Tag - Brazil

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A night less ordinary: Royal Tulip Rio de Janeiro
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Foodie Corner: The Best Christmas Food
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Purple 10: December festivals around the globe
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Off the beaten track: Lencois Maranhenses, a desert filled with lakes
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Best Urban Beaches in the World
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A Night less Ordinary: Exploranter Overland Hotel in Sao Paulo
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Twilight holidays, the weirdest thing ever?
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In pictures: the biggest, scariest waterslide you’ll see today.
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Purple 10: Theme parks for kids
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Christmas in June

A night less ordinary: Royal Tulip Rio de Janeiro

We love to take a look at some of the best, weirdest and most wonderful hotels in the world. A night less ordinary is all about hotels with an extra special something, like a revolving roof, a night with giraffes or a panda themed hotel. This week, we take a look at the Royal Tulip Rio de Janeiro home to the England World Cup Squad at least on a temporary basis!

The basics: As you read this, the England squad is already ensconced in the Royal Tulip Hotel on the Sao Conrado Beach in Rio de Janeiro in preparation for the 2014 World Cup kicking off on June 12th. The hotel can host up to 3,000 guests in a variety of rooms. There are 418 apartments boasting private balconies, with sea or mountain views. The outdoor pool will probably be more use than the bar, as will the two tennis courts, gym and sauna.

Royal Tulip Rio de Janeiro from Purple Travel 2

The WOW factor: Superstars like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney are already enjoying the luxurious rooms at the hotel which finished a multimillion pound revamp just in time for the arrival of the England squad for the World Cup. Its reported the FA has asked for a dedicated games room with three TVs so the team can watch its potential opponents in all the group games. The hotel’s manager George Durante, told the Mirror that the 64 rooms that are home to the team for the next few weeks have brand new furniture, beds, floors, balconies and air -conditioning. Sounds like the team has everything they need to win the Brazil World Cup 2014! Royal Tulip Rio de Janeiro from Purple Travel 4Royal Tulip Rio de Janeiro from Purple Travel 5

Details: Royal Tulip Rio de Janeiro Av Aquarela do Brasil – 75, 22610010, Rio de Janeiro. See Royal Tulip Rio de Janeiro reviews on TripAdvisor here. Rooms from 150.27 per day. Royal Tulip Rio de Janeiro from Purple Travel 6

Foodie Corner: The Best Christmas Food

Christmas time around the world is celebrated according to local traditions and every family has their own little quirks. For many though, what makes it really special is the Christmas Food! When families take their seats for Christmas dinner, they feast their eyes on a variety of mouthwatering favourites. In our house it includes Spiced beef! Every house is different though, so we’ve taken a look at some Christmas food favourites from all over the world… Share yours in comments below!

germany

1. Germany – Roast goose with red cabbage. Simple, but carefully arranged (as always!) the Christmas table in Germany combines the meat with vegetables and of course potatoes, a Germans’ favourite!

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Purple 10: December festivals around the globe

rodeo

Image via @ ReneS

1. National Finals Rodeo

Where: Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas, USA
When: First week of December
People might say that Las Vegas is a festival itself, as it’s a place where the lights never go out. However, if you opt for a December trip to Las Vegas, you’ ll have the chance  to personally experience the 10-day National Finals Rodeo, a.k.a. Rodeo Superbowl. The festival involves, the top 15 rodeo cowboys who compete each other, claiming prizes up to $5.5 million!

burning the devil

Image via @ globeseeker

2. Quema del Diablo (Burning the Devil)

Where: Guatemala City and Antigua, Guatemala
When: December 7th
According to local tradition the Devil lurks in house corners, under every bed and in the garbage bins. Therefore, on 7th December of every year the locals clean their houses and streets, setting the garbage on fire at 6 o’clock in the evening. Usually, on top of the burning pile they also throw a figure of the Devil. Certainly an unusual addition to our list of December festivals.

dervish

Image via @ Box of Badgers

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Off the beaten track: Lencois Maranhenses, a desert filled with lakes

The Lencois Maranhenses National Park is in northeastern Brazil. The thing that makes it special is that, although it’s 1500 square kilometres of desert, the white sands are broken up by small lakes.

Lencois Maranhenses 1

Lencois Maranhenses (The bedsheets of Maranhão) is considered to be absolutely unique among any other deserts on the planet, due to its high level of rainfall, which is 300 times higher than the rainfalls in Sahara desert. The strange thing is, that the rain water is stored between the huge dunes, keeping lakes of crystal clear waters that attract tourists from all over the world every year. It’s hard to get anymore off the beaten track than here!

Lencois Maranhenses 2

All images via @ Miradas.com.br  and Diogo R. Moraes

Best Urban Beaches in the World

This one’s for anyone who wants to combine the thrill of visiting a city with lazing on the beach. Urban beaches are the perfect place to catch a tan without having to go to an island resort and are still in close proximity to restaurants, nightclubs and other attractions. Check out some of the top urban beaches across the globe and dive into a holiday that offers the best of both worlds!

IpanemaIpanema via @ legodiniz

Ipanema, Rio de Janero

Rio offers some of the world’s best urban beaches, all of which are surrounded by breathtaking scenery and urban pleasures. Ipanema is without a doubt the best of the lot, but Copacabana and Leblon are also stunning. These beaches are the place to be and are filled with visitor’s tanning, swimming in the Atlantic or enjoying cocktails and local cuisine from one of the many beach side bars and restaurants.

Venice beach, Los Angeles

Possibly the coolest beach in the world, Venice beach is also one of the most beautiful. This bohemian beach is packed with gorgeous bronzed bodies and you’ll find rolling green lawns, art galleries, surf shops, restaurants and more on the Ocean Front Walk. Rollerblade, take to the waves, chill at a bar or hang out on the beach and indulge in some people watching.

Taylet, Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is Israel’s second most populous city and home to a sandy Mediterranean coastline that’s filled with beach cafes and hotels. Taylet has become a hot and happening destination for anyone who wants to spend the day in the sun and party the night away. Its close proximity to the seafront Port Promenade, where the best nightclubs and live music venues are found, makes it popular with visitors and locals.

Estorial via wikicommons

Image of Estoril via @ Wikicommons

Tamariz, Lisbon

Tamariz beach in Estoril is a hidden gem that’s fast becoming a tourist favourite. Laze between the locals and watch the activity at Europe’s largest casino, or soak up the old world glamour of a castle belonging to Monaco royalty, both of which are located beachside. The numerous bars and restaurants are perfect for sundowners and in summer months the beach turns into a nightclub with visiting international DJs and other live acts. Tamariz is the perfect urban party beach with the charm of a small coastal town.

A Night less Ordinary: Exploranter Overland Hotel in Sao Paulo

We go around the world to find the most beautiful, weird and wonderful hotels. From ship-shaped hotels to underground suites, expect the unexpected in our series: A Night Less Ordinary. This week, Exploranter Overland Hotel in Sao Paulo.

Exploranter-Overland-Hotel

What’s the gimmick? Join a tour on this, pretty incredible hotel on wheels. Inspired by the huge overland expedition trucks you see on safari trips, this one is a little bigger. With room for up to 32 people, three fully equipped bathrooms, a lounge, and kitchen it has all you could ask for from hotel, with more – it moves! It’s got huge windows to enjoy the panoramic views, a small observation deck and when the weather’s good (which is probably will be) it’s a pleasure to lunch in the great outdoors.

Inside-the-trailer-bedrooms

Why stay? Based in Sao Paulo, the Exploranter is available on routes throughout South America from northern Brazil to Patagonia, Chile. You can book the travelling hotel to suit your own schedule; trips last between three days and three weeks. There are many advantages to travelling by truck: You’ll get to rarely-seen-parts, close to nature, find out more about local cultures and enjoy some of the most beautiful parts of the world.

Exploranter-Overland-Hotel-mix-3

All images via @  localnomad

The WOW Factor? More than simply a way to get around, this is an experience. A truly different way to see the world, and maybe the start of a brand new kind of tourism all over the world.

Twilight holidays, the weirdest thing ever?

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If you’re a twihard, like us, then here are some holidays you might want to to think about. From the rolling hills of Ireland to the breathtaking landscapes
of Italy, we’ve got the top trips for Twilight holidays.

Olympic Coven, Forks, Washington, USA

Home to the Cullens, Edward, with added Bella, Carlisle and Esme and (of course!) the newest edition, Renesmee, Forks has become a haven for Twilight fans. Of course, starting off with a Twilight tour is a must. A trip to Seattle nearby is a great family friendly choice; you can even visit the famous Space Needle, while Forks’ national park shows off the setting that inspired Stephanie Meyer.

Volturi Coven, Tuscany, Italy

Romance is alive and well in Tuscany of course, even if you don’t see much niceness from the Volturi themselves. Volterra is the home of the vampire royalty who’ve lived there for over 3000 years, enforcing their strict code of conduct. It might be home to a fictional vampire elite, but don’t let that put you off. It’s one of the most popular places in Europe to get married (think summer evenings, eating outdoors, fireworks and olive groves,) while the show stopping scenery and long, lazy days surrounded by sunshine and pasta make for a totally laidback holiday.

Egyptian Coven, somewhere in Egypt

Robert Pattinson

Egypt might reveal vampires pretty quickly – with all that sunshine, you couldn’t help but sparkle. For non-vamps, the historic homeland of one of Twilight’s oldest clans is an unbelievably beautiful experience. From snorkelling the clear waters of the Red Sea, to discovering the ancient historic sights of the King and Queens valleys.

Denali Coven, Alaska, USA

The Denalis are the Cullens’ closest friends and the only other known ‘vegetarian’ clan. Found in the wilds of Alaska, the Denalis must be making the most of the 67 days of night found in the northern American state. The untouched landscape and a trip to the (aptly named) Denali National Park, mean you can get close to nature and hike to your heart’s content.

Amazon Coven, Brazil

The ultimate in honeymoon destinations, Rio is where Edward and Bella kicked off their first holiday after their wedding and the stars Robert Pattinson and Kirsten Stewart were the star attraction when they filmed there. The secretive Amazon coven, stays out of the way of humans, but you probably don’t need to worry about that. There’s a whole country worth of sights, sounds and smells to soak up in this Latin American gem.

Dublin, Ireland

Ireland Ireland’s capital city Dublin is a great introduction to the home of the Irish Coven with the vampires Maggie and Siobhan. It’s got that legendary nightlife, which is always helpful for vampires who are used to not sleeping. Head to the coast, either West or South, for the hip towns of Galway or Cork and indulge in some of the finest ‘craic’ this side of the Atlantic.

In pictures: the biggest, scariest waterslide you’ll see today.

The World’s Biggest Waterslide is not for the faint hearted. At 14 storeys high, and reaching speeds around 105 km per hour as you slip down, it takes serious guts (or insanity) to brave it. The Beach Park in Brazil is home to the delightfully named Insano.

So the big question is: would you dare try it?

Waterslide 5

Image via @ Beach Park

Waterslide 1 Waterslide 2  Waterslide 4

All images via @ Car_tav

Purple 10: Theme parks for kids

Still struggling with ideas for a family getaway this summer, or even for next? Surely every child’s (and we’re sure some grownup’s) dream holiday is to a theme park. Whether it’s Mickey or Minnie Mouse, a space adventure, more water slides than you can shake a stick at, or becoming a giant for a day, we’ve put together our top choices for this year. As always, if we’ve missed some great theme parks for kids, let us know in the comments below and for more information or to book great family holidays, visit our Purple Travel cheap holidays website.

#1 Were you a fan of Asterix and Obelix when you were a nipper?  Now you can introduce the kids to the same fun, at France’s Parc Asterix. Found just outside Paris, you can travel through six worlds of wonder, including ancient Greece and Egypt. The piece de resistance must be the Ozlris; an inverted rollercoaster that will leave your little ones shouting for more!

Parc Asterix from Purple Travel

Image via @ Milst1

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Christmas in June

It may seem a little early to start thinking about Christmas plans, but if, like us, you’d prefer to leave town for the holidays, then you’ll need to book now to get the best prices. If you’re staring at this post with a blank expression, you’re probably a first-timer, but for many of our customers, Christmas is just not complete without a passport, a suitcase and a warm, relaxing sunbed that’s as far away from home as Timbuktu.

A Christmas abroad brings with it a variety of factors – whether good, bad or just plain ugly. Local customs such as the 13 Santa Clauses of Iceland, a black St Nick in Holland and the masked musicians of the Caribbean can be a pleasant cultural awakening, while unexpected seasonal closings and minimal flight availability can be an irritating addition to the holiday – bear in mind, if that twenty-strong family of obese Americans are all competing for the last seats on a flight to sweet potato pie at Big Momma’s House, you’re probably going to lose out.

Yet the real challenge it seems, comes in deciding where exactly is the best place to celebrate this supposedly joyous, but often stressful time of year. Fares skyrocket, offending recession-strapped budgets and deciding between a white Christmas and a golden one can be a pretty tough call.

Rather than worrying your little, paper-hat clad head, why not just book a trip to one of these five destinations that we think are perfect for the Christmas season? Read More

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