Month: December 2012

Posted on

Yorkshire Christmas Markets

It’s that time of year again when towns and cities play host to the colourful Christmas markets, welcoming visitors from near and far to join in the festive celebrations and soak up the unique atmosphere. I’m a bit of a sucker when it comes to Christmas Markets, so when a trip to the Yorkshire Christmas Markets – markets I’ve not visited before – came up, I had my bag packed and my Santa hat on faster than you could say ‘mulled wine’.

In a change to our usual working location in Leger’s Design Studio, my colleague, Tammy and I were joining the tour to get some new photographs for the brochures and the website, and to check the tour out – listening to what the customers thought of the trip and experiencing the Yorkshire Christmas markets first hand… After Grassington Dickensian Festival, our final stop was York.

Yule love York!

The medieval city of York is known for its impressive cathedral – the York Minster, its historic city walls, the famous Jorvik Viking centre and its various museums, but in the run up to Christmas, the markets – as we found – provide another great reason to visit. It was a clear crisp day with bright skies as we arrived and still quite early, so we decided to take a quick look around York’s historic parts before the Christmas shoppers descended on the city. We took a walk past Clifford’s Tower – the surviving keep of York’s main medieval castle – for a panoramic view of the city; walked down the famous, ancient street known as the ‘Shambles’, full of quaint shops in half-timbered, medieval buildings dating back to 1400s; and had a very short stroll down ‘Whip-ma-Whop-ma-gate’, the shortest street in York with the longest name – once the location of York’s pillory and whipping post. Some say this was the inspiration for the street’s name.

Cliffords Mount
York Minster

The centre of York has no shortage of shops, ranging from big named, high street stores to the unique little shops that can be found on The Shambles and among the maze of the city’s charming cobbled streets. We wandered along, listening to buskers and watching street entertainers who appeared on most corners. Parliament Street, in the centre of the city, was the location of this weekend’s Christmas market – the St. Nicholas Fayre.

St. Nicholas Fayre

The market stalls were once again a mix of handicrafts and food and drink, with one half of the stalls selling wooden ornaments, handmade silver jewellery and Christmas decorations; the other half, marked by the now-familiar smells of hot roast nuts, mulled wine and roasting meat, with stalls offering fudge, cupcakes, different flavoured toffees and gifts from Yorkshire brewery. We were never very far from something to sample, whether it be a locally-produced chutney or sloe gin jam, and now and then, little stalls selling hot chocolate with rum or brandy appeared.

Chewy delights

Tammy: “York was the highlight of the tour for me. The atmosphere on the coach was different by the third day, people were chatting, laughing and joking – there was a real sense of camaraderie. Even though I’ve worked at Leger for a number of years, I’ve not been on a coach holiday before but definitely understand the appeal of holidaying by coach – everything was done for us: no driving, no navigating our way through the country roads, nothing to think about… we just had to turn up and get on the coach. Then we just sat back and enjoyed the scenery.”

Tammy soaking up ‘all the fun of the St. Nicholas Fayre’ in York

So that was it. Three days and three different markets, all full of festive cheer and an atmosphere you only get at this time of year. And here’s one final observation: Christmas markets are not the place to be if you’re on a diet! There are so many wonderful smells coming at you from every direction that it would be hard for anyone with even the highest levels of willpower to walk past without a taste. We didn’t even try – afterall, that’s all part of the attraction of the Christmas markets! The diet will have to wait for another day!
For more information about the York St.Nicholas Fayre, Leeds Christkindelmarket, and the Grassington Dickensian Festival visit our Yorkshire Christmas Markets Tour page

Posted on

Light up your Christmas…

These cinnamon candles will bring a warm glow to any room this Christmas time, and they’re so quick and easy to make.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
You’ll need:

  • One Large candle
  • Elastic band
  • String or ribbon
  • Candle holder/tray
  • Cinnamon sticks

 

Firstly, put the elastic band around your candle.
Then, one by one, slip the cinnamon sticks under the elastic band until you’ve covered all the way around.

 

Once the cinnamon sticks are secured, remove the elastic band.
Tie string, ribbon or raffia around the candle. You can even tie on some dried orange slices, holly or other festive decoration.

Place the candle on a candle holder, and there you have it – just remember never to leave a burning candle unattended at any time!

 
You can even make a few of these and place them together to make a table centre, adding in pine cones, offcuts from your Christmas tree (only if it’s a real one, of course!) or nuts and berries.
 
And, if you have any cinnamon sticks left over, why not make a few extra decorations to either add to your table centre or decorate your tree.

 
Happy decorating! Why not enjoy a warming mulled wine with a festive mince pie while you create your festive masterpieces!

 
 
 

Posted on

Disneyland Paris by Coach for Halloween

Ashley Rastrick, Leger’s Senior Web Designer has been designing Leger’s websites for the past 4 years and designed the recent Disneyland Paris website. In October this year, he felt like it was time to see what all the fuss was about at Disneyland Paris, taking his partner Fiona with him.

For a long time I have been wanting to go, especially with the amount of time I have spent staring at the pictures while designing the website. I felt like I knew it so well, but wanted to put it all into perspective and see it in person. The timing was never better really as it was Disney’s 20th anniversary celebrations so I decided to get out there and see what I was missing!

Which tour did you go on?

We went on the Disneyland Paris tour for 3 nights by coach, for the Halloween festival.

How did you get there and how long did it take?

To break up the journey, we travelled down to Ashford by car the day before and stayed at the Holiday Inn. The next morning, we got picked up by a feeder coach and taken to the Europort in Folkstone where we then met up with our tour coach for the rest of the journey. We then headed to the Euro tunnel to board our train, which was a quick 30 minute journey under the waters and out the other side at Frethun, France. We then continued our journey which was roughly 4 hours to the hotel, with numerous stop off points in between to stretch our legs. In total from being picked up from our coach in Ashford, it was about a 10 hour journey.

Where did you stay?

We stayed in the Explorer’s Hotel which is on the Disney site. The hotel featured a Disney Boutique (Gift Shop) and all day dining facilities which you’d expect. There was also a swimming pool with slides which is great for the kids and available till late. The hotel rooms were basic but had all the amenities needed for a good nights sleep. One bonus of staying at the Explorers is we noticed that the free shuttle bus is the first pick up and the first drop off point so you are guaranteed a seat on the way there!
Entrance to the Disneyland Park - 20th anniversary celebrations

Is it better to stay on or off site?

We would say staying on site is much better as you get more of the magical feel that Disneyland gives you. There is also a shuttle bus every 10 minutes to take you to the Disney park and back again all day long which is very convenient.

If you were to go back again, which hotel would you stay in and why?

If we went back again, I think we’d pay that little bit more and stay in the Disneyland hotel. The hotel is situated right inside the park so you’d be first in the park, plus – you get early entry!

What was the weather like? Did it affect your visit?

Going to Disneyland in October, we didn’t expect the weather to be great, but it was a lot colder than we had anticipated. With waiting around in queues, we really noticed just how cold it was. On the first day we spent a day in just a jumper, the second day we decided to wear 3 layers and even bought some gloves! The day we left Disneyland it was just 2 degrees. Our advice would be to wrap up warm.
Giant Mickey Mouse pumpkin by Sleeping Beauty's castle

How long did you get in the parks?

We got there for when it opened so we could beat the queues and left when it closed so we could make the most of our time there!

Was it enough time to see everything?

We managed to see most of the parks. The Disney Studios closed a few hours before the Disneyland Park so we tried to plan our day so we could see everything.

Did you get on all the rides you wanted to?

Most of them! Having two full days in the park, we thought we would manage to see everything, but we were a little disappointed as we missed a few. The Saturday was twice as busy as the Friday and we had left a few of the bigger rides till the second day which was a mistake as the queue times we doubled. One of the most popular rides was space mountain, which we queued over an hour for, which in the cold, was not very fun! The one ride we didn’t get on due to a 65 minute wait, was crushes coaster. When going to Disney, we’d advise planning your days out between the two parks as there is also meet and greets to fit in, and shows which are only at certain times! Fast passes are also great too, but we were disappointed that you could only have one at a time!
Moteurs... Action! Stunt Show Spectacular

Which was your favourite and why?

I think most people would probably say The Tower of Terror, but from the screams we heard over the Studios park, we decided to give that one a miss! We have a few favourites, one being the Buzz Lightyear Laser blast which was really great fun in Discoveryland, and we also really enjoyed the Stunt Show Spectacular which was amazing and had such a great atmosphere.

Which was your favourite park?

We preferred the Walt Disney Studios! There wasn’t as much to do as the Disneyland Park, but there was some great shows like Cinemagique, Armageddon, Tram Studios and Stunt Show Spectacular as mentioned above.

Do you need kids to fully enjoy the park?

Absolutely not! Everyone turns into a big kid as soon as they walk into the park and see Sleeping Beauty’s huge castle in the distance. Plus, some of the rides have height restrictions so going without them means you get to go on every ride you want to.

What handy hints would you give anyone planning a trip to DLP?

Before you get to the park, make sure you are wearing comfy shoes as its going be a long day and get there as early as you can so you can enjoy both parks and all the rides without feeling rushed or disappointed that you didn’t get on all the rides. When you get into the park, you will be given a map and a parades/meet and greet schedule. We’d advise planning your day(s) around these so you can get to see everything!
If you want to join the 20th anniversary celebrations at Disneyland Paris, you can let Leger Holidays take you there! View packages here

Posted on

Get Crafty this Christmas with Handmade Tree Decorations.

If, like me, you’ve yet to ‘deck the halls’ – or put your tree up, at least – why not have a go at these easy-to-make tree decorations. They’re sure to add a touch of Christmas cheer to your place, and they smell pretty good too.

Let’s start with some wonderful, dried orange slice tree ornaments.
You’ll need:

  • Orange/s
  • String/garden twine or ribbon
  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Kitchen towel
  • Baking tray
  • Foil
  • Cooking oil
  • Oven

Preheat oven to about 150º – remember, we’re not cooking the oranges, we just want to dry them out.
Take an orange – make sure you place it on its side to get the desired look from the slices…

 
… and carefully slice it into 10mm (3/8ths of an inch) thick slices.

 
Lay the slices out on kitchen towel and pat with more towel to remove any excess juice.

 
Prepare baking tray with foil and spray with cooking oil to avoid the slices sticking, then lay the slices on the tray and put in the oven for a couple of hours.

 
Turn the slices every half an hour or so to prevent them curling up.
After about 1.5 hours, remove the slices from the oven and make a small hole through the segment to thread the string/ribbon through – as you can see, I used a pencil, but any pointed instrument will do!

 
Return to the oven for another half hour, then leave to cool.
Once the slices are cooled and dry, thread them with string, ribbon or raffia and hang them on your tree. That’s it!


 
Why not make a glass of tasty mulled wine and some mince pies to enjoy whilst decorating your tree?
 

Posted on

Yorkshire Christmas Markets

It’s that time of year again when towns and cities play host to the colourful Christmas markets, welcoming visitors from near and far to join in the festive celebrations and soak up the unique atmosphere. I’m a bit of a sucker when it comes to Christmas Markets, so when a trip to the Yorkshire Christmas Markets – markets I’ve not visited before – came up, I had my bag packed and my Santa hat on faster than you could say ‘mulled wine’.

In a change to our usual working location in Leger’s Design Studio, my colleague, Tammy and I were joining the tour to get some new photographs for the brochures and the website, and to check the tour out – listening to what the customers thought of the trip and experiencing the Yorkshire Christmas markets first hand… After Leeds Christkindelmarkt, our second stop was Grassington.

Engrossed in Christmas Past

It was a clear, frosty morning, as we set off en route to the Yorkshire Dales village of Grassington. Travelling through the beautiful Yorkshire countryside, passing long shadows stretching out across fields criss-crossed with dry stone walls, we drove through the lovely spa town of Ilkley, close to Ilkley Moor – inspiration for the folk song ‘On Ilkla Moor Baht ‘at’.
Along the way we made a short stop in Skipton, the ‘Gateway to the Dales’, with Skipton Castle standing at the top of the high street of this traditional, market town. The cobbled streets were full of friendly market traders setting up their Saturday stalls and plenty of tea rooms serving crumpets, scones and morning teas. The smell of hot pork pies was hard to ignore – no doubt a favourite here as quite a few people were walking the streets munching on the warm snack. The markets were popular with both locals and visitors, selling anything and everything from farm foods to pots and pans; dog food to woollen hats and gloves – a typical Saturday market.

Tammy: “We found a little gem in an old fashioned sweet shop called Sarsaparilla’s – it was just like stepping into the sweet shop in the film ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’, with ‘Wonka Bars’ and ‘Everlasting Gobstoppers’, plus things I remember from my schooldays such as ‘Sherbet Dips Dabs’, candy cigarettes, Wham bars, Nerds and Push Pops. I really did feel like a child in a sweet shop!”

In Grassington the markets were different again, this time with a Dickensian theme. Grassington has everything that comes to mind when you imagine a typical village in the Yorkshire Dales: stunning views; beautiful stone buildings; quirky shops and friendly pubs, so visiting at Christmas time is extra special when the Grassington Dickensian Festival is on – this year, celebrating the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens. Walking up to the main cobbled square it felt as if we’d stepped back in time, with villagers and shopkeepers dressed in Victorian costume.

Keeping warm at the markets
More gift ideas!

The streets were bustling with musicians, a town crier, a stilt walker and chestnut sellers, and stalls were full of local produce including real Yorkshire ales, homemade chutneys, soups and pies (rabbit and cranberry must’ve been popular as it was sold out) and, of course, mulled wine.

Local produce
Town crier

The burger stall here had an impressive selection – the sign displaying ‘best beef, venison, kangaroo, wild boar and Welsh buffalo’ – and, for anyone wanting to take the weight off their feet for a while, the village had a good selection of cozy pubs where you could enjoy a hearty meal to warm you up on a cold winter’s day.
As the afternoon passed, the fire pits were lit, bringing welcome heat to the market-goers who gathered around eating and drinking, sharing the warmth and the charm of this olde-worlde town. As darkness fell, the lights from the quaint little shops began to twinkle and in the centre of the square, the Hebden Bridge band began playing traditional Christmas carols as people started to sing along.
Next stop: York St. Nicholas Fayre.
For more information about the Grassington Dickensian Festival, Leeds Christkindelmarket, or the York St. Nicholas Fayre please visit our Yorkshire Christmas Markets Tour page.

Posted on

Yorkshire Christmas Markets – Leeds Christkindelmarkt

It’s that time of year again when towns and cities play host to the colourful Christmas markets, welcoming visitors from near and far to join in the festive celebrations and soak up the unique atmosphere. I’m a bit of a sucker when it comes to Christmas Markets, so when a trip to the Yorkshire Christmas Markets – markets I’ve not visited before – came up, I had my bag packed and my Santa hat on faster than you could say ‘mulled wine’.

In a change to our usual working location in Leger’s Design Studio, my colleague, Tammy and I were joining the tour to get some new photographs for the brochures and the website, and to check the tour out – listening to what the customers thought of the trip and experiencing the Yorkshire Christmas markets first hand… First stop: Leeds.

A very warm ‘Willkommen’ in Leeds

As we arrived at the Christkindelmarket in Millennium Square the markets were in full swing. Visiting each stall one by one to see what delights were on offer, we were lead along from stall to stall by one enticing smell after another. It was this mouth-watering mix of smells that hit us first as we arrived at the market – from the smoke of the giant barbecue cooking juicy frankfurters, sizzling schnitzel and huge burgers, to the sugary smell of candy floss and sweet popcorn being made, our senses went into overdrive… and if you visit a Christmas market, don’t miss the ‘Christmas in a glass’ taste of mulled wine – simply a must on a cold day in December! If you don’t collect the deposit you pay on your warm drink, you can even keep the special mug as a souvenir of your visit.

Tasty food
Sizzling sausages

The square in Leeds was full of wooden chalets selling all kinds of unusual gifts ranging from the ‘Honey House’, where a unique variety of candles, honey and jam were being sold, to hand-painted baubles and candle holders, knitted and sheepskin clothing, and salt crystal lamps which lit up with a warm orange glow.

Caroline: “The man at the ‘Honey House’ told me how this was his 6th year at the Leeds Christkindelmarkt, and so far, sales were good – probably, he guessed, because he’d managed to hold his prices from last year. It’s his daughter who makes the candles on his stall – beeswax candles in the shape of pine cones, roses, Christmas trees, angels and reindeer, all created by pouring liquid beeswax into moulds where it’s left to set for 24 hours. And what’s his role in this, other than being the stall holder? He’s the beekeeper, and he’s been looking after the bees for over 40 years – with quite a few stings along the way!”

At the ‘Honey House’

The traditional nutcrackers and wooden toys brought out the Bavarian theme to this market with other stalls selling brightly painted, old tin toys and unique Christmas decorations made from dried fruit and cinnamon sticks which smelled lovely. The glittering carousel was brought to life as it whizzed around with squeals of laughter from children and adults alike, whilst the sound of fairground music played, all adding to the market’s wonderful atmosphere.
In the centre of the stalls, we could hear live entertainment coming from the warm and cozy retreat of the ‘Alp Chalet Restaurant’, a huge, log cabin-style hut providing authentic German food and drink – obviously a popular place judging by the queue of people waiting to get in!

Caroline: “I’ve been to a few markets in Germany before – Cologne, Düsseldorf, Rüdesheim, Aachen etc – they’re my favourite, so it’s great to have one to visit a bit closer to home. It really gives you a taste – quite literally – of what’s on offer at the bigger markets in Germany.”

All day there was a great, festive atmosphere, but it’s after dark when the markets really come to life. After around 5 o’clock they became quite busy with the bustle of people gathering around the food and drink stalls, many of them clutching a warm drink and tasty snack and wearing an array of different woollen hats, probably bought at the market. The unique, magical Christmas feeling flowed through the market as the brass band started to play classic Christmas tunes, all adding to the festive atmosphere. We even spotted the big man himself ­– who would’ve thought we’d get to see Father Christmas at Leeds Christkindelmarkets – he even stopped for a photo!

Naughty or nice? Caroline’s chance meeting with Santa!

Next stop: Grassington’s Dickensian Festival.
For more information about the Leeds Christkindelmarket, York St.Nicholas Fayre and the Grassington Dickensian Festival visit our Yorkshire Christmas Markets Tour page.

Posted on

10 interesting facts about Austria

Here at Leger Holidays we love an Alpine escape, in fact our very first tour was to Austria back in 1983, and it’s still one of our top holiday destinations! So what is it that makes you all so interested in Austria? Whether you’re researching for your next holiday or simply want to brush up on a few facts, we’ve compiled a list…

  • The name Austria derives from a Germanic word ‘austro’ which means ‘east’.
  • The Austrian flag is one of the oldest national flags in the world.
  • The sewing machine was invented by Austrian Josef Madersperger.
  • Approximately one quarter of the population of Austria lives in Vienna.
  • Vienna has the oldest zoo in the world which was founded in 1752.
  • Austria is known for its mountain railways and trains such as the Giselabahn.
  • Ferdinand Porsche, the founder of the German sports car company ‘Porsche’, was from Austria.
  • Former Hollywood actor Arnold Schwarzenegger grew up in Austria.
  • 62% of Austria is covered by the Austrian Alps.
  • The first postcards used were in Austria.

Do you know any more interesting facts about Austria? Or have any stories of your trips to Austria? Please share them in the comments section below.

Posted on

Easy Traditional Christmas Mince Pie Recipe

Christmas at home isn’t for everyone as some like to escape on our Christmas holidays, but for you guys at home here is a very festive recipe which will allow you to make 12 mince pies. These with our Classic Mulled Wine Recipe from last week are perfect together.
What you will need to make 12 Mince Pies:

  • 300g Short crust Pastry
  • 1 beaten egg
  • Granulated sugar
  • One jar of 400g jar of mincemeat

How to make them:
Preheat the oven to 200C – 400F or Gas mark 6. Place a baking sheet in to warm it up (to help cooking the base of the pie)
Start by rolling out the pastry. Make sure it is nice and thin, around the a cm thick. Keep an eye out for thin areas as the more even the pastry the better they will bake as if it is too thin they may burn before the rest of the mince pie has baked.
The next step is to cut out the bases for the pies; there should be twelve of them no bigger than 7cm in radius. These will then form the base of you mince pie once placed in the tray. Once these have been done you can start adding the mincemeat (about a tablespoonful)
The next step is to cut out or stamp another 12 circles for the lids. These will be used as the lids for your mince pies. A little brush of milk or water on one side will help them stick to the base so ensure the wet side is face down. These will then need a gentle pinching around the edge (a folk is perfect).
This is where the egg comes in. Brush a little over the top of the pies and sprinkle with caster sugar.
Now make a little hole in the top to stop the filling from boiling over.
The pies are now ready to be placed in the oven for around 15-20 minutes or until a nice golden colour.
Most of all Enjoy!
Image courtesy of Flikr user – NickJWebb

Posted on

Normandy 1944 – The American Perspective

On this day some 71 years ago, on the 7th December 1941, the Japanese violated American neutrality by bombing the Naval Base at Pearl Harbour. This was to bring the United States of America into direct conflict with not only Japan, but all the other Axis Forces, including Germany.
Many Americans firmly believed, quite rightly, that their enemy was the Japanese nation. However, the ‘Arcadia’ conference of 1942 decided that the initial priority of the Allied war effort should go first to the defeat of Germany.
A number of operations were contemplated for 1942 and 1943, but in simple terms, the time was not right. There were other campaigns to fight. It was not until March 1943, that a British General, Sir Frederick Morgan, was summoned before the British War Cabinet and instructed to develop a Cross Channel Invasion.
The planning staff were mainly British and Americans – their directive – ‘to defeat the German fighting forces in North West Europe’, and it remains one of the best examples of joint British – American cooperation. The eventual plan, would result in the cross channel invasion taking place on 6th June 1944, commanded by General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
American troops were to be heavily involved in the planning and execution of ‘D-Day’. As is well known, the invasion took place in Normandy over five beaches, UTAH, OMAHA, GOLD, JUNO and SWORD.
The American beaches Utah and Omaha are two totally different stories. ‘Utah’ was necessary to ensure the capture of the deep water port of Cherbourg. Therefore two Airborne Divisions were to be dropped into the dark, waterlogged Normandy countryside in the early hours of 6th June, behind Utah beach, with a view to consolidating a grip and then linking up with the seaborne troops of the 4th Infantry Division.
The drops went very badly because of bad weather, anti-aircraft gunfire and navigational errors, but the airborne men were able to secure their objectives and awaited the arrival of their seaborne troops. Because of Guide boat problems, the Infantry men, led by Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt, were to land in the wrong location, this mistake was to lead to a successful landing and link-up, with only 197 casualties.
Meanwhile, the men approaching ‘Omaha’ beach at the same time, 0635 hrs, were experiencing all sorts of problems. The weather was not particularly good, resulting in very heavy seas, causing some landing craft to swamp.
Although all the beach defences were not complete, the German troops overlooking the beach were well prepared and quite simply waited for the landing craft to approach the beach then opened fire. The invading troops had nowhere to hide, thus incurring many casualties. However, the surviving troops were able to secure a foothold on ‘Bloody Omaha’.
Further to the West, ‘Rudders Rangers, were scaling the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, to eliminate the guns overlooking the beaches. The guns were not in situ; they had been moved further inland. This did not deter the Rangers, a small patrol found the guns and put them out of action.
At the end of the day, as with all the troops landing on ‘D-Day’, not all objectives had been secured, but a foothold had been gained on mainland Europe.
The Normandy Campaign was to last for 77 days, with many casualties. Success would come for the Americans with the breakout in late July, ‘Operation Cobra’. A push would be made down the Cotentin Peninsular, towards Brittany,
whilst the British and Canadians would push down in the east from Caen.
Ultimately, the campaign would come to an end in mid August with the story of the ‘Falaise Gap’, with the Americans pushing up from the south to link up with the Canadians, Polish and British near to Falaise.
There is little doubt that without American input, ‘D-Day’, and the Normandy Campaign in particular, might well have failed.
You can find out more about the D-Day Landings in Normandy on our insightful tour that includes a visit to both the British and American sectors.

Posted on

Formula One 2013 – See it live!

Formula One Race Weekends with Leger Holidays

With the 2012 Formula One season now finished, and the discussion of Sebastian Vettel’s Green flag incident well and truly dissected its time to look forward to the 2013 season.

This will be the 64th season of the Formula One World Championship. It will consist of eleven teams and twenty-two drivers. The action will get underway in Australia on the 17th of March and will end like the 2012 season in Brazil on the 24th of November.

Once again the season will start with Sebastian Vettel hoping to defend his World Drivers’ Championship and his team Red Bull Racing will be looking to retain the World Constructors’ Championship.

Looking across the teams for the season ahead there are quite a few changes, the most spoke about being that of Lewis Hamilton formerly of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes moving to the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team,

In all there will be nineteen thrilling races (with the possibility of an increase to twenty) in the 2013 calendar allowing for many different drivers the chance to get on the podium. Will we see another seven race stint where seven different drivers top the podium?

Leger Holidays are offering the chance for you to experience the F1 buzz for yourself at five of the races including the amazing Monaco Grand Prix. To see all the available tours please visit our website.

Never been to a race before? Why not read about the Spa experience from two of Legers’ Staff here.

Image courtesy of Flikr user – Nick J Webb