With snow slowly creeping across parts of the UK, what better time to escape in search of some winter sun? If you can't decide where to go, here are just a few suggestions.

Continue reading... Top 5 Locations In The World For Winter Sun

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

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

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

Continue reading... December in Gran Canaria

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

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

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

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

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

Continue reading... Father Christmas in Faro

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

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

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

Continue reading... Christmas at Playa De Las Americas

The main attractions for 2011 also include the Atayde Brothers Circus. This record-breaking circus, established over a century ago, has performed globally and boasts some of Central and South America's greatest acrobats and gymnasts as well as 7 Bengal tigers. More theatrical entertainment comes from the foremost Latin American magician and illusionist Eriko Trevensoli. Trevensoli's Extreme Magic Show promises mind boggling illusions, involving motorbikes and deadly animals, as well as a death-defying finale. There will also be a, more peaceful, aquatic show at the 'Dolphinarium' where dolphins, seals and a variety other marine animals perform to an arena of guests.

Continue reading... Feria Yucatan Xmatkuil 2011 - A Traditional Celebration of Contemporary Mexican Culture

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 island of Ibiza is a perfect location for water sports as the water temperatures between May and August tends to be between eighteen and twenty six degrees so grab your goggles and flights to ibiza. This island is perfect for a wide range of different water sports that includes jet skiing, water skiing, sailing, parasailing, relaxing pedalo and also banana boats to name some of the many water sports that are on offer within this area.

Continue reading... Water Sports in Ibiza

Crete is one of the lively places in Greece and people here very joyfully celebrate a lot of festivals throughout the year. They are a lot into celebrating festivals concerned with the harvest of crops and fruits, hence the names of many of its festivals as the orange harvest, sultana and raisin season and the chestnut picking. Festivals here will provide even the visitors from other countries an opportunity to have the taste of this years harvest. Traveling to Crete at this time of the year is even better as Christmas is here. There are regular flights to Crete as well. But if you are not able to reach Crete in December or January, be sure to be in Crete in February for the Shrove Monday.

Continue reading... Shrove Monday in Crete

The people of Zante, Greece certainly know how to make any celebration lively. If you are planning a holiday then Zante is a place to be during Christmas, New Year and Epiphany. Zante is accessible by air and there are several flights to Zante from popular locations in the world. Although there are several opportunities spread across the whole year but the end and beginning of the year is somehow more special because of the joyous Christmas and the freshness of the New Year.

Continue reading... Christmas and the Epiphany in Zante

Bodrum will prove to be a good change from your hectic schedules and monotonous routines. Bodrum has a plethora of attractive activities lined up for visitors. You can catch flights to Bodrum from many European countries. One of the main attractions of Bodrum is its lively festivals held almost every month. One of the famous festivals is Bodrum Jazz Days that span almost the entire month of December from 9th to 27th.

Continue reading... Bodrum Jazz Days

Its not too late to think about your Christmas vacation and if you are keen on spending it somewhere in Spain then Gran Canaria would be a great choice. It would be a good option not just because there are frequent flights to the Gran Canaria but also because of the variety of places to visit and festivities to enjoy especially from December to January. When Christmas is just around the corner, you should better book your tickets in advance.

Continue reading... Christmas in Gran Canaria

Zante has its history influenced by numerous cultures as it has been occupied by various foreign rulers. Thats the reason the architecture of Zante too shows traces of different cultures. The architecture forms a huge part of the citys history. If you are planning a vacation in Zante then get ready to be mesmerized by its magnificent churches, museums and Baroque as well as Renaissance style buildings. A lot of these cultures are still prevalent in Zante in form of the islands rich local food, art, culture, as well as peoples temperament. Zante is accessible by air and there are several daily flights to Zante.

Continue reading... Grigorios Xenopoulos Museum in Zante

Palma is dated back to the initial Roman settlement that inhabited the present day city of Palma, although the region primarily belonged to the Bronze Age settlements that inhabited the same site. After the initial settlements the region was invaded by Arabs, who kept Madina Mayurqa as its name. King Jaime I who ruled the regions of Aragon and Valencia conquered it in 1229. At this time Palma had become significant for trade but ongoing raids by the Turkish pirates during the 17th century robbed the city of its trade centre. The settlement regained its balance only when Charles III revived the trade with the Indies.

Continue reading... The Arab Baths in Palma de Mallorca

Spain has not really been known for pyramids but as you arrive via flights to Tenerife airport, head straight for a town called Guimar to view some of these amazing tombs. Guimar is a coastal town located towards eastern end of Tenerife. In case you need a break from the same old beaches and wish to take dive in the historical mysteries, Guimar will definitely offer you an amazing one. Most researchers, archaeologists and anthropologists have been bewildered by these pyramids since they were uncovered and identified as pyramids in 1991. The place opens for visitors everyday from 9.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. The only days it is closed is December 25th and January 1st every year.

Continue reading... The Guimar Pyramids

The Panerai trophy is a Classic Sailing Regatta at Menorca. It is an event that involves keeping a close eye on the points that the vessels score depending on the way they perform in the different races among them. Vessels from the Spanish period and the Classic ones are free to participate in the Championship to win the Panerai Trophy. The race is conducted at the island of Menorca.

Continue reading... Panerai trophy Menorca

The Tenerife Wine Route is an association that is not for profit. It was established in 2005 and consists of close to 50 members. The aim behind its establishment is to generate awareness about the traditional and cultural wine growing that forms part of Tenerifes heritage. Foreign visitors who want to experience something unique can hop on to this bus. It is indeed a welcome tourist option that not just promotes Tenerifes wines but also takes you to the nitty gritties of running vineyards and preparing wines. There are several flights to Tenerife from many parts of the world. From London you can reach Tenerife through Thomas cook flights. You can also fly from Liverpool to Tenerife through Ryanair airlines.

Continue reading... Tenerife Wine Bus

Continue reading... Easter in Skiathos

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

Anatalya, Turkey actually celebrates every national festival and other important events, therefore if you plan to visit or spend your vacation there, you will get to enjoy all the festivities that Turkey has to offer. They even celebrate the events that are derived from the Islamic calendar. Antalya, however also have its own festivals that it celebrates that are meant for and celebrated to highlight the city and its own characteristics and culture.

Continue reading... Fun, Frolic and Food in Antalya

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

Palma is the capital of Mallorca and is a fantastic place to visit, whether you are sightseeing, shopping or just taking in the sun and chilling out in one of the many bars and cafes.

Continue reading... Palma Mallorca Jazz

The world's biggest optical telescope will celebrate its first birhtday. In July 2009, the Gran Telescopio Canarias was completed on the island of La Palma.

Continue reading... Biggest Telescope in the World celebrates 1st birthday

Tenerife is the largest island of the Canary Islands. It is reported to be a favourite wedding location and honeymoon destination. The island's climate is fantastic albeit somewhat predictable, as there is no large difference in the temperature between the summer and the winter (around 25-30 C/ 77-86 F). You're guaranteed to find a good number of flights to Tenerife any time of the year.

Continue reading... Discover the Secret Bliss of Tenerife

When thinking of Sri Lanka, the first things that come to mind are aromatic coffee, images of palm-fringed beaches and, unfortunately, the tsunami of 26th December 2004 and the bitter civil war between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority that lasted for 25 years before finally coming to an end in May last year.

Continue reading... Light of Hope for Sri Lanka

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

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

Tourists on Gran Canaria during December may have been lucky enough to witness one of the more unusual events on the island.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Winter Solstice

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

As well as many tourists from Britain, the Canary Islands are also popular with Scandinavian visitors, who probably also value the region's mild winter weather as means of escape from their naturally cold climate at home. Take the Swedish for example who have a shorter working week than anywhere else in Europe and, according to a 2008 study, take an average 33 days annual leave each year, much higher than the European average of 25.2 days. The Danes and Germans are both calculated to have 30 days annual leave, while in the UK, workers have to make do with a meagre 24.7 days, ranking them only 13th in Europe. Estonia and Cyprus come bottom with only 20 days per year.

Continue reading... St Lucia Day on Gran Canaria

Discovering that you're one of the top ten contenders in line for Britain's most prestigious sports award might be enough to persuade most people to venture up the motorway to Sheffield. For Jenson Button and Mark Cavendish the journey to the BBC awards night was a little longer, as earlier in the month they were both on the island of Lanzarote getting in some warm weather training.

Continue reading... Sports Celebrities in Lanzarote

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

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

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

Continue reading... Funchal's Shortest Day

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

Continue reading... End Of Year Events On Cyprus

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

Continue reading... December Culture in Larnaca and Paphos

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

Continue reading... Christmas on Ibiza

The 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

The first weekend of December saw the skies of Tenerife filled with colourful paragliders as the island hosted an international competition.

Continue reading... Paragliders in Tenerife

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 La Gomera, one of the less well known of the Canaries that lies just off the west coast of Tenerife, is the start point for a rowing challenge that calls itself the 'World's Toughest Rowing Race'.

Continue reading... Rowers depart Canaries on Marathon Journey

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

Continue reading... Christmas Events on Malta

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

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

Continue reading... Music Variety in Mallorca During December

Whilst many European holiday resorts go through a quite spell before the start of the festive holiday period in mid December, Tenerife still has plenty of activities and events to interest visitors during November and early December.

Continue reading... Forthcoming Events on Tenerife

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

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

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

Continue reading... Mallorca's Seasonal Shift

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

Continue reading... Lanzarote Christmas

For the first time Banjul,in The Gambia, will host its Fine Arts Festival to run for two weeks from 4th January 2010. The organiser of the event, Yusupha Kula, claims to be taking a small, local art show and transforming into a fine art festival that will attract up to 150,000 visitors and showcase talented and emerging artists from all over the world.

Continue reading... Banjul Fine Arts Festival

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

Continue reading... Special Authentic Christmas in Palma Mallorca

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

Continue reading... The Algarve During November and December

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

Continue reading... Christmas Fairs and Markets

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

Does the name Meadowlark ring any bells with you? Maybe not, but if you were a watcher of children's TV back in the 1970's the name may start to awaken some fond memories of your carefree childhood days. Meadowlark was one of the happy-go-lucky characters in the children's Hanna-Barbera cartoon representation of the famous Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. That team became a worldwide phenomenon at the time and the current members of the team are still pleasing audiences around the world today. Their recent international tour included visits to the islands of Gran Canaria and Tenerife. The team made one of their final appearances of the current tour when they performed in Monastir , Tunisia on the 16th October at the Pavillion Salle Couverter.

Continue reading... Harlem Globetrotters on Tour

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

Cars of all shapes, sizes and age will depart Plymouth in England during December on a long journey to Banjul in The Gambia.

Continue reading... Plymouth Banjul Rally

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

Turkey provided the world of Formula 1 with a great track, warm weather and fantastic spectacle, but the teams did seem to struggle with the hot track that warmed up to over 50 degrees Celsius during the event and tested the car's tyres to the limit. The air temperature was a very nice 30 degrees and those forced to sit in uncovered stands decided to take to the shade, hence the empty spaces that appeared around the track.

Continue reading... Hot Work in Turkey for Drivers