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.

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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

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The last November week just started, meaning it’s ridiculously close to Christmas – are you excited yet? If not, and you have the leisure time for a short break before the holidays, we suggest you take inspiration from the Belgians and check out the Antwerp Christmas market.

The 10th December will mark the beginning of this year’s festivities in one of Belgium’s most beautiful cities. A spectacle involving fire jugglers, acrobats and a light show will be put on for visitors, but there will be plenty of opportunities to sample local foods and handicrafts until the first week of January.

A number of different squares (including the city’s main square, Grote Markt) will be covered in more than 90 stalls and chalets, lovingly decorated and lending the already fantastically cosy city an air of calm and festivity. Traditional food and drink (try the waffles, the croquetttes or the sweet cougnou bread!) will be for sale to keep you warm.

There will be plenty of nativity scenes and an ice rink for the kids – what better way to get into the Christmas spirit than with a walk along the cobbled streets, only stopping off for a mulled wine before engaging in some shopping in one of the many boutiques?

To get to Antwerp, you can take a P&O ferry to Zeebrugge, from where it is only about an hour’s drive to one of the loveliest Christmas market’s you’re likely to see.

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Art inspires the mind, relaxes the soul – and is a great investment to boot. At the PAN Amsterdam art fair, hundreds of dealers and investors will hobnob among some of the most beautiful works of art available anywhere in Europe.

Paintings, silverware, antiques and sculptures, as well as works of graphic design, will be showcased at the PAN Amsterdam fair, taking place in the Dutch capital from 20th – 27th November. Only the best of the best will be allowed to present their wares: every work of art is checked for authenticity and quality.

This year marks the 25th PAN Amsterdam fair, and in the last two and a half decades it has built an international reputation as a fantastic hub of modern works of art and artefacts. Last year, almost 50,000 art lovers and buyers descended on Amsterdam, surely a sign of a buzzing event this year.

PAN Amsterdam takes place at the Amsterdam RAI Parkhal, which is close to the Amsterdam RAI Station.

Tickets for this must-attend occasion for art lovers are mercifully cheap: adult day passes cost €15, with students paying €12.50.

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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

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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

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Tomorrow will be the third Thursday of November, and you know that means? Beaujolais Nouveau is here again! And that means the 2011 store of Beaujolais Nouveau wine is soon to be uncorked for the first time…and drunk in abundance.

Traditionally, in the words of Bernard Ludwig Black “Old wine, is good wine” Beaujolais Nouveau, of course, being the exception. This is a youthful vintage bottled after a mere 6-8 weeks, it’s meant for immediate drinking, we’re speculating here but assumedly one winemaker couldn’t handle the wait, sampled it early and thought ‘That ain’t bad’ or at least something similar must have happened.

In France the Beaujolais Nouveau festivities kick off at the stroke of midnight. Towns that have the wine stocked crack into their stores and make merry until late into the night, in Paris restaurants stay open until late, there’s live music and fireworks.

The French government have passed regulations to ensure that the wine is only drunk after midnight on Thursday and the intention is to have the year’s harvest drunk by Christmas – excellent right?

It may be quite short notice for you to get to France in time for the Beaujolais Nouveau celebration, although P&O Ferries can take you across the channel at short notice, but this year’s yield of Beaujolais will still be knocking about well into December so there’s plenty of time to sample this year’s vintage.

P&O Ferries can get you to wine country in France from via the Dover-Calais service, so book now, our hats are off to you if you can get to the Beaujolais Nouveau festivities tomorrow night!

Image credit: swanksalot

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In the last few weeks, we’ve been talking up the virtues of Bruges, Lille and Strasbourg as great destinations in the pre-Christmas period. This week, we’d like to point you towards the P&O Ferries port city of Rotterdam.

Some people might already be familiar with the weekly Binnenrotte market, where all sorts of delicacies and goods are sold twice a week in the biggest market square in the Netherlands. In the run-up to Christmas, this area of Rotterdam is turned into festive zone full of more than 100 themed market stalls and a smell of mulled wine, sausages and spices. You’ll be able to browse for hours and hopefully head home with some classic Dutch decorations and culinary discoveries.

The Binnenrotte market is a great place to shop for Christmas presents, or just to hang out, soak in the European Christmas atmosphere and come home inspired. Trying out the Poffertjes, a sweet sort of Dutch pancake, is highly recommended.

The Rotterdam Christmas market starts on the weekend of the 12th December, and around the market there will be ice skating rinks set up, as well as a live band belting out all the classics.

To get to Rotterdam for a Christmas getaway, all you need to do is jump on a P&O Ferry from Hull to Rotterdam. Tickets are available form only £109 each way, which covers the price for a car and two passengers.

Image credit: Joseph Nadler

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