There are simply thousands of fabulous holiday villas in Spain to rent as well as other types of accommodation such as apartments, penthouses and fincas. There are holiday villas in Spain to suit all ranges of budget and taste. There are some great bargains to be found with cheap holiday villas and apartments and there is also the other end of the scale where you could pay into tens of thousands for a luxury villa in Spain to sleep many people. (more…)
There are thousands of rental apartments in Europe and other accommodation available to let within its many countries. With a surface area of 3,930,000 Square miles is the world’s second smallest continent. Four main bodies of water wash it’s shores; from the freezing Arctic Ocean in the North to the beautifully contrasting Mediterranean Sea in the South. There is the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Black Sea in the east. (more…)
Italy really does have it all, from popes to painters and poets to polenta. Its beautiful and rich landscapes seem to be created to inspire romance and its three millennia of history, culture and cuisine seduces just about everyone who visits. There are thousands of rental villas in Italy. These range from huge estates and old villas in Italy to countryside fincas and beachside apartments. (more…)
France is still at the top of the list when it comes to European destinations to visit. Regardless of what you’re looking for when deciding on where to go on holiday, France really does have it all. From fabulous holiday apartments to rent to luxury villas along the coast, there are simply thousands of properties to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes. (more…)
There are many great holiday rentals in the USA from discount holiday accommodation to the higher end, more luxury villas that you can rent. The United States of America is a vast country that lies between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. It is bordered by Mexico in the south and Canada in the North. There are 50 states, one district, Columbia and five territories which that have landmarks that have become icons of the country itself. (more…)
The Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean just 100 miles from Africa are popular all year round thanks to their warm climate, developed tourist industry and frequent flights from the UK.
Tenerife is the largest of the islands with a dormant volcano and mountain range splitting the island in two. The south is warmer and drier, and hence more popular with tourists, and the north greener and cooler.
Gran Canaria has the largest population and like Tenerife is split into a warmer south and greener north thanks to a central mountain range. Shoppers head to Las Palmas, beach lovers to Maspolmas and the fishing villages of Puerto Rico, Puerto de Morgan and Pasito Blanco offer picture-postcard views.
Lanzarote has the darkest landscape as a result of the islands volcanic orgins and also the finest sand on the beaches. The National Park of Timanfaya is a must for any visit to the island with stunning scenery.
Fuertaventura is popular with golfers and has the longest beaches of any of the islands, including a 4 mile stretch of golden sand between the towns of Jandia and Pajara.
The remaining three islands of La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro have less developed tourist accommodation and attractions but are still worth visiting
Since the first package holidays were offered to Spain in the 1960s its popularity as both a holiday and investment destination has remained undimmed.
Even today when cheaper air fares have made more of the world affordable and accessible, Spain still ranks as the number one destination after nearly 50 years for five key reasons:
Girona has managed to escape the stag and hen parties that descend on the bright lights and big city bars of Barcelona, 60 miles further to the south. And as it is only 2 hours away from the UK, it is near enough to be a perfect weekend city break.
If you’re looking for a bit more culture, then Girona is for you. The city has a population of around 80,000 so it is still small enough to walk everywhere but with a good mix of interesting restaurants, traditional shops and boutiques, galleries and antique dealers, there is enough to keep even the keenest culture-vultures happy.
Fans of the film Perfume will recognise the Pujada de Sant Domenec, a flight of stone steps leading up to the Sant Martí Sacosta Church with a gloomy lane framed by a basket arch slanting off to the left. This location, and others around the city, were used to create the 18th Century French town of Grasse in the film, and it is one of the most photographed and romantic spots in Girona.
With a wealth of cafes in the Plaça del Vi (Wine Square) it’s the perfect spot to relax with friends, a good book or to simply take time out to watch the world go by.
Ryanair flies to Girona from London Luton and London Stansted, as well as 11 other regional airports.
Holidaymakers planning a trip to Lanzarote could find it more difficult to get a hotel room after 22 hotels were ordered to be demolished.
The demolition order follows a court case that ruled that 22 hotels were illegally built after two councils had openly flouted a ban on building hotels.
Eight five-star hotels, 10 smaller hotels and four others under construction were ruled illegal. All together they account for over 7,700 rooms or apartments on the island.
Top class hotels that could be pulled down include the Melia Volcan, Iberostar Papagayo, Gran Castillo, Natura Palace, Rubicon Palace, Papagayo Arena and Son Bou.
Authorities may grant an amnesty in the same way as the council in Marbella did when it discovered thousands of illegally built hotels and homes, many owned by Britons, in 2006. In return for not sending in the demolition crews, the council forced developers to hand over large areas of land into public ownership.
However, not everyone would welcome this outcome and the final decision on action remains unclear.
Carlos Espino, a Socialist Lanzarote councillor, said: “These councils broke the order which we put in place to preserve the island, which is a biosphere. We will not have an amnesty. We will knock down what we have to.”
More court cases against other hotels in Lanzarote are expected to follow.
In February, low cost airline easyJet announced a new flight to Palma, Mallorca, from East Midlands Airport three times a week.
easyJet already flies to Mallorca from Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted and Newcastle. With BMI Baby and Monarch also flying to the island, Mallorca is readily accessible from pretty much anywhere in the UK.
Mallorca is popular with both property buyers and holiday makers. With 300 days sunshine a year, 23 golf courses, 25 marinas and some of the most stunning scenery in Europe, it’s easy to see why. New roads in the north of the island have now made many of the picturesque mountain villages more accessible and the coast benefits from beautiful natural harbours.
And with a ban on the island on any development within 25 metres of the coast, if you’ve got a beachfront property with a stunning sea view, or got your eye on buying or renting one, then you can be confident little is going to get in the way of your picture postcard view.
