Looking for somewhere special to take your loved one on holiday this year? Why not try one of the Greek Islands.

Santorini

Oia, a town in the north west of this unique volcanic island in the Aegean sea, is said to have the most beautiful sunsets anywhere in the world. A picturesque town with houses built into volcanic rock, the result of probably the largest volcanic eruption in history back in 1500BC. Pyrgos is built on a hill and the views across the island are wonderful. The town has traditional houses in a maze of narrow streets and an interesting Venetian Castle. Perissa in the south east of the island has a lovely beach with clear blue water and smooth dark sand.

Aegina

Aegina Town has narrow streets packed with interesting houses and shops. There are lovely restaurants and cafes where you can while away the time. Agia Marina is a touristic place but the beach is beautiful. There are some lovely restaurants and some great bars! The Barracuda is right on the beach so you can sit watching the sun set whilst enjoying a refreshing cocktail. Also, not far from the town, is the Temple of Afea in a lovely setting with some panoramic views.

Thassos

Thassos is the northern most island in the Aegean sea and is also known as ‘The Emerald Island’. Paradise Beach is an isolated beach with green hills and mountains one side and the clear blue Aegean sea the other. The village of Potamia is at the base of Mount Ipsario, the highest mountain on Thassos. From the top of the mountain there are spectacular views. In Thassos town there is an archaeological museum exhibiting ancient pottery, coins and sculptures, and the ruins of the ancient agora.

Karpathos

Situated between the islands of Rhodes and Crete this island is still mostly unspoilt. The magnificent beaches and secluded coves together with traditional villages make this a very romantic destination. Achata Beach is in an idyllic cove near the town of Pigadia and is surrounded by mountains. Aperi is a pretty village in the green slopes of Mount Hamali and here there are ruins of a castle built in 3000BC. You can walk from here down unpaved roads to the stunning Kyra Panagia Beach or Apella Beach. Both have fine white sand and clear blue waters with a back drop of mountains and pine trees.

These are just some of the beautiful islands of Greece. There are many more, and romance means something different to everyone so there is bound to be an island that you will find perfect to take that special person. Which is your favourite romantic Greek Island?

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Are you going to hire a car on holiday to Italy this year? Do you know the rules of the road? Here are a few hints and tips before you set off on your journey through Italy.

Italy has a really good road network that is one of the most extensive in Europe. Italy also has a high car ownership ratio, so on some occasions the roads can be busy. But with stunning scenery, sitting in a little traffic could be bliss!

Rules of the Road: You may not know that traffic drives on the right hand side; and the centre lane of a three lane road is for passing. Police can give you an on the spot fine for a traffic violation.

Car Rental Requirements: Now, to rent a car you have to be at least 18 years old and have held a license for at least 1 year. If you are under 25, then some companies may charge you a little extra. Everybody in the car must wear a seatbelt at all times and please don’t drink and drive! The alcohol limit for driving is 0.08.

Speed Limits: It is always good to know the speed limits of another country, we don’t want you getting stopped by the police and facing a ticket!

• City: 30mph/50kph
• Open Roads: 66mph/110kph
• Highways: 81mph/130kph

Fuel: Good to know that fuel stations are open from 7.00am to 12.30pm and from 3.30pm to 7.00pm. Most are closed on Sundays, but there are a few 24 hour stations along some of the highways.

Tolls: There is a toll super highway in Italy called Autostrade. Toll cards can be bought at banks or at the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) offices.

Parking: You can only park on the right side of the street. You can park in blue zones with a parking disc, again obtained at the ACI offices or a gas station; and you can only park for one hour in certain parking zones.

If you need any other advice on Italy, why not have a look at some of our guides, such as Travel Information and Tourism Information.

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After the disappointing start to the F1 season in Bahrain, the race in Melbourne reminded everyone how exciting the sport can be!

Melbourne continued to be not the luckiest place in the world for Lewis Hamilton. Last year he was disqualified, this year he was late getting to Australia, only managed to start 11th on the grid and we won’t mention his run in with the Melbourne police on Friday!

With both Red Bull cars at the front of the grid, Fernando Alonso hoping for a second victory and the rain pouring down, anything could happen. And it didn’t take long. Jarno Trulli had to be taken off the grid due to hydraulics problems and never managed to start. At the first corner Jenson Button spun Alonso who in turn hit Michael Schumacher causing him to return to the pits with a damaged front wing. Seconds later Sebastian Buemi and Nico Hulkenberg were in the gravel thanks to Kamui Kobayahi. Out came the safety car.

Button was in the pits in lap 6 for a tyre change which initially looked to be a wrong decision as he briefly slid off the track. But not the case, as two laps later he set the fastest lap time. Meanwhile 8 other drivers were in the pits some of whom lost precious seconds getting back onto the track because of traffic. Mark Webber was in the pits on lap 10 and was promptly targeted by Lewis Hamilton while his tyres were still cold. Lap 12 also saw Adrian Sutil retire with engine problems which had begun very early in the race. Vettel was still leading at lap 16 when Massa was overtaken by both Hamilton and Webber. Hamilton took advantage of Webber taking the turn wide but then Massa passed Hamilton!

Lap 17 and Alonso was setting a good pace with another fastest lap but Vettel increased his lead to 4.4 seconds. Hamilton was after 5th place and managed to pass Massa in lap 22, losing a bit of his front wing in the process. Vettel’s race finished in lap 26 when a problem with one of his wheels forced him into the gravel. The same lap saw Hamilton overtake Rosberg who couldn’t do anything due to the yellow flag because of Vettel. This left Button in the lead which, by lap 31 was 6.9 seconds and 9.2 seconds by lap 33. Hamilton was in the pits in lap 34 for a second time, which he later blamed for his failure to win the race. By lap 47 Button was 1st, Kubica 2nd, Massa 3rd, Alonso 4th and Hamilton 5th by just 1.5 seconds. Lap 56 proved disastrous for Webber and Hamilton when they collide as Hamilton tried to overtake Alonso. Whilst Hamilton managed to drive out of the gravel to finish the race in 6th place, Webber’s race was over. Jenson Button cruised to victory at Albert Park with a 12.034 second gap between him and Robert Kubica in 2nd place.

All in all an exciting race with more lessons learnt and the prospect of Malaysia being just as exciting. Hopefully this year there won’t be a storm to cut the race short like last year and Button can win again. I think I will go for Alonso to win next though. Who do you think will win?

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The island of Malta in the Mediterranean is steeped in history and culture. Because of its location it is an ideal holiday destination anytime of the year.

The airport is approx 20 minutes from the capital of Valletta. In Valletta you can see the Hypogeum, an underground cavity whose excavation has yielded a plethoria of archaeological finds such as ornaments, pottery and amulets. There are three levels with the deepest room being 10.6 metres underground. You will have to book in advance if you want to visit this interesting monument though as only 80 visitors are allowed in each day to preserve the microclimate. The Grandmaster’s Palace, one of the first buildings in Valletta, is built around two courtyards in one of which there is a statue of Neptune. Today the Palace is where Parliament sits and the President has his office. The armoury has a fantastic collection of weapons dating back to 1530 and the Throne Room has frescos painted by Matteo d’Aleccio who helped Michaelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel.

If you want to sit on a beach head off to Golden Bay or Ghajn Tuffieha. Golden Bay is the more popular as it is easier to access and has the added benefit of being next to a 5 star hotel. Both have a wide stretch of soft sand , and you can partake in watersports. Ghajn Tuffieha is more difficult to access as it is via hillside paths or by a flight of 180 steps. It is quieter and more unspoilt than Golden Bay and from on top of the hill the views are stunning especially in the early morning.

St Julian’s is one of the islands more popular towns for nightlife and entertainment. There are some lovely seafood restaurants and wine bars here as well as a casino. The Maltese like to go out late and stay out late so you won’t have any trouble finding anywhere to eat or drink late at night.

Traditional Maltese food is rustic and seasonal. Favourite dishes are rabbit stew, fish pie (Lampuki pie), and beef olives (Bragioli). There is a wide variety of fish in the waters around Malta – white bream, sea bass, red mullet to name a few. Restaurants in Malta and Gozo offer both Maltese and Mediterranean cuisine to delight and enchant you.

Gozo is part of the Maltese archipelago just 5km from Malta and easily accessible by ferry. It is more rural than Malta with a relaxed way of life. The beauty of Gozo is the villages which are peaceful, tranquil and the local people very friendly. The Town of Victoria has a market and shops but also a social atmosphere. Within the walls of the Citadel is a Cathedral and the views from the battlements are spectacular. Gharb is a pretty village on the west side of the island. Many of the houses here have finely carved stone balconies. The baroque church, in the centre of the village, is a dominant feature and has sculptures of Faith, Hope and Charity. Xlendi is an idyllic landlocked bay with caves, a rocky shore and rugged reefs which are great for scuba diving.

Have you been to Malta? Where are your favourite places to stay?

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Now that we are back on track with our gig guide, let’s see what’s going on at the end of the month of April. There are so many bands around playing gigs, we are finding it more and more difficult to choose!

HIM (April 20th) – The Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, USA – HIM are a Finnish Rock band which formed in 1991, are very popular in the rock world; and personally, I really like them too! Should be a great show!

Transatlantic (April 21st) – Metropolis, Montreal, Canada – This Prog Rock group formed in 1999, with the drummer from Dream Theater. They’ve had 3 studio albums and for all the fans out there, it will be a great night.

Saosin (April 22nd) – Glasgow Garage, Glasgow, United Kingdom – An Alternative Rock/ Screamo band from America and will be great to see live.

Jeff Dunham (April 23rd) – Manchester Apollo, Manchester, UK – l know this guy might not be anything musically related, but he is fantastic live so I had to put him in there. An American ventriloquist and comedian he is so funny you will just love it!

Stars (April 24th) – ESTREL Festival Center, Berlin, Germany – This Canadian duo originally formed in Toronto. They are not that well known, but the music is Indie, so those of you who love a bit of good old Indie will love them!

Metallica (April 25th) – SK Olimpiisky, Moscow, Russia – Heavy MJetal! I love Metallica, Enter Sandman is one of my favourite songs and they are just amazing live. I love them, you must go see them if you get a chance.

Whitney Huston (April 26th) – The O2, London UK – Whitney! Back with a bang this diva is sure to put on a brilliant show.

Wilco (April 27th) – Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand – Another Alternative Rock band which formed in 1994, with seven studio albums. The band has been inspirational to many artists to get down there and have a good tome!

Rihanna (April 28th) – Omnisport de Bercy, Paris, France – You can stand under my umbrella, ey ey ey. Probably her most famous song, she’s become a top R’nB artist and even I like some of her songs, though I’m not the biggest fan of R’n'B.

The Sounds (April 29th) – Debaser Medis, Stockholm, Sweden – A Swedish New Wave band which have been compared to Blondie and The Cars. I haven’t heard them personally, but I am a huge fan of Blondie so I am sure these guys will be great!

Owl City (April 30th) – Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, USA – Synth-Pop musical project was created by Adam Young who is from the states. His single Fireflies hit the US Billboard Hot 100 straight in at number 1 as well as the UK single chart. His sound is great and is well worth a see live.

Are you going to see of these bands? Anyone I haven’t mentioned? Have a good weekend!

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In the summer, Spain has a wonderful warm climate which is ideal for all you Golfers out there! Why not consider going away with your friends for a wonderful golfing weekend in Spain? There are many beautiful and challenging Golf courses out in Spain so we are going to look at our top five and give you some ideas on where you could play.

1. Fina Cortesin: Casares, Costa Del Sol – This beautiful establishment is in between Marbella and Sotogrande. Here you can really relax as it has swimming pools, tennis courts, gym, sauna, Turkish baths and much more for you to indulge in. The 18 hole golf course, opened in 2006, is exclusive and each hole gives you a unique experience. If you and your friends want a challenge then this is the course to go to! With a difficulty of 4 out of 5, you are bound to have a really good time.
2. Benalup Golf: Benalup-Casas Viejas, Cadiz – A wonderful boutique hotel with an all inclusive service. With meals at all 5 restaurants included, drinks including cocktails, wines and liquors, the mini bar in the your room, as well as the spa, fitness and tennis courts! The Golf course is wonderful; and if you stay for 7 nights you get unlimited use! The 18 hole course opened in 2001 and has a difficulty of 3 out of 5, so it will be challenging enough for the not so confident players.
3. Alicante Golf: Valencia/Alicante, Costa Blanca – This hotel actually offers golf at more than one course, so you can pick and choose where you want to play! Alicante 18 hole Golf course offers a difficulty of 3, Alendia Golf Club with another 18 holes and difficulty of 3, Golf and Spa Bonalba 18 hole course with a difficulty of 1 and Foressos Golf with 18 holes and a difficulty of 4. These are just a few you can play, there are many others too, so enjoy your weekend playing at a different course everyday.
4. Peralada: Peralada, Girona, Cataluna – A wonderful hotel that offers stunning views over the golf course, the Albera Mountain Range, The Pyrenees and the medieval town Peralada! This wonderful 18 hole Golf course is perfect for you and your friends to enjoy a few games on. Great views and great green!
5. Fuerteventura Golf: Fuerteventura, Canaries – This hotel is right in the middle of the Golf course! Beautiful surroundings and amazingly quiet, this hotel would be ideal if you want to chill out with a beer watching the players outside. The 18 hole course built in 2002 offers a great challenge to the players and with it’s peaceful surroundings there is nothing better than a wonderful day of relaxing Golf.

These are our top five courses in Spain, we hope you will enjoy them if you decide to go! A good point to remember is that hiring a car will make your journey to and from the airport with your luggage and clubs a lot easier. Are there any other courses in Spain you would recommend to our readers? Let us know!

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When most people think of holidays in Mexico, Cancun and Acapulco spring to mind. Originally the playground of the rich and famous, by the end of the 70′s Acapulco’s tourist industry had grown and it became accessible to a much wider audience. Cancun is the most popular resort in Mexico today with some 4 million visitors each year. However, if you don’t like crowds or want to go somewhere different, there are plenty of other unspoilt beaches in Mexico to visit.

The region of Huatulco is on the Pacific Coast and it has miles of secluded coves and beaches with white sand and crystal clear waters. As well as the beautiful beaches you can also see emerald rainforests and amazing waterfalls. So if you tire of sitting on the beach you can walk one of the hiking trails or, if you are really adventurous, there are rope swings on the larger waterfalls! There are other activities too such as horse riding, scuba diving or dune buggying. This is an area which the Mexican government are funding to bring more tourism to, so now is the time to go before it becomes another Cancun!

Also on the Pacific Coast is the town of Zihuatanejo. It sits in a small bay with wonderful beaches which are protected from the open ocean. There are also water sports such as snorkeling and windsurfing. Playa las Gatas is a beautiful isolated beach only accessible by boat which has open-air sea restaurants. Some of the hotels sponsor the local turtle campaign. Eggs found along the beach are protected and after incubation are kept in tubs then released back into the ocean at sunset. As a guest you are allowed to help with the release. If you like sport fishing this is a great place to go with marlin to be caught most of the year round. The largest one caught here was some 1,100 lb!

Los Cabos is at the southernmost tip of the Baja California Peninsula. There are several stunning beaches in the region. Lovers Beach, at Lands End, can only be reached by water taxi but is worth going to for the perfect beach, towering rocks and schools of multi-coloured fish that live in the clear blue water. Not a place for swimming though as the currents are very strong. However, Bahia Chileno is a great beach for swimming. Here you will also find rocky reefs, tropical fish, sea turtles and starfish. A very quiet beach as motorized water sports are prohibited here.

These wonderful places will no doubt grow in popularity over the next few years as people tire of the overcrowded existing resorts. This means they will lose much of their charm and uniqueness, so visit them soon and enjoy them at their best. Where are you favourite places to relax in Mexico?

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Another sad week. No one got the answer to our question, What is the name of Switzerland’s largest glacier? The answer was in fact Aletschgletscher. The Aletschgletscher has an area of 118 km2. Pretty big!

Anyway, let’s move on to this weeks question.

The Netherlands is a beautiful country. Lots of things to see and do, and great people too! Holland is a wonderful city but did you know it has the highest museum density in the world? With almost 1000 museums it’s an awesome cultural city!

Q. Hollands hallmark are windmills. Used these days for corn and saw milling, can you tell me what they were used for in previous centuries?

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Did you know it’s Easter weekend next week? From the 2nd – 5th April, you have a wonderful long weekend to spend with the kids and your loved one. Not booked anything yet? Don’t fear! We give you our top places to go for a city break this Easter; and if you want to stay a little closer to home, why not consider some great days out with all the family?

City Break Ideas:

There are so many places you can go this Easter if you fancy a getaway, lets have a look at some of the top places you can visit.

Paris: What a wonderful city to visit on Easter weekend. In Paris you can enjoy 4 days of arts, culture and great food in this bustling city. If you want to venture out of the city, hire a car and visit Reims which is only 144kms (89.4miles) away. It will take you about 1 hour 30 minutes to get there but there is plenty to see such as the Notre-Dame de Reims and the Palace of Tau. There are also many other cities you can visit outside Paris such as Rouen, Troyes and La Mans.

Barcelona: A really beautiful cultural city to go to with all the family. You can enjoy the city life and see attractions such as the famous Sagrada Familia and other Antoni Gaudi masterpieces or relax on the beach and let your kids enjoy the sunshine. If you want to explore outside the city Tarragona is a great city with Ancient Roman ruins which are now a World Heritage Site. There are many other Roman buildings which include the walls and two gates, the Palace of Augustus and many more.

Orlando: A great place for all the family to enjoy. Beautiful climate and lots of things to do with the kids, Orlando, Florida is a brilliant place to be! Disneyland and Sea World, along with Universal Studios, the possibilities are endless! From here you pick up your car hire and drive to many places in Florida as they are all nearby such as Miami, Tampa and even the Palm Coast.

Closer to Home:

If you don’t fancy going away for whatever reason that may be, there are plenty of things going on in the UK for you and your family to enjoy too. There is so much going on, hopefully your little ones will tire out before you do! So let’s see what’s going on in the UK this Easter.

Theme Parks: Seeing as Spring is here, all are open! Go to Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chessington, Legoland, Drayon Manor plus many more for a great day out with for everyone. Enjoy rides, Easter themed weekends, picnics, animals, the list is endless!

London Eye: Let your kids see London in all it’s glory. Take a trip on The London Eye and see if you can spot places such as St Paul’s Cathedral. Once you have finished, why not take your kids to Namco station for some arcade gaming, or The London Aquarium, both which are just around the corner.

Madam Tussauds: The famous Wax Museum will be going crazy this Easter! Robert Patterson will be joining the other celebrities in the museum! Ok so we can’t have the real thing, but hey, the wax statue is just as good! With many other famous people there, it will be so much fun for you and your children!

This is just a small taster of what is going on around the UK. There is so much for you and your children to do, so why not get planning because it’s only around the corner!

What are you doing for Easter Weekend? I plan to have a BBQ with some friends and hopefully enjoy the beautiful sunshine!

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Fancy a different sort of holiday? Why not pick up a car hire, take a trip around the Welsh coast and discover the culture and history of this often forgotten part of the UK.

What better place to start a tour of Wales than in the capital city of Cardiff. The medieval Cardiff Castle has a regimental museum and spectacularly Gothic designed apartments. During the summer there are often concerts held here and in August it hosts the main event of the annual Mardi Gras. The Millenium Stadium hosts top sporting and music events and is worth a visit. Just a few miles away is the seaside town of Barry. Here you can relax on the beach or enjoy a stroll around Porthkerry Country Park.

Next stop is Bridgend, where there are several nearby golf courses and a 12th century Benedictine monastery called Ewenny Priory. From here we go to Swansea, birth place of the poet Dylan Thomas. There is a centre which documents his life and works in its permanent exhibition ‘Dylan Thomas – Man and Myth’. Another place of interest here is the Plantasia, a large greenhouse which houses over 5,000 plant and insect exhibits in three zones, Tropical, Arid and a humid butterfly house.

The next major stop on our way round the Welsh coast is Milford Haven. It used to be a whaling port but today the docks are a marina and the commercial quayside is now home to cafes and restaurants. The Dockside Gallery has displays of some of the best Welsh art and craft works of the last few centuries. Travelling further up the coast is the town of Cardigan where you can walk along the Teifi River Trail, enjoy the wonderful scenery and many different species of birds that you will come across. In August the town holds a River and Food Festival where you can sample the local produce and see many fun activities such as the duck race! Further north along the west coast is Aberystwyth. Primarily a university town it also has a museum showcasing the rich history and archaeology of the county and a steam railway which you can ride up to Devil’s Bridge.

Harlech is on the coast but is also part of Snowdonia National Park. So as well as visiting the castle and the beach you can also go walking and see the mountains of Snowdonia. Continuing north, Caernarfon is a busy market town, the Market Hall is one of the oldest buildings in the town, and it has the most famous castle in Wales. It is here that the investiture of the Prince of Wales takes place the last being Prince Charles in 1969. Next is Bangor, probably mostly widely known due to the song Day Trip to Bangor, one of the smallest cities in Britain. The cathedral contains an oak carved figure of Christ which dates back to the 15th century and has a biblical garden where you will find a sample of every plant mentioned in the bible.

Following the coastline round to the east we come to Llandudno. The pier here is 1,234 ft long, was built in 1878 and is a Grade II listed building. On the first May Bank Holiday weekend Llandudno has a three day Victorian Carnival when the main street becomes a funfair and there is a parade. Colwyn Bay was the birth place of several famous people including Paula Yeats, Ken Roach and Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame). Here you can find the Welsh Mountain Zoo which has a wide variety of animals including a children’s farm and a condor haven. Finally, our last stop on our tour of the Welsh coast is Prestatyn. It is home of one of the five Pontin’s centres left of the 31 that have existed since 1946. It is also the final stop on the Offa’s Dyke Path which is a long distance footpath that starts in Sedbury, near Chepstow. There are also the remains of Roman Baths to visit and the castle.

Why not hire a car and see some of these lovely places at your leisure. Where are your favourite places on the Welsh coast?

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