One of the most beautiful and unique beaches in the world is found where else but on the warm shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The Sicily Turkish Steps are on the coast of the beautiful Italian Island and offer a one-off experience on great Sicily holidays. The rocky cliff face is famous for its unusual colouring, the bright white, which derives from sedimentary rocks and sits between two beautiful, sandy beaches. Visitors and locals are impressed alike when standing at this gorgeous piece of Sicilian coast.
We are talking about the stunning Scala dei Turchi, the English translation of which is Turkish steps. This superb geological formation is one of the most popular places to visit in Sicily. The first thing you’ll see when reaching the area is high rocks of white colour in the shape of steps and crowds of people lying and soaking up the sun, while others are swimming in the turquoise waters underneath. The beach is mainly famous for its natural sun loungers made of limestone and overlooking the sea and Africa, as well as the stunning natural landscape of Sicily.
European sweet charm: Yummy desserts from Rome to Paris
Our Purple Foodie buff explores the world-class sweet treats in a flavorful journey from ancient Rome to classy Paris!
ROME
Savory cornerstones of Italian Bliss
There are many reasons why you’ve been captivated by this city: It’s snacking alleys, enchanting piazzas, glorious ancient history, unbeatable style, but, come one, between us, we know why you could fell in love with Rome! These luscious goodies are torturing and torturing sweetly your mind…Is there any excuse not to be captivated with a flavorful tiramisu, a crispy creamy cannoli, a cornetti along with a tasty cappuccino, a fluffy millefoglie cake or a delicious frozen treat as the Italian gelato? Of course not!
Our ”Purple Wanderers” have put together a list of dazzling treats…The ”Eternal City” is calling you and it’s time for you to answer!
Pana Cotta: Holy Grail of Italian Creamy Puddings
Place: Ristorante alla Rampa
This amazing lightly sweetened cream can truly blown your mind away! In Rome, every Ristorante serves the ”Italian Holy Grail”, the creamy lady ”panna cotta”! Drizzled by everything from blueberries to fresh strawberries, raspberries or caramel sauce, it will be your perfect friend for a memorable experience after your dinner…
Tiramissu: Keep Calm and Espresso yourself
Place: Bar Pompi
Visit the famous ”Bar Pompi” and you’ll see why its the best in Rome! Some espresso layers with soaked ”lady fingers”- little sponge cakes looking like a cookie – and creamy mascarpone, you will be swooning with joy by its unique taste! Spoil yourself trying one of these amazing non-classic flavors of tiramissu such as strawberry, pistachio, banana and Nutella!
Cannoli: The crispy Sicilian
Crispy yummilicious!
Place: Ciuri Ciuri
Piped with ricotta cheese, this combination of light sweetness and crispy feeling , its unbeatable! This one sounds to you a bit ”decadent”? If, yes, grab a bite from a smaller version, a lovely cannolini!
Cornetti: Wake-up calling from the ”Vienna-style” pastry
Place: Barberini
As walking in Barberini’s cafe, you’ll be charmed in a flash by this savory work of art. Buttery and so ”wacky”, the cornetti it’s the perfect buddy for your morning cappuccino!
Purple Tip: Frankly, you should try the cornetti con crema!
Millefoglie: The creamy Italian
Italian can do it too!
Place: Cavaletti
You’ve already taste this touthsome cream-layered dessert in reams of versions around the world, but, surely, Italy, has been gifted at making pastry miracles so delightful! The millefoglie here will bowl you over!
Gelato: The frosty Italian miracle
Italian Gelato rocks!
Place: Gelateria I Caruso
We have shared with you the sweet tooth treasures in Rome, honestly, if we don’t tell you about Gelateria I Caruso, this mini guide would be imperfect! You can’t leave from Rome without seeing live the master gelato maker…Grab some scoops and don’t forget to spice it up with the famed zabaglione (marsala-famous sweet wine made in Sicily).
Purple Tip: Definitely give a try to pistachio & fiordipanna flavor
PARIS
Délicieux treasures
Paris will always be a gastronomic destination full of surprises! There are so many sweet delicacies that you’ll not guess which one mesmerized you! Its truly hard to resist on those unbeatable pastries, delightful chocolate truffles, lovable macaroons, heavenly mini lemon pies or the splendid mouth-jolt eclairs! We have to remind you what Oscar Wilde wrote once about the world of desserts: “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it” and we are utterly agreeable to it! So, sit back and get a load of our mouthwatering list, let’s explore the Parisian delights to die for!
Viennoiseries: Epicure Honoree on our breakfast
Mini Chocolate Croissant
Place: Le Moulin de la Vierge, Blanquet Claude
Who wouldn’t be fond of these amazing cute pastries, known as ‘‘viennoiseries” such as the chocolate croissant or the favored ”crème de la crème”, ideal to hang out with our morning espresso! Heading to Le Moulin de la Vierge or to Blanquet Claude, both, claim to be the finest paths to our Parisian goodies!
Purple Tip: Pierre Hermé or as the Parisian call it ”The Picasso of pastry” is the top-notch place to start tasting the sweet side of life!
Cannelés: Little flavorful thieves
Place: Baillardran & Eric Kayser
A sweet tooth in Bordeaux region is surely a must and we assure you that these little custardie cakes will be quite ”deleterious”, so tempting! Canneles are small with spongy custard centre and a caramelised crust, agreeing with everything from your breakfast to dinner, coffee to champagne!
Mille-feuille: Oldie Grand Napoleon
Place: La Pâtisserie des Rêves (“The Bakery of Dreams”)
The well-known creamy treasure has captivated our taste buds from the 17th century!Mille-feuille, also known as the ”Napoleon”, translates to a ”sea” of crispy layers, which have been folded many times. A gooey Puff pastry and a lovely creamy filling glazed with fondant/icing will dazzle your palate, leaving you absolutely speechless! It’s ideal to go with a summer brunch or a romantic elegant dinner!
Lemon tart/pie: A sunny gentle Princess
Place: L’heure Gourande Cafe & Au Thé Gourmand Tea-House
Don’t you dare to leave the ”City of Lights” without tasting a savoring slice of a lemon pie! With silky meringue or sweetened lemon curd is a Paleo twist in the classic version of the Parisian dessert.
Macaroon: Colorful Liliputian Goodies
Place: Pierre Herme
We’ve been hooked by these babyish round delicacies, a rainbow-gaudy dessert, which is emblematic for the French pastry art.
Pierre Herme is famed for its delicious picture-perfect macaroons known for their unusual flavors! What not to love: rose, macha marron -reminding us mont blanc flavor-, chocolat, mogador -which is passionfruit milk choc-, cafe & montebello -which combines raspberry with pistachio ganache-, just irresistible!
Eclair: Mr McDreamy’s Charm
Place: Traditional bakeries such as La Pâtisserie de l’Eglise, Le Moulin de la Vierge, La Pâtisserie des Rêves & L’Éclair de Génie
We came across with the latest pastry ”Queen” in Paris and that’s the ”wordéclair” (meaning lightning). Why they’ve translated it like that? Because this yummy French delicacy can be eaten in a ”flash of light”! The most revolutionary place to taste the French bonbon is at L’Éclair de Génie! Adam, the owner, features sweet masterpieces of art, a visual standout like never before! They transformed this classic dessert into a modern canvas with a high-end quality! Clingy high-gloss finishes with pop-art colors adorned with well-known digital images from famous paintings like ”Mona Lisa”, ”The Creation of Adam” or ”The Vitruvian Man”. The flavors ara enlivened with offbeat ingredients like fresh strawberries, salted caramel, popcorn
and much more!
+Must Visit in Paris:
Angelina, where Coco Chanel ate once, try this scandal amazing Mont Blanc
Ladurée, taste all these incredible desserts appeared on ‘’Marie Antoinette’’
It’s almost impossible to choose the best beaches in Europe, so we asked around the office to find out what some of the favourites are. We’d love to hear your opinion of our top 10 best beaches in Europe.
1. Zlatni Rat, in Bol, Croatia. The photographer’s favourite, known as Zlatni Rat or the Golden Cape or Golden Horn is a white pebble beach that creates an incredible seaside experience stretching in an almost vertical line into the sea Changing with the tide, the clothing-optional beach is one of the country’s most famous.
Who doesn’t love slip-sliding about and releasing your inner child? Is there a better place to do that than in a them park or water park? We don’t think so. Impress your kids this year with all the facts about these extremely cool water parks for 2014 and don’t forget to tell us if we’ve missed one of your favourite water parks in the comments below.
1. Tropical Islands Resort, Krausnick, Germany. The largest indoor water park in the world, Tropical Islands is in a former zeppelin hangar, complete with rainforest, palm trees, birdsong and artificial sun.
2. Siam Park, Tenerife. Perhaps one of the best known water parks in Europe, Siam Park, the Water Kingdom is home to a Tower of Power which is a 28 metre plunge, the zero gravity Dragon experience, the 200 metre mega slide the Kinnaree and the Sawasdee, a great choice for families: it’s a mini version of the grown up rides especially for kids.
Heating up in Spain It is starting to heat up in Spain, how about the Costa de la Luz? It’s a slightly quieter alternative to the hustle and bustle of the Costa del Sol. With temperatures usually rising to the mid 20s towards the end of the month, the city of Cadiz is a charming holiday experience and claims to be one of the oldest cities in Western Europe. There’s lots of archaeological and historical sites to discover, while the beaches nearby are perfect if you prefer chilling out.
Go diving in Egypt The coast of the Red Sea is fast becoming one of the best places for underwater fun, with diving, surfing, windsurfing or kiteboarding all on offer. Add that to sunshine, great beaches and the best in all inclusive hotels and holidays in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt during May are worth watching out for.
Godfather Holidays Sicily An Island drenched in culture and history, Sicily is packed with delicious food, scorching sunshine, azure blue skies and of course Godfather legacy. In May Sicily is at the perfect temperature, it’s not *too* hot, with temperatures around the mid 20s. Head for Savoca, a hillside village, a winding drive from Taormina where you’ll find Bar Vitelli, where Michael spoke with Apollonia’s father about their proposed marriage. Next, stop at Sant Agostino, the scene of Vito’s escape from the Don Ciccio’s men and finish in Palermo, and the Teatro Massimo which featured in the Godfather Part III. If you love movies, you’ll love it.
Cape Verde Calling If you haven’t heard about this smattering of islands just off the coast of Senegal then get ready, because you will soon. Travellers have started to visit just for the weather (all around sunshine) but often end up returning for the rhythms, the food, the friendly locals, perfect beaches, the excellent hotels, stunning scenery or sublime natural amenities. Take your pick! Sal and Boa Vista are the bigger of the islands and well represented with hotels, bars, restaurants and resorts. Needless to say Cape Verde is in our top tips for 2013.
Get Crete without the crowds A smart idea is to book early for Greece so you can avoid the worst of the crowds. Crete is our top choice. Most resorts should have fully reopened by the end of the month, but it won’t be too busy so you can enjoy near empty beaches, chilled out coffee shops and an unfussy holiday in warm sunshine.
City break in Istanbul So, you may have heard Istanbul is one hot ticket. Having been crowned Best European Destination for 2013, the glittering mosques, and simmering melting pot of culture, cheap hotels and great nightlife make Istanbul a great choice for a cheap city break.
Go a little further If Europe isn’t quite hot enough for you, then there are always a couple of long haul options, such as Mexico or the Dominican Republic. There are some great deals for package holidays so you don’t even have to lift a finger once you arrive. The beaches stretch for miles, the waters are warm and crystal clear and 4 and 5* hotels right on the sand mean you can get from bed to beach in no time.
Find out more about the best cheap holidays in May from the expert team at Purple Travel or call us directly on 0207 993 9228.
Finally climbing its way out of a reputation for being old fashioned, Malta is picking up the pace as a place to party, soak up the sunshine and eat great food. Of course, its relaxed atmosphere is a huge part of its charm, but, where blue rinsers once gathered, now you’re more likely to bump into ravers and all without the inflated prices of other Mediterranean destinations.
Early spring is the best time to hit the capital Valletta. The weather is one of the best bits, found tucked away between Sicily and Libya, right now it’s the perfect time to soak up the sun while shaking off the crowds. It gets very hot in summer, so it’s ideal for an early-in-the-year-break to get that golden glow. Valletta might be the smallest capital city of Europe, but it’s location on the sea, and atmosphere make it the beating heart of Malta. Find out more in our expert Valletta destination guide and make your holiday to Malta one to remember.
Valletta is a charming capital city that is seriously beautiful to boot. Head for the main street the Triq ir-Republika for a coffee, and a great view, with water left and right.
Make your budget stretch that extra mile with our price busting, sunshine bolt holes that are the best value this year. You can give us a call to book any of these cheap holidays now on 0207 993 9228.
There’s never been a better time to take advantage of great prices on holidays to Greece. Pretty much all of the islands are paradise like and its largest, Crete is ideal for families with children of all ages. Head for Chania, where you’ll find long stretches of beach where the kids can make sandcastles or the older ones can try out their water sports skills. Greeks tend to dote on children and evenings out in the Old Town are fun and very family friendly, with tavernas to dine in and plenty of entertainment options on offer.
Where to stay in Chania: The Althea Village is just a stone’s throw from Agioi Apostoloi, it’s got four pools and plenty of games and playground facilities on site. Throw in the friendly staff and this is the best family choice in Chania.
Croatia is a great, budget friendly alternative to Greece or Spain. There are plenty of budget hotels and the Istrian Riviera in particular is especially nice as it is on the verge of becoming one of the top foodie hotspots in Europe. It’s a bit friendlier on the pocket and just as stunning as the capital Dubrovnik. The whole area is known for its hugely diverse culinary choices, with fresh fish (of course!) Italian influenced pastas, truffles accompanying many dishes, and open air markets that are in almost every town.
Where to stay in Porec: Island Hotel Fortuna. This is an unusual and beautiful hotel close to lots of local restaurants and offering magnificent views as you dine. You can even sail to the centre to dine at the many local restaurants every evening.
Road trips are some of the best way of seeing new countries, and with short flight times to Spain it is well worth it. The proud Catalan people live for the important things in life, like sunshine, beaches nature and tapas. And of course Barcelona is an ultimate city for couples with boutique hotels, Park Guell and the many Gaudi inspired architectural wonders, more tapas bars than you can shake a stick at and even a city beach. It being a city, a little bit of scouting means you can find the cheapest of the cheap. We love the idea of a day trip from a cute hotel hidden away in the natural lush surroundings.
Where to stay: in Catalonia we like the Santa Susana Hotel just a hop, skip and a jump from bustling Barcelona. The Susana is a nice secluded haunt, where you can spend days relaxing, or head for the nightlife of the city.
Into clubbing? Want to bar hop night after night after night? Magaluf is an oldie but a goodie. Boasting one of the biggest clubs in Europe, BCM’s already seen Tulisa passing through this year, so you can imagine who’ll be headlining next summer. It’s a great choice for the last hurrah for Stag or Hen parties too with endless beer crawls, nightclubs, cocktails and fun. Oh did we mention the sun, sea and sand too?
Where to stay: In Magaluf go for the Fiesta Jungla Aparthotel. You’ll find the super clubs on your doorstep and the pools and beach to recover on the morning after the night before.
Malta is a tiny gem of an island in the heart of the Mediterranean, close to the boot of Italy, Sicily. The country is actually an archipelago made up of three islands, so it really has something for everyone. But, if you’re looking for a so-laidback-it’s-horizontal atmosphere at very budget friendly prices then you’ll find it here. The best bit? We think it has to be that Maltese summers are practically guaranteed hot, with loads of sunshine and no rain! On top of that, there’s a fine range of cheap hotels so it easily places on our best value holidays Europe list.
Where to stay: We love the Hotel Bella Vista in Qawra in a great location right on the seafront. You can take it easy at the bar, with a cocktail in hand just listening to the sound of the waves, or head for one of the tasty local eateries before retiring to your comfortable, spacious room.
From the Greek Islands ancient art to the imposing Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain, we take a look at the 10 best holidays for art lovers to impress and delight.
Florence, Italy Home to the famous Uffizi Gallery, you can feel art flowing through the veins of Florence. Dating from the 16th century the museum houses the world’s most magnificent collection of Italian Art. Of course a stop in this stunning city wouldn’t be complete without visiting Michelangelo’s famous statue of David.
Paris, France One of the best known museums in the world and home to masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, the Louvre is a jaw dropper. But it’s not the only top class museum in the French Capital. The Musee d’Orsay is home to works by Degas, Renoir and Rodin while the Pompidou Centre houses classics by Picasso and Magritte.
Bilbao, Spain You might recognise Bilbao from the imposing Guggenheim museum. An architectural wonder, its 32,500 food undulating walls and curves was designed by Frank Gehry. It is home to some of the most famous avant garde art in the world.
Greek Islands A Greek Island art holiday is a wonderful way of getting lost in the culture, the beautiful landscape and the rich heritage. It makes a really relaxing getaway, perfect for relaxed painting excursions, eating like your life depends on it and creating wonderful memories.
New York City The colours, the vibrant atmosphere, that whole feeling you get when you arrive in the Big Apple is different to anything before. It’s like a city built for art. There’s 5000 years of paintings, sculptures and exhibitions at The Met, (the Metropolitan Museum of Art) MoMA and the Guggenheim plus dozens if not hundreds of fashion, design and science museums to inspire you.
Favara, Sicily This is a small town in the Italian island that’s been transformed from quaint to contemporary. Thanks to an initiative by the Farm Cultural Park it’s seen an explosion in visitors from all over the world. Walls have been used as huge canvasses, sculptures and paintings dot the streets in a town where unemployment is rife.
St Petersberg, Russia Museums in Russia have benefitted for centuries from the royal family’s love of art. You’ll find works from the big guns like Leonardo, Poussin and Picasso and everything in between. Not only famous for its art, it is home to a wealth of historical and cultural artefacts and is home to a buzzing contemporary art scene.
Vatican City The architecture and Renaissance masterpieces of Vatican City have been inspiring people for generations. Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s frescoes are probably the most well known in the collection of renowned art you’ll find in the tiny city. And, of course beyond the walls, you’ll find Rome stretching out below you, another art treasure trove.
Barcelona, Spain The awe inspiring Sagrada Familia will surely make your jaw drop. The hugely detailed church has been under construction since 1882, with building work set to continue until 2026. Designed by architect Antoni Gaudi, it’s just one of his stamps that you’ll notice throughout the city. Park Guell, with its bright, mosaic sculptures will impress even the pickiest youngster; while a stroll through the streets of late night BCN will provide houses such as Casa Mila or Casa Batllo that look like they belong in museums instead of the street.
Berlin, Germany One of the hippest places to get your art on, over the past 20 years, Berlin has grown to become one of the biggest names in contemporary art, exhibitions and architecture. Try the Berlinische Galerie, or the Sammlung Boros Collection (if you can get in there!) It’s also home to art throughout the ages. Museumsinsel, or Museum Island is the biggest complex in Europe and is home to five separate institutions.
If you’re stuck on what to give Dad for Father’s Day — and his chest of drawers simply cannot accommodate one more pair of personalised ankle socks — this might be the year to give him the gift of travel, well kind of. Send him on a journey through the Middle East, the member’s clubs of old England or even to Timbuktu (if he’s really doing your head in), all at the wallet-friendly price of around 50 quid. You’re welcome. Read More
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