Scotland, Ireland and America come together during three days every April in Chicago’s Heartland International Tattoo Music and Dance Festival.

Over 500 musicians, singers and entertainers with military and civilian brass bands, drum corps, wind bands, bagpipe bands, drill teams, flag corps and an array of dancers invade the 11,000 seat Sears Centre Arena situated in Chicago’s northwestern suburb, Hoffman Estates.

Chicago’s Heartland International Tattoo Music and Dance Festival (www.heartlandtattoo.org)
Sears Centre Arena (www.searscentre.com)
in Hoffman Estates of Chicago

Enjoy one of the fastest growing musical and dance events in the world, tattoo, which is based on ancient military musicians relaying orders, regulating marching cadence, signaling activities and calling curfew. See national and international styles presented in colorful costumes and unique uniforms as Scottish, Irish and American rich traditions meet and compete.

Plan your trip to visit the Heartland International Tatoo Music and Dance festival and book your hotel in Chicago at prontohotel.com, you can compare prices and book 350 Chicago hotels, the best rate is guaranteed.

The Chicago’s Heartland International Tattoo Music and Dance Festival Events include: Gathering of Clans, Meeting of Scottish Clans, Irish Dance Competition, Music Festival Competition, International Music Tattoo, Unity day Entertainment, Highland Games Demonstration and ( last but probably not least) International Beer Festival.

Reserved seat tickets range from $23 to $43 plus $2 facility fee. Groups of 10 or more and Student Groups of 20 or more receive special pricing with travel packages available. Contact FunME Events at (815)756-1263 (www.funmeevents.com) for purchase plus information on performing, sponsoring, volunteering, and vending at the only festival of its kind in the Midwest, Heartland International Tattoo Music and Dance Festival.

Every year on March 17th, everything between 44th Street to 86th Street on Fifth Avenue in New York City goes green!  Book a hotel in New York City in advance and be part of the world’s largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade.   Nearly 150,000 people march in the annual parade, which starts at 11:00 a.m., with millions watching along the parade route and watching on television.

Though the parade is definitely a big party, it also has its somber moments. A few years back, the parade was dedicated to the “Heroes of 9/11” including fire, police, and rescue workers.  Each year around noon, the parade pauses for 60 seconds so the officiating clergy can lead participants in prayer. This is a reminder that St. Patrick’s Day is a religious holiday in Ireland.  This St. Patrick’s Day Parade has a long history; colonial New York City hosted the first official parade in 1762.

Following the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York, New Yorkers dressed in green from head to toe descend on the city’s pubs to drink their fill of green beer and eat corned beef.  Taking public transportation and booking a New York hotel close to the action is wise.

Prague is very much a city of culture, and is the home to hundreds of performing art theatres and concert halls. This is where tourists flock every year for live performances and festivals based on the arts, from the Prague Film Festival and the annual three week music festival that takes place close to the main Prague hotels.

Read more…

Madrid has been the capital city of Spain for over 400 years, and it is obvious why it is such an important city as soon as you step into the centre, and take a look at the rich cultural and historical heritage.

A Madrid travel deal allows you to stay in wonderful accommodation at a fraction of the usual price and sites such as prontohotel.com help you find the perfect city centre Madrid hotel close to a number of attractions and places of interest. Much of the city is divided into districts, making it easy to find the right type of attraction to suit you. The Golden Museum Triangle for example contains three of the largest art museums in the world, including the Prado Museum (Museo del Prado), which includes collections from both Spanish and international world renowned artists and is a popular tourist attraction with visitors on a Madrid travel deal.

Other popular sites of interest in Madrid include the Madrid Zoo, the National Archaeology Museum, and exploring the stunning El Retiro Park. Nightlife is also incredibly famous with visitors to Madrid, with one of the widest selections of clubs and bars in the world.

There are always great travel deals to Barcelona, as it is considered one of the most popular cities for tourists in the world, boasting a huge range of attractions and places of interest, and some world class festivals and events throughout the year.

Barcelona is a city rich in culture and historical landmarks including many buildings of architectural importance designed by Gaudi, yet mixes in contemporary charm that comes from recent attractions that have been added to make the city a family friendly place to spend a holiday.

There are hundreds of hotels in Barcelona, many of them located close to the city centre, and you can easily obtain a Barcelona travel deal throughout the year in order to book a luxury hotel in Barcelona at a fraction of the cost, right at the heart of the vibrant city culture. There are many wonderful Barcelona travel deals to be had at prontohotel.com which offers cheap hotels in Barcelona, of all star ratings, with wonderful Spanish cuisine served in each.

Attractions are magical and interesting both day and night in Barcelona. As well as vibrant nightlife ensure that you visit the magical fountain of Montjuic during an evening whilst on your Barcelona travel deal. During the day visit the Nou Camp football stadium, or tantalise your taste buds at the large chocolate factory near the Arc du Triomphe.

Compare and book 1400 Barcelona hotels with prontohotel.com

5 star hotels in Barcelona from 182 €

4 star hotels in Barcelona from 123 €

3 star hotels in Barcelona from 69 €

or you can book hostels (hostal) and apartments too.

Amsterdam offers a wide range of things to see and do throughout the year, and as such prontohotel.com offers year round Amsterdam travel deals allowing you to see the stunning city, located in Holland, and all it has to offer, whilst keeping to a budget.

Amsterdam is a city of culture, and draws a diverse range of tourists, from young singles looking for party time and vibrant nightlife, to families wishing to explore the waterways that surround the beautiful and culture-rich metropolis. There are numerous museums and places of interest to visit during the day including the Amsterdam Sex Museum, and the Anne Frank House. Night time is party time, and you can be sure of a night you won’t forget whilst on your Amsterdam travel deal.

Prontohotel.com has a wide range of Amsterdam hotels, some close to the city centre and others on the outskirts, all of which are easily accessible by public transport, and allow you to explore the city as your own pace.

Amsterdam travel deals can offer you the chance to decide how you want to spend your holiday, and find you a cheap hotel in Amsterdam, without scrimping on luxury and comfort.

Book and compare 600 hotels in Amsterdam with prontohotel.com

• 5 star hotels in Amsterdam from  189 €
• 4 star hotels in Amsterdam from  145 €
• 3 star hotels in Amsterdam from    78 €
• 2 star hotels in Amsterdam from    38 €
• 1 star hotels in Amsterdam from     19 €

Take off on a swinging ‘surfari’ Downunder, and discover New Zealand – one of the world’s exciting surfing destinations. 

It is no wonder that Kiwis are passionate about surfing as our 6,000 kms of exposed coastline has countless easily accessible beach, point, reef and bar breaks. New Zealand is an island and its long shape is fundamental for the surfer because wherever you are in the country, in Wellington as well as in Auckland, there’s a beach for surfing.

In New Zealand people can surf all year round. The North Island has very warm temperatures in summer (December-March) and wet suits are not usually needed. The South Island waters are colder and generally call for some neoprene protection. 

So if you want to have a great experience, travel to New Zealand is easy and the hotels are opened for the surfer people! Catch your wave and your accommodation in a hotel in Queenstown for exemple, and become a great surfer!

Rio de Janeiro, the capital of samba and carnival celebrations, has now one more reason to celebrate, as it will be the first South American city to host the Olympic Games. Famous for its wonderful beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema, for the giant statue of  Christ the Redeemer, for the Sugar Loaf mountain (Pão de Açúcar) with its cable car, for the Maracanã stadium, one of the world’s largest football stadiums and more, Rio de Janeiro will officially hosts the 2016 Olympic Games. So why not take the opportunity to visit the new successful Olympic city, feel the emotion of living such an important and global event in Rio de Janeiro, explore its lively atmoshere and support your country?

One of the most exciting way to enjoy travelling could be discover the local music. The importance of music is more and more appreciated as the key to seize on the culture, the customs, or the ethnic roots of people. Nowadays the Net opens its doors to millions of ethnic musics, until now confined and hidden, and we are literally overwhelmed by a wide range of music styles, instruments and cultures. A brazilian kid living in the popular and boisterous old town of Rio de Janeiro takes a moment to turn an upside down pot into a drum and start striking it in a samba rhythm. A westerner in the middle of the Algerian desert knows nothing of the Tuareg’s melodies, but he will “feel” them letting himself go. The pings of the percussion instruments in Bukittinggi, one of the larger cities in West Sumatra, Indonesia, leave the tourists astonished at first sight, but in a while they’re completely involved in the dances. So let’s start travelling and discovering the world to the sound of music!

London is a mystic city that encompasses the old and the contemporary within its limits creating a magical atmosphere that draws the tourists in large numbers to this fun filled city. It is not only the tourist who are attracted towards London but also the students who come here to study in the famous universities, which are the seat of knowledge, acclaimed throughout the world. Observing this inflow of people from different countries to London many travel agencies have prepared London travel deals consisting of packages for visits or studies or vacations. The travel deals London have lucrative packages at affordable rates, which include the hotel in London and sight seeing facilities for the tourists.

Travelling during a period of economic crisis may seem like a daring choice. Who has enough money to go on vacation when he has to pay the dentist or home loan? But in light of the opportunities for low cost travel that currently the market offers, for organizing the trip you’ve been dreaming of for your life long.

According to travel experts, now is not only a time for low cost travel, but also a unique moment to venture beyond national borders. The dollar is relatively strong and the airlines have reduced their costs for fuel: a virtuous circle led to a reduction in air fares and Obama effect is also a new opportunity to venture abroad.

But hotels are the activities that offer the biggest saving opportunities, the most attractive packages and the most extravagant offers.
Today we can see incredible opportunities that had not been seen in the last 20 years in this field. For example, many had dropped their dream of visiting Egypt with private guides, Egyptologists, drivers and private tours, and now have decided to take this opportunity, because they discovered that the tour guides are now often included in many travel packages for free. The most expensive will be your travel, greater and greater will be the savings you may incur.

Of course, travelling in developing countries today is even more convenient, but pound and euro devaluation have made the old Europe a surprisingly cheap destination. This is also a valid argument to discover New Zealand and Australia, with benefits for travelers who pay in Dollars.

The summer holidays have started in a small way this year because consumers are worried about job security, economy and contraction of their savings. Travel industry has reacted with many deals for Summer and Fall Season. prontohotel.com travel experts say that time to book has come. People are still interested in travelling during the coming months, but time spent for search, comparison and discussion about a vacation planning has clearly increased. The good news is that deals and travel
packages for Summer and autumn seasons are more abundant than what we have seen in recent years. Particularly hotels are available at lower prices and it easier to find additional free night stays or vouchers for entertainment events or meals.
Check prontohotel.com to know more.

The city of Nice in France is a magnificently relaxing town with beautiful beaches, old historical buildings, Roman ruins and many shopping areas for you to visit. Situated just blocks away from Notre Dame,the Marché aux fleurs or the Flower Market is a must see for anyone tourists wanting to experience Nice as the locals do. The Marché aux fleurs was established in 1808 and since then has always been known as having beautiful metal pavilions that shade the most amazing variety of plants, trees and flowers that have escaped the perfume factories in Grasse of the French Riviera. Tens of thousands of pots are on display: Primavera’s, Violets, Pomegranates, Blueberries and many more are offered each season.
 The Marché aux fleurs in Nice is such a vibrant and colorful place that many artists and designers come here to relax and soak in the lovely scenery and urban prairie in hope to find inspiration. Photographers also love the Marché aux fleurs where they can take amazingly beautiful pictures and test out their macros on their cameras, taking close ups of the flowers and little insects that rest and fly about the flowers and plants. You can also see many artists come about to capture the beauty on canvas.
 What is also interesting about the Marché aux fleurs is that on Sundays, the market turns into the Bird Market or the Marché aux Oiseaux, where you will find many bird cages of the rarest species of birds for sale. Visitors here on Sunday enjoy the array of beauty and color of the birds and also enjoy their beautiful songs and antics of some funny birds. The Marché aux fleurs open daily between 8:30am to 4pm and there are not admission fees for entry. Be sure to remember to bring your cameras and also some snacks, however some refreshments and food can also be purchased at the Marché aux fleurs.

If you need a period of  full immersion into the wild and the nature you can plan a journey to Africa, to the Mali’s Republic.When you reach this land you can program to move with the local bus (your very first adventurous experience, trekking into a full and baggy bus in company of chickens and goats…) or rent a 4×4 car with a local guide of course;  this way you can  better experience the real essence of this place: sounds, smells, colors and finally the smiling, approachable and very beautiful people (especially women are pretty and well dressed) and if you speak French you can easily communicate.Sometime you may think to be in Alberobello (Puglia-Italy) because they stow their agrarian products into some conic storage like containers very similar to the Alberobello’s Trulli…There are many places you can visit: Falesia, Niger river, Timbuktù, Mopti, Segou. Djenne (with a splendid mosque in soudanese style), Bamako where you’ll find a very great marketplace (very crowded and it’s the only place where you can feel a sensation of being a bit overwhelmed)It has  been  travelling  into the real heart of Africa, the one of native people, of children playing and smiling you although their poorness in a carousel of colors, ethnic powders and spices, scents that you will hardly forget.

Cyprus is a great place to visit and there is a lot to do there. One of the events you should mark on your calendar is the European Dance Festival which is to be held in Limassol from May 1 to June 30. At this event performers from some of the best international dance troupes compete with Cypriot dance troupes for prizes. Performances will take difference form and will cover some of the more intriguing explorations of movement, and unique choreography. If you enjoy traditional and contemporary dances they do not miss this event.

Another of the great events in Cyprus is the Agia paraskevi Traditional Fair which is usually honoured throughout the country. Each particular village and town generally celebrates in their own way. From church services to special performances, there will certainly be entertainment. There will also be traditional cultural items and performances, also you can expect some traditional food and drinks. This will be the experience of a lifetime.

On June 1-30 will be the world famous Choir Festival in Paphos where choirs from across Cyprus and a few international choirs will take part. Performances will be in the Ancient Odeon. This is a treat for lover of choir music.

Travel to Cyprus and enjoy your time.

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  If you love animals and nature, where  else can be ideal for you but Galapagos Islands?

The instant your feet will touch this fantastic land it will seem you to live in a great spectacular zoological natural park, surrounded by the most different flora and fauna you can ever imagine. If you look up and around you can see many species of birds (the famous and funny “Bobo”, the “Mocking Bird” the “Frigate bird” and Hawks). A colorful show, but there are other types of animals : “Beach basking beasts” and the Land Iguana Diving  in the splendid local sea we can swim near Penguins or incredible big Centurion Marine turtle; but pay attention: don’t step over a Light foot Crab (it’s of a light orange colour when it grows,  but when it is small is almost black to hide on the sand and avoid to be predate so it’s difficult to individuate). If you like a night time dive  you can swim with the swallow tailed gulls that are hunting the night swimming marine life of the sea’s water. For all it’s natural species this islands inspired also Charles Darwin that after living there 5 weeks thought his Theory of evolution.One more time you travelled between history and natural wonders.

Today I’ll take you with me at Pingsi, an awesome small township on the north east of Taiwan, at the top of a mountain in the Taipei’s county and near the Keelung River, with a lot of coloured and animated little roads crossed by the Pingsi Railway Lines . But the most suggestive event you can see in this town is the  (or Kung Ming lanterns) an ancient tradition born to remember a way of communication in time of war during the Three Kingdoms. Hundred of lightful balloon shaped lanterns fly in the night sky creating a magic atmosphere to remember the time when in this way a village communicated to others one the “all-cleared” after besetment by brigands. It’s an amazing spectacle of bright colours in the dark starred sky.

Our daily travel’s destination today is Niagara Falls on the Canadian side, near Toronto (far approximately little more than an hour of car from the city) . If we will be so lucky to have a sunny day we will appreciate an awesome natural show going by boat directly under cascades at the Maid of the Mist, wearing our rainwears and preparing us to live some moments of real emotion: it will seems like we have shower, but more suggestive, watching that incredible water mass falling from about 60 meters near hour heads and our little boats… Another beautiful day of holidays to enjoy.

A visit to Japan might have similarities with a journey into  the future. technology we’re not used to, even for the smallest details of our everyday life. Super fast transportations, super fast media, and lifestyle. Tokyo has a microchip for everything and a software for anything. They don’t have addresses!! They have maps and points of referments, but not address the way we know it. Do not ask for informations either, it is considered “not polite”, even rude somehow.There is a software to tell you where to go, how, and how long is going to take. Pay a visit to the Sky Dome, an indoor skyer paradise in absence of mountains. Anybody who’s been there is going to tell you :”awesome”!!! All snow and winter related sports: virtuals or…the real deal. Little expensive though. It was in Tokyo much earlier than in Dubai. Tokyo is a huge metropolitan area,  to go from the suburbs to downtown it could take several hours, living along traffic issues.If you visit somebody, please take off your shoes right pass the entrance door, you maybe don’t appreciate it; but they do.

Probably the carnival in Rio is the most known all around the world! This year, from the 21st to the 24th of February, the city of Rio will held its annual Carnival celebrations. All the schools of Samba work hard for months in order to get ready for this incredible event. The biggest schools take part at the parades that go through the Sambodrome, a one of a kind structure built exclusively for this occasion, trying to win the favor of the onlookers and of the judges. You must hurry up though, if you wish to take part at this frenetic celebration, since the hotels in Rio De Janeiro get booked well in advance for this spectacular occasion. Don’t waste time, book you hotel in Rio right now!

If you’re looking for a wild night in a beautiful city we recommend you to book one of the hotels in New Orleans for the 24th of February! Mardì Gras in New Orleans is one of the wildest nights in the whole world.  Hundreds of people get together in the streets of the French Quarter celebrating the last night of Carnival. Following the roman belief that “semel in anno licet insanire”, once in the year it is licit to go mad, people from all over the world celebrate this date with parades and parties held on the streets. Anyhow we advise you to take part at the celebrations that will take place on Bourbon Street and the other streets nearby. One last thing, don’t forget to buy many colored necklaces, you will need them!

Tomorrow will be the 20th anniversary of the death of Salvador Dalí. The great surrealist artist was born in 1904 in a small town in Spain, near the border with France. He died for a heart failure while listening to his favourite record in his home in Figueres. His mortal remains are kept in the krypt of his theatre/museum in his hometown of Figueres. As goes with famous artists, though he died, he still lives through his art, that you might admire not only in Spain but in museums all over the world.

If you want to take part at the Milan Fashion Week that will take place from the 24th of February to the 4th of March we kindly advise you to book your room well in advance. Hotels in Milan are hard to find during the fashion weeks, models, journalists, designers and many more are all there. Therefore, if you are a “fashion addicted” and you wish to breathe some of the air that fills the city of Milan during this busy period don’t loose time book your room right now!

Don’t miss the celebrations for the Chinese New Year’s Day. In the Chinese culture the New Year’s Day is calculated on the phases of the moon and, this year, it will be the 29th of January. If you will happen to be in San Francisco we raccomend you to attend the Chinese New Year’s Day Parade! Just hurry and book one of the hotels near San Francisco’s China Town and you will be in the middle of the action! There are several other non Chinese cities around the globe were you might see parades for the Chinese New Year, such as Sydney, London, Mexico City and many more.

For those of you out there, who are looking forward to the next 14th of February, we would like to give you a few tips where you might celebrate S. Valentine’s Day! If you are looking for a romantic destination where you will be able to impress your partner with a tight budget, you might take into consideration Prague, Czech Republic. The hotels in Prague are all very comfortable and the majority of them is pretty close to the city center. You will be able to visit the best known landmarks of this incredible city just wandering through its narrow streets. The Old Town Square, Charle’s Bridge, Prague’s Castle and many more beautiful monuments will grant an unforgettable atmosphere to your !

Tomorrow is going to be the seventh anniversary of the death of Gregorio Fuentes. Gregorio Fuentes was accredited by many as being the inspiration for the character of Santiago, the protagonist of Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”, even though Hemingway himself stated that the character of his book resembled no one in particular. Furthermore it is known that while writing his book the American writer went fishing with another Cuban fisherman: Carlos Gutierez. Anyhow, probably due to his longevity and his relationship with Hemingway, Fuentes through the years, became an attraction for those who visited Cuba, who used to pay 15 dollars in order to take a picture with him and ear his stories about Hemingway.

From all of us at prontohotel.com to alla of you out there, our best wishes for a terrific 2009! We wish a Happy New Year, hoping that tonight you will be able to celebrate the end of 2008 with a bang! We hope that, in 2009, all of you will be able to reach your goals and achieve your aims.

Hoping to see you travelling all over the globe in the next year, we wish again to all of you a gorgeous 2009!

Rome, during Christmas, offers its best look. The heart of the city lights up with wonderful lights and at every street corner you might find chestnut sellers. If you want to go shopping we advise you to book one of the hotels in Rome that are close to the subway or right in the most famous shopping district, the area near Via del Corso! Wandering through the narrow streets of Rome in this period of the year might be a little bit tricky but, if you are brave enough, you will have a great holiday, watching people going by and admiring some of the most gorgeous shops of the most known brands in the world, sitting side by side with monuments centuries old. If you get tired of walking you can rest in one of the many bars that you will encounter or decide to have a nice cup of tea in one of Rome’s oldest tea rooms that you will find right next to the Spanish Steps!

Last thing to remember, if you wish to go shopping in Rome during this period of the year, you will have to be very patient since the shops are very crowded!

As we have always been told, Santa travels on a flying sleigh. Probably in Denmark they thought that he needed some excercise… Last Saturday, thousands of Santas gathered for a six kilometers run in the small city of Kalundborg. Their aim was to get into the Guinness Book of World Records and to raise funds for poor children. While they raised a good amount of money for the less fortunate, they didn’t defeat the Santas on the Run record, held by the city of Liverpool in the U.K. Only 1300 running santas reached the end of the race!

On this very day, 402 years ago, three vessels loaded with settlers, one of them was the famous Captain John Smith who will later publish a book about this same voyage called “A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Note as Happened in Virginia”, left the coast of England headed towards the New World. After a long and difficult journey across the ocean they finally touched ground at Chesapeake Bay, has it is known today. Those settlers set the foundation of what became the very first colony of the thirteen that will form the cornerstone of the United States of America.

If you are planning to visit Europe during Christmas time you might taking into consideration to catch a plane headed to Spain. The period of Christmas in Madrid starts from the beginning of December. Starting from the very heart of this beautiful city, La Puerta del Sol, every street becomes a show of shining lights. In Madrid you will also find some of the most beautiful Nativity scenes of the world, one of the most known is the Baroque Nativity in the Church of Saint Genes. And, as usual, the friendly people of Madrid will let you feel at home, everywhere you will go! Check out the hotels in Madrid right now!

We already stated that to us the Hawaiian Islands are like heaven on earth! Today we would like to suggest you to spend your Christmas Holidays on one of the most beautiful of the Hawaiian Islands: Oahu! You migh find many hotels in Honolulu or on the North Shore and, wherever you will find it, you will be able to experience an incredible Christmas. Just pack your bags with shorts and t-shirts and you’ll be all set. You will be spending Christmas Eve on the beach of Waikiki or at Pearl Harbor, while on the 25th you might find yourself scuba diving or surfing on a long board! Tired of being cold and celebrating Christmas under the snow? Catch a plane and land on the Hawaiian Paradise!

Usually the 13th of December is considered the shortest day of the year. This day is dedicated to Saint Lucy, a young virgin born in Siracuse, Italy, who was tortured before being put to death. Celebrations are held mostly in Scandinavia, actually in Sweden She is venerated both by Catholics and Lutherans, but also in the United States and particular regions of Italy. Usually on this day, young girls dress in white with a crown of lights on their head.

If you are tired of celebrating Christmas as you always did, you might be interested in taking a break from it all and spend your Christmas holidays in Mexico! From the gorgeous beaches in Cancun to the astonishing temples in the forest, passing by the cozy hotels in Mexico City, that will offer you a one of a kind stay, Mexico has much to offer during this special period of the year. The relaxing atmosphere will soothe your soul and you will enjoy some beautiful days in a warm weather, with so many things to do and to see that you will have to get back there another time!