Book a city break in Belgium and the obvious choice is international Brussels or medieval Bruges; however, Antwerp and Ghent also have a lot of charm.

In an hour you can fly from one of London’s Airports to Brussels, Belgium’s capital, or in just under two hours from London St Pancras International Station to Brussels by high speed Eurostar train. A cosmopolitan city, you will discover a modern city encased in medieval grandeur and spectacular architecture. Enjoy the lively atmosphere as you explore the labyrinth of streets in the medieval Lower Town with visits to the Grand Place and Marolles Quarter, or the peacefulness of the magnificent museums and galleries such as the Musee d’Art  Moderne or d’Art Ancien within the Musees Royaux des Beaux Arts or Brussels Cathedral, all in the Upper Town. For designer stores head to avenue Louise and boulevard Waterloo and at night, when Brussels really comes alive, head to a rue des Harengs bar or a buzzing restaurant hidden in Lower Town. And don’t miss the Royal Palace!

Sometimes referred to as The Venice of the North, Bruges is a stunning Belgium canal city and the capital of West Flanders. An UNESCO World Heritage Site, the historic city centre is about an hour away from Brussels by train or hire car.  A great way to start your Bruges city break is by taking a canal tour by boat where you will see the Belfry Tower, City Hall and areas around the Church of Our Lady or by horse drawn cab from the Market Square to the Beguinage through the St Anne neighborhood. Famous for its intricate lace making and delicious chocolates, Bruges will hit all your senses; fantastic architecture, delightful food and buzzing city festivals.

Boasting many architectural delights from the 16th century such as the Market Square, Antwerp is known as the diamond centre of the world. You can fly into Antwerp Airport from the UK, or into Brussels or Amsterdam and take a train. Once in Antwerp travelling around the city is easy and cheap by tram, bus or “pre-metro” which is an underground tram.  Visit Antwerp Zoo, thought to be the oldest zoo in the world, the Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady which houses some of Rubens’ famous paintings, the UNESCO Plantin Moretus Museum dedicated to printing presses and important books and take a tour of the Antwerp’s Port.

Winter and spring is the ideal time to travel by ferry, as passenger numbers are less than the peak summer months, the ferries are quieter, the queues are reduced and of course, cheap ferry crossings are available in abundance.

You may be considering visiting friends or relatives abroad during the festive Christmas and New Year period and want to load up the car with presents, looking for a budget priced short break abroad pre Christmas or you may be looking to book your cheap ferry crossing for your summer holiday next year.

Norfolk Line have a 5 Day Discount fare with a reduction of £5 each way for travel completed by 11 December 2009 from Dover to Dunkirk. Get the 8pm crossing on 2nd December and return at 8.01pm on Sunday 6 December and the low cost ferry crossing starts from a mere £33.00 including fuel surcharge and £1 visa debit card fee for four passengers and a car up to 5 metres long.

P&O Ferries are offering cheap fares from £25 each way travelling from Dover to Calais for a car and up to 9 passengers, including all taxes, and day trips from £20 return. Book the 8.30am crossing on Wednesday 9 December and return later that day at 6.25pm with a car and 4 passengers for £20 return.

If you’d rather stay in the UK, Red Funnel Ferries will sail you in one of their car ferries between Southampton and East Cowes in the north of the Isle of Wight from just £16 each way based on one night stay. Red Funnel are also offering up to 50% off ferry travel during the Christmas period, and a Camping Offer for pitch and ferry from £104 too.

For ferry travel from England and Wales to Ireland, Stena Line are offering low cost Christmas deals from £69 each way travelling mid week for a car and driver on the Superferry from Fishguard to Rosslare and Holyhead to Dublin Port. There are also offers from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, Stranraer to Belfast and Fleetwood (near Blackpool) to Larne. How about a winter break in Holland from £49 each way from Harwich?

Take your car away with you this Christmas with DFDS Seaways if you live in the north of the UK, with ferry trips from Newcastle to Holland from £139 each way for a car and two passengers each way, and Harwich to Esbjerg in Denmark from £232 each way.

All dates, availability and prices may vary, but were correct on 23rd November 2009 based on booking ferry travel online.

You’ve been to New York and Paris, and you’re booked to go to Amsterdam, but where could you go that will still keep you interested during the cool days and nippy nights on a November City Break?

Oslo is the capital of Norway and the cultural and historic hub of the country. Surrounded by forests, hills and mountains, Oslo has nearly 350 lakes and is actually made up of 40 islands within the city’s boundary which are ideal to explore by boat or mini-cruise. Visit the many historic buildings in Christiania Torv in the heart of Oslo, stroll through the many beautiful parks including Vigeland Park and St Hanshaugen Park, and take a sightseeing tour of Homenkollen, the Viking Ship Museum, Kon-Tiki Museum and the Opera House.  At the beginning of November the temperature will hover around freezing point, so make sure you wrap up warmly for your city break in Oslo, a fabulous interesting and pretty holiday location.

A little closer to home is Brussels, easily accessible with many flights from the UK, direct Eurostar train from London and Ashford, and just over two hour’s drive from Calais.  Steeped in history, Brussels is the fascinating multicultural capital of Belgium and of the European Union.  The architecture is stunning with the classical Royal Palace Koningsplein standing alongside gothic churches and cathedrals, round the corner of stunning art nouveau houses and art deco buildings. Visit the little boy statue on Eikstraat and Stoofstratt near the Grand Place (Market Place), shop till you drop, dine in fabulous restaurants and taste the most delicious chocolate and buy the most delicate lace.

A little cheaper than New York, but still as stunning, is Boston, one of the USA’s oldest cities, situated in New England on America’s east coast.  In this picture postcard city, Boston is a romantic city with cobbled alleys and softly lit streets. There are many museums and theatres to visit in Boston, and for American sport fanatics prebook tickets to watch the Boston Red Sox play baseball or Boston Celtics play basketball, or make a cultural visit to the Boston Opera House or Boston Ballet. The restaurants are excellent with the sea food, particularly good. 

For a sunny November city break, how about Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)?  Choose from a luxury five or six star hotel overlooking the Arabian Sea or a more budget priced hotel or self catering apartment in the heart of Bur Dubai with the business and commercial centres a short trip away.  Dubai is a shoppers dream as goods are duty free. Don’t leave before you have visited Meena Bazar!  Shop in Deira City Centre for department store goods and souvenirs, Burjamen Centre for designer clothes and jewellery, Al-Ain in Bur Dubai for gadgetry, and themed Ibn Battuta Mall for gifts from different areas around the globe – amongst others! Deira is the north side of Dubai with Bur Dubai in the south and the city is divided by Dubai Creek. The well know tourist area is Jumeriah. Visit the Grand Mosque, souks, Dubai Museum, the Sheikh Saeen Al Maktoum House in Port Rashid and enjoy the activities at the Wild Wadi Waterpark.

There are many car hire rental locations in Belgium’s capital of Brussels; the airport, the city centre and at the railway stations.

At Brussels Airport the car rental desks are in the Arrivals Hall where all your documents will be checked and your car allocated. When you return the hire car to the airport follow the signs to the car rental entrance which is located on the left of the access road to the airport near Front Park 1. Remember that you’ll need at least 10 minutes for administrative procedures before you can make your way to the Departure Hall.

Car hire is also quick and easy to pick up from Brussels Gare du Midi where the direct Eurostar trains arrive from London St Pancras International Station and Ashford in Kent, arrive. Other popular pick up points include Chaussee de Waterloo (Centre Ixelles), Rue Saint Denis (Centre Forest) in the city and Schepdaal (west of Brussels).

Travelling to Brussels on business and have some free time? Having spent some time in the city, why not hire a car and visit stunning Bruges with its winding canals, beautiful architecture and artistic treasures.

In Brussels on holiday or for a weekend break? Then you have chosen a vibrant and cosmopolitan destination where you will enjoy picturesque medieval architecture, pretty streets, spacious parks and a buzzing cultural life. There are so many museums, theatres and educational places to visit, so how about the Trammuseum on Ninoofsesteenweg, the Planetarium on avenue de Bouchout, the Theatre Royal de Tonne, the Museum of Modern Art (Musee d’art Moderne) and the Children’s Museum (Musee des Enfants). There are a great collection of boutique stores as well as large shopping centres, and the number of restaurants and cafes is endless.

So fly to Brussels or travel by train, and Brussels car hire will allow you the freedom to discover the fascinating country of Belgium.

As temperatures start to rise, July is the perfect month to discover Europe.

Why not fly to one of Greece’s many beautiful islands, pick up a hire car from easyCar and head to the beach? The Greek Ionian island of Kefalonia (or Cephalonia) is ideal for exploring by car as there are many hidden beaches only accessible by sea or road! One of the most photographed beaches in Greece is Myrtos beach near the pretty town of Argostoli on the north west coast of the island, although the south coast and the Blue Flag beach of Skala is a sand lover’s dream and ideal for snorkelling. In contrast to these “white” beaches, head to Kefalonia’s peninsula by car and discover the “red” coast around Lixouri and Xi beach.

Then there is southern Portugal – The Algarve! Take a low cost or charter flight to Faro airport, ensuring that car rental has been booked for a great driving holiday and follow the winding azure coastline easy or west.. Lagos, Albufeira, Vilamoura or Tavira? Don’t forget to leave the gorgeous sandy beaches and head into the hills – a trip to the pretty village of Monchique is not to be missed!

Or how about starting the month of July off with a trip to one of Europe’s beautiful cities?

Fly to the French capital of Paris and explore the stunning chateaux located around the outskirts of the city such as Chateau de Chantilly and the popular Chateau de Versailles. You could even extend your stay by driving down to the French Riviera for a little shopping in Nice or Cannes!

And how about prebooking car hire in Brussels and discovering this sophisticated and well preserved city, followed by the short trip to beautiful Bruges, then onto fascinating Flanders and the stunning long sandy Belgium beaches?

The schools will start breaking up for the long summer holidays soon, so make a choice now and explore by car to your heart’s content!