There is something very special about attending music festivals during the summer. The hoards of people, the top of the bill live bands, the camaraderie of everyone camping out and swapping stories (and supplies); it’s a unique experience and something that everyone should experience at least once.

Of course there are also downsides to music festivals, especially in the UK. With UK festivals you can be fairly certain that the weather will play at least some part in the event and will turn a plush field into a mud filled arena from which nobody will escape unsullied.

Camping in the UK can have big disadvantages. This is one area where the rest of Europe has a distinct advantage over the UK, as camping in Europe for music festivals can be an entirely different experience, and something that could persuade those put off by the mud in the UK to give it a go.

If camping in tents isn’t your thing, you could try holiday parks that contain mobile homes. You still get the feeling of camping out, fulfil the desire for self catering, but you don’t have to wrestle with a tent in a field while the rain beats down on your face.

British music festivals have a special place in people’s hearts, but for those who don’t like to ‘rough it’ then continental Europe offers a much more civilised camping experience.

Spa holidays are becoming more popular among the young and old alike as a healthy alternative to the usual holidays people take when they go abroad. Instead of drinking to excess and partying hard you can treat your body and become a little bit healthier from your trip away with spa holidays in Turkey.

Spa holidays cater for people travelling alone, groups or even couples looking to relax on luxury holidays together.

Luxury is indeed the word as you can indulge yourself in the ultimate luxury by taking a bath in milk, just like the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. If milk isn’t for you, you could swap that for red wine, which is reportedly excellent for the skin.

These luxury holidays also offer the option of relaxing massages, which can even be performed in the comfort of your hotel room surrounded by scented candles, for the ultimate relaxing experience.

Spa holidays in Turkey also offer saunas to ease away your stress, and indoor pools if you want to tone up those muscles with a relaxing swim.

If a holiday to you means keeping fit you can even spend time in the gym, ensuring that you return from your luxury holiday looking even better than when you left.

The British summer may be fleeting and it often skips a year, but that’s all the more reason to be prepared for it. Unless you holiday abroad regularly or you use a sun bed and tanning lotion, your skin is likely to be unprepared for any outbreaks of sun that the UK may enjoy. This means that unless you take precautions with your skin buy using sun care products you could burn easily and quickly when the weather does take a turn for the better.

Sun lotion is essential wear during the summer months if you’re going to be outside for more than thirty minutes. It will protect your skin from burning and offer you important UV protection, which is essential to help prevent and avoid skin cancer.

If however you have been caught unawares and without sun cream then you may find yourself the victim of sunburn. If this happens you’ll want to apply after sun care lotion to cool your skin and reduce the burning sensation. People in the UK tend to use after sun lotion almost as much as they use sun cream.

Sun lotion is especially important on children, who require a much higher factor than adults to afford them the sort of UV protection that will keep their skin from burning. You should always apply sun cream to children when they play outside during the summer, even if there are clouds in the sky.

Summer’s here again, and it’s time to unpack the clubs, start doing some stretches and get busy working on your handicap!

If you are fortunate enough to be able to choose any course in England this summer on a July short break, we recommend the following as the top 5 golf courses in England. For golf accomodation and golf packages - Parkdean holidays have nearly 25 parks to choose from - some of which are located within driving distance of these great courses. Visit Parkdean for golf holiday in England and golf holiday in Scotland today!

#1 WENTWORTH

England’s #1 golf course is Wentworth Golf Club, a privately owned golf club and health resort in Virginia Water, Surrey on the south western fringes of London, not far from Windsor Castle. The West course at the Wentworth Club is the most famous of the Surrey heath and heather courses.

The club was founded in 1926. The headquarters of the PGA European Tour are located at the club, and each year it hosts the Tour’s BMW PGA Championship and HSBC World Match Play Championship. It was also the venue for the fiercely contested 1953 Ryder Cup, resulting in a single point American victory 6 ½ to 5 1/2.

The club is surrounded by and entwined with the Wentworth Estate, one of the most expensive private estates in the London suburbs, which was built at the same time, where many top golfers and other celebrities have homes. One of them is Ernie Els, who became the club’s “world-wide touring professional” in 2005. Over the winter of 2005-06 Els, who is developing a golf course design practice, made alterations to the West Course, lengthening it by 310 yards (280 m) and adding 30 bunkers.

Wentworth also boasts a Tennis & Health Club. The Wentworth Tennis and Health Club consists of a gymnasium, dance studio, health spa, ozone swimming pool and jacuzzi, crèche facilities, changing rooms, and a café.

#2 ROYAL BIRKDALE

Royal Birkdale Golf Club in the town of Southport, England, is one of the clubs in the Open Championship rotation. The club has hosted the championship nine times since 1954, most recently in July 2008. Previous winners of the Open at Royal Birkdale are Pádraig Harrington, Mark O’Meara, Ian Baker-Finch, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer and Peter Thomson (on two separate occasions). Birkdale is the only course in the Open rotation that has never had a champion from the United Kingdom. The course is unique in that no two holes face in the same direction giving obvious problems on the notoriously windy days prevalent to any links.

Currently ranked 16th in the world, Royal Birkdale is a formidable challenge to a golfer of any level. The Birkdale (as it was originally called) was a nine-hole course located at Shaw Hills and opened for play in 1889. 5 years later the committee decided to expand to 18 holes and move to its current home in the Birkdale Hills.

#3 ROYAL ST. GEORGES

The Royal St George’s Golf Club is unquestionably one of the premier golf clubs in the United Kingdom, and one of the courses on The Open Championship rotation. It has hosted 13 Open championships since 1894, when it became the first club outside Scotland to host the championship. Past champions include Ben Curtis, Greg Norman, Sandy Lyle, Bill Rogers, Bobby Locke, Reg Whitcombe, Henry Cotton, Walter Hagen (on two different occasions), Harry Vardon (twice), Jack White and John Henry Taylor. It has also hosted The Amateur Championship on 13 occasions.

The club is located in Sandwich, Kent, England, and was founded in 1887 in a setting of wild duneland. Many holes feature blind or partially blind shots, although the unfairness element has been reduced somewhat, after several 20th century modifications. The club’s Challenge Trophy dates from 1888 and is one of the oldest trophies in golf; it has been contested annually except for war years. The course also possesses the deepest bunker in championship golf, located on its fourth hole.

#4 SUNNINGDALE

Sunningdale Golf Club was founded in 1900 on Chobham Common, on land owned by St. John’s College, Cambridge. Its first Secretary was Harold Shapland Colt who went on to design golf courses of international renown and was highly influential in the creation of the world’s #1 golf course, Pine Valley in New Jersey.

The original 18-hole course, set in a heathland area, with sandy subsoil amid mixed treed foliage, was designed by Willie Park, Jr., and was ready for play in 1901. It was also among the first successful courses located away from the seaside, as many people had thought at the time that turf would not grow well in such regions.

From the start, Sunningdale was well regarded, and has hosted many important events. Examples include News of the World Matchplay Championship in 1903, 1907 and 1912; several stagings of the British Masters in the 1940s and 1950s; the 1975 Colgate European Open (women’s); the 1987 Walker Cup; the 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1992 European Open and the 1997, 2001, 2004 and 2008 Women’s British Open.
The Open Championship, International Final Qualifying has been held annually over the Old and New Courses since 2004. It is also the venue of the 2009 Senior Open.

#5 WOODHALL SPA

Woodhall Spa Golf Club is a private golf club in England, that is located to the north of Woodhall Spa. The club was founded in 1891. In 1995 the club was purchased by the English Golf Union, who have since relocated their headquarters onto the site, which is now known as the National Golf Centre.

An oasis in the heart of Lincolnshire and a true delight to play, the course is set among glorious pine and birch trees. Woodhall Spa has two golf courses, the Hotchkin, which opened in 1905 and was originally laid out by Harry Vardon before being redesigned by Stafford Vere Hotchkin in the 1920s, and the Bracken, designed by Donald Steel and opened in 1998.

The club has hosted many prestigious amateur championships including the English Amateur and the Brabazon Trophy on several occasions.

Don’t miss out on the Christmas Markets!

We may only just be heading into our summer but it’s never too early to start considering tours to magical Christmas Markets in both the UK and Europe. Believe it or not but these tours are extremely popular and are sure to be a sell-out so don’t miss out and book your place today!

Absorb yourself in the festive magic of Valkenburg where century old caves provide the setting as you follow a candle-lit cobweb of corridors to the beautiful velvet scene of this wonderful Christmas Market. Not only will you get to see the variety of stalls and their festive ware, but you’ll also have plenty of free time to explore Valkenburg itself. Head over to Belgium and see the stunning Christmas Markets held in Ypres, Ostend and Bruges. The wonderful festive season begins here in December with the St. Nicholas celebrations where shops display all sorts of fantastic sweety treats such as marzipan, ‘klaasjes’ (flat hard cakes) and ‘speculoos’ (gingerbread moulded into the shape of St Nicholas). In Liege, you’ll be able to wander around 155 decorated wooden cottages that form the magical ‘Christmas Village’. You’ll also be able to see the annual European Christmas Market in Brussels that is held on the Place St. Catherine. Belgium has something for everyone with fairy-lit nativity scenes and decorative stalls selling a wide variety of ornaments, decorations & wonderful local delicacies to sample – your short break to the Belgian Christmas Markets will truly be a magical one!

If you’re looking to shop beneath a twilight sky then choose coach tours to Germany where you can explore the traditional Christmas Markets in Cologne, Berlin, Rudesheim and Aachen. Here you’ll certainly escape the commercialism of Christmas and enjoy searching for original festive handicrafts, souvenirs and tree decorations such as crib figurines, wooden carvings, candles & lambskin shoes. Don’t forget to sample the local festive cuisine of hot chestnuts, grilled sausages, gingerbread and much more!

Join escorted tours to the Czech Republic where you can visit the Christmas Markets in Prague. Soak up the traditional festive atmosphere where the Christmas Markets light up the city with their twinkling fairy lights. Walk around the many brightly decorated stalls selling all sorts of Czech handicrafts and local specialities that will leave your taste buds tingling for more.

Cross the Channel to France where you’ll come across one of the largest markets in Northern France – the Lille Christmas Market. The children will simply love Disneyland® Resort Paris at Christmas as all the characters dress up in their festive gear and the resort itself transforms into a fabulously magical winter wonderland that will surpass any child’s imagination!

You won’t have to travel to Europe to visit Christmas Markets because we have plenty on our doorstep here in the UK too! The Bath Christmas Market is definitely one that you won’t want to miss. Here you’ll find 123 wooden chalets that cover the streets of the city between the stunning Abbey and the Roman Baths. Each chalet offers a wide range of festive items to buy such as handmade gifts, decorations and tempting food items. Not forgetting the German Christmas Market held in Edinburgh, the festive delights available at Chatsworth House, the St Nicholas Fayre in York and many more! Don’t miss your chance to experience Christmas Shopping with a difference and book your place to some of these wonderful Christmas Markets.

For the full range of UK and European Christmas Market tours available, visit www.door2tour.com.

Get away from it all this Christmas

If the thought of preparing another Christmas Dinner at home feels you with dread, then why not escape from it all on fantastic festive coach holidays this Christmas and let someone else do all the hard work for you? Not only will someone prepare & cook the dinner but you’ll have somewhere nice to stay and to top it all off, someone else will be doing all the driving so all you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy a wonderful Christmas this year!

Almost everyone loves to see a spot of the ‘white stuff’ at some point over the Christmas period but unfortunately living in the UK doesn’t always make this possible, so if you ARE looking for a holiday in a winter wonderland then you should definitely spend your Christmas Holidays in Austria. Explore the amazing setting for ‘The Sound Of Music’, discover the birthplace of Mozart in Salzburg, learn the Viennese waltz in Vienna, wander through historic cities or perhaps go skiing in The Alps. There’s certainly plenty to entertain the whole family here in Austria and the children will love to play in the snow.

If you’re looking for some winter sunshine as well as a break from cooking then you should head to Lake Garda or Italy this Christmas. Do a spot of late Christmas Shopping in Trento, cross the beautiful Lakes by boat on Christmas Day, enjoy festive fun in Sorrento, take a gondola ride in Venice, see ‘Juliet’s Balcony’ in Verona, explore the Colosseum in Rome and much more. You’ll certainly find a Christmas Holiday with a difference here in Italy.

It’s usually cold and grey in the UK over Christmas so why not escape it all with festive tours to France where you could possibly party with the stars in Cannes, Nice and Monte Carlo. See the dazzling Xmas lights on the Champs-Elysees, climb the Eiffel Tower or take a festive river cruise down The Seine whilst in Paris.

For pure festive chocolate heaven you should definitely pack a suitcase and head over to Belgium where you can feed your sweet tooth on short breaks to the beautiful city of Bruges. Explore the cobbled streets of Mechelen, see the Atomium in Brussels or visit the Diamond Factory in Antwerp and maybe buy a belated Xmas gift for that someone special!

Truly get away from it all with long haul breaks to some fantastic destinations across the world! Top up your tan on Bondi Beach in Australia, have a merry little Christmas in America, enjoy a festive cruise around The Caribbean, see the morning sun rise above The Ganges in India, go on safari in Africa and so much more for a festive break with a difference.

To see the full range of fantastic value festive breaks available, please visit www.door2tour.com.

We all love something for free; it’s human nature and part of what makes the world go round, but how can you go round the world for free? Air travel can be very expensive, but there are ways to save money on air travel and gain free flights. Here is a list ways others have scored a free flight:

1. Become a pilot – this one isn’t that easy and can take years to actually achieve, but pilots get to fly the planes, not only for free, but they’re paid to do so. Sadly you can’t choose the destination even if you are the one behind the wheel.
   
2. Smuggle yourself aboard in a suitcase – the flight may be cramped, even more so than flying economy, but the rewards are that you’re flying for free. Best avoid trips to the USA in a suitcase as they may not like the intrusion. Just how far would you go for a free flight?
   
3. Flash a badge and pretend to impound the plane – it worked for Face Man in the A-Team, so maybe it could work for anyone. A little confidence goes a long way in grabbing free flights.
4. Probably the most practical is to save using loyalty programmes – there are many different loyalty programmes that allow you to save for free flights as rewards when you do everyday activities, such as when you buy your shopping, fill up your car or even pay your electricity bill.
   

Research carried out by hotel chain Travelodge has shown that many of us will be abandoning our usual Mediterranean breaks for holidays in the UK and this could mean seaside towns and theme parks will be making huge profits this year. So why not check out what is available on Door2Tour.com and book your UK holiday today?

The number of Britons choosing to holiday abroad this year is predicted to drop from 33% to 27% while 1 in 3 will take their holidays in the UK. Others will combine both options or simply stay at home. Cornwall is the number one destination for people holidaying in the UK this year with over 18% of us planning a break in The West Country. Places such as Isle of Wight, Edinburgh, the Yorkshire Dales and Kent are all expecting an influx of tourists in the summer with visitors bringing a predicted £1 billion of spending to these areas.

With its stunning beaches, picture-book scenery & fantastic music festivals, the Isle of Wight is expecting 157% more tourists this summer compared to 2008, earning the local economy £344 million. Theme Parks such as Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures and Alton Towers are all set to get the biggest boost with 18% of holidaymakers planning a visit – this is up 10% compared to 2008. The study of 3,300 adults has shown that average spend for the summer break this year is down from £631 to £567. Even with the Pound freefalling against the Euro, some of us will still head overseas for their summer hols and Spain remains the favourite. Out of all the Britons heading over to The Med, 23.4% will spend their break in Spain. But for 1 in 4 of us, the economic downturn is all too much so many will not go away at all this year.

For the full range of UK tours available, visit www.door2tour.com.

If you feel like doing something a little different this year for your holidays, have you ever considered going on Active Tours where you may see other parts of a country that you would not normally see? There is a wide range of walking tours available on Door2Tour.com where you can combine the active side of things with a spot of relaxation too.

Enjoy the thrill of trail walking amidst the extraordinary shapes, shadows and amazing colours of America’s stunning Canyons. You’ll be taken to the beautiful landscapes of Arizona and Utah where you’ll explore desert terrain, dramatic gorges and picturesque lakes. Take the family and walk through the National Parks of Bryce Canyon and not forgetting the world famous Grand Canyon. Hop on a plane to go walking through the fabulous Canadian Rockies where you can see the delights of Vancouver and explore beautiful Banff with its stunning Lake Louise. Here you can enjoy a wide range of scenic walks, horseback rides and try out rafting on the Kananaskis River!

For one of those once in a lifetime experiences, how about heading over to China and walking The Great Wall? You’ll be able to explore this ancient masterpiece, admire stunning scenery, visit ancient temples & palaces and learn so much more about this mystical country. Those who are adventurous may enjoy trekking through the unparalleled scenery of The Himalayas to discover the mysterious kingdom of Nepal – you’ll also spend an amazing 3 night’s in the Chitwan National Park.

If you would prefer to holiday a bit closer to home then there is an array of fantastic destinations in Europe for you to explore. Combine fantastic walking trails & natural beauty with fine local cuisine & relaxation in Halkidiki. Stunning coastal scenery can be found on wonderful walking tours in Croatia where you’ll come across a treasure trove of historical & cultural heritage. Discover ancient villages, vineyards and Europe’s largest gorge with tours to Provence or simply enjoy the glorious peninsula of the Sorrento Hills with its winding roads and dramatic cliffs.

This is just a fraction of what is available so why not open up the world with fabulous walking tours this summer?

For the full range of active tours available, visit www.door2tour.com.

The credit crunch is taking its toll on almost everyone in the current financial climate, with many holidaymakers choosing to remain in the UK rather than go abroad for their annual summer family holidays. A dim economic forecast doesn’t mean however that you have to suffer the dim British weather as well. On the contrary, summer breaks in Europe can be just as cheap as they are in the UK, especially if you travel by car or ferry across to the continent and avoid the unpredictability of flights.

European holiday parks are also perfect for family breaks as there are many holiday parks in France, Italy and Spain that offer luxurious, fun family holidays in peaceful, entertaining and most importantly ‘warm’ surroundings. Children love the sort of family holidays you can experience in mainland Europe for the excitement and fun factor, and adults enjoy them too because of the fabulous areas the holiday parks are situated in. Areas such as Tuscany and Brittany, famed for their beauty and their history, are also great for kids as they have many family holiday parks.

The best part about summer breaks in Europe in countries such as Italy, Spain and France is that these countries are so easy to get to. Via the Channel Tunnel you can be in France in a matter of minutes and from there can easily make your way to neighbouring countries.