With the icy blast of a late winter and the Easter holidays behind us, we can now look forward to clearer skies, milder temperatures and the start of the 2018 holiday season. Here are just a selection of our holiday ideas to whet your appetite for the summer.
Explore the Queen of the fjords
From 01 May, fjord cruises recommence on the Hardangerfjord, south of Bergen. The ‘Queen of the fjords’, as it is familiarly known, is less explored than the fjords to the north of the region and yet its natural beauty is, none the less striking. Here you will find fruit orchards lining the waters edge, dramatic mountain peaks, the Steindalsfossen waterfall (50m tall) and the 182m Voringsfossen waterfall. We love this region of Norway in the spring, when colourful blossom clings to the trees and the waterfalls thunder with water from the melting snow.
Hardangerfjord, Norway
Discover the fjords on our 7 night ‘Hardangerfjord in a nutshell’ itinerary. Prices from £1,036 per person based on 2 sharing and including return flights (London Gatwick), 7 nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation and public transport transfers. Highlights include a stay in Bergen, a journey on the Bergen railway, visit to the Voringsfossen waterfall and a fjord cruise.
Musical delights in Lucca this spring
The Tuscan, historical walled city of Lucca breeds creativity. Over the centuries many artists, poets, musicians and composers have been born or lived here including Giacomo Puccini, Luigi Boccherini and Giuseppe Ungaretti. The arts, you could say, is in its walls, in the streets and in the air. From 03-06 May, the city will celebrate its connection to the arts with the 4th annual Lucca Classica Music Festival – 80 free concerts taking place in palaces, squares, churches and museums across a city-wide stage. Among the key figures in the lineup are the cellists from the Mozarteum of Salzburg, led by Enrico Bronzi; conductor of the orchestra Beatrice Venezi; the celebrated violinist Uto Ugh; the Solisti Veneti; the pianist Pietro De Maria, the etoile Eleonora Abbagnato and the dance troupe from the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. Stay at the Ilaria Hotel within Lucca’s walls.
Lucca, Tuscany
Prices from £700 per person based on 2 sharing and including return flights (London Gatwick), 7 nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation and car hire.
Save up to 16% on holidays to the Azores in May
Over recent years, the mid-Atlantic archipelago of the Azores has come into its own. Investments in infrastructure and training have led to the development of new hotels and experience offerings. Today, the islands compete with the very best natural and active destinations in the world. Whale watching, swimming with dolphins, diving, canyoning, hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, fishing, jeep tours and more are available.
May in the Azores is the month of festivals (Santo Espirito and Santo Cristo dos Milagres). It is also one of the most beautiful times of the year, when the winter azaleas and camellias give way to red roses and sub-tropical flowers and the period when migrating fin, blue and sei whales pass through the archipelago.
Sete Cidades, Sao Miguel, Azores
Prices from £657 per person based on 2 sharing and including return flights (London Gatwick), 7 nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation at the Vila Nova Hotel and shared transfers.
Take a stroll in the Cretan countryside this May
May is, without doubt, the best time for walking on Crete; the weather is pleasant and spring flowers are in bloom. The White Mountains, the largest mountain range on the island, offers excellent walking opportunities for all abilities and spectacular scenery. Here you’ll find over a dozen peaks measuring over 2000m and 50 deep gorges. There is also an abundance of bird life – eagles, griffin vultures and bearded vultures.
Choose the traditional seaside village of Kalives, 20km east of Chania and close to the entrance of Souda Bay, as your holiday destination. The countryside surrounding the community is lush and peppered with olive groves, and the White Mountains make a sensational backdrop. Stay at the Anastasia Villa, a tastefully restored stone-built family home, overlooking the sea, in the heart of the village.
Crete, Greece
Prices from £659 per person based on 2 sharing, saving £277 per person, and including return flights (London Gatwick), 7 nights’ self catering private house and shared transfers.
Breathe in the aromas of a Cypriot spring this May
The town of Larnaca on the south-coast of Cyprus is much more that a beach resort. It is a town with a rich history and many of its gracious buildings bear witness to this prosperous past. Don’t miss St Lazarus Church dating from the 9th century, Larnaca Fort (from 1625), the Pierides Archaeological Museum housed in a grand 19th century mansion and the palm-lined Athenon Avenue. On 06 May the town will host the annual Anthestiria Flower Parade, with decorated flower floats travelling along Athenon Avenue, the beach of Finikoudes and through the town centre, and a programme of free musical and dance performances.
Palm Beach Hotel, Larnaca, Cyprus
Stay at the Palm Beach Hotel in Larnaca from £682 per person including return flights (London Gatwick), 7 nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation and transfers.
Watch Paxos spring back to life with GIC The Villa Collection
In 1969, our sister company, GIC The Villa Collection launched its first holiday programme to the Ionian island of Paxos and today the island remains an integral part of our holiday offerings. Our Managing Director was a representative on the island and 49 years on our passion for its residents, atmosphere and natural beauty is undiminished. Discover the island for yourself this May and watch the island reawaken after its winter break. This is the time for walking, relaxing and for mingling with those who live and work on the island; you will be greeted as a friend.
Harbour View offers that elusive combination of total privacy and quick access to amenities on Paxos. It’s set far enough back from the village of Loggos to feel separate and quiet, but close enough to be just a short walk away.
Harbour View, Loggos, Paxos
Prices from £649 per person based on 2 sharing and including return flights (London Gatwick), 7 nights’ self catering accommodation in a private two bedroom, sea view house and all transfers, saving 30%