London - Best city break holidays

London, the capital of England, is a truly diverse place. As a holiday destination it is somewhere that everyone should go - no matter where you're from or your background. There is something in London for everyone and a trip here is guaranteed to leave you with plenty of memories.
There is a good chance you are from London if you are reading this post - and you already know why London is a great place to visit.
Of course if you are looking for a beach holiday, or somewhere nice and ralaxing, London definitely isn't the place for you, but as a city break it is second to none. There is so much going on and the pace of life may leave you breathless if you are not used to it but it is definitely an experience.
There are many tourist attractions in London - too many to mention in one post - The London Eye, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, London Bridge, Buckingham Palace, the River Thames... Evening entertainment is second to none - countless top-class theatres put on shows in the West End, and hundreds of clubs and bars pull in the punters as well. If you want to relax, Londons parks are lovely, especially in the summer.


The London Eye at night

Hotels can be expensive , but if you do you do your research you can find some cheap hotels in London. The Ritz might be out of most peoples league but its a good place to go for some afternoon tea, booking is recommended! Transport around the city is fairly good, with regular buses and tube trains linking up all areas of the city, and the famous London cabs if you want a more luxurious way to get round.

Overall London is definitely one of the best holiday destinations for a city break - you need a good week or so to see all the sights and really enjoy it. It's a city full of history, culture and great entertainment and is open all year round, no matter what the weather.

Tenerife, the Canary Islands

Tenerife is one of the best holiday destinations for a bit of winter sun. The Canary Islands, off the North West coast of Africa, have year long sunshine and high temperatures, because they are near the equator there are no distinct seasons. In December/January, temperatures average 20˚C and around 28˚C in August. Cheap package deals have made holidays here hugely popular all year round, combined with just a 4 hour flight and you are onto a winner. Being a Spanish island the locals speak Spanish but most know some English so you should be able to get by, if not the obligatory comedy tourist hand signals should do the trick.



There are several main resorts in Tenerife. The first is near the airport in the South of the island, and is split into 3 areas, Los Cristianos, Las Americas and the Costa Adeje. This large resort attracts most of Tenerifes tourists, as the South gets the best weather and has nicer beaches than the North. Tenerife is a volcano and as a result it tends to be rainier and cooler in the North due to the winds, however it is windier (but sunnier) in the South. There is plenty to do in this area - a newly opened waterpark, Siam Park, is one of the main attractions and is much more impressive than anything found back in the UK. There are also a lot of tour operators that specialise in dolphin and whale watching.



The main disadvantage of Los Cristianos etc. is that 18-30's flock there on lads holidays, and as a result the area has become slightly tacky. Drinks offers can be found in force, with a large array of bars and clubs perfect for youngsters. Gary Lineker's brother even owns a bar here and is one of the top draws come sunset - the creatively named Lineker's Bar.



The North of the island is slightly less developed, including Puerto de la Cruz. The town has a couple of OK black sand beaches - the main attraction here is Loro Parque, an impressive zoo which also has live dolphin, sealion and killer whale shows, well worth a visit no matter what your age.



I would recommend getting a hire car if you wanted to explore the island, the best beaches are out of the tourist hotspots - for example Playa las Teresitas, just east of the capital, Santa Cruz (see photo below). Although the beach is artificial, it has white sand (imported from the Sahara) unlike the natural Tenerife beaches and is probably the best beach on the island, and rarely gets crowded.







Overall Tenerife has alot to offer - a trip up to the top of Mount Teide is a must as well - and is definitely one of the best holiday destinations for some winter (or summer) sun.

Best Holiday Destinations for Familes and Kids

Choosing the perfect holiday destination can be hard when you've got kids. Especially when everyone wants different things from your holiday. Dad wants some exciting watersports, mum wants somewhere with relaxing walks through the woods or along the sea, and the kids want somewhere with activities like football and swimming, as well as somewhere they can build sand castles of course.

So what are the best holiday destinations for families? Well, it depends of course on what you are after but here are a few suggestions that offer.

First, holiday camps based in England can be great if you want to stay in the UK and save abit of money, as they can be great fun. Companies like Butlins, Pontins and Center Parks offer pretty good deals and often they can be within a couple of hours drive. Being here in the UK though you can't guarantee the weather will be nice, but with a vast range of activities such as mountain biking, swimming, fotball etc, as well as night time shows, you will have plenty to do even if it isn't as exotic as going abroad.

Spain is a classic holiday destination for families. One of the premier package holiday destinations, Spain offers many great deals for familes and many resorts have great facilities for every taste. The Costa Del Sol and the Costa Blanca are two well established strips of coastline that should be looked into further if a holiday in Spain sounds appealing - many holiday makers just keep on going back.

America is always a safe bet when it comes to taking the family away. Florida springs to mind as somewhere the kids just love - Disney World and the countless other amusement parks are what kids dreams are made of - and they are great for all ages. If they are abit older you can wander off and relax in the gardens and zoos that many of these parks have if the thought of loop the loops and corkscrews on the rides fill you with fear. This sort of holiday comes at a price though, flights are expensive and you will need plenty of spending money once you get there too.