The Atlantic beaches of Gambia are soft, sandy and superb for sunbathing. But the country has so much more to offer than its captivating coast. On a typical day near the coast, you can both chill on a white beach, go for a boat trip along the Hallehein river and explore the rich forest with its stunning flora and fauna. All that without stress. But it's the cultural wealth and warm hearts of the natives that make Gambia a place you'll want to return to.

Continue reading... Get to know the spiritual wealth of Gambia

For cinema lovers, Orlando is the place to be this April. As a result of its moderate climate and year-round sunshine, this area has a long film history. But now is the time to book flights to Florida, because the Florida Film Festival 2010 is promising to be an unforgettable experience.

Continue reading... Film Fanatics visit Florida

When you drive into Palma de Mallorca from the east you pass by one of the city's largest but perhaps most perplexing buildings. The huge La Seu Cathedral sits almost uncomfortably on the sea front with busy roads passing close by and only a man-made lake and a narrow strip of parkland separating it from the lines of traffic. It's size also makes it look unwieldy against the surrounding architecture, almost as if it was placed there temporarily until a more fitting location could be found.

Continue reading... Palma's La Seu Cathedral

For many people, primarily those who have never been there, Mallorca creates the impression of being a typical beach-based resort, often filled with rowdy twenty-somethings on a cheap week away, but for those who have visited the island and ventured away from the one of two resorts that seem to make the holiday headlines, Mallorca is a real jewel in the Mediterranean.

Continue reading... Mallorca Has Hidden Charms

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

Forgive us for mentioning carnival events yet again, but for our travellers to Lanzarote, here is a review of the island's carnival events which kicked off on Saturday the 13th of February. There were also some events in the period leading up to this date including a children's fiesta and a series of plays.

Continue reading... Lanzarote Prepares To Celebrate

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

Continue reading... January Algarve Events

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 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

For an alternative winter sun getaway why not consider Funchal on the island of Madeira. The typical winter sun locations like Malta, Egypt or the Canary Islands like Tenerife, Gran Canaria or Lanzarote are all popular destinations for those seeking to spend a week or two escaping from the UK winter weather, but the island of Madeira is also a great option.

Continue reading... Funchal For February

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

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

While many towns and cities across Spain are gearing up for their annual carnivals during February and March, the island of Mallorca steals a march on them with its Fiesta of San Sebastian during January.

Continue reading... Celebrate San Sebastian in Mallorca

There may have been a big freeze across northern Europe at the beginning of January but the attractions for tourists soaking up the sun in Gran Canaria were added to on 8th January when the Canary Islands Music Festival started in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Canary Islands Music Festival Schedule

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

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

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

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

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

The holiday island of Lanzarote organised a group of marathons with a difference in October 2009, where musical accompaniment was the main feature of running events aimed at athletes of all abilities.

Continue reading... Music Marathon on Lanzarote

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

When the big nightclubs on Ibiza are approaching the end of their long season the island is gearing up for a ten day Jetski festival that will attract riders from all over Europe.

Continue reading... Jetski Festival in Ibiza

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 Gran Canaria International Marathon took place on the 24th January 2010. Local council and tourism authorities saw the potential of hosting an international marathon race after witnessing what they called the "magnetic" effect of similar races in other Spanish cities. They quoted the success of cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Saragossa and Palma de Mallorca as some of those that have put on marathon races and attracted huge crowds in addition to the runners themselves. For Gran Canaria the obvious choice was to make the most of the island's mild winter weather and entice runners to take part in one of the only European marathons to be held during January.

Continue reading... Countdown to Gran Canaria Marathon

During January Tenerife hosts the Festival de Musica de Canarias, a celebration of classical music that first started in 1985.

Continue reading... Music Festival 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

Continue reading... Florida Festivals in Autumn

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

Continue reading... Madeira Food Focus

You are never too far away from a classical music performance in the town of Palma de Mallorca. The cultural roots of this town are deep in Mallorca and all forms of music are frequently represented on the event calendar. From the annual Chopin Piano Festival in Valldemossa to the outdoor summer concerts at the towering Bellver Castle in Palma, Mallorca has more than its share of inspirational venues too.

Continue reading... Mallorca Gets Classical

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

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

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

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

The normally quiet town of Inca, lying 17 miles north east of Palma on the island of Mallorca, suddenly became the centre of attention during November. The Autumn fairs of Inca are traditional events that go back many years and attract huge crowds over the 4 weekends which started on 24th October.

Continue reading... Dijous Bo on Mallorca

The Canaries version of the WOMAD Festival took place from 12th to 15th November in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... WOMAD Festival in Gran Canaria

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

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

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

Plan ahead now if you have Disney's World Marathon Weekend in mind for January. The Walt Disney World Resort in Florida will be the stage for a 4 day running festival planned to take place between 7th and 10th January 2010. Taking alongside the running events is a health and fitness expo or exhibition. With an accent on family fun, the marathon weekend runs start on Friday with a short 5 kilometer race for all the family.

Continue reading... Disney World Marathon Week

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

Continue reading... Planning for 2010 in Gran Canaria

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

The island of Fuerteventura has a long history of successful agriculture, so what better way to sample some of that produce than to try some traditional Fuerteventuran dishes during your visit.

Continue reading... Fuerteventura Food Tradition

The Mallorca Festival of Music has now concluded, its two final concerts were held in October and November.

Continue reading... Mallorca Festival of Music

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

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

In Europe the Autumn period seems to be the time when many areas host festivals celebrating local produce and cuisine. A little research has revealed that food fairs are now held in many popular tourist areas at the end of the summer season and serve to provide visitors with a taste of local cuisine and traditions.

Continue reading... Food Fairs in Autumn

A beach together with a bucket and spade will normally lead to some sort of sand castle eventually, but have you ever seen a professional sand sculptor in action? They are able to create things you would not have thought possible. We've seen them in places like the beaches of Cannes and Mallorca, but now Antalya in Turkey has its own Sand Sculpture festival which has proved to be very popular.

Continue reading... Sand Castles in Antalya

One of the more esoteric events on Tenerife this Autumn was the Tenerife Tattoo Fest, which took place for the second time this year on the 7th and 8th November.

Continue reading... Tenerife Tattoo Fest

Colourful skies were promised at the annual Fuerteventura Kite Festival in November this year.

Continue reading... Fuerteventura Kite Festival

Plan ahead now if you have Disney's World Marathon Weekend in mind for January. The Walt Disney World Resort in Florida will be the stage for a 4 day running festival planned to take place between 7th and 10th January 2010. Taking alongside the running events is a health and fitness expo or exhibition. With an accent on family fun, the marathon weekend runs start on Friday with a short 5 kilometer race for all the family.

Continue reading... Disney World Marathon Week

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

You don't have to go to Germany to enjoy the traditional German Oktoberfest celebrations. The state of Florida is just one of many in the United States that is hosting its own versions of the traditional beer festival.

Continue reading... Oktoberfest in Florida

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

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

You may have heard of the Suwannee river in the lyrics of the song made famous by Al Jolson but did you know anything about this beautiful location in Florida?

Continue reading... Suwannee River Music Festival

Anyone flying to Florida for a break during September is bound have warm weather on their mind, but there's more to a holiday there than just sun and sand.

Continue reading... Fun and Festivals in Florida during September

Visitors to Florida during the month of October have a choice of local festivals to try out as an alternative to lazy days on the beach.

Continue reading... Florida Festivals in October

Almost 20 years after his last performance on the island, Leonard Cohen returned to Mallorca to give a concert at the Palma Arena.

Continue reading... Leonard Cohen in Palma

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

There may be a smaller selection of events taking place on the Algarve during Autumn, but there's still a choice that should satisfy anyone on holiday there during that period.

Continue reading... Events on the Algarve During Autumn

Vintage car events seem to be ever more popular these days and the Historic Motoring Festival on the Algarve during October is one example.

Continue reading... Algarve Historic Motoring Festival

During the summer months the resort of Alcudia on the northern coast of Mallorca transforms into a buzzing beach location, fringed with a huge selection of luxury hotels, bars, restaurants, cafes and one of the best sandy beaches on the island. Once the peak months of the summer are gone, everything starts to move at a slightly slower pace, although the resort doesn't quite return to the peaceful, quiet rural zone it once was before tourism discovered it.

Continue reading... Alcudia Fair in October

It claims to be the land of sun, hospitality and culture and the resort of Antalya in Turkey is aiming to increase its list of cultural attractions by establishing its own International Choir Festival this year.

Continue reading... Antalya Choir Festival in November

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

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

For anyone visiting the island of Madeira during the middle of October, the town of Ribeira Brava provides the chance to experience some traditional local music and culture.

Continue reading... Autumn events on Madeira

Music and the island of Mallorca seem to be very closely linked and the pretty port of Soller hosted its own series of concerts during September and October this year.

Continue reading... Port de Soller Festival on Mallorca

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

Continue reading... Fuerteventuras Lady of the Rock

The holiday scene in Rhodes may be slightly quieter during September and a music festival follows the trend.

Continue reading... Music in Rhodes - A Classical Festival

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

The smaller island of Gomera, off the coast of Tenerife hosted its first Gomera Rock festival in August this year.

Continue reading... Tenerife Gomera Rock 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

Visitors to Crete during September will not only have the fabulous autumn weather to enjoy. A selection of cultural events continues throughout the month.

Continue reading... Crete During September

Popular tourist destination Gran Canaria was selected to host the World Cheese Awards in 2009.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria gets the Cheese

Reputed to have the world's best climate, Gran Canaria is a tourist destination with so much to offer, entertainment and marvellous beaches, antiquities and culture, outdoor sports and nature. More than just an island paradise, GranCanaria is an experience to savor.

Continue reading... Gran Canaria Much MoreThan Paradise

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

For a real Greek village experience try Vamos. The town is situated between Chania and Rethymnon, in the rolling foothills of the White Mountains. The sea is less than four miles away, with sandy beaches complete with water-sports facilities at both Kalives and Georgioupoli.

Continue reading... Crete - Part 2

In a move that appears to be bucking the trend experienced in other parts of Europe, the Greek Islands are seeing improved tourist figures for the first four months of the year.

Continue reading... Greeks Islands Proving Popular

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

Continue reading... August Wine Events in Kefalonia

Preveza is steeped in ancient history having been founded in 290BC and, due to its strategic position, the site of many conflicts and battles over the ages. One of the earliest confrontations was the Battle of Actium between Augustus and the forces of Anthony and Cleopatra. It has been under Roman, Byzantine and Bulgarian rule and then Venetian until the Ottomans took over in 1499. It remained mainly under Ottoman control until captured by the Greeks in 1912, where it has remained except for brief invasions by Italy and Germany during World War II.

Continue reading... Choral Competition in Preveza

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

Just 35 miles south of Monastir and within easy reach of the airport, the important Roman town of El Jem hosts an annual music festival celebrating symphony music. The concerts are certain to be high quality but it is the setting that brings people to this special event.

Continue reading... El Jem Celebrates Symphony Music

One of Malta's biggest annual festivals takes place over ten days starting on Friday 24th July 09.

Continue reading... Open Air Festival in Malta

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

July and August are busy months in Crete as towns and villages all over the island celebrate with different types of festivals. For visitors to Crete the local festivals present an ideal opportunity to experience some local culture and learn a little about the history and traditions of the island.

Continue reading... Festival Time in Crete

The annual summer festival in Chania, Crete showcases all kinds of traditional Cretan theatre and music, but international bands will rock the festival into life on 11th July, when rock band Scorpians headline an outdoor concert in the town.

Continue reading... Summer Festival Rocks into life in Crete

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

Set aside your bias about Corfu strictly being a mass market package holiday destination because in reality, this beloved Greek island has many beautiful beaches and cultural attractions for all kinds of holidaymakers in search a of a memorable getaway.

Continue reading... Corfu Part 1

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

Continue reading... Lanzarote Festival in Arrecife

Details have been released for the 16th Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival that takes in the spectacular 2000 year old amphitheatre near Antalya,Turkey. The fabric of the amphitheatre is amazing well preserved and its location alongside the ancient town together with an amazing capacity to hold 12,000 people make any occasions here very special.

Continue reading... Aspendos Festival at Antalya

The town of Rhodes owes much of its wonderful architecture to the Knights of St John who came to the island in 1309 and built their dwellings, fortifications and churches on the remains of structures left by previous Roman and Byzantine rulers. In 1291 the Knights had been forced out of Jerusalem and after a brief, unsuccessful period in Cyprus, they selected Rhodes as their new domain. The initial years on Rhodes, and some other small islands that also formed part of their occupation, were not entirely peaceful and some disquiet saw the knights attempt to assassinate their leader. Grand Master Foulques de Villaret, had instigated the conquest of Rhodes, but found himself seeking refuge in the castle at Lindos on the island, while another Grand Master was appointed to replace him.

Continue reading... Medieval Knights in Rhodes Festival

Starting on the 3rd of July 2009, the 18th Canaries Jazz Festival kicks off with performances on Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. Acts from all over the world are playing during the week long festival and on the second day concerts are taking place on 4 different islands in the group.

Continue reading... Canaries Jazz Festival

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

In late June, EcoFilms, an international film and visual arts festival takes place in Rhodes. The main venue for the festival is the Rodon Cinema Theatre in Rhodes Town.

Continue reading... Rhodes Eco Film Festival

There are now several annual jazz festivals held on the island, and a permanent jazz club has found a home in the Hotel Saratoga, a four star hotel in the centre of Palma with views over the harbour area. The hotel hosts the Blue Jazz Club where artists play in the seventh floor bar every Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the season. The venue is perfect for some summer evening jazz as it offers outdoor areas with spectacular views over the bay and city.

Continue reading... Jazz in Mallorca

Festival MED takes places in the cosmopolitan town of Loule between 24th and 28th June 2009. This will be the sixth time the MED has been organised and it has quickly gained a reputation as one of the most highly-regarded World Music festivals. Seventeen acts have been confirmed for the festival this year including Stewart Copeland, former drummer from The Police, and Orquestra Buena Vista Social Club. Two main stages and three smaller stages will be home to the acts in a celebration of world music that also includes other attractions. Events supplementing the music include theatre and street entertainment, exhibitions of art together with gastronomy and handicrafts exhibitions.

Continue reading... Algarve hosts Festival med in June

The Greek island of Rhodes certainly has plenty of history to call upon when it comes to creating festival events and a recent Medieval Festival that started in 2005 is repeated this year at the end of June.

Continue reading... Medieval Festival Planned for Rhodes

The area around Paphos in the south of Cyprus has changed during the last 25 years on the back of better provisions for tourists and an increasing popularity of the area for second-home investors. Control of development is still a concern with conservationists but at least the authorities can see the issues created when developers are given too much of a free rein. What Paphos has to offer, apart from its own cultural attractions, is its proximity to two areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Continue reading... Paphos a gateway to the real Cyprus

Situated on the Algarve coast between Lagos and Faro, the town of Portimao is no stranger to high adrenalin sports events. Kitesurfing, motorcycling and powerboat racing have all used the location on the southern coast of Portugal for professional calibre competitions.

Continue reading... Blue Skies over Portimao

The International Pharos Chamber Music Festival in Cyprus first started in 2001 and the 9th incarnation of the concert series kicked off this week in the Pasydy Auditorium in Nicosia and the Royal Manor House of Kouklia, close to Paphos. The series of concerts has gained international recognition for the quality of its performances and anyone on holiday in the area who appreciates classical music could take advantage by attending any of the eight concerts.

Continue reading... Chamber Music Concerts near Paphos

The annual Kataklysmos Fair starts on 5th June in Larnaca, Cyprus with a performance of Greek dancing and music on the seafront stage, followed by a fireworks display. The word "kataklysmos" means flood and the celebration is unique to Cyprus, coinciding with the Greek Pentacost. The celebrations are thought to link back the birth of Aphrodite who emerged from the waves and turned the ground around her into a sea of flowers. The flood is celebrated as something that cleanses mankind and enables new life, and is a event marked in a similar manner in many cultures around the world.

Continue reading... Annual Kataklysmos Fair in Larnaca

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

The features that attract people to the Greek island of Rhodes include the weather, the beaches, high quality resorts and a typically warm welcome. These are all things that other locations can claim but very few have the history of Rhodes and a place like Lindos shows that side of Rhodes very well.

Continue reading... Old Rock in Lindos Rhodes

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 Tenerife Tourist Board has just released a stunning new promotional video for the island that features time-lapse photography to great effect. The video, which is one of a series covering the Canaries, showcases many of the economic, traditional and natural features of the island. Initially focusing on the bustling urban areas the video moves to the countryside in the second half and illustrates the amazing natural beauty of the island.

Continue reading... New promotional video from Tenerife

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

Continue reading... Plans Announced for Canaries Celebration Day

The Rod Stewart concert, on the 16th May, is expected to be the biggest of the 3 main rock and pop events to come to Tenerife over the summer and the organisers have chosen to put on the outdoor concert at the Golf Costa Adeje resort in order to cater for the demand expected. This is easily the biggest concert to come to the island since Sir Elton John played to 20,000 people there in January 2008.

Continue reading... Tenerife Gears up for Musical Summer

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

Having seen the excitement caused by the UK concert series announced by Michael Jackson recently, it's interesting to see other pop stars popular with previous generations still performing at concerts around the world. The Canary Islands have attracted various stars in the past including Elton John and Rod Stewart is the latest to announce a concert date on Tenerife as part of the Canarias Live Sun Festival in May this year. The concert will take place at the Campo de Golf, Costa Adeje in Tenerife.

Continue reading... Canarias Live Sun Festival

For wine regions around the world the harvesting of a new vintage is the most important period of the year and many, including the Spanish region of Andalucia, celebrate with a range of traditional festivals.

Continue reading... Celebrate the New Vintage in Andalucia