Not only olympic games

2008 offers many reasons why one should pack up and catch a flight to Beijing.

The 2008 Olympics are for sure a world-wide event attracting thousands and thousands of visitors. Let’s see how the Government will adjust together the 15 millions citizens with the foreign human flood in hot and humid August…

For sure is not the best time to go. And somehow we perceive a kind of contradiction between the sport ethic of fair play.. and the human right deception China is constantly trying to mask. Luckily impossible in its 100%.

Further reasons why this metropolis is worth a visit are to be discovered in its past rather then in its present. From Chinese mythic bicycles, to Tai-Chi practice, tea houses and old hutongs or special foot massages you will have a glance of what the Chinese Republic is and was.

To escape from the mass touristy attractions, entertainment, anonymous luxury accommodations and expensive cliché, or simply to hide away from the city smog and confusion there are a few things that someone can do to discover some Beijing traditional pearls.

Fragrant Hills, in the north-western corner of Beijing, is a good place for weekend outings and picnics. Formerly a Qing imperial garden, today Fragrant Hills makes an easy short climb in the suburbs of Beijing. It's also home to the Fragrant Hills Hotel, designed by I.M. Pei (Louvre Museaum Pyramid). Take buses 331, 726 to the last stop. ¥10, students ¥5. From here, if you like green, have a visit to the Botanical Garden, next door.

Steps away from the east gate of Fragrant Hill, Beijing Botanical Gardens offer acres of greenery and flowers where Sir Johnston, teacher of the last emperor Puyi, had a villa in Cherry Glen, a silent and beautiful retreat in the Gardens. In the spring, the gardens hosts special exhibits of tulips, peach, plum blossoms and peonies. Buses 331, 726. ¥10, students ¥5.

A smart cool place to visit, not so common among tourists, is the 798 Art Zone, a part of the Chaoyang District. A thriving artist community set among 50-year old decommissioned military factory buildings of unique architectural style. It is often compared with New York's Greenwich Village or SoHo, but faces impending destruction from the forces driving Beijing's urban sprawl.

The Hutong Villages of Beijing most represent the traditional housing of Chinese locals. Some of the streets in the Qianmen Hutong have a history of about 500 years, with unchanged street layouts. The Hutongs are the perfect place to get a glimpse of Chinese daily life. Unfortunately, the majority of Hutongs have been demolished to make space for modern buildings. However some of them are still well preserved and converted in lodgings for tourists. They offer the warmest atmosphere you can imagine while keeping the traditional architecture, decoration and style. Hutongs are considered very valuable and are popular to some kind of tourists. If you can transform an attraction into a place where you can rest, and live for a while as you were in XIX century, well, maybe this is the best way to experience Beijijng.

Many of the hutongs have been transformed in youth hostels often run by former European travellers that decided to stop their run, save this enchanted peaceful places and establish a business. They offer all the comforts you can expect on private rooms decorated with taste and making use of traditional colours and red-wax piece of furniture. All rooms, as in traditional hutongs, face an inner secret garden well kept and decorated with marble statues and plants.

And finally, how would you move around these typical Hutong Villages? Rickshaws that can weave in and out of their narrow streets are the answer. But for a more personalized and traditional approach to this Country of bicycles, (the so called Bike kingdom) we recommend you rent a bike a healthy, environmentally friendly, convenient, economical, safe and fun means of travel transportation and recreation! China truly is producing and using more bicycles than any other nation in the world. Cycling in China is a kind of life style for the Chinese people. Don’t forget that in the traffic and in the narrow alleys of the Hutongs bikes are the best means to explore the city and is a super-individual way of transport by your own pace! There are some companies like The Bicycle Kingdom.com to rent your own bike.

So what are you waiting for? See the Olympics in the freshness of your home with a beer and some friends and let other melt in the “smoggy sun”. Experience Beijing in Springtime.

This article was written by Michele De Capitani with support from http://www.flashbooking.com for any information, please visit hostel Beijing or for travel insurance visit backpackers in Beijing.

Travel in Italy: free pocket travel guide of Naples by Flashbooking online reservation

Flashbooking is becoming a recognized source of information and services for who loves creating a trip by him/herself and book bed nights securely online, this issue: Travel in Naples city of Italy

County town of Campania and the province of Naples, it is the third largest populated city in Italy and the largest city in the south of Italy. The city looks out over the Gulf of Naples and stretches for 8 kilometres between the lands of Campi Flegrei, the Sant'Elmo hills and Capodimonte on one side and the plains leading to Vesuvius on the other.

Naples, founded in the 7th century, was an important location during the Greek-Roman era; becoming a Byzantine Duchy, a Norman-Swabian centre and finally a Angevin and Bourbon capital. The historic city centre is divided into six zones: Via Toledo with Castel Nuovo, Spaccanapoli, the Decumano Massimo, Capodimonte, i Vergini, Vomero, Castel dell'Ovo and Via Chiaia.

Flashbooking is a growing cheap hostel Naples and hotels directory specializing in budget accommodation for independent travellers, students, backpackers, families and all the ones that travel on a pocket. Flashbooking is becoming a recognized source of information and services for who loves creating a trip by him/herself and book bed nights securely online.

Those who love travelling light, those with a sense for adventure, those who love flexibility in their trips, those who like meeting locals and travelling slow and low... those are Flashbooking happy travellers!

See Flashbooking database of selected accommodations worldwide and help us enlarging the hostel offer by reporting the contacts of some accommodations, lodgings, BandB, youth hostels and budget small hotels where you personally stayed. In fact, Flashbooking policy tends to privilege small and family-run hotels in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies.

Flashbooking accommodation database is easily available online and comes completed with all relevant information about hostel location, description, contacts, prices, instant real availability, customer ratings, facilities and pictures.

In particular Flashbooking provides a large selection of cheap or low cost accommodation offers in Naples where there are plenty of low cost solutions for backpackers in budget youth hostels, bed and breakfast Naples, family run guesthouses, cheap hotel deals.

Flashbooking chose to provide backpackers, students and families with a list of budget selected and independent accommodations worldwide, mostly run by locals, in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies. For this and other reasons Flashbooking is becoming a recognized source of information and services for who loves creating a trip by him/herself and book bed nights securely online.

Flashbooking cheap lodging solutions are all available for online bookings and divided by Countries. Travellers have free access to the updated list of Europe hostels and budget hotels, North and South America hostels, Caribbean and Central America hostels as well as for Asia cheap accommodations, Oceania youth hostels and Africa hostels.

Flashbooking accommodation database is easily available online and comes completed with all relevant information about youth hostel and hotel location and map, description, services, hostel contacts, customer ratings, six pictures and updated prices inclusive of taxes and services together with instant real availability.

Having the reservation final price is also convenient as it does give the transparency our users pretend while booking. Having the final total amount of your booking means you do not have to worry about other extra surprises!

With the monthly newsletter, Flashbooking puts at travellers, students, volunteers free disposal some useful pocket travel guides of major European cities: the Amsterdam City guide, the London City guide, the Prague City guide, the Paris City guide, the Rome City guide, the Florence City guide, and the freshly issued Naples City guide!! For the Naples travel guide Flashbooking staff efforts concentrate on making it simple to read dividing the Naples centre in different districts with their relevant amenities.

Naples is renown for its open and friendly international people, art museums and Art Galleries, the sea, the movida and cheap lodgings, classic itineraries and a lot more to make a visit worth wise.

In general, Flashbooking guides have been written for giving the essential information about the most visited cities in the world and in particular for any traveller or first-time visitor. For a short visit, a week-end, a city break, these free pocket guides are useful printable and downloadable tools available online.

Flashbooking policy tends to privilege small and family-run hotels in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies.

So mates, we are looking forward to finding you THE budget accommodation that meets your needs and pocket for your next trip!

This article was written by Michele De Capitani with support from Budget hotels & Youth hostels. For any information on how travel insurance, please visit our website to download your free travel guides for Naples City in Italy.

Travel in Hungary: free pocket travel guide of Budapest by Flashbooking accommodation website

In the Budapest City guide students, families and backpackers can get a large selection of cheap or low cost accommodation with plenty of low cost solutions in budget youth hostels, Bed and Breakfast, guesthouses, cheap hotel deals in Hungary.

Budapest is the capital city of Hungary and the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial and transportation centre. The official language spoken is Hungarian. Budapest has approximately 1.7 million inhabitants. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube with the amalgamation on 17 November 1873 of right-bank (west) Buda and Óbuda together with Pest on the left bank. It is the ninth largest city in the European Union.

Those who love travelling light, those with a sense for adventure, those who love flexibility in their trips, those who like meeting locals and travelling slow and low... those are Flashbooking happy travellers!

Flashbooking chose to provide backpackers, students and families with a list of budget selected and independent accommodations worldwide, mostly run by locals, in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies. For this and other reasons Flashbooking is becoming a recognized source of information and services for who loves creating a trip by him/herself and book bed nights securely online.

Flashbooking cheap lodging solutions are all available for online bookings and divided by Countries. Travellers have free access to the updated list of Europe hostels and budget hotels, North and South America hostels, Caribbean and Central America hostels as well as for Asia cheap accommodations, Oceania youth hostels and Africa hostels.

Flashbooking's happy travellers can book their rooms and beds not only in cheap hotels or cheap hostel Budapest but also consider other budget accommodations in Bed and Breakfast, Guesthouses, Campsites, apartments, farm houses and much more.

Flashbooking accommodation database is easily available online and comes completed with all relevant information about youth hostel and hotel location and map, description, services, hostel contacts, customer ratings, six pictures and updated prices inclusive of taxes and services together with instant real availability.

Having the reservation final price is also convenient as it does give the transparency our users pretend while booking. Having the final total amount of your booking means you do not have to worry about other extra surprises!

With the monthly newsletter, Flashbooking puts at travellers, students, volunteers free disposal some useful pocket travel guides of major European cities: the Amsterdam City guide, the London City guide, the Prague City guide, the Paris City guide, the Rome City guide, the Florence City guide, and the freshly issued Budapest City guide!! For the Budapest travel guide Flashbooking staff efforts concentrate on making it simple to read dividing the Budapest centre in different districts with their relevant amenities.

Other reasons to chose Flashbooking? Flashbooking helps you saving money with a special promotion that allows travellers to earn money and credits of 1,5 euros by inviting other friends to subscribe and receive the monthly newsletter, rich of information about hostel and hotel deals. For each friend that sings up, our travellers get 1,50 euros: it is possible to earn up to 40 euros! These credits are immediately registered in the user's personal online account 'My Booking' and at the reach of 40 euros they are automatically deducted to pay your online hostel reservations!!!

Budapest is renown for its open and friendly international people, art museums and Art Galleries, the sea, the movida and cheap lodgings, classic itineraries and a lot more to make a visit worth wise.

In general, Flashbooking guides have been written for giving the essential information about the most visited cities in the world and in particular for any traveller or first-time visitor. For a short visit, a week-end, a city break, these free pocket guides are useful printable and downloadable tools available online.

Flashbooking policy tends to privilege small and family-run hotels in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies.

So mates, we are looking forward to finding you THE budget accommodation that meets your needs and pocket for your next trip!

Last but not least, if you wish to help us, you can either give your personal ratings of some accommodations, lodgings, cheap hotel Budapest, youth hostels and budget small hotels where you stayed, or enlarging the hostel offer by reporting some new hostel contacts!

This article was written by Michele De Capitani with support from Youth Hostels & hotel deals. For any information on how travel insurance, please visit our website to download your free travel guides for Budapest City in Hungary.

Travel in USA: Free Pocket Guide of New York City by Flashbooking cheap accommodation website

For the New York travel guide Flashbooking staff efforts concentrate on making it simple to read and with a nice format.

The guides are full of essential hints on where to go, things to see, New York's Museums, shopping mall and flea markets, quality places reasonably priced where to eat or sip a famous Pilsner, clubs and discos, budget hostels and cheap hotel deals to book, emergency numbers and more.

New York, or as it is often referrred to 'The Big Apple', is situated in the state of New York, in the north-east of The USA. The city is located at the mouth of the river Hudson and is sub-divided into five districts: Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan and Richmond (Staten Island).

New York, the main destination for European and Asian immigrants, has, during the last century, become one of the biggest and most cosmopolitan cities in the world. The lay-out of Manhattan is easy to understand.

Flashbooking is a growing cheap hostel New York and hotels directory specializing in budget accommodation for independent travellers, students, adventurous backpackers, international volunteers, families and all the ones that travel on a budget.

Flashbooking accommodation database is easily available online and comes completed with all relevant information about youth hostel and hotel location and map, description, services, hostel contacts, customer ratings, six pictures and updated prices inclusive of taxes and services together with instant real availability.

With the monthly newsletter, Flashbooking puts at travellers' and partner hostels' free disposal some useful information tools as pocket travel guides of the top world cities: the Amsterdam City guide, the London City guide, the Barcelona City guide, the Paris City guide, the Rome City guide, the Florence City guide, and the freshly issued New York City guide!

In general, these guides have been written for giving the essential information about the most visited cities in the world and in particular for any traveller or first-time visitor. For a short visit, a week-end, a city break, these free pocket guides are useful printable and downloadable tools available online.

In the New York City guide students, families and backpackers can get a large selection of cheap or low cost accommodation with plenty of low cost solutions in budget youth hostels, Bed and Breakfast New York, guesthouses, cheap hotel deals.

Our travellers are also our good partners as they help us either giving their ratings of some accommodations, lodgings, BandB, youth hostels and budget small hotels where they personally stayed, either enlarging the hostel offer by reporting some new contacts.

Flashbooking policy tends to privilege small and family-run hotels in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies.

This article was written by Michele De Capitani with support from Hostels & cheap hotels accommodation. For any information on how travel insurance, please visit our website to download your free travel guides for New York City in USA.

Travel in Australia - Great Free Pocket Guide of Melbourne by Flashbooking website

A growing youth hostels and hotels directory in Melbourne specializing in budget accommodation in Australia, Flashbooking is a recognized source of information and services for independent travellers who love creating their trips and book their bed nights securely online.

Melbourne is the capital city of the state of Victoria. It is situated on a vast strip of coastal plain and occupies both banks of the river Yara, at the point where the river flows into Port Phillip. The second largest city in Australia, Melbourne, reknown for its parks and green open spaces, is referred to as the "Garden City".

Flashbooking provides backpackers, students and families with a list of budget selected and independent accommodations worldwide -mostly run by locals- in order to promote an alternative tourism respectful of cultures and different societies. Flashbooking accommodation database is easily available online and comes completed with all relevant information about Cheap hostel Melbourne location, description, contacts, prices, instant real availability, customer ratings, facilities and pictures.

Recently put at travellers’ disposal is another useful tool: the Free Pocket City Guide of Melbourne. This free travel guide of Melbourne contains, in just 9 printable pages, all the essential information and very good suggestions about the Melbourne flea markets, Museums and Art Galleries, budget restaurants and cheap lodgings, classic itineraries you can’t miss, transports and a lot more. The Melbourne Travel Pocket Guide comes with colour pictures and it is free and downloadable for anyone who wish to book and go!

As an online booker service Flashboking.com guarantees instantly confirmed and secure reservations thanks to a secure server, certified SSL provided by Thawte (the global certificate authority). This system encrypts all the processed data and guarantees that this will not be read, used or modified by other parties. Online bookings mean that your holiday is just a click away.

With the monthly newsletter, Flashbooking puts at travellers, students, volunteers free disposal some useful pocket travel guides of major European cities: the Amsterdam City guide, the London City guide, the Prague City guide, the Paris City guide, the Rome City guide, the Florence City guide, and the freshly issued Barcelona City guide!! For the Barcelona travel guide Flashbooking staff efforts concentrate on making it simple to read dividing the Barcelona centre in different districts with their relevant amenities.

A special promotion allow travellers to earn money and credits of 1,5 euros by inviting other friends to subscribe and receive the monthly newsletter, rich of information about hostel and hotel deals. For each friend that sings up, our travellers get 1,50 euros: it is possible to earn up to 40 euros!

In particular Flashbooking.com provides a large selection of cheap accommodation offers in Melbourne where there are plenty of low cost solutions for backpackers in budget Bed and breakfast Melbourne, cheap hotels and guesthouses.

Moreover, for anyone that owns a personal website or a travel blog, the travel guides (London, Rome, Amsterdam, Florence, Prague, Barcelona and more coming on soon!) come for free and can be used as an extra travel resource for theirs users.

In Flashbooking website there is also a section dedicated to the world cities events where you can also get a quite exhaustive list of main festivals, exhibitions, concerts and cool things to do and see in other top European cities.

The customer service is always available to suggest you the perfect accommodation for your trip. A Skype account has been recently added in order to give more assistance to our travellers and backpackers needs. In just a sentence here the flashbooking motto:

Those who love travelling light, those with a sense for adventure, those who love flexibility in their trip, those who like meeting locals and travelling slow and low... THOSE ARE OUR TRAVELLERS!

So mates, we are looking forward to finding the best accommodation for you on your next trip!

This article was written by Michele De Capitani with support from Hostel & hotel accommodation and Mrs. Vera Bonaventura. For any information on how travel insurance, please visit our website to download your free pocket travel guides for Melbourne City in Australia.