Friday 23 September 2016

Luxury Layover: London

Afternoon tea at the historic Maison Bertaux in SoHo
Wikicommons image
Do you crave a day of luxury in London? Or perhaps a whole weekend?

There are lots of possibilities. We've sourced the following to give you some ideas.

Here are some luxury London tour and transfer options you might consider:
1. Luxury Rolls Royce at Your Disposal in London Including a Chauffeur
2. Private Tour: Chauffeur Driven London Shopping Trip
3. London Eye: Romantic Private Capsule for Two with Champagne
4. Private Chauffeured Vehicle to Stonehenge from London
5. Secret Gardens Tour of London with Afternoon Tea
6. Private Tour: London Photography Walking Tour from Trafalgar Square to Covent Garden
7. Emerging Artist Art Buying Tour in London
8. Portsmouth Historic Dockyards and HMS Victory Tour from London
9. Private Tour: National Gallery Tour in London with Art Historian Guide
10. Private Tour: Explore London Off the Beaten Track with an Insider


A London treat to remember your layover: a few luxury shopping ideas:
Top Luxury Shopping Destinations - Visit London
London luxury boutiques - Far Fetch
21 of the Best London Souvenir Gifts - Global Blue
Shopping in London - Like a Local Guide


Related reources
10 Unique NYC Tours
A London layover: 3 stories
Bucketlist: Downton Abbey
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in London
London Heathrow International Airport (LHR) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
London Gatwick International Airport (LGW) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
London City International Airport (LCY) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
London Luton International Airport (LTN) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
London Stansted International Airport (STN) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
London Southend International Airport (SEN) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

Thursday 15 September 2016

10 unique Paris tours

The famous Les Deux Magots cafe in Paris
Looking or something different to do on your Paris layover?

If you want to avoid the crowds, or have simply seen the big sights, it's easy to get off the beaten track in the city.

Here are some unique Paris tour options to consider:
1. Private Tour: Customize Your Perfect Day in Paris
2. Half-Day Historical Jazz Tour of Paris with Breakfast
3. Paris Through Paint: Create a Watercolor of the Eiffel Tower
4. Stade de France: Behind the Scenes Tour
5. 1-Hour Paris Perfume Tour of Jean Patou Perfumerie
6. Experience France: Learn How to Play Pétanque in Paris
7. Unexpected Paris: Trainings of the French Horse Guards
8. French Table Setting and Manners Workshop in Paris
9. Galeries Lafayette Shopping with Premium Lounge Access and Champagne
10. Paris dinner with Parisian hosts


Plus 3 great freebies!
FREE Tours and Walks in Paris - Paris Visitors Bureau
The FREE Original Paris Alternative Tour - Free Paris Tours
Discover Paris on Foot: FREE Walking Tours - Timeout Paris


Related reources
Learning Layover: Jewelry (includes Paris options)
Get cooking on your layover: Europe (includes Paris options)
Go running on your layover (includes Paris options)
Rock Your Layover: Paris
Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Paris
Memorial sites near Paris Beauvais Airport
Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
Paris Orly International Airport (ORY) transportation guide - IHateTaxis
Paris Beauvais International Airport (BVA) transportation guide - IHateTaxis

Saturday 10 September 2016

Airport libraries and books

Tallin Airport's 24/3 self-serve library encourages donations and swaps
It's never been easier to read while you travel. From airport bookstores and libraries, to airport book exchanges downloadable e-books, you should never be caught on a layover without something to read. Let's bring you up to speed:

Nothing to read? Check out an airport library

"The book celebrating the 75th anniversary of Nashville International Airport includes a page — and a charming photo — documenting the library branch that opened on-site in 1962. Staffed by a librarian who received an extra $4 in her paycheck to cover airport parking, the Nashville Public Library reading room was the first time a public library was ever established in a municipal airport (it was closed in 1969). Today, just a few airport terminals have anything resembling a traditional library. But airports are finding other ways to offer travelers plenty of reading material for free... [read more on Stuck at the Airport]."

Libraries Partner with Local Airports

"At first glance, a partnership between libraries and airports may seem a case of strange bedfellows. Libraries offer space for concentration and relaxation, while airports are notoriously stressful and full of distractions. But the venues do have one thing in common: in both, users are looking for something to read... When Kansas State Librarian Joanne Budler looked around at passengers waiting at a baggage claim a few years ago, what she saw were readers. Or potential readers, at least. The waiting passengers were nearly all focused on their phones... The result of Budler’s vision—and her staff’s hard work—is the Books on the Fly campaign, which got off the ground at Manhattan Regional Airport, the state’s second largest. Scanning a QR code, available on cards throughout the airport, sends users to a site where they can access the Kansas State Library’s eLending service. Visitors without a library card are directed to Project Gutenberg’s mobile-optimized site, where they can download titles in the public domain [read more on Library Journal]."

Intrigued? Here are a few of the growing number of airports with libraries and/or free e-books:
Exploring Dutch culture at the Amsterdam Airport Library
Boise Library’s Digital Airport Branch Opens
Free ebooks at Harrisburg International Airport
Sea-Tac Airport library doing booming business
Free music & e-books at Toronto Pearson Int’l Airport
Free e-books at Traverse Cherry Capital Airport


You can even follow an airport librarian on Twitter!

@airprtlibrarian (aka Jeanine Deckers) is the Librarian @ Airport Library Schiphol, promoting Dutch art & culture (read about its 2010 opening).

The library is closed because of renovations (but she's still tweeting!)



Suggested airport reads

The 5 Best Books To Grab When Trapped In The Airport - JetSet Times
5 Great Books To Read When You Are Stuck At The Airport - B&N Reads
Top 10 Airport Reads - Seat Maestro


Love art deco? Read about Art Deco Airports!
Books about airports

All Airports (every book on airports you can imagine, delivered free worldwide) - Book Depository

Popular Airport Reads - Good Reads

Book Review: A Week At The Airport by Alain de Botton - National Post


Related resources
Looking To Save Money On Books? Read And Return Them At The Airport - BudgetTravel
Love the layover: five libraries worth a visit - Stuck at the Airport
The Top 25 Must-Read Blogs for Aviation Enthusiasts - Blast Fence
13 Travel Books That Will Give You Serious Wanderlust - Nomadic Matt

Related resources from LayoverIdeas
Layover Bucketlist: Downton Abbey - LayoverIdeas Blog
About USO layover lounges - LayoverIdeas blog
Take a dip on your layover - LayoverIdeas blog
Go running on your layover - LayoverIdeas blog