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Want to escape the winter chill, but find beach holidays boring? Why not try a sightseeing holiday in the west of Ireland.

Many visitors see Ireland as a leafy green island, full of pubs, clubs and thatched cottages. And to be honest- they’re not far wrong. The more west you travel, the more remote it becomes with a stunning landscape running the entire west coast.

Starting at the Ring of Kerry and running north for 470 Miles (approx), ’till you enter the splendid Co Donegal, the battered west coast remains unspoiled with towering cliffs and sandy beaches.

Three weeks ago I travelled this journey, starting in Killarney, Co Kerry, and ending up in Dunfanaghy, Co Donegal. This twelve day trip brought me to many remote areas, including some of the more well knowing sites: Cliffs of Moher, Killarney National Park, and Connermara to name a few.

Ireland has the lowest population density in Europe so there is lots of room on the roads, which make driving these remote areas a pleasure.

For the more adventurous there are several boat trips along the coast to some of Ireland’s most remote islands. The coastline and the islands are littered with a wide range of fauna - a perfect habitat for so many different species.

The most popular months for visiting Ireland are between June and September, but don’t let this turn you away from a winter break. Ireland doesn’t have an extreme climate: the weather is normally mild throughout these winter months.

The harsh Atlantic Ocean hammers the west coast most of the year round. While not renowned for water sports, the Atlantic waves make this region of Ireland attractive to the brave surfer.

If you do have time to spare, a tour of the west of Ireland should take three weeks at the very least. You could spend weeks in Killarney alone, but if time allowed you, it’s well worth spending a day there, at the very least.

With such a wide variety of places to visit along the coast, a quick break here is a must for any person in love with the great outdoors. The Irish landscape is one of Ireland’s greatest attractions. Magnificent scenery has attracted many visitors to this part of Ireland for years, some travelling for the scenery, and more travelling for the song and dance. Whether you’re looking for excitement or just want to sit back and relax in the lush countryside - coastal Ireland has it all.

TJ Tierney. Award winning Irish Landscape Photographer. If you are looking for more tips visit: Photo tips. To view some of his images visit his on-line gallery: Pictures of Ireland.

Tags: holiday, Ireland, irish, Kerry, landscape, pictures, travel, west coast, winterholiday, Ireland, irish, Kerry, landscape, pictures, travel, west coast, winter

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Chambery, located in the heart of the French Alps is the once capital of Savoie. It sits just near Lac du Bourget (Bourget Lake), looked upon by the Alps that surround it. Chambery is a city that can be both visited in the winter and summer. In the winter there are a number of ski resorts within easy driving distance. In the summer those same Alps that were skied, become hiking and backpacking trails and campgrounds.

The center of Chambery is the ‘old town’ it includes a Chateau, once the residence of the dukes of Savoie, a 15th century Cathedral and a fine arts museum. There is also a ‘Fontaine des Elephants’ (Elephants Fontaine) built in honor of the Comte de Boigne, who bestowed upon the city much wealth. A large portion of his personal wealth came from India, hence the Elephant Fontaine.

The center of Chambery offers not only tourist attractions but also many shops for buying your favorite French goods. If you are lucky it might be market day and you can buy some fresh local produce. Like so many cities in France Chambery is not only charming, it is also small enough to be walked comfortably. You will be able to see the center without getting sore feet! But if you do have that fear there is a tourist ‘train’ that will take you through the center and let you visit with as little walking as possible.

Chambery makes a good base for exploring the French Alps especially during the winter as it is within easy driving distance of such ski resort towns as Grenoble, Albertville, La Clusaz, Courchevel, Alpe d’Huez, Chamonix and Val d’Is

Tags: airport, Chambery, France, French, French Alps, holiday, travel, vacationairport, Chambery, France, French, French Alps, holiday, travel, vacation

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The Spanish property market has once again changed over the last 2 years or so. There was once a rush to buy property before it became too expensive as property prices were rising at a storming rate. In fact it was cheaper to buy a new property off plan than buying a resale, such was the demand, as even those who had no intention to ever use any property realised the investment potential. Most though, stuck to the off plan route as it was cheaper, the lack of trust towards Spanish estate agencies, the Valencia land grab issue and generally a lack of understanding on how to be safe when buying in Spain. But the race has now settled, as the boom has now slowed down.

It is no longer the off plan that is the cheapest route but the resale. On just about every complex you will see a ’se vende’ sign, from those who want to live a new dream, those who have made a handy profit and want their return and those who have just changed their minds. To compliment this change of direction, there is far more information on good estate agencies, English speaking solicitors, plus building standards has now massively improved.

So if you are looking for your dream home on the Costa Blanca here is some handy advice. First of all get a map and try to establish what area within Costa Blanca you may be looking to buy. Then using a search engine, find the local Internet forums for that area. Here you will be able to talk online to real people who, probably own a property or even live there, know what’s what about everything in your area, recommend the right people or warn you about what to avoid. After joining a few forums you should have a good idea about your initial predictions of your chosen area. Review websites on resales and compare directly with off plan prices, asking those on the forums advice on each one. And now you should be ready for the exciting search ahead for your new dream home in the Costa Blanca.

Mark is wenmaster for Direct Line Home Insurance also European
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Tags: abroad, blanca, buy, costa, dream, holiday, home, house, live, property, spain, torrevieja, travelabroad, blanca, buy, costa, dream, holiday, home, house, live, property, spain, torrevieja, travel

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