Summer Holiday Tips

So you’ve picked Venice as your next holiday destination - a cultural and architectural hub bursting at the seams with museums, galleries, gondolas and romantic canals - what more could you want? Well, Italy may be famed for its mouth-watering gastronomy, but dining out in Venice can often be a disappointing affair – that is, unless you know where to go and what to pick from the menu…! We all know it’s wise to opt for a local speciality whilst on your jollies, so, to guide you in the right direction we have compiled some true Venetian favourites to really get your taste buds tingling.

Pasta

‘Bigoli’ is a Venetian speciality, comprising of long, thin spaghetti-like pasta with a hole in the middle, usually served in a seafood sauce such as onions and anchovies, clams or even cuttlefish ink. Risotto dishes are also aplenty in Venice, particularly cooked with scampi or cuttlefish, although the ancient ‘risi e bisi’ recipe, risotto cooked with peas, is another staple on the menu. Also look out for ‘pasta e fagioli’ – a wholesome pasta and bean soup, perfect as a winter warmer.

Fish

Being the original ‘city of water’, Venice has always tried to make use of its fresh fish resources for creative and delicious seafood dishes. Cod features heavily on most Venetian menus, dried cod in particular. Keep your eyes peeled for ‘baccalà Mantecato’, a type of creamed cod which is truly mouth-watering. Other favourites include ‘bisato su l’ara’ - eel roasted with bay leaves, which is traditionally cooked in a glass furnace, sardines in an onion marmalade sauce and clams in parsley.

Meat

A popular main course meat dish which mustn’t be missed is the famous ‘fegato alla veneziana’ – a delicious Venetian style liver cooked with onions. Duck is another favourite with Venetian chefs, particularly stuffed or cooked in a sweet and sour sauce.

Dessert

Traditional Venetian biscuits are the most popular sweet food to be eaten after a main course. Look out for ‘zaeti’ biscuits, created with polenta flour and raisins, as well as ‘bussolai buranelli’ biscuits made predominantly with butter – even more delicious when dunked in sweet Vin Santo dessert wine!

Wine

Of course, sampling these dishes would not be complete without an accompanying Venetian wine. Try the Bianco di Custoza, Prosecco di Conegliano or Amarone varieties – all traditional favourites which compliment beautifully with Venetian dishes.

One of the best ways to experience these tasty specialities is at smaller, more rustic trattorias which tend to be more favoured by the locals, so forget tourist-packed restaurants in Venice, and brave the beaten path – you will not be disappointed!

It takes a pretty serious player to fly to the other side of the world to get their golfing fix, but the land down under is widely considered to house some of the world’s finest golf courses. If you can’t decide which part of Australia to pick for your golfing destination, we can point you in the right direction. Melbourne’s famous ‘sand belt’ - a stretch of land enriched with heaven-sent soil for golf, combined with its delightful weather, make it an excellent choice if you want to experience the holiday of a lifetime.

Sitting within this revered sand belt in Black Rock, Victoria, is the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, one of Melbourne’s leading golf institutions.  Achieving royal status is no mean feat, and the club boasts two excellent courses; the West Course and the East Course. Endowing it with an almost iconic status, the West Course was created on the advice of the R&A, who commissioned skilled golfing architect, Dr. Alistair Mackenzie to design the layout - resulting in what most golfing aficionados would deem as near to perfection. The East Course, while sitting in the shadow of its neighbouring course, still boasts some remarkable holes, particularly the par 3s, as well as benefitting from the excellent turf of the sand belt.

Once part of the Royal Melbourne, the Metropolitan Golf club is considered up there with the world’s ‘untouchable’ golf course and has hosted an abundance of international professional events in recent years. Forming part of Dr. Mackenzie’s golf course legacy, the refined resort is particularly admired for the outstanding condition of its fairways and lawns.

Nearby, the majestic Kingston Heath Golf Club rivals Royal Melbourne for the number one golfing spot in the area. Also spanning the esteemed sand belt and designed by Mackenzie, this course utilizes the natural environment to amazing effect. Astute bunkering and stretches of white sand surround the lush greens and fairways, as well as some charming par 4s and shorter holes.

Once you’ve exhausted the courses, why not round it all off with a relaxing evening beside the magnificent Pacific coastline. Just a short distance from Melbourne, the fashionable St Kilda is one of the hippest and most picturesque points of the bay. If chilled out street bars, funky cafes and beachside hangouts are your thing then this is the place for you. One of our favorites is Laidback: Donovans, where you can relax with a glass of Australia’s finest and enjoy the scenic ocean views – even a certain Miss Minogue has been known to frequent the funky venue.

If you want to go green this holiday, why not cut out the middle man and head straight for the treetops? These amazing treehouse hotels are located in some of the most spectacular areas of the world, meaning you can be doing your bit for the environment AND be guaranteed a room with a view! Check out our top five:

1. Tsala Treetop Lodge, South Africa

If you thought treehouses couldn’t be luxurious then think again. The Tsala Treetop Lodge is an architectural gem, being constructed of stone and glass with floor-to-ceiling windows which offer views over the incredible Tsitsikamma Forest. It also boasts log fireplaces, private balconies and an infinity-edge pool. The surrounding Western Cape area is a botanically rich haven for eco-lovers - head out and explore the nearby beaches and golf courses. The Fancourt Hotel and Country Estate has one of the best.

1. Sanya Nanshan Treehouse, China

The ‘Big Beach in the Sky’, as its known, is a treehouse in its truest form. Built into a group of tamarind trees, guests can only access the rustic accommodation via a rope-and-plank suspension bridge. Luckily, it has electricity to guide your way. Nearby, the 5,000 acre Nanshan Buddhism Cultural Theme Park is a must-see for its magnificent temples, statues and botanical gardens.

3. Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge, Australia

If you’re after a relaxing and secluded eco experience, head down under to Hinchinbrook Island where you will find no ordinary rickety treehouse, The Wilderness Lodge houses 15 spacious treehouses, each with private balcony and beachfront access. And if sun-lounging is your thing, you’ll be spoilt for choice - the island boasts an impressive eleven isolated beaches.

4. Cedar Creek Treehouse, Washington

If you’re the outdoorsy type, the Cedar Creek Treehouse could be the perfect retreat.  Bordering Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the accommodation is perched 50 feet high in an ancient cedar tree. Don’t come if you’re afraid of heights though - the views from the 100 feet fir tree observatory overlooking Mount Rainier are both magnificent and dizzying.

5. Maravu Plantation, Fiji

Fiji is the ultimate exotic destination and the Maravu Plantation on Taveni Island is no ordinary treehouse accommodation. Sitting in an age-old rain tree, the rooms boast panoramic views of the South Pacific with interior comforts including leather and palm-wood furniture. There is even a Spa at the resort if you’re in need of a bit of R&R. Island-hoppers, head over to Le Meridien Resort & Casino on Port Vila for a complete contrast.

For further reading check out these online travel guides for eco-friendly destinations:

http://gogreentravelgreen.com/

http://www.ecotourismlogue.com/