Do you know BELLEVILLE?

Once an independent municipality that was annexed by the city of Paris in 1860, the neighbourhood of Belleville straddles four different arrondissements and throughout history has been a refuge for those fleeing strife in their own lands. Due to this colourful backdrop, Belleville has a multi-ethnic vibe with elements of China, Greece, Germany and parts of Africa blending together with the traditional Parisian foundations. Here you will find the chicest of the bright young things dining out in places like Septime or Clamato for a fraction of the cost in the more established parts of the city. What better way to embody the Parisian vibe, than to grab a glass of wine at one of the many bars and watch the movements of this artsy neighbourhood unfold in front of your eyes. If you’re looking for another great district also check out Le Marais, which has been one of the hippest parts of the city, here’s a guide to nouvelle cuisine in this part of the city.

Once an independent municipality that was annexed by the city of Paris in 1860, the neighbourhood of Belleville straddles four different arrondissements and throughout history has been a refuge for those fleeing strife in their own lands. Due to this colourful backdrop, Belleville has a multi-ethnic vibe with elements of China, Greece, Germany and parts of Africa blending together with the traditional Parisian foundations. Here you will find the chicest of the bright young things dining out in places like Septime or Clamato for a fraction of the cost in the more established parts of the city. What better way to embody the Parisian vibe, than to grab a glass of wine at one of the many bars and watch the movements of this artsy neighbourhood unfold in front of your eyes. If you’re looking for another great district also check out Le Marais, which has been one of the hippest parts of the city, here’s a guide to nouvelle cuisine in this part of the city.

TIPS: DON’T TRUST STRANGERS WHO WEAR TURTLE NECK/POLO NECK TOPS

Only kidding about the turtle necks. It is hard to get to know the locals at a destination if you don’t trust them, but there are limits to how much you should trust them when it comes to your personal safety (going with them into a risky area of town), money, and consuming their food or drink (if they are not consuming it themselves). Do a search on Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum for the latest scams that travellers have reported for where you are going. Also, look at the ‘Dangers and Annoyances’ sections in your Lonely Planet guidebook and ask your hotel/hostel staff for safety tips.

Only kidding about the turtle necks. It is hard to get to know the locals at a destination if you don’t trust them, but there are limits to how much you should trust them when it comes to your personal safety (going with them into a risky area of town), money, and consuming their food or drink (if they are not consuming it themselves). Do a search on Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum for the latest scams that travellers have reported for where you are going. Also, look at the ‘Dangers and Annoyances’ sections in your Lonely Planet guidebook and ask your hotel/hostel staff for safety tips.

What will you do if your ferry is cancelled

The recent industrial action by French crew at Brittany Ferries left the entire fleet unoperational and caused havoc for travellers and companies that rely on shipping their goods between England, France and Spain.

Cancellations can be caused by adverse weather conditions and technical failures. If the seas are stormy, ferries may be pulled or delayed for safety reasons.

Christopher Jones, press officer at Brittany Ferries, comments: “Our  Portsmouth – Cherbourg service is operated by catamaran, the Normandie Express. This type are not permitted to operate when the wave height exceeds 3.5m. During recent bad weather, we therefore suspended this service and re-routed passengers onto our Portsmouth-Caen service.”

The recent industrial action by French crew at Brittany Ferries left the entire fleet unoperational and caused havoc for travellers and companies that rely on shipping their goods between England, France and Spain.

Cancellations can be caused by adverse weather conditions and technical failures. If the seas are stormy, ferries may be pulled or delayed for safety reasons.

Christopher Jones, press officer at Brittany Ferries, comments: “Our  Portsmouth – Cherbourg service is operated by catamaran, the Normandie Express. This type are not permitted to operate when the wave height exceeds 3.5m. During recent bad weather, we therefore suspended this service and re-routed passengers onto our Portsmouth-Caen service.”

Travelers will find great vacation deals and fewer crowds at popular destinations around the world.

 September often marks the end of the peak travel season, but for those able to dodge the back-to-school and back-to-work reality, the month offers a prime opportunity to pack up and plan a getaway. Savvy travelers will find they can take advantage of great vacation deals and fewer crowds at popular destinations around the world. Still not convinced? Here are seven reasons why September is one of the best months to travel.

For those able to dodge the back-to-school and back-to-work reality, the month offers a prime opportunity to pack up and plan a getaway. By Julie LoffrediAug.

 September often marks the end of the peak travel season, but for those able to dodge the back-to-school and back-to-work reality, the month offers a prime opportunity to pack up and plan a getaway. Savvy travelers will find they can take advantage of great vacation deals and fewer crowds at popular destinations around the world. Still not convinced? Here are seven reasons why September is one of the best months to travel.

For those able to dodge the back-to-school and back-to-work reality, the month offers a prime opportunity to pack up and plan a getaway. By Julie LoffrediAug.

How to Save Money While Traveling

Just because you splurged on the trip, doesn’t mean you have to sit in your hotel room the whole time. With a little bit of work ahead of time, you can escape the resort without breaking the bank. Here are four easy ways that you can save money while traveling:

Sign Up For Local Deals – about a month or two before you travel to a new city, sign up for local deals in that city through Groupon, Amazon Local, and other similar sites. They’ll often have discounts on everything from zoo passes and concert tickets to skydiving and massages.
Join The Mailing List – if you have your heart set on a local museum or attraction, see if they have an email mailing list you can join. This is a great way to find out about special promotions and offers that may only be available to subscribers.
Book Ahead – not only is it easier to shop for and compare excursions and private tours ahead of time, but you can sometimes get a discount for booking in advance, as well.
Watch the Tripfeed – we partner with various companies to provide our travelers with exclusive offers on tours and attractions in select cities. These messages will show up in the Tripfeed in your TripCase app.

Just because you splurged on the trip, doesn’t mean you have to sit in your hotel room the whole time. With a little bit of work ahead of time, you can escape the resort without breaking the bank. Here are four easy ways that you can save money while traveling:

Sign Up For Local Deals – about a month or two before you travel to a new city, sign up for local deals in that city through Groupon, Amazon Local, and other similar sites. They’ll often have discounts on everything from zoo passes and concert tickets to skydiving and massages.
Join The Mailing List – if you have your heart set on a local museum or attraction, see if they have an email mailing list you can join. This is a great way to find out about special promotions and offers that may only be available to subscribers.
Book Ahead – not only is it easier to shop for and compare excursions and private tours ahead of time, but you can sometimes get a discount for booking in advance, as well.
Watch the Tripfeed – we partner with various companies to provide our travelers with exclusive offers on tours and attractions in select cities. These messages will show up in the Tripfeed in your TripCase app.

Cruises to New Zealand and Relax

Cruising in New Zealand is the perfect way to explore over 15,000 kilometers of coastline and the spectacular landscapes this diverse country has to offer.

Discover Cruises to New Zealand and Relax in Style

Cruising to New Zealand is a well-established tradition. When the first settlers came here, it was by boat and even up to the 1960’s it was the only way to arrive in this country. Cruises to New Zealand today are, happily, a much more comfortable and luxurious experience.


The most popular places for boarding a cruise to New Zealand are Australia and the South Pacific. Adventure cruises bound for Antarctica also pass through here, as well as round-the-world cruises.


New Zealand is blessed with a compact land mass, which means that each distinct region is within overnight sailing of each other. Whether you are after scenic beauty, interacting with endangered wildlife, learning about Maori culture, or indulging in gourmet goodness, cruising around New Zealand offers varied experiences and life-changing moments.

There are nine main ports in New Zealand.

•      Bay of Islands – The birthplace of the Nation, with a stunning subtropical coastline and thick dense native forests.
•     Auckland - New Zealand's biggest city with breath-taking scenery, beautiful beaches, outstanding food and wine, great shopping and exciting nightlife.
•     Gisborne - Maori culture abounds in this east coast region of the North Island. Good food, top-class wineries and excellent surf beaches add to the region's drawcards.
•     Wellington - New Zealand's capital, a boutique city offering arts and cultural experiences with nature right on its doorstep.

Cruising in New Zealand is the perfect way to explore over 15,000 kilometers of coastline and the spectacular landscapes this diverse country has to offer.

Discover Cruises to New Zealand and Relax in Style

Cruising to New Zealand is a well-established tradition. When the first settlers came here, it was by boat and even up to the 1960’s it was the only way to arrive in this country. Cruises to New Zealand today are, happily, a much more comfortable and luxurious experience.


The most popular places for boarding a cruise to New Zealand are Australia and the South Pacific. Adventure cruises bound for Antarctica also pass through here, as well as round-the-world cruises.


New Zealand is blessed with a compact land mass, which means that each distinct region is within overnight sailing of each other. Whether you are after scenic beauty, interacting with endangered wildlife, learning about Maori culture, or indulging in gourmet goodness, cruising around New Zealand offers varied experiences and life-changing moments.

There are nine main ports in New Zealand.

•      Bay of Islands – The birthplace of the Nation, with a stunning subtropical coastline and thick dense native forests.
•     Auckland - New Zealand's biggest city with breath-taking scenery, beautiful beaches, outstanding food and wine, great shopping and exciting nightlife.
•     Gisborne - Maori culture abounds in this east coast region of the North Island. Good food, top-class wineries and excellent surf beaches add to the region's drawcards.
•     Wellington - New Zealand's capital, a boutique city offering arts and cultural experiences with nature right on its doorstep.

China's Prosperous Largest City

Shanghai, China's biggest city, oozes an atmosphere of vitality which can rival New York and Paris in terms of modernity. Shanghai is the second largest “city proper” in the world after Mumbai. As one of the world’s leading economic and business cities, Shanghai's modernity is evidenced by the ambitious skyline in the Pudong Economic Zone and the gorgeous night scenes of the Huangpu River, when the spectacular lights of its immense towers dance in unison. Shanghai's colonial legacy combined with things Chinese has created a unique culture, which is a fusion of the East and the West. The Bund, the waterfront of the city gives a vivid illustration of the combination of East and West cultures through its large collection of colonial architecture. However, old Shanghaiis not set to disappear overnight. Beneath Shanghai's impressive modern buildings and in the back alleys, scenes of the 1920s have been kept. Unlike Beijing, Shanghai does not brim with many great sights. Except for Yuyuan Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, and the Huangpu River Cruise, there are not many famous tourist attractions. However, the beauty of visiting Shanghai lies not in scurrying from sight to sight but in the feel of the city's modern atmosphere.

Shanghai, China's biggest city, oozes an atmosphere of vitality which can rival New York and Paris in terms of modernity. Shanghai is the second largest “city proper” in the world after Mumbai. As one of the world’s leading economic and business cities, Shanghai's modernity is evidenced by the ambitious skyline in the Pudong Economic Zone and the gorgeous night scenes of the Huangpu River, when the spectacular lights of its immense towers dance in unison. Shanghai's colonial legacy combined with things Chinese has created a unique culture, which is a fusion of the East and the West. The Bund, the waterfront of the city gives a vivid illustration of the combination of East and West cultures through its large collection of colonial architecture. However, old Shanghaiis not set to disappear overnight. Beneath Shanghai's impressive modern buildings and in the back alleys, scenes of the 1920s have been kept. Unlike Beijing, Shanghai does not brim with many great sights. Except for Yuyuan Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, and the Huangpu River Cruise, there are not many famous tourist attractions. However, the beauty of visiting Shanghai lies not in scurrying from sight to sight but in the feel of the city's modern atmosphere.