Word Travels Forum Round-Up #36

Welcome to Monday at the WT Blog! You may have noticed we look a little different this week. We're trying out a new design with a fresh feel to give you a better idea of what's been happening in the world of travel. Let us know in the comments what you think!

In the meantime, we're keeping it consistent with the usual Monday forum round-up. Here are a few of the hottest topics on our forum boards:

Honeymoon in Cuba

Safe to swim in Cape Town?

Schengen visa expiry

Port El Kantaoui

If you've got a question, you can ask it yourself by signing up for the Word Travels forum! It's free to join, and you'll get access to our local experts and tour operators who are waiting to assist you in planning your dream holiday!

Image from here.

Cape Town and New York City iPhone Travel Apps

The Word Travels monkeys have been hard at work and now we've got some exciting news:

We've just launched new iPhone travel apps with detailed interactive guides for two of our favourite cities: Cape Town and New York City!

The apps take all the best information from our travel guides and put it in a handy format so you can access it quickly and easily while you're on the go; including visa information, airport guides, attractions, excursions, restaurants and nightlife, and shopping and transportation info.

Interactive maps allow you to navigate the city easily, and pull up information on all the great things to see and do in Cape Town and New York.

The apps are available for download here.

Word Travels Forum Round-Up #32

Another week goes by, meaning the forum boards are lit up with travel questions from would-be explorers! Here are some of the most interesting discussions from this week:

Hawaii weather in December

How safe is Cape Town?

Visas for Ethiopia

Travel safety in Egypt

New Zealand travel questions

Don't forget that you can ask your own questions and get answers from local experts at the Word Travels travel forum!

Image by David Goehring.

Word Travels Forum Round-Up #25

It's time for the Word Travels Forum Round-up! There's been a lot of activity on our forums this week, and here are the most interesting topics under discussion:

Online Travel and Love Scams

Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand Itinerary

Is Cape Town Safe?

Travelling with Kids in Madrid

Remember you can ask your own travel question on the forum, and get answers from local experts in your destination!

Travel Movie: Invictus

You could argue that it's more of a sports movie than a travel movie, but Clint Eastwood's 2009 feel-good epic Invictus manages to capture just a little of the beauty of South Africa in its swooping shots of Cape Town and Table Mountain.

In Cape Town it's hard to avoid spectacular views, whether on or off the sports field!

One of the most poignant scenes involves a visit to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and other freedom fighters were imprisoned for so many years. Nearly 4,000 people per day take this same tour, and it is currently one of South Africa's top attractions.

If you want to recreate the Invictus experience, take a township tour and see children playing football and rugby, climb Table Mountain and enjoy the view, take in a rugby game at Newlands Stadium, and don't forget to have a beer at Ferryman's Tavern at the V&A Waterfront afterwards to celebrate!

Top 5 Most Romantic Cities (that aren't Paris)

Paris, Paris, Paris... when romantic cities are the topic that's all you ever hear about! But there's more to romance than the Eiffel Tower.

We put together a list of the top 5 most romantic cities in the world, but it could easily have been 10, or even 20. The truth is, there's romance everywhere! Here are a few of our favourites, and if we missed any, be sure to let us know in the comments.

Buenos Aires

The fiery excitement of the tango is enough to awaken anyone's passion, whether formally on the grand stage of the Teatro Colon or spontaneously on the streets of the Plaza Dorrego. The nightlife in Buenos Aires sizzles with live music and dancing, and makes a perfect romantic getaway for couples looking to spark the romance in their relationship.

Cape Town

South Africa's most chic city brings European-style elegance to the wilds of Africa. Whether your taking a sunset cruise from the V&A Waterfront, having dinner on top of Table Mountain, sharing a picnic on the beach, or sampling local vintages in the Cape winelands, Cape Town offers no end of romantic activities for couples.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh blends the old and the new, with sleek and modern restaurants next to quaint pubs, and fashionable shopping areas in the shadow of ancient castles. A simple stroll down the scenic Royal Mile can be a romantic way to spend an hour, and any man working up the courage to pop the question can take strength in the excellent whisky!

New York City

While it may seem a bit cliche, New York City offers everything you need for a romantic holiday. Do the classics like a carriage ride in Central Park, ice skating at Rockefellar Center, and playing games on the midway at the Coney Island Amusement Park. Watch the sun set from the top of the Empire State Building, and take in a Broadway show before dinner at some of the world's top restaurants.

Santorini

Santorini is one of the most beautiful islands in the world, with mountaintop cities overlooking sparkling the sparkling blue Mediterranean Sea. Sample wines at the local vineyards, lounge on the picturesque beaches, or stroll through the towns and have a candlelit dinner in a tiny family restaurant. Whatever you do, it's easy to forget the rest of the world exists.

(Pssst! For the low-down on Paris, check this post!)