As Europe heads towards the summer, the next few months are a great time for a city break, relaxing beach holiday, or something more active and adventurous off the beaten track.

A City Break and Beach Holiday All In One

June and July is a great time to visit Lisbon in Portugal.  This cosmopolitan city has retained its laid back attitude whilst embracing classy boutique hotels, exclusive restaurants and bars and up to the minute shopping experiences.

Lisbon has the feel of a less sophisticated Barcelona, offering tourists the chance to sightsee in the morning, sit on the beach in the afternoon, and socialise until the early (or late) hours of the morning in clubs, bars and restaurants.

See the Welsh Coastline and Countryside from a Different Angle

Alternatively, if you fancy something different for a weekend try Coasteering in West Wales or Scrambling in Snowdonia in the United Kingdom.  Coasteering involves climbing rocks and then jumping off of them into the sea, whilst scrambling is halfway between hill climbing and rock climbing.

www.preseliventure.com  and www.adventurousexperiences.com offer half day Coasteering with safety equipment and wetsuit, providing the opportunity to see an abundance of wildlife and marine life whilst throwing in an adrenaline fix - and all for less than £50.

www.pyb.co.uk offers 2 day Scrambling courses for £200 including all supervision and equipment. Their location in the beautiful Snowdonia National Park is the ideal place to give Scrambling a go.

See the accommodation listings under Barmouth, Aberdovey, Betws-Y-Coed or Caernarfon for places to stay in Snowdonia.

Fancy Mountain biking the easy way? 

Head to Morzine in the French Portes du Soleil Mountains.  In Summer, the ski Gondolas are used to transport mountain bikers and their bikes up the mountain, leaving them to free wheel down whilst taking in the stunning scenery, and as the mountains border both France and Switzerland you can go up the French side and free wheel into Switzerland.

Fly to Geneva in Switzerland. The transfer to Morzine takes an hour.  Most accommodation in Morzine can arrange the airport transfer.

www.morzine.com - official tourist information site for Morzine

Chalet Manava www.chaletmanava.com offers summer accommodation in the centre of Morzine and summer activity packages from €65 per night.

Eco Friendly Transport in the City

You don't have to travel up and down mountains to sightsee on a bike.  The roadside bike hire schemes in Paris, Barcelona Brussels and Copenhagen provide an excellent way of taking in the sights, at your own pace.  Try freewheeling past the imposing Eiffel Tower or using your pedal power to get to the fabulous Gaudi designed Sagrada Familia, or spending a few hours exploring the Art Noveau area of Brussels.  There is no need to book in advance, simply find a bike point, swipe your credit card, and you will be given a code to unlock your bike.  When you have finished with the bike simply return it to any bike point.  There are bike points dotted around the cities, most are close to the main attractions and bike hire is only a few Euros a day.  It is good for the environment and even better for you.

For more information click below

www.velib.paris.fr - Paris

www.cyclocity.be - Brussels

www.bycyklen.dk - Copenhagen

Floating Accomodation

Fancy staying on a boat or cruise ship in the middle of Amsterdam or Berlin?  They are becoming popular, and novel alternatives to staying in a faceless city hotel.

The Amstel Botel Hotel is moored in the centre of Amsterdam.  Rooms are en-suite, and there is a free shuttle to the station.  Rooms start at €85 Bed and Breakfast. www.amstelbotel.nl

The Berlin Eastern-comfort offers cheap accommodation and attracts a back packing, younger crowd, whilst offering all the services and facilities of a Hostel. www.eastern-comfort.com

What is more romantic than staying on a boat on the Seine in Paris? Bateau Johanna is moored right in the centre of Paris, has 2 cabins, one of which is en-suite, Bed and Breakfast rates start at €95. www.bateau.johanna.free.fr

Enjoy Bed and Breakfast hospitality on a barge moored at Wooton Creek on the Isle of White in the South of England.  Explore this picturesque Island, renouned for its pristine beaches and sailing communities, and at night you can fall asleep to the rhythmic sound of the water lapping around you..www.island-charters-bandb.co.uk

Go Off The Beaten Track in North Africa

Morocco's cities, such as Fes and Marakkech are popular city breaks, but Morocco has so much more to see.  After a stop in the city, it is easy to travel into the Atlas Mountains to see the real, tourist free Morocoo, spend some time in the Berber villages getting to know the locals and feeling like you have gone back in time

Travel News

A Eurostar ticket to Brussels now also includes free onward travel to any other station in Belgium with Ghent, Antwerp and Brugge all within an hour's train journey from Brussels - now is the prime time to see more of Belgium at no extra cost. www.eurostar.com