Holidays in 2012 – where to visit throughout the year

From Winter to Summer, Autumn or Spring, from the snow in the mountains to clear waters and sunny beaches, David has it all planned in advance for this year. As usual another amazing destination list :)

Deciding where to go on holiday can be tricky. You’ll often have a month in mind for when you’d like to go away but choosing your holiday destination isn’t always easy. To help you out with your decision, TravelSupermarket has identified 12 great holiday destinations to visit – one for every month of the year!

If you’re currently thinking about booking a last minute holiday, January is the ideal time of the year to visit the Caribbean. At this time of year there is a chance of rainfall but with temperatures throughout the month being at least 22 degrees, it is certainly a lot hotter than the UK. The Caribbean also starts its carnivals in January, giving you the chance to experience island life.


With choices from Antigua, Bahamas and Barbados and many others, you will be able to find miles of long sandy beaches and beautiful landscapes, as well as experiencing the laid-back charm of local towns and villages.

If you fancy a skiing break, then Geneva has over 200 resorts in traveling distance of the city and is an ideal destination for February. The city itself is also culture-rich and offers visitors the chance to wander down the streets of this green city and experience some of the finer things of Swiss life.


March is an ideal time to visit Marrakech, as the weather is warm without being too hot! The people of Marrakech are very friendly and the city itself is bustling with colour, sights and smells. It is easy to move from the narrow streets of the old city to the modern district, allowing you to experience what the city has to offer.


Crete is a popular European destination for some early sun in April, as well as for some excellent deals. The largest island in Greece, it offers beautiful coastline that is great for water sports as well as relaxing. The island has also lots to see, from natural features such as its gorges, to ruins from ancient civilizations.


Japan in May is very lush and the temperatures have yet to reach their hottest. The country offers the traditional Japanese lifestyle coupled with modern cities, having something for all types of visitors.


June is an ideal month for going on safari, with South Africa coming into its own at this time of year. The weather can be hot during the day, but it has cooler nights. Zambia has a number of National Parks, as well as spectacular landscapes that include Victoria Falls. The country offers a huge choice of safari activities, including horseback or elephant-back safaris as well as canoe or open vehicle safaris.


The fine weather in July is great for exploring Iceland. The country has such a varied landscape, including glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls and geysers. The days are long as the sun rarely sets and the land is green. There are plenty of activities, such as glacier skiing or even the opportunity to whale watch.


The jewel of the Balearics, Menorca, offers hot weather in August and the chance to relax on one of the many beaches that it has on offer. There are plenty of activities on offer for the whole family, including water sports, water parks, cycling and riding.


Menorca also offers a variety of other activities, including a number of golf courses. There is a variety of historical sites worth visiting on the island, as well as its National Park, the S'Albufera des Grau Natural Park.

There are still plenty of warm destinations in the USA in September. Although the weather can sometimes be unstable at this time of year, Miami offers some fantastic beaches with daily temperatures of above 22 degrees.


There is also the chance to visit the Everglades National Park, which as the subtropical wilderness of the USA, is home to a variety of species. There is also the Biscayne National park that offers the chance to dive around its coral reefs.

Visiting Dubai in October gives the chance for you to experience this truly unique city. Not only does it have many record-breaking landmarks and achievements, it also has many miles of beaches that are ideal for water sports. The city also offers traditional activities, such as camel racing and falconry.


November is an ideal time to take a trip halfway around the world to New Zealand. Both North Island and South Island have beautiful landscapes that include plenty of beaches, lots of wildlife, outdoor activities and the opportunity to experience the unique Maori culture. There is still plenty of sun at this time of year and it is an ideal time to explore.


Cancun in Mexico offers dry weather in December, with average temperatures of around 24 degrees. There are plenty of water sports on offer, including diving. As well as its many beaches, there is plenty to see and do. It has bustling towns and gives visitors the opportunity to explore the ancient world of the Mayans.


Whatever time of year you plan to go on holiday this year, this top picks are just a few destinations that will help you to follow the sun throughout the year.

Greek Island Holidays

And back to Greece with this Casey's guest post about Greek Island Holidays. A huge risk I must confess! Last year's posts about Greece inspired me and my friends so much that we ended up going for a week to Crete with a small visit to Santorini. A spectacular trip I may add ;)

Greek island holiday travel is a stellar choice of holiday destination whether you are traveling as a single person, as a couple, with friends or with your children. The weather on the islands is hot all day long during the summer months; warm days and cool nights are what make up the fall and spring weather in the Greek Islands and the winter months are cold. The best time to visit is between May and September, when the weather is hot and you can take advantage of the myriad of activities available on each of the Greek Islands, such as the beaches, water activities and nightlife.


If you are interested in a Greek villa holiday in 2012 the island of Crete is a good choice. It is the largest of the Greek Islands and has the most to offer tourists on holiday. Hotels, villas and boutique hotels are abundant in Crete, which makes it a good choice for Greek island holiday travel with the entire family. The beaches are marked with small rocks, the water is clear and the water sports are in full force during the summer months.


The island of Corfu is perhaps the best island to visit for a Greek villa holiday 2012 because the northeast side of the island has been largely developed by several British holiday companies that have built a number of luxury villas that cater to holiday travelers of all types. Restaurants, pools, sports and the ocean make this island perfect for the whole family. During the summer months, Corfu is alive with holiday tourists enjoying the Greek cuisine, the hospitality of the locals and the aesthetic appeal of the surroundings.


Lefkas is a small Greek Island known less for its tourism industry than for its history, which makes it the perfect holiday destination for history buffs. The island is rumored to be the home of Homer’s Ithaca and the island was the location of the Greek mythological suicide of Sappho. The island is also rumored to have a history tied in closely with the life of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love from the Greek mythology and also to Odysseus. The island is home to a number of hotels, resorts and villas, though it is not among the most traveled of the Greek islands. It is still a beautiful location for a holiday with the family; the history of the island makes it fascinating for those interested in Greek mythology.


In short, if you have visited Greece before, why not try visiting one of the many Greek islands in 2012?Depending on what you are looking for in a holiday, each of these islands has accommodation, restaurants, beaches and entertainment that is sure to please everyone in the family.

Thanks for sharing Casey and is that what I think it is... Yeap! I'm already starting to be curious about Corfu and Lefkas ;)

Top European Resorts

Thanks to Becky off we go for a list of some Top European Resorts. If you're in doubt about where to go on your next vacations who knows if your answer isn't in these next lines ;)

It's only really in the last couple of generations that package holidays to Europe have become both popular and the norm. Prior to this, with probably a few exceptions, it tended to be the well heeled who traveled across the Channel and holidayed in such places as San Tropez or Monte Carlo. Despite the economic boom in the early sixties and the resultant shifting in ideas, most holidaymakers still went by train or coach to the seaside. Europe was viewed on the television or by film.


Nowadays top European resorts roll off the tongue with a familiarity brought by overseas travel. The Algarve, Portugal's southernmost region would typify this. It is home to nearly half a million people, is very accessible primarily via Faro airport and as such is a vital tourist destination crucial to the Portuguese economy. It brims with a vibrancy during the summer: not only is it awash with holidaymakers but also is an important center for the fishing trade. Almonds, figs and oranges grow throughout, further add to the ambiance of the area.

Who, fifty years ago, would ever have imagined going 'island hopping'? Back in the day Samos, Naxos, Zakynthos and Paros would have sounded like names of exotic chocolates or players in an international football team, not holiday island destinations within easy reach. A flight to Athens opens up the tourist to these jewels of the Aegean Sea. The bigger islands such as Crete, Corfu and Rhodes can offer a livelier, more compact holiday but whichever way round the blend of climate, friendliness and civilization make all things Greek a favored holiday choice.


Spain's 'White Coast' or Costa Blanca as we know it, was always destined to be a holiday hotspot. Benidorm has moved from being a small village into a mixture of hotel, beach and skyscraper and has even demanded the nickname of 'The Manhattan of Spain'. Unlike New York though, Benidorm is dwarfed by an impressive mountain; the Puig Campana reaching 1406 meters into the sky.

If Benidorm is approaching middle age, then it has mellowed accordingly. Not unlike Manhattan, it is a byword for excitement yet has worked hard to lose its 'lager lout' image with such individuals now holidaying elsewhere. It's old town still reveals a sense of medieval Spain, yet the cabaret scene of an evening is second to none. The mountains that surround the town give Benidorm a climate all of its own and its beaches still resound with pure enjoyment.


With theme parks and song festivals, sporting events and shopping areas, cheap holidays in Benidorm represent a great time with good value for money. There's so much to do here.

Once again thanks to Becky for this article and also to Wikimedia and Open Galleries for the photos.

Santorini, perfection to say the least!

Santorini is a Greek island part of a small set of islands that form an archipelago with the same name. In the past all of the islands of the archipelago were part of the crater of a huge volcano that erupted and destroyed itself 3600 years ago. Even nowadays if you look closely at the island's geographical disposition you can imagine the size of the crater. Anyway, geographical history aside, Santorini is without doubt one of the most beautiful places I've had the pleasure to visit.


The beauty of the sights is impossible to describe. The views from Oia's cliffs towards the other islands are beyond perfection. The white painted houses, instead of built, almost seamed like if they were carved on the cliffs and turned all the landscape into some kind of surrealistic painting - to this day I'm still convinced that Dali must be acquaintance of the local architects!

Speaking of surrealism, before boarding to Greece remember that Greeks use an unique alphabet so simple daily tasks like reading a menu or the morning newspaper can be rather challenging. You can't imagine how many times did I wish I had some handy translation services at my disposal :)


Like I stated before the beauty of the sights is nearly impossible to describe, with that in mind, allow me to show it in pictures. Above a normal view from the streets of Fira, Santorini's capital city, and bellow a detail from a church taken from one of the countless balconies of the cliffs of Oia, a small town on the North of the island. Amazing views right...

Since sights aren't all in a travel let me tell you about the local food. In Santorini, much like in other regions of Greece, the food is wonderful. The Mediterranean influence can be easily noted in the local dishes by the abundant use of olives and olive oil, cheeses, and herb seasonings. Besides this you can also count with a wide variety of magnificent salads and a very good selection of wines.


Also a note for the people on the island, they were all super friendly. Apart the obvious language barrier (I'm from Portugal and I speak zero Greek, much like most of the Greeks do when it comes to speaking Portuguese) everyone tried to make use of their best English and everything went great.

I leave you with the article title - Santorini, perfection to say the least! - and with the usual thanks note to the Open Galleries site for the lovely set of Santorini photos.

Scuba diving and snorkelling in the Mediterranean

And thanks to Jess Spate for this list of some of the best scuba spots on the Mediterranean. A big thanks also to Jess's boss for allowing the use of the photos in this guest post :)

Almost anywhere you go along the coast of the Mediterranean sea, there are places to get into the water and find out what lies beneath the surface. Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Egypt- each country has something unique to offer under the sea as well as on the land. Here are just a few of the finest diving destinations around the Med:


Portofino, Italy - Less than an hour's drive from the grand old city of Genoa, the Marine Reserve at Portofino provides the best diving and snorkelling in the Europe- at least, that's what the locals say! There is some pretty strong evidence to support their claims. The seabed off Portofino is carpeted with fields of red corals and sponges, which are home to a wide variety of rare and interesting marine wildlife. The largest submerged wreck in the world (the Amoco Milford Haven, more than 1000ft or 330m long) is just down the coast and the famous Christ of the Abyss statue stands tall, 55ft under the surface of San Fruttuoso Bay.

Paros, Greece - It's hard not to be seduced by the romance of underwater archaeology. What could be more exciting than swimming over the top of ancient stony walls and finding the traces of an ancient civilisation lying where they fell a thousand years ago or more? The island of Paros is probably the best place in the world for amateur divers and snorkelers to explorers to learn about underwater archaeology and to get involved with it. Those who have plenty of time can even take a course (including incredible field trips) from the Aegean Institute.



Malaga, Spain - Diving in Malaga's La Herradura area has one real advantage- the bays in this area are so sheltered that there is almost always somewhere calm to dive, even in poor weather. There are reefs to dive on and also open caves to explore. Octopus, eels, and large grouper are plentiful. Sardines shoal in huge numbers too. Those with sharp eyes should keep a close lookout for seahorses in the coral. The waters off Malaga are also frequented by the huge sunfish. The world's largest bony fish, these creatures can weight anything up to a metric ton. They're not considered dangerous to divers though.

Malta - A paradise for wreck divers! All kinds of shallow water wrecks can be explored in this part of the world, from tug boats that sank only a few years ago to relics from the Second World War. It's not just boats either- divers can explore what is left of a WWII bomber aircraft too. Advanced divers can even get down to an old submarine lying about 55m below the surface. In total there are more than 20 wrecks to dive around Malta and the islands of Comino and Gozo. Many of the wrecks still have their guns, torpedo tubes, propellers, and other details intact.

Those are just four dive destinations out of hundreds of choices, if not thousands, spread out across the Mediterranean. There is something for every diver, and for every snorkeler too- you don't have to be an expert. Dive schools and underwater tour operators have never been more popular. There is no shortage of help and guidance for underwater explorers.

Jess Spate is a keen amateur diver and lately she has been moving towards underwater photography but still loves to dive just to see what's down there.

Travel Etiquette on WPIX

Yesterday morning, I got up at 4:30am to get to New York's WPIX to talk travel etiquette, including a few places to go to pick your nose on vacation or why we should be made at pedestrian crosswalks here in the US.

Koroni Ancient Ruins, Peloponnese Peninsula, Greece

Today, the second part of Maggi's guest post on the Peloponnese Peninsula - after the sunny beaches it's time to visit a series of cultural places nearby...

This being Greece, ancient ruins are never far away and the Peloponnese has its fair share of these. Nestor's Palace is not far from Pylos, Ancient Olympia is about 3 hours drive. Mycenae, Ancient Corinth, Epidaurus and more are all within a few hours' travel although an overnight stay is best for some of these. The most famous sites inevitably get crowded, especially Olympia where you can find yourself getting caught up in one of the many tours.

Although some sites have roped off areas, it's still possible to get close to many monuments. Walk through the tunnel used by the original Olympic athletes or sit on the original seats at Epidaurus and you can feel the atmosphere. For reasons best known to themselves the Greeks changed the opening hours last year and many ancient sites closed mid-afternoon. It's always best to check before setting out, especially if you have a long drive.

Closer, and just as good in my opinion, is Ancient Messini – Ithaca. Unlike the other sites this is free and when you're tired of wandering over the ruins there's a nice cafe just up the hill where you can sit and look out over the valley.

If you prefer your ruins a little more recent the Byzantine city of Mystras near Sparta is fascinating. The road to Mystras from Kalamata twists up and down mountainsides–not for the faint hearted. It's hard to believe there can be several feet of snow on these hills in winter but the Peloponnese is also home to mountains and even a few ski resorts, a fact not known to many non-Greeks.

Turn away from the coast and you can follow roads leading to old villages and abandoned settlements. There's even the odd waterfall hidden away, a welcome sight in the middle of the hot, dry summer. Don't try this if you dislike getting lost though – Greek signposting is never going to win any awards for accuracy. Nor are Greek maps, but that's part of the adventure. Greek people are always willing to help you on your way, and asking directions can sometimes lead to an invitation to rest a while with a coffee or glass of wine.

A couple of hours' drive from Koroni puts you across on the Mani, still feeling as wild as it was a couple of hundred years ago. Or pay a visit to Agia Theodora at Vasta, a tiny church with 17 trees growing inside the walls. Look inside and there's no evidence of the trees at all, but they are definitely sticking out of the roof. Weird!

If you're looking for expensively appointed restaurants, noisy nightlife or lots of fashionable shopping this part of Greece will likely disappoint you. But if you want to explore unspoilt villages, quiet beaches, experience life going on in much the same way it has for years, or just relax in a friendly atmosphere, you're in for a real treat.

Maggi, I'm convinced! If I ever go to Greece, besides Athens and some of the islands, I'll surely pay a visit to your fantastic Peloponnese Peninsula. Once more, thank you Maggi from FaceDestiny & GreeceDonkeyDroppings for this fantastic insights on Greece.

Koroni Beaches, Peloponnese Peninsula, Greece

Today the first part of a guest post about the Peloponnese Peninsula, Greece, sent by Maggi from FaceDestiny & GreeceDonkeyDroppings. Thanks Maggi and off we go to Greece...

Think of Greece as a holiday destination and I can predict the picture that will come to mind: intense blue sky and sea, sandy beaches, blindingly white houses, and more likely than not it will be an island you're thinking of. It's hardly surprising given the number of islands that form part of Greece. And that's exactly how it was for us on our first visits.

After a few years we decided we wanted to explore mainland Greece and we liked what we found so much that we actually moved to the southern Peloponnese at the beginning of 2008.

The Peloponnese is that big piece at the bottom left of Greece on the map, attached to the rest of the mainland by the Corinth Canal. At its southern end it splits into 3 peninsulas and we live on the western most of the 3, just on the inside of the southern tip. We're around 4 hours' drive from Athens, accessible by bus and train as well as hire car, and there are some charter flights into the local airport at Kalamata, a mere 40 km away, in summer.

For those who do make the journey, which includes a fair number who drive their motor homes down from northern Europe, the effort is definitely worth it. Many return year after year and some, like us, find they don't want to leave, adding to the growing non-Greek population.

Driving down the peninsula from Kalamata you're never more than a couple of kilometers from the sea as the road passes through small towns and villages.

Our little piece of paradise is Koroni, a small town that is a tourist spot in traditional Greek fashion. By that I mean it doesn't try too hard: it hasn't 'sold its soul' for tourism. If people want to come, this area will welcome them, but if they don't come life will go on. Accommodation is in small hotels or self catering units, the latter ranging from cheap and cheerful to large, well appointed apartments. The town sits on a slight promontory with sea on 2 sides and mountain views to the opposite peninsula, so a good view from your balcony and a short walk to the beach are virtually guaranteed.

The town center has just 2 streets: the harbor front lined with cafes, tavernas and shops and the main shopping street behind with more small shops.

Away from the seafront, houses crowd the hillside, connected by lanes, alleys and stairways. Above the harbor is a ruined Venetian fort with a small monastery and a tiny chapel, and excellent views. It's easy to see why the Venetians chose this as a base.

The main beach starts at the town end where it's called Zaga, and stretches along the shoreline, becoming Memi beach a couple of kilometers along the coast. It's mostly fine golden sand, shelving gently into the stunningly clear sea, and great for children. It's so long it never feels crowded even in August. Most people stay close to the few cafe-bars, but if you're prepared to walk a hundred meters or so you'll most likely find yourself alone.

You can get by without transport here but it's better if you have access to a car. This puts several other beautiful beaches within range: Vounaria/Peroulia a little to the north, crescent shaped Amoudi just along the coast, remote Tsapi, then into the small tourist area of Finikounda with several fine beaches to choose from.

But the most stunning of all is Voidakilia, just the other side of Pylos, with its horse-shoe of fine sand and sheltered bay. Pylos itself is worth a visit. Linear B script was discovered here (so my nephew tells me) and there's a castle to explore. Or you can just sit in the lively square sipping an ouzo and watching the world go by. Methoni boasts a bigger Venetian fort that you can wander around.

To be continued in the next post...