Small Gray Bear

Meganissi is a small picturesque island about 6km south east of Lefkada island. It is one of the smallest of the Ionian Islands, but it is also one of the most beautiful, making it an ideal choice for a relaxing villas holiday in Greece.
Meganissi is an island of about twenty square kilometres covered in lush vegetation - an area of outstanding natural beauty. There are three villages on the island, the villages of Vathy, Katomeri and Spartohori, and the three ports of Vathy (main ferry port), Atherino and Spilia.
Vathy is a pretty little fishing village with the main port for the island. Here you can catch a ferry across to the island of Lefkada. Vathy has several waterfront tavernas that are great for unwinding in whilst you watch the fishing boats come in. Near Vathy, work is being undertaken to restore the horse drawn olive press of Panoutsos.
The village of Katomeri is a welcoming little village with friendly tavernas to sip some Ouzo in! A road from Katomeri leads to the beautiful bays of Limonari and Elia. The beaches at Limonari and Elia are some of the most stunning on the island.
Spartohori is a beautiful little village filled with picturesque houses, perched up high on the cliffs above Spilia Bay, with wonderful views out across the sea. Spilia means cave in Greek, and the bay is said to take its name from the large unexplored 'Cave of the Cyclops'.
The pace of life is slow on the island making it an ideal location to unwind. There are few cars on the island, and the life harks back to a bygone era. On many parts of the island you could well believe that you had been transported back in time to another world. The island is covered with old vineyards and olive groves that have been producing bountiful crops since the times of the ancient Greeks - it is well worth sampling the local wine and olive oil!
There are no big hotels on Meganissi, however there are several private villas on the island that are available to rent. A private villa close to the villages allows you to have the best of both worlds. You can walk in to the local taverna and relax with the locals, or unwind in privacy next to your own private pool. If you are thinking of a villa holiday in Greece, choose a villa on the island of Meganissi!

Have you discovered Tenerife yet? Many UK holidaymakers describe Tenerife as their dream holiday island. So, what is it about this island which makes it so popular with the UK holidaymakers?

The island of Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands, and probably the most popular with visitors. In fact, studies suggest that over the last one hundred years holidaymakers have risen from one hundred a year to a staggering 11 million. For an island of only 778,000 inhabitants, this is an impressive level of tourism and suggests that Tenerife really does have quite a lot to write home about!

So why do so many people come here? Unsurprisingly it would seem that the British come for the sun. A quick peak at the average temperature in summer and in winter, which generally only varies by about 10 degrees, will confirm that Tenerife is the perfect destination for those fed up with the British weather. Even in the height of summer, Tenerife usually has a prevailing westerly wind which helps to keep it at a moderate temperature.

Although Tenerife is probably best-known for its southern beaches and golf resorts, the island is actually one of stark contrasts - from golden sands to black volcanic beaches; from mountain peaks to green valleys. It is this dramatic scenery which not only draws in those wanting to enjoy the sunny beaches but also appeals to those wanting a more active, walking or nature-based holiday.

However, it is definitely possible to discover the "real Tenerife" without having to set off hiking. The island is surprisingly car-friendly and car hire couldn't be easier than in Tenerife. It's all there for you when you step off the plane. Hiring a car is the perfect way to explore the island - simply pack up a picnic and venture out.

Tenerife has become the holidaymaker's dream island because it has something for everyone, from the scenery and the beaches to the weather and the climate. Discovering Tenerife is definitely something that everyone should do.

Palm Spring is a famous oasis resort nestled between the mountains, not far from the Mojave Desert in California. It is a great destination to visit on a California Holiday with its many fairways, spa resorts and great entertainment.
Palm Springs is the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Their ancient healing mineral waters are still a part of the success story of Palm Springs. In the 1920s and 30s Palm Springs became known as the playground of the stars, and continued to be right through to the 1970s. During this period stars such as Steve McQueen, Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant and The Marx Brothers bought homes here.
A short ride on the Palm Springs aerial tramway will take you to the top of Mount Jacinto into the cool alpine forests. The air can be up to 25 degreesC cooler than in the desert, and it's not unusual to be able to play in the snow in the winter months. The views from the top of the mountain are spectacular!
There are jeep tours that will take you out in the Mojave Desert. Here you can see desert life up close, from the wildflowers of the desert, to the San Andreas Fault. After the heat of the desert refresh yourself at Knott's Soak City USA. This water park is fun filled with 18 wet and wild water rides!
If you are feeling brave, you might like to visit the ghost town of Calico. This was an old mining town abandoned in 1907. Some people believe that Calico is haunted by the spirits of the miners! Restoration started in the 1950s to bring it back to the condition it is in today - as a working museum. Attractions include staged gun fights, panning for gold and tours of the mines.
The Joshua Tree National Park straddles two deserts (Mojave and Colorado), and is a wondrous place filled with interesting rock formations and a wide variety of flora. It is worth hiking, or trekking it by horse.
If the outdoors aren't really your scene, then you can shop until you drop at El Paseo, or play a round of golf before unwinding at a spa resort.
All in all there is plenty to do for the whole family on a California holiday to Palm Springs!

Munich is the capital city of the state of Bavaria and the third largest city in Germany. It is well known for its culture, architecture and the "Okoberfest" (the annual beer celebration). Getting around is easy because of its modern and efficient public transport system. On all major streets there are bike lanes, so it is safe and easy to travel by bike through the city. In Munich there are several interesting landmarks to visit like a large number of museums, art galleries, concert halls and historical buildings.
The most famous attractions in Munich are:
The Alte Pinakothek is one of the largest museums in Europe. It houses a large collection of paintings. This collection contains 800 paintings by European painters from the 14th century till the 18th century. Famous paintings in the museum are: Dьrer's "Four Apostles"; Rogier van der Weyden's " columba-altar "; Altdorfer's "Battle of Alexander at Issus"; Botticelli's "Pieta" and Rubens' "Self-Portrait with his Wife". The Neue Pinakothek is Munich's museum of 19th century painting and sculptures. The collection consists mainly of German Romantics and French Impressionists. Goya, Manet, Renoir and Cezanne are some of the painters which works are on display.
The Deutsches Museum contains over 13 acres of exhibitions containing invaluable original machines and equipment, models and reconstructions, from classical mechanics to telecommunications, from a full-size reconstructed coal mine to space travel technology. Making the museum one of the largest museums of technology and natural sciences in the world. You can see airplanes, submarines and the first X-ray machine among other things. The live demonstrations and hands-on instructional aids are fun and informative for the visitor.
Built for the Olympic Games in 1972 with its tent-roof covering 75,000 square meters,the Olympic Park had become a well known landmark in Munich. This landscaped park contains sport facilities, lakes, bicycle paths, concert venues, restaurants and a football stadium. Don't miss the fascinating BMW Museum across the street, right next to the companies headquarters - which was constructed in the shape of a four-cylinder engine.
The Oktoberfest takes place every year late in September and runs to early October. The duration of the festival is two weeks.
Located at "Theresienwiese" you can drink beyond your limits, meeting folks from all over the world. All beer tents close at 11 p.m., so make sure you start your trip early enough. About 30% of the yearly beer production of all the big breweries in Munich are consumed during these two weeks. You can also visit a giant fun fair, side shows and souvenir stands. Every year the Oktoberfest welcomes nearly 7 million visitors. This makes the Munich Oktoberfest the largest festival in the world.

Menorca has around 200 kilometres of coastline, much of it made up of beautiful sandy coves enclosed by rocky headlands. The island has more beaches than Majorca and Ibiza put together, so it is deservedly popular with those looking for a beach holiday. Much of the south of the island, as in Son Bou and Cala en Porter, is a holidaymaker's playground, with long stretches of beach that are popular and crowded in the season, but you can head for Menorca’s more out-of-the-way beaches if you’d rather have more privacy.
Even in the south, there are little beaches such as Cala Binibeca, with a small restaurant, and Els Canutells, a small resort close to Cala en Porter. And a 10-minute drive from San Clemente, brings you to Calas Coves where impressive cliffs surround two very small beaches.
When you’ve tired of lazing on the beach, there are many interesting caves to discover. Over 100 Bronze Age caves, complete with paintings and carvings, are cut into the cliff overlooking the sheltered bay. At the eastern end of Son Bou can be found the ruins of an early Christian basilica. Finally, the charming capital Mahon, on the east of the island, has lovely Georgian architecture and second largest natural harbour in the world, second only to Pearl Harbour.
Northwards to escape the crowds
While the north of Menorca has some busy resorts, it also has a good share of the island’s uncrowded little beaches, interesting country walks, and a range of water sports including sailing. At Cala Pregonda, a 15-minute drive from Son Parc and Fornells, then a 20-minute walk from the car park, is a remote sandy beach with crystal blue waters. The rocky outcrops offshore provide good snorkelling. Take a picnic, since there are no facilities. The long sandy beach at Cavalleria is also quite isolated, and, again, come with provisions, since there is nowhere to buy food or drinks.
Not far from the lively family beach of Arenal d'en Castell with its rows of sunbeds, bars, restaurants, and organised water sports is Na Macaret, with its small sandy beach. It’s a local favourite and there are some good restaurants at the water’s edge. Just further to the southeast, near the lighthouse at Cap de Favaritx, is the lovely white-sand beach of Cala Presili. The beach is a 15-minute walk from the car park and there are no facilities, so this beach is certainly one of Menorca’s most secluded. Somewhat more developed, but perfect for small children is Es Grau, with its wide bay, sandy beach and shallow water. If you take a boat trip to the nearby Illa d'en Colom, an island in the Mahуn Bay, you’ll find a string of beautiful isolated beaches.
When you are ready to book villas in Menorca, Solmar Villas offer a range of high-quality villas, all with their own private pools, which sleep from 1 to 12 people. The villas are located in Cala Galdana, Binibeca, Binibeca Nou, Binibeca Vell, Son Bou, Belin, Cala 'n Porter, and Satalya, so once you’ve hired a car, you’ll be well within reach of Menorca’s stunning beaches.

Maine is known world over for its spectacular rugged coastline, with over three thousand islands and picturesque harbours. Maine is full of traditional New England towns and quaint costal villages that feature excellent shopping and fine family friendly restaurants. Maine evokes images of ship building and nineteenth century sea captains. By the middle of the nineteenth century Maine had established itself as the ship building capital of the USA. Some of the world's finest sailing boats are still built here.
Up and down the coast there are mansions built by wealthy sea captains, and ancient lighthouses, many of which have been converted into bed and breakfasts. Maine has several well known lighthouses such as the Portland Head Light at Fort Williams Park. It was commissioned by George Washington in 1790, and is the oldest one in the state. There are sixty working lighthouses up and down the Maine coast.
The town of Freeport is known internationally for its impressive range of outlet stores, making it an international shopping mecca. The main street is home to Ralph Lauren, Banana Republic and the L.L. Bean flagship store, which is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year! There is also a Brooks Brothers and a Jockey store. Many of these outlet stores sell at a heavily discounted price, so you are bound to find a bargain or two!
Maine is famous for its cranberries and blueberries... blueberry pie... drinking fresh cranberry juice on a summers day... picking delicious wild blueberries.
No mention of Maine is complete without a word on lobster. Marching steadily across the Atlantic's rocky floor into the waiting traps of local lobstermen, the tasty crustacean is the state's most noteworthy culinary claim to fame. Clams, shrimp, scallops and mussels are also found in abundance off the Maine coastline, and can be enjoyed in one of the many great restaurants on the coast.

The Sierra Nevada Mountain Range serves as a beautiful backdrop to a spectacular region known for its natural beauty and year round activities.
Lake Tahoe is 22 miles long and 12 miles wide. Lake Tahoe has 72 miles of shoreline, making it the largest alpine lake in North America. The sun shines for three quarters of the year and the water in the lake is so pure that it is 99.7 percent clear! The 72 mile drive along the shores of Lake Tahoe is spectacular. It is listed as one of the most beautiful drives in the USA. In the winter months, the Lake Tahoe region becomes the largest concentration of ski resorts in North America. There are 19 ski resorts including terrain to challenge at all levels, and other winter pursuits such as sledding and snowmobiling.
Yosemite has become one of the 'must sees' for visitors to California. The rarefied mountain atmosphere of California's Western Sierra is enhanced by the stunning scenic vistas of this truly unique part of the world. Yosemite is famous for its granite monoliths such as El Capitan, spectacular waterfalls and vast wilderness. Its scenic features include alpine wilderness, giant sequoia tree groves and the Yosemite Valley itself. The discovery of one tiny gold nugget set off the great California Gold Rush of 1849. You can still pan for gold. Experience what it was like to travel in the old days on a paddle steamer cruise, a steam train, or a Wells Fargo stagecoach. Discover quaint museums, tour a mine, explore caverns, taste your way through farm trails, or try white water rafting on some of the best rivers in the west.
The Squaw Valley is one of the top ski resorts in North America, and is world renowned. Squaw Valley resort hosted the Olympic Winter Games in 1960. There is a large choice of activities to do here, including skiing and snowboarding.
The Napa Valley is less than one hour's drive north of San Francisco. The rolling hills and sun drenched valleys of Northern California's wine country have welcomed visitors since before the Gold Rush. The Napa Valley produces some of the finest wines enjoyed world over. Even if it did not, it would still be considered the jewel in the crown of North California. Kissed with bay fog at the valley's southern tip which borders the San Pablo Bay and continuing 30 miles north to the base of Mt St Helena, the valley ranges from 1 to 5 miles wide, and is protected by low mountains on the east and west. It is surrounded with acre after acre of world renowned vineyards!

It used to be the case that cheap travel agents were a sort of oxymoron. People paid a premium to get their vacations and business trips booked by someone else with little or no disturbance. Since the advent of the internet, all that has changed.
Travel agents have had to lower their prices and fees to compete with the internet. Most people who can afford vacations or go on business trips also have access to the internet. There are many sites on the internet that allow a person the ability to quickly and easily make all their own travel arrangements.
In addition, airlines and hotels have upped the prices they charge travel agents because the airlines and the hotel companies want people to book directly through their own places. Because of these factors, travel agencies have had to lower their prices considerably in order to compete, resulting in cheap travel agents.
Just because there is a excess of cheap travel agents doesn't mean that the quality is any less than it used to be. Indeed, many cheap travel agents, in addition to lower prices, offer many more services than they used to in order to attract and keep more business.
For example, cheap travel agents may book activities for you. If you are going on a tropical vacation, they can book scuba lessons. If you are going skiing, they can arrange a deal on your raise tickets.
Furthermore, cheap travel agents still have access to all sorts of valuable information that you may not have on the internet. For example, cheap travel agents still know which companies are trustworthy and which have had problems.
They are also sources of invaluable information such as local customs, if you are traveling abroad, weather, and information on food and water quality. They can offer personal insight into the area you are traveling to which you might not be able to find in an online search.
Cheap travel agents not only offer these services, they also do all the groundwork for you. Basically, you decide what you want and the travel agent makes it happen. If you want the best price on an airline or hotel, you may have to go to many different sites to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Even cheap travel agents have the best prices and the best deals right at their fingertips. This could save you a lot of time and some money in addition to trying to keep track of which websites had the best deals and the constantly changeable prices that seem to accompany hotel and airplane ticket prices.
If you don't have the time or the leaning to read carefully various websites looking for airfare or hotel deals, consider using the services of a trustworthy and cheap travel agent.

Cape Cod is a narrow peninsula that stretches seventy miles out into the Atlantic Ocean. It is connected to the mainland by a pair of bridges that span the canals. Cape Cod is approximately one and a half hours drive from Boston. There are many quaint seaside villages and harbours here, fresh water lakes, and miles of beautiful scenic beaches!
The climate of Cape Cod is mild, making it a great holiday destination all year round. Typically, the sea remains warm enough to swim in right up until the middle of autumn. Cape Cod along with the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard have miles of beautiful beaches. Most beaches are open to the public, however there are some beaches that require season permits.
The islands of Cape Cod are readily accessible from the peninsula, and are great destinations for day trips. These islands were some of the first colonies formed by the English, and started out as whaling or trading posts. Now these islands are some of the wealthiest regions, with vast estates owned by some of the richest families in the country.
Cape Cod is one of the few places that the North Atlantic Right Whale can still be found, as they are one of the most endangered species on the planet. What better way to see one on your holiday than taking a whale watching cruise!
The Olde Kings Highway has been named one of the most scenic roads in the US. It runs the length of the Cape, and has many great boutiques, antique shops, and craft shops located up and down it.
Cape Cod features some of the best fresh seafood in the whole of New England, from clam chowder to fine fresh lobster, be sure to sample them at one of the many restaurants on the Cape!
All in all Cape Cod makes a great destination for your holiday to New England!

Asheville is the perfect base from which to explore on your holiday to the Carolinas. Drive just a few miles outside of town and enter into America's greatest gift to motoring - the spectacular Blue Ridge Parkway. Take in mile after mile of some of the most dramatic views in the United States. Striking scenery unfolds in varied panoramas as you travel along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Superb mountain scenery and a pleasant climate are the Parkway's major appeals. Its timeless popularity makes it a 'must see'. The Parkway traverses the highlands of Virginia and North Carolina at an average elevation of 3,000 feet and extends from Shenandoah, Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. Azaleas, rhododendrons and mountain laurel flower in spring. Autumn bursts brilliantly with reds of sumac, gum and maples with sassafras, tulip trees and hickory contributing their bright yellows to nature's canvas. Rhododendrons are ablaze on the Parkway when it is spring time in the mountains.
Reach the top of a mountain near Asheville in about 30 seconds! That is the time it takes to ride the 26-storey lift built inside 500 million year old Chimney Rock. But that's only the beginning. You'll find the best of what the mountains have to offer in one incredible place: a spectacular 75-mile view, trails to a 404-foot waterfall, native wildlife, rare plants and unique rock formations that otherwise would take days to find.
Blitmore House is America's largest private residence. It continues in its second century with all the grace and elegance it has enjoyed since its grand opening in 1895. This regal French Chateau, tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville is a National Historic Landmark. Blitmore House has 250 rooms, four acres of interior floor space, and is filled with the immense collection of art and furnishings of its original owner, George Vanderbilt. The beauty of this grand home extends out of doors to its gardens and managed woodland. In all the Blitmore Estate encompasses 8,000 acres of land!
Blitmore Village is one of the Carolina's most fascinating, unique and enjoyable shopping environments. Tree-lined streets... brick side walks... open air dining... all combined with amazing collections of one-of-a-kind merchandise. Village shops are housed in the original homes built in the early 1900s.
The best way to see The Great Smoky Mountain is to take The Great Smoky Mountain Railway. This takes you through river gorges, fertile valleys, and tunnels cut out of mountains. A choice of trips include: The Tuckasegee river trip, a 3Ѕ hour journey which passes the wreck site of the movie 'The Fugitive' and travels through Cowee Tunnel, hand dug by convicts and the Nantahala Gorge trip which crosses Fontana Lake to the Nantahala Gorge white-water rafting area.
All in all there is lots to discover on your holiday to the Carolinas!