Bodrum is a very nice place indeed it is built on two adjoining harbours that are divided by a large castle. Modern day Bodrum is a marina town that has actually planned its development to keep a wonderful European atmosphere. The coast line of the eastern harbour is particularly pleasant place to stroll along where you can sit back and relax at any of the many beachside cafes whilst watching the sun set. In the old town behind the bazaar  area there are narrow  streets where you can go to escape the growing crowds. Situated in the western harbour is the port, where you can admire the seriously expensive yachts that fills the marina. 

Many Hellenistic influences can still be found in Bodrum due to its closeness to Grecian trading and social centres such as Rhodes and Athens. I ve never really known much about Hellenism nothing about the promotion of principles and ideals of classical Greek civilisation which includes aesthetics, philosophy, science, law and democracy outside ancient Greece. Bodrum was a major port in ancient Greco-Roman times and was known as Harlicarnassus , and because of its beautiful Mediterranean environment it is easy to see why Hellenism was practised here.

The main feature of Bodrum is the castle and according to an information board situated in Bodrum it is the ’strongest castle on the Mediterranean’. It was built by the Knights of St John but in the name of St Peter why I have no idea !! The work started in 1406 and wasn’t actually finished until 1522 and was just in time to be peacefully handed over to the Turks one year later when Rhodes finally fell to Islam.  You have to pass through seven fortified gates to reach the inner sanctum that was built to support up to 50 knights and more than 150 soldiers.  249 coats of arms cover the walls, mainly belonging to the Grand Master of the St John order and to various castle commanders. Five internal towers were built by specific Crusader nations England, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. The English Tower was built under Henry IV and is the largest English monument built outside England according to another plaque however I find this quite hard to believe.. The castle has also been used as a prison and in more recent history it was used as a target for French naval bombing in WWI on May 26th 1915 as the Allies suspected Turkey was helping to refuel German subs in Bodrum.

Once you get inside the castle you will be fascinated as a number of rooms and courtyards house the fantastic Museum of Marine Archaeology. Here you will find recoveries from some of the oldest wrecks ever excavated and that are displayed here you can also see pottery and glassware that was found from the Minoan trading period 1,600 to 1,200 BC and hundreds of amphorae, which include some dating back to 3,000BC.

One wreck which is known as the ‘Uluburan’ which sunk around 1,400BC contained about 20 tonnes of raw materials, including seals from Assyria and Babylonia, Jewellery and weapons, Cypriot ceramics and copper pieces, African ebony, Eastern spices, Baltic Amber and swords from Italy and Greece. This exhibit shows the extent of international trade in ancient history. The wreck was found in 1982 in waters of 44 to 61 metres deep. The divers could only do dives of  20-25 minutes at this depth and it took more than 22,000 dives over an 11 year period to complete the excavation!

Bodrum Castle is a great castle, with plenty of detail on every wall to compliment the museum and the significant aspects of its construction. Parts of the older carved stones have been built straight into newer walls and the many coats of arms are evidence of creativity on the part of the allied Renaissance period and European builders.

Even the smaller details like the wall lanterns and the Hellenic statues and carvings placed over the vast public grounds make every turn an adventure.

Bodrum is just a short ride from the town of Gumbet which is a tourists paradise with much livelier nightlife than Bodrum. During the day you can soak up some sun which is exactly what I did on its long beach where the waters are perfect for floating around on a lilo… I got talking to a group of British girls who go there pretty much every year and they invited me out.. So after heading back to Bodrum getting changed I met them in Planet Yucca one of the main restaurants in Gumbet and geared up for tourists you wont find much locally cooked food but I did have a huge bowl of pasta for a really good price.. After dinner we headed for Bar Street which consists of a number of bars all blasting out music and trying to convince you to enter… The two main bars on the strip are X Bar and Shakers both are cheesy but were good fun and both open until the early hours of the morning… Luckily for me the mini buses run 24 hours so I managed to get myself back to the hotel even though I was a little worst for wear..

The next day waking up feeling not to healthy I decided to visit a Hamam also known as a Turkish Bath. The older more traditional Hamams are mainly for male clients, and females are only allowed in during limited hours. Luckily there are Unisex ones although they are more touristy than traditional but this was fine for me. So I booked my Hamam with the hotel and I was picked up in a minibus. Once I had arrived and the guy behind the counter shows me to the lockers and tells me to leave on my bikini and put on the plastic slippers provided.

I was then lead into a large steam room. The steam room was really pretty and totally made of marble, with a domed roof, and a raised circular marble slab in the middle of the floor. I was then told to lie down, and the man then poured a few buckets of water over me, luckily it was warm water. He then said in a gruff voice ‘’someone will come in to scrub you in ten minutes ”’…. By this time I was starting to feel just a little uneasy !! This was due to the fact that I was the only one in there and I am sweating and steaming away in the humid and slightly smelly surroundings. Ten minutes then turns into twenty and all of a sudden in strides a local man, short ( like most Turkish men ) and stocky, wearing only a towel around his waist and carrying what looks like a huge brillo pad on his hand. For one slight second I had flashes  of ‘Midnight Express’, and every other foreign prison film I have ever watched in my life. Here I was alone in a bikini with a foreign bloke in a bathing area, with him wearing nothing other than a loin cloth and a glove what the hell was I thinking.

The glove man then told me to sit up while he poured a few buckets of water over me. With his hand inside the white brillo glove, he then grabbed my arm and started running this harsh scrubbing glove all over it. He then proceeded with the other arm. Then to my surprise my chest and back. Next he grabbed a leg and so on. This part of the Hamam is apparently to rid me of dead skin layers. Next he pours more water over me, and then tells me to lie down on my stomach… He then switches the glove for a large towel looking thing that somehow contains a huge amount of soapy foam. He then squashes the towel together so that I am covered in soapy suds while he rubs the towel on my back and shoulders legs and arms and he even manages a small massage !!!   Quickly enough he is covering me with more water. Then I here the magical words ‘Finished’ thank god is what I reply !!!

Outside of the steam room I am pointed to a ’sofa for me to chill out on. I am then asked if I want a massage or other treatments what other meant I am not to sure but I quickly declined the offer…I paid for the bath which cost me about £5 and was then whisked back in the mini bus to the hotel. The experience was very strange but my skin felt amazing and it did look awesome…

That evening I sat down at the western bay in a lovely pier restaurant drinking and enjoyed a nice bottle of Rose and again eating some quality pasta. This is the ideal place to sit and watch the yachts and best of all people watch….

The next day I decided to do something more adventurous and booked myself to go horse riding in the town of Turgutreis which is 20kms from Bodrum on the Peninsula. So I was booked up around lunch time and it took us about 40 minutes to reach the riding school. The journey was really pretty with some great scenery.Once we reached the riding school we were each given a horse depending on your experience. My horse was nice tempered and had I had no problems guiding him on the trek.  The views are splendid and the trek lasted just over an hour and we even got to see a camel which was all alone just grazing in a field. The trek was through the countryside and I did feel totally isolated and away from any other communities and I could imagine how Turkey used to be before all the tourists etc..

So that was just a few nice days spent in Bodrum and then it was on to visit some of the Greek Islands…

 Book your Bodrum hotel online and get the best rates for your Bodrum accommodation

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We landed in Cairo and had a great transfer to our hotel. We actually arrived during the religious festival of Eid. So the following morning we woke up to the animal sacrifices which take place throughout the city. We watched the animals being transferred throughout the city which were mainly cows and sheep. Some animals were slaughtered in the streets and there was plenty of blood to be seen. Watching this was amazing and a good insight into another countries religions and beliefs.

After watching all of this we then made our way to the bus station and boarded our bus. The journey was actually really nice even though we had to stop every 30 or so minutes at various check points. This was quite daunting as Egyptian soldiers would come on to the bus and check everyone’s passports.  Luckily we never had any problems. The journey to Sharm el Sheikh was beautiful we drove through the desert and then had amazing views of the Red Sea. 

Once we arrived at the bus station we jumped in a taxi after some major haggling and finally reached our hotel. We checked in the hotel was pretty nice, good clean rooms and the view from the hotel was fantastic.  We had amazing views of the Red Sea, and the clear turquoise water, and the town below was picture perfect. 

We headed out and walked down the 109 steps so that we could do the walk to Na’ama Bay. Na’ama Bay has a long sandy beach and is where the first hotel was built back in the eighties. The area is extremely developed and the seafront has a beautiful paved walkway which was perfect for an evening stroll and there are plenty of shops, restaurants, bars and ‘Sheesha’ cafes where you can sit and soak up the atmosphere of this eastern touristy place.

Once refreshed we went back to town we found a  great restaurant and had some great food. I ate some  tahini, roasted eggplant , I also tries some quail and some amazing lentil soup.  After diner we took a slow walk back to the hotel and saw the nightlife of Sharm el-Sheikh which involved lots of drunk people who all looked like they were having lots of fun. Being tired we decided to call an early night and headed back to the hotel.

The following morning we went for a walk and explored the gorgeous Cliffside bar and swimming area.  This was right on the Red Sea, and was filled with sun umbrellas and lounge chairs.  We went for a swim and the water was so clear really warm. We decided to go to the dive centre located at the hotel and rented some snorkelling equipment and then went back to the swimming area.  There were loads of colourful fish and beautiful coral.  There were plenty of clown fish the same as in the film Finding Nemo. The colours under the water is just amazing bright blues, greens, yellows, pinks, oranges every colour possible.

 After a couple of hours chilling out and snorkelling we went and got changed and then made our way back to Na’ama Bay’s downtown area to have a walk around.  We strolled along the waterfront strip right passed the hotel that had been bombed in a terrorist attack in July 2005  it felt very strange being right next to it but the hotel has been completely rebuilt.  We stopped for some lunch at a waterfront restaurant in one of the restaurants that is part of the Movenpick Hotel it was very nice and I really enjoyed my pizza..

That evening we ate at Sabsaba, which is very well known for it’s seafood.  I though the sea food was amazing it tasted so fresh. We then bought some Egyptian wine which was pretty awful Egypt is not known for having the best wine but we chucked it down and then made our way to Little Buddha, which is an Egyptian bar/club. The club was lots of fun. The club was really smokey as smoking hasn’t been banned in public places yet. But there were belly dancers and people just dancing and enjoying themselves. I felt a little nervous about being in a placed that had been attacked by terrorists, but didn’t let it spoil my fun.

We also visited the old town of Sharm El Sheikh which was originally developed by the Israelis after the 1967 war had finished and not much really goes on there because the place has an oddly shaped harbour which is surrounded by high cliffs that makes getting to the water difficult. But the old market in Sharm itself is definitely worth a visit and is colourful and lively and you can find all sorts of things here.

We spent some of time at Fantasia, which was some kind of theatre with a load of restaurants all done up in Disney style, It was very cheesy, but lots of fun, and we found a couple of cheap restaurants serving pizza and Egyptian Stella beer which was actually not to bad.

There’s not a lot to say about this place apart from its great for those who want a small insight to Egypt. Its a package holiday resort geared up for tourists with plenty of good spots for diving. It was a good relaxing place to go for a holiday.

Book your Sharm el Sheikh hotel online and get the best rates for your Sharm el Sheikh accommodation

 http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/sharm_el_sheikh.htm

Before you go to Las Vegas, here is a check list for some things that you will find essential:

Take comfortable shoes, Las Vegas is a huge city and you will do a lot of walking. Although the hotels appear to look close together, you could find yourself walking for half an hour or more and still be on the same hotel complex. The city is big and the hotels are equally as big.

A high factor sun screen and some good lip balm, don’t forget you are in the middle of the desert and the air is really dry, which means that your lips will dry out very quickly.

Drink lots and lots of water to make sure you don’t de-hydrate

Last year on our annual trip we were booked to at the Aladdin Hotel and Casino. Arriving jet-lagged and after a long flight from London, we were greeted warmly by the staff who kindly offered us a room upgrade to a larger suite for a small charge. Due to the fact that there were only two of us, we didn’t think we would need that much extra space and decided to stay in the room we had previously booked. Once we were taken to our room I was glad that we didn’t take the extra space. The room was massive and decorated very nicely.. The bed was huge and must have been over 6 foot wide and all the furniture was wooden and all polished including a table and chair that we could sit and have dinner on if we wanted. The bathroom was all decorated in marble with a lovely bath with separate shower.. All the hotels are covered in carpet and all the walking about on the carpets in Las Vegas, means you generate a lot of static electricity so every time you touch a piece of metal, you get a small electric shock. So many of the hotels have covered many of their door handles and other bits and pieces were covered in leather straps so that you didn’t get a shock!

Once we had finished the tour of the room we were keen to get out and explore Las Vegas…

First stop however was to the Zanzibar cafe in the Aladdin, where we ordered a stack of pancakes for breakfast. Once again we were shocked by the size of everything here. We thought we could easily manage a short stack which consisted of only 3 pancakes each, but how wrong were we. The pancakes were about eight inches wide and six inches deep, we were just unable to eat them all, no matter how tasty they were. The Aladdin also has its own Desert Passage shopping mall, which has lots and lots of shops clothes, souvenirs, cafes, toys. There are all different sections, some looked as though you were in a bazaar in Morocco and some as though you were in a outdoor market.

For those who are not interested in the casinos that much there are lots of other things you can do.. Visit the Mandalay Bay where there is a beautiful aquarium called Shark Reef, where you can see plenty of sea life and seeing the sharks close is amazing

If you fancy something a little different then go and visit Circus Circus, where there are circus acts performed for free every day. They also have a funfair, with a large rollercoaster and fait rides. At the lake in front of the Bellagio hotel every morning and evening you can see the dancing fountains come a live, dancing in time to the music. There is also a lovely conservatory in the Bellagio, with beautiful tropical flowers and plants where you can have a pleasant stroll and hide from the heat for an hour or so. The hotel also boasts an art gallery although it is mostly sculpture.

Take the free shuttle to Sam’s Town from Harrah’s on the main strip where you can see a small fountain show inside the hotel although it is not as spectacular as the show in the Bellagio, but it is still worth a look, especially if you are in Las Vegas with children. Sam’s Town also has a large multiplex cinema and a bowling alley, as well as a casino.

From dusk till dawn a volcano erupts every 15 minutes from The Mirage Hotel. During the day you can see Siegfried and Roy’s secret garden, where you watch the white tigers and dolphins used in their show. The Flamingo Hotel has a lovely wildlife garden, where you can see penguins and other birds as well as little turtles and fish in the clear water pools..

The Imperial Palace has a great classic car show. An entrance fee is charged, but normally you can find someone standing outside giving away free tickets, which we managed to get. Many of the cars are spectacular and you can even buy one if you wanted. There was also a collection of classic jukeboxes and other collectibles which were also for sale.

The world famous Caesar’s Palace Hotel is home to the Race for Atlantis ride, which is inside the Forum Shopping Mall. There are two free fountain shows, which includes the Fall of Atlantis. The shopping mall as well as having lots of shops has plenty of benches where you can stop and rest those aching feet!

The Luxor Hotel is famous not only for its amazing casino but you can also go to the Imax Cinema, where different features are showing each day, including films in 3D. The Luxor is also home to the ride, In Search of the Obelisk and have a look at a replica of King Tut’s tomb.

Watch the amazing Pirates battle it out at the Treasure Island hotel, with a great show with fantastic sound and light effects and even real life sized ships.

You can even take a trip up a half sized replica of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel and get some great views.

For Star Trek fans then The Star Trek Experience is found inside the Hilton Las Vegas Hotel and you can get a shuttle bus from the main strip which will take you directly to the hotel.

For food there are some great buffets in Las Vegas. The best value for food we found was at the Sahara and the Imperial Palace. The best place for a bit of wow factor was at The Flamingo, where the buffet restaurant overlooks the gardens and waterfalls and nearly any food from around the world that you could think of was available.

Whilst in Las Vegas no trip would be complete without a trip to the Grand Canyon and you can find many tour operators providing day trips and you can even fly over the Canyon and get a great view of this massive phenomenon

If you wanted to go a little further afield then the Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon are certainly worth a visit.

Before you leave Las Vegas, do remember to go up the Stratosphere Tower for an amazing bird’s eye view of the strip and the surrounding mountains. If you have time you can go up twice, once in the day and then again at night, where you can see why Las Vegas is called the City of Lights.

 Book your Las Vegas hotel online and get the best rates for you Las Vegas accommodation

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We decided to go Goa famous for its all year round sun and great beaches. Goa is situated on the west coast of India on the Arabian Sea. Our hotel was located in Vainguinim Valley in Dona Paula which was just 8km from Panjim the Capital of Goa and even more importantly the beautiful Vainguinim Beach was just a few minutes walk from the hotel.

Goa is kind of divided into two parts North and South Goa and we were staying in South Goa. South Goa is surrounded by beautiful countryside along with some fantastic beaches and many of the beaches here are isolated from anyone and anything. Vainguinim Beach was beautiful and runs around in a bay from Dona Paula and was the ideal spot just what we needed..

Most of time was spent exploring the wonderful and beautiful beaches and some of our favourite in North Goa was the Calangute beach which is also the site of the Aguada Fort which is one of the best preserved Portuguese forts. The beach here is about 7km along and the sand and sea were just perfect. We also took a walk to the fort which can be reached by heading towards the Taj Village and going past it and towards Nerul. You then need to walk down a lane which will take you up a steep hill towards the woods although you cant actually enter the Fort as it is now used as a Prison the walk is fantastic.

Bogmalo beach was another favourite and easy to get to. Bogmolo is essentially a small fishing village and we decided to participate in a scuba diving excursion from this beach which was just perfect the sea was crystal clear and we say lots of sea life and what was great was being able to sit and relax afterwards in one of the little beach bars and have a drink..

Palolem Beach is one of Goas most beautiful beaches and this gorgeous ‘C’ shaped beach, with the scenery of the Western Ghats, is just an incredible beach. The hill at the north end of the beach is partly submerged during high tide which gives the impression of an island in the middle of a calm lagoon. At one end of the beach is Canacona Island which is linked to the land by a causeway and made a great romantic walk. The village of Palolem village is just a short walk from the beach where you can get some great locally produced things and buy some of the regions fruit for a really cheap price.

We also visited Panaji and caught the local bus which is an experience they are very small , hot and crammed but they are extremely cheap and we got to Punnaji safe and sound. We visited Panaji to do a little bit of shopping and it is a very bustling town that was once ruled by the Portuguese right up until 1961. You can definitely still feel that there is a lot of Portuguese influence here. The Church Square or Largo de lgreja is the focal point of Panaji here we were able to see a beautiful image of the Lady of Fatima which was in one of the altars. The city of Panaji surprised me a lot its a charming little place with beautiful red roofed houses and some great gardens with lots of statues. We were able to buy some great souvenirs and is definitely worth visiting.

We decided to visit Old Goa in order to see the beautiful Portuguese churches located along side the Hindu temples. We visited several churches and Hindu temples as well as a spice plantation. Goa has been populated for thousands of years and in the 16th century it was colonised by the Portuguese and Vasco da Gama was one of the first to land here and a statue was erected to memorise his arrival. We visited the Church of St Cajetan which was built in the second half of the 17th Century on the site of a Hindu Temple. The Church of St. Cajetan was built in the second half of the 17th century, on the site of a Hindu Temple. The Portuguese replaced many temples with churches as they wanted to convert Indians to Christianity and the church of St Cajetan is modelled on the St Peters church in Rome. The church has some great and huge 17th Century painting and lovely wooded altars.

Next we visited the Cathedral of St. Catherine, which was built during the first quarter of the 17th century. The Cathedral contains seven different chapels, and was built in the Tuscan style. Just across the road from the cathedral is the best known church of Goa, the Basilica of Bom Jesus. This church was built between 1594 and 1605, the Basilica contains the remains of St. Francis Xavier, which were amazingly kept preserved through several trips across Southern Asia. You are able to still view through the transparent coffin in the Basilica.

We then drove to a Hindu Temple in a nearby village. The Temple was impressive, and there were many worshipers attending a mid-day ceremony which was great to see and we felt very lucky to be able to see the local people conducting a service.

After the temple the next stop was to the Spice Plantation. Here we stopped for lunch and lunch started with feni, the ancient Goan alcohol distilled from fermented coconut. Lunch was buffet style all served in the traditional was on a banana leaf served on a straw plate. The food was awesome and very very tasty it was quite spicy which was great .We were then shown around the plantation and were shown the many spices that were grown. Some spices are trees, some bushes, some vines and some roots. At this plantation they harvest spices and fruits which included cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, pepper, cardamom, chilli peppers, jackfruit, mangos, cocoa, pineapple, bananas, curry, and others. What was even better is that they even had a feni still.

A few days later we took a trip to the Dudhsagar Falls. The gorgeous Dudhsagar Falls drop a sheer 600 meters and are one of the highest falls in India.. The falls are located on the border of Karnataka and Goa, in an area of tropical jungle, where there are plenty of delightful streams with shallow pools, which were safe enough for a afternoon swim. It took us around 90-minutes on one of the local buses and then we stopped at small village and then transferred to jeeps.

The jeep ride took about 45 minutes and was right through the jungle which was really exciting we drove over very rough and dusty roads, through several streams and bounced and shock the whole way. We then had a 15-minute walk and had to climb, over a really rough track to reach the falls. The falls were amazing and we sat on the rocks and even jumped into the water and had a swim under the falls. even though the water was freezing but it was nice to be out of the heat and Goa sun for a little while. We were also able to feed the monkeys that live around the fall and some of the local people gave us some nuts and bananas to feed them with. The monkeys are obviously used to humans and we were able to touch them . quite easily. WE then left the falls and took the long and bumpy ride back to the next destination.

We stopped for lunch which was again delicious and served in traditional style. After lunch we finally got our elephant ride in the jungle. This was a highlight of the entire time that we were in Goa. The Elephant that I was given was amazing I cant remember her name but I remember that she was named after an Indian Goddess of music and creative arts. She was a great natured elephant and I was able to feed her which was great. The trek through the jungle was awesome. The elephants mover very slowly and although not really comfortable you felt safe and secure. It was one of the best things that I’ve ever done..

We didn’t really do much after that we were very lucky to be able to watch a school of dolphins in the Arabian Sea which was fantastic and it was amazing seeing them in their natural environment.

We did get to see some of Goas nightlife which is anther thing that it is famous for and we did go on one of the famous Rave Boats. The rave boats are lots of fun and go on until the early hours of the morning, you can’t miss the boats as they are all lit up and move up and down the Arabian Sea every evening until wee hours of the morning. We had a fun filled night on the boat.

And on a final note one thing you must do in Goa is sample some of the locally caught fish which is amazing..

Goa was the ideal holiday choice for us.. Goa still remains relatively cheap and there is so much to do here that 2 weeks was definitely not enough…

Book our Goa hotel online and get the best rates for your Goa accommodation

 http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/goa.htm
 

For me Salou is definitely a place to go with all the family and this summer my husband and I took our 3 kids aged 16, 13 and 9 along with us… We had a great time and there is plenty to do for all the family..

Salou has beautiful sandy beaches, many of which have blue flag awards and are guarded by life guards during the summer months which makes it ideal for those with younger kids who have the nasty habit of wandering off. Also the sand is great for making massive sandcastles which kept our younger kids amused for most of the day. In the evening we would take a stroll along the promenade Passeig Jaume which is lined with palm trees and runs along the main beach known as Llevant there are plenty of play ground facilities and during the day on the beach there were plenty of water sports available for the older kids

Those who travel with families know how hard it is to be able to get something that everyone enjoys eating. My husband and I wanted to eat some traditional Spanish dishes but trying to get a 9 year old to eat deep fried whitebait was more of a problem, luckily the majority of restaurants in Salou cater for us Brits and our fussy eating habits and you can find plenty of Burger and chips, fish and chips etc etc…

Having a 16 year old girl on holiday is not always fun especially when the 16 year old thinks she is 18. Salou has a great nightlife scene and you can party until early hours of the morning in many of the different bars, pubs and discos which is what our 16 year old wanted to do.. We did allow here to go out most of the evening as she was with other people who she met in the hotel and there are plenty of British and Irish bars ad on some occasions I myself joined her and we headed to the area around Murillo and Carles Buigas Streets which is locally known as the Slammers, because of the many lively music bars which are very popular with the younger crowd and some of us oldies enjoyed it as well.

However for those with young families of for those just looking for a more relaxing way to enjoy your time in Salou then the pavement terraces of Salou’s cafes and ice cream parlors provide a great alternative from the bars and nightclubs and the kids ca enjoy the ice cream why you relax..

Whilst we were in Salou we decided to take a day trip to the Port Adventura theme park, which is also home to Universal Studios which was an amazing day out and one all the family enjoyed. We travelled there by train which was very easy and there are also buses which run from Salou to the park which are cheap and easy to use.

We only had one day at the park and from experience I would say that you need at least two days to fit everything. We managed to do the main rides etc but there was so much more that we wanted to see.. The most famous ride is the Dragon Khan which is Europe’s biggest rollercoaster and this is the ultimate terrifying ride and my children had to peel my knuckles from the safety bar at the end of the ride…

Universal Studios Port Adventura is divided into five themed lands – China (where you’ll find the Dragon Khan), Polynesia, Mexico, the Mediterranean and the Far West it was great that there was different rides in the different lands including water slides, more roller coasters ad plenty of live entertainment…

However please be aware that the costs inside the park ca be extremely high especially for those with a large family so make sure you eat a big breakfast before you go !!!

After the family fun we decided that the adults also needed a day out to do some adult things so we dragged the kids to Barcelona for the day.. Barcelona is a beautiful city however it ca take up to 2 hours on the train to reach Barcelona even though it is only 50 or so miles to the city which may not be fun in the hot sun of Spain. However for us it was worth the journey. Barcelona is a fascinating city full of amazing architecture by Gaudi and even the kids were inspired by the famous Gothic Cathedral. We all enjoyed a stroll down Las Ramblas with its flower stalls and street cafes, eve though expensive we could not resist the temptation in sitting in one of the cafes and watching a street performance take place. We spent the day exploring Barcelona and eventually made our way to the beach so that the kids could have a splash about and we enjoyed a cocktail in one of the many beach front bars…

There are many of other activities that we wanted to do in Salou but just didn’t have time to do but it means we can do them again next time. So if you are thinking of a great family holiday with lots to do to keep the kids amused then Salou will be a great option

Book your Salou hotel online and get bthe best rates for your Salou accommodation

 http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/salou.htm
 

 Ok so we landed on the Island of Mallorca I was unsure of what to expect as the TV portrays the Island to be a boozy bulls up for Brits and Germans… Luckily for us we were not staying in the heart of Mallorca which is the party town of Magaluf a haven for clubbers and pub goers.. Our accommodation was in a small village called Soller. Soller is about 30 minutes from Palma Airport, and is surrounded by the mountain range, known as the ‘Serra de Tramuntana’. The valley is famous for its orange groves and terraces of ancient olive trees and was a real surprise…

 The hotel was great and we decided to rent a car so that we could tour the Island of Mallorca… After settling in we decided to go out for a walk and to explore the area a little. We wandered around the town which was extremely quaint with some of the houses dating back to the 14th century together with a large number of modern buildings. The main square houses the parish church of Saint Bartholomew which was really pretty..

 After a good walked we headed back to the hotel stopping off at a great tapas restaurant on the way… Unlike Magaluf, Soller has many authentic restaurants where you can enjoy some great Spanish Cuisine..After dinner we went back to get a good nights sleep before our exploring began..

 The following morning we decided to head to Palma the capital of Mallorca and was amazed by some of the architectures, although it was originally a Roman city, to look at the city is very much like Barcelona although obviously smaller. The buildings have a great gothic feel about them. We caught the bus up to the Castell de Bellver and then walked the rest of the way to the top. The Castell de Bellver looks immaculate and its hard to actually believe that its over 700 years old.. The Palma Cathedral is also pretty spectacular.

 Mallorca is a reasonably big islands with over more than 3400 miles of coastline so we knew we would have to be careful with our time as we only had a week and we didn’t want to be stuck in the car for the week, we did want to go back with some kind of tan..

 The next morning we opted from some sunbathing time before heading to Valldemossa

which is located between Palma and Soller. Valldemossa, was made famous by the Polish composer Frederic Chopin and his lover, the French writer George Sand who spent the winter there back in 1838/39.

 The former monastery where Chopin stayed during the winter is called La Real Cartuja and was well worth the visit. The monastery is beautiful and the views are amazing, even if you’re not into classical music nor French literature, it was really interesting to see the cells that Chopin and Sand rented. The monastery gives plenty of information about them both, and you even get to see the piano Chopin used. After the tour we found a great little cafe serving Spanish pastries which were extremely tasty…

 We headed back to Soller and decided to visit the Balearic Museum of Natural Sciences and Botanical Gardens as it sounded quite interesting for an Island as small as Mallorca. The museum had some great collections including more than 20.000 microfossils and a great library that had over 12.000 book. The collection created by Joan Bauza Rullan has the most important fossil archive in the Balearics and was really interesting.

 The following day we did a long drive and visited the Coves De Campanet it was a long drive but the Coves were amazing even though the entrance fee was quite high

The Coves de Campanet are the smallest to be found on Mallorca and they were discovered in 1945  by accident when a survey was being carried out to search for underground water, and a small hole in the rock was discovered. After that the was widened and they realised that the caves had some great formations after we visited the caves we headed into the town Campanet and got to see the Sant Miquel church, which was built in 1220 and is one of the few churches that managed to keep its Christian identity, even during the Arab occupation we stopped off for a late lunch and had some great Tapas in one of the small restaurants in the town..

 The last excursion that we did was visit Porto Cristo situated on Mallorca’s east coast which was a bit of drive again and we were glad the we hired the car for the week. The reason for the drive was to visit the famous and amazing Caves of Drach. The Caves are fantastic and are home to one of the world’s largest underground lakes called Lago de Martel .The caves consist of 12 main areas and other area such as the Black Cave, the White Cave, and the Luis Salvator Cave.

 On of the great things about visiting the caves was the classical music concert which is given by the musicians floating across the lake in boats and the beautiful lights creates the most amazing  atmosphere and as you reach the end of the walk you end at the famous Martel Lake which is impressive as well.

 After the caves we headed into the town of Porto Cristo to grab a bite to eat and have a wander around. The beach is lovely and we had lunch in the restaurant above the beach which had great  views out to sea and across the port which was fantastic.

C’an Picafort is a relatively large resort situated on the lovely Bay of Alcudia, about an hour away from Palma

http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/mallorca_can_picafort.htm

To me Ibiza is a very special place. A beautiful island and yet so strange.. Full of sun burnt  brits , guys and girls that have partied far to hard and for too many years and dressed way past there sell by date. Girls in fluffy outfits , guys in fluffy outfits a place for the weird and wonderful and many different walks off life.

Having spent my own misspent teenage years on the Isle with family and friends and even the season I can recommend Ibiza to the young, old rich and poor and here is why…

Ibiza is the party capital of the world but behind the scenes lies one of the most beautiful islands in Europe.. Ibiza known to the local as Evissa boasts some great beaches and great little villages. For some quiet beaches head to the North and East of the Island away from the main tourist areas of San Antonio and Ibiza town.  Take a trip to Cala Xarraca Beach, which is the north of the Island and is has a beautiful large bay with crystal clear water which is perfect for snorkelling there are two beaches located here and both have small sandy beaches , for those who fancy rejuvenating your body then there is a mud bath located just to the left of Xarraca beach.

For those coming with a family then there is plenty to do. Take the scenic train ride which lasts around 2 hours and is an extremely popular way to see the Island. You can take one of these rides from numerous points on the Island. There is also a Aqua Park located in Playa d’en Bossa which  is a fun day out for all the family.

However I believe the main reason that people come to the Island is for the atmosphere and the clubbing, there is no other place that I have been to where everyone is happy and feeling great.. To soak up this atmosphere just take a trip down the area made famous by Cafe Del Mar and just sit and watch the sun set enjoying a cocktail sitting on the rocks… The sun set is one of the most amazing sun sets every to be seen and once the sun hits the water the crowds clap and the music gets turned up and everyone starts dancing along the beach front..

There are numerous clubs and bars throughout the Island the majority of them being in San Antonio , Ibiza town and the big clubs are located out of town with transport going back and forth all night to take the clubbers…

Ibiza caters for all music tastes from funky house, trance, hard house, drum n bass and for those who like rock then Ibiza Rocks which started in 2005 has seen artists such as the Kaiser Chiefs, Hard-Fi, babyshambles and Kasabian playing over the last few years.

The big clubs such as Manumission, Pacha , Space , Space, Amnesia  plus many more have been going for years and all hold different club nights through out the season. Pacha is the only club to stay open through out the year for the locals to enjoy once the riff raff have left !!!

Although the clubs are expensive and purchasing tickets is a must nothing beats the atmosphere. Enjoy the cold jets of air in Amnesia and for the more adventurous stay and watch the live sex show of Manumission, here you can party until early hours of the morning and then head to Space or DC10 to continue.

The famous bars of Cafe del Mar, Bar M , Bora Bora in Playa den Bossa are a must for first time visitors to the Island.

For me Ibiza is about the atmosphere and is truly a magical place. I could write more about this amazing Island but you should really go and experience it for yourself. But be careful you may not want to come back !!

Book your Ibiza hotel online and get the best rates for your Ibiza hotel

 http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/ibiza.htm

We headed from London to Palma airport hopped in a taxi and headed to the centre of Magaluf and managed to find the hotel with not much bother. The hotel was located right on the beach which was lovely , packed full of tourists soaking up the sun but big enough for us to be able to plonk out selves down and enjoy the sunshine and warm waters..

After chilling out on the beach for a few hours we headed back to the hotel glammed up and headed into town.. For those who have been to Magaluf you will be aware of the amount of bars and clubs that dominate the area… There was a great choice of music which was a bonus for me as I am extremely fussy when it comes to music.. First of all we made our was to Alexs Lounge bar which was a perfect way to start the evening. We sat out on the large terrace with a large jug of Sangria enjoying the chill out tunes in the background.. After a few Sangrias we were feeling a little peckish and decided to go and venture and get some food.. However due to the numerous amount of Brits that flood the area many of the restaurants have a very limited menu for example egg and chips, fish fingers and chips , burger and chips I don’t eat this in the UK why would I want to come to Magaluf and eat it !!!

So the hunt was on to find some Spanish food we finally asked some one if there was anywhere we could eat some Spanish food and were told  that the Restaurant Las Palmeras at the end of Avinguda de Magaluf was a good place to eat Spanish meat and fish dishes. So after a bit of a walk we found the restaurant and it was actually very good we ate lots of Tapas which was needed after a long day..

We decided to head back to the hotel after diner as we were feeling pretty tired and wanted to spend the day on the beach so we walked back to the hotel… This was a lot of fun in itself and its at times like these when I am embarrassed to be British.. Now I don’t understand what happens to people when they go on holidays is it the cheap booze at €1 a shot or just the fact that we get to unwind for 2 weeks etc but the amount of chavs and drunks that litter the streets was amazing but very funny to see..

The next day we decided to head to Santa Ponsa which we got to by bus and is only about 15 minutes from Magaluf and was a lovely beach crowded but lovely soft sand and we were able to hire some sun beds and just spent the day chilling..

We decided to go Pirates in the evening which runs throughout the year in Magaluf.. The tickets were quite expensive but the show was definitely worth it.. The show is a combination of gymnastics and acrobatics telling the story of Sir Henry Morgan and his band of brave buccaneers as they battle with evil French foes to try and save the treasure..It was lots of fun and definitely a must for anyone visiting Magaluf…

After the show we were up for some drinks and headed to Mambo’s, which is part of the Bora Bora complex and is one of the main bars in Magaluf strip. I was hoping that it would be similar to Bora Bora in Ibiza but unfortunately not although Mambos had a great outdoor terrace and some good music the down side was the lap dancing poles for its customers not great for those who have consumed one to many… Anyway after a few drinks we made our way to the Red Lion pub which was packed and was probably one of the busiest bars we went to.. The atmosphere was fun however and we had a great night downing shots at the bar…

The next day feeling a little worse for where we decided to book our tickets for BCM the biggest nightclub in Magaluf for the following evening as some laziness was needed today..

We spent the day sunbathing and in the evening we just chilled out on the balcony doing some great people watching…

The next day we woke up bright and early and decided to go and have a look around the shops to see if there was anything worth buying.. There were lots of souvenir shops and we did come across the Funky Fish Shop which had lots of funky accessories and clothes in and I did manage to find some great bits and pieces for our night out in BCM…

BCM is Magalufs largest nightclub and form e it was a trip down memory lane after years working and parting in Ibiza so I was excited to be going I love large nightclubs and BCM did not disappoint…Throughout the summer months BCM attracts top dj’s from all around the world and lucky for us Eddie Halliwell was playing an old favourite of mine and my sisters

The night was awesome , the club itself is huge and the fact that when you get in its all inclusive made it great.. The lasers were great and the atmosphere was electric.. We stayed until the end and had one of the best night out in some time and what a great feeling it was coming out of a club in daylight… After doing the walk of shame back to the hotel and changing into bikinis we placed ourselves on the sun loungers by the pool of the hotel and got a good few hours kip…

The rest of the holiday was spent relaxing and we also rented a car and drove to Soller which is beautiful and only a short drive from Magaluf. Soller is situated in the middle of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range and has some great scenery and some great restaurants it was easy for us to get to and was well worth the trip..

Magaluf is a boozy isle but it also has some great places away from the tourists hot spots.. Yes it is full of townies and chavs but no different to going out in your own home town fort he night… There is plenty to do in Magaluf even if you don’t want to get wasted every night… The beaches are lovely and the weather was perfect…

Enjoy Magaluf and get the best hotel rates online

http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/magaluf.htm

My first stop was Santo Domingo the capital of Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo has a rich and complex history primarily due its occupation by Spain, Haiti and the US over the past few hundred years as well as its ethnic variety Germans, Italians, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Chinese and many others. A small fact I that I learnt was that Chinese immigrants are the second fastest growing immigrant group in the Dominican Republic.

I checked into my hotel and after the warnings of not to leave the complex which I took no notice of I decided to head out and explore the historic area of Zona Colonial I managed to grab a taxi and was dropped in the main area called Calle El Conde, which is a pedestrian area with many stores, restaurants, and hotels. 

Zona Colonial was one of the first European settlements in the New World and from the old Spanish colonial capital.  It was founded by Bartolome Columbus in1496 after the fatal failure of La Isabella and actually ruled by Christopher Columbus from 1498.  Then Nicolas de Ovando and started the construction of the monumental stone building of Zona Colonial.  Zona Colonial has many of the New World’s first institutions such as the first cathedral, university, monastery and hospital, all by the Catholic Church.  Many of the stone buildings built in the 1500s are still standing and some have been nicely restored which was really interesting.

After a couple hours I headed for the sea, and took a walk along the Malecon back towards my hotel.  The Malecon is the cities famous boardwalk.  It took me quite some time walking along the Malecon from Zona Colonial, with not much to see except a rocky shore line. Once back I enjoyed my all Inclusive buffet and took full advantage of the free booze and entertainment.

From there I headed to Boca Chica in what is known as a Guagua, which is a public minivan, which costs next to nothing. I arrived in Boca Chica, checked in then headed for the beach which was lovely it is ridged in by some coral a couple of hundred metres from the shore which creates a lagoon  which is waist deep with very calm and clear blue water.
I then headed back to Santa Domingo to get a bus to Monte Cristi. I arrived in Monti Cristi and whilst there I took a bus to Dajabon the border market, I crossed the border with Haiti had a walk around and then back into the Dominican it was an awesome day out.

Monte Cristi had some of the most amazing beaches that I have ever seen. I took a motorcycle taxi, to a place called Moro which was breathtaking especially at sunset, there was also lots of waves for some serious body surfing. At La Playita beach the water was so tranquil there were no waves what so ever and was nice and secluded.

I then headed to Bonao which is in the centre of the country so no beaches but some of the most amazing scenery I have seen. I decided to do a hike around the mountains and settled on the three day trek to Pico Duarte which is the highest mountain in the Dominican and also included a visit to Charco Bonito which is a gorgeous waterfall where you can swim and jump of the rocks. The trek was amazing and it was fun camping at the different stops but the highlight was watching the sunrise at the summit of the mountain early in the morning.

After recovering from the trek and the blisters etc it was on to Puerto Plata a very touristy but the beaches in Puerto are lovely but there’s not too much to do but I was content with sunbathing for a few days.

I explored the beaches of Sosua and Cabarete which are awesome. Cabarete is wavy and gets really windy. The world kiting surfing champions have been held there so when you walk along the beach, the air is full of kites, especially at the point known as ‘Kite Beach’. Loads of people doing crazy stunts, jumping in the air, and holding the kite with one hand.  The beach is mainly dominated by the kite surfers and you couldn’t really swim incase you got hit by one.

My last stop before heading back to the capital was Punt Cana which is simply stunning here you will find beautiful white sandy beaches. From here to finish my trip I took a trip to Saona Island which was made famous from the advert for the Cadburys chocolate Bounty which was as anyone can imagine a tropical island to look like, amazing !!! it is somewhere I will never forget.

I spend a few days in Punta Cana before heading back to Santo Domingo before my flight to LA where I was going to spend a few days and then back to London.

So who says you can’t travel the Dominican and not stay in the all inclusive resorts I had a great time and the people were really friendly and helped me get around with no problem at all.

Check out our Dominican Republic accommodation. Great rates to suit every budget…

http://www.gtahotels.com/countries/dominican_republic.htm

Known as the most happening of the Greek Islands in terms of lush relaxation and crazy nightlife, Ios shares a fabulous history with its pristine beaches. It’s hard to find anyone over thirty inhabiting this island and hardly any of the venues ever close. Instead of scrambling from cool place to cool place, here are the real places to be for a vacation you won’t forget.
Lord Byron’s Taverna: Offering a vast collection of goat cheeses this restaurant specializes in Greek food. Patrons lounge in shabby-chic style that’s both comfortable and hip while the owners brick aback sits in full view for everyone to admire adding a homey and eclectic touch. Food comes fast and the service is excellent though the prices are a little steeper then average island restaurants but well worth it.
The Octopus Tree: The organic rawness of this restaurant will have you feeling comfortable and purged in seconds as the owners daughter waits on you and serves as your only staff. Don’t worry; she’s very quick and skilled so there will be no waiting for the food which consists of whatever her father and brother caught that day. The Octopus Tree throws out convention in form of a no menu policy and leisurely dinners consistent with island life. Expect food and company to be as laid back as the serving of courses in this gem. Daily the family hangs octopus to dry for consumption later on the tree outside the restaurant giving it its name.
Astra Bar: Serving the best cocktails to savor on the island this upbeat bar serves only the best ingredients, fresh juices and top shelf liquors making the path to drunkenness a well savored and super fun one. The atmosphere welcomes relaxation and low key conversation so make this the last or first stop of your bar hopping night. You’ll be glad you did when you’re enveloped by cushy pillows sipping on a magical unique drink the kind bartender recommended.
Manganari Beach: This exclusive, hidden away beach is a smooth transition in the morning after your night at Astro Bar for relaxation and to get rid of that slow moving hangover. The beach can only be reached by bus or boat so there aren’t many people at any point like any of the more popular Greek Island beaches. Make sure you catch the transportation as it runs at odd hours and can be hard to find when you don’t know where to look for it. Once you’re on the beach you’ll revel at the remarkable clarity of the water and the thin, white sand beaches that are as clean as the ones in paradise travel commercials.
Homers Grave: This is an obvious must-see for any literary or historical buff as the author of two of the most famous works in Greek history. His grave draws many different tourists through the long drive to rural Ios, his mother’s hometown though historians are unsure if he is actually buried under this no named grave marker.

Visit the beautiful Greek Island of Ios and book with gtahotels for the best rates

http://www.gtahotels.com/cities/ios.htm