Colourful costumes, street parades, plenty of parties and of course great food and drink are the ingredients for most carnival events and things are not too different on Ibiza. For five days during February the main towns on the island seem to stop work and get down to the serious business of letting their hair down. If you can't quite imagine what goes on there, then think back to the best fancy dress party you ever went to and multiply it by a factor of ten. Everyone, whether part of an organised group in the parade or just watching from the pavements, is encouraged to dress as brightly, even as outrageously, as possible.

Continue reading... Ibiza Celebrations

During the Summer months, many of our passengers on flights to Ibiza travel to the island to enjoy the thriving nightlife as much as the sun and beaches. The six months or more between the time when most of the clubs close in October through to their reopening in May and June may seem a lifetime, but many will already be planning their trips at this time of year to get the best deals.

Continue reading... Ibiza Summer 2010

Recently we reported on a series of Flamenco concerts taking place in the Canary Islands during February. Perhaps it's that time of year but there was also a brace of Flamenco concerts which took place in Faro on the Algarve at the 6th Flamenco Festival in early February.

Continue reading... Flamenco in Faro

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

The Spanish music style of Flamenco is the kind of music played during traditional dances with performers dressed in stylish costume. The ladies wear long flowing skirts while the men dress in outfits that symbolise the attire normally associated with bullfighting. But in Spain, Flamenco is better known as a form of music rather than a dance. The castanets, or palillos as they are known locally, are small-hand held percussion instruments usually played in pairs.

Continue reading... Shake Out Your Castanets in The Canaries

Tree blossom brings a welcome boost of colour to UK trees in spring, but for Mediterranean islands like Mallorca and Menorca, as well as the islands of the Canaries, spring blossom arrives a little earlier in February thanks to the almond trees.

Continue reading... Almond Blossom In February

Since beach volleyball became part of the Olympics in 1996, its popularity has boomed. In October last year, Tenerife hosted a top level mens tournament at Siam Park.

Continue reading... International Volleyball in Tenerife

The Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh is best known as a winter sun destination and a favourite location for Scuba divers, but other, more unusual, events also find their place there.

Continue reading... Unusual Events in Sharm

In Cyprus the resort of Larnaca always does its best to make use of the great weather it benefits from. Outdoor activities are the norm here from dance festivals to concerts and theatre performances. If it can take place outdoors, then in Larnaca it always does.

Continue reading... Life in the Open Air in Larnaca

Barely a day goes by in Larnaca without some kind of cultural, artistic or sporting event taking place, even during the quieter months of the holiday season. We have already reported on the classical music concerts being performed by the island's Symphony Orchestra and the visit by one of China's best-known international dance troupes, both were in early October.

Continue reading... October Culture in Larnaca

The sun is already shining on Mallorca and the island hasn't even got to its main event of the year yet. Just like all Spanish towns, Palma's biggest festive event took place, not on 25th December, but on 6th January.

Continue reading... New Year Arts in Mallorca

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

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

The Turkish holiday resort of Antalya hosted its first ever folk festival during early December this year.

Continue reading... Antalya Hosts First Folk Festival

The small island of Gozo, which sits off the North Western corner of Malta, hosted its annual Festival Mediterranea at the end of October and beginning of November.

Continue reading... Festival Mediterranea on Gozo

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

Choir festivals and competitions are a feature of the social calendar for a number of holiday destinations around Europe. This year it started on the 29th October with Malta's 4th International Choir Competition and Festival taking place using various locations around the island. Malta is fortunate to have an expansive choice of concert venues, with there being 365 churches on the island.

Continue reading... Choir Competition and Festival on Malta

The town of Sa Pobla is one of the larger towns in Northern Mallorca, but being situated around 20 miles to the north of Palma and set inland it doesn't receive much attention from tourists visiting the island. This is a town populated largely by native Mallorcans, without the abundance of holiday homes that are a feature of some of the more picturesque parts of the island. The main industry around Sa Pobla is agriculture and the flat countryside around the town is a patchwork of well cultivated fields growing all kinds of produce.

Continue reading... Sa Pobla Autumn Fair

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

The Teatro das Figuras in Faro was the venue for a Dance Gala evening on the 10th of October 2009.

Continue reading... International Dance Gala in Faro

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

Continue reading... Ibiza Clubs Round Off 2009 Season

Gran Canaria in October is much the same as Gran Canaria in September and November. The usual warm Autumn weather, lots of tourists arriving on the island for a late summer break and plenty of things going on. However the first weekend of October this year did seem to have an unusual combination of events on the calendar.

Continue reading... Cheese, Rock and Art Celebrations

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

September is a wonderful month to spend some time in Cyprus and this year was no different. The very hot days of the high summer are gone and milder weather, together with a wide selection of cultural events, make the island a pleasant place to spend a week or two.

Continue reading... September Events in Cyprus

During September the island of Fuerteventura celebrated one of its most important annual festivals.

Continue reading... Fuerteventuras Lady of the Rock

The Canary Islands International Jazz Festival was in full swing this year kicking off with a series of great performances where the beach at Telde on Gran Canaria and Puerto de la Cruz on the north coast of Tenerife both played host for opening night concerts.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria and Tenerife Open Jazz Festival

Mallorca has a fine reputation as a summer beach holiday destination however there is a lot more to this amazing island than just fine beaches and holiday resorts.

Continue reading... Felanitx Festival in Mallorca

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

September saw the promotion of the Kypria Festival, with events in all the major towns of Cyprus during the month.

Continue reading... Kypria Festival on Cyprus

Exposaldo 09, an annual retail sale, took place in Santa Cruz de Tenerife this year. The event took place in the International Fair and Congress Centre which is located on the coast in the centre of Santa Cruz close to the Tenerife Auditorium and the Parque Maritimo, an outdoor swimming and leisure complex. The Fair and Congress Centre, which opened in 1996, is an impressive architectural building which was designed by the famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Calatrava also designed the spectacular auditorium nearby which features an amazing arching wing that hangs over the top of the structure. In June the auditorium put on a mix of events including jazz, ballet, classical and dance productions. In July, The Pretenders performed a concert and later in the year, in December, the hit musical Mama Mia comes to town.

Continue reading... Pick up a Bargain in Tenerife This Week

The beachfront area in Palma, Mallorca played host to an exciting surf event at the end of August.

Continue reading... Mallorca Surf Action 2009

The island of Kos celebrates a series of cultural events during the summer, with many having their roots in the ancient past that defines this island. Local produce is also important to this island and several events profile the traditional products of local farmers and producers. These include the fish and wine festivals during early August in the port of Mastichari and the Ouzo Festival in Kefalos. Also during August is an evening of traditional Greek dancing in the harbour area of Kefalos and a celebration of dance and traditional music at the harbour in Kardamena.

Continue reading... Honey and Wine Festivals on Kos

Set aside your preconceptions about Rhodes and its hard partying image. Rhodes is supremely picturesque, a predominantly slow-paced sanctuary of sunshine,beaches, and ancient history with lots of natural beauty to behold. Rhodes holds a timeless appeal with visitors.

Continue reading... Rhodes - Part 1

Besides water sports, Sharm el Sheikh also offers plenty of hiking, horseback riding and camel riding trails, golf courses, quad biking outlets and water parks.

Continue reading... Sharm Part 2

The town of Polis lies 20miles north of Paphos in the north west of Cyprus. It is a popular town with visitors to the island and the local community provides an interesting selection of artistic and cultural events for tourists to enjoy during there stay in the area.

Continue reading... Summer Nights in Polis near Paphos

The 7th Bodrum Ballet Festival is scheduled to take place in August this year, with the historical Bodrum Castle being the main venue.

Continue reading... Bodrum Ballet Festival

Art and Culture lovers are well catered for in Cyprus with plenty of events being promoted all over the island to showcase music, dance, theatre and other forms. Typically the major towns of Limassol and Nicosia are home to most of the promotions with venues like the Municipal Theatre, the Medieval Castle and the Athletics Stadium, all in Limassol, being ideally suited for different sized events. The big summer concert this year at the stadium in Limassol features American rock musician Alice Cooper who comes to the island as the last date on the first European leg of his "Theater Of Death" tour. Cooper then moves onto the States and Australia in August and September, before coming to the UK in November and December.

Continue reading... Concerts and Ballet in Cyprus

Over four days in July the Moto Club Faro holds its annual Bike Meet on the Concentration Showground right next to Faro airport.

Continue reading... Bike Meet in Faro during July

The towering Bellver Castle, situated in the woods high above the city of Palma in Mallorca, is home to an annual music festival during July.

Continue reading... Music Towers above Palma

Rediscover the true Crete: Beyond the noisy, crowded resorts lies the true heart of Crete which encompasses stunning regional flavours, exceptional land and sea scapes, and the hustle and bustle of traditional village life.

Continue reading... Crete Part 1

July and August is the time when many towns in Cyprus hold their annuals cultural festivals.Paphos in the west of the island is currently hosting a festival of ancient Greek theatre with numerous performances of famous Greek plays being performed in the outdoor amphitheatre in the town. In Larnaca the festival is more varied but also includes performances of ancient Greek Theatre.

Continue reading... Larnaca Festival during July

The festival is being organised by the Cyprus Centre of International Theatre, which was founded in 1977 to promote theatre on the island. During the month of July eight different theatre groups will be welcomed to the island with performances taking place at venues in Paphos, Limassol and Nicosia. Prices for each performance are 17 Euros.

Continue reading... Paphos venue for celebration of Drama

Holidays in Turkey are certainly increasingly popular with some remarkable beaches, luxury resorts and a spectacular coastline that changes from developed tourist destination to isolated countryside at the turn of a peninsula. At the western end of the south coast, between the Gulfs of Gulluk and Gokova, lies the city of Bodrum. Although it is surrounded by a varied choice of smaller holiday resorts, Bodrum itself is a popular location that offers an eclectic mix of ancient culture, indulgence in luxury and exciting modern trends. By day Bodrum revolves around two attractive bays, a busy marina full of luxury yachts, an ancient castle and long, palm-shaded promenades. By night in Bodrum comes alive with hundreds of bars and restaurants, outdoor socialising and some of Europe's most exciting nightclubs.

Continue reading... Bodrum Comes Alive at Night

Theatre productions, film showings, conferences, even a tea dance; these are just some of the events that form part of a special Agatha Christie week in Tenerife starting on 5th June 2009.

Continue reading... Agatha Christie Week in Tenerife

With an abundance of ancient ruins, rich cultural traditions and panoramic beaches, Larnaca is an irresistable holiday destination. Holidaying in Larnaca means never having to choose between a beach vacation and a cultural experience because Larnaca is blessed with both: truly magnificent beaches and some of the ancient world's most riveting historical sites.

Continue reading... Larnaca - Cyprus - Part 1

Travel half an hour East from Faro on the Algarve and you will arrive at the old town of Tavira, a place that ranks alongside Lagos in architectural significance on this stretch of the Portuguese coast.

Continue reading... Festival in the Old Town of Tavira

The town of Larnanca in Cyprus is famous for all kinds of reasons. It has a large modern airport, is a popular destination for holidaymakers from all over Europe and also hosts a large Summer festival that features all kinds of music, dance and theatrical events. Many international performers are booked for this year's festivities.

Continue reading... Larnaca Prepares for Summer Season