Topdeck Travel Blog

Festivals are all about celebrating and living life to the full. They mark the change of seasons, religious occasions, royal coronations, harvests and birthdays. But then again, sometimes they’re just an excuse for a good old-fashioned knees-up.

Europe’s festival circuit is one of the oldest, most famous and most diverse in the world. It includes food fights, lighting fires, running from animals, toasting with copious amounts of beer and celebrating the arts.

For visitors, festivals offer an invaluable opportunity to get up-close and personal with local cultures and share in a memorable travel experience by taking part in age old traditions.

The Fiesta de San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain (famous, or infamous, for Running of the Bulls) includes traditions that date back to 75BC.

Celebrations begin at midday on July 6 with a speech from the town’s mayor. After the speech, the mayor lets off a rocket signally the start of the festival.

For nine days, Pamplona is transformed into a loud, raucous non-stop street party with daily firework displays, bull runs (encierro) and the ever controversial bullfights.

Early Birds

If you’re looking to participate in one of the 8am bull runs, or just watch from the sidelines, you’re in for an early morning.

Spectators start claiming the best viewing spots from 5am and from 7am loud brass bands make their way through the crowd to make sure everyone stays awake!

Official San Fermin Uniform

What to Wear

One of the first things you’ll notice at the festival are the striking red scarves worn during the celebration in combination with white trousers and shirts. The scarves are worn in remembrance of Saint Fermin, the town’s first bishop, who became a martyr after he was beheaded in France.

So make sure you bring along a seat of white clothes (they wont stay white for long) or you can buy the complete outfit for €20-€50 once you get to the festival.

Closing Ceremony

Timing your trip to coincide with the festival’s Closing Ceremony you’re in for a treat!

After 204 hours of non-stop fiesta, the day begins with the daily bull-run at 8am followed by the usual parades and festivities in the lead up to final act - some of the finest evening street fiestas and fireworks you’ll ever witness!

Things officially wrap up at midnight on July 14, with party-goers each carrying a single candle and singing "Pobre de Mí, Pobre de Mí, que se han acabado las fiestas, de San Fermín" (“poor me, poor me, for the fiesta of San Fermín has come to a close”), but celebrations last well into the wee-small hours.

What next? Now it’s time for the locals to start counting down to next year’s festival!

Thinking of heading to Pamplona? Topdeck has several seats available on its 4 day trip leaving July 12.

Rule, Britannia! Britannia, rules the waves! 2012 is the unofficial year of all things British.

Thanks to the London Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee all eyes are firmly on the United Kingdom.  It’s enough to have you waving your Union Flag and cheering for Old Blighty in no time.

With that in mind there’s never been a better time to visit. If you’re already in London and have a bit of time to spare why not get out and explore with a bunch of great day trips to choose from.

For a traditional break you can’t get more British than a trip to the seaside or the country!

Brighton is one of the country’s most popular beachside resorts. Visit the Royal Pavilion, lounge on the beach and take in the fresh salty air or stroll along the pier complete with funfair rides, games and attractions. Grab some lunch at one of the many restaurants or keep it simple with some authentic British fish and chips.

Rolling hills, lush green fields and river valleys make the Cotswolds one of the most beautiful areas in England and the perfect slice of English country life.  Explore the great outdoors and finish with a pint in a cosy village pub.

Also within easy reach of London is the historic city of Cambridge, home to the world renowned English university. Visit the Tower of Saint Mary the Great and Trinity College Library and walk along the River Cam.

But the best way to soak up the atmosphere is to hire a punt and explore the river yourself – just be careful not to fall in!

Another impressive university town (and Cambridge’s historic rival) is the city of Oxford. Explore the many colleges and view the historic architecture of the city centre that makes Oxford so unique.

Just over an hour north from Oxford lies Stratford-upon-Avon, home to arguably the most famous writer in world - William Shakespeare. A popular tourist destination, you can visit the cottage that once belonged to Shakespeare’s wife, an excellent example of early English architecture, and gain an insight into how life was lived in Shakespearean times.

Pop back a little earlier in English history and we find ourselves in Hampton Court Palace, the impressive country retreat of King Henry VIII, father of Shakespeare’s contemporary ruler, Elizabeth I. Only twenty miles from London, the palace is home to magnificent buildings and gardens.

Sticking to the royal theme, a short drive away is Windsor, the weekend home of England's Royal Family, and the impressive Windsor Castle.

Originally built after the invasion of William the Conqueror, Windsor Castle is the longest-occupied palace in Europe and is still used by the Royal family today.

Going back even further in history, the World Heritage sites of Stonehenge and Bath are "must see" for anyone visiting the UK (check out Topdeck’s blog on Bath & Stonehenge for more about these breathtaking sites!).

Want to travel to another country for the day without the need for a visa or passport? Well, why not check out Wales! In the capital of Cardiff take in amazing views from the city’s Castle walls or visit the nearby Millennium stadium.

Just North of Cardiff lays the impressive medieval Caerphilly Castle. Built between 1268 and 1271, it is the second largest castle in the United Kingdom and is famous for its extensive water defences.

Phew! If that isn’t enough to inspire you to explore the UK I don’t know what is! With so much to see the hardest part will be deciding where to visit first!

Check out Topdeck’s extended UK & Ireland trips, Short Breaks and Daytrips to squeeze all you can out of your time in Britain.

Bustling markets, ancient ruins, beautiful cities and mouth watering food: Topdeck Travel's operations assistant Courtney experiences everything Turkey has to offer.

by Courtney Smith

As I prepared for my trip to Turkey I lost count of the friends and co-workers who raved about how much they loved Istanbul. I heard the culture and history was incredible, the people were friendly and the food was cheap and delicious. So naturally I stepped out of Ataturk Airport with some pretty high expectations! And yet, as my taxi cruised past the sparkling ocean and gardens overflowing with colourful tulips on that warm sunny April evening, my first moments in Istanbul still managed to blow me away.

I was lucky enough to spend six nights in Istanbul; three with my awesome Topdeck group and a further three of post-accommodation. This might seem like a lot of time, but there is just so much to see and do in this amazing city.

We gazed in awe at the stunning interior of the Blue Mosque, wandered the ancient architectural wonder turned museum Hagia Sophia, admired the picturesque gardens and bejewelled treasures of Topaki Palace, and ventured underground into the eerily beautiful ancient cistern.

We cruised down the Bosphorus Strait with Europe on our left and Asia on our right as waiters tempted us with delicious Turkish beer (“EFES? EFES!”).

We enjoyed a three-course Turkish feast and laughed as a belly-dancer got quite intimate with a fellow passenger, sampled shisha and watched our trip leader blow perfect smoke rings. Believe it or not this was all in the first 24 hours!

And there’s plenty to see in Turkey besides its magnificent capital.

The next day found us wandering the markets of Bursa which seemed to sell a bizarre combination of silk, fresh fruit, live birds, and children’s formalwear.

We ducked into a tiny kebab store, which was clearly not used to tourists, where our friendly waiter Yusef pulled up a chair and attempted to hold a lively conversation with us despite our total lack of a common language.

We got a delicious meal and a lot of laughs out of that encounter and Yusef got a photo with the ladies of the group which was going straight onto his Facebook (the one English word he knew).

Turkey is also scattered with incredible ancient Greek and Roman ruins. We took a trip from the seaside town of Kusadasi to visit Ephesus where we marvelled at the Library of Celcus and saw perhaps the world’s first advertisement for a brothel carved into stone.

If you get bored of standing and smiling in front of ruins do what some members of my group did and try planking on a column at Pergamon’s Acropolis. The ancient Greeks might turn in their graves, but it made for a pretty hilarious photo.

Back in Istanbul I was glad I’d booked those extra nights. A big sleep-in was in order followed by a chance to explore the city at a more leisurely pace.

After unwinding from a full-on eight days with a traditional Turkish bath, we made our way to the Spice Bazaar and peeked through fences at the James Bond film set.

We spent a day strolling through the Grand Bazaar being tempted into stores by complimentary apple tea and arguing down prices on mosaic lamps and harem pants with a winning smile.

And the food...I could have happily lived off those mouth-watering 5 lira kebabs (roughly £1.80) for another few months and the freshly made sweet, sticky baklava was absolute heaven.

I’m not joking when I say I dreamed I was back a few nights ago, enjoying the sunshine as I searched for my favourite falafel and kebab restaurant – I have never woken up more disappointed or hungry.

Visit Turkey on one of Topdeck Travel’s many trips including hostel, hotel and in depth options. Courtney travelled to Turkey on Topdeck Travel’s ANZAC 8 Day Sortie.

From the lights of Paris to the heights of the Swiss Alps, Topdeck’s operations supervisor Xanthe discovers the wonders of a European winter.

I woke up on the third morning of my trip in utter panic: there was complete silence around me and I had one of those moments where you are convinced you've overslept by hours and hours so you leap straight out of bed and scramble around for some kind of time-keeping device.

Part of you actually wondering if this is in fact a nightmare and your hand will never clasp that portable alarm clock that you know must be lurking at the bottom of your rucksack somewhere.

As I was frantically searching, I reached out to pull the curtains aside a little in the hope that some light would be shed on my situation. As I did something caught my eye and I was drawn to the irresistible gleaming of an early morning sunshine persistently filtering through.

Filtering through what? I looked closer and realised that I hadn't overslept at all - I'd woken at dawn, just in time to witness a glorious sunrise filtering through thousands of pine trees, steadily floating higher behind the breathtaking Swiss Alps and reflecting a thousand times off the thick layer of powdery snow flakes that covered everything.

As I sunk back into bed and snuggled into the cosy down duvet (or, doona), mesmerised by the view for a few more minutes, I thought about how surreal this all seemed.

Less than 48 hours before I had found myself whizzing through the "City of Lights" on a night driving tour of Paris.

We jaunted through bohemian Montmartre, the eclectic Latin Quarter, the buzzing nightlife of St Germain and past the unapologetically gothic Notre Dame, stopping or slowing for photo opportunities at all the main sights, before scooting back to our hotel for a few hours rest.

The next morning we glided along the Champs-Élysées on "California Beach Cruiser" bikes; i.e. the biggest, comfiest saddle I have ever come across that wasn't on a horse.

I have to admit I nearly bashed into other cyclists, or lamp posts, several times because I was so distracted by staring in all the shop windows!

After we cruised around the Eiffel Tower, through the Champs De Mars, past the Arc de Triomphe, through the Louvre and back underneath the Eiffel Tower I decided to take myself on an afternoon of window shopping.

I picked up a Nutella drenched crepe from one of the infamous street vendors to fuel me on my way and headed straight for Dior (their largest flagship store in the world) followed by Louis Vuitton - also the largest of its kind (I might not be Blair Waldorf, but I can do my very best impression!).

I treated myself to a bottle of 'Coco Mademoiselle' in Chanel (well, Paris is the fashion capital of the world. It would be rude not to really...) and then walked a bit further down to the more affordable high street shops.

I stopped in Ladurée on the way to sample one of quite simply the most delectable macaroons ever made and then jumped on the metro to save my tired feet from walking me to the meeting point for our group dinner that evening.

At dinner, listening to everyone else’s escapades of the day (climbing the Eiffel Tower, visiting the Musée d'Orsay, getting lost in the vast Louvre museum, drinking in an Irish pub...) I realised just how varied a city Paris really is - everyone has different fantasies of it and it somehow fulfils them all and creates new ones at the same time. I was amazed at how much some people had managed to squeeze into just one day of sight-seeing, but then I guess that’s another advantage of travelling in winter – no queues!

That evening a small group of us went out to catch the raunchily glamorous show that is Moulin Rouge. We walked under the famous red windmill and immersed ourselves in an evening of light-hearted, exaggerated debauchery!

And that is how I found myself wondering at how surreal it was to have gone from all that vibrancy; the lights, feathers, glitter and designer high heels, to this tranquil yet equally impressive stillness.

Perhaps I had been too sleepy to notice that our luggage had been picked up in a sleigh or that my feet had carried me through the snow to the hotel entrance the night before.

That morning we all huddled together in the deceptive gondola (a kind of cable car) to sail down the mountain and through the clouds for a chance to explore the majestic town of Lucerne.

We sifted through the countless souvenir and specialist shops searching for the perfect watch or Swiss army knife or cuckoo clock.

To get back to the hotel we took the scenic cruise across the stunning, but slightly sinister, Lake Lucerne and then a train ride up to the top of the Mount Rigi (Queen of the Mountains) where we spent the afternoon sledging, building snowmen, making snow-angels and creating teams for spontaneous snowball fights with some local schoolchildren.

The perfect evening to end the day with was spent in the cosy hotel bar with delicious traditional cheese fondue, a few games of pool and endless amounts of gluwein (mulled wine).

As I climbed back into bed I remember thinking how thankful I was that this was only day three of my trip and there were still another 11 to go.

Tomorrow I was off to Italy, another fascinating country that I had never visited!

Xanthe travelled on Topdeck Travel’s 14 day Winter Wonder. For more winter trips check out Topdeck Travel’s first ever winter pre-release brochure. Book now to save up to 10% off your winter experience.

The New Year may be well underway, but it’s never too late to make a resolution and set goals for 2012.

Here are Topdeck’s Top 10 European Travel Resolutions for inspiration!

1. Eat Better

Eat Better

Europe is known for its delicious and varied local foods, but when it comes to fresh and tasty cuisine it’s hard to go passed the Italians! Gelato, espresso, pasta, wine and, of course, the pizza - it won’t take long until you’re feeling the effects of la dolce vita!

2. Stress Less

Burning the candle at both ends? Working your fingers to the bone? Kick back, relax and enjoy the slower pace of life. It’s all about lazy days and crazy nights with Croatia Sailing – the only thing you’ll have to think about is whether to sunbake, have a drink or make a splash in the sea!

3. Meet new people

Get out there and mingle! Experiences are always that much better when they’re shared with mates. Travelling with like-minded 18-39 year olds, you’ll soon be hitting it off and making friends for life.

4. Learn something new

Travelling is the perfect way to keep your brain ticking over. How about practicing some foreign words and phrases before your big trip (there are plenty to choose from in Europe.)? Plus, the continent has a long and fascinating past so soak up the history as you experience it firsthand.

5. Get organised

Are you the King of Procrastination or the Queen of Disorder? Now’s the time to whip yourself into shape and get organised! Topdeck makes it easy to get your 2012 European adventure up and running. Pick the trip and date you want, book your flights and let Topdeck take care of making those pesky accommodation bookings and getting you from A to B and back again.

6. Get more exercise

Grab your walking, hiking or running shoes and get ready to explore! For the most epic stair climb ever have a go at the Eiffel Tower or St Peter's Basilica. If getting out in the wild is more your style, make your way up the heights of Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland.

7. Lose weight

Put all the stuff you want to pack in a pile and half it! This will make getting around a lot easy and leave you with plenty of extra room in your luggage for souvenirs!

8. Step outside your comfort zone

What is life without adventure? It can be easy to stay safely within your comfort zone but it’s important to test the waters and challenge yourself! So tuck into a plate of escargot in France, throw yourself out of a plane for a sky dive in Switzerland and strike out on your own and make your way to Europe for a taste of big wide world.

9. Save money

We know how expensive it is to travel Europe, but with Topdeck you can get the same standard of accommodation and same quality of food for a faction of the cost than if you did it alone. Sign up for one of our EuroCamping trips to make your money go that little bit further and keep an eye on our deals page for further savings!

10. Live life to the full!

Wake up in a new city, in a new bed, with new surroundings and new friends ready to seize the day! Grab every opportunity that comes your way and remember there’s always time to sleep on the bus.

Visit Europe with Topdeck and check out our latest deals and savings before you book!

by Kara Segedin

Boarders, snow bunnies and ski-bums listen up!

The European boarding and skiing season is ready to kick off and if you are itching to get out among the white stuff then pack your bags for Les Deux Alpes, France.

Whether you’re a relative newbie, pro or a complete beginner a Topdeck snow vacation will help you make the most of your time on the slopes.

But it’s more than just the skiing and snowboarding, it’s the whole experience. There’s the fresh mountain air, stunning scenery and the chilly nights spent soaking your muscles in a steaming hot pool after a hard day up the mountain.

And not to mention the Après Ski!

Topdeck’s Festival Manager Heather has been busy putting the final touches on the 2011/2012 ski season packages.

“Ski resorts are expensive, but with our Topdeck ski trips you know exactly how much you are going to spend,” she says.

It’s all included

All your ski or snowboarding gear, lift passes, lessons, meals and accommodation are all included in the trip price. You also get access to other ski resorts in the area, ice skating and heated swimming pools.

“Once there the only thing you will have to pay for is your drinks!”

The Mountain

Les Deux Alpes is a bustling resort in Rhône-Alpes region of France with some of the best skiing and snowboarding in Europe and guaranteed natural snow.

It has about 220km of pistes (runs) and 2300m of vertical drop. There are tracks to suit all abilities from experts to those still learning the ropes.

If you’re a snowboarder who wants to try out some tricks there is also an extensive snowpark with a halfpipe, multiple kickers, two boardercross courses and many grinding rails.

Les Deux Alpes is Europe’s largest skiable glacier and France's second oldest ski resort. The name "two Alps" refers to the two villages (Vénosc and Mont-de-Lans) that sit either end of the resort plateau.

Snowfalls over the past two weeks have been better than expected with most European resorts experiencing significant snowfalls.

Last week, Les Deux Alpes got 30cm of new snow and further snowfalls are expected.

Where You’ll Be Staying

A wooden and stone chalet, UCPA Les Deux Alpes Hostel is 100m from the ski area and 2 minutes’ walk from the town centre.

All rooms have rooms have shower and sink ensuite with toilets a few steps away in the corridor. The Hostel features a heated pool and a terrace overlooking the Ecrins National Park

With over thirty bars and pubs the nightlife in the resort is buzzing.

How We Do It

If you are making your own way a shuttle will collect you from either Grenoble Airport in France or Geneva Airport in Switzerland.

When you arrive at Les Deux Alpes you’ll be greeted by a Topdeck Ski Rep.

The rep is kind of like a trip leader on the Alpes. They’re there to help you out with all your questions and organise pub crawls and events for the group.

You’ll be asked if you’re a skier or a boarder and you’ll be kitted out in all your gear for the week.

Don’t worry if this is your first time skiing as everyone is entitled to 12 hours worth of ski or snowboard lessons so you’ll be speeding down those trails in no time.

What you get:

• Guaranteed natural snow.
• Multi-share accommodation in UCPA Hostel.
• Lift pass with access to 3 resorts (covers 6 ½ days at Les Deux Alpes, 2 days at L’Alpe d’Huez and 1 day Serre Chevalier).
• Equipment hire.
• Up to 12 hours of lessons.
• All meals at Les Deux Alpes resort.
• Leisure pass with access to heated swimming pool and ice rink.
• European trained Topdeck Crew and Ski Rep.
• Awesome Topdeck après-ski.

What to bring:

• Snow clothes
• Travel insurance

by Kara Segedin

When people think of classic, romantic and charming Europe the city of Prague undoubtedly springs to mind.

For over 1000 years, the city has been one of the cultural, political and economic capitals of Europe with a rich, at times turbulent, history.

Prague, Praha to the locals, is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic and lies on the banks of the Vltava River.

Wanting to see as much as possible, we were up early for our day in the city. Our first stop - Prague Castle.

The castle is a huge complex that includes royal residences and churches and has been home to Kings, Holy Roman Emperors, Presidents and the Czech Crown Jewels.

Guarded by very serious looking solders in dashing blue suits you’d be hard placed trying to get one of these guys to smile.

It is also surrounded by a collection of  rather frightening statues depicting scenes of battle.

With so much to see you could easily spend a lot of time checking out the area but we were moving on to one very famous, historic bridge.

Built in the 14^th Century, Charles Bridge crosses the Vltava River connecting Prague Castle to the city's Old Town.

Named after King Charles IV, the bridge is lined with statues, musicians, artists and street vendors.

By now it was only mid-morning and my camera was well and truly worn out!

The focal point of the Old Town is the Old Town Square. A bustling market in medieval times, the Square is now the social heart of the city and a great place to take a break after hours of wandering Prague’s winding streets.

Not far from the Old Town Square is the must-see Astronomical Clock.

First installed in 1410, the intricate clock shows the position of the Sun and Moon, various zodiac signs and every hour on the hour figures of the 12 Apostles move around the clock and four figures either side are set in motion.

Within the Old Town lies the historic Jewish Quarter. Despite the devastation of the Second World War, the area was preserved and now includes six synagogues, the old cemetery and the Old Jewish Town Hall.

It is also home to one of the city’s most famous residents – the Golem of Prague!

The story goes that a 16th century rabbi called Maharal created the golem out of clay from the banks of the Vltava River to defend the Prague ghetto.

And once the sun has gone down, there’s no better way to end your day of sightseeing than with a taste of Prague’s famous nightlife!

With traditional beer halls, cocktail bars and multilevel clubs there’s something for everyone from the serious club hopper to those after a quiet drink. Na zdraví (cheers)!

Party it up Czech style this New Year’s Eve with Topdeck’s 4 Day Prague New Year’s trip! PLUS all our Christmas and New Year trips qualify for our festival rewards programme – save money when you book your 2^nd, 3^rd or 4^th Topdeck Festival!

2009 was a great year for Topdeck, lets have a look at some of the highlights of the year...

• We celebrated 30 years of ANZAC trips and released a new Anzac Trips mini site to mark the occasion!
• Our Facebook page got a fancy new application, check it out here and don't forget to become a fan! :)
• We're now on Twitter! and YouTube!
• We setup lots of new Flickr accounts so you can see exactly what our tours are like!
• We had lots of fun Sailing in Croatia!
• We created the perfect mini site for all the 'Gappies' out there looking for a great Gap Year deal!
• Our Don't Waste Winter Campaign launched in record time in September and received an Award for 'Most Innovative Marketing'!

If you still want more, check out TopdeckTravel.eu for all Topdeck's mini sites, there's something for everyone... ;)

Topdeck have many hidden gems scattered all over the internet... Some you might know about, but many you probably won't. 8) Check out www.topdecktravel.eu for a closer look at Topdeck's network of websites, blogs and other online media. Who knows what you might find! ;)

Topdeck has defied the ‘doom and gloom’ of the current economic crisis, and is heading into its best season ever! :) James Nathan, Managing Director, Topdeck said, “Since last week, we’ve guaranteed all but six departures from our entire Europe summer program. To keep up with demand, we’ve added extra departures to some shorter and mid-duration trips. We know that today’s 18-30 something travellers are ever more discerning and we have left no stone un-turned in our efforts to design a new product range that cater for those increased expectations. There are also differences between Topdeck’s trips and those of its competitors. We continue to include more meals and more independent free time, have a no expected tipping policy and importantly, the accommodation we use is closer to the city centre than other group operators,” he said. Topdeck offers three accommodation styles: Hotel trips stay at typically European hotels in great locations; EuroClub trips use multi-share accommodation in cabins, castles, yachts and hostels and the budget-friendly EuroCamping trips stay at Europe’s best campsites which feature twin-share dome tents and air mattresses.