Ibiza, Spain

Ibiza may be known as the party capital of the world, and a must-do vacation for the New Year, but it’s also one of the best summer destinations. The Balearic Island has a pleasant May climate, with clear days and temperatures in the mid-twenties. From June to September, the weather is warm and pleasant. Beach temperatures range from the mid to late twenties, making it a perfect place to laze around and get tanned in the mornings, and partying in the evenings. The northern region has olive groves and wooded areas, and is truly stunning. The beaches are packed till August, and less crowded from September onwards, so if you cherish your peace and quiet, that’s when you should plan your trip.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by David Sim

St Tropez, France

St Tropez is one of the oldest tourist attractions in Europe, and where the A-list crowd prefers to go. This tourist attraction owes its popularity to the influx of artists and musicians after the Second World War. It is known for its sunny beaches (with public tanning areas and private huts as well. The beaches also offer plenty of activities including windsurfing, sailing, yachting, diving and other water sports. These beaches combine glamour, leisure, nightlife and other activities to make an irresistible package.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Michael Gwyther-Jones

Malta

Malta, Gozo and Comino offers plenty of beautiful places for swimming. Sandy beaches are a popular choice, especially for families with children, but swimming is very popular on rocky beaches as well. Beach clubs and swimming pools are an excellent opportunity for those who like comfort. If you do not want to be surrounded by a crowd of people on the sandy beaches, it is better to visit them on weekdays.

Paradise Bay is probably one of the most beautiful beach scenery in Malta – the beach is located in a beautiful bay near the town of Cirkewwa. You can use chairs, umbrellas and enjoy a meal in a beach restaurant. Beach itself is small, but suitable for snorkelling.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Shepard4711

Sardinia, Italy

Sardinia is one of the two islands that lie off the western coast of Italy (Sicily being the other), and is not as crowded as the other Italian hotspots. It has stunning white beaches punctuated by the little coves. Apart from the obvious attraction of Mediterranean weather, Sardinia offers several attractions for the discerning tourist: from the Nuraghi (prehistoric cone-shaped buildings) to Nora, the archaeological sites where Carthiginian remains have been uncovered; from the Roman remains in Cagliari to the hillsides, meadows and hamlets of Barbagia.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by claire rowland

Santorini, Greece

Santorini in Greece, with its beaches, little hamlets and even an active volcano, is one of the hottest summer vacation spots in Europe. Traditional buildings (from as early as the 16th century), wineries, ruins and restored villas, and villages with their cobbled pathways, cafes and restaurants offer travellers a holiday they can cherish. The weather is mild from April to June, and September and October are the best times to visit the island. The sunsets here are known to be among the most spectacular in the world, sitting in perfect isolation on the outer ring of the Cyclades.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Lyn Gateley

While all these destinations can be stunning, it’s your interests and tastes that can make your holiday perfect. Choose what works best for you, pack your designer swimwear and head off on a holiday you’ll remember and boast about for years to come!

This article was brought to you by the people at Beach Cafe – online retailers and specialist in designer swimwear and travel tips.

View This Summer’s Hottest Beach Destinations in a larger map

The post This Summer’s Hottest Beach Destinations appeared first on Europe Explored.

Mount Etna, volcano, Sicily, Italy by andrea

While lava tends to flow from the volcano on a fairly regular basis, very few times throughout the island’s history has the lava actually made it to the sea. There are a number of peaks located around the slopes of Mount Etna. Because of its activity, during the days of the Greeks, Mount Etna was considered to be the home of the God of Fire, Vulcan. It was also believed to be where the Cyclops lived.

Because of its height, snow falls on the peak of Mount Etna during the winter months. As a result, it is one of only two locations on the island of Sicily where one can go skiing. The other one is in the Madonie Mountains. Skiing during the wintertime is a common occurrence, especially by the local population of the island.

There are a variety of different plant species that can be found along the slopes of the volcano. The most common trees that one can see are oaks and pine trees. The most commonly found plant in the foothills of the mountain is the Broom Plant which can be found everywhere.

There are many streams and ponds that can be found along the slopes of the volcano as well; especially in the denser wooded areas. Here you will find a number of amphibians such as frogs, turtles and toads. There are also a number of salamander species that live in the waters of Mount Etna. The largest lake that you can see along the slopes of the volcano is that of Gurrida Lake.

While there are roads that lead up into the upper portion of Mount Etna, the volcano is best explored on foot where vehicles simply cannot reach. There are a number of different nature trails that lead up into Mount Etna. On the western slopes of the mountain is the Monte Gallo to Rifugio della Galvarina trail, to the north is the Casa Pirao to Monte Spagnolo trail, then there is also the Monte Nero degli Zappini Nature Trail and the Mount Zoccolaro Nature Trail.

One of the more popular hiking trails up the slope takes you from Casa Pirao, up into Monte Spagnolo. The hike will take nearly five hours round trip. That does not include the times that you will want to stop, get something to drink and take some photographs of the awe-inspiring views. Do not forget to take enough water with you as well as something to eat.

The post Mount Etna – largest active volcano in Europe | Sicily, Italy appeared first on Europe Explored.