Alicante - Jewel of the Costa Blanca

Alicante - The popular Costa Blanca resort famous for its cosmopolitan feel and friendly locals. Holidays here are plentiful and there are options for those looking for all manner of holidays, whether you;re in the budget or luxury holidays markets.

Alicante itself is located on the East of the Costa Brava and to the South of the famous resort of Benidorm. Its a little quieter than its noisy neighbour but still has a thriving nightlife if you wish to indulge your hard-parting side whilst on vacation. The best areas for a party are in the El Puerto and esplanade areas of Alicante. El Puerto in particular has a fantastically contemporary feel to it with many discos, terraced bars and traditional pubs, all offering a variety of special drink promotions to entice you. In the Summer the partying heads to the nearby San Juan beach where temporary bars set themselves up for the night along the beach for the ultimate Spanish beach party.

There are plenty of things to do on your Alicante holiday. One of the most impressive attractions has to be the nearby caves of Canalobre. There are tours taking you around the caves explaining its origins and the extravagant stalagmites inside. You can also hike to the top of the nearby slopes of Cabezon de Oro for a fantastic view of the area stretching for miles. For a taste of traditional Alicante you could visit the town's very own homage to bullfighting at the Plaza de Toros museum or sample fine fare in one of the towns many traditional tapas restaurants. The area surrounding Alicante was once home to the civilisation of Carthaginian and offers you the chance to view relics of this once great World power and the numerous Roman ventures into the region. The most interesting site to visit is the archaeological site of Tossai De Manises, an ancient city that can now be visited on the outskirts of Alicante and the perfect way to soak up Spanish history on your Alicante holiday.

The San Juan beach area of Alicante is also a great base for those looking to holiday on the beaches. There are many family friendly hotels here ready to offer you fantastic deals and facilities to please all.. For accommodation and an area that is a little quieter, head to Playa del Coco. This tranquil area is home to one of the best beaches in all of Alicante and perfect for ultimate relaxation whilst on your Alicante holiday. The largest beach in Alicante is Postiguet, stretching nearly 1km along Alicante. The wide expanse of Postiguet is perfect for those looking for their own little patch of Alicante and has minimal wind due to the imposing silhouette of Mt Benacantil in the background.

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Luxor - top 5

Known as 'The World's Greatest Open Air Museum', Luxor is the home of some of the most impressive and well-preserved ancient structures and monuments on the planet. Being central to ancient Egypt's great civilisation and the site of the ancient city of Thebes, Luxor holidays offer you the chance to see all manner of historical sites and cultural curiosities and creating an itinerary for such a trip can be a rather daunting process.


Below we provide you with a quick glimpse at the best of these must visit attractions enabling you the chance to spend more time enjoying your holiday rather than planning it!


1. Valley of the Kings

The Valley of Kings is a colossus of an attraction demanding your attention for a whole day. It is also Luxor's most famous attraction and it draws millions of visitors every year. It's the home of 63 royal tombs and the most famous of all Pharaohs,Tutankhamen.

2.Temple of Karnak

A huge religious temple that attracts millions of pilgrims every year. It is also the home of some of Luxor's greatest treasures including many shrines that have survived over thousands of years and some of the most valuable of Egyptian treasures and jewels.

3. Valley of the Artisans

The tombs of the 'real' Egyptians. Many of ancient Egypt's working class were buried in these tombs and some of they kept the best designs for themselves rather than their rich rulers. The tombs and decorations here are far more colourful than those in the Valley of the Kings making it an often more interesting visit.

4. Luxor museum

For the most comprehensive look at the history of this culturally rich area, you should certainly head to this small yet interesting museum. Many treasures are on show including mummies and various treasures and head dresses from the ancient period.

5. The Avenue of Sphinxes

Located in Luxor temple, this long stretch of huge sphinxes has recently been renovated and are now back to their glorious standard of old.

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Malta - a Mediterranean mix of history and culture

Malta is a perfect for families and couples looking for a holiday spot with a rich history and a plethora of historical ruins and cultural sights that are perfect for exploration. It's also the home of many Hollywood blockbusters and for this reason is a perfect destination for exploring the many film sets that this sunny archipelago is famous for.


Malta's fantastic natural beauty will appeal to all and for those of you looking for a holiday in Malta where quiet time together is top of the agenda, then you should certainly consider the sandy bay of Mellieha. Mellieha bay is home to one of the few sandy beaches on the Maltese islands and is perfect for a combination of quiet snorkelling, bathing and exploring the nearby coves by kayak. The area is home to many hotels offering luxury fully inclusive breaks but you should make sure you sample Mellieha's fantastic restaurants at least once during your stay.

Gozo is Malta's second island and is significantly less populated then Malta and a touch more tranquil. In this respect, Gozo is a better option for those looking for somewhere a little more easy-going. Xaghra is a great option for your Malta holiday if you choose Gozo. Its famous red sand beach is something out of the ordinary and a great reminder of the Maltese island's volcanic beginnings. Xaghra is also a town of great celebration and fiestas with the dedication of the Virgin Mary taking place every October, transforming the town into a cacophony of lights and mass crowds coming from all over Malta.

During your stay in Malta, you simply must visit the ancient cities of Mdina and Valletta. Mdina was the medieval capital and was once one of the most important towns in the whole of the Mediterranean with its well preserved walled old town that was utilised by warring factions such as the Greeks and the Knights of St John. Valletta, on the other hand, lies in stark contrast to Mdina's rustic charm, with baroque styling which has been influenced by countries all over Europe. Being Malta's modern-day capital there is plenty to do in Valletta for both couples and families, such as the interesting Lascaris war rooms, which detail Malta's turbulent history of war, and the opulent centre-piece of the city, St John's cathedral.

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Santorini - The picture postcard Greek island

Santorini is perhaps home to the most iconic of all Greek island landscapes. You'll instantly recognise the white washed buildings that sit upon the steep cliffs produced by the once active island volcano, for this is an image that has enured over the years and has been printed on many a postcard symbolising the Greek islands as a whole. Despite lying 100km away from the mainland, this is an unmistakeably Greek destination and one that will endure in the memory once you have visited this white isle.

The beaches are perhaps Santorini's most popular draw. Unlike most of the beaches that lie in the Greek islands, Santorini is one of the few to boast volcanic beaches that are made up of red and black sand spewed from the country's dormant volcano. The most recognisable of Santorini's beaches has to be Red Beach. Located near the ancient city of Akrotiri. A path leads down through the rocky red and black volcanic hills to this eye catching beach with sand that can be hot to step on so take a good pair of sandals to protect your tootsies!

Kamari is the most famous of the resorts on the island and is also home to a great beach. The black sandy beach here is perfect for those looking for plenty of space for ball games and activities whilst remaining within close proximity to the town's touristy amenities and restaurants. Kamari is possibly the best choice for a Santorini holiday, especially if you are looking for somewhere that can offer you a little it of everything. The gorgeous beach, the placid water and the great range of touristy amenities makes it a fantastic all-round choice.

For a day that doesn't involve relaxation on one of Santorini's beaches, you must make time to visit the island's volcano. There are many tours that take you in and around the volcano that are perfect if you would like an in depth look at this wonderful site whilst learning a few things along the way including how the island itself was formed and how it was responsible for the destruction of a whole Empire. Another fantastic place to visit on the island is the ancient ruins of the city of Thira. This town was once the most important on the whole of the island and is still home to public baths and century-old tombs.

Santorini is also one of the most popular islands for producing wine in all of Greece. You will fine fine wines being offered all over the island with indigenous white wines having an extremely dry and citrus taste that can be attributed to the volcanic soil of the island itself.

The iconic scenery of Santorini

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Costa de Almeria - Spanish resort holidaying for the Connoisseur

For a quieter alternative to the brashy Spanish resorts of Costa Brava and the Costa del Sol, why not venture to the southernmost point of Spain and the Costa de Almeria. It is perhaps Spain's least famous Costa but is certainly one of the country's most interesting holiday spots and is a great place for those looking for pastures new for their holidays to Spain.


The most popular area for holidays in the Costa de Almeria is Mojacar. With 9km of stunningly long, sandy beach and with its traditional Moorish vibe and landscape, it's easy to see why this area is so popular with holiday-goers. The waters here are a lovely shade of azure and perfect for intrepid snorkellers! Watersports also line the beaches so you will always have plenty of fun, entertaining options to keep you and the children occupied. You will also find tour operators within the town offering trips around the lesser known parts of the region and the option to go via horse for those looking for added adventure on your Costa de Almeria holiday.

No visit to the Costa de Almeria is complete without a visit to one of the region's incredible Troglodyte cave villages. Villages such as Sante Fe de Mondujar are home to dwellings that have literally been cut and shaped into the mountains to create homes that are unique to the Costa de Almeria whilst providing inhabitants with shade from the often scorching heat. You'll notice that the heat in the Costa De Almeria is often far more extreme than that of the rest of Spain. Lying so far south, it seems that Almeria has a completely different climate to the rest of the country, it certainly feels more arid and dryer than the mega resorts of the north and this fact is compounded when you discover that the Costa de Almeria is the home of the only desert in Spain!

With its distinct lack of sprawling tourist developments, the region is an attractive prospect for anyone looking to explore this lesser know region of Spain. Much of the area seems to be completely desolate with its barren landscapes and deserts that stretch all the way into the horizon like something out of 'Lawrence of Arabia'. For this reason the the Costa de Almeria is perfect if you are looking for what seems like your own little slice of Spain and where complete solitude is just a short drive away.


Whilst on your journey of exploration, consider a trip to the capital of the region and the ancient city of Almeria. This Moor influenced city is filled with historical titbits such as the domineering ancient walls of Jayran which would once protect the Moorish inhabitants inside or the castle of Alcazaba which is the second largest in all of Andalusia.


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