North Korea

North Korea brings a whole new meaning to the concept of “rogue state,” with its provocative nuclear weapons programme and isolationist state, but its very covertness and backwardness are what make it appealing as a travel destination.  The capital, Pyongyang, has several sites worth visiting, including the Tower of the Juche Idea, the Chollima Statue and the Mansudae Grand Monument, but its real charm lies in the glimpses of real life you may catch if you can convince your guide to walk between sights rather than drive. Amble around Moran Hill, for example, and you will see locals picnicking, playing music, and relaxing on sunny afternoons. If you have the time and money to charter an internal flight, you will not be disappointed by Paekdusan (Mount Paekdu), on the Chinese-Korean border, the highest mountain in the country and a stunning geological phenomenon.

Fewer than 2,000 Westerners are admitted to North Korea every year, and acceptance is purely on its government’s terms, so you will have to accept that you will be accompanied by two government-approved local guides at all times and have no independence during your trip. But the opportunity to visit a country that is still waging the cold war, where modern technology has made no inroads, and where nobody questions the state’s authority, is too good to miss.

Myanmar

With the staging of national elections signalling a new political stability, Myanmar (also known as Burma) is on the hidden hot-list right now. Despite borders with the more tourist-savvy Thailand and India, Myanmar does not have a highly developed tourism industry, which just adds to its attraction. The people are exceptionally welcoming and mannerly, but you can expect to cause some excitement when visiting, particularly in more remote villages, as foreign travellers are not a common phenomenon.

The temples of the Bagan plain are easily as impressive as Cambodia’s Angkor Wat and far less thronged. Believed to date from the 11th and 13th centuries, the ruins of around 2,200 Buddhist temples, pagodas, and monasteries show how the ancient kingdom managed to unite the country’s diverse regions at the height of its powers. The Shwedagon Paya is the most sacred temple, with its golden stupa visible from miles away. Give yourself at least half a day to explore the site, as the range and scale of the complex can be overwhelming.

Walk the 1,200-metre teak footbridge across the Taungthaman Lake or cruise to Mandalay by riverboat. The Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea offer 1,930 km of coastline for you to explore. Bus trips from Yangon take up to 20 hours, but if you commit to the trek, the golden sands of Ngapali Beach (pictured below) are definitely worth it.  The resort of Chaungtha and the beautiful Ngwe Saung Beach are more easily accessible from Yangon.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Though no longer on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger, the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador are one of the planet’s most fragile environments and a trip to explore its unique species will certainly make you think differently about the world. The islands have become much easier to visit too, with new railway lines connecting the Ecuadorian capital Quito to the port of Guayaquil, from where most boats to the Galapagos depart.

When you arrive on the islands, 1,000 km from the mainland, you’ll feel as if you’ve entered a different world, where giant tortoises, land iguanas, penguins, sea lions, and other exotic wildlife act as if humans were nothing more than a minor irritant.  Despite their image as an uninhabited utopia, the Galapagos have some 30,000 residents, so they are surprisingly well developed as a sustainable tourist destination.  These islands have undoubtedly gained a mythical status due to their relationship with Charles Darwin, but they remain one of the few places on Earth where the effects of human civilisation are barely visible.

While you’re in the area, you should also visit Cuenca, a colonial city famous for its architectural sites and buildings, which is less than a three-hour drive by rental car from Guayaquil.

Montenegro

With the most of the Mediterranean about as off-the-beaten track as Disney World, Montenegro comes as a pleasant surprise.  With golden beaches flanked by sapphire seas, rugged peaks, plunging canyons, graceful architecture, ancient towns, and a balmy climate, Montenegro should be thronged by holiday-makers, and, although coastal resorts do get pretty crowded in peak season, adventurous travellers can easily escape to the wild mountains of the north, where wolves and bears still hide out.

Explore historic walled towns including Budva, Kotor, Stari Bar, and Herceg Novi, and sleepy seaside hamlets, where it’s easy to find accommodation. A country of mystery and spectacle, Montenegro offers magical wildernesses dotted with gems such as the Bay of Kotor and the idyllic beaches of its Riviera.  The craggy interior is well worth investigating too, particularly given the development of new hiking and biking trails and a continually improving infrastructure.

Sri Lanka

Brought to its knees by the 2004 tsunami and battered by civil war from 1983 to 2009, Sri Lanka has long been off the radar for even the most adventurous travellers. After four years of stability and substantial investment in the tourism industry, however, visitor numbers are starting to rise.  It’s not an expensive place to stay, and low-cost flights are available from Bangkok, making Sri Lanka one of the best-value holiday hot spots right now, so book your car hire from Colombo Airport and get ready to explore.

For safaris, Sri Lanka is a far more budget-friendly option than Africa, with just as much incredible wildlife. Expect to see wild elephants, leopards, deer, and a host of other big game in any of the island’s 14 national parks.  The most visited is Yala, an invaluable hub for the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants.  You should also visit Sigiriya, a ruined city built as the island’s capital by King Kassapa I in the 5th century.  Getting to the site involves a strenuous climb, but the impressive layout and stunning views make the effort worthwhile.

Colombia

When it comes to visiting Colombia, many countries advise extreme caution or even avoiding the country altogether, but there is no need to miss out on one of the most unspoiled countries in South America.  Following decades of civil unrest, Colombia is now safe to visit, as long as you use your common sense. Don’t take cabs late at night, keep out of unsavoury areas in the big cities, and keep your expensive gadgets out of sight, and you can get on with enjoying one of South America’s gems.

The country’s sheer variety will amaze you, offering modern cities, beautiful beaches, jungle treks, Amazon safaris, and hiking in the Sierra Nevada, among its many delights. For sun worshippers, Colombia has spectacular, pristine beaches along its 1,700km Caribbean coastline and its additional 1,448 km of Pacific coast.  Colombia’s personality is most apparent in its  mountains and in the cities of Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali. You will find the mountain infrastructure good, the Spanish easy to understand, and the people upbeat and friendly. Life is slower on the sultry Caribbean coast, where everything functions at a more relaxed pace.

The post The Final Frontiers: Best Holiday Destinations off the Beaten Track appeared first on Nova Blog.

1. Avoid sugar.  Sweet snacks and drinks may give you a quick boost, but your energy will nose-dive just as quickly, resulting in drowsiness and lethargy.  Instead, eat combinations of protein and complex carbohydrates to sustain your energy levels.  Try nuts, seeds, fruit, and other snacks that can be eaten safely while driving.

2. Eat slowly. Choose snacks that are eaten in small pieces, and make them last.  Increasing your activity levels will make it easier to stay awake.

3. Eat sunflower seeds. It’s all about occupying the brain, so when you have to crack and open a seed, deposit the contents in your mouth, and discard the shell (without littering), you’re reducing the chances of falling asleep.

4. Chew gum. You may never allow gum past your lips at any other time, but if you chew while driving, it stops you from yawning – which, in turn, prevents you from nodding off.  Truckers do it all the time on long journeys. Just remember not to stop chewing, even when your jaws get sore.

5. Keep the temperature down. Make the car a little cooler than is comfortable, but not so cold that your body and brain cease to function properly. An open window boosts oxygen levels and keeps you awake.

6. Play music you hate. Loud.  If you listen to music you like, your brain will go to a happy place, making you more likely to drift off.  Find a radio station that plays really irritating tunes, or even a talk radio show whose contributors’ views you disagree with. You’ll be too annoyed to snooze.

7. Sing along to the music or talk to somebody in the car. Don’t talk on a mobile phone, as it reduces your already strained response times, increasing your chances of having an accident.   Singing and talking occupy the brain without affecting your driving.

8. Keep your head moving. Shake your head from time to time, and even slap it if you start to drowse.

9. Use wet wipes to refresh your face.  The tingle will keep you awake.

10. Move your seat. Shift the driver’s seat to an unfamiliar position – ensuring the airbag will not injure you if deployed and that you still have clear visibility.  As soon as you become accustomed to the position, change it again.

11. Turn on the inside light at night. Once it gets dark, your body starts producing the hormone melatonin, in preparation for sleep.  Switch on the light before you get too drowsy, as, once you have sufficient levels of melatonin in your body, it’s hard to return to an alert state without a nap.

12. Take breaks every two hours, minimum.  It may tempting to push on until you reach your destination, but your body needs regular breaks from driving, even if it’s just to stop for the bathroom or stretch at a lay-by.

The post Best Ways to Stay Awake on Long Drives appeared first on Nova Blog.

1. Be prepared. Some surprises are not nice, so, before you head off on an epic road trip, tell your little ones where you are going and what you will do there.  Make your travel plans part of the adventure by showing them pictures of your destination and looking it up online together.  Note your departure date on a calendar, and get your kids to take turns marking off the days until the date arrives.  Bring up your travel plans regularly, so it comes as no surprise when you finally leave.

2. Get an early start.  Get all your luggage into the car the night before and pile the kids into their seats before they’re completely conscious.  By starting the journey while they’re still half asleep, you’ll have a good hour of the journey completed in relative quiet.

3. Learn to love multimedia.  Forget your usual restrictions on technology for the trip.  Take whatever may buy you some quiet time – portable DVD player, tablet PC, game console, phone loaded with appropriate apps.  Make sure you bring a supply of car adaptor plugs and chargers!

4. Stock up with familiar foods. Just as you need to abandon your rules on media usage, you should forget about rationing snacks.  Your child will not become an overweight, toothless, junk-food addict overnight, so make sure you have a generous supply of favourite snacks.  Don’t start doling it out straightaway, though: It works better as a bribe if you keep the food until later in the journey.

5. Break it up.  You may have target times in your head for reaching your destination, but don’t be tempted to keep going to make up for lost time.  Your sanity will suffer in the long term if you don’t take a couple of stretch breaks before stress levels become too high.

6. Delay returns.  When it’s time to make the return trip, leave it as late in the evening as possible. If you’ve just had a week away, your children should be too worn out to raise much of a protest. Once they’ve had their dinner and dressed for bed, strap them into the car. If you’re lucky, full tummies and exhaustion should render them unconscious before you get too far, thus allowing you to drive the rest of the way in peace.

The post Long Drives with Kids: How Not to Go Mad appeared first on Nova Blog.

Even if you believe burning fossil fuels has about as much effect on climate change as lighting the candles on a birthday cake, high oil prices make fuel conservation a no-brainer.  The good news is that your car’s mileage per gallon is not some mysterious figure over which you have no control: It changes according to a range of influences – not least of which is your own behaviour as a driver. Take note of the following fuel-saving tips when you next rent a car:

1. Take It Easy

Slow down and drive less aggressively and you’ll use less fuel.  Figures from the U.S. Department of Energy reveal that simply reducing your speed from 105 kph to 90 kph can enhance your fuel efficiency by up to 15 percent. And when you accelerate, do so slowly.   In heavy traffic, travel at a steady pace, rather than abruptly speeding up and then braking.  The friction of braking takes from your power, and less braking also means you can keep your speed without acceleration. This simple driving change will easily yield 10% to 20% better mileage.

2. Switch Off

Unless you expect to be stopped for under 30 seconds, you should switch off the engine.  Just ten seconds of idling can consume more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it, and every two minutes your car spends idling is costing you about a mile’s worth of petrol.  If you consider that the average person idles their car for between five and ten minutes per day, you could be driving an extra 2,900 km per year—without going anywhere!

3. Watch your Windows

At speeds of under 65 kph, the most fuel-efficient way to keep the air circulating in your car is to open the windows and turn the air conditioner off, but you should close your windows at speeds above 88kph because drag will cut your fuel economy by at least 20 percent.

4. Shop Around

Use the Internet to compare fuel prices in the local area, but don’t drive out of your way to save a cent a litre.  Premium-price premium fuel usually has a higher octane level and some detergents, but there is no need to use it if your vehicle is one of the millions that runs satisfactorily on regular grade fuel.

5. Check your fuel cap.

Every time you fill up, tighten the fuel cap to the second click to avoid evaporation. If you think that such a move sounds slightly obsessive and unlikely to save you more than a few drops of fuel, you will be surprised to discover that loose, missing or damaged fuel caps account for the evaporation of an estimated 147 million gallons of fuel every year.

6. Don’t drive high.

This will be of little comfort to you if you are touring the French Alps or taking a scenic trip around the Rockies, but as you climb higher, your fuel economy declines due to declines in oxygen levels.  Less oxygen in the atmosphere at higher altitudes means your car produces less power, so you have to pump the accelerator more to maintain performance, thus using more fuel. Turbocharged vehicles tend to do better on higher roads because they can force more air into the combustion chamber to generate power.

The post Top Tips For Fuel-Efficient Driving appeared first on Nova Blog.

Mallorca

Let’s be honest:  Most of Mallorca’s annual 10 million visitors come for the sun, but there is a lot more to this Balearic island than beaches. The capital, Palma, is a delightful city of castles, churches, and parks, and it makes a great base for exploring the rest of Mallorca in a hire car.   The limestone Cuevas del Drach (Caves of the Dragon), located just outside the attractive marina town of Porto Cristo, are lined with magnificent stalactites and stalagmites. Take a guided tour and enjoy a performance by hooded classical musicians who float out of the shadows at the far side of Lago de Martel to the accompaniment of a light show.

Mountains are not the first thing you think of when Mallorca springs to mind, but this island does have a rugged side. Drive north on the scenic C710 in your rental car and discover the Serra de Tramuntana.  The road twists and turns, so take your time and relish the incredible scenery. You will be treated to an astonishing mix of lush tropical vegetation and dramatic lunar landscapes against a craggy mountain backdrop.

Extract maximum value from your car hire with a drive around the rocky peninsula of Formentor, in north-east Mallorca. Beginning in Puerto Pollensa, head off on a 20km drive of cliff-clinging roads and extreme bends, dotted with viewing points where you can stop and enjoy the spectacular views. Formentor itself is home to soaring 120m cliffs, scattered with seabirds and a range of protected plants.  At the foot of the cliffs is a small but perfect beach, set in a tiny, sun-soaked cove.

Speaking of beaches, some of the best are Alcudia and Port de Pollensa on the north coast and Magaluf and Palma Nova to the west. With over 300 days of annual sunshine and year-round heat, you can’t go wrong.

Sicily

Forget everything you thought you knew about Italy when you hire a car in Sicily.  Crammed with artistic gold, struggling with inadequate infrastructure, and inextricably linked with the Mafia, Sicily is a place where the sun seems to shine with greater intensity and life seems to be lived at a more intense level than elsewhere in Italy.  Prepare for baroque grandeur in Catania, shabby chic in Palermo, and unfailingly delicious food everywhere.

Having endured some 2,500 years of foreign invasions, Sicilians can lay claim to a magnificent cultural legacy, from the graceful buildings of Magna Graecia to the captivating clash of Arab craftsmanship and Norman simplicity. Palermo’s Palazzo Reale, for example, is an imposing Norman palace that houses the Cappella Palatina, a glittering 12th-century chapel full of gold mosaics, and the nearby Cattedrale is distinguished by a patchwork of architectural styles influenced by Arab, Norman, Spanish, and Roman influences. This eclectic culture is accompanied by a dramatic range of landscapes, from the volcanic rumblings of Mount Etna to the aquamarine coastline and the delights of the Parco Naturale Regionale Delle Madonie.

And then there’s the food:  Sicilian delicacies include arancine (rice balls filled with meat sauce or ham and cheese), pane e pannelle (sandwich of fried pancakes of chick-pea flour), granite, and cannoli.  If you’re feeling adventurous – or just very hungry – try pane con la milza or pane ca’ meusa, a very filling, soft bread roll stuffed with fried spleen.

Madeira

If you’ve been dismissing Madeira as a quiet backwater where you might go to recover after hip-replacement surgery, you’re in for a surprise.  A stunning escape for the heat-seeking hip, Madeira offers year-round subtropical warmth and is perfect for a range of outdoor pursuits. Rent a car in Funchal and explore the network of more than 1,000 miles of small canals called levadas, which double as walkways to explore Madeira’s dramatic volcanic landscapes, tiny villages, and lush vineyards.

Black volcanic sand distinguish its beaches from your usual white sandy paradise, but bathers can’t get enough of the warm, sparkling water, and non-swimmers can try windsurfing and big-game fishing in a subtropical setting.

Wander around the picturesque cobbled streets, inviting cafes and restaurants, and great shops of the capital, Funchal. For a new take on transport, park your hire car and take the cable car from Funchal to the hilltop town of Monte (well worth a trip in its own right), and then slide down the steep streets in a carro de cesto, a kind of wicker sled.  The ride down takes about 20 minutes.

Madeira wine may have something of a dusty image, but a Madeira wine-tasting tour will open your eyes to the exceptional vintages being produced on the island. You won’t believe just how much work goes into a bottle of Madeira before it gets to your glass, and even the most restrained wine drinker will be tempted to try vintages worth several times the tour ticket price.

Malta

Malta may be an exposed rock that gets its share of stormy weather from November to March, but rent a car in Malta in summer and you can sit in the Mediterranean sun, ice clinking in your glass, as your friends back home think about throwing another log on the fire.

For the best of the Mediterranean in miniature, Malta is hard to beat.  The islands of Malta, Gozo, and Comino take up just 316 square kilometres of space between them, so you can see everything without running your hire car into the ground, and range of influences from North African to Arabian to Sicilian means something interesting lies around every sunny bend in the road.

The pocket-size historic capital of Valletta (a UNESCO world heritage capital) is completely unscathed by tourism, and it offers some incredibly stylish yet affordable apartments and hotels. Drop your luggage and make for the Upper Barrakka Gardens for a stunning view over the Grand Harbour, where Malta’s courage in ferocious sea battles during World War II earned a George Cross for bravery for the entire island. St. John’s Co-Cathedral leaves most European versions in the shade with its lavish ornamentation, marble tombstones, and soaring arches testimony to the Knights of St. John’s tireless efforts to out-bling the Medicis.  You’ll even find a huge Caravaggio – The Beheading of St. John – in the back room.

The world’s only prehistoric subterranean temple, the Hypogeum of Paola contains 500 square metres of halls, burial chambers, and passages hewn from rock.  A carefully maintained climate means that only a limited number of visitors are allowed to enter the Hypogeum every day, so reserve your tickets as far in advance as possible.

With some of the clearest, warmest waters of the Mediterranean, Malta is one of the world’s leading diving destinations. Rocky reefs, caverns, flourishing marine life, and the enigmatic wrecks of Malta’s maritime history make it the ideal location for beginners and more experienced divers alike.

Sardinia

Sicily rarely gets to share the spotlight when it comes to Italian islands, but Sardinia, just south of Corsica, is a hidden gem, sparkling in the Mediterranean.  Phoenicians, Romans, Moors and Catalans have all tried to vanquish this island, but instead of crushing it, they have left it with delightfully diverse cultural legacy, ready to be discovered when you hire a car in Sardinia.

The most appealing beaches in the entire Mediterranean Sea cluster around the coast of Sardinia. One of Italy’s longest beaches, Poetto, lies just east of Cagliari. Expanses of fine sand stretch to the horizon, and the inviting restaurant at the harbour on the southern end is the perfect place to end an evening by the sea.  Poetto is also a great location for watersports, including surfing.

Drag yourself away from the beach and explore the island’s inland delights, including the 8,000 Nuraghi stone dwellings scattered across Sardinia.  Unique to the island, these beehive-like Bronze Age buildings are shrouded in mystery, although many believe that they were used  either as religious temples or as military forts. The most well known Nuraghe is the Unesco World Heritage Site Nuraxi su Barumini, located about 60 km north of Cagliari.

You cannot leave the island without trying some of the local delicacies.  Sardinian food is characterised by strong flavours, something it shares with the local wine, cannonau. Carasau (a thin crispy bread), porcheddu (basted piglet) and culurgiones (a ravioli-like pasta stuffed with pecorino cheese and mint) are traditional favourites.

The post Island Hopping in Europe appeared first on Nova Blog.

1. In Connecticut & Tennessee, hunting from cars is illegal, unless it’s whale hunting.

2. In Pennsylvania, any motorist who sights a team of horses coming toward him must pull well off the road, cover his car with a blanket or canvas that blends with the countryside, and let the horses pass.  If the horses appear skittish, the motorist must dismantle his car and hide it under the nearest bushes.

3. Motorists driving on country roads in Pennsylvania at night must stop every mile to send up a rocket signal and wait ten minutes for any livestock to clear before continuing.

4. In Glendale, California, it is illegal to leap from a car travelling at 65mph.

5. In London, England, it is illegal to flag down a taxi cab if you have the plague.

6. In Denmark, it is a legal requirement to check under your car before getting in to check whether there any sleeping children underneath.

7. It is okay to drive a sleigh drawn by a horse or other animal on an Ontario highway, but it must have at least two bells attached to the harness.

8. If your car breaks down in the middle of the street in Detroit, Michigan, you are not allowed to read a newspaper.

9. In Galveston, Texas, it is illegal to drive within an arm’s length of alcohol. That includes alcohol in another person’s bloodstream.

10. You are not allowed to tie your dog to the roof of your car in Alaska.

11. When driving on the sidewalk in Oregon, you must give way to pedestrians.

12. In Georgia, Marietta, it is against the law to spit from a car or a bus, but you may spit from a truck

13. Motorists approaching the intersection of Douglas and Broadway in Wichita, Kansas, must get out of their vehicles and fire three shotgun rounds into the air.

14. In Youngstown, Ohio, it is illegal to ride on the roof of a taxi.

15. A woman driving a car in Memphis, Tennessee, must have a man walking/running in front of the vehicle waving a red flag to warn approaching traffic.

16. You cannot drive in a graveyard in North Carolina unless you are going to dig a grave or bury somebody.

17. Helsinki in Finland bases speeding tickets on the offender’s annual income, so Anssi Vanjoki, a senior executive at Nokia, was fined $103,600 for driving his Harley-Davidson motorbike at 75 km/h (47 mph) in a 50km/h (31 mph) zone.  This is believed to be the highest speeding fine ever imposed.

18. It is illegal to clean one’s car with used underwear in San Francisco.

19. Your licence may be revoked in Greece if you appear poorly dressed or unwashed while driving.

20. It is illegal for a chicken to cross the road in Quitman, Georgia.

The post World’s Most Bizarre Driving Laws appeared first on Nova Blog.

Algarve

Raising your arm to apply more sun cream may be the most strenuous thing you do while on your car-hire break in the Algarve.  Watch the world go by, or simply snooze on the golden sand – it’s easy to become an idling expert in the beach haven of the Algarve.  If all that relaxation proves too much, you can always use your rental car to explore the other delights of this region of Portugal.  From the medieval wonders of Faro and the idyllic alleyways of Alte to the towering hikers’ heaven of Monchique and the stunning golf courses of Quinta da Lago, the Algarve has a holiday escape for you.  Algarve beaches are renowned for the quality of their fine, golden sand, although few can compare with Praia da Marinha, about half-way between Albufeira and Portimao, which is framed by golden cliff walls and beautiful natural arch formations.

Costa del Sol

Spain’s Costa del Sol (Sunshine coast) endures as one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations.  Stretching from from Estepona in the west to Nerja in the east, this seaside setting is naturally beautiful, with towering hills and mountains overlooking the sparkling ocean, but with successive layers of tourist developments, from hotel and apartment tower-blocks to villa homes and leisure complexes, it can be difficult to escape the crowds.  Places like Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola,and Puerto Banus have everything you could need for a holiday in the sun, and be sure to use your rental car to explore historic Malaga, birthplace of Picasso.

Costa Brava

Extending from Blanes, 60km north of Barcelona, to Spain’s border with France, the Costa Brava is shaking off its image as a sangria-and-chips destination to justifiably promote the gorgeous forested coves, lofty cliffs, and sandy beaches of this part of Spain.  You’ll enjoy all the advantages of mass tourism, from frequent flights to a wide variety of hotels and apartments, but if you take the slightest detour off the beaten track, you’ll discover unique experiences that will dispel any feeling of being part of a tourist pack.   One example is the delightful Platja de Castell, near Palamós, a stunning sandy beach that has escaped development.

Costa Blanca

A strip of sunny, sandy coastline more than 200 km long cannot escape the tourist hordes for long, so it’s hardly surprising that Spain’s Costa Blanca (White Coast) is one of Europe’s most popular areas for visitors.   Head to Alicante, Benidorm, and Alicante for a vibrant social scene, well-serviced beaches, and an almost-guaranteed suntan, but it’s not all about sunburnt foreigners and burger joints:  Rent a car and travel north of Alicante and you’ll be surprised at how quickly the atmosphere turns from touristy to traditional. Most of the old fishing villages have been obliterated by high-rise resorts, but the heart of towns like Xàbia (Jávea) and Altea remain stubbornly and authentically Spanish.

French Riviera

Think ritzy resort, and the French Riviera immediately breezes into view.  Home to some of Europe’s best beaches, as well as some of its most beautiful people, the Cote d’Azur is a glamorous strip of icing-sugar sand, dotted with golden-limbed glitterati and exclusive hotels.

But it is also a gateway to one of the most beautiful places on earth and can be reassuringly laid-back and affordable, if you know where to look. Backed by the cooling French Alps, the area remains deliciously warm – but not overpoweringly so – all summer long.  St Tropez, Cannes, and Nice offer soft sand and sleepy waves, making them ideal for swimmers, sunbathers, and families.  Though you should be aware that it is the norm to go topless on most French Riviera beaches.

The post Best Beaches in Europe appeared first on Nova Blog.

Mellieha Bay / Ghadira Bay, Mellieha

The biggest sandy beach in Malta - and arguably one of the best beaches in the entire Mediterranean – Ghadira Bay in Mellieha is just a 30km drive from Valletta. Easy to get to and offering ramped access directly to the sand, it is the perfect family beach, but the downside is it can get pretty packed between June and September, especially at weekends. Facilities include pedalo hire, parasailing, a floating play area, and cafes. You can also hire sunbeds and umbrellas.

Golden Bay

It’s difficult to choose between Golden Bay and its neighbour, Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, which lie on the western coast of Malta. Golden Bay has more facilities, and it is also home to the 5-star Radisson Golden Sands, so you can lounge on the aptly named beach all day and then dine in style at the hotel. Both beaches are only minutes away from the town of Mgarr, 18.5km from Valletta. Restrict your swimming to shallow waters, however, as there are powerful undercurrents.

Ghajn Tuffieha Bay

If skinny dipping is not something you approve of, you might want to avoid parts of Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, which, though not an official nudist beach (nudity is actually technically illegal), does attract a share of swimwear-shunning sunbathers. There’s a climb of more than 100 steps down to the beach, but the view is exceptional. The beach itself is a sweeping stretch of sheltered sand, and the area around it has an abundance of paths for walkers.

Gnejna Bay

Also close to Mgarr is the picturesque bay of Gnejna. Golden Bay and Ghajn Tuffieha may be better looking, but this homelier cousin offers the shallow waters and sandy beach that families crave. Possibly its greatest draw is the absence of tourists, as it is mainly frequented by locals. The right hand side of the beach is favoured by nudists.

Imgiebah

If your perfect beach is completely devoid of so-called facilities (cafes, bars, pedalo hire), then you’ll love Imgiebah on Mgiebah Bay, near Selmun, about 16 km from Valletta. The beach can be quite difficult to find, so it tends to be virtually deserted.  Once you do locate this gem, you will have to park your hire car and climb down a small cliff to the kind of beach generally associated with desert-island shipwreck victims.  The effort is more than worth it.

Pretty Bay

The only sandy beach in southern Malta, Pretty Bay is a well-serviced beach in Birzebbugia that has been attracting Maltese holiday-makers for decades. Transformed from a rocky strand using sand recovered from the sea during dredging works, Pretty Bay is located below a seafront dotted with bars, cafés, restaurants, and kiosks, and it also offers a playground and football pitch. Though a fine beach in itself, it’s not worth driving from the north for.

The post The Best Beaches in Malta appeared first on Nova Blog.

Fuzeta

The fishing village of Fuzeta is a 25km drive from Faro airport and a world away in terms of its setting.  The beach just outside the town can get quite busy during high season, but take a boat trip across the lagoon of the mighty Ria Formosa to really experience the delights of Fuzeta.  The company Passeios Ria Formosa describes itself as a company dedicated to nature, and it offers well-priced trips to deserted island beaches ringed by sparkling water and pristine sand.  Your expert guides can bring you fishing if you wish, and they also offer full day tours of the nature reserve.  Birds, dolphins, oyster beds, lighthouses, and historic sites all come to life, thanks to their helpful and detailed commentary.

Olhão

Just 10 km from Fuzeta you’ll find the fascinating and wonderfully untouristy fishing village of Olhão.  Dubbed the “the city of cubes,” the village is famous for its blocky white-washed houses with their Moorish architectural features, a legacy of the late 18th century.  A combination of newfound prosperity from a thriving fishing industry and an influx of Moroccan immigrants inspired locals to build their houses in this geometric style, so that sometimes you feel as if you’re walking around a city in the Middle East.

Praia do Alvor

The fishing village of Alvor perches on the estuary of the Rio Alvor, 67 km from Faro.  Stroll past the fishermen’s cottages to the sweeping, sandy beach, flanked by high dunes that back on to a lagoon created by the Alvor river. This is a prime spot for watersports, especially kitesurfing.  If you prefer dry land, the paths that weave through the dunes are ideal for cycling and wildlife-watching.  Continue along the beach to its eastern end, where it becomes  Praia de Três Irmãos (“beach of the three brothers”), so named because of its trio of rock formations. The rocks and cliffs mean this beach is far more sheltered than Praia de Alvor, offering the perfect setting for lounging in the sun.

Aldeia da Pedralva

Rent a car in the Algarve and discover the Costa Vicentina, a magnificent sweep of coast between Cabo de São Vicente and Odeceixe. Here you can still find oases of natural beauty and wonderfully wild beaches, and buried among these gems is the reclaimed village of Pedralva, once a pile of ruins in an exceptional setting near the Southwest Alentejo nature reserve.  Some 200 dilapidated houses were purchased from their original owners and rebuilt according to their original design. The developers adopted a sustainable approach to tourism, and you can now enjoy surfing, biking, trekking, fishing, bird-watching, and golf in affordable, traditional accommodation.

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If you thought Greece was a great location for a beach holiday and little else, you’ll change your mind when you rent a car here.  True, all that powdery sand flanked by flower-strewn white cottages, sapphire skies, and even bluer waters are enough to keep you drawn to the beach for a while, but when you’re ready to explore, Greece is a venerable treasure chest of historic sights and dramatic scenery, all ready to be discovered in a rental car.

Athens

Driving in Athens is only for those with nerves of steel, but luckily, its must-see attractions are easily navigable on foot.  Walk to the Acropolis to see the Parthenon, one of the most-visited destinations in the world.  You should also visit the Acropolis Museum for its exceptionally fine  sculptures, and the Theatre of Dionysus, the birthplace of Greek drama.  Other delights include the National Archaeological Museum, with its stunning jewels and gold masks.  After that, you could head to the Ancient Agora and the Kerameikos Cemetery, to see how the ordinary folk of historic Athens lived.

Santorini

Santorini is as fabulous as the guidebooks say.  Succumb to the charms of its magical landscape, a legacy of what may have been the biggest volcanic eruption in world history.  See the caldera (huge volcanic crater) and its massive curtain wall of multi-hued cliffs, and welcome the evenings with their spectacular sunsets.  Crowds flock to the northern village of Oia for its uninterrupted views of the evening horizon, but there are quieter sunset viewing points right around the caldera.

Mykonos

Mykonos is a sparkly island with a camp reputation, but under the glitz is a delightful and fun resort where hedonists, celebrities, and poseurs mingle happily in the maze-like streets of Mykonos town.  Escape the incessant partying at the island’s handful of secluded beaches, and linger among the chic bars, restaurants and shops.

Northern Greece

Tourists may be familiar with the Greek islands, but the northern mainland is perfect for a scenic drive.  One superb route winds from the lakeside town of Ioannina, capital of Epirus, through dramatic mountain scenery to the monasteries of Meteora, six miraculous and magnificent structures balanced on 400-metre-high sandstone stacks.  Another recommended driving route takes you from the lakeside town of Kastoria, to the stunning and secluded Prespa Lakes, shared by Greece, Albania, and Macedonia.

Delphi

Drive 178 km northwest of Athens and you’ll arrive at one of the biggest tourist attractions in  Greece.  The ancient Greeks based the centre of their world on a dizzying cliff edge here and called it the Sanctuary of Apollo.  Now, visitors flock here, but the location remains breathtaking, despite the constant influx of tour buses.

Crete

Greece’s biggest island, Crete is also probably its most interesting.  Even if the very mention of history makes you yawn, you cannot fail to be impressed by an island that contains not only the legendary birthplace of Zeus but also Minoan palace ruins, Byzantine monasteries, Venetian forts, and ancient mosques. Hania is an inspiring Venetian port city, and the capital, Iraklio, is one of Greece’s most vibrant.  And if history and exciting cities don’t do it for you, there’s always the celebrated (and reputedly life-extending) Cretan cuisine, stunning beaches, and spectacular mountain scenery.

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