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Estepona is a charming coastal town on the Costa del Sol, in Southern Spain. Though not unfamiliar to tourists, it retains its authentic pueblo charm with beautiful traditional houses, stone-cobbled streets and charming flower displays. You can treat your taste buds to typical Spanish flavours at tapas bars and explore the quirky shops and bodegas. The town of Estepona is a museum in itself, as the streets are decorated with artistic treasures and beautiful monuments. The historic centre also provides an authentic experience of the Andalusian town, while its local museums and gardens give you a feel for its history.
When you have teenagers, deciding what to eat at home can be tricky enough – let alone when you are on a family getaway! It is likely that the teens will not share your en-thusiasm for sampling local cuisine – instead they’ll be on the hunt for burger and chips – so you will want to find a destination that caters to all tastes. In addition to this, you will need to find a family-friendly restaurant where you will all be well looked after.
During the 15th and 16th centuries Portuguese sailors were at the forefront of maritime exploration which is generally referred to as ‘the Age of Discovery’. During this period Vasco da Gama sailed around Africa then across to India, later still Pedro Álvares Cabral discovered Brazil which remains South America’s only Portuguese-speaking country. The booty acquired from such expeditions created vast wealth for Portugal which was invested in making Lisbon one of Europe’s most monumentally spectacular cities. Unfortunately, many of the grandest buildings constructed during this period were destroyed during the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.
Parents will always want their children to look back fondly on their family vacations. When you look back on the trips that you made as a child, there is a very good chance that these will be memories of fun attractions and frolicking in the ocean in a climate much more pleasant than back home!
One of Europe’s most picturesque capitals, Stockholm is also known as the start up capital of Europe. As a vital and progressive hub of information and innovation (it’s the birthplace of Skype and Spotify, just to name two), the Swedish capital has rapidly evolved into one of the global leaders in technology – second only to Silicon Valley. When added to its thriving manufacturing industry (think Ikea, Volvo and Ericsson for a start), Stockholm has become a popular destination for international business travellers.
This Nordic city is among my favourite places to do business and, in the numerous times I’ve visited, I’ve been impressed with the infrastructure and the seemingly effortless way it manages to cater equally well to tourists and corporate travellers.
Tucked away in the north-west corner of Spain, the autonomous region of Galicia could hardly be more different than the widely held perception of Spain as a land of flamenco and bullfighting. This is a Spain of rolling green valleys, a wild Atlantic coastline and historic towns where reminders of their Celtic origins are never far away. Cruise ships visiting this region usually stop in either A Coruña on the northern coast or in Vigo which lies 160km to the south and is just 35km from the Portuguese border.
So you and your mates have all agreed that you’re overdue a serious lads’ holiday – no other halves, no kids and definitely no killjoys! You’ve probably already worked out that Spain’s Canary Islands offer everything you need, from loads of sunshine and beaches to clubs, pubs and a full English breakfast the morning after (or let’s be honest, more likely the afternoon after). But which of all the great resorts on all the different islands should you choose?
Well, I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that if you’re looking for a full-on party holiday where you can drink until dawn, collapse on a sunbed all day and then do it all again the next night, the location for you is Playa del Inglés on Grand Canaria.
To the majority of package tourists from Northern Europe, the city of Malaga is little more than a gateway to the holiday resorts of the Costa del Sol. Little do they know how much they are missing! With a history dating back to its founding by the Phoenicians in the 8th century BC it is one of the world’s oldest cities. Today’s visitors can admire its historic attractions which include a fine Roman Theatre, a well-preserved Moorish Fortress and an immense Cathedral. There’s also a vibrancy about the city thanks to the number of tapas bars, cafés and restaurants in its historic centre which always seem packed with local people.
The bustling resort of Tossa de Mar on Spain’s Costa Brava is a great place for a family holiday – especially with older kids – because, from the beaches and watersports to the shopping and people watching, there’s so much for teens to do here.
But what if you’re looking for more from your family holiday than just shopping and sunbathing? If what you really want from your time away is to re-forge those family connections, blurred by the hustle and bustle of everyday routines, then why not try an exhilarating, fun activity to bring you all together.
Tossa de Mar is famous for its mountain bike trails which run through the Catalonian hills and forests behind the town. Mountain biking is great fun for the kids and you, and what’s more, it’s challenging enough to bring the whole family together in a way that lying next to each other on the beach never will.
Here is my selection of my favourite mountain bike trails in the area – they may not be easy, but believe me, you’ll finish the day exhausted and enthused. And, keep in mind, while you’re panting and aching the kids will be having the time of their lives!
If you’ve already booked yourself a holiday to Vera Playa, chances are that one of the things that attracted you is the world famous naturist beach. But once you’ve honed that perfect all-over tan, you’re going to discover there’s much more to Spain’s leading naturist resort than nude sunbathing: there are also some fabulous restaurants – although, of course, you will need to get dressed to visit them.
Set on Costa Almería on Spain’s south coast, the modern beach resort is linked to the pretty historic town of Vera which lies 10 kilometres inland. Without doubt its biggest claim to fame is its naturist beach – the only year-round naturist beach in mainland Europe. Vera Playa is beautiful stretch of more than 2 kilometres of golden sand which is designated for those who want to sunbathe naked. But that’s not all: a section of the resort itself (shops, restaurants, hotels and all) is also designated a naturist area, so if ‘baring all’ is your thing, you’ll feel part of a welcoming community of like-minded people here.
Of course there’s more to this resort than just nudity. There are a number of other ways to have fun in the sun here, and once the sun’s gone down, there are some fantastic local restaurants to seek out.
Lying 350km south-west of Barcelona and a similar distance west of Palma de Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, the port of Valencia is a popular destination for cruise ships visiting the Western Mediterranean. The city of Valencia is the 3rd largest in Spain which is perhaps best known internationally as the home of Paella Valenciana, the country’s national dish, and for its sweet oranges which come from the Costa del Azahar (Orange Blossom Coast) just north of the city.
If you’re looking for old-world charm, historic sights and pretty fishing villages then the exclusive modern, purpose-built resort of Vilamoura in Portugal is probably not going to be for you. But, let’s be honest, how many teenagers do you know who are likely to complain that a resort doesn’t have enough culture and character for them?
What Vilamoura has instead is a huge range of tourist-based services and activities all designed to keep even the most demanding teen happy.
From water parks and jet skiing to marine parks and paintballing, there are so many things to do here for your young adults that they might not even find the time to post it all on social media. (But what are the chances?)
