28/02/2012 by Dave.

By: Brenda Jaaback

Menorca is famed as one of the most relaxing holiday destinations in Europe. Less touristic than Mallorca or the Costas, it offers a traditional island culture, relaxed atmosphere and stunning natural attractions. There are numerous outstanding hotels, apartments and villas in Menorca and there’s plenty to see and do on the island, from the horse show in Cala Galdana to the panoramic sights from the summit of Mount Toro. But without a doubt the biggest attraction for a holiday in Menorca is going to be the beaches.

The island has more beaches than Ibiza and Mallorca put together, ranging from long, bustling beaches to peaceful little coves. Whether you want to enjoy fully developed beaches close to the hotels and villas of Menorca or secluded stretches of sand where you can swim and sunbathe in peace and quiet, you are sure to find a beach here that is perfect for your needs. Here are five of the very best beaches on the island…

Cala Pregonda

Perhaps the finest secluded beach on the island, this stunning bay features crystal clear water and is backed by tamarisk and pine woods. It is unspoilt, with a few nearby Menorca villas the only local buildings. It is hard to get to, a twenty minute walk from Binimella, but the effort is well worth it.

Punta Prima

Located in the far south east of the island, this beach is a long, attractive stretch of sand that is well populated with bars and restaurants. The strong currents mean that it is sometimes not safe for swimming, but the beautiful sand and stunning vistas more than make up for it. Parents should supervise their children at all times due to the strong waters.

Cala Santa Galdana

Cala Galdana is one of the best beaches on the island, combining plenty of facilities with a beautiful and unspoilt beach. This horseshoe bay is the most photographed beach on the island, and it is especially good for those on a family holiday in Menorca due to its safe shallow waters. But adults will delight in the natural beauty that surrounds Cala Galdana.

Son Bou

Son Bou is the longest beach in Menorca, a glorious 3 km piece of sand that has plenty of bars and watersports facilities to keep visitors entertained. It is big and usually packed solid, so it isn’t the place to go for privacy, but it is one of the finest large beaches on the island. Make sure you check the flags on the beach before you swim, as the currents can be strong.

Es Grau

Located close to Mahon, the capital of the island, Es Grau is one of the most naturally beautiful beaches on the island. The shallow waters in this horseshoe shaped bay are great for family bathing, and just behind the beach is the wetland park of Albufeira, a stunning national park filled with wildlife and fauna.

Whether you want to stay in a resort hotel or a secluded rural villa in Menorca, or are there for a family holiday or a romantic getaway, you are sure to find a nearby Menorca beach that is perfect for your needs!

Author Resource:->  Brenda Jaaback is the ¬Managing Director of Bartle Holidays (http://www.bartleholidays.co.uk/). They can provide you a choice of hand picked Menorca villas, resorts and retreats in prime locations for all your family holiday needs.

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28/02/2012 by Dave.

By: Dan Williams
 

The island of Malta, situated between Sicily at the foot of Italy and Tunisia on the North African coast, is unique in terms of its history, culture and nationality.

Unlike Crete, which is part of Greece, Sardinia which is part of Italy, Corsica which is French and Mallorca which is Spanish, Malta is an independent Republic. Like many islands in the Mediterranean, Malta has gone through various states of foreign ownership during its past. Rulers of the island include the Romans, Arabs, the Knights of St John, the Ottoman Empire, the French under Napoleon, and the British in 1800 before Malta finally gained independence in 1964. It played a huge role during the Second World War were it acted as a refuge for injured member of the Allied Forces, while under attack by Italian and German forces until 1943. Malta has been a member of the EU since 2004 and adopted the Euro in 2008.

Today the Republic of Malta is slowly building its own reputation as a centre of commerce and tourism. Despite the turbulent past of the island, the capital Valletta still retains many interesting archaeological and architectural points of interest.

During their 270 year occupation of the island, the Knights of St Johns constructed many impressive buildings, just as they did on the island of Rhodes. Of course some were damaged during the Second World War, but many remain intact in Valletta.

They key attraction of Malta besides its interesting past, buildings and culture is of course its weather. Located right in the centre of the Mediterranean, azure blue waters surround an island that benefits from over 200 days of sunshine each year. For 8 months of the year the average daytime temperature sits between 19 and 32 degrees Celsius and doesn’t really get much hotter than that, making a very pleasant place to spend a holiday.

One of the more interesting attractions on Malta is the prehistoric Hypogeum or underground chamber, discover in 1902 and consisting of over 500 square metres of rooms, chambers and corridors. It was built on three levels and dates back to before 3000BC. The Hypogeum is UNESCO World Heritage site and only a limited number of tourists are permitted to enter each day so best not try and go there during busy periods unless you‘ve had your name on the waiting list for tickets, which can grow to as long as six weeks at times.

Flights to Malta arrive from all over the world at Luqa airport, just south of the capital. The island has had various airports over the years, especially during its important period as a military base. The old airport at Ta’ Qali is now used as a centre for recreation. There are parks and open spaces there as well as the National sports stadium. It is also the location for many of the island’s biggest festivals and concerts.

As far as holiday resorts are concerned, Malta has plenty of choices from busy thriving cosmopolitan areas with an abundance of restaurants, shops and clubs. The best are on the northern coast, providing the opportunity for walking along promenades and watching the world go by. For a quieter location visitors could take a trip to the nearby island of Gozo. This small island sits just three miles off Malta’s North West coast and everything here is run off at a much slower pace. Made up primarily of small fishing villages there are also a selection of quiet beaches such as Ramla Bay, the tiny San Blas beach or the amazing inland sea at Dwejra Lake, which is fed by a tunnel through the rocks.

Back on Malta the best beaches are at Anchor Bay, Golden Bay, Paradise and Hola beach in the north of the island. In the south Peter’s Pool is popular, as is Pretty Bay if you don’t mind overlooking the commercial port. For swimmers the outdoor pool that sits on the island’s south east tip is an interesting location. This 50m salt water pool is home to the island’s Marsascala Sports Club, was the National Pool until a new one was built in 1993 at Ta’ Qali (Tal Qroqq). Often during the summer the pool hosts tournaments for the sport of water polo, which is unusually popular on the island.

Author Resource:->  Malta has a fantastic history and is an increasingly popular holiday destination. Dan Williams provides information and advice about finding flights to Malta from sites such as http://book.flythomascook.com and a choice of interesting things to do once on the island.

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23/02/2012 by Dave.

The best way to improve your golf game is to practise regularly and then get out
on a course and play as often as possible. However, with 18 holes taking on
average 4 hours to complete, it is often difficult to fit sufficient time on the
green in around other commitments such as work and family.

One popular solution is to take a golfing holiday - a chance to enjoy a week or
two of daily play that will not only be great fun but will also provide a
splendid opportunity to work on your skills and reduce your handicap.

The UK and Ireland have many amazing resorts that combine a selection of
challenging courses with luxury accommodation and the chance to truly get away
from it all, either with or without the family. If you want to be sure of better
weather, both Portugal and Spain are only short flights away and offer
championship-standard courses in stunning surroundings, many of them alongside
dramatic coastlines.

One of the best things about golf is that it is relatively easy for even an
amateur player to gain access to the same courses used by the top professionals
in some of the world`s most prestigious tournaments. This means that you can
literally find yourself following in the footsteps of the likes of Luke Donald,
Greg Norman, Nick Faldo and many others.

Top UK resorts include Celtic Manor, the venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup, St
Andrews, which is one of the oldest golf courses in the world and The Belfry,
home of the Professional Golfers Association. All three offer a good selection
of courses and feature five-star hotels with a wide range of leisure facilities.

In Northern Ireland, the Royal County Down course is regularly voted as one of
the very best in the world. In the south, the grounds of Carton House, one of
Ireland`s most historic stately homes, contain two well-respected courses, one
of which was designed by leading golfer Colin Montgomery, who also created one
of the three Celtic Manor courses.

Portugal offers some amazing golfing opportunities, in particular the Algarve
region, which stretches along the southernmost region of the mainland. It has a
climate that allows you to enjoy hours of play at virtually any time of year. If
you keep heading east along the Algarve, you cross the border into Spain`s Costa
de La Luz, another year-round golfing paradise. As with Portugal, the standards
of both the accommodation and the greens are extremely high, yet the costs of
both the hotels and green fees are reasonable.

It`s also easy to find family-friendly hotels with plenty of activities to keep
your loved ones occupied while you spend your time on the green before meeting
up in the evening to enjoy the local entertainment options.

The popularity of golf is soaring and is set to continue to do so as the sport
receives increasing exposure due to its inclusion in the 2016 Olympics. With
resorts competing fiercely for a slice of the growing market, there are lots of
great deals to be found. You can save even more by investing in widely-accepted
 2 for 1 golf vouchers that cut the cost of games even more.

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20/02/2012 by Dave.

By: Dan Williams

If you have always fancied a holiday on a Greek island but were worried about busy beaches and crowded bars and night clubs full of noisy young people having fun then perhaps Rhodes is the destination you’ve been looking for. Perhaps it’s the location of Rhodes that sets it apart from other Greek islands, being much nearer to the coast of Turkey than Greece. Rhodes certainly has a slightly different feel to the other main islands like Corfu, Kos, Mykonos, Naxos and Kefallonia and Zakynthos off the west coast. It seems to attract an older cross section of travellers and more family groups.

As you read through the reviews posted by people about their visits to the island, the common theme is quiet beaches, relaxed surroundings and peaceful days in the sun.

Quality is another word associated with Rhodes and the island has its fair share of luxury 5 Star Hotels.

Rhodes is lucky enough to enjoy over 250 kilometers of coast and therefore has a great choice of beaches. One of the best is the oddly named Anthony beach, named after the actor Anthony Quinn who fell in love with the island while filming The Guns of Navarone and ended up buying some land on the island. This beach is small and beautiful but not well suited for families with young children as the rocks and stones are tricky underfoot.

A more developed beach with full facilities can be found at Faliraki Beach. It is one of the biggest and most developed beaches on the island and has lots of golden sand and clear waters to keep holidaymakers happy. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants on hand and also a choice of watersports activities for more active people. Kalathos beach and Tsabika beach both offer soft sand, but many beaches on Rhodes are stony so families with children should check carefully where they head for.

Like many Greek islands, the main town has the same name as the island itself and Rhodes town is certainly full of interesting attractions. It has its fair share of tourist developments, including large hotels and shopping areas but it also has a wealth of history to explore and enjoy. The medieval part of the city, sitting high above the harbour, dates back many hundreds of years and old fortifications indicate that the town was often subjected to siege and invasion over the centuries. It is this part of Rhodes that attracts many visitors. The large palace surrounded by paved walkways and alleyways, combined with squares, courtyards and gateways provides an old town that illustrates architecture and style throughout the ages. The main fortress is divided into northern and southern halves. In the south the Hora houses a Turkish bazaar and other markets, while the northern section, the Kollakio, has the Street of Knights the palace of the Grand Master. Rhodes town, which is accessed by one of eleven ancient gateways, has been nominated as a site of world cultural heritage by UNESCO, one of only 878 in the world.

Rhodes is also a very green town, with areas of grassland between the old castles and many tree lined avenues. It certainly makes a stroll around the town a very pleasant way to pass the time.

The harbour is a central focal point for the capital and, although not large by any means, has an interesting mix of old and modern boats. It is also a stopping point for larger passenger ships and island hopping cruise ships.

Flights into Rhodes arrive at Diagoras International Airport, which is situated south west of Rhodes town, about 15 kilometers away. The airport takes a mix of national flights, mainly from Athens and charter flights from abroad bringing holidaymakers to the island. The airport was opened in the late seventies but benefits from a new terminal which opened 3 years ago.

Author Resource:->  Islands like Rhodes are popular tourist destinations and Dan Williams has all the information people look for before they travel. He can also help tourists find cheap flights to Rhodes and other locations such as those offered on http://book.flythomascook.com the FlyThomasCook website.

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19/02/2012 by Dave.

By: Dan Williams

The Island of Malta has had an interesting past and is still an interesting place to visit, with more and more people choosing it over the traditional Mediterranean resorts.

Eclectic is a word you will find in most descriptions of this small Mediterranean island, with it usually referring to the mix of cultures that gives this island its unusual identity. Malta is situated around 200 miles from Tunisia and slightly further away from Libya but its closest European neighbour is Sicily, which lies a short 50 miles away across the Strait of Sicily.

The history of the island would be enough for anyone interested to merit a visit there. The island claims to have the oldest free standing man made structures found anywhere in the world. The Megalithic Temples, identified in 6 locations on the island, are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are believed to date back to between 3000 and 3600BC. That is around the same time that Stonehenge was thought to be constructed in Britain. In more modern times the island has been inhabited and ruled by various civilizations including the Ancient Greeks, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, various Arabian and Sicilian rulers before the Knights of St John were given control of the island in 1530 after they had been forced to leave Rhodes by the Ottoman Empire. It is from this period that many of the islands best preserved monuments still remain. These included harbours, watchtowers and other fortifications. Next Napoleon took control of Malta, before British rule eventually started in 1814. The strategic position of Malta became an important factor during the Second World War when the island was vigorously defended but suffered heavy damage, especially during the siege of Valletta.

The Republic of Malta is now an independent state and a member of the EU and uses the Euro as its currency. Its current status, currency, location and weather make it a perfect place for a holiday, with only is lack of sandy beaches being a disadvantage. There are a few sandy beaches and more are being made artificially but they do tend to become crowded quite quickly. Favoured spots include Golden Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha which are close together in the West of the island but both are quite small in comparison to signature beaches of other European resorts.

Flights to Malta arrive at Malta International Airport near Luqa which is 5 miles south of Valletta and there is also the option of travelling to the island by Ferry from various Italian ports.

Valletta is the hub of everything that happens on Malta and provides a good base for a stay on the island. Most places of interest are within a short journey by taxi or bus and there is a wide choice of hotels. Another popular place to the west of Valletta is Sliema which is also a coastal town with more in the way of tourist facilities. There is a long promenade with plenty of café and restaurants to choose from. The younger set tend to prefer districts such as Paceville, which lies to the north of St Julian’s and provides plenty of bars and nightclubs. The small harbour at Portomaso is home to luxury yachts and cruisers, with highly quality apartments.

Visitor attractions on the island include Fort Rinella, built by the British in the late nineteenth century, the Baroque Gateway at Mdina and the buildings on St John Street in Valletta. Sporting activities centre on the National Sports Centre at Ta’Qali, which was originally an airport base for the British Royal Air Force in addition to the other site at Luqa. It is now a leisure area, concert venue, picnic area.

Author Resource:->  Dan Williams is travel writer with a love of history. Malta is an island with a colourful past and low cost flights to Malta from the UK are a great way to get to the island and sample what it has to offer. Sites like http://book.flythomascook.com are a good place to start looking for cheap flights.

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19/02/2012 by Dave.

By: Dan Williams

There are over 2000 Greek islands in total that lie in the Ionian Sea on the west of the mainland, though the south past Crete and into the Aegean Sea to the east. Despite all these islands around a third of the country’s population lies I the city of Athens and around 10 per cent live on the various islands.

Many of the islands are tiny and uninhabited but the larger ones like Corfu, Kefallonia, Crete, Rhodes and Evvoia are famous in their own right.

Crete is the largest and most southerly of the islands and benefits from a mixed terrain of sandy beaches and mountainous regions. It has a rich history following thousands of year’s worth of invasions and occupations by various groups. Besides attracting holidaymakers with it bustling beach resorts, the island mountain ranges provide some wonderful routes for walkers.

The next largest island is the surprisingly little known Evvoia ( or Euboea) which lies in the northern reaches of the Aegean. This island has a population of only 220,000 people, about a third the population of Crete and has largely been untouched by tourism to date. The coastline of the island closely mirrors that of the mainland and it’s obvious that the two were joined in the past. Volcanic activity separated the two, although the two short bridges in the capital Chalkida, one which has existed since 410 BC, join the island to the mainland.

For tourism the islands of Corfu, Kefallonia and Zante ( or Zakynthos) have much higher profiles. All three lie in the Ionian Sea with Kefallonia being the biggest, Corfu the most visited and Zante perhaps the most beautiful.

The main Zakythos Town was almost levelled by a series of 4 earthquakes in 1953. It has been reported that over 27,000 homes were destroyed on Zante and surrounding islands, and 455 people were killed. Of course earthquakes are not uncommon in this part of Europe. In 1908 an earthquake and subsequent maremoto or tsunami killed over 100,000 in southern Italy and Sicily. Even as recently as 2006 a sequence of moderate tremors started lasting for over a week. Citizens on the islands were obviously terrified and became more fearful as the tremors got stronger, however seismologists confidently predicted that the situation would not get worse and in fact no properties were badly damaged.

Following the 1953 disaster the town of Zakynthos has been completely rebuilt using traditional and sympathetic designs and the place now has a pleasing and elegant feel. The same cannot be said for every part of the island although authorities and preservation groups are working hard to avoid the worst aspects of mass tourism.

The area most affected by tourism is Laganas, a town on the eastern coast of the island that sits at the centre of a 9 mile stretch of sandy beach. The place attracts a younger set of visitors and the trinket shops, bars and nightclubs keep the place busy all day and most of the night.

However just 12 kilometers around the coast to the east and you could be in a different world. The beach at Gerakas has been voted as one of the best beaches in Europe and it remains strangely quiet except perhaps during the peak periods. It’s almost as if the islanders of Zante want to keep this place a secret. Instead of development slowly making its mark here, all buildings and signs of development are gradually being removed. Beach traders no longer walk the shoreline and the beach bar has been taken down and rebuilt away from the beach front. Conservationists guard the beach and ensure that the nesting grounds of Loggerhead turtles are not affected by tourists. During the nesting periods a maximum stay of 3 hours is enforced on visitors and the beach is closed to everyone between the hours of dusk and dawn. It really is a remarkable place considering you can see the lights of Laganas across the bay.

Author Resource:->  Zakynthos is one of the best Ionian islands for visitors. Dan Williams has visited several times and rates it highly. Dan reviews online resources like http://book.flythomascook.com/ for finding flights to Zakynthos and suggests trying the wide choice of villa and hotel accommodation on the island.

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19/02/2012 by Dave.

By: Tony Maniscalco

Crete, the largest and most southerly of the Greek islands, offers beautiful weather, stunning scenery, the world famous hospitality of its local people and, quite simply, some of the most superb places to go walking in Greece.

Samaria Gorge

At around 18 kilometres in length, the Samaria Gorge is the longest in Europe and is one of the biggest tourist attractions on the island, playing host to thousands of visitors between May and October each year. Situated in the prefecture of Chania in south west Crete, the gorge runs from the Omalos Plateau in the White Mountains to the village of Agia Roumeli on the southern coast. Taking between four and seven hours to walk, the route covers some quite rough terrain but is still suitable for the inexperienced, although walkers are recommended to wear sensible walking boots. Those taking part in the guided walk during the summer months, especially during July and August, are also advised to take plenty of sun screen and drinking water along with them, although there are places en route where you can buy bottled water. With steep cliffs and forests of pine and cypress, the landscape is breathtakingly beautiful and the gorge is also home to around 450 different species of plants (all of which are protected and may not be picked or removed from the gorge). If you are lucky, you might also catch sight of one of Crete’s famous inhabitants, the increasingly rare Agrimia, or Kri Kri goats as they are commonly known. With other endemic species in and around the gorge, this is a wonderful place to visit and it certainly represents one of the highlights for anyone walking in Greece.

Deliana Gorge

The walk along the Deliana Gorge is an unchallenging one, but one which is rewarding for those walking in Greece due to its beautiful scenery. During the cooler times of the year, a stream runs alongside the path and down the rocks, accompanying your walk with a soft tinkling sound. You are likely to see many goats during your walk, but most visitors come here to see the Griffon vultures which can be spotted throughout the year. The walk through the gorge and back again is not a long one and is only likely to take around two hours in total depending on your fitness or walking ability.

Arkoudospilios Cave

The walk to the Arkoudospilios Cave on the Akrotiri Peninsula in the municipality of Chania is about two kilometres and affords some spectacular views. Starting at the monasteries of Gouverneto and Agias Triadas and following a footpath which often features steep drops to one side, you will come to the cave where there stands a large stalagmite in the shape of a bear bowed over a cistern. Several different legends account for the significance of the animal. Some believe that it was once alive and that it used to drink the water from the cistern, leaving nothing for the local inhabitants and the monks. When one of the monks prayed to the Virgin for help, it is said that the beast was petrified and has stood in its position in the centre of the cave ever since. Others believe that the goddess Artemis, who was worshipped by the Pelasgians in the form of a bear, was worshipped here and that the stalagmite is a sacred representation of her. The footpath which continues from the cave also leads to the ruins of the Monastery Katholiko and the church of St John the Hermit. As you stand underneath the towering rock face in this extremely isolated place, it is not hard to imagine why the monks who used it many years ago sought their sanctuary here. With so much spectacular beauty along this route, walking in Greece will not only be enjoyable for the senses, but an experience which will open you up to wanting to learn more about this fascinating and stunning island.

Author Resource:->  Tony Maniscalco is the Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. Join us on Turkey walks (http://www.ramblersholidays.co.uk/Holiday_Search.aspx?Search=2&utm_campaign=MAP_Turkey&utm_source=ramblers&utm_medium=web) to see the country’s finest scenery.

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17/02/2012 by Dave.

By: Ken Sand

Rhodes is one of the most beautiful Greece Island. This island is very closely located at southwest side of Turkey. This island is considered as one of the largest island of the world having land area around 18 km and population around 1, 20,000. This is an amazing tourist destination and several people from different part of world visit this island daily. The main attraction of this island is Colossus of Rhodes which is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Also the Medieval Old City of Rhodes is considered as one of the best World Heritage.

This island has an amazing spearhead shape with dimension 78 Kms length and 38 Kms width and around 1400 square meter area. Rhodes is a bit closer to Asia Minor in comparison to rest of Greece. Interior of Rhodes Island is very mountainous and surrounded with dense forest of Cyprus and Pine. This island can also be called as home of Rhodian deer. There are lots of small towns, villages and resorts around this island. Few of them are Lindos, Haraki, Pardisi , Embona and many more. Main source of income here is the Tourism and locals are totally dependent on tourism for their life earning. This island also experience several earthquakes. Most recent earth quake took place on July 2008 by 6.3 magnitudes.

People of Rhodes follow Greece orthodox religion. This is the capital city of Dodecanese. Transportation facility is pretty good here because they have to deal with lots of tourist guys daily. Bus services are mainly handled by 2 operators. RODA operator also serves suburban areas and entire west coast while KTEL operator serves villages and resorts in the east coast. This island has total 3 airports but only one of them is for public use. Diagoras airport is one of the biggest airports in Greece. This island is also connected with other major Greece cities as well as with other major European cities through various chartered flights.

Rhodes has total 5 ports. 3 of them are in Rhodes city, 1 in east coast near Lardos and last one in west coast near Kamiros. There are many astonishing beaches in Rhodes. These beaches have crystal clear deep water and look very beautiful. These are the main attraction of visitors and their unique beauty attracts lots of visitors. The beach of kalathos is located just over 55Kms from Rhodes city. This beach has velvet look and water is too crystal clear. Here you can take wooden beds and umbrella from rent. This beach is just 10 kms away from the main town. The main attraction about this beach is its hot medicinal springs. This island has very beautiful and sweet climate and amazing locations. This island attracts more than million people per year from all over the world. There are plenty of hotels and resorts for visitors. This island totally depends on tourism and local people of this island keep on improving in order to attract more and more visitors.

Rhodos is a great island to visit. You can get around quite easily and the climate is bikini friendly from March to October.

Author Resource:->  Ken owns an ice-cream bar in Cyprus, but has visited Rhodes a lot over the later years: http://www.ayianapatruth.com

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07/02/2012 by Dave.

By: Dan Williams

The island of Cyprus has been a popular destination for visitors from the UK for many years and flights to the island are now using either Paphos or Larnanca airport as their destination. British Airways has had a significant presence at Larnanca for many years, with it serving as a maintenance base and also because British Airways was a major shareholder of Cyprus Airways when it was originally founded. When the range of aircraft was more limited the base at Larnaca acted as a hub for flight travelling between Europe and the Middle East. Now however the newly modified and enlarged airport at Paphos is receiving a larger volume of flights especially as it provides easier access to holiday resorts in the south of the island. Even though the two airports are only 65 miles apart the terrain on the island makes travel quite difficult with only one major road that has to route around mountains and through tunnels making the journey seem much longer.

Larnaca airport is also undergoing major construction and improvement work as part of the same project that started with Paphos airport. The reason for the decision to invest in the improvement work was due to a significant jump in passenger levels between 2006 and 2007 when passenger numbers doubled to 5 million annually. It is thought that much of this increase was due to younger people travelling to the resort of Ayia Napa which became popular as destination for fans of nightclubs. Ayia Napa is also a resort favoured by traditional holidaymakers and, due to its location 30 miles north of Larnanca, anyone wanting to go there would select to fly to Larnaca rather than Paphos. The work at Larnaca is due to complete in 2009 and will see new terminal buildings and an improved and extended runway as well as a new control tower, fire station and improvements to the road infrastructure serving the airport. There is an expectation that passenger numbers through Larnaca will continue to grow with a predicted 9 million using the airport by 2013, so building work will continue in phases up to that point to support the expected usage. This extra work includes an additional runway extension to allow larger aircraft to use the airport and an additional terminal building and boarding ramps. Flights in and out of Larnanca currently amount to almost 50,000 per year.

The capital of the island Nicosia is also located quite close to Larnanca, 25 miles to the North West and so a fair amount of commercial business uses the airport in addition to the holiday trade that makes up the majority of traffic. Nicosia did in fact have its own airport which was used as a base by the Royal Air Force until 1966. It is still owned by the UK Ministry of Defence but is now only used as a helicopter base for United Nations peace keeping patrols. The Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 made continued operations at Nicosia airport untenable and so new airports were quickly commissioned at Ercan in the north and Paphos and Larnaca in the south. Currently the only flights operating out of Ercan are to Turkey itself, due to the fact that the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus”, where the airport lies, is not recognised internationally.

As a resort Larnaca is also quite attractive. The airport is located 2 miles to the south of the main town which has both a commercial harbour area and a more attractive marina complex. To the north are various beaches, several blue flag, and areas populated by holiday villas. Passengers flying into Larnanca airport will almost certainly notice the amazing salt lake, one side of which lies close to the airport perimeter. The lake provides a natural habitat for thousands of Flamingos and many other species of birds which use the lake during their migrations.

So Larnanca is not just about the airport there, although it does make up a significant part of the economy in this area. Larnanca acts as a resort in its own right but also as a gateway to holiday destinations with short transfer times to places such as Ayia Napa and Pernera to the north and Alaminos and Pervolia to the south.

Author Resource:->  Cyprus is continuing to improve its offering as an attractive holiday destination. Dan Williams has helped many travellers find great holiday resorts in Cyprus and check prices for flights to the island using websites such as http://book.flythomascook.com/

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07/02/2012 by Dave.

By: Dave Armour

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean and can offer so much to today’s tourist.  The island has many archaeological sites, fantastic mountain ranges and golden sun drenched beaches. However, if you really want to see the island car hire is a must and there are many car hire companies to choose from.

The Cyprus climate is temperate and Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool, sometimes wet winters. There is even snow during the winter months and this enables the seasonal ski facility in the Troodos mountains to come alive.

The capital of the island is the city of Nicosia, it is divided between North and South Cyprus. Other important cities are situated mainly on the coast, Limassol, Paphos, Larnaca and Famagusta to name but a few.

Most tourists to the island are looking for great beaches, excellent restaurants and a lively night life. However, Cyprus can also provide smaller quieter  beaches  and  friendly restaurants for couples who want the low key night life.

Beaches around the Island

Famagusta

Famagusta has many miles of long white sandy beaches, some of which are privately owned by the hotels that line the coastline. The beaches can look a little too regimented with lines of sun beds and parasols but the area is ideal for families. The area is also good for snorkelling with clear waters and many rocky stretches. Three of the beaches in this area are Bediz, Glapsides and Silver beach.

Ayia Napa

Probably the most crowded and some of the best beaches on Cyprus can be found in this area. The beaches have soft silver sands and clear waters and offer all the water sports you could want. If it’s the night life you want then this is the resort for you, Ayia Napa is clubbers paradise. The streets come alive at night with bars, discos and nightclubs all trying to pull in the tourists. The beaches in this area include, Agia Thelka, Landa, Nissi, Makronisos, Vathia Gonia, Katsarka, Pantahou, Pernera, Kryo Nero, Liminara, Konnos, Kermia and Sandy Bay.

 Limassol

The sand at Limassol changes to a dark gritty type of sand with stones in places. Many fine beaches can be found in this area such as Lady’s Mile, Dessoudi and Curium, Pissouri, Kourion, and Governor’s Beach, most beaches having good facilities for the tourists. Limassol resorts offer a range of traditional tavernas and modern shops and restaurants. Most of the Limassol resorts can offer a good nightlife with perhaps the liveliest being in Yermasogea where you will find discos, bars and night clubs. For the more adventurous Limissol is ideally placed to visit the Troodos mountains, the castle at Kolossi and the ancient city of Kourion.

Larnaca

The main beaches around Larnaca are Dhekelia, Geroskipou, Dasoudi, and McKenzie, these beaches are ideal for families. Most of the beaches in this area will offer sun beds, parasols, changing facilities and restaurants or bars . Water sports are also very popular, wind surfing and parasailing is available. Scuba diving is also available in some resorts.

Protaros

The beaches in this area include, Skoutari, Agia Triada, Fig Tree Bay, Louma, Green Bay and Protoras many of these beaches have been developed due to hotels being built along this strip of coast line. Generally the beaches of Protaros have gently shelving waters and calm crystal clear water ideal for families. Quieter beaches can be found further north towards Cape Greko and are ideal for diving and snorkelling.

Fig Tree Bay

Much of the development of Protaras has been due to the proximity of Fig Tree Bay. The bay is probably the best beach on the island, beautiful scenery; soft golden sands leading down to shallow crystal clear waters make this beach a firm favourite for tourists and the locals. The resort has every facility required by the visiting tourists, water sports, restaurants and bars make this beach very popular. For the more adventurous the clear waters are ideal for snorkelling.

Nissi Bay

Not far from Ayia Napa this beach is far enough away from the crowds and yet if it’s the night life your after this beach is ideal to relax on after a long night out in Ayia Napa or one of the local bars. The beach is sheltered from the island of Nissi just off shore it has soft white sands and clear gently shelving waters. Water sports are available along with other tourist facilities such as restaurants and bars. Near by there is a water park that will give all the family a great fun day out.

Coral Bay

Said to be one of the best beaches on the island, a long curved bay of soft white sands and rocky outcrops at either end. The clear sheltered waters make this beach ideal for the family. The main resort area has many restaurants and bars to make the evenings very enjoyable. For a more traditional greek atmosphere try Paphos harbour which has fantastic scenery and many good restaurants. Being near Paphos, makes this beach very popular and it can get quite crowded at times. if you interested in snorkelling or Scuba diving this is an ideal location. The other side of Coral Bay you will find the fantastic caves of St Georges.

Pissouri

The charming village of Pissouri has grown with the local beach that is a mixture of sand and shingle. The resort offers a more relaxed holiday than the more touristy areas and rarely gets too crowded. Restaurants are available at the back of the beach when you need to have lunch or just have a cool beer. The resort can offer the usual water sports and a local dive centre offers tuition if you are interested in taking that first scuba dive. The well known land mark known as “Aphrodites Rock” can be found a few miles west of Pissouri.

There are many more beaches on Cyprus that need to be mentioned, if you would like to read more about the beaches of Cyprus go to http://www.holidayphotosite.co.uk

Author Resource:-Dave Armour is the owner The Holiday Photo Site

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