Thirty years ago, Sharm el-Sheikh was a sleepy, Bedouin fishing village. Now, as the most popular tourist destination in the Arab world, the city bustles with locals, tourists and traders all year round. Though much of the bay area, with its modern apartment blocks and sun loungers, no longer tells of the city's rich Egyptian heritage, Sharm Old Market retains an authentic cultural flavour.

Continue reading... Arabian Charm in Sharm el-Sheikh

In Santa Cruz every Sunday morning there's a flea market at Mercado de Nuestra Senora de Africa, Calle San Sebastian. Some of Tenerife's other main markets are located in the Costa Adeje, the Los Cristianos area and in Santa Cruz, including a notable open-air flea market along the Avenida Jose Manuel Guimera, which takes place every Sunday morning. You can find inexpensive items to bring back home plus lots of local produce and handicrafts. Some of the items to look for are hand-crafted lace tablecloths, pottery and ceramics, and local wines.

Continue reading... A Taste of Tenerife

Tourists who are interested in an unusual festival should book flights to Rhodes quickly, because the watermelon will be celebrated in Apolakkia soon.

Continue reading... Rhodes Celebrates the Watermelon

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

Continue reading... The Friday Market in Ventimiglia

Visitors to the island of Fuerteventura may be interested in going along to a new monthly market that aims to promote the produce of local farmers. Alongside tourism, Fuerteventura's next commercial strength is its agriculture, with farmers using the island's clement weather to grow everything from wheat crops, to tomatoes, onions, garlic and even bananas. Much of this activity takes place away from the main tourist areas and unless people make a specific effort, this side of the island can easily be missed.

Continue reading... Fuerteventura's Biosphere Market