According to new figures released this month, the number of holiday bookings to Turkey has increased and Turkey has now beaten other favourite hotspots in terms of popularity, making it Britain’s top last minute destination at the moment.

This may be partly because of the slump in the value of the pound versus the value of the euro at the moment, hence Spain is currently more expensive than Turkey.

In an interview with the Herald, Trevor Davis, spokesperson for the Co-op said:

“This year they are finding the high euro and a shortage of availability means the normal late deals are not available.”

Turkey has definitely benefited the most from this new trend.  Indeed, the number of bookings for Turkey has increased by almost a third more over the last few months.

Only recently, the Post Office reported an increase in demand for Turkish currency with the Brits.  It certainly seems that Turkey is one of the ‘best value’ holiday destinations at the moment, making it ideal for last minute bargain holidays!

In a recent Motoring on the Continent report from the Post Office, Spain has emerged as the best for bargain holidays when it comes to motoring holidays in Europe.

Switzerland is now the only country in Europe where you can still buy unleaded fuel for less than £1 per litre.  However, when combined with the costs of car hire and taking into account the cost of diesel or petrol, Spain is seen as the best value overall if you are looking to do some exploring on your holiday.

Belgium and the Netherlands are also popular motoring holiday destinations for many tourists, however, prices in Spain beat them by around 30 per cent for prices at the fuel pump.

If you are looking at travelling using diesel fuel, this makes Spain stand out even more with prices up to seven per cent cheaper than the next cheapest country, Austria, and a staggering 26 per cent cheaper than UK diesel costs.

When the report included the costs of car hire, using three day rental deals as the comparison, it extended its countries to 20 in total and included Florida.  Florida emerged as the cheapest car hire destination, ahead of the cheapest European country by an amazing forty per cent.  Within the eurozone, Spain was by far the cheapest with Greece emerging as the most expensive.  The difference between Spain and Greece showed that Spain was half the cost of Greece.

Turkey is typically seen as one of the cheapest destination in Europe, but although its car hire was indeed cheap, its high fuel costs made it more expensive than several rivals.

In Santiago de Compostela, a tomb was discovered that is supposed to be that of St James the Apostle.  Today, Santiago de Compostela is the third most important place of Christian pilgrimage, with the other two being St Peter’s in Rome and the city of Jerusalem.  Pilgrims and tourists follow the route to this towering cathedral.

Santiago Cathedral was built between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries and was the original site of a ninth century Basilica.  The interior has been left untouched, but there have been other additions, such as the Baroque Obradoiro facade, behind which stands the twelfth century Portico de la Gloria.

Portico de la Gloria has three decorated arches.  Christ is flanked by eight angels and four apostles at the central arch and St James stands below him on a column.

Within the cathedral, the altar is amazingly ornate with gilt and silver.  You can visit the museum and cloisters for a small entrance fee.

Barcelona is the capital of the Catalonian region of Spain and according to government figures, it was the most visited Spanish city in 2007.  The figures were statistics for the Frontier Tourist Movement survey.

In 2006, 58.2 million people visited Spain and in 2007, that number increased to 59.2 million people.

The most popular area for tourists was Catalonia.  Catalonia is an autonomous community in the north east region of Spain and it had a total of 15.2 million tourists visit there last year.

The majority of these visits will have paid a visit to the city of Barcelona.  There are many sights and tourist attractions in Barcelona, like the Sagrada Familia Roman Catholic church, attracting over 2 million visitors per year.

Other tourist attractions include the Park Guell, Casa Calvet, Casa Batilo and Casa Vicens, sll of which show the distinctive style of the architect Antoni Gaudi, who also designed the Sagrada Familia.

Chief factors that may have contributed to Barcelona’s popularity will probably include the cheap flights available now from most UK airports and the bargain holiday deals available all year round.

The city of Granada is in Andalucia in Spain, in the low hills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Granada is a wonderful, historic city to visit and Andalucia is a popular area.  The imposing Alhambra palace overlooks the city.  The Alhambra is a Moorish palace that dates back to 1238 and was built by Muhammed I when he took control of the Granada city.

Granada quickly became a Moorish state of Spain and the finest art and architecture was the result.  The Alhambra nowadays is a series of halls and courtyards, decorated with ornate stucco, wood carvings, paintings and patterns of colourful glazed tiles. (more…)

Barcelona is not only a bargain holiday at most times of the year and the perfect city break, but it is also one of the easiest to get to with the cheapest flights and one of the busiest tourist attracting cities in Europe.

There are major events and festivals in this city all year round, so much so that it is difficult to decide when is the best time of year to go.  In fact, it is one of the few cities that people want to visit at various times of year as it attracts returning holidaymakers year after year, with each trip a different experience. (more…)

Valencia is in Spain, a city located about halfway between Madrid and Barcelona.  It is in fact, Spain’s third largest city.  It has a typical Mediterranean climate, dry in the summer and fairly mild but humid in the winter.  If you’re considering taking a short weekend break, Valencia is perfect for that city getaway.

It’s always a good idea to have one or two places in mind or things you want to do before you go, so here’s a few pointers:

Bus Tour - Make sure you take the open top bus tour (weather permitting of course!) to get the gist of the city and to take in the sights (more…)

Madrid is the capital of Spain and lies 2,200 feet above sea level. Book your flight to Madrid and enter the capital city of Joy, a place to mingle with pleasant natured people. In recent years Madrid has become an awesome blend of tradition and dynamism and makes one of the perfect bargain holidays. In fact, it can be one of the most fantastic family holidays you would ever enjoy.

Sightseeing and activities

Exhilarating bullfights, exotic flamingo dances and the scenic view of this beautiful location will titillate your senses. Some other visual delights are the communications palace. It’s an extraordinary building on the streets of Madrid; The Prado Museum (among the finest in Spain), and The Cybele Fountain, the symbol of Madrid and the Retiro Park. The Retiro Park is one of the most beautiful gardens in Europe. You can see the Crystal Palace and a large lake from here.

Madrid is a totally different place at night. As someone rightly said, “I begin my day at night”. There is no end of places to chill out and let your hair down here. Theatres, operas, discotheques, night clubs, pubs etc. are part and parcel of this fantastic location.

Eating out

Cocido Madrileño (a succulent stew with vegetables and meat) is worth mentioning. There is something on the menu for all palates. The torrijas (a type of French toast) the bartolillos con crema (cream pie) and rosquillas de anis (anis flavoured doughnuts) will tickle your taste buds.

Shopping

The Rastro flea market happening every Sunday is a shoppers’ paradise. You can get excellent value deals on a range of products here. For the luxury shoppers, the Salamanca neighbourhood has high end boutiques catering to the luxury holiday folks.

Located in the northern part of the Mediterranean coast, Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain. Barcelona is quite different from the rest of Spain. You will learn something new about the language, people, traditions and history that will really surprise you.
There are two main languages spoken in Barcelona, Catalan and Castillian Spanish. The people of Barcelona spend their leisure time in considerable public activities. They stroll in parks, play on the beaches meet up in cafés and generally socialise with one another enriching the leisure time of its inhabitants.

Night life in Barcelona is mainly attending concerts, going to restaurants, music bars and discotheques. Barcelona can be your bargain holiday destination or a luxury holiday destination, with its various choices it completely depends on how you would like to tailor your Barcelona holiday.

Food & Drinks:
Barcelona is a city obsessed with food. Catalunya is reputed for producing the finest cuisine in Spain. It offers a variety of fish, meat and assorted vegetables. The quintessence of the food lies in the sauces. Wild mushrooms are a delicacy and often soft after in the forests in autumn. Tap water in Barcelona is not at all tempting and so people opt for mineral water.

Must see:
Certain places in Barcelona shouldn’t be missed, like the Sagrada Familia, the Barrio del Raval and the Barrio Gotic. Sports lovers would enjoy the Camp Nou, if there is a game. The beaches and monuments make up an integral part of the city. Tibidabo has a fantastic view of the whole city and is a romantic spot for lovers.

A highly recommended destination and a cheap city break for the entire family!