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Discover the artistic skills of Michael Westall and Leonidas Papasavvas in a stunning exhibition of paintings this October. These two talented artists bring the culture, landscape and people of Cyprus to life, capturing the unique light and spirit of the Mediterranean. A selection of their finest work can be seen at the Gallery Kypriaki Gonia in Larnaca from October 6th - 15th.

Continue reading... Art in Larnaca: Michael Westall and Leonidas Papasavvas

More and more Britons are starting to see a week or two of winter sun as an integral part of the year. In theory, it's a great idea: the minute the leaves start to fall and temperatures start to drop, you recharge your batteries and top up your tan with a visit to sunnier shores. However, if you don't get your timing right, you could find yourself looking out of your hotel window at the downpours of the rainy season or travel too far and you could spend valuable time recovering from jet-lag. Here's our pick of where to go in winter:

Continue reading... Where to go to catch some Winter Sun

We all know what it's like to come home from a dream holiday. You're all tanned and relaxed and you can't wait to impress your friends with photos of the wonderful buildings, beaches and beautiful girls that you've seen. It can be quite a disappointment to discover that most of your photos are either out of focus, overexposed, quickly shot or badly posed. You'll be glad to hear that these problems can easily be avoided and with just a bit more forethought and effort, your acceptable snapshot can be raised to the level of art. Check out our top 5 photography tips for travellers who have booked flights to Dalaman or one of our other sun-blessed holiday destinations!

Continue reading... 5 simple tips for spectacular summer snapshots

The best way to make a holiday really memorable is to immerse yourself in the local culture. Faro is renowned for playing host to some of the most prominent festivals and fiestas in the whole of the Algarve - and the low cost and convenience of flights to Faro makes them easily accessible all year round. Whether you're interested in sporting events, religious festivals or cultural celebrations, Faro is the Portuguese HQ for a range of vibrant and spectacular parties.

Continue reading... Festivals in Faro

The Palma de Mallorca International boat show is an annual event, which is held in Mallorca. This boat show is known locally as Salo Nautic and it focuses on sailing as a recreation. This international boat show is an annual event, which can be classed as a floating exhibition featuring more than three hundred boats. There are a lot of people that make the most of the cheap flights to Mallorca in order to enjoy this boating festival.

Continue reading... Palma de Mallorca International Boat Show

Crete is the largest island of Greece and provides a lot of options for tourists in form of its quiet coves, resort hotels, fabulous mountain villages, hidden beaches and beautiful plateaus that truly rewards a perceptive world traveler. Enticing moments and memorable combinations of place and time that offer truly enriching experiences is what Crete is all about. The most visited time at Crete is from April to October and you can book your flights to Crete in advance, if planning your vacation during these months.

Continue reading... Rocca Al Mare Fortress in Crete

Pollenca is situated at the Northern end of Menorcas Tramuntana mountains and it is a special location especially for various festivals of Menorca. If you are planning a vacation here to catch these festivals, you can reach by air as there are regular flights to Menorca throughout the year. Pollenca is characterized by the Lluc Monastery and the Port de Pollenca, the beaches of Menorca, the St Albufera wetlands and the Formentor Peninsula. It is quite close to the Bay of Alcudia. Pollenca has several remarkable churches such as the 16th century museum cum a symbol of baroque style called Convent de sant Domingo, the famous Nostra Senyora dels Angels and the Nostra Senyora del Roser.

Continue reading... Sant Antoni fest in Menorca

Faro is the capital of Algarve. In the past Faro was home to both Arab as well as Roman settlements. The way these settlements have affected the lifestyle and the architecture here is evident from various locations spread all over Faro. When the Arabs occupied most of the city, Faro was a significant commercial port. After the earthquake struck Faro in 1755 several buildings were destroyed and they had to be restored and rebuilt. A vacation here is incomplete without visiting historic places in the city. Faro can easily be reached by air as there are several flights to Faro from every major city in the world.

Continue reading... Algarvean Costume Ethnographic Museum in Faro

For such a small country, the Mediterranean islands of Malta have a rich and vibrant history. With North African and Arabic influences, theres been an incredible mix of rulers and occupiers over the centuries, yet all of these markson this beautiful, sunny nation create something individual with a distinct andcharming character.

Continue reading... malta guide art holidays

Menorca is the second largest of the Balearic Islands, although it is smaller and quieter than its neighbour Mallorca. With a beautiful coastline and idyllic rural villages, Flights to Menorca are ideal for creative breaks any time of the year, with virtually guaranteed fine weather in a wonderfully inspirational setting. High quality Menorca villas give visitors the chance to experience this wonderful island at their own pace.

Continue reading... Arts holiday in Menorca

If you've ever taken a holiday trip to Paphos, you know that this stunning coastal city in Cyprus has got many extensive attractive choices for visitors. But to crown it all, they also organize a huge annual festival to promote the culture and taste of the land. During the festival, a lot of flights to Paphos are usually overbooked as most of the tourists who have been part of the great event once wish to return. To secure your place at the festival, book your flights via flythomascook and buy a ticket to the festival online.

Continue reading... The Glitz and Thrills of Paphos' Aphrodite Festival

Are you a 21st Century Hippy? Are you concerned with the environment and our planet? Are you into Goan trance techno music? Then the Boom Festival in Idanha a Nova Lake in Portugal is the place for you. Taking place between the 18th-26th August (during the full moon), the Boom festival is dedicated to all free spirits. The idea behind the Boom is to create a space in this time continuum where people from all over the world can live an alternative reality. "It's a celebration of intuition and telepathy as we watch how communication changes along these few days and how in the end there is no more need for words."

Continue reading... Set your holiday off with a Boom

The city of Canakkale, on the Marmora coast, is the second city to be situated on two continents after Istanbul and is the nearest major town to the site of ancient Troy.

Continue reading... A mix of infamous military and ancient history at the heart of Canakkale

The Innovation Summer in the Sun dance music festival will take place on 7th August this year. This popular music event has been held each year since 2006, initially in a night club but growing in size each year. This year the event takes place at MagMa, Costa Adeje.

Continue reading... Dance Music Festival in Tenerife

Considered one of the major fiestas in Tenerife, the Festival of the Virgin de Candelaria, the patron of the Canary Islands, occurs every year on August 15th, and the festivities are attended by over two million visitors annually.

Continue reading... Virgin de Candelaria, patron of the Canary Islands

Palma has many cultural events such as concerts, exhibitions, festivals and theatre productions both in summer and winter. In September, for example, Palma de Mallorca will host the Mare de Deu de la Salut fiesta. This means that processions and floral offerings will take over the city. There will be music and theatre entertainment, as well as a solemn mass in honour of the Virgin Mary at the church of Sant Miguel.

Continue reading... Palma for Party animals

Alicante is a prestigious city in Spain, known for its long summers and mild winters. This city is famous for its love of life, music, fireworks, festivals and gourmet dining. Alicante takes pride in its traditions and cultural values which show through in their festivals. These festivals take place throughout the year, but the summer festivals are more popular with tourists due to the number of flights to Alicante during this season.

Continue reading... Alicante Festivals and Gourmet

Malta is a country with a rich and vibrant culture. If there is one thing the Maltese are known for, it is their love for cultural and religious festivals. Most of these festivals take place throughout the year. If you are a fun-loving, vivacious music-lover with an appetite for special foods, this is a good opportunity to mingle with the Maltese for these fantastic festivals.

Continue reading... Join the Maltese summer festivals

For over forty years the Hellenic Festival of Athens has maintained Greece's status as the cultural heart of Europe. It celebrates the country's proud tradition as the birthplace of Western theatre, and is generally regarded as one of the most important events in the European cultural calendar.

Continue reading... Hellenic Festival in Athens

A choice destination for those interested in the rich historical heritage and natural beauty of the region, Bodrum really does have something for everyone. One of its main attractions is the hotly anticipated Music Festival, which runs every year from late July to early August. If you haven't booked yet, it's worth checking out the last minute flights to Bodrum to make sure you don't miss it.

Continue reading... East Meets West at Bodrum's Music Festival

For a performance that is extra special, try a night at La Nouba Cirque du Soleil in downtown Orlando. For another dazzling evening event, The Outta Control Magic Comedy Dinner Show combines comedy improvisation with magic and audience participation. Visitors get unlimited pizza, salad, popcorn, dessert, beer, wine and soft drinks, all included in the price.

Continue reading... Beaches of Sanford

Skopelos island is part of the Sporades islands in the Aegean Sea to the east of mainland Greece. The Sporades islands offer travellers a different atmosphere to the usual Greek island getaways. Instead of bare hills and packed villages, the Sporades are pine forested and feature some of the best beaches along the Aegean. What is more striking is the difference in architecture that is less whitewashed and features stone roofs. Skopelos is known for its exceptionally gorgeous beaches, hidden away coves and crystal blue water. The capital city is charming and was built around a bay in an amphitheatre design.

Continue reading... Summer in Skopelos

World Music Day is on 21st June this year and the event is being celebrated in various locations on Cyprus including Paphos.

Continue reading... Celebrate World Music Day in Paphos

Next Wednesday, most USA citizens will celebrate the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on the 5th of May, 1862. Cinco de Mayo, Spanish for "fifth of May", is celebrated all throughout the USA because the 4,000 Mexican soldiers defeated the much better-equipped French army of 8,000 that had not been defeated for half a century and, since the Battle of Puebla, no American country has been invaded by an army from another continent.

Continue reading... Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

The world of the performing arts can take many forms, from theatre and opera to classical music concerts and choral recitals, but April on Malta sees two other varieties taking centre stage.

Continue reading... Malta Performances

The peaceful island of Menorca seems to be quickly emerging from its typically quiet off-season period and all over the island there are events taking place for visitors to enjoy. Locals also get their first opportunities of the year to get outside and take part in some sporting competitions with tennis being one of the sports on offer. The 21st edition of Jaime Mascaro Open tennis tournament took place on 11th April. Mr Mascaro is not some former tennis champion from the island but a local shoe manufacturer who sponsored the tournament. Sailing is also popular in Menorca and April saw various regattas taking place with the La Caixa Trophy held between 4th and 18th April. Also, the Sa Nostra Trophy event for the smaller laser and optimist boats was held on 12th April in Es Castell.

Continue reading... Menorca Emerges

Anyone who visits Malta will be immediately struck by the island's appreciation of art and culture. Malta is not only a great location for a sunny beach holiday, but also a fulfilling place for anyone with an interest in history or culture. The island's past is full of invasions, ownership changes and strategic involvement in many of the region's past conflicts. Valletta is not only a great monument to the island's legacy of architectural influences but also a centre for much of the art culture on the island today.

Continue reading... Spring Exhibitions on Malta

If you love holidays in the French Riveria, you might want to try going a bit closer to the Italian border and visit the town of Ventimiglia to see the famous Friday market. The town's weekly market attracts thousands of people from both France and Italy and provides a spectacle of vendors selling everything including fruit, flowers and fish. But would you still go there if you knew it was also reputed to be the biggest black market in Europe?

Continue reading... The Friday Market in Ventimiglia

The start of February traditionally sees one of the first professional races of the European season taking place on the island of Mallorca. Many of the top European riders use the event to test their form and get used to racing with new teammates. This year the event clashed with another top level race taking place in Qatar, with several teams attracted to the warmer desert weather as a place to start their 2010 campaign.

Continue reading... Pro Cyclists in Mallorca Race

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

Dance music fans have their favourite venues around Europe where the world's top DJs and dance music performers typically appear. These include of course Ibiza during the summer months but also, in the earlier part of the year, several other holiday resorts get their chance to promote dance music events featuring the stars.

Continue reading... Dance Music in Malta, Sharm and Cyprus

The events that are currently in full swing on Tenerife may not be everyone's cup of tea. The excitement and revelery of the annual carnival is the highlight of the year for many, but for others a selection of quieter more sedate events may be preferred.

Continue reading... Classical Times on Tenerife

Due to there location, several thousand miles from the European mainland and the balance of resident and tourist population, the islands of the Canaries rarely benefit from visiting pop stars and celebrity performers. Premier music concerts featuring big stars are few and far between on the islands. In the past performers like Rod Stewart, Gloria Estefan and Elton John have all played on Tenerife. Even Michael Jackson included Tenerife in his "Dangerous" tour during 1993, when 45,000 people watched him on stage in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Continue reading... Celebrity Musicians in Tenerife

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

The island of Tenerife offers photogenic landscapes all year round, but once the busy beaches of the summer take on a quieter Autumn feel the island reveals a slightly different side to the many photographers who attempt to capture the beauty of the island through their lenses. A special exhibition is taking place in Tenerife at the moment to showcase the works of hundreds of photographers. FotoNoviembre, as it names suggests, started during early November, runs through the whole month and on to 10th January.

Continue reading... Photography Exhibitions on Tenerife

There is plenty of activity to interest the tourist visiting Cyprus at this time of year. The first thing travellers to Larnaca will notice will be the improved airport facilities that were opened to the public on 10th November. Phase One of the new developments were unveiled by the company who assumed control of the airport back in 2006.

Continue reading... Cyprus During November

If you were due to be on holiday in Tenerife during the first weekend of November and were upset about not being able to get to Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea play Manchester City or to Upton park to watch West Ham play Everton, then you could try a little local football on your holiday island.

Continue reading... Premier League Football on Tenerife

The world famous club scene on Ibiza approached the big closing party season in late September.

Continue reading... Ibiza Clubs Round Off 2009 Season

As the summer parties and cultural festivals came to an end, the island of Kefalonia continued to entertain its visitors with several artistic celebrations.

Continue reading... Autumn Festivals on Kefalonia

The night clubs are well known but dancing of a different type took centre stage on Ibiza during August.

Continue reading... Dance and Celebrate on Ibiza

Visitors can easily spend lazy days on the beaches here. One of the best for tourists right in the city is the man made beach near the Atlantic hotel on the Marina Parade. The main resort area is Banjul Beach and located about two miles west of the city. Banjul Beach has golden sands and lots of water sports

Continue reading... Banjuls Beautiful Beaches and Wildlife

The main holiday season may be starting to wind down in some mainland European resorts, but the Canary Islands have a year-round season to enjoy.

Continue reading... Events in Lanzarote during August and September

Visitors to the Greek island of Kefalonia during August have the choice of a number of traditional local events during their stay, with wine featuring prominently.

Continue reading... August Wine Events in Kefalonia

Despite so many opportunities to relax here, Palma also is a city that encourages activity and exploration. Main tourist beaches offer a range of activities such as volleyball, windsurfing, water and jet skiing.

Continue reading... Palma Part 2

Visitors to the island of Lanzarote next weekend will have the opportunity to sample the Festival of Arrecife, a series of musical events taking place at different venues around the city on Friday and Saturday.

Continue reading... Lanzarote Festival in Arrecife

There are many things that are different about the Egyptian holiday resort of Sharm el Sheikh and traditional fashion culture is one of them. Egypt is a country steeped in history, culture and customs. The native population conforms to many religious and cultural traditions as far as dress is concerned, but those rules seem to be quietly forgotten in the cosmopolitan resorts of Sharm el Sheikh on the Red Sea. However a new campaign, being promoted by travel magazine Wanderlust, aims to make tourists more aware of local expectations in terms of what to wear and hopes it will encourage people to take more care to be respectful of local traditions when it comes to choosing appropriate clothing.

Continue reading... Sharm an Egyptian Fashion Enigma

A varied mix of over forty events are planned across the seven islands, featuring cultural performances of music, film and theatre, sporting competitions and traditional celebrations.

Continue reading... Plans Announced for Canaries Celebration Day

The opening of the Siam Park water complex was certainly long awaited. Construction started back in 2004 on what is reputed to be the biggest water park in Europe, but delays and construction problems delayed the opening by 16 months.

Continue reading... New Water Park in Tenerife