Calling all film geeks: Cyprus will host the 10th edition of Cyprus Film Days between 20th and 29th of April 2012. The international festival will take place between in Limassol (RIALTO Theatre) and in Nicosia (Zena Palace Cinema).

Continue reading... Films worth flying for

There will already be plenty of exciting events related to the carnival before the official opening of the festival. For example, from Thursday 26th of January until Saturday 28th of January, the International Trade Fair and Congress Centre will host the three rounds of the Children Murgas Contest, and the first three rounds of the Adult Murgas Contest will be held in the same location from 6th February until 8th February. The Finals will be held on Friday 10th February at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez.

Continue reading... Anticipating the greatest Canary Carnival of 2012

Travelling and reading have more in common than you'd think: they are the most popular activities on planes, trains, boats and at airports, and both can make you relax, bite your nails and laugh. To kindle the flames of laughter, we're running a cheerful travel story competition among bloggers in the UK! Write a blog post about your most funny, exciting, surprising or embarrassing experience abroad; post it on your blog; link to this competition to let your readers know about it and leave a comment with the URL of your post below to submit your entry. The writer of the story that made us laugh most will win the new Amazon Kindle so that you don't have to pack heavy books while travelling!

Continue reading... Write and Win a Kindle

Once you've remembered to stock up on sunscreen and grabbed your toothbrush, it's time to think about which holiday read to pack. Here are a few suggestions to compliment the stunning coastlines and fascinating history of the Spanish Canary Islands.

Continue reading... Top Canary Island Reads

As the largest and most populous Canary Island, Tenerife is, as you might expect, not short of bars, restaurants and nightlife. The Island's notorious Playa De Las Americas is a neon buzz of night-time entertainment; karaoke bars, lap dancing joints and mega clubs litter the strip. But there are alternative options for visitors looking to ring in 2012 on Tenerife, in style.

Continue reading... New Year in Style on Tenerife

Greece is becoming increasingly popular with internationally acclaimed bands and groups. With flights to Crete and other destinations across the country now easily available from most UK airports, music fans can combine a holiday with the gig of a lifetime in some of the most dramatic backdrops in the world. See stars under the stars at open-air concerts across the country, and thanks to the current exchange rate, tickets and flights to Thessaloniki and other locations are now better value than ever.

Continue reading... Anathema Touring

If you need to escape from the stresses and strains of everyday life, leave yourself behind during your vacation and experience Greece like a local. As well as cheap flights to Zante, Corfu, Heraklion and many other Greek airports, Flythomascook can now offer you the inside information you need to really get away from everything.

Continue reading... Locals about Greece: When people make plans, God laughs

Crete is the largest of all the Greek islands, and arguably the most important and exciting. With two international airports, there are more flights to Crete each year than to any other place in Greece.

Continue reading... Between History and beachside relaxation discover Crete

Flights to Paphos take just less than four hours from most UK airports, making it an easily accessible holiday destination. Most holidaymakers board their flights to Paphos hungry with anticipation for the chance to flop onto a sun-drenched beach for a few days. However, there is more to this coastal city than the spectacular sands for which it is so well known. Steeped in history, Paphos is a stunning blend of ancient and modern, just waiting to be explored.

Continue reading... Sights of Paphos

The Coast of Silence is also known as Costa del Silencio and this is a very popular tourist resort. There are a lot of tourists that visit this and they make use of the regular flights to Tenerife. This resort is located within the southern part of Tenerife. The Costa de Silencio translates as the Coast of Silence. This coast was once silent however this is no longer the case as it is a very popular tourist area and there are regular flights to this area.

Continue reading... Coast of Silence in Tenerife

The island that is known as Goat Island is located in the Balearics and this island is also known as Gabrera. Despite the name of this island it is not actually home to any goats. There is a vast amount of untouched nature on this island. Due to this island being so beautiful it is a very popular with tourists from all across the world who make use of the regular flights to Balearics. Although this island is popular with tourists it is not as popular as the other islands within the Balearics.

Continue reading... Goat Island in the Balearics

With Valentines Day just around the corner, it's time to do something special for your loved one. Instead of just a card and a bunch of flowers or some aftershave or perfume this year, why not whisk them away for a romantic Valentine's break in the sun? Gran Canaria is only four and a half hours flying time away from the UK and offers sun, sea and romantic sunsets on the beach all year round. Flights to Gran Canaria are easy to catch from most airports.

Continue reading... Flying off to a romantic paradise

The popular attraction that is known as Ocean Water Park is one of the smallest water parks within Gran Canaria. This water park is located about three hundred meters from the amusement park that is known as Holiday World that is located on the south of the island. The water park is very popular with tourist from all over the world who enjoys the regular flights to Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Ocean Water Park in Gran Canaria

One of the main attractions within Tenerife is camel riding. It's true to say that not everyone can say that they have ridden one of the worlds favorite humped animals. One of the best places to enjoy a camel ride is at Camel Park and this park is located about ten minutes from the resort of Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos. This popular park is located within rural surroundings and you can enjoy a camel ride as well has enjoy spending time with farm animals such as donkeys, ducks, hens, dogs and gray parrots to name a few. A lot of the visitors that enjoy camel riding also make use of the frequent flights to Tenerife.

Continue reading... Camel Riding in Tenerife

The resort of Chayofa that is located in Tenerife is actually a very quite resort and it is located near Los Cristianos. Although this resort is very popular with tourists it is actually not that close to the sea, as it is located on a hill overlooking the area of Los Cristianos. A lot of the tourists that come to this area make the most of the regular flights to Tenerife.

Continue reading... Chayofa in Tenerife

Parque Las Aguilas is commonly referred to the jungle park. This jungle park is very popular with tourists and a lot of these tourists make the most of the flights to Tenerife. This park is home to a beautiful botanical garden and zoological park and it covers seventy five thousand square meters of jungle style ground. This park is home to over five hundred different animals and there is an array of suspension bridges, walking paths with tunnels, caves, lagoons and waterfalls. The park also offers visitors that chance to enjoy exotic birds, which includes birds of prey.

Continue reading... Parque Las Aguilas in Tenerife

The region of Adeje within Tenerife is a very popular resort within the southwestern part of Tenerife. This popular tourist resort is home to some luxurious beaches and there is a vast array of different bars and restaurants. In this tourist resort you will be able to find almost anything that you are looking for when having a holiday in Tenerife. A lot of the tourists that visit this area make the most of the frequent flights to Tenerife.

Continue reading... Adeje in Tenerife

The Palace of Saints Michael and George is one of the best known landmarks on the island of Corfu. The Palace of Saints Michael and George is one of the main landmarks on the island of Corfu. This palace has evolved into being a very popular tourist attraction. This visitor attraction shows some of the best British architecture that is on the island. The palace is located on the northern side of the Esplanade. This palace was built on the site that was once occupied by the Venetian hospital. Getting to Corfu could not be easier as there are many flights to Corfu from most airports

Continue reading... Palace of St Michael and St George in Corfu

Even though Banjul is a small place it offers several sites providing great tourist excursions. There are some river and some land-based trips. Flights to Banjul are available from several domestic and international airports, so traveling should not be a problem. Banjul is also known for a place called James Island. It is an old Fort situated around 30 km upstream and has numerous ruins belonging to the colonial Britain. This is considered to be the last time when the African slaves saw this soil especially before they were transported in the slave ships to America.

Continue reading... James Island in Banjul

The name of the town Funchal comes from the Portugese word Funcho which means fennel. Fennel is a unique herb that was discovered in large amounts in the town by the Portuguese naval leaders, Tristao Vaz Teixeira and Joao Goncalves Zarco when they landed here in 1418. You can reach Funchal by air as it has an airport. There are regular flights to Funchal from many international airports. Funchal contains the castle, the old town, numerous museums, cathedrals, a cable car right up till the Monte Gardens and palace, a great place to shop, bars, cafes and restaurants. As you progress more towards the west, further from the port you will land right inside the famous Santa Catarina Park.

Continue reading... Santa Catarina Park in Funchal

Kos is known for tourism all over Europe. The total population of Kos is barely 32,000. It is easy to reach Kos. If you dont get direct flights to Kos from your own country then you can first take a flight to Athens and then get to Kos. From May to October, there are several flights from major European airports to Kos. Kos Island International Airport provides a wide range of flights to other countries as well. Christian Basilicas at the beach of Agios Stefanos is one of the most well known places at Kos.

Continue reading... Agios Stefanos in Kos

Burgas is a great place to be especially in winters because winters are mild and there is constant breeze to make you feel refreshed at all times. Burgas also happens to be the largest seaport in the whole of Bulgaria. Burgas can be reached by air as there are daily flights to Burgas from a number of European as well as other airports. The city of Burgas was made a duty-free zone in 1989 and the reason was simply that the state wanted to promote tourism and trade. It consists of total population of about 230,000 and has become one of the most famous destinations for tourists.

Continue reading... State Puppet Theatre in Burgas

Skiathos is a great place in Greece which has good beach resorts and many tourist facilities if you want to see more known places of Skiathos. Skiathos is reachable by air and there are a number of flights to Skiathos from major airports all over the world. Alonissos is a beautiful place to visit if you are here for some relaxation. It has been occupied from the prehistoric times. This is quite evident from the excavations that were carried out at site of the acropolis wall belonging to the Classical period. It is said to have been from the ancient city of Ikos that today can be seen in form of Kokkinokastro.

Continue reading... Alonissos in Skiathos

Faro is one of the beautiful cities of Portugal. It has several beach resorts for people who want to have fun on the beach and there are some places of historical interest too! For your vacation, you can fly to Faro as there are daily flights to Faro from most of the domestic airports.

Continue reading... Carmo Church in Faro

Dalaman is located towards western region of Turkey. It is full of natural setting all around, with hills and sea to provide fresh new look to the region every single day. Dalaman is still developing as a tourist spot but the hot springs and mud baths, rock tombs, Iztuzu beach, caunos ruins and Caretta turtles are some of the most fascinating places at Dalaman that any visitor or tourist cannot afford to miss. It is ideal to reach Dalaman by air as there are several flights to Dalaman from a number of domestic and international airports. The best time to reach Dalaman is early part of the spring season to the end of autumn.

Continue reading... Caretta at Daylan in Dalaman

Tenerife is a bustling city with some amazing tourist spots to explore. You can take flights to Tenerife and plan a stay of about 8 to 10 days to fully enjoy the warmth and attraction of the city. It is full of monuments, museums, pubs, beaches and many other things. Las Aguilas Jungle Park is a unique animal shelter in form of a naturally maintained jungle that will not fail to attract you no matter what your age.

Continue reading... Las Aguilas Jungle Park in Teneriffe

Funchal is a place full of picturesque gardens growing all kinds of trees to preserve its natural beauty. If you are planning your next vacation to Funchal, there are several hotels and resort where you can stay. Regarding your journey, there are many flights to Funchal from almost all the major international airports. Funchal consists of Monte Palace Tropical Garden, Quinta Magnolia, Quinta Das Cruzes, Quinta Palmeira, Santa Catarina Park, Botanical GardenThis property, now belonging to the Blandy family, boasts some of the most valuable and rare exotic plants on the island.

Continue reading... Quinta do Palheiro Ferreiro

Corfu is a great place to be with family and young children if you want to get a taste of Greek culture. Reaching here is easy as the city has an airport of its own and there are some flights to Corfu from several international airports. The Archaeological Museum of Corfu acts like a wide window to the Greek historical background. The museum was constructed from 1962 to 1965 at a location that was provided more as a donation by the Municipality. It was inaugurated later for allowing general public including tourists in 1967. The primary aim of constructing the museum was to store the impassioned Gorgon Medusa classical architecture belonging to the Great Temple from Artemis. The temple was made during 585 B.C. and the remains of the temple were excavated during 1911 close to the monastery called Aghioi Theodori.

Continue reading... Archaeological Museum of Corfu

During the 18th century, a property was bought by Charles Murray, who was also the English Consul at the time. The property was none other than the Monte located to the southern part of the church. It was bought and converted in to a heavenly estate. It was called Quinta do Prazer which means The Pleasure Estate. As the 19th century arrived, a few rich families from Madeira, who had some vast estates themselves, came to live here whenever they came to visit Funchal.

Continue reading... Funchal Monte Palace Tropical Garden

Monastir is city in Tunisia with Sousse and Kairouan as its first colonies that Arab had founded in Ifriqiya. Geographically Monastir is the land with the Mediterranean Sea on its 3 sides forming a peninsula. It also forms a water body of the same name in the south that goes beyond till the Cape of Ras Dimassi . The peninsula brings several different scenic landscapes and beaches with it, where some are rocky and others are sandy. It also has a cliff that spans for almost 6 miles. The Ribat at Monastir, also known as, Ribat of Harthema on the sea side is one of the main tourist locations in Monastir. If historic sites coupled with sandy beaches mean an ideal holiday for you, then you can catch flights to Monastir from any of the major international airports nearest to you.

Continue reading... Monastir Ribat

Windsurfing and Kiteboarding are probably one of the cleanest sports in the world, using no engines and creating absolutely no pollution. The event is a must watch if you plan to come here in end of July. There are several flights to Fuerteventura from almost all the major airports of the world.

Continue reading... Fuerteventura Windsurf

Planning your trip to Funchal. Dont forget to pack your walking shoes for the amazing walking festival held at Madeira. Funchal makes a great place for a holiday all through the year, being a region with sub tropical weather. The Walking Festival held every year in January presents a great opportunity to enjoy the scenic beauty of Madeira in the most natural way possible, that is, by simply walking along the natures trail. Started by writer photographer, Terry Marsh, the festival has become quite popular, attracting several visitors from Europe as well as other parts of the world. The main airport being at Funchal, the only way to reach Madeira is by catching a flight to Funchal. There are several airlines offering their services to Funchal, both through major international airports and via different European cities.

Continue reading... Funchal Madeira Islands Walking Festival

Ibiza is one of the most beautiful islands in Europe. It is also known as Eivissa Vila in Catalan. It forms a part of the 4 Balearic Islands. The densely forested Island with pine trees, towering cliffs, the neat and clean beaches and amazingly blue sea makes Ibiza a holiday destination of choice for many travelers.

Continue reading... Ibiza Carnival Parade

Parga is a tiny town on the seaside with remarkable landscape and architecture, about 62 km from Preveza. Parga attracts several tourists from many European countries such as Italy. Because of its proximity to the surrounding countries it is a favorite weekend destination of Greece. Parga doesnt have an airstrip, thats why flights to Preveza or Athens can be boarded first and then Parga can be reached either by a car or a bus. Aktion and Ioannina, Preveza are the closest airports to Parga, which host internal flights starting from Athens. The town of Parga has great places to visit such as museums, churches completely influenced by the Venetian architecture because of its constant occupation by the Venetians in the past.

Continue reading... Preveza Kanaria Festival of Parga

Cretan weddings are great fun for both the families and they are definitely lavish compared to any of the other weddings. If you get an opportunity to witness a Cretan wedding, you will definitely get to see several ancient, mostly pre Christian traditions being followed in the wedding rituals. For instance, you will find tradition of the serving of braided cinnamon bread sprinkled with some candied fruits. The dough is usually cut in the shape of stars and moons. The amazing aroma of the dough is believed to represent the hopes and joys of togetherness after marriage.

Continue reading... Traditional Cretan Wedding

Zakynthos is known world wide for its wine making. In fact if you truly want to enjoy wine you need to visit Zakynthos during their wine festival. The wine feast is organized during the last week of August through to the first week of September. Throughout the festival you will be tasting excellent wines produced by the residents of the island.

Continue reading... Zakynthos Wine Festival

ARC is the abbreviation used for the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers which is a regular rally held on an international level and is much to do with sailing. The sailing calendar features the cruise every year without fail. Sailing enthusiasts look forward to the cruise and take part to experience the excitement during the event. It is a transatlantic rally that commences from Las Palmas in Gran Canaria on its journey to the Rodney Bay Marina in St Lucia which is a Caribbean island. St.Lucia is a beautiful Island in the Caribbean that has some picturesque views to enjoy. As the cruisers reach the Island they are blinded by the clean blue waters and diverse flora and fauna all over the Island.

Continue reading... Atlantic Rally for Cruisers

Monastir is a city of rich history and varied tradition, and has become a popular destination for tourists coming from all over the world. From historic structures to unique festivals, Monastir is a great place to be at any time of year. If you are planning a trip to the city, there are several flights to Monastir available from Europes major airports.

Continue reading... Monastir Ilinden Days

The yearly carnival is a much awaited event in Arrecife-Lanzarote. Every year the processions are held between 3rd February and 9th March in Arrecife. Arrecife, which also happens to be the capital of the island, is visited by tourists all over the world because of the various festivals celebrated with merriment and enthusiasm. The annual carnival is one of the most famous festivals of the Canary Islands. The festival has been in vogue for a very long time. It is not celebrated only by the residents of the Islands but several tourists across the globe joyfully participate in it.

Continue reading... Arrecife Lanzarote Carnival

With a festa being held almost every weekend, its hard not to bump into one of these during your holiday in Malta. No matter which time of year you visit Malta, you are sure to find at least one festa being organized in one of the villages. Its hard to believe that such a small island can have so many events in a single year. Its strategic location left it bare to several attacks, where the country ended up being ruled by Greek, Roman, French and British rulers. This is probably the reason for its unique culture and a whopping 60 festas held every year from May to September.

Continue reading... Malta Festa - The Village Feast

Picturesque mountains looking down on the sun kissed beach is a typical scene in Tenerife. For an island, the city has very peculiar landscape having one of the highest mountains in Spain, the third largest volcano in the world and tropical forests. Naturally so, these are the most popular attractions of the island, pulling in more than 10 million tourists every year from all over the world. Apart from the beautiful geography, the island also offers lots of entertainment with events such as fiestas and carnivals organized all through the year.

Continue reading... Tenerife Opera Festival

Remarkable gardens, deep blue sea and picturesque landscapes are some of the things that greet you as you enter the city. Surrounded by huge mountains on one side and clear waters on the other, Funchal is truly blessed by nature. Music is an inseparable part of cultural heritage of Portugal, which is amply reflected in the music festivals held in the city.

Continue reading... funchal jazz festival

Santorini is a scenic island dotted with several structures in white and blue.Built on the remains of volcanic eruptions, it is one of the most popular destinations in Greece. Apart from the beaches and places of historical interest, the island is also known for various cultural events and festivals held throughout the year.

Continue reading... Megaro Gyzi Cultural Events Santorini

Continue reading... Easter in Skiathos

The rich history and culture of Kefalonia is marked by the numerous festivals and events held throughout the year. After a round of museums, castles, monasteries and other places of interest, attending the festivals at Kefalonia can be a great addition to your holiday package.

Continue reading... Union of the Ionian Islands

Kefalonia, Greece is one of several islands within the Ionian group of islands. It is the largest island of the group. There are many villages located throughout Kefalonia both in the mountainous terrain and on the coastline. The fine sand beaches with its turquoise waves lure tourists from all over the world to them during the summer months.

Continue reading... Ever thought of a holiday in kefalonia in Greece

If you are a big fan of carnivals, festivals and any forms of parties, then Lanzarote is the place to be. This island hosts a vast number of events for any one calendar year and of course, 2010 is no different. Some of their famous festivities have already occurred, but you can attend those next year if you missed them this year. They are the February carnivals, the festivities for Holy Week at Marchs end, the Day of the Cross celebrations in May, Junes Lanzarotes Corpus Christi celebrations and of course the Heineken Jazz festival which takes place every July.

Continue reading... year-round festivities in lanzarote

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

Although the province is called the same, this small city is located in the St. Mary Island, where the Gambia Rivers meets with the Atlantic Ocean. The island is connected to the rest of the continent by passenger/vehicle ferry and many bridges to the south.

Continue reading... The little city of Banjul

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

Between the 15th and 25th of August, the patron saint of Lanzarote's Capital Arrecife is celebrated in style. During the daytime, much of the activity is concentrated around the El Charco area itself, where traditional island sports such as Canarian sailing and wrestling are celebrated and a new Miss Lanzarote is elected annually. The whole event then culminates in an impressive fireworks display on the main beach promenade on the night of the 25th.

Continue reading... Festa de San Gines and the Juego del Palo

The capital of the Canary Islands, Las Palmas, plays host to the International Festival of Theatre, Music and Dance. The festival is in its fourteenth edition from 8 July to 14 August and has been gaining in strength and recognition every year. Las Palmas is a candidate for the prestigious award of European Capital of Culture for 2016, spurring large investments in everything cultural happening within the city.

Continue reading... Paving the way to becoming European Capital of Culture

Very few things are more glamorous than late summer sailing whilst rubbing shoulders with royalty. Head to Palma de Mallorca in late August as, during the Copa del Rey regatta, 16th to 22nd August, the Spanish Royal family, celebrities and sailing fiends will spill out onto the bay to enjoy a week of the finest Mediterranean sailing by day and glamorous galas by night.

Continue reading... Royal Sailing in Mallorca

How about doing something different for your summer holiday without compromising on some R and R on a sandy beach? If you want to satisfy your environmental conscience and spend some time in the sun, then head to the Greek island of Zakynthos this summer.

Continue reading... Help the turtles in Zakynthos

The ancient Cypriot town of Limassol, visited by Richard the Lionheart in 1191 during the Third Crusade, is the home of the Cyprus Centre of the International Theatre Institute. This was founded in 1977 and hosts the 14th International Festival of Greek Drama from the 1st to the 27th of July.

Continue reading... International Festival of Greek Drama in Limassol

Everyone has heard of bull fighting, but how about camel wrestling? This rather unorthodox and much less gruesome sporting tradition derived from Anatolian semi-nomadic custom survives in the city of Selcuk in Turkey. Known for its proximity to the ruins of Ephesus, Selcuk is the capital of camel wrestling. The national Camel Wrestling Championship takes place in the outskirts of the Aegean coastal city in January - but do plan ahead if you want to catch a glimpse of something extraordinary!

Continue reading... Camel Wrestling in Anatolia

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be a Roman Patrician? Well, in Tunisia, over 2000 years later, you may get a small taster. In the months of July and August, the ancient city of Carthage, the birthplace of the infamous Hannibal, becomes alive with its International Festival.

Continue reading... International Festival of Carthage: party in Phoenician Style

Much the same as their Spanish neighbours, food is a big thing in the Algarve. This popular Portuguese coastal region is peppered with eateries for all pallets and budgets, from local taverns to internationally renowned Michelin starred establishments. The locals however believe that food should not only be tasted, but also celebrated.

Continue reading... An Epicurean's delight in the Algarve

Are you looking for a last minute break with a difference? Are you bored with beach driven holidays? Would you like the chance to experience a traditional Catholic country festival? Then the Mediterranean island of Malta is the place for you.

Continue reading... Two day feasting in Malta: Imnarja-feast of St Peter and St Paul

The Balearic island of Mallorca is known for its hip and happening bars and clubs, its luxurious villas and yachts as well as for being the summer playground of the Spanish Royal family. While basking in the late summer sunshine, this iconic Spanish island deeply steeped in tradition also offers the discerning tourist a chance to experience medieval Spanish custom, and wine, at its best.

Continue reading... Celebrate Spanish wine with the locals: La Festa des Vermar

If your idea of holiday heaven is total R and R, please look away now. Because right now, that's the last thing you'll get in Ibiza, with party season warming up for yet another year and a bevy of banging clubs opening their doors over the next few weekends.

Continue reading... Get the party started in Ibiza

Menorca has tons of great sandy beaches. Punta Prima is a beach resort area in the east of the island and it has many restaurants, bars and mini-supermarkets near the sand. Es Grau has beautiful flora all around it and is quiet and serene. Because it's a grand holiday destination, flythomascook offers flights to Menorca from twelve airports througout the UK.

Continue reading... Menorca

Little Banana Beach has clear water and fine sand. It's a nudist beach but the many beach goers here are clothed, so it welcomes everyone.

Continue reading... The film set of Mamma Mia

With its blue skies and balmy climate, Menorca is a hotspot all summer long. For a guaranteed scorcher of a holiday, though, the time to visit is during the midsummer festival of San Juan held from the 20th to the 24th of June this year, when the island is ablaze with bonfires and fireworks and every school kid is armed with a bagful of bangers!

Continue reading... More Bangers For Your Buck

Lefkas is a beautiful location you'd probably miss if you weren't in Greece on an island hopping trip. Surprisingly, because it technically isn't an island at all. Lefkas was not an island until the locals dug a channel through the sandbanks to sever it from the mainland in the 5th Century BC. Today, it is reattached to the mainland by long causeway and floating bridge that have replaced the original ferry introduced in Roman times by the Emperor Augustus.

Continue reading... Is Lefkas an Ionian Island?

If your only image of the Greek islands is of package holidays, then prepare to have your horizons broadened. From May 15th to June 27th, the island of Rhodes is transported back in time courtesy of the Medieval Rose Festival. Rhodes is an island steeped in history, and the festival is an incredible chance to watch the past come alive in front of your eyes.

Continue reading... The Medieval Rose Festival at Rhodes

From June to August each year, the majestic Greek island of Corfu plays host to the International Festival. Created to demonstrate the rich local heritage of the island, its main events are known as the 'Ionian Concerts' and are a series of music productions designed to mix the traditional music of the islands with more contemporary sounds from Greece and further afield. Expect to see local choirs and philharmonic orchestras rubbing shoulders with modern jazz and swing musicians. The variety of music on offer means that, no matter what your musical tastes, you're guaranteed to find something you can enjoy.

Continue reading... International Festival of Corfu

The waters off the Egyptian holiday resort of Sharm el Sheikh are home to some amazing coral reefs. The authorities in the region are working hard to protect the area with various initiatives.

Continue reading... Coral Reefs at Sharm el Sheikh

Last Friday, a remarkable exhibition was opened on Lara Beach in Turkey, showing over 100 massive sand sculptures by thirty artists from ten different countries all over the world. One of the sculptures is 15 meter tall and depicts several characters from Avatar, the world's most successful film ever. The exhibition is part of the Antalya International Sand Sculpture Festival, and each round, participating sculptors only have a couple of days to turn 7,500 tons of imported sand into art.

Continue reading... Taking Sand to the Beach

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 Castle of San Jose on the island of Lanzarote is the unique setting for a series of concerts taking place over a four month period this year.

Continue reading... Lanzarote Museum Concerts

Less than 3 hours after taking off from the UK you could quite easily be sitting in a street cafe in Naples (or Napoli) on the south west coast of Italy. With return flights taking off from four different UK airports as soon as the ash cloud clears, flythomascook will make this journey very easy again.

Continue reading... A Short Flight to Naples

With flights to Luxor normally leaving the UK from three different airports, there are several options for a trip to this city in the heart of Egypt. Situated on the banks of the Nile, Luxor is famous as a base for the popular river cruises that take tourists up and down the longest river in the world. The Nile, which rises in two places in Ethiopia and East Africa before travelling over 4000 miles and emptying into the Mediterranean, is thought to have been a profound factor in the development of the ancient Egyptian civilisation. Providing not only fertile lands but also a means of transport, it also acted a barrier and defense during times of conflict. As it passes through Luxor the Nile is quite wide and slow flowing and until a bridge was built at a narrower stretch of the river south of the city, ferry boats were the only convenient way of crossing between sides.

Continue reading... Luxor and the heart of Egypt

As a result of the volcanic ash cloud that is still being experienced over UK airspace, we are working closely with National Air Traffic Services and UK airports to understand the position as it develops. The latest information is that UK airspace will not reopen until Saturday the 16th of April, 01.00 am. Holidaymakers should not travel to their UK departure airports at this present time and we will continue to monitor the situation and will update accordingly. We are doing everything we can to assist our customers and further information and updates can be found on our website, www.thomascook.com.

Continue reading... Iceland Volcano Ash - Information Regarding Flights

As well as being an increasingly popular holiday destination, the resort area of Antalya in southern Turkey is also a target destination for organisers of large events that can make use of the facilities in the area. Antalya now has a number of large luxury hotels that can accommodate hundreds of conference delegates and the city also has the modern Antalya Expo Centre, large purpose-built conference venue that hosts all kinds of events throughout the year.

Continue reading... Antalya Welcomes Singers Sports Stars and Scientists

The Canary Islands are still a popular choice for Brits taking an Easter sunshine break. A relatively short flight and almost guaranteed fine weather makes Tenerife one of the safe choices.

Continue reading... Tenerife Events After Easter

Did you stay in to watch Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, and The Goblet of Fire on ABC Family this weekend? And did that get you and the kids in the mood for a magical holiday? Of course you could go to Oxford and view the university buildings where all Hogwarts school scenes were filmed. But though it definitely is an enchanting city, you won't exactly see students flying around on broomsticks. For the real Harry Potter experience, you should visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida.

Continue reading... Play a Part in a Potter Adverture

The island of Tenerife was showcased in a different light on the big screen when a new movie premiered in the UK.

Continue reading... Tenerife on The Big Screen

If you are planning to spend a holiday on the island of Menorca during April then, in addition to the wonderful beaches that are just perfect for lazy days in the sun, the island has plenty of plans for other activities and attractions that will encourage you to get out and about in the countryside and on the water.

Continue reading... Menorca on Land and Sea

For many holiday resorts the off season is often a period of complete downtime as far as events are concerned, but places like Malta always seem to have something going on to interest visitors.

Continue reading... Malta's April Offerings

Everyone is asking when the severe winter weather in the UK, the harshest for the past 30 years, is finally going to let up. But the UK shouldn't feel too bad, because there are plenty of other European countries that have experienced equally poor weather. Countries like Belgium and Germany have also been suffering under very cold, wet and snowy conditions for several weeks now.

Continue reading... Storms Force Tenerife Events To Be Postponed

March was the time when Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt received hundreds of hardy athletes, ready to tackle the 4th annual Sharm El Sheikh Half Marathon.

Continue reading... Half Marathon in Sharm El Sheikh

Refreshing margaritas, Aztec ruins standing side-by-side with modern glass and steel constructions, a vibrant nightlife and a stark contrast between overwhelming wealth and excruciating poverty; that's what Mexico City is all about. It's also the most polluted, most dangerous city in the world, but that's part of the appeal. Because travelling through Mexico is a real adventure, a thrilling, wild and interesting road trip.

Continue reading... Mexico Rocks

Relatively few resorts were promoting large events during march, preferring to wait until the new holiday season really starts at Easter. In Tunisia, music festivals are relatively thin on the ground anyway, so it was unusual to find a new festival taking place during March this year.

Continue reading... Music in Monastir

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

The resort of Puerto de la Cruz on Tenerife's West coast is the venue for a more unusual tradition that is very popular these days. The annual Canarias Infinity Xtreme Race is a type of obstacle course for adults and is certainly a spectacle that anyone in the area at the time is bound to enjoy. The emphasis here is not on professional sports performance, but having as much fun as possible whilst raising money for local causes.

Continue reading... Mad Race in Puerto de la Cruz

Many holiday resorts around Europe will be putting the finishing touches to their summer event plans, with several places set to hold music festivals. These multi-act events usually last several days and can attract huge audiences, especially if the mix of artists caters for a wide range of tastes.

Continue reading... Tenerife Announces April Pop Concert

Unusual Atlantic weather patterns for this time of year may still be rolling into southern Spain and Portugal, but for one traditional event on the Algarve, the inclement weather actually seems rather fitting.

Continue reading... Spring on the Algarve

During the winter period, flythomascook.com offers flights to Paphos in Cyprus from three UK airports, namely London Gatwick, Nottingham East Midlands and Manchester. Once we get to April, however, the schedule adds departures from a further seven airports and lots more flights. There are a number of ex-pats living in Cyprus, so flights from the UK are always popular, but Cyprus also makes a great destination for a winter or early spring break, particularly as the weather can be kind at that time of year.

Continue reading... Approaching Spring in Paphos

Well, for those looking forward to some winter snow, the UK was able to compete with the alpine resorts with their ample blanket of the white stuff during early January. If your preference is for warmer weather, then any of these flythomascook.com winter sun destinations would have provided a stark contrast. In the Gambia, the early January weather in Banjul was hot sunshine, day after day, and daytime highs of 34 degrees Celsius. Short flights to the Gambia from the UK make Banjul a convenient location for UK travellers who prefer to guarantee their winter sunshine, without having to fly to Australia or South Africa.

Continue reading... Sun Not Snow

If you were lucky enough to be enjoying the warmer weather on Cyprus in January then various music and motoring events may have been of interest to you.

Continue reading... Motor Show and Music Sundays in Cyprus

The general slow down in many industry sectors across Europe is not being taken lying down by the tourism authorities responsible for the Balearic islands that include Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca.

Continue reading... Menorca Benefits from Tourism Investment

The tourist authorities of the island of Madeira have recently published a listing of some of their most significant cultural events for 2010.

Continue reading... Madeira Publicises 2010 Events

Beaches and nightclubs may grab most of the holiday headlines when Ibiza is mentioned but during January and March the island's Flower Power and Hippy era is centre stage at two of the island's festivals.

Continue reading... Flower Power On Ibiza

The opening date for the newest luxury hotel in Antalya, Turkey has been set for March 2010.

Continue reading... New Luxury Hotel For Antalya

The carnival season is an important time of the year in Gran Canaria and because the resort of Maspalomas and the capital Las Palmas are the two biggest towns on the island, it is not surprising that the most spectacular carnivals are held there. We will cover those events in more detail as they approach, but there are also other towns on the island that host their own programmes.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Celebrations

Most people choose to fly to Tenerife for their holidays, but for the 3000 passengers on one of the world's biggest cruise ships, Santa Cruz de Tenerife was a stopping point on their sea voyage that started in Barcelona during December 2009 and had already visited Casablanca before leaving the Mediterranean to head for the Canaries.

Continue reading... Tenerife Welcomes World's Biggest Cruise Ship

Gran Canaria's 11th International Film Festival is held between the 12th and 20th March 2010. The event which has graced the island since the year 2000 claims not to be seeking to duplicate its more famous counterparts in places like Cannes. The organisers are aiming a whole different segment of the cinema market and are looking to support the creative sector of the independent film industry. Don't expect to find any of the mainstream films that grace the cinemas up and down the country every week, the productions on show at this festival will be more leftfield, more unusual, more boundary-breaking than normal. They even describe some of the entries as bizarre and marginal.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Film festival

If we are talking about the January weather in the UK too much, it's because it seems to be the only talking point around at the moment but also because it provides a stark contrast to the conditions in many of our winter sun destinations.

Continue reading... A Far Cry From Fuerteventura

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

When Malta puts on events, they are normally very ambitious. For such a small island you do wonder where they get all this desire to host big promotions. From music concerts and sporting events to international trade fairs and cultural celebrations, things are not done by halves in Malta.

Continue reading... Chess, Opera, Jazz and Pop on Malta

The operators of Antalya airport in Turkey, which acts as a gateway for tourists travelling to this part of the Turkish Mediterranean coastline, have announced a series of improvements including an improved domestic terminal which is set to open before the end of March.

Continue reading... Antalya Airport Improvements

Tenerife is dependent on tourism for much of its commercial activity and is working hard to overcome the issues presented by the recession. Resort improvements and hotel renovations are taking place all over the island. Reduced consumer spending power has meant a drop in tourist numbers for many destinations across Europe, with some places seeing as much as a quarter of previous trade disappearing.

Continue reading... Tenerife Counts Tourism Figures

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

Add running to your next holiday. More and more people seem to be turning to the sport of running as a method of keeping fit and healthy. As far as equipment is concerned running comes a close second to swimming for not needing any expensive or specialist kit.

Continue reading... Running on Malta and Ibiza

If you travel to the island of Menorca during January for a quiet winter sun break and you may stumble across an unexpected national celebration.

Continue reading... Celebrate National Day On Menorca

If you are visiting Mallorca and like to eat out in the best restaurants then a visit to one of the island's top eateries ought to be on your schedule.

Continue reading... Michelin Star Restaurants in Mallorca

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

A spectacular kite flying day took place in San Antonio, Ibiza on the 25th January 2009. This traditional event is part of the town's month-long fiesta programme and sees hundreds of kites, of all shapes and sizes, take to the air from the town's beaches.

Continue reading... Ibiza Kite Flying Day

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

The Corfu Trail was established as a way of seeing some of the forgotten highlights of the island. The full length of the trail is over 80 miles, so would present a serious challenge even to an experienced walker, but taken in sections or with the help of a guided trip, it will take walkers to some of the prettiest villages on the island and through some of the most spectacular scenery.

Continue reading... Walk The Trail in Corfu

Some of the big sporting events in Lanzarote during 2010 have been announced and are already attracting entries from competitors.

Continue reading... Sport 2010 on Lanzarote

Lanzarote's Open de Canarias de Ala Delta hang gliding competition took place between the 6th and 12th December this year.

Continue reading... International Hang Gliding on Lanzarote

The normally quiet town of La Oratova on Tenerife opened its doors to the La Semana de Juventud y Cultura or Youth and Culture Week that concluded on 23rd October.

Continue reading... Tenerife Youth Culture Week

We knew that Turkey was gaining in popularity as more people discovered the attractions of the Mugla area on the southern coast on the country. The coastline has a number of established holiday resorts with others developing rapidly under the close control of the local tourist authorities. The weather in this part of the Mediterranean is amongst the best in Europe as far as warm sunny days go.

Continue reading... Turkey Celebrates Successful Travel Year

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

New Years Eve celebrations seem to be getting bigger and bigger every year. London now stages a major public fireworks display, centred on the London Eye on the Thames, while TV news broadcasts always show the New Year being welcomed in different parts of the world. These reports usually show fireworks displays in Edinburgh, Paris, Sydney, Copacabana beach, Hong Kong and or the million or so revelers who converge on Times Square in New York. The New York celebrations are interesting as they first started in 1904 to commemorate the opening of the New York Times' new offices, when 200,000 people came to enjoy an all-day party put on by the newspaper. It is now estimated that 1 billion people worldwide watch the Times Square celebrations.

Continue reading... New Years Eve on the Algarve

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

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

The islands of Tenerife and Lanzarote are no strangers to the international film industry. Tenerife hosts an international film festival, the next edition of which happens in June 2010 and the islands have also been used numerous times in films such as The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy and also several episodes of Dr Who.

Continue reading... Film Crew in the Canaries

Mention International Film Festivals and places like Cannes, Berlin, Edinburgh and Moscow spring to mind. But there are many other festivals celebrating the work of filmmakers and the island of Madeira hosts its own event which has slowly been growing in stature since it first started four years ago.

Continue reading... Funchal International Cinema Festival

During October the St Peters Singers, a fifty strong chamber choir from Leeds, England performed a number of concerts during a short tour of the island of Mallorca.

Continue reading... St Peters Singers in Palma

This local festival first started back in 2006, despite its name which would indicate it dates back much further than that. The content however does look back many years to the ancient traditions of an island that has plenty of history to recall.

Continue reading... Ayia Napa Medieval Festival

New plans for upgrading the airport at Chania on Crete are being made public at last. The Chania airport in western Crete is one of two operational charter flight airports at the moment. The other is at Heraklion, on the central northern coast and is the larger of the two, although there are plans to upgrade the airport at Sitia in eastern Crete to provide a third airport in the future.

Continue reading... Crete Airport Upgrade Plans

Mallorca's three month long Jazz Voyeur Festival continues at the Conservatori venue in Palma with four interesting concerts during November.

Continue reading... International Jazz in Palma Mallorca

If your family is one of the many that are now finding surfing to be the perfect component of an activity holiday then your choice of location is very important. The Algarve coast in Portugal between Faro and Lagos has some of the best family surfing beaches in Europe.

Continue reading... Family Surfing in The Algarve

Depending on which report you read, the number of tourists travelling to Turkey this year has increased by between 10 and 15 per cent.There are a number of reasons suggested for this but there is no doubt that the Turkish authorities are seeing a fantastic opportunity for their country and are doing all they can to make the most of it.

Continue reading... Bodrum enjoys more Tourism

The Turkish resort of Marmaris has used its special location on the coast to become a central hub of tourism, but just along the coast there are many more secrets to uncover.

Continue reading... Along the Coast from Marmaris

A year has passed since the new Beijing airport opened its doors to travellers ahead of the Summer Olympic Games and the stunning design is just one of many airport buildings to have been designed by famous architects.

Continue reading... Famous Architects Feature in New Airport Designs