Sacred House, Urgup

Advantages: beautiful, seren, and what a view!
Disadvantages: string men

...Paris on a budget - The basilica of sacre coeur. On our recent holiday to Paris, we set out to take in the capital, but without spending a fortune. We were on a strict budget and tried to take in as much of the culture of one of Europes most beautiful cities. Our Little hotel was in the montmatre region of the capital. Montmartre literally means hill of martyrs and therefore was the only real choice for one of the most striking religous buildings in the world.The Basilica of Sacre Coeur is Montmartre's leading tourist attraction, and it's probably the most-visited church in Paris after the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. Unfortunately, the steps leading up to the basilica are also a prime target for the scam artists known as "string men," who prey on tourists and those who are not aware of such goings on. Here's how the scam works... Read review

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Advantages: Interesting, views.
Disadvantages: Stairs, stairs and more stairs.

...The Sacre-Couer or Sacred Heart is a huge Catholic church in the North of the city centre. It was started in 1873 as the Catholic church sought to atone for what they perceived as the crimes of the Commune, what better way to atone than by constructing a gigantic white-domed basilica? It has been designed in a Neo-Byzantine style by the architect responsible, Paul Abadie, and apparently was described as an 'abberration of taste' by a group of artists and intellectuals. Entry is free provided you don't take pictures, you remain silent and you dress decently (this means covering shoulders for the ladies). To get to the entry however, you will need to climb 237 steps. It is worth pausing to enjoy the view before going into the building, almost as high as the Eiffel Tower you get incredible views right across the city. There are also... Read review

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Advantages: Inexpensive and Diverse, with a Great Monkey Forest and Temples
Disadvantages: Very Touristy

...in it, with rice paddies decorating the slopes of the hills. Ubud is the arts and crafts capital of Bali, so in addition to tourist wares, there are a number of different galleries and museums to visit. The city is home to one of the four styles of Balinese painting (Ubud Style), which is very modern and abstract. However, a twenty minute drive from Ubud takes one to the traditional village of Keliki, another seat of Balinese art, where more traditional paintings can be found and bought in the village Brahmin's house. My husband and I did some shopping while in Ubud (it was a wonderful place to find presents!), and we also went to the Sacred Monkey Forest, which was one of my favourite places we visited during our four-week stay in Bali. It is very accessible, within walking distance of most hotels in downtown Ubud, and easy... Read review

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