Up in the air . . .

NORWEGIAN is continuing its UK expansion with a new direct service from London Gatwick to Rhodes taking off just in time for a sunshine break.

Norwegian’s inaugural flight to Rhodes departed on Saturday 17th June with a weekly service throughout summer, and fares available from just £29.90 one-way. 

Rhodes will be the fifth Greek island Norwegian serves direct from London Gatwick, including Corfu, Crete, Kefalonia, and Santorini.

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Waiting for the wedding …

GETTING married abroad can be romantic but also a bureaucratic nightmare. You have go through legal processes of one sort or another everywhere, but in these countries it’s little less of a headache than in many others … 

Cyprus
All paperwork is in English and couples don’t have to spend a certain period of time on the island before they get married, so they can have the wedding and honeymoon within a week.

Rhodes, Greece
Getting married in Greece is relatively straightforward, although the couple do have to be in the country for a full week before the wedding so they will need to book a fortnight holiday and get married in the second week. Santorini is another big wedding island in the Aegean.

Barbados
The Caribbean has long been one of the most popular overseas wedding destinations for British couples and Barbados, arguably the most ‘British’ of all the islands in the region, is a safe bet. Couples need to register only 48 hours before getting married, so it is easy to organize.

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is popular because it’s good value and has unusual wedding options – few places allow the bride and groom to ride off into the sunset on the back of an elephant, or marry on a moonlit beach to the hypnotic sound of drums. On a practical note, the couple need to be in Sri Lanka at least five working days before the wedding. Good flight connections from the capital Colombo mean it is easy to combine a Sri Lankan wedding with a honeymoon in the Maldives.

St Lucia
Another favourite Caribbean option, a special licence allows couples to be married within 24 hours of arrival and the choice of venues ranges from a deserted beach to a botanical garden, church, or yacht.

Las Vegas, US
Getting married here isn’t quite as uncomplicated as popular myth has it; there is paperwork. Both parties must appear in person at a Clark County Marriage Bureau location and present identification with ages and names. It, though, almost instant. There's no waiting period; couples will get their marriage licence on the day they apply for it … and the marriage bureau is open from 8 a.m. to midnight daily. Divorce in the state of Nevada, of course, takes somewhat longer.


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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28113499@N08/5526299075">"Endless love"</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">(license), http://www.flickr.com/photos/44124348109@N01/150969285">Runaway Bride</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)

A second Colossus for Rhodes?

Rhodes harbour then

ARCHITECTS have produced a plan to build a new Colossus of #Rhodes, the original having been by brought down by an earthquake that struck the ancient Greek island port more than 2,000 years ago. The new Colossus would be five times larger than the original.,. or one-and-a- half times the size of New York’s Statue of Liberty. 

Straddling the two outer piers of the harbour and facing the Aegean, it will clutch a beacon in its raised right hand which will be visible not only to passing ships, but as far as the Turkish coast, 35 miles away. Ships would sail between the statue’s legs. 

Costing €250 million (£183 million), the statue will rise more than 443ft above the harbour. The project’s promoters estimate that the Colossus, which will house a library, shops, and a museum, will generate an annual income of €35 million (£25.6 million).

The statue’s skin would be made of solar panels, providing power for the lighthouse and the facilities inside.

Rhodes port now

It is hoped that the plans for the statue – which have been announced against the backdrop of the Greek financial meltdown – will be seen as a sign of the country’s determination to emerge from its continuing economic crisis.

‘We want to show that #Greece can get back on its feet again; that it has the power and people to do so, and that the economy here can recover,’ Aris A. Pallas, the project’s head architect, told The Times in London. ‘We’re not out to replicate the ancient Colossus. We want to revive the symbolism it imbued, pooling human and financial resources together from across the globe, making it an emblem of globalization while reviving the historical and cultural significance traditionally attached to the Colossus of Rhodes.’

One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Colossus of Rhodes was a statue of the Greek titan-god of the sun Helios, built in 280 BC to celebrate Rhodes’ victory over the ruler of Cyprus. It was one of the tallest statues of the ancient world, at approximately 98 feet. It was destroyed when Rhodes was hit by an earthquake in 226 BC. In 654 AD, Saracens ransacked the island and sold the statue’s relics.

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Greek islands to lose VAT subsidies as EU cuts bite

SIX Greek islands this month lose their VAT (Value Added Tax) rate subsidies as part of the country’s third creditor bailout package.  

A package of cuts was agreed by the Greek government – against the wishes of voters in a referendum – as part of a financial bail-out deal with the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank.

The holiday islands are Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Rhodes, Santorini, and Skiathos. 

The ending of the tax subsidy will hit the cost of hotel and villa #accommodation, and the prices at cafes and restaurants. There was significant campaigning against the rise, with concern that it would damage the key Greek tourism industry. But #Greece’s creditors made it a condition of the latest bail-out. 

Other Greek islands are likely to lose their VAT rate subsidies next year and in 2017.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30400715@N08/5873947732">Mykonos church</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license), http://www.flickr.com/photos/54555810@N00/3878620643">Blue_Domed_Church_Oia_Santorini</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)

Brits flock to Greece despite economic warnings

WITH overall sales to #Greece up 40 percent on the same time last year across its 400-plus contingent of independent travel agents, The Global Travel Group reports that bookings show no signs of slowing down.

The average sales value of package holidays has risen by more than £300, with Rhodes, Crete, and Corfu topping the list as the most booked destinations, the company says.

The Global Travel Group’s managing director, Andy Stark, commented: ‘It’s encouraging to hear that the ongoing economic turmoil in Greece is not deterring British holidaymakers from booking trips to the country. Enquiries and bookings are on the up, showcasing once again that we Brits are savvy when it comes to a good deal, informed, and will travel this summer regardless of the country’s economic problems.

‘Our agents are reporting some stand-out deals to Greece and its islands. I would encourage people travelling to Greece to keep abreast of the situation and ensure they take the relevant measures with cash to ensure they are well prepared, but I firmly believe that a holiday to Greece right now is a good idea all round.’

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Picture Credit: "Oia in Santorini, Greece 003" by Moonik - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

Greek Islands last-minute bookings surge

GREEK euro crisis or no Greek euro crisis, online travel agent On The Beach reports a sharp rise in last-minute bookings for holidays on the country’s most popular islands. 

#Zante (also known as Zakynthos) leads the way, with sales up 115% on the previous year. Other islands performing particularly well include Crete (+62%), Corfu (+47%), Kos, (+42%), and Rhodes (+30%). 

Last-minute holiday bookings to #Spain are also performing well, up 54% on the previous year. The Costa Brava region looks like being the overall Spanish winner, with bookings up by almost 200% on 2014. 

Other destinations proving popular for #last-minuteholidays include the Turkish resort of Bodrum, the Balearic island of Menorca, and Paphos in Cyprus.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/105314487@N06/10527292125">Patmos bells</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)