The Aegean Coast is a very popular destination for British tourists with many great holiday spots on its coastline and lots to see and do. You can enjoy Turkey’s rolling hills and mountains, clear blue seas and its glorious white sand beaches from many resorts whether you stay in the bustling centres of Bodrum or Marmaris or smaller ports such as Olu Deniz and Fethiye there is plenty to explore and enjoy.

If you stay in one of many holiday villas in Turkey Aegean region you can use it as a base to sample all the different cultures and the rich history this region has to offer like the Ephesus Archaeological site which is probably the most evocative ancient city in the eastern Mediterranean, and one of the grandest reconstructed ancient sites in the world. The remarkably preserved ruins were rediscovered in the 1800’s, you can marvel at the marble-paved streets with grooves made by chariot wheels and partially reconstructed buildings and monuments. Or the Dalyan Çayı River which flows past the town of Dalyan where you can take a boat ride and spend some time pampering your skin at the Dalyan mud baths or go to Iztuzeu beach which today is now a nature reserve at the mouth of the river. Along the Dalyan Çayı River journey to Iztuzeu beach you can also see the spectacular Lycian rock tombs in the mountainside.

For those who enjoy a wild night out you can visit the town of Marmaris which has a vibrant nightlife, you can enjoy a meal at one of many restaurants down by the quayside where you will find anything from traditional Turkish to Italian, Chinese and British. You can then dance the night away down Marmaris famous Bar Street which is full of bars and clubs, or if you don’t fancy some dancing you can enjoy some late night shopping in the undercover Carsi market before you head back to you holiday villa or apartment.

Lycian rock tombs, Dalyan

Picture courtesy of sbunting108

There is so many places to visit and much to see and do on the West Coast of America it can be hard to easily fit it all into one holiday, however if you take a Celebrity West Coast cruise holiday from Canada to California travelling on the luxurious cruise liner the Celebrity Millennium you get to see the best the West has to offer.

The Celebrity Millennium offers world class facilities for all to enjoy with spacious and comfortable accommodation, from stylish staterooms to stunning Penthouse suites, but with so much to do on board and so much to see when in port you will probably find you don’t spend that much time in your room. During daytime cruising there are plenty of options to spend your time onboard such as for exercise fans, High-tech fitness facilities like AquaSpa, a Swimming Pool, Paddle tennis and Golf nets and if you just like to relax and take it easy before big excursions you can unwind in the Two-tier library, the Card room, Music library, Internet café or one of the Elegant bars and lounges. In the evening there are plenty of places for you to dine from 5* restaurants to the casual dining boulevard you will never be short of places to eat.

The West Coast Cruise starts in Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia where you firstly get too enjoy the sophistication and cultural richness that it has to offer before you depart on your journey southward, after the first night of travelling you will arrive at Nanaimo and dock for the day and either enjoy some excursions or just explore the ship. The next day you can spend exploring Victoria, with its genteel ambience you can visit the Butchart Gardens or relax in one of many street cafes.

Picture courtesy of tiarescott

The next day is normally a highlight of many people taking this cruise, a day enjoying Seattle, visiting famous places such as the world-famous Space Needle and the majestic 14,410-foot active volcano Mount Rainier as well as the birthplace of Frasier, Kurt Cobain and Microsoft. After a day exploring all that Seattle has to offer you get to relax for a day at sea before you reach California and the first stop off in this state is San Francisco where you have two days to enjoy here. You can enjoy many of the great tourist attractions here such as the Golden Gate Bridge or Alcatraz and if you are partial to a bit of shopping then you stop off at Bloomingdales, Barneys, Sephora and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Picture courtesy of dherrera_96

After San Francisco you then sail by night arriving in the small, laid-back and lovely port of Monterey, where for the day you can visit numerous shops and restaurant as well as the Monterey Bay aquarium. Coming near to the end of your cruise you can stop off in Los Angles and can visit the town of Avalon which is a quaint village on Catalina Island, here you can enjoy a stroll along the colourful Pleasure Pier, which offers numerous opportunities for exploring the island’s emerald waters with world-famous glass bottom boat rides. The next day you arrive in San Diego where you have a bit of time for a look around before you leave for your flight back to the UK.

Picture courtesy of brewbooks

St Patricks Day is celebrated all around the world, but nowhere more than in St Patricks home country of Ireland, all around the emerald isle festivities will be springing up before, on and after the 15th of March, from Dublin to Galway and Belfast to Cork there are many festivities to be seen. If you want to experience the best of St Patricks Day then take a trip there and enjoy all it has to offer, you can get great deals on flights to Belfast from most UK airports, Belfast is a great base to start your exploration of Ireland and its festivities.

St Patrick was actually born across the water from Ireland in Wales to wealthy parents at the end of the 4th Century, when he was 16 a young Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders and shipped across the Irish Sea. Here he spent the next six years in captivity working as a shepherd, lonely and away from his family Patrick found solace in his religion and so he became a devout Christian. Six years later Patrick escaped from his captors after he heard God’s voice telling him it was time to leave Ireland and so made his way back home, where he had another vision this time from an angel who told him he should go back to preach Christianity to the Irish. After studying to be a priest for 14 years Patrick returned to Ireland where he built churches and spread the Christian faith for the next 30 years until his death on March 17, 460AD. After his death March 17 became the day set aside for spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries worldwide.

Because so much of the Irish population lives all around the world many people who wish to become ‘Irish for the day’ have opted for the green of the Irish flag to express their Irishness, as well as using the shamrock as an emblem. St Patrick used the shamrock to explain the concept of The Holy Trinity, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. These celebrations are no different in Ireland, this year St Patrick’s Day Festival (March 12-17) in Dublin is celebrated in style, with music, street theatre, family carnivals and up to 4000 performers joining the fun. This year Limerick will host the SkyFest, which is a massive fireworks display over the River Shannon. Belfast offers the annual St Patricks carnival parade with lots of entertainment on offer as well as the Guinness St Patricks Day Race Meeting which is one of the biggest days of the racing calendar.

With airline prices going up to combat environmental damage from air travel now has never been a better time to holiday in the UK so for your 2010 holiday why not enjoy a ‘Staycation’ right here in the UK. There are many things to enjoy some maybe right on your doorstep some further afield but never more than a car or train journey away.

If you want to enjoy a romantic weekend away then look no further than an exciting city break, places like Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool and London offer a whole weekend pack full of things to see and do, from local history, art galleries and museums to shopping, spa days and fine dining. With so much to see and do you will defiantly want to stay longer.

 Picture courtesy of Mikecolvin82

If city visiting is not your thing and you would like a longer break somewhere a bit more quiet then consider a break in the countryside with so many places to choose from you are spoilt for choice. Some great places to visit are Wiltshire, which is known as ‘The gateway to the West Country’ which has some fabulous scenery to take in and a great variety of places to visit like world heritage sites to beautiful gardens and historical stately homes.

Picture courtesy of PhillipC

For a relaxing or exciting break take a look of the map of the UK and see where you can go.

Most people just think of ski resorts when they think of Canada especially as the 2010 Winter Olympics are being held there, however there is so much more to see and do in this beautiful area of North America.

If you take a East Canada cruise holiday you will experience some of the most spectacular natural beauty on earth as well as stop in some of the most charming places in the US and Canada. Many people suggest taking the cruise in autumn because during this time of year you get to see some vibrant colours among the landscape. During the cruise you will visit the delights of the New England region and ports like Cape Cod and area known for its fishing heritage and on to the excitement of Halifax which has flourished as a prominent ports as well as the world’s second largest natural harbour. Then moving on to Canada’s French region, Quebec where you can enjoy the classic architecture and old fashioned buildings and fortifications before moving on to the rugged terrain of Nova Scotia and Saint John to try your hand at some exciting water activities such as white water rafting.

There are some great cruise deals offered by the major cruise lines for trips around Eastern Canada, so you can enjoy an interesting and awe-inspiring holiday n the lap of luxury.

Canada

Picture Courtesy of Kamal H.

Not everyone can afford the luxury of the Après Ski culture that you find at some of the top European and American ski resorts, their prices can be very hefty for the most simple and essential things such as a hearty meal however there are some resorts who focus more on the skiing and offer a great skiing holiday at a great price.
Bansko, Bulgaria
The number 1 ski resort in Bulgaria, Bansko is one of the most modern ski resorts in the country thanks to recent multimillion euro investment to modernise the area and add a new ski area by Yulen, the company which has the licence to run the skiing area of the resort. You can find great ski deals for the area, which is becoming more popular with Brits. Bansko also offers excellent tuition with many beginners learning the ropes here, you will also find that there is no posh expensive restaurants here instead food and drinks take a back burner to the skiing ideal for those who wish to go on a skiing holiday and enjoy most of your time doing just that.
Soldeu, Andorra
The busy Pyrenean village of Soldeu is set in the heart of Andorra deep in the Pyrenees Mountains, in 2002 the resort joined forces with its neighbour, Pas de la Casa, to create the Grandvalira mega-area, offering now an impressive 120 miles of pistes, spread out across a series of high and undulating hills. Although you will find five-star hotels and a vast four-storey spa, you do get far better value for money plus the resort is far less snobby than its other European rivals. As with Bansko, Soldeu is also a great place for learner skiers, the ski school is run by an Englishman and you will find a good flattish plateau halfway up the slopes offering snowsure nursery areas to practise on.

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland and it is also the largest city that has a substantial history from disruption, conflict, and destruction called the Troubles. Now it has undergone sustained period of calm, free from the intense political violence of former years, and substantial economic and commercial growth. The past history and current arts, entertainment and attracts make it a great cultural city to visit as well as easy to get to from mainland UK with flights to Belfast International Airport.

When visiting Belfast you will never be short of things to do and if you’re only going for a weekend break you may find yourself wanting to spend more time there. You can go to world class venues such as the Waterfront Hall and the Odyssey Arena and enjoy lots of exciting concerts, plays and exhibitions and take in the historical and cultural to the scientific and literary in the city that inspired Narnia. You can also take in some great architecture such as Belfast Cathedral/St Anne’s Cathedral or enjoy the natural beauty at one of many parks in Belfast such as Falls Park which is popular with families, children and sports teams and Groveland’s which is popular with gardeners due to its wide variety of trees, shrubs, conifers, heathers, bedding displays and lawns which provide interest and colour throughout the year.

Belfast also has an abundance of restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs where you can sample the best of what Belfast has to offer from smart and stylish restaurants to historical hostelries and from gastro pubs and bars to funk and happening nightclubs there is something for everyone.

If you fancy a fun break away for the weekend you can get some great deals on cheap flights to either Belfast International Airport or George Best Belfast City Airport, both which have excellent transport links.

Belfast City Hall

Picture courtesy of pawelbak

North Americas largest ski resort, Whistler is home to this year’s Vancouver Winter Olympics, the resort which has seen many major improvements recently including the impressive Peak to Peak gondola linking Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains which opened last season.

Whistler is also one of North Americas top ski resorts repeatedly in the top groups from around the world, it has a linked network of 39 lifts making it the closest North America has to a mega resort. It also has a varied terrain to suit all sorts of skiers from novices to Olympic level skiers a run for groups of mixed ability is the Burnt Slew trail from the top of Harmony Express chair all the way down to the village.

Whistler is an ideal ski resort for anyone who wishes to experience the most from their skiing holiday as it offers the closest thing to Alpine skiing in North America as well as there being no language barrier as well as a Canadian high level of service. You can also experience the European style après-ski culture missing from most North American resorts with its wide variety of bars and clubs not to mention top notch restaurants.

If you’re looking for good ski deals then Whistler will suit you, there are many bargains to be found as well as during your stay you won’t be overspending as the food and refreshments in the resort as you do get value for money.

Whistler Village

Picture courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik

Manchester’s newest development is The Quays, once the Salford Quays and Trafford Wharf which shipped cotton goods to the world, the redeveloped waterfront now offers architecture, art, culture, drama, sport and shopping to peoples from across the globe. It’s a 10 minute drive from Manchester Piccadilly Station and is also easy to get to from Manchester airport.

Manchester has a reputation to be a party culture city filled with lively bars, pubs and clubs but beyond that there are many great things to explore and The Quays is one of those great places. Its main feature is the multi award winning Imperial War Museum North which was designed by Daniel Libeskind and shows the story of the effects of war from 1914 to the present on ordinary people from across the former commonwealth. The museum also offered visitors the chance to take part in supervised handling of items from the collection there are plenty of interactive exhibits and the hourly audio visual shows.

At the other side of the Manchester Ship canal opposite the Imperial War Museum North is The Lowry Centre which two theatres that provides a diverse visual arts programme from opera, West End shows and ballet to panto, live music and stand-up comedy, while the studio provides space for staging innovative and daring theatre from new and emerging companies. As well as an arts programme The Lowry is also home to a free to enter gallery showcasing an impressive collection of L S Lowry’s industrial landscapes, film and information on the Salford artist.

Along with great places to visit there are also plenty of places to eat and drink across the Quays and many places to shop if you want a break from taking in all the history. There are also many hotels scattered across the area so you will easily find somewhere to stay and you can find great deals on flights to Manchester.

Lowry Theatre

Picture courtesy of jlcwalker

When it comes to Valentine’s Day you may find the idea of another year of Valentines flowers, tacky cards and bland chocolates doesn’t quite cover what you want to say, now is time to do something really special and a change from your norm, a Valentine’s Day holiday for just the two of you. This year you can treat yourself and the love of your life to an unforgettable Valentines break somewhere quiet and secluded, where you can both just spend some much needed time together, away from the distractions of home and work.
There are many holiday destinations around the world which are simply perfect for a romantic Valentine’s Day break no matter what your budget. Surrounded by beautiful scenery in far flung places or somewhere that is closer to home, where you can relax and share some special moments for the Valentines break.

Flowers