Bulgaria ancient treasures, current events and great value

Anthony reports on Bulgaria and an extraordinary memorial garden created by a Queen for herself and meets up with two famous footballers…

The English seaside

Photographer Peter Williams celebrates the peculiar eccentricities and quintessential charms – from helter-skelters to lighthouses, pirates, palmists and Punch and Judy – of this cherished and rapidly changing English landscape

Cambodia: the comeback kid

The years of fear and loathing are over: Cambodia has been catapulted onto the world stage as a tourist destination and is slowly rebuilding for the future. Andy Booth, owner of travel company ABOUTAsia whose profits support the education of children in rural Cambodia, gives us the local low-down on the country’s capital: Siem Reap

Doing St Patrick’s Day in Dublin

Dublin will be going green on St Patrick’s Day. Expect parades, parties and lots of fun , writes Megan Gates

Big Apple beckons Brits away from event filled summer

New York is the most searched for holiday destination by Brits looking to get away during the Diamond Jubilee long weekend and the three weeks of summer sports according to travel search site, Kayak

Reduced VAT on Hotel Stays?

VAT is charged on nearly everything. And when you stay at a hotel 17.5% is payable by the hotel to the tax coffers. It is a uniform tax payable wherever you are in our countries unlike the United States where taxes vary state by state. But In France, the VAT on visiting attractions is only 5.5% and from the beginning of 2010, Germany will only charge hotels 7% VAT instead of the normal 19%.

Now 40 British M.P’s have signed a motion calling on our government to cut the VAT that accommodation providers and attractions pay.

Changing Suitcases Saves Money

Now that no-frills airlines like Ryanair and easyJet charge you for placing luggage in the hold, people are looking for ways to save money on all the extra things that make a cheap fare, expensive. Many experts felt that customers would just put up with it but now comes evidence from a US company that suggests this may not be the case (no pun intended!). Suitcase.com is an American retail company which sells any variety of different types of bags and cases. It asked 21,000 people about their luggage purchasing habits and it has thrown up some interesting results.
Now Americans have had to put up with all these extra charges for longer than we have and even have to pay for luggage on the main carriers as well.