It may be quite a long way down to the Chapiteau de Fontvieille with a P&O Ferry dropping you off at the northerly port of Calais. In fact, you will have to then span the entire country to get down to Monaco. But the Annual Festival international du Cirque de Monte-Carlo is never a thing to miss so why not take a cultural tour through France? Timing is going to be key though – the 36th Monte-Carlo Circus Festival runs from the 19th-29th of January so you’ll have to start preparations soon.

This event is not one to miss, as the original Festival international du Cirque was the first true international circus festival in the western world. This show promises to showcase only the very best the circus community has to offer. It was traditionally presided over by the crown-prince of the Royal Family of Monaco. Since his death Princess Stéphanie now attends the Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo.

At the original event, Prince Rainier stated “This International Circus Festival was created thinking of the circus community, of this family of underestimated people, so that you, attentive spectators of their efforts and of their work, could know them better, and celebrate them better.”

In its rudiments it is a circus showcase with all the best acts outperforming each other in the hopes to win awards – so you’re guaranteed a spectacle as the artists compete for the judges’ (and yours) affection. You can pre-order tickets here.

The show this year will include motorcycle stunts, Spanish clowns, ponies, elephants and jugglers. Early in February the first ‘New Generation’ showcase will be put on display with new acts showing their talents in a competition for young circus acts.

P&O Ferries can get you to France on your journey south to one of the best circus experiences of 2012

Tags: France, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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The Brussels Beer Tasting Tour will take you all across the city and give you a drink at each stop – what better way to see Belgium?

A lot of us get the blues in January. An entire year to wait until next Christmas, the weather is a bit naff and everybody’s joined a gym and ‘gone healthy’ as part of their short-lived New Year’s resolution. To stand apart from the healthier-and-duller-than-thou crowd why not go on a beer tour in Brussels? For £50 per head you’ll get a 3 hour professional tour and free drinks. They have children’s prices but for the life of us we can’t imagine why. Tour groups have a maximum limited of 20 people per party.

These tours have a central meeting point in Brussels so it’ll be easy to get under your way. Belgium is the beer capital of the world so you’ll have some of the finest suds available on this tour. It’ll be a real master class and an excellent chance to extend your repertoire. Have a few drinks and do something other than wait for it to stop raining this January.

The tour itself takes you around some of the most notable pubs and cafes in Belgium. There’ll be a bit of a history lesson to go along with the tasting so you can appreciate the wares just that little bit more. There will be food on the tour to keep you steady on your feet, and if you book a small group tour then a hotel drop off at the end of the day will see you back home safely. The final stop is at the Grande Place, a beautiful landmark in the heart of Brussels teeming with life even in the colder months.

All the well-known ales will be available – if you want to play it safe – as well as the lesser known pale ales. We also insist that you try the Trappist brewed bevvies, they’re favoured on a hot summers day but who’s to say a winter jar by the fire won’t go down well, too?

To get to Brussels for an excellent alternative this coming January snag a P&O Ferry over to Belgium you can take your car and fill ‘er up on all your favourites.

Bernt Rostad

Tags: Belgium, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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All you considerate souls out there who have already finished your Christmas shopping, and those of you who love a bargain should set aside those Christmas bonuses for the January sales.

Shopping in France is a luxury endeavour that you can enjoy a loved one at a knock down price at this time of year. From transport to hotels a trip on to the continent in January 2012 won’t be a bank breaker, and if you get a poor haul on the 25th then why not grab a couple well deserved gifts for yourself.

It’ll still be cold and residence for skiing may be competitive, but if shopping is the purpose for your trip then a cosy hotel room near a Parisian market will make for an exceptional romantic getaway. The sales in France’s capital ‘Soldes by Paris!’ run from January 12th to the 15th of February so there’s plenty of time to plan ahead, getting there early in the month is the best way to fight to the front of the queues for some of these deals but we’re sure there will be some excellent items left over if you want to hold out for that all important January pay check.

The tourist attractions will also be blessedly free from queues, so wrap up warm and do some wandering around; there’ll still be a bit of Christmas magic left over to keep things special.

Soldes is the only time of year when shops are allowed to sell goods at a loss, the regulations in Paris let shop slash their prices by up to 40% and with ever changing fashions a lot of shops want to clear out their stock rooms so picking up a bargain will not be too difficult.

Happy shopping!

A P&O Ferry is an excellent budget way to get to France, with the sales you can take a car with you and load up at minimal cost.

Image credit: antwerpenR

Tags: France, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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We’re a week into December so it’s now officially the festive season whether you like it or not. So what better time to start thinking about New Year’s Eve? For those of you who want to do something special to bring in 2012 a stint overseas with the family or friends could be in order.

Amsterdam is renowned for having a good time so you can expect parties of the highest order to celebrate the coming of a new year. From roof top terraces to public squares the city of Amsterdam will be full of good cheer, merry making and all round fun.

We should warn you now, accommodation will be filling up fast so we suggest you go with your gut and make your bookings now so you won’t be let down later. As a bit of good news, and perhaps added incentive, New Year’s Day offers free public transport in Amsterdam. So you can party on, spend as much as you like on revelry and not have to worry about the fare home, good eh? That said on New Year’s Eve you’ll have difficulty even using the public transport since it grinds to halt due to the masses of crowds celebrating in the streets.

The restaurants, the bars and clubs and streets will all be crammed so plan out what you want to do first and be sure to hold on to your friends tight, lest you get swept away in the crowds and have your voice drowned out by cheers and fireworks.

But enough of the warnings New Year’s Eve is all about fun afterall!

For major mass celebrations you’ll want to crack open a bottle at Leidsplein, Dam Square, Nieumarkt or Rembrandtplein, at these spots there will be city organised firework displays come the close of the countdown live music and oodles and oodles of people to party with. Beer tents are provided for you to stock up and truly make merry.

To get to Amsterdam for New Year’s Eve 2011 an P&O Ferry is a great moneysaving way to get to the Netherlands.

Image credit: aloxe

Tags: Lifestyle, Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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Everyone likes a getaway, but with flying being as irritating as it is (this goes for both short- and longhaul – whatever happened to travelling in style?) a lot of people are looking for something which involves less hassle.

The 2-for-1 minicruises currently on offer at P&O Ferries address this issue perfectly. With trips to Amsterdam, Bruges and Zeebrugge up for grabs, there is a nice variety of European cities with very individual sights and attractions.

All cruises include two nights in an en-suite cabin, and a day ashore in the respective city. For inspirations on what to do in Amsterdam, Bruges, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge, you could check out some suggestions here, here and here.

Prices start at £72 for Amsterdam and Bruges, and £74 for Zeebrugge. The price covers the ticket for one person, the other person travels for absolutely nothing. All ferries depart from Hull, and most cruises can be extended from two to three nights.

To check out the P&O Ferries minicruise offers, go here.

Tags: P&O Ferries by Matthias Scherer
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So it’s December 1st already! Since Christmas is fast approaching there’s no time to lose booking some time off and getting yourself away for a midwinter break. There are lots to see in France, but if you’re after a quick jaunt across the Channel and perhaps a weekend or more in France then stay close to the coast and visit Calvados, it has plenty going on this December.

There are, of course, plenty of Christmas Markets on the go this time of year in Lisieux, Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives, Caen and more. Most have already begun and are running through to late December so there’s plenty of bargains to be had and exploring to do.

One event we’re interested to see is the annual racing of the Santas on Omaha Beach. This novel event happens on the 18th of December and involves a yacht race of folks dressed in Santa racing along the beaches of the D-Day landings, 2011 marks its fifth year running.

Calvados will also have Loisirsland return this year. Loisirsland is a France’s travelling leisure park, it normally sets up for school holidays, lots of fun if you have kids, it can be found in Caen from 22nd-31st of December.

Of course there’s lots more to see, Calvados is home to Guillaume le Conquérant Château a huge stage theatre which every December gets festive with a Sleeping Beauty theme. You could also visit the birthplace of William the Conquerer where there will be fireworks the Falaise Christmas Market and various showcases.

A trip to France is just a P&O Ferry away, their Dover to Calais service will have you well on your way to Calvados and a December filled with Christmas wonder!

Image credit: timeyres

Tags: France, History, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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This Saturday will kick off Christmas celebrations in the Belgian capital with the first installment of Electrabel Nights. A series of weekly shows at the Grand-Place in Brussels open to all.

Electrabel Nights isn’t your standard lighting of a Christmas tree, with a couple of carols and a guest appearance from Santa. Each weekend through to New Year’s Day there will be mind blowing shows from world renowned performance artists, mixing music and lighting with their own special talents to wow you through the festive season.

Some of these acts include gravity defying gymnasts, crystal musicians in costumes of mirrors, fire eaters and moon-climbing acrobats. There will, of course, be a choir on Christmas Eve so if you are planning to spend the Christmas period in Brussels you’ll get your fill of the traditional as well.

The Grand-Place will be well and truly decked out, with a gigantic light sculpture that will send shimmering rays across the entire city. This will surely be one of the Christmas Wonders of Europe in 2011.

The showcase starts on the 26th November with a performance by master jugglers ‘Feeding Fish’. This British troop have performed in over 33 countries, there astounding blend of choreography with pulse raising music and psychedelic lighting will have you entranced as just the beginning of Electrabel Nights.

To get to Brussels in time for Electrabel Nights 2011 a P&O Ferry can take you on the crossing from Hull to Zeebrugge, from which the Country capital is just a short journey.

Image credit: Abhishek_Kumar

Tags: Belgium, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been making travel recommendations for the period leading up to Christmas – Lille, Strasbourg and Rotterdam were among those mentioned for their great atmosphere and Christmas spirit.

Today we want to flag up for you some of the exclusive Christmas offers from P&O Ferries – available en route to your little festive getaway.

P&O Ferries are offering their passengers 20% off fragrance gift sets, as well as a ‘Buy 2 and save £10’ deal on malt whiskies – great offers for anyone in the market for some high-end Christmas presents!

Elsewhere, there is a cheeky discount on spirits: Any of the following two spirits will only cost you £28: Bombay Saphire, Smirnoff Red, Bacardi Carta Blanca (and other flavours), Mount Gay rum and Famous Grouse whisky. Stock up on some warming spirits for the cold holidays.

Probably the real kicker is the fantastic offer of a full Christmas turkey meal plus dessert for less than a tenner, available onbard in the P&O Ferries food court. There are other discounts on children’s toys, hot drinks and biscuits, so your trip to Europe this winter will be as pleasant as can be.

Book your P&O Ferries trip today to take advantage of these great offers!

Image credit: P&O Ferries

Tags: P&O Ferries by Matthias Scherer
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