For those who want easy going family holidays where all you needs are catered for then you don’t need to look further than the popular resorts such as Tenerife, Gran Canaria or Lanzarote which offer plenty of family orientated activities. If you want a faced paced party holiday then you need to be going to Spain’s world famous party capital, Ibiza or the lively resort of Magaluf. And for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the busier tourist resorts you can look to stay in some traditional holiday rentals in Spain further off the beaten track such as Correalejo National Park, and the resorts of La Gomera and La Palma.

There is also more to Spain than the golden beaches, if you travel a little further in land you will find a country steeped in history with a rich culture as well as cities which boast world’s finest architecture as well as breath taking scenery. Here you also get to enjoy the real Spain, with its sights, sounds and tastes that are a world away from the bright tacky lights and British orientated food found in many of the resorts.  If you stay in holiday villas further inland you will get to enjoy the real Spain, in villages the feel like they have stood still in time.

Repositioning cruises differ slightly from your regular cruise holiday, because they take place in-between season you normally find rougher sea, and you will also spend longer at sea, however you do get plenty of time to relax without rushing off for excursions.  You still get a good selection of cruises to choose from at great prices such as passenger who want to enjoy a transatlantic trip, starting from a port in northern Europe, the US or the Caribbean, stopping off at either the Canary Islands or the Azores on the way. You can also enjoy a cruise around Africa or even one that hits the best of the US and the Caribbean, South America and the Panama Canal, with stops in Mexico and the western United States.

These cruises are also great for those who don’t like travelling at peak times, as they are generally a lot quieter than normal cruises, however they are getting more popular with people looking to enjoy the lavish cruise experience without the high price tag.

Other resorts in the area including Villeneuve, Loubet and St. Laurent-du-Var raised their red ‘no swimming’ flags as people in boats telephoned warnings about the suspected shark, which had a large dorsal fin and a white belly after been seen swimming some 150 feet off the coast. Its closeness to the shore prompted fears that it might be wounded or ill, and might start attacking holidaymakers.

However chief veterinary officer for the area, Veronique Vienet, questioned the hysteria, saying that the creature might actually be a large dolphin, stating that there has only been one fatal shark attack in French coastal waters since the 1840s. Also last July there was another shark scare at Antibes, but the creature turned out to be a harmless ocean sunfish which only eats jellyfish.

The ban has now been lifted however tourists are still cautious.

 You can look at staying in little village’s right in the heart of our English countryside, ideal to get away from it all, and at a slower pace you can take time to enjoy what’s around you. However if you still want some fun and excitement then there are many historical towns and cities that offer plenty of activities. When looking at holidays in the UK you can’t forget to mention the English coastline, we are lucky to have so many fantastic seaside towns that offer a whole host of activates for the whole family to enjoy, from places with the old school charm to more modern and vibrant towns.

There are lots of different places to stay, if you like a bit of adventure you can enjoy a boating holiday along England’s waterways or stay in a log cabin in one of many forests, there’s so many places to stay and plenty of things for the whole family to enjoy in England there is no reason to go abroad!

Unite members voted in favor of industrial action in protest at a 1 per cent pay offer, with Unite sating that its members accepted a wage freeze last year and cooperated with changes to their pension scheme, so deserved a bigger pay rise. However the Spanish owners of BAA offered them an additional 0.5 per cent but this was conditional on changes to the firm’s sickness agreement, the union stated.

Speaking about the talks which will be held at the conciliation services Acas BAA said it was looking forward to the Acas meeting, adding: “We hope that we can quickly conclude an agreement, in the interests of the travelling public, our airlines and our staff, the majority of whom did not vote for a strike.”

If there is no breakthrough at the Acas talks leaders of Unite will meet shop stewards today to decide their next move, which could lead to strike dates being announced, this could mean the airports would close down because of strikes and that travel plans of millions of holidaymakers and other passengers would be hit. The Union would have to give seven days notice of strike action which means they could go ahead before the end of the school holidays.

When you embark on an Egypt cruise you will be able to take in the magnificent and historic River Nile, the wonders of the world such as the Giza pyramid complex and the Great Sphinx, as part of your excursions. You can also learn about Egypt’s historical legacy and biblical associations such as Moses and the Red Sea, such as the southern city of Luxor which is home the Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings. You can enjoy the world renowned beaches here which boast clear blue waters, pristine beaches and abundance of underwater life such as a habitat of over 1000 invertebrate species and 200 soft and hard corals.

The best way to make the most out of your holiday in Egypt is to go for a fly, cruise and stay holiday, you can spend 7 nights in a 4* hotel in the popular tourist destination of Sharm El Sheikh before embarking on a 7 night Red Sea Cruise. With this you can spend time relaxing on the beaches before being toured around Egypt hitting the historical places of interest in the lap of luxury without any worries.

The Lake District is famous for its Lakes, where it gets its name from, also known as the Lakes or Lakeland however there’s only one “Lake” which is Bassenthwaite Lake, the rest are “meres” or “waters” such as in Windermere which is the largest ‘lake’ in Britain and Derwentwater. Here you will get to see some of England’s finest scenery as well as a wide choice of attraction’s and family activities which include outdoor fun at Grizedale Forest its challenging course of rope bridges and zip slides up to 60 feet above the forest floor will be enough for any young adventurer or for those who are not adrenaline junkies a tip to The World of Beatrix Potter where all 23 Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit tales are brought to life. You can also enjoy whiling away the hours on a boat on one of the many lakes, or explore the local area horseback riding or hiking and if you really want a challenge clime to the summit of Scafell Pike which is the highest fell in England.

You can also enjoy the tastes that the Lake District has to offer and sample the fares of Cumbria and all the local seasonal produce, from bakeries where bread and cakes are made fresh each day to restaurants sourcing local foods and delicacies, and you can also try a lot of authentic local food at farmers markets that are dotted around the area.

So for a fun filled action packed weekend away or a relaxing, revitalising break you should get booked into a holiday cottage in the Lake District.

Windermere

Picture courtesy of flamesworlddragon

However the head of one of the UK’s leading holiday operators to Greece has said tourists shouldn’t be dissuaded from visiting the country even though the group which has already claimed the life of journalist Sokratis Giolias has also said they: ‘intend to turn [Greece] into a war zone of revolutionary activity with arson, sabotage, violent demonstrations, bombings and assassinations, and not a country that is a destination for holidays and pleasure’.

Looking at the recent threats, Noel Josephides, Managing director of Sunvil Holidays, said that although the company has been discounting Greek holidays in a bid to sell more late deals and that many of the major operators have been ’switching a lot of capacity from Greece to Egypt and Turkey which are a lot more fashionable this year.’ Also that: ‘people who know and love Greece are still going to go this year.’

However Mr Josephides conceded the country’s unsettled political situation could make those who have yet to decide where to spend their summer holidays think twice before travelling to the popular Greek islands. But with any situation there is an upside ‘There will be fewer people going to Greece over the summer, that means the beaches and resorts will be quieter, (and) prices about 10 per cent lower.’

In a public statement the Greek government is adamant that tourists will be safe stating: ‘In relation to the recent events linked to the terrorist group Sect of Revolutionaries, there is absolutely no danger to tourists or the Greek public’.

It’s a great opportunity to have a quick break away without the hassle you have the comfort of your own room, easy access to bars and restaurants, plenty of onboard activities and the chance to visit exciting destinations all without worrying. You can take a 2 night cruise departing from Southampton visiting Brussels and Paris or a 3 night cruise, setting sail from Southampton and head towards Antwerp in Belgium.

There are many different shorter cruises to choose from at low prices as well as many good cruise deals meaning a three night cruise can cost as little as £329 per person, that’s just over £100 per night and at that price it makes a great idea for a weekend away without worry. It’s also a great way to visit countries such as France where you can enjoy the French Rivera’s fashionable hotspots of St Malo and La Rochelle or Bordeaux which has been an official UNESCO World Heritage site since 2007. As well as the charming and charismatic capital of Portugal, Lisbon, that has a selection of museums of ancient and modern art, such as Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, the National Museum of Contemporary Art and Carmo Archaeological Museum.

The study which was conducted at Victoria University in Australia found that travel can affect three different elements of happiness, meaning the joy of a holiday extends well beyond the time you enjoyed away and could help prolong our lives.

The expert in travel and wellbeing at Victoria University, Dr Sebastian Filep, found that motivations for travel, experiences at the destination and the post-holiday reflection all contributed to the pleasure of a break abroad. With the first causing positive emotions in the traveller, the second giving them a sense of purpose and the third giving them a sense of involvement which are all key ingredients of happiness.

Dr Filep, said of the study: “I see an opportunity for a greater connection between tourism and health where holidays become a more important factor in leading a healthy lifestyle, we from studies in the US that experiencing positive emotions reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease, or that optimists live longer than pessimists. So happiness is good for overall physical and mental health and holidays are a good vehicle for experiencing happiness.”

He also noted: “Holidays may possibly lead to people living longer, as holidays make people happy. Happiness is the opposite of depression. If thinking about a holiday, going on a holiday and remembering a holiday plays a role in making people happy, than I certainly think prescribing holidays or travel could help beat depression. “