I couldn’t live without a car in Ibiza

Port and view of cathedral, Ibiza

copyright Cila Warncke

Our Ibiza holidays expert, Cila Warncke, shares the wisdom of her experience and tells us all about what she couldn’t live without on a holiday to the party island.

For my first few holidays to Ibiza I used buses and taxis, both of which are inexpensive, readily available and reliable. Once I hired a car, however, there was no going back. Ibiza is just a dot on the map but its curvy coastline and dense, volcanic interior conceal untold delights you will only discover when you have your own wheels. Plus, the winding roads are simply a joy to drive.

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Categorised: Destinations

Best of Palma de Mallorca – places to eat and things to do

Catedral de Palma de Mallorca

Photo courtesy of SBA73

Researching a holiday to Palma de Mallorca? Our Mallorca holidays’ expert, Kerry Christiani, has scoured the forums for the inside information on the best restaurants and sights that the island has to offer. So sit back, relax and read on for the best of the best of Palma de Mallorca.

With its simply enormous Gothic cathedral and stellar art galleries, Palma is the cultured Mallorca you perhaps never knew (but secretly hoped) existed. Brush aside the ‘Brits abroad’ clichés: this is a city of graceful modernist boulevards, medieval castles and intimate Catalan bistros – the Mallorca the brochures don’t tell you about. With a few tips from fellow travellers, you can sidestep the crowds and tourist traps and make your Palma de Mallorca holiday one to remember.

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Tagged: , , , , Categorised: Best hotels and restaurants for me, Destinations, Exciting things to do, Expert views, Local Knowledge, Spain

Hassle Free Larnaca

Monastery Courtyard Fountain in Ayia Napa

copyright Marc Dubin

Planning a trip to Larnaca and nearby resorts this year? Our Cyprus holidays expert, Marc Dubin, gives you the insider information on planning, booking and enjoying a hassle free holiday you’ll never forget.

Most visitors to Larnaca, the smallest of Cyprus’s resorts, tend to be passing through because they’ve just arrived at Cyprus’s busiest airport. Most Brits are en route to Agía Nápa’s fluffy sands and nightlife or Limassol’s beach strip and luxurious self-contained resort hotels. Whatever your reason for travelling through Larnaca, there’s plenty to please the sun-hungry traveller.

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Tagged: , , Categorised: Cyprus, Destinations, Getting booked, Getting home, Getting there, While you are away

Best of Larnaca’s places to eat and stay

Lemesos Old Town

copyright Marc Dubin

Our Cyprus holidays’ expert, Marc Dubin, has scoured the web for the inside information on the restaurants and accommodation that Larnaca and the surrounding region has to offer. So sit back, relax and read on – we’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to.

Many online forums and content websites are remarkably sparse on where to stay and eat in Larnaca and immediate environs. Postings can be obsolete, with topics often closed to comment, and even formerly respected sites like Time Out Cyprus have not been properly updated in years, with vanished restaurants listed. So it’s very much buyer beware – and read on for tried-and-tested recommendations. One thing that does emerge consistently is the limited choice of accommodation and dining in Larnaca and its adjacent beach strips – heading slightly inland and northwest to charming foothill villages significantly expands your options if you have transport.

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Tagged: , , , Categorised: Best hotels and restaurants for me, Cyprus, Destinations

Hassle free Ibiza

Balafia, Ibiza

Copyright Cila Warncke

Plan your 2012 holiday to Ibiza with this hassle free guide from Ibiza holidays expert Cila Warncke. She’s got the detail covered, so you can enjoy a Balearic holiday you’ll never forget.

Ibiza is like the Tardis – small but bursting with surprises. Its dozens of beaches are a natural draw for summer holiday makers who can choose from secluded inlets, sweeping white dunes or turquoise coves surrounded by craggy hills. Ibiza also offers hiking, bird-watching, snorkelling, boating, horse riding, wine tasting and even rock-climbing.

Thanks to its cosmopolitan population Ibiza boasts a mix of food and drink ranging from seafood shacks to five-star bars; French cuisine to hole-in-the-wall pubs. And with sights to see such as the historic Dalt Vila, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to the pine-clad hills of Sant Joan, Ibiza is an island for all seasons.

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Tagged: , , , Categorised: Destinations, Getting booked, Getting home, Getting there, Nuts and bolts, Spain, While you are away

Best of Ibiza’s beaches and sights

Sunset at Es Vedra, Ibiza

copyright Cila Warncke

Our Ibiza holidays’ expert, Cila Warncke, has scoured the web for the inside information on the best beaches and sights that Ibiza has to offer. So sit back, relax – we’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to.

Ibiza’s nightlife may hog the headlines but in truth the clubs are the least part of what the island has to offer. Unlike many holiday destinations, Ibiza attracts loyal visitors who return year after year, a testimony to the variety of stunning historical and scenic attractions packed into the 40km-long island. With more than 60 beaches dotted along 200km of coastline it is a haven for sun-worshippers and water babies, and its mountainous interior is home to charming villages, ancient vineyards, numerous hiking and biking trails, and delightful agrotourismos – farms which have been converted into luxury accommodation. All this, plus a laid-back attitude, unforgettable sunsets and delicious food ensure that one visit is never enough.

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Tagged: , , , Categorised: Destinations, Local Knowledge, Spain

Hassle free Algarve

Silves in the Algarve

Photo courtesy of Bert Kaufmann

Planning a trip to Algarve? Our expert, Kerry Christiani, gives you the insider information on planning, booking and enjoying a hassle free holiday you’ll never forget.

Overlooking the thunderous Atlantic at Europe’s southwesternmost tip, the Algarve is Portugal for most holidaymakers. With the promise of 300 days of sun each year, and mile upon mile of beaches, the Algarve is a seasoned people-pleaser. In summer it attracts budget-breakers to its packed bays and upbeat resorts like Lagos and Albufeira. But even in winter the weather can be warm enough to swim, sunbathe, play golf and eat outdoors.

What really surprises first-timers, though, is the rest: the green, mountainous interior laced with hiking trails; the remote bays and hissing surf of the wild west coast; the cultural riches of Faro’s medieval Old Town and Silves’ Moorish castle. Culture and coast, action and relaxation, bacon butties and Michelin-starred brasseries – the Algarve really has got it all.

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Tagged: , , , , , Categorised: Destinations, Getting booked, Getting home, Getting there, Local Knowledge, Nuts and bolts, Portugal, Transfers and transport, While you are away

I couldn’t live without…hiking shoes in the Middle East

Base of Mt Sinai, St Katherine's Monastery, Egypt

copyright Jessica Lee, www.jessicaleetravels.com

What are the things you always take on your holiday with you? We asked experts and our customers what they couldn’t live without on holiday. Sharm el-Sheikh holidays expert Jess Lee explains what she always takes with her on her travels.

Think twice before zipping up your suitcase to Sharm el-Sheikh with only a flimsy pair of sandals as your footwear. Flip-flops may rule the roost on the beach but Sharm is also the gateway to the rugged hinterland of the Sinai Peninsula. If you want to experience the craggy peaks and vast wadis (valleys) of this desert adventure playground you’re going to need to pack a proper pair of hiking shoes as well.

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Tagged: , , Categorised: Destinations, Expert views, Further Afield, Local Knowledge

Best of the best of Tenerife’s beaches and sights

Las Teresitas beach in the north, Tenerife

Photo courtesy of Alberto Varela

Read on for the best of the best of Tenerife’s beaches and sights. Our Canary holidays’ expert, Joe Cawley, has done all the research so that you don’t have to.

Tenerife has long been a favourite for British holidaymakers, partly because of its wide-ranging appeal. From the bucket and spade brigade to culture buffs, there’s more than enough to keep even the most world-weary traveller enthused. From jaw-widening beaches to world class theme parks, and blindingly natural beauty to intriguing cultural treasures, the Canary Islands’ most celebrated sister has the lot. To help you plan your visit, read what others are saying about the best of Tenerife.

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Tagged: , , , Categorised: Canary Islands, Destinations, Exciting things to do, Expert views, Local Knowledge

Best of the best of Zante – places to eat and stay

Anemomilos (converted windmill accommodation), Zante

copyright Nick Edwards

If you are planning a trip to Zante you’ll need to know the best places to eat and lay your head at night. No need to spend hours sprawling the web, just sit back and read Zante holidays expert Nick Edwards’ feature on the very best of the best of Zante.

Zante shines like a rare and unusualgem set in the Ionian sea. The island’s idiosyncracy lies in the fact that it divides neatly into three distinct parts: the classy capital, the bustling resorts of the south and east, and the wilder, unspoilt north and west. It is easy to have a great value holiday to suit your personal style. When it comes to choosing places to stay and eat, there are plenty of options but the advice online is patchy and tends to concentrate on the busier, more mainstream areas of Zante where the majority of people stay. These places aren’t the best places in this destination. Read on for enlightenment and a bit of local information you won’t find in the TripAdvisor forums!

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Tagged: , , , , Categorised: Best hotels and restaurants for me, Destinations, Expert views, Greece, Local Knowledge
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    Best of Palma de Mallorca – places to eat and things to do

    Researching a holiday to Palma de Mallorca? Our Mallorca holidays’ expert, Kerry Christiani, has scoured the forums for the inside information on the best restaurants and sights that the island has to offer. So sit back, relax and read on for the best of the best of Palma de Mallorca. With its simply enormous Gothic [...]

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