© katielips I had a quick look for accommodation in Amsterdam and it was rather pricey B&Bs and holiday apartments that appeared on the first couple of pages. However I was more impressed by the eating options such as Amsterdam Delicious Bites where you could have a meal with a family for around 40 euros per person but I wasn't sure if the fee per reservation of 15 euros was a deposit or an additional fee. I have mixed feelings about Like a Local. It is a great idea meeting some locals when you are in a strange city but it seems a bit contrived and I'm not not convinced that the experience would always be that authentic. If money is changing hands it all becomes more a financial arrangement rather than a genuine experience.

Melrose Abbey, Scotland by europealacarte

I know it's wonderful to travel to exotic locations but with rising oil prices, concern over the environment and the hassle of flying you could be pleasantly surprised spending some time exploring closer to home.

© r h

There's plenty to do in addition to enjoying the spectacular countryside and scenery in Iceland. The capital city Reykjavik has some great nightlife. There are many events such as the Festival of the Sea the first weekend in June, The Jazz Festival at the end of August and The Film Festival at the end of September.

© EggybirdTripwolf a new travel social guide site is launching. Nothing like a bit of flattery to get our attention with an email from TripWolf describing Wandalust “as representing the discerning traveler of the UK and Europe” and as befitting such esteemed readers offering Wandalust readers 200 beta invites to try Tripwolf. The first question that crossed my mind is what is going to make Tripwolf unique? Well here's what Tripwolf claim as some of their differentiating features: 1 Professional content from partner site
2 Wiki features meaning you can edit and add content
3 You'll receive personalised recommendations
4 You can print out your own guides as pdf flies
5 Consistent geo-tagging Well I'm not entirely convinced. Will Tripwolfs' Viennese founders end up waltzing back home with their tails between their legs.

Lufthansa’s deal is one of the first summer offers I’ve seen so far this year, so it’s worth taking a look at if you haven’t already booked your summertime flight to Europe. Before you book, however, be sure to compare fares with other carriers to ensure you get the best possible price and schedule for your travels.

The deal

Travel is valid from May 16 through July 4.

Departures are available midweek through June 4. Book tickets at least 14 days in advance. Fares require a Saturday-night stay, and the maximum stay is 30 days.

Book by May 15, 11:59 PM ET.

Best sample round-trip fares, not including additional taxes and fees, are:$738 from New York City, NY to London, England, United Kingdom on Lufthansa$786 from Washington, D.C. to London, England, United Kingdom on Lufthansa$968 from Chicago, IL to Barcelona, Spain on Lufthansa$1,102 from Boston, MA to Lyon, France on Lufthansa$1,122 from Los Angeles, CA to Hamburg, Germany on Lufthansa$1,262 from Dallas, TX to Brussels, Belgium on Lufthansa$1,270 from San Francisco, CA to Trieste, Italy on LufthansaAll prices, dates, and booking details listed here were valid at the time of publication. Some information may have changed since that time.

Find airfares

You can use our tool to compare airfares from multiple travel providers, or go directly to Lufthansa’s website.

Seats are limited and may not be available on all flights or dates. Be flexible with your travel dates to find the lowest fares. Blackout dates and additional restrictions may apply.

© Ben30Why are there so few high profile travel blogs authored by UK bloggers? As I scroll down the page on Travel Alltop only two of the first fifteen travel blogs listed are written by UK bloggers, my own Europe a la Carte blog at number three on the listing and Travel Rants, the independent UK travel consumer blog at number five. There is one other European travel blogger, at number six the Dutch Happy Hotelier. The other twelve blogs are American. When I search for “UK travel blogs” on Google, Wandalust appears at the top of the list. Next is a site for creating travel blogs and in third place is Alexs Travel blog, then a travel marketing site, the Guardian travel blog, followed by Travel Rants and the Europe a la Carte blog. I'm waiting for you to prove me wrong by leaving links to loads of travel blogs written by UK bloggers in the comments.

This deal includes both standby destinations such as London and Paris, as well as up-and-coming places like Dubrovnik and Budapest. Before booking, weigh the cost of British Airways’ prices against competitors’ fares and the $50 accommodations/rental car/sightseeing discount, and book whichever makes more sense for your trip. Be sure to register on British Airways’ website if you decide to book this offer, as it’s an easy way to save an extra $20.

The deal

Travel is valid from April 11 through May 25.

Book tickets at least seven days in advance. The cheapest fares are available for travel Mondays through Wednesdays. A Saturday-night stay is required, and the maximum stay is 11 months.

Flights between May 26 and September 3 are available at higher prices.

The sample fares include the $20 discount.

Book by April 15, 11:59 PM ET.

Best sample round-trip fares, not including additional taxes and fees, are:$358 from New York City, NY to London, England, United Kingdom on British Airways$484 from Washington, D.C. to Paris, France on British Airways$532 from Boston, MA to Budapest, Hungary on British Airways$636 from Chicago, IL to Athens, Greece on British Airways$658 from Dallas, TX to Barcelona, Spain on British Airways$766 from Los Angeles, CA to Dubrovnik, Croatia on British Airways$838 from San Francisco, CA to Istanbul, Turkey on British AirwaysAll prices, dates, and booking details listed here were valid at the time of publication. Some information may have changed since that time.

Find airfares

You can use our tool to compare airfares from multiple travel providers, or go directly to British Airways’ website.

Seats are limited and may not be available on all flights or dates. Be flexible with your travel dates to find the lowest fares. Blackout dates and additional restrictions may apply.

© Letcombe

The Festival is the leading event for new music talent in Europe. You can buy a three day ticket for £45 which sounds like a bit of bargain to me as you can easily pay that for one gig. Last year's event received some pretty good review with James Ketchell from Rockbeatstone Magazine praising the”great music from some talented bands” but also bemoaning the fact that there was too much going on. Sounds like a ringing endorsement. Are you going to the Festival this year?

The deal

When I checked, sample per-person prices for 2008 sailings included:

$329 for an inside cabin on a five-night western Caribbean sailing aboard the Enchantment of the Seas departing from Ft. Lauderdale on September 6.$469 for an inside cabin on a seven-night Mexican Riviera sailing aboard the Vision of the Seas departing from Los Angeles on November 30.$649 for an inside cabin on a seven-night Alaska sailing aboard the Radiance of the Seas departing from Vancouver for Seward on May 23.$699 for an inside cabin on a seven-night Greek Isles and Dalmatian Coast sailing aboard the Splendour of the Seas departing from Venice on November 8.$899 for an inside cabin on a 10-night Hawaii sailing aboard the Radiance of the Seas departing from Ensenada for Honolulu on May 3.$999 for an outside cabin on a 13-night South America sailing aboard the Splendour of the Seas departing from Buenos Aires for Valparaiso on March 9.

All prices, dates, and booking details listed here were valid at the time of publication. Some information may have changed since that time.

It’s always a good idea to compare rates before booking, and you can use our price-comparison tool to search multiple travel providers.

To book

For more information, visit Royal Caribbean’s Hot Deals page. You can book your cruise online or by calling 866-562-7625 or your travel agent.

Prices are per person based on double occupancy, and do not include additional taxes and fees. Offers are capacity-controlled and only available on select sailings. Royal Caribbean may change or withdraw these prices at any time.

Before you book, shop around and compare fares from several airlines to ensure you find a competitive price for your itinerary.

The deal

Travel is valid from March 31 through May 30.

Departures are available from March 31 through April 30. Book tickets at least seven days in advance. Fares require a Saturday-night stay, and the maximum stay is 30 days.

Book by January 27, 11:59 PM ET.

Best sample round-trip fares, not including additional taxes and fees, are:$438 from Boston, MA to London, England, United Kingdom on Lufthansa$564 from New York City, NY to Lisbon, Portugal, Portugal on Lufthansa$624 from Chicago, IL to Budapest, Hungary on Lufthansa$730 from Washington, D.C. to Madrid, Spain on Lufthansa$790 from Dallas, TX to Amsterdam, Netherlands on Lufthansa$914 from Los Angeles, CA to Brussels, Belgium on Lufthansa$970 from San Francisco, CA to Milan, Italy on LufthansaAll prices, dates, and booking details listed here were valid at the time of publication. Some information may have changed since that time.

Find airfares

You can use our price-comparison tool to check for the lowest airfares from multiple travel providers, or go directly to Lufthansa’s website.

Seats are limited and may not be available on all flights or dates. Be flexible with your travel dates to find the lowest fares. Blackout dates and additional restrictions may apply.