Finca Fantastica Travel Blog

There’s a small beautiful country placed right on the border between Western and Eastern Europe with borders to no less than 7 other European countries, making it a very attractive vacation spot in regards to sightseeing possibilities.
This country is Hungary and the capital, loaded with castles, cathedrals and mind-blowing architecture, is Budapest.

The country has been tugged away behind the Iron Curtain and has only quite recently started to make itself known to a broader travel audience.

The Hungarian capital has many things in its favour. It has a lot to offer in terms of history, culture and tour options. You will have plenty to see and do in Budapest itself. You can take a cooking class, join a photography tour with a  local pro, get a thermal spa or visit Buda Castle, housing Budapest History Museum. You will find more than 100 museums in Budapest, among them "House of Terror", teaching you about the Nazi and Communist regime in Hungary, the Franz Liszt Memorial Museum, lots of art museums and the Transport Museum with old cars, motorcycles, trams and ship models.

Hungary is known for its exellent food and fine wines, so go local and spoil your tastebuds!

Should you wish to get out of the city for a day trip or even an overnight tour you can cross the border to Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia within a few hours by train or car.
In the summer month you can catch a hydrofoil boat between Budapest and Vienna and enjoy a mini river cruise on the on the Danube for 5 - 6 hours. A lovely way to see the countryside.

All of the above was merely a few of the reasons, why you should choose Budapest as your next vacation spot. The most important reason, for the austerity stricken Europe, is that Budapest is among the 10 most affordable places to visit in 2013!

Are you pulling your hair out thinking; how am I going to afford the family holiday this year? Well have no fear - Budapest is here : -)

Hotels in Budapest are really inexpensive, which means you can either have a really cheap vacation on a budget or your can enjoy 5-star luxury for the price, you would normally pay for a 3-star hotel in many other European cities!

Not to shabby, eh?

Budapest
Budapest Attractions
Budapest Hotels
Last Minute Budapest Hotels

The Marrakesh alphabet has absolutely nothing to do with cramming letters into your brain!

On the contrary, the intension of this blog is to help you disconnect the left hemisphere of your brain (and let the logical functions take five), so that the right hemisphere of your brain (which for most people is the receiving part that perceives and stores our senses and works with wholeness and intuition) can unfold freely for a while.

To experience, feel and sense Marrakesh, it is recommended to be open and receiving. Let's say it out loud; if you try to experience Marrakesh through a filter of logic, tight planning etc. -  you will only be deeply frustrated!
Marrakesh is anything but logic!

We have simply used the alphabet, in an intuitive way, to whet your appetite for Marrakesh.

Enjoy!

AMBIANCE:
Sensual, exotic, magical, mysterious, full of colours, scents and wake-up calls for your taste buds.

BELLY DANCE:
Belly dance is not really a part of the Moroccan culture, however today you will experience it in many restaurants and you will be able to take belly dance lessons. Just ask the staff at your riad or hotel, they will know:-)

CULTURE:
Berber, Arab, French

DESERT:
The desert is not just a heartbeat away, even though you can now catch a bus to The Merzouga desert, to really feel you are there, you must spend at least 3 days. You can rent a car and a driver. Or why not start your adventure in Casablanca and join the 8-days tour from Casablanca to Marrakech. That will give you desert, camels (in reality dromedaries)  and Moroccan highlights.

EX-PATS:
Writers, artists, bohemians and hippies have been attractied to Marrakesh for more than 100 years. George Orwell and Yves Saint Laurent choose to live in Marrakesh like more than 10.000 expats do today.

FOOD: Morocco is known for its exellent food and Marrakesh has a Cooking School

Golf:
You will find a golf course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior in Marrakesh, offering views of the Atlas Mountains and attracting golfers of all levels. Choose between apartments, villas and luxury villas.
Read more...

HISTORY:
Marrakesh was a resting and trading  place on the caravan route from Timbuktu in ancient times. The city today offers masterpieces of architecture like the Ménara water feature and the Koutoubia Mosque, adding their piece to the puzzle of history.

ISLAM:
The majority of Morocco's population are muslims.

JEWELRY
Moroccan jewelry are extremely popular and very beautiful & artistic. Berber jewelry  in silver and bronze are made in the South and in the Moroccan Sahara. Urban jewelry, in gold with emerald and diamonds, are made all over the country.

KOUTOUBIA MOSQUE:
The largest mosque in Marrakesh. It is further- more said to be the most beautiful and proportioned mosque in the world. You will find it in the southwest quarter of the Medina.

LOCAL LIVING:
Stay in an impeccably furnished historical riad (traditional Moroccan villa) located in the heart of the Marrakech medina. Each bedroom has heating, air-conditioning and full en suite bathroom facilities. A rooftop terrace has loun- gers for relaxation, a heated pool and a tent perfect for enjoying some shade from its cushion-filled seating area, along with an area for meals. Tell me more about local living in Marrakesh..

MEDINA:
Snake charmers, belly dancers, beggars, fire-eaters, fortune-tellers and a cornucopia of colours, feminine gauzy fabrics, leather goods, pafume, herbs, SPICES and much, much more.

NEWS in English:
Morocco Newsline, Morocco Mirror

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES:
Modern Standard Arabic and Berber. French is still the unofficial third language in Morocco.

PASSPORT VISA
It is highly recommended that your passport has at least six months validity remaining after your intended date of departure from your travel destination. Immigration officials often apply different rules to those stated by travel agents and official sources.

Quote:
"Morocco as it is is a very fine place spoiled by civilization."
Richard H. Davis

REPTILES:
Tortoises, Lizards, Snakes, Chameleons...

SUPTROPICAL:
Marrakesh has a suptropical, semi-arid climate, with mild damp winters and hot dry summers. Average temperatures range from 12 degrees celsius in the winter to 28-29 degrees celsius in the summer.

TAXI:
Always make a deal about the price or ask the driver to put the meter on before you go!

Ushuaia Hotel & Clubbing:
Ushuaia Hotel & Clubbing has a full-service spa and a sauna. Rooms open to patios. The 50 air-conditioned guestrooms at Ushuaia Hotel & Clubbing include minibars and safes. Starts from $74.
Tell me more...

VILLE NOUVELLE:
The Ville Nouvelle is the modern, new part of Marrakesh

WILD LIFE:
Camels (in reality dromedaries) Egyptian Cobras, Golden Jackals, Red Foxes and still in small numbers Leopards, Cheetahs and Barbary Monkeys.
In The High Atlas mountains, you can find a variety of elephants and colorful butterflies.

X-TREME PAMPERING
If money is not a major issue, spoil yourself at La Sultana Marrakech, where the rooms open to balconies and have fireplaces. The luxury hotel has a full-service spa, an outdoor pool, and a 24-hour fitness facility. Available on request include in-room massages, wake-up calls, turndown service nightly and housekeeping  daily.

YOUTHS HOSTEL:
Located directly on the Djemaa El Fna square in Marrakech Medina, The Djemaa El Fna Hotel Cecil offers quality ensuite rooms & new Budget non ensuite rooms, including breakfast starting from 8 Euros.
Tell me more...

ZELLIJ MOSAIC
Extraordinarily complex tile, or zellij mosaics, covering public fountains, walls, and furniture.

MORE MARRAKESH
Marrakesh - Medina & Spices
Marrakesh Attractions
Ferry to Morocco from Spain

Before you decide where to go, you can find out more about each destination to your right and browse through attractions on the different Valentine vacation spots.

Dont worry about finding your way back as you can find the Blog on the top Menu Bar on all pages.

Happy Valentine's preparation...