Tenerife Blog

The best advertising is recommendations from previous users, and to win an award that comes about as a direct result of your guests saying you provide great service is one worth winning - and that’s what’s happened for twenty of Tenerife’s hotels.

Organised by Thomas Cook Holidays, the awards recognise excellence, and it’s judged by actual guests at hotels who share their experience with the company via a Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire.

As well as awarding the best hotels it allows the company to keep on top of which hotels they use are perhaps not performing as well as others, and being able to make sure the hotels in Tenerife they offer are the best in the travel industry.

Some of the hotels that won awards are already well known to tourists, and in Playa de las Americas for example include the Bitacora and the Hotel Sol.

Los Cristianos is another well known resort popular for Tenerife holidays, and winners include the Paradise Park, Arona Gran and the Los Alisios apartments, while the Barcelo Santiago picked up honours from their hotel in Puerto de Santiago.

The Iberostar’s two hotels in Tenerife’s Costa Adeje both were among the winners, along with the Gran, ensuring all the popular areas for tourists from the UK and further afield were well represented and showing that the island is capable of providing great accommodation in different locations and it’s not just the Tenerife weather that attracts tourists.

Thomas Cook Holidays whose clients made the nominations are one of the UK’s best known travel companies, along with First Choice and Thomson.

For those who haven’t been before, the Tenerife weather is often near perfect on the southern half of the island for a holiday, while the northern half offers lush greenery and beautiful vistas. The cities are always full of life, and the glorious view of Mount Tiede, Spain’s highest point, is one many tourists remember from past visits.

For specific areas, Thomas Cook Holidays offer good information on their travel site about each one, but some of the less known areas are:

Icod de los Vinos (just Icod to the locals) is Tenerife’s premier wine-growing region. Daily life in Icod moves at a more relaxed pace than some other places on the island. If you visit Icod, be sure to visit the Dragon Tree that the locals say is thousands of years old. The beautiful Playa San Marcos with its inviting black sand can be found nearby.

La Laguna is a good place to stay if you enjoy art and architecture, and is more suited for adults than family holidays. The Cathedral dates back to 1515, and there are many interesting churches to explore. The city was once the capital of the island and still bears the regal air of an important place.

Los Gigantes is a city at the foot of massive cliffs which bears the same name. The picturesque marina offers boat trips for dolphin and whale watching, while the town has a good choice of bars, restaurants and shops while out and about.

For more information including press releases visit yourtenerife.net

Breakingnewstravel report that there’s a new guide to the island from the official tourist board:

The Menorca Tourist Board has created a brand-new insiders travel guide to Menorca - revealing the natural, archeological, cultural, and gastronomic delights of one of the Med’s most pristine islands.

Easy to navigate and packed with tips from locals the guide will help holiday-makers decide where to stay, what to do and how best to experience this lesser-known Spanish island.

Boasting more than 200kms of coastline Menorca has almost as many beaches as Ibiza and Mallorca combined yet remains the most untouched and tranquil of all the Balearics.

Imagine a magical island with rugged caves and green rolling hills on one side, sandy beaches from where you can kayak round to hidden coves on the other. A paradise for nature lovers the island was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1993, to conserve and protect both its natural habitats and strong cultural identity.

Visit S’Albufera des Grau wetlands to get up-close to turtles and migrating birds or explore the island’s distinctive barrancs (deep ravines and canyons which run from the central part of the island to coast), home to Peregrines, Egyptian vultures and booted eagles.

Whether you’re day-tripping from Mallorca or coming from the UK the guide covers all the essentials on how to reach the island and what to expect from the weather. Like your beaches wild or prefer the convenience of shops and restaurants? In-depth information on the beaches will match you to your perfect stretch of sand.

And if you’re wondering how you might fit in all the island’s attractions turn to the top tips and take your pick from sightseeing in the charming old port of Ciutadella to some snorkeling in the calm waters of the Bay of Fornells.

Or if that all sounds a bit energetic then dive into the food and drink section and find out about the island’s world-class gin and cheese producers and where to eat the local speciality dish of “caldereta de llagosta” or lobster stew.

For more information about the island including today’s Menorca weather visit yourmenorca.net

Seeing the island on horseback is a great way to explore all that Minorca has to offer, as Hello magazine found recently:

Travelling the ‘Cami de Cavalls’, a network of traditional horse trails around the coast of Minorca, is an evocative way to immerse yourself in this unspoilt natural environment, to delve into the area’s delicious culinary heritage and discover an incredible prehistoric legacy while breathing in the blessed serenity of this island.

The list of attractions is endless: idyllic coves such as Macarella or Binimel-la; charming fishing villages such as Binibequer Vell;  gastronomic enclaves such as Fornells with its famous – and unforgettable – caldereta (lobster soup); unspoilt natural havens that include the wetlands of Port d’Addai; a magical prehistoric legacy; the urban magnetism of Ciutadella and Mahon… These are just some of the highlights to be discovered along the Cami de Cavalls, an evocative trail that invites you to discover some of the treasures of Minorca, the northernmost of the Balearic Islands.

Fornells

Whether you make the journey on horseback, by mountain bike or on foot, the experience of any of the 20 different  routes that comprise the complete trail around the Minorcan coast won’t easily be forgotten. The Cami de Cavalls offers a many-coloured and multi-textured mosaic of reasons to fall in love with Minorca. Whichever direction you head off in, it reveals a breath-taking range of coves and beaches: to the north, you enter the kingdom of the tramontana, the mythical wind that breathes across the sands of Cap de Cavalleria and Cala Pregonda; in the south, you find bays and beaches clustered together including Son Bou and Binissafuller, and tiny coves like Biniparratx. But the Cami isn’t limited to the wonderful coastal landscapes of Minorca; it also offers routes into such unique natural spaces as S’Albufera des Grau natural park.

As if that weren’t enough, history lovers will have a hay day retracing the island’s past along the Cami. There are over a thousand Bronze Age monuments dotted around – navetas (chamber tombs), taules (enormous rectangular stone slabs forming a T-shape) and talayots (huge tower-like megaliths up to eight metres in height) –  so it’s easy to feel you’re travelling back in time to  Minorca’s ancestral past. The biggest prehistoric settlement on the island is Torre d’en Galmes, and the most famous monument is the 4000-year-old tomb, the Naveta dels Tudons.

To follow the Cami de Cavalls is to make a journey best allowed to unfold unhurriedly, like savouring a good wine. All along the route, the trail offers up surprises of the natural world, of local cuisine and of the ancient past rubbing shoulders with the modern world. Some surprise are as simple as the sunset seen from the cliff of the natural cave d’en Xoroi, one of the most beautiful sunsets in the Mediterranean: a magic moment when the sea and the sky is tinged with crimson and amber flashes and visitors are reminded that the ever-generous island of Minorca has just shared yet another of its treasures.

For holidays in Minorca visit yourmenorca.net

Andorra Blog

The Pyrenees is probably not the first place you would look for good internet connections, but add to that requirement being able to live in a tax friendly environment and you might think you are asking a little too much.

Happily there is such a place - Andorra.

Situated between France and Spain in the Pyrenees, it’s an independent country with a population of 80,000, plus those who have taken residency to live in the Principality.

Best known to the general public for her skiing, the country became well known for it in the 1980’s and in recent years has improved her infrastructure to the extent that it now competes with French ski holidays on an even footing.

For those considering a tax haven such as traders who need high speed internet acess and for those where time is critical, it’s a good working environment with or without tax, and Andorra steps up to the mark for them.

For such a small country in the middle of a mountain range Andorra impresses by being the 11th in the world for broadband speed - beating the United Kingdom for example, and according to Ookla who carried out the research Andorra has 14.79Mbps.

Good news indeed for those who need high speed communications in a tax friendly country whether for business or for social media like facebook - but what else can it offer apart from the financial advantages and good communications?

It has an infrastructure that matches any Western European country, with a good road network that has easy access to both France and Spain. Some residents drive to the Spanish coast for the weekend while some own property elsewhere and for example frequently enjoy Majorca villa holidays with a journey time of around five hours door to door.

For people considering taking Andorra residency, medical facilities are important, and more good news is that the hospital is modern and well equipped, with surgeons contracted from Barcelona to deal with non-emergency teatment as well as local doctors.

For tourists, there’s a good choice of hotels, both in the capital la Vella and in the villages and towns. Some of the hotels are as good as you’ll find on Swiss ski holidays, and there’s a wide range of culinary experiences available, including Michelin Star restaurants. Soldeu is one of the best known areas for ski holidays and first class quality hotels equivalent to anywhere else include the Sport Hermitage.

And it’s not just those who take Andorra residency who benefit from low or no taxes. For tourists Andorra is great for shopping with some of the lowest prices in Europe. To the extent that people make the trip from Barcelona to pick up the bargains. They visit the hypermarkets in Sant Julia just across from the Spanish border or make their way to the capital where there are department stores.

Gran Canaria Blog

There’s a part of Gran Canaria that has become known by holidaymakers visiting the island as ‘Little Venice’ – the village of Puerto de Mogan.

Away from the bigger resorts it’s a haven of tranquility and still has the air of a traditional village, but with the advantage of good modern accommodation with both a hotel and self catering accommodation available.

Puerto de Mogan’s similarity to the Italian city of canals is no accident. The vision of the designers of the beachfront part of the city was to re-create the quaintness of Venice in a Spanish environment.

It’s located on the southwestern coast of Gran Canaria. The island is the second largest most populous in the Canary Island chain. Visitors from Europe, the UK and further afield for its sunshine, beaches, charm and rich culture.

The island is home to over 800,000 residents. It sees well over twice that many annual visitors. Tourism is an important part of the economy.

A majority of tourist activity takes place along the eastern coast of the island. Much of it is centered around the capital city of Las Palmas.

The western side is less populated and concentrated. This is one reason that Puerto de Mogan’s developers decided to adopt an Italian theme. Created by an Italian designer, it’s one that is unique to the island.

Visitors to the beachside downtown area will be hard pressed to find a motor vehicle of any kind. Instead, Puerto de Mogan caters to the pedestrian.

Designers created arched walkways reminiscent of many Italian cities. Visitors can stroll the bricked walkways which link the town’s shops, restaurants and quaint residences and hotels.

The real nod to Venice, though, is the town’s canals. They run through the village and out into the marina area which opens into the Atlantic Ocean.

While many of Gran Canaria’s popular resort towns feature modern high-rise buildings. This was another deliberate design choice by town visionaries.

The main hotel sits comfortably in the surroundings, and for those considering a week or two’s holiday it can be booked in the UK via Thomson Holidays or independently.

No buildings exceed two stories tall except for a small handful of older ones. Any modern construction is limited by law to two stories or less. This feature adds to the unique charm of the beach town.

Locals survived for centuries on fishing. The city is still home to many native fishermen. However, most of the economic activity comes from tourism in today’s world.

Daytrippers tend to stick to the waterfront area of the city. Tourists who want to stay for a spell and spend a little bit less money can venture further inland. Away from the pricey, tourist driven restaurants and boutiques, visitors can find more authentic cuisine and homier accommodation.

The village is family friendly, with activities for people of all ages. For swimming and sunbathing it’s fairly sheltered, so the water is warm and currents are gentle, helped by the good Gran Canaria weather.

Other popular water activities include snorkelling, boating and jet skiing, as well as surfing if you venture a bit further out.

Puerto de Mogan is widely well known for her Friday market. The open air market draws hundreds of locals as well as tourists every week. Shoppers can find just about anything, from hand made clothing to native produce, fresh fish, and locally made craft and gift items.

A visit to to see Puerto de Mogan is well worthwhile if you’re not staying there during Gran Canaria holidays - most of the coastal towns are connected by a highway.

Some of the eastern towns are even connected by ferry for ease of travel. It’s time well-spent, whether it’s a day trip or a longer stay.

For a Gran Canaria map visit yourgrancanaria.net

Comments from people who have been to the island are often posted on social network sites such as mixx

Lanzarote Blog

There are three main towns In Lanzarote where the majority of people who visit stay:

Playa Blanca, Puerto Del Carmen and Costa Teguise.

Each is different and offers new and exciting things to do.

Accommodation in Lanzarote

The three primary accommodation types are apartments, villas and hotels. Shopping, restaurants and bars are easily accessible. Most restaurants stay open very late to accommodate those who enjoy their night life.

Playa Blanca is popular with those who take Lanzarote villa holidays but they are also available in the other areas.

Relaxation

Beaches are not in short supply - it is an island after all. Snorkeling, swimming and other water sports are readily available. Many sunbathers enjoy watching others enjoy the surf while they take in the Lanzarote weather and incredible scenery.

Nothing beats the total relaxation of a spa day. Local spas cater to seasonal visitors and provide a good way to relax and get away from it all. Sea water treatment centres are in high demand. Sea water is very soothing and therapeutic with a naturally calming effect.

Cafes, restaurants and bars are good places to catch some shade and relaxation. A cool drink helps keep the body hydrated while you enjoy the surrounding sights and sounds.

Sightseeing

Aside from waking up to the horizon outside the window, away from the beaches other locations are deserving of a tourist’s time. Playa Blanca’s new golf course and marina are two examples of the attractions in the southern part of Lanzarote.

Timanfaya National Park is a must see. Plan to spend at least a few hours and enjoy the restaurant if possible. Please keep in mind that you will be treading the top of a volcano and dress accordingly. It will likely be cooler than the rest of the island and rocky ground requires adequate footwear.

Castillo de las Coloradas gets its name from the colourful rocks on the coastline of Playa Blanca. The ruins of an historic castle that was built to help defend the island and its inhabitants from pirate attacks in the mid 1700s are just to the east of the Playa Blanca area.

One of the primary landmarks in the southern part of Lanzarote is the lighthouse, Faro de Pechiguera. Built in 1986, the lighthouse is of fairly recent construction and not that spectacular in itself.

The walk from Playa Blanca to the lighthouse however is absolutely amazing. The trek takes approximately half an hour, depending on pace and offers views of neighbouring islands Los Lobos and Fuerteventura.

Don’t Forget Sunscreen and Comfortable Shoes

The sun’s rays are well known to cause aesthetically pleasing tans as well as types of skin cancer. Take proper care of your skin while visiting the Canary Islands and take sunscreen. Drink a lot of fluids to prevent dehydration and take comfortable shoes.

Sandals and flip-flops are preferred summer wear for most people on their Lanzarote holidays. Some people even prefer to simply go barefoot.

Take more caution and be a little more practical when visiting all of the natural wonders. Hot sand can blister, slippery rocks may cause falls, and volcanic rock may cut your feet. You don’t have to wear them all the time, but you definitely need proper footwear while out sightseeing and exploring the delight that is Lanzarote.

Visit yourlanzarote.net for more information and social media like twitter for thoughts from those on their trip right now.

Menorca Blog

The biggest of Cala En Porter’s hotels has just opened after an extensive refurbishment - it’s good news for the village and for holidaymakers making their way to Menorca for their holidays.

The village has been out of favour with some of the tour operators, perhaps because it’s a little quiet for some, but the hotel will provide a great base for those wishing to visit the island and book their flights and accommodation seperately.

With views of the Mediterranean, the Azul is within an easy stroll of the resort’s amenities, including a choice of restaurants and bars, many with evening entertainment, but for those preferring a quiet week away they are catered for too.

The most recent reviews on tripadvisor from those who have been on their Menorca flights and stayed there have been glowing, and include comments such as this one from Switzerland:

We stayed 1 week in playa azul and took the hotel as a last minute offer for around 350Eur/pp including flight. For the price we paid, the hotel offered much more!

Overall we got much more then we paid for and we are really happy with Hotel Playa Azul.

And from a UK tourist who had their Menorca holidays recently:

Just got back from a week at this fab hotel, from the moment we walked through the hotel reception till the day we left it was brilliant, the staff especially the resturant and bar staff were very freindly and attentive - nothing was too much trouble, the food was first rate.

And as well as for independent travellers booking their trips online the good news for the hotel is that Thomas Cook are now offering it either seperately or as part of a package.

New photographs for Cala En Porter are due soon at yourmenorca.net and photos of the hotel are at social media like stumbleupon

timesharerelief360 report:

With a new court ruling there is expected to be up to 400,000 illegal timeshare contract compensation claims that could reach up to 2 billion €(euro). It has been ruled that a timeshare developer in Gran Canaria must pay back double the amount of the timeshare deposit by Magistrate D. Juan Carlos Socorro Marrero.  There are currently over 200 live claims for timeshare miss-selling in the Spanish court system against Anfi Del Mar. More claims were coming in at a rate of 10 per week before this ruling.

Spanish law also states that even if a property is sold and all encumberments and debts are passed on to the new owners those new owners will still be liable for new compensation claims. Within the industry it is said up to 200 developers that operate out of Spain, Balearics and canaries are trying to sell of timeshare resorts that have or soon will have actions brought against them.

Some brand name European timeshare developers have been taking illegal deposits up until as late as 2009. The European regulatory body representing timeshare owners in Europe has had some of its paid members break these same laws in the past. With this new ruling timeshare owners will finally get the chance to take on large corporate brand developers. As long as the timeshare development still exists you will be able to reclaim a double deposit if you paid after the cooling off period in 1996.

Menorca travel site yourmenorca.net has just added some photographs of Cala En Porter and Fornells.

To view them click here

They also have details for Menorca villa holidays

Cala En Porter Beach

Florida was awarded to Britain as part of the 1763 Treaty of Paris, and marked the time when Britain moved her focus from Europe to a more global domination.

When the British landed in Florida they found it unpopulated, and Dr. Andrew Turnbull, a Scottish doctor, took advantage of the treaty which offered easy terms of settlement to those who desired land grants.

The doctor felt that people from the British Isles might have found it difficult to adjust to the heat in Florida. Instead, he went to Greece hoping to find colonists. The Greeks were accustomed to humid, hot conditions and he felt they would do a good job of cultivating olives, cotton and tobacco.

Dr. Turnbull acquired land near Ponce de Leon Inlet near present day Daytona. He planned to have 500 Greek settlers from islands like Crete and Corfu to come back with him and would call his new colony New Smyrna. He arrived in June of 1767 at the port of Mahon on Minorca.

There he chose to delay his trip to Greece and vied instead for the attention of Italians in Leghorn Italy, of whom he heard some were interested in migrating to the New World. Sure enough several Italians males signed up to become inhabitants of New Smyrna, encouraged bu the thought that the climate would be similar to the Rome weather.

Alongside the Italians, a few Greeks from Levant joined the voyage.

As the doctor collected his new immigrants he sailed back to Mahon in February of 1768. There he found the Italians he had recruited had married Minorcan women.

On April 17, 1768 he sailed from Minorca with eight ships carrying a total of 1,403 settlers. This doubled the number he’d originally hoped for and then some. Unfortunately, 148 of the colonists died during the voyage from Minorca to Florida.

New Smyrna Residents Arrive

Upon arrival, the colonists’ met with rough conditions in New Smyrna. The land had yet to be cleared of trees and thick bush.

Two of the biggest obstacles were Indians and alligators. Food had to be gathered, hunted or caught by fishing, and they had to work the swamps for their very survival. Malaria from the mosquitoes quickly took its toll on the new settlers.

Settlers had several options to get food, but little time was allotted to the people to forage. They were forced to spend much of their time building homes for themselves.

These conditions led 300 of the colonists to revolt. They seized a ship and sailed south. A British Frigate found the ship and captured its passengers; taking them to St. Augustine. Most were returned to the colony, but two were executed.

In the first year, 450 colonists perished. Despite many of the hardships New Smyrna was one of the better colonies in North America at the time.

What to Expect in New Smyrna Today

The indentured Greek and Italian servants, who through their blood, sweat, tears made the colony successful are honorued by The Odyssey Monument. Every year on the first Saturday after Labor Day there is a commemoration in their honour at the monument.

In St. Augustine Florida, the St. Photios National Shrine honours the settlers. There you will find exhibits that adjoin a chapel. The stories of the people and their plight are told in wonderful detail, and the connection between today’s Florida and Minorca is evident.

For more details about Minorca including holidays in Minorca visit yourmenorca.net

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