On the runway . . .

THE inaugural easyJet service between Edinburgh and Sofia is now in operation, opening up Bulgaria’s capital and biggest city to passengers.  The inaugural flight on Saturday December 16th marked the beginning of the twice weekly service which will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays and offers further choice to and from Scotland’s busiest airport.

Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport Gordon Dewar said:

“The beginning of this route is another positive step for Scotland’s busiest airport as we add another city to our roster, which is already impressive.

“Sofia’s stunning scenery and slopes will cater for those looking for a city break as well as avid skiers, and easyJet have again shown foresight in working with us to provide this for passengers.”

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Fly & Win

FRAPORT #Bulgaria has launched its sweepstakes campaign at the two Black Sea airports of Burgas and Varna. The Cool Airport Summer campaign aims to boost the mood and improve the experience of all passengers during their stay at the airport. 

Travelers will be able to win attractive prizes while shopping in the designated airport facilities. The diverse range of awards include Vespa mopeds, smart phones, electronic readers, discounts of up to 50% of the next purchase, refreshments, products from the available store selection and much more.


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Thomas Cook launches new destinations for Summer 2018

THOMAS Cook has launched its summer 2018 programme for Bristol Airport, with an exciting range of new destinations to choose from. These include the Preveza in Greece and Hurghada in Egypt, both of these routes are exclusive to Thomas Cook from Bristol, in addition Bourgas in Bulgaria and Gerona on Spain’s Costa Brava, Kos and Paphos have been added to the programme.

As well as new destinations, Thomas Cook is offering customers three new own-brand hotels to choose from including new smartline and Sunconnect resorts. In addition, Thomas Cook Airlines is introducing eleven additional flight routes from Bristol Airport, both to existing destinations and to new destinations.

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A Little Secret . . .

THERE are many beautiful abandoned buildings and places in Europe have you ever visited any of them? They all have a different story to tell of their abandonment . . . 

Lake Reschen in Bolzano - Italy

This artificial lake is famous for the steeple of a submerged 14th-century church; when the water freezes, this can be reached on foot.

Craco in Matera- Italy

Now a ghost town Craco was abandoned in 1963 die to recurring landslides.

Spreepark in Berlin - Germany
Spreepark was opened in 1969 as Kulturpark Plänterwald the only constant amusement park in Germany but in 2002 its owners fled to Peru leaving a huge debt behind and the park was closed.

Buzludzha Communist Headquarters in Gabrovo - Bulgaria
Built by the Bulgarian communist regime to commemorate the events in 1891 when the socialists led by Dimitar Blagoev assembled secretly in the area to form an organised socialist movement.

Buyukada Orphelinat in Istanbul - Turkey
Built in 1898 as a hotel, it never opened due to lack of proper planning permissions. It remained abandoned for a long time until a wealthy Greek philanthropist turned it into a school and orphanage for children but it was again abandoned in the 1960's. Wardens live in a tiny house but are not allowed to let you in.

Canfranc Station, Canfranc - Spain
In 1970 a train derailment demolished a bridge on the French side of the mountains, the French decided not to rebuild the bridge, the cross border line was closed and never re-opened. Closed to the public except during guided tours in July and August offered via the local tourist office.

Varosha in Famagusta - Cyprus

Located within Northern Cyprus prior to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, it was the modern tourist area of Famagusta. Its inhabitants fled during the invasion, and it has remained abandoned ever since.

Balestrino in Liguria - Italy
Abandoned in 1953 for hydrogeological instability, the old town on the top of the hill is a ghost town whereas the modern town built below is still inhabited today.

Pripyat Amusement Park, Pripyat - Ukraine
The Pripyat amusement park was an upcoming amusement park due to be opened on May 1, 1986, but the plans were interrupted when on April 26 the Chernobyl disaster occurred a few kilometers away. The amusement park can be found behind the Palace of Culture in the centre of the city.

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Picture Credit: Renate Bomm 98384468@N04/29450221016  via photopin, Eichental 11875415@N04/30302540435 Spreepark via photopin, jwsal85 130535894@N08/16085801804  via/photopin, maecces 91769900@N08/29806859042 Balestrino via photopin, Matt. Create 76583692@N00/14048283292 Ferris Wheel, Pripyat, Ukraine via photopin

2017: The 'Year of Eastern Europe'

TRAVELZOO is forecasting 2017 to be the ‘Year of Eastern Europe’, with the region gaining popularity largely due to the shift in tourism away from other destinations that have been affected by acts of terror. 

The region is also appealing to British tourists concerned about the value of the British pound. Experts say holidays in beautiful destinations such as #Croatia and #Bulgaria are on average 30% cheaper than ever-popular southern coastal Spain this year and Travelzoo predicts the Eastern European region will continue to grow in popularity throughout 2017.

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Best holiday destinations on a budget for 2017

AS an award-winning travel search site momondo.co.uk understands a few things about how to break-in a new suitcase without breaking the piggy bank. So with 2017 on the horizon, the travel site here lists its top budget holiday destinations for next year – be it sea, snow, or city.

Momondo’s spokesperson Neil Cartwright states: 

“Holidays shouldn’t rhyme with worries and restrictions – that’s best left at home. Go abroad and let loose in a destination where you’ll get more bang for your buck. Affordable drinks, great food without sacrifice, free museums, and walking tours make like a winning ticket for a holiday on a budget.

January – Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia is an idyllic getaway during wintertime when all the buildings wear a pristine snowy glow. After you’ve visited Sofia’s iconic gold-domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, grab the family and strap on some ice skates at Ariana Lake. Each year the lake in Borisova Garden freezes and becomes a giant ice rink, accessible throughout the winter months and early spring.

Surrounded by mountains, escape the city for a day to ride some snowy slopes. In a 30-minute drive, Vitosha Mountain is yours to conquer. January offers good skiing conditions – stay warm after a day on the snow at one of the many mineral spas in the region.

February – San Antonio, Texas, USA

Welcome to San Antonio, Texas, home of the Battle of the Alamo. The 1836 battle for independence from Mexico remains one of the city’s main attractions, so book a Battlefield Tour around the mission grounds. Everything’s bigger in Texas, they say, so catch a rowdy rodeo or visit the Natural Bridge Caverns, three kilometres (2 miles) of underground tunnels.

Stroll through the Hemisfair, an area of urban parks and landmarks like the Tower of Americas observation tower or the outdoor Market Square. Mariachi performances or Hispanic festivals bring to life the stalls selling foods and clothes that remind you how close you are to the Mexican border. 

March – Valparaíso, Chile

Aboard the Artilleria funicular railway, take in the view of the colonial UNESCO World Heritage city of Valparaíso. In Cerro Artillería, shops have everything you need for souvenirs like alpaca wool products and aquarelles. The hilly residential areas like Cerro Bellavista with its Museo a Cielo Abierto, open air museum of murals, or Cierros Alegre and Concepcion with their painted houses are the perfect places to get a hint of the chaotic ambiance of the city.

With temperatures around 23°C, the seaside is tempting. Head to Viña del Mar for sandy beaches and nice beachside bars. The season is opportune for wine harvest festivals, so wine-lovers should head along the Valparaíso-Santiago Route 68, also known as the Casablanca Valley wine route, for a taste of the refined white wines of Casablanca Valley.

April – Braga, Portugal

Plan ahead if coming to Braga during Semana Santa (the week before Easter) – hotels are a hot commodity but the festivities are well worth that extra stretch of budget. Just outside of the city at Tenões join in the fervour of pilgrims zig-zagging up the hill to the baroque-style church Bom Jesus do Monte (Good Jesus of the mount). To head back home, grab the funicular, dating back to 1882, that links the sanctuary to the city of Braga.

Braga has all the charm of old-town Portugal with the perks of a youthful university city thanks to the student crowd from Universidade de Minho. Cathedral towers keep a watchful eye on the narrow streets that stream through the city, lined with restaurants and bars. The 12th century Sé de Braga (Cathedral of Braga) is the country’s oldest cathedral. Scattered throughout the old centre, peek into one of the many chapels, the Capela dos Coimbras (Chapel of the Coimbras) to see a typical azulejo fresco.

May – Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

Beach, sun, and Spanish cuisine – what more could you ask for? Open your appetite with a seaside stroll along Paseo de las Canteras that hugs the beach by the same name. Bathing is high on the holiday agenda in Las Palmas, especially at low tide when the reef, known as La Barra, transforms Las Canteras into snorkeler’s paradise. Take the Avenida Maritima that leads to the fishing village San Cristóbal which is said to have the best seafood eateries in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

June – Yerevan, Armenia

Give in to the minibus chaos to criss-cross your way through the city – for 100 Dram, and a loudly shouted “stop!” you’ll be dropped off at the Yerevan’s prized monuments. The pedestrian Northern Avenue takes you from the opera to the fountains at Republic Square. Imposing Soviet era buildings by day, elegant backdrop to a light and water show at night, the Republic Square is inevitably a must-see.

Enjoy the long summer nights in the pink city, as it’s called due to the pinkish stones of the buildings, at the café terraces, while snacking on lamehjun (Armenian-style pizza). Rebuilt to hide the scars of wars and natural disasters, most of Yerevan’s current attire is only a century old. Yerevan’s oldest heritage lies along the outskirts of the city where the Hrazdan River and deep gorge create a natural border.

July – Belfast, Northern Ireland

As you wander around Belfast, by foot or aboard a Black Taxi, you won’t be able to miss the peace lines (walls between Protestant and Catholic neighbourhoods) and commemorative murals. You’ll also see many reminders of Belfast’s shipbuilding history – don’t miss the Titanic Belfast, tribute to the launching of the Titanic in 1912, and the Titanic Memorial on the grounds by City Hall.

August – Lviv, Ukraine

Wrapped in the warm breeze of a Ukrainian summer, explore the streets of Lviv as they lead you to the heart of the city. It’s here at Rynok Square that you’ll find people cooling off by the four fountains adorned with figures of Greek and Roman mythology. Only a few steps away, the wings of the Chapel of the Boim Family shelter coffee shop terraces – make sure to go to Світ кави (Coffee World) for its varieties of coffee and cosy interior.

September – Pristina, Kosovo

Spared from tourism, rich in tradition, and focused on writing their history as a recognised state, Kosovo and its capital, Pristina, challenge you to an open-minded visit far from preconceptions. First and foremost, partake in locals’ favourite hobby – enjoying a good cup of coffee. Grab a macchiato at the bookshop Dit’ e Nat’ before going to the neighbourhood north of the city centre, lined with mosques and the old clock tower, remnant of the Ottoman Empire rule.

October – Panama City, Panama

Barely arrived in Panama City, hop on a boat through the famous canal, floating under the Bridge of Americas, built as part of the Pan-American Highway connecting the North and South Americas. On land, meander through the UNESCO World Heritage Site ruins of Old Town Panama, victim of total destruction in 1671 to “save” the city from a pirate attack. You can still see the city’s foundations and cathedral tower, but a scale model of the city at the Visitor’s Centre gives you the full picture.

Panama’s riches lie in its biodiversity – a cable car ride through the jungle of nearby Gamboa or a visit to the colourful Biomuseo designed by Frank Gehry place Panama’s spectacular nature in centre stage.

November – Kalamata, Greece

Start your visit to Kalamata via the shores of the Mediterranean. Sea kayak along the cliffs and by rock formations, taking breaks to dip into the warm waters of the Messinian gulf. In-between beach breaks, visit Kalamata’s historical centre, wandering through the gardens leading up to Kalamata Castle on the hill dominating the city. To make the most of the last warm nights of autumn, join the crowds on Latropoulou pedestrian street for a late night snack – the lalagia, sweet fried dough strips will do just the trick!

December – Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Hosts of the Winter Olympics in 1984, Sarajevo knows how to do winter. If snow has started falling in December, skiiers can catch the slopes on Mount Jahorina and rent equipment at an affordable price.

On sunny winter days, sit at a terrace in Baščaršija, Sarajevo’s historical Ottoman city centre. Reminders of the Siege of Sarajevo in 1992 are inevitable as you visit the rest of the city – learn and experience a bit about the recent war by visiting the Sarajevo Tunnel Museum built around the tunnel that served as a vital artery in supplying occupied Sarajevo with food and medical care.

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Picture Credit: meducauk flickr.com/photos/29090934@N07/29756892192 Alexander Nevsky Cathedral via photopin, Miradortigre flickr.com/photos/68018236@N03/27167783354 Paisaje de Coyhaique via photopin, Bengt Nyman flickr.com/photos/97469566@N00/24257316211 D8E_7261 via photopin, Johnny flickr.com/photos/74704004@N00/29477012946 Titanic Museum, Belfast via photopin, dronepicr 132646954@N02/26878155830 Panama City via photopin, Jonathan Retico 52094030@N05/20626619680 Baščaršija via photopin

Travel the Balkans

FEZ TRAVEL is celebrating its 20th year of operation by increasing its number of destinations. For the last 20 years, the company has been providing guaranteed departure small group tours in Turkey and Greece and now it will be extending its operation networks to the Balkans including Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia & Bulgaria.

Fez Travel's guiding principle is to provide travellers with a genuine experience rather than just a holiday. Fez Travel Managing Director Ekrem Usta explains:

"We want our guests to feel that they have had a genuine insight into the country & culture when they visit, and we achieve this by carefully selecting the places we visit, the properties we stay in and expert guides who know the routes like the back of their hand. We will deliver 3 different itineraries in the Balkans within same principle.".

Fez Travel is offering two special early booking incentives. Travellers booking and paying in full for the above tours by 31 January 2017 will save 20%.

Travellers who book and pay in full for any escorted small group tour between 1 February 2017 and 31March 2017, receive a 15% discount. These savings are also available for bookings made through travel agents.

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Picture Credit: luca.sartoni flickr.com/photos/21925196@N08/30720956105 Amberulean Meetup Dubrovnik via photopin.com

Report names cheapest resorts for summer

UK HOLIDAYMAKERS are likely to find #resorts more expensive this summer compared to last year as sterling has fallen from its seven-year high, but the Post Office claims the pound will still stretch further in many destinations than it did five years ago. 

Sunny Beach in Bulgaria is the cheapest holiday destination in #Europe for the third year running, according to Post Office Travel Money's annual Holiday Costs Barometer.

Despite a 9.3% year-on-year rise in prices, a basket of essential items still costs only £41.55, it said. Next come the Algarve, Cyprus, and the Costa del Sol, where the same goods cost £52.65.

‘However, with packages to Spain selling like hot cakes after falling demand for Turkey,’ says the report, ‘there has been speculation that prices may rise.  If that happens, savvy travellers could head north for the sandy shores of Asturias, where package and resort prices are low.’

In sixth place Costa Blanca, prices have fallen 6% year-on-year, it said, bringing the cost of a basket of essential items down to £62.29. In Greece, the lowest prices are in Crete, Zante, and Kefalonia. In British favourite Corfu, prices are up by more than 14%.

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: ‘The pound may be worth less in Europe than a year ago, but our research suggests UK tourists who choose destinations carefully could find resort prices lower than expected. However, sterling could be affected – positively or negatively – by the EU referendum vote.

‘For those still at the planning stage, it will be wise to compare prices for tourist staples in resorts you are considering before booking.  This could make all the difference to how far the holiday budget will stretch.’

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Bansko best for skiing value

BANSKO in #Bulgaria offers the best value #ski break for British families this season, according to TripAdvisor’s cost comparison study of 42 destinations.

A week on the slopes of Bansko, including hotel, ski passes, ski hire, ski lessons, evening meals, and drinks for a family of four will cost £1,279, nearly four times less than the price of a comparable break in the most expensive destination, Switzerland’s Zermatt, which costs £4,809.

Not only has Bansko retained its position as Europe’s least expensive ski since last year’s TripIndex Ski study, overall costs for a break there have fallen by £352 since last year. By contrast, Zermatt has jumped three places from last year to knock Austria’s St. Anton off the top of the most expensive list.

Bansko and Eastern Europe in general are revealed as offering the best value for ski travellers this year. The region has three of the top six cheapest destinations: Bansko, Bulgaria; Sochi, Russia; and Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Looking at a country level, Andorra has the most entries in the top ten best value list, laying claim to three resorts. Switzerland is the costliest country in which to ski; it has half of the ten most expensive resorts.

Sochi in Russia is revealed as the cheapest place to grab a bite to eat in this year’s study, with dinner for four over seven days costing just £105, compared with £762 in Verbier.

Swiss ski resorts have been some of the most expensive for the past four ski seasons, but the 2015/2016 season looks set to be pricier still for Brits, thanks largely to the increased strength of the Swiss Franc.

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Up in the air …

Ryanair launches Sofia flights – Ryanair is to start a daily service from London Stansted to Sofia, Bulgaria, next May. The airline plans to release 100,000 Stansted-Sofia seats for sale from £19.99 in September and October.

Sofia will be Ryanair’s second Bulgarian airport, following Plovdiv (which has a four- weekly service to London Stansted).

That’s a very, very long flight – Emirates has revealed its plan to launch services from Dubai to Panama City in February. It will be the planet’s longest non-stop commercial flight – 17 hours, 35 minutes westbound.

Flights to the sun – United Airlines is launching a non-stop weekly service from Newark (New Jersey/New York) to St. Kitts in the Caribbean in December.

Newquay Airport passenger numbers up – The latest data released by Newquay Cornwall Airport has revealed a significant increase in passengers using the airport for business and pleasure. More than 71,000 people used it between April and June, a 26% increase on the same period last year.

BA adds Costa Rica to long-haul schedule – Starting on May 4 next year British Airways will offer non-stop flights between Gatwick and the Costa Rican capital of San Jose … twice-weekly for summer months, rising to three time a week in the winter.
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Norwegian launches ski flights from UK

Low-cost airline Norwegian has signed a deal that will provide more destinations for UK thrill seekers hoping to hit the #ski slopes this winter.

The airline has signed new agreements with three tour operators in the UK: Nielson Travel, Balkan Holidays, and #Skiworld. Norwegian will provide charter flights from London Gatwick for travellers heading top ski destinations in France, Spain, and Bulgaria during the winter season.

Meanwhile, Scandinavians seeking winter sun will benefit from Norwegian charter flights to the Canary Islands.

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Picture Credit: "Skiing at Attitash" by Attitashmountain - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Up in the air ...

BALKAN HOLIDAYS has announced additional flights from UK regional airports to Bulgaria for its summer 2016 programme.

These are:

• A weekly Thursday flight from Glasgow to Bourgas 
• A weekly Monday flight from Aberdeen to Bourgas 
• A weekly Saturday flight from Glasgow to Varna 
• A Friday flight from Belfast to Bourgas 
• Saturday flights (high season) from Gatwick and Manchester to Varna
• Monday night flight from Birmingham to Bourgas 

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/82543970@N00/1341496473">Budva Montenegro</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">(license)

Bulgaria ‘best value’ for in-resort costs

RESORT prices in Bulgaria are among the cheapest across Europe, while costs in Italy and inflation-hit Turkey have soared, a study by Post Office Travel Money has shown.

Sunny Beach in Bulgaria emerges as the best value of 14 European resorts surveyed. Prices there have fallen for the second year running and at £37.39 the barometer basket of tourist staples – lunch and evening meals, drinks, suncream, insect repellent and a daily newspaper – now costs 28% less than two years ago.

But the biggest price falls over the past year have been in the Algarve, Portugal. This has been helped by continuing strength of the pound against the euro. A fall in the cost of eating out contributed to a 22% drop in the price of typical tourist purchases, making the Algarve 8% cheaper than third-placed Costa del Sol.

Prices remain high in Italy, with Sorrento being the most expensive of the 14 resorts surveyed. Rising prices have offset the benefit of the powerful pound.

Successive Post Office reports have noted price cuts in Cyrus, and the latest barometer reveals a fall of 12.1% since last spring in Paphos and more than 30% compared with 2013. As a result, Cyprus is the fourth best value destination overall and best value in the eastern Mediterranean.

The Greek Islands are also offering good value with Crete and Corfu showing price falls of 14.1% and 19.7% respectively.

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Picture Credit: Bulgaria-Sunny Beach- by www.vacacionesbulgaria.com - Own work. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia Commons

Where’s best for low-cost skiing?

BANSKO in Bulgaria offers the cheapest family ski holiday this season, according to new research by Ipsos Mori, the Daily Telegraph reports.

A family of four can spend a week in the resort for an average cost of £1,631, not including travel, a third of the cost of the most expensive resort, St Anton, Austria, where a week costs £5,026.

The research compiled the average cost of a week's hotel accommodation, equipment hire, lift pass and lessons, plus dinners and drinks over a week.

Other resorts deemed good value in the survey include Sierra Nevada and Formigal in Spain and Arinsal, Ordino Arcalis and Soldeu in Andorra. Host of this year's Winter Olympics, Sochi in Russia, was the third cheapest, with a week's family costs of £2,205.

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Picture Credit:"Skier-carving-a-turn" by Me - Méribel, France. via Wikimedia Commons