We have advertised holiday properties since 1997 and on our website you will find over 37,000 villas, apartments, chalets, farmhouses and cottages – all types of holiday accommodation in countries around the world.

Whether you are a family, a couple taking a romantic break or a group of friends getting away for some fun together, there are properties of all shapes and sizes to suit all your needs. We advertise such diversity, that whether you’re on a tight budget or looking for lavish luxury, you can find a wide range of prices and facilities to choose from.

Spain is an extremely popular destination for families, and we list many villas in Costa Blanca as well as spacious villas in Ibiza and family friendly villas in Lanzarote, which are all popular choices for adults with kids in tow as they’re safe, there’s a lot to do and the plane flight is not too long!

There are plenty of other European destinations for family fun in the sun, including Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, France and Italy. Many go back year after year for rest and relaxation and some important quality time together.

If you’re going long-haul, then we have holiday homes as far as Australia as well as South Africa, USA and Asia.

Staying in a unique and beautiful holiday home can make a great choice for a honeymoon and you could have the holiday of a lifetime in Mauritius, Cape Verde or any of the Caribbean Islands.

Finally, there are an abundance of fantastic holiday homes here in the UK and we are proud to advertise some stunning properties all over England, Scotland and Wales, as well as Ireland.

Cream teas from a cottage in Cornwall, spying foals in the New Forest, clambering around castles in Wales – there is so much to do just a drive or train ride away! And renting a property from Owners Direct gives you all the comforts of home so you can enjoy your break and relax when you get back from a hard day exploring!

Do you own a holiday home you would like to rent out? Advertise with us and join our owner community! We offer great listing prices and we take no commission – all the enquiries come directly to you. Please see our FAQ page which may answer any queries you have.

You can Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and see all the latest offers, competitions and get advice and tips for travelling. We also regularly update our travel blog with articles about destinations, as well as news and updates and we would love to hear from you – we are always interested to hear about your experiences and we might even feature them on our blog!

There’s no denying it: New Jersey has a pretty bad reputation (hence the nickname “Armpit of America”).  That being said, you might think the state doesn’t offer much appeal to tourists.  But I beg to differ.  New Jersey is a great place to visit, full of history, character and things to do.  On top of that, it’s such a small state that you can easily see the best of what New Jersey has to offer in just a couple of days.  So, allow me to take you on a whirlwind tour around New Jersey.

Let’s start in New Jersey’s northeast corner (where you will arrive if you fly into Newark Liberty Airport).  Just hop onto the Jersey Turnpike and head north to the M

eadowlands, where you can see the new Giants Stadium and Liberty State Park. Here you can hop on a ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty (which, despite New York’s claims, are technically part of New Jersey).  You’ll also want to see Hoboken, which is the birthplace of Frank Sinatra, offers great views of the Manhattan skyline, and has plenty of spots to eat, shop, and drink.

Next, travel south to the eastern central chunk of the state and the legendary Jersey Shore.  But there is a lot more to this region than that, like beautiful farmland, plenty of parks, and historic towns like Red Bank and Freehold.  Still, you gotta see the shore.  To avoid the MTV crowd, visit the aptly named Point Pleasant rather than Sleazeside Seaside.  A little further down the shore you’ll encounter the Pine Barrens, where you can camp, kayak, or search for the Jersey Devil.  If quaint towns are your thing, check out Cape May.  For something more excitement, visit Atlantic City to get your gambling and/or clubbing fix.

Then head to New Jersey’s southwest corner, which is much like the southwest of the U.S.  It’s pretty wide open (compared to the rest of the state, at least) and even has its own rodeo, called “Cowtown.”  Go north a little and you’ll wind up in Camden.  Although not the best part of the state, Camden is home to the must-see Adventure Aquarium.   Drive further north and you’ll be in central western Jersey.  The main thing to see here is Princeton – both the university and the town.  Anyone with doubts about the state should just visit the Princeton campus – it will win you over.

If seeing Princeton doesn’t convert you into a Jersey fan, then the state’s northwest corner just might.  This mountainous region is great for hiking, skiing, and camping.  It has amazing scenery, which just might make you forget you’re even in New Jersey!

So, all you travelers out there, I implore you to give New Jersey a chance.  Though it might not be as exotic as some other places, it sure packs a lot into such a small space.  And, despite it being the Armpit of America, I’m happy to call it home.

Enjoy a fabulous 5 day city break in this vibrant and exciting city. New York will keep you captivated as you explore skyscraper-studded Manhattan, experience first class world cuisine, luxurious accommodation and of course – investigate those all important shops!

Day 1:
On arrival, a private car and driver will be waiting to escort you to your Madison Avenue hotel – the Carlyle. This fine establishment is a prime example of Upper East Side luxury, style and service. From its intimate art deco foyer to the shimmering platinum mosaic walls of the spa, staying at the Carlyle will truly be an unforgettable experience.

The Carlyle became known as ‘the New York White House’ when President J F Kennedy owned an apartment on the 34th floor. In fact, it was here that Marilyn Monroe was sneaked in through the service entrance on East 77th Street after famously singing ‘Happy Birthday, Mr President’ at Madison Square Garden.

You have the afternoon at leisure – perhaps you could wrap up in your finest winter wear and take a ferry trip to Liberty Island, visit the Empire State Building or enjoy a leisurely stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Day 2:
This morning you will enjoy a food tasting and cultural walking tour of Greenwich Village, exploring specialty food shops, ethnic eateries, hidden gardens and charming neighborhood restaurants. During the tour you will enjoy a variety of food specialties that has secured “The Village’s” reputation as being one of the greatest culinary and cultural centres of the world.

After your “off-the-beaten-path” glimpse of New York, why not head to Central Park or to Fifth Avenue for a spot of Christmas shopping. The world famous Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center has become a quintessential New York City winter experience for generations – Grand Tourist can arrange a private skating lesson for you if you wish.

Day 3:
After a hearty American breakfast head to Bloomingdales…home of the infamous Little Brown Bag! Here you will receive true VIP treatment at this landmark store as you are assisted by a personal shopper, offering fashion advice for you and your home (a beauty makeover can also be arranged for the ladies).

After your exclusive shopping experience, you have the afternoon at leisure…

For a spot of culture, observe world-class art at the Guggenheim, MoMA, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (the largest museum in the western hemisphere.

If you’re a fan of cognac and Scotch, let Grand Tourist arrange a tasting at the upscale and very suave Brandy Library in Tribeca – the perfect way to whet your appetite before dinner. You can take your pick of world cuisines in the city that never sleeps…visit Chinatown for oriental fare, try hot ribs in Harlem or treat yourselves to American-French fusion in Chelsea.

Day 4:
At leisure. A romantic horse & carriage ride through Central Park, helicopter tours of Manhattan or theatre tickets can be arranged.

This evening a town car will meet you at your hotel and drive you downtown to the legendary 21 Club restaurant. This Orient Express restaurant has amazing interiors and is meant to have the best hamburger and steak tartare in the city! Bon appétit!

Day 5:
Enjoy the morning at your own pace before a private town car takes you (and your shopping!) to the airport for your return flight home.

Sharing the magic and excitement of the season in New York with someone special would truly be an exceptional travel experience….Merry Christmas!
To arrange your perfect Festive New York experience, contact Grand Tourist on +44 (0)1829 751038 or email naomi@grand-tourist.com. We are a UK-based boutique tour operator specializing in luxury, tailor-made travel.

www.grand-tourist.com

Sharm El Sheikh tours and excursions - Sharm El Sheikh Tours, Excursions and Day trips To Cairo, Luxor, Petra, Snorkeling,Diving, Stargazing, quadbiking, St. Cathrine’s , Mount Sinai, Egypt . We offer flexible travel itineraries and accommodations to suit all budgets.

Here’s the thing:  I’m fairly crazy.  There.  It’s out in the open now.  Of course, my friends thought it was just limited to endurance sports.  I have this odd penchant for testing my body’s limits, going from couch potato to ultra marathoner in 6 months, and then I started bicycling and several months later completed my first 101-mile ride.  So when I announce my plans, those who know me well just shrug their shoulders, smile and say “Of course you will, Talon.”  Even with that when I announced my next potentially insane idea, I was still surprised by their support.  None of them said what I expected:  Are you friggin nuts?!

What’s the plan?  Well, you see I’ve had this dream for a long, long time.  Ever since I was a young adult and was thinking about having children, I wanted to raise them in different countries, immerse them in other cultures, and have them experience a world the vast majority of people will never see.  In my imagination we would live in a country for at least a year, maybe longer, and then go to another country.  And if along the way, as we explored other countries, we found a place that felt like home, well, we could just stay put for as long as possible.  One of the places I have always wanted to live is Thailand.  This was only buoyed when I went to the Philippines.  Immediately I fell in love with the people.  I had never seen a people so full of joy.  When they smile, it comes from deep within and shines out of them.  Tears fell from my eyes as we drove to the airport to begin the return journey back to the States.

Earlier this year I went to Peru, and I returned with the desire to have my 9-year-old son (who I affectionately call Tigger) join me on the next big trip.  We discussed places and mutually agreed upon Africa:  Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Egypt.   As my desire to pull off international living grew, I made more contacts through Twitter, connected with other travelling families on Facebook, and plans began to gel nicely, I made the decision of my life:  While we’re on the other side of the world in Africa, why not make the move then?   So following what has become my life motto of “Live without regrets!” I made my decision to do it and decided Chiang Mai will be our first foreign home.

As I have benefited so greatly from others who have shared their journey online, I decided to blog and tweet about ours as well.  Who knows what fellow nut will be inspired to take their leap?

@1Dad1Kid

http://1dad1kid.blogspot.com

Most backpackers tend to stick to the East Coast cities when backpacking around Australia.  Perth and its surrounding areas are a considerable distance from popular destinations such as Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns resulting in many travellers choosing to avoid the region to save time and costs.  In my view however, the West Coast of Australia is an incredibly interesting and diverse area of Australia to explore and I’ve included below a few tips for those who make the extra effort to see both sides of the country.

Perth-Often forgotten or dismissed as ‘boring’, Perth has got lots to offer in my opinion.  Wander around the city centre to discover a multitude of art galleries and independent fashion boutiques.  I particularly recommend visiting Planet Video on Beaufort Street, Mount Lawley for a huge selection of books, comics, films and movie posters.  Take a jog through the huge King’s Park and eat on a budget in one of its many reasonably priced Vietnamese restaurants.

Freemantle-This laid back hippie town found close to Perth is definitely worth a visit.  I recommend visiting the Little Creatures brewery which also offers great food and going on a night tour of the Freemantle Prison which only closed in 1991.  Not for the faint hearted!

Margaret River-The beautiful wine region is 300km south of Perth and one of the most beautiful areas on Western Australia.  You can either go on a wine tasting tour around its beautiful vineyards or if you are lucky enough to find someone to drive you, go and explore it alone.  One vineyard that really stuck out for me was Knee Deep Winery-gorgeous wine, friendly people and exquisite food.  I would however recommend to book ahead if you plan to eat there!  As well as wine Margaret River offers beautiful, clean beaches and is popular among surfers.  I would also recommend going on a dusk horseback ride through the bush if you can find the time amongst all the fabulous eating and drinking!

Rottnest Island-Near Freemantle, this island with its chequered history is well worth a day visit.  No cars are allowed and so all travel can be done by either walking or cycling.  The island is ideal for exploring with beautiful beaches that offer a snorkelling trail featuring underwater plaques that give information on the marine environment surrounding the island.  It’s also worth keeping an eye out the ‘quokka’, a rodent native to the island.

Being a woman and wearing high heels seems inevitable.  There aren’t too many times in our life where we don’t find ourselves in them.  For many of us it is an every day occurrence and for others it happens a few times a month. Needless to say they are out there and we just love to wear them!

Lets talk comfort. Unless your high heel is under 2inches you probably do not experience much pain when wearing your shoes. I’m talking about those fabulous 4inch stilettos that look so good but hurt so much. How do you deal with the discomfort?

The first thing you must do with any heel over 2 1/2 inches is break the shoe in.  Most people will wear their heels around the house a few times and hope for the best but I have found another way that works even better, socks. Yes you read that right, socks. Putting on a pair of socks while walking around in your high heels will help stretch them out.  It may look ridiculous especially when sporting thick white athletic socks and black patent leather pumps but it does the trick for sure.

To fully break in a pair of high heels you need to start doing it about two weeks before the event you are attending, I would never wear a brand new pair of heels to work the very next day of buying them. Allow yourself the time to stretch them out and to make them more comfortable. When you first start breaking in a pair of heels you will need to limit the time you are in them, the first week starting at 15minutes and extending to 45minutes. After the first week, I would remove the socks and just wear them barefoot. Even if that means just sitting on the couch while they are on your feet. The more exposure you can give your feet before hand the better.

Now that you’ve got them all stretched out you will want to maintain that feeling of comfort all day and all night, depending on how long you need to keep them on for.  Maintaining comfort can be done a few ways. Personally I recommend using what is called Friction Block or Blister Block, it is made by Band-aid brand.  You simply rub the stick on sensitive areas on your feet that are prone to blisters/sores ie: heels, toes, sides of your feet. This product is also nice and small too which makes carrying it around all day or night a breeze.  Of course there are many other products designed to put into your shoes to also relieve foot pain but I have honestly not found them to work as great.

So remember when tackling the comfort level of high heels you must first break in your shoes and then be pro-active about keeping that long lasting comfort. Man created high heels for fun and fashion don’t let a little pain stand in your way.

There is something of a thrill of sticking out your thumb and being at the complete mercy of strangers. That’s what I do. At first, just to save money. But now, I do it for the adventure.

A lot can be said about hitchhiking. But a lot of it stems from your upbringing, what you do or don’t believe in and how well you’re integrated with society. You see, if you were brought up in America, you probably frown upon hitchhiking on a whole. Most states have a law against this type of travel due to safety concerns. However you might be indifferent or even supportive to the idea in areas throughout Europe.

Europe has a long history of hitchhiking; many students used to hitchhike across Europe, until not too long ago when they started issuing student free travel cards, which allows students to ride many buses and trains for free. It is legal to hitchhike through all of Europe and in some areas even encouraged. My recent encouraged experience was in Amsterdam, where I was waiting for a ride in an area called “liftplaats”, which is Dutch for Lift Place. It is to be noted that hitchhiking is always illegal where pedestrians are not allowed, which is anywhere on highways or Autobahns.

he best places to hitchhike from are either gas stations or truck rest stops. Simply walk up to someone (in a calm, non threatening manner) and ask them if they are headed to X. In Germany it’s easy to find a ride; simply read their license plate. The first letter usually tells where they are from, N for Nürnberg, B for Berlin, Dü for Düsseldorf, etc. Large cities have only one letter, the smaller ones have up to three. Have a map with you to distinguish place names. A sign works nicely in all situations because you don’t have to say a word. Just be sure the letters are large and legible and give your biggest smile while you wait.

As in most situations, use common sense. Avoid haggard or even evil looking people. Stay away from vehicles that look like their going to fall apart. Most folks are friendly and a majority even speak English, especially closer to the larger cities, where English may be required for business transactions. Learn to have fun, engage in stories of your adventures with your ride and be safe!

The light drizzle steams off the warm blacktop, the only reminder that only hours ago it had been a summer day. It is cold now, humid in that way only the Midwest can master, a chill-to-the-bone fog, despite the 60 degrees of warmth. Lights flicker here and there, through dusty curtains in dreary alleyways, but the only real light to be had through the rain and night is the eerie green flush that barely illuminated the weary doors of the building across the street.
The glow means that despite the decrepit exterior of the old-style Bohemian building, windows boarded, stones crumbling, walls covered in graffiti, there was breath inside. We reach the door, shake out hair and jackets, and push through the peeling planks of wood into Schwartz’s Point.

The often-overlooked jazz club in Over-the-Rhine in Cincinnati, Ohio may not have big names every night of the week like some of its competitors, but it has a dark, sultry, speak-easy atmosphere that out-competes anything in its weight class. The lights are low, the fabrics are rich and red and tired. The musicians get into the music, closing their eyes and swaying their bodies and improvising as only true artists feel how. They each have stories to tell, too, if you ask, of the disillusioned, of boozers and bootleggers, of subcultures and countercultures.

Ed once got lost in Wyoming, he says. “I was at a jazz workshop in Colorado. It was a bunch of kids; they didn’t know how to groove, ya know? They didn’t dig it.” He smokes a cigar despite city regulations. “So I drove north, ya know? Kept goin’. Met these guys in Cody,  and we drove out together. Didn’t know where to, just goin’. Ended up in the middle of nowhere Wyoming pulling a jazz concert at some party. It was real heavy.”

Ed is a true performer. “I love filling my living room with people I don’t know” he says, gesturing his cigar smoke toward the door of his establishment. He lives just upstairs. “It makes me feel like I’ve done something today.”

Schwartz’s Point is a fantastic little “underground” jazz joint located at the oddly triangular intersection of Vine Street and East McMicken in Cincinnati. Tuesdays are the big nights, where revelers can enjoy a home-cooked buffet dinner and an entire jazz orchestra for $25. Fridays and Saturdays are more intimate, with a crooner, Pam, a jazz singer with a day job, and one or two other musicians.

Though the neighborhood, the historic Over-the-Rhine just north of Downtown Cincinnati, has a reputation for being a bit dodgy (most tourist brochures recommend that visitors do not wander north of Liberty Street at night), those who live and work there swear they’ve never had any trouble. There is plenty of on-street parking nearby. For more information, visit http://schwartzspoint.com/.

In a highly scientific poll that we conducted ourselves, three out of three southern African residents said that if they could live in any country on the African continent, Namibia would be at the top of their list (it tied with Zambia, actually).  After giving ourselves a pat on the back for conducting such a thorough and accurate survey, we set off to see what all the fuss is about.

Well, there is no fuss, really.  Namibia is the second most remote country in the world, ranking just behind Mongolia.  This remoteness, coupled with the vast landscapes of endless sand dunes, granite mountains, and scrubby cow pastures, is actually the very basis of its appeal.  It’s the Seinfeld of Africa: a show – or in this case, a country – about nothing.  And that’s exactly why it is so fascinating.

During our 5-day trip through the country, nothing illustrated this paradox more than our drive through the Namib Desert along the Skeleton Coast from Swakopmund to the Cape Cross seal colony.  On the Salt Road heading north, we encountered only the occasional passing vehicle.  To our right was an endless expanse of sand and sand dunes.  To our left was more sand that filtered quickly into the Atlantic Ocean, which in turn blended almost seamlessly into the horizon beyond.  We passed only a couple of tiny holiday towns that we would have missed had we blinked, a salt mine made evident only by the lonely makeshift tables set up along the road with large crystalline salt chunks for sale on the honor system, a desalination plant, and a 20^th century shipwreck that was recent evidence of how the Skeleton Coast earned its name.

Then there was the Cape Cross seal colony, which erupted in the middle of all this nothingness.  Amid all the miles and miles of desert and sea was this random piece of coastline that is home to tens of thousands of Cape fur seals.  They lumbered in and out of the water, the crawled over each other, they honked at the top of their lungs, and most of all, they smelled atrocious.  But putting up with the olfactory abomination was a small price to pay for the experience of finding such busy and beautiful animal activity in the middle of the vast emptiness of the edge of the Namib Desert.

Our lives in the U.S. are filled with stuff and activity – ringing phones, traffic, strip malls, glaring neon signs, fighting for a parking spot at Target.  You’d be hard-pressed to find any of these things in Namibia (especially the Target), which is exactly why we found it to be such a wonderful vacation destination.  It is truly an escape, where we were able to slow down and appreciate things that we tend to view as “nothing” in our daily lives.  It was peaceful, awe-inspiring, raw, and simply beautiful.  Now we understand why three out of three African residents want to live there.