Featured Special

Burgundy Cycling 4 or 6 Nights: 5% reduction on the price of either our Escape Tour or our Gastronomic Tour if booked in April 2007 for travel any time in 2007. Burgundy is of course famous for its wine and gastonomy and both of these trips hit some of the regions most important highlights: Dijon, Beaune, the Cotes de Nuits vineyards including famous names such as Clos Vougeot and Gevrey Chambertin. Normal rates are 795 euros and 1315 euros, and durations are either 4 nights or 6 nights.

Hotels on these tours are very good 3 star to high end 4 star. There are also options to upgrade. The cycling is over mostly flat to rolling terrain and distances are moderate - leaving plenty of time to enjoy the luxuries of this rich region. And, if wine is not your thing, you will still find important sites in Beaune, Chateauneuf en Auxois, and Dijon to give you a sense of history and how France grew out of this important region. Full tour details at this link.

In the Spotlight

Belgium: The 3 C's and 1 B: Cycling, Castles, Chocolate and oh yeah - BEER!

Some simple and important facts about Belgium:
* There are more castles per square mile in Belgium than anywhere else in the world. Some of our castles are moated and others have labyrinth garden mazes to get lost in.

* Belgium produces 172,000 tons of chocolate per year in over 2,130 chocolate shops. Their chocolate has pure cocoa flavor and doesn't use vegetable shortening.

* There are over 400 different types of beer in Belgium running the gamut from white to raspberry beer. Most beers have their own glass in which only that beer may be served.

The cycling - our part - is a very nice tour that starts in the famous Bruges - called the Venice of the North. This mainly flat 260 km long bike loop connects famous and authentic Flemish towns. Quiet, paved country roads, and a combination of former tow/dike paths and train beds allow you to enjoy varied landscapes in a safe way. Signposts make maps unnecessary; however we provide you with clear road descriptions and maps. Charming taverns will welcome you with a cool local beer, typical farm dishes or pancake. See full tour details here...

What's New

Our hiking tour around Lake Annecy in the French Alpes is new in 2007. Modified over the winter, we have what we think is a moderate walk to enjoy this postcard picture setting. The walks average about 10 miles per day, the trip is 5 nights and 6 days and is priced at 798 euros. Full details here...

PURE News

HOLLAND: Keukenhof Opens! From March 22 - May 20, this has been an exciting destination for visitors from all over the world for 56 years. Keukenhof's magnificent display of color, created by more than 7 million tulips and other bulbs in bloom, gives you that springtime feeling and lifts your spirits. www.keukenhof.com

BELGIUM: The Chocolate Festival - Bruges; The 2nd annual Choco-late Festival in Bruges will take place April 6 - 10, 2007. Visitors to the festival will have the privilege of tasting, experiencing and appreciating chocolate in all its forms & facets. Craft chocolate makers and major international brands exhibit side by side and offer the very best in chocolate today. http://www.choco-late.be/

AMERICAN AIRLINES will launch daily, nonstop service between Chicago and Shannon, Ireland, on May 1. The Boeing 757 service will complement American's existing daily, nonstop Chicago-to-Dublin flight, which began in May 2006. American currently operates Shannon service in conjunction with the Chicago-to-Dublin flight and will revert to that service in October, after the summer season. Cycling in Ireland?!!

Go Local!

In the little town of Predeal in central Romania, I spent a few nights a couple of years ago while researching our hiking tour through the region. I loved this little town for a lot reasons, but I was very charmed by the people and the surrounding mountain setting. Predeal is a ski area in the winter, albeit a rather small one, it nonetheless has a little bit of the ski atmosphere. Every morning we had breakfast at a little chalet/lodge at the foot of one of the runs. Breakfast was simple but good, as well as filling. Did I mention inexpensive?! During the day we spent most of our time out hiking, but we would come back and eat out and even one night hit a local disco. Pretty cool really! The restaurants I visited were everything from Irish pub to "game" lodge where we were able to order, if desired, local game at extraordinary prices. The disco, while not my thing, proved that even in Eastern Europe old guys can have fun! Of course, at several different times I had to fend off gypsy beggars, and riding in a car we had to be careful of the horse pulled carts that were still on the roads. More of that is disappearing though as prosperity is making its way across Romania. To see the details of our hiking tour in the Carpathian region around Predeal, see http://www.pure-adventures.com/tours/transylvania-hiking-romania.php

Self Guided Travel Tips

Have you traveled abroad? If yes, then you already know what it feels like to step outside your norms, and isn't it wonderful!! If you have not traveled abroad, then you should, the experience of meeting other peoples and culture can't be known any other way. This leads to the question of whether it is necessary to have traveled abroad to go on a self-guided tour. The answer is mostly yes, it is an important factor, but not to the exclusion of open minded and easy going persons.

As our self-guided programs require our clients to utilize their time in the day as they wish, it also forces the interaction with locals on many levels. There is not a guide to go to for translation or to ask your questions for you, or handle some other question or need for you. You have to do it yourself. If you have been abroad, you have a better idea of what to expect. But, we have plenty of people going abroad for the first time who do our self-guided trips without any problem. It does help to start in an English speaking country for a first visit, but that too isn't necessary. We do try to consult with each customer to analyze their abilities and concerns, so if you aren't sure - ASK US!!

Events

Belgian Events for Bruges: see also http://www.brugge.be/internet/en/index.htm

27 APRIL i AVRIL > 1 MEI i MAI i MAY
BINNENKIJKEN IN BRUGGE – ANTIEK & INTERIEUR IN SFEER
BRUGES DE L’INTERIEUR i LOOKING INSIDE BRUGES i BRUGGER INTERIEURS
Tentpaviljoen - Markt, Brugge
10.00u – 19.00u, vrijdag 10.00u – 22.00u
info i T. 050 34 92 26 i info@excellentconcept.com i www.excellentconcept.be

29 APRIL i AVRIL > 1 MEI i MAI i MAY
GARDENS OF EXCELLENCE
Abdij – Male, Brugge
10.00u – 18.00u
info i T. 050 36 05 83 i info@gardensofexcellence.be i www.gardensofexcellence.be

1, 5, 6 en 17 MEI i MAI i MAY
WEEK VAN DE ZEE
Zeebrugge en Lissewege tegen voordeeltarief
info i Toerisme Brugge i T. 050 44 46 46 i toerisme@brugge.be i www.brugge.be/zeebrugge

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