Archive for the ‘Destinations’ Category
For a holiday a little closer to home Northern Ireland offers many delights and the County Antrim Coastline has a wide of range of attractions for everyone to enjoy no matter what you look for , making the area an ideal destination for a week’s holiday. Northern Ireland is relatively easy to get to from Great Britain, you can hop on a flight to Belfast and all you need is ID like a Driving License so no need for a passport. You can also take a ferry across and it’s also worthwhile to hire a car for the time you’re out there to get around the countryside easily.
County Antrim Coastline
Picture courtesy of Effervscing Elephant
County Antrim’s top attraction is of course the Giants Causeway the amazing system of hexagonal rock formations on the coastline is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of four natural sights belonging to the UK.
According to legend the Irish giant Finn MacCool lived on the north coast of Ireland over the sea from his Scottish rival Banandonner, both would roar across the water at each other and generally trade insults. The insults then escalated and Finn threw a rock to Scotland, thus challenging Banandonner to a fight, but Banandonner could not swim, so Finn desperate for the fight to go ahead ripped up slabs of volcanic rock and created a causeway between the two countries. However the fight never went ahead after Finn tricked Banandonner into thinking he was a baby when he arrived in Ireland so believing the child to be the offspring of his rival, took fright, convinced that if a mere baby could be so huge, the father must be a figure of epic size. He then fled Ireland ripping up most of the Causeway as he went.
Giants Causeway
Picture courtesy of qyphon
However the cause way was actually formed by volcanic explosions deep underground that forced molten basalt up to the surface and formed a plateau of lava which when it cooled and contracted it coalesced into huge hexagonal basalt columns around 60 million years ago.
Here you can enjoy the natural beauty of the cause way and if you are more adventurous can also challenge yourself to the 162-step hike from the Causeway to the cliff tops along the soaring rock columns exposed in the cliff face. If you have a head for heights you could also visit the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge which is nearby, this rickety 80ft-high bridge links the mainland with a tiny island 65 feet off-shore. However if you wish to partake in something more sedate or need a stiff drink after going on the bridge then a visit to the Old Bushmills Distillery will be in order, this is the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery.
Carrick-a-Rede
Picture courtesy of williamsdb
There are some great places to stay nearby including the seaside towns of Portrush, Portstewart and Ballycastle and easily accessible by car from Belfast, each town has a great offering of guesthouses, B&B’s and hotels.
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If you want to enjoy the luxury of your own private beach normally reserved for the rich and famous then all you have to do is go on a cruise holiday, yep it’s that simple. You can enjoy the appeal of the Caribbean, sun, sea san and tropical drinks but now instead of visiting crowded destinations you can now enjoy somewhere more excluded.
Many Caribbean islands are inundated with at least six huge cruise liners a day, which can mean up to 10,000 people visiting the same resort at the same time all queuing for taxis, tour buses and beds on the beach. Because of this a few cruise companies and now turning to private islands to provide their guests with some peace and quiet and easy access to the beach.
Many of these islands are self-contained resorts which are either owned or leased by various cruise lines and are operated as an extension of the cruise ship itself and you can just walk right off a ship or jump on a small boat to a clean, quiet beach without been hassled.
If you cruise with Holland America you can enjoy Half Moon Cay, which is their own private Bahamian island which offers luxurious beachside cabanas, equipped with a fridge, an indoor dining room, an outdoor shower and a terrace with sun beds. These can be booked at various prices starting from around £200 a day, this also includes bottled water, soft drinks, fresh fruit and other nibbles and for an extra £80 you can get butler service, which includes a lunch for four brought to the cabana and unlimited beer, wine and house brand liquors.
Other cruise lines also offer this fast growing exclusive offer and Royal Caribbean is not falling behind, since 2007 they have been upgrading their private beach resort Labadee on the north coast of Haiti spending £33 million. Here they have invested in a new cruise ship dock which was completed in 2009 and was used to unload emergency supplies after the devastating earthquake in January, and continues to do so, they also added a 2,600-foot long zip line over the water, an alpine roller coaster, a new aqua park and the addition of a number of new private cabanas.
Other cruise lines offering these private islands also include Disney Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise lines as well as Costa Cruises and P&O, so you can still get great cruise deals with a bit of added extra luxury for your holiday.
The Costa del Sol is one of Europe’s and Spain’s most popular holiday destination for many families, here you can stay in a home away from home in comfort in a tailor made holiday to your specifications. If you have a large family or there is just a couple of people going on holiday then a breakaway staying in a holiday villa in the Costa del Sol may be just what you’re looking for your summer holiday.
Great resorts for families or a break away with friends include: Torremolinos, with its bright lights and great beach, Nerja a traditional white washed slower paced resort and then for those who want to enjoy Brit-style pubs, clubs and restaurants mixed in with typical Spanish eateries then Fuengirola will be the spot for you.
To taste the best of what Spain has to offer you can stay in self catering accommodation, here you can go out and enjoy local delicacies and bring local food back to cook yourself, if you base your self in a self-catering holiday cottage or villa then you will find that you have much more freedom than in a hotel. You can come and go as you please and use your cottage or villa as a base and go off exploring every day, if you want a relaxing day then you can spend the day by the pool as most accommodation come with either your own pool or sharing one with a couple of other families.
You won’t be short of things to do in the Costa del Sol, your spoilt for choice with beaches that line the coast line, small quiet coves, bustling shopping districts and local markets, there is also fantastic theme parks like Tivoli World or idyllic nature reserves up in the Sierras. You will also be able to enjoy lots of sunshine and great temperatures at this time of the year.
Beach of Torremolinos
Picture courtesy of Gert Mewes
When people think about taking a holiday to the Mediterranean they normally just look for a package deal to one of the resorts in Spain, Greece or Turkey, however there is a better way to see what the Med has to off and that is by taking a Mediterranean Cruise. A popular holiday destination is Turkey, so for a change why not take an Aegean cruise.
Here you get to experience all the temples, mosques and beaches it has to offer, starting of your journey of discovery from Marmaris and heading out to Bodrum. On your cruise you will be able to enjoy the beautiful coastline and experience the charming bougainvillea-clad towns it’s the perfect introduction to Turkey. The cruise then stops off at one of Turkey’s biggest hubs, Izmir, here you can visit Ephesus, the Mediterranean’s best-preserved classical city, where one of the seven Ancient Wonders of the World once stood, the Temple of Artemis.
Ephesus, Temple of Hadrian
Picture courtesy of topquark22
After enjoying the best of Turkey your cruise will then take you onto Greece and the small island of Mykonos where you will find quaint sugar-cube houses and whitewashed windmills. Enjoy time wandering around the maze of narrow streets in the capital, Mykonos Town where you can explore the tiny churches, flower-filled piazzas and outdoor cafés. No trip to Greece would be complete without a visit to Athens the superstar of city that packs in more than 3,000 years of history which includes Panathenian Stadium, which hosted the Ancient Greek version of the Olympic Games, and the Parthenon, a breathtaking temple that’s perched high on top of a hill.
Whitewashed windmills in Mykonos Town
Picture courtesy of Alan Miles NYC
After the few first days of exploration you can relax and unwind on the last few days as you slowly come to an end in Crete, here you can take it easy and relax on the beaches of Aghios Nikolaos or enjoy local food in the shops, restaurants. Enjoy a trip to the Palace of Knossos, where the fearsome Minotaur’s said to have lurked, before venturing back to ship for your journey back to Marmaris.
Taking a cruise holiday around this area is a great way to explore without the hassle, it is also a lot cheaper than staying in lots of hotels to see it all, there are some great cruise deals to the Mediterranean to why not book one today for your summer get away!
The Birthplace of Scotland
Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling and Trossachs is an area that is considered to be the birthplace of Scotland and a focal point of much of Scotland’s dramatic history. The unspoilt landscapes of glens and bays, around Kintyre and Islay, the Trossachs and Breadalbane where the Highlands and the Lowlands meet within the boundaries of Loch Lomond and the sweeping mountains of Lorn set the perfect backdrop to the unofficial West Highlands capital, Oban.
Inversnaid - Loch Lomond
Picture courtesy of alllyballly
There are so many places to stay around here with Hotels set within some of Scotland’s finest Castles to quaint family run B&B’s or how about a self catering holiday rentals where you can stay in log cabins in the National Parks or traditional farming cottages. Once you have your base for your holiday you can trace the footsteps of those before you such as Sir William Wallace, Robert the Bruce St Columba, and Mary, Queen of Scots or outlaws like Rob Roy. For nature lovers you may be lucky to catch a glimpse of an osprey, a wildcat, a regal antlered stag or an eagle and on the coast you may be lucky enough to see one or two whales and dolphins.
Oban Harbour
Picture courtesy of Lombardo_UK
Whilst up in the Birth Place of Scotland you can immerse yourself in the traditions of Scotland and enjoy traditional folk music, highland games and local food as well as understand others fascination with the area such as travel writer, Sir Walter Scott, who penned his best selling poem ‘The Lady of the Lake’, about the landscapes around Loch Katrine. If you plan on staying in this fascinating region you can base yourself in one of many holiday cottages and travel around the region taking in all it has to offer.
Loch Katrine
Picture courtesy of Ben A’an
The Scottish Highlands hidden delights
When you visit the Scottish Highlands you’d be forgiven in thinking that you are in another world let alone still in the UK, many people often forget what natural beauty lies within this country and how much there is to enjoy. The Scottish Highlands offer a treasure trove of fresh fish, fine whisky, astounding lochs, and stunning scenery to explore, to see the best you can stay in one of many holiday rentals in the area from rustic log cabins to quaint little cottages to get a real feel.
Scottish Highlands, Gruinard Bay, Wester Ross,
Picture courtesy of HighlandBlade
The Highlands cover an extensive area and are home to a quarter of a million people, spread among some vibrant cities such as Inverness to small crafting communities as well as some of the sparsely populated islands around the coast. Covering the Northern Highlands, Skye & Lochalash, Inverness, Loch Ness & Nairn, Aviemore & Cairngorms, Fort William & Lochaber and Moray, you may need more than one holiday here!
There’s a lot to see and do in the Highlands whether your taking a family holiday, a romantic weekend away or an action packed group holiday why not give walking, cycling, golfing, kayaking, sailing or pony trekking a go. If you want to learn some of the history of the area, you can take a look around at some of the Scottish Castles such as Dunvegan Castle & Gardens which was built on a rock in an idyllic loch side setting, it’s also the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for 800 years.
Dunvegan Castle & Gardens
Picture courtesy of wineboar
There are many things that Scotland is famous for one of which is its best export, Whisky, for centuries the Gaelic speaking clans produced ‘uisge beatha’ (Gaelic: ‘water of life’), now known as Whisky, you can visit one of many distilleries and learn about its heritage and the importance to the culture and history of the country.
If you stay in a holiday cottage or cabin you can go out and enjoy all the fresh locally sourced food in the area such as fresh sea food, prime Aberdeen Angus beef and lots of whisky to wash it down.
Aberdeen Angus
Picture courtesy of gjeewaytee on and off
This summer for your holiday why not support tourism here in the UK, there are many great places to discover and nowhere more so than Scotland, with so many sights, sounds and tastes to explore you will probably find yourself coming back time and time again.
Getting to Scotland is easy you can get direct flights to Glasgow or Edinburgh from many UK airports, you can travel up there by train on the East Coast and West Coast Mainlines and you can also easily travel by car. If you travel by air or by rail you can hire a car to explore what Scotland has to offer or if you wish to get some exercise and want to explore harder to reach places you can also hire bikes to get around on.
Scotland is split up into 14 regions, each offering their own taste of Scotland:
1. Shetland
2. Orkney
3. The Outer Hebrides
4. Highlands & Moray
5. Aberdeen City & Shire
6. Angus & Dundee
7. Perthshire
8. Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling & Trossachs
9. The Kingdom of Fife
10. Edinburgh & the Lothian’s
11. Glasgow & the Clyde Valley
12. Ayrshire & Arran
13. Dumfries & Galloway
14. Scottish Borders
Over the summer there are many events and festivals held all around Scotland which offer an insight into the local history, some of these include:
Edinburgh International Film Festival – 16 June 2010 to 27 June 2010
Isle of Gigha Music Festival – 25 June 2010 to 28 June 2010
Scottish Traditional Boat Festival – 26 June 2010 to 27 June 2010
Tarbert Seafood Festival – 2 July 2010 to 5 July 2010
The Open Championship – 11 July 2010 to 18 July 2010
Hebridean Celtic Festival – 14 July 2010 to 17 July 2010
Inveraray Highland Games – 20 July 2010 to 21 July 2010
Wickerman Festival – 23 July 2010 to 24 July 2010
Edinburgh Festival Fringe – 6 August 2010 to 30 August 2010
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – 6 August 2010 to 28 August 2010
So all you have to do now is decide where you want to go in Scotland, whether you want to enjoy what the 14 Scottish Regions have to offer, or whether you want to take part in some of the many events that will be taking place this summer.
Flower of Scotland
Picture courtesy of foxypar4
Cote d’Azur also known as the French Rivera to us Brits is on the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France and offers an outstanding coastline of sunny beaches, hill top perched villages and dazzling ports packed with yachts and the odd celebrity. The French Rivera has something for everyone and is a great place to stay for the whole family, couples and groups of friends.
Cote d’Azur has lots of amazing hotels, villas and chateau’s to stay in around the large cities, towns and little villages however these can be very expensive, especially somewhere that is known to be frequented by the rich and famous. However you need not worry if your budget does not stretch to that of Joan Collins or Naomi Campbell there are many great holiday rentals available where you can stay on a self catering basis. Holiday rentals although don’t offer the grandeur seen in some of the 5*+ accommodation around Cote d’Azur you will find some accommodation offers amazing views and fantastic scenery as well as freedom to explore and enjoy the surrounding area to its full potential.
The French Rivera is packed full of history and for hundreds of year been a popular destination from Royalty to artists, movie stars and philanthropists each leaving behind some history or a story for other to enjoy in the future. You will be able to look into the history of this special area in one of the French Rivera’s 100 museums and 150 galleries. You just don’t have to visit museums to take in the history of this region the architecture tell you just as much from the ostentatious hotels and extravagant villas to the pre-historic ruins and tall, narrow pastel colour buildings.
For younger people travelling to the Cote d’Azur and those who are you at heart there are many sights and sound to enjoy, you can feel like you’re living like the rich and famous during your stay with unbelievable dining, amazing shopping and an extravagant nightlife, you just may need a large overdraft or credit card to enjoy some of the exclusive places frequented by some of your favourite celebs, especially in St Tropez and Monaco.
St Tropez
Picture courtesy of FaceMePLS
If you do choose to stay in a self catering holiday villa or cottage you can experience as much or as little of the region as you like without feeling trapped to one area, a good idea to make the most of your time there is to hire a car, it makes getting around so much easier and also means that you get to enjoy so much more. It also means that some places you stay are out of the touristy trappings which can stop you from enjoying the real French Rivera and also cost your wallet more.
Monaco
Picture courtesy of Salvatore.Freni
When thinking of some of the most opulent and luxurious places in the world, one place really stands out and that is Dubai, born from the dust of the desert, Dubai has set itself apart from the United Emirates to become a place for known for its sheer lavishness and also for its huge business structure that once was deemed not possible from this desert state.
With a Dubai cruise holiday you get to experience a wide range of the Middle East from the desert plains of Dubai and Abu Dhabi with their flash hotels and complexes to some of the poorer regions like Fujairah. A Dubai cruise will see you travelling from Dubai to Muscat, Oman, onto Fujairah, United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, then to Mina Sulman, Bahrain, before heading back to Dubai and with only one day at sea. The cruise is 7 nights long but on top of that you also get a two night stay in the luxury Atlantis, The Palm, Hotel before you set out.
With so much to see and do on the excursions such as a boat trip up Dubai creek which includes a visit to the Grand Mosque, a boat trip to the artificial Palm Islands, as well as the grand mosque and the old souk in Oman and on board you will barely have time to rest and the luxury is just not restricted to Dubai, on board you will also be cruising in style and thoroughly looked after no matter what size of liner you are on. So to spend over a week in the lap of luxury, why not look for great cruise deals to Dubai.
Atlantis Hotel, Dubai
Picture courtesy of Squeezyboy
With all the disruption we have seen lately with flights, why would you want to risk having your travel plans disrupted by either the ash cloud or BA cabin crew strikes to travel to destinations abroad this summer when there are many great places here in the UK to enjoy.
Many places around the UK have a wide range of accommodation to stay in not matter what you budget from 5* luxury country hotels to budget city travel inns, holiday cottages and caravan holidays, to barge and boating holidays, all you need to do is pick your destination or destinations.
The UK has 7723 miles of coastline with a variety of natural features such as islands, bays, headlands and peninsulas top enjoy. Many of the UK’s beaches also rank high with cleanliness and make great destinations for families, as well as that the UK coastline also has many areas that enjoy decent surf for those of you that enjoy watersports. Many seafront hotels offer some great British charm back to day’s gone bye or if you prefer caravan holidays you pick from many spots on our ragged coastline that offer fantastic views.
If sea air is not for you then there are literally hundreds of places to visit in land from cosmopolitan cities to the vast countryside that offer many historical and natural places of interest, meaning you are never far away from anything.