If you’re looking for a holiday destination but still can’t make up your mind, visit the Venere.com fan page on Facebook, take our quick test and find out where you should go for your next getaway trip.

Step out your daily routine and live like hamsters

Check out The Guardian Travel Blog and watch a funny video shot at the Hamster Hotel in Brittany, France.  Featuring rooms with giant heel, haystack and seed dispenser, this hotel in Nantes offers guests the chance to live like a hamster for one night.

Weird Airport Stories

Check out Telegraph.co.uk and see pictures of the strangest things confiscated by airport security, such as snakes hidden in a Swedish girl’s bra in Stockholm, a bag of hashish stuffed into the battery compartment of a woman’s sex toy at Gatwick Airport, and, still in London, ten human eye balls swimming in a jam jar at Stansted Airport.

Essential Travel Gear

According to a survey by TripAvisor, 62% of travelers shop for travel books, maps and guides before taking a trip, while 58% buy personal care and 14% go for electronic devices. The survey also reveals that convertible pants, pashmina wrap and teddy bear are amongst TripAdvisor community members’s must-have travel accessories.

Are you a globetrotting genius?

Take Hotel.com’s “Landscapes without Landmarks” quiz and test your geography knowledge.  Will you be able to recognize Barcelona without the Sagrada Familia, Rome without St Peter Cathedral, Paris without the Eiffel Tower and London without Big Ben?

Photo of guide books by Malias

The Hungarian Girl invites you to attend the 16th Stollen Festival in Dresden, Germany.

In occasion of the festival, a giant stollen bread will be baked and paraded through the Old Town towards the Dresden Christmas Market.

Gay Christmas Market

Patroc.com gay travel guide announces that Amsterdam will host a special Pink Christmas Market. Oragnized by the ProGay foundation, the event will take place 18-28 December 2009 right in the center of the Dutch capital.

New London Guide

The Londonist reviews ‘Not for Tourists Guide to London‘ and announces that they will be giving out a few free copies of the guidebook via their Twitter account soon.

Spoleto Guide

On GotSaga.com, read a blog post on Spoleto, Italy, a lovely city located  only 39 miles from Perugia and 78 miles from Rome. The short guide includes Spoleto’s most interesting landmarks and sights, such as the Roman Amphitheater and the Duomo of Santa Maria Assunta cathedral.

Photo of stollen by Birger Hoppe

Photo Credit base10

Walking Off The Big Apple lists some of the best things to do for Halloween Week in New York. This year’s special events include ‘Halloween Wonder Cabinet’ at the New York Institute for the Humanities, ‘Talk to the Dead with Concetta Bertoldi’ at the Gramercy Theater as well as All Souls’ Day celebrations  and more scary Halloween parades, shows, parties and exhibitions in NYC.

With over 50,000 costumed participants and 2 millions spectators, the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade is one of the craziest events in Manhattan.  Check out BrilliantTips for more info of  this not to be missed Halloween party in New York.

Things to do for Halloween in Rome

Tourism in Italy recommends the best places to visit in Rome on Halloween from the city’s catacombs to Dario Argento’s ‘Profondo Rosso’ shop of horros the the Museum of Zoology which organizes the ZooHalloween party.

Halloween Festivities in Paris

I Prefer Paris shares photos of Halloween graffiti posters taken on the Champs Elysées and recommends the Tim Burton Film Festival  and the Rocky Horror Picture Show to the travelers visiting Paris during the Halloween season.

Día de los Muertos Destinations

Matador Trips lists the best places to celebrate Día de los Muertos including Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area in California as well as Mexico City and more destinations in Latin America.

Photo of Jack ‘o lanterns by Just Us 3

Mr & Mrs Smith have chosen the luxury Life Gallery Hotel in Athens, Greece, as ‘Hotel of the Week‘. Their last week’s pick was the Jupiter Hotel, a trendy boutique hotel in Portland, Oregon.

More Great Boutique Hotels

Hoosta Magazine shows pictures of the newly renovated Hotel Elysees Mermoz, a boutique hotel in Paris redesigned by Valérie Manoil, and Monte Carlo Beach Hotel, a luxury hotel on the French Riviera redesigned by India Mahdav.

New Delta Air Lines Routes

Delta Air Lines presents its new international flight offer for summer 2010. The new routes  operated by the American airline company will include a nonstop service from Detroit to Seoul and Hong Kong, a seasonal service between New York JFK and Copenhagen, Denmark, and Stockholm, Sweden, as well as more routes between the US and many destinations in Africa.

Frida Kahlo Museum

The Perceptive Travel Blog recommends a visit to Coyoacán, Mexico City’s historic counterculture district, and Casa Azul, a  museum dedicated to Frida Kahlo which was home to the Mexican artist.

Enchanted Traveler likes Fondation Maeght, a beautiful Museum of Modern Art is Saint-Paul de Vence, South of France, featuring works by Chagall, Giacometti, Miro, Leger, Giacometti, and many more 20th century masters. If you are on holiday on the French Riviera, do not miss a visit to this charming, picturesque village. A great day trip from Nice, Cannes or Antibes.

Go Green Travel Green shares several tips for reducing the impact of your travels on climate change such as using public transportation, buying local seasonal food, supporting sustainable businesses and more…

To those of  you who dream of a long-term travel abroad but are not sure to be strong enough to face the challenge, Travel Blissful recommends a new ebook by Anil Polat:  Overcoming the 7 Major Obstacles to Traveling the World.

Have Pack Will Travel shares tips on bartering while traveling.  Check out this blog post if you’re going on holiday in Morocco and planning a visit to the famous souks of Marrakech.

Photo of Lisbon, Portugal, courtesy of Hotel Borges

1. Top 10 Holiday Destinations for Beer Lovers: 10 travel ideas for beer lovers, from the Munich Oktoberfest to Prague’s Pilsner Fest to the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado.
2. Top 5 Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam: A blog post for the travelers planning a trip to Hanoi, Vietnam, a wonderful city offering a wealth of tourist sights and attractions.
3. How to get ready for the Winter Olympics: A series of tips for the fans of ski and snow sports who will be attending the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada.
4. Fun Facts about the Loire Castles: 5 curious facts and anecdotes about the Loire Valley, France, and its splendid chateaus and gardens.
5. Top 5 Dubai Night Clubs: A review of the most popular night spots in Dubai, UAE, including Copacabana, Boudoir, Zinc, Kasbar and Vu’s Bar.

Photo of the Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany, by Meironke

Blog Action Day is a global initiative which aims at raising awareness and create discussion about an important issue by inviting the whole blogging community to focus on the same topic on the same day.

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Since the 2009 edition’s topic is climate change, this week we’re sharing links to three of our favorite eco sustainability and environment-related web sites:

• “100 Places To Remember Before They Disappear” lists all the beautiful cities and natural sites in the world that you should visit before  climate change makes them too difficult, or even impossible, to access. The list includes popular tourist destinations such as Battery Park in New York, the wonderful water city of Venice, Italy and Paris, France.  In addition to splendid pictures, the web site has a section dedicated to climate solutions, alternative energy as well as water, heat and energy saving tips and ideas.

• For the fans of sustainable architecture and design, Copenhagen X  organizes guided tours around Copenhagen to get to know the different urban areas and cultural institutions of the Danish capital. Visit their very nice web site to find more information on the different walk and bike tours offered, and check out the ‘Sustainable CPH’ section presenting a series of sustainable urban development projects in Copenhagen.

• TreeHugger.com shares tips on how to reduce people’s harmful impact on the Earth. Visit the web site’s ‘Travel + Nature’ section  to find green travel ideas and information on environmental topics as for example the impact of climate change in the Alps or the top 7 green holiday destinations in Canada.

Italian Flashpacker Andrea Di Tonto invites you to enter a contest to win a poem body writing set and a 2-night stay at the luxury Hotel Omm in Barcelona, Spain.

Party in Palm Beach, FL

Tomorrow night the trendy Hotel Biba, West Palm Beach, Florida, is holding a reggae party (8:00 pm to 1:00 am) with free champagne at the lobby from 9:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

Enjoy Fine Arts in Rimini, Italy

Le Méridien Hotel, Rimini, Italy,  offers guests an art kit in occasion of  the “Da Rembrandt a Gauguin a Picasso” art exhibition that will be held at Sismondo Castle from Oct 10th, 2009 to March 14th, 2010.

Photos courtesy of Hotel Omm Barcelona, Hotel Biba West Palm Beach and Le Méridien Hotel Rimini.

You have started recently in the marketing role at Venere. What are you bringing to Venere.com and what exciting new things are you planning to do in the next few months?

I have a broad background in Online travel, Marketing and E-Commerce and I believe the experiences I have gained over the past 11 years in the tourism- and hotel industry in different parts of Europe will enable me to have a real impact on the Venere-brand.

Venere.com has been a pioneer in the European hotel industry since the very beginning of the online travel revolution (going back to 1995) and I am planning on building on that great heritage of innovation and ‘true’ customer focus.

We are currently going through an ‘exploration’ phase and looking at our customers’ needs- and desires in more detail, which will then help us to focus our ‘innovative brains’ on those things that will have the biggest impact on their experiences. I strongly believe that ‘true’ customer-focused innovation doesn’t necessarily have to be ‘loud’ nor involve adapting the latest technology gadgets, but small incremental enhancements that just make their online buying experience a positive part of their whole travel journey are often worth much more.

There are no detailed plans we want to share here – just yet – but rest assured we won’t rest and continue providing a great service to our customers – whether it’s on the web, on the phone or on a mobile device. Stay tuned!

How do you feel about the Facebook and Twitter revolution? Do you think social media are going to have a big impact on the travel industry? How are you planning to further develop social media engagement for Venere?

Social media has already had a big impact on the Travel Industry – just think about the impact sites like Tripadvisor have had on the way we purchase travel today. Travelling is a very engaging and emotional activity and people love to talk about it afterwards and share their experiences.

Social media is a great enabler to make the sharing of those experiences even easier, more exciting and more valuable for others. Social media also enables people to let others ‘participate’ (at least partially) in your experiences while you’re going through them … just think about the number of people who now send regular photo- and status updates to their Facebook profiles while still ‘on the road’.

In the past people used to have to wait until their back from their trips to share those experiences – now it happens in real-time.

What is your favorite holiday destination? What is your best travel experience ever?

I don’t really have a particular destination, but I love holidays in the mountains (i.e. Alps) during Winter- and Spring and I prefer activity-type holidays (i.e. Water sports, Golf, mountain biking etc.) during the summer months.

One of my best travel experiences in the recent years was the wedding of a good friend of mine in India. It was a traditional Indian wedding that went on for several days and we were a great group of friends travelling together to the different venues throughout Rajasthan.

You are German and lived in London, UK, until recently. How do you like your new life in Italy? What do you like the most about living in Rome? Are you learning Italian?

The short answer is ‘I love it!’ I had a great time living in London for the past 10 years, but I felt it was time for a change and Rome has always been at the top of my list of favorite cities in the world.

The lifestyle is quite different here, but I feel I have already adapted to it fairly quickly – almost too quickly when I look at the way I am driving now – there is a chance I lose my license next time I am back in Germany

I have started to learn Italian as I think it is an important part of exploring a new culture, but thus far the progress has been a bit slower than I had hoped…

What do you think about the Denmark tourism video campaign showing a Danish girl seeking the father of her child, a baby conceived on a drunken one-night-stand? Do you find this hoax video funny of tasteless? Does it make you want to visit Copenhagen?

Dark England

Looking for a spooky holiday destination to go on Halloween? On EnjoyEngland.com check out the scariest places to visit in London, East Midlands,  Warwickshire and the Southwest of England.

Creepy Paris Underground

Planning a holiday in France and looking for ‘creepy’ places to visit in Paris?  Nomadic Matt recommends the Paris Sewers Tour. Another way to explore the city’s underground would be a visit to the Catacombs of Paris, but the attraction  has been closed this week after human bones  and skulls scattered along the walking paths.

Italian Cappuccino

Planning a  trip to Lake Maggiore, Italy? If you are an Italian coffee lover, visit the Stresa Sights blog and find out what a ’serious cappuccino’ is and where to drink this yummy beverage in the lovely town of  Stresa.

1. Things to Know about the Rome Bus System: A series of tips on how to get around Rome by bus, including info about the night buses and different types of bus passes available in the Italian capital.
2. How to reach Vienna City Center from the Airport: A brief guide for the travelers who have to get from  Vienna Airport to the center of the Austrian capital.
3. Tasting Thailand’s Exotic Food in Bangkok: Not for the faint hearted! A review of the strangest  food that can be found in Bangkok, Thailand, such as fried crickets and steamed bugs.
4. Things to do in Zurich, Switzerland: A short guide to the best tourist attractions in Zurich, from the city’s most interesting museums to the most beautiful landmarks and gardens.
5. Top 5 Traditional Restaurants in Vienna: A review of the five best restaurants where to eat traditional Austrian food in Vienna.

Photo of the Colosseum at night by Skinnidiver

A Family Holiday in Southern Italy

On Travel Savvy Mom, Kimberly Sullivan recommends a family trip to Salento (the heel of the Italian boot). She invites travelers to discover the Baroque city of Lecce, the beaches of Punta della Suina, as well as the picturesque sea towns  of Gallipoli, Santa Maria de Leuca and Otranto.

A Trendy Getaway from Phoenix, Arizona

Planning a weekend getaway from Phoenix, Arizona? The Diaries of the Trendy Traveler blog recommends a trip to Puerto Penasco, a beach resort situated in the State of Sonora, Mexico.

A Local’s Guide to Budapest, Hungary

On the National Geographic, award-winning culinary guidebook author Carolina Bánfalvi shares insider tips on her home city: Budapest. And if you are traveling to Hungary and want to know more about Hungarian food and Budapest restaurants, check out  Carolina’s articles on the Chew.Hu food blog.

An Adventure Holiday in North Vancouver

On Consumer Traveler, read a nice blog post on all the exciting things to do in the Northern part of Vancouver, Canada, such as a day out at Capilano Park’s Treetops Adventure and the thrilling Air Grouse Mountain Ziplines and Capilano Suspension Bridge.

Photo of Salento, Italy by Adele Sarno

Budget Travel lists the new high-speed train lines in Europe that are making record time and allow travelers to save time on their trip from Rome to Milan, Italy, Madrid to Barcelona, Spain, and Brussels, Belgium to Amsterdam, Netherlands or Cologne, Germany.

Beautiful Train Stations

Kathika  reviews 22 train stations across the world including Atocha railway station in Madrid, Spain, the Gare du Nord in Paris, France, Picadilly Station in Manchester, UK, Union Station in Washington DC, and more international stations renowned for their architecture.

Day Trips from New York City for Art Lovers

Walking Off The Big Apple recommends some day trips from New York City to the art museums and historic sites of the Hudson River Valley,  such as the Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Frederic E. Church’s Olana, Thomas Cole’s Cedar Grove and the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, as well as the Institute of History and Art of Albany and the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center in Poughkeepsie.

Farmer Market Pictures

Treehugger’s readers share some nice pictures of farmers markets around the world including photos of carrot nuggets at Union Square Farmers Market in New York and assorted spices at a local market in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Things to Do in Birmingham, UK

If you’re planning a weekend break in Birmingham, UK, check out Europe A La Carte and find interesting insider tips and travel tweets on what to do in this young, vibrant city.

Photo of Milan train station at sunset by Ciccio Pizzettaro

On Consumer Traveler, watch a video presentation of the new T1 terminal of Barcelona airport.

The world’s best freebies

The Sydney Morning Herald lists the world’s best free tourist attractions including the London Museums, Parc Guell  in Barcelona, St Peter Church in Rome, Central Park in New York, and more fantastic places to visit.

Pictures of Provence

On RennyBA’s Terrella,  check out some beautiful pictures of Le Castellet, a charming, picturesque village on the hills of Provence, France.

La Tomatina 2009

On Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site, watch a video of La Tomatina Spanish fiesta, the very popular tomato fight which takes place  every year in Buñol, Valencia.

Video Blogging Tips

Heather On Her Travels shares useful tips on how to do a great video interview for your travel blog. Read her article and watch her ‘How to run a beach bar in Greece‘ video.

Photo of departures board at Barcelona Airport, Spain, by Overge

1. Beach Town near Rome: Sperlonga

Looking for nice beaches near Rome, Italy? Rob recommends Sperlonga, a pictures seaside village halfway from Naples and the Italian capital. Do not miss his blog post if you’re planning a day trip from Rome to Sperlonga.

2. Top 5 Digital SLR Cameras for Travel

An article for the avid travelers who want to buy a new SLR camera. Paul lists the five best digital SLR cameras from the most expensive SLR to the best value for money digital camera to take beautiful travel pictures.

3. The Best Burlesque Shows in London

Want to have fun and spend an exciting evening in London, UK? Sarah takes you to Burlesque London and lists the best male burlesque nights in Soho. Burlesque clubs and shows reviewed in her article included Working Men, Bearlesque, Madam Jojos, High-End Class and Have A Go.

4. Amsterdam Red Light District: Tacky or Tasteful?

What to think about Amsterdam’s Red Light District? Will draws quite a negative pictures of one of the most popular tourist attractions in Amsterdam, Holland.  Read his blog post and drop a comment to share your thoughts about the Red Light Distric of Amsterdam.

5. 5 Packing Tips for the Tour de France

If you are planning a 2010 Tour de France vacation, read this travel blog post by Liz.  A huge fan of bike racing, she shares all the useful Tour de France packing tips she has learnt along the way of the the world’s most popular cycling race.

Photo of sunglasses on sandy beach by Katie@!

• Italian Summer Drink.  To those of you enjoying a summer holiday  on the shores of Lake Maggiore, Dana at Stresa Sights recommends drinking a delicious Shakerato coffee at the Lido Beach Club in Baveno.

• Tuscany Gardens. If  Pisa is on your holiday itinerary, visit At Home in Tuscany and read a blog post on the city’s  lovely gardens. You’ll learn that the world famous Leaning Tower is not the only things to see in Pisa.

• Italian Design. If you are a shopaholic, Milan is with not doubt in your ‘Top 5 Italian cities to visit’. So check out La Bella Città and find information on the new beautiful Rinascente Design Supermarket situated just next the Duomo.

• Italian Liqueur: The Urbino-based Valle Nuova blog shares a Nocino recipe, a green walnut liqueur very popular in Modena and produced in different areas of Italy.

• Rome for Gourmets: If you are in Rome and want to sample some yummy local  sweets and Italian cakes,  NYC/Caribbean  Ragazza recommends you an excellent pastry shop near Circo Massimo.

Italy Postcards collage by Storm Crypt

• BeAtRome recommends La Ruta de la Paz exhibition at Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome, Italy.

• USA Today share a link to an interesting article on airport food prices.

• VisitOslo recommends shopping at the Farmers’ market in Majorstua, Oslo, Norway.

• WhyGoGreece shares Tripso’s Top 5 Naked Events and Nude Beaches in Mykonos, Greece.

Photo of beach in Cancun, Mexico, by mdanys

Travel Answer Man lists the world’s 15 best food markets including the Spice Market in Istanbul, Turkey, Chatuchak Market in Bangkok, Thailand, Mercado De La Merced in Mexico City, Mexico, Mercat De La Boqueria in Barcelona, Spain, Mercato Coperto in Modena, Italy, Pike Place Market in Seattle, USA,  Djemaa el-Fna in Marrakech, Morocco,  the English Market in Cork, Ireland, Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco, USA, and more colorful street markets all over the planet.

Hens and Stag Parties

On Times Online, check out the most popular destinations for stag and hen parties in Europe according to Hotels.com and Wedding Ideas Magazine. It seems like most of hens’ favorite places for stag parties are in the UK with London, Brighton and  Edinburgh at the top of the list.

Italian Beauty

Italian Notebook shares some nice pictures of Ancona, a seaside city on the East Coast of Italy that offers visitors spectacular views over the Adriatic Sea.

Eat organic in the City of Lights

Secrets of Paris lists six organic restaurants, shops and markets in the French capital. So if you’re looking for organic food in Paris, head to BioArt, Victoire Supreme de Coeur, Bio Coop, Cojean, Boulangerie du Monde and Marché Biologique Raspail.

London iPhone applications

If you’re planning a trip to the UK and possess an iPhone, read Anglotopia.net and get useful tips for traveling to London with your Apple phone.

Photo of Istanbul Spice Market by Alaskan Dude

1. The Best Night Clubs in Ibiza

Want to know what the best night club in Ibiza, Balearic Islands, is? Spain’s most popular destination for party animals boasts the world’s best club (Space), the world’s biggest club (Privilege), and the very popular Pacha Ibiza disco.

2. Top 4 Night Clubs in Algarve, Portugal

Offering some of the best beaches and nightclubs in Portugal, Algarve is a popular summer holiday destination in the South of Europe. So if you’re planning a beach vacation on the Portuguese coast, check out this list of great Algarve nightclubs including trendy discos and the hotel casino of Praia de Rocha.

3. Top 5  European Music Festivals

Looking for the best music festivals in Europe? Take a look at our ‘Top 5 Summer Music Festivals’ including  Glastonbury and Roskilde rock festivals, Novi Sad Exit festival, Budapest Sziget Festival and the Spanish indie rock and electronica festival of Benicassim, Costa del Azahar.

4. Fun facts about the UK

Want to know some fun facts about London and the United Kingdom?  Read this series of interesting facts about the UK, the London tube, Big Ben, the British Museum, tea drinking traditions, Windsor, the eccentricities of the British royal family and royal ghosts.

5. Fun facts about Dubai

Planning a trip to Dubai and looking for fun things to do in the most populous city of the UAE? Check out this list of curious facts about Dubai, its luxurious hotels, immense shopping malls and towering skyscraper.

Picture of camel by  •●pfaff