September 2010 – Purple Travel Official Blog

Top 5 Things to Do on a Rainy Day

Sep 23 2010

Rain, rain, go away; come again another day! The season has come again where this will be true for many more days to come. Since you have to deal with the rain anyway, there should be ways of making the best out of it. Now, we are a travel company, so obviously our first piece of advice would be to book the first flight to a sunny destination. If that’s not an option, however, there are other things you can do to make the most of the rainy day. You certainly can’t beat the rain, so just join it!

1. Go Swimming

This may seem like an unpleasant way of spending your time, but don’t knock it until you try it! Visit your nearest beach for incredible surfing or the nearest outdoor pool. The water will seem warm compared with the outside temperature, and you’ll feel much better about getting wet from the rain. Make sure to take dry clothes and a towel with you and stay away when there’s lightning in the air!

2. Splash in the Puddles

Your kids will love you! Sport your wellies and some water-proof clothes and go splashing in the rain. There is no better feeling than letting go of your initial urge to run away. Take turns to see who can make a bigger splash and get each other as wet as possible.

3. Picture Marathon

If enjoying the great outdoors on a rainy day just sounds a bit too crazy for you, grab your kids or your favourite person and go on a picture marathon. Head to your local pictures and see all those films that you’ve been aching to see and haven’t had time. Then, see the ones you weren’t so crazy about but sound interesting. It’s not like you have a job, right? If you don’t have much time to kill, just see the one. Rainy days at the pictures are always delightful. If you really don’t feel like heading out of the house at all, there is always the traditional curl-up-on-the-couch-with-hot-chocolate option.

4. Cozy Café

Take your best friend or lover to a cozy café and curl up with your favourite hot beverage next to the window. Watching the rain come down from a warm and comfy place will go far to brighten up your rainy-day mood.

5. Go Somewhere Sunny

We can’t help it. Seriously, this is the best and most effective solution in the books. Whether it’s for just a few days or two or three weeks, there is nothing better than getting away from the rainy weather and following the sunshine – and while you’re at it, you’ll win the envy of all your friends back home.

Top 5 Long-Duration Getaways to Skip the British Winter

Sep 14 2010

Winter in the UK is cold, grey and wet. Definitely a good excuse to stay in the office. If you have the luxury to be able to leave, though, these are definitely the best and most popular places to hibernate and escape the winter blues..

1. Spain.

An all-time British favorite, Spain offers amazing value for long-term getaways in an environment that caters distinctively to the British. It’s like home away from home – with better weather and cheaper food. Mainland Spain and the Balearics, such as Majorca and Ibiza, have much milder temperatures in the off-season months than the UK and you can even end up spending less than you would if you stayed home! The best part about it is that you’re no further than a 3-hour flight from the British cold – in case you ever want to go back, that is.

2. Florida.

Take advantage of the almighty Pound compared to the US Dollar and spend a month or more in the USA’s favorite laid-back state. Florida has something for everyone, whether you’re retired, have a family, or want to party all night…and they speak English! Prices on flights out of the UK are quite moderate (you are crossing the ocean) and once you get there, accommodation is very cheap! You can have a villa or apartment to yourself for peanuts. If you feel adventurous, internal flights are cheap as well – go to New York, Las Vegas, or Los Angeles just for the weekend.

3. Australia.

Australians go backpacking through Europe. Europeans go backpacking through Australia. It’s just the thing to do…and they speak English! The Pound will go far in Australia also, although the flights can be quite pricey. If you haven’t been to visit your second-cousins half way around the world, you definitely should. Australia is blessed with warm climate, beautiful beaches, and very friendly people. Australians celebrate their Christmas and New Year on the beach, since the seasons are opposite from the UK. No wonder it’s such a great place for you to hibernate the winter away.

4. Thailand. Indonesia (Bali). India.

Exotic, hot, and CHEAP. Sorry, they don’t speak much English. Spend a month or more immersing yourself in an amazing cultural experience surrounded by breathtaking natural surroundings. Better yet, choose one a year or, even better, one a month! These are developing countries that have a lot to offer. Pleasant and luxurious hospitality is available at prices you would have to see to believe. Jump on the “eat-pray-love” trend and go on a Yoga retreat. So many options, so little time…

5. Europe.

Yes, Spain fits in here also, but we reserved this space for all the other wonderful destinations you can take advantage of in the winter months that are just around the corner. Europe has many popular, and cheap, places to get away on a long-term holiday. Among the favorites are Portugal, Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Croatia. Each of these countries has a distinct character and personality to offer – along with an unforgettable experience.

Purple Travel puts Greece back on the Map!

Sep 06 2010

Tourism in Greece has been on the rise and Purple Travel is working on increasing tourism to the beautiful Greek Islands even further. We believe in supporting the local economy where so many tourists have found everything from lazy beachside holidays, to lively nights out, to ancient wonders. In order to help support the cause, we sent out a video crew this past August to invade the best islands for tourism and get the British perspective on where to go and what to do when you’re there.

Greece is a beautiful country, full of astonishing beaches, quality hotels, amazing food and friendly people. The economic downturn put a damper on tourism in Greece at the start of the summer. The situation turned around quickly when Greece and Purple Travel came to the rescue of those who had lost their holidays to Turkey due to the collapse of Goldtrail and Kiss Flights (two tour operators who specialized in cheap flights to popular Turkish destinations).

Greece comes as the natural alternative to holidays in Turkey because of its similar climate, location, and beaches. However, Greece has a much better reputation when it comes to quality hotels – and the options are almost endless. In the past, Greece has always been a pricier destination for that reason. This year, though, because of the abundance of flights and lowering hotel prices to attract more tourism, Greece has started to rise from the ashes. Purple Travel wants to sustain the trend of increasing tourism in Greece so that you – the traveler – can take advantage of what this beautiful country has to offer. Purple Travel is making it easy for you to choose Greece as your next summer holiday destination, and by doing so, help to contribute to the economic recovery of the country.

Purple Travel is an avid supporter of Greek Tourism – so much so that we make sure all our travel advisors have more intimate knowledge of Greece than any other travel agent in the UK. If you’re shopping for a holiday to Greece – or just looking for some advice on the destination – visit Purple Travel. If your sights are set on a winter-sun destination, we have everything you need for that too!

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Archive - September 2010