The guides are full of essential hints on where to go, things to see, New York’s Museums, shopping mall and flea markets, quality places reasonably priced where to eat or sip a famous Pilsner, clubs and discos, budget hostels and cheap hotel deals to book, emergency numbers and more.

New York, or as it is often referrred to ‘The Big Apple’, is situated in the state of New York, in the north-east of The USA. The city is located at the mouth of the river Hudson and is sub-divided into five districts: Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan and Richmond (Staten Island).

New York, the main destination for European and Asian immigrants, has, during the last century, become one of the biggest and most cosmopolitan cities in the world. The lay-out of Manhattan is easy to understand.

Flashbooking is a growing cheap hostel New York and hotels directory specializing in budget accommodation for independent travellers, students, adventurous backpackers, international volunteers, families and all the ones that travel on a budget.

Flashbooking accommodation database is easily available online and comes completed with all relevant information about youth hostel and hotel location and map, description, services, hostel contacts, customer ratings, six pictures and updated prices inclusive of taxes and services together with instant real availability.

With the monthly newsletter, Flashbooking puts at travellers’ and partner hostels’ free disposal some useful information tools as pocket travel guides of the top world cities: the Amsterdam City guide, the London City guide, the Barcelona City guide, the Paris City guide, the Rome City guide, the Florence City guide, and the freshly issued New York City guide!

In general, these guides have been written for giving the essential information about the most visited cities in the world and in particular for any traveller or first-time visitor. For a short visit, a week-end, a city break, these free pocket guides are useful printable and downloadable tools available online.

In the New York City guide students, families and backpackers can get a large selection of cheap or low cost accommodation with plenty of low cost solutions in budget youth hostels, Bed and Breakfast New York, guesthouses, cheap hotel deals.

Our travellers are also our good partners as they help us either giving their ratings of some accommodations, lodgings, BandB, youth hostels and budget small hotels where they personally stayed, either enlarging the hostel offer by reporting some new contacts.

Flashbooking policy tends to privilege small and family-run hotels in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies.

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Shayne shows us the convenience store on la rue Royer-Collard between le boul’Mich’ and rue Gay Lussac, just next to the Luxembourg gardens. It is owned and run by a very nice Chinese man and his wife. It’s November in Paris. Let’s take a look.

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This article was written by Michele De Capitani with support from Hostels & cheap hotels accommodation. For any information on how travel insurance, please visit our website to download your free travel guides for New York City in USA.

Traveling Europe by train is perhaps one of the most engaging ways to take a vacation or holiday. From fascinating mountain peaks to meandering rivers of pristine waters to lush, green landscapes, your journey by train takes you to sites that you will never want to leave except for the knowledge that each leg of the journey continues the experience. As the scenery sweeps past you in its amazing splendor, the power of the train and of the journey itself energizes you to a new level of awareness.

As if this experience of viewing the wonder of nature isn’t enough, each time you stop to visit one of the fascinating cities on the itinerary, you will get another eyeful of attractive architecture, intriguing historical monuments, and charming scenery. From castles to churches to political buildings to monuments to village homes, the sights you see will make your time go by so quickly that you will find yourself wishing you had booked a longer train journey.

An earful of stimulating dialogue goes along with everything you see showcasing historical facts and detailing interesting trivia. You’ll also get a mouthful of savory cuisine at meal times that lingers not only on the tip of your tongue but also in the inner recesses of your memories. If the sights and sounds don’t lure you to come back again, surely the delightful aromas wafting through each town will entice you to return by rail again.

The European train network is amazing in its extensiveness that allows it to cover more than twenty gorgeous countries and over five hundred exciting cities. Just think of all of the fun you can have taking one train vacation after another throughout the years. From short jaunts to longer ones and luxury train travel to budget trips, traveling Europe by train is the best way to go.

Booking Train Travel

Booking train travel is one of the simplest parts of this grand adventure. All you need to know is where you would like to go, how long you would like to travel Europe by train, and how you are going to pay for this magnificent journey through some of the most wonderful cities and landscape in the world.

You even get to pick whether you will sleep on the train indulging in the soft comfort of a luxurious stateroom or step off to the delightful accommodations at an elegant European hotel. If you elect to sleep on the train, you will get the pleasure of waking up in a completely new location. The entire journey is planned for you according to the specific train travel you select. Guided tours provide a mix of pleasure, fascination, camaraderie, and education all in one exciting package.

The length of the average train tour typically falls somewhere between seven and eleven days. However, a number of lengthier jaunts ranging form 2 to 4 weeks are available for the true train aficionado. Plus, for those high-powered individuals who simply can’t pull themselves away for longer than two to four days, a number of adventurous train journeys are accessible throughout the year. Shorter train journeys will be less expensive and therefore more affordable to the budget. However, for the true train lover, several shorter train trips throughout the year might be more rewarding than a single longer rail journey.

Frommer’s Travel Guides

Frommer’s travel guides offer an easy, user friendly method for selecting your first, second, or one in a long line of many train travel packages. You can search this comprehensive guide by location or area such as Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South Eastern Europe, etc. Plus, Frommer’s travel guides break it all down into cultural events, attractions, restaurants, and a whole lot more. Whatever you are looking for by way of information for your train package, you can find it here.

In addition to highlights of European locations, you can peruse through articles, tips, and facts concerning just about anything you want to know about train travel. Frommer’s travel guides offer tips on finding travel companions to share the fun with, bargain train packages to help the budget, the best spas to dip your toes into, the most scenic outlooks to take your camera to, the latest travel tips to keep you healthy, as well as an entire plethora of useful information.

Popular Combination Train Packages

While the sheer number of available train travel packages is staggering, some combinations of stops have become quite popular. If you look at the destinations includes, you will understand why. In particular, rail packages to the following spots are often booked in advance or to full capacity: Many combination trips that include several destinations have special tours designed specifically for those cities. Some of the more popular ones include the following: London, Paris, and Amsterdam; London, Paris, and Nice; Madrid, Cordoba, and Seville; Rome, Paris, and London; Florence and Rome; and Venice, Florence, and Rome.

Many train tours focus on a specific area of a country. Both the Classic European Tour and the Central European Tour do this. These are great tours for travelers who can’t quite pinpoint the places they want to see and experience.

Packing for European Train Travel

Packing for train travel is no different than packing for most other forms of travel. You simply need to pack appropriate clothing, your medications, passport, traveler’s checks or credit cards, and personal essentials such as camera and binoculars. Both the staterooms in the train and any hotel accommodations will provide all the basics and more. Of course, your train travel package will determine how luxurious your accommodations are, thereby affecting the amenities that you are offered.

Why a Train?

Trains have a fascinating history of their own. Train travel is exciting with the sun dipping below the horizon that greets you from your window. Plus, panoramic landscapes filled with wildlife and lush flora present colorful displays that will keep you from nodding off. If you don’t believe it, take a train journey and discover the joy of the rails for yourself.

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,Cosmos European Tour 2009 a European vacation of a lifetime. Begin your trip in London with a full day to tour and discover the UKs capital on your own. Then, cross the Channel by ferry and board your motorcoach to Amsterdam, where a guided sightseeing tour and canal cruise await. In Germany, travel along the castle-dotted Rhine River and join the Romantic Road as it passes by medieval fairytale towns with half-timbered houses. Overnight in Munich, one of Germanys most popular travel …

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Susan M. Keenan, a professional freelance writer, provided this article for Gold Alliance Travel, Inc. Visit GoldAllianceTravel.com for travel tips and resources, including information on booking your european vacation by train.

In this article, the Senior Editor of Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News, Phil Chavanne, discusses the role of sneakers as fashion accessories in Paris.

I can’t count the number of times travelers who asked me: ‘Should I wear sneakers in Paris?’ and other variations of the same question. American tourists especially are concerned about ‘not fitting in’ with inappropriate shoes.

That attitude is remarkable indeed. Dressing so as not to shock the sensitivity of the locals: how much more considerate can you get? I can only give kudos to all of you who ever asked the question or thought about it!

Parisians and sneakers

Many first-time visitors to France and Paris are convinced that all French women are picture-perfect fashionistas. This is vastly exaggerated, even though access to stylish clothing and everything fashion is easy in Paris where ‘Elle’ magazine still dictates what’s in and out.

Yet I don’t find such a big difference in perennial tastes in the streets of Paris and in New-York avenues. Even though variations do exist, leading brands are international in nature, and they are imitated everywhere. Globalization and imitations tend to homogenize fashion, making everyday wear look similar in large cities like Paris, London, Milan, and NYC.

But the question about sneakers remains valid. Sneakers have become such a commodity in the US, how is it in Paris?

At first glance, I would venture there is hardly as many women wearing sneakers in Paris as in New York during the work week. The generally accepted business dress code in France looks down on sneakers. Therefore, unless her employer cultivates a younger, sporty image, the Parisian woman wears discreet-looking city shoes to go to work.

Yet sneakers are the ‘it’ shoe when they become design icons. Adidas, Puma and Nike each have their own stores in Paris, where dozens of different models are on display. Judging by the crowds these shops attract, none of these brands suffer from popularity deficit disorder in Paris.

So what’s the major difference in shoe-attitude between the American female consumer and the French female consumer? The latter will wear sneakers as design items, not as workaday shoes. She won’t buy sneakers for comfort. She will buy sneakers if they compliment dress-down pants and make them look smarter. She will buy sneakers which make her feet look thin, small, and classy.

A mere glance at the types of sneakers most commonly seen on women’s feet in Paris is telling: you won’t see any wide, cushy, comfy-looking, plain vanilla sneakers. You will see small, thin-looking, flat-sole, designer sneakers.

For the very same reasons, a pair of ‘escarpins’ by Stephane Kelian or Prada will always be favored over a pair of Pumas. Shoes are a fashion statement, and the more understated it is, the better.

And that’s another major difference between French and American woman. Understatement is a cardinal rule in French fashion. Anything that is too visible is considered garish. This is why the French little black dress is such a fashion icon, and why Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly will always be remembered as ‘the’ American fashionable ladies.

Tourists and sneakers

Does all this mean you can’t wear sneakers when you travel to Paris? Of course not!

First of all, sneakers can be comfortable walking shoes. And walk you will, in Paris. The very best way to discover the city is to walk along its streets. Wearing shoes in which you feel comfortable walking 10 miles a day at a leisurely pace is a majorly important decision for the general mood of your stay in the French capital.

Do not back off from wearing sneakers if these are your best walking shoes. And if you have even better walking shoes, pack them, even if they make you look like you are on a trekking trip!

Frankly, you should not ask yourself this question. Who cares about how you look in the street? Don’t be self-conscious, just be comfortable in your shoes. You are a visitor, these are your vacations, this is your very own time! Jeans and sneakers are international. People won’t be offended by your looks. Unless you dress in pink tops and electric blue pants, with golden sneakers and Jackie-O shades, nobody around will have any second thoughts about your attire.

And if they ever notice your jeans, LL Bean trekking shoes, and Patagonia jacket, well, push come to shove, they might think you’re American. And so what? In all likelihood they will appreciate your visiting Paris.

Restaurants and sneakers

Now, does it mean you can wear sneakers everywhere, on any and every occasion? Probably not.

Restaurants are a case in point. Can you dine out in sneakers?

Say, you are strolling along in your casual jeans and comfortable Lands End boots. It’s now dinner time, and you are looking for an enticing restaurant. There is it! The menu displayed outside is appetizing, prices are reasonably expensive, the place is not too crowded… but guests are dressed smartly. Will they let you in? Will you fit in?

I have yet to see in Paris a door sign indicating ‘No Sneakers Allowed In’. True, some high-brow places will expertly leave you at bay: “Do you have a reservation? Sorry, we are full tonight”. But generally speaking, no restaurant will refuse to seat you because you wear sneakers.

The right question is therefore not ‘Will they allow me in?’, but ‘Will you feel comfortable entering a dressy place in sneakers?’ I daresay probably not. And being self-conscious is not the best way to enjoy your meal. Your attention should be in your plate and on your food, not on your shoes and attire.

So my practical rule is ‘Dress according to the place you go to’. If you plan to dine out at expensive, dressy restaurants when you are in Paris, just pack your Pradas. Even better: visit Stephane Kelian’s and Robert Clergerie’s boutiques in Paris, and buy yourself great-looking footwear by these typically Parisian designers.
Other places and sneakers

There are other places where sneakers just won’t cut it.

The Opera House is definitely one of them. But who would be so foolish as not to dress up for opera night? The sneaker point is moot.

What about a cabaret? I would say it is much better to dress up when you have dinner at a cabaret like ‘Moulin Rouge’, ‘Lido’, and ‘Paradis Latin’. Though only the stage is well lit in these places, the fact is people around you will usually be dressed up. You will feel much more comfortable in some more formal wear.

How about the boats on the Seine? If you are boarding a boat for a dinner cruise, don’t wear sneakers. This is a romantic experience, you will want to make the most of it. An evening dress is ‘de rigueur’. On the other hand, if you simply want to cruise up and down the stream, sneakers are fine.

Museums? Forget style, wear very comfortable shoes. Nobody will look at your shoes, art is on the walls. But walking down the Louvre galleries is a tiring experience: so much too see, so many galleries, so slow the pace. The good doctor’s advice: go with cushion and comfort.

Art gallery ‘vernissages’? Style is your cue. Art galleries are small, vernissage evenings are short. Evening dress, black preferably, nothing flashy, and good-looking design shoes. No sneakers.

Wrap-up

Dress according to the place you go to. If in doubt, call in advance to understand the dress code. Pack up a nice pair of shoes, or buy some when you are in Paris. Bring a nice, understated evening dress.

But don’t shy away from sneakers for any not-so-formal occasion. Wear them in the street with no shame. You will blend in without any problem if you wear jeans and a pair of sneakers. Nike is an American brand, and it is very popular in France. Levi’s, Diesel, Wrangler, and Calvin Klein are American brands, and they rule the jeans world in France too.

So be comfortable in your sneakers, and enjoy the view.

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We went on a segway tour of paris. it was awesome. And our tour guide was great too.

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Phil Chavanne is Senior Editor of Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com, , a travel guide in which people heading for the French capital will find good advices and valuable information about Paris hotels, museums, French food and restaurants, as well as Paris maps and metro maps.