Gifts Forum

English Country Cottages

English Country Cottages are a well established company with over thirty years experience in renting high quality holiday cottages. The company has some great properties and currently offer over 3000 examples throughout the UK. If you are looking to get a good deal from English Country Cottages then it is always a good plan to check out their special offers regularly. The company has properties from romantic seaside retreats to large country houses. English Country Cottages believe that the secret to a memorable stay is that their cottages incorporate a combination of style, being well equipped and in a great location. As the company chooses to keeps its ethos simple it is able to deliver high quality at minimal fuss.

If you are serious about finding a great deal from English Country Cottages then why not look for an English Country Cottages voucher code. This can be a good way of making savings online, often voucher codes offer a percentage saving on your holiday, say 10 – 15 % off. As the majority of English Country Cottages properties start at around £1000 for a week’s stay this can offer a good saving and is worth checking out. English Country Cottages is an ideal place to look for a holiday if you really want to get away from it all and experience real rural living for a while. The company has a good selection of seaside properties which are very popular in the summer time. Destinations such as Scotland and the Lake District tend to be more popular in the winter time especially around Christmas.

Devon is one of the top UK destinations for family beach holidays. Getting to Devon is easy by car and rail – even by coach! It’s got good transport links with the M5 motorway going to Exeter. Devon has a north and a south coast. Devon has a great reputation for being a perfect place for family holidays, with Haven Holidays have several locations in Devon.  The offer different things with the North Devon coastline being great for surfing with great waves at Westward Ho!, Saunton (north end only), Croyde, Putsborough and Woolacombe (north end). All worth a visit if you’re into surfing or want to learn.

If you want to get deeper into the water then try Ilfracombe Sub-Aqua Club for learning to dive. It’s a great hobby which you have to have lessons for but it’s amazing to see what goes on under the waves.

If you love beaches then south Devon has some amazing places like Paignton Sands, and Goodrington – both of these are long sandy beaches great for building sand castle. Dawlish Warren Beach is another wonderful beach for a family to visit and play on! Oddicombe beach at Babbacombe Downs has a railway to help you get down to it -something all young children will enjoy! Meadfoot also at Torquay has a dive shop too and a dive boat available.

Another fantastic attraction that you’ll want to visit each year is the Babbacombe model village! This is just an amazing place, especially if your children have read Mary Norton’s The Borrowers! Each year they add new areas to the village, and this was a firm family favourite each year when I was a child!

Sunshine are ABTA bonded so you can book with confidence. They’re a great travel agent who really go that extra mile on prices picking out some really great holidays. They’re able to offer flights from lots of different UK airports to masses of worldwide destinations. You can browse their last minute holiday bargains or look for somewhere specific. Their search facility works really well and shows you flights around the date you’re looking for. This is a fantastic tool that enables you to look and see which days and flights are cheapest. Sometimes by changing the day you fly you can easily save a lot of money and this helps you get a bargain holiday!

Prices shown are the total for all passengers, including all baggage, taxes & fees! This means there’s no hidden surprises! When you pick your flight you see the time it leaves and the time it arrives at your holiday destination. They are listed by price ascending so the cheapest flights are at the top of the list. If you can travel early or late then this usually means you get a cheaper flight. It’s peak time flights that are the most expensive so if you’re on a tight budget then avoid these.

Once you’ve chosen your flight you then go on to pick your hotel. The site is packed with useful information which makes choosing easy! You can then pick the hotel by board type, so if you’re after an all inclusive deal then you can quickly find one. Although the initial cost is more there’s a lot less to pay when you’re there and you don’t have to worry about the exchanges rates changing and making your holiday seem more expensive!

The whole experience of picking your perfect holiday is so simple at Sunshine!

Located in Spain in the southern part of the Valencian community, Alicante is a tourists’ delight. The area is rich with history going back over 7000 years. The five attractions listed below are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sights to visit on your trip to Alicante.

Castle of Santa Barbara

Standing high on Mount Benacantil in the center of Alicante, the Castle of Santa Barbara was built in the ninth century by Muslims. The castle has changed hands many times over the years, beginning with its capture by Castilian forces led by Alfonso de Castila, later Alphonso X, in 1248. It was opened to the public in 1963 and remains a popular attraction for tourists.

Santa Maria Basilica

Built in the 14th century on the ruins of a mosque, the Santa Maria Basilica is the oldest church in the city. It was rebuilt in the 15th century due to a fire. This beautiful church offers many sights, including a Valencian baroque organ from the 17th century.

Alicante Theatre

Opened in 1847, the Alicante Theatre is a wonderful building that will delight both architecture and theatre buffs. The outside of the theatre is done in the neo-classical style, while the inside is divided into three sections – the vestibule, the horseshoe shaped auditorium and the stage – following Italian typology of the period.

Archaeological Museum of Alicante

Highlighting the history of Alicante, the Archaeological Museum of Alicante is sure to interest lovers of history. It was founded in 1932 to showcase the more than 80,000 pieces found in local archaeological sites. On your visit, be sure to watch some of the educational movies which teach the history of the area from the Stone Age to Medieval Times.

Town Hall

Erected on the site of the former town hall, this Baroque style Town Hall was designed by architect Lorenzo Chapuli in the 18th century. Be sure to check out the columns on the facade as well as the towers. Visitors will also enjoy rooms in Town Hall such as the Salon Azul, styled in the period of Queen Isabel of Spain.

Alicante is just two and a half hours from London and three hours from airports further north. Flights to Alicante are extremely regular due to the popularity of this region with holidaymakers.