Olympic Holidays Advanced Search for package holidays in Summer 2009

Thanks to Mamma Mia, Greece has never been so popular, and with good reason. Also, try and consider some areas that you might be less familiar with, including Cyprus and Croatia because both are beautiful with great holidays to be had cheaply.

Easycruise cruise ship

If you’ve ever considered a cruise holiday but have been put off by the flashy marketing material and huge prices, not to mention the terror of having to sit in a dinner suit at the Captain’t table, then take a look at Easycruise for your next cruise holiday. With cruises around Greece and Turkey with sensible and transparent pricing, you can relax in the knowledge that you’ll know exactly what to expect on your holiday. Their website provides tons of detail about the cruise ships, the itinery, the trips available to you and the facilities onboard, and this includes video tours so there’s nothing left to guess work. The emphasis is on informality, so no old fashioned stuffy protocols to adhere to either, but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy luxury and relaxation onboard. It also tells you what is included in the price of your cruise holiday and what is extra.

This is modern cruising the Easycruise way. Take a look at the website now. You might be surprised at what you’ll find. Many of the Greek and Turkish cruises are 3-4 day trips, so combine this with a few days stay either side and you’ve got a really memorable mediterranean holiday. Prices start from only £160pp (depending on the cruise and the time of year), so you’ll be getting a lot more luxury for your money that you might have expected!

Libra Holidays offer Egyptian River Nile cruises at very competitive prices. These are 7 or 14 night stays and include sight-seeing and overnight stays on land so you can visit Egypt in style. They also offer a range of board options. If you want to visit Egypt but aren’t keen on staying in a hotel, then take a look.

Balkan Holidays is the leading specialist holidays tour operator to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Serbia and Romania. With 44 years of experience they offer great value summer beach holidays, winter ski, lakes & mountains holidays, tours and excursions, city breaks to Sofia, Varna, Bourgas and more, last minute holiday deals and low cost flights to Bulgaria from 21 UK airports.

Bulgaria has been described as the land of Long, Sandy Beaches and Breathtaking Mountains…

Situated in the south eastern Balkan peninsula, Bulgaria has been dealt a generous hand by nature. There is the impressive 230-mile long Black Sea coast with some of the finest sandy beaches in Europe (and they’ve got the Blue Flag award to prove it) with average temperatures of 27°C and more than 300 hours of sunshine in high season or the magnificent mountain ranges with an abundance of flora and fauna, and an amazing cultural heritage to explore.
So, whether you plan to let your hair down and be entertained in a modern seaside resort, or relax and soak up the sun on a secluded beach where time stands still or awaken your senses amongst breathtaking mountain slopes and lush green hills or take a journey of discovery through a land of tradition and great contrasts, Bulgaria has it all.

Some of it’s main resorts include:

• Varna area
• Golden Sands
• Albena
• St. Konstantin
• Bourgas area
• Sunny Beach
• Elenite
• Paradise Beach
• Nessebar
• Pomorie
• Sozopol
• Duni

Things to do and see

Of course going on holiday is always fun when there is more to do. Bulgaria has a  lively summery atmosphere and a beautiful nature – there is always plenty to see and visit. For those who prefer water sports, Balkan Holidays provide scuba diving courses with PADI-qualified dive instructors.  Bulgaria is especially proud of its rich folklore traditions. Folk dances, music, national costumes and traditional rituals have an important place in the lives of Bulgarians. During the summer a number of folk and cultural festivals and concerts take place by the seaside happening mainly in the towns of Varna, Bourgas and Sozopol.

Food and Drinks

Because of its geographical position and long history Bulgarian cuisine is a mixture between the best parts of the Slavonic, Greek and Turkish cuisines.

National specialities include: Shopska salad (sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and parsley topped with grated sheep’s cheese); and tarator (a cold soup of chopped cucumber, walnuts and yogurt) which is perfect for hot summer days. White sheep’s cheese baked with eggs is another favorite. Other typical items on the menu include kebapcheta (minced meat rolled into sausage shapes and grilled), kavarma (individual casseroles of pork or veal, onions and mushrooms), shishkebab, stuffed vine or cabbage leaves and moussaka. Yogurt too, tastes better in Bulgaria – its country of origin.
Bulgarian drinks have their devotees even among the most refined drinkers. There are some excellent locally produced wines and spirits, and nothing can beat a cold beer at just 50 pence a bottle!

Money

The monetary unit is the Lev. There are approx. 2.84 Levs to £1.00 (though this does fluctuate) • Foreign currency can be exchanged at the airports, banks, exchange bureaux and hotels. Travellers’ cheques carry a higher commission • Scottish notes are not accepted • Credit cards are not widely accepted.

Climate

Bulgaria has average temperatures of 27° C in the summer and basks in over 300 hours of sunshine during the high season.

Eating and Drinking – Typical Costs

• Bottle of Beer – £0.50

• Take Away Sandwich – £1.00

• Two Course Meal – £4.00

• Bottle of Wine in a Restaurant – £3.50

Many of us are looking for somewhere to go that isn’t being hammered by the Euro exchange rate, yet a lot of people have never tried Bulgaria or it’s neighbours. Look at those eating and drinking prices – that looks like Majorca in the 1970′s! If we’ve whetted your appetite and I hope we have then scoot over to  Balkan Holidays for the full low down. It really does look stunning!

Very large savings are to be had by booking direct with the tour operators. Our unique search engine cuts through the nonsense and delivers great results and includes discount package holidays deals to all the main resorts, flying from all airports across the UK. Whether you are looking for a secluded bay in Skopelos, or a mad party scene in Benidorm, we have the technology to make it happen. Some package holidays include also free child places. All board basis are covered from self catering to bed and breakfast to half board full board or even all inclusive.

Remember though, package holidays are discounted for a limited period only to get them sold. Once they’re gone they’re gone so if you find a great price, you can’t count on it still being here tomorrow.