Cheap Flight Deals Hit In 2008

Roger Munns

Could the writing be on the wall for low cost airlines operating out of the UK and other European countries as the Conservative Party - once a campaigner and implementer of lower taxes - has called for purchase tax to be introduced to domestic flights?

The tax would add up to 17.5 per cent on to the cost of a flight from one British city to another, but while flights to the European mainland and popular holiday islands such as Menorca aren't specifically mentioned, one travel company believes the new policy will inevitably lead to higher fares for flights not just within Britain, but elsewhere too.

The Tory policy review calls for the UK to be a leader on green growth, noting that it was illogical for flights to attract less tax than cars and trains, with David Cameron, the Tory Party leader, saying that much of the report would be included in their manifesto at the next British General Election, which at the time could have been just weeks away as election speculation mounted in the UK, but is now likely to be in 2009 or 2010 following British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's decision not to hold an early poll.

'It's not so much that we're convinced the Tories will win the next election and tax domestic flights', say the travel company, 'But by proposing new taxes on flights it leads the door open to the Labour Party, who are more likely to win, to use taxes on flights as a revenue raiser with no opposition from the Tories who are traditionally seen as the tax cutting party. We have no doubt that flights will be taxed a lot more in 2008 because the Tories have now made it a soft target for the British government of any political persuasion and the Treasury when they prepare their annual budgets.'

In a pre-budget statement to the House of Commons, the first for new Chancellor Alistair Darling and the first major government statement after Prime Minister Gordon Brown opted not to call an early election, a shift was made away from taxing passengers to planes, making half full flights less financially viable, with a start date of November 2009.

Citing Menorca as an example, the company points to the holiday industry on the island being a major employer, and the Menorca map changing over the years as new resorts have been built to accommodate additional visitors.

'One of the other aspects of the report that is a worry for the holiday industry', continues the travel company, 'Is that new runways at Stansted, Gatwick and Heathrow Airports are all ruled out - all three airports serve London and the South-East of England. Any increased demand for example for Menorca holidays probably won't be able to be met without increased capacity, inevitably leading to a consequence of higher prices overall.'

From the environmental lobby the Green Party described the proposals as 'fiddling around the edges when what is needed is urgent and radical action', adding that the Tory eco-taxes would hit the poorest in society hardest.

Menorca Map

Taking Menorca as typical of the areas that could be affected most by additional flight taxes, the travel company takes the view that any downturn in visitor numbers and the volume of bookings for holidays and hotels in Menorca would hit an island that relies heavily on tourism.

The Spanish island is currently served by three UK airlines that offer scheduled flights, including one low cost carrier that offers cheap flights to Menorca. But there are a high number of holiday companies who offer chartered flights in the summer months, and these companies have helped reduced prices for holidaymakers visiting the island. Neighbouring island Majorca attracted most UK tourists for 2007, beating off competition from low cost destinations in Eastern Europe, and Menorca has also benefitted from an increase in visitor numbers.

Despite their geographical closeness and being part of the same group of islands, the Balearics, Menorca and Majorca attract a different type of tourist from each other, and with Ibiza the third of the islands each has its own appeal, and each her unique selling points when compared to each other.

Ibiza is known in Europe for her clubs and nightlife, with 18 to 30's and their high disposable incomes preferring the island to quieter Majorca and Menorca. A survey by the island's tourist board sprung a surpise for many in the hotels and holidays industry with a report showing of the three islands that Ibiza's visitors spent more on their holidays than those in Majorca and on holiday in Menorca.

Majorca is a favourite holiday island for both the British and Germans, and as well as having a cosmopolitan feel to it offers both nightlife for the young with luxury hotels and villa holidays for older visitors. Plans are in place to build Spain's top luxury hotel on the island.

The island of Menorca, also known as Minorca, is regarded as the quietest of the three holiday islands, and family orientated, with tourists just as likely to be taking a villa holiday with companies like James Villas as they are staying in a hotel or holiday apartment. The island is at her best in May and September when the island's roads are quiet but everyone is geared up for the season.

The travel company who produce YourMenorca.net concludes that all three islands would be affected detrimentally by any further increases in taxes on flights, and infrastructure improvements planned for the future might have to be reconsidered if the number of tourists visiting for a holiday comes down.

Minorca will be watching the British political scene with an unusual amount of interest 2008.

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Portugal - Silver Coast. A taste of life and hospitality

by: Villas Luz, Lda

All of this is now less than an hour drive from Lisbon International airport along the new A8 motorway, linking the vibrant capital of Portugal with historic Oporto in the North. As there is also a proposed new international airport to be located at OTA, this little known region is opening its doors to the outside world. For decades the Algarve has been the only realistic location for overseas buyers to enjoy the unique hospitality of the Portuguese, but prices there have put it out of reach for most. Now we are pleased to invite you to experience the heart of Portugal - a secret we can all share.

A region for life

Exploring the tranquil towns, villages and countryside of this beautiful region will confirm to you that here is a place that genuinely has the best of both worlds. Whilst offering a life of rural calm amidst the spectacular scenery, at the same time it is perfectly equipped with access to all the modern facilities of transport, healthcare, education and leisure that make life a pleasure for all generations. The Western Region enjoys entertainments and events throughout the year: concerts, art exhibitions, the Torres carnival - 'the most Portuguese event in Portugal', the Caldas da Rainha ceramics and fruit fairs, the Bombarral wine festival, Peniche's Festas da Nuestra Senhora da Boa Viagem, the Montejunto popular festival (Cadaval), Alenquer's Feira da Ascensao, festivals in Sobral, Monte Agraco and Arruda dos Vinhos, Feiras da Cebola e das Tasquinhas and hundreds more fairs, festivals and popular gatherings. The region has many hotels with superb facilities and innumerable restaurants, bars and lively venues which ensure that one's first visit to the Western region is never the last. For golf enthusiasts the Western Region is the new destination in Portugal. Golf Courses at Praia d'el Rey (18 holes)and Rio Maior (18 holes) are complemented by 9-hole courses at Consolação and Porto Novo - Bom Sucesso and Perola da Lagoa 18-hole courses are actually already under construction and the brand new project of the 18-hole course of Foz do Arelho, which will be the hugest should begin within the year 2007. The natural abundance of the area is enhanced by beautiful fine-sanded beaches, where the sands shimmer like silver, at Santa Cruz, Porto Novo, Areia Branca, S. Bernardino, Consolação, Peniche, Baleal, Foz do Arelho and Salir do Porto. Local crafts can be found in Peniche, which is notable for its lace, and in Caldas da Rainha, which is one of the most important centres for ceramics in Portugal. The new Peniche recreation centre is a base for water sports, with a haven of fishing and scuba-diving in Berlenga. Santa

Cruz and Peniche (Supertubos beach and Lagide beach) are the places for surf lovers. The Obidos lake has sailing, rowing and windsurfing. Montejunto, Serrado Socorro and Santa Rita beach are the main locations for paragliding and hang-gliding. The Santa Cruz aerodrome, with its flying school, offers flights in light aircraft and gliders. There are equestrian centres in the Hotel Golf Mar, in Marquiteira (Lourinha), in Atouguia da Baleia - at the Quinta das Tripas and the Quintas de Bom Sucesso - Lourinha, S. Sebastido - Arruda dos Vinhos, Quinta da Ferraria and Cortisada - Rio Maior.

A region for health

Healthcare facilities are modern and efficient and offer a good range of public and private services for all your requirements. In addition the region offers several thermal baths: Vimeiro (digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory system and skin), Cucos (metabolic and endocrine systems, rheumatics, muscular and skeletal systems) and Torres Vedras and Caldas da Rainha - the oldest in Europe (respiratory system, rheumatics, muscular and skeletal systems).

A region for Gourmets

Gastronomy in the region is rich and varied: there are many delicious pork dishes, oven baked kid, stewed rabbit with rice, celebrated fish stews, baked or boiled sea bream and rock bass from Peniche, eels and cockles from the Obidos lake and shellfish from the beds at Porto de Barcas (lagosta suada - 'sweating lobster' - is a delicacy which can only be found in the Western Region). The gastronomical influence of history is evident in trouxas de ovos, lampreias de ovos (sweet dishes made with eggs) and cavacas (light crisp cakes) from Caldas da Rainha, bean pies from Torres Vedras and paes de lo (sponge cakes) from Landal, Painho and Rio Maior. All are complemented by the taste and aroma of apples and pears.

The Western region is also one of the largest wine growing areas in Portugal and indeed the world. The area boasts full-bodied, aromatic red wines with excellent alcoholic content: the wines of the south (castas Camarate, Periquita and Tinto Miudo) are lively when young, intense yet well balanced and with an exquisite bouquet when aged. The white wines of the north are deliciously fruity (castas Arinto, Fernao Pires, Vital). Out of this diversity, the wine-growing areas of Obidos and Alenquer, Arruda dos Vinhos and Torres Vedras were born in 1989. The region is also known for its light wines with lower alcohol content, and for the only DOC (controlled standard of origin) classified brandy in Portugal - Aguardente Vinica from Lourinha.

PORTUGAL - COSTA DE PRATA - THE SILVER COAST

Aveiro in the north is unique: it is criss-crossed by canals grandly embroidered with art nouveau houses and spanned by hump- backed bridges. Here in colourfully painted 'moliceiro' boats, seaweed is gathered in the vast saltwater lagoon. Further inland you can sample the curative waters of the elegant thermal spa towns of Luso and Curia, fashionable since early this century. And in the Bucaco forest nearby, stands the Palace Hotel, resplendent with turrets, arched galleries and an enormous marble staircase: a perfect hideaway for romantics.

The lively University city of Coimbra is a mixture of ancient and modern. Its streets are filled with the chatter of black-caped students and the soulful tones of fado. The university library, one of the best in Europe, is a Baroque fantasy where the rooms each lead into the next creating a telescope-like effect. The old Cathedral is one of the most important examples of Romanesquc architecture in Portugal. In the Marchado de Castro Museum, you'll find religious art treasures and can actually explore the ruins of the Roman crypt over which the museum was built. An even more impressive sight is the nearby Roman city of Conimbriga. On the west coast, the town of Figueira da Foz has vast beaches and a famous casino.

Further south is the charming town of Leiria with its crenulated walls towering high above an almost perpendicular rock. From May to October, the roads nearby are lined with pilgrims - many on foot - visiting the famed shrine of Fatima where three shepherd children claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary.

Thirty four kilometres east is Tomar where the bastion of the Knights Templar later became the Convento de Cristo. Tales of mystery and hidden treasures echo around it's cloisters and its crowning glory is the ornate Manueline window.

Another magical place is the Castle of Almmourol, just south, which stands on a tiny island and is steeped in legends of giants and knights.

Further opulent architecture can he discovered at Batalha in the Santa Maria da Vitoria Monastery, with its flying buttresses, gargoyles, pinnacles and the intricate stonework of its cloisters. Close to this is one of Portugal's most awe-inspiring monuments: the Monastery of Alcobaca, which has been given UNESCO world heritage status. The kitchen, with ovens big enough to roast six oxen at once, even has two streams converging through it into one. The monastery also contains the tombs of King Pedro and Ines de Castro whose passionate love story has inspired writers and poets all over the world. Many of the farming methods and agricultural science of the region introduced by the Cistercian monks are still in evidence today.

The delightful town of Obidos, with white houses adorned with bougainvilleas and honeysuckle was captured from the Moors by the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques, in 1148. D. Dinis later presented it to his wife, Queen Santa Isabel. From then until 1883, the town of Obidos and the surrounding land was always the property of the queens of Portugal.

Encircled by a ring of medieval walls and crowned by the Moorish castle rebuilt by D. Dinis, which is now a pousada, Obidos is one of the most perfect examples of our medieval fortress. As in olden times, the town is entered through the southern gate of Santa Maria, embellished with eighteenth-century azulejo decoration.

Inside the walls, which at sunset take on a golden colouring, one can sense a cheerful medieval ambience of winding streets, old whitewashed houses bordered with blue or yellow, Manueline embrasures and windows, reminding us that King D. Manuel I (sixteenth century) carried out major works here, and masses of colourful flowers and plants.

Be sure to visit the Igreja Matriz de Santa Maria (Parish Church of Santa Maria), the pretty Capela de Sao Martinho (Chapel of S. Martinho) and, outside the town walls, the Igreja do Senhor da Pedra (Church of the Senhor da Pedra).

Among the events that take place every year in Obidos, the most important are the Holy Week Festivities (recreating the steps on the Way of the Cross), the Ancient Music Festival in October and, for the more gluttonous, the International Chocolate festival in November, which includes an international competition in which the recipes are judged by an international jury of experts.

Fatima - With its origins deep in history, it was during the Arabian occupation that this settlement developed and was named. According to legend, during the Christian Reconquest, the Templar knight Goncalo Hermingues, also known as Bringer-of-Moors, fell in love with Fatima, a Moor captured in the course of an ambush. Reciprocating the love, the young woman converted to Christianity and adopted the name Oureana.

In the sixteenth century, the settlement became a parish in the collegiate church of Ourem within the Diocese of Leiria.

Its subsequent development dates from the events known as the Apparitions of Fatima, in the early part of the twentieth century. It has become one of the key centres for the Cult of the Virgin Mary in Portugal and has been recognised world-wide by the Catholic Church.

The first apparition took place in 1917, in Cova da Iria, at the site of the current Sanctuary. The most important celebrations are held on 13th May (including the Candlelit Procession on the night of the 12th and the Farewell Procession closing the event on the 13th) and 13th October. Furthermore, the 13th of every month between these two dates is also a day of devotion.

For those interested in the historical context of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, visits can be made to the houses of the shepherd witnesses in the village of Aljustrel.

In the gardens of Casa de Lucia, there is a monument commemorating the second apparition of the Angel of Peace and the end of the Via Sacra which begins in the Sanctuary.

Along this route, there are 14 chapels donated by Hungarian Catholic refugees in the West. Of particular note is Valinhos, 400 metres from the village where monuments commemorate the fourth apparition in 1917 as well as the place chosen by the angel. Here, in 1916, the shepherds saw the Angel of Peace for the first and third times.

On the coast is the fishing village of Nazare where you'll find fishermen in knee length plaid trousers, and women in full skirts and seven petticoats, mending nets. The walled town of Obidos should also not he missed, with its narrow streets of brightly white-washed houses and striking towers of the Castle that's now a splendid Pousada Take just a short trip south and you can explore the active fishing port of Peniche which has a dominating 16th century fort built for protection against marauding pirates. The Silvercoast is one of the most peaceful and romantic places of all.

Buying Property in Silver Coast Portugal

Buying property in Silver Coast Portugal is currently popular with Europeans, but as of yet, not so much with the British property buyers. This is because properties are relatively inexpensive and transport links to/from the UK are getting better and cheaper to the Silver Coast. Buying property in Silver Coast Portugal offers superb beach holiday facilities with a great summer climate, great culture, architecture and history. Also, the Silver Coast is tipped to see significant capital property value rises in the coming years.

Portugal is an evergreen in the overseas property market. Build quality is high, property prices have grown a steady 10-15% per annum since the Millennium, and there's a broad choice of property across the price range and country - within the Silver Coast the price grow within the following years will possibly reach the 25 - 35 %.

Buying property in Silver Coast Portugal offers good prospects for rental from both the local market and from holidaymakers, and with the potential of significant property price rises on the Silver Coast Portugal, this could be the ideal place to invest in a holiday home.

Buying property in Portugal still has great appeal as it has a benign tax system which allows avoidance of the worst effects of capital gains and inheritance tax and can put you in a lower tax band.

Why buy in the the Silver Coast

Property experts have been advising clients to look beyond the Algarve, with its pockets of overgrowing, and invest instead in homes 45 minutes' drive from Lisbon on Portugal's Silver Coast. Maddison says, "The Algarve used to be the most popular area. However, it is now rather overrun with Brits and over commercialized. In other words it is too popular now, with many of those looking to purchase in Portugal now looking elsewhere."

According to international property specialists the Silver Coast is now the up-and-coming area in Portugal. "Many Brits are selling up in the Algarve and moving up to the Oeste Region, which is located just north of Lisbon. This area is still very Portuguese, with farming the main source of income for the locals. It does not die in the winter because most of the locals are Portuguese. The cost of properties is so much cheaper than on the Algarve - so there is still room to make money in this area".

But what of the place itself? The Silver Coast stretches from Porto down to Portugal's capital Lisbon and hugs the North Atlantic coastline; it is home to beautiful beaches, amazing cliffs, quaint fishing villages, lush rolling countryside and some of the most fascinating historic sites in Portugal. Here you can discover pretty villages and a real Portuguese way of life. The Silver Coast is a particularly good bet for those with holiday lets in mind, thanks to the new A8 motorway which has cut journey times from Lisbon to the Silver Coast considerably, opening the atmospheric towns of Caldas da Rainha and Turcifal, and pretty villages, such as Peniche, up to tourists and investors.

There is a wide range of property available on the Silver Coast. You can find traditional farmhouses in need of renovation, but there has also been a fair amount of developments popping up and luxury villas with pools and apartments in complexes are easy to find.

Access to the area is becoming even easier as more and more airlines now offer frequent flights to Lisbon.

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Malta: A Crossroad In the Middle of the Sea

By: Boyan Yordanof

What comes to your mind when you hear the word Malta? Most of my friends would think of the knights, the Mediterranean Sea and a lovely beach holiday. Very true, Malta is all of these: the knights of St. John found shelter on the island and ruled it for several hundred years; the tiny nation of 400,000 inhabitants occupies even tinier fortress island in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea and yes, Malta is a famous travel destination. Still, there is so much more to be discovered about Malta. For one thing, we could easily describe it as soaked with history piece of land.In order to get an idea of how diverse Malta is we need to look at its 7000 years of history. So many cultures have blended on this island that you could easily say it is a natural focal point where European, Mediterranean and Oriental worlds meet. I like to say: 'If Sicily is just around the corner, Tunisia is across the road'. That is why Malta is fascinating: so many different people came here and not only took (Napoleon was a famous taker) but also left something, namely their mark on the Maltese eclectic culture. For instance, you can see the British heritage not only in the design of the old telephone booths and post boxes but also in the legal and political systems. Interested in the Italian influence on the Maltese way of life? Walk on one of the narrow streets in any Maltese village and listen to the sound coming out of the open windows.
Yes, you've got it - most probably it is some Italian show on RAI or one of the Berlusconi's TV channels.

The modern Maltese language is another feature of the island that leaves you wondering. It is the only Semitic language in the world written in Latin alphabet. The Tunisians and other Arabs would understand quite a bit of the local dialect. On the other hand you hear the heavy influence of Italian and English in almost every sentence. Some sources affirm the roots of the language are to be found in the Arabic rule during 9th-11th centuries. Stubbornly, I am prone to believe that it has something to do with the Phoenician heritage of the Maltese.

Browsing the Maltese history pages we get a glimpse on the most significant periods. There was a time when the Mediterranean Sea was not connected to the Atlantic ocean by the strait of Gibraltar and was an inner lake. The Maltese islands were a tip of a mountain dividing the western "Mediterranean" lake from the eastern one. The island boasts with well preserved heritage from these prehistoric times; the Neolithic temples and the UNESCO protected Hypogeum are good examples. After the colonisation by the omnipresent in the 1st Millennium BC Ancient Greeks, the commercially-savvy Phoenicians settled on the island and used it as an outpost for their commercial activities between their great colony of Cartage and Southern Italy. After the Punic wars the island became a thriving Roman province and later on fell under the control of the Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire.

At the end of 9th century the Arabs conquered the islands and ruled until 1090 AD with a capital Mdina. The magnificent fortress of the so-called Silent City was further fortified by the knights of St. John. They ruled the island from 1530 to 1798 and shaped the European features of Malta leaving numerous artifacts, including many Renaissance and Baroque buildings. Thanks to these gentlemen on the narrow streets of nowadays Mdina you feel like taking a stroll in a real medieval town. Following the brief invasion of the French on their way to Egypt in 1798, the island became part of the British Empire. Some of the most conspicuous traces left by the British are the left-hand driving and the English - the nations' second official language.

What used to come in my mind when I heard the name Malta? The Bush - Gorbachev summit in 1989 maybe? Well, seriously, I admit the knights and the capital Valletta were first to pop up. In fact, Valletta is so inextricably associated with the notion of Malta that I've noticed people frequently referring to the international airport as 'Valletta airport' or to the national stadium as 'Valletta stadium'. I am afraid that neither is true. I can see the bewilderment of many: How come? It is just that the island of 316 sq km hides so much to be discovered. Or let me rephrase: Malta has put on display under the open skies so much to be seen. And hey, this was just a glimpse on the Maltese history, did I mention diving?...

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Sheffield and The Peak District - Things To Do

by Kate Johnson

Sheffield is situated on the edge of the Peak District National Park and the Pennine hill range and much of the city is built on the hillsides overlooking the city centre. The peak District provides many walks of varying levels of difficulty and is scattered with lots of pretty villages and small towns. The area is also home to a number of stately homes, museums and castles. The city of Sheffield is one of the greenest cities in England and has more than 200 parks, woodlands and gardens, including the popular Winter Gardens and Millennium Galleries.

The city also has many restaurants, cafes, bars and it is a major retail centre, home to many high street shops and department stores as well as designer boutiques. There are several main shopping areas, including The Moor precinct, Fargate, Orchard Square, the Devonshire Quarter and Castle Market, the main market, situated above the castle remains. The famous Shopping Centre and Retail Park, Meadowhall, is also located only a couple of miles outside the city centre.

If you are interested in history and like ghost stories you could take part in one of the spooky ghost walks around the centre of Sheffield. If you're interested in history but you don't like ghosts you could go on a walking tour of the city centre to learn about its architecture and history. If you want to get outside the city you there are some magnificent limestone caverns to explore or you could take a spectacular cable car ride to the Heights of Abraham. If you like green, open spaces you are in the right city as Sheffield's parks, woodlands and gardens, form part of many walking trails.

The amazing Winter Garden is one of the largest temperate glasshouse in Eurpope and houses a display of more than 2,500 plants, made up of more than 150 species from around the globe. It is situated at the heart of the city and links the Millennium Galleries, Tudor Square and the Peace Gardens. The Sheffield Botanical Gardens is another retreat in the heart of the city, perfect to escape to for a bit of peace and tranquility. The glass pavilions house a stunning collection of trees and shrubs in a historic landscape created in 1836.

A third of Sheffield lies within the boundaries of the Peak District National Park and the city gradually blends into the gently rolling moors and rugged peaks. There is so much countryside to explore from wind-swept hilltops to river valleys that it is a firm favourite with walkers, climbers, cyclists and horse riders alike.

If you are thinking of visiting Sheffield or the Peak District The Fulwood Inn is situated in the perfect location to make it your base, as it is on the west side of the city just a couple of miles from the centre and the Peak District National Park. It offers quality hotel accommodation in single, double and family rooms and it has a large car park and a peaceful location, being raised just above the main road. It also has a fantastic pub menu offering a great choice of pub classics with a constantly changing selection of specials.

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Las Vegas, The Mirage and all-time favorite

by Maja Gartmann

he Mirage has always been a favorite place on the Vegas Strip. I never forget my excitement to go to the Mirage and actually see the famous White Tigers of Siegfried and Roy. " I could have been standing there for hours watching those gorgeous creatures while listening and watching Siegfried and Roy's Video: "our family has grown to 23 tigers". …Another must see was the erupting Volcano, a spectacular never seen before. Then came the Rainforest, the minute you stepped into the mirage I felt like being in paradise: Gorgeous Palm trees tower way above waterfalls and pools, a forest of rich tropical flora, best of it all you could not just see Paradise but also smell it. The Mirage was the hotel that actually introduced the concept of destination resort to the Vegas Strip in 1989. Years have gone by and just recently I heard that the Mirage went under a complete overhaul. Eager like the first time when I wanted to see the tigers I wanted to see the new and improved Mirage, what an improvement it is. At the Mirage you find more hip lounges than in the entire Santa Monica area, one of them is my absolute favorite: The Beatles REVOLUTION Lounge - you cannot miss the Big Letters from R to N across the casino, the letters aren't just cool letters they also serve as cozy lounge chairs. You feel transported back to the glories of the 60's. REVOLUTION is Inspired by the spirit of The Beatles and created by Cirque du Soleil. The Rooms at the Mirage also had a remarkable face-lift. The new feather beds are a dream come true and the best of it all you can bring them home, not just the beds, the entire room: furniture, beds, pillows, linens, robes, all can be ordered and delivered to your home. You can enjoy a little Vegas-Mirage right at home, since you probably won't get enough sleep while in Vegas this comes in very handy.

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