Destinations
Friday, October 28th, 2011
Research released today by Virgin Australia[1] shows that over the next few days, baggage carousels will be filled with up to 40,000 hats and over 55,000 lip glosses, which will be flown especially to Melbourne for The Cup and the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival.
With most believing that the Spring Racing Carnival is more about the social occasion, champagne and fashion (74%) than the racing (22%), it’s no wonder that getting their luggage there on time and intact is a top priority. Virgin Australia’s research revealed that the baggage carousels may be filled with an estimated $40 million worth of luggage this racing season.
Nikki Phillips flying with Virgin Australia to Melbourne's Spring Racing Carnival
Virgin Australia Group Executive Corporate Communications, Danielle Keighery said the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival is a positive boost for the Australian economy and the tourism industry in general.
“The Victorian Spring Racing Carnival has developed a reputation as one of the most important events on the sporting calendar, attracting domestic and international visitors alike. Last year, the carnival generated $728 million[2] for the Australian economy, with a similar contribution expected this year”.
“We are committed to supporting the Australian tourism industry and will be putting on 36 additional flights into and out of Melbourne over the key racing period[3]. Virgin Australia is well-prepared to transport Australia’s latest fashion trends as 40,000 hats, 110,000 dresses and pairs of heels make their way through carousels across the country”, Ms Keighery said.
Virgin Australia’s top tips for packing for the Spring Racing Carnival:
* Check the dimensions of your hat box. If it exceeds the carry-on allowance, check it-in at least 30 minutes before your flight.
* Pack an extra pair of shoes. A day at the races carries the high risk of broken high heels, mud and sore feet.
* Prepare for all weather conditions. With the unpredictability of the Spring season, you never know when you might need a warm jacket or an umbrella.
Other findings from the survey included:
* For most women Melbourne Cup is an excuse to splash out on new clothes and accessories with 80% of women willing to purchase a new dress for the race
* The average amount Australian women are prepared to spend on new items to look their best at Melbourne Cup is $370 – and that’s even before they have placed a bet
* Dirty shoes (48%), broken heels (42%) and fashion faux pas (23%) at the top of peoples ‘stress list’ when it comes to attending the races, explaining the sheer volume of luggage that travels to Melbourne
* The must-have beauty items for the race include lip-gloss (51%) and concealer (36%)
[1] Galaxy Research conducted 6/10/11, with a sample of 1510 respondents aged 18-64 across Australia.
[2] Figures provided by Victorian Racing Club and based on National Gross Economic Benefit – the total amount generated by the MCC in Australia by all Australians and international visitors.
[3] Refers to 29 October to 5 November 2011.
To book flights with Virgin Australia, visit the website here
Thursday, July 28th, 2011
Today we have announced the first routes for our new ATR aircraft, under the regional alliance with Skywest (subject to regulatory approval).
From October 2011 we will commence new services from Brisbane to Gladstone (double daily service) and Brisbane to Port Macquarie (daily return service) plus add extra services between Canberra and Sydney, bringing the total number of flights between the two cities to 60 each week.
Wednesday, June 29th, 2011
Are you a fan of the AFL? A fan of the Gold Coast SUNS? A fan of travel? A fan of tropical Queensland?
If you are, why don’t you book a Blue Holidays package to join the Gold Coast SUNS on an AFL charter flight to travel with the players to beautiful Cairns for their match with the Richmond Tigers on July 16th.
Package price is $376 per person twin share and includes:
- Return airfares from Gold Coast to Cairns flying Virgin Australia
- 1 nights accommodation at the Mantra Trilogy Cairns
- Return airport & stadium transfers
- Upper Grand Stand Ticket
Package must be booked via the Blue Holidays Guest Contact Centre by calling 13 15 16.
AFL
Tuesday, June 14th, 2011
Italians are a passionate bunch and it’s hard to put my finger on which one of their passions is the greatest. It’s not just the food, art and language or the fashion, architecture of football that has me hooked – it’s everything. Book your V Australia ticket to Milan and see for yourself what this cosmopolitan city means to you. Read more »
Monday, May 30th, 2011
Next up in our series of European cities you should see is Geneva, Switzerland. From the familiar (fondue and chocolate) to the unexpected (the vistas and family fun) this city is sure to impress. Read more »
Friday, May 13th, 2011
Where to stay in Manchester
Unlike central London, staying in the heart of Manchester is an affordable option, with all the popular attractions nearby. Whether you’re after a hotel, apartment or comfortable backpacker hostel, Manchester has something to suit all budgets. Read more »
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
Fly V Australia (along with our partner Etihad) & experience Manchester’s best!
Known for its influence in history, sport and music, Manchester has changed quite a lot since its industrial past and has transformed into a vibrant city ideal for sport & music lovers, students and history enthusiasts. Read more »
Friday, May 6th, 2011
Fly V Australia (along with our partner Etihad) and Russia in style!
With the Cold War ending some time ago, countries like Russia became available to those that wanted to explore a lesser travelled country. Now is a great time to start thinking about seeing sights such as The Kremlin, Red Square and the Lenin Mausoleum!
GUM at Red Square
Moscow’s best shopping:
Head to GUM at 3 Red Square for Moscow’s best (and most expensive) retail therapy. Burberry and Hermes grace its architecturally designed halls and the food market boasts something from every corner of the world.
If high-end fashion doesn’t appeal to you (or your budget), the building itself (once used by Stalin as the headquarters for his Five Year Plan) is steeped in history and incredibly beautiful. If visiting on a weekend, expect to see more than one bridal party stopping at the shopping mall for opulent wedding photos.
Moscow’s best historic site:
Directly opposite the GUM shopping precinct in the Red Square is Lenin’s Mausoleum. Made of polished black stone, be sure to check when this popular site is open -you can reduce your time spent queuing by arriving (really) early. Security guards patrol the lines so ensure you behave appropriately and leave bags and backpacks at home as you won’t be allowed to take them in. Once you make it through all the protocol (and it is worth it) you are ushered through in groups of 12 to 15 to view the body. Regardless of whether you have a firm grasp on Russia’s communist history, this is still a moving experience.
Moscow’s best gallery:
O2 Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton
The Tretyakov Gallery is dedicated to fine Russian art. With more than 150, 000 pieces featured in the collection, the paintings, sculptures and graphics depict more than nine centuries of Russian art history. Most of the exhibition includes English translations. Open Tuesday through Sunday, the gallery is located at 10 Lavrushkinsky Lane, metro station Tretyakovskaya.
Moscow’s best views:
The O2 Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton is the place to see and be seen. With sweeping views of the Red Square and beyond, this upmarket bar, come sushi restaurant and dance floor should be at the top of every visitors list. The lounge itself is a contemporary fusion of glass, cream leather, steal and wood with a few Faberge egg inspired chairs thrown in for good measure. Along with an extensive cocktail and champagne menu, it also serves Moscow’s best sushi and sashimi. In summer a sizzling grill serves succulent seafood and steak but don’t be fooled by the bbq. A relaxed rooftop lounge during the day – after dark you dress to impress. You can find the Ritz-Carlton at 3 Tverskaya Street.
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Flights from Sydney to Moscow from $1885* – Available for a limited time only – visit the vaustralia.com website for more details
Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
With the Royal Wedding just days away and the country abuzz with all the new developments surrounding the 2012 Olympics there’s no better time to start organising your trip to sunny London.
Fly V Australia (along with our partner Etihad) and arrive at the wedding in style!
With such an eclectic mix of old and new, London is the place to play tourist. First things first, start your day with a traditional English breakfast of fried eggs, bacon, sausages, fried bread, mushrooms, baked beans and cup of tea. If that doesn’t get your heart started (or stop it completely) nothing will. The Breakfast Club cafes are in three (almost four) London locations and are the perfect place to try this menu staple.
The London Eye
Find your bearings with a tour on one of London’s famous big red buses and work out the lay of the land. Similarly the London Eye situated by the River Thames offers a bird’s eye view of the city and beyond.
The Tower of London (See photo at top of page) is a UNESCO world heritage listed site that simply can’t be missed. Entertaining guides provide an interesting and sometimes unbelievable insight into the buildings colourful history and the Jewel House is home to the most dazzling collection of (functional) crown jewels in the world. With the upcoming nuptials, be on the lookout for the ‘in use’ signs and speculate how they’ll look on Prince William and Kate!
Next, immerse yourself in a little celebrity (if the tabloids haven’t already got your attention) with a visit to Madam Tussauds. Rub shoulders with rock, pop, sporting, political, historical, fashion, Bollywood and Hollywood royalty – and a few monarchs for good measure! Located at Marylebone Road, it’s an easy walk from the Baker Street Station.
Borough Markets in London
My absolute favourite thing to do in London is to visit the Borough Food Markets. Take the tube to London Bridge Station and the market is just a few minutes away. Start at neighbouring Café Monmouth for a cup of London’s best coffee. Find a spot at the long wooden tables and you’re in for a treat. £2 will get you all you can eat house made bread, butter and jam – which in my opinion is the cheapest and best thing you can do in London. After you’ve had you fill, stroll across to the markets and spend a couple of hours savouring (and photographing) everything from pork pies and cider to English preserves and French pate. Open Thursday through Saturday this foodie heaven offers an impossible variety of fresh seasonal and organic food. Do not pass go, without a morning spent here.
Oxford Street is the place to go for an English retail fix. Spanning one-and-a-half miles long, it’s the quintessential London shopping experience and reputedly the busiest strip in the world. A department store mecca, everything and everyone from Marks & Spencer, Debehams, House of Fraser, John Lewis to 21st century shopping encounter, Selfridges will keep you busy for hours. It’s also home to affordable fashion favourites H & M, Zara and Topshop.
Prince William and Kate Middleton
Buy a punnet of fresh English raspberries while you work your way through the Portobello Markets in Notting Hill. Held every day except Sunday, the markets sell everything from bric-a-brac, food and vintage clothes to antiques and collectables. The street itself is a haven for fashion, art and lifestyle boutiques and a great place to people watch over coffee and cake. Get off the Tube at Notting Hill Gate Station and follow the crowds.
Best of British!
With fares this low they won’t last long. Now is the time to book your trip to London with V Australia and our partner Etihad and visit the sights, maybe walk down the route where the future King & Queen travel on their wedding day!
Flight from Sydney to London from $2025* – Available for a limited time only – visit the vaustralia.com website for more details
Tuesday, April 12th, 2011
Fall in love with the city of light with V Australia’s one-stop flights to Europe. Thanks to our partner Etihad, you will be saying “Paris je t’aime” in no time at all.
Food in Paris:
Visit Le Grenier à Pain Abbesses for the best baguette in Paris!
A typical day in Paris, I am sad to learn, does not start with a buttery chocolate croissant. Instead, mid-week breakfast usually comes in the form of a warm baguette, dipped in black coffee or served with butter and jam. Anyone who has tried a baguette in France can attest this was equally good. In fact, the French, take their baguettes de tradition so seriously that in 1993 they enacted the ‘French bread law’ which basically results in you enjoying the best bread you’ve ever had. A visit to Le Grenier à Pain Abbesses, will have you convinced. (38 rue des Abbesses in the 18th arrondissement)
Food it seems, along with fashion forms a generous part of the social fabric of France. The French take their time, both in preparing their meals and consuming them – evident in their four-course-lunches and six-course-dinners. A fantastic way to savour some sophisticated French cuisine is to dine at lunch. Many of the cities restaurants offer a set lunch menu or formulas at a fraction of their dinner menu prices. La Table Lauriston is a great example of how to enjoy some bourgeois classics in opulent French surrounds, without breaking your holiday budget. (129 Rue Lauristin, 16th)
Paris (thankfully) is a city best explored on foot, perfect justification for my two-crepe-a-day addiction. A visit to world famous food market, Richard Lenoir, does little to help. Open Thursday and Sunday, the bustling slice of Parisian life is the place to go to pick up fresh produce, bread, cheese and cured meats. With my treasure in tow it was time to enjoy one of Paris’s many parks and gardens, a boating picnic at Bois de Vincennes in the cities east, almost too French for words.
The sights
With so much history and so many cultural pockets to the city, it’s hard to know where to start. A visit to the Eiffel Tower seems as good a place as any and with seven million people visiting the iconic landmark each year – they can’t all be wrong. Dusk is a magic time to take it all in and there are lift and stair options that will get you to the very top.
A must see: The Eiffel Tower at dusk
A trip to Napoleon Bonaparte’s final resting place at the Church of St Louis goes hand in hand with the almost too conveniently located Saxe Breteuil markets. Spend Saturday morning immersed in all things French. From fur and carpets to cookbooks and crockery – visiting a market is the quintessential Paris experience that simply can’t be missed.
Busy with worshippers, the Notre Dame is perfect on Sundays. Inside, three beautiful stain-glass rose windows and a 7800-pipe organ will leave you more than impressed. A healthy climb up the 387 steps of the North Tower offers breathtaking views of the entire city, a one-of-a-kind tourist experience.
Bastille Day Celebrations in Paris
Along with architecture, Paris has more than it’s fair share of museums. A trip to the Louvre to ponder Leonardo’s Mona Lisa or across to Marmottan Monet to see a wealth of impressionism will have even non-enthusiasts in awe.
No city boasts such a hedonistic blend of food, fashion and art quite like Paris. It’s easy to see why year in, year out Paris remains the number one tourist destination in the world. Having barely touched the surface of what it’s like to be in Pairs, there’s no better time to see what all the fuss is about.
Take advantage of V Australia’s fabulous fare offers and arrive in time to celebrate Bastille Day on July 14. Along with our partner Etihad, we’ll take you to Paris in style.
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V Australia and our partner Etihad Airways, fly to Paris and for a short time only we can offer the following:
Sydney to Paris from AUD$1935* Economy Return
Book online or visit your travel agent before the 18th April PLUS when you book economy tickets through your travel agent, you can receive a free upgrade to premium economy (conditions apply, see your travel agent for more details)
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