We can’t think of anything quite more essential on your summer holiday than having a swimming pool.
In fact, holidaymakers gravitate towards the water for all sorts of reasons from dawn to dusk!
Active adventurers arise early for leisurely lengths, whilst sun seekers are intermittently drawn from their loungers for a refreshing dip.
Children splash and compete for their favourite pool float as the designated grillmaster keeps the barbecue stoked.
Finally, once the sun has set, parents can sit and listen to the crickets with a poolside nightcap before bed.
It’s hard to imagine your stylish Spanish finca, rustic Italian farmhouse, or modern Croatian villa without the holiday hub that is the pool.
So where to start? A visit to NOVASOL Holiday Homes’ website is a great idea to help you plan your next self-catering holiday. With 50,000 holiday homes across Europe, many with either a communal or private swimming pool, you’re bound to find the ideal property in the perfect location for you.
For many, a private pool signals splashing the cash, but NOVASOL have an incredible affordable range with prices starting from as little as £299 per property, per week.
Check out their latest video and if you feel just as inspired as we do, head to www.novasol.co.uk to book your next villa holiday.
With the holiday season in full swing, it’s tempting to huddle up on the sofa with a warming glass of mulled wine and a good film, and simply watch the world pass by outside your frosted windows. But stop! Don’t do that… there’s so much beauty in the world at this time of year, and one thing everyone should experience at least once at Christmas time is a French Christmas Market! With so many to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to head to for the best, most bedazzling festive experience… so it’s lucky I’ve taken the time to review five of my favourites for you…
Strasbourg
The oldest and most historic of Christmas markets, Strasbourg’s Christkindelsmärik dates back to the 16th Century and has thousands of people flocking to the ‘home of Christmas’ each year! This spectacular market features over 300 small wooden chalets, offering local products and delicacies. You’ll be able to nibble on gingerbread and sip hot mulled wine, whilst wandering around the various squares of Strasbourg discovering what made this market ‘Europe’s Best Christmas Market’ in 2014 as voted by Europe Best Vacation. Each year, a different guest country is welcomed to promote their goods, making the market a true multi-cultural delight.
Bordeaux
Discover the magical winter wonderland of Bordeaux, where 150 illuminated log cabin stalls line the Allées du Tourny – the perfect spot to while away the hours whilst picking up a few original gifts for your loved ones. Particular treasures you’ll find here include artisan perfumes, bottles of local wine and Landes foie gras. Father Christmas can be found in his grotto for children to visit, and the market also offers free sleigh rides – an enchanting experience!
Avignon
Avignon in December is a great place to be if you are looking to discover Provencal Christmas traditions! As well as the usual market stalls lining the streets, overflowing with wooden toys, gastronomic specialities, artisan crafts and jewellery, this lively Christmas market dedicates space for traditional Provence performers to dance, act and sing transforming Avignon into a sparkly performance arena! You will be welcomed to attend a local midnight mass or nativity celebration on Christmas Eve in the city, which is a lovely way to experience Christmas the way the locals do.
Colmar
A second Alsatian offering, which is only fitting when you consider that Alsace is the birthplace of the Christmas tree! In a pretty, fairy-tale setting, the fully pedestrianised streets of Colmar lend themselves perfectly to a typical festive market. The quaint illuminated town welcomes tourists to explore their five different market areas including a Children’s market in Little Venice (look out for the children’s choirs singing carols on brightly lit boats on the canals!), the markets of the Place de l’Ancienne Douane, and Alsatian gastronomic delights at the food markets at Place Jeanne d’Arc. A Christmas ice skating rink at Place Rapp finishes off this spectacular market, where you can enjoy the childlike joy experienced from skating in such a dream-like setting!
Reims
Reims is said to be where the first French Christmas celebrations took place in 496BC when King Clovis and his 3000 warriors were baptised on Christmas Day! Reims’ Christmas market involves over 125 fairy-lit chalets, offering Christmas gifts and local produce. Street entertainers such as carol singers and magicians entertain the crowds, and there is a grotto where children can meet Father Christmas. Look out for Biscuits Rose de Reims – ‘pink biscuits’, traditionally dipped into Champagne – the distinctive feature of these biscuits is they don’t break even when wet. They’ll be the perfect accompaniment for your Champagne on Christmas day. It would also be a crime not to visit some of the esteemed Champagne Houses whilst in the region, as well as exploring the smaller producers, where you are able to purchase a bottle of Grand Cru Champagne for as little as €15 a bottle – the perfect opportunity to stock up for the festivities!
Grape Escapes is a specialist wine tour operator offering a broad selection of holidays and trips to the premium European wine regions. Contact the team for more information about wine tour holidays via their website www.grapeescapes.net, on +44 (0) 1920 468666 or email info@grapeescapes.net
We could sit here all day and wax lyrical about the benefits of an authentic French onion soup for the soul, a Neapolitan pizza to lift your spirits, or a sunny day in Portugal bookended by a golden and flaky custard tart…well, just because they are delicious and addictive. But the chances are you have been there, done that and bought the recipe book. So today we would like to shine the spotlight on some major culinary contenders around Europe’s dining table that we feel may have been slightly overlooked. We’ve taken an example from Northern, Central and Southern Europe, so gastronomic adventurers, take note – Your tastebuds are in for a treat.
Starting at the Finnish
The Finnish menu is a seasonal celebration of locally sourced ingredients. Expect warming soups, potatoes and salmon with lashings of dill, pies stuffed with bright berries and the stalwart of the Scandinavian cuisine that is rye bread slathered with butter and taken morning, noon or night.
There are also unexpected specialties that set the Finns apart from their neighbours. Halloumi-like Leipäjuusto, for example, is baked over an open fire and eaten with cloudberry jam, producing a satisfying squeak. Christmas lovers may want to avoid Poronkäristys, but vitamin-rich and tender sautéed reindeer meat can be found served alongside creamy mashed potato at any time of year. Sorry Rudolph, but it’s absolutely irresistible.
The Poles have one of the most comforting, indulgent cuisines and proof of the pudding is in the Pierogi. These plump, pillow-like morsels filled with ground mince and topped with crispy fried onions are practically sacred in Poland. Unlimited to the savoury sphere, Pierogi can even transcend the boundaries of the menu when eaten for dessert with sweet berries and dressed in cream.
Smoked meats and cabbage also feature largely in the typical Polish diet. From Kie?basa and Sauerkraut to Bigos and Go??bki, these ingredients make for very hearty and flavourful fare. Veggies, fear not! There are also plenty of meat-free menu options, including crisp potato pancakes, vegetable soups and a whole host of baked goods.
Slovenia’s largely landlocked geographical position means traditional cuisine there has familiar elements shared with Italian, Austrian, Hungarian and Croatian gastronomy. The landscape, which includes mountains, fields and even a small Adriatic coastline, offers an enviable bounty. You’ll find everything from mushroom soup served in a hollowed out bread loaf, to dandelion and egg salad (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it).
Pasta lovers, we’d also like to introduce you to Žlikrofi – dainty dough parcels stuffed with herby meat and doused in rich rabbit or mutton sauce. Meanwhile the Slovenian charcuterie is nothing to be scoffed at: wind-cured Prosciutto (Pršut), sharply pickled turnips (Kisla repa) and a plethora of impressive cheeses grace the table.
The most seasoned food fanatics will know that the best way to get to the heart of a national cuisine is to pack your bags and make the pilgrimage. Whether your Mecca is a particular market, a backstreet restaurant or a vineyard, our number one tip is to book a villa or apartment right in the centre of the action. Our friends at www.novasol.co.uk have over 50,000 holiday homes all across Europe, so you’ll find the perfect base with them for your tasty travels.
October 12, 2026 1860 Elmer Sperry 1872 Ralph Vaughan Williams 1929 Magnus Magnusson 1935 Luciano Pavarotti 1942 Melvin Franklin 1944 Angela Rippon 1948 Richard Parfitt 1954 Les Dennis 1967 Susan Tully
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