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Scotland, Europe, the world

Beach babies

Forget My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Captain Corelli, there’s far more to Greece than a few pouting Hollywood actors. \"Jeitls; Danielle Harden

i\cn a choicc hcttxccn cxpanding thc mind and

cxcapixm. inoxt would chooxc thc lattcr c\cr) tinic.

lixpcciall) \\licn cmharking on thc ol‘tcn ardtioux laxk ol~ linding thc ‘idcal' hcach holida}: good \\ cathcr. xand} hcachcx and chcap alcohol. l’rclcrahl} \\ ithoiit (’harlic'x Bar. union jackx and lhi/a clad lo\c|icx lining thc xhoi'cx. :\nd xuch an cxcapc ix caxicr. and morc allordahlc. thankx to thc hcatitit'ul arra} oi ixlandx that (ircccc hax to ol'l'cr.

('orl'u‘x thc pcrl'cct placc to xtai't: mcaxuring onl) 35 inilcx long and IS milcx uidc. it hax a \axt choicc ol- xunn} hcachcx .xtrctching into thc \\ arm clcar \VilVL‘x ol‘ thc Ionian xca. l‘ind _\otirxcll a quict xpot on the hcach. attd )ou'rc xct up lot' thc l'ortnight. l);llCUl\;t\ll’ll\Lt. lo\ingl_\ l\lltt\\ll ax 'l’alco‘ to thc l‘olk \\lto i'cttirn annuall} to haxk at itx .xhorcx. ix thc pcrtcct .xtopox'cr it _\ou’rc looking tor I'L‘\pllL‘. Strctchcd itc‘l'ttxx \l\ L‘U\C.\ ll'x onc ol~ thc ,xniallcr. quictcr rcxortx on the ixland. So id_\llic. in tact. that in “inter it \irtuall) dixappcarx ol'l‘ thc niap: thc xlltipx and rcxtaurantx cloxc down and localx rctrcat into thc hillx awaiting the rcturn ol‘ the .xumincr.

Summer da}x arc xpcnt .xtrctchcd out in thc hcat \\ ith a good book. _\otii' c\crci.xc amounting to a dail} .xtroll to thc local ta\crna for lunch or a Icixurcl)‘ .x\\’lltt. 'l‘hc coolci' hourx. it _\our xtin drcnchcd limhx arc tip to it. can hc tixcd niorc pi'ol‘itahl). Quaint local harx .xtrctch along thc coaxtlinc. ol‘l‘cring intcrcxting nightlil'c. including thc to\'ct‘l aniiahlc localx \\ ho arc niorc than happ} to hcl'ricnd thc paxxing totirixt. Bc \xarncd though: at xonic point _\oti M” be madc to join in thc 'cntcrtainntcnt‘: c\pcct congo

for the

Find yourself a quiet spot on the beach and you’re set up

fortnight

dancing. hcll)‘ dancing or juxt plain iionxcnxc and _\oii \ton't hc dixappointcd. chidcx. )ou’d hc aiiia/cd llll\\ thci'apctitic xmaxhing a l‘c\\ platcx can hc al'tci' xiiikiiig thc local \‘itto.

'l'hoxc xcclting a li\'clici' hcach c\pct‘icttcc xhould chcck otit l)axxia and (iotn'ia; thcxc rcxortx. haxcd at tltc north ot' thc ixland. cater to a niorc hcdonixtic clicntclc. .i\nd luckil}. ('orlti’x xi/c only nicanx an cax} trip. h} taxi. car or hux. lrom onc cnd of thc ixland to thc othcr. llcttcr xtill. ha\ c a l’L‘c‘lle‘xx L‘\ cning tit' [\Hl tltcn xliltlx liaclx to _\otir morc i'cxtl‘ul ahodc to ntirxc thc hangmcr.

Btix ti‘il“ into (’oi'l'ti 'l'oxxn ai'c l‘rcqticnt. chcap and cxxcntial oncc )‘otiK c c.\hatixtcd thc xtocltx ol~ thc local xtallx and markctx. ()ll‘cring a \axt aria} ol' xitcx to \iin. and rich in hixtor} and architccturc. thix plcaxant ltt\\ll ix tltc pt‘l'lt‘t‘l \xa} to \\llllL‘ aua} an al'tcrnoon. Agaian a hackdrop ol~ xtall holdcrx and cuxtoincrx \trcxtling l'or hargaiiix. \cnctian xt_\'lc hattlcx \xith l-‘rcnch and Britixh iiillucnccx. l‘lll' a lunhcr cultural hooxt. l‘olloxt thc road to thc lar ciid ol' l’alco and ciiio} thc xtcad} cliinh ttmat‘dx thc xinall monaxtcr} on the clill‘ lacc. ()nl) l5 minuch ualk l'roiii thc i'cxoit. hut a far cr} trom thc hlatant tourixm hcloxt it. _\ou can \xalk around thix xinall cxtahlixhnicnt. \ixit thc chapcl. rich in colour and xcdatc in mood. or ximpl} cxpcricncc thc coolncxx ol‘ the xiinplc \\ hitc ai‘chitccturc.

ll~ )oti l'anc} a more d}namic hrcak. inoxt rcxoitx otl'cr di\'ing. “ithl'prl'lx. activiticx and ll'lpx to add \arict} to thc long languid dayx. 'l‘hc untappcd hcatit} ol~ ('orl'u. though. ix that thc pacc ix totall} tip to _\oti. linjo} it.

Excess Baggage Festivals, flights and fabulous fares

I ESCAPE: tilt lAiUOUS world of Big i'tétha/ llilS tertiiight and escape to the Still with le"Slilll‘l‘()lltltl\8 (:eii‘. Ditch the 't"‘.‘.()l(‘. replace the :mta catl‘ a nu." ietirigiei and mitt! \Otl’Stlli to Reece. Cyprus; or t’iiai‘. Cilfltlllil starting at at; littie at; $1.15). l (M up to www haigiaiohtsizzlan'sacoo‘ er (:al‘ AJBXO 888 ‘i ‘z i 1

I THERE WERE STARS IN the Prestwick skies as ex-Spicer Mel C flew into the airport courtesy of Ryanair. Check out www. ryanair.com for a plethora of deals to sun-drenched climes. including Brittany, Biarritz and loads more. See www.ryanair.com.

I ll- YOtl'Rt A 1 ll ill Ili(l(?(?lf}l\/(?. lilf§llltlllttl(3.t7()ltt could he the holiday Silt} lei you. Holiday ()l)ll0l‘.8 are (lEVIClUtl into categories. such at; Sea 3. Sand, City Breaks; and ()euiithyiarle. aiiu theie's; a Fast Facts section about the holiday from hell to answer all youi queries. it it's a quick hargaiii you're after, check out the Site's Favourite Otters and Bestseller pages for late deals Log en to www. lasstmiriute.(:eiii or call the hooking line en (1870 l l l 8000.

I LOOK BEFORE YOU leap when you log on to www.holidaysuncovered. co.uk. What began as a hobby site now attracts a little over 200,000 hits a month. There are thousands of postings from tourists, who give their honest feedback on everything from the clubs to hotels to resorts.

I LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS the iuggernaut ot onliiie travel sites. Expedia. With a huge resomce of information including car hire. hotels and even competitions . this is the holiday websne. Last minute deals to sun- drenched beaches start from as little as $99. Book now at wwwexpediacouk

'THE LIST 113