Nowadays users have the ability to add an amazing array of effects, or filters, that they can apply to their images to give them a vintage look, add or subtract color saturation, turn them sepia or black and white, and much more. Since it’s so common for users to add a filter to enhance their photos, we have decided to choose destinations where no filters are needed. So what are you waiting for? The time is just right to make plans for a spring/summer vacation in North America, Asia and Europe. Here are some of our favourite destinations that are worth the visit.
CANADA
Flights to Canada
Tourists who have been to Canada always say that it is an awesome place to visit. It could be because Canada is very clean – a place where you can the true color of water and where the air is always scented with fresh pine. Organic food in Canada is easy to find. It is very tolerant and proud of its multi-cultural society and has such astonishing landscapes and fantastic natural sights, wonderful cities and great climate. Canada is great during summer, which is from late June to August, although this is also the peak of the tourist season. For better value you could try visiting Canada in the fall, especially around September and October.
Flights to Canada
If you are in Toronto, best place to see is the Horseshoe Falls which is part of Niagara Falls and the CN Tower for some of the most awesome views. For a Colonial France experience, visit Quebec. In New Brunswick, do not miss going to Bay Fundy for some of the world’s best lobsters. There is a perfectly-preserved 18th fortress city in Nova Scotia and of course, you should not miss out on touring the Canadian Rockies in British Columbia.
THAILAND
Flights to Thailand
Thailand is a perennial favourite destination among international tourists. There are still many unspoilt beaches in the country, with gleaming powdery white sand caressed by emerald waters. The city’s numerous palaces, museums and temples will dazzle you. Almost everything in Thailand is affordable and you can eat to your heart’s content, as the country has some of the best food you’ll ever taste in the world. Thailand on the surface might look traditional, but it is also a glitzy place that starts to come alive late in the afternoon. As a tropical country, the best times to visit it is during the cool season from November to February or during the hot season from March to May.
Flights to Thailand
Enjoy cocktails at skyscraper bars and restaurants and join club and beach parties all night long. Thailand is a place where you can have a truly relaxing and rejuvenating massage and spa treatments, which is a perfect way to end a very hectic day. Check out the shops in Bangkok, which will give you a terrific bargain shopping experience. The weekend markets, especially the Chatuchak Weekend Market might literally make you dizzy as it covers 25 acres.Aside from the beaches, top things to see in Thailand include its wonderful temples, such as the Wat Pho and Wat Arun, the Royal Palace, the nature parks and the floating markets.
GREECE
Flights to Greece
It seems that the sun shines eternally over Greece, a land in the Mediterranean that’s chock-full of mythology and actual history of worldwide significance. The country has a very diverse landscape and offers activities that are out of the ordinary. Its culture was developed eons ago and has the ruins to prove it. Its wine and cuisine are exquisite. Plan your trip to Greece around spring, which is from mid-April to mid-June or during the early summer months of September until the middle of October.
Flights to Greece
Greece is synonymous to ancient ruins and intriguing archaeological sites. Around the Acropolis alone are plenty of sites that you can feast your eyes on. There’s the Parthenon in Athens, Olympia where the Olympic Games started and where the temples of Hera and Zeus are located and the temple of Apollo in Delphi. Or you could visit the important museums in the country, including the Archaeological Museum of Iraklion in Crete, the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. In Patmos, be sure to check out the Cave of the Apocalypse. For water-based activities, there’s the beaches along Santorini’s southeastern coast, Paradise Beach in Mykonos, Lalaria Beach in Skiathos or one of the best in the country, Arvanitia in Peloponnese.
IRELAND
Flights to Ireland
Ireland or the Emerald Isle has always been regarded as charming, enchanting and mystical; a land where reality and legend are intertwined. Shrouded in mist most of the time, the best time to see all of Ireland’s grandeur is in spring or fall, thus avoiding the rain and the crowd. Summer in Ireland is great, but then you have to contend with sky-high prices and plenty of tourists, but of course the trade-off is that you’ll get plenty of sunshine.
Flights to Ireland
Ireland has some really gorgeous castles like Blarney, Dunguaire, Kilkenny and Cahir. Then there’s the world-famous Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, the centuries-old Brú na Bóinne in County Meath, the great landscapes in Galway, Dingle, West Cork and at the Ring of Kerry. Ireland is also famous for its Irish folklore that range from leprechauns, merrows (singing mermaids), fairies and pots of gold at the end of rainbows, its great pub culture and for the beauty of its capital, Dublin.
NEW ZEALAND
Flights to New Zealand
New Zealand is a country known for its pristine environment. It is extraordinarily beautiful with is volcanoes, green valleys, geysers, alpine glaciers, fjords and rugged coastlines. You’re in for a thrill of a lifetime when you time your visit between February and April (autumn). Still, you could say that New Zealand is an all-year round destination, with winter (from June to August) the most favourable time for skiers and lovers of other snow-related activities.
Flights to New Zealand
New Zealand is famous for extreme sports, its unspoilt scenery and its friendly and warm people. New Zealand wines are gaining in popularity and the Marlborough region is the best place for a wine tour as well as for some of the best seafood you’ll ever find. Marvel at the glowworms and the astonishing rock formations in the Waitomo Caves, find yourself in an almost out-of-this-world environment at Milford Sound or view the grandeur of Aoraki Mount Cook and the surrounding national park. Enjoy the differing coastlines of Bay of Islands, the enticing beauty of Auckland and Christchurch, the vineyards at Wiakehe Island and the rugged landscape of White Island. Visit New Zealand’s adventure capital, Queenstown, explore the Te Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley or hike at the famous Franz Josef Glacier, or explore the locations sites of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
GERMANY
Flights to Germany
Germany is the birthplace of many people who touched the lives of many more worldwide, including the Brothers Grimm, Beethoven, Goethe, Karl Marx, Albert Einstein and Martin Luther. It is also where world-renown products such as aspirin, MP3, automobile and printing press originated. Germany has an enchanting storybook landscape that’s truly memorable, such as the Neuschwanstein that provided the inspiration for the castle of Sleeping Beauty at Disneyland. Summertime, from May until September is the high season for visiting Germany, and of course, you need to make reservations in advance if you are planning to attend the country’s annual Oktoberfest.
Flights to Germany
There are endless points of interest in Germany, with its numerous castles being on top of the list. See something of the countryside and visit the Jasmund National park and the Rügen Cliffs, or soothe your spirit at the romantic vineyards at Rhine. Be awed by the reconstructed Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), the Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral) or the medieval historic city of Lindau. Check out the differing architecture of Germany’s last surviving city gates, such as the Holstentor and the Brandenburg Gate.
AUSTRIA
Flights to Austria
If you’re planning a trip to Austria, it’s great in spring and fall, when the weather is milder and the country is not that crowded. It might be landlocked, but Austria does not lack in attractions that lure international visitors. The Alps alone provide a stunning sight. If you are into classical music, there is no better place to be than Austria, where you are likely to hear the wonderful masterpieces of Strauss, Schubert, Beethoven and Mozart played by the best orchestras in the world, including the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. You can even trace the footsteps of the Von Trapp family, you know, that wonderful family of singers immortalized in The Sound of Music.
Flights to Austria
Like other parts of Europe, Austria has its fair share of wonderful castles and palaces that have been preserved for generations to enjoy. One of the largest in Europe is the Salzburg Castle that was built on top of the Festungsberg Mountain. There’s also the grand Hofburg Imperial Palace and Schönbrunn Palace. Seefeld in Tyrol and Innsbruck and Altstadt enchant visitors any time of the year. But if you are after magnificent scenery, visit St Anton am Arlberg, a ski resort, the Grossglockner Alpine Road and Hallstatt. For some wonderful music and great architecture, do not miss the Vienna Opera House.
FRANCE
Flights to France
France seems to have everything and is into everything as well – from art, architecture, to music, science, philosophy, film, theatre and dance, to fashion, media, cuisine and sports. France has always been a dream destination for many so it’s no wonder that in 2013 more than 84 million visitors came to visit. People are very drawn to France’s capital, Paris, which is called the City of Lights. There’s also some of the iconic landmarks that do not fail to impress, such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, Centre Pompidou, Palace of Versailles and Centre Pompidou.
Flights to France
One cannot discount that Disneyland Paris and its Walt Disney Studios Park and Disneyland Park are major crowd drawers as well. Shopping and dining in Paris and other cities in France is an ultimate experience, and the French countryside, with its quaint towns, lush vineyards especially in Loire Valley and wonderful beaches are also remarkable. If you’re planning a trip to France, the best time to go is during spring, from April to June or in the fall (from September to November) so you’ll avoid the huge crowd that typically come to France in the summer months.
SWITZERLAND
Flights to Switzerland
Although Switzerland is bordered by much bigger and more popular countries such as Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France and Italy, it is a country that you should not pass up, because it also has plenty of things to offer. Schedule your trip for either April or May or in September or October, if you plan to explore this tiny landlocked country. The majority of the most beautiful things to see in Switzerland are located outdoors, as the country is blessed with such astonishing landscape. Take a close look at the serene Lake Geneva or the majestic Matterhorn, Schilthorn, Lake Zurich and Lake Lucerne.
Flights to Switzerland
At the Jungfrau Region, you can see three towering mountains – Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. Near Lake Geneva is the 11th century castle called the Chillon Castle. Within the city of Lucerne is Mt. Pilatus where you can go hiking and walking while taking in the beauty of the Swiss Alps. In Schaffhausen, you will see the awesome Rhine Falls, which is the largest waterfall in Europe. Nearby is Schloss Laufen, a medieval castle that has several shops, a youth hostel and a restaurant.
NORWAY
Flights to Norway
Norway is considered as one of the most beautiful places on earth and has been voted in 2013 in a United Nations survey as the happiest country in the world and one of the safest, too. It is blessed with incredible natural wonders, that a trip to Norway is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. For international travellers, the best time to visit Norway is during early summer, between the months of June and July, which is also the time of the Midnight Sun, so you literally get to see the sun for the whole day. If you want to avoid the peak of the tourist season, then plan your vacation around May or September.
Flights to Norway
There are so many points of interest in Norway that it is almost impossible to mention all of them. However, a cruise in one or two of its many fjords is something you will not forget. If you want to do something extraordinary and heart-pumping, try standing at the jutting tip of Trolltunga or on the rock sandwiched between two cliffs called the Kjeragbolten. Explore Oslo, the ancient Fredrikstad Fortress or hike around any of the thousand lakes in the country. You can also get the chance to see the Northern Lights when you go to Lofoten Islands.
These destinations are just part of a long list of favourite destinations. Book your flight to any destination in the world via Skiddoo, where you will find the cheapest international flight the easiest and fastest online booking service possible.