Croatia is one of Europe's most up and coming holiday destinations. The Adriatic coast of the country is home to over 1100 tiny islands – nearly as many as the Maldives – and the sea is crystal clear. On the mainland, discover medieval towns hip cities and bustling seaside resorts. Explore spotless pebble beaches, pine clad hills, golf courses, harbours and cobbled streets. Inland, you'll find stunning waterfalls, pretty villages and rolling hills. When it comes to places to stay in Croatia, choose from self-catering apartments, beachfront all inclusive resorts, private villas and boutique hotels. Whether you're looking for a family holiday or a city break, an action-packed holiday or a relaxing escape, there are plenty of options in Croatia. Discover why holidays in Croatia are becoming so popular – before everyone else does.

Things To Do

Many holidays in Croatia centre around the beach or the pool but there's plenty to do besides swimming and sunbathing. Boat trips, water sports, hiking, horse riding, sightseeing, diving, shopping and cultural trips are all available, depending on where you choose to stay. Don't miss a trip to the beautiful city of Dubrovnik. Depending on where you stay, you could hop over to Montenegro or even Italy for the day.

Food & Drink

Croatia offers a great choice of places to eat and drink, from quaint restaurants serving up seafood and local specialities, to beachside cafés and even the odd fast food joint. The choice of restaurants tends to be greater in larger holiday resorts and cities. In beach resorts, all-inclusive and half board holidays are increasingly popular.

In The Evening

Nightlife in Croatia varies greatly, depending on where you choose to stay. Dubrovnik and capital Zagreb offer a thriving nightlife scene, with a good choice of bars and clubs. The area around Zadar hosts a variety of outdoor events and festivals in the summer months.

Health & Entry Requirements

It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct travel insurance and vaccinations and / or special medication for your destination. Please consult your GP for advice at least one month ahead of travel.
It is essential that you meet the visa and passport requirements for your chosen destination. Visit the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (http://www.fco.gov.uk) website for up to date entry requirements listed by country.

Flight Time:
2 hours

Time Difference:
+1 hours

Average Temp:
12°C

Currency:
HRK

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Suitable for:

Families:

Honeymoons:

Couples:

Young & Lively:

 

 

For more information or to book call: 01823 478305

From relaxing spa breaks and gourmet tours to the great outdoors, Switzerland has a broad appeal.

They take healthy living seriously, the Swiss. And through slogans like ‘Switzerland, get natural’ the tourism board is encouraging us Brits to get in on the act, too.

It shouldn’t be a hard sell – their rejuvenating lakes and mountains and fresh air have been attracting active types and convalescents year-round for generations, and as you’d expect from a country that gave us household names such as Kuoni, local operators know a thing or two about meeting travellers’ expectations.

The country attracts a loyal following and remains a steady seller for the likes of Kuoni. Jack Kirsch, the company’s market co-ordinator for Switzerland says: “Wengen is still our top-selling resort, along with Interlaken and Zermatt, but we are starting to see considerable growth in Adelboden, Grindelwald, Davos and St Moritz.

"We are also seeing more demand for three-star properties, but the four-star sector remains strong.”

Diversity

Part of the country’s charm lies in its ethnic make up. Its different regions, or ‘cantons’, boast distinct French, German and Italian influences, evidenced in the local architecture, culture and cuisine.

Whether loading up on hearty staples such as raclette in the Valais, sampling Italian food in Ticino canton or splashing out at one of the country’s 93 Michelin-starred eateries, food is a highlight of any trip. As is exploring the picturesque towns and cities such as Lucerne, with its mix of contemporary and medieval architecture; Thun, with its fairytale castle; Chur, the country’s oldest city; and Zurich, the country’s largest city, with its charming old town.

Active

Outside of the ski season, resorts like Les Diablerets are alive with possibilities such as paragliding and mountain biking. Klosters, home to the Swiss Bike Masters in July, is a good bet for cyclists.

Golfers will appreciate St Moritz, in Graubünden, with its five golf courses, while summer skiing in Zermatt is offered by Thomson and Crystal. Family-friendly active bases include Hoseasons’ Landal resort on Lake Walensee.

Having declared 2011 the Year of Walking, the tourism board is promoting the many hiking trails, details of which can be found at myswitzerland.com/hiking.

New products include UTracks’ seven-day Bernese Oberland walking tour, from £750, and Neilson’s guided Mont Blanc Snowshoe Week, which also visits France and Italy, and costs from £995 in January and February, excluding flights.

Relaxing

The many excellent spas offer another major selling point. Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, home to Grand Hotel Quellenhof & Spa Suites and Grand Hotel Hof Ragaz, recently invested €95 million refurbishing its accommodation and spa facilities.

Other options include the Grand Hotel Kronenhof, near St Moritz, with its 2,000sq metre spa, and the Cinq Mondes Spa at the Beau-Rivage Palace, which has cracking views of Lake Geneva and the Swiss Alps. At the Just Pure Spa at The Cambrian, in Adelboden, treatments are tied in with the cycles of the moon.

Other relaxing options include cruising Lake Geneva on a paddle steamer, taking a helicopter flight over the Weisshorn, Matterhorn and Monte Rosa mountains (20-minute flight from £165 with Kuoni); and hitching a ride on the Rotair, the world’s first revolving cable car (from £45 with Kuoni).

Gelmer funicular railway

Trains

Switzerland is also a rail-lover’s paradise. There are trains everywhere, in all shapes, sizes and gradients –106% in the case of the Gelmer, the world’s steepest funicular.

It’s home to Europe’s highest railway station, at Jungfraujoch, and Europe’s highest open-air cog railway, which runs between Zermatt and Gornergrat, offering glimpses of 29 mountain peaks and the Gorner Glacier (from £29 with Kuoni).

The iconic Glacier Express, from Zermatt to St Moritz, is sold by everyone from Thomson to Dertour and it’s the top seller for Great Rail Journeys, which also offers a standard class option through its value brand, Treyn. Another popular option is a ride on the Belle Époque-style Swiss Chocolate Train, topped off with a tasting session at the Nestlé factory in Broc (£35, Kuoni).

Other top picks include the William Tell Express and the Golden Pass Classic, with its vintage Orient-Express carriages, as featured in Thomson’s ten or eleven night Golden Pass Tour and Vintage Orient-Express independent train tour.

New products

For its new nine-day Swiss Classic tour, Great Rail Journeys has chartered a vintage train, with restored 1940s carriages. Departing September 10, it starts at £2,355, including return rail travel from London, eight nights’ hotel accommodation, some meals and excursions

Crystal’s new summer ‘immersion holidays’ offer experiential holidays based around resort centres such as Interlaken, Montreux and Zermatt. Thomson, meanwhile, has expanded its range of ‘Platinum’ hotel stays at properties like the four-star Hotel Parco Paradiso in Lugano, and introduced a new tour. A Taste of Switzerland includes a ride on the Chocolate Train and trips to Gruyère Castle, a cheese factory and the foodie centre of Gstaad.

Thomson and Crystal have also added Hotel Aristella in Zermatt, and the Hotel Royal Plaza and Swiss Majestic Hotel in Montreux. Plus, a new Thomson flight route is servicing the resort of Lugano via Zurich from Heathrow, Birmingham and Manchester.

Kuoni’s new family-friendly Swiss Adventure Tour includes activities such as tobogganing and zip-wiring, while Inghams has added a new property – the all-inclusive chalet Hotel Ambassador in Saas Fee, available on ‘chalet board’.

Send super-sleuths on Travelsphere’s 10-day Best of Switzerland tour (from £759), which visits the Reichenbach Falls, where Sherlock Holmes battled Professor Moriarti, and a museum devoted to the fictional detective

 

New hotels in Lucerne include the Renaissance Lucerne Hotel. The nearby 23-room Hotel Villa Honegg, a five-star boutique country hotel, has an infinity pool and private cinema, while the renovated Hotel Pilatus Kulm, which opened last summer, is a historic gem perched on a mountainside.

In Bern, the five-star Hotel Schweizerhof opened last month, offering 100 rooms and suites. New offerings in Zürich include the four-star, 159-room Ramada Hotel Zürich City and the 300-room Renaissance Zürich Tower Hotel (opening in August).

New Zürich openings for 2012 include the funky 25hours Hotel and the B2 Boutique Hotel. Housed in a former brewery it includes a thermal spa, which is already open and offers 360-degree views of Zürich.

Deals and offers

Some resorts like Klosters and Davos provide passes offering free transportation, and free entry to local attractions.

Inghams includes a half-price travel card in all its Swiss holidays worth £60. Many Swiss hotels offer free nights. The Meierhof Davos, available through Kuoni, is giving up to seven free nights (with breakfast) for stays of seven nights or more until October 8.

Jack Kirsch, Kuoni, says: “Even though Switzerland is expensive, most hotels offer a four or five-course evening meal as part of the half-board, which represents real value for money.”

 

source: www.travelweekly.co.uk

Places on this exclusive offer are limited and only available to book by telephone. Don't miss out, call now on

01823 478305

Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi

Experience the tropical holiday of a lifetime with this special twin centre deal to Malaysia. Spend two nights in cosmopolitan capital Kuala Lumpur, before flying to the beautiful island of Langkawi for a six night stay. Your accommodation at the 3* Hotel Sentral Kuala Lumpur is situated right in the heart of the city and is perfectly placed for exploring the world-famous markets and restaurants.

In Langkawi, you'll stay at the 3* Mutiara Burau Bay, in your own superior cabana, just steps away from the stunning white sandy beach. You will then fly back to Kuala Lumpur for a final night’s stay in the nation’s capital. Prices start from £989* per person, including international and domestic flights. This great deal includes 3 free nights in Langkawi and savings of up to £179 per person.

Kuala Lumpur

The capital of Malaysia is a vibrant city packed with things to see and do. Discover ultra-modern shopping malls, traditional craft markets, towering skyscrapers and colourful temples. Enjoy gourmet food in luxury hotel restaurants, or taste fresh seafood and noodles from the local Medan Selera – a collection of stalls grouped together to form a vibrant food court. In the evening, choose from an array of nightclubs, hotel lounges and glamorous cocktail bars. The atmosphere in KL is electric – an exciting place to stop on your way to the beach paradise of Langkawi.

Your stay in Kuala Lumpur is in a superior room at the 3* Hotel Sentral Kuala Lumpur.

Langkawi

A true tranquil haven, the Malaysian island of Langkawi is laced with pristine white beaches and luxury hotels. Try water sports or take a boat trip in the surrounding turquoise waters. Nearby Pulau Payar Marine Park is home to abundant coral and tropical fish, making it a wonderful spot for snorkelling and diving. Inland, there are rich rainforests, breathtaking waterfalls and pretty hillside villages. Langkawi is a real getaway-from-it-all destination – explore the exotic landscapes or simply unwind on the stunning beaches. Your stay in Langkawi is in a superior cabana at the 3* Mutiara Burau Bay.

When
Departures from 1st Sept to 25th Nov 2011. Many other dates available at a small supplement.
Where from
London Gatwick or Birmingham. Manchester & Newcastle Departures available from an additional £36pp with Emirates.
Savings
Savings from £179pp
Best bits about the deal
A fantastic opportunity to combine a cultural and beach experience in one holiday, visiting the pristine sands of Langkawi with the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur. Return internal flights between Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi are also included.

Hotel Sentral Kuala Lumpur

Topped by the highest observation tower.
More information...

Mutiara Burau Bay Resort

good value for families and active travelers
More information...

For more information or to book call:

01823 478305

The tourist board wants holidaymakers to look beyond coastal resorts - and there's plenty to see…..
San Miguel de Allende

The beaches of Mexico’s Caribbean coast are stunning. So stunning, in fact, that’s it’s easy for tourists to get stuck on them. With BA’s new flight to Cancun hogging the headlines, there’s a danger the natural and cultural delights on offer in the rest of this vast country could be forgotten.

To draw attention to the country’s sightseeing wonders, the Mexico Tourism Board is basing its promotional activities on 10 routes, which connect different areas of the country around a series of themes including tequila and music, Mayan culture, and wine and water sports.

Whether it’s a day trip, a short excursion or an entire tour, clients can inject some extra flavour into their holiday by going beyond the beach and seeing some of Mexico’s other sights.

Mexico highlights

Mexico City: This is one of the world’s largest cities, with masses to see, including the largest cathedral and the largest zocalo (main square) in Latin America, and artworks by famous Mexican artists such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

More unusual experiences include cruising the Aztec-era Xochimilco canals in a brightly coloured boat, or seeing a highly-entertaining Lucha Libre wrestling match – the Mexican version of WWF. An hour’s drive north of the city is the pre-Aztec site of Teotihuacan.

Archaeological sites: While Europe was still in the Dark Ages, the Mayans built huge jungle cities without metal tools or even the wheel. Their stupendous pyramids and statues are a big tourist draw, and famous sites include Chichen Itza, Tulum and Uxmal on the Yucatan Peninsula, and Palenque in Chiapas.

Colonial cities: Mexico is dotted with picturesque towns and cities full of colonial buildings, brightly coloured markets and wonderful Mexican atmosphere. In San Miguel de Allende, north of Mexico City, a new Rosewood resort opened in January, with a luxurious spa and activities such as hiking and horse riding.

The town is home to the Casa de Sierra Nevada, an Orient-Express hotel with an acclaimed cooking school. South of Mexico City, Oaxaca is known for its culinary delights and local arts and crafts. Other pretty choices include San Cristobal de la Casas, Campeche and Merida.

Copper Canyon: The best way to see the breathtaking scenery of these 20 canyons in northwest Mexico is by taking the Chepe, the Copper Canyon railway, which runs 375 miles daily between Los Mochis and Chihuahua City. The views are amazing, and many tourists stop off at some point to explore local villages.

Baja California: This peninsula of land stretches 775 miles from the border with California in the north down to the tip of Cabo San Lucas. It’s separated from the mainland by the Sea of Cortes, a whale breeding ground. There are deserts and mountains but most tourists come for the beaches and world-class golf. Luxury resorts abound, including the One & Only Palmilla, Rosewood’s Las Ventanas al Paraiso and Capella Pedregal (pictured below).

Pacific Coast: The jungles of the Sierra Madre back Mexico’s Pacific beach resorts, which include Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco.

Caribbean Coast: The Brits' favourite. Clear waters, white sands and a wide range of accommodation make this the perfect winter-sun location. From lively Cancun itself to the quieter, more upmarket Riviera Maya, there are options for most budgets.

Pool bar at Capella Pedregal

Excursions

For those who simply want a few opportunities for activity and sightseeing on their beach holiday, day excursions are simple to book.

All operators, hotels and add-on specialists have a wide range, including day trips to Chichen Itza and Tulum, visits to Xel-Ha and Xcaret Eco-Waterparks, catamaran cruises to Isla Mujeres, and swimming with dolphins and snorkelling with whale sharks.

Attraction World has added a range of dolphin experiences at the Wet’n Wild waterpark in Cancun, with a Dolphin Swim package starting from $115. This includes time in the water, a ‘dorsal tow’ or a ‘foot push’ ride, plus a food and drinks plan.

Tours and twin-centres in Mexico

For a lovely taster without too much travelling around, suggest a few days in Mexico City followed by time on the Caribbean Coast. This way, clients can explore the vibrant and exciting capital before relaxing, incorporating days out to see Mayan ruins. Kuoni offers a 13-night break, with three nights in Mexico City, 10 in Cancun and international and domestic flights, from £1,705 in September.

Or combine a Caribbean coast beach stay with time exploring the area’s historic sights. Travel 2 offers a range of beach hotels, plus a five-day Discover Yucatan’s Mayan Ruins tour. The latter costs from £829 land-only.

Tours usually start in Mexico City and most commonly venture south, curving down through Oaxaca to San Cristobal de las Casas and then heading for the Yucatan Peninsula. Cox & Kings’ 12-night Highlights of Mexico tour starts from £2,639 and covers these bases, and clients can choose add-on options including the Copper Canyon and the Pacific or Caribbean coasts.

Of the tours that head north instead, some concentrate on Copper Canyon. W&O Travel offers a six-night package exploring the canyon by the Chepe train, from £595, including accommodation and excursions.

Others venture to the colonial cities north of Mexico City. Journey Latin America’s new self-drive itinerary, Colonial Cities and the Pacific Coast, costs from £1,902 excluding transatlantic flights, while Page & Moy offers an escorted tour called Butterflies and Mexican Culture from £1,855, including flights.

Specialist operator Cathy Matos Mexican Tours covers every inch of the country and tailor-makes trips to clients’ specifications.

Adventure operators have plenty of options in Mexico. Exodus has a new family trip called Magic of Mexico suitable for children aged eight and above. It centres on the Yucatan peninsula and includes visiting Chichen Itza on horseback, swimming in natural pools, visiting a working hacienda and seeing the sights in the colonial city of Merida. The tour costs from £1,499 (£999 child), including flights.

souce:www.travelweekly.co.uk