The second Saturday of May in Holland is always National Mills Day. This event is also linked with National Cycling Day; the two are combined like some Dutch conspiracy to make you enjoy the Netherlands in the best way possible way.

Around 600 windmills and watermills will be open to the public for tours and a chance to look around areas not normally open to the casual passerby. The mills are all decorated with the flag of Holland and activities are organised to honour the heritage of Holland.

Mid May is a great time of the year to do a tour of the Dutch landscape; although we don’t advise you try and cycle to all of the mills in Holland, you will certainly get some wonderfully scenic views of Dutch country. A family bike ride on what will hopefully be a beautiful day with some light education on the history of mills in Holland will, we think, make for an absolutely great trip.

The mills are free to enter, though a donation is always appreciated, and with P&Os Hull to Rotterdam ferry you are just a short drive away from the scenic splendour of the Netherlands. There are hundreds of cycling tours of Holland, so have no fear about not being able to find a bike.

You can get the Hull to Rotterdam overnight ferry service starting from £149 each way and from here it is just a short train or car ride to Breda.

Image credit: sydandsaskia

Tags: History, Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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For a relaxing holiday away from the throes of this mortal coil Karim Beerahee recommends the Loire Valley, France.

A gem in France – the Loire Valley is a little advertised but well known treasure near the centre of the country. The valley stretches around 170 miles and is host to some of the most picturesque views, astounding architecture and intriguing towns. A breath of fresh air in Loire and a relaxed outgoing approach to your holiday will rejuvenate the soul, sate the pallet and stimulate the mind.

For all you wanderers and cyclists, a journey through the countryside of Loire on foot or by bike will be a truly rewarding experience. Rolling fields, uniformed vineyards, tamed woods and panoramic views await you and are just a short trip with P&O ferries away. Now that the weather is slowly getting better, a countryside retreat to the heartland of France could be just the reprieve from the day to day mundanity.

The Loire Valley is host to over 300 châteaux dating back to the earliest of castle fortifications. Loire has been shaped by centuries of interaction between environment and man – the lush settings attracted some of the finest landscape architects of ages past, and to this day the valley remains a site of immense beauty, cultivated nature at its best.

Boat rentals and trips down the River Loire will make an excellent addition to your holiday. Stop off at one of the charming villages along the valley or head in to a larger town for the full benefits of the local produce. France is famed for its wine and cheese for a reason, but we’d also recommend game and fresh fruit when it’s on the menu.

A P&O ferry will take you from Dover to Calais and though it would take a good days drive to reach the Loire Valley you can make a decent road trip out of it. Stop off at Paris on the way for a rest and taste of urban life in France so that you can really appreciate the peace and tranquility of a break in the Loire Valley.

For accommodation a trip for two in a hotel will give you the chance to holiday in style and take in the surroundings at your leisure. Alternatively you can rent a cottage to relax with your family and enjoy the Loire Valley with the comfort of a cosy home to return to after a day’s exploration.

P&O ferries runs a Dover to Calais service five times a day, check out offers for a deal that can get you and the family, with the car, to France at discount prices.

Image credit: ell brown

Tags: France, History, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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Festival a/d Werf an annual event in Holland, it is a festival that brings minds together to talk about and view contemporary art at its most vibrant. The festival a/d Werf covers the city of Utrecht in culture through the mediums of art, theatre, dance and music for ten whole days.

Huis a/d Werf is the production house of this festival, for May 2011 the theme is Take it personal!! A trip to the Utrecht Festival will give you the chance to examine current socio-political issues affecting the world today. This theme incorporates all current affairs, war, migration and aspects of civil strife. The current programme is now available here

This will be the 26th edition of Festival a/d Werf running from the 19th of May to the 28th. This will be the first one to be run by the new artistic director Rainer Hoffman. His work will be presented which offers a lesson in awareness of social and political issues expressed in contemporary form.

For a mind expanding trip to the Utrecht Festival a/d Werf P&O ferries can get you to Holland with its Hull to Rotterdam ferry making Utrecht a short drive away.

Tags: History, Lifestyle, Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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As a Roman Catholic majority country, France goes all-out at Easter. Their traditions are centuries old and quite different to our celebrations in England.

The build up to Easter begins at the very start of the April. In France this marks a time similar to April fools where people try to stick paper fish to the backs of as many adults as possible, without their knowing. This is an age old tradition and is marked by the availability of chocolate fish in sweet shops.

Today all the church bells in France are silenced in acknowledgment of Jesus’ death. The bells remain still until Easter Morning when the ringing of bells is cause for celebration and people embrace and kiss at the first peal. Children are told that the bells fly to Rome to see the Pope and on their journey back scatter beautifully painted Eggs about for them to find in their Gardens.

Easter is a well celebrated festivity for children in France, with traditional games, which mostly involve trying your best not to break raw eggs, either tossing and catching, or rolling down slopes.

Though it is a family based celebration, there is much for a tourist see and do over Easter in France. For the Religious aspects there are the important Chruch ceremonies, and also processions to see.

The On Market days near Easter, the master Chocolateers go all-out to present the beauty of their craft – an excellent opportunity to pick up something nice for loved ones.

Image credit: buggy droid

Tags: France, History, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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