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The longest beaches in the Canaries are found on Fuerteventura, which features up to 50 km of fine white sand and 25 km of black volcanic shingle beaches. With temperatures rarely falling below 18 degrees Celcius (64F) or rising above 24 degrees Celcius (75F), this island is a paradise all year round for everyone who loves sun, beaches and water sports. Flights to Fuerteventura are equally popular among couples and families because this beautiful island offers them a wide variety of both water sports and inland activities such as off road motor biking and quad biking, followed by laid-back evenings without the temptations and inconveniences of all-night raves.

Continue reading... The beaches of Fuerteventura

Is your child the social king or queen of the camping? Do you have queues of kids from all over the world waiting at your tent every morning, begging for your darling to come out and play? Or can your son or daughter be a bit shy sometimes, and does he or she find making new friends during the holidays daunting? Shy children often find going on a holiday incredibly stressful because they fear the loneliness that awaits them. Below, we have listed three things you can do to help your kids find friends on vacation, but we would love to hear your experiences and tips too!

Continue reading... How to help your child make friends on vacation

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

Crocodile Park is a very popular attraction, which is located in Gran Canaria. The Balser family initially started this park when they were asked to look after a couple of crocodiles. Nowadays this park is home to a very large collection of crocodiles and it is the biggest collection of its type in Europe. Over the years the Balser family has been responsible for looking after a number of different animals, which have been placed in their care by SEPRONA who are the environmental protection police within Gran Canaria. This park is a very popular attraction with both locals and tourists who come to enjoy the collection of animals that are located in the park. A lot of the tourists that enjoy visiting this park also enjoy making the most of the frequent flights to Gran Canaria.

Continue reading... Crocodile Park in Gran Canaria

The capital of Kefalonia is Argostoli and it is located on a peninsular within a working port that is very busy. The port is busy with freight ships, private yachts and also ferries that operate three hundred and sixty five days. This area is home to some Venetian buildings, however there used to be a lot more but they were damaged by an earthquake during 1953. Nowadays the town has a modern feel. The main attractions within the area are located close to the central plaza in Argostoli. There is a vast number of flights to Kefalonia therefore it is possible to rely on air transport.

Continue reading... Argostoli in Kefalonia

The Old Fortress is another popular attraction within the island of Corfu. The island of Corfu is home to vast number of heritage locations and these show a rich cultural heritage. The Old Fortress is one of the main locations that the tourists of Corfu focus on. The Old Fortress has a rich history connected to it and it goes back as far as the sixth century. The fortress is located in an interesting location and it is connected to the town by an iron bridge, which is sixty meters in length. There is an increasing number of people that are coming to the Island and this is mainly due the regular flights to Corfu.

Continue reading... Old Fortress 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

Kefalonia is a huge island that has dramatic and diverse scenery. It has several scenic inlets and bays. The island also consists of a fascinating history characterized by many archaeological finds from the Mycenaean era. You can reach Kefalonia by air and flights to Kefalonia are quite regular too. It also consists of a castle from the Byzantine epoch. This castle is known as St. Georges castle that took its current shape early during the 16th century and was constructed by the Venetians who almost always seemed eager to build forts near the sea. The aim in mind was mainly to have command over the trade routes. The old fort was constructed built on the mountain located on the edge of a valley called Livatho.

Continue reading... St Georges Castle in Kefalonia

Sharm el sheikh is widely known for its reefs, dive sites, wrecks and beach dives. If you are not interested too much in diving then there are several water sports to indulge in. As non divers you can explore and enjoy snorkeling along the coral reefs. Getting here for your vacation is not a problem as the city has an airport and you can catch direct flights to Sharm el sheikh. One of the popular tourist attractions is The National Park at Ras Mohammed.

Continue reading... Ras Mohammed National Park in Sharm el sheikh

Rhodes has an Old town and a New town both having its own peculiarities. The old town has some prodigious walls where some of the structures show influence of the Latin, Byzantine and Turkish inhabitants. The old town consists of several quiet but twisting alleyways interrupted timely by lively squares. It is a good idea to take flights to Rhodes to explore the incredible palaces and museums that are located in the old town. You could also reach via the commercial harbor of Rhodes that is home to a number of international ferry services. There are inter island ferries too located towards the east.

Continue reading... The Jewish Quarter in Rhodes

Every zone of Gran Canaria is worth visiting, north, east, west or south. You need to plan a longer trip if you want to enjoy the place thoroughly. There are several flights to Gran Canaria that will take you to the place safely.

Continue reading... Casa de Colonand Gran Canaria Las Palmas

The very first trade fair was held in 2005 and the Gambia Chamber of Commerce has been successfully able to conduct the trade fair regularly for the past three years. The trade and commerce in the Banjul has definitely picked up in the past few years as more and more people are visiting the region because of the fair. The trade fair allows more than 200 local traders and several and international firms to take part in the fair. This way they not only increase their revenue but also improve the relations existing between various economies.

Continue reading... Banjul Trade Fair

Just like all other amazing locations in Greece, Kefalonia is no less and holds great importance in terms of many celebrations and religious festivals. Flights to Kefalonia can be planned according to the events you wish to attend, as the city offers numerous events all through the year and more so in the summer season. The festival, especially the Kefalonia Carnival, is organised with great amount of joy and excitement around the picturesque villages.

Continue reading... Kefalonia Carnival

If you want go jet skiing this summer, you should book flights to Kos because this Greek island is the perfect location this exciting sport. At least, that's the opinion of Jet Ski authorities, which is why they organised National Jet Ski Championships here last summer.

Continue reading... Discover Kos

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 small Cycladic island of Tinos is home to a very special icon. The icon of the Virgin Mary, founded by the nun Pelagia in 1922, is homed in a spectacular neoclassical church called Our Lady of Tinos. It is believed that the nun found the icon as she was directed by the Virgin Mary herself in a dream. Our Lady of Tinos is not only attributed to have performed a number of miracles, being known as the Greek Lourdes, but it also reflects national identity as it was founded within the first days of the declaration of Greece as a modern independent state and is the Patron Saint of Greece. The icon is encased in gold, silver and jewels, and is surrounded by gifts, while outside the church pilgrims make their way up to the building on a special rubber mat on their hands and knees.

Continue reading... Religious Pageantry in Tinos

In the south, the tiny village of Fiskardo is a wonderful place to stay, with its Venetian lighthouse welcoming ships and boats in its pretty port. Fiskardo was founded by a French crusader back in the 11th century. The Venetian theme is carried through the houses on the waterfront here as they have lots of Venetian architectural touches. The town centre is pedestrianised and there is a maze of alleys to investigate, with local shops and stores to explore.

Continue reading... The Caves of Kefalonia

The Algarve in Portugal is well known for its love of sport. And where better to play than down on the beach?

Continue reading... Sport on the Beach in Portugal

If you are visiting one of the resorts on the Algarve this summer, then in addition to the usual cultural events, an array of sporting competitions is planned for both spectators and amateur participants. Resorts like Faro, Portimao, Vilamoura and Tavira are all close to the sporting events for 2010.

Continue reading... Algarve Prepares For Sporting Summer

A consortium that was recently awarded the contract to design, build and operate a new marina complex at Larnaca in Cyprus will have to wait a little longer to find out if the decision that went in their favour still holds. The two companies who also competed for the project during the tendering process have had their complaints upheld and the review procedure must be done again. Work on the development is due to start at the end of this year for a planned completion date in 2013.

Continue reading... New Larnaca Marina Award

A quick straw pole around the office showed that more than half of the people had never heard of the Greek island of Santorini. I wondered why that was and thought that, although it has been a popular tourist destination for over 20 years, perhaps UK travel companies don't specialise in trips there, preferring to focus on places like Kos, Mykanos and Rhodes.

Continue reading... The Secret of Santorini

The Turkish holiday area of Antalya is looking forward to a great year in 2010 and things are already starting to happen.

Continue reading... Antalya Welcomes 2010 Arrivals

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

We've already mentioned some of the sporting events planned to take place on the Algarve during April, with a round of the World Superbike Championship being one of the most high profile. This event represents a great opportunity for British bike fans who may struggle to get tickets for the home round of this series. Book some time off work, secure some cheap flights with flythomascook.com and spend a long weekend enjoying the Portuguese round of the series in the warm sunshine of the Algarve.

Continue reading... Algarve Arts in March

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

The link between the island of Menorca and Britain was once very strong. In fact, the British ruled the island for almost 100 years during the sixteenth century. Strategic naval aspirations were the reason for the initial takeover during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1708. To cater for the strong British Naval fleet the capital of the island was moved from Ciutadella to its current location in Port Mahon. When the British handed control of the island back to the Spanish in 1802, it was on the understanding that the naval fleets of both countries would continue to jointly use the deep harbours of Mahon. It was under this agreement that the British Navy sent Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood out to Menorca to command the fleet. Collinwood has already made a name for himself, being second in command to Admiral Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalger and being instrumental in securing victory following Nelson's death during the battle.

Continue reading... Admiral Collingwood Celebrated on Menorca

Two contrasting styles of music were set to be performed on the island of Malta during March and April, and the culturally aware audiences on the island were bound to appreciate both.

Continue reading... Music Styles on Malta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The ancient Greek's love of sport goes back many thousands of years and the stadium, that forms part of the Acropolis of Rhodes, is a breathtaking structure that allows visitors to imagine what times were like. The stadium was unearthed after a large excavation and most of the original 600 feet of straight are still preserved together with lower levels of seating and the rounded sphendone at one end.

Continue reading... Rhodes welcomes Blind Athletes

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

A consortium that was recently awarded the contract to design, build and operate a new marina complex at Larnaca in Cyprus will have to wait a little longer to find out if the decision that went in their favour still holds. The two companies who also competed for the project during the tendering process have had their complaints upheld and the review procedure must be done again. Work on the development is due to start at the end of this year for a planned completion date in 2013.

Continue reading... New Larnaca Marina Award

Of course the Canary Islands are not that far from the West African coast and the Sahara Desert but you wouldn't expect to find a desert in Gran Canaria. Amazingly there is one - well sort of. In the south of the island of Gran Canaria are the Dunas de Maspalomas or the Maspalomas Dunes. This is a protected area of land over 300 hectares in size that resembles the deserts of Africa. The fine sand is formed from ground shells and the shifting dunes themselves reach heights of 10m.

Continue reading... Desert in Gran Canaria

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

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