the beautiful Florence, is only 1 and 1/2 hours by train. There are many trains leaving everyday from Termini station straight to Santa Maria Novella station in the center of Florence. Make sure you visit the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries. If you wish to stay longer in Florence Holiday Velvet has many holiday apartments in Florence. ROME TO BRACCIANO About an hour by train from Rome’s Termini Station is the village ...

Snow-capped mountains lie between Positano and Pompeii and so by road the only route from Positano to Pompeii is along the coast road heading west. It’s a wonderful, picturesque route so it is worth taking your time and enjoying the journey. GETTING TO POMPEII BY RENTAL CAR When you reach San Pietro, turn right and follow the signs for Sorrento. You will travel through delightful villages and will eventually come to a ‘T’ junction. To the left will be a sign to Sant Agnello and to the right a sign for Meta di Sorrento. Turn right onto the SS145 and follow the road through Meta and along the coast, through Seiano, and back on the coast again until you enter the southern suburbs of Pompeii. Continue on the SS145 and eventually you will see the main A3 Autoroute pass above your car. Join the A3 Autoroute heading north and within a few hundred metres turn right off the autoroute and straight ahead you will see the historic ruins of Pompeii. GETTING TO POMPEII BY BUS If you do not have a car then there is a SITA bus that goes from Positano to Sorrento. Ask for the Sorrento Circumvesuviana Train Station and catch ...

The capital of France is ideally located to take in much of what makes France such a wonderful country to visit. From the beaches of Normandy to the Chateaux of the Loire Valley and France's horse-racing hub in Chantilly, there are many easy day trips you could do from Paris. BEACHES OF NORMANDY Taking the train to Caen from Gare St. Lazare, is a superb way of getting a snapshot of the Normandy beaches and understanding their role in the D-Day landings. Remnants of the artificial harbour that was towed over in sections from England still exists at Arromanches, where there is also the Musee du Debarquement which recounts and honours the men who fought in June 1944. THE LOIRE VALLEY CHATEAUX Surrounding Paris, there are many remarkable chateaux many, of which, were ransacked during the French Revolution. Today, they are well looked after and ensure a day away from Paris to remember. If you take one of the Loire Valley tours it’s an early departure from the railway station in Paris Montparnasse to the city of Tours. From Tours it is possible to visit up to three stunning-looking chateaux. These are: 1. Chateau D’Azay-le-Rideau was constructed in the early years of ...