Tag: summer villa holidays

Where’s hot in November?

Where’s hot in November?

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Lanzarote

Make cold, dark mornings and drizzly days a thing of the past on a holiday filled with warm winter sunshine. Jet off to the warmer climes of the Canary Islands and make lasting holiday memories with your family on a villa holiday to Lanzarote or Fuerteventura, which boast high temperatures of 22-23°C. Swap your bobble hat for swimwear and prepare for brighter days and a luxury property with your own private heated pool.

You’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to things to do in Lanzarote. When you’re not enjoying your private and tranquil villa Villa Pacifico, nestled in a quiet location but just 800 yards from the beach, hop in the car and explore everything that this beautiful island has to offer. It’s not difficult to see why Lanzarote made our list of where’s hot in November.  

For eight Euros, an absolute must-see when visiting Lanzarote is the Timanfaya National Park, which attracts many tourists every year with its rare species of plants and geological formations. You need to book a tour to visit, as the volcano is still active. Many visitors like to pour water on the ground, which then sizzles and bubbles away to miniature geysers. When you need a bite to eat, indulge in some lunch at Restaurant El Diablo designed by César Manrique, which serves Canarian specialities. 

Green-fingered visitors will enjoy visiting the island’s Jardin de Cactus, which is home to over 4,500 different specimens and 13 families of cactus. Take a stroll around the peaceful gardens originally designed by César Manrique, complete with lava ponds, a windmill and a restaurant serving cactus burgers. 

Have you come to Lanzarote for a beach break? If you’d rather take things more slowly, azure waters and white-sand beaches are aplenty on this calm island. With 213km of coastline, you can visit quiet beaches like Papagayo, which are dramatic and a little more off-piste, or Famara, which boasts an Atlantic breeze that makes it great for watersports and surfing. We recommend a wine-tasting tour after some fun on the beach, where you can unwind with a glass in your hand while the winter sun sets on another glorious day. Visit Bodegas El Grifo, which is the oldest vineyard in Lanzarote. 

Fuerteventura

Offering year-round sunshine (3,000 hours in total), it isn’t hard to see why Fuerteventura makes our where’s hot in November must-visit guide. Famous for its sand dunes, rugged landscape, watersports and some of the best beaches in the Canary Islands, this beautiful island offers travellers plenty to see and do, whatever you like to do on holiday.

Beach lovers will love Villa Buena Vista, which is situated right on Waikiki beachfront and comes complete with its own private heated pool. It’s also just a short walk away from the many restaurants and facilities of Corralejo. While in Corralejo, find the yellow tapas sign in the harbour to discover authentic Spanish tapas bars offering patatas bravas, papas arrugadas, shark stew and mussels. After lunch, wander around the cobbled streets and take a tour of the many speciality shops and boutiques selling handmade souvenirs. For nature lovers, Corralejo is also big on surfing, and welcomes surfers of all abilities. Aloha Surf Academy operates from Cotillo beach, offering surfing lessons to everyone (depending on conditions). Corralejo is also home to the island’s main Natural Park, which offers visitors day trips covering epic views and impressive sand dunes that feel like you’re in the heart of the desert.

Further away from Corralejo, explore Calderon Hondo and organise a guided tour, or take a hike up to its summit yourself. Tours are offered by many major towns on the island, and are affordable. Those who like to explore nature even more off-grid will enjoy the island’s various walking trails. Hire a car and drive to the Barranco De Los Enamorados ravine, which offers breathtaking rock formations and Instagram-worthy views.

Explore our collection of stunning November holiday properties for more inspiration, as well as other premium villas in Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.  

Where’s hot in September?

Where’s hot in September?

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If you’re wondering where’s hot in September for a glorious late-summer getaway, look no further. Escape to warmer climes and soak up the 26°Cscorching heat of the French Riviera and Puglia as the UK starts to cool down and the autumn chill sets in. Choose one of our beautiful villas complete with its own private pool and gardens, for quality time where temperatures are still ample for sunbathing, sea swimming and sightseeing.

French Riviera

Known for its high-end lifestyle and luxurious resorts, the French Riviera is a place where your whole family can live it up in style, and thanks to its lovely warm temperatures in late summer, it easily makes our where’s hot in September list. When you can bear to part from your majestic Villa Pierre, boasting countryside views, large gardens and a tranquil private pool, jump in the car and start exploring an area of France that is renowned for delicious food and wine, interesting culture and elegant nightlife.

Take a boat trip (or get up early and drive) to Saint Tropez or Monaco and explore either city for a day. Monaco is home to some of the region’s most beautiful beaches, as well as one of the world’s oldest aquariums that makes for a great family attraction, with 6000 species to discover. As Monaco itself is only 200 hectares in size, everything is walkable, so enjoy browsing the many boutiques, restaurants and art galleries on offer. Saint Tropez has a lively upscale harbour that’s heaving with luxury yachts, but is also home to many quaint cobblestoned alleys offering cafes, restaurants, local shops, galleries and upscale boutiques. Don’t forget to check out the Musée de l’Annonciade – just a stone’s throw from the harbour.

Outside of the big resorts, Biot village offers glass blowing classes, where you can make your own stunning glass pieces as a souvenir, while the small town of Grasse is perfect for a quiet lunchtime stroll and some local cheese and bread before taking a tour of the many perfumeries on offer. Also investigate the Musée International de la Parfumerie, which celebrates the history of perfume production. For those who want to get more off-piste and into nature, explore the Gorges du Loup Canyon, which offers bungee jumping, slides and abseiling for adrenaline junkies, and walking and rock climbing for those who want to take a slower pace. 

Puglia

Located on the heel of Italy’s ‘boot’, Puglia is a sun-lover’s paradise if you’re thinking of where’s hot in September, with scorching heat, picturesque coastlines, decadent local cuisine and rolling countryside. When you feel like leaving your countryside retreat of Villa Mincodda and its surrounding olive groves for the day, get in the car with your family and take a scenic drive to Alberobello – a famous town that is on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Stroll around the marvellous 1,400 white-washed conical houses made of stone, before stopping off in a cafe or restaurant for some local handmade pasta or pizza for lunch. 

If you’re holidaying with children, you’ll be able to cool down in the refreshing Acquapark Egnazia, which offers two splash pools, a lazy river and slides, as well as a children’s pool, climbing area and mini slides for little ones. There’s a great sunbed and relaxation area for adults while the kids go wild. Rather head to a beach? drive out to the Gargano Peninsula, which is home to beautiful greenery, stunning vistas and a dramatic coastline. Here white-sand beach meets turquoise waters. Enjoy refreshments and seafood at the nearby harbour restaurants after a long swim in the sea. You can even arrange private boating trips around the local area.

Explore our stunning collection of luxurious September holiday villas, including enticing properties in the French Riviera and Puglia. 

Where’s hot in August?

Where’s hot in August?

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In the height of summer, August is one of the best times to experience many European and Mediterranean destinations in all their glory. Enjoy azure waters, golden-sand beaches and an endless number of things to do in the plentiful hours of sunshine on offer. While hitting the beach may be favoured by many, there’s lots of other activities to do and places to explore if you’re thinking of booking a summer getaway and might be wondering where’s hot in August. Discover Portugal’s beautiful southern coastline in the Algarve, or the stunning island of Crete. Both destinations enjoy scorching temperatures of 29°C, so pack plenty of sunscreen!

The Algarve

Located on Portugal’s southern coast, the Algarve boasts rolling green hills, cave formations, idyllic beaches and plenty of sunshine, making it an absolute must for our guide to where’s hot in August. Many of the activities on offer focus on getting outside, with a variety of water sports to discover, as well as golf, sailing and walking and cycling trails to explore.

Looking for a little adventure outside of your countryside Villa Dora? Leave the private pool for a day and spend some time with the kids at Zoomarine Algarve near Guia. Children will love the shows featuring dolphins, pirates and tropical birds. A combined animal and water park, there’s plenty of water slides and pools to splash around in too.

Another notable point of interest is the Ponta da Piedade – a cluster of cliffs of the coast of Lagos that have been naturally formed from sandstone. This is one of the area’s main attractions, and is home to beautifully bold green-blue waters, which can be accessed by a staircase that has been carved into the rock. You can snorkel, swim, kayak or enjoy a boat tour of the area, depending on how you’d like to experience it.

If you’re staying in the Lagos area, enjoy a traditional lunch of Caldo Verde (green soup), or a Bifanas (a Portuguese pork sandwich) at a local taverna, before hopping in the car and driving to the Ria Formosa Natural Park, close to Faro. This is one of the Portugal’s ‘Seven Wonders’ and is home to pink flamingos. Walk, cycle or kayak around the park and get back to nature as you and your loved ones discover rare bird species, aquatic life and other animals you don’t often see in their natural habitat (such as the chameleon). A must for any animal lover!  

Crete

It isn’t hard to see why Crete is such a popular Greek island for a perfect summer holiday. If you can be tempted, take some time away from your spacious Villa Elea, complete with perfectly manicured gardens and a spacious swimming pool, and discover a range of outdoor activities for the whole family. From ancient history sites and scuba diving, to hiking trails and water parks, there is something for everyone to enjoy as the mercury pushes 30°C in the heat of the day.

Back in 2700 BC, Crete was at the heart of ancient Minoan civilisation, and there are plenty of traces that link back to its fascinating past. Visit historical sites like the Palace of Knosses, which is the biggest archaeological site in Crete, or take a tour of the Palace of Malia. You can also visit the Palace of Knossos, which is said to be where the Greek Minotaur once lived, just outside Chania. 

If you’re a keen hiker, Crete is dotted with some fabulous walking trails that offer spectacular views that you’ll want on your Instagram. Visit Samaria Gorge – an 18km ravine that is the longest in Europe. You can easily drive there by car, and then take a tour that descends towards the shoreline, taking you past sheer rock walls known as the ‘Iron Gates’.  

For little ones, there’s the Limnoupolis Waterpark in Chania, which boasts 65 acres of slides, splash pools, a lazy river and plenty of lounge areas for parents. Hersonissos also features three water parks that you can pick from – Star Beach Waterpark, which is just by the shore, Labyrinth Theme Park (complete with mini golf course), and Acqua Plus Waterpark.

Discover your dream August villa holiday – explore our range of August holiday villas, as well as other desirable properties across the Algarve and Crete.