Asinara National Park is not your usual holiday destination, but a place worth visiting while you are in Sardegna. Known as Devil’s Island, it was used as a high security prison during the 1970s as well as during World War I. It has a large variety of habitats and is the home of the Albino Donkey.

The island of Asinara from Falcon Cape, Sardinia by enrico_sirola

Archipelago di La Maddalena National Park has 180 km of coastline and is a protected geo-marine area made up of a group of islands. It is between Sardegna and Corsica in the Bocche di Bonifacio area. A Dolphin Research Center is in the park that is interesting for both adults and children.

The Gennargentu National Park is on the east coast of Sardegna and has the beautiful Gusana Lake. The wildlife in the park includes the Sardinian Wildcat, marten, weasel, edible and garden dormouse, Sardinian Fox, the Griffon vulture and several different species of eagles and falcons. The highest mountain in Sardegna, Punta La Marmora, is also in the park.

There are 7,000 prehistoric fortresses called nuraghi around the island built by prehistoric people. Sun holidays will direct visitors to Nuraghe Losa and the Giants’ Grave in Dorgali. These huge structures were built during the Bronze Age. There are 321 large tombs made from huge, uncut slaps of rock. There was an obelisk near the entrance and each has a characteristic rectangular plan. There are three main types of tombs.

Nuraghe Losa, Sardinia, Iitaly by Jack Aubrey

About a thousand years after the nuraghi people, in 1000 BC, the Phoenicians built the city of Tharras on the northern cape of the Bay of Oristano. Today, it is an archaeological site. It was mentioned by Ptolemy and was the most importa   nt place on the island. The city was abandoned in the 10th century after being used by the Phoenicians, Punics and Romans. It is an open air museum and the most interesting structures remaining are the tophet, the bath installations and the temple foundations as well as the area where there were houses and artisan workshops.

Italy has some of the best places in Europe for enjoying a hot summer day out in the sun, with most of the budget airlines flying there now it’s a perfect destination for late bookings

James is a writer based in Soho, London who loves camping/travelling around Europe.

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Cyprus is an ideal place for sport lovers. In winter you can both ski in the mountains of Troodos and also swim in the waves of the sea. There are golf courses, tennis courts and you can enjoy plenty of water sports here.

Cyprus coast by Anton S.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 into two independent parts – the northern Turkish and Southern Greek, the boundary leads even through the center of the capital city of Lefkosia (Nicosia). Reserve at least one day for a visit to the Turkish part of Cyprus – architecture buffs will appreciate the Gothic cathedral converted into mosque.

If you would have the opportunity to attend famous local outdoor wedding with a reception, often involving the whole village, breaking the pomegranate – a symbol of fertility, singing and dancing until dawn.

Cyprus has lots of archaeological sites and an enormous number of monuments from the times of biblical apostles Paul and Barnabas, Romans, Ottomans, Crusaders. You should try easy hiking into the Troodos mountains and Akamas gorge.

Cyprus also boasts several UNESCO Heritage sites, such as Paphos, Troodos Churches with wall paintings and Chirokoitia.

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