Summer Holiday Locations

Spain has long been a favourite summer holiday destination for British holidaymakers, not least because of its 5,000 miles of coastline and temperate climate. Catalonia, in the north east of the Iberian Peninsula, offers many beautiful beaches. The Platja de Casteldefells, a 15 minute train ride from the centre of Barcelona, consists of over three miles of wide unbroken sand. It has all the facilities that you might expect in a modern holiday resort, but does become very busy and very noisy, during the summer months. Other popular holiday destinations include the Balearic Islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera and the Canary Islands of Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and other smaller islands.

Dover is just 26 miles away from Calais across the English Channel and, nowadays, the Eurostar service from London St. Pancras to Paris Nord takes just over three hours, so the British love affair with France looks set to continue. Disneyland Paris is a popular holiday destination for families with children, as are the beaches of the islands of Corsica, off the south east coast and Ile de Ré, off the west coast. Hot summers, especially along the Mediterranean, mean that France lends itself well to cycling, golfing and sightseeing holidays.

Italy, too, is a perennial favourite with British holidaymakers. The area of northern Italy known as the Italian Lakes, or Italian Lake District, has been popular since package holidays began over 150 years ago. The region, which includes Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano, Lake Como and Lake Garda among others, offers classic images of Italy. Bellagio, on Lake Como, is typical of the region and offers historic buildings, cobbled streets and, of course, lake views. The so-called Pearl of the Lake has been called the most beautiful village in Italy. If you are looking for a holiday that is more urbane in character, you might like to think of heading to one of Italy`s major cities, such as Rome, Venice, Florence or Milan. Rome, the capital city of modern Italy, is awash with ancient monuments, but is nevertheless a bustling and lively city with excellent nightlife. Highlights include the Colosseum, the Vatican City and the Roman Forum.

Of course, there are plenty of opportunities for holidays at home. If you are on a budget, or cannot take a whole week off, you might like to consider one of a variety of activity weekends that are available throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. You might like to try rock climbing in Devon and Cornwall, horse riding in the Lake District, sailing off the Dorset coast or skiing or snowboarding in Scotland; the possibilities are almost endless.