Travel Destination Bucket List

The ultimate destination for your travel bucket list!

THINGS WHICH YOU MUST PACK FOR A SAFE AND FUN FAMILY SKI VACATION

By Leave a Comment

If you and your family are in love with the mountains and snow, then a trip to a ski resort with your family must be the ultimate getaway for you. Especially the French Alps, with its numerous ski resorts, is one of the best places to visit with your family. Accessible any time of the year, the various ski destinations in the French Alps are perfect for a family trip at any time of the year. Although skiing is much more popular during the winters, you can find beautiful fields of powder high up in the mountains in the summer months also. Moreover, there are many other activities which you can enjoy with your family in the summer, including hiking, mountain biking and river rafting.

However, if you have never been to a ski vacation before, then planning, preparing and packing for a ski vacation can be a troublesome issue. If you are going on a ski vacation for the first time, then you can get in touch with the best family ski operator you can find, to plan a fun, adventurous and hassle-free family trip. But you have to take care of packing all of your stuff yourself, and packing for a ski vacation is much different than any other trip. If you are going to some random destination, you wouldn’t need to worry about specific equipment or specific clothes which you have to carry. But when going for a ski trip, you need to carry some specific things in order to have a safe trip. Here are a few must-pack things when you are going for a ski vacation with your family.

Good quality, long underwear

It might sound odd, but underwear is one of the most important things you will pack for your ski vacation. You see, you will have to wear a lot of warm clothes when you and your kids are skiing through the snow. And no matter how cold the snow is, you will surely sweat a lot when you engage in a lot of activities. Now if you or your kids are wearing poorly made, no-breathable cotton underwear, then it will get wet. And the next thing you will notice is you or your kids are suffering from severe cold. Always carry proper, long underwear made with breathable fabric when you are going for a ski vacation. Also, we suggest carrying two-piece underwear instead of one-piece ones.

Long, good quality socks

Socks will be another important addition to your packing list, and you have to make sure you get good quality socks. As you will be wearing ski-boots for a long period of time, and you will be walking through a lot of snow, chances are your feet or socks will get wet. Try and buy high-quality socks which keep moisture away from feet and do not get lumped in the boots.

Two-piece warm, waterproof, breathable outerwear

Packing a proper, high quality, warm outerwear for each of your family members is really important when you go for a ski vacation. Although one-piece suits are mandatory for snowmobiling or ice fishing, all of your family members won’t be engaging in those challenging activities. And two-piece outerwear is much easy to handle for everyone. It will be a blessing especially for your kids, and they are much easier to open up if they need to go to the bathroom. Also, make sure the material used is breathable and waterproof for maximum comfort and safety.

Sunglasses

The sunrays reflected from the powdery snow are really quite harmful to the eyes, especially for the kids. Long exposure to those reflected sunrays can seriously damage your eyes. As you will be travelling to a place which will be covered with snow, you have to pack some kind of eye protection. Sunglasses are the easiest and most easily available option. So make sure you pack some sunglasses when you go for a vacation to a ski resort.

Snow boots

Proper snow boots are really important when you go for a ski vacation. Your normal warm boots with fur or laces will not work that well in the snow. You need something which is truly waterproof to handle that much snow. Also, you will need boots which have really good grips and also Velcro straps in order to tighten them up properly near your ankle. Also, snow boots are really easy to pull on and off. They also include liners to keep moisture away from your feet, which you can take out and dry up easily.

Helmets

Skiing or snowshoeing are sports where one will most definitely fall if one doesn’t have enough experience. And a helmet will be the best friend in your head when you or your kids fall while trying these sports. You can rent a helmet at the destination, but if you have kids with you, it might be quite difficult to find a rightly sized helmet for your kids. So to be safe, it is advisable to carry your own helmets, at least for your kids. You can be sure you won’t regret the extra weight.

Mittens

Mittens are really important in order to keep the hands of your kids warm. Normal gloves do not keep your hands as warm as the mittens do. And kids find the ski gloves really difficult to wear. Your kids won’t be skiing with poles anyway. Pack some properly waterproof mittens for your kids, as they are really easy to use and they keep the hands really warm.

Walking sticks

Walking on the snow-covered tracks can turn out to be really difficult, especially for the kids. If you can remember to pack your hiking poles with you, you won’t be facing that problem ever. They will make life easier for everybody including your kids, as walking through the slippery snow will become an extremely easy task if they have a walking stick.

Hydration pack

Carrying a proper ski hydration pack is really important in order to be safe and keep every one of your family well hydrated when you go for a ski vacation. If you are skiing through a long ski-trail, you are bound to feel thirsty after some time. Regular water bottles might not work properly, as the water might freeze due to the extremely cold temperatures of these ski resorts. The water chambers of ski hydration packs are properly insulated to keep the temperature of the liquid inside at pleasing level. With a ski hydration pack, you can be sure to have access to water whenever you need.

Ski equipment for your kids

Normally you do not need to pack any equipment for skiing when you go for a ski vacation. But if you are going on this trip with your kids, then you might find it quite difficult to find proper equipment for your kids, just like helmets. That is why you will be much safer and better off if you carry your own ski equipment for your kids. That way you can be sure that all the equipment fit your kids properly so they won’t face any danger, and also your kids won’t have to miss out on any of the fun activities which you can enjoy during your family ski holiday.

Sunshine Reveals Top 10 Beaches in Greece for 2017

By Leave a Comment

Greece is one of the most popular holiday destinations for British tourists. Sunshine, a UK-based online travel agency, has recently completed a new report on the five top off the beaten track beaches on various Greek islands. While off the beaten track, these beaches are not desolate, and there are fantastic amenities available for travellers of any ilk.

UK online travel agency Sunshine has found that Greece is one of their most popular holiday destinations. For 2017, however, they wanted to recommend which of the many different locations in Greece are particularly interesting. The list they revealed was:

  1. Iguana Beach in Crete, which has two lovely beaches with amenities and is easy to reach with public transportation. The church of the Holy Apostles is not to be missed. It also has an easterly cover, which can get very busy because it is smaller, but the surf is also milder. The Iguana beach is the second option, which is more exposed and bigger. The sand is thick and the multitude of shells make it a favourite with children. It is a Blue Flag rated beach. Various hotels, including Athina Beach Hotel and Sorta Apartments, are available here.
  2. Kalathos in Rhodes, which faces the Mediterranean and doesn’t experience as much wind. Kalathos beach is classed as one of the best beaches in the area, despite its coarse sand. This is because it is a very big beach that is relatively quiet regardless. The clean water is very attractive, and most guests stay in the Atrium Palace Hotel, which is very friendly for families and comes with various restaurants, tennis courts, novelty pools, and beautiful gardens.
  3. Vatera in Lesbos, which is the longest beach of the island at 7km. Scattered pebbles make up the beach and, on a good day, you can see Psara and Hios islands, and even Turkey. The sea is flat and warm, making it perfect for children. There is an ancient temple nearby that is worth a visit, but the rest of the space feels almost desolate. There are some excellent local eateries, however, and you will really feel as if you’re living amongst the Greek.
  4. The Pelion peninsula, which is filled with a variety of beautiful beaches, each of which offers something unique. A popular area you will find quite a lot of tavernas, castles, rock tunnels, caves, excellent hotels and lodging opportunities, and more. This area has a very old town feel to it, which is quite romantic as well.
  5. Velanio in Skopelos, where you can enjoy rock top chapels and idyllic coves. In fact, the film Mamma Mia! was filmed here in 2007, even though the Velanio beach was not featured in it. It is the least developed and longest beach in the area, with 600 meters of fine gravel and pine-backed sand. It is a beautiful and scenic area, with views all the way to Evvia across the pristine see. It is a part-naturist beach, which is something to be aware of. The area itself is incredibly beautiful, with fantastic hotels and villas available.

A representative from Sunshine says: “Greece is a very popular tourist destination and for good reason. In fact, each one of the island has something unique to give to its visitors. Listing all of the beaches available would be impossible, and the five mentioned above are our personal favourites, even though other people might like different beaches better. What sets the five above apart, however, is that that they are slightly off the beaten track, giving people more of a unique experience when they visit.”

Amazing Summer Holiday with the Family On A Farm In the Alps

By Leave a Comment

Photo credit: Pixabay

Getting away from it all with the whole family can sometimes be difficult. It can be hard to choose what to do to keep everyone entertained and interested. So why not try a unique family summer holiday on a farm in the alps? You’ll get plenty of fresh air, have fun and learn some new skills too. Here are some reasons you should try a farm stay in the Alps with the kids this summer.

Learn what it’s like to live and work on a farm

A farm stay in the Alps is a great idea for a family summer holiday. The Alpine traditional farm life is like no other and this is your opportunity to get a taste of this lifestyle. Some children may not have met some of the animals they find on the farm, let alone helped to care for and feed them. On a farm stay you can learn all about how to look after the farm animals and how the crops are grown and produced. Some stays also include cooking with the farmer’s wife using with the fresh produce from your location. It can be a real eye-opening experience for some children especially if they haven’t been on a farm before.

Try new activities

There are some new and exciting things you can do whilst on your farm stay summer holiday. Why not learn to ride horses as a family, some farms offer lessons and guides to take you out for a trot or a gallop. You could also take a hike or walk amongst the mountains and valleys in your beautiful alpine setting. Other farming related activities you could try are milking cows and churning butter, collecting eggs and herb picking. It’s great for the kids to learn about how their food is made and where it comes from. Why not try a tractor ride too and feel like a real farmer!

Get out into the fresh air

Staying on a farm in the alps can kick start your healthy lifestyle by getting you outdoors and breathing that fresh Alpine air. You will probably be up early and out and about with all the things you want to do. Even if you don’t want to try any particular activities, exploring the area you are staying in and soaking up the relaxing environment will do wonders for your health. It’s also a time to put away the electronics and spend some time away from the screen. Well maybe bring your camera along to capture those special moments.

Where to go on your farm stay holiday

There are some perfect locations in the Alps for your family farm holiday. In Austria, France and Italy you can find farms to accommodate you’re stay. Try Tirol in Austria for spectacular mountain scenery and to learn about organic farming. Or Morzine in the French Alps for postcard perfect views and incredible food. In Italy, you will find the Alpine location appealing and very friendly for families. And the Swiss Alps should not be forgotten too where you can enjoy skiing as well as most stays will be very close to the lifts.

As you can see there are lots of reasons to book a farm stay holiday in the Alps this summer. You’ll enjoy your summer family holiday just as much as a winter family holiday in the Alps. These kind of holiday memories can stay with all the family for years to come. Have you ever stayed on a farm in the Alps? What was your experience?