An annual holiday is always something to look forward to, but it’s good to treat yourself in between those holiday periods as well. One way to do this is by booking a weekend break - and the possibilities for what you can do are endless.



First of all, think about whether you would like to relax and unwind: somewhere quiet and peaceful, or whether you would prefer to de-stress by taking part in an outdoor activity like boating or mountain biking, for example. Your answer to this question should give you some ideas on what kind of location would be best for you.



You don’t have to go that far a-field to get away from it all either. In fact, when you are spending a weekend away you don’t want to be travelling for hours to get to your destination. Pick somewhere that is ideally not much more than a couple of hours away from your home. That way you can get an early start on Saturday and still enjoy the whole day - and on Sunday you won’t have to worry about leaving early to get home in time for a good night’s sleep before work the next day.



Once you’ve got an idea of the kind of area you’d like to visit, you’ll need to pre-book your accommodation for the night. Treat yourself to a nice hotel room that you can relax and unwind in after a day’s sightseeing. Most hotels will also be able to advise you of any particularly good places to visit in the area - giving you some ideas for how to spend Sunday.



The great thing about a weekend break is that you don’t need to take too much with you. A small overnight bag should be enough to hold everything you need; if you are planning on taking part in any activities you can always hire any equipment that’s required.



You can also organise a surprise break for your partner if you wish. It’s a wonderful way to de-stress and spend some quality time together. Try and choose an area you would both enjoy, and that has a wide range of sights and activities to enjoy, depending on what mood you are both in.



To make the most of your weekend break, you can take the Friday off from work - or at least finish early - so you can get to your destination and spend two nights there instead of one. You can then spend the evening enjoying a nice meal or going to the cinema to see a film, safe in the knowledge you still have two whole days to enjoy.



In short, a weekend away can keep you going until your next big holiday comes around. It doesn’t need to cost much and the benefits you will gain from it can be better than you think.

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It’s impossible to visit France and not to attend one of the main attractions of the French capital - the Louvre. The biggest and the most famous world museum was opened to public on August 10, 1793. Before that it used to be a private museum available only to the elite of the court. The palace, where the museum is situated, is more than 800 years old, being initially a fortress of Philip Augustus. Today there is a special exhibition devoted to this page of the museum history. Works of all historical epochs and art currents (up to the XIX century) are represented in the Louvre. The Italian collection, which is considered to be the best outside the limits of Italy, has always attracted connoisseurs, tourists and artists from all over the world.

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A Trip to the Past With Palenque
By Tatyana Kogut

The south of Mexico is the cradle of Maya civilization – one of the greatest cultures in human history. Born 3 thousand years ago, it is surrounded with historical mysteries and legends. But the most wonderful thing is that this world is still alive. Meeting with Maya means a travel to the past. The first place to get to know Maya is Uxmal. Then we advise you a travel to Palenque – a wonderful site. One of the main local attractions is the Temple of Inscriptions where in 1952 there was a true treasure found – Maya temple. The temple is one of the oldest Maya erections, preserved in its primeval state. There is also a Palace situated opposite the temple. The palace is adorned with ancient bas reliefs and stone carvings.

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Costa Rica - Natural Attractions
By Tatyana Kogut

Costa Rica is a resort country with a total of 74 resorts located on its territory. Lush greenery, mountains and ocean – that’s what you should come here for. The country’s main attractions are: national resorts, mountains and underwater caves, waterfalls, picturesque valleys and volcanoes. More than 25% of the country’s territory are occupied by government-protected natural parks.

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According to economists, there are five principal reasons for the East Asian currency Crisis or IMF of July 1997 that caused a period of economic unrest and turmoil in Southeast Asian financial markets. The countries that were mainly affected during the crisis included Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and South Korea. Inadequate foreign exchange reserves, improper handling of fund allocations and inadequately developed financial sectors in the developing Asian countries have been held as the prime reasons for the drop in the local currency exchange rates against the US dollar during the period.

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Your lodging choice and choice of vacation deals can be a very important facet of your vacation. Finding that right hotel for you and your family can help to make your vacation fun and memory filled. You will find a great deal of variety in hotels in the United States and finding the right hotel and the best hotel for you will help you to enjoy your vacation even more.

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Thailand’s economy has always been an export-driven economy and existed as a decentralized free enterprise. All the Thai governments have favored an open investment pattern, emphasizing on creating a favorable market for attracting huge foreign direct investments. In the early 1980s and during 1990s, Thai economy was one of the fastest growing economies in the world recording an average growth rate of 9 percent all this crashed during the July 1997 Asia economic crash.

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Japan offers a wide range of accommodation options, but nothing is as quirky as a capsule hotel. The first capsule hotel opened in Osaka in 1979 and they can now be found in major cities across Japan. The capsule hotel idea has not taken off anywhere else though which makes for a unique Japanese accommodation experience.

Upon arrival you take your shoes off, as you would in a Japanese home, and place them into a shoe locker at the front entrance. Hand the locker key to reception and once you are done with check in formalities you are given another locker key attached to a wristband. The number on your wristband is your locker number and capsule number.

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There is so much bombardment of advertising on which airline is offering the lowest fares and why you should use their services to book your travel. However, it all comes down to where you can book lower travel and be able to get good customer service with your purchase.

Years ago you would go into a brick and mortar travel agency to book your travel, but the Internet has taken over the face of travel today. What this means is that you no longer are able to sit face to face with someone or make that last minute phone call to get more details. Only a few online travel agencies offer their customers the added phone service. “Book your travel and forget it,” seems to be the mantra for most online travel agencies. In other words, you are on your own after you make that online purchase.

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I’m an offbeat tourist. I try not to do as the other tourists do and not to go where the others go. I do not try to show-off or something like that. I just leave many places that are considered to be a must-visit behind. That is all.

For instance, I haven’t been to the Louvre. It’s not a reason for pride and it’s not a cause for regret. I just didn’t want to race through the halls making short stops near three points (Nike, Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa). This museum is worth being admired for a long time, which I didn’t really have. But I do hope to come to Paris again…

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