Infographic: Just Beachy
Find out more about some of the best and most unusual beaches in the world in our brand new infographic. 
Infographic: What kind of holiday do you go for?
Self-catering, all inclusive, Glasgow or London, beach or spa? Find out what holiday type you go for in our new travel infographic.
Istanbul Best European Destination 2013: What’s it all about?
You may have heard that Turkey’s second second city, Istanbul, has been voted this year’s best European destination in a public vote. But if you’re left wondering what all the fuss is about, take a walk through this ancient city with this week’s infographic.
Off the beaten track: an infographic
Our latest infographic shows the best in off the beaten track travel and why sometimes going off map is for the best.
Purple10: The Top Ten Most Visited Cities in the World
As the year draws to a close, we take a look at the most visited cities of this year. Can you guess who came in top?
Click here to see the top ten most visited cities in the world…
Too Fat to Fit on a Plane Seat?
You may have heard about the ‘turbulence’ caused when film director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Cop Out) was removed from a Southwest Airline flight for being too large to fit in a seat. The resulting Twitter rants and press slams has drawn attention to the fact that airlines have recently clarified their seating rules.
Smith, 39, had purchased two tickets to comply with Southwest Airlines policy that requires larger passengers to buy two seats. He then decided to go standby for an earlier flight and was seated on a plane on which there was only one seat left. From there, he was ejected from the plane.
You Should See… Our Other Infographics.
He wrote: “I know I’m fat, but was Captain Leysath really justified in throwing me off a flight for which I was already seated? “I broke no regulation, offered no ‘safety risk’ (what, was I gonna roll on a fellow passenger?).”
Smith insisted that he was able to put both arm rests down and buckle his seat belt – Southwest’s standard. The director refused to accept a $100 (£60) voucher from the airline. After getting on another Southwest flight he took a photograph of himself and posted it on Twitter with the caption: “Look how fat I am on your plane! Quick! Throw me off!” After his flight from Oakland landed in Los Angeles he said: “Don’t worry: wall of the plane was opened and I was airlifted out.”
Inspired by this story, we thought we’d do a little research into actually how fat you have to be to be told you cannot board the flat unless you buy two seats (click the image to enlarge it, turns out it was ‘too fat to fit on out Blog’):
Get Inspired: Infographic, Why We Love Greece
Greece is a vast landscape of diverse experiences waiting to be discovered. Each of the Greek islands have their own quirks and contrasts, but all are equally stunning and the beaches spectacular. But the real reasons that we love this popular tourist destination are a little less obvious and only become known to a traveller after they’ve experienced true life in Greece.
Have a look at our infographic with some unusual facts about this fascinating country:
In essence, it’s the idiosyncrasies that we love the most. Here are just a couple of reasons why we love Greece.
The fact that they would rather have a coffee than do pretty much anything else in the world. If you thought that you liked coffee, speak to a Greek and you’ll feel like a total amateur. Frappes are like heroin for the Greek society. A combination of Nescafe, water, condensed milk and a boatload of sugar and ice, the chemical buzz they inflict is almost scary.
Imagine the warm breeze blowing through your hair as you speed to the beach… Mopeds represent a youthful freedom in Greece. As terrifying as they are invigorating, don’t expect to see the Greeks wearing helmets (ever) or even footwear for that matter. Who says you can’t ride a motorbike in your flip-flops?
The Greeks also love their balconies. Aside from in cafes, they will mostly be seen drinking their frappes at a blue-white table, on a balcony that overlooks the sea. But with such great weather almost all year round – who can blame them?
Whether it’s souvlaki, moussaka or just a Greek salad, you have to admit that Greek food is some of the best in the world (and the cheapest). The seafood is fresh, the vegetables are locally sourced and the plates double as smashing material when cleared. Hurrah!
Rapidly spinning them around their fingers, the men of Greece have used worry beads to combat their stress for centuries. You’ll find them outside most souvenir shops, or for something more luxurious, try Kombologadiko, where the beads are made from semi-precious stones.
Greek women are
known for their impeccable skin, and this is generally due to an old quote that has been passed down through generations – “Never put anything on your face that you cannot eat or taste.” For this reason brands such as Korres and Apivita have become extremely successful, containing 85-100% natural ingredients. Their ingredients are not tested on animals and the materials used are kind to the environment.
Basically, when in Greece, you’ll find all sorts of comical and beautiful sights, not to mention delicious tastes, memorable smells of the ocean and a hospitality so warm you can almost feel it.