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- A Santa hat (to wear on Christmas morning, at dinner, in bed)

Continue reading... Winner of the Christmas Luggage Competition!

1. Mask with integrated camera

Continue reading... Christmas pressies for travellers

Over the last weeks, we have been blogging a lot about celebrating Christmas and New Year's Eve abroad. Now, it's your turn! Whether you've booked flights to Tenerife or are keeping it closer to home this December, fact is: you can't bring as much luggage with you as Santa can fit on his sleigh. That's why we'd love to read on their own weblogs what items British bloggers bring with them to really capture the Christmas spirit. Mention the competition in your post, leave a comment here with your URL and we will reward the most original and useful Christmas luggage tip with an appropriate prize: the Antler Purelite Large Suitcase!

Continue reading... Christmas Luggage Competition: Win an Antler Suitcase!

Scarily, Christmas is already just around the corner. If you're wondering whether you can afford to escape to some winter sun, you'd do well to consider going to Gran Canaria, where the temperatures are in their mid-20s. Flights to Gran Canaria only take about four hours, making it a really manageable winter destination.

Continue reading... December in Gran Canaria

This year the Islanders of Lanzarote are attempting to take their Christmas celebrations to record breaking lengths. The annual Father Christmas Parade, held on the 23rd of December, in Puerto Del Carmen is a tradition long observed and enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. The main attraction, Santa himself, is led down the promenade aboard his magically decorated, horse drawn sleigh, from 18.00-20.00, and throws gifts and sweets to all the children that come to join the parade. But children are not the only ones expected join in: this year, everyone has is asked to don a Santa suit and aid the Islanders in their attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most Father Christmas' holding hands. Shops all along the waterfront are set to sell costumes for reduced rates, so there is no excuse not to join in.

Continue reading... Festive Fun in Lanzarote - Christmas 2011

Can't face another last minute dash to the shops for Christmas presents? Does the thought of turkey and sprouts fill you with dread? Why not escape the usual Christmas routine this year and make the most of flights to Paphos for a Yule season to remember in Cyprus? Not only do you get to celebrate in style, but you'll also have the chance to laze on a sun-drenched beach after Christmas lunch too. (You couldn't do that in Margate...).

Continue reading... Christmas in Cyprus

Where will you be on New Year's Eve? In Parliament Square, squashed up against thousands of other revellers? Sat in front of the telly with a glass of cheap plonk and a leftover Christmas party hat? Or do you fancy dancing in the New Year under the desert skies of Egypt while some of Ibiza's top DJs spin some pumping tunes?

Continue reading... New Year's Eve in Sharm for Clubbers - Pure Pacha

If Christmas has come and gone in a blur of wrapping paper, cold turkey sandwiches and bad Christmas jumpers, revive yourself and your family with a New Year trip to Tenerife and rediscover the magic of the season. On this beautiful island, not only can you find sun-kissed beaches, family resorts and a host of activities, but on 5th January they celebrate one of the most important festivals in Spain - the Procession of the Three Kings.

Continue reading... Procession of the Three Kings

While in the UK we may occasionally hang out a St George flag on April 23rd, that's about as far as our Saint celebrations go in this country. However, in Spain the Saints' days are a chance for Spanish people, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, to celebrate in style with a fiesta, festival or street party. The 8th December is one of the most important of these feast days - the Day of the Immaculate Conception. Jet off for a winter break with flights to Gran Canaria around this time of year and you can become part of one of Spain's most important festivals.

Continue reading... Day of the Immaculate Conception in Spain

Instead of spending another raining weekend talking about how depressingly-soon Christmas is, why not transport yourself to some sun, beach and a fantastic little Spanish festival. On Sunday 13th November, the picturesque little village of Tao, in the centre of Lanzarote, hosts its annual fiesta. And flights to Lanzarote will have you enjoying its mid-20s weather in only four hours.

Continue reading... Fiesta in Tao, Lanzarote

Christmas in the UK can become more of a stress than a celebration, with crowded shops, checkout queues and motorway traffic, celebrating abroad often works out as a peaceful option as well as being a Christmas to remember. Though it may not be a traditional white yuletide, spending Christmas in the sunny Algarve is less commercial and, culturally, more family orientated, not to mention, a comfortable 15-16 degrees Celsius.

Continue reading... Father Christmas in Faro

The Spanish, as a nation, enjoy a pretty sizable amount of time off with 14 national public holidays, on top of other regional feast days, and an average of 4 weeks paid leave a year. One of the most significant national, secular holidays, 'Dia de Constitution', celebrates Spain's transition into democracy after the death of the oppressive dictator General Francisco Franco. On the 6th of December 1978, in a landslide referendum, the Spanish people voted to establish an advanced democratic society in which welfare, cooperation and liberty where enshrined and promoted.

Continue reading... Spain's 'Dia de Constitution'

Remember last Christmas in the UK? Blizzards? Storms? Freezing temperatures? If you want to avoid that happening again this year, 'Playa' in the sun with a Christmas break in Playa De Las Americas. No, not in the US, but in gorgeous Tenerife, a destination that hardly ever sees five feet of snow and a wind chill factor of -20.

Continue reading... Christmas at Playa De Las Americas

Turkey has become the 'must see' destination in recent years, and its popularity as an affordable destination with a touch of the exotic East has sent travellers scurrying to explore its many delights. Dalaman, on the southwestern coast of Turkey, is one of the boom destinations, suitable for families looking for a sun-drenched beach holiday, and for more independent travellers who want to dip a toe into the mystery that is Turkey.

Continue reading... A must see destination in Turkey: Dalaman

Lanzarote is a popular place among tourists and is known worldwide for its natural rock formations created due to ongoing volcanic eruptions. Apart from this, the place boasts of great beaches and beach villas and resorts. Flights to Lanzarote are quite regular and can be booked in advance.

Continue reading... Lanzarote Aquarium

Fuerteventura is known to be the 2nd largest Island among the Spanish Canary Islands. The initial settlers are known to have landed on the Island from Northern parts of Africa. In fact, the term Maho or Mahorero is used even today to explain the people belonging to Fuerteventura. The term is actually derived from the ancient word mahos which means a kind of goatskin shoe. These types of shoes were used by the original residents of Fuerteventura.

Continue reading... FuerteVentura Christmas

Ibiza, the third largest island among the Balearic Islands, is one of the most sought after party destinations of the world. The fun begins as your flights to Ibiza land next to the pristine waters at Ses Salines. A unique contrast of natural beauty and modern structures welcomes you as you enter the city of Ibiza. Interestingly, for a place famous for its nightlife, a large part of the island is registered with the United Nations as World Heritage Sites. Different festivals and events organized throughout the year add to the party atmosphere.

Continue reading... Three Kings Day Fiesta-Ibiza

For the rest of this year, there are still many events to come and you can still make this island your number one vacation spot for this year. You have already missed the Heineken Jazz festival, but its annual so you can go next year, it takes place in July. You would have also liked the Easter celebrations, but as stated before, there is always next year. Lets take a look instead on the events that are coming up.

Continue reading... tenerife for the holidays

The 15th of August is a national holiday in Malta and on this day, Gozo and other villages will be bubbling with the Santa Marija festival. The majority of Maltese festivals are religiously inclined due to a strong Catholic presence in the country. But nevertheless, this festival (Santa Marija) is a remarkable attraction for tourists and a huge source of traditional pride for the people of Malta. Every year, families in Malta look forward to this ceremony as they would to Christmas or Easter because it offers that special opportunity for family bonding and that great sense of community in Malta. It works to such extent that family members who are away or abroad come home to take part in the festival.

Continue reading... Fireworks and Food at Santa Marija fiesta in Malta

One of the unfortunate tourists that got stuck on Tenerife due to the volcanic ash cloud were Gary Lineker, his wife Danielle and their five children. After spending Christmas and New Year's even in Barbados, they were polishing up their tans in the Canary Islands right before the ash cloud halted all flights in Europe. Though the journey back to London must have been extremely stressful, the tan the Welsh lingerie model acquired during their prolonged stay seems well worth it. For those who want a holiday tan like Danielle's, flights to Tenerife have resumed.

Continue reading... Where Danielle Got Her Tan

The humble almond is a stranger to British shores but across the Mediterranean, it is grown widely especially in locations with warm, dry weather for most of the year. This includes many parts of Greece, Cyprus and the Balearic Islands. In the Canaries, Christmas is a time when the shelves of supermarkets become stocked with all kinds of almond-based delicacies including the traditional Turron, a type of nougat.

Continue reading... Almond Walks on Mallorca

The rest of Europe may be settling back for a quiet few weeks to help get over the Christmas excesses but the Algarve region of Portugal is still busy at this time of year. The southern coast of Portugal is a long strip of beaches, holidays resorts and golf courses that attract visitors all year round and especially during January and February when its mild weather can provide a welcome break from the harsher winter days of the UK.

Continue reading... January Algarve Events

There is no doubt that Christmas is the theme highest on the events list for December on Tenerife with concerts and carol services being held all over the island in the run up to the Christmas break.

Continue reading... December What's On For Tenerife

Football fans are always treated to a feast of action over the Christmas period when most of the top UK clubs have a series of games. In Europe too, the New Year also sees renewed interest in the game and football fans who travelled to the island of Mallorca during January had a chance to watch some of mainland Europe's top players.

Continue reading... Top Flight Football in Mallorca

Winter breaks to the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh are proving very popular this season and flythomascook.com had some very competitive prices for journeys during January 2010.

Continue reading... Sharm Flights In January

The social calendar during December on the island of Malta has a familiar British ring to it and that's no surprise given Malta's history and its long associated with Britain.

Continue reading... December Events in Malta

The island of Mallorca and its capital Palma , like many places in Spain, prepare for a traditional Christmas and New Year that centres around four main events. Christmas Eve is important with concerts and Midnight Masses held in many churches, including the famous Seu Cathedral in Palma itself. Christmas Day is a time for relaxation and spending time with family. New Years Eve sees another excuse for celebration, with parties and fireworks displays illuminating the island's skies and then finally the celebration of the Epiphany on January 6th sees children receiving gifts in much the same way as UK children do on Christmas Day.

Continue reading... Mallorca Beyond New Year

One of the best ways to experience the true Gran Canaria is to take part in the annual carnival that started this year on the 26th January 2010.

Continue reading... Las Palmas Carnival

The 17th December, was the shortest day of the year in Funchal on the island of Madeira in 2009, dusk arrived at 4 minutes to five in the afternoon only 600 minutes after sunrise. Compare that to London whose shortest day came a day or two later and was only 470 minutes long. So a winter break on the island of Madeira will not only provide more sun and warmer temperatures, but the days will be over two hours longer too.

Continue reading... Funchal's Shortest Day

On Cyprus the event calendars for the resorts of Paphos and Larnaca are never quiet for long and looking back through the end of the year to January 2010 and beyond that seems to ring true. These holiday destinations in the Eastern Mediterranean always have plenty going on in terms of music concerts, theatre performances, local traditions and sporting events.

Continue reading... End Of Year Events On Cyprus

While much of Britain still experienced cold, snowy weather and temperatures in Scotland plummeted to as low as minus sixteen, we thought a round up of the weather in our key winter sun destinations would warm you up a little.

Continue reading... Festive Weather Round Up

In Cyprus the towns of Larnaca and Paphos are favourites of both British tourists and ex-pats who have gone there to live and enjoy the milder climate. As you might expect the Christmas cultures of the towns are both a mix of Greek Cypriot traditions and those more modern derivatives that the mix of nationalities brings to the area.

Continue reading... December Culture in Larnaca and Paphos

Ibiza is one of those holiday islands that enjoys a bit of a break from September onwards. The busy summer crowds have subsided and the vast sandy beaches are more easily admired. The tourists who take their holidays in September, having waited until the school-age children have returned home, have been able to enjoy a more peaceful time on the island. Once October arrives everything eases back to a slower pace, the international nightclubs that Ibiza is famous for have had their end of season parties and the islands is given back to the locals for a few months.

Continue reading... Christmas on Ibiza

The famous Disney Parks near Orlando in Florida are a lure to children and their parents at all times of the year, but at Christmas they take on an added attraction as the magic of the festive season provides a reason for the parks to put on extra special events.

Continue reading... Christmas Spectaculars in Orlando

There are all kinds of festive events on the calendar for Malta in the run up to Christmas.

Continue reading... Christmas Events on Malta

The month of November on the island of Madeira is certainly one when food seems to take the centre stage.

Continue reading... Madeira Food Focus

Visitors to Mallorca during the peak months of the summer more often than not stay in their resorts for the duration of their stay. But for those coming to the island during December there are plenty of reasons to take a trip into the capital Palma, to experience the sights and sounds as the Mallorcan Christmas approaches. In terms of music there are many different Christmas concerts, during the early part of the month there was also a varied choice of concerts in different musical styles, that provided something for everyone.

Continue reading... Music Variety in Mallorca During December

If you are looking for a high energy New Year party followed by some peaceful relaxation in the sun away from the cold, wet weather that is currently shrouding the UK, then Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt may be just the ticket.

Continue reading... Plan your New Year Party in Sharm

As a holiday island that relies on tourism for much of its commercial activity, the authorities in Mallorca have a responsibility to their business community to provide a continuing stream of events and attractions that help bring visitors to the island all year round. Mallorca has slowly developed a tried and tested seasonal shift that sees the springtime favouring the activities of cyclists and athletes, who come to the island for warm weather training. Then the long summer panders to the millions of sun and beach lovers who enjoy the island's many perfect resorts. Autumn sees a switch to sailing and also culture that brings art and music festivals to the island. At the end of the year Christmas provides a perfect bridge to the golfing season that takes over in the New Year.

Continue reading... Mallorca's Seasonal Shift

For many the Christmas period presents the perfect opportunity to take a short break and get away for a little rest and relaxation. For some a cosy chalet in snow covered mountains is the ideal break while others yearn for some warm sunshine. Being only a short flight from the UK, Lanzarote offers the combination of convenience and value for British tourists seeking some warmer weather.

Continue reading... Lanzarote Christmas

When promoters were looking for the perfect place to host a Christmas Fair in Palma de Mallorca, the unique Poble Espanyol (Spanish Village) was always going to be a frontrunner. This unique open air museum, village and shopping centre was an obvious choice for somewhere that could be transformed at Christmas into something very special.

Continue reading... Special Authentic Christmas in Palma Mallorca

If many resorts, even winter sun destinations, seem very quite during November and December, then those looking for a little more activity may be interested in a visit to Portugal's Algarve region. Although the weather there may not quite be able to compete with the Canary Islands or the resorts of Egypt and Gambia for reliable warm sunny days, it certainly will not be as cold or as wet as the UK during those months.

Continue reading... The Algarve During November and December

December is now upon us and Christmas celebrations are starting to begin in earnest with many countries seeing traditional Christmas fairs and markets springing up in their towns and villages.

Continue reading... Christmas Fairs and Markets

With the festive season just a few weeks away, plans for getting away for some seasonal sun may be uppermost in the minds of those who prefer to spend the period in a warmer climate.

Continue reading... Christmas Getaway

Imagine the traditional Christmas scene and snowy forests or icy lakes may spring to mind. Well the festive season on Portugal's Algarve coast is highly unlikely to feature either of those, benefitting as it does from mild, dry weather right through the months of November, December and January. Of course you may be unlucky enough to catch a stray band of rain or be subjected to one of the onshore Atlantic breezes but largely the weather will be mild and sunny.

Continue reading... Christmas on The Algarve

Tourists heading for Gran Canaria early in 2010 will be interested to know about some of the important dates on the events calendar for the island.

Continue reading... Planning for 2010 in Gran Canaria

November and December are the perfect months to explore the lesser known areas of Mallorca. Hire a car, hop onto a bus or use Mallorca's rejuvenated rail network to travel to some of the islands traditional towns and villages. Many visitors to Mallorca stay in the beach resorts either side of the capital Palma, the coastal areas in the north around Alcudia and Pollenca or the beach resorts on the east coast like Cala Millor or Porto Christo.

Continue reading... Exploring Mallorca