For whatever reason, when many are planning a holiday in the UK they never consider Wales, and when you take into account what this country has to offer the visitor this is nothing short of a travesty. With the entire coastline now benefiting from a path that you can walk along, the Welsh Tourist Board are hoping this is a scenario that is about to change, and it really should.

Wales can now proudly boast that they are the first, and only, country in the entire world to have a walking trail along the entire length of its coastline. When you consider some of the magnificent coastlines that exist in this world of ours, it was very forward thinking of the Welsh Tourist Board to implement this and they have done a sterling job in turning this pipe dream into a glorious reality.

All 870 miles of the Wales Coast Path is worth visiting, not just for the stunning landscape, but also for the dramatic ruggedness of it all courtesy of the unforgiving Irish Sea which is your constant companion the further north you go. As it joins onto the Offa Dyke Path National Trail, the entire country is now circumnavigational, and there are now 1030 miles of walking available to those who like nothing better than pulling on their boots and exploring the countryside in depth.

There are many outstanding views available en route, but one of the best has to be as you are approaching Prestatyn and reach the top of a hill that looks down on the entire coastline opening up beneath you. As this is one of the premier tourist destinations on the coast, this is a scene that you could take in time and time again if you wanted to without every getting tired of it due to the change of light giving it a different vista every time.

The ancient and iconic city of Athens has a history dating back to time immemorial. Often referred to as the cradle of western civilisation, this hotch potch of brick and concrete on top of stone is one of the most historically important cities still in existence, and the current internal turmoil in Greece should not deter you from making the journey here and taking a step back in time.

With so many attractions to take in, the authorities hit upon the idea of effectively linking them by creating the Archaeological Promenade, which is a 2.5 mile long pedestrianised walkway which skirts around the foot of the Acropolis and allows visitors to take in all the major sights, and has made the walkability of the city infinitely more enjoyable and an awful lot easier, as well as drastically reducing the notorious fumes from traffic.

There is a lot more to modern Athens these days than just the ancient monuments, and the young and trendy Athenians have one of the most vibrant night-life cultures in Europe to enjoy. The former industrial area of Gazi now boasts numerous trendy tavernas, alternative clubs and slick bars, in contrast to Kolonaki, which boasts fusion eateries and sophisticated and stylish lounge bars.

The port of Piraeus, the largest in Europe, serves Athens and 2m passengers flood in every year, mostly on the ferries, hydrofoils and catamarans that ship them in from their holiday resorts on the Greek Islands. It is also a major port of call for the many cruises, both the shorter ones that tour the islands as well as the longer cruises around the Mediterranean and the world.

With the exemplary Greek cuisine, fine wines, and inimitable Greek culture, Athens in a happening city with its finger on the pulse of 21st living within the shadows of the structures that shaped a nation, it doesn’t get much better than that.

If you fancy a trip to a great Christmas market this festive season, don’t worry about having to board a plane and fly across Europe to The Czech Republic, Austria, Germany etc. The centuries old tradition has been slowly establishing itself in the UK for several years now and every year they are getting bigger and better. All our major cities now host a Christmas market of some kind, and even those with a general apathy towards the whole thing will find themselves well and truly in the Christmas spirit.

One of the best Christmas markets you will find anywhere in the UK is held in Manchester, and this northern metropolis is a great backdrop for all the festivities. This should really be called Manchester Christmas markets as it is essentially several which meld into one huge festive event that runs until the 23^rd December. This market has that genuine feel good factor, so grab your Santa hat and glass of gluhwein and embrace the Manchester magic.

The market itself winds its way through some of the most attractive streets and squares in the city centre, each festooned with twinkling lights, the market is spread across 8 different spaces interlinked by these sparkling walkways. The traditional chalets selling their wares brings that continental touch to Manchester in the winter, and what was already a fantastic place for a short break is now well and truly on the list of perfect destinations for Christmas breaks.

2012 is the 14^th year that the Manchester Christmas market has been held, and this year is the biggest yet with over 200 stalls. The air is thick with the smell of Christmas garlands and the aroma of delicious treats and delicacies from all around Europe, so with everything that there is on offer make sure you don’t eat before you leave the house. With European specialities such as Hungarian Goulash and profiteroles on offer, as well as French wines and German and Spanish beers, you want to arrive here with an appetite.

As far as shopping for gifts is concerned, you will be spoiled for choice. There are stalls selling all manner of crafts as well as clothes, toys, jewellery and much more besides. Producers from both the local vicinity and Europe flock here to sell everything from amber jewellery and Bonsai trees to hand crafted leather bags and Dutch cheese. A traditional event with a Mancunian twist is the best way to describe this market, and miss all the fun at your peril.

With less people expected to take Christmas shopping trips abroad this year, the time seems right to have a look what is going on closer to home this festive season. London’s Covent Garden, in the heart of the West End, is quite simply one of the most magical destinations at Christmas time. The 60ft tree dominates the area and shimmers with over 50,000 red, LED lights. The market building itself enjoys a warm and welcoming glow as huge mirror ball rotate high in the vaulted ceiling.

With it being a pedestrianised area, strolling along the cobbles is the perfect way to soak up the festive atmosphere as well as picking up a few treats along the way at the Real Food Market or taking time out to pet the live reindeer that take up residence on the Piazza every Saturday.

In addition to Covent Garden’s traditional loveliness, there is a brand new event for Christmas 2012 with the news that the organisers have teamed up with LEGO to create a unique advent calendar made entirely from coloured bricks. This launches on the 1st of December and every day in the run up to Christmas a window will be opened at 4pm to reveal a different LEGO surprise.

Also new for 2012 is that the neighbouring shopping streets of James Street, King Street, Henrietta Street and Russell Street will all be adorned with a display of glittering lights that will include more than 150,000 pea lights leading the way along to the Piazza. The fun begins on the 7th November when the lights will be switched on, and visitors will be serenaded by the London Gay Men’s Choir with a repertoire of both traditional and non traditional tunes.

With all this fun and activity taking place adjacent to some of the best restaurants in the West End, and with a huge range of market stalls where you can shop to your heart’s content, Covent Garden is the perfect place to have a great day out this Christmas.

The one thing that invariably springs to everyone’s mind they think of Egypt is the Pyramids, and while these are one of the true wonders of the world that certainly should be visited, there is a lot more to see and do in Egypt away from the triangular masterpieces.

To start with, few realise until they get there what amazing shopping facilities exist in Egypt, and one place you simply cannot miss is the Khan al-Khalil bazaar in Cairo. This area has been in existence since around 1382, and over the years has grown into the spectacle it is today.

You need a map to get around this most unique of marketplaces or better still, spend a couple of pounds hiring a guide to help you sniff out the bargains without getting lost.

The bustling, vibrant city of Cairo, and in particular Old Cairo, is steeped in history which is evident in its amazing architecture and the Coptic Museum, which illustrates its long and colourful history.

No Egyptian tour is complete without visiting the Egyptian Antiquities Museum and you could find yourself having to go back a second day as the collection of antiquities dating back to ancient Egyptian times is just so vast.

The City of The Dead is accessible by either bus or taxi from Cairo and is well worth a visit. Here you will find the funerary complexes belonging to the Sultans of Mamluk as well as their emirs. There are also several Khangah’s, or religious houses here, including the Khangah of Sultan Barsbey, the Khangah of Bargug and the sprawling funerary complex of Qaytbey.

A cruise down the Nile is highly recommended to take time out from the frantic sightseeing, but not recommended in the summer months as the extreme heat and swarms of mosquitoes will turn joy to misery. Don’t forget either that Egypt is also home to many fantastic beaches that are perfect for relaxing on or taking part in diving expeditions and other water sports.

Anyone thinking of getting married overseas would be crazy not to consider the Caribbean. White sand, turquoise waters, palm trees, it has all the ingredients for the perfect beach wedding in abundance. The Bahamas are a fabulous location to choose for your wedding, the hardest bit being choosing between the 16 main islands, so here is a brief overview of the top 4 that are considered to be the best for weddings.

If you are a lover of boats or sailing then Paradise or Grand Bahama Island are the ideal location for your wedding. You can easily incorporate a sailing trip into your wedding, or indulge yourself in some of the best sailing in the world on your honeymoon. Part of the Abaco Islands which are in the northern Bahamas, these two gems of the Caribbean pure paradise and offer a spectacular backdrop to your wedding day.

If you want to get married somewhere that you can effectively turn your back on the rest of the world for a short time then Andros is the island for you. The largest of the Bahamian islands, there are numerous romantic escapes where you can relax with your new spouse, or have a go at bonefishing, which is one of the most exciting forms of fishing you will find.

One of the most popular of the southern islands is San Salvador and is the perfect setting for a Caribbean wedding. There is sightseeing aplenty here to enjoy when you are relaxing on your honeymoon such as the Columbus Monument, said the mark the spot where Columbus landed. You can also visit the Farquharson Plantation where Blackbeard is said to have stayed and the Dixon Hill Lighthouse.

Rimini is a lesser known island but is an idyllic setting for weddings. This is also the closest island to the US and is a fantastic destination for those who love SCUBA diving.

The north eastern coastal area of Aberdeenshire in Scotland offers the tourist the best of both worlds; a rugged coastline that gives way to rolling countryside the further you get inland. With numerous attractions in the area such as Balmoral Castle and the Cairngorms National Park, this is a hugely popular area with tourists who come to marvel at the natural beauty of the area and explore the towns and villages.

Huntly is one such town, with a population of around 4600, it boasts its own castle and is the home of the renowned Dean bakery, who produce world famous shortbread. This is also the historical home of the Gordon Highlanders regiment who traditionally went about recruiting throughout north eastern Scotland. There are many outdoor pursuits to enjoy here including fishing, walking, golf and mountain biking thus making it a great spot for many of the finest Scottish country cottages.

Banff sits right on the coast and has magnificent views across the estuary and Banff Bay. A village of less than 4000 inhabitants, its sits facing the town of Macduff which is situated on the opposite side of the River Deveron’s estuary. Boasting a top class golf course and numerous other attractions and historical interests, Banff is a very pretty town that allows visitors to enjoy the best of the coastline.

Aberdeenshire, like the rest of Scotland, begs to be explored and discovered, and whilst there are some very nice hotels in the area, the best way to get the most out of your time here is to rent a holiday cottage. Some of the most stunning cottages in Aberdeenshire are found near Huntly and Banff, as well as being found in many of the other towns in the area such as Aboyne, Lumphanan and Ballater.

These exquisite properties offer everything you could want from a luxury holiday accommodation and also have the essential factor that makes holidaying in this area extra special; the consummate freedom to come and go as you please. People don’t rend to come to Scotland to stay put for the duration of their stay, they want to get out and about and become a part of the unspoilt nature that is so rare to find these days.

Whether you travel the area by car, bicycle or even on foot, having one of these exemplary cottages to return to in the evening is very special. There are styles and sizes to suit all requirements, and by booking a cottage as your accommodation in Aberdeenshire you are ensuring you have the best possible base for your holiday.

Rio is an enormous city that boasts many beaches. Every beach offers the visitor something different, and which one you will enjoy the most very much depends on what you are looking for. This guide will give you an idea of which beach to head for, depending on your own circumstances.

If you are in Rio as part of a couple, then head to Praia Vermelha, one of the best kept secrets in Rio. It sits in a sheltered and picturesque cove and is only a short distance from Ipanema and Copacabana. This secluded spot is the ideal place to spend a tranquil afternoon with your partner, and you can also get a cable car from here that will take you up the 1300ft of Sugar Loaf Mountain. It is worth researching flights to Rio well in advance, as flying at short notice can prove very costly.

If you want to hit the beach to be seen it has to be the most famous beach in Rio; Copacabana. This is a busy lively beach where beautiful people hang out all day long sunbathing, playing sports or just posing. The beach is split into Postas, or life guard posts, and the main tourist activity takes place between 2 and 5. The most affluent beach goes head for Postas 6, and there is always the possibility of star spotting.

Second only to the Copacabana in terms of fame, Ipanema beach is a lot more sedate and ideally suited to families. Ipanema beach is huge and has something for everyone, but you will see areas where families have settled for the day so head for those. Leblon is another relaxed beach great for families, and you will see parents and kids playing in the sand or enjoying the shallow waters. The Baxi Baby area is perfect for families with little ones.

If you aren’t one for lying on a beach and prefer to be taking part in water sports then you want to be heading to Botafogo beach. This is the perfect spot to enjoy all manner of water sports including sailing, ski boating and sail boat racing. After several hours of fun, you can take a stroll along the beach and taking in the stunning views of the Corcovado and Sugarloaf mountains.

If your favourite water sport is surfing, then check out Arpoador beach, the next one down from Copacabana. You can relax and watch the surfers ride the waves or grab a board and get out there yourself. With its variety of waves, Rio is the perfect place to learn to surf and lessons are readily available, so everyone gets the chance to try this most exhilarating of water sports.

Despite the fact that great wines are produced in most regions of France, it is the name Bordeaux more than any other that conjures up images of leafy lanes, men in striped jerseys on bicycles and miles upon miles of vineyards. Bordeaux is home to many wineries and vineyards, and the only way to truly appreciate the scale on which wine is produced here, as well as being the best way to sample the goods, is to take a wine tour.

The region of Bordeaux was split into 4 different wine producing areas back in 1855 by Napoleon, and these areas still exist today, each producing a distinctive and unique kind of wine. With the region being relatively small compared to some in France, it is possible, with some careful planning, to travel around all 4 areas and sample what they have to offer in one trip, truly a trip that will delight wine aficionados.

Most of the wines you will come across on wine tours of Bordeaux will be, as expected, red, however, due to ever increasing competition from new wine producing countries; France has risen to the challenge and are producing an ever increasing variety of wines. So along with the full bodied reds that are synonymous with the region, you will also get to sample medium reds as well as both sweet and dry white wines.

When it comes to planning wine tours of Bordeaux the choice is seemingly endless, but one of the perennial favourites are those that also take in the harvesting to give you an insight of the entire process from vine to bottle. Joining the harvesters is a wonderful experience, and when lunch is served in the field, with wine of course, you could be forgiven for thinking that you are in a completely different world.

The afternoons generally consist of wine classes to learn more about the various wines you are sampling, more tasting and finishing off with a dinner in a Bordeaux restaurant. There are variations of course depending on what you personally want to take in, and one of the up and coming tours in terms of popularity is the cycle tours where you ride a bike between the various wineries and vineyards, but this isn’t recommended if you intend sampling the wares at every one.

One of the most popular areas for tourists on mainland Spain is the Costa del Sol in the south, and one of the major attractions is the magnificent beaches that line the coast. Some of the best you will find anywhere in the world are beside the historical city known as Malaga reachable by daily Malaga airport transfers.

This area boasts a huge variety of beaches from powder fine sand to rocky outcrops, vast stretches of sand, secluded coves and seafront restaurants all adding up to what has become known as the Malaga experience. There are 12 top beaches in and around Malaga that are known across Europe and have tourists flocking there en masse to get their own taste of Malaga.

These 12 are, in no particular order, San Julian at La Miseracordia, La Arana, Banos del Carmen, la Caleta, La Malagueta, Penon del Cuervo, El Palo, Las Acacias, El Candado, La Playa de Morche, Torre De Logos and Cerro y Mar. The beaches of Malaga all benefit from having a modern promenade for visitors to stroll along that extends to Guadalmar, and they also offer every kind of water sport imaginable.

Malaga Malagueta beach is around 1200m long and 45m wide and remarkable well maintained. This is a beach acknowledged for its cleanliness by the European Union and has been given the prestigious blue flag award. The beach is easily accessible by bus or by foot along the Pablo Picasso promenade and also boasts several beach bars and restaurants. Situated in an urban zone, it has black coloured sand which tourists find very appealing.

Playa Palo beach is a firm favourite with the tourists due to both its atmosphere and its facilities, namely swimming, diving and sailing. Situated in the fishing village of El Palo and next to El Candado marina, there are many small coves dotted along the coastline here for some private sunbathing and the sand here soft and thin. With car parking facilities for visitors, this is quite a busy beach that boasts fantastic seafood and fresh fish restaurants.

The 1200m long and 20m wide Playa Las Acacias beach is world famous, not least for its distinctive U shape. This is a great family beach with loads to do for the kids while mum and dad relax on the soft grey sand. There is also a park here for the younger ones and many good bars and restaurants bordering the sands, thus eliminating the sandy sandwiches in favour of a delicious meal looking out over the sea.

Wherever you decide to stay in the Malaga area you are guaranteed to be close to at least one of these great beaches. As there are many hotels here that overlook the sea, you could find yourself waking up every morning to an expanse of golden sand and blue sea twinkling in the morning sunlight, and that kind of view is priceless.