Why Costa Blanca – The White Coast – with its breathtaking beaches is still a hot spot for holidaymakers.

Revered as the ‘White Coast’ for its breathtaking beaches, Costa Blanca stands as one of Spain’s most sought-after destinations.

Encompassing an impressive 124 miles (200 kilometres) of Mediterranean coastline in the Alicante province, on the southeastern coast of Spain and basking in over 300 days of annual sunshine, this picturesque paradise reigns supreme in the realm of vacations.

Prepare to be captivated not only by its sun-drenched shores but also by the myriad of other attractions that await.

Start your journey through Costa Blanca

Are you yearning to embark on an exhilarating adventure? We knew you would be. The time has come to immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Costa Blanca.

ALICANTE Alicante seamlessly marries cultural allure with radiant, golden sunbeams – not to mention its awe-inspiring coastline. A visit to this stylish city is an absolute must. Place Santa Bárbara Castle, serene parks, artisan boutiques, and trendy bars at the forefront of your itinerary for an unforgettable experience. 

Parque Natural Serra Gelada. Albir

ALBIR Albir, a coastal haven with a distinct edge, beckons sun enthusiasts in search of relaxation in an upscale locale. Drop by for a traditional tapas feast during lunchtime or indulge in a leisurely stroll to El Faro lighthouse, where spectacular views and a refreshing stretch await as your reward. 

ALTEA Enchanting Altea, situated north of Alicante, continues to exude the same timeless charm it boasted back in the 1950s when it first introduced itself on the tourist map. Meander through its charming cobbled streets, explore the historic quarter and delightful promenade, and ensure you carve out time to explore the bustling local market and cycling routes. 

CALPE For history enthusiasts who prefer a leisurely pace, the former fishing village of Calpe beckons. Boasting an impressive 14 beaches, it seamlessly blends contemporary high-rises with cherished Spanish architecture, all complemented by a natural park, marina, and salt mine. 

Unravelling the finest beach escapes 

LEVANTE BEACH BENIDORM – Benidorm’s prestigious Levante Beach, awarded the Blue Flag status, offers an array of thrilling water sports, vibrant bars, and delectable restaurants. Take a moment to recline on a sunbed and admire the immaculate sand, which is consistently well-maintained. It’s a haven for beach aficionados! 

Playa Poniente

PONIENTE BEACH, BENIDORM The gently swaying Blue Flag on Poniente Beach positions it front and centre as one of Benidorm’s top-rated beaches. Relish in over 3 km of pristine, well-preserved sands, complete with sun loungers at your disposal and an array of eateries to ensure you’re nourished and refreshed. Pure bliss.

Playa Arenal-Bol, Calpe

PLAYA ARENAL-BOL, CALPE Among Calpe’s impressive selection of 14 beaches, Playa Arenal-Bol stands out as a sunbathing haven. With over a kilometre of sandy expanse, choose your ideal spot to relax and unwind. Numerous bars and restaurants are also conveniently situated nearby. 

PLAYA DEL ALBIR, ALBIR If the glistening white sands and crystal-clear waters of this sun-soaked spot weren’t enough to entice you, its coveted Blue Flag status might just do the trick. Nestled between Benidorm and Altea, it offers an idyllic haven for relaxation and soaking up the abundant sunshine. 

Must do activities for all ages

FOR ADULTS… Whether you’re an aficionado of water sports or prefer the solid ground beneath your feet, Costa Blanca has an array of options to enchant you.

Villaitana golf

Stay active with a round of golf – after all, what’s better than honing your swing while soaking up the sun’s rays? Las Rejas Open Club is a leisurely option for pitch and putt, while the 18-hole Villaitana Golf invites you to master trick shots over bunkers. 

From invigorating road biking to picturesque coastal cycling routes, you’ll thrive in the open expanses of Costa Blanca.

Cycling enthusiasts extol the virtues of the region’s loops, so go ahead – give them a whirl. And if history, scenery, or photography tickles your fancy, Parque Natural de Penyal D’Ifach is your haven. 

FOR THE FAMILIES… For families, excitement knows no bounds in this region – particularly at Aqua Natura, where thrilling rides and splash-happy slides ensure non-stop fun. Adrenaline junkies with older kids will relish Aqualandia, with its Vertigo and Black Hole attractions. If you’re seeking a tamer experience, the Wave Pool awaits. 

Perhaps you’re drawn to hair-raising rides set against the backdrop of ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece?

Feast your eyes on the exhilarating Terra Mitica. The whole family will be captivated by Mundomar, a park where encounters with birds, reptiles, and even dolphins await. Nature enthusiasts will be astounded by the beauty of the Algar Waterfalls.

When it comes to embracing the wonders of Costa Blanca and its neighbouring attractions, there truly is something for everyone – from sun-soaked relaxation to exhilarating adventures and family-friendly escapades. 

Everyone who has visited the Seychelles even once knows the Beau Vallon beach on the north-western coast of Mahé. It’s a gorgeous ribbon of white soft sand set against a pretty floral backdrop. Plus it is famous for its superb diving opportunities.

It’s a well protected area and government has banned building along the hemline, save for one solitary hotel that has been built directly on the beach: the Coral Strand Smart Choice Hotel. For beach lovers this is an idyllic venue and the only one that has easy access to diving, snorkelling and of course sunbathing.

With it’s amazing location staying here is a no-brainer. But be sure to enjoy these surprising activities:

Try a cooking masterclass

Restaurant “Mahek” at the Coral Strand

The Coral Strand has one of the best authentic Indian and oriental restaurants in the Seychelles called “Mahek”. You can watch as chefs from India and South-Eastern Asia create their dishes. Or join one of the cooking masterclasses held regularly at the hotel.

The “Coral Asia” restaurant is located on the upper terrace of the Coral Strand where you can dine to a backdrop of gorgeous ocean views that are particularly dramatic during sunset.

Experience the traditional “Moutya” dance at sunset

Get into the spirit and join a “Moutya”. This is the traditional dance of Seychellois that takes place on the beach.

It starts long before sunset by finding enough palm leaves for a bonfire. Once lit, dancers perform a local dance around it. When the fire is at its zenith the men begin to beat their drums increasing the rhythm and power while the women respond by singing and dancing around the fire. As the energy embraces the participants they are led into a trance-like state. It’s hard to resist joining in.

Spend an evening stargazing from the island’s only astronomical observatory

Experience the enthralling beauty of the Seychelles sky at night from the only astronomical observatory on the island. It is located on the roof top of the Coral Strand and you can gaze at the stars and appreciate how they twinkle so brightly thanks to the lack of pollution.

Take an invigorating hike on the island

Anse Major

Mahé has some wonderful hiking opportunities including a two-hour trail that begins not far from the Coral Strand. Follow the trail through dense tropical forest and open stone plateaus to the small and cosy Anse Major beach.

We recommend taking snorkelling gear as Anse Major is great place to enjoy the world under water. Fish swim close to the shore and so it’s ideal for young families to take the plunge.

The hotel can organise hiking trips to Anse Major and several other trails where you can experience the indigenous nature of the Seychelles.

Tip: Make sure you bring plenty of water, suncream and to wear appropriate shoes as some parts of the paths are steep and rocky.

More about Coral Strand Smart Choice Hotel

Coral Strand Smart Choice Hotel in Beau Vallon, Seychelles

Coral Strand is the only hotel in Seychelles located right on the beach. Just step out onto the Ocean Deck Bar, walk five metres and you are greeted by the calm waters of the Indian Ocean. The shutter windows of the Island Trader restaurant open directly onto the beach and sea which means you can take a dip while waiting for your order to arrive.

The Coral Strand can also organises classes that include basket weaving classes, making hats out of palm leaves, and how to break a coconut.

A new direct flight linking London and Nashville is an opportunity to soak up the atmosphere of three music cities. Nashville is country music, Tupelo is the birthplace of Elvis and Memphis has soul.

You’ll need to hire a car, turn on the stereo and enjoy the drive. From Nashville, Tupelo is around four hours, then Memphis is another two hours.

If you’re feeling more adventurous then follow the Mississippi River south, exploring the land where the blues began.

Nashville, Tennessee

Music City USA is still the capital of country music and bars and honky-tonks line downtown Broadway. There’s good music in the clubs and at the famous Grand Ole Opry. Elvis appeared on stage here early in his career and made many of his famous recordings at RCA studios.

Ryman Auditorium

Celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2017, the Ryman Auditorium was originally a church and its seats are still as hard as any pews. It was the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1925 until 1974 when it moved to a new venue on the outskirts of town. These days there are still concerts most nights and, in winter, the Opry moves back to its former home and broadcasts live.

The Station Inn

The Station Inn

For more than 40 years, The Station Inn has presented great bluegrass, roots and Americana music. It’s a small unassuming venue in the heart of Nashville, an area known as the Gulch.  Many of the world’s most successful musicians have played at here, including Bill Monroe, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss and John Prine. What’s great is that it sells beer and pizza at pub prices and the admission prices are low.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Elvis, of course, is featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and they’ve even got one of his gold plated Cadillacs. However he takes a back seat to this unrivalled collection of country music artefacts, recordings, photographs and videos, spreading over two floors. And it’s not all country – the most recent exhibition is dedicated to Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and the Nashville Cats.

Studio B

After RCA bought his contract from Sun, Elvis started making money for the company and they built these studios in 1957, in part so he could record here. More than 35,000 songs were brought to life at Studio B, including over 260 Elvis recordings, 40 million selling singles, and more than 1,000 American hits – songs like Roy Orbison’s “Only the Lonely,” the Everly Brothers’ “Dream,” Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and Elvis’s “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” A guided tour takes you round the studios, tells the story behind many of their greatest hits and you can even sit at the famous Elvis piano.

Tupelo, Mississippi

Elvis Aaron Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935, to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a wooden two room shack, built by his father, grandfather and uncle. They moved out when he was only a few years old but, in 1957, he donated the proceeds of a concert to the city so they could create a park here.

Elvis Birthplace

They purchased 15 acres, including the house and renamed the road around it Elvis Presley Drive. Of course the original furniture was long gone, but from 1971, the East Heights Garden Club made it their business to duplicate the house’s contents. You can now see how it might have been when the Presleys lived here in the thirties in the Elvis Presley Birthplace

Although the house now sits in green parkland, there used to be other houses nearby. In 2008, the Assembly of God Pentecostal wooden framed church was moved here from a block away. In this building, Elvis was first exposed to the rich Southern gospel that became a staple of his musical repertoire. Today, there are no live services, but instead a 15 minute multimedia recreation of a Pentecostal service from the 1940s.

Elvis Church

There’s also a small museum displaying the collection of Janelle McComb, a Tupelo resident and friend of the Presley family. Highlights include examples of Elvis’s splendid dress sense – corduroy suits, an orange-striped parka, and fishnet and paisley shirts with puffed sleeves. A huge diorama shows the neighbourhood as it appeared during Elvis’s boyhood.

Memphis, Tennessee

After being the undisputed capitol of soul music, Memphis went into depression after the assignation of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorraine Motel here in 1968. These days it’s undergoing something of a revival, with funky clubs on Beale Street providing non-stop live music, and a new Stax museum and Academy. Even Graceland, Elvis’s home for most of his working life, is expanding.

Sun Studio

Sun Studio

Sam Philips founded this tiny studio in an unassuming brick building in 1950, little knowing it would become the birthplace of rock and roll. Elvis paid to record his first tracks here in 1953, but Sam Philips called him back in 1954. The result was his first hit “That’s Alright (Mama)”, and there were five more over the next fifteen months. You can almost feel the star magic as Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, and many others recorded here. It’s still a functioning studio, although in use only at night, as hordes of fans pass through during the day.

Arcade Restaurant

A couple of miles away is the Arcade Restaurant, one of Elvis’ favourite haunts, and still growing strong. They’ve preserved his booth at the rear, where he would slip in unnoticed and sit with his back to the other diners. You can even order one of his favourites – a deep fried peanut butter and banana sandwich, although you might want to pass on the added bacon.

Graceland

Graceland (c) Rupert Parker

Thirty minutes from downtown is Graceland, the house that Elvis bought in March 1957 and occupied until he died. It’s a surprisingly unassuming property and even the furnishings, bearing in mind the excruciating bad taste of 70’s, are not too ghastly. Of course it’s been kept exactly as he left it, and you can see his parent’s bedroom, the kitchen, jungle room and basement den, although upstairs is out of bounds. Apparently his daughter, Lisa Marie, still makes use of it during festive occasions. Elvis is buried next to his parents outside, at the foot of the swimming pool.

Elvis Grave

Recently the land on the other side of the road has been transformed into a sprawling entertainment, retail, dining and exhibition complex, now named Elvis Presley’s Memphis. The highlight is the museum celebrating his music, movie and concerts, with hundreds of artefacts including a collection of suspiciously small jumpsuits.  In an adjacent building Presley Motors contains over 20 of his cars, including the iconic 1956 Pink Cadillac Eldorado, plus golf buggies, go carts and even a lawn mower. In a separate area sit two of his private jets and you can climb aboard the Convair 880, which has Lisa Marie’s name painted on the fuselage.

Elvis Pink Cadillac

Elvis loved home cooking so there are two themed restaurants named after his parents, Gladys and Vernon. Gladys’ Diner features classic American fare, including that famous Elvis sandwich and Vernon’s Smokehouse serves authentic Memphis BBQ, smoked in-house.  Of course, if you’re after Elvis merchandise you’ll find the world’s largest collection on sale in the various gift shops.

Smithsonian’s Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum

Rock and Soul Museum

Memphis, of course, isn’t just about Elvis and the Smithsonian’s Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum brings its impeccable eye to the story of the three important revolutions in music that happened here. It takes you from the birth of the blues in the ‘20s, rock and roll in the ‘50s and soul music in the ‘60s.

Stax Museum of American Soul Music

Stax Museum

In another part of town, Stax Studios has risen from the dead and is now the Stax Music Museum of American Soul Music. It includes a recreated studio plus artefacts from the time and a well laid out display telling the history. Next door there’s the Stax Music Academy which nurtures young black talent and stages occasion concerts.

The Islands Of The Bahamas with their famous pink sands and turquoise sea are home to 16 main islands and thousands of cays and islets which offer a wealth of diverse experiences.  Here we pick out ten of the best:

Bahamian People-to-People afternoon tea

People to people tea party

In Nassau have afternoon tea at the historic and imposing Government House, the official residence of The Governor of The Bahamas. On the last Friday of the month the Bahamian People-to-People programme offers complimentary afternoon tea with a fashion show, live music and shuttle transfer to your hotel, providing luxury and colonial history for no charge.

Bahama Barrels: blend-your-own-wine experience

Bahama Barrels

The luxurious 18th century Graycliff Hotel is a Nassau institution and has recently introduced a range of experiences including Bahama Barrels, where you learn to blend your own wine in the oldest Church in the Bahamas (across the road from the main hotel). Guided by Jason, a Californian winemaker, you learn all about wine production, grapes and tasting. The experience concludes when you blend, name and bottle your very own bottle of wine to take home.

Cost: $49.95 per person (18+ Years). Available Monday to Saturday at 11:15am

Island Hopping – Harbour Island or Eleuthera

Eleuthera

Take a day trip from Nassau to Harbour Island or Eleuthera with Bahamas Ferries and navigate between the islands. Harbour Island is famous for its miles of candy-floss pink sand and celebrity guests, whereas Eleuthera has sweet pineapple farms dotting the landscape and ideal conditions for surfing on the Atlantic side. And if you fancy staying on the island, try glamping at The Other Side, a collection of luxury tents overlooking the ocean.

Fares from Nassau to Harbour island from $81

Meet the Dolphins at Blue Lagoon

Meet the Dolphins at Blue Lagoon

Just three miles from Nassau, Blue Lagoon Island, also known as Salt Cay, has water sports including paddle boarding and water bikes, as well as dolphins and sea lions. Visitors can swim with the animals and spend the day relaxing on a tranquil beach. It’s a great family day out.

A Blue lagoon Beach day including animal encounters and lunch is from $32 for an adult.

Dive with Hammered Sharks

Great Hammerheads (c) Judith Baker

The iconic hammerhead sharks can be seen in The Out Island of Bimini from December to April. The Bahamas was made a shark sanctuary in 2011, making killing sharks illegal and shark tourism has flourished. Diving with the hammerhead sharks is an unforgettable adventure as the huge creatures swim around you and come within an arm’s length.

Great Hammerhead Safari costs $299 at Neal Watson’s scuba centre based at The Bimini Big Game Resort & Marina, North Bimini

Swim with Pigs

Swimming pigs in Exuma

The swimming pigs of The Exumas have become world famous but they can also be spotted on other islands including The Abacos. It is an incongruous but fascinating thing to see entire families of pigs running along a tropical beach in the sunshine and trotting into the water for a refreshing swim. Visitors can join them in the sea for dip when the pigs swim up for any free carrots.

Half day ocean safari in The Exumas on a power boat including swimming with pigs from $150

Sail and dive in Abaco Islands

Brendal dive center

The 120-mile–long chain of The Abacos is ideal for boating and sailing. Book a day trip with Brendal, who has run the dive centre on Green Turtle Cay for 35 years. He will regale you with tall tales while showing you how to feed rays by placing bits of fish between your toes. Stop for snorkelling before a BBQ lunch on a deserted beach with fresh fish and lobster prepared by Brendal himself.

Or sea dogs can hire a boat for the day and make their own tour around the coast stopping at uninhabited cays or the historic New Plymouth with its colourful 18th century buildings. Daily rates from $90

Grand Bahama Island Fish Fry

Smith’s Point Fish Fry

Fish Fry in The Bahamas dates back to pre-Colombian times and is a regular event throughout the islands with beach shacks serving food with a party atmosphere or small stalls cooking for locals. On Grand Bahama Island Wednesday night is the time to head to Smith Point. Get there early (about 6) before the queues form. Eat at tables overlooking the lovely beach and watch the sunset, then party until the small hours with music and dancing enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.

A fish dinner with fresh snapper or grouper, rice and peas and sides is about $12. Don’t miss the guava duff for pudding and wash it down with a rum punch or local Kalik beer. No need to book in advance – just take a taxi or shuttle, anyone will tell you where it is.

Dive into The Blue Hole

Dean’s Bluehole

Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island is the world’s second deepest blue hole at 633 feet below ground. It leads to the world’s eighth largest underwater cavern – filled with amazing marine life and fabulous colours. Perfect for shore divers, Dean’s Hole is also a mecca for free divers since the world Free Diving record was set here in 2007. Head here to snorkel and spot seahorses, rays, turtles and tarpons.

Deans Blue Hole is near Clarence Town, Long Island.

Try Conch Fritters

Conch Fritters

Conch (or conk as it is called here) is a pretty, pink, edible mollusc eaten throughout the region but a particular favourite in The Bahamas. Don’t leave without trying Conch Fritters: just one of a myriad ways of eating, these bite size fritters are the ideal appetiser at any time of the day and go especially well with a Bahama Mama cocktail or local beer like Kalik or Sands Radler which is a light fruity beer flavoured with grapefruit. Stop off at one of the many colourful conk stalls dotted throughout the islands.