Located on a pretty coastline in the south of Spain, Cadiz is surrounded by beaches and populated by friendly people. It has benefited from a wide number of different cultures, all leaving their mark in terms of architecture and way of life.

Cadiz may be one of the destinations included on your holiday with MSC Cruises. With this in mind we have put together a guide to the city, which is widely considered to be the oldest in the whole of Europe.

With so much fascinating history and interesting sights to explore try to ensure you make the most of a short stay in Cadiz on your cruise from Southampton.

Plaza de la Catedral

Head to the plaza housing both the city’s cathedral, constructed between 1722 and 1838, and the Baroque Santiago church dating back to 1635. Before entering either of these religious establishments take a moment to enjoy the square itself.

Notice that a ground plan of the cathedral has been included in the design of the paving stones and stand back to admire the impressive yellow dome. Due to the fact that the construction of the building ended up stretching out over a considerable number of years, its original baroque design has been diluted with rococo and neoclassical elements.

Climb to the top of the cathedral’s tower for fantastic views of the whole city and the surrounding coastline.

Museo de Cadiz

Cadiz’s fine museum is situated within another pretty square surrounded by trees. Downstairs you will find the archaeology section, where the standout attraction is two Phoenician marble sarcophagi. These are joined by myriad Roman statues, many of which are now missing their heads, as well as a likeness of Emperor Trajan from the ruins of Baelo Claudia, complete with his head.

Upstairs you will find a strong collection of religious art, including 18 pieces by Francisco de Zurbarán featuring monks, saints and angels. The highlight of the upper floor is the altarpiece that Murillo was working on for the Cádiz’ Convento de Capuchinas when he fell from the scaffolding and was killed.

Playa de la Victoria

You cannot spend a few days in Cadiz without making the most of its fantastic coastline and we recommend Playa de la Victoria. This is as much for the walk along the promenade from Barrio Santa Maria as for the destination.

This beach boasts four kilometres of sand and sea stretching along the peninsula and is the place where many of the locals like to go when they are sunning themselves.

Gran Teatro Manuel de Falla

Dating back to 1905 the magnificent Gran Teatro Manuel de Falla sits in the Plaza Fragela and still has a comprehensive schedule of performances. Try to get tickets if one of these shows coincides with your trip. Otherwise just marvel at its architectural beauty.

It was known simply as Gran Teatro up until 1926 when it was decided that the name of local composer Manuel de Falla should be bestowed upon it as a mark of honour.

Standout features include the red and white horseshoe arches on the facade, a magnificent vestibule and stunning stairway up to the galleries above. Admire the work of Felipe Abarzuza and Rodríguez de Arias who painted an allegory of paradise on the ceiling.

Sharm El Sheikh beach By WomEOS (Creative Commons)

Sharm El Sheikh has a reputation for being a popular holiday among UK holidaymakers due to its great features, one of those being the perfect holiday weather. Getting away from dismal UK weather is high on the lists of many Brits during the summer, and Sharm El Sheikh provides a stunning location for this.

Sharm El Sheikh is located on the southern tip of Egypt, 500 km from Cairo. Holidays are also popular here because of the Red Sea, which is a great place to explore and take part in diving. The beach is an attractive feature, and can be used for either relaxation or to make the most of the water activities. This is why it is such a great location for families, as there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Life’s a beach

Certainly, the sandy beach continues to be one of the main attractions of the place. Many tourists make the most of the sun by spending their days lazing on the sand and catching the rays. Unlike in the UK, Sharm El Sheikh’s sun is out all year round, so it doesn’t matter when you visit, you will always experience the heat.

A haul of hotels

Due to its luxurious reputation, there are many hotels around to choose from, many of which will give you the easiest access to the best locations, including the beach. There is a hotel suitable for all types of holiday guests, from singles to families, and these range from great value bed and breakfasts to five-star hotels.

A splash in Sharm

The Aqua blue water park is a family favourite day out, and can be scheduled around your lazy days on the beach. Since Sharm El Sheikh has grown into one of Egypt’s super resorts, it provides many things to do for people of all ages. It is particularly well known for its natural attractions too, including Mount Sinai.

Mount Sinai by Berthold Werner

Alternatively, if you are looking for a more active holiday, Sharm El Sheikh provides that too. There are plenty of night clubs, casinos, golf activities, and more to enjoy. Whatever your agenda, Sharm El Sheikh is a comfortable, relaxing holiday location that makes for the perfect getaway this summer.

Another benefit of Sharm El Sheikh is that it is a Mediterranean style holiday boasting a lower cost than other similar resorts. You can get all the sun, sea and fun for a more affordable price. Co-op Travel is there to provide affordable holidays to Sharm El Sheikh, as well as advice on the best activities to take part in during your stay.

I decided to go away at New Year; it was a great idea at the time. What I didn’t bargain on, and really I should have known better, was how much the flights cost! So to save money, I decided to book a flight from Gatwick, and headed down the day before, booking one of the many hotels on offer with AirportHotels.com, within a short distance from the terminal.

This turned out to be one of the best things I could ever have done, and in future, I will certainly be repeating the experience!

For a great quote, I stayed at one of the Gatwick hotels namely the Hilton Gatwick, perfectly situated for my flight the next day from Gatwick’s south terminal. Never again will I be travelling to the airport on the same day, rushed, stressed out and ready to scream at someone, not pausing to breathe until I’m safely past security, with my suitcase in someone else’s hands, and no need for me to panic about what I have forgotten, because it’s simply too late. In the past, my holiday hasn’t really started until I land in my resort, in fact, until I check-in to my resort hotel, but when I booked an on-site hotel, I found my holiday started earlier, which is never a bad thing, in my opinion.

There are many Gatwick Airport hotels to choose from, all offering great value for money and a relaxing atmosphere, perfect for a pre-holiday chill-out. I was treated to free wifi, so I could chat to my friends without worrying about a ticking internet cafe clock, all the bathroom facilities you would expect, meaning a relaxing, hot shower before leaving to for the airport, a TV in my room, to help me drop off to sleep, and there was even a gym but needless to say, I didn’t make use of that. I had breakfast before I left, after my shower, so I arrived at the terminal, in perfect walking distance, looking fresh-faced, hair not standing on end, clothes not crumpled, and with a smile on my face. I think it’s the first time I actually arrived at the airport without looking like I’d had a big shock, or been dragged through a hedge backwards.

You’ll find all these facilities generally as standard at airport hotels, and with the large number of year-around flights heading out of Gatwick, it makes sense there is a wide range of hotels to suit every budget, from the simple and relaxing, to the sparkling and luxurious – the choice really is yours.

My stay at the Hilton really has cemented in my mind that in the future, I will book a hotel prior to travelling, and for anyone fed up with starting their holiday rushed and stressed out, there really is no better remedy.

With the sunny months well and truly upon us, lots of us are considering an escape to the seaside – but what’s the best way to do it if you’re on a budget? In this article we’ll give you some recommendations on all the ingredients you need for the perfect low-cost holiday in the sun.

1.       All-inclusive deals

The biggest cost is that of the holiday itself, and all-inclusive deals still represent great value for money. If you’re set on a beach holiday, it’s a good idea to go to a specialist who will be able to offer the best deals – companies like On the Beach offer cheap breaks by the sea, and there’s a great selection of destinations and resorts to choose from.

What’s more, you can usually tailor an all-inclusive package to your needs – so if you just need a flight and hotel, you can drop transfers and car hire if you want.

2.       Transport

You might not want to spend all of your holiday on the beach, and if you want to explore your destination country a bit more you’ll probably need a car. Companies like Gosimply.com and Holidaycars.com provide an easy way to compare hundreds of international car hire companies so you can get the best deal wherever you’re travelling to.

Alternatively, with a bit of research beforehand you can get to know the local public transport situation – buses and trains are often much cheaper on the continent than in the UK, so they can represent great value for money.

3.       Travel money

Exchange rates can make a huge difference to how far your money goes while on holiday. While most of us buy our holiday money a week or so before we depart, it’s actually much better to use a service like TorFX, which allows you to set an exchange rate to buy your money at. If you set it up a few months in advance, you could end up buying at a much more beneficial rate that gives you much more spending money.

It’s also a good idea to budget for your holiday to avoid the need to withdraw cash while you’re over there, which can incur costly bank charges. Check with your bank about their rules on credit and debit card spending abroad and plan accordingly.

Travelling with your dog (creative commons)

There are few things more satisfying that exploring somewhere new with your family – so why shouldn’t that include your pets, too? Dogs love to discover new places, and having them will you will help avoid any concerns or worries you might have about them while you’re away. They also make great companions if you’re travelling alone.

There are a few things you can do to make travel easier on your pet while you book, such as ensuring that you travel on relatively quiet services, which will make the whole journey much less stressful for your dog. You’ll still need to prepare them for the trip in advance though, as long travelling times can be difficult for them. You should also make sure you have your pet’s travel insurance set up before you go – take a look at our guide below to make sure you and your dog are ready!

One month before you leave

About a month before you’re due to leave, you’ll need to start getting your dog ready to travel. If you haven’t already, purchase a carrier that your dog can comfortably sit, stand, lie down and turn around in, and help them feel comfortable in it by placing a few of their favourite toys inside it. A good way to get them to associate it with comfortable travelling is to take them on increasingly long journeys in their crate throughout the month, either in the car or on the train, so that when it comes to a long flight they will know what to expect and how to get themselves comfortable. Have a chat with your vet, too, and find out when you’ll need to have your pet vaccinated.

One week before you leave

The major task you’ll need to complete is to make sure that your pet has been treated for fleas and worms. Your vet will be able to do this for you, and will also give you all the paperwork that you need to travel with your dog. At the same time, you should also have your dog microchipped, and double check that the information is up-to-date with your contact details while you are away, just in case. If you’re concerned about how your dog will cope with the journey, it may also be worth buying some calming tablets or a calming spray to help them settle down.

The day before your journey

Get your pet’s crate ready with plenty of bedding, and ensure that they can comfortably move around inside it. Feed them no later than two hours before you set off, and make sure they have access to water throughout your trip. You should be ready to travel now, as long as your pet seems happy in its carrier – you might want to include a favourite toy as well though, in case they get nervous during the journey.

Madden Lake, Okanagan Valley (Creative Commons)

Located in the heart of southern British Columbia, the Okanagan Valley is the perfect spot for a romantic getaway, a high-flying adventure, or a memorable family vacation.  In the summer, the valley is perfect for outdoor explorations along its sandy beaches while the winter offers an abundance of skiing and other wintertime fun.

After just a single visit to this amazingly diverse area, the Okanagan Valley will beckon one back time and time again.  Beloved by thousands of visitors each year, this part of Canada is known for its variety in climate, landscape and culture, offering something for everyone.  From orchards and vineyards to mountains and valleys, this is one of the most desirable locations in all of British Columbia.

The rolling hills of the valley make for a spectacular backdrop for golfing, skiing, relaxing, and touring the many wineries in the region.  Beginning in the south, one will find the Okanagan Valley’s stunning backcountry, complete with the remains of old mining settlements along the edges of the highways.  From the Oliver and Osoyoos regions, head north toward the valley, which is filled with lush orchards and vineyards.

Because of its location, the Okanagan Valley is home to dozens of parks and recreational areas, many of which surround the gorgeous Okanagan Lake.  No matter what time of year one chooses to visit, the open terrain of the region makes it the ideal destination for backpacking, hiking, and mountain biking.  The breathtaking landscapes do make for a challenging outdoor adventure, but there is something for every experience level.  For those looking for a true outdoor adventure, visit the valley in the winter for some prime skiing at Big White, Silver Star, and Apex.

Sun-drenched and snow-covered in the winter, the Okanagan Valley boasts some of the best downhill slopes in British Columbia. Home to several top-of-the-line resorts, the facilities for ski lovers and outdoor enthusiasts is simply second to none.  For those that don’t enjoy skiing, there is plenty of opportunity to enjoy the snowcapped mountains by throwing on a pair of snowshoes or hopping on a snowmobile.

Okanagan Valley wines

Though the original appeal of the Okanagan Valley was its natural beauty, the area is also beginning to emerge as a serious wine-producing region.  Canada’s wine industry traditionally hails from Ontario, but this region has truly blossomed in the past few years.  In fact, some of the most successful wines come from the Okanagan Valley.  Knowing this, a tour of the many wineries and vineyards is a must-do for anyone interested in wine; however, be sure to make a plan, as there are more than 9,000 acres of vineyards and almost 200 wineries!

The major centers of this region include Penticton, Osoyoos, Vernon, and of course, Kelowna.  Kelowna is a sanctuary nestled within the glorious mountain range, with abundant gardens, vineyards, and orchards.  This lakeside paradise is the largest city in the Okanagan Valley.  There are a variety of accommodations available, with Kelowna hotels along the lake, resorts on the mountain, and plenty of camping sites throughout the area.  Be sure not to miss the golfing, visit some of the 28 wineries, and take a stroll along the main street that actually ends at a beach!

So your bags are packed and you’re ready to go to one of the biggest cities in the world, be it Madrid, Paris, Vegas, Macau, New York. Excitement is running through your veins thinking at all the sites to see, people to meet and off course nights to enjoy! No traveller to these cities will want to miss what the night has to offer ? clubs and off course casinos. Even if you are not a WSoP poker professional, trying your hand in the game will be an adventure on its own.

Poker is not only for the pros, it can be a fun, thrilling game even newbie’s like yourself can enjoy. Who knows? You might even walk away with some winnings! OK, before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s go through a quick list of some do’s and don’ts in these high class casinos.

Lisbon casino creative commons

First on the ‘to do’ list is analyze the games and learn their basic strategies. This isn’t one of those arcade games that doesn’t require much thinking and remember, you will be betting money so better know what you are doing. This learning should obviously be done before entering the casino. You can even try a lesson or two to make sure you really understand. Finding yourself at a table of experts who will gladly take your money is not a fun experience at all.

Another thing to remember is when it comes to stacking chips; make sure to stack the higher dominations at the bottom of the stack. This way, if someone grabs a few from the top and walks away, they will have taken chips with little or no value.

The list of don’ts is a longer one and on top of this list is to be careful with your actions. Yes, we understand it may be your first time and you are all excited and perhaps even a little tipsy but for your own sake, do not do anything that you don’t want caught on camera. Casinos are known to be full of hidden cameras waiting to capture cheaters.

Poker table creative commons

If you do not already know this, laptops, books and maybe even more are not allowed at the tables. In fact even purses or pieces of paper can get you into trouble since they may contain information to help you with the game.

Lastly, just because the casino is loaded with cameras and security personnel doesn’t mean you can be careless with your belongings. These places are also usually very crowded making it impossible to eradicate all possibilities of theft.

There you have it ? whether you find yourself sucking at the game or winning, you will never really know unless you try and what better place to try than in a foreign city with nobody watching you?

It’s coming up on the end of the month and hence another big announcement from the single-minded fanatics at the SNCF (French national railways) and this month it’s Barcelona.

Starting in April French TGVs will extend their averous reach beyond the current Catalonian hub at Figueres where for the moment you have to change trains and, if you like, take in the eccentric museum that native son Salvador Dali designed in homage to Salvador Dali. The current journey, not counting whatever time you need to genuflect at the Dali ego emporium, is about eight hours and that reduces in April to a very manageable six hours and twenty minutes.

Now that would be a decidedly satisfying portion of TGV travel news were it coming from any source other than the SNCF, which will lay down a high speed route to any gathering larger than a menage-à-trois if it stays still long enough. So naturally this logistical and engineering miracle combines with SNCF’s new border line unveiled in January to connect Barcelona to Perpignan, Narbonne, Montpellier, Nimes and Valence in France and Figueres and Girona in Spain.

And that’s it. Except that it’s not. Also starting in April France welcomes Spain’s version of the TGV on routes between Barcelona and Toulouse.

That finally is all the TGV news from France for this month, apart from the announced high-speed connection from Paris to Nice, starting in 2015, but I’ll save that for then.

American Airlines continues its pioneering work in the area of cognitive behaviour therapy with the introduction of a new incentive to travel without cabin luggage. Those travelling with no luggage at all, not even the little shoulder bag to which we all resorted initially to avoid waiting at the baggage carousel for longer than we just spent flying across the Atlantic but now need just to circumvent extortionate checked baggage fees, now enjoy the dubious luxury of boarding first.

Ostensibly this innovation is meant to encourage travellers to check more luggage, paying the progressively higher rate per bag to participate in the lost luggage lottery that may result in having some of your own things to wear when you get where you’re going. But of course that’s not the real intention at all. The real intention is to change our cognitive evaluation of the carry-on so we start thinking of it as an extra, ancillary to the business of travel. Something for which eventually, naturally, we’ll be willing to pay.

Early boarding for those travelling with no more than they can fit under the seat accomplishes this nicely with the added advantage of dividing dissent — I don’t need to change my underwear every day, why should I have to pay for your compulsive hygiene habits? If you want your precious insulin so much you can rent it some space in the overhead compartment, sucker.

This is the evolution of air travel. There once was a time that a passenger on a flight was assumed to want to take something along and was allotted a little spot in the cargo hold. If you needed more space, you could pay for it and if you wanted to get out of the airport before your return flight boarded you could travel without luggage at all, just a little carry-on. Once we got used to that it was natural that those without checked luggage could pay less or, put another way, those with checked luggage would pay more. American Airlines is merely the first to apply this next logical step to cabin luggage. Soon enough the practise will be widely emulated and we’ll all be enured to the prospect of paying a fee to fly with anything more than the clothes on our back.

Nothing can stop this trend because it works and when it’s worked on cabin baggage it’s going to be applied to other travel perks that today we think of as being fundamental to the service. In time we’ll regard it as commonplace to pay a little extra if we want to be seated in proximity to our travel companion or children or if we aren’t willing to go on the standby list or are fussy about our destination. It seems inevitable that this practice will most certainly carry on.

Troodos Mountains by Tech bro (creative commons)

As with many locations, an unfortunate lack of knowledge as to the weather and climate during the trip can lead to not packing appropriate clothing. Lacking in weather-appropriate clothing for a trip can, of course, have negative repercussions with regards to enjoyment while on the trip. As a result it is best to know what the weather is like before undertaking a trip to beautiful Cyprus.

General Climate

The north eastern part of the island of Cyprus is considered semi-arid. Overall, however, the area has a subtropical Mediterranean climate. The area experiences quite mild, rainy winters, with snowfall only happening in the mountain range known as the Troodos mountains which are located in the central part of the island. Humidity in the winter ranges between 60% to 80%. During the summer months, a traveller can expect to encounter warm to hot temperatures and little rainfall. Average humidity in the summer is somewhere in the range of 40% to 60%. The area experiences short springs and autumns, and fog is not common. Winds tend to be light to moderate, with occasional strong winds but most strong gales are kept to the coast and high elevation areas.

Let the Sunshine In

Overall, Cyprus is quite sunny experiencing up to 3,500 hours of sunshine per year, almost double that of many northern European locations. Most of the sunshine is seen in July, which can have up to 13 hours of sunshine on average per day between April and September. During the winter months Sol shines significantly less than even many northern European cities, with only 5 to 6 hours of sunshine per day on average.

Cyprus by Tamstar (creative commons)

Rainfall

Rainfall is significantly more abundant during winter months, especially in the cooler and higher mountainous regions of Cyprus. Most of the rainfall can be experienced between November and March. From approximately the middle of May to the middle of September there is significantly less rainfall, which frequently leads to droughts, occasionally severe, during these months.

Average annual rainfall in the mountainous regions can reach up to 1,100 millimetres (43.3 inches) in the highest portions of the Troodos mountains and as low as 300 millimetres (11.8 inches) annually in the Mesaoria region. Statistically, the island has had shown a trend for decreasing rainfall in the last three decades.

Temperatures

Cyprus is considered to have perhaps the warmest climate in the Mediterranean portion of the European Union, with an average annual temperature hovering around 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day and dropping down to 14 Celsius (57 Fahrenheit) during the night hours. Of course, the exact temperature depends on location and time of year. During the summer temperatures can rise as high as 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) and during the winter can drop as low as 7 Celsius (45 Fahrenheit) at night during the coldest months.