Gourmet Travel

A tour of the city of Cape Town in South Africa will never be really complete if you fail to have a winelands tour the city is quite famous for. Traveling in Africa will truly be an unforgettable experience, particularly its city that has become the most popular spot for tourists, the Cape Town.

Cape Town is a favorite choice of many tourists for a lot of reason one of them being the Cape wine route these tourists would love to take to be able to enjoy the magical viticulture art the city boasts of. There are a lot of breathtaking wine estates in the city that you will really have a hard time choosing. Each one has its own qualities that tourists will surely love and come back for. You will not only learn about different ad new varieties of grapes but you will also get to see how a brandy is made.

A bland and not so attractive signpost will be your frontline to these winelands. What is beyond these signs however will have you realize that the only thing ugly about them is the signpost itself. What you will be seeing next are the usual great looking gateways filled with glorious looking roses and Canna Lilies. These stretches of beds of flowers are usually in different vivid colors that will surely please you. You have mountains soaring high and mighty as backdrop for these flower beds.

You will find that the estate houses in these wineyards are still the traditional H-shaped Cape Dutch style homes. Some are already turned into museums for the tourists to appreciate. There are many of these winelands in Cape Town and one of the most popular is the UitKyk (pronounced as “Eight Cake”). You will find it in one of Stellenbosch’s main roads. Its manor house alone is already worth your visit but it will serve you good to prepare for a picnic under the tree in this handsome place. You will be able to enjoy its view while you get a free taste of the wine they produce. This is a very popular spot because it is not as populated by tourists as the other vineyards. With the others, you are most likely to be visiting with a busload of other tourists, making the trip less peaceful.

There are many other winelands worth your visit such as Boschendal in Franschhoek, Vergelegan in Somerset West and Cape Town’s Groote Constantia. These are the biggest and most popular wine routes in this area. For the modern ones, you may prefer to visit Eikendal which is located just outside Somerset West. There is also Dornier Wines also in Somerset West. For a mix of both the old and the new, there is Spier located in Stellenbosch. These are just few of what Cape Town can offer in terms of wineyards. To make sure you get to visit all that is worth visiting, you may opt to get the services of a Cape Town travel consultant. They will be the one to make sure that you will leave no stone unturned during your visit.

About The Country

Spain is famous world wide for its flamenco dancers and bullfights. The architecture reflects the Moroccan style. Cave paintings, renaissance cathedrals, Moorish palaces prove the diversity of the country. Spring, fall and early summer are very pleasant here, though summers are hot.

Culture

Spanish is the regional language of Spain. English is also widely spoken here. Over the period of time, Spanish people have become modern in order to gel with the changing times and are no longer conservative. But that hasn’t changed the values, traditions, manners and customs of the locals. People here have two surnames; the first surname can be used to refer to the person. To greet someone, a handshake will do the job. Take a small gift along when visiting someone’s house. Save the flowers for special occasions. Dinner is generally taken very late in the night. People wear casuals most of the time. Men are expected to wear jackets at some restaurants. Swimsuits should be confined to the pools and beaches. Recently a ban has been applied on smoking in public places.

Shopping

Shops open quite early in the morning and stay open late in the evening. In the afternoon, they are closed for lunch or siesta. Porcelain and leather goods are famous and they will be good gifts for friends and family members back home. Bills are to be paid along with the service charges, so tipping is a matter of gratitude.

Electricity

Voltage is 220 volts and frequency is 50 Hz

Getting There

IBERIA is the national airline of Spain. Many other low-cost airlines offer services in the country. There are nearly thirty international airports in Spain, out of which Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante and Malaga are famous.

Madrid located at 13km away from the city has a good bus service every fifteen minutes. Underground service also works to transport passengers to their destinations. Other facilities offered at this airport are duty free shops, bank, restaurant, tourism information, and hotel reservations.

Barcelona is very close to the city, situated at a distance of 3 km only. Buses are available every 15 minutes and trains are available every 20 minutes. Taxis are available throughout the day. Duty free shops, restaurants, bank, car hire and tourism information are available here.

There is a good network of roads connecting Spain north to south. Toll booths are installed in some parts of the country. Carrying few Euros will help smooth sailing at the toll booths. If driving one’s private car, it would be better if the travel insurance covers medical costs too. Carrying a medical kit can prove to be of some help.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos 50 cigars or 250g tobacco (300 cigarettes, 150 cigarillos, 70 cigars and 400g of tobacco for EU nationals)

2. 1litre of spirits if exceeding 22 per cent volume or 2 litres of alcoholic beverage not exceeding 22 per cent volume and 2 litres of wine (1.5 litre exceeding 22 per cent and 3 litres of up to 22 per cent and 5 litres of wine for EU nationals)

3. 250ml eau de toilette and 50g of perfume

4. 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract (1000g of coffee and 4000g of coffee extract for EU nationals)

5. 100g of tea or 40g of tea extract

6. Gifts up to the value of approximately €37.26.

The Coleshill Hotel is located on High Street, Coleshill, Birmingham. The nearest train stops to the hotel are Water Orton, Birmingham International, Marston Green and Lea Hall. The hotel can be reached by plain through Birmingham International Airport.

The closest universities and colleges to the hotel are Birmingham City University, Aston University, University College Birmingham, Coventry University and Warwick Business School. You can find The Maxstoke Park and Golf Club on the east of the hotel and on north east The Marriot Forest of The Arden Golf and Country Club and Stonebridge Golf Centre can be located. Towards the north east and on the other side of the Birmingham International Airport the Elemdon Park is situated. Among the hotels around The Coleshill Hotel we can mention The Forest of Arden, Swan Hotel, the Railway Guesthouse and Grimstoke Country House Hotel which are within the walking distance of the hotel. Apart from the restaurant and café inside the hotel we can also name The Parkfield 21, Balti Cottage Restaurant, B46 Coffee & Eatery and the restaurant at Innkeepers Lodge.

The Coleshill Hotel is a 2-star hotel with 23 rooms in total which categories it as a small hotel  with prices around £60 per night.

The rooms are equipped with tea/coffee makers, trousers press, iron and board, TV and internet access. It is a pets-allowed hotel.

The hotel has been rated 4.11 of 5.0 which is remarkable and proves the high level of guests’ satisfaction. The hotel has been recommended for it low price compare to the service provided and friendly staff.